Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 49

A nauseating, sticky feeling surged in her chest, but Gu Xiyan forcibly suppressed it. After a long moment, she spoke in a low voice, “Let them rest in peace.”

She sat cross-legged, seemingly unaffected by the foul stench. With a solemn expression, she parted her lips and began to chant.

“By the supreme decree, may wandering souls be guided, may all specters and spirits receive grace, may beings of the four realms be blessed. Kneel before my altar, be delivered through mercy, rise from the abyss, and transcend to another life.”

Seeing this, Han Dan also sat cross-legged and joined Gu Xiyan in reciting the Rebirth Mantra. The others, who had previously avoided the scene, retching until they were weak, exchanged glances. Though their faces were deathly pale, they, too, sat down voluntarily and began to chant.

After a short while, a golden glow slowly emerged from the eight of them, drifting gently onto the bodies of the innocent villagers who had died so tragically. The dense resentment that had gathered over the corpses gradually dissipated, and the once gloomy mass grave grew clearer and calmer.

Gu Xiyan led the group in digging proper graves, laying the victims to rest.

Later, the others returned to clean up the rooms and prepare to rest for the night, leaving Gu Xiyan alone outside, lost in thought.

As dusk fell, she suddenly heard a faint sound. Tilting her head slightly to the right, she reached out swiftly and caught something in her palm. The rustle of paper brushed against her skin, stirring a subtle feeling in her heart. Opening her hand, she found a white paper crane resting in her palm. Leaning in, she listened closely, and Mujin’s voice came through.

“My lady, Madam and Master are safe.”

A slow breath escaped Gu Xiyan as the weight in her heart eased. Mujin had successfully led Gu Ye and the others to safety.

By the time night fully set in and the others had gone to sleep, Gu Xiyan quietly left the village alone. However, as she reached the entrance, she halted. Lowering her gaze slightly, she spoke softly, “Han Dan-shidi, have you not rested yet?”

As soon as her words fell, Han Dan stepped out from behind a tree, his sword in his arms. His expression was cold and composed, as was his nature—reserved and few of words. At this moment, he merely glanced at Gu Xiyan and said, “I was waiting for you.”

Gu Xiyan remained silent for a long moment before shaking her head. The face that had been calm for days finally showed a faint smile. “Let’s go.”

She took the lead, and Han Dan quietly watched her, his gaze deep and unwavering.

In truth, when Gu Xiyan had told them to leave earlier, he had already guessed what she intended to do. That was why he had waited at the village entrance. He was considered a prodigy among his peers, unmatched even by Han Wenshan in Dongzhou. Yet, before this woman—who had only joined their sect eight years ago—he could not help but feel admiration.

The two traveled swiftly, arriving in Ying City. At night, the city seemed to grow livelier. Strange laughter echoed intermittently, and while people spoke of the terrifying Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, the sight before them—of demons dancing in eerie revelry—was just as chilling.

Gu Xiyan and Han Dan swiftly placed talismans on their bodies, concealing their human presence in an instant. It was supposed to be a full moon night, yet the moon was completely obscured by thick black mist, rendering the streets of Ying pitch-dark.

Han Dan raised his hand, pressing two fingers against his eyes. A golden glow flickered past, and suddenly, the darkness became clear to him. But Gu Xiyan, even without such aid, moved with unhesitating steps, her actions swift and precise.

Watching her steady pace, Han Dan couldn’t help but feel a moment of silent awe—Gu Xiyan seemed as if she had no need for sight.

Or at least, it only seemed that way.

Leaning in slightly, he whispered, “Some houses here are just like those in the village—doors wide open, long abandoned. This entire street is the same.”

Gu Xiyan nodded. “There are no traces of the living here. Let’s check another street.”

The densest demonic energy lay in the southern part of the city, but an even stronger presence loomed over it—a murderous aura so overwhelming that Gu Xiyan’s heart sank.

On this street, they encountered only a few demons, most of them newly awakened soul-devourers wandering aimlessly. But their excited state made Gu Xiyan and Han Dan feel even more uneasy—after all, soul-devourers without intelligence only became this ecstatic when there was an abundance of food. And to them, food was the very symbol of death.

Within moments, they reached the southern marketplace. Unlike the previous streets, which were devoid of light, this place was dazzlingly illuminated.

Hidden beneath the eaves of a building, the two carefully observed the scene. Gu Xiyan made a series of hand signals, and upon deciphering them, Han Dan’s expression darkened.

Looking down at the scene below, he felt a chill creep through his body, but at the same time, a fire ignited deep within his chest. His fists clenched tightly.

Most of the people of Ying City were here.

On the long street before them, hundreds of figures stood shoulder to shoulder, their heads drooping like puppets, their movements barely perceptible.

Moments ago, Gu Xiyan had told him that among them, only a dozen were truly alive. Just a dozen…

Which meant that in this brilliantly lit southern marketplace, the vast crowd cast no shadows.

Because they were already dead.

For a brief moment, Gu Xiyan wavered. Had she been wrong all along?

Demons… they truly… truly deserved to die.

The killing aura on this street had already overshadowed the demonic presence. There was no telling how many had perished here. Even without sight, Gu Xiyan could no longer discern just how many lives had been buried beneath this suffocating aura.

Then, a strange flute melody rang out.

The silent souls suddenly turned frantic, colliding into each other, wailing in agony. The cries of hundreds of ghosts pierced the air, shrill and unbearable.

Gu Xiyan’s expression twisted in pain as she quickly covered her ears.

Han Dan was struggling as well. It wasn’t until Gu Xiyan set up a barrier to block the devilish sound of the wailing ghosts that they could barely make out other noises.

“What are they trying to do?” Han Dan asked through clenched teeth.

Gu Xiyan’s lips were pale as she murmured, “It’s a soul-suppressing melody—torturing the ghosts and gathering resentment.”

So many people had died tragic deaths without being able to enter the cycle of reincarnation. Their souls, continuously tormented, generated an overwhelming amount of resentment. And for fragmented souls already steeped in malice, this accumulated resentment was the most potent nourishment.

Han Dan froze. In the next moment, he noticed that the resentment on the long street was indeed surging. The ghostly wails grew even more shrill and terrifying—what had been weeping turned into chaotic biting and tearing. Meanwhile, the resentment flowed like a river, continuously converging toward a single point.

His eyes turned red with fury, and he was about to cut off the flow of resentment when Gu Xiyan grabbed his arm. “You can’t defeat him.”

Han Dan gritted his teeth. “You know who it is?”

“We’ve fought before—I wasn’t his match.”

Han Dan’s grip on his sword tightened, but he didn’t move. His voice turned cold. “Are we just going to stand here and watch?”

“No. We rescue the prisoners first, then destroy the formation.”

With that, Gu Xiyan turned toward the end of the street, carefully sensing her surroundings. After a moment, she drew a talisman and flicked it forward, signaling Han Dan to follow.

They circled around several residential houses and arrived at the former Ying government office. There, they discovered that the dozen or so living people were imprisoned in the dungeon. A few guards, dressed in official uniforms, were in the process of throwing two bloodied figures into the cell.

Han Dan stiffened, but quickly realized what was happening. Rage and disgust filled his chest.

Gu Xiyan overheard the conversation below and confirmed they were human. Sensing Han Dan’s anger, she shook her head. “They have no choice.” They were neither truly evil nor entirely good—despicable yet pitiable.

The demons guarding this place weren’t particularly strong, but rescuing the prisoners under their watchful eyes was nearly impossible. If they were discovered, the demons would swarm them, dooming not only the prisoners but themselves as well.

At this moment, Gu Xiyan’s blindness became a major obstacle. She could perceive her surroundings through scent, sound, and spiritual energy, but without direct contact, she couldn’t sense distant scenes or details.

Yet, they couldn’t wait for the elders to arrive. Judging by the scale of tonight’s ritual, these imprisoned people would be the next ones executed.

“Shijie, what do we do?”

Gu Xiyan furrowed her brows, remaining silent. Directly breaking in was impossible—the only viable method was teleportation. But with demons patrolling the area and the person she deeply feared nearby, success seemed unlikely.

Suddenly, inspiration struck her. She lowered her voice and asked quickly, “How is the resentment gathering?”

Han Dan performed a spell on his forehead and examined the scene again. “It’s fully concentrated—it’s being drawn into the main hall. It looks like the process is complete.”

“Han Dan, keep watch there. As soon as that person starts absorbing the resentment, inform me immediately. Don’t hesitate—kill the two demons guarding the east side at once.”

Han Dan instantly understood Gu Xiyan’s plan. His fingers rested on his sword hilt, and his sharp gaze locked onto the swirling mass of resentment.

When the resentment began spiraling into the formation, Han Dan silently counted to three before drawing his sword and leaping toward the east. A flash of white sword light cut through the air—two muffled groans followed as the demons fell. At the same time, Gu Xiyan silenced the voices of the guards by the dungeon entrance and snapped the iron chains with a wave of her hand.

The sudden commotion caused a panic among the dazed prisoners, their terrified cries echoing through the dungeon. Gu Xiyan swiftly swept her right hand through the air, sealing off all sound. “Quiet,” she commanded.

When the prisoners saw a figure clad in white robes standing before them—her eyes blindfolded with white silk—a spark of hope ignited. Someone gasped in recognition, his voice trembling with excitement.

“It’s—it’s Fairy Gu! Fairy Gu!”

This person clearly knew Gu Xiyan. Years ago, when she traveled the lands, her reputation spread far and wide. Clad always in white, with extraordinary cultivation and a demeanor as ethereal as a celestial being, she was known for her compassion. Few knew her actual name, but those who did all called her Fairy Gu.

Although his voice was muted, his lips moved, and the other prisoners quickly realized that someone had come to save them.

Without wasting words, Gu Xiyan traced a circle in the air with her right hand. A shimmering white light enveloped the prisoners. She tilted her head slightly, listening to the sounds outside, and sent a telepathic message:

Han Dan, retreat.

The death of the two demons was soon discovered by their companions. The fluctuation of demonic energy outside was growing more intense—if they didn’t leave now, it would be too late.

Han Dan cut down several mindless low-level demons and was about to retreat when he suddenly ran into the man who had previously led the officials to capture people. In an instant, the man’s eyes widened, and he shouted, “Someone’s escaping!”

The reflexive outburst caught Han Dan completely off guard. His expression froze for a split second before a surge of spiritual energy struck the man, sending him flying. But it was too late—the swirling mass of resentment abruptly halted and, like a raging dragon, shot straight toward Han Dan.

He immediately darted back into the dungeon. Gu Xiyan reached out and pulled him into the formation while simultaneously summoning her sword with her right hand. With a spin, she unleashed a dazzling blast of white light. At the same time, her left hand poured spiritual energy into the formation.

Han Dan’s face changed drastically as he reached out to stop her.

“Gu-shijie!”

Before his voice fully faded, they all vanished without a trace. Gu Xiyan only paused briefly before leaping into the air, swiftly soaring onto the rooftops.

From her elevated position, she could clearly sense a fierce, cutting aura aimed straight at her. The white silk blindfold around her eyes and the trailing hem of her robe fluttered wildly in the wind. The vast Nanshi street was blanketed by a suffocating, ghostly energy, resembling a hellish inferno. Amid the all-consuming darkness, only her figure in white shone brilliantly.

As the menacing aura closed in on her, Gu Xiyan calmly traced a circular arc in the air with her sword. Though her movement seemed slow, it was precise—just enough to block the incoming strike.

With her left hand, she swept two fingers across the blade, and bright red blood spilled forth, forming intricate symbols in midair. The blood-red runes flared with light and began to circle around her. She did not pause for a moment, her left hand continuously drawing more and more symbols. At last, she gave a command, “Go!”

With her right hand, she deflected the incoming magical strike, while her left hand swept down. The blood-drawn talismans expanded rapidly, spreading across the entire street. The frenzied, howling spirits below suddenly froze, their cries diminishing until they fell into complete silence.

Behind her, the swirling mass of resentment compressed rapidly—an obvious sign that the person controlling it was growing impatient, seeking to end things quickly. Meanwhile, a horde of demons surged forward, unleashing waves of dark energy toward Gu Xiyan without mercy.

In an instant, she teleported to hover above the street while the roof where she had just stood collapsed into rubble with a thunderous crash. Without hesitation, her sleeves billowed as she channeled compressed spiritual energy in her palms and hurled it toward the end of the street where she had previously sensed something unusual.

As the blast struck, it seemed to warp the very fabric of the night. A cold wind howled fiercely, and countless anguished screams pierced the darkness, making the ears ring with pain. But as the explosion reverberated, all the sound was swallowed into silence.

The formation that had trapped the souls of hundreds of Ying’s deceased was destroyed.

On the street below, the dazed spirits seemed to regain clarity. Their ghostly forms glowed faintly as they gazed at themselves in confusion. Slowly, all of them lifted their heads to look at Gu Xiyan and bowed deeply.

A hundred-meter-long street, with thousands of spirits like shimmering fireflies, bent in unison to pay their respects. Though Gu Xiyan could not see, the warmth and gratitude conveyed by their gesture brought a faint smile to her lips.

One by one, the spirits dissolved into streams of light, drifting toward their rightful place in the Underworld.

The oppressive, ghostly aura that had shrouded the moonlight swiftly dissipated. The ancient city of Ying, long obscured by darkness, gradually reemerged under the silver glow of the moon.

From his vantage point outside the city walls, Han Dan—who had already been teleported away—watched as the once-shadowed city slowly returned to its original form. The departing souls, transformed into brilliant streaks of light, scattered across the sky like falling stars. The sight was breathtakingly beautiful, yet it brought an uncharacteristic redness to his eyes.

Behind him, the dozen survivors—pale-faced and covered in wounds—looked as battered and ragged as beggars. They stood in silence, their injuries weighing heavily on them as they beheld the distant scene. Fear and sorrow settled deep in their hearts, leaving them speechless.

“Shijie, you must come back,” Han Dan murmured, his voice low but firm.

He couldn’t stay. The demonic energy was closing in fast, and within moments, more demons would arrive. He had to lead the survivors to safety.