A thought sprung into Xiao Mu's mind.

Being held by a group of evil ghosts to work at the Xu Family house in his dream?

This dream perfectly aligns with Xu Qingyuan's dream, where he heard the sounds of people shouting and urging as if they were at work in the middle of the night.

It seems that the so-called "people working in his courtyard," as told by Xu Qingyuan, were actually ordinary people forced to work by the evil ghosts.

But why?

Why would evil ghosts compel ordinary people to work, and then surprisingly let them go afterward?

To these evil ghosts, these ordinary people are their blood food. Why would they let them go so easily? Why didn't they just consume them after finishing their work?

Could it be… is there a hidden story behind this?

While thinking this, Xiao Mu couldn't help but glance over at Enyu.

What's this?

Xiao Mu soon noticed something unusual on him.

It was a mark, on his face, resembling the kinds of family clan markings ancient slave owners used to stamp on their slaves' faces.

It was an unusual pattern, like a six-pointed star with all rounded edges.

This six-pointed star was entirely engraved with Yin Qi, deeply etched on Enyu's face.

Ordinary people can't see this Yin Qi, only a Taoist cultivator like Xiao Mu with the spiritual eye can notice it.

Upon this discovery, Xiao Mu became more confused.

Why would the evil ghost leave a pattern on Enyu's face, and what does this pattern signify?

A sudden thought came to him.

Could evil ghosts, as with humans, also be divided into different powers and different clans? Does the pattern on Enyu's face, similar to a six-pointed star, represent one side of power?

Xiao Mu quietly became alarmed, seeming like the situation was getting tremendously complex.

Listening to Enyu's words, Xu Qingyuan completely froze.

Being forced by evil ghosts to work at his home in the middle of the night, does it mean...?

Recalling his dream, a shudder ran through him.

Was his dream actually real?

He glanced at Xiao Mu, feeling slightly reassured, but he didn't dare tell Enyu that everything Enyu dreamt actually happened. He asked, "Enyu, what kind of work did you dream of doing at my family's property?"

The middle-aged man Enyu gave a sheepish smile and withdrew his gaze from Xu Qingyuan's courtyard, "At first I was quite scared, worried that I might've really been forced by the evil ghosts to work at your house. It looks like it was only a dream. I worried for nothing."

"Oh!"

Xu Qingyuan didn't change his expression and asked tentatively, "Why do you say so?"

Enyu gave another sheepish smile and said, "Last night, I dreamt about being forced by a group of evil ghosts to construct an altar in your courtyard. I looked around just now, your courtyard is perfectly fine. There's no altar, it seems I was overthinking."

Xiao Mu had already guessed that Enyu was forced to build an altar at the Xu Family house in his dream, which was also seen in Xu Qingyuan's dream, hence there was no surprise to him.

"Is it so?"

Xu Qingyuan's face contorted with emotions.

It seems likely that the altar he dreamt of was actually built by Enyu who was compelled by the evil ghosts.

Unaware of what Xu Qingyuan was thinking, Enyu continued talking as if having a casual chat, "Funny story, not only did I dream about myself building an altar at your property but also several neighboring houses. There were people being forced to build altars too. Oh, and Li San too, do you know Li San? The Wallpaper Master at the end of the old alley."

Xu Qingyuan nodded with a serious face.

Of course, he knew the Wallpaper Master Li San.

That Li San was a professional maker of funerary supplies -- paper humans, paper horses, paper carriages, paper oxen, paper sedan chairs, and such -- intended for ancestors' sacrifices.

But hearing Enyu say, "The weird thing is, Li San was also brought here. But unlike us where we were building altars in the courtyard, he seemed to have been taken somewhere else to do something else."

"As for him, a wallpaper master who makes mortuary objects, like paper horses and paper humans, what kind of work can an evil ghost get him to do? Are they in need of something that Li San has to make for them? Haha!"

After saying this, he broke into hearty laughter as if he found the situation greatly amusing.

Wallpaper Master!

A wallpaper master who makes paper horses and paper humans?

A thought sprung into Xiao Mu's mind.

Could it be the evil ghosts really needed Li San to make something for them?

His thought differed from Enyu's. While Enyu found the evil ghosts' summoning of Wallpaper Master Li San amusing, Xiao Mu found the situation far more serious.

In the past, regardless of what type of evil ghost appeared, none of them ever attempted anything as ostentatious as this in the Xu Family house.

Not only were they building an altar, but they even specially summoned a Wallpaper Master.

Could it be the evil ghosts were welcoming someone? No, welcoming a ghost?

Remembering that he first saw the front gate of the Xu Family house as the Ghost Gate, could there actually be some connection between the two?

With this thought, Xiao Mu was gripped by a sudden realization.

If the evil ghosts were really preparing to welcome a ghost, then everything made sense: building an altar, summoning Wallpaper Master Li San, even releasing Enyu and the others after finishing the work.

Just letting Enyu go but leaving a mark on his face, this couldn't be correctly interpreted as "releasing". If they were really releasing them, why would there be a need to leave a mark?

Leaving a mark - it's clear they plan to capture them again.

As for what they plan to do after capturing them?

Taking into account the important ghost object the evil spirits were welcoming, Xiao Mu thought that the only reason they didn't consume Enyu and the others who worked for them as blood food was likely because they wanted to offer them as sacrifices to the significant being, no, the ghost object they were welcoming?

He cast a glance at Enyu.

Enyu, clearly unaware of the danger he was in, was still complacently chatting with Xu Qingyuan about the funny story about Wallpaper Master Li San.

Xiao Mu silently shook his head, choosing not to elaborate on anything.

Yet, hearing Enyu say, "I specifically came over to check if there was an altar in your courtyard. Now that there isn't one, I feel relieved."

"Huh! Strange, why has the temperature here dropped so much? It feels pretty cold. Qingyuan, since you have a guest, I won't disturb you. Let's talk some other time."

While bidding farewell to Xu Qingyuan, he waved at Xiao Mu and then left.

"Mr. Mu, what should we do now? Enyu also mentioned building an altar at my house…"

After Enyu left, Xu Qingyuan was feeling restless and anxious as he looked at Xiao Mu.

He was starting to worry. Even though he didn't see any altar in his courtyard, Enyu's comments had completely obliterated his last shred of hope.

What Mr. Mu said was right, something indeed happened at his house. To make things worse, his dreams were not mere dreams, they were actual events.

Xiao Mu, too, couldn't immediately figure out what had happened given the numerous, messy clues. After some thought he said, "Mr. Xu, in that case, you can start by showing me around your courtyard. I'll check to see whether there's any altar, and if there is, where it might be."

"Oh, right. You were brought to the altar in your dream last night, do you still remember where it was?"

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