Chapter 809

The golden snake shivered slightly at her touch and shifted to the side.

Liu Guiyan asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

The golden snake flicked its forked tongue, emitting a faint hissing sound.

Liu Guiyan grinned, "I feel pain too."

She gently tapped her chest, "Here, if it doesn't die, the pain will keep coming."

She lifted the golden snake gently and placed it on her wrist.

The golden snake coiled around her wrist a few times, its smooth scales pressed against her skin, delivering a faint icy sensation.

"Time to change blood," Liu Guiyan said affectionately, lowering her head and nudging the golden snake's head, "This is… the last time."

"We change blood every ten days; after all these years, it should be the end."

She drew a razor‑thin silver dagger from her sleeve and cherished it for a moment, "Cheng Lang, this was still made by your own hands."

"What a pity, we won't be able to use it anymore." She placed the dagger gently on the table, extended her hand, lightly grasped the golden snake's lower jaw, and guided its head toward her left wrist.

"Bite."

The golden snake hesitated for a moment.

In its crimson vertical pupils reflected Liu Guiyan's pale, calm face.

"Bite." She repeated, her voice still calm, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye.

The golden snake no longer hesitated.

It opened its mouth, its poisonous fangs protruding from the gums, aimed at her wrist, and bit down hard.

The moment the poisonous fang pierced flesh, Liu Guiyan shivered all over.

She clenched her teeth, uttered no cry of pain, and her right hand gripped the table edge tightly.

The golden snake's body began to pulse rhythmically, faintly.

It was drawing her blood—not a drop or two, but an endless stream, greedily sucking.

Liu Guiyan's complexion grew paler inch by inch.

Soon, the faint trace of color that lingered on her cheek faded, turning almost transparently pale.

And the golden snake turned red, inch by inch.

Its scales, once like molten gold, began at the tail with a wash of faint blood color.

As more fresh blood filled its belly, the hue deepened and thickened, as if someone had poured a basin of vermilion over it.

Blood‑colored veins spread up its spine, shimmering with an uncanny glow.

When the final inch of gold was soaked in blood, the golden snake's vertical pupils suddenly flared.

Liu Guiyan slowly released her grip on the table edge.

Her lips had turned paper‑white, her breathing light and shallow, each inhalation like pulling water up from a deep well.

Yet a faint smile lingered at the corner of her mouth.

She raised her hand and gently brushed the golden snake's scorching back.

The crimson‑tinged golden scales quivered slightly beneath her fingertips.

"Cheng Lang." Her voice was as light as a feather landing on water, "I have arrived."

"Go then, I have already given you all the poison in my body."

"Find her, bite her for me, bite hard, pour all the venom inside, and never let her survive."

The golden snake opened its mouth, lifted its head, and stared at her quietly.

Liu Guiyan patted its head, "From now on, I can never feed you your favorite eggs again."

"After biting her, live well yourself."

After speaking, she slowly lay her face on the table, clenched the silver dagger's hilt, her smile at the corner of her lips content and quiet, and gradually closed her eyes.

The golden snake crawled toward her face, its vertical pupils like fire, and flicked its forked tongue.

At dusk, Yitian Jianliang led the way ahead, Xiao Yuanhang rode together with his daughter, leading the generals, and followed him to the gate of the Yin‑Yang Hall.

The group halted their horses.

Two massive doors, each three zhang wide and a little over two zhang high, stood slightly shorter than the General's mansion gate.

A flag bearing a five‑pointed star pattern hung on the lintel.

Xiao Yuanhang looked up, "Is this the residence of the Yin‑Yang Masters?"

Yitian Jianliang nodded, "Yes, Your Highness, the ranked Yin‑Yang Masters of Kamakura City usually reside here."

"The Yin‑Yang Hall has been renovated, quiet and elegant; General Lord Fang Te kindly invites Your Highness and everyone to lodge here."

Xiao Ningxun asked, "That Yin‑Yang Hall master Anbei Tai, also lived here when alive?"

"Yes." Yitian Jianliang raised his hand, pointing at the flag, "Your Highness, see, the five‑pointed star on this flag is the Anbei family's crest."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded.

"Dad," Tuan Tuan looked up at him, "From now on, we'll live here?"

"Yes," Xiao Yuanhang said, looking at the five‑pointed star on the flag, unable to help recalling the Hundred Ghost Night Parade.

He turned his head toward Chu Yuan, "National Preceptor, please go in first and see if anything is amiss."

"Alright." Chu Yuan dismounted, went to the front, handed Xiao Feifei to Tuan Tuan, "This little creature has been whimpering all the way, constantly searching for you."

Tuan Tuan took it in one hand, "Thank you, Master!"

She patted Xiao Feifei's head with sympathy, "Sorry about that, Xiao Feifei."

"Dad is at war; I was anxious to find him and didn't have time to bring you, don't be angry."

Xiao Feifei whined plaintively, squeezed into her arms, waddling around until finding a comfortable position to lie down.

"Sir Yitian," Xiao Yuanhang glanced at him, "Please lead the way."

Yi Tiao Jianliang dismounted: "Yes, Your Highness."

"Xiao Er," Xiao Yuanhang instructed, "take the men and go with the National Preceptor."

"If there are any obstinate, dull ones, kill them."

Yi Tiao Jianliang felt a sudden pang in his heart.

"Yes!" Xiao Er replied, turned and pointed to a troop, "Follow me."

"Yes!"

"Second Uncle!" Tuan Tuan shouted, "Be careful!"

Xiao Er gave her a gentle smile and led the soldiers down from the horses.

Chu Yuan frowned at his disciple, "Tuan Tuan, why didn't you warn the Master to be careful?"

Tuan Tuan blinked, "Because Master is powerful!"

"Those Yin‑Yang Masters, even together, are no match for Master, so of course I don't need to warn!"

Chu Yuan laughed, his mouth unable to hide a smile: "Your mouth is sweet!"

After speaking, he turned and said to Yi Tiao Jianliang, "Please."

The group followed Yi Tiao Jianliang into the Yin‑Yang Hall.

Inside it was spacious, composed of four courtyards: the front yard, the central courtyard, the back yard, and a separate meditation tower.

There were nearly twenty huts and houses, linked by corridors, arranged with pleasing irregularity.

Yi Tiao Jianliang said as he walked, "This place covers about fifty‑plus mu, about one‑third the size of the General's Residence; in Kamakura City, it is second only to the General's Residence."

Chu Yuan nodded, pointed, and earnestly asked the group of Yin‑Yang Aides standing in the back yard, "They are the Yin‑Yang Masters?"

Yi Tiao Jianliang nodded, "Yes, aside from Abe Taichin, who is the head of the Yin‑Yang Hall, there are twenty‑eight Yin‑Yang Aides of various ranks."

He scanned and asked, "How is one missing?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a Yin‑Yang Aide fled panic‑stricken from the meditation tower, shouting incoherently, "Dead, someone died!"

Xiao Er and the soldiers instantly became alert, and with a swish they drew their side swords.

Yi Tiao Jianliang's face darkened: "What are you doing in such a panic?"

"All twenty‑eight of you are here; who died? Why is there an extra person? Where is the body?"

The Yin‑Yang Aide pointed to the meditation tower: "It's on the third floor, next to the quiet room!"