A shape rose from the golden river — vast, gleaming, alive.
A leech, long as a horse, its body glistening with coins and melted jewellery fused into its flesh. Dozens of mouths lined its sides, opening and closing, whispering voices that weren't its own.
"Give… more…" it hissed. "Gold… blood… anything…"
The villagers' offerings floated around it — rings, bracelets, bits of silver — all melting into its skin, feeding it.
Liang Hu lunged first, his spear cutting across its flank.
The wood sizzled and cracked as golden fluid splashed over it, burning through like acid.
The creature shrieked, twisting toward him.
Zhen Yu leapt forward, silver sword flashing. His blade struck deep, slicing through the molten hide — the glow dimmed for a heartbeat, then surged back, brighter and crueler.
Every drop of its blood turned to gold as it fell, crawling back to the monster's body like living metal.
"It heals itself," Liang Hu spat, stepping back.
The river rippled. The monster grew larger. Its eyes — small golden beads — all turned toward Mei Lian.
She stepped forward.
The ground cracked beneath her feet. Her veins burned red beneath pale skin. The air around her shimmered, heat rippling like a mirage.
The leech's voices blended into one, low and venomous.
"Witch… you crave power too, don't you? Take me. Take everything."
Its whispers slithered into her mind, soft as temptation.
For a moment, her breath caught. A faint tremor crossed her hand — that ancient hunger stirring inside.
Zhen Yu's voice cut through the haze. "Mei Lian!"
Her crimson eyes snapped open — bright, unyielding.
She raised her hand, and her shadow rose with it.
Dark tendrils burst outward, coiling around the monster's body, dragging it down. The golden leech screamed, thrashing, splitting the ground with its weight.
"Enough," Zhen Yu muttered, slashing again, severing one of its heads.
The leech howled, molten gold spilling everywhere — then began to shrink, its light dimming, cracking, fading into ash.
Mei Lian pressed her palm forward one last time. The air split with a sound like thunder. The golden veins along the leech's skin shattered — and all that remained was dust, smoke, and a single molten heart, pulsing weakly in the dirt.
The silence afterward was deafening.
Mei Lian staggered back.
The veins on her arms blazed crimson and gold, the light crawling toward her shoulders. She gasped, her body trembling violently.
"Mei Lian!"
Zhen Yu caught her before she fell. Her head rested against his shoulder, her breath shallow.
Her lips moved soundlessly — I'm fine.
The golden heart beside them gave one last flicker and went dark. The light on her skin slowly faded too, leaving only the faint shimmer of exhaustion.
She lifted her hands weakly, signing:
It's gone. The people are safe now.
Then her arms dropped, heavy with weariness.
From the cliffs above, the villagers began to emerge — cautious at first, then crying out with relief.
They fell to their knees, some weeping, some laughing. The golden glow in the river dimmed to its natural silver-gray, and the reflection of the moon returned at last.
Zhen Yu looked down at Mei Lian, still in his arms — pale, trembling, and beautiful in the fading light.
Around them, the villagers' joy swelled like the sound of bells after a storm.
For the first time in a long while, Fengqi knew peace.