*Dao Era, Depths of the Immortal Grave*
The blanket of darkness that fell over the basaltic crater was not the one Xuan BaiShe knew. It was not the icy and possessive signature of Xue Ming. Kneeling on the vitrified ground, he felt a spiritual pressure of a radically different nature fall on his shoulders. This pressure was older, and it carried within it a scent of vengeance.
The black blood projectile that had struck him moments earlier continued its work of destruction. The Khao energy gnawed at his silk tunic, and scarlet filaments insinuated themselves into his flesh with parasitic voracity. Each second, the corruption climbed a little further toward his neck, and he had to draw from his Omega Heart to contain it. He laboriously raised his head. His monocle, now broken in three places, reflected a silhouette that seemed to devour the weak purple glow of the sky.
"Surprised to see me?"
