Wang Ya sat cross-legged in the tent, circulating her Demonic Power to regulate her breathing and cultivate. From the tent just four or five meters away came Wang Cheng’an’s steady breathing sounds, and aside from that, there were no other noises. The dark mountain forest was unusually quiet, without even the chirp of a single insect.
Wang Ya had grown up in the countryside and was accustomed to the clamor of nocturnal creatures at night. The sudden dead silence around her felt extremely uncomfortable. Normally, wild animals teemed in such remote mountains and forests, and nighttime should have been lively, but not even a mosquito buzzed in this ridge. Old Tang had told her during their evening camp setup that they were approaching the location, so it was no surprise that the place felt unusual.
After circulating her energy for a full cycle, Wang Ya recovered her spirits. She unwrapped the Yin Spirit Scroll from her waist along with the tattered Ancient Book. She rebound the Yin Spirit Scroll around her abdomen and, using the glow of a Glow Stick, sat in the tent carefully studying the Ancient Book her grandma had left her.
Ever since obtaining the Yin Spirit Scroll and this book, she had been fleeing for her life nonstop, with no time to sit down and read properly. Only in the past two days had she pulled out the Ancient Book during evening rests to pore over its contents.
Just past midnight, Wang Ya suddenly felt a subtle sensation. It was like the touch of an airborne scent clinging to her skin’s pores, triggering a message from her body’s instincts—or what one might call a sixth sense. Ordinary people would mostly ignore such vague feelings, but having teetered on the edge of life and death countless times, Wang Ya dared not dismiss it lightly. A moment’s carelessness could mean death in the Yellow Springs. She quickly stowed the book, wrapped it back around her waist, shouldered her carry-on bag, and slipped out of the tent.
As soon as she emerged, she clearly sensed Yin Qi drifting toward her face. The Yin Qi in this mountain forest was much heavier than elsewhere, carrying a hint of something else. Wang Ya couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. She stood outside the tent, gazing toward the dense forest whence the Yin Qi came, but saw only enveloping blackness ahead—nothing but darkness. She had trained her Night Vision ability since childhood, and after fusing with the Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower Demon’s power, she could see normally at night. Yet now, everything was pitch black, which was highly unusual.
Wang Ya figured they had reached the outskirts of their destination. A bit further, and they would arrive at the “Illusory City Labyrinth” described in the Yin Spirit Scroll. Though she knew little of Arrays, she had her grandma’s Dragon-Seeking Formation-Breaking Art, which gave her some understanding of the “Illusory City Labyrinth” marked only with a place name and mountain diagram on the Yin Spirit Scroll.
Originally, her goal had been just to find her grandma and help Huang Qi search for the Ghost Pill. But now, she wanted to use the Illusory City Labyrinth to settle some scores. They kept chasing her to kill her, so she had to give them a taste of their own medicine, right? And Zhang Qingshui’s betrayal and humiliation—it was time to pay that back too, wasn’t it?
Wang Ya took out the ancient bronze coins and arranged them around Wang Cheng’an’s tent in a Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation before ducking back into her own tent and sealing it tight.
As midnight hour arrived, the Yin Qi outside grew thicker, even permeating the tent.
The once-deathly silent forest suddenly came alive. Faint singing and human voices echoed distantly, while all sorts of bizarre sounds emerged from the woods. She even sensed Yin Spirits drifting around her tent, their eerie gazes fixed on her. She circulated her Demonic Power and growled lowly, “Scram!” Red-glowing Demonic Aura instantly burst from the tent, sending the Yin Spirits fleeing in panic.
Then came Huang Qi’s startled cry from a hundred meters away in the forest: “There’s a ghost!” At the same time, Wang Ya sensed the Yi Wood Energy released from Zhang Qingshui’s Azure Vine.
Wang Ya could tell from the auras alone that, though numerous, these ghosts were no real threat and couldn’t breach the Azure Vine’s protection. But with Huang Qi—the ghost magnet—around, Zhang Qingshui and the others wouldn’t get a peaceful night. As long as Zhang Qingshui stayed restless, Wang Ya felt satisfied. She plugged her ears contentedly and went to sleep to rest her energy.
Though Wang Ya slept, she occasionally heard disturbances from Zhang Qingshui and Old Tang’s side. It seemed they were harassed all night, quieting only as dawn approached. She slept until the sky lightened, rousing to the scent of morning dew and rising sun before crawling out. She woke the soundly sleeping Wang Cheng’an and had him prepare food while she broke camp and packed the tents.
Wang Cheng’an crawled up, drawling discontentedly, “Aiya, up so early again. Annoying as hell.”
Wang Ya said, “You can have beef jerky.”
Wang Cheng’an shut up instantly, scrambling out of the tent to grab a Canteen for washing up, only to be stopped by Wang Ya.
Wang Ya said, “Forgot? We have to ration the water.”
Wang Cheng’an grumbled about not washing his face feeling dirty, so Wang Ya gave him a pack of wet wipes to clean up. After wiping his face, he still sneaked off to rinse his mouth with Canteen water before happily tearing open the beef jerky pack for breakfast. Stuffed full, and seeing Wang Ya packing his tent, he felt embarrassed and hurried over to urge her to eat while he handled his own.
Wang Ya ate breakfast nearby, watching Wang Cheng’an fumble without offering much help—just pointers when he really botched it. Her dad’s IQ wasn’t high, but since she was old enough to understand, she knew Grandma had always emphasized self-reliance and self-care for him. She hoped to teach Wang Cheng’an to pitch and pack tents himself, so if they ever got separated, he could at least shelter without sleeping exposed in the wild.
