Zanxing

Chapter 96 - The Secret Art of Prolonging Yang (2)

Footsteps sounded from behind as a maid approached Princess Lizhu, quietly speaking at her side, "Your Highness, Immortal Gu has just sent word, asking for your birth details..."

Princess Lizhu was pulled out of her thoughts and turned around in surprise, "My birth details?"

The maid nodded.

After a moment of reflection, Princess Lizhu replied, "Very well, since they request it, give it to them."

"Your Highness," the maid hesitated, offering advice, "You are of the royal family. How can you casually hand over your birth details to others?"

"They are members of a sect. What use could my mundane birth details be to them, except perhaps in relation to the demonic merman case?" Princess Lizhu walked toward the long table in the hall. "Besides, my son is now the ruler, and I left the royal palace long ago. I am no longer a part of the royal family. If giving them this information can help end the matter sooner and subdue the monster, the people of Li'er Kingdom will feel at peace that much sooner."

She paused at the table, instructed the maid to lay out the ink and paper, and picked up a brush to write on the blank sheet, saying, "I'll write it myself."

...

The process on Princess Lizhu's side was swift.

About the time it took to burn two sticks of incense, the maid from her side returned, handing Zanxing a red pouch. She repeatedly reminded her that the birth details inside must not be seen by outsiders before she departed.

Once the maid had left, Zanxing took the red pouch back to the room and handed it to Gu Baiying.

Gu Baiying opened the pouch, took out the paper with Princess Lizhu's birth details, and after just one glance, his expression darkened.

Tian Fangfang and Mendong, both anxious, asked, "How is it, Martial Uncle? Was she born under the yin month, yin day, and yin hour?"

Gu Baiying remained silent for a moment before passing them the paper. "Indeed, she is of pure yin constitution."

Zanxing sighed inwardly; it was just as they had expected.

When Gu Baiying requested Princess Lizhu's birth details, Zanxing had already guessed this outcome. The royal family of Li'er Kingdom had tightly sealed King Shenning's records, and the details of the demonic merman case were vague. The abrupt halt in his prescriptions, the sudden decision to marry Princess Lizhu—all these points were far too suspicious to be mere coincidence.

Still, the truth left an unsettling chill in the air.

While the maid was fetching the birth details, Zanxing had already informed Tian Fangfang and Mendong of the discoveries she and Gu Baiying had made in the Tianlu Pavilion. 

Tian Fangfang, now looking at Gu Baiying, lowered his voice, "Martial Uncle, it's clear now. Emperor Shenning was a sickly man. Back then, to extend his life, he secretly practiced the Yan Yang secret technique, killing those pure yin girls as sacrificial offerings. Even Princess Lizhu was a prepared sacrifice. That talk about a murderous demonic merman—it's all a cover, with the old king being framed. And now these people of Li'er Kingdom have the nerve to carve that poor creature into such an ugly, vicious statue, slandering it—disgraceful!"

"But something doesn't add up," Mendong said, puzzled. "If the records are true, a merman was indeed captured by the demon-slaying formation in the palace. If King Shenning was the real culprit, where did the merman come from? Could Princess Lizhu be lying?"

Zhanxing didn't think Princess Lizhu was lying. It was unlikely she had known that Emperor Shenning's true reason for marrying her was to gain immortality. But still, a merman had appeared in the palace years ago, so why was it there? And what about the creature that had entered her room last night... 

Thinking of this, Zanxing looked to Gu Baiying and asked, "Martial Uncle, if the events from back then truly had nothing to do with the merman, and even if Princess Lizhu is lying and there was no demonic merman, how do we explain the murders continuing now? Forty years ago, the girls died because of the Prolonging Yang's secret art. But now, why are girls being killed again? There couldn't be a second practitioner of Prolonging Yang's secret art, could there? But this time, the girls aren't even born under the yin month, day, and hour."

"My naive junior sister, don't you see?" Tian Fangfang said, pulling Zanxing aside. "These girls weren't of pure yin constitution, so the killer can't be after them for some evil ritual. But their deaths match the pattern of the killings from forty years ago. Clearly, this is the descendant of the demonic merman coming back for revenge! Just think about it—the merman was unfairly blamed, made out to be an unparalleled fiend, and turned into a statue that everyone spits on when they pass. If I were the merman's descendant, I'd be furious too. It's pure bullying!"

Zanxing shook her head. "No, if it were just about revenge, why sneak into my room last night? I have no personal grudge against the merman. Forty years ago, I wasn't even born yet. It couldn't have entered my room just because I seem like a trustworthy person to deliver a grievance, right?"

"What?" Tian Fangfang was startled. "A creature entered your room last night? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Zanxing reassured him. "Martial Uncle stayed in my room the whole time after that, preventing the creature from having another chance."

"What!" Mendong leaped up, looking as if Zanxing had burned his house down. He loudly demanded, "Martial Uncle stayed in your room last night, and you did what to him?"

Zanxing, utterly bewildered, replied, "What could I have possibly done to him?"

"You two, alone, man and woman, kindling ready to ignite—there's a lot you could have done..." Mendong's words were cut off as Gu Baiying, face darkening, swiftly covered his mouth. "Shut up!" he said.

Mendong struggled a bit, and Tian Fangfang suggested, "There are still unanswered questions. Perhaps we should speak with Princess Lizhu again to clarify the details of the demonic merman case—at least to confirm whether a merman really existed back then."

As they spoke, noise suddenly erupted from outside. Glancing through the window, they saw cultivators laughing and chatting in the palace courtyard, bathed in the gathering dusk. Mendong's eyes sharpened, and he excitedly waved toward them, "Senior Sister Meng! Senior Brother Mu!"

Meng Ying and Mu Chengxiao had returned.

Tian Fangfang opened the door, and Meng Ying and Mu Chengxiao stepped inside. As they drew closer, they saw a large patch of red staining Mu Chengxiao's right shoulder, seemingly from a wound.

"Junior Brother, how did you get injured?" Tian Fangfang hurriedly helped Mu Chengxiao to a seat and then turned to Mendong, asking, "Dongdong, what medicine should we use for this?"

"It's nothing," Mu Chengxiao said, sitting down. "Just a superficial wound."

"Don't call me Dongdong," Mendong grumbled at the nickname, dissatisfied. "He was bitten by something. Just apply some herbal ointment, and he'll be fine." Saying that, he took a small bottle from his waist, pulled out the stopper, and handed it to Mu Chengxiao. "Use it sparingly. I don't have much left."