Mutated Tao

Chapter 153: Courtyard Houses

Chapter 153: Courtyard Houses

At that moment, the three performers removed their masks, allowing Li Huowang to see their heads which were covered in red cloth. But it was not a complete wrap—there was an opening for their nose and mouth.

After removing their masks, they slowly started to remove their red cloth. Soon, three young men appeared in front of Li Huowang. They were almost the same age as him.

The three performers looked quite normal. Their faces were human without any weird appendages or tentacles. Everything was normal.

“Taoist, what are you looking at? They are no longer performing. Let’s just go somewhere else. We might be able to do some good deeds today,” said Monk, pestering Li Huowang to leave.

“No need to rush; let’s just wait a little.” Li Huowang didn’t let his guard down. He still remembered how frightening they looked when they were doing the teeth play.

Li Huowang was not afraid of fighting them, but he was afraid that they would play some tricks or ambush him later on.

At that moment, Li Huowang suddenly saw the three of them hurriedly pack their stuff. They looked cautious and peeked at Li Huowang from time to time.

Looks like something is indeed wrong with them. They’ve hidden it well.

Li Huowang was becoming more and more suspicious of them.

Initially, after having heard Lu Zhuangyuan’s story, Li Huowang hadn’t felt them to be suspicious, but now he was fully alert.

The three performers and the musicians moved all of their items onto their camel before running into a small alley.

“Monk, quick! We need to chase them!” said Li Huowang as he ran to follow them.

“Aiya! Why are you chasing them? Don’t tell me that you want to pay them some silver to perform privately for you?” asked Monk. However, despite his protests, he still followed Li Huowang.

Both of them followed them from a distance as they tailed them all around the town. It was initially fine, but soon, the cargo-carrying camels soon started running as the people riding them started whipping the camels to run faster.

“Shti! They saw us! Quick, chase them!” Li Huowang ran faster as one of his hands clutched his sword. However, even though the town wasn’t big, they weren’t locals; after zig-zagging through a few alleyways, Li Huowang realized that he had lost them.

Li Huowang was quite annoyed as he stared at the gray walls.

“Ha~ Ha~ Taoist, slow down. I almost lost you~” said Monk as he propped himself up on the wall while panting.

Hearing this, Li Huowang glanced toward Monk.

It’s natural for him to not have the stamina at this age…

“If you can’t take it, then go back and rest first. No need to follow me,” suggested Li Huowang as he continued walking.

Even though he didn’t suspect Monk as much, Li Huowang still didn’t trust him completely. He also didn’t want Monk to hold him back if they ended up meeting a strong enemy next time.

“Fine… I will go back and rest first. You can run by yourself.” Monk held his waist and walked into another alley.

“I hope I’m just thinking too much.” Li Huowang shook his head.

Just as he had just taken a few steps, he heard a shout.

“That’s the old monk’s voice!” Li Huowang ran over and leaped a wall before stopping in front of a square-shaped hole in the ground.

It was a hole in the ground. Rather than dirt, the walls of the holes had wooden doors and windows. It was like a courtyard house was buried underground.

Various wooden masks could be seen decorating the wall. These snarling wooden masks were the same ones that the three performers had been wearing.

Staring at the camel that was eating grass in the center of the courtyard, Li Huowang was certain this was the home of the three performers.

“Taoist! Quick, come and pull me up. Ouch! Why did the people here build an underground home? Rather than a house, this looks more like a tomb,” called out a voice.

Li Huowang looked toward the source of the voice and saw Monk who was lying on the ground in pain.

Seeing this, Li Huowang leaped down, landing solidly beside Monk. However, instead of helping Monk, Li Huowang clutched his sword and stared at the closed windows, completely alert. With his heightened senses, he instantly realized that many people were staring at him from behind the windows.

Li Huowang did not wish to fight without knowing the number of enemies.

At the same time, the people staring at him from behind the windows didn’t act either. Both parties just stood there, waiting for the other to act.

Maybe they have the same thoughts as me?

Li Huowang’s mind was racing.

“Taoist, what are you doing?” asked Monk as he slowly stood up in pain.

“Wait for a bit; I don’t have the time to deal with you for now,” said Li Huowang.

Just as he said those words, he felt a few more pairs of eyes being trained on him. However, these gazes originated from the masks decorating the wall rather than the rooms; it was as if they had come alive.

After a moment, Li Huowang decided that even though he hadn’t confirmed whether they were related to the assailant from last night, it was best to not linger around any more.

After some consideration, Li Huowang decided to talk to them. “I am junior Xuan Yang. I’ve accidentally walked into your homes and mean no harm. Please forgive me.”

Seeing that there was no reaction, Li Huowang decided to try another method of communication. “Is the spring book open?”

Even so, no one replied to him.

“Let’s just forget about what happened yesterday. I do not wish to harm you and I hope you wouldn’t harm us either. How about a truce?” suggested Li Huowang.

However, even after he explained his intentions, he didn’t receive any replies. Thus, Li Huowang gave up before supporting Monk to a ladder placed at the side. Once the tall ladder was placed upward, Li Huowang let Monk climb up first.

Once Monk was back up on the ground, Li Huowang leaped up the ladder and followed him.

After Monk and Li Huowang left, the people hiding inside the rooms walked out. All of them had tattoos on their ears. There were both men and women, with some of them even carrying infants and children.

At this moment, everyone’s faces were filled with hatred and fear.

One of the three performers clenched his fist while talking to an old man with white hair, “Grandpa! That man was right! We can’t wait anymore! We need to act now!”

The old man was visibly angry as he forcefully swung his cane down onto the ground. “Go, gather all the youths in our house. We need to kill that red-robed Taoist! They dare think of us as mere pushovers?!”

Meanwhile, Monk still acted clueless as they left the underground courtyard and returned to the busy street.

“What just happened?” asked Monk, confused.

“You don’t know?” asked Li Huowang, carefully scrutinizing Monk.

He had never forgotten how suspicious Monk had always been.

It was only thanks to Monk that Li Huowang had managed to see through the deception of the Righteous Monastery. It was also thanks to his help that Li Huowang managed to find the house of the Nuo Opera performers.

It might’ve been a coincidence the first time, but a second time around? This was too much of a coincidence.

Chacha and Char's Thoughts

Here's an example of what courtyard houses look like. Basically rather than the house being surrounded by the yard, the courtyard would be within the house instead.