“Hey! What’s going on with you guys?” The shipwright shouted loudly. The shipwright had to shout every day, so his voice had already become amplified.

As the people on the shore ran, they shouted, “Monsters… Monsters! There are monsters on Pingshan Mountain!”

“A huge fireball fell from the sky, going to burn the monsters!” another person continued yelling.

“The monster harmed Liu Qiang from the Liu family, ripped out his intestines!,” another voice added.

The shipwright, facing the wind, paled when he heard the word “monster.”

“What’s going on? What’s going on?” The small boats around all came closer.

The shipwright looked at them with a white face. “They said…” He swallowed nervously, “there are monsters on Ping Mountain, and they ate Liu Qiang’s intestines.”

Instantly, all the boatmen tensed up, and the next moment, they collectively lowered their faces and rowed faster. They were afraid that if they ran slowly, the monsters would eat their intestines too.

As the dark clouds passed over the mountaintop and the moonlight emerged, a long line of small cargo boats made their way up the Tianliu River like a winding snake, against the current.

Pingshan Mountain’s two villages, though small, were remarkably close to the Qin Prefecture which is equivalent to a provincial capital nowadays. The prefecture was nestled against mountains and water, a feng shui treasure. The canal and the Tianliu River converged, forming the shape of two dragons playing with a pearl. Cargo boats from north and south exchanged goods here, making it a bustling port on the Tianliu River and the canal.

It was not only busy during the day but even more bustling at night with small boats carrying goods.

Due to the high number of boats, people, and trade, there was one type of establishment that naturally thrived here: the brothels.

Qin Prefecture was surrounded by water on three sides. When you’re with a lady, wouldn’t you want to enjoy the moonlight on the river at night? So, the brothels were all riverside establishments, each with its own painted boat. This was why the waterborne merchants only entered the city to sell their wares at night. Most painted boats set sail in the evenings.

Even though there was rain in Pingshan, the moon was clear, and the water’s surface was like a mirror.

Riverbanks filled with fragrant streets and flower-covered buildings, the atmosphere was lively. 

Lanterns of red hue entered the water, and koi fish swam around the red glow.

Water pavilions and towers reflected in the water, and the reflections of beautiful women in front of the galleries looked like mermaids in the water, exuding an alluring charm.

In the towers, there was the melodious sound of singing like a warbler. While on the water, there was the graceful dance of sleeves resembling snakes. Here, the sound of the zither accompanied, and there, the sound of the pipa played. Traveling through these boats, the scenery on both sides was enchanting. It makes people lose track of time, truly a heaven for men and a cradle for desires.

Under the clear moonlit sky, looking down at this prosperous scene was breathtaking.

Suddenly, two figures: one red and one black—swept past her. Their clothes fluttered in the moonlight.

The figure in red plunged from the air, her red shoes kissed the water’s surface like ripples. Then she leaped into the air again, causing water ripples to scatter like shattered moonlight.

The man in black followed closely behind, jumping over the water. And he landed on a luxurious exquisite painted boat.

The woman in red turned around to reveal an exceptionally stunning appearance.

Willowy brows, almond eyes, cherry-red lips—she was enchanting. Her black hair cascaded to her waist, and tied with a red ribbon.

Her dress was like a veil, partly covering and partly revealing with a graceful figure that was curvaceous and exquisite. Her fair skin was as white as snow and more radiant in the moonlight, outshining most worldly beauties.

The alluring woman’s lips formed a seductive smile, bewitching and captivating. Her watery eyes glistened as she gazed at the black-clad man who was chasing her.

Dressed in a fitted black brocade robe, cinched at the waist, and the robe bore dark patterns like a hidden dragon. A purple-gold hairpin adorned his hair, a white jade belt around his waist, and fine official boots complemented his dashing appearance.

The man’s brows were star-like and his features well-defined. His face was cold like jade, exuding a chilling air.

His eyes were bright and cold, sharp and discerning, capable of seeing through all human appearances and sensing all spirits and ghosts of the six realms. Those narrow, sharp eyes were like the yet unsheathed sword in his hand, cutting through anyone’s facade. And seeing through them completely, discerning every phantom, ghost, and monster.

At that moment, he tightly pursed his lips. His hand held a black longsword with a mysterious totem engraved on the scabbard, surrounded by seven stars. It was a sword for exterminating evil and vanquishing monsters.

The woman’s delicate hand covered her mouth, her smile charming and soul-stirring. Her watery eyes flirted with the man, playfully saying, “Little brother, you’ve been chasing me for two days and nights, following the river downstream. Aren’t you tired?”

The man’s brows furrowed, a touch of impatience in his cold eyes. “Tired.” He let out a single word, as if even speaking more was too tiresome.

The woman chuckled, her hand still covering her mouth. “You’re the most interesting man I’ve ever seen. Since you’re tired, I’m tired too. How about… we find a place to rest? We can enjoy the moon, look at the river, and talk about love~~” With a delicate shrug of her shoulder, her red veil slid off her shoulders, leaving only a red plum motif on her skirt. Her body was as white as snow, something no man could resist.

But the sword-bearing man remained indifferent. His hand had already started drawing the sword, the blade slowly emerging, and glinting with cold light in the moonlight. Within the scabbard was another black, peculiar sword.

The woman giggled, “Little brother, what do you plan to do?”

“Kill you.” The man drew his sword, the blade slicing the air before him. The gleam of the blade contrasted sharply with his handsome features, revealing his piercing star-like eyes.

The woman in her sheer clothing stepped back cautiously, her voice tense, “And what will you do after you kill me?”

“Sleep,” the man said calmly, his sword held out before him.

“Kikikikiki~~” The woman laughed to the sky, her voice enchanting. “Sleeping alone is so lonely. How about… we sleep together?”

The man stood firm, his sword poised on the blade. “Too crowded.” He said flatly. Then, in an instant, the blood on the sword’s blade was absorbed, and the black sword turned entirely red, shimmering with a blood-red hue in the moonlight.

The woman squinted slightly, her guard up. “Who exactly are you?”

The flirtatious woman gazed frostily at the blood-soaked sword gripped by the man. Her almond-shaped eyes welled up with tears of blood in an instant. “Tch, so you want to kill me, huh? Fine, come and do it then.” With those words, the woman swiftly charged towards the man.

The man remained composed, and maintained his stance. Suddenly, the blade of the sword twisted, and an image resembling that of a young girl materialized within the crimson hues of the blood. This ethereal figure emerged from the blade, carrying the blood with her as if it were smoke or mist. Swiftly, she clutched the woman’s face, turned around, and yanked forcefully. A crimson skull being wrenched out from within the woman!

“Ah!!” Accompanied by a hoarse scream, the skull formed by blood energy was forcibly pulled from the woman’s body. The screams were inaudible to ordinary people—like the cries of a distant valley or the wailing of wind on the open plain. It was a sound that could make one’s entire body go numb.

The blood-red skull was pulled out and entwined by the blood energy, struggling within the red serpent of energy. The serpent’s maw clamped down on the skull’s neck, tugging it toward the man’s red sword in his hand!