After successfully resolving the threat posed by the demonized humans, Yichen and Qing Nianli were warmly welcomed by the villagers.

　　They were treated like heroes within the village and spent an unforgettable time together with the townsfolk.

　　Yichen feasted heartily on the abundant dishes prepared by the villagers, while Qing Nianli rested her chin on her hand, smiling softly as she watched him.

　　Her eyes were filled with tenderness and affection, as if Yichen before her was the most adorable person in the world.

　　Feeling embarrassed under her gaze, Yichen picked up a chicken drumstick and handed it to her.

　　“Nianli, don’t just watch me eat. You should eat too.”

　　Qing Nianli accepted the drumstick, only to notice the clear bite mark left on it. Suppressing a laugh, she teased, “Yichen, are you asking me to eat something you already bit into?”

　　Only then did Yichen realize his mistake, and he instantly became flustered.

　　“It’s okay, Yichen. I don’t mind tasting a drumstick you’ve bitten.”

　　Yichen’s face grew even redder.

　　“That won’t do. I’ll get you another one.”

　　With that, he hurried away.

　　“Heh, what a fool…”

　　Yichen soon returned with a fresh drumstick and awkwardly handed it to her.

　　“This one hasn’t been bitten. Go ahead.”

　　Qing Nianli took it and looked at his embarrassed expression before smiling.

　　“Yichen, you know what? I think you look very cute right now.”

　　Yichen became even more embarrassed by her words. Taking a huge bite from his own drumstick, he muttered unclearly,

　　“I-I’m not cute at all.”

　　Watching his reaction, Qing Nianli could not help but laugh.

　　After the meal, the two walked out of the house together.

　　Sunlight bathed them as they strolled through the village, quietly enjoying the peaceful moment.

　　“Nianli, I hope we can always stay like this—good friends forever.”

　　“Mhm. We will.”

　　The two smiled at each other and continued walking forward.

　　“Heroes, please wait!”

　　A sudden shout interrupted their departure.

　　Villagers hurried over from all directions, surrounding an elderly man with white hair as though stars surrounding the moon.

　　Though slightly hunched, the old man’s steps were firm and steady. In his hands, he reverently carried a sword.

　　The sword looked ancient and simple, its sheath decorated with plain patterns that carried the weight of time.

　　Filled with gratitude, the old man bowed deeply.

　　“If not for the two of you, our village would have suffered countless more hardships. This sword may not be a divine weapon, but it represents the sincerity of all our villagers. Please accept it.”

　　Yichen quickly tried to stop him.

　　“Elder, we cannot accept this. As cultivators, it is only natural for us to help when injustice appears. This is merely our duty.”

　　But Qing Nianli stepped forward first and accepted the sword from the elder.

　　“Thank you for your kindness. Yichen and I will always remember your goodwill.”

　　Then she turned toward Yichen, her eyes filled with expectation.

　　“Yichen, this sword is not only the villagers’ gratitude, but also their blessing to you. I hope you’ll continue using it to protect justice and safeguard more people.”

　　Yichen nodded slightly, determination flashing through his eyes.

　　“I will.”

　　Holding the new sword, Yichen walked side by side with Qing Nianli. Their figures stretched long beneath the evening sunset before gradually disappearing into the distant horizon.

　　From then on, their story spread throughout the village and became an eternal legend. During moments of leisure, villagers would often recount Yichen and Qing Nianli’s heroic deeds to the younger generation...

　　Several days later, guided by the threads of fate, the two accidentally entered a mysterious and eerie village.

　　Looking back, the entire encounter began merely because Qing Nianli had read the map upside down. Such an absurd coincidence became the key that opened the door to a chain of tragedies, allowing them to witness the darkest depths of human nature.

　　The village seemed shrouded beneath an invisible haze, filled everywhere with a sinister atmosphere.

　　Every villager wore fear and unease upon their face, as though every pore in their body silently spoke of hidden terror.

　　After some investigation, the two learned that men and children had been disappearing from the village every few days.

　　The missing men were later found as dried-up husks, as though their life force had been forcibly drained away by some evil power.

　　As for the missing children, none were ever found, as though they had vanished from existence entirely.

　　“Nianli, as cultivators, we can’t ignore something this strange. There’s something deeply wrong with this village. We need to uncover the truth.”

　　“Exactly. Since we’ve encountered this, we absolutely can’t allow this evil to continue unchecked. We must find out what’s behind all this.”

　　“Nianli, this whole matter is suspicious. Let’s ask the villagers. Maybe we can find some clues.”

　　“Alright. Let’s question someone first.”

　　The two noticed a peddler by the roadside organizing his goods with his head lowered.

　　Yichen stepped forward and cupped his fists politely.

　　“Brother, we heard there have been disappearances involving men and children in your village recently. Could you tell us more about it?”

　　The peddler’s body stiffened instantly. Panic flashed through his eyes as he hurriedly waved his hands.

　　“I don’t know! I don’t know anything!”

　　After speaking, he hastily packed up his things and fled as though terrified of being implicated.

　　Watching his retreating figure, Yichen frowned deeply.

　　He turned to another villager passing by.

　　“Sir, could you tell us about the disappearances in this village?”

　　The villager avoided his gaze and quickened his pace.

　　“I don’t know. Don’t ask me.”

　　Then he quickly walked away.

　　Qing Nianli sighed softly.

　　“It seems the villagers are unwilling to speak about this matter.”

　　After pondering for a moment, Yichen said,

　　“Since they refuse to talk, we can’t force them. Tonight, let’s patrol the village ourselves. Sometimes secrets only reveal themselves after dark.”

　　Qing Nianli nodded.

　　“Alright. Night is often the breeding ground of secrets. Let’s see whether the darkness can reveal this village’s hidden truth.”

　　As evening fell, the surroundings grew eerily quiet. Only the footsteps of Yichen and Qing Nianli echoed along the stone roads.

　　“Wuuu... wuuu...”

　　Suddenly, a faint sobbing sound shattered the silence.

　　Qing Nianli’s heart tightened as she looked toward Yichen.

　　“Yichen, did you hear that? Someone’s crying.”

　　“I heard it. There’s something strange about it. Let’s follow the sound.”

　　The two followed the direction of the cries. The closer they got, the stronger the eerie aura became.

　　“Nianli, stay close to me. Be careful.”

　　Qing Nianli took a deep breath and softly replied,

　　“Mhm.”

　　Finally, within a dark corner, they vaguely saw the figure of a slender woman curled up there, quietly sobbing.

　　Yichen asked softly,

　　“Who are you? Why are you crying here?”

　　The woman slowly raised her head.

　　Her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her delicate oval face was exquisite and alluring, her skin pale as snow.

　　Her watery eyes brimmed with tears, making her appear especially pitiful.

　　Her luscious red lips trembled slightly as she spoke in a sweet, coquettish tone.

　　“Please save me, young master...”

　　Yichen frowned slightly, unmoved by her charm.

　　“Why are you crying here? What happened?”

　　The woman sobbed softly.

　　“I came from another town to visit relatives, but bandits attacked me on the way. I barely escaped and ended up lost here. I’m so frightened... please save me.”

　　Yichen nodded faintly, seemingly evaluating the truthfulness of her words.

　　Meanwhile, seeing that he had not rejected her, the woman slowly rose to her feet and swayed enticingly toward him.

　　She wore a thin red gauze dress almost translucent as cicada wings. Her figure was graceful and seductive, her slender waist swaying with every step.

　　The fluttering hem of her dress resembled a blooming poppy flower, radiating dangerous temptation.

　　As she approached, she spoke softly in a seductive voice.

　　“Young master, someone as handsome as you surely wouldn’t abandon a helpless woman, would you?”

　　Qing Nianli watched closely from the side, filled with vigilance.

　　“Yichen, don’t trust her words so easily. There are too many suspicious points here. We should remain cautious.”

　　Yichen gave a slight nod, signaling for her not to worry.

　　Yet the woman seemed to ignore Qing Nianli’s warning completely.

　　The strange gleam hidden in her eyes intensified as she continued walking toward Yichen.

　　“I’m simply frightened and seeking some comfort from the young master. Miss, please don’t misunderstand.”

　　Despite her words, she showed no intention of stopping.

　　When she was only a few steps away from Yichen, her expression suddenly twisted.

　　With a vicious lunge like a starving beast, she threw herself at him.

　　Yichen instantly sensed danger. His eyes sharpened as he grabbed Qing Nianli and retreated swiftly.

　　“Stop! What exactly are you trying to do?!”

　　The woman halted briefly, yet still maintained a pitiful expression.

　　“Young master, I’m only frightened. I merely wished to lean on your shoulder...”

　　As she spoke, she continued approaching him seductively.

　　Yichen’s face turned cold.

　　“Stop right there. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

　　Seeing her disguise exposed, the woman’s expression darkened instantly. Her beautiful face twisted into something vicious and terrifying.

　　“Hmph. Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit!”

　　Before her words even finished, she lunged forward like a ghost. Her hands transformed into sharp claw-like talons that tore through the air toward Yichen.

　　Yichen immediately drew his sword. The blade flashed with cold light as he sidestepped her attack and countered with a slash.

　　The demoness leapt away agilely before releasing a shrill screech and charging at him again like lightning.

　　Seeing this, Qing Nianli quickly formed hand seals and began chanting incantations.

　　Streams of dazzling light burst from her palms like radiant arrows, shooting toward the demoness.

　　Yet the creature showed no fear.

　　Her figure flickered like a phantom as she weaved through the attacks effortlessly before lunging at Yichen once more.

　　Yichen responded calmly. His sword danced through the air in dazzling arcs, every strike sharp and fierce.

　　However, the demoness was extremely powerful, and her techniques were bizarre and unpredictable.

　　As the battle dragged on, Yichen gradually began losing ground.

　　Seizing an opening, the demoness instantly closed the distance. Her claws sliced across him like blades.

　　Unable to evade in time, several shallow wounds appeared on Yichen’s body. Blood slowly seeped through his clothes.

　　“Yichen!”

　　Seeing him injured, Qing Nianli panicked.

　　Immediately, she gathered even greater spiritual power.

　　A brilliant radiance erupted around her as immense waves of energy surged toward the demoness once again.

　　The demoness staggered under the assault and glared viciously at Qing Nianli.

　　“You little brat! You ruined my plans!”

　　Clenching her teeth, Qing Nianli rapidly formed another series of complex seals.

　　“You wicked demon! How dare you hurt him! Today will be your end!”

　　As the seals completed, overwhelming power burst forth from her body and crashed toward the demoness like a tidal wave.

　　Forced back repeatedly, the demoness secretly thought,

　　“This girl may look fragile, but her powers are terrifying. If I continue fighting them, I’ll eventually die here. Better retreat now and survive for another day.”

　　With that thought, she glared hatefully at Yichen.

　　“Consider yourself lucky today, brat!”

　　Then she transformed into a streak of black shadow and fled into the darkness.

　　Seeing the demoness escape, Qing Nianli hurried to Yichen’s side anxiously.

　　“Yichen, how are your injuries?”

　　“It’s nothing serious. Just scratches. That demoness is truly unusual. The secrets behind this village are clearly far more complicated than we imagined.”

　　Qing Nianli nodded solemnly.

　　“Yes. Your cultivation has already reached the Divine Transformation Realm, yet she still managed to injure you. This demon is definitely no ordinary creature. We’ll need to be even more careful from now on.”

　　Yichen gazed deeply in the direction the demoness had fled.

　　“Her techniques and powers are extremely strange. We can’t underestimate her. We need to reevaluate her abilities and find a better way to deal with her.”

　　Qing Nianli bit her lip thoughtfully.

　　“Mhm. We must uncover her weakness as quickly as possible. Otherwise this battle will only become more difficult. I wonder what exactly her origins are, to possess such terrifying abilities.”

　　Yichen took a deep breath, his voice firm with resolve.

　　“No matter what, we can’t back down. We must find a way to stop her and prevent her from continuing to harm innocent people.”

　　Qing Nianli clenched her fists tightly.

　　“Alright. We’ll figure this out together.”