CHAPTER 94: CHAPTER 93: HUMAN HEAD FIEND

Seeing the empty heart cavity, Yu Nianzhao didn’t blink an eye. She raised her hand and grabbed at the void above the missing heart.

"This is evil!"

Yu Nianzhao casually tossed it away, letting Jiu Ying devour that wisp of evil. "This gatekeeper was targeted while he was alive."

[Slurp slurp...]

[Master, this is the taste of human-head evil. Pah, there’s even the taste of corpse oil on top. Really unpleasant.]

[No idea how many corpses were used to refine this human-head evil, it’s incredibly foul-smelling.]

"Human-head evil? Keeping it on a person long enough is to turn them into a zombie, but it takes a long time! And they even dug out the person’s heart. Clearly, the person behind this isn’t just trying to make zombies."

Yu Nianzhao pursed her red lips, lowering her head in thought.

"Human-head evil? Tch... this thing is insidious and vicious. I’ve heard from the ancestors that this kind of human-head evil needs many corpses to refine corpse oil to extract evil, and souls must be kneaded into it. It takes many lives to create it." Dongfang Chenyuan also came closer, feeling a chill at the sight of the corpse’s transformation.

"Your ancestors sure know a lot."

"Of course, they’re ancestors!" Dongfang Chenyuan scratched his head. "But this bizarre act of removing the heart is rare, if not done for zombies, then what’s it for?"

"Still unclear!" Yu Nianzhao shook her head honestly. "Even facing the corpse, I can’t divine any omens, and its soul was extracted, so I can’t make any sense. What’s certain is that the person behind this is definitely well-versed in Taoist magic. Your search area should be broad, don’t just focus on outside bandits."

"The Princess is right. As she said, expand the search especially near Shangjing’s Taoist temples, leave no one unchecked." Xie Jiuxiao ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Xie Jiuxiao, you were caught when he rose from the dead?"

"Hmm, no one expected his corpse to suddenly rise, but it happened in an instant. I was the closest at the time, so I got scratched."

"Then don’t strain yourself here. You were injured by him, the corpse evil has seeped in. This wound torments, rotten flesh keeps growing! If not for Mr Chen scraping the rotten flesh away constantly and the evil Qi protecting your body, you’d likely have become like this corpse." Yu Nianzhao glanced at the corpse with its long nails and blue-black face, truly unsightly.

"Does the Princess know how to treat this wound?"

"Mu Hongxuan, go fetch some glutinous rice and pomelo leaves!"

"Alright, Princess!"

For Xie Jiuxiao’s injury, Mu Hongxuan almost flew over rooftops and walls to fetch the items.

In front of everyone, Yu Nianzhao smeared a big handful of glutinous rice onto Xie Jiuxiao’s wound.

Sizzle sizzle!

Initially ordinary glutinous rice, upon contact with rotten flesh, made a strange noise. Whiffs of white smoke drifted from the wound, accompanied by an unpleasant smell of burning.

"Is glutinous rice this amazing?" Mr Chen, unfazed, drew closer to observe.

"To deal with corpse ghosts before, glutinous rice was primarily used, but I really haven’t seen it myself until now." Dongfang Chenyuan also widened his eyes, watching intently, finding it very peculiar.

Xie Jiuxiao’s body tensed, sweat beading on his forehead, lips pressed tightly, not making a sound.

"Pomelo leaf water!"

"Yes!"

Mu Hongxuan, acting like a lackey, did as Yu Nianzhao instructed, soon presenting the soaked pomelo water.

"Endure a bit!"

Yu Nianzhao remained composed, removing the glutinous rice and dousing the wound with pomelo water.

Sizzle sizzle!

If it felt like roasting meat earlier, now it was like alcohol stinging the wound.

Xie Jiuxiao’s forehead veins popped from the pain.

A wisp of black gas emerged from the wound, Yu Nianzhao quickly grabbed it.

"Alright, nothing major now. Regular dressing and healing will do." Yu Nianzhao glanced at the scratched wound, the exposed flesh had turned normal color, allowing Mr Chen to come forward for bandaging.

As Mr Chen bandaged, he cheerfully remarked, "Your Highness is lucky, finding such a wonderful Princess. If she wasn’t whisked away by you already, I’d introduce her to my grandson."

Xie Jiuxiao side-eyed him coldly, "Isn’t Mr Chen’s grandson still young?"

Mr Chen casually replied, "Sixteen years old, similar in age to the Princess, full of youthful vigor, surely they could get along."

"Princess, visit our Chen residence next time."

"Sure, Mr Chen, don’t be so formal, just call me Zhaozhao."

"Alright, Zhaozhao!" Mr Chen smiled brightly, growing even fonder of Yu Nianzhao, casually changing terms, ignoring Xie Jiuxiao’s murderous glare.

"Zhaozhao is my Princess, better let your naive grandson practice more!"

Once the wound was bandaged, Xie Jiuxiao tightened his clothes, and coldly commented.

Mr Chen chuckled, "Your Highness has quite the possessiveness. Once thought I’d never see you care about any girl in this lifetime, witnessing it now is fulfilling."

"I am not..."

"Your Highness, stop being contradictory, young girls love sweet talk, don’t be so cold like a block of ice, otherwise, her heart might not stay with you."

Mr Chen lowered his voice, earnestly advising with experienced seniority.

Xie Jiuxiao, "..."

Sweet talk?

Could he even say such things?

He opened his mouth, but ultimately stayed silent.

"Your Highness, can we finally return to the manor tonight?"

After absorbing evil Qi from Xie Jiuxiao for a while, warming up, Yu Nianzhao handed her heavy fox fur to Zhixi, grabbing Xie Jiuxiao’s arm and leaning over.

Having absorbed enough evil Qi, Yu Nianzhao was in much better spirits.

Feeling the soft warmth leaning against his arm, Xie Jiuxiao’s cold expression softened, he murmured, "Returning, wait here a moment, I’ll go with you!"

The jailers and wardens stared dumbfounded, so this is the real Prince Su?

Previously ruthless and heartless Prince Su turned out to be ruled by his wife?

"Alright!"

Yu Nianzhao happily roamed around the Imperial Jail, having had her fill of evil Qi.

"Princess, is there really a fierce ghost on me?" Having held back a while, Mu Hongxuan couldn’t resist asking, looking at her woefully, pointing at his shoulder.

"There was earlier, but now it’s gone!" Yu Nianzhao waved her hand dismissively.

Only then did Mu Hongxuan breathe a sigh of relief.