C1 The Strange Incident

The eerie laughter of a child echoed in Jiang Dao's ears, sending sharp pains through his mind. His vision blurred, he could make out the silhouette of a strange, dark child standing at his bedside. The child's hollow gaze fixed on Jiang Dao, a smile playing on his lips.

With a stifled groan, Jiang Dao forced his eyes open. He suddenly awoke, panting heavily.

The laughter that had filled his ears vanished as quickly as it had come.

The dim light in front of him gradually brightened.

A faint scent of sandalwood permeated the room, soothing his nerves.

"Just another dream," he murmured.

Propping himself up on the bed's edge, he sat up, his body slick with sweat.

He had been in this world for three full days.

He had assumed it was a world akin to the ancient feudal societies, but the information he'd encountered in just three days was bizarre.

This world harbored incomprehensible phenomena!

Three days prior, the body's original owner had stumbled into a mansion and passed out. That was the moment Jiang Dao found himself thrust into this new existence. Since his arrival, he'd been haunted by the same dream, night after night.

In the dream, a child cloaked in black mocked him with laughter. The child's eyes were void of life, his mouth stretched grotesquely wide, nearly reaching his ears.

At first, the child merely laughed from outside his window.

But soon, the child ventured into his room.

And each night, the child crept closer to his bed.

Now, the distance between them had shrunk to a mere six or seven meters.

If that were the only concern, it might be bearable.

Yet, over the last three days, a spate of deaths had rocked Hengzhou City.

There were even whispers of the dead coming back to life.

Jiang Dao rose from the bed, coughing. He slipped into his boots, draped a thick fur coat over his shoulders, and opened the door.

Outside, the sunlight was strong, signaling the approach of noon.

"Young Master, are you awake?" Biyu, the maidservant carrying a bowl of lotus-seed soup, hurried over.

"What's been happening outside?" Jiang Dao inquired.

From his room, he could hear the shouting emanating from the front courtyard.

"There's been another incident. All the servants on Jinyang Street are dead, and now the rest want to leave," Biyu said, her voice tinged with anxiety.

The gruesome deaths of the servants had left her deeply shaken, while the recent spate of murders in Hengzhou City had everyone on edge.

Murders had been occurring non-stop for the past half-month, with no end in sight. Hengzhou City was now in complete lockdown, and if this trend continued, there was no telling how many lives would be lost.

Jiang Dao pondered for a moment before asking, "How many servants have died? Is it the same entity responsible?"

"Yes, six have perished. Taoist Priest Changbai is already investigating," Biyu confirmed, her nervousness palpable.

A figure flashed through Jiang Dao's mind. He remembered that half a month ago, the Jiang family had paid a considerable sum to enlist Taoist Priest Changbai's services. Since then, the priest had resolved several mysterious cases and earned a measure of respect.

Yet, the man's character was questionable. He had taken up residence with the Jiang family and was slowly positioning himself to usurp the family's patriarch.

The Jiangs were the wealthiest merchants in all of Hengzhou, with vast assets. Despite employing numerous Martial Masters, these warriors were no match for the Evil Spirit.

Taoist Priest Changbai, with his arcane skills, had become a domineering presence within the Jiang household. He commanded a daily fee of 300 taels of silver.

His demands included five lavish meals a day, complete with meat and wine, and a retinue of servants at his beck and call. He even expected maidservants to share his bed and frequently requisitioned costly medicinal herbs from the pharmacy.

Recently, the priest's audacity had grown; he did not spare members of the Jiang family from his advances. Jiang Dao's sister had been a target of his lechery.

He had expressed a desire for Jiang Dao's Third Sister to tend to him for a few days, an idea so frightening that she dared not leave her room. Jiang Dao's father, wary of provoking the priest, suggested instead that more young maidservants be sent to attend to him.

Jiang Dao muttered under his breath, "At this rate, the Jiang family is doomed."

The Taoist Priest was notoriously miserly, with no intention of sharing his secret arts with anyone.

Both Jiang Dao and Jiang Dalong had repeatedly implored the Taoist Priest to take Jiang Dao as his apprentice, but time and again, their requests were met with a litany of excuses and rejections.

It appeared the Taoist intended to use his secret technique as leverage to spend his days comfortably within the Jiang family's estate.

Jiang Dao abruptly set off toward the front courtyard.

"Young Master, won't you have some of the lotus-seed soup?" Biyu called out after him.

"Just leave it," Jiang Dao replied, his voice flat. "I've lost my appetite."

Muffled sobs and a cacophony of other sounds emanated from the front courtyard.

Crossing a corridor, Jiang Dao stepped into the open space where several bodies lay on the moss-covered ground, shrouded in white cloth. Their exposed hands were a ghastly purple, as though stained with ink, a chilling sight to behold.

These were the household servants who had perished earlier.

Relatives wept softly beside their loved ones.

Pang Lin, the head guard, stood with fierce eyes and a grim demeanor, clutching a hefty iron staff as he confronted a group of noisy individuals desperate to leave.

"Without the master's consent, no one leaves. Take one step, and I'll end you!" Pang Lin bellowed.

The servants, who had their belongings ready to go, were cowed by Pang Lin's formidable presence, their faces drained of color, hearts racing with fear.

"You're just a martial artist. If you're so capable, go fight the Evil Spirit instead of picking on us!"

"We refuse to die alongside the Jiang family. Don't drag us down with you!"

"We're unarmed and defenseless. You're just a bully preying on the weak!" the servants cried out.

"Enough!" A detached voice cut through the noise.

A middle-aged man in silk attire strode in, his face stormy. At his side was a green-robed, white-haired old Taoist with a goat beard, his expression one of smug contentment.

Flanking them was a contingent of more than a dozen guards, their steel blades gleaming, their presence commanding respect and fear.

"The master has arrived!"

Pang Lin swiftly approached to greet him, followed by the other guards who eagerly stepped forward to welcome their master.

The servants who had been contemplating escape tensed up at the sight of Jiang Dalong's return. The Jiang family, being the wealthiest merchants in Hengzhou City, wielded significant power. The yamen wouldn't bat an eye even if a few servants were killed.

"Master," they murmured, bowing their heads, too intimidated to meet Jiang Dalong's gaze.

"The Jiang family pays you three taels of silver each month. Now, with the family facing trouble, you think of fleeing? Do you take us for a charity?

Who else in Hengzhou City would pay you three taels of silver monthly? You think you can just run off when things get tough? It doesn't work that way. Remember, you've all signed contracts. Do you truly believe the Jiang family wouldn't dare to take your lives?" Jiang Dalong's voice was icy.

None of the servants dared to look up, let alone offer a rebuttal.

With a contemptuous snort, Jiang Dalong commanded, "Pang Lin, have someone keep an eye on them. Anyone who tries to escape is to be executed on the spot!"

"Yes, Master," Pang Lin replied, his voice grave with the weight of the order.

"And the rest of you!" Jiang Dalong's gaze swept over the servants with a chilling indifference. "Don't think you can sneak away in the night without consequence. From this moment on, anyone who reports another's attempt to flee will receive a reward of fifty silver taels. And anyone found concealing such information will be put to death!"

The servants were stunned. Fifty silver taels represented a fortune to them.

Silently, they bowed their heads, discarding any thoughts of escape, and dispersed from the area.