On the shore of Dongyue Lake, the sun rises from behind the mountain.

As soon as the morning dawned, the sky was covered with black light.

There was a gazebo by the lake for people to rest, and Ling Ning was lying on a bench in the pavilion with his arms on his pillow.

She holds the rod in her other hand and pulls it a few times from time to time to see if there are any fish to eat.

...... Ling Ning squinted, also skeptical of his choice.

Two days ago, she completed this outing.

She got enough rune paper from Xun Niang's hand, a full 2,300 sheets, which had been used by the Secretariat for a long time. In the entire office, Xiao Rin no longer needed the medium of rune paper. Xiao Yin and Xiao Li don't need it anymore, she heard Xiao Rin say that these two guys have reached the peak of the mortal genus, and it won't take long for them to cultivate into the god genus. When they cultivate to infinite strength and become divine lifeforms, they will not choose the path of the Fu Seal in accordance with the talent endowments of the two.

Xiao Song is a monster, and when it encounters confusion in its cultivation, Xiao Rin asks his friend from the coffee shop to help with it.

As for herself...... She's a zombie!

You know, monks need a special kind of vitality when drawing rune paper.

That is the purple qi formed by the combination of yin and yang.

And this kind of purple qi that every cultivator possesses, but it is a kind of vitality that all zombies don't like.

Well, although it is not as strong as Yuanchen's spiritual quality for zombies.

It is precisely because the Yin World Affairs Department does not have much demand for rune paper, in the past few years, Xiao Rin has been sent to her by Luo Ya to deal with it...... Of course, although they don't have much demand, they can't do without rune paper. In addition to the remuneration received for completing tasks, the sale of rune paper to customers is also one of the sources of income for the Agency. If there is no rune paper to sell, Xiao Rin will definitely want to reduce her pocket money in various names!

These 2,300 pieces of rune paper are enough for the Department to use for several years.

According to Ling Ning's understanding of herself, she should have left yesterday. At this time, she should have returned to Fenghua City. According to her character, when she goes back, she will definitely show off to Xiao Rin. And then...... Of course, it's a good night's sleep and a week's stay.

But!

This is not the case.

Yesterday, she rejected Shunniang's offer to send her away. Ling Ning always felt that there was something else...... She felt as if she had a reason not to leave the garden. Strange, really weird...... Do you like it here?

Thinking of this, Ling Ning glanced up at the sun that was revealing the mountain.

The bright sunlight fell on her, dispelling the cold of the night.

A beam of light rested on her exposed skin, with a warm touch.

Is it because of this?

No...... No.

Although she could soak up the sunshine and make her happy, Ling Ning could guarantee that she didn't like this place, let alone this garden! In this kind of garden, she always felt some kind of inexplicable sense of peeping, which made her extremely uncomfortable!

In that case, what did she care......

Why do you feel like you shouldn't leave?

Just as Ling Ning was deep in thought, there was a tugging sensation from the fishing rod in her hand.

She didn't care, but the people around her couldn't stand it.

"I said you girl, saying that you were looking for me to fish, but you ended up lying down and sleeping by yourself. You see, there are fish eating bait, and you don't react at all...... What kind of fish are you catching!" The old man, who had waited for a long time and didn't wait for the fish, saw that Ling Ning was so careless, he immediately blew his beard and glared, and those spotted white beards flew away.

"Haha, God has the virtue of a good life~" Seeing that the old man was angry, Ling Ning immediately opened his eyes.

She ran to the old man's side and said flatteringly, "Besides, isn't it for your sake of saving face? Come to think of it, you are an old-timer, and you said before that you would teach me how to fish." If I catch a fish and you don't, it's shameless. Do you say it~"

"It's your head, look at how many I've caught!" the old man in black put down his fishing rod and pointed to the barrel beside him, where there were already three small fish. Although he is not big, he is still much stronger than Ling Ning.

"I still want to make the old man embarrassed, you girl is not enough to work. ”

"Haha, doesn't it make you even more skilled. Ling Ning smiled flatteringly.

And I heard that. ”

The old man put down his fishing rod and picked up the dry tobacco beside him and took a few puffs.

He exhaled the smoke rings and looked up at the sunrise.

"I said Ning girl, you said that you also took the rune paper, and you also did it as a guest, why do you still keep it. ”

Ling Ning complained a little unhappily: "Old man, I'm still a guest at the Su family, how can you drive people like this." ”

"I'm not from the Su family, and the guests of the Su family aren't my guests. The old man threw up a few more circles.

"Ah, aren't you from the Su family?" Ling Ning was a little surprised: "I heard Aunt Xun say that she comes and goes between here and the outside world, but you are the ferryman...... You really aren't from the Su family?"

"Of course not. ”

"Then why did you ferry?"

"I live on a boat, and I'm kind of neighbors with this family. The old man knocked on the cigarette gun and said as a matter of course: "Besides, I'm idle anyway, how boring it would be if I didn't find something." ”

"And who are you...... Do you live on a boat?" Ling Ning suddenly guessed something: "That canopy boat is the 'spirit' of the path to seclusion, and you live on the boat...... Old man, no wonder Aunt Xun called you the old boat, it turns out that you are the ship. ”

"Hmph, you girl still has a bit of knowledge. The old man did not deny it.

"By the way, old man, since you are the ship, do you know what is special about the Su family? Why did they quit the Demon Slayer Family? Why did they live in seclusion here...... By the way, there's one more thing I'm concerned about. ”

After a pause, Ling Ning leaned close to the old man's ear and asked in a low voice, "Why are there fewer and fewer people in the Su family?"

"Ning girl, you have asked too many things. ”

"Then you can pick a few to answer me, I am not picky. ”

"Su family...... If it weren't for the fact that their ancestors were still smart and quit the demon slaying business early, this family would have been gone a long time ago. Ning girl, let me tell you a story. ”

"Okay, you will, I'll listen. Ling Ning looked like a good baby.

"Legend has it that a long, long time ago, there was a place where there was a desolate and ordinary hillside, but after a night when the heavens and the earth were fire, the hillside was no longer desolate and ordinary. By the time it was found again, the hillside had been covered with countless beautiful flowers. Human beings are a curious life, and after knowing this place, many people have found this place one after another. They never went back......"

"And then?"

"Young people should be patient. The old man muttered dissatisfiedly, and continued: "About ten years later, no one will dare to come near that hillside. Not far from that hillside, there is a small village, and since that thunderstorm night more than ten years ago, people have said that there are monsters in the village. A demon slayer happened to be passing by the village after learning to go down the mountain, so he helped them kill the monster hiding in the village...... The people in the village saw that the demon killer was so powerful, so they asked him to go to the hillside to have a look. Alas, there is such a dangerous place near the village, and the people in the village are not at ease. ”

The demon slayer also didn't listen to persuasion, and as soon as others asked for this, he went. ”

Ling Ning listened attentively: "Then what happened to him?"

"He was lucky enough to get out of that hillside alive...... It's strange to say, he is gone, and the flowers on the hillside are gone. The demon slayer was retained by the villagers, and he met his wife in the village. In order to protect this beautiful village, he has no mercy on those monsters. The demon slayer felt that he could give everything to protect this beautiful village and his wife and children. ”

Eventually, he died. This extraordinary, powerful demon slayer only lived to be thirty-five years old. When he was thirty-five years old, the village was confronted by a very powerful youkai. Let me think about it, that youkai must have become the real me. It's also a shame that the demon slayer is the one who kills the monster, although it is difficult, but the powerful demon slayer still kills this monster...... But something strange happened, and not long after the youkai died, the demon exterminator also died, and died silently. ”

"Don't think that's the end of it, the demon killer is dead, but the story is not over. His heirs also succeeded him and became demon slayers...... This is true of each generation, and each generation, like the original demon slayers, dies long before their life expectancy is reached. After many years like this, this family of demon slayers has become a highly respected family of demon slayers, but the people of this family are becoming more and more frightened. No matter how high their cultivation is and how revered they are, they can't change their doomed death...... The time of death became earlier and earlier, from the initial age of thirty-five, to the time of twenty-five. ”

"This family is cursed?"

"Who knows...... However, the more youkai you kill, the faster the family will die. ”

Speaking of this, the old man seemed to have discovered something, and he didn't say anything.

He walked quickly onto the canopy boat by the pavilion and shouted to Ling Ning: "Ning girl, it's dawn, I'll go to the boat to cook fish and eat." If you're fine, go ahead. ”

"Don't go, the story isn't over yet. "Leave halfway through this story, of course Ling Ning is unwilling.

She's not stupid, of course she can hear the origin of the demon slayer family in this story.

Outside the gazebo, Xun Niang walked in.

"Xiao Ning, what story are you telling with the boat boss?"

She was dressed in goose yellow clothes, elegant and pleasant.

looked at the old boat who left in a hurry, and then looked at Ling Ning: "Why is the old boat so afraid of me?"

She was a little surprised: "I also like to listen to stories, and I haven't seen him tell me after so many years...... It's really eccentric. ”

"Haha, maybe the boat elder thinks Aunt Xun doesn't like this story. ”

"Does Xiao Ning like it?"

"I don't like it either!"

"That's right...... Then I won't listen either. ”

Xun Niang looked at the newborn sun, revealing a little comfort: "Xiao Ning, are you free, how about walking with me?"

Ling Ning agreed without thinking about it: "Okay." ”

Riding a small boat, the two roamed on Dongyue Lake.

The boat went very slowly, and the two of them sat on the bow of the boat and did not paddle, allowing the gentle current to be carried far away.

On a sunny day, the sun shines brightly, reflecting the clear surface of the lake, adding a bit of color.

Blowing the morning breeze, Xun Niang stretched comfortably.

Raise your head and bask in the glow.

For some reason, in front of this child, she is always surprisingly open.

Oh...... Maybe she's really tired.

Every day, take care of the eldest lady, take care of the little ghost, take care of those little ghosts.

It really tired her.

Of course, she is human after all.

"Xiao Ning, do you like it here?"

Sitting on the bow of the boat, Xun Niang held her cheek with one hand and looked at the surrounding pavilions and water pavilions.

“...... How to say it. Although the environment here makes me feel very comfortable, it is just that, and I don't like it. After hesitating, Ning felt that it was better to tell the truth.

She stuck her feet out of the boat and frolicked in the water: "Aunt Xun, don't beat me, I don't like it here." ”

"How so. By the way, Xiao Ning, since you don't like it here, why don't you leave?"

"You must know that the demon removal people who come to the Su family will leave here as soon as possible, except for the necessary waiting......" After looking left and right, Xun Niang whispered: "You know, even if it is a member of the Su family, few people will like this place where they have lived since childhood." ”

This surprised Ling Ning: "The people of the Su family don't like it either, isn't this their home?"

"Home?" Xun Niang looked at her in surprise and shook her head:

"This garden has never belonged to the Su family. We are just people who have been forcibly retained. ”

"Huh?!"

Ning looked over puzzled: "Aunt Xun, aren't you the owner of this garden?

"......" Xunniang was silent and did not answer.

She didn't know the answer either, and her sister hadn't mentioned it to her.

......

After a quarter of an hour, the boat flowed down the water to an attic. This is the nine-story attic with green smoke and floating corridors. In the attic, there were still ethereal puffs of green smoke, rising from the mourning hall until half a day.

"Xiao Ning, have you ever entered the floating corridor?"

"I've been in. ”

"Then you must know what is in the floating corridor? Is there really only relief carvings and lanterns?" Although Xun Niang was barely a member of the Su family, she had only learned about the scene in the floating corridor from the notes left by some seniors in the family.

With Ling Ning, a person who had really been there, by her side, she couldn't help but ask.

"Well, the floating corridor is like any other attic. Red lanterns hang along the way, and the windows on both sides are carved with humans hunting demons, ghosts, and foreign objects. Well, there are also reliefs of youkai killing humans. Ning recalls the view he saw in the floating corridor.

Then, her complexion slowly turned ugly.

There, she plunged into a real environment.

At that moment, she was killed countless times, and she also killed others countless times.

Eventually died.

"It's ...... like an ordinary corridor," Xun Niang muttered quietly.

If the floating corridor were the same as the normal corridor, the windows should be openable:

"Xiao Ning, do you know what's behind the window of that corridor?"

What's inside the window?

"I didn't ......" Ling Ning just wanted to say that he hadn't opened the window, but stopped.

She, really didn't open the window?

Ling Ning suddenly shuddered and hurriedly checked his memory.

“...... Huh!?"

From walking into the floating corridor to the various scenery inside the corridor.

Lanterns, reliefs.

and then to be hunted and killed in that real fantasy.

Killing humans, devouring humans, and even remembering what it was like to die in the end.

But!

Did she ever open the windows carved in relief?

Can't be sure.

I don't remember!

If she hadn't opened the window, why would she hesitate?

If so......

What's in the window?

She didn't remember, she realized that that part of her memory no longer existed.

"I ...... I've opened the window!"

Ling Ning's eyes were frightened, although she didn't remember, she vaguely felt that she had really opened the window.

"Xiao Ning, what's wrong?"

"No, just remembering something bad. ”

"You said you opened the window of the floating corridor, what the hell is inside?"

"No, Aunt Xun, I teased you, I haven't opened the window. ”

"Really?"

"Hmm!"

......

After that, Xun Niang took Ling Ning into the mourning hall.

The old men were still sacrificing, as if they had never stopped.

After walking a few more places, Xun Niang's words were hinted.

It seemed that he wanted her to leave as soon as possible, but these hints were completely ignored by Ling Ning, who was caught in his own thoughts.

At noon, Xun Niang left.

This time of day is Su Yi's wake-up time every day.

Shun Niang needs to prepare toiletries and lunch for her.

......

The night was late and the day was dull.

Ling Ning didn't feel sleepy, and the thoughts in her mind were repeatedly entangled.

All sorts of thoughts come and go, like everything is tangled together and there is no clue.

It's a mess, it's a mess.

The ancestor of the Su family is the demon slayer in the mouth of the old man...... He was cursed, and when he got to that flowery hillside, he was cursed. Generations of people have died in a curse. The more youkai you kill, the faster the family will die...... It's no wonder they'll quit the business of slaying demons.

How did they get rid of this curse?

From Xiao Rin's previous introduction, her master and a certain senior of the Su family are still old friends.

This family has broken the curse, and they will never die at a young age again.

But......

There's still something wrong!

Why are there fewer and fewer people in this family?

Also, in this former demon slaying family, there are demons and monsters who suck human blood!

Their handling is also strange.

Why, exactly?

It always felt wrong.

Something is wrong.

Ling Ning threw the game console in her hand aside, she found that she had significantly less time playing games these days. Even when faced with her favorite game before, she couldn't find the mood to forget everything else and focus all her attention on the game.

...... Is this growth?

"It's disgusting!"

Ling Ning was dressed in a single dress, and only wore a small corset on her upper body, bouncing her plump breasts tightly, which was very exciting. She climbed onto the windowsill, her arms clasped around the corners of the eaves, and she jumped onto the roof.

With her hands clasped around her knees, she sat on the roof, staring blankly at the sky.

There is no moon tonight, only bright stars.

Only when the dazzling moon disappears will the stars bloom with dazzling brilliance.