Chapter 68: A Lingering Unease

Lu Hongzhuang clutched the crumpled paper tightly, gritting her teeth as she left a single remark.

“Rest well. I’ll be back.”

As Lu Hongzhuang’s figure vanished through the doorway, the room instantly fell silent.

Su Qinghan leaned against the headboard, watching the door gently close and listening to the receding footsteps in the courtyard. The casual languor on her face slowly receded.

She did not lie down to rest immediately.

“Jiu Li,” she called out in her mind.

“What is it?” Jiu Li’s lazy voice echoed. “Planning to drain your body again? Let me tell you, you’re a paper doll beauty right now, ready to fall apart at the slightest breeze. If you dare to meddle with spiritual power again, this fox will truly abandon you to your fate!”

Su Qinghan paid no heed to the threat, simply asking calmly, “How much spiritual power is left?”

“Not a single drop!” Jiu Li’s voice rose by an octave, exasperated. “Do you think this fox’s spiritual power just blows in with the wind? It’s incredibly strenuous to refine!”

“She went out alone; I’m a little uneasy.”

“What’s there to be uneasy about?” Jiu Li grumbled. “That little lass is no slouch in a fight, and she’s a genius of the Demon Exorcism Division. Dealing with a few wolf demons would be child’s play for her, wouldn’t it? Besides, haven’t you taught her the secrets of drawing talismans and how to use them? Even if her drawings are crooked, they’re barely usable, more than enough for self-preservation!”

Su Qinghan fell silent.

Jiu Li was not wrong.

Lu Hongzhuang’s strength, within Moonfall Town, was such that she could essentially roam unchecked, as long as she didn’t encounter a greater demon.

Yet, for some unknown reason, a strange unease lingered in her heart.

‘Perhaps her injuries were affecting her state of mind.’

She slowly exhaled a turbid breath, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her. Unable to resist her body’s profound weakness any longer, she closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

****

The night was deep.

Su Qinghan was roused by a series of faint sounds from the courtyard.

Opening her eyes, she saw the moonlight filtering through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows across the floor.

“Splash…”

It was the sound of water being poured into a wooden tub.

Immediately after, the hushed whispers of maids followed.

“Lady Lu has returned…”

“Quick, the hot water is ready. Take it to Lady Lu.”

“Lady Lu is covered in blood. She must have endured another fierce battle…”

Lu Hongzhuang had returned.

A sense of calm inexplicably settled within Su Qinghan’s heart.

She listened intently, and soon the sound of water emanated from the adjacent room.

Lu Hongzhuang dismissed the maids who wished to attend her bath, remaining alone in the room.

The water splashed and gurgled, carrying a tranquility that seemed to wash away dust and weariness.

Su Qinghan’s fingertips, at some point, had already clasped a talisman.

It was a pale yellow paper talisman, adorned with intricate patterns drawn in cinnabar. As a faint wisp of her thought infused it, the talisman silently emitted a soft glow.

‘It was a “Clairaudience Talisman”.’

The sounds of water from the next room instantly became crystal clear, as if right beside her ear.

Droplets of water fell from her hair, striking the surface and creating tiny ripples.

She untied her hair, letting her long tresses soak in the warm water.

She cleansed the bloodstains from her body, her movements light, yet tinged with fatigue.

Su Qinghan listened quietly, her mind even able to conjure the scene.

‘A room shrouded in mist, steam rising, a red-clad heroine shedding her battle attire, washing away the smoke and gore of conflict…’

“Cough, cough!”

Su Qinghan suddenly coughed softly twice, interrupting her own imagination.

‘What was she doing?’

‘Eavesdropping?’

‘Or listening to her bathe?’

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, who would have thought?” Jiu Li’s teasing voice rang in her mind. “You, an old fool devoted to the Dao and seeking supreme detachment, are actually engaging in such sneaky behavior! What, is just listening not enough? How about I conjure up some visuals for you, so you can see everything clearly?”

Su Qinghan’s cheeks flushed slightly.

She quickly slapped the glowing talisman against the quilt, and its light instantly extinguished.

“Silence,” her voice returned to its usual coolness. “I was merely checking if she was injured.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Jiu Li drew out the last syllable of her words. “Her breathing is steady and strong; her voice is full of vigor. Does that sound like someone injured? On the contrary, you’re the invalid, wide awake in the middle of the night, listening to someone bathe, and you claim there’s nothing suspicious about it?”

“You lecherous fox, what kind of nonsense fills your mind?” Su Qinghan couldn’t be bothered to argue with her.

“Hey! What fox isn’t lecherous?” Jiu Li instantly perked up, bragging triumphantly, “Back in the day, an ancestor of my clan even managed to charm the Human Emperor, leaving behind a tale that would endure for a thousand years! This is all inherited through my bloodline, a bloodline inheritance, do you understand?”

Su Qinghan rolled her eyes, severed her mental link with Jiu Li, closed her eyes, and feigned sleep.

Not long after, the sounds of water from next door ceased.

“Creak—”

The guest room door was gently pushed open.

A scent, a mixture of steam and faint soap, wafted in.

Lu Hongzhuang’s footsteps were so light they were almost inaudible.

She approached the bed, seemingly to check on Su Qinghan’s sleep.

Just then, Su Qinghan “opportunely” stirred, letting out a soft hum, and slowly opened her eyes, feigning the groggy appearance of someone just waking up.

“You’re back?”

“Did I wake you?” Lu Hongzhuang’s voice held an apologetic tone.

She had changed into clean, casual clothes, her long hair tied back with a simple cloth band. This softened her usual fierce demeanor as a martial heroine, lending her a more gentle, domestic air.

“No,” Su Qinghan shook her head, propping herself up slightly. “What’s the situation outside?”

At the mention of serious matters, Lu Hongzhuang immediately brightened.

She pulled a chair to the bedside and sat down, her eyebrows dancing as she eagerly shared her achievements.

“That Wolf King! So cautious, always fleeing the moment things looked bad. It only dared to be so arrogant because it had so many lesser demons under its command.”

“The lesser demons in the surrounding villages have mostly been dealt with by me too.”

The more she spoke, the more excited she became, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

“That fat fox Magistrate even suggested we organize the villagers from the nearby villages, having them temporarily encamp in an open area outside the city. That way, if any demonic entities attack again, the demon exorcists can rush to provide support immediately!”

Su Qinghan listened quietly, her expression remaining unchanged.

‘She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.’

“Why not let them into the city?” Su Qinghan voiced her doubt. “With the city walls for protection, wouldn’t it be safer?”

Lu Hongzhuang paused for a moment, then explained, “There are too many people, several villages, totaling hundreds of individuals. If they all flooded into the city, food, drink, and sanitation would become major issues. The city would become incredibly crowded and chaotic, making it more prone to trouble.”

This explanation sounded perfectly reasonable.

However, the unsettling feeling in Su Qinghan’s heart grew stronger.

‘Settling displaced villagers outside the city instead of bringing them in… This didn’t seem like the usual conduct of the Demon Exorcism Division, nor did it seem like a decision someone like Jia Qinglian, a bureaucrat solely focused on preserving his official position, would make.’

‘Unless…’

‘Unless he had another motive, or someone had suggested this foolish idea to him.’

As the thought arose, Su Qinghan instinctively raised her hand, her fingertips subtly moving, intending to perform a quick divination.

A warm hand, however, suddenly reached out and gently pressed down on her wrist.

“Don’t move.”

Lu Hongzhuang’s tone held an undeniable resolve.

“You’re an invalid right now; your only task is to rest properly.”

She placed Su Qinghan’s hand back under the quilt, meticulously tucking in the corner. Her movements were both practiced and natural.

“Leave these troublesome matters to me.”

Lu Hongzhuang patted her chest, her face brimming with confidence.

“Don’t worry, with me here, nothing will go wrong!”

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