The wind howled through the courtyard that night, rustling the dead leaves scattered across the ground.64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumRFiedho9
Lu Sheng scanned the area but saw no one. His steps quickened as he made his way past the bedroom and toward the backyard, where the toilets stood—two small thatched huts, separated from the main house.
As he approached, a figure suddenly came into view, standing just outside the toilet. The person tensed noticeably, clearly aware of Lu Sheng’s presence.
"Who?!"64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhO2DLfHkon
Startled, Lu Sheng stopped. As he stepped closer, he recognized the figure—it was the handsome young man known for his internal martial arts skill.
The man held a short sword in hand, his eyes alert and wary.
"Brother, are you also out to look for the missing person?" Li Shunxi asked in a low, serious tone, recognizing Lu Sheng as well.
"Missing person?" Lu Sheng narrowed his eyes, a sense of unease creeping into his chest.
"What? Brother, don’t you know?" Li Shunxi looked surprised.
"My two brothers went out to use the toilet, but they didn’t come back. I got worried and came to check," Lu Sheng replied, keeping his explanation brief.
Li Shunxi’s expression darkened. "So… two more are missing."
"Brother, what do you mean?" Lu Sheng stepped forward and peered into the hut. The wooden door creaked slightly, revealing nothing but the overpowering stench inside. The cramped space was empty.
Lu Sheng’s face grew tense.
"You mean the others—the women, the guards who were staying here..."
"All gone. Not a single one left," Li Shunxi said in a hushed voice. "With that many people missing, maybe they’re trapped somewhere."
"Let’s search. This village isn’t big. We might still find some clues," Lu Sheng said, licking his lips, a flicker of frustration rising in his chest. He hadn’t even met the true owner of this place, and already he had lost two companions.
Li Shunxi nodded in agreement. The two of them moved in unison, circling the backyard until they reached a small kitchen tucked in the corner.
Li Shunxi stepped forward first, dagger in hand, and pushed the wooden door open.
It swung inward without a sound, revealing a dusty, long-abandoned kitchen cloaked in silence.
The overturned pot, shattered porcelain bowls, and charred stove were all draped in thick spiderwebs. In the corner, moldy, blackened dishes lay scattered across the grimy floor.
"How long has it been since anyone cooked here?" Li Shunxi frowned, scanning the room. He glanced at Lu Sheng, noting how calm he seemed. Clearly, this wasn’t his first encounter with something unusual.
"Brother, have you seen ghosts before?" he asked casually.
Lu Sheng gave him a surprised look. This rich young man spoke with the ease of someone who had dealt with strange matters before.
"Yes. I’ve dealt with strange events like this before," Lu Sheng said.
"No wonder," Li Shunxi murmured, studying him thoughtfully. "From what I can tell, the missing people are probably still alive—just trapped somewhere. There are too many of them for it to be over so quickly. I also checked earlier and didn’t find any traces of poison."
"Are you sure?" Lu Sheng asked in a low, serious voice.
"Pretty much," Li Shunxi replied, his tone firm. He crouched down, inspecting the ground for footprints or other clues.
Lu Sheng didn’t know what he was looking for, but followed him nonetheless. Soon, they arrived at the entrance to the kitchen’s cellar.
"My surname is Li, given name Shunxi. What about you, brother?" Li Shunxi asked, gripping the stone slab’s iron ring and pulling it open with effort.
With a dull thud, the slab lifted—and a wave of foul stench hit them.
"Lu. Lu Sheng. My courtesy name is Yuesheng," Lu Sheng replied, keeping it short.
They waited for the smell to disperse before leaning in to look.
Lu Sheng struck the flint, sparks flying with each attempt. On the third try, a flicker of light illuminated the cellar. For a moment, they both froze.
Several figures lay sprawled inside, unconscious.
"Sure enough, they’re here!" Li Shunxi let out a breath and quickly jumped down. "Brother Lu, keep watch at the entrance!"
"Alright." Lu Sheng also spotted the familiar faces and exhaled in relief.
Among the unconscious were Duan Meng’an, two women, and two guards. All were breathing, but clearly unconscious, slumped together in the cellar's darkness.
Li Shunxi lifted the unconscious individuals one by one from the cellar, while Lu Sheng caught them and carefully laid them on the kitchen floor.64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA73lb7FS8m
In no time, the two had rescued all five people who had been lying motionless in the darkness below.
"They’re all breathing," Li Shunxi said after checking the pulse of one of the women. "I wonder if you can tell what exactly happened to them?"
He looked up at Lu Sheng and noticed his composed expression and steady eyes. From that calm demeanor, he could already tell—Lu Sheng was not an ordinary man.
"Brother Li, do you have a method?" Lu Sheng asked in a low, steady voice.
"Of course I do. Watch and see." Li Shunxi smiled with a hint of pride. He took out a piece of black leather parchment, bit the tip of his index finger, and smeared his blood across it.64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEQGtCgNM0
Then, he pressed the parchment gently against the forehead of each unconscious person.
Lu Sheng remained silent, watching intently but without interfering.
Moments later, the people lying on the floor began to stir, groaning softly as they regained consciousness one by one.
"Where… where am I?"
"Qingqing, are you alright?"
"Miss! Are you hurt?"
"Sir!" Duan Meng’an stepped toward Lu Sheng, his face filled with guilt. He bowed his head low.
"Good. At least you're safe. Where is Ning San?" Lu Sheng asked, his tone steady but heavy.
Duan Meng’an lowered his gaze further, unable to meet Lu Sheng’s eyes. He remained silent.
Lu Sheng’s expression stayed calm, but a dark shadow passed through his eyes.
"Let’s head back first," he said coldly.
"I think we shouldn’t split up again," Li Shunxi suggested, stepping beside them.
"Thank you both for your help. I am Gong Ruqing, and this is my younger sister, Gong Rumeng. If not for your rescue, we would have been in grave danger."
The speaker was the elegant and gentle woman who had previously concealed a sword in her sleeve. Her sister, standing beside her, resembled a delicate flower—charming and soft-spoken like Qiao’er.
"Thank you for saving us, sirs. But… we still have companions trapped somewhere nearby. Could you help us find them?" Gong Rumeng pleaded earnestly. "We know it’s a lot to ask, but as a reward, we’re willing to offer one hundred taels in gold and silver notes."
"Oh?" Li Shunxi raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at Lu Sheng.64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyWPxyvidV
Among everyone present, Lu Sheng was the only one he couldn’t quite read. Judging by his clothes and bearing, he seemed like a wealthy young master, but something told Li Shunxi that he, too, was hiding his identity—just like himself. An extraordinary person, concealed beneath a calm façade.
As someone born into wealth, certain details—whether in clothing, speech, or subtle mannerisms—are hard to hide. Li Shunxi, being extremely observant, had long noticed the differences between Lu Sheng and the two men who accompanied him.
Most days, Li Shunxi was confined to his family's mansion. With too many rivals vying for power, he had no choice but to keep a low profile, concealing his strength like a hidden blade. Because of that, he rarely had a chance to interact with others outside his circle, and he wasn’t even sure how his abilities measured up in the real world.
Now, for the first time, he had encountered someone who seemed to be in the same situation as him—another young man who hid his identity and possessed a depth of skill beneath the surface.
It stirred something in him—a subtle itch, a quiet competitiveness. He wanted to understand this Lu Sheng. To compare, to test, and perhaps, to connect.
"What do you think, Brother Lu? Will you lend a hand?" Li Shunxi asked, his tone curious and inviting.
Lu Sheng’s expression was grim. He glanced at Li Shunxi for a moment—this man was more capable than he let on.
"Alright."
He had originally come to investigate the mysteries of this manor. But instead of uncovering its secrets, one of his own men had gone missing. That left a bitter taste in his mouth. There was no way he would walk away now.
"Good, I agree as well," Li Shunxi said with a satisfied smile. "Let’s go. Since you were taken from the bedroom to the cellar, there should be some trace of the incident in the original room. Let’s return and investigate."
He paused, then added, "Of course, first we need to find that little girl. She’s one of the owners of this manor. I heard she also has an older brother who specializes in refining elixirs."
"That’s right! It must’ve been that little girl! And her big brother must be a villain! If we see her, we should catch her first!" Duan Meng’an suddenly shouted.
"Shut up!" Lu Sheng barked, eyes narrowing.
Duan Meng’an flinched and immediately fell silent, not daring to speak again.
The group agreed with Li Shunxi’s suggestion and quickly made their way toward the main bedroom in the central room of the courtyard, eager to uncover the truth.
The dark courtyard lay empty and still as the group made their way noisily to the master bedroom's entrance.
Bang, bang, bang!
A series of heavy knocks echoed through the quiet night. Dust fell from the door frame, immediately swept away by the wind, leaving the air gritty and dry.
"Open the door!" someone shouted, and the knocking continued.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Then—creak.
The door opened slowly by itself.
Li Shunxi glanced at the two guards, who looked visibly nervous, then stepped forward and entered the room first. Lu Sheng followed right after, and the rest quickly filed in behind them.
"Is anyone there?" Li Shunxi called out, his hand discreetly clutching something hidden in his sleeve.
To the left stood a large alchemy furnace. On the right were dusty, worn-out tables, chairs, and a bed. The room was lifeless and cold, the dim light casting long shadows along the walls.
Gong Ruqing, bolder than the others, stepped forward toward the bed and lifted the bed curtain.
Puff!
Suddenly, a black shadow shot out from the darkness.
"Over here!" Li Shunxi reacted instantly, raising his hand and striking the shadow mid-air with pinpoint precision.
A shrill, inhuman cry—almost like a baby’s wail—pierced the air as the creature crashed to the ground. It was a bat, black as night and no larger than a clenched fist, blood glistening at the corner of its mouth.
Startled, Gong Ruqing stumbled back a few steps.
"How can there be bats in a place like this?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"That’s a Yin Bat. Heh, you can’t raise one of these in just any ordinary place," Li Shunxi said with a hint of satisfaction, casting a glance at Lu Sheng.
But Lu Sheng’s expression remained grim, unfazed by the bat or the surprise attack. His indifference slightly dampened Li Shunxi’s pride.
"Brother Lu, what do you think?" he asked, hoping for a reaction.
Lu Sheng gave him a calm look and replied, "Nothing much. Brother Li, your skills are impressive—I admire that. But we should focus on finding the other missing people. That little girl and her brother might not show up anytime soon."
Li Shunxi squinted slightly at Lu Sheng, sensing he might have noticed something he hadn’t. But he chose not to press further.
"Then let’s keep moving. If the Yin Bat has shown up, the real culprit shouldn’t be far away."
The group, having found no one in the master bedroom, left to continue searching other rooms around the compound.
During their search, Li Shunxi killed five more Yin Bats. One of them, moving too fast to react in time, lunged at a guard and bit deeply into his neck, nearly killing him.64Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYDogGaiEE
If Li Shunxi hadn’t intervened in the nick of time, the man would’ve died on the spot.
This decisive rescue earned him growing admiration and trust from everyone—especially from Gong Ruqing and Gong Rumeng, who now looked at him with increasing respect and gratitude.
Li Shunxi, pleased with their attention, held his head a bit higher. Yet even amidst the growing praise, his eyes kept drifting toward Lu Sheng.
But Lu Sheng still showed no reaction. His expression only grew more serious, his brows furrowed as their search continued to yield no sign of the missing people.
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