The yamen was already deserted, its people gone and its rooms empty. No one knew where the constables had run off to. Zhou Yi went to the yamen prison and found Liu An, Shopkeeper Liu's son, barely clinging to life. The plan that had surfaced in Zhou Yi's mind could not do without him.
After cutting the chains from Liu An and lifting him in his hand like a dead pig, Zhou Yi muttered, "Where am I supposed to find Scholar Xu's mother now?"
Zhou Yi thought of Li Yuanfang, but where could he find Li Yuanfang now?
Unable to think of an answer, Zhou Yi decided to first bring Liu An to the village entrance and test his theory.
When he reached the village entrance, Zhou Yi found that there was one more person there. It was none other than Chief Constable Li from the yamen.
Zhou Yi directly threw Liu An out beyond the village entrance. Sure enough, it was exactly as he had guessed.
The previously tranquil scene was shattered. Once Red Fiend sensed Liu An, the mist around her surged violently and instantly spread to his side. As the fog swallowed him, Liu An, who had been half-dead, suddenly let out a deafening cry.
Half-consumed by the mist, Liu An stared wide-eyed at the four people standing at the village entrance. Opening his mouth, he screamed, "Help! Save me! I swear, I'll never harm anyone again!"
Seeing that the four people remained unmoved even after hearing his pleas, the light in Liu An's eyes gradually faded. Then his expression turned vicious as he glared at Zhou Yi, who had thrown him out. "Even if I become a ghost, I won't let you go!"
"I'm afraid you won't even get the chance to become a ghost." Zhou Yi looked at Liu An with disdain.
"What is going on?"
"Zhou Yi, do you know the origins of the Red and White Fiends?"
Qu Yong and Old Qin spoke at the same time.
As for Chief Constable Li beside them, although he did not ask aloud, he turned a puzzled gaze toward Zhou Yi.
Seeing everyone looking at him, Zhou Yi explained, "The Red and White Fiends were childhood sweethearts from the village."
After saying this, Zhou Yi turned to Old Qin. "Old Qin, do you remember Shopkeeper Liu's case?"
Old Qin nodded at Zhou Yi.
"These are Scholar Xu and Jiang Yu'er, the ones Shopkeeper Liu killed!" Zhou Yi explained to everyone.
"What?" Old Qin was struck dumb with shock, while Qu Yong and Chief Constable Li beside him were completely at a loss.
Seeing that his master and Chief Constable Li still looked confused, Zhou Yi told them what had happened back then.
After hearing it, the two sighed deeply, but there was nothing they could do. The ones who should have died were already dead.
Yet they still could not understand why White Fiend had been stopping Red Fiend. Old Qin, standing nearby, revealed a knowing smile and explained to Qu Yong and Li Zhengqing, "Scholar Xu still has a mother alive."
Only then did the two finally understand why White Fiend had been restraining Red Fiend.
Having devoured Liu An, Red Fiend gradually quieted down. The mist slowly thinned, but she still remained at the village entrance.
Seeing this, Old Qin turned to Chief Constable Li and said, "Zhou Yi used Liu An to dissolve Red Fiend's resentment. But if White Fiend's resentment remains unresolved, Red Fiend will not leave either. Sorry for the trouble, Chief Constable Li, but please bring Scholar Xu's mother here."
"Alright!" Chief Constable Li nodded to Old Qin and turned to head into the village.
"Constable Li, Li Yuanfang should know where Scholar Xu's mother is." Zhou Yi called after Chief Constable Li.
"Got it!" After answering Zhou Yi, Chief Constable Li swiftly vanished from everyone's sight.
Old Qin then said to Zhou Yi, "Luckily it's daytime. If it were night, with the mist strengthening her, even throwing Shopkeeper Liu's entire family out there might not have been enough to dissolve Red Fiend's resentment."
Hearing this, Zhou Yi could not help but grow curious. He asked Old Qin, "Old Qin, just what is the origin of this mist?"
Old Qin shook his head. "I don't know either. The mist had already existed when I was young, and none of the records I read contained any definite account of it. I only know that the mist brought Yin Energy. When Yin Energy combines with resentment and Spirits and Monsters, it forms strange horrors and strengthens their abilities."
Zhou Yi was somewhat disappointed. He had thought he could learn the origin of the mist from Old Qin, but unexpectedly, Old Qin did not know either.
Old Qin saw Zhou Yi's disappointment and said, "The stronger you become, the more you'll know. Before your master and I left this place, we knew nothing too. It was only after we entered the military camp that we began to understand the world outside."
Qu Yong also said to Zhou Yi, "Once you go to Luoshi City, what you know and learn will surpass us. Your master can only stop at the Vitality Realm, but you are different. Your talent is enough to let you see loftier scenery. Staying in Qingzhu Village will eventually hold you back."
"I understand, Old Qin, Master." Zhou Yi nodded to them both.
While the three were talking, Chief Constable Li, who had just left, returned to the village entrance. Li Yuanfang followed behind him, along with an elderly woman whose hair was streaked with gray.
This gray-haired old woman must be Scholar Xu's mother, Zhou Yi thought.
The instant the old woman arrived, the white mist outside the village began to churn restlessly. It wanted to spread into the village, yet feared hurting her.
Naturally, the old woman at the village entrance also noticed the white mist outside. Frightened, she hid behind Chief Constable Li and asked, "Why have you officials brought me here? Why are there so many strange horrors outside?"
Zhou Yi opened his mouth, wanting to explain that the strange horror outside was her son, but no sound came out.
Old Qin glanced at Zhou Yi and said, "I'll explain it to her."
Old Qin walked toward the old woman.
When he reached her side, Old Qin told her about Shopkeeper Liu. After he finished, he stepped aside while Li Yuanfang supported the old woman beside him.
After hearing Old Qin's explanation, the old woman froze. It took her a long while to recover. Then tears welled from her eyes, and she staggered toward the outside of the village. Her mouth opened and closed, but she could not make a sound for quite some time. Only when she stepped beyond the village did she cry out, "My... my son!"
Zhou Yi had wanted to stop the old woman, since strange horrors carried Yin Energy, but Old Qin stopped him and said, "Look."
Zhou Yi looked toward the old woman. With every step she took forward, the white mist retreated one step, as though terrified of touching her. At the same time, the white mist grew thinner and thinner until it finally dispersed, leaving behind only a coffin.
The mist around Red Fiend also gradually dispersed, revealing the sedan chair and its bearers within.
The old woman began walking toward the coffin, but the coffin began to retreat as well.
Seeing this, Zhou Yi walked beyond the village and stopped the old woman. "Madam, don't go any closer. Your son carries Yin Energy now, and he is afraid of hurting you too."
The old woman stopped upon hearing this and asked Zhou Yi, "Sir, I know you're with the Patrol Team. Can you spare my son? This old woman will kneel before you."
Zhou Yi helped the old woman up and said with a bitter smile, "It's no longer a question of whether I will spare your son. It's whether your son and daughter-in-law will spare us."
"I understand, sir," the old woman said to Zhou Yi.
Then the old woman raised a hand and wiped away the tears on her face. Turning around, as though speaking to herself and yet also to the coffin, she said, "Tian Lin, take Yu'er and go. Mother no longer needs you to care for her. The two of you must live well!"
After saying this, the old woman gave the coffin one final look before turning and walking back toward the village with a bent back.
As the old woman departed, the coffin and sedan chair became increasingly transparent until they vanished completely. On the ground, only a broken brush remained.
Zhou Yi stepped forward and picked up the broken brush. Old Qin and the others stood silently where they were, lost in thoughts unknown.
Before you continue