Walking along the rugged mountain path, sometimes lush woods hemmed them in on both sides; sometimes they leaned against a mountain wall with a cliff to the left; sometimes sheer mountain walls rose on either side, and looking up, they could see only a narrow strip of sky; sometimes a clear brook curled past them. The whole mountain forest was quiet and ethereal, threaded with cicadas chirping and birds singing—truly, "The cicadas' clamor made the forest stiller; the birds' calls made the mountains more secluded."
Shi Xuan followed behind, twisting and turning through the mountain paths. Had his cultivation not strengthened his soul and greatly improved his memory, he would likely have completely lost his bearings by now. Though they had taken many detours, he could at least still retrace their route. Yan Jujian beside him likely did not possess such a good memory. Shi Xuan had noticed him leaving secret markers no fewer than four times.
Ding Mingde had studied since childhood and was not particularly robust. After walking for half an hour, he was already so exhausted that he was nearly ready to faint. Had Yan Jujian not circulated his inner power behind him to help, no one knew how many times he would have needed to stop and rest along the way.
From the moment they set out, the Head Steward had walked silently at the very front, leading the way without uttering a word. Shi Xuan, who had wanted to pry some information from him, found no chance to begin. The other two each had their own concerns and said nothing either, making the atmosphere exceptionally stifling.
The Head Steward looked old and frail. He trembled as he walked, as though a gust of wind could knock him down at any moment, yet after this half hour of travel, he had not once stopped to catch his breath. He still looked as half-dead and shuffling as he had at the start. Judging by his build, gait, and mannerisms, he was not a martial artist. Yet in Shi Xuan's eyes, the man carried a strange aura, a heavy, deathly feeling. If Yan Jujian had not remained beside him and kept a close watch on him, Shi Xuan would already have regulated his breath, chanted an incantation, and activated the talisman in his sleeve to open his Heavenly Eye and take a look.
The four of them, wrapped in that oppressive silence, were now walking through a long, narrow gorge. The exit lay not far ahead, and gusts of wind blew in from there, carrying a secluded air with them.
They had finally arrived. The instant Shi Xuan emerged from the gorge, he saw a valley enclosed by mountains on three sides. A modest pool lay at its center, and across the pool stood a large residence, seemingly with five successive courtyards. Scattered around the other two sides of the pool were several smaller courtyards, though there were even more wooden houses.
The pool was fed by a small waterfall spilling down the mountain wall to the left. It splashed into the water, scattering countless droplets that seemed misty and beautiful beneath the setting sun.
A small stream wound its way out from the pool and flowed into the gorge. Fields had been reclaimed along both its banks and around the pool. They did not grow grain, but medicinal herbs instead. Shi Xuan could recognize quite a few of them, thanks to Daoist Xu's teachings.
These medicinal herbs were all extremely valuable. From the perspective of cultivation, if one possessed the corresponding prescriptions or pill formulas, they would be beneficial even to Shi Xuan at his current stage. Unfortunately, Shi Xuan had only learned some basic knowledge of identifying herbs from Daoist Xu. As for the corresponding prescriptions and pill formulas, he had only the few introductory ones. The Treasure Record did contain some high-level pill formulas, but those were still far beyond Shi Xuan's reach.
After leaving the gorge, the Head Steward, who had remained silent all the way, finally turned around and said hoarsely, "Three honored guests, this is Shuanghu Village." Then he pointed to the great residence. "That is my master's home. Please follow me."
The three nodded in acknowledgment and followed the Head Steward toward the Wang Residence. Along the way, they saw farmers working in twos and threes amid the herb fields. Their clothes were ragged, but their faces wore deeply content expressions—though their eyes seemed somewhat vacant. As for children playing and frolicking, there were none to be seen.
After circling the pool, they arrived before the gates of the Wang Residence. The Head Steward climbed the steps and knocked twice. With a creak, the gates slowly opened, revealing an old servant with a head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles. He looked as though a breeze could blow him over. Seeing the Head Steward, he rasped, "You're back. Hurry and take them inside."
The Head Steward turned and gestured for the three to follow. They quickly took several steps forward, followed behind him, and entered the residence.
The moment Shi Xuan entered, he sensed a deep, decaying aura. As the gates shut behind them, it felt even more like they had entered a profound, bottomless cave.
It was only the end of the Hour of the Rooster, and summer nights came late. The setting sun was still bright. Yet as they followed the Head Steward through the corridors of the residence, it was silent and desolate. They encountered no maids or servants, and even the sky seemed darker than it had outside. Shi Xuan raised his guard to its utmost limit.
When they reached a small courtyard, the Head Steward said to the three, "The two of you may stay in this courtyard. Later, I will instruct some maids to come clean and prepare the rooms. If you need anything, simply tell them. Young Master Ding, please follow me to the eastern courtyard, where lodgings have long been prepared for you. Also, my master has recently gone out to visit friends and has not yet returned, so he may be unable to entertain you."
The moment Ding Mingde heard that he would be staying alone in another courtyard, he recalled what Yan Jujian had said and was terrified. He signaled Yan Jujian with his eyes while racking his brains for something to say. Seeing this, Shi Xuan smiled faintly and stepped forward. He said to the Head Steward, "Brother Yan and I will leave tomorrow. We do not know when we will next see Brother Mingde, so it would be best for us to stay together tonight and talk by candlelight through the night. I hope Head Steward will accommodate us."
The Head Steward looked expressionlessly at the three of them for a while before finally speaking. "That will do as well. Maids will come later. Please make yourselves at home, honored guests."
Only after the Head Steward left did Ding Mingde come back to his senses. Overjoyed, he wanted to thank Shi Xuan, yet did not know what reason he could use to thank him. He stood awkwardly to one side.
Yan Jujian gave Shi Xuan a complicated look, but still said nothing to him. Shi Xuan could only sense that Yan Jujian's attention and wariness toward him had lessened.
Two pretty maids in yellow soon arrived carrying bedding. They bent their knees slightly in greeting, then each entered a room to make the beds and clean. Like everyone else in this place, the three maids wore cold expressions and had slightly vacant eyes.
The three men sat wordlessly on stone stools in the courtyard, watching the maids finish tidying the rooms, then watching them bring over dinner.
Since Shi Xuan planned to investigate Shuanghu Village in the dead of night, he quickly finished eating. He bade the other two farewell, saying he was exhausted from the day and needed to rest early, then hurried into the left wing room. His plan was to rest first. Around the second watch, he would circulate his qi and regulate his breathing, use talismans to strengthen himself, then investigate the Wang Residence before investigating Shuanghu Village.
After entering the room, Shi Xuan lay down to rest. Faintly, he could hear Ding Mingde lowering his voice in the courtyard and saying to Yan Jujian, "Hero Yan, I do not think Brother Zi'ang is one of them."
"Mm. Perhaps he has the same purpose as I do. But whether he is there or not makes no difference to me. Once I have investigated the situation, I will speak plainly with him."
"Then, Hero Yan, how do you plan to act?"
"When the night is deep and all is still, I will first take a look at this residence's master's room. Then I will secretly seize some stewards, maids, farmers, and the like for questioning."
"But... but... I always feel that the people here are very strange." Ding Mingde still felt lingering fear.
"Indeed. They may very well be controlled by someone, numb and devoid of feeling."
"Could they... could they be mountain spirits or mountain imps?" Ding Mingde asked in a tiny voice.
"Ha! You are a scholar—how can you believe in such ghosts and monsters? Hmph. Even if there are demons and monsters, I do not put them in my eyes." Yan Jujian did not believe in ghosts and monsters at all. Shi Xuan felt that this had to do with Yan Jujian's vigorous blood and qi, which made ghosts afraid to approach him.
"Yes, yes." Ding Mingde nodded repeatedly.
"Then I shall return to my room to rest and build up my strength for tonight. You should rest early too. If anything happens tonight, you will be able to get up." Yan Jujian had the same plan as Shi Xuan.
Only after Yan Jujian returned to his room did Ding Mingde mutter quietly, "Scholars merely do not discuss ghosts and monsters. It does not mean we do not believe they exist. He does not study himself, yet he lectures me."
The night grew deep and still, and all sounds fell silent. Even the cries of insects could not be heard. Shi Xuan's sharp senses detected something entering the small courtyard. He abruptly woke from deep rest, sat up, slipped his hand into his sleeve, and secretly pinched a talisman.
Soft footsteps sounded and paused in the corridor. They seemed to have discovered that Shi Xuan was awake. The footsteps then resumed, heading toward his room. A gust of wind swept past, followed by a knock on the door. Shi Xuan stood and asked, "Who is outside? What is the matter?" From another room, he also heard Yan Jujian sit up.
"Peace to you, Young Master. This servant was sent by the master to attend to you." A refined, soft, beautiful voice sounded.
Shi Xuan's mouth twitched. He did not believe such nonsense. If someone had been arranged to attend him, she would have been sent after dinner. Why wait until the dead of night? But Shi Xuan still intended to open the door. Confident in his own abilities, he wanted to see what trick was being played.
He used a talisman to open his Heavenly Eye, then slowly opened the door. Outside stood a woman in white clothes. Her features were like a painting, delicate and moving, breathtakingly beautiful. Her garments were made of white gauze, and the skin beneath was faintly visible, utterly alluring.
When she saw Shi Xuan open the door, the white clothes woman gave a graceful curtsy, then smiled charmingly. A dimple appeared faintly in her right cheek. "This servant Yan'er greets Young Master. Tonight, the moon is bright and the stars are sparse. Would Young Master be willing to enjoy this fine time and beautiful scene with this servant?"
Since Shi Xuan intended to see what trick this woman wished to play, he politely stepped aside and invited her in. At the same time, he said, "Miss Yan'er arrives with the moon, like an immortal maiden from within it. I am deeply flattered."
Yan'er swayed gracefully as she walked slowly to the bedside, then turned and sat down. With a serene smile, she said, "Will Young Master not come over?" The white gauze on her body slowly slipped down a little, revealing incomparably fair skin. The tender flesh at her chest was faintly exposed, yet her expression remained gentle, with a slight touch of mournful sorrow and not the least hint of seduction. The contrast between above and below only stoked the fire in a man's heart.
Though Shi Xuan greatly admired this picture of a beauty in spring, his spiritual platform remained clear. He was not someone who would disregard danger for beauty. He thought to himself, I still need to draw some information out of her. If I get into that bed, will she harvest my yang to replenish her yin, or suck away my Yang Energy? He therefore said, "On such a fine night and amid such beautiful scenery, I ought to sit with a beauty beneath the moon and talk freely."
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