Heavy money
After Wu Zi and the steward had coaxed the weeping women away, Xu Yi and Wu Zi went forward to check on Master Qi.
Master Qi's brows were relaxed, and his complexion was rosy, making him look as if he were asleep... But Wu Zi clearly saw a faint black and gray aura surrounding Master Qi. Xu Yi's senses were even more acute. She leaned closer to the bed and sensed a very familiar ghostly aura, but she could also smell a faint demonic scent in her nose...
Xu Yi was uncertain and could only look at Wu Zi. After Wu Zi sent the butler outside and closed the door, he turned to Xu Yi and said, "It's a bit complicated. I see both demonic and ghostly energy."
Xu Yi nodded in agreement: "I felt it too. Did he see a ghost or encounter a demon?"
"Maybe, we've encountered both."
"Ugh...am I really that unlucky?"
Looking at Xu Yi's regretful expression, Wu Zi couldn't help but smile: "When it rains, it pours. This kind of situation often happens."
"Oh, so how do we investigate?"
"Let's take a walk around the mansion first and confirm whether this ghostly or demonic thing belongs to the house or outside."
“Oh,” Xu Yi nodded obediently and went out with Wu Zi. Wu Zi went straight to the point with the steward: “Please take us around the mansion so we can take a look around.”
"Master, are you trying to confirm if there is anything unusual in the house?" A look of understanding appeared on the old butler's face: "The previous masters all asked the same question, but they all said there was nothing unusual in the house."
"No problems at all?" Xu Yi looked at Wu Zi again, who frankly said, "It's best to check it out personally before we start fighting demons and protecting the righteous path."
The old man's expression remained unchanged, but his tone became more polite: "What the master says makes sense. Then please follow me."
They spent the entire afternoon inspecting each courtyard with the old steward, but found nothing unusual. After they returned to the main hall, Wu Zicai asked the steward, "There are many causes and effects in the world. I wonder how Master Qi acquired this land?"
The old steward took a sip of tea and sighed, "Master, you are the second person to ask me if there is any reason for this. I am a servant born into the family and have watched Young Master Qi grow into Master Qi. This land was purchased normally with Master Qi, and there are no grudges between us."
Xu Yi blinked and looked at Wu Zi, who said, "Since there are no grudges here, it's probably just a coincidence that Master Qi ran into them. But just in case, please tell us the address of the opera troupe, so Xu Yi and I can go and check it out."
“Alright,” the old butler nodded, and very naturally took out an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Wu Zi with both hands: “Inside is the address of the opera troupe. Well then, thank you both for your help.”
Xu Yi glanced at the prepared envelope, suddenly feeling uncertain about the investigation… Wu Zi, on the other hand, readily accepted the letter and led Xu Yi away from the Qi residence. Once outside, Xu Yi asked, “Wu Zi, everyone else has checked the opera troupe and the mansion, but found nothing unusual…”
“Perhaps they didn’t investigate thoroughly…” Wu Zi paused, “It’s also possible that Master Qi was just unlucky, encountering a passing demon and then a passing ghost on his way home…”
"If it's really such a coincidence..." Xu Yi asked in a low voice, "Then... wouldn't you consider it fate?"
"Hmph, it's his destiny to suffer this calamity." After saying that, Wu Zi took out a small bell and flung it into the sky above the Qi residence. Then he made a hand seal and chanted an incantation. The small bell in the sky grew louder and louder with Wu Zi's voice. Then, golden light seeped out from the bottom of the bell and gradually covered the entire Qi residence.
After a long time, there was no reaction. Wu Zi frowned and made a hand seal to inject some power, but the bell only got bigger and still did not react.
“This…” Xu Yi pointed to the bell above her head and asked Wu Zi, “What does this mean?”
"If anything unusual happens in the mansion, the bell will ring."
Xu Yi looked at the unmoving bell above her head and asked uncertainly, "Then no reaction means..."
“There is nothing unusual in the Qi residence,” Wu Zi frowned. “Or rather, even Lingdang couldn’t detect anything unusual in the Qi residence.”
"Huh? Is that even possible?"
“Yes…” Wu Zi put away the bell and said as he walked, “If a powerful being helps to hide it, those magical artifacts will not be able to detect it.”
"A big shot?" Xu Yi's face paled slightly. "So that means this matter concerning the master is either a trivial, purely coincidental event, or a major event involving a big shot?"
“Hmm,” Wu Zi nodded, “It’s either the smallest or the largest… it’s that extreme. Little Xu Yi understands it well.”
Xu Yi quickly grabbed Wu Zi's sleeve, pulling him so hard that he stumbled... Wu Zi steadied himself and pulled back his collar, which Xu Yi had pulled open. He looked at Xu Yi with a helpless expression. Xu Yi stuck out his tongue, somewhat embarrassed: "Sorry, I just wanted you to be careful, but I didn't expect to almost trip you up."
“Okay,” Wu Zichang took a breath and deliberately drew out his tone, “Okay, Miss Xu, I understand.”
Xu Yi touched his nose, gave an awkward, silly smile, and remained silent.
Wu Zi rolled his eyes, but still took Xu Yi's hand and walked forward, earnestly comforting her as they went: "Xu Yi, I am, after all, my master's disciple. There are few things in this world that I cannot handle and dare not draw my sword to fight. Even if it is really troublesome, I can protect myself with you, so don't worry, understand?"
There are few things I can't handle and dare not draw my sword to fight... Xu Yi felt that this sentence was more inspiring than all other heroic words in the world combined. Just as he was sighing, he heard Wu Zi change the subject: "But if I am really going to die, you should boldly transform into a vengeful ghost to protect me. I still don't want to die if I can live."
Xu Yi rolled her eyes at the sky several times before asking, "Didn't you tell me not to easily become a vengeful ghost?"
"It's true that I can't just turn into a vengeful ghost, but since I'm about to die, I can still handle it specially under these circumstances."
Xu Yi felt the surging fighting spirit that had just been aroused by those words vanish in an instant, and simply nodded: "Okay, I understand."
Hearing Xu Yi's lifeless tone, Wu Zi turned around and ruffled Xu Yi's hair until Xu Yi became impatient before stopping.
Following the map given to them by the steward, they walked until nightfall before finally finding the opera troupe's lodgings.
Before they even stepped through the gate, they could hear the sounds of opera singing coming from inside the courtyard. After they entered the courtyard, Xu Yi saw only one female opera singer performing on the huge stage, with no one else in the audience. This eerie scene frightened Xu Yi so much that she hid behind Wu Zi.
Wu Zi tilted his head and explained to Xu Yi, "Many opera troupes work like this day and night, performing during the day and entertaining ghosts at night. There's no need to be alarmed."
"Oh? Then isn't he very tired? Working day and night?"
"Haha," Wu Zi laughed, "In a theatrical troupe, it's not like there's only one person performing. Everyone takes turns resting, so it won't be too tiring..."
"Oh," Xu Yi nodded, and then saw a man dressed as a boss come out from behind the stage. The man had a fair complexion and a clean beard. He walked up to Xu Yi and the others and raised his hand with a smile: "Distinguished guests have arrived. I am sorry for not welcoming you properly."
Wu Zi also returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Tycoon Master, you're too kind. My sister and I came here because we heard that the opera troupe is haunted, so we came to see for ourselves."
Haunted? The opera troupe is haunted? Xu Yi looked at Wu Zi calmly lying with surprise, blinked, but still didn't expose Wu Zi.
"Hmm?" The troupe leader frowned. "Haunted? I don't know anything about that. Could you please tell me in detail what you heard?"
Wu Zi had just made up a lie on the spot, but he didn't expect the troupe leader to seriously ask him about what he had heard. He gave an awkward laugh and said, "Haha, it was just hearsay, so I came to see for myself. I hope the troupe leader will forgive me."
“Oh, it’s nothing,” the troupe leader nodded knowingly. “There’s nothing unusual in my troupe, but one of my regular customers reportedly fell into a deep sleep after going home last night and hasn’t woken up yet. If you’re really good at exorcising evil spirits, you could give it a try.”
Uh... they came here because of Master Qi's matter, but were pushed back to the Qi residence by a few words. Wu Zi and Xu Yi were both very embarrassed.
The troupe leader was a shrewd man. Seeing the expressions on the two men's faces, he naturally knew why they had come. He raised his arm and invited Wu and the other man to come backstage for a detailed discussion: "Oh, so you've come here for Master Qi. I'm really bad at talking. Please come backstage for a detailed discussion."
Wu Zi had already planned to go backstage to explore further, so he nodded and said, "Then I'll trouble the troupe leader to lead the way."
"You're welcome, this way please." After saying that, he took the lead and went ahead to show the way.
The two followed the troupe leader backstage, where they saw only a few scattered people. One person was painting a face in front of a mirror, presumably about to go on stage. The others were sweeping, tidying up props, and so on. The troupe leader generously said, "This is the backstage area. Please make yourselves at home."
After listening, Wu Zi didn't stand on ceremony. He cupped his hands in greeting to the innkeeper and began to explore. Xu Yi followed Wu Zi, sniffing and feeling around. But after a thorough search, they found nothing unusual... They both frowned. The troupe leader, having seen many Xuanmen practitioners come to investigate, wisely suggested, "It's late tonight. How about I prepare two guest rooms for you to rest tonight? You can continue your investigation tomorrow. What do you two think?"
“Alright,” Wu Zi thought that he could take the opportunity to investigate further that evening, so he bowed and thanked him: “Thank you, Master. I’ll have to trouble you.”
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” the troupe leader waved his hand. “I’m glad I could help you two distinguished guests. Please come with me.”
Then he led the two out of the backstage area and into the guest rooms in the adjacent courtyard. Pointing to the two guest rooms in front of him, he said, "The guest rooms are simple, but they are cleaned daily. Please make yourselves at home." After saying that, he nodded to the two of them and left.
Xu Yi looked around at this room and then at that room, asking Wu Zi, "Wu Zi, which room are you sleeping in?"
"I'm fine with whichever room you choose. You pick first, and I'll take the rest."
Xu Yi touched her nose, somewhat embarrassed: "What I mean is, how about we stay in one room? That way we can look out for each other if anything happens. What do you think?"
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