Because of that 'Nian Beast' emerging from the night, everything outside the ancestral hall seemed frozen—even the steam from boiling dumplings hung motionless in midair.
As it 'squeezed' past the doorframe, darkness flowed into the hall like ink.
In an instant, the Ying family's ancestral hall dimmed, so silent you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was struck dumb, as if overwhelmed by a primal fear from ancient times.
"So this is... that calamity beast?"
Li Mo felt a sudden understanding, yet it was laced with absurdity.
Legends spoke of the qilin as an auspicious omen.
Yet across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, there had once been true dragons, phoenixes, golden crows, and other mystical races—but never a qilin lineage. Even within the Jade Phoenix Divine Records, which preserved the true spirits of countless races, there was no trace of the qilin.
Let alone this qilin-like 'Nian Beast.'
And that phrase—'You've returned'—was it directed at Little Ying Bing?
It was Little Ying Bing.
The girl bit her lip hard, her usually calm eyes now turbulent, her body radiating an uncontrollable chill.
Li Mo's expression changed—was today the first time her bloodline would fully awaken?
The Nian Beast's gaze darkened further as it stared at her. An intangible shadow spread beneath its feet, turning the ground into a murky, rippling lake. From its depths, grotesque, monstrous creatures surged forth.
Each was the size of a calf, their appearances twisted and varied—yet all shared one trait.
They looked ravenous.
"Tomb Guardians?!" an elder of the Ying family cried out in terror—only to be pounced on mid-sentence.
The first splash of crimson stained the gray-white dreamscape.
"The calamity beast is here! Get out and warn the others!"
"Those trained in martial arts, hold these beasts back!"
Some fled, some resisted, some collapsed in terror where they stood.
Screams, roars, the sound of flesh tearing—chaos erupted instantly.
Meanwhile, the Nian Beast advanced leisurely, its inky eyes glinting with something like amusement.
Little Li Mo frowned deeper.
He'd heard of them—beasts placed in tombs by powerful figures to deter grave robbers. With no food in the crypts, the creatures would turn on each other.
What remained were unrecognizable, vicious things.
This was the Nian Beast's 'domain'!
But he had no time to dwell on it.
Little Ying Bing's body grew colder by the second.
The Nian Beast drew closer, its presence chilling to the bone, stirring dread from the depths of one's soul.
Normally, the self-proclaimed 'Hammer Tyrant' would've pulled out his weapon and struck first. But now, stripped of all strength, he was just an ordinary child.
Ying Xuliang scooped up his daughter, and with his wife, sprinted toward the ancestral statue.
Li Mo followed without hesitation.
Amid the darkened hall, only the exquisitely crafted statue emitted a faint glow.
Behind them, Tomb Guardians tore through slower-moving Ying clansmen, their shadows closing in.
Yet as soon as they entered the statue's radiance, black smoke hissed from their bodies like oil meeting flame.
The Nian Beast stepped forward from the pack, its massive eyes studying the statue.
Even its deep-seated hatred couldn't mask its wariness.
Indeed, after generations of worship by the Ying family, the statue had developed a trace of spirituality—let alone its already extraordinary craftsmanship.
"Still just a lifeless object in the end."
Before anyone could relax, the Nian Beast issued its command. The Tomb Guardians charged into the light, heedless of the black smoke billowing from their bodies—even as some melted into pools of blood.
Compared to the ancestral statue, they feared the Nian Beast far more.
Already, those at the edges screamed as Tomb Guardians dragged them down.
"Husband... what do we do?" Ying's mother trembled, her voice shaking.
"Don't panic. We must protect Bing'er first." Ying Xuliang forced calm into his tone, then seemed to remember something.
"Bing'er, Li Mo, come here!"
Seeing Li Mo's composed expression, Ying Xuliang spoke quickly:
"The ancestral statue is hollow inside. Brother Li and I used to crawl in as children."
"Later, the elders moved it and sealed the opening."
"My wife and I will uncover it. You must take Bing'er inside. No matter what happens outside, do not come out—not even if you hear our voices. Only if your father arrives, understand?"
"You're a brave lad. If we're gone... protect her."
With that, the couple rushed to the statue's base, straining to shift it.
The statue was heavy. Neither had martial training, and they barely managed to nudge it slightly.
Clearly, adults couldn't fit inside.
Li Mo clenched his fists. Now he knew how Little Ying Bing had survived that night.
Her parents had hidden her inside the ancestor's statue.
A wave of helplessness crashed over him.
Even in a dream, even if these events were long past—he desperately wished he could change them.
Little Li Mo suddenly stepped forward, his clear voice cutting through the chaos.
"I'll wreck your mum!"
Li Mo declared with conviction.
The Nian Beast was stunned into silence.
Even the bystanders froze.
Seriously? Taunting it now?
The Nian Beast narrowed its eyes. It had no intention of humoring this brat—everyone here would die sooner or later anyway.
"Filthy-mouthed little—"
"Stuck in a tomb with no light, no food—bet you've eaten your own crap."
"Other auspicious beasts are worshipped as gods. Yet here you are, reduced to eating crap. Aren't you ashamed enough to off yourself? Answer me."
"I'LL DEVOUR YOU ALIVE!"
Whether struck a nerve or not, the black Nian Beast seethed with rage, its murderous aura boiling. It seemed determined to make Li Mo its first meal.
The brat wasn't retreating into the light. Instead, he bolted toward a side window.
Li Mo's plan was to exploit the 'voids'—the erased parts of the dream!
He'd lure the Nian Beast into crashing against the 'invisible walls'—specifically, the ancestral hall's rear entrance, a restricted area Ying Bing had never entered.
No ancestral glow protected that space. He had to move fast...
A guttural snarl echoed. Then, a foul gust of wind—just as Li Mo neared the rear door, a massive shape blocked his path.
It had sealed the exit.
Li Mo skidded to a halt.
Foul drool dripped from the Nian Beast's jagged teeth, sizzling against the floor.
Its eyes burned not just with malice, but with ravenous greed.
The dark tide around it surged forth, threatening to engulf Li Mo's small figure.
Li Mo clenched his fists, still staring defiantly at his opponent.
Just a little more...
It's so cold... I haven't felt this cold in so long... This is just a dream, so why does the chill feel so real?
Li Mo realized the cold was emanating from his shoulder, carrying a faint, familiar fragrance.
The sensation was even more recognizable—soft, warm jade...
He looked up and met the flawless, ethereal aura of the Frost Fairy, her jade-like face as cold as ice.
Not Little Ying Bing.
"Li Mo, thank you. I'm awake now."