The Sun Family's Mystery, Miss Sun in the Coffin

After leaving the impoverished scholar's house, Shen Bai hastened along the path the scholar had described.

He remained excited the entire way.

He was especially thrilled at the thought of finding the source of the Malevolent Qi.

Before long, Shen Bai arrived at the school.

Ascending Cloud County's school wasn't large, but it had plenty of scholars. In such a poor place, studying remained the best option for those hoping to change their fate in this remote little county. At least, it offered a semblance of fairness in an otherwise unfair world.

The sound of chanting filled the air from inside the school. Shen Bai only glanced at it from the outside for a moment before losing interest and walking back along the route the scholar had mentioned.

There was nothing unusual as he walked through the first street.

Then, Shen Bai reached the second street.

The second street was livelier than the first, but still, nothing was happening.

Shen Bai thought for a moment, then went to the third street.

This was a bustling market, considered quite lively even for Ascending Cloud County.

Shen Bai stood in the middle of the street, listening to the cries of vendors on both sides, lost in thought.

"The scholar said it was probably around this spot."

"But I haven't found anything since I arrived."

Shen Bai pondered for a moment, then patiently began searching the street.

In broad daylight, Shen Bai didn't think it likely for a Bizarre Entity to appear. After all, if it had happened during the day, the news would have surely spread throughout Ascending Cloud County by now. As a Pawnshop owner, Shen Bai couldn't possibly be unaware of such things.

After searching three times without finding anything, Shen Bai decided to wait.

"I'll wait until evening when there are fewer people and see if I can find that strange person the scholar mentioned."

Since it was already noon and there was no point in just waiting, Shen Bai casually found a lunch stall, ordered a bowl of beef noodles, and sat down to eat slowly.

Although Ascending Cloud County was a small county, it was fully equipped, like a sparrow, small but complete. Shen Bai felt that even without considering the taste, the portion size alone was impressive.

As Shen Bai ate, he observed his surroundings. The people around him seemed normal and the atmosphere was lively.

After finishing his bowl of noodles and paying, Shen Bai found a teahouse and sat by the window on the second floor, where he could observe the entire street.

As he was drinking his tea, the waiter approached Shen Bai with a plate of melon seeds.

"Honored guest, please enjoy your meal. I'll be going now. Just call if you need anything," the waiter said, bowing.

Shen Bai put down his teacup, suddenly remembering something, and asked, "Has anything unusual happened on this street recently?"

The waiter, who was about to leave, quickly turned back when he heard Shen Bai's question. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head.

"This street has always been like this. Nothing strange or bizarre has happened. Honored guest, your accent doesn't sound like you're from out of town. How could you not know?"

When it came to gathering information in the martial arts world, you either found a well-informed local beggar or a waiter from one of these shops. Whether the information from these two sources was true or false, at least they could tell you something.

Although Shen Bai was from Ascending Cloud County, he had only recently transmigrated and didn't know much about many places. He spent his days in his Pawnshop, so it was normal for him to be unaware.

Listening to the waiter, Shen Bai smiled slightly, then took two copper coins from his waist pouch and placed them on the table.

The waiter looked left and right, then immediately broke into a fawning smile, tucking the two copper coins into his sleeve. "Honored guest, whatever you want to ask, as long as I know it, I will definitely tell you."

Shen Bai tapped his finger on the table. "Back to my original question, has anything unusual appeared on this street recently?"

The waiter thought carefully, resting a rag on his shoulder, and said, "Nothing unusual has happened, but a few days ago, a huge Sophora Tree was brought to our street, which many people found quite novel."

A huge Sophora Tree?

Shen Bai looked out the window. The entire street was visible, but he didn't see a Sophora Tree anywhere, let alone a so-called huge one.

Seeing Shen Bai's expression, the waiter gave a mysterious smile. "Honored guest, you're overthinking it. If the Sophora Tree were still standing here, you'd see it from a mile away. No, it was bought by a rich merchant on our street."

"Ah, it's annoying, really. The county magistrate brought it for our street, but that merchant, who knows where he heard it from a Daoist priest, believed that if he used the Sophora Tree's trunk to make a coffin, it would bring prosperity to his descendants and allow them to enjoy wealth and honor."

"So he spent a great deal of effort to buy this Sophora Tree, and it has already been made into a coffin."

"Made into a coffin..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Bai roughly understood what had happened. If that were the case, he certainly wouldn't see the Sophora Tree anymore.

He thought of the scholar he'd met that day and felt that the Sophora Tree must be connected to the matter.

So, after finishing his meal, he asked the waiter, "Where can I find the wealthy merchant who bought the Sophora Tree?"

"Leave this teahouse and walk east for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and you'll reach the Sun Family's estate," the waiter replied.

Shen Bai didn't linger at all and headed straight in the direction the waiter had indicated.

The Sun Family was considered a prominent clan on that street, with their businesses spread throughout many parts of Ascending Cloud County. It could be said that even in this remote small county, they were a wealthy household.

However, at this moment, the Sun Family was shrouded in a silent cloud of gloom.

Main house.

Master Sun sat in a chair, his face devoid of expression.

"Master, why don't we just move away?" Madam Sun clutched a handkerchief tightly in her hand, her face pale, her eyes filled with fear.

"Move? How can we move?"

Master Sun slammed the table. "All of my Sun Family's assets are right here in Ascending Cloud County. Do you want me to sell them off for next to nothing?"

Madam Sun gave a bitter smile. "But that coffin is really too sinister. If things continue like this, our daughter's life might be in danger."

At the mention of this, the anger on Master Sun's face deepened.

"Haven't you found that Daoist priest yet? What good are any of you?"

The servants nearby quickly lowered their heads, not daring to meet Master Sun's gaze.

Seeing this, Madam Sun immediately burst into tears. "I told you from the beginning, how could a Sophora Tree be used to make a coffin? But you wouldn't believe me; you believed that old Daoist priest. Now our daughter is acting as if she's possessed!"

"What do women know?" Master Sun stood up. "Wasn't I doing that for the prosperity of the Sun Family? You only bore a daughter; who will inherit the Sun Family's assets?"

Hearing this, Madam Sun dared not say anything more, only crying more forcefully.

Just then, a servant rushed in from outside, shouting as he ran.

"Master, it's terrible! Miss is sleeping in the coffin again!"