In the basement, Zhang Zongnian held up a torch, carefully examining the corpse of the female zombie.
His face was full of shock as he said, “It’s Sister-in-law!”
Lin Xue asked curiously, “Which Sister-in-law?”
Zhang Zongnian looked at the female zombie’s face and said, “This is my Senior Brother’s daughter-in-law.”
Lin Xue immediately understood.
So it was that old, familiar plot.
This Elder Senior Brother’s daughter-in-law was infected by corpse poison, and Elder Senior Brother couldn’t bear to let her leave him, so he kept her hidden in the basement.
In the games and movies about zombies she’d played and watched in her previous life, this kind of devoted lover’s subplot was a common sight.
In those shows, the devoted lover would, under the protagonist’s persuasion, finally let go and accept the reality that their beloved was truly gone and could never return.
She wondered if this Elder Senior Brother would be as reasonable as those lovers in the movies.
Zhang Zongnian lowered his head to look at the female zombie and sighed, “I never thought Senior Brother was so deeply attached.”
“The last time I saw Sister-in-law was fifteen years ago.”
“I was still young back then, just started learning the sword as a disciple.”
“Master, aside from his excellent swordsmanship, was also highly skilled in medicine. Senior Brother already had cultivation when he took Master as his teacher—he apprenticed to further his medical skills.”
“He admitted honestly it was for his daughter-in-law, that he became a disciple just to learn medicine.”
“Master only took me as a disciple afterward in order to pass down his sword arts.”
“When I was a child, I often went to Senior Brother’s home to play. In my impression, Sister-in-law was a kind person, but always sickly.”
“In my second year as a disciple, when I visited Senior Brother’s home, I found Sister-in-law was gone.”
“I asked Senior Brother, and he said she had gone back to her family.”
“Since then, I never saw Sister-in-law again.”
“I never expected to see her here today.”
“She has a mole under her eye. It was seeing that mole that made me recognize her.”
“Senior Brother worked extremely hard at his medical studies back then, to the point of forgetting to eat or sleep. He constantly collected all sorts of medicinal herbs, but never told us what they were for, no matter how we asked.”
“Thinking back now, Sister-in-law might have already been like this at that time. Senior Brother couldn’t accept it and refused to give up, even up till now.”
Lin Xue was stunned by Zhang Zongnian’s words.
This was bad.
Elder Senior Brother had been keeping his zombie wife for over ten years. If he were able to accept reality, he’d have come to his senses long ago.
After all, even the corpse stench of the zombie daughter-in-law could no longer be covered up.
Yet he still wasn’t willing to give up. The medicines on the zombie’s body were all freshly applied.
Today, the zombie wife’s head was chopped off by her own hand. It would be surprising if Elder Senior Brother didn’t want to kill her.
He might even want to tear her to pieces.
She began to consider whether she should run away at once.
After all, she could resolve the little remaining corpse poison in her own body herself.
There was no need to wait for Elder Senior Brother to return and make things awkward for everyone.
Zhang Zongnian saw Lin Xue’s worried face and comforted her, “Miss Lin, don’t worry. Senior Brother is a reasonable man. I’ll do my best to persuade him not to be angry with you.”
Lin Xue thought: Like you can really persuade him.
The two of them were about to tidy up the basement a bit when Lin Xue suddenly heard the sound of a door opening at the front.
Oh no! Elder Senior Brother was back!
She grabbed Zhang Zongnian, who was trying to arrange the corpse into a more peaceful pose, and hurriedly pulled him up through the passage, closed the hidden door, exited the bathhouse, and rushed into the courtyard.
Zhang Zongnian also heard the noise at the front now.
His face was full of anxiety and concern as he rushed toward the front hall.
Lin Xue followed guiltily behind.
When the two entered the front hall, Sun Daoyuan had already come into the shop and was shutting the door.
“Senior Brother, where’s my mother? Did you bring her here?” Zhang Zongnian asked urgently, his face full of concern.
Sun Daoyuan pointed at the table and said, “Don’t rush. Sit down first and let Senior Brother catch his breath, then we’ll talk slowly.”
Lin Xue walked over, thinking it was best to get on good terms with Elder Senior Brother first in order to ask for his forgiveness later.
She wore a guilty but sweet smile as she said flatteringly, “Senior Brother Sun, thank you for helping me detoxify the poison.”
Sun Daoyuan glanced at her, said nothing, and just nodded coldly.
Seeing his indifference and unwillingness to speak with her, Lin Xue’s heart suddenly tightened.
It seemed Elder Senior Brother had some misgivings about her Zhujing Yaojing identity, and it would be difficult to talk to him.
The three of them sat around the table.
Lin Xue sat down next to Zhang Zongnian, already anxious as she imagined Elder Senior Brother’s grief and rage once he discovered his wife’s head had been severed.
Sun Daoyuan took a teapot from his sleeve, along with three cups, and poured out three steaming cups of fragrant tea.
He kept one cup for himself, then placed the other two in front of Lin Xue and Zhang Zongnian.
The aroma of the tea was strong and pleasant.
Sun Daoyuan picked up his cup, sipped it, and let out a long breath.
He raised his cup toward Zhang Zongnian and Lin Xue and said, “This is Silver Needle Tea from Nine Dragons Mountain. It has a calming effect. You two should try it.”
Lin Xue picked up her cup and took a sip, feeling a lingering fragrance on her lips and tongue. It tasted quite good.
After drinking it, the unease in her heart faded considerably.
Zhang Zongnian took a sip, then anxiously said, “Senior Brother, please speak.”
Sun Daoyuan sighed and said, “Zongnian, the Demon-Slaying Bureau has already surrounded your home. Your mother can’t be brought out for now. Yang Yuting is guarding her personally.”
“Yang Yuting is at the peak of the Qi Refinement Stage, and it’s said he’s about to reach Foundation Establishment. In all of Xichuan, except for their Yang Family Ancestor, no one can match him.”
“Senior Brother means for you to go alone first. When things calm down, I’ll find a way to bring your mother out so you can reunite.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zongnian became agitated.
“No, I can’t leave my mother behind!”
“You know what those animals from the Yang Family are like. If they can’t catch me, they’ll vent their anger on my mother.”
“Even if they just put her in prison, her health would never stand it!”
“My father died early, and my mother raised me alone, sent me to learn the arts, and made me an Immortal Master. How could I abandon her and run away on my own?”
“If there’s no other way, I’ll go straight to them. The Yang Family wants my life anyway! I’ll exchange my life for my mother’s!”
Sun Daoyuan shook his head and sighed, “I knew you wouldn’t listen. Forget it, Zongnian. Get some sleep first. Senior Brother will take you out later.”
Zhang Zongnian was stunned. “Sleep? How can I sleep now? I need to rescue my mother!”
He stood up, but his legs went weak, and he fell heavily back onto his seat.
His face filled with confusion as he looked at Sun Daoyuan and demanded, “Senior Brother, what… do you mean…”
Before he could finish, his speech grew slurred and his eyes grew hazy.
He struggled for a moment, then collapsed onto the table and fell into a deep sleep.
Lin Xue was shocked.
She realized she had no strength left in her body, not even enough to lift her arm.
There was something wrong with the tea!
Elder Senior Brother had drugged them!
Lin Xue’s gaze toward Sun Daoyuan turned icy in an instant.
Zhang Zongnian had complete trust in his Senior Brother, and she herself hadn’t been on guard because she had a ring that allowed instant teleportation.
Who could have expected Elder Senior Brother would make a move against them?
Secretly, she activated the Wood Spirit Detoxification Technique, formed a slender Spirit Needle in her hand, and pricked her fingertip, drawing out the toxins from her body.
Her strength returned in an instant, and her demonic power began to circulate once more.
She sat motionless, coldly watching Sun Daoyuan, waiting to see what he would do next.