Lìngxiāo moved purposefully until he stood toward the already opened door of Chóng Féng's chamber.
There were still disciples mumbling, trying to calm down the critical situation which could have been dangerous. The crowd surrounded him, working on healing their heir as much as they could.
"Oh Lord, look at the bruises over his neck and jaw."
"The hair seemed almost about to cut off his throat if Lìngxiāo Gōngzǐ was late for another minute." One of the men in the crowd covered his mouth after seeing Chóng Fēi's condition more properly.
"He really is skilled."
"Pull the hair out. He is still choking around a few strands." One man said to the one who was slowly taking out the strings from Chóng Fēi's mouth without increasing his pain.
"O-ho, be careful! The hair could turn into snakes and bite!" One of them moved away their hand, putting a finger into his own mouth.
"What?" Another beside blinked in amazement.
"You have to believe. It just bit me faintly!" The bitten man showed his finger closely to him.
"I hope it is not dangerously poisonous." Another from behind mumbled.
"Stop pitying on me. I AM fine." Chóng Fēi mumbled carefully around the hair, better than before but still risky.
Lìngxiāo heard it all as he entered the room. Especially Chóng Fēi's arrogant embarrassment was something rare to hear. A very faint huff like a chuckle escaped which nobody heard.
'You did earn the strangest side of pity from me—which is rare for myself too, where I feel both strange satisfaction and pity all at once to name it.'
He cleared his throat. "Keep distance from him. Let me check."
His presence was enough to make everyone part away, revealing their wounded heir Chóng Fēi, who was hopelessly trying to keep his face, his eyes still annoyed yet embarrassed, crossing his arms to keep his brevity yet a single cheek was purplish red and puffed up, the marks of the hair over his skin visible.
And then finally—Chóng Féng was also sitting beside his son while the golden pipe of his cigarette blew soft smoke into the air. His gaze was tired and something close to passed out or failure. He looked at him from the corners of his cold eyes before rolling them in annoyance and looking back to his son.
"Be careful. Not a single drop of blood should break out from his skin," Chóng Féng said to one disciple.
"O-of course, Xiānsheng."
Lìngxiāo's smile was silently judgmental as his eyebrow raised just slightly. 'I wonder if Féng Gōngzǐ arrived here out of care for his son or… for the public face—especially in front of me. Interesting even more. I do like suspense.'
"Are you also well, Féng Gōngzǐ? Chóng Gōngzǐ said you were… too much unwell." Lìngxiāo spoke humbly without letting anyone guess the inside of his mind. "I believe you have heard his cry."
Chóng Féng's gaze just bored on Lìngxiāo, his expression almost bitter and his jaw tight, yet he said nothing.
"Shut up. I did not cry," Chóng Fēi said a little sharper, which ended up hissing in pain into his throat and cheek.
"Careful, Gōngzǐ!"
"Please do not be so critical with yourself."
"It would be better if you talked less."
"My mistake." Lìngxiāo lightly bowed to them. "I meant the chaos made by the guǐ—probably who is dominating your town or its other friends… perhaps."
Chóng Féng huffed like a cold laugh, looking back at him. "So, the legendary exorcist still has not found out who is the problem maker? Should I call it deliberate pacing on investigation, or just luckily saved from the shrine with an old robe but does not know where the case is going?"
Chóng Fēi blinked silently by his father's strange way of challenging again but said nothing, just watched. A thoughtfully annoyed thin line formed over his lips.
But Lìngxiāo did not flinch.
He took a wooden chair closer which one disciple helped to give yet stopped by another one for being too good with him. Lìngxiāo sat down beside the bed comfortably while his gaze never left the father and son.
Chóng Fēi watched Lìngxiāo up and down while resting against the headboard. His father tilted his head lightly to blow away the smoke, his one finger moved which instructed others to leave the room.
The room grew silent as one by one all of the disciples walked away after a bow, only three of them remained.
"The world is unique in its own way—like locks which require different types of keys based on their structure." Lìngxiāo spoke once everyone was gone. "A single key would not work in all. Just as that, this lock of the mystery is different."
He paused a bit, letting the words land. Chóng Fēi seemed working overtime to catch up with what was going on while his father was bored as ever, barely reacting visibly. But Lìngxiāo noticed the tightness of his throat.
He spoke again. "So I am searching for the key and the right time to twist it in." His smile was gentle yet confident, almost challenging on the surface. "All you have to do is trust me. And of course, give me enough information to help you all, is it not?"
Chóng Fēi exhaled, his lips still pressed but he nodded slowly and thoughtfully—as if agreeing with him was another embarrassing thing to do.
"Hm." Chóng Féng rolled his eyes lightly, seeming not in quite the mood to speak of anything, a little visibly tired too.
'Well… he does look up to something. Too tired to even argue with me.' His gaze dropped over Chóng Fēi's wounds. It felt an extra layer wrong than it already had been.
Understanding Chóng Féng's tiredness, he spoke much more gently than before. "Féng Xiānsheng…" His smile softened more than he usually did, which seemed again to make Chóng Féng a little uncomfortable that he did not answer.
"Yes…?" Chóng Féng moved himself to sit a little properly, as if his body felt heavy.
"You may rest now." Lìngxiāo advised, unexpectedly taking his hand to help him stand. "And I will check on Chóng Gōngzǐ from his wounds."
While Chóng Fēi looked up, still puzzled and almost like cursing him for that mind-blowing push which almost killed him. Only he knew what was going on inside him.
"I can go on my own. No need." Chóng Féng said with heated bitterness, shaking smooth his sleeve.
"Wish you a good nap, Gōngzǐ…" Lìngxiāo said with a respectful bow.
Chóng Féng only huffed once then walked out of the room. He closed the door a little harder, so that the showpiece of a golden snake on the table trembled.
Lìngxiāo raised up, looking at the trembling showpiece which he stopped from falling by one of his exorcism needles.
'And have a good rest to your troubled mind—if I am right with my guessing once again.'