The sun dips low, its fading light spilling across the snow-blanketed wilderness as Merin and his companions finally step out of the dense forest.
Far ahead lies the vast territory of Sima City State, though Wu City is still a long journey away.
Too far to reach another city before nightfall, they follow a narrow trail that leads them into a small, isolated village at the foot of the mountains.
The air feels strangely heavy here, colder than the wilderness behind them, as though the night itself presses down on the rooftops.
The villagers glance at them with fleeting eyes, offering no words of welcome, only silence and hurried steps, vanishing quickly into their homes.
An old farmer wordlessly grants them a wooden house on the edge of the village, and soon the six of them huddle inside, a single oil lamp flickering against the wooden walls.
Yu Lei rubs his arms, shivering despite the flame.
"Is it just me," he mutters, glancing at the others uneasily, "or does this village feel… strange?"
Inside the dimly lit wooden house, Yu Lei's unease spreads like a ripple.
Wang Zhen nods quickly, echoing, "I feel it too… this village isn't normal."
But Wang Zishan frowns and answers with calm reason, "Perhaps it's only because the village stands so close to the wilderness."
Yu Han leans forward, puzzled. "Then why would the Sima family allow settlers to live here? To build a village this near to the forest's edge is asking for trouble."
Yu Qinshan exhales, cutting off the argument with a steady tone. "It doesn't matter. Rest. We're only halfway through our journey, and Wu City is still far ahead."
The others grow quiet, but Merin sits cross-legged near the oil lamp, his breathing slow and deliberate.
He pays little attention to their words.
Instead, he focuses inward, his muscles and bones humming faintly under the flow of Jade Qi.
Three months have passed since the battle with the tiger demon.
In that time, his understanding of the Ripple Technique has transformed his cultivation.
By using its vibrations against himself, he discovered how to accelerate the tempering of his own body.
Now, every muscle in his frame has crystallised into jade muscle, gleaming with hidden strength, while nearly all his bones have condensed into jade bone.
Only his skull remains untouched—there, he dares not recklessly unleash the Ripple Technique.
For now, he allows the transformation to progress slowly, cautiously, while the dim light of the lamp flickers against his focused face.
Time passes in silence, the wooden house creaking softly under the weight of the cold night.
A sudden gust of wind rattles the walls and blows the window wide open with a hollow bang.
Merin's eyes snap open, the calm of his meditation breaking instantly.
The night air carries a thick, acrid scent—sharp and unmistakable.
Demon…
At that moment, the faint creak of hinges reaches his ears, followed by the sound of shuffling feet on hard ground.
The door to a nearby house opens.
Then another.
One after another, all across the village.
People begin stepping out into the night.
Wang Zishan stirs, frowning. "What is going on?"
The others wake from their meditation as well, exchanging uneasy glances.
Merin rises without a word and walks to the open window.
He peers outside into the moonlit street.
Rows of villagers, faces blank, bodies stiff, walk silently out of their homes and begin filing toward the edge of the village—each step measured, mechanical, as if guided by an unseen force.
They exchange glances, unease flickering in their eyes.
Fear tinges Yu Lei's voice as he whispers, "What is going on?"
Merin narrows his gaze toward the villagers moving in eerie silence. "I smell the scent of a demon in the wind."
Wang Zhen clenches his fists. "What kind of demon can do this?"
Yu Qinshan replies grimly, "If we follow them, we'll know."
Wang Zishan adds, his tone low and wary, "We must be careful. Any demon that can control so many people at once must be a strong one."
They push open the door of their wooden house, the hinges groaning in the night.
One by one, they step out into the cold, moonlit street.
Keeping their distance, they trail behind the line of villagers, silent shadows following silent puppets, moving toward whatever darkness lies ahead.
The group slips into the wilderness, the villagers' footsteps crunching faintly ahead of them.
Moonlight filters through the trees, and soon they notice shadows moving between the trunks—low-level demons, beasts with red eyes and twisted forms, all walking in the same direction as the villagers.
They stop for a heartbeat, exchanging uneasy glances.
Yu Han's voice trembles, "What is going on? Why are the demons and humans walking together?"
No one answers.
They press on, the silent procession growing larger, the air thick with an unnatural pressure.
After what feels like an eternity, the trees part, and before them rises a mountain, its slopes glowing with countless lights—torches, runes, and strange fires dancing in the night.
The entire mountain blazes like an altar prepared for some vast, ominous ritual.
The moment their eyes fall on the mountain, their breaths grow shallow.
An oppressive aura rolls down its slopes like a storm, heavy and suffocating, setting their instincts screaming of danger.
Closer now, they realise it is not just a mountain but a mountain town—houses carved into the rock, lit windows flickering like eyes watching the night, the whole place alive with an eerie glow.
The six of them crouch low, slipping behind a thick bush, peering through the leaves at the strange sight before them.
The villagers shuffle onward without pause, joining the steady flow of demons and humans alike climbing toward the blazing peak.
Silence hangs, broken only by the crackle of torches, until—
A voice rises.
A slow song without tune drifts through the night air, carried by the wind, each note jagged and unsettling.
Their eyes narrow as a small figure shuffles into view on the torch-lit path.
At first glance, it is the height of a child—frail, crooked, swaying with its own rhythm.
But when they look closer, their expressions harden.
A rat.
Not an ordinary rat, but a demon—its body wrapped in crude human clothes, walking upright, lips stretched into a crooked grin as it sings its tuneless chant.
Its beady eyes gleam with intelligence, a malice no beast should hold.
Yu Lei's breath catches. "A great demon's bloodline…"
Though still a low-level demon, its size already dwarfs that of common vermin, its wisdom sharpened to mirror a human's.
The group exchange quick glances and, in a blur of motion, step out from the bushes, surrounding the rat demon in a tight circle.
The rat demon freezes mid-step, beady eyes widening, but it bares its yellow teeth without fear.
"What do you guys want?" it hisses. "If you do anything—I'll shout."
Merin lifts his palm, jade qi rippling outward in a wave.
The vibrations expand, layering into an invisible barrier that seals the air around them.
The rat demon's mouth hangs open as realisation dawns, and its face turns grim.
"We are all intelligent beings," it says, voice low and wary. "We can talk about this."
Yu Qinshan steps forward, his eyes sharp. "What is going up the mountain?"
The rat demon's whiskers twitch. "Today is the birthday of the Tiger Grandmother."
Yu Qinshan's frown deepens. "Then why are the people from the village being led into the mountain?"
The rat demon licks its lips, tongue darting out as though savouring the thought of a meal.
"There will be humans at the feast," it answers, voice dripping with anticipation.
Everyone's face turns grim at the rat demon's words—except Merin, whose expression stays calm, and Wang Zhen, who blurts out, "What do you mean?"
The rat demon sneers. "The humans will be eaten."
Wang Zhen's voice cracks in disbelief. "What?"
"What do you mean what?" the rat demon snaps, eyes gleaming. "You humans can eat us demons, but we cannot eat humans?"
Yu Han ignores the retort, fists clenching. "Let's attack the mountain."
The rat demon lets out a sharp snort. "Do you even know Tiger Grandmother's cultivation realm? She is equal to your so-called Qi Refiner Grandmaster."
Silence falls over the group like a heavy shroud.
Wang Zishan breathes out slowly, eyes shadowed. "Let's leave."
"But brother—" Yu Han starts, his tone burning with anger.
"Yu Han," Wang Zishan cuts him off, his voice firm, "don't forget our mission."
Merin finally speaks, his voice steady but cold. "If we go to save them, we will also be captured. We cannot match a demon with the strength of a Grandmaster—and there are many more inside."
Reluctantly, they nod.
Before leaving, Merin steps forward, his jade qi forming into rippling waves that slam into the rat demon's head, knocking it unconscious.
They do not kill it—the blood scent would be noticed too quickly.
With heads lowered, hearts heavy, the group turns away from the mountain, their steps slow and burdened.