Li Zhiyuan looked up with curiosity and asked, "Uncle, these Corpse Demons were so powerful, but now they’re nowhere to be seen. Who took them out?"
Uncle Qin replied, "They were all destroyed by the Righteous."
Li Zhiyuan silently withdrew his hand from Uncle Qin’s palm and stopped walking.
Uncle Qin noticed this, halted, and turned to look at the boy.
But Li Zhiyuan didn’t look at Uncle Qin; his gaze was fixed on the decaying, crippled black cat Uncle Qin held.
The black cat’s eyes were a ghostly green, occasionally gleaming with a bloody light, filled with resentment.
"Xiao Yuan, why did you stop?"
Li Zhiyuan noticed that as Uncle Qin spoke, the black cat’s damaged lips moved slightly, too.
"Xiao Yuan, what’s wrong with you?"
Uncle Qin bent down, looking at Li Zhiyuan, placing his right arm behind the boy as if to embrace and comfort him.
Li Zhiyuan immediately sensed a pair of furry paws touching his neck. He quickly turned aside, putting distance between himself and Uncle Qin.
"Xiao Yuan, what is going on with you!"
Uncle Qin’s tone grew stern, and the black cat’s eyes turned more red than green.
"Xiao Yuan, be obedient, come with me, we’ll solve this together, so your Grandmaster and the others can be completely out of danger!"
This time, Uncle Qin’s lips barely moved, while the black cat’s mouth opened and closed continuously.
This scene reminded Li Zhiyuan of a peculiar performance he had seen during a school celebration in Beijing. The performer held a puppet onstage, and as he spoke, the puppet’s mouth kept opening and closing, making it seem like the puppet itself was speaking.
However, this time, it seemed like the situation was reversed.
Gradually, Uncle Qin quieted down, as did the cat. They seemed to realize that this child had seen through them.
A strange grin began to spread across Uncle Qin’s face, and the cat’s mouth cracked open, blood dripping continuously from its corners.
Suddenly, everything in Li Zhiyuan’s field of vision turned crimson, as if a layer of blood smeared across his sight, no matter if he looked at them or elsewhere.
Li Zhiyuan stood his ground, clenching his fists tightly. He was very afraid, but he didn’t run around screaming in panic.
"Jianghu Chronicles" often mentioned that anyone dealing with Corpse Demons and other deceptive Corpse Demons must remain calm and not be led around blindly.
The more frantic you were, the more opportunities they had to exploit you.
Moreover, this was not the time to close your eyes. Closing your eyes was an act of cowardice and surrender, tantamount to giving up all initiative.
Cold sweat continuously trickled down Li Zhiyuan’s forehead. He swallowed occasionally, his breathing growing rapid, as if he was standing on a stove being roasted.
But suddenly, images from a dream he had after performing a luck-turning ritual with his Grandmaster flashed in his mind. In the dream, he stood on his bed surrounded by a sea of corpses.
With everything, it’s often about comparison. When you were certain that it was all fake, that you could reinforce yourself with the genuine horror of a nightmare, then the scene before you seemed less terrifying.
The black cat’s grin gradually receded, and Uncle Qin staggered two steps backward, rapidly decaying. In the blink of an eye, he was reduced to a puddle of filth.
Suddenly, all the illusions around dissipated, the night wind brought fresh air, and Li Zhiyuan’s body relaxed, allowing him to breathe heavily.
The black cat regained its freedom, bouncing and dragging its mangled body before Li Zhiyuan, looking up at him.
Li Zhiyuan lowered his head and stared back at it.
The person and cat fell into a period of silent staring.
It was Li Zhiyuan who finally broke the silence:
"What... what do you want to do?"
Li Sanjiang’s behavior had already confused Li Zhiyuan, and the series of actions by this Corpse Demon baffled him even more.
*Was it seeking revenge?*
The black cat seemed to sigh, looking quite weary. It opened its mouth, likely wanting to speak, but couldn’t, presumably because Uncle Qin was gone.
It waved its paw at Li Zhiyuan, then dragged its mangled body down a path heading west.
Li Zhiyuan stood where he was, not following.
The black cat walked some distance before stopping, looking back at Li Zhiyuan, mockery gleaming in its eyes.
But Li Zhiyuan remained unmoved. He possessed a strong desire for knowledge but lacked the curiosity to act during uncertain times, nor did he have an excess of benevolent impulse.
The black cat let out a sharp cry, like a child wailing. It felt angry, but this anger was directed at Li Zhiyuan, devoid of harm, filled with impotent frustration.
"You want me to go with you?"
The black cat nodded.
"But I have no reason to follow you."
The black cat raised its paw and gave a little push toward the front.
The first time, Li Zhiyuan didn’t understand. After a few more pushes, he got it.
It was referencing the last time during Old Mrs. Niu’s birthday feast when she pushed him away at a critical moment to save him.
At that time, Old Mrs. Niu had her back to the corpse and said, "Little one, Grandma will send you off first."
Although Old Mrs. Niu ultimately didn’t die and was still alive, Li Zhiyuan didn’t believe that the scenario and gesture, along with the odd old lady’s final display of kindness, were an act.
Because whether it was an act was something he could see through, since he himself often...
Li Zhiyuan squatted down, bowed his head, and clasped his head with his hands.