Chapter 5 Moon Hour

Just as Wei Li was basking in her triumph, a sharp pain stabbed through her heart. She looked down in astonishment to find that Green Pearl’s hand had reached straight through her chest. Wei Li tilted her head, regarding Green Pearl with a puzzled gaze that brimmed with murderous intent.

Green Pearl withdrew her hand, her eyes blazing with resentment and malice. “If you hadn’t bewitched Shi Chong back then, he wouldn’t have lost his mind and slaughtered those beauties. I wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

A shadow passed through Wei Li’s eyes. Back then, she’d seen Green Pearl blind and weeping all day and had felt a pang of pity. She had given up her life of luxury, persuaded Sun Xiu to urge Prince Lun to execute Shi Chong, and then bewitched Prince Lun into sending troops to kill him. How could Sun Xiu alone have engineered Shi Chong’s downfall and the annihilation of his family? Wei Li had no desire to explain herself. Instead, she laughed and said, “Don’t you know? Monsters have no hearts.”

Wei Li stepped forward and reached for the prayer beads. The vengeful spirits, upon seeing her, recognized her as an ancient monster who’d lived for centuries and scattered in terror, not daring to disturb her. Wei Li tossed the prayer beads at Green Pearl. At once, a halo of Buddhist light enveloped her, and her skin began to rot and decay in an instant. The vengeful spirit was obliterated in a flash of dust and ashes.

“You’re as stubborn as ever,” Guangzong said, his face flushed with anger and humiliation. He raised his hand and slapped Wei Li across the face with a resounding crack. Wei Li staggered and fell to the ground, her cheek pressed to the floor as she gasped for breath.

“Still pretending?” he sneered.

But then he saw a pool of bright red blood spreading beneath her. Guangzong was startled. How could an evil spirit like her be wounded? Then his gaze fell on the prayer beads on the floor, and realization dawned.

Wei Li was immortal, but her sins were countless, her hands stained with blood. Though she occasionally showed mercy, she was more often a bringer of slaughter.

Guangzong was a monk devoted to saving all beings and could not stand idly by. Unable to destroy her, he chose to imprison her by his side, hoping she would one day find refuge in the Buddha’s teachings.

Wei Li had never touched Guangzong’s ritual implements; the Buddhist faith did not acknowledge a bloodstained monster like her. Thus, she suffered a backlash.

Her lips were ashen, devoid of any color. Her head throbbed with a pain she could not describe, her body chilled to the bone. Guangzong looked at her coldly, thinking it was time to make her truly suffer a lesson.

Yet, his heart was pounding with anxiety.

Perhaps it was because he had never seen Wei Li in such a miserable state, so close to death, as if she might perish at any moment. When he reached out to gather her in his arms, her lively eyes suddenly opened, taking in his frantic expression. “Monk, are you worried about me?”

“I am not.” Guangzong withdrew his hand.

Wei Li sat up, smiling at him. “Monk, the wind is so sweet today, isn’t it?”

Just as Wei Li was about to indulge in flirtation, Li Sheng awoke. Ignoring everything, he tried to embrace her, but Wei Li pressed her finger to his chest and whispered, “Little scholar, I’ve missed you so much.”

Such sweet lies, yet again. Guangzong watched Wei Li’s every move in silence.

Li Sheng eyed Guangzong warily. After Wei Li whispered a few disparaging words about Guangzong in his ear, his anger flared, and he ordered the steward to throw Guangzong out.

Guangzong offered no resistance, letting himself be hustled out the door. He glanced up at the bold sign reading “Li Residence,” a storm gathering on his face.

Li Sheng was grinning from ear to ear as he gazed at Wei Li, who lounged lazily on a deck chair. “Wei Li, are you hungry? I’ve prepared lots of gold leaf...”

But Wei Li did not answer. Instead, she looked up at Duan Yi’en. Complex thoughts swirled in Duan’s mind—she wanted to drive out the female ghost, to rid the house of this monster as well.

Wei Li could see Duan Yi’en’s displeasure, but she didn’t care. She rose and, barefoot, stepped onto the icy wooden floor. Before Li Sheng, full of concern, could fetch her shoes, she began dancing awkwardly around the room. Wei Li was willful, indifferent to everything, and would never linger for the sake of a meek man like him.

Back when he was destitute, Wei Li had chosen to leave him. Now that he was wealthy, it was only natural for her to stay and enjoy his fortune! After years of vegetarian meals and Buddhist mantras, she was finally free to indulge in carnage.

From then on, everyone knew that a young woman had come to the Li Residence. Rumor had it she was as beautiful as a budding flower, her delicate feet inspiring pity. In her teens, she had Li Sheng utterly captivated. Though there had been no wedding, all agreed that the position of Lady Li was as good as hers.

Gold leaf was expensive, but Wei Li could eat several slices a day. Fortunately, Li Sheng had amassed plenty over the years—feeding her for a few years was no problem.

In recent days, Wei Li did nothing but eat and sleep, refusing to go out for fresh air or sunshine. Li Sheng, persistent as ever, drove his Ford and pestered her to go for a ride. Wei Li refused, sleeping until dusk. When her stomach finally rumbled, she found Li Sheng still waiting for her.

With a sigh, she climbed into the Ford. Li Sheng could not conceal his delight. He drove to a remote part of the outskirts and finally spoke: “Wei Li, I want to show you the gifts I’ve prepared for you all these years.”

Wei Li reluctantly got out of the car, only to see Li Sheng take a wheelchair from the trunk and have her sit. She had to admit, he was thorough—she was comfortable enough. She settled into the wheelchair, and as autumn’s chill deepened, Li Sheng even draped a blanket over her legs.

Li Sheng wheeled her into the basement. As soon as the door opened, a blast of cold air swept over them, and Wei Li felt an inexplicable comfort. Li Sheng pushed her inside, shut the heavy door, and Wei Li, unconcerned, glanced around at the bloodstains, frowning slightly before growing irritable. “I am so noble, and you make me stay in this wretched place? Li Sheng, are you mad?”

Li Sheng approached the freezer and, with a forceful yank, opened the lid.

Inside lay the frozen, rigid bodies of seductive young women. Wang Mu, nearly delirious with excitement, cried, “Wei Li, look! These are all the bodies I’ve collected for you. Do you like them?”

The sight was both intoxicating and mouthwatering. It had been so long since she’d tasted raw flesh. These beauties’ skin was flawless, their flesh oily yet tender—Wei Li swallowed hungrily, rose, the blanket slipping from her legs, and, unable to resist, approached, intoxicated by the perfection of these forms.

Wei Li lunged forward, imagining the sugary taste and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. But reality shattered her fantasy—the bodies were frozen stiff, and her sharp, carnivorous teeth nearly chipped. Furious, she glared at Li Sheng. “I used to wonder how someone could be so useless, always needing to prove himself with pointless gestures.”

Li Sheng, caught off guard by her sudden rage, pressed his pale lips together in a hard line. He looked up at Wei Li, regret flooding his expression as sweat beaded on his forehead. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...”

Trying to please her, he pushed her to the market to buy trinkets.

It was late autumn; the days were rainy and gloomy. The cold wind whipped the backs of old willows, making them sigh and rustle.

The townsfolk had only heard that a young woman had moved into the governor’s mansion, but few had seen her. Now, as she passed by, they saw she was indeed as lovely as rumored—especially those eyes.

They passed a mountain god’s temple. Wei Li patted her wheelchair, signaling Li Sheng to push her inside. The temple was bustling with incense, but with evening approaching, only a handful of worshippers remained. Upon seeing Li Sheng, the townsfolk quickly made way.

Draped in flowing white, a man stood in the distance watching Wei Li. His attire stood out starkly in the modern setting of the Republic era.

“Yue Shi!” Wei Li’s lips curved into a perfect smile. Before Yue Shi could approach, Wei Li rose and stumbled into his arms. Her run was unsteady, and she nearly fell into his embrace.

A surge of jealousy flared in Li Sheng’s heart. For Wei Li, to run meant her life was threatened, that she was fleeing—or that this person was so important she could endure the pain in her feet just to hold him tight.

And this man was real.

“Yue Shi, where have you been all these years? Every time I passed by, I searched for you, but you were never there.”

Yue Shi did not answer her, only meeting her gaze with confusion. His pale lips parted softly: “Ah Li...”

Wei Li sensed something amiss. In the past, he would always tease her, but now his brow was furrowed, as if burdened by an unspoken trouble.

Wei Li looked up, and between his tightly drawn gray-white brows, she caught a faint trace of a Buddhist mark. The excitement in her eyes vanished, replaced by an icy gleam. She shoved Yue Shi away, her eyes like twin volcanoes rimmed with red. “You’ve taken refuge in the Buddha?”