Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 116: Blood Moon

Chapter 116: Blood Moon

The storm outside had quieted, but the weight inside the room hadn’t lifted.

They gathered together, sharing what they have learned and what they need to do moving forward now.

"We’ll start in the southwest first. Lets see if we can find another path. If they saw you two, then they would surely guard that." Chen Rong said, his voice low but certain. "That’s where the trail leads. If there’s a hidden path to the catacombs, that’s where it’ll be."

Lin Feng nodded once, silent as always, but focused. "There’s a ruined shrine at the edge of the fire-damaged district. Locals avoid it. Could be superstition, or something they know and won’t say."

Feng Jiao Xue leaned back slightly, one arm resting across her chest, the other hand gently drumming her fingers along the wood. "We need to go in quiet. No large footsteps, no reckless attacks. Whatever’s taking people doesn’t want attention... and it doesn’t leave survivors."

Mo Tianze tilted his head. "I can scout ahead once we get close. My senses are sharper than most. If there’s something hiding in the dark, I’ll hear it before them hears us."

"And what if they hears you anyway?" Xia Lian asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She sat with her knees pulled up on the chair, arms wrapped tightly around them. "If they’re already watching us... what then?"

Feng Jiao Xue glanced at her, her gaze softening just a bit. "Then we fight."

"But only when we have to," Chen Rong added. "We don’t know what’s down there. Charging in is the fastest way to lose another person."

Xia Lian pressed her lips together and nodded.

Mo Tianze leaned forward and pointed at the sketched map. "I think we split into pairs once we enter. One group circles the outer ruins, checks for markings, tracks, anything unnatural. The other searches for a way into the lower levels. That shrine might be more than just a ruin."

"I’ll go with Feng Jiao Xue," he added immediately after.

Chen Rong raised a brow but didn’t comment. He looked to Lin Feng. "You and I can take the south end. Xia Lian should stay above ground and watch for movement. Signal us if anything approaches."

"I can help more than a look out!" Xia Lian started, but Feng Jiao Xue cut in gently.

"You already have. You’ve seen and heard more than the rest of us. You’re our warning bell now. That’s just as important."

Xia Lian lowered her eyes but nodded again.

"What do we do if we find Wei Jian?" Lin Feng asked after a beat.

Everyone looked to Feng Jiao Xue.

She didn’t answer right away. Her eyes drifted to the flickering candle flame, the weight of the question heavy in her chest. "If he’s still himself," she said finally, "we get him out. No matter what."

"And if he’s not?" Chen Rong’s voice was careful.

She didn’t blink. "Then we end it. Cleanly. Quickly."

No one argued.

They stayed quiet for a moment longer, each lost in their thoughts, the stillness almost reverent. Plans had been made. Now all that was left was to carry them out.

But then...

Knock knock knock

The knock at the door was gentle but insistent. The group exchanged glances, their conversation grinding to a halt. Chen Rong stood up first, his brow furrowed in suspicion as the others glanced toward the door.

"Who’s there?" Mo Tianze called, his voice steady but tinged with the usual edge of wariness.

The voice that came from the other side of the door was warm and soft, accompanied by the gentle swish of fabric as the woman moved closer. "It’s the innkeeper, dear guests. May I have a word?"

Feng Jiao Xue stood, her instincts on high alert. She had no reason to be concerned; the innkeeper’s voice was friendly, warm even, but something about the evening had already put her on edge. They had barely settled into the room when the tension started to rise, the air thickening with unease. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.

Chen Rong walked over to the door and opened it slightly, his eyes narrowing when he saw the innkeeper. She was an older woman, her face kindly and round, her eyes soft with age but still sharp enough to catch the subtle unease in the group. She wore a faded apron over a simple dress, her gray hair tucked neatly into a bun at the nape of her neck. She had the look of someone who had lived a long life in the city, perhaps longer than anyone in the room had been alive.

She smiled at them as she stepped into the room, her hands clasped before her. "I hope I’m not disturbing you," she said, her voice gentle and comforting. "I only wanted to remind you about something that happens every so often, something very rare."

"Is there something wrong?" Lin Feng asked, his tone direct but polite. "We’ve already heard some rumors, but we didn’t think much of it."

The innkeeper’s smile faltered for a brief second, her eyes flickering nervously toward the window before she leaned in, her voice dropping to a more serious tone. "It’s the Blood Moon tonight, dear guests."

Feng Jiao Xue’s eyes widened. The Blood Moon? She had heard stories, but they had always been shrouded in mystery. It was a concept whispered about in taverns and marketplaces but never truly believed, until now.

Chen Rong, ever curious, furrowed his brow and leaned forward. "Blood Moon? What’s that exactly?"

The innkeeper looked around at the group, her gaze lingering on Feng Jiao Xue for a moment before returning to Chen Rong. "It happens infrequently, dear. When the moon in the sky turns red, anyone who touches the light from it... they start to age. Slowly at first, and then faster. The process is... irreversible."

"Wait." Lin Feng stepped forward, his voice cutting through the conversation. "You mean to say if someone steps outside during the Blood Moon, they... they die from old age?"

The innkeeper nodded slowly, her expression grave. "Yes, that’s exactly what happens. The light from the Blood Moon accelerates the passage of time. It’s as though the light draws out one’s life force, and before you know it, you grow frail and withered. Many who have ventured out under the moon never return. Their bodies are found, lifeless and aged."

Mo Tianze’s ears perked up, his sharp eyes narrowing as he glanced toward the window. "Is that why the city feels so... empty?"

"Yes, dear," the innkeeper said with a soft sigh. "The streets have been cleared, and everyone who is still within the city knows better than to leave their homes. I advise you all to stay indoors tonight, lock the doors and windows, and wait for the moon to pass. It only lasts for a few hours, but in that time... many people have met their end."

"Oh, right. Didn’t the guild inform us about that?" Cheng Rong sighed as they didn’t actually think they would still be here while it occurs.

Feng Jiao Xue’s thoughts whirled. The group had heard whispers of strange occurrences around the city, but this was beyond what any of them had expected. The moon, a celestial body that had always been a silent companion in the night sky, now carried a deadly curse. They were in danger, and none of them had realized it until it was too late.

The innkeeper’s voice softened as she placed a hand on the doorframe, her face etched with worry. "I don’t mean to alarm you, but you must understand. If you value your lives, do not venture outside tonight. The Blood Moon is not a phenomenon to be taken lightly."

The silence that followed her words felt heavy. Feng Jiao Xue exchanged glances with the others. They had a mission to complete, and staying locked in this inn would surely impede their progress. Yet, the warning was too serious to dismiss. They couldn’t ignore the gravity in the innkeeper’s voice.

Feng Jiao Xue stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "We understand. We’ll stay inside for the night."

The innkeeper smiled gratefully, her shoulders relaxing as she nodded. "Thank you. I’ll leave you to it, then. But please, keep the windows closed. I don’t want to see anyone else lost to the moon’s curse."

The door clicked shut behind the innkeeper, her words lingering like smoke in the air.

"Great, just great. How can we continue our investigation now? What if Wei Jian is in danger while we wait?" Xia Lian huffed in frustration.

"The necromancer theory is starting ti sound more and more plausable" Lin Feng chirped in. Getting everyone’s attention waiting for hin to elaborate.

"I mean, his right" Mo Tianze leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "A celestial phenomenon that drains life? What if it isn’t natural at all?"

"You think it’s man-made?" Xia Lian asked, her brows drawing together.

Cheng Rong’s face was drawn tight with worry. "Do you think... the necromancer is involved with the blood moon?" he asked, her voice shaking slightly, though he tried to keep her composure.

Lin Feng leaned forward, his voice quieter but no less serious. "We haven’t seen anything definite, but the way people have been disappearing, the way the city feels... something’s off. I can feel it in my bones. It’s just a theory but let’s hope we’re wrong."

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