It was previously understood that the Ghost Infant would only fly into a frenzy upon smelling the aura of the Sea of Lost Souls, which explained why, after we brought Xing'er back from the Sea of Lost Souls, he had been so docile and had hurt no one since. However, I suddenly recalled the old man’s words in Jingyin Village. He had said that the Ghost Infant required a host and needed to continuously drink others’ blood, eventually killing the host upon growing stronger. Since arriving in Miao Village, he seemed remarkably obedient, not only never harming anyone but also seemingly never needing to eat. What was the meaning of this? Could it be that the Ghost Infant could grow just by drinking the air after leaving the Sea of Lost Souls?

Completely baffled, I asked, “Granny, there’s something I don’t quite understand. Might I ask for your guidance?”

The Granny squinted her eyes, gazing at the sky beyond the door, as serene as an immortal. Only when she sensed I had a question did she slowly turn her face toward me, her brow furrowing slightly, and she let out an affirmative hum.

So, I recounted the story I had heard in Jingyin Village, detailing the old man’s insights on the Ghost Infant. Finally, I added, with a tone of suspicion, “What the old man said seems inconsistent with the situation here. Xing’er has always been well-behaved; he hasn't clung to Hua Gu as a host, nor has he harmed anyone else.”

Upon hearing this challenge, Hua Gu, who was kneeling on the floor, silently rolled up her sleeves. Her arms, like white lotus roots, were revealed. The skin looked exquisitely smooth and tender under the sun, yet, near the inner wrist, close to the elbow joint, there was a faint circle of tooth marks, and the skin surrounding them had already turned purple.

Old He and I both sucked in a sharp breath. We never imagined that the outwardly cute and well-behaved Xing’er was secretly draining Hua Gu’s blood, concealing a terrifying killing intent beneath his lovable facade. No wonder Xing’er seemed to grow so rapidly without visibly consuming anything. Behind such expressions of mother-son affection lay this brutal, sanguinary relationship. It was utterly incomprehensible!

“How could this be?” Old He couldn't help but ask.

“Me too!” Xiao Shu blurted out unexpectedly. As everyone turned their gaze to him, he pushed up his own sleeve. In the same location as Hua Gu, his wrist also bore two or three tooth marks, though far fewer than Hua Gu’s, suggesting he hadn’t been fed upon as often.

It was truly unbelievable! I touched my own arm, rolled up my sleeve, and looked at both sides, finding no marks at all. Old He was about to do the same when the Granny spoke up: “Stop looking; there’s nothing frightening about it.”

“Oh,” Old He replied, letting the sleeve he had halfway rolled up fall back into place.

At that moment, the atmosphere in the main hall grew extremely tense. Apart from the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects outside, there was no other sound inside; the silence was as heavy as if one were walking to the execution ground.

“Normal people cannot comprehend their behavior. Xing’er drinks their blood, yet they dote on him with such unwavering devotion. What kind of twisted drama is this?” I finally asked.

This question seemed to stir up a massive reaction. Old He began to click his tongue, listing Xing’er’s faults, even openly stating that we should not have tried to save him. However, Hua Gu and Xiao Shu immediately took a stand opposite Old He, speaking up in Xing’er’s defense.

Hua Gu refuted Old He: “You simply don't understand. My bond with Xing’er is like that of a mother and son. He depends on me, and I sustain him with my own blood. Furthermore, he doesn’t cling to me or hold me ransom. Everything is my own choice, stemming from my love for him.”

Xiao Shu nodded in agreement nearby, voicing the same opinion as Hua Gu, hoping everyone could work together to rescue Xing’er.

Clearly, the victims and the bystanders held differing views. The bystanders viewed the bloodsucking behavior as cruel and harmful. Yet, the victims considered it voluntary and an act of love.