Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Xu Muchan, cradled in his arms, twisted his head to look at the people frozen mid-motion as if the world had hit pause.

They made no more sounds, but their pallid faces turned like sunflowers tracking the sun, following Wei Xilou's movements, while their bodies remained in their original positions and postures, standing motionless. Only their pale faces rotated to track him, staring fixedly at Xu Muchan until the courtyard gate was shut.

Once inside the courtyard, Xu Muchan released his grip from around Wei Xilou's neck and wanted to be put down.

Although Wei Xilou was strong and seemed to hold him effortlessly, Xu Muchan felt extremely awkward—he'd never been carried like this in his whole life.

But Wei Xilou refused to let go. Seeing him squirm in his arms, he gave a warning swat on his backside: "Don't move."

This made Xu Muchan almost jump out of his skin, his ears burning red as he glared at him. However, the effect was clearly immediate—probably afraid Wei Xilou might do it again, Xu Muchan dared not struggle anymore and obediently allowed himself to be carried into the bedroom.

Wei Xilou set him down on the chaise by the window.

Then he picked up the teapot from the small table and poured a cup of tea, holding the cup to Xu Muchan's lips: "Here, have some tea to steady your nerves."

Xu Muchan was bursting with questions but obediently took a sip.

Seeing he wouldn't drink any more, Wei Xilou sat down in the armchair across from him, toying with the small teacup as he took a slow, leisurely sip: "Ask whatever you want."

Xu Muchan had initially wanted to remind him that the teacup was one he had already drunk from—after all, from their time together, he'd noticed Wei Xilou was not only extremely particular about food, clothing, and lodging but also seemed to have a bit of a cleanliness obsession—but before he could speak, his attention was diverted by one sentence.

Xu Muchan furrowed his brow, mulling it over, then asked carefully: "That wooden tower—is it the Wei family ancestral hall? What exactly is enshrined in there? When I went in, it was completely empty, but I kept feeling like pairs of eyes were watching me... And those people who suddenly surrounded me in the residence—they were controlled by whatever's in the tower, right?"

Wei Xilou swirled his teacup and sighed: "Our Achan really is a curious little thing."

Xu Muchan started, snapping his head up to stare at him, his gaze so intense it seemed to bore a hole right through Wei Xilou's face.

Wei Xilou quirked an eyebrow: "What?"

Xu Muchan realized he'd just said it casually—it wasn't that his brother had gotten his memories back—so he dropped his gaze and shook his head: "Nothing."

Wei Xilou let out a soft laugh and didn't push further. He downed the tea in one gulp, then idly toyed with the cup as he slowly began answering his earlier questions: "That wooden tower is the ancestral hall. The thing inside... could be called a god."

Xu Muchan thought it strange: "But if it's for worshipping a god, why isn't there an idol?"

Wei Xilou seemed annoyed by his barrage of questions and clicked his tongue: "Gods are born from human desire, and human desire is often ugly and repulsive. How could a deity born of such things be pleasant to look at? If you made an idol for worship, wouldn't every worshipper be forced to confront their own ugliness?"

Xu Muchan was stunned—he'd never heard such a claim before.

But then he thought maybe Wei Xilou was just fobbing him off, so he pressed on, unwilling to let it go: "If it's a god, it must have a name, right?"

He'd already spent so many days in this ghost realm, yet his understanding of it was still superficial. Whose realm this was, how it had formed, and how to break out and leave—he had no clue.

This ghost realm was intimately tied to the Wei family; maybe the god they worshipped would be the key clue.

But Wei Xilou was unwilling to say more this time around. He pinched the youth's soft lips, silencing him: "I've already told you—you've asked too many questions today. Time for bed."

Xu Muchan shot him a glare, slapped his hand away, and went off sullenly to the bathroom to wash up.

Wei Xilou rubbed his fingertips, still faintly damp, and smiled: "Not just curious—he's got quite a temper too."

Unable to get anything else out of Wei Xilou, Xu Muchan went to bed, frustration lingering. He'd thought he wouldn't be able to sleep after everything that happened, but he actually conked out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

It felt like he'd slept for a long time. Xu Muchan was woken by rain tapping against the window.

He opened his eyes groggily and found the other side of the bed empty, with faint voices drifting in from outside.

He got up, slipped on his shoes, and walked around the screen to the outer room. The sky outside was gloomy, rain pouring down in sheets, making heaven and earth look hazy and indistinct.

Wei Xilou was lounging on the recliner under the eaves, enjoying the rain. Two young maids stood before him, heads bowed, one holding a porcelain jar as she spoke: "Young Master, this is the tonic soup the Master told us to bring you."

Xu Muchan recognized the two girls as kitchen maids, but Wei Xilou looked strong and healthy—why would he need a tonic?

Wei Xilou took the porcelain jar, his face reflected in the rain curtain behind him, looking somewhat blurred. He waved a hand dismissively and said in a faint voice: "Got it, I'll drink it. You can go."

But the two girls, clearly terrified of Wei Xilou, stubbornly stayed put upon hearing this, speaking in small, timid voices: "The Master said we have to watch the Young Master drink it before we can leave."

Wei Xilou frowned in disgust, but unusually, he didn't lose his temper. Instead, he wearily lifted the lid of the porcelain jar.

Xu Muchan saw the black tonic inside and caught a strange but familiar smell—what was in the jar was actually Black Taisui.

Xu Muchan's heart skipped a beat, but before he could speak, Wei Xilou downed the "tonic" in one gulp, then impatiently tossed the jar back onto the tray the girl was holding.

Xu Muchan was a step too late and could only step forward, concerned: "Is the Young Master sick? Why do you need to drink tonic?"

Up close, he noticed the tonic wasn't exactly the same as Black Taisui—it also had a strange, fishy smell. He frowned even harder, watching Wei Xilou with worry.

"Adult matters—kids shouldn't meddle."

Wei Xilou waved his hand in disgust, and the two girls fled as if pardoned, taking the things with them. Seeing Xu Muchan still staring after their retreating figures, he laughed again: "Doesn't the family feed you enough? Why are you craving tonic too? That stuff's not good for you."

Xu Muchan couldn't explain, so he had no choice but to let it go, dropping his gaze to study the man before him.

The rain outside stopped as suddenly as it had started. Water that hadn't drained away pooled together, dripping off the upturned eaves in clear streams, pattering down behind Wei Xilou.

It made his complexion look almost translucent too.

Xu Muchan's heart clenched inexplicably: "Why did you drink that stuff?"

Wei Xilou didn't answer; instead, he beckoned to him: "Come here."

Xu Muchan pressed his lips together, stubbornly refusing to move.

Wei Xilou looked at him and suddenly laughed, tugging his hand to pull him close, saying with a smile: "What a child's temper."

As he spoke, something cool pressed into Xu Muchan's palm.

Xu Muchan looked down—it was a Mountain God Amulet.

Almost identical to the one around his neck, except the wood was thicker and glossier. Xu Muchan couldn't tell how old it was, but he could clearly feel the aura seeping from the wooden plaque.

The patterns seemed a bit different too. Before Xu Muchan could examine it more closely, Wei Xilou said: "This was made from the thousand-year-old locust tree in the yard. It's more effective than the one around your neck—switch them out."

Xu Muchan pulled out the Mountain God Amulet hidden under his collar. This amulet was already very old; he couldn't even remember when his brother made it for him.

He didn't follow Wei Xilou's advice. Instead, he untied the red cord and hung both amulets together.

Seeing this, Wei Xilou let out a disapproving scoff.

Xu Muchan paid him no mind and asked: "Are the patterns on the Mountain God Amulet some kind of script?"

He'd been curious about this before, but his brother wouldn't tell him. Coincidentally, he noticed the patterns on the amulet seemed different today, so he wanted to try coaxing information out of his brother while he still had amnesia.

Wei Xilou started going selectively deaf again. He patted Xu Muchan's waist, leaned back in the recliner, and dismissed him: "Alright, I still have things to do. Go play outside and don't come back before dusk."

Once he was outside, Xu Muchan realized the courtyard had somehow become filled with people without him noticing.

He glanced over and saw that those at the front were all richly dressed—likely the heads of the Wei household. The man and woman at the very front bore some resemblance to Wei Xilou, presumably the Wei Patriarch and Madam Wei, who hadn't shown themselves until now.

Beside them stood two boys and a girl, around twelve or thirteen, giggling and horsing around.

Unlike the kids, the adults here tried to look relaxed, but their bodies were stiff with tension.

The servants behind didn't dare make a sound, moving cautiously, as if afraid to disturb something.

An odd tension hung in the air.

As the most favored servant in the eldest young master's courtyard, Xu Muchan was called up to the Wei Patriarch, who asked, "How is the eldest young master?"

Not sure what he was asking about, Xu Muchan chose his words carefully: "He looked okay when I left."

The Wei Patriarch nodded and waved him away to the back.

Xu Muchan lowered his eyes and quietly took his place among the Wei family servants standing at the rear.

Time passed slowly, and the gloomy sky made it impossible to tell the hour. Being tall, Xu Muchan looked toward the front row and saw the Wei Patriarch holding a pocket watch and glancing at it.

Unfortunately, he was too far away, and his glasses had been taken by his brother, so he couldn't make out the time.

Xu Muchan looked away and turned his attention to the other branches of the family, noticing they were suddenly getting restless. He heard someone mutter, "It's time."

Time for what, though?

Xu Muchan looked around in confusion, but suddenly picked up on a familiar sound of churning water.

It was like a long river rushing in from far away, its waters rolling—the sound seemed to come from both the horizon and right under his feet.

No matter how hard he listened, he couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from.

Then it started to rain.

Drizzle as fine as hair fell on his skin. Xu Muchan reached up to wipe it away in discomfort, only to be shocked to see the rain was black, leaving a thin layer on his skin like a coat of grime.

He immediately turned to look at those around him, only to see their expressions darken with dread, as if they were terrified, waiting for something to happen.

The black rain fell on them, piling up in thick layers before sliding off their skin. It made them look wrapped in heavy filth, and a heavy, rotting smell hung around them.

The rain pooled into puddles on the ground, and rumbling thunder rolled across the sky in the distance, making the ground tremble slightly.

The second and third young masters of the Wei family, along with the little girl standing in the front row, huddled close to their parents, scared, whispering that they wanted to go inside.

Madam Wei gently patted their heads and said softly, "Don't be afraid, this is a good thing. Once your eldest brother gets past this, the Wei family will have nothing but good times ahead."

The kids didn't get what the adults were really thinking. The second young master pouted and spoke up a little louder: "After eldest brother ascends, I won't have to see him anymore, right? I never want to see him again!"

Madam Wei gave him a sharp pinch, annoyed: "Don't talk nonsense, child. Once your eldest brother ascends, the entire Wei family will be protected by him, you too. Don't say such foolish things again—if your eldest brother hears you, you'll be sorry!"

After being scolded by their mother, the kids shut up and didn't say anything else.

Xu Muchan couldn't pick up any other info, so he just looked over at Wei Xilou's courtyard.

Based on what Madam Wei said, Wei Xilou was going to ascend?

How was he going to ascend?

What was Wei Xilou doing in there right now?

Xu Muchan felt uneasy, his thoughts racing, one after another, until they were interrupted by a low rumble of thunder—

The booming thunder shook the ground several times, making the crowd stir slightly, which quickly calmed down again.

Xu Muchan looked around and found that every one of them was eagerly staring at Wei Xilou's courtyard, craning their necks, their faces wet with black rain and pale with a faint grayish pallor, twisted with greed and savagery they didn't even notice.

Xu Muchan's unease grew. He looked at the courtyard again—it was eerily quiet, until another low rumble sounded—

No!

Xu Muchan suddenly realized the thunder wasn't coming from the sky at all—it was coming from the courtyard.

And it wasn't thunder either—it was more like some kind of roar.

Xu Muchan's heart pounded faster, his fingers trembling faintly at his sides. Without hesitation, he slipped out of the crowd, circled around to a wall where no one could see him, and climbed over into the courtyard.

Jumping down from the low wall, Xu Muchan wiped the rain from his face and ran toward the main house.

Racing through the long, exposed corridor, Xu Muchan saw Wei Xilou still sitting on the curved bench under the eaves, and the tension in his chest eased a bit. He hurried toward Wei Xilou, murmuring, "Brother, why are you still sitting here? There are so many people outside the courtyard..."

His voice trailed off, and his face went pale.

Wei Xilou remained in the same posture he'd been in when Xu Muchan left, leaning against the curved bench, but it was obvious to anyone that the person in front of him was no longer alive.

Xu Muchan's lips trembled slightly. He swallowed hard and tentatively reached out to touch the lifeless body.

The skin was cold, slightly soft—it didn't feel like a corpse, but more like... more like... Xu Muchan thought for a long time before coming up with the right comparison—

More like a discarded skin.

So what was inside it?

Xu Muchan suddenly straightened his back, about to turn around, when he froze. Something cold and sinister pressed against his back, and a jumble of voices filled his ears, chattering nonstop.

Xu Muchan ignored them and spoke carefully: "Brother? Wei Xilou?"

The cold thing didn't stop. It slid slowly over Xu Muchan's body like a snake, then came to rest on the curved bench beside Wei Xilou.

It was a shapeless mass of black liquid, somewhat resembling what his brother had looked like before he took on a physical form, but honestly, Xu Muchan thought it looked more like Black Taisui.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest. Xu Muchan clenched his fists tightly to stay calm and whispered again: "Brother?"

Whether the black liquid heard Xu Muchan's voice or not, it began to move slowly—first stretching out, then extending thin tendrils from its sides... Those tendrils gradually took shape, and in the end, they molded into the form of Wei Xilou beside him.

The same height, the same build, except it was entirely black, and its face was featureless.

The black humanoid shape approached Xu Muchan, leaning down slightly to look at him. The featureless face split down the middle, revealing a single crimson pupil that stared straight at him.

Xu Muchan locked eyes with it unexpectedly, and his head spun immediately.

The jumble of voices filled his ears again, all calling the same name with different voices: "Achan..."

"Achan..."

Xu Muchan fought to stay conscious, but his mind felt as if it were wrapped in something thick and syrupy. He murmured "Brother" once, and his body pitched forward uncontrollably—

The inhuman thing reached out to catch him, then extended two more hands from its back to lift him up and carried him into the house.

Xu Muchan's mind was foggy and sluggish. He tried to struggle free but couldn't, so he could only let the other man carry him over and lay him down on the bed.

Then the non-human thing sat down beside the bed as if it were perfectly normal, extending branching tentacles from its back, each one eagerly reaching for Xu Muchan.

Some stroked his cheeks, others brushed his lashes... and still more slithered around his calves like snakes...

Xu Muchan's eyelashes trembled, deliberately avoiding the scarlet vertical pupil in the other's face, finally managing to claw back some clarity.

He fought to grab one of the other's hands and said, "Brother, do you remember how we first went down into the Wei family's ancestral tomb? We're just trapped in a ghost realm right now—snap out of it!"

The thing sitting by the bed didn't seem to understand, but it leaned in, its face hovering right above Xu Muchan, that scarlet eye rolling, the malice inside it nearly spilling over.

Xu Muchan didn't dare meet its gaze, so he squeezed his eyes shut.

He heard a voice that sounded like many people speaking at once above him: "Achan, don't be scared—brother will protect you."

And then its body pressed down on him.

Xu Muchan felt something prodding at his lips. He trembled and opened his eyes, only to see a finger probing between his lips. His tightly sealed lips were pried apart, and the finger slipped inside...

He bit down hard, the word "brother" coming out muffled.

His eyes, raised without thinking, met that scarlet vertical pupil again, and the clarity he'd barely regained went hazy once more. Xu Muchan stared blankly, eyes wide, pupils dilating, his clenched jaw going slack, his lips parting slightly.

The finger slipped inside, almost gleefully...

"Achan's such a good boy..."

"Good kid..."

Many voices filled the room, overlapping in exclamations and praise.

The dark shadow swallowed him whole, its body enveloping the youth entirely...

"Achan..."

A gentle voice whispered softly by his ear. Xu Muchan's eyes flew open and met Wei Xilou's impossibly gentle face.

Same spot, same posture as before he'd passed out, but now the sinister, inhuman thing was nowhere in sight. The man sitting by the bed had a face handsome enough to bewitch anyone.

As if the monster had slipped back into human skin.

The monster reached out to feel Xu Muchan's forehead: "No fever—you just slept yourself stupid. Why are you staring off like that, not saying a word?"

Xu Muchan's lashes trembled, his unfocused eyes slowly sharpening, but he still stared at the man before him, confused, unable to tell who he really was.

After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse, as if his vocal cords had been damaged: "What year is it now?"

Wei Xilou blinked, as if caught off guard, but answered gently: "It's the third year of the Republic."

...So it was the third year of the Republic.

Xu Muchan stared off into space, dazed.

Earlier, he'd sensed this ghost realm was different—the people in it weren't so much ghosts as they were living humans. They'd occasionally turn utterly bizarre, but most of the time, they had their own joys and sorrows, even going about their work methodically.

This was unlike any ghosts Xu Muchan had ever encountered.

After all, most ghosts only remembered the obsessions from their lives, and no matter how well they disguised themselves, they were still nothing like the living.

But now Xu Muchan had a vague suspicion.

Maybe they seemed like living people because they actually were living people.

And this place might not be a ghost realm at all.

Xu Muchan's heart pounded, and a wave of nausea from the stress threatened to rise, but he pushed it all down, turned to fix his gaze on Wei Xilou and asked: "The people outside—are they alive?"

Wei Xilou smiled at him: "What does it matter if they're alive or dead? The living will die eventually, and the dead... can come back too."

Xu Muchan pressed his lips together stubbornly, as if he absolutely had to get an answer out of him.

The smile slipped off Wei Xilou's face, and he let out a slow sigh.

Xu Muchan didn't say anything, just took his hand and buried his face in his warm palm.

Wei Xilou's palm was damp, and he stroked Xu Muchan's back with his other hand, his voice helpless: "Why are you crying over nothing?"

Xu Muchan didn't lift his head, nor did he speak.

Instead, he thought of the old Wei family history Wei Yao had told him about later.

Wei Yao said the old ancestor was from the main branch in Yundong. Around the early years of the Republic, something happened to the main family—they were wiped out overnight, and only the old ancestor escaped to Jiangcheng with his younger brother, Wei Ting.

After that, the Wei family put down roots in Jiangcheng, but before long, the old ancestor died of illness. Wei Ting married and had kids there, carrying on the family line that led to Wei Yao's branch.

And now it was Year Three of the Republic.

Xu Muchan lifted his face, looking at Wei Xilou through a blur of tears, and thought: Had Wei Xilou really fled to Jiangcheng just to die of illness?