"Thank you two benefactors for your timely help!" The woman came to her senses and stepped forward excitedly, bowing to Feng Yunshu and Qing Zhu to express her gratitude.
Feng Yunshu quickly reached out to support the woman. "Madam, there's no need for such formalities. It was just a small act of kindness. Are you hurt? Is there anything wrong with your body?"
Feng Yunshu noticed some bloodstains on the woman's body and felt a pang of worry in her heart, fearing that the woman might be injured.
The woman shook her head. "No, no. I'm not injured. Thank you for your concern, young master!"
After confirming that the woman was unharmed, Feng Yunshu heaved a sigh of relief. She looked around and then looked at the woman in front of her in confusion. "I wonder why you came to this forest alone. It's really dangerous. Not to mention those bandits and hooligans just now, if you encountered any jackals, wolves, tigers or leopards, it would be even more fatal."
The woman turned around and pointed to the grass not far away. "I didn't come alone. A maid and a servant who accompanied me were brutally killed by those bandits..."
Feng Yunshu and Qing Zhu walked forward in the direction the woman pointed. Before they got close, a strong smell of blood assailed their nostrils. They took a few more steps forward and saw two badly - wounded corpses lying in the grass.
Looking at the two people who died unjustly without even having their eyes closed, Feng Yunshu felt pity in her heart. She turned her head and looked at Qing Zhu. "I should have just chopped those bandits into pieces and fed them to the wild wolves!"
"Then wouldn't you also have broken the precept of killing? Don't you forget that you're a cultivator. How could you be so cruel to ordinary people?"
Feng Yunshu naturally knew this and shrugged helplessly. "You've found me out... We cultivators can't have the intention to kill these ordinary people, or we'll suffer a backlash."
"It doesn't matter. With me here, you don't need to do it, Yunshu. We demons aren't afraid of killing."
"These two people died so miserably... If my senior brother were here, he could超度 the souls of these two people."
Just as they were talking, suddenly two familiar figures appeared. It was none other than the Black and White Impermanence.
The Black and White Impermanence were walking towards them. When they looked up and saw Feng Yunshu, they were shocked. "Fellow Daoist Yunshu?! Why do we meet you again? Why do we keep bumping into you everywhere?"
Feng Yunshu was also helpless. "I don't want to meet you either. Everyone knows that meeting the Black and White Impermanence isn't a good thing... Maybe I'm possessed by Conan. Wherever I go, something bad happens..."
The Black and White Impermanence smiled. "It's not like that. Every time Fellow Daoist Yunshu appears, it immediately boosts our performance in the Underworld. The little Yama praised Fellow Daoist Yunshu greatly yesterday!"
Feng Yunshu didn't want to be praised for this at all.
"Two chivalrous men, I wonder... would you be kind enough to escort me back? It's not safe in this desolate place."
The noble lady frowned slightly and looked at Feng Yunshu and Qing Zhu apologetically. "When I get back to the mansion and tell my son about this, my son will surely reward you handsomely!"
"Madam, you're too polite. We're willing to escort you back without any reward. It's really dangerous for you to be alone."
"In that case, I'll have to trouble you two!"
"Madam, what about these two people you brought..." Feng Yunshu turned around and looked at the victims in the grass.
The noble lady quickly said, "Thank you two for your concern. After I get back to the mansion, I'll immediately send servants here to collect their bodies and give them a proper burial!"
"That's good."
Feng Yunshu heaved a sigh of relief. She intuitively felt that this lady wearing a veil behaved in a dignified and polite manner. She inferred that this woman's family must be either rich or noble.
Besides, just then a gust of wind happened to lift the lady's veil. Feng Yunshu accidentally caught a glimpse of the noble lady's eyebrows and eyes, and inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity.
"May I trouble you, Madam, to lead the way. Also, we have another companion waiting for us near the small path. We have to go and meet her first and then go together."
The noble lady nodded. "Okay."
Soon, Feng Yunshu sent a message to Xiaoling through the air. "Xiaoling, we've solved the problem here. You and Ziyuan go towards the foot of this mountain and meet us."
"Received. No problem! I'll come right away!"
Xiaoling relayed this to Ziyuan. Ziyuan picked up Xiaoling and immediately turned towards the foot of the mountain.
After they met, they followed the noble lady and escorted her all the way into Tongcheng.
Finally, they stopped in front of a mansion with carved beams and painted rafters, exuding an air of simplicity and elegance everywhere.
"Judging from your looks, you should not be locals. If you young heroes don't mind, why don't you stay in the mansion for a few days? I can accompany you young heroes to have a good stroll in Tongcheng. What do you think?"
"This..." Feng Yunshu looked at the bustling crowd on the long street in Tongcheng, the rising and falling cries of peddlers, all kinds of brothels, and all kinds of street performances like monkey - shows and fire - breathing. It was much more interesting than in the imperial city.
After all, every place had its own unique customs and traditions. Feng Yunshu thought that they were about to reach the border city of Shicheng. It wouldn't hurt to stay here and play for a few days.
"Qing Zhu, Qing Zhu, let's play in Tongcheng for a few days!"
Qing Zhu turned to look at Feng Yunshu with twinkling star - like eyes. "Do you think I have the right to refuse?"
Feng Yunshu smiled. "Okay, it's settled then!"
After saying that, Feng Yunshu turned to look at the noble lady. "May I ask how to address you, Madam? We may have to trouble you these few days. We really want to experience the local customs of Tongcheng."
The noble lady smiled gently and gracefully. "You young heroes are too polite. You've saved my life. If it weren't for your timely appearance, the consequences... would be unimaginable..."
"You can just call me Madam Xi."
Feng Yunshu nodded with a smile. "Madam Xi, I heard you mention your son earlier. I wonder if your young master is at home? Will our staying in the mansion for a few days bother him?"
When mentioning her son, Madam Xi's face became a bit complicated.
"Him..." Madam Xi lowered her eyelids slightly, as if trying to hide some emotions in her eyes. "He's a very busy person. The number of times we mother and son have met over the years can be counted on one hand..."
Noticing that Madam Xi was in a low mood, Feng Yunshu immediately changed the subject. "Madam Xi, let's go in quickly. Look, your dress is dirty. Take a hot bath to get rid of the bad luck."
Madam Xi nodded with a smile. "Yes. May I ask your names?"
"My name is Yun Xi. He's Qing Zhu, and she's Zi Yuan."
At this time, in Madam Xi's eyes, Feng Yunshu and Ziyuan both looked like men. As for Qing Zhu, she wasn't worried about being exposed. She just adjusted her appearance slightly, and still looked like a man.
"Yun Xi. Hehe, it's a bit similar to my name."
Feng Yunshu nodded with a smile. "Yes, maybe this is fate!"
After entering the mansion, Madam Xi called the stewardess in the mansion and asked her to arrange accommodation for them and ask the kitchen to prepare a big meal to treat them well.
"I'll go take a bath first. You, Yun Xi, can walk around in the mansion at will, or sit in the hall and have a cup of tea to rest. If you need anything, just tell Mama Hu."
"Okay, thank you, Madam Xi!"
After Madam Xi left, Feng Yunshu's gaze quickly fell on a lotus pond in the garden of the mansion.
"Xiaoling, do you feel a familiar aura?"