Beauty Under the Moon Arrives

Walking along the bumpy mountain path, sometimes the sides were lined with lush forests, sometimes the left side was a cliff by the mountain wall, sometimes both sides were towering mountain walls, and looking up, only a narrow strip of sky could be seen, sometimes a clear stream wound its way past. The entire mountain forest was secluded and ethereal, interspersed with the chirping of cicadas and the singing of birds, truly embodying the saying, "Cicadas cry, and the forest seems quieter; birds sing, and the mountains feel more serene."

Shi Xuan followed behind, winding through the mountain paths. If it weren't for his soul strengthening and memory greatly improving since his cultivation began, he would have been completely lost by now. Although he had taken some detours, he could at least find his way back. Yan Jujian beside him probably didn't have as good a memory as Shi Xuan; Shi Xuan had noticed him making marks at least four times.

Ding Mingde, having studied since childhood, wasn't physically strong. After walking for half an hour, he was already so tired he felt like he was about to pass out. If Yan Jujian hadn't been channeling his internal energy to help him from behind, he would have had to rest countless times along the way.

From the moment they set off, the Head Steward had been silently leading the way at the front, not uttering a word, leaving Shi Xuan, who wanted to pry information from him, no opportunity to speak. The other two were preoccupied with their own thoughts and also remained silent, making the atmosphere quite heavy.

The Head Steward appeared old and frail, walking with a tremor as if he might collapse at any moment. Yet, he had walked for this half-hour without showing any signs of breathlessness or needing rest, maintaining the same half-dead, shambling demeanor as when they started. Judging by his physique, gait, and demeanor, he wasn't a martial artist. To Shi Xuan, he exuded a strange aura, a feeling of deathly stillness. If Yan Jujian hadn't been walking beside him, constantly paying attention to him, Shi Xuan would have already adjusted his breathing, chanted a spell, and activated the talismans in his sleeve to open his heavenly eye and take a look.

In this oppressive atmosphere, the four of them were now walking through a narrow, long gorge. The exit of the gorge was not far ahead, and gusts of wind blew from there, carrying a sense of tranquility.

Finally, they reached the end. As soon as Shi Xuan emerged from the gorge, he saw a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. In the center was a small pond, and opposite the pond stood a large mansion, appearing to have five courtyards. On the other two sides of the pond, scattered courtyards and more wooden houses were visible.

The water in the pond came from a small waterfall cascading down the mountain wall on the left, splashing into the pond and creating countless water droplets that shimmered ethereally and beautifully in the setting sun.

A small stream meandered out from the pond and flowed into the gorge. On its banks and around the pond, some fertile land had been cultivated, not for growing grain, but for planting medicinal herbs. Shi Xuan could recognize quite a few of them, thanks to Daoist Xu's teachings.

These medicinal herbs were all very valuable. Even from a cultivation perspective, with the corresponding prescriptions or Pill Formulas, they would be beneficial to Shi Xuan at his current stage. It was a pity that Shi Xuan had only learned some basic knowledge of identifying herbs from Daoist Xu, and for the corresponding prescriptions and Pill Formulas, he only knew the most introductory ones. The Treasury Records did contain some high-level Pill Formulas, but those were still a distant prospect for Shi Xuan.

After emerging from the gorge, the Head Steward, who had been silent the entire way, turned around and said in a hoarse voice, "Esteemed guests, this is our Shuanghu Village." He then pointed to the large mansion and said, "That is my master's residence. Esteemed guests, please follow me."

The three of them nodded in agreement and followed the Head Steward toward the Wang family's residence. Along the way, they saw farmers and farm women, in twos and threes, working in the herb fields. They were dressed in rags but had contented expressions on their faces, though their eyes seemed somewhat vacant. As for playing children, none were seen.

Circling the pond, they arrived at the entrance of the Wang residence. The Head Steward ascended the steps and knocked twice. The main gate creaked open slowly, revealing an old butler, also white-haired and wrinkled, looking as if he might fall over in a gust of wind. Seeing the Head Steward, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "You're back. Hurry and take them inside."

The Head Steward turned and gestured for the three to follow him. They quickly stepped forward and followed the Head Steward into the residence.

As soon as Shi Xuan entered the residence, he felt a deep, decaying aura. As the main gate closed behind them, it felt even more like entering a deep cave.

It was the end of the hour of the monkey (7-9 PM). Summer days got dark late, and the sun was still bright. But as the Head Steward walked through the residence's corridors, it was silent and deserted. They didn't encounter any maids or servants, and the sky even seemed darker than outside. Shi Xuan's guard was raised to the highest level.

They arrived at a small courtyard. The Head Steward addressed the three, "You two, please stay in this small courtyard. I will have maids come to clean and tidy up later. If you need anything, please instruct them. Young Master Ding, please follow me to the East Courtyard; your accommodation has already been arranged there. Also, my master has recently gone out to visit friends and has not yet returned, so he may not be able to host you for a banquet."

Upon hearing that he would be staying in a separate courtyard, Ding Mingde recalled what Yan Jujian had said and was greatly alarmed. He signaled Yan Jujian with his eyes while racking his brain for words. Seeing this, Shi Xuan smiled slightly, stepped forward, and said to the Head Steward, "Brother Yan and I will be leaving tomorrow. I don't know when I'll see Young Master Ding again. It would be perfect to stay together tonight and have a heart-to-heart talk by candlelight. I hope the Head Steward can accommodate us."

The Head Steward looked at the three of them expressionlessly for a moment before saying, "That will be fine. Maids will come later. Esteemed guests, please make yourselves comfortable."

After the Head Steward left, Ding Mingde came back to his senses, overjoyed. He wanted to thank Shi Xuan but didn't know how to express his gratitude, so he stood awkwardly to the side.

Yan Jujian observed Shi Xuan with a complex gaze but didn't say anything to him. However, Shi Xuan could feel that Yan Jujian's attention and vigilance towards him had lessened.

Two fair-faced maids in yellow robes soon arrived with bedding. They curtsied slightly to the three of them before entering the rooms to make the beds and clean. These three maids, like everyone else here, had indifferent expressions and slightly vacant eyes.

Shi Xuan and the other two sat on the stone benches in the courtyard, speechless, watching the maids finish tidying the rooms and then bring in their dinner.

Since Shi Xuan planned to explore Shuanghu Village when it was quiet late at night, he finished his meal quickly. He bid farewell to the other two, saying he was too tired and needed to rest early, and hurried into the left wing room. His specific plan was to rest first, and around the second watch (9-11 PM), he would circulate his vital energy, perform his cultivation, then use talismans to enhance himself, and then first investigate the Wang residence, followed by Shuanghu Village.

After entering the room, Shi Xuan lay down to rest. He could faintly hear Ding Mingde in the courtyard speaking in a low voice to Yan Jujian, "Great Hero Yan, I don't think Brother Zi'ang is one of them."

"En, perhaps he has the same objective as me. But for me, having him around isn't a problem. Once I've investigated the situation, I'll talk to him about it."

"Then, Great Hero Yan, how do you plan to act?"

"When it's late and quiet tonight, I'll go to the master's room first, and then I'll secretly abduct some stewards, maids, or farmers to question them."

"But, but, I feel like the people here are very strange," Ding Mingde said, still feeling a sense of unease.

"Indeed, they are likely being controlled, numb and unfeeling."

"Could it be... could it be mountain spirits, mountain goblins, or something like that?" Ding Mingde whispered.

"Ha, you're a scholar, how can you believe in such ghost stories? Hmph, even if there are spirits or monsters, I wouldn't put them in my eyes." Yan Jujian didn't believe in ghost stories at all. Shi Xuan felt this was related to his strong vital energy, which deterred ghosts.

"Yes, yes," Ding Mingde nodded in agreement.

"Then I'll return to my room to rest and conserve my energy for tonight. You should also rest early so you can wake up if something happens tonight," Yan Jujian had the same plan as Shi Xuan.

After Yan Jujian returned to his room, Ding Mingde muttered softly, "Scholars just don't talk about ghost stories, it doesn't mean they don't believe in them. He doesn't read himself, yet he lectures me."

It was late at night, and all was silent, not even the sounds of insects could be heard. Shi Xuan's keen senses detected something entering the small courtyard. He suddenly awoke from his deep rest, sat up, his hand tucked into his sleeve, secretly clutching a talisman.

Light footsteps sounded, paused at the corridor, and seemed to notice Shi Xuan was awake. The footsteps resumed, heading towards Shi Xuan's room. A gust of wind blew, and a knock sounded on the door. Shi Xuan stood up and asked, "Who is outside? Is something the matter?" Shi Xuan also heard the sound of Yan Jujian sitting up in the other room.

"My lord, peace be with you. I am sent by the master to serve you," a clear, elegant, and melodious voice replied.

Shi Xuan's lips twitched slightly. He didn't believe such nonsense. If someone were assigned to serve him, they would have been sent after dinner, not at this late hour. However, Shi Xuan still intended to open the door, feeling confident and wanting to see what tricks they were trying to play.

Using a talisman to activate his heavenly eye, he slowly opened the door. Outside stood a woman in white, her appearance as beautiful as a painting, looking delicate and charming, exceptionally beautiful. Her clothes were made of white gauze, revealing her skin underneath like jade, incredibly alluring.

Seeing Shi Xuan open the door, the woman in white bowed gracefully, then smiled charmingly, a dimple appearing on her right cheek. "I, Yan'er, pay my respects to my lord. The moon is bright tonight, would my lord care to enjoy this beautiful scenery with me?"

Since Shi Xuan intended to see what tricks this woman was up to, he politely stepped aside and invited her in, saying, "Miss Yan'er, you arrive with the moon, like a fairy from the moon. I am truly honored."

Yan'er gracefully walked to the bedside, then sat down, smiling faintly. "My lord, why don't you come closer?" She slowly pulled down a section of her white gauze, revealing incredibly fair skin. The flesh of her chest was faintly visible, yet her expression was gentle, with a hint of melancholy, showing no signs of seduction. The contrast made a man's desire surge.

Although Shi Xuan appreciated the beautiful scene of a woman in her boudoir, his mind was clear. He was not the type to disregard safety for beauty. He thought to himself that he still needed to pry for information. If he went to bed, would he be subjected to yang-replenishing or qi-draining? He then said, "Such fine weather and beautiful scenery are indeed meant for a heart-to-heart talk with a beauty."