The weasel spirit banged its head repeatedly on the bluestone-paved ground, making dull thuds. Tears streamed down its face, and its expression was sorrowful and pained.
Yu Lin was completely baffled by its sudden action. He looked at it, then at Nan Xian.
The latter's expression was subtle, his eyes lowered, cold in their depths, yet a faint, mocking smile played on his lips.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he angrily shouted at the weasel spirit who was still crying and begging, "You still didn't tell the truth!"
The weasel spirit raised its blood-stained head, crawled on its knees to Nan Xian, and said in a hoarse voice, "You are a bodhisattva who saves people from suffering. Please forgive me this time. I only did it because I had no choice but to do it in order to save my own life. Besides, the lives of my entire clan are in his hands. I dare not disobey!"
Yu Lin said angrily, "You just want to live, so you don't value other people's lives at all!"
"All the mistakes are mine alone, and I'm willing to bear them all..."
Nan Xian's lips curled slightly in impatience. She had heard enough of these repetitive, repetitive remarks tonight. She clicked her tongue lightly and said, "Enough."
The weasel spirit shuddered and quickly shut its mouth.
“From the moment you mentioned signing a contract, I knew you were hiding crucial information. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and it’s impossible for someone to find you suitable bodies and teach you how to absorb human essence so conveniently—tell me, what exactly did you and him do in this deal?”
Upon hearing the last sentence, the weasel spirit sighed deeply. It stood up unsteadily, and a white mist flashed by. It transformed back into the appearance of Village Chief Gu, but it was covered in wounds and its clothes were tattered, making it look extremely disheveled.
He unbuttoned his coat, reached into the inner pocket of his undershirt, and pulled out something.
The thing was no bigger than half a palm, a thin piece that reflected a faint, glistening light under the moonlight.
It is a jade pendant, made of high-quality jade, warm to the touch, with intricate patterns carved on the front, making it very simple and beautiful.
"Three years ago, my wife suffered a qi deviation during her cultivation, and her life hung in the balance. I searched far and wide for renowned doctors, but to no avail. Then someone told me that there was a puppeteer in Qingcheng with uncanny magical powers who could bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. He was sure he could save my wife! So I searched all the way here, only to be told that this was my wife's last life. If she were to be consumed by qi deviation this time, she would never be able to reincarnate again, unless..."
“Unless she is nourished with the essence of a human, right?” Nan Xian said calmly.
He forced a smile, his bright, dark eyes gradually dimming. "Yes... I know that taking someone's soul will incur divine punishment, but I just can't bear to part with her. I don't want her to be completely destroyed like this, so even if there's only the slightest chance, I can't let it go..."
“This jade tablet was given to me by the puppeteer. He said that my wife’s physical body was no longer usable, so he placed her soul inside. Once I have collected the essence of 999 people, my wife will be able to be awakened again.”
As he spoke, his gaze fell on the jade pendant, and his eyes suddenly became incredibly tender, as if he were looking at the person he loved most. He carefully stroked the patterns on it with his fingertips.
Nan Xian stared at the jade pendant for a while, and suddenly a strange feeling arose in her heart. She couldn't help but walk closer and take it from his hand.
The back of the jade plaque is also engraved with information.
As it slowly turned, two clear words came into her view.
The next moment, Nan Xian's eyes widened suddenly.
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