Chapter 78: Trouble

"Xuanli Shitai, you are much later than the appointed hour. Should we reconsider this evening's play?" Liu Guanjia was a cautious man.

Xuanli Shitai stood with palms pressed together before her chest, lowered her head, and chanted a Buddhist name, "Amitabha, my Buddha is merciful. It was not that this poor nun intended to delay, but I truly encountered some trouble."

"Because I helped a noble family, I incurred the enmity of this Evil Spirit. Not long ago, this Evil Spirit ambushed me during a rainy night. Fortunately, my Buddha protected me, and I was only just able to turn danger into safety."

Upon hearing this, Master Feng set down his wine cup and bowed to Xuanli Shitai with cupped hands, "Many thanks for your help, Shitai. Please rest assured, everything tonight has been arranged according to your instructions. Once the Hour of the Dog passes, we shall open the abdomen to retrieve the child and welcome my Feng family's bloodline. Your mercy is boundless, and your merit is immeasurable!"

Seeing this, Liu Guanjia also chimed in, "Shitai, my master has said that once tonight's affairs are concluded, he will donate 3,000 taels of silver to renovate your precious Cifu Temple, and donate another 1,000 taels of silver as incense money for blessings and wisdom, hoping that you will accept more disciples and benefit all people."

Xuanli Shitai was neither sad nor happy, possessing the air of an enlightened master. She nodded slightly, "Many thanks to the noble patron. Patron Feng and this poor nun have a friendship spanning over a decade. I recall when the old master was still in the world of the living, he often visited my humble temple to discuss Buddhist teachings and add to the incense offerings. The Feng family has been kind for three generations, a reputation known to all. That you can overcome this tribulation today is also a matter of fate, not the merit of this poor nun."

"Hahaha, Shitai, do not be modest. Quickly, quickly bring out the fruits and vegetables prepared for the Shitai!" Facing Xuanli Shitai, Master Feng appeared extremely enthusiastic.

Hearing this, the hearts of Yang Xiao and the other two went cold. This Xuanli Shitai and the Feng family had known each other for a long time; it seemed she was the mastermind behind the Feng family's affairs. There was no such thing as a Secret Scroll Technique at all; this entire idea had been given by this old nun!

Master Feng was in a very good mood today, eating meat and drinking wine in large gulps. His originally pale skin had become ruddy, and his high spirits were a far cry from the dying old man he once was. Yang Xiao secretly grew suspicious; he heard Master Feng say himself that he had taken a pill given by Xuanli Shitai, but what kind of pill could have such an effect?

Moreover, ever since Xuanli Shitai took her seat, Yang Xiao gradually had an indescribable, strange feeling that some kind of change had occurred in the vicinity.

Inadvertently glancing at Kuang Hongyi, Yang Xiao noticed that he was also frowning, as if he had also sensed something.

Facing the plate of fresh fruit personally served by Liu Guanjia, Xuanli Shitai could not refuse. She picked up an apple, brought it to her face as a symbolic gesture, looked at it, but did not eat it. A moment later, she put it back down and said, "Tonight, this poor nun must be vigilant against the Evil Spirit and cannot eat. Many thanks for Liu Guanjia's kindness."

"It is no matter, it is no matter." Liu Guanjia placed the fruit plate in the center of the wine table, leaving it for others to take.

Master Feng, Xuanli Shitai, and Liu Guanjia were chatting happily, yet no one paid any attention to Yang Xiao and the others, as if they did not exist. The reason was clear enough: they were merely scapegoats found by the Shitai. Now that the matter was about to be resolved, the scapegoats were no longer of use. On the contrary, because the three of them knew too much about the Feng family's scandals, they had become a burden.

The Martial Master surnamed Zhao and several people dressed as guards were sitting at the table closer to the hall door. They barely ate or drank; sitting there, they were actually guarding the door, waiting for the moment to arrive. Once Master Feng gave the order, they would rush over and hack the three of them to death to silence them.

The "yi-ya" sounds of the opera echoed in their ears. This grand play was reaching its climax. The red Lantern behind the white cloth was swaying precariously, likely imitating the Boxi Boat as it sank.

This scene, combined with the sound of the wind and rain outside, was truly fitting. The singing voice of the female performer behind the white cloth had also changed, revealing a sense of sorrow over the injustice of fate, as if it had brought them back to that night from the past.

Kuang Hongyi, who had been still, suddenly stood up. With a forced smile, he brought the plate of fresh fruit to his side, picked up a peach, and took a bite. He muttered to himself, "Hehe, truly sweet. Don't just listen to the opera, Brother Chu, Miss Su, you... you eat too! We must not let Master Feng's kindness go to waste."

Kuang Hongyi seemed to have suddenly let go, eating and drinking as he pleased, but Su Tingting had no mood to eat; the countdown to their lives had already begun.

The key was that she could not see any path to survival at all. There was a Martial Master guarding the door, and there were several guards nearby eyeing them covetously.

As for her godfather's words, she had also roughly figured it out: the person who harmed her had nothing to do with Kuang Hongyi or Mr. Chu; it was likely this Xuanli Shitai of unknown origin.

Xuanli was her religious name; her secular name was likely Yang. This entire thing was something she had plotted for the Feng family—this hypocritical fake nun!

If she was to die, then so be it. At least she knew that ghosts existed in this world. If she died, her resentment would be great, and she would definitely return to seek revenge on Master Feng and the fake nun Xuanli. Perhaps she could even join forces with Chun Jie. Right, Mr. Chu should be there at that time too!

Yang Xiao naturally did not know about the chaotic thoughts in Su Tingting's mind. He only had one life, and he would not give up easily. He saw Kuang Hongyi holding a peach in one hand and picking up an apple with the other to take a bite. Yang Xiao clearly remembered that this apple was the very one Xuanli Shitai had touched.

The next second, Kuang Hongyi's brow twitched. He then calmly placed the bitten apple next to Yang Xiao's wine cup, then went to pick other fruits to eat, and even shared some with Su Tingting.

Yang Xiao immediately understood. Taking advantage of the time spent picking fruit, he picked up the apple and took a bite. At that one bite, the hair on Yang Xiao's back stood up.

This apple had no taste; the texture was like chewing wax.

He recalled the night he watched the Ghost Opera. The elder from the Yin Hang who assigned them the task had once said that ghosts only consume the flavor of food—that is, the essence of the food. Food that has been eaten by a ghost cannot be distinguished from the outside.

"Xuanli Shitai is a ghost!"

Even though a stormy sea was churning in his heart, Yang Xiao remained calm on the surface. It seemed Kuang Hongyi had also discovered that Xuanli Shitai was not right.

Pretending to be clumsy, Yang Xiao "accidentally" knocked over the lid of his teacup. While bending down to pick it up, he tilted his head to observe Xuanli Shitai's feet from under the table.

He saw that the pair of embroidered shoes, tightly pressed together, were soaked through. A large puddle of water had appeared under Xuanli's feet at some point.

The light was dim, and Yang Xiao could only look very carefully. Borrowing the reflection from the puddle, he suddenly discovered that Xuanli's feet in the water were actually reversed—the tips of the shoes pointed backward, and the heels faced forward.

After a moment of distraction, Yang Xiao immediately stood up, acting as if nothing had happened. But when he raised his head, Xuanli Shitai, who had been opposite him, was gone, and Master Feng and Liu Guanjia had also stopped eating and drinking, staring fixedly at him.

Su Tingting's rapid breathing made Yang Xiao's spine go cold. He stiffly turned his head to the side and caught a glimpse of Su Tingting looking behind him.