Fox Sister

The Third Brother loomed close, his face twisted with a cruel smirk of assured victory.

That warped smile was cold, drenched in madness, devoid of any remaining human warmth. As if searching for answers, my mind raced back to the tattered talisman Master had placed in my hands.

“Defend yourself…at all costs.”

The Master’s final words echoed sharply in my head. With nothing left to lose, I extended my trembling hand and retrieved the worn-out talisman from within my robes. The yellowed paper glowed faintly under the dim light, its strange symbols casting an eerie presence that sent shivers down my spine.

“That…that thing…!”

Third Brother’s eyes widened in shock. His earlier derisive grin vanished instantly, replaced by a mixture of alarm and confusion spreading across his face.

There was no time to hesitate. Clutching it tightly, I tore the talisman in one swift motion. A low resonating sound rippled through the air as the torn halves fluttered to the ground.

For a moment, even the air seemed to grow heavy and still. Then, slowly, a chilling smile crept back onto Third Brother’s face, deepening into maniacal laughter.

“So this is how far you’ve fallen, Sister! Playing at being some grand Taoist master, only to lose your mind in the end.”

His voice carried through the silence, laced with mockery and disdain.

“Would you defy Heaven’s will?”

“Heaven’s will…?” The meaning eluded me, but there was no time to dwell on it now. Only the Master’s last command mattered.

Ignoring his jeers, I swiftly pulled out a white vial from my robes and hurled it forward. It shattered upon impact, releasing a thick mist that coiled around us like a living entity. From within the fog, sharp thorns erupted, forming an impenetrable barrier between him and me.

For a brief moment, Third Brother hesitated, giving me just enough time to steady my ragged breathing. My body tensed, every nerve on edge.

“How long do you think that’ll hold up?” He mocked, stepping closer. With a flick of his wrist, the thorn wall crumbled like tissue paper.

I grabbed another red vial and threw it desperately. Crimson liquid exploded into flames, forcing him back. Though he stood defiant amidst the inferno, eventually he stumbled backward, his clothes singed black.

Checking my inventory frantically, I found only three white vials and one red left.

“Will this be enough?” Doubt crept in, but surrender wasn’t an option.

With a snarl, Third Brother surged forward again, eyes gleaming with murderous intent. Just then—a powerful force struck him from behind.

As the smoke cleared, there lay Third Brother sprawled unconscious, and atop him, our Master—badly wounded, barely conscious.

Master’s entire body was covered in gashes, blood soaking through his robes, especially a deep wound in his chest that looked agonizingly fatal.

Seeing the once mighty Master reduced to such a state was almost too much to bear.

Then, cutting through the darkness, a shadow emerged. Dressed in pitch-black robes, his crimson hat casting sinister shadows over his face, the figure exuded an overwhelming aura of malevolence so intense it felt like the very air pressed down upon me.

His gaze fixed coldly on Master, ignoring me entirely. Every breath became labored under his oppressive presence.

“You’re somewhat impressive for a mere Taoist,” he sneered, his gravelly voice grating like rusted iron.

“But did you truly believe you could stand against my will?”

He took deliberate steps toward Master, each movement making my paralyzed muscles scream in protest. Fear gripped me like ice, yet my body refused to move.

Suddenly, Master stirred.

“You bastard!” In a flash, Master’s blade sliced cleanly through the intruder’s wrist.

“How…how is this possible?!” The severed limb gushed blood as the man stared in disbelief.

“Unfortunately for you,” Master coughed weakly, wiping blood from his lips, “my heart stopped beating long ago.”

Master’s voice burned with anguish and rage, his eyes blazing fiercely. Clutching his sword tightly, he lunged forward with renewed vigor.

“I swore never to use this again… But I can’t sit idly by while your curse threatens everything!”

Despite trying to retreat, the stranger found himself rooted in place, trapped beneath Master’s overwhelming power—an unseen force pressing down mercilessly.

The oppressive energy radiating from Master was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. It crushed the air itself, making it hard to breathe.

“King…of Swords?!” The man gasped in horror.

Behind Master, a fiery aura erupted, far more potent than anything I’d witnessed. Its sheer intensity made me catch my breath.

Though overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the spectacle.

Master’s sword transformed completely, abandoning its usual elegance for raw, primal ferocity. Like a great dam bursting open, unstoppable force surged forward, piercing straight ahead without hesitation.

The shockwave when Master’s blade cleaved the air was deafening, leaving deep cracks in the solid stone floor.

Even before contact, the space around the attacker distorted unnaturally. The sheer destructive power left me breathless.

Desperately, the man attempted to block using a fan wreathed in dark energies—but it proved futile. After several clashes, the fan shredded apart like confetti.

Gradually gaining the upper hand, Master pushed the man further back, desperation evident in his increasingly ragged breathing.

Just as Master’s blade hovered above the fallen foe…

“Good job, Cheongyun!” came Third Brother’s voice from behind.

Unbelievably, he had risen and plunged his hand straight through Master’s abdomen. Blood spurted violently, staining his arm.

“MASTER!!!”

My anguished scream tore through the silence as Master collapsed lifelessly into my arms.

The stranger’s cold eyes pierced mine, freezing my blood where I stood.

“…A young Taoist, are you?”

Without sparing me another glance, he focused solely on Master.

“Don’t move. I have no desire for meaningless killing.”

His tone carried both cruelty and emptiness, leaving me paralyzed.

Somehow, my body moved despite the fear gripping me. Facing him directly, I shouted.

“What do you plan to do with the Black Smoke Sword?!”

My hoarse voice cut through the air, fueled by burning anger.

“How many lives do you intend to destroy with it?!”

Finally turning his gaze toward me, his expression hinted at faint curiosity.

“You’ve seen it, haven’t you?”

His quiet voice carried undeniable authority.

“The greed-driven betrayal, humans worse than beasts. And that so-called ‘Heaven’ dictating everyone’s fate…”

Contempt curled his lip.

“Bow to Heaven’s will and save those unworthy people… How ridiculous does that sound?”

Each word chipped away at my remaining sanity.

“My name is Hwi.”

His eyes flashed with madness.

“I’ll break the curse, offering the eight provinces of Joseon as sacrifice…”

The declaration rang with unimaginable arrogance.

“…To pull down the Jade Emperor himself and become the new order!”

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