Chapter 902 - 268: Inheritance Scroll (Part 3)
The scholar sighed, waved the scroll in his hand, and recited, "Within books, there lies a house of gold!"
With a buzzing sound, a golden light spread out in an arc.
The collapsed side door, the overturned flower bed, all reverted as if replayed backwards in an instant.
Chen Yan stared at the scroll in the scholar’s hand and laughed, "That treasure of yours is quite handy."
"I am the housekeeper of the Li Mansion, my master gifted me this Inheritance Scroll, tasking me with overseeing the mansion’s affairs." The scholar smiled at the two of them, "I wonder for what esteemed purpose have you come to the Li Mansion?"
Oh, indeed, quite cultured.
Just look at that title!
Housekeeper!
Well, it essentially means a butler, just a more elegant and archaic expression.
Well, it’s actually not quite the same. Before the Qin and Han dynasties, if the master was a feudal lord, the housekeeper did similar work to a butler but also held an official post with formal ranking.
Chen Yan squinted his eyes at the scholar-like fellow in front of him, the more he looked, the stranger he seemed. A trace of doubt flashed in his eyes, and he said slowly, "We’ve come to see the Li Mansion’s master to discuss some business."
The scholar’s expression shifted, frowning, "You jest, esteemed guests!"
"What do you mean?"
The expression on the scholar’s face suddenly revealed something strange.
"You two esteemed guests are both alive... but my master has already passed away.
In this world, where’s the logic in the living negotiating business with the deceased?"
Chen Yan was taken aback, "Passed away?"
"Yes, passed away," the scholar said calmly, "The master has already left this world."
"Then what about the Li Family..."
"It’s fallen." The scholar’s tone remained unchanged, candid and sincere, "Before my master passed, he entrusted me with the care of the household. Now, within this Li Mansion, I am in charge. If you esteemed guests have anything urgent, just tell me."
Chen Yan felt a ridiculous sensation in his heart, then suddenly burst into laughter!
The scholar frowned at Chen Yan.
Chen Yan laughed for a while, his expression becoming increasingly bizarre as he looked at the scholar in front of him.
Because...
He could tell, from the scholar’s words and demeanor...
He was actually quite sincere and wasn’t lying!
Chen Yan’s eyes turned, and just as Shen Shiqi was about to speak, Chen Yan pulled him aside.
Then Chen Yan sighed, "Such a large Li Family, can’t there be more than just one housekeeper to oversee the place? Isn’t there a real master? Has nobody with the last name Li survived?"
The scholar was taken aback, his expression seemingly stiffened, and he stammered, "Master, before passing, entrusted the household to me, I..."
"So, the Li Family is extinct? And you, just a housekeeper, have become the sole person in charge here?"
"I..."
"Gathering a bunch of snakes, mice, cats, and dogs, turning them into human form, and playing house with you here?"
"I... there must be someone to manage the household... the front courtyard, the back residence, sweeping and cleaning, guarding the gates... no one can be hired from outside, I, I can only..." The scholar’s tone grew increasingly strained.
"So, you, a living person, live together with a bunch of snakes, mice, cats, and dogs?" Chen Yan’s tone suddenly turned sharp!
He stared at the scholar and suddenly, word for word, said coldly, "Are you really alive?"
This sentence hit him, and the scholar’s body suddenly stiffened!
He stood there like a crashed machine, his face expressionless, even his pupils seemed to stop moving.
After a few seconds, his body slowly twisted, like a rusted machine.
"I... I am, I am alive, I..."
Suddenly, the scholar raised his head, the previously courteous expression on his face had disappeared, replaced by a twisted and ferocious face!
"What nonsense are you saying!! I, I am clearly alive!! Alive!!"
As he spoke, he suddenly opened his mouth, the previously white teeth had turned into sharp fangs, and the handsome pale face had turned dark blue and black!
As he watched, the scholar opened his fingers, and the tips turned iron-black! Chen Yan immediately pulled Shen Shiqi backward rapidly, while the Golden Light Technique enveloped them again.
Buzz!
Black aura surged rapidly from the scholar’s body as he spread his fingers, clawing at Chen Yan!
With a sizzling sound, his iron-black fingertips scraped against the golden light, producing a harsh noise.
The scholar, shrouded in black mist, with green-faced fangs, roared at Chen Yan, "Why did you have to expose me! Why remind me!! Why remind me that I am already a dead man!!!"
Chen Yan, holding Shen Shiqi, took several steps back, yet under the golden light, the swirling black aura could not harm him in the slightest.
Chen Yan sneered at the fierce ghost in front of him, his words stabbing like sharp needles!
"That courteous housekeeper façade was false; is this green-faced, fang-gnashing ghost the real deal?
You’re merely a small wandering ghost! Not even a genuine fierce ghost of the ghostly ranks! Just a mere remnant spirit clinging to an obsession, pretending to be some terrifying specter in front of me!"
Chen Yan sneered, lifted his hand, and pointed his thumb at the other side: "Go!"
A Finger Sword shot out, instantly piercing through the housekeeper’s body!
Two holes with one sword, the housekeeper let out a loud scream, with countless black aura leaking from the holes in his body!
Chen Yan shook his head, "Petty tricks, playing ghost games."
He flicked his hand, and a burning Six Yang Righteous Qi Talisman shot out, the powerful Six Yang Qi meeting the black aura with a sizzling sound, like water poured into a boiling pot.
As the black aura encountered the Six Yang Qi, red flames burst upon them!
In just a moment, the housekeeper was engulfed in red fire, blazing fervently!
"A wandering one, just an obsession, under my Six Yang Qi’s burning, you’ll only turn into karmic fire." Chen Yan spoke coldly, "Such abundant karmic fire, it seems you owed much karma during your lifetime! You were not a good person when alive!"
As the blazing red karmic fire burned, the housekeeper’s furious screams gradually diminished until his form shrank and finally dissipated.
With a snap, the scroll he had been holding fell to the ground.
Chen Yan felt a stirring in his heart but did not advance immediately, merely watching the scroll on the ground!
Finally!
Suddenly, a sigh resonated in the air.
"Just a lingering obsession from his lifetime, why wake him at all? Let him continue dreaming of being alive in that mansion, isn’t it better?"
The voice was aged, yet carried a hint of sentiment.
Chen Yan sneered, "So you understand obsession! If you’re so wise about it, why did you kill the Sun Family’s members?"
The voice seemed to pause, then sighed again.
"Understanding is one thing, letting go is another.
Did you two esteemed guests come here about the Sun Family, seeking justice?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Yan’s eyes lit up.
This voice, astonishingly, came from the scroll on the ground!