NEBM Chapter 49: Thrush

The painted skin demon could change into hundreds of faces. As a result, Shen Zhixian thought that it would take some effort to find her. But, who knew that she would run through the door by herself.

Thinking that this was too unexpected, he blocked the painted skin demon’s path and indirectly tried to her back into the room. The corners of the painted skin demon’s mouth lifted up into a smile. She said bashfully, “Don’t be so anxious. You must let slave prepare first…”

Her smile stretched. But, before it could completely widen, an imposing, invisible sword qi slammed into the door panel next to ear

A few fine strands of hair fluttered to the ground.

That faint sword ray came from Yan Jin, who silently resheath the sword he’d pulled out a fraction from the scabbard.

The painted skin demon straightened and politely held the door open for Shen Zhixian. “Young Master Sui, Young Master Yan, please.”

The servants in the next room were finally rescued by their belated companions. When they came to deliver tea, they were still somewhat terrified of the two men. They poured the tea with trembling hands and, once finished, hurried out.

Shen Zhixian went straight to the topic. “What is the Undead City that you mentioned yesterday?”

Yesterday, the painted skin demon sensed that they seemed to be interested in the Undead City. Today, she heard it again. She smiled and said, “But Madam Meng was a person who came out of the Undead City. Why are you asking me? You haven’t asked her?”

Her attitude toward Madam Meng seemed to be full of frivolousness. She joked without hesitation, “This Madam Meng is really loyal to Meng Yun. These two also haven’t…”

Yan Jin silently lifted his sword and rested it gently on the table, his thumb pressed against the sword hilt, as if prepared to pull out the sword at any moment.

“Ah-hem. The Undead City, it’s not a good place. It looked bright from the outside, but it’s actually a cage. Once you’re inside, it’s very hard to come out.” The painted skin demon raised her sleeve to cover her lips and coughed softly. “If you two planned to enter the Undead City, please be careful.”

“Why do you say this?”

When speaking of the Undead City, the charming smile on the painted skin demon’s face faded. She succinctly said, “It is said that in order to leave the Undead City, there is a price that must be paid.”

“What’s the price?”

The painted skin demon indifferently lifted the cover from her teacup and took a leisurely sip. “I don’t know. I only know that when I saw Madam Meng about a hundred years ago, she was just a small thrush bird–Ah, with bright red tail feathers. Very good-looking.”

Shen Zhixian thought of the little bird that was hiding in the courtyard last night. Unfortunately, it was covered in mud and he didn’t see the little bird’s tail feathers.

That courtyard was very strange. It can be assumed that the identity of the little chirping bird they’d found there wasn’t simple. It was also hard to tell what type of relationship it might have with Madam Meng.

Spirit seals and rusty locks. Madam Meng haunting the courtyard in the middle of the night. The little bird who’d escaped certain death. The difficult-to-leave Undead City.

It was as if there was an invisible thread connecting them.

Shen Zhixian felt that he’d hit upon the general truth, but the details were still elusive and there was no evidence.

He thoughtfully swished the tea cup in his hand, watching as the tea leaves floating on top of the hot water swirled about and asked softly, “A hundred years ago. It’s a long time…That little thrush, that is, Madam Meng, what’s her situation?”

He wanted to ask for the details, but the painted skin demon smiled and avoided answering directly. “The little thrush was a bird raised by a girl who used to sing in one of the pleasure boats…I see countless people daily, and it’s been such a long time. Even now, I’d forgotten what that girl looked like. How can I remember a little bird?”

Immediately after she finished speaking, she saw Yan Jin moved his hand slightly. She swallowed and hesitated. “Well, let me think about it again. Now that I think about it…After some time, that little thrush was able to gain a human shape. I would occasionally see her transform into a human figure and pretend to be a girl working in the pleasure boat. She was quite close to a guest…I don’t know anymore.”

As the painted skin demon recalled the past, she seemed a little lost. At that time, she’d happened to meet a demon who came from the Undead City and heard a bit about it. The things she’d heard frightened her. She’d tried her utmost to avoid that demon and ended up running away. How could she have time to care about that little thrush?

She only remembered vaguely…

Shen Zhixian placed his tea cup back on the saucer, making a crisp, clanging sound. The noise pulled the painted skin demon back from her distant memories. The charming beauty recollected with some uncertainty, “Mmm, whatever happened to that little thrush, I was too busy running and didn’t pay much attention to it.”

The painted skin demon stood up, half complaining and half angry. “Young Master Yan is so fierce. Young Master Sui, you shouldn’t care too much about him…” she whispered. But, she no longer cared about the two and went out the door.

……

Shen Zhixian and Yan Jin decided to stay longer in Yangzhou.

They no longer asked the painted skin demon questions. Madam Meng seemed to have fallen ill and no longer left the house. Meng Yun, whether it was because he’d turned over a new leaf or decided to epitomize the return of the prodigal son, stayed home the past few days and no longer frequented pleasure boats. He only left his residence to check up on his business shops when necessary and would only walk a round before returning home.

It was said that he was taking good care of his wife, but it was difficult to tell whether this was true or false.

At night, Shen Zhixian and Yan Jin secretly concealed their bodies and stole into the Meng Manor to see the little bird.

That little bird was afraid of death so when Shin Zhixian let it hide in a small crevice in the rock, it really stayed there.

It’d just rained this evening and the air was still moist. The little bird probably took the opportunity to take a bath and washed away all the mud on its body, revealing its original appearance. It jumped with flapping wings beside the rockery, muttering through its little bird’s beak.

It seemed to be singing something.

Shen Zhixian walked over silently and made a quiet gesture toward Yan Jin. He listened carefully to what the bird was singing.

Under the bleak moonlight, it wobbled in a circle and its little red tail feathers were revealed to their eyes.

“Tracing eyebrows and binding hairpin, the two lovers promised to stay true…Husband, ah…” The little bird seemed to be completely immersed in its own world, its wings pointed straight outward. “Do not turn your back on conjugal love…”

The clear and exquisitely beautiful voice turned out to be female.

It sounded very familiar.

Although Madam Meng had only spoken a few words with them, Shen Zhixian was very sensitive to sounds and immediately realized that this bird’s voice was very similar to Madam Meng’s voice. It was the little thrush with red tail feathers from a hundred years ago, which turned into a human female.

Shen Zhixian quickly thought about it and was analyzing the possible connection between them, when the little singing thrush suddenly changed its tune.

“Husband ah husband…so heartless!” The voice suddenly became a little sharp, filled with hatred and despair. The little thrush swayed and made another turn, staggering forward, as if chasing something. “Don’t run, don’t run ah…Come back and stay with me!”

The last note rose sharply. Shen Zhixian listened to its grievous shouts, shuddered, and pulled Yan Jin away. “Let’s go. This thrush is also abnormal.”

He must have figured something out and made up his mind. As a result, he was not in a hurry to disturb the thrush who sang alone and instead pulled Yan Jin quietly away.

Because they silently left the Meng’s residence, they didn’t witness when the singing thrush began to sob and wail, still in the voice of a female.

The pale moonlight illuminated it, casting a shadow on the ground. But, the shadow was not the small shadow of a bird.

It was…a figure.

Wearing a wide sleeve robe with slender wrist stretched out, five fingers outstretched, as if trying to catch something in vain.

After that night, Shen Zhixian began to explore around purposefully near Yangzhou City. On a hill near the outskirts of the city, he finally caught a weasel who was in a hurry to run.

Shen Zhixian caught it and asked, “Where are you running off to?”

There were so many mortals in Yangzhou City so it was understandable that there would be no minor demons nearby. But, even in the mountains, there were still no traces of them.

The spiritual qi in this place was abundant so there should be many minor demons. So, why were there none here?

The two of them were sword cultivators, emitting bitingly cold spiritual qi. The weasel felt the suppression of their powers and trembled. “Aiya, aiya. Immortal lords, please spare me. I’ve never harmed anyone, and haven’t even eaten any chicks…I’m really and truly a good weasel!”

Shen Zhixian conveniently threw an incantation and trapped it in place. “Then why are you trying to escape?…Why are there so few minor demons around here?”

The weasel ran into the barrier and realized it could not escape. It anxiously walked around in circles. “Can’t escape…Yangzhou City has a monster that will grab us small demons from time to time and turn us into a sumptuous meal. If I don’t run, then I’ll be caught and eaten!”

Shen Zhixian motioned for it to continue talking.

The weasel face was bitter. “A few years ago, a terrible monster suddenly appeared in Yangzhou City. After a period of time, it attracted many wandering souls and minor demons… Those who were attracted never returned! They all must have been eaten!”

The weasel’s eyes were thick with fear and its body shivered as it said pleadingly, “There are now fewer and fewer minor demons here. Most of them are gone. I don’t want to stay here either. Who knows when I’ll be caught and eaten? I really haven’t done any bad things. Immortal lords, please be charitable and let me go…”

Shen Zhixian lifted the barrier and the panicked weasel bowed down to them, thanked them for their grace, and ran away in a hurry.

As he looked at the weasel’s hurriedly departing back, Shen Zhixian’s eyes flashed in contemplation. He tilted his head to look at Yan Jin and softly said, “A’jin, be prepared to fight.”

Shen Zhixian began to carefully study the formation.

He made up his mind to get rid of that strange little courtyard in the Meng’s residence. After investigating for several days, he had already determined that there was a demon in the courtyard. At intervals, the formation would be used to attract many little demons and wandering souls so that the courtyard demon could devour it.

The reason the demon was devouring so madly was perhaps to strengthen its own power, perhaps for other reasons… Regardless, Shen Zhixian will not allow it to continue to exist here.

When the Spirit Attraction Seal could no longer attract minor demon beasts and wandering spirits, who knows what the monster will do?

This was Yan Jin’s first foray in the Jianghu. His qualifications were still low. Nevertheless, it must be done for the sake of the people living here.

They decided to first set up a secret formation around the small courtyard to prevent the devil qi within from overflowing and harming ordinary people.

But, when it came to battling, Shen Zixian had no actual experience and his knowledge was mostly superficial. Unlike Yan Jin, who’d learned a bit about formations to prepare for the incident at Shilian Mountain….Moreover, he also had his protagonist’s golden finger, which will surely come in handy. Therefore, in this battle, Yan Jin will have to exert himself.

After a few days of muddling through setting up a proper formation, Shen Zhixian caught Yan Jin watching the celestial constellation overnight. After pondering for a long time, he finally realized that the moment when the moonlight was the weakest and the power of heaven and earth was the most sparse…

Would perhaps leave the demon at its weakest point.

They discussed the matter again and finally decided to head over to the pleasure boat.

Anyway, the painted skin demon was still a demon who’d lived for hundreds of years. Although she can’t fight, she should have at least some life-saving abilities. There was not only the demon in the Meng Manor, but also many ordinary people. Although they’d already set up a formation, it’s better to recruit a free labor force just in case.

As they walked toward the pleasure house, a woman suddenly came out from inside, wearing a veil and holding a long scroll in her hand. She hurried away.

This figure was a little familiar. Shen Zhixian’s thoughts moved slightly, and he quietly whispered an incantation. A gust of wind blew across the woman’s veil, revealing a calm face—Madam Meng.

Shen Zhixian thoughtfully watched her leave before entering the pleasure boat.

He found the painting skin demon packing up a pile of wasted paper. When she saw them, she smiled and said, “What a coincidence. That person from Meng Manor just left.”

The painted skin demon balled up the wasted paper and threw it randomly in into the brazier. The flames leaped up instantly, devouring the wasted paper cleanly. Finally, she extinguished the flames and casually said, “It took a lot of wasted paper before finally painting…”

Shen Zhixian asked casually: “Painting what?”

“Madam Meng asked me to draw a painting depicting Meng Yun tracing her eyebrows and placing a hairpin in her hair. She feared Meng Yun might disturb their relationships and wanted this painting as a means of helping them reconcile. I’d exhausted myself painting until she was satisfied.”

Shen Zhixian was thinking about the plan for tomorrow night and wasn’t too concerned when he heard the painted skin demon spoke. But then, he jerked to attention as realization dawned–Tracing the eyebrows and inserting the hairpin?

Wasn’t that the song that the thrush was singing?!

The thrush’s song resounded in Shen Zhixian’s mind. He was stunned. Then, he abruptly stood up and hurried out. “Something’s going to happen!”

———————
Xixi: Gongzi had been changed to Young Master.