Only after she could no longer sense the Daoist’s presence did Su Li dare to show herself.
Her delicate face was filled with vicious fury.
That damned Daoist had actually tracked her down here and even taken her wife away.
That Daoist’s origins were unknown, yet he was terrifyingly powerful.
After being ambushed while at her peak condition, the wound in her heart had never been able to heal.
Su Li’s fingernails gradually sharpened.
As she pressed them into the desk, deep gouges were carved into the wood.
She had to go save Liu Qiu.
Even if Liu Qiu was fickle in love, she was still her wife.
There was no way she would simply let that Daoist take her away like this.
But her body was far too weak right now.
She had no way of defeating the Daoist.
She was completely at a loss.
The impure human blood essence she had absorbed could not restore her former strength in a short time.
A weak ghost like Liu Qiu certainly wouldn’t be able to endure for long.
Su Li’s mind was filled with thoughts of how to rescue Liu Qiu.
Unknowingly, her eyes began to redden faintly, flickering with bloodthirsty light.
“Bang!”
The wooden door to the room was suddenly shoved open.
Liu Huang’s cold and stern voice came from outside.
“Su Li, I know you were watching just now.”
“Did you see which direction that Daoist went?”
Su Li slowly turned her head to face Liu Huang, not bothering to conceal the killing intent in her eyes.
“Why should I tell you?”
Gradually, a twisted hatred surfaced on Su Li’s face.
It was all because of these two humans.
They had imprisoned Liu Qiu’s soul, preventing her from taking her away, which led to the Daoist discovering them.
Utterly foolish.
And now they still dared to fantasize about getting the Daoist’s whereabouts from her.
Dream on.
Liu Huang narrowed her eyes, lifted her longsword, and pointed it directly at Su Li’s throat.
“What nonsense are you spouting now?” she said coldly.
“I’m just asking where the Daoist went.”
Su Li restrained her emotions and narrowed her long, fox-like eyes.
“I don’t know.”
A dark glint flashed in Liu Huang’s eyes.
“I know you can see Liu Qiu. Now that she’s been captured by that Daoist, don’t you want to save her?”
“If you do, then tell me.”
It was true.
With her current strength alone, she absolutely could not rescue Liu Qiu.
This human carried heavy killing intent and was not someone easy to provoke.
Perhaps she could increase the odds of defeating that Daoist.
But…
Su Li clenched her fingers, suppressing the surging emotions in her heart.
“I truly did not see her.”
A Daoist capable of injuring her like this was no ordinary person.
Using concealment techniques to hide his tracks would have been effortless.
Liu Huang pressed her lips together and withdrew her sword.
Her gaze darkened.
“You’d better not be lying.”
Otherwise, she would kill this woman.
After saying that, Liu Huang strode out of the room.
Su Li was left alone.
Pressing a hand against her chest, Su Li’s eyes flashed with an obscure, unreadable light.
She had thought of something.
Her heart still bore the scar left by the Daoist’s magical artifact.
Through that wound, she could sense the artifact.
If it was still in the Daoist’s possession, she would be able to track him.
Her eyes narrowed.
In an instant, her human form receded, and she transformed into her original shape—a snow-white little fox.
She would go absorb large amounts of blood essence.
Then she would find that Daoist and bring Liu Qiu back.
If she couldn’t defeat him, she would simply steal her back in secret.
The little fox flicked her tail and thought darkly,
‘When the time comes, Liu Qiu will know who the best one truly is.’
‘Only I, Su Li, would come to save her.’
“Hey, come out.”
Fu Ling sat in a chair, shaking the jade bottle containing the soul rather roughly.
Liu Qiu felt dizzy from the shaking and could only tremble as she drifted out of the bottle.
Looking at the familiar face before her, she asked softly, “Are you a Daoist?”
There was a slight nasal tone in her voice, as if she had cried too hard.
Fu Ling raised an eyebrow.
“Are you that slow? It’s so obvious and you’re still asking?”
[…What kind of person is this? What’s with the attitude!] the system grumbled again.
Liu Qiu opened her watery eyes and frowned slightly.
She had only wanted to confirm, yet this Fu Ling’s tone was far too harsh.
Her gaze flickered.
“Um… is that little girl your subordinate?”
She was truly afraid of that little girl.
Fu Ling curled her crimson lips and lightly clapped her hands.
In the next instant, the little girl appeared before Liu Qiu again.
The child had two cute bun hairstyles, but her face was severely rotted, looking both disgusting and terrifying.
The little girl split her lips into a grin.
“Big sister, did you miss me?”
As she spoke, fresh blood continuously gushed out.
Liu Qiu was so frightened that she burst into tears.
Her whole body trembled.
She was truly afraid of ghosts, especially when confronted with such a ghastly face without any warning.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, drip by drip onto her collar.
“Bai Qingqing, p-please put her away. I’m scared.”
Her nasal voice was heavy, laced with sobs and trembling, sounding pitiful beyond words.
Fu Ling’s heart tightened inexplicably.
Subconsciously, she dismissed Xiao Chan.
She pulled Liu Qiu closer to her.
“What’s there to be afraid of? You’re both ghosts.”
“And my name is Fu Ling, not Bai Qingqing. Looks like this Bai Qingqing really is your old lover.”
Liu Qiu tugged at her sleeve and wiped her eyes.
“It’s not the same.”
“I—I…”
She paused, unable to articulate the difference.
They were indeed both ghosts.
The only distinction seemed to be that she had an adult’s form.
“Where is it not the same?” Fu Ling asked lazily.
[Isn’t it obvious? Host is a pretty ghost.] the system’s voice chimed in her mind.
Liu Qiu clenched her fingers and repeated it.
“I—I’m a pretty ghost.”
Fu Ling narrowed her eyes and looked her up and down.
After a long moment, she let out a scoff.
“Indeed, a pretty ghost.”
Her features looked innocent and harmless, yet at the corner of her eye grew a gaudy tear mole, as if specially meant to seduce others.
Staring at the little ghost’s moist eyes and rosy lips, Fu Ling exerted force and pulled Liu Qiu into her arms.
Spiritual energy gathered where their bodies touched and seeped into Liu Qiu’s form, thoroughly examining her.
So she was a living soul.
No wonder she could still shed tears.
As a living soul, she could not be forcibly exorcised.
But this little ghost was the host of Blood Locust Wood¹.
If the Blood Locust Wood was not destroyed, the host body would slowly die.
When that happened, she would bear a human life on her conscience and be corroded by baleful ghost energy, eventually turning into a vengeful spirit.
And that fox—who knew where she was hiding or what she was doing.
Fu Ling fell into deep thought.
Liu Qiu secretly glanced at the person who looked exactly like Bai Qingqing.
She shifted uncomfortably.
Fu Ling’s legs were too thin; they felt a bit awkward even for a ghost to sit on.
This was the fourth person who could touch her.
And she seemed the most powerful, able to casually seal her inside a bottle and carry her away.
That little ghost had said this Daoist specialized in exorcising ghosts.
Even though she could reincarnate and start over, she had no desire to experience being exorcised.
“I haven’t done anything bad. Can you wait a while before exorcising me?”
Maybe by then her mission would be completed.
She spoke softly, her fingers twisting together anxiously.
She was growing more and more dissatisfied with this world.
Aside from herself, there were far too many terrifying ghosts.
Fu Ling lowered her gaze, noticing Liu Qiu’s upturned nose and long dark lashes.
“Pretty ghost, what’s your name?”
Liu Qiu lifted her eyes and parted her lips to answer, but Fu Ling interrupted.
“Forget it. Since you’re going to be exorcised by me anyway, I’ll just call you Pretty Ghost.”
Liu Qiu pressed her lips together and turned her face away.
This Fu Ling’s personality was completely different from Bai Qingqing’s.
How vile.
“Angry? I was just teasing you.” Fu Ling’s voice carried a playful lilt.
“Really angry? That pout could hang an oil jug. Such a stingy little ghost.”
Upon hearing that, Liu Qiu subconsciously touched her lips.
They were soft and cool, not pouting at all.
Realizing what she had done, she flushed with annoyance.
Turning back with a slight huff, she frowned at the familiar face.
She began to struggle.
“Let me go.”
Liu Qiu’s body was cool and soft, scentless, her breaths carrying only a faint chill.
An unqualified ghost, really.
Ghosts were supposed to be icy and rigid, like touching stone.
Fu Ling released her wrist.
Liu Qiu immediately floated out of her arms and tried to pass through the wall.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t.
No matter how many times she collided with it, she could not pass through.
It was as if something had sealed off the space.
Fu Ling leisurely sipped her tea.
“Ah, perhaps I should let Xiao Chan come out to play again.”
“Pretty Ghost, do you want to play with your little sister?”
Liu Qiu trembled all over.
Turning around nervously, she stared at Fu Ling.
“No. I don’t want to play with her.”
Fu Ling smiled, the corners of her lips lifting.
It wasn’t a dazzling smile, but her charming eyes became tender and affectionate.
For a brief moment, Liu Qiu’s vision blurred.
She looked just like Bai Qingqing.
Bai Qingqing had always liked to smile like that.
She had truly been bewitched into believing Bai Qingqing was gentle.
Noticing the shift in Liu Qiu’s gaze, Fu Ling felt inexplicably displeased.
This Pretty Ghost was thinking of that old lover again.
She, Fu Ling, was the prodigy of the Fu family’s generation.
She had never been treated as a substitute.
“Xiao Chan.”
Instantly, the little girl reappeared.
Liu Qiu stiffened and shut her eyes tightly.
“Want me to put Xiao Chan away? Then tell me about you and that old lover of yours.”
Since she had nothing better to do, she might as well listen.
“There is no old lover,” Liu Qiu whispered, clenching her fingers.
Fu Ling chuckled.
“I don’t believe you.”
“But I have a wife.”
Fu Ling’s smile faded slightly.
She let out a long, meaningful “Oh?”
“You can even take a wife?”
“Who is it? That dark-skinned woman? Or that fox spirit?”
At the words “fox spirit,” Liu Qiu jolted, her eyes widening round as saucers.
There was no need for her to say anything more.
Fu Ling had already read the answer from her expression.
Her mood turned particularly sour.
Crossing her arms, she leaned back against the chair.
“A fox spirit, huh? Most likely… well… she wants to absorb your vital essence.”
“You’ve read storybooks before, haven’t you? Fox spirits are the kind of demons who sleep with people and drain them dry.”
“You weren’t killed that way, were you?”
Fu Ling’s tone was neither high nor low, but the disdain in it was unmistakable.
Liu Qiu held her breath, slightly angered.
But when she caught sight of the smiling little girl at the side, her anger withered.
She could only tremble as she replied, “Of course not.”
“I died of illness.”
“Oh~”
Gritting her teeth, Liu Qiu repeated, “I really did die of illness. I’ve had poor health since I was little. It had nothing to do with my wife.”
“She’s not a bad demon.”
She said this with a hint of guilt.
After all, she had seen Su Li bite people.
One couldn’t exactly say she wasn’t a bad demon.
Fu Ling lightly stroked her chin.
“But my duty is to capture ghosts and subdue demons. Now that I know there’s such a demon, I’ll definitely have to catch her.”
Liu Qiu floated in front of her and frowned.
“You can’t catch her.”
Fu Ling chuckled.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if I caught her and brought her here to keep you company? One demon and one ghost reincarnating together. Maybe in your next life you can even be—”
Liu Qiu reached out and covered Fu Ling’s lips, staring at her intently.
“Don’t say it.”
Perhaps because Fu Ling looked too much like Bai Qingqing, she often hallucinated her face.
Even though Bai Qingqing was nothing like this in personality.
Still, Liu Qiu’s temper flared.
“You can’t catch her.”
Fu Ling narrowed her eyes and seized Liu Qiu’s thin wrist, pulling her hand away.
“You’re stopping me like this? Now I want to catch her even more. What if I flay her alive right in front of you?”
“I feel like going right now.”
As she spoke, Fu Ling made a motion to stand.
Liu Qiu grew anxious.
If this Daoist truly went to capture her, she would have no way to stop it.
In her panic, Liu Qiu threw herself at Fu Ling, trying to restrain her.
“No. You—you can’t be this bad.”
¹ Blood Locust Wood (血槐木): A type of yin-attributed wood in folklore often associated with attracting and nourishing spirits.
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