---
🥢 Chapter 13: Journey to the East
(A cold wind twisted through the valley. Thick fog curled around their feet. Xiao Feng stepped out of the cave entrance, eyes scanning the unknown path ahead. Behind him, Gu Láng yawned, and Gu Tāng stood still, cloaked and silent.)
🔊 Xiao Feng (muttering):
— "Alright... time to move. East, here we come."
🔊 Gu Láng (half-asleep):
— "Are you sure this is the right east? 'Cause something feels... off. My powers feel locked."
(Xiao Feng paused. In that moment, the system's voice echoed in his mind.)
🔔 System:
> Alert: "Companions' State — Seal Active"
Side Quest Unlocked: Find a Way to Break the Seals
💭 "Sealed...? So even the system can't unlock them?"
(Gu Tāng stepped forward. The subtle sound of bones under his cloak crackled faintly.)
🔊 Gu Tāng (calmly):
— "When we chose to follow you... parts of us were sealed away. It is fate."
🔊 Xiao Feng:
— "Fate? You still won't tell me what you really are?"
(Gu Tāng stayed silent. The shadows from his hood hid his face.)
🔊 Gu Láng (grinning tiredly):
— "He's just a fancy skeleton. But he's keeping you clueless. Honestly... even I don't remember much."
🔔 System:
> New Location Discovered: Valley of the Sleeping Dragon
Note: "Warning! Power Nullification Field is Active in this Area."
(Xiao Feng clenched his fists.)
🔊 Xiao Feng:
— "Fine… If I can't fight with strength, I'll cook my way through!"
(Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and a symbol appeared on the ground — a cooking knife engulfed in dragon flames.)
🔊 Gu Tāng (coldly):
— "It's not time for them to know who I am. I won't remove the cloak until it's necessary."
🔊 Xiao Feng (smirking):
— "Alright then, hidden knight... Stay with me till that day comes."
(The three of them stepped into the mist. Destination: East. Their fate? Still unknown… but unavoidable.)
---
🔥 End of Chapter 13