chapter 12
“You… what are you doing? We paid for this!”
Liu’s Mother was startled by the shout, taking a step back before aggressively questioning him.
“No one would dare serve in your haunted house, no matter how much money you offer!” the man retorted angrily.
“Haunted house? What nonsense are you spouting? Believe it or not, I’ll tear your mouth apart!” Liu’s Mother shrieked, both shocked and furious.
The man stepped forward, eyes glinting with menace. “Come on, then!”
“You… don’t do anything rash!” Liu’s Mother’s bravado instantly faded.
I watched the spectacle unfold, then chimed in with a timely laugh, “Old Lady, it’s late at night, don’t get so worked up. Your son’s father-in-law is here, aren’t you going to greet him?”
“Old Lady? Who are you calling Old Lady?” Liu’s Mother snapped.
“I’m calling you, so what?” The man glared at her.
Liu’s Mother was livid, her face darkening as she shot Uncle Yang a vicious look. She said coldly, “You brought these people here-what are you trying to do?”
“I… I just…” Uncle Yang stammered, trying to explain.
I cut him off, “Where’s the living room? Let’s go in and talk.”
“I know, I’ll lead the way!” The man strode past Liu’s Mother, leading us forward.
“Where are you going? Who told you to go?” Liu’s Mother chased after us, fuming.
The man ignored her completely, guiding us straight toward the Inner Courtyard.
“Stop them!”
When we reached the entrance to the Inner Courtyard, Liu’s Mother shouted, ordering the four men guarding the gate to block our way.
“Go sit aside and cool off!” The man barked, his face darkening.
The four exchanged glances, then sat back down without moving-clearly, they knew each other.
“You… you all have no respect for anything!” Liu’s Mother cursed.
The man shot her a fierce glare, then turned to us with a broad smile, leading us into the Inner Courtyard.
As soon as we entered, a whirlwind suddenly swept through the courtyard, sending fallen leaves swirling in the air.
The man shivered all over, and both Driver Zhang and Uncle Yang couldn’t help but shudder as well.
“So cold!” The three of them exclaimed in unison.
“You three have weak yang energy, be careful,” I reminded them.
Driver Zhang and Uncle Yang’s faces turned pale, and the man was so frightened he trembled, stammering, “Is… is this place really haunted?”
“Haunted? Stop spouting nonsense!” Liu’s Mother scolded.
I waved my hand in front of her, and in the next moment, a jade pendant appeared in my palm.
The jade pendant was crystal clear, with Demon-Subduing Talismanic Symbols carved on both sides. I tossed it to the man casually, “Wear this to suppress it.”
“Okay, okay!” The man took it and quickly hung it around his neck. Instantly, he exclaimed in delight, “So comfortable, I feel warm all over!”
Liu’s Mother touched her neck, her face changing dramatically as she screamed, “That’s my Talisman! Give it back!” She lunged forward to snatch it.
“Get away from me!”
The man grabbed her hand and shoved her aside.
“Give it back! Give it back now!”
After losing her Talisman, Liu’s Mother turned deathly pale, shrieking, “Are you all dead? Get my Talisman back!”
Several people rushed forward to grab it, but the man was burly and well-trained; with a few swift moves, he knocked them all to the ground.
To the man now, the Talisman was a life-saving charm-there was no way he’d let anyone take it. He guarded it at his chest like a mother hen protecting her chicks.
“Let’s go in and take a look.”
I called out to Driver Zhang and the others, heading deeper into the Inner Courtyard.
We hadn’t walked far when we saw flickering firelight ahead.
At least several hundred candles were burning, arranged in a large circle in the courtyard.
To prevent the candles from being blown out by the wind, each one was covered with a glass shade.
About twenty people stood in the center, forming a smaller circle.
These were all sturdy young men, standing bare-chested, with Talismanic Symbols drawn in deep red on their chests and backs.
A faint scent of blood lingered in the air.
Each person’s left wrist was wrapped in gauze, with traces of blood seeping through.
It was obvious that these Talismanic Symbols were drawn with human blood.
“Who told you to come in here?”
A Taoist priest in yellow robes stepped out from the crowd, frowning and shouting at us.
This Taoist Priest Sun looked to be in his forties, holding a Peach Wood Sword in his right hand and a Ritual Bell in his left. He was stout, with two thin mustaches above his lips, and his small eyes gleamed sharply in the firelight.
At first glance, he looked like a fat marmot that had become a spirit and donned Taoist robes.
“Taoist Priest Sun, save me! They took my Talisman!”
Liu’s Mother screamed as she ran in, clutching desperately at the priest’s sleeve, nearly pulling his robe off.
“Let go, let go!” Taoist Priest Sun huffed and glared, finally prying Liu’s Mother’s hands off. His face darkened. “What’s going on?”
“They took my Talisman! Give me another one, hurry!” Liu’s Mother urged repeatedly.
“I don’t have any more!” Taoist Priest Sun frowned, then barked at us coldly, “Return the Talisman at once and get out!”
“Priest, what exactly are you up to here?” I walked over, eyeing the Talismanic Symbols on the young men’s chests with interest.
“What do you mean, ‘up to’?” Taoist Priest Sun’s brows shot up in anger. “Get these people out of here!”
Two young men in Taoist robes rushed out from the side, shouting, “Didn’t you hear? My Master told you to leave!”
They moved to grab us, but before they could get close, the burly man stepped forward and grabbed each of them by the neck.
“Insolence!”
Taoist Priest Sun shouted, shaking the Ritual Bell in his hand, which gave off several strange clangs.
The burly man cried out, staggered as if drunk, and loosened his grip, dropping the two young Taoists to the ground.
The two cursed angrily and kicked the burly man in the chest.
But the man was tough-skinned and thick-fleshed; he only staggered back a step, otherwise unharmed. Shaking his head, he muttered, “Why do I suddenly feel dizzy?”
Taoist Priest Sun shook the Bell a few more times, and the man could barely stand, exclaiming, “So dizzy!”
He nearly collapsed, but Driver Zhang and Uncle Yang caught him just in time.
“It’s the middle of the night-stop shaking that lousy Bell,” I said calmly.
Taoist Priest Sun snorted coldly, turned to face me, and shook the Bell at me several times.
Seeing I had no reaction, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he shook it even harder, more than ten times in a row.
Suddenly, with a loud bang, the Bell exploded!
Caught off guard, Taoist Priest Sun and his two disciples were showered with fragments, their faces covered in cuts. Especially Taoist Priest Sun-his hand that had held the Bell was covered in blood, and half his sleeve had been blown off.