Chapter 25: Return

“Huikun, do you believe in immortality?”

Seated upright on a meditation cushion, the Abbot spoke in a low, deep voice, appearing every bit the feeble, aged man.

So, Eldest Senior Brother’s Dharma name was actually Huikun.

At this moment, Eldest Senior Brother looked at his master in silence.

After a while, his gaze grew resolute as he spoke:

“All men must die eventually. So-called immortality is nothing more than a heretical path. Master, please don’t go any further down the wrong road!”

The Abbot slowly opened his eyes at that moment, his sharp gaze fixed on Huikun before him.

“In a time of chaos, the Diamond Vajra does not descend to the world, so this old monk can only cultivate the arts to save the people. Huikun, you are still young—you won’t understand.”

The conversation ended inconclusively.

It was also the first time in so many years that Eldest Senior Brother had ever contradicted his master.

The Abbot said he was just one step away from a critical breakthrough; once successful, he would descend the mountain to help the imperial court quell the chaos.

He announced he would enter seclusion, and Eldest Senior Brother let it be known that their master had left the mountain to perform rituals.

Soon, disciples began to go missing inside the temple, causing widespread panic and suspicion.

Everyone pointed their fingers at that mother and son, for only they were outsiders.

Only Eldest Senior Brother knew the truth: all of this was the master’s doing.

At first, he struggled with his conscience, torn between sacrificing the few for the many, to deliver all living beings.

But as more and more disciples went missing—now over half—the master still offered no explanation, and fear gripped everyone’s hearts.

Eldest Senior Brother could barely keep things under control.

That night, he resolved to seek answers from the master.

As he passed by the side rooms, he saw a few junior brothers sneaking into the woman’s chamber.

He knew all too well what would happen next and, without hesitation, strode forward to stop them.

But just as he neared the room, what greeted him was a sudden blow to the head.

As his consciousness faded, he heard someone say, “Master, we’ve brought the person to you…”

The scene around him shattered like a mirror, and Bai Nian’s awareness was instantly pulled back to reality.

Her hand was still hovering in mid-air, clutching that Yellow Talisman; in front of her stood the corpse, its face rotting and oozing a putrid stench.

Its long black nails were only a few centimeters from Bai Nian’s pretty face, yet they hung frozen in mid-air.

A flicker of pain crossed its face, as if recalling something—or perhaps struggling against some primal urge.

“…Roar…”

It let out a guttural howl, both hands clamping tightly around its own head.

Bai Nian stood dumbfounded, this was entirely outside her expectations.

So it’s true.

If she could enter the zombie’s dream, it meant that a shred of humanity remained within Eldest Senior Brother—and the key that triggered it was that very dream.

While the zombie struggled in agony, Bai Nian retreated cautiously.

Though he had regained a trace of sanity, who could say if he wouldn’t turn violent the next second?

Suddenly, the zombie twisted its head, hollow eye sockets staring straight at Bai Nian.

She froze, her whole body going stiff.

It’s over.

I’ve been found!

“Hehehe, hello there.”

Bai Nian forced a sheepish smile.

I must be crazy, actually trying to talk to a zombie.

“…Thank…you…”

the zombie growled, voice hoarse and beastly.

“You can understand me?!”

Bai Nian gasped.

The zombie didn’t reply, only clutched its head in pain, speaking haltingly:

“Nan Yi…resentment…junior brother…”

Bai Nian immediately realized: this was Eldest Senior Brother’s obsession—the reason he could still cling to a shred of humanity.

Seizing the chance, she spoke quickly.

“That mother and daughter became vengeful spirits, slaughtering all living creatures who entered the temple. Do you have a way to deal with them?”

“Injustice has its source and debts have their debtor. Though they suffered, they shouldn’t harm innocent people.”

“San Shixiong died because of them!”

The moment she finished, the zombie froze, humanity taking over.

He turned and looked sharply out the window, then in a flash smashed through the wooden window and leapt outside.

According to the diary, San Shixiong and Eldest Senior Brother were very close.

For Eldest Senior Brother, this junior was perhaps the dearest person to him aside from the master.

Bai Nian had lied to him.

In truth, she had no idea how San Shixiong died—the dream ended at the moment Eldest Senior Brother lost consciousness.

As for the fate of the others in the temple, she guessed that the mother and son had been bullied by the disciples and finally chose suicide.

And perhaps that was part of the Abbot’s plan, so their grievances would remain and he could refine them.

Bai Nian hurried after, arriving in the courtyard.

Cold moonlight cascaded down, and the zombie’s figure charged straight for the ancient well at the center of the backyard.

With a casual swing, he sent the boulder covering it flying.

What strength!

He then jumped into the dry well, dragging out the corpse of a woman in red.

So many years had passed, yet the woman’s corpse had not decayed; her complexion was even ruddy, and her long dress looked brighter than ever.

The zombie tossed the corpse to the ground, then struck at a nearby locust tree.

With immense force, leaves whirled down with a rustling sound.

The locust tree began to shake on its own, and soon after, Bai Nian heard the hurried footsteps.

It was the vengeful spirits of the mother and son—they wanted to stop the zombie!

Eldest Senior Brother let out a roar, a torrent of baleful energy spewing from his mouth.

He ignored the two spirits, instead raining punch after punch on the locust tree.

At last, under his overwhelming strength, the sturdy tree broke.

He tore open the earth and dug up a male corpse.

“Fire!”

the zombie suddenly roared.

Standing at a distance, Bai Nian knew that this was meant for her.

She immediately ran toward the main hall.

The Candle can’t be moved—

I need something else to carry the flame!

Standing in the main hall, Bai Nian looked around but saw nothing flammable.

Without hesitation, she took off her jacket, rolled it up, and set it alight.

The warm firelight pushed back the surrounding darkness, as if purifying all filth.

She approached the two corpses.

The zombie stepped back, and Bai Nian tossed her burning jacket onto them without hesitation.

The flames touched the bodies—like gasoline catching fire.

With a whoosh, a great blaze erupted, engulfing the two corpses at once.

“So the fire really can exorcise evil.”

Bai Nian watched the scene, her expression one of sudden realization.

[Mission complete. Reward has been granted.]

At that moment, the system’s voice sounded.

Bai Nian felt a trace of warmth in her right eye and instinctively lowered her head to cover it.

After a moment, the sensation faded.

She looked up at the firelight and froze.

The phantom images of the mother and son were standing in the fire, smiling and waving at her, as if bidding farewell.

The boy’s face was sweet and innocent, utterly different from the terrifying look he’d had in the bronze mirror before.

Is this…the Yin-Yang Eye?

Bai Nian immediately rubbed her eyes, but the phantoms remained—she was truly seeing them, it was no illusion.

As the bodies burned, the mother and son grew more and more transparent, while Eldest Senior Brother, as if finally at peace, also slowly walked toward the flames.

“You…”

Bai Nian wasn’t even sure what she wanted to say.

“…Thank…you…”

he rasped, and the fire swallowed him in an instant.

Through the blazing orange-red fire, Bai Nian seemed to glimpse a young figure—spirited, unwavering in his conviction.

The scene around her began to ripple, like waves spreading across a still lake.