Song Jian fell suddenly silent.

It seemed as if Lin Chengyou’s words had kindled a spark of hope within him, yet he also appeared to be pondering something. For the next stretch of their journey, Lin Chengyou could only hear intermittent gasps for breath.

Lin Chengyou knew his horse was tethered in a narrow alley ahead. It wasn’t far—just two more streets before they could mount up. However, the poison on the arrow was potent. After just a brief dash through the night, Song Jian’s breathing had grown notably weaker.

With his heart burning with urgency, Lin Chengyou knew that at such critical moments between life and death, willpower often triumphed over all else. He had prepared many words to encourage Song Jian, but before he could speak, Song Jian began talking on his own: “I’ve never seen that person’s true master, but I suspect it’s a man… Once when I went to find that person without prior notice, they hadn’t time to prepare, and there was someone else hidden in the chamber. As soon as I entered, I heard the footsteps of someone departing—a man’s boot steps, with inner strength surpassing my own…”

He drew a labored breath and continued haltingly: “…This hidden master is quite capable. Just the scheme with the fetus was planned flawlessly. If not for the witness who accidentally stumbled upon the scene that day, even… even the Crown Prince would have believed that the woman’s death was merely part of the serial killings. I only agreed to join because… because I thought there would be no flaws to expose… That person probably guessed I would come for the mirror tonight, and being unable to come themselves, must have leaked this information to their master, which is why they arrived so quickly…”

Lin Chengyou nodded.

He knew that the more Song Jian spoke now, the faster his inner strength would drain away. Though he yearned to ask more questions, he restrained himself from doing so.

After a moment of silence, Song Jian laughed, his voice somewhat hoarse: “In the past, I had little interaction with the Crown Prince. I only knew of your intelligence and grace. Tonight’s events have truly… truly earned my admiration. Regrettably, I don’t know much more, as that person and I were merely… merely using each other for our ends. I was wary of them, just as they were wary of me. But I do know that they are certainly absent on the first and fifteenth of every month. I suspect these are the days when that person meets with their master to plot major events. If you follow this lead, you might discover something.”

Lin Chengyou said, “Save your words for when we reach the Imperial Dispensary.”

But Song Jian smiled bitterly and said, “My eyes have already gone blind. I fear I won’t make it to the Imperial Dispensary to say more.”

Lin Chengyou’s expression changed slightly. Blindness meant the poison had spread to the brain—even if Imperial Physician Yu were to treat him immediately, his chances of survival would be slim. Yet he didn’t slow his pace; instead, he moved even faster.

The night was so dark, and the path to the Imperial Dispensary so long. No matter how desperately one fought against fate, some battles couldn’t be won. After passing just one ward wall, he could barely detect Song Jian’s breathing anymore. Lin Chengyou’s chest grew cold with dread. Song Jian seemed to sense his impending death and laughed desolately: “In my life… the person I’ve wronged most is my father. I have a message I’d like the Crown Prince to relay to him: ‘Your son has strayed from the righteous path and deserves his fate. As I depart tonight, I can no longer fulfill my filial duties to you in your later years. Your son is filled with remorse and only hopes… hopes that you will take care of yourself.’ On my sleeve, there are two wooden dolls I had made for my son and daughter-in-law some days ago. I picked them up today and meant to give them tonight. Now I can only entrust them to you, Crown Prince…”

Lin Chengyou suddenly said: “Brother Song, tell me Zhen Niang’s birth date and exact time of death. I’ll find a way.”

There had been complete silence from behind, but at these words, Song Jian’s breathing suddenly grew heavy, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. His voice trembling, he asked, “Is there a way…”

He hurriedly continued: “…Zhen Niang… she was born in the year of Gengxu, the sixth month, eleventh day, at the beginning of the Si hour. She died in the year of Xinwei, the seventh month, second day, at the end of the You hour.”

To remember it so clearly… Lin Chengyou nodded and said: “There is a way, though it’s complicated. A hungry ghost, being a spirit itself, cannot convert the remnant souls it devours for its use. After consuming them for a while and finding them useless, it will expel them again. I suspect Zhen Niang’s soul still wanders in Chang’an, though we can’t summon it with ordinary soul-calling techniques. We’ll need to open the Mystic Gateway first…”

Moreover, no Daoist would willingly sacrifice their cultivation to help piece together someone’s soul, but compared to letting an innocent victim remain unable to reincarnate for all eternity, what was losing a year or two of cultivation? If his grandmother and mother were here, they would do the same.

However, such major rituals had always been something only his grandmother could arrange. If his grandmother couldn’t return soon, they would have to do it like the last time they summoned Lady An Guo’s soul—he would have to perform it together with His Majesty.

Song Jian listened in a daze. Though he didn’t speak, his breathing grew increasingly rapid. Lin Chengyou’s heart sank further—these were signs of a final rally before death. Song Jian was holding onto his last breath through sheer determination to reunite with his wife.

After hearing Lin Chengyou’s words, Song Jian seemed overjoyed, saying “good” three times: “Then… then I’ll have to trouble the Crown Prince… If you find Zhen Niang’s soul, please ensure our souls meet. We made a promise to… to…”

Suddenly, there was silence from behind.

Lin Chengyou halted: “Brother Song.”

There was no response.

Song Jian had breathed his last.

Lin Chengyou stood silently for a while, slowly lowering Song Jian’s body from his back to the ground, looking down at him wordlessly.

Song Jian’s eyes were still open, but there was a trace of a smile on his lips—a smile that held a hint of satisfaction as if he had finally achieved his heart’s desire.

After a moment of silence, Lin Chengyou reached for Song Jian’s sleeve and retrieved the two wooden dolls. Facing Song Jian’s corpse, he solemnly completed the words he hadn’t finished earlier: “Very well, I promise you, Brother Song.”

The sound of multiple footsteps came from behind—the Imperial Guards had finally caught up.

Lin Chengyou slowly straightened up and said to the Imperial Guards: “Escort Song Jian’s body to the Court of Judicial Review.”

***

Teng Yuyi sat at the table reading. Her copy of “The Principles of Qin” was already worn from use. This handwritten incomplete volume had been left behind by her elder sister before leaving the temple. Though the title had been worn away, the content was fascinating, containing various ancient Buddhist stories that captivated readers.

Before she knew it, she had read through more than half the book. Teng Yuyi turned her head to look out the open window. The courtyard was silent except for occasional insect sounds. Three months had passed, and today was the first day of the fourth month—the monthly New Moon Day when the moonlight was dimmer than usual.

It was too quiet.

Unnaturally quiet.

Actually, not just tonight—the temple had been unusually quiet these past two days. During daylight hours, apart from going to the front hall for the three daily meals, there was almost nothing to do. Unwilling to remain idle, Teng Yuyi had been practicing the lightness skill that Lin Chengyou had taught her that day. After two days of practice, she had made some progress.

During the first two days, Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi would seek her out whenever they had free time. The three would sit at the stone table under the pear tree, chatting while enjoying snacks. They told her they didn’t know who the real culprit was either, but their senior brother had told them that regardless of what happened, they should just remember that the true culprit was singularly focused on obtaining the New Moon Child Lord.

Today, even Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi were absent from the temple.

Teng Yuyi knew that no one else could command them—their reassignment could only have been on Lin Chengyou’s orders. She secretly guessed they had gone with their senior brother to Tong Prefecture, though she didn’t know if the culprit had been caught.

While Teng Yuyi was lost in thought, resting her chin on her hand, Bi Luo and Chun Rong had finished their tasks. One came over yawning to help Teng Yuyi prepare her bedding, while the other had finished ironing and hanging up Teng Yuyi’s clothes and shoes for the next day.

“Young Miss, it’s time for bed.”

Teng Yuyi put down her book. As she looked up and saw the sachet in Chun Rong’s hand, she suddenly remembered how a few days ago, when several young ladies were walking together to the Cloud Assembly Hall for a meal, Madam Peng the Second had eagerly shown them her newly made sachet. When the sachet was passed to Duan Qingying, not only did she fail to praise it, but she reacted as if she had smelled something extremely unpleasant, jerking her head away abruptly.

This not only embarrassed Madam Peng but made everyone else feel awkward as well.

After that incident, Duan Qingying claimed illness and stayed in her room, never returning to the Cloud Assembly Hall.

To Teng Yuyi, Duan Qingying’s various behaviors couldn’t have been more strange.

She recalled Lin Chengyou’s expression that night, wondering what secret he had discovered about Duan Qingying that he refused to reveal.

If Duan Qingying were merely possessed by evil spirits, there would be no need to keep it hidden.

As Chun Rong came repeatedly to urge her, Teng Yuyi walked thoughtfully toward the bed. As she walked, a sudden thought flashed through her mind.

She remembered how Duan Qingying had inexplicably become nauseous that day, and her aunt had commented that she had experienced the same thing during her pregnancy—appearing like a cold, but feeling nauseated at every smell.

Teng Yuyi’s scalp tingled with realization. Could Duan Qingying be with the child? She mentally connected all of Duan Qingying’s recent unusual behaviors, and the possibility seemed increasingly likely.

No wonder Lin Chengyou had been so hesitant to speak—no matter how thick-skinned he might be, he wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing an unmarried young lady’s pregnancy in public.

Teng Yuyi’s heart began to race when suddenly a tremendous sound burst through the night sky. It was somewhat like a beast’s roar, yet also resembled battlefield drums, as loud as thunder and eerily ominous, striking directly at one’s heart and sending chills through the body.

Teng Yuyi startled, and Chun Rong and Bi Luo also jumped in fright: “What- what was that sound?”

Then came the sound of footsteps from outside, as Duan Fu had rushed over upon hearing the noise: “Young Miss! There seems to be something strange happening at the front.”

Teng Yuyi decisively put on her outer clothes and cloak, concealing the Xiaoya Sword in her sleeve, and was the first to open the door and run out: “What has happened?”

Duan Fu stared at the strange white light above the temple, his expression growing increasingly odd: “Unknown. This old servant has already sent Chang Geng to the front to look.”

After waiting a while, footsteps sounded again on the path outside, and torchlight flickered above the courtyard wall—there seemed to be quite a few people coming.

“Young Miss!” It was Chang Geng’s voice. “Master Ming Xin has arrived.”

The next moment, they heard Ming Xin’s voice: “Benefactor Teng, Nai Zhong has broken into the temple. Please come quickly with this humble monk.”

Chun Rong and the others were greatly startled. Teng Yuyi opened the door to find familiar faces—besides the two senior disciples of Abbot Yuan Jue, there were also Daoist masters from various temples who had helped exorcise demons at the Jade Truth Daoist Temple that day. Several Daoists appeared to have come to the temple temporarily to help with the exorcism, and everyone looked tense.

Additionally, among the crowd were the trembling Madam Peng, Li Huaigu, and others. Duan Qingying wore a large cloak with even her eyes hidden beneath a veiled hat.

After scanning carefully, she saw neither Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi nor Jian Tian and Jian Xian.

Ming Xin said: “There’s no time to waste. The Abbot and others are containing Nai Zhong at the front. You have no magical powers to protect yourselves, and the Abbot fears Nai Zhong’s yin energy might harm you benefactors, so he asked this humble monk to lead you to shelter within the barrier.”

Teng Yuyi secretly glanced at the Mystic Sound Bell on her wrist, confirming there was nothing unusual about these visitors. Looking up at the sky above the temple, she saw dark clouds gathering densely in an instant, and quickly said: “Please lead the way, Master.”

Ming Xin led everyone directly toward the back of the temple. No one was in the mood for idle chat along the way. The young ladies huddled together nervously, and even the usually chatty Madam Peng the Second was too frightened to speak. They quickly reached the kitchen quarters in the back courtyard, when another tremendous sound came from the front. Ming Xin’s face changed dramatically. He paused to look back for a moment, then turned to the Daoists beside him and said: “The barrier the Abbot had people prepare in advance is just ahead. Please, Masters, take the benefactors there. Something has gone wrong with the formation, and the Abbot and fellow disciples may not be able to hold out. This humble monk must hurry back to assist.”

The Daoist masters quickly replied: “The exorcism is urgent. We will escort the benefactors to safety and come immediately to assist.”

Ming Xin hurriedly departed. The Daoist masters led the group forward, and they hadn’t gone far when thunder rolled overhead. Dark clouds surged forth in the sky, clearly concealing something massive that swooped down directly toward the crowd. Several young ladies screamed in terror, and the Daoists’ expressions froze as they drew their swords to meet the threat.

In an instant, strange mists swirled through the woods, causing everyone to lose their sense of direction. Master Jing Chen called out: “Benefactors, quickly follow this poor Daoist!”

Teng Yuyi was about to follow when she suddenly realized that despite all the strange occurrences around them, neither the Mystic Sound Bell nor the Xiaoya Sword had shown any reaction. Remembering what Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi had said yesterday, her mind was struck by a sudden realization—could all of this be someone deliberately causing trouble?

She glanced at Master Jing Chen’s retreating figure and not only refused to follow but grabbed hold of Chun Rong and Bi Luo, calling out to Madam Peng and the others: “This way!”

Madam Peng and Madam Peng the Second were still dazed, but Li Huaigu hesitated only briefly before running toward Teng Yuyi without a word.

Master Jing Chen exclaimed in surprise: “Benefactor Teng, Benefactor Li, the barrier is this way!”

Not only did Teng Yuyi not stop, she ran even faster. The mysterious mist was extremely strange, seeming to confuse people’s senses. Even Duan Fu, with his exceptional night vision, found it difficult to determine direction. The group followed Duan Fu, running headlong for a while, when they heard ghastly wails pierce through the mist behind them, as if countless vengeful spirits were in pursuit. Teng Yuyi thought “This is bad,” when suddenly someone leaped toward them from ahead. She hurried to dodge, but heard the person say: “Teng Yuyi?”

As they spoke, they landed and firmly grasped her arm.

Teng Yuyi was startled—that beautiful voice was unmistakable.

“Crown Prince?”

Hearing these words, Li Huaigu quickly halted her steps as well.

Duan Fu was about to transform his fist attack into a palm strike when he recognized Lin Chengyou’s voice and forcefully withdrew his energy.

A flash of light appeared as Lin Chengyou lit a fire steel. Teng Yuyi could see his face, and her anxious heart finally settled.

With Lin Chengyou’s arrival, the ghostly wails abruptly ceased and the surrounding mist instantly dispersed.

Lin Chengyou quickly swept the firelight around, only then discovering that besides Teng Yuyi and her servants, there was also another young lady present.

Li Huaigu’s face was deathly pale, clearly terrified out of her wits, but still remembered to bow despite trembling: “Thank you for your rescue, Crown Prince.”

Lin Chengyou lowered his gaze and realized he was still gripping Teng Yuyi’s arm. He had no other intention—in the urgent moment earlier, he had feared Teng Yuyi might run off somewhere in the vast temple grounds and become difficult to find. He quickly released his hand and said: “I was just passing by when I found you all running about here. Come, I’ll take you to the real barrier.”

His tone was lower and hoarser than usual, and there wasn’t the slightest trace of a smile on his face—one look told that he was in a bad mood. Teng Yuyi was somewhat surprised, but looking around, she realized they were still on the path to the kitchen quarters. Although she had many questions she wanted to ask Lin Chengyou, such as the whereabouts of Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi, she could only remain silent due to Li Huaigu’s presence.

Master Jing Chen escorted Duan Qingying and the others toward the back alley of the kitchen quarters, winding around in circles without reaching the barrier Master Ming Xin had mentioned. Madam Peng and Madam Peng the Second slowly began to feel something wasn’t right, and looking at Master Jing Chen’s petite figure ahead, they asked tremulously: “Master, why haven’t we arrived yet?”

Master Jing Chen replied gently: “We’ll reach it after turning this alley.”

Before the words were finished, a voice came from ahead: “Amitabha! The sea of suffering is vast, turn back to the shore.”

A large group of monks and Daoists approached from the front, completely blocking Master Jing Chen’s group’s path.