Chapter 24: The Blood Demon (Part II)

Yufan clutched his bundle tightly, trailing behind Elder Jian. His expression was one of mild trepidation, his eyes darting around as he feared that a ghost might suddenly spring forth and startle him—an event that would surely signal the ignominious end of his reputation as a man.

"If that were to happen, wouldn't I, Yufan, be..." he muttered, cowering behind the elder.

Fang Yu stopped, turned around, and caught sight of Yufan’s wretched expression.

Without warning, a spinning kick landed on him, sending him stumbling. He nearly lost his footing, the stinging sensation in his rear instantly banishing his terror. His expression shifted from fear to sheer astonishment; he stared at Fang Yu, mouth agape, as if he could swallow an egg whole.

Fang Yu landed gracefully, arms crossed over her chest, her gaze filled with a mixture of mockery and undeniable authority. "A real man, and you’re afraid of ghosts? You’re a disgrace to our Cloud Sect!" Her voice was crisp and resonant, echoing through the gloomy forest, which caused Yufan to involuntarily straighten his back. Though a flush of embarrassment remained on his face, the fear had miraculously dissipated by more than half.

The wind around them seemed to quiet, as if even the forces of nature were awed by that sudden kick and the words that followed.

In the Misty Forest, the light was mottled and fragmented, as if every ray carried an ancient, mysterious tale. Elder Jian’s laughter rang out, resonant as a morning bell or an evening drum, adding a touch of vitality to the silent woods. Holding his long sword, its tip brushing the ground, he led the group forward. Each step was taken with such composure that the mist seemed nothing more than fleeting smoke to him.

"A man should act like a man. Looking at you, I just can't help myself," Fang Yu said, pointing at Yufan behind her before turning back to face the path ahead.

Yufan rubbed his stinging backside. Though he grumbled, "Senior Sister, your strike was too ruthless," a newfound resolve flickered in his eyes. He stayed close on the elder's heels, his stride gradually becoming steady and forceful. He no longer glanced about, and all signs of fear had vanished. Fang Yu walked slightly ahead of him, occasionally looking back with a gaze that held both severity and encouragement; a subtle rapport seemed to have formed between them.

A moment later, the mist grew dense and silent, as if it possessed a life of its own. It swallowed the sky completely, leaving only a gray, oppressive curtain woven together with the impenetrable canopy of trees.

The surroundings were pitch black. Every tree stood like a lurking shadow, silently watching the intruders. An ancient, profound chill permeated the air, causing one to shiver involuntarily.

Yufan’s footsteps were exceptionally clear in the stillness. Each step triggered a faint echo that reverberated through the boundless darkness, adding to the unease. His palms were slick with sweat from gripping the bundle, yet his eyes were remarkably firm, as if a strength from deep within were supporting him.

Fang Yu’s figure appeared and disappeared ahead of him. Her long sword occasionally sliced through the air, leaving behind faint silver glimmers that tore open a sliver of light in this dark world, guiding them forward. Aside from their own breathing and heartbeats, there was no other sound—only the endless mist and unknown terror.

Yufan lowered his head and looked down. "Damn, that scared me. Why are there so many bones?"

Elder Jian stopped, his eyes locked on the path ahead. "I suspect we have reached the Burial Mound."

Fang Yu gripped her sword hilt tightly, pointing forward with her other hand. "This place is extremely bizarre. It’s like a trapped city; the trees are constantly shifting. You might not notice it at a glance, but the surroundings are like walls."

Yufan slowly lowered his hand, his voice dropping low. "It looks like..."

His words were like ice, instantly freezing the air around them.

His trembling finger slowly reached forward, the tip almost brushing against the edge of an invisible terror. Within the mist, a pair of profound, dark-energy-infused eyes slowly emerged. They seemed to come from the abyss, devoid of any life, yet unnervingly captivating.

The eyes grew larger and larger until they occupied a corner of Yufan’s vision, as if all the darkness in the world had condensed within them.

The surrounding air seemed corroded by this black energy, becoming heavy and oppressive until breathing grew difficult. The silhouettes of the trees twisted and deformed in the darkness, as if they, too, were responding to the summons of those eyes, slowly converging toward the center to form an invisible barrier.

Yufan’s heart hammered like a drum, each beat accompanied by a violent tremor. He struggled to see the truth behind those eyes, feeling only an unprecedented chill racing from his spine to the top of his head.

Seeing this, Fang Yu’s body tensed like a leopard ready to pounce. She drew a sharp breath, and a faint light began to circulate around her—the precursor to an imminent eruption of spiritual power.

Her long sword left its scabbard, the tip vibrating and emitting a clear, ringing sound that stood in sharp contrast to the oppressive atmosphere. Her gaze was like a torch, piercing through the mist to stare directly at the source of those dark eyes. She spoke coldly: "When the sword rises, the winds and clouds shift; at dawn, I sever the netherworld!"

As her voice fell, the sword tip cut through the air, carrying a sharp whistle as it struck the invisible barrier. Where the sword light passed, the mist seemed to tear, revealing a clear trail.

The surrounding trees seemed to sense the threat. Their speed of movement accelerated rapidly, their branches twisting and intertwining until they truly resembled living things, weaving themselves into a massive net.

Elder Jian’s laughter echoed through the mist, carrying a formidable boldness and confidence. He unfolded his body, agile as a rabbit, and leaned toward the group. His robes billowed in the wind with a snapping sound. His eyes narrowed, locking onto the frantically shifting shadows of the trees. He suddenly formed a seal with his hands, and a thick surge of spiritual power erupted from his palms, transforming into a brilliant golden ring that encircled him.

"Hah!" Elder Jian roared. His body spun like a top, and each step he took was accompanied by a slight tremor in the ground, as if the earth itself were answering his call. The palm he struck carried the weight of mountains and the momentum of rivers. The palm wind howled, creating a fierce gale that tore the surrounding mist asunder.

Elder Jian’s figure was like a leaf in a tornado, yet it carried the weight of a thousand tons. As he laughed, he leaned forward, appearing to merge with heaven and earth; that heroic spirit surged straight into the clouds.

With a sudden turn, his long sleeves billowed and snapped, as if tearing the air itself. As he struck out with another palm, the space where the wind passed seemed to be rent by an invisible hand, emitting a low roar.

Another palm strike followed, wreathed in brilliant golden light like a scorching sun breaking through the clouds, dazzling to behold.

Before this power, the trees seemed to lose their vitality. Their branches trembled, their roots creaked, and they were actually pushed backward by the force, revealing the gaps they had previously hidden. For a moment, the mist was scattered by the shockwave, offering a brief glimpse of clarity that allowed them to peek at a corner of the truth behind this eerie forest.