Category: Bloodthirsty Countess’s Overbearing Love

Chapter 25

As Li Xinjun followed Grand General Duoluo and Minister Chen out of the meeting hall, the door to the adjacent room opened, and several effeminate-looking men emerged, followed by a young man with an air of nobility. The young man smiled at Li Xinjun, who politely smiled back.

Grand General Duoluo, noticing the young man, immediately bowed.

“Your Highness…”

The young man quickly stepped forward and stopped him, helping him up.

“Grand General Duoluo, it’s been a while.” He gave the general a knowing look.

Duoluo understood and straightened up. “Brother Huang… What brings you here?”

“I was just passing by and heard you were discussing the jiangshi problem. I came to listen but didn’t want to interrupt your meeting, so I sat in the next room.”

“Oh, I see. Allow me to introduce you to my granddaughter, Xinjun.”

The young man smiled politely at Li Xinjun and said, “Greetings, Miss Xinjun. My name is Hongli. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Greetings, Brother Hongli. It’s nice to meet you too.” Li Xinjun smiled sweetly.

“Grand General Duoluo, where are you headed now?” Hongli asked, turning to the general.

“We were just about to have lunch at the First Teahouse. Would you care to join us, Brother Huang?”

“Certainly, it’s been a while since I’ve been there. I’ll come along.”

The Prime Minister politely saw them off. Hongli and his entourage followed Grand General Duoluo and Li Xinjun to the First Teahouse, the most renowned restaurant in the capital, frequented by high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. Ordinary citizens rarely dined there, as the dishes were exquisite and expensive.

Their most famous dish was the Eight Treasures Duck, which attracted diners from far and wide. Grand General Duoluo had taken Li Xinjun there before, and she had fallen in love with the dish, often pestering him to take her back. Knowing they would be passing by the teahouse today, Li Xinjun had already made plans with her grandfather to have lunch there.

The waiter led them to a private room. Li Xinjun excitedly ordered the Eight Treasures Duck, and Grand General Duoluo added a few other dishes. Li Xinjun, unable to contain her excitement, fidgeted in her seat. Hongli, amused by her childlike enthusiasm, asked,

“Miss Xinjun, you seem quite fond of the Eight Treasures Duck here?”

“Yes, Brother Hongli! It’s the most delicious duck I’ve ever tasted! You must try it! You’ll love it!”

“Hahaha, alright, I will definitely try it.”

“Brother Huang has access to the finest delicacies at home. He wouldn’t be as gluttonous as this little girl,” Grand General Duoluo said, teasing Li Xinjun.

“I’m not a glutton! It’s just that delicious! Don’t listen to Grandfather, Brother Hongli. I don’t usually eat this much.”

“You don’t eat much? Who’s the one who keeps begging me to bring her here? And who’s the one who can never get enough of the braised pork at home?”

“Grandfather! Don’t embarrass me like that! There are other people here! I have to save face!” Li Xinjun pouted.

“Hahaha, oh? You care about saving face? Then don’t eat the duck. Leave it for me and your Brother Hongli.”

“No way! I’d rather lose face than miss out on the duck!”

“Hahaha, interesting, very interesting.”

Hongli, amused by their banter, laughed heartily. Li Xinjun ignored them, her mouth watering at the thought of the Eight Treasures Duck. Face was the least of her concerns.

Soon, the waiter returned with their food, placing the dishes on the table and then discreetly closing the door behind him. Li Xinjun, unable to wait, immediately grabbed a piece of duck and popped it into her mouth, her face lighting up with satisfaction. Hongli, seeing her enjoyment, also took a piece.

“Well? Was I right? Isn’t it delicious?” Li Xinjun asked, her mouth full of duck.

“Delicious. Excellent recommendation, Miss Xinjun.” Hongli nodded in agreement.

“See? I told you it was good! Grandfather, see? It’s not just me being a glutton. Even Brother Hongli thinks it’s delicious!”

“Hahaha, look at you, a young lady, talking with your mouth full! You’re even less refined than this old soldier who’s spent his life on the battlefield! What man would dare to marry you?”

“Grandfather, you’re so mean! I’m not unrefined, I’m just bold and straightforward! It’s a virtue! You just don’t appreciate it! Isn’t that right, Brother Hongli?”

“Yes, I think Miss Xinjun is perfectly charming. Her demeanor is quite refreshing.”

“Hmph, see, Grandfather? You said no one would want me! Even Brother Hongli thinks I’m good!”

“Alright, alright, do as you please. I just hope your future husband won’t be put off by your… enthusiasm.”

“Who cares? I have Sister Ling. I never wanted to get married anyway.” Li Xinjun’s mood suddenly darkened as she mentioned Song Ling. She lost her appetite for the duck.

“Miss Xinjun, why did you stop eating? You seem unhappy. Is it because of what your grandfather said?” Hongli asked with concern.

“Sigh… No, I just miss Sister Ling. It’s been almost a year. I wonder how she’s doing. I’m so worried.”

“The Sister Ling you speak of, is that Doctor Song, Song Ling?”

“Yes! Do you know her? Have you met her?” Li Xinjun asked excitedly.

“I have only heard of her. I know she is a kind and compassionate person. She provided free medical treatment during the disaster and helped many people. She’s missing? What happened? Perhaps I can help?”

“She disappeared ten months ago. We were in Chen Family Village, dealing with the jiangshi, and she encountered the jiangshi king. To prevent it from harming more people, she risked her life to pursue it. I was seriously injured at the time and wasn’t there. We haven’t been able to contact her since. I have people searching for her, but there’s been no news.”

“I might be able to help with that. I have connections and can ask people to look for her.”

“Really? Thank you so much! This has been weighing on my mind for so long. I would be eternally grateful if you could help me find her.” Li Xinjun’s eyes lit up with hope.

“Don’t worry, child. Brother Huang will definitely help you find your Sister Ling. Now, eat more. You need your strength for sword practice tomorrow.” Grand General Duoluo placed a piece of meat in Li Xinjun’s bowl.

“Yes, I will do my best to help you. Don’t worry. Eat now.”

Li Xinjun, touched by their concern, sighed and forced herself to push aside her worries about Song Ling, resuming her meal. After lunch, Hongli bid farewell to Li Xinjun and the others, and they left the First Teahouse. Hongli stepped outside and addressed his men who were waiting for him.

“Issue an order. Instruct all our spies throughout the country to search for Song Ling. Report to me immediately if she is found. Ensure her safety.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! I will attend to it immediately.” One of the men knelt and then hurried away.

Another man approached Hongli and whispered in his ear, “Your Majesty, shall we return to the palace now, or would you like to continue exploring the city?”

“Let’s return to the palace. It’s getting late, and the curfew will be in effect soon. I don’t want to encounter any soldiers and cause unnecessary trouble.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The man turned to the others and said, “Prepare the carriage. We are returning to the palace.”

Chapter 24

The next morning, before dawn, Li Xinjun was already awake. She found a comfortable spot in the courtyard outside her room and began to meditate, practicing the inner energy cultivation techniques that Abbess Jingping had taught her. It had become a daily ritual for her. She wanted to become stronger as quickly as possible, to share Song Ling’s burden and protect her.

Grand General Duoluo, also an early riser, was practicing his martial arts when he spotted Li Xinjun meditating under a tree. He was delighted. As a lifelong martial arts enthusiast, he had already developed a fondness for Li Xinjun, and seeing her practice martial arts further increased his admiration for her.

“I didn’t know you practiced inner energy cultivation, young lady. Which sect do you belong to?”

Li Xinjun, hearing his voice, gracefully drew a circle in the air, withdrawing her inner energy. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

“General, I haven’t formally become a disciple of any sect. I learned some swordsmanship from Sister Ling and then received this inner energy cultivation manual from Abbess Jingping at the Tianshan Sect. I’ve been teaching myself.”

“Impressive, very impressive. Would you mind demonstrating your skills for this old man?”

“Of course.”

Li Xinjun picked up her sword and began to practice in the open space of the courtyard. Her swordsmanship had improved significantly, and combined with her newly acquired inner energy, her movements were fluid and powerful. Grand General Duoluo watched with approval.

After completing a series of movements, Li Xinjun sheathed her sword and looked at him.

“General, what do you think?”

“Not bad, young lady. You have good form. How long have you been practicing?”

“Almost two years.”

“Such skill in less than two years! You have a natural talent for martial arts.”

“But I feel like I’m not good enough. When we were in Chen Family Village, I found it difficult to fight the jiangshi with a sword. I tried using a broadsword, but it was too heavy for me to wield effectively.”

“Yes, a broadsword would be challenging for someone of your stature. Ah, wait here a moment, young lady.”

Grand General Duoluo suddenly remembered something and hurried back to his room. He returned a moment later, holding a weapon.

“Try this Japanese sword. I acquired it from a Japanese spy. It can be used for both thrusting and slashing. It’s lightweight and might be suitable for you.”

Li Xinjun took the sword and drew it. The blade was incredibly sharp, curved like a crescent moon. It was clearly a high-quality weapon. She practiced a few movements, testing its weight and balance.

The sword felt perfect in her hand, neither too light nor too heavy, easy to control. She practiced with enthusiasm, lost in the joy of wielding this new weapon. When she finally stopped, she examined the sword closely and noticed a character engraved on the hilt: “star.” She was smitten.

“Well, do you like it?” Grand General Duoluo asked, smiling.

“I love it!”

“Then I shall gift it to you.”

“Really? Thank you, Grand General Duoluo!”

“Hahaha, you’re welcome, you’re welcome. And calling me by my full title is so formal. Just call me Grandfather from now on.”

“Thank you, Grandfather.” Li Xinjun smiled sweetly.

Grand General Duoluo had two sons but no daughters. His sons were both military officers, stationed at the borders, and neither had children yet. He genuinely adored Li Xinjun, her charm and spirit reminding him of the daughter he never had.

“My dear, I shall teach you a sword technique that will complement this sword perfectly.”

“Wow! Really? Thank you, Grandfather! I will practice diligently!”

“Starting today, meet me here every morning at this time, and I will train you for an hour.”

“Yes! Thank you, Grandfather! I’m so happy!”

Li Xinjun, overjoyed, hugged Grand General Duoluo impulsively. The old general blushed, flustered by the young woman’s embrace. He was grateful that no one else was around to witness his embarrassment.

“Hahaha, alright, alright. Let’s begin your training.”

To avoid further awkwardness, he quickly diverted Li Xinjun’s attention to the sword technique. Despite his age, Grand General Duoluo moved with surprising agility and power. His swordsmanship was impressive, his strikes infused with inner energy, leaving deep gouges in the ground.

He demonstrated a few basic movements and then had Li Xinjun practice them. Wielding her new Japanese sword, she mimicked his movements with precision. Although she hadn’t yet mastered the use of inner energy, she was a quick learner and soon had the basic form down. Grand General Duoluo nodded approvingly.

During her time in the capital, in addition to assisting with the jiangshi problem, Li Xinjun trained diligently with Grand General Duoluo every morning, combining his teachings with the inner energy cultivation techniques she had learned from Abbess Jingping. Her martial arts skills improved dramatically, and she could now hold her own against most petty thieves and soldiers.

To further hone her skills, Grand General Duoluo often took her to the military camp to spar with the soldiers. The people of the capital, both commoners and officials, knew that Grand General Duoluo had taken in a granddaughter, the young woman who had been commended by the Emperor for her contributions to the disaster relief efforts. Grand General Duoluo, proud of Li Xinjun, introduced her to everyone he knew. She quickly became a well-known figure in the capital.

The recent jiangshi outbreak had caused widespread fear and panic. Li Xinjun’s arrival and her knowledge of jiangshi proved invaluable to the court’s efforts to contain the situation. The people of the capital adored and admired her. Coupled with the title “Reincarnated Guanyin” bestowed upon her and Song Ling by the Emperor, she was now known as the “Little Fairy” by the people of the capital.

Today, Minister Chen and Grand General Duoluo took Li Xinjun to the Prime Minister’s Mansion for a meeting to discuss the jiangshi problem. Another attack had occurred the previous day at noon. The Emperor’s edict, restricting people’s movements to specific hours, had been effective in preventing further incidents for a while. However, yesterday, as people were out shopping, a group of jiangshi suddenly appeared and attacked.

By the time the soldiers arrived, the jiangshi had vanished, leaving behind only the injured. Those who had been attacked claimed that they had been dragged into alleyways from behind, so no one had seen the assailants. The injured were now being held in the prison for observation.

The Emperor was furious upon hearing the news. The people were already suffering under the restrictions, and now they were being attacked even during the permitted hours. What were they supposed to do? They couldn’t be confined forever. The Emperor issued a decree, ordering all officials to convene and find a solution to the problem within a month.

Li Xinjun sat quietly, listening to the officials’ discussion. Most of them were merely complaining, offering no constructive suggestions.

“Prime Minister, how are we supposed to fulfill the Emperor’s decree?”

“Yes, yes! One month is not enough time to find a permanent solution! This is impossible!”

“Prime Minister, can you persuade the Emperor to rescind the decree? At this rate, we’ll all lose our heads over this!”

Li Xinjun grew increasingly frustrated, thinking to herself that this was not a strategy meeting but a pity party. However, she couldn’t leave. She sat there, fiddling with her fingers, her boredom evident. Grand General Duoluo, noticing her disgruntlement, leaned in and whispered,

“What’s wrong? You seem unhappy.”

“Nothing. I just think these officials are useless. Instead of trying to find a solution, they just complain and whine. And they dragged me here to listen to their nonsense. It’s annoying.”

“Hahaha, young lady, do you have any suggestions? Tell this old man.”

“It’s not a brilliant idea or anything. Just a thought. But they’re so loud that I can’t even think straight.”

Grand General Duoluo, hearing this, slammed his fist on the table. “Bang!” The room fell silent. All eyes turned to him.

“You called me here for a discussion, yet you offer no solutions and just keep complaining! A bunch of grown men, acting like gossiping housewives! Is this the behavior of high-ranking officials of the Qing Dynasty? If the Emperor saw you like this, I bet he’d send you all back to your villages to farm!”

The officials, chastised by Grand General Duoluo, lowered their heads, not daring to speak back. The Prime Minister, seeing their silence, tried to smooth things over.

“Grand General, do you have any suggestions? If so, please enlighten us.”

“Hmph, I don’t have any suggestions, but my granddaughter said she has some ideas. However, you were all making so much noise that she couldn’t think straight.”

“Miss Li, what are your thoughts on this matter?” the Prime Minister asked, turning to Li Xinjun. All eyes were now on her.

“I was thinking that these jiangshi are probably driven by hunger, which is why they’re willing to risk exposure to get blood. If that’s the case, then continuing to confine the people is pointless. It’s not a permanent solution, only a temporary measure to slow down the casualties. Shouldn’t we be trying to find a way to eliminate all the jiangshi? Wouldn’t that be better?”

“Yes, you make a valid point. But that’s what we’ve been trying to do. Unfortunately, we haven’t found a way to completely solve the problem yet.”

“You’ve been complaining more than contributing ideas, of course you haven’t found a solution!” Grand General Duoluo interjected.

“Grand General, it’s not that we don’t want to contribute, but we haven’t thought of an effective solution yet,” one of the officials protested.

“Prime Minister, how about this? I propose that everyone share their ideas, regardless of whether they’re effective or not. Then we can combine them and see if we can come up with a viable plan,” Li Xinjun suggested.

“Yes, that’s the best we can do for now. Alright, I’m giving you all one day. Everyone must write down their ideas. We’ll meet again tomorrow and combine our ideas to see if we can find a workable solution.” The Prime Minister issued his orders.

The meeting concluded, and the officials, nodding their agreement, filed out of the room, their earlier complaints forgotten.

Chapter 23

After several weeks of travel, the three finally arrived at the gates of the capital. Due to the recent unrest, the city gates were tightly shut, barring entry and exit. Brother Wu stopped the carriage, disembarked, and explained their purpose to the guards, but they were refused entry. Defeated, he returned to the carriage to inform the others.

Of the three, Brother Wu held the highest rank, being the captain of the Governor’s personal guards. Ah Qi was merely a lowly guard from Chen Family Village, and Li Xinjun was a commoner with no official title. They were at an impasse, unsure how to gain access to the city.

Li Xinjun remembered the token Minister Chen had given her. Perhaps it would be of use. She took the token and approached the gate, presenting it to the guards.

“I am Li Xinjun. The Emperor and Minister Chen have summoned me to the capital to assist with the unrest. This is Minister Chen’s token. Please open the gates and let us in.”

The guards, recognizing the token’s authenticity, sent one of their men to inform the guards on the wall. Soon, the gates slowly opened.

“Miss Li, you may enter.”

“Thank you.”

Li Xinjun returned to the carriage, and Brother Wu drove them through the gates. The streets, usually bustling with activity, were deserted. Every house and shop had its doors and windows tightly shut. As they made their way through the city, they encountered a detachment of heavily armored cavalry patrolling the streets. The cavalrymen, seeing their carriage, approached them.

“Who are you? Why are you disobeying the Emperor’s decree and traveling on the streets?”

“Sir, we are soldiers from the Governor’s Mansion. We are escorting Miss Li Xinjun, who has been summoned to the capital. Please allow us to pass and find Minister Chen. Here is Minister Chen’s token.”

Brother Wu took the token from Li Xinjun and presented it to the cavalry captain, who nodded in acknowledgment.

“Very well, but please wait a moment.”

The captain signaled to one of his men, who stepped forward, took out a glass bottle from his pocket, and splashed its contents on Brother Wu and Ah Qi. Brother Wu was drenched in chicken blood.

He stared at the soldier in disbelief, blood dripping from his hair and into his eyes. He wiped his eyes, smearing blood across his face. Ah Qi, who had been standing behind Brother Wu, had only been slightly splattered. He burst out laughing.

“Pfft!”

Brother Wu, enraged, shouted at the soldier, “What the hell was that for?!” He lunged at the soldier, wanting to punch him, but the captain stopped him.

“Calm down, brother, calm down. We are just following orders. We’re using blood to confirm that you are not jiangshi.”

“Are you kidding me? Is this how you confirm it? What if I was a slow-transforming jiangshi and turned after you splashed me? Would you splash me again?”

As if on cue, another cavalryman stepped forward and splashed another bottle of blood on Brother Wu, turning him into a blood-soaked mess. Blood had even gotten into his mouth, making him gag.

Ah Qi, who had been trying to suppress his laughter, finally lost it, clutching his stomach and pointing at Brother Wu’s miserable state.

“Hahaha! Hahaha!” Brother Wu, unable to tolerate his mockery, lunged at Ah Qi.

“Let’s see if you’re still laughing! Let’s see!”

Brother Wu tackled Ah Qi, raining punches and kicks on him. He then grabbed Ah Qi and rubbed his blood-soaked body against him, turning Ah Qi into another blood-soaked mess.

The cavalrymen, seeing that they hadn’t transformed after their roughhousing, were satisfied. They escorted them to the Grand General’s Mansion. Ah Qi and Brother Wu, grumbling and covered in blood, followed the cavalrymen in their carriage. Upon reaching the mansion, the captain dismounted and spoke to the guards at the gate. The guards then allowed Li Xinjun and the others to enter.

They were escorted to the guest hall and offered seats. Li Xinjun sat down, while Ah Qi and Brother Wu, not wanting to soil the furniture with their blood-soaked clothes, stood behind her. Soon, footsteps approached, and the door opened. Minister Chen entered, accompanied by a tall, muscular man with white hair.

Minister Chen, following behind the older man, greeted Li Xinjun with a smile.

“Grand General, this is Miss Li Xinjun, whom I have often spoken of.” He then turned to Li Xinjun. “Miss Li, this is Grand General Duoluo.”

“Greetings, Miss Li. I have heard much about you from Minister Chen. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. You are indeed an exceptional young woman.”

“Thank you, General. I have merely done my small part. I haven’t contributed much.”

“It is commendable that you are so dedicated to serving your country and its people at such a young age. You are a blessing to the Qing Dynasty.”

“All credit goes to Doctor Song. I merely assisted her.”

Seeing that they had been introduced, Minister Chen got straight to the point, explaining the situation in the capital to Li Xinjun. Recently, human-like jiangshi had appeared in the city, and many people had been harmed. The situation was dire when Minister Chen arrived.

Fortunately, he had informed the Emperor about the events in Chen Family Village. The Emperor immediately ordered a lockdown of the capital, preventing anyone from entering or leaving to contain the jiangshi outbreak.

Since these jiangshi were difficult to identify, more and more people were being bitten, and their numbers were increasing rapidly. The Emperor issued an edict, ordering everyone to stay indoors and only allowing them to leave their homes during specific hours to purchase food and necessities.

This made it easier for the soldiers to identify the jiangshi. Since most people wouldn’t dare to disobey the Emperor’s decree, those who risked venturing out were likely jiangshi, driven by their need for blood.

To avoid harming innocent citizens, the soldiers carried bottles of chicken blood. They would use the scent of blood to provoke a reaction from anyone they encountered on the streets. This explained why Brother Wu and Ah Qi had been splashed with blood earlier.

Brother Wu, listening to Minister Chen’s explanation, couldn’t help but feel indignant. The cavalrymen could have simply splashed the chicken blood on the ground to test them. Why did they have to drench him in it? He fumed silently, memorizing the faces of the soldiers who had splashed him. He would get his revenge one day.

“Minister Chen, Grand General, I believe these measures might not be enough. Perhaps you should consider going door-to-door and using blood as bait. Any jiangshi hiding inside will be unable to resist the temptation and will transform. This way, we can identify and eliminate them more quickly.”

Grand General Duoluo stroked his beard, impressed by Li Xinjun’s suggestion. He immediately ordered the patrol teams to split into two groups: one to continue patrolling the streets and the other to search every house.

“Hahaha, young lady, you are indeed as intelligent as Minister Chen described. You must be tired from your journey. I will have rooms prepared for you. You can stay here at the mansion.”

The Grand General, pleased with Li Xinjun’s insight, offered them hospitality. They were escorted to their respective rooms. Ah Qi and Brother Wu, finally having the opportunity to change, gratefully shed their blood-soaked clothes.

Chapter 22

The next morning, Minister Chen departed for the capital with his entourage. Shortly after they left, as Magistrate Wang was about to enter the magistrate’s office, a soldier on horseback arrived at the gate, carrying an urgent message from the imperial court.

It seemed the court had finally responded. Magistrate Wang hurried forward to receive the imperial edict. It stated that a disturbance had erupted in the capital, suspected to be caused by jiangshi. The Emperor ordered Minister Chen to return immediately with Song Ling and the others to assist.

Magistrate Wang, after reading the edict, immediately sent Brother Wu to summon Li Xinjun. He then informed her of the situation in the capital.

“Miss Li, it seems you must go to the capital. However, Minister Chen has already left, and Doctor Song is still missing. Perhaps you should take Brother Wu and Ah Qi with you.”

Li Xinjun frowned as she read the edict, her heart heavy with reluctance. Brother Wu, sensing her hesitation, leaned in and whispered,

“Maybe Doctor Song followed the jiangshi king to the capital? Otherwise, where would the jiangshi in the capital have come from?”

Li Xinjun’s eyes widened as she considered this possibility. She looked at Brother Wu and nodded, a smile spreading across her face.

“You’re right! Alright, let’s go to the capital.”

Her spirits lifted, Li Xinjun agreed to Magistrate Wang’s suggestion. He immediately ordered another carriage to be prepared for them.

Li Xinjun quickly packed her belongings. She noticed the string of Buddhist beads that Song Ling had given her inside her bag. She remembered Song Ling handing them to her before they entered the cave, saying that the beads could save her life in a moment of need. She put on the beads and then set off for the capital with Brother Wu and Ah Qi.

Ah Qi and Brother Wu rode on the outside of the carriage, guiding the horses, while Li Xinjun sat inside, gazing out the window at the passing scenery. The journey evoked memories. A few years ago, she had traveled this same road to the capital, but with her parents.

She remembered her father telling her that once they reached the capital, they would live a peaceful life, free from the threat of floods. He planned to use their savings to open a rice shop and continue their business. He also wanted Li Xinjun to attend a private school. They had been filled with hope, never imagining the tragedy that would befall them.

Now, she was once again on the road to the capital, inside a carriage, but her companions were no longer her parents. Bitterness filled her heart, but she didn’t cry. She continued to look out the window, her hand instinctively reaching for the crescent-shaped pendant around her neck. She remembered that it was near this very spot that she had met Song Ling.

Song Ling had been passing through on her way down the mountain when she found Li Xinjun, injured and alone. Li Xinjun recalled their time together, their shared experiences. She held the pendant in her hand, remembering the moment they exchanged tokens of their bond. She remembered Song Ling saying that Li Xinjun was her only family. Tears finally streamed down her face.

“Sister Ling, where are you? Are you in the capital?”

They traveled day and night, making good time. As they passed by the foot of Mount Tian, Li Xinjun remembered Song Ling’s promise to take her to the Tianshan Sect. She called for the carriage to stop.

“Brother Wu, can we stop for a while?”

Brother Wu halted the carriage and lifted the curtain, looking at Li Xinjun. “What is it, Little Jun?”

“Brother Wu, do you know how long it takes to reach the Tianshan Sect from here?”

“From here, you can only go on foot. The carriage can’t go up the mountain. It should take about half a day to reach the summit. Do you want to go up?”

“Is it possible? I want to see if Sister Ling is there.”

“I doubt Doctor Song would return to the Tianshan Sect. If she had time, she would have gone back to Chen Family Village to find you.”

“Please, just let me go up and check. I won’t be able to rest until I do.”

Li Xinjun’s pleading eyes were irresistible. Brother Wu sighed and gave in. He and Ah Qi, needing to tend to the horses and carriage, found a suitable spot to set up camp. They promised to wait for Li Xinjun’s return. Li Xinjun set off on foot, following the path leading up Mount Tian.

As she walked, she admired the scenery, the lush vegetation and vibrant flowers. It was just as Song Ling had described: a place of natural beauty, filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers. Li Xinjun continued her ascent, her heart filled with anticipation.

She reached a stone tablet inscribed with the words “Tianshan Sect” in red paint. She knew she was close and quickened her pace, her heart pounding with hope that she would find Song Ling there.

She arrived at a Taoist temple with a signboard reading “Tianshan Sect” hanging above the entrance. As she approached, two disciples guarding the gate drew their swords, blocking her path.

“Who are you? Why are you trespassing on Tianshan Sect grounds?”

“Greetings, Senior Brother and Sister. My name is Li Xinjun. I am a close friend of your fellow disciple, Song Ling. I’m here to inquire if she has returned.” Li Xinjun bowed respectfully, stating her purpose.

The disciples, a man and a woman, seeing Li Xinjun’s polite demeanor and hearing her mention Song Ling’s name, lowered their swords and returned her greeting.

“Miss Li, Senior Sister Song has been away for a long time and hasn’t returned yet. May I ask why you are looking for her?”

Li Xinjun’s heart sank upon learning that Song Ling wasn’t there. She thanked the disciples and turned to leave.

“Senior Brother and Sister, since Song Ling is not here, I won’t disturb you any further. If she returns, please tell her that Li Xinjun is waiting for her in the capital.”

As she was about to depart, a voice called out from behind her. “Young lady, you said you are Ling’er’s friend?” A Taoist nun emerged from the temple.

Li Xinjun turned and bowed to the nun. “Yes, Abbess. I am Song Ling’s friend. Do you know her whereabouts?”

The Abbess, impressed by Li Xinjun’s respectful manner, approached her and studied her features. She found Li Xinjun to be a beautiful and charming young woman.

“How did you meet Ling’er?”

“Abbess, I was attacked by bandits on the road. They killed my parents and stole everything we had. I collapsed from hunger and was fortunate enough to be found and rescued by Sister Ling.”

“Yes, that sounds like Ling’er.”

The Abbess noticed the crescent-shaped pendant around Li Xinjun’s neck and smiled warmly. She took Li Xinjun’s hand.

“My Dharma name is Jingping. I am Ling’er’s master. May I know your name, young lady?”

“Abbess, my name is Li Xinjun.”

“May I see your palms?”

Li Xinjun obediently extended her hands. Abbess Jingping took her hands and carefully examined her palmlines. After a moment, she smiled brightly.

“It is all destined. Jun’er, do you mind if I call you that?”

“Not at all, Abbess. Sister Ling calls me that too.”

“Come with me. I have something to give you.”

Li Xinjun followed Abbess Jingping into the temple. The interior was simple and elegant, clean and serene, exuding a sense of tranquility.

They reached a stone table and chairs. The Abbess excused herself and went into a nearby room. Li Xinjun watched as a group of Tianshan disciples practiced their martial arts. They were all skilled, their swordsmanship similar to Song Ling’s.

She imagined herself training alongside them, sparring with Song Ling, and a smile touched her lips. A short while later, the Abbess returned, holding a book.

She sat down at the stone table and handed the book to Li Xinjun. Li Xinjun took the book and, upon opening it, realized it was a manual for cultivating inner energy. She looked at Abbess Jingping, puzzled.

“Abbess, what is this…?”

“This is a copy of our sect’s inner energy cultivation manual. It is not usually shared with outsiders. However, you are Ling’er’s destined soulmate, so I am passing this on to you. I hope you will master this art and be able to protect Ling’er in the future.”

“But Abbess…” Li Xinjun was overwhelmed and hesitant to accept the book.

“Listen to me. I read Ling’er’s fortune when she was five years old. She is destined for a life of hardship, lacking familial bonds. But she has a strong connection with you. You are fated to be together, and her fortune will change for the better after meeting you. Although there will be challenges, she will overcome them. You are her lucky star, and she will be yours. You are both indispensable to each other.”

“Abbess, Jun’er is stupid. I don’t understand how this is related to the book.”

Li Xinjun looked at the Abbess, confused. Abbess Jingping took Li Xinjun’s hand and examined her palmlines again. She sighed.

“Ling’er is destined for a great tribulation, and only you can help her overcome it. If she fails, she will lose her life. I can see that you have never cultivated inner energy. I hope this book will help you enhance your abilities so that you can protect Ling’er.”

“I understand. I will study hard and become stronger so that I can help Sister Ling.”

“Yes, very good, very good.” The Abbess smiled with relief.

“Abbess, you said I am Sister Ling’s destined soulmate. What does that mean?”

“You are still young. You will understand in time. Remember, Ling’er will face her tribulation when she turns twenty-two. You must be by her side then.”

“Yes, I will remember. I won’t let anything happen to Sister Ling. Don’t worry, Abbess.”

Li Xinjun calculated that Song Ling would turn twenty-two in five years. She resolved to master the inner energy cultivation techniques and train diligently to ensure Song Ling’s safety.

“Abbess, since you can see the future, can you tell me where I can find Sister Ling? We were separated due to some unforeseen circumstances, and I haven’t been able to find her.”

“Go to where there is unrest. You will find her there. She is destined to help people and overcome challenges. She will be where she is needed most.”

“Thank you for your guidance, Abbess. It’s getting late, and I must be on my way. Farewell. I hope to have the opportunity to visit you again in the future.”

“Safe travels.”

As Li Xinjun stood up to leave, Abbess Jingping called out to her,

“Jun’er, I entrust Ling’er to your care. And remember, the Buddhist beads you wear possess great power. They will protect you in times of need. Always keep them with you.”

Li Xinjun looked at the beads on her wrist and then at Abbess Jingping. She nodded firmly.

“I will not disappoint you, Abbess. I will protect Sister Ling. Thank you!”

Li Xinjun ran down the mountain, the Abbess’s words echoing in her mind. She clutched the book tightly and glanced at the crescent-shaped pendant around her neck.

“Sister Ling, wait for me. I’m coming to find you.”

Chapter 21

Li Xinjun woke up early the next morning. The previous night had been a sleepless one, plagued by nightmares and worry for Song Ling’s safety. She decided to get up early and tend to the jiangshi matters, hoping to end this crisis quickly and reunite with Song Ling.

She went down to the dungeon and found Magistrate Wang dozing off in a chair. Mischievously, she imitated a jiangshi’s growl, startling him awake. She then pretended to be casually checking on the injured villagers.

Magistrate Wang, jolted awake by the roar, thought the injured had transformed. He fell out of his chair in terror. Seeing no jiangshi around, he calmed down, oblivious to Li Xinjun’s prank. He was relieved to see Li Xinjun, as it meant he could finally leave this dreadful place.

“Miss Li, since you’re here, I’ll leave this to you.”

“Of course, sir. You’re tired. Go get some rest.”

“Oh, yes, thank you.” Magistrate Wang stumbled out of the dungeon.

Li Xinjun, amused by his disheveled appearance, went to one of the cells and woke up the injured villagers inside. This cell held those with minor injuries, none of whom had been bitten by the jiangshi.

“How are you feeling after soaking in the glutinous rice water last night? Any better?”

“Much better, thank you. The swelling in my scratches has gone down,” one of the villagers replied.

“That’s good to hear. I’m sorry you have to stay here. If you’re all doing well tomorrow, I’ll inform Minister Chen, and he’ll release you.”

Li Xinjun reassured them, and the villagers, understanding, didn’t complain about their confinement. She then went to the next cell, which held those who had been bitten by the jiangshi. As she approached the cell, calling out to the injured, they rose to their feet.

Their eyes gleamed with a sinister light, fixed intently on Li Xinjun. She noticed several gnawed rat carcasses in the cell, her heart sinking. She knew they had transformed. She tried to engage them in casual conversation, observing their reactions.

“How are you feeling today?”

“I feel unwell, Miss Li. Can you please come and check my pulse?” a woman replied.

Li Xinjun, feigning ignorance, approached the cell door. The woman inside lunged at her, trying to grab her. Li Xinjun quickly jumped back, avoiding contact. The woman inside became agitated.

“Come closer, Miss Li! How can you check my pulse if you’re so far away?” the woman persisted.

Li Xinjun realized the gravity of the situation. These transformed villagers looked perfectly normal. If she hadn’t noticed the dead rats and their menacing eyes, she wouldn’t have known they were jiangshi. And they spoke fluently. Anyone else would have been fooled.

“Ma’am, why did you suddenly lunge at me?” Li Xinjun probed further.

“Oh, we were just eager for you to check our pulses, Miss Li. Come closer and have a look.” The woman extended her hand through the bars.

For the first time, Li Xinjun felt genuine fear. The previous jiangshi, though terrifying, were easily identifiable as monsters. But these people looked perfectly normal. If they escaped, how would they be detected? More people would be harmed, and even the soldiers wouldn’t know who to attack.

Li Xinjun unwrapped the bandage on her left hand and pressed down on the healing wound, reopening it. Blood flowed freely. The scent of blood drove the people inside the cell into a frenzy. They bared their fangs, their eyes turning red, finally revealing their true nature as jiangshi.

“Hahaha, do you still need me to check your pulses?” Li Xinjun was relieved. She could still use blood to expose their true forms. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know what to do.

“Miss Li, your hand is bleeding! Come closer, and let me take a look! Come here!”

The woman continued to try to coax Li Xinjun closer. Li Xinjun, ignoring her pleas, moved on to the next cell. The people inside jumped up, grabbing the bars, desperate to get out and bite her. She ignored their roars and continued to the next cell.

Inside the cell lay the jiangshi she had dismembered the previous night. Its eyes had returned to their normal color, no longer the crimson red of the night before. Li Xinjun was puzzled. Why had its eyes changed?

She approached the cell, opened the door, and crouched beside the jiangshi. The creature, smelling the blood from her hand, twitched its nose and turned its head towards the source of the scent. Its eyes instantly turned red. Li Xinjun waved her hand back and forth, and the jiangshi’s head followed her movements. It seemed that these jiangshi transformed upon smelling blood, their instincts compelling them to seek it out.

Li Xinjun left the dungeon and reported her findings to Minister Chen. He was deeply concerned. As Li Xinjun had feared, if these jiangshi blended into the crowd, the consequences would be disastrous.

“Miss Li, the situation is critical. I need to inform the Emperor immediately. Will you accompany me to the capital?”

“Minister Chen, I don’t want to leave. I promised Song Ling that I would wait for her here. If I’m not staying here, I should be searching for her, not going to the capital. I hope you understand.”

“Sigh, alright. I won’t force you. I’m leaving tomorrow morning. If you change your mind, let me know.” Minister Chen, not wanting to pressure Li Xinjun further, relented.

“Thank you for your understanding, Minister Chen. I wish you a safe journey. As for those transformed villagers in the dungeon, I think we should deal with them tonight, just in case something happens after you leave.”

“You’re right, Miss Li. I’ll have Brother Wu handle it. Here, take this token.”

Minister Chen took out a golden token from his pocket. It was engraved with the words “Governor,” a symbol of his authority. Li Xinjun took the token, looking at him quizzically.

“Minister Chen, why are you giving me this?”

“This is my personal token. If you need to contact me, give this to the guards at the Governor’s Mansion, and they will help you find me. You can also ask them to provide you with protection.”

“Thank you, Minister Chen.” Li Xinjun accepted the token.

That night, Brother Wu and his men killed all the transformed villagers in the dungeon and then transported their bodies to the open area on the rear mountain for cremation. However, Minister Chen instructed Brother Wu to bind the limbless jiangshi and place it in the carriage. He intended to take it to the capital as proof for the Emperor.

Chapter 20

After Li Xinjun and the others had eliminated all the transformed jiangshi in the village, Minister Chen revealed the truth about the situation to the surviving villagers. He ordered the soldiers to transport all the bodies to an open area on the rear mountain and cremate them. The villagers who had been bitten were temporarily confined in the magistrate’s office dungeon to prevent them from harming others if they transformed.

The villagers, though heartbroken that their loved ones couldn’t be given proper burials, dared not disobey. They were terrified of another outbreak. Li Xinjun and Doctor Huang did their best to treat the bitten villagers in the dungeon. Those who could be cured were fortunate. Those who couldn’t were swiftly killed.

Li Xinjun had the soldiers fill bathtubs with glutinous rice water and instructed the bitten villagers to soak in them. She strictly forbade the soldiers from opening the cell doors under any circumstances and ordered them to report any unusual activity immediately.

Li Xinjun went to the cell where the jiangshi she had dismembered earlier was being held. The creature was still writhing on the ground, trying to reach a rat in the corner.

Li Xinjun opened the cell door and entered, casually picking up a rat. She crouched beside the jiangshi and looked at it.

“Do you want this?”

“Blood! I want blood! Roar!”

“Alright, if you answer my questions, I’ll give you blood.”

“Roar~ Ask away.”

“Do you remember your name?”

“My name is Yu Dezhi.”

“Do you remember your family and friends?”

“Yes.”

“If you remember them, why did you kill them? Don’t you feel any remorse?”

“Hahaha, I just wanted to drink their blood and grant them eternal life.”

“Like you, as a jiangshi?”

“What’s wrong with being a jiangshi? I’m powerful now! My senses are heightened! It’s like having a god’s power! Isn’t that great? Hahaha!”

Li Xinjun realized that although this jiangshi retained its cognitive abilities, its thoughts and desires were no longer human. All it cared about was blood. Exhausted, she tossed the rat into the jiangshi’s mouth and turned to leave.

Outside the dungeon, she found Minister Chen deep in thought, his brow furrowed. She sat down beside him. Minister Chen, noticing her presence, asked,

“Miss Li, I heard you interrogated the jiangshi you captured?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Did you discover anything?”

“He’s basically the same as a normal person. He can speak, he can think, but all he cares about is drinking blood. He’s become savage and shows no remorse for killing people he knew. He seems to relish the power that being a jiangshi has given him. It’s quite troubling.”

“This is unbelievable. How can a person change so drastically?”

“I don’t understand either. But it seems our understanding of jiangshi was incomplete. Previously, those killed by jiangshi took a few days to transform. But these people were clearly killed recently, and they’ve already turned. And their abilities are different. They can speak and think.”

“I also noticed that these jiangshi are different from the previous ones. But why? They’re all jiangshi.”

“Minister Chen, I remember telling you about the Taoist priest we encountered in the cave. He told us that those jiangshi were deliberately refined. Perhaps that’s why they’re different from these ones.”

“Miss Li, I don’t understand. Can you explain further?”

“I’m thinking that maybe the previous jiangshi were refined, while these ones were transformed by being bitten by the refined jiangshi. Perhaps that’s why their abilities are different?”

“But if that’s the case, shouldn’t Uncle Wang be able to speak too?”

“I’ve thought about that, but Uncle Wang is different from the first jiangshi we encountered. His body isn’t as rigid, and he seems to understand what I say. But these ones are even more different. They speak fluently. I haven’t figured out the reason yet.”

“Miss Li, there aren’t many people who can help me with this matter. I know this isn’t your responsibility, but I implore you to assist me in investigating the nature of these jiangshi and finding ways to counter them. Will you help me?”

“Minister Chen, to be honest, I’ve decided to go after Sister Ling. I’m worried that she’ll encounter danger facing the jiangshi king alone. I can’t leave her out there by herself.”

“Miss Li, I understand your concern for Doctor Song, but I desperately need your help right now. You and Doctor Song were the only ones researching jiangshi. Now that she’s gone, I can only rely on you. Please, help me. I will send men to search for Doctor Song. If we have any news, I will inform you immediately.”

Seeing Minister Chen’s genuine concern for his people, Li Xinjun was torn. She had never been particularly altruistic, indifferent to the suffering of others. However, she knew that if it were Song Ling, she would unhesitatingly accept this responsibility. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to stay and help, and wait for Song Ling’s return.

“Alright, I’ll stay and help.”

“Thank you, Miss Li. I thank you on behalf of all the villagers.”

Just then, Magistrate Wang, his face haggard, walked past them. Li Xinjun, still annoyed by his earlier behavior, decided to give him a taste of his own medicine.

“Magistrate Wang, are you going back to your room to rest?”

“Ah, I was just seeing if there was anything I could help with, but it seems everything is under control. I was about to go back and rest.” Magistrate Wang, initially intending to ignore Li Xinjun, seeing Minister Chen beside her, reluctantly answered.

“Oh, how thoughtful of you, Magistrate Wang! It just so happens that the soldiers guarding the dungeon are exhausted. They’ve been working tirelessly fighting the jiangshi. Since you’re still full of energy, perhaps you could take over their duties for the night?”

“Huh…?”

Magistrate Wang’s face fell. He cursed Li Xinjun silently. Minister Chen, aware of Li Xinjun’s intentions, didn’t intervene. Instead, he added,

“That would be a great help, Magistrate Wang. Miss Li, please inform the soldiers in the dungeon that they can go and rest.”

Li Xinjun immediately agreed and rushed off to the dungeon, giving Magistrate Wang no chance to refuse. Magistrate Wang was devastated. He wanted to protest but couldn’t bring himself to do so in front of Minister Chen. He reluctantly agreed and went to the dungeon to take over the guard duty.

As Li Xinjun emerged from the dungeon, she caught Minister Chen’s eye. He gave her a thumbs-up. Li Xinjun beamed. She had finally gotten her revenge on Magistrate Wang for his earlier dismissiveness.

Chapter 19

Brother Wu returned to the magistrate’s office and went to the west wing to find Li Xinjun. He knocked on the door, and Li Xinjun emerged. He recounted the events of the night. As Li Xinjun listened, her heart grew heavy. Upon hearing the end of his tale, she immediately tried to rush out to find Song Ling, but Brother Wu held her back.

“Little Jun, calm down. Doctor Song told me to tell you to wait for her here. She will return after dealing with the jiangshi king.”

“Brother Wu, do you know how dangerous it is for Sister Ling to face the jiangshi king alone? I have to go help her!”

“Little Jun, Doctor Song left a long time ago. Where would you even begin to search for her? And in your current condition, you would only be a burden to her. It’s better to wait here. Wouldn’t it be worse if she returned and couldn’t find you?”

“Brother Wu, I can’t just stay here. I can’t let her face that danger alone. Let me go!”

“Little Jun, listen to me. Calm down…”

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” Suddenly, frantic pounding on the main gate echoed through the courtyard. “Bang! Bang! Bang! Sir! Sir! Help! Sir!”

Their conversation was interrupted. They rushed to the main hall, where Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang were already waiting. Ah Qi ran to open the gate. A group of villagers stood outside, covered in injuries, their clothes torn and tattered, their faces filled with terror.

Ah Qi helped one of the villagers to his feet. “Brother You, what are you doing here? How did you get hurt?”

“Ah Qi, the south end of the village… There are many monsters there!”

Minister Chen, Magistrate Wang, Li Xinjun, and Brother Wu, who had just arrived behind Ah Qi, were stunned by Brother You’s words. Minister Chen stepped forward anxiously. “You said there are monsters in the south end of the village?”

“Yes! They’re terrifying! They attack and bite anyone they see. Many people have been killed! Even my wife… Waaah! Sir, please send help!”

“Brother Wu, gather all the soldiers and send them to the south end of the village immediately! Ah Qi, take these injured villagers to Doctor Huang. Miss Li, Magistrate Wang, let’s go to the south end. I fear that the jiangshi king might have gone there.” Minister Chen issued his orders and then rushed towards the south end of the village.

Li Xinjun followed Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang. Many villagers were fleeing in the opposite direction. They continued towards the commotion and found bodies scattered everywhere, their necks bearing the telltale bite and claw marks of jiangshi attacks.

“This is bad. It seems the jiangshi king is indeed here. I wonder if Doctor Song is also here.”

Hearing that Song Ling might be ahead, Li Xinjun, ignoring Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang, ran towards the source of the screams.

“Sister Ling! Sister Ling! Where are you?”

She called out as she ran. She saw some men, armed with hoes and wooden sticks, fighting a jiangshi, defending their homes with their lives. Without hesitation, Li Xinjun drew her sword and charged forward, attacking the jiangshi. Consumed by worry for Song Ling’s safety, she managed to pierce the jiangshi’s heart with a single blow. The jiangshi collapsed, motionless.

Li Xinjun retrieved her sword and turned to the man beside her. “Sir, have you seen Doctor Song?”

The man, who had narrowly escaped death, shook his head. “No, I haven’t seen Doctor Song. Miss Li, can you please help me? My wife is trapped in that house over there. There are many monsters there. I had to protect my daughter and bring her here. I couldn’t save my wife. Please help her.”

“Take your daughter to the magistrate’s office. I’ll go rescue your wife.”

Li Xinjun ran towards the house surrounded by jiangshi. She recognized one of the jiangshi as one of the corpses she had seen at the mortuary. Rage surged within her. If Magistrate Wang hadn’t prevented them from cremating the bodies, this wouldn’t have happened.

She saw a woman crying for help from the window. It must be the man’s wife. Knowing that she couldn’t fight so many jiangshi at once, she shouted to the woman,

“Don’t be afraid, ma’am! I’m coming to rescue you! I’ll distract the jiangshi, and you run out, okay?”

The woman nodded in understanding. Li Xinjun charged into the fray, swinging her sword wildly, and then ran towards another house. The jiangshi, enraged, gave chase.

“Now, ma’am! Run!” Li Xinjun shouted to the woman as she fought the jiangshi.

The woman seized the opportunity, flung open the door, and ran out. She encountered Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang, who immediately directed her towards the magistrate’s office. Seeing Li Xinjun battling three jiangshi alone, Minister Chen drew his sword and rushed to her aid.

“Miss Li, I’m here to help!”

Minister Chen, skilled in martial arts, fought like a seasoned warrior. He leaped into the air and decapitated one of the jiangshi with a single blow. However, to his surprise, the headless jiangshi continued to move, blindly lashing out.

“Damn it! It’s still alive without its head!” He kicked the headless jiangshi away.

“Minister Chen, you have to pierce their hearts!”

“Alright! I’ll try my best!”

Minister Chen joined Li Xinjun, their backs against each other as they fought the remaining jiangshi. They slashed and stabbed with their swords, but the jiangshi were incredibly tough. Their bodies were almost impenetrable, and they were incredibly strong and impervious to pain. Defeating them was no easy feat.

Slowly, they were forced back into a corner, their strength waning. Li Xinjun noticed that the headless jiangshi, seemingly blind, was bumping into the wall of a nearby house.

An idea struck her. She leaped up and stabbed the jiangshi in front of her in both eyes. The jiangshi, now blind, relied on its sense of smell to locate them, confirming her theory.

“Minister Chen, attack their eyes!”

Without hesitation, Minister Chen slashed at the jiangshi’s eyes. The eyeballs were easily destroyed. Li Xinjun, holding her breath, cautiously approached the blinded jiangshi and, with all her might, plunged her sword into its heart, killing it instantly.

“Minister Chen, it can’t see you now. Try holding your breath and approaching it.”

Minister Chen followed her instructions, holding his breath. The jiangshi slowed down, sniffing the air for their scent. Minister Chen slowly moved behind the jiangshi and, with a swift thrust, pierced its heart with his sword. They had defeated two jiangshi by exploiting their weakness.

Brother Wu arrived at that moment. He didn’t notice the severed head of the jiangshi lying on the ground and accidentally kicked it. The jiangshi head snapped at his boot, startling him.

“Argh! What the–! Get off me! Argh!”

Brother Wu hopped around, trying to shake the head off his foot. The jiangshi hadn’t bitten him, but it had given him quite a fright. He punched the head, but it wouldn’t let go.

“Get off my foot, you damn thing! Let go!” He pounded on the head, but it clung on tight.

“Help me! Get this thing off me!”

Ah Qi rushed forward and grabbed the jiangshi head. Brother Wu pulled his foot back, and they engaged in a tug-of-war. With a final yank, they managed to pull the head off. However, Brother Wu lost his balance and fell backward, his fist accidentally connecting with Magistrate Wang’s face. The impact sent blood gushing from Magistrate Wang’s nose, and he bit his lip.

Li Xinjun couldn’t help but chuckle. Magistrate Wang, clutching his bleeding nose, glared at Brother Wu, who looked at him apologetically.

“Magistrate Wang, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

Magistrate Wang was about to say something, but Li Xinjun intervened, trying to defuse the situation.

“Don’t worry, Brother Wu. Magistrate Wang is a magnanimous man. He won’t hold it against you, right, Magistrate Wang?”

Magistrate Wang, forced to save face, nodded with a pained smile.

Li Xinjun, remembering that she still hadn’t found Song Ling, turned to Brother Wu.

“By the way, Brother Wu, did you see the jiangshi king or Sister Ling when you came here?”

“Weren’t you the first one to arrive? When I got here, I only saw villagers fleeing. There was no one else.”

Li Xinjun clenched her fists. She realized that these jiangshi were just the ones that had transformed at the mortuary. The jiangshi king wasn’t here, which meant Song Ling wouldn’t be here either. She was torn. If she didn’t stay and deal with the situation here, more villagers would be harmed. But if she didn’t go after Song Ling now, she might never find her.

At that moment, some of the injured villagers lying on the ground suddenly stirred. They rose unsteadily, their eyes glowing red, their mouths open, revealing sharp fangs. Li Xinjun was shocked. Why had they transformed so quickly?

Without hesitation, she pushed Magistrate Wang aside and charged at the newly transformed jiangshi. Magistrate Wang, caught off guard, lost his balance and tumbled to the ground, rolling twice. He was about to yell at Li Xinjun when he noticed the approaching jiangshi and scrambled away in terror.

Brother Wu and the other soldiers also joined the fight. These jiangshi were different from the others. They were agile, their bodies not as rigid, similar to humans, making them easier to deal with. However, they clearly possessed cognitive abilities.

Li Xinjun, swift and skilled, dispatched them one by one, unaware that they could speak. As Minister Chen was about to strike one of the jiangshi, it suddenly spoke.

“Don’t kill me!”

Minister Chen froze, staring at the talking jiangshi, his mind reeling. Was this creature before him, seemingly transformed, still human?

The jiangshi, sensing his hesitation, lunged at him, aiming for his neck. Minister Chen, quick on his feet, managed to block its jaw with his hand, narrowly avoiding a bite.

The jiangshi was incredibly strong. It grabbed Minister Chen’s hand, forcing it open, and spoke again,

“Sir, you’re an official. You’re supposed to serve the people. All we need is a little bit of your blood. You should cooperate.”

Minister Chen, struggling to break free, replied, “What are you? You can speak like a normal person?”

“I’m just a villager from Chen Family Village, sir. I’m starving. Please, just let me have a little blood. Just a taste.”

The talking jiangshi lunged at Minister Chen’s neck again. Just as its fangs were about to pierce his flesh, Ah Qi, who had just finished off another jiangshi, arrived and kicked the creature away. He then plunged his spear into its chest.

Minister Chen, relieved, grabbed his broadsword and got to his feet. He thanked Ah Qi, who simply nodded and then turned to help the others.

Minister Chen joined Li Xinjun in the fight and said to her,

“Miss Li, these jiangshi are different from the ones we encountered before. They can talk and think.” He slashed at a jiangshi as he spoke.

Li Xinjun looked at him, confused. “What? They can talk?”

Another jiangshi charged at her. Li Xinjun spun around and severed its arms and legs. The jiangshi collapsed, but it wasn’t dead. Li Xinjun stepped on its head, holding her sword to its throat.

“Can you speak?”

The jiangshi didn’t answer. It thrashed on the ground, its mouth open, trying to bite the sword. Li Xinjun crouched down and held out her injured left hand, the blood seeping through the bandages driving the jiangshi into a frenzy.

“Blood! I want blood! Roar!”

“Hmph, so you really can talk.”

Li Xinjun smirked, stood up, and ordered the soldiers,

“Take this jiangshi back to the magistrate’s office. Don’t kill it.”

A soldier stepped forward, stuffed a rag into the jiangshi’s mouth, and bound it with ropes, ensuring it couldn’t bite anyone. He then hoisted the jiangshi onto his shoulder and carried it back to the magistrate’s office.

Li Xinjun helped Minister Chen finish off the remaining jiangshi and then pulled him aside.

“Minister Chen, judging by the situation, we can’t let these people live. The situation is chaotic, and the transformation is happening much faster now. We need to take drastic measures and cremate all the dead and injured to prevent further spread.”

Minister Chen’s face darkened. He knew that Li Xinjun was right. They couldn’t afford to delay any longer. Otherwise, even the villagers who had escaped would be at risk. With a heavy heart, he gritted his teeth and said,

“Issue the order. After we eliminate all the jiangshi, cremate all the bodies.”

Magistrate Wang, who was hiding nearby, overheard Minister Chen’s order and looked at him in shock. He protested,

“Minister Chen, you can’t do that! Have you considered the consequences? This could cost us our positions!”

Minister Chen glared at him. “Magistrate Wang, are you only concerned about your own career at a time like this? I seriously question your competence as an official.”

Minister Chen was furious. He had never imagined that Magistrate Wang was such a self-serving person. He had always considered him to be a diligent official, but it turned out that he only cared about his own advancement. Magistrate Wang, seeing Minister Chen’s anger, was afraid. However, remembering that he could be implicated if the court found out, he continued,

“Minister Chen, I know I am shortsighted, but this matter is of great consequence. I fear that the Emperor will punish us. Why don’t we wait a couple more days? We’ve already informed the court. We should receive a reply soon. We can decide then, can’t we?”

“You! Is this how you delayed the cremation before? Look around you! If you had acted decisively then, would we be in this situation now? And you still want to delay? You’re utterly incompetent! Don’t worry, if the Emperor blames us, I will take full responsibility. Surely you have no objections now!” Minister Chen turned away, refusing to engage with Magistrate Wang any further.

Chapter 18

Chen Family Village had two entrances: the main gate at the front and a back gate leading to the rear mountain. After discussing with Minister Chen, Song Ling and Brother Wu decided to abandon the idea of setting traps within the village and instead focus on the main entrance. Since the jiangshi had always entered through the front gate, setting a trap there would prevent them from entering the village altogether, minimizing casualties and avoiding the need to displace more villagers.

The back gate led directly to the mortuary, which was now heavily guarded. Any unusual activity there would be immediately detected. Therefore, they concentrated their efforts on the front entrance.

They dug a deep pit outside the village. A wooden plank was placed over the pit, allowing people to enter and exit the village. Once night fell, they would remove the plank, ensuring that any approaching jiangshi would fall into the pit.

They also planted numerous iron spears at the bottom of the pit. Any jiangshi falling in would be impaled. Even if they survived the fall, the pit was deep enough to prevent them from climbing out. While this might not eliminate all the jiangshi, it would at least provide a temporary solution and prevent further deaths.

Song Ling instructed Brother Wu to pour kerosene around the pit, allowing them to burn any jiangshi that didn’t fall in, without risking the lives of their men. After setting the trap, they pitched several tents near the village gate, providing shelter for the soldiers guarding the entrance.

Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang arrived at the village gate in the evening to join the watch. Song Ling took the opportunity to return to the magistrate’s office to rest and check on Li Xinjun. Upon arriving, she found Li Xinjun diligently assisting Doctor Huang. She called out to Li Xinjun, inviting her to join her for dinner. Li Xinjun, delighted to see Song Ling, immediately abandoned her task and followed her to the dining hall.

“Sister Ling, how come you have time to come back?”

“Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang are there keeping watch. I came back to rest and see how you’re doing.”

“I’m going stir-crazy being stuck here! I have nothing to do all day. Since Minister Chen is here tonight, why don’t you stay and keep me company?”

“I can’t. They’ll need my help if the jiangshi appear. Be good, Jun’er. Once we’ve eliminated those jiangshi, we’ll go back home, and then I’ll be with you every day, okay?”

“Sister Ling, who knows how long it will take to resolve this? We might be stuck here for months!”

“Nonsense! We’ve set up the trap. Unless the jiangshi don’t come, we’ll catch them all.”

“Then let me come with you tonight! I’m almost fully recovered. I’ll stay in the back and won’t do anything.”

“You think I don’t know you? You won’t be able to resist joining the fight. That wound on your hand is deep. If you get hurt again, it could be permanently damaged. Just stay here and wait.”

“Sister Ling~ Please let me go! I promise I’ll be good. I won’t do anything.”

“No means no. I promise, once this is over, I’ll take you to Mount Tian to stay for a while. I’ll ask my master to accept you as her disciple. Then I’ll be with you every day, training together. How does that sound?”

“Wow, really? I can go to Mount Tian?”

“Yes, really. Just be good, and I’ll take you there.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for you here. Don’t break your promise! Don’t tell me you have to go somewhere else to help people after this. I won’t let you.”

“Alright, alright, I promise. We can always come back down the mountain later.”

“Okay, it’s a deal.”

“It’s a deal. Now, let’s eat. I have to leave again after dinner.”

Song Ling and Li Xinjun enjoyed their meal, their laughter filling the room. They temporarily put aside their worries and savored the moment of peace. After dinner, Li Xinjun walked Song Ling to the gate of the magistrate’s office.

Li Xinjun hugged Song Ling, reminding her to come back early and rest. Song Ling nodded in agreement and then turned to leave. Li Xinjun watched her go, her gaze lingering on Song Ling’s retreating figure until she was out of sight.

By the time Song Ling returned to the village gate, night had fallen. She entered the tent where Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang were waiting and joined them. The night was exceptionally cold, and a chilling wind swept through the air, creating an unsettling atmosphere. Song Ling peered through the tent entrance, observing the sky.

The night sky was overcast, obscuring the stars. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds. The ominous sky filled Song Ling with a sense of foreboding. She performed a quick calculation and realized that it was a rare occurrence: a yin year, yin month, and yin day. If combined with the yin hour, something terrible might happen. She hadn’t anticipated this. She was about to return to the magistrate’s office to find Li Xinjun when a commotion outside interrupted her thoughts.

The soldiers guarding the tent had been instructed to feign retreat upon seeing the jiangshi, luring them towards the pit. Archers hidden inside the tents would then emerge and unleash a volley of arrows, eliminating any jiangshi that didn’t fall into the pit.

Their feigned retreat successfully lured the jiangshi towards them. However, just as they were about to fall into the pit, a deafening roar echoed from behind them.

“Roar!”

The jiangshi, startled, stopped in their tracks and turned to look.

Song Ling sensed a powerful demonic aura, her heart sinking. It was similar to the aura she and Li Xinjun had encountered in the cave when they first discovered the jiangshi. She suddenly remembered that they had seen two coffins in the cave, but only one jiangshi had emerged to fight them. And now that she thought about it, that jiangshi’s aura hadn’t been as strong.

Could this approaching jiangshi be the one from the other coffin? Song Ling wondered. But they had burned the cave down. There shouldn’t be any remnants. Had something happened that they weren’t aware of? She shook off her thoughts and narrowed her eyes, looking in the direction the jiangshi were facing.

A figure slowly emerged from the distance, its form gradually becoming clearer. This jiangshi was different from the others. It was wrapped in layers of dirty, yellowish-white bandages. Although its face was obscured, the gaps in the tattered bandages revealed that it was a desiccated corpse.

The jiangshi standing in front parted, making way for the approaching figure. It seemed this jiangshi was not ordinary. It was like their leader. Song Ling realized that Brother Wu was right. Jiangshi weren’t completely mindless. This realization filled her with dread, as it meant that they were even more formidable than she had imagined.

The jiangshi king stepped forward and stood before the other jiangshi. It pointed a finger at Minister Chen. Seizing the opportunity, Minister Chen ordered the archers to fire.

“Loose! Don’t let them escape! Fire!”

The archers obeyed, unleashing a volley of arrows. The sky was filled with projectiles, raining down on the jiangshi. The jiangshi king, agile and swift, swatted away the arrows with its hands, remaining unharmed. However, the surrounding jiangshi were struck, sustaining injuries, though not fatal ones.

Seeing that the arrows weren’t effective, Minister Chen ordered the archers to dip the arrowheads in kerosene and light them. The sky lit up with flaming arrows, raining down on the jiangshi and the surrounding area. The arrows ignited the kerosene that had been poured on the ground, creating a blazing inferno. Two of the jiangshi were engulfed in flames, their roars echoing through the night.

“Roar! Roar! Roar!”

The jiangshi king, enraged, let out a deafening roar.

“Roar!!!”

The sound was so loud that everyone instinctively covered their ears. The jiangshi king raised its hands, palms facing upward. Suddenly, all the arrows that had been fired and were now stuck in the ground began to float in mid-air. With a flick of its wrists, the jiangshi king directed the arrows towards the villagers.

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Countless arrows rained down on the soldiers.

“Argh!” “Oof!”

More than half of the soldiers were struck and fell to the ground. Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang were shielded by their guards and narrowly escaped injury.

Song Ling deftly deflected the arrows aimed at her with her sword. Seeing the situation deteriorating, she stepped back and called out to Brother Wu, who was standing nearby.

“Brother Wu, come here and protect me! I need to invoke the Celestial Master’s power! Quickly!”

Brother Wu obeyed, standing in front of Song Ling, shielding her from the arrows. Song Ling clasped her hands together, forming fists, and then raised her index and middle fingers, pointing them between her eyebrows. She closed her eyes and began to chant an incantation.

She had never imagined that she would have to resort to this technique. It was a secret art of the Tianshan Sect, rarely used by its disciples. Some disciples never used it in their entire lives.

This technique allowed the founder of the Tianshan Sect, the Celestial Master, to possess her body, granting her access to all her latent spiritual power. Once this power was unlocked, it would remain with her for life. This was why most disciples were hesitant to use this technique. Once their spiritual power was depleted, their lives would end. In essence, invoking the Celestial Master’s power would shorten their lifespans by twenty years. Therefore, it was only used as a last resort, in life-or-death situations.

Song Ling couldn’t stand idly by and watch innocent people die. Moreover, her current level of power was insufficient to defeat the jiangshi king. If it wasn’t stopped, more people would die, and humanity might even face extinction.

Using her right foot, she drew a circle on the ground around herself and then shouted,

“Celestial Master, hear my plea! Song Ling, disciple of the Tianshan Sect, summons your presence! Grant me your power to protect the innocent and save the world!”

After finishing the invocation, she stomped her right foot on the ground three times.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

A strong wind swept through the area. The overcast sky suddenly brightened, and the moonlight shone directly on Song Ling. She opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the jiangshi king. She spread her hands and, with a gesture, conjured a yin-yang symbol. She then clapped her hands together, releasing a powerful blast of energy that transformed into a brilliant phoenix made of fire, soaring towards the jiangshi king.

The phoenix left a trail of fire in its wake. As it collided with the jiangshi king, the creature tried to block it with its hands but was sent flying backward. The flames engulfed the jiangshi king, turning it into a burning inferno. It roared in agony and then fled towards the forest.

Song Ling, her power receding, gave chase, but the jiangshi king had vanished. She knew that she couldn’t let it escape. Capturing it would only become more difficult. She found Brother Wu, gave him a few instructions, and then resumed her pursuit of the jiangshi king.

Everything happened so fast that no one had time to react. Song Ling disappeared into the forest. Brother Wu stood there, stunned, filled with regret for not stopping her. He clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the direction Song Ling had gone. Minister Chen approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Brother Wu, I know what you’re thinking, but even if you went after her, you would only hinder her. Wouldn’t it be better to stay here and help with the aftermath?”

“Sigh… I hope Doctor Song returns safely. I don’t know how I’ll face Little Jun if something happens to her.”

“I’m sure Miss Li will understand.”

“I hope so.”

Chapter 17

Unable to bear the boredom, Li Xinjun, after only half a day of confinement, attempted to sneak out of the magistrate’s office. However, she was intercepted by Magistrate Wang in the main hall. After a brief argument, Li Xinjun relented, abandoning her plans to wander around. She went to the back rooms to help treat the injured and asked the resident physician, Doctor Huang, to clean her wounds with glutinous rice water.

Meanwhile, Song Ling and the soldiers were racing against time to set up the traps before nightfall. They worked tirelessly and finally completed all the preparations before sunset.

Tonight’s setup differed slightly from the previous night. In addition to the ropes, they had placed a large fishing net above the roped-off area and dug a trench around the perimeter, ensuring that the jiangshi couldn’t escape.

Once everything was in place, Brother Wu instructed everyone to take their positions in the surrounding houses and wait. Song Ling and Brother Wu were in the same house, observing the situation outside through a crack in the window.

At that moment, a change occurred at the mortuary on the outskirts of the village. The villagers who had been killed by the jiangshi began to transform. Eight coffins among the countless others in the mortuary started to shake violently. The lids burst open with loud bangs, alerting the soldiers guarding the entrance.

One of the soldiers pushed open the door and saw numerous jiangshi moving inside. He froze in terror.

“C-C-Corpses! They’re coming back to life!”

As another soldier regained his senses and shouted a warning, attempting to flee, a jiangshi lunged at him, sinking its teeth into his flesh.

“Argh!”

The soldier was killed before their eyes, blood gushing from the artery in his neck. He twitched a few times and then lay still.

Seeing their comrade fall, the other soldiers panicked and fled. The remaining jiangshi in the mortuary gave chase.

“Roar! Roar! Roar!”

The soldiers stumbled and scrambled, desperate to escape. One of them, lagging behind, was caught by two jiangshi, who leaped onto his back and began to bite him.

“Argh! Help me! I don’t want to die!” The soldier screamed and struggled.

Two other soldiers, seeing his plight, turned back to help. They thrust their spears at the jiangshi.

“Die, you monsters! Let him go!”

Before their spears could reach their targets, the other jiangshi swarmed them, overwhelming them.

“Argh! Get off me! Argh!”

They fought back with all their might, trying to push the jiangshi away, but they were no match for the relentless creatures. All four soldiers guarding the mortuary were killed, their bodies mutilated beyond recognition. Some had their necks torn apart, while others had their internal organs ripped out.

After feasting on the soldiers’ blood, the jiangshi, their eyes glowing red, their bodies radiating power, headed towards the forest behind the mountain. No one knew where they went because no one survived to report the incident. The villagers were unaware of the carnage that had unfolded at the mortuary.

Back in the village, the night was eerily quiet. There was no sign of any jiangshi. The wind kicked up dust, and the blood from the chickens tied to the posts as bait had dried, forming dark clots on the ground. Song Ling and Brother Wu had waited all night, but the jiangshi never appeared. As fatigue set in, Brother Wu, fighting off sleep, asked,

“Doctor Song, do you think they learned their lesson from last night and won’t come tonight?”

“I don’t know. But jiangshi shouldn’t have the capacity to think, right? Remember Uncle Wang? He’s the same.”

“Doctor Song, you can’t be so sure. I often see Little Jun talking to Uncle Wang, and it seems like he understands her. I’ve even seen him throw tantrums at her. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, but it feels like he still has some awareness.”

“If that’s true, then things are even more complicated.”

“What do we do if they don’t show up?”

“How about we call it a night and get some rest? What do you think?”

“It’s almost dawn, and everyone is exhausted. Let’s tell them to head back.”

“Alright, go inform the soldiers.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Brother Wu went to inform the other soldiers to return to the magistrate’s office. The exhausted men were relieved. They packed up their things and headed back.

By the time they reached the magistrate’s office, dawn was breaking, and the roosters were crowing. Song Ling, weary, returned to the west wing and found Li Xinjun still asleep. She quietly lay down beside her and, within seconds, drifted off to sleep.

Li Xinjun woke up a short while later. Seeing Song Ling beside her, she felt a surge of relief. She had stayed awake all night, worried about Song Ling and the others. She had only fallen asleep from exhaustion moments before Song Ling returned. Now, seeing Song Ling safe and sound beside her, she relaxed, snuggled closer, and fell back asleep.

They slept until past noon. When Li Xinjun woke up, Song Ling was gone. Disappointment washed over her. If only she had woken up earlier, she wouldn’t have missed Song Ling. She got up slowly, washed up, and went to the main hall, where she found Magistrate Wang and Minister Chen discussing something. She greeted them.

“Good day, Magistrate Wang, Minister Chen. Minister Chen, you finally arrived! Have you seen Song Ling?”

“Ah, Miss Li. Yes, I just met with Doctor Song. We discussed some strategies, and she’s currently out making arrangements. I heard you were injured. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, just this hand is a bit troublesome.” Li Xinjun showed Minister Chen her left hand.

“Yes, that’s quite a serious injury. Miss Li, you need to rest and recover properly these next few days. Don’t worry about anything else. We’ll handle it.”

“Minister Chen, did Magistrate Wang tell you about the bodies at the mortuary?”

“As a matter of fact, we were just discussing that. I have informed Magistrate Wang about everything. He understands that the bodies cannot be returned to their families. However, we are still discussing how to explain this to them, as we can’t reveal the truth about the jiangshi yet.”

“Minister Chen, Magistrate Wang, please forgive my bluntness, but I believe we can’t keep this a secret any longer. If we don’t warn the villagers about the dangers of jiangshi, more people will be killed. And it’s not just about the deaths. What if they all turn into jiangshi? Then we’ll be facing a catastrophe.”

Minister Chen and Magistrate Wang couldn’t deny the validity of Li Xinjun’s argument. However, before arriving at the village, Minister Chen had already reported the jiangshi matter to the imperial court and was awaiting instructions. He couldn’t disclose the truth without authorization.

The two officials frowned, pondering their options. They had to prevent the jiangshi from harming more people while also adhering to the court’s directives. They were caught between a rock and a hard place.

“Alright, we’ll wait two more days. If the court doesn’t issue any instructions by then, we’ll cremate the bodies regardless.”

“But Minister Chen, I examined those bodies. We can’t wait that long. They might transform within a day or two.”

“Don’t worry. If the soldiers report any unusual activity at the mortuary, we’ll burn it down immediately, along with the jiangshi inside. It will be easier to explain to the families. We’ll just say there was a fire.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. That way, we won’t have to deal with upset families or reprimands from the court.” Magistrate Wang clapped his hands in agreement.

Li Xinjun, who had been about to protest, seeing their resolute expressions, realized that further arguments were futile. Besides, it was a matter for the court to handle, not a commoner like her. She would leave it to the officials to worry about.

She left the main hall and went to the back rooms to soak some glutinous rice in water to clean her wounds. The corpse poison in her neck had mostly dissipated. Apart from the wound on her palm, she was recovering well. She diligently took her medicine and cleaned her wounds, eager to get better so she could help Song Ling and Brother Wu. She didn’t want to be stuck in the magistrate’s office, feeling useless.

Minister Chen’s arrival had brought not only more glutinous rice and garlic but also additional troops. For now, they didn’t have to worry about a shortage of manpower. Moreover, as Governor, Minister Chen had the authority to make decisions without having to seek approval from higher-ups, unlike Magistrate Wang. This would make things much easier and faster.

Chapter 16

Song Ling woke up, disoriented. She couldn’t distinguish between dream and reality, unsure which events of the previous night had actually transpired. She sat up awkwardly, observing Li Xinjun’s expression, relieved to find no signs of discomfort. However, a pang of disappointment lingered.

She wished Li Xinjun’s confession had been real. She noticed a slight swelling on Li Xinjun’s lips, deepening her confusion. Lost in thought, trying to piece together the events of the night, she didn’t notice Li Xinjun sitting up and leaning towards her.

Li Xinjun waved a hand in front of Song Ling’s face, startling her. Song Ling jumped up in a panic, accidentally bumping her head against Li Xinjun’s forehead. Li Xinjun fell back onto the bed, tears springing to her eyes from the impact and the pain from her injuries.

“I’m so sorry, Jun’er! Are you alright?”

“Sister Ling, what are you doing? You’re so jumpy! You bumped my head, and it hurts!”

“Let me see.”

Song Ling helped Li Xinjun sit up and examined her neck, relieved to find no further damage. She realized that her infatuation was growing stronger. Her gaze lingered on Li Xinjun’s collarbone, her thoughts racing. She felt an urge to confess her feelings, her heart battling with her head.

Li Xinjun, observing Song Ling’s spaced-out expression, got out of bed, picked up a spirit-clearing talisman from the table, and slapped it on Song Ling’s forehead, chanting an incantation. Song Ling stared at her, speechless, three black lines appearing on her forehead. She silently cursed Li Xinjun for her cluelessness.

“Sister Ling, you seem out of it. Were you possessed by an evil spirit last night?”

“You’re the one possessed! I’m a prized disciple of the Tianshan Sect. I’m not easily possessed. Do you think I’m a half-baked cultivator like you? And you better stay here in the magistrate’s office and recover from your injuries. If you’re bored, practice your martial arts. Don’t go out there and embarrass me, hmph!”

Song Ling angrily removed the talisman from her forehead, tossed it back on the table, and stormed out of the room.

Li Xinjun watched her leave, bewildered. This was the first time Song Ling had snapped at her. She felt hurt but didn’t understand what she had done wrong. Feeling wronged, she went to find Brother Wu.

Song Ling, despite her anger, knew that it wasn’t Li Xinjun’s fault. However, she couldn’t help but feel frustrated that Li Xinjun didn’t understand her feelings. After walking for a while, she regretted her outburst and decided to go back and apologize to Li Xinjun.

Returning to the west wing, she expected to find Li Xinjun, but she was gone. She checked the other rooms, but Li Xinjun was nowhere to be found.

Song Ling thought for a moment and decided that Li Xinjun might have gone to find Brother Wu. She headed towards his room and, as expected, found Li Xinjun sitting at the table outside his door, chatting with him.

“Brother Wu, do you think I should apologize to Sister Ling?”

“But do you know what you did wrong?”

“That’s why I came to ask you! I don’t know.”

“Then what are you apologizing for? Maybe Doctor Song isn’t even angry with you.”

“But Brother Wu, Sister Ling has never spoken to me like that before. Do you think she’s starting to dislike me? Will she ignore me from now on?”

“Hahaha, Little Jun, you make it sound like Doctor Song is your lover.”

Brother Wu affectionately patted Li Xinjun’s head. Li Xinjun, her face creased with worry, looked down at the table, letting Brother Wu stroke her hair, but remained silent. Song Ling, watching them from a distance, felt a pang of jealousy. She had never imagined that anyone else would dote on Li Xinjun like this.

She realized that if she didn’t confess her feelings soon, someone else might steal Li Xinjun’s heart, and her own affections would remain forever hidden.

Suppressing her emotions, she approached them and patted Li Xinjun’s shoulder. Li Xinjun looked up and, upon seeing Song Ling, broke into a bright smile.

“Sister Ling, what are you doing here?”

“Can’t I come here?”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m just happy to see you.”

“Come with me!”

Song Ling grabbed Li Xinjun’s hand and led her back to their room. Li Xinjun followed obediently, not daring to speak, her expression meek. Once inside the room, Song Ling made Li Xinjun sit on the bed. She stood before her, looking down at her.

“Li Xinjun, listen to me. From now on, I forbid you from letting anyone else touch you, and you’re not allowed to be so close to anyone else. Do you understand?”

“Huh? Oh… Understood.”

Li Xinjun looked at Song Ling innocently. She sensed Song Ling’s displeasure and didn’t dare to question her. Seeing Li Xinjun’s innocent expression, Song Ling’s anger subsided. She knew it was her own issue and shouldn’t take it out on Li Xinjun. She crouched down, meeting Li Xinjun’s eyes, and softened her tone.

“Jun’er, will you promise me something?”

“Sure! Anything.”

“Can you please try to avoid too much physical contact with others?”

“You too?”

“Except me.”

“No problem! Can I hug you then?”

“You can only hug me. No one else!”

“Oh, can I hug you now?”

Li Xinjun’s pleading eyes were irresistible. Song Ling leaned forward and pulled Li Xinjun’s head into her embrace. Li Xinjun happily hugged Song Ling’s waist, her eyes closed, savoring Song Ling’s scent.

It had been so long since she had held Song Ling like this, ever since Song Ling had insisted on sleeping separately. Li Xinjun cherished this moment. She thought to herself that if it weren’t for the jiangshi outbreak, they wouldn’t have come to Chen Family Village, and she wouldn’t have this opportunity to be held by Song Ling. Maybe the jiangshi outbreak wasn’t all bad after all.

Song Ling, unaware of Li Xinjun’s thoughts, closed her eyes, enjoying their rare moment of intimacy. She resolved to confess her feelings to Li Xinjun after they resolved this crisis. She didn’t want to lose her.

After a while, Li Xinjun pulled away. Song Ling stroked her hair affectionately and told her to stay in the magistrate’s office and recover from her injuries. She had to go out and deal with the remaining jiangshi. Li Xinjun nodded obediently, her sweet smile assuring Song Ling that she wouldn’t wander off. Reassured, Song Ling left the room.

Song Ling, accompanied by several soldiers, went to the site of the previous night’s battle. She learned that the soldiers had already transported the defeated jiangshi and the bodies of the fallen soldiers to the mortuary on the outskirts of the village. She instructed the soldiers to guard the mortuary carefully and report any unusual activity immediately.

Song Ling encountered Magistrate Wang outside a villager’s house, supervising soldiers as they hung strings of garlic. She approached him and offered to help.

“Good day, Magistrate Wang.”

“Ah, Doctor Song! You’re here! Are we hanging these correctly?”

“Yes, yes. The key is to hang them around the doors and windows to prevent those afflicted individuals from entering.”

“Men, hang all the garlic on the windows and doors!”

“Yes, sir!”

The soldiers adjusted the garlic, ensuring that it was properly placed around the openings. Many villagers also helped, hanging garlic around their own homes. Within half a day, every house in the village was adorned with garlic.

Song Ling, satisfied with the progress, returned to the magistrate’s office with Magistrate Wang to discuss their strategy for the night. Inside the office, Magistrate Wang summoned Brother Wu and several other officers for a meeting. Song Ling presented her plan.

“Magistrate Wang, I suggest we set up the same trap as last night, using chicken blood to lure the afflicted individuals. However, this time, in addition to ropes, I would like to add a large net to prevent them from escaping. I also recommend deploying more men to make it easier to subdue them.”

“Alright, Ah Qi, go and have the men prepare ropes and fishing nets. Then lead them to set the trap.”

“Yes, sir! I’ll leave immediately.” Ah Qi turned and left.

“Doctor Song, I will deploy all the soldiers from the magistrate’s office to assist you tonight. I hope you can successfully capture all those monsters.”

“Thank you, Magistrate Wang. In addition, I would like to request some cotton thread soaked in chicken blood. I will need it tonight.”

“Certainly, I will have that arranged. Is there anything else you need?”

Brother Wu thought for a moment and then stood up. “Magistrate Wang, Doctor Song, I have an idea. What if we dig a deep pit in the designated area and lure the monsters into it? Do you think that’s feasible?”

“I think that’s an excellent idea. It will prevent them from escaping. It should work,” Song Ling agreed.

“Alright, we’ll split into two teams. Brother Wu, you take the remaining men and dig the pit. Ah Qi will handle the ropes. We must eliminate all those monsters tonight.”

“Yes, sir!”

Brother Wu, his suggestion accepted, left immediately. Song Ling and Magistrate Wang were left alone.

“Magistrate Wang, Jun’er will be staying here to recover from her injuries tonight. I’m afraid she might sneak out to help. Please keep an eye on her and make sure she stays inside the magistrate’s office.”

“Don’t worry, Doctor Song. I will ensure her safety. You must also be careful.”

“Yes, I will. Thank you, sir. I’m going to help them prepare for tonight. I’ll leave Jun’er in your care.”