Facing the villagers’ subtle questioning, Peng Xuan didn’t rush to explain. Instead, he first looked at Luo Yingbai, his expression complex – definitely not resentful, but not particularly happy either. His eyes flickered with an incomprehensible light.
Someone asked, “Yang Ping, do you feel okay?”
After his reminder, Yang Ping finally reacted: “This… my belly has flattened? The ghost fetus is gone! Dad, Mom, did you see? Am I really back to normal? Is this real?!”
Her family was also stunned, suddenly overjoyed, first rushing to touch her belly, then turning to Luo Yingbai to express their gratitude.
But after thanking him, they saw Peng Xuan standing nearby and became somewhat at a loss.
—No matter what, Peng Xuan had helped them selflessly many times before, and these people’s trust and reverence for Peng Xuan was deeply rooted. Although Luo Yingbai had instantly cured the illness with just one encounter… could this strange young man really be trusted?
Seeing that he didn’t seem to have a good relationship with Master Peng, they wondered if he was using some kind of demonic trick to deceive them.
A few people secretly observed Peng Xuan’s expression, and after much deliberation, still felt he was more trustworthy than Luo Yingbai. So while they smiled, it appeared somewhat forced.
Peng Xuan, reading their mood, quickly understood everyone’s mindset. The complex and sad expression on his face vanished in an instant. Facing everyone’s suspicious looks, he suddenly laughed and said, “Senior brother, I know leaving the sect back then was my fault. It’s natural for you to be angry. But if this ghost fetus were to be born, it would no longer have any impact on her. Forcibly removing the ghost qi midway would cost the mother half her lifespan…”
When he said this, Yang Ping’s mother was shocked and immediately interrupted, demanding, “What did you say? Is this true?!”
Peng Xuan said regretfully, “Ah, I’ve implicated you. I have some past grievances with my senior brother, but senior brother, you shouldn’t vent our personal grudges on innocent people. Now that you’ve harmed her like this, how will she manage in the future?”
The two senior and junior brothers exchanged glances, both knowing that Peng Xuan was talking nonsense. What he relied on was the trust he had painstakingly accumulated in this village. The villagers lacked the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood, but hearing Peng Xuan speak so eloquently, they inevitably leaned towards him emotionally.
With geographical and human advantages on his side, Luo Yingbai knew that explaining was useless and let Peng Xuan speak. Only then did he slowly say, “Are you done?”
His expression was indifferent, making his appearance even more cold and aloof. This look made Peng Xuan involuntarily recall moonlight in winter during their childhood – cold, pale, yet always lofty.
Luo Yingbai seemed to be waiting for something, and after a moment added, “If you’re done, it’s my turn. This performance of ours would be no fun with fewer audience members.”
Peng Xuan suddenly felt something was wrong. At this moment, a commotion came from outside, and the courtyard gate was pushed open, with many people rushing in.
Qian Weyi was stunned, asking half a question in surprise before swallowing the rest. He never expected Luo Yingbai to directly state his age, as it had been a long time since an uninformed person could guess correctly.
However, even so, he was still very grateful to Peng Xuan for at least reducing his suffering. But now, that deeply rooted belief suddenly wavered, and Qian Weyi looked at Luo Yingbai: “What do you mean?
” Luo Yingbai bit his finger, causing blood to seep from the fingertip, which he directly touched on Qian Weyi’s forehead. In that instant, Qian Weyi felt a sudden, intense pain in his head and couldn’t help but cry out, “Ah!” The people around were startled by his cry, but fortunately, the pain quickly disappeared. He looked at Luo Yingbai furiously and roared, “What the hell are you doing!” After shouting, the people around began to cry out in surprise: “Insects! Insects! Oh my god, how terrifying!” Qian Weyi felt an itching under his nose and reached to touch it, but Luo Yingbai threw a small mirror he had somehow acquired into his arms. Instinctively picking it up, Qian Weyi was shocked to see two black insects crawling out of his nostrils. They had horns on their heads and were about the length of a caterpillar, with an additional shell covering their bodies. These two insects quickly crawled to his forehead, eager to drink Luo Yingbai’s drop of blood. Qian Weyi was stunned, and the crowd around him gasped and murmured. — Qian Weyi’s aged appearance was visibly recovering at an incredible speed. In just a few minutes, his white hair turned black, wrinkles faded, and his sagging skin regained its elasticity, as if time was reversing and youth was being reset! Qian Weyi looked at the mirror, then at himself, forgetting to remove the insects from his face. “
The two small insects, after sucking a bit of Luo Yingbai’s blood, immediately stiffened and fell straight down. Qian Weyi’s legs went weak, and he knelt before Luo Yingbai. Luo Yingbai said, “Don’t rush to kneel to me, I haven’t finished speaking. Recently, your wife has also shown symptoms similar to yours, so you brought her to see ‘Master Peng’. But do you know how you got this illness?”
Qian Weyi was stunned. His wife, who was about to support him, suddenly drew back her hand as if burned. Qian Weyi was full of suspicion and begged Luo Yingbai to explain clearly.
Luo Yingbai answered his question, but his eyes were fixed on Peng Ze, coldly laughing: “These insects are called ‘Age Eaters’, they like to live in people’s brains and consume essence. But they are very difficult to survive. Unless someone intentionally nurtures and introduces them, they could never successfully burrow into your brain. You’ve betrayed your sect and come here to be a charlatan?”
Qian Weyi was terrified, trembling as he asked, “So you mean—” Luo Yingbai looked at him, then spoke to Qian Weyi’s wife: “Your symptoms are similar yet different to his. While you both suffer from splitting headaches, his appearance aged, but you haven’t. Instead, you’ve developed many red spots on your hands and feet. The reason for this is…”
Qian Weyi’s wife was so frightened she tried to hide her hands, but the observant crowd had already seen the red spots.
