Chapter 123: Extra—Iron Hook (Part One)

Translated by K from Exiled Rebels Scanlations

TN: There are some horror elements in this chapter. Please read at your own discretion.

The Bai* residence is very famous in the area especially because of the White Room.

*TN: The character  bai  means white.

It’s called the White Room, first and foremost, of course, because it’s white. When it was built, white paint was spread across the walls before the owner even prepared the decorations. Everything went smoothly throughout the rest of the residence. It wasn’t until the room in the western courtyard that strange things began to happen. This process could only be temporarily put aside. To this day, the White Room still creates a striking contrast to the rich ornamentation throughout the Bai residence, so white it seems eerie.

The room itself was sealed shut with three locks and three bolts. No matter how hot the summer, a cold air always enveloped it, as if it were made entirely of ice. According to Bai’s landlord, while his father was playing with a ball, it rolled around before coming to rest at the entrance of the room. As he was about to retrieve it, he couldn’t help but peek through the crack in the door.

With a straight face, Jin Ling continued, until he saw Wei WuXian beside him reach into the coffin, as if he were prying open the corpse’s eyelids. He immediately choked.

Hearing her pause, Wei WuXian turned around, “And peeked through the crack in the door?”

The group of Lan juniors behind him also turned their heads in unison. Jin Ling hesitated for a moment before continuing, “…and peeked through the crack in the door, before he froze there as if he were frozen, unable to leave even after a long time. When his family found out, they dragged him away, and he collapsed with a high fever that left him with almost no memory. After that, he never dared to go near that place again.”

After midnight, no one is allowed to leave their rooms or walk around, especially near the White Room. This is a strict rule in this house. However, a few hours after midnight, even though no one is inside, people can still hear the creaking of the old wooden floorboards and footsteps. There’s also this.

Jin Ling clenched his fists lightly and made a gesture full of killing intent.

“A sound that sounds like a hemp rope being pulled slowly to strangle something.”

A few days ago, one of the Bai household’s servants passed by the White Room while cleaning her morning. She discovered a fingertip-sized hole in the thin paper window in the White Room’s wooden door. And on the floor in front of the door lay a man.

A stranger no one in the Bai family had ever seen before. He was in his forties, his face dark and veiny. His fingers dug into his chest; he had been gone for a long time.

The servants were scared witless. The owner was also scared witless. After some struggle, the local officials came to a conclusion—this was an unfortunate thief who happened to break into the restricted area of ​​the Bai residence. He saw something heart-inducing, and was absolutely terrified to death on the spot. As to what exactly that “something” was, they broke down all the seals and locks in the White Room, but remained at a loss even after an extensive search.

But now that a life had been lost, the Bai clan head knew that he could not continue to endure, pretending as if there was nothing inside the White Room.

If this matter continued, there would be endless consequences. Gritting his teeth, he mustered up the courage and climbed the Koi Tower, begging the LanlingJin Sect to conduct a night hunt.

This is the background.

Holding the coffin lid, Lan Jingyi complained desperately, “Senior Wei, are you ready… He’s been dead for days… Not even the smell of a walking corpse…”

Lan SiZhui helped her lift it, unsure whether to laugh. “The coffin is made of raw wood, and this coffin house is prone to erosion because no one has taken care of it. This is only natural, considering how long it has been here. Just bear with it a little longer. We still have to take notes.”

Jin Ling snorted, “The mere existence of a coffin is more than enough for thieves who steal from others. Otherwise, would they have to worship it like Buddha?”

After fiddling with the corpse for quite a while, Wei WuXian finally lifted his face from within the coffin, took off his gloves, and threw them aside, “Is everyone done searching?”

“Yes, we have!”

Wei WuXian asked, “Good. Once that’s done, let’s talk about the next step.”

Lan JingYi, “Calling!”

Jin Ling snorted, “Not really. I’ve tried it.”

Wei WuXian, “Bagaimana?”

Jin Ling, “His will is weak, his soul is too weak, and what’s more, he is scared to death. The first seven days of his death have already passed. His soul has completely disappeared and there is no way to summon it.”

Lan JingYi, “So, there’s not much difference between you trying it and not trying it, right…”

Lan SiZhui hurried, “Then let’s check out the White Room, come. Young Master Jin, we would be very grateful if you could lead the way.” As he spoke, he pushed Lan JingYi out the door, successfully ending this new round of meaningless conversation before it even began. The boys walked through the doorway. Some of them skipped, their footsteps agile. Although Jin Ling led the way, he ended up at the back of the group.

Lan SiZhui asked Jin Ling, “Are there any unnatural deaths or unsolved incidents at the Bai residence?”

Jin Ling, “Their head swears that there definitely isn’t any. The parents who died here all died of old age, and there were no conflicts among the family members either.”

Lan JingYi, “Oh no. I have a bad feeling about this. Usually, the more they say this, the more likely it is that there is a conflict, but they are just trying their best to hide it.”

Jin Ling, “By the way, I’ve confirmed several times and found nothing from them. I also didn’t find anything strange. You guys can try again.”

Because he had done all the preparatory research he could beforehand and had also checked the White Room several times, this time he didn’t enter the Bai residence and instead sat down in a nearby teahouse. Not long after, a dark shadow swept in.

Wei WuXian sat in front of him, “Jin Ling.”

With two such beautiful figures sitting in a small tea shop, the scene was truly mesmerizing. Many waiters turned to look.

After their farewell at Guanyin Temple, this was the first time Wei WuXian had met Jin Ling, not to mention the first time he had had the opportunity to speak with him face to face. Jin Ling paused for a moment, his expression unreadable. “What’s wrong?”

Wei WuXian, “How are you doing at Koi Tower these days?”

Jin Ling, “Just like usual.”

Speaking of which, the journey the Bai Clan head took to Koi Tower was quite arduous.

If this had happened a few years ago, when the LanlingJin Sect was as resplendent as the sun in the sky, there was no guarantee that he would have succeeded in inviting the LanlingJin Sect clan members, even if he had multiplied the reward tenfold. In fact, let alone requesting a night hunt, an ordinary merchant clan like the Bai clan, which had neither money nor power, would never even have thought of visiting. But nowadays, the cultivation world was different from back then. Although ordinary people didn’t know the details, they had managed to catch some rumors. This was why the Bai clan head had tried, with a spirit of ‘what if?’

Nervously, he approached the main gate and presented his business card, announcing his intentions. The guard accepted his bribe and reluctantly left to report his arrival, but when he returned, his demeanor had completely changed, stating that the sect leader had declined the invitation because he was preparing to expel him. The Bai clan head had never expected to succeed in inviting them in the first place, but he was annoyed that the guard was acting like this even after accepting the bribe, and so he demanded his money back. After a few sentences of argument, a handsome young man dressed in Sparks Amidst Snow robes walked through the crimson doors, carrying a quiver of arrows. Seeing the situation, he immediately frowned and asked for details.

This time, the guard lost most of his arrogance. Realizing that although the young man was still somewhat childish, his status was likely not low, the Bai Clan Head immediately explained the situation. However, when the young man heard this, he immediately became furious and scolded, “The sect leader told you to expel him? How come I didn’t know?!”

Instantly, he turned to her, “You’re from the Bai Clan, six miles west of the city? I’ll remember that. Go back now. You’ll be visited in a few days!”

The Bai Clan Head simply returned home, somewhat confused. A few days later, a group of cultivators did indeed visit him, though he didn’t know that one of them was the leader of the LanlingJin Sect.

Of course, he didn’t even know that currently, the LanlingJin Sect was in a state of chaos.

The guard didn’t report to the true sect leader at all, but to another senior of the LanlingJin Sect. Upon hearing this, the senior was furious that a mere merchant dared to tread on the LanlingJin Sect’s golden steps and ordered him to expel the visitor. However, Jin Ling, who was just about to head to the hunting grounds, stopped him.

Jin Ling knew that the seniors of this sect were all extremely arrogant, believing themselves to be a sect that had been around for hundreds of years. However, they certainly couldn’t lower their prestige and refuse anyone who wasn’t a prominent figure. Firstly, he had always hated that way of doing things; secondly, he was angry that the guard reported directly to someone else, completely ignoring him; and thirdly, he remembered that when Jin GuangYao was still here, no disciple, not even a visiting cultivator, would dare to accept bribes so easily. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became. Conveniently, he arranged a night hunt with Lan SiZhui, Lan JingYi, and the others this month, which was why they had visited the Bai residence.

Honestly, he couldn’t say that he didn’t expect Wei WuXian to come along at all.

Although Jin Ling didn’t want to tell anyone about his hardships, there were many eyes on Koi Tower and many anxious mouths. The rumors had long since reached Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. Wei WuXian knew that he wouldn’t want to show any signs of weakness. “If you have any problems, ask your uncle.”

Jin Ling replied coldly, “It doesn’t mean his surname is Jin.”

Hearing this, Wei WuXian paused before he understood what the man meant. Not knowing whether to laugh or frown at his behavior, he raised his hand and slapped WuXian hard on the back, “Watch your mouth!”

Screaming, Jin Ling’s stiff and forced expression finally broke.

Although the slap didn’t hurt at all, Jin Ling felt humiliated, especially when he heard the sweet chuckles of the maids nearby. He covered his head and roared, “Why did you hit me?!”

Wei WuXian, “I hit you to remind you of your uncle. He’s not someone who likes to meddle in other people’s affairs. For your sake, he went around flaunting his power in front of the other sects, receiving so much ridicule. And now you’re saying his surname isn’t Jin. If he hears this, won’t he be disappointed?”

Jin Ling froze in shock before finally grumbling, “That’s not what I meant! I…”

Wei WuXian instead asked, “Then what do you mean?”

Jin Ling, “Me! Me…”

The first “I” was full of confidence, while the second “I” was starting to lose his breath. Wei WuXian, “I, I, I—I’ll say it for you. This is what you mean. Although Jiang Cheng is your uncle, he’s still an outsider in the LanlingJin Sect, after all. In the past, he’s helped you a few times, but if he intrudes too much on other people’s territory, it’ll be hard for him to avoid being targeted in the future, so you don’t want to get him into trouble, right?”

Jin Ling raged, “What do you think?! So you understand, right?! Then why did you hit me?!”

Wei WuXian slapped him again, “That’s what I wanted to do! Can’t you speak properly? Your words are so nice, and yet they sound so disgusting from your mouth!”

Jin Ling shouted while covering his head, “You can’t hit me like this just because Lan WangJi isn’t here!”

Wei WuXian, “If he were here, he would help me beat you up with just one word from me, do you believe me?”

Jin Ling didn’t believe it, “But I’m a sect leader!!!”

Wei WuXian grinned, “I’ve defeated over eighty sect leaders, maybe even a hundred.”

Jin Ling jumped up, ready to rush out of the teahouse, “If you hit me again, I’m leaving!”

“Come back!” Wei WuXian grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back like he was carrying a baby chick, then slammed him down onto the bench. “I won’t hit you anymore. Sit properly.”

Jin Ling was still wary. Seeing that Wei WuXian didn’t seem like he was going to do anything else, Jin Ling finally managed to stay seated. When one of the servants saw that the chaos had finally subsided, she came over with a smile and added water. Wei WuXian took the cup and took a sip, before suddenly calling out, “A-Ling.”

Jin Ling said in a haughty tone, “What?”

However, Wei WuXian only grinned, “This time, you seem to have grown up.”

Jin Ling stopped.

Wei WuXian touched his chin, “Nowadays, you seem, hm, much more reliable. I’m very happy, but I’m also a bit… What should I say? Honestly, how stupid you used to be was also quite adorable.”

Jin Ling, once again, found it difficult to remain seated.

Suddenly, Wei WuXian reached out and hugged his shoulders tightly, ruffling his hair, “But no matter what, I’m more than happy to see you again, you brat, haha!”

Ignoring his messy hair, Jin Ling jumped off the bench and rushed out. Wei WuXian pulled him back with another punch, “Where are you going?”

Even Jin Ling’s neck was red. He spoke hoarsely, “I’m going to check the White Room!”

Wei WuXian, “Didn’t you check it?”

Jin Ling, “I! Will! Go! Check! One! More!”

Wei WuXian, “Since you’ve already checked it several times, I doubt you’ll make any progress after a few more. Why don’t you help me investigate something else?”

Jin Ling was truly afraid that he would continue to say things that would make him wince. He would rather be slapped than be showered with sweet words and physical touch. Considering that this person could go so far as to shout in front of a crowd that he wanted to sleep with HanGuang-Jun, Jin Ling realized that he really couldn’t imagine what else would come out of his mouth. He hurried, “Sure! What do you want to investigate?”

Wei WuXian, “Look, is there a strange figure like that around here? His face is sliced ​​open with dozens of knife cuts, and his eyelids and lips are also cut off.”

Jin Ling felt like he wasn’t faking it, “Of course I can, but why do you want me to investigate something like that…”

Suddenly, the waiter who was pouring water for their tea replied, “You are talking about the Hook Hand, aren’t you?”

Wei WuXian turned around, “Hand Hook?”

“Yes.” Perhaps eavesdropping, he interrupted at the first opportunity, “Without lips or eyelids, she’s the only one, isn’t she? You don’t sound like you’re from around here, Young Master. How do you know someone like that?”

Jin Ling, “I’m from around here. I’ve never heard of this person either.”

The waiter said, “Well, you’re still young, aren’t you? It’s no wonder you haven’t heard of him. But this guy used to be quite famous.”

Wei WuXian, “Famous? Famous in what way?”

The servant: “Not a good one. I heard that story as a child from my great-aunt’s mother, which really shows how long ago it was. Now about the Hook Hand… I don’t know his name, but he was a young blacksmith. He was poor, but handsome and skilled, and quite a diligent personality. He had a very beautiful wife. He was very good to her, but she wasn’t so good to him. She found another man out there and didn’t want him anymore, so she… killed him!”

Clearly, the maid had been scared to death by the legend as a child, which was why she was also adept at scaring others, both with her tone and expression. Jin Ling was quite captivated by the story, thinking to himself,  The most terrifying thing is a woman’s heart!  But Wei WuXian, on the other hand, had been dealing with spirits and corpses for so long. He had heard so many such stories that they all felt cliché. Currently, he listened with his hand on his chin, expressionless. The maid continued, “Afraid someone would recognize that it was her husband’s corpse, she ripped off his eyelids and made dozens of cuts on his face. And because she was afraid he would complain to the Judge* of the Underworld, when she saw the freshly forged iron hook lying on the table, she used it to pull his tongue out…”

*TN: The Judge is a god in Chinese folk mythology who lives in the Underworld, in charge of managing the records of human life and death.

Suddenly, someone said, “How could his wife be like this? How could she hurt her own husband in such a cruel way?!”

Jin Ling was deep in thought when he felt a tingle on his scalp from the shock. When he turned around, he finally realized that Lan SiZhui, Lan JingYi, and the others had already left the Bai residence. They were all gathered behind him, listening intently. The previous question had come from Lan SiZhui as an exclamation. The servant continued, “Ugh, the stories of men and women all have the same roots, don’t they? Whether they desire money or a change in taste—others can’t possibly understand. In any case, the blacksmith turned into a human monster, only half-alive, and the cruel woman secretly threw him into a mass grave west of the city. Crows love to eat dead and rotting flesh, but after seeing his face, they didn’t even dare to take a morsel of flesh from him…”

Lan JingYi was the type of person who easily got lost in a story—the perfect audience. He grumbled, “… That’s unacceptable… That’s unacceptable! Did the person who killed him not receive any retribution?”

Servant, “He did! Of course. Even though something like that happened to the blacksmith, he somehow survived, and that night he crawled out of the grave, went home, and slit his wife’s throat, pretending nothing had happened,” he gestured, “with an iron hook.”

The juniors all wore complicated expressions, both terrified and wanting to breathe a sigh of relief. However, the maid continued, “After he killed his wife, he also sliced ​​his face and poked out his tongue, but his vengeful energy didn’t disappear. From then on, he killed every beautiful woman he saw!”

Lan JingYi was shocked and fell silent, “That’s not true. Revenge is okay, but what have other women ever done to him?”

The maid said, “That’s right. But he didn’t care. With a face like that, he’d think of his wife every time he saw a beautiful woman. What could he do? After all, for a long time after that, young girls didn’t dare walk alone once the sky darkened a little. Even if they didn’t go out, they didn’t dare sleep without their fathers, brothers, or husbands staying at home with them. Because every now and then, a woman’s corpse without a tongue would be thrown onto the streets…”

Jin Ling, “Can’t anyone catch him?”

The servant said, “But they can’t. That blacksmith also disappeared after killing his wife, leaving his original home. He also came and went so pompously that it almost seemed like he was possessed by a ghost. How could ordinary people possibly catch him? Well, I heard he only stopped after a few years. Only after this matter was completely quelled could the people finally sleep peacefully! Amitabha*, blessed be the Heavens.”

*TN: Amitabha is the central Buddha in East Asian Buddhist practice. The phrase ‘Amitabha’ has become a mantra that many people recite as a prayer, similar to the phrase ‘Hallelujah’.

After they left the teahouse and returned to the coffin house, Lan SiZhui asked, “Senior Wei, the Hooked Hand that you suddenly wanted to investigate has something to do with the spirit of the Bai residence, right?”

Wei WuXian, “Tentu saja”.

Jin Ling had already guessed it, but he still asked, “What is the relationship between the two?”

Wei WuXian opened the coffin lid again, “On top of the thief’s body.”

The group covered their noses again. Jin Ling, “I’ve seen that thief’s corpse many times.”

Wei WuXian caught him and pulled him up, “But you didn’t look carefully enough.”

He patted Jin Ling’s shoulder and suddenly pressed it. In an instant, Jin Ling was face to face with the dark-faced, wide-eyed corpse. The stench disappeared. Wei WuXian said, “Look at his eyes.”

Squinting, Jin Ling studied the lifeless corpse’s eyes. With just one glance, his body felt cold from head to toe. Lan SiZhui knew something was wrong. He immediately approached and bent down.

He saw that the figure reflected in the corpse’s black pupils was not himself.

It was an unfamiliar face that filled almost the entire pupil, with uneven skin covered in scars and no eyelids or lips.

Behind, Lan JingYi jumped a few times, seemingly wanting to look but not having the guts to do so, “SiZhui, what… what are you looking at?”

Lan SiZhui waved his hand without turning around, “You are not allowed to come any closer.”

Lan JingYi hurriedly said, “Oh!” and immediately took a few big steps back.

Lan SiZhui looked up, “Speaking of which, I’ve indeed heard of this kind of folktale. Sometimes, the eyes will ‘record’ what a person sees before they die. It’s surprising that it’s true.”

Wei WuXian, “This is a rare case. Because the thief was scared to death, whatever he saw must have left an indelible impression on him, which is why this worked. In any other situation, there probably wouldn’t have been anything recorded, and in a few days, when the body had completely decomposed, we might never see this again.”

Jin Ling was still doubtful, “If it’s a folk tale, especially if it’s not believable, should we really believe it?”

Wei WuXian, “Whether we believe it or not, let’s investigate further and try various things. After all, it’s better than doing nothing.”

Whatever happened, they finally made some progress. Lan SiZhui decided to search the tombs in the western city, while Wei WuXian said he would accompany him. The rest of them went to investigate the Hook Hand. After all, they couldn’t base everything on hearsay. The more information they had, the better.

First of all, Jin Ling somewhat despised Lan JingYi, and secondly, he felt that Wei WuXian’s destination should be better for gaining experience. However, he remembered that the others were unfamiliar with the Lanling area, meaning they might encounter some difficulties without his guidance. Thus, he agreed without further complaint, and the group gathered at the Bai residence. Upon further investigation, the information they obtained wasn’t much different from what the servant had explained that day, likely because the circulating version was largely the same. Thus, Jin Ling and the others continued their journey and returned to the Bai residence.

By dawn, Jin Ling had already walked around the main hall of the Bai residence several times and argued with Lan Jingyi several times, but Wei Wuxian and Lan Sizhui still hadn’t returned. Just as they were preparing to search for them in the west of the city, someone suddenly broke down the door with  a loud bang  .

Lan SiZhui, who had barged in first, appeared to be holding a smoking object in his hand. As soon as he entered, the object fell from his hand and onto the ground.

It was the size of a palm, covered in layers of yellow talisman paper, and oozing a wet, red liquid. The talismans were stained with blood. Wei WuXian followed him, walking leisurely across the threshold. Seeing everyone crowding around him like a puddle, he quickly shooed them away, “Shh, shh! Watch out!”

And so, everyone parted again like puddles. Perhaps due to its corrosive nature, the talisman’s coating melted, revealing its contents.

That is a rusty iron hook!

Not only was it rusty, but the glistening blood also made it look as if it had just been extracted from human flesh. Jin Ling asked, “The hook from the Hook Hand?”

Burn marks and blood were visible on Lan SiZhui’s uniform. He panted slightly, his cheeks slightly pink, “Yes! Someone possessed him. Don’t touch him with your hands!”

Suddenly, the iron latch shook violently. Lan SiZhui, “Close the door! Don’t let him out! I might not be able to catch him again if he escapes again!”

Lan JingYi rushed to get there first. With a loud  bang  , he slammed the door shut, pressing his back against it as he shouted, “Talisman! Use your talismans on it, everyone!”

Instantly, hundreds of amulets fell on him. If it weren’t for the fact that everyone in Bai’s residence had been notified by Jin Ling and had hidden in the east courtyard, they would have been completely shocked by the blinding light and thunderous sound. Soon, the amulets were gone. Before anyone could breathe, blood was seeping from the hook again.

They can’t stop even for a second!

Lan SiZhui couldn’t find any more talismans on him. Suddenly, he heard Lan JingYi shout, “Kitchen! Go to the kitchen! Salt, salt, salt! Get the salt!”

After being reminded, the children rushed to the kitchen and grabbed the salt jar. With a flick of their hand, snow-white salt crumbs scattered onto the hook. It was a bold move. It was almost like boiling in a pot of oil. Steam and white foam dripped from the rusty metal.

The smell of rotting, charred flesh filled the main hall, as the blood on the hooks was slowly absorbed by the white salt. One of the boys shouted, “The salt is almost gone too! What should we do now?”

Seeing that the hook was about to bleed again, Lan JingYi knew that this couldn’t go on, “If all else fails, we can just melt it!”

Jin Ling, “You can’t melt it!”

Lan SiZhui, “Yes, we will melt it!”

Immediately, he took off his outer robe and threw it onto a hanger. After wrapping it up, he rushed to the kitchen before throwing it into the fireplace. Seeing this, Jin Ling seethed with fiery eyes, “Lan SiZhui! No wonder Lan JingYi is so stupid, but why are you so stupid too!? You want to melt him with just this much fire?”

Lan JingYi raged, “Who are you calling an idiot?? What do you mean I’m an idiot, no wonder!?”

Lan SiZhui, “If the fire is too small, we can help it!”

He immediately made a hand gesture, and the fire immediately exploded with a whirl of hot air!

The others immediately understood, copying him one by one. Jin Ling and Lan JingYi couldn’t help but argue, focusing on maintaining the hand signs. The fire in the fireplace grew so rapidly that it lit the room in a fiery red, reflecting the red color onto their cheeks as well.

They waited for a long time, prepared for anything. Finally, the iron hook disappeared into the blazing bonfire. Without a single incident, Lan JingYi spoke nervously, “Is it done? Is it done?”

Lan SiZhui sighed. A moment later, he stepped out to check the situation before turning around, “The hook is gone.”

If the hook is gone, then it is natural that the energy of resentment will also disappear.

Everyone was relieved, especially Lan JingYi, who was the most delighted, “I knew you could melt it! It worked, hahahaha…”

He was happy, while Jin Ling, on the other hand, was quite miserable. Somehow, he hadn’t been of much help during the hunt tonight, let alone gained any experience. He secretly regretted his decision. He should have insisted on searching for the iron hook with Wei WuXian and the others during the day. He definitely wouldn’t do backstage work again next time.

However, Wei WuXian spoke up, “Your resolution is the exact opposite of cautious. How can anything be certain at this point? Shouldn’t you validate it?”

Hearing this, Jin Ling became excited, “How should we do it?”

Wei WuXian, “Someone, spend the night inside.”

“…”

Wei WuXian, “Only after you spend the night inside and realize nothing bad happened can you say with certainty that everything is over, right?”

Lan JingYi, “Who would do such a thing…”

Jin Ling immediately volunteered, “I’ll go!”

Wei WuXian knew what she was thinking without even looking at her. He patted her head and smiled, “Put on a good show, if you get the chance.”

Jin Ling complained, “Don’t touch my head. You’re not allowed to touch a man’s head, you know?”

Wei WuXian, “Your uncle must have said it, so there’s no point in knowing.”

“Hey!” Jin Ling was surprised, “Who told me to ask him if I had any problems?”

The Bai family had arranged accommodations for everyone, so that night the group settled in the east courtyard. Jin Ling went to the west courtyard alone.

As usual, the GusuLan Sect adhered to their schedule strictly, waking up early the next morning. Before leaving, Lan SiZhui was reminded by Lan WangJi to make sure he dragged Wei WuXian down in time for breakfast. To that end, he spent nearly an hour and did everything he could before finally dragging Wei WuXian downstairs. When he arrived at the main hall, Lan JingYi was helping the servants of the Bai residence distribute porridge. Lan SiZhui was just about to go and help when he saw Jin Ling walking over with heavy eye bags.

Everyone in the circle stared at him silently. Jin Ling sat to Wei WuXian’s left, and he greeted them, “Good morning.”

Jin Ling forced a calm look on his face, nodding, “Morning.”

The others nodded as well, “Good morning.”

Soon after, seeing that Jin Ling didn’t seem to have any intention of saying anything, Wei WuXian pointed to his own eyes, “That…”

After making sure that he looked calm, Jin Ling finally opened his mouth.

He began, “As expected, it wasn’t cleaned properly.”

The crowd became nervous.

Last night, after Jin Ling entered the white room, he looked around.

The room was very simply furnished. There was barely any furniture, just a single bed. The bed was against the wall, covered in dust.

After one hit, Jin Ling couldn’t take it anymore. None of the servants dared to approach the spot, and he himself was clearly unable to lie on it. Left with no other choice, he could only fetch water himself and clean the area. Finally, he could sleep.

With his face against the wall, his back was facing the room.

And a mirror hidden in the palm of his hand.

By turning the mirror, he could see a rough outline of the room.

Jin Ling waited for more than half the night, but all that appeared in the mirror was pitch black, which was why he began to turn the mirror in his hand. Just as he was about to enjoy the action, a thick white suddenly swept across the mirror’s surface.

Instantly, ice water soaked his heart. While calming himself, he slowly turned the mirror over.

Something finally appeared in the mirror’s reflection.

At this point in the story, Lan JingYi spoke in a trembling voice, “What did the mirror reflect—a hook hand…?”

Jin Ling, “No. That’s a chair.”

Lan JingYi was just about to calm himself down when, after thinking about it more deeply, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Why should he relax? Jin Ling had clearly stated that his room was ‘very simple. There was barely any furniture, just a bed.’ If that were the case…

Then where did that chair come from!?