The stern man and the sharp-tongued girl burst out of the front hall, the slamming of the two doors echoing through the silent estate.
Yet, what puzzled Ji Yuan was that there was nothing behind them, no entity pursuing them, so why did they still wear such expressions of deep terror?
As he pondered, the stern man threw a talisman behind him. As its core was ignited, it instantly transformed into a candle-like flame in mid-air.
In an instant, within a ten-foot radius illuminated by the flame, ghostly figures with bared teeth and ferocious expressions materialized. Judging by their attire, they appeared to be servants and governesses of the estate.
"Wu Liang Tian Zun!"
As his gaze shifted, Ji Yuan's face suddenly changed, and he felt his scalp tingle.
On the stern man and the girl, numerous infants and young children were hanging. The youngest appeared to be just born, while the oldest barely reached a person's calf.
More than ten infants and children in total hung from their limbs, their tiny mouths firmly biting into them, greedily siphoning the essence, which was most delicious and nourishing to ghosts.
"Do we intervene?"
Song He asked, his eyes calmly observing the scene.
"Intervene!"
Ji Yuan pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said.
In his heart, he naturally did not wish to help. After all, these people had intended to use him as a scout earlier. However, after weighing the pros and cons, he could only choose to act.
Not only because they were trapped in the estate and it would be difficult for one or two people to find a way out, but also because the other party clearly had other motives for coming here, which was more than just eliminating demons.
Uttering a reverent title, Ji Yuan stepped forward, covering more than twenty feet in just a few strides. With his left hand, he took out several talismans from his sleeve and then flung them forward forcefully.
Talismans of 'Yang Qi Lantern' flew out, suddenly hovering in mid-air. In an instant, dense yang energy erupted from their cores, appearing like bright oil lamps from afar.
A surge of yang energy exploded in the gloomy front courtyard of the estate. Illuminated by the 'oil lamps,' many ghosts let out piercing and chilling wails, retreating frantically behind them.
As for the dozen or so small ghosts hanging on the stern man and the girl, they were not so fortunate. Before they could even descend, they spontaneously combusted under the yang energy, turning into a wisp of ash in a few blinks.
"It's you!"
The stern man, leading his junior sister, recognized the young Taoist they had encountered earlier, and his expression froze.
The girl, who followed closely behind her senior brother, furrowed her brows at this moment, openly displaying a look of disgust, with a hint of anger flashing in the depths of her eyes.
It seemed she could not accept being saved by a shabby young Taoist.
Ji Yuan acted as if he hadn't seen the girl's expression. He nodded calmly to the stern man and then looked towards the front hall.
The 'Yang Qi Lantern' talismans had already burned out. In their residual glow, the dozen or so ghosts, their faces filled with resentment, advanced again, clearly intending to devour them.
"Hey, you, hurry up and throw a few more of those talismans!"
The girl exclaimed upon seeing this.
Hearing this, Ji Yuan suppressed the urge to flick dust in her face. He frowned, staring at the approaching ghosts. He did want to throw a few more 'Yang Qi Lantern' talismans, but this type of talisman was of a higher grade, something only cultivators who had achieved magical power could begin to draw.
Although he could forcefully draw a few due to his own mastery of talismans, their power was not strong, and the cost was astonishingly high.
Those few 'Yang Qi Lantern' talismans had already used up most of his inventory, leaving only one or two, which he had to save for emergencies.
"Fellow Daoist, now is not the time to quibble over gains and losses!"
The stern man said urgently, "If I have offended you before, I apologize. As long as we can overcome the current crisis, I will present a generous gift of apology!"
He deliberately emphasized "generous," hoping the young Taoist beside him would intervene and drive away these ghosts that had caused them so much trouble.
However, Ji Yuan seemed not to have heard his words. After a moment of thought, he took out two cyan talismans from his embrace. As his vital energy ignited their cores, a magnificent aura instantly permeated a radius of several feet.
"Go!"
Throwing out the two talismans emitting a noble aura, Ji Yuan commanded in a low voice, and then ran towards the path they had come from.
Song He followed without hesitation. The stern man and the girl exchanged a look, and finally, with gritted teeth, followed suit.
Seeing this, the dozen or so ghosts were about to swarm forward, but the two cyan talismans suspended in mid-air exuded a dense, noble energy, forming a wall between the two sides and making the ghosts dare not take a step forward.
Meanwhile, back on the path, Ji Yuan's expression turned grim. He had hoped to escape during this trip, but not only was his path blocked, he had also needlessly consumed several talismans.
The only good news was that of the two people he had rescued, although the arrogant and sharp-tongued girl might not know much, her senior brother must be aware of some inside information.
"Hey, can't you walk any faster?"
As he pondered, an impatient voice came from behind. "Those ghosts behind us could catch up at any moment!"
Ji Yuan stopped and looked at the terrified girl with a frown. He wasn't worried about the ghosts catching up. The two 'Hao Ran Dang Xie Talismans' could at least hold back the ghosts for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn.
This amount of time was neither much nor little, and it was just enough for him to figure some things out.
"Tell me,"
He stood in the corridor, his gaze cold as he looked at the man. "Tell me everything you know."
Song He silently stepped forward two paces, standing beside the young Taoist. His gaze seemed casual but landed on the stern man's vital points, clearly prepared to strike at any moment.
Seeing this, the girl immediately became furious and was about to reprimand him, but her senior brother stopped her.
She shook off the arm blocking her and glared angrily at the stern man. However, as soon as she turned her head, under his cold gaze, she swallowed the question that was on the tip of her tongue.
"My junior sister is spoiled in our sect and this is her first time traveling outside. I hope you two will forgive her."
The stern man clasped his fists and then, after a moment of contemplation, began to speak. "I don't know much about this place either. I only know that there is a fortuitous encounter hidden within the estate, but I didn't expect it to be guarded by so many ghosts."
Ji Yuan sneered, completely disbelieving the man's words. Whether it was the 'Yang Qi Zhao Lu Talisman' from their initial encounter or the talisman that could reveal ghosts earlier, these were not items that ordinary cultivators would commonly possess.
From this point alone, it was clear that these people were well-prepared and knew of the ghost infestation here all along, and would not be as clueless as he claimed.
And the stern man's current actions clearly indicated that he was feigning ignorance, even believing that Ji Yuan would not directly turn against him in such a critical situation.