NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: Chapter 18: The Blood Binding
1. The Lotus Mark's Warning
A week after the Thorn Beast attack, Luo Feng noticed the lotus mark on his wrist flickering like a dying ember. By dawn, it had turned a deep crimson, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. The villagers avoided him, crossing the street when he approached. Even children he'd once saved hid behind their mothers' skirts.
Granny Wen's Diagnosis:
She examined the mark under candlelight, her breath shallow. "The Yan Clan is using your blood to bind the curse. This mark isn't just a warning—it's a tether. They're weaving their malice into your veins."
Luo Feng's Fear:
He flexed his stiffening hand. "Can they control me?"
Granny's Grave Reply:
"Worse. They'll make the village see you as the enemy… and you'll watch them tear themselves apart."
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2. The Yan Clan's Dark Ritual
Beneath the ruins of the Crimson Temple, Master Yan and Elder Wu prepared the Blood Binding Curse. The chamber reeked of iron and rot, lit by candles made of human tallow.
Ritual Ingredients:
A clay bowl filled with Luo Feng's blackened blood (collected from thorns left after the battle).
A lock of Granny Wen's hair (plucked during the Thorn Beast ambush).
The charred skull of the Silverwood sapling.
The Process:
Elder Wu chanted in a guttural tongue, his voice echoing off the damp walls. Master Yan mixed the ingredients into a thick paste, which bubbled and hissed. The mixture coalesced into a Blood Marionette—a twisted shadow-puppet with Luo Feng's face, its body oozing black sludge.
Master Yan's Command:
"Infest their minds. Make them see their hero as the monster."
The marionette dissolved into mist, seeping through cracks in the temple floor toward the village.
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3. The Village Turns
At dawn, the curse took hold. Villagers awoke with feverish eyes, their skin crawling as if infested with insects.
First Signs of Madness:
Farmer Li, whose well Luo Feng had purified, accused him of poisoning the water.
Little Kang's mother screamed, "You cursed my boy on purpose!" and hurled a rock at Luo Feng's head.
A mob formed, armed with torches and scythes. "Drive out the monster! Burn him!"
Luo Feng's Plea:
He stood at the edge of the fields, his voice cracking. "I've bled for you! Why won't you see?"
Xiao Mei's Defense:
She stepped in front of him, dagger raised. "This is the Yan Clan's doing! Don't let hatred blind you!"
The mob surged forward, their eyes glazed with unnatural rage.
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4. The Blood Marionette's Attack
Luo Feng fled into the forest, the mob's shouts fading behind him. Deep in the woods, the Blood Marionette materialized—a grotesque mimicry of Luo Feng, its limbs too long, its mouth stretched into a needle-toothed grin.
The Battle:
The marionette's touch seared Luo Feng's skin, leaving blisters that oozed black fluid. It mimicked his voice, calling out to Xiao Mei: "Help me! I'm hurt!"
The lotus mark flared, guiding Luo Feng to impale the creature with a thorned branch.
Retreat:
The marionette dissolved into smoke, but not before whispering: "You'll kill them all… like your sister."
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5. Rescue in the Crimson Temple
Guided by Meiying's faint cries, Luo Feng and Xiao Mei infiltrated the Yan Clan's dungeon beneath the temple.
The Dungeon:
Cells lined with moss-covered bones.
A pit of writhing Dark Bloom roots that hissed like serpents.
Meiying, chained to a wall, her arms carved with Yan Clan runes.
The Rescue:
Luo Feng shattered her chains with his thorned arm, tearing his own skin. Black blood dripped onto the roots, making them thrash wildly.
Meiying's Warning:
Weak but urgent, she gasped: "The curse isn't just on you… It's on your bloodline. Everyone you love will die!"
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6. Granny Wen's Sacrifice
Back at the shack, Granny Wen revealed a forbidden ritual: The Severing.
The Price:
"To break the Blood Binding, I must cut the tie between your blood and the curse… but the ritual will take my life."
Luo Feng's Refusal:
"No! There's another way—!"
Granny's Resolve:
She clasped his hands, her eyes fierce. "You are my grandson in all but blood. Let me protect you… one last time."
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7. The Ritual of Severing
Under the full moon, Granny Wen painted ancient symbols on Luo Feng's chest using her own blood. The lotus mark blazed as she chanted, her voice growing weaker.
The Process:
1.Binding the Curse: The black veins retreated into the lotus mark, which turned ice-blue.
2.Granny's Final Breath: She collapsed, her hand resting on Luo Feng's cheek. "Live… and protect them."
3. The Mark's Transformation: The lotus turned silver, its glow cold and steady—a mix of Granny's spirit and lingering curse.
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8. The Shadow Bloom Rises
In the temple dungeon, the Dark Bloom roots coiled around Meiying's unconscious body. Her scars glowed as a new flower bloomed—a Shadow Bloom, its petals blacker than midnight, its center a void that swallowed light.
Master Yan's Triumph:
"The Shadow Bloom will devour his soul… and the village with it."
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9. A Cold New Power
Luo Feng cradled Granny Wen's body, tears freezing on his cheeks. The silver lotus mark pulsed with icy energy, granting him control over frost—but every use drained his warmth, leaving him colder.
Xiao Mei's Promise:
She knelt beside him, placing Granny's wrinkled hand over the mark. "We'll bury her under the sapling… and make her sacrifice mean something."