Everyone exchanged glances, falling silent for a moment, hearing only the rhythmic knocking at the door continuing.
The person outside, having waited without a response, began pounding on the door with increasing urgency.
Li Xingdao calmly stepped forward and asked, “Who is it?”
“It’s me, A Cui. A Bao needs to be fed. I’ve come to nurse her.”
Hearing the familiar voice, Bu Quegan sighed in relief and smiled. “So it’s A Cui.” As he spoke, he reached out to open the door.
Chen Fuzhou grabbed his hand, which was already on the doorknob, frowned, and said sternly, “How could A Cui, a weak patient, come here? And how would she know we’re here?”
Bu Quegan’s mind raced, and once he understood, he shuddered and took two steps back, trembling as he shouted, “Who are you really?”
The person at the door persisted stubbornly, “I am A Cui! Let me in! A Bao is hungry, let me in!”
Chen Fuzhou said coldly, “Stop pretending.”
The knocking abruptly ceased.
“Do you think locking the door will keep me out? How naive! I knocked only to give you little Cultivators some face, to let you prepare yourselves so you wouldn’t piss yourselves in fright and dirty my eyes!” The person outside laughed arrogantly.
She shouted coldly, “Open!” and immediately kicked the door.
With a loud crash, “A Cui” landed face-down on the ground, limbs splayed, looking up in disbelief at the five people surrounding her like a turtle stretching its neck.
How could this be? Shouldn’t she have made a grand entrance, scaring these brats into kneeling and begging for mercy?
“Hahahaha…”
“A Cui” gritted her teeth. These arrogant Cultivators actually dared to laugh! Just wait until she got up and taught them a lesson!
But before she could rise, Li Xingdao and Bu Quegan grabbed the prepared Demon-binding rope and tightly bound her to the door panel.
“You didn’t think we’d just stupidly block the door, did you?” Chen Fuzhou crouched down and yanked the pouch from her waist. Jinshu glanced over and was surprised to find it identical to the one she had seen in the ancestral hall.
“A Cui” clearly hadn’t noticed her empty waist. She roared indignantly, “You… you lunatics! Cultivators in stories aren’t like this!”
Chen Fuzhou smiled, his eyes curving, and mercilessly mocked, “Has your village fallen so far behind? Even Cultivators from ten years ago weren’t this foolish.”
Jinshu also clapped her hands and laughed. “Maybe you lost because we’re New Sect cultivators! It seems Yanjian Village’s reform and opening-up can’t wait any longer!”
“A Cui” contorted her face, her expression frenzied, clearly enraged by these “New Sect cultivators.”
Li Xingdao frowned and pressed, “Why are you unharmed? Aren’t you a demon?”
“A Cui” sneered, “Do you think your formation array was useless?”
“The reason I arrived so late was actually hindered by that formation array. I was worried it might ruin my plans, but who would have thought that fool Yang Dafu, that greedy idiot, would think those four jade statues were valuable? Seeing that I hadn’t shown up for a long time, he assumed I’d let him off tonight, so while all of you were inside the house, he stole the jade statues. I really have to thank him—if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have succeeded so easily, hahaha!”
Li Xingdao naturally hadn’t expected that scoundrel Yang Dafu could be so shameless, prioritizing a few valuable jade statues over his own instructions. His face turned ashen as he heavily sat back down in his chair.
“A Cui,” seeing someone else finally suffer a setback, felt much more at ease.
Jinshu also crouched down and curiously poked her back, asking, “How long have you been hiding in A Cui’s body? Three months? Or even longer?”
“A Cui” had only been pleased for a moment before she exclaimed in surprise, “What nonsense are you talking? I only possessed her body tonight! This body is sickly and weak—it’s unbearable! Once I succeed in my cultivation, I’ll take over your little body instead—young, strong, fair-skinned, and beautiful. I like that the most!”
Jinshu showed disdain, curling her lips and saying, “Stop being stubborn like a dead duck. From the moment we saw you, we knew you weren’t the real A Cui.”
“A Cui” glared fiercely, “If you’re trying to trick me, just say it outright. Stop beating around the bush.”
Seeing that she still refused to admit it even at this point, Yan Lin sighed and said directly, “After all, we are disciples of the Number One Sect under Heaven. How could we possibly lack real skills? The one who examined you yesterday was Bu Quegan, the sect leader’s personal disciple, who is extremely skilled in medicine.”
Bu Quegan proudly continued, “The moment I took your pulse, I knew there was another soul inside A Cui’s body. Two souls fighting each other, yin and yang reversed—a mortal body can’t endure that for long, so it grows weaker and weaker, with yang energy leaking out, leading to a short lifespan. You disguised yourself well, and the symptoms closely resembled postpartum weakness. But as more time passed since the childbirth, the illness became increasingly suspicious. Even if it hadn’t been me yesterday, someone would likely have noticed something off sooner or later.”
Yesterday, right after leaving Yang Gui’s house, Bu Quegan had shared his observations with the group. The earlier carelessness and underestimation in the room, as well as the panic upon hearing the knocking, were all tactics to confuse “A Cui.” The door that could be pushed open with a single shove and the Demon-binding rope had also been prepared in advance. However, they hadn’t expected her to be foolish enough to fall for it. If these plans had failed, there were other torments waiting for her.
Upon hearing this, “A Cui” finally stopped struggling. She turned sideways and stared sinisterly at the two children on the bed, bursting into laughter until tears streamed down her face. On that thin, pale, ordinary woman’s face, the mixture of laughter and tears appeared utterly eerie.
Her two hands clawed fiercely at the door panel, her long nails carving deep marks into the wood. Her fingers were scraped raw by the cheap timber, oozing dark red, sticky blood that left two stark bloody handprints on the door—a sight that sent chills down the spine.
Jinshu clicked her tongue inwardly, thinking that tomorrow this house would likely be considered a haunted place. She wondered how terrified those two handprints would make Yang Dafu.
Chen Fuzhou took out the pouch he had earlier torn from “A Cui’s” waist and waved it before her eyes. Her sharp laughter abruptly ceased, replaced by a hysterical scream: “Give me back my pouch! Give it back!”
Jinshu calmly tucked the pouch away and asked patiently, “This pouch is very important to you, isn’t it? Let me guess—did you sew it for your daughter? If you want it back, you must honestly answer a few questions. Who exactly are you? What is really going on with the sacrifice in Yanjian Village? And what do you know about Hariti in the ancestral hall?”
A flicker of murderous intent flashed in “A Cui’s” eyes as she replied with a half-smile, “I advise you not to meddle in this. I am doing all this only for revenge. I will not harm any innocent lives. But if you insist on stopping me, I will not spare you either! Even if I must fall into eternal darkness, I will drag all my enemies down with me!” Her shrill laughter rang out again: “Did you think such trivial tricks could trap me? Unfortunately, my resolve for revenge is the most powerful weapon in the world. No one can escape my blade!”
With that, “A Cui” rolled her eyes and fainted.
The sudden turn of events left everyone speechless. Jinshu cautiously placed a finger near her nostrils and, sensing a steady and strong breath, let out a sigh of relief: “She’s still alive. She should be fine.”
Suddenly, Yan Lin screamed, “Oh no!”
Jinshu turned around, her expression shifting abruptly. The tightly locked window was now wide open, and a howling wind rushed in. The summer wind carried a stifling heat, clinging heavily to their skin and bringing wave after wave of oppressive discomfort.
The tabby cat from the ancestral hall now stood proudly on the windowsill, its head held high as it surveyed the group with contempt. Yang You Qian’s swaddling clothes lay at its feet. The young child, unaware of what was about to happen, slept peacefully.
The full moon hung high in the sky, casting the tabby cat’s shadow long and tall against the wall, completely enveloping the shadows of the five people.
Chen Fuzhou reacted swiftly, rushing straight toward the windowsill. But the tabby cat was faster. It seized the swaddling clothes in its mouth and leaped out in a flash. Its agile figure darted back and forth among the rooftops, carrying the three-month-old child without the slightest pause.
“After it!”
The four of them dashed out the door, leaving the combat-incapable Bu Quegan to handle the aftermath. Frantically, he lifted A Cui’s body onto the bed. Worried that the cat demon might return to steal Yang Bao, he had no choice but to clutch the swaddling clothes to his chest and hurriedly chase after the others.
The tabby cat moved swiftly, but the four of them kept close behind, refusing to fall behind.
The commotion inside the house had already alarmed Yang Dafu and Yang Gui, who were waiting anxiously in the neighboring courtyard out of concern.
Hearing the piercing screams and urgent footsteps, Yang Gui could no longer contain his anxiety. Ignoring Li Xingdao’s earlier warnings, he charged into the courtyard, with Yang Dafu hastily following behind.
Seeing the room in disarray, with even the sturdy wooden door carelessly tossed on the ground, Yang Gui’s face instantly paled. At that moment, Bu Quegan emerged from the house holding Yang Bao in his arms. The night was hazy, and Yang Gui couldn’t make out whose swaddled infant it was. He rushed forward in a flash, grabbing Bu Quegan’s shoulder and trembling as he asked, “Daoist, what happened? Where is my daughter? Is she all right?”
Yang Gui’s grip was surprisingly strong, causing Bu Quegan to wince in pain. He hastily shoved the swaddled infant into Yang Gui’s arms. Though eager to follow the others and assess the situation, he had no choice but to calm the two men before him. “Your daughter is right here. Hold her tight. Your wife is inside too, but she’s only fainted. She’s fine, don’t worry.”
Seeing no one else behind Bu Quegan and the only swaddled infant confirmed to be Yang Bao, Yang Dafu instinctively charged over, roaring, “Where is my son? Where did my son go?”
Bu Quegan was sprayed with Yang Dafu’s spittle, but given the urgency of the situation, he spoke rapidly, “Your son was taken by the cat demon. But don’t panic—my junior sister and brother have already gone after them. They’ll protect him.” Without another word, he shoved Yang Dafu aside and sprinted in the direction the tabby cat had gone.
Yang Dafu refused to give up. He shouted for several assisting men nearby, and together they gave chase.
The night was thick, and a fierce wind howled. Hearing the commotion, villagers cautiously peeked out of their homes. The group pursued the cat demon closely, but no matter how hard they tried to keep up, it left them far behind with its incredible speed.
“Where is it even going?” Jinshu panted, her voice carried away by the wind.
Chen Fuzhou glanced back, noticing her exhaustion, and tugged her forward, nodding ahead. “Look. What is that place?”
As night fell, heavy fog enveloped the mountains, shrouding the village beneath it. From a distance, it resembled a silkworm cocoon—no one knew whether a butterfly or a worm lay inside.
Jinshu had been too focused on keeping up with the others to notice until now. Ahead, bright red lanterns hung high at the four corners of a courtyard, and colorful flags flapped noisily in the relentless wind. The ancestral hall stood out starkly in the dense fog, tempting one to approach and discover what kind of creature it might be nurturing.
The cat had come to a stop. Perched on the wall of the ancestral hall, its green eyes glowed like two glass lamps. It straightened up, seeing that the group had followed, then nimbly leaped into the courtyard.
Without hesitation, everyone jumped into the yard after it.
The courtyard was empty, as if everything before had been an illusion. There was no trace of the cat or the infant. Only the main door of the ancestral hall stood wide open, revealing the divine statue of Hariti, smiling down upon them with compassion and pity.
Jinshu couldn’t help but shiver. “Where are they?”
Yan Lin’s voice was tense. “Everyone, be careful. Watch out for an ambush from another direction.”
Chen Fuzhou and Li Xingdao had already begun inspecting the perimeter of the courtyard. “There’s nothing here. They must be hiding inside the ancestral hall.”
At that moment, Bu Quegan and Yang Dafu rushed in hurriedly. Yang Dafu scanned the four of them with wide eyes, and upon confirming his son was nowhere to be seen, he immediately plopped down on the ground and wailed, “Where’s my son? Where did my son go? Didn’t you say you’d keep an eye on him?”
Jinshu demanded, “You’re a grown man—stop pretending here. Aren’t you ashamed? I want to ask you: what exactly have you been using this ancestral hall for? Why did you steal the four jade statues that were meant to suppress evil? What wrong have you done that someone would come after you, seeking revenge at any cost?”
Yang Dafu clearly hadn’t expected this seemingly delicate young girl to suddenly shout at him like this. He froze for a moment, then defiantly raised his voice, “I don’t care! I brought you here to protect my son. If you can’t even handle such a small task, what kind of Cultivators are you?”
How could Jinshu, a gentle girl who rarely ventured out, match this man’s shameless persistence? Furious, she found that no matter what she said, he would twist her words with all sorts of absurd excuses.
Chen Fuzhou lifted his foot and kicked Yang Dafu, threatening, “You’d better understand that we’re the only ones here who can help you get your son back.”
Yang Dafu’s expression stiffened. Accustomed to acting like a local tyrant, he was used to ordering people around and having them obey without question. He had clearly forgotten that these Cultivators were not his “subjects.”
Yan Lin, after walking around the ancestral hall, stepped in to mediate, “Village Chief Yang, take your people and leave. Don’t interfere with our work.”
Yang Dafu meekly agreed, scrambling to his feet to leave.
“Wait! How could the great Village Chief Yang, the main character, leave the stage first?”
The sudden voice caught everyone off guard. Jinshu looked around but couldn’t locate its source.
Just then, a child’s crying echoed from the main room. Yang Dafu shuddered and grabbed Bu Quegan’s arm beside him, panicking, “Daoist, that’s my son crying! Daoist, you must save my son!”
Yan Lin frowned and led the way toward the main room. Jinshu summoned Banyu, holding it tightly in her arms, and cautiously followed.
Before the two could cross the threshold, the divine statue of Hariti moved first.
As if coming to life, its posture shifted from seated to standing, gently floating into the courtyard. Hariti still wore a gentle smile as she waved a lotus flower in her right hand. The lotus seemed to awaken as well, with specks of light from its stamen scattering across the courtyard with each wave. Everyone felt their bodies stiffen, unable to move.
“My people, I grant you a beautiful dream. Sleep, sleep. In your dreams, I will guide you to the truth.”