Wei Wuxian's exclamation sent a jolt through the group of young disciples. Their hearts leaped into their throats, hair standing on end as they feared the worst. "What is it?" they cried out in unison, their voices trembling with anticipation and dread.

Wei Wuxian hushed them, his voice barely above a whisper. "Shh, don't speak. I'm watching it."

Jin Ling, his curiosity getting the better of his fear, pressed closer to Wei Wuxian. He lowered his voice even further, "What do you see? What's outside the door?"

Instead of answering directly, Wei Wuxian kept his gaze fixed on whatever lay beyond the crack. "Hmm... hmm... impressive, very impressive," he murmured, his tone filled with genuine admiration and wonder.

The excitement on Wei Wuxian's profile quickly overshadowed the tension in the room. The young disciples from prominent cultivation sects found their curiosity rapidly overtaking their anxiety. Lan Sizhui, unable to contain himself any longer, ventured, "Senior Mo, what's so impressive?"

Wei Wuxian's eyes sparkled with mischief as he replied, "Ah! It's truly a sight to behold. Keep your voices down, we don't want to scare it away. I haven't had my fill yet."

Jin Ling, his impatience getting the better of him, demanded, "Move aside! I want to see!"

"Me too!" echoed another voice from the group.

Wei Wuxian turned to them, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. "Are you sure you want to look?"

A chorus of eager "Yes!" filled the room.

With exaggerated reluctance, Wei Wuxian slowly stepped aside, allowing others access to the narrow crack in the wooden door. Jin Ling, driven by his competitive nature, was the first to rush forward. He pressed his eye against the sliver of space, peering into the darkness beyond.

Night had fallen, and a chill had settled over Yi City. The ghostly mist that had earlier engulfed the streets had dissipated somewhat, allowing visibility for a few yards down the road. Jin Ling squinted, trying to discern what had captivated Wei Wuxian's attention. At first, he saw nothing extraordinary, and a twinge of disappointment began to set in. "Did I scare it away when I spoke?" he wondered.

Just as he was about to give up, a small, withered figure suddenly materialized in front of the crack. The abrupt appearance of the entity in its full form nearly caused Jin Ling to cry out in shock. His scalp tingled as if struck by lightning, and he felt his chest constrict, barely managing to suppress a scream.

Frozen in his bent position, Jin Ling waited for the numbness in his head to subside. He couldn't help but glance at Wei Wuxian, who was leaning against the window frame with a mischievous grin. The older cultivator raised an eyebrow and asked, "Isn't it a sight to behold?"

Jin Ling shot him a furious glare, realizing he had fallen for Wei Wuxian's trick. Through gritted teeth, he managed to respond, "...Yes, indeed..."

Gathering his composure, Jin Ling straightened up and feigned nonchalance. "It's nothing special, barely worth looking at!" he declared, stepping aside to make room for the next unsuspecting victim.

The exchange between Wei Wuxian and Jin Ling only served to heighten the curiosity of the remaining disciples. Lan Sizhui, unable to resist any longer, took his place at the crack. However, the moment his eye met the view beyond, he let out a startled "Ah!" and stumbled backwards. His face was a picture of shock and confusion as he spun around, searching for Wei Wuxian.

"Senior Mo!" Lan Sizhui exclaimed, his voice quivering. "There's a... there's a..."

Wei Wuxian nodded knowingly. "There's one of those, right? No need to say it out loud. Let's keep it a surprise for the others. Let them see for themselves."

The remaining disciples, witnessing Lan Sizhui's reaction, began to lose their nerve. "No, no, we don't need to see!" they protested, waving their hands in refusal.

Jin Ling, still smarting from his earlier fright, spat out, "I can't believe you're still playing tricks at a time like this!"

Wei Wuxian turned to him with a grin. "Weren't you playing along too? Don't start sounding like your uncle now." He then addressed Lan Sizhui, "Sizhui, was that thing scary?"

Lan Sizhui nodded earnestly. "Very scary."

"Good, that's exactly how it should be," Wei Wuxian said, his tone suddenly taking on a more instructive quality. "This is a golden opportunity for your training. Do you know why ghosts try to scare people? It's because when people are frightened, their spirits are vulnerable, making it easier for ghosts to siphon off their yang energy. That's why the thing ghosts fear most is someone who isn't afraid of them. If you're not scared, they have no power over you. So, as young cultivators, your first task is to make yourselves braver!"

Lan Jingyi, silently thanking his lucky stars that he hadn't been able to move and thus avoided the fright, muttered, "But bravery is something you're born with. What can you do if you're naturally timid?"

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "Were you born knowing how to fly on a sword? No, you practiced until you learned. It's the same with bravery. The more you face your fears, the more accustomed to them you become. Take a latrine, for example. It stinks, right? It's disgusting. But I bet if you lived in one for a month, you'd be able to eat your meals in there without a second thought."

The young disciples recoiled in disgust, unanimously rejecting the idea. "No way! That's impossible!"

Wei Wuxian chuckled. "Alright, I admit I've never actually lived in a latrine, so I can't say for certain if you could eat there. That might have been an exaggeration. But the thing outside this door? That you absolutely must face. Not only should you look, but you need to observe carefully. Pay attention to the details and try to identify any potential weaknesses in the shortest time possible. Stay calm in the face of danger and look for opportunities to counterattack. Now, did you all understand what I just said? Not everyone gets the chance to receive my guidance, so make the most of it. No more backing out. Everyone line up and take turns looking."

"...Do we really have to look?" one of the disciples asked hesitantly.

Wei Wuxian nodded firmly. "Of course. I never joke about these things, and I never tease people needlessly. Let's start with Jingyi. Jin Ling and Sizhui have already had their turn."

Lan Jingyi protested, "What? Can't I be excused? You said people affected by corpse poison shouldn't move, remember?"

Wei Wuxian approached Lan Jingyi with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Stick out your tongue and say 'ah.'"

Reluctantly, Lan Jingyi complied. "Ah..."

"Congratulations! Your poison has been cured," Wei Wuxian announced cheerfully. "Now, take that brave first step and come here!"

"It's cured already?! You must be joking!" Lan Jingyi exclaimed in disbelief.

Despite his protests, Lan Jingyi found himself being gently but firmly guided towards the window. He approached the crack hesitantly, alternating between quick glances and averting his gaze. Wei Wuxian tapped on the wooden frame reassuringly. "What are you afraid of? I'm right here. It won't dare break through this plank. Your eyeballs are safe, I promise."

Lan Jingyi jumped back after a moment. "I've looked! I've seen it!"

The process continued with each disciple taking their turn, accompanied by sharp intakes of breath and muffled exclamations. Once everyone had their chance to peek, Wei Wuxian gathered them around.

"Now that you've all had a look, let's hear what details you noticed. We'll summarize our observations."

Jin Ling, eager to prove himself, spoke up first. "White eyes. Female. Very short and thin. Decent looking, I suppose. Carrying a bamboo pole."

Lan Sizhui, after a moment of contemplation, added, "The girl seems to be about chest-high to me. Her clothes are tattered and dirty, reminiscent of a street urchin's attire. The bamboo pole appears to be a walking stick for the blind. It's possible her white eyes weren't a result of her death, but rather indicate she was blind in life."

Wei Wuxian nodded approvingly. "Jin Ling saw more, but Sizhui observed more deeply."

Jin Ling pursed his lips, a hint of jealousy flashing across his face.

One of the young disciples spoke up, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and trepidation. "This girl appears to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She has an oval face, quite delicate and pretty, with a certain liveliness about her. Her long hair is held up by a wooden hairpin, and I noticed it's carved with a small fox head at the end. She's thin and has a slender figure. Although not exactly tidy, she's not dirty either – not unpleasant to look at. If she were to be cleaned up, I'm sure she'd be quite a lovely beauty."

Wei Wuxian's eyes lit up at this detailed description. He immediately felt that this youngster had great potential. "Excellent, excellent!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine praise. "Your observation is meticulous and your focus unique. This young friend here is destined to be quite the romantic in the future."

The young disciple's face flushed red at the compliment. He turned to face the wall, covering his face with his hands, trying to ignore the playful teasing from his companions.

Another disciple chimed in, his brow furrowed in thought. "It seems the tapping sound we heard earlier must have been from her walking stick. If she was blind in life, it makes sense that her spirit would retain this condition. She must rely on that cane to navigate."

A third disciple interjected, his voice laced with skepticism. "But wait, something doesn't add up. We've all seen blind people before, right? Because of their visual impairment, they usually move slowly and cautiously, afraid of bumping into things. But this ghost moves with surprising agility. I've never seen a blind person move so nimbly."

Wei Wuxian's lips curled into an approving smile. "Ah, you've noticed that discrepancy. Very good. This is exactly how you should analyze situations – never overlook any inconsistencies. Now, let's invite her in and get some answers to these questions, shall we?"

Without further ado, Wei Wuxian began to remove one of the door panels. His sudden action startled not only the young disciples inside but also the spirit outside, who raised her bamboo pole defensively.

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Wei Wuxian first greeted the spirit cordially, then asked, "Young lady, you've been following them for a while now. Is there something you need?"

The girl spirit widened her eyes. If she were alive, this expression would have been utterly charming. However, without eyeballs and with two trails of blood flowing from her eye sockets, the effect was terrifyingly grotesque. Someone behind Wei Wuxian inhaled sharply, and he turned to address the group.

"What are you afraid of? In the future, you'll see much worse than this – people bleeding from all seven orifices. If you can't handle two, how will you ever toughen up? This is why you need more experience."

The girl spirit, who had been anxiously pacing in front of their window, tapping her cane, stomping her feet, glaring, and waving her arms, suddenly changed her behavior. She began to make intricate gestures, as if trying to communicate something.

Jin Ling, puzzled, asked, "Strange, can't she speak?"

Upon hearing this, the spirit paused her movements and opened her mouth towards them.

Fresh blood gushed out from her empty oral cavity. It became apparent that her tongue had been brutally torn out.

The young cultivators shuddered collectively, goosebumps rising on their skin. Yet, they couldn't help but feel a wave of sympathy. "No wonder she can't speak. Blind and mute... how pitiful," they murmured among themselves.

Wei Wuxian, ever practical, asked, "Is she using sign language? Does anyone understand?"

No one did. The girl spirit grew increasingly agitated, stamping her feet in frustration. She began to use her bamboo pole to write and draw on the ground. However, it was clear she wasn't from a scholarly background – she couldn't write and her attempts at drawing were indecipherable. She scrawled a jumble of stick figures, leaving everyone completely baffled as to what she was trying to express.

Just then, from the far end of the long street, came the sound of hurried footsteps and labored breathing.

The girl spirit vanished abruptly, but Wei Wuxian wasn't concerned. He knew she'd likely return on her own. Swiftly, he replaced the door panel and resumed peering through the crack. The other young cultivators, eager to see what was happening outside, crowded around the door. A comical stack of heads formed from top to bottom, their collective gaze focused through the narrow gap.

The ghostly mist, which had thinned earlier, began to thicken once more. Through the white haze, a disheveled figure emerged, running towards them.

The newcomer was dressed all in black and appeared to be injured. Their gait was unsteady, stumbling as they ran. A sword, also wrapped in black cloth, hung at their waist. Lan Jingyi whispered, "Is it the Mist-Face person?"

Lan Sizhui responded quietly, "I don't think so. This person's movement is completely different from the Mist-Face's."

A group of walking corpses suddenly appeared, pursuing the figure in black. They moved with surprising speed, quickly catching up. The person in black drew their sword to face the onslaught. As the blade flashed, cutting through the mist, Wei Wuxian couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, "What a fine sword!"

However, as the blade swept through the air, it was accompanied by a familiar splattering sound. Black and red powder erupted from the severed limbs of the walking corpses. The swordsperson, now surrounded and with nowhere to dodge, was engulfed in a cloud of the corpse poison powder.

Lan Sizhui watched with growing concern. "Senior Mo," he began in a low voice, "this person, should we—"

Before he could finish, another wave of walking corpses closed in, further tightening the circle around the swordsperson. Another sweep of the blade resulted in more corpse poison being released, and the figure began to sway, clearly affected by the toxin.

"We need to save them," Wei Wuxian declared.

Jin Ling objected, "How? We can't go out there now. The air is thick with corpse poison – we'd be infected instantly if we get close."

After a moment of contemplation, Wei Wuxian moved away from the window and walked to the inner part of the hall. The young disciples' gazes followed him instinctively. They saw a group of paper figurines, each with distinct features, standing silently between two large funeral wreaths.

Wei Wuxian walked slowly past them, finally stopping in front of a pair of female paper figurines. Unlike the others, this pair seemed intentionally crafted as twin sisters. Their makeup, attire, and facial features were identical, as if cut from the same mold. They had curved eyebrows and smiling faces, giving the impression that one could almost hear their giggles. Their hair was styled in double buns, adorned with red pearl earrings. Golden bracelets encircled their wrists, and their feet were clad in embroidered shoes – the very picture of handmaidens from a wealthy household.

"These two will do," Wei Wuxian said softly.

He casually brushed his thumb against the unsheathed sword of one of the young disciples, drawing a small cut. Turning back to the paper figurines, he used his bloodied thumb to draw two pairs of eyes, four eyeballs in total.

Stepping back, he smiled faintly and recited, "Coy eyes half-closed in charm, red lips parting in mirth. Good or evil, it matters not – with eyes awakened, summon forth."

A gust of spectral wind suddenly filled the entire shop, causing the young disciples to instinctively tighten their grip on their swords.

Without warning, the twin paper figurines shuddered violently.

The next moment, genuine giggles emanated from their bright red lips!

The Awakening Technique had worked!

As if they had seen or heard something incredibly amusing, the paper figurines shook with laughter. Simultaneously, the eyeballs drawn with human blood rolled wildly in their sockets. The scene was a bizarre mix of charm and horror. Wei Wuxian stood before them, giving a slight nod and a small bow.

In return, the paper figurines curtsied, offering an even deeper bow.

Wei Wuxian pointed towards the door and commanded, "Bring the living person inside – as for the rest, leave none alive."

A piercing, high-pitched laughter erupted from the paper dolls' mouths as a gust of spectral wind swept through the room. The main door suddenly flew open with a violent bang!

The two paper figures glided out side by side, swiftly entering the circle of walking corpses. It was hard to believe that these seemingly fragile paper creations could possess such devastating power. Dancing on their delicate embroidered shoes, they swung their fluttering sleeves with deadly precision. Each sweep sliced off a corpse's arm, another decapitated half a head – their paper sleeves transformed into razor-sharp blades. The charming yet chilling laughter continued to echo throughout the long street, simultaneously thrilling and terrifying all who heard it.

In a matter of moments, fifteen or sixteen walking corpses were reduced to a scattered mess of dismembered parts, strewn across the ground. The pair of paper handmaidens had achieved a resounding victory.

Obeying their orders, they brought the now weakened fugitive inside, then leapt back out. The door shut automatically behind them as they took up positions on either side, standing guard like a pair of silent, watchful lions.

Inside the house, the young disciples from prominent cultivation families stood slack-jawed in astonishment.

They had only ever heard descriptions of such unorthodox techniques in books or from their elders. Back then, they couldn't understand, "If these are evil methods, why do so many people want to learn them? Why does the Yiling Patriarch have so many imitators?" Now, having witnessed it firsthand, they began to grasp the allure of these unconventional arts. Moreover, this was just the tip of the iceberg – the "Eye-Awakening Summoning Technique." Most of the young disciples, once they recovered from their initial shock, showed no signs of revulsion. Instead, their faces were alight with barely concealed excitement, thrilled at having gained such rare knowledge and eager to share their experience with their fellow disciples back home. Only Jin Ling's expression remained dark and troubled.

Lan Sizhui moved to help Wei Wuxian support the newcomer, but Wei Wuxian cautioned, "Stay back, all of you. Be careful not to touch any corpse poison powder. Even skin contact might be enough to infect you."

The person brought in by the paper dolls was barely conscious, hovering between awareness and unconsciousness. As they began to stir, they coughed a few times, seemingly worried about spreading the corpse poison. Covering their mouth, they asked in a weak voice, "Who are you people?"

The voice was heavy with exhaustion. The question wasn't asked because they didn't recognize those in the room, but because they couldn't see anything at all.

The person's eyes were wrapped in thick white bandages. They were clearly blind.

And yet, despite their condition, it was evident that this was an exceptionally handsome individual. With a well-defined nose and thin lips tinged with a hint of red, they could almost be described as beautiful. Their features suggested youth, somewhere between adolescence and adulthood, making their blindness all the more tragic. Wei Wuxian couldn't help but think, "Why have we been encountering so many blind people lately? Both heard about and seen, alive and dead."

Suddenly, Jin Ling spoke up, "Hey, we don't even know who this person is or whether they're friend or foe. Why did we rush to save them? What if they're evil? We might have just invited a snake into our midst."

While his words held some truth, speaking so bluntly in front of the person was rather tactless. Surprisingly, the newcomer didn't seem offended. They didn't appear worried about being thrown out either. Instead, they smiled slightly, revealing a pair of small canine teeth, and said, "This young master is quite right. It would be better if I left."

Jin Ling, caught off guard by this response, was momentarily at a loss for words. He merely grunted, unsure how to proceed. Lan Sizhui quickly tried to smooth things over, "But this person might not be evil at all. Regardless, letting someone die when we could help goes against our sect's teachings."

Jin Ling stubbornly retorted, "Fine. You're all such good people. Don't blame me if someone ends up getting hurt because of this."

Lan Jingyi, irritated, began to speak, "You're really..." but his words trailed off as his gaze fell upon the sword leaning against the table next to the newcomer.

The black cloth wrapped around the sword had partially slipped, revealing a portion of the blade beneath. It was a sword of exceptional craftsmanship. The scabbard was bronze in color, intricately carved with a frost flower pattern. Through the openwork design, the blade itself was visible – as brilliant as starlight, with a shimmering, snow-like radiance. It possessed a beauty that was both pure as ice and dazzlingly bright.

Lan Jingyi's eyes widened, words of recognition on the tip of his tongue. Wei Wuxian, though unaware of what Lan Jingyi was about to say, instinctively knew that the sword had been hidden for a reason. Not wanting to startle their guest, he quickly covered Lan Jingyi's mouth with his hand while pressing a finger to his own lips, signaling the other surprised young disciples to remain silent.

Jin Ling mouthed two words to Wei Wuxian, then wrote them in the dust on the table:

"Shuang Hua."

...Shuang Hua sword?

Wei Wuxian silently mouthed back: Xiao Xingchen's — Shuang Hua sword?

Jin Ling and the others nodded in confirmation.

While these young disciples had never met Xiao Xingchen in person, Shuang Hua was a renowned sword, not only for its powerful spiritual energy but also for its unique and beautiful design. It had been depicted in countless versions of famous sword catalogues, making it unforgettable to those who had seen its image. Wei Wuxian pondered: If the sword is indeed Shuang Hua, and its owner is blind...

One of the young disciples, reaching the same conclusion, instinctively reached out to touch the bandages covering the newcomer's eyes, intending to remove them and confirm their suspicions. However, as soon as his fingers brushed against the cloth, the stranger's face contorted in extreme pain. They flinched back almost imperceptibly, clearly terrified of having their eyes touched.

Realizing his mistake, the young disciple quickly withdrew his hand, apologizing profusely, "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to..."

The stranger raised their left hand, covered in a thin black glove, as if to shield their eyes. Yet they dared not touch them, suggesting that even the lightest contact would cause unbearable pain. A thin sheen of sweat had broken out on their forehead as they managed to say, "It's alright..."

But their voice trembled slightly.

This reaction all but confirmed that this person was indeed Xiao Xingchen, who had disappeared after the incident with the Chang clan in Yueyang.

Unaware that his identity had been uncovered, Xiao Xingchen reached out, feeling for his sword. Wei Wuxian, quick to act, pulled the black cloth back over the exposed blade. As Xiao Xingchen's hand found the hilt, he nodded and said, "Thank you for saving me. I should take my leave now."

Wei Wuxian interjected, "Please don't go yet. You've been infected with corpse poison."

Xiao Xingchen asked, "Is it serious?"

"Very serious," Wei Wuxian confirmed.

Xiao Xingchen replied with a hint of resignation, "If it's that severe, why bother staying? Since there's no cure, I might as well make use of what time I have left to slay a few more walking corpses before I turn into one myself."

Hearing him speak so nonchalantly about life and death, the young disciples felt a surge of admiration. Lan Jingyi, unable to contain himself, blurted out, "Who says there's no cure? Stay here! He can heal you!"

Wei Wuxian looked surprised, "Me? I'm sorry, but are you talking about me?" He felt uncomfortable telling the truth – Xiao Xingchen had inhaled far too much corpse poison, his complexion already showing hints of black and red. The poisoning was too severe; even the sticky rice porridge remedy might not be effective at this stage.

Xiao Xingchen spoke again, his voice tinged with concern, "I've already slain many walking corpses in this city. They've been following me, and more will undoubtedly come. If I stay, you'll all eventually be overwhelmed by the horde."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Do you know why this City of Yi has become like this?"

Xiao Xingchen shook his head, "I don't. I'm just a wandering cultiva... a wanderer who came upon this place. Upon hearing of the strange occurrences, I entered the city to night-hunt. The sheer number and strength of the living and walking corpses here is beyond what you've experienced. Some move with incredible speed, impossible to guard against. Others, when slain, release corpse poison that infects on contact. Yet if left alive, they'll pounce and bite, resulting in infection either way. They're incredibly difficult to deal with. From your voices, I can tell there are quite a few young masters here. I strongly advise you all to leave as soon as possible."

As soon as he finished speaking, the eerie giggles of the paper doll sisters echoed from outside the door. This time, their laughter was sharper and more piercing than ever before.