Chapter 126: The Lingering Shadow of the Old Teaching Building

The pale golden light of dawn dappled the room.

Su Mian was overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions: shock and profound chill upon learning the truth, coupled with a complex worry for her sister’s future fate. These feelings surged and churned within her, like an relentless tide.

It wasn’t until the sky was fully bright that she managed to gradually process the chaotic, heavy information.

A stifling sensation still clogged her chest, and her throat felt as if something was lodged there. Yet, she could at least begin to untangle the intricate chain of mysteries behind the dramatic turn of events she had witnessed.

Eventually, she changed into her male disguise, carefully combed her slightly curled short hair, and put on the rather clunky black-rimmed glasses.

Her face in the mirror remained delicate and lively, but her eyes now held less of yesterday’s vivacity, replaced by a newfound tranquility and weariness.

She took a deep breath, striving to push the tumultuous emotions back into the depths of her heart.

***

The car ride to N University in Xiao Moyuan’s vehicle was quiet.

The streetscape outside the window rushed by, appearing ordinary and orderly—a stark contrast to the crimson, eerie world of the spirit realm from last night.

Su Mian gazed out, her fingers unconsciously stroking the seatbelt. She needed to find another topic, something to distract her from the suffocating “family matters.”

“Yesterday… such a huge incident occurred,” she began tentatively, her voice still a little hoarse from sleep. “Ling Chen died, and Su Baixue was taken away.”

“The Exorcism Bureau and the Purification Bureau will likely send new, more powerful exorcists to handle things here at N University soon, won’t they?”

As the words “exorcist” left her lips, a natural sense of aversion and wariness welled up within her.

Ling Chen’s twisted, excited face and his cruel, ruthless demeanor towards the shikigami were deeply etched in her memory. They had left her with an extremely negative impression of a profession that was supposed to represent “protection” and “order.”

How many others like Ling Chen, who were duplicitous and used their power to satisfy personal desires, were truly out there?

Xiao Moyuan drove steadily, his gaze fixed straight ahead. Upon hearing her question, his expression remained unchanged, and he merely replied, “No new exorcists will be coming.”

Su Mian turned her head to look at him, surprised.

Xiao Moyuan continued, his tone calm and unruffled: “I’ve already informed the Bureau. I will be solely responsible for the aftermath of the Spirit Seal incident.

The special-grade malevolent spirit in the N University teaching building and the investigation into Xia, the special-grade blood kin—both located near N University—will be handled entirely by me.”

“You?”

Su Mian’s astonishment grew. “But wasn’t your original mission to track down Xia, the special-grade blood kin? Taking on two special-grade cases at once, both near N University… can you manage it all?”

She wasn’t questioning Xiao Moyuan’s abilities, but instinctively worried that he might be overburdened or even face greater risks.

Xiao Moyuan glanced at her, his deep brown eyes appearing exceptionally clear in the morning light. He didn’t directly answer whether he could manage, but a faint curve played on his lips, a look that was both mocking and resolute.

“Both mission objectives are in the same area; handling them won’t conflict.”

Su Mian furrowed her brow, a worried expression lingering on her face for a moment. He paused, his gaze sweeping over Su Mian before he slowly added, “And, I have you, don’t I?”

“Me?”

Su Mian stared, pointing at her own nose, utterly bewildered. “What does that even mean? I’m barely an amateur; what help could I possibly be?”

Xiao Moyuan turned his gaze back to the road. “It would be good enough if you just didn’t cause trouble for me.”

Su Mian remembered saying something similar in a message before she left last night, and her cheeks flushed slightly. She then mumbled, “Didn’t you say it yourself? That I wanted to grow, to become stronger…”

“That’s true… but to face a special-grade malevolent spirit right off the bat, isn’t that a bit too much like ‘pulling up seedlings to help them grow’?”

“Shouldn’t I start with simpler tasks to get used to things?”

She had a good sense of her own limitations. Xiao Moyuan’s voice betrayed no emotion, as if he were simply stating an objective fact.

“A lack of challenge, on the contrary, easily breeds inertia and blind self-confidence. Moreover, the current situation is one we cannot afford to mishandle.”

He paused, his tone imbued with a reassuring steadiness. “As long as you wear that necklace properly and follow my arrangements, I will ensure your safety.”

Through the rearview mirror, he saw a complex flicker in the depths of Su Mian’s eyes, a hint of lingering apprehension on her face.

‘The King of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, the special-grade Miyuki-maru… N University, and the secrets hidden within Su Mian, as well as the intertwined karma that caused such beings to appear for her…’

‘The complexities are likely far beyond what I initially imagined. It is imperative that she grows quickly and gains control over her own strength. I cannot shield her from every storm forever; sooner or later, she will have to face them herself.’

‘Furthermore, Su Mian’s demonstrated talent is far beyond that of ordinary spirits. I also don’t want her to become useless by being overly protected.’

‘While the N University incident involves a special-grade malevolent spirit, the seal is still intact, and it is under my direct supervision. This perfectly aligns with using it as an excellent ‘grindstone’ for her.’

‘I will subtly manage the overall situation to ensure she doesn’t encounter truly fatal danger.’

***

The car slowly decelerated, coming to a stop at a quiet street corner, a block away from the main gate of N University.

This was their agreed-upon “safe drop-off point,” chosen to avoid attracting undue attention.

Su Mian unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to open the door and alight.

“Wait a moment,” Xiao Moyuan’s voice came from behind her.

Su Mian froze, her heart inexplicably skipping a beat. She seemed to… guess what he was about to do.

Her cheeks warmed slightly, and her body stiffened, remaining still. Xiao Moyuan leaned across the center console, his body’s cool cedar scent instantly enveloping her, bringing with it a comforting warmth.

He didn’t linger; he simply leaned in slightly, and a soft, cool kiss lightly brushed her forehead. The sensation was fleeting.

“Be careful,” he murmured, his voice momentarily softer than usual, but then it returned to its customary calm.

“That Miyuki-maru and the Nurarihyon, they don’t seem malicious towards you at present, but their identities are special, and their intentions are unclear. Maintain an appropriate distance; don’t get too deeply involved, understand?”

“I… I understand.”

Su Mian lowered her head, the kissed spot on her skin tingling slightly. Her heart was still beating erratically. She mumbled a reply, then pushed open the car door and practically fled, merging into the sparse morning crowd.

It wasn’t until she walked into the N University campus, with the cool morning breeze on her face, that Su Mian felt the heat on her cheeks gradually recede.

She composed herself and headed to class as usual. The professor’s calm voice echoed through the classroom, the words on the PPT clear and concise.

Students around her were either listening attentively, whispering softly, or secretly playing on their phones. Everything seemed so normal, as if the life-and-death struggle in a different dimension last night was merely a bizarre nightmare.

But Su Mian knew it wasn’t a dream.

After her morning classes concluded, she packed her books, hesitated for a moment, then walked towards the activity room. Lu Yang was still there.

He sprang from his seat the moment he saw her, his face a mix of worry and excitement as he rushed forward. “Su Mian! What exactly happened last night?”

“When I saw your sister and that new guy… there was nothing! When Qin Xuan and I woke up, we were actually back in our own dorm beds! How did we get back?”

He rattled off a string of questions, clearly having bottled them up all night and throughout the morning.

Su Mian instinctively looked towards the window. Hua Liang was still leaning against the wall, looking as languid as ever, idly fiddling with an ancient copper coin.

He gave her a meaningful yet seemingly harmless smile when he saw her looking, shaking his head to indicate it was none of his business.

Miyuki-maru sat quietly on a chair beside him, holding a thick book titled *Geology and Climate Change*. Sensing Su Mian’s gaze, she gently nodded, her ice-blue eyes conveying clear goodwill and gratitude.

Su Mian immediately understood. Miyuki-maru had personally experienced what happened after she lost control and demonized last night. This goodwill and gratitude must have been for her actions in protecting Miyuki-maru.

Hua Liang’s denial, coupled with Xiao Moyuan’s words this morning, confirmed her belief that only Xiao Moyuan could have safely returned Lu Yang and Qin Xuan to their dorms.

She composed herself, nodded to Lu Yang, and admitted, “Yes, that was me. I sent you back. Sorry, the situation last night was a bit complicated, and I scared you two.”

Lu Yang patted his chest, looking still shaken. “More than scared! It was downright sinister!”

“But seriously, you’re a good friend. You remembered to drag us back and didn’t leave us to spend the night in that haunted building.”

He clearly interpreted “sent you back” as a physical act of carrying them.

Just then, Miyuki-maru closed her book and stood up. She walked to the small tea table in the corner of the activity room, skillfully took out some tea leaves, and slowly steeped them with hot water.

The aroma of tea quickly filled the air. She brought the freshly brewed tea directly to Su Mian, offering her the warm cup.

“Have some tea first, to warm yourself up.”

Miyuki-maru’s voice remained cool and calm, but compared to her usual indifference towards others, there was a subtle, almost imperceptible softness in her tone towards Su Mian at this moment.

Su Mian inhaled the warm fragrance, and the warm touch of the cup made her heart feel a little warmer too. She leaned in slightly, adding in a whisper that only the two of them could hear, “Thank you for last night.”

Su Mian took the teacup, feeling its warmth on her fingertips, and a similar warmth spread through her heart. She shook her head and quietly responded, “It was nothing, I had to.”

She understood Miyuki-maru’s gratitude, as her actions then had been driven more by a surge of anger and instinct.

Lu Yang watched, eyes wide. He nudged Hua Liang with his elbow, lowering his voice to ask, “Hey, Hua Liang, did you see that?!”

“Miyuki-maru even personally brewed tea for Su Mian, and they were whispering! What’s going on with this?”

He remembered that Miyuki-maru and Su Mian often seemed at odds, yet also shared a natural understanding. How had Miyuki-maru’s attitude towards Su Mian seemingly improved overnight?

Hua Liang lazily lifted his head, sipping his tea. He gave Miyuki-maru an unconcerned smile. “Why should I be anxious?”

“It’s good that their relationship is good, isn’t it? Let them be.”

Lu Yang was momentarily speechless by his reaction, only able to scratch his head and mutter inwardly: ‘Hua Liang’s heart is really too big, isn’t it? Is it really good?’

However, on second thought, Su Mian’s emotional state had been consistently poor. First because of Shen Zhixia and Xiao Moyuan, and now having a friend like Miyuki-maru might not be a bad thing?

Lu Yang felt his head spinning; Su Mian’s romantic and interpersonal relationships were too complicated, an entangled mess. ‘Forget it,’ he decided. ‘As long as Su Mian herself is happy and can move past this, that’s all that matters.’

Su Mian, of course, had no way of knowing Lu Yang’s internal deliberations.

After a moment’s thought, she turned to Miyuki-maru. Holding the warm teacup, she lowered her voice and asked, “Miyuki-maru, last night my sister…”

Halfway through her question, she suddenly stopped. Lu Yang and Qin Xuan, two ordinary people who knew nothing of the supernatural world, were still present in the activity room.

Directly discussing details involving yokai, exorcists, and slaughter was clearly inappropriate. She could only swallow the latter half of her sentence, giving Miyuki-maru an apologetic look.

Miyuki-maru seemed to understand her concerns, and gently blinked, indicating comprehension, without pressing the matter.

Just then, Qin Xuan, who had been sitting in front of the computer, suddenly stopped his actions. His fingers had been flying across the keyboard, and the cold light of the screen reflected off his glasses.

He pushed up his spectacles, and his calm but clear voice broke the subtle atmosphere in the activity room, especially when he looked at Su Mian, his tone still his usual analytical one.

“Found it. Those two names—Chen Wan and Zhou Li. I’ve located some corresponding historical records.”

Everyone’s gaze instantly focused on him. Qin Xuan turned, facing the group.

He brought up a data page on the computer screen, displaying scans of old files and blurry old newspaper clippings. “Chen Wan, female, first-year history student at N University thirty-four years ago.”

“Records show she came from a remote mountainous area, from a poor family, but her entrance exam results were excellent, and she even received a scholarship.”

“Zhou Li, female, a student from the same period, came from a wealthy family, her father being the president of N University at the time.”

Qin Xuan’s fingertips slid across the touchpad, bringing up another document, his tone unchanged.

“Regarding Chen Wan’s demise, the record states: three months after enrollment, due to excessive academic pressure and a weak psychological capacity, she died in an accidental fall in a preparation room on the east side of the fifth floor, later ruled a suicide.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group, lingering for a moment on Su Mian’s hand, which had abruptly tightened around her teacup. He then sighed.

“However—approximately one week after Chen Wan’s death, four other female students from the same grade successively met with accidents, either dying or suffering severe injuries. The specific details are vague, and the related archives show obvious signs of tampering.”

“I spent quite a bit of effort piecing together this information from some peripheral records and old campus rumors.”

Lu Yang gasped, sucking in a cold breath. “Holy crap… that’s messed up!”

“Incidents happening one after another within a week? Is this really just an accident?”

Su Mian’s heart, however, sank. The official record Qin Xuan found was completely different from the terrifying scene she had witnessed, yet it perfectly matched what Zhou Li had said when threatening Lin Juan: that she “could settle things,” turning it into an accident or suicide.

What happened in that preparation room thirty-four years ago was clearly not an accident or suicide, but a brutal act of power covered up!

And the subsequent incidents involving Zhou Li and others were likely related to “that thing” that formed after Chen Wan’s death.

Qin Xuan looked at Su Mian’s pale face and continued, “According to the scene you described last night, there’s a significant discrepancy with the official records.”

“A reasonable conjecture is that Chen Wan’s death was not a simple accident or suicide, but rather a murder.

Furthermore, after her death, perhaps due to intense resentment or other unknown reasons, an ‘existence’ formed that we currently cannot fully explain scientifically.”

He used a relatively neutral term, “existence,” but everyone understood what he was referring to. “This ‘existence’ has lingered in the old teaching building in some form. Its influence… might have continued to this day.”

Qin Xuan concluded, his voice steady. Lu Yang couldn’t help but shiver, a clear look of fear on his face. “Then… are we still going to keep investigating?”

“Last night’s ghost wall was already terrifying enough. If this really involves a vengeful spirit from a thirty-year-old murder…”

He looked at Qin Xuan, then at Su Mian, Miyuki-maru, and Hua Liang, his tone hesitant. Though he was bold and loved excitement, having personally experienced last night’s strangeness, he had to reconsider.

Qin Xuan clasped his hands on the table, his gaze calmly sweeping over everyone. “From the nature of the incident, a deep investigation into this matter does carry unknown and potentially overwhelming risks.”

“I won’t make the decision; I respect everyone’s opinion. Especially,” he looked at Su Mian, “Su Mian, as the direct ‘information receiver,’ your feelings and willingness are very important.”

As he spoke, Qin Xuan’s gaze unconsciously drifted towards the window. The setting sun’s afterglow gilded the campus buildings with a golden edge.

His sight was distantly fixed on that silent old teaching building. In his vision, unlike what others saw, a sinister, grayish-black, slowly rotating miniature vortex was hovering above the top floor of that building.

What made him even more secretly alarmed was that he himself seemed to have undergone some change.

After regaining consciousness last night, he found himself occasionally able to “see” some blurry, non-normal light and shadows or auras, such as the black energy on the old teaching building now.

He had privately asked a few classmates and teachers passing by if they felt that building looked “a bit off” or “particularly dark,” but their replies were all vague or simply “nothing special.”

This “seeing” ability, he realized, was very likely a lingering effect of last night’s incident.

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