"So this time, you remembered to use the door?" Nangzhe asked half-jokingly.
"I heard from a thousand miles away that Lord Nangzhe was hosting a grand wedding feast and spending money like water. I came hoping to join the excitement, but it seems I arrived too late." Nangzhe seemed deliberately courteous toward Li Luoning this time.
"What are you planning to steal from my residence this time, Brother Piaochchen?"
"I was rash the last few times. I had only heard that Lord Nangzhe was highly skilled, so I came hoping to learn a thing or two. If there was any misunderstanding, I hope you will be generous enough to overlook it. I also heard that your newly wedded wife sadly lost her life yesterday. By chance, I happened to obtain a treasure that might help Madam return to the world for three days." Li Luoning casually took out a magical artifact from his sleeve and waved it slightly. His true intention was to see Hua Ruoying's body, so that by searching her final memories he could learn what had happened.
"Oh, it is only the death of a woman. Why go to all that trouble with some soul-returning spell? In Pingyan Land, if I beckon, women come to me all the same."
As the two spoke, a ghost guard stepped close to Nangzhe and whispered a few words in his ear.
When Nangzhe heard what the guard reported, his brow lifted slightly. "That was fast." Smiling with curved eyes, he turned to Li Luoning and said, "Brother Piaochchen and I may have become acquainted through blows, but that still counts as acquaintance. If you do not mind, you may stay in my residence for a few days."
"That would suit me perfectly. It would make my long journey here worthwhile." Li Luoning deliberately spoke in an eerie tone. The people of Pingyan Land were mostly strange by nature, so Li Luoning purposely made his own temperament seem unusual to avoid suspicion.
Hearing that, Nangzhe also burst into loud laughter. "Good. Lives are no more than grass. I truly like your temperament. It is only the death of a woman. Why hold a funeral feast over it? But if Brother Piaochchen wants to drink, I will naturally drink with you to the end. Still, I must go meet someone first. When I return, shall we share wine together?"
"Then I shall wait here in your residence and trouble you for your hospitality."
As he brushed past Nangzhe, Li Luoning caught a trace of something strange in the man's eyes, but he still kept the face of a schemer and followed one of the ghost attendants deeper into the residence.
Since he was using the name Piaochchen, he naturally had to make himself seem more like someone from Pingyan Land.
In a side hall, Hua Qiuyuan stood there with both fists clenched. He could not believe the report that Hua Ruoying had been killed, so he had come personally to Nangzhe to confirm it.
"Commander Hua," Nangzhe greeted him with a formal salute.
"Lord Nangzhe, is my younger sister truly in your residence?" Hua Qiuyuan asked at once.
Nangzhe let out a sorrowful sigh and said, "Your sister came to Pingyan Land to search for a cure to the Crystal Orchid poison, and she did indeed stay temporarily in my residence. We had already found the antidote, and she was meant to return to Wuming Demon Mountain today to reunite with you. But yesterday, Mie Xingzhe suddenly appeared and claimed he had come to avenge some grievance involving the Qianmo poison. He fought with your sister. Now that Mie Xingzhe has the Floating Light Golden Seal protecting him, your sister naturally held back against him. I never expected that he would take advantage of her in an unguarded moment... Ah... it was my own carelessness that gave Mie Xingzhe an opening. If Commander Hua wishes to blame me, I have no excuse."
His tone was full of regret and self-reproach, completely different from the way he had spoken to Li Luoning just moments earlier.
"Mie... Xingzhe!"
As Nangzhe spoke, Hua Qiuyuan ground his teeth so hard they clicked. His eyes reddened, and the veins on his forehead bulged. "Does Lord Nangzhe know where Mie Xingzhe is now?" At this moment, Hua Qiuyuan fully believed Nangzhe's story. There was only one thought in his mind now: to avenge Hua Ruoying.
"As for where he fled, I do not know. But judging from the direction he ran, it seemed to be toward Peach Blossom Forest. I remember there is a wooden cottage there. Ruoying once stayed there for a time. Perhaps Mie Xingzhe ran there. Would Commander Hua like me to send men to assist?"
"There is no need to trouble you. Thank you, Lord Nangzhe, for sheltering my sister before this, and for helping her find the antidote to the Crystal Orchid poison." Hua Qiuyuan cupped his hands and made ready to leave.
"Commander Hua, please wait."
Nangzhe stopped him just as he was about to go. From his sleeve, he took out two things and handed them over. "I had your sister's body sent toward Wuming Demon Mountain this morning. Still, I kept these." In Nangzhe's hand were Hua Ruoying's silver bell and what he claimed was the antidote to the Crystal Orchid poison.
Hua Qiuyuan slowly reached out, his hand trembling as he took the silver bell. At once, memories of being with Hua Ruoying came flooding back.
"Brother, I am hungry." Little Hua Ruoying tugged at little Hua Qiuyuan's sleeve.
Little Hua Qiuyuan looked around, then sneaked over to the steamed bun stall and motioned for Hua Ruoying to hide. While the stall owner was not paying attention, he snatched two buns from the steaming basket and ran. The brother and sister ran all the way into a filthy alley before stopping. After glancing around to make sure no one was near, they pulled out the white buns and began stuffing them into their mouths.
Just as little Hua Ruoying was eating happily, something brushed against her foot.
Jingle, jingle.
Summoning up her courage, little Hua Ruoying tugged at the sack. A crisp sound came from inside. Nervously, she grabbed little Hua Qiuyuan's sleeve and urged him to look.
Little Hua Qiuyuan carefully lifted a corner of the sack and saw the purplish hand of a baby, with a silver bell tied around its wrist. Terrified, little Hua Ruoying threw down the bun and ran. Little Hua Qiuyuan was so frightened he froze where he stood, then suddenly remembered to run too. But after two steps, something seemed to occur to him. He turned back, steeled himself, pulled the silver bell from the baby's wrist, picked up the bun from the ground, and ran from the alley.
In the dungeon, Mie Xingzhe had already been driven half-mad by the nightmare that felt so real.
Curled up on the ground, he kept muttering, "No... no... do not... it was not me... it was not me..."
Perhaps sensing that Mie Xingzhe's life force was weakening, the Floating Light Golden Seal inside him began to react. A golden light slowly rose from his chest and wrapped itself around him.
Enveloped by the Floating Light Golden Seal, the wounds on Mie Xingzhe's body visibly began to heal. Even the soul-pinning spikes in his shoulders slowly twisted themselves out.
"So weak already, and still it does not forget to protect its master. This Floating Light Golden Seal truly is a rare treasure." Nangzhe walked into the dungeon just in time to witness the sight.
"Even if you heal his wounds, it is useless. The poison I put into him is not something a shield like you can cure. All you are doing is mending him for me so I can keep breaking him again." Nangzhe took the whip offered by a ghost attendant, pressed two fingers together to pour immortal power into it, and with only a slight flick of his wrist shattered the protection of the golden seal.
"To guard a useless master like this is a waste of your world-shaking power. You would be far better off coming to me. With me, you would have your true use." Nangzhe lightly poked at Mie Xingzhe's chest, as if speaking directly to the golden core within.
The moment Nangzhe touched him, Mie Xingzhe, who had been unconscious on the ground, suddenly snapped awake. He slapped Nangzhe's hand away from his chest, stared at him with fearful vigilance, and slowly dragged himself backward toward the corner of the wall.
At this moment, Mie Xingzhe's eyes were full of terror. After enduring everything inside that nightmare, every little movement around him made him tense like a frightened deer.
"You are awake? Did you enjoy the dream I gave you?"
Nangzhe toyed with the black serpent-tail whip in his hand.
"What... what did you do to me ?" Mie Xingzhe was still shaken by the things he had seen in the dream.
He stared at Nangzhe, uncertain what new torment the man had prepared. He hurriedly checked himself from head to toe, only to discover that the wounds covering his body had somehow healed. He looked over himself in disbelief.
"There is no need to look. Your little golden core used the last of its strength just now to heal all your wounds. It is likely sleeping inside you now and will not be coming out to save you again anytime soon. So next, let me have some proper fun with you." Nangzhe lifted the serpent-tail whip, and lashed it down hard, red-white lightning flashing along it.
Mie Xingzhe instinctively raised an arm to shield himself. He heard the wind close in, then felt a fierce burning sting tear through his arm, followed by the ripping pain of split flesh.
Nangzhe's serpent-tail whip rose and fell without mercy. The dungeon soon filled with the crackle of electric blows and the thick, choking smell of blood.
Mie Xingzhe had been driven all the way into the corner and could no longer move. All he could do was turn his back to Nangzhe and curl in tighter against the wall.
"Ugh..." Another lash struck the raw flesh on his back, and a sound slipped out of him before he could stop it.
"Do you know the pain in my heart is ten thousand times worse than the wounds on your back?"
Nangzhe came up behind him, seized the back of Mie Xingzhe's neck, and slammed him against the wall. Then he pressed the tip of the serpent-tail whip hard into the torn flesh of his wound.
"Ah...!"
Mie Xingzhe's body was already weak, and with Nangzhe pinning his neck, he could not move at all. He could only gasp desperately for breath to endure the mind-clearing pain in his back. His thin fingers dug deep into the wall from the agony.
"I forgot to tell you. The heart-hidden flower I gave you sends you back into that dream every time you fall asleep. Such beautiful shoulder blades. These lovely marks on your back should help keep you awake. Little golden core, I will see you again in a while."
Nangzhe leaned close to Mie Xingzhe's ear and whispered softly. His low voice carried a terrifying menace, like a bloodthirsty beast savoring the final struggle of dying prey. Even his breath seemed to press down so heavily it was hard to breathe.
Inside Nangzhe's residence, Li Luoning had been led to a guest room. Avoiding the eyes of those in the residence, he searched all over the estate without finding anything.
[I should first confirm whether this new bride is indeed Hua Ruoying, and then make plans.]
With that thought, he decided to search for the place where the coffin had been laid out. But as he came near a corner wall, he heard someone approaching and quickly stepped aside to hide.
"That is... Hua Qiuyuan!"
One glance at Hua Qiuyuan's departing figure was enough for Li Luoning to know for sure.
[Judging from his eyes, he is full of anger. If Hua Qiuyuan knew Nangzhe had married Hua Ruoying, he would not only be arriving now. Unless Nangzhe never intended for Hua Qiuyuan to know at the time of the wedding, and only informed him after Hua Ruoying's death. But if Hua Ruoying truly died in Nangzhe's residence, why is Hua Qiuyuan leaving now, and for what reason? How exactly did Nangzhe remove himself so cleanly from the whole matter?] Li Luoning could not understand it.
As he was thinking this, he noticed several ghost attendants carrying bolts of moonlight cloud silk in one direction.
"If this is truly for a funeral, then wherever they are taking moonlight cloud silk must be where the coffin is laid out." With that thought, Li Luoning followed after them.
The attendants made their way all the way to Quanjia Pavilion.
Inside, pale lanterns hung with the word mourn written on them in gold leaf, and the whole courtyard was filled with white thorny roses. Through the half-open doorway, Li Luoning could see the layout of a mourning hall and what appeared to be a coffin carved from thousand-year ice. Through its faint translucent blue surface, a jarring patch of red could be seen inside.
"So this is the place." Li Luoning hid within a crack in the ornamental rocks nearby and waited until all the ghost attendants had gone before slipping quietly into the room.
Inside the mourning hall, the moonlight cloud silk curtains swayed softly and candle shadows flickered. Three sticks of incense burned before a memorial tablet. Li Luoning stepped closer and finally made out the words carved upon it:
For the departed wife of Nangzhe, Hua Ruoying.
Li Luoning glanced once at the tablet, then turned toward Hua Ruoying in the coffin of thousand-year ice. Her coffin was piled with rare treasures, even many extremely precious immortal herbs. She still wore the red robes from the wedding day. Her pale skin still looked rosy, and she lay there so quietly she seemed only to be in a deep sleep. Li Luoning raised his hand in salute to show respect to the dead.
"Miss Ruoying, forgive this offense."
He had just begun to raise his hand to examine the cause of her death when he heard footsteps in the courtyard and quickly hid behind a screen.
The door of the mourning hall slowly opened, and Nangzhe stepped inside.
Looking at Hua Ruoying sleeping within the thousand-year ice coffin, Nangzhe reached out and took her hand. He slowly closed his eyes and pressed her hand to his brow, greedily breathing in the air around her.
"You have never been this obedient before."
His other hand gently rose to touch Hua Ruoying's cheek. His gaze upon her was full of tender regret.
"My people can only remain by my side forever. Even in death, you may only die in my place." Nangzhe's voice was gentle, but firm. He slid the lotus-colored jade bracelet onto Hua Ruoying's wrist.
"Do not worry. I will treat your Young Master Yun very well. I will make him understand what life worse than death means, what pain to the bone means, what a living hell means. I will make you watch as the man you kept in your heart is finally forced to kneel at my feet and beg." Nangzhe's voice gradually turned violent and sick with obsession.
So Nian'er truly is in his hands.
Hearing Nangzhe say that, Li Luoning's heart jolted. In that instant, his foot accidentally brushed the screen, making the faintest sound.
"Who is there?"
The moment he heard it, Nangzhe immediately flung several poison needles toward the screen.
Li Luoning twisted aside to avoid the hidden weapons, leapt upward, and sprang out through the window on the other side of the room.
By the time Nangzhe reached the screen, the room was already empty.