If it had been any other young girl of a similar age, she would have undoubtedly screamed on the spot. However, A-Qing had been pretending to be blind for so many years that people often let their guard down around her, assuming she couldn''t see. As a result, she had witnessed countless ugly sights and developed a heart as hard as diamond. She managed to remain silent, not uttering a single sound.


    Despite her composure, Wei Wuxian could sense waves of numbness and stiffness radiating from her legs and feet. The terror she felt was palpable, even if she didn''t show it outwardly.


    Xiao Xingchen stood amidst the scattered corpses of villagers, his sword sliding back into its sheath with a soft hiss. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, his voice laced with disbelief, "Is there truly not a single survivor in this village? Were they all walking corpses?"


    Xue Yang''s lips curled into a smile, but the voice that emerged from his mouth sounded surprised and perplexed, tinged with a hint of sorrow. "Indeed," he replied, his tone carefully crafted. "It''s fortunate that your sword can automatically detect corpse energy. Otherwise, with just the two of us, it would have been challenging to fight our way through."


    Xiao Xingchen nodded gravely, his unseeing eyes scanning the area out of habit. "Let''s inspect the village one more time," he suggested. "If there are truly no survivors, we should burn these walking corpses as soon as possible."


    As they walked away side by side, A-Qing finally felt strength returning to her legs. She slipped out from behind the house and made her way to the pile of corpses, her head bowed as she looked left and right. Wei Wuxian''s gaze followed her movements, his spectral presence tense with concern.


    All the villagers had been cleanly dispatched by Xiao Xingchen''s sword, each with a precise thrust through the heart. Suddenly, Wei Wuxian noticed a few familiar faces among the dead.


    He recalled a recent memory where these three individuals had encountered some idle men playing dice at the entrance of a village. As they passed by, the men had looked up, seeing a blind man, a blind girl, and a limping boy. They had laughed raucously, pointing and gesturing. A-Qing had spat at them and waved her bamboo pole, while Xiao Xingchen had walked by as if he hadn''t heard anything, his expression serene. Xue Yang had smiled too, but his eyes had been devoid of any mirth.


    A-Qing examined several corpses, lifting their eyelids to reveal white pupils. Some faces were already covered in corpse spots. She sighed in relief, but Wei Wuxian''s heart sank deeper with each body she inspected.


    Although these people looked like walking corpses, Wei Wuxian knew the horrifying truth - they were all living people.


    They were living people infected with corpse poison.


    Near the mouths and noses of several corpses, Wei Wuxian spotted traces of purplish-red powder. While those deeply poisoned and turned into walking corpses were beyond saving, there were others who had only recently been infected and could have been saved. These villagers were in the early stages of poisoning. They exhibited characteristics of the undead and emitted corpse energy, but they could still think, speak, and were very much alive. Like Lan Jingyi and the others from before, they could have been rescued with proper treatment. It was crucial not to kill them mistakenly, as doing so would be equivalent to taking innocent lives.


    They could have spoken, could have identified themselves, could have called for help, but the worst part was that their tongues had been cut out beforehand. Fresh or dried blood stained the corners of every corpse''s mouth.


    Although Xiao Xingchen couldn''t see, his sword Shuanghua guided him to the corpse energy. Combined with the fact that these villagers, without their tongues, could only emit groans eerily similar to those of walking corpses, he had no doubt that what he was killing were indeed the undead.


    It was a heartless scheme, using another''s hand to commit murder. A betrayal of trust, venomous and insidious.


    A-Qing, however, didn''t understand the intricacies of the situation. Her knowledge was limited to what she had occasionally heard from Xiao Xingchen. She mumbled to herself, "This bad person, could he really be helping the Daoist?"


    Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "You must not believe Xue Yang so easily!"


    Fortunately, A-Qing''s intuition was remarkably sharp. Although her limited knowledge prevented her from identifying the peculiarities, her instincts had long ago ingrained a deep-seated wariness towards Xue Yang. She instinctively disliked this man and couldn''t bring herself to trust him. Therefore, whenever Xue Yang accompanied Xiao Xingchen on night hunts, she would secretly follow them. Even when they shared the same room, she never let her guard down.


    One night, as the winter wind howled outside, the three of them huddled around a broken stove in their small room for warmth. Xiao Xingchen was mending a vegetable basket with a broken corner, while A-Qing, wrapped like a dumpling in their only cotton blanket, nestled close to him. Xue Yang sat with his chin resting on his hand, looking bored. Hearing A-Qing persistently asking Xiao Xingchen to tell her a story, he said impatiently, "Stop making noise, or I''ll tie your tongue in a knot."


    A-Qing completely ignored him and demanded, "Master, I want to hear a story!"


    Xiao Xingchen replied, "I never had anyone tell me stories when I was young. How can I tell you one?"


    A-Qing persisted, threatening to roll on the ground. Xiao Xingchen finally gave in, "Alright, I''ll tell you a story about a mountain."


    A-Qing immediately perked up, "Once upon a time, there was a mountain with a temple on top?"


    Xiao Xingchen shook his head, "No, once there was an unnamed celestial mountain where a transcendent immortal lived. The immortal had many disciples but forbade them from descending the mountain."


    Upon hearing this opening, Wei Wuxian immediately recognized it: "Baoshan Sanren."


    A-Qing asked curiously, "Why weren''t they allowed to go down the mountain?"


    Xiao Xingchen explained, "Because the immortal herself didn''t understand the world below, which is why she retreated to the mountain. She told her disciples that if they wanted to descend, they shouldn''t come back, to avoid bringing outside conflicts back to the mountain."


    A-Qing exclaimed, "But how could they stand it? Surely some disciples couldn''t resist sneaking down to play!"


    Xiao Xingchen nodded, "Yes. The first to descend was a very talented disciple. When he first went down the mountain, he was admired and praised by everyone for his great skills, becoming a famous cultivator in the righteous path. However, later on, for unknown reasons, his personality changed drastically, and he suddenly became a ruthless demon who killed without blinking. In the end, he was hacked to death."


    Wei Wuxian recognized this as the story of Baoshan Sanren''s first disciple who "didn''t meet a good end," Yan Ling Daoren. What exactly this senior uncle of his encountered after descending the mountain that caused such a drastic change in his personality remained a mystery, likely to remain unsolved forever.


    Xiao Xingchen finished repairing the basket, running his fingers over it to ensure there were no splinters. Putting it down, he continued, "The second disciple was also a very talented female disciple."


    Wei Wuxian felt a warmth in his chest.


    Cangse Sanren.


    A-Qing asked excitedly, "Was she beautiful?" Xiao Xingchen replied, "I don''t know, but it''s said she was very beautiful." A-Qing cupped her face, imagining, "Then I know! After she went down the mountain, many people must have liked her and wanted to marry her. She must have married a high official or a great clan leader! Hehe."


    Xiao Xingchen smiled, "You''ve guessed wrong. She married a servant of a great clan leader, and they ran away together."


    A-Qing frowned, "I don''t like that. How could an excellent and beautiful immortal fall for a servant? Such stories are too cliché, something those poor, sour scholars would fantasize about. Then what? How did their life turn out after they ran away?"


    Xiao Xingchen''s voice grew solemn, "They both lost their lives during a night hunt."


    A-Qing spat in disgust, "What kind of story is this! Marrying a servant was bad enough, and then they both died! I don''t want to hear anymore!"


    Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "It''s a good thing Xiao Xingchen didn''t continue to tell her that these two also gave birth to a notorious demon that everyone wants to beat up, otherwise she might have spat on my head too."


    Xiao Xingchen said helplessly, "That''s why I said at the beginning that I''m not good at telling stories."


    A-Qing, still unsatisfied, pressed on, "Well, Master, you must remember your past night-hunting experiences, right? I love hearing about those! Tell me, what kind of monsters have you fought before?"


    Xue Yang, who had been half-listening with his eyes narrowed, suddenly focused his gaze on Xiao Xingchen, his pupils contracting slightly.


    Xiao Xingchen replied, "There have been too many to count."


    Xue Yang suddenly interjected, his voice filled with feigned innocence despite the malicious glint in his eyes, "Is that so? Did Master used to night-hunt alone?"


    After a brief pause, Xiao Xingchen smiled faintly and said, "No, I didn''t."


    A-Qing''s interest was piqued, "Then who else was there?"


    This time, Xiao Xingchen''s pause was even longer. Finally, he said, "A dear friend of mine."


    Xue Yang''s eyes flickered with a sinister light, his smile deepening. It seemed that uncovering Xiao Xingchen''s old wounds brought him no small amount of pleasure. A-Qing, however, was genuinely curious, "What kind of person was your friend, Master? What were they like?"


    Xiao Xingchen replied calmly, "A person of noble character and unparalleled integrity."


    Hearing this, Xue Yang rolled his eyes contemptuously, his lips moving slightly as if silently cursing. But he deliberately feigned confusion and asked, "Then, Master, where is this friend of yours now? Given your current situation, why haven''t we seen them come looking for you?"


    Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "What a venomous little knife that question is."


    Sure enough, Xiao Xingchen fell silent. Although A-Qing didn''t understand the underlying context, she sensed something was amiss. She held her breath, secretly glaring at Xue Yang, her teeth itching as if she wanted to bite him. After a moment lost in thought, Xiao Xingchen broke the silence, "I don''t know where he is at the moment. However, I hope..."


    Before he could finish, he patted A-Qing''s head and said, "Alright, that''s enough for tonight. I really am not good at storytelling, it''s too difficult for me."


    A-Qing obediently replied, "Oh, okay!"


    Unexpectedly, Xue Yang suddenly said, "How about I tell a story?"


    A-Qing, who had been disappointed, immediately perked up, "Yes, yes, yes! You tell one!"


    Xue Yang began in a languid tone, "Once upon a time, there was a little child.


    "This child loved sweet things, but because he had no parents and no money, he often couldn''t eat them. One day, as usual, he was sitting on some steps, lost in thought. Across from the steps was a restaurant. A man sitting at a table inside saw the child and beckoned him over."


    Although the beginning of this story wasn''t particularly impressive, it was at least better than Xiao Xingchen''s old, worn-out tale. If A-Qing had a pair of rabbit ears, they would surely have perked up at this moment.


    Xue Yang continued, "The child, innocent and confused, not knowing what else to do, immediately ran over when he saw someone beckoning to him. The man pointed to a plate of sweets on the table and asked, ''Would you like to eat these?''


    "Of course, the child desperately wanted to eat them and nodded vigorously. So the man gave the child a piece of paper and said, ''If you want to eat, take this to a room at a certain place, and I''ll give you the sweets after you deliver it.''


    "The child was overjoyed. He could get a plate of sweets just by running an errand, and these sweets would be something he earned himself.


    "Unable to read, he took the paper and ran to the specified location. When he opened the door, a burly man came out, took the paper, glanced at it, and then struck the child with such force that his nose bled. Grabbing the child''s hair, he demanded, ''Who told you to deliver this kind of message?''"


    Wei Wuxian realized that this child must have been Xue Yang himself. He was surprised to learn that Xue Yang, now so cunning, had been so naive and straightforward as a child, doing whatever he was told. The paper must have contained something offensive. The man from the restaurant and the burly recipient likely had some grudge between them, and the coward had used an innocent child to deliver an insulting message. Such behavior was truly despicable.


    Xue Yang continued, his voice eerily calm, "Frightened, the child pointed in the direction of the restaurant. The burly man dragged him by the hair all the way back to the establishment, but the man who had sent him was long gone. The unfinished sweets on the table had been cleared away by the staff. Enraged, the burly man overturned several tables, cursed loudly, and left.


    "The child was distraught. He had run an errand, been beaten, and had his hair pulled so hard his scalp felt like it was coming off. Not getting the sweets was unacceptable. So, with tears in his eyes, he asked the waiter, ''Where are my sweets? The sweets I was promised?''"


    Xue Yang''s lips curled into a smile that didn''t reach his eyes as he said, "The waiter, already angry about the damage to the restaurant, slapped the child several times and threw him out, leaving his ears ringing. As he got up and walked a short distance, guess what happened? By some twist of fate, he encountered the very man who had asked him to deliver the message."


    At this point, Xue Yang stopped his narration. A-Qing, who had been listening intently, urged him on, "Then what? What happened next?"


    Xue Yang replied nonchalantly, "What else could happen? Just more slaps and kicks."


    A-Qing exclaimed, "This was you, wasn''t it? Loving sweets, it must be you! How could you be like that when you were little? If it were me, I would have spat in his food and drink first, then hit him back..." She gesticulated wildly, nearly striking Xiao Xingchen beside her. He quickly intervened, "Alright, alright, the story is over. Let''s go to sleep."


    As Xiao Xingchen tucked A-Qing into the coffin, she continued to fume, "Oh! Both of your stories are infuriating! One is boring to death, and the other is annoying to death! My goodness, that man who asked the child to deliver the message is so detestable! It''s so frustrating!"


    Xiao Xingchen tucked her in, walked a few steps away, and asked Xue Yang, "What happened after that?"


    Xue Yang replied cryptically, "What do you think? There is no ''after that,'' just as you didn''t continue your story either."


    Xiao Xingchen said gently, "Whatever happened afterward, since you''re relatively well now, there''s no need to dwell too much on the past."


    Xue Yang retorted, "I''m not dwelling on the past. It''s just that the little blind girl keeps stealing my candy and eating it all, which reminds me of the times when I couldn''t have any."


    A-Qing kicked the coffin forcefully in protest, "Master, don''t listen to his nonsense! I barely ate any at all!"


    Xiao Xingchen chuckled softly and said, "Let''s all rest now."


    That night, Xue Yang didn''t accompany him, and Xiao Xingchen went out night-hunting alone. A-Qing lay quietly in the coffin, but she couldn''t fall asleep, her eyes wide open.


    As dawn broke, Xiao Xingchen returned silently. As he passed by the coffin, he reached inside. A-Qing pretended to be asleep. After Xiao Xingchen left the funeral parlor, she opened her eyes. Next to her straw pillow lay a small piece of candy.


    She peeked out of the coffin and looked towards the sleeping quarters. Xue Yang wasn''t asleep either; he sat by the table, lost in thought.


    A piece of candy rested quietly on the edge of the table.


    Since that night of storytelling around the stove, Xiao Xingchen had been giving each of them a piece of candy every day. A-Qing was delighted, of course, while Xue Yang neither expressed gratitude nor refused. This attitude had irked A-Qing for several days.


    Xiao Xingchen was responsible for their food and lodging in Yi City. Being blind, he couldn''t choose vegetables well and was too embarrassed to haggle. When he encountered kind vendors, it was fine, but unfortunately, many took advantage of his blindness, either short-changing him or selling him poor-quality produce. Xiao Xingchen didn''t seem to mind, or perhaps he didn''t even notice, but A-Qing was furious. She insisted on accompanying Xiao Xingchen to buy groceries and confront those unscrupulous vendors. However, she couldn''t reveal that she could see, and she didn''t dare throw tantrums or cause scenes in front of Xiao Xingchen.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    This was where Xue Yang proved useful. True to his roguish nature, he was sharp-eyed and sharp-tongued. Whenever he went shopping with them, he would shamelessly demand half the price for anything they wanted to buy. If the vendor agreed, he would push for more; if they refused, he would glare menacingly, making the vendors feel that they should be grateful he was paying at all and just let him leave quickly. It was likely that when Xue Yang had run amok in Kuizhou and Lanling in the past, he had often taken what he wanted without paying. A-Qing, feeling vindicated, even praised him a few times. With the added sweetness of the daily candy, for a short period, A-Qing and Xue Yang maintained a delicate peace.


    However, she could never fully let go of her wariness towards Xue Yang, and this fragile peace was often quickly overshadowed by her many doubts and internal criticisms.


    One day, A-Qing was once again pretending to be blind on the street. This game, which she had played all her life, never lost its appeal to her. As she was tapping her bamboo pole, walking back and forth, suddenly a voice came from behind her: "Little girl, if your eyes can''t see, you shouldn''t walk so quickly."


    It was the voice of a young man, sounding somewhat cold. A-Qing turned around and saw a tall Daoist in black standing a few yards behind her. He carried a long sword on his back and a horsetail whisk in his arm. His robes fluttered in the breeze, and his posture was impeccable, exuding an air of aloofness and pride.


    This face was none other than Song Lan''s.


    A-Qing tilted her head curiously. Song Lan had already walked over, placing his horsetail whisk on her shoulder to guide her to the side. "There are fewer people by the roadside," he explained.


    Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "He truly is Xiao Xingchen''s good friend. Good friends are inevitably two people of similar character and demeanor."


    A-Qing giggled and said, "A-Qing thanks the Master!"


    Song Lan withdrew his whisk, draping it over his arm again. He glanced at her and said, "Don''t play around too much. The yin energy is heavy in this place. Don''t linger outside after sunset."


    A-Qing chirped, "Okay!"


    Song Lan nodded and continued walking. A-Qing couldn''t help but turn to watch him. She saw him stop a passerby and ask, "Excuse me. Has anyone in this area seen a blind Daoist carrying a sword?"


    A-Qing immediately focused her attention to listen. The passerby replied, "I''m not sure, Master. You might want to ask someone up ahead."


    Song Lan said, "Thank you."


    A-Qing tapped her bamboo pole as she approached, saying, "Master, what do you want with that Daoist?"


    Song Lan whirled around, "You''ve seen this person?"


    A-Qing teased, "I might have seen him, or I might not have."


    Song Lan pressed, "How could you have seen him?"


    A-Qing replied playfully, "If you answer a few of my questions, I might remember seeing him. Are you that Master''s friend?"


    Song Lan hesitated for a moment before answering, "...Yes."


    Wei Wuxian wondered, "Why did he hesitate?"


    A-Qing also noticed his reluctance and grew suspicious. She probed further, "Do you really know him? How tall is that Master? Is he handsome or ugly? What does his sword look like?"


    Song Lan answered without hesitation this time, "He''s about my height, very handsome, and his sword is engraved with frost patterns."


    Seeing that his answers were accurate and he didn''t seem to be a bad person, A-Qing said, "I know where he is. Master, follow me!"


    Song Lan, who must have been searching for his friend for years, experiencing countless disappointments, could hardly believe he had finally found a lead. Struggling to maintain his composure, he stammered, "...Th-thank... you..."


    A-Qing led him to the vicinity of the funeral parlor, but Song Lan suddenly stopped at a distance. A-Qing asked, "What''s wrong? Why aren''t you going over?"


    For some reason, Song Lan''s face had turned deathly pale. He stared at the entrance of the funeral parlor as if he wanted to rush in but didn''t dare. His earlier air of aloofness and coldness had completely vanished. Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "Could it be that he''s nervous about reuniting after so long?"


    Just as Song Lan was about to enter, a languid figure beat him to it, sauntering into the funeral parlor.


    The moment Song Lan saw that figure clearly, his face turned from pale to ashen!


    Laughter echoed from inside the funeral parlor. A-Qing grumbled, "The annoying one is back."


    Song Lan asked, his voice tight, "Who is he? Why is he here?"


    A-Qing muttered, "A bad guy. He won''t tell his name, so who knows who he is? The Daozhang saved him. He''s always hanging around the Daozhang, it''s so annoying!"


    Song Lan''s face was a mixture of shock and fury, alternating between ashen and flushed. After a moment, he hissed, "Be quiet!"


    A-Qing, frightened by his expression, fell silent. The two of them silently approached the funeral parlor, one standing by the window, the other crouching beneath it. From inside, they heard Xiao Xingchen ask, "Whose turn is it today?"


    At the sound of that voice, Song Lan''s hand trembled so violently that even A-Qing could see it clearly.


    Xue Yang said casually, "How about we stop taking turns from now on? Let''s try something different."


    Xiao Xingchen replied, "You always have something to say when it''s your turn. What different method do you suggest?"


    Xue Yang explained, "Look, I have two small twigs here. The one who draws the longer twig doesn''t go, and the one who draws the shorter twig goes. How about that?"


    After a moment of silence, Xue Yang laughed, "Yours is shorter. I win, you go!"


    Xiao Xingchen sighed resignedly, "Alright, I''ll go."


    He seemed to stand up, ready to walk towards the door. Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "Good, come out quickly. It would be best if Song Lan could grab him and run as soon as he comes out!"


    However, after just a few steps, Xue Yang called out, "Come back. I''ll go."


    Xiao Xingchen asked, puzzled, "Why are you willing to go now?"


    Xue Yang also stood up, saying, "Are you stupid? I was tricking you just now. I drew the shorter twig, but I''ve been hiding another, even longer twig all along. No matter which one you drew, I could always produce a longer one. I was just taking advantage of the fact that you can''t see."


    After teasing Xiao Xingchen a bit more, he leisurely picked up a basket and walked out the door. A-Qing looked up at Song Lan, who was trembling with rage, not understanding why he was so angry. Song Lan gestured for her to remain silent, and they quietly moved away. Only then did he begin to question A-Qing: "This person... when did Xing... when did that Daoist save him?"


    His tone was grave, and A-Qing understood the gravity of the situation. She answered solemnly, "It was a long time ago, almost several years now."


    Song Lan asked, "Has that Daoist never known who this person is?"


    A-Qing shook her head, "No, he doesn''t know."


    Song Lan pressed on, "What has this person been doing by that Daoist''s side?"


    A-Qing thought for a moment, "He talks a lot, bullies and scares me. And... oh, he also goes night-hunting with the Daoist!"


    Song Lan''s brow furrowed, clearly suspecting that Xue Yang couldn''t be so kind-hearted. "Night-hunting? Hunting what? Do you know?"


    A-Qing, not daring to be careless, considered her words carefully. "For a while, they often hunted walking corpses. Now they mostly deal with vengeful spirits, bewitched animals, things like that."


    Song Lan questioned her meticulously, sensing that something was amiss but unable to pinpoint exactly what. He asked, "Is that Daoist close to him?"


    Although reluctant to admit it, A-Qing confessed, "I feel like the Daoist wasn''t very happy alone... Finally having a companion... So, it seems he quite enjoys listening to that bad guy''s witty remarks..."


    Song Lan''s face darkened with a mix of anger and anguish. Amidst the chaos of emotions, one message stood out clearly:


    Xiao Xingchen must not know about this!


    He instructed A-Qing, "Don''t tell that Daoist anything unnecessary."


    With that, he set off with a grim expression in the direction Xue Yang had gone. A-Qing called after him, "Daozhang, are you going to fight that bad person?"


    Song Lan was already far ahead. Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "Not just fight, he wants to flay Xue Yang alive!"


    Xue Yang had left with a vegetable basket, and A-Qing knew which route he would take to buy groceries. She took a shortcut through a grove of trees, running like the wind, her heart pounding furiously. After a while, she finally caught sight of Xue Yang''s figure ahead. He was carrying a basket full of vegetables, radishes, and steamed buns, yawning lazily as he walked, apparently on his way back from shopping.


    A-Qing, skilled in hiding and eavesdropping, crouched in the bushes near the woods, moving stealthily alongside him. Suddenly, Song Lan''s cold voice came from ahead: "Xue Yang."


    As if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water in his face or slapped him awake from a deep sleep, Xue Yang''s expression instantly turned ugly.


    Song Lan emerged from behind a tree, his long sword already drawn and in his hand, its tip pointing diagonally towards the ground.


    Xue Yang feigned surprise, "Oh my, if it isn''t Master Song! What a rare guest. Come to mooch a meal?"


    Song Lan lunged forward with his sword. Xue Yang swiftly produced Jiangzai from his sleeve, blocking the attack and retreating several steps. He placed the vegetable basket beside a tree and spat, "You stinking Daoist, the one time I decide to buy groceries myself, you come and ruin everything!"


    Song Lan, consumed by fury, pressed forward with lethal strikes, demanding, "What kind of evil scheme are you plotting? What''s your real purpose for staying close to Xiao Xingchen for so long?"


    Xue Yang laughed, "So Master Song was holding back, waiting to ask this."


    Song Lan roared, "Speak! Scum like you, how could you be so kind-hearted as to help him night-hunt?!"


    A sword qi grazed Xue Yang''s face, leaving a cut, but he remained unfazed. "Master Song, you know me so well!"


    The two men''s fighting styles were vastly different—one following the orthodox path of cultivators, the other a wild style forged through murder and arson. Song Lan''s swordsmanship was clearly superior to Xue Yang''s. With one thrust, he pierced Xue Yang''s arm. "Speak!" he commanded.


    If not for the urgency of getting to the bottom of this unsettling matter, that sword thrust might have been aimed at Xue Yang''s neck instead of his arm. Despite being wounded, Xue Yang''s expression remained unchanged. "You really want to hear it? I''m afraid you''ll go mad. Some things are better left unknown."


    Song Lan coldly replied, "Xue Yang, my patience with you is limited!"


    With a clang, Xue Yang deflected a sword aimed at his eyes. "Fine, you insist on hearing it. Do you know what your good friend, your dear companion has been doing? He''s been killing many walking corpses. Slaying demons and exorcising evil without asking for anything in return, how touching. Although he gouged out his eyes to give to you, becoming blind, fortunately, Shuanghua automatically guides him to corpse energy. What''s even more wonderful is that I discovered if you cut out the tongues of those infected with corpse poison, preventing them from speaking, Shuanghua can''t distinguish between living corpses and dead ones, so..."


    He explained in excruciating detail. Song Lan''s hand and sword began to tremble. "You beast... you''re worse than an animal..."


    Xue Yang retorted, "Master Song, sometimes I think you well-educated people are at a disadvantage when it comes to insults. You repeat the same few words over and over, lacking originality and impact. I stopped using those two words as insults when I was seven."


    Song Lan, enraged beyond measure, thrust his sword at Xue Yang''s throat. "You took advantage of his blindness, deceiving him so cruelly!"


    This strike was swift and vicious. Xue Yang barely avoided it, his shoulder blade still getting pierced. He seemed unfazed, not even flinching as he said, "He''s blind? Master Song, don''t forget, why is he blind? Who did he gouge out his eyes for?"


    Hearing this, Song Lan''s expression and movements froze.


    Xue Yang continued, "On what grounds are you condemning me? As a friend? Do you dare call yourself Xiao Xingchen''s friend? Hahaha, Master Song, do I need to remind you what you said to Xiao Xingchen after I massacred Bai Xue Temple? When he was worried about you and wanted to help, what was your expression? What did you say to him?"


    Song Lan''s mind was in chaos. "I... I was..."


    Xue Yang cut him off, "You were grieving? In pain? Heartbroken? Looking for somewhere to vent your anger? So you took it out on him? To be fair, I did massacre your temple because of him, so it''s understandable that you redirected your anger towards him, which played right into my hands."


    Every word struck home!


    Xue Yang''s attacks, both verbal and physical, became increasingly relentless. His swordplay grew more composed yet more vicious and tricky, slowly gaining the upper hand. Song Lan, however, was oblivious to this shift. Xue Yang continued, "Ah! Who was it that said ''We need never meet again''? Wasn''t it you yourself, Master Song? He followed your request, gouged out his eyes for you, and disappeared from your sight. So why have you come running back now? Aren''t you putting him in a difficult position? Master Xiao Xingchen, don''t you agree?"


    Hearing this, Song Lan froze, his sword momentum faltering!


    That he would fall for such a basic trick only showed how thoroughly Xue Yang had disrupted his state of mind and footwork. Xue Yang wouldn''t miss such a perfect opportunity. With a wave of his hand, he scattered corpse poisoning powder into the air.


    No one, including Song Lan, had ever encountered this carefully refined corpse poison before. As soon as it was released, Song Lan inhaled several mouthfuls, immediately realizing the danger and coughing repeatedly. Meanwhile, Xue Yang''s Jiangzai had been waiting for this moment. Its cold blade flashed, suddenly thrusting into Song Lan''s mouth!


    In that instant, darkness fell before Wei Wuxian''s eyes. A-Qing had shut her eyes in terror.


    But he already knew. This was the moment when Song Lan''s tongue was severed by Jiangzai.


    The sound was too horrifying.


    A-Qing''s eyes burned with unshed tears, but she bit down hard on her lip, not making a sound as she tremblingly opened her eyes. Song Lan was barely supporting himself with his sword, his other hand covering his mouth as blood gushed ceaselessly between his fingers.


    Caught off guard by Xue Yang''s sneak attack and having his tongue cut out, Song Lan was now in too much pain to walk properly. Nevertheless, he managed to pull his sword from the ground and staggered towards Xue Yang, who easily dodged the attack, his face twisted in a sinister grin.


    The next moment, Wei Wuxian understood why Xue Yang wore such an expression.


    The silver light of Shuanghua pierced Song Lan''s chest, emerging from his back.


    Song Lan looked down at Shuanghua''s blade protruding through his heart, then slowly raised his head to see Xiao Xingchen, holding the sword with a serene expression.


    Xiao Xingchen, completely unaware, asked, "Are you there?"


    Song Lan''s lips moved silently.


    Xue Yang laughed, "I''m here. Why did you come?"


    Xiao Xingchen withdrew Shuanghua and sheathed it, explaining, "Shuanghua sensed something unusual, so I followed its guidance to check. How strange, we haven''t seen walking corpses in this area for a long time. Was this a stray one that wandered in from elsewhere?"


    Song Lan slowly sank to his knees before Xiao Xingchen.


    Xue Yang looked down at him triumphantly, saying, "Yes, it seems so. It was quite fierce."


    At this moment, if Song Lan could just hand his sword to Xiao Xingchen, he would recognize who he was. The sword of a dear friend—he would know it by touch alone.


    But Song Lan could no longer do this. How could he give the sword to Xiao Xingchen, revealing to him whom he had just killed with his own hands?


    Xue Yang had calculated this perfectly, which was why he felt so secure. He said, "Let''s go back and make dinner. I''m hungry."


    Xiao Xingchen asked, "Did you buy the groceries?"


    Xue Yang replied, "Yes, I did. On the way back, I encountered this thing. What bad luck."


    Xiao Xingchen walked ahead, while Xue Yang casually patted the wounds on his shoulder and arm. He picked up the basket again and, as he passed by Song Lan, leaned down with a slight smile and whispered, "There''s none for you."


    Only after Xue Yang had gone far away, presumably back to the funeral parlor with Xiao Xingchen, did A-Qing emerge from behind the bushes.


    She had been crouching for so long that her legs were numb. Leaning on her bamboo pole, she limped towards Song Lan''s kneeling, rigid corpse, her steps trembling with fear.


    Song Lan had died with his eyes wide open, and A-Qing flinched at the sight of his lifeless stare. Then she noticed the blood flowing from his mouth, staining his clothes and the ground beneath him. Tears began to fall from her eyes in large drops.


    Frightened, A-Qing reached out and gently closed Song Lan''s eyes. She knelt before him, clasping her hands in prayer. "Master," she whispered, her voice quivering, "please don''t blame me or that other Master. I would have died too if I had tried to help. I could only hide. That Master... he was tricked by that bad person. He didn''t mean to do it. He didn''t know it was you he was killing!"


    She continued, her words punctuated by sobs, "I have to go back now. Please, from the heavens, protect us and help me rescue Master Xiao Xingchen. Help us escape from that demon''s grasp. Let that living monster Xue Yang die a horrible death, his body torn to pieces, and may he never find peace in the afterlife!"


    After finishing her prayer, she bowed several times and kowtowed three times, her forehead touching the ground. She wiped her face vigorously, stood up, and gave herself a few encouraging pats before heading back towards Yi City.


    By the time A-Qing returned to the funeral parlor, night had fallen. Xue Yang sat at the table, carving apples into rabbit shapes. He looked to be in a good mood. Anyone who saw him would think he was just a mischievous young man, never imagining what he had done earlier. Xiao Xingchen came out carrying a plate of vegetables and, hearing A-Qing''s footsteps, asked, "A-Qing, where did you go play today? You''re back so late."


    Xue Yang glanced at her, suddenly noticing something. "What''s this? Her eyes are swollen," he remarked, a glint of suspicion in his eyes.


    Xiao Xingchen quickly walked over, concerned. "What''s wrong? Did someone bully you?"


    Xue Yang scoffed, "Bully her? Who could bully her?"


    Though his smile seemed friendly, it was clear he had grown suspicious. Suddenly, A-Qing threw down her bamboo pole and burst into loud sobs.


    She cried with abandon, snot and tears streaming down her face, gasping for air between sobs. She threw herself into Xiao Xingchen''s arms, wailing, "Am I ugly? Am I really ugly? Master, tell me, am I truly ugly?"


    Xiao Xingchen stroked her head gently, comforting her, "Of course not. A-Qing is very pretty. Who said you were ugly?"


    Xue Yang sneered, "You''re hideous, and even uglier when you cry."


    Xiao Xingchen reprimanded him, "Don''t say such things."


    This only made A-Qing cry harder. She stomped her foot, exclaiming, "But Master, you can''t even see! What good does it do if you say I''m pretty? You must be lying to me! He can see, and he says I''m ugly, so I must really be ugly! Ugly and blind!"


    Her outburst led both men to assume she had been called names like "ugly freak" or "blind ghost" by some children in town, hurting her feelings. Xue Yang scoffed, "Someone calls you ugly and you come home crying? What happened to your usual feisty spirit?"


    A-Qing retorted, "You''re the feisty one! Master, do you have any money left?"


    After a moment''s hesitation, Xiao Xingchen replied, somewhat embarrassed, "Um... I think I still have some."


    Xue Yang interjected, "I have money. I can lend you some."


    A-Qing spat, "You''ve been eating and living with us for so long, and you still want to ''lend'' us money? You miser! Have you no shame? Daozhang, I want to buy pretty clothes and accessories. Will you come with me?"


    Wei Wuxian realized, "So she''s trying to lure Xiao Xingchen out. But what if Xue Yang insists on coming along?"


    Xiao Xingchen said, "We can go, but I won''t be able to help you see if things suit you."


    Xue Yang chimed in again, "I can help her look."


    A-Qing jumped up, nearly hitting Xiao Xingchen''s chin. "No, no, no! I only want you to come with me, Master! I don''t want him to come along. He''ll just call me ugly! And call me a little blind girl!"


    Her occasional tantrums were not unusual, and both men were used to them. Xue Yang made a face at her, while Xiao Xingchen conceded, "Alright, how about tomorrow?"


    A-Qing insisted, "I want to go tonight!"


    Xue Yang pointed out, "The market will be closed if you go out tonight. Where would you buy anything?"


    Left with no choice, A-Qing reluctantly agreed, "Fine! Then tomorrow! It''s a promise!"


    With her first plan foiled, A-Qing knew that pushing to go out again would only make Xue Yang more suspicious. She resigned herself to sitting at the table for dinner. Though her performance had been natural and consistent with her usual behavior, her stomach had been tightly clenched with tension the entire time. Even now, her hand trembled slightly as she picked up her bowl. Xue Yang sat to her left, occasionally glancing at her from the corner of his eye, causing the muscles in A-Qing''s calves to tense up again.


    Too frightened to eat, she used her lack of appetite to continue her act of being angry. She poked at her food, muttering under her breath, "Stupid bitch, ugly girl, you''re not even that pretty yourself. Bitch!"


    As she continued to curse the non-existent "ugly girl," Xue Yang rolled his eyes while Xiao Xingchen gently admonished, "Don''t waste food."


    Xue Yang''s gaze shifted from A-Qing to Xiao Xingchen''s face across the table. Wei Wuxian thought to himself, "It''s no wonder this little rogue can imitate Xiao Xingchen so well. Sitting across from him every day gives him plenty of opportunities to study his mannerisms."


    Xiao Xingchen, however, remained oblivious to the two gazes fixed upon him. In the end, he was the only truly blind person in the room.


    After the meal, Xiao Xingchen cleared the dishes and went inside. A-Qing, feeling restless, wanted to follow him, but Xue Yang suddenly called out, "A-Qing."


    A-Qing''s heart leaped into her throat, and even Wei Wuxian could sense her scalp prickling with fear.


    She snapped, "Why are you suddenly calling me by my name?"


    Xue Yang replied smoothly, "Didn''t you say you didn''t like me calling you ''little blind girl''?"


    A-Qing huffed, "Unexpected kindness always hides ulterior motives! What are you really up to?"


    Xue Yang smiled, his expression deceptively gentle, "Nothing much. I just want to teach you how to handle it next time someone insults you."


    A-Qing said cautiously, "Oh? Go on then, what should I do?"


    Xue Yang''s voice took on a chilling tone, "If someone calls you ugly, make them uglier. Cut their face seventeen or eighteen times, so they''ll never dare show their face in public again. If someone calls you a blind girl, sharpen one end of your bamboo pole and stab it into both of their eyes. Let them become blind too. See if they dare to run their mouths after that."


    A-Qing felt a chill run down her spine, but she pretended to think he was just trying to scare her. "You''re just teasing me again!" she accused.


    Xue Yang snorted, "Believe what you want." He pushed the plate of rabbit-shaped apples towards her. "Here, eat."


    Looking at the plate of delicate, snow-white rabbit-shaped apples with their red skins and golden flesh, a wave of revulsion washed over both A-Qing and Wei Wuxian.


    The next day, A-Qing started pestering Xiao Xingchen early in the morning to take her out to buy pretty clothes and cosmetics. Xue Yang complained, "If you both leave, does that mean I have to buy groceries again today?"


    A-Qing retorted, "What''s wrong with you buying groceries for once? Daozhang has done it so many times! You''re always using your tricks to avoid paying and take advantage of Daozhang!"


    Xue Yang conceded, "Fine, fine. I''ll go buy them. I''ll go now."


    After he left, Xiao Xingchen asked, "A-Qing, are you ready? Can we go now?"


    Making sure Xue Yang was far away, A-Qing came in and closed the door. With a trembling voice, she asked, "Master, do you know someone named Xue Yang?"