Yellow Springs Inn (Zhang Xiao Qi) Chapter 19

T/N: Happy late Valentine's day! Full t.i.tle of chapter at bottom to prevent spoilers.

Chapter 19: 李石 Li s.h.i.+

Luo Qian Qi looked at the fat boss and said calmly, "Not everything is caused by ghost mischief, better to wait until the situation is ascertained before coming back!"

Hearing Luo Qian Qi's words the fat boss instantly became anxious, "Hall Master, this is really a life or death situation; it was one of my employee's Xiao Peng that spoke to me, he said he had a dream, he saw in the dream that Xiao Peng was put in the truck's trunk by a female ghost; when he brought us to the garage, Xiao Li really had already died in his trunk, and furthermore had already began to rot!"

The fat boss paused for a few moments, then said, "Xiao Peng even told me that before nightfall I had to find someone to help me, or else tomorrow the one in the trunk would be me!"

The fat boss in Luo Qian Qi's eyes actually had two forms.

The fat boss in Luo Qian Qi's right eye had a healthy flush at his yin tang forehead acupuncture point, a face full of good fortune, not at all like someone haunted by ghosts.

But in his left eye it was completely different; the fat boss in Luo Qian Qi's left eye had a dark yin tang, an aura of darkness hovering about him. If no one saved him, he most definitely would not survive beyond tonight.

I looked at the fat boss and smiled at Luo Qian Qi, "This fat boss has a dark yintang, his body is covered in a dark aura, tsk tsk, he's gotten himself into big trouble!"

Luo Qian Qi nodded, he said to the fat boss, "You say it was your employee's dream, then where is that employee right now?"

The fat boss laughed nervously, "Since the corpse was found in his trunk, he was already taken away by the police this morning. Before nightfall find someone to help me, these were the last words he left me!"

Luo Qian Qi said in suspicion, "Could that employee Xiao Peng have the ability to see prophetic dreams?"

I shook my head, "We can't jump to any conclusions; only when we meet Xiao Peng will we know!"

I looked at the fat boss, who currently had an expression full of anxiousness, and laughed as I said to Luo Qian Qi, "If we don't help him, the only end for him left is death!"

Luo Qian Qi looked at the fat boss and smiled, "I am willing to help you, you can just stay at Thousand Jade Hall for the night!"

I noticed that when Luo Qian Qi said he would let the fat boss stay at Thousand Jade Hall, Li s.h.i.+'s face was very peculiar, like he was hiding something.

The fat boss looked at Luo Qian Qi and said joyfully, "Really? You guys are willing to help me?"

Luo Qian Qi nodded, "Uncle Li, you take him to go rest up!"

"Yes!" Li s.h.i.+ sounded, then said to the fat boss, "Come with me!"

The fat boss said his thanks and followed Li s.h.i.+ out.

I glanced at Luo Qian Qi, then also followed out, but Luo Qian Qi did not stop me.

Li s.h.i.+ brought the fat boss to the guest room. The fat boss looked at the decorations inside the room and said, "Great master, your Thousand Jade Hall has such nice decorations, an antique aesthetic!"

Li s.h.i.+ laughed, pleased, "That's right, our Thousand Jade Hall has thousands of years of history!"

I stood by the door, quietly listening to Li s.h.i.+ and the fat boss making idle conversation.

Hearing Li s.h.i.+'s words, the fat boss was shocked, "Thousands of years of history?"

Li s.h.i.+ nodded, "That's right!"

Following, Li s.h.i.+ continued, "You just stay here, don't wander around; I will have someone send you dinner!"

The fat boss nodded, solemnly promising, "Great Master, don't you worry, I will just stay in this room, I won't go anywhere!"

Li s.h.i.+ harrumphed, "You'd better!"

With that, Li s.h.i.+ turned and left the guest room.

After Li s.h.i.+ left I beckoned over a little ghost to help me watch the fat boss, just in case something happened to him.

Meanwhile I followed after Li s.h.i.+.

After Li s.h.i.+ left the fat boss's guest room he went to Li Yan Xin's courtyard.

Li s.h.i.+ as Li Yan Xin's father going to his daughter's courtyard shouldn't be anything suspicious, but I still felt like there was something off.

Li s.h.i.+ and I walked side by side to Li Yan Xin's courtyard, but he couldn't see me, hee hee!

When Li s.h.i.+ and I arrived at the door to Li Yan Xin's room I heard a peal of strange noises coming from inside.

When I looked at Li s.h.i.+, I noticed that his face was a little pale.

"Cough cough!"

Li s.h.i.+ fake coughed twice, and the sound coming from inside the room promptly stopped.

"Come in!"

About a minute later from inside the room came Li Yan Xin's voice.

Li s.h.i.+ reached out his hand and opened Li Yan Xin's door, while I followed him in.

After walking in to the room I saw the pallor of Li s.h.i.+'s face take on an ashy gray, while I froze upon seeing the scene inside the room. Only after quite a while did I come back to my senses.

Li Yan Xin sat on the bed in a scene of springtime, her neck completely covered in dark hickeys.

What's more was that by Li Yan Xin's side sat a stark naked man. My eyes widened as I looked more closely, wasn't that Lu Xiu1?

Tsk tsk tsk, really not appropriate for children!

Looking at Li s.h.i.+'s ashy gray expression, I couldn't help wondering what he must be inwardly thinking right now.

Li Yan Xin looked at Li s.h.i.+ and smiled, "Dad, is there anything you need me for?"

Li s.h.i.+ calmed himself down a bit, then said, "I heard that someone died in the woods, is this matter related to you?"

I froze; what did someone dying in the woods have to with Li Yan Xin?"

When I a.n.a.lyzed it a bit more closely, I saw that at some point, there had grown a blood red beauty mark between Li Yan Xin's eyebrows.

That beauty mark was very beautiful, so beautiful it exuded an aura of evil.

And Lu Xiu sitting by Li Yan Xin's side had unfocused and lifeless eyes; clearly his essence had been drained out of him. (T/N: "essence" here has s.e.xual implications as well)

However normally only ghosts or demons had the capability of draining essence, then Li Yan Xin, she…

I felt that this matter was not simple. I sent people to investigate.

Li Yan Xin laughed strangely, "I was the one who did it, right now I am in a very particular stage, I need much more male essence!"

I froze, was Li Yan Xin practicing some evil arts?

Li s.h.i.+ looked at Li Yan Xin and bellowed, "But now people are already starting to investigate, and Luo Qian Qi already agreed to help them catch the ghost!"

Li Yan Xin froze, "Aren't matters of the main hall handled by you? How could Brother Qian Qi…"

Li s.h.i.+ let out a sigh, "Matters of the front hall are indeed handled by me, and I also wanted to refuse helping them, but, but who knew Luo Qian Qi would suddenly come to the front hall!"

Li Yan Xin laughed coldly, "No matter, as long as it is my prey, no one can stop me!"

I saw that when Li Yan Xin was talking, her eyes revealed a sliver of coldness.

I stared blankly, then turned around and prepared to leave Li Yan Xin's room. When I turned around I saw Luo Qian Qi standing outside the room's door coldly.

I looked at Luo Qian Qi and asked, "Luo Qian Qi, why did you come?"

Luo Qian Qi ignored me, and instead looked at Li Yan Xin and the others and said, his tone freezing cold, "You really have big guts, actually daring to practice evil arts behind my back!"

Li s.h.i.+ and Li Yan Xin both froze. Li Yan Xin immediately covered the exposed bodies of Lu Xiu and herself with a blanket.

Li Yan Xin looked at Luo Qian Qi and stuttered out, "Brother Qian Qi, why did you come? What practicing evil arts, how come I don't understand at all?"

Li s.h.i.+ echoed her, "That's right Luo Qian Qi, why did you come?"

Luo Qian Qi laughed coldly, "You two don't need to pretend anymore, I've been standing at the door for a long time already; I have heard everything that you've said!

Li Yan Xin and Li s.h.i.+'s hearts instantly dropped into their stomachs, Li s.h.i.+'s two feet softened and his bottom hit the floor.

"Ha ha ha!" Suddenly, Li Yan Xin burst out laughing. Then her skin became black, and the clothes on her body became unbearably ragged.

Seeing Li Yan Xin's form, I could not help gasping, what kind of evil art was this? How could it make a person so ugly!

Li Yan Xin stood up from the bed and walked over. She smiled and glanced at Luo Qian Qi, before opening her mouth wide and swallowed Lu Xiu, who was sitting on the bed, whole.

I looked at Li Yan Xin, and when I looked at Luo Qian Qi again, I found that his face had completely darkened. I had never before seen his complexion so bad.

Then Li Yan Xin looked towards where I was and giggled mischievously, "Zhang Xiao Qi, I can see you, hee hee hee!"

I laughed coldly, "So what?"

Li Yan Xin giggled mischievously, "I can see you, that means I can kill you!"

I laughed coldly, "So you learned evil arts to kill me?"

"Ha ha ha!" Li Yan Xin laughed loudly and did not answer. Meanwhile, she did not notice that Luo Qian Qi's complexion became so dark it could not get any darker.

Li s.h.i.+ happened to notice Luo Qian Qi's complexion; he scowled miserably and asked Li Yan Xin, "Rebellious daughter, Shopkeeper Xiao Qi is your benefactor, how could you want to kill her?"

Li Yan Xin laughed coldly, "Benefactor, if it wasn't for her, how could Brother Qian Qi treat me so coldly, how would he only now realize that I was practicing evil arts, ha ha ha!"

I froze. So the reason Li Yan Xin practiced evil arts was to get Luo Qian Qi's attention.

I glanced at Luo Qian Qi, and at the same time Luo Qian Qi also looked at me. Unknowingly our four eyes met, making both sides equally embarra.s.sed.

I looked at Li Yan Xin and said calmly, "Even if it's like this, have you thought of the consequences; once you practice evil arts, there is no return!"

Li Yan Xin burst out laughing, "Right now, none of this matters, I must first kill you, then I will kill Brother Qian Qi, hee hee hee!"

Following I realized that Li Yan Xin's eyes when looking at Luo Qian Qi were full of love.

I couldn't help s.h.i.+vering, this love between biological relatives…tsk tsk.

Luo Qian Qi glanced at me like he wanted to explain something.

I ignored Luo Qian Qi, and instead looked towards Li Yan Xin.

Only to see Li Yan Xin already raising her pitch-black claw and lunging at me.

I dodged Li Yan Xin's attack, Li Yan Xin did not give up at this; she turned around and attacked me again.

Seeing the situation, I prepared to take out Jiu Qiao Fu Long Whip2 to counter Li Yan Xin, but Luo Qian Qi, a step ahead of me, took out his Chi Xiao Sword and blocked it in front of me.

When Li Yan Xin's hand latched onto Chi Xiao Sword, it was like her hand caught on fire, hissing as white smoke rose up.

"Ah!"

Li Yan Xin shrieked and retreated backwards a few steps.

Li Yan Xin looked at her pair of burnt hands, and said angrily, "I have to kill you guys!"

Li s.h.i.+ stood up from the ground, he ran up to Li Yan Xin and barred Li Yan Xin, saying, "Yan Xin, you stop right there, how could you murder Hall Master!"

By this time Li Yan Xin had already lost all reason, she looked at Li s.h.i.+ coldly, then her right hand reached into Li s.h.i.+'s chest and grabbed ahold of his heart.

Seeing this scene Luo Qian Qi and I froze. Li Yan Xin, how could she be so heartless, Li s.h.i.+ was her very own father!

Li s.h.i.+ stared at Li Yan Xin blankly, the corner of his mouth raised into a slight smile. When Li Yan Xin had pulled her hand out of his chest, he merely quietly closed his eyes.

Li s.h.i.+ died, died at Li Yan Xin's hands.

Footnotes Lu Xiu: forgot him? He's from , though you can also find him in the page.↩Jiu Qiao Fu Long Whip 九巧伏龙鞭: roughly means something like nine skillful encroaching dragons.↩

T/N: actual t.i.tle of the chapter was "Li s.h.i.+ Died" ( 李石死了) but I didn't want to spoil it so early. Li s.h.i.+ was a good father, though perhaps not the best parent, as seen in how spoiled Li Yan Xin turned out to be.