The roar of the plane filled the cabin as it touched down at Suzhou Airport. Ji Chen hadn't closed his eyes in over twelve hours. Su Wan lay in his arms, her breathing so faint it seemed like a candle flickering in the wind. The black mist under her skin had spread to her neck. Although Lin Mo had managed to secure a private plane through the Bureau's channels, saving precious time, every second still felt like torment.
"Did the Su Clan send anyone to pick us up?" Ji Chen asked hoarsely.
Lin Mo had just ended a call, his expression grim. "No. They only sent an address and said someone would meet us there."
Ji Chen clenched his teeth. The Su Clan's indifference since last night was chilling. They clearly had the means to save Su Wan, yet insisted on seeing her in person before deciding whether to help—as if evaluating whether a broken item was worth repairing.
Outside the airport, a black Mercedes silently rolled to a stop. The driver, a middle-aged man with a blank expression, didn't even glance at them. "Get in," he said coldly.
Throughout the ride, Ji Chen continuously poured his spiritual energy into Su Wan's body, barely keeping her alive. The scenery outside the window gradually changed from urban skylines to lush forests. The road narrowed until it turned into a gravel path barely wide enough for one car.
"We're here," the driver said abruptly.
The car stopped before what appeared to be an ordinary mountain gate. A stone arch bore four weathered characters: Gusu Mystic Realm. Ji Chen stepped out with Su Wan in his arms, only to find that beyond the gate lay nothing but a bamboo forest—no sign of any residence.
"Are you playing us?" Lin Mo growled.
The driver said nothing. He walked to a stone lion beside the archway and pressed its eye. The air shimmered. The bamboo forest parted like a curtain, revealing a stone path paved with ancient slabs, winding deep into the woods.
"No one outside the Su bloodline may enter," the driver said, blocking Lin Mo's path.
Ji Chen's heart sank. "But he—"
"Rules are rules," the driver interrupted coldly. "You may enter because Miss Su Wan, before losing consciousness, sent a message stating you're her Dao partner. But him—" He cast a glance at Lin Mo. "Not allowed."
Lin Mo frowned at Ji Chen, who gave a slight nod.
"I'll wait here," Lin Mo said, relenting. "Contact me if anything happens."
Ji Chen carried Su Wan down the stone path. After just a few steps, the entrance behind him silently sealed shut, the bamboo forest returning to its untouched state. Mist drifted along the path's edges, and strange glowing flora peeked through the underbrush.
After about ten minutes, the trail opened into a stunning valley. A grand complex of ancient-style buildings stood nestled within, its upturned eaves and layered pavilions resembling something out of a historical epic. At its center, the main hall's rooftop bore a giant bronze phoenix statue that shimmered mysteriously under the setting sun.
Several figures waited at the gates. At the front was an elderly man with white hair, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, his expression stern. Beside him stood a young man in a tailored suit—Zhao Mingyang—smirking mockingly at Ji Chen.
"Grandfather..." Su Wan murmured faintly in Ji Chen's arms.
The elderly man—Su Yuancheng, the current patriarch of the Su Clan—hurried forward and placed a withered hand on her wrist. After a moment, his face darkened.
"Soul-Eater Curse. It's reached her heart."
"Please save her!" Ji Chen's voice trembled.
Su Yuancheng didn't answer. Instead, he turned to the people behind him. "Prepare the Purification Pool. Call Elder Three out of seclusion."
Two maids stepped forward to take Su Wan, but Ji Chen instinctively tightened his hold.
"Young man." Su Yuancheng finally looked him in the eye. "If you want her saved, let go."
Reluctantly, Ji Chen released her. The maids carefully carried Su Wan away into the depths of the residence, leaving Ji Chen with a hollow feeling, as though all strength had been drained from his body.
"You are Ji Chen?" Su Yuancheng studied him. "Su Wan claimed in her letter that you're her Dao partner?"
Ji Chen swallowed hard. This was a ruse he and Lin Mo had concocted, but under Su Yuancheng's piercing gaze, the lie stuck in his throat. "We... are companions."
"Hah!" Zhao Mingyang let out an exaggerated laugh. "I knew it! How could Su Wan ever fall for a stray like you?"
Su Yuancheng raised a hand, silencing Zhao Mingyang. He continued questioning Ji Chen. "Which sect are you from? What level is your cultivation?"
"I have no sect. Mid-phase Spirit Initiation."
"Spirit Initiation?" Zhao Mingyang scoffed. "Even my housekeeper's stronger than you."
Su Yuancheng's eyes flickered with disappointment. "Wait here. Zhao Mingyang, come with me to check on Su Wan."
They turned and left, leaving Ji Chen alone in the courtyard. The setting sun stretched his shadow long across the ancient stones.