She pulled his hand to her waist…
“What your father saw likely wasn’t your mother.”
Jiang Xunbai had intended to say “definitely not,” but upon seeing Lu Qingtang’s distressed expression, he softened his words.
Lu Qingtang couldn’t explain why, but even though she had entered this world after dying in a car accident, and these people were merely the parents of the novel’s Lu Qingtang, their troubles stirred the same panic in her as when her adoptive parents faced crises in her previous life.
Jiang Xunbai set aside his usual flippant smile and comforted her gently, “Don’t worry. We’ll go to Meeting Spring Temple right away. Whatever demon or monster it is, we’ll capture it.”
Lu Qingtang nodded and turned to leave, but her legs gave way, nearly sending her kneeling. Jiang Xunbai swiftly caught her.
“Perhaps we should go tomorrow?”
Seeing her unstable condition, he feared she might not endure the journey and made the suggestion reluctantly.
Lu Qingtang steadied herself and shook her head. “It’s fine, I can recover—but have your cultivation powers fully returned?”
Jiang Xunbai remained concerned but answered, “Eighty percent has been restored.”
Lu Qingtang felt apologetic. “I’m sorry to trouble you all again.”
Jiang Xunbai raised an eyebrow. “What’s there to apologize for? Where there are evil spirits, there we demon hunters are—no need for formalities, young lady. Let’s inform my brother and the others and set off immediately.”
Ignoring Jiang Yijie’s probing gaze, Jiang Xunbai recounted the matter of Lu Huai in detail. Upon hearing this, Su Lingyao patted Lu Qingtang’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t panic, Tang-Tang. With us here, Uncle Lu will be fine.”
Gratefully, Lu Qingtang hugged her, tears welling in her eyes. Jiang Xunbai and Jiang Yijie watched the two embracing, each lost in their own thoughts.
Lu Qingtang’s anxious heart finally eased slightly, and the four immediately departed for Meeting Spring Temple.
As they stepped outside, people on the street continued greeting Lu Qingtang warmly. To her surprise, however, they also greeted Jiang Xunbai.
Puzzled, Lu Qingtang glanced back at him and asked curiously, “Why are they greeting you? When did you become so familiar with them?”
A hint of discomfort crossed Jiang Xunbai’s face. “Perhaps last night?”
Lu Qingtang was baffled. Last night? After the space-time rift incident, Jiang Xunbai had carried her back…
Had they witnessed that and misunderstood?
Noticing her silence, Jiang Xunbai grew uneasy, unsure what she was thinking.
A wave of guilt washed over Lu Qingtang. She had dragged Jiang Xunbai into this—it had nothing to do with him, and he had only kindly carried her back. How could they misunderstand him? He must be very upset.
Growing more self-reproachful by the moment, she explained to the onlookers, “Don’t look at Second Young Master Jiang like that. He has saved me repeatedly—he’s my lifesaver. You mustn’t scare him off.”
Her voice was sweet and clear, filled with gratitude toward him. Yet, an inexplicable sense of loss stirred within Jiang Xunbai, one he couldn’t quite articulate.
She was clearly trying to distance their relationship in front of everyone—was it for the sake of her elder brother?
Indeed, the one in her heart was her elder brother; what she felt for him was merely gratitude.
Jiang Xunbai forced a smile and said, “Miss Lu, speaking like this truly puts me to shame. How could I be considered your savior? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been dragged into the space-time rift.”
Lu Qingtang’s eyes curved into crescents as she replied, “Second Young Master Jiang, you are far too courteous!”
Jiang Yijie glanced at Jiang Xunbai, then exchanged a knowing smile with Su Lingyao.
The four of them continued walking toward the Meeting Spring Temple. When they arrived, the temple was still bustling with activity, with incense smoke curling upward and merging into the clouds.
Without hesitation, they headed straight for the eerie statue. To their surprise, however, the statue that Lu Qingtang and Jiang Xunbai had casually found last time was nowhere to be seen now. There wasn’t even a trace of it in the backyard of the Meeting Spring Temple.
Amid the constant flow of visitors in the temple, Lu Qingtang stood dejectedly, watching the passing devotees. Suddenly, her sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar figure.
“Mother!”
Lu Qingtang called out softly, her tone filled with surprise. As she spoke, she began to follow the figure.
“Lu Qingtang, that isn’t real.”
Though Jiang Xunbai said this, he didn’t stop her. Instead, he followed closely behind her. Su Lingyao, however, frowned and said, “There’s a demonic aura!”
As she spoke, she headed in the opposite direction. Jiang Yijie called out, “A-Xun!” but saw that Jiang Xunbai didn’t even look back. Gritting his teeth, he followed Su Lingyao instead.
Of course, Lu Qingtang knew the figure wasn’t her mother, but she couldn’t help following it, as if something had hooked her and was pulling her along.
The white-clad figure drifted through the bustling crowd and then through the winding corridors. By the time Lu Qingtang snapped back to her senses, there was no sound around her. She abruptly turned around and collided with a pair of smiling peach-blossom eyes. Seeing her finally look back, Jiang Xunbai teased, “Lu Qingtang, you’ve finally decided to turn around and look at me.”
Lu Qingtang, however, stared at Jiang Xunbai, scrutinizing him from left to right, and then tentatively asked, “Are you really Jiang TangTang?”
Jiang Xunbai was both amused and exasperated. “Miss Lu, you truly have sharp eyes! Can’t you tell it’s me, a full-grown person standing right here?”
Hearing his familiar tone, Lu Qingtang finally felt relieved. It wasn’t that she was overly suspicious—if the demon could take on her mother’s form, it could certainly imitate Jiang Xunbai’s appearance. Not to mention, Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao were nowhere behind her. How could Jiang Xunbai have appeared out of thin air?
Lu Qingtang looked around at the lush trees in the courtyard and the winding corridors coiled like serpents among them. How had she never known such a place existed in the Meeting Spring Temple?
A belated sense of fear crept over her. “Where are Big Brother Jiang and Sister Su?”
Jiang Xunbai shrugged. “I don’t know. I was too busy chasing after you just now—how could I have paid attention to them?”
Then, realizing something, he added, “Young lady, you have no idea how frightening you were just now. The moment you saw a woman in white, you ran after her without even responding when I called you.”
Lu Qingtang was equally puzzled. “The moment I saw her, I felt she was my mother, and I couldn’t help but follow her.”
Jiang Xunbai smiled. “It’s a good thing you’ve come to your senses now. Let’s go back and find my elder brother and the others first, then we can plan our next steps carefully.”
As they spoke, the two turned back and began retracing their steps. As they walked, Lu Qingtang gradually felt a growing unease. Her voice trembling, she asked, “Jiang Xunbai, have you noticed that the trees around us seem to be growing?”
The moment Lu Qingtang voiced this observation, Jiang Xunbai became aware of it too. He had been so focused on following her that he hadn’t paid much attention to their surroundings, but he distinctly remembered being brushed by a tree branch against his cheek when they passed a corner earlier. Now, that same branch had already grown past his head.
“Watch out!”
Jiang Xunbai suddenly exclaimed softly. They saw the trees along the corridor shifting continuously, their branches rapidly growing and lashing out toward the two of them.
Lu Qingtang grabbed her Fu Zhi (Talisman Paper) and threw them out recklessly. Meanwhile, the Buddhist beads slipped from Jiang Xunbai’s wrist and were hurled at the wildly growing branches.
Wherever the talisman papers passed, fierce flames erupted, charring the branches black. A strong, foul odor assaulted their senses, making Lu Qingtang nearly bend over in nausea.
The beads from the Buddhist bracelet flew one after another into the grove, embedding themselves into the twelve largest trees before destroying them.
The moment those twelve trees were destroyed, the Buddhist beads flew back and slipped onto Jiang Xunbai’s wrist again. With a rustling sound, everything returned to calm, and the trees rapidly shrank back to their original size.
Jiang Xunbai chuckled lightly. “A mere earth-grade formation can’t trap me.”
Lu Qingtang, however, looked at his wrist. Seeing how effective the plain-looking Buddhist beads were, she averted her gaze before the wave of sadness could overwhelm her and praised, “Your Buddhist beads are really impressive. What are they called?”
In novels and TV shows, characters’ extraordinary innate weapons often had names. In “Zhu Yao,” it was written that the male lead Jiang Yijie’s treasured sword was named “Fulan,” which matched his gentlemanly orchid-like demeanor. The female lead Su Lingyao’s innate weapon was a whip called the “Yaoguang Whip,” capable of shattering stars above and breaking all spells below—truly awe-inspiring.
As a cannon-fodder male supporting character in “Zhu Yao,” Jiang Xunbai surely didn’t qualify to possess a named innate magical weapon. Thus, Lu Qingtang was very curious about the name of his innate weapon.
Jiang Xunbai raised his eyebrows slightly and gently stroked the Buddhist beads on his hand, smiling. “It’s called Chang Sheng.”
Lu Qingtang’s eyes widened.
Chang Sheng?
Jiang Xunbai took out the Buddhist beads and revealed a small wooden plaque hidden among the tassels. “If you don’t believe me, look.”
Lu Qingtang focused her gaze and indeed saw two delicate, finely written characters on the wooden plaque: “Chang Sheng.”
The brushstrokes were powerful, and the script was elegant, different from the handwriting Jiang Xunbai had used in the “Records of Monsters” he gave her. Lu Qingtang guessed it was a girl’s handwriting.
The script felt very familiar to her, as if she had seen it every day before, but she couldn’t dwell on it. Whenever she tried, her head began to ache, and waves of sorrow washed over her.
Lu Qingtang averted her gaze and softly murmured, “Chang Sheng.”
She had only been murmuring to herself playfully, but to her surprise, as soon as she called the name, the Buddhist beads on Jiang Xunbai’s wrist began to glow with golden light. They even detached from Jiang Xunbai’s hand and floated in the air before her. Staring at the hovering Buddhist beads, Lu Qingtang was utterly bewildered.
Jiang Xunbai said irritably, “Has this thing forgotten who its master is?”
He then looked at Lu Qingtang suspiciously. “Why can you summon my innate magical weapon, Miss Lu?”
A demon hunter’s innate weapon could only be summoned by its owner. He had never seen anyone capable of summoning another person’s innate magical weapon.
Lu Qingtang lowered the corners of her eyes slightly, her gaze brimming with innocence: “I don’t know, I just called out once, and it came over on its own.”
After a pause, she added innocently: “Perhaps Young Master Jiang’s life-bound magical artifact has taken a liking to me.”
Lu Qingtang had intended it as a joke, but what she didn’t know was that a demon hunter’s life-bound magical artifact shared a special bond with its owner. The artifact understood its master’s heart intimately, sharing their likes and dislikes.
Hearing this, the tips of Jiang Xunbai’s ears turned red. He stared at Lu Qingtang in shock, as if trying to discern her true thoughts. Seeing his reaction, Lu Qingtang grew slightly uneasy: “Did I say something wrong?”
Jiang Xunbai immediately averted his gaze, refusing to look at her, and said irritably: “Nonsense! How could Chang Sheng possibly like you?!”
No sooner had he spoken than Chang Sheng drifted closer to Lu Qingtang, nearly brushing against her cheek. Lu Qingtang leaned back: “Look—”
When Jiang Xunbai turned, he saw the string of golden Buddhist beads pressed against Lu Qingtang’s cheek, appearing intimate and clearly delighted.
Jiang Xunbai snatched the beads and slipped them back onto his wrist, ignoring Chang Sheng’s dissatisfied protests. He chuckled lightly: “Miss Lu must be joking. How could an object understand likes and dislikes?”
Lu Qingtang let out a soft “oh,” studying the corridor ahead while musing in confusion: “But I read in the Records of Demonic Anomalies you gave me that life-bound magical artifacts possess spiritual awareness.”
Jiang Xunbai: “…”
He pretended not to hear and walked ahead. Fortunately, Lu Qingtang’s attention had already been captured by something else: “Jiang Xunbai, guess where this corridor leads?”
Jiang Xunbai raised a brow slightly, guessing her thoughts. Adopting a fearless tone, he said: “Shall we go see?”
Lu Qingtang nodded immediately, not standing on ceremony: “Then I’ll trouble Young Master Jiang to protect me.”
Jiang Xunbai laughed in amusement: “Miss Lu certainly doesn’t hold back—but you should think carefully. Hiring my protection comes with a fee.”
Lu Qingtang arched an eyebrow, unconcerned: “Rest assured, Young Master Jiang. My family may lack many things, but we do have a bit of petty cash.”
Jiang Xunbai: “…” No modesty at all?
As the two walked along the corridor, Jiang Xunbai suddenly remembered something and couldn’t resist asking Lu Qingtang: “Miss Lu seems quite knowledgeable about the Records of Demonic Anomalies?”
“I’ve skimmed a few pages in my spare time.”
Since she’d arrived in this fantasy world and the system’s provided plot was useless, she might as well learn something practical. For instance, the Records of Demonic Anomalies Jiang Xunbai had given her was excellent—it contained information on the major clans of the demon race, various monsters, and even details about demon hunters.
“Then perhaps Miss Lu would venture a guess as to what kind of monster we’re dealing with this time.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingtang searched her memory for clues about the creature.
This monster could shapeshift into various human forms—an ability few creatures in the Records of Demonic Anomalies possessed. Moreover, before transforming into someone, it would give their closest relative a sachet. What did that signify? Was it forming a pact?
A vague answer surfaced in Lu Qingtang’s mind: “The Formless Demon.”
Jiang Xunbai praised: “Miss Lu is truly brilliant.”
Lu Qingtang asked in confusion, “I saw Mother. My contract with him should be dissolved. But what about you, Second Young Master Jiang? Who will you see?”
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Xunbai’s lips. “I’m also curious about who I’ll see.”
“There’s a door ahead!”
With sharp eyes, Lu Qingtang spotted something door-like at the far end of the corridor. It resembled a door but emitted billowing white mist, obscuring what lay within.
This door gave Lu Qingtang an illusion—as if passing through it would lead them to reincarnation.
“Shall we go?”
Jiang Xunbai asked her softly.
Suppressing the panic in her heart, Lu Qingtang nodded. “Go! Of course we must go!”
What if Father had been lured inside? She had to check.
Lu Qingtang and Jiang Xunbai stepped through the door. Upon emerging, Lu Qingtang instinctively called out, “Jiang Xunbai.”
Yet, eerily, an identical voice sounded beside her. Lu Qingtang whirled around and was first met with Jiang Xunbai’s shocked and peculiar gaze, then she saw the “person” behind her who looked exactly like herself.
Lu Qingtang had never imagined such an absurd situation would happen to her. Like the tale of the real and fake Monkey Kings, she now had to find a way to prove she was the genuine “Lu Qingtang.”
“I’m the real one!”
Lu Qingtang spoke, and the person identical to her spoke as well—they uttered the words almost simultaneously.
Jiang Xunbai stared at the two Lu Qingtangs before him with a complicated expression. He looked left and right, examining them for a long while, only to find they even shared identical moles two centimeters below their temples. There was simply no discernible difference.
He couldn’t understand why there had been only one Lu Qingtang when they entered the door, but now there was an extra one. Feeling a headache coming on, he suggested, “How about you both prove which one is the real Miss Lu?”
Lu Qingtang snorted coldly and turned her head away, only to find the other person doing the exact same thing. They mirrored each other like reflections, their subconscious movements perfectly synchronized.
Seeing that neither Lu Qingtang was willing to prove their authenticity, Jiang Xunbai sighed helplessly. “Young Lady, we don’t have much time left.”
Lu Qingtang realized he was right—they still needed to find Father. So she spoke first, “There’s a lotus pond in full bloom south of my room.”
The fake Lu Qingtang shouldn’t know the layout of her home.
The other person said, “And to the north, against the distant mountains, there’s an endless field of Tang flowers planted by Father and Mother when I was born.”
Lu Qingtang’s eyes widened in shock. How did she know?!
Jiang Xunbai recalled the layout of Lu Manor and said regretfully, “What you both said is true.”
Frustrated, Lu Qingtang retorted, “There’s a portrait of Mother hanging in Father’s study. He never lets anyone look at it, let alone touch it!”
The other person added, “On Father’s desk, there’s a Tao River inkstone carved with Tang flowers, a gift from Mother long ago.”
Lu Qingtang declared, “I have the Fu Zhi given to me by Second Young Master Jiang.”
The other person countered, “Second Young Master Jiang gave me two of them.”
“…”
Jiang Xunbai watched the two identical individuals argue endlessly and couldn’t help interrupting, “Enough, enough. Since neither of you can prove who the real Miss Lu is, why don’t we explore a bit first?”
Lu Qingtang was furious. “I am the real one!”
Another person also said, “I am the real one.”
Jiang Xunbai chuckled, “I know, I know. Let’s go, let’s go.”
Lu Qingtang was so furious she felt smoke coming from her seven orifices: “Jiang Xunbai, who are you fooling!”
Unexpectedly, the other person blurted out the same words simultaneously.
Jiang Xunbai gazed at Lu Qingtang with a smiling expression. She felt inexplicably unnerved by his stare and snapped, “What are you looking at?” No matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t distinguish the real from the fake.
Unbothered, Jiang Xunbai pointed at her sleeve and said with a smile, “Miss Lu, your clothes are dirty.”
Lu Qingtang lifted her sleeve slightly and indeed saw some dust stains. With a cold expression, she brushed off the dust from her sleeve.
Jiang Xunbai gave her a deep look, his eyes filled with amusement, then took the lead and walked ahead.
Lu Qingtang snorted coldly and followed Jiang Xunbai, while the other person mirrored her actions exactly.
Lu Qingtang: “…”
Behind the door was a vast, empty room. However, the walls were lined with numerous windows. Lu Qingtang was puzzled: “Why are there so many windows?”
“Take a look and you’ll find out.”
As Jiang Xunbai spoke, he pushed open one of the windows. The moment he did, a fierce gale suddenly erupted, howling through the surrounding doors and windows. Jiang Xunbai held a Fu Zhi (Talisman Paper) between his fingers, and it transformed into a yellow light that circled the window, causing the wind to subside slightly.
But after a moment, the gale roared back with even greater force, blowing countless windows open.
Outside the windows, something unknown was happening. Inside the room, the group saw countless scenes playing out in those windows, like innumerable televisions broadcasting serial dramas.
Not only Jiang Xunbai but even Lu Qingtang found herself captivated by those scenes.
In the nearest window, an elderly woman gazed affectionately at a younger woman combing her hair. Sunlight bathed them perfectly, and a child holding a kite ran in from outside. Everyone’s faces were radiant with smiles, creating an incredibly warm and cozy atmosphere.
The scene shifted to a pitch-black coffin and fluttering funeral paper money, accompanied by mournful wails.
In the next window, a bean-sized candle cast a warm yellow glow. An middle-aged woman sat by an old table, needlework at her side as she sewed clothes for her family. From time to time, she lifted her eyes to glance across the table, her brows curved in a blissful smile. Opposite her sat a middle-aged man and a young child. The man was playfully teasing the child, making the little one laugh heartily. Joyful laughter spilled out from that small, cramped room.
The next scene showed a man in mourning clothes, leading a child with tear-swollen eyes as they walked under a sky filled with drifting funeral paper money.
…
As they continued to look, every window around them told a story of life and death, separation and loss. Before the last window, Lu Qingtang halted abruptly. Inside, a young man in a blue robe was delicately painting his wife’s eyebrows—a woman of unparalleled beauty. His eyes overflowed with tenderness, while her face radiated happiness. Who else could those two be but her own parents?
Lu Qingtang’s eyes grew hot, her lips trembling slightly as she stared wide-eyed at the scene in the window.
But after a few glimpses of their beautiful moments, the window abruptly turned blank, as if the story had been left unfinished.
Countless tales of joy and sorrow, endless tears—aside from the scenes of Lu Huai and Zhong Heng, all the other stories ended in life-and-death separations.
Chang Sheng detached from Jiang Xunbai’s wrist, the twelve Buddhist beads scattering in all directions and embedding themselves into the surrounding windows. A succession of crisp shattering sounds echoed as the windows vanished one by one.
The youth’s cold laugh reverberated through the empty room: “Partings and deaths are the natural order of things. Why must you force what cannot be?”
The next moment, Lu Qingtang felt herself swept up by a sudden force. By the time she regained her senses, she was floating in the void alongside the person who looked exactly like her.
A gentle female voice suddenly echoed throughout the room, as if amplified through speakers from all directions: “Young master, you jest. How could I possibly force anything? I merely devised a way for them to meet the person they’re most fixated on.”
“Young master, why put on such airs? You’re merely mortal too, after all.”
To be honest, Lu Qingtang found this gentle voice quite pleasant. Hearing it felt as soothing as a spring breeze caressing her face. Yet the very next moment, this lovely voice spoke cold words in its tender tone.
“Young master, why not guess which of these two before you is the one you truly have in mind?”
“If you can’t tell, I can help you.”
Lu Qingtang suddenly felt something wrap around her wrists and ankles. She hurriedly looked down to see several cold iron chains had somehow bound her—not just her, but the fake Lu Qingtang was also restrained.
When Lu Qingtang shifted, the chains clattered loudly. She had little confidence that Jiang Xunbai could recognize her, given that the impostor was identical to her and seemed to know even more than she did. Putting herself in his shoes, if she were faced with two Jiang Xunbais like this, she wasn’t sure she could identify the real one either.
So she began contemplating how to use her golden finger to save herself without Jiang Xunbai noticing.
Jiang Xunbai’s lips curved slightly, appearing highly amused. “Oh? And how do you plan to help me?”
The gentle voice spoke again: “Simple—I’ll choose for you—”
Lu Qingtang’s heart raced. What would happen if she chose? Would the unchosen one die?
Countless silver needles suddenly shot through the void, aimed straight at Lu Qingtang and the other girl. Just as Lu Qingtang was about to summon her divine beast, Chang Sheng tore through the air. The needles clashed against his Buddhist prayer beads with sharp metallic rings. Jiang Xunbai leaped lightly, soaring upward with a talisman paper pinched between his fingers. He chuckled, “I’ve always hated people who take matters into their own hands.”
As he spoke, the talisman glowed with bright yellow light. The silver needles reversed direction under its influence, scattering in all directions.
Jiang Xunbai turned leisurely, his dark, grape-like eyes shimmering with amusement. His spiritual power coalesced into a sharp blade that cleanly severed the chains binding Lu Qingtang. The broken links clattered to the ground in a shower, and freed from her restraints, Lu Qingtang plummeted downward due to gravity.
Jiang Xunbai caught her by the arm. Simultaneously, a circle of talisman papers flew from his sleeve toward the fake Lu Qingtang. His laughter-tinged voice reverberated through the empty room:
“How could I not tell which one is the real Lu Qingtang?”
Lu Qingtang stared at him in shock, unsure how he had recognized her. Jiang Xunbai tilted his head slightly, meeting her curious gaze with a light laugh. “Miss Lu is Miss Lu—how could I not know?”
Lu Qingtang hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back—because Jiang Xunbai’s rescue method remained as uncomfortable as ever.
Why did he have to grab her wrist again?!
She couldn’t help exclaiming, “Why are you grabbing my wrist again?”
According to Jiang Xunbai’s expectations, Lu Qingtang should have been starry-eyed and thanking him profusely by now. Yet not only did she fail to act as he had imagined, she even seemed to dislike him?!
Jiang Xunbai’s smile froze on his face as he stared at Lu Qingtang in disbelief. With the corners of her eyes slightly drooping, she said innocently, “This hurts a lot.”
Jiang Xunbai promptly released his grip, only to see a red mark instantly appear on the girl’s jade-like skin—clearly, he had held her too tightly.
He asked himself inwardly—he really hadn’t used much force; it must be that Lu Qingtang was too delicate.
He explained, “I only feel at ease when you’re by my side.”
Lu Qingtang couldn’t help but grab his hand and place it on her waist, saying, “This way, it won’t hurt.”
When the area of contact increases, the pressure decreases.
Jiang Xunbai only felt a slender, warm hand pull his palm and then place it on her waist.
With a roar, it was as if countless fireworks exploded simultaneously in his mind, making his scalp tingle. He moved his lips but couldn’t utter a single word.
Waves of heat enveloped him, making him unbearably restless. He swallowed lightly, his thoughts in disarray.
When Lu Qingtang looked up, she saw Jiang Xunbai’s face flushed bright red, as if fully ripened. A faint, sweet fragrance, tinged with a hint of bitterness, wafted toward her, but she had no time to take a closer whiff—
Chang Sheng flew toward the fake Lu Qingtang, and a blinding light suddenly erupted from the imposter. Chang Sheng was thrown back, and Jiang Xunbai reached out to catch it. Meanwhile, the fake Lu Qingtang instantly shattered into scattered white fragments, dissipating within the room.
Lu Qingtang widened her eyes in shock. “Sh-she was the Formless Demon?”
Jiang Xunbai composed himself and nodded slightly. “Yes.”
The thought that, from the moment they entered, the Formless Demon had been by their side—disguised as her and guiding Jiang Xunbai to kill her—sent a chill down Lu Qingtang’s spine.
Buddhist scriptures once stated, “I am originally formless, yet I can take on myriad forms.” The Formless Demon derived its name from this phrase. Without a fixed form, it could transform into countless appearances. It was through this ability that it bestowed sachets upon mortals when they knelt in prayer, forming contracts and taking on the forms of those they longed to see.
To some extent, it was indeed a benevolent demon, allowing mortals to reunite with loved ones they had lost without a chance to say goodbye.
Lu Qingtang couldn’t help but ask, “What about my father? What have you done with him?”
The white fragments swirled in the air above, and a gentle woman’s voice followed: “Your father? Who is your father?”
Lu Qingtang exclaimed in surprise, “You haven’t seen my father? My father is Lu Huai. The last window held memories of him and my mother. Didn’t he come to find you?”
Jiang Xunbai tightened his grip on the Buddhist prayer beads, his voice growing colder. “I advise you to speak the truth.”
The Formless Demon giggled. “Young master, please understand—you are the ones asking for my help. Why such an attitude?”
Lu Qingtang glanced at Jiang Xunbai and said sincerely, “Honorable Formless Demon, may good deeds be rewarded. Please do not hold our faults against us. Where is my father? Is he safe?”
Jiang Xunbai was no stranger to Lu Qingtang’s sudden change in demeanor, but he truly hadn’t expected that she not only knew how to talk to people but also to demons. However, aware of how important this matter was to her, he refrained from mocking her and simply kept his mouth shut.
The Myriad-Form Demon was also amused by Lu Qingtang’s demeanor. She chuckled, “Little girl, do you know who you’re speaking to?”
“I know.”
“I am a demon, the kind from legends that dig out human hearts and devour human lungs. Are you truly pleading with me?”
Lu Qingtang shook her head: “You are not an evil demon.”
At these words, not only did the Myriad-Form Demon fall silent, but even Jiang Xunbai couldn’t help lowering his gaze to look at her: “Lu Qingtang, do you know what you’re saying?”
She was calling the Myriad-Form Demon a good demon right in front of a demon hunter. Jiang Xunbai was nearly driven to laughter by frustration.
Lu Qingtang didn’t even spare him a glance. She looked up at the swirling white fragments overhead and said earnestly, “I know you’re not an evil demon. I don’t know if you’ve ever harmed anyone, but I know you’ve helped many people—not just in Gusu City, but throughout the world. Some regret not having properly seen their beloved ones, others yearn desperately for their loved ones. You gave them a chance, an opportunity to see the people they miss once more.”
“The dead are gone; the living matter most. You gave them hope, a chance to keep moving forward.”
Lu Qingtang said softly, “I don’t know if you’ve done any evil deeds, but having done these good deeds, you deserve recognition. You may not necessarily be a good demon, but you’re not an evil one either.”
Lu Qingtang’s gaze was sincere. Jiang Xunbai fixed his eyes on her as she allowed him to hold her, slightly tilting her head to stare at the chaotic mass of white fragments. Her eyelashes were thick and curved like feathers. Her expression was serious, yet her words expressed something he had never dared to consider.
Demon hunting families upheld the principle that humans and demons were fundamentally different—any demon that entered the human world should be eliminated. Jiang Xunbai had never seriously pondered what should be done if they encountered a good demon.
The Myriad-Form Demon also fell silent. After a long pause, she said, “I don’t know where your father is. If you had been more careful, you would have noticed that the sachet I gave him had no scent—”
She paused, as if somewhat puzzled: “Because the person he constantly yearns for is neither in the human world nor in the netherworld.”
“What?!” Lu Qingtang exclaimed, “What do you mean neither in the human world nor the netherworld? Does that mean my mother is indeed still alive!”
Her voice carried a trace of joy. Jiang Xunbai couldn’t quite follow her train of thought. Neither in the human world nor the netherworld—then where could she be? Could she still be alive?
What Lu Qingtang thought was: What if Mother, like her and Jiang Xunbai, was trapped in a space-time rift?
But then it occurred to her: Why would Mother, an ordinary mortal, enter a space-time rift?
Just then, the white fragments made a rustling sound and flew outward. The Myriad-Form Demon’s voice still echoed in the void: “I have never harmed anyone.”
Jiang Xunbai instinctively moved to pursue her, but then he remembered Lu Qingtang’s words about good and evil demons, hesitating for a moment. In the blink of an eye, the Myriad-Form Demon had vanished from sight.
Jiang Xunbai held Lu Qingtang by the waist and brought her back to the ground.
“Aren’t you going after her?”
Lu Qingtang naturally believed that good demons shouldn’t die, but she also knew that demons were inherently cunning and couldn’t be trusted based on their word alone. They needed to investigate the matter thoroughly before letting her go.
Jiang Xunbai said awkwardly, “I’m not going after her.”
Noticing Lu Qingtang’s puzzled expression, he stiffened his face and said, “Don’t overthink it, Miss Lu. It’s not because of what you said, but because the formation in Kumu Temple truly has nothing to do with her.”
Lu Qingtang shrugged. “I never said it was because of my words—if it’s unrelated to the Wanxiang demon, then doesn’t that mean there’s another powerful demon in Gusu City?”
Jiang Xunbai walked over to the wall, examining the airtight room as he nodded. “I went back and checked some ancient texts. It turns out there are very few demons in this world capable of creating a space-time rift—only the three great clans of the Demon Capital can do it.”
Lu Qingtang followed closely behind him. “Three great clans? Demons have clans too?”
“Legend says the three great clans of the Demon Capital stand in a tripartite balance: the Zhongli family, who carry the Demon King’s bloodline, along with the WeiSheng and ZiSang clans.”
As Jiang Xunbai spoke, spiritual power flickered at his fingertips. With a crackling sound, a fissure appeared on the wall before him.
The next moment, a deafening roar erupted as the building began to tremble, as if some colossal beast were awakening.
Jiang Xunbai’s expression shifted. He instinctively reached for Lu Qingtang’s wrist but recalled her disdainful look, so he softly said, “Miss Lu, pardon my boldness.”
With that, he wrapped an arm around Lu Qingtang’s waist, lightly tapped his toes, and lifted her up.
Just as the roof collapsed, the two slipped through the fissure. A surge of demon power sliced through the air from an unknown source. Jiang Xunbai dodged sideways and threw the Chang Sheng from his wrist.
But momentum carried them forward, and he tumbled down with Lu Qingtang in his arms.
The biting wind stung Lu Qingtang’s eyes, forcing them shut.
The expected sharp pain never came—Jiang Xunbai had once again become her human cushion.
Lu Qingtang, still shaken, gasped, “That great demon from the Demon Capital has been watching our every move…”
It was only after Jiang Xunbai mentioned the three great clans that the demon launched a deadly attack, attempting to silence them.
“Cough, cough, cough—” Jiang Xunbai lay on the rubble, coughing violently. He lifted his eyelids to stare at Lu Qingtang, his peach-blossom eyes shimmering. “Miss Lu is truly sharp-witted.”
Only then did Lu Qingtang realize she was sitting atop Jiang Xunbai. Her face flushed, and she quickly scrambled off.
“My apologies, Second Young Master Jiang, and… thank you.”
Jiang Xunbai’s cheeks were also tinged with red—whether from coughing or something else. He joked, “It is my honor to dedicate myself entirely to the young lady.”
Lu Qingtang looked down at him. Jiang Xunbai’s lips were red, his teeth white, his smile radiant. His peach-blossom eyes were exceptionally beautiful, as if filled with stars, and they held her reflection perfectly. The tear mole at the corner of his eye was particularly enchanting. Perhaps it was because he looked too captivating at that moment, but she unusually refrained from retorting.
[Congratulations, Host. Character Lu Qingtang’s current favorability is 30/100. Please continue your efforts and complete the mission soon.]
Author’s Note: TangTang: Ah, this life of mine, constantly delayed by good looks…
Did everyone guess how Jiang TangTang recognized TangTang?