Qilin Blood 3

"Ah!!! Help!!" Ge Yun's scream was incredibly piercing, and he flew over from a distance like a gust of wind.

Xiao Congzhi stepped aside to avoid it, while Mo Huan kindly grabbed Ge Yun's arm.

Ge Yun cried out with snot and tears streaming down his face, "Help! Young master, I saw the villager you killed last night."

"..."

"..."

The silence between Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan made Ge Yun's expression grow increasingly grim. A chilling guess flashed through his mind, and he cautiously asked, "That piece of news you mentioned earlier that you'd better not let me know..."

Xiao Congzhi nodded and said frankly, "Most of the people in this village are the same ones who appeared last night."

Ge Yun's face turned pale and then flushed, looking quite unwell. Mo Huan, however, showed no sympathy and simply asked, "Did you find out anything?"

Ge Yun ignored Mo Huan and cried out to Xiao Congzhi, "Young Master, we should leave this place quickly, it's too dangerous."

Xiao Congzhi patted Ge Yun on the shoulder to comfort him, but said, "We got nothing last night, so how can we leave tonight? When it gets dark, you can hide in the place where you hid last night."

"Young master...this..."

"We're going to keep watch in that open space behind the village tonight. You can come with us."

That open space behind the village is where we encountered the villagers last night! Upon hearing this, Ge Yun immediately thought of the man who had just come back to life, and goosebumps rose on his skin. He hesitated and said, "Then, young master, I will stay by the edge of the forest tonight."

Mo Huan wasn't annoyed at being ignored once. After the master and servant finished their discussion, he leaned over and asked, "Hey, how exactly did you get the clues about Qilin Village? Your young master said I could ask you."

Upon hearing this, Ge Yun looked at Xiao Congzhi, who glanced helplessly at Mo Huan and then gestured for Ge Yun to speak.

"My young master and I bought it from an information broker at the Yidu Yanlou a while ago."

Mo Huan clicked his tongue inwardly and said sarcastically, "I never expected the intelligence brokers in the restaurants near the capital to be so capable."

As summer approached and the sun grew longer, the three dared not eat anything from the village, nor could they afford to wait on empty stomachs. So, they returned to the mountains in the evening, picked some wild fruits to fill their stomachs, and by the time they came out of the mountains again, it was completely dark.

Although Ge Yun was still hesitant, the darkening village stirred up his fear, and he ultimately stayed on the edge of the mountains.

Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan returned to Qilin Village step by step. By this time, the villagers had all turned off their lights and gone to sleep. The village was once again as silent as a dead land, and the liveliness of the daytime seemed like a dream.

With a "clack," Mo Huan took the long sword out of his boots again, put it away, and handed it to Xiao Congzhi.

Thanks.

"I just hope it won't be needed tonight."

The two stopped where they had seen the black building the night before. Behind them was an eerily quiet village, and in front of them was an open space. The wind blew intermittently, and the moonlight appeared and disappeared. Time seemed to pass by unbearably slowly at this moment.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew up, followed by the sound of bells ringing in the air, just like the night before.

"Ring~~ Ring~~"

Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan turned around and stood back to back, cautiously looking around.

As the bell stopped ringing, fog rose from the ground again. Unlike last night, this was only a thin fog, hazy but not enough to obscure the view.

After the mist rose, lanterns suddenly lit up in the air, one after another, leading to a door.

The massive black building appeared.

"Shall we go in?"

"certainly."

The two put away their weapons and slowly walked along the path illuminated by the lanterns into the enormous black creature.

It was pitch black inside.

The door slammed shut behind me with a loud bang, catching me completely off guard.

Mo Huan stepped forward and pushed it: "As expected, it can't be opened."

"Then let's move forward."

As soon as he finished speaking, flames began to appear in the darkness, clusters of blue flames, without any support, shining brightly in mid-air.

The building's interior structure is very simple, with empty walls on all four sides. Only in the center is there a spiral staircase that seems to go on forever, with blue flames illuminating both sides of the staircase.

“From the outside, the building doesn’t look that tall,” Xiao Congzhi said.

Mo Huan took a few steps forward to observe the flames and said, "The fire is really leaping into the air."

Xiao Congzhi also moved closer and even reached out to test it: "It has no temperature."

"I see too many unbelievable things. Why don't we go up?"

Xiao Congzhi nodded in agreement and took the lead in stepping onto the stairs.

"How does it feel?" Mo Huan asked.

Xiao Congzhi laughed: "Brother Mo, are you afraid?"

"How could that be?" Mo Huan said, stepping onto the stairs and grabbing Xiao Congzhi's wrist.

"Um?"

"This place is too strange; we'd better not separate."

Xiao Congzhi felt the warmth from his wrist and teased, "You didn't get addicted to scratching me last night, did you?"

Mo Huan smiled and said, "Then I should have tried to catch you during the day."

The atmosphere lightened up a bit. After all, even someone as knowledgeable as Mo Huan and Xiao Congzhi was still a young man in his early twenties. Suddenly encountering one strange and bizarre event after another, he would still feel somewhat at a loss.

The two of them pulled each other uphill, and the higher they went, the blurrier the ground became until it was completely invisible.

Just as everything was plunged into darkness, the blue flames suddenly went out, plunging the surroundings into an impenetrable, all-encompassing darkness. Such a dense darkness rendered everything invisible, as if one's eyes were closed.

"Xiao Congzhi?"

There was no response. Mo Huan felt the touch under his fingers, which was still delicate and slightly cool. Even when Mo Huan squeezed his fingers together, he did not get a response from Xiao Congzhi.

A chill ran down his spine. What was he holding in his palm? Mo Huan didn't know whether to let go or keep holding on. After a moment of hesitation, Mo Huan decided to pretend nothing had happened and continue walking upwards.

But the steps are gone too.

In front of Mo Huan was a flat area.

So Mo Huan stopped trying to open his eyes and simply closed them, feeling the sounds, temperature, and humidity around him, and the unchanging sensation under his fingers, as he walked forward step by step.

"Mo Huan?" Xiao Congzhi, who was plunged into darkness, called out to someone, but received no response.

Xiao Congzhi felt the heat on his wrist; it was still hot and rough with thin calluses. He tried to move it but found that he couldn't easily break free.

Xiao Congzhi took a deep breath, decided not to think about what was holding his hand, and continued walking forward.

Then, Xiao Congzhi also discovered that the steps had disappeared.

So... was it an illusion just now, or is it an illusion now? Xiao Congzhi thought to himself as he continued walking forward.

Finally… the temperature in the air changed.

You can see things even through a blurry, indistinct vision...

They quickly looked to their sides, only to be caught off guard and meet each other's gaze.

He breathed a sigh of relief and then looked down at his wrist.

"It's gotten a little red."

"You're holding on too tightly."

Upon hearing each other's voices, both of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.

There was still no light, but as the darkness lessened, they could vaguely make out their surroundings. They stood on a circular platform, without walls or railings, with the path they had come from behind them behind them. The path was dark on both sides, looking like an abyss.

Feeling a bit scared, the two quietly moved closer to each other again.

"Ding-a-ling~~ Ring~~" The familiar bell rang again, and lanterns lit up one after another in the dim light...

The lanterns illuminated the dimly lit place. Unlike the emptiness seen when entering the black building, this platform had eight life-sized cylindrical pillars in the center. The pillars were simple and without carvings or paintings, arranged in a circle. In the very center was a square box, which was suspended in mid-air.

The platform's ground is carved with intricate patterns, resembling an ancient formation.

Before Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan could exchange a few words, a figure slowly walked towards them from the opposite direction.

White hair, hunched back, and red eyes—that was the old man they had encountered last night before meeting the villagers.

The old man walked slowly up to Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan, ignoring their wary expressions, and asked in a hoarse voice, "You two have come for the Qilin blood?"

Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan could tell that the man in front of them meant no harm, but their experience with the villagers last night still made them wary. Mo Huan spoke first: "Do you have any advice?"

The old man chuckled a few times in a rough, sandy voice, then said calmly, "Anyone who can come here, I can give them Qilin blood. However..."

As the old man waved his hand, Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan had no time to react before the scene changed again.

The strange round platform and the old man had disappeared, replaced by a bustling market street with wide roads, rows of houses on both sides, and many vendors pushing carts and hawking their wares. It was as lively as Yidu.

"Is this...an illusion?" Xiao Congzhi asked uncertainly.

“You’ll know once you try.” Mo Huan said as he walked to a shop and reached out to the goods on display.

Passing through their hands, Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan had no physical form here.

Xiao Congzhi walked over and nudged Mo Huan's arm, pointing in a direction and saying, "That person."

A few feet away, in a wonton shop, sat a man dressed in unusual attire. He wore a long, bluish-gray gauze robe embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread. He looked to be only in his early twenties, yet he had an air of otherworldly elegance.

The person's movements exuded an ethereal quality. After setting down the bowl, they straightened their sleeves, stood up, and left with light, graceful steps.

Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan exchanged a quick glance and hurriedly followed.

The young man walked through the bustling streets, and just as he was about to leave the city, he turned and wandered into a secluded alley. When he reached the end of the alley, he saw a grand mansion with two men, both dressed in gray robes, standing at the entrance.

"Senior brother."

"Hmm, has Master returned?"

Not yet.

After the brief conversation, the "senior brother" went into the courtyard.

"Senior Brother Han Jie, you're back!"

A girl who looked to be around eighteen years old came running out from the side. She was wearing a pale yellow dress, had her hair in two buns, and was lively and cute. She ran and shouted as she went.

It turned out that the man's name was Han Jie.

Han Jie remained calm, raised his hand to support the girl, and said without gentleness, "Ling'er, you'll be of marriageable age in the second half of the year, you should be more mature."

"Okay... alright." The girl named Ling'er then awkwardly invited Han Jie to have tea in the back garden, but Han Jie declined, saying that he had just returned and needed to rest.

In the days that followed, Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan were forced to watch Ling'er and Han Jie's unrequited love.

“Counting the sunrise and sunset, we’ve been here for a full seven days.” As he said this, Mo Huan was leaning against a tree with his legs crossed, looking as if he was about to fall asleep at any moment.

After spending just seven days together, Xiao Congzhi finally saw through Mo Huan. His seemingly polite behavior and slightly affected words were all fake; this person was not a decent person at heart.

“It’s not like we’ve come away empty-handed.” Xiao Congzhi lifted his robe, sat down next to Mo Huan, and continued, “At least we now know that the owner of this mansion is surnamed Fu, his daughter Fu Ling’er is in love with his second apprentice Han Jie, and his eldest apprentice Lin Jue is in love with Fu Ling’er. Because of this, Lin Jue will intentionally or unintentionally embarrass Han Jie.”

Mo Huan twitched his lips and retorted, "You've only read about romance in seven days?!"

Xiao Congzhi was displeased and rubbed his forehead, cursing, "So much has happened in just seven days, Brother Mo, can you possibly see anything else?"

"Brother Xiao, didn't you realize that this is no ordinary martial arts sect?"

Having no idea what ordinary martial arts sects were like, Xiao Congzhi remained silent for a moment before saying, "I would appreciate your guidance, Brother Mo." He inevitably spoke the last two words with a hint of gritted teeth.

Mo Huan didn't mince words, analyzing, "Ordinary martial arts sects, whether using swords, sabers, or bare hands, always put in a lot of effort to practice martial arts. But the disciples of this sect stay indoors all day long. Even the eldest and second disciples only practice two swords a day, in the early morning and evening, and spend the rest of their time meditating in their rooms. I wonder, Brother Xiao, have you ever heard that a thousand years ago... there was such a thing as cultivating immortality in the human world?"

Xiao Congzhi, who could not be described as well-read, but whose knowledge was indeed very broad, had naturally heard of them, but those stories that could be called legends were extremely vague and unrealistic.

"I never believed it."

"Then you probably have no choice but to believe it now."

Xiao Congzhi admitted that Mo Huan was right. After experiencing this mess, even the most atheist would feel awe for the existence of heaven and earth and the gods.

"So you mean this is a cultivation sect? They meditate to attain enlightenment?"

“Indeed,” Mo Huan said with an air of confidence.

"In other words, what happened here dates back at least a thousand years," Xiao Congzhi exclaimed.

"Although it looks very similar to the Sheng Dynasty, that's probably the case."

"I just don't know how long we'll have to watch all this romance." Seeing Fu Ling'er run into Han Jie's room again, Xiao Congzhi couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

"Oh? I thought Brother Xiao was finding it very interesting."

Xiao Congzhi glanced at Mo Huan and let the man tease him, since Mo Huan was the only living person around him all day long.

"Senior Brother Han Jie! Father is back and wants to see you. He says there's something important."

Han Jie slowly opened his eyes, frowned at Fu Ling'er, and said, "I'll go now."

Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan followed Han Jie to the main hall, where a handsome middle-aged man sat in the center. He must be the owner of the mansion and the leader of the sect, Fu Shen.

"Jie'er, you've come."

"Master." Han Jie bowed respectfully.

Fu Shen casually raised his hand, and the door and window slammed shut at the same time. Fu Ling'er, who was outside, turned around and left with great awareness, while Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan leisurely walked in like ghosts.

Inside the room, Fu Shen solemnly handed Han Jie a brocade box and said, "In the end times of the mortal realm, cultivators' spiritual power is exhausted. Now, among my disciples, only you have successfully formed your core and have a chance to reach the Nascent Soul stage."

Han Jie opened the brocade box, inside which lay a blood-red stone on a velvet embroidered brocade cloth. It was translucent and gleamed with a strange luster.

"This is!" A hint of surprise appeared on Han Jie's usually calm face.

"The last great being to ascend to heaven a hundred years ago once said before his tribulation that at the end of the East Sea, on the summit of Changshan Mountain, where the underworld and the human world meet, there may be something that can save humanity from the end of the Dharma."

"Qilin blood, as recorded in ancient books, is something that connects the underworld and the human world. Master, is that true?"

"I have been stuck in the Core Formation stage for too long, and I am afraid I will never be able to make any further progress. This is what my friend entrusted to me before he died, and I am giving it to you."

Upon hearing this, Han Jie immediately knelt down, bowed deeply, and when he looked up again, his expression was resolute: "Your disciple will surely unravel the mysteries of this thing and save this world from the end of Dharma."

After saying that, Han Jie was ushered out of the room by Fu Shen, who looked a little tired.

“You really weren’t wrong,” Xiao Congzhi said. “There really was such a thing as cultivating immortality a thousand years ago.”

Mo Huan stared blankly at Han Jie's departing figure, then asked, "Don't you feel something's wrong?"

Xiao Congzhi smiled and said frankly, "If you mean this person's acting is very obvious, then it is indeed very obvious."

"..."

Unfortunately, even though the crucial Qilin blood had made its appearance, Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan could only spend the next few days watching the boring love triangle unfold.

Until one late night, the moonlight was exceptionally cold, even tinged with a faint blood-red hue.

Han Jie left the Fu residence with the box containing the Qilin's blood.

Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan followed leisurely behind Han Jie.

After leaving the Fu residence, Han Jie continued walking out of the city. By then, the curfew had passed, and Han Jie flew over the city walls on his sword. This was also the first time that Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan had seen the magic of cultivators in the illusion.

After leaving the city, Han Jie continued to fly on his sword, traveling straight for ten miles before stopping atop a high mountain. It was unclear how the mountain had grown; the summit was barren, flat, and perfectly round.

Han Jie took out the brocade box containing the Qilin's blood from his robes and placed it in the center of the mountaintop. Then, he swiftly and decisively slashed his palm with his sword, and blood immediately gushed out.

Han Jie seemed to feel no pain, and quickly drew a circle on the ground with his own blood.

"Xiao Congzhi, am I seeing things correctly?" Mo Huan asked uncertainly.

Xiao Congzhi frowned and slowly said, "This pattern is the same as the one on that round platform."

The round platform that Xiao Congzhi mentioned was naturally the one they stood on before entering this illusion.

The wind on the mountaintop grew stronger, and the cold moonlight unknowingly became stained with blood. Han Jie seemed completely unaware, continuing to draw the array on his own.

“This Qilin blood is not something that can bring the dead back to life or regrow flesh and bones,” Xiao Congzhi suddenly said.

Although the words were cryptic, Mo Huan understood: "They can connect the underworld and the human world, and repair the declining spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Han Jie wants to borrow that power, right?"

Xiao Congzhi nodded. At this moment, Han Jie's formation was almost finished. A fierce wind howled through the mountains, and crimson spread across the night.

Han Jie finally straightened up, stood in the center, his face grim, revealing a hint of hatred.

At the same time, Xiao Congzhi heard a sound behind him, turned around and saw that it was Fu Shen.

Fu Shen, looking flustered, dismounted from his sword and urgently asked Han Jie, "What are you doing?"

Han Jie's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was indifferent: "As you can see, I will use the power of the Qilin's blood to overturn heaven and earth and avenge my deep-seated hatred."

"What... a blood feud?"

"The Huang family of Nanshan, twenty years ago, suffered a massacre."

Fu Shen's expression changed completely, and his voice trembled slightly: "You are..."

Han Jie was too lazy to say anything more and was about to activate the formation. Unexpectedly, Fu Shen also knew that once the formation was activated, the consequences would be unimaginable. Without hesitation, he also raised his sword and slashed his own palm.

Blood splattered everywhere, staining Han Jie's formation.

Han Jie's face darkened further as he stared menacingly at Fu Shen. He said, "Twenty years ago, you didn't hesitate to massacre twenty members of the Huang family for the key to unlocking the 'Realm' in their hands. You should have known this day would come."

Fu Shen's face also turned sinister: "I really didn't expect that there would still be some who escaped the net that day."

Han Jie escaped a calamity by skipping school and running away from home. Recalling the horror of that day, Han Jie clenched his fists tightly. He curled his lips and spoke words that sounded as cold as if they came from the underworld: "Fu Shen, why don't you think about why I let you notice the commotion here?"

Without waiting for Fu Shen's changing expression, Han Jie immediately activated the formation.

The earth roared, but Fu Shen's blood had no effect whatsoever.

As the ground trembled, a crimson light emanated from the center of the formation, growing brighter and higher until it merged seamlessly with the red moon in the sky. In an instant, the entire world was enveloped in a crimson glow.

Mo Huan instinctively grabbed Xiao Congzhi's wrist, but Xiao Congzhi flipped it over and grabbed Mo Huan's hand in return.

They didn't know what effect this strange red light would have on them, but the most dangerous thing is the unknown.

TBC