Chapter 20: Something's Amiss Here

At the Ji residence's entrance.

Deluk and Noel, unsurprisingly, were stopped by the doorman.

But perhaps impressed by their distinguished appearance, the doorman was exceptionally polite.

"Excuse me sir, may I see your invitation?"

Of course, Deluk didn't have an invitation.

He shook his head.

"Could you please tell Kiana Ji, the second young mistress, that I'm here to return something?"

'Kiana Ji?'

Hearing the name Deluk mentioned, the doorman's eyes widened in surprise, and he scrutinized Deluk more closely.

"Are you a Taoist priest?"

The doorman inquired.

"Sort of, you could say that."

Hearing the response, the doorman's face darkened suddenly, as if he had swallowed a fly. His polite demeanor vanished, and he began shooing them away.

"Go on, get out! The Ji family doesn't welcome you, and the second young mistress certainly won't. Off with you!"

Just as Deluk was shut out without a chance to react, a mocking male voice came from behind.

"You wandering charlatans never quit, do you? Heard some tale about the second young mistress and now you're here to bother her every day."

The speaker was a young man in his twenties, dressed in a luxurious purple robe, indicating wealth and high status. Beside him were two fawning attendants who echoed their master's disdain.

One mocked, "The second young mistress is of such a high standing, and you? She's a real deity, while you're just some stinking priest. You're worlds apart!"

"The way I see it," chimed in the other, "the second young mistress is just too kind-hearted. Otherwise, she should have used her magic to punish you greedy priests trying to meddle with divine powers!"

At this, the doorman, who had first chased them away, lit up. He left Deluk and hurried towards the man in purple, smiling obsequiously, "Ah, if it isn't young master Wang! Please, come in."

The two families obviously had a deep connection.

Young Master Wang glanced disdainfully at Deluk, snorted coldly, and strode into the residence with his hands clasped behind his back.

If it weren't for the Ji family's celebratory day, he would have had his men beat up this stinking priest.

Deluk remained calm in the face of these insults.

But Noel was furious. Muttering under her breath, she tugged at her master's sleeve, "Master, let's not bother. Let's go!"

The doorman, seeing the situation, sighed with a sense of helplessness and tried to persuade kindly, "Master Taoist, it's not that I don't want to help you, but everyone in Luoyang City knows that Miss Second detests Taoists. Please, try to understand my position."

"I suggest you leave quickly. Let's not even mention that Miss Second isn't home right now. Even if she were, it's unlikely she'd agree to meet you."

As the doorman spoke, he gestured again for Deluk to leave.

But Deluk didn't heed the advice and stood still, his gaze fixed on a familiar-looking carriage slowly approaching.

It was the same carriage they had encountered on the official road, the one belonging to the lady who had offered Noel pastries.

Noel noticed it too. Clinging to her master's arm, she whispered, "Master, that carriage looks familiar. Isn't it the one I accidentally hit with a stone?"

Deluk glanced down at her with a smirk, "You still have the nerve to mention that?"

The little girl playfully stuck out her tongue.

The doorman, overhearing their conversation, glared at them, then scrambled to the roadside, awaiting the carriage's arrival.

The carriage soon stopped at the entrance.

A woman, as white as snow, alighted.

Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her teeth and lips stood out brightly, her figure graceful as if she had stepped out of a painting.

Passersby on the street halted in their tracks, turning to look with expressions of amazement and longing.

Someone whispered to their companion, "With such an elegant and noble demeanor, she must be the rumored Miss Kiana"

Bystanders marveled, feeling fortunate to witness such beauty in their lifetime.

Seizing the opportunity, the doorman whispered something to her and pointed towards Deluk at the door.

When Kiana looked up and saw Noel, her eyes lit up.

However, her brows furrowed slightly when she noticed Deluk holding the little girl's hand.

She strode over, tall and imposing with an untouchable aura.

Without acknowledging Deluk, she first reached out to pat Noel's head.

"Call me sister."

Her voice was clear and pleasant.

Surrounded by so many onlookers, Noel wasn't shy and obediently called out, "Sister!"

The woman's lips curved into a smile.

Then she turned to Deluk, her eyes lingering on his face for a moment, revealing a brief, almost imperceptible daze. Kiana recovered quickly, probably too fast for anyone to notice.

She was surprised internally, never expecting to find someone half as handsome as her in this world.

And that someone was a man!

A stinking Taoist, no less!

"Miss Kiana, good evening," Deluk spoke first, breaking the silence in the air.

Kiana gathered her thoughts, nodded slightly, and then turned to walk towards the main entrance.

She casually said, "The banquet is about to start, come on in first."

Deluk took Noel's hand and followed her inside.

They entered one after the other.

The doorman couldn't help but scratch his head, wondering what was going on. Could this Taoist priest really have a past with the second young mistress?

Thinking this, he felt a chill of fear.

Fortunately, he hadn't offended the priest too much earlier and just hoped the Taoist wouldn't hold a grudge.

...

...

Upon entering the residence, they were greeted by artificial mountains and greenery, with beautifully carved beams and painted rafters everywhere.

Servants and maids bustled about.

At a crossroads, Kiana stopped, "I need to go to the backyard. You just follow this cobblestone path straight ahead, walk through the garden, and sit in the front hall for a while, then wait peacefully for the meal."

She thought Deluk was just there to freeload a meal.

As for the 'important thing' he mentioned, Kiana found it amusing.

It was just some pastries, what's there to fuss about?

Most likely, it was just an excuse the young Taoist made up to sneak in and see the world.

But she didn't feel like exposing him, considering the adorable little girl with him.

As long as he behaved, nobody in the Ji mansion would purposely target him. After all, what was one more pair of chopsticks in such a grand City Lord's mansion?

But Deluk didn't see it that way.

He watched Kiana's retreating figure and called out to her, kindly warning.

"I sense a demonic aura surging in the backyard. Please be careful, Miss Kiana."

Hearing this, Kiana Ji turned around, her face showing annoyance. She said irritably, "Don't you know that today is my sister's wedding day?"

Deluk nodded, "I heard a bit about it at the inn."

Kiana then asked, "Don't you know that there are rumors out there saying I possess immortal techniques, that I'm a high-level cultivator who has attained immortality?"

Seeing Deluk nod again, she laughed in exasperation.

"So, knowing this, you still dare to spout nonsense about demonic auras in front of me?"

Kiana Ji's expression turned cold, "The people in the backyard now are my sister in her bridal attire and my mother. Even the servants have been sent away."

"According to you, is my mother a demon? Or my sister?"

At this point, Kiana had completely lost interest in the Taoist priest and turned to leave.

She left him with a powerful statement.

"Even if there's something unclean that sneaked in, I can obliterate it in an instant."