Red Dancing Shoes

"Thump."

Another sound, similar to someone knocking on a door.

There was something in the next room!

Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly swapped his rusted kitchen knife for a rusted short blade and traded his wooden staff for a long spear.

Clutching his weapons, he sprinted out of the room with light footsteps; the moonlight was like frost, and the surroundings were deathly silent.

Zhang Yuanqing leaned forward, crouching as he stealthily approached the window.

The paper covering the window had long since rotted away. He squatted beneath the sill, carefully poked his head up, and peered through a gap in the lattice.

The cold, frosty moonlight was compressed into beams by the holes in the roof, illuminating the narrow room.

Seeing the scene inside, Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat.

In the dim, silent room sat three ancient coffins, their black paint peeling and their lids covered in dust.

Two desiccated corpses lay sprawled beside the coffins, dressed in work clothes; a bronze awl had rolled near the hand of one of them.

That awl caught Zhang Yuanqing's attention. It was half an arm's length, cast from brass, with incantations and carvings etched into the handle. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and most importantly, while all other weapons were rusted, this one remained bright yellow, devoid of any verdigris.

For no reason, an image surfaced in his mind: the hand of the Lady of Three Paths Mountain, her five fingers curled as if holding something.

But her palm was empty.

"Thump."

The muffled sound came again, forcing Zhang Yuanqing to shift his gaze toward the middle coffin.

A teeth-grinding "creak" echoed as the coffin lid slowly slid open.

A greenish-black palm reached out and gripped the edge of the coffin.

Then, a terrifying figure sat up from within.

By the bright moonlight streaming through the roof, Zhang Yuanqing saw the thing clearly: wrapped in tattered rags, its face bloated and highly decomposed, with dead, bulging eyeballs.

Its hair was like withered grass, a tangled mess atop its head.

"Hoo-hoo~"

It tilted its head back toward the moonlight, exhaling a cloud of turbid corpse aura, its two fangs a shocking sight.

A zombie? A zombie!!

Zhang Yuanqing felt his "Uncle Lam" PTSD flaring up.

So it was a zombie—yes, it had to be a zombie, otherwise what would be the point of the Zombie Suppressing Talisman, a consumable item? Zhang Yuanqing felt the urge to retreat; he had already gathered enough information by exploring this far.

It was time to head back to the Main Hall.

But just then, his shoulder suddenly sank. A familiar, icy chill descended, invading his body and raising goosebumps on his skin.

At this critical moment, the Shoulder-Perching Ghost had arrived.

Fifteen minutes are up, Zhang Yuanqing thought, his heart sinking.

In this crisis-ridden ancient temple, his mind was so tightly wound that it was difficult to spare the focus to count the time; he had to rely on his instincts, which inevitably led to errors.

The appearance of the Shoulder-Perching Wraith was a disaster, and the next scene was like adding fuel to the fire.

As if it had caught the scent of a living person, the zombie sitting in the coffin stopped tilting its head. Its bulging eyes dropped, locking onto the window—and the eyes peering in from outside.

Amidst the horror that made his goosebumps erupt one after another, Zhang Yuanqing sprang up, turned, and ran.

He had just turned when he heard the thunderous "bang" of the coffin lid hitting the floor.

He dared not look back, running with heavy steps while carrying the wraith on his shoulder.

Another loud "bang" rang out as the door was smashed off its hinges.

Zhang Yuanqing sprinted while glancing back, seeing the figure in tattered rags charge out of the room, leaping forward like a starving tiger chasing its prey.

Is this a zombie? Where is the stiffness? His face changed drastically. He pivoted on his heel, using his momentum to complete a turn, and thrust his spear toward the zombie's chest.

He planted the butt of the spear into the ground, creating a makeshift barricade.

At the same time, he saw a gruesome hole in the zombie's chest; its heart seemed to have been gouged out.

Senior Brother? The zombie is the Senior Brother from the notes!

The next moment, the zombie lunged against the spear. The thick shaft bent like a full moon before snapping with a "crack."

With no time to think, Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity created by the spear, rolled past the zombie's feet, his nose filled with the stench of rot, and heard the sound of a heavy blade hacking into the ground behind him.

He rolled all the way behind the zombie, sprang up from his knees, and swung his short blade.

"Clang!"

The blade struck the back of the zombie's head as if hitting steel; aside from shearing off a few strands of withered hair, it caused no damage at all.

Instead, the force vibrating back through the hilt caused Zhang Yuanqing's hand to ache, and he nearly dropped his weapon.

"Copper skin and iron bones?"

Zhang Yuanqing was terrified, and immediately saw the zombie turn rapidly, raising its hands with their black, razor-sharp nails to clamp onto his shoulders.

Pain struck immediately.

Black, razor-sharp nails pierced his skin, and crimson blood stained his jacket.

The scent of blood stimulated it; deep within its protruding eyeballs, a scarlet light surged. The zombie bared its fangs, exhaling a foul-smelling gas as it lunged to bite Zhang Yuanqing's neck.

The purification effect of the candle was still active, so he didn't lose his mind to fear. With a thought, the fluorescent blue

Inventory

appeared, and a talisman materialized in his hand.

Clatter, clatter, clatter. The zombie, which had been savage and brutal a moment ago, recoiled repeatedly upon seeing the Yellow Paper Talisman, as if avoiding a venomous snake or scorpion.

It's effective. It fears me. It possesses a certain level of intelligence. Zhang Yuanqing endured the pain in his arms, tensed his muscles, and stared fixedly at the zombie. With the grudge-spirit still on his shoulder, he retreated slowly, step by step.

As he backed away, he prayed that the Well Ghost wouldn't emerge to complicate things.

During this process, the zombie emitted a chilling, low growl from its rotting throat, its scarlet gaze locked onto Zhang Yuanqing.

Fortunately, whether due to the zombie's hesitation or the fact that Zhang Yuanqing was walking backward, the Well Ghost did not appear. Zhang Yuanqing retreated from the East Courtyard and returned to the Siheyuan. Not daring to stop for even a second, he stumbled toward the Main Hall. As he neared the overhanging eaves of the Main Hall, a phantom, shrill scream echoed in his ears.

His shoulder felt lighter, and all negative effects dissipated.

"Huff, huff."

Inside the Main Hall, Zhang Yuanqing leaned against the lattice door, gasping for breath as his legs spasmed uncontrollably.

This was half due to fear and half a physiological reaction to the adrenaline fading.

After resting for a few minutes, the adrenaline wore off and the wounds on his arms began to throb. Grimacing, he stripped off his jacket and t-shirt to reveal both arms mangled and bloody, the blood flowing out dark and black.

It was obvious that the zombie's nails contained a potent toxin.

The situation had suddenly turned dire.

"There's no disinfectant here, no tetanus shot. Is the zombie venom fast-acting? I'm not going to die from poisoning, am I?"

A flurry of thoughts raced through Zhang Yuanqing's mind, and he was surprised to find that he wasn't actually that afraid. Then he realized it had nothing to do with him; it was the courage granted by the candle.

Bathed in the candlelight, his emotions gradually calmed.

"I'm poisoned now, so I can't afford to drag this out. I'll go straight to the second plan."

Before entering the Spirit Realm, Zhang Yuanqing had formulated two plans. The first was to explore the Mountain God Temple cautiously, gather information, and then seek a way to break the curse.

It was a steady, step-by-step approach.

Then, inspired by playing games with his Aunt, he looked for patterns and methods, leading him to formulate a second, more adventurous plan.

Attempt to subdue the Red Dancing Shoes.

Since they were both items, if he could use the Yellow Paper Talisman, who was to say he couldn't use the Red Dancing Shoes?

Guan Ya had said that by breaking the rules of a rule-based item, there was a certain probability of subduing it.

"With my current abilities, it's unlikely I could manage to slap a Yellow Paper Talisman onto the zombie's forehead on my own."

Trying to stick a talisman onto the forehead of a savage, terrifying, and intelligent yin-entity was like a child challenging an adult to a duel with a knife. Even if the adult feared the blade, it didn't mean the child could actually harm them.

Zhang Yuanqing stopped hesitating, pushed himself up against the lattice door, crossed the threshold, and arrived at the courtyard in front of the Main Hall.

This was where he had first encountered the Red Dancing Shoes.

The full moon hung like a plate over the ancient house, wild grass, and swaying tree shadows.

He waited and waited, standing among the weeds for a long time, alert to any changes in his surroundings, but the Red Dancing Shoes never appeared.

These shoes didn't seem to have a fixed territory. At first, they followed him when he entered the temple, then appeared in the Siheyuan, but now, he had no idea where they had gone.

Sighing as his physical condition worsened with every passing moment, Zhang Yuanqing turned around in resignation to head back to the Main Hall.

The moment he finished turning, his body froze abruptly.

"Tap, tap."

Between him and the Main Hall, a pair of red dancing shoes emitting a faint, dark-red glow were stepping up and down, as if an invisible person were wearing them and marking time in place.

The sound of footsteps echoed eerily in the empty, silent night.

Can you choose a different way to make an entrance? Every time is so terrifying. Zhang Yuanqing's soul, which had nearly been scared out of his body, slowly returned to its place as he quietly swallowed his saliva.

Despite hoping for their appearance, when faced with these bizarre shoes, Zhang Yuanqing still felt his sanity points dropping uncontrollably.

The Red Dancing Shoes continued to mark time, the heels tapping against the ground with a crisp sound. The overlapping echoes of the taps made the scene feel even more desolate and terrifying.

In Zhang Yuanqing's field of vision, a fluorescent blue message suddenly popped up:

[Would you like to dance with me? If you are willing, please mark time in place.]

This message appeared beside the Red Dancing Shoes, as if they were conversing with him.

So it really is a demand to dance. If I don't dance with it, it kills me. What a malicious pair of shoes. Zhang Yuanqing had no choice but to go all in, because he realized one thing: the Red Dancing Shoes had cut off his retreat.

They had appeared right between him and the Main Hall.

If the dance failed, he would surely die.

Is it a coincidence? Or did these shoes do it on purpose? Do they have intelligence too? Zhang Yuanqing reined in his thoughts, settled his emotions, and visualized his father's face in his mind.

At the same time, he lifted his foot and began to step.

Tap, tap. It was as if this were the switch to activate the item. As he stepped, the rhythm of the Red Dancing Shoes changed, shifting into a rapid-fire tap dance.

It danced a tap dance, the rhythm infectious and the speed blistering. The loud "tap-tap" echoed through the silent night sky and the abandoned ancient temple.

Under the moonlight, amidst the wild grass and along the pebble-paved path, a pair of Red Dancing Shoes danced in solitude, possessing an indescribable, bewitching beauty.

Zhang Yuanqing widened his eyes, letting his pupils absorb the moonlight, staring fixedly at the Red Dancing Shoes. He didn't need to consciously memorize the steps; he simply let the movements imprint themselves into his vision.

At the same time, his heart beat rapidly like an overloaded engine. His ears were filled with chaotic noise, and countless fragmented images flashed through his mind.

His brain began to automatically receive external information: the sound of the wind, the slight bending of the wild grass, the frequency at which the leaves of the distant pagoda tree swayed, and the posture and rhythm of the Red Dancing Shoes' tapping.

The brain, having received the information, analyzed and memorized it at high speed.

A few minutes later, the Red Dancing Shoes stopped, satisfied. It stepped back with its left foot and stood on its tiptoes.

The posture looked strange, but if someone were wearing them, it would be a standard curtsy.

Quite polite, aren't you? Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself as blood flowed from his nostrils, then he saw a line of text appear above the Red Dancing Shoes:

[Your turn!]

In those few minutes, it had danced hundreds of rhythms with varying steps, exceeding the shorthand capabilities of an ordinary person.

Zhang Yuanqing steadied himself, took a small pill from his pocket, and held it in his mouth.

Then, his brain fell into a wondrous state, replaying the images from the past few minutes frame by frame.

"Tap, tap, tap, tap."

He danced a few rhythms at a slow speed and with clumsy posture, then carefully scrutinized the Red Dancing Shoes.

If the requirement was for the movements to be identical, then even if he could memorize every rhythm and action, it would be impossible to complete the task.

Seeing that it showed no abnormality, Zhang Yuanqing felt a wave of relief and began to dance with full concentration.

Tapping, spinning, small hops, crossing his left and right feet—he danced very slowly, his posture awkward and unsightly, looking simply unbearable compared to the fluid movements of the Red Dancing Shoes.

But the slow-paced steps ensured he wouldn't make mistakes.

Seven or eight minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing had replicated all the steps of the Red Dancing Shoes and stopped, panting heavily.

His nostrils were filled with warm liquid that dripped down his lips and chin, but he couldn't spare the time to wipe it away, staring fixedly at the Red Dancing Shoes.

Whether he could walk out of the Spirit Realm alive, whether he could successfully complete the trial—it all depended on this moment.

[Your dancing skills are as terrible as ever!]

The Red Dancing Shoes popped up this message, and then, it transformed into a dark red glimmer and dissipated into the night.

Immediately after, Zhang Yuanqing heard a cold voice ring out in his mind:

[Ding! You have accompanied the Red Dancing Shoes in a dance. Congratulations on gaining the appreciation of the Red Dancing Shoes. However, because your dancing foundation is too poor, the Red Dancing Shoes will only appreciate you for half an hour. Good luck!]

Zhang Yuanqing collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, his face pale, his brain throbbing with pain.

Half a minute later, the symptoms eased. He sat up, pale-faced, and impatiently opened his Inventory.

In the second slot lay a pair of brand-new red dancing shoes.

Staring at the shoes for a few seconds, the item information appeared automatically.

[Name: Red Dancing Shoes]

[Type: Footwear]

[Function: Tracking, Assassination]

[Introduction: Its former owner was a princess of a Western kingdom. The princess was naturally beautiful and skilled in dance, and the men of the kingdom were captivated by her. However, her wicked stepmother, jealous of her talent and beauty, imprisoned her in a high tower. The lonely princess danced alone in the cold moonlight until she died. These Red Dancing Shoes inherited her dying wish, began to wander, and danced alone without end.]

[Note 1: Usage Form 1: Throw the Red Dancing Shoes at a designated target (or use the target's blood, hair, or skin cells as a medium to lock onto them), and it will pursue the target relentlessly. During the pursuit, it ignores any physical obstacles, cannot be escaped, and cannot be destroyed until the target dies or completes a dance with it; the type of dance is not restricted.]

[Usage Form 2: Wear the Red Dancing Shoes to increase agility, improve evasion, run across any terrain, and eliminate the need for stamina. The only thing you need to note is that you can only wear them for five minutes at a time. If you exceed this duration, the Red Dancing Shoes can never be taken off, and you will run with them forever until your life ends or you sever your feet.]

[Note 2: Won't dance with me? I'll kill you all.]

It's a divine artifact. Zhang Yuanqing was thrilled after reading the item's attribute description.

Is this a rule-based item?

It's ridiculously powerful.

The previous Yellow Paper Talisman and candle had relatively simple item descriptions, only a few sentences long, whereas the information for these Red Dancing Shoes was a long, detailed essay.

From this alone, one could see the uniqueness of the Red Dancing Shoes.

"It's a pity it only appreciates me for half an hour."

Zhang Yuanqing noticed the countdown next to the Inventory and felt a pang of regret.

If such a divine artifact could belong to him, it would be of immense use, whether in reality or in future Spirit Realms.