When Lu Chen rode out of the city, dawn had just broken.
Root Severer hung at his waist, the silvery-white patterns on its blade nearly invisible in the morning light. Yet he could feel it—the sword was pulsing, as if it had sensed something.
Thirty li south, he passed through a stretch of dead woodland.
Every tree was dead, their bare branches pointing at the sky like countless fingers accusing something.
There were hoofprints on the ground, fresh ones. They belonged to Yun Qingyue's horse—the left front horseshoe had a crack in it, and he recognized it at a glance.
But there were other tracks beside the hoofprints.
Human footprints. At least five people had come out of the woods and followed behind her.
Lu Chen quickened his pace. Root Severer gave a deep hum within its sheath.
Another twenty li on, he came upon a dried-up riverbed.
The stones in the riverbed were black, and there was blood on them—fresh blood, not yet dry.
He swung down from his horse, crouched, dipped a finger into the blood, and held it beneath his nose. It was not human blood, but demon blood. Rank, with a sour stench.
[Detected nearby demonic aura fluctuations. Direction: northeast. Distance: three li. Intensity: late-stage Supernatural Power Realm.]
Lu Chen rose, tied his horse to a dead tree, and headed northeast.
At the end of the riverbed stood a cave. Its entrance was enormous, around two zhang high, and its interior was pitch-black.
There were drag marks on the ground before the entrance—something had been dragged inside, leaving a furrow in the earth.
He drew Root Severer. Silver-white light flared across the blade, illuminating the cave mouth.
The cave walls were damp and thick with moss, which reflected a green gleam beneath the swordlight.