Chapter 77: Rendezvous and Rest Part 2

Wang Ya scanned him up and down, thinking to herself, He really has slimmed down. He’d shrunk at least two sizes. The slimmer Wang Cheng’an looked haggard but handsomer than before. She said, “See the bridge behind you? The Styx River is under it. If there’s anywhere food might be found, it’s down by the riverbank—worth a shot.” The mountain path beyond the arched stone door led outside, but it wasn’t ideal for foraging. First, they couldn’t climb up from the entrance. Second, the cave was riddled with cracks, liable to collapse anytime. Wang Ya was digging-sick after her tunnel ordeal! Even if not crushed, being buried would be dire—she lacked the strength to dig another escape route through the mountain. Not even for a short fifty meters. She’d only dug through before thanks to her Demonic Power; after unleashing two Buddhist seals that harmed herself, she couldn’t muster even a speck now, her body limp and powerless.

In truth, expending so much energy on Soul Delivery now was unwise, putting herself in greater peril, but she couldn’t ignore them.

Wang Ya saw Wang Cheng’an edging to the steps, about to jump down the small stream toward the underground dark river under the Bridge of Life and Death for food. She quickly called, “Dad, wait.” Then she held out her hands to Old Tang and Huang Qi.

Old Tang and Huang Qi realized Wang Ya’s Family Heirloom was still with them and hurriedly returned the ancient bronze coin to her.

Wang Ya looked at Wang Cheng’an and asked, “Where’s the Ghost Collecting Bell?”

Wang Cheng’an stood nervously in place, eyes darting guiltily left and right.

Wang Ya’s face darkened. “Come here.”

Wang Cheng’an wanted to puff out his chest and say, “I’m your dad—you can’t yell at me.” But guilt won out; sweating coldly, he shuffled over like a turtle and handed over the ancient bronze coin clutched in his palm. “Here.”

Wang Ya took the hot-to-the-touch ancient bronze coin, enduring the burning pain in her hand, and asked sternly, “Where’s the Ghost Collecting Bell?”

Old Tang and Huang Qi didn’t dare make a sound, not even breathing.

Wang Ya knew her dad’s nature—anything but food got squandered in his hands. The stack of Talisman Paper she’d prepared was gone in under two minutes. She let that slide; Talismans could be redrawn. But could a family heirloom like the Ghost Collecting Bell just be replaced?

Wang Cheng’an tremblingly reached into his torn pants pocket and mumbled, “It… dropped…” His mouth flattened, tears welling. “So many thorny weird vines—I didn’t dare pick it up…”

Old Tang coughed lightly. “Wang Ya, don’t blame Brother Wang. At the time, our lives hung by a thread—”

Wang Ya shot Old Tang a fierce glare. Coldly, she said, “The knot I tied wasn’t easy to undo, right?” She’d figured as much; absent dire emergency, Wang Cheng’an wouldn’t have removed the ancient bronze coin. In crisis, no time to untie—so he’d hacked the Ghost Collecting Bell’s cord. She’d known from the lone coin that the cord was gone, but not the bell itself. With the Ghost Collecting Bell woven with ancient bronze coins as a bracelet, even she with her Demonic Power struggled to approach him—let alone demons and ghosts. He could’ve strolled through unscathed. She’d made it to protect him fully, yet now he was covered in wounds—Wang Ya suddenly recalled the Ancient Jade Body-Protecting Amulet on him. How could he be so injured? Huang Qi, though weakened, was unscratched. Wang Ya whipped her head around, yanked open Huang Qi’s collar, and there it was: her dad’s protective Ancient Jade around Huang Qi’s neck, nestled in her snowy cleavage. Wang Ya’s face turned green with rage. “Damn it!”

Wang Cheng’an waved his hands frantically. “Yaya, don’t be mad. I just lent it to Little Qi. She didn’t take it for nothing—she gave me all her food. Look, she’s about to faint from hunger.”

Old Tang, Wang Cheng’an, and Huang Qi awaited Wang Ya’s tirade in trepidation. Wang Cheng’an regretted yielding to food temptation but felt justified—the ghosts targeted Huang Qi. Without lending the Ancient Jade, she’d have died. He’d gained chocolate and saved a life; lending it for a few days wasn’t a big deal, right?

Old Tang and Huang Qi knew without Wang Cheng’an’s Ancient Jade, Huang Qi wouldn’t have survived. Though low-IQ, Wang Cheng’an had skills and strength, strongest self-preservation among them. Crucially, they’d seen the Leaf Demon secretly guarding him multiple times. Anyone might die to these demons, but not him. They knew Wang Ya knew this, yet it wouldn’t stop her anger. These were his life-saving treasures, “borrowed” with child-tricking sweet talk—hardly honorable.

Unexpectedly, Wang Ya didn’t curse. She just grimly removed the Ancient Jade from Huang Qi’s neck and hung it back on Wang Cheng’an’s. From her satchel, she pulled red rope, restrung the ancient bronze coin, and hung it on his wrist.

Wang Ya hung the ancient bronze coin back on Wang Cheng’an’s neck and said, “Dad, aren’t you hungry? I’m starving too. Go find some food.”

Wang Cheng’an responded brightly, “Got it!” And scampered off.

Wang Ya opened her stinging hot palm—no burn marks. She breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Old Tang waited ages for Wang Ya’s flood of scolding, but it never came. He touched his nose sheepishly. “Wang Ya, if you’re upset, just yell it out.”

Wang Ya said softly, “My Grandma has only this one son; the Feng Family has only this bloodline left. His life is more precious to me than Huang Qi’s is to you all.” She paused, then added, “Feng Family items have nothing to do with him. By now, you must see the underground Feng Family setup ties to the Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower Demon, not Feng descendants.” As she spoke, she pulled a blank Jujube Wood Talisman Plaque and carving knife from her satchel, focusing intently on etching it.

Old Tang, Zhang Qingshui, and Huang Qi didn’t grasp her point.

Old Tang said, “I’ll go help Brother Wang.” He tended his wounds simply, then clambered over the steps toward the dark river.

Wang Ya carved stroke by stroke. Soon, a blooming Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower emerged on the plaque. She infused it with her scant recovered Demonic Power, added a drop of blood—the blood fusing with the power into the flower on the plaque. She strung it with cord and handed the finished Talisman Plaque to Huang Qi. “The Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower Demon aura in this might protect you.”

Huang Qi said softly, “Thank you!” She took it, hung it around her neck, and bowed her head silently.

Wang Ya was exhausted, utterly spent. Leaning on the stair railing, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Wang Ya didn’t know why she’d spent her last strength making the Talisman Plaque for Huang Qi. Huang Qi’s survival wasn’t her concern; she had no duty to protect her. Perhaps because Huang Qi was so frail, needing everyone’s shelter to live. Or maybe that night when her soul departed and returned from the Bardo Realm, Huang Qi had begged her to come back to her body and live. At least in this world, beyond her scant family, someone didn’t want her dead.