By evening, Baozhu and the others had gone to bed early.

At the second watch, all was silent. The small courtyard in Cihui Ward was immersed in tranquility.

Steady breathing came from the bed – Shisan Lang had entered dreamland. Wei Xun left the room he shared with his junior brother and silently wandered the interior like a ghost, listening at both Baozhu’s and Yang Xingjian’s doors for a while – no unusual movements.

After confirming all three were safe and sound, he came to the main hall on the first floor. The door hinge made a soft “creak” as he opened it and sat cross-legged in the doorway, focusing his mind to begin meditation. The curfew had been suspended on the night of the procession but resumed today. After the ward gates closed, the streets fell into deathly silence with no one wandering outside. In the long, deep night, even the slightest sounds from outside reached his ears with startling clarity.

A wild cat sprang out from somewhere, ghostlike as it swept over the courtyard wall, frightening away the turtledoves roosting in the garden trees. The donkey quietly chewed bean cake beneath the tree, and after its midnight snack, stood dozing while occasionally swishing its tail to drive away mosquitoes. This was one of the reasons Wei Xun had chosen it – this donkey was more alert than most livestock.

At the third watch, the distant hollow sound of the night watchman’s bamboo clapper carried over. The sound passed through the silent streets and alleys, went around the outside of the ward wall, and slowly walked toward the south of the city. Wei Xun closed his eyes, quietly listening to that unhurried, rhythmic regular sound.

However, less than a quarter-hour later, intermittent clapper sounds came again. This time the sound passed by the courtyard gate, going back and forth twice.

Besides timekeeping, night watchmen also bore responsibility for preventing fires and theft, so they always worked in pairs – one carrying a lantern to light the way, one beating the clapper for warning. But the footsteps passing outside the gate now belonged to only one person.

Wei Xun remained perfectly still, sitting like a boulder in place, quietly listening to the sporadic clapper sounds. This solitary watchman lingered outside the courtyard for two quarters of an hour before both footsteps and clapper sounds disappeared simultaneously, as if they had never appeared.

At the fourth watch, the night grew deeper. Footsteps appeared outside the gate again. This time the sounds were steady and powerful. Unlike before, the visitor made no effort to conceal his tracks but seemed to be giving warning. The person stopped outside the courtyard gate, and after a brief silence, tossed something small into the courtyard.

The donkey opened its eyes, alert light shining within them. It snorted and paced back and forth restlessly.

Wei Xun rose and came into the courtyard. By the faint moonlight, he picked up the object from the ground – it was a rusty old coffin nail bent into a ring shape. This item was commonly used by Canyang Academy disciples for communication, sometimes nailed to walls, sometimes to beams. When bent into a ring by strong hands, hiding the nail’s point, it indicated the visitor had no hostile intent.

The coffin nail flipped back and forth between Wei Xun’s agile fingers as he pondered the visitor’s purpose. After a moment, he lightly leaped onto the courtyard wall and crouched there looking down. A dark, stout man stood in the shadows – it was his junior brother Qiu Ren, the Ghost Hand Vajra.

“Senior Brother,” Qiu Ren called respectfully. A midnight visit with an object thrown as warning was considered quite polite among Canyang Academy disciples.

In Jade City, these people had already expressed their intention to head to Luoyang, so his appearance here wasn’t unexpected. However, the Seven Absolutes never got along and couldn’t possibly come calling for idle chat.

Wei Xun frowned and asked: “What is it?”

Qiu Ren carefully observed his expression. Apart from a trace of impatience, there was no sign of anger – he apparently hadn’t noticed the high price charged for the ginseng sold to the young lady.

So he spoke: “Three days ago, rumors say someone ruthlessly exterminated a gang of kidnappers. The bodies showed no sword or blade wounds but were all torn to pieces by bare hands, yet the neighbors knew nothing. Luoyang has never seen anything like this, so the story spread like wildfire – both the underworld and legitimate circles know of it. Some old jianghu veterans think it was some profound claw technique…”

Wei Xun raised his head arrogantly and said: “I did it. So what?”

Qiu Ren thought it was indeed so. Glancing at the Fishgut Sword at his waist, he said with a dry laugh: “Senior Brother always kills with one strike, taking the head. Why did you suddenly change methods this time?”

Wei Xun said impatiently: “Everyone among the Remnant Lamp Hand Seven Absolutes has learned it. You Ghost Hand Vajra can use it but we can’t?”

Qiu Ren quickly waved his hands: “How would I dare object? For claw techniques requiring hard skills, the most famous in jianghu is White Camel Temple’s ‘Demon-Subduing Finger.’ Those bald monks eat vegetarian and chant Buddha all day – even if they had conflicts with brokers, their methods probably wouldn’t be this vicious. I happened to come to the Eastern Capital to make a living, so some people suspected it was Canyang Academy’s ‘Remnant Lamp Hand.'”

With these words, Wei Xun immediately understood. Fourth Brother’s nickname was “Ghost Hand Vajra,” famous in jianghu for his fierce claw techniques. This person had just arrived in Luoyang when this strange incident occurred – suspicion falling on Fourth Brother was quite reasonable. No wonder he came knocking at midnight to inquire.

Qiu Ren had thought his ginseng scam had been discovered, but with both events happening almost simultaneously and the Blue-robed Guest’s supreme martial arts, there was no need for roundabout revenge. He lowered his posture and asked: “Does Senior Brother have some dissatisfaction with Fourth Brother? Pinning this blame on me will make future activities in this area quite troublesome.”

Wei Xun thought that mutual frame-ups were Canyang Academy disciples’ specialty skill. That day, because Baozhu was kidnapped, he had gone on a killing spree without really intending to frame a fellow disciple. Who would have thought that even outside Guanzhong, being scapegoats remained the Seven Absolutes’ inescapable fate.

Finding it amusing, he smiled and revealed the truth: “Six heads were too many – my traveling pouch couldn’t hold them all.”

Qiu Ren’s smile froze on his face as he said awkwardly: “I see.”

A weight lifted from his heart after getting clarification, but he had no recourse against this short-lived brat and could only swallow this bitter pill, secretly hoping he’d meet disaster soon. Qiu Ren thought this person suffered from extreme yin cold disease and couldn’t handle the powerful tonic of Shangdang ginseng – he’d surely become hyperactive with excessive kidney yang, making for quite a show.

How could Wei Xun guess this black fatty’s vile thoughts? Crouched on the courtyard wall, he said arrogantly: “I already showed myself during the procession. If anyone seeks revenge on you, just say the Blue-robed Guest did it. Those low creatures tried their ‘Receiving Guanyin’ trick on me. Knocking on the King of Hell’s door, digging up ghost messengers’ graves – and they still wanted to keep their corpses intact for burial? What kind of spring and autumn dream were they having?”

After speaking, without waiting for Qiu Ren’s reply, he turned and leaped back into the courtyard to continue his night watch.

Recalling various experiences since departing Guanzhong, the various underworld professions feared Canyang Academy’s sinister reputation. Even those who coveted Baozhu would lose heart upon seeing him while shadowing them. But after leaving Tongguan and passing through the Heluo region, these blind villains repeatedly caused trouble. This severely restricted their movements, requiring constant vigilance day and night – truly annoying. Wei Xun deliberately exposed his whereabouts, wanting to use the Blue-robed Guest’s fearsome reputation to deter petty criminals.

That night he meditated in the main hall, vaguely detecting several unusual disturbances. But fearing it was a diversion tactic, he pretended not to hear and held his position throughout.

After the fifth watch, the sky gradually showed fish-belly white. Residents of neighboring households began making sounds of rising, with crowing roosters and barking dogs in succession, mingled with human coughing and washing sounds. After another two quarters, the streets filled with peddlers calling out various breakfast foods – selling steamed cakes, selling pointed buns, selling fresh peaches and plums… Cart wheels rumbled carrying goods, ox, horse, donkey and mule hooves clip-clopped, and the atmosphere of human life swept away the night’s tranquility.

Shisan Lang and Yang Xingjian woke up successively, coming out to brew tea after washing. By the time Baozhu leisurely came downstairs, all of Cihui Ward had fully awakened, with various noisy sounds mixing together beyond clear distinction.

Having safely passed the long night, Wei Xun breathed slightly easier. Seeing her hair bound with a goose-yellow silk ribbon and lips touched with rouge, he asked: “Going out today?”

Baozhu drank strong tea to wake herself and said: “Time to collect the ordered medicinal materials from South Market.”

Hearing they’d be shopping again, Shisan Lang’s heart sank first. He pleaded: “Can we have a proper breakfast before going out?”

Upon hearing this, Yang Xingjian also felt his scalp tingle and said: “Please forgive this old minister’s advanced age and frailty – I cannot accompany you. Today I plan to visit the bookshops. Perhaps Bai Letian has new poems on the market – I could buy a couple volumes to relieve travel boredom.”

Wei Xun laughed teasingly: “Secretary Yang’s dance during the procession was lively and spirited. Where’s the advanced age and frailty? Your legs and feet looked quite nimble – truly worthy of being a first-class master of the dance world.”

Hearing Yang Xingjian wanted to buy books, Baozhu quickly said: “Ask if there are any new works by the Poetry Ghost too.”

Shisan Lang asked in surprise: “Ghosts can write poetry? Better than living people?”

Just as Yang Xingjian was explaining Li Changgu’s nickname origin, a distant cry came from beyond the courtyard wall: “Cherry cakes! Hot cherry cakes!”

This vendor’s call was like a magic spell, instantly capturing Baozhu and Shisan Lang’s complete attention. Upon hearing “cherry,” both their eyes lit up, forgetting the Poetry Ghost entirely. Their minds already painted an enticing picture: steam rising as the steamer lid lifted, sweet and sour fresh fruit wrapped in translucent cake skin, bright colors showing through. Just imagining those hues was enough to make mouths water.

Baozhu quickly assigned Shisan Lang: “Go buy some! Don’t worry about the price – I want five.” Her tone was full of anticipation and urgency.

Shisan Lang immediately grabbed a handful of loose coins and jumped up excitedly to go out, but the vendor’s calls grew more distant – he wasn’t heading toward their courtyard. Anxious, he said to Wei Xun: “Senior Brother should go – your legs are fastest.”

Usually when fetching water or buying food, the two brothers took turns. Wei Xun just laughed at their gluttony without declining. For convenience, he vaulted over the wall without opening the courtyard gate and ran quickly toward the vendor’s calls.

Wei Xun’s steps were light and quick, sweeping through streets and alleys like wind. After running about a li, the calling stopped – probably someone was buying. Wei Xun paused briefly, patiently waiting for the calls to resume. But when the sound came again, it drifted from east toward south.

Wei Xun couldn’t help feeling suspicious. Street vendors called out to do business and earn money – logically they should walk slowly to attract more customers, not run all the way. With his speed, he should have caught up long ago, yet never saw the person.

Following the elusive vendor calls, he ran through several alleys until reaching the ward wall’s edge, where he saw a three-foot-wide hole in the earthen wall. Merchants had dug it for business convenience – many people used it instead of the ward gate, bending to step through.

Wei Xun stopped, thinking that even if he couldn’t buy cakes and disappoint his companions, he couldn’t delay further. He turned back toward the courtyard. The more he ran back, the deeper his doubts grew – for some reason, he felt inexplicably uneasy and troubled.

He dared leave the others to go out because it was broad daylight with people coming and going nearby, and the three of them were together in an enclosed courtyard chatting – not some wilderness inn.

This round trip took less than half a tea time, when he suddenly heard intermittent screams from the courtyard – Yang Xingjian’s voice.

Wei Xun was shocked, pushing off powerfully and charging forward like an arrow from the bow. Vaulting over the wall, he found the courtyard gate wide open with the door bar kicked broken. The screams were muffled, coming from underground. Looking into the dry well in the courtyard, Wei Xun saw Yang Xingjian fallen at the bottom, clutching his leg and wailing – apparently he’d broken bones in the fall.

Old Yang noticed a shadow above and looked up to see Wei Xun. Completely ignoring his severe pain, he called out in panic: “Get inside quickly!”

Wei Xun heard his pained cries were strong and knew his life wasn’t immediately threatened. Unable to spare time pulling him up, he turned anxiously toward the house.

The main hall was in chaos. The square table where the four had just sat chatting and drinking tea had collapsed. The side table and screen lay toppled, the bowstring was snapped, arrows from the quiver scattered on the ground – clearly a desperate battle had just occurred. Baozhu was nowhere to be seen. A small figure lay collapsed among the wood fragments, apparently thrown against the table and smashing it.

Wei Xun’s hands and feet went cold, his heart plummeting as he rushed over to lift his junior brother. Shisan Lang’s eyes stared wide with rage, his chest caved in, completely breathless. Wei Xun’s mind went blank as he pressed fingers to the pulse point at his neck – the pulse had vanished. He was already dead.