My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 752 - 476 More Fierce Than Ghosts (Two in One)_2

"No, I must finish telling the Taoist. So, there was a newly recruited constable who didn't believe in such things..."

...…

Yin Tingxue saw a woman clutching her clothing as she rounded the street corner. There were faint traces of blood staining it.

Her heart jolted with unease.

It is said that the Guhuo Bird, when roaming at night to snatch children, always stains the children's clothing with blood first, as if marking a target. No matter how vigilant the family might be, even guarding day and night, the child will inevitably be stolen.

The bloodstain before her seemed ambiguous, yet Yin Tingxue couldn't quell her rising tension. She clenched her fists, fearing she might miss a clue.

What was this woman planning? Was she disposing of the bloodied clothing, or implicating someone else?

The more she pondered, the itch in her mind grew unbearable. She glanced back at Chen Yi, who was deep in conversation with the server and hadn't noticed her. After brooding briefly, she cautiously stood up.

I'll just take a look.

Otherwise, the woman will disappear.

Yin Tingxue, alone, stepped into the dimly lit street.

The woman was far ahead, walking briskly, clutching the clothing tightly. She didn't look back, her movements urgent, destination unknown.

Yin Tingxue trailed her from a distance. Though it was New Year's Day, a time of celebration, there was no curfew in place. Yet the street was almost deserted, the chilly wind whistling through the alleys with a biting, eerie chill.

After walking about a hundred steps, the streets transitioned from wide to narrow. The woman turned a corner, and Yin Tingxue followed. On both sides, cold walls loomed, and at her feet, wild grass grew thick. Faintly, there were sounds of gnawing rats scuttling through the underbrush.

The alley walls weren't tall, but they were coated in moss, giving the impression that no one had walked there for a long time. The setting was steeped in gloom.

The woman's pace quickened with every step, her grip on the blood-stained clothing unwavering.

Yin Tingxue saw her turn yet another corner from afar.

The dusky sky darkened as though night had fallen; the heavens blurred between faint light and shadow. Was it an illusion, or had the wind at the alley's entrance grown stronger? It swept through her neck, raising goosebumps.

The alley ahead stretched endlessly, as though it never stopped extending. Yin Tingxue's strides quickened instinctively, her heart beating faster, each thump nearly leaping out of her chest.

She turned the corner.

Yin Tingxue froze abruptly, stunned.

The alley before her lay empty, devoid of any trace of the woman. At its end stood a bleak, darkened wall. She had walked straight into a dead-end.

I lost her...

Then again, in unfamiliar terrain, losing track was to be expected.

Yin Tingxue's nerves gradually settled. Though she had been gone for only a short while, it was time to return now; otherwise, Chen Yi would accuse her of running off again. She turned to leave.

As she turned back, she inadvertently stiffened, her entire body freezing.

At the alley entrance was a pallid, ghastly woman clutching the bloodied clothing, smiling at her with a bone-chilling grin...

......

"The government officer went to collect money. Though Lady Yan had become half-mad, she was still quite docile and handed over some money. But as the officer walked away and turned back, he saw someone standing at the alley entrance, smiling at him."

The server recounted the tale vividly, his voice rising unconsciously.

The patrons scattered across the inn wore varied expressions; some, unsettled by the tale's terror, hurried upstairs, while others hid their anxiety with forced composure. Only a burly man with a full beard, an iron greatsword strapped to his waist, remained indifferent, continuing to eat meat and drink liquor.

The proprietress, unable to contain herself, snapped and scolded:

"Stop it! If you keep going, even the dogs will flee!"

The server awkwardly halted, fiddling with the abacus in discomfort. The proprietress clacked her shoes as she stomped back upstairs.

Having listened to the entire story, Chen Yi stroked his chin. This Guhuo Bird targeting Lady Yan's family aligned with its nature well. Such sentient monsters often preyed on the vulnerable, avoiding risk. An orphaned mother and her child were far easier targets than an entire household. Hence the folklore often described Guhuo Birds as indulging in human fingernails and divining fortunes.

In the county, people treated the Guhuo Bird taboo with great caution, unwilling to speak of it for fear of inviting disaster. Yet for Chen Yi, should it come to combat, a Guhuo Bird would hardly differ from a common sparrow. The only real challenge...

"Slaying monsters is easy; finding them is hard..."

He muttered with a smirk. Watching as night deepened, his eyes turned toward Yin Tingxue.

Outside, her familiar padded jacket was nowhere to be seen.

Where had she gone?

Chen Yi's expression stiffened. He stepped out the door and swept his gaze up and down the street but didn't find any trace of Yin Tingxue.

A faint buzz clouded his thoughts. He lowered his head, pinched his fingers to perform a calculation.

Before the divination result emerged, he turned and saw Yin Tingxue approaching from afar with bowed head, posture faintly resembling a child caught in wrongdoing.

She stood at the inn's doorway, her head still lowered, and immediately felt the cold, piercing gaze fixed upon her.

"Where exactly did you go?"

Hearing his question, Yin Tingxue raised her head slightly, answering in a soft voice:

"Nowhere special, just took a look around..."

Chen Yi narrowed his eyes skeptically.

Yin Tingxue dared not elaborate and, stiffening her neck, braced against his gaze. After a long pause, she murmured:

"Husband, shall we return to the room first?"

Some things were best left unsaid in this moment.

Chen Yi was dubious but considered that she hadn't been gone for long and had come back, as though she truly had just wandered around. Besides, it wasn't likely she could escape anymore...

Why does he always dwell on whether I'll run away? Yin Tingxue's heart stung.

Chen Yi pulled her close, preparing to go upstairs.

From the street entrance drifted several lanterns, flickering between light and shadow like ghostly fire. Upon closer proximity, they revealed themselves to be carried by patrolling constables.

Leading them was a constable in front.

He stopped outside the inn, not yet entering, and barked coldly, "Why haven't you shut your doors yet? What are you keeping the lights on for?"

A sharp reprimand reverberated throughout the inn, drawing everyone's attention.

The server quickly plastered on a smile and replied, "Constable Zhao... we were just hoping to catch a few more guests before closing. Small business, you see; without guests, there's no profit."

"With monsters plaguing the county, County Magistrate Han issued a curfew order. Everyone's shut their doors early, yet you refuse to comply?" Zhao the constable's tone grew colder, clearly intent on making trouble. "Where's your shopkeeper? Get him out to explain himself."

"The shopkeeper's caught a chill and is resting upstairs." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"A small cold, and he can't even manage some coughing to show his face?"

Constable Zhao sneered repeatedly, evidently unwilling to let the matter drop.

Chen Yi observed his belligerent demeanor with disdain. Remembering how the server had mocked the frightened constable earlier, he suspected this might be the same individual.

Feeling Chen Yi's intense gaze, Constable Zhao turned sharply and snarled, "What are you looking at? How did you enter the town?"

Before Chen Yi could answer, the server quickly interjected with an apologetic smile, "No honest man enters the town unnoticed. This gentleman here is a northern Taoist named Chen Yi, asking about matters of ghost banishment and exorcism."

Upon hearing the word "ghost," Constable Zhao flared up as though provoked. "Ghosts? It's monsters! And this Taoist... is he even properly trained? I'll have you know that Magistrate Wei has already summoned a Mage. Once the ritual is complete, the monsters will be gone from this county, and that Lady Yan will have to pay up too!"

His voice reached a crescendo, practically shaking the inn's walls. The server endured the onslaught with a forced smile, shielding Chen Yi from Zhao's ire.

Bang! The sound of a wine bowl clunking onto a table— the burly man with the beard turned his head suddenly and spoke:

"I reckon you, Constable, are simply afraid of the ghosts. No wonder you were scared back before!"

"Who's this barbarian?!"

Zhao the constable erupted in fury, gripping the hilt of his blade and stepping inside.

The bearded man rose from his seat abruptly, slapping the table.

"If you dare to bully He Taixiong, let's see who comes out stronger!"

With a sharp clang, the iron greatsword was drawn, its edge gleaming cold.

As they seemed on the verge of clashing, both officials and civilians in the inn tensed with apprehension.

The creaking sound of a door from upstairs broke the tense atmosphere— the elderly shopkeeper, draped in plain robes, descended.

He glanced around and addressed Zhao and his party, "Constable Zhao, my apologies for the inadequate hospitality."

Zhao paused his advance but kept his hand on his blade.

His anger subsided somewhat, replaced by a sly, faintly mocking expression. "Brother, sick in bed and unable to host? That's something I can understand, but..." He glanced at He Taixiong and gestured with his chin. "But brandishing a blade in the presence of constables is a legal offense. This man must accompany us back to the office."

"This guest is straightforward and spirited, and any offense was surely unintentional. Please, Constable Zhao, let it pass,"

Without a hint of hesitation, the shopkeeper retrieved a silver note from his pocket.

"A token of goodwill, on this New Year's Day. Please accept it."

"Well then, in respect of your sentiment, I shall overlook the matter."

Zhao sheathed his blade and swaggered out of the inn, gesturing for his fellow constables to follow.

As their figures disappeared into the alley, the shopkeeper silently signaled to the server, who rushed to lock the doors.

"Corruption at the top spreads below..."

Relieved by their departure, the server exhaled heavily and grumbled:

"These officials are worse than the ghosts!"