Chapter 43

Chapter 43

These three girls had originally chosen to believe Granny Bai in the Small Temple for the sake of freedom and their next lives, eventually hanging themselves within its walls.

However, once they were dead, Granny Bai did not keep her promise to help Release from Suffering and guide them to the next life.

Judging by what happened afterward, Granny Bai used the painting to imprison the girls’ Souls within the canvas, using them to continuously lure other girls into following in their footsteps.

Freedom, a change of fate-the things these three girls had traded their lives for-they received none of it. One could only imagine the depth of their resentment.

This was the worst-case scenario I could have imagined, but Tang Xun’s next words shattered our worldview even further.

“From the information I’ve gathered over years of investigation, after these three girls died, their Souls were imprisoned in the painting, but their bodies… still received no respect whatsoever.”

Tang Xun spoke cryptically, but I already had the answer in my heart.

In those days, living girls were worth little. Dead ones, however-especially clean, unmarried girls like these-could be sold for a high price.

Li Qingying clearly understood as well. She gritted her teeth and said, “That Old Granny Bai really deserves to die!”

“Her?” Tang Xun let out a cold laugh. “What do you think she did all this for?”

Li Qingying blinked, startled. “Cultivation?”

“Initially, it probably was for cultivation,” Tang Xun said. “For an animal to cultivate into a spirit and take human form is a long process. To then achieve immortality and sit in a high hall receiving offerings requires passing through eighty-one tribulations. Any stray thought or wicked intent during that time can lead one astray. By choosing this path of cultivation, Old Lady Bai was destined never to truly become an immortal.

“But it seems Heaven was kind to her. She found an excellent opportunity that helped her bypass many troubles.”

Tang Xun was referring to the Golden Scale in my hand.

Old Lady Bai-no, she would have looked quite young back then-had obtained this Golden Scale and sculpted a divine statue of herself in the Small Temple. On the surface, she sat securely on a high pedestal, receiving offerings; in the shadows, she carried out these filthy, sinful deeds.

For some reason, this suddenly made me think of the Qilin Temple on the back mountain of Tafeng Village.

Qilin Temple was the temple where the people of Tafeng Village prayed for children. It was revered and received offerings from all the villagers.

But when Liu Junyan took me there to retrieve Fengwu, I saw a figure in the temple shrouded in black energy with a pair of long wings. Could that have been the human form of the Qilin Deity?

If so, how was his appearance any different from Old Lady Bai’s?

I shook my head, trying to stop my thoughts from wandering.

Bringing my focus back, there was still one thing I didn’t understand. “At the Cai Family Villa, I was sucked into the painting and saw the palace that the Small Temple had transformed into. Most of the girls trapped inside were very young and vibrant, but there were also some women in more modern clothing who were older. They were sitting in the corners with hollow eyes. What happened to them?”

Tang Xun didn’t seem surprised. “That’s why I said she did it for cultivation at first. Later on, it was clearly for something else.”

Li Qingying and I both sat up straight, asking eagerly, “What was it for later?”

“Life extension.” Tang Xun glanced at us through the rearview mirror. “Old Lady Bai’s cultivation path was sinister and evil, destined to be rejected by the laws of nature. Although she had the Golden Scale to protect her body, she was rotten to the core. There might be other reasons as well, but in short, every time she used that painting to harm people afterward, it was likely for the sake of extending her own life.”

This explained why the initial girls were young and ‘clean,’ while the later victims weren’t limited to those criteria.

For instance, Mrs. Cai was not only married but also had a child.

I thought for a moment and asked, “Was there anything special about the women she targeted later? Or was she just casting a wide net?”

Tang Xun said thoughtfully, “Anyone she chose probably had a somewhat unique fate or horoscope. I haven’t verified that yet; it’s just a theory.”
Regardless, none of that mattered anymore.

Now that I had taken the Golden Scale, the Small Temple had collapsed, and the statue was shattered. Old Lady Bai must be suffering a severe backlash right now.

She had already sustained a heavy blow at the Riverside a few days ago.

This string of failures should be more than enough for her to handle.

At the moment, my biggest concern was still that painting. The resentment within it was too heavy. However, now that it was in Tang Xun’s hands, she would deal with it properly.

Fortunately, when Mr. Cai came to pawn the painting, I only said I could go to the Cai Family home to take a look; I never promised to actually take the painting.

Otherwise, if the deal had been finalized, things would be difficult to resolve now.

Before I knew it, the car had come to a steady stop at the Tang Family Old Mansion. A decently dressed middle-aged man came forward to meet us. I recognized him at a glance-it was Tang Ao.

Tang Ao walked over to the driver’s side with a smile and opened the door for Tang Xun, calling out, “Sister, you’re back.”

I couldn’t help but size Tang Ao up again. Judging by his appearance, he looked significantly older than Tang Xun.

Yet, he called her “Sister.”

Doubts rose in my mind once more. Just how old was Tang Xun?

As Tang Xun motioned for us to get out of the car, she asked Tang Ao, “Are the guest rooms ready?”

“You can rest easy when I’m on the job, Sister.” Tang Ao nodded to us in greeting, then hurried to keep pace with Tang Xun. “Dinner is ready as well. You two should head to your rooms to freshen up first, then come down to eat. I specifically had the kitchen prepare your favorite yellow rice honey-bean cakes, topped with osmanthus flowers.”

Tang Xun nodded and personally led us upstairs.

The guest rooms were large. She had prepared separate rooms for Li Qingying and me. The toiletries were all brand new, and she had even thoughtfully provided a set of clean clothes for each of us.

After freshening up, we gathered in the downstairs dining room to chat while we ate.

Li Qingying and I mostly focused on the food, listening to Tang Ao talk to Tang Xun.

Tang Ao was very attentive, using serving chopsticks to place food on Tang Xun’s plate as he spoke.

After dinner, Tang Ao drove away; he didn’t live at the old mansion.

Tang Xun asked to speak with me privately. She had mentioned in the car that she wanted to show me something once we reached the mansion.

Li Qingying went back to her room first, and I followed Tang Xun to the study.

Tang Xun’s study was enormous, filled with a dazzling array of items. Aside from vast collections of ancient texts, there were numerous antiques, calligraphies, paintings, and porcelains. It was truly an eye-opening sight.

She led me directly to a private lounge attached to the inner side of the study.

When she pushed open the door to the lounge, the furnishings inside were surprisingly simple. Aside from a daybed, there was only an ancient painting hanging on the wall.

The moment my gaze fell upon that ancient painting, I froze.

The painting depicted a girl in the middle of drawing a bow.

She was tall, with her hair tied up high, wearing a sleek black archery outfit. The cuffs and hem of the garment were embroidered with large patterns of golden phoenix feathers.

The lower half of the girl’s face was hidden behind a golden mask, obscuring her features. However, a fiery red mark shaped like a feather between her eyebrows was exceptionally striking.

In her hands, she gripped a bow that was wreathed in flames. The bow was drawn to its limit, the string pulled taut.

There was a bow, but no arrow.

I walked closer instinctively, my hand reaching out as if to trace the lines. To my surprise, I noticed a tiny figure sitting playfully on the girl’s shoulder.

The little creature looked adorable and sturdy, with its hair tied in two small pigtails. Sitting on the girl’s shoulder, it had its face turned toward the viewer, making a mischievous face.

She was so small that if one didn’t look closely, they might mistake her for a small doll ornament on the archery suit.

But the moment I saw her, the name escaped my lips almost by instinct: “Fengwu…”