Han Qingyu looked at the Mist Shades changing direction and going after Wan Ling, "Don't pour so much Qi out, they are being attracted to our Qi."
Wan Ling hurriedly withdrew all of her Qi before slashing with her sword to attack the Mist Shades.
But her sword passed right through them without affecting them in the slightest.
"Dummy! At least use a little bit of Qi, the Radiant Qi might have a good effect against these Spectral Creatures." She said before gripping her spear tightly and infusing it with a bit of her Wind and Fire Qi.
Her spear crackled with dual elements as she swung it down hard on top of one of the Mist Shades, but that proved ineffective as it passed right through the Spectral Creatures.
"Tsk, fire, and wind are useless," she muttered before hurriedly dodging their attacks.
Wan Ling enveloped her sword with Radiant Qi, her sword gleaming with a holy light as she slashed one of the Mist Shades.
SCEEECHHHH!
The Mist Shade screamed loudly as it felt its skin burning, but due to Wan Ling's low cultivation base, she wasn't able to deal a fatal wound.
Shen Yuan looked at Han Qingyu and Wan Ling struggling to fight them off, while the Mist Shades continued to pour in their direction due to the Qi density increasing as they both attacked by infusing weapons with Qi.
"Well, looks like it's about time I try that." Shen Yuan's eyes narrowed as his Thunder Qi surged, crackling across his skin like dancing serpents.
He had suspected Thunder to be effective against these spectral entities. After all, thunder and lightning often represented a form of purification and raw destructive power, perfect for dealing with ghostly threats like Mist Shades.
Exhaling calmly, he reached out, forming an arrow of condensed Thunder Qi atop his bowstring. The air sizzled, and a high-pitched hum filled the forest as he took aim at one of the Mist Shades hovering near Han Qingyu.
ZAP!
A bright flash illuminated the misty forest as Shen Yuan released the arrow, which flashed through the dense fog and struck the Mist Shade squarely.
The creature let out a distorted shriek, its form flickering wildly before dispersing into wisps of mist that quickly dissipated.
Han Qingyu and Wan Ling gaped at the sight. A single thunder-infused shot had obliterated the spectral being.
The group continued onward, the mist still thick but now much calmer after the waves of Mist Shades had been decimated.
...
Occasionally, another group of Shades would appear, drawn by the vibrant Qi of the three of them. But each time, Shen Yuan's thunderous Qi made short work of them.
Han Qingyu and Wan Ling focused on providing support for him from the sides so he could deal with them swiftly.
As they delved deeper, the density of Qi in the air only increased. The trees grew taller and more twisted, their bark covered in strange moss that glowed faintly.
The ground beneath became softer, lined with damp leaves and wet soil.
Eventually, the oppressive darkness of the forest began to lighten.
Wan Ling's eyes widened as she noticed a subtle glow ahead. "Is that... the clearing?"
Han Qingyu squinted her eyes as she peered through the mist, her silver hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned forward. "There's definitely light coming from up ahead."
Shen Yuan nodded, his body relaxing slightly. "Yes. It must be the place the innkeeper mentioned."
They continued cautiously, dealing with the occasional waves of Mist Shades.
During each clash, Shen Yuan's thunder arrows exterminated the ghostly foes, while Han Qingyu and Wan Ling made sure to gather up the Mist Shades in a group so Shen Yuan could make short work of them.
Soon, they broke through the last part of the dense forest and stepped into a wide clearing. The fog here was thinner, allowing them to see a patch of lush grass illuminated by strange, glowing flowers.
Han Qingyu exhaled a long sigh, lowering her spear, "Finally some visibility."
Wan Ling looked around, intrigued by the strange place, "I can feel the Qi here, it's...filled with a low amount of Thunder energy?"
Shen Yuan scanned the clearing thoroughly, his expression contemplative. "This must be the safe zone. Let's set up camp here for now and rest for a while. But keep your guard up—we still don't know what that artifact is or if something stronger is guarding it."
Han Qingyu looked around in the surroundings before saying, "What do you think the artifact is? And from the looks of it, it is a Thunder-related Artifact seeing how it is able to keep the Mist Shades away and this faint Thunder Qi in the surroundings."
Shen Yuan rubbed his chin, "Hmm... we will have to look around and see what it is first."