Lady Ming

"Meow—"
The spectral cat seemed to be searching for something. Its pair of lifeless, terrifying eyes darted about, and with a light leap, it stirred a roaring, sinister wind. The direction of its flight was none other than the rear quarters of the Ming household.

Naturally, Chu Liang could not allow it to advance. Such a creature, steeped in resentment, would surely bring harm if left unchecked in the mortal world.

"Sword Command! Go!"

With a pointed gesture skyward, his flying sword transformed into a streak of light and shot forth.

"Yowl—"
As soon as the sword light flashed, the cat demon let out a strange cry, its eerie eyes flicking toward Chu Liang. In a breath, its body turned into a black blur, dodging the sword and instantly circling back to pounce!

This assault was clear retaliation for Chu Liang’s sword—a strike swift and vicious, brimming with a surging aura of blood, fierce and relentless.

Chu Liang twisted aside, barely managing to evade the deadly lunge. Even so, a tear appeared in his robe.

Hiss—

The cat spirit landed, leaving two bloody traces in its wake.

Yet the sword light clung to its shadow, trailing relentlessly—Chu Liang’s flying sword!

Whoosh—

The sword light swept past, and the cat’s body suddenly twisted into an unnatural arc, dodging the fatal blow—"Meow—"

It dodged, but not completely.

The sword light still carved a deep wound across the cat’s form.

In an instant, black blood surged from the wound, intensifying the bloody waves that roiled around the cat spirit.

Not good.

Chu Liang’s brows furrowed.

This cat spirit, heavily layered with special enchantments, possessed the traits of an infant wraith: any damage inflicted upon it would be converted into new strength. The more grievous its wounds, the more powerful it became! If one sword could not slay it outright, one must be prepared to face an even stronger foe.

This was evident as the cat spirit’s speed increased dramatically!

Whoosh—

It was almost an invisible streak of black, splitting into two bolts of lightning, and in the next instant, it appeared behind Chu Liang.

Chu Liang reacted instantly, recalling his flying sword to his hand, but no matter what, he could not defend his back!

His hair stood on end. There was no sound, but he knew the cat’s claws were about to strike.

At the very brink, Chu Liang’s right hand suddenly relaxed, and he shouted, "Bind!"

A crimson light shot from his sleeve like a spirit snake, instantly coiling around the cat spirit poised behind him, claws raised to strike.

Tortoiseshell Binding!

Demon-Binding Cord!

The cat spirit let out a wretched cry, but its body was forcibly dragged to the ground.

For an enemy with exceptional agility, what works best?

Control.

And as luck would have it, Chu Liang possessed the Demon-Binding Cord, which he had acquired just the day before.

Yet even with such a treasure, success was not guaranteed. To bring the cord to bear at such close range, he had risked everything, allowing the cat spirit to close in.

Had he been a fraction slower in deploying the cord, the outcome might have been reversed. Had he not kept his composure, or had the distance been insufficient, even a magic treasure might not have sufficed.

Be that as it may, victory was his. He turned, flicked his wrist, and brought the sword down.

Slice.

A single stroke to exorcise the demon.

Spirits have no substance—once slain, nothing remains. Only a faint golden silhouette drifted down, settling upon Chu Liang.

The dust settled.

A brief but perilous battle—this cat spirit, layered with unique enhancements, was clearly more formidable than the spider demon from days before.

Letting out a long breath, he had barely finished when hurried footsteps sounded nearby. Led by Master Ming, the servants of the house came running.

"Oh my, Young Master Chu is so heroic!"

"I knew he would succeed!"

"Such power—he dispatched that foul thing in moments!"

The flattery tumbled forth from every mouth.

Chu Liang watched this celebratory procession, marveling at how swiftly and skillfully they could both vanish and reappear.

…

The next morning.

After a night’s rest, Chu Liang awoke refreshed and clear-headed. Having washed, a maidservant arrived to summon him—the master had prepared a banquet to celebrate his triumph.

"I’ll be along shortly," Chu Liang replied warmly.

He then wandered through the back courtyard, circled a covered walkway, and arrived before an ornate chamber. This was the bedchamber of Master Ming and his wife.

Knock, knock, knock—he rapped on the door.

"Who is it?" came a soft female voice from within.

"I am Chu Liang. I heard Madam is unwell and wished to pay my respects," he answered.

There was a pause before she replied, "Ah, it is Young Master Chu of Mount Shu. I am not receiving visitors at the moment, but your kindness is appreciated. Please, do not trouble yourself."

Her tone was in stark contrast to the enthusiasm of Master Ming—cool and distant.

"I possess a secret art from Mount Shu," Chu Liang continued gently. "Perhaps it might aid your ailment. I can wait here until it is convenient for you to receive me."

There was a moment’s silence, then the sound of footsteps. Soon, the door creaked open.

Madam Ming appeared weary, without a trace of makeup, clothed only in a casual brocade robe. Yet her complexion remained fair, her features delicate—a beauty, without doubt.

She led Chu Liang to sit before a screen inside the dimly lit room. Lighting a red candle and pouring two cups of tea, she finally said, "It was but a fright. Since you have already dealt with that demon, I shall recover in a day or so. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself further."

"That is good to hear." Chu Liang nodded, then added, "However, regarding last night’s cat spirit… there are some matters I wish to discuss with you."

"Oh?" Madam Ming’s brows drew together. "And what would you like to say, Young Master Chu?"

"Just some conjecture…" Chu Liang spoke slowly. "Because last night’s cat spirit was rather odd. It was a wraith, a demon, and shared the traits of an infant spirit. It piqued my curiosity. So I wondered—why did it come to your household…"

"Do fiends need a reason to harm people?" Madam Ming interrupted.

"Sometimes they do. If it was a vengeful wraith, its first target would be whoever caused its death… If it was an infant spirit, it would seek out its own mother first…" Chu Liang went on, "But this cat spirit lingered in your residence for three days, drawing ever closer, yet harmed no one. It was as if it was searching for something…"

"For what?" Madam Ming’s gaze turned sharp.

"I was thinking… Master Ming claims your family is one of benevolence, never harming animals. So… was it searching for its own mother? Yet it is a demon—could its mother also be one?"

"And ever since the cat spirit appeared, the only person in the house who has not shown herself is you, Madam…" Chu Liang’s gaze was gentle as he looked directly into Madam Ming’s eyes.

She let out a short laugh. "Surely you’re not suggesting I am a demon, are you?"

"Whether you are or not can be easily tested," Chu Liang replied.

"You have a Demon-Revealing Mirror?" Her brows arched, skepticism in her tone.

For a demon to reveal its true form, it must either unleash its own magic, exposing its aura, or be unmasked by someone with special powers—powers Chu Liang had yet to master. Otherwise, it would require a magic artifact, the most famous being the Demon-Revealing Mirror.

But the Demon-Revealing Mirror was exceedingly rare: one was rumored to be in the imperial palace, another in the Cloud Temple, and Mount Shu did possess one as well. Still, would they ever let a junior disciple carry it down the mountain? Highly unlikely.

"No," Chu Liang shook his head. "But something very close."