Chapter 70: Wen Mao and Xie Heng are locked in combat...
While Wen Mao and Xie Heng were locked in combat, a shadow that had escaped and disappeared into the black mist enveloped Wen Conglan.
Within the black mist, Wen Conglan's exposed face was contorted with pain.
The moment she heard Wen Mao's voice, her eyes, clouded by black mist, gradually cleared. The resolve in her eyes crumbled the moment Wen Mao's face appeared.
"Mao'er..."
Run!
The words uttered in a trembling and weak voice were incredibly heavy.
As the four words fell, Wen Conglan's clear eyes were once again shrouded in mist, and her expression, like that of a numb puppet, was completely swallowed by the black fog.
"Get out of the way!"
Seeing this, Wen Mao's attacks became even more ferocious, as if they were one with the long sword in his hand. His moves came out at will, and all of them landed on Xie Heng, who was standing in front of him.
Xie Heng's moves were not as unpredictable as Wen Mao's. He flipped his longsword to deflect Wen Mao's attacks.
The next instant, the unsheathed sword tip was pressed against Wen Mao's throat:
"Wen Mao, calm down."
"I have time to engage in this battle of wits with you, but Dr. Wen's current condition doesn't allow for waiting."
Wen Mao's gaze shifted to the black mist behind Xie Heng, his eyes flashing. He deftly sheathed his sword, but his tone was unfriendly:
"My mother was perfectly fine before, how could she suddenly become like this? What did you do?"
Xie Heng withdrew the sword from Wen Mao's throat, his tone imposing:
"So you knew all along."
Wen Mao turned his head away, his gaze fixed on the black mist. He remained silent with a cold expression, tacitly agreeing with Xie Heng's words.
"Brother Cat, Immortal Master Xie, what's that on Aunt Wen's body?"
Xie Baoqiong, who had been pressed aside by Xie Zhuo, couldn't wait any longer and asked the question.
Xie Zhuo also cast a curious glance at the black mist.
"Young Master Lin doesn't know?" Xie Heng's meaningful gaze swept over Xie Baoqiong.
Xie Baoqiong looked up at Xie Zhuo, but couldn't see Xie Zhuo's expression, only his chin.
He lowered his eyes to meet Xie Heng's gaze, his face full of "Should I know?" expression.
Xie Heng made hand seals while answering Xie Baoqiong's question:
"If I remember correctly, the black shadow on Doctor Wen's body is a kind of monster called Shadow Maiden."
Spiritual energy poured out from Xie Heng's hand, transforming into a stream of light that headed towards Wen Conglan in the mist.
Wen Mao tightened his grip on the knife, preparing to rush forward and interrupt Xie Heng's actions if Wen Conglan's condition deteriorated.
"Shadow Maiden? What's that?"
Xie Baoqiong's puzzled tone revealed his true feelings; he had never heard of such a monster before.
Spiritual energy flowed through the black mist, and those outside the mist could occasionally glimpse a flash of light that illuminated Wen Conglan's figure.
Wen Mao suppressed the urge to step into the black mist and kept his eyes fixed on the location of Wen Conglan.
Within the black mist, Wen Conglan's blank and bewildered face twisted slightly.
A voice, just like the one that had called out that name countless times before, pierced through the black mist and entered Wen Mao's ears:
"Mao'er, kill him! Save your mother! She's in so much pain!"
A cold glint flashed in Xie Heng's eyes. His hand continued casting spells without pause, and he shouted sharply:
"Wenmao! That's not your mother speaking!"
Don't listen.
Don't believe it.
Don't respond to Him!
Suddenly, a figure resembling Wen Conglan darted out from the black mist, passed Xie Heng, and ran towards Xie Baoqiong and the other person behind him.
"Young Master Lin, this is Yingniang's true form."
Xie Heng was certain that Xie Baoqiong was not the ordinary mortal he appeared to be, and he was not worried that Xie Baoqiong and Xie Zhuo would be in danger.
A flash of light appeared beside him, and the long sword slashed horizontally at the dark figure.
Xie Heng withdrew his attention without even turning his head, and began to change the hand seals in his hands.
A burst of light suddenly bloomed around Wen Conglan, dispelling the black mist and covering her entire body.
The dark figure was sent flying by the back of Wen Mao's blade, heading towards Xie Heng's position.
Xie Heng controlled his spiritual power to bind the shadowy figure. The black mist in the courtyard gradually dissipated, and he withdrew the spiritual power covering Wen Conglan.
As Wen Conglan lost consciousness and collapsed, Wen Mao caught her in his arms.
Xie Baoqiong, far away in the heart of the battle, felt the hand on her shoulder gradually loosen. She lowered her gaze and reached out to place her hand on top of Xie Zhuo's hand.
The warmth in her palm was a little cool. Xie Baoqiong took a step to the side, raised her head, and Xie Zhuo's expression was hidden in the sunlight that had fallen into the courtyard again, making it difficult to see clearly.
Xie Zhuo withdrew her hand, then grasped his warm hand in return, her voice soft: "Is Xiao Bao scared?"
Xie Baoqiong felt the dampness surrounding her palm and inexplicably felt that Xie Zhuo was the one who should be afraid.
He tilted his head and pressed his cheek against Xie Zhuo's hand:
"Dad, don't be afraid."
Xie Zhuo felt the extra warmth on the back of his hand, a look of surprise and bewilderment flashing in his eyes, which then turned into a faint smile on his lips:
"Yes, Dad isn't afraid."
...
"Mother!" Wen Mao's voice drew the attention of the father and son.
Xie Zhuo and Xie Baoqiong walked to Wen Conglan's side, where Wen Mao gently shook the unconscious Wen Conglan.
"Why hasn't my mother woken up yet?" Wen Mao turned his head to look at Xie Heng, who was standing in front of the shadowy figure.
Xie Heng suddenly produced a cloth bag and was about to put the dark figure at his feet into it.
Xie Heng glanced back at him indifferently: "She has no shadow, so naturally she can't wake up."
The three people beside Wen Conglan looked down at her feet.
A dark shadow appeared beneath Wen Conglan's feet, which was being supported by Wen Mao. As Wen Mao moved, the shadow followed closely behind.
Beneath Wen Conglan was only the bright, muddy ground.
Wen Mao's face darkened as he watched the long sword about to fly towards Xie Heng, who remained uninvolved.
Xie Zhuo asked, "Immortal Master Xie, is the reason why Doctor Wen's shadow disappeared related to Ying Niang?"
As Xie Zhuo finished speaking, the other two people's gazes fell on the dark figure at Xie Heng's feet that looked exactly like Wen Conglan.
Xie Heng nodded: "That's right."
As he spoke, he put the struggling Shadow Girl at his feet into his cloth bag.
"Wenmao, take your mother inside first."
After settling Wen Conglan in, Wen Mao kept his eyes fixed on Xie Heng, who was entering through the door:
When will my mother wake up?
"A person who has lost their shadow will wake up weak," Xie Heng replied to Wen Mao's question.
A look of bewilderment crossed Wen Mao's face: "If there's no shadow, what will become of her?"
"You will die." Xie Heng uttered these two simple words, and Wen Mao stood there stunned, speechless for a long time.
"What kind of demon is Yingniang?" Xie Zhuo asked Xie Heng, pulling Xie Baoqiong back from the outer room as she tried to go inside.
“Shadow Maiden is not a demon, but a monster, and monsters are mostly born from people’s obsessions.”
Xie Heng corrected the difference and continued to explain:
"The Shadow Maiden is actually a person's shadow, born from the person's lonely obsession, and its form is similar to that of its host."
When the host feels empty inside, the intense loneliness is projected onto the shadow that accompanies them, causing it to detach from its original place and appear beside the host, slowly replacing the real host…
"Then you've taken away my mother's shadow?" Wen Mao asked.
Xie Heng turned to Wen Mao, who had spoken, and said with a calm expression:
"Dr. Wen's situation is rather special. The time it usually takes for a shadow maiden to replace a host is anywhere from a few months to a year."
Judging from her strength, Dr. Wen's Shadow Maiden has existed for at least several years.
The best time to restore the Shadow Maiden to her rightful place is within a month of her birth, by ensuring the host feels satisfied.
This method is clearly not applicable to Wen Conglan.
"Are there any other options?" Wen Mao looked down at the figure on the bed beside him, his eyes blank.
“Shadow Maidens are not common; I have only seen records of them in ancient books…” Xie Heng’s meaning was clear: “However, I have already sent a letter to the sect, and perhaps they will have a way to solve this problem.”
The room became deathly silent.
Xie Baoqiong seemed oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, her eyes fixed longingly on the cloth pouch at Xie Heng's waist:
"Master Xie, why is Aunt Wen's Shadow Maiden different from others? Did the Shadow Maiden really kill the people in the village?"
Xie Heng pondered for a moment and said, "Monsters like Shadow Maidens, born from obsessions, can sense the host's negative emotions and amplify them into malice..."
But whether Yingniang was responsible for the harm, we'll have to ask her.
Xie Heng's gaze shifted to Wen Mao, who was standing guard beside Wen Conglan.
"Does Cat Brother know who the murderer is?"
Xie Baoqiong looked away from the cloth bag and followed Xie Heng's gaze to Wen Mao.
Wen Mao's face revealed a complex, human expression, which subsided before Xie Baoqiong could understand it:
"I killed him."
“But, Brother Cat, what you said that day…” Xie Baoqiong started to say, but was interrupted by Wen Mao:
"I was just kidding, Xiao Bao. We're different." Wen Mao tore off his pretense in front of everyone, revealing the coldness of metal in his gray-black eyes.
The long sword beside him vibrated as it plunged into his body.
Xie Zhuo put his arm around Xie Baoqiong and patted the latter's puzzled head.
"I am actually... not Wenmao."
Under the moonlight, he swore he was a Wenmao man, but now he has to abandon that identity.
Xie Baoqiong gripped Xie Zhuo's sleeve, her confusion deepening: "Brother Cat, why?"
Wen Mao turned his face away, avoiding Xie Baoqiong's gaze.
Fortunately, before Xie Baoqiong could press for answers, Xie Heng's voice rang out:
"I know about this." Xie Heng glanced at Wen Conglan on the bed, leaving some room for interpretation in his words:
"Wen Mao, before we receive news from the sect, why don't you tell us what happened back then?"
“Back then…” Wen Mao was pulled back to his memories.
On the third day after Wenmao disappeared, He stood in the corner of the wall, quietly watching the woman who was being brought back to the main room by the crowd.
This is His forger.
And now it is the sixth year since His consciousness was born.
Over the course of six years, He watched His forger grow from a boy into the person He is today, but He always remembered that He was not once piled up in this corner.
The beginning of memory is the moment He was born from the hands of a boy.
When He completed the final refining process, the young man's joy and pride were like a blazing furnace, causing His soul to tremble.
That memory was absorbed into His body by the falling hammer before He developed consciousness.
In the days that followed, the young man treasured Him, taking Him out every few days to carefully clean Him.
Although it is not rusted now, it has been covered in dust for a long time, and the boy from back then has not shown that expression for a long time.
Especially in the last few days, Ling Dao's uncomfortable expression has been constantly visible on Wen Conglan's face.
This caused Him to recall that expression from his memory more and more frequently.
He thought that He might be about to take human form, which was why He kept thinking about what happened at the time of His birth.
There was some noise in the main room. He wandered outside, beginning to consider what form he would take, searching through his memories of the humans he had seen, and molding them into the shape of his body.
After several attempts, none of them were what He truly desired.
His consciousness bypassed Wen Conglan, who was sitting alone in the chair.
A flash of inspiration struck me: let's take His forger as the model.
I wonder if Wen Conglan will show the same expression he had back then when He appears in front of her in human form?
...
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