Nine Desolate Records

The raft drifted in the darkness for an unknown amount of time.

Time lost its meaning—there was no sunrise or sunset, only the endless flow of the blood river and the slow, heavy throbbing of the chain on his chest. Lu Li would occasionally fall asleep, but not deeply, always dreaming of fragmented images: raging floods, giant bronze pillars, sparks from rubbing chains, and a face he could never see clearly.

Each time he woke up, he found Lin Qingyuan keeping watch.

The light from the luminous pearl illuminated Lin Qingyuan's pale face. He gripped his sword, his eyes fixed on the depths of the river, as if ready to face a sudden attack at any moment. But the journey was unexpectedly calm—the jellyfish that had been spying on them never appeared again, and the Blood River maintained a steady flow, as if the entire river was deliberately escorting them away.

"Take a nap." Lu Li sat up, his voice hoarse.

Lin Qingyuan shook his head: "We're almost at the exit, listen."

Lu Li listened intently. The sound of the water had changed—no longer the dull echo of the cave, but a more expansive sound carried by the wind. A faint light appeared ahead, not the cold glow of the luminous pearl, but the true, greyish-white light of the sky.

The moment the raft drifted out of the cave, the blinding light made both of them squint.

Its daybreak.

Before me stretched a wide valley, flanked by towering cliffs covered in dark green vines. Here, the Blood River merged with an even larger river—its water a murky yellow, which, when mixed with the Blood River's dark red, created an eerie purplish-red hue, like a stagnant wound.

In the distance, the outline of the city wall can be seen.

We have arrived at Lin Yuan City.

The city was built against the mountain, its walls constructed of dark blue-green boulders that wound their way up the slope, reaching almost to the clouds at their highest point. Every hundred paces along the walls stood an arrow tower, its rooftops adorned with black flags edged in gold, each flag bearing the character "渊" (Yuan). Below the walls, the river bends, carving out a natural, deep pool, its waters pitch black and unfathomable—this is likely the origin of the name "临渊" (Lin Yuan).

The raft drifted to the shore, and the two jumped ashore. Beneath their feet was a soft riverbed, the sand mixed with broken bones and rusted arrowheads, traces of a war from who knows how many years ago.

"Change your clothes." Lin Qingyuan took out two sets of coarse cloth clothes from his bag. "The one you're wearing has the academy's mark on it, so you can't wear it."

Lu Li took the clothes. They were ordinary farmer's shorts, faded from washing, and patched. He changed into the clothes, rolled up his old clothes into a ball, and prepared to throw them into the river.

"Wait." Lin Qingyuan stopped him, took the old clothes, took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, and poured some powder onto the clothes. The moment the powder touched the fabric, the clothes quickly turned black and carbonized, finally turning into a handful of ashes, which were scattered by the wind.

"Corpse-dissolving powder," Lin Qingyuan explained, "It must leave no trace."

He then examined Lu Li's dagger—the Zhenlong Dagger had returned to its simple and unadorned appearance, but the two characters "Zhenlong" on the hilt were still clearly visible. Lin Qingyuan took out a dirty strip of cloth from his bag and carefully wrapped the dagger, leaving only the end of the hilt exposed.

"From now on, you are my cousin. My name is Lin Yuan, and your name is Lu Er. We are hunters from Cangwu Mountain, here in the city to sell furs." Lin Qingyuan instructed, "Speak less, don't look around, and stay close to me."

Lu Li nodded.

The two walked along the riverbank towards the city gate. The closer they got to the gate, the more people there were—peddlers carrying loads, farmers pushing carts, and merchants leading skinny horses, all queuing up to enter the city. The air was filled with the smells of sweat, livestock, and the fishy odor of the river.

At the city gate, a dozen armored guards were conducting checks. They weren't dressed in the black, tight-fitting uniforms of the Demon-Slaying Guards, but in the standard leather armor of the city defense army, studded with copper pins on their chests, and carrying long halberds. The leader was a burly man who looked like a squad leader, with a fierce face, checking everyone's travel permits one by one.

When it was their turn, the squad leader squinted and said, "Travel permit."

Lin Qingyuan pulled two yellowed pieces of paper from his pocket—fake travel permits he had prepared beforehand, stamped with a faded seal of the Cangwu County government. The squad leader took them, examined them carefully, and then looked the two men over: "From Cangwu Mountain? Wasn't that area closed off?"

"My lord, you are wise." Lin Qingyuan smiled ingratiatingly, took out a few copper coins from his pocket, and secretly stuffed them into the squad leader's hand. "The area was sealed off a while ago, supposedly due to evil spirits. But we mountain folk still need to eat, don't we? Take advantage of these few days when things are a bit more relaxed, hurry up and come out to sell the hides you've accumulated, and exchange them for some rice and flour to take back."

The squad leader weighed the copper coins in his hand, his expression softening slightly: "Where's the leather?"

"It's stored at the inn; I was afraid it would get in the way if I brought it into the city." Lin Qingyuan's smile remained unchanged. "If the officer wants to inspect it, I'll go get it right away—"

"Alright then." The squad leader waved his hand. "Go inside. Remember, things aren't very peaceful in the city lately, so try to stay home at night."

"Yes, yes, thank you, General Xie."

The two entered the city successfully.

Lin Yuan City is more prosperous than I imagined.

The streets were paved with bluestone slabs, lined with shops on both sides: grain shops, cloth shops, pharmacies, blacksmith shops... The colorful signs dazzled in the sunlight. Pedestrians thronged the streets, the shouts, haggling, and the sounds of carts and horses mingling together, creating a headache-inducing noise. In addition to the smells of sweat and livestock, the air was filled with a mixture of spices, cooked food, and cosmetics.

But Lu Li quickly noticed the anomaly.

There were too many beggars squatting on the street corner—not the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, but mostly young and middle-aged men with vacant eyes. Their clothes were tattered, but the material was decent, suggesting that their families had fallen on hard times. In front of them were broken bowls, empty inside. Occasionally, a passerby would throw down a coin or two, but they wouldn't say thank you; they would just stare blankly.

And then there were the shops—the doors were open, but the clerks leaned listlessly against the doorframes, and there were hardly any customers inside. Long queues formed outside the pharmacies, the people in the lines all pale and coughing incessantly.

"This city..." Lu Li lowered his voice.

"Something's not right." Lin Qingyuan noticed it too. He scanned the street and said, "It's too desolate. Lin Yuan City is a port city with both land and water routes. At this time of year, the streets should be so crowded that you can hardly move."

Just then, a commotion arose ahead.

A group of men in black galloped from the other end of the street—it was the Demon-Slaying Guard. Seven or eight men, all dressed in matching black outfits, with long swords at their waists, their horses' hooves clattering crisply on the cobblestones. Pedestrians quickly made way, moving to the side of the street, heads bowed, unable to look directly at them.

The lead demon-hunting guard, holding a scroll of notice, reined in his horse in the middle of the street and posted it on the notice board. After finishing, he surveyed his surroundings and said coldly:

"A curfew is hereby imposed throughout the city. Anyone found harboring Lu Li, the escaped convict from the academy, will be punished as an accomplice. A reward of one hundred taels of silver will be given to anyone who reports such a person."

After saying that, he waved his hand, and the group continued forward, quickly disappearing around the street corner.

A crowd gathered around the notice board. Lu Li and Lin Qingyuan mingled in the crowd and saw the contents of the notice—it was a portrait of Lu Li. Although it only resembled him seven or eight parts, the features were captured accurately: thin, with a scholarly air in his eyes and brows, and a faint scar on his right brow bone (from a fall while climbing a tree as a child). Next to the portrait was written:

"Lu Li, a traitor to the academy, has colluded with demons, murdered fellow disciples, and stolen forbidden items. A reward is offered for his capture, dead or alive."

Below it are the Black Bird Seal of the Demon-Slaying Guard and the seal of the White Deer Academy.

"A traitor to the academy?" an old man muttered. "My nephew works at White Deer Academy, and I've never heard of such a big mess..."

"What do you know?" A fat man who looked like a merchant lowered his voice. "I heard that a demon has been parasitizing the academy, and several people have died. This Lu Li was the one who was parasitized. He went berserk, killed people, and stole some treasure before escaping."

"No, no," a peddler carrying a load interjected. "My cousin works in the yamen, and he says that Lu Li stole the Demon-Slaying Guard's confidential files and is going to sell them to the barbarians in the north..."

The rumors became increasingly outrageous as they spread.

Lu Li silently withdrew from the crowd, and Lin Qingyuan followed. The two turned into a small alley, which was piled with garbage and swarmed with flies.

"Your portrait has already been posted." Lin Qingyuan's expression was solemn. "Although it's not a perfect likeness, anyone who has seen you before will recognize you at a glance."

"Xun Wenruo is quick." Lu Li leaned against the wall, feeling the lock on his chest burning slightly. "We've only been out of the mountains for a day, and the wanted poster has already been sent here."

"It's not just fast." Lin Qingyuan looked around to make sure no one was there. "Look at the charges on the notice—'Colluding with demons and murdering fellow disciples.' That's a capital offense, and one that can result in immediate execution without trial. Xun Wenruo is pushing you to your death."

"What are you forcing me to do?"

"You've been driven to the brink of despair, leaving you no choice but to go to the old blind man," Lin Qingyuan analyzed. "The old blind man has a cloak that can conceal your presence, which is exactly what you need right now. Xun Wenruo anticipated your arrival, so he sent the wanted poster here in advance, making it impossible for you to move an inch. You have no choice but to go to the old blind man as soon as possible."

Lu Li closed his eyes.

piece.

He was always just a pawn.

"Let's find a place to stay first," Lin Qingyuan said. "We'll go find the old blind man in the north of the city tonight. We'll be too conspicuous during the day."

The two wandered around the city for half a day before finally finding a small inn in the slums near the city walls. The inn was called "Qishen" (meaning "to find refuge"), its signboard crooked, its doors dilapidated, and a faded red lantern hanging at the entrance. The innkeeper was a one-eyed old woman who didn't talk much; she took the money and gave them the key.

The room was on the second floor, at the very back, with windows facing a back alley filled with garbage and reeking of foul odors. But the advantage was its seclusion, and from the window one could jump directly onto the roof of the neighboring house, allowing for an escape in an emergency.

Lin Qingyuan closed the door, took out a small packet of powder from his pocket, and sprinkled it around the cracks in the door and windows. The powder emitted a faint herbal scent.

"Insect repellent powder can mask human scent," he said. "The Demon-hunting Guards have tracking dogs, so we have to be careful."

Lu Li sat on the bed, the mattress as hard as a stone slab. He lifted his clothes and looked at the lock mark on his chest—the black rune was deeper than yesterday, the edges spreading outwards like vines, already reaching his collarbone. In the center of the rune, a tiny, swirling pattern could be vaguely seen, slowly rotating.

"It's growing," Lu Li said.

Lin Qingyuan walked over and glanced at it, his brows furrowed: "It's not just growing... it's merging with your body. Look, the edges of the runes have already connected with the skin texture."

Indeed. Those black lines aren't just on the surface of the skin; they're embedded in the flesh, like birthmarks. When you touch them, you can feel a slight pulsation beneath the skin, like... a second heart.

"I have some things in my head," Lu Li said in a low voice. "Not memories, but knowledge. For example, just now, when I saw the notice, the organizational structure of the Demon Slayer Guard automatically appeared in my mind: four levels: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. The Black Guard can lead a team of ten people, and the Earth Guard can be stationed in a city... These are things I didn't know before."

"The prisoner's memories are seeping in." Lin Qingyuan sat down opposite him. "You must guard your true self. Like Jiang Yin said, remember who you are."

"How can I guard this?" Lu Li smiled bitterly. "I'm almost not even sure who I am anymore. Lu Li? An academy disciple? A living seal? Or... part of a prisoner?"

The room fell silent.

The sound of the night watchman's clapper came from outside the window—it was noon.

"Let's rest first," Lin Qingyuan said. "We'll move out after dark."

Lu Li lay down and closed his eyes. But he couldn't sleep; every time he closed his eyes, those fragmented images flashed before his eyes. This time, they were even clearer:

The earth, cracked and barren after the flood receded, was covered in rubble. Nine figures stood on the ruins; one of them turned back, his face indistinct, but holding a dagger.

The dagger is exactly the same shape as the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger.

Screen switch.

Deep underground, nine bronze pillars formed a circle. The chains binding the pillars were all taut, and at the center of the chains was a gigantic shadow. The shadow struggled, and the chains groaned under the weight of the burden.

Then, one of the chains broke.

A dark golden liquid gushed from the severed wound, landing and transforming into a writhing pool of darkness. This darkness seeped into the earth's veins, flowing away with the river of blood into the distance…

Lu Li suddenly opened his eyes.

He sat up, breathing heavily, his back soaked in cold sweat.

"What's wrong?" Lin Qingyuan asked alertly.

"Chains..." Lu Li hissed, "Of the nine Dragon-Suppressing Pillars, the chain on one of them... has long been broken."

"What?"

"A portion of the prisoner's power escaped three thousand years ago." Lu Li pressed his chest, the seal burning hot. "That power flowed along the blood river, permeating the earth's veins. That's why the anchor points have been malfunctioning in recent decades—it's not a coincidence, but that escaped power is slowly eroding the seal."

Lin Qingyuan's expression changed drastically: "You mean, the prisoner's main body is still locked up, but a part of its power escaped long ago and has been secretly breaking the seal?"

"Yes." Lu Li recalled the words of the misty outline, "What it has in abundance is time. Three thousand years is enough for its escaped power to do many things. For example... to erode Jiang Yin, to erode your father, to erode everyone who gets close to the anchor point."

He paused, and an even more terrifying thought surfaced:

"Does Xun Wenruo know? If he does, why did he send me to Cangwu Mountain and make me the new anchor point...? Is it to strengthen the seal, or is it for...?"

"It's still to provide the prisoner with a more perfect container," Lin Qingyuan added, his voice turning cold, "a living, mobile container that can actively absorb its escape force."

The two looked at each other and saw coldness in each other's eyes.

If that's the case, then Lu Li's destiny is not to seal away prisoners.

He was resurrected as a prisoner...

Body shell.

Outside the window, the sky was gradually darkening.

Night falls.

The lights of Lin Yuan City lit up one by one, but in the eyes of the two, those lights were not warmth, but bait for a trap.

But is the old blind man they're searching for a lifeline, or just the entrance to another trap?