"Ghosts?" Lan Linxue smiled wickedly, glanced around, and said mockingly, "Ghosts aren't scary. I think people are scarier!"

"Lan Linxue, this place is really eerie!" Qin Kou'er tugged at Lan Linxue, saying seriously and solemnly, "Many people in Yangzhou have encountered this place. This is the most famous haunted area in Yangzhou. Let's find somewhere else to take shelter from the rain, and avoid getting involved with these things; it's bad luck!"

Lan Linxue glanced at Qin Kou'er with amusement, and said with some surprise, "Eh? I really didn't expect that the Qin Tian Pavilion Master, who dominates Yangzhou City, is afraid of ghosts!"

With that, Lan Linxue proudly pulled Qin Kou'er into her arms, puffed out her chest, and stared at the statue in front of her, saying, "Don't worry, with someone like me, born with the destiny of an emperor, no demon or monster can get close to you! Unless it really wants to be annihilated!"

After saying that, Lan Linxue gave a wicked and eerie smile, and whispered in Qin Kou'er's ear, "Let me tell you something: most places with such legends don't actually have ghosts. But they do have people with wicked thoughts! They can only use ghosts to cover up their shady dealings!"

Qin Kou'er glanced at Lan Linxue, suppressed a soft sigh, and said nothing more.

"Alright then, since you want to stay here, we'll stay. But we still need to get some firewood quickly; a fire can also scare away wild beasts!"

With that, Qin Kou'er released Lan Linxue's hand and turned to go outside to gather some firewood.

Lan Linxue grabbed her arm, asking, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get some firewood!" Qin Kou'er replied, puzzled.

"You stay put! I'm going!" Lan Linxue glanced down at Qin Kou'er's hands. "A woman's hands are precious; it's not good to make them rough!"

With that, Lan Linxue turned around and went out to gather firewood.

Qin Kou'er stared blankly at Lan Linxue's retreating figure. Then she looked down at her hands, a warm feeling welling up inside her: So he was still someone who cared about her!

Just then, a slight noise came from the direction of the statue.

Qin Kou'er immediately looked up at the statue.

The statue still stands motionless, its dull gaze covered in dust.

Qin Kou'er slowly walked over and stared intently at the statue, as if she were having a silent conversation with it.

Then, she turned around and looked at Lan Linxue outside, who was searching for firewood in the dark, and a mysterious smile slowly appeared on her lips.

It started raining when Lan Linxue had finished gathering the firewood. After quickly collecting a few pieces, Lan Linxue hurried back.

Qin Kou'er had just cleared out a space when she saw Lan Linxue come in. Qin Kou'er waved her hand and said, "Put it here, I've finished tidying up!"

Lan Linxue quickly put the things down, then pulled out a tinderbox from her bosom and handed it to Qin Kou'er: "Here, light it quickly. It's raining outside, and it'll get cold soon!"

Qin Kou'er knew that Lan Linxue couldn't start a fire, so she didn't laugh at him. She took the tinderbox and quickly lit the fire.

Lan Linxue went over, closed the dilapidated palace door, and saw Qin Kou'er light a fire. She immediately smiled and sat down next to Qin Kou'er.

"Now we're all set! We have fire, and there are no wild animals around! After tonight, we can head into the county town tomorrow!"

Lan Linxue had never had this experience before, and she couldn't help but feel excited and curious.

"It's going to rain heavily, and the wild animals won't come out! But this rain won't be light; if it doesn't stop tomorrow, that would be terrible! We might go hungry!"

As Qin Kou'er spoke, she took out a silk handkerchief and handed it to Lan Linxue, "Wipe your hands! They're all dirty!"

Lan Linxue smiled and took the handkerchief, carefully wiping her hands as she said to Qin Kou'er with a smile, "Are you worried I'll let you go hungry? Don't worry, if it doesn't stop raining tomorrow, I'll go out and be a monkey, climbing trees to pick fruit for you to eat!"

"Pfft!" Qin Kou'er burst out laughing, her delicate face even more stunning in the firelight. "You're itching to be a monkey, aren't you?"

"Hahaha," Lan Linxue laughed loudly, then stretched out his long arm and pulled Qin Kou'er into his arms. "Anyway, I'm not some crown prince now, so I don't need to care about manners! I can't let my woman go hungry, can I?"

Qin Kou'er pursed her lips and nestled in Lan Linxue's arms, hugging her knees and leaning against the firelight. She felt a peace and tranquility she had never experienced before.

"But you just said there are many ghost stories about this place, what are they? Tell me about them!"

Lan Linxue held Qin Kou'er in her arms, listening to the sound of rain gradually rising outside, and suddenly wished that the two of them could stay like this forever.

"Yes. Legend has it that this Shrine of Heroic Women was originally a cemetery specifically for punishing impure women. Those women, unwilling to accept their fate after death, transformed into vengeful ghosts and wreaked havoc on earth. Later, this Shrine of Heroic Women was built to dispel their malevolent energy. It is said that any traveler who sleeps here at night is utterly annihilated, their heart and liver ripped out by the vengeful ghosts. Moreover, those women absorb the essence of men, transforming it into human form to seduce them. However, they never leave a shadow..."

Before Qin Kou'er could finish speaking, suddenly, a bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky and struck the ancestral hall.

Two shadowless, pure white figures silently reached their hands toward the closed door.

---Aside---

Friends are having a PK battle, everyone please go and support them!

"The Scandalous Movie King's Doting Wife" by Mu Junfeibai

Synopsis: Both are virgins, male is abstinent and female is a rogue, strong and satisfying story, happy ending.

Chen Jiuyao: Did you see the title? I'm the movie star, and I've spoiled you from beginning to end, you know that?

Man: My wife is right!

Official version introduction:

Chen Jiuyao always felt that although she didn't have a fluffy silver-white tail or emerald green eyes, she was still a handsome fox who could charm countless female foxes.

She descended the mountain to experience the warmth and coldness of human relationships and the various aspects of life.

A famous actor: Ah Yao, you are so beautiful. I like you so much. Will you be my girlfriend?

Director: Yao, how about you consider marrying me?

A wealthy man: How much would it cost to keep you as a sugar daddy?

Chen Jiuyao: Ha, I'm clearly a man!