At the same time.
Pei Xianqiao and her two companions unexpectedly ran into someone familiar in the darkness.
"Brother He?" Pei Xianqiao called out cautiously.
He Huatao walked out from the shadows with an easy grin, lowering his voice. "Qiao Qiao, what brings you here?"
"You two know each other?" asked Yu Wei and Shen Fang, who were at Pei Xianqiao's side, both curious.
Pei Xianqiao and He Huatao nodded at the same time and exchanged a smile.
"Brother He, I came on a sect mission. What about you… did you come in with these loose cultivators?"
"That's right. Seems I got here earlier than you. You must be the honored guests who entered today?" He Huatao laughed heartily.
Pei Xianqiao nodded, but her brows were slightly furrowed. "Brother He, something feels very wrong about this Yan Fortress."
He Huatao agreed at once. "Yes, there's something off here… but also an opportunity."
His eyes flashed with light, and the others couldn't help showing the same expression. Everyone understood. If they could uncover the secret behind Yan Fortress's cultivation, there might be benefits waiting for them.
Pei Xianqiao took in all of their reactions, her expression calm. "Brother He, have you discovered anything these past few days?"
He Huatao waved them forward. "Come with me."
Pei Xianqiao and the others followed, vanishing into the night.
…
"They're all out… eh? She's still asleep…"
On a deathly silent street, Yan Shanyi stood grinning at the door of Yao Ranran's residence. The night wind was chilling, tugging at his robes. Beneath the hem of his garment, a patch of black scales glimmered faintly.
"So many wandering about, and yet only she is sincerely praying to Buddha. I was right not to misjudge her… heh heh…"
Yan Shanyi held the map of Yan Fortress. Following the red marks, he went door to door.
At each empty residence, he would pull a tuft of fur from his sleeve. His tongue flicked out, forked and thin, licking the fur before spitting a droplet of water onto the marked house.
He silently circled the fortress, until finally, with the map cradled in both hands, he knelt reverently and bowed to the night air, whispering prayers.
…
Mu Jialing froze mid-step as his right foot crossed the threshold. His brows twitched sharply.
"What is this? Should I not have done that?"
He lifted his head suddenly. "Retreat! We must leave here at once!"
Yu Zhenyan was nearest to him. At the sound of his voice, she immediately lashed out with her water whip, pulling Huang Baoling to safety.
Zhao Jiu, however, was half-buried in a chest, rummaging through it, seemingly deaf to everything.
Yu Zhenyan whipped out again, trying to pull Zhao Jiu back.
But the water whip twisted strangely in the air, blocked for a breath by some eerie aura.
When it finally wrapped around Zhao Jiu's waist and she yanked hard, what flew out was not a man but a headless corpse, blood pouring from the neck.
"Zhao Jiu!" Huang Baoling screamed in horror.
Mu Jialing tried to stop her cry, but it was too late.
Yan Fortress lit up as if it were broad daylight. Crimson light bled across the night sky, flooding everything. Mu Jialing's usually clear eyes turned scarlet.
Yu Zhenyan clamped a hand over Huang Baoling's mouth, her gaze darting in terror.
"What's happening?" Her voice trembled. The blood-red glow drenched her figure, making her look like a corpse risen from the grave.
…
"Run, quickly!"
An aged, hoarse voice echoed.
Pei Xianqiao's heart jolted with alarm. Without a second thought, she shouted, "Everyone, get out of here!"
He Huatao charged ahead. Several loose cultivators ignored the warning and went on a rampage, smashing everything inside the house.
He Huatao turned his head toward her, confused.
Pei Xianqiao gave no explanation. She poured her qi into fleeing, dragging He Huatao and the others out. Those who had been recklessly toppling furniture suddenly fell apart, their bodies dismembered into a pool of gore.
The sky above was red as blood.
The ring on Pei Xianqiao's finger trembled, and a fearful voice sounded in her mind. "Nothing here can be touched!"
"Master, we must flee this place at once!" Fixed Mirror's spirit hovered on her shoulder, trembling. The scarlet glow made its snow-white form look like a doll soaked in blood.
"Zhao Jiu!" The distant scream echoed through the fortress, sharp and piercing, carrying waves of anguish that rolled toward them.
He Huatao and the others clutched their heads and crouched low, expressions twisted in pain.
Fixed Mirror's spirit released a shield of white light, but the blood-red radiance pressed down on it, cracks quickly spreading across the surface.
"Help them!" Pei Xianqiao's heart twisted as she looked at He Huatao and the others writhing in agony.
"Girl, you cannot even protect yourself. Who else can you save? Yan Fortress is no simple place. It was my negligence!"
The old man's soul drifted out, translucent, unseen by others. His face was grave.
Pei Xianqiao had never seen him look so solemn. Her heart tightened. "What kind of death trap is this? Where is the path to survival?"
The old man's eyes swept the blood-red world, his frown deepening.
"Difficult, far too difficult. Yan Fortress hides an expert!"
"What expert could possibly surpass you?" Pei Xianqiao's composure faltered. Fear flickered in her eyes.
This elder was a mighty being from the Spirit Realm, a power surpassing even Divine Transformation. Even her Brother Fu might not be his equal. What kind of force could make him hesitate?
She had no answer. She stared at the crimson sky, her heartbeat pounding so violently it felt as though it might burst.
What should we do?
Fear consumed everyone beneath the blood glow.
The sinister aura nearly suffocated them.
"Who's making all that noise in the middle of the night? Don't you people sleep? No manners, no civility, no peace of mind! Keep it down!"
Yao Ranran's groggy voice rang out as she flipped over in bed.
Still half-asleep, she hugged Tang Xiangyin and sat up, grumbling a stream of curses. Then she promptly lay back down and drifted off again.
Tang Xiangyin continued sleeping soundly.
Outside her door, a severed head hung dripping from a warding seal. Yao Ranran's voice shook it loose, and it rolled to the ground. A stiff, cold hand picked it up silently.
The seal shone once more.
The blood-drenched sky vanished as though a curtain of black had been drawn across it. Night winds swept Yao Ranran's muttering away.
Yan Fortress returned to silence.
Mu Jialing's heart lurched. He never imagined he would hear her voice at such a moment.
"Did… did we just survive?" Yu Zhenyan whispered, disbelief on her face.
Huang Baoling's eyes were swollen red from weeping, unable to form words.
Mu Jialing gave her no reply. He blurred into motion, rushing to Yao Ranran's door.
The seal was intact, though faint blood had seeped into the cracks between the bricks.
…
"This voice… how strange, how very strange." The old man stared toward the divine Jianmu tree, as though the sound had come from there.