Chapter 21: Volume One: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 21: The Breeze Passes My Ears, The Bright Moon Shines Upon Me

Volume One: Mountain Ghost Rumor, Chapter 21: The Breeze Passes My Ears, The Bright Moon Shines Upon Me

Having succeeded with one strike, Zhao Chan immediately distanced himself from the Chang Ghost's corpse, standing ready in battle formation.

Caution is never a mistake.

He worried the Mountain Ghost might possess someone else's body and catch him off guard.

Bai Youjun looked at him strangely: "Young Master, what are you doing?"

Zhao Chan held his breath and focused his mind, remaining fully alert to his surroundings.

Bai Yuqing seemed to understand why the youth was acting this way and smiled: "The demon has already left; there is no need to be so suspicious."

Zhao Chan glanced at her sideways, and seeing no unusual expression, he finally set his heart at ease.

"Little Young Master, I ask you, are you still willing to be my bait for fishing out the Mountain Ghost?" Bai Yuqing asked, arching her brows.

When silent, Bai Yuqing's beauty was like the pure snow of the Heavenly Mountains, her white dress like a night-blooming cereus in full flower; but the moment she spoke and arched her brows, a heroic spirit belonging solely to a woman rushed toward him.

Bai Youjun gazed at Zhao Chan with anticipation.

Times had changed.

When he agreed to be Bai Yuqing's bait the day before, he was still a lonely mountain youth; today, he had become a Demon Slayer and possessed the cultivation of the Middle-Grade Body Refining Realm.

Zhao Chan carefully observed the expressions of the two sisters. After the time it takes to brew half a cup of tea, he weighed his words: "Since I gave my word to Miss Bai, I will not go back on it."

"Heh, what are you thinking about? Are you weighing the pros and cons?"

"Yes." Zhao Chan did not hide it.

Bai Yuqing suddenly felt a sense of appreciation for Zhao Chan; this youth did things in an orderly fashion, without being indecisive or dragging his feet.

Killing that outsider, he hadn't wasted a single word, luring him to a suitable spot and killing him the moment he decided to.

Killing this Chang Ghost, he had shown slight hesitation—not knowing that if he wanted to, he could have slaughtered the ghost at any time without any probing. But this was understandable; how could a youth from such a small place have such high horizons?

"Using half a cup of tea to think about whether you can protect yourself—the time is a bit long, and your horizons are a bit shallow. If it were those disciples from the Mountain Sects, they would have already agreed happily," Bai Yuqing pointed out generously.

Zhao Chan stood five or six paces away from the sisters. Although he had tucked the peach branch back into his waistband to show he had no hostile intent toward them, his right hand hung unnaturally, ready to grasp the peach branch at the slightest sign of trouble.

"I am not a disciple of a Mountain Sect," he said.

"Zhao Chan, let me ask you one more thing: do you want to become a disciple of a Mountain Sect?"

"I do not."

Bai Yuqing had already guessed the answer and smiled with self-satisfaction: "If someone tells you to apprentice at the Xuanwei Sect, you must refuse."

"Thank you."

"Are you thanking me for the reminder?"

Zhao Chan said calmly: "I thought I was just a tool for Miss Bai to discard after use."

"What a joke. My sister Qing favors you quite a bit; if I were to harm you, she would surely sever our sisterly ties!"

"Sister~" Bai Youjun buried her little head in Bai Yuqing's embrace in embarrassment, then tilted her head slightly to check Zhao Chan's reaction. Seeing his expression remained calm and unchanged, she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

Bai Yuqing continued: "Let me tell you one more thing. There is also a Mold Ghost living in this Nongsui Lane where you reside. I originally didn't want to tell you, but for the sake of Qing being so infatuated with you, I am being merciful by letting you know."

"A Mold Ghost?"

"When people die with lingering obsessions, they have a chance to become wandering ghosts. If the obsession is great, or if the place of death is thick with yin and baleful Qi, they can become fierce ghosts. A Mold Ghost is a type of fierce ghost. You have seen it yourself—wherever there is a Mold Ghost, the corners and crevices grow mold severely. Once this mold matures, it is time for the Mold Ghost to wreak havoc on the land."

Zhao Chan asked: "Why does the Mold Ghost only wreak havoc after the mold matures?"

"Not bad, you've hit the nail on the head." Bai Yuqing stared into Zhao Chan's long, narrow eyes. "The mold of a Mold Ghost not only enhances its power but also makes its movements secretive. Once the Mold Ghost is prepared, a cultivator in the Body Refining Realm will find it extremely difficult to locate it, let alone kill it."

Zhao Chan pondered and asked: "Can Miss Bai kill it?"

"No," Bai Yuqing said crisply.

"I understand." He did not ask why.

Bai Yuqing said to Bai Youjun: "Qing, we should go. The little young master is very busy right now."

"Sister... Sister, please help the Young Master," Bai Youjun pleaded in a very low voice.

"Turning your elbow outward? Do you think I can't bear to hit you?" Bai Yuqing scolded.

She had no choice but to follow Bai Yuqing away, looking back frequently at the deep-in-thought Zhao Chan.

Zhao Chan muttered to himself: "Brother Wang is in the Upper-Grade Body Refining Realm. I can now achieve the 'Sword Storing Spirit' of the *Shake God Sword*, so I must be in the Middle-Grade Body Refining Realm. Neither of us is a match for the Mold Ghost. Miss Bai doesn't want to intervene, but what about the outsider beside Sister Wan'er?

Also, should I believe what Miss Bai said about this matter?"

He already believed it eighty percent.

There was indeed mold growing inside and out.

Steadying his heart, Zhao Chan stepped over Sun He's corpse and pushed open the room door.

With several creaks, the door opened.

The stench of blood rushed toward him as if fleeing.

Sun He's mother... that unrecognizable, incomplete corpse must be Sun He's mother.

Zhao Chan clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth, and stood silently outside the door, watching the corpse covered in bite marks and soaked in blood.

The head had been eaten down to the skull, the neck was half-gnawed, the internal organs were empty, and the flesh on the arms and thighs was picked clean...

In his memory, Sun He's mother was a woman of few words; other than that, he had no other deep impressions. Having been neighbors for so many years, she had always walked with her head down, hurrying through the streets. Sun He's father had a bad temper and would shout at the drop of a hat, but she had never once retorted. When scolded severely, she would only say, "Don't get so angry, it's bad for your health."

Zhao Chan turned and left.

Regardless of whether it was the Mountain Ghost or not.

If he did not kill this demon, his heart could not be settled, could not be calm, could not be at peace!

Returning to his own courtyard, he let out a long breath, picked up his food box, and headed to Zhecao Alley.

Mold spots grew rampantly in the damp corners of the alley.

He knocked on the door.

"Brother Yang?"

"I'm here."

Yang Yun and Zhang Cui Cui walked out from the room hand in hand: "Are you full? There is still some in the pot."

"I'm full."

Handing the food box to Yang Yun, Zhao Chan thought for a moment: "Brother Yang, Sister Cui Cui, the town is not peaceful these days. It would be better for you to go to the village to take refuge."

Zhang Cui Cui's gaze sharpened, her brows furrowing involuntarily, but she immediately relaxed and smiled: "Zhao Chan, what are you saying? Nothing major has happened in the town, has it? Are you referring to Yang Yun and me? Are you afraid that if we stay in town, those gossiping women will point fingers at us?"

Zhao Chan noticed her subtle change in expression and assumed it was just as she said—she had confessed her love to Brother Yang, and with the crowd watching at the time, they would spread nasty rumors.

"Virtuous brother, you worry too much. Let them talk. Cui Cui and I will just treat it as the breeze passing our ears and the bright moon shining upon us." Yang Yun was much more cheerful than before, and he no longer spoke in those pedantic tones.

He thought to himself, perhaps the current Brother Yang was his true self.

"I am now a Demon Slayer. Brother Yang, Sister Cui Cui, believe me," Zhao Chan brought up his status in the Demon Slaying Division.

Zhang Cui Cui wanted to speak but hesitated, finally saying: "Zhao Chan, you care too much about those idle rumors. We aren't afraid, so what are you afraid of?"

She paused slightly.

She wrapped her arms around Yang Yun's: "Yang Lang, think carefully. Zhao Chan's words make sense. As the saying goes, a good man doesn't fight with women. You and I can live our own lives freely and don't need to pay attention to their wagging tongues. But Yang Lang still needs to study. Even the mother of the Sub-Sage moved three times for his studies, let alone Yang Lang. If your thoughts are disturbed by the malicious words of those people, wouldn't that be a pity? I have a house in Source Water Village; why don't you come with me to Source Water Village to study for a while? We can come back after the storm passes."

Zhang Cui Cui caught a glimpse of Zhao Chan letting out a sigh of relief, knowing he already understood that Youju Town was about to fall into chaos.

Yang Yun smiled: "Where can one not study? Where can one not be with you day and night? Since my wife has a house in Source Water Village, let us set up a banquet tonight to invite our virtuous brother to drink our wedding wine, and we will move there tomorrow morning."

"Yang Lang~" At the mention of wedding wine, Zhang Cui Cui's cheeks flushed, beautiful as the morning glow.

Yang Yun turned back into the room, took out a wedding invitation, and handed it to Zhao Chan with both hands: "I was planning to send this to you; I didn't expect you to come first, virtuous brother."

Zhao Chan carefully took the invitation, put it back into his bosom with caution, and added: "True feelings do not care for empty rituals. Congratulations to Brother Yang and Sister Cui Cui on your marriage; may you fly wing-to-wing from now on."

According to the customs of Youju Town, there were many rules for marriage. Yang Yun and Zhang Cui Cui didn't mention them, but judging by their behavior, they intended to keep everything simple. Once he had eaten their wedding wine, the marriage would be considered complete.

Yang Yun clapped his hands and laughed: "Well said, virtuous brother! True feelings do not care for empty rituals! This is just an expedient measure for me right now. When I pass the imperial examinations and achieve high rank, I will definitely hold a grand and glorious wedding for Cui Cui! At that time, I will make sure you drink until you are drunk!"

Infected by his mood, Zhao Chan gradually relaxed and smiled: "I will wait for Brother Yang to invite me to the top scholar's mansion to drink to your wedding."

"You two, you're wrong," Zhang Cui Cui said, blushing and covering her mouth with a laugh.

Yang Yun was surprised: "What is wrong?"

She pointed at Yang Yun's house, which had nothing but four bare walls: "This is already the mansion of the top scholar."

"Haha..." Yang Yun laughed heartily and unrestrainedly.

A virtuous wife helps me ascend the blue clouds.

With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for?

After a few more pleasantries, Zhao Chan took his leave.

Zhang Cui Cui stared at the youth's back, her thoughts swirling in an instant.

"Is my virtuous wife distracted?"

"Oh! Call me that after we drink the wedding wine. Yang Lang, I just feel that Zhao Chan lives quite tiredly," she sighed.

Yang Yun thought for a moment and smiled: "He is just a good person."

"In this messy world, good people will be extorted by bad people."

"You, believe in him. Virtuous brother is not only a good person... he also knows how to be flexible and can be ruthless when necessary. Otherwise, how could he have followed Lao Liu to gather lacquer all over the mountains and plains? Unlike me, heh, I am as timid as a mouse."

Zhang Cui Cui threw herself into his arms and covered his mouth: "Yang Lang is not allowed to say that about himself. In my heart, Yang Lang will always be a towering, upright man."

The two returned to the room.

They sat down together.

Yang Yun sighed with emotion: "I once thought that the so-called 'raising the tray to the eyebrows' was just nonsense in books, meant to deceive scholars like us. I never expected that one day, I, Yang Yun, would also have a virtuous wife with whom I could raise the tray to the eyebrows."

"I am a fox demon. To deceive Yang Lang, of course, I have to be hypocritical."

"Ha, if you are a fox demon specifically here to deceive me, I would be willing to be deceived, and I would die without regrets!"

"Truly die without regrets?"

Yang Yun said word by word: "No complaints, no regrets!"

"Yang Lang!"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in his chest.

Yang Yun tested the waters several times before gathering the courage to hug her slender waist tightly. His gaze swept past her hair, over the mold spots growing on the door frame, and then fell onto the sunlight covering the ground.

Zhao Chan went straight to the Xizhao Inn.

Xie Wan had agreed to the Shadow Puppet Theater Troupe's request, allowing these performers to rehearse in the courtyard.

The singing was sorrowful and lingering, the longing endless, and the lyrics exhausted the bitterness of separation and death.

Last year at the Autumn Equinox, the troupe came to Youju Town, and that very night, they performed this shadow puppet play.

Zhao Chan remembered it was called *Thousand Threads of Resentment*.

It told the story of a fox demon and a scholar. The ending was not good; the fox demon was deeply trapped in the web of love and, to save the scholar's life, was willing to give up the cultivation she had worked so hard to achieve, turning back into an ignorant red fox. The scholar was also a fool for love, carrying the fox to the capital to take the exams, and successfully placing first. Everyone in the world knew of it, and the daughter of the current Prime Minister also took a fancy to the scholar, determined to marry him. The Prime Minister also greatly appreciated the scholar's learning and was happy to see it happen. Unexpectedly, the scholar politely declined, his heart tied to the red fox. The officials of the court, seeing that the top scholar had actually fallen in love with a fox, mocked him as a "fox fool."

This *Thousand Threads of Resentment* had already reached its finale.

Zhao Chan only heard the performer singing with bird-like cries and flower-like grievances: "You and I, let us continue this fate in the next life. The heart has a thousand knots, just treat them as spider silk disturbing people. May all lovers in the world eventually become spouses, unlike you and me, love and resentment, sorrow and emotion, having fate but no chance."

Xie Wan was listening intently behind the counter, her chin resting on her hand, two lines of clear tears falling onto her lapel.

He stood before the counter, not knowing whether to speak or leave.

When Xie Wan collected her emotions, she asked: "Have you eaten?"

"Sister Wan'er, I have eaten."

Seeing Zhao Chan's hesitant expression: "Is something the matter?"

"I, I want to find that outsider."

"Oh, his name is A Ping. Why are you looking for him?" Xie Wan had been in a low mood, but upon hearing Zhao Chan looking for A Ping, she immediately perked up.

He said calmly: "Can I speak to him face to face?"

"Alright, A Ping is resting upstairs. Come with me."

Xie Wan walked out from behind the counter, swaying her hips, and glared at Bai Yuqing and Bai Youjun, who were sitting by the window drinking tea.

The small town was only so big; they were bound to meet.

Bai Youjun had already seen Zhao Chan. She stood up, hands resting on her abdomen, gazing at Zhao Chan with focused eyes, like a young lady from a noble family who had not yet been married off.

"Sister, why did the Young Master come here?" she asked in a low voice, full of worry.

Bai Yuqing instead said: "The play the troupe is singing is called *Thousand Threads of Resentment*. It tells of a fox demon and a scholar who went through countless hardships but still couldn't be together in the end. The fox demon even lost the cultivation she had worked so hard for because of this love. Qing, be careful!"

"Ah? Sister, does this have anything to do with me?"

Bai Yuqing paused, arching her brows and asking in return: "It has nothing to do with you?"

"Sister, I am not a fox demon, and the Young Master is not a scholar, so of course it has nothing to do with us. The Young Master is a person favored by the heavens, and I am also favored by the heavens. We are a match made in heaven!"

"Fine, fine, fine. You've said that more than once."

"Sister, hurry and answer me, why did the Young Master come here?"

Bai Yuqing said: "Sit down first, and then I will tell you."

Once she sat down properly.

Bai Yuqing said: "Just now I told him about the Mold Ghost, and he asked me to kill it, but I refused..."

"Ah! I understand, the Young Master came to seek help from that Xuanwei Sect disciple," Bai Youjun realized suddenly.

Bai Yuqing toyed with her teacup: "Since he is seeking help, the Xuanwei Sect disciple named A Ping will definitely coerce him into joining the Xuanwei Sect. I would like to see how he handles this!"

Bai Youjun panicked again. ===== CHAPTER 22 =====