The Mighty Mage

Gu Jin didn't answer right away. She stood very still, her eyes scanning everything around them, the trees, the rocks, even the air itself. Her mind was sharp, and she started noticing tiny things that didn't match.

"Look," she pointed, "that tree over there has no shadow. But everything else does."

Mimi squinted. "Huh? You're right!"

Gu Jin walked over to it. "It's a fake. Just part of the illusion. This place is trying to trick us into walking the wrong way."

She touched the tree. Her fingers went straight through it, like it was made of smoke.

"That proves it," Gu Jin said. "Some of the things around us are fake, just like that ghost earlier."

Mimi looked nervous. "But if the trees and rocks are fake, how do we know where to go?"

Gu Jin took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She didn't rely on what she could see, because that was being fooled. Instead, she focused on what she could feel.

The soul energy in the air… it was strong, but there were some places where it felt more real. More solid.

"There's a path," she whispered. "I can feel it. The energy flows differently over there."

She turned to the left and started walking, not looking at the trees anymore, but at the way the wind moved and the way the ground felt under her feet.

Mimi followed close behind, watching carefully. "Are you sure this is the right way?"

Gu Jin didn't look back. "I'm not following what I see. I'm following what I feel."

They walked for a while, and Gu Jin reached out now and then, brushing her fingers along plants or touching the air.

Then, suddenly, the fog in front of them began to thin.

The ground felt warmer, and the air didn't feel so heavy anymore.

"We're out of the loop," Gu Jin said quietly.

Mimi's eyes sparkled. "We did it!"

She clapped her hands with joy and looked at Gu Jin with bright eyes. "Gu Jin! You really are the smartest! You figured everything out!"

Gu Jin gave her a small smile but shook her head gently. "This loop… it proved something. Something I almost missed."

Mimi blinked in confusion. "Missed what?"

"That the Void Gate is dangerous in a quiet way," Gu Jin said calmly. "If we weren't careful, we could've walked in circles for four or five days straight. Time would've passed, and we wouldn't even know."

Mimi's smile faded as she nodded slowly. "That's scary…"

Gu Jin's eyes grew serious. "So from now on, we need to stay alert. Everything here could be a trap."

With that, they continued their journey.

The path was clearer now, but not easier. As they walked, a strange sound started following them. A soft sizzling, like something cooking in a pan.

At first, they ignored it. Maybe it was just the wind or something in the fog.

But the sound didn't stop.

In fact, it started getting louder… and closer.

Gu Jin's sharp senses kicked in. She turned toward the sound and narrowed her eyes at a plant nearby. It looked like the others, blue leaves, strange shape, but something about it was off.

"That plant," Gu Jin said quickly. "It's not normal."

Before she could do anything, the plant suddenly shook, then ripped itself from the ground!

It leapt forward like an animal, heading straight toward them.

Mimi yelped in surprise. But instead of running, she jumped in front of Gu Jin, arms out wide.

"Don't touch her!" she shouted.

Gu Jin didn't waste a second. Her hand flicked forward, and poisonous plant vines shot out of the ground. The green, glowing vines wrapped around the attacking plant like snakes and stabbed into it.

Hisssssss!

The plant withered instantly, turning black and brittle before crumbling to the ground.

Mimi turned to look at Gu Jin with awe. "That was so cool!"

Gu Jin stared at the dead plant, then at her hand. "Poison works really well here…"

Her eyes sparkled with understanding. "Maybe… it's more useful than the others in this place."

Her guess turned out to be right. As they moved ahead, more of those strange plants attacked them. But every time, Gu Jin used her poisonous vines to fight back. And every time, the plants would wither and fall.

It was hard work. There were no maps, no signs, and they had to keep walking and fighting. The day felt long.

But after every battle, something strange happened.

Each dead plant left behind a tiny crystal. It glowed softly with red light, like a tiny ember.

At first, Gu Jin just picked them up and stored them in her space. She thought they might be useful later. But she didn't notice how Mimi was staring at them more and more.

Her eyes would follow the crystals, and she looked more serious each time.

As the sky turned dark, they realized that a full day had passed.

"We need to rest," Gu Jin said. "Let's find a cave for the night."

After walking a little more, they found a cave hidden behind some rocks. Gu Jin checked it carefully, making sure it was empty and safe.

Once inside, Gu Jin brought out a small lamp from her space. A warm light filled the cave.

But as she placed the lamp down, she noticed Mimi staring at her.

Gu Jin tilted her head. "What's wrong?"

Mimi looked away for a second, then slowly said, "I… I want to go out."

Gu Jin raised an eyebrow. "Now? It's dangerous outside at night. The fog gets thicker, and there might be more creatures."

Mimi looked serious. "I can turn into a wisp if anything scary comes. I'll be okay."

Gu Jin studied her carefully. "Why do you want to go out so badly?"

Mimi hesitated, then said, "I want to fight more of those plant creatures. I want to get the red crystals."

Gu Jin blinked. "The crystals? Are they useful for you?"

Mimi nodded quickly. "Very useful. Ghost beasts like me… we don't get many good resources. But those red crystals… they're powerful."

She looked down at her small hands and added, "They help us grow stronger."

Gu Jin sat down beside her. "Tell me more."

Mimi nodded and explained,

"The plants we fought… they weren't real plants. They were souls, angry souls that took over plant bodies. That's why they moved and attacked. When they die, their soul energy stays behind, and it forms into those crystals."

She looked up again, her eyes serious. "For ghost beasts like me, that soul crystal is a treasure. It helps with our cultivation a lot."

Gu Jin thought for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."

She reached into her bag and pulled out one of the crystals, handing it to Mimi.

"Take this one," she said.

Mimi shook her head quickly. "I can't take this from you, Gu Jin… I haven't even helped at all."

Gu Jin looked at her calmly. "That doesn't matter. We came into this place together. Everything we find here, we'll divide based on who needs it more."

Mimi's eyes lit up. She looked at Gu Jin with a serious expression. "Then… I'll help you fight too! I promise I won't just hide behind you anymore!"

Gu Jin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? Do you have any combat skills other than erasing souls?"

Mimi opened her mouth, but then paused. Her face slowly turned red with embarrassment. She looked down at the ground and mumbled,

"Not really… Ghost beasts like me usually have soul powers. They're very strong, like erasing a soul completely, but… because of that, we're not given normal fighting skills. We're more like shadows, meant to hide in someone's shadow and protect them secretly…"

Her voice grew quiet. "I'm sorry. I know I'm not useful in real combat. I shouldn't have said anything."

Gu Jin blinked, stunned by Mimi's sudden sad expression. Then she softened her voice. "It's alright, Mimi. I was just asking. You don't need to take it so seriously."

Mimi looked up, eyes sparkling. "Gu Jin… you're really the best master ever."

Gu Jin sighed, shaking her head with a smile. "Alright, alright. Enough praise. Are the crystals enough for now?"

Mimi nodded excitedly. "Yes! They're really great. I can cultivate a lot with these!"

Gu Jin opened her storage ring and took out all the red soul crystals they had collected that day. She placed them in Mimi's hands.

Mimi held them carefully like they were treasure. Just as she was about to start cultivating, Gu Jin asked, "How does your cultivation system work? Is it like mages?"

Mimi nodded. "Yes, pretty much like that!"

"And what stage are you at?" Gu Jin asked.

Mimi lifted her chin proudly. "I'm at Super Rank!"

Gu Jin raised an eyebrow and let out a small chuckle. "That's good."

Mimi pouted. "Why do you look so calm? Super Rank is strong, okay!"

Gu Jin looked at her, curious. "How strong?"

Mimi puffed up her chest. "In human cultivation, it's equal to Heaven Rank!"

Gu Jin froze for a second. "Heaven Rank?"