Chapter 2: The Celestial Talisman
The morning fog clung to the dense forest, muffling sound and casting a pale shroud over the towering trees. Wei Lin adjusted the strap of his herb pouch, his eyes scanning the ground for the frostpetal herb Auntie Hua had described. The air felt heavy, almost tangible, and each step forward seemed to carry him deeper into a dreamlike world where reality blurred at the edges. His breaths came shallow, not from exertion but from the strange sense of unease prickling at his skin.
“Just a little further,” he muttered, forcing himself to move deeper into the woods. His fingers brushed against the hilt of the dagger at his side, the weapon offering little comfort. Though this part of the forest was not yet considered dangerous, it wasn’t far from the threshold of the deeper Voidwood—where few dared to venture. Stories of shadowy figures and beasts that prowled the mist were whispered among the villagers, but desperation outweighed caution. The frostpetal herb was rare, and Auntie Hua’s words echoed in his mind: a handful of the plant could fetch enough to buy several months’ worth of supplies.
Wei Lin stumbled over a root, barely catching himself in time to avoid dropping his pouch. He cursed under his breath, the sound swallowed by the oppressive silence around him. As he straightened, a faint glimmer caught his eye—a flicker of light through the dense fog.
Curiosity battled caution, but curiosity won. Wei Lin moved toward the source, each step slow and deliberate. The glimmer grew brighter as he approached, resolving into a pale green glow emanating from beneath the gnarled roots of a massive tree. The air around it shimmered faintly, as if the fog itself bent to the object’s will.
He knelt, brushing away the dirt and leaves to reveal a piece of jade shaped like a crescent moon. Its surface was etched with intricate, flowing runes that seemed to shift when he looked away, like water caught in constant motion.
Wei Lin stared at the object, mesmerized. The glow pulsed softly, like a heartbeat. A chill ran down his spine. “What is this?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
His fingers trembled as he reached for the talisman. The moment his skin touched the cool jade, a surge of energy coursed through him, knocking him onto his back. His vision blurred, and the forest seemed to spin around him. Strange symbols flashed before his eyes, their meanings tantalizingly close yet just out of reach.
Voices filled his mind, layered and ancient, echoing through the depths of his consciousness. One voice rose above the rest, resonant and commanding: “The seal weakens. The heir must awaken.”
Wei Lin gasped, scrambling away from the talisman. His heart thundered in his chest as the words reverberated in his skull. The object lay where it had fallen, glowing more brightly than before. The air around it shimmered again, distorting the fog and revealing faint golden threads connecting the talisman to the surrounding trees.
“What... what does this mean? Who are you?” he stammered, his voice hoarse.
The talisman remained silent, but Wei Lin couldn’t shake the feeling that something—someone—was watching him. His hands trembled uncontrollably, and though he felt no pain, his body buzzed with a strange, unfamiliar sensation. Was this... qi? Grandpa Lu’s stories spoke of cultivation beginning with the awakening of one’s spiritual veins—a rare event that marked the difference between ordinary people and those destined for greatness.
Wei Lin shook his head, trying to steady his thoughts. “No,” he muttered. “I’m just a villager. This has to be a mistake.”
The talisman remained silent, but its glow didn’t fade. Instead, it seemed to hum softly, as though waiting. Wei Lin hesitated for a moment longer before reaching out once again. This time, the energy that flowed into him was less violent, more like a gentle stream than a raging torrent. The runes on the talisman glowed brighter, and a faint hum filled the air.
Images flooded his mind: towering sect gates shrouded in mist, celestial palaces floating among the clouds, and cultivators locked in battle with monstrous creatures beneath a blood-red sky. He saw flashes of techniques and symbols, their meanings elusive yet tantalizingly close. Amid the chaos, one image burned brightest: a man in flowing white robes, his face calm yet resolute, raising his hand as he sealed a massive, serpentine creature within a crescent-shaped artifact.
The vision faded, leaving Wei Lin gasping for breath. He clutched the talisman, its warmth seeping into his skin. He didn’t understand what he had just witnessed, but one thing was clear: this was no ordinary object.
A rustling sound snapped him out of his thoughts. Wei Lin’s head jerked up, his senses suddenly on high alert. The forest felt different now—the oppressive silence had given way to a strange, growing tension. Shadows seemed to flicker at the edges of his vision, and the fog thickened unnaturally.
He stuffed the talisman into his pouch and gripped his dagger tightly, his eyes scanning the shadows. His pulse raced as he took a step back, then another, retreating toward the village as quietly as he could.
But the feeling of being watched refused to leave him. Each rustle of leaves, each snapping twig, sent his heart racing. His footsteps quickened, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. He knew better than to run outright—the forest could sense panic like a predator senses fear.
The edge of the safer zone was close, but the air around him seemed to thrum with energy, thick and oppressive. His instincts screamed for him to move faster, to escape whatever presence was stirring in the depths of the Voidwood.
A shadow shifted ahead of him, just beyond the trees. Wei Lin froze, his grip tightening on his dagger. His eyes strained to pierce the fog, but the shape was gone as quickly as it had appeared. His pulse pounded in his ears.
“It’s just the fog,” he whispered to himself. “Nothing more.”
Yet he couldn’t shake the sense of wrongness that hung in the air.
He reached the edge of the familiar forest path and broke into a full run, his feet pounding against the ground. The trees blurred around him as he raced toward the village. Only when the first rooftops came into view did he dare to slow down, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath.
Wei Lin paused just outside the village boundary, glancing back toward the forest. The fog still clung to the trees, but the glowing threads he had seen earlier were gone. The talisman pulsed faintly in his pouch, its warmth a constant reminder of what had just happened.
He leaned against a tree, his mind spinning. Whatever this talisman was, it had changed something—in him and in the forest around him.
The fog still clung to the edge of the forest as Wei Lin stumbled back into the familiar paths leading toward Tianmu Village. His heart was still racing, his hand instinctively gripping the small pouch at his side where the talisman lay. It felt warm against his skin, an almost living presence that pulsed faintly with every step he took.
He slowed as the rooftops of the village came into view, his breath steadying but his mind a whirlwind of questions. What had just happened? The voice in his head, the surge of energy—it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. His senses seemed sharper, more attuned to the world around him. Even the air felt different, heavy with something he couldn’t quite define.
Wei Lin paused at the edge of the village, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. The talisman hummed faintly in its pouch, and for a brief moment, a series of fragmented images again flashed before his eyes: an ancient battlefield bathed in crimson light, a figure in flowing white robes, and a dark serpent so enormous it dwarfed the mountains themselves.
The images faded as quickly as they had come, leaving Wei Lin shaken. His pulse quickened again, but this time not out of fear. There was something in those fragments—something important, something he was meant to understand.
He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts aside. He needed time to process this, to figure out what it all meant. But even as he forced himself to focus on the present, the talisman’s presence lingered in the back of his mind, a constant, quiet hum like a distant echo.
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The village square was bustling as usual, merchants calling out their wares while villagers haggled over the day’s produce. Wei Lin wove through the crowd, his eyes scanning for familiar faces.
"Wei Lin!" The voice startled him, and he turned to see Mingyu, one of the younger boys from the village, running toward him. “You’re here earlier than usual. But it’s just as well—Auntie Hua’s been looking for you!"
Wei Lin forced a smile. “Thanks, I’ll go see her now."
Mingyu nodded, and with a quick wave, he darted back toward the market stalls, leaving Wei Lin to make his way toward Auntie Hua’s hut. The talisman’s warmth pulsed again, and Wei Lin pressed his hand against the pouch, as if trying to steady it.
"Danger… approaches…"
The words were faint, barely a whisper in the back of his mind. Wei Lin froze, his eyes darting around the square. No one else seemed to notice anything unusual. The villagers went about their business, oblivious to the warning that lingered in the air.
"What… what does that mean?" Wei Lin whispered to himself.
The talisman offered no response, but the sense of urgency it conveyed didn’t fade. Wei Lin quickened his pace, pushing open the door to Auntie Hua’s hut. The familiar scent of dried herbs and freshly brewed tea greeted him, grounding him in the moment.
"Ah, Wei Lin" Auntie Hua said, glancing up from a bundle of herbs she was sorting. “You’re back early today."
Wei Lin managed a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, I was caught up looking for the frostpetal herb, and then I found something… strange.”
Auntie Hua raised an eyebrow. "Strange how?"
He opened his mouth to explain but stopped himself. How could he describe what had happened without sounding like a fool? He barely understood it himself. "Just… something unusual in the deeper part of the forest. Nothing dangerous. I’ll tell you more once I figure it out."
Auntie Hua studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright. But be careful, Wei Lin. The forest is unpredictable, especially beyond the paths. If you see something strange, it’s better to leave it be."
"I will," Wei Lin promised, though he wasn’t sure he believed it himself.
The rest of the visit passed in a blur. Auntie Hua gave him a list of ingredients she needed for her herbal remedies, and warned him again about venturing too deep into the forest. Wei Lin listened, nodding at the right moments, but his mind was elsewhere, drawn back to the talisman’s faint hum and the words it had spoken.
Danger approaches.
As he left Auntie Hua’s hut and stepped back into the bustling square, Wei Lin couldn’t shake the feeling that the talisman was right. Something was coming—something far bigger than he could yet comprehend.
And for better or worse, he was at the center of it.
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Below is a translation of the chapter into Chinese (via ChatGPT).
以下是通过ChatGPT将本章翻译成中文。
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封天遗志
第二章：天命符
晨雾弥漫，缠绕于林间，如薄纱轻覆，幽幽笼罩参天古木，吞噬世间声息。魏林微微收紧肩上的药囊，目光游移，在林地间搜寻着霜瓣草的踪迹。空气沉重而湿冷，仿若化作实质，每一步踏出，都令他愈发深陷一片迷离之境，现实的轮廓在雾气中模糊不清。他屏住呼吸，不是因疲惫，而是因那股无形的不安正缓缓攀爬上脊背，如影随形。
“再走近些……”他低声喃喃，自言自语，仿佛借此话语驱散内心的迟疑。指尖轻触腰侧短匕的冰冷刀柄，虽知此物无法真正庇护自己，仍旧带来一丝慰藉。此处尚未踏入虚空林的真正深处，但再向前，便是无人敢涉足的禁忌之地。村中长辈素有传言，雾气深处潜藏着未知之影，诡异兽影游走于朦胧之间。然而，求生之念往往能压过畏惧，霜瓣草极其珍贵，若能寻得几株，便足以换取数月所需。花姨的话犹在耳畔回响，使他不得不更进一步。
前行之际，脚下一绊，魏林一个踉跄，险些跌倒，药囊也差点滑落。他低声咒骂，然而方才踏出的声响迅速被四周浓密的雾气吞没，仿佛世间从未有此动静。正欲继续前行之时，他余光瞥见一丝微光，自浓雾深处浮现，忽明忽暗，宛若夜幕中遥不可及的星辰。
好奇与谨慎交织碰撞，最终，好奇占了上风。
他缓步向光源靠近，每一步皆小心翼翼。随着距离的拉近，那光芒愈发清晰，最终化作一抹淡淡的青绿之辉，自一株盘根错节的古树根部透出。周遭的雾气似乎被无形之力牵引，轻轻扭曲，如潮汐受月之牵引，臣服于某种神秘的存在。
魏林屏息，缓缓蹲下，伸手拨开掩盖于其上的泥土与枯叶。顷刻间，一块形似弯月的古玉映入眼帘，玉质莹润，流光溢彩，其上铭刻着繁复玄奥的符文，如流水般灵动，每当目光稍移，符文便似有生命般悄然流转，变幻莫测。
他的心跳微微加快，不自觉地伸手触碰——
玉符的光辉轻轻跃动，宛如脉搏跳动，散发着难以言喻的韵律。
寒意自脊背窜起，他喃喃道：“这……究竟是什么？”
指尖微微颤抖，他犹豫片刻，终是鼓起勇气，触及玉符——
刹那间，一股无形的磅礴伟力席卷全身，仿若江河决堤，浩荡之势将他狠狠震倒在地！
天地倒转，视野扭曲，魏林的意识仿佛脱离躯壳，被卷入一片无尽的虚空。玄奥的符文于脑海中疾速浮现，如雷霆轰鸣，晦涩难明，近在咫尺，却又遥不可及。
混沌之中，悠远而苍茫的声音层层叠叠，回荡于灵魂深处，仿若跨越亘古而来——
“封印松动……继承者……当觉醒……”
魏林猛然倒吸一口凉气，踉跄后退，剧烈喘息。双目死死盯着地上的玉符，只见它的光芒愈发璀璨，雾气翻腾间，隐隐浮现一道道细微的金色丝线，自玉符蔓延至四周的古木，如某种神秘阵法正在缓缓激活。
“这……到底意味着什么？你是谁？”他的声音微微颤抖。
玉符静默不语，但魏林心底却涌起一股无可忽视的感觉——有某种存在，正透过它注视着自己。
他压下内心的惶然，望向双手，指尖微微颤动，却未感到丝毫痛楚，反倒有一股难以言喻的奇异感流转全身。
这是……气？
陆爷爷曾言，修行之始，需灵脉觉醒，唯有灵脉贯通，方可步入修行之门。可那本是传说中仙门之事，他……不过是个村中少年，何以会经历如此异象？
“不……不可能……”魏林低声自语，拼命摇头，似要将这荒谬之事抛诸脑后。
然而，玉符的光辉依旧未曾消散，反倒轻微震颤，隐隐有微不可闻的嗡鸣声响起，仿佛在等待他的回应。
魏林咬牙，终是再次伸手，这一次，那股涌入体内的力量不再狂暴，而是如涓涓细流，缓缓渗入四肢百骸，令他生出一种玄妙而神秘的共鸣感。
须臾之间，异象再现——
浩瀚天门，浮沉于云雾之巅；琼楼玉宇，横亘星河之下；万千修士纵横天地，神通激荡，血染苍穹！苍茫战场之上，一道白衣身影傲然立于风中，他神色平静，目光深邃，抬手之间，封印一头庞大无匹的漆黑巨蛇，将其镇压于弯月形的法器之中！
画面陡然破碎，魏林猛地睁开双眼，浑身冷汗涔涔。
他紧紧攥住玉符，感受着那温润的触感。他不知自己究竟看到了什么，但他明白一件事——这，绝非凡物。
忽然，林间传来一丝轻微的响动。
魏林浑身一震，警觉地抬头，四周的雾气仿佛愈发浓稠，原本的寂静被一股无形的压迫感所取代。他的目光扫过四周，暗影似乎在雾气深处游移不定，仿佛有某种未知之物，正悄然窥探。
他迅速将玉符收入口袋，握紧匕首，脚步悄然后退。
然而，那股被注视的感觉并未消失，反而愈发强烈。
每一声树叶的颤动，每一道枝桠的折断声，皆令他心跳加快。他深知，森林中的猎食者能嗅到恐惧，而恐惧，便是它们发动袭击的信号。
他不敢回头，只是加快步伐，向着村落的方向疾行。
直至熟悉的村道映入眼帘，他方才重重喘息，停下脚步，望向身后那片被雾气笼罩的幽森之地。
玉符仍在怀中微微脉动，它……改变了什么，不仅是他自己，亦是这片天地。
雾霭仍旧萦绕在林间边缘，仿佛无形的幕布，将幽深之地与凡俗世界隔绝。魏林步履踉跄，沿着熟悉的小径踏入通往天木村的道路，胸膛剧烈起伏，手指下意识地扣紧腰侧的小药囊，那里，玉符静静躺卧，温热的触感透过布料渗入肌肤，似有微弱的脉动，随他每一步的迈出而轻轻颤动，如同某种尚未苏醒的生灵，与他血脉相连。
村落的屋檐映入眼帘时，他方才缓缓放慢步伐，呼吸亦逐渐趋于平稳，然而脑海中的疑问却如潮水翻涌，不曾停歇。方才发生的一切——脑海中的低语、那股浩荡而难以名状的力量，皆与他过往所知的世界截然不同。他察觉自身的感知似乎更加敏锐，四周的一切——风拂过枝叶的微颤，空气中泥土与草木交织的气息，甚至人群的脚步声，皆比以往更加清晰。他抬头望向苍穹，那本该平凡的天幕之下，似乎笼罩着某种无形的沉重，压在心头，挥之不去。
魏林停在村口，倚靠在一株老树旁，静静调息，试图让心绪归于平静。腰侧的玉符于药囊之中微微震颤，一丝若有若无的光芒闪过眼前。霎时间，一道道破碎的画面如浪潮般再度席卷而来——
残阳如血，古战场被猩红的光辉笼罩，白衣身影立于天地之间，衣袂翻飞，神色肃然，面前的虚空之中，一头吞云蔽日的漆黑巨蛇盘踞，身躯庞大如山岳，双眸映照出无尽混沌……
画面骤然破碎，魏林猛地睁开双眼，浑身微微颤栗。那一刻，他心跳加速，但这次，却并非出于恐惧，而是一种无法言喻的直觉——那些片段之中，必然蕴藏着极为重要的讯息，而他……必须解开其中的秘密。
他深吸一口气，强迫自己将思绪压下，先让自己回归现实。可即便如此，玉符的存在依旧如同心脏深处的一道回响，低沉而持久，仿佛在无声诉说着某种尚未揭晓的真相。
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集市依旧如往日般热闹，商贩高声叫卖，新鲜采摘的果蔬与腌制好的肉类摆满了摊位，村民们交谈着日常琐事，讨价还价之声此起彼伏，一片繁忙景象。魏林穿梭于人群之间，目光略微游离，神思仍未完全回归现实。
忽然，一道熟悉的声音从人群中传来：“魏林！”
他心头一震，转身望去，只见明宇正快步跑来，脸上带着几分急切：“你今天回来得比平时早啊，不过正好，花姨一直在找你！”
魏林勉强露出一抹笑意，点头道：“谢谢，我这就去。”
明宇笑着挥了挥手，随即转身跑回了集市，而魏林则朝着花姨的小屋走去。然而，就在他迈步之际，腰侧的玉符再次微微一震，热度透过衣襟传入掌心，似有低沉的嗡鸣声，在意识深处缓缓响起——
“危机……将至……”
魏林的步伐陡然一滞，眼神骤然凌厉，迅速扫视四周。
然而，村落一片如常，熙熙攘攘的人群依旧忙碌，商贩的吆喝声不曾停歇，孩童的嬉笑声在巷弄间回荡，仿佛无人察觉这道不祥的预言。
魏林咽了口唾沫，低声呢喃：“这到底……是什么意思？”
玉符依旧沉默，然而那股莫名的压迫感却未曾消散，反倒如影随形，紧紧缠绕在心头。
他不再迟疑，快步推开了花姨屋舍的木门。
熟悉的草木气息扑面而来，干燥的药材整齐地摆放在木架上，灶台上尚有淡淡的草药熬煮气息，弥漫着宁静而安心的氛围。
花姨正坐于桌旁，手中翻拣着一束新采的草药，闻声抬头，目光扫过魏林，缓缓道：“嗯？今天回来得倒是早了些。”
魏林微微一笑，掩饰内心的波动：“嗯，原本在找霜瓣草，后来……遇到了一些奇怪的事。”
花姨闻言，眉头微皱，放下手中药束：“奇怪？怎么个奇怪法？”
魏林张了张嘴，却在话到口边之时，生生止住。他不知该如何解释方才的经历，更不确定是否该让他人知晓。他自己尚未完全理解，贸然开口，只怕徒增困惑。
片刻的沉默后，他缓缓道：“没什么，只是在林子里看到了一些异常的东西……不过应该没什么危险，等我弄清楚后再告诉你。”
花姨的目光在他脸上停留片刻，似是在衡量真假，最终只是点了点头：“无论如何，小心为上。森林深处，不比村中，若遇见异象，能避则避，不可贸然涉险。”
魏林沉声道：“我明白。”
可他心中却并不确信，自己是否真能做到远离是非。
接下来的时间，他按部就班地听花姨讲解药材，记录她交代的草药清单，然而心思却始终无法专注。每当安静片刻，脑海深处，那道低沉的呢喃便会再次浮现——
“危机……将至……”
他深知，这不仅仅是一个声音，而是一种预兆，一种无可回避的宿命。
当魏林步出花姨的小屋，重新融入喧嚣的集市，他的脚步虽仍旧平稳，心绪却已难再宁静。
他低头看了看腰侧的药囊，玉符的温度仍旧未减，那股低沉的震颤感，如同潜伏于暗处的伏流，缓缓却坚定地提醒着他——命运的齿轮，已然开始转动。
天色依旧澄明，村中依旧热闹，然而魏林心底隐约浮现一抹不安的预感。
这场风暴，终将降临，而他，已身处其中。