Chapter 74: Worry
Ma Ling's strange expression was due to Yang Haoran carrying nothing at all.
Both she and Wang Yiming had brought their own tools. While these items might be of little use in an outsider's hands, they were incredibly potent in their respective owners' grasp. Without them, neither could unleash the full power of their techniques.
These items were extremely crucial for people like them, so normally, they were never far from their person. Even if circumstances made it impractical to carry them at all times, they would always be kept somewhere easily accessible.
Yet Yang Haoran had no bag, nor any other items by his side. He appeared to have brought nothing at all, which naturally struck Ma Ling as odd.
"You didn't really bring anything, did you? " Ma Ling couldn't help but ask.
"Of course I brought my tools of the trade," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
His reply only piqued Ma Ling's curiosity further. She had assumed Yang Haoran carried his tools on him, yet none of his pockets bulged. This left her puzzled as to what his "tools of the trade" were, or where he kept them.
"Peculiar fellow. Forget it. I wasn't expecting you to do much anyway. Just wait to split the earnings with your big sister."
After Ma Ling finished speaking, she took another drink. Seeing this, Old Master Wu raised his own glass and joined her, showering her with compliments.
Guan Hai lay beside Yang Haoran, likewise exhaling clouds of smoke.
"Go back early later," Yang Haoran told Guan Hai. "It's very dangerous here, and I'm afraid it'll be difficult to look after you when the time comes."
Guan Hai chuckled, saying, "Is it really that dangerous? Although Wu Xiaoxiao and the others made it sound terrifying, I saw that Wang Yiming and Ma Ling were quite confident. It shouldn't be a big problem. Besides, aren't you here? How dangerous could it be?"
Shaking his head at Guan Hai's nonchalance, Yang Haoran said, "Things aren't as simple as you think. The Yin Qi in this villa is incredibly thick. Listen to me, leaving now is the smartest thing to do."
"No, no, no, I'm an adult. When real danger strikes, I know how to run. You don't need to worry about me. We've known each other for so long and done so much business together, but I've never actually seen what a ghost looks like. This is a perfect chance to broaden my horizons."
"Last time you were entangled by Yin Qi and almost died, that doesn't count? " Yang Haoran teased with a smile.
"Being entangled by Yin Qi was real, but I still never saw what the ghost looked like in the end. I'm still quite curious about it now," Guan Hai said.
"You're not afraid? " Yang Haoran asked.
At Yang Haoran's question, the smile on Guan Hai's face turned awkward. "Of course I'm a little scared," he admitted, "but it's exciting, isn't it?"
"Exciting? Wu Xiaoxiao is a prime example," Yang Haoran said with a laugh. "Go ask her if she wants more 'excitement' in the future, see how she answers you."
"Whether she wants excitement or not is her business; whether I want excitement or not is my business. The two are unrelated," Guan Hai declared, switching into "contrarian mode."
Yang Haoran let out a small "heh," his own mouth beginning to itch for a retort. Just as the two "contrarian athletes" were about to clash again, Old Master Wu walked towards Yang Haoran's position.
Yang Haoran closed his mouth, and Guan Hai, understanding the situation, wisely said nothing further.
Old Master Wu walked ahead, followed by Wu Senior and Wu Xiaoxiao. From their demeanor, it was clear the three had specifically come to find Yang Haoran.
Seeing the three approach, Yang Haoran stood up, his trademark smile reappearing on his face.
Watching that harmless smile bloom on Yang Haoran's face once more, Guan Hai couldn't help but feel a pang of doubt.
In Lecheng, his relationship with Yang Haoran was the closest, and he was therefore most familiar with Yang Haoran's personality. Yet, over the past month, Yang Haoran had begun to feel somewhat unfamiliar to him.
In the past, Yang Haoran would also bicker with him like this, which was normal. But when dealing with clients, Yang Haoran used all sorts of tricks and bluffs. While he wouldn't argue with them, he certainly wouldn't just smile and remain silent as he did now.
Although he didn't know what had happened to Yang Haoran over the past month, he could clearly see the change. He was increasingly unable to fathom his friend.
Little did Guan Hai know that the old Yang Haoran had no real abilities; he could only rely on bluffs to earn his customers' trust. How could he bluff without speaking?
But now, Yang Haoran had become a Night Watcher and possessed genuine power. He no longer needed to waste so much breath bluffing others; he simply had to display his true abilities at crucial moments. Thus, when dealing with others now, he spoke less and less. If a smile could handle something, he wouldn't utter a single word.
Moreover, doing so also gave him an unfathomable air of mystery, subtly elevating his image.
"Young Brother Yang," Old Master Wu began, his face creased in a benevolent smile, "this old man has come to chat with you for a few moments. I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"What does Old Master Wu wish to discuss? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"Come, come, let's sit and talk, let's sit and talk."
Old Master Wu was very polite, gesturing for Yang Haoran and Guan Hai to quickly take a seat.
After the two sat down, Wu Xiaoxiao, ever thoughtful, brought a chair for Old Master Wu, allowing him to sit as well.
As for Wu Xiaoxiao and Wu Senior, they stood respectfully behind Old Master Wu.
Guan Hai felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles. Wu Senior and Wu Xiaoxiao were standing, while he remained seated. This was pure torture for him. Those two were absolute bigwigs in Lecheng, and he was utterly insignificant in their presence. Sitting there made him extremely uncomfortable.
However, Guan Hai was also clever. He knew he wasn't in a position to tell Wu Senior and Wu Xiaoxiao to sit down. So, he decided to make himself scarce. Old Master Wu surely had something important to discuss with Yang Haoran, and excusing himself beforehand would serve both purposes perfectly.
"Old Master Wu, you two chat first. I need to use the restroom," Guan Hai said.
Old Master Wu smiled and nodded, a look of appreciation in his eyes as he watched Guan Hai. It seemed he, too, had wished for Guan Hai to leave, but felt too awkward to say it himself.
Yang Haoran remained seated, completely at ease. He smiled at Old Master Wu, waiting for him to continue.
"Young Brother Yang, are you from Lecheng? " Old Master Wu asked a seemingly innocuous question.
Yang Haoran smiled and nodded, remaining silent.
Seeing Yang Haoran not take the bait, Old Master Wu felt a bit awkward. He had hoped Yang Haoran would engage, as that would give him many ways to keep their conversation going. Once enough groundwork was laid, he could then ask the questions on his mind.
But with Yang Haoran offering no response, his conversational gambit felt like punching cotton.
With time pressing, Old Master Wu thought for a moment and decided not to beat around the bush with Yang Haoran. He directly asked the question on his mind.
"Young Brother Yang, can that Pen Spirit Game Wu Xiaoxiao played really summon a Pen Spirit? " Old Master Wu asked.
This time, Yang Haoran did not remain silent. He opened his mouth and said, "It can, but it's not an immortal; it's a spirit. There are many methods for summoning spirits circulating among the common folk. As long as one understands the proper steps, and there are spirits present nearby, it is indeed possible to summon them."
Old Master Wu listened intently, not missing a single word. When Yang Haoran finished speaking, he grasped the key point.
"They? Young Brother Yang, do you mean. . . ? " Old Master Wu asked hesitantly, seeking clarification.
"Ordinarily, when a spirit-summoning technique is performed, all spirits within the affected range will sense it. Whether they choose to come or not depends on their own will, as well as the ability of the practitioner."
As soon as Yang Haoran spoke, Old Master Wu's expression turned grim. "Then my family's situation now. . . ? " he asked.
Yang Haoran was about to answer when Wang Yiming appeared. Seeing Wang Yiming walk towards their spot, Yang Haoran stopped speaking and closed his mouth with a smile.
"You certainly are idle."
Wang Yiming looked at Yang Haoran, a displeased expression on his face. His complexion was somewhat pale, as if he had exerted himself greatly on some important task.
Old Master Wu and the other two didn't understand why Wang Yiming's face was pale, but Yang Haoran knew. Wang Yiming's current state was certainly due to the significant energy expended in drawing talismans.
The primary method of attack for Talisman Masters of the Talisman Order was through talismans. However, the talismans they used weren't just random drawings; if one wasn't a Talisman Master, even an identical drawing would possess no special power.
When a Talisman Master drew a talisman, it consumed their vital essence, spirit, and energy. The more powerful the talisman, the greater the consumption. If vital essence, spirit, and energy were heavily depleted in a short period, the body would inevitably suffer, just like Wang Yiming now, his face devoid of color, clearly indicating extreme exhaustion.
It was precisely because of this that seeing Yang Haoran basking in the sun here immediately made him uncomfortable, and his tone of voice turned unfriendly.
Yang Haoran simply gave a noncommittal chuckle and offered no explanation, which only annoyed Wang Yiming further.
However, he didn't press the matter with Yang Haoran. His gaze fell upon Old Master Wu, and he spoke: "I'm ready. We can start now. Once your matter is resolved, I must leave immediately, so please don't waste my time."
With that said, Wang Yiming turned and departed. Old Master Wu offered an apologetic smile to Yang Haoran, then made a gesture for him to follow.
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, then stood up and followed closely behind Wang Yiming. As he watched Wang Yiming's retreating back, he sighed inwardly.
The matter at hand today wouldn't be so easily resolved. If it were truly as simple as Wang Yiming claimed, he wouldn't have suggested Guan Hai leave first.
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