This was the final question.
Xiang Hai stared at the three short sections of ash in the incense burner, his breathing quickening.
He hesitated for a moment before slowly pulling the slip of paper hidden in his sleeve—the one containing the strange question.
His fingertips tightened around it.
He had actually wanted to ask about the future of his son, who had gone to the battlefield. However, a faint sense of unease gnawed at his heart.
He felt that there was something wrong with that hulking man. If he did not ask this question, some calamity might descend upon his household.
He took a deep breath, lit the last three incense sticks, and inserted them. Closing his eyes, he silently recited the question that did not belong to him in his heart: ‘Buddha, this disciple dares to ask: Is Jiang Liu still alive?’
*Boom—*
The moment that silent inquiry fell within his heart, a violent, yin-imbued wind surged from the floor of the hall. The sound of the wind was shrill, sounding like the wailing of ghosts and the howling of wolves.
On the altar, all the candles used for illumination were snuffed out instantly, as if an invisible giant hand had choked their flames.
In the incense burner, the three incense sticks that had just been lit were snapped in two by the sudden gale. The broken tips, carrying sparks, tumbled onto the ground.
The entire Great Hall was instantly plunged into a pitch-black silence where one could not see their own hand in front of their face.
Only the final remnant of incense remained, a single point of scarlet light flickering uncertainly in the darkness.
“Amida Buddha!” the guide monk, who had been standing as still as a stone, cried out in alarm. His voice was filled with unprecedented horror.
He stumbled toward the altar, fumbling in a frantic search to relight the candles. The flickering light eventually reflected his pale face as bead-sized drops of sweat rolled down his forehead.
The candlelight wavered, barely dispelling the darkness in the hall and re-illuminating the solemn eyes of the Great Buddha.
The guide monk’s face remained pale, and the sweat on his brow had not yet dried. Forcing himself to stay calm, he glanced at the incense burner. Beside the two broken sticks, the remaining long incense stick was no longer burning.
“Two short and one long… The answer is: Yes.”
The guide monk’s voice trembled slightly. He practically lunged forward to quickly retrieve two red paper ingots from a hidden compartment in the altar.
He shoved them into Xiang Hai’s hands, his tone urgent and dismissive. “Benefactor, the Buddha’s oracle is here. Take them and leave quickly, please.”
As the cold paper ingots touched his palm, the sense of strangeness in Xiang Hai’s heart intensified. He did not dare to linger.
After a hurried bow toward the Great Buddha, he turned and practically fled, rushing out of the eerie hall.
Just as he was about to step out the door, Xiang Hai stole a glance back. He saw the gilded Great Buddha still sitting in silence, its eyes open and staring straight ahead.
However, Xiang Hai felt a slight shiver in his heart. He felt as if the statue had just glanced at him.
‘Wait… were the Buddha’s eyes open just now?’
His mind was a muddle of confusion. Xiang Hai did not dare to look back again and stumbled away from Liuxiang Temple.
***
On the way home, Xiang Hai’s thoughts remained in a state of turmoil. He found a secluded corner and, with trembling fingers, unwrapped the two red paper ingots.
On the left piece of talisman paper, the ink was pitch-black: ‘The Buddha’s oracle will surely be fulfilled.’
On the right piece, it read: ‘Distinguished guests arrive, and evil spirits vanish.’
Xiang Hai stared at the words, his brow furrowed. He stuffed the talisman papers back into his sleeve and walked toward his manor with heavy steps.
From a distance, Xiang Hai spotted three incongruous figures gathered near his crimson-painted gates.
A young girl in a bright red dao robe leaned against the wall. Beside her was a pretty companion in pink who was chirping away.
The two of them were surrounding a man of extraordinary bearing dressed in an ink-wash dao robe, gesturing and pointing at his gate as if discussing something.
“Noble Master, you’re finally back!” The servant guarding the door greeted him as if he had been granted a divine reprieve, scrambling forward with a face full of terror.
“What is going on?” Xiang Hai asked, his voice heavy as he suppressed his internal irritation.
“In response to the Noble Master,” the servant said, wiping sweat and bowing hurriedly.
“Those three claim to be disciples of the Tianyuan Sect. They keep insisting on seeing you. I… I didn’t dare to let them in without permission, so I could only stop them here…”
The Tianyuan Sect?
Xiang Hai’s heart leaped. He instinctively tightened his grip on the talisman paper in his sleeve that read “Distinguished guests arrive, and evil spirits vanish.”
“Quickly,” Xiang Hai ordered the servant sternly, without a moment’s hesitation. “Invite the distinguished guests inside immediately. Do not be disrespectful.”
“Dis… distinguished guests?” The servant was stunned by the sudden change, but he did not dare to ask questions. He bowed hurriedly and replied, “Yes, yes. I’ll go right now.”
The servant turned and sprinted toward the three people at the entrance, his face now filled with unprecedented respect.
“Immortal Masters, distinguished guests! My Noble Master invites you in. Please, enter the manor!” The servant’s voice had changed pitch as he bowed and scraped, clearing the path at the gate.
“Oh?”
Lu Qiancha’s brow twitched imperceptibly upon hearing this. Just a moment ago, the three of them had been refused entry even after showing their Tianyuan Sect tokens.
Now, they were being called distinguished guests? The City Lord’s attitude had changed far too quickly.
However, investigating the anomalies in Wanghai City was the priority, so Lu Qiancha did not dwell on the matter. He gave a slight nod to the two women beside him. “Let us go inside.”
“Mhm~”
Shangguan Yunzhu’s face immediately blossomed into a smile. She replied in a sweet voice and naturally tried to grab Lu Qiancha’s arm.
Lu Qiancha shifted his steps slightly, his body moving like flowing water as he avoided her reaching hand without leaving a trace. He walked straight forward, leaving only a distant back.
Shangguan Yunzhu’s hand froze in midair, but the smile on her face did not fade in the slightest.
Her watery eyes shifted; far from being annoyed, the corners of her mouth curled with interest. She moved with light steps like a lazy yet cunning cat, trailing not too far behind Lu Qiancha.
On the other side, Gantang had kept her vigilant gaze locked on Shangguan Yunzhu from the very beginning.
This woman from Zaohua Peak wasn’t staying with her own team and insisted on squeezing into the Tianquan Peak group, smiling like a fox the whole time. She definitely had bad intentions.
Alarm bells rang in her heart. She silently adjusted her position to stand between Shangguan Yunzhu and her senior brother, following the group through the gates of the Xiang Manor.
The manor was vast and deep, with winding paths leading to secluded spots. The group passed the spirit wall and walked along a small green rock path.
Suddenly, Lu Qiancha’s pace faltered slightly, his sharp gaze turning toward a flower bed to the front-left.
There stood an old madam with a hunched figure, dressed in tattered, coarse cloth. She held a pair of notched shears and was focused intently on pruning several plants.
Her clothing was completely out of place with the wealthy atmosphere of the City Lord’s manor. The backs of her wrinkled hands were knotted with veins, yet her movements were exceptionally steady.
Lu Qiancha frowned slightly and turned to the servant leading the way, his voice carrying a hint of inquiry.
“I wonder who that elderly woman is? Does the City Lord’s manor really require such an aged servant to handle such menial labor?”
“Oh! Young Master, speak carefully, speak carefully!” The servant’s face turned deathly pale in fright. He hurriedly lowered his voice and waved his hands repeatedly.
“That is our Old Madam. She is a devout believer in the Buddhist Dao and practices extreme frugality. Unless it is a major festival or grand ceremony, she never wears brocade or fine clothes.”
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and continued to explain, “The Old Madam just loves to tend to the flowers and plants.”
“The Noble Master couldn’t talk her out of it, and since he was worried she would overwork herself, he specifically replaced the garden with these easy-to-maintain plants. They are only for the Old Madam to pass the time and cultivate her spirit during her leisure hours.”
“That is the Old Madam of the manor?!” Lu Qiancha’s face immediately showed a look of apology. He solemnly cupped his fists and bowed to the servant.
“I was blind to judge a person by their clothes. I have been extremely rude. You are absolutely right; one must never disturb the Old Madam’s elegant hobby. Please lead the way; I, Lu, must apologize to the City Lord in person.”
“You are a reasonable man, Young Master. You have a great sense of justice.” The servant finally breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling a heavy stone lift from his heart.
Fortunately, this distinguished guest was willing to admit his mistake with a sincere attitude. Both sides were masters he could not afford to offend, so resolving it this way was for the best.