After My Faked Death Failed, My Ex-Wife Came Chasing After Me - Chapter 13

The fox-form Senior Sister is about to go online~

Several villagers hurriedly pointed her in the right direction. Lin Zheng flipped onto the back of Suiyue, cupped her hands in thanks, and transformed into a streak of sword-light, heading straight for Lengquan Village.

Soul-Eating Ghosts were cunning and sinister. Having suffered a great loss at her hands just now, they certainly wouldn’t show themselves easily again. Lin Zheng worried they might avoid her sharp edge for now, only to return and cause trouble once she departed. Such malevolent spirits were notoriously vindictive; if left unchecked, the local commoners would surely be unable to escape calamity.

The night was deep. Before long, Lin Zheng retracted her sword and landed at the entrance of a village. A weathered stone tablet stood there, inscribed with the words “Lengquan Village”—exactly the other site of the ghost wedding procession the villagers had mentioned. However, the place was eerily quiet; aside from the chirping of insects, there wasn’t a hint of human sound. Lin Zheng felt a sense of doubt and was about to enter the village to investigate when a sudden, chaotic, and heavy sound of footsteps echoed from the main road, as if something heavy was being dragged across the ground.

Lin Zheng’s heart tightened. “They’re here,” she thought.

She quickly pulled two talismans from her robe and ignited them. Her figure grew faint, and she vanished into the darkness, hiding behind the village entrance stone to observe the situation.

Sure enough, after a short while, a group of palanquin bearers—moving like the walking dead—appeared at the end of the road carrying a small red sedan chair. Lin Zheng frowned slightly, involuntarily gripping her sword. As they drew closer, she realized this palanquin was different from the previous one; the body of the sedan was shaking violently, and hurried “thump, thump” sounds of impact came from within the curtains, occasionally mixed with a woman’s weak and terrified cries for help.

Could the “bride” sitting inside actually be a living person?!

Lin Zheng’s heart turned cold. Sui Yue unsheathed at her command. She leaped forward, her sword-light slashing horizontally, and the red palanquin instantly burst into pieces. However, the moment the sedan hit the ground, several wisps of black smoke surged out, shrieking as they lunged toward Lin Zheng. Her eyes turned cold as she barked, “Seeking death!”

The spiritual power of the Sui Yue sword flared brilliantly, and the entire night suddenly became as bright as day. The black smoke wailed and fled in disarray. Lin Zheng wanted to pursue them, but thinking of the woman in the sedan, she hurried back to check. To her surprise, upon lifting the curtain, a face she never expected appeared before her.

“Lu Ting’an?!” Lin Zheng hastily pulled her out of the palanquin. Lu Ting’an’s hands and feet were bound with hemp rope, a cloth strip was stuffed in her mouth, and her face was as pale as paper. Her eyes were tightly shut; she had clearly fainted completely.

Lin Zheng leaned her against her shoulder, took a pill from her Qiankun bag, and tucked it into Lu Ting’an’s mouth. She lightly patted her back and said, “Lu Ting’an, wake up.”

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Lu Ting’an finally groaned and woke up.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Lin Zheng looking at her with a calm expression. She shuddered, bolted upright, and grabbed Lin Zheng’s arm in a panic. “Lin Zheng, Lin Zheng! I was sleeping fine in the middle of the night, then somehow I was suddenly snatched by those things. It scared me to death!”

Lin Zheng said, “Don’t worry, it’s fine now. Didn’t I give you a jade pendant for protection? Did you lose it?”

Lu Ting’an touched her nose guiltily. After sneaking out of the camp, she had sprinted along the small path toward Yushui Village, occasionally leaving marks on the roadside, calculating that if she went missing, her senior brothers would surely follow the trail. Who told Chen Yunxiao and those other jerks to be unwilling to help Lin Zheng at Yushui Village? She was genuinely worried about this “Great Aunt’s” safety, so she had to resort to this desperate measure.

She originally thought that with the jade pendant Lin Zheng gave her, ordinary evil spirits wouldn’t be able to get close. Who knew that halfway there, several dark shadows would suddenly pounce from the trees? Before she could react, she was knocked unconscious. When she woke up, she found herself tied up and stuffed into a small palanquin. Seeing the complex, eerie runes on the curtains and the distorted, terrifying bearers outside, she immediately realized she had been captured by Soul-Eating Ghosts. She wanted to call for help, but her mouth was gagged. Scared nearly to death, she could only slam against the walls of the sedan, praying for a passing cultivator to intervene.

Lu Ting’an rubbed her eyes with a bit of grievance. “I haven’t even asked you yet! Didn’t you tell me the jade pendant would protect me and ordinary spirits couldn’t touch me? How did I faint so suddenly?”

Lin Zheng frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

Lu Ting’an recounted her experience exactly as it happened.

The more Lin Zheng listened, the more solemn her expression became. Her fingertips continuously stroked the hilt of Sui Yue as she said in a low voice, “This could not have been the work of Soul-Eating Ghosts. Although these spirits are vicious, they lack intelligence; it is impossible for them to capture a living person without immediately consuming their soul.”

Lu Ting’an froze. “What does that mean?”

Lin Zheng helped her up, her expression cold and stern. “These Soul-Eating Ghosts have a master. Someone is controlling them.”

Hearing this, Lu Ting’an shivered and moved a few steps closer to Lin Zheng. “Then what do we do now?”

Lin Zheng pondered for a moment. “It’s almost dawn. We’ll enter Yuancheng first and then discuss this slowly.”

Lu Ting’an nodded. “Alright. Should we tell Second Senior Brother and the others?”

Lin Zheng said, “While you were unconscious, I already notified them using a transmission talisman. They are currently on their way.”

Lu Ting’an nodded. “That’s good.”

By the time the hour of the Rabbit (5–7 AM) had nearly passed, the two entered the city together. At this time, only a few breakfast vendors were soliciting business. Seeing them approach, a vendor beamed and said, “Young ladies, fresh steamed buns just out of the pot. Care for a basket?”

Lin Zheng was about to decline, but Lu Ting’an’s eyes lit up. “Yes! And bring me two bowls of hot tea.”

“Right away!” the vendor replied quickly, tossing a sweat towel over his shoulder and shouting toward the back, “One basket of buns and two bowls of hot tea! Sit down, ladies, it’ll be just a moment.”

Lu Ting’an dragged Lin Zheng down to a seat. The latter looked at her with some displeasure and said, “Time is tight. You still have the heart to eat breakfast?”

Lu Ting’an propped up her chin, smiling as she tapped her bowl with chopsticks. “I just escaped death with my life; what’s wrong with letting me calm my nerves? Besides, it’s not like you’re paying.”

Lin Zheng said expressionlessly, “A waste of time.”

Lu Ting’an gave a “tch.” In Lin Zheng’s eyes, anything other than cultivation was probably a waste of time. She wasn’t going to argue with someone who had no zest for life.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she asked Lin Zheng, “Are you not eating?”

Lin Zheng glanced at her and said flatly, “I told you before, I have been fasting recently.”

Lu Ting’an clapped her hands and laughed. “That’s perfect, no one to fight me for food then. Since you’re idle anyway, why don’t you do something for me?”

Lin Zheng asked, “What is it?”

Lu Ting’an pointed to a few shops nearby that were starting to get busy and whispered, “I heard before I came that there’s a rouge in Yuancheng called ‘Spring Breeze Smile’ that is quite famous. Its color is a light crimson like spring peach blossoms, it gives a natural glow to the lips and cheeks, and the scent lasts for days. I’ve been wanting it for a long time; go buy a box for me.”

With that, she took a small piece of silver from her robe and pressed it into Lin Zheng’s hand. Lin Zheng refused with a blank face. “I do not care for such things. Buy it yourself after you eat.”

Lu Ting’an pouted. “Oh, you really are something. Now you’re suddenly not worried about wasting time?”

Lin Zheng truly couldn’t handle her pestering. She eventually picked up the Sui Yue sword from the table along with the silver and said, “Eat quickly. We have serious business to attend to shortly.”

Lu Ting’an gave a perfunctory reply. Just then, the steamed buns were served, smelling delicious. After a night of turmoil, her stomach was growling; she swallowed hard, picked up a bun, and began to feast.

Lin Zheng shook her head helplessly and turned to go to the shop to buy the rouge.

Once she was gone, Lu Ting’an looked around suspiciously. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she pulled a small bottle from her robes and carefully poured the powder inside into Lin Zheng’s teacup.

“System, this should be enough, right? Any more and she’ll notice,” Lu Ting’an whispered to the system.

Ever since the system tasked her with the plot point of “poisoning the female lead’s food,” she hadn’t found an opportunity because Lin Zheng was fasting. Seeing the rouge shop gave her an idea; she decided to use the excuse of buying rouge to lead Lin Zheng away so she could make her move.

The system was somewhat speechless: [Host, nobody but you can hear me. Why are you acting so suspicious?]

Lu Ting’an glared at it. “You have the nerve to say that! I’m such a beautiful and kind-hearted girl, and yet you make me do these underhanded things every day. I haven’t even settled that score with you yet!”

System: [Beautiful? Kind-hearted? I beg to differ.]

Lu Ting’an fumed in silence.

After finishing the deed, she cleanly destroyed the evidence, tossing the small porcelain bottle into the bushes by the road.

“Alright, mission accomplished! This is the most potent Purple Sun Powder. Though harmless to humans, it is incredibly effective against the demon race. Just a touch will immediately block their meridians and leave their limbs weak, yet it won’t threaten their lives. It’s perfect for pushing the plot forward.”

System: [Don’t celebrate too early. If the female lead’s blackening value doesn’t rise, you’ll have to poison her again.]

Lu Ting’an: “…Do you think I’ve lived too long?”

She was about to argue further with the system when she looked up to see Lin Zheng standing before her holding a box of rouge, frowning. “Who were you talking to?”

Lu Ting’an, having just committed a misdeed, was extremely guilty. She instinctively looked at the drugged teacup, her eyes darting around. “Ah… nothing, you must have misheard.”

Lin Zheng placed the rouge in front of her and said calmly, “Are you finished? If so, come with me.”

Lu Ting’an blinked. “Where to?”

Lin Zheng tucked her robes and sat down properly. “To the Hall of Floating Life in the north of the city. The one who sent the invitation to the Baiyun Luying Sect to hunt the demon is the Master of the Hall of Floating Life.”

Hearing that familiar name, Lu Ting’an’s eyes lit up.

Finally, they had reached this important plot point!

Lin Zheng found her sudden excitement strange. “What, do you know the Hall Master?”

Not exactly. Lu Ting’an shook her head, secretly laughing that Lin Zheng would find out soon enough. Suddenly remembering her mission, she casually pointed to the teacup in front of Lin Zheng. “Even if you’re fasting, you can still drink tea, right? Don’t waste it; I paid for it. Give me some face and take a few sips.”

Lin Zheng didn’t think much of it. She nodded, picked up the bowl, and took a drink.

Lu Ting’an’s heart instantly leapt into her throat.

But seeing that Lin Zheng showed no abnormality, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as if nothing was wrong. “Let’s go then. Let’s go meet this Hall Master.”