Chapter Twenty-One: The Cursed Village (1)

Baihong Village—a place untouched by cultivators—had always been an ordinary, peaceful settlement. Its people lived carefree, uninvolved in the world’s strife. But just a few months ago, the village had become unrecognizable, utterly transformed into a cursed place.

Each night, the villagers underwent a terrifying change, as if afflicted by a mysterious illness. They became no longer ordinary, but people of unnatural strength, impervious to blades or arrows—inhuman, in every sense. Yet when the sun rose, they returned to normal, indistinguishable from any other common folk. The once idyllic paradise had descended into a city of curses. What hidden secret lay behind this calamity?

And now, Fire Qilin and Little Azure, together with a traveler from the future, had arrived. Could they break the curse and uncover the truth woven into this place?

Murong Xue stood at the entrance to Baihong Village. A massive stone bore the name, inscribed in ancient script. Were it not for her studies of archaic characters from the Spring and Autumn period, she would not have recognized the name at all.

Truth be told, she had never been drawn to study for its own sake. But the prospect of traversing time, of adventuring through the ancient world, had compelled her to dedicate herself to learning these old scripts. They were not only more complex in stroke but also more difficult to comprehend. In her own time, the simplified characters were clear, familiar as the lines of her own palm, learned from childhood. These ancient forms, so foreign and intricate, could never be replaced so easily. Perhaps that was why they were so hard to master.

Traveling through time was exhilarating, but the rigorous training required beforehand was not something most people could endure. In the modern world, with phones and computers so readily available, all pleasures and comforts were at hand. The past, by contrast, offered none of these things. It was only the thrill of time travel that made her willing to suffer such inhuman preparation—all for the chance at adventure.

As the very first person in history to traverse the ages, Murong Xue had to relinquish her modern devices to excel in her training. And so, she had claimed the top spot, earning the right to journey through time. Once her mission ended, she could return and indulge in her devices as before; the hardships of training would matter little then.

Fire Qilin and Little Azure were not surprised—since Murong Xue was an immortal, of course she understood their country’s language and script, just as she had spoken with Fire Qilin upon meeting him, inquiring about the things she wished to know.

Together, the three stepped into the city of curses.

At that moment, a man approached, his face wreathed in a welcoming smile.

“Greetings,” he said, “I am the village chief. You have traveled far to reach us—how may I assist you?”

Murong Xue replied, “We only need shelter for two hours.”

“Guests from afar are always welcome. Please, follow me,” the chief said.

Thus, he led them into the village, bringing them into his own home. But soon after they entered, a figure riding a flying sword cut through the void and arrived—Lord Xuan Yijian of Xuan City, relentless in his pursuit.

Were it not for his mastery of sword flight, he would never have caught up so swiftly with Fire Qilin and his companions.

Elsewhere in the village, in a secret underground chamber, a man suddenly opened his eyes and gazed at the ceiling above.

He knew a formidable master had arrived in the village. But a moment later, a sly smile crept across his lips. Careful not to draw attention, he simply began to recite an incantation while seated in meditation.

As the last words of the chant fell, a faint red light flared at the napes of all the villagers—including the chief. It lasted only an instant, so weak and dim that Fire Qilin and his friends remained entirely unaware. Even Lord Xuan Yijian—wandering through the village, not entering homes—noticed nothing amiss. The outsiders remained oblivious to the transformation overtaking the villagers.

Moments later, the chief returned with several bowls of tea to welcome his guests. Yet he had surreptitiously added a tasteless, colorless sedative to the tea—something undetectable to most, unless one was immune to all poisons or exceptionally cautious.

Murong Xue, parched, was about to drain her bowl when she suddenly recalled an essential rule for surviving the martial world: Always beware of others.

“Chief, please don’t be offended,” she said. “It’s not that I mistrust you, but caution is a necessity on the road.”

As she spoke, she pulled a silver needle from her hair—her locks now in disarray, but what did it matter? In this ancient world, no one knew her, and she had no concern for their opinions. She dipped the needle into the tea.

She withdrew it moments later, examining it carefully. The needle remained untarnished, showing no sign of blackening—proof, in her mind, that the tea was safe and the chief meant them no harm.

In truth, the silver needle could only detect potent poisons; sedatives and slow-acting toxins would not reveal themselves. Murong Xue had simply watched too many dramas in her own time, believing silver could reliably test for poison.

Satisfied, they drank the tea under the chief’s enigmatic smile, conversing idly for a few moments before all three fell unconscious.

Only upon awakening did they realize the chief had deceived them. Yet, by chance, their misfortune would lead them to liberate the villagers and restore their freedom.

Meanwhile, Lord Xuan Yijian went door to door, seeking word of Fire Qilin and Little Azure.

“Tell me,” he demanded, “have you seen two children, a boy and a girl? The girl is not entirely human.”

A villager hesitated. “I think I might have…”

“Where? Speak!” the lord barked.

“Sir, please… release me first. I can barely breathe…”

At that, Lord Xuan Yijian let go, and the terrified villager divulged the whereabouts of Fire Qilin and Little Azure—pointing him toward the chief’s house.

He arrived in haste, but by then, the chief had already transferred the captives to another’s secret chamber, locking them away.

When Lord Xuan Yijian entered the house, the chief attempted to trick him as he had the others. Yet before he could utter more than a word, Lord Xuan Yijian silenced him with a threat: if the chief did not immediately reveal the children's location, he would kill not only the chief but the entire village. The threat struck fear into the chief’s heart.

Left with no choice, the chief led Lord Xuan Yijian to the underground chamber, though this too was within another’s design. There was no other way—such was the lord’s hatred for Fire Qilin and Little Azure.

No one knew how these two children had so gravely offended such a formidable master, driving him to pursue them single-handedly, heedless of his own safety. But that was not the concern of the one orchestrating these events. Indeed, such hatred could be turned to advantage.

When Lord Xuan Yijian reached the chamber and saw the unconscious trio, he prepared to slaughter them without hesitation.

But in that instant, the chamber’s array activated—a small barrier sprang up, trapping him within its confines.

A trap, perfectly set. Had Lord Xuan Yijian not been so blinded by vengeance, he would never have fallen into the hands of the chamber’s master.

To be captured alive—what humiliation for a city lord! Worse still, if he were killed here, his family and everything he had built would surely be destroyed.

He had never imagined such a fate. With his cultivation, dispatching two children should have been effortless. Now, ensnared in a barrier, his life was at stake. Panic set in.

“Who dares?” he roared. “Who dares to imprison me here?”

A mocking laugh echoed through the chamber. “Well, well, Lord Xuan—what a fine specimen you make this time!”

“Show yourself, if you have the courage! I’ll flay you alive!” he thundered.

“Save your strength, my lord,” the voice replied. “You’re better off behaving as my test subject. The barrier may be small, but it is unbreakable. You cannot escape.”

Lord Xuan Yijian fell silent, turning his full attention to the predicament. He could not die here—not when his family and the foundation of his city depended on him. Everything he had worked for would be lost.

No, he could not allow such a fate. Desperation seized him, and he unleashed all his might against the barrier, forgetting entirely his original intent to kill Fire Qilin and Little Azure. Now, his sole thought was escape, to return to his city.

His hard-won cultivation and all he possessed could not be forfeited to a sudden adversary. The vengeance he craved could wait for another day.

Yet, as the chamber’s master had said, the barrier was indestructible. Lord Xuan Yijian hurled spell after spell, expending nearly all his strength, but succeeded only in cracking the barrier by a hair’s breadth.

The fissure was far too narrow to allow escape, and now, exhausted, his spiritual power all but spent, he could fight no longer. This time, he was truly defeated.

He had never imagined his life would be upended by two mere children, but fate cared little for his unwillingness. Everything hard-earned was now at risk—yet defeat was defeat, and there was no one else to blame.