Light rain had been falling since midnight, slipping into the night with the wind and lasting until dawn.

The autumn rain grew heavier, washing the world clean.

Droplets clung to the floor-to-ceiling windows, forming rivulets like little snakes slithering downward. Luo Qingchuan stood before the glass, his pale, androgynously handsome reflection faintly visible in the fogged-up surface.

He had woken early. Glancing at the sky, he murmured,
"No rush."

Turning around, he made himself a simple breakfast as usual and slowly ate.

Afterward, Luo Qingchuan changed into black athletic wear and put on a white face mask. He opened the door and raised a red umbrella.

He stepped into the courtyard, then headed out.

The hunt had begun.

7:53 AM

Luo Qingchuan boarded a high-speed train to the neighboring city, put in his wireless earphones, and passed the time listening to music.

He sat alone, head tilted, gazing out the window.

The constant drizzle shrouded everything in grey. The clouds were thick and black, layered like heavy ink, blocking out all light.

White rain lines stitched the bustling city like brushstrokes from a god painting in shadow.

8:34 AM
The train arrived.

Passengers disembarked with varied expressions.

Luo Qingchuan followed the flow of people out of the station and raised his umbrella on a street he didn't recognize.

One hour later.
Luo Qingchuan stood before an old alley in Yongcheng's aging district.

Now dressed in a pale blue robe with wide sleeves, he wore a terrifying oni mask on his face. One hand held a red umbrella; the other hid inside his sleeve, where wisps of ominous black shadow occasionally flickered.

He stood by the roadside, checked the time, then stepped into the alley, the water beneath his feet splashing gently.

The alley was a bit over three meters wide, lined with doors on both sides.

He saw a rusted iron ladder clinging to the side of a building.

To the left was a broken-down bicycle.

To the right, autumn weeds grew from the soil near the wall.

On a windowsill up ahead, a neglected cactus had curled into itself.

Then—creak—a door opened beside him.

A little girl, about six years old, in a transparent raincoat and rubber boots, happily jumped into a puddle.

She was just out to splash in the water.

But then she saw the black-robed evil ghost with the red umbrella—Luo Qingchuan walking past her door.

Her joyful expression froze.

Luo Qingchuan said gently, "Go home."

Through the sound of rain, his words were clear. The little girl flinched, turned pale, and ran back into the courtyard, slamming the old iron door shut.

Beep-beep-beep.
A smart voice played in Luo Qingchuan's ear: "Incoming call: Su Yingxue."

"Answer."

After a beep, Su Yingxue's cheerful voice came through.

"Xiao Chuanchuan, I won!"

Luo Qingchuan felt a calm warmth in his chest and smiled. "That's really great."

In a delicate, tidy bedroom, the graceful girl in a simple long dress leaned against the window, watching the rain.
Suddenly, she said, "Are you outside? The rain's so heavy."

Luo Qingchuan lightly lifted the umbrella. "I went out to buy groceries."

"Ohh~ Don't catch a cold, okay?" her voice sounded especially gentle in his ear.

Then she added,
"My parents aren't pressuring me anymore. They're on the same page now. Told me not to run off without telling them at least. Hehe, I've finally got a say in the house. I'm going to make our family more and more harmonious!"

Luo Qingchuan chuckled. "So when are you taking me to your house…"

"Not yet. Just wait a little longer. They only gave in a little, and I don't want to upset Mom again." Su Yingxue laughed softly. "Just watch me work my magic."

The rain poured down in torrents.

Several hundred meters south, in the same district.

A squad of Zhanyao members in suits and wielding swords halted in front of a residential complex.

"Damn, the demon slipped in here!"

"Split up and search!"

"This place is a mess, and it's raining—we've got no clue where it went…"

"Miss Jiang, you have the highest cultivation. Can you sense its whereabouts?"

They all turned toward a tall, slender girl.

She looked like a high school student at first glance. Her pretty face was expressionless, and her damp, slightly wavy short hair framed her cool features with unexpected softness.

Rain had soaked her slim-cut suit, the hems of her pants stained with mud. Two blades hung at her narrow waist.

Jiang Ye — a traveler, ninth level of Qi Refining. Born to a noble family, now out training, seeking the chance to break into Foundation Realm.

"It's injured."

Her pupils turned a dim, ghostly blue. She gripped the hilt at her waist and said flatly, "I'll chase. You cover the exits."

As the others blinked, the rain in the air flickered—and Jiang Ye vanished.

She sprinted through the old housing complex, long legs flashing. She undid the buttons of her jacket for more freedom, her tie fluttering with her pace.

She had to be fast. Otherwise, the demonic cultivator might take innocent civilians hostage and force Zhanyao to back off.

The target: Lei Ya, a bear-type demon, ninth level of Qi Refining. Twisted, murderous, killing for fun.

Her footsteps echoed through the rain as she dashed past crooked corners.

Then—she saw it.

A warped, burly figure darting into a side alley.

Shing—

Her dual blades slid free. Without expression, Jiang Ye gave chase, ghost-blue eyes cold and unreadable.

Lei Ya had already sensed the killing intent behind him.

He was a hulking monster, his torso bulging with muscle and thick with fur. Frenzied, he charged ahead, hoping to stumble upon someone—anyone—to take hostage.

But as he turned into the next alley, he froze.

There was… a person?

A black-robed evil ghost, holding a red umbrella.

Luo Qingchuan.

Su Yingxue's voice came through his Bluetooth earphone.

"It's raining too hard, Xiao Chuanchuan. Hurry home, okay?"

"Alright." Luo Qingchuan stared at the bear demon ten paces away. He raised his right hand and gripped a long, pitch-black blade oozing malevolent energy.

"Actually, I…"

At her bedroom window, Su Yingxue's stunning face blushed faintly.

"Hm?"

"Xiao Chuanchuan, I want to hear you say… that you like me."

The downpour roared like a waterfall, hammering against the pavement and umbrella.

Lei Ya understood. He had found his enemy.

He bared his teeth, fur bristling, and lunged at Luo Qingchuan.

The beast broke through the rain like a fired cannonball, both palms charging with crackling lightning.

Luo Qingchuan calmly stepped forward, one hand holding the umbrella, the other gripping his blade.

"Xiaoxue,"
—for a heartbeat, even the rain seemed to pause—
"Calamity Blade: Fate Severing."

Terrifying blade intent condensed into a single point. It sliced through the rain like a whisper—sharp, absolute.

In that instant, the world fell silent.

The air trembled.

Lei Ya's enormous body was cleanly severed in two.

Blood sprayed from his bisected torso.

"I like you."

Thud—thud.
The corpse tumbled several meters forward, collapsing in the rain.

Pale red ripples bloomed across the puddles. In each mirrored surface, the blurred image of the boy beneath the umbrella shimmered faintly.

Deep in the alley, Luo Qingchuan stopped walking. His back to the corpse, the black blade in his hand dissolved into particles.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Jiang Ye rounded the corner, a blur of elegance and force.

She skidded to a halt.

And saw it.

Her grip on her sword faltered.

She turned her gaze.

Saw the black-robed evil ghost under the red umbrella.
Saw the monster's mangled corpse in the blood-soaked puddles.
Felt the lingering pressure of that terrifying blade intent in the air.

Her body tensed on instinct.

Then she heard what Luo Qingchuan had just said.

"I like you."

The proud daughter of the Jiang family, cool and elegant like a goddess, finally lost her expressionless mask.

Her pupils contracted. Droplets slid down her fair face. Her chaotic tie clung to her chest, trembling with her breath.

The sky hung dark and low.

The rain still raged on.

Jiang Ye said nothing.

Luo Qingchuan turned and walked away.

……