2
Encounter demons on the road
Chang Ci was already severely wounded, lying on the ground. Gui Si gathered his Qi and unleashed the move “Earth Shakes and Mountains Tremble,” instantly unleashing Demonic Aura in all directions. Anyone present who was touched by the Demonic Aura perished on the spot.
On this day, the Chang family suffered this great calamity. Knowing his life was nearing its end and fearing the Chang family would have no descendants, Chang Ci mustered all his remaining strength to execute the move “Ride the Wind and Break the Waves.” As the Demonic Aura surged toward him, he used its momentum to retreat. In this final burst of energy, Chang Ci moved even faster than usual.
Chang Ci rushed to the backyard and saw Chang Weiqi alone in the study, reading. Without a word, he grabbed Chang Weiqi and fled at top speed. At that time, Gui Si was heavily injured and not skilled in speed, so he did not dare to pursue recklessly. But Chang Ci dared not stop, eventually exhausting his strength and collapsing in the woods of the eastern suburbs.
Seeing his father on the brink of death, Chang Weiqi’s tears streamed down his face, unable to utter a word. Chang Ci gently stroked Weiqi’s black hair and sighed, “Our Chang family has suffered this calamity, partly because the enemy was truly powerful, and partly because we have grown complacent in recent years. That such a formidable demon has emerged in this world, and I had not even heard of it—truly, I have been like a frog at the bottom of a well.”
Chang Weiqi did not know what to do and could only cry incessantly. Knowing his time was short, Chang Ci began to settle his affairs. “Our Chang family has been able to establish itself in Tonggu entirely due to the Soul-Grasping Sword Technique and this Chan Water Pearl.”
As he spoke, he took out the Chan Water Pearl and two secret manuals from his robe—one was the Soul-Grasping Sword Technique, and the other was called Frost Spirit Qi. “Although Frost Spirit Qi is our Chang family’s inherited Qi technique, it is not particularly profound. However, with the aid of the Chan Water Pearl, cultivating Qi becomes twice as effective. If you find a better Qi technique in the future, you need not practice Frost Spirit Qi.”
“My child, remember this: he is the Mountain-Shaking Bear, known as Gui Siye. Go to Weidao City, hone your skills, and live well.” With that, Chang Ci shattered the Chan Water Pearl and, using his last ounce of strength, infused its Spiritual Qi into Chang Weiqi’s body.
Chang Weiqi only gave Qian Lingyan a general account of these events, as he himself had heard it from his father and was unclear about the details.
Chang Weiqi omitted the matters of the Chan Water Pearl and the Soul-Grasping Sword Technique, not revealing the full truth to Qian Lingyan. It was not that he distrusted Qian Lingyan, but rather out of caution.
“Brother Weiqi, please accept my condolences,” Qian Lingyan said.
“Mhm,” Chang Weiqi replied softly.
Unconsciously, the two had arrived at a village outside the city.
“Look, the sun has risen. It’s a new day, a beautiful day,” Qian Lingyan said, composing himself as he knocked on the door of a residence.
Chang Weiqi echoed, “Yes, a new day.”
The one who came to answer the door was a young girl, about Qian Lingyan’s age. She wore her hair in a ponytail, dressed in a fitted light-blue casual outfit with no unnecessary adornments, appearing neat and tidy, with delicate features. Her tone was bright and cheerful. “Dad, Qian Lingyan is here.”
“Good morning, Senior Sister Qu,” Qian Lingyan said with a smile, bowing in greeting. This Senior Sister Qu was named Qu Yue, the only daughter of Qian Lingyan’s martial arts teacher, Qu Liushang.
“No need for false courtesy with me. When have you ever bowed at the academy?” It seemed Senior Sister Qu was quite familiar with Qian Lingyan in private. “Oh, who is this?” Seeing an outsider present, Qu Yue toned down her demeanor.
Qian Lingyan gestured for Chang Weiqi to introduce himself.
“Chang Weiqi,” Chang Weiqi said, unsure how to introduce himself and simply stating his name.
Qian Lingyan interjected, “He’s currently working at my home, so you might be gaining another junior brother.” Qian Lingyan hadn’t spoken first because he was already prepared to integrate Chang Weiqi into his circle, so communication was necessary, even if it was just mentioning a name.
Qian Lingyan spoke as if he had full confidence in Chang Weiqi entering the Qian Family. The Qian Family held considerable strength among the Seven Great Families of the Weidao Alliance. Chang Weiqi thought to himself, if I can enter Qian Manor, it would be an opportunity for me.
As the three of them talked, they walked into the room. Qu Liushang was seated in the main chair, his expression dignified.
Qian Lingyan bowed and said, “Your disciple Qian Lingyan pays respects to Master.”
Qu Liushang simply said “Sit” and gestured for Qian Lingyan to take a seat. Chang Weiqi stood silently behind Qian Lingyan, already considering himself a member of the Qian Family—or rather, Qian Lingyan’s person.
Qu Liushang merely assumed Chang Weiqi was Qian Lingyan’s new servant and didn’t pay him much attention. Qian Lingyan took out a brocade box from his robe and handed it to Qu Liushang, saying, “The New Year is approaching, and your disciple has prepared a humble gift. Please accept it, Master.” Inside the box was a jade pendant, not a rare treasure, but still somewhat uncommon. Knowing Qu Liushang’s fondness for jade, Qian Lingyan had chosen it to suit his taste.
Qu Liushang didn’t stand on ceremony. He grunted in acknowledgment and placed the box on the tea table beside him. “Lingyan, go demonstrate a few moves with your senior sister. Let me see if you’ve neglected your training during these days off.”
“How could this disciple dare to spar with Senior Sister?”
“Qian Lingyan, stop talking nonsense. If my father tells you to fight, then fight!” Qu Yue said, turning and walking into the courtyard, already assuming a stance.
“Senior Sister, please go easy on me.” Qian Lingyan knew that during these days off, this Senior Sister Qu had been itching for a fight, and any refusal would be pointless.
Qu Yue struck first. Her moves were extremely fast, well-structured in offense and defense, and quite sophisticated. Despite her young age, she displayed the poise of a master. In contrast, Qian Lingyan’s techniques were plain and straightforward, executed with precision but lacking in finesse. Before long, he found himself at a disadvantage.
Qu Yue pressed another attack. Qian Lingyan took a step back, narrowly avoiding her fist. But Qu Yue suddenly crouched low, supporting herself on her left foot while sweeping her right leg in a move called “Sweeping Autumn Wind,” hooking Qian Lingyan’s left foot. Thinking quickly, Qian Lingyan used the momentum before his right foot left the ground to abruptly exert force, flipping sideways to the left. Before he could land, Qu Yue had already risen and launched another punch. Qian Lingyan curled into a ball, ensuring Qu Yue’s strike would only hit his limbs or back. Though sent flying, he didn’t land awkwardly. He twisted his body, adjusted his center of gravity, and landed on both feet. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he charged forward, leaping up with a knee strike. Qu Yue, having just thrown a punch, was caught off guard and could only cross her arms to protect her chest. Even so, she was forced back a step.
Qian Lingyan had just landed on the ground when he abruptly crouched low, executing the very move “Sweeping Autumn Wind” that Qu Yue had just used. However, Qian Lingyan initiated his attack a moment too late, and Qu Yue reacted swiftly, evading the strike with a sideways flip. Seizing the moment before Qu Yue could land, Qian Lingyan rose and threw a punch. Yet, unlike Qian Lingyan earlier, Qu Yue had not been swept off her feet by “Sweeping Autumn Wind,” allowing her to counter with ease. The punch Qian Lingyan threw was caught and clamped by Qu Yue’s hands while she was still in mid-air. With his move fully extended, Qian Lingyan had no room left for a counterattack. As Qu Yue landed, she seized Qian Lingyan’s right arm and took a quick step back. Qian Lingyan stumbled, his feet leaving the ground, and Qu Yue ended the fight with a stylish shoulder throw. Qu Yue lifted her head proudly, giving her ponytail a triumphant flick.
“Ouch, that really hurt! Couldn’t you have gone easier on me, Senior Sister?” Qian Lingyan got up, brushing the dust off his clothes while complaining about his senior sister’s heavy-handedness.
Before Qu Yue could respond, Qu Liushang spoke up.
“Lingyan, I’ve long advised you to learn a set of fist techniques. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been defeated so quickly against Yue’er.”
“Father, no matter what fist techniques he learns, they won’t be of any use against me.”
Qian Lingyan merely smiled, offering no argument.
“Learning moves on the spot only gives you a superficial resemblance; it’s hardly a strategy for facing opponents. Take this move ‘Sweeping Autumn Wind,’ for example—you executed it after landing, with an unstable foundation, so its power was greatly diminished,” Qu Liushang remarked.
“Your disciple will heed your teachings, Master.”
“Lingyan, the roads have been rather unsettled lately. You should head back early to spare your family any worry.” With that, Qu Liushang turned and entered the house.
Qian Lingyan whispered to Chang Weiqi, “See? Master is just trying to save on breakfast by scaring us off.”
Since Qu Liushang had effectively given them their marching orders, Qian and Chang couldn’t linger much longer.
Qu Yue escorted them to the gate, but Qian Lingyan was in no hurry to leave.
“Senior Sister, my mother misses you dearly. If you have time tomorrow, please visit the manor.”
Qu Yue had stayed at Qian Manor for a few days and had grown quite close to Qian Lingyan’s mother.
“You came all this way and didn’t bring a gift for your senior sister? I’m not going.”
Qian Lingyan hesitated briefly. “Who said I didn’t prepare anything?” he said, pulling a short dagger from his robe. The dagger was less than two feet long, crafted from fine steel that gleamed brightly. Embedded in the hilt was a genuine amethyst, about the size of a fish’s eye, crystal clear and truly beautiful.
In truth, Qian Lingyan hadn’t brought a gift for Qu Yue on this trip. The dagger had been a gift from his mother, and he had only received it a few days prior. Qian Lingyan knew Qu Yue was joking, but since he had something presentable on him, it wouldn’t do to keep it to himself.
Qu Yue didn’t stand on ceremony. “Thank you,” she said, tucking the dagger into her robe.
“Senior Sister, it’s settled then—you’ll definitely come tomorrow.” Seeing Qu Yue’s agreement, Qian Lingyan left with Chang Weiqi.
Chang Weiqi was preoccupied with his thoughts along the way. Having witnessed the spar between Qu Yue and Qian Lingyan, both of whom had held back their full strength yet displayed remarkable skill, he realized that Weidao City truly was a place where dragons and tigers lay hidden.
Qian Lingyan, on the other hand, was in much higher spirits, nearly skipping as he walked.
“Why don’t you learn fist techniques?” Chang Weiqi asked.
“Martial training emphasizes the fundamentals. If I master the basics first, learning techniques later will be twice as effective,” Qian Lingyan replied, his tone unconsciously growing quieter.
Chang Weiqi also sensed there was some hidden story here. To avoid awkwardness, he changed the subject. “You and your senior sister seem quite close.”
“Not bad.” Qian Lingyan seemed somewhat distracted.
Just as Chang Weiqi was thinking of ways to ease the atmosphere, he heard Qian Lingyan say, “Be careful.”
Seeing no one around, Chang Weiqi didn’t know what to be careful about.
“Someone was dragged into the woods—probably a demon. To dare cause trouble near Weidao City, they must have quite the nerve.”
Sure enough, not far away, there were several messy footprints and signs of someone being dragged. By now, the wind and snow had stopped. The victim was likely a traveler who had set out early to enter the city.
“This demon is reckless. It didn’t even clean up the traces after capturing a passerby, so it probably doesn’t have much power. Brother, you go into the city to seek help. I’ll follow the trail and see if I can save a life.” In truth, Qian Lingyan didn’t hold much hope, but he felt the situation was suspicious and couldn’t be ignored.
“No, it’s too dangerous for you to go alone. If you’re going, I’ll come with you.” Chang Weiqi hadn’t rested for a day and a night and was extremely tired, but he forced himself to stay alert.
“Well… alright. Let’s be careful.”
As the saying goes, newborn calves fear no tigers. The two of them, one after the other, walked into the woods.
They ventured deeper and deeper, now far from the main road leading into the city. The wind and snow had stopped, leaving the traces perfectly preserved. The path where the person had been dragged wound and twisted, extending deep into the forest, leading Qian and Chang to an unknown destination.
They proceeded with great caution, wary of anything that might suddenly leap out. After walking for about half an hour, they faintly heard a crunching sound in the distance. Though unfamiliar with the sound, they knew exactly what it was—the sound of sharp teeth crushing bones and chewing flesh. The two looked at each other, and for a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
“Have you practiced Qi techniques?” Qian Lingyan broke the silence first. It seemed he was preparing for a fight.
“I’ve practiced a bit of Ice-type Qi and learned a few sword techniques from my family.”
“Too bad we don’t have swords. I shouldn’t have given my dagger to my senior sister.” Qian Lingyan sighed. “Follow me and step in my footprints.” Chang Weiqi’s feet were slightly larger, just enough to cover Qian Lingyan’s footprints.
The snowy forest was eerily quiet, allowing sounds to travel far. After walking for a while longer, they turned around a tree and saw, fifty paces away, a blurry mass of flesh and blood. A Withered Ghost was feasting voraciously. This Withered Ghost was slightly shorter than an adult but much larger than Qian and Chang. It was emaciated, with a hunched posture, broad claws, and terrifying fangs over a foot long.
Chang Weiqi continued forward, now only thirty paces from the Withered Ghost. Unexpectedly, the creature was exceptionally alert and noticed Chang Weiqi. Seeing the danger, Chang Weiqi turned and ran. The Withered Ghost gave chase with long strides, bits of flesh and blood still clinging to its mouth falling to the ground as it shouted while pursuing, “Little brat, don’t run. I haven’t finished my feast, and here you come as dessert.”
After running for only a short while, Chang Weiqi seemed to exhaust his strength, slowing down considerably. The Withered Ghost was on the verge of catching up with him. Unexpectedly, a figure suddenly leaped from the tree branch above the Withered Ghost’s head—it was none other than Qian Lingyan. The Withered Ghost, seeing only its own footprints, Chang Weiqi’s footprints, and the dragging marks of the passerby on the ground, couldn’t fathom how Qian Lingyan had appeared. Could it be that he had hidden here before the blizzard, lying in ambush? Was he able to foresee the future?
Qian Lingyan jumped down from the tree and immediately wrapped his arms around the Withered Ghost from behind. Having seen the mangled body of the passerby from the tree, Qian Lingyan was furious, his eyes wide with rage and bloodshot. The Withered Ghost turned its head slightly and caught sight of this ferocious face, breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Hah!” Qian Lingyan roared directly into the Withered Ghost’s ear, as if venting the anger in his chest. He channeled all his Qi into this shout, causing the mountains and forests to tremble. The accumulated snow on the surrounding trees shook and swirled into the air, as if another snowfall had begun.
At that moment, the Withered Ghost’s eardrums ruptured, blood streaming from both ears. It felt the world spinning, with a relentless ringing in its ears. Struck by this attack, the Withered Ghost dared not take it lightly. Gritting through the pain, it grabbed Qian Lingyan’s left arm and hurled him away with great force.
Meanwhile, Chang Weiqi gathered Qi in his hands and charged forward. The Withered Ghost raised its arms, transforming them into sharp blades about a foot long, and struck swiftly. The snowy ground was slippery, making it difficult for Chang Weiqi to stop his momentum. Just as the Withered Ghost’s blade was about to pierce through him, Chang Weiqi felt a sudden force pushing him sideways. It was Qian Lingyan who had shoved him aside, taking the Withered Ghost’s blade strike himself. The Withered Ghost’s right arm, now a blade, pierced through Qian Lingyan’s left shoulder. Qian Lingyan felt pain searing to the bone and let out a cry that echoed through the mountains and forests. Fortunately, the Withered Ghost’s original target had been Chang Weiqi, and the sudden shift in focus weakened the force of the strike. Moreover, Qian Lingyan had reacted quickly, grabbing the Withered Ghost’s right arm with both hands as he charged in, altering the blade’s trajectory to avoid a fatal blow.
Now, one might wonder: how did Qian Lingyan, having been thrown by the Withered Ghost, manage to support Chang Weiqi in time?
In truth, the Withered Ghost hadn’t thrown Qian Lingyan to the ground but against a tree. Qian Lingyan had already anticipated his landing point, twisting his body in mid-air and pushing off the tree trunk with his feet. Unlike Chang Weiqi, who struggled to gain footing on the snowy ground, Qian Lingyan moved with such speed that he arrived later but acted first. Having once been sent flying by Qu Yue’s punch without falling, this was likely no difficult feat for Qian Lingyan.
Though his left shoulder was pierced, Qian Lingyan tightly gripped the Withered Ghost’s right arm with both hands. At this moment, the Withered Ghost could have easily raised its left arm’s blade to strike Qian Lingyan dead. However, Chang Weiqi had already steadied himself, gathering Qi in his right fist and aiming directly for the Withered Ghost’s head. The Withered Ghost tried to block the punch with its left arm, but its right arm, still held by Qian Lingyan, was trapped between the two, hindering its movement. How could it possibly block such a swift and powerful strike?
With no room to retreat and unable to withstand Chang Weiqi’s lethal punch, the Withered Ghost had no choice but to sever its own arm in agony and quickly retreat to preserve its life.
Qian Lingyan, severely injured and unable to fight, retreated and leaned against a tree to rest.
Forced to sever its own arm by two children, the Withered Ghost was seething with rage. It would not rest until these two children were dead.