His breath caught in his throat.
Instinctively, he murmured, "Little Immortal…”
Qilin couldn't hear what he said underwater.
But he could tell—
He had successfully diverted Wang Cang Hai’s attention away from the banshee’s enchantment.
Seizing the moment, Qilin ripped off his iron mask and turned to face him.
With exaggerated movements, he silently mouthed:
“Look at me. Look at me.
Don’t look at her.”
Wang Cang Hai stared at him, mesmerized.
His mind began to fill with memories of dreamlike, lingering touches—
Moments wrapped in warmth and desire.
His heart began to pound violently in his chest.
More and more of the bone incense seeped into his lungs, intoxicating his senses.
His logic could no longer hold him back.
His body simply acted on instinct—
He leaned in closer to Qilin.
Qilin, blissfully unaware, was smugly congratulating himself.
Hah! Who would’ve thought? My face is actually more attractive than a banshee’s!
I truly am the most handsome man in Eastern Xia!
Then—
Wang Cang Hai’s fingers tightened against his bare skin.
A fiery heat spread from his touch.
The space between them shrank—
Qilin’s heartbeat thundered in his ears.
His instincts screamed at him to push Wang Cang Hai away.
But when he placed a hand against Wang Cang Hai’s chest—
He felt the rapid, erratic beating beneath his palm.
Qilin’s thoughts turned chaotic.
Is this because of the bone incense?
Are we both just going to—
Die together, our hearts bursting, drowned in this pitch-black abyss?
He stared into Wang Cang Hai’s burning gaze.
And for the first time—
He lost the will to push him away.
Just as he thought Wang Cang Hai was about to kiss him—
The banshee crawled onto his shoulder.
Her lifeless, soulless eyes locked onto Wang Cang Hai.
The bone incense thickened in the water, intensifying to a lethal concentration.
Wang Cang Hai acted in a split second.
His hands abruptly released Qilin, but only so that he could reach around him.
His palm pressed firmly against the banshee’s cold, bony neck.
His fingers curled, forming a sacred hand seal.
Then—
He rapidly flashed through nine hand signs:
"Rin, Pyo, Tō, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen."
(The nine-character mantra used for divine protection and spiritual combat.)
A piercing, ear-splitting scream erupted around them.
The banshee convulsed.
Her face contorted in agony.
Her body shrank rapidly, folding in on itself.
Every single strand of her cursed hair boiled and disintegrated, causing the surrounding water to churn violently.
The pressure was so intense that both Wang Cang Hai and Qilin’s ears went deaf.
Wang Cang Hai coughed up blood.
Just before he had completely lost himself to the banshee’s enchantment, Qilin had removed his mask, forcing him to break free for just an instant.
That single moment of clarity had saved him.
Biting through his own tongue, Wang Cang Hai had used pain and blood to keep his mind sharp.
Feigning helplessness, he had lured the banshee closer—
And then used the Nine Syllable Incantation to exorcise it completely.
Qilin was stunned.
"Is this man really just an ordinary human?"
Wang Cang Hai’s gaze locked onto Qilin’s face.
For the first time, his expression seemed unreadable.
Then, without a word, he reached out—
And retrieved the iron mask, which had been drifting in the water.
With a slow, deliberate motion, he carefully placed it back over Qilin’s face.
Qilin wanted to ask—
"Who are you?"
"Why are you even here?"
But there was no way to speak underwater.
Wang Cang Hai raised a hand and pointed behind Qilin.
Qilin turned.
And his blood ran cold.
Four or five more banshees were gliding through the water, their long hair trailing behind them like dark veils, moving steadily toward them.
Escape was now the only option.
Without thinking, Qilin instinctively grasped Wang Cang Hai’s hand, clinging to it as if that alone would keep him safe.
Then, hand-in-hand, they kicked off from the depths and swam—
As fast as they could—
Toward the cave’s exit.
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