Plan A
Red Moon in the Barrier 19
Strategy
“Grand Aunt, what do you mean by that?”
Su Xin stood beside Grand Aunt, who had her eyes closed and palms pressed together in prayer. The elderly woman was silently reciting something unknown, then performed three devout bows.
Throughout this process, Su Xin remained quiet, watching and waiting for Grand Aunt to finish.
It took a long while before Grand Aunt spoke again.
“Do you know what meaning there is in knowing all this?”
“Of course there is. I want to leave.”
“That’s impossible.”
Grand Aunt stated firmly, looking at Su Xin with pity, like watching a bird futilely struggling in its cage.
“Why is it impossible?”
“People must always bear responsibility for their wrongdoings. This is unavoidable.”
Grand Aunt’s aged voice explained the principle. Though Su Xin agreed with the concept, she didn’t want to hear it at this moment.
“I haven’t done anything wrong. My conscience is clear.”
Su Xin replied decisively, knowing the original host hadn’t done anything wrong and had nothing to fear from karmic retribution.
“But there are two idioms in this world – ‘misfortune that befalls without reason’ and ‘unexpected disaster’.”
Grand Aunt sighed, revealing deep helplessness.
“Grand Aunt, you must know what’s happening in our village. Can’t you tell me? Even if I’m going to die, I want to die knowing why.”
After all, what’s the point of dying in confusion?
“It cannot be spoken of.”
Grand Aunt shook her head and slowly stood up.
“You should leave now.”
“Grand Aunt…”
“Go. I won’t tell you. This is my promise.”
Grand Aunt let out a light laugh that startled Su Xin. Why did that laugh sound so strange? It was like the laugh of a young woman, not befitting this elderly person in her twilight years.
Since she wouldn’t speak, Su Xin couldn’t force the issue.
Su Xin walked out of the Cloud Lady Temple, with Grand Aunt following behind to close the main gate.
Su Xin glanced back once before heading along her original route.
She knocked on Tong Xiaoxuan and Tong Liu’s door, unknowingly giving the people inside quite a fright.
By now, Tong Xiaoxuan and Tong Liu had become neurotically sensitive to sounds. After being frightened by the female ghost last night, they both had nightmares all night. They hadn’t recovered yet and were in poor condition, so the knock at the door naturally startled them.
“Who… who is it?”
Tong Xiaoxuan mustered her courage to ask, wondering who would come to their house at this time.
“Sister Xiaoxuan, it’s me, Tong Ning.”
Su Xin responded, and Tong Xiaoxuan sighed in relief, nudging Tong Liu with her elbow.
“Go open the door for Ah Ning.”
Tong Liu opened the door slightly, creating just a gap.
“What do you want?”
“I’m not here for you, I’m looking for Sister Xiaoxuan.”
“Whatever you say to her, you can say to me. Just say what you need to say and get it over with. Don’t waste my time, okay?”
Tong Liu was extremely irritable, wanting no interaction with outsiders.
“I need to come in to talk. What are you afraid of? Why do you look so terrible?”
To be honest, he looked like someone who’d been caught in an embarrassing situation by a dog.
“What are you doing!”
Su Xin, being quite strong, pushed the door open forcefully and pretended to be fierce as she grabbed Tong Liu’s clothes, pulling them up to his neck.
Nothing was there.
“Tong Ning, are you having another episode?!”
Tong Liu irritably yanked his clothes back from Su Xin’s grasp, glaring at her darkly.
“Sister Xiaoxuan.”
Su Xin went straight to Tong Xiaoxuan, completely ignoring Tong Liu.
It didn’t matter anyway – their relationship had never been good, so there was no need for polite pleasantries.
“Ah Ning, what brings you here?”
Tong Xiaoxuan relaxed upon seeing it wasn’t a ghost – the sight of a living person dispelled her fear.
“There’s something very important. Let’s talk in your room.”
“Oh? What’s so important that I can’t hear?”
Tong Liu straightened his clothes, speaking in an exaggerated tone.
“You just can’t hear it. Sister Xiaoxuan, come on, let’s go to your room.”
Su Xin pulled Tong Xiaoxuan toward her room, while Tong Xiaoxuan glanced hesitantly at Tong Liu.
“Ah Ning, tell me, what is it?”
“Sister Xiaoxuan, actually it’s not me who wants to see you, but someone else.”
Su Xin had brought along the tree branch when she left, which housed Qian Fengying. Mu Qi had said that after a night’s rest, Qian Fengying could now freely enter and exit the branch.
“What?”
Su Xin took out the branch and drew the room’s curtains. Qian Fengying floated out on her own accord.
“Fengying!”
“Yes… it’s me, Xiaoxuan.”
Qian Fengying appeared somewhat transparent, her condition not particularly good.
Su Xin stood nearby but turned her back, indicating she wouldn’t watch.
“How did you…”
“Don’t you want to see me?”
“Of course I do!”
Tong Xiaoxuan replied anxiously. While she feared ghosts in general, she wasn’t afraid of Qian Fengying, knowing she would never harm her.
Though Su Xin had her back turned, she continued listening to their conversation.
Skipping past their lengthy heart-to-heart talk, Qian Fengying gave her final instructions.
“You must be careful of Tong Xi. There’s a very powerful female ghost by his side. If possible, don’t get too close to him.”
Qian Fengying couldn’t match that female ghost’s power, and now she couldn’t even reincarnate, leaving her helpless.
“It’s too late. I went to see him yesterday, but the ghost beside him didn’t kill us. Tong Xi let my brother and me return. I’m terrified now and don’t know what to do.”
Tong Xiaoxuan shook her head with a bitter smile, knowing she had already fallen into the trap.
“Fengying, I’m sorry. It’s my fault you died.”
“Everyone dies eventually. My death was my own fault, not yours.”
Qian Fengying was quite accepting of her fate. She didn’t want to leave any dark shadows on the living Tong Xiaoxuan’s mind. Unable to stay out long, she returned to the tree branch.
“Sister Xiaoxuan, you have something dirty here, let me dust it off.”
Su Xin quickly pulled at Tong Xiaoxuan’s clothes while she was still dazed, checking that there was no mark on her left shoulder.
“Ah Ning… how did you…”
Tong Xiaoxuan barely reacted to having her clothes pulled, remaining stunned for a while before speaking.
“You don’t need to know that. Sister Fengying can’t come out now because the female ghost by Tong Xi’s side wants to devour her.”
“What?”
Tong Xiaoxuan turned pale with shock.
“The female ghost beside Tong Xi is very powerful. She can strengthen herself by consuming other ghosts – she’s an ancient spirit.”
“If she’s devoured, does that mean she can’t reincarnate?”
“Of course not. Have you ever seen food return to its original state after being eaten? That would be complete spiritual dissolution,”
Su Xin said.
“This can’t happen… I already caused her death. How can I let her lose even the chance to reincarnate?”
Tong Xiaoxuan gasped, looking at Su Xin pleadingly.
“Ah Ning… Ah Ning… I don’t know how you know these things, or how you brought her to me, but since you can do all this, you must be very capable. Please, I beg you, save her. Don’t let her soul be completely destroyed.”
Tong Xiaoxuan grabbed Su Xin’s hand with considerable force.
“Sister Xiaoxuan, I’m helpless too. I can only temporarily hide Sister Fengying’s soul. It will only work for a few days – I can’t protect her forever.”
“Then what can we do… we can’t defeat that female ghost.”
Mu Qi could defeat her, as evidenced by the previous incident.
“We don’t need to fight the female ghost. Her weakness is Tong Xi.”
“But we have no way to deal with Tong Xi either. Isn’t it the same thing? Dealing with Tong Xi or the female ghost…”
“How could it be the same? Sister Xiaoxuan, let me tell you – the one in Tong Xi’s body isn’t Tong Xi anymore. It’s an ancient ghost who has possessed his corpse. If you kill that body, the ancient ghost won’t be able to remain inside.”
Su Xin could actually handle this herself, but she had thought of a better idea.
She could have Mu Qi help deal with both Tong Xi and the female ghost beside him, but that would drain quite a bit of Mu Qi’s power. Mu Qi had mentioned that behind all this was a deeply vengeful female ghost whose strength she wasn’t sure she could match. What if that ghost took advantage of their weakness?
If they failed to catch everything in one net, that ghost would profit greatly.
Su Xin had inquired with Fourteen about the cost of outside help in emergencies. Saving herself would cost a quarter, saving others would cost half. She couldn’t abandon Mu Qi, but the price was extortionate – if used, this whole long journey would be for nothing.
Better to play it safe.
“Then… what happens after?”
Tong Xiaoxuan was starting to follow Su Xin’s logic.
“I’ll handle everything afterward. Don’t fear revenge from the female ghost. If you succeed, I’ll appear immediately and capture that female ghost. This way, Sister Fengying’s soul won’t be threatened or devoured. Once this place is broken, she can reincarnate.”
Su Xin explained step by step.
“But…”
Tong Xiaoxuan still hesitated.
Mu Qi had methods to trap ghosts, but this female ghost was too clever. She wouldn’t fall for an obvious trap, but if she panicked, she’d be easier to capture.
When would the ghost be most afraid? When the person she cared about most was harmed.
If Tong Xiaoxuan could succeed, Mu Qi would act swiftly. If Su Xin went instead, they’d likely fail since both Tong Xi and the female ghost were wary of her. The female ghost also knew of Mu Qi’s existence, making it difficult to strike.
“No buts. Do you want to watch Sister Fengying die with no chance of reincarnation? Besides, that ghost will eventually come after both of you. You and Tong Liu will both die, and your souls will be devoured too.”
“No! What should I do?”
“When is a man most relaxed, Sister Xiaoxuan? When you’re intimate with Tong Xi, the female ghost likely won’t watch.”
Tong Xi probably wouldn’t want anyone watching such private moments. Last time in the wilderness, Fourteen hadn’t detected any energy fluctuations, indicating no ghosts were present.
“I’ll try my best.”
Tong Xiaoxuan closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Take this.”
It was a dagger, Su Xin’s previous one. Though unremarkable in appearance, it was effective and easy to carry.
Tong Xiaoxuan accepted the dagger, and Su Xin bid farewell with the tree branch.
Several days passed without news from Tong Xiaoxuan, but Su Xin heard different news:
Grand Aunt was dead.
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