Too Many Suspects

"Patron Xu's residence is quite spacious." Xu An smiled self-consciously. "Both of my parents were cultivators and left behind a fair amount of wealth when they passed. Unfortunately, my own talent was limited, and I could never step onto the path of cultivation. Please do not laugh at me, masters." Since he could not cultivate, he had hoped to study the classics diligently to earn office and fortune through the imperial examinations, thereby honoring his parents' memory. Regrettably, he had met with no success in the imperial examinations either. Xu An usually kept these matters to himself, but Lu Yang and his companions were an exception. He had heard from Brother Zhong Ming that Shi Chan and the two protectors were very likely great cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage or even the Golden Core stage. Men of such attainment would hardly covet his meager estate. A yellow talisman was pasted on the inner side of the Xu residence's main gate. It had been put up by a wandering exorcist; though it was essentially useless, keeping it there brought some measure of peace of mind. As the four entered the Xu residence, a young woman happened to be sweeping the courtyard. Judging by her plain attire, she was a maidservant. Seeing her master guide three guests into the house, she quickly stepped aside to avoid getting in their way. She was quite attractive, and Meng Jingzhou gave her a second glance. "This is Xiao Cui," Xu An said with a smile. "Last year, when I traveled to take the imperial examination, I rested for a night in a mountain temple and happened to cross paths with Xiao Cui. She said wicked men were chasing her and begged me to help conceal her. Sure enough, several fierce and thuggish men stormed in soon after. Following her instructions, I covered for her and saved her life. She claimed she had no other way to repay such great debt, so she became a maidservant in my household." "Greetings, masters," Xiao Cui said timidly, her voice soft and delicate. Meng Jingzhou nodded to himself. *That's a female ghost.* The four passed through the festooned gate into the second courtyard. A lavishly dressed woman stepped out from one of the rooms. "Husband, you've returned just in time. The three-hundred-year-old lingzhi mushroom you bought has finished brewing into broth... And these three are?" Seeing Lu Yang and the others, the elegant lady paused for a moment. A monk accompanied by two lay disciples? "Xiangyu, greet the three masters at once," Xu An urged. "Haven't I been telling you how poorly I've been sleeping lately, as though some wicked specter were haunting me? It's left me in a daze all day, and the cultivators I invited couldn't do a thing. Well, Brother Zhong Ming, who often deals with cultivators, recommended these three masters. They are true experts of genuine ability." He turned to the three. "Allow me to introduce my humble wife, Liu Xiangyu." "Ah, so it is Patron Liu," Shi Chan said. "Greetings, three masters." Liu Xiangyu performed an elegant curtsy. "I am merely a simple woman. Seeing my husband suffer day after day breaks my heart, yet I am powerless to help. I must trouble the three masters to assist him." "Amitabha. This poor monk shall do his utmost." Shi Chan was careful not to promise too much. *That's a snake demon.* "Please, masters, come inside!" Xu An warmly invited them toward the main hall to offer hospitality. "That will not be necessary. We need to examine your manor thoroughly so we may make proper preparations." "Splendid, splendid!" Xu An was overjoyed. True masters were indeed resolute and swift in their actions. "Xiao Zhu, come here a moment!" Xu An called out. Before long, another maidservant set down her work and hurried over. "Xiao Zhu, show the three masters around the courtyards." "Y-yes, Master." Xiao Zhu had a charming, lovely face, and her eyes sparkled with affection. Lu Yang saw straight through Xiao Zhu's true form: a fox demon. Before the trio followed Xiao Zhu, Liu Xiangyu brought out a bowl of dark broth—the medicinal soup brewed from the three-hundred-year-old lingzhi. Given Xu An's mundane constitution, he could never consume an entire lingzhi in one go; only a small piece had been used to brew the soup. Meng Jingzhou twitched his nose and furrowed his brows slightly. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he caught a faint whiff of blood from the black broth. The three of them conducted a thorough walk through the Xu residence, obtaining a clear picture of the premises. It was a three-courtyard residence inhabited by five people in total: Xu An, his wife, and three maidservants. To put it simply, Xu An was the only human among them. The third maidservant was named Xiao Qiu, and she was an artifact spirit. By dusk, while having a vegetarian meal, Xu An looked expectantly at the three. "Masters, have you discovered anything?" Shi Chan chanted, "Amitabha. We have made some discoveries, but the exact situation will depend on tonight." There were simply too many suspects; they could not yet be certain who was behind it. "The three of us will keep watch by your bedside tonight to protect you, Patron Xu." "Then I must express my deepest gratitude in advance!" Once the candles were snuffed out, the three masters sat in meditation beside Xu An's bed. Blessed with an easygoing disposition, Xu An soon fell fast asleep. Suddenly, a fragrant breeze wafted through the room. Lu Yang and his companions felt their consciousness grow light, and they slumped over into slumber. A slender figure pushed the door open and smiled playfully at the three. "And here I wondered what great experts Benefactor had hired, only to find three little Golden Core fledglings." Sweeping them with her divine sense, she found that all three had cultivations at the Golden Core stage. "I wonder when I'll finally be able to reveal my true identity to Benefactor..." Looking at Xu An's sleeping face, the slender figure licked her lips, shed her garments, and gently pressed her lips toward his. The two did not actually touch, but a wisp of yang qi drifted out from Xu An's lips and was absorbed by the figure. Then her hands began roving over him. Lu Yang and his friends were only feigning sleep. They were secretly watching the scene and conversing via divine sense. *Xu An really is blessed in love. This female ghost has quite a formidable cultivation.* *No wonder he felt his yang qi was depleted. It'd be a miracle if he had any left!* *So the one draining Xu An's yang qi was the maid Xiao Cui all along.* *Her disguise was certainly thorough.* Ghosts could not physically touch solid objects. When she was sweeping the courtyard during the day, she had merely gone through the motions while manipulating the broom with her intent—something the three had noticed the moment they met her. Right now was no different. Xiao Cui was simply siphoning Xu An's yang qi while entangling with him in his dreams, a standard trick used by seductive ghosts. Meng Jingzhou was particularly sensitive to ghosts, which was why he had taken those extra looks at her earlier. After their passionate tryst, Xiao Cui left the Xu residence feeling thoroughly satisfied. The three immediately trailed behind her to investigate. It was late into the night, and most shops along the streets were already shuttered. Xiao Cui arrived before a closed storefront, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and lightly tapped on the wooden door. As if anticipating someone's arrival, the occupant opened the door the moment the knocking sounded. Xiao Cui stepped inside without hesitation. Lu Yang looked up at the sign above the entrance: *Try Again Barbecue Shop, Chunjiang City Branch*. "Welcome, Branch Master, on your inspection of our shop!" an attendant inside said with deep respect. "How many times must I tell you? We in the Nine Nether Cult run an honest, legitimate business! Address me as Shopkeeper." "Yes, yes!" The attendant produced an account ledger. "Here is today's revenue report." Xiao Cui opened the ledger and examined each entry closely. The barbecue shops were the Nine Nether Cult's primary enterprise; there was no room for error. Seeing that the branch master was in good spirits, the attendant ventured to ask, "Shopkeeper, do you really intend to go on playing a maidservant to that Xu An? Given your esteemed status, why demean yourself like this? If you ask me, you should just reveal your identity, tie him up, and drag him here. He'll obey whatever you say!" The attendant felt exasperated on her behalf. Their branch master was an illustrious Nascent Soul stage expert, yet she humbled herself within a mortal's household to work as a lowly maid. Xiao Cui rejected the idea flatly. "Out of the question! Brother Xu saved my life; how could I treat him like that? As for revealing my identity, that is even more impossible. If he learns who I am, he'll be saddled with the crime of harboring a demonic cult disciple. How would he ever sit for the imperial examinations then?"