Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Grass and Trees, Part 8

If it had been another little girl of the same age, she would have screamed on the spot. But Ah Qing had been pretending to be blind for many years, and people always assumed she couldn’t see. They often acted without restraint in front of her, exposing her to countless ugly sights, which had hardened her heart. She remained silent, not making a sound.

Even so, Wei Wuxian could still feel the tingling and stiffness spreading through her legs and feet.

Xiao Xingchen stood amidst the chaotic pile of villagers' corpses, sheathing his sword and saying solemnly, "There isn't a single living person left in this village? They're all zombies?"

Xue Yang smiled, but his voice carried a tone of surprise and sorrow. "Yes. Fortunately, your sword can automatically sense the presence of corpses; otherwise, it would be difficult for the two of us to fight our way out."

Xiao Xingchen said, "Let's search the village one more time. If there really aren't any living people left, we should burn all these zombies as soon as possible."

Once they had walked away side by side, Ah Qing's legs finally regained their strength. She slipped out from behind the house and approached the pile of corpses, looking left and right. Wei Wuxian's gaze followed hers uncertainly.

These villagers had all been killed by Xiao Xingchen with a single, precise strike to the heart. Suddenly, Wei Wuxian noticed a few familiar faces.

In his memories from the previous days, these three had encountered several idle men sitting at the entrance of a village, rolling dice. As they passed by, the men glanced up and saw a blind man, a little blind girl, and a little lame girl. They burst out laughing, pointing and making fun of them. Ah Qing spat at them and waved her bamboo pole, but Xiao Xingchen, as if he hadn’t heard, walked past peacefully. Xue Yang even smiled, though his eyes held no trace of warmth.

Ah Qing flipped over several corpses, pulling up their eyelids. All of them had white pupils, and some had already developed corpse spots on their faces. She let out a breath of relief. But Wei Wuxian's heart sank lower and lower.

Although these people looked like zombies, they were actually all living persons.

They were living persons who had been poisoned with corpse toxin.

Among the corpses, Wei Wuxian noticed traces of purple-red powder near the noses and mouths of several bodies. Those who were too far gone and had already become zombies were beyond saving. But there were still those who had only been recently poisoned and could be saved—those who were not yet fully transformed into zombies. As long as they received treatment, like Lan Jingyi and the others at that time, they could be saved. These people must not be mistaken for zombies, or it would be tantamount to murder.

They could have spoken, identified themselves, and called for help, but the problem was that all of them had their tongues cut out beforehand. Blood, either warm or dried, flowed from the corners of each corpse's mouth.

Although Xiao Xingchen couldn’t see, Frostmist guided him to the presence of corpses. And since these villagers had no tongues, they could only emit sounds similar to the groans of zombies. Thus, he had no doubt that what he had killed were zombies.

Xue Yang was using Xiao Xingchen as a tool to kill, turning his kindness into a weapon. It was a cruel and despicable act of betrayal.

Ah Qing didn’t fully grasp the situation. Her understanding was based on snippets she had overheard from Xiao Xingchen. She murmured, "Is this bad guy really helping Daozhang?"

Wei Wuxian thought, "Don't you dare believe Xue Yang so easily!"

Fortunately, Ah Qing's intuition was sharp. Though her understanding was rudimentary, her instincts had long sensed something was off. She had an ingrained wariness of Xue Yang and couldn’t bring herself to trust him. So, whenever Xue Yang followed Xiao Xingchen out for night hunting, she would secretly tail them. Even when they were under the same roof, she never let her guard down.

On a bitter winter night, the wind howled outside as the three of them huddled around a broken stove in the cramped, drafty room, trying to stay warm. Xiao Xingchen was mending a broken bamboo basket, while Ah Qing, wrapped in the only cotton quilt, nestled next to him like a rice dumpling. Xue Yang, resting his cheek on his hand, looked bored. Ah Qing kept demanding that Xiao Xingchen tell her a story. Xue Yang, annoyed, said, "If you don't stop making noise, I'll tie your tongue in a knot."

Ah Qing ignored him and insisted, "Daozhang, I want a story!"

Xiao Xingchen said, "I didn't have anyone tell me stories when I was young. How can I tell you one?"

Ah Qing wouldn’t let it go and started rolling on the ground. Xiao Xingchen relented, "Alright, I'll tell you a story about a mountain."

Ah Qing asked, "Once upon a mountain, there was a temple?"

Xiao Xingchen replied, "No, once there was an unnamed immortal mountain. On the mountain lived an enlightened immortal. The immortal had many disciples but forbade them from going down the mountain."

Wei Wuxian immediately understood the beginning, "The Mountain Guardian Immortal."

Ah Qing asked, "Why couldn't they go down?"

Xiao Xingchen said, "Because the immortal herself didn’t understand the world below the mountain, so she hid on the mountain. She told her disciples, 'If you go down the mountain, you need not return. Don't bring the disputes of the outside world back here.'"

Ah Qing said, "How could they resist? Surely some of the disciples snuck down the mountain just to see what life was like outside."

Xiao Xingchen said, "Yes. At first, his exceptional skills earned him respect and admiration. He became a renowned figure among the righteous cultivators. But later, something happened, and he changed drastically, becoming a ruthless demon lord who killed without blinking an eye. In the end, he was brutally hacked to death by a mob, his once-promising life cut short."

Yan Ling Daoren was the first disciple of Bao Shan San Ren to "meet a tragic end."

What happened to Wei Wuxian, this senior uncle, after he descended the mountain and entered the secular world, causing his personality to change drastically, remains a mystery to this day. Likely, no one will ever know. After finishing his repairs on the vegetable basket, Xiao Xingchen felt it to make sure it wouldn't be scratchy. Putting it down, he continued, "The second disciple was also an exceptional female student."

Wei Wuxian felt a surge of warmth in his chest.

Hidden Color Hermit.

Ah Qing asked, "Was she pretty?" Xiao Xingchen replied, "I don't know, supposedly she was very pretty." Ah Qing cupped her cheeks and said, "Then I get it. After she went down the mountain, many people must have liked her and wanted to marry her. She probably married a high-ranking official or a family head! Hehe."

Xiao Xingchen smiled and said, "Actually, she married a servant of a prominent family head, and the two eloped."

Ah Qing pouted, "I don't like that. How could a beautiful and talented Xianzi possibly fall for a servant? This story is too cliché. It's the kind of fantasy those poor, pretentious scholars dream up. So, what happened after they eloped?"

Xiao Xingchen said, "During a night hunt, they both slipped up and died."

Ah Qing spat, "What kind of story is this? She married a servant, and they both died! I don't want to listen anymore!"

Wei Wuxian thought, "Thank goodness Xiao Xingchen didn't mention that they also gave birth to a demon lord that everyone hunted."

Xiao Xingchen helplessly said, "That's why I said from the beginning that I'm not good at telling stories."

Ah Qing said, "Then, Daozhang, you must remember your past night hunting experiences, right? I love hearing those! Tell me, what kind of monsters have you fought?"

Xue Yang had been half-listening, but now his eyes narrowed, and he glanced at Xiao Xingchen from the corner of his eye.

Xiao Xingchen said, "There have been too many to count."

Xue Yang suddenly said, "Oh? So, Daozhang used to go night hunting alone?"

His lips curved into an innocent smile, but his eyes betrayed a far more sinister intent. After a pause, Xiao Xingchen smiled gently and said, "No."

Ah Qing became interested. "Then who was with you?"

This time, Xiao Xingchen took even longer to respond. Finally, he said, "A close friend of mine."

Xue Yang's eyes flickered with a sly light, and the smile on his lips deepened. Uncovering Xiao Xingchen's old wounds seemed to bring him considerable pleasure. Ah Qing was genuinely curious, "Daozhang, who was your friend? What was he like?"

Xiao Xingchen calmly replied, "A noble and upright man of great integrity."

Hearing this, Xue Yang rolled his eyes in disdain, his lips moving as if he were silently cursing under his breath. Yet, he pretended not to understand and said, "Then, Daozhang, where is your friend now? Why hasn't he come to find you?"

Wei Wuxian thought, "What a vicious little knife."

Indeed, Xiao Xingchen fell silent. Though Ah Qing didn't fully grasp what was happening, she sensed something was off and held her breath, casting a wary glance at Xue Yang, her teeth itching to sink into him. After a moment of silence, Xiao Xingchen broke it by saying, "Where he is now, I do not know. But I hope..."

Before he could finish, he gently patted Ah Qing's head and said, "Alright, that's enough for tonight. I really am no good at telling stories."

Ah Qing obediently said, "Okay, got it!"

Suddenly, Xue Yang said, "How about I tell a story instead?"

Ah Qing, who had been feeling disappointed, immediately said, "Yes, yes, yes, tell us."

Xue Yang drawled, "Once upon a time, there was a child.

"This child loved sweets, but because he had no parents and no money, he often went without. One day, as usual, he sat on a step, lost in thought. Across from the step was a tavern, and a man sitting at a table inside saw the child and waved him over."

If Ah Qing had rabbit ears, they would have perked up in anticipation.

Xue Yang continued, "The child was innocent and clueless, not knowing what to do. Seeing someone wave at him, he immediately ran over. The man pointed to a plate of pastries on the table and said, 'Do you want some?'

"Of course, the kid desperately wanted to eat and nodded vigorously. So, the man gave the child a piece of paper and said, 'If you want to eat, deliver this to a certain room at a specific location. Once you're done, I'll give you the pastries.'

"The kid was thrilled. He could get a whole plate of pastries just by running an errand—something he’d earned all on his own.

"He couldn’t read, so he took the paper and headed to the specified location. A burly man opened the door, glanced at the paper, and slapped the kid so hard his nose started bleeding. He grabbed the child's hair and demanded, 'Who told you to deliver this?'"

This child was undoubtedly Xue Yang himself.

Wei Wuxian hadn't expected that Xue Yang, despite being so cunning now, had been honest and naïve as a child, doing whatever he was told. The paper certainly didn't contain anything good. The man at the tavern and the burly man probably had some unresolved issues, and instead of confronting him directly, he used a child to deliver an insulting message. Such behavior was truly despicable.

Xue Yang continued, "Terrified, the kid pointed toward the tavern, and the burly man dragged him by the hair all the way back. By the time they arrived, the man was long gone, and the clerk had already taken away the uneaten pastries from the table. The burly man was furious and overturned several tables in the tavern before storming off, cursing as he left.

"The kid was frantic. He had run an errand, been beaten, and dragged by his hair, and now he couldn’t get the pastries he so desperately wanted. Tears streaming down his face, he pleaded with the clerk, 'Where’s my food? You promised me pastries!'

Xue Yang said with a smile, "The clerk, already upset about the damage to the tavern, slapped the kid across the face a few times, sending him out of the tavern with ringing ears. After getting up and walking for a while, guess what happened? By some strange coincidence, he ran into the man who had asked him to deliver the message."

At this point, Xue Yang stopped the story. Ah Qing, who had been listening intently, urged, "And then? What happened next?"

Xue Yang replied, "What do you think happened? He got a few more slaps and kicks."

Ah Qing said, "That was you, wasn't it? It must have been you! You loved sweets so much! If it were me, I would have spat in his food and tea first, then beaten him up!" She gesticulated wildly, almost hitting the nearby Xiao Xingchen, who hurriedly said, "Alright, alright, it's time to sleep after the story."

Ah Qing was placed into the coffin but still angrily beat her chest and stomped her feet, saying, "Oh my! Both of your stories infuriated me! One was boring to death, and the other was annoying to death! That man who asked you to deliver the message was so despicable! It was so frustrating!"

After tucking her in, Xiao Xingchen paused and asked, "What happened afterward?"

Xue Yang replied, "Guess? There's no more afterward. You didn't continue your story either."

Xiao Xingchen said, "No matter what happened afterward, since you're relatively fine now, there's no need to dwell too much on the past."

Xue Yang said, "I'm not dwelling on the past. It's just that the little blind girl keeps stealing my candy, finishing it all, which reminds me of the times when I couldn't get any."

Ah Qing kicked the coffin and protested, "Daoist, don't listen to his nonsense! I didn't eat much of it!"

Xiao Xingchen chuckled softly. "Get some rest."

That night, Xue Yang didn't follow him, and Xiao Xingchen went night hunting alone. Ah Qing lay still in the coffin but couldn't sleep with her eyes open.

As dawn broke, Xiao Xingchen returned quietly.

Passing by the coffin, he reached inside. Ah Qing pretended to be asleep, and only when Xiao Xingchen left Yicheng did she open her eyes. Beside the straw pillow lay a small piece of candy.

She peeked into the living quarters. Xue Yang hadn't slept either. He sat by the table, seemingly lost in thought.

A piece of candy lay quietly on the edge of the table.

After the evening by the fire, Xiao Xingchen gave each of them a piece of candy to eat every day. Ah Qing was, of course, delighted, but Xue Yang neither thanked him nor refused the candy. This attitude left Ah Qing dissatisfied for several days.

Xiao Xingchen was responsible for their food and lodging in Yicheng. Since he was blind, he couldn't choose vegetables well and felt embarrassed to haggle. When he encountered kind-hearted vendors, it was fine, but many times, he met dishonest ones who took advantage of his blindness, either giving him less than he paid for or providing stale food. Xiao Xingchen didn't seem to mind much or even notice, but Ah Qing was furious. She wanted to confront those unscrupulous vendors, but she couldn't reveal that she could see, nor did she dare to make a scene in front of Xiao Xingchen. This was where Xue Yang came in handy. With his rogue demeanor, sharp tongue, and shameless bargaining, he would cut the price in half whenever they wanted to buy something. If the vendor agreed, he'd push his luck further. If not, his fierce expression was enough to make the vendors think it was a good deal just to get him to leave quickly. Undoubtedly, when Xue Yang used to roam freely in Kuizhou and Lanling, he probably never had to pay for anything. Feeling satisfied after letting off steam, Ah Qing even complimented him a few times. Added to the sweet candy she received daily, there was a delicate peace between Ah Qing and Xue Yang for a short period.

However, she never let go of her wariness towards Xue Yang, and this fragile peace was often overshadowed by her suspicions and complaints.

One day, Ah Qing was once again playing her lifelong game of pretending to be blind, a pastime that never lost its charm. As she tapped her cane and walked around, a voice suddenly came from behind her, "Young girl, if you can't see, don't walk so fast."

It was the voice of a young man, somewhat cold. Ah Qing turned around to see a tall black-clad Daoist standing a few yards behind her, a longsword on his back, a horsetail whisk draped over his arm, and his robes fluttering gently. His posture was upright, exuding an air of pride and aloofness.

That face was unmistakably Song Lan.

Ah Qing tilted her head, and by then, Song Lan had already walked over. He placed his duster on her shoulder and guided her to the side, saying, "There are fewer people on this road."

Wei Wuxian thought, "No wonder he's such a good friend of Xiao Xingchen. True friends always share similar personalities and values."

Ah Qing giggled. "Thanks, Daozhang!"

Song Lan withdrew his duster and placed it back in his arm crook, casting a glance at her. "Don't play around too much. This place is thick with negative energy. Don't stay out after dark."

Ah Qing replied, "Okay!"

Ah Qing couldn’t help but turn and watch as Song Lan stopped a passerby after walking a short distance. He asked, "Please, stay your steps. Have you seen a blind daoist carrying a sword?"

Ah Qing listened intently. The passerby said, "I'm not sure, Daozhang. You might want to ask further ahead."

Song Lan said, "Thank you."

Ah Qing tapped her cane and approached. "Daozhang, why are you looking for that other Daozhang?"

Song Lan spun around, startled. "Have you seen him?"

Ah Qing replied, "I might have, or I might not have."

Song Lan asked, "How can you 'might have' seen him? That doesn’t make sense."

Ah Qing said, "If you answer a few of my questions, I might remember seeing him."

Song Lan was taken aback and, after a long pause, finally said, "...Yes."

Wei Wuxian wondered why he hesitated.

Ah Qing also found his answer forced and suspicious, so she continued, "Do you really know him? How tall is he? Is he handsome or ugly? What does his sword look like?"

Song Lan immediately replied, "He is of similar height to me, with excellent looks, and his sword is carved with frost flowers."

Seeing that his answers were precise and that he didn't seem like a bad person, Ah Qing said, "I know where he is, Daozhang. Follow me!"

After years of searching and countless disappointments, Song Lan could barely believe what he was hearing. Struggling to maintain his composure, he managed to say, "...Th... thank you for your trouble."

Ah Qing led him near the mortuary, but Song Lan stopped from a distance. Ah Qing asked, "What's wrong? Why aren't you going closer?"

For some reason, Song Lan's face turned deathly pale, his eyes fixed on the gate of the mortuary. He looked like he wanted to rush in but was too afraid. The cold, distant demeanor he usually carried was nowhere to be found. Wei Wuxian thought, "Could this be the fear of meeting after a long separation?"

Just as he was about to enter, a leisurely figure beat him to it and slipped through the gate of the mortuary.

The moment Song Lan saw the figure, his face turned from pale to ashen!

A laugh came from inside the mortuary. Ah Qing snorted, "The annoying one is back."

Song Lan asked, "Who is he? Why is he here?"

Ah Qing grumbled, "A bad guy. He doesn't give his name, so who knows who he is? Daozhang saved him and now he's clinging to him. So annoying!"

Song Lan's face was a mix of shock and anger, his complexion turning from green to white. After a moment, he said, "Don't make a sound!"

Frightened by his expression, Ah Qing fell silent. The two of them silently approached the mortuary, one standing by the window, the other crouching below it. From inside, they heard Xiao Xingchen say, "Whose turn is it today?"

The moment he heard that voice, Song Lan’s hand shook so violently that even Ah Qing noticed.

Xue Yang said, "How about we don't take turns anymore? Let's change the method."

Xiao Xingchen said, "You only speak up when it's your turn. What method do you suggest?"

Xue Yang said, "Here are two small branches. If you draw the longer one, you stay; if you draw the shorter one, you go. How about that?"

After a pause, Xue Yang laughed, "Looks like you got the short stick. I win, so you go!"

Xiao Xingchen helplessly said, "Alright, I'll go."

He stood up and started heading for the door. Wei Wuxian thought, "Good, come out quickly. As soon as you come out, Song Lan should grab you and run away!"

However, before he took more than a few steps, Xue Yang said, "Never mind, I'll go."

Xiao Xingchen asked, "Why are you willing to go now?"

Xue Yang also stood up and said, "Are you stupid? I tricked you just now. I drew the short stick, but I had another longer one hidden away. No matter which one you picked, I could always show a longer stick. I'm just taking advantage of the fact that you can't see."

After mocking Xiao Xingchen for a bit, he leisurely picked up a basket and went out. Ah Qing looked up at Song Lan, who was trembling all over, and couldn't understand why he was so angry. Song Lan signaled her to be quiet, and the two of them silently walked away. Only then did Song Lan begin to question Ah Qing, "This person... when did Daozhang Xiao Xingchen rescue him?"

His tone was grave, and Ah Qing understood the seriousness of the matter, replying solemnly, "It's been almost three years now."

Song Lan asked, "That Daozhang never knew who this person was?"

Ah Qing said, "No."

Song Lan asked, "What has this person been doing around that Daozhang?"

Ah Qing said, "He's been fooling around, teasing and scaring me. Also... oh, he's been night hunting with that Daozhang as well!"

Song Lan's brows furrowed, feeling that Xue Yang definitely wasn't being so kind-hearted, "Night hunting? What did they hunt? Do you know?"

Ah Qing, not daring to be careless, thought for a moment and said, "There was a time when they often hunted walking corpses. Now, they hunt some evil spirits, livestock possessions, and the like."

No matter how much Song Lan interrogated her, something still felt off, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it. He asked, "Was that Daozhang close to him?"

Reluctantly, Ah Qing admitted, "I feel that the Daozhang wasn't very happy alone... It's rare to have a companion... So, it seems he enjoyed listening to that bad guy's witty remarks..."

Song Lan's face darkened with anger and pity. Amidst the chaos, one clear message stood out:

Xiao Xingchen must never find out about this!

He said, "Don't tell that Daozhang anything about this."

With that, he stormed off in the direction Xue Yang had gone, his face dark with rage. Ah Qing said, "Daozhang, are you going to beat up that bad guy?"

Song Lan had already chased far away. Wei Wuxian thought, "Beat him? He's going to tear Xue Yang apart!"

Xue Yang had left with a basket of vegetables, and Ah Qing knew which route he would take. She cut through the forest, running fast with her heart pounding. After chasing for a while, she finally saw Xue Yang ahead. He was holding a basket in one hand, filled with vegetables, radishes, steamed buns, and the like, lazily walking and yawning, seemingly returning from grocery shopping.

Ah Qing, adept at hiding and eavesdropping, crouched sneakily in the bushes by the woods, following his movements. Suddenly, a cold voice called out from ahead, "Xue Yang."

It was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him, or he had been slapped awake. Xue Yang's face immediately turned ugly.

Song Lan emerged from behind a tree, his sword already drawn, held in his hand with the tip pointing diagonally at the ground.

Xue Yang feigned surprise, "Oh, isn't this Daozhang Song? A rare guest. Here to share a meal?"

Song Lan thrust his sword forward, and Xue Yang swiftly drew Calamity from his sleeve to block the strike, retreating several steps. He placed the basket of vegetables next to a tree and said, "Damn it, I just felt like going out to buy some groceries, and here you are ruining the mood!"

Filled with fury, Song Lan attacked relentlessly, hissing, "What kind of sick game are you playing? What do you want from him after all this time?!"

Xue Yang laughed. "I was wondering why Daoist Song was holding back. So, you were asking about this."

Song Lan roared, "Tell me! You scum, why would you be so kind as to help him with night hunting?!"

The sword qi sliced past his face, leaving a wound on Xue Yang's cheek, but he remained unshaken. "Daozhang Song, you actually know me so well!"

These two were on completely different paths—one followed the orthodox Daoist way, while the other was forged from murder and chaos. Song Lan’s swordsmanship was clearly superior to Xue Yang’s. His sword pierced Xue Yang’s arm. "Tell me!"

Had this matter not been deeply unsettling and in need of clarification, that sword might have aimed for Xue Yang’s neck instead of his arm. Xue Yang, with the sword in his arm, showed no change in expression. "You really want to know? I’m afraid it’ll drive you mad. Some things are better left unknown."

Song Lan said coldly, "Xue Yang, my patience with you is limited!"

Clang! Xue Yang deflected a thrust aimed at his eye and said, "Fine, since you insist on hearing it. You know, your good friend, your dear comrade, what has he been doing? He’s been hunting many walking corpses. Slaying demons and banishing monsters without asking for anything in return—how touching. Even though he’s blind, Frostmist automatically guides him to the scent of the dead. What’s even better is, I discovered that as long as you cut out the tongues of those afflicted with corpse poison, Frostmist can’t tell the difference between living corpses and dead ones. So..."

His detailed explanation caused Song Lan’s hand and sword to tremble. "You beast... a beast unworthy of life..."

Xue Yang said, "Daozhang Song, sometimes I think people like you who are so well-mannered are at a disadvantage when cursing someone. You repeat the same few words, so unoriginal, so lacking in venom. I stopped using those words when I was seven."

Song Lan, furious, thrust his sword at Xue Yang’s throat. "You deceived him in his blindness and led him astray!"

The sword was fast and deadly, and though Xue Yang barely avoided it, it still pierced his shoulder. He seemed unfazed, not even wrinkling his brow. "Blind? Daozhang Song, don’t forget, who did he give his eyes to?"

Hearing this, Song Lan froze in both expression and movement.

Xue Yang continued, "Who are you to judge me? Friend? Do you have the nerve to call yourself Xiao Xingchen’s friend? Ha ha ha! Daozhang Song, should I remind you what you said to Xiao Xingchen after I razed the Baixue Temple? When he wanted to help you, what face did you show him? What words did you speak?"

Song Lan’s mind was in chaos. "I... at that time..."

Xue Yang cut him off. "You were grieving? In pain? Angry and looking for someone to vent on? So you took it out on him? To be fair, my razing your temple was because of him, so your resentment towards him is understandable and, in fact, played right into my hands."

Every word struck home!

Xue Yang pressed his advantage, both in words and swordplay, becoming more composed and vicious with each strike, gradually gaining the upper hand, though Song Lan was unaware of it. Xue Yang said, "Ah! Who was it that said ‘no need to meet again’? Wasn’t it you, Daozhang Song? After he gave you his eyes and vanished from your life, why are you here now? Aren’t you just making things harder for him? Daozhang Xiao Xingchen, don’t you think?"

Hearing this, Song Lan faltered, his sword movements stagnating!

Falling for such a low trick showed just how thoroughly Xue Yang had thrown him off balance. Xue Yang wouldn’t let this perfect opportunity slip by. With a wave of his hand, corpse poison powder rained down.

No one, not even Song Lan, had ever seen such refined corpse poison powder before. After inhaling several mouthfuls, he knew it was bad and began coughing uncontrollably. Xue Yang’s Calamity sword had been waiting for this moment, and with a flash of silver light, it darted into Song Lan’s mouth!

In an instant, Wei Wuxian was plunged into darkness. Ah Qing had been so frightened she closed her eyes.

But she already knew. This was the moment Song Lan’s tongue was severed by the Calamity sword.

The sound was terrifying.

Ah Qing’s eyes filled with tears, but she bit down hard, holding back any sound, and shakily opened her eyes again. Song Lan propped himself up with his sword, one hand covering his mouth, as blood poured continuously from between his fingers.

Caught off guard by Xue Yang’s ambush and now tongueless, Song Lan could barely stand from the pain, but he still pulled his sword from the ground and staggered toward Xue Yang, trying to strike again. Xue Yang easily dodged, a sly smile on his face.

The next moment, Wei Wuxian knew why Xue Yang had that expression.

The silver light of Frostmist stabbed through Song Lan’s chest from the front and exited through his back.

Song Lan looked down at the Frostmist blade penetrating his heart, then slowly raised his head to see Xiao Xingchen holding the sword, his expression peaceful.

Xiao Xingchen, unaware, said, "Are you there?"

Song Lan silently tried to speak.

Xue Yang grinned and said, "I’m here. What brings you?"

Xiao Xingchen drew Frostmist and sheathed his sword, saying, "Frostmist felt off, so I followed its lead to investigate." He mused, "We haven’t seen any zombies around here in a while, especially not alone. Did it wander in from somewhere else?"

Song Lan slowly knelt before Xiao Xingchen.

Xue Yang looked down at him and said, "Yeah, it was making quite a racket."

If Song Lan had handed over his sword, Xiao Xingchen would have known immediately. He could recognize a friend’s blade with just a touch.

But Song Lan couldn’t do that. How could he hand the sword to Xiao Xingchen and tell him who he had killed with his own hands?

Xue Yang had anticipated this, which made him fearless. He said, "Let’s go, time to cook. I'm hungry."

Xiao Xingchen asked, "Did you buy the groceries?"

Xue Yang replied, "Yes, I did. On the way back, I encountered this thing. What bad luck."

Xiao Xingchen went ahead, and Xue Yang casually patted the wounds on his shoulder and arm, picking up the basket again. As he passed Song Lan, he smiled slightly and said, "None for you."

Once Xue Yang was well out of sight, likely already back at Yi Cheng with Xiao Xingchen, Ah Qing emerged from behind the bushes.

Her legs were numb from crouching for so long, and she leaned on her bamboo cane as she limped to where Song Lan still knelt, his body stiff and lifeless. Song Lan’s eyes were wide open, and Ah Qing was startled by his gaze. She then saw the blood welling up from his mouth, flowing down his chin and soaking his robes and the ground. Tears fell from her eyes.

Fearing, Ah Qing reached out and gently closed Song Lan’s eyes. Kneeling before him, she pressed her palms together and said, "Esteemed Daozhang, please don’t blame me or that Daozhang. I couldn’t come out; I would have been killed. I couldn’t save you. That Daozhang was deceived by that evil man. He didn’t mean to kill you!"

Between sobs, she continued, "I have to go back. Please, may your spirit guide me to save Daozhang Xiao Xingchen and help us escape that demon lord’s grasp. May Xue Yang, that living monster, die a horrible death, be torn apart, and never find peace!"

After bowing deeply three times, she wiped her face and stood up, encouraging herself. She limped towards Yi Cheng.

When she returned to the mortuary, it was late. Xue Yang sat at the table peeling an apple, shaping it into the form of a rabbit, looking quite pleased with himself. Anyone who saw him would assume he was just a playful kid, with no clue about the horrors he had just committed. Xiao Xingchen brought out a plate of vegetables and, hearing Ah Qing, said, "Ah Qing, where did you go today? You’re back so late."

Xue Yang glanced at her and suddenly suspicion flickered in his eyes. "Why," he said, "are her eyes so swollen?"

Xiao Xingchen hurried over and asked, "What’s wrong? Who bullied you?"

Xue Yang said, "Bullied her? Who would dare?"

Despite his smile, suspicion flickered in his eyes. Suddenly, Ah Qing threw down her bamboo cane and burst into tears.

Crying uncontrollably, she threw herself into Xiao Xingchen’s arms. "Am I ugly? Am I ugly? Daozhang, tell me, am I really ugly?"

Xiao Xingchen gently patted her head and said, "No, Ah Qing is very pretty. Who said you were ugly?"

Xue Yang scoffed, "You’re ugly, and you cry even uglier."

Xiao Xingchen scolded him, "Don’t say that."

Ah Qing cried harder and stomped her foot. "Daozhang, you can’t see! What you say doesn’t count! He can see, and he said I’m ugly, so I must be ugly! Ugly and blind!"

In her outburst, both naturally assumed she had been bullied by some children who called her "ugly" and "blind" and was feeling wronged. Xue Yang sneered, "Someone calls you ugly and you come back crying? Where’s your usual fierceness?"

Ah Qing retorted, "You’re fierce! Daozhang, do you have any money left?"

After a pause, Xiao Xingchen, slightly embarrassed, said, "Um… I think so."

Xue Yang interrupted, "I have some. I can lend it to you."

Ah Qing spat, "You've been eating and living with us for so long, and now you want to borrow money? What a cheapskate! Have you no shame, Xue Yang? Daozhang, I want to go buy some pretty clothes and jewelry. Will you come with me?"

Wei Wuxian realized that Ah Qing was trying to lure Xiao Xingchen out. But what if Xue Yang insisted on tagging along?

Xiao Xingchen hesitated, "Sure, but I can’t really tell if they’ll suit you."

Xue Yang chimed in, "I can help her pick things out."

Ah Qing leaped up, nearly smacking Xiao Xingchen’s chin. "No way! I only want you to come with me. If he follows, he’ll just call me ugly and 'little blind girl' again!"

It wasn’t the first time she had thrown a tantrum, and both men were used to it. Xue Yang shot her a mocking glance, and Xiao Xingchen said, "Alright, how about tomorrow?"

Ah Qing said, "I want to go tonight!"

Xue Yang said, "If we go tonight, the markets will be closed. Where would you buy anything?"

Ah Qing had no choice but to say, "Fine! Then tomorrow! You promised!"

Realizing her plan had failed, Ah Qing knew that if she kept pushing, Xue Yang would get suspicious. So she gave up and sat back down to eat. Though she acted as if everything was normal, her stomach was tight with anxiety, and her hand trembled as she held the bowl. Xue Yang’s gaze shifted from Ah Qing to Xiao Xingchen. Wei Wuxian thought, "No wonder the little troublemaker can mimic Xiao Xingchen so well. They sit across from each other every day, giving him plenty of chances to study him."

Xiao Xingchen, however, remained oblivious to the gazes directed at him. In truth, in this room, the only one who was truly blind was him alone.

After the meal, Xiao Xingchen took the bowls and chopsticks inside to clean them. Ah Qing, unable to sit still, wanted to slip in after him, but Xue Yang suddenly called, "Ah Qing."

Ah Qing’s heart jumped, and even Wei Wuxian felt the tension rise in her scalp.

She snapped, "Why are you calling me by my name all of a sudden?"

Xue Yang replied, "Didn’t you say you didn’t like being called ‘little blind girl’?"

Ah Qing humphed, "Flatter me for no reason? Nothing good ever comes of it! What do you want?"

Xue Yang smiled, "Nothing much. Just teaching you what to do if someone insults you again."

Ah Qing said, "Oh, tell me then. What should I do?"

Xue Yang said, "If someone calls you ugly, make her even uglier by slashing her face so badly she’ll never show her face in public again. If someone calls you blind, sharpen the tip of your bamboo cane and poke her eyes out. See if she’ll talk back after that."

Ah Qing felt a chill run down her spine but pretended he was just scaring her. "You're bluffing again!"

Xue Yang hummed, "You can think of it as a bluff." He then pushed the plate of rabbit-shaped apples toward her. "Eat."

The sight of the adorable rabbit-shaped apples, with their snow-white skin and golden flesh, sent a chill down both Ah Qing’s and Wei Wuxian’s spines.

The next morning, Ah Qing started nagging Xiao Xingchen to take her out shopping for pretty clothes and makeup. Xue Yang grumbled, "If you two go, who’s going to buy the groceries today?"

Ah Qing said, "What's wrong with you buying the groceries for once? Daozhang has bought them so many times! All you ever do is play tricks to avoid paying!"

Xue Yang said, "Fine, fine. I'll go. I'll go now."

Once he left, Xiao Xingchen said, "Ah Qing, aren't you ready yet? Can we go?"

Only when Ah Qing was sure Xue Yang was far away did she come in, close the door, and ask in a trembling voice, "Daozhang, do you know a person named Xue Yang?"