The moon had tilted far toward the western horizon, casting long, jagged shadows across the remains of the Hidden Dragon Faculty.
What was once a masterpiece of jade and obsidian architecture was now a graveyard of pulverized stone and cooling blood. The silence that followed the double assassination attempt was heavy, broken only by the occasional groan of a settling support beam or the distant, mournful howl of a mountain wolf.
In the center of the courtyard, amidst the viscera of two Nascent Soul experts, lay Yin Shen.
His silver hair was matted with a mixture of dirt and drying gore. His breathing was shallow, a rhythmic, wet wheeze that betrayed the severity of his internal injuries. For three hours, he had remained in a state of death-like unconsciousness, his body's natural defense mechanisms working overtime to clot the bleeding and stabilize his shattered frame.
Suddenly, his fingers twitched.
A sharp, jolting spark of pain shot from his mangled right arm straight to his brain, dragging his consciousness back from the abyss. Yin Shen's eyes snapped open, his golden pupils flickering with a momentary, wild panic before the events of the night rushed back into his mind.
"Hukk... gha..."
He tried to sit up, but the world immediately tilted. A violent wave of nausea washed over him, and he tasted the copper tang of fresh blood in the back of his throat. His left arm was useless, a dead weight pinned against his side. His right arm, though technically attached, felt as if it were made of molten lead and shattered glass.
Gritting his teeth until they threatened to crack, Yin Shen began the agonizing process of moving. He used his heels to dig into the dirt, pushing his broken body across the marble tiles. Every inch was a battle. Every movement caused his fractured ribs to grate against each other, a sensation so sickeningly intimate that it made his vision swim with black spots.
After what felt like an eternity, he reached the base of a lightning-scorched ancient pine tree that had survived the blast. Using the rough bark for leverage, he dragged himself upward until he was leaning against the trunk.
He sat there, head lolled back, chest heaving. His white-and-gold robes were now a uniform shade of grim crimson.
'Status... check...' he thought, his mental voice a mere whisper.
Before he could even process his internal damage, a familiar, ethereal chime rang out in the silence of his mind. A semi-transparent blue window flickered into existence, casting a ghostly light over his pale face.
[NOTIFICATION: COMBAT EVALUATION COMPLETE]
[Achievements Detected:]
[Giant Slayer:] Defeated two opponents three major realms above the Host.
[Impossible Odds:] Survived a synchronized execution attempt.
[REWARDS ISSUED:]
1. [1x Golden Lucky Draw Ticket]: A high-tier summoning token. Can summon a being from the current or different eras, ranging from 3 to 7 Stars.
2. [Martial Art Manual: The Seven Star Luminous]: A legendary-grade Physical Body cultivation technique.
[Current Status: QI SEALED (164 Hours Remaining)]
Yin Shen let out a dry, hacking laugh that ended in a wince.
"The timing... is impeccable." he muttered, his voice a bloody rasp.
He focused his mind on the second reward first. Information began to stream into his consciousness, not as text, but as a series of profound, physical realizations.
The Seven Star Luminous was unlike any Qi-based art he had ever encountered. It was a technique designed to turn the human vessel into a celestial weapon, independent of spiritual reserves.
The manual was divided into seven distinct "Stars" or stages of mastery:
1. Star of the Foundation (Bone): Refines the skeletal structure to be as dense as spirit-iron.
2. Star of Velocity (Nerve): Accelerates the nervous system to perceive the world in slow motion.
3. Star of Resilience (Flesh): Tempers the skin and muscle to negate mundane blades and low-level spells.
4. Star of the Void (Organ): Toughens the internal organs to withstand internal shockwaves and poisons.
5. Star of the Tyrant (Aura): Projects a physical weight that can crush the will of lesser beings.
6. Star of the Eclipse (Shadow): Allows the body to move without sound, friction, or displacement.
7. Star of the Sovereign (Divine): The ultimate union where the body becomes a self-contained universe.
'If I had even the first Star mastered,' Yin Shen thought, looking at his mangled limbs, 'those kicks wouldn't have shattered me like glass.'
But he knew he couldn't cultivate it now. His Dantian was a dark, locked vault, and his body was too damaged to endure the rigors of physical tempering. He needed something else. He needed a shield. He needed a sword. He needed a guardian who wouldn't care that their master was currently a glorified piece of decorative meat.
"System," he wheezed, his eyes narrowing. "Use... use the Golden Lucky Draw."
'Give me something good,' he prayed internally. 'Not a scholar, not a cook... I need a monster. Someone who can hold the line until I can stand again.'
In his mind's eye, a blank golden card appeared, spinning with a dizzying, hypnotic speed. It glowed with a blinding, opulent light that seemed to pierce through the physical darkness of the courtyard. The air around Yin Shen began to hum with a strange, static energy.
The card slowed. The gold began to solidify, turning into a deep, rich amber.
Six silver stars etched themselves onto the bottom of the card one by one.
[SUMMON SUCCESSFUL!]
[Character:] Irithel
[Class:] High-Rank Demon (Current Era)
[Rank:] 6 Stars
[Title:] 'Tess' / The Crimson Duchess
[Note:] Rank classification restricted. Current Era Demons are bound by the 'Blood-Contract of the Abyss.'
Yin Shen's brow furrowed. "A demon?"
He felt a momentary pang of displeasure. In the history of the Yin Family, demons were often synonymous with chaos and betrayal. To summon one into the heart of the most powerful clan in the empire was a gamble that could end with him being eaten before he could even issue a command.
But as he looked at the 6-star rating, he realized he didn't have the luxury of choice. A 6-star summon was a being of immense power—likely far beyond the Nascent Soul experts who had nearly killed him.
"Summon her." Yin Shen commanded.
The ground in front of him didn't crack; it simply dissolved into a pool of swirling, liquid shadow. The shadows didn't obey the laws of light, appearing darker than the night itself. From this pool, a pillar of violet-black smoke erupted, swirling upward like a cyclone.
The temperature in the courtyard plummeted, not with the natural frost of Yin Xue's arts, but with a heavy, suffocating "wrongness" that made the very air feel oily.
A figure began to coalesce within the smoke.
First, a pair of long, shapely legs emerged, clad in boots of dark, polished leather that reached mid-thigh. Then, a tall, commanding figure materialized. She stood at least six feet tall, possessing an athletic, curvaceous build that radiated a lethal sort of elegance.
Her skin was a startling, creamy white—nearly the color of fresh milk—making a sharp, beautiful contrast against the dark, high-collared attire she wore.
Finally, the smoke cleared from her face.
She had a waterfall of snow-white hair that cascaded down her shoulders, framing a face of aristocratic beauty. Her eyes were not human; they were a piercing, glowing violet, with vertical pupils that scanned the ruins of the faculty with an expression of mild, detached amusement.
She stood there for a long time, her gaze lingering on the severed head of the silent assassin, then the bifurcated remains of the vocal one. Finally, her eyes settled on the bloody, broken youth leaning against the tree.
Yin Shen stared back, his golden eyes meeting her violet ones. He didn't flinch, even as her aura—sharp as a razor and heavy as lead—pressed against his skin.
The woman's lips, painted a dark, bruised plum, slowly curled into a smirk. It wasn't a smile of kindness; it was the smirk of a predator who had found something unexpectedly interesting.
She walked toward him, her movements possessing a fluid, predatory grace. Every step was silent. When she was inches away, she didn't strike. Instead, she slowly lowered herself, her long legs folding as she knelt in the dirt and blood in front of him.
The height difference was now erased, putting her eyes level with his. She smelled of night-blooming jasmine and something metallic—like the edge of a blade.
She reached out a hand, her long, manicured fingers hovering just an inch from his chin, before she bowed her head slightly.
"So," she said, her voice a low, melodic purr that seemed to vibrate in Yin Shen's very bones. "This is the one who called from the depths."
She looked back up, the smirk deepening as she took in the full extent of his injuries.
"You look like you've been chewed on by something particularly dull-witted, Master."
She placed a hand over her heart, a gesture of mock-formality that couldn't hide the dangerous glint in her eyes.
"I am Irithel," she said. "Though, if you find that too formal for a man in your... delicate condition... you may call me Tess. Irithel 'Tess' Belial, of the High Houses of the Abyss, at your service."
She leaned in closer, the scent of jasmine growing stronger. "Now, tell me, Master... who do I have to kill first to ensure you don't die before I've had my fun?"
Yin Shen looked at the demoness—his new 6-star guardian. He could feel the sheer, unmitigated power rolling off her in waves. She was a monster, a high-ranking devil in the skin of a goddess, and she was currently the only thing standing between him and a shallow grave.
He let out a short, pained breath, his golden eyes flashing with a renewed, dark spark of hope.
"The night," Yin Shen rasped, "is still young, Tess. I suspect you'll have plenty of 'fun' before the sun rises."
The demoness's laugh was soft, like the shearing of silk. "Good. I was worried this era would be boring."
As the first rays of a cold, grey dawn began to touch the horizon, the balance of power in the Yin Family shifted once more.