Demonic possession

Inside the tranquil courtyard, Yun Qian sat alone by the window, her silhouette stretched long and slender by the candlelight. In her hand, she held a brush dipped in cinnabar, intently sketching intricate runes on a pre-cut piece of yellow talisman paper. The brush tip moved swiftly, its tip shimmering with spiritual light; each stroke consumed her mind and spiritual energy.

A thick stack of completed talismans had already been piled up beside the table.

At first glance, most of them were highly offensive lightning talismans, fire talismans, and dissipation talismans, with a few healing talismans for healing and prolonging life interspersed among them. These high-level talismans, especially the offensive ones, consumed a great deal of spiritual energy when drawn. Yun Qian had drawn so many in a short period of time, and now her face was as pale as paper, her lips were completely bloodless, and even the fingertips holding the pen were trembling slightly and uncontrollably.

Bai Chuan quietly entered from outside the door and immediately noticed Yun Qian's excessively haggard face. His heart tightened instantly. He quickly stepped forward and, without saying a word, reached out and gently pressed Yun Qian's wrist as she was about to put down her pen.

"Senior sister!" His voice carried a hint of disapproval and worry.

Yun Qian paused in her writing, and Bai Chuan promptly took the cinnabar brush from her. She raised her eyes, met her junior brother's concerned gaze, and helplessly curved her lips into a smile, her voice somewhat weak: "Don't worry, this little bit of spiritual energy is enough for senior sister to use."

"Why are you suddenly drawing so many talismans?" Bai Chuan gently set aside his cinnabar brush, his brows furrowing slightly. He reached for several completed talismans on the table and examined them carefully. Although he wasn't a specialist in talismanic arts, he had been influenced by Yun Qian's teachings of "when in doubt, draw a talisman first" since childhood, and thus had a considerable understanding of this art. The talismans before him were clearly categorized, combining offensive and healing properties, and their sheer number suggested a preparation for battle.

His doubts deepened. He put down the talisman, looked up at Yun Qian, and his eyes were full of inquiry.

Yun Qian smiled, took the talisman from Bai Chuan's hand, and began to tidy up the scattered finished products on the table. Her movements were unhurried. "It's nothing. I just thought it wouldn't hurt to have more on hand. Just in case."

"Senior Sister needs to take better care of her health," Bai Chuan said earnestly. "Excessive consumption of spiritual energy is not beneficial to cultivation and will damage the foundation. If it is not urgent, you might as well take it slow and steady."

"Understood." Yun Qian nodded readily and carefully put the thick stack of talismans she had arranged into her Qiankun bag. "That's enough for today, I won't draw any more."

Bai Chuan watched her obediently agree, but the strange feeling in his heart did not dissipate. He belatedly realized that there seemed to be something hidden behind his senior sister's actions, but seeing that she was unwilling to say more, he suppressed his doubts and simply gave Yun Qian a gentle smile: "Then tomorrow, I will help senior sister with the drawing."

Yun Qian was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then a genuine smile spread across her eyes, and she nodded: "Okay."

After leaving Jinghe Temple, Baichuan did not use his sword. Instead, he chose to walk alone along the mountain path under the cool moonlight.

Since entering the Dao, he had rarely had such a peaceful moment, completely his own. Becoming a cultivator extended his lifespan, as if he possessed endless time, yet for some reason, the days seemed to pass by more and more quickly. He diligently cultivated every day, studying medicine and refining his swordsmanship, hoping to become stronger quickly enough to shoulder heavy responsibilities. However, as time passed, when the changes truly came, he still felt powerless.

This profound sense of powerlessness, like a persistent, insidious disease, constantly gnawed at his heart, bringing an indescribable weariness. When would he finally possess the strength to truly support the sky above Cangmin Mountain?

The moon hung high in the sky, its clear light bathing the mountain path in a soft, luminous glow, yet it could not dispel the gloom in his heart.

Sudden!

A sudden, inexplicable palpitation and unease gripped him! Bai Chuan instantly snapped to attention, his spiritual energy unconsciously circulating throughout his body. He abruptly stopped and turned around warily.

The path behind me was deserted, with only the dark shadows cast by the trees swaying gently in the night breeze.

Is it just my imagination?

No!

Bai Chuan lowered his right hand silently, releasing a slight burst of spiritual energy from his palm, and a long sword gleaming with cold light instantly materialized in his hand. He gripped the hilt tightly, his sharp gaze like that of a hawk, vigilantly scanning every corner around him.

A subtle yet extremely unsettling chilling aura, like a venomous snake, silently spread...

Demonic energy?!

No! Absolutely impossible!

Cangmin Mountain is protected by a protective spiritual array, making it extremely difficult for outsiders to enter. So where does this demonic energy come from?

Just as his mind was in shock, a familiar aura, etched into his very bones, mixed with that nauseating demonic energy, suddenly came from very close behind him!

Bai Chuan froze, almost in disbelief, and blurted out, "Bai Ji?!"

He turned around abruptly.

Under the moonlight, Bai Ji stood just three steps behind him. However, his usually bright and cunning eyes were now a terrifying crimson, churning with rage and chaos, completely devoid of their former clarity!

"Bai Ji, you..." Before Bai Chuan could finish his horrified words, Bai Ji had already made his move!

A claw-like gust of wind, wreathed in dark demonic energy and carrying a chilling aura, aimed straight at Bai Chuan's face!

Bai Chuan was terrified. Relying on instinct, he leaned back sharply, narrowly avoiding the fierce attack. At the same time, he quickly tapped the ground with his toes and retreated rapidly like a drifting catkin, instantly creating a distance of several feet.

However, the next second! Bai Ji's figure was like a ghost, closing in on him again! His hands were like claws, and wisps of thick, turbid black energy wrapped around his body like living things, making his originally handsome face look strange and distorted, exuding an ominous aura.

"Bai Ji! Wake up! You've gone mad!" Bai Chuan dodged Bai Ji's chaotic yet incredibly powerful attacks with a frantic, whirlwind-like force, while trying to rouse his remaining sanity with his voice, "Look at me! I am Bai Chuan!"

But how can someone whose mind has been devoured by inner demons and who has completely gone astray be awakened with just a few words?

At this moment, Bai Ji's power had increased several times over, and he attacked ruthlessly, completely disregarding his own safety. Bai Chuan was hesitant to act rashly, fearing that he might injure Bai Ji's core, and only dared to parry and dodge, not daring to use any killing moves to counterattack. For a time, he was forced to defend himself on all sides and retreat step by step, with several bloody scratches from the demonic energy already appearing on his body.

Just as Baichuan was beginning to feel the strain, another unexpected event occurred!

Bai Ji's attacking figure suddenly stopped. The violent look in his blood-red eyes receded rapidly like a tide, revealing a moment of confusion and clarity after struggle.

"Bai Ji?" Upon seeing this, Bai Chuan's tense heartstrings relaxed slightly, and he subconsciously wanted to step forward to check his condition, reaching out to take his pulse.

However.

The moment he approached, the clarity that had just appeared in Bai Ji's eyes shattered like a bubble, and an even more intense crimson and violence instantly devoured his pupils!

"roar--!"

A low growl, inhuman in sound, escaped from Bai Ji's throat. His demonic energy erupted, and a more ferocious and deadly attack, more than before, struck Bai Chuan, who was completely unprepared, straight at his chest!