The crowd outside the inn grew larger and larger, making the innkeeper’s hair turn white with worry.
This was an inn, not a mass grave or a slaughterhouse. He had initially thought the guests were noble patrons, but now he knew they were man-eating specters!
Even after this 'feast of heads' concluded, would anyone dare to stay in a place stained by so much blood? Would they not fear being haunted by a hundred ghosts in their dreams?
For the past few days, whenever he had time, the innkeeper squatted in the backyard burning paper money. He already felt guilty for taking over his cousin’s inn, and now he couldn’t sleep at night, his eyes bruised as if he’d been punched twice.
“You’re suffering from kidney deficiency!”
Poison Old, passing by, saw the innkeeper’s face from within the rising smoke. Upon hearing this, the innkeeper’s face grew even uglier. However, facing such a distinguished and fearsome guest, despite his anger and frustration, he dared not say anything more and could only force a smile.
His smile was more pathetic than a cry.
He wondered if his smile had been any more pleasant when he first took over the inn.
Poison Old clicked his tongue in disdain.
While Nan Shiying was ruthless when dealing with villains, she was remarkably soft-hearted when it came to ordinary folk who had committed wrongdoing but not broken any laws. By using heads to disgust the Ghostly Fiend Sect and him, she had prevented the spirits from invading dreams at night.
Poison Old saw no reason to converse further with him and forbade him from entering the kitchen. The inn was practically becoming Nan Shiying's private residence.
...
“Demon Fiend? How would I know his whereabouts?”
Luo Sha’s brows furrowed slightly, displeased by Yao Sha’s probing. They, the Nine Fiends, had always kept to themselves. Why was Demon Fiend asking him where he was going? It was utterly baffling.
“I don’t know!”
Yao Sha drew out his words, his skeletal face barely moving as he smiled, his grin eerie and sinister. He leaned closer to Hong Gu, who shifted back a few steps, raising her hand to wipe the bloodstain from her lips. Yao Sha clicked his tongue, his expression turning completely cold. With a flick of his sleeve, he leaned back against the chair, his bones making a crisp ‘da~’ sound as they hit the wood.
Xie Sha, with a cold expression, seeing that no one was speaking, asked, “Who will go?”
His voice was concise, without preamble or afterthought, and so icy it could freeze people to death. Yet, those present understood his meaning: he was asking who would go to kill.
Feng Luan was not an easy target. Putting aside her unfathomable martial arts, her mastery of poison alone was enough to make eighty percent of the martial world falter. If one truly intended to kill her, it would have to be a swift and decisive blow, leaving no possibility of survival.
Who would go?
That was indeed a good question.
Silence descended upon the room once more. They looked at each other; no one spoke.
Who would rush to their own death?
Mei Sha suddenly covered her mouth and let out a tinkling laugh. She looked at Hong Gu and said, “Who will go? Of course, whoever caused the trouble should clean it up. Hong Gu, don’t you think so?”
Luo Sha and the other two simultaneously turned to Hong Gu. Hong Gu’s chest rose and fell, her face so grim it could drip water. Her gaze swept past Luo Sha and the other two, settling directly on Mei Sha. If looks could kill, Mei Sha would have been dismembered long ago.
“What, you don’t agree?”
Mei Sha widened her eyes in feigned admiration, her malice tinged with a hint of coquettish charm. Xie Sha seemed to recall something, his throat bobbing up and down. Glancing at Xie Sha’s tightly closed legs, Mei Sha covered her mouth and giggled again.
Yao Sha also laughed.
“I think Mei Sha is right. Hong Gu, you know the Sect Master’s temper. I don’t know what the Sect Master instructed you to do before, but I imagine the Sect Master didn’t tell you to offend Feng Luan. Now that things have gotten this way, if you can’t resolve it properly, when the Sect Master returns, you won’t escape death. Do you really think the Sect Master trusts you a bit more, making you any different from others?”
“Back then, you incited Mei Sha to climb into the Sect Master’s bed, almost crippling Mei Sha. You used Mei Sha to test the Sect Master, thereby suppressing your own inappropriate feelings. Do you really think the Sect Master is unaware?”
“If the Sect Master were unaware, do you think Mei Sha could have salvaged her life? Hah~ If the Sect Master were unaware, Mei Sha’s corpse would have long been pecked clean by vultures.”
“So, Hong Gu, this is the third time.”
“Do you want to choose your own method of death?”
They all knew what Hong Gu had done to Mei Sha back then; they had simply remained aloof. Now that trouble had arisen, Hong Gu still wanted to retreat?
If she killed, Hong Gu must go; if she didn’t kill, Hong Gu would have to wait for the Sect Master to return and grant her a death sentence.
There was no third option in this matter.
Yao Sha’s voice was hoarse and unpleasant, and his words were even more ruthless, shattering Hong Gu’s last shred of hope.
“Heh, you really think highly of me.”
Hong Gu sneered, “Do you think you can escape if I die? Let’s all go together, and each of you Fiends must send a hundred people. I don’t believe that even then, we can’t kill her.”
“Are you truly so sure the Sect Master will let you kill her?”
Mei Sha scoffed, “My Fiend sect will not participate. Even if the Sect Master blames me upon his return, I will accept any punishment. If you want to kill, then go ahead. I’m going to check on that poor wretch in the back mountain. I don’t know what use he is, to keep raising him like this. It’s truly not afraid of wasting food.”
As Mei Sha spoke, she turned and left.
Hong Gu’s brows rose in anger, her face hardening as she refused to look at Mei Sha. Instead, she turned her gaze to Luo Sha and the other two.
“I’m not going either!”
Yao Sha stood up, glancing at Luo Sha as he left.
Xie Sha said nothing and simply walked away.
Only Luo Sha remained in the room. Seeing everyone else leave, Luo Sha sighed softly, stood up, and walked to Hong Gu’s side, pulling her up.
Hong Gu grasped Luo Sha’s hand and looked at him sadly.
“Demon Fiend has already gone.”
He said.
Hong Gu nodded in understanding.
Luo Sha sighed again, “Three hundred people, that should be enough!”