Hao Tian awoke from a nightmare, his sweat soaking through the sheets. The blood-red eyes from the dream lingered in his mind, and the inhuman screams echoed in his ears. Outside the window, dawn had just broken over Lion City, and the sound of the early morning bus engines could be heard through the morning mist.
He raised his arm; the black lines left by the corpse poison had receded to his wrist, but occasional flashes of green light still flickered beneath his skin. Since he had performed the Thunder Technique on the rooftop of the shopping mall three days ago, his body had undergone strange changes—small sparks of electricity frequently erupted uncontrollably from his fingertips, and when he showered, the water would automatically part several centimeters away from his skin.
"Damn it..."
The copper coin sword on the bedside table trembled slightly, as if responding to his emotions. This was the magical artifact left by his grandfather, now his only talisman. Hao Tian reached out to take it, but the hilt suddenly became scorching hot, and a stream of information surged into his mind through his palm—
The gray-robed old man stepped in the Seven Star Formation, the copper coin sword summoning the Nine Heavenly Thunderbolts, pinning the colossal creature in the black mist to the cliff...
"Ah!" Hao Tian jerked his hand back, and the vision vanished instantly. But the image from that moment was already etched into his memory: as the old man turned, he was clearly his grandfather, forty years younger!
His phone buzzed. It was Zhang Dahai's number. Hao Tian stiffened. The security captain who had been devoured by the corpse beetle? He trembled as he answered, but it was Wang Jie from Human Resources on the line:
"Hao Tian, Captain Zhang has taken leave. You're assigned to the day shift this week. Report to duty by 9 a.m. There will be a leadership inspection."
After hanging up, Haotian exhaled deeply. But then he furrowed his brows—if Zhang Dahai was already dead, what did the mention of "taking leave" mean?
While washing up, the reflection in the mirror startled him. A golden glow rimmed the edges of his pupils, and... he leaned in closer to examine it. A faint mole had appeared at the corner of his right eye, in the exact same position as Xiao You's.
"What the hell..."
The doorbell suddenly rang. Haotian grabbed the copper coin sword alertly and peered through the peephole to see a deliveryman. A gray aura swirled above his head—a Yin煞 that ordinary people couldn't see.
"Mr. Zhang's package. It needs to be signed for by the recipient."
Haotian held his breath. The deliveryman mechanically repeated the phrase, his lips slowly curling into a grin, revealing a mouthful of sharp, pointed teeth. Most terrifyingly, the package in his hands was seeping blood, and the surface of the cardboard box had bulged into the shape of a human face!
"Leave it at the door." Haotian forced himself to remain calm.
"Mr. Zhang said... it must be handed to you personally." The deliveryman's voice suddenly changed to Zhang Dahai's accent, "He said you took... something you shouldn't have taken..."
The copper coin sword began to vibrate violently. Haotian suddenly opened the door, pointing the sword tip directly at the deliveryman's throat: "Zhang Dahai is already dead! Who are you?"
The deliveryman emitted a creepy cackle, his skin melting like wax to reveal the grayish-blue flesh beneath. The package exploded with a bang, releasing a swarm of black beetles!
"Heaven and Earth, the Root of All Qi!"
Hao Tian instinctively recited the Golden Light Mantra, and the copper coin sword erupted with blinding golden light. The beetle swarm was blocked by the golden light, emitting piercing screeches. But what was even more terrifying was that the melting deliveryman was rapidly expanding, filling the entire corridor in an instant!
"Damn it!" Hao Tian took a few steps back, suddenly recalling the "Protective Golden Bell" mentioned in the "Detailed Explanation of the Golden Light Mantra." He bit his index finger, quickly drew a talisman on his palm, and then slammed it onto the ground:
"Golden light, appear swiftly and protect the true self!"
A golden light barrier formed instantly, separating the insect swarm and the monster from the corridor. But Hao Tian knew it wouldn't last long—he was still a novice, and his spiritual energy couldn't sustain it for more than a few minutes.
The monster collided with the light barrier using all three of its heads, causing cracks to spread immediately. Just as the situation grew dire, the elevator dinged open.
"Excuse me."
A familiar female voice rang out, followed by a flash of silver light. The monster's three heads fell to the ground simultaneously, turning into black smoke. Xiao You stood at the end of the corridor holding an oil paper umbrella, with golden liquid dripping from the tip.
"You..."
"I'm going to be late for work." Xiao You folded her umbrella and casually kicked aside the monster's twitching remains. "This is a blood zombie puppet, made from the flesh and blood of the dead. It seems the demonic overlord has already begun targeting you."
Haotian removed the golden bell shield, his legs giving way as he nearly collapsed. Xiao You supported him, touching her finger to his forehead, sending a cool energy into his meridians.
"Your Tian Shi bloodline is awakening," she frowned, "but your spiritual energy is flowing chaotically. If this continues, you'll risk spiritual backlash."
"What should I do?"
"First, deal with the immediate problem." Xiao You handed him a talisman, "Attach it to your body; it will temporarily mask your aura. Come to the Ancient and Modern Pavilion tonight to begin formal cultivation."
The moment the talisman touched his body, Hao Tian felt a wave of coolness, and the sparks at his fingertips vanished instantly. Xiao You turned toward the elevator but suddenly stopped:
"By the way, did your grandfather leave you a copy of the *Three Purities Daoist Canon*?"
Hao Tian was startled: "How did you know?"
"I guessed." Xiao You's profile looked unusually pale under the elevator lights, "Bring it tonight."
After the elevator doors closed, Hao Tian picked up the blood-soaked package on the ground. Upon opening it, he found a rotting human head—it was Zhang Dahai! The head's eyes suddenly opened, and its lips moved:
"Run... run fast..."
——————
The daytime shift at the mall was much busier than the night shift. Hao Tian patrolled distractedly, replaying the terrifying scene from earlier in his mind. As he passed the children's playground on the third floor, a piercing cry caught his attention.
A little girl of about five or six was sitting on the ground crying, surrounded by a few onlookers. Haotian approached to ask what had happened and learned that the child had become separated from her mother.
"Don't cry, Uncle will help you find your mother." Haotian knelt down and instinctively reached out to touch the child's head.
At the moment of contact, his body trembled—there was a faint black handprint around the girl's neck! And deep within her pupils, a lotus pattern similar to Xiao You's flickered faintly.
"Uncle..." The girl suddenly stopped crying and gave a strange smile, "You smell nice."
Hao Tian quickly withdrew his hand. The girl's nails were growing longer, and her mouth stretched into an unimaginably wide grin. The crowd around them, however, seemed oblivious, continuing to chatter away.
"Golden light protection!" Hao Tian silently recited the incantation, his right hand quietly reaching for the copper coin sword hidden inside his uniform.
The girl suddenly pounced, moving at a speed that didn't seem human. Hao Tian managed to dodge sideways, but she still managed to scratch three bloody marks on his arm. Strangely, the wounds didn't bleed but oozed black mucus.
"I found you..." The girl's voice turned into that of a hoarse old woman, "Tian Shi bloodline..."
Hao Tian knew that ordinary people couldn't see this scene. He pretended to comfort the child while secretly attaching an exorcism talisman to the girl's back. The talisman ignited upon contact with her skin, causing the girl to emit a piercing scream. A cloud of black mist poured out of her seven orifices and dissipated into the air in an instant.
The girl fainted. As Hao Tian picked her up, an anxious woman rushed over: "Tongtong! Mom has been looking for you for so long!"
After confirming she was the real mother, Hao Tian handed the child to her, secretly slipping a triangular protective talisman into the child's pocket.
"Thank you!" the mother kept thanking him, "Tongtong has been sleepwalking lately. The doctor said it might be..."
Her words trailed off as her eyes widened in shock. Haotian followed her gaze to the healing black scratch on his arm.
"Your... your hand..."
"I accidentally cut myself," Haotian hurriedly pulled down his sleeve. "Take the child to play."
The woman hurriedly left with the child, but Haotian noticed her final complex expression—not fear, but... some strange anticipation?
——————
That evening, inside the Ancient and Modern Study, Hao Tian sat cross-legged at the center of the Tai Chi diagram, sweat beading on his forehead. Xiao You paced around him, occasionally tapping a ruler on one of his acupoints.
"The energy flows through the Du Meridian, not the Ren Meridian!" The ruler snapped against Hao Tian's back, "Reversing the flow of spiritual energy will kill you!"
Hao Tian clenched his teeth and adjusted his breathing. Following Xiao You's guidance, he was attempting to channel the chaotic spiritual energy within his body into the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. But every time he was about to succeed, a sudden sharp pain would grip his chest, as if something were blocking the flow of spiritual energy.
"Try again!" Xiao You barked.
Hao Tian took a deep breath, imagining a warm current rising from his tailbone, traveling up his spine to the top of his head, and then spreading throughout his limbs and bones. This time, the spiritual energy smoothly completed its first cycle. To his surprise, the restless force within him began to grow calm.
"Very good," Xiao You said with rare approval. "Now try to channel the thunder technique's spiritual energy into the copper coin sword."
Hao Tian gripped the sword hilt, recalling the sensation from that day on the rooftop. The ancient coins on the copper coin sword began to tremble slightly, but this time they did not summon a thunderbolt. Instead, a speck of lightning the size of a soybean凝聚ed at the sword tip.
"Too small," Xiao You shook her head. "It must be at least the size of an egg to qualify as entry-level."
"I've done my best," Haotian sighed, lowering the sword. "Why am I so slow at everything I practice?"
Xiao You suddenly placed her hand on his chest, and Haotian felt an icy chill.
"There's a seal inside you," she frowned. "An ancient power... blocking your full awakening."
"A seal?"
Xiao You didn't answer but instead pulled out a jade bottle from her sleeve: "Drink this."
The bottle contained a viscous golden liquid with a faint lotus fragrance. Hao Tian drank it in one gulp, immediately feeling a warm current surge from his throat to his dantian, then explode outward, flowing through every limb and bone.
"What is this..."
"Mingwang Blood." Xiao You's face grew even paler. "It can temporarily enhance your spiritual power. Now, try the thunder technique again."
Hao Tian gripped his sword once more, and this time the spiritual energy flowed much more smoothly. All the ancient coins on the copper coin sword stood upright, and the lightning at the tip of the sword rapidly expanded to the size of a fist, illuminating the entire training room as brightly as day.
"Go!"
The lightning bolt shot out of the sword, striking the wooden target in the distance and shattering it into pieces. The aftereffects caused the surrounding talismans to rattle, and even the ground trembled slightly.
"Not bad," Xiao You nodded, "You've reached the threshold of the Tongxuan Realm."
As she turned to fetch something, Haotian noticed her steps were unsteady. Recalling the "Mingwang Blood" she had just drunk, he suddenly realized—it was Xiao You's own blood!
"Why did you help me like this?" Haotian couldn't help but ask.
Xiao You turned her back to him as she organized her magical tools, remaining silent for a long time before speaking: "The Tian Shi bloodline is the only power capable of completely sealing the邪魁. Helping you... is my mission."
Haotian recalled the deliveryman from earlier that morning, the little girl on the third floor, and Zhang Dahai's rotting head. "How many of the Demon Lord's minions are there in the city?"
"Far more than you can imagine," Xiao You turned around, a hint of fatigue flashing in her eyes. "Malls, hospitals, schools... every place has its spies. For thirty years, it has been preparing to break the seal and emerge."
She walked to the west wall, pulled back a black cloth, revealing a city map behind it. The map was densely marked with red dots, each representing a paranormal incident. The recent red dots were almost connected, concentrated around the shopping mall.
"In the past seven days, the concentration of evil energy has tripled." Xiao You pointed at the map, "The Demon Lord is gathering strength. The next full moon is the optimal time for it to break the seal."
Hao Tian sucked in a breath of air: "How much time do we have left?"
"Nine days," Xiao You stared into his eyes, "Within nine days, you must master the foundational chapters of the *Three Purities Daoist Canon*, otherwise..."
She didn't finish, but Hao Tian understood the consequences. Recalling the ancient text left by his grandfather, he hurriedly pulled it out of his bag: "Is this the one?"
Xiao You took the yellowed bound book, her fingers trembling slightly. She quickly flipped to a certain page, her expression suddenly changing. "Where's the final chapter?"
"What final chapter?"
"The 'Three Teachings United' chapter!" Xiao You frantically searched through the entire book. "It records the ultimate technique for fusing the three powers of Dao, Buddha, and Divine Speech... How could it be missing?"
Haotian shook his head blankly: "It was like this when I got it."
Xiao You collapsed onto the chair in a daze, muttering to herself: "It's too late... Without the final chapter, it's impossible to confront the demonic overlord..."
The cultivation room fell into dead silence. Outside the window, a blood-red moon rose silently, casting their shadows long and stretched out.