Chapter 84: The Tofu Shop on  Qianmen Street
Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

Upon witnessing Lu Yang’s Shape-Imitating Fist, which transformed him into the spitting image of Barbarian Bone, Lan Ting silently took out a yellow talisman paper.

It’s better to draw a transformation talisman myself.

This is indeed a sect famous for its ingenuity and spells, disguising through martial arts as a form of transformation. Such an act requires a profound understanding of spells to achieve.

It seems Lu Yang has reached the realm of understanding beyond the superficial layers of spells, directly grasping their essence. Among their peers, Lan Ting believed no one surpassed Lu Yang in spell mastery.

Lu Yang then remembered that Lan Ting had also intended to use tiger skins for talisman crafting, indicating her proficiency in the field of talisman drawing.

Pointing to her eyes, Lan Ting said, “My eyes are somewhat unique, sensitive to patterns, able to discern the core of talismans and the critical points of formations naturally. I excel in drawing talismans and setting up formations.”

“However, my focus is mainly on talisman crafting; my knowledge of formations is only superficial.”

Lan Ting’s modesty belied her exceptional talent, a gift that would undoubtedly take her far in the realms of talismans and formations, envied by many masters in those fields.

Soon after, Lan Ting completed a transformation talisman, applied it to herself, and her stunning beauty was replaced by an ordinary appearance, a truly miraculous change.

Thus, the barbecue shop welcomed a new staff member.

…

Two days after Lan Ting joined the barbecue shop, the business was as busy as ever. With a new staff member on board, the workload for the trio lightened.

Lu Yang noticed Barbarian Bone seemed unhappy, so while serving customers, he asked telepathically, “What’s wrong? You seem a bit down.”

Barbarian Bone nodded, “Not sure if you’ve noticed, but our customer numbers have dropped these past few days. I’ve calculated our earnings, and it’s indeed the case.”

Lu Yang was surprised, having not noticed this trend: “Because of Lan Ting?”

Typically, adding a female staff member would boost business.

“No, it started before Lan Ting arrived. I can’t figure out why. Something must be wrong,” Barbarian Bone pondered.

Lu Yang wasn’t concerned, preferring less business for the barbecue shop: “Well, think it over, I’m off to deliver food.”

A month prior, on Meng  Jingzhou’s suggestion, the shop started offering delivery services. A box was placed at the shop’s entrance during the day for customers to drop in their orders, including what they wanted, delivery time, and address. The trio took turns delivering in the evening.

Tonight was Lu Yang’s turn.

Having not ventured out at night recently, Lu Yang noticed fewer pedestrians on the streets compared to before.

Perhaps this was why the shop’s customer flow had decreased, he mused.

“Let’s see where I’m delivering to this time… The tofu shop on Qianmen Street?”

…

Wen Xiangyu had long heard about the popular barbecue shop nearby and was eager to taste it, wondering if it lived up to its reputation. However, since her husband’s death and inheriting his tofu shop, she rarely went out at night.

Not boasting about herself, but Wen Xiangyu, known for her fair skin and beauty, has been coveted by many. Going out alone at night would be very dangerous for her.

Later, when she heard about the barbecue shop offering delivery service, she wrote down her order on a piece of paper and dropped it into the shop’s box outside.

These past few days, she felt unusually tired, even more so today. Before the skewers were delivered, she couldn’t resist the drowsiness and went to bed early.

The barbecue shop’s staff should be able to wake her up.

…

Lu Zhi has recently been a headache for the local constables, a thief who sneaks into homes at night, stealing valuables while the inhabitants are asleep, and leaves without a trace. When the constables questioned the neighbors, they too claimed to have slept too deeply to notice any disturbances.

He set his sights on the tofu shop on Qianmen Street this time. The shop’s owner, a famously beautiful widow whose tofu is renowned far and wide, has made quite a fortune over the years, making her the envy of neighboring shops.

Lu Zhi, agile as a monkey, silently climbed to the rooftop and twisted his body to open a second-floor window.

“She should be asleep by now.”

Confident in his skills, Lu Zhi had recently acquired a yellow paper talisman that induces deep sleep. Placed outside the house, it affects everyone within a fifty-meter radius, causing them to sleep soundly. This tactic has never failed him.

Tiptoeing and holding his breath, Lu Zhi saw the beautiful woman lying in bed and smiled smugly, believing his plan was successful.

Then, he turned to search the cabinet for valuables, as his experience told him women often keep their treasures there.

“Nothing?” Frowning, Lu Zhi turned his gaze back towards the tofu shop owner’s bed.

If it wasn’t here, then it must be under the bed.

He carefully crouched down, reaching under the bed, his heart skipping a beat.

There was a face under the bed!
“Ghost!”

…

Zheng Shouhe has been troubling the constables as a serial rapist, often hiding under the beds of single women, waiting for the night to violate them.

Sometimes, he encounters women having affairs, in which case he could only hide under the bed and wait it out.

His target this time was the tofu shop on Qianmen Street, whose owner is a famously beautiful widow who has captivated many souls.

Like before, Zheng Shouhe hid under the bed early, waiting for the night to have his way with the tofu shop owner.

“So sleepy.” Zheng Shouhe had never felt as drowsy as he did today; usually, the longer he waited, the more alert he became. Today, however, he couldn’t shake the sleepiness and eventually fell asleep.

A scream woke him up, something about a ghost.

Zheng Shouhe suddenly opened his eyes to find Lu Zhi lying under the bed, staring at him in terror. He quickly covered Lu Zhi’s mouth, crawled out from under the bed, and pulled out a dagger, pressing it against Lu Zhi’s neck.

Zheng Shouhe also saw Wen Xiangyu on the bed, trembling with fear.

Evidently, Wen Xiangyu was also awakened by Lu Zhi’s scream.

“What a cursed day!”

Cursing, Zheng Shouhe found some rope, tied up Lu Zhi, planning to enjoy Wen Xiangyu before killing them both.

Then, there was a knock from downstairs.

“Anyone home? I’m here to deliver the order.”

Zheng Shouhe clicked his tongue, lamenting his bad luck. He tied up Lu Zhi and forced Wen Xiangyu to come downstairs with him.

Threatening Wen Xiangyu with the dagger, he whispered, “Make the person outside go away!”

Everyone in Qianmen Street knew the tofu shop’s beautiful widow lived alone. If he let the person outside leave hearing a man’s voice, it would surely raise suspicions.

“Just leave the food at the door, I’ll come out and get it,” Wen Xiangyu called out in a soft voice.

“That won’t do, you haven’t paid yet,” the person outside responded.

Zheng Shouhe’s face turned grim, thinking if you’re seeking death, don’t blame others!

(End of the chapter)