Chapter 452 - 311: Intelligence 2
"Ghost City... aftermath of the Evil Cultivation incident... Realm... Blood Moon... Night Parade of Hundred Demons..."
A few keywords surfaced in Zhao Xuanqi’s mind. Although it was only fragmented information, connecting them seemed to partially break through the seal on his memories, allowing some of them to vaguely resurface.
Vaguely, he seemed to see a gloomy and desolate city, a bizarre Blood Moon hanging in the sky, and some other fragmented images.
Shadow puppets, Sword Soldier Ghosts, a three-headed child...
The feeling was hard to describe. It was like just waking from a long dream and trying to recall its contents, only to find everything hazy and incomplete.
However, by combining these images that had broken through the seal on his memory with the key information from before, Zhao Xuanqi quickly understood what he had encountered after falling unconscious.
’After I fell unconscious, I was pulled into a Realm. That Realm was created based on the template of Guming County and is likely related to the lingering aftermath of the Evil Spirits incident there. Anyone who dies in the Ghost City will have their Primordial Qi absorbed by it, helping it recover its strength.’
’This Realm recovers very quickly. During the Night Parade of Hundred Demons... hmm, my memory isn’t clear, but it must be an Evil Spirit riot inside the Ghost City that happens after a specific period of time. Surviving that event allows one to escape the Ghost City. As for why I was drawn into the Ghost City incident in the first place, the reason is still unclear.’
’Hmm, the influence of the Ghost City incident seems to be expanding beyond the borders of Guming County. I think I gathered some allies inside, but I can’t remember clearly... Also, based on past experience, the Ghost City opens once every few days.’
Zhao Xuanqi pondered for a moment. He hadn’t recalled much, but even so, compared to those who remembered nothing at all, this information was crucial.
’The Ghost City incident is expanding. I have to find a way to pass this information along and get the sect’s attention so I can obtain more intelligence. The allies I gathered... their identities didn’t seem to be simple.’
’But I can’t expose my identity in the process.’
Zhao Xuanqi considered his options.
「Meanwhile.」
「Tang City.」
As one of the most prosperous cities in Heqing Dao, Tang City had a curfew, but it was only enforced by the City Guard patrolling and preventing commoners from wandering about. It didn’t stop certain establishments from being brightly lit and bustling with activity.
Theaters, taverns, pleasure barges, brothels...
As long as one could stay the night inside one of them, there was no need to fear the curfew patrols.
No matter the time or place, one can never suppress the human desire for pleasure.
「The Hundred Fragrances Medical Clinic.」
This was Miaoyin Hall’s base in Tang City, as well as the largest and most famous medical clinic in the city.
In the clinic’s rear courtyard was an area specifically for the sect’s disciples to rest. The rooms were available as needed, cleaned and tidied daily, and reserved for disciples who were temporarily staying in the city for missions.
Inside one of the rooms, a woman in a long white dress sat cross-legged on the bed.
Her features were delicate and aloof, her skin as white as snow. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her eyes were tightly closed, her long lashes trembling slightly.
The next moment, Zhuang Li’s eyes shot open. Her consciousness felt hazy, and she almost instinctively tensed her muscles and stood up from the bed.
Only when her mind cleared and she could see her surroundings clearly did her tense body begin to relax slightly.
’What just happened? I was clearly meditating and regulating my Qi and Blood, so why did I suddenly lose consciousness? Did I fall asleep? I have no memory of that time at all, but my intuition is screaming that it was dangerous, as if I just survived a perilous battle.’
Zhuang Li looked puzzled as she inspected her body.
’No injuries, but my body feels completely exhausted, and my Primordial Qi is severely depleted. This is the kind of state you’d only be in after a major battle. What on earth happened?’
Zhuang Li tried her best to think, but she couldn’t find an answer.
’What just happened?’
Suddenly, a cold, clear voice echoed in her mind.
"You don’t know either?"
A look of clear astonishment appeared on Zhuang Li’s face.
’I sensed your consciousness being pulled away, your body’s Primordial Qi connecting with some unknown power. I wanted to check on you, but in my current state, I couldn’t break through that power’s seal. Though the power isn’t strong, its standing is quite high. To be capable of this... if I’m not mistaken, it’s probably related to those demonic things summoned by Evil Cultivation,’ the cold voice said faintly.
"Evil Cultivation..."
The color drained slightly from Zhuang Li’s face when she heard the term. Privy to a great deal of classified information, she understood just how dangerous incidents involving Evil Cultivation were. They were simply not something anyone below the Innate Realm could handle.
"I can’t remember anything. My memories seem to be sealed. Do you have a way to break this seal?" Zhuang Li said in a low voice.
’Yes. Give me your body, and I can do it,’ the cold voice replied.
Hearing this, Zhuang Li said no more.
’Next time, if you need to, you can wake me. I’m somewhat interested in this thing. If I’m prepared, that power won’t be able to sweep your consciousness away so silently. I can follow it and see what’s happening,’ the cold voice spoke up again.
Zhuang Li was silent and did not agree.
’Don’t worry. For this matter, I won’t ask for a "price" from you,’ the cold voice added.
"Deal," Zhuang Li said slowly.
After that, the voice vanished and did not respond again.
Zhuang Li let out a long breath, her expression slightly complicated.
’If it were possible, I really wouldn’t want to make deals with that thing.’
’Because I don’t understand its origins, nor do I know its purpose.’
She sat back down on the bed and pondered for a moment.
’I need to gather information about Evil Cultivation in the vicinity, and even throughout Heqing Dao. I also need to check if this incident happened only to me. If things get out of hand, I’ll report it to the sect elders and ask them to intervene.’
"I feel like... some special impression was left behind," Zhuang Li muttered to herself, her gaze gradually drawn to the flickering candlelight on the lamp stand.
’Fire?’
She stared blankly, lost in a daze.
「Meanwhile, at the Red Heart Sect’s station in Guming County.」
He Xijun awoke with a start from her bed.
Once her mind was clear, she sensed the abnormality in her own body and immediately realized something strange had occurred.
Unlike Zhuang Li, being in Guming County, she was aware that some Blood Strengthening Realm disciples had undergone Evil Transformation in the middle of the night not long ago. In fact, one of those disciples had gone on a rampage after transforming, waking her up, and she had been the one to personally subdue them.
"The time now is..."
He Xijun’s expression was grave. She immediately walked to the window and looked at the sky, estimating the current time by the moon’s position.
"The timing also roughly matches. It seems what happened to me is closely related to that strange incident from before. I survived it, but I have absolutely no memory of what happened. I don’t know what transpired after I lost consciousness," He Xijun muttered to herself.
Just then, she suddenly heard the sound of hushed whispers outside her room. It seemed something had happened, as disciples were gathering outside in the middle of the night.
He Xijun frowned slightly and opened her door. She saw a group of disciples gathered together about a dozen rooms away. The door to that room had been violently smashed to pieces, which lay scattered on the floor.
"What’s going on?" He Xijun walked over and asked the gathered disciples.
"Senior Sister He."
Everyone bowed slightly to He Xijun. Then, one of them spoke up, "It was quite a commotion just now, Senior Sister. You really didn’t know? About an hour ago, Junior Brother Wang, who lives here, underwent Evil Transformation for some reason. He grew green fur all over his body, smashed his door, and attacked the surrounding disciples. He was subdued later and has now been taken away by Elder Qiu."
"It wasn’t just Junior Brother Wang. Several other junior and senior brothers also underwent Evil Transformation one after another within the last four hours. It seems to be related to the last incident. It’s just too unnatural."
A look of terror appeared on one disciple’s face. Overt Evil Spirits weren’t what was truly frightening. The real terror was this kind of strangeness, with no known source or cause.
Hearing this, He Xijun’s expression darkened. She immediately understood that her own experience was also related to this.
"Where is Elder Qiu? I need to see him," He Xijun asked the surrounding disciples with a grave expression.