Heaven’s Shadow

The bustling streets of Kunwu City were filled with people, as if it were a time of peace and prosperity, with everyone seemingly at ease. In the distance, the towering Kunlun Mountains stood majestically, and at Feiyan Terrace, under the warm sun, Lu Chen lay quietly on the wooden bed, stroking Ah Tu, and gazing out the window. Meanwhile, in a small courtyard within Heiqiu Pavilion, Lao Ma sat, having changed into fresh clothes, carefully washing his hands in a basin of clear water.

The slight traces of blood tinted the water with a hint of red.

Lao Ma stared at the redness, a peculiar expression on his face. He extended a finger and gently stirred the faintly red spot in the water, as if randomly mixing it, or perhaps writing a word. The faint blood traces lightly swirled around his fingertip, floating and dispersing in the water, preventing the word from forming. Soon, even the blood color itself disappeared. Lao Ma looked up at the sky, remained silent for a moment, then pulled a cloth from beside him and meticulously dried his hands, leaving no trace behind.

※※※

The morning wind blew through Kunwu City, carrying a slight chill.

Outside the gate of a certain residence, a crowd had gathered, the faint scent of blood lingering in the air, wafting from inside the house. The onlookers seemed excited, as if relishing the rare opportunity for excitement after a long period of mundane days, but no one attempted to enter the courtyard. Who would be foolish enough in these times? Keeping one’s distance and watching coldly was the sensible approach.

Suddenly, a figure rushed from afar, like an arrow leaving the bowstring, darting into the courtyard. The speed was so fast that a sharp whistle cut through the air, making it hard for people to see his figure or face.

Immediately after, several other figures arrived, landing at the courtyard entrance. Unlike the first, these people were clearly visible to the crowd, causing a stir among the onlookers as they recognized them as disciples of the Kunlun Sect, standing guard at the entrance.

The first to arrive was He Yi, and the place he had rushed into was the home of his brother, He Gang, where he had visited several times before.

When He Yi received the news and hurried over, the faint scent of blood had already weighed heavily on his heart. As he rushed into the courtyard and saw the bloody scene, his heart sank completely.

He Gang lay dead on the ground in the middle of the courtyard. A bloodstained trail extended from his bedroom to where he now lay, indicating he had struggled to crawl from there. He had lost a lot of blood, making his already disfigured face even more horrifying. He Gang’s eyes were still wide open, as if he had died with grievances, but no one could know what he saw in his final moments.

He Yi stood there, stiff and dazed, staring at the corpse on the ground. Just days ago, they had sat together, hopeful for a better future, even exaggerating about finding a good wife for his brother. Sometimes, He Yi had genuinely believed they could live happily together, achieving great things, and he could take care of his brother for life.

Memories flashed through his mind, from their lonely childhood to the present, always supporting each other. The sound of his brother calling him “Big Brother” with a smile, from childish innocence to maturity, now echoed in his ears like a death knell.

He felt his heart pounding wildly, as if it would burst at any moment. He thought he would go mad, screaming and shouting, but in the end, no sound came out. He just stumbled forward, then gently knelt beside his brother’s body.

The smell of blood was overwhelming.

He suddenly felt the urge to vomit.

His hand trembled slightly as he slowly reached out, lightly touching He Gang’s head.

His brother’s head wobbled slightly, showing no response. The touch sent a chill through his fingertips, as if seeping into his bones. He clenched his teeth, his mouth twisting in silent pain, then lowered his head, his whole body tensed and trembling as he swallowed all his rage and sorrow.

He’s dead. He’s dead. He’s dead…

He Yi’s face twisted in a bitter smile, without tears, only desolation. Then, he gently tried to close his brother’s eyes, hoping to give him some peace, but after several attempts, found that they wouldn’t shut.

He Yi slowly withdrew his hand.

“Alright,” he whispered, “keep your eyes open. Big Brother promises you, I’ll avenge you.”

He Gang’s expression remained unchanged; the idea of spirits after death seemed to be just a myth.

He Yi bowed his head, staying silent for a long time. Then he began to arrange his brother’s body, smoothing his clothes and laying him flat. As he did, he noticed that one of He Gang’s hands was pressed beneath him.

He Yi tried to pull his brother’s hand out, but as he turned He Gang’s body halfway over, he suddenly froze, his movements stopping abruptly.

After a moment, He Yi gently moved He Gang’s body aside, revealing the ground beneath. He Gang’s hand, smeared with fresh blood, had scrawled a twisted, terrifying character on the ground.

“Su!”

The distorted character, written in blood, was like a dagger to He Yi’s heart, the sight burning in his eyes like crimson flames. He stared at the word, his facial muscles twitching slightly. Just then, footsteps approached from behind; his fellow disciples had entered the courtyard.

He Yi seemed as if he wanted to say something but quickly closed his mouth, a bitter smile briefly crossing his lips before disappearing. His face turned pale and indifferent as he stood up and stepped forward, deliberately stepping on the character.

The Kunlun disciples who followed him in looked around at the bloody scene, their faces showing shock and discomfort. They approached to offer their condolences to He Yi.

He Yi nodded slowly, not saying much, only murmuring, “Thank you, my brothers.”

As he slowly walked away, it seemed as if an unbearable weight pressed down on his shoulders. Each step left a trail of blood, a stark, smeared path behind him. Someone helped him to a seat, while others began cleaning up the scene. A glance at the ground revealed nothing but bloodstains.

Only the sunlight shining down cast shadows on the bloodied and tragic scene.

※※※

There were thirteen days left until the next full moon.

Rumors stirred within the Kunlun Sect about He Yi. His only family, his brother He Gang, had been murdered in Kunwu City, his body left in the courtyard. The news broke, and He Yi, overwhelmed with grief, could barely function, leading to a sudden lull in the investigation into He Changsheng’s murder, which had caused quite a stir.

Heartbroken over his disciple’s loss, Du Kong Zhenren called He Yi back under the pretense of seclusion and personally went to the sect leader, Xianyue Zhenren, to take responsibility. However, Xianyue Zhenren, being quite understanding, did not pursue the matter further, as everyone in the sect was ultimately part of the same family. The only ones to blame were the cunning and treacherous demons of the demon sect.

Though outwardly expressing hatred and disgust towards the demon sect, private whispers circulated, questioning the timing of He Gang’s death—just as He Yi was investigating a major case and had detained members of the Su family. The waters seemed murky.

Many hinted at the irony with knowing smiles.

The Su family maintained a strict silence. Initially, they had been outraged and ready for retaliation after retrieving Su Mo, but suddenly, overnight, all Su family members were confined to their home by Su Tianhe, unable to leave.

The atmosphere in the Kunlun Sect grew tense, but as long as nothing was publicly acknowledged, life went on as usual.

As the moon grew fuller each night, Lu Chen ventured out several times, hoping to encounter the strange three-eyed insect again, but to no avail.

That night seemed like a dream; everything appeared unchanged.

Until one night, he suddenly noticed Ah Tu perched on the windowsill, its head raised in a howl towards the dark sky, emitting a piercing wail.

Lu Chen jumped up.

After howling, Ah Tu glanced at him, then suddenly leapt out the window. Lu Chen followed without hesitation, chasing Ah Tu into the forest behind Feiyan Terrace.

The dark forest exuded a deep gloom, the ancient trees like towering giants. But Ah Tu seemed unafraid, darting straight into the woods.

Lu Chen followed, running through the forest until they reached its depths. There, Ah Tu suddenly stopped, and Lu Chen slowed down beside it, first looking at the dog, then surveying their surroundings.

The area was dark, but a large rock was visible ahead, with vague shapes around it.

Lu Chen’s expression changed slightly as he walked forward and gradually saw what was there.

Around the rock were numerous corpses of small birds and animals, all apparently bitten to death.

He quickly turned to look at Ah Tu, only to see its eyes glowing brighter and brighter in the darkness, like ghostly green flames. (To be continued.)

Heiqiu Pavilion –  Black Mound Pavilion