Clues

"Enough, enough!"

The Roving Exorcist Disciple stepped in to stop the crowd, who stood with swords drawn and bows bent. "Let's each search on our own. Share if you're willing; if not, then it's up to everyone's own abilities!"

"That settles it. Let's split up. None of us trusts anyone else anyway."

"All right!"

Since the Roving Exorcist Disciple had spoken, everyone nodded and headed outside.

Ye Qianfan, Shen Lang, and Rich Merchant headed east. This was the conclusion Rich Merchant had reached after clicking away at his abacus...

Good fortune comes from the east!

Those were Rich Merchant's exact words.

"Let's split up and search!"

Once they reached the eastern side and Ye Qianfan was sure they were far from the others, he said, "Every hour, whether we've found anything or not, we'll all gather here!"

"All right, let's split up!" Shen Lang nodded as well. "We shouldn't just look for the Old Almanac. If we spot anything else useful, we need to dig it out too!"

"Ah, we're splitting up?"

Rich Merchant was a little panicked, since he was clearly the weakest of the three.

Shen Lang patted Rich Merchant on the shoulder. "Come on, Qian Fugui, you need more guts than that! You're aiming to join the Demon-Quelling Office, aren't you? Do you really think we'll always get to stick together on missions?"

"Heh, well, since we can stay together now, shouldn't we avoid splitting up if we can?" The rich merchant named Qian Fugui scratched his head and gave an awkward smile. "We're still short two offerings. Those lunatics definitely don't want to die themselves, so they'll do everything they can to kill someone else. You see, this..."

"Don't worry, Boss Qian. It isn't time yet. They won't make a move." Ye Qianfan also offered Qian Fugui some reassurance.

Qian Fugui asked, "How do you know?"

"I divined it!"

Ye Qianfan sounded utterly certain.

When Qian Fugui heard that Ye Qianfan had divined it, his eyes immediately lit up. "Then I believe you! I'll go that way!"

Soon...

Qian Fugui set off in search of the Old Almanac, brimming with confidence.

Shen Lang, however, wore a half-smile. "I haven't seen you perform a single divination this whole time. Did you really divine it, or were you just pulling the wool over Qian Fugui's eyes?"

"What do you think?"

Ye Qianfan turned the question back on him, and Shen Lang burst out laughing. "You're the crafty one, Brother Ye!"

"But you're right. No matter how utterly deranged those people are, they wouldn't act now. Until the burial time for that urn of ashes is confirmed, they won't kill anyone. There's no need."

"Exactly!"

Once they were sure there was no danger, the two split up and began searching the houses.

An hour later, neither Ye Qianfan nor Qian Fugui had found anything useful. Shen Lang, on the other hand, called out to them, "Come with me. I found something!"

"The Old Almanac?"

Qian Fugui hurriedly asked.

Shen Lang shook his head. "No, something else!"

Then...

Ye Qianfan and Qian Fugui followed Shen Lang to the eastern edge of the village, where an ancient, dilapidated Courtyard House stood against the mountain!

Not only had a large section of its eaves collapsed, but even one of its wooden door leaves sagged crookedly. It looked as though it had gone years without repairs.

On top of that, the Courtyard House's roofs were riddled with holes, clearly letting drafts in from every direction.

Surely no one had chosen to stay in this house last night.

For one thing, it was far away; for another, it was falling apart!

"Creeeak... bang!"

Shen Lang pushed open the Courtyard House's gate, but halfway through its swing, the badly deteriorated fastening gave way, and the door crashed straight to the ground, kicking up a great cloud of dust!