The room was pitch black, so dark you couldn’t even see your hand in front of you.

Chu Hanjin elbowed Yue Lin, pushing him away as he prepared to go help his senior brother. But Yue Lin, clearly irritated, grabbed him and pulled him back.

“Can’t you just listen for once?” Yue Lin’s shout sent a chill down Chu Hanjin’s spine. He met Yue Lin’s piercing golden gaze, not backing down as he retorted, “Why should I listen to you?”

Without hesitation, Chu Hanjin reached for his sword, the blade singing as it unsheathed, ready to fight back.

Yue Lin’s face darkened with anger, and a surge of energy flowed through his hand. He struck out blindly, and with a loud crash, a stone table shattered into several large pieces, revealing a hidden, pitch-black passage underneath.

Chu Hanjin was stunned: “…”

Yue Lin was equally speechless: “…”

Chu Hanjin blinked in surprise. “What’s this?”

Yue Lin lowered his gaze, reining in his spiritual energy. “Looks like there’s actually a secret passage. I was going to suggest we search together, but who knew it was hidden under the table?”

Chu Hanjin stared at him. “What do you mean?”

“Xue Wuya came to the Celestial Burial Pit, but no matter how hard we searched, we couldn’t find his body. His spiritual energy vanished around this spot,” Yue Lin said, tapping the broken stone. “This proves there must be another way out.”

Chu Hanjin’s face remained unreadable. “I’ve been in Yuan Shan Sect for years and never knew about this secret passage.”

Yue Lin examined the freshly disturbed dirt around the passage. He rubbed a bit between his fingers and blew it off lightly. “This is newly dug. It’s not surprising you didn’t know.”

He looked down, as if contemplating something. Suddenly, he laughed, his voice full of excitement, as though he’d met a worthy adversary. “Impressive, impressive. This passage is nine feet deep, wide enough for several grown men to walk side by side. To pull off such a large project in the Celestial Burial Pit without using spiritual energy—imagine the skill and the guts that would take.”

Chu Hanjin’s heart tightened.

Yue Lin raised an eyebrow. “Shall we go down and check it out?”

Chu Hanjin didn’t answer immediately. He kept his gaze fixed on Yue Lin.

…He still didn’t know whether to trust this man.

Ever since Yue Lin suddenly appeared, a series of strange events had occurred around Chu Hanjin, all difficult to explain. Although Yue Lin claimed to be a cultivator from the Hundred Families, the fact that his massive sword could shatter the Dao Sect leader’s long blade proved he wasn’t just an ordinary person.

Yue Lin stepped onto the edge of the passage, scuffing the dirt with the toe of his dark shoe. He raised his chin. “What’s the matter?”

Before Chu Hanjin could respond, Yue Lin seemed to understand his hesitation. He unslung his massive sword, casually and nonchalantly handing it over. “If I try to hurt you, you can use this sword to kill me.”

“…” Chu Hanjin’s brows furrowed in confusion.

He didn’t understand.

He was more and more confused.

A cultivator’s sword was deeply personal, and many cultivators would go to great lengths to protect their weapons, only revealing them in battle. But Yue Lin handed over his sword so freely.

Chu Hanjin didn’t reach for it.

Yue Lin said, “I’m not doing this to make you trust me. I’m only giving you my sword because I trust you.”

His words were sincere, almost noble. Chu Hanjin’s expression softened slightly. “If you truly knew me, you’d know that I would never keep your sword.”

If they were to fight, it would be a fair one.

“This passage might help solve the mystery of Xue Wuya. Whether you join me or not, I’m going to investigate,” Chu Hanjin decided.

“Let’s go.”

The passage was around nine feet tall and wide, carved from the pit of bones. The walls were filled with white, skeletal remains and strands of black hair embedded in the dirt. Occasionally, a half-buried eyeball could be seen, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

The further they went, the colder it became, the chill biting into their skin, sending shivers down their spines.

Yue Lin glanced at Chu Hanjin. “Are you scared?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “No.”

“That makes sense. Someone with a clear conscience wouldn’t fear ghosts knocking on their door.”

“…”

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes briefly, feeling a bit annoyed.

Why did this guy… always find ways to praise him?

The compliments were so over-the-top that even Chu Hanjin felt embarrassed.

Up ahead, the space opened into a larger, brighter area. The ground had been leveled, and a stone platform had been constructed. At its center was a round stone, surrounded by six slabs of stone etched with intricate runes. The design looked like it was meant for some sort of ritual.

Chu Hanjin reached out to touch the platform. The moment his hand made contact, flames flickered to life, indicating that someone had recently left this place.

“Who?” Yue Lin suddenly asked.

Chu Hanjin quickly turned, spotting a shadow in the corner. It was a figure, pale and ghostly, hanging by its neck in a stiff, unnatural position.

Chu Hanjin approached cautiously.

Yue Lin, cradling his sword, recognized the figure. “Xue Wuya?”

Chu Hanjin felt a chill run through his body.

Xue Wuya’s outer robes had been stripped away, leaving him in a pristine white undergarment. An iron hook pierced through his throat, leaving him suspended by the neck. His toes barely touched the ground, arms hanging limp like a corpse, his blood drained while still alive.

“… Just days ago, he was basking in glory after winning the competition,” Chu Hanjin’s heart burned with rage. “Who could do something so vile?!”

His anger caused his pulse to quicken. As he stepped onto the rune-covered platform, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him.

He had been here before!

Not only that…

Flashes of fragmented memories flooded his mind—

The first image: a dark, sinister lair, so dim it seemed like the abyss itself, where light could never reach. Vengeful spirits drifted around, and the air was thick with the stench of decay. Twisted, monstrous trees grew wild, and a river of blood flowed endlessly into the distance.

The second image: a cave lit by red candles…

A pair of long, muscular legs slightly parted, skin pale like jade, tinged with the pink flush of ripened fruit…

Someone was speaking. What were they saying?

What were they saying?

Breaths mixed with low, mocking laughter, like a fire burning against the skin as a voice whispered in his ear…

The person said…

They said…

Their voice was hoarse, breathless:

“I can feel it deep inside you.”

“!!!”

It was as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over Chu Hanjin. He shivered violently, his whole body freezing. He snapped out of the vision and looked around at the dark cave.

His breathing quickened. His dark eyes flicked about, and beads of sweat rolled down his pale, refined jawline, dripping from his sharp, delicate throat like rain falling from a flower.

Only then did he realize that someone was holding him.

A low voice spoke beside him. “Chu Hanjin?”

Hearing this voice, Chu Hanjin shuddered again and turned his head to meet Yue Lin’s gaze.

Maybe he was dreaming. Maybe he was experiencing some kind of spiritual deviation.

Otherwise, why did these thoughts keep invading his mind?

Chu Hanjin steadied himself, his expression returning to normal.

He used his sword to push himself to his feet, but Yue Lin caught him by the wrist. With his eyes lowered, Yue Lin frowned slightly. “Your spiritual energy is unstable. What’s going on?”

Chu Hanjin tried to pull away, but Yue Lin’s grip was firm. He felt a surge of Yue Lin’s powerful spiritual energy flow into his body, circulating through him, not just transferring energy but also diagnosing his condition.

After a moment, warmth spread through Chu Hanjin’s abdomen.

Yue Lin’s energy suddenly stopped.

The cold wind blew through the passage, and Yue Lin’s hand seemed to freeze, his long, slender fingers tightening around Chu Hanjin’s wrist, but he didn’t dare apply any pressure. The veins on the back of his hand bulged as if from strain.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Hanjin asked.

Yue Lin didn’t respond, his brows furrowing deeply.

Chu Hanjin waited a moment.

When Yue Lin still didn’t answer, Chu Hanjin gently pulled his hand away and said, “Thanks. I feel much better now.”

Slowly, Yue Lin raised his head.

His handsome face was now filled with a mix of unreadable emotions, his gaze sharp and intense, like a hawk locked onto its prey. His eyes bore into Chu Hanjin’s face as though trying to see right through him.

Chu Hanjin said, “If you have something to say, just say it.”

Yue Lin’s thin lips twitched slightly. “It’s nothing. I lost my composure.”

He half-closed his eyes, appearing to think for a moment before asking, “Have you felt unwell recently?”

“No,” Chu Hanjin replied.

“Tired? Weak?”

“Also no.”

“Trouble sleeping? Dry mouth?”

“Still no.”

Yue Lin helped Chu Hanjin stand up, supporting him gently by the waist. Once he was sure Chu Hanjin was steady, he said, “Take care of yourself.”

His words sounded like a doctor giving advice, and with no further comment, Chu Hanjin didn’t ask any more questions. As he prepared to move on, he noticed Yue Lin deep in thought, slowly unsheathing his massive sword. He wrapped his hand in the black cloth and gripped the cold hilt tightly.

Chu Hanjin glanced at him again. “Why are you drawing your weapon?”

Yue Lin replied, “There could be danger ahead. I’m just getting ready.”

Chu Hanjin knew Yue Lin wasn’t telling the truth but didn’t press the matter. Still, he hated being kept in the dark, so after a moment, he coldly remarked:

“Always so mysterious.”

“…”

Ahead of them was a dark tunnel. As Chu Hanjin prepared to move forward, a gust of cold wind blew past, wrapping around his ankles and lifting his white robes.

He took a step, and the wind tugged hard at his sleeves, as if trying to pull him back.

Chu Hanjin said, “It’s a vengeful spirit.”

But this spirit was too weak, unable to even take shape, only capable of these small tricks to get Chu Hanjin’s attention.

Chu Hanjin pulled out a talisman and burned it, summoning a deep crimson cloth in the air. The blood on it had already dried, filthy and grim.

Chu Hanjin said, “Lead the way.”

The blood-soaked cloth floated forward a few steps, turning to reveal Xue Wuya’s pale, youthful face.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but his lips had been sewn shut with needle and thread. The slightest movement caused fresh blood to ooze out.

Chu Hanjin said, “Someone sealed his mouth so he couldn’t reveal the truth.”

Yue Lin tilted his head. “What do we do?”

Chu Hanjin gazed into Xue Wuya’s eyes. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

A nod.

Yue Lin asked, “Was the culprit someone from the Six Sects?”

Xue Wuya first nodded, then shook his head.

Chu Hanjin turned to Yue Lin. “What does that mean?”

Yue Lin thought for a moment before asking Xue Wuya, “Were there more than one perpetrator?”

A nod.

Yue Lin continued, “One of them is from the Six Sects, and one is not?”

A nod.

A cold wind swept through the air, carrying the faint sound of distant, chilling music, as if a stringed instrument were playing, adding to the icy atmosphere.

Suddenly, Xue Wuya’s eyes widened in horror, his eyeballs bulging as he stared at Chu Hanjin. Even though his lips were stitched shut, he struggled violently, making muffled “mmph” sounds as blood-tears streamed down his face.

What was causing him to go mad all of a sudden?

Chu Hanjin and Yue Lin exchanged glances.

Chu Hanjin turned to Xue Wuya. “What are you trying to tell me?”

A nod.

After nodding, Xue Wuya turned to look down at the passage and closed his eyes.

Chu Hanjin asked, “Do you want me to leave quickly?”

A nod.

Chu Hanjin asked, “Is this place very dangerous?”

Xue Wuya nodded vigorously!