Chapter 39: Demon (Part 1)

"Damn it, how could that thing appear in a place like this??"

Spurring his horse toward He Dong Xian, Wang Wu cursed loudly in his heart. It was impossible under normal circumstances; even at night, something like that shouldn't appear on the outskirts of Wang Gu Lin!!

Wang Wu hadn't seen it at all until this thing showed up at the forest's edge.

Ghosts are like that—extremely hidden. The lower‑level ones are manageable, but the higher‑level ones often go unnoticed until they stand right before you.

But by then, it's usually already too late.

His earlier uneasy remark was actually about the conditions inside Wang Gu Lin, not about discovering that paper‑wrapped human head.

After all, he lived there, so he knew it well—it was his home. Yet when he returned today, he found a scent in the house, a very pleasant smell.

He had never smelled this before, and the aroma held a huge allure for him. Clearly, this was anything but normal.

Just as he was about to examine the forest more closely, the paper‑wrapped head sprang out.

Having lived in Wang Gu Lin for nearly half a year as a monster, he still didn't know what this thing was called, but he knew exactly where it came from.

Wang Gu Lin is called that because countless people have died there—not a thousand or two, not ten thousand or twenty thousand, but an uncountable number.

He didn't know exactly how far back, but after reaching He Dong Xian, he learned it was about eight hundred years ago.

Eight hundred years ago, the land was not ruled by Great Zhou; back then its ruler belonged to a dynasty called "Shang". Yes, the country Wang Wu now lives in is called Great Zhou, and the preceding one was Great Shang.

Great Shang was a dynasty that had endured for a very long time, and even the townsfolk aren't clear on exactly how long its lineage lasted.

Anyway, Li Yuan said the oldest thing he's ever seen was a magical artifact from about three thousand years ago, and that thing dates back to the Great Shang era.

Wang Gu Lin, Si Hun Shan, in the distant past, were a city of the Great Shang dynasty. Ordinary cities wouldn't be built in mountains and forests, but this city was clearly extraordinary.

It was a "City that Reaches Heaven", simply put, a place dedicated to live sacrifices.

For millennia, countless people have died on that mountain. Great Shang was an extremely powerful and brutal civilization, and within it, live sacrifice was the most important affair, one of the top two events that ran through the dynasty's lifeline.

Through blood sacrifice they communicated with the heavens, a realm called the "Heavenly Court"; the Shang people gained great martial power. Their army was invincible, conquering every land within sight.

Since then, blood sacrifice became a first‑rate event and grand ceremony of the Great Shang dynasty.

However, the Great Shang dynasty rose because of blood sacrifice, and it also perished because of it.

At this moment, on the Guan Dao of the Great Zhou dynasty, Wang Wu, Li Yuan, and Wang Lan were at the front of the group. Since Wang Wu reacted first, he also pulled Wang Lan and Li Yuan along while fleeing.

The others followed these three, but not far behind—at most about twenty meters slower.

Behind them, no one dared to look back; after Wang Wu said "Don't look back", everyone just rode their horses forward with heads down.

"What is that thing!? Brother Li, do you know? Is there any way to deal with it?" While on his horse, Wang Wu turned to Li Yuan and asked.

Li Yuan was the strongest and most knowledgeable among them. He came from the great Southern Province sect "Qingping Sect" and was an outstanding disciple of his generation.

"Those ghost things in Wang Gu Lin, they're often relics from dynasties thousands of years ago; how could I possibly know??" Li Yuan didn't even dare to turn his head toward Wang Wu, shouting from the horse:

"Don't look back! Just run! No matter what, get to He Dong Xian first! If that fails, hide in the nearest village!!!"

Everyone galloped wildly, no one dared to look back; they didn't know how far the monster behind them was.

"Hee hee, haha, hee hee hee hee… Eek…"

Everyone heard it—a sound coming from behind, as if right next to them, as if at their ears.

It was like a man but not a man, like a woman but not a woman. Like a laugh but not a laugh, like a cry but not a cry.

"Come… come…"

"Haha… hee hee hee, come, come…"

"Big brother!!! Save me!!!!"

At the rear of the group, a member heard the mournful, desperate voice behind, his mind went blank, and he instantly turned his head, shouting:

"Little brother!!!"

However, what he saw was a ghastly white face, its eyelids ripped open, revealing two black eyeballs, its scarlet mouth gaping.

Only then did he realize he was the last person in the line.

And his brother had died five years ago.

Looking at that face, the man's urgent expression gradually relaxed, becoming numb.

He stared blankly at the face, unable to utter a sound. The steed he rode slowed gradually and finally stopped on the road.

The face drew nearer and nearer, until it was right before the man. Only then did he come to his senses.

But what met him was only that black, foul‑stinking, rotting‑scented gaping mouth.

At that moment, everyone still galloping heard the dull crack of breaking bones and the dying whinny of the horses.

At that moment, everyone's body jolted.

Someone died.

A strong scent of blood flooded each nostril, spreading faster than their sprint.

"Where's your magical artifact? The artifact!?" At that moment, the blood scent made Wang Wu's heart jump, and he asked Li Yuan again, "Don't you have a ghost‑driving magical artifact??"

"I've used it long ago!!!" Li Yuan shouted, "It doesn't work at all! This thing is no longer an ordinary evil spirit; it's a sin—"

While speaking, Li Yuan produced a purple talisman from his Heaven-and-Earth Sleeve; as he looked at the paper, a flash of pain crossed his eyes.

Then he bit his finger, smeared blood on the talisman with a few strong strokes, and hurled it skyward.

"Go!!!" Li Yuan shouted loudly.

The talisman flew into the sky, instantly blazing with golden light, turning into a light sphere that shot toward the backs of the group.

Eek—!!!!

A scream came from behind; everyone could hear the anger in it, and also the fear.

"Haha! It worked!" Li Yuan's expression brightened; not only he, but everyone felt it at that moment.

After Li Yuan threw the talisman, the ever‑present close‑by feeling vanished instantly. Everyone's hearts relaxed.

"Haha! Damn it, it's truly the treasure my master gave me!!" Having escaped danger, Li Yuan, still sweating, couldn't hide his joy.

But that smile on his face lasted only a second.

Because about seven or eight hundred meters ahead, at an unknown moment, a figure suddenly appeared.

It stood there quietly; that face was stunningly beautiful, yet at the same time hideously shocking.

Ghost behind, demon ahead.

"Your mother… " Seeing the thing ahead, Wang Wu's heart, which had just warmed, instantly cooled again.

(End of chapter)