IMMFBCG Chapter 50

Chapter 50: The Copper Coin Talisman

“Deng Fei?”

Ye Xue looked surprised, but with the cramped space in the coffin, she couldn’t move or see the body beneath them.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “Didn’t he already finish clearing out the tomb? How could he end up here?”

Yu Qi, also puzzled, looked at the person in the coffin under the faint glow of light. “Yes,” he confirmed. “It’s him.”

As the air in the coffin began to thin, Ye Xue worried about how long Deng Fei had been trapped there. To protect him, she pressed a Sanqing protection talisman to his chest and began thinking of a way to break the coffin open.

Yu Qi cautiously raised his hand and pushed against the lid. It was heavy; something seemed to be pressing down from above.

“We’ll need some sort of tool,” he noted.

Ye Xue didn’t have any sharp objects, and her sword, made of jade, was meant only for fighting evil, not for breaking wood. After a moment’s thought, she asked, “Yu Qi, do you have a knife or anything similar?”

He seemed to remember something. “Yes.” He took out a dagger and warned her, “Step back a little so you don’t get hurt.”

She shifted as best as she could in the limited space. Seeing she was ready, Yu Qi inserted the dagger into a small crack at the back of the coffin, trying to pry it open. Despite his efforts, the lid barely moved, as the weight above was pressing down too hard.

Taking a deep breath, he braced himself and tried again.

Just then, a familiar voice sounded from above. “Taoist Ye! Mr. Yu! Are you there?” It was Bao Wenxuan.

Hearing the voice, Ye Xue called back, “Yes, we’re here!”

Bao Wenxuan sounded relieved. “Where are you exactly?”

“We’re right beneath you,” Ye Xue replied.

Yu Qi seemed to realize the source of the weight pressing down. “Bao Wenxuan, step away from the coffin lid. Don’t stand on top of it.”

“Oh, right!” There was some shuffling above as Bao moved. “Okay, I’m off it now!”

With a final push, Yu Qi managed to crack the lid open, letting dim light filter in.

They climbed out to find that when Bao was pushed into the sedan chair, it had landed on top of the coffin, adding extra weight. Yu Qi climbed out and extended a hand to help Ye Xue up.

As she finally got a clear look at Deng Fei inside the coffin, she saw his face was pale, completely devoid of color.

Noticing that they were still moving, Ye Xue peered outside the sedan chair and saw the Red and White Spirits together, carrying both the coffin and the sedan chair forward in a haunting, eerie procession. The direction they were headed? The cliff’s edge at the mountain’s peak.

Yu Qi, seeing this too, muttered, “They’re planning to throw us over the cliff.”

Bao Wenxuan gasped. “They stole our path, and now they’re going to throw us off? Have they no manners?”

Despite the tense moment, Ye Xue couldn’t help but smile at his remarks.

Observing the sunlight peeking faintly through the trees, she steadied herself. “It’s almost noon,” she said.

Yu Qi understood instantly. At noon, the sun’s energy is at its peak. He opened the curtains on either side of the sedan.

Ye Xue pulled a Yin-Yang Bagua mirror from her bag and drew out her sword, one hand gripping the mirror, the other the blade.

Bao Wenxuan watched, bewildered by their actions. When he noticed the looming cliff edge, his voice trembled, “We’re almost at the top!”

At this rate, they’d be tossed over soon.

Ye Xue kept an eye on the sun, waiting for it to reach its zenith. When it did, she bit her finger and smeared her blood onto the sword’s blade, warning the others, “Move back!”

Yu Qi quickly pulled Bao Wenxuan away to clear the space. Gripping the sword tightly, Ye Xue swung it hard.

With a burst of dazzling light, the sword slashed through the sedan, shattering it to pieces.

The Red and White Spirits were forced back, glaring at Ye Xue with bitter, hollow eyes. Summoned by her energy, sunlight gathered into the mirror, intensifying into a blinding golden-red glow that spread outward.

Each ray hit the evil spirits directly.

They let out agonized screams, casting one last resentful look before leaping over the cliff and vanishing mid-air.

The coffin lost its support and fell to the ground, disintegrating into pieces of white funeral paper.

Those in the sedan tumbled down as well. Exhausted, Ye Xue nearly stumbled, but Yu Qi caught her, steadying her.

No one paid attention as Bao Wenxuan and Deng Fei landed unceremoniously on the ground. Bao groaned, clutching his aching back. “Mr. Yu, I was closest to you. Couldn’t you have helped me too?”

Yu Qi, after checking that Ye Xue was unharmed, replied coolly, “I didn’t have another hand to spare.”

Bao Wenxuan, still in pain, held back further complaints as he watched Yu Qi’s hand resting steadily on Ye Xue’s arm.

Ye Xue turned to him and said softly, “I’m alright now, Yu Qi.”

He nodded, but his hand stayed firm on her arm.

Using his support to steady herself, Ye Xue noticed the ground scattered with red and white paper. “So, the coffin and sedan were made from paper,” she observed.

She was about to check on Deng Fei when he began to stir. Struggling to sit up, he looked around in confusion. “Where am I? Was I kidnapped?”

Ye Xue couldn’t help but smile wryly. “Brother Deng Fei, I’d love to know how you got here too.”

Hearing her familiar voice, he looked up, surprised. “Ye Xue? You’re here too?”

Dusting off bits of funeral paper, Ye Xue explained, “If I hadn’t come, you’d have been thrown off a cliff by now.”

At that, Deng Fei went pale. He looked up at the towering mountain. If he’d been thrown from here, he’d have been completely crushed.

“I… I remember I went to clear some weeds this morning,” he began. “Afterward, I came home and lay down, and then I heard music. The next thing I knew, I was in this place.”

He’d likely been influenced by the White Spirit’s mourning music, Ye Xue realized. With his luck running low, it had easily affected him.

The Red and White Spirits, hit by the Bagua mirror’s power, wouldn’t return anytime soon.

Yu Qi noticed Ye Xue’s pale face and suggested, “Let’s go back.”

She nodded and tried to take a few steps, but her strength gave out, and she almost fell.

Yu Qi caught her just in time. Noticing her unsteady steps, he asked in a low voice, “Want me to carry you?”

Before Ye Xue could reply, Bao Wenxuan chimed in with a grin, “Hey, why don’t I take over? I’m strong and fit—I could walk for miles without even breaking a sweat!”

Yu Qi gave him a calm glance, making Bao Wenxuan’s words catch in his throat. He quickly redirected his attention to Deng Fei. “Mr. Deng, need a hand?”

Deng Fei looked confused. “Uh? No, I’m fine—I can still walk.”

Ignoring the others, Yu Qi turned his back to Ye Xue and crouched down.

Ye Xue wrapped her arms around his neck, resting against him as he easily lifted her.

With her head leaning on his shoulder, Ye Xue felt a surprising sense of calm. She tightened her arms around him and said softly, “Let’s go.”

Yu Qi’s eyes softened instantly, a smile spreading across his face. “Alright.”

The two of them started down the mountain, and Bao Wenxuan and Deng Fei quickly followed.

As they walked, Ye Xue noticed the village was still some distance away, especially to her secluded home. Deng Fei had already parted ways.

Seeing the long path ahead, Yu Qi asked suddenly, “Bao Wenxuan, where do you live?”

Bao Wenxuan was caught off guard. “Huh?”

Yu Qi repeated his question, then added, “She needs to rest.”

Bao Wenxuan glanced over Yu Qi’s shoulder to find Ye Xue had dozed off against him, resting quietly. Realizing, he responded, “Oh—just up ahead.”

Yu Qi nodded slightly and continued walking.

Ye Xue stirred as she heard the sound of a key turning. Opening her eyes, she saw they were already at Bao Wenxuan’s place.

After unlocking the door, Bao Wenxuan turned on all the lights.

Ye Xue signaled for Yu Qi to set her down.

Seeing her awake, he asked, “Why not sleep a little longer?”

Ye Xue shook her head. “I’m feeling much better.”

She settled on the couch as Bao Wenxuan asked, “What can I get you both to drink?”

Yu Qi replied, “Anything is fine.”

Feeling a bit thirsty, Ye Xue said, “Just a glass of water, please.”

Bao Wenxuan chuckled. “Sure, water it is!”

He headed out to the backyard, which was quite a ways from the living room. After a few minutes, he returned with three bottles of mineral water.

Ye Xue looked at him, surprised. “I thought you’d get well water—I figured that’s what we’d drink.”

Laughing, Bao Wenxuan replied, “Oh, well water’s too cold! Didn’t want you getting an upset stomach.”

Ye Xue took her bottle but didn’t open it, feeling a bit weak. Yu Qi noticed and offered her his bottle, which was already open. “Here, drink this.”

Ye Xue took it and drank a few sips, feeling her strength gradually returning.

Bao Wenxuan opened his bottle and sat down beside them, sipping water. Ye Xue stretched her legs a little and felt something in her way. Looking down, she saw it was a backpack.

“Why did you leave this here?” she asked.

Bao Wenxuan glanced at it nonchalantly and said, “Oh, just some cheap stuff I got for twenty bucks. Thought I’d leave it lying around.”

Ye Xue couldn’t help but laugh. “You even brought that along!”

“It’s just a habit! You never know if someone might be interested—might even make a sale.”

Yu Qi glanced at it briefly before turning his attention elsewhere.

Noticing her wrist was dirty, Ye Xue asked, “Where’s your faucet? I’d like to wash up.”

Bao Wenxuan pointed to the backyard. “Out there.”

The backyard had two guest rooms, a water well, and a faucet beside it.

Ye Xue washed her hands, but as she was about to leave, the cord on her backpack broke.

Attached to it was a talisman charm made of copper coins strung together with a red cord—a gift from Ye Yangyun. Now, with the cord snapped, the coins scattered everywhere.

She crouched down, counting the coins and realizing one was missing. After searching around the yard, she finally spotted it near the guest room.

The guest room door was slightly ajar, swaying in the breeze.

The last coin had rolled inside.

Ye Xue stepped in to retrieve it, but as she straightened up, she froze. Her face turned pale.

Under the bed lay a faint, transparent soul, eyes closed in what seemed like a deep slumber.

And it had Bao Wenxuan’s face.

Slowly, Ye Xue turned toward the main house.

If this was Bao Wenxuan’s soul…

Then who was the person talking to them outside?