Green Ox Village

A Gou had been sensing a peculiar shift in the village’s atmosphere, a strangeness pervading everyone he knew.

The first to show signs of this unsettling change was Old Man Hu, who lived by the village entrance. Normally, he was a picture of geniality, his face perpetually creased with a friendly smile, kind to all.

Yet, from an indiscernible day, Old Man Hu seemed to shed his former self, growing irritable with others and even abandoning his meticulously tended crops.

At first, the other villagers attempted to reason with him, their concern palpable.

But with each passing day, more and more people began to mirror Old Man Hu’s peculiar state.

Not only did their personalities warp dramatically, but they also became habitually listless, devoid of any spark of life.

Even in the full light of day, the entire village remained confined to their homes, refusing to venture outside.

A Gou was gripped by terror, certain that some malevolent entity had possessed everyone.

That night, as the moon and stars vanished behind a shroud, the world outside was plunged into an impenetrable blackness.

A Gou thrashed restlessly in his bed, sleep utterly eluding him.

Just that very day, his own father had also fallen victim to the same peculiar malady, not even bothering to prepare their evening meal.

A Gou could tolerate it no longer; he yearned to escape, to find the immortals.

Two immortal brothers lived not far from the village.

They often visited the village, amiable beings who would observe the happenings around them.

A Gou resolved to implore them to eradicate the monster plaguing their village, so that everyone could finally return to their former selves.

With this unwavering resolve, A Gou stealthily slid from his bed and, with utmost quiet, unlatched the door.

“Son, where are you going?”

A pair of large hands suddenly descended upon his shoulders.

A Gou’s entire frame shuddered as he spun around.

His father was staring at him, his smile unsettlingly normal.

That is, if one could overlook the unsettling crimson that entirely consumed his eyes.

“This must be the last one, right?”

As he looked down at A Gou sprawled on the ground, the father spoke with chilling indifference.

“Indeed, Green Ox Village is now considered to have completed its [Extraction].”

The grand door swung inward, unbidden by any breeze, and a man cloaked in a bamboo hat stepped through the threshold.

“You may now take residence.”

In the very next instant, A Gou rose from the ground, perfectly erect.

“Second Brother, Third Brother.”

He offered them a cheerful, albeit unsettling, greeting.

****

Bamboo Green Peak.

Luochen watched, a helpless expression on her face, as Venerable Zhu Qing ceaselessly pressed defensive spiritual artifacts into her hands.

“I’m merely going down the mountain to investigate, not to fight the Demonic Sect Leader to the death; this is quite enough.”

“Besides, if I truly encounter danger, isn’t Peak Master Shuanghua there?”

Venerable Zhu Qing’s face was etched with sorrow. “It’s always better to rely on oneself than on others,” she sighed. “I certainly don’t wish to be the one collecting your corpse later.”

“Go, go, go!” Luochen waved a dismissive hand, urging Venerable Zhu Qing to depart.

“Junior Sister, I’ll be off now; remember to eat well as usual.”

Luochen gently pinched the soft flesh of Su Yue’s cheeks, a subtle frown forming as the texture felt subtly off.

“Look at you, you’ve gotten thin again.”

Once Luochen had finished her affectionate pat, Su Yue retrieved a pill from her pocket.

“A Five-Reversion Soul-Returning Pill, for saving your life.”

Luochen’s composure finally shattered. “So both of you are this utterly convinced I can’t take care of myself, huh?” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “And Junior Sister, how in the world did you manage to refine this particular pill?!”

The Five-Reversion Soul-Returning Pill was notoriously volatile; a pill refiner of Five-Reversion cultivation could typically expect to detonate eleven out of ten furnaces.

Why eleven, you ask? Because one particular explosion was so immense, it took out the neighboring furnace along with it.

Luochen once more found herself marveling at her Junior Sister’s truly superhuman talent.

“I’m off.”

Laden with a veritable arsenal of life-saving gear provided by both her Junior Sister and Master, Luochen finally embarked on her journey.

Once settled upon her flying sword, she cast a final, lingering look back at Bamboo Green Peak.

Clouds billowed and swirled, while a vibrant array of flora flourished below.

Jade peaks, sharp and majestic, pierced the clouds, painting a scene as picturesque as any poem.

‘Truly beautiful.’

‘I, Luochen, merely wish to live a tranquil life here, but alas, there are still Demonic Sects awaiting my eradication, and heroines waiting for me to find.’

‘I cannot pause here; after all, I am destined to save the world.’

‘This descent from the mountain, will I be able to find a new Daughter of Destiny?’

In a fleeting thought, Luochen arrived at the mountain gate.

Sect Master Yuxi and True Immortal Shuanghua were already awaiting her arrival.

“My apologies, I was delayed by a few matters.”

Executing what she imagined to be a rather stylish drift and tail-whip, Luochen gracefully dismounted her flying sword.

“No matter, no matter,” Sect Master Yuxi said, smiling as he approached.

“This journey is to gather intelligence and ascertain the movements of the Ghost Soul Sect; if you encounter danger, retreat if you can.”

His tone was grave, his advice earnest.

“This disciple understands.”

“You too,” Sect Master Yuxi then turned his attention to Shuanghua, who stood nearby, leaning casually against her sword.

“Mm.”

Shuanghua offered a slow, unhurried nod.

“Should true danger arise, with Martial Aunt Shuanghua present, I am sure we will be safe; Sect Master need not worry.”

Luochen subtly praised Shuanghua, then stole a quick glance at her, only to find the other woman’s expression remained as placid as an ancient well, betraying not a flicker of emotion.

‘Luochen felt a bit uncertain; would this mission require communication through telepathy?’

‘Never mind, I’ll take it one step at a time.’

Luochen stepped onto her flying sword and, joined by Shuanghua, soared towards Green Ox Village, the very site where the two deceased sword cultivators had been found.

“Senior Sister Luo, Peak Master Shuang.”

At the village entrance, a cultivator from the Feibai Sect, who had been dispatched in advance, bowed respectfully to the two women.

It was his first time addressing someone of a Peak Master’s stature, and Wang Fei found himself feeling a little intimidated.

“Hello,” Luochen returned the bow.

“Mm.”

Shuanghua gave an indifferent nod, then simply stood to the side, idling (TL Note: A gaming term, ‘guaji,’ referring to being online but inactive, like AFK).

‘What does this mean? So you’re the bodyguard I hired, huh?’

‘Cool, doesn’t talk.’

After silently poking fun at Shuanghua in her mind, Luochen recollected her thoughts.

Seemingly sensing the man’s nervousness, Luochen offered him a reassuring glance.

“Where were the bodies first discovered?”

“On the mountain behind the village.”

“Who discovered them first?”

“A child named A Gou.”

The cultivator pointed with his finger.

Following his gesture, Luochen noticed that small groups of people had already gathered at the village entrance.

Their faces showed a mix of curiosity and fear.

Due to the presence of immortals, no one dared to step out of the village gate, merely shrinking back behind their doors and observing.

Realizing the conversation was about him, the child named A Gou swallowed hard, his expression now tinged with fear.

“It’s alright, come over here to older sister.”

Luochen knelt down, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she beckoned him closer.

Seemingly gaining a bit of confidence, A Gou scurried over to Luochen’s side.

“Where did you see them?”

“Under the large tree on the back mountain.”

“Was there anything unusual around at the time, like a strange scent or symbols?”

A Gou pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

“No.”

“Were they injured at the time?”

“No, not a drop of blood was shed.” A Gou’s face instantly shifted, as if vividly recalling the grim scene.

“I thought they were just sleeping, but they weren’t breathing at all.”

“Will we turn out like that too? I don’t want to die.”

Tears welled in A Gou’s eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

“No, you won’t.”

Luochen softly reassured him.

She rose to her feet, her voice carrying to a volume the surrounding villagers could also hear.

“We are cultivators from the Feibai Sect, and we are here today to resolve this matter.”

“All you elders and fellow villagers, please rest assured; no harm will come to anyone.”

A low murmur began to ripple through the crowd as villagers whispered amongst themselves.

“Go back now.”

Luochen gestured for him to leave.

“Mm-hmm, I believe in Big Sister, we’ll definitely be fine in the end.”

A Gou flashed a seemingly pure smile before scampering away.

In a place concealed from Luochen’s sight, that smile held a faint, unsettling eeriness.