Chapter 20: The Road of Strangers

Perhaps it was due to its grave injuries that, though it kept up a ferocious front, the cat’s whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Master She San could clearly discern this cat’s extraordinary origins. Though it appeared gravely wounded, that earlier swipe of its paw had merely been a feint, expending nearly all its remaining strength. Now, it was simply forcing itself to stand. He could easily have subdued it, but possessing the shrewd caution of a businessman, he had no desire to provoke trouble of unknown provenance. Thus, he withdrew the dark mist coiled in his palm, shook his head, and said, “Little girl, it’s not that I can’t kill you, but there’s nothing to be gained from it. I don’t do business that yields no profit.”

Suddenly, his figure twisted, his old waist bending at a strange angle as he circled around the black cat, snatched the slumbering Yunie from her arms, and before she could react, he had retreated a full ten paces. Enraged, Yunie opened her mouth and tried to bite his arm. He quickly dodged, seized Yunie by her ankle, and hung her upside down. Dangling headfirst, Yunie flailed and scratched desperately with her little hands. With a ripping sound, she tore open a gash in Master She San’s trouser leg.

Witnessing this, Qingyin was secretly alarmed. For a child just over a year old to possess such strength in her fingers was not normal by any measure. Master She San shook the bronze bell in his other hand a few times; instantly, Yunie clamped her hands over her ears, her face contorted in pain, too distracted to struggle further. Master She San sneered, “Though your transformation is incomplete, controlling you is still a trivial matter. Better than nothing—perhaps you can run errands for me.”

Qingyin’s heart pounded with fear. She wanted to snatch Yunie back, but dared not act rashly. Instead, she pleaded, “Master She San, Yunie didn’t become a serpent child as you wished, and she’s of no use to you. Please, return her to me.”

He replied, “If you want her back, you’ll need to exchange something of value.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m an orphan. What valuable possessions could I possibly have?”

“What interests me is the rare treasure that implicated your Zhou family and led to their massacre. As a descendant of the Zhou clan, you are destined to be connected with that treasure. Seek its whereabouts. Bring it to me, and I’ll return this child to you.”

These words burned in Qingyin’s chest like fire. Hatred, sharp-clawed and fanged, surged up within her. Her eyes rimmed red as she replied, “If this is truly the case, I will make it my mission to uncover the truth.”

At these words, Yunie, suspended upside down, seemed to understand and, sensing she was to be handed over to a villain, began to wail in terror. Only then did Qingyin come to her senses, regretting her hasty promise that had disregarded Yunie’s fate. She quickly added, “This concerns my family’s vengeance. You needn’t use Yunie to threaten me—I’ll do all I can to investigate. I care nothing for treasures; should I find it, I’ll give it to you willingly. Please, just return Yunie to me…”

Master She San snorted, “I don’t believe you. Come back to me when you have a lead.” With a flick of his fingers, two slender leaves floated toward Qingyin. She caught them instinctively and, upon opening her hand, saw they were as green as willow leaves, their veins glimmering like gold threads—exquisitely beautiful.

“These are leaves from the Cloud-top Willow of the immortal realms. Place them under your feet and you can travel a thousand miles in a day.” He paused, his green eyes lingering on the leaves, calculating inwardly whether this might again turn into an unprofitable venture, and deliberately added, “I’m only lending them to you. You must return them later.”

With that, he swiftly retreated through the back entrance, Yunie dangling from his hand, his footsteps gliding eerily along the ground.

Qingyin hurried after him, but she could not match his inhuman speed. She called out, “Where am I supposed to find you?”

Master She San’s figure faded among the leaves and branches of the garden, leaving her no answer behind. And so Yunie was taken, her cries growing distant and fading away. Qingyin felt as if her very heart had been torn from her chest. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted after them, “Yunie, I will come for you! Don’t let him lead you astray!”

The garden fell silent. Qingyin stood rooted to the spot, lost and desolate. Suddenly, from the courtyard behind, she heard a door creak open, followed by the shrill screams of Luokui. Qingyin rushed back to find Luokui clutching her head in terror, staring aghast at Lin Zifeng’s ghastly condition on the ground, unable to stifle her cries. Qingyin hurried forward to comfort her, but the moment she touched Luokui’s arm, the girl screamed even more hysterically, shaking off Qingyin’s hand with frantic strength and fleeing the courtyard like a madwoman.

Qingyin never saw Luokui again; whether madness had overtaken her, she did not know.

Out of the corner of her eye, Qingyin glanced once more at Lin Zifeng—he was still unconscious, but swarms of insects were feverishly boring into his flesh, a sight so appalling she could not bear to look directly at it. Even that fleeting glimpse made her hair stand on end. She had no wish to witness his suffering should he awaken again and resolved to leave this place at once.

But something tightened around her trouser leg. Looking down, she saw the black cat lying on its side, eyes half-open and unfocused, already half-unconscious. Yet, sensing she was about to leave, it had reached out and hooked its claws into her pant leg.

When Master She San had attacked her earlier, this injured cat had suddenly leapt down to block his path, as if to protect her. How could a small, wounded cat harbor such intentions? Could it possess a spirit’s intelligence, remembering her kindness in tending its wounds? But throughout, it had shown no gratitude, always wearing a sour expression, as if she were in its debt. Perhaps it was merely coincidence, and it had fallen from the roof by accident? The ways of cats were ever inscrutable.

Yet, its sudden appearance had given Master She San pause, causing him to relent and ultimately spare her.

Cradling the black cat, Qingyin hurriedly left the Purple Pearl Garden and rushed to the medicine storeroom. The keeper was nowhere to be found, the place deserted.

She quickly found medicines and bandages, and a medicine pouch to carry them—so she could tend the cat’s wounds in the days ahead—slung the pouch over her shoulder, gathered up the unconscious cat, and hurried out. By now, darkness had fallen. She planned to slip away from the estate under cover of night, climbing out through the bamboo.

Half-Immortal Seal 20—The full text is available for free reading, updated by Stranger’s Path!