The red pillar of light still burned brightly in the night.
From the mountaintop to the west, flocks of black crows rose in panic, blotting out the moon.
Moc Thanh looked in that direction.
For the first time, worry flickered in the little girl's eyes.
“Someone has...”
“...broken the seal.”
Ha Van Son tightened his grip on his sword hilt.
“It’s not an ancient tomb.”
“It’s...”
“...the Earth God Shrine.”
## The Destroyed Shrine
Less than half an hour later.
The four of them had reached the foot of the mountain.
What had once been an old shrine was now nothing but a heap of rubble.
The smell of blood mingled with the damp scent of earth.
More than ten bodies in black clothing lay scattered around the area.
They were all members of the Huyen Ling Society.
Not one of them was intact.
Some had been torn in half.
Others had been reduced to dry skeletons.
The strange thing was...
Every one of them wore a twisted smile.
As if, before they died...
They had seen something that drove them insane.
## The Seven Jars
Beneath the collapsed floor of the shrine.
Luc Minh discovered a stone cellar.
In the middle of it.
Seven enormous earthenware jars were arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper.
Six had cracked apart.
Only the last one remained intact.
Its entire surface was covered in Maoshan talismans.
But every talisman had turned black.
Ha Van Son spoke softly.
“This is...”
“...the Seven-Star Spirit-Sealing Formation.”
“Seven jars.”
“Each corresponding to one of the seven seals.”
Moc Thanh crouched down.
She gently brushed the dust from the last jar.
The little girl’s voice trembled.
“Don’t open it.”
“Please...”
“...don’t open it.”
## The Crying
The moment Moc Thanh finished speaking.
A child’s cry came from inside the jar.
Very faint.
Very weak.
“Waa... waa...”
To Nhuoc went pale.
“There’s...”
“...a child inside?”
Luc Minh pressed his ear against the jar.
The crying grew clearer and clearer.
A childish voice rang out.
> “Big brother...”
> “...save me...”
Luc Minh’s expression changed.
That was...
The voice of the child in Room 13.
The child who looked exactly like him.
## The Price of Compassion
Luc Minh raised his sword.
“No matter what’s inside...”
“I have to save it.”
Ha Van Son shouted.
“No!”
“That’s exactly what they want!”
But it was already too late.
The peachwood sword had barely touched the talisman when...
The entire seal formation lit up.
**BOOM!**
The jar exploded.
Black smoke billowed into the air.
In the middle of the smoke.
A child of about five sat curled up.
It wore a white cloth shirt.
Long hair covered its face.
Its bare feet were caked with mud.
To Nhuoc hurried over.
“Are you okay?”
The child slowly raised its head.
Its face was deathly pale.
Its eyes were as red as blood.
It smiled.
“At last...”
“...you’ve let me out.”
## Not Human
Suddenly.
The child vanished.
It appeared directly behind To Nhuoc.
Luc Minh shouted.
“Watch out!”
The peachwood sword came slashing down.
The child merely tilted its head.
The blade passed straight through its body.
As if it were cutting through mist.
Immediately afterward.
From beneath the child’s feet.
Hundreds of black arms thrust up from the ground.
They seized everyone by the legs.
Ha Van Son instantly formed a hand seal.
“Heavenly Dipper!”
Golden light erupted.
The arms all burned to ash at once.
But the child was still standing there.
Smiling.
## A Century-Old Malignant Spirit
The blind old man had just arrived as well.
Hearing the child’s laughter.
He let out a soft sigh.
“As expected...”
“...the Wind-Bell Ghost.”
To Nhuoc asked.
“What is it?”
The old man answered.
“More than a hundred years ago.”
“An evil sorcerer abducted forty-nine children.”
“He used their blood to cultivate a malignant spirit.”
“To avert disaster.”
“The Maoshan Patriarchs divided its soul into seven parts.”
“And sealed them in seven jars.”
“Today...”
“...the final seal has been broken.”
## Words Written in Blood
The child looked at Luc Minh.
Then it pointed a finger at its own chest.
There.
A red symbol glowed.
It was the symbol of...
The red eye.
But only half of it remained.
The child giggled softly.
“Did you know...”
“I’m only...”
“...a fragment.”
“If all seven fragments come together.”
“The door will open.”
Having said that.
It used its finger to write in blood on the ground.
> **“The traitor...”**
> **“...has returned.”**
The moment the words were complete.
The child transformed into a stream of black smoke.
It flew straight toward Maoshan Temple.
## The Mysterious Figure
Before anyone could give chase.
A figure in a white cloak appeared on the opposite cliff.
The figure wore a wooden mask split down the middle.
In one hand, it held...
The remaining half of the Maoshan map.
Truong Bach Uy stepped out of the darkness.
For the first time.
He bowed his head before the figure.
“So...”
“...you’re still alive.”
The masked figure did not answer.
It merely raised a hand.
All the black energy around the shrine was instantly sucked into its palm.
A deep, hoarse voice rang out.
> “The time has come...”
> “...to bring the Heir back.”
With that.
Both figures vanished at the same time.
Leaving Luc Minh with a string of unanswered questions.
Ha Van Son stared toward the horizon.
His face was deathly pale.
He whispered.
“The masked man...”
“...can’t possibly still be alive.”
“Because I personally...”
“...buried him eighteen years ago.”
**End of Chapter 19.**