Chapter 131:
Jingwu looked at him, his eyes narrowed, and spoke coldly.
"You seduced Chen Changshun into infatuation with beauty, and when he killed those maids, you collected their souls into your Qiankun bag, nurtured them into vengeful ghosts, and then instructed them to haunt Chen Changshun, causing him to be unable to sleep at night until he fell into a coma."
She watched as the man's expression changed drastically, raised an eyebrow, and continued, "Then you'll appear at the Chen family again as a Taoist priest, and have them capture the reincarnation of the Wenqu Star who shares the same birth date as Chen Changshun, promising to swap their destinies. But you weren't truly helping him change his fate, were you..."
That's enough.
Seeing that she was talking more and more, and that every word she said was correct, the man immediately interrupted her.
We can't let her continue. Regardless of whether she knows what her master is planning, we absolutely cannot let her keep talking.
"You little brat, you've only just entered the Golden Core stage, and you think you know everything and can do anything?"
Looking at his expression, Jingwu immediately knew that his divination was correct; there was definitely someone behind him.
"You have committed countless sins, do you really think that Heaven will let you off the hook?"
The man chuckled, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "You don't need to worry about that, young lady. You should worry more about yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, he took a step back, made a hand seal, and chanted a spell.
A black array instantly rose up where Jingwu stood, its surface glowing with crimson magic.
It was like a gaping maw with fangs, ready to devour her.
It's actually the Ten Deadly Formations?!
Jingwu knew things were going badly. This formation contained ten deadly moves and concealed innate malevolent energy. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator might not be able to escape unscathed.
Her brow furrowed, and countless solutions flashed through her mind, but none of them worked.
Jingwu felt the sharp energy slash his arm, and when he looked down, he saw that blood was already seeping out.
She frowned, suddenly remembering what her master had said.
“Awu, remember this: if you encounter any danger after you go down the mountain, take out the life-saving pouch your master gave you, silently recite the name of the Ancestral Master three times, and someone will come to save you.”
Although Jingwu didn't believe in these things, the formation was already devouring her skin, leaving her no choice but to believe.
She quickly took out the brocade pouch and silently recited the name of the ancestral master three times.
In an instant, a golden light floated out of the brocade pouch and entered between her eyebrows.
In that instant, Jingwu's body involuntarily sat down cross-legged, his hands making a series of rapid hand gestures, and his mouth chanting obscure and difficult-to-understand incantations.
She didn't have time to see her own hand gestures clearly; she only saw countless blue lights burst forth, containing powerful energy that instantly engulfed the formation.
Jingwu only saw a powerful force burst forth, blasting all three people around him away.
A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and seized the opportunity to immediately chant a spell to immobilize the man.
Jingwu felt a gentle yet powerful force within her, guiding her to do what she was about to do.
With a flick of her index finger, she conjured a spell that forced the man to kneel down.
"Who is behind you?"
The man didn't want to speak, but once he opened his mouth, he blurted out the truth.
"List……"
Before he could finish speaking, he immediately died, bleeding from all seven orifices.
Jing Wu's eyes widened in surprise, but he immediately realized that the person behind him had placed a taboo on him.
She felt a little regretful that she hadn't been able to find out who was behind it all.
Jingwu sighed deeply and was about to turn and leave when someone grabbed her skirt.
"Master, please save my son! I'll give you any amount of money you want!" Seeing how powerful she was, Madam Chen ignored the pain of falling to the ground and clung to her tightly. "Master, I don't want his so-called 'Wenquxing' destiny, I just want my son to live!"
Jingwu frowned, and was about to speak when he heard the old woman lying on the ground wailing and crying.
"No, you vicious woman! How dare you harm my grandson! His fate cannot be changed! His destiny cannot be changed!"
Jingwu pulled back her skirt and looked coldly at the woman in front of her: "Chen Changshun has committed many evils and killed more than a dozen innocent girls. I cannot save him."
"No……"
"Also, your Chen family should have an ancestor, right? That ancestor is nearing the end of his life and is frantically searching for a vessel to carry him."
Upon hearing this, the old lady frowned. Just as she was about to ask something, she saw that the girl had already walked away.
Having lived for so many years, she knew quite a bit about metaphysics. When she was young, she had heard that some elders in large families, unwilling to die, would find a younger generation to possess and live on in that person's identity.
Could it be...?
The old lady's face suddenly turned pale as she thought of this.
She stood up shakily, ignoring her daughter-in-law who was still crying uncontrollably, and walked towards a separate courtyard.
In the third branch of the Chen family, she was the eldest member; those of her generation had long since passed away.
But she herself had no intention of living to a ripe old age. She only wanted to fulfill her husband's last wish while she was still alive, so that the Chen family, a family of military generals, could produce a top scholar.
Madam Chen found an abandoned courtyard, pushed open the door, and went inside.
But they found it to be very clean and spotless, as if someone lived there.
Her suspicions deepened. She walked to the door, pushed it open, and saw a figure sitting at the desk.
Madam Chen's heart trembled violently. The white-haired, white-bearded old man in front of her was none other than her husband who had died many years ago!
She leaned against the door frame, finding it hard to accept. When General Chen saw her, his expression was very calm, as if he had known she was coming all along.
"You've arrived."
"You were the one behind it all! Why did you bring Changshun to this state?"
As General Chen practiced calligraphy, he said, “I have loved reading since I was a child, but unfortunately, I was born at the wrong time. I could only earn some money for my family by joining the army. I barely survived and became a general, but my health has deteriorated due to years on the battlefield. Fortunately, a Taoist priest reached out to help me. He said that as long as I find suitable descendants, I can live to be a hundred years old. Why shouldn’t I try?”
Madam Chen looked terrified and incredulous, stammering and unable to utter a single word.
"Changshun is a bright and intelligent child, but he doesn't use his mind for good. If I can use his body to pass the exam, I can still bring honor to the Chen family, and you, my wife, can still enjoy wealth and luxury. What's wrong with that?"
Madam Chen took a step back: "But... the Taoist priest is already dead."
"You mean the one in the dense forest? So what if he's dead? He was just a disciple of the Taoist priest. The Taoist priest will still help me." General Chen calmly continued practicing his calligraphy, then raised his eyes and looked at her sharply: "Madam, remember what you should say and what you shouldn't say, otherwise, I don't mind sending you to the underworld myself."
Startled by that gaze, Old Madam Chen nodded instinctively in agreement.
When she returned to her room, she was still shaken. After so many years of marriage, she knew her husband's temperament.
If this matter were to be revealed, he would truly kill her with his own hands, even though she was his wife of many years.
Old Madam Chen cherished her life greatly. After all, she had endured hardship and had not yet enjoyed enough of this wealth and luxury. She would never risk her life for a grandchild.
That very night, she "fell ill," relinquishing control of household affairs to Madam Chen, forbidding outsiders from disturbing her, and refusing any greetings from her children and grandchildren. She then "recovered" in the courtyard.
Jingwu returned to the villa, sat in the courtyard, looked at the cuts on his hands, and sensed something was wrong.
The power that had just been inside her body felt so familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before, but she couldn't remember where.
"Awu, what are you thinking about?"
Shao Chengrui appeared beside her at some point and sat down with a smile.
Jingwu snapped out of her daze. She felt that her older cousin didn't need to know these things, so she talked about other things instead.
"I'm wondering who's behind the Chen family. Cousin, how much do you know about the Chen family?"
Shao Chengrui thought for a moment, then said, "I don't know much about it; I only heard about it from Brother Shengming by chance. I only know that the Chen family started out with General Chen. His ancestors were farmers. When General Chen was young, his family couldn't afford to eat, so when he grew up, he joined the army. Later, it is said that he repeatedly made meritorious contributions on the battlefield, which is why he was promoted to general. His only son also followed him into the army and also made many outstanding contributions. However, a few years ago, General Chen suddenly passed away, and His Majesty ordered that he be given a grand funeral."
Jingwu lowered his eyes and thought for a moment. If he wanted to possess his grandson's body, all he needed was a compatibility between his body and his grandson's. Why did he also need his cousin's destiny?
This isn't right.
There must be someone else behind the scenes who wants the eldest cousin's destiny and is using the Chen family to handle this matter.
But who exactly is behind this? And who is the Taoist priest behind it all?
Jingwu looked at his older cousin's face, propped his chin up, and after a long while, he slowly spoke.
"I see, I understand now. By the way, cousin, keep the talisman I gave you close to your body and don't take it off."
Seeing his cousin's unusually serious expression, Shao Chengrui nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, I will definitely not take it off."
Jingwu nodded, then, as if remembering something, asked, "By the way, it's almost Chinese New Year, are my uncle and aunt coming?"
Shao Chengrui shook his head: "Mother is pregnant now and should not travel. Father has to take care of the shop and Mother, so he will not be coming to the capital."
“Indeed, Aunt needs to take good care of herself this time.” Jingwu seemed to have thought of something, his eyes crinkling with joy: “Uncle, Aunt will definitely get what she wants.”
Upon hearing this, Shao Chengrui was taken aback at first, but then he realized what was going on and a smile appeared on his lips.
"Then I must thank A-Wu."
Jingwu didn't say anything more, sitting in the chair with a smile on his face, lost in thought.
With the Lunar New Year just a few days away, she plans to stay in her villa for a few days instead of setting up her stall before the holiday, and then resume her business after the New Year.
On New Year's Eve, Jingwu, Yue Huai, Shao Chengrui, and Yan Shengming gathered at a table.
The table was laden with delicious dishes that looked and smelled wonderful, but the place felt rather deserted due to the small number of people.
For some reason, Jingwu suddenly remembered the chattering of his two younger cousins in his ear at this time last year.
She smiled slightly. It had been so long since she'd seen them; she really missed them and her aunt and uncle.
"Awu, after we finish eating, would you like to go for a stroll through the lantern festival? The lantern festivals in the capital are quite lively."
Yue Huai looked at her intently and spoke with a smile.
“Great! I’ve never seen the lantern festival in the capital before.”
Jingwu immediately agreed, and when he looked up, he met Shao Chengrui's hesitant eyes.
Just as I was about to ask something, I heard my cousin speak.
"Perfect timing! Brother Shengming and I have never seen the lantern festival in the capital either. Why don't we go together?"
Yue Huai opened his mouth, about to say something, when he heard a commotion outside.
"Awu, cousin, you're having New Year's Eve dinner without waiting for me!" Yun Fanjing walked in from outside, lifting her skirt, her cheeks puffed out, as if she was a little angry: "Cousin, I was wondering why you didn't go to the palace banquet. Turns out you're having New Year's Eve dinner with Awu here."
"It's the same people and the same things at the palace banquet every year. I'd rather stay at home," Yue Huai said with a hint of helplessness. "Why did you come out too?"
“I also found the palace banquet boring, and I don’t know if Consort Jin took the wrong medicine today, but she kept introducing me to eligible men. But the ones she introduced were either ugly or mediocre. But Mother Empress had to swallow her anger for the sake of the overall situation and couldn’t do too much in front of the ministers. I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I ran away.”
Yun Fanjing's biggest worry these days is her marriage. After her coming-of-age ceremony, her father and mother will be choosing a husband for her.
But she didn't want to get married so early, yet she couldn't go against her father and mother's wishes.
Upon hearing this, Jingwu looked at the person in front of him and quietly reached out to perform a divination.
The divination indicates that her destined partner has appeared, but their meeting and falling in love will be somewhat complicated, and they won't get married so soon.
After calculating the divination, Jingwu lowered his head and silently began to eat his meal.
She believed that Yue Huai had also figured it out, so she didn't intend to reveal the truth.
Yue Huai naturally knew this, so he coughed lightly and put a piece of food on her plate: "It's the New Year, don't think about these worries, let's eat."
Upon hearing this, Yun Fanjing didn't think much of it and simply lowered her head to eat.
A short while later, everyone finished their meal and headed to the lantern festival together.
Jingwu was invited by the princess to board the luxurious carriage. As soon as she sat down, she met the princess's eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Awu, can you help me calculate someone's fortune?" Yun Fanjing asked, her eyes sparkling as she held her hand.
Who is it?
"Su Wanyin, daughter of the Minister of Revenue."
Jingwu was slightly taken aback, then asked, "Why?"
Yun Fanjing paused for a moment, then spoke hesitantly.
“I feel like something’s wrong with her. She used to be mean and rude, which was annoying. But lately, I don’t know why, she has suddenly become well-mannered. I feel like something’s off, like she’s not herself.”
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