“What? Are you going to talk or not?” Yu Qingci stared coldly at the girl before him, whose life seemed moments away from slipping out entirely.
“I… don’t… know… what you’re talking about…” Tong Huanyou felt that familiar sensation of death once again flooding her senses.
Damn it.
Might as well just die.
At that thought, she gritted her teeth and prepared to stop struggling altogether—ready to reload from another save point.
But at the instant Yu Qingci sensed her completely losing the will to survive, something flickered in his eyes.
He suddenly loosened his grip and flung her aside.
He couldn’t kill her yet.
“Cough—cough!”
Tong Huanyou collapsed weakly onto the ground as air rushed violently back into her lungs, making her cough uncontrollably.
“You should be grateful that you’re still useful.”
Yu Qingci had already returned to his usual cold expression, looking down at her from above.
Exactly like the first time in the forest—
When he had stabbed straight through her body without hesitation.
After finally catching her breath, Tong Huanyou suppressed her anger and snapped:
“Please. I was only trying to remind you to value your own life.”
“If you didn’t want to hear it, you could’ve just said so. Did you really have to try and kill me?”
“And besides, if you killed me right now, how exactly would you explain that to Big Sister Song?”
Yu Qingci raised a brow.
“Are you threatening me?”
Tong Huanyou immediately shook her head like a rattling drum.
“No, no…”
Reject self-generated misunderstandings.
Reject taking things out of context.
Yu Qingci sneered and ignored her completely. Lowering his gaze toward the unconscious missing girl on the ground, he crouched down and examined her by lifting her chin.
Tong Huanyou rubbed her throat, which still ached from nearly being crushed, and secretly glared fiercely at him.
Just you wait, bastard.
Sooner or later, I’m getting revenge for this.
She would swallow this grievance for now—but one day she’d spit it right back out.
Otherwise her surname wasn’t Tong!
“She’s only had her yin essence drained.”
Yu Qingci stood up. A talisman appeared between his fingers. With a light flick of his hand, he pressed it onto the girl’s forehead.
“If she’s still alive,” Tong Huanyou asked after calming down a little, “does that mean the other missing people might not be dead either?”
Yu Qingci replied indifferently, “Perhaps.”
He lifted his head to look at the half-hidden full moon obscured by dark clouds.
The evil spirit wasn’t particularly powerful…
But it was undeniably cunning.
To avoid future trouble, he still needed to make another trip to the Zhang residence.
With that thought, Yu Qingci stepped directly over the unconscious girl and headed toward the courtyard exit.
Tong Huanyou panicked.
“Where are you going?”
“That has nothing to do with you.”
“…”
Tong Huanyou rolled her eyes.
Silently, she walked over to the unconscious girl.
“I’ll get you a doctor first… then go chase after that black-hearted bastard.”
So she carried the unconscious girl back into her room before leaving the courtyard.
Before she even reached the main hall, she noticed a figure pacing anxiously beneath the flickering candlelight.
Tong Huanyou froze briefly.
Only then did she realize that Master Tong had been so worried about her safety that he hadn’t slept all night.
She stepped forward and called softly:
“Father.”
Master Tong immediately turned around. Seeing Tong Huanyou standing safely at the doorway, the worry on his face finally eased slightly.
He hurried over, nervously grabbing her arms while inspecting her from head to toe.
“My precious daughter, let Father take a good look at you! Are you hurt anywhere? Are you alright?”
Tong Huanyou smiled sweetly.
“I’m fine, Father.”
Only then did Master Tong finally relax.
“It’s good that you’re alright. Have the immortals already eliminated that evil spirit? Should we invite more immortals to perform rituals? Cleanse the evil energy from your courtyard? No! Father will have a brand-new courtyard built for you tomorrow!”
Tong Huanyou was nearly overwhelmed by the flood of concern and hurriedly waved her hands.
“No need, no need, Father.”
Then she quickly added:
“Oh right, there’s one of the previously missing girls in my courtyard. Could Father please invite a doctor to examine her?”
“How did one of the missing girls end up in your courtyard?”
Before Master Tong could question further, Tong Huanyou suddenly turned around and said:
“Um… Father, I’m exhausted after everything tonight. I’ll just sleep in Big Sister Song’s guest room tonight, okay? Unless it’s important, don’t come looking for me!”
The moment she finished speaking, she immediately bolted toward the courtyard exit.
Master Tong shouted after her:
“Do you want Father to bring you some calming incense for sleep?!”
Tong Huanyou waved while running.
“No need, Father!”
She claimed she was going to sleep, but in truth, she simply didn’t want her father worrying further.
As long as she reassured him she was safe, that was enough.
After leaving the hall, Tong Huanyou headed straight for the front gate without stopping for even a moment.
Once she confirmed nobody was around, she quietly slipped outside.
The night was deep and silent. The streets were already completely deserted.
Tong Huanyou: System, can you locate where that black-hearted bastard went?
【System: According to detection, Yu Qingci is currently heading toward the Zhang residence.】
Tong Huanyou froze.
The Zhang residence?
Could it be because of that stone statue?
Given how ruthless that black-hearted man was, he wasn’t planning to slaughter the Zhang couple too, was he?!
No way.
She had to catch up to him.
The moment that thought appeared, Tong Huanyou immediately pulled out a pair of Speed Shoes from the system inventory and put them on without hesitation.
Instantly, it felt as though turbo engines had been installed beneath her feet as she began sprinting wildly through the dark empty streets.
Buildings on both sides blurred backward rapidly while the cold night wind lashed painfully against her face.
“T-too fast! Oh my god! System! I’m really not in a hurry to reincarnate yet!!”
In the blink of an eye, Tong Huanyou arrived at the Zhang residence.
Unfortunately, she was moving far too quickly to control herself.
Flailing her arms wildly in panic, she shouted:
“Hey hey hey—!”
At the same moment, inside the Zhang family courtyard, a shadow quietly appeared behind Yu Qingci.
Yu Qingci’s brows lifted slightly.
His deep eyes narrowed dangerously as murderous intent surged within them.
Just as he prepared to kill the intruder in a single strike—
Tong Huanyou suddenly burst into the courtyard.
“Move! Move aside! I can’t brake! Hey hey hey—!”
The two people in the courtyard didn’t even have time to react.
“BOOM!”
Like a human cannonball, Tong Huanyou crashed directly into the person.
Yu Qingci swiftly sidestepped the incoming human shockwave with lightning-fast reflexes and calmly watched the two tumble aside together.
“DUANG!”
The unfortunate man slammed heavily into the ground, his head smacking against the floor. Before he could even scream, his eyes rolled back and he fainted instantly.
Yu Qingci’s gaze darkened.
“Miss Tong… have you recently learned some new sort of circus performance?”
Tong Huanyou’s lips twitched awkwardly. She hurriedly stood up and dusted herself off before flashing him a grin.
“Exclusive skill: High-Speed Drift. If Young Master Yu wants to learn it, I can teach you~”
Yu Qingci glanced at her twice before letting out a mocking laugh.
“Yu’s cultivation has not deteriorated to the point where I’d need to learn Miss Tong’s barbaric bear tackle.”
Tong Huanyou forced a fake smile and muttered quietly:
“…You’re the bear. Your whole family are bears.”
Just as she was silently complaining, she looked down at the unconscious man she had knocked out and realized he seemed familiar.
Looking carefully—
It was actually Brother Zhang.
Thankfully she arrived in time.
Being knocked unconscious was still better than getting killed by the black-hearted bastard.
“Speaking of which,” Yu Qingci said, tilting his head slightly with obvious suspicion in his tone, “how did Miss Tong happen to come here?”
Tong Huanyou paused briefly before her eyes darted around.
Then she smoothly improvised:
“Well, I was worried your injuries hadn’t healed yet, and if you came hunting demons again you’d worsen them.”
Yu Qingci looked as though he’d just heard a joke.
“You’re worried about me?” His tone carried faint amusement. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about Xie Zhili instead?”