To buy Yan Wuyou enough time to investigate the Demon Array laid in the Lin residence ten years ago, Lin Yao deliberately walked slowly. “Madam Luo, you look unwell. Are you feeling ill? I’ve heard you and Master Luo have had no children. I’ve studied some medical arts—would you like me to check your pulse?”
Lin Shiyu’s expression instantly darkened. “All things follow their destined paths. How can one force what isn’t meant to be?”
Lin Yao smiled faintly. “Indeed, all things follow their destined paths. They cannot be forced!”
As the saying goes, when minds don’t meet, even half a sentence is too many. Coupled with their separate preoccupations, both fell into silence. They stopped before a small courtyard lush with green bamboo.
“Aren’t you coming in, Miss Yan?” Lin Shiyu asked with a smile.
Lin Yao also smiled. “With just the two of us, wouldn’t it be too quiet?” As she spoke, she flung a Talisman toward a dark corner. The Talisman ignited instantly, disrupting the black-clad figure’s Aura Concealment Technique.
Lin Shiyu frowned. Who was this? Before she could ponder further, Lin Yao seized her and leaped into the courtyard. The black-clad figure remained unflustered, casually casting a Demon Array that enveloped the courtyard before jumping in himself.
The small courtyard twisted and rapidly reassembled, transforming into a dilapidated hut. This was Lin Shiyu’s Demon Array!
The three stood poised for battle, each wary of the others gaining an advantage, and none dared act rashly.
“Leave her behind. Leave now, and I’ll spare your life,” the black-clad figure said to Lin Shiyu.
“Why should I?”
The black-clad figure sneered. “A mere Cat Demon, still unaccomplished. I merely pity your arduous cultivation.”
Lin Yao said to Lin Shiyu, “He’s gravely ill. Should we join forces first?”
Lin Shiyu stared intently at the black-clad figure and suddenly laughed. “You were the one who sent that letter, weren’t you? You lured me to retrieve the Bone Exchange Pill from her, so you could reap the rewards!”
“What if I did? If you insist on seeking death, then perish!” The black-clad figure’s gaze turned icy as he shouted, “Kongming—”
Kongming’s arrival shattered the three-way stalemate. He struck directly at Lin Shiyu with his palm. No longer hiding her true nature, Lin Shiyu revealed her Cat Demon Form and engaged Kongming in a fierce struggle.
“Make it quick. That boy in the main hall won’t hold out much longer,” the black-clad figure said, his palm strikes fierce as he attacked Lin Yao.
Clang—
Sword Qi tore through the array.
Without a word, Yan Wuyou swung his sword at the black-clad figure.
Forced to switch from offense to defense, the black-clad figure retreated repeatedly. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yao moved to stand beside Yan Wuyou, and together they pressed their attack.
Though the Cat Demon’s cultivation was not as deep as Kongming’s, she fought with desperate resolve. Her desire to become human was overwhelming. Tao Wu’s Essence Crystal could be refined into a Bone Exchange Pill, but Tao Wu had always resided in Great Flame Mountain—the Demon King’s territory, a place she dared not venture. Now, the Essence Crystal was right there on Lin Yao. If she missed this chance today, there would be no other! Thus, she exchanged blows with Kongming, but ultimately, she was no match for him, growing increasingly exhausted as the battle wore on.
“Madam Luo, these two Demons destroyed the Qi Gathering Demon Array in your courtyard!” Yan Wuyou fanned the flames.
So that was why she was weakening—the Qi Gathering Demon Array she had set up in the residence had been destroyed! How infuriating!
The Cat Demon slashed her arms with her sharp claws, offering her Demon Blood as a sacrifice to amplify her demonic power!
“He wasn’t in the flower hall?” Kongming roared in anger. He had originally intended to quickly deal with the Cat Demon and assist the man in black, but unexpectedly, this Cat Demon had gone mad, using its own Demon Blood as sacrifice in every vicious move—harming the enemy a thousand while injuring itself eight hundred. It truly had no regard for its own life!
“We’ve been tricked!” On the other side, the man in black was clearly struggling against Yan Wuyou and Lin Yao. Yan Wuyou’s attacks were not only ruthless but also despicable, each strike aimed at his face, which had already been cut several times by the sword’s edge. Combined with the battle at Maoling Mountain Cave, which had drained much of his and Kongming’s energy, they wouldn’t have resorted to using the Cat Demon as a distraction otherwise.
Lin Yao and Yan Wuyou grew more ferocious as they fought, one attacking high and the other low, coordinating seamlessly. Just as the man in black was about to collapse, Yan Wuyou’s sword flicked off his mask—
“Wuxin?” Yan Wuyou was momentarily stunned.
They couldn’t afford to prolong the fight! Seizing Yan Wuyou’s brief hesitation, the man in black decisively commanded: “Kongming, retreat—” With that, the two leaped away and fled.
Just as Lin Yao was about to give chase, Yan Wuyou snapped back to his senses and grabbed her arm: “Two against two—we might not gain the upper hand.”
Lin Yao nodded. Wang Chuan’s build was nearly identical to Yan Wuyou’s. Dressed in Yan Wuyou’s clothes with slightly shortened hair, it was difficult to distinguish them from behind at a glance. That was why the hidden man in black had fallen for the trick, believing Yan Wuyou had been chatting with Luo Ziming in the flower hall all along.
Both turned their attention to the Cat Demon—
Having exhausted most of its energy and Demon Blood in the fight with Kongming, the Cat Demon knew it was outmatched and ceased its desperate resistance.
The Cat Demon transformed into Lin Shiyu, her body covered in bloodstains. She pleaded: “I alone am responsible for my actions. Luo Ziming is innocent. I only beg you to spare him—do with me as you will.”
Lin Yao and Yan Wuyou remained noncommittal. Whether Luo Ziming was innocent wasn’t for them to decide, but for the authorities.
They brought Lin Shiyu back to the flower hall.
In the flower hall, besides Wang Chuan and Luo Ziming, were the Qiucheng Prefect and a group of constables. The exterior had also been surrounded by officers. Ye Qiusheng had always been reliable, and this time was no exception. When leaving Qiuyue Tower, Yan Wuyou had arranged with him the timing to alert the authorities.
“Luo He—” Luo Ziming exclaimed at the sight of the blood-soaked “Lin Shiyu,” then collapsed onto a stool.
“Let me tell you all a story…”
Luo Ziming was originally a poor but handsome scholar from the outskirts of the city. After his parents passed away, he received support from Old Master Lin to focus on his studies, but this inadvertently attracted the obsessive attention of the Lin family’s young lady. That day, he refused the scented handkerchief sent by Miss Lin and subsequently declined further assistance from Old Master Lin.
Within three days, he received an invitation to a banquet at the Lin residence. It was Old Master Lin’s birthday celebration—an event he couldn’t refuse.
“Nephew Luo, please drink this cup to the brim.” Old Master Lin raised his glass cheerfully. “When you achieve success in the imperial examinations, don’t forget this old man!”
Unable to decline, Luo Ziming drank several cups in succession until his vision gradually blurred: “This humble scholar cannot hold his liquor well. I beg your forgiveness, Old Master Lin.”
Old Master Lin ordered a servant to take him to a side hall to sober up. Dazed and confused along the way, he was led to a room where the servant then withdrew. Shortly after, the door creaked open, and Miss Lin approached him slowly, wearing only a sheer sleeping gown.
“Young Master Luo…”
That coquettish cry startled Luo Ziming into abruptly standing up, half-sobered: “Miss Lin, please maintain your dignity!”
“Self-respect?” Lin Shiyu chuckled lightly, pushing him with her hand. He stumbled unsteadily and fell onto the couch. She caressed his cheek: “Countless men dream of entering my chambers yet cannot. Why must Young Master Luo pretend to be reserved?”
Luo Ziming abruptly swatted her hand away, staggering off the couch and knocking over the nearby incense burner. Ashes scattered across the floor, but the scent of the aphrodisiac incense grew even more intense. He forced himself to rush out the door—
“You!” Lin Shiyu had thought success was inevitable, never expecting such fierce resistance. Shame and anger overwhelmed her.
Luo Ziming fled in panic, not knowing where he was going until he collided with someone.
“What troubles you, Nephew Luo?”
“Master Lin…” Luo Ziming panted, his clothes disheveled, “I…”
Master Lin seemed to understand, sighing deeply: “My daughter acted foolishly, so foolish… Nephew Luo, I’ll escort you out of the estate, but this matter must never reach others’ ears.”
Luo Ziming nodded repeatedly. If this were spread, it would damage Miss Lin’s reputation—of course he wouldn’t speak of it. He followed Master Lin through several corridors until they reached an artificial hill. Master Lin pressed a hidden mechanism in the shadows, and a concealed door appeared.
Luo Ziming sensed danger and tried to run, but a sharp pain struck the back of his neck, plunging his vision into darkness.
When he awoke, he found himself in a stone chamber, his limbs shackled with iron chains. The room was furnished like any other, except for some unspeakable instruments placed in the corner.
“Awake?” Master Lin entered, pushing the door open.
“Master Lin, I won’t speak carelessly and ruin the young lady’s reputation. Please spare me,” Luo Ziming begged, struggling as the chains clanked loudly.
Master Lin’s hand caressed his face, the touch sending a shudder through his body—more nauseating than Lin Shiyu’s touch.
“Do you know why I only have Shiyu as a daughter?” Master Lin’s hand slowly moved downward, undoing his belt. “I have little interest in women, but I dearly adore young men like you.”
Luo Ziming’s pupils contracted sharply. Finally, he understood his predicament, and finally, he understood why Lady Lin had died of melancholy.
“No—!” His scream echoed through the stone chamber, unheard by anyone.
Day after day, Luo Ziming endured endless torment in the lightless underground chamber. Master Lin would sometimes speak gently, other times act with brutal cruelty, treating him like a plaything to abuse at will. He tried to resist, but it was useless…
If he couldn’t choose how to live, then he wouldn’t live at all! So he began to refuse food.
“Life isn’t yours to choose, nor is death.” Master Lin violently forced bowl after bowl of rice porridge down his throat…
Heaven is unjust! Why do villains live freely while an honest person like him suffers such torment for no reason? He hated!
Just as he cursed this unfair world, a black cat slipped in through a hole in the wall.
“Nowhere to go either?” Luo Ziming asked hoarsely, tossing a steamed bun from the table. The cat sniffed it cautiously before eating it in small bites. After finishing, it licked its paws, leaped up to the hole, and slipped out.
The next day, it returned.
From then on, Luo Ziming would save some food each day to feed it. Sometimes a bit of rice, sometimes a small piece of meat—since he’d stopped resisting fiercely, Master Lin had given him better food, perhaps hoping he’d live longer for his amusement.
Feeding the cat had become Luo Ziming’s sole reason for living. He would talk to the black cat, telling it about the books he had read, the world outside, and the free life he once had. The black cat always listened quietly, occasionally rubbing its head against his wrists chafed raw by iron chains, as if comforting him.
“If I can get out of here,” Luo Ziming stroked the cat’s smooth fur, “I’ll take you with me and give you a home.”
The black cat’s amber eyes shone with a dazzling light in the darkness.
A year later, Luo Ziming’s body had become broken and frail. Old Master Lin had lost interest in him, sending less and less food.
“Father has acquired a new opera performer,” Lin Shiyu came to humiliate him, “whose appearance and figure are no worse than yours back in the day. Look at you now – a withered flower, a broken willow. Was it worth it in the beginning?”
Luo Ziming listened expressionlessly, his heart already devoid of ripples. A year of imprisonment and humiliation had long extinguished all his dignity.
Finally, one day, he fell gravely ill, hovering between life and death. Several servants entered, unfastened his chains, and threw him onto a horse-drawn cart. When he woke again, he found himself in a mass burial ground. Staring blankly at the gray sky, he laughed silently. So this is how it ends, he thought. At least I’ll die free.