Chapter 6: My Ambition Is to Survive

After nightfall, the small town occasionally echoed with the sound of barking dogs.
The bright moon hung high, and the night was quiet and still.
In the small house on Cloth Alley, the light was dim.
Juliana Mabbett adjusted the lamp oil, making the flame burn brighter again.
"Because of my talent to communicate with spirits, my father gave me a mission from a young age: to find the Spirit Flower. Since I was six, I have only spent two or three months at home each year. The rest of the time, I've been traveling. Over a dozen years, I've almost traveled through half of the Juyeoda Empire, and I've only found traces of one Spirit Flower."
Juliana spoke softly, as if talking to herself.
"When I was eleven, I witnessed a battle for a Spirit Flower. A bear demon, over two meters tall, killed over a thousand heavily armored Imperial Guards. My senior brothers and sisters from the Paranormal Investigation Bureau fought to the death, losing thirteen and severely injuring over thirty before they finally managed to kill the bear demon and seize the flower."
"One of my senior brothers was torn apart by the bear demon, his organs ruptured, and he was on the brink of death. I asked him if he had any last words, but he looked at the Spirit Flower and laughed heartily. He said it was worth it, that his life was well spent. One Spirit Flower could create a Demonbinder Formation and protect an entire town."
"He died, smiling."
"Since then, all the grievances in my heart have vanished. If I die one day searching for a Spirit Flower, I think I should go with a smile."
"Before the cold wind, the leaves wither, yet amidst the branches, a single fragrant bloom stands proud against the frost."
Lady Juliana's voice was soft, but her words carried a heavy weight.
Standing proud against the frost!
No matter how bone-chilling the cold wind or how perilous the path, Juliana Mabbett would walk the road she had chosen until the very end.
After she finished, Adrian Waller yawned and asked, "What's the point of all this? Suffering, risking your life... Are you an emperor? Or a saint?"
"I'm not an emperor, nor am I a saint. I'm just an ordinary noblewoman who cannot bear to see the common people suffer at the hands of demons. Though I am a woman, I strive to walk the path of a gentleman," Juliana said, her gaze resolute.
"Even if you find Spirit Flowers and create Demonbinder Formations, the people will only praise the emperor. How many will know of your contribution? It's people like you who make land prices in three major cities rise every year, and the truly poor remain in misery. Demonbinder Formations only protect the rich. If you ask me, there shouldn't be any Formations at all—let everyone be at risk of demons, let everyone face death equally. That's true fairness."
Juliana frowned slightly at Adrian's concept of fairness.
She had never considered land prices before, but after thinking it over, she recognized Adrian's point.
But it couldn't be helped.
"The Paranormal Investigation Bureau will continue searching for Spirit Flowers. If ten years aren't enough, they'll search for a hundred. Someday, every town in Juyeoda will be a safe haven," Juliana said firmly.
"That's what the Foolish Old Man said when he wanted to move the mountains," Adrian replied.
"I know you have a sincere heart. Last year, when the mine in Sephton Town was infested by demons, you stepped in and eradicated them. I can tell the townspeople hold you in high regard. Haven't you ever thought about joining the court and serving the country?" Juliana asked.
"Nope."
Adrian shook a finger and said, "And you're mistaken. I charged a fee to deal with the demons at the mine—Ma Xiaojiao paid extra, or else I wouldn't have gone. I'm just a selfish person, living day by day."
"A man should stand tall. Don't you have any ambition?" Juliana asked.
"Of course! My greatest ambition is to survive," Adrian replied.
Juliana looked at the black-clad young man reclining lazily on the bed. His delicate face was marked by an unmotivated, sleepy expression, as if he had no energy at all.
There was no fighting spirit, no vitality—he resembled an old man waiting for his end.
Yet, the more Adrian acted like this, the more curious Juliana became.
She had a strong intuition that the young man in front of her carried heavy secrets.
"I've shared my story. Can you tell me yours?" Juliana's voice was soft.
"My story is boring. Are you sure you want to hear it?" Adrian asked.
"I do. After all, tonight might be my last night in this world," Juliana said, her voice tinged with sadness. "I want to hear one last story."
"Fine, if you're that pitiful, I suppose there's no harm in telling you."
Adrian sighed and said, "The story begins like this: Once upon a time, there was a couple of martial artists who had a son. The story ends like this: The martial artists died in a great battle, and their son, who was less than three years old, survived among the corpses. That's my story."
The room fell silent.
The flame in the oil lamp flickered, causing Juliana's shadow to sway, mirroring her unsettled emotions.
The story was too simple.
So simple that it seemed boring.
Yet, from this simple story, Juliana discerned something that left her shaken.
A great battle, a three-year-old, countless corpses!
Fifteen years ago, the previous dynasty, Yategold, fought to mutual destruction with Monster City in the Northern Territory. That battle had shocked the world.
Judging by Adrian's age, he would have been just two or three at the time.
Juliana's clear eyes were now filled with awe.
Knowing it was a battle to the death, the martial artist couple wouldn't have taken their young child with them. They should have left him somewhere safe before departing.
But Adrian had been on the battlefield!
This could only mean one thing.
Adrian, at that time, was part of the army attacking Monster City!
A child under the age of three, going to battle!
Juliana couldn't imagine what kind of terrifying power a three-year-old child must have possessed to fight on the battlefield!
This wasn't an ordinary battlefield—it wasn't against regular soldiers but thousands of powerful demons!
Just imagining the carnage sent chills through Juliana.
Looking at the lazy young man on the bed, Juliana's heart suddenly ached.
"What happened to the child afterward?" Juliana asked.
"He was taken in by an old hunter from Bluffhove Mountain, and has been living a meaningless life ever since," Adrian said.
Juliana frowned again slightly.
She sensed something wrong with the ending of the story.
"Monster City in the Northern Territory is a million miles from Bluffhove Mountain. Even if someone took you in, it should have been somewhere near the Northern Territory. How did you end up at Bluffhove Mountain?" Juliana asked.
"I wish I knew."
Adrian placed both hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. "I have a memory gap—about a month. I don't know what happened during that time. When I woke up, I was already at Bluffhove Mountain."
Juliana fell silent.
It was as if she felt a resonance, allowing her to sense Adrian's loneliness and deep confusion.
Juliana lowered her head and took off an amulet hanging around her neck.
It was made of red string, with a small piece of jade hanging from it.
The jade was sky blue, carved with the shape of a feather—vivid and lifelike.
"This Lunar Jade has been with me since I was born. It has a calming effect. You saved my life on the mountain, so take this as my thank you."
Juliana placed the Lunar Jade in Adrian's hand, and her entire demeanor relaxed. She smiled brightly and said, "One should repay even a drop of kindness with a spring of gratitude, let alone a life-saving grace. If you don't accept it, after I die, this jade will fall into someone else's hands."
"Since you're giving it, of course I'll take it. Is this jade worth two hundred taels?"
Adrian squeezed the jade, still warm from Lady Juliana's body.
"It is."
Juliana smiled. "If you ever go to Stonehigh Imperial City, I suggest you visit the Paranormal Investigation Bureau and meet with the Grand Monitor. He is my teacher, and his cultivation is profound. He might be able to help you recover that lost memory."
"I'm not that curious. It's just a lost month—if I can't remember, so be it."
Adrian snorted and said, "If you're hoping to revive the Demon Slayer Division of the previous dynasty, you should give up now. There's no chance."
Juliana wasn't surprised that Adrian had seen through her intentions. Tilting her head slightly, she asked, "Why?"
"Because we're not normal people... I'm tired, time to sleep."
With that, Adrian hugged his blade and fell into a deep sleep.
Juliana didn't sleep. She gazed at the star-filled night sky, lost in thought.
This night, Sephton Town was not at peace.
A woman in North Street threw herself into a well, a beggar in South Street went mad, over a hundred children in West Street woke up crying and foaming at the mouth, and stray dogs on East Street inexplicably died in large numbers.
All the town's doctors were busy until dawn.
They all came to the same conclusion.
It was an evil spirit—something unclean was in the town.
At dawn, Juliana stood up, looked at Adrian still sleeping soundly, and quietly left the coffin-like small house.
The weather was very gloomy today.
Dark clouds filled the sky, and heavy rain was imminent.
Juliana walked alone through the empty streets, her pace unhurried.
She didn't leave Sephton Town immediately but went to the bun shop where Adrian had first taken her.
She ordered a basket of meat buns.
She took a big bite.
Delicious!
At that moment, Lady Juliana discarded her noble status, devouring the food voraciously.
She experienced the life of an ordinary person.
Although life wasn't easy, it was satisfying.
Life was good...
After finishing the buns, Juliana returned to her calm and composed demeanor.
She paid and walked towards the southern exit of the town.
Gradually, more people appeared on the street.
As Juliana walked, she noticed many people looking at her with unfriendly eyes.
These people were all ordinary townsfolk.
Juliana quickened her pace, sensing something was wrong.
South Street was a long, uneven road, lined with shops and houses, and there was a small Earth God Temple.
The temple was small, with no main gate—just a large shelter from the wind and rain, with a clay statue of the Earth God inside, visible from the street.
As Juliana passed by the temple, there was a sudden rumble.
The clay statue collapsed, shattering into pieces!
The fallen statue seemed to serve as a signal, and everyone on the street stopped.
Dozens of angry, hostile eyes turned toward Juliana.
Sensing danger, Juliana lowered her head, trying to leave quickly.
"It's her!"
A burly woman in the crowd shouted, pointing at Juliana. "She's the outsider from yesterday! Our town has been peaceful for years, and now all these strange things are happening since she arrived. She's a jinx! An evil spirit!"
The crowd was silent for a moment before erupting in shouts.
"My child was vomiting all night and is barely breathing—it's her fault!"
"My son's coffin is ready. Burn this evil spirit, and my boy will come back to life!"
"If she dies, the town will be clean again!"
"Burn her!"
"Burn her!"