This Is Like Moving Into a Demon's Lair!

Thinking about the things he brought with him, especially the statue of Holy Lord Emperor Guan enshrined in the bedroom, Huang Huai was secretly guessing when the innkeeper, who had hurried over, said to him, "Esteemed High God, it is my fault for not teaching him properly, allowing this boy to become so audacious as to brag about you staying at my inn. I beg your forgiveness."

As he spoke, the innkeeper kicked the waiter, saying, "Why are you kneeling there like an idiot? Hurry up and ask the High God for forgiveness!"

The waiter reacted and quickly kowtowed repeatedly to Huang Huai, "Please forgive me, High God. I just spoke too much; I didn't mean to leak your information..."

Huang Huai finally understood what was going on between the two of them. It turned out the waiter had mistaken him for a Cultivator and, out of vanity, had told others.

Although he didn't know why the waiter thought he was one of those High Gods, Huang Huai didn't explain. He simply glanced at the waiter and said, "Since it was an unintentional mistake, I won't hold it against you."

Without waiting for their reaction, Huang Huai walked past them towards the backyard.

He had already planned to move to the residence in Shun'an Ward. Since there was now such a rift with the Ping'an Inn, Huang Huai saw no reason to stay any longer.

Watching Huang Huai's figure disappear, the waiter breathed a sigh of relief and murmured as if granted a great pardon, "The High God is merciful, the High God is merciful."

The innkeeper glared at the waiter and reprimanded him, "Learn from your mistakes. You were lucky this time to meet someone so understanding. If you don't change your loose-lipped habit, you'll regret it someday."

The innkeeper certainly didn't think that the waiter casually leaking information about guests was a trivial matter. If it weren't for the fact that his nephew had lost his parents at a young age and he had raised him as his own son, he would have kicked him out long ago for being unable to control his mouth.

Returning to the courtyard, he checked that the markers he had made were undisturbed. He pushed open the door and entered the hall, then turned into the bedroom, where he saw the lifelike statue of Holy Lord Emperor Guan seated on the altar.

The incense in the censer before the statue had burned out. Huang Huai stepped forward, bowed to the statue of Holy Lord Emperor Guan, then took a red cloth to carefully wrap the statue.

Afterward, Huang Huai put back the books he had brought back to the real world. He tidied up the things he had brought, and it was only then that he realized how much he had accumulated – a whole large package stuffed full.

Looking at the package, Huang Huai thought about bringing all these things to Shun'an Ward and had the idea of sending the package back to the real world first.

However, he quickly dismissed the thought. He had already decided that unless it was a matter of life and death or he was returning to the real world, he would not open that mysterious portal unless absolutely necessary.

On one hand, Huang Huai couldn't guarantee it wouldn't be discovered, and on the other hand, he feared developing the habit of opening the mysterious portal at the slightest provocation.

Casually slinging the package onto his back, Huang Huai chuckled, "Carrying it like this is fine. I imagine even if I go to Shun'an Ward and meet the clerk, he'll just think I'm eager to move in."

After a final, thorough check to ensure nothing was left behind, Huang Huai left the small courtyard and went to the counter to settle the bill.

The innkeeper was momentarily surprised to see Huang Huai emerge but wasn't overly astonished. In his opinion, even though Huang Huai hadn't held them accountable, he certainly wouldn't be staying any longer. He would have made the same choice himself.

After apologizing again and settling Huang Huai's bill, the innkeeper and the waiter respectfully saw Huang Huai out of the inn.

In Shun'an Ward, within a weed-choked courtyard, beneath a small pavilion, dead leaves floated on the surface of the stagnant water in a dry well. However, if one were to descend to the bottom, they would find a clear secret opening in the bluestone-lined well wall.

Inside the secret opening was a newly excavated chamber. The chamber was small, and a flickering candle illuminated it. A figure sat cross-legged, with the phantom image of the Scarlet Body Ghost Face Yaksha God hovering above He Yuan's head. The two were one, digesting the power gained from consuming Blood Food overnight.

In Shun'an Ward, Huang Huai, along with the clerk who had arrived, pushed open the gate to a courtyard.

As the courtyard gate opened, weeds almost waist-high met their eyes. A dilapidated stone statue lay toppled on the ground, and many of the windows in the row of houses were clearly broken.

Just seeing this scene, Huang Huai's heart sank. This was clearly a dilapidated old courtyard that had been abandoned for who knows how long.

The clerk had previously boasted about how wonderful this small courtyard was, and Huang Huai had been somewhat expectant. But faced with this dilapidated appearance, Huang Huai couldn't help but cast a questioning glance at the clerk beside him.

The clerk clearly hadn't expected the courtyard to have deteriorated so much in just a year of vacancy. Sensing Huang Huai's suspicious gaze, the clerk also felt a bit embarrassed.

Clearing his throat, the clerk explained somewhat awkwardly to Huang Huai, "Young Master Huang, while this courtyard may seem a bit run-down, its owner only left last year. When I came to collect the property, it wasn't this dilapidated."

He then pointed to the houses in front, "Young Master Huang, please take a closer look. As long as you clear the weeds in the yard and do some minor repairs to the doors and windows, it will be an excellent residence. Honestly, with the third son of the Peng family joining the Great River Sect, property prices in Shun'an Ward are bound to rise. You might not be able to secure this place at the current price in a few more days."

Huang Huai wasn't bothered by the house's dilapidation itself, but seeing its state made him wonder if it was some kind of haunted house.

Even in modern times, people were wary of haunted houses, let alone a world where Gods and Demons manifested.

What if he painstakingly chose a haunted house? Wouldn't that be incredibly unlucky?

Seeing Huang Huai hesitate as if wanting to back out, the clerk quickly asked, "Young Master Huang, do you have any concerns?"

Huang Huai looked at the clerk and handed him a silver melon seed, "Please tell me, elder brother, is there anything taboo about this residence!"

The clerk's eyes lit up as he took the silver melon seed. He was momentarily stunned, then seemed to understand Huang Huai's meaning and burst into laughter, "Young Master Huang, you jest. Putting aside the fact that this is just a common, vacant old house, even if it were haunted, do you think the High Gods in the city would let it be?"

He then pointed to the collapsed stone statue nearby, "Young Master Huang can go to the Statue Pavilion of Gods and Demons under the Great River Sect at any time to get a Guardian Spirit or Guardian Deity. It will surely prevent any Malevolent Spirits from breeding."

At this point, Huang Huai had to admit that the clerk made a lot of sense. And judging by the clerk's reaction, it really wasn't a haunted house. Besides, if he didn't buy this one, he'd buy another. This wasn't the clerk's property, and there was no conflict of interest between them, so he wouldn't be trying to trick him.

The clerk calmly stated that, according to Huang Huai's requirements when choosing a house, there was no better option. He had said all he needed to say, and now it was up to Huang Huai to decide.

However, thinking of the silver melon seed he had slipped into his pocket, and seeing Huang Huai surveying the courtyard, the clerk thought for a moment before speaking, "Young Master Huang need not worry about any Malevolent Spirits harming you here."

Seeing Huang Huai look towards him, the clerk's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he lowered his voice, speaking suggestively, "For ordinary people like us, common, low-level Malevolent Spirits are usually dealt with by Guardian Spirits and Guardian Deities. If we are truly unlucky enough to encounter powerful Malevolent Spirits, it doesn't matter if you live in a dilapidated shack or a grand mansion; the outcome is the same for everyone. As for things other than Malevolent Spirits, hehe, Guardian Spirits and Guardian Deities can guard against Malevolent Spirits, but can they guard against Cultivators!"

"Malevolent Spirits are easy to guard against, but the human heart is unpredictable. How many families are destroyed not by Malevolent Spirits, but by human actions..."

After uttering a sigh, the clerk seemed to realize he had said too much and immediately fell silent, saying no more. He felt he had said enough today, which was more than enough for the silver Huang Huai had given him.