Black Greed

FORTY ONE

"We need the Yiling Patriarch's help!"

"Let's try summoning his soul..."

"Too many greedy scums..." Wei MeiLan murmured as she strolled the streets to survey. "It seems like, people won't change even if someone tries to drill change to their heads."

She wouldn't come out of the valley if one of the residents in there asked for her help. Some of the people around the area are dying because of a certain case, which she doesn't want to interfere but since every person are afraid of going out at night, her business won't flourish and they won't get information.

Turns out it need a help from powerful cultivators.

Apparently, there's a corpse attacking at the Mo Village, the nearest village of the establishment she built. Every night, it flourish with people drinking and having fun, easier for them to obtain information. But with the rampage of a corpse, people fears to stay up late in fear of being the next victim.

"Dao Zi, is there any cultivator wants to handle this case?" Wei MeiLan didn't hesitated and asked the person manning the reception. The man is in early thirties, lively enough amd easier to approach.

"The Gusu Lan sent some young cultivators to deal with the case, Hanguang-Jun is traveling somewhere and ZeWu-Jun is handling some affairs," The man said.

"Lan Huan shoved kids for this case? Is he serious?" She asked with disbelief on face.

"Erm, they already went to the mansion of the Mo family, so I think—"

"Wait, did you just say 'Mo?' Are you sure?"

The man nodded. "The head of the Mo family welcomed them as soon as they heard the news of arrival."

Wei MeiLan groaned. "Is there any good news? I don't want to deal with a bad one to start my day."

"I'm so sorry, Chief. We barely get ahold of any information because of fear at going out at night." Dao Zi scratched his head.

She sighed. "It's fine. It's just, why the kids? I told him to take it seriously. I'll just come there later at night then. Is there any quiet place to stay for today?"

"Oh yes, you have a room in here in case you come. Usually it's the cultivators who uses it since it's quiet."

"Thanks, Dao Zi."

When the night falls, she headed towards the Mo mansion on her own pace until she saw a light flare with a Lan sign, asking for assistance.

She managed to  reach the courtyard where the flare came from, but she was quite late. Several corpses are fighting a corpse hand.

"Wei Ying..." She mumbled.

The last corpse was being overpowered, leaving her no choice but join the fray. As soon as she swung her hand to release a thread of power, a blue aura washed over too towards the hand from the opposite side with a harmonic sound. Gentle yet powerful.

"Lan WangJi!" Wei MeiLan called.

A man in white robes holding a zither nodded in acknowledgement. "Sister-in-law."

"If you have time to call me that, where the hell have you been?" She asked as she released her whip coated with her cultivation.

All corpses that has been manipulated had fallen down already. Despite of being fresh corpses, they didn't last for a day.

"What a waste. I guess he's not adjusting to the body yet." She murmured as she whipped her weapon towards the hand.

Hanguang-Jun played Eradication tone to subdue every corpses, including the evil hand. The evil hand didn't stood a chance from the golden aura and the tone, completely unable to move.

"Hanguang-Jun!" The kids of Gusu Lan clan greeted. They also greeted her but since they don't know her, they gave her a salute.

"Can someone shove this thing to a bag? I don't want to deal with this problem." Wei MeiLan asked.

"Thank you for the assistance,  madame..." A boy with gentle manners asked.

"Wei MeiLan."

The kids stared at one another. Then stared at her black robes embroidered with Gusu Lan symbol.

"Why is her robes are of different color?" A boy with loud attitude asked. The boy who asked her name nudged him to keep his mouth from asking much.

"What brings you here, sister-in-law?"

"My establishment isn't getting any information and money. It seems like Lan Huan gave this matter to the kids. He needs a scolding," She crossed her arms. "What's your name?"

She asked the boy who asked her name. "I'm Lan SiZhui, Lady Wei."

"Wei... Wei WuXian!" The loud boy muttered.

"Do you have issues with my brother, young lad?" She asked, startling everyone except Lan WangJi.

"B-brother? You use that cultivation too?"

That made Wei MeiLan raise an eyebrow. "It's your lucky night, kid. It seems like you hadn't memorised and integrated the thousands of rules of Gusu Lan compared to my brother. If we're back there I'll make you run on the forest with weights on and write the rules three thousand times."

"I apologize, I didn't mean to step out of line, Lady Wei. But you are wearing—"

She smirked. "It's for us to know, and for you to find out. I'll find out your names when I return to Gusu. Lan SiZhui, tell Hanguang-Jun of what has transpired here. I'll be going now."

"Sister-in-law," Lan WangJi called out. "There's a hunt in Daquan Mountain."

"Hunt? Why am I not..." She scrunched her eyebrows in deep thinking. "Jin Ling did mention it once. Alright, I'll try to come there too, I believe A'Cheng is supervising him. Where's Mo XuanYu?"

"I think he escaped," Lan SiZhui answered.

Relief passed in her face. "That's a good news then. I'm leaving him to your care, Lan WangJi."

Hanguang-Jun didn't pry more and just nodded.

"I'm sure he's not going to cause trouble much for you, but if he does, well you know what to do."