38 TingZhu

As soon as the two stepped foot in TingZhu, the atmosphere changed. The city lacked the lingering smell of sex and liquor. Instead, what wafted over was a mixture of warm, expensive green tea, ink and paper.

Scholars moved in pairs, seating at the low tables in the open-walled teahouses, each diligently reading books, and scrolls. Women of TingZhu carried themselves with honour. Delicate fans swayed, as the ladies hid behind them coyly whenever they so much as smiled.

MingYu had a terrible feeling overcome him. They just entered the city and already, the pewter staff had picked up on the negative energy present in the air. it clinked ominously with every step along the main street.

LongHai was biting his lips as he strolled with feather-like steps, rocking the basket as gently as possible to not wake up AhXin, but to no avail. The boy stirred the moment the reek of negative energy pushed its way through the straws of the basket, like maggots. AhXin shuffled around in his dwellings. To him, this was not the same energy ZhiYi had subtly exuded, this energy had sinister plastered all over.

"The air is fogged up with malice. I can't see where it is coming from." ZhiYi said in a hushed voice so that only MingYu could hear him. MingYu nodded in response. Even for a low-level deity trapped in a rather useless body, he could sense the negative energy crashing over them in waves, suffocating all the surrounding air.

Finding a pair of kind-looking scholars walking by, MingYu hurriedly stopped them and asked where they could find the Hsu's. Immediately the kind smiles froze and colour escaped their youthful cheeks. Waving their hands as if they spoke a different language, the scholars scampered away from the monk's sight.

MingYu gnashed his teeth in annoyance and looking around, he stopped another couple, this time two elderly ladies, but they responded the same way as the scholars before them. The colour drained from their faces and waving their hands dismissively, the two women hurried away without saying a word.

Frowning at the attitude he met, MingYu muttered, "What is going on with these people?"

Making their way deeper into the city, they passed a large, four-story-high teahouse, but it was closed on the otherwise busy street. Wondering why the teahouse was closed when everywhere else was open, the two came to a stop before a small shop. An elderly man was steaming buns, and a waft of sweetness erupted every time he lifted the lid and checked if the buns were cooked. Seeing the two gentlemen approaching, he smiled gently.

"How many buns would the young masters want? I sell plains and meaty ones."

ZhiYi ordered three plain ones, then as the man packed them in a cloth, MingYu asked him, "Do you happen to know where the Hsu's live?"

One of the buns slipped from his hand and rolled on the ground, out of sight. The smile disappeared from his face as he quickly looked around. Making sure nobody was listening to him, the old man motioned the two to come closer.

MingYu and ZhiYi glanced at each other briefly, before they diligently leaned closer to the table.

In a shaky hush tone, the man said, "Young masters, why would you want to look for the Hsu's?"

"We are acquaintances, travelling from far to visit. Why? Everybody seems to shy away whenever we ask them for the way there." Said ZhiYi.

"Ah, so you are new to town." The old man sounded troubled as he lowered his voice even more.

"You chose a nasty time to visit. For a few days now, no one has dared to set foot near the household."

ZhiYi and MingYu exchanged worried looks. Turning back to the old man, MingYu said, "What is wrong?"

The man looked uncomfortable as if whatever he would say was shameful and bad. His voice was now barely a whisper.

"Ayah, for a few days now, no one has seen the young master or any of his household members going in or out. That day, when no one went to open the main teashop, some people tried to knock on their gate. When no answer came, some men tried to force their way in, but the gate door wouldn't budge. So two of the men decided to climb over the gate. When they reached the ledge, they fell to the ground and died, horror edged on their ghastly faces. Every night since then, strange noises have come out of the house. Crying, whimpering, wailing, making everybody's skin crawl. And the smell... just talking about it makes me want to vomit."

MingYu didn't feel hungry anymore, as the man pushed the package in his hand and took the money ZhiYi offered.

"You look like good young men, I advise you to leave and forget about them. Whatever happened, it's not good. Not good at all." The man chided.

"Can you tell us how we can get there?" ZhiYi pushed and the man let out a remorseful sigh.

"I say, you shouldn't go there, no. Something evil, I tell you, it is evil, that place."

"Please, it is urgent." Said MingYu. The man looked at him, and the fact that MingYu was a monk seemed to sink in. Nodding weakly, the man said, "Fine then, but you go there on your own and by your choice."

MingYu nodded eagerly. The old man brushed over his face in a tired fashion.

"It's the only house with red brick gates, down the main road and to the left, the house at the end of the street, away from the busy shops and stalls. The smell... You can't miss it."

***

The red brick wall stood out among the other grey-stone structures. Big, white lanterns swayed in the wind, unlit and forgotten. The sign 'Hsu household' over the gate looked newly polished and painted.

The street leading to the house was void of any life. Not even birds sat on tree branches. A lone butterfly flew across the streets, passing by MingYu's ear. The soft flutter of its wings was the only sound heard besides the frantic rings of the pewter staff.

ZhiYi stopped as they reached the middle of the street. He whistled and ZhouYan fluttered from the sky and settled itself on his shoulder. ZhiYi pondered for a moment as his eyes were firmly fixated on the house at the end of the street.

"Find PingZe. He might still be somewhere in Tiang'an. Tell him to find Wei YueQin, we will look for Wei LiXue. Say it is urgent."

MingYu watched as ZhouYan took flight and disappeared into the distance. Turning to ZhiYi, he said, "What do you see?"

As a heavenly deity possessing a human body, MingYu could sense the immense negative energy, but compared to what the immortals could do, it was nothing.

ZhiYi seemed very grave and reluctant. He was deciding on an important matter, one that he couldn't back out on anymore after it was done. Turning to MingYu, a worry flashed in ZhiYi's eyes as he said, "I fear that I can't keep you in the dark any further."

MingYu blinked several times as he tried to make sense of what ZhiYi just told him. "I'm sorry - what?"

ZhiYi couldn't be laying out the history of Wu TianLan now, in the middle of the street, was he? MingYu frowned at the thought.

"It looks like I might not be able to shield you at all times. I might have to open that third eye."

MingYu looked like a fish out of water. He opened then closed his mouth in rapid sessions. His mind was in chaos as he dug around for something that could explain to him the sudden situation. Caving under the pressure, he said, "What is a third eye?"

"The one that allows you to see what I can see, spirits, and the true form of negative energy." ZhiYi's serious tone wasn't soothing in the least. MingYu's mind raced to find an answer.

"You chose this moment to talk about it?" He screeched. It was the only logical thing that MingYu could come up with under the pressure.

ZhiYi looked regretful.

"I'm sorry. I thought I wouldn't have to bring it up at all. But the amount of negative energy in that house is too much, too sinister. It is better if you can see it too. Then at least you will have the chance to fend for yourself or flee."

The silence stretched out as the two stood there, waiting for MingYu's answer. The pewter clinked away ominously. MingYu could already see ghost and spirits if they wished to show themselves to him. Opening the third eye shouldn't be a big deal.