On the outskirts of the city, streaks of orange still lingered in the sky, yet the air was so cold it made Lin Chen shiver—as if the night had already devoured everything.
His mind was blank. Every thought had been swallowed by fear.
When awareness finally returned and the only thought that crossed his mind was to run—it was already too late.
The figure of the Moon Lotus Fairy, her body drenched in blood, shot toward him. Her movements were blurred, like the shadow of a falling moon.
In an instant, she was right in front of him.
Lin Chen froze in terror, wanting to scream. But before he could make a sound, a cold hand—smooth as jade—wrapped around his throat and squeezed, cutting off his breath.
"Agh—"
The air itself seemed to freeze. Lin Chen's heart pounded wildly as despair flooded his chest.
Just when he thought death had already reached him, the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance.
The Moon Lotus Fairy's once-feral eyes sharpened in alarm—like a wounded beast sensing an even greater predator. She quickly dragged Lin Chen into a nearby thicket.
Once certain they were hidden, she whispered a soft incantation. Ancient syllables flowed from her lips, and silver light wrapped around them like moonlit mist.
In the blink of an eye, the bush they hid in vanished from sight—as if no living soul existed there.
Moments later, three cultivators in the ninth stage of Qi Refinement arrived and gathered nearby.
Lin Chen's eyes narrowed. A dangerous thought crossed his mind.
"Grhhh…"
He forced out a hoarse growl—just loud enough to be heard outside. Better to die in chaos than be strangled in silence.
He didn't care whether those people were friend or foe. All he wanted was to stir up a fight, make both sides clash, and use the chaos to escape.
The Moon Lotus Fairy immediately pressed her hand over his mouth, but Lin Chen struggled stubbornly beneath her grip.
She gritted her teeth. Every movement tore at her wounds, but she couldn't let this foolish boy expose them.
Damn it! When has a late Foundation Establishment cultivator like me ever been humiliated like this?! she cursed inwardly.
If not for these wounds, they'd all be nothing but ants beneath my feet!
Seeing Lin Chen still restless, the Moon Lotus Fairy finally snapped.
"Fine! I swear upon my Dao Heart—I won't harm you, as long as you stay quiet and obey me!"
She bit her lip, feeling the weight of her Dao trembling
Lin Chen froze.
A Dao Heart Oath… it couldn't be broken without invoking a curse that destroyed both body and soul.
He studied her face closely. If she truly swore upon her Dao Heart, then maybe—just maybe—he had a chance to live.
But seeing how pale and broken she looked, unease still lingered in his chest.
In the end, Lin Chen chose to comply. His life was worth more than pride.
Outside, the cultivators continued their search, while Lin Chen and the fairy hid in tense silence.
When things finally calmed, Lin Chen began to feel his body again.
He was mostly fine, though his neck still burned from her grip.
Through his ragged breaths, he could feel her hand—soft, warm, yet slick with blood. The contrast was startling, like a delicate flower blooming atop a grave.
That faintly sweet scent, laced with blood, made his body heat up.
I wonder how those cultivators would react if they knew I was this close to their fairy? he thought, glancing sideways.
When he turned, Lin Chen's breath caught. Her face was inches away—pale as snow, beautiful as the moon reflected in blood.
Now he understood why she was called the Moon Lotus Fairy. Her beauty truly lived up to the name.
She felt his gaze and turned sharply, her eyes cold and cutting. She had spared his life, and yet this insolent boy dared to stare.
A wisp of Qi surged from her palm, and Lin Chen gagged as a chill ran down his throat.
"Silence, boy! Speak again, and even a Dao Oath won't stop me from killing you!" she hissed.
Lin Chen stiffened and fell silent immediately.
The silence stretched on. Eventually, the cultivators outside gave up and left.
Lin Chen exhaled slowly. He decided to remain still beside her, knowing any resistance would only lead to death.
Time crawled by, slow as moss growing on stone. The two figures stayed motionless—so still it felt as though even time held its breath.
At last, the Moon Lotus Fairy seemed convinced the danger had passed. She released his mouth and wiped her bloodied hand with a handkerchief, her expression full of disgust.
Lin Chen inhaled deeply, relieved to breathe freely again.
Before he could speak, she shot him a cold glare.
"You never met me. Understood?"
Before he could answer, her figure blurred and disappeared into the night.
Lin Chen exhaled in relief. He checked his surroundings carefully before stepping out from hiding.
He had barely taken a few steps when a faint rustle sounded beside him.
Instinctively, he swung his axe.
Swoosh!
A flash of light split the darkness. A black, fur-covered creature fell in two before him—its rotten Yin Qi stinking in the air.
Lin Chen shuddered.
"Damn it… a filthy Yin beast!"
Without hesitation, he turned and ran, not daring to look back. He ran until the city walls came into view, lungs burning, before finally stopping.
"Haa… I almost became a wandering ghost tonight. What a cursed day…"
Once home, he lit incense to ward off misfortune and rubbed herbal oil across his body—a simple ritual to cleanse bad luck.
Only then did his nerves begin to settle.
Exhausted in both body and mind, Lin Chen decided to rest.
That night, he went to bed early, skipping his usual cultivation practice.
But every time he closed his eyes, the fairy's face returned—her cold gaze, her jade hand gripping his throat.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't relax.
By midnight, his eyes were still wide open.
Finally, with a sigh, he sat up from his bed.
Out of boredom, he turned to the painting of a woman he had obtained earlier. It depicted a graceful lady gazing up at the starry sky.
Each brushstroke seemed alive—if such a painting existed on Earth, collectors would fight for it.
But in a world suffused with spiritual energy, mundane art held little value.
It contained no magical power… or so people believed.
Little did they know, something alive slumbered within those gentle strokes—waiting to awaken.
[Item: Painting of the Stargazing Lady]
Description: A delicate painting depicting a woman gazing at the stars.
[Resonance: 1]
Though it looked ordinary, Lin Chen was certain the painting was special. His system panel had even triggered a notification when he looked at it.
Conveniently, his resonance count had just increased by one after slaying that Yin beast. Without hesitation, he activated it.
At once, a chill spread from his hand, crawled up his spine, and burrowed into his mind.
Flashes of foreign memories filled his head—like recalling a past that wasn't his own.
Moments later, he opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them.
"Heh… looks like I hit the jackpot this time."
He murmured a short incantation—not quite a spell, more like a secret code.
Suddenly, the painting before him glowed. A soft green light shot into the space between his brows.
Warm energy flooded through him; every pore opened, every wound healed in a wave of tranquil warmth.
It felt… almost like soaking in a natural hot spring.
When the sensation faded, a faint emerald glow still lingered on his skin.
Lin Chen stood and stretched. His body felt light and renewed.
Without thinking, he summoned his personal panel:
Name: Lin Chen
Age: 18
Realm: Qi Refinement Stage Two
Talent: Item Enhancement
The brackets behind his realm were gone—signifying full recovery.
A grin spread across his face. He had expected to need pills or talismans to heal, yet fortune had come knocking on his door.
After checking his body, Lin Chen gathered his writing tools.
With careful strokes, he began painting on a sheet of rice paper. His brush danced, forming a complex pattern resembling a cluster of stars. The air around it faintly trembled.
When the symbols connected, a brilliant light flared.
"Hehe… not bad for my painting skills," he said with a satisfied smile.
Before him glowed a strange sigil shaped like a constellation. He had no idea what it meant—but he knew it was special.
He dipped his brush again, this time moving more freely.
A map began to take shape beneath his hand.
Something about it tugged at his memory. It looked unfamiliar yet oddly familiar.
After a moment of realization, he knew—it depicted a place not far from the city, hidden deep within the mountains.
Recalling Wang De's words about the alchemist's inheritance cave, Lin Chen's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Phew… looks like I'll be busy again soon," he murmured—tired, but eager.