Zhang Yuanqing carried the Cat Corpse over the threshold. To ensure the monster wasn't feigning death, he swung it up and slammed it against the doorframe.
The Flayed Cat, severely injured, kicked its limbs violently before seemingly losing consciousness again.
Only then did Zhang Yuanqing confidently toss the Great Cat into the coffin, bend down to lift the lid, and reseal it.
By this time, his teammates had entered the room. Noticing the Flayed Cat's disappearance and the resealed coffin, Guan Ya asked in surprise:
"Why did you lock it back up?"
I can't tell you it's for an experiment right now, Zhang Yuanqing thought, glancing down at the scattered Red Rope and Purple Talismans on the floor. "Li Chunfeng, do you know what these are?"
All eyes turned to Li Chunfeng, the erudite Scholar. He stroked his chin, circled the coffin, picked up a talisman and a length of Red Rope, sniffed them, and offered his deduction:
"The Red Rope binds resentment, while the Purple Talisman nourishes malevolence. Strange... this coffin serves both as a seal and a breeding ground for the monster."
As expected of a Scholar, a walking encyclopedia, Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Can you restore the Red Rope and Purple Talismans to their original arrangement?"
Li Chunfeng replied, "Restore? No, you misunderstand. Just tie them randomly—there's no particular method."
Randomly? I thought it was like inking a carpenter's line, where every strand had to be precisely placed, and missing even one would cause catastrophic consequences, Zhang Yuanqing thought. Seeing Li Chunfeng pick up the Red Rope, he quickly took it from him.
"I'll do it!"
He immediately wrapped the Red Rope tightly around the red-lacquered coffin, tying a death knot. Then, at Li Chunfeng's signal, he picked up the Purple Talisman and affixed it to the coffin's opening.
What exactly is he trying to do? His teammates watched him in confusion.
The moment Zhang Yuanqing affixed the Purple Talisman, a Spirit Realm notification only he could hear rang in his ears:
[ Ding! You have triggered the hidden quest—Eternal Cat Corpse (1/3). ]
[ Eternal Cat Corpse: This cursed monster radiates cursed energy at all times. Do not approach it, or you will be tainted by the curse and transform into a wild cat. ]
[ Note: I will ensure it never finds release for all eternity! ]
[ Quest Item: A Fragment of Jade ]
I actually triggered the hidden quest! My prediction was right. When the demon lord spoke of "restraining the slaughter," this is what he meant. Zhang Yuanqing's heart surged with elation.
According to the demon lord's theory, the quest item for the hidden quest was left behind by the Yin-Yang Wanderer. Given the legendary figure's high status, who knew what kind of item he might have left behind? If it turned out to be a Rule Item, it would be an incredible windfall.
Suppressing his excitement and anticipation, Zhang Yuanqing shifted his focus back to the hidden quest itself.
Who cursed this monster? According to the note, the one who cast the curse harbors a deep-seated hatred, determined to keep it from finding release for all eternity.
"I understand now. We can't kill the Flayed Cat because killing him would grant him release, defying the caster's intent. This suggests the hidden quest points to the caster themselves."
"But who could the caster be?"
Zhang Yuanqing gathered his thoughts and addressed his companions: "My hypothesis has been confirmed. Let's review the situation."
Huode Star General, never one for mental exertion, cut straight to the point: "You're the Captain. You go first."
The others nodded in agreement.
Having weathered the recent ordeal together, the team's cohesion had strengthened considerably, and mutual trust had begun to blossom.
Zhang Yuanqing paused for a few seconds to choose his words carefully.
"First, let's start with the backstory of Yin-Yang Town. Everyone heard Granny Wang's story. While parts of it are true, there are also fabrications, such as the curse of the Yin-Yang Wanderer's descendants.
"I've reviewed several Yin-Yang Town Instance guides. Earlier groups of Spirit Realm Walkers who entered the Instance never mentioned any curse, despite interacting with the town's residents. Such a significant detail would have been uncovered long ago.
"Therefore, the curse Granny Wang spoke of is false, but the Cat Transformation Curse does exist. And the person afflicted by this curse is her son."
Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the red-lacquered coffin.
The other teammates nodded in agreement as they listened, acknowledging the validity of Zhang Yuanqing's analysis.
"That makes sense," Guan Ya nodded, adding, "And I'd like to add that the Cat Transformation Curse likely only triggers if you follow Granny Wang's storyline. Previous Spirit Realm Walkers didn't encounter this part of the narrative."
She smiled warmly at Zhang Yuanqing. "Please continue."
As a Scout, her observational and analytical skills far surpassed Zhang Yuanqing's. However, she wouldn't steal this opportunity for him to establish his authority as Captain. At most, she would fill in any gaps.
Zhang Yuanqing continued:
"So, how did her son get cursed?"
The Queen's eyes darted around as she recalled something, blurting out, "Granny Wang said her son couldn't control his lust, which led to his current fate."
As her words faded, everyone except Huode Star General turned to stare at the scarecrow in Guan Ya's hand.
For Granny Wang to curse someone into a scarecrow, her hatred must run deep. Xu Xiuer must have committed an unforgivable act.
Combining Granny Wang's words with her son's fate...
"I get it now!" Huode Star General finally caught on, exclaiming excitedly, "Xu Xiuer cursed her son! But who is Xu Xiuer?"
Zhang Yuanqing prompted, "Among the six people in town, who has the surname Xu?"
"Who?" Huode Star General asked, confused.
Zhang Yuanqing nearly snapped, "You fucking idiot! Widow Xu!"
The Huode Star General suddenly realized the truth.
If Widow Xu was the one who cast the curse, then the hidden quest clearly pointed to her. The objective was clear. Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but recall the demon lord's lament: "Slaughter and beauty."
Given this, it seemed certain that the demon lord, that lecherous fiend who had scattered his descendants across countless nurseries, must have committed unspeakable acts against Widow Xu.
The round-faced youth, Chi Ou, exclaimed excitedly, "Then our next target is clear: Widow Xu! We can't afford to delay. Let's set out immediately and beat the Evil Faction to the punch. We need to complete the side quest and reach the town square before they do!"
The others were visibly excited, but Guan Ya frowned, her gaze fixed on Zhang Yuanqing.
Zhang Yuanqing said, "We definitely need to find Widow Xu, but there's something I can't figure out. Li Chunfeng, you're the most knowledgeable among us. Do you think a powerful curse could be completed with just a cat corpse hanging outside?"
The others were puzzled by his question. Li Chunfeng paused, then fell into deep thought.
After a dozen seconds, he slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "That's wrong! That's wrong!"
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Huode Star General demanded urgently, seeing Li Chunfeng's sudden realization.
"Explain yourself clearly," Li Chunfeng said sternly.
"The cat corpses are merely mediums, not the source of the curse," Li Chunfeng explained. "It's like how a Witchcraft Master might use a target's photo, birthdate, blood, flesh, or hair when casting a curse. These items are mediums, but the true source of the curse lies in the Witchcraft Master's power.
"What, then, is the source of our cat transformation curse? I initially suspected Granny Wang, but she's clearly just an ordinary person. Otherwise, how could she have been so easily bitten to death? The scarecrow further proves this."
The group immediately turned their attention to the scarecrow in Guan Ya's hand.
"This is just an ordinary scarecrow," Li Chunfeng said. "The curse technique is childish and laughable. If Granny Wang were a Witchcraft Master, she wouldn't have created such a crude scarecrow."
The usually taciturn Grass on the Plain spoke up: "It's certainly a suspicious point, but what does this have to do with the instance's plot?"
Zhang Yuanqing didn't answer Grass on the Plain's question directly. Instead, he said:
"Of course it's relevant. If we don't clarify all these doubts now, they might seem insignificant. But later in the instance, these information gaps could cost us crucial opportunities or even the chance to turn the tide."
"The higher the difficulty of the Instance, the more crucial it is to avoid being blind and deaf. We must dig to the root of every mystery."
As an S-Rank Instance Clearer, his opinion commanded everyone's respect.
Grass on the Plain nodded slowly, agreeing with the Captain's assessment.
Zhang Yuanqing continued:
"Alright, let's get back to the main point. Suppose—and I mean suppose—the curse's source is this cat in the coffin. Wouldn't that make logical sense?"
This aligned perfectly with the hint from the hidden quest!
The curse originates from the cat. Li Chunfeng pondered for a moment, his eyes lighting up.
"Yes! The person who set up this ritual must have realized this. They used the Curse Cat—ah, let's just call it the Curse Cat—to power the ritual, cursing anyone who entered the house."
Zhang Yuanqing countered, "But that raises another question: who orchestrated the Cat Corpse Ritual? Granny Wang is clearly an ordinary person. Someone must have taught her."
"Could it be Xu Xiuer?" the Round-faced Youth, Chi Ou, guessed.
"No," Zhang Yuanqing flatly rejected.
"Why not?" Chi Ou protested, unconvinced. Queen and the others also turned questioning glances toward Zhang Yuanqing.
Zhang Yuanqing calmly explained his reasoning:
"The Cat Corpse Ritual and the coffin used to nurture the Curse Cat were likely taught by the same person. Think about it: what are the purposes of these two things?"
Queen chimed in, "The coffin seals and nurtures the Curse Cat, while the Cat Corpse gathers cursed energy."
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "The Cat Corpse has another function: to suppress the curse within the Curse Cat, restraining its madness and bloodlust."
Hearing this, the group suddenly recalled how the Curse Cat had become ferociously violent and lost all reason after the Cat Corpse Ritual was disrupted.
Li Chunfeng had a sudden realization. "So, the coffin and the Cat Corpse exist to suppress the Curse Cat while simultaneously nurturing it. If these things originated from Granny Wang, it makes sense. She wanted to protect her son and prevent him from becoming a complete monster."
"But from the perspective of her enemies, the more pain and madness she suffered, the more satisfying her revenge would be."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Exactly. The curse and the Cat Corpse Ritual were created by different people. Xu Xiuer cast the curse, but who taught Granny Wang how to arrange the Cat Corpse and build the coffin? What was their relationship with Granny Wang and her son, and what role did they play in all this?"
A figure flashed through everyone's minds. Huode Star General, rarely keeping pace with their thoughts, said:
"It must be one of the five remaining people. Could it be the Daoist priest Squire Zhao hired?"
Guan Ya nodded approvingly, smiling. "This instance is getting more interesting. What exactly are the relationships between the six people left in town? And what roles did they play in the town's population decline?"
Having reviewed everything he needed to, Zhang Yuanqing said:
"Let's not delay. We should go find Widow Xu now."
His teammates agreed. Queen, touching the ring in her left ear, said with a radiant smile:
"Even though we faced near-total annihilation earlier, I'm confident about the next task. We've analyzed this high-difficulty instance thoroughly and clearly, leaving little room for confusion or misunderstanding.
"As long as we remain clear-headed, I'm confident we can overcome any obstacle, no matter how challenging the path."
Huode Star General nodded in agreement. He was amazed at how clearly his teammates had analyzed such a complex instance. They were all remarkably intelligent, especially this Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
Although he hadn't displayed particularly dazzling combat prowess during the battle, subsequent debriefings revealed that this official genius, who had consecutively cleared two S-Rank instances, possessed the keen wit and intelligence that earned the Huode Star General's respect.
Chi Ou, Li Chunfeng, and Grass on the Plain remained silent but instinctively obeyed the Captain's orders, turning and exiting the room.
As the group headed toward the Courtyard House's exit, Guan Ya and Zhang Yuanqing lingered behind. The Veteran Driver chuckled, her eyes twinkling.
"Not bad!"
Zhang Yuanqing was about to respond when the Veteran Driver's gaze shifted downward, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Very not bad."
Zhang Yuanqing's cheeks flushed crimson, a rare display of embarrassment. After all, he was just a college student with no girlfriend, the kind who always talked tough but chickened out when things got real.
Normally, trading banter and driving dirty jokes with the Veteran Driver was his limit, but the earlier exposure had crossed his psychological threshold.
Now, being assessed like this made his face feel like it was about to burst into flames.
Seeing his awkwardness, Guan Ya smirked triumphantly, feeling she still held the upper hand.
"What are you laughing at?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to speak. "Are you satisfied now? Were you scared at all? I clearly saw shock and surprise in your eyes."
Guan Ya chuckled. "I certainly won't reveal your measurements, but the Queen might. Women love gossip, and she kept glancing at you earlier."
"..." Zhang Yuanqing nearly chased after the Queen to discuss a non-disclosure agreement.
He couldn't bear the thought of returning to the Official Forum and finding Walkers discussing the size of Primordial Heavenly Venerable's... you know.
It was a burden no twenty-one-year-old could bear.
Blacksmith's Workshop.
Li Xianzong sat hunched on the ground, gasping for breath.
He was drenched in blood, his left arm twisted at an unnatural angle, his body riddled with knife wounds and blunt-force trauma.
His five companions lay scattered around him, equally battered and bruised, either sprawled on the floor or slumped against the walls, greedily sucking in air.
Around them lay overturned forging platforms, cracked furnaces, scattered charcoal, broken ironware, and the severed head of Blacksmith Wang.
The blacksmith's headless body lay sprawled across a pile of glowing embers, his blood mingling with the fiery coals. A few meters away lay his severed head, personally decapitated by Li Xianzong himself.
Besides Blacksmith Wang, there was another corpse: a bald, burly man.
The gaunt middle-aged man pushed himself up, bracing his hands on his knees. He kicked the bald man's corpse and cursed, "Dead already? I didn't even get his name."
Li Xianzong panted, grinning. "Why bother with names? We're the kind who lick blood off our blades. When it's our time, we die. A fitting end."
"Exactly. Knowing his name would make him a friend. What's the point?"
"Heh, better off dead. The sooner you die, the sooner you escape this godforsaken world."
The other companions chuckled in agreement.
They never cared about life or death—not their enemies', not strangers', not even their own.
Those immersed in slaughter develop a numbness to death that ordinary people can't comprehend.
Li Xianzong waved at the gaunt man. "Check the shop. There might be clues inside."
The gaunt man immediately ventured deep into the shop. A few minutes later, he returned, his expression puzzled.
"Boss, this place is... odd."