"Who are you? By what right are you barging in here? You are forbidden from entering this courtyard!" Xiao Li's voice rose in a frantic scream as she tried to block the path of the intruders.
"I have been summoned by the authority of Elder Madam Bai herself." A man replied, his voice booming with practiced authority.
He was dressed in heavy, traditional monk robes that swept against the ground as he walked.
The monk strode into the private courtyard, followed closely by a group of solemn-faced followers. He immediately began to scan the surroundings, his eyes narrowing as he searched for signs of spiritual corruption. To his initial surprise, he sensed nothing inherently malevolent, the air felt clean, and the garden seemed perfectly ordinary. That was, until his gaze landed on a young lady sitting with an almost offensive level of laziness in the stone gazebo.
In all his years of service, he had never witnessed such a disgraceful lack of decorum from a noble daughter. Usually, young ladies of high-ranking families presented themselves with a modest, rigid grace when meeting strangers, especially a man of the cloth.
However, this girl did not even bother to straighten her posture. She simply leaned back, turned her head slowly, and fixed him with a look of bored indifference that bordered on contempt.
"Xiao Li, step aside and let them in. It is an order from the Old Hag, after all." A languid, uninterested voice rang out.
The monk watched the "possessed" girl as she let out a wide, unhurried yawn, stretching her limbs like a cat as she finally stood up. She looked less like a victim of a demon and more like someone whose nap had been rudely interrupted.
"You are free to perform whatever circus act you wish." Bai Xifeng said, her eyes chillingly sharp despite her sleepy demeanor. "But let me make one thing perfectly clear, do not lay a finger on Xiao Li, and do not touch me. If you cross that line, I will personally ensure you never stand on your own two feet again."
"Are you indeed the Third Young Miss, Bai Xifeng?" the monk questioned, trying to regain his composure.
"Obviously. Don't you already know who I am? Or did you lose your memory on the way here?" Bai Xifeng yawned again, her patience wearing thin.
She was still incredibly drowsy after her intense study session with Baishe, not to mention the lack of sleep from her detoxification the night before. All she wanted was for this farce to end so she could crawl back into bed.
"And do you have any idea who I am?" The monk asked, his voice dripping with self-importance.
Bai Xifeng shot him a look of pure disgust. "Do you honestly think I'm an idiot? Your robes are a bit of a dead giveaway, don't you think?" She inwardly sighed. This monk was clearly not the sharpest tool in the shed.
The monk recoiled slightly, taken aback by her biting wit. He quickly convinced himself that this sharp, defiant tongue was proof of the devil hiding within her. He took a deep, steadying breath to center his spiritual energy.
"Young lady, do not be afraid. I am here to liberate your soul from the clutches of the dark forces inhabiting you." The monk declared. He turned to the men behind him, his expression turning grim. "Positions! Form the Star Formation around the girl at once!"
At his command, the men moved with practiced speed, surrounding Bai Xifeng in a precise circular pattern. They stood like pillars, weapons and talismans at the ready, waiting for the signal to strike.
"Begin the rite!" The monk shouted.
Immediately, the air filled with the low, rhythmic drone of a chanting spell. Xiao Li's face paled with terror, and she made a desperate move to rush to her mistress's side, but Bai Xifeng raised a hand, silently signaling for her to stay back.
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