ã€ŠMaster of Yin-Yangã€‹


 Riverside Reckoning: A Tale of Destiny and Desperation

    My name is He Zhihui, and at the age of twenty-four, I reside in the town of Yaklu Riverbank, near the Yuhai City estuary. For four generations, my family, the Old He clan, has been engaged in the grim trade of corpse salvaging along the river.

    Back when I was in the ninth grade, my grandfather, in the late stages of stomach cancer, imparted a solemn request to my father on his deathbed. The Old He family had already endured three generations as corpse salvagers, a business stained with negative karma. He warned that indulging in the trade of the deceased would invite karmic retribution, urging that the profession end with my father, sparing me from this grim fate.

    Furthermore, my grandfather explained the clash of elemental forces in our family''s destiny. Corpse salvaging, aligned with the Yin element and water, contradicted my Yang-aligned fate with fire. The ancient adage "water and fire do not mix" foretold that should I tread the path of a corpse salvager, my demise would be on the river''s unforgiving waters. My father, solemnly acknowledging my grandfather''s wishes, vowed to end the family tradition of corpse salvaging.

    With my father''s consent, my grandfather drew his final breath, departing on a journey of his own.

    After completing my ninth-grade studies, having failed to secure admission to high school due to my academic struggles, I entertained the idea of attending a vocational school to learn a trade. However, my father adamantly refused to fund my vocational education. In the end, he decided that I would inherit the traditional family occupation¡ªthe "Riverside Corpse Salvager."

    From a young age, my grandfather warned me vehemently against embracing this profession. Earning money from the dead, he cautioned, would lead to an inauspicious end. History validated his words when my great-grandfather met a tragic demise, stabbed to death by a grieving brother after withholding a corpse over unpaid fees.

    In my grandfather''s generation, tragedy struck again with the sudden and unexplained death of my healthy grandmother. Bereaved, my grandfather lived a solitary life until succumbing to stomach cancer.

    As the torch passed to my father''s generation, divorce became the chapter''s theme. At the tender age of seven, my mother, deeming my father''s profession disgraceful and fearing karmic repercussions, divorced him. She sought solace in the arms of a wealthy man, allegedly birthing a daughter.

    Since the divorce, my mother never sought me out. Seventeen years passed, and her image in my mind faded, a blurry memory. Our home held no photographs of her; my father, on the day of their divorce, burned every trace of her.

    Our work involved retrieving bodies from the river¡ªwealthy families paid handsomely, while the destitute contributed what they could. Unclaimed bodies were handed over to the local police station, earning us a modest fee.

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    Corpse salvaging was a seasonal occupation, thriving in the summer with drownings, suicides, and the occasional flood victim. On a good day, my father and I could salvage up to six bodies, distinguishing genders by the characteristic "male face down, female face up" floating pattern.

    When my father proposed that I inherit the family trade, I resisted internally. My grandfather, while alive, earnestly advised me against it, claiming my destiny was unsuitable for such a profession. Should my father push for it after his passing, I was instructed to decline and pursue my own desires. In the end, my concern for my father''s safety prevailed, and I reluctantly took up the mantle of a Riverside Corpse Salvager.

    Main Story:

    At six in the morning, I rose from my bed, dressed, and felt a persistent twitch in my right eyelid¡ªan omen of impending misfortune. With a saying echoing in my mind¡ª"left eye twitches for fortune, right eye twitches for disaster"¡ªI braced myself for a day of caution.

    My father and I ventured out and witnessed five rubber boats on the river, each carrying two or three individuals in blue uniforms with "Blue Sky Rescue" emblazoned on their backs. These were members of our city''s rescue team, often disdainful of us, the corpse salvagers, deeming our work unethical. In return, my father harbored resentment, believing their presence affected our business.

    The Blue Sky Rescue team''s responsibilities spanned wilderness, urban, water, natural disaster, and industrial accident rescues. Their disdainful gaze met ours as they appeared on the river¡ªan unmistakable sign of someone in need of rescue.

    "Langdong, do you know what the Blue Sky Rescue team is doing here?" Before we could board the boat, Mrs. Wu, a village resident, urgently approached my father with news.

    "Langdong" was my father''s nickname, earned for his prowess in water. A single plunge, swimming over seventy meters, earned him the moniker "Langli White Strip," abbreviated to "Langdong."

    Mrs. Wu, a forty-two-year-old widow, informed us that a young girl had driven a BMW to the upstream bridge around eleven o''clock the previous night. She opened the car door, leaped into the river, and, witnessing the act, a taxi driver stopped and attempted a rescue. Tragically, both went missing.

    "Jumped into the river to commit suicide, that girl''s family is wealthy. The girl''s father offered a reward of five thousand for salvaging the taxi driver''s body, and ten thousand for his daughter''s. If you help recover both bodies, a reward of fifteen thousand awaits," Mrs. Wu disclosed.

    This revelation left my father and me wide-eyed. While I despised the profession of corpse salvaging, the prospect of a hefty reward for salvaging two bodies stirred an unexpected desire.

    "Is this for real, or are you pulling my leg?" My father expressed doubt.

    "Her parents are on the bridge upstream. If you don''t believe me, ask them yourself!" With those words, Mrs. Wu, her gait uneven, hobbled away.

    After her departure, my father, visibly excited, pulled me back home. Riding his electric bike, we sped towards the upstream bridge. The bridge, named Nationality Bridge, spanned three hundred meters, witnessing suicide attempts nearly every year. I had witnessed a tragedy where a woman, troubled in her marriage, leaped into the river, clutching her five-year-old son. Though the woman survived, the boy perished. My father salvaged the child''s body downstream, demanding two thousand yuan as compensation. The grieving father paid without haggling, leaving with his child''s lifeless form.

    Endless unconsciousness yielded to Siyu''s sudden awakening, jolting from the bed.

 2: Summons of the Shadows

    My old man, riding an electric scooter with me in tow, hadn''t reached the National Bridge when we noticed the gathering crowd. People were there to witness the spectacle, police were present, and amidst it all, we heard the mournful cries of a middle-aged couple.

    Dismounting the electric scooter at the bridge''s entrance, my father and I made our way through the throng towards the center. Two vehicles were parked on the right side of the central part of the bridge ¨C a white BMW 530 sedan and a red Volkswagen taxi. Beside the BMW, a middle-aged woman knelt on the ground, wailing as she gazed at the river. Next to the sedan, a middle-aged man leaned against the car, also crying in despair. The two of them were in utter anguish.

    As we approached, the surrounding crowd buzzed with speculation. Many had the complete video of the girl jumping into the river on their phones, footage originating from a car''s dashcam. My father and I watched the video, which clearly captured the BMW racing to the right side railing of the bridge. Subsequently, a girl pushed open the car door, bypassed the front of the vehicle, and leaped into the river. The taxi driver following the BMW witnessed the girl''s leap. He stopped his car behind the BMW, hastily got out, shed his upper garments, and followed suit, jumping into the water. The video concluded at this point.

    "I heard that whoever retrieves the body of the taxi driver gets a reward of fifty thousand, and for the girl driving the BMW, it''s a hundred thousand. Is this true?" My father inquired among the onlookers.

    "It''s indeed true. The girl''s father confirmed it himself," a man in his fifties standing beside us pointed at the sobbing middle-aged man and replied.

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    Excitement bubbled within my father upon hearing this news, though he kept a poker face. To verify, my father approached the grieving middle-aged man.

    "You...," my father intended to start with a polite greeting, but considering the circumstances, he held back the second half of the phrase. Instead, he went straight to the point, "Introduce myself, I''m He Kuidong, a fisherman and body retriever on this river. I''m quite familiar with these waters. I''d like to know if what they''re saying is true about a fifty-thousand reward for the taxi driver and a hundred thousand for your daughter?"

    The middle-aged man, appearing around forty-seven or forty-eight, sported a trendy crew cut, shaved on the sides. He was a bit on the heavy side, dressed in a black shirt and gray casual pants, with orange leather shoes on his feet. He wore a necklace around his neck, about the thickness of a pinky finger, and a gold bracelet on his left wrist, complemented by a Longines watch on his right wrist. At first glance, he looked like a nouveau riche. The middle-aged woman kneeling on the ground wore a long floral dress, her hair disheveled and covering her face. I couldn''t make out her features, but she, too, was adorned with gold and silver.

    Upon hearing my father''s question, the middle-aged man was too grief-stricken to articulate a response. Instead, he nodded while suppressing tears, acknowledging the veracity of the situation.

    Witnessing the middle-aged man''s admission, my father''s face momentarily revealed a mixture of joy and excitement, as though the hundred and fifty thousand had already found a home in his pocket.

    My father didn''t say anything more. He stood by the bridge, squinting at the flowing river, silently calculating where the girl might have drifted after leaping from here last night. My old man dropped out of school at thirteen to fish these waters with my grandfather, making him intimately familiar with this stretch of the river.

 3: Ransom with the Corpse

    "I''m He Kuidong, the guy who left you a phone number, the one who retrieves bodies. I''m currently about four miles away from the bridge where you are. If you want to find your daughter, follow my instructions. Head to the bank near my boat." My dad instructed the deceased girl''s father over the phone.

    "I¡ªI''m on my way!" The father of the deceased replied on the phone, sounding shaken, and then hung up.

    "Ten thousand is not bad at all. At least you can use it for the dowry when you get married. The house can be sorted out later." My dad, having shared this sentiment with me, sat down, pulled out a box of cheap cigarettes from his pocket, lit one up, and took a drag.

    While my dad was smoking on the boat, I stood at the bow, gazing at the river. I pondered over the beauty of the world, wondering what could have driven the girl to such desperation. As the saying goes, "It''s better to live well than to die." I, for one, couldn''t fathom choosing suicide.

    While looking at the river, I suddenly noticed three black figures moving in the water near our boat. These dark shadows appeared peculiarly human. It brought to mind the stories my grandfather used to tell me, stories of souls meeting an accidental demise in the water, unable to be reborn. These souls would linger in the water, pulling living people underwater to take their place, and they were known as water ghosts.

    "Dad, dad, dad, water, water, water ghosts!" I pointed at the three black figures in the water, shouting nervously to my dad. My face had turned green, and my hands and feet were trembling. Despite being in the body retrieval business for five or six years with my dad, I had never encountered water ghosts.

    My dad, upon hearing my words, stood up and scanned the area around our boat. However, the three black figures had already disappeared.

    "What''s with you? Where are these water ghosts? Did your eyes play tricks on you?" My dad saw nothing. The three black figures that were there before were now gone.

    "Dad, I really saw them!" I spat out my words, my hands sweaty, and my scalp tingling.

    About ten minutes later, the father of the deceased arrived at the riverside opposite us in his car. He proactively called my dad. Shortly after his arrival, some onlookers, including cyclists, electric scooter riders, motorcyclists, and drivers, followed him.

    "Now, kneel down, facing the river, and call out your daughter''s name, tell her to come home!" My dad answered the call from the deceased father and issued this command.

    "Jiang Qinyu, come home..." Following my dad''s instructions, the father of the deceased knelt by the river, screaming his daughter''s name repeatedly with all his might.

    Hearing the grief-stricken cries of the deceased''s father, I, too, felt a heavy heart.

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    As the father cried out his daughter''s name, my dad and I looked around the river, searching for the girl''s body.

    After about two minutes, about seven or eight meters to the left of the bow, there were bubbles emerging. My dad, seeing the bubbles, grinned.

    My dad rowed the boat slowly towards the bubbling water. As we approached, I saw a female corpse rising from the river bottom. Unlike a normal floating body¡ªeither facing up or facing down¡ªthis body stood upright in the water. Only a strand of hair floated on the surface, creating the illusion of a leisurely stroll in the water. I stared at this standing female corpse, a chilling breeze running down my spine, and my scalp tingling once again.

    Seeing the girl''s body, my dad grinned and commented, "This one hundred and fifty thousand is ours." To him, it wasn''t just a corpse; it was a pile of money.

    "Dad, grandpa used to say that an upright corpse in the water signifies bad luck; it means the deceased is unwilling to leave. We shouldn''t retrieve such a body; we should stay away, or misfortune will follow. Better to avoid it, or it could lead to serious illness or even loss of life. Let''s not earn this money!" I turned to my dad, almost on the verge of tears, expressing my fear.

    "Your grandpa''s words are nothing but superstitious nonsense. It''s just a corpse, nothing to be afraid of. Take this pole, hook the body, and tie the rope around its wrist. We''ll take the body to ask for money. In this day and age, money is more important than anything else. What''s the point of living without it?" My dad excitedly replied, seeing this as a financial opportunity. To him, it was not a corpse but a pile of RMB.

    "Dad, I feel something is wrong. My right eyelid has been twitching since this morning; I have a bad feeling. If we retrieve this body, something bad will happen. Let''s not do it!" I turned again to advise my dad, genuine fear in my eyes.

    "You''re useless. Come here and help me pull the body. I''ll tie her up." My dad scolded me, dismissing my concerns.

    Reluctantly, I stood up, took the pole from my dad, and pulled the body.

    My dad, leaning over the boat''s side to grab the girl''s arm, triggered beads of sweat on my forehead. I was worried he might have an accident, being pulled into the water by something strange.

    My worries seemed unfounded as my dad successfully pulled the girl''s arm out of the water. He carefully hooked the girl''s clothes with the pole, pulling her to the right side of the boat. My dad was cautious, fearing damage to the body, and wanted to give a satisfactory explanation to the deceased''s family.

    As the body approached our wooden boat, I felt a cold wind blowing from it, giving me goosebumps.

    "Dad, there''s something in the water grabbing my wrist. We really shouldn''t retrieve this body; it''s dangerous!" I spoke up again.

    "You''re just seeing things. Come over and help me tie her up." My dad dismissed my concerns, his focus solely on the potential reward.

    I reluctantly stood up and took the pole from my dad, assisting in tying the girl''s wrist.

    My dad didn''t start the diesel engine at the back of the boat. Instead, he used oars to paddle the boat towards the father of the deceased on the shore.

    "Boss, we found your daughter!" My dad shouted towards the father as the boat approached the shore.

    Upon hearing that we had found his daughter''s body, the father sat down and wailed in sorrow. The deceased''s mother fainted on the spot. The onlookers, who had followed, couldn''t hold back their tears upon witnessing the plight of this grieving couple.

    Some of the spectators, seeing the mother faint, took out their phones and dialed 120 for emergency assistance.

    The Blue Sky Rescue Team, upon learning that we had retrieved the girl''s body, ceased their retrieval work and joined us on the shore. The body of the taxi driver that they had recovered earlier had already been taken away by the funeral home''s hearse.

    "Boss, you promised before that whoever helped you retrieve your daughter would be rewarded with a hundred

 4: The Corpses Awakening

    At this moment, the twitching frequency of my right eyelid increased. I couldn''t help but think that the father of the deceased should quickly gather the ten thousand dollars and hand the girl''s body back to my dad. I had no desire to stay on this river; a sense of impending doom loomed over me.

    After waiting for about ten minutes, the sky suddenly darkened with thick clouds, followed by flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder.

    My grandfather had advised me on three scenarios where bodies should not be retrieved: never retrieve an upright corpse from the water, avoid going out in a boat to retrieve bodies during a thunderstorm, and if the same corpse is unsuccessfully retrieved three times, it should not be attempted again.

    Now, the body we discovered was standing upright in the water, and a thunderstorm had rolled in¡ªviolating two of the three don''ts for body retrieval. I considered urging my father to return the body promptly, anticipating that something terrible might happen. However, I refrained from speaking up because I knew my dad wouldn''t heed my advice.

    A thunderous boom echoed, and a lightning bolt struck a nearby locust tree, splitting it in half.

    Witnessing the lightning splitting the tree, the onlookers turned pale, and those who had been disrespectful earlier hastily retreated, closing their mouths. The rain poured down suddenly, and the spectators scattered from the riverside. Cyclists and motorcyclists rushed back home in the rain, while those who came by car sought refuge in their vehicles.

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    Our boat had no rain cover, but there were two bamboo hats on board. My dad grabbed one for himself and placed the other on my head. The rain, accompanied by wind, drenched my clothes, leaving me shivering with cold.

    Glancing back at the girl''s body standing in the water, I noticed a slight rosy tint on her pale face. Her lips curled into a faint smile, and to my shock, her eyes were open. Unlike normal eyes, which were black or white, hers were pitch black.

    "Oh, my God!" I exclaimed, startled, and leaped to my dad''s side.

    "You''re always so easily startled, almost gave me a heart attack!" My dad scolded me without much patience.

    "Dad, dad, dad, the girl opened her eyes! She opened her eyes!" I pointed at the standing corpse with a trembling hand, displaying a terrified expression as I informed my dad.

    Upon hearing my words, my dad first furrowed his brows and then turned his gaze toward the standing girl''s body. I dared not look but turned my head towards the shore.

    The deceased''s mother, overwhelmed by grief, had fainted and been taken away by an ambulance. Only the father of the deceased remained, sitting on the ground, still weeping. Rain soaked his clothes thoroughly. Watching him, I began to ponder. If I were to meet an untimely end, would my dad grieve for me as well?

    Lost in my thoughts, my dad suddenly turned his head, extending his right hand to deliver a sharp smack to the back of my head.

    "If you dare scare me again, I''ll kick you into the river to feed the fish!"

    Hearing my dad''s threat, I looked again at the girl''s body in the water. Her face remained pale, with a downturned mouth, closed eyes, and an expression tinged with sadness and helplessness.

    "Could it be that I hallucinated and saw it wrong?" I muttered to myself, then rubbed my eyes with both hands.

 5: Not Your Average Taoist

    "Let''s call it a day, son. Head home, change into something dry, hop on your electric bike, grab some meat and seafood from the town, and tell Aunt Wu to whip up a feast. We''ll have a nice lunch together!" My dad''s face beamed with joy as he spoke. I nodded solemnly without uttering a word.

    My mind still echoed the events that transpired earlier. The memory of the girl''s corpse, the upward curve of her lips, the pitch-black eyes opening¡ªinstilled a sense of fear within me.

    Back home, after changing into dry clothes, my dad handed me a thousand bucks from the one hundred thousand he received. I hesitated, unaccustomed to such generosity. Throughout my life, my dad rarely gave me more than fifty bucks. He was frugal, always handing out three to five bucks.

    "Dad, why are you giving me so much money?"

    "I noticed you don''t have decent clothes. Take this money, get yourself some good clothes in town. Whatever is left, use it to buy groceries. Buy whatever you like. After shopping, drop it off at Aunt Wu''s place." My dad handed me the money generously.

    "Dad, since you divorced Mom, you haven''t been with anyone else. It''s about time. Aunt Wu has shown some interest since her husband passed away. You know her, she''s kind, straightforward, and hardworking. Why not use this hundred grand as a dowry and marry Aunt Wu?" I earnestly suggested.

    "Get lost! Mind your own business. I''m not too old to manage my affairs!" My dad faux-angered, pointing towards our house''s entrance, bellowing at me.

    "Sigh!" I sighed deeply, taking the money and riding my electric bike towards town.

    That''s my dad for you¡ªquick to raise his voice. He never reasoned with me calmly. Each time, it left a sour taste, but what could I do? He''s my dad, and I''m his son, bound to endure his whims.

    Our town, named Jinhua, stood as the economic powerhouse of Yunhai City and ranked among China''s top one hundred towns. The town boasted seventy thousand acres of fertile land and a thriving mix of light and heavy industries.

    Arriving in town, I discovered it was market day. Stalls lined the streets, selling everything from clothes and meat to seafood, groceries, rat poison, fruits, ornamental fish, and more. Jinhua held a grand market every fourth and ninth day of the month, drawing people from miles around.

    It had been a while since I last attended the market. Parking my electric bike on the right side of the bank, I joyfully strolled through the market. The crowd, predominantly middle-aged and older, seemed different today.

    Strangely, as I wandered the market, I felt eyes on me. Each time I turned, there was nothing unusual, but the sensation persisted.

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    After covering about fifty meters, a middle-aged man suddenly grabbed my arm, startling me.

    Turning to look at the man, around fifty-seven years old, about 1.7 meters tall, thin, with long hair tied in a bun, wearing a grey Taoist robe, black pants, and old-style black cloth shoes. His eyebrows met in the middle, and his eyes, though not large, held a mysterious gleam. He had a distinctive nose, a large mouth with thick lips, and sported a goatee.

    From his attire, it was clear he was a Taoist, though whether a genuine one remained uncertain. Nowadays, many disguised themselves as monks and Taoists, peddling fake sutras, false talismans, and swindling people.

    Behind him was a stall covered with a yellow cloth featuring a golden eight trigrams in the center, surrounded by words advertising fortune-telling, divination, palmistry, physiognomy, naming, Feng Shui, and tomb relocation. A divination jar, a Feng Shui compass, a brush, cinnabar ink, yellow talisman paper, and more adorned the stall.

    "Do you need something?" I asked the Taoist, sensing he was no ordinary one.

    "Young man, I''ve noticed a gray aura on your forehead, and you''re surrounded by Yin energy. You must have encountered something unclean." The Taoist spoke sternly.

    "Listen, I don''t have time for this nonsense. Let go, I need to buy things." I tried to free my arm, but his grip was strong, and my patience waned.

    "You have an illness, my friend. Yin energy clings to you. It seems you''ve come across a wrongful death, someone with heavy resentment and Yin energy. Their lingering energy can bring misfortune¡ªloss of wealth, constant bad luck, health issues like dizziness and weakness, fluctuating body temperature as if running a fever..."

    "Alright, alright, spare me. I know where this is going. I don''t have time for your stories. I''m busy!" I interrupted him, forcibly pulling my arm away. However, his grip tightened, adding an unwelcome layer of annoyance.

    "If you don''t believe me, young man, I won''t force you. Here''s my business card; you might need it someday. I''m Li Chenyuanshan, a Taoist from Maoshan. I run a Daoist temple named ''Daozun Hall'' in the Yuanyao district of the city." The Taoist handed me a card, looking at me earnestly. I reluctantly accepted it, feeling a bit uneasy.

    I ignored him, planning to dispose of the card. Oddly, I tucked it into my pocket. Heading to a cheap men''s clothing store, I intended to buy new shoes and jeans. Spending 186 yuan for both, I was about to pay when I discovered the slash in my pocket¡ªmoney missing.

    "Sorry, sir. My pocket was cut open, and the money is gone. Can''t buy these." I pointed at the cut pocket, apologizing to the shopkeeper, my face flushing.

    "Someone sliced your pocket with a knife. Your money got stolen," the shopkeeper remarked, sympathetically understanding the situation.

    I nodded apologetically and left the store in a hurry. I walked back towards where the Taoist had his stall, only to find he''d packed up and left, replaced by a woman selling salted duck eggs. Standing there, the plump woman wore an expectant expression, hoping I''d buy her eggs.

    My money was gone, and my mood darkened. As I prepared to leave, a breeze kicked up, and a business card fluttered down at my feet. Bending down, I picked it up. The card had "Daozun Hall" printed on the front, along with the services offered. The back had "Li Chenyuanshan" and a phone number.

    Considering discarding it, I unexpectedly slipped it into my pocket. Walking briskly towards where I parked my electric bike, I was met with a sinking realization¡ªthe bike was nowhere to be seen. Panic set in, beads of cold sweat forming on my forehead.

    "This is it. Another round of scolding at home," I muttered, my face showing the anguish of an unfortunate day.

 6: The Mark on My Wrist

    I carried the groceries and fruits to the police station to report the theft of my electric bike. The officer on duty quickly took down my statement, noted my contact details, and instructed me to wait. They assured me that once they located my vehicle, they''d give me a call. However, I was convinced I wouldn''t see that electric bike again.

    Jinhua Town was about twenty miles from our village, making it impractical to walk back. The journey was too far. I hailed an electric tricycle, a vehicle for hire, and settled into the seat. The driver, an older man, headed towards our village.

    On the way home, my mood was bleak. Not only had I lost money during the market trip, but our only means of transportation had also vanished. Simultaneously, Chen Yuanshan''s words echoed in my mind, and I couldn''t shake off the feeling that he might not be a charlatan.

    "Could it be that I''m really haunted by Yin energy?" I mumbled to myself.

    The driver dropped me off directly at Aunt Wu''s place. She sat in her yard, shelling peanuts.

    "Aunt Wu, I went to the market to buy groceries, and I lost the remaining money and my phone. On top of that, our electric bike is gone. I took an electric tricycle back, but I don''t have money to pay the driver. Can you lend me ten bucks?" I almost felt tears welling up as I explained to Aunt Wu.

    She didn''t say anything but stood up, pulling ten bucks from her pocket. "Hurry up and pay the driver," she said.

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    I nodded at Aunt Wu, took the ten bucks, and rushed outside to give it to the tricycle driver.

    "Oh, Aunt Wu, my dad retrieved the body of that girl who jumped into the river and got ten thousand bucks from her family. Did you know about it?" I asked.

    "Yeah, your dad came to my house earlier and bragged about it. He even flaunted the money he earned in front of me. He mentioned something about saving it for you to marry our Qiu Ping in the future."

    Hearing Aunt Wu''s words, my face turned bright red. Qiu Ping, mentioned by Aunt Wu, was her daughter. We grew up playing together, like childhood friends. While I admitted having a fondness for Qiu Ping, I only saw her as a sister. The thought of marrying her had never crossed my mind.

    "Aunt Wu, these groceries are from my dad. He wants you to make a nice meal for both of us for lunch. The fruits are a little gift from me."

    "Take the items to the kitchen. I''ll finish shelling these peanuts, then I''ll start cooking when you''re done." Aunt Wu happily accepted the groceries and fruits.

    After delivering the goods to the kitchen, I didn''t leave Aunt Wu''s house. Instead, I entered the eastern room, sat on the kang, and stared into space. I didn''t dare go home; I feared my dad''s reaction to the lost money, electric bike, and phone. He would surely scold me.

    "Why the long face?" Aunt Wu walked into the room, noticing my furrowed brow. She wore a concerned expression as she approached.

    "Aunt Wu, I lost my phone, the electric bike, and the money. If my dad finds out, he''ll definitely scold me. I don''t dare go home now."

    "If it''s lost, it''s lost. It''s not like you did it on purpose. I''ll take you to see your dad. Explain the situation, and if he scolds you, you don''t have to go home. You can stay here with Aunt Wu." She took my arm and led me towards our house.

    Our village, once comprising over forty households, now had less than twenty. People moved to the city or the town, unwilling to stay in this remote village. Houses were scattered across a wide area, and our house was about fifty meters away from Aunt Wu''s.

 7: The Girl in My Home

    Ever since delivering the girl''s body to her family, strange occurrences seemed to revolve around me. Walking towards Aunt Wu''s house, I couldn''t shake the feeling of eyes watching me from behind.

    Upon reaching Aunt Wu''s doorstep, I halted, looking back over my shoulder. Nothing was there; everything was calm. However, this calmness made me profoundly uneasy.

    "Zhihui gege!" (Brother Zhihui), Autumn Ping, seeing me standing at the gate, skipped out of the house and greeted me with a smile.

    "Ping Ping, when did you come back? Took a few days off?" I asked, walking into the yard, smiling at her.

    "I got a monthly leave this morning, just got back less than an hour ago. I can stay home tomorrow, but I need to return to school by noon the day after tomorrow!"

    When Autumn Ping was in junior high, I thought of her as an immature little girl. However, since she started dressing up in high school, I noticed her maturing, no longer that naive girl.

    Aunt Wu cooked all the meat and seafood I bought, fried peanuts, made cucumber salad, two appetizers, totaling eight dishes.

    For some reason, despite the delicious spread, I had no appetite.

    "Autumn Ping, Uncle is giving you a thousand bucks. Buy yourself a couple of nice outfits, get whatever you want to eat. You look thin!" After finishing the meal, my dad took out a stack of money and handed a thousand to Autumn Ping. He then handed another thousand to me, instructing me to buy a new phone.

    "Uncle He, I can''t accept this money. You worked hard for it!" Autumn Ping politely pushed back the money my dad offered.

    "Uncle He had a lucky day today and made good money. Take it." I pushed back, but my dad insisted, handing the money to Autumn Ping.

    Autumn Ping glanced at the money in her hand and then at her mother.

    "Uncle He indeed made good money today. Take it," Aunt Wu chimed in, supporting Autumn Ping''s acceptance.

    "Thank you, Uncle He!" Autumn Ping thanked my dad and put the money away.

    After lunch, I accompanied my dad, and we had half a bottle of beer. I struggled to drink and barely ate. The food tasted bland, like chewing on dry wood.

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    "I''m full. You guys enjoy!" I put down my chopsticks and excused myself.

    "Zhihui, you hardly ate anything. Is my cooking not to your liking?" Aunt Wu asked, pointing at my half-eaten rice.

    "Aunt Wu, it''s not your cooking. It''s me; I don''t have an appetite. Maybe I caught a cold when it rained this morning!" I tried to explain.

    "Zhihui, your complexion does look a bit off. We have cold medicine; let me get it for you!" Autumn Ping offered, heading inside to find medicine.

    After taking the medicine, I still didn''t feel well. I left Aunt Wu''s house, but on the way home, my condition worsened. When I arrived near our house, a sudden strong wind blew, leaves rustling like applause. The sky darkened, followed by lightning and thunder, similar to the morning storm. It happened unexpectedly. I ran a few steps and, with a splash, a torrential rain began.

    Since I wasn''t afraid of thunder, I don''t know why, but today, every flash and rumble sent shivers down my spine.

    Looking at the thunderstorm, recalling the morning''s body retrieval, and my grandfather''s warning about not retrieving bodies in an upright position or during a thunderstorm, I felt a creeping sense of fear. The rain, expected to be short-lived, continued until past eight in the evening. The river rose rapidly, almost reaching the banks.

    After lunch, my dad and Uncle Lin went to the town''s bathhouse. They might not return until later. Uncle Lin, known for his laziness, owned substantial land, earning a decent income.

    I wasn''t planning on sleeping, given my uneasy state. However, my heavy body succumbed, and I fell asleep on my kang.

    In a half-conscious state, I suddenly saw a drenched young girl in my room. Her upper body wore a white short-sleeved shirt, and the lower body only had black lace-edged panties. Barefoot, she trembled, standing in the center of the room.

    "I-I''m so cold, so cold!" she repeatedly shouted towards me.

    I felt like I was paralyzed, only my eyes could open, unable to move or speak.

    A chilling wind swept through the room, causing me to shudder. I couldn''t help but swallow hard, goosebumps forming. When the wind blew the wet hair away from the young girl''s face, I was stunned.

    "S***!" I exclaimed, leaping off the kang, turning on the lights.

    When I looked back at the doorway of my room, the door was wide open, and the drenched figure was gone.

    "Must be a nightmare!" I reassured myself.

    I got up to close the door, but noticed several puddles on the floor, oval-shaped, about thirty by twenty inches. Following the water, I found similar puddles in the middle room, extending to the front door. They looked like footprints, as if someone stepped out of the water and onto the floor.

    Feeling a sense of dread, I thought of theft, especially after my dad earned a significant amount from retrieving the body. The phrase "greed for wealth, harm to life" flashed in my mind, sending shivers down my spine.

    I locked the doors and windows, grabbed a rolling pin and a kitchen knife, pondering the legal consequences if I were to harm a potential intruder.

    Unsettled, I didn''t plan to sleep, but my body, fatigued and unwell, betrayed my intentions. As I dozed off, the rhythmic barking from the neighbor''s dog, Black Tiger, echoed. Then, the door creaked open.

    Assuming it was my dad, I tried to wake up, but my eyes felt heavy. Eventually, I fell asleep.

    In my half-conscious state, the drenched young girl appeared again in my room, crying about the cold, her voice echoing.

 8: Arrival at the Underworld

    The young girl''s face was pale, lips tinged with purple, dark circles under her eyes, and her irises pitch black. She bore an uncanny resemblance to the upright female corpse we fished out of the river earlier that day.

    "I''m so cold, help me!" After uttering these words, the young girl began to sob softly.

    As I gazed at this ethereal young figure, the scene before me blurred. My neck tilted, eyes closed, and I fainted.

    When I woke up again, it was already half-past six in the morning. My bed was soaked, emitting a pungent odor of urine. I hadn''t wet the bed since I could remember.

    My current state was worse than yesterday. Looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed my pale complexion, bluish lips and eye circles, dull and bloodshot eyes, and a complete lack of strength.

    Closing my eyes, the vivid image of the bizarre scene from last night resurfaced. A ghostly young girl appearing in the center of my room, pleading for help. It felt like a dream, yet the details remained vividly etched in my mind.

    "I might have truly encountered something sinister," I muttered to myself, a deep sense of fear gripping my heart.

    I roamed through the three rooms of our house. The lights were still on, doors and windows locked, and the water stains on the floor had disappeared. My dad hadn''t returned home all night.

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    Initially, I intended to clean the wet bedding, but my strength had deserted me. The fatigue spread all over my body.

    I changed into clean clothes, pulling out the money I had stashed in my pocket. A business card fell to the floor. Bending down to pick it up, I hesitated. Should I go and find this Chen Yuanshan? Recalling his unconventional appearance, he didn''t fit the image of a conventional Taoist. Yet, everything he said yesterday seemed to manifest in my current condition. First, the misfortune of losing my phone and money, and now, feeling unwell¡ªhead heavy, limbs weak, and my body fluctuating between chills and fever.

    Leaving home, I hopped on my electric scooter towards our town. Upon reaching the town, I parked the scooter by the bank, removed the key, and slipped it into my left pocket.

    "Hey, take me to Yuanbao District," I hopped into a taxi parked nearby, informing the young driver. At the same time, I showed him Chen Yuanshan''s address.

    The driver didn''t say much, just nodded, and drove towards Yuanbao District. As we approached the destination, I leaned against the passenger door, closed my eyes, and dozed off again.

    "Young man, we''ve arrived." After an unknown amount of time, the driver gently tapped my shoulder, waking me up.

    Opening my eyes, I found myself on an ancient street. The houses on either side resembled Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, white walls, blue tiles, red-painted columns at the door. A faint white mist enveloped my surroundings. Next to the driver''s side, there was an ancient building filled with dozens of wooden coffins painted with red lacquer. Some laid horizontally, others vertically. Inside the building, a person dressed in a gray robe, reaching the ankle, wore an old-fashioned pair of white-bottomed black cloth shoes. The man sported the unique Qing dynasty hairstyle, half bald and half with a long braid tied at the back. He appeared to be in his sixties, tall and thin.

    This attire was something I had only seen in TV shows and movies. It was surreal to witness it in reality.

 9: Life-Threatening Incense

    The middle-aged woman took the black water-based pen and yellow paper from Chen Yuanshan''s hand. As she wrote her daughter''s name and the lunar birthday and time, Chen Yuanshan examined me from head to toe with a solemn expression.

    I sat on the sofa, absent-minded, replaying the events from last night in my mind. I still couldn''t figure out whether I truly encountered a ghost or if it was just a nightmare. The image of that terrifying female ghost haunted me, sending shivers down my spine.

    After writing her daughter''s name and lunar birthday on the yellow paper, the middle-aged woman handed it to Chen Yuanshan. He calculated her daughter''s fate based on the lunar birthday and then proceeded to analyze it with the traditional Chinese method of Bazi (Eight Characters).

    While Chen Yuanshan performed the calculations, the middle-aged woman anxiously observed his every move.

    After about ten minutes, Chen Yuanshan withdrew his hand and looked at the middle-aged woman with a puzzled expression.

    "Master Chen, tell me quickly, will my daughter get into a top-tier university or a second-tier one? What major is suitable for her?" The middle-aged woman anxiously inquired.

    "Are you sure the name and lunar birthday you provided are correct?" Chen Yuanshan pointed to the yellow paper on the table and asked the woman.

    She carefully examined her daughter''s name and lunar birthdate on the paper. "Yes, it''s correct!"

    "If it''s correct, according to my calculations, your daughter is already three months pregnant and appears to have dropped out of school." Chen Yuanshan replied gravely.

    "Nonsense! My daughter is well-behaved and obedient. She doesn''t even have a boyfriend, how could she be pregnant? Your calculations are rubbish!" The middle-aged woman stood up, displeased with Chen Yuanshan''s revelation. She knocked over the chair she was sitting on and left in a huff.

    "Ah!" Chen Yuanshan sighed as he watched the woman leave and then approached me. "You..."

    "Save your words. I know your situation," he interrupted me before I could speak. Chen Yuanshan brought a bronze incense burner and five incense sticks.

    Placing the incense burner on the coffee table, Chen Yuanshan handed me the five incense sticks. "What''s this?" I asked as I took the incense sticks from him.

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    "Light these five incense sticks and insert them into the incense burner," Chen Yuanshan instructed, placing a lighter in front of me.

    I nodded, following his instructions and lighting the five incense sticks, then inserting them into the burner. "Now, wait," Chen Yuanshan said before walking upstairs.

    As he left, I stared at the burning incense, confused about what Chen Yuanshan was trying to achieve.

    After a while, Chen Yuanshan descended the stairs, scratching the back of his head. "How did it disappear?"

    "What disappeared? Can''t you speak more clearly and not scare me?" I questioned him, my patience wearing thin.

    "We use incense burning to predict the future in Taoism. I gave you five incense sticks to represent your lifespan. Three long and two short sticks signify danger. Now, the incense has burned into three long and two short sticks, known as the ''life-expiring incense.'' In other words, your life is in imminent danger," Chen Yuanshan explained, pointing at the incense sticks.

    Listening to his explanation, I glanced at the incense burner. Indeed, three sticks on one side and two on the other, shorter by a section.

    "Now, write your name and lunar birthday for me. I will calculate your Eight Characters and see if I can determine your fortune," Chen Yuanshan placed a black water-based pen and a piece of yellow paper in front of me.

    I wrote my name and lunar birthday, pushed the paper towards Chen Yuanshan, who, as before, calculated my Eight Characters and proceeded to analyze my fate. I sat silently, observing him.

    After less than five minutes, beads of sweat appeared on Chen Yuanshan''s forehead, dripping down his face like rain. "Your fate is strange. I''ve calculated that you are involved in the business of dealing with the dead, correct?"

    His words echoed what my grandfather had told me before. "Yes, we are in the business of retrieving corpses from the river for generations."

    "For those dealing with the dead, the destiny should lean towards yin, with the element of water. These are basic conditions. However, your destiny leans towards yang, with the element of fire. Water and fire are incompatible. Engaging in this business will endanger your life sooner or later." Chen Yuanshan''s words mirrored my grandfather''s warnings, almost word for word.

    "If you want to live, be truthful. Tell me any strange events happening around you recently. Maybe I can help you," Chen Yuanshan suggested.

    "The strangest thing that happened recently was yesterday morning when my dad and I pulled a girl''s body from the river. She was standing upright in the water."

    Upon hearing about the upright corpse, Chen Yuanshan was astonished. "A corpse standing upright carries malevolent energy, heavy with resentment. Such a body must not be touched. If touched, the resentment will cling to you."

    "I know that. We have three taboos in our business, and one of them is not to retrieve a standing corpse. I advised my dad not to retrieve it, but he didn''t listen. The family of the deceased offered a hefty sum of a hundred thousand yuan for the retrieval." I recounted the experience of retrieving the corpse and the strange events that occurred last night.

    As I finished my story, the five incense sticks had burned to the roots. Chen Yuanshan pulled them out and threw them aside. Then, he grabbed a handful of ash from the incense burner and smeared it on my right wrist. Blowing gently, the ash on my wrist disappeared, leaving a black handprint.

    Seeing this, a look of terror spread across my face.

 10: Dragon Liver of a Century

    "What''s... what''s the meaning of this black handprint?" I pointed at the black handprint on my wrist, trembling with fear. At this moment, my legs were shaking with dread.

    Chen Yuanshan looked at the black handprint on my wrist without offering an immediate answer. The handprint on my wrist was visibly changing color at an alarming rate ¨C first from black to blue, then from blue to red. After five minutes, the handprint slowly dissipated and disappeared.

    "This is a mark left by a water ghost on you. If you go into the water again, you will undoubtedly be pulled underwater to become a substitute for the dead. My advice is, stay away from rivers, lakes, and seas where people have died," Chen Yuanshan warned me as he shook his head in resignation.

    "Our family has been doing this for generations. If I don''t do this, what else can I do?"

    "You''re a bit stubborn, kid. With two hands and two feet, if you''re willing to work hard, you can make money doing anything. There''s no need to deal with the dead and earn money from the deceased. Moreover, historically, those who engage in the business of dealing with the dead don''t meet a good end. If you don''t heed my advice, you''ll risk your life sooner or later." Chen Yuanshan patiently urged me.

    Just as Chen Yuanshan was about to say more, the middle-aged woman who had left earlier returned, her face still in mourning. When Chen Yuanshan saw her, he jumped up from the sofa and was about to reprimand her for the spit on the desk. However, upon seeing her distress, he exclaimed in surprise, and she collapsed on the floor, sobbing.

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    "Oh my, lady, what are you doing? If you''re trying to scam for money, you''ve come to the wrong place. I barely make any money here in the Taoist hall. The coffin shop across the street, now that''s where the real profit is. They make at least five hundred yuan selling one coffin, and sometimes they sell five or six in a day, making several thousand. Why don''t you check that out!" Chen Yuanshan nervously pointed at the coffin shop across the street, trying to console the woman sobbing on the floor.

    The middle-aged woman paid no attention to Chen Yuanshan''s words; she lay on the ground, crying and rolling.

    "Young man, you''ve got to help me as a witness. I haven''t done anything, and she''s like this. It''s really absurd." Chen Yuanshan pointed at the woman rolling on the floor, asking me to testify.

    "Ma''am, what happened?" I stood up and walked over to the middle-aged woman, asking her what was going on.

    "I just called my daughter''s teacher. It turns out she really dropped out of school, and it happened a month ago. I had no idea." The middle-aged woman cried and complained to me.

    "Ma''am, crying won''t solve the problem! You should..."

    Before I could finish my words, the woman, with more strength than I expected, pulled me down to the ground.

    "Don''t just stand there, come help! This man has no sympathy at all!" She scolded me, pointing at Chen Yuanshan.

    "Unlucky!" Chen Yuanshan muttered, walking over to help the sobbing middle-aged woman up and onto the sofa.

    The woman sat on the sofa, hands covering her face, still crying uncontrollably. Her emotions were quite unstable. Earlier, when Chen Yuanshan predicted her daughter''s fate, mentioning pregnancy and dropping out of school, I thought he was making it up. But it turned out one of the predictions had come true, revealing that Chen Yuanshan had some real skills.

    "My current situation is that my head feels heavy, and my limbs are weak. I have no strength at all."

 11: The Peculiar Bus Driver

    "A century-old mansion... Where am I supposed to find that?" I muttered, feeling perplexed.

    "My junior brother might have some hundred-year-old dragon liver, but the price is a bit steep. It''s 3,300 yuan per gram. Given your condition, you probably need three grams of hundred-year-old dragon liver."

    "What on earth? 3,300 for a gram of that mediocre stuff? Are you trying to swindle me?"

    "If you think I''m swindling you, please feel free to leave," Chen Yuanshan ordered.

    Not wanting to stay after such a comment, I stood up and walked towards the exit. As I reached for the door handle, everything suddenly blurred. The world spun around me, and I felt a sudden loss of strength. My legs gave way, and I collapsed at the doorway.

    "Damn!"

    Seeing me on the ground, Chen Yuanshan exclaimed in frustration.

    The middle-aged woman who had been crying on the sofa rushed to my side. She pinched my acupuncture point, and suddenly, I was awake. She then helped me up and laid me on the sofa.

    "You''re losing yang energy rapidly. If you don''t find a solution, you might not make it through tomorrow. Let''s talk about the hundred-year-old dragon liver. It''s incredibly rare and more valuable than gold. Even if you have the money, it''s hard to find."

    "If you''re short on cash, call your family. I''ll explain the situation to them," Chen Yuanshan suggested.

    Ignoring him, I closed my eyes silently.

    "You''re quite stubborn. Nowadays, young people like you are a rare sight," Chen Yuanshan remarked, no longer paying attention to me.

    "Master Chen, what about my daughter?" the middle-aged woman, still in tears, asked.

    "I can''t help with your daughter''s situation. You should leave now," Chen Yuanshan replied.

    "No, you must help me with this!"

    The middle-aged woman grabbed Chen Yuanshan''s arm, pleading.

    "Let go! Your snot is on my clothes. Bring your daughter here, and we''ll discuss it face to face."

    Chen Yuanshan''s frustration was evident. The woman reluctantly released him and hurriedly left Daozun Hall.

    "Young man, don''t linger here. Leave quickly," Chen Yuanshan ordered as he saw me lying on the sofa motionless.

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    "I want to leave, but I have no strength left," I weakly replied.

    Chen Yuanshan returned to his seat, dipped a brush in cinnabar, and drew a talisman on a yellow piece of paper. Then, he went upstairs and came back down with half a bowl of white wine.

    Chen Yuanshan held the burning talisman over the bowl, setting the wine ablaze. He then turned me over and applied the fiery liquid to my back, rubbing a specific acupoint vigorously. A warm sensation spread through my body, and I felt revitalized.

    "Now, how do you feel?" Chen Yuanshan asked after stopping the treatment.

    "Surprisingly better. I have strength, clarity of mind, and the alternating hot and cold feeling is gone," I replied, getting up from the sofa.

    "I used the talismanic wine on your Dazhui acupoint. It gathers yang energy and stimulates the entire body. However, it''s just a temporary solution. To completely rid your body of yin and resentment, you need the hundred-year-old dragon liver, the Rootless Yin Yang Water, and the Gather Yang Talisman. Each is indispensable."

    Chen Yuanshan handed me a paper with an address written on it.

    "You''re young, and you can always earn money. But if you lose your life, you lose everything. Here''s my junior brother''s address. He might have the hundred-year-old dragon liver. If you think I''m deceiving you, you can leave. I won''t charge you for the treatment."

    Chen Yuanshan seemed sincere as he spoke. "Thanks," I said, taking the address and leaving Daozun Hall.

    Exiting, I carefully examined the address: 68 East Street, Feng Shichao, New City District.

    The funeral street I was on was close to the city, about two miles away from the funeral parlor in the western suburbs of Yuanbao District. Today was my first visit to this place, and I hadn''t heard of it before.

    Commonly known as Funeral Street, it was officially named Fuyuan Alley. Chen Yuanshan''s Daozun Hall was at No. 8 Fuyuan Alley.

    As I left Fuyuan Alley, I stood at the bus stop to catch a bus to the city and then transfer to another to reach 68 East Street to find Feng Shichao.

    Lost in thought, I was startled when a bus silently appeared in front of me, opening its front door.

    Without much thought, I stepped on board, realizing that the bus driver was the only person inside.

    The driver, around forty years old, wore a black top hat, a well-fitted black suit over a white shirt, and shiny black leather shoes.

    Though I frequently took buses, this was the first time I saw a bus driver dressed so formally, and something about him seemed peculiar. I couldn''t quite put my finger on it.

    Seeing me find a seat, the driver started the bus and moved forward. The strange part was that the engine made no noise, and the ride was unusually smooth.

    After about five minutes, drowsiness overcame me. Leaning back, I dozed off.

    "Don''t sleep anymore. Get off quickly. This isn''t the bus you should be on."

    As I slept soundly, a young girl''s voice woke me up.

    I opened my eyes to find the bus now full of people, all wearing either black or red. The passengers had pale or bluish faces. Next to me sat an old lady dressed in a peculiar funeral attire.

    I suddenly remembered seeing similar clothes at the funeral clothing store opposite Daozun Hall.

    Looking closely, the old lady''s eyes were pitch-black, just like the female ghost I encountered last night. This revelation sent shivers down my spine, and I began trembling.

    "Young man, this isn''t the bus you''re supposed to be on. Get off quickly," the old lady said with a weathered voice.

    Terrified, I stood up and ran towards the rear door. As I passed the passengers, I noticed they all had pitch-black eyes.

    "Driver, I need to get off! Let me off!"

    I shouted towards the bus driver in panic.

 12: Underworld Express

    The bus driver abruptly slammed on the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a sudden stop. I, unprepared, tumbled forward with a clumsy "plop," landing on the floor, my vision filled with twinkling stars.

    The rear door of the bus opened with a slow creak. I, disheveled and embarrassed, hastily crawled my way out.

    As I regained my footing, the bus''s rear door closed, and it continued its journey without a hitch.

    I scrutinized the peculiar bus, noticing that its four wheels didn''t rotate, and it hovered about ten centimeters above the ground. Unless observed closely, it appeared almost normal. The side of the bus read "Underworld Express," with a license plate stating "µØ98752."

    "What on earth is going on?" I mumbled in fear, watching the bus vanish into the distance. I climbed to my feet, legs trembling.

    No sooner had I stood than another bus pulled up beside me and came to a halt.

    The driver opened the door, but this time I hesitated, examining the bus with caution. The wheels rested on the ground, the engine hummed a familiar tune, and there was no "Underworld Express" written on the side. The license plate read "ÔÆF: 66993," and everything seemed normal.

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    "Are you getting on, or not? If not, I''m leaving," the impatient driver scowled at me, interrupting my scrutiny.

    "Fine, I''m coming," I replied, boarding the bus.

    Inside, I observed the passengers. Most were engrossed in their phones, dressed ordinarily. Seating myself, I reflected on the bizarre events, beads of cold sweat forming on my forehead.

    Arriving in the city, I switched to another bus heading to East Street in the New City District.

    Situated to the east of the city center, New City had become a thriving district in the last decade. The best schools, hospitals, malls, and supermarkets were located here, attracting various government offices and making it increasingly prosperous.

    Arriving at 68 East Street, I found another Taoist hall named "Spirit Way Hall." Adorned with advertisements for palmistry, physiognomy, fortune-telling, naming ceremonies, yin-yang house Feng Shui, and auspicious day selection, it resembled Daozun Hall in every aspect.

    Entering Spirit Way Hall, I encountered a young woman inside. Aged around twenty, she had fair skin, delicate features, and a topknot adorned with a jade hairpin. With willow-leaf eyebrows and long eyelashes, her big, watery eyes were captivating. Her high nose led to a cherry-like mouth.

    Standing at about 1.67 meters tall, she weighed around 100 kilograms. Wearing a black sheer long coat over a white robe, paired with oversized black pants and black cloth shoes, she presented a unique ensemble.

    With an air of innocence and beauty, she was currently wiping down tables, chairs, and shelves with a cloth.

    In a trance, I stood there, momentarily forgetting why I had come.

 13: Demons Heir

    "Young man, stepping out of my door might be easy, but ensuring your survival is another matter entirely. Money can be earned again, but once your life is gone, you''re left with nothing. After all, you''re still young," Feng Shichao advised me with a stern expression.

    "At the moment, I don''t even have a thousand bucks on me. While my dad has money, he''s a bit stingy. Convincing him to spend fifteen grand on three grams of dirt? Impossible. Let''s just go with the flow," I responded.

    "Do you want to live, or do you want to die?" he questioned.

    "Of course, I want to live. I haven''t had the chance to enjoy the beauty of this world properly yet," I replied, looking towards the bustling streets, yearning to experience life.

    "I''m a kind-hearted person. It doesn''t sit right with me to ignore a young person in your predicament. However, giving away this hundred-year-old dragon liver for free seems a bit unfair. Here''s the deal: you give me an IOU for fifteen grand, and I''ll give you the three grams of dragon liver. When you''re wealthy in the future, you can return the favor. Does that sound fair to you?" Feng Shichao proposed.

    "Aren''t you afraid I''ll refuse to pay you back when I''m wealthy?" I asked skeptically.

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    "I''m a good judge of character. I don''t think you''re the type to break promises," he responded with a smile.

    "Yan Zi, go upstairs and fetch the dragon liver," Feng Shichao instructed the young girl.

    "Yes," she replied reluctantly, with a frown. Yan Zi moved gracefully towards the second floor.

    After a short while, Yan Zi descended with a small white porcelain bottle in hand. The bottle was eight centimeters high, slightly thicker than my thumb, with a label reading "Dragon Liver."

    Feng Shichao took the bottle, pulled out a small electronic scale typically used in jewelry stores, and found an earpick. With great care, he scooped out the dragon liver from the porcelain bottle and weighed it meticulously.

    As I approached to get a better look at this substance more valuable than gold, Feng Shichao raised his head, signaling me to stay away nervously.

    "This dragon liver is incredibly precious. If you accidentally sneeze on it, it''s ruined," Yan Zi warned from the side.

    I nodded at Yan Zi, taking a few steps back, cautious not to interfere.

    To me, the hundred-year-old dragon liver looked like yellow powder. Under the sunlight, it sparkled with a faint golden glow.

    Once Feng Shichao weighed the three grams of dragon liver, he placed it into a small oiled paper packet and handed it to me.

    "This is the remedy for your life. Keep it safe. If you lose it, don''t come back asking me for another," he warned.

    I nodded, taking the packet from Feng Shichao and promptly wrote an IOU for fifteen grand. I not only included my name and ID number but also pressed my fingerprint onto the paper. I then showed him my ID to confirm the accuracy of the details.

    "Alright, you can go now," Feng Shichao said, taking the IOU from me.

    "Thanks, Uncle. I''ll repay you," I expressed my gratitude.

 14: Underworld Commute Bus

    A gasp escaped the middle-aged woman as she listened to Chen Yuanshan''s words. Seated on the sofa, she broke into tears once again.

    The young girl, though not shedding tears like her mother, turned as pale as a ghost upon hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words.

    Standing on the side, I felt that Chen Yuanshan''s words were a bit exaggerated, possibly an attempt to scare us. He brought a bowl of water from the first-floor dispenser, half hot and half cold, and placed it on the coffee table. Next, he fetched a brush and a box of wet cinnabar, drawing a talisman right in front of us.

    After finishing the talisman, Chen Yuanshan held it up, murmuring an incantation we couldn''t comprehend. The talisman instantly burst into flames in his hands. He then placed the burning talisman into the bowl of water he prepared.

    Oddly enough, despite the expectation that the fire would be extinguished upon hitting the water, the talisman continued to burn until it turned to ashes.

    Chen Yuanshan stirred the water with the ashes using his right index finger and handed the bowl to the young girl.

    "Drink this talisman water," he instructed.

    Upon seeing the bowl of talisman water, the girl hesitated, reluctant to take it.

    Thinking to myself, how could one drink such filthy water? Even a healthy person might get sick from it.

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    "Girl, I''m not trying to scare you. If you want to live, you must drink this talisman water," Chen Yuanshan urged when he saw the girl hesitating. After saying this, he placed the bowl on the coffee table.

    The girl, glancing at her mother who was still sobbing beside her, didn''t think twice. She picked up the dirty bowl of talisman water with both hands and poured it into her mouth.

    Watching the girl drink the filthy talisman water, I couldn''t help but swallow a lump in my throat.

    After finishing the talisman water, the girl placed the bowl on the coffee table. I observed her closely, but there were no adverse reactions visible on her.

    "Master Chen, let me share something strange. Earlier, after leaving your place, I waited for a bus at the bus stop in front of Fuyuan Alley''s gate. A bus approached me, and without much thought, I boarded.

    Midway through the journey, I suddenly heard someone whispering in my ear, ''This isn''t the bus you''re supposed to take. Get off quickly.'' When I looked up, there were many passengers on the bus, most of them wearing funeral attire. Some had pale faces, while others looked bluish. Their eyeballs were different from normal people''s¡ªblack as ink, as if dipped in ink.

    I got off the bus, and on its side was written ''Underworld Commute,'' with a license plate that read ''Underworld: 98752.''

    Telling Chen Yuanshan this, memories of the earlier events flashed back, sending shivers down my spine. Cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and my body tensed up.

    "You took the Underworld Commute Bus, a means of transportation for departed souls to report to the underworld. When you heard someone telling you to get off, you encountered benevolent spirits.

    If you hadn''t disembarked and continued to the underworld, you wouldn''t have been able to return," Chen Yuanshan explained, wiping sweat from his forehead.

    "Normally, regular people can''t see the Underworld Commute Bus. Only those with opened yin-yang eyes can witness it."

 15: Unveiling Mysteries

    As I descended the stairs with Chen Yuanshan, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of astonishment and newfound respect for him. Unlike before, I no longer harbored doubts about the authenticity of his words.

    "This is the hundred-year Fulong liver, purchased from your junior brother," I said, placing the small oil-paper-wrapped package on the coffee table.

    Chen Yuanshan opened the oil paper for a quick glance and nodded approvingly.

    "Indeed, it''s the hundred-year Fulong liver. How much did your junior brother charge you for this?"

    "Five thousand per gram, totaling fifteen thousand for three grams."

    "I never expected the price for Fulong liver to skyrocket to five thousand per gram. Did your father give you the money?"

    "No, I didn''t tell my father about this. I gave an IOU to your junior brother, and I''ll pay him back when I have the money."

    "Your junior brother is quite stingy. He rarely extends such generosity with the Fulong liver. I didn''t anticipate this. Now, let me help you dissipate the Yin and resentment energy on your body."

    With these words, Chen Yuanshan walked over to his office desk.

    He picked up a copper gourd adorned with gemstones from the bookshelf, removed the stopper, poured half a bowl of water, and then started drawing a talisman using a brush and cinnabar. Holding the talisman between his right index and middle fingers, he circled the bowl three times to the left, three times to the right, and silently chanted an incantation.

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    After completing the incantation, Chen Yuanshan casually tossed the talisman into the bowl of water. Even though the talisman clung to the water, it spontaneously ignited.

    Once the talisman burned to ashes in the bowl, Chen Yuanshan poured the three grams of hundred-year Fulong liver into it.

    As he was about to use his right index finger to stir the concoction, I stopped him.

    "Let me do this."

    I replied to Chen Yuanshan, taking the bowl with my left hand and stirring the contents with my left index finger.

    Chen Yuanshan, using his right index finger, continued stirring the concoction, and I couldn''t help but find his finger somewhat repulsive. Although my hands weren''t exactly clean, I still preferred my own touch.

    "You''ve got it now. This bowl of talisman water mixed with Fulong liver is a divine remedy for your ailment, and it doesn''t come cheap."

    Chen Yuanshan pointed at the bowl in my hands, offering a word of caution.

    Chen Yuanshan''s reminder threw me into a moment of confusion, almost causing me to lose grip on the bowl.

    After stirring the talisman water with my hand, I took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and then poured the concoction into my mouth.

    Contrary to my expectations, the talisman water wasn''t unpleasant; it had a sweet taste.

    After drinking the concoction with added hundred-year Fulong liver, I felt a warm sensation in my stomach, spreading throughout my body. It was exceptionally comfortable, akin to basking in the sunlight.

    "Now, how do you feel?" Chen Yuanshan inquired as I sat on the sofa, not saying a word.

    "Warm and comfortable all over," I replied truthfully.

    As I spoke, I noticed gray smoke emanating from within me, accompanied by sticky black liquid oozing out of my exposed pores, emitting a sour stench.

    "Master Chen, what''s happening here?" I nervously pointed at the gray smoke and black liquid on my body.

    "Gathering Yang talisman, Fulong liver, and rootless water, combined, have initiated a purification process in your body."

 16: The Exorbitant Exorcism Fee

    "I found a set of my clothes for you. They''re placed outside the bathroom. Change into them, and while you''re at it, clean up the mess in here."

    Chen Yuanshan tapped on the bathroom door and conveyed these instructions before leaving hurriedly.

    I washed my pants and underwear in the bathroom, leaving them to air dry. Afterward, I took a refreshing shower. The sticky, sour, and foul-smelling black liquid oozing from my pores was challenging to clean. It took five rounds of shower gel to completely rid myself of it.

    Exiting the bathroom clad in a set of gray sportswear left for me, I felt significantly more comfortable. The previous heaviness in my head was gone, and the fatigue in my limbs had dissipated. Now, I was filled with energy, and the alternating sensations of heat and cold were no longer present.

    Staring at the scattered excrement on the floor, I felt a mixture of disgust and headache, unsure of how to tackle the cleanup.

    Just as I was contemplating my next move, I faintly heard the sounds of a girl sobbing from the adjacent small bedroom. I approached the door and gently pushed it open. Inside, the girl was crying under a blanket, as her mother had yet to return from buying new pants.

    Opening the balcony window on the second floor to let some fresh air in, I proceeded to tidy up the first and a half floors of the house. During the cleaning process, I couldn''t help but gag, feeling nauseated by my own actions.

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    Once the cleanup was done, it was already half-past eleven in the morning. Although the smell in the house had considerably lessened, a faint stench of excrement still lingered.

    The middle-aged woman, having purchased new pants, entered the Daoist Hall, covering her nose and mouth with her right hand. She cast a strange glance at me before heading towards the second-floor bedroom. I kept my head low, pretending not to notice her.

    "Young man, uncontrollable bowel movements could be a sign of colorectal issues. You should get a medical checkup; otherwise, it might lead to cancer. My father had colorectal cancer and passed away."

    The kind-hearted woman advised me, then walked briskly upstairs.

    On the first floor, I noticed the bloodstains on the genuine leather sofa still existed. I quickly fetched a basin of water from the second floor, found a cloth, and thoroughly wiped away the bloodstains. Coincidentally, at that moment, Chen Yuanshan walked in. Observing me cleaning the sofa, he nodded in approval.

    "Master Chen, I didn''t expect such a thing to happen. I''m really sorry. I''ve cleaned the first and a half floors."

    I turned around and saw Chen Yuanshan standing by the door, looking at me with satisfaction. I apologized to him sincerely.

    "Defecating and passing gas are natural human actions. I understand. Since you''ve cleaned up, it''s fine."

    After Chen Yuanshan''s brief acknowledgment, he walked back to his desk.

    "Master Chen, to make up for my mistake, let me treat you to lunch."

    "Thank you for the offer, but I still smell that stench in the air. I can''t eat anything right now. You don''t need to spend your money. You can leave now, and take that set of clothes with you."

    Pointing towards the entrance of the Daoist Hall with a disdainful expression, Chen Yuanshan declined my invitation and picked up an old, yellowed book from the shelf, engrossing himself in its contents.

    "Master Chen, you mentioned earlier that...

 17: Water Ghost

    Honestly, I''ve been yearning to learn a skill to support myself. I don''t want to be a corpse salvager anymore.

    These years, working alongside my father as a corpse salvager, I''ve recovered all kinds of bodies¡ªchildren, elderly, and more often, the bodies of young girls. Some ended their lives by jumping into the river due to relationship issues, while others succumbed to the pressure of arguments with their parents. There were also those murdered and thrown into the river, and I''ve even salvaged dismembered bodies.

    The most unbearable moments were during the summer when the bodies, floating in the river for just two days, emitted a strong, nauseating odor far worse than the stench of excrement.

    After contemplating for about half an hour, I had my answer.

    I''ve grown up; I''m an adult now. I don''t want my life dictated by my father, especially when I despise the work of a corpse salvager. I don''t want to earn money from the dead, and I certainly don''t want people pointing fingers at me, accusing me of "making money off the dead, lacking morals, and giving birth without an anus."

    "Alright, I promise you. I''ll work for two months to pay off my debts."

    After making up my mind, I stood up and said to Chen Yuanshan.

    While saying this to Chen Yuanshan, I had my own plan. If I could learn some fortune-telling and exorcism skills from him, that would be great. If not, after working here for two months, I could find employment elsewhere.

    In this day and age, with enough effort, one can surely create their own wealth.

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    "Do you want to discuss this with your family?"

    "No need. I can decide on my own."

    Saying this to Chen Yuanshan, I lacked some confidence.

    "Since you''re willing, let me share a bit more with you. Do you understand water ghosts?"

    "My grandfather mentioned water ghosts when he was alive. Those who die unexpectedly in the water, either by suicide or accident, cannot be reborn. Their souls turn into water ghosts and wander in the water. If someone swims or jumps into the river, the water ghost will drag them under, making them a substitute and allowing the water ghost to be reborn."

    "You''re correct, but let me elaborate. In China, water ghosts are also called water monkeys. They refer to those who commit suicide or die accidentally in the water. Their souls linger at the place of drowning, nourished by the yin energy of the water, transforming into water ghosts.

    According to legend, water ghosts are cursed by the King of Hell. Only by finding a substitute can they be reborn in the underworld.

    So, water ghosts patiently wait in the water, enticing or forcibly dragging living people underwater to drown and serve as their substitutes. Once this happens, the water ghost can complete the cycle and be reborn. For centuries, water ghosts have relied on this method to escape the suffering from hell. Despite being born in water, they are extremely afraid of fire."

    Chen Yuanshan explained in detail.

    "Earlier, I told you that your fate doesn''t suit being a corpse salvager, and your body bears the mark of the water ghosts. Once you enter the water, they will quickly find you and pull you to the depths to drown, making you their substitute."

    Chen Yuanshan reiterated solemnly.

    Hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, I remembered my grandfather''s advice when he was alive: my destiny isn''t suitable for being a corpse salvager, and earning money from the dead could bring retribution. The consequences might manifest on me or my loved ones.

    At that moment, the middle-aged woman cautiously helped her daughter down from the second floor.

    The girl''s face was pale, and she seemed to be in low spirits. I couldn''t help but feel sympathy for her, considering the recent tragedy that unfolded in the house.

 18: Nightmare

    "In the world of humans, when demons take on human forms and live among us for a long time, their words, actions, personalities, emotions, and lifestyles become remarkably human. Some demons even stop considering themselves as such and fully embrace their human side.

    When demons and humans spend a significant amount of time together, it''s only natural for bonds to form, and love to blossom.

    There''s a TV show called ''The White Snake'' that you might have seen. It tells the story of Xu Xian and the snake demon Bai Niangzi, who end up having a son together.

    The chances of a demon-human couple conceiving are quite low, around one in a hundred thousand.

    If a demon and a human are together, it''s a bit easier for the demon to conceive. However, if it''s the human who becomes pregnant, things get complicated.

    Demon physiology is superior to humans''. As a demon fetus grows in a demon''s body, it requires a substantial amount of spiritual energy, something the demon can provide.

    When a human is carrying a demon fetus, the fetus also absorbs spiritual energy. Eventually, when the human''s supply of spiritual energy is insufficient, the demon fetus resorts to consuming the person''s essence and blood for rapid growth.

    The day the demon fetus is born marks the death of the host.

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    If I hadn''t extracted the demon fetus from that girl today, in less than a month, she would''ve depleted her essence and transformed into a lifeless corpse.

    When I was twenty, traveling with my master and junior apprentice, we witnessed a woman with a snake fetus dying on the spot.

    That girl was around twenty-one or twenty-two years old. When she died, her belly was distended, while the rest of her body was skeletal. She looked nothing like a human. Despite her last breath, her belly cracked open, and five snake eggs emerged from her mouth."

    Chen Yuanshan recounted the story, and the memory seemed to weigh heavily on him as he let out a rough sigh.

    Listening to his tale, I imagined the gruesome scene he described, sending shivers down my spine. The mere thought was terrifying.

    "Master Chen, did you all kill those five snakes, or did you let them go?" I continued my inquiries.

    "We Daoists uphold the virtue of compassion. At the time, we did not harm those five snakes'' lives. We let them go," he replied.

    "Master Chen, why did you kill the three small snakes today then?" I asked with curiosity.

    "You have so many questions. Write down your address, and I''ll visit you after dark," Chen Yuanshan said, picking up a pen and paper.

    I nodded at Chen Yuanshan and wrote down my home address.

    "Include your phone number too," he added.

    "My phone was lost yesterday at the fair. I''ll buy a new one and get a new SIM card. I''ll call you when I''m ready. I have your business card," I explained.

    "Alright."

    Chen Yuanshan nodded in agreement.

    I went upstairs, retrieved my cleaned clothes from the bathroom, and gave them a sniff. There was still a faint smell of excrement lingering.

    Back on the ground floor, I bid Chen Yuanshan farewell and left Daoist Hall.

    "Now that this guy is finally gone, why does the house still smell like crap?" Chen Yuanshan muttered to himself after my departure.

 19: Rain-summoning Spell

    When I noticed Chen Yuanshan approaching, I hesitated for a moment before striding outside to meet him.

    My father, rising from the kang, followed suit, curious about the visitor adorned in Daoist attire.

    "What''s going on? Weren''t you supposed to call me?" Chen Yuanshan questioned, his tone lacking warmth as he addressed me.

    "Apologies, Master Chen. I forgot to give you a call after getting a new phone and number," I admitted.

    "You young folks these days, so unreliable," Chen Yuanshan muttered, scolding me.

    "Sorry," I replied sheepishly.

    "Who''s this?" My father emerged from the house, overhearing our conversation. He gestured towards Chen Yuanshan, seeking an explanation.

    "Allow me to introduce myself. I''m a Taoist from Maoshan, Chen Yuanshan. I run a Daoist hall called ''Dao Zun Tang'' in Fuyuan Alley," Chen Yuanshan introduced himself before I could say anything.

    "What brings you to my house?" my father inquired.

    "Your son invited me. You should ask him about it," Chen Yuanshan replied, indicating it was my matter to explain.

    My father, puzzled, turned to me, and I briefly explained, "Dad, it''s like this. The upright female corpse we fished out of the river yesterday has turned into a female water ghost, and I invited Master Chen to help me expel the evil spirit."

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    "Ridiculous! In all the years I''ve worked as a corpse retriever with your grandfather, I''ve never seen a water ghost. You''re too young. This guy is obviously a swindler. A fake Taoist trying to trick you into giving him money," my father scolded me, pointing at Chen Yuanshan. "You two even speak the same way."

    Unfazed by my father''s accusations, Chen Yuanshan didn''t get angry or offer elaborate explanations. Instead, he muttered quietly to himself.

    "Dad, when Grandpa was alive, he told me stories about water ghosts. Just because you haven''t seen one doesn''t mean they don''t exist," I tried to reason with him.

    "Your grandfather had old-fashioned ideas. I still don''t believe in ghosts and spirits. It''s all nonsense," my father stubbornly stated.

    "Dad, I don''t want to argue with you about this. There''s another matter I want to make clear today. My future life, I will plan it myself. I won''t let you decide my life. From today onwards, I won''t work as a corpse retriever. I don''t like this profession, and I don''t want people pointing fingers at me, accusing me of ''earning money from the dead, immoral, and having no anus for childbirth.''"

    You know, ever since Great-Grandpa started working as a corpse retriever, our old He family hasn''t had a good ending. Great-Grandpa was killed while trying to extort money using a corpse. Grandma, who was perfectly healthy, mysteriously died in her sleep. Grandpa got cancer and passed away. With you, Mom left when I was seven.

    These years, you''ve selfishly lived for yourself. You never thought about me. Every time we earned money from retrieving corpses, you either indulged in feasts and drinks or spent it on massages and women. Or, you simply gambled it all away.

    You always told me you were saving money to buy a house and find me a wife. Where''s the money now?

    This moment marked my explosive outburst. My father, listening to my heartfelt words, wore an indifferent expression.

 20: The Female Water Ghost in the River

    The atmosphere in the room became heavy as my father stared at the small porcelain bottle in Chen Yuanshan''s hand, stuttering incoherently. "I-I-I..."

    "Are you scared?" Chen Yuanshan asked, looking at my father with a smirk.

    "N-no, why would I be scared? Just drip it," my father responded nervously, taking the bottle from Chen Yuanshan and applying a drop of ox-eye tears to each of his eyes.

    "This stuff stings! Are there any side effects?" My father squinted, wearing an uncomfortable expression.

    "These ox-eye tears will temporarily stimulate your eyeballs. No side effects, don''t worry," Chen Yuanshan assured him, taking back the bottle. "This is not cheap. Just this small bottle is worth over ten thousand. And it''s hard to come by. If I were to offer this service to others, I''d charge two thousand for a single drop."

    "Cut the crap. We''ve severed our father-son relationship. Don''t bring the bill to me; go ask him for money," I retorted, pointing at my father.

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    "You little brat!" My father, angered by my words, cursed at me.

    At that moment, a chilling cold breeze swept into the room, causing my father and me to shiver involuntarily, contrasting with Chen Yuanshan, who remained composed.

    "She''s coming up," Chen Yuanshan said, pointing toward the river. My father and I, with a shared sense of anxiety, turned our attention to the water.

    A disheveled woman emerged from the center of the river, standing upright on the surface. As she stepped onto the riverbank, my father rubbed his eyes and looked again.

    "She''s coming!" my father exclaimed, horrified.

    "Water ghosts can only stay in the water and can''t come ashore normally. They can only emerge when it''s raining. After the rain stops, they must return to the water. If a water ghost stays away from water for too long, it risks losing its soul," Chen Yuanshan explained, pointing at the female water ghost.

    My father, now speechless, was convinced by Chen Yuanshan''s words. The ghostly figure approached, and my father, overwhelmed with fear, could only manage a shocked "Oh my God."

    "Believe it or not, this world is vast, and there are plenty of people more capable than you. Don''t be a frog at the bottom of a well, only seeing a patch of sky," Chen Yuanshan admonished my father.

    Acknowledging Chen Yuanshan''s words with a solemn nod, my father remained silent. This unexpected turn of events left me feeling both surprised and strangely satisfied.

 21: Bargaining with the Water Ghost

    The female water ghost gracefully floated to the riverbank, leapt, and vanished into the waters.

    As the spectral pressure lifted, both my father and I looked disheveled.

    "Master Chen, we had an agreement. You were supposed to help us get rid of the water ghost. Now she''s gone, and you didn''t do anything. Isn''t that a bit too much?" I confronted Chen Yuanshan.

    "Young man, my hands are tied. We in the Daoist tradition abide by the law of cause and effect. You and your father violated taboos by retrieving that resentful corpse from the water. According to the rules, I should''ve let the water ghost settle the score for the deceased. If I had intervened and expelled her, it would have defied the cosmic order, inviting karmic repercussions," Chen Yuanshan explained apologetically.

    "I want to know if what she said was just a scare tactic," my father, seeking a glimmer of hope, asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "She wasn''t bluffing. If you don''t follow her instructions, you''ll both meet a grim fate at her hands eventually," Chen Yuanshan replied earnestly.

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    "Son, you accused me of being selfish, living only for myself. Now, for the first time, I''ll make a sacrifice for you," my father declared, taking out his trusty dagger.

    "Dad, what are you doing?"

    "I''ll find Chen Feng, kill him, toss his corpse into the river, and avenge the water ghost," my father declared, ready to leave.

    I stepped forward, blocking his way, concerned by his reckless decision.

    "You''re acting recklessly," Chen Yuanshan scolded my father.

    "What else can I do?" My father, feeling cornered, asked Chen Yuanshan.

    Chen Yuanshan thought for a moment. "This is like bargaining for groceries or clothes. We can negotiate with the water ghost. I believe there''s room for discussion."

    "Dad, your impulsive nature is getting us nowhere," I said, urging him to reconsider.

    Chen Yuanshan suggested, "Leave your son here. I''ll take him to negotiate with the water ghost."

    "Will she drown my son?" my father inquired cautiously.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll ensure his safety. The water ghost relies on you two to seek revenge, so for now, she won''t take your lives," Chen Yuanshan reassured my father.

    With these words, Chen Yuanshan walked confidently into the courtyard, leaving me standing there with an expression of both hope and apprehension.

 22: Mystic Showdown

    "The choices you offered earlier were too harsh. Killing someone and tossing them into the river is illegal. If caught, it''s a death sentence. Bringing someone here is equally difficult. Do you think they have the ability?" Chen Yuanshan reasoned with the water ghost.

    "I don''t care."

    "Previously, you mentioned that Chen Feng is involved in usury and drug trafficking. How about this: you tell us where he hides the drugs. We report it to the police and let them handle him. Don''t make things difficult for this father and son," Chen Yuanshan proposed.

    "Only when Chen Feng is dead can I find peace. There''s no room for negotiation. I advise you not to meddle in this. It''s none of your concern," the water ghost insisted.

    "If you think there''s no room for negotiation, then I won''t negotiate. I''ll take this father and son and leave," Chen Yuanshan declared.

    "I know their scent. Even if they hide at the ends of the earth, as long as there''s a body of water, I will find them. They may elude me temporarily, but they can''t escape forever," the water ghost threatened.

    "With me guarding them, I won''t let you harm them in the slightest. If you doubt it, you can try," Chen Yuanshan warned, drawing his copper coin sword from his waist.

    I nodded to Chen Yuanshan and took a few steps back, signaling that I would not interfere.

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    Before Chen Yuanshan could make a move, the water ghost acted first. She waved her right hand towards the river, summoning a basketball-sized water sphere enveloped in a layer of black aura. Pointing her right hand towards Chen Yuanshan, the sphere, shrouded in black energy, hurtled rapidly towards him.

    Chen Yuanshan swiftly pulled out a talisman from his bag, flinging it forward. Simultaneously, he silently recited, "As per the command of the Great Elder."

    The yellow talisman flew out, igniting and transforming into a basketball-sized fireball, colliding with the water sphere in mid-air. The collision produced a resounding "boom," and the water sphere dissipated into white water vapor.

    Frowning, the water ghost swung both hands, summoning two basketball-sized water spheres on the river''s surface.

    "I didn''t expect your skills to be quite substantial," Chen Yuanshan remarked as he pulled out three more talismans.

    This time, Chen Yuanshan took the initiative. Before the water spheres could approach, he tossed the three talismans toward the water ghost. The talismans transformed into three fireballs, hurtling with a gust of wind toward the water ghost. Simultaneously, the water ghost manipulated the two floating water spheres to strike back at Chen Yuanshan.

    Watching this surreal spectacle unfold, I was mesmerized. The face-off between them felt like a scene straight out of a movie. I glanced at Chen Yuanshan, gaining a newfound respect for him.

    The two fireballs collided with the water spheres, creating two more thunderous "booms." The water spheres turned into water vapor, dispersing into the surroundings.

    The water ghost, undeterred, created another water shield in front of her chest as the third fireball approached. The shield, one meter long and one and a half meters wide, silently absorbed the fireball without a sound.

    Controlling the water shield with precision, the water ghost kept it steady in front of her, revealing her mastery over the water element. Chen Yuanshan''s expression remained focused as he prepared for the next move in this mystic showdown.

 23: Fateful Encounter with the Bandits

    "I''ve been quite accommodating to you both. Stop wasting time and get out of the car. Let''s not delay each other any further," Chen Yuanshan urged us as we stood outside the car.

    "Master Chen, if this matter isn''t resolved, we won''t be able to stay in this house. Please, do us a kindness and take us with you," my dad pleaded.

    I was scared, and so was my dad. In our hearts, Chen Yuanshan was our lifeline. We had grasped onto this lifeline, and it was unimaginable to let go.

    "I''ve rarely been impressed in my life, but I genuinely respect you two. Alright, go down, lock the door behind you," Chen Yuanshan compromised.

    "We don''t have anything valuable at home, nothing to steal. No need to lock the door. Just focus on driving," my dad reassured.

    "I''ve seldom respected anyone in my life, but you two, I genuinely do," Chen Yuanshan said helplessly, driving us towards the city.

    On the way back, my dad curiously asked Chen Yuanshan several questions about supernatural beings. However, Chen Yuanshan remained silent, ignoring my dad''s inquiries.

    Seeing that Chen Yuanshan wasn''t in the mood for conversation, my dad wisely stopped probing further.

    When we reached Fuyuan Alley, it was already dark. All the shops in Fuyuan Alley were closed.

    Next to Daocan Hall was a paper effigy shop. Although the shop was closed, the inside was illuminated by a dim red light. On either side of the entrance were paper effigies of a boy and a girl. The boy wore a blue gown with a gold-stamped longevity character, while the girl donned an outfit adorned with dragon and phoenix patterns, along with two hair buns.

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    As I stared at the paper effigies, they seemed to be staring back at me. The paper effigy of the girl appeared to be smiling, and I couldn''t help but take a couple of steps back, feeling a bit frightened.

    Entering Daocan Hall, I checked the clock on the wall. It was already past 8 PM, and I could feel my stomach growling.

    Perhaps it was psychological, but I sensed a faint smell of feces lingering in Daocan Hall.

    Recalling how I had embarrassed myself earlier by soiling my pants, my face turned beet red. It was undoubtedly the most humiliating thing I had ever done in my life.

    "My place is quite far from the city center. Ordering food online is not an option since no one will deliver here. I can only make fried sauce noodles. If you don''t want to eat, I''ll make a bowl for myself," Chen Yuanshan offered, hanging his bag and copper coin sword on the wall.

    "I don''t have anything valuable at home. There''s nothing to steal. No need to lock the door. I''ve rarely respected anyone in my life, but you two, I genuinely do," Chen Yuanshan sighed, then drove in the direction of the city.

    As we headed back to the city, my dad, realizing he had the chance, asked Chen Yuanshan several questions about supernatural beings. However, Chen Yuanshan remained silent, paying no attention to my dad''s queries.

    Feeling the silence, my dad wisely refrained from further probing.

    When we arrived at Fuyuan Alley, darkness had fully settled in. The shops in Fuyuan Alley were all closed.

    Next to Daocan Hall was a paper effigy shop, its door locked. However, a dim red light emanated from within. On either side of the entrance stood paper effigies of a boy and a girl, wearing traditional outfits.

    Staring at these effigies, it felt like they were observing me. The girl''s effigy seemed to be smiling, and a shiver ran down my spine. I quickly stepped inside Daocan Hall.

    Checking the wall clock, it was already past 8 PM. I felt a pang of hunger, and the memory of my embarrassing bathroom incident came flooding back. My face flushed with embarrassment.

    "Chen Master, could you please make me a bowl of fried sauce noodles? Thank you," I requested politely, bowing in gratitude.

    Today, I had inconvenienced Chen Yuanshan quite a bit. Though he seemed annoyed, he didn''t reject us outright.

 24: A Clever Plan

    I noticed a character, "ÀÎ" (imprisonment), on Chen Yuanshan''s left palm. He sighed as he looked at it, and his expression turned serious. He slumped into the chair opposite Chen Yuanshan, speechless.

    "I''m really in deep trouble," He Gang said, tears streaming down his face. He seemed dispirited.

    "Even in the face of great adversity, you can''t force yourself into a corner. I firmly believe in the saying ''as long as one is alive, there will be a way out.'' When faced with difficulties, grit your teeth and persevere," Chen Yuanshan advised. The Gang nodded, then shook his head, his face filled with inner conflict.

    "I haven''t eaten for a few meals."

    "It''s been two days since I last ate," He Gang replied, raising his head.

    "I can only make fried sauce noodles. Will you eat?" Chen Yuanshan asked.

    "Yes," He Gang replied, his face turning red with embarrassment.

    "Alright, stay here. I''ll go upstairs and make a bowl of fried sauce noodles for you," Chen Yuanshan said, standing up and heading towards the second floor.

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    Earlier, He Gang had placed his backpack on the sofa. Walking to the sofa, he unzipped the backpack. The first thing I saw was a dagger with a black handle and sheath.

    Recalling Chen Yuanshan''s words about He Gang''s destiny, I felt nervous again. I wondered if He Gang was planning to rob me. If that were the case, I wouldn''t resist. I would hand over all the money in my pockets, including the new phone I had just bought.

    He Gang took out a ten yuan bill from his backpack. It was crumpled and worn, indicating it had been through a lot. He didn''t pull out the dagger, and my tension eased.

    After about twenty minutes, Chen Yuanshan came down with a bowl of fried sauce noodles and a pair of chopsticks.

    "Hurry and eat," he said, placing the bowl in front of He Gang.

    Looking at the bowl of fried sauce noodles, He Gang thanked Chen Yuanshan and, without hesitation, started eating.

    Chen Yuanshan noticed the crumpled ten yuan bill on the table, suspecting it was given by He Gang.

    He picked up the bill and said, "I charge 200 for fortune-telling."

    He Gang, with an awkward expression, looked at the crumpled ten yuan bill in Chen Yuanshan''s hand.

    "Master Chen, this is all I have. I can''t give you any more money now. If I become wealthy in the future, I''ll repay you double. And for this bowl of fried sauce noodles, I''ll always remember it," He Gang promised sincerely.

    "Alright, then it is. I''ll take it," Chen Yuanshan said, putting the ten yuan bill in his pocket.

    After finishing a small bowl of fried sauce noodles, He Gang burped contentedly, picked up the glass of water I had poured for him earlier, and drank it in one gulp.

 25: Keeping the Promise

    "You are a very intelligent person. You have many aspirations, but when it comes to concrete actions, you tend to be conservative, and cautious and prefer to go with the flow rather than against it.

    If you didn''t work as a corpse retriever, your fortune would be fine. However, engaging in such work, earning money from the dead, introduces karmic entanglements. As the saying goes, ''Plant good deeds, harvest good fruits; plant evil deeds, harvest evil fruits.'' Because you earn money from the dead, your own fortune declines. You either face financial losses or bad luck."

    Chen Yuanshan paused and took a sip of water from the cup on the table.

    Listening to Chen Yuanshan''s words, I reflected on my own life. It seemed accurate.

    "Throughout your life, you''ve had few friends, and your family is not reliable. ''Six relations are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives, and sons.'' Your life depends solely on your own abilities. Your Bazi (Eight Characters) shows clashes and conflicts, indicating a lower-level destiny. I can also see that you''ve been criticized by your parents frequently, and they haven''t supported you in anything. Furthermore, you''ll be burdened by your siblings and friends in the future."

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    "Master Chen, hearing all this makes me feel like I have no hope left. Is there nothing positive in my life?" I asked, feeling despondent.

    "In your Bazi, I can deduce that you have a benefactor''s luck. You''ll receive help from elders who will guide you through difficulties, helping you achieve success in your career. Your early life may not be prosperous, but as you age, your fortune will improve. You''ll achieve some success in your career, and your later years will be happy."

    These words brought a glimmer of relief to my troubled heart.

    "I have one more question," I said.

    "Go ahead."

    "I want to know if my mother is doing well now and if I''ll ever see her again."

    Since my parents divorced, my mother hadn''t visited me in over ten years. I resented her, but I also missed her.

    "I can''t determine how well your mother is doing, but you two will meet again in the future. It''s getting late; rest now."

    With these words, Chen Yuanshan yawned and went upstairs.

    I chose not to join him in the small bedroom and decided to rest on the sofa downstairs, sleeping off the night as best as I could.

    ...Around 5:30 the next morning, I was awakened by the commotion outside. Looking into the alley, I saw that all the shops were open, and people were busy buying things

 26:The Ordeal of the Female Water Ghost

    "Woo...woo..." The female water ghost, upon hearing Chen Yuanshan''s question, didn''t say a word. Instead, she emitted a mournful cry, a sound both annoying and spine-chilling.

    The female water ghost cried for about half an hour before her emotions stabilized. She began recounting the events that had befallen her.

    "I met Chen Feng at a bar. He approached me, and I found him charming. We exchanged WeChat and started dating after about two months. At first, Chen Feng treated me well, occasionally giving me small gifts and taking me out for meals or trips to nearby cities.

    As time went on, he changed. He became impatient with me, and I noticed there was something abnormal about his psyche, a bit twisted. When we were intimate, he insisted on recording our private moments with his phone. I initially refused but succumbed to his persistent persuasion. Mostly, I did it because I liked him."

    As the female water ghost spoke, her expression turned sinister again. A black aura emanated from her, accompanied by an invisible pressure that weighed on both Chen Yuanshan and me. Chen Yuanshan remained composed, but I felt a heaviness in my chest, making breathing difficult and my body sluggish, as if a heavy stone pressed upon me.

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    "Knowing that he engaged in usury, I didn''t say much. Later, I found out he was involved in drug trafficking and drug abuse. I had a serious talk with him, telling him that if he got caught by the police, he might spend his life in prison. I urged him to quit drugs.

    Although he verbally agreed, he continued secretly trafficking drugs, claiming it was to save money for our future. He wanted our life to be better after marriage. Eventually, I stopped caring.

    The incident happened the day before yesterday. Chen Feng took me out for dinner and drinks with his friends. They got me drunk, and in the end, his three friends gang-raped me, recording the act on video.

    That scum, Chen Feng, threatened me not to report it to the police. He said if I did, he would release the video online, making me unable to show my face for the rest of my life and bringing shame to my parents.

    Feeling betrayed by the man I loved, I felt life was meaningless. In a fit of rage, I jumped off the bridge."

    The female water ghost continued her story to

 27:Eight Character Analysis

    "Congratulations! Give me the names, birthdates, and birth times of the two kids. I''ll help analyze their Eight Characters and find an auspicious date for their marriage," Chen Yuanshan said, laying out paper and a pen on his desk.

    The middle-aged woman approached, smiling at Chen Yuanshan before providing the names, lunar birthdates, and birth times of her son and future daughter-in-law written on a yellow paper.

    Chen Yuanshan took the paper, scrutinizing the names and birth details, calculating their Eight Characters.

    Starting with the son, Wang Qiang, Chen Yuanshan used his left hand to calculate, jotting down inscriptions on the paper that I couldn''t decipher. After finishing the son''s analysis, he moved on to the daughter, Zhang Xiaodan.

    "Auntie, your daughter-in-law is three years older than your son," I commented, examining the lunar birthdates.

    In my understanding, it''s quite rare for men to pursue women older than them. Typically, men tend to seek younger partners.

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    "A woman three years older, holding golden bricks. Although my daughter-in-law is three years older than my son, she looks young and beautiful, and she''s eloquent," the middle-aged woman joyfully replied.

    I nodded in response, not delving further, but rather, observing Chen Yuanshan with curiosity.

    "Hmm, something seems off," Chen Yuanshan muttered to himself, wrinkling his brow and recalculating.

    For the second time, Chen Yuanshan calculated the Eight Characters for Zhang Xiaodan. The middle-aged woman''s expression turned serious and anxious.

    "Sister, take a closer look. Are the names and lunar birth details you provided correct?" Chen Yuanshan pointed at Zhang Xiaodan''s name and birth details, asking the middle-aged woman.

    "It should be correct. Let me call my son to confirm," the middle-aged woman replied, pulling out her phone.

    While she made the call, Chen Yuanshan scrutinized Zhang Xiaodan''s name and birth details again, looking troubled.

    "Hey, not sure how to break this to you," Chen Yuanshan said, appearing reluctant.

    "Chen Daochang, just say it. The more hesitant you are, the more scared I become," the middle-aged woman urged.

    "Alright, I''ll be direct. If the names and lunar birth details you provided are correct..."

 28é”›æ¬³olor of my forehead

    "Chen Daochang, could you take a look at the color of my ''yintang'' now?" I pointed to my forehead, prompting Chen Yuanshan to inspect.

    After assessing, he remarked, "Your ''Bintang'' is turning gray."

    Listening to his words, I turned towards a large octagonal mirror hanging on the wall beside the sofa, trying to identify any grayness on my forehead. Chen Yuanshan advised against it, explaining that perceiving one''s own ''Bintang'' was not feasible.

    "I''ve cultivated the ''Heaven''s Eye,'' not only able to see the existence of spirits but also communicate with them. I can also see things that ordinary people cannot. You don''t need to look in the mirror; you won''t be able to see the grayness in your ''Bintang,''" Chen Yuanshan explained.

    "Chen Daochang, where exactly is this ''yintang'' located?" I inquired.

    "''Yintang'' is an acupuncture point on the human body, situated in the forehead, between the two eyebrows," he clarified.

    He continued, "If ''Bintang'' turns black, it indicates the entanglement of Yin and resentment, suggesting that the person may be affected by evil spirits. You had this condition before. When it turns gray, it signifies being surrounded by moldy luck. A person with a gray ''yintang'' may experience a month of misfortune. If it turns red, there''s potential for indirect wealth."

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    Just as I was about to ask Chen Yuanshan how to avoid being surrounded by moldy luck, a woman in her mid-thirties pushed open the door to Daozun Hall and walked in.

    She was around 1.68 meters tall, and slender, with light makeup accentuating her mature and elegant appearance. Dressed in a blue Adidas tracksuit and white sneakers, she had a simple ponytail. The young woman exuded a confident aura.

    "I was introduced by a friend. I''m here to find Chen Daochang," she said with a smile, addressing both me and Chen Yuanshan.

    "I am Chen Daochang. What can I do for you?" Chen Yuanshan stood up, asking the young woman.

    "I''ve set my eyes on a house, and my friend recommended you for your expertise in Feng Shui. I''d like you to check the Feng Shui of that house. If it''s good, I''ll buy it; if not, I won''t," she explained, her tone gentle.

    "Perfect timing. I have some free time now. Let''s go take a look," Chen Yuanshan agreed, nodding.

    "Great, then let''s go. My car is parked at the entrance of the alley," she said, smiling. "You can wait for me in the car; I''ll just tidy up some things here and join you."

    "Sure, thank you," the young woman replied politely before walking towards the entrance.

    Once she left, Chen Yuanshan explained that he would check the Feng Shui of the house for her. Intrigued, I asked if I could accompany him.

    "Sure, come with me," he agreed, handing me a yellow cloth bag with a pattern of the Eight Diagrams.

    After locking the door to Daozun Hall, Chen Yuanshan and I walked to the alley''s entrance. The young woman, sitting in a white Mercedes SUV, was playing with her phone. Upon seeing us, she waved and invited us over.

    To be continued...

 29é”›æ¬°zure Dragon Suppresses White Tiger.

    It was a cloudy afternoon when Chen Yuanshan, the master of Yin and Yang, received a call from Zheng Xue. She was interested in a house on the east side of town and wanted him to take a look.

    "No problem," Chen Yuanshan agreed.

    Zheng Xue called the sales consultant to inquire about the availability of the east-side house. It turned out there was a three-story, three-bedroom unit on the third floor of Building One that hadn''t been sold yet. With this information, they decided to go and inspect the property.

    When they arrived, a female sales consultant was already showing the house to a young couple. The young man looked to be around 25 or 26, tall and well-built, with a clean and handsome appearance. He sported a crew cut and wore a stylish silver-gray casual suit with deep orange leather shoes. Standing next to him was a middle-aged man in his fifties, of average height but slightly overweight. He had a parted hairstyle, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and held a compass in his hand.

    The middle-aged man greeted Chen Yuanshan with a friendly smile, "Chen Xiong, how have you been lately?"

    Chen Yuanshan, however, responded with a rather reserved demeanor, and their conversation seemed filled with hidden tensions.

    "Jin Gongzi, considering the Feng Shui layout of the entire neighborhood, this compound has mountains on both the left and right sides, forming the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right. Moreover, the Azure Dragon is effectively suppressing the White Tiger. As the saying goes, ''Better to have the Azure Dragon rise high; don''t let the White Tiger raise its head.'' This implies that a residence with the Azure Dragon position, meaning a house facing east with a mountain or tall building on the east side, can serve as support, ensuring smooth careers and often attracting helpful mentors.

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    "On the other hand, the White Tiger in the west, especially when visible water flows towards lakes or ponds, is considered good for financial luck. However, if the White Tiger is higher than the Azure Dragon, it can lead to unexpected accidents for the residents.

    "Additionally, both bedrooms on the east side of this house have windows, and with the first rays of sunlight entering the room each morning, it forms a Purple Qi Coming from the East Feng Shui pattern. The eastern sunlight is the most vigorous and vibrant, symbolizing vitality. The windows to the east manifest auspicious energy, nurturing the family and protecting the residents, allowing prosperity to thrive," the middle-aged man explained to the young man.

    "Chen Xiong, am I correct in my assessment?" he asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "You''re absolutely correct. The Feng Shui layout of this house is indeed excellent," Chen Yuanshan confirmed, giving a subtle nod to Zheng Xue, suggesting she make a move on the property.

    "I''ll take this house," Zheng Xue declared, about to inform the sales consultant of her decision. However, the young man beat her to it.

    "I''ll take it."

    The unexpected turn of events left everyone surprised, especially Zheng Xue, who hadn''t anticipated this outcome.

    To be continued...

 30: Unveiling Secrets in Chen Fengs Pawnshop

    As Chen Yuanshan and I headed to the downtown pedestrian street in his Wuling Hongguang van, the atmosphere was quite unconventional. Chen Yuanshan, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit with a white shirt underneath, looked like a Taoist priest with his loose, untied hair and a natural wave in it. His mountain-goat beard added to the eccentricity of his appearance.

    "I''ve got some style, don''t I? Like a big boss?" Chen Yuanshan gestured to his outfit, seeking my opinion.

    "You definitely have some style, but instead of a boss, you look more like a gangster or a thug," I bluntly shared my honest thoughts.

    "I figured it out; you''re terrible at compliments. No wonder the water ghost has issues with you. You really lack something," Chen Yuanshan scolded me, his face displaying annoyance. He walked to the mirror, speaking to himself, "Indeed, not a proper look."

    Unable to contain myself, I burst into laughter, earning a sharp glare from Chen Yuanshan.

    "Alright, let''s go," he said, leading the way out of Daozun Hall.

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    Driving his Wuling Hongguang, we made our way to the central pedestrian street. As we approached, I couldn''t help but comment on the mismatch between his attire and the van.

    "Chen, have you noticed that your outfit and this van are not really matching?"

    "What do you think I should wear then? And what kind of car should I drive?" he asked.

    "You should at least pair this outfit with a black Mercedes or a big BMW," I suggested, and I could see his wheels turning as he contemplated the idea of upgrading to a luxury car.

    Our destination was a narrow alley behind the pedestrian street, where the water ghost mentioned her boyfriend Chen Feng had a pawnshop. I was somewhat familiar with the area, knowing it was filled with unique eateries.

    There were fried rice stalls, lamb skewer joints, wonton shops, fruit stands, specialty steamed bun shops, kebab spots, barbecue joints, and more. The narrow lanes were often bustling with locals and tourists alike, searching for tasty treats.

    As we entered the alley, the scent of various foods filled the air. Chen Yuanshan seemed focused on finding the pawnshop, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

    We wandered through the lively alley, passing by different shops, until we reached a place with a simple sign that read "Chen Feng''s Pawnshop." The shop was small, and a dim light flickered above the entrance.

    Chen Yuanshan paused and glanced at me. "Let''s see what we find here."

    We entered the pawnshop, not fully aware of the twists and turns our journey was about to take.

    To be continued...

 31: Unraveling Dark Secrets

    The city transformed as the sun dipped below the skyline, casting an intricate tapestry of shadows through the labyrinthine streets. Neon lights flickered to life, illuminating the cityscape in a mesmerizing dance of colors.

    Exiting the pawnshop, my mind buzzed with thoughts of Chen Feng¡ªhis aloof demeanor, the mysterious tattoo, and the unsettling game he played. It was a stark contradiction, a riddle waiting to be solved.

    Chen Yuan Shan, always perceptive, couldn''t resist sizing up our enigmatic adversary. "Borrowing a hundred thousand," he mumbled, his gaze shifting between Chen Feng and me.

    Negotiations were terse, marked by Chen Feng''s arrogance. His lending conditions were steep, demanding a well-placed guarantor or valuable collateral. The disdainful glances he cast our way only fueled our determination to unearth the truth.

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    As we stepped into the night, a resolve settled upon us. Chen Yuan Shan''s plan to anonymously report Chen Feng for illegal lending and drug trafficking was our weapon against this cunning adversary.

    The city came alive as we navigated its nocturnal landscape. Chen Feng''s hidden shadows were about to be exposed. Our journey back to Dao Zun Tang felt like a pilgrimage, a quest for justice in the face of moral ambiguity.

    The city''s energy buzzed around us, but our minds were focused on the impending battle against the darkness that Chen Feng embodied. Fate had intertwined our stories, turning us into reluctant protagonists of a narrative with twists yet to unfold.

    In the distance, the cityscape shimmered, and we approached Dao Zun Tang with a sense of purpose. The night held secrets, and we were determined to bring them to light, even if it meant dancing on the edge of shadows.

    The water ghost''s vendetta had evolved into a quest for righteousness, and we were prepared for the battles that lay ahead. As we reached Dao Zun Tang, the moon stood high, a silent witness to the drama unfolding¡ªa tale of justice, revenge, and the mysteries that awaited in the shadows.

 32: The Alluring Enigma

    "Is your man not at home?" Chen Yuan Shan inquired, stepping out of the girl''s room and addressing the middle-aged woman.

    "My husband is a sailor, often adrift at sea. He rarely comes home, and I haven''t dared to tell him about my daughter''s situation," the middle-aged woman replied, her eyes welling with tears.

    Without dwelling on the emotional moment, Chen Yuan Shan gestured for a brush, cinnabar, and yellow talisman paper. In the midst of the woman''s home, he crafted three protective talismans.

    "Affix these three home-guarding talismans on your daughter''s doors and windows," Chen Yuan Shan instructed me, handing over the completed talismans.

    "Do you have any glue?" I asked the woman, taking the talismans from Chen Yuan Shan.

    "No glue, but I have tape," she responded, ready to fetch it for me.

    "These talismans carry a magnetic field; they have inherent adhesion. Just stick them above the doors and windows," Chen Yuan Shan explained to me.

    As I attached the talismans, Chen Yuan Shan hung a brass bell on the clothesline in the courtyard, its gentle chime resonating with a soothing melody.

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    "Mrs. Tian, does it work?" I asked, looking at the talismans.

    "Truly magical," I mumbled as I observed the talismans adhering effortlessly to the door frame.

    Mrs. Tian''s daughter''s room had a door and two windows, and I affixed a talisman to each.

    While I worked on attaching the talismans, Chen Yuan Shan picked up a copper bell, securing it with a red string on the clothesline. A gentle tap produced a melodious sound, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

    "Chen Dao Chang, who was that chubby guy we met when checking the Feng Shui for Mrs. Zhang? It seems like you have some history with him," I inquired as I finished affixing the talismans.

    "That man is Fang Canghai, a disciple of the Alchemy Sect. The Alchemy Sect is divided into Outer Alchemy and Inner Alchemy. Outer Alchemy involves refining minerals and herbs into elixirs, while Inner Alchemy utilizes one''s essence and vitality for spiritual cultivation.

    Fang Canghai practices Outer Alchemy, knowledgeable in the art of crafting spiritual elixirs. However, his focus is solely on accumulating wealth. If you''re poor, he won''t give you a second glance, but if you''re wealthy, he''ll treat you differently.

    Although we haven''t had any major conflicts, we share a mutual dislike. Each encounter is a fa?ade of civility," Chen Yuan Shan explained with a slightly displeased expression.

    As we spoke, Mrs. Tian approached with a basin of washed fruits, engaging Chen Yuan Shan in casual conversation. Mrs. Tian, forty-four years old, had no steady job. During agricultural seasons, she tended to her land, but during lulls, she sought odd jobs to make ends meet.

    Her husband earned a living as a fisherman, making two hundred and forty yuan a day. The story unfolded, weaving together the lives of ordinary people caught in the tapestry of a changing era.

 33: Thunder Strikes the Serpent Demon

    "Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Chen Yuanshan, a Taoist from Maoshan," Chen Yuanshan walked to the center of the yard, addressing the enchanting man standing at the entrance.

    "Who are you? You have nothing to do with me. I''m here to find Yu Xiaojia," the alluring man said to Chen Yuanshan and walked confidently into the courtyard.

    "Serpent demon, there is a clear distinction between humans and demons. You may live freely within our human territories, but you cannot harm humans. The harm you''ve caused to the girl in that house is enough. I implore you to leave her be from now on," Chen Yuanshan sternly warned the enchanting man.

    "Stinky Taoist, this is between us. It''s none of your business. Just get lost," the serpent demon retorted, his tone aggressive. "What if I refuse to leave?" Chen Yuanshan asked, raising his copper coin sword, ready for confrontation.

    Seeing the copper coin sword pointed at him, the serpent demon''s calm demeanor turned furious. His hair fluttered without wind, and black scales emerged on his exposed skin. His eyes turned blood red, shimmering with a faint green glow. Sharp fangs extended from his mouth.

    "Oh my god!" I exclaimed in shock, taking two steps back.

    "Serpent demon, a millennium ago, humans and your demon clan signed a treaty. Humans and demons take different paths, and neither should harm the other. If a demon harms innocent civilians, human cultivators have the right to exterminate them. If I kill you today, it''s your own fault," Chen Yuanshan explained firmly.

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    "If you want to kill me, you''ll have to have the ability first," the serpent demon replied with a malicious smile, launching himself at Chen Yuanshan.

    Seeing the serpent demon charge, Chen Yuanshan swung his copper coin sword and advanced as well.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could reach the serpent demon, a thick tail suddenly emerged from behind the demon and slapped towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Seeing the formidable tail, Chen Yuanshan chose not to confront it head-on. He retreated four or five steps, stopping beside me.

    A loud "bang" echoed as the serpent demon''s tail hit the cement ground in the courtyard, cracking it and sending shattered cement blocks flying.

    One small block scratched Chen Yuanshan''s right cheek, leaving a bloody gash.

    "I spared thought for your centuries of cultivation, but since you''re unrepentant, blame yourself for this," Chen Yuanshan shouted angrily, swinging his copper coin sword at the serpent demon.

    The sword made a swift sound as it pierced toward the serpent demon''s chest.

    The serpent demon didn''t dodge. He reached out his right hand, covered in black scales, and grabbed the blade.

    Chen Yuanshan saw the serpent demon grasp the blade, sneered, and uttered two words, "Arrogant."

    Suddenly, the blade of the copper coin sword turned red. The serpent demon''s hand, holding the now red-hot blade, emitted a sizzling sound and white smoke.

    Feeling like his hand was grabbing onto a red-hot iron rod, the serpent demon couldn''t help but scream, releasing his grip on the copper coin sword.

    At this moment, Chen Yuanshan took a talisman from his pocket, holding it up and chanting something.

 34: Unveiling the Mysterious Mark Again

    "Why the silence?" Chen Yuanshan noticed my contemplative silence as I sat in the passenger seat.

    "Master Chen, how do you summon storms and thunder like that?" I turned to him, eyes filled with curiosity.

    "In broad terms, that''s the magic of the Dao. Our Maoshan sect practices Talismanic magic, with thousands of talismans serving various purposes, from controlling the weather to protecting households and exorcising evil spirits," Chen Yuanshan explained briefly.

    "Master Chen, I''d like to learn this skill from you. Can you teach me?" I asked eagerly.

    "Young man, cultivating the Dao is a rugged and perilous path. I sense you might not endure the hardships it entails. Consider it seriously," Chen Yuanshan replied, scrutinizing me with his deep gaze.

    "Master Chen, I can endure hardship. I''m not afraid of it," I insisted.

    "I sense a bit of recklessness in you. This path requires dedication and poses many dangers. Think it through," Chen Yuanshan advised before resuming our journey to Fuyuan Alley.

    "By the way, Master Chen, you helped Ms. Tian Guoqin to drive away the snake demon. Why didn''t you ask her for a fee?" I inquired as we returned to Daoist Hall.

    "I received 800 yuan from her yesterday, and tonight she prepared such a sumptuous meal. I felt it would be impolite to ask for more money. Sometimes, money, although desirable, shouldn''t be overvalued," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    "Master Chen, when that snake demon transformed into a half-human half-demon appearance, it was quite frightening," I recalled.

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    "Demons have two forms: a full transformation and a half-transformation. The appearance you saw today was a half-transformation. When a snake demon takes on a human form, its power is somewhat restricted. In a half-form, its strength, especially in terms of speed and power, significantly increases. A full transformation, reverting to its original form, further boosts its strength. The snake demon we face today has been cultivated for about three hundred years. It wasn''t weak. Its defeat was more due to its underestimation of the situation," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    Once we returned to Daoist Hall, I hung my bag on the wall and asked Chen Yuanshan, "Master Chen, why didn''t you demand payment from Ms. Tian Guoqin for her hospitality?"

    "Yesterday, I accepted 800 yuan from her, and tonight she served us such a lavish meal. I felt it would be impolite to ask for more money. While money is good, it shouldn''t be overly emphasized," Chen Yuanshan replied.

    "Master Chen, when that snake demon transformed into a half-human half-demon appearance, it was quite frightening," I recalled.

    "Demons have two forms: a full transformation and a half-transformation. The appearance you saw today was a half-transformation. When a snake demon takes on a human form, its power is somewhat restricted. In a half-form, its strength, especially in terms of speed and power, significantly increases. A full transformation, reverting to its original form, further boosts its strength. The snake demon we face today has been cultivated for about three hundred years. It wasn''t weak. Its defeat was more due to its underestimation of the situation," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    At that moment, my right wrist suddenly displayed a handprint. Initially red, it shifted to blue and finally settled into a disturbing black. It looked eerie and frightening.

    Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through Fuyuan Alley, and dark clouds gathered overhead. A blinding bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a thunderous roar. The sound shook me to the core, and I felt a surge of fear as my heart raced.

    I couldn''t linger on the first floor. Instead, I rushed upstairs to Chen Yuanshan''s room.

    Entering the room, I found Chen Yuanshan changing his clothes, clad only in yellow boxer briefs.

    Seeing me burst into his room, Chen Yuanshan felt annoyed. "You are quite impolite. Couldn''t you knock before coming in?"

    "Master Chen, please look at my wrist. This black handprint appeared out of nowhere," I said, extending my right wrist to him.

 35: Crafting the Enchanted Seal

    The art of creating talismans involves translating Daoist techniques into intricate drawings on paper, activated through incantations.

    Talismans serve various purposes, from controlling spirits, and praying, to healing ailments.

    The most auspicious time for crafting talismans is during the Zi hour, between 11 PM and 1 AM. This window, the transition between yin and yang, enhances the efficacy of the talisman. While drawing at other times is feasible, it lacks the same potency.

    Yellow paper is often preferred for talismans, but red is also common.

    Brushes made from wolf hair are ideal, with a preference for sharp-eared wolves for heightened spirituality. Other alternatives include crane feathers, eagle feathers, goat hair, chicken feathers, or even fox fur.

    Drawing can be done using either cinnabar or black ink. Personally, I favor cinnabar.

    In terms of color, cinnabar, according to the Eight Trigrams, corresponds to the Qian hexagram, representing pure yang energy. Using cinnabar in talismans taps into the essence of pure yang energy, capable of warding off evil. Mixing chicken blood with cinnabar is another method.

    The yellow paper combined with red cinnabar symbolizes illumination, capable of dispelling darkness.

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    The process of drawing a talisman follows the saying, "One stroke moves the heavens and earth, two strokes startle spirits, three strokes stabilize the world, and four strokes transcend sentient beings." Chen Yuanshan pointed to the completed talisman, brush, cinnabar, and yellow paper, offering an explanation, but I only half-understood.

    "Drawing talismans appears simple but is, in fact, challenging," he continued. "The driving force behind talismanic magic is rooted in sincerity. When sincere, the heavens and earth respond, making the spell potent. During drawing, one''s mind must be tranquil, and respect is required when dealing with divine beings."

    "May I give it a try?" I asked, eyeing Chen Yuanshan''s brushes, cinnabar, and yellow paper with curiosity.

    "Of course, feel free to try," Chen Yuanshan replied, pushing the tools toward me.

    I dipped the brush into the cinnabar, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. As my mind calmed, I observed Chen Yuanshan''s finished talisman. Attempting to replicate it, I started drawing.

    Midway through, an unusual sensation gripped my right hand, as if a heavy weight hung from the brush. It felt like a burdensome scale, making it difficult to continue. Despite my efforts, my trembling right hand forced me to abandon the brush, leaving me with a sweaty forehead.

    "Why did the brush suddenly become heavy halfway through?" I asked Chen Yuanshan, pointing to the brush.

    "Do you know the name and purpose of this talisman?" Chen Yuanshan pointed to the finished talisman, asking me.

    I shook my head, indicating I had no idea.

    "A talisman, or Lingfu, must embody spirituality. How can you successfully draw it if you don''t know its name or purpose? Even seemingly simple tasks are not so straightforward. You must understand the essence of what you are creating," Chen Yuanshan explained with a smile.

 36: Enigmatic Ancestral Dilemmas

    Upon hearing the middle-aged woman''s words, Chen Yuanshan, with a hint of wry amusement, simply shook his head and offered a nonchalant smile.

    "Darling, your second aunt has set you up with someone. This afternoon, carve out some time to check him out. He''s a 32-year-old math teacher from the city high school, with a solid background. This time, no more turning down, okay?" The middle-aged woman concocted a story to coax her daughter.

    "Mom, I''ve told you repeatedly; don''t push me into these blind dates. I want the freedom to navigate my own romantic waters."

    "Free love, I get it. But sweetheart, if you''re keen on someone, show me. You''re thirty, and all your pals and classmates are in the marriage-and-kids league. Shouldn''t I be a bit concerned? I''m telling you, you better come and meet this one." The mother asserted with a tinge of authority, her face flushing, and her voice intensifying.

    "Mom, actually, I''ve been seeing someone. He''s a year older, a cop at the local station. He''s a good guy, and we''ve been together for three months. I didn''t tell you earlier because I felt the timing wasn''t right."

    "Are you pulling my leg?" The middle-aged woman wasn''t entirely convinced by her daughter''s revelation.

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    "How could I joke about this? Alright, how about this? This Sunday, when we both have a day off, I''ll bring my boyfriend home for you and Dad to meet."

    "Fine, fine, fine! That''s fantastic! Just as well. You go on with your hectic schedule." The middle-aged woman joyfully replied, tossing a wad of money, a thousand bucks, onto Chen Yuanshan''s office desk.

    "Big sister, my reading fee is two hundred. You''re being too generous," Chen Yuanshan protested.

    "I said, if your reading is accurate, I''ll give you a grand. The extra is my gesture of goodwill. No wonder they call you Chen the Half-Immortal; your predictions are right on the money."

    After this exuberant middle-aged woman left, Chen Yuanshan''s office retained a surreal vibe. She jumped up and danced, her face radiating joy. From her bag, she pulled out a stack of money, handed a thousand bucks to Chen Yuanshan, and left Daoist Respect Hall with contentment.

    Following her departure, the two middle-aged women, who had been chatting on the sofa, stood up and approached Chen Yuanshan.

    Dressed in opulent attire, and adorned with stylish accessories, these two sisters exuded an air of sophistication. They bore a remarkable resemblance, indicating a close sisterly bond.

    "Do you have a moment, Master Chen?" The younger of the two women asked.

    "Please, take a seat. Give me your names and birthdates, and I''ll delve into your fate, and see where the dilemma lies." Chen Yuanshan gestured to the chairs opposite him, addressing the older sister.

    Upon receiving their names and lunar birthdates, Chen Yuanshan commenced his analysis. The younger sister was Gong Haiyan, 45 years old, and the older sister was Gong Haiyan, 50 years old. As Chen Yuanshan delved into their birth charts, the room''s atmosphere grew tense.

 37: Those Who Meet a Tragic End Shall Not Rest in Ancestral Graves

    "Your turn. Are you here for a fortune reading?" Chen Yuanshan addressed the couple seated on the couch.

    "Master Chen, I want to start a business, but I''m unsure about what to pursue. I came seeking your guidance on what venture would be profitable," said the young man as he approached, unceremoniously taking a seat across from Chen Yuanshan, legs crossed.

    Upon hearing the young man''s words, Chen Yuanshan first scrutinized his facial features. He then slid pen and paper toward the young man, instructing him to write down his name and birthdate in the lunar calendar.

    The young man nodded and proceeded to jot down his name, Ma Yuzhuang, born in the year 1987, under the sign of the Rabbit.

    As Chen Yuanshan began calculating Ma Yuzhuang''s fate, his expression grew solemn, conveying a sense of disdain toward the young man.

    While Chen Yuanshan focused on Ma Yuzhuang''s fortune, my attention wandered to the young man''s girlfriend. She sat quietly on the sofa, engrossed in her phone, seemingly oblivious to the cosmic revelations. I couldn''t help but feel a tinge of sympathy for her; a remarkably attractive woman had chosen a rather unappealing companion.

    "What business do you wish to pursue?" Chen Yuanshan inquired after completing Ma Yuzhuang''s reading.

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    "I want to open a barbecue or hotpot restaurant in the city," Ma Yuzhuang replied.

    "You''re not suited for business. Drop the idea of opening a barbecue or hotpot restaurant," Chen Yuanshan advised, shaking his head.

    Ma Yuzhuang, displeased by the suggestion, scowled.

    "Well, Master Chen, what business am I suited for?" he retorted.

    "Young man, according to my calculations, you currently have no job, relying on your parents. Your life lacks experience. Do you think you''re capable of running a business?" Chen Yuanshan countered.

    "I..." Ma Yuzhuang stammered, his face turning red with embarrassment.

    "I''m not like those street fortune tellers who only say pleasant things to swindle money. I tell it as it is, whether good or bad. From what I''ve deduced, you''re lazy, lack initiative, and enjoy indulging in worldly pleasures. Even if you find a job, you won''t stick with it for long. Looking at your birth chart, your parents seem to be honest, simple folks involved in farming or animal husbandry."

    "Yes, my family owns a pig farm with two hundred pigs and also manages three hundred acres of farmland," Ma Yuzhuang proudly confirmed.

    "Listen to my advice. Forget about starting a business or relying on your parents. Contribute more to the family business, and show some initiative. You''re not young anymore; it''s time to be responsible. Don''t spend all your time indulging in pleasure," Chen Yuanshan admonished.

    "I understand. Thank you, Master Chen, for your guidance. I don''t have cash on me. Can I pay through WeChat?" Ma Yuzhuang asked.

    "Sure, the fee for the fortune reading is two hundred yuan," Chen Yuanshan replied, opening a drawer to reveal a WeChat payment code and an Alipay code on the table.

    Ma Yuzhuang, now enlightened by the cosmic revelations, hesitated before proceeding with the payment.

 38: Unraveling the Heavenly Secrets, Inviting Retribution

    Behind the grave of Gong Haiyan''s husband, there were four more graves, totaling five. Unlike the others adorned with headstones, these five graves appeared somewhat desolate.

    "These four graves are where the deceased members of the Zhang family rest, and I don''t know the circumstances of the deaths in two of them. These two belong to my husband''s younger uncle and aunt," Gong Haiyan explained, pointing to the paired graves behind her husband''s.

    Her husband''s younger uncle, who owned a medium-sized interior decoration company, had inexplicably succumbed to depression. One day, driven to despair, he intoxicated himself and hung from a crooked-necked tree. A year later, his wife, unable to bear the sorrow, chose to end her life by ingesting poison.

    Both were known for their generosity and optimistic outlook on life. Their suicides were unexpected by those who knew them.

    "How long ago did your husband''s younger uncle and aunt take their own lives?" Chen Yuanshan asked, looking at the two graves.

    "Four years ago. The younger uncle hanged himself, and a year later, three years ago, the aunt took her own life by poisoning," Gong Haiyan replied.

    Chen Yuanshan listened to her account, then glanced at the ancestral grave of the Zhang family to the right.

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    "Xiao He, give me the compass," Chen Yuanshan extended his hand to me.

    I nodded in agreement and retrieved the compass from the yellow cloth bag, handing it to Chen Yuanshan.

    Holding the compass, Chen Yuanshan stood in front of the Zhang family''s ancestral grave. He glanced at the compass, then surveyed the surroundings.

    "Standing here and looking around, I can''t see any issues with this grave site," Chen Yuanshan muttered to Gong Haiyan and her sister.

    With the compass in hand, Chen Yuanshan walked around the ancestral grave, checking the readings every two steps. He would lower his head to observe the compass and then continue scanning the surroundings.

    "By the way, Master Chen, my husband told me about a Feng Shui story in our Zhang family. The ancestral grave has been here for over a hundred years. Our ancestors were wealthy landlords who believed in Feng Shui. They sought the help of a skilled Feng Shui master to find an auspicious burial site.

    The master spent a month scouring the hills around Yunhai City and finally identified this location. He told our ancestors that as long as they buried the bones of an immortal here, the Zhang family''s descendants would lead prosperous lives.

    The Feng Shui master warned our ancestors that by stepping on this specific spot, he would lose his sight, but promised care and support in return. Zhang''s ancestor agreed, and the day after burying his father''s remains here, the master indeed went blind. Zhang''s ancestor fulfilled his promise, providing for the master until his death. Zhang''s descendants even mourned the master''s passing when the time came.

    Gong Haiyan shared the Feng Shui tale of the Zhang family with us.

    "A Feng Shui master who discloses the secrets for others and steps on the auspicious spot invites..."

 39: Desolate Land of the Bereaved

    "The human body is inherited from parents, and their remains are the foundation of descendants. If this foundation is filled with vitality, the entire family will receive blessings and prosperity.

    Choosing a burial site depends on the quality of the land. If the land is good, the spirits of ancestors will rest peacefully, and descendants will thrive, much like providing fertile soil for the roots of a big tree, making its branches flourish. Conversely, if the land is unfavorable, misfortunes may befall the family, leading to broken households.

    Though life and death are distinct, they interact through emotions and energy. Seeking the remains of loved ones and letting living blood drop onto the bones can distinguish between true and false kinship.

    Therefore, the remains of ancestors can bring blessings to the living.

    Just as with Yang residences, Yin residences also require attention to Feng Shui.

    Ancient people believed that burying ancestors in an excellent Feng Shui location would bring good fortune to future generations. Conversely, poor Feng Shui could lead to various troubles, from minor difficulties to continuous misfortune, even family dissolution.

    Chen Yuanshan spoke solemnly, explaining these principles to the three of us.

    "Master Chen, I know nothing about Feng Shui. What should I do now?" Gong Haiyan asked Chen Yuanshan, pointing to the large pit behind the Zhang family''s ancestral grave.

    "The Feng Shui of the Zhang family''s ancestral burial site has been disrupted. Relocating the graves is not practical, given the nearly hundred graves in this location. The only solution is to fill in this large pit.

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    Additionally, the water in this pit has become putrid. It needs to be drained, and the contaminated soil removed, replaced with fresh soil. Moreover, on the left side of the Zhang family''s ancestral grave is the Azure Dragon position, where those who died unnaturally are buried. This has a significant impact on the future generations of the Zhang family. It''s advisable to relocate those five graves as far away as possible."

    Chen Yuanshan addressed the issues of the large pit behind the Zhang family''s ancestral grave and pointed to the five graves of unnatural deaths.

    "Nowadays, the Zhang family defers to my husband''s eldest uncle. I have to discuss this matter with him. I cannot make decisions on my own," Gong Haiyan muttered with frustration.

    "By the way, the Azure Dragon position of the Zhang family''s ancestral grave is somewhat low. If those five graves are moved, it''s best to plant more trees on the right side of the ancestral grave. I''ve pointed out the problems and provided solutions. Whether you follow through is your decision."

    After conveying this information to Gong Haiyan, Chen Yuanshan handed the compass to me and walked downhill with hands behind his back.

    I took the compass from Chen Yuanshan and followed him.

    "Sister, I think Master Chen''s advice makes sense. You need to resolve this matter quickly; otherwise, there might be trouble for my nephew."

    Gong Haifeng, looking at the large pit behind the Zhang family''s ancestral grave, tried to persuade Gong Haiyan.

    "I am just the daughter-in-law of the Zhang family. I can secretly handle the pit''s issue, but I can''t make decisions about moving those five graves. Now, the Zhang family is managed by my husband''s eldest uncle. I need to discuss this matter with him. He is quite superstitious. Perhaps, repeating what Master Chen told me today could be helpful."

    Gong Haiyan replied to her sister and walked downhill.

    Upon returning to the city, it was already past noon. Gong Haiyan did not drop us off at the Daoist Respect Hall but took us to a relatively decent mid-range restaurant in the city.

    "Master Chen, today has been a hectic day. Let''s have lunch together, and I''ll take you to the Daoist Respect Hall afterward."

 40: The Girl Who Intrigued Me

    "Master Feng,"

    I placed the complete collection of talismans on the coffee table, stood up, and greeted Feng Shichao. I couldn''t help but take an extra look at the female disciple standing behind Feng Shichao.

    Feng Shichao''s female disciple was tall, sweet-looking, and had a quiet personality. She reminded me of the character Xiaolongn¨¹ from "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," giving me a familiar feeling.

    "How did you end up here with my master?"

    Feng Shichao''s female disciple approached me with a curious expression.

    "I, uh... I..."

    I looked at Feng Shichao''s female disciple, unsure of how to explain the situation.

    "Is my senior brother here?"

    Feng Shichao smiled and asked me.

    "Master Chen is sleeping on the second floor."

    I pointed upstairs in response to Feng Shichao.

    Feng Shichao nodded at me and led his female disciple upstairs. As I watched Feng Shichao''s female disciple ascend, swaying her hips, I felt my face flush, and my breathing became somewhat rapid.

    I composed myself and sat back on the sofa, continuing to study the complete collection of talismans.

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    Not long after Feng Shichao and his female disciple went upstairs, the three of them came down, chatting and laughing.

    "Senior brother, how''s business lately?"

    Feng Shichao sat on the sofa and inquired of Chen Yuanshan.

    "Business has been good recently. Almost every day brings in income. How about your end?"

    "It''s been decent as well. I''ve earned quite a bit recently, helping people relocate graves and dispelling evil spirits."

    While Chen Yuanshan and Feng Shichao chatted, a girl named Yanzi couldn''t join in the conversation. Yanzi sat on the sofa, taking out her phone to read the news.

    I went to the water dispenser and brought back three cups of water, placing them in front of the three individuals.

    "Junior brother, it''s been a long time since we drank together. How about finding a barbecue stand tonight and having some drinks?"

    "Drinking is fine, but why go out when we can have a relaxing time at your place? I noticed there are some good wines in the liquor cabinet on your second floor."

    "At my place is fine, but there''s no one to cook. You know, I''ve only mastered making fried sauce noodles in my entire life. I can''t just serve fried sauce noodles as snacks for drinking."

    Chen Yuanshan chuckled and replied to Feng Shichao.

    "Yanzi, can you cook?"

    Chen Yuanshan asked Feng Shichao''s female disciple.

    "I... I don''t know how to cook."

    "Yanzi, let your senior brother say a few words. As a girl, you should learn how to cook."

    "I want to learn, but my master won''t allow it."

    Yanzi, with a face full of grievances, pointed at Feng Shichao and told Chen Yuanshan, "Why don''t you let Yanzi learn to cook?"

    "I treat Yanzi as my precious daughter. How could I bear to let her do such mundane chores? I''ve always wanted the best for her."

    Feng Shichao said to Chen Yuanshan, looking at his female disciple with affectionate eyes.

    "Xiaohe, can you cook?"

    Chen Yuanshan suddenly turned to me, who was standing on the side.

    "I can make some simple home-cooked dishes."

    I replied truthfully to Chen Yuanshan.

    "In that case, it''s settled. I''ll give you some money. Go to the market, buy some ingredients, and come back to cook for us."

    Chen Yuanshan took out five hundred yuan in cash from his pocket and handed it to me.

    Accepting the money from Chen Yuanshan, I nodded to him and left Daoist Respect Hall, heading towards Fuyuan.

 41: Teaching Xu Yan to Cook

    "I''m Xu Yan, Xu with the character for ''double,'' and Yan like the bird."

    The girl introduced herself to me.

    Upon learning the girl''s name, I wasn''t sure what to talk to her about, considering we were still strangers.

    "Is there anything I can help you with?"

    Xu Yan walked into the kitchen and asked me.

    "Sure, you can help me by cleaning the fish first, then washing the razor clams on both sides. I''ll start simmering the spare ribs."

    I pointed to the fish and razor clams, instructing Xu Yan while placing the cleaned spare ribs in the pressure cooker.

    Even though Chen Yuanshan only knew how to make fried sauce noodles, his kitchen was well-equipped with various appliances¡ªa pressure cooker, rice cooker, microwave, electric griddle, and more.

    While Xu Yan was washing the fish, she occasionally brought her hands to her nose to smell them. Each time she caught a whiff of the unpleasant fishy smell, she wrinkled her brow, revealing a disgusted expression, and even emitted a dry heave due to the odor.

    "You might as well go outside."

    Seeing Xu Yan heave, I laughed and told her.

    "I think I can handle it."

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    Xu Yan replied to me and continued helping me clean the razor clams.

    Seeing that Xu Yan insisted on helping, I didn''t say anything more and focused on my tasks.

    I arranged the peanuts, pickled pig ears, and other ingredients onto a plate on the dining table.

    Taking a proficient grip on the knife, I sliced the cucumber into thin shreds. Xu Yan looked at me with an admiring expression.

    After preparing the cold cucumber salad, I took the simmered spare ribs out of the pot and started making braised spare ribs.

    For braised spare ribs, you need to boil the ribs first.

    "These days, it''s rare to see a guy who can cook. You''re really amazing."

    Xu Yan complimented me genuinely, her eyes filled with admiration.

    "I learned these things from my grandfather when I was little."

    "Can you teach me how to cook?"

    When Xu Yan said this, she looked at me with an expectant expression.

    "Of course, after I finish these spare ribs, I''ll teach you how to stir-fry razor clams. It''s relatively simple."

    I nodded and agreed with Xu Yan.

    "Great!"

    Xu Yan was so happy that she almost jumped up.

    After finishing the spare ribs, I taught Xu Yan how to stir-fry razor clams, and she learned quite earnestly.

    After stir-frying the razor clams, Xu Yan picked up one and tasted it herself.

    "How does it taste?"

    I asked Xu Yan.

    "It''s not bad, very delicious. You should try it too."

    Xu Yan picked up a razor clam with her hand and brought it to my mouth.

    "It''s just right, not too salty or bland. Excellent job."

    I gave Xu Yan a thumbs-up.

    Next, Xu Yan didn''t let me go back to the stove. Instead, she asked me to stand aside and guide her while she cooked. She took charge of preparing the fish, meat, seafood, and more. Although the fish was a bit overcooked, it was still edible.

    After Xu Yan put the final dish on the table, she happily skipped downstairs to call Chen Yuanshan and Feng Shichao to come up for dinner.

    "Master, Senior Brother, except for these spare ribs, peanuts, pickled pig ears, and cucumber salad, I didn''t make them. I made the rest of the dishes."

    Xu Yan pointed to the dishes on the table and excitedly informed Chen Yuanshan and Feng Shichao.

 42: The Peculiar Coffin Shop Owner

    "By the way, Junior Brother, I remember you have a friend who''s a police officer."

    "Yes, there is one. He''s a deputy captain in our city''s criminal investigation team. Whenever he encounters mysterious cases, he seeks my help."

    "Can you introduce me to this deputy captain?"

    "Senior Brother, have you run into some trouble?"

    "It''s not about me; it''s about Xiao He and his son. After they fished out the standing female corpse, the female water ghost sought justice from the boy. It involves many complicated matters."

    "Could you tell me more about it?"

    "The female water ghost came from a well-off family, but unfortunately, she got involved with a scumbag who had a peculiar fetish, which is..."

    Chen Yuanshan narrated the female water ghost''s ordeal in detail to Feng Shichao.

    "That scum, that bastard! He deserves to die."

    Feng Shichao, after hearing Chen Yuanshan''s account, was furious.

    "In these past few days, I''ve been thinking about writing an anonymous letter to the Public Security Bureau, reporting that this Chen Feng is involved in loan sharking and drug trafficking. However, upon careful consideration, this may not work. If Chen Feng has connections within the police bureau, it might tip him off. I''ve been pondering on how to handle this situation more effectively."

    Chen Yuanshan sighed and explained his predicament to Feng Shichao.

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    "Senior Brother, it''s too late today. Let me contact the deputy captain tomorrow and bring him over. You can discuss this matter face to face."

    "Junior Brother, I''m sorry to trouble you."

    "Senior Brother, among us brothers, such words are too polite."

    ...When I woke up, it was already 7:30 in the morning, and I was lying on the bed in the small bedroom.

    Getting up from bed, I went to the bathroom for a simple wash and then headed downstairs.

    On the first floor, I saw Chen Yuanshan leisurely sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, sipping tea. In the alley, people were bustling, with everyone buying funeral supplies.

    In this alley, whether people were buying or selling, it was rare to see anyone with a smiling face. They either wore a stern expression or frowned, giving an overall feeling of oppression.

    "Chen Daolong, the owner of the coffin shop across the street, why does he dress so strangely? He looks quite peculiar."

    I pointed to the owner of the coffin shop and asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "He''s called Luo Defa, a descendant of the Aisin Gioro clan from the Qing Dynasty. His father was the same. There''s a saying, ''Like father, like son.'' So, he ended up like this. Every day, he dresses like this, wearing a robe, leaving a long braid, and sporting a round hat.

    Usually, everyone calls him Lord Luo, and he quite enjoys this title.

    Although Luo Defa has a strange personality, he''s still a decent person."

    Chen Yuanshan explained to me while glancing at the owner of the coffin shop across the street.

    "Chen Daolong, yesterday around this time, there were many people coming to you for divination. Why is no one here today?"

    "This is how it is in our business. When there''s business, people line up to come. If there''s no business, we might not see anyone for two or three days."

    I wanted to ask Chen Yuanshan to teach me how to draw symbols, but I hesitated. Feeling awkward, I decided not to bring it up and instead picked up the book of symbols on the coffee table, studying it carefully.

    "You seem very interested in this."

    Chen Yuanshan noticed me staring at the book of symbols and asked.

    "Yes, these symbols seem quite mystical. I''d like to learn more about them."

    "If you''re interested, I can teach you a few things about drawing symbols. It''s not difficult."

    I felt a surge of joy at his offer.

 43: Spirit Possession

    "You''ve made quite a fortune."

    "But I still think it''s a bit too little. I have two sons studying, and in the future, when they get married and buy houses, it will definitely require a lot of money."

    After Chen Yuanshan and Fang Yusheng opened up the conversation, Fang Yusheng''s emotions relaxed, and he was no longer as fearful as before.

    "Chen Daochang, my wife won''t be in trouble, right?"

    Fang Yusheng shifted the topic to his wife and became anxious again.

    "Since you found me, your wife will be fine. Just set your mind at ease."

    Chen Yuanshan smiled reassuringly, calming Fang Yusheng''s uneasy heart.

    Feeling more confident after Chen Yuanshan''s assurance, Fang Yusheng''s anxiety lessened.

    Fang Yusheng''s house was located in the northern suburbs of Yunhai City, in a village called Shiqiao Village.

    We entered Fang Yusheng''s house, and I noticed that the surroundings were filled with villagers who had come to watch the excitement. While observing, they discussed this family animatedly. When they saw Fang Yusheng return, they stopped discussing and turned to look at him.

    In the gazes of the villagers directed at Fang Yusheng, there was a mix of resentment and complex expressions.

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    Fang Yusheng''s house was a bright and spacious five-room tile-roofed house. The roof tiles were red-glazed tiles, and the walls were adorned with gray ceramic tiles. The yard was particularly large, covering over two hundred square meters.

    In the middle of the yard, there was a cement road, and on both sides were vegetable plots growing cucumbers, kidney beans, eggplants, and chili peppers.

    Following Fang Yusheng into the yard, I noticed that the curtains of the house to the east were drawn, and it was impossible to see what was happening inside. Occasionally, there were a few scolding voices heard.

    "Chen Daochang, my wife is in the house to the east."

    Fang Yusheng stood in the yard, pointing to the house to the east and informing Chen Yuanshan.

    "Let''s go in and take a look."

    Chen Yuanshan replied to Fang Yusheng and walked forward with confident strides.

    As Chen Yuanshan moved forward, Fang Yusheng and I stood still, not moving. Neither of us followed him.

    After taking a few steps, Chen Yuanshan felt something was wrong. He stopped and turned around to see Fang Yusheng and me still standing there, not following him into the house. He nearly laughed.

    "You, come in with me."

    Chen Yuanshan pointed at me and ordered me to follow.

    "Chen, Chen, Chen Daochang, I''m scared. I won''t go in with you."

    I said to Chen Yuanshan and handed him the bag hanging around my neck.

    "I''ve seen people who are afraid, but I''ve never seen someone as scared as you. I''m starting to look down on you."

    Chen Yuanshan, with a mocking tone, took the bag from me and walked into the house.

    "I''m not scared."

    I retorted defiantly to Chen Yuanshan and then followed closely behind him.

    Seeing me following behind, Chen Yuanshan smiled and said nothing.

    When Chen Yuanshan opened the door of the house, I felt a cold and eerie chill coming from inside. Chen Yuanshan remained calm, but I couldn''t help shivering, and the hairs on my body stood on end.

    "Woo, woo, woo..."

    At this moment, a mournful cry emanated from the eastern room. The crying sounded heartbreaking, making people feel unsettled.

    Chen Yuanshan extended his right hand, pushed open the door to the eastern room, and led me inside. I saw a disheveled woman sitting on the kang in the east room,

 44: Soul Unable to Leave the Body

    The woman, with her eyes closed, convulsed for about two minutes. Suddenly, she opened her eyes again. At this moment, her eyes remained pure white and were bloodshot.

    "What''s wrong? Is there a problem?"

    Chen Yuanshan, seeing that the old lady''s soul attached to the woman hadn''t left her body, inquired.

    "I can''t come out of my daughter-in-law''s body."

    The woman pointed to her own body and replied to Chen Yuanshan.

    "I can help you. I''ll separate your soul from your daughter-in-law, but I need your cooperation. Currently, there are three Yang Fires on your daughter-in-law''s body. Two have already been extinguished, leaving only one on the top of her head. Moreover, this Yang Fire is flickering and may be extinguished at any moment. Once the Yang Fire on her head goes out, there will be no hope for her."

    Chen Yuanshan observed Li Lanying and explained.

    "I''m willing to cooperate. Just don''t let my daughter-in-law die."

    The woman nodded vigorously, expressing her willingness to cooperate.

    "I didn''t bring the Soul Collecting Bag. It''s really frustrating."

    Chen Yuanshan frowned and muttered to himself before standing up and quickly walking outside.

    Seeing Chen Yuanshan leave, I didn''t dare to stay alone in the house. I followed closely behind him and walked out.

    "Chen Daochang, how is my wife?"

    Fang Yusheng, seeing Chen Yuanshan and me coming out together, stepped forward anxiously and asked.

    "The ghost attached to your wife is your mother. She told me that when she was alive, your wife treated her disrespectfully, abusing and neglecting her, not providing food or drink, and not taking care of her when she was sick. Is that true?"

    Chen Yuanshan asked Fang Yusheng.

    "Yes, that''s true."

    Fang Yusheng lowered his head and replied quietly to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Your mother told me that your father died early, and she raised you by collecting scraps. Yet, when your mother suffered at the hands of your wife, you turned a blind eye. Are you still considered a man?"

    Chen Yuanshan reproached Fang Yusheng.

    Listening to Chen Yuanshan''s reproach, Fang Yusheng kept silent, his head down, tears streaming down his face in remorse.

    "Do you have a wine jar at home? Bring one for me."

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    "What kind of wine jar?"

    Wiping away the tears from the corner of his eye, Fang Yusheng asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "Just the kind with a small mouth and a big belly."

    "Yes, we have one in the house."

    Fang Yusheng nodded and said to Chen Yuanshan, then hurriedly ran into the eastern house of their home.

    After a short while, Fang Yusheng took out an antique-style white porcelain wine bottle with a small mouth and a big belly from the house and handed it to Chen Yuanshan. The white porcelain bottle was adorned with plum blossoms and looked quite beautiful.

    "Is this one okay?"

    Chen Yuanshan took the white porcelain bottle from Fang Yusheng and walked back into the house.

    Holding the antique white porcelain bottle, Chen Yuanshan walked into the house. He bit his middle finger, squeezed out a drop of blood, and drew a circular Bagua diagram at the bottom of the wine bottle.

    "I forgot to bring the Soul Collecting Bag. What a headache."

    Chen Yuanshan furrowed his brows, muttered a sentence, and then stood up quickly, heading towards the house''s exit.

    Seeing Chen Yuanshan walking out, I didn''t dare to stay alone in the house. I followed closely behind him and walked out.

    "Chen Daochang, how is my wife?"

    Fang Yusheng, seeing Chen Yuanshan and me coming out together, stepped forward anxiously and asked.

    "The ghost attached to your wife is your mother. She told me that when she was alive, your wife treated her disrespectfully, abusing and neglecting her, not providing food or drink, and not taking care of her when she was sick. Is that true?"

    Chen Yuanshan asked Fang Yusheng.

    "Yes, that''s true."

    Fang Yusheng lowered his head and replied quietly to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Your mother told me that your father died early, and she raised you by collecting scraps. Yet, when your mother suffered at the hands of your wife, you turned a blind eye. Are you still considered a man?"

    Chen Yuanshan reproached Fang Yusheng.

    Listening to Chen Yuanshan''s reproach, Fang Yusheng kept silent, his head down, tears streaming down his face in remorse.

    "Do you have a wine jar at home? Bring one for me."

    "What kind of wine jar?"

    Wiping away the tears from the corner of his eye, Fang Yusheng asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "Just the kind with a small mouth and a big belly."

    "Yes, we have one in the house."

    Fang Yusheng nodded and said to Chen Yuanshan, then hurriedly ran into the eastern house of their home.

    After a short while, Fang Yusheng took out an antique-style white porcelain wine bottle with a small mouth and a big belly from the house and handed it to Chen Yuanshan. The white porcelain bottle was adorned with plum blossoms and looked quite beautiful.

    "Is this one okay?"

    Chen Yuanshan took the white porcelain bottle from Fang Yusheng and walked back into the house.

    Holding the antique white porcelain bottle, Chen Yuanshan walked into the house. He bit his middle finger, squeezed out a drop of blood, and drew a circular Bagua diagram at the bottom of the wine bottle.

    "I forgot to bring the Soul Collecting Bag. What a headache."

    Chen Yuanshan furrowed his brows, muttered a sentence, and then stood up quickly, heading towards the house''s exit.

    Seeing Chen Yuanshan walking out, I didn''t dare to stay alone in the house. I followed closely behind him and walked out.

    "Chen Daochang, how is my wife?"

    Fang Yusheng, seeing Chen Yuanshan and me coming out together, stepped forward anxiously and asked.

    "The ghost attached to your wife is your mother. She told me that when she was alive, your wife treated her disrespectfully, abusing and neglecting her, not providing food or drink, and not taking care of her when she was sick. Is that true?"

    Chen Yuanshan asked Fang Yusheng.

    "Yes, that''s true."

    Fang Yusheng lowered his head and replied quietly to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Your mother told me that your father died early, and she raised you by collecting scraps. Yet, when your mother suffered at the hands of your wife, you turned a blind eye. Are you still considered a man?"

    Chen Yuanshan reproached Fang Yusheng.

    Listening to Chen Yuanshan''s reproach, Fang Yusheng kept silent, his head down, tears streaming down his face in remorse.

    "Do you have a wine jar at home? Bring one for me."

    "What kind of wine jar?"

    Wiping away the tears from the corner of his eye, Fang Yusheng asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "Just

 45: Three Yang Fires

    "Your wife''s condition is quite serious. She needs to rest at home for a week to fully recover. The excessive loss of Yang energy due to the invasion of Yin energy can cause symptoms like dizziness, weakness in limbs, fluctuating body temperature, and frequent nightmares. Don''t worry, these are normal reactions. During this time, make sure your wife gets plenty of sunlight. Sunlight can help expel the Yin energy from her body. Also, drinking warm water can aid in dispelling the Yin energy."

    Chen Yuanshan instructed Fang Yusheng while pointing at Li Lanying.

    "I understand."

    Fang Yusheng nodded, acknowledging Chen Yuanshan''s instructions.

    "By the way, your mother, who is attached to your wife, made a request."

    "What request?"

    "Every year on Qingming Festival, Ghost Festival, and Cold Clothing Festival, you need to take your two sons to the old lady''s grave for worship. Burn some paper money, gold ingots, candles, and incense for her. If you don''t follow your mother''s request, your family won''t have peace in the future. If anything happens again, don''t come looking for me."

    "Okay, I will follow my mother''s request."

    "Now, let''s settle the accounts. Dealing with a spirit possession is more complicated than dealing with a ghost. Naturally, the cost will be higher. Give me four thousand yuan, and we''ll call it even."

    "What? Four thousand yuan? That''s too expensive. Can you make it cheaper?"

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    "When I arrived, two out of the three Yang Fires on your wife were already extinguished. The one remaining on her head is flickering and could go out at any moment. If all three Yang Fires go out, your wife will be beyond saving. Fortunately, I arrived in time and saved her from the Underworld. If I had come an hour later, she would have been beyond salvation. Do you think four thousand yuan is more important than your wife''s life?"

    "Chen Daochang, what do you think? How about this, I''ll pay you after my wife wakes up."

    Fang Yusheng''s statement carried a tone of disbelief in Chen Yuanshan.

    "That''s acceptable. Your wife will wake up in two to three hours. I can wait here. But let me make it clear; if your wife wakes up, and you try to avoid paying, I won''t be lenient."

    "Chen Daochang, I''m not the kind of person who avoids paying debts. As soon as my wife is a bit stronger, I''ll give you the full four thousand yuan without any deductions."

    Fang Yusheng reassured Chen Yuanshan with a pat on his chest.

    Chen Yuanshan, seeing Fang Yusheng''s sincerity, didn''t say anything more.

    Chen Yuanshan opened the back curtain of the room and walked out, with me following him.

    Once we were in the courtyard, we saw the villagers still gathered around, watching the commotion. Some were even recording videos on their phones.

    "Alright, everyone, the people in the house are safe now. Go about your business and stop lingering here. Beware of getting possessed by spirits."

    Chen Yuanshan, with a stern expression, warned the onlookers, scaring off the groups of people.

    This statement from Chen Yuanshan worked wonders, and the villagers dispersed in groups.

    "Chen Daochang, what does it mean that a person has three Yang Fires on their body?"

    I curiously asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "Every person has three Yang Fires: one on the top of their head and the other two on their shoulders. Each fire has its own significance. There''s a saying: ''Raise your head three feet, and there''s a god above.'' The Yang Fires represent the vitality and spiritual energy of a person. When the three Yang Fires are extinguished, it indicates a critical situation for that person."

    Chen Yuanshan explained.

 46: Misunderstanding Chen Yuanshan

    "Chen Daochang, what''s in this bottle? It feels cool and a bit piercing."

    I pointed at the white porcelain bottle and asked Chen Yuanshan, curious about the paper talisman on the bottle''s opening.

    "Don''t touch that paper talisman."

    Chen Yuanshan shouted at me when he saw my movement.

    My hand had just touched the paper talisman, and I immediately withdrew it.

    "This bottle contains the soul of that old lady. If you remove the paper talisman on the bottle''s opening, her soul will escape, and since souls fear sunlight, the exposure would burn her soul, preventing her from reincarnating."

    "Chen Daochang, what exactly is a ghost?"

    I asked Chen Yuanshan with confusion.

    "When it comes to this question, you need to know that a person has three souls and seven spirits. The three souls are the Heaven Soul, Earth Soul, and Human Soul, also known as the Fetal Light, Radiant Spirit, and Subtle Essence. The seven spirits are the Corpse Dog, Crouching Arrow, Yin Sparrow, Devouring Thief, Non-toxic, Cleansing Filth, and Stinking Lung.

    The three souls and seven spirits control a person''s intelligence, health, emotions, joy, anger, sorrow, fear, hatred, and desire. A person''s life relies on these three souls and seven spirits.

    When a person dies, the three souls and seven spirits leave the body. The existence of these after leaving the body is what we call souls, spirits, or ghosts.

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    Those who die from illness or old age experience a normal death. In such cases, when a person reaches the end of their natural life, underworld emissaries come to take their soul to the afterlife.

    Suicides and those who die from accidents experience unnatural deaths, known as wrongful death. Souls in wrongful death situations, with lingering resentment, are not accepted by the underworld. These souls linger in the human world, and we call them lonely souls or wandering spirits. Most of the time, when encountering malevolent spirits, it involves these lonely souls or wandering spirits."

    Chen Yuanshan explained while sitting on the sofa, looking at the white porcelain bottle.

    "By the way, Chen Daochang, I have one more thing to ask you. Today, Li Lanying, who was possessed by a ghost, had a much more severe condition than I did. You gave her a bowl of talisman water, and she was fine. When you treated my illness, you insisted on using a hundred-year-old dragon liver. Are you and your junior brother trying to trick me?"

    Suddenly, I felt like I had been fooled by these two senior brothers.

    "Young man, do I look that unreliable to you?"

    Chen Yuanshan squinted his eyes and asked me, his expression becoming serious.

    "I... I..."

    I stammered, looking at Chen Yuanshan, suddenly unsure of what to say.

    Although I hadn''t spent much time with Chen Yuanshan, only a few days ago, he was indeed a person with real skills. His fortune-telling was extremely accurate, something I witnessed firsthand. It wasn''t something those frauds could compare to. Moreover, everything he said made sense. Being around him, I learned a lot and discovered some hidden truths.

    "Let me give you a reasonable explanation. Li Lanying was possessed by her mother''s soul, only suffering from Yin energy invasion. As long as she drinks a bowl of talisman water to expel the Yin energy and gets more sunlight, she will be fine.

    In your case, it''s different. You were haunted by a female water ghost. Not only did your body experience Yin energy invasion, but it also harbored intense resentment from the water ghost. It''s a two-way invasion. If your body only had Yin energy invasion, drinking a bowl of talisman water would be enough. But since your body also has the water ghost''s resentment, we needed to add a hundred-year-old dragon liver to the talisman water."

    Chen Yuanshan explained, addressing my concerns.

 47: Bonding with Zombies

    "You can continue with your story," Chen Yuanshan instructed the two individuals.

    "At that time, I arranged for the funeral home to send a hearse. We took the deceased''s body to the funeral home''s dissection room, waiting for the forensic examiner to autopsy the body.

    The funeral home staff brought the old man''s body back, and Master Feng followed along in his car.

    When I saw him follow, I was especially angry. I argued with Master Feng a bit at that time.

    Master Feng didn''t say anything to me at the time. He took out a talisman from his pocket and stuck it on my chest. At that moment, my body couldn''t move, and I couldn''t speak. It felt like I was acupunctured. I wasn''t scared at the time, just a bit bewildered.

    At that time, I was the only one facing Master Feng. Although my other colleagues were around, they didn''t notice what was happening on my side."

    Liu Yuzhu recounted the situation, recalling the scene at that time and involuntarily spitting out a mouthful of saliva.

    "At that time, I used a body-fixing talisman on Deputy Liu. After he was immobilized, he couldn''t speak. I introduced myself and explained the situation with the corpse again. I said that the victim wasn''t bitten by a wild animal but by a zombie. Currently, the victim''s corpse poison is attacking the heart, and canine teeth in the mouth are starting to grow. Moreover, the teeth are growing longer and sharper, and the fingernails are rapidly lengthening. If you pull down the lower eyelids of the deceased, you can see a faint green light coming from the white eyeballs.

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    I also mentioned that as soon as it gets dark, the body will undergo corpse transformation. After the transformation, zombies will attack living organisms, including animals and humans.

    After saying all these things to Deputy Liu, I removed the body-fixing talisman from him.

    "After my body could move again, I carefully observed Master Feng. I felt that Master Feng didn''t seem like a madman. Although what he said sounded unbelievable, it didn''t seem like a lie.

    At that time, I had Master Feng follow me to the dissection room to see the body. Wearing disposable gloves, I first opened the deceased''s mouth to check the teeth. The four canine teeth were sharp and long. Not only did the fingernails lengthen, but they also turned black.

    Master Feng reminded me to open the deceased''s eyelids and take a look.

    I opened the deceased''s eyelids and found a faint green light shining from the white eyeballs. Everything looked indeed eerie.

    At that time, Master Feng told me that the body was full of corpse poison, and we couldn''t let the forensic examiner dissect the body for fear of infection. Master Feng said to wait until it got dark, and the body would stand up.

    I didn''t act recklessly at that time. Instead, I listened to Master Feng''s words and didn''t allow the forensic examiner to dissect the body. Master Feng said that when it got dark, the body would undergo corpse transformation, and zombies would attack living organisms. This seemed unbelievable to me, but I stayed with my two colleagues in the funeral home dissection room. Master Feng was there too.

    Sure enough, when the sun set and it got dark, the corpse first opened its eyes. It then jumped up from the stainless steel dissecting table, shocking me and my colleagues.

    Master Feng walked up calmly at that time and stuck a talisman on the zombie''s forehead. The corpse instantly closed its eyes, and its hands dropped down.

    Deputy Liu finished his account, and a cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

    At this point, Chen Yuanshan had brewed a pot of tea. He poured four cups of tea and invited me to sit on the sofa, offering me a cup of tea.

    I nodded to Chen Yuanshan and sat on the sofa, taking the poured cup.

 48: The Glowing Vertical Eye

    After Deputy Liu learned about the situation, he didn''t stay at Dao Zun Hall for long. He mentioned that he was busy with work, exchanged a few words with Chen Yuanshan and Feng Shichao, and then hurriedly left.

    "This Deputy Liu looks like a reliable person," Chen Yuanshan mumbled to his junior, watching Deputy Liu''s departing figure.

    "I know Deputy Liu fairly well. He is upright, principled, and has his own bottom line.

    His own younger brother got drunk, injured someone, and ended up in detention. His parents asked him to help get his younger brother out, but he refused. Because of this, he and his own younger brother became like strangers and haven''t been in contact since," Feng Shichao explained, letting out a heavy sigh.

    "One should indeed stick to their principles. Doing things that violate the law for personal gain is unacceptable, and there will be consequences," Chen Yuanshan nodded in agreement.

    "By the way, Senior Brother, I have something to ask of you."

    "Just say it. No need for formalities."

    "I need to go to Jiangxi for a while, probably for ten days or half a month. Leaving Yanzhi alone at home, I''m a bit worried. I want her to stay with you for some time. What do you think?"

    "Of course, that''s fine. If Yanzhi comes, she can stay in the small bedroom on the second floor."

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    Chen Yuanshan nodded in agreement.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother."

    "Between us, let''s skip the formalities. When do you plan to leave?"

    "I''ll leave tomorrow morning. I''ll go to the capital first, then transfer to Jiangxi."

    "In that case, don''t leave tonight. Have dinner here tonight as my treat. Give Yanzhi a call, let her pack, and come over now."

    Upon hearing Chen Yuanshan''s suggestion, Feng Shichao replied with a simple "okay" and called Xu Yan to inform her.

    "You stay here, Junior Brother. Xiao He and I will go to the market to buy groceries. Do you have any preferences for food?"

    "Senior Brother, you know me. I''m not picky about food and drinks. Whatever you buy, I''ll eat."

    "Alright, I''ll see what I can find!" After Chen Yuanshan agreed with Feng Shichao, he first took the white porcelain bottle on the coffee table upstairs.

    Exiting Dao Zun Hall, Chen Yuanshan drove me toward the direction of the city.

    North of the Bridgehead area near the city, there was a farmers'' market for seafood and produce. In my opinion, this market was quite remote, but many people came here to buy groceries.

    People either rode electric bikes or drove cars to get here.

    "Master Chen, this place seems quite remote. Why do so many people come here to buy groceries?"

    I asked Chen Yuanshan as we entered the farmers'' market.

    "This market is mainly for wholesale. Most people come to wholesale seafood and vegetables and then sell them in the city to make a profit.

    Some people come here looking for bargains and buy directly from the market to save money," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    Chen Yuanshan was bold when buying things, not bothering to ask about prices. He didn''t negotiate; he simply asked the seller to weigh the items, and he paid whatever they asked.

    "Master Chen, you can''t buy groceries like this. You can''t just pay whatever they ask. You need to learn to haggle."

    "I really don''t know how to haggle. If you can do it, you handle the negotiations, and I''ll pay."

    "Alright."

    I agreed to help Chen Yuanshan haggle. We strolled through the market, negotiating prices and selecting fresh produce.

 49: City God Temple

    "Chen Daochang, I noticed that the punch the yellow-haired kid threw was quite powerful. Are you okay?"

    As we got into the car, I asked Chen Yuanshan, who was sitting in the driver''s seat, to express concern.

    "Do I look like I''m in trouble?"

    Chen Yuanshan smiled at me and started the car, heading towards Fuyuan Hutong.

    "Chen Daochang, I really appreciate your help earlier, getting me out of that situation."

    "No problem. That kid was too aggressive, and I couldn''t stand it."

    "Chen Daochang, did you notice that there was a moment when the eye in the middle of the yellow-haired kid''s eyebrows seemed to flash?"

    "That eye in the middle of his eyebrows isn''t a tattoo. If I''m not mistaken, that eye should be naturally there from birth. We commonly call that eye the ''Yin-Yang Eye.''

    And that yellow-haired kid is not an ordinary person. If you happen to encounter him again, try to avoid him."

    Chen Yuanshan warned me cautiously.

    "Chen Daochang, I''m not afraid of him."

    "It''s not about being afraid or not. As the saying goes, ''A wise man does not suffer losses.'' I just told you, that kid is not an ordinary person. Even if ten of you were together, you might not be able to beat him."

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    Chen Yuanshan smiled as he spoke.

    Back at Dao Zun Hall, I saw Xu Yan sitting on the first-floor sofa, playing with her phone. Two pink suitcases were placed next to the sofa.

    Feng Shichao was sitting in front of Chen Yuanshan''s desk, giving a middle-aged woman a fortune-telling session.

    "Yanzhi, you''re here."

    Chen Yuanshan entered Dao Zun Hall, smiled, and greeted Xu Yan.

    "Senior Uncle, sorry for the trouble." Xu Yan stood up, put down her phone, and said apologetically to Chen Yuanshan.

    "No trouble at all. Senior Uncle welcomes you. Quickly move your things to the small bedroom on the second floor."

    Chen Yuanshan pointed upstairs and instructed Xu Yan.

    Xu Yan nodded to Chen Yuanshan and proceeded to move one of the suitcases, following behind us toward the second floor.

    "He Zhihui, please help me bring up the suitcase downstairs."

    Seeing me placing the groceries in the kitchen, Xu Yan called out to me.

    "Sure."

    I readily agreed, ran downstairs, and helped Xu Yan carry the other suitcase to the second-floor bedroom.

    While moving the suitcase, I thought to myself that it was probably because Xu Yan was pretty. If she were not good-looking, I might not be bothered to help her.

    I admit it; I am a mundane person.

    "Thank you."

    After I helped Xu Yan bring up her suitcase, she politely thanked me.

    "You''re welcome. If there''s nothing else, I''ll go cook."

    I said to Xu Yan and headed to the kitchen.

    "I''ll help you cook."

    Xu Yan followed me out of the small bedroom and entered the kitchen.

    "In that case, you can wash the vegetables, and I''ll do the cooking."

    "I don''t want to wash vegetables, and I don''t want to chop them. I just want to stir-fry."

    "Xu Yan, if you really want to learn how to cook, you have to start from the beginning. If you don''t want to wash or chop vegetables, it''s like a child who just learned to walk but starts running before being steady. They will definitely fall. You have to take it step by step."

    "You make sense. Then, I''ll let you handle it."

 50: Sending the Old Mans Soul to the Underworld

    "The one in the middle is Chenghuang Ye (City God), and the ones on the sides are the civil and military judges of the Underworld."

    "Is Chenghuang Ye the same as Yanwang Ye (King Yan)? What are the civil and military judges of the Underworld doing?"

    I asked curiously, looking at Chen Yuanshan.

    "Chenghuang Ye and Yanwang Ye are not the same. Chenghuang Ye is the local official of the underworld, equivalent to the mayor in our yang world. Almost every city has a Chenghuang Temple. Most Chenghuang Temples only enshrine three deities: Chenghuang Ye and two judges from the Underworld.

    Chenghuang Temples are not only landmarks in local areas but also the entrances to the Underworld from the yang world.

    The civil and military judges assist Chenghuang Ye. The judges in each place are different. Some places have judges with black and white imperfections, some have judges with ox-headed and horse-faced appearances, and others have judges in the departments of rewarding good, punishing evil, Yin law, and investigation."

    Chen Yuanshan explained to me.

    After listening to Chen Yuanshan''s explanation, I nodded in understanding. Although there were still many questions in my mind, I refrained from asking too much. I was afraid of annoying Chen Yuanshan.

    "He Zhihui, I also bought a bundle of incense. Did you see it?"

    "Here it is."

    I picked up the bundle of incense from the joss paper and handed it to Chen Yuanshan.

    Taking the incense from my hand, Chen Yuanshan opened it and took out three sticks. He walked toward the Chenghuang Temple in front.

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    Seeing Chen Yuanshan holding three sticks of incense walking towards the Chenghuang Temple, I followed closely behind him.

    Entering the Chenghuang Temple, I looked around. The white plaster on the walls had fallen off, revealing the green bricks inside. On the east side of the Chenghuang Temple, behind the roof ridge, there was an oval hole with a diameter of about fifty centimeters.

    While looking at the three deities from the outside, I didn''t feel much, but now, seeing them up close gave me a eerie feeling.

    Chen Yuanshan approached, took out a lighter from his pocket, lit the three sticks of incense, and inserted them into the ceramic incense burner in front of the stone table.

    Next, Chen Yuanshan knelt down and respectfully kowtowed three times to the three deities.

    "Now that you''re here too, kowtow three times to Chenghuang Ye and the two judges to show respect."

    After standing up, Chen Yuanshan pointed to the three deities and said to me.

    Originally, I didn''t want to kowtow to the three deities, but for some reason, my legs suddenly didn''t obey me. With a "thud," I knelt on the ground and inexplicably kowtowed three times to the three deities.

    After kowtowing, I quickly stood up and retreated from the Chenghuang Temple. I felt that this place was very ominous.

    Exiting the Chenghuang Temple, I noticed that the sky outside had completely turned dark. The people who had burned paper money at the intersection in front of the Chenghuang Temple had all left. Now, only Chen Yuanshan and I remained in this place.

    Walking to Chen Yuanshan''s car, my phone in my pocket suddenly rang. It was a call from Aunt Wu.

    "Zhihui, your house has been tightly locked these past two days. I called your dad; either I couldn''t get through, or he didn''t answer. Where have you and your father gone?"

    Aunt Wu asked me anxiously over the phone.

    "My dad and I are not together. He should be with Uncle Lin San. I don''t know what they are doing."

    "Your dad can''t stay put as soon as he has money. What''s the matter with you? Your dad doesn''t come home, and you don''t come back either."

    "Aunt Wu, I told my dad that I was going to accompany a friend for a few days. I don''t know when we''ll be back."

    "You and your dad, always so carefree. Alright, you take care. If you need anything, just call me."

    "Okay, Aunt Wu, I''ll let you know if anything happens."

    I hung up the phone and turned to look at Chen Yuanshan, who was standing beside me, and said, "My dad and I are not at home these days. Aunt Wu is worried."

    "It''s okay, just go on doing what you need to do. I''ll take you back first."

    Chen Yuanshan started the car, and we left the Chenghuang Temple, heading back to Dao Zun Hall.

 51: Ghost Classification

    "Chen Daochang, these wandering souls on the road at night, where do they stay during the day?"

    I pointed to the wandering souls on the road and asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "I''ve mentioned it before. Ghosts can only come out at night because they fear sunlight. Sunlight can harm their souls and spirits, leading to their destruction. During the day, ghosts hide in uninhabited old houses, abandoned factories, or some unknown dim corners to rest, just like how we humans need to rest and sleep at night.

    However, there are also some special ghosts whose souls have mutated, making them unafraid of sunlight. These ghosts can appear during the day, meaning that seeing ghosts during the day is also possible."

    Chen Yuanshan patiently explained to me.

    "Chen Daochang, if a person doesn''t have the Heavenly Eye, can they still see the existence of ghosts?"

    I continued to ask.

    "No, ghosts are still a kind of magnetic field existence. Ghosts with heavy yin and resentment have a larger magnetic field. Humans also have a magnetic field. When a ghost deliberately influences your brain''s magnetic field with its own, you will see its existence. In other words, even without the Heavenly Eye, you can still see ghosts.

    The magnetic field of the ghost that affects your brain determines which ghost you will see. Ghosts generally don''t use their magnetic field to affect strangers'' brain fields. Ghosts, as a rule, won''t bother you if you don''t actively provoke them. If you provoke them, they will cling to you. Like humans, they seek revenge. Ghosts are also graded, including ghost soldiers, ghost spirits, ghost generals, ghost marshals, ghost kings, and ghost emperors. Only ghost generals and above can influence a person''s brain''s magnetic field. Ghost soldiers and ghost spirits will keep a distance from people with strong positive energy.

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    Also, humans have three yang fires on their bodies. If ghosts accidentally touch these yang fires, they will be burned, injuring the ghost''s yin body. When a ghost wants to harm you, it won''t immediately hurt you. Instead, it will entangle you, use its yin energy to invade your body, and rapidly drain your yang energy. When the yang energy in your body is significantly reduced, the ghost can more easily possess or approach you."

    Chen Daochang explained this to me in detail.

    Back at Dao Zun Hall, I saw Xu Yan and Feng Shichao sitting in the living room, chatting. At this moment, Xu Yan''s eyes were red, and she looked a bit sad.

    "What''s wrong with you, Yanzi?"

    Chen Yuanshan looked at Xu Yan and asked Feng Shichao.

    "Knowing that I''ll be away for a while, she''s reluctant to let me go."

    Feng Shichao pointed at Xu Yan, smiling and replying.

    "Yanzi, your master is willing to go for however long, so let him. You can stay here with your martial uncle. We can eat at home, or if you don''t want to, martial uncle can take you out for hot pot or barbecue."

    Chen Yuanshan patted Xu Yan''s shoulder gently, comforting her with a smile.

    After hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, Xu Yan felt much better in her heart. She held back the tears that were about to flow.

    "Feeling hungry, let''s go upstairs and have dinner."

    Chen Yuanshan greeted all of us and walked toward the second floor.

    On the second floor, I saw that the food had cooled down, so I took the dishes to the kitchen and reheated them.

 52: Falling into the Grave

    "Don''t be in a hurry, sit down and tell me slowly."

    Chen Yuanshan pointed to the chair opposite him, calmly addressing the young man.

    The young man nodded to Chen Yuanshan and sat down on the chair. At this moment, he was sweating, and a terrified expression lingered on his face.

    "Chen Daochang, I, I''m called Lin Dong. , I drive the night shift for a taxi."

    The young man stammered nervously.

    "Last night around nine, I was driving to Linjiabaozi in the northern suburbs to drop off a passenger. On the way back, my car was empty. As I passed by the chaotic burial mound in the northern suburbs, I heard the crying of a baby. At first, I thought it might be my imagination, but later I thought that maybe someone had a sick child and didn''t want it, so they threw it onto the chaotic burial mound.

    Before I could drive the car into the city, I glanced unintentionally at the rearview mirror and saw a woman in red sitting in the back seat. She was holding a baby in her arms.

    It scared me so much that I almost drove into a tree on the roadside. I slammed on the brakes and stopped the car on the side of the road. I jumped out of the car and ran forward as fast as I could.

    I ran for more than two miles in one breath until I couldn''t run anymore. I stopped and sat by the side of the road, panting heavily."

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    As the man spoke, he couldn''t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva, and goosebumps appeared on his arms.

    "Continue!" Chen Yuanshan urged him to go on.

    "I work for someone else''s taxi. It''s not good to leave the boss''s taxi by the roadside like that. After I regained my composure, I called a few good buddies who also drive taxis to come over and give me some courage. They accompanied me to go back and get the car.

    When I went to get the car, the woman in red who was holding the child was gone.

    When I told everyone about this, they all said I had encountered a ghost.

    Last night when I returned home, I was so scared that I couldn''t sleep all night. Now that I think about it, I still feel a bit frightened."

    As Lin Dong recounted the story to Chen Yuanshan, vivid images flashed in my mind, and the hairs on my arms stood on end.

    "If what you said is true, then you really encountered a ghost. That ghost probably didn''t mean to harm you; she just wanted to catch a ride. I''ll draw a talisman for you. Hang it in your car, and it will ward off evil spirits. You won''t encounter similar things in the future."

    Chen Yuanshan said this and picked up a brush, dipped it in cinnabar, and drew a talisman on yellow paper.

    After finishing the talisman, Chen Yuanshan folded it into a triangle and tied it with a red string.

    "Remember, don''t let the talisman get wet. Once it''s soaked in water and the characters become blurry, it won''t have the effect of warding off evil spirits anymore."

    Chen Yuanshan handed the talisman to Lin Dong and reminded him.

    "Chen Daochang, how much money do you think is appropriate for you?"

    Lin Dong took the talisman and asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "It''s just a talisman; I don''t want your money. If you encounter problems in the future, you can come find me again."

    Chen Yuanshan waved his hand at Lin Dong.

    "Thank you, thank you so much!"

    Lin Dong thanked Chen Yuanshan twice and happily left.

    Chen Yuanshan drew a talisman for the young man without asking for any money, which was something I hadn''t expected. I always thought he valued money a lot.

    "Martial uncle

 53: Hua Tree Spirit on the Chaotic Burial Mound

    When I tried to climb out of the pit, the wrist-thick black snake suddenly slithered in front of me, stopping less than a meter away. I was so scared that I couldn''t move.

    I locked eyes with the large black snake, its eyes gleaming with a faint green light. It hissed at me, seemingly preparing to attack.

    Sweat broke out on my forehead, my body trembled, and my heart raced as the large black snake, with its head raised and mouth wide open, prepared to strike. However, Xu Yan swiftly moved to my side, wielding her copper coin sword, and struck the snake''s head, instantly knocking it unconscious.

    "Thank you."

    I wiped the sweat off my forehead, breathed heavily, and thanked Xu Yan.

    "Quickly, let''s get out of here."

    Xu Yan reached out her left hand to me.

    As I grabbed Xu Yan''s left hand with my right, it felt like grabbing onto a soft ball of cotton. The sensation was exceptionally pleasant. Holding onto Xu Yan''s left hand, she pulled me up. As I supported myself with my left hand on the ground, ready to climb out of the pit, I felt someone grabbing my ankle, and pulling me down.

    "Master Chen, it seems like there''s a pair of hands grabbing my ankle."

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    I looked at Chen Yuanshan with a terrified expression and spoke.

    Chen Yuanshan, standing behind me, looked towards the tall locust tree in the center of the chaotic burial mound. The leaves of the locust tree first made a rustling sound, and then the branches rapidly grew and extended toward us.

    "This old locust tree has absorbed enough Yin energy and resentment. It has cultivated into a spirit. We must leave now."

    Chen Yuanshan warned both me and Xu Yan.

    Chen Yuanshan walked over with large strides, took the bag hanging around my neck, and pulled out a talisman from it. He placed the talisman on the ground.

    "Nine heavens, nine energies, a million heavenly soldiers, subdue the celestial demons above, inspect the netherworld below, a thousand gods bow, ten thousand demons follow the order... Urgent as if issuing a command."

    After Chen Yuanshan finished reciting the incantation to the talisman, the talisman ignited with a "whoosh." A white smoke emerged from the pit I was stuck in, and I felt the hands grabbing my ankle suddenly release.

    Xu Yan pulled my right hand forcefully, I pushed against the ground with my left hand, and my body climbed out of the pit.

    As I crawled out of the pit, the thorny branches grown by the tall locust tree had already spread around us.

    "Yan, give me the copper coin sword."

    Chen Yuanshan shouted at Xu Yan.

    "Here."

    Xu Yan replied and threw the copper coin sword to Chen Yuanshan.

    Chen Yuanshan took the copper coin sword, bit his left index finger with his teeth, and smeared a drop of blood onto the blade. The copper coin sword, now stained with Chen Yuanshan''s blood, suddenly emitted a red glow.

    Swinging the copper coin sword, Chen Yuanshan cut the thorny branches that reached us into pieces.

    "You two quickly retreat down the mountain."

    Chen Yuanshan instructed me and Xu Yan.

    "Martial uncle, you..."

    "Don''t worry about me; I''ll be fine."

    Upon hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, Xu Yan nodded at him. She took the initiative to pull my arm and ran down the mountain.

 54: The Tragic Experience of the Female Ghost

    Chen Yuanshan, upon seeing the female ghost holding a ghost baby on the last row of seats, was only momentarily surprised and didn''t feel afraid.

    Chen Yuanshan pulled the car to the side of the road and came to a gradual stop.

    As Chen Yuanshan stopped the car, I reached for the door, attempting to escape. However, the door wouldn''t budge, and at that moment, I felt like crying.

    "Miss, where are you heading?" Chen Yuanshan turned around, addressing the female ghost in the back, wearing a red dress and holding a ghost baby.

    Upon seeing Chen Yuanshan stopping the car on the roadside, Xu Yan inexplicably spoke a sentence. She turned her head to look at the back of the car and also saw the female ghost.

    Xu Yan saw the female ghost but wasn''t surprised or frightened.

    Since the car door wouldn''t open, I bent my waist, burying my head between my knees. My body trembled, and I dared not look at the female ghost sitting behind me.

    "Big brother, could you take me back to the city? I want to go home to find my husband. He''s alone at home, and I''m worried," the female ghost said to Chen Yuanshan while lowering her head, gazing at the ghost baby in her arms, who began sobbing.

    "Where do you live?" Chen Yuanshan asked the female ghost.

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    "I live on Jinshan Street, Building 2 of the Green Garden Residential Area," the female ghost replied, nodding.

    "How old are you this year?" Chen Yuanshan asked the female ghost.

    "I''m twenty-eight."

    "How did you die?" When Chen Yuanshan asked this question, the female ghost didn''t answer. Instead, she lowered her head and seemed somewhat unhappy.

    "Does this question make you feel awkward?" Chen Yuanshan asked.

    "I... I died in a car accident," the female ghost replied when she lifted her head. Black Yin energy emanated from her, mixed with thick resentment.

    When the Yin energy and resentment pressed against me, I felt uncomfortable all over¡ªchest tight, unable to catch my breath, dizzy, and weak in the limbs. Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan, however, were unaffected.

    "Miss, you seem a bit excessive. I''m just asking you a few questions casually. Is there a need to be so angry?" Hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, the female ghost''s angry expression disappeared, and the Yin energy and resentment emanating from her also dissipated.

    "Wah, wah, wah..."

    The ghost baby in the female ghost''s arms suddenly began crying. The sound of the ghost baby''s crying was almost identical to the cawing of a crow. I even suspected that the "wah, wah, wah" sound I heard on the chaotic burial mound earlier might not have been from a crow but from this ghost baby.

    The crying of the ghost baby made, Xu Yan and Chen Yuanshan feel uneasy. At this moment, a bold idea sprouted in my mind¡ªI wanted to turn around and cover the child''s mouth with my hands to stop it from crying.

    "Baby, baby, we''ll see Daddy soon. Don''t cry, don''t cry," the female ghost comforted, lowering her head and rubbing the baby''s face with her hand.

    Hearing the female ghost''s comforting words, the ghost baby obediently stopped crying.

    Chen Yuanshan drove the car to Jinshan Street but didn''t drive to the Green Garden Residential Area. Instead, he parked the car in a deserted area.

    Seeing Chen Yuanshan stop the car again, I tried to push and pull the car door, but it still wouldn''t open. At this moment, my inner self had already collapsed.

 55: Fortuitous Encounter with He Gang

    "Alright," the female ghost agreed to Chen Yuanshan''s proposal. She picked up the ghost baby and tried to pass through the car door.

    Thinking about her previous attempt to escape and being bounced back by an invisible force, the female ghost looked at Chen Yuanshan with a wary expression.

    "I''ve removed the talisman. You can leave now," Chen Yuanshan said to the hesitant female ghost.

    The female ghost nodded to Chen Yuanshan and gritted her teeth as she carried the ghost baby, passing through the car door and rushing out.

    Seeing the unconstrained departure of the female ghost from the car, she first turned back to deeply bow to Chen Yuanshan. Then, holding the ghost baby, she floated about ten centimeters above the ground.

    "Pregnant for eight months and killed in a car accident, it''s really pitiful," Xu Yan muttered as she watched the departing female ghost.

    "A woman who dies while pregnant has more intense resentment on her body than other ghosts who die unnaturally. Their biggest regret at the time of death is not being able to give birth to the child. The greater the regret, the greater the resentment," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    "If this female ghost understands the method of cultivation, in less than three years, she will definitely advance to the level of a Ghost King. When that happens, I might not be her opponent," he added.

    "Master Uncle, what level is this female ghost at now?" I asked Chen Yuanshan.

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    "A woman who died while pregnant and wore a red dress at the time of death. After becoming a ghost, her strength directly reached the level of a Ghost General," Chen Yuanshan explained to me and Xu Yan.

    While Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan were chatting, I pushed the car door. Surprisingly, it opened easily.

    I jumped out of the car, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. At this moment, the outside air felt exceptionally fresh.

    "Master Chen, didn''t you say that as long as I don''t open my celestial eye, I won''t be able to see the existence of female ghosts?" I asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "That''s correct."

    "Then why could I see the existence of that female ghost?"

    "Because the female ghost has heavy resentment on her body, and her magnetic field is relatively large. After her magnetic field influenced yours, you could see her existence," Xu Yan explained to me.

    "It''s really terrifying and frightening," I murmured, patting my chest.

    "He Zhihui, ghosts aren''t scary at all. As long as you don''t provoke them, they won''t actively trouble you," Xu Yan reassured me, echoing what Chen Yuanshan had said before.

    "I didn''t provoke that female ghost. She grabbed my collar and shook me violently. At that moment, I almost fainted," I complained.

    "At that time, I provoked the female ghost. She mistook you for one of our people and attacked you because you were closest to her. It was a retaliation against me," Chen Yuanshan explained with a smile.

    "Oh my God!" At this moment, no two words could better describe my current mood.

    Seeing my defeated appearance, Xu Yan covered her mouth and couldn''t help but laugh.

    In less than ten minutes, the female ghost, holding the ghost baby, floated out of the residential area. The scene was beyond eerie; it was downright terrifying.

    Seeing the female ghost crying loudly as she floated towards Chen Yuanshan''s car, I was so scared that I ran about five or six meters away, not daring to approach the car.

    "Is your man seeing someone new again?" Chen Yuanshan turned around, looking at the female ghost, and asked.

    Upon hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, the female ghost''s expression changed, and she began crying even more bitterly.

 56: The Dying Person

    "There''s a note inside the kraft paper envelope that reads, ''Amidst the mountains and rivers, doubts arise about the path ahead. In the dimness, another village appears. If a person doesn''t die, there will always be a day to turn things around.'' In addition, I''ve put a thousand yuan inside."

    After listening to Chen Yuanshan''s account, my lingering doubts were completely dispelled.

    "I feel like your note wasn''t very useful. It was the thousand yuan that did the trick," I remarked to Chen Yuanshan.

    "I think the money is secondary. It''s the note written by Master Uncle that had an effect, inspiring him to strive harder," Xu Yan expressed her opinion.

    "Both of you are wrong. The note and the money are secondary; his personal thoughts are what matters," Chen Yuanshan explained, stroking his beard.

    At that moment, Chen Yuanshan brought over a plate of boiled peanuts, a plate of boiled edamame, and a plate of smashed cucumber, placing them on my table.

    "Master Chen, these small dishes are complimentary. Do you want some beer? Our locally brewed beer is excellent," the waiter suggested.

    "I drove here, so I won''t be drinking. Just get us three bottles of soda," Chen Yuanshan said to He Gang, keeping an eye on the nearby beer barrel and even licking his lips.

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    "If Master Uncle wants to drink, go ahead. I''ll drive your car back for you," Xu Yan suggested, noticing Chen Yuanshan''s desire for beer.

    "I think that works. Bring me two large draft beers first," Chen Yuanshan instructed He Gang.

    "Alright," He Gang replied with a smile. He then poured two large draft beers and placed them on our table.

    These two large beer mugs could be described with the words "especially large." Their capacity was five times that of regular beer mugs.

    Chen Yuanshan pushed one mug towards me. He held the other and took a big sip, finishing about a third of it.

    I took a big gulp from the large mug. The aroma of the draft beer was strong and indeed delightful.

    After a short while, He Gang brought some freshly grilled skewers to our table.

    Smelling the aroma of the skewers, I licked my lips. I couldn''t remember the last time I had a barbecue, and at that moment, I had completely forgotten about the encounter with the female ghost.

    "Enjoy," Chen Yuanshan said, pointing to the skewers and gesturing for Xu Yan and me to eat.

    Just as Xu Yan and I were about to put a skewer into our mouths, one of the four young men sitting at the adjacent table, a young guy with a shaved head, stood up. He casually picked up an empty beer bottle and smashed it at He Gang''s feet, startling him.

    Seeing the shaved-headed young man throw a beer bottle at his feet, He Gang''s eyes flashed with a hint of anger.

    "Little brother, what are you doing?" Suppressing his anger, He Gang walked over to the shaved-headed guy, wearing a forced smile as he inquired.

    At this moment, Chen Yuanshan, Xu Yan, and I put down our skewers and looked over at the nearby table.

    Chen Yuanshan gazed at the four young men, his expression turning serious.

    "Your barbecue here is so damn salty, how are we supposed to eat it?" The shaved-headed young man pointed at the skewers on the table, complaining to He Gang.

 57: Retribution for the Shaved-Head Guy

    When I ran to the scene, everyone in the street food stall also followed suit. The accident site was less than a hundred meters away from the stall.

    Arriving at the accident scene, I saw the shaved-head guy lying in a pool of blood, his head severely damaged features distorted, and white brain matter mixed with red blood covering the ground. His right shin and left upper arm were exposed, with bones visible.

    This sight was not only frightening but also nauseating, causing a surge of discomfort in my stomach.

    "Wow!" A young girl standing next to me, who had been watching the excitement, couldn''t hold back and vomited when she saw the condition of the shaved-head guy.

    The three young men who were with the shaved-head guy were dumbfounded, standing on the side, staring in shock at everything in front of them, unsure of what to do.

    When the shaved-head guy left, his three companions were crossing the pedestrian crossing, while he walked in the middle of the road, perhaps feeling victorious on the side of the street food stall, not only happy but a bit arrogant.

    "Serves him right," He Gang rushed over, looking at the shaved-head guy''s mangled body. He expressed his indignation.

    "He''s already dead; there''s no need to gloat," Chen Yuanshan said to He Gang.

    After hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, He Gang nodded and said nothing more.

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    "Heaven forgives sins, but we must bear the consequences of our own actions," Chen Yuanshan sighed, looking at the shaved-head guy''s body and muttering a sentence to us.

    The driver who hit the person was a woman, probably just over forty. After the accident, she was in a state of collapse, not getting out of the car but sitting inside, crying and making phone calls.

    Just as we were about to leave, I personally witnessed the shaved-head guy''s soul separating from his body. I wasn''t the only one; many people at the scene also saw it. When the soul of the shaved-head guy separated from the body, he let out a scream, his soul''s expression contorted.

    "Ghosts!" The girl who had vomited beside me pointed at the shaved-head guy''s soul and shouted in terror. The people around, who had gathered to watch, scattered in fear.

    After experiencing the female water ghost, the old lady''s ghost, and the red-clothed female ghost tonight, I had become numb to the sight of the shaved-head guy''s soul. I didn''t feel scared inside.

    The female driver, upon seeing the nearly transparent soul of the shaved-head guy separating from his body, rolled her eyes and fainted.

    He Gang, seeing the soul of the shaved-head guy, was also frightened and wanted to run away. However, seeing me, Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan standing still, he stayed put.

    The shaved-head guy''s soul was almost transparent when it first separated from the body. After a while, his soul began to solidify.

    Because the shaved-head guy had just turned into a ghost and was a bit unaccustomed, perhaps because the soul was lighter, he stood in place without a sense of gravity, and his body leaned from side to side.

    "What''s going on?" The shaved-head guy looked at his lifeless body on the ground, muttering in disbelief. He then knelt on the ground and burst into tears.

    "There''s nothing more to see here. Let''s go back," Chen Yuanshan said, shaking his head at the shaved-head guy''s body, leading us back to the street food stall.

    Returning to the stall, sitting on a stool, and looking at the barbecue on the table, I couldn''t help but feel a little uneasy. The incidents involving ghosts tonight had left me somewhat unsettled.

 58: He Gangs Story

    "On the day my mom paid off the debts, we bought a roast duck, a fish, and even some pig head meat to improve our family''s life. It was the first time we had such a luxurious meal on ordinary days and during the Chinese New Year. My mom believed that until we cleared the debts outside, we didn''t deserve to enjoy delicious food at home. Only by paying off the debts could we qualify to enjoy life."

    As He Gang spoke, all of us¡ªmyself, Chen Yuanshan, and Xu Yan¡ªnodded in agreement, acknowledging He Gang''s mother as a woman with a strong sense of morality, someone worth learning from.

    "For several years, my mom worked as a laborer with my third uncle on construction sites to earn money. On the second night after clearing the debts, while my mom and third uncle were returning home from the city on a motorcycle, it suddenly went out of control and crashed into a stone pillar on the roadside. My mom was thrown off from the back seat, her head hit the ground first, and she died on the spot. My uncle was relatively unscathed, only breaking his right arm and right leg, leaving him disabled with a limp and unable to use his right hand.

    Since my mom had the accident on my uncle''s motorcycle, and he was driving without a license, the motorcycle had no license plates and no insurance. Therefore, compensation was out of the question.

    The funeral arrangements for my mom were funded by the villagers.

    At thirteen, I became an orphan.

    At that time, none of our relatives were willing to take me in. I had to live on my own.

    The people in our village pitied me, and whoever made something delicious would send a portion to our home. Families also gave me clothes and shoes that their children had outgrown. I grew up with the help of everyone around me.

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    The village chief treated me well. He arranged special financial aid for me and explained my situation to the teachers and principal at the school. They also provided me with significant support.

    By the time I reached ninth grade, I didn''t want to continue studying. Although I excelled academically and could easily get into high school, I realized that attending high school would require a substantial amount of money for accommodation and meals.

    The government''s subsidy for me was not much, just a few hundred yuan. While the school could assist me, I didn''t want to rely on them. I decided to drop out, work, and support myself.

    At this point, He Gang paused, took a sip of beer, and continued.

    Because my parents divorced early, and my father didn''t care about me, I envied those children whose parents picked them up from school, bought them treats, and gave them gifts. I felt the heavens were unfair to me, not granting me responsible parents.

    Now, hearing He Gang''s story, I felt fortunate. At least, at that time, I had my grandpa looking after me, while he became an orphan with no one to care for him.

    In the second half of ninth grade, I dropped out of school. Although I had excellent academic performance and could easily enter high school, I thought about the considerable expenses for food and accommodation.

    The government''s subsidy was limited, to only a few hundred yuan. Even though the school could help, I didn''t want their assistance. I wanted to drop out, work, and support myself.

    After dropping out, I became an apprentice at a car repair shop in our town. I earned eight hundred yuan a month, with lunch provided. I considered finding a job in a factory, where I could earn more¡ªaround one thousand seven to eight hundred yuan per month. However, due to my young age, factories were hesitant to hire child labor, so I could only work at the car repair shop.

    By the autumn of the second year working there, the village chief approached me, suggesting that I join the army. The military not only provided food and accommodation but also supplied clothing. After serving for a long time, I could retire and receive a pension. This way, I could have a stable life. I hesitated at first, but eventually agreed."

    The Gang''s story revealed the hardships he faced as an orphan and the tough choices he had to make to survive.

 59: The Value of Life

    "You, you, success is not enough, failures are abundant," Chen Yuanshan vomited, pointing to the vomit on the wall and door, reproaching me.

    "I''ll clean it up," I stammered.

    "And clean up the part I vomited," Chen Yuanshan instructed, pointing to the vomit he expelled.

    Looking at the pile of vomit that Chen Yuanshan had thrown up, I felt repulsed, but under the same roof, I had to lower my head. Besides, I had my own plans.

    I returned to the second floor of Dao Zun Tang with Chen Yuanshan, who kept muttering that he wouldn''t let Xu Yan drive again.

    Once on the second floor, Chen Yuanshan complained about never letting Xu Yan drive again.

    I went down to the first floor with a basin of water and a clean cloth. First, I wiped the door of Dao Zun Tang clean and then started cleaning the wall.

    The unpleasant smell of Chen Yuanshan''s vomit filled the air, causing my stomach to churn again. I made two dry heaves, trying hard not to throw up.

    I wiped the glass door and the wall three times each to thoroughly clean them.

    Turning my head, I looked at the paper effigy shop. In the moonlight, I could still see a pair of children standing on both sides of the entrance, facing outward.

    Maybe it was psychological, but every time I looked at these two children, I felt as if they were staring at me with a chilling smile on their faces, making me feel extremely uncomfortable.

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    Suppressing the urge to look at the two children at the paper effigy shop, I focused on cleaning up Chen Yuanshan''s vomit at the entrance of Dao Zun Tang.

    "Gah," I couldn''t hold it in any longer. Before finishing cleaning up Chen Yuanshan''s vomit, I threw up again. At that moment, I felt that living was simply too exhausting.

    I spent over an hour cleaning up the mess outside Dao Zun Tang, and finally, Chen Yuanshan and I had our vomit cleaned up.

    Carrying the basin, I walked into Dao Zun Tang and sat on the sofa to rest.

    "I originally wanted to arrange the small bedroom upstairs for you, but my niece arrived, so I had to let her stay in the small bedroom. You can either sleep with me in the master bedroom or go back home and come by in the morning."

    Chen Yuanshan sat beside me and asked.

    Hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, I considered for a moment. Going back home was not an option, as I was afraid the female water ghost would come out of the river and scare me.

    "I think sleeping on the sofa here will be fine."

    I pointed to the sofa under me and replied to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Alright, I''m used to sleeping alone. If you sleep with me, I won''t be comfortable. So, you can stay on the sofa for a while. When my junior brother returns from his business trip and my niece leaves, you can move to the small bedroom on the second floor."

    Hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, I nodded in agreement.

    "I was considering giving you the small bedroom upstairs, but my niece came, so I had to give her that room. If you don''t mind, you can stay here. I usually sleep alone. If you need more space, you can use the small bedroom on the second floor when my niece leaves."

    I nodded to express my agreement.

    "I''ve noticed that you''ve been doing well these past two days. I plan to increase your salary by five hundred yuan a month. With a monthly salary of three thousand, after working for two months and paying off your debt, if you want to continue working, you can stay. If you don''t want to, you''re free to pursue what you want."

    Hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, I frowned, contemplating. At this moment, I felt a bit lost and uncertain in my heart.

    "If you feel the salary is not high enough, I can negotiate and increase it a bit more. Everything is negotiable."

    Seeing me silent, Chen Yuanshan added.

    "Chen Daochang, I don''t need a salary. I want..."

    I stopped mid-sentence, unsure of how to express my thoughts.

 60: The Ghost Hits the Wall

    At eight in the morning, a young man accompanied by a young woman arrived at Dao Zun Tang.

    The young man appeared to be around thirty-three or thirty-four years old, average-looking but lively. He wore a black casual suit. The young woman was around twenty-six or twenty-seven, quite beautiful, and she was dressed in a red outfit. It was evident that they were newlyweds.

    "Master Chen, my wife and I got married yesterday. I originally wanted to invite you to our wedding banquet, but I forgot in the midst of the wedding preparations. I apologize for that.

    Today, I brought my wife to express our gratitude in person and to give you some wedding candies, cigarettes, and two bottles of liquor."

    The young man said to Chen Yuanshan and placed the items he carried on the office desk.

    "Young man, you''re too polite!" Chen Yuanshan stood up, smiling warmly at the newlyweds.

    "Master Chen, today my wife and I need to return home. We won''t stay here for long. When we have time in the future, we''ll come to visit you again."

    "Alright, both of you go about your business."

    Chen Yuanshan said to the newlyweds and warmly escorted them to the alley entrance, offering blessings along the way.

    Afterward, Chen Yuanshan returned to Dao Zun Tang, opened the package to take a look, and found two exquisitely packaged boxes of candy, two packs of Yuxi cigarettes, and two bottles of ordinary white liquor.

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    "These candy boxes are for you two."

    Chen Yuanshan tossed the two boxes of candy to me and Xu Yan.

    "Senior Uncle, the young man who just came in, I noticed a trace of sorrow in his face. He must have experienced a lot of hardships."

    Xu Yan stood up, walked to Chen Yuanshan''s desk, and inquired.

    "If that young man didn''t come today, I would have almost forgotten about him. When he came to Dao Zun Tang last year, his complexion was even worse than it is now, pale and with a touch of sorrow. I asked him if his parents were still alive. At that time, the young man was surprised that I could figure out that his parents were no longer in this world. So, he opened up and started talking. His mother passed away when he was very young, and his father had been ill since middle age. He spent more than ten years caring for his sick father. Over those years, his finances were depleted, and in the end, he couldn''t save his father. This young man had a relationship with a girl during that time, the same girl who is his newlywed wife today. She is young and beautiful, with a good family background. The young man felt that compared to the girl''s family, he was far inferior. He was afraid the marriage wouldn''t work out and that he would be hurt. At that time, I asked for the girl''s birthdates, did some fortune-telling based on their Eight Characters, and checked if their destinies were compatible. Their Eight Characters showed compatibility both externally and internally. I encouraged the young man not to overthink and to boldly pursue love. I told him he was a kind person, filial to his father for over ten years. The girl''s family should have seen this. A man so filial to the elderly wouldn''t mistreat his wife. The girl would surely choose him for his character, not focusing on his family or appearance. After hearing my advice, the young man felt enlightened, decided to dispel his worries, and bravely pursued the girl. In the end, the two of them got married happily."

    Chen Yuanshan said, rubbing his beard, reaching the end of the story.

 61: Too Realistic

    The young woman, having slept poorly the previous night, sat on Dao Zun Tang''s sofa with Xu Yan and me by her side. As her fears began to ease, she eventually leaned back and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep after a short while.

    About an hour later, Chen Yuanshan had yet to return. Feeling a bit hungry, I decided to make lunch.

    "Xu Yan, stay here with this lady. I''ll go upstairs and cook."

    "Sure."

    Xu Yan nodded in agreement.

    Having bought plenty of groceries with Chen Yuanshan last time, the refrigerator was stocked with meat, seafood, eggs, and vegetables.

    I started by cooking a pot of rice and then prepared three dishes: leek and egg stir-fry, spicy pork stir-fry, and braised cod with miso.

    Once the dishes were ready, I called Chen Yuanshan.

    "Master Chen, lunch is ready. Will you be coming back for it?"

    "I won''t be able to make it back for lunch; I''ve been warmly invited to eat elsewhere. I''ll return after lunch. You don''t need to wait for me."

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    "Oh, by the way, a woman came to Dao Zun Tang, claiming to have encountered a ghostly phenomenon called ''ghostly wall-hitting.'' She''s been waiting for you here."

    "Alright, I got it. I''ll finish my meal as soon as possible and head back."

    Chen Yuanshan acknowledged and hung up.

    I went downstairs and saw the lady still sleeping. Xu Yan was sitting on the sofa, focused on reading the "Book of Changes."

    "Xu Yan, lunch is ready. Let''s eat."

    I called Xu Yan from the middle of the stairs.

    "What about her?"

    Xu Yan pointed at the sleeping young woman, asking me.

    "Maybe you can wake her up. She can join us for lunch. I''ve made enough for three people. I called Master Chen, and he won''t be back for lunch."

    Xu Yan nodded in understanding and gently nudged the young woman.

    "Sister, it''s already noon. We''ve prepared lunch. Would you like to join us?"

    "Sure."

    The young woman, without hesitation, agreed. Xu Yan thought she might politely decline, but she surprised us with her straightforward acceptance.

    On the second floor, I served three bowls of rice on the dining table. The young woman sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and started eating heartily.

    After finishing our meal, we sat at the table and chatted.

    "Are you two a couple?"

    The young woman asked Xu Yan and me.

    Xu Yan and I exchanged glances and shook our heads, indicating that we weren''t a couple.

    "I thought you were. When you two find partners in the future, make sure to choose wisely. If you''re compatible, be together. If not, don''t force it. Being together won''t lead to happiness."

    The young woman shared her story after expressing her thoughts. Her name was Jiang Yulin, 32 years old, divorced with a son living with her ex-husband''s parents.

    She told us about her ex-husband''s infidelity, which led to their divorce. After the separation, she gave the new house to her ex-husband and kept the old one for herself.

 62: Karmic Retribution

    After Chen Yuanshan returned to his bedroom in the afternoon, he didn''t come out again. Xu Yan teased me, saying that my proposal to become his apprentice had startled her master''s senior.

    "Just accept or decline, is it really that complicated? He''s been in his room the whole afternoon."

    I muttered while cooking in the kitchen.

    "He Zhihui, becoming an apprentice and learning Dao is not as simple as you think."

    "Why is it not simple?"

    "A master cannot accept any disciple. First, the disciple must have good character, be kind, and have principles and boundaries in their actions. If a master accepts disciples with malicious intent, both the disciple and the master will face karmic retribution. After accepting a disciple, if they use Dao techniques for good, that''s fine. But if they use it to harm others, both the disciple and the master will face consequences."

    "What exactly is this karmic retribution?"

    I asked Xu Yan in confusion.

    "It''s not difficult to explain. It''s the principle of ''sow good seeds, reap good fruits; sow bad seeds, reap bad fruits.'' If you do good deeds, you''ll receive positive outcomes. If you don''t receive those benefits during your lifetime, your descendants might. On the contrary, if you do evil, you''ll face negative consequences, either in your lifetime or passed on to your descendants. If you become a vengeful ghost after death and end up in the underworld, you might be sent to the eighteen levels of hell. That''s why we Taoists care a lot about karmic retribution because we''ve seen and experienced a lot."

    "For example, in fortune-telling and divination, it involve peeking into the mysteries of the heavens, and even that comes with consequences. My master and my senior take the money for fortune-telling and divination but use a significant portion of it to do good deeds, offsetting the karmic retribution. Taking on disciples is not about finding someone pleasant; it''s a heavy responsibility."

    Xu Yan explained in detail.

    "I see."

    I nodded, understanding a bit more.

    After finishing the meal, I went upstairs and lightly knocked on Chen Yuanshan''s bedroom door.

    "Master Chen, lunch is ready. Come out and eat."

    "I know."

    Chen Yuanshan responded from inside his room.

    Shortly after, Chen Yuanshan came out of his room with a solemn expression. The three of us ate in silence. I occasionally glanced at Chen Yuanshan, while Xu Yan looked at both of us. Chen Yuanshan, on the other hand, ate without looking at us.

    "I''m full."

    After finishing a bowl of rice, Chen Yuanshan said to us, then put down his chopsticks and returned to his room.

    "It seems like my apprentice proposal won''t work out."

    I muttered quietly to Xu Yan, looking at Chen Yuanshan''s back.

    "Don''t be discouraged. I think there''s still hope for this."

    Xu Yan smiled and reassured me.

    After the meal, Xu Yan helped me clean up, and we went downstairs. I called my dad.

    "Dad, where are you?"

    "I''m at home. Are you still at Master Chen''s place?"

    "Yes, I''m still here. I plan to work for Master Chen, and he''s willing to pay me three thousand yuan a month."

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    "Since you''re not going to be a corpse salvager, I won''t force you. Do whatever you want. Just don''t blame me for being your dad in the future."

    "Okay, if you''re alone catching corpses in the river, be careful. Don''t sacrifice your life for money."

    I reminded my dad.

    "I know. Take care of yourself outside."

    "Yeah, I''ll take care of myself. What about you, eating alone since I''m not at home?"

    "Don''t worry about me. I won''t starve. I''ll either go to your Aunt Wu''s for a meal or find something to eat outside."

    "Dad, Aunt Wu has some problems with her legs. She doesn''t look bad, a practical woman, and she treats us well. Why don''t you just be with Aunt Wu?"

    "Mind your own business. You don''t need to worry about my affairs."

    My dad sounded impatient on the phone.

    "Okay, that''s it. Contact me if you have anything."

    I hung up after saying that.

    At 10:30 in the evening, Chen Yuanshan received a call from Jiang Yulin. She informed him that she had finished work and was on her way home.

    "Wait for me at the entrance of the community. I''ll come over."

    Chen Yuanshan told Jiang Yulin before hanging up.

    "Xiao Yan, I''m going to Jiang Yulin''s place. Do you want to stay at Dao Zun Tang or come with us?"

    Chen Yuanshan asked Xu Yan as he came downstairs.

    "I''d like to go with you."

    Xu Yan stood up from the sofa and answered.

    "Then pack your things and come with us."

    Chen Yuanshan nodded, agreeing with Xu Yan.

    I took the yellow cloth bag hanging on the wall and put it around my neck. Xu Yan took down the peachwood sword and the copper coin sword hanging on the wall.

    "Master Chen, last night, you had a strange copper coin. You slapped the hand of the woman in red with it, and she screamed. What kind of treasure is that?"

    I recalled what happened last night and asked Chen Yuanshan.

    Chen Yuanshan took out the coin from his pocket and handed it to me.

    "This is called the Mountain Ghost Coin, cast in the late Yuan and early Ming. It became widespread in the Qing Dynasty, especially among Taoist priests, used as a tool for exorcism and driving away evil spirits. After a Taoist priest consecrates it, people can hang it at home or carry it for protection. In the Qing Dynasty, many people wore it as an accessory for its aesthetic appeal and psychological comfort against evil spirits. Apart from personal use, the Mountain Ghost Coin was also placed in corners and screens of houses for spiritual protection. Those with Bagua patterns are considered superior Mountain Ghost Coins."

    Chen Yuanshan explained to me while pointing at the coin in my hand.

    After hearing Chen Yuanshan''s explanation, I handed the Mountain Ghost Coin back to him.

    "This is for you."

    Chen Yuanshan generously said to me and walked toward the entrance of Dao Zun Tang.

    "Xu Yan, is this Mountain Ghost Coin valuable?"

    I turned around and asked Xu Yan.

    "He Zhihui, can you not be so materialistic? Not everything should be associated with money. If my senior gives you something, it''s about friendship. Friendship cannot be measured by money."

    Xu Yan lectured me and walked away.

    I felt that Xu Yan was right. I was too materialistic, probably because I didn''t have much money. If I had money, I might not be so vulgar.

    Chen Yuanshan drove us to Nanhua Community, and it was already past 11:00 at night. Chen Yuanshan parked the car at the entrance of the community, opposite the supermarket.

    Nanhua Community was an old community of more than twenty years. There were eight buildings in total, each seven stories high.

    At the community gate, we saw Jiang Yulin, who had a worried expression on her face, looking towards the building she lived in.

    "Cough, cough."

    Chen Yuanshan walked behind Jiang Yulin and, seeing that she hadn''t noticed us, coughed a couple of times.

    Jiang Yulin was still startled by Chen Yuanshan''s coughing.

    "Chen Daochang, I live in that building."

    Jiang Yulin pointed to Building 2 and told Chen Yuanshan.

    Following Jiang Yulin''s finger, we looked at the building where she lived.

    "Senior, this entire building is surrounded by Yin Qi. Living in such a building, even if you don''t encounter evil, it will have a certain impact on your health over time."

    Xu Yan pointed at Building 2 and said.

    Hearing Xu Yan''s explanation to Chen Yuanshan, I carefully looked at Building 2 but didn''t see any Yin Qi surrounding it. Everything seemed normal.

    "Let''s go in."

    Chen Yuanshan gestured to us and walked towards the community.

    I and Xu Yan followed closely behind Chen Yuanshan, but Jiang Yulin hesitated at the community gate, afraid to enter.

    "Follow us."

    Chen Yuanshan turned around and saw Jiang Yulin standing still. He beckoned to her.

    "Chen Daochang, I... I''m scared."

    Jiang Yulin said with a trembling voice.

    "With us here, you don''t need to be afraid."

    Chen Yuanshan smiled and reassured her.

    Seeing Chen Yuanshan speaking with confidence, Jiang Yulin nodded, following us toward Building 2.

    When we reached the entrance of Building 2, Chen Yuanshan turned to look at me.

    "Chen Daochang, do you have anything to do?"

    Seeing Chen Daochang looking at me without saying anything, I nervously asked him.

    "Close your eyes. I''ll help you open your celestial eye."

    Chen Yuanshan took out two willow leaves from his pocket and said to me.

    Thinking about having opened my celestial eye and being able to see ghosts, I was a bit afraid, but I closed my eyes as Chen Yuanshan instructed.

    Chen Yuanshan wiped my eyelids with the two willow leaves, chanting the mantra for the Maoshan Ghost Eye technique.

    "You can open your eyes now."

    After Chen Yuanshan''s words, I opened my eyes and looked at the building. I could see that it was indeed enveloped in a black aura, looking eerie.

 63: Haunting in the Old Building

    "Let''s go in."

    Chen Yuanshan said to the three of us, and he entered the building first.

    I, Jiang Yulin, and Xu Yan followed behind Chen Yuanshan. It was early spring in May in Yunhai City, with a bit of chill in the mornings and evenings, but the temperature was moderate around noon.

    As we entered the building, a cold and eerie atmosphere greeted us. Jiang Yulin and I couldn''t help but shiver.

    Chen Yuanshan walked to the second floor, glanced at the residential door on the left side of the second floor, and saw black Yin Qi emanating from inside to the outside of the door. Then, Chen Yuanshan led us toward the third floor.

    Jiang Yulin lived in an old-style apartment building with eight buildings in total, each seven stories high.

    On the second floor halfway up, Chen Yuanshan stopped and looked at the residential door in the middle of the third floor. I noticed that this door emitted a heavy Yin Qi, and within the Yin Qi, there was a strong resentment.

    I observed that the colors of Yin Qi and resentment were different¡ªYin Qi was black, and resentment was black and red. The combination made it challenging to distinguish between the two.

    "Senior, there seem to be issues with this building."

    Xu Yan looked at the door on the third floor and then glanced at the left-side door downstairs, telling Chen Yuanshan.

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    "Continue going up."

    After saying this to the three of us, Chen Yuanshan led us to the fourth floor.

    Upon reaching the fourth floor, I noticed that the door on the left side of the fourth floor also emitted black Yin Qi from inside to outside.

    "We... we''re back to the second floor again."

    Jiang Yulin, with a frightened expression, pointed at the number two on the wall after noticing it. She quickly walked to Chen Yuanshan''s side, reaching out her right hand to tightly grasp his left arm.

    Seeing Jiang Yulin holding onto him, Chen Yuanshan seemed a bit embarrassed.

    "This is too strange."

    I mumbled as I looked at the floor number, feeling nervous.

    As we climbed up again, Xu Yan carved a tick mark below the number two on the wall with her peachwood sword.

    When we thought we had reached the fourth floor again, we found that the floor number on the wall had changed back to two. And below this number two, there was the tick mark Xu Yan made.

    "Senior, it seems we are trapped as well."

    Smiling fearlessly, Xu Yan looked at the floor number, speaking to Chen Yuanshan.

    Chen Yuanshan turned around, opened the bag hanging on my chest, and took out two talismans. He handed one to me and kept one for himself.

    "The problem with this building lies on the second and third floors. As long as we climb past the third floor to the fourth floor, we''ll end up on the second floor again. He Zhihui, take this talisman and paste it on the door in the middle of the third floor."

    Chen Yuanshan pointed at the talisman in my hand and instructed me.

    "Senior, do you have anything to do?"

    Noticing Chen Daochang looking at me without saying anything, I asked nervously.

    "Close your eyes. I''ll help you open your celestial eye."

    Chen Yuanshan took out two willow leaves and told me to close my eyes. He wiped my eyelids with the willow leaves while chanting the Maoshan Ghost Eye technique mantra.

    "You can open your eyes now."

    After Chen Yuanshan''s words, I opened my eyes and looked at the building. I could see that it was indeed enveloped in a black aura, looking eerie.

 64: Police Encounter Ghostly Phenomena

    "Comrades, I''m the one who called the police."

    The middle-aged man said to the six police officers who had arrived, releasing the hand he had on Chen Yuanshan''s arm. At this point, he no longer worried about Chen Yuanshan escaping.

    "What exactly is going on here?"

    The leading police officer asked the middle-aged man.

    "Comrades, here''s what happened. I was already lying down, almost asleep, when I heard shouting and banging outside. So, I came out to see what was going on. I found this old man scribbling on the wall, so I caught him."

    The middle-aged man pointed to the neatly drawn talismans on the wall and explained in detail to the leading police officer.

    "Did you draw all these messy things?"

    "Exactly, I drew these talismans on the wall. It has nothing to do with these two kids."

    Chen Yuanshan took responsibility for everything.

    "Old brother, you seem quite old. We don''t want to trouble you too much. How about this, you wipe off these drawings on the wall, and we''ll consider the matter settled. What do you think?"

    The leading police officer smiled and negotiated with Chen Yuanshan.

    "Fine."

    Chen Yuanshan nodded in agreement.

    "I can provide you with the tools."

    The middle-aged man said to Chen Yuanshan and went back to his house.

    After a while, the middle-aged man brought two pieces of fine sandpaper, a basin of water, and a cloth to us.

    Xu Yan and I took the sandpaper and started polishing the drawn talismans on the wall. Chen Yuanshan took the basin of water and the cloth, wiping off the talismans on the door.

    "Yan, go remove the talisman I pasted on the second-floor door."

    Chen Yuanshan whispered to Xu Yan.

    "Sure."

    Xu Yan glanced around and replied to Chen Yuanshan before going down to remove the talisman from the left-side door on the second floor.

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    "Can I add you on WeChat?"

    A young police officer took out his phone, wearing a smile as he asked Xu Yan.

    Hearing that the young police officer wanted to add Xu Yan on WeChat, I felt inexplicably sour.

    "I don''t add strangers on WeChat!"

    Xu Yan replied expressionlessly, rejecting the young police officer, and continued sanding the drawn talismans on the wall with the sandpaper.

    "Do you believe in ghosts in this world?"

    After wiping off all the talismans on the door, Chen Yuanshan smiled and asked the six police officers and the middle-aged man.

    Everyone shook their heads together, indicating they didn''t believe.

    "Just because you don''t believe doesn''t mean ghosts don''t exist in this world."

    Chen Yuan continued to say.

    "Comrades, he is spreading feudal superstitions. Such people should be arrested and sent to the detention center."

    The middle-aged man pointed at Chen Yuanshan and said to the police.

    "Although our country advocates freedom of speech, what the old brother said doesn''t count as feudal superstition. If we, the police, arbitrarily arrest people for this, it would be arbitrary law enforcement. Since he''s willing to wipe off what he drew on the wall and the door, let''s not push it further."

    The leading police officer looked down on the middle-aged man.

    Chen Yuanshan looked at the middle-aged man, shook his head helplessly, and said nothing.

    Xu Yan and I took less than an hour to wipe off all the talismans drawn on the hallway wall.

    Seeing Xu Yan and me finish wiping off the talismans on the wall, Chen Yuanshan casually took down the Mountain Ghost Money stuck on the door.

    After Chen Yuanshan took down the Mountain Ghost Money, the sensor lights in the hallway suddenly flickered, sometimes on, sometimes off. I saw Yin Qi and resentment emanating from the middle door on the third floor again.

    "Old brother, don''t do this in the future."

    The leading police officer said to Chen Yuanshan in a very friendly tone.

    Chen Yuanshan didn''t say anything but nodded to the leading police officer, indicating agreement.

    "Alright, things on this site are done. Let''s go back."

    The leading police officer said to the five police officers he brought and walked towards the second floor.

    "Humph."

    The middle-aged man snorted at Chen Yuanshan and returned to his own house.

    "Chen Daochang, let''s go back too."

    I said to Chen Yuanshan.

    "No rush to go back. This matter isn''t over yet."

    Chen Yuanshan smiled at me.

    Just at this moment, voices came from upstairs, and we saw six police officers walking down from the fourth floor.

    These six police officers descended to the third floor, saw the three of us, and instantly froze.

    "How did you get ahead of us?"

    The leading police officer asked the three of us.

    "We''ve been standing here, not moving."

    Chen Yuanshan pointed to floor number three on the wall and replied to the leading police officer.

    "What... what''s going on?"

    The leading police officer stammered as he asked Chen Yuanshan, his face turning frightened. The faces of the five police officers behind him didn''t look good either.

    Chen Yuanshan didn''t explain anything to the six police officers but stood against the wall, making way for them.

    The six police officers, after seeing Chen Yuanshan make way, took two steps back in fear and went downstairs again.

    After a while, the six police officers once again descended from the fourth floor to the third floor and saw us again.

    "Director Yang, why can''t we go down?"

    A young police officer asked Director Yang with a mournful face.

    "Ask me? Who should I ask?"

    Director Yang replied with a heart full of tears.

 65: Space Transformation

    "Brother, there''s a problem with this building."

    Deputy Director Yang said to the middle-aged man.

    "I thought you all left."

    The middle-aged man, scratching the back of his head, replied somewhat apologetically. He didn''t understand the meaning behind Deputy Director Yang''s previous statement and didn''t pay much attention to it.

    "You quickly go back inside and wait. We''ll handle this."

    Deputy Director Yang expressed impatience when speaking to the middle-aged man.

    "Alright, alright, alright."

    The middle-aged man responded three times and returned to his own house.

    As soon as the middle-aged man returned to his house, the middle door made another "clang, clang" sound.

    Chen Yuanshan took out two talismans from his yellow cloth bag and pasted them on the door.

    The banging sound immediately stopped.

    "Big brother, what''s going on?"

    Deputy Director Yang slowly walked to Chen Yuanshan''s side and asked.

    "In this room, there''s a fierce ghost with heavy resentment. As for what happened to this fierce ghost, I don''t know. This fierce ghost has a special ability to move through space. In other words, it can use its powerful magnetic field to shift people''s positions freely. When you six were heading to the first floor, the fierce ghost used this ability to send you back to the fourth floor. That''s why you could only move back and forth between the fourth and second floors, unable to go up to the fifth floor or down to the first floor. This is what people commonly refer to as a ''ghost hitting a wall.'' Only when it''s daytime can this phenomenon be lifted. Now, without my help, you six cannot leave this building. You''ll have to wait until it''s daylight to leave."

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    Chen Yuanshan explained to the six people.

    The six individuals, hearing Chen Yuanshan''s explanation, were stunned, finding it hard to believe, but the fact was right in front of them, and disbelief wasn''t an option.

    "I don''t believe I can''t get out."

    A young police officer muttered, stepping confidently towards the second floor.

    As this young police officer walked towards the second floor, Chen Yuanshan removed the Mountain Ghost Money and two talismans stuck on the door.

    After Chen Yuanshan took these two items down, the room''s Yin Qi, mixed with resentment, emanated again.

    When the non-believing young police officer reached the second floor, we heard footsteps coming from the fourth floor again.

    The young police officer who didn''t believe in ghosts came down from the fourth floor, seeing his five companions and us three. His mental state instantly collapsed.

    Seeing the non-believing young police officer coming down from the fourth floor, the other five police officers nervously swallowed saliva, and cold sweat broke out all over their bodies.

    Without saying anything, they looked nervous. In their hearts, they already believed what Chen Yuanshan had just said.

    "Big brother, what should we do?"

    Deputy Director Yang asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "The only way is to use talismans to suppress the fierce ghost in the room. This way, it can''t use its special ability to shift space, preventing us from encountering the ghost hitting a wall. Without my help, you six can''t leave this building. You''ll have to wait until daylight."

    Chen Yuanshan said, then pasted the Mountain Ghost Money and two talismans on the door.

    The Yin Qi and resentment emanating from the room were once again suppressed.

 67: Black Yin Cloud

    "If you believe in the existence of ghosts and deities in this world, I can explain it to you. However, if you don''t believe in such things, even if I explain, you won''t believe. Why waste my breath?"

    "Before I encountered you last night, I truly didn''t believe in ghosts. After experiencing what happened last night, I believe now," Deputy Director Yang said to Chen Yuanshan as they stood at the third-floor door, recalling the events from the previous night in this residential building.

    "I am a Taoist well-versed in the arts of Yin and Yang. Not only can I see the existence of ghosts and deities, but I also have the ability to communicate with them. Last night, a woman named Jiang, who lives in this building, told me that she had been experiencing the phenomenon of a ''ghost hitting a wall'' when returning home from work at night. After hearing her story, I believed the problem was within this building. So, I came here with my niece and my assistant. When I arrived, I found that the room on the left side of the second floor and the room on the third floor were both emitting Yin energy from inside to outside. This Yin energy is black, and ordinary people cannot see it with the naked eye. Only those with opened spiritual eyes can see it. So, I speculate that there might be deceased individuals in these two rooms, and they likely met a tragic end."

    Chen Yuanshan explained the situation to Deputy Director Yang.

    Listening to Chen Yuanshan''s account, Deputy Director Yang''s face showed confusion. He seemed to have trouble understanding.

    "Deputy Director Yang, close your eyes," Chen Yuanshan instructed.

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    Although Deputy Director Yang didn''t understand what Chen Yuanshan was going to do, he obediently closed his eyes.

    Chen Yuanshan then took out two slightly crumpled willow leaves from his pocket and rubbed them against Deputy Director Yang''s closed eyes while silently reciting a ghost-eye technique incantation.

    "Alright, you can open your eyes now," Chen Yuanshan said.

    Deputy Director Yang, following Chen Yuanshan''s instructions, opened his eyes and looked into the room in the middle of the third floor. He saw a black Yin cloud gathering at the ceiling of the room, formed by the Yin and resentment emanating from the room.

    "What... what is this black cloud?" Deputy Director Yang pointed to the ceiling, asking Chen Yuanshan.

    "When people die, and their souls depart, they become vengeful spirits or fierce ghosts. These spirits emit Yin energy and resentment. The more tragic the death, the heavier the Yin energy and resentment. The black cloud you see is formed by the Yin energy and resentment emitted by these vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    After hearing Chen Yuanshan''s explanation, Deputy Director Yang suddenly understood. He didn''t say anything but walked confidently towards the second floor.

    Arriving at the second floor, Deputy Director Yang looked into the room on the left. Although there was Yin energy in the room, it was not as heavy as the one in the room on the third floor, and there was no formation of a Yin cloud.

    Having opened his spiritual eyes, Deputy Director Yang gained a new understanding of the world. He looked at Chen Yuanshan with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

    After about ten minutes, we heard the distant sirens of police cars, and soon after, more than ten police officers in uniforms came up from the first floor. Among them, I saw Deputy Chief Liu Yuzhu of the Criminal Investigation Division.

    Deputy Chief Liu Yuzhu did not notice me and Chen Yuanshan. Instead, he went directly into the room on the left of the second floor, accompanied by two forensic experts wearing white coats.

 68: Method of Opening Spiritual Eyes

    Deputy Director Yang and Liu Yuzhu saw the middle-aged man sitting on the ground, frightened. They both approached and helped him up.

    "Do you know the old man living downstairs in your building?" Liu Yuzhu continued to ask the middle-aged man.

    "Of course, I know. That old man is named Zhang, Zhang Dekui. We usually call him Old Zhang or Uncle Zhang. He''s a nice person, warm-hearted, always willing to help and make others happy."

    "Why would such a person contemplate suicide?" Deputy Director Yang muttered in confusion after hearing the middle-aged man''s explanation.

    "Old Zhang has had a tough life. His son died in a major traffic accident ten years ago. Not long after, his daughter-in-law remarried, taking their granddaughter with her. They kept in touch for a couple of years, but eventually, the contact faded. Old Zhang and his wife couldn''t bear the loss and often cried when reminiscing about their granddaughter. His wife retired three years ago, and Old Zhang retired last year. They planned to enjoy their retirement, and travel a bit, but fate had other plans. Within a week of Old Zhang''s retirement, his wife suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. She was saved after half a month in the ICU but remained in a vegetative state. She passed away half a month ago. After his wife''s death, Old Zhang''s nephews and nieces suddenly appeared, claiming they wanted to take him in to care for him. In reality, they were eyeing Old Zhang''s house and property. Old Zhang refused to leave, spending his days at home. About a week ago, he handed me a will, stating that all his money and the house would go to his granddaughter after his death. We never expected Old Zhang would resort to suicide," the middle-aged man explained helplessly.

    Listening to the story, I couldn''t help but feel sorry for Old Zhang.

    "Deputy Director Yang, how did the police station discover the deaths on the second and third floors?" Liu Yuzhu asked Deputy Director Yang.

    "I can''t explain it well. You better ask this old brother here," Deputy Director Yang gestured towards Chen Yuanshan.

    "Liu Deputy Chief, let''s discuss this downstairs," Chen Yuanshan said to Liu Yuzhu and walked downstairs.

    On the second floor, we involuntarily held our breath, avoiding the unpleasant smell of the corpse.

    Exiting the building, we saw more people gathering downstairs, most of whom knew about the deaths because the funeral car had arrived at the scene.

    After a short while, Old Zhang''s body was lifted into a red paper coffin and placed in the funeral car.

    Chen Yuanshan found a less crowded spot and explained to Liu Yuzhu what happened last night, with Deputy Director Yang occasionally interjecting to confirm the facts.

    "Liu Deputy Chief, it may sound unbelievable, but it''s true," Chen Yuanshan explained, and Deputy Director Yang echoed his words.

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    "I believe what Master Chen said. I''ve had contact with his junior brother and seen ghosts before," Liu Yuzhu nodded at Chen Yuanshan.

    "It''s evident that the killer of the girl may be the man who lived with her," Deputy Director Yang analyzed.

    "Master Chen, in previous cases like this, I would ask your junior brother to help communicate with the soul of the deceased to find out who the real killer is. Since you''re here this time, I hope you can do me this favor," Liu Yuzhu earnestly requested Chen Yuanshan.

    "Sure, but we''ll have to wait until tonight," Chen Yuanshan replied, glancing at the third floor.

    "Thank you, thank you," Liu Yuzhu expressed gratitude twice to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Oh, Deputy Chief Liu, about the favor I asked you last time, have you investigated it?" Chen Yuanshan glanced at me and asked Liu Yuzhu.

    "We''ve investigated it. That Chen Feng is indeed a drug dealer. We have gathered some evidence and devised a plan for his arrest, but the timing isn''t right yet," Liu Yuzhu replied cautiously.

    "Alright, I understand. I can''t help you much by staying here now. I''ll come back to the community to find you at 7 p.m. tonight," Chen Yuanshan said.

    "Sure, thank you, Master Chen," Liu Yuzhu thanked Chen Yuanshan and warmly escorted the three of us to the community gate.

    Back at Daozun Hall, it was a little after 10 a.m. Chen Yuanshan sat on the sofa and began to boil water for tea.

    "By the way, Master Chen, you still haven''t answered the question I asked you last night," I sat beside Chen Yuanshan and asked again.

    "This question, let Xu Yan answer it," Chen Yuanshan passed the question to Xu Yan.

    "What question?" Xu Yan asked me after hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words.

    "Why can both of you see ghosts without opening spiritual eyes, while I need to open spiritual eyes to see them? How do you do it?" I asked Xu Yan.

    "Both Master''s junior brother and I are cultivators. We can cultivate spiritual eyes using our Daoist powers combined with the incantation to open spiritual eyes. There''s no need for any medium; we can open and close our spiritual eyes at will. For ordinary people like you, opening spiritual eyes requires a medium, such as willow leaves combined with a ghost-eye technique incantation, allowing you to temporarily open your spiritual eyes for two to three hours. Another method is using the tears of a dying old yellow cow; dripping them into your eyes can open your spiritual eyes for 12 to 24 hours. There''s also a way to permanently open spiritual eyes: extracting the eyes of a crow, rinsing them with boiling water, and swallowing them. This method cannot be undone. Apart from these, some people are born with spiritual eyes and can see ghosts from the moment they are born. However, it can be scary for children born with spiritual eyes. If a child sees ghosts frequently, it may lead to shock, loss, or damage to the soul, turning the child into a mentally disabled person. The only solution is to seal the child''s spiritual eyes and prevent them from seeing ghosts," Xu Yan explained in detail.

    "Even if you seal a child''s naturally born spiritual eyes, they will reopen when they reach sixteen," Chen Yuanshan added.

    "Seeing ghosts every day must be terrifying," I mumbled after hearing Xu Yan and Chen Yuanshan''s explanations.

    "If you have contact with ghosts for an extended period, you''ll realize they''re not as frightening as you imagine. I believe the scariest thing in this world is the human heart. Society is constantly changing, and so are people. More and more people learn to perform, wearing masks and speaking insincere words. Smiles in front, stabs in the back. There''s a lot of exchange based on interests between people. The advice I can give you is to test anything but not people''s hearts," Chen Yuanshan said with a smile.

    Listening to Chen Yuanshan''s words, I didn''t quite understand the meaning.

    At this point, I wanted to ask Chen Yuanshan when he could accept me as his disciple and teach me Daoist techniques. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. I thought it would be better

 69: The Female Water Ghost Saved Me

    "Master Chen, I want to remarry my ex-husband. Do you think it''s possible?" the middle-aged woman asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "From your birth chart, it indicates a second marriage. The possibility of reuniting with your ex-husband is not very high. I''ve also calculated that there are two men around you who treat you well. You might consider them," Chen Yuanshan advised.

    "You can even figure that out?" The middle-aged woman was once again astonished.

    "I''ve also calculated that you have a son with good academic performance but prone to making mistakes. Even though you are divorced, you should still pay attention to your child, especially during his rebellious teenage years," Chen Yuanshan continued.

    "My son is currently in high school. His academic performance is good, but he''s very stubborn. His homeroom teacher calls his father or me every few days. Since my divorce, my son has a strong prejudice against me. He doesn''t listen to a word I say," the middle-aged woman expressed her distress.

    "Why did you divorce your husband?" Chen Yuanshan curiously asked.

    "It''s been three years since my ex-husband and I divorced. The reasons for the divorce are twofold. First, we had constant quarrels due to incompatible personalities. Even though we lived together, we hadn''t shared the same bed for three years before the divorce. Second, my husband had an affair outside, often not coming home. I knew about it but didn''t care. We struggled in the early days of marriage, running a breakfast shop together. After making a profit, we opened a mid-range restaurant. Later, we opened two more banquet halls. Business was booming, and money was pouring in. But now, I run one banquet hall alone. The profits were divided, and I got one set of three houses, while my ex-husband and son got the other two sets. Since taking over the banquet hall, my relatives and friends have been helping me with business referrals," the middle-aged woman explained, shedding a couple of tears as she felt heartbroken.

    "Nowadays, many couples face this situation. They can endure hardship together but not prosperity. Once money comes in, cracks appear in their relationship," Chen Yuanshan sighed.

    "Master Chen, can you take a look at my financial fortune?" the middle-aged woman wiped away her tears and asked Chen Yuanshan.

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    "Your financial fortune is okay. According to your birth chart, you have a favorable connection with benefactors. Sometimes, you don''t need to make a deliberate effort, as benefactors will bring business opportunities to you," Chen Yuanshan assured her.

    "That''s true. When my ex-husband and I were not divorced, we had two banquet halls. After the divorce and asset split, we each got one. I also received one of the three houses. Since taking over the banquet hall, my relatives and friends have been helping me with business referrals," the middle-aged woman confirmed.

    "Although you have a benefactor in your business, I''ve also calculated that there are malicious forces around you. Be cautious," Chen Yuanshan warned.

    "Master Chen, can you tell me who the malicious person around me is?" the middle-aged woman asked curiously.

    "Haha, I''m not a deity, and not everything can be foreseen. Just be mindful, there''s no need to intentionally suspect who this person might be. It will only make you feel exhausted. Just think, as long as you conduct yourself with integrity, that''s enough," Chen Yuanshan advised.

    "I understand. Master Chen, how much do you charge for fortune-telling?" the middle-aged woman asked.

    "Fortune-telling costs two hundred," Chen Yuanshan replied.

    The middle-aged woman took out four hundred from her bag and placed it on the desk. "You''re accurate, and I''m happy to give you an extra two hundred."

    "You''ve given too much," Chen Yuanshan chuckled. "Your fortune-telling is accurate, and I''m happy to accept it. I''ll use the extra two hundred to cover my expenses."

    After chatting with the middle-aged woman, Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan began to prepare for lunch. Xu Yan volunteered to assist in the kitchen.

    "Master Chen, you''ve helped many people today. If you need anything, just let me know. We''re neighbors now," the middle-aged woman said gratefully.

    Chen Yuanshan smiled and nodded in response.

    After lunch, Chen Yuanshan went upstairs to take a nap. He needed to conserve energy for the spiritual investigation later that evening. Meanwhile, Xu Yan and I stayed in the living room.

    "Xu Yan, you mentioned that you and Master Chen can see ghosts without opening spiritual eyes. Can you teach me how to do that?" I asked Xu Yan curiously.

    "It''s not something that can be easily taught. It requires cultivation and mastery of Daoist techniques. However, it''s not something everyone can learn. It''s a combination of innate talent and acquired skills," Xu Yan explained.

    "I see. It would be fascinating to have such abilities," I mused.

    As the afternoon passed, we waited for the evening to arrive. Chen Yuanshan woke up from his nap, and the three of us sat in the living room, discussing the plan for the spiritual investigation.

    At 7 p.m., Chen Yuanshan, Liu Yuzhu, and I gathered at the entrance of the community. We planned to return to the crime scene and conduct the investigation. The atmosphere was tense as we embarked on this mysterious journey into the night.

 70: The Blood-Red Vertical Eye

    "I understand. If Chen Feng gets arrested by the police, please let me know. Also, in the future, stay away from the riverside. I was able to save you this time, but I might not be able to do so next time."

    After saying these words, the female water ghost slowly submerged into the water, and in a short while, her figure disappeared.

    After the female water ghost disappeared, I saw four or five dark figures swimming around me in the river. Frightened, I turned and ran back home, afraid of being dragged into the water by the water ghost again.

    Back home, I took off my soaked clothes, dried myself, and changed into a clean set of clothes.

    At that moment, I heard the sound of an engine coming from the river. My father was returning on his small boat.

    My father came off the boat, holding two fish in his hands. In his left hand was a five-pound carp, and in his right hand was a more than ten-pound grass carp. Humming a tune, he returned home.

    "You''re back."

    Seeing me at home, my father showed no surprise or joy, speaking with the same calm tone as usual.

    "Yeah, Master Chen gave me half a day off. I came back to see you and brought a couple of sets of clean clothes."

    "Caught two fish; I need to take them to the restaurant in town to sell."

    My father informed me and was about to leave, riding his electric bike.

    "Dad, what time will you be back for dinner?"

    I followed him out and asked.

    "Have your meal at home. Lin Shu and I made plans to have a barbecue and some drinks in town."

    My father replied without looking back and left.

    Watching his retreating figure, I couldn''t help but smile helplessly. At this moment, I wanted to cry, but tears wouldn''t come.

    I placed the bought roast chicken, cod, and tofu in the refrigerator and left a note for my father.

    "Dad, I bought a roast chicken, two cod, and a block of tofu. They''re in the fridge. You can take out the chicken anytime, and for the cod and tofu, you can ask Aunt Wu to cook them for you. I''ve gone back to Master Chen''s place."

    After writing the note, I left it on the TV cabinet.

    Standing at the door, I stopped and took a last look at the house. When Grandpa was alive, there was still warmth in this home. After Grandpa''s death, it felt colder and less like a home.

    Leaving home this time, I carried a sense of sadness and disappointment, along with a silent determination to make a name for myself.

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    At four in the afternoon, when Chen Yuanshan saw me return to Daoist Respect Hall, he was surprised.

    "I told you to take half a day off and come back tomorrow morning. Why are you back in the afternoon?"

    Chen Yuanshan put down his book and asked me.

    "It''s boring to stay at home, so I came back. Master Chen, where should I put the clean clothes?"

    I pointed to the set of clothes and shoes in my hand, asking Chen Yuanshan.

    "Put them in the wardrobe in my bedroom for now. If you need to change clothes, go to my bedroom."

    "Okay."

    I responded to Chen Yuanshan and went upstairs with the clothes and shoes.

    "Senior Brother, why do I feel that this He Zhihui seems a bit off?"

    After going upstairs, Xu Yan stood up and whispered to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Although he concealed his emotions in front of me, I could see sadness and disappointment on his face. I guess he didn''t have a pleasant time with his father after returning home, so he came back."

    Chen Yuanshan shared his speculation with Xu Yan.

    After placing the clothes and shoes in the wardrobe, I sat on Chen Yuanshan''s bed, gazing out of the window in a daze.

    Chen Yuanshan''s bedroom was not small, about thirty square meters. On the right side of the bed was a wardrobe, and on the left was a set of desk and chair. Behind this set was a solid wood bookshelf with many books.

    On the opposite wall hung a 42-inch LCD TV. Several calligraphy and paintings adorned the surrounding walls. The room was neatly arranged.

    "Did something unpleasant happen when you went back home?"

    Chen Yuanshan, hands behind his back, came upstairs, saw me sitting on the bed, and asked.

    "It''s not something unpleasant, just that I''ve been away for a long time. I thought my dad would miss me, but when he saw me, he acted indifferent. I even doubted if I am really his biological son."

    I smiled bitterly, tears still swirling in my eyes. I tried hard to keep them from falling.

    Thinking that Chen Yuanshan could comfort me, he didn''t say anything but reached out his right hand and gently patted my shoulder.

    "We''re out of tissue paper at home, and there isn''t much laundry detergent or shower gel left. Accompany me to the supermarket, consider it a way to relax."

    Chen Yuanshan said to me.

    "Sure."

    I agreed with Chen Yuanshan and stood up from the bed.

    Chen Yuanshan took me and Xu Yan to the supermarket. Before we could get out of the car, he received a call.

    "Yan, Xiao He, I''ll take a call in the car. You two go to the supermarket. I''ll find you after the call."

    Chen Yuanshan told Xu Yan and me and answered the phone.

    Xu Yan and I nodded to Chen Yuanshan and walked toward the supermarket together.

    We first wandered to the third floor of the supermarket. The third floor had two main sections: household goods and home appliances.

    The second floor was for snacks and fresh produce, and the first floor was for clothing and daily necessities.

    We pushed the cart around the third floor. Xu Yan filled the cart with tissues, shampoo, and shower gel, all the items Daoist Respect Hall needed.

    After finishing on the third floor, we went down to the second floor, the snack and fresh produce section. While pushing the cart, I saw a familiar figure, the yellow-haired boy with the vertical eye on his forehead whom I had bumped into at the entrance of the market.

    As I stared at him, he noticed me too.

    Seeing the yellow-haired boy looking at me, I deliberately turned my head away.

    When the yellow-haired boy saw that I wasn''t looking at him, he smiled cunningly, whistling as he walked toward me.

    I wasn''t afraid of this yellow-haired boy, but when he approached, I felt a bit nervous.

    "Is he your friend?"

    Seeing the young man with yellow hair walking casually towards us, Xu Yan asked me.

    "No."

    I shook my head and looked at the yellow-haired boy.

    "The city is too small. We meet again."

    When the yellow-haired boy said this to me with a smirk, his eyes were fixed on Xu Yan.

    Seeing that the yellow-haired boy was looking at her, Xu Yan, feeling annoyed, turned her head away, not looking at him.

    "Are you looking for trouble?"

    I stood in front of Xu Yan, pointing at the yellow-haired boy, and scolded him.

    The yellow-haired boy ignored me but walked towards Xu Yan.

    "Hello,

 71: The Ma Family in Northeast China

    "Young man, this is a supermarket. If you invite immortals to possess you and cause trouble here, can you afford the consequences? A piece of advice, don''t act recklessly."

    While Xu Yan and I were staring at the yellow-haired boy, Chen Yuanshan appeared in front of us, wearing a smile that seemed like a smirk, advising the boy.

    Hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, the yellow-haired boy lowered his hands from above his head, and the powerful aura emanating from him receded. The red eye in the middle of his forehead also closed.

    "The feud today is settled. If we meet again in the future, I won''t let you off."

    The yellow-haired boy pointed at me and Xu Yan, then turned to leave after saying this.

    "Young man, don''t leave yet. Since something happened, let''s resolve it. If it''s their fault, I''ll have them apologize to you. If it''s your fault, then you should apologize."

    After Chen Yuanshan said this to the yellow-haired boy, he extended his right hand to stop him.

    The yellow-haired boy, hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, didn''t know what to say.

    "Go ahead, how did these two offend you?"

    Chen Yuanshan let the yellow-haired boy speak first.

    "I, I, I..."

    The yellow-haired boy stammered and couldn''t come up with a coherent explanation.

    "Yan, you go ahead!"

    "Senior Brother, we don''t even know him. He wanted to add me on WeChat, but I refused, and then he wouldn''t let me go. He started arguing with He Zhihui, and without a word, he physically attacked. That''s when I intervened and threw him to the ground."

    Xu Yan pointed at the yellow-haired boy and explained to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Young man, don''t leave yet. Since something happened, let''s resolve it. If it''s their fault, I''ll have them apologize to you. If it''s your fault, then you should apologize."

    After Chen Yuanshan said this to the yellow-haired boy, he extended his right hand to stop him.

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    Hearing Xu Yan''s explanation, the yellow-haired boy didn''t know what to say.

    "Xiao He, is that true?"

    Chen Yuanshan turned to me after hearing Xu Yan''s explanation.

    "Yes, that''s true."

    I nodded and confirmed it to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Young man, do you have anything else to say?"

    Chen Yuanshan looked at the yellow-haired boy again.

    "I, I, I just thought she''s pretty and wanted to add her on WeChat. Is there anything wrong with that?"

    The yellow-haired boy pointed at Xu Yan and argued forcefully.

    "You wanted to add my junior niece on WeChat, to be friends, that''s fine. I don''t oppose it. But physically attacking someone is wrong. You''re at fault here."

    The yellow-haired boy, hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, looked at him, unable to retort.

    "Yan, you''re a bit petty. If someone wants to add you on WeChat and be friends, just add them."

    Chen Yuanshan reproached Xu Yan.

    "Senior Brother, he doesn''t look like a good person. I don''t want to add him on WeChat."

    "Xu Yan, some people can''t be judged by their appearance. You need to look at their hearts."

    Unexpectedly, the yellow-haired boy sided with Chen Yuanshan.

    "This old man is right. Don''t judge me by my appearance. In fact, I am extremely kind-hearted."

    The yellow-haired boy echoed, trying to justify himself.

    "Alright, how about the three of you add each other on WeChat?"

    Chen Yuanshan suggested to the three of us.

    "I don''t want to add him."

    "I don''t want to add him."

    "I don''t want to add him."

    The three of us, pointing at each other, simultaneously refused.

    "As young people in this new era..."

    Chen Yuanshan was about to continue his persuasion when his phone rang again. He answered the call and walked aside, leaving me and Xu Yan standing there awkwardly.

    "Xiao He, let''s go."

    Xu Yan pulled my arm, intending to leave.

    "Wait a minute!"

    The yellow-haired boy, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke.

    "What else do you want?"

    I looked at him, a bit annoyed.

    "I... I just wanted to apologize."

    The yellow-haired boy scratched his head, seemingly embarrassed.

    "Apologize? Just say it."

    I crossed my arms and looked at him coldly.

    "I... I''m sorry. I was too impulsive just now. I shouldn''t have attacked you."

    The yellow-haired boy muttered an apology, looking somewhat sincere.

    "Alright, apology accepted. Let''s go, Xiao He."

    Xu Yan dragged me away, and we left the supermarket without looking back.

    As we were leaving, I heard Chen Yuanshan talking on the phone, saying something about the Daoist Respect Hall and some matters that I didn''t quite catch.

    After leaving the supermarket, Xu Yan and I headed back to the Daoist Respect Hall. On the way, I couldn''t help but think about the strange encounter with the yellow-haired boy. His behavior was erratic, especially with that vertical eye on his forehead. It made me uneasy, but I tried to shake off the feeling.

    When we returned to Daoist Respect Hall, Chen Yuanshan was already there, waiting for us. He didn''t mention the earlier incident and instead went back to his room to continue reading.

    Xu Yan and I also went back to our respective rooms. I couldn''t shake off the strange feeling from the encounter, and as I lay on my bed, I kept thinking about the red eye on the yellow-haired boy''s forehead. It felt like there

 72: The Female Ghost on the Third Floor

    What Chen Yuanshan referred to as Shamanism, we called disciples who were proficient in the art, also known as celestial beings.

    A celestial being is an accomplished spirit or monster that descends from the mountains to help people and do good deeds, selecting disciples from the crowd to carry out acts of kindness.

    Celestial beings possess various abilities, such as fortune-telling, healing, and dispelling calamities for others.

    Currently, among the ten so-called celestial beings, eight couldn''t handle things properly, and many of them were plagued by illnesses, continuous financial losses, and domestic troubles.

    The main reason for these problems was that some disciples had dishonest intentions, were driven by self-interest, and were greedy for wealth. These unscrupulous disciples or impostors from the martial world deceived ordinary people without any celestial connection, using various tricks to deceive them into joining their celestial sects.

    "Master Chen, I know about Shamanism, but this Northeast Ma Family is the first time I''ve heard of it. Is the Northeast Ma Family powerful?"

    I pushed the shopping cart and asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "Most of the celestial disciples don''t have any real skills; many are just frauds. The Northeast Ma Family was the official shaman family during the Qing Dynasty. The emperor would invite the Northeast Ma Family to help with ancestral and celestial ceremonies. The Northeast Ma Family is one of the eight major surnames of the Manchu, originally named Majia. Later, it was changed to Ma. There aren''t many members of the Northeast Ma Family, but each one is truly skilled. They have internal and external disciples. Most of the internal disciples share the surname Ma, while the external disciples have more diverse surnames. Celestial disciples from the Northeastern provinces all consider the Northeast Ma Family as the leader. If anyone offends the Northeast Ma Family, they''re in for trouble because the Northeast Ma Family always settles scores and repays debts."

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    After listening to Chen Yuanshan''s explanation, I understood what the Northeast Ma Family was all about.

    We not only bought daily necessities but also purchased some food such as rice, millet, vegetables, meat, and seafood.

    "Let''s find a restaurant in the city to have some food. It''s 7:30, and then we need to go to the Nanhua residential area to find Deputy Captain Liu."

    After leaving the supermarket, Chen Yuanshan suggested finding a place to eat while scanning the surroundings.

    After putting our purchases into the car, Chen Yuanshan found a place to eat. There was a grilled fish restaurant on the left side of the supermarket, and he wanted to take us there for dinner.

    While eating, I kept thinking. Following Chen Yuanshan meant having food, drinks, and a salary. If he could accept me as his disciple and teach me some Taoist skills, that would be even better.

    After finishing dinner, it was a little past 7 PM. We left the grilled fish restaurant, heading towards the Nanhua residential area.

    When we arrived at the Nanhua residential area, we saw a police van parked under Building 2. Before we could reach the van, the door suddenly opened, and Liu Yuzhu jumped down from the van, walking towards Chen Yuanshan.

    "Master Chen, you''re here."

    Liu Yuzhu greeted Chen Yuanshan politely.

    "Yes."

    Chen Yuanshan responded, looking up at Building 2, still shrouded in a layer of Yin energy.

    "It''s dark now. Let''s go up. Deputy Captain Liu, apply this cow''s tears to your eyes. It can open your heavenly eyes."

    Chen Yuanshan handed a small bottle to Liu Yuzhu.

    Liu Yuzhu took the bottle from Chen Yuanshan, opened the seal, and dropped a tear from the cow''s tears onto each of his eyes.

 73: Chen Yuanshan Retrieves the Soul

    "Master Chen, can you give me two more talismans?"

    Liu Yuzhu looked at the talismans in his hand and felt that they weren''t enough.

    "Sure."

    Chen Yuanshan agreed, taking out two more talismans from his bag and handing them to Liu Yuzhu.

    "Thanks, I''ll be going now."

    Liu Yuzhu thanked Chen Yuanshan and hurriedly ran downstairs.

    We came out of the middle room on the third floor, and Chen Yuanshan casually closed the door, sealing it with the two talismans that were previously affixed to it.

    Just as we were about to leave, a middle-aged man with weakened limbs opened the door and staggered out of his own apartment.

    Upon seeing the three of us, the middle-aged man felt like the world was spinning. His eyes turned white, and his body went limp, collapsing to the ground.

    I noticed that the two Yang fires on the man''s shoulders had extinguished, leaving only the one on top of his head still burning, though not very brightly.

    "Master, this person''s condition is quite serious. If we don''t do something, he might lose his life."

    Xu Yan crouched down to examine the middle-aged man and said to Chen Yuanshan.

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    The middle-aged man''s face was pale, with blackening around his eyes and lips. The forehead imprint had also turned black.

    "Since we''ve come across this situation, we can''t just ignore it. The two of you, help him into the room."

    Chen Yuanshan instructed me and Xu Yan.

    We nodded to Chen Yuanshan and took a step forward, bending down to lift the middle-aged man. He was heavy, and it took some effort for both Xu Yan and me to support him.

    After we placed the middle-aged man on the bed in the master bedroom, Chen Yuanshan followed.

    "Xu Yan, prepare a bowl of Yin-Yang water for me."

    Chen Yuanshan took out a brush, cinnabar, and yellow talisman paper from his bag and instructed Xu Yan.

    Xu Yan nodded to Chen Yuanshan and went to the kitchen.

    The Yin-Yang water mentioned by Chen Yuanshan is actually half cold water and half hot water, used as a medium for the talisman water.

    While Chen Yuanshan was drawing talismans, I wandered around the room.

    The house where the middle-aged man lived was relatively spacious, around sixty square meters, with two bedrooms and a small living room.

    The wallpaper in the small bedroom had a pink cartoon pattern, and there were many stuffed dolls on the bed.

    It was evident that this was a girl''s room.

    The small bedroom had a desk with a table lamp, a desktop computer, and a photo.

    In the photo, there were three people¡ªa man holding a five-year-old girl, and a young woman standing beside them.

    The man in the photo was a middle-aged man when he was younger. The girl should be his daughter, and the young woman should be his wife.

    At this moment, I thought that this man lived alone in this house, possibly divorced, and his wife took their child away.

    At this moment, I noticed a change in the photo. The young woman suddenly turned into a skeleton. I was frightened and quickly threw the photo on the bed.

    When I looked closely at the photo on the bed, everything returned to normal.

    I didn''t stay in the room any longer and exited, closing the door behind me.

    Xu Yan brought the prepared Yin-Yang water to Chen Yuanshan. Chen Yuanshan held the talisman in his right hand, pinched it between his middle finger and thumb, and then dropped it into the water bowl.

 74é”›æ¬³hen Yuanshan Accepts His First Disciple

    Back at Daozun Hall, Chen Yuanshan sat on the sofa boiling water to make tea, while Xu Yan went upstairs to take a shower. I sat on the sofa, reflecting on the strange events that occurred at the middle-aged man''s house with the old photograph.

    "Your mind seems elsewhere. What are you thinking about?" Chen Yuanshan noticed my absent-mindedness and asked.

    "Master Chen, when we were at the burly man''s house earlier, I explored around a bit. In the adjacent small bedroom, I found an old photograph of the burly man in his youth. There was a five or six-year-old girl, presumably his daughter, and a young woman, likely his wife. Later, something strange happened: the young woman in the photo suddenly turned into a skeleton. It scared me, and I instinctively tossed the photo onto the bed. But when I looked at it again, everything was back to normal. Did my eyes play tricks on me?" I questioned Chen Yuanshan.

    "You didn''t hallucinate. Your brain was influenced by the magnetic field from the female ghost earlier. When you were looking at the photo, you experienced a fantasy. Some fantasies are false, and some are based on actual existence. Science terms it as a psychological suggestion. Seeing the woman in the photo turn into a skeleton suggests she may have already passed away," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    This time, I understood Chen Yuanshan''s words.

    "Have some tea," Chen Yuanshan offered, pouring a cup of tea for me.

    I nodded in appreciation and took a sip from the cup he handed me.

    "Xiao He, I''ve been considering whether to accept you as my disciple these past few days," Chen Yuanshan confessed.

    "And what''s your decision?" I eagerly asked.

    "I do want to find a disciple to pass on my skills. I think you''re not a bad person, and I''m willing to impart my knowledge to you. However, I must emphasize that the path of cultivation is arduous. If you choose this path, you cannot easily give up. Perseverance is crucial in cultivation. It''s not just about practicing the Dao, but also about cultivating virtue and a pure heart. If your heart becomes dark, you may distort your mind and even fall into demonic cultivation. We, Daoists, are strict when accepting disciples. Talent is one aspect, but more importantly, one must have a kind heart. If I take you as my disciple and you misuse the knowledge to harm others, not only will you face karmic retribution, but I will also be held accountable," Chen Yuanshan cautioned.

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    Chen Yuanshan''s words echoed what Xu Yan had previously told me. As he squinted at me, he hoped for a satisfactory response.

    "Master Chen, my grandfather always taught me that the word ''ÈË'' (person) is written with a horizontal stroke and a vertical stroke, making it easy to write. But to truly be a good person, it takes a lifetime. He said that in all actions, one should not only consider others but also be true to their conscience. Avoid doing harm to others or oneself and refrain from immoral or unlawful deeds. I may not consider myself a good person since I haven''t contributed to the country or others, but I have never committed any wrongdoings. Master Chen, I promise to learn sincerely and use the knowledge responsibly," I earnestly replied.

    "Xiao He, your answer satisfies me. From today onwards, you are officially my first disciple. Let''s face the unknown path of cultivation together," Chen Yuanshan declared with a slight smile, conveying encouragement and anticipation.

    I felt a profound sense of gratitude. From this moment, I became Chen Yuanshan''s disciple, embarking on the challenging journey of cultivation.

    "Sister Xu, congratulations on finding your first disciple," Xu Yan descended from the second floor, witnessing our interaction and offering her congratulations.

    "From today, he is also your senior brother," Chen Yuanshan pointed at me, informing Xu Yan.

    "Oh, that''s wonderful! Junior brother, please take care of me in the future," Xu Yan cheerfully expressed.

    "Senior sister, I look forward to learning from you as well," I replied with a smile.

    "Well then, senior brother, senior sister, let''s put aside these discussions for now. I''ll prepare a delicious meal for you both," Chen Yuanshan suggested, standing up, patting my shoulder, and heading toward the kitchen.

    As Xu Yan and I exchanged glances, we could see the joy and anticipation in each other''s eyes. The master and disciples, from this moment, began their journey together, facing the unknown path of cultivation.

 75: Learning the Basics of Symbol Drawing

    At this moment, the anomalies on my body could only be seen by Xu Yan and Chen Yuanshan because I had my eyes closed, unable to see anything. However, I felt a sense of comfort, akin to basking in warm sunlight during a cold winter.

    Suddenly, a mysterious force pulled me into an illusion. I found myself in a world entirely bathed in golden hues. The pathways were golden, the trees and flowers were golden, and even the sun in the sky radiated a golden glow.

    Several black birds with three legs, resembling ravens, circled above my head. These birds emitted a golden light.

    While Chen Yuanshan was transmitting his techniques to me, Xu Yan quietly observed everything.

    Chen Yuanshan withdrew his right hand, and I exited the illusion, returning to reality.

    "Alright, you can get up now," Chen Yuanshan said to me.

    Upon hearing his words, I opened my eyes and got up from the ground. I felt significant changes in my body ¨C it became lighter, and I felt a circulating energy within me.

    "I''ve transferred the power of Dao techniques into your body. It''s like planting a seed that needs your own cultivation to sprout and grow into a towering tree. As the saying goes, the master leads the way, but success in cultivation depends on the individual. I''ve set you on the path of cultivation; whether you can succeed or not depends on yourself," Chen Yuanshan explained.

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    "Master, what should I learn now?" I asked Chen Yuanshan with confusion.

    "Mao Mountain, along with Dragon Tiger Mountain and Hezao Mountain, is one of the three major Taoist schools of symbols and talismans, known as the Three Mountains of Symbols. Since you''ve joined the Mao Mountain Sect, your focus will be on practicing talismans. Taoist talismans can be used for praying to deities, summoning spirits, exorcising ghosts, healing, and even controlling weather phenomena," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    After saying this, Chen Yuanshan walked to the bookshelf, took out a comprehensive book on talismans, and placed it on the coffee table.

    "Let me read it myself," I said.

    "Do I have to accompany you? If you don''t understand something, you can ask Yanzi for help," Chen Yuanshan said, pointing to Xu Yan. Then, he picked up an old, yellowed book from the shelf and started reading it himself.

    Just as I picked up the comprehensive book on talismans and was about to start reading, a police car stopped at the entrance of Daoist Respect Hall. Liu Yuzhu got out of the car and walked in briskly.

    "Master Chen, at 4 am today, we found Yu Deng at his home. When we found him, he was already dead," Liu Yuzhu said and took out three photos from his pocket, placing them on Chen Yuanshan''s desk.

    Chen Yuanshan casually picked up one of the photos and examined it closely.

    Xu Yan and I stood up, walked to the desk, and glanced at the photos placed on the coffee table.

    The photo depicted the dead body of a young man who appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He was wearing only black boxer shorts, his face was purplish-blue, his eyeballs protruded and rolled upwards, filled with burst blood vessels, and his tongue protruded from his mouth. The man''s expression displayed both pain and terror.

    In the photo, the young man had his hands around his own neck, causing him to suffocate to death.

    "It should be the work of that female ghost. An eye for an eye, this is his karmic retribution," Chen Yuanshan said to Liu Yuzhu and placed the photo back on the desk.

    "Master Chen, you mentioned yesterday evening...

 76: Discovering Zombies

    Xu Yan snapped her fingers toward the fist-sized fireballs floating in the air, and they turned into ashes, gently falling to the ground.

    "Different talismans have different activation chants, and you need to remember them firmly. Even a single wrong word is not allowed when chanting the activation spell. Our Mao Mountain Sect has various types of talismans: restraining talismans, exorcism talismans, weather manipulation talismans, and more. Just now, I used a fire talisman, which falls under the category of offensive talismans. It can be used to attack ghosts and demons, harming their souls and the physical bodies of demons. The more profound your cultivation, the more powerful the talisman becomes when activated. At the same time, you can use your own mental power to control the direction of the talisman, targeting specific enemies," Xu Yan explained to me.

    Listening to Xu Yan''s explanation, I nodded in understanding and continued to peruse the comprehensive book of talismans, studying the drawings.

    I delved into my studies from morning until noon, my head becoming a bit muddled, and yet, I hadn''t drawn a single talisman.

    "Xiao He, it''s time to prepare lunch," Chen Yuanshan glanced at the clock on the wall, urging me.

    I put down the comprehensive book of talismans, nodded to Chen Yuanshan, and headed toward the kitchen on the second floor.

    "Aren''t you coming upstairs to learn how to cook?" I asked Xu Yan when I reached the middle of the first floor and noticed she hadn''t followed.

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    "I''m not feeling well today," she replied.

    "You don''t look unwell," I remarked, and she gave me a disdainful look before turning away.

    While preparing lunch in the second-floor kitchen, I continued thinking about drawing talismans.

    Seemingly a straightforward task, it was turning out to be more challenging than anticipated.

    After finishing cooking, I went downstairs to call Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan for lunch.

    During the meal, my mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of drawing talismans. Chen Yuanshan noticed my distraction but just smiled without saying anything.

    "Are you thinking about drawing talismans?" Xu Yan asked me.

    "Yes," I admitted, nodding.

    "He Zhihui, you just became my martial brother today and entered the threshold of cultivation. It''s impossible to become proficient overnight. Learning to draw talismans isn''t something you can master in a day or two. Even if you''re intelligent, it still takes time to learn," Xu Yan advised me.

    "You''re right," I agreed, putting aside my thoughts and focusing on enjoying the meal.

    After lunch, I returned to the first floor and sat on the sofa, continuing to study the comprehensive book on talismans. Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan, on the other hand, went upstairs for an afternoon nap.

    Around 1:30 PM, Chen Yuanshan hurriedly descended from the second floor, followed closely by Xu Yan. Both had serious expressions on their faces.

    Chen Yuanshan came to the first floor, took down the copper coin sword and peach wood sword hanging on the wall, and handed them to Xu Yan. Then, he removed a yellow cloth shoulder bag and packed the brush, cinnabar, and yellow talisman paper from the coffee table into it.

    From a cabinet under the office desk, Chen Yuanshan also took out a chalk line, a tool carpenters use to draw straight lines on walls.

    "Are we going out?" I asked, setting aside the talisman book.

    "We''ve found zombies in the southern suburbs. We need to get there quickly.

 77: Possible Zombies in the Coffin

    "You know, I have a penchant for collecting antiques and enjoying a good spectacle.

    This morning, I heard that a drilling team came to Wei Village to drill a hot spring well. Instead of finding a hot spring, they stumbled upon an ancient tomb. The news spread like wildfire.

    I rushed over in my car, and by the time I arrived, the police had already cordoned off the area.

    The archaeological team was busy excavating, and I stood on the sidelines, watching the commotion.

    Seeing the team unearth gold ingots, silver coins, porcelain bottles, and jars, I couldn''t help but feel envious. Based on the burial items, I concluded it was a tomb from the Ming Dynasty, resembling an official''s tomb.

    When the stone coffin was excavated, I noticed a greenish corpse gas emanating from inside out, accompanied by a strong, foul odor.

    At that moment, I told the professor leading the archaeological team, the body inside the coffin might have turned into a zombie. It needed to be cremated; otherwise, the consequences could be unimaginable.

    The professor didn''t believe a word I said. He insisted there were no zombies in this world, accused me of being superstitious, and dismissed my words as nonsense. I was so angry I could''ve cursed him right then and there," Li Jianyuan said to Chen Yuanshan, still catching his breath.

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    "Now it seems that the coffin doesn''t appear to have any issues," Chen Yuanshan stared at the stone coffin, murmuring to himself.

    "The tent has just been set up. The coffin was exposed to the sun before, and any corpse gas and foul smell would have dissipated by now. Indeed, it doesn''t seem problematic anymore," Li Jianyuan continued.

    Having heard Li Jianyuan''s words, Chen Yuanshan intended to cross the police cordon to take a closer look. However, a young police officer stopped him.

    "This is an archaeological site, and access is restricted to unrelated personnel. We hope you can cooperate. If you don''t, we''ll take enforcement measures against you," the young officer warned Chen Yuanshan.

    "Who''s in charge here?" Chen Yuanshan asked the young officer standing in front of him.

    The young officer pointed to the middle-aged policeman at the scene. The middle-aged officer, around forty-seven or forty-eight years old, stood with his hands behind his back, inspecting the antiques unearthed.

    "Can you get your supervisor for me? I have something important to tell him. I''d appreciate your help," Chen Yuanshan politely said to the young police officer.

    The young officer, noticing Chen Yuanshan''s polite tone, nodded and walked into the scene to find their supervisor.

    "Director Dong, that old man is looking for you," the young officer found the supervisor, pointing towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Director Dong turned his head to glance at Chen Yuanshan, and then he strode over to us.

    "What do you want?" Director Dong asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "This isn''t the place to talk. Let''s go over there," Chen Yuanshan pointed to a large willow tree not far away and suggested. He then walked towards the tree.

    Director Dong frowned as he glanced at Chen Yuanshan''s retreating figure. However, he followed him with large strides.

    As the two walked toward the willow tree, Xu Yan and Li Jianyuan followed them.

    When Director Dong turned back to look at the three of us, his expression became cautious.

 78: Green Corpse Qi

    "Oh my, it has turned black. It''s truly miraculous," Director Dong muttered to himself, looking at the five blackened glutinous rice grains. He then turned around and walked back towards us.

    Seeing Director Dong approach with a furrowed brow, Chen Yuanshan became visibly nervous.

    "These five grains of glutinous rice first emitted black smoke, and then they turned black," Director Dong replied to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Ah," Chen Yuanshan sighed heavily, covering his forehead with his right hand in frustration.

    My understanding of zombies is limited to what I''ve seen in movies. Since I''ve never encountered one in real life, I don''t feel afraid yet. I am more curious about what zombies actually look like, wondering if they resemble the ones in the movies.

    "Old Chen, what do you think about this?" Li Jianyuan asked Chen Yuanshan, appearing uncertain.

    "Since we''ve encountered this situation, we can''t just ignore it. I was prepared when I came. I have glutinous rice, black dog blood, and an ink line in the car," Chen Yuanshan replied to Li Jianyuan while looking at the stone coffin.

    "Master, Senior Li, the coffin has started emitting corpse qi," Xu Yan pointed to the stone coffin, informing Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan.

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    Upon hearing Xu Yan''s words, Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan followed her gaze towards the stone coffin. They saw greenish corpse qi seeping out of the seams. If you didn''t look closely, it was barely noticeable.

    Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan stared at the coffin emitting corpse qi, feeling anxious. There was nothing they could do at the moment; they could only watch helplessly.

    "Xu Yan, go draw two restraining corpse talismans," Chen Yuanshan instructed Xu Yan.

    "Okay, Master," Xu Yan agreed, pulling me away from the crowd.

    "Brush, cinnabar, yellow talisman paper," Xu Yan reached out to me for these three items.

    I nodded at Xu Yan and took out a brush, cinnabar, and yellow talisman paper from my bag, handing them to her.

    After receiving these three items, Xu Yan looked around but couldn''t find a suitable place to draw the talismans. So, I bent my waist at a ninety-degree angle, allowing Xu Yan to draw the talismans on my back.

    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xu Yan placed the yellow talisman paper on my back. She then dipped the brush in cinnabar and started drawing.

    In total, Xu Yan drew four talismans, each inscribed with the command, "Commander Bai Yi General, subdue here."

    "I''ve drawn restraining corpse talismans. These talismans can be used to suppress corpses that have turned into zombies due to turbulent malevolent energy. They are particularly effective against fake corpses and low-level zombies but may not work against higher-level ones. I''ll give you one; it might come in handy when needed," Xu Yan handed me one of the talismans casually.

    I took the talisman from Xu Yan and tucked it into my pocket.

    "Master, it''s done," Xu Yan handed the three drawn talismans to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Director Dong, can we talk privately for a moment?" Chen Yuanshan called out to Director Dong.

    Director Dong, upon hearing Chen Yuanshan''s request, walked away from the scene again.

    "Did you see the green gas emanating from the coffin?" Chen Yuanshan pointed to the stone coffin and asked Director Dong.

 Chapter 79: Rise of the Undead

    After placing the talisman on the stone coffin, Chen Yuanshan noticed that the green corpse gas no longer emanated from the coffin.

    "Let''s hope nothing happens tonight," he muttered as he leaped out of the coffin pit.

    "What''s going on?" Captain Qin asked, pointing at the coffin with a puzzled expression.

    "Bro, I can''t explain this. You better handle it," Director Dong said, deflecting the question to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Young man, do you believe in ghosts and zombies?" Chen Yuanshan asked Captain Qin.

    Captain Qin smiled and shook his head, indicating disbelief.

    "Let me introduce myself. I am Chen Yuanshan, a Taoist priest from Maoshan with knowledge of the Yin and Yang arts. You can call me Master Chen. Just because you don''t believe in supernatural things doesn''t mean they don''t exist.

    Now, let''s talk about this coffin. I can assure you that the body inside has turned into a zombie. There are two ways for a person to become a zombie. One is innate, where the body harbors grievances, and dies unjustly, and after being buried in an extremely Yin place, the body doesn''t decay. After absorbing the essence of the sun and moon for nearly a hundred or a few hundred years, the body undergoes a transformation, becoming a zombie.

    The other situation is when a person is bitten by a zombie. The zombie transmits its poison, and if not treated in time, the poison attacks the heart, turning the person into a zombie," Chen Yuanshan explained to Captain Qin.

    Although Captain Qin listened to Chen Yuanshan''s explanation, he still had some doubts.

    "Alright, you guys better leave. If you accidentally damage the scene, it will be a failure on my part," Captain Qin ordered the five of us to leave.

    Chen Yuanshan looked at Captain Qin, wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn''t speak. Instead, he shook his head in resignation and left the archaeological site.

    "You guys go back," Director Dong told the four of us.

    "Director Dong, you go back. The four of us must stay," I insisted.

    "Bro, if you want to stay, I can''t stop you, but let me tell you, don''t trespass in the archaeological site. The armed police here have real guns, not fire sticks," Director Dong kindly advised us.

    "I know," I responded.

    "Then, I''m leaving," Director Dong bid us farewell and drove away in a police car.

    After Director Dong left, Chen Yuanshan parked his car less than ten meters from the archaeological site, and the four of us joined him in the car.

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    The armed police didn''t pay much attention to us staying; they continued to guard their posts.

    "Hope tonight goes smoothly without any incidents," Li Jianyuan muttered as he looked at the stone coffin inside the tent.

    Chen Yuanshan, holding a brush dipped in cinnabar, earnestly drew talismans on yellow paper.

    "I''m hungry, are you guys hungry?" Li Jianyuan asked the three of us.

    "A bit hungry," I replied.

    "I''m hungry too," Xu Yan added.

    "I have some food in my car. Wait here; I''ll go get it," Li Jianyuan said.

    "Sure, thanks, Li Jianyuan."

    After Li Jianyuan left for a while, he returned with a bag of food, sharing it with everyone. We sat around the car, eating and chatting.

    Chen Yuanshan kept a worried expression as he looked at the stone coffin. "The signs of this zombie are unusual. We need to be careful in dealing with it."

    Xu Yan agreed, "Yes, the green corpse gas just now felt very unusual."

    Li Jianyuan, curious, asked, "When you guys mention zombies, are you talking about the ones we see in movies?"

    Chen Yuanshan nodded, "The movie representations are quite accurate, but real-life zombies are even more terrifying. They don''t always move stiffly like in the movies; sometimes, they retain memories and intelligence from their past lives."

    "And these zombies are often more powerful than usual; normal methods are insufficient to restrain them," Xu Yan added.

    Chen Yuanshan looked at Xu Yan, "Xu Yan, we need to understand the origin of this zombie. Can you sense any information about it?"

    Closing her eyes, Xu Yan concentrated on sensing. After a while, she opened her eyes, a trace of concern on her face. "The origin of this zombie isn''t singular. It seems to have gathered multiple unjust souls."

    "Unjust souls?" Li Jianyuan was puzzled.

    Chen Yuanshan explained, "Some people die with grievances or unjustly, making them prone to becoming this kind of zombie. Moreover, this type of zombie is often manipulated by some force."

    "Now what should we do?" The atmosphere in the car became tense.

    Chen Yuanshan pondered for a moment, "We need to find the puppet master of this zombie to unravel the mystery. Xu Yan, sense if there''s anything unusual around."

    Xu Yan closed her eyes again, silently sensing. After a while, she opened her eyes, "There''s a place over there; it seems like a gathering of Yin energy. It could be the puppet master''s location."

    Chen Yuanshan nodded, "Let''s go check that place."

    Everyone got ready, and Chen Yuanshan drove toward the location Xu Yan pointed out.

    Arriving at the destination, Chen Yuanshan warned, "This place indeed has some anomalies. Let''s be cautious and prepared for any danger."

    The group entered a mysterious ritual site. A figure in a black robe stood there, holding a staff and chanting low incantations. Strange symbols and candles surrounded the area.

    Chen Yuanshan observed, "This is a Yin-Yang witchcraft ritual, likely aimed at gathering the power of the undead."

    Director Dong was puzzled, "What is this guy trying to do?"

    Chen Yuanshan frowned, "He''s probably using the power of this zombie for some purpose. We have to interrupt his incantations to stop all of this."

    Xu Yan looked at Chen Yuanshan, "What should we do?"

    "We have to act simultaneously, disrupt his formation, and prevent him from continuing the incantations," Chen Yuanshan said with determination.

    Everyone got ready, and at Chen Yuanshan''s command, they joined forces to break the witch''s ritual. The black-robed figure stared at them in astonishment, then launched a counterattack.

    A battle of Yin and Yang unfolded in the dark forest. Mysterious chants and symbols clashed in the air, creating strange sounds. The zombie also underwent changes, releasing even more formidable power.

    Chen Yuanshan gathered his strength to contend with the black-robed man. Xu Yan used her sensing power to find weaknesses in the enemy. Li Jianyuan and Director Dong fought against the attacks from the zombies.

    The battle was intense, but Chen Yuanshan remained confident. He knew that defeating the black-robed man would put an end to everything. However, would unknown forces still interfere with their plans?

    In the eerie forest, a decisive battle unfolded.

 80: The Copper Armored Corpse

    There were a total of twelve people on the scene, including the young armed police officers and Captain Qin. After Captain Qin gave the order, ten of them followed him down, leaving one young armed police officer staring in horror at the hideous zombie. His legs turned to jelly, and he sat on the ground.

    Seeing the zombie leaping out of the coffin, my curiosity vanished, replaced by a growing sense of fear.

    Encountering a real zombie in person was entirely different from watching it in a movie. The palpable presence of this real zombie was more oppressive and frightening.

    The zombie noticed the young armed police officer sitting on the ground. With its blood-filled mouth and four sharp fangs, it pounced toward the young officer.

    At some point, Chen Yuanshan held a talisman in his hand. Without hesitation, he threw the talisman towards the zombie while silently chanting an incantation.

    The talisman flew from Chen Yuanshan''s hand, transforming into a fireball the size of a basin. Whistling through the air, it crashed into the zombie''s shoulder with a resounding bang, instantly knocking the zombie down onto the muddy ground. Its black mourning hat fell off.

    "Yan, fetch my Copper Coin Sword," Chen Yuanshan shouted to Xu Yan as he strode towards the scene.

    Li Jianyuan, looking at the fallen zombie, spat on the ground, showing no signs of movement. His expression appeared somewhat dazed.

    With a peach wood sword in her right hand and the Copper Coin Sword in her left, Xu Yan ran towards the archaeological site.

    The armed police officers who had withdrawn from the archaeological site didn''t go far. They stayed near Chen Yuanshan''s car, wearing expressions of fear as they watched the young armed police officer sitting on the ground, concerned for his safety.

    Captain Qin received a submachine gun from one of the officers and ran towards the scene, intending to rescue the young officer.

    The zombie knocked down on the ground, suddenly bounced back up, its disheveled appearance even more terrifying. It once again lunged towards the young armed police officer just as Captain Qin was about to shoot the zombie.

    At this moment, Chen Yuanshan had a talisman in his hand. Without hesitation, he threw the talisman towards the zombie while silently chanting an incantation.

    The talisman flew from Chen Yuanshan''s hand, transforming into a fireball the size of a basin. Whistling through the air, it crashed into the zombie''s shoulder with a resounding bang, instantly knocking the zombie down onto the muddy ground. Its black mourning hat fell off.

    "Yan, fetch my Copper Coin Sword," Chen Yuanshan shouted to Xu Yan as he strode towards the scene.

    Li Jianyuan, looking at the fallen zombie, spat on the ground, showing no signs of movement. His expression appeared somewhat dazed.

    With a peach wood sword in her right hand and the Copper Coin Sword in her left, Xu Yan ran towards the archaeological site.

    The armed police officers who had withdrawn from the archaeological site didn''t go far. They stayed near Chen Yuanshan''s car, wearing expressions of fear as they watched the young armed police officer sitting on the ground, concerned for his safety.

    Captain Qin received a submachine gun from one of the officers and ran towards the scene, intending to rescue the young officer.

    The zombie knocked down on the ground, suddenly bounced back up, its disheveled appearance even more terrifying. It once again lunged towards the young armed police officer just as Captain Qin was about to shoot the zombie.

    Chen Yuanshan, with bare hands, rushed to the side of the zombie. Captain Qin had to put away his submachine gun.

    Leaping into the air, Chen Yuanshan raised his right foot and kicked fiercely at the zombie''s chest. Before the zombie could reach the young officer, it was knocked down again by Chen Yuanshan. However, Chen Yuanshan, in the process, slipped and fell to the ground himself.

    "Hurry, run!" Chen Yuanshan shouted to the dazed young armed police officer sitting on the ground.

    The young officer snapped back to reality, scrambling to escape the scene.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could get up from the ground, the zombie, lying stiffly, suddenly bounced up again. Grinning, it brandished its hands and pounced on Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

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    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Hurry, run!" Chen Yuanshan shouted at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yuanshan yelled at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yuanshan yelled at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yuanshan yelled at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yuanshan yelled at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yuanshan yelled at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yuanshan yelled at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yuanshan yelled at the young armed police officer, who was now fleeing.

    Before Chen Yuanshan could rise from the ground, the zombie, rigidly lying down, abruptly bounced back up. Grinning, it waved its hands and lunged at Chen Yuanshan.

    Just at that moment, Xu Yan, covering the distance in three steps that would take two, arrived at Chen Yuanshan''s side. Wielding her peach wood sword, she thrust it towards the zombie''s chest.

    To her surprise, the peach wood sword, instead of piercing through the zombie''s body, made a snapping sound and broke. This was something Xu Yan had never expected.

    Ignoring Xu Yan, the zombie, grinning widely, swung its hands towards Chen Yuanshan.

    Lifting his right leg, Chen Yuanshan forcefully kicked the zombie''s abdomen, only managing to knock it down once more. Chen Yuanshan, having slipped, also fell to the ground.

    "Quick, run!" Chen Yu

 81: Battle with the Zombies

    Xu Yan, witnessing the zombie leaping towards her, showed signs of panic, staring at the approaching undead creature in bewilderment.

    Chen Yuanshan quickly ran to Xu Yan''s side, made a swift turn, and with his Copper Coin Sword, struck at the zombie''s forehead.

    The zombie was hit by Chen Yuanshan and fell rigidly to the ground. Seeing the zombie on the ground, Li Jianyuan swung his stainless steel longsword at the zombie''s neck.

    The stainless steel longsword hit the zombie''s neck, producing a crisp sound. Li Jianyuan felt as if he had struck a hard stone, causing his hand and arm to tingle.

    "Roar!"

    This time, the zombie roared, spewing a large amount of green, foul-smelling corpse gas from its mouth.

    The zombie bounced back up from the ground and rushed towards Li Jianyuan.

    Li Jianyuan retreated, wielding his longsword to fend off the approaching zombie.

    "If Uncle Li and I can''t hold on, you quickly drive and take Xiao He away," Chen Yuanshan instructed Xu Yan.

    "Master, I won''t leave," Xu Yan replied tearfully to Chen Yuanshan.

    Xu Yan knew that if Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan couldn''t withstand the attack, they might end up being killed by the zombie.

    "Yan, if something happens to you, I won''t be able to explain to your master. If I''m not around, ask your master to take care of this Xiao He for me," Chen Yuanshan said.

    "Old Chen, stop the damn chitchat. I can''t hold on any longer. Hurry up and come help," Li Jianyuan shouted at Chen Yuanshan.

    Chen Yuanshan didn''t continue talking to Xu Yan. He inserted the Copper Coin Sword into his waist and took out a talisman from his pocket, throwing it towards the zombie''s head.

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    "Nine Celestial Melodies, urgently summon the gods, gather under the night sky, drive the thunder, rush through the clouds..."

    Chen Yuanshan chanted an incantation as he threw the talisman. Once the talisman burned to ashes in mid-air, a black cloud gathered in the sky, with several lightning bolts flashing through it.

    The zombie, chasing Li Jianyuan, noticed the abnormality in the sky. It stopped pursuing Li Jianyuan and stood still, looking up at the lightning flashing through the clouds. Fear appeared on its face.

    Seeing the zombie no longer chasing him, Li Jianyuan bent down, supporting his knee with his left hand, and gasped for breath. His face, covered in mud, made it impossible to see his expression.

    The zombie, standing with arms stretched out, preparing to leap towards the mountain behind, suddenly, with a deafening bang, a lightning bolt struck directly on top of its head.

    The zombie''s long hair stood up, resembling a startled porcupine, and black smoke emerged from its mouth.

    "Boom, boom, boom..."

    Next, four more lightning bolts struck the zombie''s body directly.

    With a loud "bang," the zombie fell to the ground, motionless.

    "Old Chen, is this guy dead?" Li Jianyuan pointed at the motionless zombie on the ground and asked Chen Yuanshan.

    Chen Yuanshan, with a serious expression, looked at the fallen zombie. He didn''t reply, unsure if the zombie was truly dead.

    "Yan, give me the talismans you have," Chen Yuanshan turned to Xu Yan and asked for the talismans.

    Xu Yan handed over the dozen or so talismans she had on her to Chen Yuanshan, and he began chanting another incantation while holding the talismans.

    "Great deities of the heavenly realms, protectors of the sacred way, lend me your divine power..."

    Chen Yuanshan chanted the incantation while waving the talismans in his hand.

    As the incantation progressed, a divine aura seemed to emanate from the talismans, enveloping Chen Yuanshan in a mysterious atmosphere.

    "Old Chen, what are you doing?" Li Jianyuan asked, watching Chen Yuanshan''s actions with curiosity.

    "I''m asking the heavenly deities for assistance. We can''t be careless with these zombies," Chen Yuanshan replied, his eyes fixed on the talismans.

    While Chen Yuanshan was performing his ritual, the fallen zombie on the ground began to show signs of movement. Slowly, it raised its body, emitting an eerie aura.

    "Old Chen, this guy doesn''t seem dead," Li Jianyuan warned, tightening his grip on the longsword.

    Chen Yuanshan finished his incantation, and the divine aura surrounding him dissipated. He turned his attention to the zombie, now standing upright again.

    "This... It seems this zombie is not so easy to deal with. We need to find a way to eliminate it," Chen Yuanshan said, a hint of worry in his eyes.

    The three of them, facing the resurrected zombie, prepared for another round in the ongoing battle against the undead.

 82: Breaking Through the Copper Armor

    Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan forcefully pulled their swords back, causing the zombie to grimace and emit a painful howl.

    As Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan retracted their swords, they left a wound on the zombie''s hands, oozing green blood.

    "Old Chen, his copper-armored body has been broken through!" Li Jianyuan excitedly exclaimed to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Let''s finish him off!" Chen Yuanshan gritted his teeth and shouted to Li Jianyuan, vigorously attacking the zombie with his Copper Coin Sword.

    At this moment, Li Jianyuan, not intimidated anymore, swung his sword forcefully at the zombie''s body.

    Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan used their swords to create dozens of wounds on the zombie''s body, causing it to howl in agony.

    When Chen Yuanshan swung his sword toward the zombie''s heart, the undead creature sensed the impending danger. It dodged to the right, and Chen Yuanshan, possibly anticipating this move, lifted his Copper Coin Sword, slicing off the zombie''s left arm, which fell onto the roof of Chen Yuanshan''s car.

    The zombie, having its left arm severed, let out a furious roar.

    At that moment, Li Jianyuan swiftly thrust his sword towards the zombie''s head.

    The sword entered through the zombie''s mouth and pierced through the back of its skull.

    With the penetrated head, the zombie''s right arm hung down, and it instantly lost its life.

    Li Jianyuan pulled out the sword with a "plop," and the zombie collapsed to the ground. "This should be the end of it," Li Jianyuan said as he kicked the corpse and muttered to himself.

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    Chen Yuanshan used his Copper Coin Sword to pick up the severed left arm that had fallen on the car roof.

    The group of armed police guarding the archaeological site had only retreated into the village and hadn''t left entirely.

    "Zhang Botao is somewhat reliable. He only mixed one fake bottle among the two bottles of Black Dog''s Blood. The other one is genuine," Chen Yuanshan remarked, catching his breath and looking at the lifeless zombie.

    "We were able to kill this zombie thanks to Xiao He. Otherwise, we might all be finished here today," Chen Yuanshan praised me.

    With Chen Yuanshan''s compliment, I felt a bit fluttery in my heart, sensing that I still had a considerable presence.

    "Xiao He, I see the armed police have only retreated into the village without leaving completely. Go over and call their leader," Chen Yuanshan instructed me, looking towards the village.

    I nodded to Chen Yuanshan and headed towards the village.

    At this moment, I felt an itch on my chest. Lifting my shirt under the moonlight, I noticed a roughly fifteen-centimeter-long scratch on my chest. The zombie had left a shallow blood streak on my chest, but I paid it no mind.

    "Captain Qin, my master wants to see you. It seems he has something to discuss with you," I found Captain Qin, who was currently discussing the night''s events with his subordinates and cautioning everyone to keep it confidential.

    "Where''s that zombie?" Captain Qin didn''t immediately follow me but instead stared in the direction of the back mountain with a serious expression.

    "We killed it," I replied.

    "Stay here; I''ll go take a look," Captain Qin said to his subordinates.

    Captain Qin followed me towards the back mountain, and we arrived at the scene where the zombie had been defeated by Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan.

    Seeing the lifeless zombie and the severed arm, Captain Qin sighed with relief. "It''s finally dead. You guys did a great job."

    "Captain Qin, my master wants to discuss something with you," I reminded him.

    Captain Qin nodded and said to his subordinates, "You guys continue to guard here. I''ll go talk to Master Chen."

    We returned to the archaeological site, and Captain Qin followed me to where Chen Yuanshan and Li Jianyuan were.

    "Master Chen, Captain Qin is here," I announced.

    Chen Yuanshan looked at Captain Qin and said, "Captain Qin, there are more things we need to discuss."

 83: Wound Pus Formation

    After listening to Chen Yuanshan''s words, I looked at the lifeless zombie and didn''t know what to say. I was unsure whether the path I had chosen was right or wrong, and I suddenly felt lost.

    "You''ve just stepped onto this path, and there''s a lot you don''t understand. Don''t think about anything right now. If the sky falls, let my master bear it for you. Don''t feel pressured," Xu Yan comforted me, seeing through my thoughts and offering a reassuring smile.

    "Xu Yan, why can black dog''s blood deal with zombies?" I asked Xu Yan in confusion.

    "Dogs are creatures of utmost Yang, corresponding to the Earthly Branch of Xu and the element of Earth. They are also Yang Earth.

    Black dogs have the purest innate Yang energy. Since ancient times, we Taoists have used black dog''s blood to dispel evil and deal with demons," Xu Yan explained to me.

    Not long after, two military-green off-road vehicles arrived at the archaeological site. Seven people disembarked from these two vehicles and walked towards Captain Chen, with Captain Qin standing on our side.

    "Captain!" Captain Qin shouted towards the middle-aged man in his forties among the group.

    "Xiao Qin, what exactly happened here?" The middle-aged man carefully scrutinized us as he asked Captain Qin. His people hadn''t noticed the zombie lying next to the car.

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    It wasn''t that their eyesight was bad, but the zombie had been burned black by the talisman and covered in mud. Plus, it fell in a dark area, making it challenging to spot.

    "Captain, I''m a bit unclear about this. Let this old man explain it to you," Captain Qin pointed at Chen Yuanshan and said to the middle-aged man.

    "Old man, I''m our captain, Yu Hao. You explain it to him," Captain Qin introduced Chen Yuanshan to the middle-aged man.

    "Hello, I''m Chen Yuanshan, a practitioner of Maoshan Taoism. Take a look at this corpse first," Chen Yuanshan introduced himself to Yu Hao and then pointed at the zombie lying next to the car.

    After hearing Chen Yuanshan''s words, everyone finally noticed the corpse next to the car, and their expressions turned somewhat panicked.

    After seeing the body, they surrounded the three of us.

    "The situation is like this. Today, one of my junior brothers called me, saying that they had unearthed a stone coffin here. Green corpse qi emerged from the coffin, accompanied by a foul odor. The corpse inside the stone coffin might have turned into a zombie," Chen Yuanshan explained.

    "Bullshit!" Before Chen Yuanshan finished speaking, a young armed police officer standing behind Yu Hao interrupted him.

    "Do you know it''s impolite to interrupt someone when they''re speaking?" Chen Yuanshan scolded the young armed police officer with a stern face, almost yelling.

    "You¡ª" The young armed police officer pointed at Chen Yuanshan, about to retort, but Captain Yu Hao stopped him.

    "Old man, continue," Yu Hao glanced at the corpse on the ground and urged Chen Yuanshan to go on.

    "After receiving this news, I drove here with my disciples and my niece. On-site, I found Director Dong, who was in charge at the time..."

    Chen Yuanshan detailed the events from our arrival at the scene to the zombie killing to Yu Hao.

    Listening to Chen Yuanshan''s account, the people around us began to understand the situation.

 83: Remedying the Wound

    I grumbled a bit and started running the water for a bath.

    The hot water streaming over the wound on my chest made it itch even more. I scratched it with my hand, causing the wound to bleed. I noticed that the blood was dark red, with a strong unpleasant odor.

    After the bath, I only put on a pair of pants and walked towards Master Chen''s bedroom.

    Master Chen, with his eyes closed, lay on the bed in the large bedroom, emitting soft snores. He was already exhausted and fast asleep. The light in the room was still on.

    Glancing at the wound on my chest, I didn''t want to disturb Master Chen. Instead, I turned off the light in the master bedroom and gently locked the door before heading downstairs.

    "Xu Yan, take a look at my chest."

    I descended to the half landing of the stairs, bare-chested, and frowned as I spoke to Xu Yan.

    "He Zhihui, have some self-respect, please."

    Unhappy, Xu Yan retorted without looking at me, lowering her head to avoid eye contact.

    Seeing Xu Yan like this, I felt a bit awkward.

    "I''m not asking you to look at my body; I want you to see my chest."

    Approaching Xu Yan, I pointed to the wound on my chest and repeated my request.

    "He Zhihui, are you sick or something? You..."

    Xu Yan scolded me with irritation but, upon noticing the wound on my chest, her angry expression disappeared, replaced by one of surprise.

    "How did this happen? I didn''t see the zombie touch you."

    Xu Yan pointed at the wound on my chest, puzzled.

    "When I smashed the zombie''s head with the bottle of black dog''s blood, it used its nails to scratch me on the chest. At that time, it was just a small cut, and I didn''t pay much attention. On the way back, my chest started itching, and when I bathed just now, I found the wound turned black and had started festering. I feel like this situation is not good. Did I get infected with corpse poison?"

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    "Yes, you are infected with corpse poison. When the zombie scratched you, you should have told my Master. It''s a matter that can be easily handled with a bag of glutinous rice. Now, it''s delayed, and the situation has become serious."

    Xu Yan frowned, blaming me, and then hurriedly went upstairs.

    Hearing Xu Yan''s words, I suddenly felt panic.

    "Xu Yan, am I going to die?"

    Xu Yan didn''t answer my question. Instead, she went straight upstairs. I sat on the sofa, looking down at the wound on my chest, feeling a sense of fear that I might turn into a zombie. If I turned into a zombie, being alive would be worse than death.

    After a while, Xu Yan came downstairs with Master Chen. At this moment, Master Chen''s expression was quite grim.

    Master Chen walked to my side and carefully examined the wound on my chest.

    "It''s not too serious. Yanzi, go to my car, bring the half bag of aged glutinous rice to the second-floor bathroom, and soak it in warm water."

    Master Chen instructed Xu Yan.

    "Yes, Master."

    Xu Yan agreed and quickly walked towards the Daoist Hall outside.

    After Xu Yan brought down the half bag of glutinous rice from the car, she headed to the second-floor bathroom.

    Master Chen found a pack of thin silver needles for acupuncture in the cabinet under the desk. He walked to my side, pulled out a long silver needle, and stabbed it into the wound on my chest.

    "Does it hurt?"

    Master Chen asked, his eyes filled with regret.

    "A bit."

    I gritted my teeth, feeling the needle piercing the wound, a sharp pain radiating.

    Master Chen inserted the silver needle into the wound on my chest, then quickly stabbed around the area. After that, he found a small bottle from under the desk, containing a very ancient-looking ointment.

    "This is a traditional ointment I''ve collected. It can cure corpse poison, and your chest wound will heal quickly with this."

    Master Chen applied the ointment to my wound, his movements very gentle, but I could feel his fingers trembling.

    "Master, what''s this ointment?"

    I asked Master Chen with curiosity.

    "This is a formula I learned from my master. It contains a unique Taoist secret medicine and is highly effective against the power of zombies. However, the formula for this ointment is not simple, and I can''t easily pass it on."

    Master Chen explained and put the small bottle of ointment back into the cabinet.

    "Xiaohe, be more careful in the future. Don''t act impulsively like today."

    Master Chen looked at me, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.

    I lowered my head, recalling today''s experience, and also felt a bit scared.

    "Master, what about Xiaohe now?"

    Xu Yan, watching Master Chen treating me, couldn''t help but ask.

    "I will try my best to find a solution. However, this ointment is very rare, and not something you can easily get. But my junior brother has been diligently researching a new method to cure corpse poison recently. Perhaps there will be a breakthrough. Wait for me."

 84: Expelling the Corpse Poison

    I woke up from a daze and found myself lying on Chen Yuanshan''s bed. He sat by the bedside, his face showing signs of exhaustion.

    "Master, I feel completely weak now. I can''t even lift myself from the bed. Could you get me a glass of water? I''m thirsty."

    I weakly requested Chen Yuanshan.

    "Sure."

    Chen Yuanshan replied and went outside.

    I turned my head and glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was 2:30 in the morning.

    When Chen Yuanshan handed me a glass of water, I tried to reach for it, but my hand couldn''t make the effort.

    "The corpse poison in your body has been mostly cleared by me. A complete recovery will take about three days. Your current weakness is due to the corpse poison affecting your nervous system. Next, you''ll experience a high fever. It''s all normal."

    Chen Yuanshan explained and helped me sit up, pouring the water into my mouth.

    "Thank you."

    I smiled at Chen Yuanshan and closed my eyes, drifting back to sleep.

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    Seeing that I fell asleep again, Chen Yuanshan left the main bedroom quietly and lay down on the sofa downstairs.

    ... The next day at noon, when I woke up again, I felt a bit dizzy and my whole body ached. I alternated between feeling hot and cold.

    Xu Yan walked in with a bowl of porridge. Seeing me shivering in bed, she approached, extending her right hand to touch my forehead.

    "You''re burning up."

    Xu Yan muttered and placed the bowl of porridge on the bedside table before hurrying downstairs.

    After a while, both Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan came upstairs. Chen Yuanshan had a bowl of talisman water in his hands.

    After helping me up, Chen Yuanshan poured the talisman water into my mouth.

    "Cough, cough, cough..."

    I coughed uncontrollably from the talisman water.

    "I feel so uncomfortable. Am I going to die?"

    I opened my eyes slightly and asked Chen Yuanshan in a daze.

    "This is a normal reaction to the corpse poison infection. You won''t die."

    Chen Yuanshan reassured me with a smile.

    Subsequently, Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan stayed by my side in the master bedroom. In less than ten minutes, my high fever subsided.

    After the fever went down, my head still felt heavy, but the confusion had lessened. My body alternated between feeling hot and cold.

    "Drink this rice porridge."

    Xu Yan handed me the bowl of porridge she had brought, and I took it from her.

    With my strength returning, I finished three bowls of rice porridge in quick succession.

    "Could you give me another bowl?"

    After finishing one bowl, I still felt hungry.

    "Sure, eat more. It''s good for you."

    Xu Yan nodded and went back to the kitchen to prepare another bowl of porridge.

    Chen Yuanshan, seeing that I was stable, didn''t stay in the room and went downstairs.

    I had three more bowls of porridge, gradually regaining my strength. Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan kept a close eye on my recovery.

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 85: Six Ding Armor Talisman

    "How do you feel?"

    The next morning, Chen Yuanshan pinched his nose and entered the master bedroom, asking me with concern.

    "I feel like my intestines are about to come out."

    I replied weakly to Chen Yuanshan.

    "Drink the glutinous rice porridge. It will help expel the remaining corpse poison in your body. I made another pot in the kitchen. After another round, you should be fine."

    "Master, can I skip it? I''m afraid I''ll die from diarrhea."

    "Diarrhea is a good thing for you. If you''re not afraid of turning into a zombie, then you don''t have to drink it."

    After saying this, Chen Yuanshan left the bedroom.

    After a night of diarrhea, my stomach was indeed a bit hungry. I summoned all my strength to get out of bed and headed to the second-floor kitchen.

    Smelling the pervasive stench of corpses in the room and looking at the pot of glutinous rice porridge, I felt hungry, but instantly lost my appetite.

    For the sake of not turning into a zombie, I forced myself to drink two bowls of glutinous rice porridge, and this time, there were no side effects of diarrhea.

    Around half-past ten in the morning, Deputy Captain Liu, from the Criminal Investigation Brigade, arrived at the Daoist Temple with a serious expression.

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    "Master Chen, yesterday afternoon, when I came here, I found the door locked. I called you, but there was no answer. Where were you?"

    Liu Yuzhu asked Chen Yuanshan.

    "I had something to attend to yesterday afternoon and went out. If I didn''t answer your call, my phone might have run out of battery and shut down by itself."

    "First of all, I want to thank you. You saved my life."

    After saying this, Liu Yuzhu bowed deeply to Chen Yuanshan.

    "What happened?"

    Chen Yuanshan was a bit confused by Liu Yuzhu''s actions.

    "When we were arresting Chen Feng, there was a gunfight. I was in plainclothes, and my phone was in the pocket of my jacket. At that moment, a bullet hit my chest, but it was blocked by my phone."

    Liu Yuzhu explained, taking out his phone from his pocket and placing it on Chen Yuanshan''s desk.

    The bullet had pierced the phone case, hit the folded triangular talisman, and left the triangle talisman intact, while the phone was bent by the impact.

    "Did you catch Chen Feng?"

    Chen Yuanshan was most concerned about this issue.

    "The second thing I came for is to talk about Chen Feng. When we arrested Chen Feng, there were five young people with him. The five young people didn''t resist, only Chen Feng was armed and resisted.

    During the exchange of gunfire, something strange happened. Our bullets hit Chen Feng, but it was like hitting an iron block; we couldn''t harm him at all. In the end, he managed to escape.

    With the clues you provided, we found 500 grams of heroin and 200 grams of ecstasy in the secret compartment on the second floor.

    When Chen Feng fled, a talisman fell from him. Please take a look at what this talisman is used for."

    Liu Yuzhu took out another yellow paper talisman from his pocket and placed it on the table.

    Chen Yuanshan picked up the talisman Liu Yuzhu placed on the desk and carefully examined it.

    "The reason your bullets couldn''t harm Chen Feng is that he was wearing this kind of talisman. This talisman is called the ''Six Ding Armor'' talisman. Just attach this talisman to your body, and it will have a protective function."

    "It''s not his.

 86: Childs Clash with Malevolent Energy

    At noon, Chen Yuanshan and Xu Yan hadn''t eaten. Although both were hungry, the pervasive stench of corpses left them with no appetite.

    With a bit of restored energy, I sat on the living room sofa, earnestly studying the compendium of talismans.

    "He Zhihui, I always feel like you have a smell of feces about you," Xu Yan pointed at me.

    Hearing Xu Yan''s words, I raised my sleeve to my nose and sniffed. Perhaps because I was accustomed to it, I didn''t smell any feces on me.

    "I changed my clothes this morning, and there''s no smell!" I awkwardly replied to Xu Yan.

    Xu Yan went upstairs, found her bottle of perfume, sprayed it in the small bedroom, and then in the master bedroom, second-floor living room, and first-floor hall. The scent of the perfume mixed with the stench, making it even more unpleasant.

    Around two in the afternoon, a young couple arrived at the Daoist Temple, carrying a six-year-old boy in the man''s arms. The boy was in a state of high fever and delirium.

    "Master Chen, please check if my son is affected by evil spirits." The young woman pointed at the six-year-old boy, tears streaming down her face.

    Chen Yuanshan quickly stood up and walked to the boy''s side. He used his right hand to lift the boy''s lower eyelid, noticing a slight greenish tint. Then, he placed his hand on the boy''s forehead.

    "So hot. If the fever continues, the child will suffer brain damage," Chen Yuanshan said to the boy''s parents.

    "He''s been running a high fever for three days. Yesterday afternoon, he convulsed at home. We went to the hospital for a checkup, but they couldn''t find any illness. Intravenous drips and antipyretic injections at the hospital didn''t help at all. I suspect he''s been affected by evil spirits!" the young woman replied.

    "The child collided with malevolent energy, a case of being affected. Simultaneously, he''s been frightened. Has the child been to places with heavy yin energy, like a funeral home or graveyard?" Chen Yuanshan asked the young woman.

    "Three days ago, my husband and I left our son at my mother-in-law''s house and helped a colleague move. My mother-in-law and father-in-law took our son to a desolate area behind the mountain to plant corn. My son played halfway up the mountain, and as it got dark, my mother-in-law and father-in-law, finished their work and went back home. They found my son missing, and when they searched in the back mountains, they found him in a graveyard. At that time, my son was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tombstone, already asleep."

    "That matches. The child is small and weak, making him more susceptible to yin energy. Stop crying. I don''t think your son has a severe problem. I can cure him." Chen Yuanshan comforted the couple, then picked up a brush and began drawing talismans.

    "Yan, go upstairs and prepare a bowl of Yin-Yang Water," Chen Yuanshan instructed Xu Yan after completing the talisman.

    Xu Yan nodded and hurriedly went upstairs.

    After a short while, Xu Yan brought a bowl of water and placed it on the desk. Chen Yuanshan took the completed talisman and rotated it three times to the left and three times to the right over the bowl while silently reciting an incantation. Suddenly, the talisman ignited itself.

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    I was no longer surprised by this scene, but the young couple was dumbfounded to see the talisman burning on its own, finding it somewhat unbelievable.

    "This talisman water has the effect of reducing fever. Pour it into your child''s mouth." Chen Yuanshan handed the prepared talisman water to the young woman.

    The young woman took the talisman water from Chen Yuanshan, her face showing a hesitant expression.

    "Master Chen, will there be any problems if we let our child drink this water?" The boy''s father, looking concerned, asked because the talisman water looked cloudy.

    "Don''t worry. There won''t be any problems after drinking this talisman water. But if you don''t let him drink it, the child will have issues!" Chen Yuanshan reassured the father with a smile.

    "Go ahead!" The young man pointed to the murky talisman water and instructed his wife. He chose to trust Chen Yuanshan because there was currently no better solution.

    The young woman nodded to her husband and gently opened the child''s mouth, pouring the talisman water inside. The child choked on the talisman water, causing him to cough. Seeing their son suffer, the young couple, tearful, felt their hearts ache. At this moment, I envied the child in their arms, who could receive parental love from a young age.

    After only giving the child one-third of the bowl of talisman water, the young woman spilled the rest.

    "Both of you, hold your child and sit on the sofa. In less than half an hour, your child''s fever will go down!" Chen Yuanshan pointed to the sofa, inviting the young couple to sit.

    Following Chen Yuanshan''s advice, the young couple held their child and sat on the sofa. The young woman carried an infrared thermometer and measured her son''s temperature again. It had dropped to 39.3 degrees Celsius. The child''s face was red from the fever, and he was in a daze, occasionally emitting uncomfortable groans.

    "Write down your son''s date of birth on paper. Let me check his destiny." Chen Yuanshan took out a pen and a piece of yellow paper, and placed them on the coffee table.

    The young woman nodded at Chen Yuanshan, taking the pen and writing down her son''s date of birth.

    After finishing writing, the young woman handed the paper to Chen Yuanshan. He picked up the yellow paper, looked at it carefully, and used his left hand''s five fingers to calculate the child''s destiny.

    Sitting on the side, I placed the compendium of talismans on the coffee table and watched the scene unfold with interest. I always felt curious whenever Chen Yuanshan performed divination.

    This time, Chen Yuanshan calculated for less than five minutes before putting down his left hand.

    "Your son has a naturally weak destiny, and his fate belongs to Yin. He is more susceptible to Yin energy than other children. If I''m not mistaken, your son often experiences fright and falls ill with a high fever." Chen Yuanshan explained to the young couple.

    "That''s true. Before one year old, our son was okay, but after turning one, he often gets frightened. Every time he''s frightened, he develops a high fever." The young woman admitted.

    "Remember, your son should not go to places with heavy Yin energy before he turns sixteen, such as funeral homes, graveyards, and martyrs'' graves. Even if there is a family funeral, try to keep him away." Chen Yuanshan advised the young woman.

    "Okay!" The young woman nodded in agreement.

    After measuring her son''s temperature again with the infrared thermometer, it had dropped to 39.3 degrees Celsius. At this moment, smiles appeared on the faces of the young couple. For some reason, seeing the child''s fever subside a little, I also felt happy.

    Chen Yuanshan and the young couple chatted together, learning that the young man''s name was Dong Hui, 32 years old, working in a bank, and the young woman was Qu Qingxia, 31 years old, a government employee in the district. Both had good jobs and attractive appearances, and I thought they looked like a well-matched couple.

    Endless unconsciousness passed, and Shi Yu suddenly sat up from the bed. To read the latest chapters, please download the Starry Reading app for an ad-free experience. The website is no longer updating the latest chapters. The Starry Reading app is continuously updating the latest chapters.

    He took deep breaths of the fresh air, feeling his chest rise and fall.

    Confused and puzzled, various emotions surged in his heart.

    Where was this?

    Subconsciously, Shi Yu observed his surroundings and then became even more bewildered.

    A single-person dorm?

    Even if he had been successfully rescued, he should be in the hospital now, not in a dormitory.

    And his body... why was there not a single injury?

    With doubts, Shi Yu''s gaze quickly swept around the room, finally stopping at the mirror on the bedside.

    The mirror reflected his current appearance, looking about seventeen or eighteen years old, handsome.