Zi Yiyi asked flatly, no longer daring to underestimate the blind boy.
"They don’t know... If they knew, wouldn’t it be easier to catch the Ghost Mite Mother and put it in Qiao Xiuying’s body?"
Though You Su spoke this way, there wasn’t any sign of disappointment on his face.
Zi Yiyi lowered her gaze, her regard for the boy growing even higher.
Once Qiao Xiuyun had vented her emotions, the steward from the City Lord’s estate found them. It seemed like the arrangement of the head Elder, as the steward had learned everything that happened.
He promised to cooperate unconditionally with You Su in all investigations and accompanied everyone to cremate Qiao Xiuying’s corpse, thoughtfully holding a ritual for her on the seventh day.
After their busy endeavors, it was already nearing dusk.
In the shimmering dusk, the setting sun was adorned with a golden edge, as the group walked slowly down the street, their shadows stretching long behind them.
Qiao Xiuyun clutched her sister’s urn and suddenly heard a faint sound, exclaiming:
"There’s something in the urn!"
She quickly opened it and found a note buried in the refined ash.
The envelope was intact, and the seal bore the words "To Mr. Ye."
With puzzled gazes upon him, You Su stored it in the Qiankun Bag and began to read via Divine Sense.
Inside the envelope were two sheets of paper; one was left by Xiang Wenting, the other three were signed by Qiao Xiuying.
The page from Xiang Wenting was simple, starting with a series of gratitude and ending with a helpless offering of Xiuyun’s three diaries to help find the Ghost Mite Mother.
You Su started reading Qiao Xiuying’s letters.
They documented the girl’s journey from Black Rock City.
Born by the sea, she, like everyone there, yearned to escape the barren and perilous black sands.
Most people there didn’t have the will to leave, believing they were destined to belong there, confined to land delineated by immortals. To leave would require a cost unimaginable to them.
But the girl was different; her resolve went beyond thoughts, with actions to follow it through.
She was the village’s most industrious girl, even though the land produced no crops; she would often walk miles to the sea, striving to gather fish to sell.
Once by chance, she found a red fish she’d never seen before; thinking it an exotic deep-sea fish, she found it was a loathsome sea creature of legend.
It wasn’t a fish, but a blood-red worm, living off the blood and breath of humans.
Nine years old and terrified, she considered handing it to the official. Yet a rumor told of a neighboring village being punished for doing the same, for such creatures shouldn’t cross the coast’s Divine Radiance Stone - those handing them over were blamed for bringing them inland.
Helpless, she fed the worm with a mixture of pig, chicken, and her own blood. Fortunately, it was small and non-aggressive, intimately attached to her like a pet.
Gradually her fear faded, later finding a colorful centipede, equally tame.
When her sister was born, she realized life-long fishing or farming couldn’t save enough for a house inland, confining them to the black rock.
She wavered; feeling she had to leave, that sheep within the pen couldn’t open the door but those outside could.
The centipede resting on her neck fueled her daring dreams of escape. With determination she grew to adulthood, knowing it was time to go.
A capable outsider came, seeking female workers around Black Rock City; she was the first and only chosen.
Knowing it likely a trap to sell her into a courtesan house, she accepted for herself, her sister, and family.
Her beauty led her to become a favored courtesan.
Thus she met Mr. Xiang, expelled for lacking talent from Spirit Treasure Sect.
Dejected from his father’s cruel rebuke, Xiang Wenting sought to abandon years of celibate cultivation in a brothel.
She entertained him, their kindred broken souls entwined, spiraling into love.
But he couldn’t marry her; his father, the City Lord, refused a courtesan for a wife.
To confront him, Xiang used secrets against his father, faced banishment for his defiance.
Then a letter from her sister detailed twenty flying immortals seen back home, igniting envy.
It woke Qiao Xiuying’s desire, knowing a wealthy clan couldn’t buy her escape, she embraced Ghost Mite power to gift her flesh as sacrifice.
Upon Xiang Wenting’s release, she ascended to immortality.
Upon hearing her dealings, Xiang showed concern, cherishing her beyond any wrongdoing.
Lovers unperturbed by appearances.
But it surfaced, City Lord detected traces of deceit. Xiang endured blame willingly using the creatures, as his father did.
Yes, the City Lord secretly courted the malicious, cause of Xiang’s mother’s early death.
No recognition for their love, yet poison in her meals quickened demise.
The centipede warned too late.
She prepared for death, sent all savings home, assuring family happiness in her settled fate.
The pregnant worm sent away, the lovely centipede stayed with Xiang.
Thus ended her tragic life.
Deep into the night, Ji Lingruo and Zi Yiyi sat in You Su’s chamber, hearing Qiao Xiuying’s tale whilst Qiao Xiuyun slept in the next room.
"Turns out, she wasn’t the Ghost Mite Mother but indeed the source," lamented Zi Yiyi, "So was Xiang Wenting innocent after all? Truly uninvolved with evil but subject to execution."
"It’s his decision; I chose to assist him."
You Su replied, devoid of joy or sorrow.
"Why? You didn’t know these stories at first, when did he tell you?" Zi Yiyi curiously asked.
"Did Yiyi forget? From finding Qiao Xiuying’s body to it all, he stirred the pot behind. Making me see him as the source. Unaware, I sensed his desire for death and obliged. You might call it... Men’s accord."
Zi Yiyi realized traces of clarity, considering how the case fractured, Xiang Wenting using Cailing to self-destruct.
"Why insist on death, implicating his father?" Ji Lingruo frowned, baffled.
"Consorting with evil implicates kin. Unable to protect his love, he defended her family. Forsook his crazed father as father, lacking power for patricide. He burdened the sin, enabling others for Qiao Xiuying’s revenge."
You Su sighed lightly, tragedy revealing no winner, all was lost. What role did the feared evil play?
The two women pondered, silent from celestial-mortal love’s sadness.
Zi Yiyi clearer sooner, focused on exorcising:
"Sadly the diary doesn’t help find the Ghost Mite Mother."
You Su shook his head:
"No, it’s helpful. The diary shows malevolence, too, has feeling!"
"You... What do you mean?"
You Su abruptly retrieved the Exorcism Order, placing two young ghost mites on the table.
Gone was his wistful look, speaking firmly:
"Use its offspring as bait, lure it out!"