Reappearance (Part 2)

"Zhang Mu?"

Ling Yun raised an eyebrow, only then remembering that this seemed to be the name he had given him back then.

However, Ling Yun had no intention of explaining. He merely smiled and reached out to pat his shoulder.

"Old Ma, right? The investigation ahead will be relying on you."

Though this fellow was a bit of a weakling, at least his ability was fairly practical.

Ma Xiu had no idea that he had already been lumped in with the weaklings. Flattered beyond expectation, he cupped his hands and vowed to do his utmost to assist.

As for the other two, they were a man and a woman.

The man was called Xu Huang. He looked arrogant, a match for the Jiang Wu Ling Yun had encountered before.

After sizing Ling Yun up and down, Xu Huang snorted coldly and turned his head away disdainfully.

Clearly, he was deeply dissatisfied that Qin Wei had ordered him to obey a martial artist's commands.

Ling Yun could not be bothered with him. Especially after learning from the other two that this fellow's ability was merely some sort of offensive technique, he had even less interest in paying him any attention.

The woman, meanwhile, was named Wen Qin, and she was only twenty years old.

Her features could not be called breathtaking, but her large eyes brimmed with lively spirit. One look was enough to tell that she had a clever, mischievous nature.

Her spirit, moreover, was an exceedingly rare healing type.

But to Ling Yun, it was still better than nothing.

With his current body, so long as he did not suffer a fatal injury, ordinary wounds would basically have no effect on him.

Like Ma Xiu, these two were also Eight-Star Demon Subduers.

Among the people Qin Wei had brought this time, aside from himself, there were three Seven-Star Demon Suppression Envoys and twelve Eight-Star Demon Subduers. The lineup could truly be called lavish.

At his command, the four teams split up in four directions and quickly vanished into the night.

Watching the directions in which everyone departed, Qin Wei's gaze flickered. Then his body moved, and he swept directly toward the direction where Monk Zhikong had been earlier.

With everyone gone, the place once more sank into an eerie silence.

Just then, an inexplicable chill wind swept past.

From the side room that should have long been empty, a faint murmur of whispers suddenly drifted out.

The next moment, the tightly shut door was violently pushed open from within.

The wooden door slammed heavily against the walls on either side, immediately giving off a groan as though it could no longer bear the strain.

Yet strangely, when the door opened, no one emerged.

But upon closer inspection, one could vaguely see fresh scratch marks in the dust on the ground.

It was as if something were rolling out of the room.

The northwest side of the temple.

From above, this was a densely packed residential district. More than a dozen corridors ran through and connected the area like veins.

Yet strangely, despite being a residential district, it was deathly silent within. Not even the faintest chirp of an insect could be heard.

At that moment, a series of footsteps suddenly sounded in one of the dim, secluded corridors.

As the footsteps grew clearer, a group of four slowly appeared there.

Ling Yun wore a cold expression as he strode at the very front of the group.

His gaze occasionally swept over the tightly closed doors of the side rooms beside him. It seemed that he had noticed something; an almost imperceptible gravity remained between his brows.

The next moment, several black shadows slipped in and out through door cracks and windows, seemingly searching for something.

"Well? Did you find anything?" Ling Yun turned to look at Ma Xiu beside him.

After hearing this, Ma Xiu sensed carefully for a while, then could only shake his head helplessly.

"Brother Zhang, this place is too sinister. Forget Evil Spirits—even those monks seem to have all vanished into thin air."

Ling Yun's expression did not change. Clearly, he had known this already. His steps then paused, and he pushed open a room beside him.

Without hesitation, he stepped inside.

The three behind him exchanged looks. Though somewhat helpless, they could only follow him into the room one after another.

The room was pitch-black, and a foul smell of mold hung in the air.

Ling Yun stood quietly in the middle of the room. Though he had not lit a torch, darkness of this degree could not hinder his eyesight at all.

The furnishings were also extremely simple: a table and chairs, an altar bearing a Buddha statue, a meditation cushion, and a crude bed.

Judging by the dust on the tabletop, no one had lived here for a long time.

"Big Brother Zhang, isn't there any need to inspect places like this so carefully?"

Wen Qin pinched her nose as she watched Ling Yun search the room carefully, unable to stop herself from speaking.

They had already examined no fewer than ten rooms like this in the past half hour!

"Hmph, what a waste of time. He's just a crude martial artist, yet he insists on pretending to understand things here!" Xu Huang avoided the dust-covered furniture with visible disgust, his face full of dissatisfaction.

Ling Yun casually picked up a scripture resting on the table and flipped through it. He did not even turn his head at the complaints behind him.

"If you have any objections, go speak to Qin Wei."

"Or you can leave now. I definitely won't stop you."

"You...!" A flash of anger crossed Xu Huang's eyes. Just as he was about to say something, Ma Xiu hurriedly stopped him.

As the only one among the three who knew Ling Yun's strength, he had no desire to provoke this fellow into anger.

Xu Huang was pulled aside, still looking indignant. Only after Ma Xiu whispered a few words into his ear did a trace of surprise appear on his face.

But even so, his brows still held clear defiance.

Seeing this, Ma Xiu helplessly curled his lips and decisively turned away.

If not for the fact that this fellow's father had some ties with him, he would not have bothered meddling in this business.

Wen Qin, on the other hand, did not mind Ling Yun's terrible attitude. Watching his busy back, her large eyes rolled, and she instead grew even more curious.

Ling Yun ignored their thoughts. After finding nothing in his inspection, he finally gave the Buddha statue on the altar a deep look, then turned and walked out without hesitation.

Seeing that he left the moment he said he would, Ma Xiu and Wen Qin were puzzled, but wisely did not ask. They merely hurried after him out of the room.

Xu Huang, however, snorted coldly once more, his face wearing an expression that said, Just as expected.

But seeing that none of the three had any intention of paying attention to him, he could only follow after them with an unhappy look.

As the footsteps of the group gradually faded, the place once more fell silent.

Just then, the side room that Ling Yun and the others had opened suddenly slammed shut with a bang.

Points of light lit up within the previously dark, empty room.

Through the gauze window, the vague silhouette of someone sitting cross-legged inside could be seen.

Not long after, a faint chant of scriptures drifted out from the room.