In the physician's room of the Blazing Sun Mansion, the atmosphere was tense. The room was crowded with high-ranking members of the Blazing Dawn Sect, all anxious to see what was happening. Disciples lingered outside, trying to catch a glimpse through the doorway. Li Mei stood by the door, her eyes fixed on the physician as he worked on Wei. Her heart ached, but she remained composed, though every now and then, her gaze drifted to her unconscious son.
In the courtyard, Lin sat alone, far from the physician's room. She couldn't bear to see her brother in this state, the image of him lying there, lifeless and vulnerable, was too much for her to handle.
Han stood beside Li Mei, his hand gently resting on her shoulder in a silent gesture of comfort. He, too, was deeply worried, but he knew he had to be strong for his family.
In a corner of the room, Qin Cha Ling, Lu Mingfe, and Sect Leader Liang Feng were engaged in a quiet but urgent discussion. Their expressions were grim as they exchanged information and theories.
"This feels like a coordinated attack, Father-in-law," Qin said, her voice steady but filled with concern. "First, the children were kidnapped, then Lu Shun was attacked at Mount Hua. And now, we find an architectural plan of the Mu Mansion in the hands of bandits. It seems clear that the demonic sect is targeting our sect."
Lu Mingfe nodded in agreement. "While we haven't yet identified the culprits behind the kidnappings or the leaked architectural plan, two of the four incidents in recent months strongly suggest the involvement of a demonic sect. This is no coincidence, Father."
Sect Leader Liang Feng listened carefully, his expression unreadable. He knew more than he could let on—especially about the architectural plan, which he had deliberately leaked with Edina’s help as part of a separate scheme. Still, the other events, especially the attack on Lu Shun, troubled him deeply. The mounting evidence was hard to ignore, and he had to acknowledge that there was a real threat looming over the Blazing Dawn Sect.
Seated nearby, Senior Edina overheard their conversation. Her mind raced as she processed what she had just learned. Lu Shun was attacked at Mount Hua? His condition is critical? This revelation shocked her. In her previous life, Lu Shun had earned the Blazing Blade title in the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament and had returned to the Blazing Dawn Sect around the time of her 14th birthday. This was yet another unexpected change in events. She realized that she needed to investigate further, especially given how the timeline had already begun to diverge from what she remembered.
Lu Shun had earned the Blazing Blade title in the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament and had returned to the Blazing Dawn Sect around the time of her 14th birthday. This was yet another unexpected change in events. She realized she needed to investigate further, especially since the timeline had already begun to diverge from what she remembered.
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As the physician continued his acupuncture treatment, he suddenly concocted a heavy-smelling mixture in a small pot and placed it near Wei’s nose. The pungent odor was overwhelming, and within moments, Wei began to retch violently. To everyone’s horror, he vomited up a strange, writhing bug that screeched as it attempted to move across the floor. A faint demonic qi emanated from the creature, filling the room with an ominous aura. The physician, with quick reflexes, used a scalpel imbued with a martial technique to swiftly slice open the bug’s stomach.
“A Chomug Parasite,” the physician announced, his voice low and grave. The room fell into a stunned silence, the air thick with disbelief.
Li Mei was the first to break the silence, her voice shaking with both anger and fear. “A Chomug Parasite?! How is that possible? How did none of the martial artists in the sect sense it?”
Han, equally bewildered, continued, “The size of this parasite suggests it’s been inside Wei for at least a few months! How could we have missed this?”
The Chomug Parasite, a creature native to the northern mountains near the demonic sect, was notorious for its use by demonic practitioners. By embedding their qi into the parasite, the demonic sect could use it to control subordinates or to eavesdrop on their conversations, ensuring their loyalty. The parasite always came in pairs, sharing a single qi core split between them. One parasite would be implanted in the host, while the other would be kept in a jar, allowing the sect to listen in on the host at any time.
However, the Chomug Parasite was easily detectable by anyone above grade four in martial arts, making it an unreliable tool for spying. It was primarily used to keep weaker subordinates in check. The fact that this parasite had gone undetected in Wei for so long was deeply troubling.
“Even if Wei was fed a Chomug Parasite, that doesn’t explain his bizarre qi outburst and the way he moved as if possessed,” Qin interjected, her voice tinged with both curiosity and concern. “Everyone knows that possession is impossible—it’s the stuff of legends!”
The room fell silent again as the implications of Qin’s words sank in. The Chomug Parasite alone could not account for Wei’s erratic behavior, which had gone far beyond the usual effects of demonic qi. There was something more at play, something that defied even the most ancient martial knowledge.
Senior Edina, who was seated quietly beside them, can’t help but have a different opinion. After all, she was literally possessing Junior Edina’s body at that moment, so the notion of possession wasn’t as far-fetched to her as it might be to others. Yet even she was taken aback by the situation. What in the world was going on?
Sect Leader Liang Feng turned to the physician with a stern expression, seeking answers. "Master Gubk, what exactly is happening here?"
The physician, Master Gubk, furrowed his brow in deep thought before responding. "I don’t know for certain, but my educated guess is that they fed the parasite something that allowed it to mask its presence," he explained, gesturing toward the dead parasite. "By the looks of it, the parasite might have been manipulating the young master, making him feel as if he were on the verge of a breakthrough in his martial grade. This would have masked its own qi, making it harder to detect."
Li Mei and Han exchanged a look of understanding, their expressions grim. It was true that Wei had been feeling as though he was on the verge of breaking through to grade 1 for the past two months. The realization was chilling.
Li Mei’s voice trembled slightly as she asked, “he started feeling this way when Wei, Lin, and Edina were kidnapped two months ago, does that mean that was when the parasite was implanted in him?”
Sect Leader Liang Feng’s eyes widened at this revelation. Without missing a beat, he commanded, "Quick, call Jin here! And bring Edina—Physician, test them both for the parasite!"