Chapter 31: Am I Different from the Others?

Obviously, the others were also concerned about this question.

Yan Qiao’s indifferent voice sounded, “No need. Just two people can come in with me. Too many people will only get in the way.”

“Ah Qiao, I’ll go into the village with you, okay?” Yan Hao immediately volunteered, partly to protect his sister, and partly due to his fearless, youthful confidence.

“Daoist Yan, I should go in too, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t even recognize my parents.”

It was almost laughable. The locals turned pale at the mention of this village, filled with terror as if even speaking of it would taint them with something unclean. They avoided it like the plague. Yet now, everyone was so eager, volunteering to go into the village with her.

“There’s a heavy presence of yin energy in the village. Ordinary people won’t be able to bear it. Even with protective talismans, they might not come out unscathed. At best, they’ll be entangled by evil energy; at worst, they could be bedridden for a long time.”

Yan Qiao explained seriously. Though she could resolve their issues, there was no need to be so reckless.

This wasn’t a place where one could come and go as they pleased.

“Then tell us—who can go into the village with you?” Yan Hao asked impatiently.

…

…

From beginning to end, Li Xiao hadn’t spoken a word.

He just sat next to Yan Qiao, waiting for her to say he could come with her.

After all, he was her most important client.

Master Xiao was very confident.

Sure enough, the next second, Yan Qiao said, “Third Brother and he will come with me. The rest of you stay in the car and try not to wander around.”

“He” referred to Li Xiao.

Master Xiao’s lips curled into a victorious smile, with a faint hint of smugness on his face.

Mu Yunzhe rarely saw him smile like that—it was a refreshing sight. But since there were so many people in the car, he refrained from making fun of him. In the past, if Master Xiao got annoyed, he couldn’t afford to offend him.

Yan Hao, who had been granted permission, was very excited.

However, seeing that his sister included Li Xiao in everything made him feel uneasy for some reason.

“Ah Qiao, do my wife and I not need to go in either?” Yan Jue asked worriedly.

“No need.”

Then she looked at Mu Yunzhe. “Send me a photo of your parents.”

At that moment, Li Xiao, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. “No need to send it. I recognize his parents.”

“Yes, yes, Master Xiao knows my parents. It’s the same if he goes in on my behalf.” Although Mu Yunzhe was worried about his parents, he felt reassured with Li Xiao going in for him.

“Ah Qiao, why am I allowed into the village? Am I different from the others?” Yan Hao grabbed his sister’s hand, his eyes glowing with excitement, his whole body radiating enthusiasm.

“Mm, you’re different.”

Yan Qiao didn’t hide it, but her tone remained emotionless.

“How am I different? Ah Qiao, tell me!” Yan Hao was thrilled.

“You have spiritual roots. You’ve accumulated a lot of merit, and your fate is auspicious.”

Yan Qiao didn’t intend to say much more.

“Wow, that’s amazing! If you ever need anything, Ah Qiao, just let me know! Your brother will do everything he can for you!” Her praise made Yan Hao lose himself a little.

“Mm.”

Even though they were discussing entering the village, the journey to Mengjiang Village was not easy.

Fog had rolled in today, and visibility was less than five meters.

At present, their vehicle was being driven by Assistant Ling. He didn’t dare take any risks, so the car was moving slowly.

The whole journey felt eerie and ominous.

“Ah Qiao, your sister-in-law’s complexion looks even paler…” At that moment, Yan Jue’s concerned voice came from the front.

“We’ve reached the place where her soul fragment was lost. Those things are trying to drag out another piece of her soul.”

“She has a soul-calming talisman on her, but since the fragment’s been gone for a long time, her body is getting weaker and weaker,” Yan Qiao explained.

Yan Jue nodded, still uneasy.

Then Yan Hao’s voice rang out, “Did you guys hear that? Sounds similar to what we heard in the room last night…”

Yan Hao leaned against the car window and looked outside. It was clearly daytime, yet the thick fog made everything look gloomy and foreboding.

Plus, the road was terrible—bumpy and narrow.

Only one car could pass at a time.

Overgrown weeds on both sides towered as tall as a person.

Clearly, this was a place long abandoned.

“Ever since we arrived in this town, everything’s felt strange.”

“That inn we stayed at last night—thinking about it now really gives me the chills,” Mu Yunzhe added.

Yan Hao shivered a little too. It really was an unpleasant experience.

The car drove for an hour and a half before finally reaching the entrance of Mengjiang Village.

Among the weeds, there stood an old stone tablet, inscribed with the words “Mengxi Village.” It was stained with black blood.

The car stopped at the roadside near the village entrance. Surprisingly, the entrance was much wider than the road they had come through.

Beside it was a flattened area. No wild grass grew there.

As they stepped out of the car, a bone-chilling cold swept over them.

It was colder than anywhere they’d been before.

A strange wind blew at their backs.

Yan Hao got out and shivered involuntarily.

“That should be the place the restaurant owner said they dug up the bones, right?” Mu Yunzhe pointed to the flattened area.

He held a protective talisman in his hand. It felt slightly warm.

Looking around, they noticed an old locust tree at the entrance of the village. It looked like it had been there for many years.

“Hel… help…” A weak voice came from beside the locust tree.

“Ah Qiao, there’s movement over there.” Li Xiao’s deep voice rang out as he looked in the tree’s direction.

His hearing had always been sharp—especially since his fate had been altered. He had become more sensitive, particularly to danger.

“Yeah, I think I heard it too!”

Yan Hao also vaguely heard it.

“Let’s go check it out,” Yan Qiao said coldly.

Yan Jue and Shen Zhiyin remained in the car as instructed by Yan Qiao. She told them not to get out.

That went for the bodyguards as well.

Both vehicles had already been protected by her spells.

Resentful spirits wouldn’t be able to approach.

The others made their way toward the old locust tree.

There, they saw four Taoist priests lying on the ground, barely breathing.

Their faces were streaked with blood.

Their condition matched the restaurant owner’s description of those who had escaped the village and died at its entrance.

Except these men were still alive—barely. Their spiritual cultivation was likely keeping them hanging on.

Yan Qiao frowned slightly and applied a protective talisman to each of them.

Then she fed them each a medicinal pill.

Before long, they visibly improved.

“Who are you? Where are you from?” Mu Yunzhe asked immediately. He had his suspicions but wanted to hear it from them.

“We’re Taoist priests from Baiyun Temple in the capital. We were commissioned to come here and find two people, but… but…” the oldest priest explained weakly.

“You… you’re Master Xiao?! And Young Master Mu?!” The old Taoist’s mind cleared enough to recognize the two renowned figures.

“Yes. Were you sent by my grandfather to save my parents?”

“Yes! It was indeed Old Master Mu who found us! Unfortunately…”

Yan Qiao’s cool voice interrupted, “What’s the situation in the village?”

At her question, the priests’ expressions changed all at once…

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