Chapter 111: The Woman in Red

The two emerged from the corner and soon turned into an alley three people wide, heading toward a dwelling that looked reasonably suitable.

"Brother Yi, are we planning to hide in the home of a ghost-citizen?" Yan Chixia asked, looking bewildered at the direction Yi An was taking.

"Doing that would hardly be a wise choice. How would it differ from sitting and waiting for death?" Yi An shook his head. If things were truly that simple, it would have saved him quite a bit of trouble. Unfortunately, these ghost-citizens were not so easily dealt with. Even if they could use force to compel them, it was not a long-term solution. Even if the immediate results were pleasing, there are no airtight walls in this world; the ghost city was crowded and full of prying eyes. Trying to leave absolutely no trace of their presence was as difficult as ascending to heaven, and it would be incredibly easy to expose themselves.

Their movements had been extremely covert, but appearing abruptly in the sight of others would inevitably arouse the suspicion of nearby ghost-citizens. After all, at such a sensitive time, it was not appropriate to be high-profile. Only by making their appearance seem logical and beyond suspicion could they avoid unnecessary trouble. In short, this method was not applicable here; it was a poor strategy.

However, it was precisely because of this that a flash of inspiration struck him, revealing another, more effective approach.

"We’ve arrived!" Yi An stopped after leading Yan Chixia to their destination. "Once we go in, don't waste words. Just knock them unconscious."

"The rest will depend entirely on your Taoist arts."

Yan Chixia felt a hint of skepticism. No matter how he looked at it, this approach of Yi An’s was essentially usurping a magpie’s nest. However, he raised no objections and readily agreed. He was genuinely curious about Yi An’s strategy; he trusted the man was not one to speak idly, even if he still couldn't quite fathom what he had in mind.

"Brother Yan, you go knock on the door. Remember what I just told you," Yi An urged repeatedly. At this critical juncture, he could not afford to be careless; even the smallest oversight could lead to failure. In truth, he hadn't chosen this house at random. It was based on a series of comprehensive factors that he had decided this was the most suitable one.

First, it was located at the very end of the alley, where no one would bother to go without a specific reason. Second, and most importantly, compared to the other houses, this one simply felt right to him—a subtle intuition.

"Who are you two?"

The person who opened the door was a woman in red, who greeted them with a curious inquiry. Seeing this, Yan Chixia hesitated, casting a complicated look at Yi An. Only after seeing Yi An nod did he steel his heart and, however reluctantly, strike.

In the next instant, Yan Chixia lunged forward, covering the distance in a single stride. With a flick of his palm, the delicate and pretty woman in red instantly collapsed to the ground. Yi An caught her, carried her inside the house, and quickly shut the door. Aside from a single thud, the quiet alley returned to its usual stillness.

"Brother Yi, I’ve broken my principles this time. We have no grudge against her, and she’s just a girl..." Yan Chixia said, clearly troubled.

"Haha, I’m not asking you to kill her. Besides, it’s a minor matter; no need to be so pedantic," Yi An said with a laugh. That said, the woman in red had a graceful figure and a beautiful face; she must have been even more striking when she was alive.

It was a pity...

He scanned his surroundings. The house was not large, but that was secondary. His main purpose was to ensure no one else was present. The following steps could not reach the ears of a third party; he had to be cautious.

"Oh, Brother Yi, we’re already here. Please, stop keeping me in suspense," Yan Chixia finally showed a trace of urgency. He had been pondering this on the way here but had failed to grasp the point.

"Your Yuxu Temple has a technique called 'Shifting Shadows.' Are you familiar with it?" Yi An asked with a smile.

Yan Chixia was surprised, but then, considering Yi An’s relationship with his master, he found it less shocking. His master had even taught him the Five Elements Taoist arts; passing on the technique of Shifting Shadows was hardly a big deal.

"You mean..." Yan Chixia glanced at the woman in red, suddenly thoughtful. While he still didn't know the specifics, he finally had a lead. Although he hadn't practiced the technique himself, having spent so much time with Xuanyangzi, he was well-acquainted with it.

"Exactly. Our greatest difficulty right now is the issue of identity."

"If the ghost-citizens accept us, all our troubles will naturally be resolved."

Yi An confirmed Yan Chixia’s guess. The utility of the Shifting Shadows technique was limited; even if he ruled out all other possibilities and considered the woman in red, the truth was not hard to deduce. As for the woman’s identity, it didn't matter. Whether it had been an old person, a child, or a youth, he would have found a way. If it had been an old man, he would have implanted a memory of being a long-lost son—though that would have been less convenient. In short, it was about prescribing the right medicine for the illness; different people required different approaches.

Thinking of this, Yi An smiled and said, "Brother Yan, there is one more glorious and arduous task for you."

Seeing Yi An’s smile, Yan Chixia felt a sense of foreboding, but he said, "Brother Yi, please speak. As long as it is within my power, I will do it without hesitation."

"Good. Then you shall be the one to pose as her fiancé," Yi An said, gesturing toward the woman in red.

It all happened too suddenly. Caught off guard, Yan Chixia immediately refused: "No, I can't. Look at me, and then look at her. If we stand together, it would look quite discordant. If outsiders see us, it will inevitably lead to complications."

"Why don't you do it? Brother Yi, you are a man of refined appearance; you would surely be perfectly suited for the role, and I guarantee it would be seamless."

Since there were only the two of them here, if he didn't do it, Yi An would have to take the lead himself. Other than that, there was almost no solution to this problem.