Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The Soul-Eating Beasts fell to the ground one after another, leaving Xie Wanjun stunned. Just moments ago, they had been fighting fiercely, but now he stood still, his mind momentarily blank. As he tried to process what was happening, a slender figure approached him. Dressed in a dark robe and trousers, with her hair elegantly pinned up, she exuded an ancient charm. When she came closer, Xie Wanjun could see her face clearly; she seemed ethereal as if she were made of pure snow, strikingly beautiful and carrying an air of coldness like a pine breeze.
Though she appeared to be of similar age to them, she effortlessly dispatched the Soul-Eating Beasts in just a few moves, piquing Xie Wanjun's curiosity to its peak.
As she walked towards him, he noticed the golden characters "Zhengyi" embroidered on her dark robe glimmering like a cluster of stars. Her steps were firm yet light, each stride accompanied by an invisible force that suggested no one could hinder her progress. Such steadiness was not typical for someone of her age, leaving Xie Wanjun uncertain about her true nature; it was clear she was no ordinary person.
While he pondered this, she suddenly crouched down in front of Pei Huaizhi. Her glowing blue eyes fixed on him as she reached out her hand. Alarmed, Xie Wanjun rushed over to block her, asking, “Who are you?”
She withdrew her hand and replied calmly, “Just a passerby. I saw you were in danger and came to help.”
Xie Wanjun noted her straightforward manner and natural expression; she didn’t seem to be lying. Moreover, he sensed no trace of Evil Spirit energy from her, which eased his suspicion. He then asked, “What were you going to do to him?”
“He’s injured and his breath is erratic,” she said indifferently, pointing at the red marks encircling Pei Huaizhi's neck.
Following her gesture, Xie Wanjun noticed two red handprints on Pei Huaizhi’s neck. He had no idea where they came from; during the battle with the Soul-Eating Beasts, he had been too preoccupied to notice their situation.
Meanwhile, Pei Huaizhi, kneeling on the ground, inadvertently met her glowing blue eyes. Anger surged within him at the sight of those eyes; it spread from his head down to his chest, causing a sudden sharp pain. The memory of his father’s murder haunted him anew with every thought of that night. Now that he had finally found the person he had been searching for all these years—especially those eyes—his heartache intensified.
Suddenly, a violent pain shot through his heart, causing his entire body to tremble and veins to bulge in his arms. He instinctively pressed his hand against his chest. Noticing his pale face and rapid breathing, Xie Wanjun rushed forward and asked anxiously, “What’s wrong?”
“His spiritual energy is blocked; there’s a blockage in his heart meridian causing palpitations,” she explained just as two silver needles flew towards Pei Huaizhi with precision, landing on the Neiguan and Shenmen acupoints. Another needle followed suit and pierced his chest precisely where the blockage was located. After a few seconds, she said, “Let’s see if this works.”
Pei Huaizhi focused on circulating his energy; it flowed smoothly throughout his body without any discomfort—rather, he felt more at ease. He opened his eyes and thanked her softly, “Thank you.”
“This medicine is beneficial for restoring your heart meridian,” she said as she held out a small azure-white vial in her palm towards him. He looked up at her again and finally took in her appearance; her face showed no emotion at all, and her glowing blue eyes resembled an unfathomable abyss that concealed her thoughts from view.
Pei Huaizhi reached for the medicine bottle and accidentally brushed against her finger. The slight touch sent a chill from her icy fingertip into his warm skin, surprising him with how cold her hand was. After receiving the bottle, he quickly opened it and swallowed a pill, which had no strange taste at all—more like it had no taste whatsoever.
At that moment, she stood up and walked towards He Guannan, who lay unconscious on the ground. Xie Wanjun, noticing her movement, reacted instantly and hurried to He Guannan's side. Seeing him flushed all over, she anxiously pleaded, "Please save him." During the time she had been present, while Pei Huaizhi treated his wounds, Xie Wanjun had been worried about the mysterious woman’s intentions. Now that she had not harmed them but instead helped, Xie Wanjun felt a slight easing of her wariness.
She did not respond to Xie Wanjun's request but focused intently on He Guannan. His skin was dark red, and his clothes were soaked in blood. She reached out and examined his body before saying, "The tendrils have burrowed into the flesh; they need to be removed."
With one hand, she flipped him over and tore open his bloodied shirt, revealing several bloody wounds on his back. His back was covered in blood streaks, densely packed together, especially on the left side where a long object was embedded in the flesh, writhing as if it were a worm. Xie Wanjun's eyes widened in horror at the sight, nausea rising in her stomach as she fought the urge to vomit.
She pulled out a small knife from her pocket and took the medicine bottle, applying the powder to the blade before heating it with a flame. "It will hurt too much when I take it out; he will struggle. You need to hold down his head and arms to prevent him from moving."
Xie Wanjun obeyed her instructions, using all her strength to restrain He Guannan's arms and head while she pressed her leg against his knee. Then she plunged the knife into the wound and dripped the powder into the exposed flesh. Soon after, the tendrils inside began to writhe on his back, causing He Guannan to convulse violently and let out a roar of pain. She dripped more powder into the wound, and gradually the tendrils moved closer to the surface until they revealed their tips. In a swift motion, she pinched them between her fingers and yanked them out with precision, tossing them several meters away where they continued to squirm.
Afterward, she sprinkled more powder onto his wounds and handed a black pill to Xie Wanjun. "Give him this; he will wake up in half an hour." Xie Wanjun quickly administered the pill to He Guannan.
"Rest here for now; I have set up a protective barrier around us. The Soul-Eating Beast cannot enter."
From the moment she appeared, her eyes had glowed blue—a rare trait known as Heavenly Eye possessed by very few individuals. Pei Huaizhi had been searching for someone with such eyes for a long time; now that he had finally encountered one, he wondered if it was fate or mere luck.
As dusk fell and a cool breeze swept through the damp forest, Xie Wanjun gathered dry twigs scattered around to build a fire and moved He Guannan closer to it, taking care of him carefully. She added more wood to the fire before turning her gaze toward their savior. The blue light in her eyes shifted to black, her expression now colder and more detached than before. After contemplating for some time, Xie Wanjun slowly spoke up, "Thank you for saving us."
The woman nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Seeing that her appearance was similar to theirs but that her magical prowess far surpassed theirs made Xie Wanjun question her true identity. If she were an Evil Spirit disguised as a human to toy with them, they would surely be unable to escape; if she were merely a passing Spirit Master, then she was certainly no ordinary traveler.
Thinking of this, Xie Wanjun looked at her with confusion, and the next moment their eyes met. Her gaze lingered on Xie Wanjun for a second before sinking, as if she understood his thoughts. She then spoke, "I mean you no harm."
Since she was straightforward, Xie Wanjun decided to be direct as well. "Then why are you here in these mountains?"
"I am a Spirit Master who travels extensively. If I encounter an Evil Spirit, I will certainly take action. Two days ago, I sensed malevolent energy near a village at the foot of the mountain and noticed that an Evil Spirit was causing trouble there, so I came to eliminate it and happened to run into you."
Her explanation had a ring of truth to it. Although Xie Wanjun was skeptical about coincidences, they did exist in the world. Moreover, if she hadn't intervened, they would have been dead by now. Considering this point, it was unlikely that she was an Evil Spirit in disguise. After all, if an Evil Spirit wanted them dead, why would it save them?
Xie Wanjun asked again, "I still don't know your name."
"My surname is Fu, and my given name is Sang."
Pei Huaizhi had taken the medicine and was sitting quietly nearby to recuperate. During their conversation, he had heard everything. Now he felt much lighter and his breathing gradually calmed down. He opened his eyes and walked over to sit by the fire. Seeing him settle down, Xie Wanjun asked with concern, "How are you feeling?"
"Much better." After saying this, he turned his gaze toward Fu Sang, who was looking down.
Upon seeing her, Pei Huaizhi couldn't help but associate her with the person who had killed his father that night. He seemed convinced that Fu Sang was the one responsible for his father's death. However, it was impossible for him to be certain; he hadn't clearly seen the killer's face that night—only noticed from a distance that the person had Heavenly Eyes and wore a pendant that glowed purple.
His current feelings were merely a culmination of years of pent-up anger directed at Fu Sang. If he encountered anyone else with Heavenly Eyes tonight, he would likely react the same way. He was too impatient and desperate to uncover the truth behind his father's tragic death. After searching for eight years without finding any suspects, suddenly encountering someone now left him unsure of how to proceed. Gripping a thick branch tightly in his hand, he snapped it with a crack and threw it into the fire, watching as his frustration was consumed by the flames.
The fire crackled loudly as he shifted his gaze to the ground. The firewood slowly burned away amidst the silence among the three of them, creating an atmosphere tinged with subtle tension.
Suddenly, Pei Huaizhi broke the silence with a statement: "You should know who we are."
Fu Sang examined their handguns closely for a moment before saying, "The guns are engraved with a Symbol Pattern, and the bullets contain cinnabar. You must be from the Spirit Master Association."
He naturally followed up with another question, "Since you know our identities, you must also be aware of our purpose for coming here?"
Upon hearing this question, Fu Sang paused her task of adding firewood, hesitating for a moment before responding, "You are here to eliminate the Evil Spirit and to find the Azure Wind Pearl."
Azure Wind Pearl!
Xie Wanjun's pupils constricted at the mention of those four words, and she immediately asked, "How do you know there is an Azure Wind Pearl in the mountains?"
Fu Sang explained that three months ago, she had come to Nanjun Mountain in search of Wild Ginseng. It was already a blessing to find a few Wild Ginseng plants in the mountains, but she had discovered dozens of them on Nanjun Mountain. Some of these Wild Ginseng plants could even walk, which was extraordinary. This situation could not simply be attributed to divine favor; it indicated that something in the mountains nourished the growth of all living things. The Azure Wind Pearl, being a manifestation of the essence of heaven and earth, was pure and filled with spiritual energy. Creatures nourished by this energy would grow wildly and could even attain sentience. Thus, Fu Sang suspected that the Azure Wind Pearl existed in the mountains. However, she did not search for it during her first visit; instead, she took the Wild Ginseng down the mountain. This second visit to Nanjun Mountain was prompted by her passing nearby and sensing an evil presence, leading her to enter the mountain to eliminate the Evil Spirit.
Xie Wanjun found it difficult to determine whether Fu Sang's words were true or not; after all, it was merely one-sided testimony. Xie Wanjun tended to consider the worst possible outcomes in any situation, so Fu Sang appeared to her as someone with many questions surrounding her.
Was this really Fu Sang's second time passing by Nanjun Mountain? If Fu Sang were just an ordinary person, Xie Wanjun wouldn't have any doubts about her. But she was a highly skilled Spirit Master with extensive knowledge. The Azure Wind Pearl was an ancient Holy Artifact that had been sought after for thousands of years; it was hard for Xie Wanjun to believe that Fu Sang had no interest in it.
After pondering for a while, Xie Wanjun shifted closer to Pei Huaizhi until they were about a foot apart. She nudged him with her elbow, and when he turned his head, she whispered, "She seems suspicious; let's test her."
He certainly understood what she meant.
Pei Huaizhi turned his attention back to Fu Sang and said, "I believe you have heard about the Spirit Pearl incident from sixteen years ago involving the Spirit Master Association. Ever since the Azure Wind Pearl went missing, the Association has been searching for it for these past sixteen years. Now that we have finally learned there might be traces of the Spirit Pearl in Nanjun Mountain, we must come here to investigate."
"The night the Spirit Pearl went missing was chaotic around West Lake; numerous monsters appeared, and then several beams of golden light descended from the sky, causing the monsters to vanish instantly." He Guannan had been awake for a while and listened as Pei Huaizhi recounted the incident from sixteen years ago. He had heard colleagues in the association mention it before and knew quite a bit about it. "Moreover, at that time, someone claimed to have seen a gigantic monster in West Lake that looked terrifying. After this incident, the President ordered a thorough investigation of everyone in the association and replaced all department heads from Four Departments; Lao Lin took office during that time."
Xie Wanjun noticed that He Guannan was speaking clearly, indicating that he was feeling much better. Concerned, he asked, "How's your health?"
"I feel some pain in my back and my hands and feet are a bit weak, but it's much better than before," He Guannan replied as he slowly propped himself up. He glanced over at Pei Huaizhi and immediately noticed the handprint on his neck. "Where did that mark on your neck come from?"
Pei Huaizhi responded, "You did it. You were going crazy earlier and nearly choked me to death."
"He was just poisoned and out of his mind, grabbing at anyone he saw. The tentacles of the Soul-Eating Beast are toxic," Fu Sang said calmly. It was the first time He Guannan heard her voice. Turning to look, he was struck by the sight of an extraordinarily beautiful woman sitting across from him. She exuded an aura of frost and snow, making her hard to look at directly; she clearly belonged to a distinguished background. He quietly asked Xie Wanjun beside him, "Where did she come from?"
Seeing He Guannan's starry-eyed expression, Xie Wanjun replied, "She’s the one who saved us. Her name is Fu Sang."
He Guannan's gaze lingered on Fu Sang for a few seconds before he felt her extraordinary presence. Smiling, he said, "Fu Sang, I owe you my life. I will repay this kindness with a spring of gratitude. Once we get out of here, let me treat you to a meal. How does that sound?"
"..." Xie Wanjun was speechless upon hearing this. It was clear that even a small favor deserved great gratitude, but he added, "There are better ways to express your gratitude; your approach is a bit outdated."
"The method isn't important; what matters is the result. I'm genuinely thankful to Fu Sang for saving all three of us," He Guannan remarked with emotion. "I really came close to dying this time. I thought the last trip to the ancient tomb was perilous, but now I feel this mission is truly extraordinary."
Pei Huaizhi couldn't help but chuckle inwardly; He Guannan was just that kind of person—friendly and easy to talk to. That's why he was well-liked in the association and had a good reputation. If it were Pei Huaizhi in his place, he certainly wouldn't have dared to say such things; it would have been too awkward—so awkward that he'd want to find a hole to hide in.
Fu Sang nodded slightly at He Guannan's words.
Seeing her nod, He Guannan felt a surge of happiness that he couldn't quite explain. He then continued, "You were just talking about the disappearance of the Spirit Pearl sixteen years ago; I know what happened that night."
Comment 0 Comment Count