Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Woman in Blue Suffers Grave Injuries

This sudden execution came without warning; we had no time to intervene. At Qin Li’s command, Er Pang swung the axe, and one of the kneeling figures was instantly beheaded. Though the distance made it impossible to see the face clearly, I could tell from the withered features that this was an old man—most likely the very spirit body my grandfather had only just managed to condense a few days ago.

The head struck the ground, but no blood flowed. Only a wisp of greenish smoke hissed from the severed neck, dispersing into the air. The shadowy figure’s form then withered, crumpling until all that remained was an empty suit of black clothing fallen to the earth. When a soul is cut down—its three hun and seven po scattered to oblivion—only such a hollow shell is left behind.

My heart ached with a dull, persistent pain; I could hardly believe what I saw. No matter how I tried, I hadn’t imagined Er Pang would actually execute my grandfather.

Wang, the spirit medium, stood beside me in stunned silence. Her body trembled, lips quivering without a sound, and I saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

Seeing this, the Mistress in Blue pressed her foot to the ground and, as lightly as a dragonfly touching water, swept out of the woods. At her appearance, dozens of spectral soldiers rushed forth, surrounding her on all sides.

“Out of my way!” the Mistress in Blue barked coldly.

But the ghostly guards did not yield. With a flick of her horsetail whisk, a gust of wind swept forward, sending the spectral soldiers flying.

Wang and I hurried after her, rushing up to the ancient sacrificial altar.

“Are you Lin Yi, Wang Qinghua, and Wang Qingyi?” Qin Li asked, his voice twisted and mocking.

“Don’t answer him!” Wang warned me.

“Executioner, obey my command—strike!” Qin Li shouted. At once, Er Pang raised his axe to behead another kneeling shadow.

But the Mistress in Blue would not allow it. With another snap of her whisk, a sharp gust blasted forth, sending the executioner flying and leaving him sprawled, motionless, on the ground.

The Mistress in Blue hurried over to untie Master Li’s spirit. Yet as the bronze chains fell away, Master Li’s spirit drew a bronze dagger from his robe and drove it straight into her chest. Instantly, blood blossomed across her robes.

With a deft motion, Master Li flipped and slammed a fist into her face, sending her crashing to the ground. Her whisk flew from her hand.

“Master, you—” The Mistress in Blue tried to rise, but her wounds were grave.

“Hmph. So even the most disciplined Daoist can be undone by compassion. No wonder you could not see through my disguise!” As he spoke, his face changed, revealing it was not Master Li Nanhua at all, but an entirely different man.

Wang and I rushed to support the Mistress in Blue. She waved us off and stood on her own, declaring, “It’s nothing.”

Without hesitation, she gripped the dagger in her chest, yanked it free, and tossed it to the ground. Picking up her whisk, she said, “Who would have thought the Underworld’s administrators would stoop to such vile tricks? Laughable!”

I was stunned. The dagger had pierced her heart, yet she removed it without flinching and seemed almost unscathed. How could this be?

I glanced at Wang, who shook her head—she didn’t understand either.

“Child, the one executed just now was not your grandfather!” Wang exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. I too was overwhelmed.

“Father, stop wasting time. Capture them all, and our task will be complete!” Qin Li approached, urging on his father.

“Set the formation—take them alive!”

The spectral soldiers sprang into action. Ghostly winds howled, and bronze chains clattered as they closed around us like a vast net.

“A mere soul-binding array from the Underworld dares to restrain me?” The Mistress in Blue’s voice rang out in fury. With a snap of her whisk, a fierce wind swept away the ghostly gale conjured by the spectral soldiers, her power overwhelming theirs.

The bronze chains clashed with her whisk, locked in a stalemate. The administrator shouted, “What are you all standing around for? Capture them—there will be ample reward!”

“Father, let me do it. With my ghostly eyes, I’ll seize their life-spirits and see how they resist!” Qin Li’s aura surged, black mist swirling around him. As he raised his head, his eyes blazed crimson like a serpent’s, locking onto us.

Though I avoided his gaze, I could see those crimson eyes before me, leaving me unsettled and dazed.

Wang too staggered—she must have felt the same.

Just then, several sharp snaps sounded. The array of bronze chains shattered under the Mistress in Blue’s power. With a series of swift movements, her whisk lashed out like arrows, and in a blink, every spectral soldier fell to the ground, clutching their throats.

In moments, all the ghostly soldiers were decapitated, turning to smoke and dust.

Qin Li met the same fate. As he fell, the dizzy spell that afflicted Wang and me vanished. Qin Li cried out for his father’s help, but the administrator, seeing the turn of events, fled in a puff of green smoke and vanished.

Qin Li clutched his throat, struggling to rise, but could not. His head soon rolled aside, and as the smoke dispersed, his form withered, leaving behind only a black paper garment. A shadowy soul escaped the smoke and slipped into the center of Niu Dahuang’s brow—likely the life-spirit Qin Li had taken.

I rushed to free Niu Dahuang. His collarbone was pierced by a bronze hook-chain, soaking his clothes with blood. Still, he reassured me, saying he’d be fine, then took out a pill, swallowed it, and applied a medicinal salve to his wound, immediately stopping the bleeding.

Glancing at the black garment on the ground, Niu Dahuang said, “The ancient altar was a trap—we were all duped. The one executed earlier wasn’t your grandfather either.”

Wang stepped forward. “If the execution wasn’t here, where is it happening?”

“I miscalculated—I led my master and the others to their doom! It’s already the third watch of midnight. Even if we knew the location now, it would be too late!” The Mistress in Blue fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face, her chest wound bleeding profusely.

A moment later, her brow tightened and blood gushed from her mouth and nose as she collapsed.

“Mistress in Blue!” I cried, rushing to her side.

“Qingyi!” Wang hurried over, pressing her hand to the wound. Niu Dahuang joined us, producing hemostatic medicine. “Quick, apply this!”

Wang did as instructed, and the bleeding stopped instantly. Still, the Mistress in Blue did not awaken, her breath faint. Niu Dahuang gave her a pill. “This will save her life—have her swallow it immediately.”

Wang took the pill and fed it to the Mistress in Blue. Checking her pulse, Niu Dahuang finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Her heart is steady now.”

Remembering Er Pang, the executioner, I turned to look—he still lay motionless on the ground. I meant to approach, but Wang stopped me. “Don’t go near.”

She drew her peachwood ritual sword and, alone, approached. Prodding the black cloak with the sword, she discovered only a straw effigy hidden within.

It wasn’t Er Pang at all.

Yet, the incense I’d been holding was indeed burned through, meaning Er Pang had executed the sentence in a dream. If the place of execution wasn’t here, and the third watch of midnight had passed, then Master Li and my grandfather truly…

With no other choice, we left the Temple of Mist and returned to Dongwa Village.

Back at Wang’s house, after settling the Mistress in Blue, I asked Wang: if the execution didn’t take place at the altar, where else could it be?

She replied that there was likely no other place.

Niu Dahuang, however, said, “Unless even Heaven itself permits the Underworld to execute Li Daozhang and the boy’s grandfather. If that’s so, any secluded spot would suffice.”

My spirits sank to their lowest ebb. Niu Dahuang and Wang sat silently in the courtyard, the atmosphere as heavy as stagnant water.

Thinking of my grandfather, all his kindnesses, I retreated to the house and wept alone. Wang came to comfort me, stroking my head. “Child, live here from now on. Treat me as your grandmother.”

I nodded, understanding that she was taking me in on my grandfather’s behalf, and more tears welled up.

Yes, without Grandfather, the old house in Jie Ling Village was no longer a home.

Knock, knock…

Suddenly, someone rapped at the door.

Wang and I looked toward the entrance. Niu Dahuang stood watching the door, and all of us froze.

“Who is it?” I called out.

“Lin Yi, it’s me,” came the reply.