Chapter 43: Older Sister

These three girls originally chose to believe Bai Popo in the small temple, hanging themselves there, in order to gain freedom and a better next life.

But after they hanged themselves, Bai Popo did not keep her promise to guide their souls to the afterlife.

From what happened afterward, it seems that Bai Popo used this painting to trap the three girls' souls inside, and then continually used them to lure other girls into repeating their fate.

Freedom, changing fate—the three girls gave up their lives for these, yet got nothing in return; their Resentful Qi is easy to imagine.

This is the worst scenario I could imagine, but Tang Xun's following words shattered our worldview even more.

"From the information I've gathered over many years, after these three girls died, their souls were trapped in the painting, but their bodies……still received no respect."

Tang Xun spoke obscurely, but I already had an answer in my heart.

Back then, living girls were worthless, but dead ones—especially pure, unmarried girls—could fetch a good price.

Li Qingying obviously understood as well, she gritted her teeth and said, "That Bai Laotai Po truly deserves to die!"

"Her?" Tang Xun gave a cold chuckle, "What do you think she's doing all this for?"

Li Qingying blinked, asking, "Cultivation?"

"At first it should have been for cultivation," Tang Xun said, "Animals cultivating to become spirits and taking human form is a long process; then, to achieve fruition, sitting high and receiving offerings, they truly undergo the eighty-one trials. If any deviant thought arises along the way, they may go astray, and that Bai Laotai chose this path of cultivation, destined never to truly become an immortal."

But the heavens didn't seem to treat her poorly; she obtained a great opportunity that helped her avoid many troubles."

Tang Xun was referring to this Golden Scale in my hand.

Bai Laotai, no, back then she still looked young; after obtaining this Golden Scale, she sculpted a divine image of herself in the small temple, openly sitting high and receiving offerings, while secretly doing these despicable, wicked deeds.

I don't know why, but this suddenly reminded me of the Qilin Temple behind Tafengcun.

The Qilin Temple is Tafengcun's shrine for praying for children, receiving offerings and reverence from all the village's residents.

But the last time Liu Junyan brought me to retrieve Feng Wu, I saw in the temple a figure shrouded in black aura, with a pair of long wings—could that be the incarnation of the Qilin Divine Lord?

If so, how is his appearance different from that of Bai Laotai?

I shook my head, refusing to let my thoughts run wild.

My thoughts settled, but I still didn't understand: "In the Cai Family villa, I was sucked into the painting, seeing the small temple transformed into a palace; the girls trapped inside were mostly young and lively, but there were also some wearing more modern clothes, older, sitting in the corner with vacant eyes—what's going on with them?"

"That's why I said she was originally cultivating; later, obviously not."

I and Li Qingying both sat up straight, eagerly asking, "Then what was it for later?"

"Prolonging life." Tang Xun glanced at us in the rearview mirror and said, "Bai Laotai's cultivation path is negative and evil, destined not to be tolerated by heaven; although she has the Golden Scale protecting her body, she is rotten inside, possibly for other reasons as well; in short, her later use of this painting to harm people is all aimed at prolonging life."

That's also why the early girls were young and pure, while the later women were not limited to those traits.

For example, Mrs. Cai was already married and had children.

I thought again and asked, "Do those women she later persecuted have any special traits, or did she cast a wide net?"

Tang Xun pondered and said, "Anyone she selected likely has some special traits in their fate, at least to some extent; I haven't verified this yet, just speculating."

Regardless, these details no longer matter.

Now that I've taken the Golden Scale, the small temple has collapsed, the idol shattered, and Bai Laotai should have suffered a severe backlash.

A few days ago by the river, she had just suffered Heavy Damage.

These consecutive losses should be enough for her to drink a pot of.

Right now, what I worry about most is that painting; the Resentful Qi inside is too strong, but since the painting is now in Tang Xun's hands, she will handle it well.

Fortunately, at that time Mr. Cai came posing as the painting; I only said I could go with him to the Cai Family to have a look, without promising to definitely take the painting.

Otherwise, if the deal had gone through, it would be difficult now.

Unbeknownst to us, the car had steadily stopped at the Tang Family Old Residence; a dignified middle-aged man came up to greet us, and I immediately recognized him as Tang Ao.

Tang Ao walked over with a smile to the driver's side, opened Tang Xun's car door, and called out, "Big Sis is back!"

I couldn't help but take another look at Tang Ao; from his appearance, he seems considerably older than Tang Xun.

But he calls her Big Sis.

I once again wondered to myself, just how old is Tang Xun?

Tang Xun greeted us to get out of the car while asking Tang Ao, "Are the guest rooms ready?"

"I'll handle things, Big Sis can rest easy." Tang Ao nodded at us, then hurriedly followed Tang Xun, saying, "The meals are also ready; you each go back to your rooms to wash up first, then come down to eat. I specially had the kitchen prepare Big Sis's favorite yellow millet honey bean cake, topped with osmanthus."

Tang Xun nodded, then personally led us upstairs.

The guest rooms were spacious; one was prepared for me and another for Li Qingying, all the wash-up supplies were brand new, and they even thoughtfully prepared a set of clean clothes for us.

After washing up, we gathered in the downstairs dining hall to eat and chat.

Li Qingying and I were mainly in charge of eating, listening to Tang Ao and Tang Xun talk.

Tang Ao spoke while using the public chopsticks to serve dishes to Tang Xun, being very thoughtful.

After finishing the meal, Tang Ao drove off; he does not reside at the old residence.

Tang Xun arranged to talk with me alone about some matters; earlier in the car she had already told me that at the old residence she would show me something.

Li Qingying returned to her room first, and I followed Tang Xun to the study.

Tang Xun's study is huge, its furnishings rich and varied; besides extensive ancient texts, there are many antiques, calligraphy and paintings, porcelain, and so on—truly an eye-opener.

She then directly took me to the attached resting room on the side of the study.

Opening the door to the resting room, the furnishings were simple: just a cushioned bench, and nothing else except an ancient painting hanging on the wall.

The moment my gaze fell upon that ancient painting, I was completely stunned.

The painting depicts a girl in the act of shooting an arrow.

The girl is tall and slender, her hair tied up high, wearing a neat black archery outfit, with the cuffs and hem embroidered with large patches of golden phoenix feather patterns.

The lower half of her face is covered by a gold mask, obscuring her true features; only a fiery red, feather-like mark between her brows stands out prominently.

She tightly grips a bow engulfed in flames, drawn fully, the string pulled taut.

She has only the bow, with no arrow.

I unconsciously stepped closer, wanting to reach out and trace it, but unexpectedly discovered that a tiny figure was perched playfully on the girl's shoulder.

Little Guy, sturdy and chubby-cheeked, with two little horns braids, sat on the girl's shoulder, turning his face to make a funny face.

She is so tiny that if you don't look closely, you might think she's a little toy decoration that comes with the archery outfit.

Just the moment I saw her, I almost instinctively blurted out: "Feng Wu..."