Rebirth of the Celestial Swordmaster

Chapter 8: Ghost Veil Valley

Lin Xiao stood at the entrance of Ghost Veil Valley, gazing into the thick, swirling mist that clung to the jagged cliffs. The stories about this place weren’t just rumors—the valley reeked of death.

The trees were twisted, their bark blackened as if burned by some unnatural force. The air was damp, carrying a faint metallic scent. Even the sunlight struggled to pierce the dense fog.

Lin Xiao tightened his grip on his dagger. “If the inheritance is here, it won’t be unguarded.”

Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.

Almost immediately, the mist thickened, swallowing all sound. Lin Xiao moved cautiously, his senses sharp.

Then—

Snap.

He spun just as something lunged from the fog. A grotesque, twisted creature—once human, but now a monster with ashen skin, hollow eyes, and elongated claws dripping with venom.

A Corpse Wraith.

Lin Xiao barely dodged as its claws slashed past his throat. The creature screeched, its distorted face twisted in rage.

Lin Xiao didn’t hesitate. He counterattacked.

He channeled Qi into his palm and struck forward. His blow connected, sending the wraith staggering, but it didn’t fall. Undead didn’t feel pain.

It lunged again.

Lin Xiao reacted instantly, twisting his body and slashing his dagger across its throat. Dark, putrid blood spilled, and the creature collapsed, twitching before going still.

Lin Xiao exhaled. The valley was testing him already.

And this was just the beginning.

Unbeknownst to Lin Xiao, he wasn’t alone in the valley.

At the edge of the mist, three Blood Moon Sect cultivators knelt before a cloaked figure.

"He's here," one of them said.

The cloaked man didn’t respond immediately. His eyes gleamed beneath the hood, filled with amusement. "Let him go deeper. The inheritance will be his grave."

The Blood Moon Sect wasn’t just hunting Lin Xiao.

They were waiting.

Hours passed as Lin Xiao navigated through the valley, fighting off more wraiths, avoiding deadly Qi traps, and conserving his energy.

Then, he saw it.

A massive, ancient temple lay half-buried in the mountain, its entrance flanked by two stone guardians, their features worn by time. Strange runes pulsed faintly, a sign that the temple was still alive with power.

Lin Xiao’s heartbeat quickened. “The inheritance site.”

But he wasn’t the only one to find it.

A shadow moved behind him.

Lin Xiao turned, his dagger raised—just as a mercenary lunged at him.

The Scarlet Fang Mercenaries had arrived.

The mercenary swung a curved sword, his Qi-infused strike splitting the ground. Lin Xiao dodged, countering with a precise palm strike to the man’s ribs.

Crack!

The mercenary gasped, but before he could recover, Lin Xiao followed up with a sharp dagger thrust. One kill.

But more were coming.

From the trees, five more mercenaries emerged, their leader stepping forward with a smirk.

“You’re not the only one after the inheritance, kid.”

Lin Xiao wiped the blood from his blade. "Then I’ll just have to kill all of you."

The mercenaries laughed—until Lin Xiao vanished.

He attacked.

In a blur of speed, he moved between them, dodging, striking, killing. Blood painted the forest floor as screams filled the valley.

By the time it was over, only one remained—the leader.

He staggered back, eyes filled with fear. “Monster—”

Lin Xiao silenced him with a clean slash to the throat.

He didn’t have time for mercy.

He turned back to the temple.

The real trial was about to begin.