The Demon's Chosen.

Ethereal Mountain in the town of Eternal Serenity, along with three other mountains - Celestial in the Radiant Retreat region, Enchanted on the outskirts of Seraphic Summit, and Cascade in the Cascade Bliss delta - together form the Four Great Sacred Mountains.

Among these four mountains, Ethereal is the smallest.

Though not the largest, it is famous for harboring many rare and exotic herbs, attracting many who dream of changing their fortunes. There is a rumor about a giant ginseng on the mountain, nearly the size of a six-year-old child, with roots extending several feet, radiating a purple hue, known as the Purple King Ginseng.

This ginseng sometimes appears in human form, wandering around the mountain's base. Accidentally spotted, some daring souls chase after it, only to find it disappears deep within the mountain, with the pursuers never returning. The more faint-hearted merely watch and retell the story to others.

The tale spreads like wildfire, eventually exaggerating to the point where possession of the Purple King Ginseng is believed to grant dominion over the world, bestowing kingship and wealth beyond measure, and luring countless dreamers in search of glory or fortune.

However, while many enter the mountain, few return, and those who do are often left broken, disheveled, bloodied, and mentally disturbed. Hence, folklore suggests these mountains are inhabited by demons and spirits that brutally attack anyone who encroaches on their territory.

Ethereal gradually becomes a forbidden mountain, shrouded in mystery and enchantment.

The area surrounding Ethereal is a sparse, desolate forest. The nearest residential area is Chrysanthemum village, where many treasure seekers stop. The local trade in room rentals and supplies for forest exploration and mountaineering provides a significant source of income for the residents.

At the end of Chrysanthemum village, two houses stand side by side; one is vacant for rent, the other inhabited by the owner.

The owner of both houses is a young woman with a pretty, charming face, who seldom smiles, her cuteness often overshadowed by her aloof demeanor. She sits crafting a small wooden doll, softly singing two familiar lines from the song "Finding a Word to Replace":

'I want to pick two stars from the sky above

And place them in your eyes for you to see me.'

But the following verses diverge significantly, though maintaining the original melody:

'I want to gather some driftwood from the river

Attach it as your limbs, to walk hand in hand in the rain

I want to collect some forest leaves.

To weave a warm cloak for your bare, cold back

I want to sew a thick glove

To firmly grip the knife handle, pulling it from your heart...'

After completing the figurine, the girl placed it on a multi-tiered shelf already filled with similar figures. It's uncertain how long it took her to carve these several hundred figurines, but one must admit it was a tremendous feat.

Each of these figures was unique, embodying the typical shapes and professional characteristics of humans, including men and women, old and young, scholars reading books, generals wielding swords, bedridden patients, and strongmen lifting heavy weights... but they all had one thing in common: they were eyeless.

The newly finished figurine resembled a rugged swordsman, with a cloak thrown over his shoulder and a giant sword slung on his back. She climbed a ladder and placed it on the fifth shelf from the top.

This shelf for the figurines was divided into ten tiers.

The top tier held a single figure of a highly accomplished monk, with long eyebrows draping down the sides of his face, wearing a kasaya, one hand holding a meditation staff, and the other forming the Seal of Boundless Majesty.

The second tier displayed a pair of figurines, distinctly dressed as royalty. One was a King adorned with the Nine Dragons crown and a robe embroidered with twin dragons facing the sun. The other was a Queen with the Nine Phoenix crown, wearing a robe decorated with a phoenix pattern.

The third tier featured figures from the intellectual class, like the top scholars, graduates, teachers, and students.

The fourth tier contained figures from the merchant class, ranging from street vendors to wealthy businessmen sailing across vast seas.

The fifth tier was dedicated to figures from the martial class, including warriors, generals, archers, and swordsmen.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth tiers displayed figures representing various professions in society.

The ninth tier showcased animal figures, from terrestrial mammals and birds in the sky, to amazing sea creatures.

The final, tenth tier was filled with figures of demons and spirits, displaying fearsome fangs and claws, with tongues outstretched and eyes wide.

After placing the swordsman figurine, she took a feather duster and began dusting from top to bottom. While cleaning, she noticed several spiders weaving webs on the wooden shelf, covering some figurines in a corner.

She pondered for a while and then decided to leave them be. Although spiders are often associated with eerie tales due to their appearance, in daily life they are considered harbingers of good luck, gathering in a place signifying something auspicious approaching. Moreover, their webs help catch flies and mosquitoes in the house.

While it was true that abandoned spider webs should be cleaned to maintain a fresh and vibrant energy in the home, disturbing webs that were being woven or inhabited could dispel good fortune.

She left the spiders alone and continued dusting. Suddenly, she heard the joyful chirping of a long-tailed bird, often a sign that guests were imminent. She thought to herself: "Could it be that someone is coming to rent a room?" With that in mind, after finishing her cleaning, she took four oil lamps and went to the house across the way.

In Chrysanthemum Village, there was a large inn named Phoenix Coming. Normally, it was a haven for wandering explorers, but occasionally when a surge of visitors left Phoenix Coming fully booked, the smaller inns had the chance to welcome guests. Sometimes, guests who preferred quieter accommodations than Phoenix Coming would seek out these other inns.

Recently, it hasn't been peak season, so any guests coming to rent a room are probably those who appreciate tranquility.

Indeed, this rental room is a haven of peace.

That is, if the renter doesn't scream in the night.

A stone path, nestled between two houses, connects their gardens. She walks slowly over the moss-covered path, nearly slipping several times. Reaching the porch, she sets down her belongings, struggles with a rusty key in the lock, and finally hears a satisfying "click" as the door unlocks.

Hesitating slightly, she places her hand on the door handle and slowly pulls it open. The dry, squeaky hinges sound as a musty odor fills the air. Sunlight streams into the living room, revealing simple furniture and a thick layer of dust on a dark brown wooden table and chairs.

Above the table, a pair of bare feet dangles gently, blood trickling down and dropping into the void without touching the table's surface. She avoids looking at the feet, even though she wonders why they always swing so.

She moves past, unbolts, and opens the windows wide. The sunlight floods in, causing the feet and the body they belong to vanish.

She knows this phenomenon as the Demon's Manifestation of Lingering Shadows, not too rare in places marked by unjust, painful deaths. These grievances etch a deathly image at the scene, visible in dim light but disappearing in brightness. Harmless but capable of frightening someone to death.

After opening all the windows and tidying up, she prepares the bedding but doesn't lay it out yet, waiting for a confirmed guest. She prepares four large oil lamps, filled to the brim, at each table corner. The brightness of these lamps should keep the haunting image at bay, assuming the guests heed her advice to keep them lit.

In the evening, as she sits inside, a stranger walks through the garden, steps on the porch, and knocks on the wooden door.

Hearing the knock, she peeks through the adjacent window, seeing a man in his thirties, tall and sturdy.

Feeling a bit anxious but reassured by his honest appearance and the daylight, she hesitantly opens the door a crack. The man speaks: "I heard this house is for rent. Are you the owner?"

'Indeed, the spiders and hoopoes didn't deceive me.' she thinks, then opens the door wider, nodding: "Yes, how many are you looking to accommodate?"

"Just myself."

"And how long do you wish to rent?"

"For a few months."

She thought to herself: 'It's a miracle he's staying for a week, can't a few months.' Like with previous tenants, she had to insist on receiving the rent in advance, lest the renter flee without paying a dime.

"You need to pay two months upfront, and if you leave midway, there will be no refund."

"How much is the rent per month?"

She stated a figure. The man pulled a substantial amount of money from his backpack, counted exactly two months' rent, and handed it to her.

Seeing him with such a large sum, she grew apprehensive: "You... You're not involved in anything illegal, are you?"

The man chuckled: "No, no, don't worry."

After taking the money, she led the guest to the neighboring rental house. This time she exited her own house, circled around to the other, leading the guest through the front door instead of using the shortcut between the two houses.

The rental house, built with sturdy green bricks, had a garden overrun with untended vegetation and green moss covering the stone paths.

At the far corner of the backyard stood a tall sandalwood tree, as high as a three-story building, its dense canopy forming a perfect circle. It was a common belief that plants with a heavy Yin energy always have canopies that form a spherical shape when viewed from any angle.

The guest, following behind, asked: "What's your name?"

The girl replied: "I'm Aurora."

"That's a beautiful name."

"And your name?"

"I am Dominic Anderson."

By this time, the house had been tidied up, the atmosphere bright and clean. Aurora took the guest around, pointing to the bedroom: "The bed is all set, you just have to unfold it to sleep."

"Thank you."

"Do you want me to cook for you? The prices are very reasonable."

"That would be great."

"There's one more thing, don't ask why, but you must remember it."

Dominic looked a bit surprised: "What is it?"

Aurora pointed to a table in the living room: "You must always keep this living room well-lit. Open the windows during the day, and at night you must keep these four oil lamps lit, never let them go out."

"Will ghosts come if the lights are out?"

"Not afraid of ghosts coming, just afraid of people leaving." After lighting the four lamps, Aurora turned and went back to her house.

After the landlady had completely left, Dominic rearranged his belongings, took some clothes out of his backpack to hang in the closet, leaned a long object wrapped in thick cloth against the corner of the wall, and pulled a bronze censer from a side pocket of the backpack. He then lit a small piece of incense, placing it inside the censer.

As the incense ignited, releasing a dense white-blue smoke that settled in the censer, Dominic took out herbs like Jade Dog, Golden Sun, and Reinforcement. He chopped a bit of each, ground them into a fine powder, and mixed them together into a pink-blue powder, which he sprinkled into the censer.

Waiting for this powder to ignite, producing a faint pink flame that spread around, he cut his finger, letting a few drops of blood fall into it, causing a pungent, spicy red smoke to rise from the censer.

At this time, dusk was settling in. He brought the incense burner into the living room, placing it in the center of the table and dimmed the four oil lamps to their lowest, so that the flickering light just barely illuminated the dim living room. The faint light made the hanging corpse appear even more distinct. Dominic looked up and adjusted the burner so that the rising smoke spread directly over and enveloped the hanging figure.

He observed the Demon's Manifestation of Lingering Shadows carefully. It was a man, dressed in a rustic style with a hint of mountain fashion, his face covered in a rough, intimidating beard.

On the left side of his chest, over the heart, a knife was deeply embedded to the hilt, with blood flowing from the handle, running down the body to the tip of the big toe, where it disappeared.

The corpse's face was not swollen, the tongue not protruding, and the eyes closed. Clearly, the man had not died from hanging, but from the fatal stab wound to the heart, and was hung post-mortem. Therefore, the body didn't exhibit the typical signs of a hanging victim.

Engulfed in the red smoke, the image of the dead body gradually faded away. His blood, known as Pure Yang Strengthens Blood, combined with sandalwood oil and various anti-demonic herbs, was very effective in erasing the Demon's Manifestation of Lingering Shadows.

Though this phenomenon was not dangerous, it could lead to a house being wastefully abandoned, especially problematic for a female owner, and more so for one as attractive as she.

After a while, the image of the hanging corpse completely vanished. He cleared away the incense burner, turned up the oil lamps as instructed by the homeowner, but only to brighten the room. Soon after, Aurora brought in the dinner, which to Dominic's surprise, consisted only of vegetables and tofu. He asked curiously: "Are you a vegetarian?"

"Do you have a problem with vegetarian food?"

"No, I was just asking. It's good to have food."

Seeing the bright living room as she had instructed, Aurora felt relieved and went back. Dominic tasted the dinner; the food cooked by the female homeowner was not bad, suiting his taste. After eating, not knowing what else to do, he went outside for a walk, the moon casting a soft and gentle light upon the earth.

Stepping out, he looked left and right, and seeing a high, seemingly desolate slope to the left, he decided to go in that direction. He followed the trail in front of the house, leading out of the village and up the slope, gazing down at the valley below. The scattered lights of the houses in the village showed that Chrysanthemum village was perched on the slope, spilling down into a valley, with even the furthest house at the edge of the village not falling into the depression, but still at a fairly high level compared to the center of the valley, which was engulfed in darkness.

Behind him, opposite the valley, stood the famous Ethereal Mountain. He wasn't sure if the mountain was renowned for its ancient treasures or exotic herbs, only that many had entered it and never returned.

After admiring the scenery for a while, Dominic turned back. Entering the house, he laid out a mat, sprawled onto the bed, closed his eyes, and the cool breeze coming through the window soon lulled him into a deep sleep.

Not knowing how long he had slept, but as the moonlight shone brightly, Dominic stirred and turned, awakened by some sound. He opened his eyes and listened carefully, realizing it was singing, the voice of a girl.

The melody was sometimes deep, sometimes high, sometimes clear, sometimes faint, sounding both distant and yet as if nearby.

Initially, he thought it was the singing of the lady next door, but when he peeked out of the window, he saw that the neighboring house was dark and silent, with no light whatsoever. Moreover, the singing seemed to come from the opposite direction, from where he had strolled to the hilltop earlier that evening. The moonlight was bright, illuminating everything as clear as day, and he decided to get up, grab the long, cloth-wrapped object leaning against the wall corner, and step outside.

He followed the old path towards the source of the singing. The moonlight illuminated dewdrops on the grass, sparkling like jewels. The night air was colder, but his robust body hardly felt the chill.

The singing continued, melodious and enticing, as if beckoning him. Yet, as he walked, the origin of the sound seemed elusive. Before he knew it, he had reached the hilltop again. The singing appeared to echo from the foot of the opposite hill, and he thought irritably: "Such far-reaching singing! If I go down there and still don't find the source, I might as well return."

It seemed as though the singer sensed his thoughts, for as he reached the bottom of the hill, the singing abruptly stopped. Looking around, he noticed a figure sitting on the edge of a well, back turned to him, making it impossible to see their face.

He slowly approached, the gravel crunching underfoot, yet the figure remained still, unaffected by the wind that passed him and fluttered the hem of the figure's garment.

As he drew nearer, he gradually realized it was a girl. She wore a long, white cloak that reached her feet, her long hair flowing down her back, gently swaying in the breeze.

Having reached behind her, Dominic found the girl still unmoved, prompting him to break the silence: "Excuse me, was that your singing just now?"

The girl did not respond but slightly turned her face towards him. He could only see half of her face, but it was enough for him to realize she was no ordinary person.

On her fair skin, there were only bright red lips; her eyes, nose, and eyebrows were absent.

Dominic calmly continued his inquiry: "Have you been disfigured by someone?"

The girl silently nodded.

"Can you speak?"

She shook her head.

Dominic thought to himself: 'So she has only reached the level of a wandering spirit or a ghost, not yet a crying ghost capable of speech. The singing earlier must have been formed by the resentful thoughts at the time of her death.'

Thinking this, he probed further: "Were you a famous singer when you were alive?"

The girl nodded.

He continued: "You haven't reached the level of a vengeful spirit, so you can't speak yet, but the fact that you can sing so loudly, echoing far, shows that your resentment at death was strong. Such strong resentment, yet still not enough to accumulate the power to reach the spirit level, means you must have died not too long ago."

The girl nodded in agreement.

He guessed: "Are you singing to call others here because you have an unfulfilled wish?"

The girl didn't nod or shake her head this time but turned her face down towards the well. It looked like she was looking, but actually, only her bright red lips were directed towards the bottom of the well.

Seeing this, Dominic moved closer and also peered into the well.

It was just a dry well, not deep and without water. But what made his skin crawl was a pile of dry bones scattered at the bottom.

He exhaled sharply: "Did you kill all of them?"

After asking, he turned to look at the girl but widened his eyes in horror as her mouth had now opened wide like a sack, ready to engulf his head.

Dominic quickly kicked against the well's edge and leaped away, avoiding the bite from the mouth now as wide as the well itself, large enough to swallow an adult whole.

The inside of the mouth was lined with uneven, razor-sharp teeth, dripping with saliva.

Thinking he was safe at a distance, he was shocked to see the mouth stretch and chase after him. The scene resembled a large rubber hose with one end attached to the girl's face where her mouth was. The other end, flexible and expanding, formed into gigantic red lips as wide as a wagon wheel.

The mouth opened wide for a second attack.

He felt a twinge of frustration, thinking: "How can such a graceful girl with a gentle voice turn into something so grotesque? Even as a ghost, isn't it possible to remain beautiful? Is there no more pleasant form to manifest?"

With his frustration mounting, Dominic raised the long object in his hand and struck down hard on the approaching mouth.

"Thud."

The sound of thick fabric hitting flesh was dull and heavy. The mouth, initially round, now had its edges stuck together after the direct hit, forming a 'U' shape, flattening against the ground. In pain, the mouth hissed and spat a mix of saliva and bloody pus.

Dominic jumped aside, grimacing: "That's utterly disgusting." then raised his hand again, striking two more times on the sides of the 'U' to flatten it further. The mouth now resembled a wriggling worm, half like a giant elephant's trunk, attached to the blank face and the body sitting by the well.

Suddenly, the girl arched her back, swaying as if about to vomit.

Her stomach abruptly ballooned, and the large mass slowly moved up her face, sliding into the flesh tube. Straining, she bent forward sharply, pushing the round mass swiftly forward.

Dominic's eyes widened: "What's this? Ate too much dinner and feeling bloated?"

The wheel-like lips parted, spewing a dark red liquid, like blood, straight at him. Unsure of the substance's danger, but repulsed, he quickly ducked and leaped up, grabbing a branch overhead.

Just when he thought he was safe, Dominic felt the branch weaken, bending gradually. Thinking it was breaking, he looked up to find it intact, turning in surprise to the tree trunk for an explanation.

Turns out, the dark red liquid that missed him hit the tree, corroding it. The impacted part emitted white smoke, hissing, rapidly deteriorating, and then collapsed.

From the girl's belly, another swell rose, repeating the earlier action, hurling a second liquid sphere at the hovering Dominic. He let go, falling to the ground to dodge this second spray, leaving a cluster of eroded, smoking branches, now reduced to ash.

The girl continued, firing third, fourth, fifth blood-like spheres. Dominic had to jump from side to side to avoid them, shouting: "Hey, are you playing a shooting game or what?"

Seeing her attacks ineffective, from the enormous mouth emerged a blood-red tongue, studded with sharp barbs, lashing out at Dominic.

This attack was heavy, denting the ground, releasing a foul stench. He covered his nose and complained: "Don't you brush your teeth?"

The tongue rose again, twisting like a snake, dripping slime onto the ground.

The full power and demonic energy of Demon's Fang lay in that tongue, and he knew the demon had unleashed its final deadly move.

It was time to end the battle.

He spoke softly: "I hope in your next life you'll find a better fate, but this life, there's no turning back."

As Dominic spoke, he unwrapped the cloth around the long object in his hand, drawing a blood-red sword, glowing with a crimson aura, its murderous intent creating an oppressive atmosphere, flattening the grass around.

With a swift sword stroke, he severed the barbed tongue.

The tongue, containing all the demonic power, cut off, the man-eating demon suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, retracting its mouth.

The end had come.

Dominic tiptoed, leaped into the air, and charged forward, his sword streaking a red lightning bolt across the dark sky. The sword's energy exploded, cleaving from the tongue, through the wheel-like lips, to the entire body. Flesh and blood splattered, falling to the ground, turning into dark red pools, then all gradually turning to black smoke.

Amongst the rising smoke, seven flickering white spots drifted away in the wind, fading.

He stood, gazing at the fading remnants of the demon, yawned widely, and whispered to himself: "Time to go to sleep."

After Dominic left, a wild dog, following the scent of blood, discovered the severed tongue of the demon, flung into a patch of grass.

It grabbed the tongue and ran off.

...

Dominic slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky. Peering out of his window towards the female homeowner's house, he only heard the sound of hoeing soil from behind the house.

He clumsily got up and went towards the source of the noise, finding Aurora busy gardening. The sight of the pretty country girl engrossed in her work intrigued him, and he approached to ask: "Are you planting vegetables?"

Instead of answering, Aurora asked back: "Where did you go last night?"

The rusty door hinge always creaked loudly, making it hard not to wake others. Perhaps that's how she knew he had gone out. Dominic saw no reason to hide, nor could he, and replied: "I went up the slope last night to enjoy the view."

"How was the night scene there?"

"Well, it's hard to describe. It had a certain charm but also an eerie feel. But... do you know about the well on the other side of the slope?"

Aurora continued to till the soil, her back to him as they talked: "That's called White Bone Well, actually just a dry well. About two years ago, villagers and passersby started disappearing without reason, and later human bones were found piled up in the well. Since then, locals avoid that area, only strangers who don't know go near that well. It's strange you went there last night and came back."

Dominic scratched his chin: "Maybe I don't taste good enough for the well to bother."

Aurora glanced at him and said: "That well doesn't pick and choose at night. It doesn't refuse anyone unless the meat it wants to swallow doesn't go down easily."

"You think the well actually eats people?"

"If it doesn't eat, where do all those white bones in the well come from?"

"Why don't you think someone else ate and then threw the bones down there?"

Aurora, now sowing seeds and covering them with soil, continued: "Whether White Bone Well eats or not, I don't know, but there's another place with white bones where we know who dropped them."

Dominic, curious, asked: "Where is that?"

"If you want to know, help me out here." She tossed him the hoe and pointed: "Go over there and dig up the soil, pull out all that grass."

Though he was physically strong, Dominic was not accustomed to farming, so it took him until the evening to finish. Aurora inspected the vast cleared land he had worked on and nodded: "Alright, take a break. I'll bring dinner later and tell you about it."