touchnovel Chapter 10: The Ancestral Demon-Slaying Diagram
Chapter 10: The Ancestral Demon-Slaying Diagram
Lin Yan sat quietly, offering no words of comfort. The pain of her family's massacre was excruciating; any words would seem pale and powerless at this moment. He simply and silently pushed a clean, old handkerchief into her hands.
After a long while, Su Qingyao fiercely wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, took a few deep breaths, and forcibly calmed her turbulent emotions. When she looked up again, although the redness in her eyes had not faded, the deep grief had transformed into an even stronger determination.
"I escaped. Thanks to my wet nurse risking her life to stop me, and the life-saving talismans left by my father, I fled Qingzhou Prefecture like a ghost." Her voice regained its calmness, yet it was as cold as ice that had been tempered by fire. "For three years, I lived in hiding, wandering from place to place, secretly investigating. Before my father died, he wrote four words in his blood on my clothes—'The Azure Wolf is Strange.' This last clue points to this place."
"So you came to Blackrock Town."
"Yes." Su Qingyao nodded. "I have been lying in wait here for nearly a month, disguising myself as a woman fleeing famine and infiltrating the refugee camp to observe the interactions between the town mayor's office and the Demon Suppression Bureau. This 'offering contract' between Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang is the first piece of evidence I found. But I never expected that the people behind them would be so cautious and cunning, even tampering with such a contract..."
"Hands and feet?" Lin Yan frowned.
Su Qingyao took out the animal skin contract again, flattened it under the oil lamp, and pointed to a line of almost invisible marks resembling twisted insect patterns next to the scarlet wolf claw print: "Look here."
Lin Yan stared intently at the mark. It was extremely small, its color almost blending into the animal hide; without specific guidance, it would be virtually impossible to detect. The pattern was strange, neither writing nor painting, exuding an eerie aura.
"This is a variant of the 'Mother-Child Unity Seal'," Su Qingyao explained, her fingertips lightly tracing the mark, her gaze solemn. "The true original contract should exist in duplicate; this is one, the 'Child Contract.' The other, the 'Mother Contract,' must be in the hands of someone at a higher level, someone more central to the organization. Once the Child Contract is destroyed, or leaves a certain area, the Mother Contract will sense it, and the holder of the Mother Contract will immediately know."
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat: "So, Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang already know the contract has been stolen?"
"Not necessarily." Su Qingyao shook her head. "The Mother-Child Seal has its limits, usually not exceeding a hundred miles. Qingzhou Prefecture is hundreds of miles away. Unless they report it overnight using a secret communication method, the person behind it should not know for the time being. But Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang themselves must be like ants on a hot pan right now, and they will definitely do everything they can to search."
"Therefore, we must leave Blackstone Town as soon as possible." Su Qingyao looked at Lin Yan, her tone resolute. "You have helped me a lot, and I absolutely cannot let you put yourself in danger. We must leave before dawn."
Lin Yan did not respond immediately.
He looked down at the flickering lamp flame on the table, his mind racing.
Leaving Blackrock Town was inevitable. Beyond the Azure Wolf Mountain lay a wider world, a richer spiritual energy (though still thin in this world), and more demons to devour—the fertile ground for the growth of the Soul-Devouring Body. But to leave now would be too hasty.
The Zhou mother and son were still in danger, Zhang Bo's kindness had not been repaid, and the scourges of Wang Po, Zhao Mang, and Chen Fuhai had not been eradicated... More importantly, Canglang Mountain was nearby, and the demonic wolves in the mountain, which were death warrants for others, were provisions delivered to his doorstep. To leave now would be tantamount to entering a treasure mountain and returning empty-handed.
"We can't leave now," Lin Yan said slowly, his voice steady.
Su Qingyao frowned: "Why? Staying here is tantamount to waiting to die!"
"Because some things are not yet settled." Lin Yan looked up, meeting her gaze. "Besides, Miss Su, are you really willing to go through all this trouble to obtain only this tampered contract, without even touching the real culprit behind it all, and then run away like a stray dog again?"
Su Qingyao fell silent.
How could I be content with this!
For the past three years, every night, the sight that filled her eyes upon closing were towering flames, the screams of her loved ones, and her father's blood-stained face. Hatred had long since become a bone-deep affliction, permeating every inch of her being, the only thing keeping her alive until now. How could she possibly turn her back now and face the wronged souls of the seventy-three members of the Su family who had died unjustly?
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
"Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang will never give up searching for the contract," Lin Yan calmly analyzed. "They will definitely seal off the town and search every house. But in their eyes, the contract is ultimately just physical evidence. What's more important than physical evidence is 'human testimony'."
"You mean... they'll kill us?" Su Qingyao's expression changed slightly.
"Anyone who might know the contents of the contract or has participated in the human sacrifice will become a thorn in their side." Lin Yan nodded. "Wang Po, the advisor, the soldiers who personally escorted the refugees into the mountains... and the two of us."
Su Qingyao's fingertips were slightly cool: "Then you should leave even faster!"
"No, this is precisely our opportunity." A cold glint flashed in Lin Yan's eyes. "Since they are going to conduct a large-scale search, their manpower will inevitably be scattered. The defenses inside the town mayor's mansion and the Demon Suppression Division will be relatively weak. At that time, it may be our chance to take the initiative and strike."
"A preemptive strike?" Su Qingyao was taken aback. "You intend to counterattack? They have at least thirty fully armed soldiers, Zhao Mang is at the late stage of Body Tempering, and Chen Fuhai also has expert guards around him..."
"Therefore, we cannot fight head-on; we need to plan ahead," Lin Yan interrupted her, his tone still calm. "Moreover, we are not entirely without support."
"Rely on someone? In this situation, who would dare to help?"
"Uncle Zhang the blacksmith," Lin Yan said. "He's an old man in town who knows about the human sacrifice and has long harbored resentment. But he's outnumbered and powerless, so he doesn't dare to retaliate."
"His efforts alone are insufficient."
"It's not just him." Lin Yan shook his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the walls, looking towards the desolate shack area in the west of the city. "In the refugee camps, how many women like Zhou Shi are watching helplessly as their husbands and sons are taken away to 'mine,' never to return? How many families live every day in fear of being next? It's not that they don't want to resist, but there's no one to lead them, and they see no hope at all."
Su Qingyao understood his meaning, her eyes slightly widening: "You want to... incite the refugees?"
"It's not incitement," Lin Yan corrected, his tone heavy. "It's giving them a choice. To continue living such a precarious life, where they could become sacrifices at any moment and die silently in the mountains; or to fight to the death, to fight for themselves and for their unjustly killed loved ones, to earn a way to survive."
Su Qingyao stared at Lin Yan, remaining silent for a long time. The dim light of the oil lamp illuminated his young profile, his face still retaining some of the handsome features of a young man, but the calmness and decisiveness in his eyes, as well as his almost cold-blooded understanding of the darkness of this world, far exceeded his age.
"Why are you doing all this?" she finally asked, her voice filled with genuine confusion.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's lips curled into a very faint, almost self-deprecating smile.
"Perhaps... it's just that I can't stand it."
The reason is simple, almost naive. There are no grand pronouncements, no weighing of interests, only the inability to tolerate it. The inability to tolerate this world that treats human life like dirt, the inability to tolerate these demons in human skin, and the boundless, suffocating darkness.
As Su Qingyao gazed at him, a tiny crack seemed to appear in a hardened, frozen place within her heart, gently opened by his simple words. In the past three years, she had witnessed countless acts of indifference, betrayal, manipulation, and exploitation, and had long since stopped easily trusting anyone. But this young man before her—his eyes were so clear, his reasons so pure—that she couldn't harbor any doubts.
"Okay." She finally nodded, her voice soft but filled with a do-or-die determination. "I'll help you. But this is no small matter; it requires meticulous planning and careful execution, and there can be no mistakes whatsoever."
She opened the book "Demon-Slaying Manual" again, her slender fingers turning the yellowed pages before finally stopping at one spot.
On that page was a relatively simple diagram of an array. It was based on a triangle, with flowing lines of spiritual energy within, and small annotations beside it:
【Three Yang Trapping Wolf Formation - Simplified Version】
[Three people are needed, each occupying a triangular position and holding a highly yang object as a catalyst. Simultaneously activating this will form a protective array, trapping a demon in the Body Tempering Realm for a hundred breaths. Within the array, the demon's blood circulation will stagnate, and its ferocity will diminish.]
"This is one of the simplest trapping formations recorded in the diagram," Su Qingyao explained, pointing to the diagram. "If the materials are sufficient, I can try to set up a larger formation, not to kill the enemy, but to trap Zhao Mang and other key combat forces for a short while."
"What materials are needed?" Lin Yan asked.
"Powdered yang-attribute ore, top-grade cinnabar, and black dog blood collected at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM) are the base materials. In addition, three spiritually imbued artifacts are needed to be placed at the array's core to stabilize the formation and enhance its power," Su Qingyao pondered. "Cinnabar and black dog blood are not difficult to find. As for yang-attribute ore... Uncle Zhang's blacksmith shop always keeps hematite and fire copper on hand, which may be substitutes. However, those three spiritually imbued artifacts... in a place like Blackstone Town where spiritual energy is scarce, they will probably be hard to find."
Lin Yan's heart stirred, and he reached into his robes to take out the three blood crystal stones he had obtained from Chen Fuhai's secret compartment, placing them on the table.
The blood-red crystals shimmered with an eerie yet warm luster under the oil lamp, as if something alive was slowly pulsating within them.
Is this item usable?
Su Qingyao's eyes lit up. She picked up a blood crystal and examined it carefully under the light: "A blood crystal? This was produced by a demon wolf. Its spiritual energy is quite pure and abundant. It could be used as the core of a formation... It's not impossible. However, the residual demonic and malevolent energy within it must be removed and purified first, otherwise it may interfere with the formation or even cause a backlash."
How long will it take?
"It will take at least a whole day to slowly cleanse it using special techniques," Su Qingyao estimated.
Lin Yan pondered in his mind. There were still nearly two hours until dawn. Even if Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang wanted to organize a town-wide search, it would take time to deploy manpower and issue orders; the earliest they could do so would be after daybreak. They had a whole day to prepare.
"Time is of the essence, but it's still worth a try," Lin Yan said decisively. "Before dawn, I'll go find Uncle Zhang, explain the situation, and procure the ore and other supplies. Miss Su, you…"
Before he could finish speaking, Su Qingyao shook her head: "I cannot stay here. This place is too conspicuous; a search will surely follow."
Lin Yan had already considered this: "At the east end of the town, near the mass grave, on a barren slope, there is an abandoned cellar. It was... something I discovered by chance when I was young. It's extremely well-hidden, and very few people know about it. You can hide there for now and focus on purifying the blood crystal. I'll come find you after I've finished my other business."
Where is the cellar?
Lin Yan picked up half a charcoal pencil from the table and sketched a simple location map with a few strokes on the rough surface. He then described the features of the entrance and the surrounding landmarks in a low voice.
Su Qingyao carefully memorized the diagrams and contract, then carefully put them away again before getting up to leave.
Reaching the door, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at Lin Yan. Her veil was now back on, leaving only her clear eyes, which shone brightly in the dim light.
"Lin Yan".
"Um?"
"...Thank you." The two words were spoken softly, yet each syllable was clear. "If it weren't for you, not only would I have failed to obtain the contract tonight, but perhaps... I would have perished in the town mayor's mansion."
Lin Yan smiled slightly, his smile gentle: "Likewise."
Their eyes met, and no more words were needed. A tacit understanding of fighting side by side and entrusting each other with life and death had quietly grown between the perilous situation just now and the decision made at this moment.
Su Qingyao nodded slightly, said no more, gently opened the courtyard gate, and her figure, like a wisp of smoke, silently blended into the thick night outside the gate and disappeared in an instant.
Lin Yan stood inside the door, gazing in the direction she had disappeared, motionless for a long time. The night wind slipped in through the crack in the door, which was never fully closed, carrying the chill of a late spring night. It caused the oil lamp on the table to flicker dimly, then struggle to light up again.
The Soul-Devouring Mark on his chest was now emitting a clear and steady warmth, as if it were responding to the choice he had just made.
In this seemingly endless darkness, he was no longer walking alone.
He closed the door and bolted it shut. He blew out the oil lamp and let the darkness engulf him.
As dawn breaks, there are still many things waiting for him to do in this darkest hour before daybreak.