Consort Ding

There was no doubt that the building before them was the Hualin Office where the Prince of Yuzhang resided.

But at this moment, the dilapidated and ruined office appeared eerie and sinister in the dead of night.

It was like a ghost realm.

"Zen Master, if you are not confident, I can summon some retainers and servants..."

"No need!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand dismissively.

His gaze was sharp, and he spoke with righteous indignation.

"Evil spirits are wreaking havoc in the imperial court and harming the royal family; how can we shrink back in fear?"

"Follow me!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression was resolute.

Ever since he had mastered the second level of the Mountain-Shrinking Fist, even he himself did not know how strong he had become.

Today was the perfect time to put it to the test.

Besides, if the worst came to the worst, he would just restart.

Fu Qi, standing to the side, did not understand what was going through Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's decision-making so crisp and decisive, disregarding the danger, a flash of admiration could not help but cross his face.

"Truly a righteous man of the nation."

Fu Qi praised.

"?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Fu Qi.

What kind of nonsense are you spouting?

"Commander Fu, the Dharma form I will manifest in a moment is somewhat terrifying; please do not be alarmed."

To avoid startling Fu Qi and causing unnecessary panic when he transformed into his full Deep One form at the most dangerous moment, Zhu Yuanzhang decided to explain in advance.

"How could I be?"

Fu Qi was stunned for a moment, then quickly replied.

"I am also slightly versed in the ways of the pugilistic world and understand the dangers involved; Zen Master need not worry."

"That is good."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

Following that, the momentum of the Mountain-Shrinking Fist instantly condensed around his body.

In a trance, Fu Qi seemed to hear the sound of ocean waves.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked around.

His hands suddenly turned a pitch-black color, deeper than the surrounding darkness.

His hardened claws, lubricated by mucus, were sharp enough to cut through metal and jade.

The road ahead continued to stretch toward the office at the end of the darkness.

It seemed as if the two of them had been walking in place from the very beginning.

However, the scenery on both sides of the road was completely different from before.

Countless magnificent houses had appeared on both sides of the road at some unknown time.

With carved beams and painted rafters, every piece of glazed tile and every stone pillar was worth a fortune.

Yet, between every brick and tile, everything was covered in layers of withered vines, making it appear exceptionally sinister and terrifying.

"Do you recognize these buildings—"

The sinister and hollow houses on both sides of the road suddenly lit up.

It was as if the owners of the houses had all lit the candles in front of their windows at the same time.

Countless shadows, some graceful and some unnaturally slender, were instantly cast upon the windows.

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed that the moment the lights in the houses on both sides flickered on, Fu Qi's pupils suddenly constricted.

It was not out of fear!

It was out of shock! And disbelief!

What was he surprised about?

Fu Qi raised his head, meeting Zhu Yuanzhang's scrutinizing gaze.

"You recognize these houses."

Seeing the shift in Fu Qi's eyes.

This time, Zhu Yuanzhang's tone was certain.

"..."

The atmosphere suddenly fell into an indescribable silence.

Fu Qi gritted his teeth, glancing around at the dilapidated palaces, as if having made a certain resolution.

He spoke.

"This was the residence of Consort Ding, the biological mother of Crown Prince Zhaoming, Xiao Tong... The monk may not know, but during his life, Crown Prince Zhaoming was exceptionally filial to Consort Ding. He even spared no expense to specifically build a garden on the former site of Hualin Garden, so that Consort Ding could study the Dao, explore the mysteries, and enjoy her twilight years."

"But..."

Following the appearance of a beautiful white silhouette in the distance, where the lights seemed forever out of reach.

Fu Qi's voice shifted from surprise and confusion to a growing sense of dread.

"After Consort Ding passed away, this garden should have been burned to the ground in an accident long ago... How could it be."

Watching the white shadow drifting eerily toward the two of them.

"Study the Dao and explore the mysteries?" "Enjoy her twilight years?"

"Does your Xiao Liang have some kind of misunderstanding regarding the word 'retirement'?"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, shielding the Commander of the Central Army, Fu Qi, behind him.

The surrounding trees rustled.

The wind blew through the leafless trunks, emitting a spine-chilling creak in the darkness.

Then, accompanied by the white silk and embroidered robes of a woman dancing in the air.

A desolate and tragic song drifted over.

"In the bewitching second or third month of spring, the wind tosses petals to the western house."

"The longing wife in the west sees them and grieves, tears staining her clothes as she sighs and clutches her heart."

"When I first sent my lord out the door, who would have said his stay would stretch until the seasons changed?"

"Dust settles on the bed mats, the mirror is clouded with grime, my slender waist has thinned, and my hair is disheveled."

"Life is never constant in its sorrow, I pace and lean, waiting until midnight."

The white mourning clothes before them were stained with bits of silt, and within those clothes was a highly decomposed female corpse.

Because of his innate Spirit Pupil.

Compared to Zhu Yuanzhang, Fu Qi saw the figure of the white-clad woman appearing suddenly in the ghost-ridden Hualin Garden at midnight much more clearly.

He recognized the identity of the woman before him almost at a glance.

"This is Noble Consort Ding—the biological mother of Crown Prince Xiao Tong!"

Fu Qi felt his scalp go numb.

Then, quite prudently, he turned around and grabbed the sleeve of Zhu Yuanzhang, who was preparing to see what kind of tricks these Southern Dynasty rulers had up their sleeves.

He shouted.

"Chan Master, save me!"

"?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Fu Qi, who showed absolutely no will to resist, with a bewildered expression.

"No?"

"That's it?"

"Are you a fake Commander of the Central Army?"

But now was not the time to dwell on such matters.

Watching "Consort Ding" reach out toward the two of them, accompanied by a white lantern radiating intense light.

Zhu Yuanzhang's powerful frame shuddered, and then, as if lifespan were worthless, the Dingguang Demon-Subduing True Fire surged from every part of his body.

It formed a barrier of true fire that covered the entire path.

In theory, the Dingguang Demon-Subduing True Fire was the fire of the Buddha Dipankara, the most yang and rigid force under heaven.

It possessed a powerful restraining force against all ghosts and evil spirits.

However, against the ghost—or rather, the desiccated corpse—of Noble Consort Ding that had suddenly popped out before them.

It seemed to have absolutely no effect.

A pair of skeletal claws, hanging with rotting flesh, reached straight down toward the top of Fu Qi's head.

In just a fleeting moment!

"Ah!!!"

Accompanied by a shrill, miserable scream that echoed throughout the entire Hualin Garden.

The moment Fu Qi was seized by the bone claws, his entire body withered instantly.

His skin lost all moisture, fusing together with the silk official robes he wore.

He collapsed to the ground, transformed into a desiccated corpse.

Yet, the momentum of those sharp claws did not diminish.

Tearing through Fu Qi's torso and official robes, they continued to strike directly toward Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Xiao Yan's lackey..."

Upon the body of Consort Ding, which was in a state of advanced decay, a pair of eyes gazed at Fu Qi's fallen remains, flickering with the light of hatred.

"Dog Emperor... evil Daoist..."

"You have already harmed my son..."

Facing those sharp claws, which were still dripping with corpse fluid and hanging with rotting flesh, Zhu Yuanzhang's pupils constricted violently.

Ocean waves and jagged reefs instantly surfaced within Zhu Yuanzhang's pupils.

The surging sound of waves washed over the area.

His palms, limbs, and head were instantly covered in a layer of black scales.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Zhu Yuanzhang threw a backhand punch.

In an instant, it was as if ocean waves were crashing against a mountain range.

A heavy, resonant echo rang out like the beating of war drums.

The body of "Consort Ding" was sent flying backward instantly.

However, there was no joy on Zhu Yuanzhang's face.

He looked at his right arm, which was rapidly festering and shriveling.

His expression was uncertain.

There was no fear of death.

Only the deep unwillingness of being done in by a mere minion.