Chapter 7: Zhao Yu's Wife
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Realizing that their only chance was to lure the paper doll here, the three instinctively glanced at each other. Someone had to go outside to try to attract the paper doll. But the person who ran out could be struck down by the evil spirits haunting the courtyard or fall victim to the paper doll itself... it would be a near-death experience.
Ling Xuzi suggested, “Let’s advance and retreat together.”
“Agreed.” The bald man and the elderly figure in brown nodded.
In this situation, quibbling over details was pointless; they had to live or die together. Perhaps by sticking together they still stood a chance.
“Creak...”
Suddenly, the sound of the door opening echoed.
The three who were about to escape together turned back and saw the large hall door—closed moments ago—now wide open.
Zhao Yu emerged carrying three empty bowls.
The eerie faceless man and the little round one stared intently at them.
“It’s over...” the three trembled inwardly, their faces turning pale again.
Since the strange faceless man and the little round one had reappeared, where was the chance to escape and lure the paper doll?
As if sensing their thoughts, the faceless man’s abdomen emitted a noise: “Brother.”
Zhao Yu, who was about to return to the kitchen, turned his head: “What is it?”
Although his younger brother was not as adorable as his sister-in-law, blood was thicker than water after all.
“I want a second helping,” the faceless man’s features flickered briefly as saliva dripped from his mouth.
The three felt weak all over... the faceless man wanted to eat them!
“Second helping...” Zhao Yu hesitated.
There was still some left in the pot, but that was reserved for his wife; there was no extra.
Thinking it over, Zhao Yu decided to endure more hardship himself: “Wait a moment, I’ll cook another bowl of noodles for you.”
“Brother, I want meat,” the faceless man, Mu Han, greedily looked at the three.
“What meat? There’s none left!”
After a moment, Zhao Yu bitterly explained, “Little brother, it’s not that I’m stingy, but your sister-in-law hasn’t eaten yet! Here’s the deal: I’ll bring her the food first. If she doesn’t eat it, then you can have a second helping.”
“If she does eat, then hang in there a bit more. Tomorrow, I’ll see if I can catch a rabbit.”
As he spoke, Zhao Yu lectured: “You stay mostly inside the room every day, barely moving. You can’t eat too much; it’ll be hard to digest.”
“Oh,” the faceless man obediently nodded.
Seeing this, Zhao Yu’s heart ached even more... his brother was so well-behaved, yet he couldn’t even let him eat his fill.
Once that Ling Xuzi succeeded in helping him cultivate again, he vowed to catch a rabbit every day to treat his family to some meat.
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He returned to the kitchen.
Soon, he came out carrying the last of the noodles.
Instead of entering the hall, he headed toward the bedroom.
At the door, Zhao Yu suddenly remembered something and looked back at the little round one and the faceless man: “I’m bringing food to your sister-in-law. You two behave yourselves—no fighting.”
It was worth mentioning that his brother and the little round one never got along well. Without his supervision, those two would surely come to blows whenever they met alone.
Both the little round one and the faceless man nodded obediently: “Okay, okay.”
Zhao Yu immediately smiled and pushed open the door, entering the room.
Ling Xuzi and the other two were terrified and hurriedly called out, “Don’t go!”
Only then did Zhao Yu remember there were three outsiders in the house.
He then greeted warmly: “You guys aren’t asleep yet?”
Ling Xuzi was the one who had signed a contract guaranteeing to help him cultivate again; they must not be offended.
The three of them had no words... so Zhao Yu was seriously planning to let them spend the night in the courtyard?
Outwardly, Ling Xuzi tried to appear kindhearted: “Um, how about we accompany you to deliver the food?”
Although they didn’t know what Zhao Yu really was, compared to the faceless man and the little round one... at least on the surface Zhao Yu still looked human and acted somewhat human.
Being with Zhao Yu probably felt... somewhat safer.
Zhao Yu immediately refused: “My wife doesn’t like strangers. Enough, if we delay any longer, the noodles will get cold. I’ll deliver the food first and we can talk when I come back.”
With that, he entered the bedroom, giving the three no chance to insist.
“Creak...” The door closed behind him.
No sooner had Zhao Yu disappeared than the previously obedient little round one and faceless man turned to look at Ling Xuzi and the others.
Soon, the little round one frowned: “How come you’re all so old and withered?”
Ling Xuzi hurriedly smiled and apologized: “It’s our fault, all our fault. We deserve the scolding from the great Evil God.”
Suddenly, a sense of security arose!
The faceless man sneered coldly: “Foolish. He was clearly just hinting not to touch that Ling Xuzi.”
The little round one stared fiercely at the faceless man, her eyes growing cold: “You sickly thing, how dare you call me stupid?”
The faceless man’s face shifted through countless expressions as he stared back unblinkingly.
Ling Xuzi and the others widened their eyes.
Though neither moved, they vaguely sensed some invisible collision—a clash of Dao—taking place here.
.....
Bedroom
After entering, Zhao Yu carried the noodles deep into the room.
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There was a door inside.
His wife was inside.
As the only one in the household able to cultivate, she usually practiced her cultivation there.
From an outsider’s perspective, the bedroom shouldn’t have space for a secret chamber... but this wasn’t unusual.
Zhao Yu didn’t understand the exact mechanics, but he knew this was common knowledge.
His wife had said that once he could cultivate, he would understand.
He pushed at the door—it wouldn’t budge.
It seemed his wife had set some kind of sealing or restriction again.
With no other choice, Zhao Yu called through the door, “Honey, it’s time to eat.”
“Rustle rustle...”
A faint sound came from the secret room, like many insects crawling or leaves blown by the wind.
Zhao Yu was not surprised and quietly waited.
After a while, the secret chamber door opened, revealing utter darkness inside, as if all light had been swallowed.
Nothing inside could be seen clearly.
Zhao Yu asked puzzledly, “Honey?”
This was his wife’s cultivation space, filled with mysteries unknown to him. He only knew that if he entered, he would keep falling downward.
He had been falling “down” for several days before his wife pulled him out.
“I’ve reached a critical point in cultivation; I won’t be eating these days,” a hoarse yet gentle voice came from the darkness.
Zhao Yu was conflicted: “I finally caught a rabbit; wouldn’t it help to eat a little and replenish your body?”
His wife cultivated diligently every day, unlike him who often wandered in the mountains... it pained him deeply.
There was no reply.
Soon, the “rustle rustle” sound came again.
After several breaths, a paper doll, appearing as if made of clay or forged from metal, floated out of the room.
The paper doll, carrying a bowl, drifted back into the darkness.
Zhao Yu was surprised: “Honey, did you change the paper doll again?”
Though the paper dolls his wife crafted all looked similar, he could tell the one that just came out was definitely not the previous one.