I Can Only Cultivate In A Game-Chapter 26: The Misguided Misty Paths

Qin Mo's eyes flickered. "That sword strike. The energy it carried. The movement. It bore resemblance to one of the lost techniques of Lingyun."

The entire room fell into a hushed murmur.

"Impossible."

"That's absurd."

"The Lingyun techniques were lost to time!"

Elder Qin Xian scoffed. "The statue of Lingyun has never reacted to anyone—not even the most talented of our family's sword cultivators. If someone could truly access it, wouldn't we have unlocked it generations ago?"

"Exactly," another elder added. "The statue remains dormant, sealed. It hasn't responded to anyone in over two hundred years. Are you telling me some nobody from nowhere suddenly managed to unlock the realm of Lingyun?"

Qin Mo's expression remained firm. "And yet, the resemblance is undeniable."

Elder Qin Han's fingers tapped rhythmically against the stone table. "Find him." His voice was final, brooking no argument.

The elders exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.

"Send scouts."

"If he truly unlocked something related to Lingyun, we must obtain it."

Elder Qin Han's expression darkened. "No matter what—he must not be allowed to leave this region alive."

---

Meanwhile...

Qin Fei strutted through Lingyun Town clad in fine silk robes as he soaked in the admiration of bystanders. He basked in the attention, knowing full well that word had already spread—Bai Ting Ting would soon be his bride.

A group of sycophantic followers trailed after him, nodding enthusiastically at his every word.

"Did you hear?" one said dramatically. "Young Master Qin Fei is about to unite the Qin and Bai families! An unmatched power couple!"

"A perfect match! They'll rule Lingyun Town together."

Qin Fei smirked. This was what he deserved.

Meanwhile, standing by a quiet alley, Chen Wen clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.

His heart ached.

Bai Ting Ting—his Ting Ting—was going to be married off. Forced into it.

He wanted to run to her, to tell her that they could escape together, that they could run far away, but he knew it was impossible.

The Bai family had once been powerful, but after years of decline, they had no choice but to seek protection. The Qin family's offer was irresistible.

Bai Ting Ting had no say in the matter.

Chen Wen's father, who had been standing beside him, sighed heavily. "Son... you have to let this go."

"How can I?" Chen Wen's voice cracked.

His father placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Do you know what this means? If the Bai family merges with the Qin family, their power will be unmatched." His expression was grave. "If they weren't arrogant before, now... they'll be untouchable."

Chen Wen swallowed hard as his fist trembled. He knew his father was right.

Still... it hurt.

The only silver lining was that no one knew who had saved Victor that night. The Qin family was desperately searching, but Bai Xue's involvement remained a secret.

That, at least, was something.

---

Meanwhile, Outside Lingyun Town...

Victor stepped into the Misguided Misty Paths with his gaze flickering across the ominous fog-covered landscape.

The moment he entered, a system notification flashed before his eyes.

---

[ You Have Entered The Misguided Misty Paths ]

<[ Objective: Survive the Misguided Misty Paths ]>

[ Warning: Visibility is heavily obscured ]

[ Danger Level: High ]

[ Threats: Illusionary Spirits, Qi Devouring Beasts, Spatial Distortions ]

[ Estimated Survival Rate at Current Cultivation Level: 35% ]

---

Victor exhaled. "Welp, I'm already regretting this."

Despite his complaints, he wasn't as worried as before.

After all—he now had access to Lingyun's Spirit Realm whenever he wanted.

That meant he could train, learn, and improve his martial techniques without relying on external teachers.

He clenched his fists. He was no longer helpless.

But that didn't mean this place wasn't dangerous as hell.

The fog moved unnaturally, shifting and curling around him as if it were alive. The path ahead seemed to stretch endlessly, yet the moment he turned around, he found that the path behind him had disappeared.

His eyes narrowed. "So that's how it is, huh?"

The Misguided Misty Paths weren't normal.

They shifted, distorted, and twisted.

If he lost focus—even for a second—he might never find his way out.

A flicker of movement caught his eye.

Something whispered.

Victor's breath hitched.

From the depths of the mist, shadows began to form.

Their hollowed-out eyes stared at him. Their distorted, shifting forms slithered closer.

---

[System Alert!]

You are being targeted by Illusionary Spirits!

Resisting illusions requires high spiritual strength.

Avoid losing yourself in hallucinations.

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---

Victor gritted his teeth and drew his broken sword.

"Great," he muttered. "Ghosts. Exactly what I needed."

The shadows lunged.

Victor charged forward.

The battle for survival had begun.

Victor wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead as he trudged deeper into the Misguided Misty Paths. Shadows flickered just at the edge of his vision and darted away the moment he turned to face them.

"Yeah, this place screams 'bad idea,'" he muttered while gripping his broken sword tightly.

The lack of a proper weapon was already proving to be a problem. Every time he swung, the fragmented edge of his sword cut through the air without the sharpness he had grown accustomed to.

It was like trying to carve through stone with a wooden spoon.

Still, he pressed forward.

His surroundings remained unchanging—a sea of mist, broken only by scattered trees with twisted, skeletal branches. Occasionally, he heard something move in the distance, but every time he tried to pinpoint the sound, it vanished, like a mirage.

Then, suddenly—

A shadow darted across his path.

Victor instantly shifted into a ready stance.

The fog parted slightly, revealing a humanoid figure cloaked in darkness. Its face was a void—hollow, empty, except for two piercing white eyes that shone like dim stars.

A System Notification flickered in his vision.

---

[System Alert! You have encountered an Illusionary Spirit ]

[ Warning: Physical attacks will not work ]

[ Caution: This spirit preys upon the mind ]

---

Victor cursed under his breath. 'So, what? I gotta outthink a ghost?'

He sucked in a deep breath and lunged forward before slashing with his broken sword.

The fragmented blade sliced straight through—but there was no impact.

No resistance.

Just air.

Victor's eyes narrowed.

The world around him flickered—for a second, he was still in the fog-covered path. But in the blink of an eye—

Everything changed.

He was no longer in the Misguided Misty Paths.

The sky was blue. The air smelled fresh, sweet and familiar. He turned and—

Home.

He was standing in front of his family's house