Volume Two: An Eventful Autumn, A Twisting Path. Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Yin and Yang Out of Balance, Effeminate and Soft.

Observing the chaotic scene and the coffin, then looking at Chen San, whose body had been invaded by malevolent energy, Chen Wan'er raised her hand toward Yang Chengzi’s body. Frowning, she retrieved an ancient coin from her robes and placed it at the eye of the Heaven and Earth Array on Chen San’s chest. Reluctantly, she hoisted Chen San onto her back and returned to the inn.

When she knocked on the door, the two young women were still wide awake in the middle of the night; ever since the Shangqing Sword had flown off, their premonitions of disaster had only intensified.

After placing Chen San on the bed, Chen Wan'er said, "They have both fainted. I brought them back. You must find a way to wake Yang Chengzi. Chen San has been invaded by malevolent energy; if this persists, he will die."

No sooner had she spoken than Yang Chengzi went limp. Chang Yu rushed to support him, and the two managed to sit on the bed. Although they recognized Chen Wan'er’s voice, Chang Yu and Chen Xin had no time to ask questions before she detached herself from Yang Chengzi’s body.

Chang Yu wiped Yang Chengzi’s face with a cold towel, but he showed no reaction. After a long while, Chen Wan'er’s voice echoed in their ears again: "There is an anti-malevolence pill in Yang Chengzi’s bundle. I don't know the exact precautions, but if you don't feed it to Chen San immediately, he will die. Search for it quickly."

By now, Chen Xin was weeping uncontrollably. Looking at Chen San’s deathly pale complexion, she felt certain he was on the verge of death. Though she did not understand what "malevolent energy" was, that ghastly pallor was a clear sign of impending doom.

Despite her helplessness, Chen Xin could only hold Chen San’s hand, begging him not to leave her behind, reminding him that she still had to wear her red wedding dress and wait for him to come for her.

Chang Yu was equally anxious, but fortunately, she took Chen Wan'er's words to heart; otherwise, Chen San would surely have perished. Rummaging through Yang Chengzi’s bags, she found a small box containing something dark and indistinct. She caught a whiff of an indescribable scent, but it smelled medicinal. With only that one pill available, she hurriedly stuffed it into Chen San’s mouth. This anti-malevolence pill had been given to them by Yang Chengzi’s junior apprentice brother back in Fu Family Village.

Seeing Chen San swallow the pill, both women felt a sense of relief. Chang Yu and Chen Xin kept watch over Chen San and Yang Chengzi throughout the night.

As dawn approached, Yang Chengzi let out a muffled cough and woke up. Chang Yu helped him up and asked about the pill. Upon hearing that Chen San had been afflicted by malevolent energy, Yang Chengzi was struck with disbelief, though he was thankful they had one pill left.

Learning that it was Wan'er who had brought them back, he was even more shocked. That she could suppress the Yang fire of his own body using that stone meant she was no longer an ordinary spirit.

Yang Chengzi sensed the malevolent energy within Chen San; although the amount was small, it was highly refined. He was unsure if the pill would be enough to neutralize it. Chen San’s deathly pallor puzzled him deeply. Was it another case of massive blood loss, like when they faced the black-robed figures in Chen Town? He searched for wounds, but finding none, the reason for the pallor remained a mystery.

The next morning, Yang Chengzi, feeling that Chen San was extremely weak and unable to discern the cause, went out to find a physician. After checking the pulse, the doctor diagnosed a severe deficiency of blood and vitality, as well as an imbalance of Yin and Yang, requiring heavy nourishment. Yang Chengzi, not fully understanding, asked for details.

The doctor explained that Chen San’s body was suffering from an excess of Yin and a decline of Yang, with his vital energy severely depleted. He was so weak from prolonged illness that his breath was faint and shallow—a sign of impending death.

The doctor’s words nearly caused Chen Xin to faint. After the prescription was written and the medicine decocted, the routine remained the same: Chen Xin would take a sip and feed it to Chen San mouth-to-mouth. It was Chen San’s misfortune that he was never conscious to know that Chen Xin was kissing him willingly. Unable to eat solid food, Chen Xin could only feed him thin rice porridge.

After noon, the old woman and her son arrived. Only then did Yang Chengzi remember that the old man's coffin was still left outside. The "dead man's pit" could no longer be used for burial; he had to find a new site with favorable geomancy to rebury the old man.

On the other side of the creek, Yang Chengzi staked out a new plot of land. The old man’s son hired people to relocate the grave, and the matter was finally settled. Returning, Yang Chengzi looked at the site from the previous night, now a scene of utter devastation. He thought to himself that Chen San was truly remarkable, always managing to turn danger into safety.

Although Chen Wan'er had brought them back, Yang Chengzi never suspected that she had deployed the Qiantian Bagua Celestial Array to slay the corpse-demon, using techniques he had never even learned. Sadly, Yang Chengzi and Chen Wan'er were not close; because he did not ask, he did not know, and because he did not ask, Chen Wan'er naturally did not volunteer the information.

Because one did not ask and the other did not tell, they missed the truth entirely. For a long time to come, Yang Chengzi remained unaware that while he did not know the complete Celestial Array, Chen Wan'er did. And as she had said, it was true—he had simply never asked.

During their days in Yutai Town, Yang Chengzi had already become famous. The old man’s grave was rumored to be cursed, and even though people didn't know the specifics, they could see the aftermath—the chaotic site and the many white bones Chen Wan'er had unearthed. Any fool could tell that it wasn't just a simple relocation of a grave.

Idle people love to gossip. Within a few days, the story of the cracked tombstone spread like wildfire, and countless people flocked to Yang Chengzi—some to apprentice, some to beg for talismans, others for geomancy. If Chen San had been awake, he surely would have been shouting about how much silver to charge.

Yang Chengzi was kept busy with various affairs, often to the point of missing meals, which pained Chang Yu. But since it was his own choice, she could only leave food for him to eat upon his return.

Seven or eight days later, Chen San woke up in a daze. It was broad daylight, and seeing Chen Xin gripping his hand and sleeping by his bedside, he wanted to stroke her hand, but a sense of profound weakness left him unable to clench his fingers.

As if sensing Chen San had awakened, Chen Xin opened her eyes. Seeing him looking at her, she leaned over the bed and burst into tears. "You’re finally awake! You’ve been lying there for seven days, you scared me to death!"

Tears streamed down her face. Chen San wanted to wipe them away, but he couldn't even lift his hands.

When Chang Yu saw that Chen San was awake, she came over to tease him. "Oh, look who’s finally awake. Was it really worth it to move a grave? Look how you terrified Sister Chen Xin! Come now, there’s a chicken leg left on the table. Get up and eat it yourself; this sister isn’t feeding you."

Though she said this, her heart was soft, and she had shed many tears in secret seeing Chen San’s condition. Having not eaten for days, relying only on rice soup, Chen San, who was never heavy to begin with, had become even thinner. Thin was one thing, but for some reason, the flower on Chen San’s forehead had become even more vivid.

Yang Chengzi was also pleased to see Chen San awake. Following the doctor’s advice for heavy nourishment, he spent silver to buy mountain ginseng and lingzhi, though he worried Chen San might be too weak to absorb such potent tonics.

However, Chen San was young and had a strong foundation. After a few bowls of rice, he gained some energy. A few doses of ginseng soup later, he was back on his feet. The money spent was well worth it.

He was alive, and the malevolent energy in his body had been mostly purged; the rest could be slowly dissipated by Chen Wan'er’s spiritual energy. Everything should have been fine, but they could not feel happy—especially Chen Xin!

Ever since Chen San woke up, his voice, which was never particularly masculine, had become melodious and delicate. As the Taoist ancestors had said, Chen San’s body was suffering from an imbalance of Yin and Yang. With the soul of the three-tailed fox and Chen Wan'er’s soul residing in his body for so long, the Yin energy was already excessive. Having consumed so much Yang blood, his voice had gradually begun to sound like a girl's, though the recent massive loss of Yang blood made the transformation quite apparent.

It wasn't just his voice; even his gait had become mincing and swayed, making Chang Yu want to kick him. Though Chen Xin found it awkward, she didn't show it as clearly, harboring only a sense of grievance—with him acting so effeminate, how would they live their lives in the future?

Chen San didn't take it to heart. If he was a bit effeminate, so be it; he ate and drank as usual. However, when they went out together, he was forbidden from speaking to avoid embarrassment, which made him feel stifled.

Yang Chengzi felt this was a major issue, so he took Chen San to every clinic in Yutai Town. He paid plenty of silver, but the voice remained unchanged. If it were only Chen Wan'er, she could have left, but the little fox’s soul had merged with Chen San’s soul base to suppress the phantom demon, and it could not be removed.