The long hall was empty and spacious, the mountain temple pitch black, with rain sounds covering everything.

Ke Chengxing blinked in confusion, not understanding what this woman’s words meant. But soon he reacted, looking at her with eyes full of wariness.

She called him Master Ke… she knew who he was?

Ke Chengxing wanted to call for Wan Fu to enter the hall and help, but his entire body was numb and powerless—he couldn’t speak. His heart was filled with uncertain alarm, not knowing where his bodily changes came from, nor whether this woman was human or ghost.

Muffled sounds came from the water vat as turtles turned over, creating ripples. The woman walked forward two steps, and the flickering lamplight cast a slender dark shadow behind her that swayed slightly with the flame.

Ke Chengxing noticed this detail, and his eyes suddenly brightened.

Having a shadow meant she wasn’t a ghost…

This woman was human!

However, if she was human, why would she appear here?

Since she wasn’t a ghost spirit without supernatural arts, how had she managed to make his entire body abnormal, unable to speak or move?

Ke Chengxing felt as if his whole person was in a dream, hazy and unreal. The long incense he had inserted before the shrine emitted misty smoke with a fragrant and rich aroma that was intoxicating.

Did ordinary Buddhist incense have such fragrance?

He thought drowsily, watching as the woman walked to the shrine and brushed her fingertips across the unburned blue-green smoke.

She said softly: “It’s called ‘Victory Over a Thousand Goblets.'”

Ke Chengxing looked at her.

“When this incense is burned, its fragrance enters the nose, surpassing drinking a thousand goblets of strong wine, intoxicating one beyond form. Hence the name ‘Victory Over a Thousand Goblets.'” The woman’s voice was clear and gentle as she explained leisurely. “However, though those who smell the incense become stiff and numb, completely at others’ mercy, their thoughts remain quite clear.”

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Ke Chengxing: “Master Ke must be wondering why I can inhale this incense yet still move freely, unaffected?”

Ke Chengxing struggled to nod once.

The woman smiled. She said: “Because this incense was made by me.”

Ke Chengxing’s mind went blank.

How could this incense be made by her?

This incense was clearly prepared by Wan Fu’s arrangements. To make the “god-bribing” appear more sincere, Wan Fu had even specifically chosen several thick incense sticks. At the time, he had praised Wan Fu for being thorough.

But… why hadn’t Wan Fu come in yet?

He had been making offerings in the dharma hall for a long time without going out. Given Wan Fu’s caution, he would definitely come in to check.

And this woman—before she entered, hadn’t she seen Wan Fu? If she had seen Wan Fu, why hadn’t Wan Fu stopped her?

A thought gradually surfaced in Ke Chengxing’s heart—a thought he dared not think.

The woman turned her back to him, gazing at the deity statue that appeared and disappeared in the blue-green smoke, speaking indifferently: “Master Ke worships gods at midnight—it seems you truly have fear in your heart. But what makes you think gods and Buddhas can save you? If there really were gods and Buddhas in this world, my sister wouldn’t have died in your manor’s flower pond back then.”

Sister?

Ke Chengxing’s pupils contracted.

She called Lu Rou sister… she was Lu Rou’s sister. But what sister did Lu Rou have?

No, wait! Lu Rou did have a sister!

A few days ago, he heard his mother mention that a distant relative of the Lu family named Wang Yingying had come to the manor and was sent away. Lu Rou had no other relatives in the capital, so this must be that Wang Yingying.

But Wang Yingying was merely a fallen household member who came seeking Lu Rou’s dowry goods, trying to take advantage. Why would she collaborate with Wan Fu to lure him here?

Countless thoughts swirled endlessly in his heart, and he couldn’t sort them out no matter what.

“Wang Yingying” continued speaking. She turned around, looking at Ke Chengxing who couldn’t move against the water vat, and spoke softly: “Everyone says heaven and earth are above, ghosts and spirits hard to deceive. Now that midnight has passed, it’s already the first day of the fourth month—the Bodhisattva opens her eyes, good and evil are clear.”

“Master Ke, I have several questions I’d like to ask you. Please answer them seriously.”

After speaking, she walked to Ke Chengxing’s side, slowly crouched down, extended one hand, and gripped his neck.

That hand was icy cold and damp, unlike a living person’s hand. Wrapped around his neck, it immediately raised goosebumps on his skin.

This woman looked delicate and frail, but her strength was considerable. Gripping his neck, she roughly dragged him to the front of the water vat.

The water vat was enormous, filled with turtles for tomorrow’s ritual release. A foul fishy smell filled his nostrils. In the dim lamplight, he saw reflections of himself and her on the water surface.

The woman’s face was beautiful, her eyebrows like a new moon, her eyes like autumn water. Her immortal jade bones falling in the water were moving like the Water-Moon Guanyin.

Her voice was also gentle as she asked softly in his ear: “Master Ke, was my sister killed by you?”

Ke Chengxing was stunned.

The next moment, the Guanyin image suddenly shattered. He felt his head being uncontrollably pressed into the water, and an overwhelming torrent poured into his mouth and nose.

Ke Chengxing struggled desperately, but having just inhaled “Victory Over a Thousand Goblets,” where would he find the strength to move? His entire body was heavy as wood and stone. He only felt darkness before his eyes and over his body, as if thrown into an abyss.

Just when he felt extreme despair, his body suddenly lightened—he was pulled up and away from the water surface.

Ke Chengxing coughed weakly.

“Wang Yingying” gripped his hair and spoke calmly: “Why don’t you answer?”

She clearly knew he had inhaled the toxic smoke, couldn’t move or speak, yet still asked him so earnestly.

Ke Chengxing couldn’t speak and looked at Wang Yingying with eyes full of terror.

This woman was insane!

“Wang Yingying” rolled her eyes, her gaze meeting his, then suddenly smiled softly. This smile was like a lotus first blooming—beautiful beyond compare.

She sighed: “Strange, when people do evil, they always hope heaven doesn’t know, but when doing good, they fear the immortals won’t understand. Evil karma is decorated and concealed, while good fruits are proclaimed to the world. Looking at it this way, whether the Bodhisattva opens her eyes or not makes no difference.”

Her mouth corners were raised, but there wasn’t a trace of smile in her eyes. Standing in the empty great hall, she was pale and beautiful like a glamorous ghost.

Ke Chengxing couldn’t speak.

Immediately after, the hand gripping his hair gradually tightened, and “Wang Yingying’s” gentle voice came to his ears: “Second question—were the deaths of the four members of the Lu family instigated by Grand Tutor Qi’s manor?”

Ke Chengxing wanted to open his mouth to answer, but his tongue was stiff and he couldn’t make any sound. The next moment, the woman’s hand roughly pressed down, and he was again drowned in water.

He seemed to hear “Wang Yingying” sigh, as she said: “Why won’t you answer again?”

Countless streams of icy water poured into his nasal cavity and chest. Ke Chengxing felt stifled and unable to breathe. He wanted to struggle, wanted to shout, but his voice was muffled in this enormous water vat, wrapped layer upon layer by the chaotic splashing of turtles, by the mountain temple’s night rain, by distant bell sounds, unable to find even a crack to escape.

“Splash—” the water surface broke open again.

He saw that beautiful face, her expression still calm and gentle.

Ke Chengxing’s tears flowed down.

He struggled to move his body slightly, wanting to beg for mercy from her, only asking that she stop tormenting him like this. He wanted to speak—since “Wang Yingying” had come for Lu Shi, he could tell her more about Lu Shi’s death, and about the Grand Tutor Manor.

Yes, and the Grand Tutor Manor!

The instigators of all this were people from the Grand Tutor Manor—she should go find them instead!

He struggled to move his lips. “Wang Yingying” also noticed his movement.

She seemed somewhat surprised and asked softly: “Does Master Ke want to tell me new clues?”

Ke Chengxing blinked his eyes instead of nodding. As long as she let him go, he could help expose the Grand Tutor Manor!

He waited expectantly, hoping she would stop in time and spare him. However, the next moment, the familiar sensation of drowning and suffocation struck again.

The woman stood before the water vat, her snow-white hands gripping his hair. Those hands were slender and soft, yet seemed to possess infinite strength that couldn’t be struggled against, roughly pressing his face into the water vat.

She smiled as she spoke: “But I don’t want to listen.”