Su Bai looked at the skeleton in the basement, unsure what had happened after Master Wang had chosen to flee down here and hide. But since Master Wang had been involved in building the entire Manor and knew how to enter the basement, he must have known how to get out as well.
Presumably, when Master Wang had hidden in the basement, he had only intended to lie low for a while and think of a way to escape.
But the Ghost Madam he had killed with his own hands had been following him all along. Born of resentment, she had transformed into a Strange Creature shortly after her death and stayed by Master Wang's side ever since. This was also one of the reasons he had been so desperate to leave.
If the Ghost Madam's obsession and goal had simply been revenge, if all she wanted was Master Wang's death, she could have acted at any time with her abilities. She could even have killed him before he sold off his property.
But that clearly wasn't the object of her obsession. She had likely stayed by Master Wang's side to arrange the "best" possible death for him-dying in despair in a secret chamber piled high with fake gold, silver, and jewels, for instance. No one would help him, and not a single "gold ingot" would answer his cries for aid.
Su Bai knew the Ghost Madam hadn't killed Master Wang as soon as he hid in the underground chamber. The skeleton was intact, and its posture showed no sign of struggle or an attempt to hide.
Most importantly, a closer look revealed a tall pile of "gold ingots" beside the skeleton's hand. Although the plating had come off each ingot just like the ones Su Bai had seen earlier,