Chapter 40: The Artist

I watched Mengya resting nearby with cold eyes when the sound of Dick Cowboy echoed in my ear.

"Brother Xiaomeng, Yu Xianzhi has arrived, she's with me. Where are you guys?" Xiaoxue's sweet voice came through the phone.

I hesitated for a moment, thinking it best not to tell her the truth, and said instead, "We went out for dinner. We'll be back soon."

I hung up, glanced at Mengya, Shao, and Wu. "Let's go. Yu Xianzhi is here."

Back in Xiaoxue's room, we found Xiaoxue and Yu Xianzhi sitting by the window. Yu Xianzhi wore a fawning expression, but Xiaoxue seemed utterly disdainful. As we entered, Xiaoxue ran over with a flirtatious smile.

"Brother Xiaomeng, you're here," she laughed, wrapping her arm around mine.

Feeling awkward, I withdrew my arm and glanced at Yu Xianzhi, who was giving me a sinister look. I hurried forward with a smile. "Master Yu, you've arrived. Shall we go out for a bite?"

"No need," Yu Xianzhi replied coldly, scrutinizing me for a while. "Let's get to the point."

I nodded and beckoned Wu over. "Wu, this is Master Yu from the Five Immortals Altar. Tell her your story in detail."

Wu nodded, warily saluted Yu Xianzhi, who sniffed slightly as Wu sat beside her and recounted his experience.

After listening, Yu Xianzhi smirked, her tone mocking. "I didn't notice much else, but that cuckold hat suits you."

Wu's face turned as green as a salted duck egg, and he managed a bitter laugh.

"Enough nonsense, get to the point," Xiaoxue said angrily.

Yu Xianzhi nodded. "Here's what we'll do. Go home. I need to prepare. Tomorrow, we'll come find you."

"But Master Yu, someone just tried to assassinate me at my home. I can't just sit and wait to die," Wu said, his face a mix of panic and fear.

"Just lock your door," Yu Xianzhi replied with a smile.

Wu was speechless, looking back at me for help. I stepped forward. "Master Yu, if Wu goes back, I'm afraid—"

Yu Xianzhi's expression suddenly grew cold, her eyes flicking to the window as she sneered. "I'm afraid he won't survive the night even here."

A chill swept over us. We stared at Yu Xianzhi, who seemed like a judge of the underworld, and her words drained all color from our faces.

"Wu, you must be familiar with the rumors about ghosts disturbing this place?" Yu Xianzhi asked with a sinister smile.

Wu hesitated, thought for a moment, then nodded.

"You're not afraid that, with your yin-carrying constitution, ghosts might come tonight to steal your life force or possess your body?"

Wu, terrified, nodded quickly and stood up. "I'll leave now, right now," he said, stumbling out of the room.

The room fell silent for about ten minutes. Yu Xianzhi looked at Mengya. "Go see if he's gone far."

Mengya stammered a reply, peeked outside where Wu was nowhere to be seen, then returned.

"Close the door," Yu Xianzhi instructed Mengya.

Mengya shut the door. Yu Xianzhi sighed, stood up, and bowed three times toward the west. From her pocket, she took out a black rhino horn medicine bottle, poured out some white powder, tossed it into the air, and chanted something incomprehensible. The area by the window had been noisy, but suddenly, all felt mute, as if someone had flipped a switch.

"What is this?" I asked in amazement.

"A soundproof barrier. You know about 'yogis,' right?" Yu Xianzhi said.

I nodded. Yogis are practitioners of esoteric Buddhist methods, cultivating wisdom and supernatural abilities by adjusting their bodies and minds.

"This is a secret technique our sect developed by combining the 'phowa' method from esoteric Buddhism. It creates a barrier that isolates sound," Yu Xianzhi said proudly.

I thought to myself, one can never completely trust or distrust such things, but I felt genuine respect for this young Five Immortals Altar master.

Yu Xianzhi sighed, hesitated, then said, "Did none of you notice anything strange about Wu?"

I was startled and shook my head. "No."

"At least ninety percent of what he said is a lie," Yu Xianzhi said heavily.

"Huh?" Xiaoxue was incredulous. "Don't play tricks on us."

I looked at Yu Xianzhi, and it was obvious she was serious, not joking. "Then please enlighten us, Master Yu."

Yu Xianzhi waved her hand. "No need to say anything useless. Go to that fast-food shop he mentioned and see if Xiao Hong is there. It's just a deduction."

I was taken aback, nodded, and looked at Shao. "Shao, would you mind?"

"I'll go; I'm quick," Mengya volunteered.

"No need, sister-in-law. I'll go," Shao said, heading out.

I breathed a small sigh of relief. To be honest, I really didn't trust Mengya much anymore; a sense of estrangement had grown between us.

We waited about fifteen minutes before Shao rushed in, breathless. "No, no, no—"

"No what?" I asked.

"It's closed. The gas station next door said it's been shut for days," Shao panted.

Yu Xianzhi snorted, gave us a mysterious smile.

"Master Yu, can you tell us more now?" I asked quietly.

Yu Xianzhi nodded. "When Wu spoke to me, I sensed a strong aura of blood about him, the kind you find only with butchers or executioners. That's when my suspicion arose."

Her words made our skin crawl, cold sweat breaking out on our foreheads.

Yu Xianzhi pulled out her phone, smiling. "Qiutong, take a look at this."

I took her phone and, upon seeing it, shivered with fear.

"Yellow Alert: A death-row inmate code-named 'The Artist' recently escaped from the city prison. He is mentally deranged, has a record of multiple murders, and his methods are extremely cruel. Anyone with information, please contact the Hong Kong police." Below the notice was a photo—Wu, wearing an eerie, twisted smile.

I couldn't help but mutter, "Oh, damn..."

Yu Xianzhi smiled faintly. "I suspect that Xiao Hong and Boss Cui from the fast-food shop have already been dealt with by him."

I nodded, agreeing with her assessment. I looked at the others. "So, what do you all suggest we do now?"

Silence fell; no one spoke.

"In my opinion, we should visit the so-called 'Ghost Building' tonight and see for ourselves. Then, we can deal with Wu," Yu Xianzhi said.

The group was visibly frightened. I hesitated, scratching my head. "Uh... Master Yu, are you sure we'll make it back alive?"

Yu Xianzhi scoffed. "They're just a few ghosts. With me protecting you, what is there to fear?"

Shao lowered his head, sighing, and muttered, "With you, there's no place for me."

I chuckled, nodded. "Alright, tonight we'll go together and take a look."

Yu Xianzhi nodded, chanting a couple of strange incantations, and the white powder around us fell to the floor as everything returned to normal.

Knock, knock, knock.

Just as the spell was undone, urgent knocking sounded at the door.

"Who is it?" I called out.

"Hello, sir, I'm from the front desk. There's a gentleman downstairs who says it's urgent and wants to see you."

A gentleman? Who could it be? I had no acquaintances in Hong Kong. Was it the man in the black coat? I responded, opened the door, and was about to step out when Mengya stopped me.

"Don't go. The winds are fierce these days. Who knows if it's an enemy?"

A strange suspicion rose in my chest again—I felt Mengya was hiding something from me, or perhaps she knew the man in the black coat.

I waved her off. "It'll be fine. Wait here for me; I'll be right back."

I walked down the stairs to the hotel entrance, but no one was waiting for me. Looking around, I suddenly noticed the corner of a black cloak peeking out from behind the wall. I hurried over, only to gasp in shock.

A black coat hung from a nail in the wall, swaying in the wind.

Bang!

Just as I was startled and about to turn around, a sharp pain struck my head—a violent blow—and everything went black.