Chapter Twenty-Four
Why was it Li Zhi who appeared in Gejiabao?
Baozhu couldn't understand it at all. They had clearly asked the Celestial Master for help. If the Celestial Master had responded, shouldn't he have attacked them directly?
What does all this have to do with Li Zhi, a mere scholar?
Baozhu slumped down, a thousand thoughts swirling in her mind, giving her an unbearable headache.
“It’s alright.” Sai Xue tried to reassure her. “Isn’t it good that he’s here? It saves you the trouble of going all the way back to kill him. He’s barged into the gates of hell.”
"Don't talk nonsense." Baozhu was even more frustrated. "I don't want him to die."
"So what's your idea?" Sai Xue was also confused by Bao Zhu.
"He can be the official, and I can be the monster. Isn't that great? We can just avoid seeing each other again."
"If that's the case, then what does his coming to Gejiabao have to do with you?"
Sai Xue's emerald green eyes gleamed, and her words struck Bao Zhu's heart: "Anyway, you'll outlive him, and he'll always die without you knowing."
Baozhu covered her ears and shouted, "I don't want to hear it! I don't want to hear it! Stop talking!"
The two little demons were having a private chat inside when Xiaoman knocked on the door again: "Baozhu, Saixue, come to the mutual aid meeting this afternoon."
"good."
Baozhu responded listlessly.
Unfortunately, Baozhu discovered that everyone who attended Madam Ge's midnight gathering had developed an incredibly fervent affection for this old woman, willing to go through fire and water for her. And this was far more than just attending a small mutual aid society.
Therefore, in order to fit in and to maintain a facade, Baozhu had to attend every single mutual aid meeting, both out of courtesy and reason.
When the time came, Xiaoman, an activist, knocked on Baozhu's door. Baozhu slowly got out of bed, picked up Saixue, forced a smile, opened the door, and followed Xiaoman into the lobby.
In fact, the main hall also had its own name, which was called Yingnuo Hall by Madam Ge's fanatical followers, but Baozhu did not like this name.
In fact, Baozhu had come to hate every place in Gejiabao.
Only today did she realize how much she loathed her dull, monotonous, and predictable life.
God knows how she managed to endure being by Li Zhi's side for over twenty years in her past life.
As Baozhu was lost in thought, Xiaoman suddenly spoke up, "Baozhu, I've decided to dedicate everything to this place."
"How much more do you want to offer?" Baozhu asked, puzzled.
Xiaoman spends all his time studying Madam Ge's speeches from morning till night, going to the mutual aid society to help the new little demons and mortals adapt to Ge Family Fort. He's completely busy and doesn't have a moment for himself. And what can such a poor mountain demon offer?
"You didn't listen carefully to what Madam Ge was saying when you went to the party last night. I told you I would give you some extra help with your studies during the day, but you wouldn't listen," Xiaoman scolded Baozhu.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Baozhu said dismissively. "Then tell me now."
“I am determined to dedicate myself to the Supreme Being and ask Him to grant me eternal bliss.”
Xiaoman's face was full of determination.
Baozhu had indeed heard the words "Supreme Ruler" and "Eternal Blessing" in Madam Ge's speech, but she thought they were just some kind of catchphrase, like auspicious words such as "Wishing you wealth" or "Wishing you peace." Wasn't that right?
"What exactly is the Blessing of Yongle? Does the Supreme Being truly exist?"
"The Blessing of Eternal Joy is the Blessing of Eternal Joy, and the Supreme Being certainly exists; I don't need to tell you anything more!"
Enraged by Baozhu's ignorance and incompetence, the devout believer Xiaoman glared at her fiercely and then refused to speak again for the rest of the journey.
Without speaking, Baozhu lowered her head, lost in thought, and walked into Yingnuo Hall.
There were already people waiting in Yingnuo Hall.
However, Baozhu was preoccupied with other things and hadn't seen clearly when Saixue in her arms suddenly slapped her with her claws.
"What?" Baozhu lowered her head suspiciously.
Sai Xue squeezed her eyes together as hard as she could.
Baozhu looked up and saw that lightning had struck the sky again.
Li Zhi and several other newly arrived mortals sat together on a bench, smiling as they looked at Xiao Man.
Why is he here too?
Baozhu felt extremely uncomfortable, as if she were tearing her hair out.
She silently followed behind Xiaoman, picked a corner seat far away from the others, and decided not to say a word or even look at Li Zhi today.
"Let's begin. Who wants to start?"
The newcomers looked at each other, none of them speaking.
"Then let me tell you my own story." Xiaoman cleared her throat and began, for the umpteenth time.
"When I gained spiritual awareness, I was in a remote mountain village."
Baozhu had heard the story of Xiaoman so many times she was sick of it.
In previous mutual aid meetings, Baozhu would start to doze off as soon as Xiaoman started speaking. Today, she wanted to do the same, but she still felt a little uncomfortable.
She knew why.
Baozhu's eyes darted towards Li Zhi.
Li Zhi seemed oblivious, his eyes fixed on Xiaoman, listening intently, his brows slightly furrowed, clearly moved by Xiaoman's story.
Such a serious-looking scholar has a rather appealing appearance.
Baozhu unconsciously stared at Li Zhi.
She only looked away when several of the newlyweds around her began to sob.
Xiaoman wiped her eyes, cleared her throat, and asked, "Is there anyone else who wants to talk?"
The newcomers who came today were a bit shy, and for a while, none of them spoke.
Xiaoman was somewhat disappointed, then turned to Baozhu and said, "Then let our Miss Baozhu tell us about her emotional entanglements with mortals."
What?
The pearl was struck by lightning for the third time.
She looked at Xiaoman in a panic, her face instantly burning hot.
How could she forget about this!
What can she say? The mortal with whom she has a grudge is both far away and right before her eyes.
If she were to take refuge in the Supreme Being now, could He save her from this awkward situation?
Just as Baozhu was feeling awkward, Li Zhi suddenly spoke up, "Then let me speak."
Upon hearing this, everyone's attention shifted to Li Zhi.
"I lost my father when I was very young."
Li Zhi said in a calm tone.
He was born in a remote mountain village. Although his father's family was not poor, his father was always in poor health and could not do heavy work. His father's father also passed away at a young age.
Therefore, for a long time, the family was supported by the grandmother, who took care of all the farm work and housework.
Li Zhi's grandmother was a strong woman. She came from a poor family and was considered to have married well when she married Li Zhi's grandfather. Unfortunately, the child she gave birth to was not healthy.
The grandmother refused to accept her fate. Through an intermediary, she found a woman who had once done manual labor in Xiandu Prefecture and sent a matchmaker to her to ask for a marriage for her son.
Such a woman, though not particularly beautiful, can surely give birth to healthy offspring.
Li Zhi was born amidst such anticipation.
He was indeed in good health, much better than his father and grandfather.
When his father finally died, his mother did not shed a tear. After all, how could a strong but unattractive wife win her husband's heart?
The only one who was saddened was her grandmother. The strong grandmother fell ill; she was sick both physically and mentally.
Li Zhi is getting more and more handsome as he grows up.
Grandmother began to doubt: could an ordinary father and an unattractive mother really give birth to a child like Li Zhi?
She began to have an attack, and whenever it happened, she would use a long bamboo pole to severely whip young Li Zhi.
You are a bastard, a bastard born of your mother's adultery. You killed your father. You are a jinx. You deserve to die alone and suffer a terrible death!
At this moment, Li Zhi's strong mother could only cry secretly on the side.
Only after her grandmother had vented her anger or regained her senses did she hold Li Zhi in her arms to comfort him.
It all boils down to this: Grandmother is sick, so we should treat her better.
It wasn't until Li Zhi was six years old that he secretly learned many characters from the tutor that his uncle Li Qing had hired for his cousin.
Grandmother suddenly felt better. She seemed to remember that Li Zhi was the only child in the Li family and the only descendant of her son.
She sold her family property, used all the money in the house, and moved her entire family to the county.
Li Zhi was sent to a private school, beginning his long journey of learning.
Life in the county was not easy; money was needed everywhere. So, the mother had to go out to work from morning till night to earn money for Li Zhi's writing materials.
There's also the money for my grandmother's medicine.
Li Zhi was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and became a renowned child prodigy.
He passed the imperial examination at the age of twelve and was finally able to ease his mother's burdens, but then she collapsed.
This robust woman was finally able to rest at this moment.
Li Zhi was forced to support his family.
He missed the provincial examination after observing three years of mourning for his mother.
Then, her grandmother, who had been struggling to stay afloat, also passed away.
After four years of mourning, Li Zhi had long since disappeared from the memories of those around him. New geniuses had risen to fame far and wide, and Li Zhi, now poor and destitute, was no longer treated with kindness.
Li Zhi finished speaking calmly.
Perhaps there are too many people in the mortal world who have had such experiences. Being able to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar is not considered to be living a miserable life. Therefore, everyone present just sighed and lamented the impermanence of life.
Only Baozhu shed tears.
She didn't want to be seen, so she silently reached out to cover her face.
Sai Xue lifted her head from her embrace: "Are you heartbroken?"
"I didn't," Baozhu stubbornly insisted.
She lowered her gaze, as if suddenly taking a great interest in her own fingers, turning them over and over for a long time, unwilling to look up at the people who were speaking.
After wiping away her tears, Baozhu complained to Li Zhi again.
Having lived two lives, Li Zhi had never told her about his childhood. When asked about the scars on his back, he simply said he was mischievous as a child and then changed the subject.
Why was he unwilling to tell Baozhu? Was it because he had never trusted her?
Li Zhi in Baozhu's mind became even more blurry. Even though he was right in front of her, she felt that the distance between them was very far.
Baozhu didn't quite remember what the mortals at the mutual aid meeting said afterward. After everyone dispersed, Xiaoman volunteered to take the new mortals to visit Gejiabao. Li Zhi did not refuse and followed Xiaoman.
He didn't even glance back at Baozhu.
A wave of indescribable emotions washed over Baozhu. She hung her head dejectedly, hugged Saixue, and walked alone toward her residence.
After taking only a few steps, Sai Xue in my arms started to struggle.
Baozhu lowered her head and followed Saixue's gaze.
It was Madam Ge. To her left was Ying Ji, who was heavily pregnant, and to her right was a squinting man. The three of them were walking and discussing something.
Fearing that the squinty-eyed man might have seen the famous cat-like creature Sai Xue in the city, Baozhu shoved her into her arms and then pretended to be surprised as she stepped forward to greet Madam Ge.
Madam Ge stopped talking to the people around her, responded to Baozhu very seriously, and then asked Baozhu with a smile if she was adapting well recently.
Baozhu naturally said that she was very comfortable with it.
Perhaps because there were too many believers like Baozhu in Gejiabao, Madam Ge did not take special precautions against her.
As soon as she finished her conversation with Baozhu, she naturally started talking to the squinty-eyed man next to her.
"By the way, has the matter at Chen Garden been settled?"
"Don't worry, everything has been taken care of."
"What a pity, such a nice ranch..."
The ranch was mentioned by Ying Ji. Bao Zhu didn't quite understand what it meant and wanted to hear more. Suddenly, the squinty-eyed man stopped and turned to look at Bao Zhu.
Baozhu squatted down on the ground without giving anything away, adjusting her skirt.
The squinting man stared at her for a while longer, but Baozhu seemed not to hear him. After tidying herself up, she walked towards her residence without looking back.
"What are you looking at?" Madam Ge asked the squinting man.
"Nothing, it just feels somewhat familiar." The squinting man stroked his chin, lost in thought. "Have I seen him somewhere before?"
Madam Ge glanced back at Baozhu's retreating figure and sneered, "Is she getting old? She's forgotten the demons she's seen before."
While gently stroking her high, protruding belly, Ying Ji mocked, "Working outside is still hard work, it's so mentally taxing."
"Okay, okay, I was just being suspicious." The squinty-eyed man raised his hands in surrender.
Lady Ge turned around, carefully took Ying Ji's arm, and said softly, "Your Majesty has worked hard. I've been looking for some good things for you to nourish yourself."
Ying Ji chuckled, smugly saying, "I'd like to see if I'm satisfied with tonight's offerings. If not, you can go and take your punishment."
“Of course,” Madam Ge said respectfully.
Baozhu returned to her room in a cold sweat and bolted the door as soon as she entered.
She took Sai Xue out of her arms, clutching her chest, and said to the cat demon, "My heart was pounding in my chest just now!"
Even though Sai Xue was completely covered up, she was still apprehensive when she saw Bao Zhu like this.
"Why do you insist on listening to this? Aren't you afraid of being discovered?"
"There's always something to learn. Now we understand that everything that happened at Chen Garden was done by them, and there's also the ranch that Ying Ji mentioned. I wonder what that means."
Even if you figure it out, there's nothing you can do about it. Let's hope the Celestial Masters can do something about it.
The two little demons looked at each other, both somewhat worried.
But there was no other way; they still had to maintain their facade at Gejiabao. So, for the rest of the day, they each held a thick book of Madam Ge's sayings and studied it with furrowed brows.
Tonight is the day for Madam Ge's followers to gather.
Early in the morning, Xiaoman put on her cloak and waited at the door for Baozhu and Saixue.
"We will not go to Yingnuo Hall today."
Xiaoman rubbed her hands nervously and said to them.
Where to? Where to?
“Come with me, let us witness the supreme blessing.”
Baozhu instantly got goosebumps all over her body.
But how could a fanatical believer refuse such an opportunity?
Baozhu had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow Xiaoman toward Yingnuo Hall.
They entered another room next to the open space and descended a narrower, darker staircase into the ground.
Compared to the hall, this room appears extremely small.
Xiaoman, a demon, stood inside, and it already looked a bit crowded.
The room was dimly lit by only one oil lamp.
There seemed to be several people sitting inside, but because of the lighting, Baozhu couldn't make out their faces.
That's fine too; Baozhu pulled her hood down a little lower.
At least they couldn't see Baozhu's face clearly.
She sat down with Xiaoman in a dark corner, where the room was so quiet that they could hear each other breathing.
After a while, a creaking sound came from the stairs.
A person whose face was obscured helped a woman into the room.
Her face was covered with a black veil, and her head was decorated with a long black veil that trailed to the ground.
Her belly was swollen high.
Baozhu clenched her fist and recognized the person who had come.
It's Ying Ji.
The light was dim, and her face, which was originally as full and smooth as white jade, appeared slightly ghostly.
Baozhu wanted to look again, but the believers around her silently rose, faced her, and prostrated themselves on the ground.
Fortunately, Xiaoman was large, and the pearl was partially hidden, so no one noticed that she was a beat slow.
Baozhu pressed her forehead to the ground, one hand protecting Saixue in her arms, and murmured obscure prayers along with the others.
Ying Ji slowly walked to the only high platform in the room, stepped on the back of the person next to her, and sat on the narrow chair on the platform.
"Who will receive the Supreme One's blessing tonight?"
Ying Ji's voice came from above; her voice sounded so compassionate and ethereal, unlike anything created in the mortal world.
One of the believers stood up, walked to Ying Ji's feet, knelt down, and bent down to kiss her chair.
"It's me."
The man's voice trembled.
He remained kneeling on the ground, stretching his hands upwards.
"I beseech the Supreme Being to grant me eternal happiness!"
May the Lord bless us!
His voice fluctuated in volume, mixed with the sound of his jaw clenching.
The believers in the room cheered together.
"Blessings from the Supreme One!"
They stood up and gathered around the kneeling man.
They reached out and lifted the lucky believer off the ground.
The believer remained kneeling as his brothers and sisters carried him to the feet of Ying Ji, who sat high on the throne.
Ying Ji, like a deity, lowered her gaze with pity.
Her body began to glow, and her face, as noble as the Virgin Mary's, became even more sacred under the sunlight.
Beneath the black veil, Ying Ji's lips curled into a smile.
Her abdomen began to rise and fall, and in that place where life was being nurtured, something seemed to be struggling incessantly.
Ying Ji let out a hoarse roar.
The believers' fervor reached its peak, and the blessed person couldn't stop the tears of happiness flowing.
"I will receive eternal happiness."
He was immersed in the arrival of the supreme being, and murmured to himself with a smile.
"You will be blessed with eternal happiness."
Ying Ji's voice changed, as if some extraordinary being possessed her body. Her eyes turned bloodshot, and a single bloody tear slowly flowed from her left eye.
Her churning stomach finally calmed down.
She opened her mouth, and a pure white egg floated in the air.
The pure white, luminous egg flew toward the baptized man's body and into his wide-open mouth.
His body also began to emit a holy white light.
The believers who supported his body showed expressions of ecstasy, witnessing the bestowal of new eternal bliss.
Xiaoman's body trembled; he cried and laughed, filled with longing for blessings.
The jewel beside him was also trembling.
Baozhu barely supported the believer, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
She remembered a corpse.
The corpse had a huge gash cut open from top to bottom in its abdomen, and its abdominal cavity was empty. Despite encountering such a terrible thing, it still had a smile on its face.
Baozhu was trapped in a nightmare.
The mountain that used to devour her in her dreams has disappeared, replaced by a pure white, seemingly harmless egg.
With a blissful smile on her face, she happily opened her mouth and swallowed the egg.
Not long after, the egg hatched inside her body.
An insect whose appearance was indistinct opened her abdomen, poked its head out, and stared at the pearl.
Baozhu suddenly woke up with a start.
She was panting heavily, covered in sweat, and her clothes were soaked through.
Sai Xue sat cross-legged beside her, looking at her with concern: "Are you alright?"
Baozhu shook her head; she wasn't feeling well.
After witnessing such a sacrifice, she was trapped in endless nightmares.
As soon as she falls asleep, in her dreams she will willingly be devoured by that white egg.
Sai Xue interrupted her thoughts: "You need to go out for a walk."
Baozhu accepted her suggestion.
She really needed to go downstairs and get some fresh air.
Baozhu stood up, and Saixue jumped onto her shoulders.
The fox and the cat got off the walkway and headed towards the forest.
Strangely enough, summer is just around the corner. Xiandu Prefecture is located in the south, and it is unbearably hot every summer. However, Gejiabao is still like springtime, with a cool breeze in the morning and evening, and only slightly warmer at noon.
The sun was not yet high in the sky. As you left the gate of Gejiabao and got closer to the forest, the temperature dropped.
Baozhu gradually came to her senses and led Saixue slowly along the edge of the woods.
Ahead, a group of people seemed to be coming from the opposite direction, walking towards her.
Baozhu recognized Li Zhi at a glance.
He blended in perfectly with the newcomers, just like a truly ordinary scholar.
When Baozhu occasionally saw him, he was always with his companions and didn't show any special interest in Baozhu.
Baozhu thought this time would be the same as many times before.
She nodded to the few mortals, pretending not to see Li Zhi, and continued walking forward.
But as she brushed past Li Zhi, he quickly shoved something into her hand.
Baozhu's heart stirred, but she didn't show it on her face.
Following her original plan, she walked around Gejiabao for a whole day. When she returned, it was lunchtime, so she queued up in the square, got two lunches, and went back to her room.
Only after she returned to her room at the usual time did she carefully take out the thing that Li Zhi had given her from her sleeve.
Even Sai Xue, who was perched on her shoulder, was completely unaware and exclaimed in surprise, "What is this?"
Baozhu quickly covered her mouth and used her hands to trace the origin of the object on her body.
Sai Xue calmed down and began to study the matter with her head close together.
Li Zhi gave her a small wooden tube.
The pearl was gently shaken and it seemed to be hollow inside.
She slowly opened the seals at both ends of the wooden tube and took out two talismans.
Baozhu glanced at Saixue and handed the talisman to her.
She knew absolutely nothing about this thing.
Sai Xue stretched out her front paws, scratched at the talisman paper, and squinted at the talisman drawn on it.
“I can’t see any malice in it, I only know that the person who made this talisman must be a very powerful celestial master.”
Baozhu shifted uncomfortably, took a talisman in her hand, examined it for a while, and asked, "Let me try it first."
Li Zhi probably wouldn't harm her.
After saying this, Baozhu used her power to activate the talisman.
The pale yellow talisman burned silently in her hand. After one talisman had burned out, Baozhu suddenly lost sight in one of her eyes.
She blinked frantically and then covered her other eye, the one that could see.
It turns out it wasn't that eye that was blind.
The precious pearl trembled like chaff.
She saw the truth.
The room where she and Sai Xue had lived for so long had changed in her eyes.
The square room turned into a circle, the clean, white walls became dark red, damp, and sticky, and the light that used to shine during the day disappeared.
Baozhu staggered to the window and looked outside.
There was no sun; they were in a place where the sun never shone, and everything was an illusion to deceive their eyes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com