The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus

63

"Ah Sheng is back?" Liu Fuyi was astonished, "Why aren't you coming in?"

When the youth returned, there was a fine layer of frost over his body. He crossed the courtyard and stood under the eaves while a single bright beam of moonlight illuminated his shoulder. He stood there silently.

Mu Yao was hugging Chuchu, who was already dozing off, and lowered her voice to wave to him, "You came just in time, I have something to explain to you."

Only then did his feet start to move once again, sluggishly moving into the hall.

There seemed to be waves of warmth and light inside the house, for a moment, it caused him to be unable to open his eyes. He stood about a distance of two steps from Mu Yao, hiding his bleeding palm in his sleeves and wiping vigorously, "Sister."

Below the candle flame, there wasn't the slightest hint of warmth or kindness in his pitch black eyes. He was just like a small animal that had suffered the duress of an entire night's downpour, fur listlessly matted down and not a single shred of energy to be found anywhere.

Mu Yao was somewhat worried, "What's wrong with you? Do you feel unwell?"

Mu Sheng shook his head and then tilted his head to dodge Mu Yao's hand again, "I'm fine."

Mu Yao's face was one of frustration and disappointment. Recently, it felt like Ah Sheng had grown up. This was what the logical part of her brain was telling her. He had begun to have his own thoughts and started to drift away from her.

For a while, she didn't know whether or not to feel gratified or to feel at a lOSS.
Liu Fuyi cut in, "Where's Miaomiao?"

Mu Sheng paused and softly replied, "Behind me."

As if to verify the words he had just spoken, the door behind him creaked open, closely followed by a frost-covered Ling Miaomiao hurriedly rushing in. She still had his cloak tightly wrapped around her.

She closed the door and quietly walked towards the pseudo circle the other three had formed. For once, she didn't take the initiative to speak up.

None of the two had any words to say. In fact, they didn't even take a single glance at one another.

~

The silence was awkward. Liu Fuyi came to a conclusion after observing them.

However, it was far from being an optimal moment to be solving the complexities between them.

"There's something that we need to discuss with you two." Mu Yao lowered her voice, concisely conveying to them what had just occurred to them.

"Sister Mu, are you suspecting that Madam Shi is a painted skin demon?" Ling Miaomiao raised an eyelid.

"Analyzing Chuchu's words, Madam Shi takes advantage of the night to don her painted skin to hypnotize Li Zhun. At the same time, take the opportunity to absorb some of his vitality."

"This painted skin demon has very likely already evolved to a high rank." Liu Fuyi lowered his voice, using his finger to draw on the ground, "She only transforms at night and manipulates Li Zhun to listen to her obediently during the day. Using Li Zhun's yang qi, she can freely act as she likes. When a painted skin demon reaches a high rank, the vitality of living people can no longer satisfy its hunger, they also need to absorb large amounts of yin qi....."

"Thus, she tricked the entire household of Li Zhun to move to Jingyang Slope. After all, tens of thousands of people have died here before and the yin qi here is thick, thick to the point that even a yin-yang fissure was born?"

".....that's right." Liu Fuyi looked at her for a moment, not finding that he had to supplement her explanation at all. He nodded his head in a satisfactory manner.