Mo Yichen wiped the blood from his split knuckles, his breath visible in the freezing air. His fingers traced the rough edges of the ancient-looking box, its surface encased in solid ice. He scowled. Why was everything in this godforsaken place frozen shut?

He tried knocking the ice off. Nothing.

He tried scraping it with his sleeve. Still nothing.

'What the hell is this?' he thought, narrowing his eyes. A box this stubborn better have treasure inside.

Sighing, he grabbed it with both hands, but the second his bloodied fingers touched the surface, the ice melted instantly like snow under fire.

"…What the fuck."

Mo Yichen blinked in disbelief as the box transformed into a smooth white jade chest in his hands. He let out a low whistle.

"Well, damn. Mo Yichen, your blood really is something," he mused, feeling half impressed, half terrified of whatever weird shit was happening to him.

Carefully, he flipped open the box. Inside lay a small, translucent jade pendant, faint carvings glowing under the dim light. His brows furrowed. But before he could dwell on it, the entire fucking cave started collapsing.

A loud rumble shook the ground as cracks spiderwebbed across the icy ceiling. Giant chunks of ice plummeted like death traps, nearly crushing him.

"OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE—"

He sprinted through the chaos, dodging falling blocks and frantically looking for an exit.

There was none.

In a last-ditch effort, Mo Yichen punched a nearby wall with all his strength.

Result? More blood. No exit.

"Great," he muttered, shaking his bruised fist. Then, from the corner of his eye, he spotted something far worse than being buried alive—

A man.

A man just… sitting there.

Mo Yichen's eyes widened as he stumbled forward, dodging another block of ice.

The elderly man sat cross-legged on an elevated snow platform, draped in a snow-white robe, his long beard flowing down to his chest. His pale skin was eerily smooth, making him look more mystical than human.

Mo Yichen skidded to a stop in front of him, panting.

The old man's eyes flickered open, deep as a bottomless abyss.

A slow smile curled his lips.

"It's been hundreds of years since someone has called me."

Mo Yichen narrowed his eyes. Yeah, well, he sure wasn't calling for this old fossil. "Who..o are you?"

The old man let out a booming laugh. "Hahaha! Which country bumpkin are you to not know Crimson Phoenix Ancestor Bai?"

Silence.

Mo Yichen slowly looked the old man up and down.

Then, he looked around.

Then, he looked back.

"…Why don't I see anything crimson around you?" he asked, dead serious, one arm crossed over his chest, the other hand tapping his chin.

The old man's eye twitched. "You little brat! Do you even know who you're talking to?!"

Mo Yichen raised a brow. "Didn't you literally just tell me?"

"Cough—anyway!" The old man suddenly changed the topic. "What are you doing here, you little chicken? And why the hell are you running around naked? Has fashion in the outside world turned into utter chaos?"

Mo Yichen's face twitched. "Hah?! You're asking ME why I'm here?" He angrily wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. "Like I WANTED to be here?! If it weren't for that goddamn water ghost dragging me under, do you think I'd be standing here, half-naked, freezing my balls off?"

Ancestor Bai's expression turned thoughtful. "Water ghost you say…You mean Rui Long?"

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"How the fuck would I know his name?!" Mo Yichen snapped.

Before he could curse more, a wet squelching noise echoed through the cave.

Mo Yichen froze.

Slowly, he turned his head—

—and immediately regretted it.

From behind a collapsed ice block, a figure slithered forward.

Its hair hung in slick, wet strands, skin a pale, deathly blue, shiny and slimy like it had been soaking in swamp water for centuries. But the worst part?

No fucking legs.

Instead, a massive, disgusting tail coiled behind it, glistening under the dim light.

Mo Yichen felt his soul leave his body.

"What the FUCK is that?!" he screeched, scrambling backward.

Ancestor Bai clicked his tongue. "Can you tone it down, you little insolent brat?! Didn't anyone ever teach you not to comment on people's appearances?"

Mo Yichen's jaw dropped.

'Excuse me, WHAT?!'

Ancestor Bai gestured fondly to the creature slithering up beside him. "What's wrong with him? Just a cute little tail."

Mo Yichen's soul fully ascended.

'CUTE?!! What kind of mental gymnastics is this old geezer doing?!'

The snake man—or whatever the hell it was—tilted its head, then suddenly hissed, its tongue flicking like a snake's.

Mo Yichen nearly passed out on the spot screeching.

Ancestor Bai ignored him. Instead, he turned to the wet abomination beside him.

"So, why did you bring this insolent brat here?"

The snake man didn't answer.

It just… stared.

Then, very slowly, it opened its mouth—

And let out a low, guttural hiss.

Mo Yichen's heart plummeted straight into his ass.

He did not like this situation. Not one bit.

Two old men—one creepy, one snake—stood before him, staring like he was some rare artifact up for auction. He didn't dare let out any more curses. What if they both charged at him!?

After a moment, the older of the two, his brows furrowed like he was trying to solve some deep philosophical question, turned his scrutinizing gaze onto Mo Yichen.

Correction—he scanned him from head to toe.

Then, silence.

Mo Yichen stayed rigid, watching them with caution. His eyes darted around for any possible escape routes.

That's when he heard the voice.

"Come here, you brat. Let this ancestor take a look at you."

Mo Yichen's whole body locked up at the commanding tone.

"Wh… what do you want?" He hugged his chest instinctively, trying to shield his naked upper body from the old man's piercing gaze.

He stayed planted firmly in place, refusing to move. But the next moment—

A violent force yanked him forward.

"WHAT THE —?! HEY, LET ME GO!" Mo Yichen screeched as he was dragged like a ragdoll through the air.

Before he could even blink, the old man's face was right in front of his.

Too close.

Way too fucking close.

Mo Yichen's soul almost left his body.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? YOU PERVERTED OLD MAN!!" he cried, struggling with everything he had.

Not that it mattered.

It was like being trapped in iron chains, no matter how hard he thrashed, he didn't budge an inch.

The old man didn't respond. Instead, his narrowed eyes zeroed in on Mo Yichen's chest.

Mo Yichen froze.

A chill ran down his spine.

"...Wh-what are you looking at?" he stammered, arms crossing tightly over his chest.

His mind raced.

Had he just been kidnapped by some old pervert?!

He swallowed thickly, fighting every urge to scream at the top of his lungs.

Before he could voice any of the deeply disturbed thoughts running through his head, the old man suddenly let out a deep "Hmph!"

"This brat sure is lucky to be born with extraordinary meridians!" the old man exhaled, unable to hide his satisfaction.

Mo Yichen's brain short-circuited again.

".."

What?

His first assumption—cannibal pervert.

His second assumption—weird cult recruiter.

Neither sounded promising.

As his last resort, his only remaining shred of hope, Mo Yichen screamed internally: 'SYSTEM! HELP!'

Sigh as expected. Silence.

Nothing.

"YOU TRAITOROUS PIECE OF CODE! YOU REALLY ABANDONED ME IN THIS TREACHEROUS WORLD?!"

This might be true considering he hasn't heard anything from system for days now, so he actually is abandoned.

At times like this, Mo Yichen couldn't help but lament his life choices.

Maybe—just maybe—he should have actually learned some useful combat skills instead of focusing solely on alchemy.

Because right now? He was about to die like a helpless cabbage in the hands of a creepy old geezer.

The old man suddenly let out a chuckle. A deep, low rumble, as if he hadn't laughed in years. Mo Yichen felt a chill crawl up his spine. He did not like that laugh.

Not. One. Bit.

The man's sharp eyes settled on Mo Yichen's face, glinting with amusement. "Boy, do you want to leave?"

Mo Yichen tensed, his mind screaming, 'TRAP.' He narrowed his eyes, cautiously taking a step back, his guard up like a spooked animal. "Are you… really letting me go?" His voice dripped with suspicion.

The old man smiled. Too knowingly.

Mo Yichen did not trust that smile. Not even a little.

"Of course," the old man drawled, nodding slightly. "However…" He paused, tilting his head slightly, a lazy smirk curling on his lips. "I need you to help me escape from this place."

Mo Yichen's eyes widened in alarm. 'Escape?'

His gaze flickered around the cavernous space, the cold air biting at his skin. The icicles hanging from the ceiling, the frozen mist swirling around—it all clicked in his brain like a badly written horror script.

"…Isn't this your place?" Mo Yichen asked slowly, his voice slightly higher than normal.

The old man snorted, looking around with thinly veiled disgust.

"Do you think I have such tasteless senses to create this prison?" He gestured vaguely at the icy walls. "Hmph, if I had my way, this place would be dripping in gold and fine wine, not frozen like a beggar's piss in winter."

Mo Yichen blinked.

Then blinked again.

Okay not so humble. But also, THAT'S NOT THE POINT!

His mind raced at breakneck speed.

'So this isn't his place… That means someone else locked him here.'

'For how long though?'

Mo Yichen glanced at the old man again, his expression unreadable, but the more he thought about it, the more unsettling it became.

If someone had the power to trap this guy here, how dangerous was he?!

Mo Yichen swallowed hard. With forced casualness, he cleared his throat. "What.. exactly should I do to leave?"

The old man's gaze sharpened. And for the first time, Mo Yichen felt like he was being looked through.

Like a fragile little ant.

He held his breath.

Then—

The old man grinned.

A slow, knowing, and utterly infuriating grin. "It's simple.. You just have to lend me a part of your soul"

Mo Yichen's stomach dropped.