Chapter 9

In the dank darkness of the dungeon, Feng and his friends try to fight off the cruel guards. Even though they fought as hard as they could, the number and strength of the guards were too great for them to face. Blow after blow hit their bodies without stopping, making them stagger and finally fall unconscious on the cold and hard floor.

In the morning, the dim torchlight illuminated the dungeon hallway as Master Jimin Yu entered the room with haughty steps. His gaze was cold, but a satisfied smile appeared on the corner of his lips when he saw Feng and his friends lying with their bodies covered in wounds and bruises. He stopped in the middle of the room, looking at them disdainfully.

"Wake them up," Master Jimin Yu ordered his guards. The guards immediately doused Feng and his friends with cold water, forcing them to wake up with sharp pain throughout their bodies.

Master Jimin Yu looked at Feng with a cold gaze. "You must submit and live under my authority," he said in a voice full of threats.

"Only then, you can survive more severe suffering."

Feng, with gasping breaths and a body shaking from pain, looked at Master Jimin Yu with eyes full of determination. "We will never bow to you," he said firmly, even though his voice sounded weak.

Hearing the rejection, Mr. Jimin Yu immediately became angry. "How dare you refuse my orders!" he shouted. "Guards, beat them up again!"

The guards, without hesitation, immediately approached Feng and his friends, then beat them mercilessly. Cries of pain filled the underground room, but amidst the agony, Feng's determination to fight injustice grew stronger. Even though his body felt broken, his spirit never died. He knew that as long as he and his friends were alive, there was still hope for freedom.

That night, amidst a lively harvest feast, Master Jimin Yu and several of his subordinates sat at a long table filled with food and drink. The sound of music and joyful laughter echoed in the air, creating an atmosphere of happiness around them. However, suddenly the atmosphere turned tense when panicked screams were heard from outside.

Mr. Jimin Yu immediately stood up, sharpening his hearing. The screams and commotion were getting closer, and he had a bad feeling. A guard ran in with a pale face, "Sir, the Yen Liao Vampire is attacking the citizens of Sowan Village again!"

Instantly, the joy of the party turned into chaos. The guests ran for shelter, while Mr. Jimin Yu growled angrily. "Uncle Wu!" he called loudly. A middle-aged man with a stern face immediately approached.

"Lead the troops and fight Vampire Yen Liao. Stop him at all costs!"

Uncle Wu nodded firmly and immediately ordered the soldiers to prepare. They rushed out with their weapons drawn, trying to fight the dark forces that were coming to the village. Outside, the atmosphere in Sowan village was chaotic. The vampire Yen Liao, with incredible strength and terrifying speed, terrorizes the villagers without mercy.

Uncle Wu's troops tried to block, but they were soon overwhelmed. Yen Liao moved at a speed that the human eye could not follow, attacking the soldiers one by one. Every attack launched by the soldiers only elicited cold laughter from the vampire, as if their attacks meant nothing.

Uncle Wu, with great courage, came forward to face Yen Liao. "You won't get away this time, Yen Liao!" he shouted while swinging his sword. However, Yen Liao easily dodged and counterattacked with deadly force. Uncle Wu staggered, but remained standing, refusing to give up.

In the midst of the fierce battle, Yen Liao grinned, enjoying the fear radiating from the soldiers' faces.

"You can't stop me," he said in a deep, threatening voice. "I will keep coming until this village is destroyed."

Master Jimin Yu, who was watching from a distance, felt deep fear. He knew that they had to find a way to stop Yen Liao, or Sowan village would fall into darkness forever. However, in her heart, she also knew that only with courage and unity, they might be able to find hope against the darkness that was engulfing them.

"Uncle Wu, I really need your help. That vampire, Yen Liao, he has attacked my family and the villagers. I'm afraid we are all in great danger," shouted Jimin Yu in panic.

"Calm down, Mr. Jimin. I've heard news about Yen Liao. He is a very dangerous creature. But with the help of my student Sao and ancient knowledge, we will be able to deal with him," said Uncle Wu.

"I'm very grateful that you're willing to help, Uncle Wu. What should we do?"

"We will carry out an ancient ritual to weaken Yen Liao. You have to prepare a strong wooden coffin. After we paralyze him, we will lock him up in the coffin," answered Uncle Wu.

"I'll prepare it right away. Is there anything I can do to help with this ritual?"

"Make sure no one disturbs us during the ritual. This is a very dangerous process and requires full concentration. If anyone gets close, it could be fatal," answered Uncle Wu.

"Okay, Uncle Wu. I will make sure everything runs smoothly. I will tell the villagers not to come close and secure this area," said Jimin Yu.

"Thank you, Mr. Jimin. Don't worry. We will do our best to protect this village. Yen Liao will no longer be able to threaten us after tonight," said Uncle Wu, trying to calm him down.

"I really rely on you, Uncle Wu. May luck be on our side tonight," said Jimin Yu hopefully.

"Luck is something we create ourselves with preparation and knowledge. Now, let's start the preparations. We don't have much time!" Uncle Wu said firmly.

After a while, they prepared the altar with candles and amulets, and began the ancient ritual. Uncle Wu muttered incantations that most people had long forgotten, summoning the forces of nature to aid him in this fight.

Not long after, Yen Liao appeared from the darkness. Its eyes glowed red and its fangs were clearly visible in the moonlight. With a swift movement, the vampire attacked Uncle Wu, but he was ready. Uncle Wu took out a silver mirror and used the reflected energy to deflect Yen Liao's attack. A fierce fight was inevitable.

Sao, despite being young, helps by throwing charms at Yen Liao, trying to weaken the vampire's power. Uncle Wu continued to recite the spell in an increasingly powerful voice, creating a protective circle around them.

After a seemingly endless battle, Uncle Wu finally succeeded in immobilizing Yen Liao by using a special talisman placed on the vampire's forehead. With a gasp, Uncle Wu ordered Sao and the other students who had just arrived to prepare a special wooden chest that had been prepared beforehand.

Carefully, they lifted Yen Liao's motionless body and put him in a coffin. Once the chest was closed tightly, Uncle Wu covered it with a final protective spell to ensure the vampire would not rise again.

That night, calm returned to Jimin Yu village. Uncle Wu and his students left the place in relief. They knew that as long as they existed, the threat from the dark creatures would always be contained. However, behind all that bravado, Uncle Wu knows that the world is full of mysteries and unseen dangers, and they must always be prepared for whatever may come.

"Take this chest to a closed room! Don't let any moonlight fall on this chest, let alone shine on its body!" Uncle Wu ordered.

"Yes, Master," said Sao and several other people.

Several people carried the coffin containing Yen Liao's body. They took him and put him near the dungeon. Suddenly Feng and his friends were shocked to see Jimin Yu's men putting the chest into the room.

Then one of them said loudly, "Hey you guys! Have a good rest here with the vampires, haha"

They laughed before finally leaving the room. Meanwhile, Feng and his friends stared at each other in silence.

“Feng,” Mei Lao said quietly, his face showing fear.

*****