While Ye Chui, Green, Leisha, Celty, and Guni were out causing chaos, Debbie, Shaleme, and the dragon-turtle trio remained in the Ancestral God Temple.
Guibao had set up a turtle pattern barrier around the temple. Outsiders could not enter, and those inside could not leave. The witch attendants and some servants and staff in the temple were under guard. Several followers and Bishop Xis received Debbie’s special treatment, bound with ropes and chains like dumplings.
In the afternoon, Shaleme heard cries and shouts from outside. The Emperor had died. Capital citizens came to the temple seeking help. But as this place was always sacred, seeing the gates closed, they dared not force entry. Even without Guibao’s barrier array, they could not get in.
Debbie and the others were full of curiosity, wondering what Ye Chui’s group had done.
By evening, the witch attendants locked in a reception hall suddenly grew restless, constantly banging on the closed door. When Debbie told them to quiet down, she heard their shrill pleas. “We cannot stay outside at night. Evil beings will kill us… Let us return to our rooms. Please, I do not want to stay outside at night!”
“Yes… Anyone left outside at night gets attacked. Deaths cruel. Let me back to my room. Please.”
“Ahhh—I do not want to die!”
“Must return to rooms. Let us out…”
Hearing these wails, Debbie sneered, kicking the door hard twice. “Quiet! What evil beings? No such thing. If you keep making noise, careful—no dinner for you!”
One witch attendant weakly said, “You did not give us dinner tonight anyway…”
“Ah? I forgot. Wait a bit. I will make dinner for you…” Debbie shook her head as if waking, realising this was her first time guarding prisoners. Forgot they needed food too. Thinking this, she prepared to turn and leave.
The witch attendants immediately wailed again. Ancestral God Temple nights terrifying. Must stay in own rooms. Room doors block evil spirits’ invasion. Otherwise certain death by evil spirits!
But Debbie did not believe it. Returning to Fiorre’s small courtyard, she saw Shaleme grilling meat. Asked her to grill extra portions. Temple had plenty stored food, mostly tasty light fare. But Debbie and Shaleme could not stomach it. Luckily, Ye Chui and Green left masses of food when departing today. Enough for enjoyment.
Shaleme agreed. Suddenly worried, “Sister Debbie, could what the witch attendants said be true? Evil spirits appear here at night?”
“Shaleme, your adventure experience still too little.” Debbie instantly recalled feeling when first leaving Stan Town with Ye Chui, telling adventure stories to Green—later Green grew experienced, harder to fool.
She now calmly told Shaleme, “What terrifying existence? Those witch attendants cunning. Just want chance to escape. I will not fall for it. You forgot? Yesterday Ye Chui and Green did not sleep in rooms. Whole night, nothing happened?”
“True.” Shaleme nodded understandingly. She glanced at room outside courtyard. Xis and followers received different treatment, locked there. Room exterior densely covered in vines summoned by Elf Baby. Inside followers absolutely could not escape easily. Originally Ye Chui planned kill Bishop Xis. But considering he might know Puppet Graveyard secrets, spared life for now. Just guarded well.
Shaleme looking at room continued, “These followers quiet. Not a word from start. Sister Debbie, should we check inside?”
“These guys probably plotting something. Do not open door easily. They silent, let them be. Starve them.” Debbie said knowingly. Urged Shaleme, “So hungry. Meat ready?”
“Almost, almost.” Shaleme hurriedly said.
In the elegant small courtyard now rose a fire pit. On pit Shaleme’s grilled food. Flames suddenly weakened. No more firewood. Shaleme looked around. Walked to a room exterior. Hands grabbed door. Looked ready to yank it off for firewood…
Debbie seeing hurriedly called, “Shaleme, what are you doing? How can dismantle door?”
Shaleme sheepishly looked at Debbie.
Then Debbie pointed nearby window. “Should dismantle window. Windows thinner, burn easier—this adventure common sense oh.”
“Oh…” Shaleme enlightened.
Just as delicious grilled meat nearly done, Debbie suddenly heard Ye Chui’s voice in mind. “Debbie? Can you hear me?”
“Ye Chui?” Debbie blankly looked around.
“We cannot return to temple tonight. I using magic communicate with you.” Ye Chui’s voice continued—[WeChat] ability. Voice communication within certain distance. But advanced space spell. Only Ye Chui initiate to others. Others cannot contact Ye Chui actively.
Now dark. Ye Chui’s group could not return temple. Naturally notify Debbie.
Ye Chui recounted day’s events to Debbie. Told her, “Be careful in temple. I contacted Celty. Let Zask’s group bring her rendezvous with you. Have Guibao watch. Allow them enter temple.”
“Good. I will be careful. You too.” Debbie responded. Then tone somewhat sad. “Emperor so vile. Fiorre’s sister died miserably… Right, Fiorre still not woken. But seems no major issue. I had Guibao, Longbao, Baby accompany him.”
“In Xis’s [Faith Cage], Fiorre’s witch clan power fully activated. Perhaps exceeded limit. Let him rest well.” Ye Chui responded.
Communication soon ended. Debbie somewhat regretted not experiencing street excitement with Ye Chui today. Rubbed little belly. Decided eat well to compensate loss.
Approaching fire pit, dragon-turtle trio, Shaleme already enjoying delicious grilled meat. Debbie sat by pit. Took large meat bone from Shaleme, happily gnawing. Mm, though grilling skill not as good as Green’s, quite nice. Most important meat good. Sea beasts, sand beasts from recent adventures. Stored in [Storage Space] would not spoil.
To ordinary people priceless magical beast meat. To Ye Chui’s group everyday food. Ordinary food now unpalatable. But halfway gnawing large bone, Debbie suddenly noticed something. Curiously looked at paper wrapping greasy bone part.
Paper looked somewhat yellowed, aged. Used wrap bone, now greasy.
No napkins. Shaleme found paper somewhere as substitute.
Debbie curiously unfolded paper. Looked twice, frowning asked Shaleme. “Where did you find this paper?”
Shaleme mouth full oily, hearing pointed dismantled window nearby room. “In window interlayer. Do not know what drawn. Several more…”
“…”
Several greasy papers soon together by Debbie. Guibao also realised something. Curiously approached Debbie.
“Deliberately in window interlayer. Seems something important.” Debbie gravely said. Shaleme personality too innocent… or silly. Actions never overthought. But Debbie had many life-death adventures. Even comedic, honed some serious vigilance. She realised these papers unusual.
“Drawings seem reveal some secret…” Guibao guessed. Compared to Baby and Longbao in dragon-turtle trio, she more mature.
“Person in drawing wears clothes like witch attendants… No, more like Fiorre’s witch clan clothes. Witch clan heir! She staring blankly at moon…”
“Next drawing, she suddenly unwell!”
“She turned monster! This black mass…”
Debbie and Guibao sequentially viewed drawings. Soon analysed meaning: Witch clan heir at night turns terrifying monster, harming others’ lives. But safe staying in room…
Person and turtle suddenly recalled rumours of terrifying existence at Ancestral God Temple nights. Could the so-called terrifying existence, evil spirits be real? And evil spirits actually witch clan heirs transformed?
Both suddenly felt somewhat chilly.
They heard footsteps. Following sound turned heads. Simultaneously saw from nearby house, Fiorre blankly walking out.
He had woken. But appearance very dazed. Eyes vacant. Body stiff. Like walking corpse.
“Fiorre?” Shaleme also saw Fiorre. Called across Longbao and Baby.
Fiorre seemed not hear. Entranced lifted head. Looking at starry sky and moon. Pupils seemed constantly dilating…
Courtyard suddenly quiet.
Ancestral God Temple nights, evil spirits appear, harming everywhere…
Evil spirits precisely witch clan heirs!
Yesterday night attempting attack Ye Chui’s evil spirit was Fiorre!
Inherited power carried terrifying curse. Made them lose control at night. Stronger witch clan power, worse curse. Upon inheriting clan leader position, must immediately leave temple become Empress. Then curse disappears.
This secret known only to each generation witch clan leader upon inheriting position.
Fiorre’s witch clan power originally very weak. But today’s battle fully activated it. Thus completely lost control—originally he would unconsciously leave room at night, become half-alive half-dead evil spirit wandering temple. But now, about to fully transform into evil spirit!
Wisps black mist began spreading on Fiorre’s body.
Debbie could not help swallowing saliva. Thinking just envied Ye Chui’s group exciting events. But here seemed more thrilling…
And more thrilling continued—
At this moment, boom! House used imprison Bishop Xis and followers suddenly loud noise. House sealed by Elf Baby’s vines burst large hole. Black shadow swiftly rushed out.
Precisely Bishop Xis!
He broke Debbie’s bindings and escaped.
Bishop Xis body full bloodstains, appearance somewhat wretched. Held Bible. Other followers’ Bible, seized by him. Through blood sacrifice, killed other followers. Temporarily restored sufficient powerful strength!
Suddenly rushing out, he saw Debbie, Shaleme, dragon-turtle trio etc. Instinctively wanted flee. But suddenly recalled turtle pattern defence barrier covering temple. Knew not easy break. Must think other way.
Then he suddenly saw Fiorre standing not far.
Fiorre far from Debbie etc!
Good chance!
Next moment rushed behind Fiorre. Held Fiorre’s neck hostage. Laughed loudly several times. “Do not come closer. Do not try sneak attack. Or I kill him!”
Seeing this, Debbie etc gasped. Instinctively raised hands.
Debbie very seriously said, “Rest assured. I guarantee we not move…”
Bishop Xis momentarily stunned. This cooperation somewhat unexpected?
He suddenly felt terrifying chill from held Fiorre. Looked down. Just as Fiorre also lifted head. Eerie red blood eyes. Mouth slightly curved. Revealed evil charming smile. Body spreading wisps black mist…
Because night. Just now Fiorre stood relatively dark place. So Xis completely unaware abnormality!
Bishop Xis greatly shocked. Immediately release Fiorre.
But Fiorre suddenly vanished from his hold—evil spirits had teleport ability. Vanish and appear from air.
Next moment appeared beside Bishop Xis. Holding Xis’s one arm.
Rip—
With Xis’s scream, that arm directly torn off, thrown into air…
