Xiao Hong remained silent as Jiu Tian continued to speak. She shot him a glance, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her, and then suddenly, her strength gave way. She collapsed, tumbling into his arms. He caught her effortlessly, his grip firm yet gentle, and carried her back to his territory. "Ling Yu, will you come back?" he murmured, his voice a mix of hope and desperation. The name struck her as unfamiliar, a word that held a meaning just out of reach. Confusion washed over her, and as her eyelids grew heavy, she drifted back into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When morning light filtered through the window, Xiao Hong felt the warmth of the sun on her skin. As she began to regain her strength, the sound of approaching footsteps roused her. It was Jiu Tian, the immortal who had saved her. He spoke softly, warning her not to return to her own territory for the time being. "You risk your life by doing so," he cautioned, his expression serious.
At the mention of Zhang Li's name, a shiver coursed through her. She had encountered the man before; his reputation for ruthlessness sent chills down her spine. He was known for killing without a second thought, and her father had once been his ally. But everything had changed when one of her father's people had interfered in the investigation of Zhang Li's missing sister, Yinou. Since that moment, they had become enemies. Yet, as much as she feared Zhang Li, she knew she couldn't stay here either. These people were immortals, and she was a demon. If they weren't planning to use her for their own ends, why would they allow her to live? "Immortal," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
"You've helped me, but I'm sorry for this." In a sudden surge of emotion, she lunged forward, attempting to strike him. To her surprise, he didn't retaliate. Instead, he allowed her to choke him, a strange calmness radiating from him. Something deep within her tugged at her conscience, urging her to stop. Coughing up blood, the realization of her actions hit her like a tidal wave. How could she have tried to kill someone she barely knew? Yet, in that moment, it felt as if they shared a connection that transcended their current circumstances.
The pain in her head intensified, and she clutched it, feeling as if she were on the brink of remembering something long forgotten. "Who are you?" she gasped, her voice trembling. "You should ask yourself that. Who are you?" he replied, his gaze piercing through her confusion. His words echoed in her mind. "Ask yourself," he repeated. The pain in her head worsened, overwhelming her senses. "Are you a demon or an immortal?" he asked just as darkness enveloped her, pulling her into unconsciousness.
When she awoke, she found herself back in the familiar tent where the people from Dongying had treated her wounds. The girl named Susu approached her, concern etched on her face. "Xiao Hong," she said softly, "you know Yinou, right?"
That bastard's sister. Although she had never met her, she was all too aware of Yinou's existence. The girl had vanished, likely dead by now. "That dead girl? Of course," Xiao Hong replied defiantly. Susu shot her an incredulous stare and abruptly pulled her by the collar, revealing the raw emotion in her eyes. Something tightened in Xiao Hong's chest; how disgusting…
"What? Am I wrong?" she challenged, determined to provoke Susu further. "Ask yourself that. How many years has it been?" Susu's voice trembled with restrained anger.
"Enough!" a voice from outside spat. Su Ning stood at the tent flap, his frame tense with rage. His eyes, normally composed, now burned with a seething anger that could scorch anything in its path.
"I asked you to cooperate, Xiao Hong," he said, his voice low but brimming with deadly intent. "But you refuse. Fine. Then leave. If you won't listen, then get out. And don't you dare—" His voice dropped into a growl, "—insult my people again!"
Xiao Hong didn't back down, her lips curving into a cold, mocking smile.
"Insult your people, Su Ning?" she echoed, her voice dripping with venom. "They're not people, they're tools. Tools in your hands, just like you are. So tell me, who's insulting whom?" Her eyes gleamed with a predatory light, and she took a step forward, challenging him. "Or are you too proud to see the truth? Too proud to acknowledge that your precious Yinou died for nothing? She died, Su Ning. And you could not do anythingto save her. Not a thing. She's gone, and it's your fault."
"You want to mock me? Fine. Mock me. But don't you dare—" His voice broke for a moment, like the creaking of an old door, barely holding its weight. "Don't you dare speak her name."
The name "Yinou" hung in the air like a curse, and her words pierced deep into Su Ning's chest. His grip tightened around the sword, his knuckles white with the pressure. The shadow of the girl who had died on his watch, someone he cared for, someone he failed to protect, was now used as a weapon against him.
Xiao Hong's eyes flickered with amusement, as if she relished in the pain she'd just inflicted. She stepped closer, her voice taunting and mocking, laced with cruel humor.
"Why, Su Ning? Do you miss her? I thought you were supposed to be the protector, the one who fights to keep your people safe." She tilted her head mockingly. "But when it came to Yinou... you failed. You couldn't even keep a single girl safe. And now you want to act like a hero. Pathetic."
Su Ning's breath came in sharp, angry bursts, but before he could lash out, Susu lunged forward, her movements fueled by rage and a desperate need for revenge. Xiao Hong sidestepped with ease, anticipating the attack, and with a fluid movement, she pinned Susu to the ground, her arm locking the younger girl's in place.
Susu struggled, her face contorted in fury, but Xiao Hong's smirk never wavered.
"You think you're worthy of standing up to me, Susu?" Xiao Hong taunted, her voice low and venomous. "You were never strong enough to protect Yinou, just like Su Ning. You failed. All of you failed her."
Susu gasped for breath as Xiao Hong's hold tightened. "You—you're sick," she spat, her voice breaking with frustration and helplessness. "You think you can just mock her death like it means nothing?"
Xiao Hong's gaze locked onto Susu with icy cruelty.
"I don't mock her death," she replied, her voice a low whisper full of malice. "I remind you of your failure. All of you are weak. You couldn't save her. You couldn't protect anything. And now you want to call yourselves heroes. You think you're any better than the monsters that killed her? Pathetic."
As she spoke, she gave Susu one last shove, sending her crashing to the ground. She stood over her, breathing slowly, her eyes cold and cruel. "I wonder, what would you do if I told you that her death was nothing more than a convenience to those who will use her sacrifice? Does that make you feel better, Susu? Does it make you feel like you had a reason to fail?"
Before Su Ning could respond, Jiu Tian intervened, stepping between the two with an almost casual flick of his wrist. His voice was calm, but there was an undeniable authority in it.
"Enough," he said, his tone cool and commanding, though there was a glimmer of amusement behind his eyes. "This is getting tiresome. Su Ning and Susu, you need to control yourself. You can't win this fight on blind rage. And Xiao Hong, don't waste time with these theatrics."
Bai Lin's fury was also boiling over, but he hesitated. The loss of Yinou, the way Xiao Hong had used her death to provoke them, had left him unbalanced. His eyes locked on her, a burning hatred flaring in them.
"You'll pay for this," he growled through gritted teeth, his sword still in hand.
Li Yang's eyes softened as she stepped closer to Bai Lin, hervoice lowering. "This is beneath you, Bai Lin. We are here for something bigger than this."
But Bi Lin wasn't listening. His gaze never left Xiao Hong, and his hands tightened around the hilt of his sword.
"She's right," Xiao Hong sneered, her smirk ever-present. "You failed her, Su Ning. You let her die. You couldn't even protect your own." She turned her back to him, as if dismissing him entirely. "Don't come crawling back to me when you realize you can't fix what's broken."
Jiu Tian moved swiftly, his presence commanding as he stepped between Su Ning and Xiao Hong, the tension between them palpable. " I said enough," Jiu Tian said, his gaze sweeping over both Su Ning and Xiao Hong. "This is not the time, not the place."
As Xiao Hong turned to leave, she tossed one final taunting glance over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing in quiet contempt.
"Enjoy your victory, Su Ning. But remember this: no matter how hard you fight, how much you sacrifice, the world will never belong to you. It will always slip through your fingers, just like it did for her."
With that, she turned on her heel, her voice a cold whisper in the wind.
"I'm done here. Don't chase me again."
I can't stand them. Every last one of them—so full of themselves, so convinced they are on the right path. It sickens me. Su Ning, with his righteous fury, and the others who follow him like blind sheep... They're all so goddamn predictable.
But it's not just them. It's her, too. Yinou. I hate her with every ounce of my being. She's no different from the rest of them. She was just as weak, just as lost in the idea of purpose. She never understood. They never understand.
Xiao Hong's mind swirled with fragmented thoughts of her late "father." Zhang Li had killed the man who had raised her, but that man—her adoptive father—had tormented her for years. He had been cruel, demanding, and abusive, marrying her off to a man she didn't love, controlling her every move. In the end, his death at Zhang Li's hands had only brought her a twisted sense of relief.
She had never loved him—not in the way a child should love a parent. But the hollow feeling of freedom that came with his death had lingered. She couldn't mourn a man who had given her nothing but pain, and in truth, she hadn't.
But Zhang Li… Zhang Li had killed him. And now he hunted her.
It was complicated. He was both the threat and the obstacle. But more importantly, Zhang Li had also caused her to lose something far more precious—her sense of purpose. She had to kill him, but she couldn't do it alone. No, she would need the power to break her soul's oath, and that required confronting the Abyss of Dread, a place where souls failed to reincarnate, where darkness fed on lost spirits.
In her hands, she felt the weight of a small seashell bracelet, a gift from the boy who had emerged from her sleeves. The child was a spirit born alongside her, one she had come to care for like a son, though he was never truly hers. His "father" was absent, and he had no mortal birth. He had grown, developing his own identity, looking up to her as a mother despite knowing the truth of his origins.
She placed the bracelet in a small box alongside other trinkets he had given her—souvenirs of a life she could never fully embrace.
"Mother," the child's voice broke her reverie, and she looked down to find him clinging to her legs, his small hands gripping her firmly.
She looked down, her voice gentle but resolute, "Let go."
The child shook his head, clinging to her even tighter, his face filled with the soft sadness of one who didn't understand. "No. You will go for a long time again."
Her chest tightened, but she hardened her resolve. "Hǎi shā," she urged softly, trying to soothe him. "Let go."
"Mother, please, let Sha Mianmian hug you longer." His plea broke through her steely exterior, but Xiao Hong's face remained impassive. She couldn't afford to show weakness.
With an almost imperceptible sigh, she placed a hand on his head and gently coaxed him to release her, her expression betraying none of the turmoil beneath. "No. Mother needs to go."
And with that, she sealed him away in a piece of artwork, locking him in a corner of her mind as much as she locked him physically away.
She stared at the empty space where he had been, that familiar knot in her chest tightening. The boy, her child of spirit, was something she couldn't have, not in this cruel world. She closed the box with the seashell bracelet, the weight of today bearing down on her as she prepared for the future—one where she was bound by more than just blood.
Xiao Hong's journey took her deep into the Abyss of Dread, a forsaken place where souls failed to reincarnate, cursed to linger for eternity. She sought the Dread Master who could break her soul's oath, thus granting her the power to protect herself from Zhang Li and free herself of responsibility. She needed that power.
The days passed in silence, and just as she thought she was nearing her goal, the ghostly glow of the Blue Moon illuminated the ghostly town, casting a strange, unnatural light over the land. Her instincts screamed at her to stay away. There was something wrong with it—something malignant.
And she was right. As the souls in the town nearby were drawn toward the moon, their very essence evaporated, consumed by its pull.
That was when Su Ning and his team arrived. She smirked, finding some dark amusement in their naivety. They were here for Yinou, and their loyalty to some grand, self-righteous cause made her sick. How selfless they were, fighting for a lost cause, for ideals that didn't exist.
Xiao Hong turned away, her steps light, but then, a hesitation—a brief flicker of something she couldn't quite explain—stopped her. She moved to demonstrate the danger of the Blue Moon by taking a random soul, showing them just what would happen if they came any closer.
"Stay away from it," she warned them coldly, a look of disdain on her face. "It will devour you."
With that, she turned her back, heading toward Huā Mǎn Mountain, where she believed the Dread Master waited for her. She couldn't afford distractions now. Not from strangers. Not from them.
But Jiu Tian… He was persistent. Always, he followed, his words lingering in the air like a teasing melody. Xiao Hong wasn't sure why she allowed him to accompany her, but there was something about him—something that kept her from sending him away. His flirtations irritated her, but perhaps… perhaps he was useful, in a way.
They traveled together, and eventually, they were faced with something even worse: the Deadshade Demon.
Reanimated corpses, controlled by demonic energy, with no soul, no memory. Only an instinct to destroy. And as she watched the horror unfold, she knew the truth—this wasn't some random incident. These creatures were sent by Hao Lin.
Her husband, in his obsessive desire to protect her, had sent these horrors in her path. A twisted form of love. Or perhaps, just a desperate attempt to prove that he was "enough" for her. Enough to shield her. Enough to keep her from harm.
And just then, her heart skipped as a familiar figure appeared behind her. Hao Lin.
His voice was quiet but firm. "Wife." His hands, though ghostly, were warm, and they wrapped around her legs like a child's embrace. It was the same as when her spirit child clung to her, though this time, the desperation in his touch was far more complex.
She looked down at him. There was no affection in her gaze, only the recognition of his need. His obsession. She had never loved him the way he had loved her. To her, he was like a brother—someone she had cared for once, but now, a shadow of the man he had been.
"You are actually controlled by the Blue Moon," she said flatly, her voice devoid of any warmth.
Hao Lin's face was a mixture of love and something darker, something desperate. He was no longer the man she had once known—he had become something far more dangerous.
Jiu Tian had been fighting the demons for a while now, sneering at such scene in front of him. His sword flashed under the moonlight, swift and lethal, cutting down the first demon in a single breath. He fought alone, blade weaving through the encroaching swarm.
In the midst of chaos, she stood — calm, untouched.
The demons passed her as if she were smoke. Not a scratch, not even a glance.
Then Su Ning's team — Bai Lin, Li Yang, Su Su — arrived, blades drawn, spells at the ready.
Without hesitation, they threw themselves into the fray.
Yet even as they fought desperately, they noticed: She did not lift a hand. She simply watched, untouched by the demons' rage. No one spoke of it, not yet. The battle came first.
As the last demon fell under Su Ning's precise blade, the world fell into a heavy silence.
Bai Lin's wary eyes darted to her. Li Yang's grip on her sword tightened. Su Su looked ready to say something but swallowed it.
She moved instead. Calmly, she bent down and lifted the unconscious Hao Lin — small-framed, pale, almost weightless — and carried him toward the towering gate ahead.
She laid Hao Lin gently by the heavy doors of the tower, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead.
Then, wordlessly, she stepped forward, about to push the doors open—
A hand seized her by the collar and yanked her back.
Su Ning.
He stood before her, firm and unyielding.
Cool eyes stared her down, close enough to feel his breath. "You're not going anywhere," Su Ning said, voice low and steel-hard. "Not until you explain why the demons ignored you."
She arched a brow, unfazed. "Jealous?" she taunted lazily.
Su Ning's hand tightened a fraction. "Enough games," he said coolly. "If you had nothing to do with them, you would've fought. You would've bled like the rest of us."
Li Yang, Bai Lin, and Su Su stood behind him, tense and ready. For a heartbeat, the air crackled with tension between them.
Finally, she gave a mocking smile, brushing his hand off her collar. "Fine. You want my help? I'll help you find your little culprit. Then maybe you'll stop pestering me."
She turned smoothly, brushing past Su Ning — only to pause.
Facing Jiu Tian, who stood slightly ahead of the group, sword still dripping demon blood, she tilted her head in mock sweetness.
"There," she said, pointing straight at him. "There's your culprit."
Jiu Tian froze, a flicker of panic in his usually cold eyes.
He even took half a step back.
The corners of her lips twitched into a cruel smile.
Before anyone could react, she shoved him lightly aside with a flick of her fingers.
"Relax," she said, voice cool and cutting. "It's not you."
She pointed past him — to the towering doors of the ancient structure.
"He's inside."
They barged into the tower together.
And there — at the heart of the tower — stood Yueqing.
Beside him lay the cold, bloodless corpse of the Master of Dread.
The air reeked of death and resentment.
"He already killed Master..." Bai Lin whispered, eyes wide with horror.
"He's powerful..." Su Su muttered, taking a shaky step back.
Xiaohong narrowed her eyes, heart hammering. It's impossible... he shouldn't have this strength yet... something unnatural is helping him...
Yueqing lifted his gaze. His body looked human still, but his aura was wrong — thick with a swirling, corrupted force.
Without warning, he attacked.
The fight was brutal. Yueqing's strikes were devastating, fueled by an unnatural power that tore the ground and shattered spells. Bai Lin fought fiercely, her magic clashing against his corrupted energy. Li Yang struck from the sides with her sword, quick and merciless. Su Su cast barriers and healing spells, weaving between offense and defense.
Jiu Tian met Yueqing blade to blade, but even he struggled under the weight of Yueqing's monstrous strength.
And Xiaohong? She stood back, analyzing him, every move, every crack in his defenses.
Finally, Yueqing stumbled. Blood coughed from his mouth.
As expected... Xiaohong thought grimly. This power... it's fake. It's burning him alive.
She advanced slowly, coldly, as Yueqing fell to his knees.
He reached toward her weakly, his eyes no longer filled with madness, but something almost... pleading.
Xiaohong gazed down at him, expression unreadable. Her voice was a whisper.
"You used the souls, didn't you? To stay alive. To keep fighting. You probably used something from Saintess Bai's forbidden book... now in Zhang Li's hands."
Silence hung heavy in the ruined hall.
Behind her, Su Ning watched carefully, but said nothing.
Yueqing's body convulsed once more — and collapsed, lifeless.
Xiaohong stepped over Yueqing's corpse, walking toward the body of the Master of Dread. She knelt, placing two fingers gently against his cold skin.
Even in death, he remained at his post. Bound by duty to this cursed place.
A thought crossed her mind — Will I be just like him?
Bai Lin stepped up beside her, answering softly as if reading her thoughts.
"He... he was a descendant of the Bai Clan. The Saintess appointed him to guard this place for eternity."
Xiaohong stood up, brushing off the dust. She turned to look at Jiu Tian.
Their eyes met.
Without speaking, they shared the same thought.
Together, they said in unison:
"We'll leave Hao Lin here to be the new guardian."
The others — Bai Lin, Su Su, Li Yang — gathered near Su Ning, their weapons lowered but their suspicion still lingering.
Su Ning finally sheathed his blade and took a step toward her, voice calm but firm.
"What do you plan to do now?"
His eyes weren't accusing — just quietly demanding the truth.
Xiaohong gave a bitter laugh, turning her gaze toward the broken stones under her boots.
"I have nothing left," she said lightly, almost mockingly — but the cracks in her voice betrayed her. "Bound to a master that's dead. Bound to an organization that won't free me. Just like the Master of Dread... bound to a place he could never leave."
The others shifted uncomfortably at her words.
Finally, she tilted her head, a wry smile touching her lips.
"I'll tell you what I know," she said.
The words escaped before she could pull them back.
"But not because you deserve it," she added coolly, meeting Su Ning's steady gaze. "Because it doesn't matter anymore."
Su Ning gave a faint, almost approving nod.
"Good."
As she spent more time with these humans, she began to see how they valued and cherished Yinou. Curiosity blossomed within her. She recalled a painting of the girl hanging in Su Ning's room—a depiction of someone with beautiful, soulful eyes. It was said that Yinou was a demon, yet she had an aura that resembled that of an immortal. How could this be? The thought of her being Zhang Li's most beloved and Su Ning's most treasured filled Xiao Hong with envy.
Time slipped by, and before she knew it, a month had passed. One night, as they gathered around the campfire to grill fish, the conversation turned once again to Yinou. "How lucky she was," Xiao Hong said, her voice barely above a whisper. Silence fell over the group, and she could feel their eyes on her, heavy with unspoken truths. "She was unfortunate," someone finally replied, their tone somber. What had this Yinou gone through? What dark shadows haunted her past?