Having made up his mind, Xiao Yi began searching his little courtyard. Just then, a gatekeeper tossed in a pile of battered timber-the remains of the ritual altar he had built to "exorcise" Xiao Yan. Now smashed to pieces, it gave off a faint smell of mildew and rotting wood.
Damn it... Xiao Yi cursed inwardly, curling his lip as he gathered the scattered planks and strips of wood one by one. Though damaged, they were still usable. A sly glint flashed in his eyes as a plan took shape in his mind.
Clinking, clanging, cracking, and clattering soon filled the little courtyard in a less-than-harmonious chorus. Xiao Yi devoted himself to repairing and repurposing the broken wood. At times, he knitted his brows as he carefully checked how the planks fitted together; at others, the corners of his mouth lifted, as though he was quite pleased with his handiwork. Sweat gradually soaked the hair over his forehead.
After roughly two hours, the unsightly heap of scrap had miraculously transformed beneath his nimble hands. It had become a simple folding wooden table. With its legs tucked inside, the folded table resembled a flat box, with a little room left for odds and ends. Beside it, several thick wooden strips had been lashed together into a sturdy little folding stool. Xiao Yi patted the stool with satisfaction and tried sitting on it. Crude though it was, it proved reasonably solid.
Next, Xiao Yi stuffed some of his mystical paraphernalia, along with a few cakes he had hidden away, into the newly made folding table. Once folded, it looked just like a wooden box of middling size. He hefted it to gauge its weight, then walked over to the courtyard wall, took a deep breath, and hurled it over with all his strength. With a soft thud, the box cleared the wall and vanished on the other side. He dusted off his hands, a smile of triumph spreading across his face.
With all his preparations complete, Xiao Yi grabbed his "divine weapon," chose a secluded corner near the courtyard wall, and began his grand "jailbreak." Grunts rang out and dust flew as he worked with boundless enthusiasm, as though his strength could never run dry. The crude iron shovel rose and fell in his hands. It was hardly efficient, but persistence was what mattered.
The ground outside the wall began to bulge. Clods of earth were pushed out, forming a small mound. Covered in grime, Xiao Yi burrowed out like a mole and surveyed his surroundings warily. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he quickly hoisted the wooden box and stool he had just thrown out onto his shoulder, brushed the dust off himself, and marched toward Wutan City's busiest market, head high and spirits soaring.
Though it was still early morning in Wutan City, the market already seethed with voices. Vendors' cries rang out without pause, filling the streets with the rich bustle of everyday life. Carrying his "worldly possessions," Xiao Yi threaded through the bustling crowds and soon found an open spot that was easy to see without blocking traffic. In next to no time, he assembled a crooked platform that could just barely pass for a "stall." He clapped his hands in satisfaction, cleared his throat, and prepared to take his "first step into business."
With Xiao Yi's "jailbreak," life in the Xiao Clan seemed to return to its usual course, while beneath the calm surface, everyone's stories quietly continued. After the "exorcism" farce Xiao Yi had single-handedly orchestrated a few days earlier, followed by the welcome surprise of Xiao Yan's miraculous recovery of his Dou Qi, the Xiao Clan residence had finally settled down completely. The servants attended to their duties, and the masters went about their own affairs. The orderly rhythm peculiar to a great clan once more enveloped the entire estate.
Meanwhile, at the entrance to the little courtyard where Xiao Yi was nominally "confined," two Xiao Clan guards still stood planted like door gods, looking straight ahead and dutifully keeping watch. Their only responsibility was to guard the courtyard gate and ensure Xiao Yi did not slip out through the "front door." As for the wondrous tunnel beneath the courtyard wall that led to the free world, or the fact that their young master was currently outside "pursuing his grand ambitions," they knew nothing whatsoever. They continued to stand their posts conscientiously, enjoying their undemanding assignment.
At Wutan City's busiest crossroads, Xiao Yi's "Master Exorcist's Storytelling Stage" had been running for several days in a row. The crowd around his makeshift platform was now somewhat larger than it had been a few days earlier. Spittle flew as Xiao Yi spoke, enthusiastically brandishing a branch he had picked up somewhere to serve as his "lightning-struck wooden sword."
"Hey, friends and neighbors, don't just pass by and miss out! Want to know what earth-shaking events have happened in the Xiao Clan lately? Want to know why the Xiao Clan's Third Young Master, Xiao Yan, was so listless a few days ago, yet now he's as lively as a dragon and tiger? Come, come! Let 'Master' Xiao Yi tell you all about the shocking secrets no one knows!"
This deliberately mysterious opening drew a few idle passersby to a halt. Seeing people gather, Xiao Yi grew even more animated. He swung the straight branch he had casually picked up, striking the table with it in place of a storyteller's clapper, and launched into his vivid tale.
"Now, that night, I studied the heavens and counted upon my fingers, and I knew at once that something unclean was wreaking havoc inside Xiao Yan! That evil spirit had entrenched itself in his body, draining his Dou Qi and disturbing his mind. Disaster was about to descend upon him! How could I, Xiao Yi, stand idly by? At once, I set up a ritual altar and took up my lightning-struck wooden sword!" As he spoke, Xiao Yi raised the stick high.
"And I gave Xiao Yan a thorough dose of 'loving discipline.' You didn't see it, folks! Xiao Yan was usually quite the little man, but once that thing latched onto him, he wilted completely! The dark circles under his eyes were bigger than millstones, and he swayed when he walked! One look, and I knew this wouldn't do! I grabbed my weapon and gave him a good 'pouring of enlightenment straight into his crown'! I beat him till he howled. Those cries, tsk, tsk-if any of you here had been lucky enough to hear them, I guarantee you wouldn't have eaten for three days!"
As Xiao Yi spoke, he waved his arms and stamped his feet, acting out the comical scenes of how he had "punched and kicked" and how Xiao Yan had "covered his head and scurried away like a rat." A smug smile adorned his face, as though he truly were a great hero who subdued monsters and banished demons, rather than a troublemaker who had only just "broken out" of confinement.
At the climax of his story, Xiao Yi lowered his voice and continued in a conspiratorial tone:
"That old ghost-oh, no, I mean that 'unclean thing'-was struck by my righteous aura and shot straight out of my third brother's body with a whoosh! And guess what? The old fellow revealed his true form! He had a great bushy white beard, his eyes were round as saucers, and mosquito-coil spirals kept swirling out of him! He was just like a mangy dog that had taken a club to the head, dizzy and disoriented, fleeing in a sorry state! What a satisfying sight it was! A truly satisfying sight!"
The audience listened with relish, and some kept nodding along. Xiao Yi felt even more pleased with himself. This "business with no startup costs" really does have a future, he thought. Although he had yet to collect a single coin, being the focus of everyone's attention felt downright wonderful!
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