Chapter 14: Stealing Again
In less than a quarter of an hour, Ming Ji returned to the inn with Er Ya.
The second-floor tea room was a place specifically for VIPs to hold discussions.
Thinking of the earlier events, Ming Ji asked the waiter for a room there as well.
When everyone saw Ming Ji return, bringing the woman from earlier with him, their expressions varied wildly.
Ming Ji, however, was calm and composed as the clouds and breeze. He introduced her to his disciples very naturally: “She is Er Ya.”
Just hearing the name felt casual and rustic, but these were men of breeding. Although they felt it was strange, they didn’t say much.
Guan Yuce, however, couldn’t hold back the words in his heart. He glanced at Er Ya first, his speech stuttering a bit. “She, she is…”
He wanted to ask if she was the thief from earlier, but felt it would be offensive. Holding back until his face turned red, he changed to a more suitable address. “Is she the girl from just now?”
“Yes,” Ming Ji responded. “From now on, she will travel with us.”
Wei Zixi felt something was fishy immediately, his mind spinning a thousand times.
This girl looks like nothing more than an ordinary mortal. Why is Master so concerned with her?
Yan Shiman and Chu Yunduan thought the same, but for the moment, neither spoke.
Ming Ji frowned slightly as he assessed the situation. Feeling it was improper for his disciples to remain standing, he told them to sit.
He pondered for a moment, his eyes thoughtful, but on the surface, he asked casually, “I see you likely roam the streets often… do you know anything about the recent disappearances of many young ladies?”
Hearing this, Er Ya instantly perked up. She mixed in the marketplace and naturally knew everything, big or small.
And from her observation just now, the person in front of her was generous and had an extraordinary temperament…
Er Ya rolled her eyes, and a decision formed in her heart.
A smile rose on her face, and she even adopted a Jianghu style, clasping her fists in greeting. “Disrespect, disrespect. So you are Immortals.”
“You are quite sharp.” Wei Zixi spoke up then, lowering his eyes, his intentions unclear.
Er Ya laughed heartily, her face full of smiles, continuing to flatter: “The Immortal praises me too much. This humble girl has just seen a lot, hence the guess.”
Saying this, she pinched her chin in a feigned thoughtful pose. “The disappearances the Immortal spoke of… I have indeed heard of them.”
“I heard it is an extremely vicious ghost catching many women. These people all have beautiful appearances.”
Ming Ji said, “We know all this. Tell us something we don’t know.”
Er Ya seemed to remember something and suddenly pointed at Ming Ji, laughing. “Right, that ghost loves to catch good-looking people like the Immortal Venerable.”
Ming Ji pursed his lips helplessly but said nothing.
He, the Master, had a good temper, but Ming Ji’s disciples were not so easily fooled.
Especially Wei Zixi, whose gaze toward Er Ya had turned somewhat cold, causing her to subconsciously swallow.
Afraid they would really pursue the matter, Er Ya had to change the subject. “Actually, a few cultivators came here before, also to catch this ghost.”
“But, within a month, they all disappeared. What’s more terrifying is…”
Guan Yuce was also entranced by the story. He quickly asked, “Is what?”
Er Ya looked around as if wary of something. Remembering this was a private tea room, she patted her chest in relief.
But she still couldn’t completely relax. She lowered her voice and said, “Those women disappeared without any trace of a corpse.”
“I heard this news from others too. I heard… a few days ago, a fisherman felt something heavy on his hook and thought he had caught some big fish.”
“As a result, it was several corpses!”
Thinking of something, her face showed fear, her body trembled, and her teeth chattered. “The bodies were swollen from the water. When the fisherman pulled them up and looked, he realized in horror that they had no face skin!”
Wei Zixi was young. Hearing this mystical narration, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “If you set up a theater troupe and became a storyteller, you would surely make a fortune.”
Seeing they didn’t believe her, Er Ya said angrily, “These are all true! Don’t be careless. I was just afraid you’d go and never return, so I reminded you.”
Ming Ji had listened quietly the whole time. Regardless of how exciting the story was, his expression didn’t change at all. He simply took an ingot of silver from his purse.
He handed it to Er Ya and spoke faintly, “Thank you. A girl of your age should love beauty. Use this money to buy some clothes.”
Er Ya stared at the heavy silver in her hand for a moment, then lowered her head.
From an angle no one could see, her eyes flashed with hesitation and conflict. As if making up her mind again, she looked up with a cheerful smile. “Thank you, Immortal Venerable.”
“En.” Ming Ji glanced sideways at the sky. Thinking it was getting late, he said to the group, “The hour is late. You all go rest.”
Yan Shiman, considering himself the eldest disciple, was very active at this moment.
He smiled and said, “Master, Er Ya is a girl. Why not let her sleep in my room, and I will stay with Master?”
Chu Yunduan seized the chance to speak: “Master, my room gets good sunlight and the bed is large. Why doesn’t Master stay with me?”
Wei Zixi first glared coldly at the two, then looked at Ming Ji with a well-behaved expression. “Master, take my room. I can just sleep on the floor.”
Guan Yuce listened to their dragon-tiger struggle, confused. He couldn’t help thinking: When cultivators visit the human race, do they fight to live with their Master?
He had a flash of inspiration, thinking he had come up with an excellent idea.
“Why don’t we all live together!”
Regardless of how lively the room was, Ming Ji didn’t say much.
He just raised his eyes slightly, and under everyone’s expectant gaze, said softly, “Er Ya will sleep in the room I had before. I will stay in the tea room.”
Everyone’s faces looked ugly for a moment. Just as they wanted to say something, Ming Ji stopped them. “I have long practiced inedia and do not need rest.”
Hearing she had a place to stay, Er Ya scratched her head embarrassedly and chuckled. “Then many thanks to the Immortal.”
At night, everyone felt somewhat tired and turned off the lights to sleep.
But not everyone was asleep—for instance, a sneaky figure.
Holding a dim candle, she first quietly opened her door, then tiptoed to the tea room.
Afraid something might be wrong, she bent over and peeked her head in. Only when she saw the Immortal meditating with closed eyes did her suspended heart slowly drop.
This person was Er Ya. Perhaps used to stealing silver from wealthy merchants, she hunched her waist skillfully and reached Ming Ji in a few moves.
Er Ya spotted the bulging purse on the table at a glance. Her eyes lit up, and without hesitation, she grabbed it.
Delighted with her success, she turned carefully to leave.
What Er Ya didn’t know was—cultivators wouldn’t fail to notice such small movements.
“What are you doing?” A male voice interrupted Er Ya’s next move, causing her body to stiffen subconsciously.
Aside from Guan Yuce, who was sleeping like the dead, Wei Zixi, Yan Shiman, and Chu Yunduan all appeared at the door, staring coldly at Er Ya.
She was startled but forced a laugh. Reacting quickly, she hid the hand holding the purse behind her back. “I wasn’t doing anything.”
“Master treats you so well, yet you have the heart to repay kindness with enmity and steal his money?” Wei Zixi stared coldly at Er Ya.
Er Ya didn’t speak. Holding onto a sliver of unrealistic fantasy, she slowly turned her head.
She saw Ming Ji open those beautiful eyes. His expression remained calm, clearly unsurprised by Er Ya’s theft.
Er Ya laughed. The purse she was holding fell to the ground with a thud.
Finally, she turned fully, looked calmly at Ming Ji, and said, “You discovered it long ago.”
Ming Ji didn’t deny it, looking at her faintly.
In this silent affirmation, Er Ya knew the answer. She showed no intention of repenting and said, “I was never a good person to begin with.”
“Besides, you have so much wealth, you won’t miss these few pieces of silver.”
Wei Zixi was a spirited young man. Seeing this woman speak so bluntly without shame or repentance, the fire in his heart flared up instantly.
” just because Master has money, you can steal it? You have sound hands and feet; why repay kindness with enmity and commit theft?”
“Ha… Hahaha.” The fawning smile on Er Ya’s face was gone. Hearing Wei Zixi’s accusation, she laughed uncontrollably.
She seemed a bit mad. Bending down, she picked up the gold-threaded purse she had dropped and examined it closely before her eyes.
“Truly good material. Just the fabric of this purse is enough for me to live on for several years.”
Er Ya gave a cold snort and suddenly threw the purse back onto the ground.
As if venting the dissatisfaction in her heart, she stomped on it fiercely, staining it with dust. “You cultivators are the most hypocritical.”
“Clearly, you have never suffered in the cultivation world, yet you can stand on the high ground and accuse me.”
Wei Zixi and the others wanted to stop her action, but glancing sideways, they saw Ming Ji shake his head silently, signaling them not to act rashly.
Er Ya finally finished venting. Surprisingly, this dissatisfaction quickly turned into helplessness, and tears flowed from her eyes.
“You cultivators have enjoyed fine clothes and food since childhood; have you ever experienced hunger and cold?”
Er Ya’s voice choked. Her fingers trembled as she wiped the hot tears away.
“Have you ever experienced picking up a spoiled, dirty bun from the ground and forcing yourself to swallow it?”
“You say I have sound hands and feet, but how hard is the world for women? How would you men know!”
Er Ya slowly closed her eyes, her voice low and helpless. “How could I not want to be a good person?”
The disciples were stunned. They hadn’t expected this situation. Their lips moved, but they didn’t know what to say.
Unlike the others, Ming Ji revealed a gentle and clear expression that dazzled everyone.
“Since that is the case, let me take you to see…”
“A wider world.”
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