Chapter 7
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Chapter 7: Title
That night, Ye Qingshang and Mu Huaiyun slipped into Xu manor while Frostbite Sect and Yunshan Sect disciples encircled the grounds with a spell trap.
Wind whispered through the icy stillness.
A paper lantern glided into the hall where the watcher dozed on his mat. The lantern-bearer leaned close, murmuring until the sentry slumped unconscious.
Footsteps neared the coffin.
Fingers scraped wood—a dry rasp piercing the silence. The intruder smiled, malice thickening the air as he reached to lift the lid—
*Whoosh!* Spiritual power blasted toward him. He spun aside, landing meters away.
Candlelight revealed the Xu manor steward.
Ye Qingshang stepped from shadows. \"Just as I thought.\"
The steward stood blocked before Ye Qingshang and behind by Mu Huaiyun. His weathered face gradually twisted as he laughed wildly, \"What a clever little girl. You actually discovered it.\"
Ye Qingshang cast a barrier to throw the spirit watcher aside and signaled to Mu Huaiyun.
Understanding her intention, Mu Huaiyun moved in sync with her. Together they expanded the barrier, imbued with a strangling technique. Light suddenly erupted, trapping the steward within.
Mu Huaiyun declared: \"Flame Beast, you’ve nowhere left to run. Be sensible and leave that steward’s body now!\"
The steward mocked: \"Oh? Without this mortal vessel, you’d have attacked long ago, no? Hahaha! You cultivators always posture as noble guardians of all living beings. Well then—if you wish to kill me, just slay this mortal too! How’s that?\"
He clicked his tongue twice before adding: \"Ah, the spectacle of an immortal stained by mortal blood… truly something to savor. What? Too frightened?\"
\"Why wouldn’t I dare?\" Ye Qingshang retorted coldly. As her spiritual power surged, the barrier constricted further. She freed one hand to conjure a sword that materialized instantly in her grasp.
The blade pressed within inches of the steward’s throat. \"He’s merely a mortal. Should he perish while ensuring your end, I save a hundred lives at the cost of one. That *is* protecting all living beings.\"
The sword’s icy glare reflected in Ye Qingshang’s eyes, deepening her piercing gaze.
Her perpetually solemn demeanor naturally distanced others. Now, her deliberately murderous aura inspired genuine dread.
*Threaten me? You lack the standing. Let me demonstrate how it’s truly done—prepare to tremble.*
The blade edged closer.
Fear finally surfaced in the steward, cold sweat beading on his brow.
\"Careful!\" Ye Qingshang hissed.
The steward abruptly crumpled. A shadowy form burst from his body, streaking over the barrier directly toward Mu Huaiyun with terrifying speed.
Ye Qingshang reacted instantly. She hurled her sword, channeling spiritual power to intercept the shadow’s assault. The entity faltered, then veered sideways and vanished.
\"To think…\" Even their combined efforts had failed to capture it.
Mu Huaiyun felt the sting of Ye Qingshang’s scornful glance.
Worse yet, the barrier surrounding Xu Manor had also failed to contain the Flame Beast. Disciples from the Frostbite Sect and Yunshan Sect lay scattered—some injured, others collapsed—a scene of utter devastation.
Ye Qingshang remembered clearly: during their confrontation with the Flame Beast in her previous life, Mu Huaiyun had vied with her to strike first. They had subdued and slain the beast right outside Xu Manor’s gates.
Yet now…
It escaped?!
\"A\’shang, what now?\" Qiu Huayi clutched her injured arm—wounded while resisting the Flame Beast’s escape.
Ye Qingshang’s expression hardened. \"Pursue it.\"
\"Huayi, remain here tending to the juniors. Mu Huaiyun, follow me.\"
*
The Flame Beast fled into forested mountains.
This wilderness lay far beyond Qizhou’s borders, profoundly remote. Pursuing on their swords, Ye Qingshang and Mu Huaiyun halted at the forest edge.
The reason was singular: the woods felt… unnatural.
Ye Qingshang asked, \"Do you hear that?\"
Mu Huaiyun answered, \"Yes. Weeping… and laughter.\"
Indeed, waves of sobbing and laughter drifted intermittently from the trees. The cries shifted between infantile wails and a woman’s choked tears. The laughter held an eerie, almost hellish quality—as if echoing from some infernal realm.
In her past life, Ye Qingshang had never reached this place and was unaware of the dangers. She hesitated and said, \"The Flame Beast was bloodthirsty and a fierce creature, skilled in hiding. Since it chose to hide here, this place must be dangerous. The sounds of crying and laughing could be tricks or its companions. If it\’s the latter, with just the two of us, we might not win. Are you… sure you want to go in?\"
The meaning was clear: life is precious; if we can\’t win, we should run.
But Mu Huaiyun wasn\’t the type to back down, so he answered by walking straight in.
Ye Qingshang felt troubled: how did she end up with such a fearless partner…
With no choice, she followed him.
“Coo, coo…” After entering the forest, the crying and laughing sounds vanished, replaced by unknown bird calls and the fresh scent of trees, making it seem normal.
Mu Huaiyun lit a small flame of spiritual power at his fingertips, brightening the area.
Everything felt too normal, and Ye Qingshang unexpectedly felt anxious.
They walked along the path for a while, the forest growing quieter. Suddenly, a faint voice echoed, like a woman, “Help me… help me…”
Ye Qingshang grabbed Mu Huaiyun, who was about to check, and said, “This place is strange; we must be careful.”
Mu Huaiyun listened and cast a barrier around them.
“Help me…”
The voice got closer.
In the flame\’s light, a woman with light gauzy sleeves appeared. It was early autumn, and she wore thin clothes, shivering from cold.
Tears ran down her bright face, looking pitiful, as if she had wandered into the forest by accident and got trapped.
“Are you… here to save me?” Her soft, weak voice and hopeful look were quite captivating.
Ye Qingshang ignored her, lifted her fingertip, and created a spell, throwing it at the woman’s brow.
The spell passed through her body with no effect.
The demon-slaying spell didn’t work on her? Could she be just a mortal?
“Sister, what are you doing? Will you… take me out?”
“Yes, we’ll take you out,” Ye Qingshang squatted before her, “But tell me why you’re here.”
The woman stared with tear-filled eyes and said, “I… don’t know. Yesterday, I passed the mountain foot, and suddenly, rain poured down. I had no shelter, so I came here to hide. But this place is like a maze; I… can’t leave.”
She reached out to grab Ye Qingshang’s hand, saying, “Sister, you’re kind. I’ve been trapped too long—cold and hungry. Please, take me out. I… am scared…”
Mu Huaiyun frowned, wanting to push her hand away, but Ye Qingshang glanced and shook her head.
She sensed this person wasn’t a demon.
Softening her tone, she asked, “Don’t fear. What’s your name?”
“I… am Lin Su.”
Ye Qingshang said, “Okay. Miss Lin, you seem weak. I’ll help you walk?”
Lin Su rose with Ye Qingshang’s arm around her shoulder and said, “Thank you, sister.”
The woman’s delicate body felt soft in Ye Qingshang’s hold. She glanced at Mu Huaiyun: what now? Lin Su was just a weak girl; she couldn’t join their demon hunt—should they go back?
Mu Huaiyun returned the look: they had no choice.
“Sister, what’s your tie to this young man?” Lin Su blinked at Mu Huaiyun.
Ye Qingshang answered bluntly, “Not really.”
Lin Su covered her mouth and smiled, saying, “But I see this young man seems very concerned about you. Sister, he looks kind; he must be a good person. Don’t miss out!”
Ye Qingshang thought: A good person? Kind? What makes you say that? Tricking a child?
Mu Huaiyun coughed.
“By the way, sister, on your way into the mountains, did you spot a carriage?”
Ye Qingshang replied, “No.”
“But all my things are in that carriage. I lost it… how can I go back now…”
Ye Qingshang reassured her, “No worries. When we get to Qizhou city, we’ll help you replace everything.”
“Qizhou?” Lin Su stopped, looking confused. “Qizhou… where is that?”
Mu Huaiyun said, “This forest is part of Qizhou. Didn’t you know?”
“The forest… is part of Qizhou? But I clearly remember below the forest… is Yuxian…”
Ye Qingshang responded, “You’re mistaken. There’s no Yuxian; it’s clearly…”
She paused: Yuxian… a century ago, the old name for Qizhou was Yuxian.
Ye Qingshang and Mu Huaiyun gasped in shock.
She let go and stared at Lin Su with suspicion.
But Lin Su seemed unaware, only repeating, “How… how can it be Qizhou…”
Lin Su’s expression lost control; she clutched her head as if startled and suddenly tried to run back.
“Lin Su!” Ye Qingshang reached out to grab her.
She only caught a piece of sleeve. Under the clothes, the frail woman vanished, replaced by a pile of bones that fell instantly to the ground.
Mu Huaiyun cried, “What is this…?”
Ye Qingshang shouted, “Beauty turns to bones, longing to ash… Oh no, it’s the bone spell!”
Hahahaha…
Laughter echoed through the forest, each sound piercing their ears, each one… a call to death!
