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墨書 Inktalez
Qiqi led Wei Ning deeper into the village, where the scenery of Miao Village was breathtaking and vibrant. Surrounded by lush green grass, dense forests, and towering bamboo, the area was alive with blooming flowers. The fields in front of the village rolled like waves of rice, creating a picturesque pastoral scene that felt almost otherworldly.
As Qiqi climbed the stone steps, she paused in front of an ancient Stilted House and knocked on the door. An elderly woman in her forties or fifties answered, wearing a blue headscarf and sporting long, sharp nails that gave her a somewhat frightening appearance. Despite this, her facial features were well-defined, suggesting she must have been a beautiful Miao Tribe girl in her youth.
Upon seeing the cat in Qiqi's arms, the woman's expression changed dramatically. She quickly shut the door and called out anxiously from inside, "Get that cat away! Get that cat away!"
Qiqi chuckled from outside, "Grandma, this isn't a cat. If you don't believe me, take a closer look."
The woman hesitantly opened the door just a crack and peered at the Black Cat in Qiqi's arms. After nervously pinching its neck and letting out a sigh of relief, she said, "Oh, it's just a Beast Soul. You scared me to death."
Qiqi smiled and replied, "I came here specifically to see you. Why would I bring a Black Cat? This is a talisman given to me by Peng Bai."
The Miao Matriarch scrutinized Qiqi and Wei Ning before asking, "Did Peng Bai send you?"
"No," Qiqi responded. "I came on my own. Isn't today the day of the Demoness of the Cave? I just wanted to join in on the festivities."
The Miao Matriarch nodded thoughtfully. "So you're also a Cave Woman. You're quite young and beautiful too. That one beside you must be your lover; he looks handsome enough—except for his eyes..."
Historically, Miao Women were known for their passionate nature. The daughters of the mountains dared to love fiercely but were often simple and sincere in their affections. They would pour their hearts out for their beloved men but frequently faced abandonment in return. Thus, heaven bestowed upon Miao Women a unique skill passed down through generations: Gu magic. Those who were unfaithful or abandoned by their lovers would ultimately meet their demise through enchantment.
Gu Masters were also referred to as Grass Witches; however, Grass Witches themselves found this term distasteful and preferred to call each other Cave Women instead. In truth, the term Cave Woman referred to someone entirely different from these Grass Witches who practiced Gu magic.
In Miao Village, Grass Witches were generally not well-regarded—evident from their name alone. A Grass Witch was expected to save ten lives while taking ten others; once a Miao Woman was labeled as a Grass Witch, she could never redeem herself. Many Grass Witches lived alone without children or family and developed an obsessive fondness for kids; some even specialized in harming them. If a child happened to eat or drink something made by a Miao Woman and subsequently died, that woman would be accused of using Gu magic to poison the child. The fate of such a Miao Woman was often grim—she would be beaten to death by the villagers.
This is why Qiqi revealed her identity and was pursued by the entire village.
Qiqi remained silent as she led Wei Ning inside. Wei Ning noticed that the house was unusually clean, not even a single spider web in sight. This was because the Grass Witch's home could not harbor spider webs, while the people of Miao Village took pride in having them, as it signified that their homes were free from the Grass Witch's influence.
Clearly, this old woman from the Miao Tribe was a Grass Witch.
"Alright, let's go together. I trust Peng; most people in this village do. You can call me Peng San Po," she said.
Peng Granny settled Wei Ning and Qiqi comfortably before preparing a meal for them. Before long, a table filled with fragrant dishes from the Miao Tribe was ready, especially the homemade cured meat paired with the tribe's specialty spicy peppers, which made Wei Ning's mouth water. Qiqi exchanged a glance with Wei Ning, who understood and hesitated to pick up his chopsticks.
"Go ahead and eat; don't worry, we're all family here," Peng Granny said with a smile, taking a piece of cured meat for herself.
Only then did Qiqi and Wei Ning start eating. Wei Ning had been hungry for a while and devoured three large bowls, exclaiming how delicious it was. Qiqi, being a girl, ate lightly from one bowl before setting her utensils down. Peng Granny cleared the dishes and chatted with Qiqi, "By the way, do you have a Gu altar? If not, I can give you one, but you must become my apprentice."
Grass Witches were required to take on apprentices. If this Grass Witch's identity had already been exposed in the village and no one dared approach her, she would pass her skills to her daughter or daughter-in-law. Naturally, neither would want to become the infamous Grass Witch known for her gruesome practices. Thus, before dying, the Grass Witch would place an enchanted object at her door as a magical tool; when her daughter or daughter-in-law opened the door and accidentally triggered it, they would be bewitched and become her successor.
The reason Grass Witches were so desperate to pass on their skills was that if a Grass Witch died without an apprentice, she would reveal herself in death—naked, kneeling with her head bowed between her legs—her demise would be exceedingly tragic.
"I already have a Gu altar; there's no need for your concern," Qiqi replied.
Peng Granny let out an "oh" that barely concealed her disappointment. Having a Gu altar meant that Qiqi was already a true Grass Witch, making it impossible for other Grass Witches to take her as an apprentice. A Grass Witch's altar was typically hidden away in their home or somewhere in the mountains and must never be discovered by others. If someone found it and opened it, releasing the poisons contained within, that Grass Witch would be doomed.
It seemed that Peng Granny had yet to take on an apprentice; thus, she became greatly interested in Qiqi. However, upon hearing Qiqi's response, she suddenly lost interest. After chatting with Qiqi for a while longer, she settled both Qiqi and Wei Ning in for the night and went to bed early.
Wei Ning and Qiqi had traveled a long way and were utterly exhausted. Since they still had to continue their journey the next day, there were plenty of empty rooms at Peng Granny's house. Wei Ning and Qiqi each took a room, and as soon as Wei Ning lay down, he fell asleep almost immediately.
The next morning, Wei Ning woke up early, but it seemed that Qiqi had no intention of leaving. She was chatting idly with Peng Granny, sometimes even wandering around the village for no particular reason. Wei Ning felt puzzled, recalling the conversation between Qiqi and Peng Granny from the night before. It seemed they had mentioned something about the "Demoness of the Cave." He guessed they had some plans for that evening, and being an outsider, he felt it was inappropriate to ask too many questions.
Sure enough, by evening, Qiqi called for Wei Ning and said she needed to go out with Peng Granny for a while. She instructed him to stay at home and not go anywhere. Wei Ning agreed, and Qiqi left with Peng Granny.
Curiosity gnawed at Wei Ning; how could he just stay at home? As soon as Qiqi left, he grabbed his Red Umbrella and quietly followed them. However, it was as if Qiqi and Peng Granny were ghosts; they vanished after turning a bend in the mountain stream. Disappointment washed over him as he sighed and turned back toward home. Suddenly, he realized a serious problem:
He didn't know the way.
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