Chapter 24: Shadows in the Mourning Hall

Qu Wanqing watched the dark figure vanish into the night, her eyes darkening slightly. Though doubts lingered in her heart, she knew clearly that the most important task was to uncover the truth behind the supernatural events. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself with a resolve that echoed the sentiment of "I shall go forth even if thousands stand against me," and stepped toward the mourning hall.

Jiang Yu followed closely at her heels, like a silent shadow protecting her. The air around them seemed to congeal, the eerie atmosphere thickening until it chilled one to the bone. At the entrance to the mourning hall, a hunched figure blocked their path. It was Mother Ma, the hall's night watchwoman. Her complexion was sallow and her eyes deeply sunken. Pointing a finger at Qu Wanqing, her voice screeched like a night owl: "It's her! The harbinger of doom! She is the one who cursed Master He to his death! Do not let her enter and defile Master He’s peace!"

Mother Ma’s words were like a spark hitting a powder keg; the surrounding villagers, already prone to superstition, began to clamor in agreement. "That’s right, ever since she arrived, Master He has..." "She’s a jinx..." "Drive her out!" The cacophony rose like a tide, threatening to drown Qu Wanqing.

Did she feel aggrieved? Certainly. She had done nothing, yet she was forced to bear baseless accusations. But Qu Wanqing quickly calmed herself. She swore silently that she would find the truth—not just to clear her own name, but to expose the ugly faces of these people and restore peace to the village. She took a deep breath, swept her gaze over the crowd, and spoke in a tone that was cold yet firm: "I respect Master He, and I understand the grief you all feel at losing a loved one. But the dead are gone. We should be seeking the truth, not blindly pointing fingers at one another." Her composure stood in sharp contrast to the panic and blind obedience of the crowd, leaving even Jiang Yu secretly admiring her ability to remain calm in the face of danger.

She paused, her eyes locking onto Mother Ma. "You call me a harbinger of doom—what evidence do you have? Are you claiming I am a curse simply because the time of Master He’s passing coincided with my arrival?"

Mother Ma was left speechless, stuttering and unable to form a coherent reply. Qu Wanqing’s eyes narrowed, her tone growing colder. "Since you have no evidence, please move aside."

"I... I won't!" Mother Ma stiffened her neck, determined to stand her ground at any cost. The surrounding villagers grew restless, seemingly ready to drive her away at any moment. A cold smirk played on Qu Wanqing’s lips. "You won't?"

Without further ado, Qu Wanqing stepped around Mother Ma and strode directly into the mourning hall. Jiang Yu followed closely, standing at the entrance like a guardian deity, blocking the villagers who tried to surge forward. Inside, the hall was dim, filled with a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the nauseating stench of decay.

Qu Wanqing held her breath, centering her focus to channel her ability to sense supernatural danger. A strange ripple of energy emanated from her, spreading like waves to shroud every corner of the hall. Soon, she detected something amiss. Around Master He’s coffin, an exceptionally dense Yin energy lingered—but it did not originate from the master himself; it had been placed there by human hands!

Qu Wanqing’s mouth curled upward. It seemed someone was deliberately playing the ghost to frame her as a "harbinger of doom." This little scheme was quite clever! Upon closer inspection, she discovered a talisman pasted to the bottom of the coffin, inscribed with strange symbols that emitted waves of cold, sinister energy. Qu Wanqing recognized it as a "Yin-Gathering Talisman," capable of drawing in surrounding Yin energy to create the illusion of paranormal activity. This preliminary evidence was enough to slap some faces!

Just then, a ghostly wind swept through the hall, and several dark figures darted from the shadows, transforming into hideous phantoms that lunged at Qu Wanqing. "Oh, heavens! Ghosts!" Mother Ma shrieked in terror, and the other villagers fled, creating a scene of utter chaos.

Jiang Yu reacted with lightning speed, flashing in front of Qu Wanqing and drawing his dagger to engage the phantoms. He thought to himself that while these apparitions were strange, he had faced far more difficult battles; he could not let these things harm Qu Wanqing, the most important person in his life. The dagger in his hand flashed with a cold light, and every collision with the phantoms sparked with ghostly blue flames. His figure flickered in the dim light of the hall, as if he had become one with the eerie environment. There was no fear in his eyes, only a firm resolve to protect her.

The phantoms attacked with unpredictable malice. Jiang Yu struggled at first, but he soon regained his composure, relying on his wealth of experience and agile movements to launch a counterattack. Amidst the flash of steel, he moved like a ghost, his strikes precise and forcing the phantoms back. He was calm, collected, and sharp, as if everything were within his control. The watching villagers gradually quieted down, their eyes filled with admiration—truly, the man by the heroine's side was reliable!

"Tricks of the trade," Jiang Yu scoffed. With a fierce slash of his dagger, a sharp blade of light cut through the air, dissipating the last of the phantoms. He sheathed the blade and turned to Qu Wanqing with a touch of concern. "Are you alright?"

Qu Wanqing shook her head, but her gaze fell upon a figure in the corner of the hall. "Taoist Liu, aren't you going to come out and explain yourself?"

Taoist Liu, hiding in the darkness, turned pale, shocked that he had been discovered. He walked out from the shadows with an awkward, forced laugh, trying to deflect: "Miss Qu, what are you saying? This humble priest was merely... merely performing a rite to dispel evil spirits..."

Qu Wanqing gave a cold laugh and slowly drew a letter from her sleeve, which seemed to glow with the light of justice in the dim hall. She unfolded the paper and, before everyone present, read out word for word the details of the conspiracy between Taoist Liu and the mastermind. With every sentence she read, Taoist Liu’s face grew whiter, and the villagers' anger swelled until they were all shouting in unison, demanding that the priest be severely punished.

"Taoist Liu, what else do you have to say?"

Taoist Liu’s face went deathly pale, as if smeared with a thick layer of white powder. The surrounding villagers cast looks of contempt at him, their murmurs growing louder. "So it was him behind this!" "I knew it, how could Miss Qu be a jinx?" "This fake priest is truly shameless!"

Seeing that his scheme was exposed and knowing that staying would only bring him further humiliation, Taoist Liu attempted to make a run for it. However, Jiang Yu had been prepared; he lunged forward, blocking the priest’s path. "Want to leave? It’s not that easy!" He grabbed Taoist Liu by the collar and hoisted him up like a chick.

The watching villagers erupted in enthusiastic applause—justice had been served! "Well done!" "Grab him, don't let him run!" "Hand him over to the authorities and let them deal with him!"

Watching the wretched Taoist Liu, Qu Wanqing felt a sense of satisfaction. This counter-maneuver was beautiful! She patted Jiang Yu’s arm lightly. "Thank you for your hard work."

Jiang Yu smiled gently and asked with concern, "Are you hurt?" His eyes were filled with affection as he softly stroked her hair. Qu Wanqing leaned into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his hold, and a sweetness bloomed in her heart. After this storm, their bond had grown even deeper.

Just as the two were lost in this tender moment, a strange sound suddenly echoed from the depths of the mourning hall: "Thump... thump... thump..." It sounded like some ancient ritual being performed. Qu Wanqing and Jiang Yu met each other’s eyes, both seeing the same wariness.

This sound... it was truly bone-chilling!

"Let's go see," Qu Wanqing said, gripping Jiang Yu’s hand firmly, her tone resolute.