137 - Confession (Ying Cheng)

Chapter 137: Cursed Madness Yan Jue's current situation indeed necessitated the use of a muzzle. She wasn't sure what sort of curse she had fallen victim to. Every now and then, she would lose herself in madness, and without the muzzle, she was simply too dangerous to be around. Qi Xian Qing and Yan Jue left the inn, heading westward. As dusk settled, they finally arrived at Qingye Town, nestled at the foot of Wulong Mountain. The twilight cast its shroud over the bustling streets of Qingye Town. Qi Xian Qing carried the little fox, walking among the throngs of people. Yan Jue goggled around, scrutinizing her surroundings, her slender whiskers quivering faintly. Qi Xian Qing had cast a disguise spell on it, so to the passersby, Yan Jue looked no different from an ordinary fox. Qi Xian Qing wasn't sure if she was lucid or not at the moment and asked, "Do you want to eat something?" Not far off, an elderly man was selling sugar paintings, surrounded by a group of children. The little fox tilted its head, intently staring at the scene. This sight stirred a memory within Qi Xian Qing. It seemed like not too long ago, she and Yan Jue had also gathered around to watch children marvel at sugar paintings on the street. Reflecting on this, a softness flickered in Qi Xian Qing's usually icy eyes. Approaching the sugar painting stall, Qi Xian Qing inquired, "What do you want?" Yan Jue let out a low growl, lifting her paw to point at a butterfly. Qi Xian Qing chuckled gently, and with a twist of her finger, the pointer spun around. Amidst the children's exclamations, the pointer twirled several times before stopping on the butterfly motif. The seller laughed, "The young lady has quite the luck, to get exactly what she wants." He then dipped a spoon into the boiling sugar, slowly drizzling it onto the surface. Perhaps the sweet smell of the sugar provoked Yan Jue, for just as the seller was about to finish, the little fox's expression suddenly changed. Yan Jue's eyes turned blood-red as she began frantically pawing at her muzzle, producing agitated howls. Caught off guard, Qi Xian Qing quickly embraced it. Yet, Yan Jue's thrashing was so fierce that nearby children began to cry in fright. Handing the sugar painting to Qi Xian Qing, the seller commented, "Is this a new spirit beast? Seems like it hasn't been completely tamed yet. Good thing you have a muzzle." Apologizing, Qi Xian Qing cradled Yan Jue and left. As the sunset's hue deepened into night, the agitated little fox gradually calmed down in her arms. Qi Xian Qing carried Yan Jue into an alley. The little fox returned to its dull, blank-eyed state, sitting still and watching her. Removing its muzzle, Qi Xian Qing reproached, "What am I supposed to do with you?" "Why behave so poorly?" The little fox lowered its head, silently licking the sugar painting, completely ignoring her. Qi Xian Qing placed the muzzle back on Yan Jue, giving her a pat on the bottom. With a whimper, Yan Jue's tail tucked between her legs. In the alley tinged with the evening sun's glow, Qi Xian Qing patiently watched Yan Jue quietly finish the sugar painting before fitting the muzzle back on, then carried her away. --- Not long after entering Wulong Mountain, Qi Xian Qing took Yan Jue directly to Qiuli Xuan to see Yun Zhen. Qi Xian Qing's journey this time had been undertaken in secrecy, without informing the Administration Pavilion, so no one knew of her whereabouts. For cultivators like them, it was easy to conceal their tracks if they wished to, especially with Yun Zhen’s assistance, an expert of the eighth realm. Ever since Qi Xian Qing had refrained from pledging full allegiance to the Administration Pavilion, the incidents of demonic creatures from Zhan Sha Cliff attempting to assassinate her had sharply decreased. Time flowed swifter in the human world than on the mountain, so although Qi Xian Qing and Yan Jue's trip down was brief, only an hour had passed on Wulong Mountain. Upon seeing Qi Xian Qing, Yun Zhen inquired, "Was this mission smooth?" Qi Xian Qing replied, "Smooth." Yun Zhen already knew the details of the mission from Qi Xian Qing’s messages. During this mission, they had encountered Chu Fu. That Chu Fu had allied with the demon clan so early was beyond Yun Zhen's expectations. Overall, the mission's completion was commendable. Just as Yun Zhen was about to offer some praise, Qi Xian Qing suddenly knelt down and said, "Master." Yun Zhen was taken aback, "Why so serious all of a sudden?" Qi Xian Qing presented the muzzled little fox she had been holding. Yun Zhen was surprised. The little fox appeared puzzled, and as soon as Qi Xian Qing set it on the ground, it began sniffing around. Yan Jue's headache was excruciating, but the fact Qi Xian Qing had brought her to Yun Zhen as her first priority relieved her greatly. The little fox sniffed for a moment, then looked up with its amber phoenix eyes fixed on Yun Zhen. Qi Xian Qing kowtowed again, solemnly stating, "Disciple is at fault." Yun Zhen watched Qi Xian Qing with mild interest, "Oh? What fault?" Qi Xian Qing confessed, "Disciple has formed a life-and-heart bond with this fox, and merged their cores. Please discipline me, Master." "This fox is Yan Jue." Yun Zhen was speechless. Yan Jue was speechless. Qi Xian Qing certainly had a knack for seeking forgiveness after the fact, but who did she take after? Sometimes Yun Zhen wondered if he had been too indulgent with her. After a pause, Yun Zhen remarked mildly, "Forming a heart bond with a demon, your courage is admirable." Qi Xian Qing's pupils narrowed, looking at Yun Zhen. Yun Zhen's expression remained calm, betraying no anger or surprise. Qi Xian Qing was a bit taken aback. Yun Zhen lazily settled into a chair and yawned. "Now, tell me, what's wrong with Xiao Yan?" During their trip back, though Qi Xian Qing maintained her usual calm demeanor, only she knew the anxiety she felt inside. "Junior sister Yan can't revert to human form. On the road, her bouts of madness were frequent." Qi Xian Qing relayed her experiences to Yun Zhen. "I suspect she's been cursed." Yun Zhen placed two fingers on Yan Jue’s pulse, concentrating for a moment. Though diagnosing faults in a beast's pulse was challenging, Yun Zhen, as an elder, had some medical expertise. Yun Zhen quickly discerned Yan Jue’s condition. "Your intuition is correct. Xiao Yan's pulse indicates she's been hexed." "Based on your account, these bouts of madness are symptomatic of the Mad Demon Gu from the demon cult's curses." With these words, a silence enveloped the room. Yun Zhen calmly explained, "The Mad Demon Gu is one of the most difficult curses to break, causing the afflicted to lose their mind and attack others in a frenzy. If left untreated, the curse could threaten one's sanity." "If Xiao Yan's true form is a fox, allowing the curse to linger might erase her memories of being human." "Her cultivation would also be gradually eroded, reverting her into an ordinary fox." Yun Zhen regarded Qi Xian Qing, "If I'm not mistaken, she's been exhibiting peculiar symptoms for days now. Why wasn't this noticed sooner?" Qi Xian Qing lay prostrate, silent. She had indeed noticed Yan Jue's oddities several days before, but as Yan Jue hadn’t explicitly mentioned anything, she hadn’t paid it much mind. This one... Should she just keep her constantly monitored with her spiritual sense to avoid such issues? In a soft voice, Qi Xian Qing asked, "Does Master have a way to save her?" Yun Zhen observed the situation with an almost imperceptible sigh. Xiao Yan’s tendency to attract trouble was problematic, especially since Third Aunt specifically warned her not to let anything happen to Yan Jue after she ascended the mountain. If Third Aunt saw Yan Jue in this state, the repercussions... Fortunately, despite its presence, the curse of the Mad Demon Gu hadn’t deeply taken root yet, indicating they could still save her. If this meant a chance to bring Third Aunt back to Wulong Mountain on the pretext of saving Yan Jue... This thought brought a slight curve to Yun Zhen’s lips. Qi Xian Qing looked at her in confusion, noticing Yun Zhen quickly concealed her unusual smile, focusing instead on Yan Jue and motioning with two fingers. Yun Zhen mentioned, "For now, I can suppress the evil energy within her. The rest, Xian Qing, must be handled by you." Qi Xian Qing set her lips in a thin line, "Understood." Yun Zhen then retrieved a dagger, lightly incising Yan Jue's back. Seeing the fresh red blood of the fox, Qi Xian Qing's heart tightened. Suppressing a laugh, Yun Zhen said mildly, "No need to worry, Xian Qing. I'm only taking a few drops of her blood, not killing her. Besides, since Xiao Yan has practiced blood refining, it doesn't pose a problem." Caught by surprise by the cut, Yan Jue snarled at Yun Zhen but couldn't bite him due to the muzzle. Yun Zhen watched for a moment, "You somewhat resemble her." Qi Xian Qing paused but dismissed the cryptic statement. Yun Zhen collected the spirit fox blood and, with a gesture, called forth several deep brown wooden blocks from a nearby chest. Settling into a cross-legged position, Yun Zhen arranged the blocks and placed the spirit fox blood at their center, her eyes softly closed. As an eighth-realm expert, tracing the source of the curse was a trivial matter for Yun Zhen. Drained, Yan Jue collapsed in Qi Xian Qing's embrace, held tightly. Qi Xian Qing looked at Yun Zhen, her expression slightly tense. After some time had passed. Yun Zhen abruptly opened his eyes and sneered, "That wily old You Long dared to target my disciple." --- Back at Icy Peach Grove, Qi Xian Qing settled the little fox in before attempting to leave, only to find her pants leg caught in a bite. Turning back, she looked at Yan Jue with resignation. "Sister, I need to step out for a bit." Whether the little fox understood or not, it held tightly to Qi Xian Qing’s pants, unwilling to let go. Crouching down, Qi Xian Qing gently ruffled its furry ears. "As long as the curse remains, your mind could be at risk. You wouldn’t want to truly become a fox, would you?" Hearing her words, the little fox wrinkled its nose and gradually released its grip. Taking Yun Xu's umbrella, Qi Xian Qing headed to the Jin Gang Sect. Since merging cores with Yan Jue, they virtually shared their storage magic. So, using Yan Jue’s Yun Xu umbrella was within her reach. The umbrella was large, enveloping Qi Xian Qing completely. Standing tall before the grand and imposing hall, Qi Xian Qing could scarcely believe that the ever-smiling Uncle You Long in her memories would betray Yan Jue. Qi Xian Qing was aware the Demon Lord harbored a grudge against Yan Jue, likely wanting her dead. But when had Uncle You Long developed enmity with Yan Jue? Could it be the Demon Lord had already swayed Elder You Long to his side? The cultivation techniques of the demon path, sinister and dark, offered a singular allure. They allowed those with lower aptitude to elevate their cultivation swiftly. Though rarely spoken of, it was known that Elder You Long of Wulong Sect had the weakest aptitude among the five major sect leaders. All had reached the eighth realm except him, who lingered at the seventh realm’s peak with no breakthrough. Many sought shortcuts, hence the demonic path never lacked followers. Danger lurked around every corner for Yan Jue in Wulong Mountain. She could have left, yet stayed behind for her sake. Reflecting on this, Qi Xian Qing’s expression darkened as anger simmered within her. She strode directly into the Jin Gang Sect’s hall. Inside, the hall was silent, and the lecture hall lay empty. Qi Xian Qing proceeded straight to the backyard, where a particularly elegant courtyard lay to the northwest. This was Elder You Long's abode, where he usually meditated. Qi Xian Qing raised Yun Xu's umbrella, leapt over, and soon found herself in the backyard. Yun Zhen had informed her that curse-casting required a complicated setup, not only a high platform but also a suitable open space. Thus, locating the curse platform targeting Yan Jue would be simple. Qi Xian Qing roamed the backyard for some time, eventually spotting something in the well. At first glance, it appeared an ordinary well, but closer inspection revealed a massive eight-trigram formation within. Positioned at the formation’s center was a paper effigy, inscribed with Yan Jue's name and birthdate. Before the effigy were incense sticks, likely meant to worship some malignant deity. A golden silkworm crept over the effigy, devouring it to shreds. Qi Xian Qing clenched her fists, then relaxed. She stepped forward, destroying both the effigy and the platform’s silkworms. She instinctively glanced toward the dwelling. Luckily, she hadn’t disturbed Elder You Long. Qi Xian Qing made her escape from the Jin Gang Sect’s backyard. --- Unsure if Elder You Long would construct a new curse platform after she destroyed his, Qi Xian Qing remained vigilant. Yun Zhen had performed a blessing on Yan Jue, planted a serenity flower in Qiuli Xuan, nurtured by spirit fox blood and celestial dew. Thus, making it nearly impossible for the curse to take hold again. Yun Zhen was busy these days. The Mad Demon Gu was deeply sinister; Qi Xian Qing knew her master was seeking a remedy. Though the curse had been dispelled, Yan Jue’s spirit remained affected. Unable to return to human form, she lay listlessly in bed at Icy Peach Grove, barely moving. Yan Jue noticed her memory faltering; events from one day vanished by the next. Her frustration grew. Qi Xian Qing had seriously warned her, though most of the threat was lifted, remnants could still harm. As a fox demon, over time, Yan Jue risked becoming a real fox. Gradually, her frustration gave way to lethargy, lying asleep all day, clinging to Qi Xian Qing wherever she went. Qi Xian Qing knew Yan Jue couldn’t stay despondent, she needed constant engagement. So daily at Icy Peach Grove, Qi Xian Qing cooked wonderful meals and engaged Yan Jue in conversation. ... One day, with the little fox in tow, Qi Xian Qing went up the mountain to pick spirit fruits. Her intent was to give Yan Jue more activity, away from lounging at home. Perching atop a tree, Qi Xian Qing picked the pale purple fruits, catching sight in the corner of her eye of a fiery red silhouette chasing a white butterfly through the grass. She amplified her voice, "Stay here, don’t wander too far." The little fox paused, looking up at her thoughtfully. Satisfied, Qi Xian Qing resumed her task, collecting the ripe, juicy fruits into a basket. But when she glanced down again, the little fox was gone. Wind rustled the long grass, butterflies danced among the flowers, silence enveloped all. Qi Xian Qing’s brow furrowed, immediately setting down the basket to search. The vast mountain was full of wildlife and thick forest, making spiritual sense searching ineffective. Searching high and low, sweat soaked her clothes as she combed the mountain. Returning beneath the tree, she took a deep breath. Unsure if she could find Yan Jue in Wulong’s expansive back range. It was her fault for not watching Yan Jue closely. As twilight descended, Qi Xian Qing’s anxiety grew. After a brief rest, she resumed her search. Suddenly, she halted mid-step, spotting something. Underneath a hollow tree lay the fiery red shape of the little fox. It had curled up in the tree hollow where she picked fruit earlier, glancing at her. It must have been asleep there, oblivious to her calls. Qi Xian Qing felt a mix of amusement and exasperation and asked gently, "Is this how you watch me search for you?" Emerging, the little fox nuzzled her, its soft fur brushing against her with sweet chirps. Any remaining anger dissipated from Qi Xian Qing. Grasping the nape gently, she whispered, "You’re forgiven." As Qi Xian Qing finished collecting fruit, dusk descended, with birds returning to the forest and the mountain trail serene. Back in their room at Icy Peach Grove, the sunset glow lingered. Cooking personally, the aroma of her dishes filled the air. The little fox, without much appetite, lounged on the table, lazily flicking its six large tails. With no better option, Qi Xian Qing fed it morsels of food and treats. "Ah Jue, do you remember me?" Unflaggingly, Qi Xian Qing repeated, "I am Qi Xian Qing, your wife." Staring with its amber phoenix eyes, the little fox gazed at Qi Xian Qing, whether it comprehended was unknown.