“At the critical moment, these artifacts can really unleash powerful offensive force and drive all enemies away.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao nodded. He truly felt this artifact suited him perfectly—almost like it had been custom-made for him. And the fact that Ling Xi was willing to give him such a precious item meant she must care about him, too. She didn’t want to see him hurt.
With that thought, Lin Xiao suddenly became convinced that Ling Xi had liked him for a long time. Of course, the truth was that Ling Xi was merely acting out of basic concern—she had never once liked him. It had to be said: Lin Xiao had a real talent for making things up in his head.
“Alright, let’s pause here for now,” said Zhang Nu. “The most important thing at the moment is to find a protective artifact for Patron Fu. What we should really be doing is investigating where the YaoGuai came from, not squabbling over artifacts.”
Everyone nodded silently at his words. They had been so caught up in their excitement that they’d nearly forgotten their mission.
“I think this turtle shell looks pretty good,” Zhao Yang offered.
Ling Xi immediately nodded. “That’s definitely one of the most powerful defensive artifacts I have.”
“Zhao Yang, you’ve got a good eye. Among all of these, this shell is the best for survival. When used, it hides the user within the shell and protects them. Even better, the shell automatically relocates itself to a safe and concealed location. It only re-emerges once it’s confirmed the danger has passed.”
Zhang Nu, hearing the explanation, immediately decided on this artifact. “Since it’s that powerful, then let’s entrust it to Patron Fu. Ling Xi, you don’t mind, do you?”
Ling Xi nodded. “Not at all. Honestly, these protective artifacts don’t mean much to me. I’ve got a lot of them, but I’ve never had to use one.”
She added, “Since we’re here to eliminate YaoGuais, we must not lose sight of why we came in the first place.”
With her agreement, the group began to act.
“In that case, let’s give the turtle shell to Patron Fu,” Zhang Nu said. “But beyond that, we’ve still got other work to do. Lin Xiao and I will inform Patron Fu and sound him out. The rest of you should keep a close eye on everyone in the household—including the child.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. It was time to begin.
“Zhang Nu, Lin Xiao, go speak with Patron Fu,” Zhao Yang said. “We’ll keep watch and monitor anything unusual in the residence.”
Zhang Nu nodded and headed off with Lin Xiao to Patron Fu’s room.
Meanwhile, Ling Xi, Zhao Yang, and Liu Hai began dividing up responsibilities.
“If the YaoGuai really is inside the household, then it might overhear what they’re discussing,” Zhao Yang said. “We need to see who’s closest to the study during that time. That might give us a clue.”
Ling Xi and Liu Hai nodded.
“Then I’ll keep an eye on the people near the study,” Ling Xi offered. “You two patrol the rest of the manor.”
Zhao Yang and Liu Hai agreed. Ling Xi’s cultivation wasn’t very high, so it made sense to assign her to watch duty.
At the same time, Zhang Nu and Lin Xiao exchanged some polite greetings with Patron Fu, who could sense they had something important to discuss.
“Masters,” said Patron Fu. “Please speak plainly—there’s no need to beat around the bush.”
Zhang Nu and Lin Xiao exchanged a glance. Since Patron Fu had asked directly, there was no need to hold back.
“Here’s the situation, Patron Fu,” said Zhang Nu. “We’ve sensed the presence of a YaoGuai in the town. But we don’t yet know where it is, or whether it’s benevolent or malevolent.”
Patron Fu was stunned. He’d always thought of YaoGuais as distant and unreal. To hear that one might be right here in town was deeply unsettling.
“How can this be?” he asked. “I’ve never heard anything like this before. There’s never even been a rumor in town. Masters, how did you come by this information?”
Lin Xiao, hearing his question, had no intention of answering.