Chapter 54: Evil Corpses, Vengeful Ghosts (Part 1)

"Wu Lang, I've brought the thing you wanted."

Wu Er Niang came to Wang Wu's side, cradling a large bundle of spider silk in her hands.

"Just in time to lend a hand," Wang Wu waved to her, then placed both hands under Zhao Xingyue, hoisted her up in one grab, and said:

"Wrap her belly with this spider silk, right, just like that. Good, good, that's it."

Zhao Xingyue didn't pay attention to the way Wang Wu was holding her, even though no senior brother had ever held her like that.

Because all her attention was now on Wang Wu's seemingly miraculous treatment of her wound. Though she wasn't sure if it was reasonable—after all, she wasn't from a medical family—but...

Looking at the spider silk wrapped around her abdomen, she kept thinking it was, well, a bit too, uh, too hasty?

Wang Wu clearly didn't know, nor cared what the person in his arms was thinking. He handed Zhao Xingyue to Wu Er Niang and said, "Hold her for me."

Then Wang Wu transformed into his Heavenly Demon Form again.

This state has no activation time limit nor cooldown. As long as the user wishes, it can be maintained indefinitely.

Moreover, in this state the transformer's attributes receive a substantial boost, the magnitude depending on the level of the Heavenly Demon Form.

Retrieving Zhao Xingyue from Wu Er Niang's hands, Wang Wu lifted his feet off the ground and rose into the sky, "Second Aunt, let's fly farther and find a place to set up a nest for this guy."

"Not taking her to our place? Wu Lang?" Below, Wu Er Niang, hopping among the trees with Wang Wu, asked.

"No, I'm afraid she'll repay kindness with vengeance. Even if she doesn't, I don't want to bring her to our side," Wang Wu said. "Humans are cunning; I saved her because I'm kind-hearted, but I'm not stupid. Better to be cautious."

Carrying Zhao Xingyue as they weaved through the forest, after about half an hour Wang Wu gently landed on a clearing within the Wang Ancient Forest.

This spot is roughly thirty-some kilometers from where Zhao Xingyue fought, and about two hundred kilometers from the four monsters' dwelling, situated in a relatively central, shallow layer of the Wang Gu Lin.

Humans rarely come here, and the various Yao Mo Gui Gui that roam it aren't very strong—this low strength refers to nighttime.

Before Wu Er Niang arrived, Wang Wu thought of an idea, one that would be very good for both him and Zhao Xingyue.

He would leave the woman outside for the night while he kept watch. The aura of a near-death, powerful cultivator can attract many things at night, and among those 'things' demons are naturally included.

The vast majority of monsters stay indoors at night, except those that are abnormal. After all, the Wang Gu Lin at night is a dangerous place for monsters.

Monsters themselves are adapted to nocturnal activity; a plain night doesn't harm them. But some things that move in the darkness do.

"Here, then."

Wang Wu surveyed the surroundings, nodded, then looked at Wu Er Niang, "Er Niang, hold her again for me."

"Okay." Wu Er Niang nodded, took Zhao Xingyue. Wang Wu took off again, surveyed the forest, selected a tree, and landed before it.

A golden beam shot from the crystal in his forehead, cleaving the massive tree and splitting it into smaller sections. Then Wang Wu brought over some wooden slats, sharpened their lower ends, and drove one into the ground.

In no time, a square, roofless house appeared, about fifteen square meters in area. No separate frame was needed; the wooden stakes driven into the ground served as both frame and walls.

No windows were required. As for a door, Wang Wu thought, fetched a thicker tree, cut it, and brought a wooden board, two-point-five meters high and half a meter wide—enough.

No doorframe needed; just put it on when required, remove it when not.

The roof was assembled the same way, but Wang Wu made it a bit larger, cut a hole in each of the four corners, threaded four pillars through the holes, and drove them into the ground for stability.

Inside, he laid a floor of smaller timber, piled a wooden board bed, took some cotton cloth stored in his spatial ring and spread it on top, thus completing a bed.

"Done."

It took less than an hour. Wang Wu stepped out of his makeshift hut, clapped his hands, and looked at Wu Er Niang, "Put her onto the bed inside. Good work, Er Niang."

"Impressive, Wu Lang..." Wu Er Niang exclaimed, admiring the house Wang Wu had erected in such a short time.

"Oh, it's nothing." Wang Wu, clearly pleased yet modest, replied, "If San Niang were here, she could spray some spider silk for waterproofing."

"Shall I go back and call San Niang over?" Wu Er Niang asked after placing Zhao Xingyue on the bed, looking at Wang Wu who had followed in.

"No need." Wang Wu shook his head. "It's getting late; you should head back early. Be careful on the road. I won't go back; I still need to tend to her tonight."

"But now it's night, the forest is dangerous!" Wu Er Niang immediately objected. "Wu Lang, why don't you take her back to our place? I'm afraid something will happen to you here at night."

"Er Niang." Wang Wu walked over, embraced Wu Er Niang, gently patted her waist. "Don't be afraid, I can even go to a human town and bring back all this stuff for you; a night in this mere Wang Gu Lin can't trouble me, can it?"

After speaking, Wang Wu released Wu Er Niang, looked at her, and gently said, "Don't worry, you go back first; I'll come over tomorrow morning."

"Then I'll stay here with you too," Wu Er Niang said firmly, looking at Wang Wu.

"No!" Wang Wu's expression turned serious instantly. "Er Niang, do you trust me?"

"I..." Wu Er Niang hesitated, then nodded lightly, "Of course I trust you."

"Then let's go back," Wang Wu said with a smile, "I can take care of myself alone, but if you stay here with me, I'm truly afraid..."

"But I'm worried too..." Wu Er Niang began, but before she could finish, Wang Wu shut her mouth.

A moment later, the two demons separated; Wang Wu looked at Wu Er Niang's watery eyes and said softly:

"Don't worry, Er Niang. No need to worry about me."

"Then, then..."

In the end, Wu Er Niang returned, after Wang Wu's firm insistence.

Standing outside the erected hut, Wang Wu looked to the sky. The sun had already slipped westward, and the forest was profoundly dim. A thin sliver of blood‑red sunset filtered through the withered branches of the deep‑autumn woods, casting an eerie, bizarre light on the forest floor.

Wang Wu had long grown accustomed to such scenery; people used to say the dying sun is like blood, a phrase he never truly grasped until after his transmigration, when he finally witnessed it.

Outside, he set up a Vajra Demon‑Subduing Formation around the house, an auxiliary technique he had hastily practiced after returning from He Dong Xian.

Demon‑subduing and monster‑clearing is a hallmark of Vajra‑style arts; after all, Vajra Demon‑Subduing that cannot subdue demons isn't truly Vajra.

Back inside, he closed the door panel, snapped his fingers, and a golden light sphere appeared, illuminating the dark room. Looking at the space, Wang Wu nodded with satisfaction.

But then Wang Wu realized the house lacked windows for ventilation, so he moved the door he had just shut aside.

"All set. I'll keep watch here tonight; you can rest a while..." Wang Wu stretched lazily and said to Zhao Xingyue lying on the bed.

Zhao Xingyue gave no response; Wang Wu initially ignored it, until he walked over and saw she had already passed out... uh, fallen asleep.

He placed a fingertip on her forehead, infused more Yin‑extreme true Qi, and checked her condition; it seemed the earlier lift had knocked her unconscious, even though he had been careful.

Fortunately, the issue wasn't serious.

After continuing to channel Yin‑extreme true Qi for a while, Wang Wu withdrew his hand, sat cross‑legged at Zhao Xingyue's bedside, ate a few bites of beef jerky, then took out the demon pills he had acquired today and began cultivating.

Although the technique's manual never mentioned how to use such items, once the demon pill was in Wang Wu's hand, his body instinctively began absorbing its energy without any learning.

A massive wave of demonic aura burst from the demon pill and pierced his body. Wang Wu greedily absorbed the energy, feeling his demonic body cheering and leaping with joy.

Time passed second by second, and Wang Wu soon became completely immersed in cultivation.

The sky turned pitch black; although Mid‑Autumn was near, the bright moon was invisible within the forest.

A gust rose among the trees, making the wooden house creak and tearing off its roof. Yet the two inside—one still unconscious, the other deep in cultivation—did not notice.

"Senior brother!???"

In the mist, Zhao Xingyue covered her spider‑web‑covered belly and saw a slightly blurry yet unmistakably familiar figure a short distance ahead; joy instantly rose in her heart.

"I knew it, indeed! Senior brother would never, he would never...!!"

"Senior brother, I'm here! I'm here!!!" Using all her strength, Zhao Xingyue thrust her hand forward and shouted loudly at the figure before her.

The violent motion tugged at her internal wound, turning her face pale in an instant, then she spewed a massive clump of fresh blood, within which chunks of flesh could be seen.

But Zhao Xingyue paid no heed; a surge of power rose within her, and she staggered toward the figure ahead, trying to throw herself into its embrace.

"Don't go."

At that moment, another voice came from behind. Turning her head, she saw that familiar face—though it was their first meeting today, it was already deeply etched in her mind.

The monster named Wang Wu.

Wang Wu stared at her silently, his face showing no expression, and simply repeated his earlier words:

"Don't go."

The voice was calm and indifferent, yet seemed to possess a spell that made Zhao Xingyue hesitate for a moment.

Eventually, she turned back anyway. After all, the one ahead was the person with whom she had poured out her heart and sworn an oath of everlasting love.

She turned again, looking toward where senior brother stood. Then Zhao Xingyue was stunned.

The figure was no longer blurry; it appeared clearly within her sight.

He was not senior brother, the man who haunted her thoughts.

It was a skull, a skeleton, merely clad in senior brother's clothes.

Seeing the white bones, an unspeakable terror rose in Zhao Xingyue's heart.

"Senior brother!!!!"

She screamed and woke up from the nightmare.

When she opened her eyes, the world before her was surrounded by wooden walls bathed in golden light; at the top of those walls, where a ceiling should have been, there was nothing.

Only a face—tattered and ragged—was there, dripping flesh and blood downward.

"Senior… senior sister..."

The human face looked at Zhao Xingyue, opened its mouth, and emitted a mournful sound:

"I'm in so much pain, I'm in so much pain..."

"My inner core, my inner core, senior sister..."

"Senior sister, senior sister... why, why did you let them take my inner core..."

"Senior sister—!!!!!!!!!"

The face let out a shrill roar, deafeningly loud. Its flesh and blood peeled away from the face in the roar, causing a rain of blood to fall in the small room.

(End of chapter)