Pfft!
After a final, desperate flurry of strikes, the thing in front of him finally gave out. Jiang Dao's blade tore through the eerie silhouette, and it exploded into a cloud of fine white powder that drifted silently to the ground.
He finally stood still, his body steaming in the cool night air, every muscle coiled with terrifying energy. The long saber in his hand was a wreck, chipped and battered from the fight.
The Blood Shadow Soul-Chasing technique. In its first real test, it had proven its worth.
His eyes snapped to the side.
The maid, Biyu, was crumpled on the ground near the corridor, her face a deathly white. She was unconscious, utterly still.
Jiang Dao strode over and immediately scooped her up. The moment he touched her, though, his expression hardened. Her entire body was cold. Not just cold, but an unnatural, bone-deep chill, like a block of ice carved from a cursed glacier. It was deeply unsettling.
Yin energy invasion?
Just then, the courtyard erupted with noise as Pang Lin, Fang Biao, and the others, all roused by the commotion, rushed toward him. His father, Jiang Dalong, was with them, flanked by guards and looking terrified.
"Dao'er, was that another one? An evil spirit?" his father asked, his voice trembling.
Jiang Dao gave a grim nod. "It's dead," he told the crowd. "We're safe for now. Get a doctor for Biyu in the morning."
"Right, right, first thing tomorrow, I'll send for the best doctor!" Jiang Dalong stammered.
Pang Lin and the other men just stared, a cold dread washing over them. What had their young master become? How powerful was he that he could tear apart these supernatural horrors with nothing but a blade and his own two hands? It was unthinkable.
But a more pressing fear crept in: the fate of Hengzhou City. Was the old Taoist Changbai right? Was this city doomed to lose thousands of souls before this nightmare ended? One thing was certain—some terrifying power now had its eyes fixed on the Jiang family.
Jiang Dao glanced down at the ruined saber in his hand, and his heart sank. He tossed it aside in disgust. An ordinary steel blade was useless to him now.
Elsewhere, in a place steeped in shadow, two figures faced each other.
One was the unsettling young man Jiang Dao had seen earlier that day: black robe, black hair, black eyes, black fingernails. Now, even his lips were a void-like black. He was smiling—a grotesque grin that stretched almost to his ears, revealing a mouth packed with tiny, needle-like teeth.
Across from him stood a young woman who looked no older than sixteen or seventeen years old. She was beautiful, with delicate features and an easy smile of her own. Dressed in a short white dress, she moved with an unearthly grace.
"Well, I never thought I'd see a non-human like you show up here," the girl in white said with a playful laugh. "Aren't you worried you'll run into the Corpse Dao Sect? They'd love to have you as a new ingredient for their collection."
"You're one to talk, Miss Bai," the young man grinned back. "I may not be human, but what does that make you?"
"What do you want?" she asked, her playful tone vanishing. "Are you after the sacred object, too?"
"The sacred object tempts us all, doesn't it? But I know my place. I'm just one man; I could never hope to win against your Spirit Child Palace and the Corpse Dao Sect. So why risk my life for a treasure I can't have? I'd rather focus on the treasure right in front of me. And that, my dear Miss Bai, is you."
"Me?"
Her eyes widened slightly before she let out a silvery laugh. "If Young Master She finds me so interesting, then I'm honored. Help my Spirit Child Palace get its hands on the sacred object, and who knows? Maybe I'll make it worth your while."
Her figure was stunning, all dangerous curves as she glided closer to him. She ran a pale, slender hand along his shoulder, her smile never wavering as she circled him like a predator. Her other hand, silent and unseen, snaked toward his stomach, a cool touch that carried the faint, sweet scent of poison.
A dark light flared in the young man's eyes.
But just as he was about to react, his brow furrowed. He turned, his gaze piercing the distant darkness. "Damn it," he hissed. "That little pest killed another one of my evil spirits."
"Oh? You lost one of your pets?" the girl in white asked, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "What a coincidence. The Spirit Child Palace lost one of our own just recently. I was actually planning on paying a visit tonight to settle the score."
"Who was it? I'd be happy to handle it for you," the young man offered with his unnerving smile.
"The Jiang family compound," she said flatly.
"Funny," he chuckled. "Same place."
BOOM!
Suddenly, the ground shook violently. A terrifying crimson light erupted from the eastern part of the city, tearing through the night sky.
Both of them looked up, their eyes narrowing in shock.
"The sacred object... It's been unsealed!"
In a flash, both figures vanished, streaking away into the darkness.
The low rumble shook nearly all of Hengzhou City.
A blinding red light surged into the sky, accompanied by a thick, rolling fog the color of blood. It spread with terrifying speed, a tidal wave of crimson washing over the city.
Countless people were jolted awake. They stared out their windows in horror at the thick, red glow, trembling as if hell itself had just opened up on their doorstep.
Back at the Jiang estate, Jiang Dao was the first one outside, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the sky.
A bizarre, red mist was pouring out of the east, swallowing everything in its path. Under its glow, the stars, the moon, and the entire world were stained a bloody red. An unimaginable wave of yin energy—cold, heavy, and suffocating—crashed down, making the very air tremble.
"Young Master, what... what is happening?" Pang Lin stammered, his face a mask of terror. Even with all he had seen in his life, this was a horror beyond comprehension.
The sky was bleeding. A sea of blood hung over their heads, so thick the air itself felt syrupy and viscous.
"The sacred object... This must be it," Jiang Dao whispered.
"Dao'er, what's wrong now?" Jiang Dalong shouted, rushing out with his men.
"Dad, something is very wrong! Get everyone back inside, now! Don't let anyone come out!" Jiang Dao ordered.
"Alright!" His father's face went pale. "Everyone, inside! Get inside now!" he bellowed.
Jiang Dao retreated into a room but didn't close the door. He stood in the doorway, his eyes fixed on the sky. The blood-red fog churned with an indescribable energy. He reached out a hand, and the mist felt damp against his palm. Lifting it to his nose, he caught a strange, coppery stench.
Is this... real blood? The thought was staggering. How is that even possible?
Time ticked by, measured only by the dripping of the water clock in the room. Jiang Dao didn't sleep. He stood there all night, watching.
Slowly, the sky began to lighten, but the blood mist showed no signs of fading. Through the crimson haze, he could just make out the sun, its light warped and twisted by the fog into a sickly, dark-red glow.
"It's morning..." Jiang Dao said, his voice heavy.
He peered out into the courtyard. The fog was so thick he could barely see a few feet in front of him. Everything was shrouded in a sinister red veil.
"Father, Master Pang, I'm going out to see what's happening!" he called out suddenly.
"Don't worry, Young Master! I'll guard the house!" Pang Lin's voice called back from somewhere in the mist.
Jiang Dao grabbed a new steel saber and plunged into the fog.
Hangzhou City was a sea of red. The blood-colored mist was everywhere, the sharp tang of it burning his nostrils, making it almost impossible to see the road ahead. He followed the main road, heading east.
Faintly, he began to hear the sound of weeping. It sounded like dozens, maybe hundreds of people, all crying in despair.
He frowned and picked up his pace. Soon, figures emerged from the mist ahead. People carrying bundles, dressed in sackcloth and mourning clothes, were walking away from the city, sobbing as they went. Paper money, an offering for the dead, was scattered in front of countless doorways. He saw one man, his possessions on his back, kneel and bow three times toward his home before wiping his tears and running off into the red gloom.
What happened here? Jiang Dao wondered, his frown deepening. Where are they all going?
"Yah! Giddyup! Get out of the way! Move it!"
Suddenly, the chaotic sound of horse hooves thundered from behind. A train of wagons burst through the mist, their drivers shouting frantically. They were loaded with goods, and they weren't slowing down for anyone, knocking several people to the ground as they passed.
Jiang Dao quickly stepped aside, his eyes scanning the caravan. He recognized the flag instantly.
Dragon City Auction House.
"Manager Su!" he yelled. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"
A man, Su Mingyuan, heard his name and poked his head out from a carriage window. "Young Master Jiang! Is that you?" he shouted, his face frantic with fear. "I just got word! The city guard is gone—all of them! The city is undefended! People are fleeing! You and your family should get out of here, quick!"
"The city guard... they're all dead?" Jiang Dao asked, stunned.
But Su Mingyuan had already ducked back inside his carriage, shouting at his drivers to go faster.
Jiang Dao didn't hesitate. He turned and sprinted back home.