I stomped my feet in frustration.
If I'd known, I wouldn't have come. There might have been other ways to find the Nether Syndicate, but coming here is pure torment.
Originally, I thought this place was at least a tourist spot—I could search while having some fun. Who would've guessed I'd run into something so bizarre? Now, I have no mood to soak in the hot springs or enjoy the scenery. I need to find the Blood Jade quickly and get out of here. I've had enough of this place.
Just then, laughter echoed in my ears, carried by the wind brushing past me. Instantly, I activated my Coexistence Instinct, and in a daze, sensed something within the wind blowing into the distance. I spread my wings and flew along the riverbank.
With a thunderous crash, I heard startled cries from the riverbank. The ice cracked under my power. I raised Belle high, the crimson flames dimming and turning purple as I accelerated.
Purple flames ignited on Belle in my hand. I sliced toward the hazy spot ahead. In an instant, with a roar, I glimpsed an entrance—a world of pure white snow beyond. I plunged straight in.
The wind howled and the snow raged. I stood in a mountain ravine, surrounded by snow-covered forests. My breath steamed in the cold; my feet ached from the thick snow. This scene matched the dreams of the Blind Old Woman and the Little Old Man in their youth. I quickly took out the Dragon and Rooster Figurines from my coat.
Suddenly, the Dragon and Rooster Figurines in my hands moved. I jumped in shock as they darted into my coat. A wave of fear washed over me, radiating from the carvings. Maniacal laughter echoed through the ravine. I looked around—no sign of people or ghosts. I trudged forward through the snow, each step crunching. The path was buried, only one way forward, so I kept moving straight.
The snow on the mountain was deep. I walked carefully in the center, not wanting to get buried. In my dream, I saw black spiderweb-like things on the cliffs, but now they're gone. Still, I stayed on high alert.
Be careful, Roxie. It's dangerous here.
Lady Cecilia's voice echoed in my mind. I nodded and asked:
"Lady Cecilia, do you sense anything?"
"I do sense something. It's as if someone guided you here. You must've been under some kind of spell—time kept moving, but you couldn't feel it. You thought you'd returned to an earlier moment, but in fact, you spent about a day dreaming. Now, this is the real world."
I grunted in response and kept walking. After a while, my legs grew numb, so I used my powers to warm myself.
"Who is it?"
I called out softly. As my voice echoed through the ravine, the snow on both sides began to shift, and large clumps fell. I shut my mouth at once.
Yet after half an hour, I was still walking in the same ravine, nothing strange in sight. My Coexistence Instinct kept sensing everything around me.
A wave of drowsiness washed over me.
"Stay alert, Roxie. Don't sleep. That guiding force probably started when you touched those two sculptures in your coat."
I grunted in response. Lady Cecilia was right. I'd thought about whether I'd been hit by a spell, which explained all the bizarre events after coming here and the repeated scenes. But if everything before was a dream, the only time I could've been targeted by a spell was when the Blind Old Woman and the Little Old Man handed me those items.
Felix Fan had already explained the power of this spell. I scoured the surroundings, hoping to find some trace of spellwork on the exposed stone walls, but after searching for ages, I found nothing.
"Lady Cecilia, do you sense anything?"
"No. We just have to keep moving forward. This isn't an illusion—it's all real."
I nodded and quickened my pace, releasing more power. Flames began to melt the snow around my feet, making it easier to walk. In the distance, I could just make out the end of the ravine. I hurried over and soon reached the bottom, where I saw a pile of black stones and a tombstone.
I swallowed hard. The tombstone read: 'Here lies the Third Master of the Nether Syndicate.'
I stared at the tombstone in shock. As I drew closer, wisps of black mist appeared on its surface. My guard went up instantly—the mist radiated an evil aura. I didn't know what it was, but flames erupted on my skin, burning away the black mist as it tried to approach.
"Did you lead me here? What is going on?"
I asked, and the black mist before me morphed into a humanoid shape, cackling wickedly. I spread my wings, shot into the air, and retreated to the snowy ground. Belle in my hand slashed at the black mist attacking from all sides.
The black mist was instantly purified by the flames. I stared at the strange silhouettes emerging from the darkness. They were nothing but shadows, all laughing eerily at me. I glared coldly at the grave, the flames on Belle turning purple. I planned to deal with the black mist from the tomb first.
"Enough."
A heavy voice rang out, and the black mist on the grave was instantly sucked in. I glimpsed a flash of white light, then saw a middle-aged man appear atop the tomb. His face was pale as snow, and his long hair was tied into a whip. He looked at me with sharp, relaxed eyes.
(Irrelevant system message, skipping translation.)
"You're not a ghost. What are you?"
"I'm just a Remnant, young lady. I'm a Dog, and you're a Rabbit—our zodiac signs are surprisingly compatible. I never thought anyone could actually find this place. Thank you."
I swallowed, glancing around. The man before me started to laugh.
"Don't worry, young lady. I was just giving you a simple test. You passed—your willpower, your strength, and your alertness. Very impressive, your potential."
"What about the Blood Jade?"
I asked, and the man shook his head.
"The Blood Jade isn't here. Hugh Go—that's my name, young lady."
I looked at the man in confusion, then smiled.
"You people from the Nether Syndicate have such strange names."
"Once you join the Nether Syndicate, you take a name from the Twelve Branches. Your old name is abandoned—it's the rule, and it's necessary. A name carries another part of a person's existence, so it's very important."
"Why did you lead me here? Can you tell me where the Nether Syndicate is?"
Hugh Go shook his head.
"I don't know. I'm no longer a member of the Nether Syndicate—or rather, the part of me that was is long dead. To find the Nether Syndicate, you must pass through the Nether Pit. It's nearly impossible, because there are many Nether Pits. If you're not one of us, you'll die there. Inside are the burial grounds for our dead, all of whom are like Daoist Primordials, capable of many powerful spells."
I swallowed, recalling that Ethan Justice once used John Chou's Bloodbane power to destroy a Nether Pit. I brought it up.
Hugh Go smiled and shook his head.
"Destroy one, and another will appear—maybe even more. The phantoms inside can't be killed; they'll keep coming back, generation after generation, guarding the Nether Syndicate."
I swallowed, remembering how the Blind Old Woman and the Little Old Man felt about the Nether Syndicate—their attitude was full of dread.
"So tell me—why did you bring me here?"
"Young lady, the Dragon and Rooster Figurines in your hand can guide you to the Blood Jade, but you can't obtain it without the Snake and Monkey statues. Without them, you'll never be able to touch the Blood Jade. That Blood Jade contains something that could shake both the human and spirit worlds. That's why, when I sensed its presence years ago, I created a spell to seal it completely. Over generations, the spell has grown very strong—only with all four zodiac statues can you enter and find the Blood Jade."
I swallowed, frowning. It sounded complicated.
"Where am I supposed to find the Snake and Monkey statues?"
Hugh Go smiled and shook his head. Suddenly, I felt a wave of dizziness.
"You'll find a way, eventually."
In a daze, I opened my eyes wide and suddenly found myself back by the river. I quickly extinguished the flames on my body, caught my breath, and walked onto the highway. Everything seemed unchanged. I glanced around, hurried back to the hotel, grabbed my phone, and checked the time—only a few minutes had passed. I immediately called my dad. After a while, he answered, and I told him everything. He told me to wait—he'd be back soon.
Sure enough, not long after, I saw my dad and Felix Fan flying back from the distant forest—though ordinary people couldn't see them.
"Daughter, tell me exactly what happened."
I nodded and began to explain everything in detail. My dad looked at me in confusion, while Felix Fan slapped his forehead and laughed.
"The Snake and Monkey statues—I just happen to have them. Wait a few days, I'll go get them. Haha."
I gasped. I hadn't expected it to be that easy.