The fifth Pivot Shard in Rui Lengyu's palm hummed like a live wire, its glow seeping through her glove as Ye Shaoyang's SUV merged onto the FDR Drive. Outside, the Hudson River glinted darkly under a patchy sky, the Statue of Liberty's torch a distant silver needle on the horizon. Her phone buzzed with a breaking news alert—"Three Divers Missing Near Statue of Liberty; Unidentified Scales Found at Scene"—and the photo attached made her stomach drop: iridescent cyan scales, etched with tiny Taoist runes, identical to the ones Dao Feng had pointed out in Master's notebook.
"Water Ghost," Dao Feng said, leaning forward from the backseat. He tapped the notebook's page, where a sketch of a scaly, humanoid figure was labeled "Yin-Infused River Spirit". "1886, the SS Empress of China sank here—200 Chinese immigrants died, most never recovered. Their resentment pooled, turning one into a Water Ghost. It's been haunting the area ever since, but Xuan Ying must've amplified its power to guard the shard."
Lin Mei, who'd been quiet since leaving the asylum, spoke up, her voice tight. "Xuan Ying knows water spirits fear 'Yang Fire'—your Four-Blood Exorcism Pills, Ye. And Rui, your runes—oak repels Yin, but you'll need to infuse them with your medium energy to reach the ghost's core." She reached into her pocket, pulling out a small vial of cinnabar. "Dab this on your runes. It'll amplify the light."
Ye pulled into the parking lot near Liberty State Park, the SUV bouncing over potholes. The air smelled of salt and rot, and the Statue of Liberty's base loomed ahead, its stone walls dripping with seawater. A group of police officers stood near the entrance to the underground maintenance tunnel—where the divers had last been seen—their faces grim. One held up a evidence bag with the cyan scales, and when he saw Rui's SPU badge, he stepped aside.
"Tunnel's flooded," he said, handing over a flashlight. "Water's up to waist level in some parts. Divers went in to check a 'glowing object'—never came back. We heard… splashing. Even when the water was still."
The tunnel entrance was a metal door, rusted at the hinges. Ye pushed it open, and a wave of cold, damp air rushed out, carrying the faint sound of gurgling—like someone drowning, but from far away. His peachwood sword flared gold, casting light over the tunnel's concrete walls, which were covered in moss and graffiti. Puddles reflected the sword's glow, and in each reflection, Rui saw a flicker of something: a scaly hand, a pair of black eyes, disappearing before she could focus.
"Stay close to me," Ye said, his hand brushing her elbow. His fingers were warm through her blazer, and the Pivot Shard in her palm dimmed, as if reassured by his presence. "Dao Feng, you take the rear. Lin Mei, keep an eye on the reflections—Water Ghosts love to attack from there."
They waded into the tunnel, the water cold enough to make Rui's teeth chatter. The flashlight beam cut through darkness, revealing discarded tools and broken pipes, but no sign of the divers. Then, the gurgling grew louder.
"Above us!" Dao Feng yelled.
Rui looked up, just in time to see a figure drop from the ceiling—humanoid, covered in cyan scales, its face a mass of webbed gills and black, lidless eyes. It was the Water Ghost, and in its clawed hand, it held a diver's oxygen tank, crumpled like aluminum foil.
The ghost screeched, a sound that made Rui's ears ring, and slammed the tank into the water. A wave surged forward, lifting Rui off her feet and pulling her toward the ghost's gaping mouth.
"Rui!" Ye lunged, grabbing her waist, but the current was too strong. The ghost's claws wrapped around her ankle, and she screamed as its cold skin burned like ice.
Dao Feng swung his Xuanqing Whisk, silver light lashing out to bind the ghost's arm. "Ye! The pills!"
Ye's free hand dipped into his canvas bag, pulling out a small clay jar. He unscrewed the lid, grabbed a glowing red pill—his Four-Blood Exorcism Pill, made with rooster blood, black dog blood, glutinous rice, and his own—and hurled it at the water.
The pill exploded on impact, sending a burst of golden fire rippling across the surface. The Water Ghost howled, releasing Rui's ankle, and retreated into the shadows. Ye pulled her onto a dry patch of concrete, his hands checking her leg for injuries.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice sharp with worry. His thumb brushed a faint scratch on her calf, and the Pivot Shard in her palm flared, as if reacting to her pain.
"I'm fine," Rui said, catching her breath. She pulled out her oak rune chips, dabbing each with cinnabar from Lin Mei's vial. "But we need to talk to it. The divers—they might still be alive, trapped in the ghost's realm."
She closed her eyes, focusing on the ghost's resentmen. The tunnel blurred, and suddenly she was standing on the deck of the SS Empress of China, 1886. Rain lashed the ship, waves crashing over the rails. A man in a tattered jacket— the Water Ghost, in life—clung to a rope, yelling for his wife. "Mei! Hold on!" he screamed, before a wave swept him overboard.
The vision shifted. She saw him sinking, the ship's debris raining down. "I just wanted to go home," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears. "To build a life. Not die in this cold water."
Rui opened her eyes, her voice soft but steady. "I see you. I see your pain. The SS Empress of China. Your wife, Mei. You never got to say goodbye."
The Water Ghost stepped from the shadows, its claws lowering. "You… you can hear me?" it asked, its voice gurgling but clear. "No one's heard me in 137 years."
"You were tricked," Rui said, taking a slow step forward. "Xuan Ying told you guarding the shard would let you see Mei again. But she lied. She's using your pain to power the Pivot. To hurt people, just like you were hurt."
The ghost hesitated, then looked at the water. Ripples appeared, and three faint figures rose— the missing divers, unconscious but alive, their bodies glowing with Yin energy. "They're in the 'Water Veil'—my realm. I can let them go. But… will I ever see Mei?"
Lin Mei stepped forward, her hands raised in peace. "I'm a Taoist. I can help you cross over. You'll find her in the Underworld. No more pain. No more loneliness."
The Water Ghost nodded, its black eyes softening. It raised a claw, pointing to the tunnel's far end—where the Statue of Liberty's torch base jutted through the concrete. "The shard is there. In the torch's metal. I hid it from Xuan Ying… but she'll come. She's stronger than me."
With a wave of its hand, the divers floated to the surface, still unconscious but breathing. Dao Feng and Lin Mei pulled them onto dry ground, while Rui and Ye waded toward the torch base. The Pivot Shard in Rui's palm glowed brighter, resonating with the one hidden in the metal.
Ye pried a loose panel from the base, and there it was—the sixth Pivot Shard, its surface etched with waves, glowing cyan like the ghost's scales. Rui reached for it, and as her fingers touched the metal, a voice echoed through the tunnel.
"Foolish girl."
Xuan Ying stepped from the shadows, Zhou Xuan at her side. She wore a black cloak, her hair flowing loose, and in her hand, she held a dagger—its blade coated in black ink. "You think you can outsmart me? The Water Ghost was never a guard. He was bait."
Zhou Xuan lunged at Ye, his own sword drawn. Ye blocked, their blades clashing, sparks flying. Dao Feng ran to help, his whisk swinging, but Xuan Ying was faster. She darted past Lin Mei, her dagger slashing at Rui's arm.
Rui screamed as the blade cut through her blazer, drawing blood. The sixth Pivot Shard in her hand exploded in light, and Xuan Ying's eyes widened. "Your blood," she whispered, staring at the crimson stain on Rui's sleeve. "It's already awakening the Pivot. Perfect."
She reached for the shard, but Ye tackled her to the ground. Xuan Ying laughed, kicking him off, and grabbed Zhou Xuan's arm. "We'll be seeing you, Rui. The Full Moon Ceremony needs your blood—and I always get what I want."
With a final smirk, they vanished into the shadows, leaving only a trail of black smoke.
Rui pressed a hand to her arm, the pain fading as Lin Mei wrapped a bandage around the cut. The sixth Pivot Shard lay in her palm, now glowing gold, synced with the other two. The Water Ghost smiled, its body beginning to fade.
"Thank you," it said. "Tell Mei… I'm coming."
As it dissolved into light, the tunnel's water drained away, leaving only dry concrete. The divers began to stir, and Dao Feng called for an ambulance.
Ye stood beside Rui, his hand resting on her uninjured shoulder. His thumb brushed her collarbone, right where her Guan Yin pendant lay, and his voice softened. "You're okay. I won't let her hurt you again."
Rui nodded, looking at the six shards in her hands. One left. Seven days until the Full Moon Ceremony.
And Xuan Ying knew her blood was the key.
She glanced at the torch base, where the Water Ghost had vanished, and felt a cold prickle of fear. The hunt wasn't just about the shards anymore. It was about survival.
"Where's the last one?" she asked, turning to Lin Mei.
Lin Mei's face paled. "Xuan Qing Pavilion. The antique shop in Chinatown. She's hidden it in a fake jade Buddha. But be careful— the shop is her lair. She's waiting for you."
Ye sheathed his sword, his jaw tight. "Then we go to Chinatown. Tonight."
As they walked out of the tunnel, the sun set over the Hudson, painting the sky orange. The Statue of Liberty's torch glowed in the distance, a silent witness to the battle ahead.
Rui clenched the six shards, their warmth seeping into her palm. She knew Xuan Ying was watching. Waiting.
But this time, she wasn't afraid. She had Ye. She had her family.
And she was ready to fight.