This laughter stretched the three individuals’ taut nerves to their breaking point. All three shuddered simultaneously, turning their gaze toward the source of the sound. There, in the corner of the tomb chamber, another Madam He suddenly appeared!
“This is too eerie, another one has come!”
“It’s you!” Lin Yao recognized the voice—it was none other than the Illusion Demon from the Matchmaker Temple!
Yan Wuyou steadied himself slightly, regaining his composure. He pulled Lin Yao behind him with a backward motion and whispered, “Give them a taste of their own medicine.” With that, he stepped forward, unslung his wooden zither, and—twang!
A sharp, piercing melody shot forth, giving Madam He no chance to react.
“Cousin, you’ve made me suffer terribly!” Yan Wuyou played while crying out as if his heart were being torn apart.
Madam He froze momentarily, murmuring, “Cousin…”
Understanding his intention, Lin Yao seized the moment of the Illusion Demon’s distraction. She dug her nails deeply into her palm, the pain bringing tears streaming down her face as she beat her chest and wailed loudly—
“Mother—” she sobbed behind her hands, her expression grief-stricken, “Mother, I’m Wan’er… I’ve missed you so much…”
“Wan’er…” The originally vacant, scattered light in Madam He’s eyes gradually gathered focus. “My Wan’er!”
Lin Yao imitated He Wanyin’s voice and mannerisms, taking a few steps closer to her with an earnest gaze. “Mother, what exactly happened back then? Do you know how they… how they all talked about you and Uncle…”
“Cousin… I…” As if recalling some extremely terrifying past events, she suddenly let out a piercing scream. “Ah—no, no—”
Seeing this, Yan Wuyou gently stroked the zither strings. The previously fierce and turbulent melody immediately softened. The maddened Madam He gradually calmed down and began to unveil the sealed events from ten years ago…
Madam He’s original name was Lin Rushuang. After marrying into the He family, she and He Zhang maintained mutual respect. After giving birth to a son and daughter, He Zhang didn’t take any concubines, and she had secretly rejoiced at having found a good match.
Until one day, she woke from a nightmare in the middle of the night to find the pillow beside her empty. Thinking He Zhang might have gone to relieve himself, Lin Rushuang went back to sleep.
But after waking startled, she couldn’t fall asleep again. She decided to lie awake waiting for He Zhang. She waited for a full hour, drifting in and out of sleep, before He Zhang finally crept back in from outside and immediately fell asleep upon lying down.
Lin Rushuang didn’t think much of it at first, but unexpectedly, He Zhang continued like this for several consecutive nights.
This time, Lin Rushuang grew alarmed: Recently, her husband had been cold and distant toward her. Could it be that he had taken a liking to one of the maids in the residence?
So she tentatively said: “If my lord has taken a fancy to any woman, you’re welcome to take her as a concubine.” Why must you be so secretive about it?”
“Nonsense.” With these words, He Zhang left with a cold expression, flicking his sleeve.
Doing it but not admitting it—what was he trying to achieve? Lin Rushuang felt both angry and wronged. Coincidentally, her cousin Zhong Xueyan was visiting the residence, so she told him everything that had happened.
“In that case, why not follow him tonight to see?” Zhong Xueyan suggested, then hesitated slightly. “But cousin, if it truly is as you suspect, what will you do?”
Lin Rushuang bit her lip tightly, shook her head, and finally steeled her heart: She would rather know the truth, even if it killed her!
That night at the hour of zi, He Zhang indeed got up from bed and went out.
After he had gone some distance, Lin Rushuang quietly followed him out, while Zhong Xueyan, who had long been hiding around the corner, also trailed along. The two followed him all the way to the entrance of the West Courtyard, only to see He Zhang leap into the well with a sudden jump—
Their jaws dropped in shock. Though it was a dry well, jumping down so recklessly would surely result in death or at least broken legs! In their panic, they could no longer hesitate and rushed into the courtyard.
“Cousin, why is there no sound from the master? Could he be dead?” Lin Rushuang leaned over the edge of the well, frantic with worry.
Zhong Xueyan was so frightened that cold sweat poured down his face. He couldn’t decide whether to call for help or not, his lips trembling uncontrollably: “If something really happens and someone sees us, we won’t be able to explain it, we just won’t…” Shaking, he pulled a fire starter from his waist, lit it, and shone it into the well: there was nothing there!
How strange! Neither of them dared to descend into the well, so they had no choice but to hide behind the slanting willow tree, waiting to see what would happen.
Just as they were trembling with fear, He Zhang suddenly leaped out of the well from the bottom. Lin Rushuang was so startled she quickly covered her mouth. Unexpectedly, He Zhang twisted his neck in an extremely bizarre manner and thrust his head behind the tree!
Before the two could even scream, He Zhang grabbed them by the necks. He lifted Zhong Xueyan high into the air and slammed him heavily against the edge of the well, knocking him unconscious on the spot.
“Please, spare me, for the sake of my children,” Lin Rushuang struggled to speak, her voice strained.
She felt her neck loosen, and her entire body collapsed to the ground. Just as she thought He Zhang had shown mercy out of past affection, something bizarre happened—
She found that she had taken on her cousin’s appearance, with only her hands remaining as they were. In horror, she looked at her cousin and realized he had transformed into her own likeness! Against her will, she picked up a brick from the ground and walked step by step toward “herself.”
No—stop!
By the time she was pounding heavily on “herself,” she had already gone mad!
And He Zhang coldly manipulated it all.
“When I returned to my own form, I looked at my cousin, battered and bloody, and in despair, I jumped into the well and killed myself.”
“Then why did you appear at the Matchmaker Temple?”
“Originally, I couldn’t leave. After my death, my soul was imprisoned in the well by him, trapped in endless illusions, suffering unbearably. He said he had found the secret to immortality, but eternal life alone was too lonely, so he wanted me to accompany him and guard his body. Otherwise, he would send Wan’er down to join me.”
The three of them listened in disbelief, their eyes turning to the withered, grotesque corpse—this was actually He Zhang!
“Yesterday, he suddenly told me that if I could retrieve a certain object, I could be reborn and start anew. He said he had a way to arrange an identity for me to enter the mansion, and I would be able to see my Wan’er every day…”
Lin Yao sneered, “Since when was He Zhang so kind-hearted?”
“I questioned him the same way, but he said the opportunity was a one-time offer.” Madam He sobbed softly, “I know it’s wrong to harm others, but I… I truly wanted to see my daughter, even if just once.”
Yan Wuyou put away his qin and, while listening, carefully circled around He Zhang, examining him closely: Had this half-dead creature achieved immortality?
Unable to reach a conclusion, he swiftly formed a hand seal and ignited Talisman Fire, reaching out toward him—Unexpectedly, the “Madam He” who had been lying peacefully in the coffin suddenly sat upright, spreading her fingers as her nails elongated several inches, thrusting toward Yan Wuyou!
Yan Wuyou swiftly dodged, quickly forming a Karma Breaking Seal that struck “Madam He” squarely—the once lifelike “Madam He” instantly transformed into a paper effigy, writhing and burning within the seal before ultimately turning to ashes. The original skeletal remains inside the coffin were abruptly exposed before them!
“This is my true body,” Madam He uttered with a bitter laugh. “He used the paper effigy to suppress my corpse, preventing my soul from returning; then made the effigy take my form, forcing me to relive those memories daily until I descended into madness, transforming into a demon under his control.”
After speaking, Madam He fixed her gaze on Lin Yao. “You are not my Wan’er.”
“I may not be your cousin, but I can restore your humanity!” Seeing hope flicker in Madam He’s eyes, Yan Wuyou shrugged. “Don’t misunderstand—as a Demon Hunter, I cannot practice forbidden arts that defy natural order. Once we eliminate He Zhang, I’ll release your seal and guide your passing.”
“But may I see Wan’er one last time?” Madam He pleaded with desperate hope.
Yan Wuyou shook his head resolutely. “The realms of living and dead must remain separate—meeting would only bring her calamity. Besides, didn’t you already encounter each other at the Matchmaker’s Temple?”
“Look—he’s moving!” Xiao Yuanzi suddenly stammered, pointing tremblingly at He Zhang.
“Traitorous wretch! Conspiring with outsiders against me!” A powerful palm strike accompanied the roar from the tomb entrance, slamming Madam He against the wall and immobilizing her. Immediately, a disheveled “He Zhang” flashed through the doorway—the very one He Lian Mingche had lured away earlier.
“He Zhang” stiffened his neck arrogantly. “Mere mortals dare obstruct me?”
His pupils instantly flooded with crimson as overwhelming murderous intent radiated from his form, causing the oil lamps on the tomb walls to flicker violently—
In that critical moment, Yan Wuyou swiftly conjured a Shield Seal before the three of them.
BANG—
A tremendous demonic force struck the shield, forcing even the profoundly skilled Yan Wuyou two steps backward despite his deep internal strength!
Yan Wuyou drew a pitch-black Dark Iron Sword from his qin, eyes sharpening as he declared coldly: “A mere Automaton Puppet, not even human, dares challenge me? Break—”
Lin Yao released her palm, unleashing the long-restless Essence Crystal Power with full force—
Their combined assault drove “He Zhang” stumbling backward. Seizing the opening, Yan Wuyou suddenly smirked, ignited Talisman Fire, and spun to strike the coffin—
“He Zhang’s” eyes widened in terror as he instantly reverted to a paper effigy, dropping into the coffin.
THUMP-THUMP—
Violent heartbeat sounds erupted from the coffin. Then, the genuine He Zhang rose upright into the air along with the entire coffin!
“Such prowess at your age! Why not slaughter them all and join me in eternal life?” He Zhang tempted, gazing at Yan Wuyou.
Yan Wuyou scoffed. “If immortality is so glorious, why do you still crave mortality?” Before finishing, he’d already gathered energy to wield his sword—the Wind Piercing Sword spun through the air, striking fiercely toward He Zhang—
Yet He Zhang merely extended two withered fingers, flicking lightly to send the Wind Piercing Sword flying away.
“Young man, I cherish talent, so allow me to teach you further.” He Zhang waved his arms, and crimson Hanging Trigrams materialized across the tomb ceiling. “The triple trigrams lock souls above—six-three reaches extreme yin yet belongs to yang! This chamber appears yin in nature, but is in fact a yang trigram! Your pure yang cultivation cannot break—” He threw his head back in roaring laughter.
The air froze for an instant. Then Lin Yao’s voice thundered: “He can’t do it, but I can!”