“Don’t run around, just stay here.” As soon as Xiao Qiyu finished speaking, the surrounding cries became deafening.
Suddenly, paper talismans flew out, forming a barrier around the two of them.
Ghostly flames soared, illuminating the ancient path.
Xi Fuhong saw the vengeful spirits Xiao Qiyu had mentioned for the first time, as the flickering human shapes continuously surged towards them.
Xiao Qiyu drew the soft sword from her waist.
Although this sword couldn’t harm people, the scriptures engraved on it were enough to make ghostly spirits vanish.
She spun and leaped out, her dark robe fluttering, casting a bewitching shadow under the ghostly flames.
Xi Fuhong watched Xiao Qiyu wield her sword for the first time, feeling a bit surprised and mesmerized.
The dark purple figure danced gracefully with the sword light, each move calm yet deadly.
As she listened to the wails of the vengeful spirits, she suddenly realized that Xiao Qiyu’s smile remained unchanged, her serene and scholarly demeanor contrasting sharply with her ruthless killing.
Which one is her true self? Is her gentleness real? Is her ruthlessness fake? Xi Fuhong couldn’t understand at all.
She tightly gripped the Black Dragon Tail Ring in her hand, watching Xiao Qiyu fight and protect her.
Perhaps the scariest thing is the human heart.
She seemed like a demon wearing human skin, using gentleness to break down defenses before tearing and discarding them.
So what should she do now? Stay here under her protection? Even if this is also a trap?…
“Miss Xi!!” A sudden shout startled Xi Fuhong, making her shiver all over.
Xiao Qiyu swiftly swung her sword.
She wasn’t hit, but she clearly heard a mournful cry, as if falling back into a cold abyss, the sound gradually fading away.
“Don’t get distracted.
Although I’ve set up a barrier, the yin energy and resentment are constantly increasing, making it easy to lose one’s mind.” Xiao Qiyu solemnly reminded her, bringing Xi Fuhong back to her senses.
She realized that she had unknowingly let the ghostly spirits lure her, almost being drawn to another place.
“I understand.” Xi Fuhong ran back into the barrier set by the talismans, not daring to let her thoughts wander again.
Although these vengeful spirits couldn’t harm Xiao Qiyu, their numbers were terrifyingly large, endlessly pouring in from all directions.
Even the top disciple of Bi Xuan Palace would feel exhausted.
She smiled wryly, thinking Baili was very cunning to send so many ghostly spirits to interfere with her capture, truly interesting.
“In that case, please lead the way.” Chanting a spell and drawing a talisman, Xiao Qiyu sheathed her sword and sat down.
Inside the barrier, Xi Fuhong saw her suddenly meditating, trembling with fear.
What is she doing? Is she tired from fighting ghosts and planning to rest first? At least give a heads-up, right? Xi Fuhong looked at her straight back, not knowing what to do.
She saw the vengeful spirits surrounding her, though invisible, they had already messed up her hairpin.
If this continued, Xiao Qiyu might get hurt.
But she couldn’t go out… Without any martial arts or cultivation, she would be overwhelmed by so many ghostly spirits, risking self-harm.
She worried about Xiao Qiyu’s safety while being warned not to leave the barrier.
In the midst of this internal struggle, she noticed a piece of tattered cloth wrapping around Xiao Qiyu’s neck.
Is it trying to strangle her?!
“Stop!!” Xi Fuhong rushed forward, throwing away the cloth.
She hugged Xiao Qiyu’s neck from behind, feeling the heavy atmosphere around her, as if the air weighed dozens of pounds, pressing down on her.
Frowning tightly, she realized that inside the barrier, she couldn’t feel it, but outside, Xiao Qiyu was fighting against such pressure.
“We just want to find the White Tiger Ring Head, please let us go! I beg you!”
The vengeful spirits didn’t understand what Xi Fuhong was saying.
They had suffered the pain of being bound to the earth for over a hundred years, their obsessions too strong to reincarnate, wandering in the mortal world in agony, long having lost their minds, merely greedy for survival.
Xi Fuhong felt invisible hands all around, desperately trying to pull her into the darkness.
She hugged Xiao Qiyu even tighter, refusing to let go.
Just as the vengeful spirits pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe, the body in her arms suddenly swayed, a faint fragrance filled her nose, and her body instantly felt lighter.
The surrounding wails dissipated.
Xi Fuhong looked up to see Xiao Qiyu smiling at her, immediately finding solace in her heart.
She hugged her shoulders tightly, as if to dispel all the insecurity from before.
“You, you shouldn’t suddenly go silent! I was so scared, those ghosts were going to grab you… so… I…” Afraid that Xiao Qiyu would blame her for leaving the barrier, Xi Fuhong hurriedly explained, but Xiao Qiyu just gently patted her hand and then pulled her up.
“It’s okay, I should have informed you beforehand, sorry for worrying you, Miss Xi.” Holding her hand, Xiao Qiyu smiled.
Just now, she had left her body to search the underground cellar, following the little ghost she nurtured to find Baili’s hiding place.
In fact, she shouldn’t have done this recklessly, as leaving her body meant leaving it empty.
If a vengeful spirit possessed it, it would be disastrous.
Call it arrogance or recklessness, she hadn’t expected that upon rushing back, she would see Xi Fuhong protecting her, feeling both amused and touched.
Clearly so afraid of ghosts, yet disregarding her own safety to leave the barrier, what use is there in just protecting her body? But, being foolish beyond cure, that’s just Xi Fuhong’s nature.
“Baili is hiding deep in the cellar, please stay close to me.” Xiao Qiyu said to her, and Xi Fuhong nodded in response.
With a flick of her long sword and a wave of talismans, the black aura covering the eastern ancient path was instantly split in two.
Xiao Qiyu pulled Xi Fuhong along as they ran quickly.
Without the barrier’s protection, Xi Fuhong felt her whole body heavy, as if her feet were stuck in mud, almost unable to lift them.
She looked up at Xiao Qiyu’s back, feeling that she was also running with difficulty.
Gritting her teeth, she could only try her best to keep up.
After dozens of dizzying turns, surrounded by darkness and wailing, she was drenched in sweat, overwhelmed by psychological pressure and fear, almost fainting.
She reached out to grab Xiao Qiyu’s clothes, but suddenly lost her grip, her body tilting forward about to fall, when an arm caught her.
Looking up, she saw Xiao Qiyu turning back to support her.
“We’re almost there, hang in there a bit longer.” Xiao Qiyu’s voice remained gentle as she took the initiative to hold Xi Fuhong’s hand.
“Okay.” Feeling the firm grip, Xi Fuhong’s heart warmed.
Though the dark path was long, it had no traps.
Xiao Qiyu and Xi Fuhong ran for half an hour, finally reaching the depths of the cellar.
Xi Fuhong panted, looking up.
The space was astonishingly spacious, with towering stone pillars on both sides, adorned with luxurious carvings.
In the center was a platform, guarded by two stone beasts, their fierce postures exuding a strange and grand aura.
This isn’t a cellar…
“This is a tomb.
Perhaps the Ning Family had some connection with the royal family back then, which is why they have the imperial gift of the Xianglin Beast.”
“Baili… is related to the royal family?” Xi Fuhong asked, catching her breath, puzzled.
“No,” Xiao Qiyu smiled at her serious expression, “He’s just here to seek refuge.”
Xi Fuhong stood at the entrance of the dark tomb, watching Xiao Qiyu walk slowly towards the coffin.
The Black Dragon ring on her body seemed to sense something, faintly trembling.
She lowered her head, took off the ring, and put it in her sleeve.
By this time, Xiao Qiyu was about ten steps away from the old coffin.
She suddenly stopped and after a moment said, “Hide.”
…Hide?
Xi Fuhong looked around, obediently finding a seemingly sturdy wall pillar to hide behind.
She cautiously peeked out, seeing Xiao Qiyu holding a sword in her right hand and a talisman in her left.
After a few incantations, more than thirty ghostly flames suddenly surrounded the coffin, the blue-green light instantly illuminating the platform.
“I am Xiao Qiyu of Bi Xuan Palace, I ask Mr. Baili to hand over the White Tiger Ring Head.” Her gentle voice carried a hint of authority.
