Yin Ci tidied up the remaining materials, made two vegetable egg pancakes for his master, and cooked a stir-fry. When he brought the food out, Yan Qing was eating steamed cake at high speed, looking like he was going to choke himself. Su Si was half-kneeling on the ground, while Shi Jingzhi had a serious expression, seemingly contemplating something.
Shi Jingzhi, with his naturally sinister face, looked quite intimidating when he turned serious.
“An assassin from the Chigou Sect?” Shi Jingzhi asked slowly.
“Yes. I promised San Zi to be frank about it. When you were entering the forbidden area, I intended to take him and escape.”
There were quite a few people who deliberately learned their techniques and concealed their identities, and Yin Ci wasn’t sure before. But now, looking at Su Si, he didn’t seem to be lying. Was he really a member of the Chigou Sect?
So naive.
The Chigou Sect’s ancestor shook his head and placed the food in front of Shi Jingzhi. Instantly, the serious expression on Shi Jingzhi’s face started to crumble, but he managed to hold it together.
“You betrayed the sect even before joining it. You have quite a temper. It’s still too early to talk about recruiting you. Let’s see how you perform first by escaping.” Shi Jingzhi waved his hand, not putting up too much of a facade. “A’Ci has returned, so let’s first talk about Yan Budu’s matter.”
Su Si raised an eyebrow. “As a defector, I don’t fall under the Chigou Sect’s ‘three killing principles’. The Chigou Sect will continuously hunt me down if you take me in. With that, you’re still ‘seeing how I perform’?”
“A’Si!”
“It’s alright, San Zi. Let’s be completely honest. I won’t take advantage of you, Sect Master.”
“Not that. Just be more mindful of your tone. Haa…”
Shi Jingzhi took a bite of the vegetable egg pancake and calmly turned his head. “It doesn’t matter. I offended Matron Wuxue in the Ghost Tomb. She wishes to send me to the 18th level of Hell. Even if she finds out that I took you in, she would have to dig out a 19th level first.”
Su Si had a complicated expression. Was this sect reliable? It felt like they could be annihilated by the Chigou Sect at any moment. As someone who had to hide from the Chigou Sect, was it wise for him to join now?
Shi Jingzhi seemed to see through his thoughts and continued in a low voice, “So, if we’re talking about who wants to avoid the Chigou Sect the most, it would undoubtedly be me. You just defected and ran away, but I’ve been trampling all over their Matriarch’s face.”
Su Si: “…”
No wonder Yan Qing’s expression was so subtle when he heard that he was being pursued by the Chigou Sect. The sect he wanted to join wasn’t the Kushan Sect, but a rat’s nest in the gutter.
Well, it actually seemed suitable.
Seeing the discussion veering off, Yin Ci picked up a bite of food and fed it to his master. Shi Jingzhi had a large appetite and was quite hungry. Now that he had delicious food, he ate it up in no time.
With Shi Jingzhi silent, both of them looked at Yin Ci again.
“The forbidden area destroyed my disguise treasure,” Yin Ci casually explained.
Seeing his uncovered faces, both Su Si and Yan Qing didn’t ask further questions. One leader was enough to attract attention, and his eldest disciple had the same demeanor, so it was better to keep them hidden.
However, the sight of the master and disciple sitting together with their faces fully exposed made people’s heads spin.
Yan Qing asked, “Sect Master, what should we do next?” As he spoke, he stared firmly at Lord Bai, with a hint of determination in his eyes.
Shi Jingzhi replied, “Wait until nightfall. Then I’ll go to the residence of the Goddess. As for A’Ci…”
Yin Ci revealed only half of his identity, which made things much more convenient. “I’ll go with him and also take a look at the protection array. When I encounter the villagers, I’ll just pretend to be mute and let Shizun explain everything.”
Now there were two people who needed to pretend to be mysterious. Su Si even found some white cloth to wrap around their sundries, creating two “immortals” dressed in flowing white robes.
Under the cover of night, the two “immortals” held their heads high and walked towards the residence of the Goddess, looking quite authentic. To enhance the atmosphere, Shi Jingzhi constantly displayed flames, ensuring that the surroundings were filled with a radiant golden light.
Unfortunately, they were followed by Lord Bai, who swaggered along, instantly diminishing the immortality aura.
The villagers hesitated and pushed each other, none of them daring to step forward and ask questions. They could only choose Mian Jie as their representative to inquire first.
“Yin Deng, it’s much better now. Thank you for your divine intervention.” Her eyes were still red from crying. “I heard that Friend Yin met his end down there, and I…”
Fox Shi also put on a sorrowful expression. “We came here to rescue the divine spirit, and it was destined that we met that child. Rescuing Yin Deng was an insignificant matter. If A’Ci has awareness in the afterlife, he would also find solace.”
Yin Ci followed behind them, expressionless.
Mian Jie wiped her tears. “From now on, on this day each year, I will definitely offer incense to Yin Ci. Divine One, is the Goddess really a demon? I heard that ascending to immortality is fake. What’s the truth…”
Shi Jingzhi shook his head mysteriously. “Since you’re here, you can see it for yourself.”
The Goddess was gone, but her influence remained. The courtyard was in disarray due to Su Si and Yan Qing’s actions, and no one dared to tidy it up.
The night was cool, with flickering shadows and a somewhat eerie atmosphere in the spacious courtyard.
The Goddess had set up a powerful protective array near her bedroom. It was a formidable array that Su Si and Yan Qing couldn’t break. Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci exchanged a glance, and the two of them formed an unlikely alliance.
When Mian Jie wasn’t paying attention, Yin Ci pulled his master closer, and whispered, “My grandfather…”
“Your grandfather taught you how to break arrays, but breaking this array requires inner force, which you lack.” Shi Jingzhi cut to the chase. “Come on.”
Yin Ci nodded in satisfaction. The master and disciple each held the flag, and Yin Ci placed his hand on Shi Jingzhi’s back while his other hand lightly grasped Shi Jingzhi’s waist. After the battle in the forbidden area, their cooperation was almost perfect. Their footwork synchronized like a dance.
Golden flames twirled and scattered radiant light, piercing through the eye of the array. Chaotic wind blades dispersed, devoid of any blood color; only white clothes fluttering in the wind and black hair flowing like silk.
The night transformed into a bright scene like poetry, and nothing was more convincing proof of the existence of “immortals”.
The villagers remained silent, with Yan Qing and Su Si wearing blank expressions, one looking at the sky and the other at the ground. Su Si intentionally held Lord Bai tightly, pinching its mouth, fearing it would ruin the atmosphere with its high-spirited outbursts.
Lord Bai angrily stretched its neck, and its fleshy antennae stretched taut.
Before long, the array was broken. The master and disciple finally separated, and Lord Bai regained its freedom. It tightly clamped onto Su Si’s trousers, not letting go even after the four of them entered the Goddess’ bedroom.
The bedroom was filled with elegant incense, but upon closer sniffing, a faint scent of decay typical of an elderly person could still be detected. The room was tidy, adorned with numerous calligraphy and paintings that appeared ordinary at first glance.
The bedroom was quite spacious, with a shrine dedicated to the Imperial Celestial placed at one end. The wall behind the shrine was painted crimson red and adorned with intricate reliefs.
Shi Jingzhi sniffed around and repeatedly rubbed his palm against the wall’s surface. After a while, the wall made a light clicking sound and receded to both sides.
Mian Jie immediately took two steps back, nearly collapsing to the ground.
It was blood.
Behind the wall was emptiness, with several layers of wooden shelves inside, each crowded with glass bottles filled with blood. Without the wall obstructing the view, even an ordinary person could detect the faint smell of blood.
Each bottle was hung with a wooden plaque bearing the names of the villagers written neatly. Shi Jingzhi didn’t tremble this time; he furrowed his brow and picked out two empty bottles.
The wooden plaques already hanging on them read “Su Si” and “Shi Jingzhi”, and the bottles still had a lingering scent of blood, indicating they were recently emptied.
“The Goddess took your blood?” Shi Jingzhi inspected them and then put the empty bottles back.
Mian Jie looked at the hundreds of blood-filled bottles, her scalp tingling. “Y-Yes. During the village initiation ceremony, they take your blood, and you consume the celestial herb…”
“Is this the celestial herb?” Shi Jingzhi randomly selected a blood-filled bottle, pulled out the stopper, and handed it to Mian Jie.
Inside the bottle, besides blood, there were clusters of root-like substances immersed in the blood. It swelled slightly from being soaked in blood, emitting a strange, pungent-sweet smell.
Mian Jie nodded, and her face got paler, as if she was about to vomit at any moment.
“It’s the twin root.” This time it was Su Si who spoke, elongating his face. He was no longer pretending to speak with a woman’s voice.
Yan Qing looked at him in confusion.
“It’s normal for San Zi not to recognize it. It’s something only members of the demonic sect would use—similar to the acacia beans. Both require blood as a catalyst. However, while the acacia beans are only used to observe someone’s condition, this root can kill.”
Su Si took a few steps forward, carefully examining the cluster of root-like substances.
“The twin root divides into two. One cluster floats in the blood outside the body, while the other is consumed by the blood host. Once the blood is used as a catalyst, the two roots become connected, sharing the same fate.”
“If I were to poison this blood bottle and kill this cluster of roots, the blood host would also die from the poison. If I were to take this cluster of roots and burn them with fire, the blood host would also perish in flames. This thing is a curse that controls people, and it’s quite precious. Even in the demonic sect, it is only used to control top-level masters.”
Although mentally prepared for it to be different from “ascending into immortality”, Mian Jie was still stunned upon hearing these words.
Shi Jingzhi took over the conversation, trying to reassure everyone. “Don’t worry, this isn’t something related to immortals. There must be a way to break its power.”
Yan Qing was still pondering. “So, whether it’s the ‘death within three days’ or the so-called ‘three-day injury’, it’s all caused by the Goddess herself?”
“It’s probably that when the time comes, she mixes some demonic substance into the corresponding blood bottle. For example…” Su Si scanned the blood bottles nearby and retrieved a wooden box. “For example, this cluster of Threads of Worry or similar things? Do any of you recognize this? Threads of Worry don’t have a physical form, right?”
Inside the box writhed a cluster of emerald-green threads, attempting to climb onto Su Si’s hand, but he covered the box and stopped them.
“Regardless of what it is, take it with us. It’s better to keep them away from the blood bottles.” Shi Jingzhi made a decisive decision.
Su Si obediently picked up the box and put it in his pocket.
Shi Jingzhi lowered his gaze for a moment and quickly understood the situation. “Yan Qing’s guess is correct. The Goddess uses the twin roots to corrupt human bodies and create her idols from living flesh. But her need for live subjects is unpredictable, giving rise to the concept of the ‘three-day injury’. As long as she intentionally injures a few people, she can successfully obtain the materials without causing panic.”
As long as the villagers believed that “it’s the fault of the deceased themselves”, they could avoid it by living cautiously. Who would question anything else?
“The so-called ‘children and women who give birth can obtain the elixir’ are exempt from the three-day injury. It’s probably because children have less flesh, and women are needed to bear offspring, so she refrains from harming them with demonic substances… Mian Jie, you weren’t ‘doomed to die within three days’, but rather ‘the Goddess wanted you to die and used the three-day injury as a cover-up’. The sequence was wrong.”
Mian Jie was speechless.
“Judging by the age of the houses in the village, it seems that the population has remained relatively constant over time.” Shi Jingzhi looked at the rows of shelves, and his tone gradually became more complicated. “Uncle Liu and Auntie Liu would have died because Su Si and I have immortal potential and we are young enough to replace them.”
“But… the Goddess has only been here for a little over fifty years.” Mian Jie stuttered. “The concept of the three-day injury has always existed and has been passed down for hundreds of years!”
Shi Jingzhi put on that mysterious, unfathomable look again. “Yes, there is more than one demonic being here. That’s why the Imperial Celestial sent us…”
Yin Ci let the fox, who was pretending to be divine and babbling, search around on its own.
Joking aside, where was the elixir?
Even if the three-day injury was false, according to the Goddess’ words, the elixir that could cure all ailments did exist. Since there was an elixir, it might also possess extraordinary toxicity. On the path to self-destruction, Yin Ci was always enthusiastic and full of zeal.
Unfortunately, the Goddess was cunning. Demonic Lord Yin searched for a while but couldn’t find anything. After contemplating for a moment, his sinister hand reached out for Lord Bai. Taking advantage of everyone distracting Mian Jie, Yin Ci grabbed the big goose by the neck, lifting it up.
Since there was a convenient tool, why not use it?
Lord Bai let out a resentful honk. Trapped in Yin Ci’s grasp, its eyes filled with anger that was almost tangible.
“If you refuse the toast, you’ll only drink a forfeit*. I have no other choice.” Yin Ci revealed a cold smile, trying to intimidate the goose in his hand. “The elixir is crucial to me. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll cook you as a side dish sooner or later.”
*(敬酒不吃吃罚酒) Idiom referring to submitting to pressure after first turning down a request.
The intimidating aura from three hundred years of experience wasn’t fake. Although Lord Bai was unwilling to yield, it could still bend. Yin Ci wondered what expression a goose could make and caught a glimpse of a taste of “this goose will seek revenge, no matter how long it takes” on its face.
After being released, Lord Bai reluctantly strolled to the bed of the Goddess and then sat down on the ground, looking at Yin Ci with hatred.
This goose demon naturally sought good fortune and avoided calamity. Although it couldn’t pinpoint the exact location, a general direction would suffice.
The mantle of the Goddess’ bed was adorned with a large amount of jade. Yin Ci focused his gaze and noticed something suspicious—the Goddess had wrapped emerald-green liquid in translucent jade, making fake jade ornaments, boldly hiding it right under everyone’s noses.
Yin Ci took off the fake jade and hesitated for a moment before taking a few more pieces.
His master didn’t want to stay here forever. By studying this elixir, perhaps they could find a glimmer of hope.
…Although it was because the golden fire missed this person. Having been accustomed to solitude for so long, Yin Ci wasn’t used to the state of always thinking about another person.
Well, one must be prepared to pay the price. It was just a fleeting moment.
This trip could be considered extremely successful, with substantial gains. However, Shi Jingzhi hadn’t been able to relax the entire time, his face filled with worry.
“A’Ci, everything went too smoothly.” Shi Jingzhi took the elixir and muttered to himself. “It went way too smoothly. There must be trouble ahead.”
Yin Ci: “……” Why is he becoming anxious too? If I had known, I would have left him outside.
Unfortunately, Shi Jingzhi’s premonition was correct.
Mian Jie stepped out of the Goddess’ bedroom first, and everything seemed normal. But the moment Shi Jingzhi stepped out of the room, a sudden change occurred.
A demonic wind erupted from under everyone’s feet. The calligraphy and paintings inside the room instantly fell and shattered. The windstorm rapidly expanded, and the air pressure made it almost impossible to breathe. Countless wind blades poured down, and spiritual qi surged from all directions. The four members of the Kushan Sect were firmly held in place, like sinking into a quagmire, unable to move a step.
The array appeared without any warning that even Yin Ci couldn’t detect it. It seemed to be connected to a large array outside the village, ancient and incredibly powerful.
‘Indeed,’ Yin Ci thought. They took away the elixir and those Threads of Worry. Moreover, they were outsiders, so no matter how one looked at it, they seemed to be up to no good.
This was a matter of silencing them.
Anyone who saw through the truth of the village couldn’t leave this room alive. The large and small arrays outside the Goddess’ house were just bait to confuse the enemy. Yin Ci had been wary of this move long ago. Before entering the house, he had carefully investigated the surroundings but failed to detect this excessively massive array.
This could only prove one thing: The one who set up the array was more powerful than him and more knowledgeable.
…Perhaps they have lived longer than him.
However, Yin Ci was prepared. He grabbed the fox who had an “I knew it” expression all over his face, and pinned him down. Then he crushed a piece of jade filled with the ‘presumed elixir’ and drank half of it, pouring the rest behind him.
Finally, he pressed down on Shi Jingzhi’s head and said, “Shizun, use yang fire!”
Among the people present, only Shi Jingzhi’s inner force was strong enough to resist the suppression of spiritual qi. However, the surrounding wind blades were too strong. If Shi Jingzhi broke free, the entrance would undoubtedly be wide open, and he would either suffer serious injuries or die on the spot.
His cheap master was too young and had a strong will to survive. In an instant, he was bound to make a wrong judgment.
Yin Ci had to keep an eye on him.
Shi Jingzhi had always been quick to react. He unleashed the yang fire to counter the spiritual qi of the wind blades. However, he had initially planned to escape together with Yin Ci but ended up being suppressed by Yin Ci instead, struggling instinctively.
Shi Jingzhi had abundant and powerful inner force. The wind blades were densely packed around them, making it difficult for Yin Ci to hit his acupoints, so Yin Ci bit down on Shi Jingzhi’s earlobe forcefully and said, “Behave, I just drank the elixir. It’s a waste if you don’t use it.”
His bite exerted some force, causing Shi Jingzhi to gasp. “You—”
“I’m fine. It really was the elixir in the jade.”
Yin Ci was already accustomed to the pain of separating from his loved ones. He supported himself with both hands and had a calm expression. With Shi Jingzhi protected beneath him, his bloody back, with its torn flesh, was out of sight.
“Shizun, just use the fire to drive away the wind. I will protect you.”
Yin Ci’s white clothes were soaked in blood, dripping down his shoulders and neck, only to be dispersed by the wind blades and splattered on Shi Jingzhi’s face. Shi Jingzhi stared fixedly at Yin Ci for a while, then raised his hand and wiped away the bloodstains on his own face.
Is human blood really this scorching?
The golden fire silently rose a bit higher.
Seven or eight steps away.
Yan Qing and Su Si walked behind them, not yet leaving the shrine. Yan Qing did something foolish—he tore down the shrine’s curtain while the wind blades were still contained. He quickly wrapped up all the blood bottles on the shelves and stuffed them into his arms.
Su Si cursed loudly.
He was much more cunning than Yan Qing. Seeing the situation wasn’t good, he immediately grabbed the Goddess’ “jade” mantle and covered both of them, like a blanket.
Su Si took all the Goddess’ stock of elixirs in one pot. The supply of elixirs here was quite abundant. However, the two young men lacked sufficient skills and were seriously wounded by the wind blades. They were both bathing in the rain of elixir while crying out in agony.
Fortunately, the two of them had some foundation in martial arts and couldn’t be considered weak. If it were ordinary civilians like Mian Jie, their bones would have been shattered by now.
As the only person who hadn’t suffered, Shi Jingzhi gathered his strength, and the golden flames of the yang fire engulfed half the sky. He forcefully collided with the wind blades using pure power.
Dark clouds pressed down, and earth and stones shattered. The golden flames created a whirlwind, turning everything into hellfire.
Shi Jingzhi couldn’t express his feelings.
A disciple sacrificing himself to protect his master was indeed one of the manifestations of “the bondage of fate”. In theory, he should feel satisfied or moved, but he was not happy at all.
It was said that the bondage of fate brings peace and contentment, yet his first taste left a bitter and astringent feeling in his mouth.
Even though Yin Ci acted as if everything was normal, Shi Jingzhi heard the sound of the wind blades cutting into flesh and smelled the scent of blood filling his nostrils. For a moment, he even felt a sense of confusion.
The world was vast, and he only sought a corner of it. The weak water* had three thousand paths, and he only desired a sip.
*Has different interpretations depending on the context. In terms of mythology, it refers to a mythical river or body of water that represents the boundary between the mortal realm and the afterlife. Metaphorically, it symbolizes the transience and impermanence of life, highlighting the fleeting nature of human existence.
This was the case for all living beings. He followed the path of the mundane, and his thoughts and desires were nothing extraordinary. For over twenty years, he had never doubted this—despite only seeking a glimmer of hope, even if he couldn’t obtain it, he still wanted to taste the various aspects of human life.
So where did he go wrong?
Was what he wanted still not little enough?
This was clearly what he desired, so why, when it was within his grasp, did he feel no satisfaction?
Shi Jingzhi felt a faint pain in his brain, as if something was struggling to break free. He groaned, curled his body, and focused all his consciousness on resisting the wind blades.
This wasn’t the time for wandering thoughts; Shi Jingzhi clenched his teeth.
The time of two incense sticks passed, and the wind blade finally dissipated. The Goddess’ residence had lost its roof, and the surroundings were in complete disarray. The onlooking villagers had disappeared without a trace.
Those two incense sticks seemed as long as two lifetimes. Not to mention Yan Qing, even Su Si had never experienced such hardship. The two young men were hugging each other in a bloody ball, looking quite miserable. Yin Ci let out a long sigh of relief and released Shi Jingzhi.
“That was a ruthless move. If it weren’t for Yan Qing’s quick reaction in protecting the blood bottles, the entire village would have turned to dust.” Yin Ci shook the unconscious young men.
“A’Ci.”
“Su Si also has some skills. He timely snatched the mantle of elixirs. Otherwise, it would have been just the two of us left in the Kushan Sect… Now, there are only a few elixirs left in Shizun’s hands. Shizun, please take good care of them.”
“A’Ci!”
“Hmm?”
“Although you’ve changed your appearance and kept many things from me, there is something I still want to say.”
Shi Jingzhi’s tone was exceptionally serious, even more so than in the Ghost Tomb.
“…Listen well. As your Master, I will never let you down.”
The author has something to say:
Composition of the Kushan Sect: One sect leader who opposes the Chigou Sect, a descendant of the Ling Sect’s Hierarch, a deserter from the Chigou Sect, and another descendant of the Chigou Sect’s Patriarch (on the surface).
Matron Wuxue: What kind of strange composition is this? Call the police.
