Nightwatcher

# 325. Little Friend, I'm a Ghost

Xu Qi'an chuckled, showing not the slightest bit of intimidation, and took a seat at the table. Pouring himself a glass of water, he took a sip and said:

“Whatever General Li intends to do, I certainly have no way to stop you. However, it just so happens that there are plenty of things I haven’t shared with them either. Like all the details about Yunzhou, or… perhaps, the General's self-proclaimed talent for solving cases. And there’s much, much more.”

*Come on, let's hurt each other! See who's afraid of who!*

...Li Miaozhen maintained a stoic expression, suppressing the embarrassment welling up inside. In a cold voice, she said, “I don’t mind teaching you a lesson before the Conflict of Heaven and Man.”

With a sharp slap of her small hand on the table, the flying sword behind her shot out, curving in a semi-arc in mid-air, aimed straight at Xu Qi'an's rear.

Susu’s face was filled with schadenfreude at his impending misfortune.

Out of the corner of her eye, Li Miaozhen observed Daoist Jinlian, expecting him to intervene. But what she saw was the Daoist stroking his beard with a smile, making no move to stop her.

*Humph, it seems the Daoist also finds this guy detestable and wants me to teach him a lesson...* As this thought crossed her mind, she saw that Xu Qi'an, without even turning around, stretched out his hand to catch the sword.

Xu Qi'an’s palm quickly turned a deep, lustrous gold. With a “ding,” a sharp metallic clang echoed as the flying sword collided with his hand.

Li Miaozhen abruptly stood up, her beautiful eyes widening as she stared at Xu Qi'an’s arm in disbelief. In a voice tinged with amazement, she said:

“The Buddhist Golden Body?”

Xu Qi'an grinned and said, “Indeed, it’s the Diamond Sutra I won during the contest. General Li, your sword is a bit soft; put more strength into it.”

*The Diamond Sutra I won during the contest*... Li Miaozhen was stunned. There was no mention of this in the court’s proclamation.

“Master, he’s looking down on you,” Susu immediately fanned the flames.

Her previous concern had been genuine, but her current egging on was also heartfelt.

“I’ve been wanting to experience a Daoist’s flying sword,” Xu Qi'an raised an eyebrow.

“Fine.”

Li Miaozhen no longer held back and attempted to make the flying sword break free from Xu Qi'an's grip. "Buzz...buzz..." The sword trembled violently but couldn’t escape his hand.

The Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect’s expression grew serious. She formed a mudra with one hand, and the sword changed its motion from retreating to advancing, pressing forward little by little.

Xu Qi'an’s jaw muscles tensed, veins popped on his forehead and hand, as if he were arm-wrestling someone.

The sound of his palm grinding against the blade was teeth-clenching.

For a few seconds, the silent contest continued until there was a thunderous “boom.” The roof was blown away by a violent surge of Qi, shattered beams and tiles clattering down, while the doors and windows were blown apart in an instant.

Susu, an experienced ghost of twenty years, managed to raise a barrier of Yin energy, barely withstanding the shockwave.

“Don’t overdo it! Don’t overdo it…”

Daoist Jinlian's heartache was evident as he called for a halt.

Xu Qi'an and Li Miaozhen exchanged a glance, one retracting his sword, the other his hand.

*In just a few short months, his cultivation has progressed to this level...* Li Miaozhen’s gaze toward Xu Qi'an was complex. When they had met in Yunzhou, he had been an eighth-rank martial artist striving for the Refining Spirit Realm.

To the fifth-rank Li Miaozhen at the time, that was considered a decent level of cultivation. Who would have thought that two or three months later, he would have become this formidable?

It was important to note that her own progress wasn’t slow either. Now, she was a fourth-rank Nascent Soul of the Daoist Sect, an entirely different calibre.

But now, Li Miaozhen felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy, doubting her once-prized talents.

“Ahem!”

Daoist Jinlian coughed, smiling, “You used a flying sword against his physical body—a contest of your weakness against his strength. It was just a spar; there’s no need to take it to heart.”

Li Miaozhen was a fourth rank expert, and the Heaven Sect’s techniques had yet to be displayed. Flying sword techniques could easily slay a sixth rank Bronze Skin and Iron Bones, but against the Buddhist Golden Body, it was somewhat lacking.

*Why did this kid’s Vajra art advance so rapidly…* Daoist Jinlian glanced at Xu Qi'an, a hint of doubt flashing in his mind.

“If it were a real fight, I wouldn’t be able to beat you. But breaking my Invincible Vajra Body would still cost you some effort,” Xu Qi'an said humbly, then added silently to himself:

*Give me seven days. Once I fully absorb Monk Shenshu’s blood essence, my Vajra body will reach the minor accomplishment stage.*

The true effect of Monk Shenshu’s blood essence was to accelerate the cultivation of the Vajra Body, because Shenshu himself was a Grandmaster of this very tecnique.

His blood essence was a perfect match for the Vajra body. As long as Xu Qi'an absorbed the essence while practicing, he could elevate his mastery of the sutra.

Li Miaozhen snorted, turning her head away.

After that strike, the rage pent up inside her had dissipated somewhat, making her feel less agitated than before. At the same time, Xu Qi'an's “threat” made her hesitate.

If she exposed Xu Qi'an’s identity, her own words and actions in Yunzhou would also be revealed to the inner circle of the Earth Book... Such a damaging, mutually harmful move was not in line with the style of a Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect.

She now understood why Xu Qi'an had insisted on keeping his identity secret.

The boasts he made back then were far more exaggerated than hers. If they were exposed, he’d be humiliated beyond repair.

“If Miaozhen doesn't want to stay at an inn, she could lodge at Xu Qi'an's residence. Number Five is there as well. The Xu Manor is in the inner city is a grand three tiered estate, quite impressive,” Daoist Jinlian suggested.

*You again? Since when did my home become a shelter for Earth Book strays…* Xu Qi'an’s face twitched.

Susu’s eyes brightened. Staying in a large estate was far more comfortable than an inn. Plus, she was itching to cozy up to the man, hoping he’d take her to the Sitianjian.

Li Miaozhen, on the other hand, recalled the headless corpse. She was frustrated with her limited investigative skills. Turning the case over to the authorities felt repugnant because of her deep-seated distrust of the bureaucrats.

She feared those worthless officials wouldn’t take it seriously.

This was a perfect opportunity to pass the case to Xu Qi'an and perhaps learn some useful investigative techniques in the process.

Nodding, Li Miaozhen said, “Alright, I’d like to see Number Five as well. It must have been a tough journey north for her.”

*I have a feeling Daoist Jinlian still has more to say to me...* Xu Qi'an sharply sensed the frequent scrutinizing looks from the Daoist. He maintained a calm exterior, even wearing a smile:

“General Li, shall we return to my manor?”

Daoist Jinlian watched the trio—two people and one ghost—depart, pondering to himself: “Once the Conflict of Heaven and Man concludes, I shall leave the capital. Until then, I must find a way to disrupt this dispute.”

…

“Miaozhen...”

On horseback, as Xu Qi'an began to speak, he was immediately corrected by Li Miaozhen, the Heaven Sect’s Holy Maiden huffed and said, “You should still address me as General Li.”

“That seems a bit distant, don’t you think? We’re quite familiar with each other now,” Xu Qi’an replied shamelessly, smiling. “Regarding the Conflict of Heaven and Man, I have a question.”

Li Miaozhen looked straight ahead, following the little mare at a steady pace, and ignored his question.

*She’s still holding a grudge and doesn't want to speak to me...* Xu Qi’an’s mind whirred, and he casually said, “I don't think we've discussed the details of our search for Number Five in Xiangcheng.”

At his words, Li Miaozhen turned her head, gritting her teeth. “The Daoist has been shielding my earth book shard the entire time. I should have realized sooner—he was concealing the news of your resurrection.”

Li Miaozhen was still annoyed with Daoist Jinlian for helping Xu Qi’an “deceive” her.

“That’s not important. What matters is the tomb we discovered, ancient beyond reckoning. It belonged to a predecessor of the Daoist sects, most likely a human sect Daoist.” Xu Qi’an dangled the bait.

“A human sect?”

Li Miaozhen’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at him.

“Yes, the human sect Daoist who seized the throne,” Xu Qi’an's smile widened.

He then described their experiences in the ancient tomb in vivid detail, spinning a tale that was both elaborate and exciting. However, he omitted the dialogues with Monk Shenshu and the dried corpse.

Li Miaozhen listened intently, her icy demeanor melting away as she engaged eagerly in the discussion.

“This reminds me of something my master once said,” Li Miaozhen began, “He claimed that of the three Daoist sects—Heaven, Earth, and Human—the Human Sect was the most foolish, for they sought to align themselves with the fortunes of the mortal world. The Earth Sect was the second most foolish, cultivating merit and accruing blessings. Yet, the matters of this world have causes and consequences, and ‘doing good deeds’ alone can’t explain everything. Thus, those of the Earth Sect, upon reaching the second rank, are often entangled in karmic threads, making them prone to falling into the demonic path.”

*The Earth Sect's leader is a prime example... Why is it that aligning oneself with the mortal world’s fortunes is so foolish? Is the fortune of the human world untouchable? Hmm, so that Human Sect predecessor eventually shed his old body?* Xu Qi’an nodded.

“And what about the Heaven Sect?”

“The Heaven Sect follows the true path, transcending emotions to achieve the union of Heaven and Man—this is the Way of Heaven.” Li Miaozhen lifted her sharp chin.

“The Heaven Sect emphasizes transcending emotions, achieving the highest state of union with Heaven. By that logic, shouldn’t they be detached and indifferent to all things? Why are they so obsessed with the Conflict of Heaven and Man, and so fixated on the orthodoxy of the Dao?”

Xu Qi’an seized the moment to voice the doubt that had been bothering him.

Li Miaozhen gave him a surprised look. “It’s rare that you think so deeply.”

After a brief pause, she shook her head. “I don’t know. As you said, this intense obsession with conflict doesn’t align with the Heaven Sect’s principles. But the sect has its reasons. I asked once but received no answer.”

*So, the Conflict of Heaven and Man, which seems like a struggle over ideology and orthodoxy, has a deeper reason. And even the Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect isn’t aware of it... The Daoist sects are more complicated than they appear.*

Half an hour later, they arrived at Xu Qi’an’s residence.

Susu, walking behind Xu Qi’an, looked around with interest, clearly pleased with the layout and design of the manor. “Not bad. Living in such a large house in the capital... You must have embezzled quite a bit of silver.”

“Exactly, so if you stay with me, you’re guaranteed a life of luxury,” Xu Qi’an joked offhandedly.

As they entered the inner courtyard, they saw Lina and Xu Lingyin sitting on the threshold, each holding a plate of steamed rice cakes.

Lina spoke angrily, “You have to practice horse stance! No horse stance, no rice cakes!”

Little Pea replied, “I’m tired... I’ll split my rice cakes with you, and I’ll only do half the horse stance. Is that okay?”

Lina responded excitedly, “Okay!”

“Big Bwother!”

Little Pea’s eyes lit up at Xu Qi’an’s return, and she charged at him, short legs pumping as she dove into his embrace.

“Is she Number Five?” Li Miaozhen scrutinized Lina.

A very pretty girl with shoulder-length black hair, slightly curled at the tips, healthy tan skin, and eyes as clear as the azure sea.

Lina noticed Li Miaozhen too but said nothing, only staring at her silently.

Xu Qi’an gestured for her to come over. “Lina, this is Number Two, the Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect, Li Miaozhen.”

Upon hearing this, Lina's face lit up with a warm smile. She held up her rice cakes and bounced over energetically. “Oh, you’re Number Two... Would you like some rice cake?”

*Still not the brightest...* Li Miaozhen shook her head and asked, “The journey from the Southern Marches to the capital was long and arduous. You must’ve endured quite a bit.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Lina nodded vigorously, recounting her hardships during her northward journey—being cheated out of her silver, tricked into doing manual labor, working tirelessly just for a single meal.

She was even ambushed with aphrodisiac smoke by rogue martial artists who lusted after her beauty. Thankfully, she was from the shaman clans, and poisons that would harm ordinary people had little effect on her.

She found that being a beggar was the most leisurely and enjoyable job—doing nothing but sitting on the street with a broken bowl, waiting for kind strangers to give her copper coins.

Li Miaozhen was left speechless after hearing her story.

“Big sister, you’re so pretty.”

Little Pea approached Susu, tilting her head back to admire the ghost’s beauty.

Susu found the child’s clueless expression amusing and decided to tease her, baring her teeth in a mock snarl. “I’m a ghost...”

Little Pea was stunned, staring blankly at Susu. Suddenly, she gulped audibly.

Susu: “???”

Feeling sympathy and pity, Li Miaozhen comforted Lina with a few words, then turned to Xu Qi’an. “On my way to the capital, I found a corpse. It seemed like someone was silenced.”

“I summoned the remnant soul to question it and discovered something significant.”

Significant?

Xu Qi’an’s brow furrowed. “Let’s discuss this in the study.”

He grabbed Li Miaozhen’s arm and led her towards the study. Susu, holding her red umbrella, followed closely. After a few steps, she glanced back.

Little Pea was still staring at her, eyes filled with a strange mixture of longing and hunger.

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