"Man, you really are heavy."
Tan Wenbin laid Lu Yi onto the dormitory bed, hands on his hips, panting slightly.
Carrying someone on his back wasn’t too tiring, but the earlier struggle with the possessed Lu Yi and the subsequent chaotic chase had left him out of breath.
Seeing the foam covering Lu Yi's face, Tan Wenbin frowned but eventually felt a twinge of sympathy.
He fetched a basin, poured some warm water, and squeezed a towel to wipe Lu Yi's face.
As for the scrapes and bruises on Lu Yi’s knees, hands, and elbows, Tan Wenbin couldn't be bothered; after all, they were just tough guys.
A few bumps and bruises were nothing to worry about.
After taking care of that, Tan Wenbin poured Lu Yi a cup of water and placed it on the plastic stool beside the bed.
He then bent down and pulled out a Harbin red sausage from the storage box beneath the bed.
Biting into it, he chewed while saying, "This is your fee for exorcising and cleaning up."
After leaving Lu Yi’s dorm room and returning to his own, the moment he stepped in, he saw Brother Yuan holding a whip and seated at the desk.
The look in his eyes and his imposing aura...
Tsk tsk, Tan Wenbin suddenly found that even his father wielding a belt seemed kinder in comparison.
Bending down to the side, Tan Wenbin watched as Brother Yuan interrogated.
Brother Yuan's gaze was slightly raised, indicating that something unseen, besides the high heels on the desk, caught his interest.
Scratching his head, Tan Wenbin wished he could delve into the shadows for a look.
But he knew Brother Yuan would never agree.
Brother Yuan constantly warned everyone not to venture into the shadows too frequently unless absolutely necessary.
Yet, it was ironic that Brother Yuan often would simply snap his fingers and slide into the shadows with ease, whereas in the past, he’d need assistance to even doze off while counting down.
Now, he could walk between the realms with open eyes without missing a beat.
Tan Wenbin felt no resentment over this; from their first meeting, he understood the main similarity between him and Brother Yuan was that they both appeared human.
However, it seemed Brother Yuan was facing some trouble, as if the interrogation had hit a wall.
Li Zhuiyuan spoke up, "Bingbing, burn some paper and light some candles, scatter some sand to inquire."
"Understood!"
Burning paper and lighting candles was easy to grasp; scattering sand to inquire was akin to the practice of "Pen Spirit."
However, Tan Wenbin momentarily forgot whether to use red or white candles for this procedure.
Oh no, his mind had turned hazy after the college entrance exams.
He had forgotten much of his high school knowledge and the "professional contents" he had memorized before had also blurred.
Fortunately, Tan Wenbin had his own methods.
He set the box on the desk, poured in specially made white sand, smoothed it out with a ruler, held a red candle in his left hand, a white candle in his right, and asked, "Brother Yuan, which direction should I place the candles?"
Li Zhuiyuan first looked to Tan Wenbin's left hand, then shifted his gaze to the southeast corner of the desk.
Got it, white candle it is.
Once Tan Wenbin set that up, he lit the candles.
Li Zhuiyuan held up some yellow paper, lit it, and waved it in front of him.
Tan Wenbin grabbed his water cup, preparing to catch the ash.
But he soon saw Brother Yuan stand up, reach out with his left hand, grasping forward before yanking down, and then jabbed the burning yellow paper inside, followed by a swift clap above.
In an instant, the yellow paper burned away, leaving only blue smoke—nothing but ash remaining.
Tan Wenbin's eyes widened.
He realized that during the half-year he was preoccupied with exams, Brother Yuan had not been idle and made considerable progress without him noticing back in the calmness of his hometown.
In truth, if viewed from the realm of shadows, one would see the young man clutching the girl’s jaw to open her mouth, shoving the burning talisman inside her before promptly sealing her lips.
The two main purposes of the yellow paper were guidance and reverence; thus, feeding it directly was akin to sending it to the stomach.
The girl, whether due to certain peculiarities or because she had just suffered from the harsh acts of Tan Wenbin, was unable to communicate.
All she could do was shiver pitifully at the table.
Once the yellow paper was fed, effects began to show.
The girl instinctively reached for the pen placed on the sandy surface, her expression resolute.
Li Zhuiyuan reached out intending to grasp the pen too, but the moment the girl noticed his hand, her determination crumbled, and she quickly withdrew.
For no other reason than her profound fear of the boy seeped deeply into her bones.
The Twelve Techniques of the Yin Family had been simplified through generations to ensure future descendants could inherit them.
By the time of Yin Fuhai, it had boiled down to a basic version.
Li Zhuiyuan's technique of “Crossing Over the Bridge” was unfathomable to those from the Yin family, yet, during the peak of the Yin family's ancestors, such methods were commonplace.
Therefore, when Li Zhuiyuan performed this, the young man faintly resembled the presence of Yin Changsheng.
To see the girl so scared of him, Li Zhuiyuan turned to Tan Wenbin and pointed at the pen on the sand tray.
Tan Wenbin understood and grabbed the pen, prompting the girl to reach out again to grasp it.
Hiss... it felt so cold.
Tan Wenbin felt as if his hand had been sheathed in ice, rendering it numb and devoid of sensation.
At last, the pen began to write.
The pen tip was as fine as a hair, and the sandy surface smoothed like paper, allowing for both large and meticulous writing.
The pen moved swiftly, the characters small as fly heads, forcing Li Zhuiyuan to lean in closer for a better look.
She was writing a letter—a letter from Ran Qiuping to her daughter Qiu Minmin.
Usually, once these letters were finished, Ran Qiuping would burn them.
Only this pair of high heels could "see" them.
The content of the letters was quickly penned down.
Once the sandy surface filled up, Li Zhuiyuan would smooth it out with the ruler to allow her to continue writing.
The letters expressed a mother’s yearning for her deceased daughter and contained trivial talk about life, occasionally mentioning the name of a certain granddaughter named Sun Hongxia.
But the name that appeared most often was: Mao Zhushan.
Sometimes addressed as Master Mao, at other times as Heavenly Teacher Mao, and on even friendlier terms, as Brother Mao or Handsome Mao—indicating a level of closeness that suggested she wanted him as a son-in-law someday.
Yet, on the flip side, Ran Qiuping didn’t hesitate to insult him as a big liar, a scumbag, or a piece of trash.
This switch in address and emotion hinted at an ongoing theme in the letters—resurrection.
Upon seeing this theme, Li Zhuiyuan understood that Ran Qiuping had been deceived.
Wei Zhengdao distinctly wrote in the foreword of Volume One of the “Records of Strange Tales in the Jianghu”: “A dead person cannot return to life.”
This excerpt, disconnected from the preceding or following text, stood alone.
The deaths discussed thereafter all served to illustrate and confirm this statement: Dead beings are not those who lived before.
Each time the plan for resurrection seemed to edge closer, Ran Qiuping would refer affectionately to Mao Zhushan and discuss how once her daughter was revived, he could be introduced and possibly paired with her.
But whenever Mao Zhushan would delay or announce a change in plans, Ran Qiuping would erupt in furious letters, displaying a state of hysteria.
In this regard, Li Zhuiyuan's assessment was spot on.
It didn't matter whether it was Sun Hongxia or Ran Qiuping; they both were merely puppets manipulated and played with by someone else, their spirits and worldviews already twisted and abnormal.
The girl wrote quickly, and Li Zhuiyuan read just as fast.
Amidst her scribbles, he caught mention of the general temple, keeping it secret from her master.
Coupling this with his own experiences in the field, a clearer line began to form.
After Qiu Minmin's death, Ran Qiuping suffered greatly and subsequently came into contact with the disciple of a body retrieval person, Mao Zhushan—the young man Li Zhuiyuan had seen comforting Ran Qiuping that day at the temple.
Mao Zhushan promised to help Ran Qiuping resurrect Qiu Minmin, after which Qiu Minmin became a ghost and frequently appeared on the second floor of the university activity center to practice dance.
During this period, Sun Hongxia, under the influence of brainwashing by Ran Qiuping, had been doing surveillance and providing cover.
In recent letters, she repeatedly mentioned that "the date is approaching," indicating that Mao Zhushan's plan was nearing its final stage.
This was definitely not about helping Ran Qiuping to revive Qiu Minmin; it was more so about Mao Zhushan’s own plan.
Yet at this crucial moment, Runsheng and Yin Meng, each carrying retrieval equipment, arrived.
Ran Qiuping should have noticed the gear that he and Tan Wenbin carried when managing dorm logistics.
She had likely seen similar items with the master-disciple duo and reported back, concluding that things were exposed, with external retrieval beings converging here to disrupt their plans.
In a recent letter, Ran Qiuping described her four companions to her daughter, explicitly stating that the daughter should not be afraid because she would deal with them herself.
No one could prevent her beloved daughter from returning to her side.
Having read the letter, the girl paused in her writing.
Li Zhuiyuan realized then that the girl was not part of Ran Qiuping's group; rather, she seemed to belong specifically to this dormitory or perhaps to the cluster of dormitories around it.
For in the story from Ran Qiuping's letters, she was never directly mentioned.
Only in one letter was it briefly noted, "Minmin, today I found a lovely pair of high heels in the dormitory. I don't know who left them behind, but I'll take it as your birthday present to me."
In the boys’ dormitory, a delicate and well-preserved pair of high heels had been discovered.
That seemed a bit strange.
But it wasn't unreasonable; perhaps some boys planned to gift them to their girlfriends, or they might simply have peculiar interests themselves.
And thus, the girl latched onto Ran Qiuping.
The reason was simple; prolonged contact with Qiu Minmin, even if she had become a ghost, would lead to weakened fortunes, making her vulnerable to spiritual disturbances.
So, on that first night in the dormitory, could it be that the sound of high heels was a warning from the girl that Ran Qiuping was targeting her?
No, that wasn’t it.
Li Zhuiyuan shook his head.
It wasn’t that he was afraid to admit his previous misjudgment; rather, based on his experience, it wasn’t necessary to overly personify such spirits.
She was simply bored and lonely, wanting to play tricks for amusement.
The first night, she probably came to find him and was scared off; this evening, while he was out, she went to mess with Lu Yi, leaving him in that state.
Indeed, Lu Yi wasn’t dead, but the consequences of an ordinary person being targeted by a spirit could lead to anything from nervous breakdowns to severe illness, or worse, being so overwhelmed that they might jump from the dormitory.
Lu Yi had just been lucky to encounter himself and Tan Wenbin; else he might have become a chilling campus ghost story, appearing in night talks after lights out:
"Hey, did you know, I heard from a senior in the club that a previous senior on this floor jumped off wearing a pair of women's high heels…"
Li Zhuiyuan picked up the whip and laid it onto Tan Wenbin’s hand.
The girl flinched, instinctively pulling her hand back.
"Alright."
Hearing this, Tan Wenbin immediately retracted his arm and shoved his icy hand into his clothes, attempting to warm it up, but yelped, "Oh, it's too cold."
"Bingbing, paint it black with dog blood."
This symptom was merely an "illusion," as the girl had no physical body; she couldn't possibly really frost someone's hand.
Tan Wenbin quickly reached for his pocket, but then his expression turned awkward—his paste had just spilled all over after falling on the ground.
He couldn't possibly plead for blood from Xiao Hei at that moment.
"My paste…"
Li Zhuiyuan pressed a finger into his pocket, extracted the paste, and drew a symbol on the back of Tan Wenbin's hand.
"Hiss… so soothing~"
It felt like his hand, frozen stiff, quickly thawed, bringing him a warmth reminiscent of spring blooms.
Tan Wenbin staggered backward, eventually plopping down onto the floor, yet his face remained adorned with a smile.
This was a dramatic reversal in sensation, giving rise to a fleeting feeling of "floating away."
If he were to grip the pen himself, it would feel barely cool; however, different people sensed temperatures differently at the same level.
Yet the girl was too scared to hold his hand at this time, only he could approach.
In many strange tales, old Daoist priests or monks would often be seen accompanied by a young disciple—though by lineage, there would be considerable distance.
They had no reason to personally take a little apprentice, primarily because certain potent techniques and mystical methods were inconvenient for more powerful characters to employ themselves.
The higher one's cultivation, the harder it was for them to summon spirits, as those summoned often feared being devoured or restrained.
Conversely, those who had just begun and whose physical conditions were better found it easier to succeed in summoning.
Finally returning to his senses, Tan Wenbin stood up.
"Bingbing, how are you feeling now?"
"I'm fine, recovered," Tan Wenbin said with a serious expression, knowing he couldn't admit he had found it enjoyable a moment ago.
"Mm."
"What were you writing just now?" Although it was his hand that held the pen, he hadn't had the chance to see what had been written in detail.
Li Zhuiyuan summarized the contents briefly, and when Tan Wenbin finished listening, he stated boldly, "Then it’s confirmed—they've set us up for an attack, so we stick to the original plan. Tomorrow night, at the General Temple, we demand an explanation!"
"They came for Runsheng's life and never explained themselves to us."
Upon hearing this, Tan Wenbin swallowed hard, immediately nodding vigorously, his fists clenching tightly.
"Right, let’s take them down!"
With the older brother setting the tone, the younger could only step it up, never scale back.
Tan Wenbin still vividly remembered the scene of the dwarf father and son’s dismembered remains floating by the river, and the previous night, Brother Yuan's determination to retaliate, no matter the cost, even if it meant blinding himself.
Since then, every utterance of the title "brother" was laden with deep meaning.
Whoever truly angered Brother Yuan, he would ensure they would have a feast to sit down to, only to find no one at the table.
But regardless, following such a leader truly felt liberating.
Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the girl at the desk and spoke: "Is your skeleton nearby?"
The girl nodded.
"When I graduate and leave this school, I’ll help you find your remains and conduct your rite. During this time, you need to abide by the rules; otherwise, I’ll seal you away to accumulate merit.”
She nodded again.
Li Zhuiyuan picked up the empty teacup, found it dry after Tan Wenbin had just finished drinking, and said, "Oh, let’s get some cold water."
"Alright, wait for me!"
Tan Wenbin hurried to fill the cup with hot water, then, after pouring it out, stepped outside to fetch some cold water.
Upon returning, he placed the cup back in the young man’s hands.
Then, Tan Wenbin stood by, observing intently.
He had always enjoyed watching Brother Yuan use his techniques; it was a delight to visualize himself pulling off the same acts with flair before bed.
The young man’s fingers dipped into the cup, drawing out droplets of water toward the girl.
The Twelve Techniques of the Yin Family: Water Prison Sealing.
That night at Fengdu Ghost Street, when Yin Fuhai taught Li Zhuiyuan, he explained that in the face of a spirit attack, this method could be used to create a "prison," ensuring one’s safety.
Hence, another reason Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t visited the underground library at his grandfather's house in the past half-year was that he had practiced the Twelve Techniques of the Yin Family twice.
In terms of technique and regulations, the Yin.family's Twelve Techniques certainly held their ground against the specialized skills of the Qin and Liu families, but the former was simplified over generations into children’s versions.
As each droplet landed on the girl, she cried out pitifully, similar to a normal person being doused in molten iron.
Yet at the stern look from Li Zhuiyuan, she dared not cry out again.
Gradually, water began to seep through the skin of the girl, reminiscent of spider webs.
Finally, Li Zhuiyuan poured the remaining water from the cup onto her, prompting the girl to nearly scream again—but his fingertip striking her brow froze her in place.
In an instant, the girl’s facial expression went blank as if halted in time.
The young man reached out and lightly tapped her arm, whispering:
"Return."
With a splash, from Tan Wenbin's perspective, a large pool of water suddenly fell from the desk, all entering the pair of high heels beneath.
"Bingbing."
"Yeah?"
"Clean the shoes and then store them in a box that isn’t sealed, placing it under the balcony."
"Got it."
Tan Wenbin approached to lift the high heels, astonished to find them still dry despite having absorbed much water earlier.
Only the surface bore remnants of the black dog’s blood he had previously smeared.
Li Zhuiyuan, meanwhile, began tidying up the desk.
Although his sealing technique seemed a bit harsh, he felt no guilt; were it not for his skills, he might have encountered a worse fate when he first arrived in those high heels, dancing possessed.
Lu Yi would have turned into a campus ghost story, while he might have ended up in a newspaper article titled: "College Entrance Exam Genius Loses Mind, Beware the Perils of Rushing Growth."
And,
Since he decided to keep her as a watchman for the shoes,
He bore the responsibility to guard her.
If she caused any trouble after intertwining with him, Karma would surely calculate at his head.
He had also established a blind spot with Karma; after all, Lu Yi was a minor problem.
As for what sins she committed before or how many had suffered at her hands, he knew nothing; the ignorant are not guilty.
"Hah..."
As he finished cleaning the desk, Tan Wenbin returned with the high heels, intending to wipe them off, only to realize they had already dried up.
"Brother Yuan, it seems like she's quite thirsty."
"When you have the time, give her some water."
Tan Wenbin blinked, "Um, Brother, are you joking?"
"Seriously, think of it as watering a plant."
"Will do."
Tan Wenbin used a black plastic bag to wrap it and then placed it under the balcony.
He stood up, glancing around, and smiled, "Our dorm feels quite secure now. If no thieves come in later, that would be a pity."
"Mm."
It was indeed far safer than before, but it still paled in comparison to his grandfather's house.
In the past, even Uncle Qin would have acted as security there.
Li Zhuiyuan lifted the basin, and Tan Wenbin immediately followed suit, saying, "Let’s go, let’s wash together."
After they finished washing, Li Zhuiyuan lay down on his bed.
Tan Wenbin didn’t rush to join him; he still had some studying to do at the desk, but before that, he walked over to flip the copper mirror to face the door, activating the guard.
After completing this, he squatted beside the wooden stool, observing the copper mirror closely.
"Brother Yuan, could you make me one too? It's so beautiful!"
"It's not one I made."
"Huh? Is this a real antique?"
"Yep, a Six Mountain Pattern Copper Mirror."
"Wow."
Tan Wenbin exclaimed in admiration but soon switched to a normal person’s understanding of antiques without any knowledge of the subject, “How much is it worth?”
"Not sure."
"Um, Brother Yuan, can’t you estimate a rough figure?"
"There's a matching one stored in the national museum."
Tan Wenbin went pale, moving back a step, terrified that his breath might sully it.
"Brother Yuan, where did you get this copper mirror?"
"It was a gift from someone, as a return gift."
"Oh my, what did you give them?"
"Go memorize your study material, I need to sleep."
"Oh, okay."
Li Zhuiyuan adjusted his pillow and closed his eyes.
This mirror was a return gift from Ali.
That morning, he had initially given Ali a box of small plastic Go pieces from a stationery store near Shinan Town’s primary school.
When morning arrived, Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes, habitually rolling over to see Tan Wenbin sprawled on the desk, fast asleep.
It seemed Tan Wenbin had stayed up all night, proving his intelligence surpassed Yin Meng's, having memorized everything as he could catch up on sleep during the day.
In truth, Yin Meng wasn’t foolish; she just couldn’t beat Runsheng in practicing while she fell behind Tan Wenbin in learning techniques and moving through shadows, leading to the three teasing her as the dimmest one.
Li Zhuiyuan sat up in bed each morning, silently asking, when would Grandma Liu and the others move over?
He had no idea whether Ali's condition would continue to improve, but his own was seemingly deteriorating.
After stepping out of the dorm to wash up, he saw Lu Yi carrying a basin for washing as well.
"Morning."
"Good morning, genius brother."
Lu Yi hesitated several times, wanting to say something, but Tan Wenbin sensed it without pushing the topic, letting the words die out.
In reality, whatever happened to Lu Yi last night might have resulted from the possessed ghost he had encountered during the day.
Though he had advised him on how to receive gifts, there might have still been some connection.
Not every person who worshipped at the general temple faced troubles, but fortunes would drop, and Lu Yi just so happened to live in a dormitory plagued by spirits.
As Li Zhuiyuan finished washing his face and moved to leave, Lu Yi gently tugged at his sleeve with his fingers.
Despite standing at six-foot-two, he presented an air of shyness akin to a Jiangnan girl.
"It's just... just... that... Genius Brother... does our dorm really have ghosts?"
"No, I’m just teasing you."
"Ah!" Lu Yi whimpered, “Genius Brother, please save me, I’m begging you to save me!"
If Li Zhuiyuan continued to confirm there were indeed ghosts, it might have offered him a bit of comfort, but outright denying it felt like a doctor dismissively saying, "Just eat a good meal when you get home."
"It’s over, really."
"Genius Brother, you’re like my real brother."
Seeing Lu Yi continue to press, Li Zhuiyuan finally said, "Buy a pack of cigarettes, use the red sausage as an offering, and place it on the balcony for three days; you’ll be fine."
"Thank you, thank you, Genius Brother! You’re amazing, that ghost indeed loves red sausage!"
Back in the dorm, after Li Zhuiyuan started reading, he didn’t pick up any complex materials, instead revisiting Wei Zhengdao’s "Records of Strange Tales in the Jianghu."
He had a nagging premonition that the ghost they encountered had some uniqueness to it; unfortunately, he lacked detailed information on the general depiction of this ghost to firmly deduce.
In the afternoon, Tan Wenbin just awoke and got out of bed when Yin Meng arrived.
Tan Wenbin shot her a glance, coolly saying, "Have you memorized it? I was waiting for you."
Yin Meng glared at him.
Li Zhuiyuan asked, "How's Runsheng doing?"
"Runsheng is recovering quite well; he didn’t insist on joining."
"Okay, let's bring our things and head out."
They carried two big bundles, mostly flags for laying formations, not the small ones used for securing entrances but larger banners.
The scenery around General Mountain was quite nice, but since it wasn't developed yet, there weren’t many people who came here.
Outside the General Temple, Li Zhuiyuan selected two spots for Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng to layout formations.
The layout was etched in their minds, and now they merely needed to follow the plan.
By the time they had finished laying out, it was already dark.
The three of them sat behind the earthen mound in front of the General Temple, munching on some water and biscuits to adjust their statuses.
"I just checked from the higher vantage point; there are no more tourists in the temple. Only the staff on duty are that master-student duo. I haven’t seen Ran Qiuping; she might be hiding in the office, but she’s the minor case. Once inside, first deal with that old man, try to lure him into the formation."
Given existing information, this was all planned by Mao Zhushan.
Observing that day’s restrained conversation between him and Ran Qiuping, he likely concealed these acts from his master.
Yet, Li Zhuiyuan refused to waste time reporting it or seeking reason with the old master; he had no hope the old man would clean up his sect.
Instead, he chose the most secure method—first dealing with the elder.
At that moment, a white sedan pulled up outside the General Temple, and three people stepped out.
Tan Wenbin asked, "Huh, why are they here?"
Arriving were Wu Xinhui, Zhu Hongyu, and Liu Xinya, the three eyewitnesses from the Zhao Junfeng case.
As the three exited the car, they immediately began arguing, seemingly at odds over their purpose in coming here.
Zhu Hongyu slapped Wu Xinhui in the face, who retaliated with a punch, sending her crashing to the ground.
Standing on the side, Liu Xinya crossed her arms, showing no interest in intervening.
Zhu Hongyu scrambled back up, screaming as she lunged at her husband’s face, causing the couple to grapple messily by the car.
Yin Meng was about to ask, "What do we do now?" but Tan Wenbin shot her a look, signaling her to keep quiet and to listen to Xiao Yuan.
Li Zhuiyuan took his time deciding.
The night was still young, and there was plenty of time ahead.
The noise at the temple's entrance drew attention.
Finally, a figure emerged—a desperate Ran Qiuping.
She knelt before the three, pleading earnestly for something.
The three paused their feud, instinctively fixing their clothes.
However, very soon, as they began to converse, their emotions surged again, with Wu Xinhui even grabbing Ran Qiuping by the collar and loudly questioning her.
Ran Qiuping merely continued her pleas, her head shaking emphatically.
Logically, Ran Qiuping should have a solid relationship with these three since it was with their testimony that they captured the true culprit behind her daughter's death.
Suddenly, Li Zhuiyuan's ears twitched.
He immediately said, "Return to Hometown Net."
Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng quickly unfurled the net, covering the three.
After a moment, the sound of footsteps echoed “crack… crack…” in the distance.
Sun Hongxia was slowly stepping out from a slanted path below, completely unaware of the three hidden behind her.
At first, Tan Wenbin wondered why Sun Hongxia wasn’t acting wildly anymore; she was eerily quiet.
But soon enough, he noticed dark mud on her neck and wrists as well as her ankles.
Once Sun Hongxia passed, another faceless woman emerged from the rear, her entire form riddled with pits and bleeding black blood, emanating a foul odor—it was Qiu Minmin.
Though there was some distance, her movements mirrored Sun Hongxia’s perfectly.
However, a thin mud wall gradually formed in front of Qiu Minmin, covering her.
Yin Meng finally understood.
This was how she could vanish so quietly while practicing dance.
Thus, in the eyes of the four below, only Sun Hongxia emerged.
Once she approached the group, she also knelt before them with a thud.
"My son is guilty, my son is guilty! I failed to educate my son properly; I too am guilty... guilty..."
Wu Xinhui’s group was now knelt before the two women, who prayed and begged.
Just then, Mao Zhushan stepped out from the temple gate, saying something while pointing inward, seeming to invite everyone inside.
Wu Xinhui's trio seemed swayed by his words, stepping into the temple.
Ran Qiuping kicked the dazed Sun Hongxia and then reached for the unseen Qiu Minmin behind her.
Ultimately, everyone entered the temple together.
Li Zhuiyuan commented, "Let’s go in too. It seems tonight, we’re in for quite a show."
To be continued.
(End of this chapter)