As the mist dispersed, the town slowly revealed itself—streets lined with old eastern-style houses, the kind seen in martial arts films.
Most were made of dark wood and stone, their curved rooftops layered with intricate tiles.
Sliding shoji doors glowed faintly from the lanterns inside, casting long, flickering shadows onto the dirt paths.
The Yokai strolled through the streets, relaxed and unbothered, as if they had all the ti in the world.
anwhile, the humans toiled away, their faces hollow with exhaustion, their movents slow and chanical—like puppets on frayed strings.
One glance was all it took to see the truth—they weren't working by choice. Every movent, every task, was done out of obligation, not willingness.
And the worst part? They were used to it.
There was no resistance, no hesitation. Just silent acceptance. This was their daily life.
"We should check out that building," he nodded toward the towering pagoda. "There's a lot of energy coming from it."
The ten-story structure dominated the entire town, its rooftops curved like the edge of a blade.
Unlike the old houses below, it stood pristine—lanterns glowing along its edges, painting the night in golden light.
It was basically asking them to go there with all the fancy lighting.
And if luck was on their side, their target would be there, saving them the trouble of searching.
The duo didn't waste any ti and continued moving.
None of the Yokai in the streets were strong enough to sense them, making it feel like nothing more than a casual stroll.
Along the way, they passed scenes of cruelty—humans being shoved, beaten, dragged through the dirt like they were worth nothing.
A woman lay curled up on the ground as a Yokai kicked her in the side.
Others knelt, scrubbing the streets with trembling hands, their gazes empty.
Asher didn't spare them a glance. Not because he didn't care—but because he couldn't afford to. His mission ca first.
Besides, cruelty like this wasn't uncommon. Even humans treated their own kind like trash during ancient tis.
The only difference here was that the Yokai were in control.
Lucy understood this too, so she stayed silent. Scenes like this was common in the demon world, and it wasn't like she was so saint who would pity them.
"Are we really just going to walk in there?" she asked, now standing in front of the entrance.
The massive doors lood over them, a blend of polished wood and reinforced tal.
Standing guard were beings dressed in dark martial arts robes, their sleeves wide and flowing.
Large talismans were plastered to their foreheads, inscribed with strange symbols.
Looking closer, their skin clung to their bones like old parchnt, pale and ashen, with a sickly texture that made them look more like statues than living beings.
"What are those ?" he asked.
"Jiangshi," she muttered aloud.
"I heard rumors about them but never personally fought one. They used to be strong martial artist who died in battles."
Asher's expression hardened. "There must be soone important inside."
Even if it wasn't Kitsune . One of the generals would have answers.
They stepped closer.
But the mont their feet touched the marbled platform, the Jiangshi jolted awake.
Their stiff bodies twitched, heads snapping up as they scanned the area.
Then, in unison, they began hopping—searching for the disturbance, like puppets yanked by invisible strings.
Asher paused for a mont, watching as they continued their search.
They knew soone was here, but they couldn't pinpoint the exact location.
Curious, he tested sothing. He took a step back. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire
Instantly, the Jiangshi froze.
Asher narrowed his eyes. "How did they detect us? I made sure we had no weight."
He crouched, running his fingers over the floor.
The energy was there, but there were no runes, no magic circles, nothing to explain why the undead guards reacted.
His brows furrowed. "Weird… I don't sense anything at all."
(Brat, magic is not everything. You've been relying on it too much, so you assu everyone else does too.)
Asher nodded, accepting the criticisms
But if this wasn't magic… then what was it?
Lucy leaned down too. "I think this is Jujutsu. A curse technique."
Asher blinked, then turned to her. "Curse technique?"
"Yes, and this entire pagoda is part of a domain technique. It's like Yuki's haunted apartnt—but much larger and far more powerful."
"Yuki," he muttered inwardly. He had forgotten about her.
"Wait, I didn't see her back in the city… so where is she?"
Lucy shook her head, and sighed.
"I don't know. When I got back… her place was gone too"
She didn't look worried at all. Well, they had only known each other for a short ti, so it made sense. Even Asher didn't consider her that important.
Just as the two were talking, the air around them shifted unnaturally.
One blink—and suddenly, they were standing on the marbled floor, surrounded by the Jiangshis.
Asher quickly conjured a barrier around them, but it was unnecessary because the undead guards hopped back, giving them space.
Then, a sound started playing.
A whistle.
High-pitched at first, like wind slipping through cracks in old wood. But then it grew louder, filling the air with an unsettling resonance.
Purple mist curled around their feet, carrying a faint scent of incense.
From the darkness of the doorway, a figure erged.
She moved with unhurried pace, her black kimono flowing beneath her feet.
When he looked up, his gaze locked with her piercing purple monolid eyes, their slitted pupils srizing and feline.
But what set her apart were her night-colored cat ears, that perfectly matched her jet black hair.
Lucy's expression darkened. "Hisa of the Black Moon,"
"You know who I am." She let out a soft, lilting giggle, tapping a finger against her cheek. "How flattering."
"We're not here to flatter you." Asher stepped forward, energy flowing around him as he prepared to tear through her domain.
"Let's not fight," she raised her delicate hand.
Asher stopped and waited for her next words.
"I don't recall offending soone of your status and power, so how about we talk for a bit?" She suggested, her eyes glinting with interest—and perhaps sothing more.
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