Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Chapter 84: The Heads

The scene was actually somewhat comical.

An ordinary person seeing dismembered hands and heads hopping and struggling forward on the path would most likely be filled with fear, just hoping the ghost wouldn’t notice them. But for Bai, Mei, and the ghost in front of them, the situation was completely reversed.

They revealed themselves first, and the ghost frantically tried to flee—though of course it couldn’t escape. Not even a foot ahead, a long sword pressed against the tip of the nose of the head. The nearby hands were similarly pinned down by the swords, stuck in the ground, unable to move.

For a moment, everything was silent.

Bai Zhengliu crouched with the flow of light around him, staring at the head.

Previously, the head had been full of malice toward this outsider, trying to drag him into the depths of the ice crevice, to die in the unreachable darkness. Now, with the initiative reversed, the swordsman showed no such malice, instead offering the head a gentle smile.

The head shivered.

Bai Zhengliu watched this in surprise. Clearly, only one brain remained, split in half and barely patched together. Yet from the left temple down to beneath the ear, the brain bore a deep bloody fissure—and still, the head could display such vivid emotion.

This made Bai Zhengliu’s smile widen.

It also intensified the head’s shivering, the upper portion of the brain threatening to slip to one side.

Seeing this, Bai Zhengliu let out a soft “hiss” and finally spoke.

“Were you the one shouting ‘good’ down there earlier?”

The head continued to tremble, clearly unwilling to answer. But if it didn’t speak, Bai Zhengliu would use the Twenty-Eight Generals to trace along its nose and ear, demonstrating.

Already incomplete, the head was desperate not to lose even more. It immediately replied, “Hero! Yes, yes, it’s me.”

That voice seemed to break some sort of spell.

The head stopped shaking and fear vanished, and it began to plead with the two wandering heroes before it: “It was never my intention to harm you! I was forced… forced by a ghost! I died at the hands of that old ghost in these mountains, and I have no idea how many years have passed, nor the fate of my family at home.”

By the end, tears of blood slowly welled from its eyes.

Unfortunately, in its current state, this display elicited no sympathy—only heightened horror.

Bai and Mei watched without flinching and pressed further, “You said that ‘old ghost’—what exactly happened?”

Hearing those words, the head shivered again. Even just Bai Zhengliu saying the name was a huge shock to it.

But one must speak when under someone else’s roof. The head said, “It’s the one who trapped the two heroes here, preventing you and the lotus pickers outside from leaving. I don’t know where it came from or why it’s in Tianshan. But it’s truly powerful, with many subordinate ghosts like me under its command…”“That old ghost made us call him ‘Master.’ Anyone who disobeys his orders will have their soul scattered, with no chance even for reincarnation. I was truly forced—I never intended to harm anyone!”

Bai Zhengliu stared coldly at him.

Under his gaze, the head’s voice grew smaller, as if it felt guilty.

At this moment, Mei Yinghan said, “You were asked to say ‘old ghost,’ why are you rambling on about all this?”

That one sentence seemed to point the head in the right direction.

A look of confusion appeared on the head’s face. It said, “Didn’t I just say, I really don’t know…” Facing Bai and Mei’s eyes, it quickly corrected itself, “I-I don’t know his identity, but he should be quite old, at least seventy or eighty. Normally, by consuming human flesh and blood, he looks younger. But if he goes without it for a long time, he turns into a shriveled old man again.”

Bai and Mei exchanged glances.

From the head’s words, they picked up two pieces of information.

First, the Tianshan old ghost, like Master Chang, maintains his condition by consuming human flesh and blood.

—Could this also be related to the Star-Picking Record?

The thought sent chills down both the swordsman and the blade master.

It seemed that ever since Guang’an Prefecture, they had been walking into an all-encompassing web. Wherever they went, traces of the Star-Picking Record appeared.

The second point was less important. From the head’s words, it seemed the Tianshan old ghost was male.

The two exchanged looks, and the head was observing them in return.

When Bai and Mei looked at it again, the head said, “A-And one more thing! Though he is powerful, he usually seems unable to move. Even after I was caught and killed by him so many times, I never saw him shift his position.”

Bai Zhengliu and Mei Yinghan silently thought: strange, but there must be a reason.

After pondering briefly, Bai Zhengliu spoke, “Take us to see him.”

The head looked confused: “See… see what?”

Bai Zhengliu glanced at it: “Naturally, the ‘old ghost’ you mentioned.”

The head’s eyes widened. Below its eye sockets were the bloodstains from earlier; in this state, anyone unfamiliar would find it terrifying. Ordinary people seeing it once could have nightmares for days.

But unfortunately for it, the people it faced were Bai and Mei, unfazed. Seeing the head hesitate, Bai Zhengliu even drew the Twenty-Eight Generals again and gestured before it.The head was so terrified it didn’t dare speak, and only after a long while cried out: “Hero! Hero, please spare me. If Master knew I acted this way, he would surely kill me.”

Mei Yinghan said calmly, “Haven’t you already forgotten how long it’s been since you died?”

The head looked bitterly at him: “But I might still have a chance to reincarnate—so, two heroes,” it seemed excited, “I’ll secretly tell you how to get out of this place, how about that?”

Bai Zhengliu’s tone was even: “We don’t want to leave; we just want to meet that old ghost.”

The head said, “Hero, why be so stubborn? I’m your defeated subordinate, but Master’s power far surpasses mine. If you confront him, I won’t fare well, and neither will you. Better to let me teach you how to leave—then everyone’s happy.”

Hearing this, Bai and Mei kept cold gazes but were quickly calculating in their minds.

This head… probably isn’t telling the truth.

Why is it that “taking people to see the old ghost” is impossible, but “secretly letting people go” is feasible? From its previous actions, the situation should clearly be the opposite. Its antics with the soul impostors of Yu Han and Han Shu were all about preying on the mountain people, weren’t they?

The head’s words and actions were completely contradictory.

But considering it from another perspective, the situation changes.

It’s not that the head refuses to take Bai and Mei to see the Tianshan old ghost because the ghost is too strong. On the contrary, for some reason its power is weakened, so it can only target ordinary lotus pickers and dares not face Bai Zhengliu, whose head it had seen chopped into pieces.

So, what to do now?

Bai Zhengliu’s thoughts shifted; a hint of hesitation appeared in his tone: “What you say… does make some sense.”

The head was visibly elated: “Of course!” Then it complained to Bai and Mei, “Although I became a vengeful ghost, in my heart I still do not wish to harm others. Listen, you’ve come beneath the ice crevice, so you’re in the right place. From here, all you need is to light a handful of fire, see which direction the wind blows, and then follow the wind’s direction.”

“The old ghost set up a maze on the mountain, true, but below the ice crevice there aren’t so many twists and turns. This isn’t sudden luck—it’s just that ordinary people aren’t as skilled as you two heroes. You reached this place unharmed. Truly proves that there’s always talent in every generation.”

At this point, the hand pinned to the ground by the Zhenxing Sword moved slightly, as if trying to gesture a thumbs-up—but failed.

Bai and Mei noticed this; their eyes narrowed slightly in unison.

Bai Zhengliu said: “So…” and looked at Mei Yinghan, “Mei brother, what do you think?”

Mei Yinghan revealed concern for the lotus pickers above: “If we go out, what will happen to Brother Cao and the others?”

Bai Zhengliu asked: “Is there any way to bring them down with us?”

Mei Yinghan: “I’m afraid not. They’ve never practiced lightness skills, and their stamina isn’t what it used to be. The ice crevice is a thousand meters deep—one misstep and they’d fall to their deaths.”

Bai Zhengliu hesitated again.The clear-cut “my heart is moved, but I can’t cross the moral line” expression made the head even more encouraged. It earnestly advised: “I know you two heroes have kind hearts, but even with kind hearts, you must distinguish what can be done. You came down to save people before, didn’t those lotus pickers appreciate your deeds? …As for the rest, if it’s beyond your ability, there’s nothing you can do!”

“Moreover, if you go out now and spread the word later, warning other lotus pickers not to fall for the same trick, isn’t that more important? Then you wouldn’t be saving just seven or eight people, but seventy or eighty!”

Bai Zhengliu let out a long sigh, “That does make sense.”

Mei Yinghan said nothing.

Bai Zhengliu looked at him, thought for a moment, then “advised” him: “Mei brother, I just thought of another point. We’ve lingered on the mountain so long, and we don’t know the situation in your sect. Could other junior brothers or sisters, even senior instructors, go up the mountain? If they all get trapped… it’s more urgent for us to go out early and spread the news. As for the lotus pickers above, though this head acts wickedly, its words are not entirely unreasonable.”

Hearing this, Mei Yinghan finally seemed convinced.

He closed his eyes, then opened them slowly, sighing: “Bai brother, you are right. I shouldn’t have been so fixated earlier.”

Bai Zhengliu forced a smile: “It’s just a matter of understanding the situation and acting accordingly.”

With that, they had persuaded each other. Turning to the head, it immediately showed them a sycophantic, flattering smile.

“Rest assured, two heroes!” it declared, taking full responsibility. “The method I told you to get out—trust me, it’s correct. If you encounter any problems…” its eyes darted around, “Pah pah pah, what am I saying? There’s no way you’ll encounter any problems! Now, if there’s still any unease, I can guide you part of the way. Once the direction is clear, you heroes can go out on your own.”

Bai Zhengliu looked at it coldly: “You won’t escape just like that. Naturally, you lead us out all the way.”

The head forced a bitter smile: “I wish I could, but heroes, if I go too far, the old ghost will notice. Then, no one would be able to move.”

Mei Yinghan heard this and came to “advise” Bai Zhengliu: “Bai brother, we’ve entered a few haunted houses before and know how those old beings control their ghost servants. This statement is likely true.”

The head hurriedly flattered: “Hiss, heroes, you have such experience? No wonder you handle things on the mountain without fear!”

Bai and Mei ignored the praise. They exchanged glances, then slowly looked away. In that process, they saw the exact same thought in each other’s eyes:

—Give this head a chance to “escape,” then follow it, and enter the real core of the Tianshan peril!

Author’s note:

Here we go!

Today I suddenly remembered I left a box of small cakes in the office… by Monday they’ll definitely spoil TT

Just thinking about it is so sad.