[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-there-is-a-malevolent-spirit":3,"chapter-there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-28":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","There Is a Malevolent Spirit",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2263134,4416,"Chapter 28: 27、The Figure on the Tree Branches","there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-28",28,"\u003Cp>27、The Figure on the Tree Branches\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady, Lady…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold wind tore through the paper windows, and the heavy scent of wine seeped into the room; a voice like a cat in heat, hidden somewhere, softly called out to those inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Bai Xiue heard the paper face’s warning, she had already grown wary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when she heard that eerie call, her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, her face turning deathly pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body chilled by the wind, she lifted her gaze toward the paper window—yet saw no figure outside; yet in the instant she blinked, she saw a figure crouched behind the wall directly opposite the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure wore a red Tang-style jacket embroidered with longevity characters, a red silk flower pinned to its chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On its head sat a melon-skin cap; a black cotton-braided fake rat-tail curled from the back of its skull, winding three times around its paper-white neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hid atop an ancient locust tree behind the rammed-earth courtyard wall, standing upright among the gnarled branches, its long, thin face fixed on Bai Xiue with slanted eyes—its eye sockets held only white sclera, no pupils: “Lady, when shall we enter the bridal chamber?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady, we must enter the bridal chamber now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you smell it?” the paper face said, its nostrils flaring as it spoke to the dazed Bai Xiue, “There’s wine in the room.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue stared fearfully at the figure hanging from the ancient locust tree; hearing the paper face’s words, she was momentarily bewildered, yet still nodded instinctively: “I smelled it… I smelled it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you smell wine, there’s no need to fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is merely a dream your dead husband sent you—a message.” The paper face’s expression eased slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had she finished speaking than Bai Xiue saw the Wen family’s eldest son, hanging from the locust tree outside the courtyard, vanish without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold wind filling the room slowly receded; everything returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue was just about to exhale—when suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two paper windows began to flap violently, opening and closing nonstop!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The oil lamp on the table was whipped by the wind from the flapping windows, swaying wildly, about to be extinguished!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dim room flickered between light and shadow as the lamp trembled; a massive shadow began forming on the wall behind Bai Xiue, its blurred outline gradually sharpening!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jet-black fingernails and a deathly pale palm suddenly clung to the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wen family’s eldest son, wearing the melon-skin cap, extended his neck through the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tilted his head, studying Bai Xiue inside—first ninety degrees, then one hundred eighty, then three hundred sixty, spinning outside the window: “L-L-L-L-Lady!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every joint twisting, limbs scrambling, the Wen eldest son crawled into the room in an instant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two paper windows snapped shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold wind from the windows blew off the black cloth covering the mirror on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mirror, struck by the wind, now faced Bai Xiue directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the dark mirror, a jet-black spirit tablet was darker still; yet the inscription on it stood out sharply: Spirit Altar of Wen Yongsheng, the Dragon of the Grass!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tablet shook violently; cracks began to spiderweb across the mirror’s surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crimson blood oozed from the cracks, forming dense characters on the mirror: “Go home go home go home…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive shadow on the wall behind Bai Xiue transformed into a figure wearing a Qing-dynasty official hat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of the hat, no pearl ornament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the hat was a long, thin face seven-tenths like the Wen eldest son’s; a hazy, shimmering aura of sacrificial smoke filled its eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, obscuring its features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wore a dark blue-black official robe without rank badges; its official boots, however, had tall, spotless uppers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spoke to Bai Xiue as she whirled around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its voice layered, as if woven from countless voices—men, women, old, young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it spoke, it reached its hand from the wall into empty air and plucked lightly—suddenly, a slender figure materialized in its grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue stared at the figure pinched between its fingers—it was Old Endog, Zhou Sanji!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qing figure spoke slowly; Zhou Sanji was tossed into its mouth, flesh and bone crushed into pulp by sharp teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between its opening and closing jaws, blood soaked every crevice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chang was plucked again from empty air, chewed slowly and savored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue’s shoulders shook like a sieve!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the scene on the wall, terror and grief flooded her heart; tears streamed down her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qing figure plucked Shi Danshi and continued chewing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrifying shadow on the wall faded, finally vanishing entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two paper windows remained firmly shut, the latch tightly fastened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mirror on the table still bore its black cloth, no cracks visible, not a drop of blood on the fabric.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that had just happened seemed like a dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Bai Xiue’s tears would not stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wen Yongsheng is using this dream to warn you… If you still refuse to return home as it demands, Zhou Sanji’s family will die one by one, just as you saw in your dream.” The paper face’s expression had lost all mirth; it spoke softly to Bai Xiue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue wiped her tears with the back of her hand and rose to her feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still sobbing, she gathered the sewing basket from the bed’s edge, placed the fur pieces she had sewn inside, neatly folded the bedding, and swept the room clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears fell into the dark corners, swallowed by silent dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue was leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She reached the door, turned back to look at the room she had lived in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze settled on the sewing basket on the table; she hesitated, again and again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, she returned, took the pile of fur from the basket, tucked it into her bosom, and prepared to depart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. That’s right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You owe them nothing; they can’t help you. Why leave behind what you’ve poured your heart into?” The paper face approved of Bai Xiue’s action, “We slip away quietly—that’s saving them once more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Bai Xiue shook her head: “I—I promised Grandpa Zhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you intend to do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I get another chance… I want to finish sewing this Hundred Beasts robe and bring it to them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue slipped out the door silently; she paused before the door of the room where Zhou Sanji and Zhou Chang lived. Transparent holes appeared across her body; the wind passing through them grew silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She placed the silver coin clutched in her palm upon the stone block at the door’s hinge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where did you get this money?” the paper face asked, frowning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lucky money.” Bai Xiue answered softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucky money—also called protective money, money to ward off evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This silver coin had been buried with Bai Xiue to suppress her as a malevolent spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the last possession of her soul, caught between life and death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>",1179,"2026-06-19T18:47:42.084Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ef67e096d078232fce8c2f8c4afa19322a1c453ce2301e58793c4f2523d0e133","there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-29","there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-27",209,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthere-is-a-malevolent-spirit-cover.jpg"]