Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Dire Calamity

Just as I called out at the gate, a young Taoist priest came running over, asking about our business. We told him we had urgent matters and wished to see Master Lingyun. He led us inside to the hall.

In front of the hall stood a square table adorned with various ritual tools. A slender Taoist priest in a gray robe, with red whiskers and white hair, stood there. His kindly demeanor and serene presence made him seem otherworldly, like a true sage.

"What brings the four of you here today?" the master asked us.

Lady Luyin stepped forward, bowing respectfully before speaking, "I am Luyin. I come seeking your help, Master. My younger brother needs to have the malevolent energy within him expelled."

"Malevolent energy?" Master Lingyun looked intrigued, as if hearing something rare. He swung his sleeve behind him and examined Lianmu, pointing a finger at his forehead. He paused for a moment. "I've dealt with malevolent energy before, but this young man's case is quite extraordinary. It is not the usual kind."

"Is there a way to dispel it?" I asked.

He raised a hand. "Don't worry, young lady. Let me explain. Common malevolent energy usually invades from the outside, and can be purified using standard methods. But in this case, the energy is corroding from within. This is the first time I've seen such a rare condition."

Luyin nearly collapsed, clutching Lianmu in fear, trembling as she spoke, "How did Lianmu end up like this? It's my fault... I couldn't take proper care of him, I couldn't help him expel the malevolent energy..."

Her voice trailed off as she looked despondently at the ground.

"Young lady, if you're hiding something, even my divine skills might not be enough to help you," Master Lingyun said firmly.

Lady Luyin bit her lip, still anxious but remaining silent, holding Lianmu's arm tightly as if seeking comfort. This seemed to agitate Lianmu further. He broke free from his restraints, a faint black and red mist swirling around him, growling like a beast. He transformed into a swift shadow, lunging at Master Lingyun. But before he could even touch the master, a golden rope bound him in place. Frustrated, Lianmu bit down on his lip, drawing blood as he seemed determined to tear off a piece of his own flesh.

I couldn't bear to watch any longer and cast a spell to make him faint.

Lady Luyin was pale as a sheet, her eyes filled with unshed tears. Seeing her brother unconscious, she trembled and fainted as well.

"Qingyue, what's wrong with them? They just fainted like they're made of sticks, so easily," Senior Brother Luo Xi commented, clearly unimpressed.

It was no surprise. Senior Brother Luo Xi often ventured down the mountain and had dealt with many cases of exorcism and demon-slaying. He had seen far more than I had. However, his attitude felt inappropriate, and I couldn't help but step on his foot.

"Qingyue, you!" he yelped in pain, glaring at me angrily.

Master Lingyun shook his head at the fainted Lady Luyin. "Young lady, by weaving such a web around yourself, you end up harming both yourself and others. Very well, let's consider that I never saw this today. But should I encounter a demonic entity in the future, I will not stand idly by. Evil must be eradicated." His tone held a trace of helplessness and disappointment, hinting at some deeper knowledge.

Could it be that Master Lingyun already knew something?

As I pondered this, Lady Luyin, who had fainted, began to awaken. I stepped forward to support her, letting her lean on me. "Lady Luyin, you're awake? How are you feeling? Is your body alright?"

She lowered her eyes and said softly, "Qingyue, I'm sorry, I was only pretending to faint."

"As I suspected," Senior Brother Luo Xi nodded as if he had figured something out.

"But Lady Luyin, you had no reason to pretend," I said.

Could it be that Lady Luyin was hiding something? On reflection, her behavior did seem odd. When Master Lingyun mentioned the strange nature of the malevolent energy in Lianmu, she had been overly panicked. Perhaps she knew something all along but was afraid that revealing it would endanger Lianmu.

But at this point, retreating would mean failure.

"Lady Luyin, if there's something you want to say, just say it. My brother and I will help you no matter what. You can trust us with whatever is on your mind," I said, grabbing her hand and signaling to Senior Brother Luo Xi.

"Yes, indeed. Qingyue's matters are my matters. I will help you to the end," Senior Brother Luo Xi chimed in.

"Qingyue, thank you... thank you so much," she said, squeezing my hand tightly as tears welled up in her eyes. I handed her a handkerchief, which she took and held onto as she calmed down. She then began, "Actually, our family originally had four siblings. I am the eldest daughter, and our parents were often busy and rarely home. At that time, it was just Lianmu and me. To ease our parents' worries, I learned early on to manage and take care of everything at home. Lianmu often clung to me, and although we rarely felt our parents' love, we found warmth in each other and lived happily. Until one day," her tone changed, and her expression darkened, "Lianmu fell seriously ill and was bedridden. Our parents rushed back to be with him, but Lianmu showed no signs of improvement. Fearing that I, as a weak girl, could not bear the household burden alone, they soon had two more sons."

"That sounds like it should have been good news. Your family should have been complete, with more people to help take care of Lianmu and share the burden," Senior Brother Luo Xi said, puzzled.

I shot him a glare, signaling him to listen quietly.

"It should have been," she sighed. "But in the third year after our youngest brother was born, disaster struck. It wasn't brought by some wandering sorcerer but by a catastrophe from the heavens. I still remember the red light surrounding us, like hell on earth. Overnight, Lianmu's illness improved, but his personality changed drastically, sometimes uttering terrifying things. Our younger brothers mysteriously fell ill and passed away within three days. Our parents, heartbroken and deteriorating day by day, eventually succumbed to their grief, leaving only Lianmu and me to rely on each other." She sighed, a hint of relief in her voice. "Now, with Lianmu like this, I don't ask for much. I just hope he can live like a normal person."

Hearing the truth, my heart felt heavy with sorrow.