Heng Xīnyán's lips twitched. She wondered if this old man himself was a quack. It seems like the statement was true, like father like son. But they seemed to enjoy having to collect and believe things from quack qualifiers. So, instead of going to the real personnels who understand what they are doing.
This old man was stingy with his money, it seems. However, this horrible practice that they have led to his son dying. Yet, the old man did not seem sad or anything. It was quite the opposite as the old man was living happily with no signs of burden. His body was buff and filled with strong fighting energy.
This view could make anyone suspicious but Heng Xīnyán, honestly didn't give a fuck. She didn't want to put her nose in anyone's business as she already got herself into some trouble by agreeing to Jiǎndān Yìzé's proposal.
Hence, the two females walked behind the old man in silence, following him to his home to collect the title.
Arriving at his small wooden house. They looked at the large house speechlessly. One could call this old man a rich official because only officials live in such large houses. The roofs of the large wooden house were made of dark blue tiles and were built in a curved shape.
The wooden house was large with many windows covered with a cream-coloured certain. Many servants wore matching outfits and they busied themselves with many tasks.
The stone road that led the visitors up to the door of the main building was surrounded by neatly trimmed pink rose plants. The visual was calming along with the lovely scent that the flowers emitted.
Heng Xīnyán and Bàolì Hua took deep breaths, enjoying the scent of the flowers when the old man turned to look at them, to utter. "Wait here for me."
"Okay uncle," Heng Xīnyán stated and the old man nodded, folding his hands behind his back. He entered his courtyard.
Heng Xīnyán's lips twitched lightly before her eyes looked up at the strong dark brown paifang. The strong strokes of on the paifang spelt out the family name of the old man. Gěi Fu, the strokes were smooth and filled with faint spiritual energy that showed that the house was around for a long time.
They stood at the gate of the Gěi Fu under the servants of the manor judging eyes. It took all of their patience to stand under such eyes that showed obvious scorn towards them yet Heng Xīnyán merely took deep breaths to calm her anger. After all, she was the strongest female cultivator in the mortal realm, since when did she have to go through such degrading actions?
Standing for a while, their legs were cramping in pain and Bàolì Hua asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Is this how humans treat their guests?"
Heng Xīnyán's lips twitched, "Am I human?"
Bàolì Hua looked at her, "Weren't you the one who had the most experience among humans?"
Heng Xīnyán ignored her and Bàolì Hua rolled her eyes.
"We should go back to Cheng's teashop and take their teapot," Heng Xīnyán muttered.
Bàolì Hua didn't even glance at her. "And why should we do that? That man wants to rip us to pieces!"
Heng Xīnyán scoffed, "So? Our residence needs more luxurious items and we don't have money to buy them."
Bàolì Hua sighed, "Just do something with the sword or something." She suggested.
Heng Xīnyán blinked, she held her chin, saying. "I honestly forgot about that sword."
Bàolì Hua tsked, "Well I just reminded you."
Heng Xīnyán smiled stiffly, "Thanks for the reminder."
Bàolì Hua hummed, "Anytime."
Heng Xīnyán's lips twitched.
"Can the feng shui in the house, we bought be fixed?" Bàolì Hua inquired, her dark eyes watching Heng Xīnyán faintly.
Heng Xīnyán nodded, "It can be fixed."
Bàolì Hua hummed, "That's good to know," she stated. She then cleverly stopped their conversation as the old man came walking down the stairs of his house. His dark blue tunic, moved lightly as he approached them with a rolled Xuan paper in his wrinkled hands.
His light eyes which were turning white from cataracts watched them. However, unlike his fragile appearance, his back was straight as an unwilling sword that refused to admit defeat.
Handing them the browning Xuan paper, he stated, "I will visit tomorrow, with the carpenters."
Heng Xīnyán's lips twitched at the word 'carpenters' yet she collected the Xuan paper from his hands with a light bow, "Thank you, uncle."
The old man waved her off, "It's fine! Tomorrow at rì chū, I will bother you maidens."
With stiff smiles on their faces. The females bowed one last time to the old man before turning and walking back to their newly bought house.
Returning to the house took the time of two pots of brewed tea. They walked back in silence, having nothing engaging to say. Arriving at the old house, they entered. Walking on the cracked stone road heading into the first building of the courtyard. Immediately, they sensed the heavy atmosphere from the opening in the second courtyard.
The layout of the ancient house was shaped like a square, with an opening in the middle. Crossing the first building, the dust in the air made Bàolì Hua sneeze heavily.
Heng Xīnyán slid the old wooden door and they finally saw the source of the disruption in the feng shui of the house. The well was small and dark red in colour, Heng Xīnyán approached it with interested eyes.
Peeking inside, she mused, "No water? Then why make a well? And it's so deep." Her eyes flashed and she allowed her spiritual energy to spread out, engulfing the entire manor in her spiral of control.
Red spiritual energy flowed into every corner of the manor. No space or crack was left untouched and calling back her spiritual energy. Heng Xīnyán watched the multiple talismans that her spiritual energy brought back.
Her eyes looked at the faded talisman with a raised brow. Bàolì Hua approached her and Heng Xīnyán handed her the five talismans.
"What are these things?" Bàolì Hua asked, her eyes watching the deep red strokes on the talisman in her hands. It almost looked like blood yet there was no scent on them.
"Talismans..." Heng Xīnyán muttered, "The patterns on the talisman are written in reverse. So instead of protecting and driving away evil energy. This encouraged evil energy to enter this manor."
Bàolì Hua frowned. Her brows furrowed deeply as her pink lips opened to mutter, "My head hurts. I am not going to be no cringe hero and try to know who was behind all of this."
Heng Xīnyán snorted. Her lips curved in a faint smile yet her eyes were deep and bottomless watching the talisman in Bàolì Hua's hands. "No one asked you to be a hero, Bàolì Hua. These talisman, have nothing to do with us." Heng Xīnyán stated and she collected the talisman from Bàolì Hua's hands. Rolling them up, she placed them in her sleeves.
Bàolì Hua hummed, "Okay then."
Heng Xīnyán nodded, "Remember we alright have a task on our hands."
"How could I forget that?" Bàolì Hua snickered, "Your greed got us here."
Heng Xīnyán glared at the female in green who shrugged while saying, "Am I lying?"
Heng Xīnyán stayed silent knowing she was correct.