She pulled out the source—it was the red jade fruit Jiang Huaining had given her, infused with half of Jiang Huaining’s spiritual qi.
A tiny flame burned in the center of the red jade fruit right then. The firelight pierced through it, making its color even brighter and redder.
It burned.
The skin on her chest felt like it was melting.
“Auntie Ning…”
Yu Ruoyin started to ask what was wrong with the red jade fruit.
But as she looked up, she saw Jiang Huaining smiling at it, golden mist swirling in her eyes. “A-Yin, would you like to become a painting witch?”
Why would Jiang Huaining suddenly ask that? Wasn’t painting witch a bloodline inheritance?
Too many questions crowded her mind, leaving Yu Ruoyin unable to voice any before Jiang Huaining continued. “Didn’t A-Yin want to learn Yin-Yang Arts?”
Jiang Huaining’s lips curved in a smile, her tone gentle. “Painting witches can use talisman paper too, though theirs is a bit different.”
The golden mist in her eyes nearly overflowed. Yu Ruoyin instinctively reached out to catch it, and a golden pearl landed in her palm.
It was warm, with a trace of wetness.
Yu Ruoyin asked uncertainly, “Auntie Ning, is this… were you crying?”
“No, I wasn’t.”
Jiang Huaining denied it.
But her stammer confirmed the suspicion rising in Yu Ruoyin’s heart. This golden pearl was Jiang Huaining’s tear.
Because she had not agreed right away?
Yu Ruoyin set aside her questions, full of bewilderment, and nodded eagerly. “I will.”
Even if she did not ask, someone else would.
Zhuang Ciyue and Xing Ruoyan caught up to them. “Boss Jiang, isn’t the Painting Witch a bloodline inheritance? How can Xiao Yu learn it?”
“I say she can, so she can.”
Xing Ruoyan wisely kept her mouth shut and even considerately sealed Zhuang Ciyue’s mouth.
Unfortunately, Yu Ruoyin was willing to talk to Zhuang Ciyue. “Sister Yue, it might be because I have the spiritual energy that Auntie Ning gave me.”
Since Yu Ruoyin had taken the initiative to speak to Zhuang Ciyue, Xing Ruoyan had no choice but to let her go.
Zhuang Ciyue had not been able to speak freely, and she was both angry and anxious. She glared viciously at Xing Ruoyan. “Ex-girlfriend, just you wait until I get my bone brush back!”
“Your brush is right here.” Xing Ruoyan patted the Nether Token at her waist, her threat quite obvious.
Zhuang Ciyue did not dare to spout any more tough words. She let out a couple of aggrieved hums and moved away from Xing Ruoyan.
She turned her head to speak to her good bestie. “If having spiritual energy means you can learn to be a Painting Witch, then all those Painting Spirit Masters who have signed contracts with spirits have spiritual energy too. Wouldn’t that mean they could all become Painting Witches? The Painting Witch is a pure bloodline inheritance that others simply can’t learn without their family’s bloodline… Even their family’s bloodline can’t be stolen, so Xiao Yu, it’ll be very hard for you to learn it.”
Yu Ruoyin shrank her shoulders, somewhat frightened. “Sister Yue, can bloodlines even be stolen?”
“Yeah, there are plenty of good people in the Yin-Yang world, but plenty of bad ones too.” Zhuang Ciyue shrugged. “They all want to take good fate for themselves. The Painting Witch lineage is high profile and attracts trouble. As an old family with over ten thousand years of heritage, of course their bloodline draws a lot of covetous eyes. People started trying to steal their family’s bloodline long ago, wanting to transplant it onto themselves. There was even a case twenty years ago, but without exception, they all failed. Even the owner of the Four Spirits Shop probably couldn’t do it.”
“Quiet.”
Jiang Huaining suddenly wrapped her arm around Yu Ruoyin’s waist, gently clamping her slender waist, and rushed forward with her.
They moved so fast that Xing Ruoyan and Zhuang Ciyue almost could not keep up.
Jiang Huaining seemed to have spotted the exit from the thick fog. As Jiang Huaining ran faster and faster, Yu Ruoyin saw a glimmer of light ahead.
The Red Jade Fruit around her neck grew hotter and hotter.
Even through her clothes, Yu Ruoyin could clearly feel the heat.
That intense heat felt more like a warning, making her body instinctively resist what lay ahead.
Yu Ruoyin began to struggle unconsciously in Jiang Huaining’s arms.
She wanted to flee, to escape from what was ahead.
“Ayin, don’t move.” For the first time, Jiang Huaining ignored her wishes and held her tighter, leaving her no room to resist.
Yu Ruoyin wanted to obey obediently, but her body resisted, and even her soul trembled in fear.
She really could not break free, so she opened her mouth and bit down hard on Jiang Huaining’s shoulder.
Jiang Huaining did not dodge and let her bite.
She was clearly such a coward, yet once she bit down, she had no intention of letting go.
Her teeth sank into the soft flesh through the fabric, and Yu Ruoyin tasted a faint sweetness. That sweetness was strange, stinging her tongue painfully.
With one burst of effort, Jiang Huaining carried her through the thick fog and into the lighted area.
Xing Ruoyan and Zhuang Ciyue lagged far behind them.
They had just passed through the thick fog and had not steadied themselves when Zhuang Ciyue cried out. “Xiao Yu classmate, I have to see you in a new light. You actually had the guts to bite the Four Spirits Shop owner until she bled.”
Bled?
Yu Ruoyin barely came back to her senses and belatedly released Jiang Huaining.
With the light, Yu Ruoyin immediately saw the bite mark on Jiang Huaining’s shoulder and the pale red liquid flowing from it.
She gradually realized that the sweet taste she had just tasted was Jiang Huaining’s blood.
Yu Ruoyin had not expected her teeth to be so sharp. Feeling guilty, she lowered her head. “S-sorry, I was too scared.”
Even as she apologized, Yu Ruoyin struggled toward the thick fog they had just escaped from.
Jiang Huaining gripped her waist and forcibly pulled her forward.
Zhuang Ciyue did not notice the subtle change between her and Jiang Huaining. She hurried to catch up with them. “Xiao Yu, with Boss Jiang here, what are you afraid of?”
“I… I…”
Yu Ruoyin did not know what she was afraid of either. Her body simply told her she could not stay here, and she certainly could not go any farther.
“Auntie Ning!”
Her voice rose quite a bit, but Jiang Huaining did not stop.
Jiang Huaining practically dragged her forward, and Zhuang Ciyue finally sensed something was off. “You… Boss Jiang, our Xiao Yu has never had much courage. If she doesn’t want to go, then she doesn’t have to. We can deal with the jade puppet later and come back for her. If you’re not at ease, Xing Ruoyan can stay and… mmph…”
Zhuang Ciyue’s words were cut off before she finished, as Xing Ruoyan covered her mouth.
Her eyes widened, full of hatred and anger.
Xing Ruoyan ignored her glare. The only one who could save her, Yu Ruoyin, was still locked in Jiang Huaining’s arms, so she could only be pushed forward by Xing Ruoyan.
It burned even hotter.
The flame in the Red Jade Fruit seemed to drill out, scorching her skin even through her clothes.
Terrified, Yu Ruoyin moved backward, using her whole body to try dragging Jiang Huaining back.
Jiang Huaining frowned slightly and directly scooped her up into a princess carry.
“Auntie Ning…” Yu Ruoyin felt so wronged she was about to cry, but Jiang Huaining showed no sign of softening.
Jiang Huaining’s entire face turned cold as she looked down at Yu Ruoyin.
She clearly did not open her mouth, yet Yu Ruoyin heard her voice. “Ayin, in a moment, you must remember clearly who the first person I speak to is. Find a way to learn her wish and fulfill it for her.”
“M-me?”
Yu Ruoyin shrank her head, looking at Jiang Huaining in disbelief.
She did not think she had that kind of ability.
Jiang Huaining still did not open her mouth, and the voice came to her ear again. “Just agree to it. I’ll handle the rest. Best if… best if you beg me on her behalf. No matter what the wish is, you must agree to it.”
Yu Ruoyin could not tell if Jiang Huaining had controlled her or if she was just scared silly.
In an instant, her limbs grew unusually stiff. Her body shrank motionless in Jiang Huaining’s arms, with only her head able to turn slowly.
She had been deprived of the ability to struggle and could only passively process what Jiang Huaining had just said.
The first person? A wish?
What did this have to do with the jade puppet?
The scorching heat from the Red Jade Fruit cooled slightly, but the resistance in Yu Ruoyin’s heart only grew stronger.
Yet she lacked Jiang Huaining’s strength and could only shrink passively in her arms, letting her carry her forward.
Blood.
The scent of blood.
Yu Ruoyin’s nose twitched slightly. She thought it was from Jiang Huaining’s wound not having stopped bleeding, and her heart pounded a few times.
Only after seeing that Jiang Huaining’s wound had already healed did she relax.
She slowly turned her head, trying to find the source of the bloody smell. At the sight, she froze. “This is…”
Ahead of them lay many people sprawled crookedly, each with severe wounds, buried in blood and filth. Their clothes were completely soaked in blood, emitting not just a bloody stench but also a thick foul odor. Among them, she spotted Lu Qingzhen’s figure, holding a woman in her arms.
Lu Qingzhen was the most presentable among them, not as disheveled and not trapped in the blood and filth.
She held the woman, her eyes fixed tightly on the southwest.
Yu Ruoyin followed her gaze. There, a man and a woman were locked in combat. They were far away, so she could not see clearly, but she vaguely felt the woman looked familiar.
Jiang Huaining walked toward Lu Qingzhen. Hearing the movement, Lu Qingzhen hurriedly turned her head.
Seeing Jiang Huaining, she was overjoyed. “Boss Jiang, come quick and save us!”
Jiang Huaining carried Yu Ruoyin step by step toward Lu Qingzhen but ignored her.
Up close, Yu Ruoyin also clearly saw the woman Lu Qingzhen held.
She looked not yet forty, with delicate features and fair skin.
But her hair had turned completely white, and her abdomen had a large gash, blood still gushing out steadily.
Jiang Huaining set Yu Ruoyin down and half-squatted, staring intently at the woman in Lu Qingzhen’s arms. “What is your name?”
She was the first woman Jiang Huaining spoke to.
Yu Ruoyin still wanted to flee but subconsciously obeyed Jiang Huaining and looked at the woman again.
The woman breathed weakly, her eyes dull, having long lost the will to live.
She did not answer Jiang Huaining. Instead, Lu Qingzhen did. “Boss Jiang, her name is Sang Xi. She’s the mother of that female jade puppet.”
