Bathed in moonlight, I saw Zhang Kun approaching from the entrance of the village. No—more accurately, he was floating toward me.
I say "floating" because his feet weren't even touching the ground.
As he drifted closer, I frantically searched my body for any remaining herbs that might help me fend him off.
But to my dismay, I discovered that aside from the half-burnt Soul-Guiding Incense still in my hand, all my other supplies had already been used up in the battle with Fatty.
I glanced down at the incense—it could weaken the grip of Bellflower's restraint, but against Zhang Kun, it was useless.
Forget it. There was no turning back now—run!
Clutching the Soul-Guiding Incense, I spun around and bolted. But I hadn't gone more than two steps when something wrapped tightly around my knees. Looking down, I saw strands of crimson thread—projected from the coffin—twining up my legs like blood-red vines.
You've got to be kidding me… The Blood Coffin Binding Formation Master Xuenuo used to trap ghosts… trapped me instead?
I struggled with all my might, but the red threads only coiled tighter the more I resisted. They sank deep into my flesh, making it impossible to move.
Damn it, Senior Sister, what kind of cursed formation is this? Are you trying to get me killed?!
"Hehehe… Ye Cheng, Ye Cheng… today is your death day!"Zhang Kun was now beside me, his icy hand reaching for my face. His touch was cold—completely void of warmth.
"B-Brother Kun… I… I've never wronged you, have I? Why… why do you want to kill me?" I gasped, still struggling as I stared at him.
Zhang Kun reached out and clamped his hands around my throat. His strength was terrifying—he squeezed so hard I couldn't breathe."You don't know?" he hissed with a manic laugh. "Someone paid a high price for your life. If I kill you, I'll be reborn!"
"W-Wait! Then… what about Fatty? Did someone pay for his life too?"Zhang Kun's grip loosened slightly as I took the chance to keep talking.
He glanced at Fatty's corpse, black mist swirling around his ghostly face."In college, he always teamed up with others to bully me. He deserved to die."
With that, Zhang Kun tilted his head and let out a twisted laugh. His strength surged again—I thought my neck was going to snap.
Just when I was about to pass out from the pain, the scent of bellflower in the air reached its peak. Zhang Kun's movements suddenly slowed and stiffened.
Crrrack…!The other twelve coffins around us began to split open. At that moment, even the wind seemed to stop.
In the silence, a hauntingly beautiful Miao song echoed through the night. Its mournful melody tugged at the heart.
Then, with a loud crack, the thirteen remaining coffins burst open. Twelve rotting corpses rose in unison from their coffins.
I seized the chance and shoved Zhang Kun away, dashing forward—but I had barely taken a few steps when something yanked me back. I looked down and realized the red threads still clung to my ankles.
In desperation, I turned my gaze to the twelve corpses. I noticed that each one had a single strand of red thread coiled around their feet—and those threads were connected to the ones binding me.
No wonder I can't escape—those twelve corpses are anchoring me down!
I looked up at them again. Each corpse held a stalk of bellflower in its swollen, water-logged hands. The scent was coming from those herbs.
"Blood Corpse Binding Formation!"Zhang Kun cried out in horror at the sight, turning to flee.
"Junior Brother, hold him down! Don't let him escape!"Just then, the singing stopped, and Xuenuo's crisp voice rang out from the village entrance.
"Hold… hold him?!" I stared at Zhang Kun in disbelief."You have to! If you want to make it back to the Apothecary before midnight, follow my orders. If you don't—when the real ghost comes to collect your soul, you won't stand a chance!" she shouted.
Easy for you to say! I thought, speechless. You try wrestling with a real vengeful spirit!
But complaints wouldn't save me now. Gritting my teeth, I lunged at Zhang Kun and tackled him to the ground.
Strangely enough, once I pinned him down, the red threads binding me transferred to his body.
"Aaaahhh!!"Zhang Kun screamed with fury, his pale hands lunging once again for my throat.
"Damn it, again with the choking?! Can't you try something new for once?"This time, I was ready. I leapt off him just in time—his outstretched hands were yanked back by the crimson threads attached to the twelve corpses.
"Quick, Junior Brother—the Soul-Breaking Herb! Feed it to him!" Xuenuo called out, her eyes lighting up as she saw Zhang Kun restrained.
"He already ate it! I don't have any more!" I cried, backing away in terror as Zhang Kun bared his fangs at me.
Xuenuo's face darkened. "Are you insane? Why do you eat everything?!"
"It wasn't me! A ghost tried to poison me earlier—it ate it!" I explained frantically.
She sighed and rummaged through her pouch, then tossed me another stalk. "Here! This is the last one—hurry up, the formation won't hold for long!"
I caught the herb, shoved it into Zhang Kun's mouth, and clapped my hands."Zhang Kun, Zhang Kun… I treated you well in college. Tonight, let me send you off in peace."
Zhang Kun swallowed the Soul-Breaking Herb. His limbs convulsed, and he let out a shriek so piercing it chilled the air. It was as if his very soul was resisting.
But after screaming for ages… nothing happened. No smoke. No sign of poisoning.
Something was wrong.
I backed away and sprinted toward Xuenuo. "Senior Sister! What's going on? Why hasn't he turned to black smoke?!"
"Wait… wait!" Even Xuenuo, normally confident and calm, was rattled. She pulled out a handful of herbs, inspected one, and frowned deeply."Honeysuckle? How is this honeysuckle?!"
Luckily, Zhang Kun's reaction time was unusually slow. He hadn't realized the herb wasn't Soul-Breaking. He kept screaming like he was being exorcised.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I cursed and rushed back to Xuenuo."Senior Sister, are you even reliable?!"
She glared at me. "The Soul-Breaking Herb was your responsibility! How the hell did it turn into honeysuckle?"
"If I knew that, it wouldn't be honeysuckle!" I shot back.
"Whatever, we'll figure it out later. Here—this is the real last one. Give it to him!" She pulled another stalk from her other pocket and shoved it into my hand.
"Why me again?!" I cried, eyeing Zhang Kun still trapped in the formation. The red threads were beginning to fade.
Xuenuo looked at me with a sly smile. "If you don't make it back before midnight, I'll be fine… but you?"
"I'm going! I'm going!"I checked the herb carefully, confirmed it was real, and cautiously approached the snarling Zhang Kun.
As I stepped up to him, he clamped his mouth shut and glared at the herb in my hand.
I tucked it behind my back and gave him a sheepish grin. "You go ahead and keep screaming. Don't mind me."
Zhang Kun must've realized that if he opened his mouth, I'd force the herb down his throat. This time, he kept his mouth shut tight and refused to make a sound.
"Well, well, well! So many ghosts tonight! Time for me, Zhong Xuanliang, to do my part and rid the world of evil!"A booming voice echoed through the night. I turned and saw Zhong Xuanliang pull a wooden sword from his back, slap a talisman on it, and charge at the twelve corpses forming the Blood Corpse Binding Formation.
"No, stop!!" Xuenuo shouted, panic flashing across her face as she rushed forward—but it was too late.
At that exact moment, a chill ran through my arm. The stench of blood filled the air.
Zhang Kun had bitten off a chunk of my flesh.