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  Ancient Fragment #19

  A ........ ....... ago, blood fell like rain.

  Roots drank deep and learned to remember.

  No graves were left, only red earth and silence.

  The forest still beats with borrowed lives.

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  We were one step away from death.

  Long Tianyu and Hua Qingqing both understood how close they had come. Several formations lay ahead of them, but one in particular made their blood run cold. An overwhelmingly powerful killing formation they had nearly stepped into.

  We would have died instantly if we touched that…

  Another formation nearby was meant for refining blood. Human blood.

  Long Tianyu felt Hua Qingqing’s hand trembling in his. He turned to look at her. Her eyes were shut tight, her knees giving way as she nearly collapsed.

  Qingqing…

  Too afraid to make any noise, he pulled her arm over his shoulder. Bai Qing hurried to catch her on the other side, and together they half carried, half dragged Hua Qingqing back into the dark tunnel, away from the nightmare of the crimson cavern.

  The narrow passage offered little comfort. Every sound echoed like a warning. Sweat stung their eyes and dust clogged their throats as they scrambled up the slope toward the cave they had entered from. None of them dared to look back until the red glow vanished behind the bend of the tunnel.

  Only then did they stop.

  They gently lowered Hua Qingqing against the wall.

  “Huff… huff…”

  The sound of heavy breathing broke the silence. Long Tianyu bent forward slightly, resting his hands on his knees as he forced air into his lungs. The metallic scent of blood still lingered in his nose no matter how much he tried breathing it away. The cave was clinging to him, like sinister hands gripping his clothes, refusing to let go.

  Hua Qingqing’s breathing was slow and shallow. She had lost consciousness from sheer exhaustion. Long Tianyu brushed the sweat from her brow. His fingers trembled before he clenched them into a fist.

  He hated this feeling. Fear was one thing. Helplessness was another.

  “That man…” Bai Qing whispered. “We were just… a breath away.”

  She swallowed hard, lips pale and cracked. Her eyes kept flicking toward the tunnel entrance, as if expecting a shadow to shift there at any moment. Every sound made her flinch.

  Long Tianyu straightened, forcing his expression calm. “We survived. That’s what matters.”

  Even as he said it, his heart would not settle. The image of flowing blood and piled bones replayed again and again in his mind. He knew demonic paths existed, but seeing it with his own eyes shattered whatever distance that knowledge once had.

  “Sister Qing, it’s getting dark. You can leave if you want. I can take care of Qingqing until she wakes.”

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  ''No,'' Bai Qing shook her head, her blue and white hair shaking sideways. ''I'll stay here until Sister Qingqing is fine.''

  Bai Qing looked at Hua Qingqing who breathed weakly. ''Do you have any medicine or pill for her?''

  “No.”

  “Does she?”

  “No. I already checked her storage pouch.”

  “What do you mean, no?” Bai Qing’s voice sharpened. “How can you enter a dangerous place without proper preparation?”

  Long Tianyu did not answer. He did not even look at her. His shoulders sank as he held Hua Qingqing’s hand, thumb gently tracing over her soft hand.

  “I… I’m sorry.” Bai Qing’s anger faded as quickly as it rose. She sank down beside them, breathing slowly. Being angry won’t help… He must be hurting more than I am.

  “Do you know what happened to her? How did she talk to us without making any noise?” she asked softly. “I have a few pills, but I don’t know if they would work on someone in the Qi Infusion Realm.”

  Long Tianyu drew in a slow breath, never taking his eyes off Hua Qingqing.

  “I think she used her Soul Force to create an illusion and to talk to us. Something that made us invisible to that man. She told me he couldn’t see us. I don’t know exactly how. Maybe his mind is broken. Maybe Qingqing is just that strong. Only she knows.”

  “Soul Force?” Bai Qing murmured. She knew that once cultivators reached Elementary Qi they gained soul sense. Even she could use that much. But Soul Force… she had never heard of it.

  “Mmm. Do you have a pill for that?” Long Tianyu let out a quiet, humorless laugh.

  “Uh… no. Sorry.” Bai Qing lowered her gaze.

  “Sorry. My head is a mess too.” He exhaled, then looked up at her. “Since you’re from the sect, do you know what treasures or demonic beasts are inside the Crimson Heart?”

  Bai Qing was silent for a moment, thinking.

  “There are… Red Heart Stones, Vermilion Star Mushrooms, Water of Crimson Tears, Heart Lotus, Scarlet Orchid, Bloodvine Ginseng, and…”

  “Wait.” Long Tianyu snapped upright. “Scarlet Orchid? Do you mean Scarlet Soul Orchid?”

  “Scarlet Soul Orchid?” Bai Qing frowned. “I’ve never heard it called that. It’s mostly used by low-level cultivators like us. If you place it nearby, it helps focus the mind and deepen understanding of cultivation or martial techniques.”

  Long Tianyu’s eyes lit up. The gloom on his face vanished in an instant.

  “Good. Good, good!”

  He slapped his thigh, grinning.

  “Sister Qing, do you know where it grows?” He pulled out the map the Jin family had given him and spread it open.

  Bai Qing leaned closer, then shook her head. “This is missing too much.” She reached into her storage pouch and placed another map over it. “Use this.”

  They bent over the new map together. It was far more detailed, marking the most dangerous regions inside the Crimson Heart. Valley of Choking Vines. Soul Lake. Bloodfire Cavern.

  Long Tianyu’s gaze fixed on Soul Lake. The note beside it read:

  Danger. Qi Infusion Realm beast. Small deposits of Red Heart Stones and Soul Orchids scattered in the area.

  His smile returned. “This could work.”

  ''Brother Tianyu, are you sure about this? There is a Qi Infusion Beast there, this isn't a joke!'' She raised her tone in frustration, ''You could die! And what if that man comes back?! We will all die, we should go somewhere else!''

  Long Tianyu didn't answer. He was thinking. Thinking how to deal with this in the best way possible. He extended his soul sense toward Hua Qingqing. Her soul that used to be shining like a star was now dimming, all so slightly.

  No! Her soul is in ruin! It is crumbling by the second.. I don't time to sit here and wait!

  If I go there, will Hua Qingqing be safe?

  Can I truly trust this Bai Qing?

  His teeth ground together. There was no certainty in any direction.

  He tightened his grip on one of the Twin Shadow Blades.

  ''Sister Qing, we have to gamble. Do you dare?''

  He looked up. His gaze locked onto hers.

  “Uh… I… I don’t know.”

  I don’t have time for hesitation.

  His heart thundered.

  “I’m going to Soul Lake. It’s my only chance to save my wife. Can you promise to take care of her? That man shouldn’t return. You saw it yourself. This place should be safe for a while. Those three centipedes have lived here a long time. This is their territory.”

  He held her eyes.

  “If you do… I’ll give you a Scarlet Soul Orchid and all of my Crimson Gold Flowers.”

  Bai Qing took a deep breath. She was about to gamble with her life. Again.

  After several seconds of silence, she nodded.

  “Fine. I’ll stay the night. It’s too dark outside for a safe return anyway. Better to shelter here.”

  Long Tianyu turned back toward Hua Qingqing.

  She was pale, damp with sweat, hair falling across her face. He lifted a hand and gently brushed the strands behind her ear, fingertips lingering against her cheek.

  ''Wait for me,'' he whispered. ''I'll be back soon.''

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  End of chapter 19 - Soul in Ruin