After speaking, Lin Chengyou rose and threw something out the window. Accompanied by a long, piercing whistle, the object shot straight into the air. Soon, footsteps echoed in the corridor as Juesheng and Qizhi rushed over.
The two were prepared – Juesheng carried Lin Chengyou’s quiver while Qizhi had Lin Chengyou’s golden longbow slung across his shoulder. At the doorway, they called out in unison, “Senior Brother!”
Lin Chengyou slung the quiver across his back and took the longbow from Qizhi. Finally, after glancing at Peng Yugui and Teng Yuyi, he instructed Juesheng, “Watch over this place carefully. The culprit is gravely wounded – don’t let him die.”
Then he said to Qizhi, “Take Yan Shizhi and the others to the small Buddha hall. While the Corpse Fiend hasn’t arrived yet, I’ll go pursue the Golden-Robed Young Master first.”
With those words, he leaped onto the windowsill and spread his arms, soaring out the window like a white crane.
Qizhi stood dumbfounded for a moment before calling out loudly to Yan Shizhi and the others, “Quickly, follow this poor Daoist!”
Once everyone left, silence immediately returned to the room. Juesheng stood stunned for a moment before running over to check on Peng Yugui’s injuries.
Teng Yuyi, afraid to release pressure from the wound, didn’t dare ease up. Fortunately, as she maintained the pressure, the bleeding gradually slowed. Perhaps due to the medicinal pill he had taken, Peng Yugui’s complexion also brightened slightly.
“Was it the Golden-Robed Young Master who wounded him?” Juesheng knew He Mingsheng was the culprit but didn’t understand the full situation. Seeing He Mingsheng’s life hanging by a thread, he couldn’t help but feel surprised.
Just as Teng Yuyi was about to answer, the sounds outside suddenly became chaotic. First came the noise of countless children running and playing in the corridor, followed by the twitter and chatter of women’s voices. There couldn’t possibly be so many people suddenly appearing in the building – Teng Yuyi knew exactly what these things were.
Juesheng whispered, “Don’t pay attention to them. They’re just some evil spirits with unremarkable abilities. Senior Brother drew talismans on the doors – they can’t break in.”
Teng Yuyi breathed a sigh of relief but began worrying about Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu’s safety. Earlier, to lure Peng Yugui, she had disguised herself as Juan’er Li and waited in this side room, while Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu had remained with the real Juan’er Li in the room opposite.
Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu must be worried about her now. If the Corpse Fiend used this to set a trap, she wasn’t sure if they could handle it.
She said to Juesheng, “Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu are in the room opposite. I’m worried the Corpse Fiend might use this to cause trouble – we need to get a message to them quickly.”
Juesheng patted his chest. “Young Master Wang, don’t worry. Senior Brother already thought of this. When Qizhi returns, he’ll guard Juan’er Li in the opposite room. If you’re still concerned, once Qizhi comes back, I can go bring Uncle Cheng and Brother Huo over here.”
“That’s good then.” Teng Yuyi listened carefully – those evil spirits truly only dared to run wild in the corridor. As long as they didn’t open the doors, these demons and monsters couldn’t break in. Uncle Cheng was a man of wisdom and strategy; he must have already noticed this.
She steadied herself and looked back at Peng Yugui, who was gritting his teeth and sweating, clearly enduring the pain of his wounds in silence.
She stared at Peng Yugui’s empty right hand. What she had searched for everywhere had come effortlessly – she had only seen this kind of rain-like hidden weapon twice before. Once in her previous life before she was killed, when she witnessed a black-robed man use it to kill Duan Fu. The other time was just now in Peng Yugui’s hands.
Unfortunately, before she could examine it closely, the weapon had been taken away by Lin Chengyou.
After some thought, she took a small lacquered box from her belt and said gently to Peng Yugui, “I have some excellent barbarian medicine here that’s quite effective for pain relief. Let me apply it now – it should make you more comfortable.”
Peng Yugui forced a smile and said, “Thank you for Young Master Wang’s kindness, but it’s not necessary. I nearly harmed you earlier – this Peng truly doesn’t deserve to receive this medicine.”
Teng Yuyi wouldn’t take no for an answer. She lifted the cloth and sprinkled the medicinal powder onto the wound.
Peng Yugui fell silent. The medicine had some numbing effects on the body – the previously burning wound immediately felt much cooler.
He tried to raise his head and said with difficulty, “Thank you.”
Juesheng quickly pressed Peng Yugui back down: “Be careful not to disturb the wound.”
Teng Yuyi covered the cloth again while secretly pondering – in the past, she had only seen this man as slick and greedy, but now in his gravely wounded state, he showed a glimpse of his true nature. This kind of humble dignity was ingrained in his bones, something that no amount of time’s ravages could erode. It was clear that although the Peng family had been poor in those years, they hadn’t been careless in teaching their children.
After expressing his thanks, Peng Yugui silently gazed at the ceiling beams, lost in thought, his expression showing an unusual blankness.
Teng Yuyi looked at him thoughtfully. Just from Peng Yugui’s expression alone, one couldn’t see any desire to live.
“Master Peng insists on returning to Yuezhou – is there some unfulfilled wish?” she suddenly asked.
Peng Yugui was stunned for a moment before saying with a bitter smile, “Young Master Wang has seen through me.”
However, he didn’t continue, only silently turning to look out the window.
Teng Yuyi followed his gaze and happened to see a corner of the front building’s eaves. Under the deep blue night sky, a dark red full moon hung above the roof beams, its color unprecedentedly eerie, as if blood might drip from it at any moment. The strange light fell, covering the green-glazed tiles with a layer of crimson gauze.
She remembered that Peng Yugui’s bedroom was on the third floor. As he stared at that spot, what could he be thinking?
After watching for a while without discovering anything, she changed the subject: “Earlier, to lure Master Peng, Lin Chengyou summoned some fierce ghosts to pose as the Corpse Fiend, but now it’s different – the Two Fiends have truly broken in. Looking at these signs in the sky, who knows who has the upper hand now.”
Peng Yugui said self-mockingly, “It’s all because my skills are insufficient. Seeing that thing’s overwhelming resentful energy, I thought it was the Corpse Fiend – how could I know there was a trick? If only my abilities were deeper, I wouldn’t have made such a fool of myself mistaking ordinary fierce ghosts for the Corpse Fiend.”
“Master Peng needn’t be so modest,” said Teng Yuyi. “I’ve stayed at the Caifeng Tower all these days and never noticed Master Peng possessed such exceptional skills. Not just me – even Lin Chengyou and the five Daoist masters didn’t detect anything amiss.”
Peng Yugui forced a smile and said, “It’s just some unorthodox techniques. When it comes to true Daoist abilities, they’re far inferior to proper orthodox methods like those of the Young Master. With such minor skills, naturally, it takes no effort to conceal them.”
Teng Yuyi said in surprise, “But the techniques Master Peng used just now were truly impressive. May I ask which school of Daoism Master Peng studied? When you previously disguised yourself as the Wandering Immortal to go out, was it merely…”
Merely to follow Qingzhi?
Peng Yugui guessed what Teng Yuyi suspected. His expression changed slightly, and he immediately lowered his eyes without answering.
Teng Yuyi exchanged a glance with Juesheng, took out the small Xiaoya sword from her sleeve, and said with a bitter smile, “To be honest, I’ve recently been practicing Daoist swordsmanship due to accidentally consuming certain Daoist spiritual herbs. But even the most basic entry-level sword techniques are quite difficult for me. The Five Daoists say it’s to be expected since I started learning so late, but hearing Master Peng speak just now, I realize you weren’t young either when you met that extraordinary person?”
Peng Yugui nodded, “This Peng was already in his early twenties when learning these techniques.”
“So in my opinion, whether someone learns well or poorly doesn’t just depend on themselves – it has a lot to do with their teacher. Master Peng was even a few years older than me when starting, yet in just a few short years could develop such skilled abilities. This shows how remarkable that extraordinary person’s abilities were. Just now I saw Master Peng’s hidden weapon techniques were perfectly refined – were those taught by the extraordinary person too?”
Peng Yugui hesitated slightly before making a sound of agreement.
Teng Yuyi appeared very admiring: “In all my years, this is the first time I’ve seen such fine, rain-like hidden weapons. When coiled in hand, it must be only about the size of a bundle of thread. No wonder Lin Chengyou and his men couldn’t find it in several searches – did Master Peng keep it hidden in your sleeve all along?”
Peng Yugui’s eyes flickered slightly. After a moment he answered, “This is for my self-defense. Usually, it’s sewn into my sleeve cuff, and I would never use it unless my life depended on it.”
Teng Yuyi asked curiously, “This thing is neither gold nor silver – I wonder what it’s made of. I’ve heard that the Nanzhao Kingdom once had similar hidden weapons. When the Corpse King caused havoc, local military camp commanders used ‘zither strings’ to saw off the Corpse King’s fangs. I heard those zither strings were also extremely fine and tough – I wonder if they’re the same kind as yours. Master Peng, did you get this hidden weapon from that extraordinary person?”
Peng Yugui pondered for a moment before smiling faintly: “No matter how slowly Young Master Wang learns, it’s still the orthodox Daoist arts of Dongming Temple. Although unorthodox techniques can bring quick results, they bring endless harm. To be honest, if I hadn’t been desperate for revenge back then, I would never have touched unorthodox techniques. Young Master Wang needn’t envy them – there are benefits to learning slowly.”
Teng Yuyi paused, then nodded and smiled: “Master Peng speaks wisely.”
But in her heart, she thought: Peng Yugui deliberately changed the subject – was it out of concern for that extraordinary person, or something else? Judging from this strange hidden weapon, he had some connection to the strange person who had harmed her in her previous life. But whenever she tried to inquire deeper, he would smoothly change the subject. These unorthodox techniques held some secrets, and for Peng Yugui, these secrets absolutely could not be revealed to outsiders.
It was impossible to stop here – she had investigated for so long and finally encountered someone who might know the killer. If she couldn’t find out anything this time, where else could she go to look for clues? It didn’t matter if he wouldn’t speak now – she would find a way to make him talk.
She carefully lifted the cloth and was startled to find Peng Yugui’s wounds were still seeping blood. At the edges of several places where the giant claws had torn the flesh open, a strange blue-gold color was faintly visible.
It seemed the situation was grave. Her heart sank – no wonder Lin Chengyou had left Peng Yugui here. He must have feared that moving him would accelerate the deterioration of his injuries.
She quickly pressed the wound again. Peng Yugui seemed to guess something and said dejectedly, “Young Master Wang need not trouble yourself further. I won’t survive this night – I know this in my heart. Everything is fate – in this life, whether one is rich or poor, long-lived or short-lived, is predetermined.”
Teng Yuyi smiled coldly: “The Corpse Fiend came for me – whether the heart in my chest can be protected tonight is still uncertain. I haven’t said anything yet, but Master Peng has already lost heart. Fate? What is fate? If Master Peng was willing to accept fate, you wouldn’t have endured those years of hardship. So you needn’t speak such defeatist words to me – I’ve never believed in fate, nor accepted it.”
Peng Yugui was stunned. He had long ago inquired about this Young Master Wang’s background – her father was Teng Shao, her mother from the Wang clan of Taiyuan. Such a noble lady should have been raised like a delicate flower in her parents’ palms, but Miss Teng’s decisiveness and composure truly puzzled him.
Looking at her age, she could be at most fifteen or sixteen. Where did this composure beyond her years come from? Suddenly thinking of Baojiao who was about the same age as Miss Teng, if only she could have survived back then—
His heart ached. He shook his head and said, “This Peng doesn’t want to accept fate, it’s just that these wounds—”
Whether a severely wounded person could survive sometimes depended entirely on maintaining their will to live. Teng Yuyi was about to provoke him further when strange sounds came from outside the window, similar to command arrows but with a longer and higher-pitched cry.
Teng Yuyi and Juesheng quickly exchanged glances: “The Corpse Fiend has come.”
This was the signal arranged earlier with Lin Chengyou and the others for when the Corpse Fiend appeared. If the command arrow sounded once, it meant the Corpse Fiend had appeared disguised as a barbarian, and its first target would be Juan’er Li.
If it sounded twice or three times, the targets would be Teng Yuyi and Ge Jin respectively.
The command arrow just now only sounded once, so the target naturally was…
“Juan’er Li!” Juesheng was both nervous and excited. “Senior Brother and Young Master Wang guessed correctly – the Corpse Fiend is coming in order. Juan’er Li can’t stay in the room anymore – she needs to quickly go to the Great Exorcism Ceremony. I’ll go notify her now – if we’re late the Corpse Fiend won’t take the bait.”
Teng Yuyi quickly grabbed him: “Don’t panic and disrupt our formation. Your Senior Brother must have preparations – rashly opening doors now might let evil spirits slip in.”
Juesheng slapped his forehead: “Young Master Wang speaks truly – I got too anxious.”
Before he finished speaking, there was a creaking sound in the corridor as the opposite side room’s door opened. Someone ran out with heavy footsteps, followed immediately by knocking sounds. A young woman’s trembling voice called from outside, “Young Master Wang, Young Daoist, it’s me.”
Teng Yuyi was greatly alarmed – why had Juan’er Li come out on her own?
“Miss Juan’er Li, quickly return to your room!” Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu had also rushed out after her.
Juesheng ran to the door like the wind, urgently saying, “Return to your room and wait. Senior Brother will send someone to take you soon.”
Juan’er Li clutched at the door, trembling as she spoke, “This servant heard that command arrow and became frightened, always worried the Corpse Fiend might jump in through the window. Didn’t the Young Master say he would take me away? Why hasn’t anyone appeared yet?”
“Don’t worry about these ladies – when the time comes, they’ll naturally arrive,” Juesheng said, stamping his foot anxiously. “You just need to stay in your room. No one can harm you there.”
These words were quite reassuring. Juan’er Li’s tone quickly became steady: “With Young Daoist’s words, this servant feels at ease. This servant was frightened senseless and made a foolish scene. Young Daoist, don’t be anxious – this servant will return to the room now.”
Teng Yuyi pressed against the door and instructed: “Uncle Cheng, Huo Qiu when Juesheng and the others come to get Juan’er Li, come to this room. That way we servants won’t be split between two places, completely unaware of each other’s situations. Before then, no matter what you hear, don’t open the door – even if I call out, don’t respond.”
“This old servant understands,” Uncle Cheng said from outside. “Young Master must take good care of yourself.”
With a bang, the three people had returned to their room.
However, after just a moment of quiet, someone else came to the corridor. Jiantian and Qizhi knocked on the door saying, “Miss Juan’er Li, the barbarian flatbread you wanted has been bought. Come out quickly to get it.”
Juan’er Li replied from inside the room: “Is one string of cash enough?”
“Not enough, need to add another string.”
Though these words seemed nonsensical, they were pre-arranged signals. Only when both sides matched could they ensure the other wasn’t the Corpse Fiend in disguise.
Sure enough, Juan’er Li opened the door again. While Qizhi was talking with her in the corridor, Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu quickly moved to Teng Yuyi’s side.
After exchanging a few words, Juan’er Li left with Qizhi and the others. Teng Yuyi listened intently for movement from the direction of the front building. Once Juan’er Li appeared, the Corpse Fiend would surely enter the Great Exorcism trap. As long as they closed the net in time, the Corpse Fiend wouldn’t be able to escape.
These past few days she had been constantly on edge, and only at this moment did she regain a sense of security. Looking down, she noticed Peng Yugui’s complexion had worsened again and quickly said to Uncle Cheng: “Don’t you still have some wound-healing powder? Quickly take it out for Master Peng.”
Uncle Cheng took out the medicine and took over pressing the wound from Teng Yuyi: “The acupoint on his neck has been released. Just applying pressure won’t work – we need to seal the acupoint again.”
Teng Yuyi nodded: “He’s lost too much blood. If only we had some wine or sugarcane juice.”
As she spoke, she stood up and looked around the room. Seeing a wine pot on the table, she hurriedly walked over. Just as she picked up the wine cup, the Dark Sound Bell on her wrist began to ring. Ding ding ding, ding ding ding… At first, the bell sounds were clear, but suddenly they became sharp.
Teng Yuyi was startled. This string of bells hadn’t been quiet all evening, especially when the Golden-Robed Young Master appeared – they had been almost constantly noisy. But ringing this fiercely and urgently was unprecedented.
Juesheng drew the sword from his back and slowly straightened up: “Be careful, seems like something big is coming.”
As if in response to these words, a strange “scritch” sound eerily echoed through the silent corridor.
It was the sound of long nails scraping against the wall. Though far away, the sound was so hard and thin that it felt like it was scraping directly against one’s heart. Teng Yuyi’s face became horrified – not long ago when the Corpse Fiend had broken into Prince Cheng’s mansion, she had heard this sound in the darkness.
“The Corpse Fiend!” She retreated several steps in alarm, drawing the Xiaoya sword. “Wasn’t it lured to the Great Exorcism Ceremony by Juan’er Li? Why has it come here?”
Juesheng was uncertain and alarmed: “I don’t know either!”
“Could something have gone wrong with the formation? Otherwise, why didn’t it contain the Corpse Fiend?”
“That’s impossible.” Juesheng hurriedly felt for something in his front collar. “Senior Brother checked many times, and the formation is currently guarded by five Daoist masters. They wouldn’t let the Corpse Fiend run wild.”
Teng Yuyi’s mind was in chaos: “Never mind that now – do you have a command arrow? Quickly notify your Senior Brother!”
Juesheng had already taken it out and lit it, throwing it backward out the window.
“Senior Brother is dealing with the Golden-Robed Young Master alone in the back garden and can’t spare time to help us. Right now we can only hope the Five Daoists come quickly.”
Uncle Cheng said in a deep voice: “If it is the Corpse Fiend, staying in the room is extremely dangerous. Young Master, should we escape through the window?”
“No,” Juesheng quickly said. “Senior Brother said staying in the room is safest. The Corpse Fiend’s methods are endless. What if the outside is an illusion? Rashly jumping out might fall into its trap.”
As they were speaking, that thing in the corridor drew closer and closer. Strangely, just as it was about to reach the door, the weird sound suddenly stopped.
Teng Yuyi’s heart was racing in her chest. She could vaguely hear that thing lingering at the door, but it never took another step forward.
Juesheng swallowed and said: “There are talismans drawn by Senior Brother on the door. By rights, the Corpse Fiend shouldn’t be able to break in.”
After observing for a while longer, the Corpse Fiend still seemed afraid to force its way in. Teng Yuyi breathed a slight sigh of relief – it seemed Juesheng wasn’t wrong, the Corpse Fiend truly feared the talismans on the door. She lowered her body to pick up the teacup that had fallen by her feet when suddenly a thought flashed through her mind, making her whole body freeze.
Something wasn’t right.
“Juesheng,” she began uncertainly, “don’t you think the timing of the Corpse Fiend’s appearance is too convenient?”
“What do you mean?” Juesheng absently wiped the sweat from his brow.
Teng Yuyi thought anxiously, putting aside how Juan’er Li had already entered the formation yet the Corpse Fiend had abandoned her to come to Yiyu Pavilion – just consider how at the moment the command arrow sounded, Juan’er Li had voluntarily run out from her room.
At that time, Juan’er Li had knocked on the door saying she was afraid, completely changing from her recent dazed state, speaking many words all at once.
But, ever since Juan’er Li had been kidnapped by the Golden-Robed Young Master and returned, she had become somewhat stupid, and according to Baozhu and Eji, she seemed to be showing signs of increasing foolishness recently. Yet tonight, as soon as the Corpse Fiend broke into the mansion, Juan’er Li suddenly returned to normal.
“Last time when your Senior Brother called everyone in the building to take medicinal baths,” Teng Yuyi suddenly said, “was it because he suspected the Corpse Fiend had planted puppets in the building?”
Juesheng started: “That’s right.”
“Your Senior Brother tested all the courtesans in the building, so why did he skip Juan’er Li?”
Juesheng was stunned: “Because you three are the Corpse Fiend’s prey, and the Corpse Fiend likes to maintain its prey’s consciousness before striking. Since it treated Juan’er Li as prey, it wouldn’t turn her into a mindless puppet. Moreover, before that, Juan’er Li had been kidnapped by the Golden-Robed Young Master, and after rescuing her we gave her several doses of talisman soup. If she were a puppet, drinking the talisman soup would have caused an immediate reaction. And since the talismans were personally drawn by Senior Brother, he would never suspect Juan’er Li.”
“If someone wasn’t recently possessed, would the talisman soup still detect it?”
“This… if the evil energy has already invaded the heart meridians, ordinary talisman soup indeed wouldn’t detect it, but that would take at least a month or more.” Juesheng gradually became uneasy. “Young Master Wang, you can’t be suspecting Juan’er Li—”
Teng Yuyi carefully recalled how Juan’er Li had clutched at the door earlier: “She was too strange tonight. Don’t you think that just now she wasn’t so much knocking on the door as…”
Footsteps sounded outside the door, clearly approaching another step, and this time, those long nails quietly touched the door panel.
Juesheng blanched in horror. Teng Yuyi turned and ran toward the window: “Not good, this door can’t stop the Corpse Fiend at all – it was deliberately toying with us. Uncle Cheng, Huo Qiu, lift Master Peng, quickly go!”
Juesheng suddenly understood everything: “Damn, I should have noticed something was wrong with Juan’er Li – when she leaned against the door knocking, she had already destroyed the talismans.”
“Young Master Wang, you all need to leave quickly.” Sweat dripped steadily from his brow as he rapidly stuck talismans to his sword tip. “I’ll hold it off first – the Five Daoists should arrive soon.”
Teng Yuyi directed Huo Qiu to carry Peng Yugui on his back toward the window, but said: “I can’t understand – when exactly did Juan’er Li become a puppet?”
“Perhaps she was already one before the Golden-Robed Young Master kidnapped her.” Juesheng quickly drew a demon-binding formation in the room. “Young Master Wang, think about it – that night why did the Golden-Robed Young Master kidnap her specifically and no one else? Wasn’t it precisely to prevent people from suspecting Juan’er Li?”
Thoughts raced through Teng Yuyi’s mind – indeed, only this could explain everything. She grabbed the window frame and reminded Huo Qiu: “There’s a pool below – jumping down will inevitably wet the wounds, and once the medicine powder washes away, the bleeding will certainly not stop. Huo Qiu, remember to use your lightness skill, don’t fall into the water.”
Peng Yugui was already like a candle in the wind – he absolutely couldn’t withstand any more trauma.
Peng Yugui’s head hung limply on Huo Qiu’s shoulder as he said hoarsely: “Young Master Wang, you all escape first. I’m severely wounded and can’t move easily. If you insist on taking me along, it will only endanger everyone.”
Teng Yuyi didn’t answer, only signaling Huo Qiu with her eyes. Huo Qiu grasped the window frame with both hands and jumped down without argument. Unexpectedly, at that moment, the door was broken open from the outside. A graceful figure appeared in the doorway, accompanied by giggling laughter and a gust of cold wind that rushed straight in.
The laughter was bright and lively – at first listen it seemed like a young girl playing and laughing on a spring day. Huo Qiu had only gotten halfway out when he was trapped by an invisible net, instantly frozen at the window.
Juesheng shouted sharply, immediately performing ritual steps and wielding his talisman sword to stab at the Corpse Fiend. But before he could even reach the Corpse Fiend’s face, the sword blade split in two mid-air, and immediately his body lightened as he was thrown like a rag.
That thing moved as fast as a whirlwind, instantly darting to the window and leaning straight forward, laughing as it grabbed everyone on the windowsill and pulled them back down.
Teng Yuyi’s body was stiff as stone as she was thrown heavily back into the room. For a moment her head spun and her chest was so tight she couldn’t even cry out.
When she could finally move, she gripped the Xiaoya sword and tried to get up, but suddenly her neck tightened as someone grabbed her collar and lifted her.
Teng Yuyi raised her head with difficulty and met the young girl’s gaze. As soon as she saw the other’s appearance, her heart dropped – the Corpse Fiend hadn’t just disguised itself as a barbarian, its appearance was almost identical to her own.
The barbarian hat and clothes were one thing, but even the full beard on its face was the same, with just that pair of round black eyes visible. If it ran around the building dressed like this, anyone would mistake it for her, Teng Yuyi.
She suddenly understood – the Corpse Fiend had turned Juan’er Li into a puppet and planted her in the building precisely to gain advanced knowledge of the building’s movements. So it not only knew her recent dress and appearance but also knew that Lin Chengyou had set up an ambush in advance. While everyone was waiting for the Corpse Fiend to enter the trap, it had turned the tables on everyone.
The Five Daoists’ failure to activate the Great Exorcism Ceremony in time was probably because they too had been deceived by the Corpse Fiend’s appearance.
Teng Yuyi’s ears were ringing, and for some reason, she recalled what the Five Daoists had said: The character for “corpse” alone is not enough to fear – it is because of the “evil” that it deserves to be called the king of evil.
At this moment, Teng Yuyi truly understood the meaning of that character for “evil.”
“You…” she feigned weakness and coughed once.
“You…” the young girl also coughed, her expression and voice extremely similar to Teng Yuyi’s, even the tone of the cough was indistinguishable.
Teng Yuyi shuddered all over, feeling as if ten thousand ants were crawling up her spine, filled with indescribable horror and disgust.
“Why are you mimicking my words?” Her right hand gripped the sword, secretly gathering strength, and thrust forcefully at the Corpse Fiend. Unfortunately, halfway through the thrust, the sword tip seemed to hit an iron wall and couldn’t advance even half an inch further.
“Why are you mimicking my words?” the young girl spoke with slight anger, her expression animated, her appearance exceptionally beautiful.
“You monster!” A cool breeze swept in from the side as Uncle Cheng swung his blade. His target wasn’t the Corpse Fiend but rather the front of Teng Yuyi’s collar that the Corpse Fiend held. His blade technique was incredibly precise, cleanly slicing away that piece of fabric. He immediately grabbed the Corpse Fiend’s arm and shouted, “Young Miss, run!”
Teng Yuyi stumbled, then turned to flee. Halfway through her escape, she looked back to see the Corpse Fiend’s claws descending toward Uncle Cheng’s crown. Her heart and courage both shattered – this strike would surely end Uncle Cheng’s life. It was too late to go back and save him, and she was no match for the Corpse Fiend anyway. In that split second, she simply called out loudly: “Feng Abao, your father has come!”
The Corpse Fiend’s palm had already touched Uncle Cheng’s scalp, but hearing these words, its face darkened.
Teng Yuyi backed away, breathing heavily. She had heard from Lin Chengyou that the Corpse Fiend was the illegitimate daughter of the last emperor of the previous dynasty, and “Feng Abao” was its name when alive.
“Feng Abao,” she forced a smile, “weren’t you fond of mimicking? Why aren’t you repeating these words?”
The Corpse Fiend indeed abandoned Uncle Cheng and charged toward Teng Yuyi. In this moment of distraction, two figures flew in from the side – one was Huo Qiu, gripping a dagger and stabbing fiercely toward the Corpse Fiend’s eyes. The other was Juesheng, holding talismans between his fingers, aiming for the Corpse Fiend’s forehead.
Though caught between two attackers, the Corpse Fiend showed no sign of panic. It gave a sinister laugh and violently threw Uncle Cheng from its body with tremendous force, right into the oncoming Huo Qiu. With a dull thud, the two collided and fell unconscious without even a groan.
Teng Yuyi ran headlong toward the exit – there was no other choice now, getting help quickly was the only solution. They had delayed so long, yet the Five Daoists still hadn’t appeared for some unknown reason.
But just as she reached the doorway, she was bounced back by an invisible wall.
The Corpse Fiend laughed sinisterly, its other arm reaching for Juesheng’s neck. Juesheng had already leaped in front of the Corpse Fiend and, in desperation, spat at it. This mouthful of saliva must have been gathering for some time – it was nearly half a bowl’s worth.
Though the Corpse Fiend had become an evil spirit, it still retained some of its living habits. Faced with so much flying spittle, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted. Though furiously angry, it could do nothing but instinctively turn its head. Juesheng seized this moment of distraction to forcefully paste a talisman on its forehead.
“Urgent as commanded, freeze—”
The Corpse Fiend’s arm froze in mid-air, completely immobile.
“Well done!” Teng Yuyi got up and ran toward the exit, but as soon as she moved, she was bounced back again.
“It’s useless, it’s put up a barrier at the door,” Juesheng shouted. “This talisman won’t hold it for long. Young Master Wang, while it can’t move, quickly help me move it into the formation I just drew. Right now only this formation can trap it for a while longer.”
Teng Yuyi ran over to help: “Something’s wrong outside. The command arrow was sent out so long ago – it’s one thing if the Five Daoists can’t make it, but why hasn’t even your Senior Brother shown any movement?”
“I suspect we’re already in a barrier,” Juesheng grunted as he dragged the Corpse Fiend toward the formation. “The command arrow might never have gone out at all – we were just fooling ourselves. Now we can only hope Senior Brother notices something’s wrong here and quickly shakes off the Golden-Robed Young Master to come help. But the Golden-Robed Young Master is also hard to deal with – if the Five Daoists are still trapped in the front building, Senior Brother’s situation probably isn’t good either.”
Teng Yuyi helped carry the Corpse Fiend’s other shoulder, and as soon as she moved she understood – no wonder Juesheng needed her help. Though the Corpse Fiend appeared to have a young girl’s form, it weighed as much as a boulder.
“Can’t you draw another formation right here?” She used all her strength.
“It shattered my sword,” Juesheng’s face was red with exertion.
After finally getting the Corpse Fiend into the formation, Juesheng waved his hand: “Young Master Wang, step back first while I perform the ritual.”
Teng Yuyi wiped away sweat and retreated to the side, but just as Juesheng bent down, the Corpse Fiend’s arm swung down.
“It’s moving!” Teng Yuyi jumped up and stabbed her sword toward the Corpse Fiend’s cheek, but before she could get close, a gust of cold wind struck, throwing both her and her sword far back.
Thanks to her interference, Juesheng managed to freeze the Corpse Fiend again.
As she fell backward, Teng Yuyi said desperately: “Can’t your talismans last a bit longer?!”
Juesheng’s chubby face was crying like a wrinkled bun: “I don’t want them to be so weak either! But this is the Corpse Fiend!”
He hurriedly moved to activate the ritual pillar, throwing a talisman that slowly wrapped the Corpse Fiend in yellow light. Just as he was about to chant the binding spell, the Corpse Fiend’s head turned with a creaking sound, suddenly letting out a coquettish laugh: “Fun, this is so fun.”
Teng Yuyi felt a chill run down her neck and hurried to get up from the ground. Juesheng’s face changed dramatically as he leaped to throw a third talisman, but the Corpse Fiend pursed its red lips and blew a breath, shattering the talisman in mid-air.
Juesheng froze for a moment, then jumped down and fled without a word. The Corpse Fiend’s arm swept out, snatching him up like an eagle catching a chick.
Teng Yuyi rushed forward, raising her sword to stab at the Corpse Fiend’s cheek, but just like before, that familiar strange force blocked her outside the formation.
“I’ve never eaten the heart of a little Daoist like you before,” the Corpse Fiend said with an innocent expression. “You’re so chubby – I wonder how you taste.”
“Not good!” Teng Yuyi quickly said, still struggling against the invisible force that kept her spinning in place. “He eats monsters all the time – his internal organs are all bitter.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Juesheng’s legs kicked wildly in the air. “My heart is bitter – not tasty at all!”
“You’re lying!” The Corpse Fiend’s laugh was childish. “I know, the hearts of soft, white children like you taste the best.”
As it spoke, its claws reached for Juesheng’s chest.
With no magical weapons left to protect himself, Juesheng burst into tears: “Young Master Wang, the barrier will disappear briefly while it’s eating – take that chance to run!”
Teng Yuyi felt somewhat desperate too. Help was still nowhere in sight, Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu were unconscious, and even if they were awake, they would be powerless against such a great evil spirit.
Seeing the Corpse Fiend’s nails about to touch Juesheng’s chest, she suddenly said: “Hey, I’ve always been your target. Put him down and come eat me instead.”
The Corpse Fiend paused and turned to look at Teng Yuyi.
Teng Yuyi bent down and placed the Xiaoya sword at her feet: “Look, I’ve even put down my sword. I have nothing to defend myself with – you won’t need to worry when you strike.”
The Corpse Fiend’s gaze slowly moved down to the jade-green small sword. Juesheng’s sobs caught in his throat as he desperately shook his head at Teng Yuyi.
“Don’t delay any longer,” Teng Yuyi smiled slightly. “You know Lin Chengyou’s abilities – he’ll discover your barrier sooner or later. If you eat Juesheng first and then come for me, Lin Chengyou will arrive before you can act. You’re clever – why lose the greater for the lesser?”
The Corpse Fiend had wavered somewhat, looking between Juesheng and Teng Yuyi with a hesitant expression, as if seriously considering whom to eat first.
“I won’t resist,” Teng Yuyi urged. “The first heart is very important to you, right? Now your prey is right in front of you, with no one to interfere – you won’t get such a good opportunity if you wait.”
The Corpse Fiend began giggling, and as it laughed, it turned and blew a breath at Juesheng. His wildly kicking feet suddenly froze in mid-air as if struck by a freezing talisman, then he was thrown to the ground like a wooden post.
The Corpse Fiend turned and walked straight toward Teng Yuyi.
Juesheng’s tears flowed even more fiercely, but this time he couldn’t even shake his head. Teng Yuyi’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she hoped someone would arrive at this moment.
The Corpse Fiend took two steps, then suddenly seemed to remember something. It turned back to the formation and bent down to grab Juesheng’s collar.
“No, no,” it said worriedly. “Daoists love to play tricks. I don’t like being disturbed while eating hearts. Better kill him first – save me from being interrupted.”
As it reached for Juesheng’s chest, Teng Yuyi shouted sharply: “Feng Abao, if you dare touch him, I guarantee you’ll never get to eat me!”
Perhaps because it had already been provoked once, the Corpse Fiend showed no reaction to these words. Its nails grew several inches as it located Juesheng’s heart and prepared to strike.
Just as Juesheng was about to be splattered with blood, a figure suddenly threw itself forward, its left hand grabbing the Corpse Fiend’s arm while its right hand forcefully pushed Juesheng far away.
Teng Yuyi’s eyes widened suddenly – it was the dying Peng Yugui.
The Corpse Fiend hadn’t expected anyone in the room would dare to ambush it. Enraged and humiliated, it struck Peng Yugui’s forehead. Peng Yugui managed to roll aside with great effort, but his injuries were too severe, and the Corpse Fiend’s blow struck his shoulder.
Unable to contain its fury, the Corpse Fiend released all its dark energy to slaughter everyone in the room. Suddenly, with a whoosh, a golden arrow shot in from outside the door, swift as a gale, straight toward the Corpse Fiend’s brow, piercing through its skull.
The force of the impact sent the Corpse Fiend flying backward through the room, crashing into the window frame where it was pinned by the long arrow.
Teng Yuyi could move again and quickly turned to look outside the door.
“Senior Brother!” Juesheng’s eyes filled with tears as he scrambled to his feet.
Intense fighting sounds came from outside. Lin Chengyou’s voice was strained: “While it can’t move, quickly get to the room opposite. No one can destroy the talismans on the door now. You’ll be safe in the room. Wait until I deal with this Golden Bird, then I’ll come find you.”
“Alright,” Juesheng hurriedly replied.
Without another word, Teng Yuyi moved to drag Peng Yugui: “Come help quickly.”
She knew Peng Yugui was unlikely to survive – even a healthy person couldn’t withstand that blow, let alone someone so gravely injured.
As the dark energy in the room dispersed, the previously unconscious Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu awakened. Black energy swirled around the Corpse Fiend’s face as it desperately tried to pull the arrow from its brow, but couldn’t.
Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu together carried Peng Yugui to the opposite room. Passing through the corridor, they saw Lin Chengyou dodging left and right while fighting and cursing: “Old monster, don’t say I didn’t give you a chance. You can still escape now. If you insist on getting involved with the Corpse Fiend, beware of losing centuries of cultivation in an instant.”
The other was a handsome man in his early thirties wearing a light golden formal robe, with a bowl-sized red peony in his hair that was particularly eye-catching. Though his attire was originally quite dignified, it now looked as if it had been through intense flames – his right sleeve was completely gone, with only scattered bits of charred fabric remaining from the shoulder down.
“Brat, you can barely take care of yourself, yet you still try to sow discord.” The Golden-Robed Young Master replied quickly. “Just watch and see who can walk out of Caifeng Tower alive tonight.”
His laugh was unrestrained but showed signs of strain.
The group moved to the opposite room and quickly closed the door. Teng Yuyi crouched down to examine Peng Yugui’s injuries. His face was as yellow as gold paper, his breath as thin as gossamer – there was no possibility of survival.
Looking at Peng Yugui, Teng Yuyi felt indescribable emotions. Juesheng crouched on the other side, his voice somewhat broken: “Just now… thank you… thank you… Master He.”
Teng Yuyi sighed: “His surname is Peng.”
Peng Yugui forced a smile: “Yes… you can call me Peng Dalang.”
Juesheng was at a loss, tearing off a sleeve to try to press against Peng Yugui’s wounds, but Peng Yugui’s entire shoulder and neck were a mass of mangled flesh – there was nowhere to even begin.
“Young Daoist, don’t trouble yourself,” Peng Yugui said. “I… won’t survive.”
Juesheng messily wiped his face, the droplets on his cheeks glistening – it was hard to tell if they were sweat or tears. Knowing there was no hope for Peng Yugui, Teng Yuyi didn’t bother seeking medicine.
“Young Master Lin was right. From the moment I harmed innocent people for my selfish desires, I was no longer myself,” Peng Yugui forced a smile. “A sinner like me deserves death.”
“Master Peng…” Teng Yuyi tried to speak.
Peng Yugui shook his head: “Just now, when you and Daoist Juesheng were willing to face the Corpse Fiend to save each other, somehow it reminded me of my parents and sister. That move I made wasn’t just to save the young Daoist, it was also to save… my parents of years past, to save Baojiao of years past… and…”
“To save myself.”
His breath was weak, requiring long pauses between each sentence.
“I’m afraid I won’t make it back to Taozhiduko,” he struggled to raise his right hand to look at it. “These hands are now covered in blood. I fear that even if I meet my parents and sister in the underworld, they won’t recognize me. All these years, in pursuit of revenge, I’ve become neither human nor ghost. My parents were good people who never did anything wrong in their lives and Baojiao…”
His voice gradually became as bitter as his smile.
Juesheng shook his head with tears: “No, Brother Peng, you’re flesh and blood family. Even if you’ve changed beyond recognition, they’ll still know you.”
Peng Yugui’s face brightened: “…Young Daoist… you have a kind heart. Hearing your words… I… I feel much more at ease.”
He struggled to reach for his collar but his hand fell limply halfway.
Teng Yuyi moved: “Need to get something?”
Peng Yugui gratefully nodded. Juesheng reached out and felt around, finding a deerskin pouch. Inside were a key and a box.
The box was flat and long, containing three items arranged neatly from left to right: a red jade seal, a jade pearl flower ornament, and a vivid lacquered wooden doll.
Peng Yugui spoke between breaths: “I had a premonition… that my deeds would be exposed sooner or later… just didn’t expect it so soon… Now… I only want to ask Young Master Wang for a favor…”
Teng Yuyi’s heart jolted. He had just saved Juesheng – if he wanted to make a dying request, it would make more sense to ask Juesheng. But whether unwilling to leverage his good deed or for some other reason, he turned to her instead.
She looked thoughtfully at the treasures and nodded: “Please speak, Master Peng.”
Peng Yugui’s brow relaxed: “These things are for my parents and sister. Because Tian Yunde suspected I wasn’t dead, he would return to Taozhiduko every year to secretly inquire about my whereabouts. To hide my tracks, I never properly paid respects at my parents’ graves. Now that my revenge was complete, I had planned to bring these things to pay my respects. The wooden doll is for Baojiao, and the seal is for my father. My mother never wore fine jewelry in life – this jade pearl flower is for her…”
He suddenly began coughing, bringing up large mouthfuls of black blood. Uncle Cheng quickly pressed several major acupoints on his chest while Juesheng hurriedly used his sleeve to wipe away the blood.
Peng Yugui caught his breath for a while, slowly recovering.
“My parents are buried halfway up Qiuyang Mountain, not far from Taozhiduko, with a simple wooden tablet marking their grave…” His chest heaved as he spoke haltingly. “No relatives and the neighbors have long forgotten them. As their son, I couldn’t show my face – for years there hasn’t been anyone to pay respects at their grave. I went to look secretly – the old couple’s grave has fallen into terrible disrepair.”
Tears were visible in his eyes as his voice grew increasingly faint.
Huo Qiu couldn’t bear to listen anymore and silently turned away. Even Uncle Cheng, usually stoic, couldn’t help but sigh mournfully.
“Baojiao was buried on Mount Xiaohuai years ago. Partly out of pity for her loneliness, and partly fearing I wouldn’t be able to find her grave later, I secretly moved her remains a few years ago. They’re now hidden in the backyard of my Luoyang residence.” Peng Yugui’s hands trembled as he struggled to reach for the key. “I want to move my sister’s remains back to Yuezhou, to be buried with our parents. I also want my remains moved back home after I die. After being separated for so many years, our family should at least be reunited. I should have arranged these things myself… now I can only trouble Young Master Wang. There’s a chest in my room that can be opened with this key. Inside is my life’s savings – Young Master Wang can use as much as needed.”
Teng Yuyi felt conflicted. Was this why Peng Yugui had asked her? Yuezhou was thousands of li away – not to mention repairing the graves, just moving the siblings’ remains there would require enormous effort and resources. This would be too difficult for a young Daoist.
Nevertheless, she took the key: “I promise you.”
Peng Yugui squeezed out a pale smile: “Young Master Wang, forgive my presumption, but I’ve always felt we have some similarities. But Young Master Wang is different from me – you will have good fortune.”
Teng Yuyi’s eyelashes trembled – these words held a deeper meaning.
Peng Yugui tried to lift his neck: “Young Master Wang, come closer – this Peng has something to ask you.”
Seeing Teng Yuyi about to bend down, Huo Qiu raised his hand to stop her: “Young Master, let this servant do it.”
Peng Yugui weakly shook his head: “…Only Young Master Wang should hear this.”
Uncle Cheng pulled Huo Qiu back: “No need, let Young Master listen.”
If Peng Yugui meant to harm Young Miss, he wouldn’t have entrusted her with such important matters.
“Speak,” Teng Yuyi bent down.
Peng Yugui struggled to raise his head and said very softly: “I know Young Master Wang very much wants to know the origin of that hidden weapon.”
Teng Yuyi’s mind exploded.
“I cannot tell you who my master was, but I can tell you where the hidden weapon came from. Go to an ironmonger’s shop called You Migui in the West Market. If you see a ruffian named Zhuang Mu, find a way to get information from him. Years ago, that’s where I got the hidden weapon.”
Teng Yuyi’s heart pounded. She had thought that with Peng Yugui’s death, all leads would be lost, but unexpectedly, in this unimaginable way, she suddenly learned the weapon’s origin.
No wonder Peng Yugui had asked her instead of Juesheng, and was certain she would agree to his request. He had seen through her desire to learn about the weapon and had prepared to repay her kindness with the answer she sought.
This man truly had a brilliant mind. She stared at Peng Yugui, her heart filled with complex emotions.
Peng Yugui fell back weakly – he had used his last bit of strength to relay this information. The light that had been in his eyes was slowly extinguishing, his black pupils becoming increasingly vacant as if covered by a white mist.
Just then, footsteps approached outside and Lin Chengyou suddenly pushed open the door. His face was covered in blood, and his clothes were torn in many places. He entered coughing, about to speak, but was startled by the scene. He hurriedly ran over and crouched down, intending to press several of Peng Yugui’s major acupoints, but seeing Peng Yugui’s condition, his movements suddenly stopped.
“It’s too late,” Juesheng said painfully.
Peng Yugui seemed unable to hear the activity around him. He stared blankly out the window, his expression somewhat melancholic. This window showed no bright moon, only the deep blue night sky and low-hanging tree branches.
“‘Last night at the western window I dreamed, dreamed of entering the road to Jiangnan…'” his voice was as weak as wisping smoke. “That was my father’s favorite line of poetry. All these years, whenever I thought of Taozhiduko, I would hear the cadence of my father reciting this line. I often thought… if only our family hadn’t gone to pick lotus pods that night… perhaps… perhaps Peng Dalang would forever have remained that Peng Dalang, I…”
His body trembled, and the final word was lost in his throat.
Author’s Note: “Last night at the western window I dreamed, dreamed of entering the road to Jiangnan” – The original poem reads “Last night at the western window I dreamed, dreamed of entering the road to Jingnan”, from Tang Dynasty poet Rong Yu’s “Autumn Evening in Chang’an”.