As soon as Chong Lao Si’s blade flashed, it instantly pierced Guo Weixin’s abdomen. Guo reacted swiftly, stepping back, but the knife grazed his hand, slicing through the thick cotton coat and cutting his arm, leaving a bloody wound.
Guo retreated two steps, clutching his left hand.
I noticed the sudden change—the blood flowing from Guo’s arm was turning black. Chong Lao Si’s nails had always been dark, and his blade was undoubtedly poisoned. I kicked out angrily, cursing, “Coward!”
Chong Lao Si’s knife clattered to the ground. Guo staggered to a chair, his lips already blackening: “You vicious worm.”
Chong Lao Si froze, muttering, “I was wrong,” before switching tones: “No, he deserves to die.” “All my skills were taught by him.” “Yes, he taught you—just to use you.”
I was about to punch him, but Chong Lao Si seemed to be splitting into two personalities—one regretting harming Guo, the other insisting Guo deserved death. The internal conflict grew louder and faster.
It seemed Chong Lao Si had fractured into two selves, fighting within himself—one good, the other evil. No wonder his acting was so convincing; he had literally become two people. Yet, it also revealed his inner torment.
Gritting my teeth, I said, “Lao Si. No matter which one I kill, I’ll end you.” But I hesitated—what if I killed the good one, unleashing the evil?
Even Xie Xiaoyu was baffled by Chong Lao Si’s transformation.
The knife wound had triggered the war inside him. Da Mao, seeing my raised fist, shielded Chong Lao Si with his body. My fist struck him hard.
Silent, Da Mao pushed Chong Lao Si aside. Chong Lao Si crashed into the stone wall, knocking down a painting. A steel wire worm shot from his hand, coiling around Da Mao’s neck.
As Da Mao moved, the brain-eating worm on his head began burrowing into his ear.
I shouted, “Old Guo, get that worm out!”
Guo clenched his teeth. “He brought this on himself.”
Da Mao never saw it coming. The brain-eater vanished into his ear, while Chong Lao Si, in his frenzy, lashed out with another steel wire worm. It pierced flesh, heading straight for the bone marrow. If it hit me, I’d be a living corpse in seconds.
With his last breath, Da Mao gasped, “Brother… it’s me.”
Er Mao, also carrying a brain-eater, screamed, “Brother, you hit Da Mao!” I rushed to support Da Mao, placing my hand on his, chanting, “Get out, now!”
I knew these worms well. Chong Lao Si and Guo’s control over them was formidable. Sweat poured down my forehead, but I couldn’t force them out. Da Mao’s eyes dulled, his eyelids unblinking.
I roared, “Get the hell out!” The echo filled the stone chamber. Two minutes later, the brain-eater crawled from his nose—I burned it. The steel wire worm followed.
Da Mao collapsed, foaming at the mouth. His limbs were weak, but his gaze cleared. He’d live, but his mind might never recover.
Guo’s lips had swollen like sausages—poisoned blade, likely carrying worm eggs. They’d invaded his body, but he was strong enough to suppress them… for now. Still, worms crafted by Guo Tianjie, the Five-Element Worm Master, weren’t easily expelled.
Guo Qiqi stood helpless.
Chong Lao Si still fought himself.
I cursed inwardly—these worm clan people were insane. Either they turned dumb, poisoned to death, or self-destructed into madness. Playing with worms was deadly.
Suddenly, Chong Lao Si laughed, rising slowly. “Guo Weixin, now you see my power. Hand over the Blood Pact.”
Guo’s face was ashen, on the verge of collapse. “You’d truly fight to mutual destruction?”
Chong Lao Si sneered, “Better shattered jade than intact tile.”
Guo sighed. “Fine.”
He stood, unbuttoning his wool coat, revealing a black seal on his stomach—covered in intricate symbols. “This is the Blood Pact. It binds the Guo and Chong families. Passed from one patriarch to the next.”
Chong Lao Si stepped closer. “How do we break it?”
Guo said, “Tell me how to remove the worms, and I’ll dissolve the pact.”
Chong Lao Si’s throat bobbed as if stirred by lust—though he only saw the strange markings on Guo’s belly.
The Guo family had enslaved the Chongs through this pact.
Chong Lao Si reached out but stopped himself. The good in him had died. He suppressed the worms in Guo’s body, striking a deal: He’d free Guo’s three sons; Guo would break the pact.
The balance of power shifted—Chong Lao Si ascendant, Guo weakened.
Guo Qiqi asked, “Grandfather, are you alright?”
Guo nodded. “Fetch the copper jar. Let’s see its secret.”
Chong Lao Si stepped aside, dispersing the brain-eaters. Er Mao helped Da Mao up.
Chong Lao Si eyed Da Mao’s vacant grin. “What happened?”
Er Mao forced a smile. “Nothing. He’s just… gone simple.”
Da Mao giggled. “Fun! Tiger loves cat! Wolf loves sheep! Apple loves banana! No more worries!”
Tears welled in Er Mao’s eyes, unspoken.
The copper jar was placed on the table. The mirror reflected strange patterns, casting an eerie, serene glow across the chamber.
What were the tears inside? Whose were they? The farthest thing in the world was not knowing why they fell.
I called out, “Show yourself. I see you.”
Guo Qiqi and Guo Weixin spoke together: “Who’s there?”
From the moment I entered, I’d sensed a presence—not human, but a ghost. One I’d met before. Xiao Jian and He Xiaomao sensed it too. Their silence meant this ghost was familiar.
Chong Lao Si tensed. “Someone’s here?”
A cold wind stirred the hanging scrolls, revealing a faint, flickering figure.
I’d bought paper effigies at Banxian Coffin Shop. Jianguo had given me the eleventh one—a girl who’d followed me, begging me to break the dark seal on her wrist. A worm lived within her soul.
I’d hesitated but helped her. She was Guo Yingying. She’d sworn to return to Hedong to settle old grudges. That was half a year ago.
Guo Yingying remained voluptuous—one of the prettier ghosts. Her appearance at Bai Meng Flower Shop had once made Xie Lingyu jealous.
“Xiao Qi, we meet here?” she said.
I smiled. “Unexpected. Why are you here? The jade ruler led me to you. Are you well?”
“After returning to Fenglingdu, much had changed. The one who tormented my soul is dead. This place… was once my sanctuary. I raised worms here as a girl.”
“What’s the copper jar’s secret?”
“You asked me that long ago. I still don’t know.”
“Strange. Why did Master Ye Guyi’s map lead me here? Maybe it wasn’t about the jar at all.”
Guo Yingying nodded.
Guo Weixin suddenly knelt before her. Guo Qiqi followed.
Chong Lao Si, no longer a Guo servant, stood awkwardly.
Guo Weixin cried, “Aunt!” Guo Qiqi echoed, “Grandaunt!”
My mind reeled. Guo Yingying was Guo Weixin’s aunt—sister to Guo Tianjie?
Readers might forget: When she’d sought my help, I’d asked who’d trapped the worm in her. She’d said, “My brother. What can you do?” (See Vol. 3, Ch. 1: “The Eleventh Paper Effigy.”)
She’d refused to explain why her brother had cursed her, calling it a family shame.
Cautiously, I asked, “Is Guo Tianjie your brother?”
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