But when he left the range of the table, the chair immediately turned back onto the tabletop, and the oil lamp went out.
The oil lamp wasn’t fully lit, yet as he moved, one lamp extinguished and another lit up, as if deliberately lighting the way forward for him.
This scene made Xiang Beifei feel even more bizarre.
Most importantly, the footsteps that had been trailing him all along seemed to know exactly where he was, continuously following him from the rooftop through the second-floor ceiling, right above him, the sound exceptionally clear.
The wind from the street outside seemed to blow in as well, making the entire inn feel a bit colder.
He saw the stairs ahead, leading to the second floor, with a turn in the middle and handrails on both sides. The stair railing was intricately carved with some patterns, looking particularly exquisite.
"Xiaohei, go up and take a look."
Xiang Beifei stopped in his tracks and communicated with Xiaohei in his mind.
Xiaohei was naturally invisible to others. Although the little creature appeared white like a snowball on the outside, it was inherently cunning and clever, making it advantageous to send it out to scout the situation.
Xiaohei was much braver than the curled-up Erha in his pocket. Although everything here seemed eerie, it didn’t mind at all, being fearless by nature, and immediately darted towards the stairwell.
Its speed was swift, disappearing upstairs in a flash as it turned the corner at the stairwell.
At the same time, Xiang Beifei also stepped forward again, needing to confirm whether the figure above him was still there.
Once again, a footstep sounded from the floor above.
He walked two more steps forward, and the footsteps followed.
This meant the other party was still there!
So Xiaohei could find them!
"Xiaohei, did you see anything?" Xiang Beifei asked in his mind.
Strangely, Xiaohei did not respond immediately.
"Xiaohei?" Xiang Beifei asked again.
Xiang Beifei felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
For some reason, he felt as if... as if he had lost contact with Xiaohei!
Xiang Beifei became increasingly perplexed.
He and Xiaohei had always been in sync, except when using the Candle Dragon Eyes, which temporarily blocked their perception. Other than that, such a situation would not usually occur.
Yet as soon as Xiaohei went to the second floor to investigate, it lost contact!
This was troublesome.
Could the invisible Xiaohei have been discovered?
Erha shivered, curled up in Xiang Beifei’s pocket, anxiously wondering if something had captured Xiaohei.
Xiang Beifei was unsure; he had never encountered anyone capable of capturing Xiaohei. He had to go and see for himself, so he immediately headed toward the stairwell.
He walked all the way to the stairwell, and those footsteps followed.
But there was still no response from Xiaohei.
Xiang Beifei frowned and began to ascend a step.
The footsteps from upstairs also descended a step towards the stairwell on the second floor.
He then climbed two more steps.
Surprisingly, the other party also stepped down two levels!
Xiang Beifei grew more vigilant, fixating on the corner of the stairs.
All along the way, one oil lamp after another on the table was going out and lighting up alternately, and as he climbed the stairs, the lamp on the post at the stair corner lit up.
Yet he hadn’t seen the shadow of the mysterious figure below, only his own shadow growing longer and constantly swaying.
Now he was going up the stairs, while the other was clearly coming down.
If they continued on this path, they would inevitably encounter each other at the stairwell corner!
But why hadn’t Xiaohei, who had gone up earlier, returned?
"I must see what you are!"
Xiang Beifei’s expression turned extremely grave, knowing this place was far from ordinary, feeling a pervasive eeriness and constant danger, yet until now he hadn’t seen a single living person.
He continued to ascend the stairs.
Meanwhile, the footsteps also descended towards him.
Just three steps away from the corner.
The flickering light at the corner quickened, as if a breeze was blowing through, threatening to snuff it out. Xiang Beifei’s shadow swayed back and forth on the stairs.
Two more steps to go!
Xiang Beifei held his breath, staring intently ahead.
He abruptly turned the corner, unleashing the sword in his hand. The fierce blade gleamed, slicing through the shadow, illuminating the stairwell corner, eager to see what had followed him all this way!
But suddenly, his pupils contracted!
At the corner of the stairway, there wasn’t a person standing there, but a coffin!
The coffin stood upright at the bottom of the last step, on the stair’s landing, directly facing Xiang Beifei.
Was it this coffin that was following him just now?
Xiang Beifei was extremely astonished!
But how could a coffin move?
And where did this coffin come from?
Why did it suddenly appear here?
Xiang Beifei felt increasingly uneasy.
Most importantly, where was Xiaohei?
Why was Xiaohei missing?
He moved his gaze towards the upper stairs, trying to see what was on the second floor.
But the light on the second floor was weak, and the oil lamp at the stair corner couldn’t illuminate the second floor clearly.
Xiang Beifei called out in his mind again.
Xiang Beifei had to calm down and focused on the coffin.
The coffin seemed about seven feet three inches tall, dark and rough on the surface, barely reflecting any light from the oil lamp, but there was a strange pattern carved on its lid, resembling a cloud upon first glance.
Xiang Beifei extended his Orifice Perception towards the coffin, but as soon as it touched the coffin, it vanished without a trace, like a stone sinking into the sea, perceiving nothing.
The coffin exuded an eerie chill, standing at the stairwell corner, facing Xiang Beifei, appearing particularly creepy.
Xiang Beifei took a step at the stairwell corner, but this time the coffin didn’t follow him, and the footsteps stopped.
He watched the suddenly appearing coffin warily, waiting.
A whole five minutes of staring contest.
Xiang Beifei was even ready for a counterattack.
But the coffin didn’t move, as if maintaining its calm, matching his endurance.
Xiang Beifei thought the coffin might make a move on him, even if the lid suddenly flew off and a grotesque ghoul lunged at him, he would accept it.
Yet the coffin stood silently at the corner, unmoving, in a stifling manner.
Should he test this coffin?
Thoughts raced through Xiang Beifei’s mind.
Since arriving in this city, he had been very cautious, sensing something powerful lurking deep within, thus avoiding taking the initiative to act.
Now with a coffin standing here and Xiaohei gone, his patience started to wear thin.
But he didn’t choose to act immediately, deciding instead to check the second floor first, find Xiaohei, and then plan.
The Wufeng sword gleamed in his hand.
He gripped the broken sword, approached the coffin step by step, then swiftly dodged, his body floating as he bypassed the coffin, leaping towards the second floor!
The oil lamp at the stair corner went out, and at that moment, the oil lamp on the pillar at the second-floor stairway lit up.
Xiang Beifei looked back downstairs, but suddenly paused!
Strange! Where did it go?
Xiang Beifei’s expression grew increasingly serious.
He decided to ignore the coffin, intending to find Xiaohei first.
However, as he turned his head, his eye suddenly twitched!
That coffin had appeared before him at some point, less than an inch away, almost touching his nose.
Xiang Beifei couldn’t help but step back, feeling all the pores on his body standing up!
Despite being a master in the Immortal Realm, with perception and senses far superior to ordinary masters, standing so close, he should have sensed the coffin’s movement, yet he hadn’t discovered how it followed him.