劍問蒼天 - 第156章 夜探 - 翰墨軒

Sure enough, when Wild Wolf Daoist looked back, his heart sank at once. Zhou Yixuan was not yet saying anything, his face drawn tight as though turning something over in his mind, his gaze wandering strangely; but Xiaowan's lovely face had rarely shown so much anger, plainly furious at the black-robed man's words. Her mouth was already opening to answer back. Wild Wolf Daoist was thrown into a panic; in an instant a faint sweat broke out on his brow, and he cried inwardly, Disaster! As he stood there in dread, Zhou Yixuan suddenly stepped forward, placing himself in front of Xiaowan and blocking her. Xiaowan, her words already at her lips, gave a start and swallowed them: "You—why, Grandfather, what are you doing?"

Zhou Yixuan glanced at Mr. Ghost, who still stood at the doorway like a specter, and said mildly, "Nothing. We came this time only to look in on your father. Since we have already paid our respects, we had best be going. There is nothing more for us to do here in any case."

Xiaowan was taken aback and for a moment could find nothing to say, but Wild Wolf Daoist let out a long breath, and the heart that had leapt into his throat settled back into place. He hurried forward a step and said, "Yes, yes, we had best be going quickly."

Xiaowan was a clever sort, and by now she understood well enough that something was amiss. She pressed the matter no further and nodded. The three of them hastily gathered their things, and with Wild Wolf Daoist leading the way, made for the door. Mr. Ghost silently drew aside to let them pass, then drifted back into the darkness of the house of the dead, looking for all the world like a ghostly spirit.

The three hurried out of the room, and sunlight fell upon them once more. They had gone only a few steps when behind them the door moved of itself, without wind, giving out two faint and thoroughly unnerving moans, and slammed shut with a bang.

Only when they had put considerable distance between themselves and that mortuary, until the house was all but out of sight, did the three finally stop. Wild Wolf Daoist and Zhou Yixuan both let out a long breath at the same moment. Xiaowan glanced at the two of them and said with a frown, "What is the matter with you two? Why are you so frightened?"

Zhou Yixuan ignored her. He bowed his head in thought for a moment, then raised it and said to Wild Wolf Daoist, "I heard you call him Mr. Ghost just now. Who is this man?"

Wild Wolf Daoist hesitated, then said, "He is the most mysterious figure in the Ghost King Sect, something like an elder of the offering hall. When he does appear, it is always at the Ghost King's side. I do not know what manner of man he truly is, but he is certainly no ordinary person."

Zhou Yixuan's brows knit tightly and he fell silent. Xiaowan found it strange—she had seldom seen her grandfather ponder anything so gravely—and asked with curiosity, "Grandfather, what is it? Do you find this man strange as well?"

Zhou Yixuan nodded slowly, his tone slow and carefully weighed. "This man is truly no small matter; he is not to be underestimated. And just now, inside that ghost-haunted mortuary—did either of you notice what lay in the right-hand corner of the room, three feet from the wall?"

Xiaowan and Wild Wolf Daoist both started at this, and cast their minds back carefully. It was Xiaowan, being the more attentive, who said with a frown, "Grandfather, I remember there was nothing there but a few coffins lying every which way."

Zhou Yixuan gave a cold snort. "Quite right. It is the coffins."

Wild Wolf Daoist said in surprise, "What is strange about coffins? That place is a mortuary; naturally there are coffins."