Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
Xie Lingya prepared some offerings for the Grandmaster, then detailed his story with Shi Changxuan. He then watched the flickering incense sticks with a hint of amusement.
This time, he couldn’t figure out the precise meaning of the rice cup and the incense. The Grandmaster was probably the most anxious. “Why don’t you tell me in my dreams tonight? Stop just sticking your middle finger up in silence.”
Xie Lingya muttered a few more words, and the incense finally slowed down. The Grandmaster probably digested the news and lost his composure.
Xie Lingya said, “Grandmaster, I haven’t had the nerve to tell my uncle yet. Do you think I can succeed?”
The new rice cup flipped out two dark sides, a laughing cup, proving that the Grandmaster hadn’t made up his mind.
Xie Lingya then said, “Then do you think my uncle will be satisfied with Shi Changxuan? There’s a difference between being a disciple and someone else, after all. And my uncle never seems to express his opinion on any of this. I have no idea what his stance is.”
It was still a laughing cup.
Xie Lingya: “Is that so? So should I tell it sooner or later? Should I be in line before or after the others? Should I bring Shi Changxuan along?”
The rice cup cracked again.
Xie Lingya: “…”
Xie Lingya muttered to himself: “What does this mean? Do you find me annoying, or do you dislike us?”
Fortunately, Xie Lingya hadn’t just bought only one. He took out another one and solemnly asked, “Am I annoying?”
The rice cup turned right side up, revealing the Holy Grail, the Approval Cup, the Grand Master’s approval.
Xie Lingya: “…”
Oh, I’m annoying.
But his attitude changed so quickly. Before, he was so excited when he wanted to tell his story, but now he was annoyed after hearing his news.
The gods are so difficult to please.
….
“How is it?” Bao Yuesheng asked the person on the other end of the phone impatiently.
“…Boss, I’m sorry, he won’t sell it,” Qu Ming said bitterly. “He just kicked me out and asked me who ordered me to do it.”
“What do you mean by ‘buy’? ‘Invite’!” Bao Yuesheng said angrily. “Didn’t I tell you to be sincere? Otherwise, how could they give you the statue? How could they not notice something wrong?”
Qu Ming complained, “I was really sincere. At first, he agreed. Then he said he’d go get a fortune-teller. When he came back, he wanted to take my pulse. And then something went wrong.”
Bao Yuesheng was furious and didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He just hung up the phone.
What should I do now? I can’t invite that Wang Lingguan…will all this stuff at home be of any use?
Bao Yuesheng looked around. His room was filled with statues of Guanyin, Buddha, Guan Gong, Taiyi Tianzun, and other deities, all consecrated and brought from various temples and Taoist temples.
Even the doorway was decorated with a gleaming golden door god.
All he could say was, it was better than nothing.
Bao Yuesheng closed his eyes, pondering for a moment. He then sent a message to his men, asking them to find another way, to use their connections, to bring back the statue.
Then, Bao Yuesheng summoned Ma Xiaochuan.
Ma Xiaochuan’s face was pale and gray, not looking well. The midday sun seemed unable to warm him, a result of the backlash from the broken skull technique.
“Boss Bao, have you brought it back?” Ma Xiaochuan held onto a glimmer of hope.
Bao Yuesheng shook his head. “He seems to know there’s someone behind Qu Ming.”
Ma Xiaochuan felt a little dejected. “The Lingguan of Baoyang Temple is extremely effective. That statue has been in the temple for a long time, enjoying incense and worship. It’s the best choice. More importantly, the Lingguan guarding the mountain gate is the most appropriate. If we can’t get it, it will be dangerous…”
Bao Yuesheng was a little annoyed. “Is it really that risky?”
Ma Xiaochuan nodded, then sighed. “I’m afraid we won’t be able to get the Lingguan statue for a while. Let me set up the substitution technique first.”
Ma Xiaochuan’s substitution technique was different from Pei Xiaoshan’s nine-section sun-facing bamboo. His was a more traditional substitution technique. He carved a human form from bamboo, painted talismans and wrote his birth date on it, then wrapped it in gold and silver foil, and buried it in a flowerpot. Finally, he cast a spell.
Bao Yuesheng was irritated. The skull technique had been broken, and clues to the murder had surfaced, leading to a formal investigation. He was extremely worried. He had to deal with the police and figure out how to exonerate himself. Ma Xiaochuan also said he had to be afraid of the ghosts who wanted him back, so he searched for a way to protect himself.
“Dear,” a sweet voice came from a young woman with a bulging belly, holding her waist as she entered the living room. “A few girls asked me out for afternoon tea. I’ll be gone for three hours. Is that okay?”
Ma Xiaochuan, standing by, said without hesitation, “Don’t go out until the baby is born.”
Bao Yuesheng nodded.
The lover said a little aggrievedly, “It’s just afternoon tea, it’s okay, right? I’ll bring bodyguards…”
Bao Yuesheng was a little angry. He hadn’t told his lover these private matters, so she didn’t know that protecting the child was already difficult, let alone now that something like this had happened. So he suppressed his anger and said to the pregnant woman, “Be good. Which restaurant do you want to have afternoon tea at? I’ll ask the chef to come here.”
“Forget it,” the lover pouted and turned to leave, glancing at Ma Xiaochuan before leaving with a less than friendly look.
Ma Xiaochuan was helpless and could only laugh it off. They had taken Bao Yuesheng’s money and risked their lives to protect a child that had been unborn because of its father’s immorality, but the child’s mother didn’t appreciate it at all.
Bao Yuesheng reminded her, “Slow down!”
The pregnant woman, already walking slowly, paused, touched the wall, and walked even slower.
Even so, Bao Yuesheng felt a sense of unease, and this unease lingered in him until nightfall.
Bao Yuesheng’s lover was pregnant, so he was extremely cautious. They no longer slept together, but there was a door in the middle of the bedroom that could be opened at any time.
That night, Bao Yuesheng went to comfort his pregnant lover again, talking to her belly for a while before returning to his own room.
He then stood by the window and watched for a moment when he suddenly caught sight of several dark figures outside the main door. Too far away to make out their faces, he couldn’t help but shudder, and he quickly drew the curtains.
Bao Yuesheng thought, then opened the curtains again. The figures were gone. He consoled himself with the thought of the door gods and the numerous statues of gods and Buddhas in his home. Furthermore, Ma Xiaochuan had already used his form-shifting technique to ward off evil, so the ghosts wouldn’t be able to detect him.
It was at this moment that the dark figures arrived at his front door and, before the glittering golden door gods, presented a decree from the underworld: “The underworld has decreed and the wronged souls are ordered to seek revenge. The underworld officials are supervising, and the land gods and door gods must open the door!”
Bao Yuesheng lay in bed, his mind racing, but he still fell asleep.
After an unknown amount of time, Bao Yuesheng woke up with a startled pain. He covered his head and rolled over in bed.
It hurt so much! It felt like something was stirring inside his head!
Bao Yuesheng had lived for so many years, yet he had never felt such pain. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, soaking his hair in an instant.
Why was it so painful?
Bao Yuesheng struggled to turn on the light, only to be struck by another sharp pain in his head. He screamed, banging his head against the bed with a resounding thud.
It felt like fighting poison with poison, distracting him from the excruciating pain. Bao Yuesheng grabbed the bedside and banged his head again.
It hurt, it hurt so much, it felt like his head was splitting apart…
“Honey, honey, what’s wrong with you?” His lover, holding her stomach, opened the door and approached, a look of panic on her face.
Bao Yuesheng’s face was thrashing with rage, his forehead bruised and bloody. His frantic appearance made her hesitate to approach.
Bao Yuesheng didn’t care, just banged his head. “It hurts so much!”
His miserable voice sent a chill through his lover’s body, and she quickly called for help.
Bao Yuesheng rolled off the bed and nervously pulled down the curtains, trying to distract himself, but it was in vain.
“Honey…” His lover took a few steps back with tears in his eyes.
Bao Yuesheng looked at her with red eyes, “Don’t, don’t be afraid, don’t scare the baby…”
His lover touched her belly, finding a sense of familiarity in his expression. His concern for the child made her feel a little relieved. “Honey, why do you suddenly have a headache? Use this as a cushion.”
She picked up a pillow and wanted to use it as a cushion for Bao Yuesheng.
Bao Yuesheng clutched the pillow tightly, his eyes suddenly drifting to his lover’s belly. “What’s that?!”
He saw that under the pale yellow bedroom light, his lover, wearing a white nightgown, had a few bulges in her bulging stomach, which seemed to reveal the shape of a skull!
Bao Yuesheng suddenly threw the pillow away, took a few steps back, and hit the edge of the bed, his face filled with horror. “Ah-ah-ah-“
He was so frightened that he couldn’t form any words. With his head still aching, he could only point at his lover’s belly and scream meaninglessly.
His lover, nearly toppled by his actions, fell into a new state of panic, clutching the wall and staring at him fearfully: “What…”
Fortunately, the bedroom door flung open, and the family doctor and his men rushed in to give Bao Yuesheng a painkiller.
Bao Yuesheng pointed at his lover and said, “Her…quickly, arrest her! We can’t keep the baby in her belly!”
…The substitution spell must have failed. Those wronged spirits not only sought him out but also possessed his child. That belly would be full of skulls!
Bao Yuesheng’s anticipation for this late-born child was well known, and his sudden words shocked everyone, especially his lover, whose tears fell. “What’s wrong with you?”
Seeing that Bao Yuesheng was not in good shape, they didn’t dare to do anything drastic. That was Bao Yuesheng’s child. After exchanging glances, they ushered the pregnant woman out of the room.
“We can’t keep her! Do you understand?!” Bao Yuesheng clutched the family doctor’s hand tightly, veins popping in his forehead.
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or become a Patron or access advance chapters on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents • Next