Chapter 18

Chapter 18

A close friend mourned with deep distress, "You beast! Beast! All those years of hard-earned savings, you've drained them all away!"

Feeling the smooth contact of skin on his neck, it soon turned moist and ticklish, clearly indicating that Wei Xi had started to nibble. Shuo Zong raised his hand to touch, only to find it covered in sticky saliva and grease. His fingertips trembled as he grabbed a chicken leg from the table, shoving it into Wei Xi's mouth, who was diligently gnawing.

Wei Xi was evidently dissatisfied, but the chicken leg was indeed fragrant. After some consideration, he continued to devour it.

"Stop howling," Shuo Zong interrupted his friend's tirade impatiently. "As if you're not a beast yourself."

"Aiyo, you're personally attacking me!"

At that moment, the young man with bloodied head seemed to have finally succumbed to the overwhelming blow, collapsing with his eyes rolling back.

The complainer's expression changed, immediately falling silent to check on him. After feeling Xing Kai's neck, he relaxed. "It's fine. He just fainted."

He then asked the remaining conscious youths with a smile, "Who can tell Uncle what happened here?"

Over at the side, Wei Xi finished chewing the meat off the chicken leg before crunchily devouring the bones. The two survivors, upon hearing the sound, looked as if they were about to faint in fear. It took them a stuttering while to explain the situation.

Essentially, Wei Xi believed that Xing Kai, who had initially tried to stop him, was now regretting it and offering him food as compensation. Hence, he beat him up and locked him in the room to watch him eat and drink. It was an utterly audacious move.

At first, Xing Kai had been urging everyone to join forces and retaliate, but after being beaten up by all, they all quieted down. Apart from huddling together and weeping, they couldn't think of any other solution.

"That's too much!" The man, with snot streaming down his face, pointed at his head while complaining. "He just hit me like this—bang, bang, bang—and it hurts so badly, my head is still ringing. I'm going to call the police! This is assault!"

He had initially thought that these two sudden arrivals were there to help. However, after his lamentations, the seemingly serious and proper handsome man standing not far away impatiently frowned. "Xia Shouren, make him shut up."

The man who called himself 'Uncle' and was beaming with spring-like warmth stood up with a gentle smile on his face. His cold tone was a stark contrast to his appearance. "How pitiful. Your face is swollen. Unfortunately, despite all your talking, you haven't honestly revealed the purpose of this trap. You have a stingy and cowardly appearance, aiding and abetting evil deeds. It's only fitting that you suffer misfortune and bad luck."

With that, he raised his hand and struck twice with precision and ruthlessness, silencing the sobs in the room.

After Xia Shouren knocked out the two men, he couldn't help but marvel. "Why are kids nowadays so capable? They dare to scheme against anyone!"

Shuo Zong ignored him, scanned the room, destroyed two hidden cameras, and left for a moment. Upon returning, he lifted the collar of Wei Xi's clothing. "Let's go."

Wei Xi refused and was ready to fight. Shuo Zong, with a grim expression, picked up the remaining bottles of Moutai in the room after taking two punches from Wei Xi. Only then did Wei Xi grab the last roasted suckling pig on the dining table and obediently let himself be taken away.

Drunk as a skunk, he didn't forget to eat. He devoured the packed food and alcohol quickly. When he couldn't find anything else to eat, he fixated on Shuo Zong, crawling onto his legs and nibbling randomly. Shuo Zong, unable to tolerate it any longer, smacked his head. Just as Wei Xi was about to get angry, a finger suddenly appeared by his mouth, which he promptly sucked on without complaint. With his eyes darting around sneakily, he stole several mouthfuls of yang energy from Shuo Zong.

With a face full of astonishment, Xia Shouren leaned closer and poked the creature's cheek, asking, "How is this a fierce beast? It's clearly just a little cub! Is it really him?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Xi seemed to catch the scent on Xia Shouren's body. He sniffed a few times with a wrinkled nose, apparently content. Suddenly, he released Shuo Zong's finger and gave it a sharp bite.

This one also has yang energy!

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Xia Shouren screamed in agony. "It's him! It still hurts like crazy, ahhhhhhh!!!"

Shuo Zong stared coldly at his finger caught between Wei Xi's teeth. "Five hundred thousand."

"Damn beast!" Xia Shouren quickly surrendered. "Here, here, here, my finger's going to break, damn it!!!"

Only then did Shuo Zong rescue him from the ordeal. Xia Shouren sobbed as he clutched his almost broken thumb. "Fierce beasts are truly damn fierce. They haven't changed at all after all these years. Damn it, why aren't you feeling any pain? Those with fur can never compare to those with scales..."

Shuo Zong suddenly interrupted him. "I'm going into seclusion."

"What the hell do you mean by going into seclusion all of a sudden..." Xia Shouren paused mid-sentence, realization dawning on him. "Ah! You're going to..."

Shuo Zong lowered his head, continuing to watch Wei Xi suck on his finger with a guarded expression, as if acknowledging the situation. "Someone needs to keep an eye on him."

"Can you endure it?" Xia Shouren looked at him with concern, his expression turning earnest. "Don't forget the collapse of Heavenly Dao... It's been over a hundred years, and your injuries still haven't fully healed. If not for my own incomplete soul, I might have been able to assist you more. Now that the grotto is gone, I wonder where we could find those heavenly treasures and rare earth elements."

As he spoke, his tone turned profoundly melancholic. Just as the ambiance was filled with a bittersweet night, Shuo Zong's words disrupted the serenity: "Did you transfer me five hundred thousand?"

"..." Xia Shouren fumed, pulling out his phone. "Brute!"

He cast another resentful glance at the scene where Shuo Zong allowed Wei Xi to absorb his yang energy. "You only know how to ask me for money. He's sucking out your yang energy; why don't you demand payment from him? You two used to fight whenever you encountered each other, but today, I didn't see you lay a hand on him. People have been saying that they saw you at his cave dwelling on the day the Heavenly Dao collapsed. Why did you, injured as you were, go looking for him? I get it now, there must be some secret, under-the-table deal between the two of you that I'm not aware of..."

Shuo Zong paid no heed, lowering his head to collect the money. It was not until he caught sight of the Wei family's villa through the window that he tersely commanded, "Be quiet."

As the words echoed, Xia Shouren also sensed something amiss. He parked the car and gazed quietly at the peculiar villa ahead, "…Do you see it? Something seems off, doesn't it?"

Shuo Zong's expression was grave. It was still early, and all the neighborhoods they had passed were brightly lit. However, the Wei residence was shrouded in darkness, with only a faint light seeping from a small corner window. The curtains and doors were tightly shut, as if desperately concealing some sinister truth.

They exchanged glances with Xia Shouren before both fixating on Wei Xi, who was absorbed in nibbling his fingers. The identical suspicion prompted them to leap into the Wei family's courtyard simultaneously.

There were more than ten lives at stake, including the family and their servants! If news of this got out, chaos would undoubtedly erupt!

As Shuo Zong swiftly pondered a plan, he kicked open the Wei family's front door, only to fall silent once more.

In the living room of the Wei family, the television and floor lamp were both on, revealing a scene of scattered remains before their eyes... It was a pile of crayfish.

The pungent aroma of garlic paste filled the air as a dozen people gathered around the coffee table, holding takeout boxes as if they were ravenous laborers at a construction site. Hearing the noise, they turned towards the entrance, instantly recognizing Shuo Zong holding Wei Xi in his hands. Their expressions changed dramatically.

Wei Xi, hanging from Shuo Zong's grip, caught the scent and wrinkled his nose. With a cheer, he broke free from Shuo Zong's grasp and lunged towards them.

The chaos erupted. "Why is he back so early?!"

"Damn it! Give me back my food box! And you've been drinking?! How could I have such a disgraceful son?!"

Wails filled the air. "Young Master, Young Master, you have to remove the heads of the crayfish before eating... how could you chew them whole?"

A cold complaint was heard. "Damn it, Xing Kai and that bunch of good-for-nothings."

Amidst the uproar, no one paid attention to the two figures standing dumbfounded at the door. Shuo Zong stood silently in the night for a long while, then, with a composed expression, he gently closed the door again, noticed only by the dazed Xia Shouren standing beside him.

******

The Wei family's chaos lasted the entire night, and it wasn't any better for several other households in the capital.

The next day, many people within the circle had heard the news. When Ruan Shihang emerged, he could hear everyone chatting and laughing, so he casually asked about it.

A friend said, "How can you not know about such an interesting thing? What's wrong with your head?"

Ruan Shihang rubbed his swollen forehead with a dark expression and brushed it off with, "I accidentally bumped into a lamppost."

In reality, he hadn't hit a lamppost at all. It was a damn pomelo that had fallen from the sky while he was walking on the road. Who the hell was so inconsiderate to plant such a huge fruit tree by the roadside?

And this wasn't the only injury he had sustained. He was now plagued with backaches and sore muscles because his bed had suddenly collapsed halfway through the night.

It was an utterly unbelievable piece of shoddy workmanship.

His luck couldn't have been worse. To add salt to the wound, he had chipped his front tooth on a stone in his breakfast porridge that morning. Ruan Shihang was incredibly frustrated, and even the model he had been pursuing for a long time didn't receive any of his affections when he sat beside him.

Everyone assumed he had just tripped, so they chuckled before noticing his grim expression and gradually subsiding laughter. They then continued their previous conversation.

One person said, "Actually, it's nothing much. It's just that Xing family kid. His place was in chaos last night. Apparently, he brought a few friends to the state guesthouse and spent over four million yuan. Holy shit! I was stunned when I heard that. Is he a pig? Four million! Our group wouldn't be able to spend that much even if we ate there for a year!"

The other person laughed maniacally, "Yeah, I heard he got so drunk with his friends at the State Guesthouse that he passed out and even scarred his face. When he woke up, he swiped all his cards dry, but it still wasn't enough. The State Guesthouse had to call his family for the rest of the money, and his father was so furious that he exploded on the spot. He initially scolded the State Guesthouse for extortion and threatened to report them to the media."

The previous person found it hilarious, "Later, they discovered that his son had ordered over seventy bottles of Lafite, more than ten bottles of Romanée-Conti, plus Maotai and Louis XIII. He drank the State Guesthouse's wine cellar dry. Just how many people did Xing Kai bring along to show off? Did he plan to seduce some female celebrity by ordering so much wine? Didn't he have any idea how much money he had in his pocket? He even dared to open a bottle of Romanée-Conti. In the end, when his father saw the bill, he had nothing to say but to pay the rest and drag him back home. Believe me, he must've gotten a good beating. I live close to his house, and I couldn't sleep last night because of the screams. It was pitiful."

"And how did he even manage to drink all that wine? I heard every bottle was opened, not one was left unopened. When he woke up, he probably realized he was in deep trouble, so he pretended that he was beaten by a friend he brought along and refused to pay, insisting on calling the police to pursue responsibility. But when the police checked the surveillance footage, there was no evidence of anyone else involved. Clearly, they were the ones who kept pouring drinks down his throat. Later, when he was drunk, he even smashed the monitor in the private room. Great, now he has to pay for the broken monitor too."

Ruan Shihang was already annoyed, but hearing this story left him stunned. Spending millions on a meal, not even for a banquet, was an unprecedented extravagance. He didn't expect to have missed such a historical moment when he left last night.

However, thinking about last night reminded him of Wei Xi, dampening his enthusiasm for gossip.

At this moment, the friends around him started discussing the recent news from Fengyang Town that their parents had been forwarding, which led to the inexplicable establishment of the Tai Cang Sect by the Wei family. Upon hearing the name 'Wei', Ruan Shihang's wound on his head throbbed, and he blamed his bad luck on Wei Xi's ill omen, interrupting, "What's there to talk about a fraud pretending to be supernatural?"

"What do you mean pretending? There are so many mysterious things in the world, what if it's real? The Lin family has been very fortunate lately. Lin Hanyang has signed several big contracts, and I heard his wife's health has improved. They're doing charity work together; wouldn't they only do so if it had some effect?"

Another person also disagreed, "Yes, I heard that even CEO Zhao of Gao Feng Electronics studies a book he bought from the Tai Cang Sect every day. If the first batch of educated entrepreneurs after the founding of the country take it seriously, it must be an extraordinary book."

Ruan Shihang was furious, "Crazy! What century is it, still believing in feudal superstition? We, as Party members, don't believe in that!"

After his tirade, he grabbed a fruit, took a few bites, and felt something was off. Looking down, he saw half a plump white worm wriggling in the flesh.

Ruan Shihang: "..."

He was so nauseated that his mind was in a daze, leaving his friends unable to continue their conversation.

The girls insisted on going to the outskirts for some fun, and the group set off in high spirits. Before reaching the suburbs, the convoy stopped, and the model whom Ruan Shihang had yet to win over pointed excitedly at a house ahead, "Look, is this the haunted house that's been trending online recently?"

Everyone got out of their cars curiously to investigate.

Recently, there had been a new online sensation: a rather intriguing haunted house had opened in the outskirts of the capital. They had all seen the related promotions, and someone immediately stepped forward to examine the sign, "It really is! I've heard about it several times, but I never expected to come across it here. I've heard that this haunted house is set up in a famous haunted villa. Looking at it now, it does seem rather eerie."

Ruan Shihang followed the sound and indeed saw an old-fashioned Western-style building standing before him. The villa had seen better days, and whether intentionally or not by the haunted house company, the outer iron fence was covered in rust, while the walls and roof were overgrown with ivy. The ivy was lush and dense, hiding most of the windows on the second floor and above. The glass panes were dark and empty, giving off an ominous vibe.

For some reason, Ruan Shihang shivered as if a cold wind had blown past him when he looked at those windows.

Spotting them, the staff at the entrance warmly greeted them, "Little brother, little sister, here for some fun? It's only three hundred yuan per person for our grand opening special!"

Being young and adventurous, everyone was immediately intrigued.

Ruan Shihang pressed his lips together, remembering his recent misfortunes, and felt a sudden urge to leave. At that moment, the staff added, "But make sure you're brave enough, folks. Our haunted house ranks among the scariest in the country. If you're afraid of ghosts and get scared to the point of wetting yourself, well, that would be quite embarrassing."

Amidst the laughter, the model standing next to Ruan Shihang also playfully asked, "Are you afraid of ghosts? Are you going in too?"

Ruan Shihang felt his pocket and realized that his wallet had been stolen at some point. His face darkened as he grew irate from this string of misfortune. After a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth and declared, "Yes, why not? I'll go! I refuse to believe I can't handle it!"

The attendant at the entrance of the haunted house was a dwarf with an expressionless face. After checking their tickets, he gave Ruan Shihang's group a cold once-over before silently pushing open the heavy door behind him.

His demeanor made everyone uneasy. As they entered, one person joked, "It's indeed scary. I'm already feeling chilly just standing at the entrance."

Another added, "The inside is even more frightening. Have you guys heard the story about this haunted house? Supposedly, in 2003, the entire family living here died suddenly overnight. Since then, no one has dared to live here. Some people claim to see figures entering and exiting the house when passing by at night."

Ruan Shihang scanned the room and noticed that most of the light sources were covered by black cloth. The old-fashioned interior design of the villa took on an eerie quality under the dim lighting.

He scoffed, "Trying to scare us with tricks!"

Along the way, they could faintly hear sinister whispers, indistinct yet seemingly following them. An old record player in the living room continuously played a bizarre Christmas song. The cheerful tune only served to amplify the atmosphere of terror.

Ruan Shihang found the sound unbearable, so he approached the record player and lifted the needle. The music ceased, and amidst the praise from the others, he turned around calmly, thinking that it was merely a tactic to set the mood. However, just as he took a few steps, the melody that had disappeared moments ago started echoing in his mind again.

Ruan Shihang paused and slowly turned back, noticing that the record player seemed to be perpetually spinning.

The group's laughter ceased abruptly as Ruan Shihang tried several methods to turn off the phonograph, but no matter what he did, it would slowly resume playing after a short while.

Someone rubbed their arms nervously, "Damn, I'm getting scared. Should we keep going?"

Ruan Shihang gritted his teeth, "It's just a modified automatic start mechanism, there's nothing to be afraid of."

He returned to the group, took the trembling hand of the girl he brought along, and fearlessly continued forward.

Throughout the journey, various obstacles made everyone scream and scatter, but Ruan Shihang remained unperturbed. As they approached the exit, he recalled Wei Xi's words, "No talk of people during the day, no talk of ghosts at night," and felt even more disdainful. These were just folk sayings, nonsense that ignorant fools used to scare themselves.

The young model seemed quite dependent on him, clinging softly to his side until they reached the entrance. Then, in a gentle tone, she asked, "Can we stay a little longer?"

Seeing their friends panic and rush out the door, some called out to Ruan Shihang, who was still standing still. He waved them on, signaling them to leave first, then impatiently asked, "What's the point of staying? It's utterly uninteresting."

The young model asked softly, "Don't you find it fun?"

With everyone gone, his friends shouted from outside the gate, "Ruan Shihang! Hurry up, what are you still doing in there? You're scaring us to death!"

Ruan Shihang yelled back, "Li Xiaoman isn't done yet!"

Frustrated by his clingy companion, he was about to grab her and forcefully leave when silence fell outside for a moment. Suddenly, his friend's quivering voice echoed again, "W-What are you talking about! Li Xiaoman said she was scared of ghosts and didn't go in with us at all!"

Ruan Shihang: "..."

His scalp tingled as he turned his head in disbelief to look at the person beside him.

The petite model seemed not to have heard a word, as she grabbed his arm instead, her skin as cold as water, and smiled gently, "I think it's quite amusing. Could you stay with me a little longer?"

*****

When Lu Wenqing found Wei Xi, he was standing with his hands on his hips, directing his family's work.

The lawn in the Wei family courtyard had been dug up into a mess, covered in mud. An enthusiastic, dirt-covered Husky was digging frenziedly, as if it had stumbled upon a treasure.

Wei Tianyi, wearing sunglasses, stood on the doorstep, fuming with rage, "Disgraceful! You've ruined the entire lawn! Stop digging right now!!"

Wei Xi paid no attention, "Make this hole deeper, we'll plant a tree here later."

He then called over the elegantly dressed beauty beside them, "Watch closely, this is Di Xiu's nesting pit. When you tend to it, remember to water it adequately."

The beautiful woman listened in confusion, her head filled with question marks.

Lu Wenqing stood speechless at the entrance, where a young man holding a small bucket of water and wiping the sign caught sight of him and asked coldly, "Who are you looking for?"

Lu Wenqing pointed to Wei Xi.

The young man's expression immediately turned odd. After a moment, he pursed his lips and called out to Wei Xi in the courtyard, "Brother, someone's looking for you."

Lu Wenqing looked at him in surprise again. Was this the youngest son of the Wei family, the rumored intelligent and shining figure resembling his father and highly favored?

Highly favored...

He glanced at the rag in the young man's hand.

Wei Chengshu stared at him gloomily.

When Wei Xi saw Lu Wenqing, he was taken aback and came over, asking, "Why is it you?"

Upon seeing him, Lu Wenqing instantly forgot all his questions and was so moved that he was almost in tears. "Bro, I need your help in a pinch!"

Ruan Shihang had heard that he went to some haunted house with friends and fell gravely ill upon his return. When Lu Wenqing first learned about it, he thought it was just a cold or the flu. Soon, he discovered the true nature of the incident.

It was said that all of Ruan Shihang's friends, sensing something amiss, rushed back in and dragged him out of the haunted house, as he was still in a daze, walking deeper into it. The Ruan family, all being firm believers in science, didn't believe in such supernatural occurrences. Ruan Shihang, due to his pride, also refused to seek help from the "ghosts and monsters" he had once ridiculed. Scanning through his social circle, he found that only Lu Wenqing seemed knowledgeable in this area, so he turned to him for assistance.

As childhood friends, Lu Wenqing couldn't ignore Ruan Shihang's plight, but upon learning the details, he was terrified. This wasn't a simple feng shui issue; it was clear that Ruan Shihang had encountered a ghost!

The thought of ghosts scared Lu Wenqing even more than Ruan Shihang! Unfortunately, at this crucial moment, his cousin Li Rui, who usually accompanied him on jobs, was away in the northwest for a project. With no one else to turn to, Lu Wenqing could only think of Wei Xi. Although Wei Xi was new to the profession, he possessed considerable strength. Back in Fengyang, he had even dared to assist Mr. Shuo Zong in exorcising ghosts.

Upon hearing about the job, Wei Xi immediately perked up. It had been a while since his sect opened for business, and apart from Uncle Zhao's regular requests, they hadn't had any new clients. Without clients, there was no income, and the Wei family had to pinch pennies for daily groceries. The group that had invited him to the state guesthouse hadn't reached out again, and since that feast, he hadn't enjoyed a satisfying meal.

But how did he get home that day? All he could recall was waking up with a mouth full of yang energy's sweetness. The Wei family seemed to have suffered a great injustice, and Wei Tianyi grumbled incessantly for days before finally quieting down.

Choosing not to dwell on it, Wei Xi asked, "Will I be paid?"

Lu Wenqing felt embarrassed, "Yes, yes, of course."

Wei Xi immediately nodded and instructed Butler Zhou and Mike to continue excavating as previously instructed. He then swiftly set off with Unity Righteousness to follow Lu Wenqing.

"Since the location is in the outskirts, my car is restricted due to license plate regulations. Let's take a ride-hailing service," Lu Wenqing called for a car using his phone. Wei Xi indifferently played games inside the vehicle while Unity Righteousness looked up guides for him. The two listened quietly as Lu Wenqing explained the situation.

"...That's how it happened. Ruan Shihang has been ill ever since, and he can't even sleep well at night. I gave him a talisman, and he seemed to have improved slightly. He's probably waiting for us with his friend in the suburbs by now."

As Lu Wenqing spoke, he couldn't shake off an inexplicable chill in the car. Rubbing his arms, he asked the driver, dressed in a suit, "Sir, what temperature is your car's air conditioning set to?"

The driver didn't respond but smiled, seemingly intrigued, as he gazed ahead. "Handsome guy, were you being serious just now? Did your friend really encounter a ghost?"

Wei Xi glanced at him through the corner of his eye while focusing on the game, their gazes meeting in the rearview mirror before he impassively looked down again.

Lu Wenqing sensed that the driver's attitude was peculiar, but he still replied, "Absolutely true. If you encounter any guests in the future who wish to visit that haunted villa in the suburbs, I advise you to try and dissuade them. However, it's uncertain if that shop can still operate. The day after the incident, the Ru family intervened and forced it to close for rectification."

The driver let out a long "oh," his eyes still twinkling with amusement. "You young folks are afraid of ghosts too, huh?"

"Who isn't afraid of ghosts?" Lu Wenqing replied nonsensically, his gaze drifting out the car window. He immediately froze. "Isn't this road heading to the southern outskirts? Master, where are you driving? Are you perhaps taking us on a detour?"

The sky outside gradually darkened, and the scenery beyond the car window transformed from towering skyscrapers to serene tree silhouettes. Under the glow of streetlights and the faint twilight, an ominous atmosphere prevailed. The driver in the front seat chuckled and said, "Why would I take a detour? Of course, I'm taking you to where you're supposed to be!"

As he spoke, he slowly turned his head, wearing an eerily chilling smile.

Lu Wenqing stared at his face, suddenly realizing what had felt off since they got into the car. The driver's smile remained unchanged from beginning to end, his entire face as stiff as if it were sculpted by someone.

He had always been sensitive to the supernatural and had encountered countless bizarre incidents. Immediately, he realized they had stumbled upon a haunted vehicle. His scalp tingled with fear. Reaching into his pocket, he remembered that he had already given his protective amulet to Ruan Shihang not long ago.

Despairingly, Lu Wenqing's eyes widened, and he cried out, "Ahhhh! Ghost!!"

Tuan Jieyi exclaimed, "What?!!"

The driver chuckled sinisterly, seemingly pleased with his ability to frighten them. The temperature around them dropped even more, enveloping the vehicle in an indescribable sense of terror. Suddenly, a cheerful sound effect echoed from the backseat: "Jet plane!"

"No!"

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

United Righteousness: "Aaaah! There really is a ghost!"

Lu Wenqing: "Aaaah! It's so terrifying!"

Wei Xi lifted his head, his expressionless gaze meeting the stiff ghostly visage rushing towards him.

Within less than five minutes, the car turned around and started heading back, merging into the bustling traffic on the elevated highway.

The driver, sitting in the front seat, covered his face with a grin, whistling, "Wuwuwuwuwu—"

Tears mixed with blood stained his face. Wei Xi had already switched places with Lu Wenqing, sitting quietly in the passenger seat and gazing fixedly at him, causing the very essence of his ghostly being to tremble. "P-Please stop looking at me..."

All the while, he sobbed softly, "I only wanted to scare you, I didn't do anything bad. Why are you like this? Give me back my arm, how can I steer with just one hand, wuuu wuuu wuuu..."

Wei Xi studied him for a long while before reluctantly returning the arm. This ghost truly hadn't slain anyone before; it was the kind that Wei Dedao had strictly forbidden consumption of.

The ghostly driver snatched his arm back hastily, attaching it to himself as he pitifully curled up, lamenting, "What terrible luck have I stumbled upon? I was merely taking a well-deserved break to enjoy myself..."

Confused, Lu Wenqing sat in the backseat, still absorbed in the scene where Wei Xi had just leaped up, grabbing the other person by the neck and delivering a fierce beating, followed by tearing off their arm and using it as a weapon. In those five minutes, he had experienced the most incredible shock since he could remember. Now, only one thought echoed in his mind — so catching ghosts wasn't solely about talismans and peach wood swords, but could also involve such methods? !

Unity was not well-versed in this field, and the miserable state of Fengyangxian had prejudiced him against ghosts, so he quickly lost his fear when he saw his master defeat the opponent. He even approached the weeping ghost driver with curiosity, asking, "You also have the National Day holiday? But isn't it already over?"

The ghost driver shook his arm, noticing that his yin energy seemed to have decreased but not daring to complain. He shot an aggrieved glance at Wei Xi before replying to Unity with a snarl, "Who celebrates National Day? We celebrate Cold Food Festival. With Halloween and Cold Food Festival combined, we can take more than twenty days off!"

"Ahh... " Unity was somewhat confused. "You also celebrate Halloween?"

The driver was impatient. "Of course!"

Seeing the driver being rude to his disciple, Wei Xi slapped him without hesitation.

Lu Wenqing gaped at him in admiration—Wow!

"Ouch..." The driver covered his head and started crying again, two lines of bloody tears sliding down his cheeks. "Don't you all go shopping during Christmas? I just came out to drive and earn some food!"

Feeling embarrassed for causing the driver to be hit, Unity chuckled. "I see. You've got it tough too. Sorry, I've heard legends about ghost buses and taxis before, but it's my first time encountering one in person, so I couldn't help but ask more questions."

The driver sniffled, his mood improved by Unity's apology. He couldn't help sighing and pouring out his grievances. "Public transportation and taxi regulations are so strict now; how can we operate? It's only through this platform that we get a bit of work. I stole an ID card to register."

"Right." He suddenly remembered something but didn't dare to tell Wei Xi, so he turned to the more approachable Unity. "I really didn't mean to hurt you guys; I was just messing around for Halloween, right? When we arrive at the destination, I won't charge you for the ride. Could you give me a five-star review?"

United Righteousness: "...."

Lu Wenqing: "...."

The driver broke into another heart-wrenching sob. "If my rating drops, I'll receive less allowance. Please, help me out."