"Uh... Ray, you guessed right. Although we came from China, we're not just ordinary tourists. But don't get nervous—we mean no harm. The intel that Master Zhou asked you to deliver? That's actually on our behalf. We just didn't expect it would get your five brothers killed. I genuinely feel bad about it..." Shawn Young said apologetically.
"You’re the buyers for this intel? According to what I got, the Nine Chrysanthemums Society is a secretive ancient sect in Japan with serious power. How did you, all the way from China, end up involved with them?" Ray Tang asked coldly.
"Uh... well, it’s complicated... Anyway, Ray, you can relax. We’re not here to cause trouble. We just want intel on the Nine Chrysanthemums Society. As long as it’s legit, I’ll pay you the twenty million dollars you asked for," said Shawn Young.
"Oh? Now that’s how you do business, Shawn. Honestly, if I’d known this info would get my five brothers killed, I wouldn’t have taken the job. Sigh... These Japanese guys are all tricky bastards..." Ray Tang sighed, his tense expression finally relaxing.
Shawn Young nodded, understanding Ray Tang’s feelings. After all, losing five lives made two million dollars seem fair. And as long as he could get useful intel about the Nine Chrysanthemums Society and track down Daniel Feathercloud, he was willing to pay the price.
At that moment, a faint white smoke suddenly began to rise from the top of one of the four corpses on the ground—a bizarre sight.
"Huh? What’s going on? Why did that just happen?" Luo Tianning, standing next to Ray Tang, couldn’t help but crouch down and part the hair on the corpse’s forehead. He discovered that the white smoke was coming from a 'Frostbane Needle' embedded in the corpse’s skull.
Even stranger, as the white smoke drifted out, the Frostbane Needle started to melt, leaving only a small segment exposed. It seemed to have turned into some kind of curled-up substance.
"What the heck is this thing?" Luo Tianning couldn’t hold back his curiosity and pulled out the little stub. To his surprise, it was a piece of curled talisman paper. Instinctively, he unfolded it and saw blood-red runes scrawled all over it. He had no idea what was going on...
Just then, the blood-red symbols on the talisman paper began to move, twisting as if they had come to life.
"Ah—watch out, throw it away now!" Shawn Young saw what was happening and urgently shouted a warning.
Hearing Shawn Young’s warning, Luo Tianning shivered and tried to fling the talisman paper away, but it was already too late…
With a flash of red light, the talisman paper released a puff of red smoke and suddenly transformed into a multicolored venomous snake. It instantly wrapped itself around Luo Tianning’s right arm and began to squeeze tightly.
Luo Tianning was terrified, instinctively using his free hand to pull at the snake. But the serpent twisted its body, coiling around his left hand too. Its mouth opened wide, revealing deadly fangs, and lunged straight for his throat.
"Ah..." Luo Tianning cried out, trying to dodge, but both arms were locked by the snake. He couldn’t break free and could only shut his eyes in despair, bracing for the fatal bite.
Bang! A thunderclap rang out, and a streak of blue light struck the snake right at its weak spot, making it shudder and go limp. Instantly, it broke apart into shredded pieces of talisman paper that fluttered to the floor.
Luo Tianning felt his body relax and opened his eyes to find himself unharmed. He let out a breath, cold sweat beading on his forehead—he’d just had a brush with death and was still shaken.
"That... that was a Celestial Summoner Talisman from the Order of Seimei. It summoned a Phantom Serpent Familiar. Wait... does that mean the Order of Seimei is working with the Nine Chrysanthemums Society?!" Luna Xiao recognized the talisman’s origin.
"Miss Xiao, what did you say? What’s the Order of Seimei?" Ray Tang was getting confused. He’d just started to figure out the Nine Chrysanthemums Society, and now another faction had popped up, leaving him stunned.
"Well... The Order of Seimei is an ancient Japanese sect that specializes in summoning spirit familiars and yin-yang magic. They’re incredibly powerful—actually, even older and stronger than the Nine Chrysanthemums Society. Their grandmaster is Lord Seimei! But it’s strange... Why would the Abe family get involved?" Luna Xiao explained, sounding worried.
"Ah! Lord Seimei..." Ray Tang and the others were stunned, and even Shawn Young was secretly shocked. If the Abe family was their enemy, this trip to Japan would get a lot more complicated...
You have to understand, Lord Seimei is the most famous onmyoji in Japanese history, shining like a morning star. Whenever people mention Japanese yin-yang magic, Lord Seimei is the name that comes up.
His skills are said to be beyond human comprehension. Legend has it he was the son of a white fox, blessed with supernatural talent far above ordinary mortals. He was highly valued by the emperor and held the noble rank of 'Sanctum of Pure Law.' In the Edo period, there was even a saying: 'If you don’t know Sir Yoshitsune, you know Lord Seimei.'
Sir Yoshitsune was a big deal in Japan’s Heian era, and the Japanese compare Lord Seimei to him, which shows how much they respect Seimei. He’s known as 'Lord Seimei'—a household name and the greatest onmyoji in Japanese history!
Just as the atmosphere grew tense, a strange noise came from outside the private room. Everyone froze, listening carefully—it was the sound of a mournful, weeping melody played on a stringed instrument.
Oddly enough, the melody, though beautiful, carried a deadly chill. It grew faster and more urgent, like the thunder of charging horses. Everyone felt dazed, as if transported to an ancient battlefield in the Warring States era, fighting for their lives. Luo Tianning and Zhou Tao began to move unconsciously, even rolling up their sleeves as if ready to brawl...
"Stop listening!" Shawn Young suddenly shouted, his voice making everyone’s eardrums ring. In an instant, the confusion and trance vanished.
"That’s a Chant of Dread—mystical sound magic that messes with your mind! Everyone, block your ears. Ray, turn up the music in here as loud as it goes," Shawn Young warned.
"Oh, got it..." Ray Tang immediately cranked the room’s speakers to max, and thunderous rock music filled the space.
But to Shawn Young’s surprise, no matter how loud the music got, that eerie melody still pierced through, reaching everyone’s ears. Soon, Luo Tianning and Zhou Tao were staring blankly, and even Ray Tang started to look dazed. Luna Xiao, though, was fine—she was a cultivator and knew how to block out the sound with her true energy.
"This won’t work. That person must be right outside. I’m going out to find him..." Shawn Young turned to Luna Xiao.
"I’ll go with you," Luna Xiao said quickly.
"No need. Stay here and look after them. This place isn’t safe..." Shawn Young replied.
"Okay, but be careful," Luna Xiao nodded, not insisting. After all, this was Yamaguchi Syndicate territory, and their ties to the Nine Chrysanthemums Society and even the Ise Grand Shrine made it anything but safe.
With that, Shawn Young pushed open the door and walked out...
...