However, when the two looked over, they froze, stepping back. Xie Lian asked several questions before they reacted. Xie Lian said, “You came from that direction? Did you encounter anything on the way?”

Nanfeng said, “No!”

Xie Lian said, “Good. Fuyun, immediately search this path, and the surrounding area, to ensure the ghost groom hasn’t escaped.”

Fuyun turned and left. Xie Lian said, “Nanfeng, guard this place, make sure no one leaves. If Fuyun doesn’t find the ghost groom in the mountains, it must be among these people!”

The men were in an uproar. Little Pengtou realized Xie Lian wasn’t a woman and was the first to jump up, “No one can leave? What right do you have! Is there no law and order? We shouldn’t listen to them…”

Before he could land, Nanfeng struck out with a palm, snapping a large tree in two. Remembering the boy’s habit of casually destroying things, they fell silent. Little Pengtou said, “You say the ghost groom is among us? Each of us has a name and a record. Use your torch to check everyone’s face, one by one!”

Xie Lian said, “Nanfeng.”

Nanfeng took the torch from Little Pengtou and shone it on each person’s face. Each face was sweaty, showing various expressions: tension, confusion, excitement—all vividly displayed. Xie Lian couldn’t tell anything, so he stepped forward, “Everyone, I apologize for the earlier offense, but I injured the ghost groom, and it escaped, it won’t have gone far. My two friends didn’t encounter it on the way, so it’s likely among you. Please carefully examine each other’s faces, to see if there’s a stranger among you.”

Hearing that the ghost groom might be among them, the people were terrified and wary, looking at each other. After a while, someone shouted, “What are you doing here?”

Xie Lian’s eyebrows twitched, “Who?”

Little Pengtou grabbed another torch, shining it on a corner, “This ugly monster!”

He pointed at Xiaoying. Her crooked nose and slanted eyes looked distorted in the firelight. She couldn’t bear the exposure and covered her face, “I… I was just worried, I wanted to come and see…”

Seeing her fear, Xie Lian took the torch from Little Pengtou and asked the crowd, “What do you think?”

The people shook their heads, “No strangers.” “We’ve all met.”

Nanfeng said, “Could it be possessing someone?”

Xie Lian pondered, “Probably not, it was solid.”

Nanfeng said, “But being ‘fierce,’ it might be able to change its form.”

While they hesitated, Little Pengtou shouted, “The ghost groom isn’t among us, you’ve seen that, right? If you’ve seen it, let us go!”

The crowd murmured in agreement. Xie Lian scanned them, “Please stay here in front of Mingguang Temple, don’t leave.”

The crowd was about to complain, but seeing Nanfeng’s cold expression, they fell silent. At that moment, Fuyun returned, “Nothing nearby.”

Looking at the crowd before Mingguang Temple, Xie Lian said slowly, “Then, it must be among these people.”

Author’s Note:

The one who led our Highness was, of course, the attacker! I won’t reveal their face or identity yet, but I can tell you they’re not a butterfly spirit!

You can also guess who the ghost groom is or where they’re hiding. I can also give you a spoiler: The statue in the temple is innocent!!!

Fuyun noticed Xiaoying hiding in the crowd, frowning, “Why is there a woman here?”

His tone was not angry, but not kind either. Xiaoying lowered her head. Xie Lian said, “She was worried, so she came to check.”

Fuyun asked the others, “Did you come up with her?”

The people hesitated, then said, “I don’t remember.” “I’m not sure.” “No, she wasn’t with us when we came up!” “I didn’t see her anyway.” “Neither did I.”

Xiaoying quickly said, “Because I followed secretly…” Little Pengtou immediately said, “Why did you secretly follow? Are you guilty? Are you the ghost groom in disguise?”

This caused a space to open around Xiaoying. She waved her hands frantically, “No… no, I’m Xiaoying, I’m real!” She said to Xie Lian, “Sir, we just met! I put on your makeup and did your hair…”

Xie Lian: “…”

Everyone stared at him. Some whispered words like “preference,” “unusual,” and “unbelievable.” He coughed, “It’s… mission requirements. Mission requirements. Nanfeng, Fuyun, you…”

He turned and realized Nanfeng and Fuyun were staring at him with strange expressions, subtly keeping their distance.

Xie Lian felt uneasy under their gaze, “…Do you have anything to say?”

He didn’t know how skillful the girl’s makeup was, making his eyebrows refined, his face like jade, and his lips painted red. If he didn’t speak, he would look like a beautiful and gentle young lady. This shocked the two, making them unbelievable, questioning their sanity, and feeling uncomfortable. It was still the same face, but they didn’t know who they were talking to. Fuyun asked Nanfeng, “Do you have anything to say?”

Nanfeng immediately shook his head, “I don’t have anything to say.”

“…” Xie Lian said, “Say something.”

At that moment, someone in the crowd said, “Hey? This is a Mingguang Temple?” “There’s actually a Mingguang Temple in this mountain? Strange, I’ve never seen it before.”

Everyone looked curiously. Xie Lian said, “Yes, Mingguang Temple.”

Nanfeng noticed his tone, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Lian said, “The North is clearly General Mingguang’s territory, his incense is prosperous, and his spiritual power is strong, but why is there only Nanyang Temple at the foot of Junshan Mountain?”

The official’s prayer to the God of Martial Arts was understandable, as he was the greatest martial god in a thousand years, higher in status than General Mingguang. But General Mingguang and General Nanyang were of equal status. General Mingguang had 9,000 temples, a thousand more than Nanyang. He couldn’t understand why they would choose the farther temple. He continued, “Even if the ghost groom usurped this Mingguang Temple in Junshan Mountain, and others couldn’t find it, why not build another one instead of another martial god temple?”

Fuyou understood, “There must be another reason.”

Xie Lian said, “Yes, there must be another reason why people in Junshan Mountain stopped building Mingguang Temples. Can someone lend me some spiritual power again? I need to ask…”

At that moment, someone shouted, “So many brides!”

Hearing the sound from the temple, Xie Lian turned sharply. He had told them to stay in the open space, but they had ignored him and run into the temple!

Nanfeng shouted, “It’s dangerous, don’t run around!”

Little Pengtou said, “Don’t listen to them, they won’t dare to hurt us! We’re good people, they won’t dare to kill us, right? Everyone, come on, come on!”