"Got it. I'll be right there." Xie Bi'an nodded to Chi Ghost, then turned back to Du Yu. "Little Du, looks like the old lady has run into some trouble. I can't keep you company today."
"Wait!"
Xie Bi'an was about to leave when someone caught his wrist.
"What is it? Something else?"
"Seventh Master..."
Holding on to Xie Bi'an, Du Yu said slowly, "You'd better not go this time."
"Not go?" Xie Bi'an pondered for a moment. He knew what sort of person Du Yu was; he wouldn't say something so inappropriate without a reason.
"Do you know what this is about?"
"This is serious," Du Yu said. "It's exactly why I'm looking for Lady Houtu."
"Boy, it's not your place to speak," Chi Ghost interrupted coldly.
Xie Bi'an paused as well, then told Du Yu, "Even if Lady Houtu told me to die, I'd do it. The old lady has done too much for me. I can never repay her."
"Seventh Master, you..." Du Yu hadn't expected Xie Bi'an to trust Lady Houtu so completely, and he had no idea how to persuade him.
Watching Xie Bi'an and Chi Ghost slowly disappear from sight, Du Yu began to panic. It seemed Lady Houtu had changed her plans. Had she been unable to resist making her move before he even entered the legend of Black and White Impermanence?
Or... Du Yu looked at the Green Writing Brush in his hand again. Did she change her plans at the last minute because I shattered the Jade Pendant?
"Yingning," Du Yu said, "I've saved your soul. Now it's your turn to help me."
"Help you?"
"That's right. We agreed before: I'd save your soul first, and then you'd tell me about Lady Houtu."
"Haven't you got that wrong?" Yingning asked with