H City was drowning in torrential rain and ravaged by violent winds. Above, thunderclouds rolled in like a sea of wrathful gods. The meteorological bureau issued three consecutive red-level warnings. In every street and alley, on every screen and radio, a looped broadcast echoed:
“Citizens are urged to stay indoors and avoid going outside. Absolutely no aerial or outdoor operations. Repeat: stay indoors. Do not go outside…”
Panic gripped the city. The municipal secretary’s office called more than a dozen times, practically begging the front-line mayor, Huang, to return to headquarters.
But Mayor Huang shoved aside his secretary, who tried to cover him with a raincoat, and roared:
“I’m going down too!”
Chu He was gripping the muddy edge of the massive crack in the earth, one foot already stepping into the abyss. At those words, he rare lost his temper:
“What the hell for? Do you know how dangerous it is down there?!”
Just then, a lightning bolt ripped through the sky and struck a tree dozens of meters away.
BOOM! The tree exploded into splinters, and flames burst out only to be immediately extinguished by the relentless rain, smoke rising in thick columns.
Everyone fell silent. A few detectives even began retreating involuntarily.
Mayor Huang roared, “This is my city! Useless as I may be, I can still help down there!”
Then he spun around and barked orders at Captain Wang of the city’s detective force:
“No one moves! No retreat! If anything comes out from below—shoot it dead on the spot! If it’s a Japanese national, detain immediately!”
Rain soaked his round face, but his presence was so commanding that all responded in unison:
“Yes, sir!”
Chu He was about to stop him when Zhou Hui blocked his path.
“Let him go. Old Huang’s a monster in his own right—if he gets zapped by heavenly lightning, it’d just be poetic. Besides, he might actually be useful down there.”
Chu He shot him a cold glare and brushed past him into the crevice.
Zhou Hui just smiled indifferently and waved away Captain Wang, who tried to tie a safety rope around his waist, then leapt into the chasm as well. A moment later, Li Hu followed, landing gracefully on a rocky ledge five or six meters down. Upon landing, she instantly shifted into her true form—a snow-white fox with nine fluffy tails.
“Didn’t think you actually cared about the kid,” the fox teased, tails swaying.
“Even went so far as to improve his diet, giving him snacks and such…”
“The Japanese were scheming anyway. I merely went with the flow.”
“Then why the heavenly lightning? Your Maha has eaten all sorts of stuff before, but it never caused a scene this big.”
Zhou Hui glanced at him. That look alone made the fox’s fur stand on end.
“Buddha Bone,” he said coldly.
“It suddenly appeared here without warning. Maha shed blood before a sacred relic—that’s a direct cause for divine punishment.”
He paused and looked down at the fox from above.
“By the way, didn’t you say last time you did some dumb shit?”
The fox took an unconscious half-step back.
To its surprise, Zhou Hui did nothing. Not even a kick. He simply looked up, gave a weird little smile, and started walking down.
…That’s it? Just let me go? Really?
The fox was confused and looked up too.
Then it understood why Zhou Hui had simply walked away—
A 300+ pound fat man slipped and came crashing down from above.
BOOM.
He landed squarely on the fox, squashing it into a fox pancake.
·
Forty meters underground, inside the cavern.
Aida screamed hoarsely,
“Get out! It can’t be allowed to leave this cave! RUN!”
The cold flares were out. The wolf-eye flashlights had been scattered and some snuffed by flying shell casings. Only one or two dim beams still illuminated small patches of space. In the chaos, no one could find the cramped, crouch-height exit. Blood covered the floor, and broken limbs and shredded flesh had merged with the carved stone patterns.
The monster casually caught the blade that had slashed at its neck, snatched up the Japanese man, and with its claws ripped open his abdomen—entrails spilling to the ground.
It didn’t mind.
It lifted the body and gulped down a mouthful of blood.
Its hoarse voice sounded oddly pleased:
“Not bad at all…”
The remaining Japanese operatives lost their minds in terror and stumbled to the cavern walls, feeling for the exit with shaking hands. But the exit was too small and visibility too poor. It was nearly impossible to find.
Aida finally felt a sharp rock edge—an opening!
“Here! Help me move these rocks!” he shouted joyfully.
But before he finished, a cold hand grabbed him from behind.
The Earth Born Fetus’s eerie face appeared inches from his.
“Ahhh! Get away from me!” Aida shrieked and struggled.
In desperation, he yanked a nearby person—probably one of his men—and shoved him forward.
The Earth Born Fetus hadn’t expected that. Surprised, it simply took the offering.
It bit off a chunk of flesh, chewing slowly through screams and sobs, then tore off more from the man’s belly.
Aida scrambled away toward the exit, uncaring of anything else.
His hands and knees were torn up, but he desperately clawed at the rocks.
Then—BAM!—a fist sent him flying.
“Yan Lanyu!” he roared, seeing the young onmyōji, drenched in blood.
Earlier, Earth Born Fetus had grabbed him but—for some reason—didn’t eat him and flung him aside instead. The boy had landed hard on broken bone and stone.
“You planned this! You led us to die down here!” Aida raised his gun in fury.
The shot went wide, grazing the boy’s cheek.
Yan Lanyu didn’t even flinch. He gritted his teeth, tackled Aida, and shouted,
“Zhang Shun! Go now!”
“Shut up! I’m not leaving you!” Zhang Shun yelled, frantically digging at the rocks.
His fingers were shredded, nails torn—but adrenaline made him unstoppable. He heaved aside boulders no normal man could lift.
Meanwhile, Aida was raging. He flipped Yan Lanyu and tried to yank off the pendant around his neck.
The boy was being strangled, face turning purple—but he didn’t let go.
With sheer willpower, he reversed the pin and flung the pendant to Zhang Shun.
It almost hit him in the face. Zhang Shun caught it, turned, and finally cleared a narrow space—just big enough to squeeze through.
He turned to help—but Earth Born Fetus had already eaten its last victim and was slowly approaching.
Normally, Zhang Shun would’ve pissed himself and bolted.
But now, something inside him snapped.
He roared,
“I’m not afraid of you!”
And shoved Earth Born Fetus away with all his strength.
Yan Lanyu shouted:
“Why are you still here?! Don’t worry about me—RUN!”
“Shut up! I’m a man! I won’t hide behind a kid! If we die—we die together!”
He knocked Aida aside, grabbed Yan Lanyu, and ran toward the exit.
But Earth Born Fetus was too close—an arm’s reach away.
Yet… nothing happened.
As they passed, Earth Born Fetus stumbled back, looking at the arm Zhang Shun had touched. Its skin was burned, torn, and silver blood dripped out.
“…Strange,” it whispered.
Yan Lanyu had no time to ponder. He shoved Zhang Shun toward the exit.
But the next second—WHAM—they were both flung back.
Splat. They landed on the slick, gore-soaked floor.
Earth Born Fetus stood above them, brushing its bloody hair behind its ear.
It stared at Zhang Shun and smiled.
“So it’s you. No wonder you could hurt me like that… Other than my mother’s True Flame of the Ming Wang, only you.”
Its lips curled up in a sly, oddly beautiful grin—if you ignored the bloody teeth.
Zhang Shun felt nothing but horror. He dragged Yan Lanyu and ran, nearly slipping on the gore.
Strangely, Earth Born Fetus didn’t stop them—just watched with a flicker in its eyes.
Then Aida lunged at the exit, gasping for air.
“DIE!” he screamed, pulling a gun on Zhang Shun.
Click-click.
The chamber was empty.
Zhang Shun didn’t waste a second. He rushed forward to beat the crap out of him.
But Aida was a trained fighter. Zhang Shun was no match. A swing of the gun butt, and Zhang was left bleeding from the head.
Aida climbed for the exit.
Yan Lanyu wasn’t having it. He dragged him back and threw Zhang Shun outward.
“You have to go! You can’t handle this! If you stay, you’ll die too!”
Zhang Shun scrambled outside and reached back to pull him out.
But Yan Lanyu shook his head.
Zhang Shun exploded:
“YOU FUCKING—”
“I betrayed Mizongmen. Even if I get out, I won’t live long,” the boy shouted, tears streaming down his face.
“RUN! Don’t look back! RUN!”
Zhang cursed loudly, reaching for him—
But Aida, now insane, pounced and began strangling Yan Lanyu.
The boy didn’t hesitate.
He slammed his elbow into Aida’s nose—CRACK. Blood gushed.
Earth Born Fetus sauntered over.
But Yan Lanyu didn’t flee. He stood tall, breathing hard, staring Aida down.
“The person I waited for won’t come,” he said quietly. “You’ll die with me today.”
“NO!” Zhang Shun screamed, reaching back down—
The boy turned and smiled at him.
Then he pulled something from his belt—a pencil-shaped object—lit it with a lighter, and tossed it into the tunnel.
Zhang Shun’s pupils shrank.
It was a blasting cap.
He was going to blow the exit.
Zhang Shun let out a scream of pure anguish.
Everything turned red. Tears erupted like blood.
The boy whispered:
“Goodbye, stranger.”
—The next second, Zhang Shun felt an irresistible force shove him aside, and then a figure as ghostly as a specter slipped through the entrance and landed lightly, one foot stamping out the fuse.
Zhang Shun saw the figure clearly and was so shocked his mind went blank: “…Zhou Hui?!”
Zhou Hui pressed one hand on Yan Lanyu’s shoulder and smiled, “Pretty boy, life is precious. No need to rush toward death… Deputy Director Yu has given strict orders—we must bring you back to Beijing.”
·
Yan Lanyu stared blankly at Zhou Hui, unable to say a word.
If Zhou Hui had the time, he definitely would have teased him, but for now, he just patted his shoulder and gave him a gentle push. Right on cue, Chu He caught him.
Maha tilted his head to look at Zhou Hui, then turned his gaze to Chu He. His expression remained unchanged for the former, but when his eyes landed on the latter, there was the faintest flicker of emotion. Then, baring his sharp, bloodstained teeth, he smiled. “Wow, everyone really showed up today.”
Zhou Hui said warmly, “Son, come now, be a good boy and listen to Daddy. Go back up and hang yourself there quietly. If Daddy remembers in, say, ten or twenty years, he’ll send you some snacks, how about that?”
Mayor Huang had just been dragged through the opening by the Nine-Tailed Fox. He slipped as he landed and barely caught himself, grabbing Chu He and whispering, “That monster’s really Zhou’s son?”
Chu He: “……”
“I knew something was off about that Zhou guy—look at what kind of messed-up kid he raised. Eating… I mean, look at all this! Is this… holy crap, is this human flesh?!”
Mayor Huang nearly peed himself. “It-it-it’s eating people! What the hell is this thing?!”
“Father,” Maha said with a raspy laugh, “did you bring Mother along as a meat shield, knowing full well you couldn’t stop me alone?”
Mayor Huang blinked his beady eyes and followed the monster’s gaze—clearly hoping Maha meant the Nine-Tailed Fox when he said “Mother.”
But after triple-checking, he had to face the crushing reality that Maha was looking at Chu He.
Father…
Mother…
This man-eating monster’s… mother…
Mayor Huang’s legs gave out, and the Nine-Tailed Fox, wobbling from behind, jumped up and propped him up with a paw, scolding fiercely, “Don’t fall again, you fatty! One more slip and I’ll break your teeth, got it?!”
Chu He shut his eyes, seemingly unwilling to look at the gruesome blood and gore all around. But even if he didn’t look or think about it, the overpowering stench constantly reminded him of the horror that had just occurred.
He waved his hand, signaling the others not to involve him in negotiations.
But Maha still stared at his “mother” intently, expression full of challenge. Just as he was about to speak, Zhou Hui cut him off: “Wait a second—what did you just say you were planning to do, son?”
Maha replied coldly, “You sealed me here for years. The human world bores me. So I’m thinking—why not visit the Blood Sea?”
The Blood Sea lies in the Hell realm, also called the Eight-Thousand-Zhang Lotus Pond of Blood. It’s teeming with low-level demonic creatures. Legend says those who committed great evils fall into it after death. In the day, they’re torn limb from limb by the monsters; at night, their mangled remains reassemble—only to be shredded again, endlessly, for eternity.
Zhou Hui laughed sincerely. “Son, you’re thinking of snacking in the Blood Sea? That’s a mistake. Trust me, that meat’s all rotten—doesn’t even compare to Dad’s soy-sauce stir-fried veggies. How about we make a deal? You go back up and hang yourself for a while. If you behave, Daddy won’t spank you in front of your mom, okay?”
Maha’s slanted eyes locked sharply onto Zhou Hui.
—He had been focused on antagonizing Chu He and wasn’t keen to face his father. But after hearing those words, his expression began to shift. Where once his attitude while eating people had been playful and casual, now he radiated true cruelty and menace.
“…Father,” he said, “if I insist on stepping over your body to leave today—you won’t be able to stop me.”
Before he finished, he vanished—and in the next instant, appeared right behind Zhou Hui, swinging a powerful strike down!
In a flash, Zhou Hui spun around, raised his arm, and from each sleeve sprang a short blade that gleamed like frost. He raised them to meet his son’s descending strike—had Maha not pulled back, he might have lost his hand. But instead, he suddenly formed a hand sign midair and spat golden fire straight at Zhou Hui’s face!
“Peacock’s Golden Flame…” the Nine-Tailed Fox frowned. “Feng Si, your kid’s real committed to patricide.”
Chu He closed his eyes and didn’t reply.
Zhou Hui didn’t take the attack head-on. The moment the fire ignited, he leapt backward, and Maha chased like a bolt of lightning, golden flames spewing from his mouth in a blazing dragon that scorched the stone cavern, breaking pillars with deafening cracks as they fell.
“Son, all those years of hanging upside down didn’t dull your skills, huh?” Zhou Hui shouted while dodging. “Back in school, when you slacked off and Daddy spanked you, your mom always stepped in. Now you see why tough love is important, don’t you?”
Maha didn’t respond. Suddenly, his form expanded as he dove into the flames. When he burst out, he held a long sword, striking down with crushing force!
Too fast for anyone else to react. Zhou Hui raised his arm to block, and immediately, a deep gash split open to the bone.
Zhou Hui exclaimed in pain and admiration, “Whoa!”
Maha’s devastatingly beautiful face turned ice-cold and sinister. He unleashed another wave of golden flame and teleported to intercept Zhou Hui’s dodge, slashing downward at his head!
—But in that split second, Chu He appeared behind Maha and grabbed the blade.
Maha turned his head in surprise. He instinctively tried to pull the sword back—but it was too late. Chu He’s palm held the blade firm, blood gushing out and instantly vaporizing in the heat, turning to blood mist.
Where the mist touched, the sword melted. Molten iron dripped from the blade like water.
Maha’s face changed slightly. “You would stop me too, Mother?”
“You can’t leave,” Chu He said emotionlessly. “Zhou Hui sealed you for a reason. If you escape, the sky will strike you with endless thunder. Even if you survive, everywhere you go will turn to ash. Besides…”
Maha interrupted, furious: “Do you know what it’s like being trapped here?! Do you know how badly I want out?!”
Chu He was silent. After a moment, he raised a hand and gently touched his son’s cheek. “You can’t leave,” he said. “I have my reasons.”
Maha let out a piercing scream and struck Chu He in the back of the head.
Chu He had been prepared, but as a human, he couldn’t dodge in time. He took the full hit and was flung across the cavern!
Maha darted for the exit—but suddenly, a flash of white light blocked his way.
The Nine-Tailed Fox had leapt through the air in that very instant and transformed into human form mid-leap. Her nine silver tails lashed down, striking Maha hard enough to send him stumbling back!
Maha tilted his head to avoid the whip’s tip and then spewed golden flame from his mouth.
If that had landed, no amount of cultivation would’ve saved the fox. But just in time, Mayor Huang let out a screech, transformed into a chubby weasel, and leapt forward, clamping onto the Nine-Tailed Fox’s scruff and crashing to the ground—barely avoiding the fire.
It was heart-stopping.
And the weasel wasn’t done yet—he shot out like an arrow and skidded to a stop in front of Maha . Then—
Pffffttt!
Maha: “……”
A hideously foul greenish-yellow gas puffed out. Maha instinctively staggered ten meters back, and by then, he was far from the exit again.
Having been blocked again and again—and now by a weasel—Maha’s eyes narrowed, long lashes casting wing-like shadows over his pale cheeks.
He raised his chin, gauging the distance to the exit, and summoned another sword, identical to the one that had just melted—but this time held in his left hand.
Huang the Weasel, panting behind a rock, whispered, “Why is this monster so strong? Why won’t he die?!”
The Nine-Tailed Fox gave a twisted grin. “Ever heard of the Great Peacock King?”
Mayor Huang: “…The hell?”
“The peacock is the baby of the phoenix, born with divine might—a true god’s avatar. Normally, we’d kneel just seeing one… OH GROSS HE JUST THREW THAT HALF-EATEN BODY!” the Nine-Tailed Fox screamed, darting several meters away. Gagging, she muttered, “And that dumbass Zhou Hui left his real body back in the capital, thinking a clone could handle his son?! We’re doomed!”
The weasel wailed, nearly in tears: “What happens if he escapes?!”
“Endless thunder will strike from the skies, following him until he’s either dead or gone.”
“And what about H City?!” the weasel asked in despair.
The Nine-Tailed Fox patted him sympathetically. “Guess you’ll have to be mayor of another city…”
Meanwhile, Maha lunged again for the exit. But the next second, he felt a chill in his back—he looked down and saw the tip of a blade piercing through his chest.
Though incredibly resilient, Maha couldn’t stop the blood from gushing out. He turned, hands bursting with platinum fire, and roared: “Zhou Hui—Zhou Hui!”
Zhou Hui muttered bitterly, “Could you at least call me Dad?!” Then he stopped holding back. Summoning his Dharma Form, he crossed his blades to block the fire and launched a brutal kick at his son’s chest!
Maha crashed to the ground. Before he could get up, Zhou Hui’s blade came down. He barely rolled away in time—but Zhou Hui was faster, dragging the blade low across the floor, slashing into Maha’s back and lifting the blade upward.
If Maha had been slower, he’d have been split in two. He flipped back to retaliate but caught sight of Zhou Hui’s Dharma Form releasing a black mist that reached his eyes.
Maha’s brow creased—he knew how dangerous that mist was. Knowing he couldn’t counter it, he flew back—
—right into Chu He’s blind spot.
Chu He could’ve ended it here—he was strong enough—but a phoenix never strikes its own chick.
Zhou Hui saw through it immediately and snapped, “You know how the phoenix treats you—and this is how you repay him?! Huh?!”
Maha froze—for just one millisecond.
You couldn’t see it with the naked eye, maybe not even frame-by-frame with a camera—but Zhou Hui seized that instant. He rushed forward, grabbed his son’s collar, and pressed his blade—shrouded in black mist—against his heart.
“Every time I tried to kill you, Feng Si stopped me—said he wanted to talk sense into you…”
In the howling winds, Zhou Hui’s face was icy cold, eerily resembling Maha ’s.
—He had indeed passed on to his son the demonic bloodline, the madness and cruelty.
“If I’d killed you earlier, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” Zhou Hui said coldly. “Let’s hope it’s not too late to fix it now.”
He stabbed the tip of his blade in. Maha gasped and clutched the blade, then looked down to see a gush of blood pouring from his chest—
—from the spot right over his heart.
“…You’ve wanted to kill me for a long time, haven’t you?”
He was still smiling, but the smile dripped with malice.
“Ever since you learned I was born to replace you…”
Zhou Hui stood above him, ready to speak—but the words never made it out.
Suddenly, his entire body went rigid.
He loosened his grip, and the short blade clattered to the ground. Then he clutched his temple tightly.The next second, he swore in agony:
“Fucking hell, Situ Yingzhi, you dog-bastard!”
Then vomited a mouthful of blood.
