Chapter Twenty-Nine: Big Sister Has Arrived

At dusk, a trio arrived at the seat of Tongyang Prefecture.

They made their way to the Demon Slayer Bureau with practiced familiarity. A swarthy man was already waiting for them in the main hall. Gu Xian looked up to see a figure standing nearly eight feet tall, clad in the black official robes of the Demon Slayer Division. A silver badge hung from his waist, and he exuded a faint, ferocious aura that made him appear as imposing as a black bear.

Upon seeing Xia Qinghe and her companions, the man’s stern expression softened into a smile.

"Qinghe, you’ve arrived?"

The swarthy man then turned his gaze to Gu Xian. "This must be Immortal Master Gu. I have read the battle report from Fengyang City; you are truly a young hero."

Gu Xian waved his hand modestly. "Lord Chu, you are too kind. I am unworthy of such praise."

The man clapped a heavy hand on Gu Xian’s shoulder and laughed heartily. "No need to be so formal. I am a few years your senior; if you don't mind, just call me Brother Chu, and I shall take the liberty of calling you Brother Gu."

Gu Xian readily agreed.

After some pleasantries, Xia Qinghe asked, "Old Chu, you called us here in such a hurry—what exactly has happened?"

According to their plans upon leaving Fengyang City, the three had intended to travel at their leisure toward a certain secret realm. However, a major case had occurred in Tongyang Prefecture in recent days. The local Commissioner, who held significant connections within the Demon Slayer Division, had learned by chance that the trio would be passing through and had reached out to them. Xia Qinghe had received his message just as they were departing from a roadside tea stall.

Once they had all taken their seats, Chu Yang began his explanation.

"Ever since the battle at Fengyang City, the number of demonic practitioners appearing throughout the Great Feng Empire has surged. For the past month, a large number of young boys and girls have gone missing in Tongyang City. At first, I didn't think much of it and simply sent one of my bronze-badge subordinates to investigate."

"But just this afternoon, their corpses were suddenly discovered in a dilapidated house in the west of the city. I felt something was terribly wrong, so I immediately sent for you."

The three nodded, finally grasping the gravity of the situation. Gu Xian asked, "Brother Chu, do you have an exact count of the missing children?"

Chu Yang answered without hesitation, "Thirteen in total, boys and girls combined."

Gu Xian spoke softly, "When I was on the mountain, I read many miscellaneous books. One story spoke of a demonic giant from five hundred years ago who refined pills using the vital essence of young boys and girls. It bears a striking resemblance to this case."

The others nodded; such vicious methods were indeed characteristic of demonic cultists.

However, the man in the green shirt continued, "But the demonic practitioner from five hundred years ago abducted 108 boys and girls born with 'Pure Yin' fates. The numbers don't seem to match."

"Pure Yin fate?" Xia Qinghe murmured, then looked at the man in the main seat. "Old Chu, have you determined the birth dates and times of the missing children?"

In the world of immortal cultivation, practitioners are highly sensitive to birth dates and times. A "Pure Yin" fate refers to someone born in a year, month, day, and hour of pure Yin. Ordinary people possess strong innate Yang energy, but those with a Pure Yin fate combined with Yin energy are excellent candidates for cultivation.

Chu Yang stood up. "I will have someone look into it immediately." He then added, "It is getting late; I have already prepared lodgings for you. Rest after you have eaten."

Xia Qinghe glanced at Gu Xian and said, "There is no rush. Let us first go and examine the house where the bronze-badge officers' bodies were found."

Chu Yang considered this and agreed, "That would be for the best."

Before long, the group arrived outside a residence in the west of the city. Demon Slayer guards stood at the entrance, standing at attention upon seeing Chu Yang.

As they stepped through the gate, they were met by a spirit wall, its surface covered in mottled cracks from years of neglect. As they walked inside, Chu Yang explained, "This residence has three courtyards. It originally belonged to a wealthy merchant from Qingzhou who came here for business. Later, he offended someone, and his entire family was slaughtered overnight—not even the poultry was spared. It has been a notorious haunted house ever since, left abandoned for many years."

He chuckled, "According to the locals, one can often hear singing coming from the house at night, though I cannot say if it is true or false."

The group exchanged glances. As practitioners, they knew that ghosts and malevolent spirits were very real.

They pushed open the doors, passed through corridors, and soon reached the innermost courtyard. Seven corpses lay on the ground, all dressed in the uniforms of the Demon Slayer Division. The bodies were already showing signs of decay, and the stench was overwhelming.

They approached to observe. Each victim wore a look of terror, as if they had encountered an unspeakable horror before death. In the center of every chest was a hole the size of a copper coin, the edges blackened as if ink had bled into the flesh.

Gu Xian activated his True Sight and looked down. Wisps of residual black energy clung to the bodies.

"It is undoubtedly the work of the demonic path," he stated with certainty. He then asked, "Who discovered these bodies?"

Chu Yang replied quietly, "Residents nearby. They smelled the rot this morning, and a few brave ones climbed the wall, saw this scene, and hurried to report it to the authorities."

They searched the bodies but found no useful clues. Chu Yang looked at Yang Mao. "It is up to you."

Yang Mao nodded and walked to the side of the corpses. With a flick of his wrist, a sword made of copper coins appeared in his palm. He stepped in a ritual pattern, formed a hand seal, and began to chant.

Soon, a cold, ghostly wind began to swirl through the courtyard. Before joining the Demon Slayer Division, Yang Mao had spent years wandering the world with an old Taoist priest, who had taught him an incomplete technique for gathering the lingering souls of the dead. After joining the Division, he had used his merits to complete the technique. It was his greatest asset, and the reason he was frequently called upon by various departments whenever they encountered a thorny problem.

Before long, a phantom shadow began to coalesce in the courtyard, eventually taking the form of a child of seven or eight.

The group sensed something was wrong. Yang Mao pointed the coin sword at the figure. "Who are you?"

The child’s spirit was dazed at first, but upon seeing the group and the terrifying killing intent they radiated, it burst into loud, wailing tears.

"Waaaah..." The child’s soul sat on the ground, crying out, "Big sister, save me! There are bad people here!"

Gu Xian stepped forward quickly, his aura surging like a tide, instantly enveloping the child. He chided, "Stop crying."

The child shuddered, lowered its head, and stopped wailing. It stole a fearful glance at Gu Xian, thinking to itself that this man was very fierce.

Gu Xian’s True Sight revealed clearly that the child was indeed dead, now existing only as a ghost. The man in the green shirt softened his tone. "Did you live here?"

The child nodded blankly.

At that moment, cold winds whipped up all around them, and the bright moonlight was suddenly swallowed by dark clouds. The surroundings fell into a deathly silence, but soon, a mournful melody from a zither drifted in from an unknown source.

The child’s eyes lit up. "Big sister is here."