The Demon's Chosen.

Dancing Demon Horde.

As dusk fell, Aurora set the dinner on a stone table in the garden, close to the fence separating the two houses, and called Dominic to join her.

As they ate, she began: "The slope you went to last night is called Dead Man’s Slope, because most who dare to cross it at night rarely return. Locals here are very superstitious about that area, so normally no one dares to go near it. Only in daylight do some venture there.”

Dominic, surprised, asked: "Knowing it's dangerous there, why did you still go?"

"Because just a bit further into the forest's edge, there's a type of fruit shaped like a chicken, called the Dead Buffalo fruit. It has a sweet taste and a pleasant aroma, eating it makes one feel refreshed and vigorous. In the town market, people highly seek after it, and no matter how much is brought, it's never enough. Moreover, it seems that the danger only lurks at night, so some daredevils still venture through the slope into the forest during the day to pick the fruit and sell it at the market, earning quite a sum. I heard that the owner of the Phoenix Coming inn also made his fortune from this fruit, braving the danger, and then opened the largest inn in this area."

"That’s quite interesting, but besides the White Bone Well, is there anything else dangerous?"

"The issue is that some people have told a story that as dusk falls, a group of people would appear, lighting fires, roasting meat, and dancing. The storyteller, who was with two friends, got so engrossed in picking the fruits that they didn’t realize night had fallen. Suddenly, this group appeared, and all three were dragged into the dance, unable to escape. In the middle of it, the storyteller felt a stomach ache and ran a distance to relieve himself, not once but several times, and then, exhausted, collapsed and fell asleep on the ground. Unexpectedly, he slept until nearly dawn when the crowing of roosters woke him up. When he returned to the spot, his friends were nowhere to be seen, only two skeletons with bits of flesh left, as if something had devoured them alive. Since then, he never dared to go back over that slope, and he only lived for another few weeks before dying of illness. Moreover, in the past, anyone who passed through there would hear a lot of roosters crowing, so after the incident, the locals started calling that sparse forest the Forest Crowing Roosters."

"Just now, you mentioned knowing who discarded the bones, could it be…"

"Yes, there’s a rumor that the dancing group is actually a bunch of roosters transformed into spirits, enticing others to dance and then pecking them to death, leaving only their bones."

Dominic feigned a shiver: “Oh, that sounds terrifying.”

Aurora raised her eyebrows: “If you’re scared, just stay at home.”

Hearing the beautiful landlady say this, Dominic chuckled: “But still, I might just go and hunt for a roasted chicken, I’ve been eating only vegetables and grass these past few days.”

Aurora snorted: “Huh, as if I've been feeding you grass, it’s been nothing but my homegrown vegetables and homemade tofu.”

After finishing their meal, Aurora went inside and brought out a figurine shaped like a pigeon, handing it to Dominic: “Keep this with you. If you’re in danger, try to drop a drop of blood on it, and it will fly back here to let me know your location.”

“Then you’ll come to rescue me?”

“What can I do? I might just have to collect your bones the next morning to arrange your funeral.”

Dominic laughed heartily, took the pigeon figurine and tucked it inside his clothing, then left the house carrying his cloth-wrapped sword. He also grabbed some items from his backpack and confidently strode out towards the slope.

Tonight, the moon shone as brightly as the previous night. Dominic climbed to the top of the hill and then descended. Passing by the well, he glanced in, finding no one there, nor any singing. He didn't stop but continued quickly forward.

At a crossroads, he came across an abandoned shrine, unclear whom it was dedicated to, with a lonely incense burner devoid of a single stick. Remembering the saying: "Respect demons and deities, and be cautious of the unseen." he took out a small piece of incense, lit it, and placed it in the burner, praying:

"Whichever deity resides in this shrine, I'm just a passerby who has fortunately come upon it. I offer this incense as a gesture of good faith, hoping its warm smoke brings some solace in this lonely world."

This saying essentially advises future generations that even if you don't believe in spirits or deities, when encountering the supernatural, maintain a respectful attitude. It warns against the arrogance of atheism in the face of unknown forces, as it may bring misfortune. Over time, this has been condensed into the phrase: "Respect demons and deities, and be cautious of the unseen."

From the crossroads, he turned left, following Aurora's directions, and eventually reached a sparse forest. Wandering around, he found a large bush with fruits on the branches glistening in the moonlight. Curious, he picked one and took a bite, recognizing the sweet taste of the Dead Buffalo fruit. After eating one, he felt an unusual surge of energy within him, no wonder these fruits were so valuable in the market. He thought to himself that if Dead Buffalo fruits were here, the dancing people couldn't be far.

With that in mind, he continued forward until he heard the distant sound of drums: "Thurd – thurd – thurd – thurd – thurd."

He followed the sound of the drums, which grew louder. Approaching a certain distance, he crouched down and hid behind a bush to observe.

In front of him was a crowd of about twenty people. A few sat on the ground, playing the drums, while the rest formed a circle around a large fire, roasting a massive slab of meat from an indeterminate animal, its fat sizzling and releasing an enticing aroma.

The scene resembled a typical campfire barbecue, except for their attire. Everyone wore garish, flamboyant costumes, seemingly made from hundreds of colorful bird feathers. The feathers fluttered with each dance step.

The crowd chanted indiscernible sounds that Dominic couldn't identify as either singing or reciting a spell or prayer. Whatever it was, they were intensely focused.

After observing quietly for a while, Dominic grew bored of their repetitive dancing and strange noises. He stood up and casually walked out of the bush, approaching the group.

The crowd seemed indifferent to Dominic's presence and continued their dance. He approached an old man playing the drum, slowly sitting down next to him. The old man, engrossed in his rhythm, didn't spare a glance at the newcomer.

Sitting for a while, Dominic grew bored and planted his cloth-wrapped sword upright in the ground before joining the dancing crowd.

A strange sensation emerged; outside the circle, everything seemed normal, but once inside, Dominic felt himself moving at an incredible speed, the wind whooshing past his face, his limbs automatically moving in sync with the others. Sometimes, his arms spread wide, resting on the shoulders of those beside him, then clasping together pointing skywards, at times crouching and hopping on the ground, then tucking his arms under his armpits, flapping like a chicken.

Dominic was unfamiliar with their dance, but now every gesture, movement, and rhythm perfectly aligned. His mouth too opened, emitting strange sounds in harmony with the group's tune, a sudden passion for dancing overtaking him, not wanting to stop, desiring to dance till death. To an outsider, he appeared a professional dancer.

As he spun to the drumbeats, his consciousness began to blur. In his fleeting awareness, he understood the fate of other victims. Anyone who accidentally joined this dance couldn't stop themselves, eventually dying of exhaustion, their bodies left for the cunning chickens to peck at.

Knowing this, Dominic found himself in a similar predicament, escaping the enchanting trap not an easy feat, risking becoming the chickens' next meal if he lingered.

Left with no other choice, seizing a moment of clarity, he bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood, yelling: "Emperor Assassination!”

His blood, the Pure Yang Strengthens Blood, and especially from the tongue's tip, the most potent and vital, could temporarily break the spell of the evil and unleash a powerful force in an instant.

Dominic used this moment of unleashed power to call his sword.

The sword, named "Emperor Assassination." one of the five Ancient Divine Swords, with immense demon-slaying power and a special bond with its master, vibrated in response to Dominic's powerful call. It increasingly trembled, eventually freeing itself from its sheath and flying towards Dominic.

Normally, he could easily catch his treasured sword, but now, his hands were busy twirling uncontrollably, the blood from his tongue only momentarily awakening his mind, not freeing him from the enchantment. His hands, elegantly flipping and turning, were beyond his control. Hence, when Emperor Assassination flew towards him, the hilt struck his forehead with a "thud."

The blow dazed him, but also partly awakened his mind, temporarily freeing his body from control, returning his hands to his command.

He reached up and grabbed the sword hilt, muttering to himself: “Lucky the sword didn’t fly at me with its sharp end.”

Before he could feel relieved, he felt his body being sucked back into the dancing spell. Muttering: "Once is more than enough." he leaped up, spinning the sword in his hand so the blade pointed downward, and unleashed a technique from his family’s swordsmanship: “Heavenly Bow Stationed.”

The “Heavenly Bow Stationed” technique used a powerful sword intent to summon a gigantic, blood-red sword image, shimmering with a pink glow, that plunged straight down from the sky to the earth. The force of this move created a wide circular area around Dominic, blowing away everything within its range.