The blue half-moon overhead seemed to hang just a little higher, casting long, shifting shadows over the pavilion.

  Here, the silver moon was like a brushstroke against the canvas of the evening and the teacup welcomed another kiss from the beautiful moon’s lips.

  "Fuu~ it’s been quite some time since this fairy last tasted fragrance as fine as this."

  After downing a sip from his own cup to cool the heat in his eyes, Bubai obliged to engaging in the small talks. “Hmm…? When was the last time fairy had indulged?”

  “Hum...” The fairy’s gaze drifted thoughtfully over the barren moonlit terrace. “Don’t remember.”

  Huh? That’s odd. Can this knowledge bank really have a bad memory?

  Still, Bubai didn’t dig deeper, lest this seemingly innocuous topic turns out to be a landmine.

  Bubai looked out at the heavenly jewel that has deepened into a richer shade of blue and casually diverted the topic. “A quiet place like this is really suitable for enjoying tea.”

  Shu Ling almost instantly gave him a sidelong look that felt like a dart finding its mark. “Fufufu… this fairy thought fairy brother would be wondering why it’s so quiet here by now.”

  Bubai’s heart skipped a beat. She had read his thoughts perfectly… once again.

  Yet he maintained his composure, only letting the usual hint of curiosity slip into his voice. “Oh? Is there another story behind this place?”

  “Hum. Naturally.” There was a smile in those eyes that peered at him.

  Bubai blinked, then looked away to pour himself more tea, as if the steam from his cup might offer some inspiration worthy for the exchange.

  Noticing his brooding, Shu Ling pouted playfully.

  “Don’t worry, fairy brother. It’s just a little story. This fairy isn’t one to have an asking price on everything.”

  Bubai’s smile bloomed like a fresh morning breeze.

  “Then it would be this humble student’s honor to receive the wise and beautiful fairy master’s enlightenment.”

  Shu Ling’s rolling eyes glimmered like moonlight on rippling water, “Sweet nonsense.”

  Yes, it’s just rainbow farts, but her happy feet giving him pokes as light as dew upon grass was enough to betray her mood.

  Despite the playful events under the table, no tea spilled from the lady’s cup, but Miss Know-It-All was ready to spill the beans about the secrets behind the scenes.

  “Fairy brother, don’t think this place was always barren like this. This Moon Viewing Terrace was once a popular spot for both day and night rendezvous…”

  “Many disciples can’t wait to take their companions to fly here. There were even public poetry contests held here under the Blue Moon’s gaze...”

  “But decades ago, weird things... began to happen.”

  “Weird things?” Bubai felt a cloud cast a shadow over the moonlit terrace.

  Oh Merlin… he really didn’t like where this story was headed.

  The storyteller’s eyes gleamed with a smile that wasn’t quite reflected on her lips. She even took a sip of her tea, as if savoring his discomfort.

  “Hum. Hum. No one knows when it all began, but many disciples who came here to have a tryst with their lovers would return… with their little bird missing.”

  Bubai nearly choked on his tea. Bloody Merlin. No wonder nobody comes here! But…

  “Fairy, how come I’ve never heard anyone speak of this place? No rumors, nothing. There must be a reason, right?”

  Like a cat toying with its prey, Shu Ling teasingly blinked back. “Why doesn’t fairy brother take a guess?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Guess? At least give him some clues- wait a sec. Missing little brothers… that reminds him...

  Recalling how all the surveillance withdrew as soon as he ascended the trail, Bubai ventured a guess. “Uh… the Law Enforcement Hall?”

  His answer only earned him a light chiding from the fairy.

  “No, no. Those girls strictly abide by the rules and wouldn’t cut off men’s fun without solid reason. Here… there’s another story.”

  Bubai quietly stared at the storyteller, who returned a lovely smile that reflected the darkness in her next words.

  “According to the records, there’s an inexplicable curse originating from here that spreads among the tortured women…”

  “Any coming close and even those in the know will be cursed, driving them mad enough to bite off the tool of their torment.”

  “…” A cold sweat ran down Bubai’s back. Bloody Merlin, so evil?!

  No wonder nobody dares to speak of it. In this sect full of women brimming with grievances, this curse was like a nuclear bomb!

  Clearly, nobody was naive enough to dismiss the existence of the curse. Just keep their mouths shut to avoid accidents and everybody will stay happy.

  It’s just that…

  From all the data he gathered, Bubai had an inkling of understanding regarding the natures of curses.

  All curses have a source. Find that source, neutralize it, and the curse will be broken.

  But here’s the strangest part.

  Since this place was smack dab in the Inner District, how could the Sun Furnace Sect just let a curse run loose like this?

  As if plucking his thoughts right from the air, Shu Ling posed a confirmation.

  “Fairy brother is wondering why the sect hasn’t resolved this curse, even after so many decades, aren’t you?”

  Bubai exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Fairy reads me like an open book.”

  “Fufufu… this fairy just knew it. Hum, this fairy doesn’t mind telling you. It’s not that the sect can’t resolve it, but the cost is too high.”

  Her delicate finger traced the round surface of the stone table between them.

  “Most only see a plain slab of rock jutting out like another ordinary tower, but what most disciples don’t know is that below this very pavilion we are sitting in… is the relic used to suppress the evil spirit that once wreaked havoc in the sect centuries ago.”

  Recalling the grisly old case where female corpses were used to fertilize the fields, Bubai’s thoughts clicked into place.

  So this is where that vengeful spirit was sealed.

  The ominous aura of the place made much more sense now.

  If he had to guess, the curse was probably the result of the seal loosening over time—an all-too-familiar cliche.

  Any classic cultivation story can’t do without one or two powerful existences breaking through their seals, right?

  This train of thought made Bubai shift around in his seat. “Fairy, that… friendly spirit won’t suddenly come out to say hello, right?”

  Shu Ling cutely tilted her head, her smile gentle but her eyes glinting with a hint of something darker.

  “Hum. Don’t worry, the upper brass never scorns the wrath of a grudge.”

  “It’s just that the repair fees for the sixth-grade sealing formation are rather high. Those stingy old fogeys are hoping to stretch its lifespan a little longer since it still holds.”

  Uh… when Bubai thought about it, it makes sense.

  Actual formations were classified on a scale from one to nine, with the ninth grade being the pinnacle stuff of legends.

  The little light and water formations he’d been practicing so far weren’t even enough to touch the threshold of a first-grade formation.

  As for sixth-grade formation? That was leagues beyond a little formation apprentice like himself.

  Perhaps only masters or the legendary grandmasters could access such knowledge.

  Yet here he was… casually drinking tea atop such a formation, one that was caging a powerful evil existence no less...

  Bubai squeezed his teacup. Bloody Merlin’s beard! Why did this fairy choose such a cursed spot for a rendezvous?

  Or was this a part of the warning from Granny Shu?

  Bubai steadied his heart, glancing at the fairy across from him.

  Perhaps the only silver lining was that this elegant scholar didn’t seem affected by the curse… right?

  Bubai forced a smile that felt as fragile as the teacup in his hand. “Fairy certainly has… unique tastes.”

  “Fufufu…” Her laughter chimed like silver bells in the night.

  “Fairy brother, this fairy never knew your gall is so small. What will you do when you come across those from the Death Shade Sect?”

  “Those lunatics playing with evil spirits?” Bubai huffed, shaking his head. “We’ll talk about it when the time comes. Those undead stuff are still far from hopping around on my plate. Haha...”

  Today’s particularly-scary fairy giggled alongside him, and her eyes darted around mysteriously. “Is that truly what fairy brother thinks?”

  Noticing those starlit eyes that seemed to see a world beyond his, Bubai felt cold inside.

  Not uh… for real? There really isn’t… some unclean things lurking here, right?

  Bubai swallowed hard. Okay, he had to admit. The talk of the Blue Moon, the underworld, and the evil spirit below really made him jittery.

  But scared? Please. He hasn’t fallen that low yet.

  The desensitizing training done in his previous life wasn’t a joke.

  There’s no way the horrors of this world could rival those mind-bending nightmares from the movies and games of his past life… right? Right...?

  Feeling goosebumps prickling his skin, Bubai felt his scalp tingle and his pupils flared to life with a green glow.

  A quick scan of the terrace found nothing out of the norm.

  Phew, there really aren’t any dirty things roaming around… well, at least, not that he could see.

  But this relief that washed over him… it was only for a heartbeat.

  Because then his enhanced dynamic vision caught it—an oily shadow creeping down from above!

  He jerked his head up, and slithering into his view were inky streams flowing out from heaven knows where.

  Like tributaries of a river, they were flowing into the small, inky cloud forming overhead, from which thin wisps of darkness were raining down and worming toward his head like a swarm of parasites.

  That sinister mist… Bubai knew all too well.

  Out of the blue, the mysterious black mist was back to haunt him!