Demon Blood, Maiden Vail

Lin Yuan dreamed again.

He stood in a vast meadow of glowing grass under a sky so blue it felt unreal. A gentle breeze danced past his hair, carrying the sweet scent of soul flowers.

But then—

**Boom.**

The ground trembled. A shadow blotted out the sky.

From the horizon, a **gigantic woman**—**a hundred times his size**—rushed toward him with arms wide open, eyes sparkling like a child's.

"H-Hey, wait—!"

She caught him, squeezed him—

**And crushed him to death.**

---

He woke up in the same dream.

The second time, he summoned his **Moonlight Sword** and struck her with a full-powered slash.

It bounced off her skin like dust on stone.

She giggled, caught him again—**and crushed him to death.**

---

On the third loop, Lin Yuan tried diplomacy.

"Let's talk—! Wait—stop—!"

But she didn't listen. She hugged.

And he died.

---

Frustrated, Lin Yuan sat in the glowing grass and muttered, "Mom… what do I do?"

A faint image of Lady An appeared in the clouds.

She looked confused. "Try… making friends?"

So Lin Yuan stood and tried to smile. "Hi, my name is—"

**Crunch.**

Back to square one.

---

This time, he sought Lady Mingyan.

In his dream, she stood at the edge of the field, arms crossed and silent.

When he asked what to do, she finally said, "Try playing with her. Like… tag."

"…Tag?" he blinked.

"Children don't always understand words. Try their language."

---

The next loop, Lin Yuan shouted, "Let's play!"

The giant woman stopped.

Blinking, she nodded slowly.

Then she ran.

Slower this time. With a smile.

They played for hours. Lin Yuan laughed, dodged, rolled—and still, at the end, she caught him.

**Crushed.**

---

But something changed.

Loop after loop, Lin Yuan noticed it—**she wasn't evil**. Just… too strong. Like a **giant baby playing too rough**.

So one time, while running, he turned and said, "I'll let you hold me. But you can't hug me tight. Okay?"

She paused. Then nodded.

Lin Yuan trembled. He stepped into her arms, surrendering.

She gently wrapped her fingers around him…

**Crack.**

Too much again.

---

Later, Lady Mingyan advised, "Teach her how to hold you properly."

The next time, Lin Yuan raised his arms and said, "Here. Like this. Not too tight."

It took many attempts.

She'd poke his head. Pat his cheeks. Every time, a bit too rough.

But Lin Yuan endured.

He stopped being afraid.

And finally, one day, she smiled—leaned down—and pressed a **soft kiss** to his head.

Then she faded away like morning mist.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes.

The bed was warm.

Lady Mingyan sat beside him, smiling.

"You did good," she whispered. "Come here."

She gently helped him sit up and massaged his shoulders. Her hands glowed with healing light.

"You passed another trial, little one."

---

Meanwhile…

In the **inn**, Lin Yuan's sect master stood in the hallway, eyes stormy.

"Where is Lin Yuan?"

Xiao Hu munched a biscuit and shrugged. "I don't wanna tell you."

She narrowed her eyes. "He's my disciple. I have a right to know."

So she stayed the whole night.

---

They moved toward the **next city**, escorting a noble lady tasked with gathering intelligence for the sect. Qingxiu brought her quietly to the inn. Everyone boarded the **spirit boat**.

This was no ordinary vessel.

The ship's new design boasted a **honeycomb-like structure**, each hexagon a **separate defensive formation**. If one section was damaged, the others would stay intact.

The outer shell gleamed with **divine metal**, lined with a **multi-layer sealing formation**. No intruder could enter. Each passenger cabin was fortified to survive high-level magical attacks.

The spirit boat lifted, wings spreading like a **giant silver bird** as they took off.

Halfway through the journey, shadowy figures blocked the path.

"We want the baby," their leader growled.

Lady Bihua didn't hesitate—she **froze space itself** and fired a formation cannon.

**The leader died instantly.**

But chaos followed. Three more attackers were slain. But now they using defensive formation.Now one shot kill become impossible.But 2 shot kill is possible. Lady An moved swiftly with her sword, cutting enemies into ribbons, while the other two fired **formation cannons**, converting spirit stones into **devastating light beams**.

Even Lin Yuan's master joined the fight.

By the end of it, Out of thirty attackers Only eight survived—and fled.

They activated the emergency mode.

The bird-shaped spirit boat rose higher and **unfolded its wings further**, changing shape into a sleek escape craft.

Jets of spirit energy blasted behind them.

Lin Yuan's master stared in disbelief. "Why didn't you use this earlier?!"

Lady An, panting, said, "It drains too much spirit power. Up here, even we can barely breathe. This isn't for fighting. It's for escaping."

"Two jumps," Lady Fangyan added. "We jump once… then land across the border."

Everyone gripped their seats.

The energy gathered—then launched them like a shooting star.

Moments later, they reached the next city.

Safe.

The spirit boat hovered just above the gate platform of **Cloudveil City**, its sleek silver hull glinting beneath the afternoon sun. From within its sealed cabins, the hum of formations pulsed gently—protecting those inside.

But Lin Yuan is still sleeping.

His breath was steady, his soul still curled in healing slumber beneath layers of soulmist formations and soul-soothing arrays. The dream had exhausted not just his body—but his very will.

Inside his room, **Lady Mingyan** sat by his bed, calmly brushing stray hair from his forehead.

"You'll wake soon."she murmured. "Until then… we'll carry the wind for you."

At the gates, nearly **one hundred and fifty cultivators** had gathered to bid farewell.

Many were disciples rescued from slave market. Others were former slaves, now wearing spirit-robes gifted by Lady An. And among them stood silent shadows—**demon-blooded allies** whose paths briefly crossed Lin Yuan's and who now felt the weight of parting.

A tall, sharp-eyed woman with curved horns and red tattoos—**Elder Duzan**, of the Ashroot Demon Lineage—walked up to **Xiao Hu**, ruffling the tiger boy's hair.

"You've grown fangs, cub. Don't dull them."

Xiao Hu puffed his chest. "I'll become king of tigers.Wait and see!"

Next, a small demon girl with leathery wings—**Minya**—hugged **Qingxiu**, placing a pouch of crystalized soul-candy in her hands.

"You're the nicest person I met. Come to my home sometime."

Qingxiu smiled, though her eyes shimmered. "I will."

They turned toward the spirit boat, their heroin,is missing in the last moment—but their hearts full.

As they boarded, **Lady Bihua** whispered, "We move now. The winds won't wait."

The noble lady they escorted—**Lady Ruolan of the Moonweave Pavilion**—remained veiled and composed, sitting in the center of her private carriage cabin. She spoke little, but her gaze missed nothing.

This was no mere delivery.

Lady Ruolan carried coded intelligence—collected over months—meant for a reclusive elder of the **Mirror Lantern Division**, located in the next city: **Duskgate Haven**.

Her token bore the silver crescent of the **Taiyin Sect's Shadow Wing**. Few recognized its meaning. Fewer lived after speaking it.

Before reaching Duskgate, the group passed through **Redwillow Town**—a quiet place of orchards, waterfalls, and sleepy markets.

They purchased provisions:

* **Jade-grain rice** from the village chief

* **Golden starfruit** for Qingxiu to nibble on

* **Fermented sky-plum juice** for Lady Bihua, who pretended not to like sweets

Xiao Hu bought five bags of dried crispy chicken feet and promptly ate four.

He turned to Qingxiu. "Don't tell Brother Yuan."

Qingxiu smiled. "You mean don't tell him you're getting fat?"

"You traitor!"

Their bickering echoed up the mountain path as the sun dipped behind the hills.

Duskgate was no ordinary city.

Towering stone spires carved with starlight sigils jutted into the clouds. Every gate bore enchantments—some to scan bloodlines, others to test intent.

Lady Ruolan's token opened the path, and they passed without delay.

Above, crescent banners fluttered in the wind—emblems of the elder who would guide Lady Ruolan to her final mission.

Lady Mingyan watched Lin Yuan's sleeping form.

His brow furrowed now and then—perhaps troubled by dreams. Or perhaps, she thought, preparing to leave them behind.

She whispered, "Rest longer, my son. When you rise, your soul will be fine. "

Then she stood, her cloak falling behind her like wings of dusk, and stepped outside to face the night.

---

* Or a hidden *assassination atattemptatLet me know which direction you'd prpre