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墨書 Inktalez
Regarding the previous conversation between Jun Chong and Shizui, I ultimately learned about it from the phone call Su Ziqian made to me.
He wanted me to go to work, but before I could say anything, my phone was snatched away by Jun Chong. They talked for a while, and in the end, Jun Chong crushed my phone in anger, threatening me, "If you dare to work at the Su Family, I'll take care of this fox."
Ever since that day when Tian Yuan interrupted Jun Chong's plans, he had become unpredictable, often bullying Tian Yuan whenever I wasn't around. As a result, Tian Yuan would look at me with teary eyes, wanting to come closer but shrinking back because of Jun Chong's presence, curling up in Tao Wu's embrace and whimpering.
In fact, Shizui had also approached me about working at the Su Family. He was straightforward and told me, "The Su Family is connected to the Yin-Yang Masters. Jun Chong doesn't want you to have any contact with them, which is why he keeps trying to stop you. While I agree that you should stay away from the Su Family, considering your perspective, working there could be beneficial for your future. After all, you're still human and need to live and work. Plus, it might be another opportunity."
"Shizui, I want to know what it has to do with me if I work at the Su Family and come into contact with the Yin-Yang Masters? Do I have any grievances with them?" I vaguely remembered hearing a conversation between Shizui and Jun Chong before and felt there must be some connection.
Shizui paused for a moment, then placed a hand on his forehead as if recalling something. He shook his head and sighed, "It's not that you have grievances with them; it's Jun Chong who does. One is a Yin-Yang Master and the other is a ghost; they are fundamentally incompatible. You are Jun Chong's wife, and the Su Family knows about your Ghost Marriage. I heard Jun Chong mention that your grandfather sought out the Su Family to delay the Ghost Marriage process years ago, so their interest in you is definitely not simple."
"But Grandpa said that when my birthday comes, I must take that token to the Su Family."
Shizui nodded. "Jun Chong mentioned that he is stopping you out of concern for your safety. But ultimately, this decision should be yours. Anxin, even though you hold the Ghost Marriage token, you must remember that you are still human."
I felt that Shizui's last statement carried more than just its literal meaning; there was definitely another layer that I had yet to grasp.
However, after learning that my grandfather had sought out the Su Family years ago, I genuinely wanted to see the Yin-Yang Masters of the Su Family for myself and not go against my grandfather's final wishes.
As I turned to leave, I saw Jun Chong standing behind me. He had finished calming himself down and looked at me without saying a word.
I paused for a moment before stepping forward and taking his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. Recently, I had grown fond of this gesture; it made me feel secure.
Looking up at his striking profile illuminated by the silver moonlight made his already fair complexion appear even more translucent and radiant.
"Jun Chong, if I go against your wishes and visit the Su Family, will you ignore me?"
The night was exceptionally beautiful, with countless stars twinkling alongside the moonlight, casting a brilliant glow against the black canvas of the sky.
He turned around and reached up to remove the Qilin Hairpin from my head. The Ice Lotus atop it was nearly fully bloomed, revealing a small, exquisite golden bead that seemed to quietly protect whatever lay within.
"Inside is a Golden Qilin. Once it is born, it will be yours to command." I opened my mouth to respond, but Jun Chong placed his finger on my lips. "But the most important thing right now is the Demon Fetus in your belly. The Late August Demon Fetus will definitely be born. If you can survive until then, I promise you."
Suddenly, I bit down hard on his finger and mumbled, "You don't want me to live, do you? That's why you say such things!"
Jun Chong was taken aback for a moment before breaking into an incredulous smile. He pinched my waist playfully, causing me to flinch and release his finger. He then cupped my cheeks in his hands. "I respect your choice, you fool! I know what you're thinking. Since your grandfather left that message, he anticipated your thoughts. But we must wait until the Golden Qilin is born."
I pouted and muttered, "But you just said we have to wait until the baby is born."
Jun Chong playfully tapped my head and laughed. "Still daring to retort?" I shook my head vigorously as he firmly tapped my forehead before pulling me into a tight embrace. "Once the Ghost Gate opens next month, we will go to the Underworld to find that thing." He gazed at the bright moonlight, his tone turning serious. "It’s time to return."
I nodded, suddenly recalling something and asked, "Jun Chong, what is the second seal?"
"The Taotie Feast."
"What is that?"
"Do you know about the Dragon's Nine Offspring?"
"I do, but I can't remember all of them. I think one of them is Taotie, right?"
"Yes." Jun Chong nodded and explained further. "The Dragon's Nine Offspring: the first is Qiu Niu, who loves music; the second is Yazi, who delights in killing and fighting; the third is Bianhan, who embodies majesty and justice; the fourth is Suanni, who enjoys smoke and sitting; the fifth is Taotie, who is gluttonous and lazy; the sixth is Jiao Tu, a guardian seeking children and knowledge; the seventh is Bixi, representing longevity and good fortune; the eighth is Chimera, who wards off evil and brings blessings; and the ninth is Pixiu, who dispels evil and attracts wealth. Each of these nine has its own abilities, with Taotie and Pixiu being the most well-known. It’s said that Taotie was greedy for human flesh because it once savored its deliciousness, leading it to hunt humans relentlessly until it was imprisoned by the Dragon King. Afterward, as time passed following the Dragon King's demise, the seal weakened gradually, allowing Taotie to escape without a trace. However, I have discovered that it relates to my own body’s seal from years ago; Shizui recently found out that it has been spotted among humans."
I had heard some stories about Taotie before and had never held a favorable impression of it—especially when I heard about its appetite for human flesh; it made me feel quite nauseous.
Jun Chong looked at my pale face and chuckled softly. "It's just eating human flesh—what's so terrifying about that? Don’t humans have something like human meat dumplings? They say they taste incredibly delicious."
I asked, "Have you eaten?"
Jun Chong nodded seriously and said, "I have."
A chill ran down my spine. I tried to struggle free from his embrace, but he held me tightly. Looking into his glowing red eyes, I felt my hair stand on end. "You... you really have? Who did you eat?"
"Just you!" Jun Chong playfully nipped my nose and burst into laughter.
I suddenly realized he was teasing me, and my face flushed with anger, alternating between red and white. I raised my fist and aimed it at him, but in the midst of our playful banter, I chased him onto the balcony. There, I found him standing still. I threw a punch at him and huffed, "Dare to mess with me? You're sleeping on the floor tonight!"
"Shh, don't move."
Jun Chong suddenly pulled me close, a serious look on his face. Following his gaze, I saw an old bus slowly passing by across the street. It was already midnight, yet the bus was packed with people. The sky darkened abruptly with thick clouds looming over the bus as it continued on its way.
"Why is there such an old bus?" I wondered aloud. It resembled a vintage tram from old Shanghai, and from a distance, I couldn't see the people inside clearly. "And why are there so many people?"
"Those aren't people," Jun Chong frowned. "This city is very restless. Be careful; it's already Ghost Month. Many spirits will appear. You are a living person; to enter the underworld, your soul must separate from your body. You're physically weak, so you need to rest. If there are things you can avoid getting involved in, do so, understand?"
I nodded, somewhat confused. Jun Chong didn't say anything more and took me back inside to rest.
Now he was adjusting his schedule for me, staying awake during the day and resting at night just to recover his Spirit faster. Every morning and midnight, he needed to absorb the essence of the sun and moon for self-adjustment, similar to how cultivators enter seclusion.
During these times, I often felt particularly bored. I either played with Tian Yuan or went shopping. Recently, Molin had also been idle, so I dragged him along too.
"Is it just so empty here? I'm going shopping with you!" Molin complained incessantly while pointing at Tian Yuan in my arms. "Why does it get to be held?"
" Molin, if you want someone to hold you, just say so! Should I find a strong man to carry you like this?"
"……"
Looking at Molin's dark expression, I felt a surge of happiness.
At that moment, my phone rang. My previous phone had been crushed by Jun Chong, but thankfully, Shizui had paid for a new one for me. Seeing it was Shizui calling, I answered, and he asked me to pick up some groceries on my way back since both Molin and I needed to eat.
I readily agreed, and after hanging up, I noticed a crowd gathering ahead, with police officers present. The Forensic Investigator had also arrived, and the cordon was set up over a large area, indicating something serious had happened.
Before I could say anything, Molin took my hand and led me forward. I suddenly felt he was more curious than I was; if it weren't for Jun Chong's guidance, I would have eagerly joined the commotion.
We hadn't walked far when I saw the ground inside the cordon was splattered with blood—lots of it—like it had been sprayed everywhere.
Although it was still early, many people had gathered around to watch.
Molin leaned in closer but couldn't see anything. He turned to the nearby women and asked, "What happened here?"
"We're not quite sure either; we just know someone died, and it looks pretty horrific," one of them replied.
"I know," said a woman in a red outfit with heavy makeup. "Early this morning, two bodies were discovered. They were covered in blood and had claw marks all over them. Apparently, they were mauled by a wild beast. I caught a glimpse from afar; it was so shocking that I couldn't even eat breakfast afterward."
"Mauled by a wild beast?" I recalled what Jun Chong had mentioned about Taotie last night and smiled as I said, "How could there be wild beasts here? At most, we have pets like cats and dogs."
"I don't know; that's just what I've heard," the woman pointed to a man in an apron being questioned by the police. "Those two victims seemed to be his employees. I walked past there earlier and heard him say that the two of them took the bus home after one o'clock last night. The man insisted that was the last bus and claimed he saw them get on, but they ended up dead at the bus stop the next day."
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