Ying Liu picked up his clothes, turned around, and went back to his room.

He closed the door, which was covered in talismans, and was about to sit back down in front of the altar when he was startled.

On the table sat a baby, clutching a candied hawthorn stick with only one candied hawthorn left.

Ying Liu's expression turned panicked. "Where did you come in from?"

The little guy looked up at him and said, "The door was open, so I came in."

Ying Liu said, "This is not a place for you. Leave now!"

The little guy looked around, puzzled. "Why? Is it because there are a lot of talismans?"

The entire room was covered with various talismans, and various gods and Buddhas were enshrined on the altar, creating a depressing atmosphere.

Ying Liu looked at him and said, "You don't need to know. Just leave quickly!"

Here, let alone children, even adults wouldn't stay for more than one night.

The little guy nodded. "I understand. Let's go then."

Ying Liu was taken aback, "Us?"

The little guy licked his candied hawthorn and said, "I'm here to pick you up. Shall we go celebrate Aunt Liang's birthday together?"

Ying Liu realized that the "Aunt Liang" he was talking about must be his mother, Consort Liang.

Ying Liu's eyes dimmed slightly. "I won't go. You should leave now!"

The little guy insisted, "Go with me. Aunt Liang will be very happy to see you. She misses you a lot."

The little guy's words were like a needle piercing his heart, making Ying Liu's heart tremble.

He lowered his head, not answering the question directly. "You should leave now, it's dangerous here!"

The little guy remained calm and said, "I'm not afraid!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a sudden gust of cold wind swept into the dimly lit room, causing the candlelight on the altar to flicker.

Even though the windows and doors were tightly closed, there was still a breeze blowing, which was quite eerie.

Sensing something amiss in the room, Ying Liu's expression changed drastically, and he looked at the little guy with a tense expression, "Hurry! Otherwise, it will be too late!"

The little guy's eyes were resolute. "I said I'd take you with me!"

Ying Liu was quite helpless and stepped forward to grab the little guy.

Despite his small stature, he was extremely agile, dodging to the side to avoid Ying Liu's grab.

Even though it was daytime, thick black fog was rising outside the room, and a sinister aura enveloped the entire room, obscuring the sky and the sun.

The room grew increasingly dark.

"It's here! It's here!"

Sensing this strange change, Ying Liu became even more nervous. He looked at the little guy and said, "Quickly hide under the table!"

This table has been used to worship gods and Buddhas for many years, and has long been imbued with Buddhist qualities; perhaps it can protect him.

After speaking, Ying Liu sat down in front of the Buddhist altar, closed his eyes, and began to chant Buddhist scriptures while striking the wooden fish.

The little guy ignored him and leisurely licked the candied hawthorn.

Another gust of cold wind blew past, and outside the room, a chilling voice, as if squeezed from a throat, rang out, "Open the door!"

"Open the door!"

"Let me in!"

The voices were mixed, including men and women, young and old, and were quite noisy.

Ying Liu frowned and quickened the pace of striking the wooden fish, chanting Buddhist mantras faster and faster.

The black energy surged against the wooden door, seemingly trying to break in, but fortunately, the talisman emitted a faint glow, and under the restraint of the spell's power, the black energy was unable to penetrate the wooden door for the time being.

But the black mist did not give up; it continued to assault the wooden door, the sound never ceasing.

"Let me in!"

"I want to go in!"

My body!

Give me my body!

Under the impact of the black energy, the wooden door began to shake, making a "bang bang" sound.

Ying Liu's eyes were tightly closed, and his body began to tremble slightly with fear.

He kept chanting Buddhist scriptures, hoping that the disaster would pass quickly.

"Squeak—"

But the next moment, the door opened.

Ying Liu froze, his eyes widening in shock.

He turned his head shakily and saw that the door was wide open.

It was daytime, but outside the room it was pitch black, like an endless black hole.

"My! My body!"

"be mine!"

Two mournful voices rang out, and two figures appeared among the black hole beings.

They were two evil spirits. One was tall and thin, with no facial features, and its hands and feet were unusually long and curved like an octopus.

The other one was short and stout, with only half a head, and his short, thick arms were waving and groping, as if he couldn't see the way.

The little guy looked at the two evil spirits and asked, "Did you make me leave because of them?"

Ying Liu's expression changed drastically. "Why didn't you hide under the table?!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than two evil spirits roared and charged forward.

"My body! Give me my body!"

They shouted as they charged toward Ying Liu.

Seeing this, Ying Liu's eyes darkened, and he stood up to block the little guy. "Their target is me, you quickly hide under the table!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he was stunned. The little guy had already jumped up and held up the candied hawthorn to block him.

Ying Liu hurriedly said, "What are you doing? Get out of the way!"

If these two malevolent spirits, with such heavy yin energy, were to run straight into the little guy, he would likely be in grave danger.

The little guy remained calm, and when the two evil spirits rushed in front of him, he raised the candied hawthorn and smashed them down one after another.

The seemingly ordinary strike contained supreme Dao essence, sending the two evil spirits flying. One landed on the right wall, and the other on the left roof beam, before vanishing completely.

Seeing this, Ying Liu frowned. "What's going on?"