Internal Blood Fire

An icy, resonant voice exploded in the dim, gloomy living room!

The sound was deep and piercing, stabbing at everyone's eardrums until they ached. Though Chen Mo was clearly far away, it felt as if the voice was booming right beside their ears.

Those still trapped in fear and terror suddenly felt the voice like a light tearing through the darkness, snapping them back to their senses. They turned their heads to look.

Under countless astonished gazes, Chen Mo turned into a blur, appearing before Xie Cui in an instant and slashing down fiercely with his blade!

The knife screamed, the ground trembled!

Perhaps because Chen Mo's strike was too sudden, or maybe because his speed was too fast, Xie Cui let out a startled "Eh?" and instinctively reached out to grab the incoming blade.

Xie Cui didn't take it too seriously, thinking Chen Mo was just a bit faster than usual.

But the moment her hand touched the blade, she felt a force far beyond her imagination surging toward her. It forced her to release Li Wenqing, whom she had been gripping, and sent her stumbling backward with heavy, "thud-thud-thud" steps.

Each step Xie Cui took backward shattered the blue stone tiles beneath her feet, a testament to the terrifying power of Chen Mo's strike.

If it were just raw strength, Xie Cui wouldn't have panicked. At worst, she could abandon this body and possess someone else.

This courtyard had no shortage of people.

She wasn't worried. Holding the blade with one hand, she retreated to the corner of the living room wall and finally steadied herself.

"Hehe... Chen family boy, my mother has been thinking of you, hehe..."

The next moment, Xie Cui couldn't speak anymore.

A scorching surge of True Qi traveled through the blade.

Thick, yang-rich blood energy, boiling hot, burned Xie Cui's hand as if it were about to catch fire.

"Ah!"

Xie Cui let out a blood-curdling scream and abruptly released her right hand from the blade. Her palm was covered in a large burn, the skin charred black, emitting a pungent smell of roasted flesh.

"True Qi... you're an Internal Martial Master!"

Xie Cui's pupils dilated, filled with disbelief.

Seeing her shock and fear, Chen Mo gained even more confidence.

How could he let the opportunity slip? He stomped the ground and followed up with a fierce downward slash.

"Bang!"

The blade struck Xie Cui again. Even though she grabbed the blade, the immense force still blasted her through the wall and into the courtyard.

Suddenly, a loud "rumble" echoed as the courtyard wall collapsed, shaking the ground and sending dust billowing.

Chen Mo didn't sheathe his blade. He charged out of the courtyard after her, the scorching greatsword swinging down as he shouted, "Magistrate Li, Uncle Zhou, keep an eye on Li Yu!"

"Everyone in the courtyard, crowd into the living room! Xie Cui is possessed by a vengeful spirit—she could jump into any of you at any moment!"

"Chen Wu, light another Red Candle."

With those three orders, Chen Mo stuck to Xie Cui like glue, hacking away relentlessly. He gave her no chance to break free and escape, while also giving the crowd in the courtyard time to flee into the living room.

A sea of people crammed into the living room, terrified.

Chen Wu, meanwhile, was baffled.

Hadn't the wick been soaked?

Could it still light?

Though confused, he obeyed Chen Mo's words. He bit his finger again, bowed to Goddess Hong Deng, and dripped his blood onto the wick. With a "sizzle," the Red Candle surprisingly lit.

Looking closely, he noticed the moisture on the wick had already evaporated.

Chen Wu immediately realized that Second Brother had used his Internal True Qi to secretly dry the wick. He couldn't help but admire his second brother.

Truly meticulous.

With the Red Candle lit, everyone felt much more at ease, their fear fading. They turned their heads to watch Chen Mo and Xie Cui in the courtyard.

They prayed Chen Mo wouldn't lose—otherwise, they'd all be doomed.

Chen Yin Fu and Lin Yu Lan stood up, watching the shadows clash outside, hearing sharp, piercing screams. They especially noticed Chen Mo, wielding his blade valiantly, always blocking the living room entrance.

Standing between the ghost and his family.

That fifteen-year-old boy had grown into a true knight, fighting desperately against the evil spirit to protect his loved ones.

Seeing their son's hardship and struggle, and his determination to shield the family, Lin Yu Lan's heart ached. She clutched Chen Yin Fu's arm tightly, tears blurring her eyes unbidden.

Even Chen Yin Fu, the head of the family, had moist eyes by now.

As for Chen Wu, he gripped his blade tightly, praying inwardly: Second Brother, you have to win.

Little Chen Yu'er, only five, didn't really understand ghosts and monsters, but she knew their home was in danger and that Xie Cui was a big villain. Watching Second Brother fight so fiercely, she grew incredibly excited.

She clenched her tiny fists, her eyes wide, cheering him on without pause. "Brother Mo, chop her to death!"

Not far away, Li Yu shot a glare at Chen Yu'er, but she didn't stop. She kept shouting encouragement to Chen Mo. In her simple mind, there was no concept of a Magistrate or the government. All she cared about was her family staying safe and healthy—that was everything.

Zhang Ru saw Li Yu's fierce look and quickly covered Chen Yu'er's mouth.

Chen Yu'er wasn't having it. "Second Mother, why are you covering my mouth? Wuwuwu~"

Zhang Ru snapped, "When adults are talking, children shouldn't interrupt."

"Wah wah wah~"

In the courtyard.

Snow fluttered down in thick sheets. With the fire gone, the chill crept in, and the cold wind cut across the face like a knife's edge. Yet Chen Mo paid it no mind, charging forward with his blade, hacking relentlessly as he drove Xie Cui step by step toward the courtyard gate, keeping her away from the crowd to prevent her from possessing anyone else.

Though Chen Mo held the upper hand, he couldn't kill her. Her speed was simply too fast, and her strength immense. The only thing she feared was Internal True Qi.

And while Chen Mo had broken through to the internal realm, he hadn't obtained the Internal True Skill to circulate True Qi. Fortunately, his True Qi reserves were still substantial enough to hold out for a while.

He thought to himself: Li Wenqing and Li Yu are both here—both experts. Li Yu especially probably holds a grudge against me. I can't use the Blazing Palm in front of them. If they find out, the consequences will be endless. I need to force Xie Cui outside the courtyard, somewhere with no witnesses.

With that in mind, Chen Mo adjusted his angle and swung another savage slash. Xie Cui, backed into a corner with no room to retreat, used her hands to block the blade, paying the price with charred flesh. A loud BOOM rang out as the courtyard wall collapsed, and the two of them tumbled out of the yard.

"Oww~"

"You little brat actually cultivated Internal True Qi—damn you!"

Xie Cui stared at her own body, covered in scorched and festering wounds, and howled in fury. After a moment's calculation, she turned and fled.

"You came all this way, and you think you can run!?"

Chen Mo charged forward in a flash, slashing his palm across the blade's edge.

Crimson, searing blood stained the steel. A faint haze of flame-like Blood Mist rippled around it.

Blazing Palm, Fifth Form, Internal... Bloodfire!

"DIE!"

Chen Mo roared and brought the blade down in one decisive stroke.

"AH!!"

Xie Cui let out a bloodcurdling scream. Even as she caught the blade with both hands, the Bloodfire on it burned hot and fierce, flowing into her body and madly consuming her flesh and soul.

The next moment, Li Hongxi burst out of Xie Cui's body, rolling and thrashing across the ground.

She wore a bright red Xiuhua Dress, hair disheveled, skin peeling and curling, covered in cracks like a spiderweb. Though she was a spirit, flames now licked at her form.

Bloodfire!

"It's Bloodfire—the Red Lantern Society's Bloodfire... You even trained with the Red Lantern Society!!"

"I won't accept this!"

"Mother, save me!"

"MOTHER!!"