No longer concerning themselves with that Shen Yu, Shen Ying pulled Lu Zheng away and left Fengmian Slope.
Back in the carriage, Lu Zheng asked, “Any other places you want to go? Shall we visit Yao Prefecture to see your cousin?”
Shen Ying shook her head. “No need. Even if we met, there would be nothing to say.”
“Then let us go see Phoenix Mountain?” Lu Zheng asked with a smile. “I heard phoenixes once lived there. True or false?”
Shen Ying laughed. “Of course false. Just a fine name so things from the mountain can sell at a good price!”
Thus, she instructed Old Huang to drive towards the eastern entrance of Phoenix Mountain.
…
On the other side, Shen Yu stumbled out of Fengmian Slope in a daze. He looked left and right, then shuddered violently before running like mad straight towards Huangli County town.
Panting heavily, he rushed home. He saw a carriage parked at the gate, as if visitors had arrived.
“Father! Father!”
Shen Yu felt his legs filled with lead, yet he forced himself forward. Gasping for breath, he ran through the gate, leaning on the front courtyard screen wall, shouting loudly.
“Father! Father! Terrible! Wang Manzhu, she is actually…”
“A demon!”
A stern shout rang out. Shen Yu looked up to see a stout monk appear, grasping his wrist firmly.
“Where is that demon?”
The stout monk’s eyes gleamed sharply as he appraised Shen Yu up and down. “How did you know she was a demon? Knowing the truth, you still escaped? Could it be a vegetarian demon? Or did you discover the truth and could not bear it?”
Shen Yu stared blankly at the stout monk. He felt a qi circulate through his body. Then the monk nodded. “No issue. Human.”
“Who are you?”
“Little Yu! No rudeness. This is Master Zhixi from Guangxing Temple in Yao Prefecture!”
The speaker was Shen Yu’s father, Shen Wei. Beside Shen Wei were a man and two women: Shen Yu’s little aunt Shen Yi, her son Mo Zonghan, and a little girl, Shen Yu’s younger sister Shen Qian.
Shen Yi and Shen Wei shared the same mother, so when visiting the county, she stayed at Shen Wei’s home.
“Father! Little Aunt! Cousin!”
“Just now, your little aunt invited Master Zhixi to come. We plan a ritual for your grandparents during the Qingming Festival.”
Shen Wei said tensely, “We just entered when Master Zhixi sensed demonic qi. We were discussing whether to search for you or pretend nothing happened and wait for your return. Then you rashly came back.”
Shen Yi comforted, “It is fine, fine. Safe return is good.”
“Cousin, how did you discover that woman was a demon?” Mo Zonghan asked curiously. “Was she pretty?”
Mo Zonghan’s words made Shen Yu recall that great rat head. He involuntarily dry-heaved.
“Pretty my…”
Shen Yu took a breath, suppressing the urge to curse.
“She… she lured me to swear before Mother’s grave, to give her my heart. Then…”
Master Zhixi frowned. “Such a vow sounds wrong at once. Once sworn, did she reveal her true form to eat you?”
At this, Master Zhixi asked strangely, “If so, how did you escape?”
“It… it was Aunt who saved me…”
“Aunt?”
All exchanged glances. Shen Wei asked, “Which aunt?”
“It… it is…”
Shen Yu scratched his head. He did not know Shen Ying’s name, so only said, “The aunt who married into the Wu family, then met misfortune on the way to Yi Prefecture!”
Shen Wei and Shen Yi exclaimed together, “What!?”
“What is it?”
Master Zhixi and Mo Zonghan looked at them, puzzled by the shock.
Master Zhixi hurriedly said, “Able to save Benefactor Shen Yu, this female benefactor is an extraordinary person. What is her cultivation? If still fighting the demon, this monk should assist.”
“No, no need.”
Shen Yu shook his head repeatedly. “Aunt killed the demon with one move, then tore open the earth and buried it.”
“Oh? A master too?” Master Zhixi smiled, then asked, “Your aunt did not return with you?”
“She… she saved me, then left…” Shen Yu said.
“Oh, oh. Extraordinary people act extraordinarily. This is normal.” Master Zhixi nodded, finding nothing strange.
“Mas… Master…” Shen Yi stepped forward, interrupting his mutterings.
“What?”
“Ying Cousin, she met misfortune over thirty years ago!”
“Hmm?”
“She has been dead thirty years!”
Shen Yi affirmed, then asked Shen Yu, “The one who saved you, truly Ying Cousin? What did she look like?”
“Appearance…” Shen Yu blinked, thinking hard. Under everyone’s stare, he blurted, “Very beautiful!”
Shen Yi, “…”
Shen Wei clenched his fist, truly wanting to slap his face.
“And a bit like Little Aunt when young!”
Shen Yu hurriedly added, “Plus she offered tributes and incense to Shen Yue and his wife. That is how I recognised her at a glance.”
Shen Yi took a deep breath. Shen Wei swallowed hard.
“She appeared very young?” Master Zhixi suddenly asked.
Shen Yu nodded repeatedly. “Exactly! Looked only in her twenties!”
“You are certain she died?”
Shen Wei nodded quickly. “Certain. When officials returned her body, we identified it.”
Master Zhixi nodded. “Then likely her divine soul endured, entering the Netherworld. Now cultivated to success, returning to visit family.”
Shen Yi and Shen Wei, “…”
“Yet human and ghost differ. Her not meeting you is normal.” Master Zhixi said, then smiled. “But this is good fortune. With her guarding in secret, you are safer. See, Benefactor Shen returned safely.”
Shen Wei smiled bitterly.
He and Shen Yi knew well that Shen Ying avoided them not due to human-ghost separation, but because they had wronged her.
Secret guardianship?
Better she not come for vengeance.
But this matter was unpleasant to voice. Though done by elders, they had enjoyed the benefits. Thus, the karma fell on them.
Yet from saving Shen Yu, she seemed not to bear grudge. But hoping for reconciliation, seeking protection…
Even with thickest face, Shen Wei dared not think so.
“However…”
Master Zhixi’s tone shifted. “Though from her returning to worship parents and saving Benefactor Shen, she is no harm-doer. Yet human and ghost differ. This monk should meet her, remind her.
“Thus, Benefactor Shen, please lead me to your Shen ancestral graves. This monk will take a tribute to trace qi and origin, to meet your aunt dead these thirty years.”
