Chapter 39: Tacit Understanding – Meng Ji

Every single set of white bones brimmed with murderous intent and thick resentment… Suddenly, inspiration struck. Gu Changhuai lifted his gaze and met Rong Ye’s eyes.

The two spoke in unison: “A battlefield.”

As the words fell, Gu Changhuai paused, then curved the corners of his eyes in a smile. “The Immortal Lord and I truly have a tacit understanding.”

A hint of amusement flickered in Rong Ye’s eyes, and he gave a low “Mm.” “Indeed, a tacit understanding.”

He hadn’t expected such a response. That low, magnetic voice rang in his ear, so captivating it made his bones tingle and his heart quiver. Gu Changhuai froze abruptly. It took him a long while to recover, and he turned his head away awkwardly.

This guy…

He sneaked another glance at Rong Ye. The other man looked perfectly composed, his amber eyes fixed intently on him, profound and inscrutable.

“…” Gu Changhuai’s heart skipped a beat. He withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened. Inwardly, he thought it was a good thing Rong Ye usually kept such a distant, aloof demeanor—otherwise, that look alone would drown countless girls.

He rummaged in his storage pouch and pulled out the remaining five or six spirit fruits. He tied strings around their stems and hung them from the eaves, then pulled Rong Ye aside to conceal their auras and hide.

Rong Ye said nothing throughout the process. Gu Changhuai couldn’t help but lean in and whisper, “Why aren’t you asking what I’m doing?”

This was such a crude fishing expedition—most people wouldn’t fall for it.

Rong Ye glanced sideways at him, his expression calm. “You have your methods.” The even, emotionless statement carried a sense of steady reliability.

Gu Changhuai faltered. “…”

This…

This sudden trust hit him hard.

Snapping back, Gu Changhuai tucked his hands into his sleeves with a touch of guilt, maintaining his usual relaxed, lazy posture—but he no longer dared meet Rong Ye’s eyes.

His emotions were complicated.

Guilty, yet amused.

Next time I try to assassinate him, I’ll have to go easier.

In the ensuing silence, a black shadow suddenly flashed by. Gu Changhuai’s eyes sharpened. Without thinking, he tugged Rong Ye’s sleeve. “Look.”

The fish had taken the bait.

…

Under the long corridor, the black shadow swept past the hanging spirit fruits like the wind. In the blink of an eye, it snatched them all, leaving only a few strings swaying in the breeze.

The shadow fled with the fruits in another direction. Whoosh—the Qiankun Sword unsheathed abruptly, transforming into countless rays of sword light that chased after it.

“Don’t hurt her first!” Gu Changhuai grabbed Rong Ye’s wrist as he formed the incantation.

At his words, Rong Ye’s gaze shifted slightly.

In the next instant, the Qiankun Sword’s fierce killing intent receded by more than half. The dispersed sword shadows reversed direction in a flash, instead unleashing an irresistible pressure.

Gu Changhuai was stunned. He hadn’t expected Rong Ye to listen. The rope hidden in his sleeve, meant to bind the shadow, was hastily withdrawn. He watched the Qiankun Sword’s movements nonchalantly.

The sword’s split shadows formed countless beams of light, blocking the shadow’s escape routes. Once it was cornered, they circled it, forming a sword-shadow prison that trapped it without escape.

With everything done, whoosh—the Qiankun Sword returned to its sheath.

The figure trapped midair by the sword shadows slowly descended. As the wind and mist dissipated, the shadow revealed its true form.

A little girl of four or five, with double buns tied by red ribbons. Her fair little face was full of wariness as she clutched five or six spirit fruits, stuffing her arms full.

She looked exactly like the girl Gu Changhuai had met before under the willow tree at the village entrance. As they approached, she tried to back away. But behind her swirled the encircling sword lights, which sliced half her outer garment away. She froze, not daring to move, and eyed the approaching Gu Changhuai and Rong Ye cautiously.

“You’ve stolen my fruits twice now and never even said thank you.” Gu Changhuai squatted down, pointing at the fruits in her arms with a teasing grin. “Like them?”

The little girl clutched them tighter to her chest, as if afraid he’d snatch them, but also guilty for taking someone else’s. She bowed her head.

Gu Changhuai coaxed her. “I’m not a bad guy. I won’t take your fruits.” He glanced at the silent Rong Ye beside him, then turned back to the girl, deliberately lowering his voice—but loud enough for Rong Ye to hear: “He’s the bad one. Ignore him.”

The little girl wasn’t fooled. She glared up fiercely. “Bullshit… You’re all together!”

Gu Changhuai: “…”

He looked up at Rong Ye and tilted his head. That obvious? Rong Ye met his gaze coolly, letting out a faint, almost imperceptible chuckle. Upon closer look, the man’s handsome face remained icy—that laugh must have been his imagination.

Fine. Gu Changhuai gave up on the soft approach, cleared his throat, and got straight to the point with the girl. “I’ve met someone who looks exactly like you. Do you know her?”

At his words, the girl rushed forward two steps. “Where is she?!” The concern and anxiety in her eyes were genuine, and a faint baleful aura surged from her, as if she were about to get angry.

“Don’t rush. Answer a few questions first.” Gu Changhuai smiled. “Why have you been following me these past couple of days?”

After a moment of silence.

The girl pursed her lips. “You smell like my sister.”

Gu Changhuai realized. “Meng Xian is your sister. You’re the Twinborn Ghost Fiends, so what’s your name?”

At the mention of her name, the girl’s reaction mirrored Meng Xian’s earlier reluctance. “…Meng Ji.”

Meng Xian, Meng Ji.

Sacrifice.

Gu Changhuai understood. He tugged Rong Ye’s robe. “Let Meng Xian out.” The Compass appeared in Rong Ye’s palm. With a wave, a beam of spiritual light flew out, forming a dainty little girl.

Meng Xian emerged abruptly and spotted Rong Ye opposite her first. Her little face tensed as she darted behind Gu Changhuai, clutching his clothes tightly. She peeked warily at Rong Ye and complained to Gu Changhuai aggrievedly: “He… he wanted to kill me. He’s, he’s bad!”

“The Immortal Lord isn’t popular with kids,” Gu Changhuai remarked. Meng Xian was timid to begin with—what had Rong Ye done to scare her so much?

Rong Ye’s face remained expressionless, neither confirming nor denying.

Meng Xian continued, “He stole my candy pouch and locked me in a dark room full of restrictions. It almost burned me.”

Rong Ye didn’t even lift an eyelid. “Touch no restrictions, and you won’t get hurt.”

Gu Changhuai smiled without replying. He patted Meng Xian’s head and nodded toward the sword-light prison with his eyes. “Your sister.”

Wary of Rong Ye, Meng Xian hesitated. Gu Changhuai patted her back. “Go on. I’m here.” Only then did she muster the courage to approach the cage and chat with Meng Ji.

The two little girls were clearly close. The moment they met, their faces lit up with life. Ignoring the others, they chattered away.

Gu Changhuai stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Rong Ye, chuckling. “If the Immortal Lord wanted to catch ghost fiends, fine—but why steal a little girl’s candy pouch?”

Rong Ye: “…”

Rong Ye: “No. The Compass tolerates no foreign objects.” It wasn’t a storage pouch; it could only absorb Meng Xian, who had formed from baleful qi.

Gu Changhuai shrugged. “Fine.” He reached toward Rong Ye without hesitation. Rong Ye’s eyes flickered as he blocked the hand. “What are you doing?”

Emboldened by knowing Rong Ye wouldn’t get serious with him, Gu Changhuai fished a candy pouch from Rong Ye’s robes. The Ten Directions Garden pattern was clear on it. He popped a candy into his mouth and grinned. “Candy.”

“…” Rong Ye lowered his gaze to Gu Changhuai, his eyes calm and inscrutable. After a long moment, he said slowly, “Glutton.”

Gu Changhuai just smiled silently, arms crossed as he waited for the twin fiends to catch up. When their murmurs quieted, he spoke. “Lady Mengying raised you. You must know what she wants. Can you tell us now?”

The words silenced the twins’ tiny voices. They both looked at Gu Changhuai, then exchanged a glance. Meng Xian whispered, “Mother said we’re nourishment for brother.”

Gu Changhuai said patiently, “And what do you think?”

Meng Xian: “I…” She looked around, her gaze lingering inch by inch over the white bones. Hesitant, she said, “I didn’t choose this…”

“Our birth was never our choice.” Meng Ji chimed in from the side, sniffling. “We want to be like normal people, like… like one of the thousands of baleful qi kids I absorbed. With family to love us, coaxed to eat sweet candies and fresh fruits.”

“Yes.” Meng Xian nodded in agreement. True to her nature, she fidgeted with her hands and murmured, “I don’t want to be constantly reminded that I’m just a vessel born for someone else… even if it’s for brother.”

Gu Changhuai fell silent, watching the two little girls.

Lady Mengying lavished all her love on Pei Tianyi, while the twins—forced into existence—received only her cold indifference.

What a sin.

He sighed and turned to Rong Ye. “What does the Immortal Lord plan to do?”

“Guide them to the afterlife,” Rong Ye said flatly.

Gu Changhuai pondered. “Not a bad idea.”

Though the girls hadn’t chosen to be born, their existence was extraordinary. They embodied the baleful qi and resentment of multitudes. Most of that resentment stemmed from these weathered yet unscattered bones.

To free those bones, they needed to locate where the souls were trapped and guide them to dispersal. That would lighten the baleful qi on Meng Xian and Meng Ji, preventing it from clouding their minds.

However…

Gu Changhuai eyed the sky-high black baleful qi shrouding Zhuangzi Manor, troubled. “But what about all this baleful qi right now…”

Purifying it would take ages. And as a demon clansman, holding back from absorbing some to boost his cultivation was restraint enough.

After a thought, he turned curiously to Meng Ji. “By the way, you’ve been here alone for so long. Why haven’t you absorbed any of this baleful qi?”