THE CURSED HEIRESS
1787 Words
The black Rolls-Royce glided through the quiet midnight streets of Jiang City (**), its polished body reflecting the city's neon lights. Inside, silence filled the spacious cabin.
Li Chen (**) sat beside Zhang Weiguo (***), the chairman of the Zhang Group. The middle-aged billionaire looked exhausted, his usually confident face filled with worry.
For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Zhang Weiguo broke the silence.
"Master Li... thank you for agreeing to help."
Li Chen looked out of the window.
"Tell me everything from the beginning."
Zhang nodded.
"My daughter, Zhang Ruoxue (***), collapsed three nights ago during her birthday banquet."
"We invited the best doctors in Jiang City."
"They found nothing."
"The next night, strange things started happening."
Li Chen listened quietly.
"Every night at exactly twelve o'clock..."
"...the room becomes freezing cold."
"The lights flicker."
"The servants hear whispers."
"One nurse fainted after seeing a woman dressed in red standing beside Ruoxue's bed."
"Another security guard lost his mind."
"He keeps repeating the same sentence."
Li Chen asked calmly,
"What sentence?"
Zhang swallowed nervously.
"'The Blood Moon has returned.'"
The Dragon Emperor Ring (***) suddenly became warm.
Li Tianlong's voice echoed inside Li Chen's mind.
"This is not an ordinary curse."
Li Chen remained expressionless.
"Someone is stealing her life force."
"Can you tell who?"
"Not until we see her."
Half an hour later, the Rolls-Royce passed through enormous golden gates.
The Zhang Family Estate came into view.
Ancient stone lions guarded the entrance.
Luxury fountains sparkled beneath crystal lights.
The mansion itself resembled a royal palace.
Even the wealthy Su Family could not compare.
Dozens of bodyguards stood outside.
As soon as Zhang Weiguo stepped out of the car, everyone bowed respectfully.
"Chairman!"
Several famous doctors hurried over.
One elderly physician sighed.
"Chairman Zhang..."
"Miss Zhang's heartbeat has weakened again."
"We've exhausted every medical option."
"Our equipment shows nothing abnormal."
"But she continues getting worse."
Then the doctor noticed Li Chen.
He frowned.
"This young man is..."
"My guest," Zhang replied respectfully.
"This is Master Li."
The doctors exchanged puzzled looks.
One of them laughed.
"Chairman..."
"You cannot seriously believe someone this young can succeed where medical experts have failed."
Another doctor nodded.
"Exactly."
"Cultivation stories belong in novels."
"This is reality."
Li Chen ignored them.
He walked straight toward the mansion.
He had no interest in arguing.
Only results mattered.
Inside the entrance hall, dozens of servants stood silently.
Their faces looked pale.
Some were visibly frightened.
Li Chen activated Dragon Eyes (**).
Golden light flashed across his pupils.
Instantly, the entire mansion changed.
Black mist drifted through the corridors like living smoke.
Dark spiritual energy covered the walls.
It slowly spread throughout the building.
Li Chen frowned.
"This curse is expanding."
Li Tianlong's voice became serious.
"Someone planted a Soul Formation inside this mansion."
"Inside?"
"Yes."
"Which means..."
"...the enemy has an accomplice here."
Li Chen's eyes narrowed.
Someone within the Zhang Family was helping the Crimson Sect.
That made the situation far more dangerous.
The group climbed the grand staircase.
The atmosphere grew colder with every step.
Servants began shivering despite wearing thick clothing.
At the end of the second-floor corridor stood a pair of carved wooden doors.
Two bodyguards guarded the entrance.
Neither had slept for two days.
As Li Chen approached...
Boom!
An invisible pressure exploded from behind the doors.
The bodyguards staggered backwards.
One collapsed onto the floor.
Li Chen remained standing.
Golden dragon energy automatically surrounded his body.
The pressure disappeared.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
"What just happened?"
No one knew.
Li Chen slowly opened the bedroom door.
An icy wind rushed outward.
The room was beautifully decorated.
Fresh flowers stood inside expensive crystal vases.
Yet every flower had already withered.
The curtains moved although every window was closed.
Blue candles burned quietly around the room.
At the centre stood an elegant bed.
Lying peacefully upon it was a young woman.
She looked no older than twenty-two.
Her skin was pale as snow.
Her breathing was so weak that it was almost impossible to notice.
This was Zhang Ruoxue (***).
Li Chen stepped closer.
Using Dragon Eyes, he looked beyond her physical body.
His expression immediately changed.
Black chains wrapped tightly around her soul.
Dark energy flowed continuously into an invisible void above the ceiling.
Someone...
Somewhere...
Was feeding upon her life force.
Li Tianlong spoke immediately.
"Soul Binding Curse (***)."
Li Chen's expression became serious.
"Can it be broken?"
"Yes."
"But whoever cast it..."
"...is extremely powerful."
Zhang Weiguo suddenly knelt before Li Chen.
His eyes were filled with tears.
"Master Li..."
"I don't care what it costs."
"Please save my daughter."
Li Chen looked at the unconscious young woman.
He slowly raised his right hand.
Golden spiritual energy gathered around his fingertips.
The Dragon Emperor Bloodline (****) began circulating through his body.
The room trembled.
Just as his fingers touched Zhang Ruoxue's forehead—
A terrifying female voice echoed through the room.
"Dragon Emperor..."
"I have finally found you."
Li Chen's pupils contracted.
The owner of the voice...
Was speaking directly to him.
The chilling voice echoed through every corner of the bedroom.
"Dragon Emperor... I have finally found you."
The temperature dropped even further.
The blue candles flickered violently before their flames turned blood-red.
A terrifying pressure filled the room.
The doctors and servants staggered backwards. Several bodyguards collapsed to their knees, unable to breathe.
Only Li Chen remained standing.
Golden dragon energy flowed around him like an invisible shield, resisting the sinister aura.
His expression remained calm.
"Who are you?" he asked.
A cold laugh answered him.
The sound came from everywhere at once.
From the walls.
From the ceiling.
Even from Zhang Ruoxue's motionless body.
"You are weaker than I expected, Dragon Emperor."
Li Tianlong's voice immediately echoed inside Li Chen's mind.
"Be careful."
"The owner of this curse is using Soul Projection."
"She isn't here physically."
Li Chen's eyes narrowed.
"So she's hiding."
The sinister laughter became louder.
"You will meet me soon enough."
"But first..."
"...watch her die."
Suddenly, the black chains surrounding Zhang Ruoxue's soul tightened.
Her delicate body trembled violently.
Blood slowly trickled from the corner of her lips.
Zhang Weiguo cried out in panic.
"Ruoxue!"
The heart monitor emitted a long warning tone.
Her heartbeat began dropping rapidly.
The doctors rushed toward the bed.
"No!"
"Her pulse is disappearing!"
"We're losing her!"
Li Chen ignored the chaos.
His Dragon Eyes (**) focused entirely on the chains.
Golden symbols appeared within his pupils.
He finally saw the curse's true form.
Each chain was engraved with ancient crimson runes.
They stretched upward into a swirling black portal hidden above the ceiling.
Someone was draining Zhang Ruoxue's life from a great distance.
Li Tianlong spoke urgently.
"Destroy the connection."
"But don't break all the chains."
"If you do..."
"...her soul will shatter."
Li Chen nodded slightly.
He extended his right hand.
The Dragon Emperor Ring (***) glowed brightly.
Golden spiritual energy condensed into a thin blade around his fingers.
The doctors stared in disbelief.
"What... what is that light?"
No one answered.
Li Chen stepped beside the bed.
He ignored the physical body.
Instead, he aimed directly at the invisible chain attached to her forehead.
The female voice screamed.
"Stop!"
Li Chen did not hesitate.
Slash!
The golden blade sliced through one of the chains.
A deafening shriek echoed through the mansion.
The black portal trembled violently.
Far away...
Inside an abandoned temple hidden deep within the mountains...
A woman dressed entirely in crimson robes suddenly opened her eyes.
Blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.
Her cultivation chamber exploded with violent spiritual energy.
She wiped away the blood before smiling coldly.
"So..."
"The Dragon Emperor has awakened."
Around her stood dozens of masked cultivators.
Each wore the emblem of a crimson moon upon their robes.
One disciple knelt respectfully.
"Holy Maiden..."
"Has something happened?"
She slowly stood.
"Prepare everyone."
"The heir of the Dragon Emperor Clan is no longer hiding."
Her beautiful face twisted into a cruel smile.
"Our master has waited twenty years for this day."
Back inside the Zhang mansion...
The remaining chains began writhing like living snakes.
Dark mist erupted from Zhang Ruoxue's body.
It formed the figure of a woman with long black hair covering her face.
Several servants screamed.
One doctor fainted instantly.
The ghostly figure glared at Li Chen.
"You dare interfere?"
Without warning, it lunged toward him.
Its claws were aimed directly at his throat.
Li Chen remained perfectly calm.
Golden dragon energy erupted from his body.
A deafening dragon roar echoed throughout the room.
ROAR!
The ghost froze in midair.
Its body began shaking violently.
The shadow let out a terrified scream.
"The Dragon Emperor's aura!"
"No!"
"This cannot be!"
Li Chen raised one finger.
A tiny golden dragon circled around it.
"Disappear."
The dragon shot forward like lightning.
It pierced straight through the ghostly figure.
Boom!
The shadow exploded into countless particles of black mist before vanishing completely.
Silence returned.
The freezing air slowly became warmer.
The blood-red candle flames returned to blue before extinguishing one after another.
Everyone stared at Li Chen with expressions of absolute disbelief.
Even the doctors who had mocked him were speechless.
Moments later...
The heart monitor suddenly beeped steadily.
Zhang Ruoxue's heartbeat had stabilised.
Colour slowly returned to her pale face.
Her breathing became stronger.
A doctor quickly checked the monitors.
His hands trembled.
"This..."
"This is impossible."
"Her vital signs are returning to normal."
"She's recovering."
Another physician looked equally stunned.
"We've treated countless patients..."
"...but we've never witnessed anything like this."
Zhang Weiguo's eyes filled with tears.
He fell to his knees before Li Chen.
"Master Li..."
"You have saved my daughter's life."
"I, Zhang Weiguo, will never forget this kindness."
Li Chen helped him to his feet.
"The curse hasn't been completely removed."
Everyone's expressions changed.
"What do you mean?"
Li Chen looked toward the broken window.
"The person who cast it is still alive."
"Tonight, I only severed one connection."
"The real enemy escaped."
Li Tianlong's voice echoed once more.
"This was merely a warning."
"The Crimson Sect has finally discovered your identity."
"They won't stop until they obtain the Dragon Emperor Bloodline."
Li Chen quietly looked into the dark night beyond the mansion.
Somewhere...
A powerful enemy was already watching him.
For the first time since awakening his inheritance...
Li Chen realised that the battle for the future of the Dragon Emperor Clan had truly begun.
- Writer
