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Jenny Choi was quite the cook. In no time, she whipped up several tasty country-style dishes. Shawn Young and Yvette Liu didn’t stand on ceremony—they dug in heartily. Before they knew it, dawn was breaking.
As soon as daylight broke, the group of rich kids who hadn’t figured out what happened to Jack Jiang gathered to strategize. Worried about getting into trouble, they drove off with their girls, leaving Ridgeview Country Estate behind. That saved Shawn Young a lot of hassle—he definitely didn’t want those guys sticking around and making things messier.
Sam Choi had already followed Shawn Young’s instructions. At the crack of dawn, he prepared a few things: first, he slaughtered a rooster and set aside a piece of its throat bone, then packed up a big bag of cinnabar, grabbed a mongrel dog, and led Shawn Young towards Bamboo Dragon Hill, two kilometers behind Ridgeview Country Estate.
Originally, Shawn Young only planned to go with Sam Choi, but Yvette Liu’s curiosity was off the charts. Ever since she and Shawn crossed that line, she’d been blindly devoted and trusted him completely. She begged to tag along for the excitement, and Shawn couldn’t say no—especially since it was broad daylight and they were only scouting out where the Chibaku might be hiding.
The three of them followed the river downstream and soon reached Bamboo Dragon Hill. The hill wasn’t very tall—calling it Bamboo Dragon Slope would be more accurate. Shawn Young looked around: the terrain undulated like waves, and Bamboo Dragon Hill rose as the highest point, nestled among lush woods. A clear little river wound around the base, making the place look perfect for a burial site—mountains, water, and the kind of feng shui that gathered energy.
But Shawn Young quickly noticed a small stream trickling out from the foot of Bamboo Dragon Hill, merging slowly into the river. Even though it was early morning, the southern summer sun was blazing. The three of them were sweating by the time they reached the hill’s base, but as soon as they got close to the stream, a cool breeze greeted them and most of the muggy heat vanished.
“Wow—what a crystal-clear stream!” Yvette Liu exclaimed, squatting down in excitement. She couldn’t help but reach out, wanting to splash her face and take a sip.
“Uh—hold on, Yvette, don’t touch that water. Something’s off about it,” Shawn Young stepped in to stop her.
“Why? What’s wrong with the stream?” Yvette Liu asked, puzzled.
"Take a closer look—do you see any water plants, moss, or living creatures in this stream?" Shawn Young asked.
Yvette Liu bent down and checked a stretch of the stream carefully. The water was crystal clear, with nothing but sand and pebbles at the bottom—no fish, no moss, not even a single bug. She looked up, curious: "Huh? You’re right, Shawn! There’s absolutely nothing living in here. Why is that?"
"This kind of water is called 'Pure Water'—as the saying goes, 'too pure, no fish.' It’s also known as 'ghost water.' It’s special because it’s extremely yin, flowing out from places filled with evil energy. All things have spirit, so nothing can survive in this water—unless it’s something super evil, like a Nether Wyrm! If people or animals drink it, dark energy can invade their bodies, making them sick and weak," Shawn Young explained.
"Oh wow! The stream looks so fresh and sweet, but it’s actually terrifying!" Yvette Liu clutched her chest, her big eyes wide with fear.
"So… it’s like those pretty mushrooms—the prettier they are, the more poisonous?" Sam Choi chimed in.
"Exactly! You can’t just judge by looks—you have to understand the nature of things! Anyway, let’s follow this stream up the slope. We should be able to find what we’re looking for!" Shawn Young said, pulling out the bag of cinnabar. "Here, rub this cinnabar on the soles of your feet, both temples, your palms, and your belly button. Stick close to me and don’t wander off!"
Yvette Liu and Sam Choi hurried to smear the cinnabar where Shawn Young instructed. With bright red marks all over, they looked pretty comical. Yvette pouted, "Ugh, I must look awful right now. Shawn, how come you don’t need any?"
Shawn Young chuckled, "I still need to pinpoint where the monster is hiding. Cinnabar wards off evil, so when we enter that super yin place, you two will be safe!"
With that, the three of them followed the stream up Bamboo Dragon Hill. The path was shady and overgrown, steep and slippery—not an easy climb. Since this was a burial ground, there were raised graves everywhere, making things feel even creepier. Yvette Liu clung tightly to Shawn Young’s arm, finally feeling a bit safer.
Gradually, the weeds thinned out, and the trees became sparse. After crossing a small rise, the view suddenly opened up—a huge valley appeared before them, surrounded by mountains. But inside and around the valley, not a single blade of grass grew. The air was thick with a creepy, bone-chilling vibe.
"Hmm—a 'Broken Face Wenqu' formation! This is a place where yin energy gathers—no wonder that thing is hiding nearby. We need to search carefully!" Shawn Young recognized the valley’s feng shui.
The three of them headed into the valley, surrounded by sheer cliffs and rocky barriers. As they ventured deeper, they realized that even in broad daylight, sunlight barely reached inside.
At the source of the stream, it disappeared beneath a pile of massive, shadowy boulders. Leading the way, Sam Choi’s dog suddenly barked twice—"Woof! Woof!"—then crouched down, whimpering, refusing to go any farther into the valley.
Shawn Young quickly scanned the area. In the deepest part of the valley, among the giant rocks, he spotted two ancient locust trees—one on each side. Their branches were thin, leaves sparse, and the trees looked lonely and forlorn.
"Oh! North of the mountain, south of the water, old locust trees! The north side of a mountain is yin, the south side of water is also yin, and locust trees are famous for gathering yin energy. This place is a triple-yin convergence—the ultimate Necromancer’s Hollow! That thing must be hiding nearby!" Shawn Young declared.
"Ah! The monster’s hiding around here?! So what do we do now? There are weird caves and rocks everywhere—how will we find it? And… do you think that Jack guy might’ve been eaten by the monster?" Yvette Liu asked nervously.
"Don’t worry. During the day, that thing hides in the coldest part of the Necromancer’s Hollow, soaking up evil energy and resting. That Jack kid won’t die right away—he’s probably just knocked out. Let’s pinpoint where the monster is, get ready, and I’ll come back tonight to finish it off!" Shawn Young said.
"So, Mr. Shawn, how can we figure out where the monster is hiding?" Sam Choi asked, curious.
"It’s definitely between those two old locust trees. The more yin, the more monsters love to gather there. I’ll set up a barrier with the rooster’s throat bone and cinnabar to seal off the area—then tonight, I’ll lure it out!" Shawn Young explained.
Yvette Liu, ever the curious one, asked, "Shawn, why use a rooster’s throat bone and cinnabar for the ritual?"
"Cinnabar wards off evil and ghosts, and a rooster is pure yang—it absorbs the sun’s energy every day. Its throat bone holds the most concentrated yang energy, perfect for subduing corpses and spirits, and sealing souls. Once I set up the formation and anchor it with the throat bone, that thing won’t escape my trap. Tonight, I’ll lure it out and take it down!" Shawn Young explained.
"Oh—got it," Yvette Liu nodded, half understanding.
Shawn Young began setting up the 'Seven Stars Big Dipper Evil-Warding Array.' He scattered cinnabar in the pattern of the Big Dipper, then placed the rooster’s throat bone at the formation’s center.
After finishing, Shawn Young nodded. "All done. Tonight, we make our move! Let’s head back and get ready."
With that, the three retraced their steps. But as soon as they left, a yellow figure poked its head out from the boulders deep in the valley—it was the Daoist. His sharp, triangular eyes glinted as he sneered, "Heh—Big Dipper Evil-Warding Array! Not bad, kid. Go ahead and stir things up! Help me draw out the Chibaku’s soul and save me some trouble. I really ought to thank you! Hehehe…"
With a flash of yellow, the Daoist vanished again, leaving only his eerie laughter behind.