Nine Desolate Records

The night was deep and dark, and the hustle and bustle of the day had faded from Lin Yuan City.

When Lu Li opened his eyes, the room was pitch black. The herbal scent of the insect repellent powder was still strong, but the burning sensation belonging to the lock was even clearer. He raised his hand and pressed it to his chest; the lock-shaped rune glowed faintly in the darkness, and the dark golden patterns had spread to the upper edge of his collarbone.

The sound of the night watchman's clapper, marking the second watch, had just faded into the distance.

"It's time to go." Lin Qingyuan's voice came from the corner of the wall. He was already dressed, with his long sword slung across his back, and his sharp eyes, even in the darkness, were observing the situation in the back alley through the window crack.

Lu Li rolled out of bed, the movement tugging at the lock on his chest, causing a sharp pain that made him furrow his brow. He put on the faded coarse cloth jacket, carefully wrapped the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger with strips of cloth, and tucked it close to his waist. Since the altar on Cangwu Mountain recognized its master, it had maintained this almost silent state, as if waiting for something.

"Your lock marks have grown longer." Lin Qingyuan walked over and, by the faint moonlight filtering in from the window, saw the newly spreading lines on Lu Li's neck.

"I know," Lu Li said calmly.

"Xun Wenruo's calculations never go wrong," Lin Qingyuan sneered. "He predicted exactly when you would arrive in Linyuan City, exactly when you would go to see the old blind man, and even exactly in what state you would be going."

"So he plastered the entire city with wanted posters beforehand." Lu Li fastened his belt. "He left me with no choice but to act as quickly as possible."

Without another word, the two opened the window and quietly climbed out.

The slums weren't deserted at night. Several drunkards slumped at the alleyway entrance; further away, muffled coughs and the cries of infants echoed from the depths of the dark alley. But all the sounds were weary and desperate, as if something was slowly draining the city of its life.

"Something's not right." Lin Qingyuan suddenly stopped, squatted down, and ran his fingers across the ground.

Lu Li leaned closer to look—a layer of dark red viscous liquid seeped from the cracks in the bluestone slab, and the viscous liquid seemed to be alive, slowly wriggling.

"This is……"

"Blood moss," Lin Qingyuan said softly. "It only grows when the earth's veins are polluted to a certain extent. It feeds on the negative emotions within the earth's veins, growing more and more luxuriantly until it turns the entire land into a dead zone."

He stood up and looked around: "The ley lines of Lin Yuan City are probably rotten to the core."

Lu Li recalled the numb beggars, the desolate shops, and the long queues in front of the pharmacies he had seen during the day. If the entire city's ley lines were polluted, the people living on this land would gradually be consumed by fear and despair.

The two continued north. The further north they went, the more dilapidated the streets became, and the sparser the houses. Just as they finally saw the endless mass grave, the third watch of the night began to sound.

"The third one on the east side." Lin Qingyuan pointed to the outline of a group of low-rise buildings in the distance.

The shop stood alone on the edge of the mass grave, a withered locust tree swaying slightly in the night wind by its entrance. The shop door was half-closed, and the inside was pitch black, without a trace of light.

The two walked to the door. The door was covered with a thick layer of dust; a finger wipe left a clear mark.

The two walked to the blacksmith's shop. The door was half-closed, and it was pitch black inside.

Lu Li raised his hand to push the door open, but then stopped.

He looked down at his feet—a thin layer of dust covered the bluestone slabs outside the threshold, but three spots were unusually clean: the base of the wall on the left, the center of the threshold, and a foot to the right of the threshold. These three points formed an equilateral triangle, and the surface of the bluestone at each point had extremely fine wear marks, as if it had been repeatedly trampled on.

Lin Qingyuan also noticed: "Does someone often stand here?"

"It wasn't standing." Lu Li crouched down, his fingers lightly touching the three worn spots. "It was foot movement in a specific location."

He recalled the mnemonic rhyme Xun Wenruo used when teaching mechanical arts at the academy: "The three powers are positioned, the nine palaces are used to find the door. Three on the left, seven on the right, step into the center and it will open." At the time, he thought it was just a dry theory, but now it clearly appeared in his mind.

Xun Wenruo taught him the basics of mechanical arts.

If Jiang Yin and the old blind man were in contact, and if this blacksmith shop was a pre-arranged rendezvous point—

Therefore, the mechanism setup likely follows the logic of the mechanical arts of Xun Wenruo's school.

Lu Li stood up and followed the instructions:

1. First step on the left side of the wall (the third point from the left).

2. Step on the right side of the threshold again ("Right Seven")

3. Finally, step back to the center of the threshold ("step into the middle").

As he stepped down for the third time, a very faint "click" came from behind the door.

It wasn't that the door was open; rather, a brick behind the door was slightly raised by half an inch.

Lu Li pushed open the door and went straight to the left side of the wall behind the door. Sure enough, the third brick protruded slightly from the others, and its surface was polished to a smoother finish.

"How did you know..." Lin Qingyuan followed in.

"The incantation for mechanical arts taught by Xun Wenruo." Lu Li pressed his finger on the protruding brick.

Lu Li pressed down hard on the third brick.

The sound of mechanisms turning echoed from underground, deep and heavy. Immediately afterwards, the ground trembled slightly, and the anvil in the center of the shop slowly slid to one side, revealing a staircase leading downwards.

The stone steps were narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. Every few steps, a glowing stone was embedded in the wall, illuminating the darkness that stretched downwards.

Lu Li stepped in first, followed closely by Lin Qingyuan.

The stone steps were long, winding downwards at least thirty steps. The air gradually became damp, carrying a mixture of rust, coal, and some kind of stale grease. When the last step was placed underfoot, the view suddenly opened up before you.

This was a huge basement, more than ten times larger than the shops above. The walls were rough stone, covered with all sorts of strange tools—hammers, pliers, files, chisels, and some metal objects whose names I didn't know. In the center of the room was a huge forge, the fire extinguished, but embers still lingered in the furnace, occasionally sputtering a few sparks.

An old man sat by the fireplace.

His white hair was disheveled and covered most of his face. He wore a greasy, shiny leather apron, and his bare arms were covered with burn and scald scars, old and new, a shocking sight. Most striking were his eyes—his eyes were closed, his eyelids deeply sunken, clearly indicating that he was blind.

But as Lu Li stepped down the last step, the old man accurately turned his face towards him.

"They've arrived," the old blind man said, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping.

"Did you know we were coming, senior?" Lu Li asked.

"Thirty years ago, Jiang Yin came here once." The old blind man groped his way to his feet, his movements surprisingly steady for someone who was blind. "He said that if Xun Wenruo's 'Demon-Feeding Plan' continued, it would inevitably give rise to a 'Living Seal' within thirty years."

The old blind man walked to the wall, his withered fingers groping on the rough surface before finally pressing on an inconspicuous protrusion. "The ancient sealer left behind the Nine Daggers of Yu the Great to give humanity a chance to breathe, so that future generations could find the true solution. But Xun Wenruo only wants to control the power."

The wall slid open silently, revealing the stone niche inside.

A dagger lay in the niche.

The blade was crimson, like solidified flame, gleaming with a warm glow in the dim basement. The dagger's shape was similar to the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger, but its patterns were more intricate, with naturally flowing crimson-gold veins on the blade, as if it were breathing with life within them.

"The Phoenix Suppressing Dagger." The old blind man took out the dagger and handed it to Lu Li. "The second of the Nine Daggers of Yu the Great. The nine daggers correspond to the nine concepts of prisoners: suppressing dragons 'suppresses evil,' and suppressing phoenixes 'burns desire.' The violent fragments are locked within you, and the Dragon Suppressing Dagger in your hand can suppress them; but to resist the corruption of the Soul-Locking Dagger, you need another genuine one to balance it."

Lu Li took the Zhenfeng Dagger.

The dagger felt warm in his hand, like holding a piece of warm jade. A crimson-gold light flowed slowly within the blade, subtly echoing the bluish-black glow of the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger in his bosom. The two auras intertwined in his palm, temporarily suppressing the burning sensation of the seal on his chest.

"How could you possibly have...?"

"This was brought from another place by my master's master many years ago." The old blind man's voice was deep. "That place... the anchor point has collapsed, the lineage of the sealers has been severed, and this Phoenix-Suppressing Dagger has lost its original guardian. My master said before he died: 'Wait for the person who needs it.'"

"Does he need someone?"

"It's you." The old blind man "looked" at Lu Li. Although he was blind, his gaze seemed to penetrate flesh and look straight into the soul. "Emperor Yan's bloodline, the Prisoner's origin, the Dragon Suppressing Dagger's recognition of its master... you are 'the one who should come'."

Lu Li gripped his two daggers tightly: "Then what should I do?"

"Go to the Dragon-Locking Well and retrieve the Zhenlin Dagger," the old blind man said calmly. "That's the third of the Nine Daggers of Yu the Great, primarily used for 'Soul Soothing.' It's the core of the Dragon-Locking Well's seal and the only thing that can completely shield you from the seal's aura. As long as you keep it with you, the Demon-Slaying Guards' tracking techniques won't be able to find you."

"You must leave Lin Yuan City in a few days and go to the next place."

"Shushan," Lin Qingyuan suddenly spoke.

The old blind man nodded: "Beneath the Sword Tomb, the fragments of the prisoner's 'Battle Will' are suppressed. There lies the fourth dagger, the Turtle-Suppressing Dagger. And there are the answers you need—about how to control the power within your body, about the 'Balance Technique,' and about how not to be completely devoured by the prisoner."

Lu Li looked down at the two daggers in his hands. The Dragon-Suppressing Dagger was slightly cool, while the Phoenix-Suppressing Dagger was warm. The two auras flowed in his palms, subtly resonating with the seal on his chest. He could feel the pulsation of the seal slowing down under the suppression of the two daggers.

"What's the current situation at Lock Dragon Well?" Lin Qingyuan asked.

"They've been controlled by the Turbid Abyss Cult." The old blind man's face darkened. "Those cult members believe that only by releasing all the fear in the world can they break through all the false order and usher in absolute freedom. They use living people as sacrifices to the 'fear' in the well. With each person they devour, that thing becomes stronger."

The ground suddenly shook as soon as he finished speaking.

It wasn't an earthquake; it was a muffled rumble coming from the deepest part of the earth, accompanied by the metallic scraping sound of dragging chains. Tools on the walls rattled, and embers in the furnace were shaken and scattered.

The old blind man's expression changed: "It's awake...it sensed you."

The vibrations intensified.

The basement began to shake, fine cracks appeared in the rock walls, and dust fell in rustling sounds. In the distance, through the cracks in the ground, came inhuman sounds—not roars, but a cacophony of countless voices: screams of terror, cries of despair, delirious babbling, agonizing howls… all the sounds merged into a wave, surging up from the depths of the earth.

The frequency of that sound gradually synchronized with the pulsation of the lock on Lu Li's chest.

"It's calling you." The old blind man turned to Lu Li, his voice tense. "The projection of the prisoner's 'fear' has sensed the fragments of 'tyranny' within you. It wants to devour you, merge with you, and become more complete and stronger."

Lin Qingyuan pressed Lu Li down: "Your condition..."

Lu Li looked at the two daggers in his hands, the burning sensation of the lock growing stronger with each wave of fear.

"In addition, you need the help of one more person, Yun Jin, the Earth-rank Commander of the Demon-Slaying Guard. He secretly infiltrated Lin Yuan City three days ago and is currently investigating the priests of the Zhuo Yuan Sect."

"Where is she?" Lu Li asked.

The old blind man was silent for a moment:

"The dungeon of the City Lord's Mansion. In order to get close to a key figure, the chief priest of the Turbid Abyss Cult in Lin Yuan City was recently secretly captured."

The dungeon and the city lord's mansion must be heavily guarded and important locations for the Demon Slayers at this moment.

The roars from underground came again, this time clearer and closer. The cracks in the walls widened, and dark red viscous fluid seeped out from them.

"There's no time left." The old blind man turned and walked to an old wooden box in the corner. He fumbled to open the lid and took out a neatly folded black cloak.

The cloak is made of a peculiar material, neither cloth nor leather, with fine, dark silver patterns on its surface that are almost invisible in dim light.

"A sunshade canopy," he said. "It's woven from the silk of a strange beast called 'Shadow Silkworm,' then repeatedly soaked in three kinds of earth vein minerals, and finally engraved with seven hundred and twenty 'Concealing Breath Talismans.'"

He handed the cloak to Lu Li: "Wear this, it will temporarily shield you from all abnormal auras. But remember: for every hour you use it, you need to rest for three hours to allow the talisman power to recover."

Lu Li took the sunshade cloak; it was light and cool to the touch. He draped it over his shoulders, and it fit perfectly. There were several hidden snaps on the inside of the cloak, which could be fastened to the shoulders and waist without hindering movement.

"We'll split into two groups," he said quickly. "I'll go to the dungeon to find Yun Jin. Brother Lin, you go with the senior to prepare the things you'll need to go down the well. We'll meet at the Dragon Locking Well at 1:45 AM."

"What if you don't arrive?"

"Then you can go down the well yourselves," Lu Li said, his voice eerily calm. "Once you get the Zhenlin Dagger, leave Lin Yuan City immediately and head to Shu Mountain. Don't wait for me."

"Lu Li—"

"This is my path." Lu Li interrupted Lin Qingyuan, his eyes, which had been glowing with a dark golden light in the darkness, were now unusually clear. "From the moment I stabbed someone in the Cangwu Mountains, this has been the path I had to take."

He turned and walked towards the steps, quickly stepping up.

The anvil slowly closed behind him, blocking out the basement lights and the increasingly violent vibrations. He stepped out of the blacksmith's shop, the night wind blowing in his face, carrying the distinctive smell of decaying earth from the mass grave.

In the distance, towards the center of Lin Yuan City, the outline of the City Lord's Mansion resembled a crouching giant beast in the night, dark and gloomy, without the slightest light.

The dungeon was inside the belly of that giant beast.

Lu Li took a deep breath, glanced one last time in the direction of the blacksmith's shop, and then silently stepped onto the bluestone slab.

The burning sensation of the lock on his chest grew stronger as he approached the city center. It was as if something deep underground was watching him intently.

The fear of the locked dragon well can't wait any longer.