The forest grew unnaturally cold.
The black mist poured from beneath Bai Hu’s paws like living ink, spreading across the roots of the ancient trees.
Flowers withered wherever it touched.
Spirit grass turned gray.
The once-vibrant forest seemed to lose its color.
The System flashed violently.
CRITICAL ALERT
Abyssal Corruption
Source Confirmed:
The First Seal
Containment Status:
Failure in Progress
Immediate Recommendation:
Purify the Guardian.
The shadow behind Bai Hu slowly grew taller.
It had no face.
No body.
Only a vaguely human outline formed from darkness itself.
Its crimson eyes swept across everyone.
“…Another Keeper.”
“…How disappointing.”
Its voice sounded like thousands of whispers speaking at once.
Hei Bao stepped forward.
His golden aura erupted.
“…Leave.”
The shadow laughed.
“You still don’t understand.”
“I’m already inside him.”
It pointed toward Bai Hu.
“I don’t need to defeat the White Tiger.”
“I only need him…”
“…to lose hope.”
Bai Hu roared in agony.
Black veins spread beneath his white fur.
His massive claws dug deep trenches into the earth.
“…Get…”
“…OUT!”
The shadow only laughed louder.
“You’ve carried your guilt for thousands of years.”
“You opened the perfect door for me.”
Lin Tianyu frowned.
“Guilt…”
He remembered Shen Yuan’s words.
A Guardian chooses whether to recognize the Keeper.
And another passage from the Book of Keepers.
The strongest chains are those forged by one’s own heart.
The corruption wasn’t controlling Bai Hu by force.
It was feeding on his regrets.
“Tianyu!”
Yue shouted.
“Don’t get close!”
But he had already started walking.
One step.
Then another.
Straight toward the enraged White Tiger.
Chief Builder Lu nearly fainted.
“Master Keeper!”
“That’s a terrible construction decision!”
Sun Xiaohou grabbed the raccoon before he ran after Tianyu.
“…Trust.”
“…Boss.”
The shadow tilted its head.
“Oh?”
“You intend to save him?”
“It won’t work.”
“His heart broke long ago.”
Tianyu stopped only a few feet from Bai Hu.
The White Tiger towered over him.
One swipe of those claws…
And nothing would remain.
Still…
He didn’t move.
“Bai Hu.”
“…Leave…”
“…Before…”
“…I kill you.”
“No.”
The answer came immediately.
The forest fell silent.
“…Why?”
Bai Hu growled.
“Because…”
Tianyu smiled weakly.
“…I’m stubborn.”
Behind him, Sun Xiaohou nodded proudly.
“…Very.”
Tianyu looked up at the enormous Guardian.
“You keep saying you failed.”
“I did.”
“You keep saying everyone died.”
“They did.”
“You keep blaming yourself.”
“…Because it’s true.”
The shadow grinned.
“Excellent.”
“Keep speaking.”
“Every guilty word strengthens me.”
Tianyu ignored it.
Instead…
He asked a simple question.
“When you fought that day…”
“Were you trying to save the Sanctuary?”
“…Yes.”
“Did you abandon your friends?”
“…Never.”
“Did you betray them?”
“…No.”
“Did you run away?”
“…No.”
Tianyu took another step closer.
“Then tell me…”
“…What exactly is your crime?”
The White Tiger froze.
The shadow’s smile faltered.
“…I…”
Bai Hu’s voice trembled.
“…I survived.”
Tianyu shook his head.
“That’s not a crime.”
“…It should’ve been me.”
“No.”
“I wasn’t strong enough.”
“No.”
“I couldn’t save everyone.”
“No one could.”
The shadow suddenly hissed.
“STOP TALKING!”
Dark tendrils shot toward Tianyu.
Before they could reach him—
BOOM!
Hei Bao’s paw slammed into the ground.
A wall of golden light erupted, blocking the corruption.
“…Touch…”
“…Keeper…”
“…Die.”
The shadow snarled.
“You cannot destroy me!”
“I am born from despair itself!”
“I existed before your Sanctuary!”
“I will exist after it!”
Tianyu reached into his shirt.
His fingers wrapped around the Ancient Keeper’s Whistle.
Shen Yuan’s words echoed in his mind.
It won’t command Guardians.
It reminds them they’re not alone anymore.
Then blew.
FWOOOOOO…
The sound wasn’t loud.
It was gentle.
Like the breeze through bamboo.
Like children laughing in spring.
Like footsteps returning home.
The note drifted through the forest.
Every Spirit Beast lifted its head.
The Moonfang Wolves emerged from the trees.
White cranes landed silently.
Even the butterflies from the hidden valley poured into the forest in glowing streams.
The entire Sanctuary had heard the Keeper’s call.
Bai Hu’s ears twitched.
His breathing slowed.
“…That sound…”
The memories came.
Not of war.
But of peace.
The First Keeper laughing as all nine Guardians gathered beneath the World Tree.
Children climbing onto Hei Bao’s back.
Monkey stealing fruit.
A young fox sleeping across Bai Hu’s paws.
The Keepers preparing meals for every beast before eating themselves.
The Sanctuary…
Before it became a battlefield.
A single tear rolled down Bai Hu’s face.
“…Home…”
The shadow screamed.
“NO!”
Black mist exploded outward.
The forest shook violently.
The corruption wrapped itself around Bai Hu’s heart like chains.
“You belong to ME!”
“You belong to your guilt!”
The System reacted instantly.
Emergency Choice
Guardian Heart Resonance Available.
Select one:
Break the Corruption
OR
Enter Bai Hu’s Heart Realm
Warning:
Second option carries an 87% risk of Keeper soul damage.
Tianyu didn’t even pause.
“Heart Realm.”
Yue’s eyes widened.
“Tianyu!”
The System confirmed.
Choice Accepted
Preparing…
Soul Synchronization.
Golden light burst from the Keeper’s Mark.
Before anyone could stop him…
Tianyu’s consciousness was pulled from his body.
The forest vanished.
The trees disappeared.
The sky dissolved into darkness.
When he opened his eyes again…
He was standing in the ruins of an ancient battlefield.
Broken Guardian Thrones surrounded him.
The air smelled of ash.
Far ahead…
A lone white tiger cub sat among the ruins.
Small.
Wounded.
Covered in blood.
Curled up completely alone.
The cub slowly looked up.
Its eyes were no longer crimson.
They were filled with endless sorrow.
“…Everyone…”
“…left me.”
[End of Chapter 23]