Chapter 116: Something Is Not Right

Zuo Daoyin was certainly not exaggerating; I knew my own body well enough to understand the gravity of the situation. I had to find the Cursed Bone within a year, or there would be no hope of salvation.

Zuo Daoyin told me that a black line had appeared near my navel—a harbinger of the Nine Yin Curse. If that line were to reach my crown, my time would be up. Perhaps because the topic was too heavy, I didn't want to dwell on it and hurriedly asked what the second thing he wanted to discuss was.

Zuo Daoyin sighed and said, "The second matter concerns you and that girl, Bai Rushuang."

At the mention of Bai Rushuang, my heart jolted. "Grandpa Zuo, what about her?"

Zuo Daoyin became incredibly serious, even more so than when he spoke of the Cursed Bone. He said, "Wu Dao, Bai Rushuang is not from your world. I am only offering my advice."

"What advice?"

"Stay away from her. As far as you can!"

I was shocked. For some reason, hearing him say this caused a sharp, stinging pain in my heart. "Grandpa Zuo, why should I stay away from her?"

"Because she..." Zuo Daoyin grew agitated, but stopped himself mid-sentence. "Forget it, Wu Dao. Just know this: like your grandfather, I would never harm you. Keep your distance from Bai Rushuang. It is for your own good, for she is someone you cannot afford to provoke!"

Hearing this, I understood that he knew something, but was being held back by some pressure he dared not reveal. I had long sensed that Bai Rushuang was no ordinary person and had tried to deduce her identity, but to no avail.

I looked at him, my expression equally grave. "Grandpa Zuo, do you know something? Who exactly is she?"

He never answered. He only repeated that she was beyond my reach. He added that if I insisted on provoking her, he could not stop me; I would have to face the consequences myself. With that, he turned to leave. I reflexively tried to follow, but found my entire body frozen, unable to move an inch.

"Wu Dao, remember my words. I will not harm you. Weigh the pros and cons yourself. I will help you look into the Cursed Bone and notify you if I find any leads."

With those words, he vanished.

Shortly after he left, I awoke with a start. Looking around, I felt a sense of disorientation; I couldn't tell if Zuo Daoyin had actually been there or if it had been a dream. However, when I instinctively lifted my shirt and saw a worm-like black line near my navel, I knew it had been real.

I didn't know how Zuo Daoyin survived the great fire, but I was certain he wouldn't harm me. His advice to find the Cursed Bone to break the Nine Yin Vein curse must be true. As for his warning about Bai Rushuang, I didn't pay it much mind. Even he had said I should weigh the options myself. Deep down, I felt an undeniable attraction to her; I wasn't going to distance myself based on such vague words. Still, I remained curious about her identity, but everyone has secrets, and I didn't want to pry. I eventually fell back asleep.

I don't know when the others returned, but I slept until dawn.

The following evening, Bai Rushuang called me, excited to tell me she had removed the bandages from the seven-colored koi. Miraculously, except for a tiny scratch near its eye from the hook, all other wounds had healed.

"That's incredible," I said. "How could it heal so fast?"

"If you don't believe me, come and see," she replied. "It's truly magical; not even a scar remains."

"I'll be there right away," I said. I hung up, left the school, and hailed a taxi to her place. Seeing the fish was only part of the reason; more than anything, I wanted to be with her. I realized that, at some point, she had started occupying my thoughts constantly.

When I arrived, the koi was exactly as she described—healed and swimming energetically.

"Could this fish have become a spirit?" I wondered. I activated my Yin-Yang Eyes, but couldn't detect a trace of demonic aura. If it wasn't a demon, why the supernatural healing? Or perhaps its cultivation was so high that my current abilities couldn't penetrate its veil.

As I pondered this, Bai Rushuang tapped my forehead. "Wooden Fish, what are you spacing out for?"

I glared at her, tempted to pinch her cheek, but didn't dare.

She then announced she was hungry and wanted me to treat her to a meal. I agreed immediately. She thought for a moment and suggested the old woman’s rice noodle rolls at the snack street. The mere mention of them made my mouth water.

After feeding the koi, we headed out. Bai Rushuang told the fish to be good and promised to bring her some food upon our return. I doubted a koi could eat rice noodle rolls, but seeing her happily flicking her tail, I stopped questioning it.

When we reached the snack street, the aroma of the broth hit us from afar. The stall was packed, so we grabbed a few snacks elsewhere to wait. When the old woman was finally free, she greeted us warmly and prepared two bowls. Bai Rushuang, impatient, inhaled hers instantly. Seeing I hadn't started, she snatched mine away, too.

Because of her previous antics, she was a local celebrity on the snack street, and many vendors watched us with amused whispers. I felt awkward, but she didn't care. After finishing my portion as well, she still wasn't satisfied and asked for more.

The old woman looked troubled. "Business was too good tonight; I'm sold out."

Bai Rushuang looked disappointed. "I guess we'll come back tomorrow."

The old woman, seeing her disappointment, offered, "If you really want some, why not come to my house? I have to go prepare the broth for tomorrow morning anyway. You can eat as much as you like."

Bai Rushuang was thrilled and immediately agreed, even offering to help the old woman pack up. I remained still. In that split second, I felt a sudden, inexplicable sense that something was wrong—though I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.