Chapter 242

Li Sanjiang's lips twitched, wanting to say something comforting but not knowing what. He could only walk over to Grandfather Shan, clap him firmly on the shoulder, and then grab his clothes, trying to pull him up.

Grandfather Shan refused to get up, swinging his arms.

"Old Fool, the kids are watching. What kind of behavior is that?"

Grandfather Shan, his eyes red, took a deep breath and said, "Run Sheng Hou is also my child. My child... is gone."

Li Sanjiang steeled himself, cast aside all reservations, and retorted with a curse:

"Bah! In our line of work, we believe in seeing a body if someone's dead. You don't even have concrete news, and just because you won some money, you're already sentencing Run Sheng Hou to death?"

"Li Sanjiang..."

"I'm telling you, Run Sheng is probably still alive and well. If he's unlucky, it's because you, his grandfather, cursed him."

"You!"

"Young Lord Li," Li Sanjiang said, turning to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Grand-uncle."

"When you called last time, did you hear Run Sheng Hou's voice?"

"Yes, I did."

"There you have it then," Li Sanjiang said, looking down at Grandfather Shan. "It's not a holiday, but we invited you to eat here today because Run Sheng Hou said he missed you on the phone."

Grandfather Shan turned his head away, still unwilling to get up, and said, "Lord Sanjiang, but I won money!"

"Winning money means nothing," Li Sanjiang retorted, raising his voice. "Someone's probably setting you up. You always lose when you gamble, but you never borrow money to do it. They're trying to give you a taste of success to get you hooked."

"Get me hooked? What do I have to offer? Just that dilapidated house, it's not worth much if I mortgage it."

"Isn't Run Sheng Hou doing pretty well now? The last time Young Lord Li's teacher came to my house, all the local leaders accompanied him. People must have heard the news, knowing that your Run Sheng Hou is successful now and can earn money. They can't squeeze anything out of you, but if you really get hooked and fall into their trap, will Run Sheng Hou not help you pay back the money you owe?"

Li Sanjiang pointed at the money Grandfather Shan had just scattered on the ground:

"Do you think this money is yours to keep? No, it's just temporarily with you. In a while, you'll have to spit it all back, principal and several times the interest!"

Grandfather Shan looked surprised, "Rea...lly?"

Li Sanjiang said, "Old Fool, we've known each other for so many years. I'd rather believe the sun will rise from the west tomorrow than believe you could ever turn a profit and win at the gambling table. Put your hand on your heart and ask yourself, do you have that kind of luck?"

Grandfather Shan immediately shook his head, "No!"

"There you have it! You're getting old, your mind's starting to go. You can't even see something as simple as this."

"I..."

Li Zhuiyuan interjected, "Grandfather Shan, Brother Run Sheng's construction site is quite busy. I'll call them later when they're back in the dorm. How about you talk to Brother Run Sheng yourself then?"

Li Sanjiang looked at Li Zhuiyuan with some surprise, his expression clearly saying: Damn it, is Run Sheng Hou really okay? Although he had been trying to comfort Old Fool, Li Sanjiang had actually assumed that something might have happened to Run Sheng after Old Fool mentioned winning money recently.

Grandfather Shan looked at the young man excitedly, "Really?"

"Yes, really. How about this: after we eat, I'll call the construction site and ask them to inform Brother Run Sheng in advance so we can contact him tonight."

"Alright, that's fine, that's fine."

Grandfather Shan vigorously wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Without needing assistance, he quickly stood up, and his tears soon turned into a smile.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Grandfather Shan hadn't been convinced by him, but had convinced himself. At times like these, people would cling to even the slightest bit of hope, even if it was just a dream, and refuse to let go.

Li Sanjiang said, "Quick, pick up the money. Haven't you shown off enough? Scattering money around like that is quite a display."

Grandfather Shan bent down and began picking up the money. Li Sanjiang helped him.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't pick up any money. Lin Shuyou instinctively wanted to help, but his eyes suddenly widened, and he stopped. Li Sanjiang was an elder of the same generation, so helping was fine. But if a junior were to help, how could an elder comfortably take the money from their hands and put it in their own pocket?

After picking up the money, Li Sanjiang handed a stack to Grandfather Shan. Grandfather Shan took it, wiped his fingertip across his lower lip, and began counting the bills.

"Young Lord Li, this is yours."

"And you, Lord Lin, this is yours."

Grandfather Shan glanced across the courtyard at the thickest remaining stack of money and asked, puzzled, "Where's that girl, Lord Meng?"

Li Sanjiang raised his foot and playfully kicked Grandfather Shan's backside, laughing as he cursed, "The sun really did rise from the west today! It's your turn to hand out money to the kids. Look at how you live; who would dare take your money? If they take it today, you'll lose it all tomorrow, and then the kids will see you starving again! Are you trying to make a good calculation, lending money at interest to the kids here?"

"Li Sanjiang, what nonsense are you spouting!"

Li Zhuiyuan said, "Grandfather Shan, when Brother Run Sheng comes back, if you haven't lost all the money, give it to him. Let Brother Run Sheng treat us, and we'll feel more at ease."

A blush spread across Grandfather Shan's face. He said to Li Zhuiyuan, "Young Lord Li, why are you just like your grand-uncle, teasing me, your elder?"

"Bah, now you're playing the victim. Come on, I asked Ting Hou to make a few dishes this morning. Let's start drinking. After we drink and sleep, we can call Run Sheng tonight!"

Li Sanjiang pulled Grandfather Shan into the house. Aunt Liu swiftly brought out the wine and dishes.

"Come on, Old Fool, bottom's up!"

"Cheers!"

The two old men clinked their cups and drained them.

As Li Sanjiang poured wine for Grandfather Shan, Grandfather Shan pulled a few incense sticks from his cuff, lit them with a match, and stuck them in the crack of the bench. Although Run Sheng had often gone hungry since childhood while living with Grandfather Shan, whenever Grandfather Shan had good food and wine, Run Sheng was always by his side. Over time, it became a habit; without the scent of incense, the wine simply didn't taste right.

Seeing this, Li Sanjiang said nothing. Last night, when the human traffickers appeared in the village, he had found Young Lord Li's room empty and had been scared out of his wits.

"Come on, one more!"

"Let's go, who's afraid of whom!"

And so, one trying to comfort his old friend, the other deliberately seeking intoxication, the two old men quickly drank until their faces were flushed, not far from being completely drunk.

Wang Lian had already left with her family; everyone else ate their breakfast as usual amidst the smell of alcohol.

A-Li handed a peeled salted duck egg to Li Zhuiyuan. Li Zhuiyuan took it, picking at it with his chopsticks while observing the situation behind him.

Just as the last bit of salted duck egg accompanied the final mouthful of porridge, a "thud" came from behind him. Grandfather Shan's bench had tipped over, and he lay unconscious on the ground.

Li Sanjiang pointed at Grandfather Shan, chuckling, "Good-for-nothing!"

With that, Li Sanjiang also slumped forward, passing out drunk.

Li Zhuiyuan put down his chopsticks and glanced at A-You.

A-You stood up and first carried Grandfather Li to bed in the second-floor room. Li Zhuiyuan went with him, adjusted his grand-uncle's sleeping position, covered him with a blanket, and before leaving, poured a mug of patchouli tea and placed it on the bedside table.

When he went downstairs, he saw that A-You had already placed Grandfather Shan on a small cart. Liu Yumei and Aunt Liu sat at the table, calmly sipping their porridge as they watched Li Zhuiyuan and Lin Shuyou wheel Grandfather Shan away.

Upon arriving at Big Beard's house, Li Zhuiyuan went inside to retrieve something, while Lin Shuyou first wheeled Grandfather Shan to the side of the pit where Run Sheng lay.

Yin Meng brought over a bench with a backrest, signaling A-You to place Grandfather Shan on it.

Looking at the drunk and dirty face, Yin Meng found a cloth, rubbed it with hot water, wiped Grandfather Shan's face, and then straightened his collar.

Lin Shuyou said, "This morning, when Grandfather Shan arrived, he caused quite a scene."

Yin Meng asked, "What happened? Did he lose all his money again?"

Lin Shuyou replied, "No, he won money. He scattered it around and cried, saying that something had happened to his Run Sheng."

Yin Meng froze at the words.

Li Zhuiyuan walked over and first drew patterns on Grandfather Shan's face. These patterns were meant to soothe and aid sleep. To be safe, after drawing the patterns, he also placed a new version of the Clear Mind Talisman on Grandfather Shan's forehead. The old version of the Clear Mind Talisman dispelled distracting thoughts and calmed the mind, while the new version could stabilize the spirit. This was mainly because Grandfather Shan possessed true abilities, and although he and Run Sheng were nominally "grandfather and grandson," they were actually like father and son. When he first adopted Run Sheng, Grandfather Shan knew Run Sheng was no ordinary child. Later, he also realized the price he paid after adopting Run Sheng, but he had quietly endured it all. Given such a deep emotional bond, Li Zhuiyuan was genuinely worried that Grandfather Shan might get excited and wake up when he tried to revive Run Sheng's consciousness later.

"A-You, if Grandfather Shan still wakes up later, give him a hand chop."

"Understood!"

After making all the preparations, Li Zhuiyuan sat down cross-legged and activated the spirit walking technique.

In the peach grove, a figure appeared. It was watching the young man's actions. It had always known that the young man was not Wei Zhengdao; he was very similar yet profoundly different. For instance, Wei Zhengdao would never do something like this.

Li Zhuiyuan seemed to guess what it was thinking and said, "You hid and suppressed yourself."

"Correct."

"So, the later him probably couldn't find you. If he could have, I think he would have come to help you relieve your suffering."

"I couldn't face that situation. Besides... my condition, once it happened, was irreversible."

"Indeed."

Li Zhuiyuan said nothing more to it. He spread his hands, and two red threads extended from his palms. One wrapped around Grandfather Shan's hand, and the other around Run Sheng's. After a moment of hesitation, Li Zhuiyuan extended a third red thread, wrapping it around Yin Meng's hand. An additional anchor point would reduce the difficulty for him.

Li Zhuiyuan began to attempt to enter Run Sheng's consciousness. This was part of the process to turn Run Sheng into a puppet, but the young man only intended to use the initial steps.

Under the peach trees, it extended its palm forward, and an ancient zither materialized before him. Its fingertips gently grazed the strings, but it eventually withdrew its hand and put the zither away. It had just wanted to help, but ultimately chose to desist, not out of fear of karmic repercussions, but purely because it felt its intervention would be redundant. Since the young man had set up his arrangements, he must be confident of success. Like Wei Zhengdao in the past, no matter what difficulties he encountered, once he set about a task, it would invariably be resolved in the end.

Li Zhuiyuan perceived a dense malevolence: madness, slaughter, and hatred—the traditional instincts of a resentful spirit. Run Sheng's current condition was far beyond what an ordinary resentful spirit could achieve. The young man felt pain; ever since he had separated from his main body, emotions that were once imperceptible now impacted him. Fortunately, knowing his main body's current stance, Li Zhuiyuan didn't hold back. He simply continued searching downwards while dumping these emotional residues for his main body to process. The main body didn't resist or protest in the slightest; it accepted everything without question. Perhaps, from the main body's perspective, he couldn't stop Li Zhuiyuan's desire to revive Run Sheng's consciousness. Given this, to maximize Run Sheng's strength, Li Zhuiyuan had to fully revive Run Sheng's consciousness as much as possible, thereby laying a solid foundation for Run Sheng to suppress and utilize the malevolence himself in the future. The most dreaded outcome was a consciousness that revived but remained entangled by malevolence, frequently losing lucidity and being influenced by it, resulting in an improper state.

Finally, Li Zhuiyuan found Run Sheng's consciousness; it was very faint, tiny, yet extremely resilient.

The scenery before Li Zhuiyuan began to change rapidly, shifting to a child's perspective. He even saw a much younger Grandfather Shan. At that time, Grandfather Shan's back wasn't so hunched, he was taller and broader, he didn't carry a water pipe at his waist, a rolled cigarette was in his mouth, and even the clothes he wore looked more vibrant than they did now. To put it plainly, most people were quite repulsed by the feudal superstition business; if the income couldn't even compare to farming, who would do it?

Li Zhuiyuan had to hurry and find the location where Run Sheng's consciousness was suppressed. The reason he hadn't woken up was that at a certain point, his consciousness had been suppressed, and to awaken Run Sheng, he had to help him break free.

The young man waved his hand, and memory images began to flash by rapidly, truly like a "white steed galloping past a crack" in time. Li Zhuiyuan still felt it wasn't fast enough, so he simply drew several lines on the ground with his toe, further segmenting Run Sheng's consciousness into several parts, allowing them to flow simultaneously. One, two, three, four... Numerous scenes, like giant mirrors, rapidly flickered around Li Zhuiyuan.

Up until his teenage years, Run Sheng's most vivid memory was of often not having enough to eat. The feeling of hunger was truly unbearable. However, Li Zhuiyuan didn't sense any resentment from Run Sheng, because when he was hungry, Grandfather Shan was also hungry. Each mirror displayed a "left-to-right" progression, so in every memory segment, Grandfather Shan became increasingly stooped and old, and their living standards continuously declined.

In this long stretch of memories, Run Sheng's happiest moments were going to Li Sanjiang's house; it was even more joyful than New Year's. Because at New Year's, he wasn't guaranteed a full meal, but at Grandfather Li's house, he could definitely eat his fill. Moreover, unlike eating at a host's house during a funeral ritual, where he had to light incense while enduring strange looks, at Grandfather Li's house, Grandfather Li would playfully scold him for eating like a mule but always asked if he had enough and if he wanted more.

Li Zhuiyuan wanted to find an anchor point related to Yin Meng, but memory might not reflect a person's entire inner world; dry memory monologues are only one component of self-consciousness. In any case, in the memory scenes where Yin Meng appeared, Li Zhuiyuan didn't sense overly intense emotional fluctuations from Run Sheng. In many scenes, Run Sheng was busy, and in his spare time, he would watch Yin Meng, who was feeling good about herself while standing in front of a mirror in new clothes. Run Sheng was frugal in his own life, but he was happy to give money to Yin Meng so she could go shopping for new clothes; Run Sheng didn't have a habit of eating snacks, but he enjoyed watching her eat them. He didn't think about compensating himself twofold for his past hardships once his conditions improved; instead, he loved to see Yin Meng compensate herself. After all, Yin Meng's past was quite similar to his own: she had "lost her parents" at a young age and lived with her grandfather, enduring a difficult life.

Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand again. If it wasn't in the earlier memories, it must be further back.

Soon, Li Zhuiyuan found it.

A staff suddenly appeared, shattering all the mirrors. This staff looked familiar; it belonged to that monkey. However, this staff had already been severely damaged when the monkey stepped out of the black-and-white boundary. After battles, the monkey had even refined it with blood into something like a high-temperature branding iron. After the monkey was defeated, the staff could no longer bear the strain and broke. Otherwise, the staff would have certainly been brought back by him.

The surrounding scene reverted to the grand hall where Sun Baishen was. Lord Li Yuan, holding his staff, stood in front, his figure even more colossal than in reality. This was its image in Run Sheng's heart, its height representing its strength. Across from him, Run Sheng knelt on the ground, head raised, eyes rolled back, teeth clenched, veins bulging.

Li Zhuiyuan understood. The reason Run Sheng's consciousness was buried so deeply was that Run Sheng didn't know the external events had ended. Subconsciously, he dared not let himself relax, fearing that if he did, he would lose the strength to contend with the monkey. In essence, Run Sheng was continuing to protect himself. This was why, even though Run Sheng had absorbed a large amount of Sun Baishen's corrupted merit, he hadn't actually lost himself. Unlike Tan Wenbin, who was protected by his two adopted sons, Run Sheng had the ability to suppress these primal instincts. However, he dared not suppress them, preferring to let his self-awareness sink into oblivion rather than risk not fully unleashing his wild nature, fearing he wouldn't have enough power.

Li Zhuiyuan walked behind Run Sheng. Since Run Sheng was kneeling, the young man could put his arms around Run Sheng's neck, hanging himself on Run Sheng. "Brother Run Sheng, the monkey is dead. We won." At that statement, the white in Run Sheng's eyes flickered but quickly regained its firmness. He couldn't believe it, fearing it was a psychological attack, luring him to abandon his resistance.

"Brother Run Sheng, the monkey is dead. We won." Li Zhuiyuan repeatedly spoke these words. The method to awaken Run Sheng was simpler than expected: it was to let his extremely tense consciousness relax. Li Zhuiyuan had made many preparations for this, most of which turned out to be futile, because Run Sheng's will was far stronger than the young man had anticipated.

Gradually, the white in Run Sheng's eyes began to recede.

Finally, Run Sheng's voice came through: "Xiaoyuan... is it true?" "Yes." "How... did you do it?" How was such a powerful monkey defeated? This was Run Sheng's last concern.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "Let Zhuang Zhuang explain it to you; I'm too lazy to." As soon as this sentence was uttered, the last of Run Sheng's worries vanished. Because this was exactly how Xiaoyuan would react; Xiaoyuan would rather write something down than give a cumbersome verbal account.

The monkey in front became fragmented, gradually crumbling and falling apart. Run Sheng slowly stood up.

Li Zhuiyuan exited Run Sheng's consciousness.

In reality, the young man slowly opened his eyes and withdrew all the red threads. It was done. Next would be the process of Run Sheng's consciousness awakening and him suppressing the malevolence within his body, which would take some time.

Just then, the drunken Grandfather Shan seemed to have a dream, suddenly springing up from his chair and crying out, "Run Sheng Hou, my Run Sheng Hou!"

"Thud!" A-You delivered a hand chop, and Grandfather Shan's body went limp, causing him to slump back onto the chair, unconscious.

Just then, Li Zhuiyuan turned his head to look. Lin Shuyou scratched his head, chuckling, indicating, "Brother Xiaoyuan, I was fast, wasn't I?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. Since the man was already knocked out, there was no need to tell A-You the truth. Besides, Grandfather Shan had been overly anxious recently and was suffering even while drunk. A brief unconsciousness might even serve as a form of recuperation.

"Crack... crack... crack..." Inside the pit, continuous crisp sounds came from Run Sheng's body. His body, already healed and even further enhanced, was welcoming its master back. Lin Shuyou was quickly drawn by the sound. Earlier, the changes in Run Sheng's body weren't obvious enough, but only a body with self-awareness could circulate the "Qin Clan's Dragon-Observing Technique" and truly revive its physique. A-You's eyes widened; this was the heavy heart of a young disciple. Having just become White Crane True Lord, he thought he could replace Run Sheng as the primary responsible figure in the future team. Little did he expect that before even experiencing one 'wave', his position had been taken back by the one who originally held it. He had been laboring away, improving the body of the spirit medium, only for someone else to perform a direct 'overtake' and completely transform the body into a resentful spirit.

One by one, the energy gates opened, drawing in the malevolent liquid remaining in the pit. Just then, the liquid, which was almost at the bottom, suddenly surged and overflowed again. Li Zhuiyuan looked up towards the depths of the peach grove. What, had he unintentionally provided it with emotional value again this time, making it feel good again?

Run Sheng's eyes changed from white to green, then the green receded, revealing black and white pupils. He stood up from the pit, and the formation, which had not been removed, continued to suppress him. Li Zhuiyuan intentionally didn't deactivate the formation, letting it serve as the initial tempering for Run Sheng after his awakening. The malevolence within Run Sheng's body began to flow faster, and his arms gradually stretched out to the sides, like someone struggling to break free from shackles. The formation flags on the ground began to break, and this time, no one repaired or replaced them. When the struggle between the formation and his physique reached a critical point, a roar was heard, a surge of energy swept through, and Run Sheng broke through the formation with brute force in a short time. Run Sheng was back.

Li Sanjiang woke from his drunkenness, sat up in bed, first picked up a mug and guzzled it down, then wiped his mouth and pulled out a cigarette to light. His head hurt a little, not from the alcohol, but from the thought of having to go down later and continue comforting that Old Fool. Tossing the cigarette butt into a Jianlibao can, Li Sanjiang got out of bed and left the room.

As he walked downstairs, he saw Grandfather Shan also awake, holding his head and groaning. "Old Fool..." "Lord Sanjiang, my head hurts so much. Did you give me fake alcohol today?" "Bah!" Li Sanjiang decided not to comfort him anymore. That liquor was brought to him by A-You from his hometown last time, and he usually didn't even dare to drink too much of it himself.

Li Zhuiyuan walked in. Grandfather Shan looked at the young man, instinctively wanting to ask something, but then dared not. "I called them at noon. They said Brother Run Sheng has finished his work and is returning home. According to his schedule, he should be back tonight." "Young Lord Li, really?" "Really."

Just then, Aunt Liu's voice came from outside: "Run Sheng is back!"

Grandfather Shan felt a wave of dizziness, his head light with joy. He stumbled back a few steps, instinctively reaching out to brace himself, but found nothing. This caused him to fall backward directly into the coffin. Li Sanjiang, startled, rushed forward to check. He saw Grandfather Shan sprawled awkwardly inside, flailing about, trying to get up, but constrained by the narrowness of the coffin, he looked as pathetic as an overturned turtle. "Hahahahahahaha!" Li Sanjiang laughed heartily while reaching in to pull Grandfather Shan out of the coffin. "Old Fool, you nearly scared me to death just now! I thought you felt a weight lift off your mind and were ready to kick the bucket and go!" Grandfather Shan glared at Li Sanjiang with annoyance, too lazy to argue with the old man about who would enter the coffin first.

Run Sheng, dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and carrying a bag, walked onto the courtyard, with Yin Meng by his side. Aunt Liu observed Run Sheng, her tongue gently touching her palate. Just then, Uncle Qin returned, carrying a hoe. As he passed by Run Sheng, Run Sheng bowed his head to him, "Uncle." Uncle Qin gave Run Sheng a light punch on the arm and nodded. After putting down his hoe, Aunt Liu quietly asked him, "How did it happen?" Uncle Qin replied, "Everyone has their own destiny and opportunities, I suppose. This is 'walking the river,' which is why, throughout history, so many people have flocked to that river." Liu Yumei sipped her tea, observing Run Sheng from the corner of her eye. She was very satisfied. The stronger the people around Young Lord Li, the smoother their journey along the river would naturally be. Moreover, the last 'wave' had provided truly abundant rewards; everyone seemed to have undergone a new transformation.

"Run Sheng Hou!" Grandfather Shan rushed out of the house. "Grandpa." "I call you grandpa, I call you grandpa, you are my grandpa!" Grandfather Shan kicked and hit Run Sheng. Run Sheng stood still, letting him strike. As he continued hitting, Grandfather Shan felt his hands and feet ache, accompanied by a faint stinging sensation, like being pricked by needles. "Next time you leave, remember to call me in the village. You're not even a boss yet, and you're already sending messages through others. What will happen when you actually become a construction foreman? Your tail will be in the sky!" "Alright, I will!"

Li Sanjiang said to Aunt Liu, "Ting Hou, let's have dinner early." Aunt Liu replied, "It's all ready."

At the dinner table, Grandfather Shan, who had just woken from his drunkenness, had little appetite. He simply sat next to Run Sheng, helping him peel 'incense sticks' (Run Sheng's special spiritual nourishment). When Run Sheng finished the 'incense sticks' in his hand, Grandfather Shan quickly handed him a new lit one. Run Sheng had an excellent appetite. The dense malevolence was highly nourishing for his body, but it couldn't be digested in his stomach, and he was genuinely hungry. Li Sanjiang exhaled a smoke ring and said, "Do they not even feed you fodder at the construction site?" Run Sheng replied, "It's not as good as home cooking. Aunt Liu's cooking is the best." Li Sanjiang said, "Ting Hou, please make some more noodles. It doesn't look like enough." As he spoke, Li Sanjiang glanced at Lin Shuyou, who was also wolfing down his food beside them. That kid, stimulated by something tonight, was also eating an exorbitant amount. Damn it, he used to mock Li Weihan for "running a school" at home, making his family live on thin gruel. If these 'mules' weren't able to work and earn money, Li Sanjiang couldn't afford them either. The amount of food they consumed was terrifying.

After dinner, Grandfather Shan refused to stay the night, saying that a family in Xiting Town had arranged for him to perform a funeral ritual tomorrow, so he had to rush home tonight. Run Sheng brought out the tricycle to take him back, but Grandfather Shan refused, saying he wanted to walk and stretch his legs. Since he had a good nap during the day, he was now full of energy and would probably not be able to sleep tonight anyway.

Yin Meng called out to Grandfather Shan, "Grandfather Shan." "Huh?" Grandfather Shan flinched, slowly turned around, and looked at Yin Meng. "What is it, girl?" He was genuinely intimidated by this girl.

"I heard you won a lot of money." "Ah..." Grandfather Shan instinctively clutched his pocket, hurriedly saying repeatedly, "Oh, it's all going to be lost, all going to be lost!"

Yin Meng held out her hand to Grandfather Shan. Grandfather Shan looked miserable. This morning, he had been able to generously scatter the money because he thought something had happened to Run Sheng; now, he couldn't bear to part with it. But looking at the fair, tender hand before him, Grandfather Shan still pulled the thick wad of money from his pocket and placed it in Yin Meng's hand. Yin Meng counted out a portion of the money and handed it to him: "This is your gambling money for this month. Try to lose it slowly. If you can't help it, just lose a little to satisfy your gambling urge." "Okay," Grandfather Shan nodded, taking the money. Yin Meng put the remaining money into her pocket. "Tomorrow, Run Sheng and I will go to your house to get you some rice, flour, grain, and oil." "Alright, the house key... the door just broke." "If you ever need money in the future, just figure out a way..." "I understand, I'll figure out a way." "Figure out an excuse to ask us for it. Make up a plausible reason." Grandfather Shan's eyes lit up. He understood the different implication: the money was given, but it provided him with a safety net. Then, Grandfather Shan gave Run Sheng a significant look, and turned back to Yin Meng, saying, "Okay, girl, I'll make up a good one."

Li Sanjiang, standing in the courtyard, cursed, "Where's your shame, Old Fool?" Grandfather Shan didn't retort. With his hands behind his back, he mumbled and swayed as he walked back. Yin Meng had specifically asked Li Zhuiyuan about this earlier, and Li Zhuiyuan's reply was: "It still needs to be controlled, that's how one cherishes blessings." Grandfather Shan was accustomed to this method of creating 'deficiencies' (to then benefit from others' generosity), but the problem was that Run Sheng had already begun 'walking the river' with him. That 'gap' needed to be reined in a bit, and his old habits had to change; otherwise, Grandfather Shan would continue to drain even Run Sheng's merits from 'walking the river'.

Li Sanjiang threw his cigarette butt on the ground, stepped on it, and muttered, "When will Zhuang Zhuang be back?" Run Sheng could return because his injuries had fully recovered, and he still retained his human appearance. Tan Wenbin, on the other hand, could only sit at a table with Ben Ben. Both Ben Ben and Tan Wenbin had napkins tied around their necks. In fact, Tan Wenbin was now even worse off than Ben Ben; Ben Ben could hold his own bottle and drink milk, while Tan Wenbin needed to be personally fed his tonics by Xiao Yingying. Both the adult and the child finished eating. Ben Ben ate very cleanly, not needing to be wiped, but Tan Wenbin's mouth required Xiao Yingying to wipe it several times with a cloth. Tan Wenbin said, "Thank you for the trouble." Xiao Yingying shook her head, indicating it was no trouble. She quite enjoyed being with Tan Wenbin, mainly because the dense ghostly aura emanating from him was also a yin and evil energy, which made her feel very comfortable. Since she still had to go downstairs to clean up the paper effigies, Xiao Yingying placed Ben Ben's crib in front of Tan Wenbin and went downstairs first.

Ben Ben, full and content, should have been sleeping, but perhaps fearing that the person sitting outside would be bored, he actively crawled out, gripping the crib bars to pull himself up to stand. He still couldn't speak, only babbling. Unlike Brother Xiaoyuan, Tan Wenbin didn't dislike children; he was quite patient, responding to and teasing Ben Ben for a while. After their playtime, Tan Wenbin decided to take a short nap, so he motioned for his two adopted sons to float out and play with the children. And so, Ben Ben, holding onto the bars, looked left and then right, continuously muttering to himself, engaging in a lively conversation with the two vengeful infants invisible to normal people, as if holding a meeting. However, this lively yet quiet atmosphere didn't last long, because the expressions of the two vengeful infants suddenly changed, and Tan Wenbin, who had just managed to drift into unconsciousness, also opened his eyes wide. He sensed it: Someone was trying to break his curse!

"Brother Bin Bin, can you still hold on?" "Don't worry, Brother Xiaoyuan, three people have already tried, but their skill isn't good enough; they can't break it." Everyone stood in the room, gathered around Tan Wenbin. Just now, three individuals had attempted to break the curse, but none succeeded. This curse was specifically cast by Tan Wenbin through the two children, and it was deeply intertwined with them. To break this curse, one would have to engage in a spiritual battle with Tan Wenbin from a distance.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "They're really fast; they must have gone back already." Only the Taoist temple where that Taoist priest resided could immediately summon three truly skilled practitioners to attempt to break the curse.

Tan Wenbin said, "They've switched people again. This new one has some skill!"

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Do you need help?"

Tan Wenbin replied, "I think I can still contend with him."

Li Zhuiyuan said, "Don't force yourself."

A glint flashed in Tan Wenbin's eyes, and he smiled slightly, "Understood, Brother Xiaoyuan." Immediately, Tan Wenbin began to show signs of pain, his aura weakening. The two children were in a fierce battle, but their godfather weakened first. Although they didn't fully understand why, they intuitively followed suit, becoming weaker themselves. It was a scene portraying the opponent's strong power and their own inadequacy.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "Everyone, please step out first." Run Sheng, Lin Shuyou, and Yin Meng all left the room. Li Zhuiyuan picked up the bronze mirror from the table, pressed his finger onto the red clay, rubbed it a few times on the mirror's surface, and then stood it upright. Instantly, a formation activated. This formation had no offensive power; its only purpose was to make the room appear hazy, as if covered by a desolate light and shadow effect, making everyone inside look miserable. After doing all this, Li Zhuiyuan activated the spirit walking technique.

Tan Wenbin raised a finger, and a red thread shot out from Li Zhuiyuan's right hand, wrapping around it.

Faintly, a wail seemed to reach his ears: "Ah... ah... pain... it's killing me... so unbearable..." The curse Tan Wenbin cast was slow-acting; although symptoms would appear in the early stages, they wouldn't be too severe. The Taoist priest now showing such intense pain could be due to him genuinely being useless and lacking, or it could be him deliberately exaggerating for sympathy within the Taoist temple.

In his spirit-walking state, he could see two vengeful infants holding hands, and a cloud of black mist swirled around them, soon mixed with faint purple energy. The opponent was trying to trace the origin through the curse's connection. Seeing the opponent struggle somewhat, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but quietly lend a hand, helping to build the connection. Soon, a blurry mirror appeared in the mist. On the other side of the mirror stood a middle-aged man in a yellow Taoist robe. His specific features were unclear, but his face appeared resolute and sharply defined. Similarly, the view of Li Zhuiyuan and his group through the mirror was also blurry from the opponent's perspective. However, because Li Zhuiyuan had already set up the atmospheric effect, he and the others likely appeared pale, exhausted, and desperately making their last stand in the opponent's eyes. To catch a good fish, one must prepare the bait well. Tan Wenbin had already laid the groundwork; now it was Li Zhuiyuan's turn to continue the act. The young man certainly didn't want to reveal his identity directly, only for the opponent to immediately perform a kneeling surrender.

A voice came from the other side, carrying the authority of one long in a high position: "Casting curses is not tolerated by the righteous path!"

Li Zhuiyuan, his face pale but his eyes resolute, asked: "Why don't you ask what he himself did?"

"Those who practice ghost-controlling techniques are despised by the righteous path!"

Li Zhuiyuan retorted indignantly, "So, kidnapping children is tolerated by the righteous path?"

"That is fate and karma. Wen Chenzi merely received his due, complying with cause and effect to fulfill destiny."

"All I know is, taking something without asking is thievery!"

"Impudent!" A furious roar erupted, and the force attempting to break the curse from the other side suddenly increased. Tan Wenbin's throat quivered. He truly didn't have much blood to spit out, so he could only force himself to vomit the tonic he had just drunk to play along. Since the mirror was blurry and Brother Xiaoyuan had made arrangements, it looked like he was spitting out large mouthfuls of black blood.

"Why is it that when you say it's destiny, it's destiny, but when we stop you from stealing children, it's not tolerated by the righteous path?"

"What makes you think you have the right to discuss these matters with me?"

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Are you saying that in your view, whoever has the biggest fist is right?"

"Otherwise? You are incredibly naive."

"Right, now I understand."

"Quickly break the curse yourself and bring those two children to my Qingcheng Mountain. I will consider your youth and the possibility of reform from your misguided path. Serve as a menial laborer in my temple for sixty years, and your sins may be absolved! This is also an opportunity I bestow upon you; ordinary evil cultivators are not qualified to enter the gates of my temple. Therefore, after entering, you should sincerely reflect, genuinely repent, resolve your grievances, and be grateful for the virtue of life! Otherwise..."

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Otherwise, what?"

"If you do not cherish this, and show no remorse, I will personally come to Nantong, wielding the sword of righteousness, to cleanse the world of evil, and obliterate your entire family of evil cultivators!"

Tan Wenbin's face showed terror. He cried out, "No, don't! This is something I did alone..."

Li Zhuiyuan glared at the other party with a look of indignation, and said in a deep voice, "You dare!"

"In my life, I, Ling Fengzi, never speak idly. What I say, I will certainly do!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhuiyuan straightened his body. With a flick of his finger, the bronze mirror fell. In an instant, Taoist Ling Fengzi on the other side of the mirror felt the image on the opposite side become incredibly clear. And the young man, far from showing any previous expressions of panic or indignation, instead wore a calm face, his eyes cold and indifferent: "Good, it's a deal."