On the first day the new villagers arrived, one of them died without a complete corpse, quickly drawing onlookers from the entire village.

As expected, everyone said it was the work of evil spirits. While trembling in fear, they also took the opportunity to queue up at the temple to pray for blessings.

Gao Kui’s lower half was also found downstream in the creek. Since the scene was too horrifying, You San and Gao Xuan went off to vomit another round after seeing it. Though Changling wasn’t afraid, she found it quite uncomfortable to look at and didn’t look further.

Xu Laifeng and Ye Qi worked together to reassemble Gao Kui. The two crouched down to examine him for quite a while, exchanged glances, then followed the village chief’s suggestion and buried him.

When Auntie Tian learned of this, she said tearfully: “This evil spirit specifically appears at night. I told you not to go out after dark—why wouldn’t he listen…”

Xu Laifeng asked: “Does this mean the evil spirit has caused trouble before?”

Auntie Tian: “In the past…”

The village chief coughed and answered for Auntie Tian: “This has been our village rule for over twenty years. There were people who were brutally harmed for traveling at night before. Who would have thought… Alas, this Brother Gao Kui wouldn’t listen to advice. There was nothing we could do.”

Seeing the village chief unwilling to say more, Xu Laifeng didn’t continue pressing. After leaving the village council hall, he saw Ye Qi and Changling coming down the mountain by the stream and hurried forward to ask: “Did you find anything?”

“Forget wild birds—there isn’t even a dog up there,” Ye Qi shook his head and sighed. “What about you? Did the village chief tell you anything?”

Xu Laifeng also shook his head. “They insist it was done by evil spirits. What can I say?”

The three walked toward the fields while looking around. Ye Qi asked: “Were the bodies of Escort Leader Tong and Helmsman Cen like this too?”

Xu Laifeng waved his fan. “In terms of the degree of tearing, about the same. The difference is that Escort Leader Tong and the others were torn into several pieces. Gao Kui’s case could at most be considered being cut in half at the waist. Being able to piece him back together for burial means he at least died with a complete corpse.”

Seeing Xu Laifeng use the word “piece,” Changling couldn’t help frowning. “Xu Laifeng, this man was someone you brought here after all. Now that he’s been torn apart like this, you should watch your words more carefully.”

Xu Laifeng looked apologetic. “A slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue. I just momentarily… Wait, what do you mean ‘torn apart by someone’?”

“Naturally what it literally means.” Changling said: “If it were a wild beast, there should at least be some scratches from claws or teeth on the body. If it were a trap mechanism, how could it sometimes tear into four or five pieces, and sometimes split in two? When you were burying the corpse earlier, didn’t you also notice the slight bruising at Gao Kui’s severed section? I think he was most likely lifted high up and torn in half by someone.”

Now Xu Laifeng was stunned. “No way? What person could have such divine strength to tear a person apart?”

“What’s so rare about that? In the past…”

Before she finished, Ye Qi quickly cut off her words and continued: “In the past, I’ve heard of people who could tear horses apart with their bare hands. It’s not entirely impossible.”

Xu Laifeng waved his hand. “I’ve heard the story about tearing horses apart with bare hands. The legend says that Yue Changling, to intimidate enemy troops, tore a general’s horse in half in front of thousands of soldiers… However, that’s just a legendary tale. How could it be true?”

Ye Qi: “…”

The protagonist of the story silently glanced at Xu Laifeng and said nothing. Xu Laifeng saw both of them wore expressions beyond words and asked oddly: “What’s wrong?”

“Ahem, nothing. These are all guesses anyway, not necessarily the truth,” Ye Qi changed the subject. “Where are You San and Gao Xuan?”

“They were both terrified by Gao Kui’s incident,” Xu Laifeng shook his head with a bitter smile. “It’s barely evening and they’ve rushed back to hide in their rooms. If I hadn’t stopped them, they probably would’ve planned to just run off…”

“Indeed, we mustn’t act rashly,” Ye Qi nodded. “Although this village is definitely not a place to stay long, I notice the village chief’s attitude shows he’s not worried at all that we’ll slip away. His words suggest he’s certain we can’t fly away even with wings. I suspect going back the way we came might not get us out.”

Xu Laifeng deeply agreed: “Same feeling. If it were really that easy to leave, with over a hundred people in this village, wouldn’t they ever want to go out and see the outside world?”

They chatted sporadically like this the whole way, analyzing nothing of substance. When they returned to Auntie Tian’s house, the sky had also darkened.

Probably because of what happened during the day, Auntie Tian no longer worried these people would wander around. After dinner, she coaxed Aguo to sleep. Once the oil lamp in her room went out, Ye Qi quietly knocked on Changling’s window and said: “They’re asleep.”

Changling climbed out through the window. The two exchanged glances, silently circled around Auntie Tian’s house, left the courtyard gate, and headed all the way toward the temple.

Throughout Yanling Village, everything was pitch black. The lights in house after house had basically all gone out.

“The villagers here not only don’t go out at night, even their bedtime is extraordinarily early.” Changling said: “It seems they truly believe in that vengeful spirit story.”

Ye Qi walked while concentrating on the movements around them. “I imagine the killer never expected we’d dare to come out and walk around on the very night of the crime… I just don’t know if we’ll be lucky enough to witness that so-called evil spirit.”

Changling glanced sideways coolly: “Are you sure encountering it would be good luck?”

“It’s just tearing people apart with bare hands, what’s to fear? The person beside me can tear horses apart with bare hands.” Ye Qi smiled carelessly. “We’ll see who can out-tear whom when the time comes.”

“Oh, that time, I had a blade between my fingertips, so it doesn’t count as bare hands. As for tearing people apart with bare hands, I made that up to scare Xu Laifeng.”

“…”

Changling glanced at Ye Qi’s expression and couldn’t help suppressing a laugh. “But you—how exactly did you figure out it was that monk Liaozhen who did it?”

After burying the body this morning, taking advantage of the moment when Xu Laifeng was discussing matters with the village chief, Ye Qi had taken Changling for a small stroll outside the temple and reached this conclusion.

“Gao Kui had bamboo splinters caught in his fingernails. I paid attention to the prayer cushions in front of the Buddha statue—one was missing a small piece. His hair hid quite a bit of ash. Though it had been in water, there was still a faint smoke smell—ash from the temple’s incense burner,” Ye Qi paused. “This means he went to the temple, but when Abbot Liaozhen saw us this morning, he said it was the first time seeing us. This means he lied.”

What she thought would be a difficult murder case, who knew Ye Qi had solved it after just a few glances. Changling couldn’t help saying in surprise: “Wouldn’t have guessed that you, a young marquis who spends every day idling and waiting for death, actually know how to solve cases.”

“This level is barely passable. If the killer had been a bit more careful, I’d have been at a loss too.” Ye Qi said modestly: “Although all signs now point to that abbot, there are still many things that don’t make sense. For instance, why would he dump the body so close by? If he’d dug a hole and buried the person, we would’ve just thought Gao Kui ran off on his own, wouldn’t we?”

What even Ye Qi couldn’t figure out, Changling was too lazy to rack her brain over. Since that Liaozhen was suspicious, they might as well test him—though if this person really was some peerless master, that would be difficult to handle.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help asking: “Why didn’t you bring Xu Laifeng along?”

“Him? No need to call him—he’ll come on his own.” Ye Qi said in a low voice: “When examining the body today, those few places I discovered, his eyes were also staring at them. But after burying the body, he didn’t mention a single word. He made several inquiries, and seeing we claimed ignorance, he also said he found nothing. This means…”

Changling: “What?”

“It means he doesn’t want to bring us along and wants to go to the temple alone to verify the truth. But we didn’t come here to be constables. What does it matter to him if there’s a killer in this village? Besides, we just arrived at this village yesterday and can’t tell east from west. How would Gao Kui know there’s a temple here? Don’t you find it strange that he’d run to the temple in the middle of the night?”

Changling thought briefly. “Could it be that Xu Laifeng sent him there?”

Ye Qi cast her an approving “teachable youth” look. “This Island Master Xu is quite clever. As soon as he entered the village, he chatted with several villagers. During dinner yesterday, he even wandered through the village chief’s study. He must have known about the temple in the village. But he’s also quite cautious, especially after witnessing the tragic state of Escort Leader Tong and the others—he wouldn’t act on his own. So he’d first find someone to scout the path…”

“He chose Gao Kui.” Changling understood. “But since he thought it was dangerous, why not bring us along this time?”

“Well…” Ye Qi tilted his head to look at Changling. “When I told you Liaozhen might be the killer, why did you agree to come check tonight? Aren’t you afraid you and I aren’t a match for that Liaozhen?”

Changling answered without hesitation: “No matter how weak I am, I couldn’t possibly lose to a little temple’s abbot…”

“You see, that’s the thinking of you expert types,” Ye Qi pointed at the tip of her nose with his finger. “Before, he didn’t know how many monks were in this temple. Seeing today there’s only one, naturally he relaxed… Taking ten thousand steps back, even if that Liaozhen really is some peerless master, with Xu Laifeng’s qinggong, if he can’t beat him, can’t he at least escape?”

Speaking of this, the cave temple was already not far ahead. Ye Qi gave Changling a meaningful look and pointed at the stone slope to the right of the temple. Changling immediately understood, touched her toes to the ground, deployed her qinggong and flew over. Borrowing a dense tree’s branches and leaves, she landed on the temple roof like a falling leaf—this was something Ye Qi had discovered this morning when staring at that bronze bell. The cave’s arched roof had two fist-sized holes drilled through it. The bell’s chains threaded through the holes, allowing it to hang high and steady above.

Ye Qi also floated up to the temple roof. Atop it was a giant rock that could perfectly conceal them. The two lay on it, each peering through a stone hole inside. The cave was brightly lit with candles, but Master Liaozhen was nowhere to be seen—presumably already asleep.

Changling moved close to Ye Qi’s ear. “Are you sure… Xu Laifeng will come?”

“He should,” her breath too close, Ye Qi’s ears grew hot as he answered softly: “As long as he still covets Wu Run’s divine technique…”

Changling thought to herself: Why is he so certain about this temple?

Just by looking at Changling’s eyes, Ye Qi knew what she wanted to ask. He whispered again: “Everything in this village’s daily life is simple and ancient, nothing particularly special, except for that Buddha statue which is masterfully crafted. If the constellation formation we encountered was set up by this village’s ancestors, the Buddha statue was very likely made by the same person’s hand. In that case, in the temple, perhaps…”

Before he finished speaking, two dark figures appeared in the distance. It was indeed Xu Laifeng, with You San tiptoeing beside him. Looking further back, Gao Xuan was nowhere to be seen. After brief consideration, Gao Xuan’s qinggong was mediocre and his build large—bringing him would indeed be burdensome.

Approaching the temple, You San still looked somewhat frightened. “Island Master Xu, I think we should come back during the day…”

“There are many people coming and going during the day. Would you dare to touch that Buddha statue in front of so many villagers?” Xu Laifeng lowered his voice. “Don’t worry, if anything happens, just run.”

The temple had no door. The two didn’t notice the people hidden behind the stone rock at all. Xu Laifeng entered first, making not the slightest sound.

There was no movement inside the temple either. With no wind tonight, the candlelight on the stands flickered slightly. Somehow, that Buddha statue that had looked benevolent and solemn during the day appeared somewhat sinister in the shadow of night.

The stone chamber behind the Buddha had a wooden door. Perhaps for ventilation, the door was only slightly ajar. Xu Laifeng quietly walked to the door and peeked inside by the faint light from outside—

Just a table, a chair, a cabinet, and a bed—an extremely simple dwelling. And Liaozhen was lying quietly on the bed sleeping, completely unaware.

Xu Laifeng turned back and mouthed to You San: “Asleep.”

Only then did You San breathe a sigh of relief. Xu Laifeng returned to the Buddha statue, had You San watch the door, while he himself circled around the altar to carefully examine the statue, occasionally tapping it lightly with his fingers—solid stone carving, didn’t seem hollow inside.

This Buddha was polished smooth and slippery, about three zhang tall, sitting cross-legged on a lotus, eyes half-open and half-closed. One hand was raised upright, while the other held a green wide-mouthed treasure vase with a lid covering it.

Xu Laifeng’s eyes flashed. He leaped lightly onto the Buddha statue’s arm and carefully examined the lid’s rim—there was a deep crevice.

He placed both hands on the lid and tried turning it left. Using force, it didn’t move. He thought for a moment, then turned it right, and surprisingly it turned easily.

The two people above both startled slightly at this sight.

Xu Laifeng himself was also surprised. After a moment’s shock, he continued turning. When he reached the third rotation, suddenly his hands lightened—the lid just opened like that.

In that instant, a blue fluorescent light burst forth without warning, immediately illuminating the dark cavern temple. This light penetrated through the holes in the bell top, reflecting into Changling’s eyes. She couldn’t help asking curiously: “What is that?”

Ye Qi looked closely and murmured: “Looks like luminous stone.”

What the treasure vase contained was indeed a lotus flower carved from luminous stone, and it was a twin-stemmed lotus at that. The flower stem was deeply embedded in the vase body. Xu Laifeng instinctively reached out to pull it—couldn’t pull it out, as if it was embedded inside.

Just as he was considering whether to forcibly pull it out, he suddenly heard You San cry out in alarm: “Island Master Xu, he—”

Xu Laifeng leaped down and saw You San’s arm gripped by Liaozhen. He immediately stepped forward to intervene: “Master Liaozhen, we were just…”

Before he could finish his words, Xu Laifeng’s voice suddenly halted, because he saw Liaozhen’s eyes clearly—glowing with a fierce green light.

Almost just that one instant later, with a crack, You San screamed miserably as blood splattered. His arm had actually been torn off directly by Liaozhen.

This change happened in a flash. Both Changling and Ye Qi were shocked. You San screamed in pain continuously, his eyes rolled back, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

Liaozhen looked at the bloody arm and tossed it aside, then lunged at You San’s head as if he’d lost his mind. Xu Laifeng immediately struck a palm toward his back—this palm used almost full force. Liaozhen’s body swayed from the impact of this strike, and You San’s head escaped disaster.

Xu Laifeng hastily helped You San up and sealed several major acupoints on his shoulder. You San regained a bit of consciousness. As soon as he opened his eyes, he looked behind Xu Laifeng as if he’d seen a ghost. “He…”

With a “bang,” a hole was smashed in the stone floor. What penetrated the stone slab was Liaozhen’s bare fist. Xu Laifeng grabbed You San’s collar and dodged to a position three steps away from Liaozhen, looking with lingering fear at the long crack in the ground—if he’d been even a beat slower, he would have been smashed into a meat patty.

After receiving that palm strike, to still be able to punch like nothing happened—what the hell kind of monster is this?!

Seeing Liaozhen lunge at them again, Xu Laifeng dragged You San and fled as fast as if flying.

Liaozhen quietly watched their retreating figures without pursuing. Suddenly, he sprang from the ground, leaping several zhang high, standing on one foot on the bamboo ladder. From this angle, he happened to meet the two gazes from the holes above.

Ye Qi’s pupils contracted to points—Liaozhen had discovered them.

The next moment, Liaozhen punched the bronze bell repeatedly—”Dong,” “Dong,” “Dong”—three deafening sounds reverberated throughout the small village.

“Not good, quick, go.”

Ye Qi and Changling leaped down, their feet as if sprouting wind, racing toward the village. Liaozhen’s qinggong was slightly inferior to theirs, but he still pursued relentlessly. Changling said: “Why don’t you just let me finish him off?”

“Absolutely not. This monk Liaozhen looks too abnormal. That palm Xu Laifeng struck wasn’t light, yet he acted like nothing happened…” Ye Qi didn’t stop moving. “And the way he hit that bell—anyone else would have fractured bones by now, right? It’s unwise to wear ourselves out against him. Let’s lure him into the village and find a few helpers to… Hey, no more talking—he’s catching up!”

The temple wasn’t far from the village houses. Ye Qi and Changling quickened their pace and finally shook off Liaozhen. Just as they were about to continue running, they suddenly saw two figures standing in the fields on the grass slope ahead.

It was Xu Laifeng and You San.

Changling’s heart jumped: Why aren’t they running?

“Island Master Xu!” Ye Qi, as if annoyed they were blocking the way, pushed them with one hand. “What are you standing around for? Why aren’t you…”

Before the word “running” fell, Xu Laifeng grabbed Ye Qi’s arm, his face bearing an expression of extreme shock as he gazed ahead. “See for yourself…”

In the open view ahead, within a radius of one li, over a hundred villagers were walking step by step in this direction. Their footsteps made the ground tremble slightly. Old and young alike, under the moonlight, each had a blank expression, eyes glowing green, corners of mouths bearing eerie smiles.

And the village chief walking at the very front held a severed head in his hand—it was Gao Xuan.