During the whole journey, Yu Chen did not dare to even glance at Hua Rong. Their was complete silence. Hua Rong beside Wei Yu spoke in a very low tone, "Is your Shizun still depressed?"
"Shut up." Wei Yu replied.
In response Hua Rong only 'hmphed' and ignored Wei Yu altogether. "Shixiong," Ling Xiao spoke. "What will our objective be?"
"I don't know" Yu Chen replied, "It is rumored that their is ghost bride. I think that is our mission. To clear the mystery."
All the people just hummed in response.
***
The group descended the mountain, the dense fog lifting as they entered the valley below. The village lay quiet, with its narrow streets lined by crooked houses that seemed to lean in as if listening to whispered secrets. Children weren't playing outside, and the air carried an uneasy stillness.
Wei Yu himself had never went down the mountain, but before entering the sect he had visited this place. It was full of life with birds chirping, lady's gossiping and rich family young master's laughing loudly. But now it was.....empty.
Just as they reached the edge of the village, a frantic man ran toward them, his face pale and his clothes in disarray. Behind him followed a woman clutching a young girl. The woman's eyes were red, as though she had been crying for days.
"Help us!" the man begged, his voice trembling. "My daughter... she—she's been marked by the ghost bride! You're cultivators, aren't you? Please save her!"
Yu Chen's expression didn't change, but Wei Yu stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Tell us everything," Wei Yu said firmly.
The man's voice trembled as he spoke. "It's the ghost bride. She's cursed my daughter! Last night, we heard her scream, and when we went to her room—" His voice broke, and the woman beside him continued.
"There was a red handprint around her neck," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "She said she couldn't breathe. Please, save her. She's supposed to be married next week, but everyone says the ghost bride curses young women like her."
Ling Xiao sighed audibly, crossing his arms. "A ghost story? Aren't there dozens of those in villages like this?"
Li Ming glanced at Ling Xiao with a smirk. "If it's just a story, why don't you handle it alone?"
Ling Xiao scowled but didn't respond. Wei Yu, meanwhile, had already drawn his sword, the blade catching the faint light. "Where is the girl?" he asked curtly.
The man pointed to a small, dark hut at the edge of the village. "Inside. She hasn't moved much since last night."
"Let's go," Yu Chen said. The group followed, their steps heavy with unease.
***
Inside the hut, the air was stifling, thick with a strange, musty scent. The girl lay on a straw mat, her face pale and her breathing shallow. A dark red handprint encircled her neck, vivid against her pale skin. Hua Rong knelt beside her, examining the mark closely.
"This isn't a simple spirit," she muttered. "It's malicious."
"Or it's just an elaborate hoax," Ling Xiao said, standing at the doorway with his arms crossed.
Wei Yu shot him a glare. "If you think it's fake, why don't you try sleeping here tonight?"
"Enough," Yu Chen said firmly, silencing their argument. He turned to the family. "We'll stay and investigate. Don't disturb her unless something changes."
The parents nodded, their gratitude evident despite their fear.
***
The girl's parents were humble nobles, living an ideal life without any conflicts in the village. What made the situation more puzzling was that this wasn't the first case like this. Similar incidents had happened before, all involving girls from noble or wealthy families.
"This case is quite strange," Wei Yu remarked.
"Wei Yu, what do you think about this?" Yu Chen asked, stepping closer to him.
"I believe it's a person, not a ghost," Wei Yu replied confidently.
"Oh? And why is that?" Yu Chen inquired.
"Well, the victim had red marks on her neck. If it were a ghost, wouldn't it have been easier to just take her soul? A vengeful spirit would have inflicted much worse torment," Wei Yu explained.
Li Ming scoffed at the theory. "That's ridiculous. It's clearly a ghost. We felt ghostly energy the moment we entered."
Yu Chen spoke up, ignoring Li Ming. "Wei Yu's idea isn't entirely wrong, but there's more to it. During my investigation, I found this." He pulled a yellow talisman stained with red from his robes.
"It seems the victim might have summoned the vengeful spirit herself," Yu Chen explained.
"So, are you suggesting she committed suicide?" Hua Rong asked.
Yu Chen shook his head. "No. She's from a simple family—it's more likely she was deceived by a demonic cultivator."
"But why would she want to harm other noble girls?" Li Ming asked.
"Unless she was possessed," Wei Yu suggested.
Yu Chen turned to Wei Yu with a small smile. "Exactly."
Ling Xiao quickly pieced it together. "So the ghost that possessed her must be connected to this village—or maybe even her own family."
Yu Chen got up and started walking away, "Oi! Yu Chen where do you think your going?" Li Ming yelled.
"To rest of course." Yu Chen smiled back at him. "Also one of you will patrol for the night, so choose your self."
After Yu Chen left everyone looked at Wei Yu. "I think we all can agree, sorry Wei Yu your the youngest after all." Hua Rong shrugged
"What? why me?, this is so unfair." Wei Yu objected.
"That's how life is man, now see you tomorrow." Li Ming said before turning around to leave.
"See you tomorrow, that is if you survive." Hua Rong giggled. Ling Xiao quietly left with the two. Asshole's
***
Wei Yu jolted awake, his eyes snapping open as a cold, mocking laughter filled the air. He had dozed off for only a moment, but it was enough to be caught off guard. He quickly followed the sound, his instincts sharp as he turned a corner and saw her—standing there, smiling at him with an unnerving familiarity. Not good. She's possessed again.
Without hesitation, Wei Yu drew his sword, his body moving instinctively as he lunged forward, aiming to sever the malevolent presence that had taken hold of the victim. But the ghost was faster. She leapt back, effortlessly evading his strike with a fluid motion, as though toying with him.
Before he could react, she gathered a dark, swirling mass of demonic Qi into her outstretched right hand. With a sneer, she hurled the energy at him, the force crackling with malevolent power.
Wei Yu's heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened in disbelief as the attack closed in, too fast for him to dodge. His limbs froze, instinct and reason failing him in the face of such speed. But just as the demonic energy struck, a bright, shimmering yellow shield erupted from thin air, enveloping him in its protective glow. The blast slammed into the shield with a violent force, but the barrier held firm, shielding him from the brunt of the attack.
The ghost tilted her head, eyes narrowing with sudden recognition. "Oh my? You really are that person!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with mockery and amusement.
Wei Yu stood motionless, still reeling from the close call. His gaze hardened as he replied flatly, "If you're talking about being mixed blood, then yes. I am."
The ghost's laugh echoed eerily around him, filling the air with a sense of both amusement and something darker, more ominous. "Oh dear, you're so clueless," she mused, the sarcasm thick in her voice. "But let it be. You'll know your purpose very soon."
And with that, she vanished into the shadows, leaving only the faint echo of her laughter behind.
Wei Yu stood in the silence, the weight of her words settling heavily in his chest. Clueless? Purpose? He had always known he wasn't fully human, that much was clear. But what was it she knew about him that he didn't? Why had she seemed so certain about his role in whatever dark fate awaited him?