The roar of the plane engines echoed through the cabin as the private aircraft descended toward Suzhou Airport. Ji Chen hadn't closed his eyes in over twelve hours. Su Wan lay motionless in his arms, her breath barely more than a flicker of life, the dark energy beneath her skin having already crept up to her neck.
Lin Mo, who had arranged the flight through the Special Affairs Bureau's internal channels, hung up a call with a grim expression.
"Did the Su family send anyone to pick us up?" Ji Chen asked hoarsely.
"No," Lin Mo said, his tone stiff. "They just sent an address. Said someone will meet you there."
Ji Chen clenched his teeth. The indifference shown by the Su family since last night was chilling. They clearly had the power to save Su Wan but insisted on waiting until she arrived before deciding whether or not she was worth saving—like evaluating whether a damaged item was worth repairing.
Outside the airport, a black Mercedes silently pulled up beside them. A middle-aged man with a stony face stepped out, his voice cold and mechanical. "Get in."
Throughout the drive, Ji Chen continued transferring spiritual energy into Su Wan's body to sustain her life force. The scenery outside the windows shifted from the city's bustle to the lush greenery of mountain forests. The road narrowed, eventually becoming a gravel path just wide enough for a single vehicle.
"We're here," the driver finally said.
The car stopped in front of what looked like an ordinary mountain gate. Weather-worn characters carved into the stone archway read: "Gusu Mystic Realm." Ji Chen stepped out, cradling Su Wan in his arms, only to find nothing but a dense bamboo grove beyond the gate—no sign of any estate or residence.
"Is this a joke?" Lin Mo snapped.
The driver ignored him. He walked to a stone lion to the left of the gate and pressed one of its eyes. The air shimmered. The bamboo grove rippled like a curtain being pulled aside, revealing a narrow path paved with green stone that snaked into the distance.
"Non-Su bloodline individuals are not permitted to enter," the driver said, stepping in front of Lin Mo.
Ji Chen's heart tightened. "But he—"
"Rules are rules." The driver cut him off coldly. "You may enter because Miss Su, before falling unconscious, declared you her dao partner. But he—" he glanced at Lin Mo, "—may not."
Lin Mo frowned and looked at Ji Chen. The latter gave a barely noticeable nod.
"I'll wait here," Lin Mo said, relenting. "Call me if you need anything."
Ji Chen took a breath and carried Su Wan along the green stone path. As soon as he stepped in, the entrance behind them closed silently. The bamboo forest returned to its original, undisturbed state, as if nothing had happened. Mist curled along the sides of the path, and luminous flora faintly lit their way.
After walking for about ten minutes, the scene ahead opened up. Nestled in a valley was a grand estate, its flying eaves and layered pavilions giving it an otherworldly air, as if stepping into ancient times. At the center of the main residence sat a massive bronze phoenix atop the roof, glinting mysteriously under the fading sunlight.
At the gate stood a few figures. At the front was a white-haired elder leaning on a dragon-headed cane—his face stern and full of authority. Next to him stood a young man in a luxurious tailored suit—Zhao Mingyang—wearing a mocking smirk as he eyed Ji Chen.
"…Grandfather…" Su Wan suddenly murmured weakly in Ji Chen's arms.
The white-haired elder—Su Yuancheng, current patriarch of the Su family—quickly stepped forward and placed two fingers on Su Wan's wrist. After a moment, his expression darkened.
"Soul Devouring Curse," he said gravely. "It's already reached her heart."
"Please, save her!" Ji Chen pleaded, his voice trembling.
Su Yuancheng ignored him. He turned to the servants behind him and commanded, "Prepare the Purification Pool. Summon the Third Elder from seclusion."
Two maids stepped forward to take Su Wan. Ji Chen instinctively tightened his hold.
"Young man," Su Yuancheng finally looked Ji Chen in the eye, "if you want her saved, you must let go."
Reluctantly, Ji Chen released her. The maids carefully lifted Su Wan and disappeared into the estate's depths, leaving him standing there with a crushing sense of emptiness.
"You are Ji Chen?" Su Yuancheng scrutinized him. "Su Wan said in her message that you are her dao partner?"
Ji Chen's throat tightened. This claim had been a desperate measure he and Lin Mo came up with. But under Su Yuancheng's piercing gaze, he found himself unable to lie.
"We… are companions," he admitted.
"Hah!" Zhao Mingyang burst out laughing. "I knew it. Like Su Wan would ever fall for some rogue cultivator!"
Su Yuancheng raised a hand to silence Zhao Mingyang and continued questioning Ji Chen. "Which sect do you belong to? What is your current cultivation level?"
"I have no sect. Mid-stage Spirit Initiation," Ji Chen replied truthfully.
"Mid-Spirit Initiation?" Zhao Mingyang sneered. "Even our gatekeepers are stronger than that."
Disappointment flickered across Su Yuancheng's eyes. "Wait here," he said. "Mingyang, come with me."
They turned and walked away, leaving Ji Chen alone in the courtyard. The sunset stretched his shadow long across the stone tiles, solitary and silent
Ji Chen sat in silence for what felt like hours before an elderly servant came and led him to a side room for rest. The room was simple yet clean, with a window offering a partial view of the main residence. Ji Chen paced, unable to settle. Several times he tried to leave and inquire about Su Wan's condition, only to be stopped by an invisible barrier—wards had been placed over the entire estate.
Night fell. The servant delivered food, but when Ji Chen asked about Su Wan, he only shook his head. Ji Chen forced himself to eat a few bites, the food tasteless in his mouth. He tried to circulate the Void Scripture, but the flow of spiritual energy was sluggish—clearly, the intense battles had depleted his reserves.
Just as he was about to attempt again, the door burst open. Zhao Mingyang strode in, wearing a self-satisfied smile.
"Came to see how miserable my rival looks," he sneered, placing a silencing barrier with a flick of his fingers. "Don't worry, Su Wan won't die. But…" He deliberately paused, "Once she recovers, she'll marry me."
Ji Chen clenched his fists. "Will she consent?"
"Does it matter?" Zhao Mingyang laughed coldly. "A half-blood like her should be grateful to marry into the Zhao clan. If it weren't for the Qingluan Fire cultivation rights, I wouldn't touch such a defective product."
Rage flared in Ji Chen's eyes, but he restrained himself. Acting rashly would only make things worse.
"Angry, are you?" Zhao Mingyang leaned close, suddenly striking Ji Chen in the chest. A burst of icy spiritual power invaded Ji Chen's body, throwing him against the wall. The aura felt disturbingly familiar—dark, cold, and corrupt.
"You… Night Owl Society…" Ji Chen gasped.
Zhao Mingyang's expression faltered for a brief second, then returned to smug. "Nonsense." He grabbed Ji Chen's collar. "Listen closely. Once Su Wan is well, disappear. If you speak a word of this…" He formed a wisp of black energy on his fingertip. "I'll let you taste the Soul Devouring Curse."
He threw Ji Chen aside and exited. The silence barrier lifted, leaving Ji Chen slumped on the floor, his insides burning from the tainted spiritual energy.
Worse still, the jade imprint on his palm began to glow hot. The Void Scripture was reacting violently to the foreign power.
"Ahhh—!"
Agonizing pain erupted. Ji Chen curled up, only to feel his consciousness yanked into a strange realm of endless mist.
"Where… am I?"
"The Hidden Realm of the Void Scripture," came an ancient voice.
The mists parted to reveal a translucent figure—an old man with white hair and robes, eyes bright like twin stars.
"You are…?"
"Tai Xuzi, or at least a fragment of my soul. I created the Void Scripture."
Ji Chen was speechless. Tai Xuzi—the mythical figure behind one of the most powerful ancient cultivation manuals—was speaking to him?
"No need to be shocked," the old man said gently. "Each of the nine Void Scriptures holds a sliver of my consciousness, awaiting a worthy heir. You were attacked by Night Owl's corrupt magic. The scripture's defense instinct triggered this realm."
"Su Wan… will she survive?" Ji Chen asked, voice trembling.
"She will. The Su Clan's Spirit Purification Pool will cleanse the curse. You, however…" Tai Xuzi's eyes sharpened. "Do you know the true origin of the Void Scripture? Why Night Owl seeks the scrolls so desperately?"
Ji Chen shook his head.
"A millennium ago, I traversed realms and compiled nine scrolls—each containing truths of cultivation. I later discovered that when united, the scrolls form the key to the Void Gate, a dimensional passage to a higher plane. My brother, Ming Zun, sought to exploit it for immortality."
"Ming Zun… the Night Owl's leader?"
"Yes." Tai Xuzi nodded. "I fought him and sealed him away, but the scrolls were scattered. Now, he gathers them again through the Night Owl Society."
Ji Chen's heart pounded. "Why me? I'm just an ordinary cultivator…"
"The Scripture chooses not by power, but by spirit." Tai Xuzi smiled. "Your heart holds light—and that is what we need most to fight the darkness."
As his words faded, the realm trembled. Tai Xuzi's image began to blur.
"Time is short. The scrolls resonate. Beware of Zhao Mingyang—his aura reeks of Ming Zun. Next time we meet, I will teach you the true essence…"
The mist engulfed everything.
Ji Chen jolted awake, lying on the floor of his room drenched in sweat. Moonlight streamed through the window. To his surprise, the corrupt energy Zhao Mingyang had planted was gone. More curiously, his cultivation had dropped from mid to early Spirit Initiation.
"What the…"
Camouflage, came a thought in his mind—clearly from the Scripture itself. Ji Chen realized it was a protective mechanism to make him appear weaker.
Just then, soft footsteps approached. The door creaked open.
"Su Wan?"
A cloaked figure entered. She pulled down her hood, revealing Su Wan's pale yet conscious face. Her left arm was bandaged.
"You're awake…"
"The purification worked, but Grandfather wants me to marry Zhao Mingyang in three days," she said quickly. "I snuck out. Ji Chen, you must leave at once—Zhao Mingyang…"
"…is connected to the Night Owl Society," Ji Chen finished. "I know."
Su Wan stared at him, stunned. "How… never mind. There's no time. I overheard that Qin Yue isn't dead—his soul returned to Night Owl HQ. They're preparing a ritual even worse than the Nine Yin Convergence Array."
Ji Chen shared his Hidden Realm experience. Su Wan listened, eyes wide.
"Tai Xuzi… the Void Gate… so that's the truth." She grabbed his hand. "Come. I know how to bypass the guards."
They slipped through the compound. Su Wan expertly avoided patrols. Ji Chen whispered, "Where are we going?"
"There's a secret tunnel behind the ancestral shrine, leading to a deserted tea house."
Before that, she stopped at a cliffside pavilion. "One thing I want you to see."
The moon bathed the ancestral estate in silver. Su Wan leaned against the railing.
"I came here often as a child… when the others mocked me as half-blood."
Ji Chen stood silently beside her.
"I trained hard, took dangerous missions, all for recognition. But to them, I'm just a pawn for marriage alliances."
"You're wrong," Ji Chen said quietly. "You're the bravest, strongest person I've met."
Su Wan turned to him, eyes gleaming. "Ji Chen… if I run away, will you help me?"
"Of course." He didn't hesitate. "Even if your clan disowns you."
"I've made up my mind," she said softly. "I want to live for myself, not as someone else's tool."
They shared a long, understanding gaze. Ji Chen resisted the urge to embrace her and instead gently squeezed her hand.
"Let's go."
Behind the ancestral hall, Su Wan activated a blood ward on a stone stele. It slid aside, revealing stairs.
"This tunnel only the direct bloodline knows. It leads to a ruined teahouse."
The descent was steep and narrow. Ji Chen's Spirit Vision helped them navigate.
"Why does Zhao Mingyang have Night Owl magic?" he asked.
"The Zhao clan has long dabbled in the dark arts—just no proof," Su Wan replied. "They play both sides."
As light appeared ahead, Ji Chen's chest tightened. "Wait—!"
A golden net dropped from above, paralyzing them with electrified force.
"Well, well," Zhao Mingyang's voice echoed.
Torches flared to reveal him and four Su Clan guards.
"You followed me?" Su Wan spat.
"No need. Your grandfather predicted you'd flee and guessed the route."
Ji Chen struggled, but the net resisted cultivation.
"Let him go!" Su Wan shouted. "I'll return."
"Too late," Zhao sneered. "He must die."
He drew a dagger and approached Ji Chen. Su Wan thrashed wildly.
"If you touch him, I'll make you suffer!"
"Empty threats." Zhao raised the blade.
Just then—the tunnel trembled violently.
"What the—?"
The jade mark on Ji Chen's palm blazed. A surge of power burst forth.
"N-No way… that's Nascent Soul-level!"
With a deafening boom, the net shattered. Ji Chen floated mid-air, wreathed in golden light. He raised his hand, releasing a thunderous bolt at Zhao.
Zhao barely blocked it, sent crashing into a wall.
"Ji Chen?" Su Wan whispered.
"I… can't hold this… long…" he murmured, then collapsed.
Su Wan caught him, his body burning hot.
"Hold on." She slung him over her back and ran toward the exit.
Outside, moonlight illuminated the winding mountain road ahead.
Behind them, the alarm bells of the Su Clan estate rang out—but Su Wan never looked back.