Chapter 20: Fu Heng Questions Chu Li's Identity

Fu Heng began to grind the ink, his gaze drifting toward Chu Li beside him from time to time.

"Do these corpses truly reanimate once night falls?"

Fu Heng asked nonchalantly, though he found it highly unlikely; he had seen countless corpses in his time and had never once witnessed a reanimation.

"Do you think I am trying to frighten you? If you do not believe me, Your Highness, you may keep a body here and wait until nightfall to see for yourself."

Fu Heng: "..."

"Is Miss Chu planning to draw purification talismans? Might you gift one to this Prince?"

Chu Li gritted her teeth inwardly. He really had seen her that night, and now he was shamelessly asking for a freebie. When had he become so thick-skinned?

"Your Highness, you are being long-winded. If you do not hurry, it will be dark before we know it!"

Fu Heng choked, his brows furrowing. She dared to call him long-winded? She appeared to be such a quiet, gentle lady, yet her words were always barbed. She was certainly skilled at putting on an act.

From then on, Fu Heng spoke no more, quickly finishing the grinding of the vermilion ink that Chu Li required.

Chu Li immediately took up her brush to draw the talismans. Focused entirely on the paper, she paid no mind to Fu Heng’s expression.

Complex talismanic scripts flowed easily from her brush. Her calm, effortless grace left Fu Heng momentarily stunned.

This nonchalant, spontaneous air—why did it carry a shadow of Li-er?

In the past, he had sat at desks and painted with Li-er. She had claimed to be unskilled, yet she had shown him her work nonetheless. He remembered her paintings were quite unique, favoring grand and imposing scenes. Her calligraphy, too, had been bold and unrestrained, possessing a distinct character that was impossible to forget.

Seeing another woman take up the brush beside him now left him feeling disoriented.

When he regained his focus, Chu Li had already finished several talismans, which now lay in a thick pile to the side.

Fu Heng’s gaze flickered. While Chu Li was engrossed in her work, he quietly snatched a talisman and tucked it into his sleeve.

Chu Li seemed to sense something; she couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth, sighing in resignation.

"Your Highness has quite the nimble hand. However, it is useless for you to take it. My purification talismans require spiritual power to activate—can you do that?"

Chu Li was speechless at his light-fingered behavior. Every talisman she drew was imbued with her own spiritual energy; did he think she wouldn't notice if one went missing?

A flash of embarrassment crossed Fu Heng’s face, but he quickly returned to his usual composure and did not return the talisman. Chu Li couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

After finishing the talismans she needed, Chu Li thought of the old sorcerer and, after a moment's reflection, drew another type of talisman.

Though Fu Heng did not understand the scripts, he could see that the one she was drawing now was clearly more complex than the previous ones.

"And what is this one?"

Chu Li ignored the question entirely. In her view, this man had been far too talkative today. It was possible he was trying to get close to her to curry favor, or perhaps he wanted her help to find his own people. She would not give him the chance.

Receiving no answer, Fu Heng simply held his tongue and observed carefully.

The unique scent of the vermilion ink, mingled with the faint fragrance emanating from Chu Li, drifted into his nose. Almost against his will, he looked at her a few more times.

It was this look that made his heart leap violently. His pupils contracted in an instant, and his mind was thrown into turmoil.

Why was there a black mole behind this woman’s ear, exactly like the one Li-er had? Even the position was nearly identical!

It was a very hidden mark, one that perhaps even Chu Li herself was unaware of, but he knew every inch of her skin—it could not be a mistake.

At that moment, Fu Heng was submerged in his own conjectures and failed to notice that Chu Li had stopped her brush.

Chu Li set aside the talisman she had just drawn and was about to rise when she noticed Fu Heng staring blankly at her.

She frowned and quickly stood up, stepping back a few paces. Fu Heng came to his senses, calmly masking the emotions in his eyes as he slowly stood up and walked toward the others without looking back.

What was he up to now? Chu Li curled her lip, deciding to ignore him further.

With the preparations complete, Chu Li gave instructions to the crowd.

"Shortly, I will use these talismans to purify the corpses. Once purified, I must trouble the village head to notify the families so they may transport their coffins home for a proper burial."

The dead should be returned to the earth to find peace. In the past, Chu Li would have handled the rites and cremation herself, but now that her soul was incomplete and her strength diminished, she would not push herself to such an intensity.

The village head nodded immediately. Regardless of anything else, the young lady was acting out of kindness. Her ability aside, her heart was good, and he had no reason to doubt her.

In the crowd, the old sorcerer’s eyes gradually brightened with anticipation. He had a premonition that he was about to witness the most unforgettable scene of his life.

Among the hundred coffins, Chu Li stood elegantly, holding a stack of yellow talismans.

Her slender silhouette appeared incredibly fragile in the twilight, as if she could not withstand even a gust of wind.

Fu Heng watched her back with a complex expression. No matter how he tried, he could not reconcile this frail woman before him with the soul-stirring figure in his heart.

She was far too thin and weak, whereas his Li-er had been a graceful, spirited, and proud little tormentor. They were worlds apart.

Chu Li was completely unaware that Fu Heng was comparing her current self to her former self. She held the stack of purification talismans with her slender fingers, her expression solemn.

The next instant, she raised the stack high and swept it lightly through the air.

*Whoosh—*

A ghostly light suddenly ignited in her hand, with deep blue flames dancing at the tips of the talismans.

The old sorcerer could not help but exclaim, "It is magic turned to fire!"

Turning magic into fire was a feat only powerful sorcerers could achieve. Practitioners of lesser cultivation could only use mundane fire to ignite talismans and draw out their power. Although the result might look similar, a talisman ignited by magic possessed far greater power—it was a manifestation of a sorcerer's true strength.

The old sorcerer's exclamation made everyone realize that this Miss Chu was exceptionally formidable.

The village head of Luohe and the others were stunned, hope rising infinitely in their hearts.

Chu Li ignited all the purification talismans in her hand and then swept her hand upward toward the sky.

Instantly, all the burning talismans scattered, drifting into the air.

Chu Li quickly channeled her spiritual power, guiding each talisman to fly toward a coffin.

Within a single breath, a talisman hovered above every coffin. The deep blue flames flickered and jumped, floating in mid-air like clusters of will-o'-the-wisps, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

Even Jiao Yan, who had seen Chu Li’s methods before, could not help but be stunned by the spectacle.

Cao Ronghai was so excited that his face turned red; the look in his eyes as he watched Chu Li could no longer be described simply as admiration.

Ah! Miss Chu was too amazing! No, she was a Master. Master Chu was undoubtedly the most incredible sorcerer he had ever seen. He would definitely worship her like a goddess from now on!

Even Fu Heng’s Shadow Guards were shocked, their hearts surging with waves of awe.

Such sorcery was far too profound; compared to the sorcerers in the Prayer Ministry, it was like the difference between heaven and earth.

That in this world, there existed such a powerful sorcerer—and a woman at that—was truly unbelievable.