"Mo Chuan! Inside the Rift… there's something else in there!"
Wanshuang trembled violently, clinging tightly to Chen Mo's arm, her voice shaking as she practically curled up behind him.
Chen Mo held his sword horizontally in front of Wanshuang, his gaze as heavy as iron, staring fixedly at the pair of enormous scarlet eyes deep within the Space Rift.
Those eyes boiled with world‑destroying ferocity and killing intent. The aura they radiated was ten times more terrifying than the Three‑Headed Demon Spider just moments ago. Just being watched by them made Chen Mo's meridians tense up, and his Sword Profound Heart stutter in its circulation.
He knew clearly—this was a top‑tier being far beyond the current version, at least Level 25 or higher.
And he was only Level 9. He couldn't even take one hit from it.
Yet strangely, despite its overwhelming bloodlust, the terrifying entity remained trapped deep in the Rift. Its giant claws swiped out several times, only to be repelled by an invisible spatial barrier. It could not break free.
It was bound by the laws of space—unable to cross over for now.
ROAR!!!
The owner of the giant eyes let out a deafening roar. The soundwave swept across the entire beach, cracking the ground and sending rocks tumbling down. Yet it could only watch as the golden light of the Demon Suppression Formation compressed the Rift further.
It could not get out.
Chen Mo's taut nerves relaxed slightly, but he still dared not let his guard down. He took Wanshuang's hand and stepped back slowly.
"Don't look directly into its eyes. The malice will twist your mind," Chen Mo warned quietly.
Wanshuang bowed her head at once, clutching Chen Mo's shirt so tightly her palms were soaked with sweat.
After a short standoff, the Rift shrank smaller and smaller under the formation's power. Finally, it condensed into an almost invisible black line—and closed completely.
The scarlet eyes glared at Chen Mo one last time, brimming with endless venom, then slowly sank into the darkness and vanished.
The fierce aura in the air faded rapidly. The cold wind died down.
The danger was temporarily over.
Phew…
Chen Mo let out a long breath. His sword hand was covered in sweat, and his arm ached faintly.
In that moment, he had been inches from death.
"Mo… Mo Chuan… did it… leave?" Wanshuang asked in a small voice, still afraid to look up.
"It's gone. The Rift is sealed," Chen Mo lowered his sword, his tone easing slightly.
Only then did Wanshuang dare to lift her head. Seeing the calm pool again, her eyes reddened—half joy, half fear. "Thank goodness… we finally closed the Rift. Qingxi Town is safe."
"Yeah. Safe now," Chen Mo nodded.
He glanced down at the remains of the Three‑Headed Demon Spider and leftover formation materials, then began packing them quietly.
This trip had been extremely dangerous, but they had fully completed the high‑risk Rift cleanup quest. There was no flashy system reward, but the materials and combat experience gained were far richer than any ordinary quest.
Especially the pressure of fighting the spider and facing the horror in the Rift—they had deepened his understanding of the Sword Control Art and the flow of the Sword Profound Heart.
"We should leave too. This place isn't safe to stay," Chen Mo slung his backpack over his shoulder and looked at Wanshuang. "Let's go back, sell the materials, and get some proper rest."
"Okay!" Wanshuang nodded vigorously, sticking close to Chen Mo's side.
The two followed the hidden path they'd come from, step by step away from the pool, heading back toward Qingxi Town.
Along the way, Wanshuang was still shaken. She glanced at Chen Mo's profile now and then, her admiration and reliance for him deeper than ever.
This man always steady his hand in the darkest danger, giving her complete security.
Chen Mo walked in silence, replaying the scene in his mind.
What exactly was that terrifying being trapped in the Rift?
Why had it locked onto him?
How many more dimensional monsters lurked beyond the Space Rift?
Too many questions went unanswered. But one thing was certain:
This game world was far more dangerous than it appeared.
And his current strength was nowhere near enough.
To protect himself… to protect the people beside him… he had to grow stronger.
The walk was quiet. Half an hour later, the two finally returned to Qingxi Town.
The town was still on edge. Many players and NPCs were whispering about the Giant Crab and the Space Rift. When they saw Chen Mo and Wanshuang return safely, they crowded around at once.
"Brother Mo Chuan, you're back! What happened at the pool?"
"Is the Rift sealed? Are the monsters coming?"
"You two are insane—you actually took down the Giant Crab!"
The crowd bombarded them with questions—worried, amazed, admiring.
Chen Mo only nodded lightly, saying little. Wanshuang smiled and explained to everyone: "Don't worry! The Rift is sealed. The monsters won't come. Qingxi Town is safe!"
As her words landed, the whole town erupted in cheers.
Lao Wang the blacksmith rushed over excitedly, grabbed Chen Mo's hands, and cried: "Young man, you're a hero! You're the savior of Qingxi Town!"
"You're too kind, Uncle. Just doing what had to be done," Chen Mo nodded slightly.
Without another word, Lao Wang dragged Chen Mo into his smithy and pulled out the sturdy iron sword he'd promised to forge. He even added two bags of rations and three basic healing potions. "Take these. When you're out there training, you'll need all the protection you can get!"
The new sword was still plain metal, no special effects—just tougher and more durable, fully following the game's rules: no divine weapons, no evolution.
Chen Mo accepted the sword and supplies, thanking him.
Afterward, Chen Mo sold part of the Giant Crab and Demon Spider materials to NPCs and players in town, earning a large pile of copper coins—enough to cover both their daily expenses for a long time.
Once everything was settled, Chen Mo looked at Wanshuang. "I'm heading back to the inn to rest and recover my stamina. Then I'll keep training sword proficiency."
Following the outline, he would return to his daily routine: training, quests, and leveling up—no extra side quests.
Wanshuang nodded obediently, her eyes curving into crescents. "Okay! I'll go back to the herb fields to organize my supplies and make new potions. Next time we go out, I'll bring you the best healing potions!"
"Mm," Chen Mo nodded gently.
The two split up at the town gate. Chen Mo turned toward the inn, planning to rest before continuing his steady cultivation.
But he had only taken a few steps toward the inn when rapid footsteps sounded behind him. A panicked player rushed over and grabbed his arm.
"Mo Chuan! It's bad news! The western woods outside town—monsters are swarming in out of nowhere! A bunch of new players are trapped!"