Instant Kill

Xie An saw the shimmer in Daoist Master Yusu's eyes. "Dao... Sister, are you all right?"

Xie Yu wiped at the corner of her eyes. "I was merely reminded of a younger brother I once had. He was just as outstanding and sensible as Young Master Mingxi."

As it concerned someone else's privacy, Xie An did not press further.

"Just now, Mingxi's plan to lure the snake from its hole was excellent. This matter shall be entrusted entirely to Mingxi and Daoist Master Yusu." After Xie Zhengtang made the decision, he pulled Uncle Shui away.

Once outside, Xie Zhengtang turned back to look at Xie An and Xie Yu in the study, unable to stop the old tears from streaming down his face.

Uncle Shui's eyes also welled with tears. "This can be considered brother and sister recognizing one another at last. With Eldest Miss guiding Mingxi from now on, Master can finally set his mind at ease."

Inside the study.

Xie An had always felt that the way Daoist Master Yusu looked at him was somewhat strange.

It was as though she had known him for a long time.

Yet Xie An searched through all his memories and found nothing related to this Daoist Master.

When he was little... had Daoist Master Yusu come to visit him at home?

Xie Yu scrutinized Xie An carefully. "This humble Daoist visited the Xie Residence in my early years and met Young Master Mingxi. You were only five or six then. Who would have thought you would grow this tall now?"

So that was it...

Although Xie An was eager to learn martial arts that could deal with ghosts and specters, he also knew that the Xie Household's crisis had not yet been resolved.

Zhou Yun, the grain shopkeeper who had planted the Yin Cloth Doll, and the Monster Strain youth who had escaped from the Zhao Residence... until these two matters were settled, Xie An could neither sleep nor eat in peace.

Thinking this, Xie An went straight to the point. "Sister, how do you intend to handle what happened today?"

Xie Yu clasped her hands within her sleeves. "Young Master Mingxi's plan to lure the snake from its hole is excellent, but you do not understand ghosts and specters. I seized two Yin Cloth Dolls, so the culprit using the Nightmare Suppression Technique behind the scenes will surely sense it. If I am not mistaken, that person will arrange for Zhou Yun to leave the city overnight tonight. We must move at once and intercept Zhou Yun."

Xie An was greatly startled upon hearing this.

He could not help growing even more curious about the person behind it all.

Following his sister out of the study, Xie An found that the torrential rain outside had weakened, with only an occasional drop falling.

Xie An had Cai Xia bring an oil-paper umbrella, then took the initiative to hold it over Xie Yu and shield her from the rain.

The two left the Xie Residence without taking a carriage, walking directly toward the Xie Household's grain shop.

The grain shop was located in Yongping Lane, not far from the Xie Residence. They arrived after passing through two alleys.

Night had fallen by then. The curtain of rain was dark, and the heavens and earth were a vast gray haze. The shops along Yongping Lane that remained open for business had sparse customers.

At the busiest stretch of the street stood a shop called Xie Grain Shop, and its business was exceptionally good. Quite a few people were braving the rain and lining up to buy firewood, rice, oil, and salt.

This was because, no matter how the market rose or fell, Xie Grain Shop's prices were always ten percent lower than its competitors'.

The moment Xie An reached the entrance, a sharp-eyed, skinny shop hand hurried over warmly beneath an umbrella. "Oh, Young Master, what brings you here in such heavy rain? Hurry inside and warm yourself by the brazier."

Xie An did not waste words. "Is Shopkeeper Zhou Yun inside?"

The shop hand shook his head. "He was still behind the counter keeping accounts just now, when a maid from his household suddenly came with a message saying Shopkeeper's wife was unwell. So Shopkeeper hurried home."

Just as Daoist Master Yusu had predicted.

An expert truly had some skill.

Xie An suppressed the stray thoughts in his heart. "How long has Shopkeeper Zhou been gone?"

The shop hand glanced at the bronze clepsydra by the wall. "Less than half a quarter-hour."

Xie An's expression darkened. "Take me to Shopkeeper Zhou's home."

"Right away!" The shop hand happily stepped out of the shop to lead the way. "Shopkeeper lives just ahead at the corner, very close by. Young Master, watch the standing water underfoot."

As they hurried along, Xie An asked, "Has Shopkeeper Zhou shown anything unusual over the past month?"

The shop hand answered briskly, "Nothing much... except that ever since he took a new wife a month ago, he's always been wearing a worried look."

Before long, they reached the corner of Yongping Lane, where a residence bearing the plaque "Zhao Residence" stood right before them.

After dismissing the shop hand, Xie An slowly walked beneath the eaves. He glanced at Xie Yu beside him, and once she nodded, he raised a hand and knocked.

Knock, knock, knock.

Not long after, a maid in a blue padded jacket opened the door. "Who are you looking for?"

Xie An said, "I am Xie An, eldest young master of the Xie Household. I am looking for Zhou Yun to reconcile the accounts of Xie Grain Shop. Is Zhou Yun inside?"

Upon hearing that he was the Xie Household's eldest young master, the maid immediately curtsied. "So it is Young Master. Master is inside. I will call him out to receive you at once."

Xie An said, "No need for the trouble. Just lead the way."

"Yes." The maid did not dare disobey and led the way ahead.

Xie An followed her inside.

It was a three-courtyard siheyuan residence. Passing the screen wall and the hanging-flower gate brought them into the central courtyard's reception hall.

Through the wall, Xie An heard the rustling sounds of someone rummaging through chests and cabinets, packing luggage in the bedroom. Then came the maid's voice as she entered to report:

"Master, Madam, the young master of the Xie Household has arrived. He says he wishes to reconcile the grain shop's accounts."

The rustling in the bedroom came to an abrupt halt, followed by the muted murmurs of a man and woman.

Just as expected...

Zhou Yun was planning to run.

At that moment, Xie Yu leaned close and whispered several words into Xie An's ear.

Xie An was utterly shocked upon hearing them.

Not long after, Zhou Yun emerged in a gray long robe, greeting them with a beaming smile. "So the Young Master has honored us with his presence. Please, take a seat."

Xie An took the upper seat to the right, while Xie Yu stood by his side, looking every bit like an attendant.

Zhou Yun sat opposite on the left, his fleshy face piled with smiles. "What brought Young Master to think of reconciling the grain shop's accounts?"

Xie An accepted the tea bowl the maid offered him. "Father told me to learn more about business. I heard from the grain shop hand just now that your wife is unwell. Is it serious?"

Zhou Yun glanced at the bedroom door to his left and smiled. "Her monthly course is a few days late, and she has no appetite. It is nothing serious."

Xie An lifted the lid of the tea bowl and pushed aside the tea leaves. In an offhand tone, he said, "You should still have a physician take a look. No ailment is too small when it concerns one's health. Take me, for instance. Ever since returning from my inspection of Li Family Village, I've been having nightmares. Today, I even found a white cloth doll beneath my bed. Uncle Shui said it was a villain using the Nightmare Suppression Technique to harm me..."

Zhou Yun's expression visibly stiffened, but he quickly recovered. "With Master and Uncle Shui protecting Young Master, you will surely turn danger into safety. As for that villain, he will sooner or later die a miserable death."

Xie An tightened his grip on the tea bowl lid. "Naturally, I am unharmed. But Zhao Hu's entire family was killed by that villain. Tell me... should I seek an explanation for Zhao Hu?"

Zhou Yun smiled stiffly. "You should! Of course you should!"

"Well said!"

With a crack, Xie An crushed the tea bowl lid in his hand. Gripping half a sharp shard of porcelain, he suddenly drove it into Zhou Yun's forehead.

Bang!

The tremendous force instantly plunged the porcelain shard deep into Zhou Yun's skull. Brain matter and blood burst out at once.

The maid beside them covered her mouth and screamed in terror.

Xie An felt the sticky blood coating his palm and smelled the foul stench of brain matter, making his stomach churn.

After all, it was his first time killing someone. Xie An's heart still pounded wildly.

He forcibly suppressed the discomfort, slowly rose to his feet, and looked toward the bedroom. "Madam, I know you had Zhou Yun place that Yin Cloth Doll beneath my bed. Come out!"