The manor lord of Phoenix Rest Manor was a young man in his thirties, with a very kind appearance and a gentle demeanor.

Moreover, Tao Mian and his companions were invited by Xue Han, who had a deep friendship with Shopkeeper Xue, so naturally, they received extra care.

As soon as they entered the main hall, Tao Mian noticed the young man’s anxious expression, as if he was deeply troubled by something.

When he saw them enter, it was as if he had seen a living savior.

Tao Mian's nose twitched silently; the young manor lord was surrounded by a ghostly aura that didn't belong to him. As he approached, the aura became more apparent, so intense that it made Tao Mian uncomfortable.

He endured it and remained silent.

The manor lord's name was Qi Yun, and he introduced himself first, giving Tao Mian a lot of respect.

Tao Mian responded politely, not mentioning where he came from, only saying he was a wandering Taoist.

"Immortal, there's no need for modesty," Manor Lord Qi complimented, "Shopkeeper Xue briefly mentioned this matter to me, saying he would invite a master to help me solve my troubles. Anyone Shopkeeper Xue calls a 'master' must be extraordinary."

Tao Mian thought to himself that Xue Han really talked him up outside.

Skipping the pleasantries, Tao Mian asked Qi Yun to directly explain the trouble he was facing.

When the matter was brought up, Manor Lord Qi seemed overwhelmed.

"Here's the situation. Phoenix Rest Manor was just completed two years ago, and I had been living in a residence in the nearby city. The manor was managed by the steward, and I only moved here six months ago.

For the first two months after moving in, everything was fine, with no strange occurrences. But starting from the third month, every night after midnight, I would hear someone crying beside my bed, the sound extremely mournful, as if burdened with unresolved grievances.

I would be startled awake by the crying, and upon opening my eyes, the room would be empty, with nothing to be found. But as soon as I closed my eyes, the crying would start again, incessant, making it impossible to sleep.

Over time, my body couldn't take it. I was listless during the day and couldn't sleep at night. I tried many methods, even staying up all night with my eyes open, but nothing happened.

I also had the steward lie in my bed, but the next day, the steward claimed not to have heard anything, while I, in the adjacent room, was still tormented by the crying for half the night.

Eventually, I had no choice but to move back to the city. But things got worse. Although I couldn't hear the crying, everything went wrong. There were fires at home, accidents when going out, and constant arguments among originally harmonious family members. The worst part was that my business started losing money.

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Other issues are minor, but losing money is a big deal.

Desperate, I moved back to the manor. But the nightly crying is truly tormenting. I've invited many Taoists and immortals, but none could solve it, causing me great distress. One day, while drinking with Shopkeeper Xue at a restaurant, I casually mentioned this. Shopkeeper Xue said he would find someone for me, and soon after, you, Immortal, arrived."

Manor Lord Qi seemed to have great trust in Tao Mian, looking at him with bright eyes.

"Immortal, those others were impostors; you're definitely different from them! Catching ghosts is surely a piece of cake for you!"

"……"

Tao Mian felt a bit guilty inside, thinking he might be even more of an impostor.

Thanks to his millennia-honed thick skin, he could still confidently make promises at such times.

"Rest assured, Manor Lord Qi, since Shopkeeper Xue entrusted me, I will do my utmost."

Rong Zheng, standing behind him with her head lowered, pursed her lips.

Little Tao is really crafty, saying "do my utmost" without promising to "definitely solve" it.

Manor Lord Qi was deeply moved, repeatedly clasping his hands in thanks.

"Then I must trouble you, Immortal! Once the matter is resolved, I will surely offer a thousand gold pieces."

Tao Mian waved his hand grandly.

"Money is not the issue; I mainly want to make a friend."

Rong Zheng couldn't help but cough behind him.

Tao Mian pretended not to hear anything and continued to ask Qi Yun for more details.

"Manor Lord Qi, did you have any unresolved romantic ties, with someone unwilling to let go, continuing to entangle you even after death?"

The immortal was thinking of stories and legends he had seen, usually about unfaithful merchants and weeping female ghosts.

Qi Yun might have wronged someone, and they wouldn't let it go even in death, haunting him every night.

The immortal had his suspicions, but Qi Yun looked troubled.

"I know what you're implying, Immortal. But that crying... it's clearly a man's voice."

"……"

This was unexpected for Tao Mian.

It seemed it wasn't an old lover's lament; there must be another hidden story.

Tao Mian planned to investigate tonight.

"Manor Lord Qi, tonight my disciple and I will stay in your room to await the wild ghost. However, we need to make some arrangements, which might take some time, so we hope to start early."

Qi Yun nodded repeatedly.

"Alright, alright, everything will be as the Immortal wishes. Dinner will be sent to the room, and if you have any other requests, please feel free to ask."

Tao Mian and Rong Zheng thus arrived at the manor lord's bedroom. The room was large but simply furnished, indicating that Qi Yun wasn't someone who indulged in luxury.

Fortunately, they didn't run into Du Hong and Su Tianhe on the way.

Once inside the room, Rong Zheng let out a big sigh of relief, stretching her limbs.

She probably worried in the main hall that Qi Yun might recognize her, which would have been disastrous.

Rong Zheng relaxed, lying on the four-immortal table, her arms stretched out, her cheek resting on one, eyes wide open.

She watched curiously as Tao Mian moved around the room.

"Little Tao, what are you busying yourself with?"

"Setting up, as I said."

Tao Mian held a palm-sized cloth bag, its mouth open. His index finger and thumb reached in, pinching out some white powder, and he sprinkled it around the room.

He did this with a serious expression, as if completing a crucial task.

Rong Zheng squinted, trying to see what it was, and when she realized, she didn't know what to say.

"…People usually use rice for warding off evil, isn't using pastry crumbs a bit too much?"

"Ahem, dinner hasn't arrived yet, so I'm using this to put on a show."

Tao Mian finally finished sprinkling half a bag of pastry crumbs, then lit two thick candles.

The candlelight was green, casting an eerie glow in the room, making Rong Zheng feel uneasy.

"What is this? Is it the legendary Xizhao, capable of revealing ghosts?"

"No," Tao Mian sat across from his disciple, the green light casting a glow on his forehead, "it's mainly to set the mood."

"……"

The atmosphere was awkward, and both fell silent. When the maid brought dinner, she saw two quiet little green people staring at her, screamed, and nearly dropped the food box.

Rong Zheng quickly steadied the box, placing it securely on the table.

Tao Mian apologized, politely seeing the maid out. The maid, still shaken, asked the guests not to blame her clumsiness as she left the room.

Master and disciple enjoyed their candlelit dinner amidst the green glow.

……

As midnight approached, the room was so quiet that even breathing couldn't be heard.

On the bed, the covers rose and fell as Tao Mian lay there, eyes closed, ears twitching slightly.

Rong Zheng's presence had almost vanished.

Earlier, they had divided tasks, with Tao Mian naturally choosing to lie on the bed waiting for the ghost, while Rong Zheng assured him not to worry.

Once the master was ready, a shadow flickered in the room, and the disciple disappeared.

A former assassin indeed.

Reliable.

Each found their place, waiting for the uninvited guest.

Hiss—

The eerie green candlelight extinguished without wind, smoke swirling.

It was here.