The three were speaking when suddenly the surrounding mist began to churn, the air growing heavier with a sinister energy. The sound of heavy footsteps drew near.
Huo Chongxiao's expression turned serious as he tightened his grip on his sword. "Be careful!"
Before the words had fully left his lips, a man shrouded in black mist charged at them, wielding an abacus and violently striking it toward Bai Siyao.
Bai Siyao swiftly dodged, while Huo Chongxiao stepped in front of her. His sword flashed, crackling with the sound of thunder as it slashed through the air, clearing away the black mist wherever it touched. In no time, the man was struck down to the ground.
"It's Steward Tian!" Bai Mengxing shouted. "Even he..."
This man's level of demonization was clearly much higher than the others they'd encountered. He didn't show the sluggishness typical of those affected. If Huo Chongxiao hadn't been there, dealing with him would not have been so easy.
Bai Siyao felt a surge of dread. Her uncle and aunt were likely in grave danger. Steward Tian was one of her uncle's most trusted subordinates—if he had become so deeply demonized, could her uncle have been unaware? It was even possible that apart from the younger generation, the rest of the Bai family had already become puppets of their great-uncle.
They should consider themselves fortunate that their great-uncle still held onto some familial sentiment, leaving a few seeds of hope for the Bai family. According to the true timeline, in a month or so, she and her elder sister would head to Danxia Palace, while those left behind would have no hope of escape. The Bai family would be completely transformed into their great-uncle's playground.
As these thoughts raced through her mind, footsteps surrounded them, shadowy figures lurking in the mist, making it impossible to tell how many foes they faced.
Bai Mengxing's legs went weak. "Oh no, why are there so many of them?"
Huo Chongxiao said gravely, "More and more people are becoming demonized. We need to move quickly."
Yue Yunqiao nodded firmly. "Senior Brother, you lead the way since your cultivation is the highest. I'll assist you!" Then, turning to Bai Siyao, she said, "Junior Sister Bai, you protect the others. If you can't handle it, call for me."
Bai Siyao responded, "Understood."
After their brief exchange, the demonized individuals rushed toward them. Huo Chongxiao formed a hand seal, and his flying sword shot out like a beam of light, cutting through the demons, sweeping away their corrupt energy.
It was Yue Yunqiao's first mission, and she had encountered such a difficult situation. Following closely behind her senior brother, she dared not let her guard down for a moment.
Bai Siyao stayed by her siblings' side, blocking attacks on the left and slashing on the right. She seized moments of opportunity to hurl talismans, quickly clearing the area around them.
Huo Chongxiao, worried that Bai Siyao and her siblings might struggle to keep up, glanced back. He was surprised by what he saw. "Miss Bai, your talismans are quite impressive."
Before she could respond, Bai Mengxing chimed in proudly, "Of course! My second sister is the best talisman artist in the family!"
His tone carried a hint of pride, as if forgetting how he used to pick on her.
Bai Siyao shot him a look and replied modestly, "I owe it all to our great-uncle. Yesterday, he had someone deliver a talisman brush gifted by a teacher from Danxia Palace. The talismans drawn with it are of a very high grade. I had a feeling that something was about to happen, so I stayed up all night to finish drawing them."
Yue Yunqiao suddenly understood. "No wonder you were so tired this morning. You were drawing talismans last night." She sighed. "If I'd known, I would've prepared some as well. It's always good to be prepared."
While they talked, Huo Chongxiao had already cleared a path. "Follow me, quickly!"
They hurried through the small garden and reached the back gate.
A path led up the mountain. There was no need for further directions, but the mist grew thicker, mixed with demon energy that churned relentlessly like ink dropped into water, turning everything around them black.
Huo Chongxiao's high cultivation protected him, and Yue Yunqiao had a treasure shielding her body. Neither was affected. Bai Siyao was even less concerned, as the denser the demonic energy, the more she thrived. But Bai Mengxing couldn't hold on. His cultivation was low, and without a protective treasure, the demon energy gnawed at him, causing his teeth to chatter uncontrollably.
"I'm so cold!" he stumbled, nearly dragging Bai Siyao down with him.
Bai Siyao caught him and ordered, "Hold out your hand."
"What for?" Bai Mengxing's face was pale. "You're not thinking of taking revenge, are you? We're still siblings, after all. Even if I bullied you before, it's not worth killing me over, right?"
"The phrase is 'flesh and blood are connected,'" Bai Siyao said, annoyed. "Now hold out your hand!"
Frightened by her sternness, Bai Mengxing obediently stretched out his hand.
Bai Siyao pricked her finger, drawing a complex symbol on the back of his hand with her blood. As she finished the last stroke, Bai Mengxing felt a warmth spread through his hand, like a furnace had been lit inside him, warming his entire body.
"Ah!" he let out a sigh of relief, feeling much better.
Huo Chongxiao glanced at the symbol and was silently astonished. The rune wasn't complicated, but it held profound meaning that he couldn't fully understand.
Was this a Bai family secret technique? It was quite impressive! Just this talismanic skill alone would be enough for her to be accepted into Danxia Palace.
Bai Siyao then checked her elder sister's pulse, finding her in worse condition than Bai Mengxing. She called out, "Young Master Huo, please stop for a moment."
After finishing off the remaining demons, Huo Chongxiao paused and asked with concern, "How is your sister?"
Bai Siyao replied, "She's unconscious from exhaustion and unable to circulate her energy to resist the demonic influence. We need to take precautions."
They found a place to rest and set Bai Menglian down.
Yue Yunqiao took out a bottle of pills. "Junior Sister Bai, this is a Cleansing Spirit Pill. It can purify the spiritual energy inside the body and should provide temporary relief."
Bai Siyao accepted the offer without hesitation. "Thank you."
She fed Bai Menglian the pill and then drew the same talisman on her hand as she had on Bai Mengxing. Luckily, Bai Menglian stirred with a soft groan and opened her eyes.
Seeing the people around her, Bai Menglian blinked in surprise. "Second Sister? Little Brother?"
The two of them together? It was as if the sun had risen in the west!
Oh, right, Bai Menglian quickly recalled what had happened before she lost consciousness. It wasn't all that surprising, given the dangerous situation. Of course, brothers and sisters would set aside their differences at such a time.
"What's going on? And who are these two?" She looked at Huo Chongxiao and Yue Yunqiao.
"You knew we had guests at the house, right?" Bai Siyao explained. "This is Immortal Master Huo and Immortal Yue from Danxia Palace."
Bai Menglian nodded slightly, getting to her feet and stretching her limbs, which felt remarkably comfortable. She assumed the runes on her hand had been drawn by Huo Chongxiao or Yue Yunqiao and silently marveled at the skill of Danxia Palace.
She cast a glance around the area and asked, "What exactly is happening? Have demon cultivators come to cause trouble? Are you going to see Great-Uncle?"
Bai Siyao answered, "We suspect something has happened to Great-Uncle. Recently, there have been incidents with demonic creatures in the city, and the source seems to be our Bai family."
Bai Menglian was shocked. "This..."
Great-Uncle was a Golden Core cultivator, the foundation of the Bai family. She had sensed something was wrong earlier but hadn't been too worried, thinking that Great-Uncle could handle the situation. But hearing that something had happened to him left her feeling vulnerable.
"Elder Sister, we must save ourselves!" Bai Siyao's voice was solemn. "Immortal Master Huo has already notified his sect, but it will take time for them to respond. We need to find Great-Uncle and figure out how to slow the demonization process. Otherwise, we will all become food for the demons."
Bai Menglian, known for her calm and decisive nature, quickly assessed the situation. "I'll join you. I know a shortcut that leads straight to the Withered Leaf Lodge. Let me guide the way."