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Kapitel 45

For someone like him to make such a decision, he must have thought it over and over again, and the decision must be based on his best interests. Or perhaps he was just trying to appease her, and she was too foolish to run in front of him and embarrass herself.

Drink alcohol! Eat meat!

Outside the shop, a strange child was approaching them, but both were lost in their own thoughts and neither noticed the approaching danger.

Corpse Doll Reappears

Just as Li Yuxuan was getting frustrated to the point of madness, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her lower back, followed by a burning sensation. She instinctively reached down to touch her lower back and exclaimed, "Who's blind enough to scald your grandma with boiling water?"

Her gaze swept across the scene, and a white object lunged at her, its ghostly blue claws aimed straight for her eyes. Before she could even scream, she dodged backward and kicked the creature. Thanks to the guidance of Xu Zhu and Li Xinyun these past few days, she had mastered the art of controlling her internal energy and had also perfected the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand technique. Xu Zhu said that she could now handle most fights in the martial world.

He heard Zhan Zhao shout in alarm, "Don't touch those claws, they're poisonous!"

Li Yuxuan kicked the soft mass of bodies, ignoring her disgust, and reached behind it. She had already recognized that the thing in front of her was the corpse doll that had killed Wang Rou. She shouted at Zhan Zhao, who was attacking with his sword, "Cut off its tail!" Zhan Zhao agreed and made sharp moves to cut off its long tail.

Although the little corpse child was indestructible, it was quickly beaten by Li Yuxuan and Zhan Zhao, who were making it howl in pain.

Li Yuxuan knew that cats use their tails to balance their bodies, so Zhan Zhao and the other man only targeted its tail. She couldn't understand why the corpse doll wouldn't react at all when the sword was pierced. Even a cat only has nine lives, so how could it be so survivable?

The shop was terrified by the appearance of the Corpse Child and everyone had fled. Zhan Zhao didn't want to attract attention in the bustling city and reveal his identity, so he found a moment and grabbed Li Yuxuan's hand: "Let's go!"

The two swept out of the city like the wind and arrived at the White Horse Temple outside the city. They turned to the hillside behind the temple, where Zhan Zhao put down Li Yuxuan's hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Miss Li, you're in trouble now."

Li Yuxuan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "I think so too."

What are you going to do?

"I'm going to go with you."

Zhan Zhao stared at her speechlessly: "Your kung fu is pretty good now, so why are you still being so shameless?"

"Didn't you say you were here to protect me? It's good to have a big tree to shelter under; I certainly won't rely on myself if I can rely on someone else." Mainly, this Corpse Child is too terrifying; the thought of something unkillable sends chills down my spine. "Speaking of which, wasn't Haitang dead? Why is the Corpse Child still targeting me? Also, didn't I disguise myself? How does the Corpse Child recognize me? Didn't you say the Corpse Child recognizes people by their portraits?"

They'd said being haunted by the Corpse Child was a nightmare, but the Corpse Child that had once terrified Li Yuxuan didn't seem so scary this time. As the saying goes, skill breeds courage; she was no longer that pathetic little minx who could be easily preyed upon.

Li Yuxuan rubbed his nose, feeling quite pleased with his incredible luck and transformation.

The spring woods were damp with moisture, and the vibrant flowers and lush greenery were even more pleasing to the eye after seeing the Corpse Child. Unfortunately, neither of them was in the mood to appreciate the spring scenery. Zhan Zhao frowned as he fiddled with the sword in his hand, while Li Yuxuan stared directly at Zhan Zhao, awaiting his answer.

Zhan Zhao ignored Li Yuxuan for a moment, then looked up and saw her earnest and persistent gaze. He gave a wry smile and said, "Don't treat me like a know-it-all. This is my first time encountering this thing. By the way, why did you want me to attack its tail? And it seems to be quite wary of its own tail."

Li Yuxuan chuckled mysteriously: "That's very simple. Cats use their tails to maintain their balance. If a cat didn't have a tail, it would be like you, Master Zhan, getting drunk and going into a brothel to find a courtesan but ending up holding a male prostitute."

Zhan Zhao was taken aback by Li Yuxuan's analogy and his ears immediately turned red: "You're the one who went to a brothel after drinking!" Then, remembering that Li Yuxuan was a woman, the blood rushed from his ears to his face, and he was both amused and exasperated.

Seeing Zhan Zhao's embarrassed state, Li Yuxuan felt all the pent-up frustration of the day vanish and burst into laughter.

Zhan Zhao turned his face away: "Li Yuxuan, please remember that you are a woman, okay?"

Li Yuxuan patted his men's clothing: "Master Zhan, are you seeing things, or do you think I'm a woman no matter what I wear? Let me tell you, I'm very narcissistic, and I'll automatically interpret your words as 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'."

As soon as he said that, Li Yuxuan knew he had gone too far with his joke. Zhan Zhao wasn't Prince Xin; he couldn't just laugh off every joke. While Zhan Zhao wasn't as serious as Xu Qingzhi, he wasn't as carefree as Prince Xin either.

Sure enough, the air between them became awkward and ambiguous after those words. Li Yuxuan rubbed his nose uncomfortably, looking at Zhan Zhao's apple-red face: "Um, Brother Zhan, you know... when I'm happy, I tend to speak without thinking. Just think of it as a madman rambling on..."

I'll take it as what you really mean.

"Huh?" He blinked his big eyes.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Zhan Zhao's face was red, but he spoke succinctly and without hesitation.

Now it was Li Yuxuan's turn to blush, though it wasn't noticeable through the mask. "Ahem, why didn't Shiwa come along?"

Zhan Zhao didn't reply, his gaze fixed on her, deep as a peach blossom pool: "I don't mind if you know my thoughts. People of the martial world should live openly and honestly, daring to do what they do and take responsibility for what they do. I'm not saying this for you to accept. I also know what you and the prince are thinking. The prince is willing to compromise and fulfill my wishes, and I will not be a coward and let him compromise and fulfill his wishes."

"Hmm?" What does that mean?

"I came to find you to take you back to the capital and stop the prince from marrying that woman."

"He won't marry that woman, but he has other women." This is the most important and perplexing issue.

“It’s normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines, especially since he’s a prince.” Zhan Zhao said matter-of-factly and confidently, then sighed, “The prince really understands your thoughts, but unfortunately, the flower is willing but the water is not. You are too heartless.”

Li Yuxuan looked up at the sky, speechless and choked with sobs. This Master Zhan's mind really travels three thousand miles in a second; he had just said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and immediately he was tearfully accusing her of being heartless and ungrateful to others.

...Could he be here as a lobbyist? This lobbyist has really failed miserably, even getting himself involved in the mess.

“I’d be drowning in jealousy if I shared a husband with other women…” That’s a fact: “Your Highness knows I’m a shrew, so you understand my thoughts. You think I’m a beauty like Xi Shi, so you assume I’ll end up in a certain king’s harem like the real Xi Shi…”

Zhan Zhao stood there motionless, his expression strange and unsettling, his voice low and deep: "We all know you're a shrew."

A mountain breeze blows, scattering peach blossoms all over the road.

Zhan Zhao picked up a peach blossom and studied it for a long time: "The Corpse Child won't be coming for now, let's go!" After saying that, he led the way towards the main hall: "I've met the abbot here a few times before, let's go inside and think of a solution!"

Li Yuxuan quickly caught up: "Everything in the universe has its counterpart. Since there is a Corpse Child, there must be a way to overcome it. Isn't it said that it only listens to the owner of the jade pendant? Let's strike first and turn defense into offense to find the owner and steal the jade pendant."

"When the Corpse Doll is on a mission, its owner usually doesn't accompany it. Anyone could have guessed that."

"Others might not be as smart as me."

"puff--"

The two entered from the back; the backyard housed meditation rooms, quiet and utterly silent. Zhan Zhao led her to the innermost room on the right and knocked lightly three times on the door: "Is Zen Master Wuben in? Zhan Zhao requests an audience!"

A moment later, the door creaked open, and inside stood a plump old monk with a flowing white beard and an otherworldly air, just like the Maitreya Buddha. Upon seeing Zhan Zhao, his white beard trembled: "Greetings, Benefactor Zhan!"

Zhan Zhao quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Master! I have encountered a difficult situation in Luoyang today and have come to ask for your help."

The old monk chuckled and said, "Please come in, both of you."

The two stepped inside, and Zhan Zhao closed the door again. The old monk sat down on the prayer mat on the ground, and Li Yuxuan followed Zhan Zhao's example and sat down on the prayer mat next to him.

After the two were seated, the old monk looked at Zhan Zhao and said slowly, "Benefactor Zhan, your brows are deeply furrowed, your forehead is dark, and the black line between your eyebrows points straight to the sun. You will surely suffer a bloody disaster soon."

Zhan Zhao nodded respectfully: "I have come specifically to ask the master to resolve this."

Li Yuxuan felt that the master's opening lines sounded familiar; it was something that street vendors selling quack remedies always said. Then, the person being addressed would become terrified and frantically beg the master for guidance, hoping to escape danger and avoid death.

"What are your thoughts, Master?" Li Yuxuan interjected, only to be glared at by Zhan Zhao.

"Did you encounter the Corpse Child?" the master asked slowly.

Zhan Zhao nodded: "Exactly! How did you figure that out?"

"Although this thing is not common in the Central Plains, I have been fortunate enough to see it before. Today, seeing the putrid and pungent smell on your bodies, I know that."

Li Yuxuan sniffed his sleeve and indeed detected a faint, pungent odor, somewhat like borneol and somewhat like sulfur. Could it be that the Corpse Child's immortality was maintained by these substances? This discovery greatly invigorated Li Yuxuan.

The old monk continued, "Dealing with the Corpse Child is not difficult, but the bloodshed you are about does not refer to this."

"Then how should I deal with the Corpse Child?" Zhan Zhao continued, "The Corpse Child has become entangled with my friend. Please advise, Master."

"The Corpse Child is a lifeless thing. Its body is not decayed because it is usually soaked in sulfur and mercury. As long as you carry more arsenic and saltpeter with you, you can kill it as soon as you see it."

"Why?" Li Yuxuan asked. The answer was too strange. Could the Corpse Child be poisoned to death?

"Amitabha! Sulfur is the essence of fire, and it clashes with saltpeter upon contact. Mercury should never meet arsenic, and wolfsbane is most afraid of litharge."

Zhan Zhao bowed again: "Thank you for your guidance, Master. The Corpse Child may arrive at any time, so we will take our leave now."

"Amitabha!" The old monk looked at Li Yuxuan and said, "This benefactor has upturned eyes and a flirtatious look, but his eyebrows are like sharp swords and his lips are thin and tightly pressed, which clash with his eyes. He is destined to have a bumpy road in love and many disasters in this life. But he will also be very rich and noble. If you want to change his fate, remember to do great good deeds."

"Great good?"

"Amitabha! Do not refrain from doing good because it is small, nor do evil because it is small."

Back to Shangjing

As the two walked out of the temple, Li Yuxuan couldn't help but ask, "Is this monk very powerful?"

Zhan Zhao glanced at her teasingly: "What's wrong? Scared?"

Li Yuxuan didn't hide the worry in his eyes: "It's not true that I'm not afraid. He also said that you're in danger of bloodshed. If you get hurt, who will protect me?"

Someone sneered: "Is that all the conscience you have?"

"To have a conscience, you first need to be alive. If you're dead, what good is your heart if you can't even cook it?"

Zhan Zhao drew his sword.

Li Yuxuan chuckled and flew down the mountain: "Hurry up and buy that sulfur and saltpeter stuff, are you waiting for the Corpse Child to come after you?"

The Corpse Child hasn't come looking for them yet, but Xu Qingzhi has.

Li Yuxuan saw a figure galloping past outside the pharmacy. The familiar figure made her reflexively shout, "Big Brother!"

The horse stopped abruptly, pawing the ground and neighing. The rider stumbled and nearly fell, startling Li Yuxuan who yelled again, "Watch out!"

Zhan Zhao was drawn by Li Yuxuan's voice: "Who is it?" He turned to look and saw Xu Qingzhi dismounting from his horse. He couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Lord Xu? Why aren't you in Jiangnan? What are you doing here?"

Xu Qing dismounted and smiled slightly, unable to hide his travel-worn appearance, haggard look, and weariness: "Brother Zhan, what are you doing here? I need to get back to the capital." He then looked at Li Yuxuan: "Third brother? What's wrong with you?"

Li Yuxuan patted his clothes: "You noticed even though it's like this."

"Your voice hasn't changed!"

Li Yuxuan understood Xu Qingzhi and knew why he went back: "What are you going back for? Isn't it chaotic enough? If you leave your post without permission, you'll be blamed by your superiors and you'll have wasted everyone's hard work."

Zhan Zhao also understood the meaning behind her words and looked at Xu Qingzhi: "Is she right?"

Xu Qingzhi nodded slowly, his tone gentle yet unwavering: "I cannot let the prince sacrifice himself for me."

The three of them standing on the street talking was a bit abrupt. Zhan Zhao tossed Li Yuxuan a bag full of sulfur and saltpeter, then turned around and asked the shopkeeper to prepare a large bag for Xu Qingzhi. He walked out of the pharmacy, mounted his horse, and said, "Let's go, let's leave here first."

Xu Qingzhi took the bag, but the pungent smell made him gasp for breath, and he coughed violently: "What...thing?"

Li Yuxuan went up and patted his shoulder and back, then glared at Zhan Zhao: "Don't be so rough, okay? He's not like you, he's not as barbaric as you."

"Fine, you're taking your frustrations out on me." Zhan Zhao pulled on the reins. "This is for dealing with the Corpse Child. As for the rest, ask your good third brother. It's all her fault. If you don't want to get involved, hurry up and leave on your own, separate from us."

Xu Qingzhi, still catching his breath, looked at Li Yuxuan, who nodded helplessly: "Big brother, you should go first, I won't be a burden to you."

Xu Qingzhi looked at Zhan Zhao again, and Zhan Zhao nodded while looking up at the sky. He knew he was powerless and even if the Corpse Child appeared, he couldn't help much. Instead, he would only distract them and make them take care of him. He immediately smiled knowingly and said, "Brother Zhan, you're right. Then I'll be going now. See you all in the capital." He handed the bag to Li Yuxuan, mounted his horse, and said, "Take care."

Li Yuxuan hadn't seen Xu Qingzhi for a long time, and was initially overjoyed to see him again. But seeing that he was leaving in just a few minutes, her nose tingled and her eyes reddened. "Let's go together. I'll see you out of the city," she said, mounting her horse.

Upon suddenly seeing Li Yuxuan, Xu Qingzhi couldn't bear to part with her. He spurred his horse closer to her and whispered, "Let's go!"

Li Yuxuan twitched her nose and said, "Hmm." Actually, she really wanted to ask the man beside her, whose gentleness was etched into her soul, if she were killed by the Corpse Child and could never return to the capital, would he regret separating from her like this?