As Wu Pifu and the others hurriedly left Xuanhua Prefecture, a low-profile merchant caravan entered the city.
They turned left and right through the alleys, eventually arriving at an inconspicuous small courtyard.
That day passed without incident.
The next day, as noon approached, a group of people exited the courtyard, heading towards the city gate that led to the Yi Family Ancestral Hall.
On the other side, the four of them spent the night in a clean woodshed without any coffins.
Early in the morning, the three men began to tidy up the main hall, while Xu Shilan prepared breakfast using rice, flour, vegetables, cured meat, and dried fish.
Although the ingredients were limited, Xu Shilan turned out to be quite the cook.
Soon, the aroma of rice and flour mixed with the scent of cured meat wafted through the air.
The three men, who were famished, had eaten a hearty meal the previous day, but since arriving at the ancestral hall, they had been busy familiarizing themselves with the layout, exploring, and memorizing the building's structure, defensive routes, escape paths, and discussing various strategies to deal with ghosts and the paper figures.
Consequently, they had gone to bed hungry, and now their stomachs were growling.
Upon hearing Xu Shilan's call, the three hurried to the large stone table outside the kitchen, where they found several large bowls of food already laid out.
"I made noodle soup, and the rice is steamed and stir-fried with vegetables and cured meat. Just make do with it," Xu Shilan said with a smile.
The three men wasted no time, filling their bowls with fried rice purchased from the inn, and began to eat heartily, praising Xu Shilan's culinary skills.
After drinking some noodle soup, warmth spread through their bellies.
The three men, all of substantial build, were grateful for the ample rice and flour they had bought at the inn, and they indulged in their meal.
Xu Shilan smiled at them, especially at Wu Pifu.
Now a Master of Dark Energy, Wu Pifu was very sensitive to gazes.
After being looked at several times, he straightforwardly asked, "If you have something to say, just say it."
Xu Shilan was momentarily taken aback, then playfully replied, "How do you know I'm not flirting with you? What if I have taken a liking to you?"
Wu Pifu replied seriously, "That's not it. You're not that kind of person. Although looking at your figure... cough, you are indeed a woman who guards her virtue like jade. If I'm not mistaken, you are still a virgin, right?"
Xu Shilan's face turned red for the rare occasion.
She pouted and said, "What kind of talk is that... And how did you figure it out?"
Xu Rongyu laughed heartily, "Your demeanor hasn't changed; how could you not be a virgin? Moreover, my brother is a Master. A Master can see through a person, perhaps even to their very bones. If a Grandmaster were here, with just one glance, they could discern any ailments in your organs. Who do you think you can hide from?"
Wu Pifu looked at Xu Rongyu speechlessly, "You're just a meat ticket; who is your brother?"
After saying that, he turned to Xu Shilan, "But he’s not wrong. As I advance in Dark Energy, many peculiarities begin to emerge. For instance, when I observe someone's movements, it feels as if I can project and see the direction of their bones and muscles. It’s somewhat like that genius disease; when I look at something, I can expand it in my mind, calculate, or see the internal structure. In any case, in my eyes, your gait and movements all indicate that you are a virgin."
Xu Shilan made a few spitting sounds, and when the redness on her face faded, she sighed, "Your movements and demeanor are quite similar to my younger brother's. He was also full of vigor back then, carrying a certain coldness, always having this or that passion to vent..."
Yamada was a person who loved to eat.
While munching, he asked, "So where is your brother? A citizen?"
Xu Shilan's expression darkened, and she lowered her head slightly, "He died. He believed that the Human Revolutionary Alliance was the future of humanity, so he took the opportunity when I wasn't paying attention to join them. He piloted the new model 'Firelight' and participated in the Earth Defense War. In the end, during the battle against the four major Singularity Technology Companies, he evaporated along with the 'Black Hole.'"
Yamada remained unfazed, "Oh."
Wu Pifu, however, was not as indifferent as Yamada.
He said, "My condolences."
Xu Shilan smiled, "I've long since mourned. I consider it half a revenge for him; otherwise, with all my sins..."
At this point, she merely smiled and did not elaborate further.
The four of them fell silent.
After finishing breakfast, they discussed their plans.
Yamada and Xu Shilan continued to tidy up the rooms and courtyard while researching how to create defensive traps.
Meanwhile, Wu Pifu took Xu Rongyu to patrol the ancestral hall and familiarize themselves with the routes in the back mountains, ensuring they had an escape route if necessary.
About an hour and a half into their patrol, Yamada, who was fiddling with a hoe, suddenly stood up and reached for a long spear nearby... or rather, a long stick without a spearhead.
Xu Shilan was momentarily taken aback and instinctively reached for something at her waist, but after a slight movement of her hand, she bitterly smiled and stopped, saying, "I can't help you with anything."
Yamada coldly said, "I understand. Go, light the chimney!"
Xu Shilan immediately dashed to the kitchen, bringing the damp grass roots and stems she had prepared earlier to the stove.
Yamada gripped the long stick in his hand and pulled out a wooden three-edged spike tied with vines from the corner, fastening it to his waist before striding to the entrance of the ancestral hall.
A group of people wearing long cloaks or raincoats approached from outside the ancestral hall.
The leading individuals were on horseback, and upon seeing Yamada standing at the entrance with a long spear, they murmured something about a strong man.
The leading figures dismounted, and their companions held the horses.
The group, consisting of over a dozen raincoat-wearing individuals, approached.
Yamada waved the spear in his hand and shouted, "The ancestral hall is busy with important matters and does not welcome any outsiders. Please leave!"
The leading figures pulled back their cloaks, revealing red garments underneath.
Upon seeing this, Yamada's eyes narrowed, and he swung the spear again.
The first among them was a strikingly beautiful woman, with a small face, large eyes, and small lips.
She was not very tall, probably around one meter fifty, but her figure was curvaceous, with ample curves in all the right places, making her a stunning woman.
Although this woman was exceptionally beautiful, her movements exuded a sense of boldness.
She clapped her hands and said, "What a strong man! A foreigner can speak our language so fluently? Very well, I won't kill you for now. Hand over Xu Rongyu, the young master, and I will guarantee your safety."
Upon seeing the woman in red, Yamada immediately recognized who they were—those likely to be the Nightmare Parasites.
His killing intent surged, and he felt a surge of malice.
He didn't care about the woman's intentions; he merely gauged the distance between them.
Yamada was a veteran of the Third War.
To become a veteran in such an environment, he had to be a soldier of considerable skill, at least a warrior of the twenty-first century when Wu Pifu was growing up, and not the kind of warrior from peaceful times.
At this moment, his body relaxed, with only the muscles in his joints tightening slightly.
The beautiful woman had been advancing, but at this moment, she abruptly stopped and even pulled back the two women who were only half a step behind her.
They were only five meters away from Yamada, yet she did not take another step forward.
Yamada stood still, fully concentrated, while the beautiful woman smiled and said, "Today I confirm that there were indeed those fierce warriors in ancient times. I used to scoff when the elders spoke of them, thinking they were merely officials with numbers on their side, backed by formations. Otherwise, in a one-on-one fight, even if one had extraordinary physical gifts and innate strength, they could never match a Master of Dark Energy... I truly underestimated the heroes of this world."
After saying this, the beautiful woman shook her head with a smile and instructed her followers, "Bring me the Red Soft Spear."
Someone behind her opened a horse's pack and took out a long piece of red rope, quickly running to the beautiful woman and handing it to her.
The beautiful woman took the red rope, flicked her wrist, and the rope unfolded into a straight line, resembling a long red spear.
At the same time, she loudly declared, "You, strong man, although you are a foreign barbarian, you possess considerable courage. Next, it will be a battle without eyes for blades and guns. Step aside, and let me meet your Master behind you. After retrieving the young master Xu, we can share a drink and resolve this grudge. Otherwise, if you die, don't blame me."
Yamada would never step aside.
His focus was razor-sharp, and his eyes were solely on the beautiful woman wielding the red soft spear.
The beautiful woman waited for three seconds, then raised her hand, "Lin Heier of the Red Lantern Society, I seek your guidance."
As she spoke, Lin Heier stepped lightly, her feet gliding as if walking on lotus petals.
In just one step, she closed the distance to within two meters of Yamada, her red soft spear stabbing towards his throat in a spiral trajectory.
Both her footwork and spear technique were exceptional, derived from her primary cultivation method, the Huanglian Holy Mother Scripture's killing move.
However, at this moment, Yamada had fully entered the killing state reminiscent of the Third War.
By the later stages of the Third War, when Yamada was serving, it was no longer a war between humans but a battle between humans and bio-beasts.
At that time, there was no talk of moral considerations or human casualties; it was essentially a sentiment of "I can die, but you must die too."
At this moment, Yamada didn't even glance at where the red soft spear was aimed.
Instead, his eyes were fixed on Lin Heier, and he thrust the sharpened end of the wooden pole directly at her chest.
His arms and lower back muscles bulged as he struck, producing a thunderous sound.
With one thrust, he charged forward, even leaning into the red soft spear to make his attack faster.
Lin Heier's expression changed slightly.
In an instant, the red soft spear was about to pierce Yamada's throat, but at the same time, she would inevitably be impaled by the wooden pole.
In the first second of their confrontation, both sides were on the verge of mutual destruction!
(End of Chapter)