Volume One: Autumn Festival Chapter Six: Requesting Mr. Jiang’s Assistance

It was late autumn, a moonless night with a bitter wind. In a quiet, secluded alley off Pinglan Street, Jiang Wang leaned against a wall, panting heavily. He had not yet managed to leave Qixia Street; even though this alley was just on the edge of it, the short distance had exhausted him completely.

At that moment, Jiang Wang heard voices up ahead.

"Monsters are the greatest anomaly in this human world. They act without restraint, yet even low-level monsters harbor fear and will not actively attack a cultivator unless they possess profound cultivation."

Su Lingyi gripped his sword tightly. In truth, he did not want to be here. The Black Flame Army had happened to share their findings with the Town Guard Office, which was how Su Lingyi had learned of the monster’s presence. With Du Zicheng imprisoned, Su Lingyi had become a target of suspicion for the Town Guard. To prove his innocence and help his junior sister rescue her brother, he had no choice but to bite the bullet. However, the more he pondered the situation, the more he regretted it. If they encountered a Great Monster, he was already mentally preparing his escape.

Du Yanruo was well aware of the danger, but her desperation to save her brother blinded her to all else. Su, her senior brother, was the only one she could rely on.

"Who is there?!" Su Lingyi was cautious; he sensed even the slightest movement. Seeing Jiang Wang step out from around the corner, his brows furrowed. "So it is the Young Marquis."

Before Instructor Cai had arrived in Hun City, Su Lingyi had been forced to put on a smiling face whenever he faced Jiang Wang. Though it enraged him, he had no other choice.

Jiang Wang, seemingly oblivious to the tension, greeted him with a smile: "Brother Su, didn't you say you were coming to my manor to offer an apology? I have yet to see you. It seems you lack sincerity."

Su Lingyi’s face stiffened. He forced a laugh and said, "I have been caught up with many matters and simply haven't found the opportunity."

Du Yanruo wanted to speak, feeling that her senior brother need not be so polite to Jiang Wang, but her heart suddenly skipped a beat. She whirled around.

In the dim alley, a green light flickered. A slender, towering shadow swayed ahead. The crisp sound of footsteps became jarringly sharp in the silence. Thick fog began to spread, and within it, the green light pulsed, turning the atmosphere instantly ominous.

Su Lingyi drew his sword immediately, his expression grave as never before. Jiang Wang felt his Long Night saber trembling slightly, emitting an icy, bone-chilling cold—a warning of impending danger.

Soon, the swaying figure in the alley became clear. It wore tattered white robes and stood a full ten feet tall. Its sleeves dragged along the ground, and as it walked, its slightly hunched upper body swayed from side to side. Long, waist-length hair hung loose, obscuring its entire face. Because of its height, Jiang Wang’s gaze had to shift upward. How could any normal person be this tall?

Du Yanruo’s face turned pale. Looking at the towering, slender figure, she instinctively grabbed Su Lingyi’s arm, her voice trembling. "This looks somewhat like the monster the instructor mentioned..."

"It is an Ao-Yin!" Su Lingyi said in a low, grim voice.

Jiang Wang frowned. "Is this monster very powerful?"

Su Lingyi’s hand, gripping his sword, was shaking. "The Luo-Yong and Wang-Liang monsters are mere toys compared to it." He had never imagined that a terrifying monster like an 'Ao-Yin' would be in Hun City!

Although Jiang Wang had seen the Luo-Yong and Wang-Liang monsters, he had not truly felt their menace, so he could not fathom Su Lingyi’s current state of mind. His expression remained calm, as if he were merely hearing about ants blocking his path. Seeing Jiang Wang’s indifferent demeanor, Su Lingyi felt a fresh wave of dread. Could it be that Jiang Wang did not even hold an 'Ao-Yin' in regard? He found it hard to accept. Even Instructor Cai would not dare to be careless against an Ao-Yin. He refused to believe Jiang Wang was stronger than his instructor; otherwise, how could he ever hope for revenge?

Recalling something, Su Lingyi slowly retreated to Jiang Wang’s side and performed a sword salute. "My skills are meager, and I fear I must rely on the Young Marquis. Since we have met here, our goals must be the same. I am willing to cover for you."

Jiang Wang knew exactly what Su Lingyi meant and gave a meaningful smile. Su Lingyi offered a slightly awkward, forced laugh. Jiang Wang did not call him out, though he felt a flicker of worry himself. If this Ao-Yin was truly that terrifying, he could not be sure if the hidden power he possessed could suppress it. But he decided to try.

Clutching his blade, he walked step by step toward the Ao-Yin.

Seeing this, Du Yanruo whispered, "Senior Brother, by goading him into fighting the monster, aren't you sending him to his death?"

Su Lingyi began to speak, but Du Yanruo continued, "I understand. If he dies at the hands of the monster, the Marquis Manor will have no excuse to make trouble for the Du family afterward. It kills two birds with one stone. Senior Brother, your plan is brilliant."

Su Lingyi: "..." While it made sense, he had not actually thought of that. He could only smile and say, "I do this for you, Junior Sister." Du Yanruo was deeply moved.

...

The alley was dim, but Jiang Wang’s eyes burned with light. He exhaled softly and charged at the monster with his blade.

*Bam!* *Splat!*

The Ao-Yin merely raised a hand, and Jiang Wang was slammed face-first into the wall. The monster tilted its head, and a single, sickly green eye peered through its matted hair, seemingly filled with confusion. Its sleeves, which dragged on the ground, rose with its arm, revealing hidden claws like polished metal. It strolled forward, its two-foot-long, razor-sharp claws scraping against the wall, leaving four deep gouges and sparks showering the air.

Su Lingyi watched in disbelief. *That’s it?*

As Jiang Wang pulled himself up, Du Yanruo remarked, "What a pity he didn't die. I don't know what kind of blind luck he had."

Su Lingyi remained silent. He felt something was wrong with this scene. Jiang Wang should have been strong; even if he wasn't as strong as Instructor Cai, he shouldn't be this fragile. Was it some sort of eccentric perversion? He watched Jiang Wang, who was swaying and unable to stand steadily. *This man must be a masochist.*

Jiang Wang was actually bewildered. His entire body felt like it was falling apart, and the pain was excruciating. Yet, that hidden power had not manifested. Was the threat level insufficient, or had he guessed wrong entirely? If he tried again, would he die? He felt conflicted. This was not at all what he had imagined.

He decisively turned and ran. He had no intention of throwing his life away.

Su Lingyi was stunned. This was not what he had expected. Seeing Jiang Wang about to bolt from the alley, gasping for air as if he were dying, Su Lingyi snapped out of his shock and, without a word, grabbed Du Yanruo and ran after him.

He soon overtook Jiang Wang. A realization began to dawn on him: perhaps Jiang Wang was not as formidable as he had thought. Perhaps the incident at the Qixia Street intersection had been due to some physical ailment of his own, and the behavior of the three cultivators in the alley might have had a different cause.

Furious at the thought that he had been scaring himself and forced to smile at Jiang Wang every time they met, he felt this was a profound humiliation. Just as he considered killing Jiang Wang right then and there, he looked back and saw Jiang Wang had collapsed, unable to run any further.

Looking at the approaching Ao-Yin, Jiang Wang wheezed, "Let’s make a deal. Stop this cat-and-mouse game. It would be better if you just finished me off."

The monster nodded. It was rare to meet a human with such a request, and it felt obliged to fulfill it.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, the sound of air being torn apart echoed. Two flying swords shot from the end of the alley and struck the Ao-Yin’s forehead. A green-robed and a white-robed cultivator appeared, suspended in mid-air. The latter dove down, the sonic boom deafening, and slammed a fist into the monster's head!

With a dull *thud*, the Ao-Yin’s head tilted slightly, but its pace—claws scraping against the wall—did not falter. The white-robed cultivator twisted his waist, pulled out one of the flying swords embedded in the monster’s skull, and used the momentum to deliver a more powerful, heavy strike. The explosive surge of energy shattered the walls on both sides of the alley, yet the cultivator’s face turned deathly pale.

The Ao-Yin was completely unscathed. It raised its other arm, and as its metal claws emerged, the dense fog in the alley dissipated instantly. A chilling wind swept through, followed by a thunderous boom that carved a trench a foot deep all the way to the end of the alley!

Amidst the billowing smoke, the white-robed cultivator was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing to the ground.

Jiang Wang coughed violently, staring in horror at the scene of carnage caused by the monster’s casual gesture. Swallowing hard, he raised his Long Night saber with trembling hands, but the trench had made the alley floor extremely narrow. Even though his legs felt like lead, he forced himself to retreat.

"Mr. Jiang!" the green-robed cultivator landed before him. "This monster is far beyond what we brothers can handle. I know it is shameless, but we must ask for your help."

Jiang Wang offered an awkward smile. He wanted to refuse.

Su Lingyi returned at that moment, sneering, "Senior, there must be some misunderstanding. This Young Marquis is nothing but a good-for-nothing. I was deceived by him as well. I would hate for you to lose face because of him..."

Before he could finish, the Ao-Yin let out a roar.

*Rumble!*

The two walls collapsed completely, and plumes of smoke rose into the air, drawing the gaze of certain people in Hun City. As the smoke cleared, the towering, slender figure of the monster stood out starkly amidst the ruins.

The green-robed cultivator grabbed Jiang Wang’s arm and retreated toward Qixia Street. Su Lingyi scrambled out of the alley in a disheveled state.

"Mr. Jiang..." the green-robed cultivator looked at Jiang Wang, his brow furrowed deeply. Jiang Wang looked quite pathetic, and doubt began to take root in his heart.

The Ao-Yin leaped high, landing heavily in front of them from the ruins of the alley. A terrifying aura washed over them.