Chapter 175 Shen Huixue Took A Chan to…

Chapter 175 Shen Huixue Takes A Chan to…

Shen Huixue brought A Chan to Lie Xian’s home. Hearing they had just come from the High Priest, Lie Xian led them directly to a vacant courtyard behind his house.

He introduced it to A Chan: "This was originally my uncle’s house. After he married, he moved in with my aunt, so it’s been empty. Miss A Chan and Brother Bai can rest here without worry."

With that, he pushed open the door, inviting A Chan and the others to look inside.

The room was sparsely furnished but impeccably clean, clearly indicating regular upkeep.

A Chan was more than content to find such a resting place in the wilderness.

She thanked Lie Xian, "This is wonderful. Thank you, Brother Lie."

"No need for formalities, Miss A Chan. Later, when Brother Bai returns, come to my house for dinner. Huixue, you come too."

"Got it, I’ll be there on time," Shen Huixue replied, completely at ease with Lie Xian.

Bai Xiuming didn't stay long at the High Priest’s place. Soon, he followed A Chan’s scent and found them.

He pushed open the door and entered, pausing slightly when he saw Shen Huixue helping A Chan make the bed.

Hearing the door, both turned. Shen Huixue rose and politely told Bai Xiuming, "Lord Bai, your room is next door."

Bai Xiuming raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at A Chan.

A Chan played along, nodding and feigning politeness, "Yes, it’s next door. Do you need help making the bed?"

"Sure."

Caught off guard by his agreement, A Chan had to follow through. After a quick word to Shen Huixue, she reluctantly followed Bai Xiuming to the adjacent room.

As soon as they entered, Bai Xiuming’s voice came from behind her: "Not sleeping together anymore?"

"There are plenty of rooms here. No need to waste them."

"Alright, whatever you say."

Bai Xiuming didn’t press the issue; after all, sleeping with her rarely did his sleep quality any favors.

A Chan was supposed to help make the bed, but in reality, Bai Xiuming did all the work while she watched.

Once the bedding was laid out, it wasn’t long before Lie Xian’s voice rang out from the courtyard: "Miss A Chan, is Brother Bai back yet?"

A Chan scurried out and replied, "He’s already here."

"Dinner’s ready at my house. Come over quickly!"

"Coming!"

A Chan turned back to call Bai Xiuming: "Let’s go, dinner at Brother Lie’s house."

Neither Lie Xian nor Lie Xing were married yet. They lived with their parents and two younger sisters, making for a lively household.

As A Chan and the others entered, they saw Lie Xian’s mother carrying a large tray of millet cakes into the house. Spotting them, she immediately called out, "Dinner’s ready! Come in and sit!"

Clearly, Lie Xian had already introduced them to his parents before their arrival, so there was little formality as everyone gathered around the table.

The food of the tribe, while not as refined as that of Great Xia, had a unique flavor. Moreover, Lie Xian’s father, Lie Jiang, was exceptionally good at showering compliments—every few bites would earn a few words of praise. A Chan and Shen Huixue received the same treatment as Lie Xian’s two younger sisters. Even the usually picky A Chan was sweet-talked into eating until her belly was round.

After the meal, Lie Jiang even arranged for A Chan to dine at their home for the next few days. A Chan found his enthusiasm hard to resist and could only agree. Only then did Lie Jiang let Lie Xian escort them back.

By the time they stepped out after dinner, it was nearly *youshi* (around 5-7 PM). Normally, the sun would be setting by then, but the sky was still bright.

Shen Huixue declined Lie Xian’s escort. She had made plans with A Chan to go out together the next day and headed home on her own.

As Lie Xian saw A Chan and Bai Xiuming back to their lodging and departed, the once-bright sky suddenly turned completely dark. It wasn’t the gradual dimming of sunset, but an abrupt shift from day to night.

Having traveled most of the day, A Chan had been sustained only by her curiosity about the wilderness. Now that darkness had fallen so suddenly, she immediately felt exhausted.

After washing up, A Chan burrowed into the soft bedding and fell asleep within moments.

Bai Xiuming didn’t disturb her. He read in the adjacent room for a while, and only extinguished the oil lamp around *xushi* (around 7-9 PM) before lying down.

A Chan slept soundly until the wailing of infants jolted her awake.

Sitting up, she listened intently. It sounded like more than one baby crying, their wails growing increasingly piercing.

Such relentless crying clearly couldn't be from the village babies. A Chan suspected a nine-headed bird had flown over the village.

After all, this wasn’t Great Xia, where all sorts of strange beasts and demons roamed freely. The appearance of a nine-headed bird didn't seem impossible.

She lay back down, pulling the blanket over her head, hoping to endure it. But the bird seemed determined to stay above the village, its cries unceasing.

A Chan lasted less than half a *ke* (about 7.5 minutes) before she irritably threw off the covers, stomped into her shoes, and stormed out of the room. Then, she quietly pushed open the door to the adjacent room.

Bai Xiuming’s room was silent. Clad only in her thin nightdress, A Chan swiftly walked to the bed, lifted the blanket, kicked off her shoes, and slipped in—all in one fluid motion.

Bai Xiuming lay on his side. A Chan found his hand, lifted his arm, nestled into his embrace, and then let his arm fall back around her.

Warmth instantly enveloped her. She sighed contentedly, feeling the cries outside seem to diminish slightly.

Awakened in the middle of the night, Bai Xiuming didn’t even open his eyes before sensing a soft bundle burrowing into his arms. The sensation instantly roused his sleeping body.

He tightened his embrace, pulling her closer, before speaking, his voice laced with sleepiness: "Don’t want to sleep alone anymore?"

A Chan buried her face in Bai Xiuming’s chest, her voice muffled: "Don’t tease me. I’m sleepy."

Bai Xiuming chuckled lazily: "I’m not teasing. You’re the one who ran into my room to tease me."

A Chan’s conscience pricked her, so she decided to blame everything on that nine-headed bird: "It’s all that bird’s fault, squawking all night long."

With that, she fumbled behind her, found Bai Xiuming’s hand, and lifted it to cover her ears: "Quick, cover my ears. It’s so loud I can’t sleep."

With her ears covered, the noise indeed faded. Satisfied, A Chan nuzzled against Bai Xiuming’s open collar and went back to sleep.

Seeing her fall asleep again so quickly, Bai Xiuming almost laughed in frustration—she truly knew how to make full use of him.

With one hand covering A Chan’s ear and the other holding her close, it took him a long while before he finally closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

The first night in the wilderness, aside from the brief interlude in the middle of the night, A Chan slept quite well.

As for whether Bai Xiuming slept well, that was none of her concern.

The next morning, after washing up, Lie Xian came again to invite them for breakfast.

During the meal, A Chan asked about the infant cries from the previous night. As she had suspected, it was indeed a nine-headed bird.

Lie Xian and Lie Xing had only recently returned home and were unaware of the nine-headed bird incident, so Lie Jiang explained it to A Chan.

"That nine-headed bird moved into the nearby woods about two months ago. A few days ago, it even targeted the village children. Fortunately, we’ve kept constant watch, so it hasn’t managed to snatch any child away. But every night, it keeps crying incessantly above the village."

A Chan asked, "So we just let it keep screaming like that? Can’t we drive it away? It doesn’t seem like it’ll give up easily."

"There’s no need for concern," Lie Jiang chuckled. "The villagers have just been too busy lately to deal with it. In a few days, the High Priest will preside over the ancestral rites. By then, that nine-headed bird won’t dare linger nearby."

Although the High Priest was Lie Jiang’s mother, A Chan noticed everyone addressed her as "High Priest" with great reverence.

Shortly after mentioning the High Priest, the very same High Priest they had met the day before arrived at Lie Xian’s home.

The entire family stepped out to welcome her. Lie Jiang approached first, saying, "Mother, you look radiant today. This new outfit suits your complexion perfectly. I specifically asked Little Xian to buy you a new hairpin—I’ll bring it over later. It’ll match your new clothes beautifully."

The High Priest, supported by her son, walked inside, her smile unwavering as she listened to him speak, even praising him: "My son is so dutiful and considerate."

Behind them, Lie Xian and Lie Xing wore blank expressions. Since childhood, they had never managed to outshine their father in winning their grandmother’s favor.

A Chan suddenly realized that being charmed by Uncle Lie Jiang yesterday wasn’t her fault at all. Even the High Priest couldn’t resist Uncle Lie Jiang’s honeyed words—truly impressive.

Once inside, the High Priest was seated in the place of honor by Lie Jiang, and only then did everyone else take their seats.

Lie Jiang then brought the High Priest a cup of clear water. After taking a sip, she turned to Bai Xiuming and said, "The time is about right. We can set off now."

Bai Xiuming stood up. "Very well."

The High Priest then turned to A Chan, her tone much gentler: "Miss A Chan, you should come along as well."

A Chan asked curiously, "Go where?"

"I’m taking Young Master Bai to pay respects to a revered one. It’s not too far from here."

A Chan’s heart stirred. She knew Bai Xiuming had come here to mourn a friend on behalf of King Ming. She hadn’t expected they’d find the location so soon.

"Alright, I’ll come along," A Chan agreed, not noticing that the High Priest’s invitation wasn’t phrased as a question.

Before leaving Lie Xian’s home, A Chan asked him to pass along word to Shen Huixue, saying she had gone out with the High Priest and would visit her later.

Once Lie Xian agreed, A Chan and Bai Xiuming followed the High Priest out.

Their destination was visible even from the edge of the village. The High Priest pointed toward a distant grove and said, "That revered one once lived there and now rests there as well."

A Chan couldn’t help but wonder—who was this person the High Priest referred to as "revered one"?

She voiced her question aloud.

The High Priest looked at her and replied, "You’ll know once we arrive."

Though the destination seemed close and remained within sight, A Chan soon realized the journey wasn’t as simple as it appeared.

They rode on the village’s domesticated *Lushu* (a deer-like creature), yet it still took them over half an hour to reach the grove.

Leaving the two *Lushu* outside the woods, the High Priest led them inside.

Upon entering, A Chan noticed that the lush greenery seen from afar was, in reality, deathly still.

The trees here were devoid of vitality—their branches ashen-white, yet their leaves unnaturally green, as if maintaining their original appearance.

Not a single insect chirped or bird sang. The silence was unsettling, broken only by the crisp sound of their footsteps on dry leaves.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, the trees gradually thinned, revealing a crumbling altar in their midst.

The altar’s age was impossible to tell. Some of the central stone pillars had vanished entirely, while others stood broken.

Only a few stone slabs engraved with ritual markings remained on the ground, their carvings now illegible.

Standing before the ruined altar, the High Priest turned to Bai Xiuming and said, "The final traces of that revered one dissipated here."

Bai Xiuming studied the altar, frowning slightly. "Before his passing, did he participate in a ritual?"

From the moment they entered, he had noticed the absence of vitality around the altar. Not a single blade of grass grew in this grove.

If his death had been tied to a ritual—what kind of ceremony could leave such a lasting impact?

The High Priest also gazed at the altar. "Most likely. I was still young at the time and and didn’t know the details."

Then, she bent down, gathered a few stones, and stacked them together before casually instructing A Chan, "A Chan, fetch three branches for me."

A Chan looked around, broke off three branches from a nearby dead tree, and cleared the side shoots before handing them to the High Priest.

The High Priest didn’t take them. Instead, she had A Chan plant the three branches into a circle formed by the stacked stones.

Once A Chan finished, the High Priest ran her hand over the branches. The branches glowed faintly red, and smoke rose.

Bai Xiuming observed their actions quietly, staying silent, though his eyes held a trace of curiosity when he glanced at the High Priest.

Her attitude toward A Chan was… unusual.

Supported by A Chan, the High Priest straightened up. Only then did Bai Xiuming speak, "High Priest, what are you doing?"

The High Priest explained, "Simply paying respects to the departed."

"So simply? No incense or candles?"

She shook her head. "No need for such formalities. Sincerity is enough. This revered one was broad-minded and easygoing—he wouldn’t mind."

The three of them stood by, waiting until the last of the branches faded. Then, the High Priest spoke again, "It’s beginning."

As soon as she finished speaking, mist began rising from the altar. The white fog darkened into black, then coalesced into countless sharp blades—some emerging from the ground, others descending from above. Silent yet menacing, like a predator’s jaws.

Only then did A Chan realize the mist wasn’t real—the altar was likely recreating the past.

The scene reminded her of a legend.

It was said that the underworld held Eighteen Hells. Those who committed grave sins in life would fall into them upon death, suffering unceasing punishment day and night until their sins were purged.

The black mist’s manifestation brought to mind the Mountain of Knives Hell, something she had only heard of in myths.

Was this altar once used to commune with the underworld? What had the one presiding over the rite intended to do? Her mind raced with questions.

Before she could ask the High Priest, the black mist suddenly took another shape. At the sight of it, A Chan froze.

It was a fox, walking across the blades, step by step. Knives from below stabbed through its paws, blades from above pelted its body—yet it never faltered, advancing steadily.

The fox bore nine tails.