Nestled deep within a mist-shrouded valley, surrounded by jagged mountain peaks, Yinling Village appeared lifeless at first glance. Its homes were old and crumbling, with shuttered windows and broken lanterns swaying in the cold wind. But behind those windows, pale eyes watched in silence. No one greeted outsiders. At night, strange animal cries echoed through the trees, and eerie shadows danced between the houses.
Locals whispered that Yinling was cursed—trapped between the mortal world and the realm of spirits. Each night, hungry ghosts roamed the streets, and spirit beasts lurked in the forests. Countless cultivators had come before, claiming they could purify the village, but none had returned.
When Lin Xuanji the former Demon Lord Mo Tianzun—arrived, the villagers backed away in fear. Some peeked through cracks in the walls and muttered, "Another outsider… doomed like the rest."
Lin Xuanji had cleaned the blood from his body in a small spring he discovered just outside the village. Now dressed in fresh robes, he walked slowly through the quiet streets, his ocean like eyes, scanning the homes where frightened faces peeked out. He let out a tired sigh and raised his voice:
"Who is the village chief here?! Come out!" he shouted.
Instantly, every window slammed shut.
Xuanji groaned in frustration, but before he could speak again, a hand grabbed his sleeve and yanked him into a nearby house.
"Wha—" he started, but a finger pressed to his lips.
"Shh!" a man whispered, urging him to be silent.
Inside the dimly lit house, Xuanji found himself face to face with a man, his wife, and a small girl—likely their daughter—who hid behind her mother with wide, fearful eyes.
'They must be a family,' Xuanji thought as he observed them.
He sighed and asked, "What happened to this village? It must have been peaceful once."
The man hesitated, then said quietly, "Ever since Deity Liu Shengjie defeated the Demon Lord Mo Tianzun, cracks opened between the Spirit Realm and our world. Monsters and ghosts began pouring out, and our village became their hunting ground."
Xuanji's eyes narrowed slightly—because he was that very Demon Lord they spoke of. The monsters and spirits had once been his people, sealed in the deepest abyss after his fall. Now they roamed free.
He cleared his throat. "Those creatures… they were not always from the Spirit Realm. Some were born in this world. But if they're this powerful, they may indeed come from the Demon Realm."
The woman looked at him closely. "Are you a cultivator as well, Young Master?"
Xuanji paused. He considered lying, but then smirked. 'Even devils can haveaheart,' he thought, and nodded. "Yes, I am."
The woman glanced at the girl, who clung to her sleeve. "Our daughter, Ling Xi (灵曦), was born during a solar eclipse. She has a lotus-shaped birthmark on her back. Her Qi isn't Yin or Yang—it's both. Balanced yet chaotic. That energy… draws the spirits to her. Ghosts, demons, spirit beasts… they're all drawn here because of her."
The girl looked down, ashamed.
"We can't tell the other villagers. If they knew, they might harm her. So we live in silence," the mother finished.
Xuanji studied the child carefully. Her presence was indeed unique. He sensed the turbulent balance of Yin and Yang within her. She was special—someone worth protecting. And perhaps, useful in the future.
"I see," Xuanji finally said. "I'll help protect this village. But first…" He rubbed his stomach and gave a pout. "Can I have something to eat? I'm starving."
The family smiled with relief and quickly brought him some water and warm bread. Xuanji ate gratefully, not caring if it was simple food.
As he drank his water, he asked, "When do the spirits begin to appear?"
"Just after sunset," the man replied.
Xuanji nodded. "Then tell the villagers: before sunset, they must close their windows and not peek out—not even through cracks. No lights. No sounds. And no watching me fight. Understood?"
The man nodded quickly and ran out to deliver the message.
As Xuanji finished the last bite of bread, he heard the voices of villagers outside—shouting, cheering. He sighed and stood to leave, but a small hand tugged at his sleeve.
He looked down to see Ling Xi staring up at him with big, worried eyes.
"Will you be okay? All the other cultivators… they said the same thing, but none of themever came back," she whispered.
Xuanji chuckled and gently ruffled her hair.
"I'm stronger than those monsters… even stronger than those so-called deities you believe in," he said confidently.
Her eyes widened in awe.
"Hahaha! Now, go sleep, little one. When you wake up, the ghosts will be gone," Xuanji said with a grin.
The girl screamed in delight and hugged her mother. Her mother carried her away, whispering gentle words as she put her to bed.
Xuanji stretched his limbs and cracked his knuckles.
"Time to fight again… after ninety years of being dead."