Talisman Fragments

As dawn approached, Li Yuan returned to Class A Courtyard Number One. His body was smeared with mud and dried bloodstains, and his skin beneath the tattered clothes faintly glowed with a dark red luster. He drew well water and doused himself from head to toe. The icy water flowed over his body, washing away the residual fatigue and that faint, lingering chill, leaving only the warmth of replenished Qi and Blood.

Changing into clean, coarse cloth clothes, he sat on a stone bench in the courtyard and took out the grayish-white bone whistle. He also retrieved the items he had searched from the cultist who presided over the ritual: a neatly folded piece of peculiar material, like some kind of tanned thin leather, and several dark, unidentifiable fragments.

He picked up the bone whistle first. It felt cold to the touch, but it was no longer the soul-corrupting chill; it was just the coolness of ordinary bone. The patterns on it were blurry, and the bead at the top, which was originally turbid, was now dull and lusterless, filled with cracks. With a gentle squeeze, it turned into powder. This thing was useless.

He casually tossed the bone whistle aside and his gaze fell upon the fragments. They resembled some kind of mineral, yet possessed a woody texture, dark and rough on the surface. He picked up a piece; it felt heavy. He tried to scratch it with his fingernail, but it wouldn't budge. He circulated a thread of Crimson Sun Qi and Blood to probe it. The Qi and Blood seemed to hit a solid, impenetrable wall, completely blocked from entering, with no reaction. He could neither absorb it nor sense any energy.

"Strange..." he muttered to himself, pushing the fragments aside. Their purpose was unclear for now.

Finally, he picked up the thin leather. It felt smooth and tough to the touch, carrying a faint, old, fishy smell. He carefully unfolded it.

The leather was not large, and on it was drawn an extremely complex rune with some kind of dark brown pigment. This rune was more intricate and twisted than any symbol he had seen before, its lines intertwining and coiling. Staring at it for too long made him feel dizzy and uneasy. In the center of the rune was an abstract eye pattern, but it was more sinister than the one in the forest, as if it were staring at him through the leather.

The moment he gazed at the rune, the "Crimson Sun" deep within his Sea of Qi suddenly pulsed, transmitting a clear sense of disgust, and a trace of... an extremely faint restlessness, similar to when he had previously absorbed the origin of curse power.

Li Yuan's heart stirred. The leather itself had no energy, but this rune... was peculiar.

He attempted to split off a wisp of Crimson Sun Qi and Blood, thinner than a strand of hair, and slowly brought it closer to the leather, not to touch the leather itself, but to carefully probe the rune.

The instant the Qi and Blood touched the rune--

"Buzz!"

His mind felt like it was pricked by a needle. A chaotic, frenzied intent surged back into his consciousness along that wisp of Qi and Blood! Distorted illusions seemed to appear before his eyes, and countless mad ramblings echoed in his ears!

Li Yuan grunted, immediately cutting off that wisp of Qi and Blood. He slammed the leather shut and flung it onto the stone table. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his breathing became somewhat rapid.

What an evil thing! Merely observing it could stir his mind!

He stared at the closed leather, his eyes filled with uncertainty. This thing was far more than just a "marker." The "Sacred Sacrifice" and "location" mentioned by the dying cultist... and the sinister intent contained within this leather...

A vague conjecture gradually took shape in his mind.

The Netherworld Cult's activities in the Black Mountain Forest were likely not just the random acts of scattered believers. They seemed to be plotting something. This rune on the leather might be some kind of higher-level token, or... a key component of some ritual?

He recalled the feeling after absorbing that wisp of curse power, that vague "understanding" of chilling energy. If... if he could "consume" more different types of curse power, could he grasp their intricacies more clearly, and even... unravel the mysteries of these runes?

This thought made his heart burn with a little heat. Risk and opportunity coexisted. Absorbing curse power was like walking a tightrope; one wrong step meant eternal damnation. But if successful, "Crimson Sun" would undoubtedly achieve unimaginable growth, and his capital to contend against the Netherworld Cult would become even more substantial.

He picked up the leather again. This time, he didn't open it, but merely ran his finger over the smooth surface, sensing the faint, uncomfortable aura emanating from within.

This thing was a trouble, and also a clue.

He carefully put away the leather, the fragments, and the useless bone whistle, hiding them in a secret crevice beneath the bed board.

After finishing all this, the sky outside was already dimly lit. He stood up and walked into the courtyard, facing the faint dawn light, slowly stretching his limbs.

The trace of chilling characteristic brought by absorbing curse power flickered subtly within the circulation of his Crimson Sun Qi and Blood. It not only failed to weaken the heat of his Qi and Blood but instead gave it a more condensed, penetrating power. He casually threw a punch into the air; the wind of his fist seemed to carry a barely perceptible chill.

He clenched his fist, feeling the more complex and powerful strength within him.

The shadow of the Netherworld Cult had already enveloped them. There was no escaping.

Since escape was impossible, he would devour them... along with their unspeakable schemes!

He looked at the eastern sky, which was gradually turning red, his eyes cold and resolute.

He was determined to uncover the secret of these Talisman Fragments. And this Black Mountain Forest would soon usher in a true hunt. However, this time, the roles of hunter and prey would be reversed.

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