The carriage returned to the County town, but did not head straight for Xu Mansion. Since it was lunchtime, Xiao He took the two of them to eat a bowl of braised meat noodles by the roadside.
The meat was tender and succulent without losing its shape, with a rich meaty fragrance and mellow broth. Its Taste was abundant, while the noodles were smooth without being greasy, perfectly fusing with the rich meat broth. Every bite was an ultimate temptation to the taste buds, and every bite was filled with happiness.
Xiang Yuan ate three large bowls in a row and silently gave Xiao He a thumbs-up. Though the Clown had never studied anything, he had certainly mastered eating, drinking, amusement, and pleasure.
After lunch, Xiao He found a Calligraphy and Painting shop and had the handscroll he had hurriedly acquired remounted. Only then did he Sit on the carriage and sway leisurely toward Xu Mansion.
On the way, the two Young Masters bought roasted chicken, various braised dishes, Steamed buns, and the like. They planned to eat their fill before nightfall, build up their strength, and then battle the female ghost for three hundred rounds.
Seeing the two of them brimming with Fighting spirit and harboring rather obvious thoughts of having some fun, Xiang Yuan sighed inwardly. It seemed he could not count on either of them Tonight.
There was still plenty of time before dark. Xiang Yuan took a stroll around Xu Mansion, observing the surrounding terrain To prevent unexpected situations. He did not expect to confuse the female ghost; he merely hoped that he himself would not get Lost.
In the Backyard, he saw that old well. He had originally thought the well water would be bone-chilling and that he could not approach it, but it had been abandoned for many years, with a millstone Pressed down over it.
because he knew there was a ghost inside, he only felt wisps of cold air Seep out through the cracks. He did not dare look any longer and Left.
With nothing to do, Xiang Yuan found a quiet corner and sat cross-legged to Cultivate. He first practiced stillness and his Cultivation practice, then practiced Saber technique and Martial arts, making his style completely out of place with the two people in the Neighboring room.
As for These two clowns, Xu Jixian was not a bad person. Knowing that the Old servant was in poor health and fearing that he would be frightened by the female ghost, he brought him some Silver taels and had him spend Tonight at the Inn.
……
Night fell beneath dim stars and a dark moon.
The wind swept through the Courtyard. The trees in the garden, which had not been tended for a long time, swayed with the wind. A draft rushed through the halls, making mournful sounds, while the occasional crash of a Door panel made one's scalp prickle.
Xiang Yuan felt uneasy in his Heart. The atmosphere was already this ominous before the ghost had even arrived; what would happen when it truly came?
Seeing the carefree Xiao He and Xu Jixian eating Steamed buns and playing finger-guessing games without the slightest trace of fear, he Pressed down his terror, Held his Saber, and Close eyes to rest, wearing an expression that suggested it was nothing special.
He could not be cowardly. No matter what, he could not lose to These two clowns.
The wind gradually weakened. At some unknown point, white Mist arose outside the room. Driven by an unknown force, it enveloped the Courtyard and cut it off from the outside world, hiding the dim stars and dark moon. Everything became eerily quiet.
A pair of large hands parted the Mist. Amid the swirling vapors, a Woman in white floated out.
Her Dress was spotless and pure white, its hem Drifting in the wind. Her Black Hair moved to some kind of rhythm, as if it were one with the surrounding Mist.
The woman's face was as Pale as paper, her thin lips bright red as though they might drip blood at any moment. Her brows and eyes resembled inked Calligraphy and Painting. She was undeniably beautiful, yet her expression was numb and rigid, hollow and lifeless, revealing a sinister chill that made one shudder.
She was here!
Xiang Yuan's Nascent Soul had grown powerful, making his senses exceptionally Clear. The air inside the room seemed to grow thin because of her appearance, and every breath carried bone-chilling cold.
He suddenly opened his eyes. Clutching his Saber, he unleashed the Aura he had accumulated for a long time. It was like a Fierce Tiger Roar, scattering all the Mist that had entered through the doorway.
The woman—or rather, the female ghost—was Stunned. Standing outside the door, she seemed somewhat hesitant.
When a person was fierce, even a ghost would be afraid.
Unlike Xiang Yuan, who was in battle formation, ready for action, Xiao He was downright presumptuous. Relying on Wang Wenxu's Calligraphy Masterpiece for body protection, he widened his eyes and stared at the female ghost.
She had delicate features, skin whiter than snow, a plump figure, and a waist that narrowed to a single point. Her brows were filled with sorrow, and her beauty Evoked pity in others. She was truly a stunner fit for the bedchamber.
Xiao He subconsciously pulled up the Corner of his Mouth, just about to swallow his saliva, when he heard a gulp from beside him.
“Wife, you finally came. Come in quickly. Let me Introduce you to my two Brothers.”
Xu Jixian stood up blankly, having lost his mind. He had evidently Forgot that the thing before him was a Ghostly Creature; the strange Mist all around him was completely absent from his eyes.
Clang!
Xiang Yuan Drew his long Saber. As the blade scraped across the Scabbard, the piercing friction awakened Xu Jixian. It was a Thunderclap in his ears, with a Fierce Tiger at his side. The latter shuddered and retreated behind Xiao He.
“Quick, quick, quick! Give me Teacher's handwritten work.”
“Get lost! I begged for it myself.”
because Xiang Yuan had interfered, the female ghost failed to entice them. She stared coldly at the obstruction, her stiff Corner of the Mouth Raised into a half-smile.
Since you have come, stay and become another dish.
A strand of cold light shot from her eyes. Xiang Yuan fell into a Trance. When he shook his head and looked again, he saw a Beautiful Woman dancing in the white Mist. Her clothes were loose, her eyes hazy, and her cheeks flushed, as though she were drunk or filled with spring desire. One garment after another drifted down, revealing glimpses of her pale arms and Long Legs, making one want to draw closer for a Clear look.
Coquettish complaints rang out all around, while seductive music teased the Heart's Tip.
Xiang Yuan felt a wave of heat rise within him. His Nascent Soul was powerful, and even though he could only use one-third of it each time, it was still far beyond that of an average Qi Refining Stage cultivator. Knowing that the ghost had bewitched his eyes, he immediately bit the tip of his tongue to resist the enchantment, sheathed his Saber, and then borrowed the force of Drawing the Saber to wield the might of the Fierce Tiger.
This Drawing of the Saber did not break the Illusion, but it preserved his clarity. At least the female ghost was not quite as alluring as before.
She was only average. There were plenty just like her all over the websites.
Meanwhile, Xiao He and Xu Jixian were in terrible shape. Obsessed with the beauty, they danced along with the Beautiful female ghost, exchanging flirtatious glances as they loosened their clothes and walked All together toward the doorway.
“Xiao Shishi, wake up! This is an Evil Ghost's Illusionary technique.” Xiang Yuan blocked Xiao He with his Saber, preventing him from looking at the female ghost outside.
“What is wrong with living beneath the crotch? I advise you not to Meddle in other people's business. I just like looking at this!”
Xiang Yuan's Expression darkened. He cursed inwardly and kicked Xiao He back into place.
He then kicked Xu Jixian back into place as well, Pinning down both their shoulders as he shouted, “Stop looking! Listen to me. Hold one's breath and concentrate. Do not become distracted; focus your spirit on a single point.”
“That's difficult. I can only focus on two points.” Xiao He wore a face full of springtime infatuation.
“Don't Dragged me back! A lecher like me will only make rice more expensive if I stay in this world. Let me out!” Xu Jixian Struggled with all his might.
To hell with you two!
Xiang Yuan knew he had no way to Wake Up the two of them, so he directly knocked them to the ground. He took the Horizontal scroll from the Lower back of Xiao He, unfolded it, and aimed the four large words “People Have Something To Do” at the female ghost outside the door.
There was no Golden Light surging across the ground, nor any divine Thunderclap descending from the heavens. Yet the female ghost seemed to have encountered her Nemesis. With a shriek, her Illusion Technique collapsed on its own.
Her delicate body swelled, and her enchanting curves lost all their beauty. Her snow-white skin began to Tear, cracks crisscrossing everywhere and exposing the Pitch Black charcoal Body beneath. That pitiful Face became even more hideous.
Now that's more like it!
Xiang Yuan's eyes lit up. The style distorted by Xiao He and Xu Jixian had finally been corrected by him.
Wang Wenxu's Calligraphy Masterpiece unfurled. The female ghost shrieked repeatedly as the Mist around her contracted. She extricated herself and retreated, trying to escape this place.
Xiang Yuan refused to let her. Since she had come, she might as well stay and provide him with Experience, so he could learn how to slay Ghostly Creatures.
Holding a Saber in one hand and the Calligraphy Masterpiece in the other, he charged out of the room with the force of a Fierce Tiger descending a mountain. A flash of White Light appeared, and the female ghost and the Mist were cleaved in two.
Ghostly Creatures did not die. The Mist reassembled and gathered into one place, while her form became much fainter than before.
As long as there was a health bar, things would be easy!
Xiang Yuan grasped the trick. His Saber Momentum grew even more ferocious as he chased the female ghost out of the Courtyard and slew his way into the Corridor passage.
“My heavens—bah! How did your Wife become so terrifying?”
Once the Illusion Technique was gone, Xiao He slowly woke up. He stared in horror at Xu Jixian beside him and said admiringly, “Brother Xu, you can even stomach this? You really Accept all that is offered.”
“She wasn't like this last night. Just Envy me…” Xu Jixian refused to admit defeat and remained as stubborn as ever.
The two stood Staring at each other. After a startled cry, they ran All together out of the room and reached the Main Gate of Xu Mansion at the fastest speed possible.
Xiao He was just about to open the door when he heard the sounds of fighting behind him. His hands stopped in midair. “This won't do. If we leave now, we will let Little Yuan Ge down after he protected the two of us. Absolutely not.”
“If we go back, we will only cause trouble. What if the ghost bewitches us again?” Xu Jixian said Hesitatefully.
“Don't be afraid. Your Brother still has one Method. I guarantee that the female ghost will not dare touch a single hair on either of us.”
“Quick, tell me. We will go help Little Yuan Ge hold the line,” Xu Jixian said Righteously.
“I read in a book that, when dealing with a female ghost who extracts people's Yang essence, the best Method is to soil your Pants. She hates filth and will not bother you.” Xiao He spoke with absolute conviction. Although he could not kill ghosts, he could still protect himself without worry, so he urged Xu Jixian to demonstrate immediately.
“What a lousy idea.”
Xu Jixian cursed angrily and pushed open the door before striding out.
A moment later, he came running back and slammed the Main Gate shut, pressing his back firmly against it.
“Huh? Brother Xu, why did you come back?”
“No, there is another one outside.”