Immortalis

Death Hex Thirteen

When they returned to Stone Village again, only four of them remained.

Knowing that someone in these dark mountains was now coveting their lives, none of them dared let their guard down. They gathered in a stone house at the center of the village, lit a fire, and took turns keeping watch until dawn.

Just as carved on that corpse, deaths had occurred on the seventh and eighth days. The final date was the tenth day of the Shen month. To survive, they had to use this one free day to uncover whoever was lurking in the shadows.

As daylight broke, they thoroughly inspected the village inside and out. Though they found no trace of the black iron ore powder they had seen last night, they unexpectedly discovered signs of human activity in a stone house at the village's edge that should have been empty.

"Someone lit a fire here."

Yang Wujian rubbed the charcoal ashes on the ground between his fingers—they seemed recently left—and couldn't help feeling deeply unsettled.

Stone Village was only so big. If the intruder was highly skilled in martial arts, hiding right under their noses might be possible, but would they really be so brazen as to light a fire right in front of them?

He stood up and noticed Shen Qingshi staring blankly out the window. Following her gaze, he saw only a lush, green mountain forest.

"What's wrong?"

Yang Wujian now trusted Shen Qingshi's intuition completely and instinctively felt she might have noticed something.

However, Shen Qingshi merely shook her head: "Just shadows from the trees."

Afterward, they went to the place where people had died last night. Dong Dali's corpse still sat upright in its original spot. Under the sunlight, he resembled Zhang Buwei, who had died in the village not long ago—completely devoid of color, eyes wide open, like a stark white temple guardian statue glaring furiously at another corpse on the ground. The manner of death was utterly bizarre.

Sun Eryuan cowered in the distance, too afraid to approach, while Dong Qisheng was too devastated by his brother's death. Left with no choice, Yang Wujian and Shen Qingshi carefully examined the area. Fortunately, the life-snatching Ore Eaters had vanished without a trace, leaving not even the slightest mark on the ground.

"Can there truly be insects in this world that can drain a person's vitality in an instant?"

Shen Qingshi murmured.

Ancient texts recorded that Duke Huan of Qi once created an insect punishment: stripping the condemned naked and tying them in a waterside forest overnight—if they survived, they lived.

Yet, ordinary insects could never drain a person's life force so thoroughly.

Yang Wujian frowned deeply: "I've been thinking about the insect plague at the end of the Crimson Gold era... similar symptoms, though the insects back then weren't this potent. They didn't drain people instantly, only gradually dissipated their vitality until Pestilence Qi took possession... I wonder if there's a connection?"

"But records of the insect plague never mention these insects favoring ore."

Though Shen Qingshi shared the same feeling, she reasoned that if these insects could be controlled at will with some ore powder, why was there no way to manage them a century ago, ultimately leading to widespread devastation?

Remnants of ore powder still lay on the ground, easily stirred by the wind to dust anyone nearby. Not daring to stay long, they quickly returned to Stone Village to discuss countermeasures.

"Maybe... we should just leave quickly," one ventured. "Staying here, next time it might be all four of us dead. Young Master Yang, Miss Shen, no matter how skilled you are, you can't outrun those insects."Sun Eryuan couldn't sit still at the thought of ending up like Dong Dali and Zhang Buwei, pacing around the room like a headless fly. Yang Wujian found this irritating and frowned, saying, "Sit down... Do you really think your mediocre skills could evade someone who managed to light a fire and kill right under our noses? If you're tired of living, leave now—I won't stop you."

Sun Eryuan didn't dare act out in front of Yang Wujian and muttered quietly, "But we can't just sit here waiting to die... Today is the ninth, tomorrow is the tenth."

"Speaking of which... why did he carve dates on the corpses to tell us someone would die?"

At this point, Shen Qingshi suddenly spoke up, "Tian Ting excels at divination. Is he just trying to prove that?"

Sun Eryuan found it hard to believe, "Wait... you think Tian Ting is trying to kill us? He has no connection to us, and it wasn't us who threw him into the well to die back then."

Yang Wujian sneered coldly at this, "He's more capable than you—what if he wants you dead? Besides, birds of a feather flock together. It doesn't matter if you're the snake that harmed him; what matters is that you've harmed others too."

At these words, Sun Eryuan immediately fell silent, shrinking into a corner and saying no more. Yang Wujian pondered for a moment, "But... if Tian Ting's limbs are all crippled, how does he move like a ghost and even send you letters? Aren't there any rumors in your circles about this, like him having close disciples or something?"

Hearing this, Dong Qisheng, who had been silent all along, thought for a moment and said, "There are indeed some rumors in the underworld. It's said that what's been helping him all along isn't a person, but something originally hidden in the mines."

"Wh-what does that mean? How come I've never heard of it?"

Sun Eryuan turned pale, "Wasn't it said that he received divine aid, which is how he narrowly escaped death?"

Dong Qisheng glanced at him, "No one knows what Tian Ting encountered in the well, but there are rumors that the well he was thrown into was an old mine from the Northern Xiang era, with something ancient and sinister hidden deep underground. It promised Tian Ting that if he agreed to certain conditions, it would help him see the light of day again."

Though brief, these words sent chills down everyone's spines. Yang Wujian frowned deeply, "An ancient thing? Could it be... the Meteor Star?"

No wonder the others had said earlier that the Meteor Star was a living entity, capable of helping people find other treasures.

In the beliefs of the Northern Desert people, it fell from the heavens, burrowed underground, and became the Underground Heaven.

Yang Wujian murmured, "If the Meteor Star is alive, no wonder Tian Ting said his Death Hex is approaching and he needs to entrust the Meteor Star to someone else..."

Dong Qisheng added, "With the help of the thing in the well, Tian Ting not only saw daylight again but also seemed divinely aided, evading several government pursuits... Sadly, mortals trying to rival the heavens must pay a price. I think the so-called Death Hex stems from this... These are just my speculations, because what I saw killing my brother yesterday was utterly unlike anything mortal. I've thought about it all night, and this is the only explanation I can come up with."

By the end, Dong Qisheng's head drooped again. Though he had survived, Dong Dali's death had shattered his courage, and now he likely had no desire left to search for the Meteor Star.Shen Qingshi pondered for a moment: "If the legend is true, then Tian Ting... can he still be considered alive? Who exactly was the corpse we found on the first day? Could it really have been Tian Ting?"

"Then... if he died on the first day, the one killing afterward must be a ghost?"

Sun Eryuan, standing nearby, grew increasingly terrified: "The ghostly figure I saw at the window last night was clearly him! It must be his vengeful spirit refusing to move on, demanding our lives in return... If we stay here any longer, we'll all die!"

"I told you, you can leave right now if you want."

Finally, Yang Wujian couldn't be bothered to deal with Sun Eryuan anymore. After telling him to stay put, he went out with Shen Qingshi, bringing the rabbit along.

"What do you think?"

After walking some distance, Shen Qingshi asked.

Yang Wujian chuckled, but his voice was cold: "We'll know after tonight."

Although the two had few clues, the fact that this person would come to Stone Village at night to light a fire meant he was just as mortal as they were.

Yang Wujian refused to believe in supernatural nonsense and was determined to catch the person from the woods. He and Shen Qingshi searched for hours but couldn't even find a footprint. Frustrated, Yang Wujian exclaimed: "I don't believe it! Is it really a dead man's ghost haunting us?... This person had the nerve to enter the village directly, so he must be lurking around us."

Shen Qingshi thought for a moment: "Perhaps his martial skills surpass ours... he just doesn't want to reveal himself to us."

"You mean he came to the village just to provoke us?"

As dusk fell, Yang Wujian had a persistent feeling that the person was right beside them. Unfortunately, the forest was too dense—even climbing the treetops limited their visibility... They were always one step behind.

Finally, Shen Qingshi gazed at the setting sun in the distance and shook his head: "Let's go back. It's about time."

When they returned to Stone Village, as expected, Dong Qisheng remained silently seated at the entrance. Meanwhile, the previously noisy Sun Eryuan not only hadn't left but had even started a fire and was roasting wild fruits he had gathered for them.

"Little monkey, why are you still here?"

Yang Wujian approached, smiling as he looked at the eager Sun Eryuan: "Tomorrow is the final death day. Aren't you afraid you might be the one to die?"

"With you protecting me, I won't die."

Sun Eryuan hurriedly offered the fruits, but Shen Qingshi coldly pushed them away: "I don't eat warm food."

"Then have some water. I fetched it earlier."

Sun Eryuan peeked behind Shen Qingshi and noticed the rabbit and its cage were missing. Surprised, he asked: "Where's the rabbit?"

"Too fat, needs exercise. The rabbit is out for the night."

Shen Qingshi took the water, exchanged a glance with Yang Wujian, then drank a large gulp. Afterward, they ate the fruits and settled down to rest in different corners of the stone house.

That night, the stone house quickly fell silent, as if everyone was exhausted from the past two days' events and had swiftly fallen asleep.

However, this tranquility didn't last long.

Shortly after midnight, as the moon rose above the trees, faint rustling sounds emerged from the darkness. When Yang Wujian opened his eyes, he found his hands and feet tightly bound with leather ropes designed to prevent Bone Shrinking techniques. Not far from him, Shen Qingshi and Dong Qisheng were similarly tied up, unconscious and lying on the ground."Young Master Yang, you're awake?"

Sun Eryuan's voice rang out, but it had completely shed its previous slickness, turning utterly sinister. Half his body stood in the moonlight, his face split into light and shadow by the lunar glow, his monkey-like eyes icy cold.

Damn, had they actually fallen asleep?

Yang Wujian knew things had gone wrong.

Originally, both he and Shen Qingshi had long suspected Sun Eryuan would make a move. Whether eating the fruits or drinking from the spring, it had all been an act performed for his benefit - they hadn't actually consumed anything.

So why were they still affected?

Just as Yang Wujian was puzzling over this, Sun Eryuan approached and stepped on his shoulder, sneering coldly: "Feeling confused? Wondering why you can't muster any internal energy even though you didn't eat anything?"

As he drew closer, the scent on Sun Eryuan's body became intensely strong. Yang Wujian felt dizzy from the smell and immediately understood: "So from the very beginning when you approached us, it was for this?"

"The scent on me is only part of it. The remaining drug I scattered in the campfire. From the moment you entered this room, your energy has been dissipating... So? Still think I'm a monkey?"

Only now did Sun Eryuan finally reveal his vicious side, sneering coldly: "I told you to leave but you refused. Fine. Originally I only planned to kill Dong Qisheng to satisfy Tian Ting and obtain the Meteor Star, but it seems tomorrow's execution will claim three lives here."

As he spoke, he drew a knife from his robe, pressing the tip against Yang Wujian's eyelid: "Like calling me a monkey, do you? Let me show you that monkeys eat human flesh too."

Just as he was about to gouge out Yang Wujian's eye, a crisp clang sounded. A stone flew in through the air vent and accurately struck the knife in Sun Eryuan's hand. Before he could react, countless stones rained down on his head and face like a storm, each carrying astonishing energy. Within moments, Sun Eryuan had been beaten blind in one eye and fled screaming from the room.