Chapter 686: Abandoned House Night Banquet

The Wei Manor was vast, with several luxuriously decorated areas. However, it was now uninhabited. In a deep part of the back garden, a large house was lit up. Through the cracks in the doors and windows and the torn paper screens, blurry figures could be seen inside.

Although the small paper crane was tiny, it flew swiftly. No sooner had it left Ji Yuan's side than it arrived at the lit-up mansion. The entire process was silent. It finally landed on a windowsill outside, peeking through a hole in the broken window paper. Inside, it was bustling, and guests were continuously entering through a small door at the back.

Inside, a large round table was laden with many delicious dishes. People were moving chairs and stools, and others were carrying warm basins, adjusting the charcoal fire.

"Come, come, straighten the chairs." "Put the warm basin here, and another one over there."

The person bustling around inside was a rather plump man with a fair complexion and a small mustache, his face beaming with smiles.

"Hahahaha, I'm late, brother!"

A man emerged from the small back door, jogging with a hunched posture. When he reached the main door, he straightened up and bowed to the people inside.

"Hahahaha, you're right on time, perfect! Not late at all, please come in, quickly, please come in."

"A small token of my esteem, it's roasted meat from Hongfu Restaurant!"

"Brother's gift is just perfect for the occasion, hahaha, absolutely perfect! Please come in!"

From greetings to bows, the people inside and outside performed every courtesy flawlessly. However, to the little paper crane, it all seemed incredibly strange. The oddest thing was their posture when walking, specifically how the person outside, while bowing, instinctively bit the rope tied around the gift to free their hands for the gesture.

"Uncle, I'm here! Look what I've brought!"

Another person, appearing as a young, robust man dressed in a brocade robe woven from silk, excitedly approached from outside, carrying a jar in each hand and joyfully shaking them.

"I can already smell the wine! We were short on drinks today, so you've arrived at the perfect time, come on in!"

"Coming, coming!"

The guests already present, combined with those who arrived gradually, numbered twenty to thirty in total. Most of them carried or held items in their mouths, primarily food. Occasionally, someone arrived empty-handed. In such cases, the other guests inside would immediately show displeasure, but after the usual pleasantries, they still invited the person in; no one was ever turned away.

As the number of people grew, the lively atmosphere inside quickly neared its peak, and the banquet was about to begin.

The little paper crane pressed its two wings against the sides of the window hole, its tiny head poking through to observe the scene intently. The large round table was indeed bigger than usual, but it could accommodate at most twelve people. Yet, nearly thirty individuals inside were all squeezed around it, making for a truly comical sight.

Even more exaggerated was the sight of these twenty to thirty seemingly elegantly dressed people, gathered before a table overflowing with delicious food and fine wine, drooling as if they had never seen such a feast before.

"Well then, let's start eating!"

"Great!" "Let's eat, let's eat!" "I've been waiting for you to say that."

"Eat, eat, eat! I want a chicken leg." "Me too!"

"Pour the wine, pour the wine!"

In an instant, twenty to thirty people reached for the table with their chopsticks, grabbing the dishes they wanted. Some even used their hands, eating with exaggerated gusto. Wine jars were passed around, as everyone vied to pour their own drinks.

Ji Yuan walked at a leisurely pace, as if taking a stroll, until he reached the exterior of the back garden area. From a distance, he saw the grand hall of the mansion brightly lit, bustling with activity. The clinking of cups and the sounds of drinking games mingled with the rich aroma of food and wine.

Jin Jia followed silently behind Ji Yuan, his eyes, which rarely blinked, seemed to reflect not only the lamplight but also a different kind of aura.

"Do you see it?"

"To my lord, they are all demonic creatures."

Ji Yuan shook his head.

"Demons they may be, but not necessarily evil. At most, they're petty thieves. Come, let's pay them a visit."

Having grown accustomed to the rampant demons and malevolent creatures causing harm in Zu Yue Land, Ji Yuan found the scene tonight quite amusing.

With that thought, Ji Yuan led Jin Jia directly to the front door of the mansion. He glanced at the little paper crane perched on the window nearby, smiled, and then gently knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

The knocking sound, though not loud, resonated throughout the house. The twenty to thirty people, who had been eating and drinking boisterously, instantly froze. The transition from lively chatter to complete silence took less than a breath, revealing their sharp reactions.

"Uh, someone's knocking?"

"It sounds like it..." "I don't smell anything..."

"Knock, knock, knock..."

The knocking from outside resumed, and everyone inside exchanged glances.

"Should we open the door?"

The plump man who had been bustling around inside put down the half-eaten chicken leg in his hand, wiped his hands on the edge of the table, and said,

"Quickly, tidy yourselves up! I'll open the door!"

Hearing this, the people inside looked at their own eating manners, quickly sat up straight, righted the overturned chairs, and wiped the grease from their hands on their clothes.

By this time, the plump man had reached the door, straightened his attire, and peered through a hole in the door's paper screen. He saw a scholar with a relaxed demeanor and a tall, powerful attendant. After mentally rehearsing his words, he opened the door.

"Creak."

The moment the door opened, the bright moonlight streaming in from outside seemed to briefly overpower the lamplight within. But upon closer inspection, the exterior light was clearly dimmer than inside, leading them to dismiss their initial impression as an illusion.

"Uh, who might you be, sir? Is there something you need, coming here so late?"

The plump man first bowed to Ji Yuan, then, with a kind expression, quietly asked his questions. Inside, everyone's eyes eerily watched the doorway, yet total silence reigned.

To an ordinary person, such a scene would undoubtedly be unnerving, but Ji Yuan was unfazed. He simply scanned the room, then gently bowed in return to the plump man before him.

"My surname is Ji. I've traveled from afar to Lu Ping City, but as night has fallen, the city gates are closed. Seeing this large manor, I initially hoped to find lodging, but discovered it was desolate. I never expected to find lights in the back garden, so I came to investigate. If I have caused any disturbance, I beg the master of the house to be lenient! If it's convenient, might I impose for a night's stay?"

As Ji Yuan spoke, his peripheral vision caught sight of the messy state of the table and the oil stains on most of the clothes of the many people inside, which he found amusing.

"Uh, well, sir, if you wish to stay, you can simply find any place to rest..."

The plump man and almost everyone inside focused a third of their attention on Ji Yuan and two-thirds on Jin Jia. Even in his current state, and despite his displayed vital energy not being as strong as a martial arts master's, Jin Jia still exuded an undeniable sense of pressure.

"Oh, and if you two are hungry, please feel free to join our banquet. As the saying goes, a guest from afar is a valued friend..."

"Then I shall respectfully accept your kind offer!"

Without waiting for the other man to finish, Ji Yuan stepped inside, followed by Jin Jia. Those nearest the entrance instinctively retreated, making room and offering several chairs near Ji Yuan and Jin Jia.

Ji Yuan's Dharma Eye had already scanned everyone in the room, clearly discerning their true nature: a large den of foxes, the most common type of animal spirits.

These foxes were, of course, not fully transformed demon spirits. They had merely conjured human forms, and beneath their clothes and skirts, their fox tails could not be fully concealed, only hidden beneath their garments.

"Excellent, excellent, a table full of delicious food, oh, and fine wine too!"

Ji Yuan walked to the table, glanced at the spread, reached out, and pulled off a relatively clean chicken wing, bringing it to his mouth and taking a few bites.

At this point, the plump man returned. Seeing the reproachful glances from the others inside, he tried to smooth things over.

"Everyone, please sit, sit down. Carry on, carry on. Come, come, pour some wine for our guests!"

With those words, everyone reluctantly sat back down. Fortunately, Ji Yuan didn't take a seat, simply standing to the side and eating his chicken wing, while the tall Jin Jia remained perfectly still behind him.

"Sir, a toast to you." "And you, brave warrior, please drink."

The plump man offered two wine cups. Ji Yuan smiled and took one directly, while Jin Jia, arms hanging at his sides, stared expressionlessly with a cold, sidelong glance, not moving an inch. His gaze became increasingly terrifying the longer one looked. The plump man standing beside Jin Jia swallowed hard, not daring to even breathe.

By this time, Ji Yuan had already drained his cup. Because of Jin Jia, the plump man remained frozen in place. The others, sensing the awkward atmosphere, grew quiet again, their already hushed whispers ceasing entirely.

Suddenly, a powerful, fierce barking sound erupted from the direction of the window.

"Woof woof woof... Woof woof woof woof..."

"Ah!" "A dog—"

"Oh no..." "Run!"

"Clatter..." "Bang..."

In an instant, everyone inside scattered in panic. Some flung open a small side door and tumbled out, while others even lunged forward directly. Mid-air, their clothes shriveled, and out from them sprang individual foxes, who then leaped into the darkness outside and fled. In just three breaths' time, the room was empty.

Ji Yuan turned his head towards the window, where the little paper crane's head, extended into the room, was tilted. The barking sounds had all been courtesy of the small paper crane; it knew Hu Yun was afraid of dog barks, and judging by the reactions of those inside, many foxes likely shared that fear.

"You haven't said a word, but you've learned a lot of mischief!"

As Ji Yuan chuckled and chided, someone in front of him spoke with a tearful voice.

"Wuwu... Sir, no, great, great master, I have never done anything wicked or harmful! Please spare me, spare my life..."

The plump man remained standing before Ji Yuan. It wasn't that he didn't want to run; in fact, he was one of the quickest reacting foxes. But he couldn't escape because Ji Yuan's foot was currently on his fox tail.