Fifth Month, 14th Year of Emperor Wuzong's Reign, Yan Kingdom
The sky was painted in pitch black, cloudless and clear. A blood-red moon hung in the center of the heavens. In a bamboo house on the outskirts of the capital, silence reigned. It was so quiet, it almost resembled an abandoned dwelling—save for the flickering candlelight that filled the room, flames dancing to the strong wind that battered the walls. Tonight, the wind was fierce...
"Come forth…"
An old man's voice rang out solemnly as he clasped his hands in prayer, chanting some kind of spell under his breath. Upon a wooden bed carved with strange, cryptic symbols, lay the body of a young woman with a clean, peaceful face, as if sleeping without worry. Around her, candles burned steadily, and yellow talismans were stuck to the bedposts in all four directions.
"Take form…"
Bells hanging around the room began to jingle. The wind picked up even more, until it blew the closed window open with a loud bang.
BANG!
"Awaken—rise now!"
Whoosh!
All the candles were extinguished at once, unable to withstand the violent gusts. The room fell into darkness, lit only by the moonlight streaming through a square window. The old Daoist priest opened his eyes and scanned the room, now in disarray.
"Did it fail?"
He stood up and crept over to the bed, gazing at the still-sleeping girl. He reached out to place a hand under her nose and felt the faintest breath—barely there, but there. Just moments ago, she had not been breathing at all.
"I-It worked!"
Suddenly, the girl's eyes snapped open. She stared at the old Daoist priest in silence. At that very moment, the candles reignited with blazing light. Her icy gaze sent chills down his spine.
The old man froze in place, then let out a scream.
"Ghost!" he shrieked, falling backward onto the floor, mouth agape in terror.
"Ghost, your father!" the girl snapped, sitting up with arms crossed, looking annoyed. Her eyes scanned him from head to toe.
He wore a faded deep blue robe over a plain white inner shirt. His hair and beard were snowy white but well-groomed. At first glance, he might pass for a poor scholar. But his exaggerated expressions and demeanor were more like a con artist's.
The room, though simple and sparsely furnished, was elegantly arranged, each item clearly of high value.
But none of that mattered now. The girl wanted to know—how did she end up here?
The old Daoist priest, finally regaining his composure, looked at the girl who had just returned from death, sitting in thought. He suddenly burst into laughter without warning.
"It worked! It truly worked! I'm a living sage, come to bless the world! Yes, yes—I must send word to Lord Li at once! Yes, yes! Ha ha!"
The girl blinked, pulled from her thoughts by his manic laughter. She glanced at the shouting man, utterly baffled. What was he talking about? And these candles, the talismans—was this some kind of spirit-summoning ritual? It was all incredibly eerie.
The girl asked, "Who are you?"
The old man replied, "A Daoist priest!"
She said nothing.
The Daoist priest giggled, grinning from ear to ear—far from convincing. In fact, the more she looked, the crazier he seemed.
He could feel her gaze but paid it no mind. Puffing out his chest, he stood tall and proud.
"My name is Su Baicheng. I'm the Daoist priest summoned by Lord Li to perform a healing ritual for you, little miss," he said proudly.
But the girl frowned, confused.
Lord Li? she wondered. There's more than one Li in the world. Who is this Lord Li, and what does he have to do with me?
"Alright! I'll go send word immediately," he said, turning to leave.
He froze mid-step, feeling a tug on his sleeve.
The girl had grabbed him tightly, lifting her face with a faint smile.
"Wait a moment, Daoist priest. I have a question."
Su Baicheng replied kindly, "Yes, what is it?"
"Who is this Lord Li?"
He went silent. Her face showed pure confusion, and that alone didn't surprise him.
But then she asked that question.
His heart skipped. A quiet dread stirred within. His smile faltered as he slowly backed away.
"He… is your father."
The girl listened, then furrowed her brows even more deeply.
Su Baicheng's expression changed instantly.
"You… you're not Li Wan'er, are you?"
He pointed at her, trembling. She tilted her head, staring at him with sincere curiosity.
"And who is Li Wan'er?"
"T-This… This is…"
Thud!
The Daoist priest collapsed onto the floor before he could finish the sentence, unconscious.
Apparently, the shock was too much for him.
The girl raised an eyebrow, looked at the man lying on the floor, and glanced around, hoping someone—anyon
e—would explain what was going on.
What was all this?
"Don't fall asleep yet, old man! Wake up!"