3616-chapter-16
Chapter 16: Night Visit to the Courtesan House—Part 7
As they spoke, the fire inside had already engulfed most of the hall. Flaming curtains and beams fell around them, landing dangerously close to their feet. Yusang, frightened by two small burning pieces of wood that fell near her, kept dodging in panic.
Seeing her like this, Yan Qige couldn’t help but feel a bit disgusted.
He reached out, tugged her by the sleeve, and pulled her behind him. “Get behind me,” he said.
No sooner had Yusang stood behind Yan Qige than the intense heat in the room noticeably subsided. Any embers that came near her were blocked by an invisible force.
Yan Qige had actually cast a protective spell around them?
Yusang suddenly remembered his words when they had first entered: inside this boundary, no immortal, demon, or ghost could use spells to protect themselves.
Her heart raced in shock.
Who was Yan Qige really?
Why was the boundary powerless against him?
However, at that moment, Yan Qige was fully focused on Madam Wang, so Yusang could only hide her astonishment and stay silent.
Yan Qige raised the lantern, bringing it close to Madam Wang’s forehead. In a clear voice, he asked, “Before me stands one I must question. Did you voluntarily become the core of this soul lantern, offering your soul as a sacrifice?”
“I did,” Madam Wang replied softly, her eyes downcast.
Immediately, the lantern began to glow with a soft pink light, and a wisp of smoke emerged from its base, gradually surrounding her.
Before long, Madam Wang’s figure grew hazy within the smoke.
The colors of her clothes faded to pure white.
She spread her sleeves, looking at her transformed attire, then gave a sorrowful smile, her gaze finally settling on Magistrate Wang, who remained kneeling and motionless on the ground.
“My son, take care.”
Madam Wang then cast a grateful glance at Yan Qige, bowing her head slightly in thanks.
Yusang frowned slightly at the sight.
In the blink of an eye, Madam Wang vanished.
The smoke that had surrounded her dispersed, then reformed and returned to the lantern.
After one bright, blinding flash, the lantern returned to its normal glow, and a silver strand of hair fell softly from it, landing on the ground.
With a loud crash, the burning roof beam finally collapsed, and the Soul Artifact Guardian, who had been floating above, vanished just as the flames overwhelmed the space.
Yusang feigned a scream and threw herself to the ground.
In the same moment, she swiftly reached out and seized the silver hair before it could fall into the fire.
Then, pretending to be terrified, she rolled to the side.
“Give me your hand,” Yan Qige’s voice called out in the chaos.
Through the smoke and ash, Yusang saw a hand stretched toward her and, without thinking, quickly grabbed it.
Yan Qige pulled her up from the ground, and she fell into his chest, the scent of ink and sandalwood filling her nose.
“Let’s go!” Yan Qige said softly.
A fierce wind howled in Yusang’s ears as everything around her twisted and blurred.
Her feet felt as though they had nothing beneath them, and she instinctively closed her eyes, clinging tightly to Yan Qige’s waist.
In what seemed like just a few blinks, the world grew quiet again.
Yusang cautiously opened her eyes, realizing they were now standing on solid ground.
When she looked up, she saw Yan Qige gazing down at her with a mix of disdain and sharpness in his eyes.
Startled, Yusang immediately let go and stepped back, coughing awkwardly.
Luckily, Yan Qige didn’t seem to mind her eating his tofu.
He turned and looked at the inferno that was now consuming the county magistrate office.
The spiritual barrier that had once covered the area was now gone, and cries of people escaping the fire and trying to extinguish it echoed from inside.
Seeing that the flaming gate was blocking their way out, Yan Qige waved his hand, sending out a burst of energy that pushed the burning gate down, allowing the trapped servants to flee past them.
In the chaos, Yan Qige stood calmly amidst the flames, dressed in his pristine white robes.
One hand held the lantern, while the other rested behind his back.
His handsome features were illuminated by the fire, though his expression remained impassive, as though he were deep in thought.
Yusang stood beside him, also watching the fire, though she subtly lowered her head.
She discreetly extended her hand from her sleeve to examine the silver hair she had hidden earlier, a faint smile curling her lips before she quietly tucked it away, pretending as though nothing had happened.
“Let’s go. Dawn is coming,” Yan Qige said, glancing at the sky before turning and walking away with the lantern.
“What about Magistrate Wang? Aren’t you going to save him? You did promise Madam Wang,” Yusang asked, quickly jogging to catch up.
“I placed a protective barrier around him. Once the fire burns out, someone will find him. By then, he will have forgotten everything.”
“He’ll forget it all?”
“It’s the only way to protect him. To live anew may not be a bad thing for him.”
“I have a question…”
“Go ahead.”
“So straightforward?”
“If I didn’t let you ask, wouldn’t you still ask anyway?”
“Heh, I was just curious why the wounds from when Madam Wang drained blood were different from those on the steward.”
“…”
“Oh, I get it now. You already knew the steward wasn’t killed by her. It was Magistrate Wang who did it.”
“If you could figure it out, why wouldn’t I? That would be stupid.”
“But still…”
“Madam Wang did harm others, yes, but she did it out of desperate love for her son. She knew that after her death, the snake demon would come for revenge, so she committed those crimes to prolong her life. In the end, her motive was to let Magistrate Wang live well. She wasn’t heartless or purely evil. Since he will remember nothing, there’s no point in pursuing justice. I only collect demons, not murderers.”
“That’s why she thanked you at the end.”
“You have a sharp eye.”
“But can you really say that Madam Wang was willing to enter your lantern as a sacrifice without the reason that you wouldn’t go after Magistrate Wang for his crimes? She only did so because you let it go…”
Yan Qige remained silent, his expression unchanged as he continued walking.
Yusang realized she had overstepped and quickly held her tongue, but in her heart, she knew she was right.
Yan Qige clearly had his own agenda.
Since arriving in Yunsui City, everything seemed to have unfolded according to Yan Qige’s plan—from finding the Soul artifact to trapping Madam Wang’s soul inside the lantern. By the end of the night, all those involved were either dead or left without memory. Yan Qige, though he hunted demons, didn’t operate like ordinary exorcists who adhered to principles of justice.
It was clear he had his own ambitions.
Just who was this man carrying the soul-guiding lantern, and what secrets did he hide?
All these questions remained in Yusang’s heart, but outwardly she showed no sign, continuing to play the role of an innocent bystander as she followed behind Yan Qige with curiosity.
“What about the snake demon? Did she escape?”
“When the beam fell, it trapped her. With such a large fire, she’s likely dead by now.”
“What? You saw her, but didn’t save her?”
“Why should I? She wasn’t innocent.”
“Well then, you saved me, so does that make me good? Are you praising me?” Yusang teased, stepping in front of Yan Qige, walking backward with a grin.
Yan Qige glanced at her and replied, “You really are a shameless demon.”
He sidestepped her and continued walking.
Yusang quickly caught up, asking, “What about the real Ranqing? The human one?”
“You ask too many questions. Keep going, and you won’t be following me any longer.”
“Who’s following you? Don’t flatter yourself. I’m just a little—just a little curious.”
“Be quiet.”
“Why so harsh? Oh… I see. It’s because I got a little close earlier, isn’t it?”
“You’re really annoying.”
“Don’t be so petty…”
…
The sky slowly brightened from dark to gray. Along the quiet North Gate Street, the light of a lantern flickered as two figures moved away. One voice was cold and aloof, while the other was loud and playful, gradually fading into the distance.
All that remained was the raging fire burning brightly in the pre-dawn hours.
At some point, amidst the crackling of the flames, a figure cloaked in a mantle appeared quietly at the edge of the street, tapping the ribs of his fan.
Watching the two figures disappear, his lips curled into a slight smile, and then, just as quietly, he faded back into the shadows.
The lantern’s light finally disappeared into the misty alleys, and the sound of music slowly vanished beneath the roar of the fire. In the distance, a rooster crowed faintly. The morning fog began to lift, and a pale light crept into the eastern sky.
It seemed that after months of rain, Yunsui City might see a sunny day.