The corridor was narrow.
Dark.
And now, far too quiet.
Hun Yao pressed his back against the damp wall, moss creeping along its cracks. His breath was still unsteady. His body was healed enough for him to stand and walk quickly, but not enough to run while carrying a child. Xiao Cao slept in his arms, the little face still tainted by remnants of nightmares.
He waited.
Counting the seconds.
Rainwater dripped from the roof tiles above, creating a rhythm like a heartbeat: fast… slow… fast… slow.
His steps were firm as he began moving through the slanted corridor leading down toward the city street. Leaving this hiding place meant abandoning the safety he had built for years. But he had no choice.
Xiao Cao was getting hotter. His face paled, lips turning blue.
Hun Yao tightened his grip on the sword at his waist… not the best weapon, but sharp enough to stab, cut, or protect. At the very least, it could create a gap to escape.
When he reached the end of the alley, the lights of the city street came into view. The sounds of merchants, morning bells, the scent of charcoal and warm bread…
But then—
His steps halted.
The first shadow fell at his feet.
Then the second.
The third.
Fourth.
Six. No… eight.
Hun Yao raised his head.
Parasite monsters. Again.
They emerged like fungus from darkness. Big bodies, but this time slimmer, sinewed. Their grayish skin pulsed with dark markings, as if their bodies were vessels for something greater… and hungrier.
"They seem to have many forms." Hun Yao took his stance.
One of the creatures lifted its head and—screeched.
The scream wasn't sound, but vibration—directly slamming into the nerves of the brain, making Hun Yao stagger. Xiao Cao whimpered in his arms, trembling.
Hun Yao took a deep breath. "If you want me dead, pick a brighter day."
He slowly put Xiao Cao down, covering him with his own robe, then stood. His steps were steady.
The first creature leaped.
Hun Yao didn't wait. He moved first.
A burst of Qi!
His right foot kicked the wall, launching his body upward. His sword slashed the creature's neck… right beneath the jaw. Black blood sprayed like hot mist. But he didn't stop. He spun, kicked the second creature, then landed on the back of a third and leaped again.
His movements were a dance of death. Graceful, but drenched in wounds.
But they were too many.
Claws tore into his back. His blade slipped from his grasp. Hun Yao rolled off the floor, dragged through mud, slamming into a stack of old wood. Blood ran from his shoulder. He rose, breath heavy. Rain fell harder, as if the sky was shredding along with his body.
When he turned toward Xiao Cao—
Time slowed.
One creature had bypassed him.
Already standing before Xiao Cao.
Its black claws raised high.
"XIAO CAO!!"
With strength he didn't know he still possessed, Hun Yao lunged. His feet struck the ground, Qi erupting beneath him—he shot through the rain. Air whipped his face. Time felt slower.
The claw descended.
But Hun Yao was faster.
He thrust himself into the creature, twisting mid-air, arms wrapped around Xiao Cao—
CRAAK!!
The claw slammed into his back. Blood spurted from his mouth. But Xiao Cao remained unharmed within his grasp.
They hit the ground, rolling. Dirt and broken stones splashed around them.
Hun Yao didn't know how long he blacked out. Seconds, minutes. When his eyes opened, he was being carried. Not by monsters. But by—
Crowds. Guards. Light.
The sun finally pierced the clouds. The rain stopped.
The sky was clear, as if the storm had never existed.
People gathered. Armored guards shouted.
"Call the healer!"
"The child—he's alive!"
"Quick! These wounds are from monsters—bring him to the central pharmacy!"
Hun Yao tried to sit. "Xiao… Cao…"
"He's safe," a woman's voice soothed.
She wiped the blood from his face. Her hands were warm.
With a weak voice, Hun Yao whispered, "Who… are you?" The woman only smiled, saying nothing.
Hun Yao couldn't see her face clearly. All he could see was—"The light… too bright."
Before he fainted again, he glanced at the now-clear sky.
"Why… does it always rain… when I'm in danger?"
No answer.
Only a pale blue sky staring back, like ancient eyes guarding too many secrets.
Before darkness consumed him, one thought crossed his mind:
"I must know… why they're after this child.
And what… the jade truly hides."
And with that—
The sky fell silent.
For now.
---
Hun Yao awoke slowly.
A wooden ceiling engraved with cloud-dragons hovered above. Morning sunlight filtered through latticed windows, dancing across cool jade tiles. His body felt light… but strange. He recognized the sensation of high-grade healing elixirs repairing rusted meridians and mending torn Qi veins.
Soft.
Calm.
Odd.
Then… footsteps.
He turned.
A woman emerged from behind a green silk curtain. Her hair fell like midnight, eyes gentle yet razor-sharp beneath the surface. She wore a noble white healer's robe embroidered with silver clouds split by lightning.
Hun Yao froze. Perhaps because of pain… or the sudden beauty.
"You're awake," her clear voice said—carrying the tone of someone used to commanding. "Good. The spiritual nerve elixir and internal trauma suppressants worked faster than I expected."
Hun Yao tried to rise. She pressed two fingers lightly to his chest.
"Not yet. Your Qi hasn't stabilized. You nearly lost a life-thread saving that child."
"…Xiao Cao." His voice cracked.
"He's upstairs."
She glanced upward. "He is in critical condition. Parasitic fever. Dark-energy residue embedded deep within him. But… something protected him from complete destruction."
"You mean…?"
She turned, picked up a silk sheet, and drew a symbol Hun Yao knew too well.
A golden lotus.
"That child possesses an extremely rare spiritual core. Not only noble bloodline—something divine sealed within him. Without it, he would be dead."
Hun Yao stared. His chest tightened—not from wounds, but from everything starting to connect.
"Who are you?" he finally asked.
She studied him… then smiled faintly.
"I was once a royal healer of this nation and also the greatest healer on this continent. Now, I'm simply someone waiting for the right moment." She bowed slightly. "My name is Shen Xue."
"Shen Xue…" he whispered. The name rang like a distant echo.
"I saw you fight in the alley," she continued. "That wasn't a normal battle. Those monsters… aren't natural creatures. They were controlled. Summoned."
"Sent for me?" Hun Yao's voice hardened.
"For you. Or the child. Or… the thing you carry." Her gaze sharpened. "You possess an artifact from above, don't you?"
Hun Yao didn't answer. Artifact from above? Does she mean my jade cup? But his eyes gave the truth away.
"I won't force you," Shen Xue said, arranging the bottles on a shelf. "But if your artifact is connected to them, then your danger isn't yours alone."
Hun Yao exhaled deeply. "I need to see Xiao Cao."
She nodded, helping him stand. They climbed the wooden stairs.
A special room awaited. Curtains swayed, calming incense filled the air.
Xiao Cao lay in bed, pale. The lotus mark beneath his ear glowed faintly. Eight talismans vibrated around him, forming a protective barrier.
"That barrier will suppress the dark energy," Shen Xue said. "But if you bring the artifact here… I can examine it and remove every trace of corruption from the child."
Hun Yao approached, kneeling beside the small hand.
"Sorry… I failed to protect you."
Then he whispered, "But from now on, we'll uncover everything. About the artifact. About who you are. And about who dared throw you into this storm."
Sunlight rose. The sky clear.
But far to the east, thin dark clouds gathered…
Slowly.
Like a whisper of something unfinished.
Hun Yao stood. "I must return to the inn. Retrieve the artifact."
Shen Xue looked at him, then nodded. "Do you know what you'll do once you have it?"
"Of course. It's my jade cup. Probably the artifact you mean."
Hun Yao turned, eyes sharp like a newly forged blade.
"We start uncovering the truth."
"About the nation. The artifact. The earth itself."
He went back to sleep.
Shen Xue smiled. "Then… the silent war begins."
---
The next day, Hun Yao had recovered and sat across from Shen Xue.
"So… you're heading to the inn?"
Hun Yao nodded.
"It's not safe to go alone. The roads must be full of traps."
"I know. But if I don't go now… my artifact will be stolen."
Shen Xue rose, graceful as falling snow, walking out of the clinic. "Then I'll give you a little help."
Hun Yao watched her walk toward the palace. Suspicious, curious.
"All right… seems she's requesting aid from the palace. I'd better prepare."
He went upstairs and knelt beside Xiao Cao.
"Wait for me. I'll uncover who you truly are."
Rain poured as Hun Yao and four elite guards—Shen Xue's reinforcements—moved swiftly through the emptying streets. Lantern light flickered in the storm, casting long shadows. The guards kept a tight formation around Hun Yao, weapons drawn, eyes scanning every dark corner.
Then—
A strange sound from the rooftops.
"Cekkk…"
A hiss.
From between the roof tiles, four figures dropped. Parasites. Gray skin, twisted jaws, needle fangs. But this time…
They didn't even reach the ground.
The first guard swung a blazing blue sword, incinerating the first parasite. The others followed—wind, lightning, raw Qi. In seconds, the four creatures were dead.
"Scout-type parasites," said a guard, nudging the remains. "They were monitoring us. Expect more ahead."
Hun Yao frowned. "The Xiao Nation should be safe… They're getting bold. This isn't ordinary."
They continued.
At the inn, nothing seemed unusual. The drunk old receptionist still snored on his chair, hugging his wine bottle.
The guards stayed alert.
Hun Yao rushed upstairs, retrieved the jade artifact from its hiding place, and stepped into the corridor—
Something was wrong.
The air grew heavy. Pressing. The doors along the hall vibrated faintly. Behind them… breathing. Many breaths.
Then—
"GRRRAHHHH!"
The farthest door opened. A massive creature stepped out—half melted human, half demon, horns curling backward, eyes glowing red. Black roots burst from its back.
"Parasite…" Hun Yao whispered, eyes flashing.
The elite guards formed a protective line. The creatures behind the doors growled.
"Twelve rooms… two to five each," said a guard. "They've been nesting here."
Hun Yao gripped the artifact. Rain thundered outside, lightning cracking across the sky. He glared ahead.