Demon Blood, Maiden Vail

The **scroll** trembled slightly in Lin Yuan's fingers. Its seal—marked by a delicate **blossoming sword**—carried weight.

> "The City Lord wants to see us," he said, voice low.

**Lady Mingyan** gently lifted **Tearlume** from his arms and tucked her into a spirit cradle.

**Lady An** returned just then, holding a bundle of reforged talismans.

> "Something's wrong," she said after reading the scroll. "He didn't summon the sect formally. He sent a private invitation."

> "He suspects something," Qingxiuan murmured.

Lin Yuan straightened his robe.

> "Then let's give him a reason to respect us."

The **City Lord's mansion** stood like a palace carved from **living jade**. Blossoms bloomed eternally in suspended time. Butterflies of starlight circled the towers.

They were guided through spiraling halls filled with **spirit paintings**, **floating silks**, and **spiritual instruments** playing faint music on their own.

The **City Lord** awaited them beneath a crystalline arbor.

He was **not old**. Maybe forty, with long green robes, eyes like sharp jade blades, and a calm smile that didn't reach his eyes.

> "Honored guests from Taiyin Sect," he said. "Welcome to Yuhua City."

He gestured to a tea table—fine jade cups already filled with **spring qi tea**.

They sat. Lin Yuan took the lead.

> "I thank the Lord of Yuhua for your hospitality. What matter brings you to summon us so urgently?"

The City Lord lifted his cup but didn't drink.

> "Last night, over forty jade blossoms bloomed in my southern courtyard. For centuries, they remained sealed. But now, ten have awakened. And the source… came from your inn."

Lady Mingyan's expression didn't change. Lady An's fingers tapped once on the jade table.

> "I believe," the City Lord continued, "you brought with you… a child?"

Lin Yuan nodded.

> "Her name is Tearlume. She was born of spirit and soul fire. Her mother gave her to me… and is gone."

> "And her birth?" the City Lord asked. "It triggered the jade?"

> "We do not believe she caused harm," Lin Yuan said carefully. "She is just… different."

The City Lord finally sipped his tea.

> "Yuhua City is under the protection of the Nine Orchid Alliance. We've had **three disappearances** in the past week—all children born with rare spiritual constitutions."

Lady Qingxiuan leaned forward.

> "You think we're responsible?"

> "I think…" the City Lord said gently, "we all have an interest in protecting spirit-born children. If your child is awakened enough to affect sacred formations… she will attract attention."

Lady Baihua appeared silently behind them—done with her spatial merging at last.

> "Then what are you asking, Lord Yuhua?" she said coldly.

The City Lord folded his hands.

> "Join the investigation. Help us uncover what force is targeting these spirit-born children. In return, I offer full city protection to your child while you're here—and the right to trade in the sealed jade vaults."

Everyone fell silent.

Lin Yuan finally nodded.

> "We accept. Tearlume was born to light, not shadow. We'll help find who's taking the others."

Back at the inn, Tearlume giggled from her floating cradle. The petals outside still bloomed unnaturally in her presence.

Lady Mingyan paced. "If spirit-born children are being hunted, then whoever it is knows how to bypass the jade city's formations."

Lady An nodded. "It might be an inside job."

Lin Yuan sat in silence, holding a jade compass, watching its needle point not north—but toward Tearlume.

> "They're not hunting random children," he said softly. "They're hunting rare bloodlines" The sun dipped low over Yuhua City. Lin Yuan lay shirtless on a jade slab inside the Clearmist Pavilion's training hall, barely able to move.

The earlier refinement of the Moonlight Herb had repaired his inner spiritual flow—but his physical body was still cracked, stiff, and overloaded with internal damage.

That's when Lady Mingyan walked in, hair tied up in a tight coil, carrying a black stone cauldron glowing with red-gold runes.

"Your body is trash," she said flatly.

Lin Yuan blinked. "That's… a bit harsh."

"It's true," she replied coldly, placing the cauldron beside him. "Your soul is strong. Your qi path is strong. But your bones and flesh are barely holding together."

She tapped his ribs with two fingers. Crack.

He winced.

"See? That wasn't an attack. That was just a truth-tap."

"Mom, please… can we do this gently—"

"No."

She activated a flame talisman, and the cauldron burst into radiant fire, emitting thick steam.

"Time to begin physical body refinement. You have no say."

Lin Yuan was dropped into the cauldron.

The mixture boiled around him—a rare blend of:

Red Demonic Blood Ash

Crushed Bone Lotus Roots

Fire-Essence Jade Liquid

Phoenix Blood drop

"This isn't just pain," she said calmly, standing over him as steam filled the room. "This is me saving your life."

Lin Yuan gritted his teeth, already trembling. His skin turned red, his veins bulging.

"Your muscles are being torn apart and rebuilt. Let it burn."

He tried to scream. No sound came out—only vapor.

After half an hour of soaking, Mingyan pulled him out—barely conscious—and laid him on the training slab again.

"You think I'm done?" she said coldly.

Her palms ignited with phoenix fire.

"I'm reforging your skeleton."

She struck down—hard.

With each palm:

His joints realigned.

His marrow burned white.

Cracks in his shoulder blades sealed.

New qi channels forced open through pain.

"This pain isn't punishment," she said between blows. "It's transformation. You were born weak—but you won't stay weak under my watch."

Lin Yuan trembled violently but endured.

She sealed his skin with Frozen Lotus Salve—a rare yin-based ointment that would close his pores and trap the refining energy inside.

He shook uncontrollably, every nerve on fire.

"Now... don't move for three hours," she ordered.

"And if you cry," she added, narrowing her eyes, "I'll start over."

Lin Yuan didn't cry.

But one silent tear did slip from his eye.

Mingyan saw it.

She knelt quietly, placed her palm over his heart, and whispered:

"You don't have to be strong in front of me."

"You're my son."

She held him there until his pulse slowed.

Son you get Ash-Phoenix Tempered Body (Stage 1)

Muscle density +40%

Bone flexibility increased; now resistant to cracking

Passive regeneration from heat-based energy

Pain tolerance greatly enhanced

New Trait: Flame Pulse Reaction – When under extreme stress, physical strength surges temporarily.

As dawn approached, Lady Mingyan left quietly, wiping her hands with a silk cloth. She paused at the door and looked back once.

"Sleep now. Tomorrow, the world tries to kill you again."

"But now… at least you won't break so easily."