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The old woman approached the Niu Family, slightly lowering her head and casting a shadowy gaze at her. Her withered lips were drawn into a straight line, resembling a smile that was not quite a smile. The Niu Family, terrified, lowered her head but noticed a name written on the blue altar. She was not very literate and could only barely make out the character "Chen."
The old woman let out a chilling laugh, her voice like sandpaper, scratching into the Niu Family's ears. She said, "The time has come; you must follow me!"
Startled, the Niu Family awoke, but the nightmare seemed to continue. Above her eyes, another pair of eyes stared back at her, exuding a cold aura. As far as she could see was pitch black. Before she could fully regain consciousness, she heard the person speak: "You finally woke up?"
In that moment, dreams and reality overlapped. Almost instinctively, the Niu Family reached for the candle and struck it towards the figure. When she came to her senses again, she saw the silver-white moonlight chillingly illuminating the ground, where a man dressed in black lay. A candle had pierced his neck. As she got up and looked closely, she realized that he was holding a gauzy lampshade in one hand and half a candle in the other. The man's face was none other than her most familiar memory—Niu Fugui.
"Niu Fugui," she called softly before quickly climbing down from the bed to his side. Only then did she see that the candle had long since burned out; in her panic, she had accidentally stabbed Niu Fugui's artery with the candle. Blood flowed out, staining a large portion of his clothing. The outfit he wore was not black but rather a deep blue coarse cloth that she had sewn for him after they moved.
Looking at the lampshade in his hand and the half-burned candle he had found somewhere, along with an open portrait of a woman on the table, the Niu Family suddenly understood. Niu Fugui must have been looking at that woman's portrait when the lamp went out. He had searched for half a candle to replace it but heard her cries from the dream just then.
Though he was a gambler and often inconsiderate towards her, he was still her husband. Hearing her cries brought him down to wake her from her nightmare. Thus, when Niu Fugui saw the Niu Family awaken, he said, "You finally woke up?" instead of simply asking if she was awake.
Unfortunately, it was all too late. Although the Niu Family was a woman, she understood that taking a life meant paying with one's own. She was not afraid of death; however, if she died, what would happen to her young daughter? After much contemplation, she gritted her teeth and dragged Niu Fugui's body to another room and set it on fire. Originally intending to stage an accident, she did not expect to be discovered by officials.
By this time, the case of Niu Family murdering her husband and disposing of his body had been clarified; however, it left Chang Tai and Xing Ruyi with more questions. For instance, why was Niu Fugui so obsessed with a portrait? If it were of an extraordinarily beautiful woman, it might be understandable; yet in this case, it depicted an indistinct female figure. A gambler like Niu Fugui would hardly be captivated by such artwork. Secondly, there were the nightmares that Niu Family experienced on the night of her husband's murder. People often say dreams arise from one's heart; clearly, that old woman was not someone familiar to Niu Family in daily life—her sudden appearance in dreams must have some reason behind it. Lastly, there was that female ghost on Chang Tai's back who eventually transformed into a painting; it remained unclear whether she was the same person as depicted on Niu Fugui's scroll.
With too many questions swirling in their minds, Xing Ruyi felt as though they were caught in a web—clear in its structure yet lacking any discernible source. At its center lay nothing but the old residence of the Xie family.
"Where is Niu Family's daughter now?"
Xing Ruyi thought of the daughter born to Niu Family and Niu Fugui. With her father murdered and mother captured, how would such a child survive?
"She has been taken in by a neighbor nearby." Chang Tai seemed to see through Xing Ruyi's concerns and forced a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "The man is a blacksmith; his wife is like Niu Family—a common woman but gentle and very attentive. Due to an illness in her early years, she has never given birth but longs for children. Life should not be an issue for Niu family's daughter there. Don't worry; when we have time, Shengzi and I will often go visit; we won't let that child suffer."
"Brother Chang's work is surely reliable," Xing Ruyi replied with a smile as she shifted the topic back to the scroll: "When you went to handle things, did you come across that scroll mentioned by Niu Family? Or perhaps encounter anything unusual while at Xie residence?"
"Is there something wrong with me?" Chang Tai touched his cool neck. "I know you, Fox Demon, can see many things that common people cannot. Please tell me honestly, is there something on me?"
"Brother Chang, do you also feel it?"
Chang Tai nodded. "When we were investigating the crime scene that day, I always felt like someone was watching us. After Shengzi and the others carried the body away, I searched around the room that had been burned by fire. When I looked up, I suddenly saw a woman standing in the courtyard. Actually, it couldn't be just one; it could only be half of one, half-hidden under a flowering tree in the yard. But when I looked closely again, she was gone."
"Brother Chang, do you remember what the woman looked like?"
"It's strange; it felt just like when the Niu Family saw that portrait. I clearly remember her clothing and everything else about her, but for some reason, I can't recall her face at all. Even though I glanced at it, I can't remember what her features were like—not even her eyebrows or eyes."
"What happened after that? Did you encounter anything else, Brother Chang?"
Chang Tai shook his head. "No! After that, nothing strange happened again. I just felt that the air around me was a bit chilly, making my neck feel cold as well. When I got home, I felt more exhausted than usual after handling cases; this fatigue made me want to cover myself with a thick quilt at night."
"Brother Chang is a martial artist; even if it's November's chill, which is part of the Cold Winter Month, you wouldn't necessarily want to use such a thick quilt."
"That's right; in previous years, I never needed one. Even during heavy snow, a thin blanket was enough." Chang Tai said as he shook his neck. Xing Ruyi noticed something unusual and activated her Ghost Eye to take a closer look. She then discovered that ghostly energy had already invaded Chang Tai's neck bones. A hint of anger rose in her heart; that female ghost had definitely angered her.
"Brother Chang, can you trust the Fox Demon?"
"Are you questioning me with that question?" Chang Tai raised his eyes and looked seriously at Xing Ruyi. "You know I'm different with you than with others."
"Alright! Then let me tell you: you are indeed being haunted by a female ghost. As for what her true form is, I don't know yet, but she wants to harm you. The reason you feel exhausted all day is because you're carrying her with you both day and night. As the saying goes, the dead weigh heavier than the living. Although this ghost is transformed from a soul, its weight can be controlled freely. The reason you're rubbing your neck is that this female ghost always hangs her hands on either side of your neck; since her body is pressed tightly against yours, the ghostly energy has entered your body. You are a mortal and cannot see it, so you only feel extremely tired and cold."
"What about now?" Chang Tai forced a smile and turned to look at his empty back. "Since entering this hall, I've felt lighter; could it be that she saw you, Fox Demon, got scared, and slipped away?"
"I don't know! Although my eyes are special and can see things that ordinary people cannot, exorcism is not something the Fox Demon excels at. What I can tell Brother Chang is that she has indeed left for now. However, whether she will return and when she will return, even the Fox Demon cannot say. For your safety, Brother Chang, please stay at my Rouge shop for the next few days. This matter concerning the female ghost can be resolved by Yin Chensi."
"Young Master Yin? Could he be a Taoist!" Chang Tai thought of Yin Chensi's appearance, ethereal and otherworldly, which did resemble that of a cultivator. But can a Taoist marry?
Xing Ruyi scratched her head and said, "Yin Chensi is not a Taoist; he is considered a practitioner of cultivation. Has Brother Chang heard of Mount Shu?"
After using this excuse about practitioners once, Xing Ruyi found it quite smooth and it perfectly concealed the truth about the fox's magical abilities, so she occasionally brought it up.
Chang Tai thought for a moment and asked uncertainly, "Isn't that in the Sichuan region?"
"It should be! Actually, I haven't been there myself; I've only heard about it from Yin Chensi. However, I have heard of the Mount Shu sect; it's somewhat similar to those sects in the martial world but also different. The Shushan Sect is located among lofty mountains, with peaks soaring into the sky like floating clouds. It is said to be a blessed place granted by immortals to the mortal realm. Since its founding, disciples of Mount Shu have diligently practiced their cultivation techniques to subdue demons and imprison them in the Demon Lock Tower, protecting humanity from disturbances by evil spirits, earning them great affection from the people. In the Shu Region, they are revered as deities. Mount Shu does not have deep ties with other martial sects; its cultivation techniques lie between internal martial arts and Taoist alchemy. However, disciples of Mount Shu do not cultivate to become immortals but to help others and save lives, which sets them apart from ordinary Taoists. Additionally, people from Mount Shu can marry and have children."
Xing Ruyi spoke eloquently about what she had read regarding Mount Shu in her previous life while writing. At this moment, using it to "fool" Chang Tai felt like a fitting reward for her past research efforts. However, that last sentence was her own addition and not from any source.
Chang Tai had always trusted Xing Ruyi immensely and naturally believed everything she said. Moreover, after experiencing various unbelievable events previously, he began to believe that there were indeed ghosts and deities in this world; if there were ghosts and deities, then there must be cultivation sects as mentioned by Xing Ruyi. He just didn't know if he would have the chance to see one in the future.
He shook his head slightly, temporarily setting aside these chaotic thoughts. Looking up into Xing Ruyi's eyes, he asked, "Since Young Master Yin is someone who subdues demons in the mortal realm, he must encounter many dangers. You should also be careful, Fox Demon."
Xing Ruyi nodded her head; seeing that Chang Tai did not reject her earlier suggestion eased her worries. With foxes and Yin Yuan at the Rouge shop, she didn't believe that the ghost in the painting would dare to intrude. As for the matter concerning the Xie family's old residence, even if Chang Tai did not mention it, she wanted to take the fox to take a look; if there were indeed any evil spirits present, it would be good to catch them for Yin Yuan's amusement.
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