Just as the mysterious Old Man vanished like a ghost, the faint aura left behind by the staff that had once emitted a blinding radiance felt like a seed of unease buried deep in the soil, just waiting to sprout. Sunlight still poured without reservation across the vast expanse of the earth, yet at this moment, this seemingly warm and bright light failed to pierce the layer of intangible haze that was gradually spreading across the edges of the world.
That lingering aura of the staff was like an elusive breeze, gently stirring the deepest fears and doubts within people's hearts. It silently permeated every corner, gradually making the originally calm and peaceful atmosphere heavy and tense. Although everything around looked no different than usual, people could distinctly feel an indescribable sense of oppression quietly closing in.
As time passed, that intangible haze grew thicker and heavier, slowly approaching like a mass of dark clouds. Wherever it passed, flowers, plants, and trees seemed to lose their usual vitality, drooping their heads slightly; birds stopped singing happily and instead flew about in panicked confusion; even the babbling stream now sounded as if it carried a trace of sobbing. The entire world seemed to be eroded by an inexplicable Dark Power, sending chills down people's spines.
Chapter 123