My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 55 - 42: Is It Really True?

[Negative Emotion: 90]

[Yin Weiyin rewarded with five years of True Qi due to negative emotions.]

[Remaining True Qi: 135 years.]

Yin Weiyin’s expression seemed to be covered in a layer of frost.

Chen Yi casually extended his hand and began to play with the ends of her hair.

Turning his head, the Shangqing Taoist frowned and rebuked:

"Sir, why speak such frivolous and disrespectful words?"

The young female crown who had been chatting merrily with Yin Weiyin, appearing to be fifteen or sixteen years old, grew visibly angry at Chen Yi’s insolent action and said:

"Sir, not to mention the distinction between mortals and immortals, Yin Immortal comes from the Prince Mansion of Jing, and is kin to the royal family. That alone is enough to shut you out, let alone the fact that she is a nun. If you dare to slight her again, Heaven’s eyes are watching, and the gods won’t forgive you."

Seeing the Shangqing Daoists rise unanimously against Chen Yi, Yin Weiyin’s expression softened slightly. But when Chen Yi spoke, her ears turned red again.

Chen Yi laughed aloud, spilling the truth effortlessly as though pouring beans from a bamboo tube:

"To be honest, two days ago Yin Immortal fell for me at first sight. She insisted on dragging me up the mountain to become her golden boy and jade girl. I was too daft at the time and declined instinctively, but now I regret it..."

Before he finished speaking, Chen Yi could already feel deathly stares wishing to cut him into a thousand pieces.

The Shangqing Daoists initially didn’t believe him. How could someone as ethereal and transcendent as Yin Weiyin, akin to a moonlit celestial being, possibly fall for a mere mortal? Especially not for someone so ordinary. If it were anyone else, perhaps they might entertain the idea. But the Taoist sects of Taihua Mountain had always preached detachment and indifference. Chen Yi’s words sounded as absurd as a wild woodsman stealing an immortal maiden’s robe.

However, when the crowd turned to gauge Yin Weiyin’s reaction, they were shocked to find her hands trembling slightly, her beautiful face flushed uncontrollably. Both shy and angry, she instinctively took a step back to avoid their gazes, and then glared at Chen Yi fiercely.

Could it be... there was some truth to this?

The crowd couldn’t help but have their thoughts swayed. Observing the handsome features of this West Factory Thousand Households officer, his strong build, his unyielding demeanor—perhaps, through some peculiar fate, he really had managed to win a piece of the Taihua Goddess’s heart.

Reflecting further, the level of trust Yin Weiyin placed in Chen Yi’s ability to slay demons and banish evil seemed suspicious. After all, who would discredit their lover before others?

So, it turns out...

Were we all unwitting participants in the flirtation between this immortal-mortal couple?

Thinking to this point, several Shangqing Daoists exchanged awkward glances and smiled wryly. They said no more and turned away. The young female crown familiar with Yin Weiyin noticed the peculiar atmosphere but dared not confirm her suspicions, and awkwardly followed them into the ancestral hall.

This entire incident left Yin Weiyin feeling so embarrassed her face was as red as blood. Chen Yi, sensing her thin skin, dared not elaborate further. If he spilled the full story from two days ago, the one left with no dignity at all would undoubtedly be the Taihua Goddess herself. Furthermore, as a nun abiding by the Five Precepts of the Daoist sect, she could not lie and deny knowing Chen Yi.

"Do you think I don’t know you’re trying to praise me to my downfall?"

Chen Yi gripped a strand of her hair and said mischievously:

"If Immortal keeps trying to elevate me, I wouldn’t mind if we turn fiction into reality and head to Taihua Mountain to be a pair of golden boy and jade girl."

"You!"

Yin Weiyin’s expression flickered between shock and anger, about to reprimand him. But her thoughts turned quickly, her demeanor shifted to gentleness, and she said:

"Are you being serious?"

Her sudden change took Chen Yi by surprise, and he replied with a doubtful "Hmm."

Yin Weiyin pondered to herself. If Chen Yi were truly sincere or insincere about turning fiction into reality, what harm would it do? Once they reached Taihua Mountain, there were countless ways to make his life worse than death. While the Daoist sect prohibited killing, they didn’t forbid inflicting harm. Faced with hundreds or even thousands of conjured Taoist skills, it wouldn’t be long before this man wished to end his own life.

"Don’t you care about preserving your chastity?"

Chen Yi asked curiously.

"To cultivate detachment, why care about worldly matters? I’ll just think of it as being bitten by a dog."

Yin Weiyin answered coldly.

Chen Yi burst out in laughter. Yin Weiyin’s disdain for mortal concerns only made this mortal man crave an opportunity to defile her.

Especially if she were to attempt detachment while simultaneously drowning in a sea of desire...

As they stepped into the ancestral hall, aside from the oppressive aura of Yin energy, their eyes fell upon a pair of young boys and girls tied up and restrained before the altar. Their tears had all but dried from crying, their bodies covered in marks from the ropes. The weeping heard earlier belonged to them.

Where ancestral plaques should have been enshrined stood instead a statue of a ghostly deity clad in armor. Its features were obscured, its armor battered and riddled with scratches and sword wounds, its surface streaked with dried blood. Its face was pale, its mouth wide open, facing the altar as though making silent pleas.

"What’s going on here?"

Xuanzhen Daoist frowned and sternly questioned.

The old village elder shuddered and quickly plastered on a fawning smile:

"This, this... This foolishness is the doing of ignorant villagers. Don’t worry, we’ll untie them right away, immediately untie them now."

As he spoke, the old village elder hurried forward to free the two children.

Looking at the altar, Chen Yi noticed fresh beef being offered there. The laws set forth by Great Yu explicitly forbade eating beef, except in cases where the cow had died of old age or disease. Clearly, this beef was not from such sources, as its texture was tender and fresh.

Obviously, this offering wasn’t meant for humans—it was meant for the ghost deity!

Those two children were no ordinary victims either—they were sacrifices meant for Huaisui Village’s Ghost General.

After the elder freed the children, he hurried them away.

"The air here is thick with blood and Yin energy. If it’s as I suspect, a pair of children is sacrificed here every year. If we hadn’t arrived, those two kids might not have escaped their fate."

Xuanzhen Daoist spoke solemnly before reciting an incantation.

The Shangqing Daoists, filled with indignation, glared viciously at the villagers watching from a distance outside the ancestral hall.

Xuanzhen Daoist then pulled out a bundle of talismans from his satchel, some Evil Exorcism Talismans and Burning Lamp Talismans. The former served as a mild defense against malevolent spirits, while the latter helped detect their presence. He distributed the talismans among the group. When he reached Chen Yi and Yin Weiyin, however, he hesitated.

"Sirs, this humble Daoist recognizes your martial prowess. Otherwise, you would not hold the esteemed rank of Jinyiwei. But everyone has their own strengths. A blade that kills men cannot slay ghosts. Take my advice—leave these grounds immediately! Your presence here brings neither aid nor benefit but only unnecessary burden."

Xuanzhen Daoist pleaded earnestly. Though many would take offense, Chen Yi, however, was different. He simply received the talismans with a wide grin.

Xuanzhen Daoist sighed softly, thinking to himself, "Another band of overconfident martial artists."

The young female crown familiar with Yin Weiyin spat curtly:

"Good advice falls on deaf ears of the reckless dead."

The other Shangqing Daoists were less blatant but likely shared similar sentiments in their hearts.

Yin Weiyin saw this and smiled, offering clever praise:

"Friend Xuanzhen is underestimating him. Over this past month, Household Officer Chen has taken command of the Eastern Factory, gaining fame unrivaled for a time. Do you think he’d fear mere specters and demons?"

Her lips curled with a hint of mockery as she finished speaking.

Min Ning frowned while observing these Daoists. In truth, she had faintly sensed the eerie Yin energy inside the ancestral hall, and was feeling uncertain. She turned to Chen Yi and asked softly:

"Do you really have the skills to slay demons and expel spirits?"

Chen Yi shook his head and replied:

"None at all."

Min Ning’s eyes widened as she whispered:

"Should we go find some chicken blood? To smear on our blades?"

Chen Yi chuckled and shook his head again, saying:

"No need for those folk remedies. You’ll understand soon enough."

Min Ning remained skeptical.

The old village elder returned just then, prompting Xuanzhen Daoist to question him:

"Elder, do you know the name of this ghost deity?"

To defeat demons and spirits, unless one could break through with sheer brute force, the most important thing was to uncover their origins, their background, and perhaps their true name.

The elder shook his head and replied:

"This...No one knows for sure. Nobody told us. They just instructed us to worship it. Years ago, they used to give us some silver, but not anymore. We’ve tried driving away this Ghost General, but it couldn’t be done..."

As he spoke, the elder glanced warily at the statue—and then he caught something.

The statue that had been utterly motionless suddenly seemed to tilt its head slightly, as if it were staring straight at the elder!