Liu Lei recounted Yan Fang's experiences to his parents, though he omitted certain details, and did not clarify her current identity. Upon hearing this, his mother was immediately overcome with compassion and railed against the two wretches responsible, urging Liu Lei to treat her with utmost care. Yan Fang, now homeless, was taken in without hesitation. Liu's mother decisively declared, "She will stay with us!"
Liu Lei had recently purchased a new house and car, upgraded his parents' phones to the latest models, and furnished their home with only the finest appliances, spending lavishly enough to make the elderly couple uneasy. In truth, he had his own reasons. With his status, he shouldn't have been so ostentatious, but he was uncertain how long his peaceful life would last. He simply wanted to ensure that his parents could live as comfortably as possible while circumstances still allowed. Should anything happen to him, he wished to leave fewer regrets behind.
Spring arrived swiftly, its soft sunlight warming the earth. Liu Lei and Yan Fang took a leisurely stroll down the neighborhood streets. Perhaps due to her innate fear as a "blood slave" towards her master, Yan Fang never walked alongside Liu Lei; she always kept a respectful distance, following quietly behind. Liu Lei couldn't help but sigh inwardly, feeling a deepening sense of guilt. Occasionally, when he glanced back and saw her dutiful, docile figure, a tender pang of affection and pity stirred within him.
Ahead on the road stood a lone figure, which Liu Lei spotted from a distance. At first, he assumed it was someone out for an early morning exercise, as such activities were common in the area. But as he drew closer, he saw that the figure was unmoving, dressed in a Daoist robe, emitting an unmistakable aura of a practitioner. Liu Lei thought to himself, *Has he arrived so soon?* The figure turned and spoke, "Such evil energy… it smells of the Zombie King." With a casual flick of his hand, several flags flew from his sleeves, piercing the ground, and Liu Lei immediately recognized that the area had been isolated from the outside world.
The man bowed deeply and addressed Liu Lei formally, "I am Qing Xun from Mount Emei. A few days ago, a powerful ritual was performed in City S. It was most likely your doing, correct?" Liu Lei nodded, acknowledging the truth of the accusation. "Indeed, that was my work, but you..."
Qing Xun raised a hand, silencing him. "No need to explain. If you have committed such acts, you must be prepared to face the consequences." He then raised his arms towards the heavens and proclaimed loudly, "As a disciple of Emei, I, Qing Xun, today act in the name of justice. I ask for forgiveness from the heavens before I strike again!" Turning to face Liu Lei, he added, "Are you ready? I will give you a chance to resist."
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a flying sword, its faint blue glow casting an eerie light across his otherwise righteous face. Liu Lei opened his mouth to speak, "Please listen to me first..." but Qing Xun cut him off, "No more words. Go!" With a swift gesture, Qing Xun released a burst of blue light that sped directly toward Liu Lei. Instinctively, Liu Lei sidestepped, but his thoughts immediately turned to Yan Fang. *This is bad!* Though she was a "blood slave," her human body could not withstand such a fast attack. Sure enough, as he turned, he saw a streak of blue light pierce through Yan Fang's chest. She staggered, spitting blood, and collapsed to the ground like a falling leaf.
"Liu Lei!" he cried, rushing to her side. He lifted her in his arms and howled to the sky, revealing his vampire fangs and bat wings. Lowering his head, he was about to bite into her neck when he saw her weakly shake her head. His motion froze. Yan Fang, trembling, tried to reach for the necklace from her chest, but her strength failed her, and it fell from her grasp. Unable to hold back any longer, tears poured from Liu Lei's eyes. His guilt for Yan Fang had always been profound, but seeing her gentle, kind side made him feel a brotherly affection for this girl, who was bound to him as a "blood slave." Yet now, Yan Fang had died because of him. The unbearable grief of losing someone so dear to him overwhelmed him, filling him with a pain so deep it was as if he had lost a family member.
Qing Xun, standing behind him, saw that he had accidentally killed an innocent, and a twinge of regret passed through him. However, his resolve to "eradicate evil and protect the righteous" remained unshaken. He began to chant incantations, preparing for another strike.
Liu Lei slowly turned to face him. His eyes had turned blood-red, and his hands were soaked in Yan Fang's blood. The blood collected on his palms, forming a sphere that floated before him. He opened his mouth, drawing the blood into himself. The "Blood Refining Technique" had fully activated, and the red light in his eyes flared brighter. "Blood Hand Seal!" he shouted, and a massive, ten-meter-wide crimson handprint shot through the air towards Qing Xun. Qing Xun raised his flying sword to intercept, but with a resounding crash, the sword shattered, and Qing Xun was thrown backward, spitting blood.
The "Blood Hand Seal" continued on its path, striking Qing Xun and sending him tumbling backward for several meters, crashing into the flag formation he had set up, only to be bounced back and sent spinning through the air. Liu Lei showed no mercy, unleashing his next move. "Heaven-Splitting Golden Seal!" With a decisive gesture, Liu Lei invoked the Daoist spell, and under the influence of his "Blood Refining Technique," the golden seal turned blood-red. A surge of crimson energy shot upward, striking Qing Xun mid-air, shattering both his body and his golden core into pieces.
As Qing Xun's golden core shattered, a streak of blue light shot from it, heading toward Mount Emei, but Liu Lei, consumed by grief, failed to notice. He turned back to Yan Fang's lifeless body, his face pale with sorrow. The girl who had so obediently followed him only moments ago now lay still, her eyes forever closed. The stark contrast and the crushing weight of his guilt submerged him in an ocean of sorrow. Using Yan Fang's blood to invoke the "Blood Refining Technique" and kill Qing Xun had avenged her, but it was little comfort. He stood for a long time, dazed, before finally walking to her side. He gently removed the necklace from her neck, placing it on himself, and then, cradling her body, flew toward the Qinling Mountains.
Behind him, a powerful Nine Heavens Thunder Curse was cast, sending massive bolts of lightning crashing to the ground, turning the earth into charred ruin.
Liu Lei flew to the place where they had first met. The mountain was unchanged, but the girl he had once held in his arms lay silently, no longer bearing the vengeful gaze of a goddess. This place, which had been the beginning, would now also be the end. Though he had returned to where it all started, Liu Lei felt a sense of closure. He hoped that in her next life, this kind and innocent girl, who had met such a tragic fate, would find the peace and happiness she truly deserved.