Capture the Jade (Attacking the Jade) - Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Everyone who heard the eerie sound was horrified.
“Did you hear that?” they exclaimed.
“I-I heard it. Could it be that thing from the pavilion chasing us? We can’t stay here. Let’s run!”
The hall immediately descended into chaos.
Commander Chang, along with the guards, quickly dispersed, some checking the rear windows while others shouted, “Wait! It might just be the wind. If we rush out now, we might be falling right into the enemy’s trap!”
After listening carefully, they realized the sound came from the rear window, not the front door. It was a low, mournful, and drawn-out sound, clearly the wind brushing against the paper windows.
“It’s just the wind from the backyard.”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but someone suddenly stood up and said, “It’s not the wind. That thing is chasing us. We need to leave now.”
The crowd recognized Du Tinglan’s voice and were momentarily stunned.
“Miss Du?”
Teng Yuyi continued to write in Du Tinglan’s palm, and Du Tinglan anxiously said, “Commander Chang, please lead the way. If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late.”
As she spoke, she grabbed Teng Yuyi and quickly moved toward the main door.
Just then, a voice interjected from the darkness, “Commander Chang already said it’s the wind. Why are you panicking? That monster is lurking in the shadows, waiting for us to make a mistake. Running out now would be playing right into its hands.”
It was Lu Zhao’an’s voice.
Commander Chang agreed, “That makes sense. The fire starters still won’t work. It’s safest to stay here. If we scatter, we won’t be able to protect everyone.”
The guards, fearing the monster might take advantage of the chaos, quickly closed the door again.
Teng Yuyi’s eyes burned with frustration.
The little old man wouldn’t be wrong.
That thing was definitely outside the rear window. If they delayed any longer, it would be too late.
But with Lu Zhao’an’s interference, everyone relaxed, including Ah Zhi, and they all sat back down on the floor.
Teng Yuyi was frantic.
In her desperation, she gently pinched Du Tinglan.
Du Tinglan, thinking it was a ghost, screamed without hesitation, “Ahhhh—!”
The scream was filled with terror, as if a ghost had grabbed her throat. Everyone was terrified.
“Miss Du, what’s wrong?”
Du Tinglan’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would leap out of her chest. Only after screaming did she realize it was Teng Yuyi who had pinched her. The move was so unexpected that no one could tell it was fake.
Du Tinglan was both annoyed and amused. Her sister would do anything when pushed to the limit. Knowing they couldn’t afford to delay, she braced herself and “screamed” again, “There’s a ghost! A ghost is breathing in my ear! Let’s go!”
Before she finished speaking, Teng Yuyi reached for the door latch again. The crowd, trembling with fear, didn’t have time to think and scrambled to their feet.
Just as Teng Yuyi was about to open the door, her heart turned cold.
The door, which had been easy to open moments ago, now seemed sealed shut. No matter how hard she pushed or pulled, it wouldn’t budge.
The guards, realizing something was wrong, rushed to help. They were strong, and their efforts shook the ground, but the door remained immovable. They tried slashing at it with their swords and kicking it, but the door seemed to have turned into solid metal. After a long struggle, they still couldn’t open it.
The guards remembered that Gu Xian and two other guards were still outside guarding the door and shouted, “Lord Gu!”
But after several calls, there was no response from outside.
Everyone broke out in a cold sweat.
Had something happened to Gu Xian and the others? If only they had listened to the two ladies and left earlier.
Now they were all trapped.
Commander Chang, realizing the severity of the situation, quickly hoisted Ah Zhi onto his back and barked, “From now on, everyone guard a window. Be ready for that thing to attack at any moment.”
Teng Yuyi wished she could see in the dark. Otherwise, with her sharp eyes, she would have gouged a few holes in Lu Zhao’an. After fumbling around, she took out the talismans she had hidden and wrote in Du Tinglan’s palm: “Qingyun Temple talismans. Let’s use them.”
Du Tinglan understood and helped Teng Yuyi stick the talismans on the windows.
The guards couldn’t help but ask, “What are those?”
Du Tinglan explained, “We don’t know if that woman is human or a ghost, but she must know some evil arts. These are talismans my sister obtained earlier from Qingyun Temple. Sticking them on the doors and windows might buy us some time.”
Ah Zhi was overjoyed, “Talismans from my brother’s temple? That’s great! Miss Du, Miss Teng, can you give one to each of us?”
Teng Yuyi weighed the stack of talismans in her hand. She didn’t have enough for everyone, but there were enough for one round. If there weren’t enough, they could share.
Du Tinglan quickly said, “Princess, please wait. My sister and I will distribute them.”
So one of them stuck talismans on the windows with the guards, while the other handed them out to everyone.
Ah Zhi, Master Yu, and the young ladies each received one. The remaining young scholars had to share one between two.
Lu Zhao’an shared one with a young scholar named Hu.
Hu said earnestly, “Senior Lu, you should keep the talisman.”
Lu Zhao’an declined, “I’m older than you. I should take care of the younger ones. You keep it.”
Hu seemed to admire Lu Zhao’an greatly, “Senior Lu, you’re too kind. It’s only right that you keep the talisman. If we’re in danger, I’ll stand by you.”
Lu Zhao’an didn’t say anything else, apparently reluctantly accepting the talisman.
With the talismans, everyone felt much more at ease and expressed their gratitude, “Thank you, ladies.”
Du Tinglan gently said it was nothing and then felt her way back to Teng Yuyi to help stick the remaining talismans.
After sticking the talismans on the east and west windows, Teng Yuyi listened carefully. There were no more strange sounds outside. She breathed a sigh of relief. Although the talismans couldn’t give warnings, they had some deterrent effect. Lin Chengyou and the others should be back soon. As long as they held out a little longer, they would be saved.
Just then, there was a sudden knock on the main door.
Everyone was startled. Commander Chang barked, “Who is it?”
Gu Xian’s voice came from outside, “Commander Chang, it’s me. Open the door.”
The guard was stunned and hurried to open the door, “Lord Gu, please wait.”
Teng Yuyi remembered how the lady with the scarf from the previous night had gotten into trouble by opening the door without caution and wanted to stop them, but Commander Chang spoke first, “Lord Gu, where have you been?”
“The residence is pitch black. It’s easy to trip while running. I was worried we might have left someone behind, so after you went in, I took Liu Mao and Liu Quan to search the area again.”
Commander Chang stood firm, “Lord Gu, you’re indeed meticulous. Then… are Liu Mao and Liu Quan back?”
Someone outside immediately replied, “Commander Chang, Liu Mao and Liu Quan are here.”
Commander Chang shouted, “You’re clearly named Li Mao. Why did you say Liu Mao?”
The person chuckled, “Commander Chang, my name is Liu Mao. When did it become Li Mao? I remember you only had one jug of wine last night. How could you still be drunk?”
Commander Chang relaxed, “It’s really them. Open the door.”
Teng Yuyi was still uneasy, but the Xiao Ya sword in her hand didn’t grow hot, indicating that the three outside weren’t evil spirits. So she didn’t stop them.
The guard opened the door, and sure enough, it was Gu Xian and the others.
Gu Xian, holding a night pearl in one hand, stepped into the hall with his robe lifted. Behind him were the two guards, Liu Mao and Liu Quan, holding their swords.
As soon as the three entered, the guards quickly closed the door.
Ah Zhi said, “Brother Xian, I was so worried about you.”
Gu Xian didn’t respond.
Teng Yuyi shuddered and looked up to meet Gu Xian’s gaze. The night pearl in his hand emitted a cold, eerie light, illuminating his expression clearly. He looked at Teng Yuyi with icy, strange eyes, while the two guards behind him stood like wooden stakes, their smiles frozen on their faces.
Teng Yuyi turned and ran. The guards at the door drew their swords in unison.
Commander Chang leaped backward, shouting, “Everyone, run! There’s a side room to the east. Hide there for now!”
The crowd screamed and rushed toward the east side. Teng Yuyi’s mind was in chaos. The little old man had tricked her! These three had clearly become puppets of the evil spirit. Why hadn’t he warned her earlier?
After running for a while, she suddenly stopped. Using the light from the night pearl, she tore off a bunch of talismans from the windows and stuffed them into Du Tinglan’s hands.
Du Tinglan finally understood and shouted as she ran, “Everyone! If we hadn’t opened the door, they might not have been able to come in. That means they’re afraid of the talismans on the doors and windows. Hold onto your talismans and don’t lose them!”
The crowd screamed in agreement and rushed toward the east side room. Gu Xian and the other two stood still, smiling as if they were certain no one could escape.
Amid the chaos, there was another knock on the door, urgent and heavy, as if someone couldn’t wait to get in.
Liu Mao, in a daze, went to open the door. As soon as it opened, a cold wind rushed in. In the dim light, a slender figure stood on the steps, much shorter than Liu Mao and the others—clearly a woman.
Those who turned to look were terrified.
“It’s… it’s that young lady from the pavilion.”
“What young lady? It’s a ghost!”
As they spoke, a small group managed to escape into the east side room, while the rest, either too slow or too frightened, didn’t make it.
Teng Yuyi and Du Tinglan quickly stuck talismans on the two doors of the side room. Du Tinglan shouted as she worked, “This is the safest place! Come quickly!”
Commander Chang carried Ah Zhi into the side room and then went back with the guards to help the others. But Gu Xian and the others suddenly began chasing the crowd, causing those still in the hall to scatter in panic.
The guards, with nowhere to retreat, had no choice but to face the enemy head-on. Their weapons struck something that felt like wood, followed by heart-wrenching screams, each more terrifying than the last.
Ah Zhi, trembling with fear, said, “Uncle Chang, you’re no match for her. My brother should be here soon. You should come in too. If we can hold out for a while, we’ll be fine.”
Commander Chang barked, “As the princess commands, get into the side room first!” While guiding his subordinates to safety, he also grabbed the elderly Master Yu, who couldn’t run, and carried him under his arm. Using his agility, he made several trips back and forth, delivering the stragglers to the side room.
As soon as Teng Yuyi closed the door, someone said, “Wait, we’re missing a few.”
Then they heard Hu Sheng’s panicked voice, “Senior Lu, Senior Lu, we’re sharing a talisman. It’s still in your hand. Wait for me!”
“Oh no, we left a few gentlemen behind,” someone in the room said anxiously.
Teng Yuyi, being closest to the door, quickly opened it. In the hall, a faint light glowed from the night pearl in Gu Xian’s hand.
By this light, she saw two scholars running toward them. Lu Zhao’an was in the lead, panting and looking disheveled, followed closely by Hu Sheng, who was also running for his life. Behind them were Gu Xian and the other two.
As Lu Zhao’an stepped into the side room, “Gu Xian” was already right behind Hu Sheng. Lu Zhao’an turned his head and was terrified. He grabbed the door with both hands, intending to shut Hu Sheng and the evil spirit outside.
Hu Sheng’s eyes widened, “Senior Lu!”
Lu Zhao’an gritted his teeth. If he didn’t close the door now, he would be in danger too. It was Hu Sheng’s fault for being too slow. Without a second thought, he tried to shut the door, but someone kicked him from behind, sending him tumbling back into the hall.
As Lu Zhao’an fell, he looked back in shock. The side room was pitch black, and he couldn’t see who had kicked him. He only vaguely remembered a young lady standing by the door as he ran for his life, but the kick had been too fast for him to see clearly.
Before he could get up, someone grabbed his collar and slammed him to the ground. Meanwhile, Hu Sheng was caught by “Liu Mao.”
Hu Sheng let out a wail. He had been so close to escaping, but Senior Lu had blocked him. It seemed there was no way out now. He would surely die a bloody death. Suddenly, a paper ball flew out from the side room and hit “Liu Mao” on the head. “Liu Mao’s” expression changed, and he slowly released Hu Sheng.
Then someone ran over, grabbed Hu Sheng, and carried him into the side room.
“Miss Teng’s method works! The evil thing seems afraid of the talisman balls.”
Hu Sheng was overjoyed. It was Commander Chang who had saved him.
As soon as Commander Chang brought Hu Sheng back, he closed the door. But then someone in the room said nervously, “Wait, Senior Lu seems to have been locked outside.”
“Senior Lu? Didn’t he come in before Hu Sheng?”
“It seems he was running too fast and accidentally fell back out.”
Commander Chang was stunned. He put Hu Sheng down and said, “Then I’ll go out and check. I’ve given away all my talismans. Miss Teng, do you have any more?”
Teng Yuyi wrote in Du Tinglan’s palm: No.
Du Tinglan knew this might not be true. She had seen what happened earlier. Lu Zhao’an had been kicked out by Teng Yuyi, so why would she give him a talisman?
Teng Yuyi quickly wrote in Du Tinglan’s palm: Don’t go out no matter what.
Du Tinglan bit her lip. Teng Yuyi wanted Commander Chang to protect himself and not worry about Lu Zhao’an.
She cleared her throat and tried to persuade Commander Chang, “Commander Chang, that ‘female ghost’ is in the hall, and those three seem to be under some evil influence. If you go out alone now, you might not be able to save anyone and could end up hurt yourself. Since the prince is almost back, why don’t we wait a little longer?”
Commander Chang had the same concern. If he were also trapped, the princess would be left without a leader. But if he didn’t save Lu Zhao’an, it would damage the reputation of the Prince’s residence.
So, even though he knew going out would likely result in casualties, for the sake of “benevolence and righteousness,” he couldn’t just stand by.
He thought for a moment and stuck a talisman on his blade, “It’s fine. The situation tonight isn’t too bad. Thanks to Miss Teng’s talismans from Qingyun Temple, as long as I stick this talisman on my blade, I should be able to get out safely.”
He had followed the Prince and Princess for many years and had encountered many thrilling supernatural events. Although Chang’an had been peaceful in recent years, the old Taoist priest and the young prince had never been idle.
Speaking of the young shizi, he was like a demon star descended to earth. All the young men in Chang’an combined couldn’t match his mischief. Yet, Master Qingxu doted on his disciple like a treasure, eager to pass on all his knowledge.
The shizi spent his days at the temple learning talismans and transformations, and when he returned to the residence, he was never idle. He either played with small ghosts and demons or dug up rats in the residence. Not content with playing alone, he forced the servants to join him, much to their dismay.
Commander Chang had seen a lot over the years and had picked up some basics of the mystical arts. He stuck the talisman on his blade and leaned against the door to listen carefully.
In the hall, they could still hear Lu Zhao’an’s wails, but suddenly, everything fell silent. He must have already fallen into the monster’s hands. If they didn’t go out to save him now, it would be too late.
Just as he was about to open the door, there was a strange scratching sound outside.
Everyone was terrified. That thing was back! Weren’t there talismans on the side room door? How could it not be afraid?
“Tap tap tap,” “tap tap tap.” Someone’s teeth began to chatter. Fear, like icy water, instantly flooded everyone’s hearts. A few timid young ladies, unable to bear the tension, fainted.
Commander Chang realized how dire the situation was and said gravely, “Don’t go out to investigate anymore. That thing is clearly trying to lure us out. We can only hold our ground here and buy as much time as we can.”
Everyone huddled together, shivering, “Yes, yes, there are talismans on the door. The female ghost shouldn’t be able to get in, right? Let’s not move around in the room. We’ll be fine once the prince returns.”
“Quick, does anyone have more talismans? Let’s stick them all on.”
The people in the room handed over their talismans, and soon the door cracks and small windows were covered.
The door was made of cypress wood, thick and sturdy. However, there were small frames covered with gauze on both doors, and the cracks were wide enough to fit a finger. A cold wind blew from somewhere, and the area in front of the door suddenly turned icy.
Teng Yuyi’s back was drenched in cold sweat. It was no use. The talismans could only block “Gu Xian” and the like, but they were powerless against the corpse demon. The reason it hadn’t come in yet was simply to torment them further.
From the moment the Prince’s residence fell into darkness, everyone’s will had been gradually eroded. Looking at their current state, they were like caged birds.
The corpse demon was toying with them outside the cage, occasionally stopping to let them think they had escaped, only to realize they had merely entered a larger cage.
Probably the only unexpected event for the corpse demon tonight was Gu Xian. He had the night pearl, and light meant courage. The corpse demon didn’t want people to see their surroundings clearly, so it first took control of Gu Xian’s mind.
She gritted her teeth. No wonder the little old man was so wary of the corpse demon. Although it looked like a young girl, it was more troublesome than the most evil demon. The little old man had stopped warning her earlier, probably already anticipating this situation.
She drew the Xiao Ya sword and wrote in Du Tinglan’s palm: Tell Commander Chang to protect me.
Du Tinglan thought for a moment and whispered to Commander Chang, “My sister says she has a way to deal with the monster, but she needs you to protect her. No matter what she does, don’t stop her.”
Commander Chang was puzzled. What did that mean? Then he remembered that the talismans had been provided by Miss Teng, so she must have some real skills. He agreed.
The noise outside suddenly grew louder. The young girl seemed to be getting impatient. Her long nails first scratched around, then reached into the door crack, like a child playing hide-and-seek, and began to fiddle with the talismans inside.
Teng Yuyi didn’t hesitate any longer. She thrust the sword into the door crack.
The people in the room, terrified, huddled together. After being in the dark for so long, their senses had become extremely sharp. They vaguely saw Teng Yuyi’s actions and hurriedly tried to stop her, “Miss Teng, what are you doing?”
Teng Yuyi didn’t have time to explain. Her sword was aimed at the corpse demon’s fingers. She only regretted that the thing had dodged her earlier. She focused on the sounds outside, hoping to strike more accurately next time. Suddenly, there was a noise from the gauze on the right. She quickly turned the sword and thrust it hard in that direction.
To everyone else, it looked like she was deliberately destroying the talismans on the door. The people in the room couldn’t stay calm. Commander Chang, though he had agreed to protect Teng Yuyi, was also puzzled, “Miss Teng, if you tear up the talismans, how will we keep the evil spirits out?”
Du Tinglan quickly explained, “My sister’s sword is a Taoist magical tool. It has the power to ward off evil spirits. She’s using it now because she thinks the talismans can’t stop the female ghost.”
The people in the room became even more agitated, “Nonsense! If it weren’t for the talismans from Qingyun Temple, how could we have taken refuge in this room? You’re using some unknown sword and calling it a Taoist magical tool, but you’re destroying the life-saving talismans. What are you trying to do? You must have ulterior motives.”
Du Tinglan was stunned. She couldn’t help but feel that these people were acting strange.
Someone else angrily said, “I see now. This Miss Teng is acting suspiciously. She might have been controlled by the monster. Be careful, she’s trying to destroy the talismans. Make her stop. No, she’s deliberately trying to harm us. We should restrain her first.”
“Yes, maybe she’s become a puppet of the female ghost, just like Lord Gu.”
Du Tinglan’s heart raced. She quickly shouted, “Commander Chang, remember you promised to protect my sister.”
Just then, someone reached out to grab Teng Yuyi, but Commander Chang blocked them. He barked, “What are you doing!? Miss Teng has been in the room the whole time. When could she have become a puppet? Why are you all acting like you’re possessed, attacking your own people!?”
But the crowd’s reaction was already out of control, “Commander Chang, don’t be fooled by her. She’s clearly in league with the monster.”
“That’s right. If this goes on, we’ll all be killed by her.”
“Kill her, or none of us will survive!”
Teng Yuyi, though focused on the door, was also thinking quickly. Hearing the room erupt into chaos, she was shocked. These people had lost their minds in such a short time. It must be the work of the corpse demon outside.
It seemed the corpse demon was indeed afraid of the Xiao Ya sword. Otherwise, why would it drive everyone to target her?
At this point, she could only bet on Commander Chang’s character. He was the backbone of the Prince’s residence. If he could keep everyone under control, that would be best. If even he was bewitched, then no one would escape.
The thing outside was still lingering. Teng Yuyi tried to focus and thrust the sword a third time, but by then, chaos had erupted behind her. Even the guards were reaching for her, “What are you waiting for? We have to kill her!”
Commander Chang, shocked, used the hilt of his sword to block the guard, “Have you all gone mad!? If Miss Teng were really a problem, the side room door would have been opened long ago. There’s no need for you to shout about killing her behind her back.”
But then the guard punched Commander Chang in the face, “Ah, so you’re not right either. You’re all evil spirits. If you keep blocking us, we won’t spare you either!”
Commander Chang was both shocked and furious. He blocked with his sword on the left and slapped the guard with his right hand, “Open your eyes and see who I am! You’re all so confused! The monster doesn’t need to lift a finger. We’re killing each other.”
The guard seemed dazed by the slap and paused, lowering his arm. But soon, others rushed forward, “Enough talk! Kill her!”
Amid the chaos, even the elderly Master Yu trembled and spoke, “Kill her, cough, kill her.”
Du Tinglan, unable to control the situation, felt her legs go weak. But Teng Yuyi remained calm. She didn’t know why Commander Chang hadn’t been bewitched, but it seemed he could hold out a little longer. The corpse demon outside was playing games with her, and she was patiently waiting for the best moment to strike.
The corpse demon’s voice was no different from an ordinary girl’s, muttering as if complaining about something. It slowly placed its hand on the door, then suddenly pulled it back, as if finding the game amusing. It let out a series of crisp laughs, trying several times, clearly teasing Teng Yuyi.
Teng Yuyi was always a step too late, pretending to stomp her foot in frustration. The thing, sensing Teng Yuyi’s anger, seemed pleased.
To make her anger more convincing, Teng Yuyi deliberately missed the corpse demon while recalling how Lin Chengyou had tricked her. The thought of her throat being ruined by him made her blood boil.
The corpse demon tested several times and finally gathered enough patience. It suddenly tore through the gauze on the window and reached for Teng Yuyi’s chest. But this time, Teng Yuyi was faster than ever. She thrust the sword, aiming directly at the thing’s hand.
“Die!”
The corpse demon dodged in time but still got a cut on its hand. In pain, it let out a series of cries. A cold wind blew outside, and everything fell silent again, along with the lingering sense of dread in the room.
Teng Yuyi gasped for breath. That thing was incredibly powerful. Being stabbed once wouldn’t weaken its powers. It had retreated because it had never encountered a magical tool like the Xiao Ya sword before. Once it figured things out, it would surely return. But at least they had bought some time. She could only hope Lin Chengyou would return soon.
But before she could catch her breath, someone behind her reached for her again, “Commander Chang, didn’t you see? She destroyed the door. She’s in league with the monster. Kill her!”
Although the corpse demon had retreated, the people in the room grew more agitated. Commander Chang and Du Tinglan, fighting against ten, were gradually overwhelmed.
In desperation, Du Tinglan shouted, “Didn’t you hear? Just now, the monster tried to come in, but my sister stopped it!”
Commander Chang barked, “You’re all out of your minds! Put down your weapons, or I’ll have to teach you a lesson!”
The guard swung his sword at Commander Chang again, “I see now. You’re also a puppet of the monster! Fine, I’ll kill you first, then her!”
Others also rolled up their sleeves, ready to join forces against the three at the door.
“Stop!” someone suddenly shouted. “Have you all gone mad?”
The room fell silent for a moment. The voice was clear and innocent—it was Princess Ah Zhi.
Ah Zhi struggled to push through the crowd to Teng Yuyi’s side and said anxiously, “I heard it clearly. That female ghost was harassing us from outside, and Miss Teng stopped it. If she were really in league with the ghost, why would she stop it instead of letting it in?”
The crowd was quiet for a moment, then erupted again, “Princess, you’re confused—”
“I’m perfectly clear-headed. It’s you who are confused!” Princess Jingde spread her arms to shield Teng Yuyi. She was still young, short, and round. Even though she puffed out her chest, her intimidation was limited.
“I dare anyone to act recklessly. With me here, no one will touch Miss Teng!”
After all, she was the little mistress of the residence. Even though the guards were mentally confused, they instinctively wanted to protect Princess Ah Zhi. They didn’t put down their weapons, but at least they didn’t rush forward.
Princess Ah Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and whispered to Teng Yuyi, “Miss Teng, do you know Taoist magic? How did you drive away the evil spirit?”
Only after asking did she realize Teng Yuyi couldn’t speak and became anxious. Suddenly, a warm hand grabbed hers and wrote in her palm: Ah Zhi, don’t be afraid.
Ah Zhi was stunned. She had only met Miss Teng twice. How did Miss Teng know her nickname, Ah Zhi? She must have heard her brother call her that in the pavilion earlier.
Despite her confusion, she replied, “Miss Teng, don’t be afraid either! You focus on dealing with the female ghost. I’ll keep an eye on them!”
Teng Yuyi, who had been tense, suddenly felt a pang of emotion. The bond between people was sometimes inexplicable. In her past life, Ah Zhi had become close to her at first sight. In this life, they seemed to be strangely connected again. She wrote in Ah Zhi’s palm again: Ah Zhi, don’t be afraid.
Then she focused on listening to the sounds outside. With Ah Zhi stepping forward, the room had quieted down a bit. But soon, a cold wind blew outside again.
Teng Yuyi gripped the Xiao Ya sword tightly, her mind racing for a solution. She had already tried every delaying tactic she could think of. She could only curse Lin Chengyou for not showing up sooner. The corpse demon seemed fully prepared this time and didn’t use its nails to scratch the gauze. Teng Yuyi couldn’t guess how the corpse demon would attack next and broke out in a cold sweat.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. She glanced at Ah Zhi beside her. She had always found it strange. Everyone in the room, young and old, had lost their minds under the corpse demon’s influence. Even Master Yu and Zheng Shuangyin, who were well-read, had been among those shouting to kill her earlier. Only Princess Ah Zhi and Commander Chang had retained their senses.
Could it be that they also had some Taoist magical tools on them? Something that could resist the corpse demon’s influence? Lin Chengyou was extremely protective of those close to him. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had given them something special.
She thought for a moment and quickly wrote a sentence in Ah Zhi’s palm.
Ah Zhi immediately asked Commander Chang, “Uncle Chang, did my brother give you something for protection?”
Commander Chang was stunned for a moment, then felt around his neck and soon took off a small embroidered pouch, “When the prince was young, he drew a talisman and gave it to me in this pouch. He told me to wear it every day to ward off evil spirits. I’ve been wearing it for so many years, I never took it off.”
So that was it. Ah Zhi was Lin Chengyou’s younger sister. She must have a similar protective talisman on her. Teng Yuyi wrote: Tell Commander Chang quietly that when I make my move, he should throw this thing out.
She knew that with the corpse demon’s nature, it wouldn’t fall for the Xiao Ya sword’s trick a second time. Whether they could buy more time depended on whether this thing was effective.
Ah Zhi stood on tiptoe and whispered in Commander Chang’s ear.
Commander Chang acknowledged.
Teng Yuyi nodded and deliberately slashed at the gauze on the door, tearing it apart. This way, the faint light from the night pearl in the hall seeped in through the holes.
The corpse demon lingered outside, muttering to itself. Unlike before, it seemed to have lost patience this time. Seeing Teng Yuyi make her move, it placed its hands on the door frame and, with a series of creaks, slowly crushed the door into dust.
Teng Yuyi bit her lip. Without the protective talisman, Commander Chang probably wouldn’t last long. But it was better than everyone in the room being killed by the monster immediately.
She deliberately left an opening, her sword trembling as she thrust it toward the corpse demon’s right claw. The corpse demon, as if anticipating this, suddenly retracted its right claw and, with a giggle, reached out with its other hand to grab Teng Yuyi.
Teng Yuyi barely managed to pull back and lightly kicked Commander Chang. Commander Chang, as instructed, threw the pouch. The thing, focused on dealing with Teng Yuyi’s Xiao Ya sword, didn’t expect another attack.
Commander Chang put all his strength into the throw, and the pouch flew like a shooting star, accurately hitting the corpse demon’s face. With a sizzling sound, the corpse demon’s flesh emitted a foul stench. The thing, seemingly unable to bear the pain, quickly retreated.
Teng Yuyi and Commander Chang both breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed to have worked. They had bought some more time. They could only hope Lin Chengyou would return soon.
The corpse demon, as it ran, let out the cries of a young girl, as if it had suffered immense injustice, its voice mournful and lingering.
The cries drifted into the room, and the guards’ eyes glazed over, “Get out of the way. Let us kill her!”
Ah Zhi barked, “If you dare act recklessly, I’ll have my brother punish you severely.”
The guard said, “Princess, it seems you’ve also been bewitched by the monster. Then don’t blame me for being rude.”
As he spoke, he was about to strike. Commander Chang, horrified, raised his hand to block the guard. Just then, the rear window shattered, and someone leaped in.
The person held a glass lamp in one hand and kicked the guard in the chest with the other, shouting, “Scared by a monster, you don’t even recognize your master!?”
The guard, kicked hard, fell backward, knocking over a large group. Everyone looked up in panic. The fire starter, which had been impossible to light earlier, was now easily lit. The glass lamp in Lin Chengyou’s hand shone brightly, instantly illuminating every corner of the room.
Ah Zhi’s eyes lit up, and she exclaimed joyfully, “Brother!”
The guards shook their heads, their eyes suddenly clearing, “Your Highness.”
Teng Yuyi breathed a huge sigh of relief. This guy had finally arrived.
Lin Chengyou’s face was as cold as frost, his eyes sharp and stern. He quickly pulled Ah Zhi to him, as if to confirm his sister was safe.
Jue sheng and Qi zhi jumped in right after, “Taoist masters, it’s over here. Please hurry.”
The two landed one after the other, not expecting so many people in the room. They barely managed to steady themselves, “Senior Brother!”
Lin Chengyou tossed the glass lamp to Jue sheng and kicked the side room door open, “Feed these idiots some talisman soup so they remember who their grandfather is.”
Jue sheng and Qi zhi took out talismans and quickly got to work, “Senior Brother, the five Taoist masters from Dongming Temple were right behind us, but they disappeared in the blink of an eye.”
“Of course, they took the main entrance.”
As soon as he finished speaking, hurried footsteps came from the hall, and someone exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, “Oh no, the golden-robed gentleman has been playing us for fools. The corpse demon has gone straight to the Prince’s residence.”
Lin Chengyou’s face was icy as he unfurled the Soul-Locking Net in his hand.
Ah Zhi, full of fear, grabbed Lin Chengyou, “Brother, that thing is in the hall. It tried to break into the side room several times to harm us, but Miss Teng used a magic tool to stop it.”
Lin Chengyou glanced at Teng Yuyi and saw her pale face, tightly gripping the Xiao Ya sword. Looking at the two kicked-open doors, the claw marks were clearly visible.
“It seems it’s tired of being buried and can’t wait to be kicked back into the dirt. Don’t worry, however it scared you, I’ll scare it back twice as much.”
Not daring to leave Ah Zhi in someone else’s care again, he carried her on his back and leaped out.
