Chapter 16: Blazing Fire Burns the Melody (Part 5): I Didn’t Expect You to Be This Weak Either

When the sunset completely faded, Mu Qian Tan arrived at the front of Prosperous Joy Workshop.

The monstrously huge building still stood in the darkness. From the first floor to the highest point, lanterns lit every corner, blending orange-yellow and dark red hues that smeared the workshop with an ominous glow.

It was much like the scene she had seen at dawn: a team of guarding officers still patrolled the entrance in staggered formation, vigilant of their surroundings. The clinking of their armor was especially prominent in the silent night.

The lanterns swayed in the wind, and intermittent music drifted from inside the workshop—likely the band rehearsing for the Prosperous Joy Banquet.

Though the atmosphere here felt strange, a rough observation from outside revealed nothing unusual.

The jade pendant in her palm still burned hot. The Brain-Damaged Dragon had given her this layer of protection for Qin He’s sake and wouldn’t use it lightly or waste it as a joke. Something real must have happened.

But according to the original plot, the two of them should still be in the clue-finding stage right now, and the Pipa Demon lacked the ability to harm them. So what else was at work?

Mu Qian Tan couldn’t help but recall what Shang Shan had said that morning: something very powerful lurked nearby, extremely dangerous—touch it and you’d die for sure…

Li Biyuan said, “I’m getting goosebumps… Aren’t those officers just patrolling? It looks like nothing happened…”

Mu Qian Tan suppressed her thoughts and replied, “Isn’t that obvious? There’s only one day until the Prosperous Joy Banquet. If they want to hold it normally, any demon causing trouble early would strike silently. And if the workshop master discovered something happened to those two, he’d pretend even harder that nothing was wrong.”

Li Biyuan frantically flipped through the original book. “But this plot segment shouldn’t exist! Aren’t you scared?”

The jade pendant grew hotter and hotter. Mu Qian Tan tucked it back into her sleeve and murmured, “What’s the use in being scared? What must be faced will be faced in the end.”

Besides, the plot had naturally deviated from the original book. Though dangerous, it was also a prime chance for her to fish in troubled waters.

She walked forward, crossed the little bridge, and had just planted her feet when one of the guarding officers approached to question her. “Miss, what are you here for?”

Mu Qian Tan said, “Two immortal sect disciples came to the workshop during the day to investigate a demon. Have you seen them?”

At the mention of “demon,” the officer visibly tensed but forced himself to stay calm. “No, we just came on for the night shift. The day shift brothers have already gone back.”

Mu Qian Tan got straight to the point. “Something happened inside your workshop. I can’t contact my two disciples right now. I need to go in and check.”

“This… We didn’t hear anything from the shift change brothers. Talk of demons is pure nonsense—probably just a rumor…” The officer glanced back at the workshop. “Besides, the workshop master isn’t here right now. We only have orders not to let anyone get close. As underlings, we really can’t let you in on our own.”

His expression clearly showed he knew about the demon but chose to play dumb rather than defy the workshop master. Mu Qian Tan said, “I’m from Tianyu Sect, Hall Master Yao’e of Azure Palace. My reputation might be bad, but it’s widespread enough—even a mortal like you should have heard of it.”

A few others gathered over, sweating at the forehead upon hearing this, not daring to speak but also not daring to let her pass.

Mu Qian Tan lightly lifted her eyelids. “Immortal sect disciples going missing isn’t a small matter. Letting a demon harm people is against heaven’s principles. If you block me and delay things, causing serious consequences, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the responsibility.”

The lead officer said, “Understood…”

“If it weren’t urgent, I wouldn’t come knocking directly.” After the harsh words, she gave them a way out. Mu Qian Tan raised her hand, revealing a jade token engraved with her name and identity.

“Go find your workshop master now and give him this. Tell him the situation truthfully. Also, have him quickly find a few powerful cultivators nearby. We still don’t know that demon’s strength inside. I’m afraid one person alone won’t be enough to fight it—to avoid dragging you all into needless disaster and getting you hurt.”

These words rang true and carried genuine concern, leaving no room for refusal. The lead officer took the jade token and handed it to the person beside him, signaling him to fetch the workshop master. Then he clasped his fists. “We hope the immortal can subdue the demon and restore peace to Prosperous Joy.”

Mu Qian Tan nodded, brushed past him, and headed straight inside the workshop. The zither music suddenly rose sharply but remained intermittent, mixed with some woman’s chanting.

The place she had visited at dawn wasn’t all that bright, yet now it was abruptly hung with lamps everywhere. As if signaling that all was well here.

She walked deeper in for a stretch when thump-thump-thump footsteps approached. A few old mammies carrying water buckets passed by. Mu Qian Tan stopped them and asked about the two girls’ whereabouts, but they all denied it.

“What immortals?”

“No one’s come, and we haven’t heard of any demons.”

“Nothing happens in the workshop. Just relax.”

She continued deeper and encountered more people on the way, all repeating that nothing was wrong and urging her to leave. Mu Qian Tan stopped asking and headed straight for the stage.

She passed through the gauze curtains, and the music assaulted the ears. On stage stood several women dressed neatly and gorgeously soft, each holding an instrument in staggered positions, playing a melody.

They showed no reaction to the intruder’s arrival. In front of the stage stood a tall woman, listening intently to the music’s flow. Seeing Mu Qian Tan, she said, “Immortal, please leave. The workshop isn’t allowing outsiders right now.”

Mu Qian Tan walked up to her and looked toward the stage. “How did you know I’m an immortal?”

The woman’s face was taut with a pale sheen as she smiled. “Your bearing is extraordinary—one look and it’s clear.”

Mu Qian Tan said, “With such sharp eyes, can you tell which woman on stage is the demon?”

The woman’s smile deepened, her lips stretching into an unbelievable arc. “Immortal, don’t speak nonsense. All on stage are good, ordinary folk.”

“Is that so.” She unslung Solitary Goose from her back, weighed it in her palm, and rubbed the icy bow body. “Pipa Demon, we’ve no grudge between us, and I don’t want to stop your revenge. But you can’t touch those two kids for now. Let them go, and I’ll pretend I didn’t see you. Carry on with your vengeance—how about it?”

The music on stage suddenly quickened, and the woman’s eye twitched. “Looks like the immortal’s drunk, saying strange things. Better go rest. Come join the fun when the Prosperous Joy Banquet starts.”

Mu Qian Tan glanced at her, an idea forming.

In the original book, the reason the Pipa Demon hated the workshop was that the workshop master’s son, Huo Feicheng, had forced her master to death in an extremely cruel way.

As a powerless instrument with only sentience, she could only cultivate revenge by absorbing human vitality, even harming many innocents. To gain the power to kill Huo Feicheng, she became a demon and chose to incite others to arson on the day of the Prosperous Joy Banquet.

Her goal had always been clear and direct. Though she had demonized early for some unknown reason, now that she was powerful, why not act now but wait for the banquet?

Only one explanation: the person she wanted to kill right now wasn’t in the workshop.

Mu Qian Tan recalled a detail from the original book: the workshop master Huo Jifeng, who had built Prosperous Joy Workshop, paid extreme attention to every aspect, living and eating there to personally check every detail for fear of mistakes.

Yet with the Prosperous Joy Banquet about to start—an important time—he wasn’t here?

He probably knew there was a problem in the workshop and had gone to Tianyu Sect. But he didn’t dare make a real fuss that would affect business, so he downplayed the danger, hoping the sent immortal would just go through the motions and scare off the demon. That led to the current situation.

Mu Qian Tan aimed Solitary Goose at the woman in the center and channeled spiritual power into the Power Gathering Gold Ring on her wrist.

As power surged, she closed one eye, slowly drew the bow to her temple, and the spiritual power-condensed icy arrow pressed against the bowstring, humming with vibration.

“Here’s a deal. I’ll help you get Huo Feicheng here, then you trade me those two kids. How about it?”

It was a sincere offer, but as soon as “Huo Feicheng” left her mouth, the music cut off abruptly. The tall woman glared furiously, her body suddenly swelling until it burst.

The bright lights extinguished in an instant. Vines crawled out from the corners, quickly covering every wall. Black water oozed from the floor cracks, merging and pooling, gradually rising into a lake.

Before the water touched her, Mu Qian Tan floated onto a table. Looking up, the stage had completely transformed.

The singing girls had dead-white pupils, stiff bodies, tattered clothes, disheveled hair—and in their midst sat two chairs. One bound the unconscious Qin He with strings, the other held Shang Shan, tied fast.

She truly didn’t trust humans, so she rejected the deal outright. Exploding at the mere mention of the name—hatred to the bone.

Spotting the sudden arrival on the table, Shang Shan’s eyes lit up in disbelief. “You really came!”

The water level rose higher, and ominous clacking sounds came from below, strings of bubbles gurgling up. Before Mu Qian Tan could speak, something burst from the water, streaking past in her peripheral vision.

She released swiftly, the arrow flying out to sever a singing girl’s throat. The other singing girls screamed and scattered.

At the same time, she pulled out the golden pill from her pouch, tapped her toes, and flew to the stage, clamping the pill over Shang Shan’s lips along with her hand.

She lowered her head and said simply, “Eat.”

Shang Shan had no choice but to swallow the golden pill in big gulps. It was too much, hard to get down. As sparks roiled in her throat, her chin was suddenly gripped again, her face turned toward the floor below. The woman’s voice remained cold. “Spit fire. What are you waiting for?”

She hadn’t even seen what jumped from the water when she instinctively obeyed, mouth opening to spew a blazing flame that lit the entire hall. The thing that had lunged from below shrieked before turning to ashes and dissipating.

In the dim hall, only the patter of water drops remained. The danger was temporarily lifted. Mu Qian Tan scanned the water surface and used her dagger to cut the strings binding Shang Shan. “What happened?”

Though her chin had been gripped uncomfortably, she’d been saved. Shang Shan didn’t retort, took the dagger from Mu Qian Tan’s hand, and went to free Qin He.

Hearing the question, she said, “We were almost onto that demon when suddenly everything around us changed, and we got tied up—couldn’t break free.”

As she spoke, she laid Qin He flat and examined the girl’s face closely. Mu Qian Tan asked, “What’s wrong with her?”

Shang Shan gently turned Qin He’s head, spotting a faint strangulation mark on her neck, and said annoyed, “My fault. That thing was coming for me. Qin He spotted it first and blocked for me, then passed out.”

Mu Qian Tan hiked her skirt and knelt on one knee, probing Qin He’s body with spiritual power. Finding only a simple faint, no poison or injury, she said, “Don’t worry. It’s not serious.”

Hearing this, Shang Shan carefully crouched, pulled Qin He’s arm over, and hoisted her onto her back. Looking up, she said, “I didn’t think you’d really come.”

Mu Qian Tan said, “I didn’t expect you to be this weak either.”

Shang Shan pouted and turned to the water. “What now?”

Mu Qian Tan said, “Where are the other two kids?”

Shang Shan paused, realizing she meant Xia Ju and Dong Yuan, then said, “They didn’t come—stayed in the city looking for more people hurt by the demon.”

“Got it.” Mu Qian Tan nodded, reached into her bosom to confirm the snake venom and antidote were there, then looked toward the pitch-black stage hall.

“Next, let’s see where that hide-and-seek-loving demon is hiding now.”