Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“Yinfeng, don’t!”

“Girl!”

Xiao Yinfeng must have been shouting so loudly that she drew the General’s Lady over.

I was yanked into someone’s arms as well. Only when I heard Old Swindler’s familiar voice did my white-knuckled grip on my cane loosen a little.

“Oh, my Boundless Heavenly Venerable, what happened here? Why is there blood everywhere? Where are you hurt? Does it hurt? You wretched child, say something!”

Feeling his slightly rough hands rubbing all over my face, I tightened the corners of my mouth and barely forced back the sting in my nose. In a muffled voice, I said, “…I’m fine.”

As I spoke, I prodded the person I’d bumped into on the ground with my cane. “It’s his blood.”

Mm. Still soft.

That thing let out another faint, muffled groan, and I whipped my cane back at once.

“Mother, that little slut cursed me! She actually said I was about to die! Why are you stopping me? Beat her mouth to a pulp for me!”

The General’s Lady and Old Swindler both changed expressions.

Old Swindler hauled me behind him, his face darkening as he flicked his horsetail whisk. “Boundless Heavenly Venerable. Madam, what is the meaning of this, your young lady speaking so?”

“Please don’t take offense, Daoist Master. My daughter is still young and speaks without thinking. There must be some misunderstanding.” The General’s Lady gave an awkward smile, then lowered her voice to scold Xiao Yinfeng. “Yinfeng, you must not be rude to the Immortal Maiden! These esteemed masters are people I invited to catch ghosts and drive out evil!”

“Mother?!” Xiao Yinfeng sounded incredulous. “Have you lost your mind? There are no ghosts in this world. They’re just a bunch of frauds!”

“Eh-? That is where you are mistaken!”

The moment Xiao Yinfeng said that, the other practitioners who had gathered to watch the excitement could no longer stand by.

“Madam saw it just now. This humble Daoist’s yellow talisman burned without fire. That is precisely a sign that an evil spirit is hiding within the estate.”

“Amitabha. Indeed. The moment this young monk stepped into this residence, his heart and mind became uneasy. It must be the influence of that evil aura.”

Old Swindler added, “And just now, at the pigsty, Madam saw with her own eyes that black mist appear out of nowhere. If you still believe we are frauds, then we shall take our leave.”

The surrounding practitioners exchanged covert glances and immediately chimed in.

With perfect tacit understanding, they all played the same card: retreat in order to advance.

“Exactly! That fiend’s power is profound. This humble Daoist had better not take such a risk. I shall leave first.”

“Alas, Buddha does not save those without karmic affinity. This poor monk bids you farewell.”

“…”

Seeing that they were about to leave, Lady Xiao instantly panicked. “Masters, please wait! I believe you, of course I believe you! I’ll add more money! Esteemed masters, you can’t just abandon us!”

The practitioners who had lifted their feet to go immediately set one foot back down.

“Mother!” Xiao Yinfeng’s voice rose several pitches, blazing with fury. “Have you gone insane?! They-”

“Silence!” Lady Xiao’s face darkened as she clenched the handkerchief in her hand. “I am trying to save you! Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve done!”

At those words, Xiao Yinfeng’s expression suddenly froze. Contrary to her usual behavior, she fell quiet, slowly lowered her head, and stared at the ground with a shadowed gaze.