Chapter Seventeen: Trouble at the Zhang Family

The beginning is also a new birth. — Genesis

…

Time passed second by second, and the invisibility effect on Ye Feifan and Zhang Da gradually faded.

Dawn had arrived!

“Side quest [Deadly Bus]: Bus route 88 has arrived at the station. Please disembark in an orderly manner. Passengers boarding, please insert one coin. Kindly give your seat to those in need of care. Thank you for your cooperation... The host took bus route 88 from Beichen Tea Pavilion on a stormy night, safely arrived at the destination, and waited until dawn to complete the mission.”

“Rewards for completing the quest include one lottery ticket, one item synthesis voucher, and a copy of the route 88 bus information newspaper.”

“Permanent side quest [Deadly Bus]: On stormy nights, bus route 88 will shuttle throughout the cultivation world, potentially offering special services to the host. It also investigates the bus stops where it halts, searching for abandoned cries of sorrow. Completing an investigation of one stop and surviving until dawn may yield rewards based on the situation.”

As the first light of dawn appeared, Ye Feifan did not immediately check the rewarded items. Instead, he covered himself in mud and then woke Zhang Da.

Startled awake, Zhang Da instinctively asked, “What happened?”

Seeing no movement at the outpost, Ye Feifan breathed a sigh of relief. “We’re saved. There’s something strange about that outpost. We can wait there for reinforcements.”

“I...” Zhang Da was about to speak when a group of people came running toward them.

Soon, the land was crowded with many individuals, all dressed in attire marking them as members of the Zhang family.

Leading the group was Zhang’s father. Following the scent, he quickly found Zhang Da and anxiously asked, “Da’er, are you alright?”

“Father, don’t worry. I’m fine... Thanks to this brother here for saving me. Unfortunately, Ada and A’er died.” Despite being servants for many years, Zhang Da still felt some attachment to them.

“Thank you for saving my son. May I ask who you are?” Zhang’s father clasped his fists respectfully while appraising Ye Feifan. The leather coat he wore was distinctive, and the blood-stained sword he carried was dazzling.

“I have the honor to meet the Zhang family patriarch. I am Martin Xiao, a disciple of the Abyssal Sect, a demon hunter. I hope I do not embarrass you,” Ye Feifan replied, clasping his fists but withholding details of his true background, instead revealing the identity behind his mask.

“The Abyssal Sect? Demon hunter?” Zhang’s father was taken aback. He had never heard these names before. Weren’t restless spirits only found in abandoned villages or the underworld? Since when did such omens appear within the city?

The legend of restless spirits was common in the cultivation world, but they generally lacked offensive power and hid in desolate places, preying only on ordinary people. Evil cultivators often toyed with them, but no one had ever heard of restless spirits thriving in a city teeming with yang energy.

Ye Feifan summarized the key points, recounting how he discovered the magical bus last night and rescued Zhang Da, also mentioning the terrifying presence inside the outpost.

Splash!

Something plunged into the water, and Zhang’s father’s expression darkened.

“Let’s go take a look...” With Ye Feifan’s description, Zhang’s father began to suspect something unusual had happened the previous night. He wanted to inspect the outpost.

Both Zhang’s father and Ye Feifan intended to investigate, and Zhang Da naturally followed. The outpost was built on land beside the water, with windows at the back. Perhaps the creature had jumped into the water and fled.

With a practitioner at the Fluidity Realm present, no one felt much fear as they opened the door and entered. Zhang’s father even held a treasured sword, ready for a counterattack.

Inside the outpost, the scene was eerie: a pile of blood and flesh on the ground, walls splattered with blood, but no sign of the creature.

“It’s the aura of Ada and A’er. They’re dead. Judging from the condition of the blood and flesh, they were torn apart by some sharp claws.”

The outpost was simple, containing only a table and a bed, with no other objects. They had no clue how the monster had appeared.

“Strange... Could it have really jumped into the water and escaped?”

At a loss, Ye Feifan suggested, “Let’s follow the trail. Maybe we can find some clues.”

The outpost was ordinary. Ye Feifan examined it several times but found no traces of the creature or anything unusual nearby. The splash they heard earlier confirmed the monster had fled.

Without the creature’s presence, the outpost seemed to hold no further value for investigation.

“All right!” Zhang’s father became tense. From the scant evidence, he could tell the creature was no ordinary foe.

After dawn, the sealing dissipated. Ye Feifan and Zhang Da both dried their clothes with spiritual energy, finally relieved that their garments no longer clung uncomfortably.

Zhang’s father looked at Ye Feifan in surprise. Although he appeared to be only at the Second Tribulation Realm, he neither belittled him nor recognized him as Ye Feifan. He noted that Ye Feifan’s physique was strong, surpassing his son Zhang Da.

From Ye Feifan’s mannerisms, Zhang’s father deduced that the Abyssal Sect must be powerful, perhaps rivaling the Zhang family.

Ye Feifan explained the mission of his sect: a millennial calamity was descending, shaking the cultivation world. Those restless spirits were beyond the control of ordinary cultivators. He and his sect leader had been sent down the mountain to exorcise demons and evil spirits, and to recruit promising disciples to inherit their legacy.

The name “Abyssal Sect” was fabricated by Ye Feifan to mean “Invincible,” but he chose a homonym to avoid attracting trouble by being too conspicuous.

The land around the outpost was tinged red. Ye Feifan pinched some soil and sniffed—it smelled like rust, not blood, which reassured him that the redness was not from blood staining.

The stone bridge’s surface was smooth but covered with fine sharp edges. Walking barefoot on it would definitely cause injury. Ye Feifan inspected both sides but found only some sticky transparent liquid and nothing out of the ordinary. The water plants he sliced last night had vanished.

Looking down into the water, apart from fine, hair-like aquatic plants, there were no robust water grasses like those from the previous night. A chill crept from his heart as if unseen eyes were watching him from beneath the water.

While Ye Feifan investigated the stone bridge, Zhang Da recounted yesterday’s events to Zhang’s father: the red-clad driver, his strange dream, and the deaths of the two servants.

Zhang’s father found it hard to believe that his son had seen the bus in a dream, that it was filled with restless spirits except for a few living passengers, and that entering the bus would suppress cultivation abilities. It all seemed incredible.

“There was trouble at home last night. The steward is gone,” Zhang’s father said, rubbing his face, bloodshot eyes betraying his sleepless night.

The Zhang family had been disturbed by intermittent knocking on the door throughout the night, culminating in the steward’s screams and his corpse.

If Zhang Da had not destroyed the life-saving jade token, Zhang’s father would still be at home investigating the steward’s death. Now, hearing his son describe the water plants and restless spirits, he feared the steward’s death might be linked to ominous forces.

“The steward is gone?” Zhang Da paled. After a moment’s thought, he told Ye Feifan about the heavy yin energy he sensed on himself yesterday.

Zhang’s father paused. Could his recent decline in cultivation be the work of some ill omen? Might there be a curse within the household?

“Da’er, you must keep Martin Xiao here. Since he specializes in exorcism, he should examine our home.”

“I understand, Father,” Zhang Da replied.

After some discussion, they approached Ye Feifan. Zhang’s father asked, “Brother Xiao, have you discovered anything?”

Ye Feifan shook his head. “Nothing conclusive. But the drowning river is heavily cursed. The massive water grass cluster from last night is not something ordinary people can handle. You should avoid walking by the river at night—it’s easy to be dragged down by water plants and restless spirits.”

“The curse is that severe?” Zhang’s father was startled and began to take Ye Feifan seriously.

He had assumed the missing corpses were quietly covered up by the authorities to prevent panic, never expecting Ye Feifan to immediately detect the terrifying curse on the Drowning River.

“It’s getting late. Brother Xiao, you and my son have been through a lot last night. Why not rest at our humble home?”

Zhang’s father’s invitation was clearly meant to dissuade Ye Feifan from further investigation.

Ye Feifan understood but feigned exhaustion and said, “Your kindness is appreciated. I shall trouble you, then.”

[PS: Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony; freedom, equality, justice, rule of law; patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendliness.]