Stella had me over a barrel with her extortion, but paying her off was necessary to move things forward. With the Nova family's deep pockets, I'd recoup any losses eventually.
About ten minutes later, Stella called confirming the deed was done. I provided Nova estate's address and instructed the fox spirit to procure black dog blood and deliver it there.
Admittedly, sending a fox demon to purchase black dog blood in broad daylight was risky. Any mishap could have severe consequences - a demon loose in the human world posed inherent dangers. But with that accursed jade's malignant influence, we had no safer alternative. Ordinary humans who attempted this task met fatal accidents, as evidenced by the dead servant.
Several minutes later, Stella reassured me she'd released the little fox with explicit instructions. The demon wouldn't dare escape or cause trouble - not with the Demon-Suppressing Talisman embedded in its heart.
Relieved, we settled in to wait. Nearly an hour passed before a servant announced, "A girl in fox cosplay has arrived asking for you."
I suppressed a bitter laugh. Cosplay? If only they knew.
Rushing outside, I found the little fox spirit waiting, clutching a box presumably containing our black dog blood. Upon spotting me, it scampered over eagerly, thrusting the package forward while pleading, "Mission complete! Can I go now?"
Whatever promises Stella made, releasing it now was out of the question. This demon still served a purpose.
"Not yet. Later," I stated bluntly.
The fox spirit's face contorted in outrage. "Hmph! Humans outfox foxes! Promised freedom after delivery - lied to a fox! Damn you!" Its milky voice trembled with indignation as tiny fists clenched. "Do you know what dangers I faced bringing this?"
Dangers? My curiosity piqued immediately. "Explain."
The little fox recounted matter-of-factly: three near-miss vehicle collisions and two instances where massive stones nearly crushed it from above. "No human would've survived," it added pointedly.
Just as I suspected - the jade's malice extended to intercepting its counteragent. Sending the fox spirit had been the right call, sparing additional human casualties. This artifact's evil knew no bounds.
"Don't worry," I reassured the little fox. "I'll release you when this is over."
"You'd better!" It pouted adorably, its exasperated expression resembling a petulant child. For a moment, I considered keeping it around - that cute face could be quite the draw for customers. With the Demon-Suppressing Talisman controlling it, the decision wasn't theirs to make anyway.
Black dog blood in hand, I hurried inside with the fox spirit trailing curiously behind. Its head swiveled constantly, taking in the human mansion's grandeur - understandable behavior for a demon experiencing human dwellings for the first time. Being newly transformed, it likely hadn't ventured much into our world under the Three-Tailed Fox's guidance.
Back in the room, I placed the blood container on the table. Immediately, the jade pendant erupted into violent tremors, emitting eerie crimson light through its black cloth wrapping. Without that covering, it might have skittered right off the surface.
"It's frightened, Little Boss! Don't hesitate - act now!" Stein urged.
Good - fear meant vulnerability. Perfect. I flipped the lid open and drenched the pendant in the entire contents. The metallic scent of blood filled the air as the dark fabric saturated, staining blacker still where blood soaked through to the jade beneath.
The pendant's movements ceased abruptly, its malignant aura dissipating instantly. Gathering courage, I peeled back the cloth to reveal the now-inert artifact.
Had it worked? According to Stein, the black dog blood should have temporarily subdued both the jade's spirit and any blood jade curses.
"Should we smash it now?" I asked.
Stein nodded emphatically. This brief window of vulnerability offered our best chance. Once the blood's potency faded, destroying it would become far more difficult.
But Nova hesitated. "Are we certain destroying it is safe?" she questioned.
We lacked definitive answers, but one truth remained - this artifact's evil demanded eradication. Whatever connection it held to the female corpse mattered little when it actively harmed people. Such an object couldn't be preserved.
After our explanation, Nova nodded reluctantly, granting final permission.
With the family's consent secured, we procured a sledgehammer. Three thunderous blows later, the jade erupted like living flesh - blood and viscera spraying outward. An unearthly shriek emanated from its core before the artifact exploded into fragments.
The shattered pieces emitted crimson smoke - acrid and choking, saturated with palpable malice. Even destroyed, its evil essence lingered.
Then something stranger occurred. A crimson mist coalesced into humanoid form, its gaseous body writhing grotesquely. After baring fang-like projections, it shot straight into Nova's ear.
The attack happened too quickly - none of us could react, not even Nova herself. Her body convulsed violently before undergoing terrifying changes: eyes burning crimson, fingers elongating into claws.
"Shit! The Jade Soul possessed her!" Stein yelled.
"But how?" Daphne wrung her hands helplessly. "Ghost possessions I've heard of, but jade possessions? What do we do?" She wanted to help Nova but recoiled from the transformed figure.
"The Jade Soul won't last long without its vessel," Stein explained urgently, "but it's got enough time to wreak havoc! Any black dog blood left? That could purge it!"
I checked the container - completely empty after dousing the pendant. Then inspiration struck - the blood-soaked black cloth! I snatched up the jade's wrapping and lunged toward Nova.
But the possessed woman moved with unnatural speed, leaping spider-like onto the ceiling where she clung upside down in a grotesque four-limbed stance.
"Grrrrrr..." The growl emanating from Nova's throat carried both human and spectral tones, raising every hair on my neck.
My cloth swipe missed completely. At this height, I stood no chance against her ceiling perch.
Dread coiled in my gut. What was this thing planning to do through Nova's body?