Chapter 44

My fingertips were trembling as I lightly touched the little doll's face; she smiled so brightly, making even her grimaces look adorable.

She is Feng Wu!

I remember Liu Junyan saying that Feng Wu had once taken human form, and was a little girl.

And Tang Xun also said that she and Feng Wu were old acquaintances.

Everything matched up.

But if this is Feng Wu, then who is the girl who was shooting arrows?

A strange yet familiar name suddenly flashed in my mind—Little Fire Raccoon.

This is the Little Fire Raccoon that Liu Junyan has long missed, the Ah Raccoon spoken of by the fox lord.

My fingertips finally moved lightly onto the girl's face, tracing over the mask bit by bit, and finally came to rest on that speck of fiery red feather mark on her brow.

Could she be me from a past life?

"I met Feng Wu ninety years ago," Tang Xun said in astonishment, narrowing her eyes at the picture, her voice full of longing, "Back then I was busy searching for spirits, and I met her in a mountain forest; she told me she had lost her master and had been desperately searching.

She told me she was a bow that could shoot karmic fire, yet she had never shot any flame in front of me, while my favorite weapon is a crossbow my father personally forged for me, and I and Feng Wu also hit it off at first sight.

After that, we traveled together; she was obsessed with finding her master, while I was busy searching for spirits, and during that time she helped me a great deal."

Saying this, Tang Xun grew despondent: "There's no banquet that doesn't end; three years later, the Tang Family suffered a major upheaval, and I had to return to take charge of the overall situation, after which I never saw Feng Wu again."

Tang Xun also reached out and gently stroked Feng Wu's little cheek, continuing: "Before we parted, Feng Wu handed this painting to me, saying, 'A Xun, don't forget me; if one day you see this bow, see the girl who can draw it fully, that must be my master; then please give this painting to her and tell her that Feng Wu misses her dearly.'

Tang Xun's eyes reddened, a tear slid from the corner of my eye, my heart felt heavy with an indescribable sorrow.

"Xiao Jiu, I've waited many years and have also met girls who looked very much like Feng Wu's master," Tang Xun said, "but in the end I was certain at first glance that you are the one truly right for me."

She said this, carefully taking the picture down from the wall, placing it in a box, and holding it out to me with both hands, solemnly saying: "Xiao Jiu, returning the object to its rightful owner, I have finally fulfilled my promise to Feng Wu."

I received the picture with both hands and sincerely said, "Thank you."

That night I fell asleep holding the picture, and in my daze I seemed to have dreamed many things, but when I woke in the morning I could not piece together a complete image.

Tang Xun had people drive us back to Wufu Town, the trunk full of gifts, urging us to come sit in Huicheng when we have time.

Back at the pawn shop, the first thing I did was hang that picture in my bedroom—I could never get enough of looking at it.

Li Qingying was busy sorting out the things brought back from the Tang Family.

Just then, Tang Tang's phone rang; I answered and she asked, "Xiao Jiu, did you go to my family's old residence yesterday?"

I grunted, unable to curb my curiosity, and asked, "Senior Sister, just how old is our aunt really?"

Tang Tang replied without hesitation, "Eighteen! My aunt forever stays youthful and beautiful, forever eighteen years old!"

I immediately felt exasperated: "Senior Sister, I'm being serious."

"All right, all right," Tang Tang then said, "Actually I don't know exactly how old my aunt is either; since I've been aware, she's always looked like this."

"Uh..."

I didn't understand: "But... Uncle should be under sixty, right? Is the age gap with my aunt really that big?"

This is somewhat unscientific.

"Ah ya, Xiao Jiu, you've misunderstood," Tang Tang said, "My aunt and my father are actually paternal cousins; this blame should fall on my great-grandfather, who supposedly married one principal wife and a dozen concubines in his lifetime, with a huge age gap between his eldest and youngest sons, which means my aunt's father was originally much older than my grandfather."

These winding, convoluted relations are almost making me dizzy.

Tang Tang clearly didn't want to dwell on this issue much longer; she suddenly turned serious: "Xiao Jiu, I'm calling you today to tell you something very important."

I asked, "What is it?"

"It's about Bái Jīngmò." Tang Tang lowered her voice and said, "Do you still remember the tomb descent I told you about, and the two people who still haven't fully recovered?"

I: "I remember."

"Those two people are dead." Tang Tang said, "They died especially suddenly, with no warning."

I instinctively wanted to say, they had their yang energy severed by Bái Jīngmò, their bodies damaged, after such a long time still not recovered, it's also normal for them to suddenly pass away.

But when the words reached my lips, I froze.

Why didn't those two people die earlier or later, but instead they died suddenly when the Bai Family suffered Heavy Damage?

Bái Jīngmò could sever their yang energy once, and could do it a second time, a third time…

Moreover, isn't that painting in the small temple also the method the old lady Bai used to prolong her life?

It's practically the same thing.

My silence made Tang Tang a little anxious: "Xiao Jiu, you must remember to stay far away from Bái Jīngmò; you must firmly believe that in the Bai Family's great dye vat, no upright and virtuous person can be cultivated."

I replied, "Senior sister, I know."

Tang Tang then chatted with me about this and that for a while before hanging up.

I sat there in a daze for a moment; after coming to, I felt my body, tightly grasped that piece of Golden Scale in my hand, and walked toward the rear main hall.

This piece of Golden Scale belongs to Liu Junyan; since I brought it back, I must certainly offer it to him.

But just as I placed the Golden Scale on the offering table, Liu Junyan appeared beside me.

He reached out and picked up that piece of Golden Scale, his narrow, deep eyes showing a hint of surprise: "Xiao Jiu, you actually found a piece of Golden Scale!"

With one hand holding the Golden Scale and the other arm around my shoulder, he pulled me into his embrace, lowered his head and firmly kissed my forehead: "Xiao Jiu, you're great."

Being both kissed and praised by him made my face flush; I reached out and pushed him, saying, "Senior Sister Qingying said this piece of Golden Scale was originally inlaid in your natal magic artifact; there should be another six pieces, Liu Junyan, do you know where they ended up? If possible, I want to help you retrieve them all."

His natal magic artifact is too important to him.

Perhaps after all seven pieces of Golden Scale are recovered, his natal magic artifact could also be summoned back; at that time, Liu Junyan might be able to break free from the constraints of Dang Pu and regain his freedom.

Liu Junyan did not immediately answer my question; he simply held me quietly, burying his face in the crook of my shoulder, saying nothing.

I don't know what he is thinking right now.

Perhaps he is thinking back to when he lost his natal magic artifact, the seven pieces of Golden Scale were all scattered, and he too was trapped in Dang Pu, and all that entails.

This is probably a memory Liu Junyan would rather never recall again.

I suddenly felt some regret; Golden Scale isn't that easy to find.

Even if I had to search, I should quietly go look for it; only after I find it will I give him a surprise.

That way, at least it wouldn't stir up his painful memories like this.

I was silently regretting when I suddenly heard Liu Junyan say, "Xiao Jiu, summon Feng Wu."

I immediately did as told.

Feng Wu appeared in midair; Liu Junyan grasped my hand and firmly held the bow.

Then I watched helplessly as Liu Junyan, with true qi on her hand, inlaid that golden scale into the bow's body.

In an instant, the bow was coated with a layer of golden light, flames swirling around it.

I exclaimed, "Liu Junyan, this is something from your natal magic artifact—how could you inlay it onto my bow! Take it off at once!"

"Xiao Jiu, what's mine is yours," Liu Junyan said, embracing me, "Now it belongs to you…"