Chapter Ten: The Soul Leaves the Body

Chu Youcai was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

But Aunt Hong changed the subject, asking in return, "Have you heard that recently women have been disappearing frequently?"

Chu Youcai nodded and said, "That's exactly why I came to the City God Temple. Is this the work of that Thunder Sorcerer?"

Aunt Hong replied, "Exactly. He wants to gather eighteen souls of pure yin and the body of a sacrificial child. Among them, Hongyu's ghostly matchmaker spirit is the key. That serpent-shadowed head just now is Thunder Sorcerer's tool to imprison me, used to threaten and control Hongyu. The serpent-shadowed head is extremely strong; we can’t possibly defeat it. Even Hongyu’s blood can barely scratch its surface, and it heals quickly."

Hearing this, Chu Youcai finally understood. No wonder Thunder Sorcerer valued her so much, and Hongyu’s ability to communicate with spirits explained how she knew so many things.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he cautiously asked, "Why does Thunder Sorcerer need eighteen pure yin souls and a sacrificial child?"

Aunt Hong hesitated. "It’s said to be for enhancing a cursed treasure, but I don’t know the details."

Chu Youcai felt a shudder throughout his body.

He had already suspected that Thunder Sorcerer possessed a cursed treasure—one that allowed him to merge into darkness and turn into a shadow to attack—but he hadn't expected that such a treasure could be enhanced.

How? To what extent could it be improved? Chu Youcai was filled with curiosity.

At the same time, a sense of urgency surged within him. The opponent had cultivated this cursed treasure for years, and even the serpent-shadowed head under his command was so formidable. If the treasure could be further enhanced, would he stand any chance in a direct confrontation?

Just then, the Hall of Parents suddenly trembled violently, as if it would collapse at any moment. Several beams on the eaves snapped and crashed down. Chu Youcai leapt aside, hitting the ground, and a large crater was smashed where he had stood moments before.

Aunt Hong exclaimed, "Its wounds have healed so quickly! It wants to tear down the Hall of Parents!"

Chu Youcai hadn’t expected the opponent to recover so fast. If he hadn’t instinctively dropped to the ground after his training in the River Pearl of Mount Toad Dragon, he would likely be dead now. At this moment, he gripped the River Pearl tightly in his left hand, stabbed the ground with his dagger in his right, stood up, and kept his guard. Yet after the beam fell, the enemy made no move.

Suddenly he thought of something and asked, "Aunt Hong, I only saw the serpent shadow. Why is it called the Serpent-Shadowed Head?"

"That’s the name it chose for itself; I’m not sure either," Aunt Hong’s voice sounded near Chu Youcai. "It’s not safe here anymore. We must break out."

At that moment, a chilling voice came from the main door of the Hall of Parents, "That depends on whether you have the ability! In my City God Temple, I have acquired the blood of a hundred virgins. Master Lei provides me with fresh flesh and blood to help me break through. Aunt Hong, I tolerated you for Hongyu's sake before, but now you’ve revealed so many secrets to outsiders. If Master Lei finds out, he’ll flay your soul and boil it in oil!"

Hearing the pride in the voice over "the blood of a hundred virgins, fresh flesh and blood", Chu Youcai felt a surge of anger. Thunder Sorcerer had abducted over a hundred women to feed this serpent-shadowed head, an unforgivable evil, and the serpent-shadowed head was the chief culprit! He vowed in his heart, "Such a fiend, I swear to kill it!"

Just then, the serpent shadow churned up a bitter wind. Several serpent shadows crisscrossed and struck the outer walls of the Hall of Parents, causing the walls to tremble as if the heavens would collapse. In moments, the Hall was about to fall apart.

At the same time, a piercing sound like a knife to the eardrum rushed into the hall, drilling straight into Chu Youcai’s head, making him feel as if his skull would explode.

Aunt Hong’s expression changed dramatically. Inside the Hall of Parents was pure incense, which she relied on for protection. If the hall was destroyed, with her current cultivation, how could she resist the serpent-shadowed head? She saw Chu Youcai beside her, eyes shut, sweating profusely, struggling against the serpent’s sinister sound—knowing he was only a mortal, how could he withstand such demonic noise? Without hesitation, she seized Chu Youcai and sprung out of the Hall.

At that instant, the Hall of Parents collapsed in a thunderous crash, stones flying everywhere. The serpent shadow, growing more frenzied, gathered itself, several shadows forming black smoke, which encircled Aunt Hong and Chu Youcai like a net.

Aunt Hong sighed. After so many years in the Hall of Parents, her demon power was nearly spent. If not for her obsession with finding someone to entrust Hongyu to, she would have already vanished. Now, after all these years, she had found only an ordinary mortal.

She made a decision. Without further hesitation, she pushed Chu Youcai with all her remaining power, breaking through the black smoke, sending him toward the temple gate. She could not let Chu Youcai die here.

Afterward, she had no more strength to defend herself. The black smoke pressed down on her like thunder, leaving her barely clinging to life.

The serpent shadow sneered, "You think that mortal can escape? With the wards on the City God Temple doors, how could he possibly break through?"

With that, the serpent shadow lunged at Aunt Hong, eager to devour her last breath. But in that instant, a radiant light burst from Aunt Hong, striking the serpent shadow, which screamed in agony and became tattered and fragmented under the glare.

The serpent shadow raged, "You dare use your primal spirit to attack me? With your demon power spent, how long can you last? You haven't harmed my true form. In the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, I’ll heal, and then we’ll see what else you can do!"

The serpent shadow darted frantically toward the City God Temple.

Aunt Hong hadn't expected the serpent shadow to be merely an avatar. Her face turned ashen with despair—"Yu’er, I may never see you again. Take care of yourself!"

At that moment, propelled by Aunt Hong’s power, Chu Youcai was nearly flung out of the City God Temple, but the doors stood firm as iron. He crashed into them, dizzy, feeling as if his bones had been torn apart.

He could faintly hear Aunt Hong and the serpent shadow talking and realized the serpent shadow was not the true body just as it reentered the temple.

The serpent shadow saw Chu Youcai and sneered, "Let me devour your flesh first and restore some demon energy. After eating so many women, a change of flavor would be nice!"

It roared and lunged at Chu Youcai, but wounded by Aunt Hong’s full-force attack, its form was faint and weak.

Chu Youcai tried to struggle, but the serpent shadow coiled around him tighter and tighter, suffocating him.

Yet at that moment, Chu Youcai’s mind was unusually clear.

If not for the countless life-and-death crises he had faced in the River Pearl world, he would not be so calm now. He knew only by staying calm could he find a way to break free.