TBWE Chapter 28

In the silent night, sticky swimming sounds rapidly approached.

Chu Li glanced at the dark mass of color outside the floor-to-ceiling door, her heart sinking halfway.

There was no time to get out.

She forced herself to stay calm, quickly surveying the room. She grabbed the slippers from the floor and threw them toward the floor-to-ceiling door, creating the illusion that she had jumped down from the second floor to escape, then rolled under the bed clutching the bronze coin sword and talismans.

A concealment talisman ignited. When it burned out, the door crashed down with a thunderous sound, and black mist surged in.

The temperature dropped instantly.

Dust from under the bed choked into her nostrils. Chu Li curled up under the bed, her heart pounding like a drum as she stared toward the foot of the bed, where a pair of feet appeared.

Black mist condensed into tentacles that wandered through the room, rummaging through boxes and cabinets, roughly sweeping things off the bed. Bedding and pillows scattered across the floor. Then they yanked open the small wooden cabinet against the wall, clothes falling everywhere.

One tentacle crawled under the bed.

Chu Li covered her mouth, held her breath, not daring to make a sound, curling up against the wall, desperately minimizing her presence.

A strand of long hair slid down along her cheek and spread on the floor. Her breathing hitched, and she quietly reached out her hand, slowly brushing it back.

The tentacle slithered past right next to the end of her hair.

Only after it completely left from under the bed did Chu Li’s violently beating heart slow down slightly. The excessive tension made her body muscles ache in waves.

The searching tentacles found nothing and retreated into the shadows.

The pair of feet at the foot of the bed also disappeared.

Her pajamas were soaked in cold sweat, clinging damply to her body. She closed her eyes—even her eyelashes were wet.

……It should have left.

Chu Li released her hand covering her mouth, wanting to take a few deep breaths. As soon as she opened her eyes, a face appeared in the gap between the bed and the floor, pitch-black pupils staring straight at under the bed.

The sticky gaze crawled under the bed like a snake.

“……!” She desperately covered her mouth, stuffing the scream that almost escaped back down her throat.

In an instant, blood rushed through her veins, her oxygen-deprived brain grew dizzy, and the sound of her heartbeat was deafening.

He said: “Li Li, I can see you.”

A low, cold voice echoed through the room. “Still hiding?”

Chu Li gripped the bronze coin sword, about to straighten up and escape from the other side when her movement stopped. She held her breath and looked toward the figure.

Their gazes didn’t meet.

He hadn’t actually seen her.

Her suspended heart dropped back into her stomach. Chu Li swallowed her saliva with difficulty, her hands and feet going weak.

It was probably that the tentacle had sensed something unusual just now, arousing His suspicion, so He was trying to trick her here.

The gaze that had been searching under the bed finally disappeared. Chu Li watched as the figure disappeared outside the door.

The destructive searching sounds of the tentacles rose and fell outside.

She lowered her hand covering her mouth, gasping heavily. Her hands and feet were so weak they trembled, completely unable to lift.

This kind of trick could only fool Him once.

She couldn’t continue living here anymore, or she’d be caught like a sitting duck when she entered dreams at night.

Chu Li lit another concealment talisman. After confirming no tentacles returned, she hugged the bronze coin sword and remaining talismans, curled up under the bed, and closed her eyes.

****

Deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountain, vegetation was dense, moisture abundant, the rainy season long, and the sky was always dark.

Chu Ruoying was responsible for confirming the preparation progress of items used for the ritual. The shrine area was dangerous, so she simply used cultivating the younger generation as an excuse to keep Chu Li by her side.

The position of ritual priest was busy with affairs. Chu Li ran around with her all morning and roughly understood the layout of the main family.

At noon, Chu Ruoying brought her back to her own small courtyard and personally cooked two dishes and a soup.

The mountains were damp and cold. Chu Ruoying’s cooking was salty, fragrant, fresh, and spicy, making Chu Li’s nose constantly break out in sweat.

“You can’t handle spicy food at all—you didn’t inherit that from your mother. She could really eat spicy food.” Laugh lines appeared at the corners of her eyes as she used a tissue to wipe Chu Li’s sweat. “Did you sleep well last night? Did the things I gave you work?”

Chu Li was gasping from the spice, downing a full glass of water, her face completely red. “Cough cough…Little Aunt, you put in too much chili. I still entered dreams last night. The things you gave me couldn’t be brought in, but I used talismans and was fine. Don’t worry.”

Outside there were too many prying eyes and ears. Only in this small courtyard could they have a proper conversation.

“It doesn’t work…” Chu Ruoying sighed. “The Chu family learned ritual arts because we worship deities. It’s normal that our things don’t work on Him.”

“Don’t go back to stay there for the next few days. Stay here with me. There’s a hidden room here. After you enter dreams, light a talisman and hide inside.”

Chu Li had already planned not to stay in her original lodging. Thinking of that day when she met the Grand Nuo, she couldn’t help but hesitate.

The identity she was currently using was that of a child from Chu Ruoying’s maternal relatives. According to protocol, it was normal for her to provide some care when she first arrived. But now, Chu Ruoying was keeping her by her side and letting her live in her own house—it was rather conspicuous.

The Grand Nuo seemed to have a very cautious and suspicious personality. This might arouse her suspicion.

She voiced all her concerns.

Chu Ruoying smiled unconcernedly and rubbed her head. “It’s fine. I’ll tell others that I plan to adopt a child from my maternal relatives. No one will be suspicious.”

She had been alone for many years and was over forty—bringing up adoption was perfectly reasonable.

“Alright, eat up. Little Aunt will arrange all these things.”

The weather was cool. Sitting under the osmanthus tree eating, Chu Li’s heart, which had been tense for several days, slowly relaxed.

“Little Aunt, tell me about my mother.”

Chu Ruoying paused, put down her chopsticks, and looked at Chu Li’s face as if seeing her deceased sister.

Her eyes curved as she smiled. “We used to fight every day when we were little. She was the person I hated most as a child.”

****

Chu Ruoxian and Chu Ruoying were fraternal twins.

They had similar appearances and the same parents, but completely different talents.

When they were born, the family hadn’t produced an outstanding Nuo master for several consecutive generations and was gradually being marginalized within the main family. If this continued, they would be demoted to a branch family.

Affected by the Chu bloodline curse, mothers in the family were often sickly, and fathers weren’t in great health either.

Chu Ruoxian’s birth brought hope to the family.

She understood Nuo arts at age three, displaying exceptional talent. From age seven, she was personally raised and taught by the Grand Nuo, becoming a Junior Nuo, and didn’t spend much time at home.

Before age seven, Chu Ruoying and her sister lived under the same roof.

Born of the same mother, they were naturally close to each other. They had shared moments like roughhousing under covers, sneaking off to the sacred mountain together while avoiding adults, and hiding in high places watching their parents search anxiously.

This intimacy gradually disappeared after age three.

Their parents always looked at Chu Ruoxian with pleased, treasure-regarding eyes. Everything good to eat, play with, or enjoy was prioritized for Chu Ruoxian first; what was left over went to Chu Ruoying.

That day, as the Nuo ceremony neared, branch families from outside the mountains entered, bringing many novel items. Someone sent a wooden puppet doll whose limbs and fingers could all move to their home.

Without a second thought, their parents gave it to Chu Ruoxian.

Looking at that exquisite doll, Chu Ruoying cried and made a scene, demanding to know why they favored her sister. But she didn’t get understanding from her parents—instead, her pipe-smoking father slapped her.

“Your sister is our family’s hope. Whether we can live well in the future all depends on her!”

Chu Ruoying wiped her tears and ran out of the house, running all the way to the main family’s mountain gate in one breath, wanting to run out of the mountains and leave home forever.

“Ruoying, Ruoying!” Chu Ruoxian came chasing after her, out of breath, stuffing the doll into her hands. “I don’t like this thing. I’m giving it to you. Don’t cry anymore.”

Chu Ruoying looked at her while clutching the doll—at her dress embroidered with beautiful patterns, at the silver jewelry hanging around her neck, at this sister who always received preferential treatment from their parents.

“Crack!” The puppet fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Chu Ruoying roared like an angry little beast. “It’s always like this—I only get things after you don’t want them! I hate you, Chu Ruoxian, I hate you! It would be better if our family didn’t have you!”

After shouting, she didn’t look at Chu Ruoxian again and ran away without looking back.

Not long after, Chu Ruoxian was taken by the Grand Nuo for personal raising and instruction in ritual arts. She only spent a few days at home each month.

The family’s conditions visibly improved.

With only the younger daughter left at home, their parents’ attention gradually returned to her.

Chu Ruoying could almost walk sideways through the main family. Even when she occasionally caused trouble, someone would quickly smooth things over for her behind the scenes.

The only thing that wasn’t satisfactory was that her parents still compared her to Chu Ruoxian from time to time.

Clearly her Nuo arts were also learned well—she was among the best of her generation. But Chu Ruoxian was like the moon in the sky, making even the morning star pale in comparison.

As she grew older, Chu Ruoying wasn’t as childish as when she was little and no longer openly confronted Chu Ruoxian. But she secretly competed, wanting to learn Nuo arts even more excellently.

Chu Ruoxian would return home to stay for a day on the first and fifteenth of each month and at month’s end. She always wore clothes in heavy colors, her expression blank, impossible to read what she was thinking.

When living under the same roof, the two didn’t communicate much. Chu Ruoying’s feelings toward her were complex—on one hand, she was family with blood thicker than water; on the other, she was a target of envy and jealousy.

Occasionally, Chu Ruoying would remember those intimate childhood days and recall that Chu Ruoxian used to have a very gentle, smiling personality and liked wearing brightly colored dresses.

The turning point came one night when they were fifteen.

On a first-of-the-month evening, Chu Ruoxian was staying at home.

Chu Ruoying went barbecuing on the mountain with friends her age, playing until almost nine o’clock before returning home. Someone had stolen fruit wine brewed at home—it tasted sweet, and she drank two extra cups. When she snuck back home, she was seeing double.

So she opened the wrong door.

She opened the door to the adjacent room—Chu Ruoxian’s door.

A lamp was lit inside. The girl’s long hair was pinned up, her high-collared buttoned shirt undone. She sat sideways on the bed’s edge, revealing her snow-white back and the crisscrossing old and new wounds on it.

She was applying medicine, frowning as she skillfully spread ointment on the wounds.

Hearing the door open, Chu Ruoxian immediately covered her clothes and glanced coldly toward the doorway. “Do you need something?”

Chu Ruoying’s three parts of drunkenness completely vanished. She opened her mouth, her voice struggling to squeeze out from her throat. “Your… your back…”

“I hurt myself accidentally. I need to rest now.” Chu Ruoxian pushed her toward the door and closed it after speaking.

Chu Ruoying pressed her hand against the door, squeezing in half her body, her voice involuntarily rising. “How could it be an accident… mmph!”

A hand tightly covered her mouth. Chu Ruoxian pulled her into the room and shut the door.

“Keep your voice down. Mom and Dad are sleeping.”

Chu Ruoying stared at her, a terrifying guess arising in her heart. “Is it… is it the Grand Nuo?”

The candle flame sparked.

Chu Ruoxian avoided answering, only saying, “Pretend you saw nothing. Don’t mention it to anyone, especially Mom and Dad.”

Chu Ruoying’s eyes welled up. “I already saw it. How can I pretend I saw nothing? What’s really going on? Tell me!”

Chu Ruoxian remained silent, forcing Chu Ruoying to grab at her clothes.

The sisters tugged back and forth in the room. The already loosely fastened clothes were pulled down halfway, revealing the glaring scars.

“What’s going on, what’s going on…” Chu Ruoying saw new wounds layered over old scars, tears uncontrollably falling. “Can’t you say something!”

Chu Ruoxian silently pulled up her clothes and wiped away her tears. “Don’t you hate me? Why are you crying?”

“Because you’re my sister! I’m going to find her and demand an explanation—why does she treat you like this!” Chu Ruoying stamped her feet in anger, looking around the room and grabbing a Nuo mask before trying to run outside.

Chu Ruoxian blocked the doorway like a door god.

The sisters faced off with their eyes for a long moment. Chu Ruoying’s eyes were red. “Why does the Grand Nuo do this? You’re so smart and learn so well!”

She wiped her tears while thinking that her sister had never even been hit by their parents.

Chu Ruoxian touched her head like when they were children. “There’s no why. Because she’s the Grand Nuo, and I didn’t do well, of course I have to be punished.”

“If you feel sorry for me, come help.” She curved her eyes, sat back on the bed’s edge, and exposed her back covered in intersecting wounds.

Chu Ruoying took the medicine jar and silently applied medicine for her.

From that day on, every time Chu Ruoxian returned home, she would help her apply medicine in the evening.

Day after day, until they both turned eighteen—

Chu Ruoxian brought home an injured young stranger and hid him in her room, asking Chu Ruoying to help care for him.

During that period, she came home very frequently.

Chu Ruoying vaguely sensed something was wrong.

Sure enough, after more than half a month, Chu Ruoxian suddenly told her she wanted to leave the Chu family and see the outside world.

“Ruoying, we shouldn’t be like this—we shouldn’t be trapped in these deep mountains forever. Do you want to come with me?”

At that time, Chu Ruoying saw the bright longing in her eyes and realized with shock that she hadn’t seen such lively expression on Chu Ruoxian’s face for a long time.

So she said: “I’m not going. What’s so good about the outside? I’ll stay home and take care of Mom and Dad. After you leave, remember to send me letters.”

At that time, Chu Ruoying never imagined that from this parting, all news would be cut off.

After Chu Ruoxian left, the Grand Nuo completely snubbed their family. Their parents cursed the runaway daughter at home all day.

Chu Ruoying watched her parents coldly, not caring about being snubbed or about gossip, doing her own duties as usual.

Among the main family’s younger generation, too few had outstanding talent.

The Grand Nuo ultimately had no choice but to use her.

While using her, she also guarded against her, never informing her about Chu Ruoxian’s affairs outside the mountains.

The next time she heard news of her sister was many years later.

Chu Ruoxian returned to the Chu family holding her seriously ill daughter, seeking help. Chu Ruoying was sent away early by the Grand Nuo and didn’t even get to see her when she rushed back.

From then on, after many more years, she learned of Chu Ruoxian’s death.

Her sister had died at the hands of clan members.

When they were eighteen, they never thought that from that parting, they would never see each other again.

****

Chu Li stayed in the room where Chu Ruoxian used to live.

Before sleeping each night, she would hide in the secret room. Chu Ruoying had laid a bed inside. After entering dreams, she would light a concealment talisman and could sleep until dawn.

No matter how the tentacles searched outside the dream, they couldn’t find any trace.

After the incident at the shrine, the tribute delivery was changed to two other branch family members. On their first day, one died and one went insane.

The next day, new people were sent, and this time both died.

Everyone in the Chu family was saying that the Nuo god was dissatisfied with this ceremony. Having no choice, they had to stop the tributes.

Chu Queling recovered her spirits after two days of rest. Learning that Chu Li was staying at the Nuo priest’s house, she specially came to express her thanks.

“Qingyu, if it weren’t for you, I definitely would have died in there that day too.” She hugged Chu Li with the appearance of someone who had survived a disaster. “I had nightmares for two straight days—it was really too frightening! You’re my lifesaver!”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with the shrine area either. There are disturbances every day now. I don’t know what the Lord Nuo God is dissatisfied with—the commotion is so scary.”

Listening to her companion’s chatter, Chu Li agreed on the surface but actually let it go in one ear and out the other.

Today was the first day of fasting. Tomorrow night would be the time to act.

She only hoped tonight would also pass smoothly.

****

After nightfall, Chu Li hid in the secret room as usual and bid Chu Ruoying good night.

The concealed door of the hidden room closed. She felt a subtle uneasiness in her heart and tossed and turned for a long time before barely falling asleep.

When she opened her eyes again, there was the familiar ceiling, familiar vanity table, familiar bedroom.

Chu Li sat up abruptly, staring at the room before her with shocked suspicion.

This was the second-floor master bedroom of Huo Xiu’s villa.

The place where she had lived with that monster for more than half a month!

“Beep—“

A notification sound came from the front door downstairs, particularly clear in the silent night.

“Fingerprint unlock successful.”

Light, slow footsteps entered the villa, like a confident hunter preparing to hunt prey trapped in a cage.