Chapter 70: Unreasonable Trouble

In an instant, I felt their gazes were filled with calculation and ill intentions, as if they wanted to swallow me whole.
The chilling sensation was no less than when a ghost appeared.

“Bing’er, come to Uncle. Uncle doted on you the most when you were little,” a man said to me.

“No, come to me. Auntie will definitely hire the best doctor to cure your amnesia,” another woman said.

They all spoke at once, their words sounding kind and affectionate, but when mixed together, they became a chaotic mess, like the whispering of ghosts.
Their faces also became abstract and sinister.

Just then, Mo Qingyan suddenly stepped in front of me and said, “Today is for conducting a ceremony for the victims. Please, everyone, don’t be in such a hurry to discuss Xia Yubing’s future!”

Her words interrupted the clamor of the relatives, finally allowing me to catch a breath from the suffocating pressure.
But these relatives looked at Mo Qingyan and asked, “Who are you? These two little girls aren’t from the Xia family, are they?”

“I am Xia Yubing’s friend. I was the one who invited the masters for this ceremony,” Mo Qingyan said lightly.

“Nonsense! Outsiders should not interfere in the Xia family’s affairs!”
“To invite people for a ceremony without our consent is simply outrageous!”
“In the end, anyone who isn’t a member of the Xia family shouldn’t even be allowed in!” the relatives exclaimed indignantly.

“Are you the owners of this house?” Mo Qingyan asked calmly.

They were stunned for a moment.
Someone said, bracing themselves, “What if we are? What if we aren’t? Old Xia is dead. As relatives, we of course have to help him handle the funeral arrangements. Unrelated people like you should leave quickly.”

“All I know is that this is Xia Yubing’s home. I am Xia Yubing’s friend, invited by her to accompany her for the ceremony. Since you are not the owners, please do not make decisions on the owner’s behalf,” Mo Qingyan’s simple sentence completely shut them down.

“Insolent! How dare an outsider like you come here and run your mouth!”
“Bing’er, don’t be friends with such an ill-mannered person!”
“That’s right, if there’s to be a ceremony, it should be the Xia family who invites people, not letting her randomly invite a bunch of monks to mess things up!” the Xia family relatives flew into a rage, and their words started to get nasty.

But when the last person mentioned the monks from Mingwang Temple, some of the Xia family relatives’ expressions changed.
They distanced themselves from the one who spoke rashly.
Master Yanming could also hear the argument on our side, and his kind, compassionate face turned grim.

He stopped talking to Officer Li and walked over, holding his staff.
He said, “Benefactors, I can understand your grief over losing your loved ones, but I was invited by Miss Mo to come and conduct a ceremony for all the victims. Please be mindful of your words and actions.”

“What? All the victims?” Surprise appeared on the faces of many Xia family members.
Apparently, the police had not told them before that I intended to hold a ceremony for all the victims.

“Yes, this matter was personally specified by Miss Xia. We have already collected the list of names and belongings of all the victims of this incident, and we have also notified all the victims’ families. Please do not disturb the peace of the deceased,” Officer Li also said.

This time, it was Mo Qingyan’s turn to look at me in surprise.
She also hadn’t expected that I would hold a ceremony for all the victims, especially since some of them had bullied me.

“Nonsense! This is pure nonsense! To hold a ceremony for other dead ghosts on the Xia family’s property is simply preposterous!” some relatives were still full of anger, acting as if it were their own home.
But some of the smarter ones had already distanced themselves and cut ties.

“Benefactor, please watch your words and respect the deceased, otherwise you will surely face retribution! Miss Xia has a compassionate heart and treats all victims equally, holding a ceremony to deliver them. This is an act of compassion, kindness, and virtue. Benefactors, do not speak rashly!” Master Yanming shouted lightly.

There was a natural authority in his voice.
His previously kind face instantly became like a wrathful vajra.
When he said “surely face retribution,” it was as if he was saying, “if you don’t face retribution, I will deliver it to you on behalf of the Buddha.”
He instantly intimidated the few troublemaking Xia family members, who dared not say anything more.

Yi Zhiqiu had said that in his youth, Master Yanming was full of righteous passion, slaying demons everywhere.
It seemed his words were true.
This was more than just righteous passion; it was more like hating evil as one’s enemy.

“Disciples of Mingwang Temple, prepare for the ceremony. Officer Li, please place the list of the deceased and their belongings on the offering table,” Master Yanming said decisively.
His group of monks immediately began preparations with practiced ease.

Some of them set up jeweled banners with colorful cloth fluttering in the courtyard, some hung white cloths in various parts of the mansion, and some carried over an offering table.
This was not just any table I had used as a substitute yesterday, but a real altar used for worship.

They even erected a Buddhist bell in the center of the courtyard.
I was amazed to see these physically strong monks each capable of carrying a bell taller than a person.
Their physical fitness definitely surpassed that of ordinary people.

As for the Xia family members who had been cursing just moments before, they didn’t dare to stop the monks from setting up the ceremony venue in their home.
Some even went over with fawning smiles to help the monks with the setup.

From this, I could see how high the status of monks was.
In fact, I had known since I was young that the status of monks and Daoist priests was very high.
Even foreign priests and imams held high status.
They were treated with courtesy wherever they went.
Temple fairs or Buddhist festivals were always promoted with great fanfare.
Whenever there was construction, a business opening, or an unveiling, people would be invited to perform ceremonies.

I didn’t understand it before, thinking they were just doing it for good luck.
Now I understood.
It was to prevent the harassment of demons and ghosts that they had to invite cultivators to perform ceremonies.

Ordinary people don’t know of the existence of ghosts and monsters and can’t see them.
But when they feel restless, exhausted, face constant setbacks, or even experience some strange things around them, inviting monks and Daoist priests to chant sutras and exorcise evil usually works effectively.
Thus, the status of these clergy members grew higher and higher, as if they were living Buddhas on earth, half-immortals on land.

From the conversation between Officer Li and Master Yanming just now, I also learned that even the police cooperated with the temple.
These monks often helped the police slay demons and monsters.
I estimated that they were all officially licensed and certified.
No matter how resentful these Xia family members were, they didn’t dare to show it.

And so, the preparations for the ceremony proceeded with great vigor.
Soon, the courtyard of the Xia residence was set up as a ceremony venue.

Moreover, the families of other victims began to arrive one after another outside the gate.
The difference between them and the Xia family members was obvious.

These family members were filled with grief.
Some even came crying, grabbing the police and constantly asking about the incident, who the murderer was, and other questions, leaving the police to only offer quiet comfort.

Most of them had just found out about their relatives’ deaths, and they were truly here to mourn the deceased.
That group of Xia family relatives, on the other hand, all seemed to have ulterior motives.