The Eye in Black

The group in black did not move quickly.

Yet wherever they passed, the crowd parted on its own.

No one shouted.

No one ordered others aside.

There was no especially obvious pressure either.

But the moment people saw the dark-red eye embroidered on their sleeves, those nearby unconsciously stepped back.

Hao Nhien watched the man leading them.

He was young.

His skin was so pale that it carried an almost unhealthy pallor, and his long black hair was tied low behind his back.

Several extremely thin black lines ran along his neck, rising from beneath his collar toward his chin.

They did not resemble runes.

Nor did they look like ordinary tattoos.

As the young man walked, those dark lines seemed to shift slightly with him.

At that moment, Little Spirit’s voice suddenly sounded within Hao Nhien’s sea of consciousness.

“Don’t like.”

Hao Nhien paused slightly.

“What?”

“The aura on them.”

“You recognize something?”

Little Spirit was silent for a moment.

“Familiar.”

Hao Nhien’s attention sharpened.

“Familiar from where?”

This time, Little Spirit remained silent longer.

“Don’t remember.”

Then its voice grew quieter.

“But very painful.”

Hao Nhien did not ask further.

Since meeting Little Spirit, he had already learned that there were things even it could not explain.

But something that made it feel both familiarity and pain was not something he could ignore.

He silently memorized the aura of the black-robed group.

Outwardly, his expression remained calm.

Ahead, Earth One had already turned with his staff.

The young man in black saw him as well.

The two sides were more than ten zhang apart.

Neither quickened their pace.

Neither moved aside.

Only when the distance had narrowed to around three zhang did the young man finally stop.

The corner of his mouth curved slightly.

“Earth One.”

Earth One gave a faint snort.

“You’re still alive?”

The young man laughed.

“With Senior still living, how would I dare leave first?”

Lang Tuyet stood beside Hao Nhien.

Her gaze passed over the crimson eye on their sleeves.

She asked softly,

“Heavenly Demon?”

Earth One nodded.

Hao Nhien looked at the group.

“People from the Heavenly Demon Sect?”

“Sea City calls them Heavenly Demons.”

Earth One replied.

“As for whether they truly belong to a single sect, this old man would not dare say.”

The young man heard him.

He did not become angry.

He only tilted his head slightly.

His gaze passed over Lang Tuyet.

Then Lanh Hoa.

Finally, it stopped on Hao Nhien.

He looked a little longer.

The man’s eyes were extremely dark.

Not cold.

Not sharp.

Yet they gave Hao Nhien the feeling that he was being evaluated like an object.

As though the other party were considering whether there was anything valuable hidden inside him.

Hao Nhien calmly looked back.

Earth One suddenly shifted half a step.

Not much.

Just enough to stand between them.

The black-robed youth laughed.

“A new guest?”

“What does that have to do with you?”

“Nothing.”

“Just asking.”

“Then you’ve asked.”

Earth One leaned on his staff.

“Move.”

The young man did not move immediately.

His eyes passed over Hao Nhien once more.

Then he finally stepped aside.

“Very well.”

The black-robed people behind him parted as well.

Earth One walked ahead.

Hao Nhien, Lang Tuyet, and Lanh Hoa followed.

As he passed the young man, Hao Nhien could feel his aura more clearly.

It did not resemble demonic Qi he had encountered before.

Nor was it entirely like the soul aura of an ordinary cultivator.

It was some difficult mixture he could not describe.

Hao Nhien did not turn.

He only quietly circulated the Soul Art to observe more closely.

But as the two groups passed one another, that strange aura quickly disappeared from his perception.

Not far from the Blood Sea Merit Stele, the sound of chains dragging suddenly came from ahead.

Clang.

Clang.

The heavy sound echoed along the pier.

People nearby began moving aside.

Hao Nhien raised his head.

From a road branching toward the harbor, four black-robed cultivators were dragging a strange creature behind them.

The same dark-red eye was embroidered on their sleeves.

A chain as thick as a wrist stretched between the four cultivators.

Its other end was locked around the creature’s neck.

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The moment Hao Nhien saw it, his steps slowed.

Calling it human did not seem entirely accurate.

Its upper body still retained the shape of a person.

Shoulders.

Arms.

A face that remained somewhat recognizable.

But its skin had been covered by blue-black scales.

One side of its cheek extended into something resembling fish gills.

A crooked line of bone spines protruded from its back.

Below the waist, its legs had become distorted.

The joints bent backward.

Each foot ended in only three long claws.

Most disturbing of all was the flesh on its right arm.

A section of it had a different color entirely.

It contracted continuously with each movement, as though two forms of flesh that should never have existed in the same body had been forcibly fused together.

Lang Tuyet frowned slightly.

Lanh Hoa’s hand moved to his sword.

Earth One continued walking.

“Keep moving.”

Hao Nhien looked at the creature once more.

It did not roar.

It did not struggle.

It only lowered its head and followed the pull of the chain.

Whenever those ahead increased their pace, its body jerked forward as though it could no longer control its own steps.

At that moment, the Soul Art inside Hao Nhien suddenly began circulating faster.

He had not deliberately activated it.

It was simply that when the creature came closer, his soul sensed an extremely uncomfortable rhythm.

Like an invisible hand closing around a flame.

Not extinguishing it.

Forcing it to burn according to another rhythm.

Hao Nhien looked more carefully.

A small black mark rested at the back of the creature’s neck.

Every time the chain tightened, the mark lit up.

The creature’s body immediately stiffened.

Then continued walking.

Hao Nhien slowed.

Ahead, the tip of Earth One’s staff also stopped.

“Don’t.”

Only one word.

Hao Nhien looked at him.

Earth One did not turn.

“Not your business.”

Hao Nhien did not answer.

The Heavenly Demon group had already drawn near.

One of the black-robed cultivators glanced toward him.

Then continued pulling the chain.

He had no intention of stopping.

When the creature passed, the distance between them was less than two zhang.

At that moment, Hao Nhien heard something.

Not through his ears.

It was an extremely weak soul fluctuation.

So chaotic that it was almost impossible to distinguish.

Pain.

Suppression.

And a thought struggling to escape control.

Hao Nhien remained still.

His gaze stayed on the black mark at the creature’s neck.

He had no intention of provoking the Heavenly Demons.

Especially when he still did not understand what relationship they had with Earth Spirit.

But the sensation of a soul being forcibly controlled reminded him of the times he himself had been suppressed by powers far beyond his own, when even circulating True Qi had become difficult.

More importantly—

the creature was clearly still conscious.

Hao Nhien continued observing.

Every time the mark activated, the soul within was forced into a different rhythm.

But between each activation there was always an extremely brief gap.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

If he only disturbed that rhythm for a single instant…

He calculated quickly.

Then an extremely thin thread of soul force quietly separated from him.

It touched precisely that gap.

Once.

Then immediately withdrew.

Hao Nhien did not know whether the interference would accomplish anything.

He had only shifted the rhythm by an almost imperceptible amount.

It might not even be enough to break the restriction.

But in the very next moment, the creature suddenly raised its head.

Its previously clouded eyes became bright.

The black mark on its neck erupted with dark light.

But this time, its body did not stiffen immediately.

It only paused.

One beat.

That beat was enough.

The power that had been suppressed inside the creature suddenly erupted.

Every bone spike along its back stood upright.

The blue-black scales scraped against one another, producing a piercing sound.

The chain in the Heavenly Demon cultivators’ hands snapped taut.

“Hold it!”

Too late.

The creature violently twisted its whole body.

One cultivator in front stumbled forward.

His feet slid across the wooden pier.

The other two immediately circulated spiritual energy.

The formation patterns on the chains lit up simultaneously.

The creature opened its mouth.

Bit down hard on the locking hook pressed against its shoulder.

Crack!

The metal did not break.

But a fracture appeared.

“Suppress it!”

A stream of black spiritual force struck from behind.

The creature did not dodge.

It used its own shoulder to receive the attack.

BOOM!

Flesh and blood burst apart.

But the impact also knocked the cracked hook free.

The chain slipped from its shoulder.

Clang!

The creature did not turn around to fight.

It ran.

Its distorted body rushed across the gap between two piers, leaving a trail of blood behind.

“Catch it!”

Two Heavenly Demon cultivators immediately chased after it.

But the creature had already reached the edge of the harbor.

With the last of its strength, it leapt into the sea.

SPLASH!

Water exploded upward.

One black-robed cultivator rushed forward.

His palm struck downward.

Black spiritual power crashed into the surface.

But beneath the water, only a trail of blood remained, quickly spreading thinner.

Hao Nhien stood silently.

At that moment, an extremely faint soul fluctuation brushed past his senses.

It did not form words.

It was not even clear enough to determine who it had been directed toward.

Yet for that instant, Hao Nhien understood one simple intention.

Gratitude.

Then the fluctuation vanished completely beneath the sea.

He watched the water for a little longer.

His face revealed nothing.

Beside him, Lang Tuyet glanced toward him.

Lanh Hoa remained half a step behind.

His hand had never left his sword.

Earth One’s staff had stopped moving at some point.

The four Heavenly Demon cultivators gathered beside the edge of the harbor.

One knelt to inspect the cracked locking mechanism.

Two fingers touched the formation lines across its surface.

After a while, he spoke in a low voice.

“It could not have broken itself.”

The person beside him looked over.

“External interference?”

“There are signs the rhythm was disrupted.”

“But no source can be found.”

Hao Nhien heard everything clearly.

He did not turn.

Earth One also remained silent.

Before long, the Heavenly Demon group they had encountered at the Blood Sea Merit Stele returned.

The pale young man led them.

The faint smile remained on his lips.

But this time, his gaze settled directly on Hao Nhien.

He walked closer.

Looked at the broken chain.

Then turned toward the person responsible.

“What happened?”

“The restriction suddenly lost its rhythm.”

“The test subject used the opportunity to escape.”

The young man raised an eyebrow.

“Lost its rhythm?”

“Yes.”

“But we could not find the cause.”

The youth crouched.

Touched the broken lock with one fingertip.

A moment later, he smiled faintly.

“Interesting.”

He stood.

Then looked toward Hao Nhien.

“Something unexpected just happened to one of my possessions.”

Hao Nhien calmly returned his gaze.

“Is that so?”

“I want to know…”

The young man tilted his head.

“Whether it had anything to do with you.”

Earth One spoke.

“It didn’t.”

The young man did not look toward him.

“I wasn’t asking Senior.”

“But I answered.”

Earth One leaned on his staff.

His expression did not change.

The black-robed youth looked at Hao Nhien for another moment.

Then smiled.

“We only need to test a little.”

“We’ll know very quickly.”

A thread of black aura separated from the crimson eye embroidered on his sleeve.

It spread silently through the air.

There was no obvious pressure.

Yet Hao Nhien immediately felt something probing toward his soul.

The Soul Art began circulating quietly within him.

Before the black aura could come near—

Click.

The end of Earth One’s staff touched the stone floor.

There was no explosion of spiritual energy.

No powerful fluctuation.

But the crimson eye on the young man’s sleeve suddenly trembled.

Crack.

A tiny fracture appeared directly across the pupil.

The black aura dispersed immediately.

The young man’s smile stopped.

Earth One looked at him.

For the first time, the old man’s eyes contained no amusement at all.

“If you want to find your property, go search the sea.”

He raised his staff.

Then slowly planted it down again.

“If you want to inspect one of my people…”

“You pay a price.”

The surrounding atmosphere tightened instantly.

Lang Tuyet tilted her head slightly toward Earth One.

Hao Nhien did the same.

The young man stared at him for a long time.

Then the corner of his mouth rose again.

“One of Senior’s people?”

Earth One was silent for a beat.

Then corrected himself with complete calm.

“My guest.”

“For now.”

His voice was not loud.

But every word was clear.

“In Sea City, even a guest of this old man is not something you inspect whenever you please.”

The black-robed youth laughed.

“I see.”

He looked at Hao Nhien once more.

This time, it no longer resembled the gaze given to a passing stranger.

Something else had appeared in those dark eyes.

As though he had just memorized a name worth remembering.

“My apologies.”

The young man said it naturally.

Whether it was sincere or merely convenient was impossible to tell.

Then he turned.

“Let’s go.”

The other Heavenly Demon cultivators immediately gathered up the broken chain.

No one delayed.

The group quickly left the harbor district.

The surrounding crowd remained quiet for several breaths.

Then noise returned as though nothing had happened.

Sea City swallowed the disturbance almost instantly.

Hao Nhien watched the Heavenly Demons disappear.

After a while, he turned toward Earth One.

“That thing just now…”

“Was it once human?”

Earth One leaned on his staff.

“Perhaps.”

“Perhaps?”

“The Heavenly Demons enjoy experimenting with things that should not be experimented on.”

“Such as?”

Earth One glanced at him.

“Fusing flesh.”

“Changing bodies.”

“Forcing souls.”

“Some attempts succeed.”

“Others do not.”

He looked toward the sea.

“As for whether the thing you saw was a human turned into a beast, or a beast assembled into something human…”

“This old man does not know.”

Hao Nhien fell silent.

The image of those clouded eyes briefly becoming clear returned to his mind.

A soul forced to move according to someone else’s rhythm.

Then he remembered Little Spirit’s words.

Familiar.

But very painful.

Could some connection once have existed between Little Spirit and the Heavenly Demons?

Hao Nhien could not determine that yet.

Even Little Spirit could not remember.

He had even less basis for speculation.

Earth One had already turned and resumed walking.

After several steps, he suddenly spoke without looking back.

“This old man told you not to.”

Hao Nhien paused slightly.

He watched Earth One’s back.

For a moment, he could not tell whether the old man meant that he should not have stopped to observe—

or that he should not have interfered.

Earth One had no intention of explaining.

His staff continued tapping against the stone floor.

His pace remained as leisurely as before.

Hao Nhien watched him for a moment.

Then followed.

He did not ask.

There were some things that did not need to be clarified if the other person had already chosen not to speak plainly.

Lang Tuyet glanced sideways at him.

A faint trace of helplessness appeared in her eyes.

In the end, she also said nothing.

Lanh Hoa followed silently behind them.

Still half a step away.

The four left the harbor district and continued deeper into Sea City.

Warehouses and trading areas gradually fell behind.

The road ahead became wider.

There were fewer people.

But Hao Nhien noticed that most cultivators appearing here carried stronger auras than those he had seen near the docks.

Several wore black plaques across their chests, silver lines engraved over the surface.

Whenever they passed Earth One, they moved aside voluntarily.

Some even bowed slightly.

Hao Nhien looked around.

“Where are we going now?”

Earth One did not turn.

“Didn’t you want to earn merit?”

“Yes.”

“Then first see how others earn it.”

Hao Nhien frowned slightly.

“Doesn’t the Merit Stele already list the missions?”

“Listing a mission is one thing.”

“Having the ability to complete it is another.”

Earth One laughed faintly.

“Besides, the things truly worth something in Sea City are not always written on a stele for anyone to choose as they please.”

Hao Nhien asked no more.

At the end of the broad road, an enormous hall gradually appeared.

It had been built close to the sea.

But its architecture was completely different from the merchant halls and mission districts Hao Nhien had passed earlier.

There were no elegant curved roofs.

No decorative reliefs.

The entire structure was made from a kind of dark-black stone.

Massive blocks fitted together so tightly that almost no seams could be seen.

There was no sign above the entrance.

Only a black gate nearly ten zhang tall.

Its surface reflected no light.

Hao Nhien stopped and studied it.

For some reason, it gave him an extremely strange feeling.

The gate was clearly standing directly before him.

Yet the longer he looked, the more indistinct its edges became.

As though it were not a gate at all.

But an empty absence erected vertically in the middle of Sea City.

Earth One stopped before the stone steps.

“We’re here.”

Hao Nhien looked at the gate.

“What is this place?”

Earth One gave a hoarse laugh.

“The Sea Market.”

He raised his head.

“The Void Realm.”