Chapter 71

After going through a life-and-death ordeal, the four servants were utterly ashamed. Their mission was to escort the young master along the way, but in the end, they had to rely on the young master for protection. Without mentioning other things, just the encounter tonight—if not for the young master's alertness, they would have been thrown off the cliff to feed the wolves long ago.

Hu Xiaotian, however, acted as if nothing had happened and did not scold the servants over the night's events. Since things had already turned out this way, he didn't bother to waste words. He had only one word to describe these four servants: failure! These guys couldn't be entrusted with important tasks. Despite their bravado in the capital, when faced with life-and-death situations outside, they fled faster than anyone else. As soon as they reached Qingyun, he would kick them out. Not only were they no help, but they were all a burden.

After Shao Yijiao and Li Jinhao recovered their strength, they went directly to the temple and dismantled some old door panels. They split them with swords and knives and started a fire in the side hall.

Moyan Feiyan had already been cautious enough. She had even checked the food with a silver needle beforehand. She just didn't expect these monks to be so sinister, actually poisoning the charcoal they gave them. As the charcoal burned, the toxic smoke spread through the air unnoticed. After inhaling the toxic smoke, they all fell unconscious one by one. Hu Xiaotian, who hadn't eaten, happened to step out just as the smoke was spreading, thus escaping this disaster. There was one thing Moyan Feiyan couldn't understand no matter what: how did Hu Xiaotian see through these monks?

Hearing Moyan Feiyan's question, Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but laugh. He said softly, "If there was anything off, it was the name of this temple."

Moyan Feiyan said, "Lanruo Temple?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded, "Exactly, Lanruo Temple! In my hometown, there used to be a temple with the same name, which we considered an inauspicious place."

Moyan Feiyan believed Hu Xiaotian's explanation but was still curious. How could a name alone make Hu Xiaotian so cautious?

Hu Xiaotian said, "Haunted!"

Moyan Feiyan couldn't help but draw a sharp breath at this explanation. In this era, there were too many things that couldn't be explained by science, and most people believed in ghosts and deities. Hu Xiaotian's explanation was reasonable. Hu Xiaotian didn't continue, and Moyan Feiyan didn't press further.

To be cautious, Hu Xiaotian had the four servants thoroughly search the temple inside and out, confirming that there were no more hidden enemies or even a ghost's shadow. By the time everything was done, it was already the third watch of the night.

Sitting around the blazing bonfire, they all felt wide awake.

Moyan Feiyan listened to the fierce storm outside and couldn't help but sigh, "I wonder how long this rain will last?" The four servants were also worried. Only Hu Xiaotian remained optimistic. He smiled and said, "If it rains, let it rain; if the mother wants to marry, let her marry. Let it be. After we cross this mountain, we'll be in Xichuan. I believe there will be a time when the rain stops and the sky clears."

Perhaps influenced by Hu Xiaotian's optimistic attitude, Moyan Feiyan nodded and said, "We have eleven days to reach Qingyun. We have plenty of time. The most important thing now is to rest well and regain our strength. We'll continue our journey when the rain stops."

Hu Xiaotian yawned and said, "I'm a bit sleepy. Everyone, let's go to sleep. There are their meditation rooms in the courtyard on the right. They look clean, so let's all go there."

The four servants, still shaken by the recent ordeal, all shook their heads. They preferred to stay here.

Hu Xiaotian looked at Moyan Feiyan and said, "Let's go!"

Moyan Feiyan was resistant to the "we" in his words. In front of the servants, he made it sound like they were very close. Wasn't he deliberately trying to make others misunderstand? Ever since he was seen coming out of her room at the Wangjing post station, the four servants had looked at her strangely, though they hadn't said anything. Who knew what they might think? Moyan Feiyan felt a headache. She was really ruined by this scoundrel. Her reputation was at stake. If others found out, how could she ever get married?

Hu Xiaotian said, "There are many meditation rooms, and the conditions are much better than here."

Moyan Feiyan finally stood up, "Let's go, it's better over there." She took her luggage and followed Hu Xiaotian out of the side hall. Hu Xiaotian led the way, and Moyan Feiyan was amazed at how calm he remained after killing three people.

Hu Xiaotian couldn't understand why he was so numb. All the deaths except for Wuxing the monk were on his hands. Was it because of his past as a doctor, seeing death so often that he had become numb to it? Or was it because there was no choice today, and if he didn't kill them, he would die at the hands of these evil monks?

Moyan Feiyan said, "You mustn't tell anyone about what happened tonight."

Hu Xiaotian turned to look at Moyan Feiyan, staring at her for a while before smiling, revealing a row of white, even teeth. This was Hu Xiaotian's signature smile. If it were in the past, Moyan Feiyan would have cursed him in her heart, but now she found him more tolerable, probably because he had saved her from the lecherous monk.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian not responding, Moyan Feiyan stopped and repeated, "Remember, you can't tell anyone about what happened tonight!"

Hu Xiaotian still smiled harmlessly, "What happened tonight? You're fine, not a hair on your head is missing. What are you afraid of?"

Moyan Feiyan's face turned bright red with embarrassment, and she spat, "In short, you can't say anything."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "You're afraid others will misunderstand and ruin your reputation, so you can't get married?"

Moyan Feiyan angrily said, "If you dare to say anything, I'll break up with you!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Don't worry, there are plenty of good men in the world. With your looks, you won't have any trouble finding a husband!"

"You!" Moyan Feiyan was so angry that she raised her fist. At that moment, she suddenly heard a knock on the door.

The storm was so loud that the knocking was intermittent and unclear. Moyan Feiyan thought she might have heard wrong, but she listened closely and heard a faint cry for help: "Help... open the door... help..." It was a girl's voice.

Hu Xiaotian's smile also faded. He heard the cries for help at the same time. It was the middle of the night, the storm was raging, and they had just killed four evil monks. Most importantly, they were at Lanruo Temple. Hu Xiaotian thought of the female ghosts in "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" and felt a headache coming on.

Moyan Feiyan opened her umbrella and walked towards the temple gate. Hu Xiaotian quickly followed, still wearing the monk's large hood, which provided decent protection from the rain.

Hu Xiaotian reminded Moyan Feiyan, "How could there be a girl calling for help in the middle of nowhere? Be careful, it might be a trap!"

Moyan Feiyan said, "Maybe she really is in trouble. Let's go and see."

Hu Xiaotian said, "I didn't have time to tell you the story earlier."

"Your hometown's Lanruo Temple?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded, "Lanruo Temple is haunted. It's said that a female ghost named Xiaoxian lures passing men with her beauty..." A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a rolling thunderclap, which made Hu Xiaotian shrink his neck and grab Moyan Feiyan's arm. He wasn't taking advantage of the situation; he was genuinely scared.

Moyan Feiyan bit her lip and, in the lightning, saw Hu Xiaotian's pale face. She wondered why he was afraid now.

The two reached the temple gate, and the cries for help became clearer. Through the storm, they clearly heard a girl's voice: "Is anyone there? Help! Please open the door!"

Moyan Feiyan and Hu Xiaotian peered through the crack in the door. In the lightning, they saw a girl in a white dress, about eleven or twelve years old. Her white dress was soaked through, her black hair wet and clinging to her shoulders, and her bare feet were tapping the temple gate, calling for help. The scene was extremely eerie.

Hu Xiaotian drew a sharp breath and, seeing Moyan Feiyan reaching for the door, hurriedly stopped her, "Wait, let's look carefully first!"

Moyan Feiyan glared at him, "She's just a little girl!"

"In the middle of nowhere at midnight, where would a little girl come from? Please use your head!" Hu Xiaotian was convinced there was something fishy.