He'd rather run than be turned into a cannon fodder for the broken engagement.

Knowing Madam Qin's true identity, Leng Huan dared not linger in the main courtyard during the day. She said goodbye to Granny Zhou and Sang Biao in the morning, and Fu Xun escorted her there. When they parted at the back gate of the Qin family, Fu Xun told her to run if things went wrong.

As dusk approached, the eaves and pavilions of the Qin residence presented a heavy outline in the afterglow of the setting sun, but in just a few breaths, only dark shadows remained.

As Leng Huan stepped into the main courtyard under the last rays of sunlight, she suddenly heard Steward Qin's voice: "Madam, everything is ready in the east wing. Someone has come to invite you to the banquet..."

"Hehehe, okay, then I'll go take a look." A soft, charming laugh.

A banquet? Leng Huan was startled and immediately retreated, standing by the door to wait.

A moment later, Steward Qin came out with his wife, carrying a lantern, with the old nanny supporting her.

Leng Huan glanced at her discreetly and saw that the lady was dressed in an exquisitely embroidered plum-colored gauze dress and skirt, with a graceful figure and alluring appearance.

As she approached, Leng Huan quickly bowed respectfully, revealing her slender, fair neck. As the lady passed by Leng Huan, her gaze seemed to fall on her for a moment.

Leng Huan remained motionless, smelling a sweet and cloying fragrance. Only after they had walked away did she look up at the woman's back. At first glance, she was just a charming woman.

If Leng Huan hadn't been so perceptive as to detect the stench masked by the fragrance...

Unsure when they would return, Leng Huan went to the side room eaves where she had been before, hugging the lantern and curling up in a ball. She touched the talisman on her chest and felt at ease.

Time passed quietly. Because she hadn't rested well recently, Leng Huan gradually became drowsy. She didn't hear any noise and drifted off to sleep until dawn.

The faint sound of a temple bell could be heard.

Her head snapped back to reality, and she was immediately jolted awake. In the distance, the early-rising servants were already busy at work. Remembering something, Leng Huan hurriedly touched her chest, only to find it empty—

The talisman has turned to ash!

She thought back carefully, could the fragrance she smelled in her dream be the arrival of the lady?

Depend on!

It really is trying to harm itself!

The thought sent a chill down Leng Huan's spine. As dawn broke and the maids began their work, Leng Huan immediately grabbed a lantern and ran out of the main courtyard, returning to his quarters.

No, she's trying to run away. No matter how high the salary is, you have to be alive to earn it.

The little kid is being too naive; it must have discovered her secret—that she was a woman.

It really wants to eat the grass near its nest!

The faceless ghost usually only targets those who fit its current identity. Since it is currently a woman, it rarely attacks men. The servant last time must have accidentally discovered something, which is why it got rid of him.

However, it was daytime now, so Leng Huan calmed herself down. There was no rush to run away. She wanted to find out if it had been injured by the talisman.

-

"Xiaomei, what happened to your face?"

"Oh, stop talking. Madam hurt her hand somehow today. The tea I poured was a little too hot, and she got burned and slapped me."

"Shh, stop complaining, go and apply it yourself..."

During lunchtime, the servants were chatting in the kitchen. Leng Huan deliberately followed Xiao Mei in and saw them gossiping together. Hearing this, Leng Huan understood what was going on. She collected the plates and left.

It seems the talisman really works. Leng Huan has decided to leave the Qin family and plans to tell Steward Wang and pick up his luggage from his residence.

Unexpectedly, on the way, they met the head steward who said that a highly accomplished Taoist master had come to the manor and told Master Qin that there were evil spirits in the manor and that an exorcism ceremony would be held tonight!

Leng Huan paused abruptly, no longer in a hurry to run away, but instead wanted to see who this strange person was who dared to mess with that faceless ghost!

—

As the sun sets and the hour of You (5-7 PM) arrives, the yang energy has not yet dissipated, while the yin energy gradually begins to rise.

Leng Huan stood behind a rockery at the entrance of the main courtyard, waiting quietly.

A moment later, a group of people came from the east wing. The footsteps of the group grew closer and closer. Through the indistinct flowers and trees, Leng Huan quietly peeked out.

The slightly overweight middle-aged man leading the group was dressed in fine clothes; it was none other than the long-unseen Master Qin! He said, "Master, he's just ahead."

Upon closer inspection, Leng Huan realized that the bald monk in a kasaya standing beside him, and the two yellow-robed Buddhist disciples following behind, were the enlightened masters.

Upon closer inspection, she suddenly froze.

Beside the master, she saw a familiar little figure. Leng Huan blinked, and when they got closer, she was finally sure she wasn't mistaken!

You little brat!

What's Ah Xun doing here??

"All irrelevant people, leave!" the steward shouted. Leng Huan immediately bowed his head, and the monk and his party quickly entered the main courtyard.

When Leng Huan looked up, she met the gaze of Fu Xun, who had turned around, and he even smiled at her.

Leng Huan: "..." He stared in disbelief as they headed straight for the main house.

—

Fu Xun felt that keeping a menace around would only frighten Leng Huan and make him live in constant fear, so he went to Ruolan Mountain Temple outside the city early in the morning and gave a serious but nonsensical speech to persuade a Foundation Establishment Buddhist cultivator who was staying there to come down the mountain to eliminate the menace.

However, they entered the main courtyard with great momentum, heading towards the main house, the lair of the evil spirits, only to find it empty when they broke down the door!

"Oh no!" the Buddhist monk shouted as he retreated, "It got away!"

Fu Xun frowned slightly. He was about to say something when a scream came from the east wing—

"Ahhhh!!!"

The sound shattered the peace of the Qin family home, then abruptly stopped.

Everyone was shocked, and Master Qin's expression changed drastically. "This is bad! Quickly, go to the east wing!"

Before he could finish speaking, the Buddhist monk had already risen from the ground, leaped out of the main courtyard, and headed towards the source of the sound.

Fu Xun reacted quickly, running out of the main courtyard. Passing the artificial hill, she saw Leng Huan acting suspiciously, grabbed her, and ran, saying, "Let's go."

"What happened?" Leng Huan stumbled as he was pulled.

"That thing wants to collect some interest before it runs away, let's hurry and follow it to see." Fu Xun glanced at her.

"You mean that scream just now was it killing people?"

"Hmm, are you scared?"

"Nonsense! What's the point of going to see that? Let's run! Are you sure that bald guy you called is reliable?" Leng Huan stopped in his tracks.

Fu Xun frowned and stopped in her tracks. "You're right. If that Buddhist cultivator can't get rid of it, the consequences will be endless. Do you still have your talisman?"

"It's gone, it's all turned to ashes!"

"Come on, let's go take a look. You stay by my side." Fu Xun immediately pulled her along again. "It's already got its eye on you. If we can't get rid of it today, it will come after you!"

The daylight had long since vanished, and night had fallen. At this moment, the faint lights began to illuminate the darkness, making the dark places appear even darker.

The wind picked up again on the flat ground, and the clouds were heavy as ink, suggesting that rain was imminent.

Upon hearing this, Leng Huan shuddered, goosebumps rising all over her body. She gripped Fu Xun tightly, following in his footsteps, not daring to look into the darkness, for fear that something was watching her.

—

When the two arrived at the east wing, they discovered that the Buddhist monk had already chased after the evil spirit.

"Wanwan!!!"

The room was in complete disarray, with a gorgeously dressed...corpse lying in the middle, and Master Qin was holding the body and wailing loudly.

Leng Huan glanced at it out of curiosity, and regretted it as soon as he saw it.

The corpse had its face skinned off alive, its eyes wide open in death, its once beautiful face now just a bloody mess, its body covered in blood, its fingernails broken off, a truly gruesome sight.

!!!

Leng Huan immediately took a step back, bumping into Fu Xun. She looked at Fu Xun with horror in her eyes.

Fu Xun raised his hand to support her shoulder and patted it reassuringly.

The servants were so frightened that they hid, trembling like leaves. All the previous rumors were nothing compared to the terror of witnessing it firsthand!

—

"That thing is very fast and extremely cunning; it escaped." The Buddhist monk walked in from outside, holding a compass, and looked at Master Qin.

"I injured this faceless ghost, so it should be hiding now. It doesn't dare to go outside. Now all we need to do is gather everyone together, and I'll use my magical artifacts to search for it. It will have nowhere to hide!"

It wasn't easy for the Buddhist practitioner either. He jumped around and chased the demon inside and out, but because he was unfamiliar with the environment, he managed to let the faceless ghost escape. At this point, he was sweating profusely and his clothes were dirty and messy.

After crying his fill, Master Qin nodded to the Buddhist monk and said, "I will give the order now. Please, Master, make sure to get rid of it."

"Ever since it killed the lady, there has never been peace in the mansion. I always thought it was because the lady was dissatisfied with me that she wanted to separate, and I didn't dare to disturb her. I never thought it was an evil spirit causing trouble. Master, you must catch it!"

The Buddhist monk chanted Amitabha Buddha's name once, "We should act swiftly, or others may suffer."

—