Upon hearing this, the hunter loudly said to the maid, "Stop crying! We can help you deal with the lady, and we can help you now. Tell me, where are your bones buried?"
The maid stopped crying, stared at them for a few moments, and pointed to the corner of the wall, saying, "There."
Both Hunter and Izumi fell silent when they saw where she was pointing; if they weren't mistaken, that was the foundation stone of the wooden house.
If her remains are truly there, it would be good if she left so they could be spared. If her remains aren't there, then smashing the foundation stone and driving away the guardian spirit of the house will likely only hasten their demise!
Should I believe her or not?
Why are your bones there?
Hunter asked hesitantly.
“It is because of me that you have this wooden house.” The maid’s sinister gaze sent a chill down his spine.
Hunter lowered his head, not daring to meet her gaze.
“But you just said that your wife hurt you to cover up her husband’s shameful deeds. Besides, you were thrown into a well after you died, so why are you buried here?” Quan asked.
Don't you believe me?
The maid glared at her with her scarlet eyes.
Quan said, "It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that what you said doesn't make sense."
Quan has a chart in her mind that measures the maid's strength. On this chart, her strength is higher than that of Madam Hannya, but lower than that of the maid. Therefore, the maid is stronger than Madam Hannya, and she is lying.
"Please tell me your true identity."
Quan mustered his courage and said.
The maid, both terrifying and beautiful, stared intently at her, then suddenly asked, "Do you have a scroll?"
"A scroll?"
A scroll depicting a monster?
"The sun has appeared."
A cold voice came from behind. The three of them were stunned for a moment. Quan turned around and saw that Xiaoyuu's body was gradually becoming solid.
"Snow Princess!"
The maid took a few steps back.
"Humans are active during the day, while monsters lurk in the shadows to spy. Why don't you, a little monster like yourself, run away?" the Snow Maiden asked expressionlessly.
“Excuse me, it’s not dawn yet, there’s no sun,” Hunter interjected.
"No, the sun is obscured by the clouds on a cloudy day, so you can't see it," the Snow Maiden explained earnestly.
"Click, click..."
The maid twisted her bones, concealing the slight panic on her face, and said in a deep voice, "So it's someone else, a snow woman who hasn't grown up yet. You dare to threaten me?"
Little Snow Maiden retorted without hesitation, "Who do you think you are? It turns out you're just a bridge maiden from a broken bridge who drowned herself for love. You dare to threaten me with a pile of broken bones?"
Little Snow Girl said unhappily.
Quan's eyes lit up. That proud little expression, that child pretending to be an adult—she recognized the expression; it was indeed her daughter.
No...that's not right!
"Don't mimic other people's speech!"
Quan belatedly educated her.
Little Snow Woman pouted and turned around, presenting her back to her.
spring:"……"
She turned to the maid and said sternly, "So you're the Bridge Woman, a little monster even worse than the Rain Woman. Word of Power, break!"
As the sound fell, the surrounding scenery began to change, and the scene inside the house transformed into a dilapidated and rotten wooden bridge.
"This is how it is originally. You, as the bridge maid of this bridge, are quite pitiful."
Hunter picked up a branch from the ground, clenched his fist which had reappeared, and smiled contemptuously.
"I was careless, Onmyoji, you're really cunning!" the maid shouted.
"Cunning? I'll show you what real cunning is! Aren't you the Bridge Maiden? If this bridge didn't exist, would you disappear? What would you be called then? A water ghost, or a river maiden?"
As soon as the hunter's voice fell, Quan heard a rumbling sound coming from beneath her feet. Holding the little snow maiden, she looked closely and realized that the hunter's sword had somehow been plunged into the bridge!
"You...you..."
The maid's face was grim; the bridge was about to collapse. Quan hurriedly led Yuki-onna to the shore, his eyes filled with madness.
The maid confronted him for a moment, and as the bridge collapsed, her body turned into a wisp of ghost and fell into the river, disappearing without a trace.
"Tch! I thought you were something special."
Hunter stepped ashore, looking relaxed and carefree. He leisurely walked over to the Snow Woman, sword in hand, and looked at her. "Little thing, since you can float, why did you sit in the basket and freeze me the whole way?"
The little snow maiden was frightened by his tone and hid behind the spring. Hunter continued:
"I should have known you were an Onmyoji and would have several shikigami by your side. But women and petty men are hard to deal with! Fine, fine, if you won't be honest with me, there's nothing I can do!"
He gave a sinister smile.
"Mr. Hunter is amazing. Of all the houses, he chose the most complicated one and led us into a ditch. We are honored."
The spring, with its minimal force, deflected back to its source.
"Hmph, it's all my fault! You can all walk back to Kyoto yourselves! I'm not going to help you anymore!"
The hunter sheathed his peach wood sword, strode forward, and soon disappeared from sight.
"Come out, it seems we've been abandoned." Izumi gave a helpless, bitter smile.
The little snow maiden flew out from behind her and floated in front of the spring. "Let's follow him."
"No, it's not like I'm begging him."
Quan said sullenly.
"There is a forest ahead, and there is a monster in the forest that can heal wounds."
The little snow woman pointed to her wooden clogs.
"Let's go then."
Izumi strode forward, with the little snow woman supporting her as they walked through the ruined village and into the woods.
As they walked through the forest, ugly monsters would occasionally jump out and threaten them, only to be dealt with by Quan's talismans.
"In the remote mountains, there are so many of these vicious-looking, cruel ghosts who died unjustly. Ordinary people would surely die if they encountered them."
Quan complained after dealing with another highway robber. Just as that ghost was about to be annihilated, two more ghosts jumped down from the treetop ahead, staring at her with eyes as big as copper bells, baring their teeth and looking fierce.
"Spell, destroy!"
Two ghosts rushed towards her, but when they encountered the talisman in the air, they turned into two wisps of green smoke, just like the ones she had encountered before.
"There are indeed many."
Little Snow Woman nodded.
"Monsters are everywhere, and no place is exempt from them; it's just that we usually don't know where they are hiding."
Quanyou sighed.
Hiding in the deep mountains or great rivers is the safest place for a monster, but if she wants to meet her cub there, she must repeatedly enter these places that are not friendly to her to search.
Only then did she realize how lucky she was to have met them through a talisman.
"Are you looking for a monster?"
The little snow maiden asked curiously.
"Yes, do you know where we can meet them?" Izumi awaited her answer.
"Monsters lurk on mountain paths, in dark alleys, under old trees, and in ancient wells!"
Before seeing the person, you hear their voice.
Quan smiled and said to the hunter, who was hiding in some corner of the tree canopy, "Yes, it seems another ghost has come. Should I introduce you to it?"
"No, no, no! Chase them away, or I won't come down!"
The hunter's voice sounded somewhat flustered.
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