022. Practice Qi
The Qing family's tragedy spread quickly in Lincang City. Even though the government tried to suppress the matter, the deaths of the Qing family members were so strange that rumors spread like wildfire within two days. It was said that a third young master of unknown origin appeared in the Qing family and killed his entire family as soon as he returned home.
Even the servants in Qing's house were talking about it in private.
But Qingling didn't care. After returning from the yamen, Qingling started to manage the Qing family's business. Although he didn't understand the accounts very well, there was an accountant in the Qing family's house, whose surname was Sun.
While watching and listening to Mr. Sun's explanation, Qing Ling realized that the Qing family was not doing well. The several shops selling medicinal herbs under their name were all selling out. Mr. Sun also said that in the more than 20 years in the Qing residence, the Qing family's business was getting smaller and smaller, and they were getting poorer and poorer. Finally, he shook his head and sighed, "I don't know what happened. The Qing family was a wealthy family a hundred years ago. Who would have thought that nowadays... Alas!"
Qing Ling seemed to be thinking about something, and suddenly he remembered a question Shang Changheng once asked him, "Why do you think the Qing family doesn't even dare to leave this city?" At that time he didn't ask any further because of the so-called Life-breaking Cone, but now Qing Ling had a glimpse of the truth.
If they are a wealthy family, why do they live in this remote little Lincang?
Since there is a grudge between them, why would they guard Shang Changheng's tomb for generations?
Unless, they simply can't live without Lin Cang.
But no matter what, the Qing family is now a mess. Qing Ling knows his own worth and is not cut out for business, but he can't get into debt right after he comes out of retirement, so he immediately sends all the servants out of the house. Anyway, he doesn't need anyone to serve him. He then sells all the houses under the name of the Qing family, including the one with three courtyards, leaving only a small house with two courtyards for himself.
Qingling sold off all the more valuable items in the mansion. Only the books in the study were moved by Qingling into the wing of the small house. There were all kinds of books in there, including official history and unofficial history. Qingling even found a whole cabinet full of books on the practice of magic. These were all authentic ancient books, not copied. There were even quite a few bamboo slips in them. The records were not in the language of this dynasty, but many ancient scriptures.
Qing Ling became interested. After all, he was accompanied by various evil spirits all day long. When he saw this pile of scriptures, Qing Ling finally felt a little safe.
He took out a book. Although the fonts in ancient times were somewhat different from those today, the characters were mostly unified after the Zhou Dynasty, and have only been slightly deformed and simplified to this day. As long as Qingling could recognize it a little, it would not be difficult for him to read it.
But before he finished reading the book, the bailiffs broke into the courtyard. The leader was the one who had gone to Qing's house to deliver the message that day. He still looked terrified as if he was facing a great enemy. He was afraid to meet Qing Ling's eyes. He just stood at the door and shouted, "Come here! Take down the murderer Qing Ling! Take him to the prison to await trial!"
The bailiffs following behind hesitated for a moment, but still rushed in with gritted teeth. Qingling frowned slightly and was thrown into the jail in a daze.
The leading bailiff whispered before leaving: "You said you spent some money, but now that you are here, all the things you haven't sold will be confiscated! Think about it carefully!"
He still had some taboos and left immediately after he finished speaking, as if he was afraid of being contaminated by some bad luck.
Qingling sat in the haystack and finally understood. With so many people dead, the county government had to find the murderer to report to the higher-ups. However, Qingling refused to pay that day, so he just sat at home when disaster struck.
"Shang Changheng."
Qingling called.
Shang Changheng, who was wearing a black funeral suit, immediately appeared, squatted down and pinched Qingling's chin, "Zhong Wuyan, what's the matter, Qingling."
Qing Ling pushed his hand away, "You have taken advantage of me. The day I left the ancestral hall, I felt that the evil spirit in the hall had completely disappeared."
He originally thought that the Yin Qi had dissipated, but when he was reading the spell book, there happened to be a page that wrote that if someone died in the corpse-raising formation, their soul would be sucked into the formation and transformed into pure Yin Qi. Those who died in the ancestral hall, and the female ghost who killed several people, must have entered the formation, and the Yin Qi they turned into would naturally be the benefit of Shang Changheng.
Shang Changheng did not deny it and asked directly: "What do you want? Kill the county magistrate?"
He made it sound like a simple matter, killing someone was like pulling weeds.
Qing Ling raised his eyes, "Can you kill them? They are not in your karma."
"Who says you have to kill someone yourself?" Shang Changheng said slowly, "I haven't killed anyone who has a karmic connection with me."
Qing Ling was startled.
Those who died at the hands of the female ghost Qiao Lian all died in the same way as her, except Zhao Yunrou who died at the hands of Qing Conglan. Qing Ling also saw the remaining two. It was clear that Qing Wenlin had killed Qing Conglan with a stone, and then went mad and killed himself.
The way this uncle and nephew died was indeed different from the way a ghost killed people.
"So," Shang Changheng looked at him and asked, "Kill him or not?"
Qing Ling thought for a moment and shook his head. He sneered at County Magistrate Luo. He dared to unscrupulously go against the official just because he had a fierce ghost like Shang Changheng by his side. After all, the people do not fight against the officials. But people may not be able to defeat fierce ghosts. Didn't you see that he was the only one left among the Qing family members who died?
“You’re…”
Qing Ling used her handsome face, steady voice and calm tone to explain things to Shang Changheng, in return she received a meaningful look from Shang Changheng.
Shang Changheng's figure slowly disappeared and he did not return until late at night. Qingling was waiting for an unexpected guest.
Magistrate Luo stood leisurely outside the dungeon and said with a sigh, "Why are you doing this?"
Qingling didn't even bother to raise his eyes.
He knew why Magistrate Luo did not try him in court, but instead kept him in custody for half a day and then tried to persuade him at night.
If he was convicted, his property would naturally be confiscated. Even if Magistrate Luo could make some money from it, most of it would have to be given to his superiors. But if the matter was suppressed, the things Qingling had offered would all go into Magistrate Luo's own piggy bank.
"The trial will be held tomorrow." Magistrate Luo was a little anxious when he saw him like this. He cursed the young boy for not knowing what was good for him. His voice became colder. "Think about it carefully. If you are charged with murder, you will be beheaded."
Qing Ling said calmly: "I didn't kill him."
County Magistrate Luo sneered: "The Qing family is all dead, and you, the third young master who came from nowhere, got the benefits and lived with the dead in the ancestral hall for so many days. If it wasn't you who killed them, who else could it be?"
Qing Ling raised his lips slightly, revealing a strange smile, and asked softly, "Yes, sir, why don't you guess who made them die like that?"
There was only one small window in the prison. It was late at night. The dim light reflected on that pretty face, making the smile seem eerie and sinister. Coupled with the meaningful rhetorical question, Luo Qingxiang felt a chilly wind around him and even subconsciously avoided the boy's gaze.
After realizing what was happening, Luo Qingxiang was furious and said in a cold voice: "I am the local official. If I say you killed someone, then you killed him. Boy, I will give you one more chance. Otherwise, when the evidence is irrefutable, you will die even if you don't want to!"
Qingling laughed out loud.
It is exactly the same as Shang Changheng's pride and arrogance.
He also said coldly: "What a parent official! I want to see how you want to kill me."
Seeing that he was unmoved, Luo Qingxiang was so angry that his face twitched twice, and he swung his sleeves fiercely, "You wait!"
Qing Ling snorted again, and after he calmed down, he sat cross-legged on the haystack, wanting to try the practice method in the scriptures he had seen today.
It is recorded in ancient books that the sun, moon and stars contain the energy of heaven and earth, and are closely related to the heavenly stems, earthly branches, time of day, yin and yang, five elements, directions, official positions, four seasons and eight festivals, as well as the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, meridians, acupoints, tendons, bones, skin and fur of human body. One must understand the secrets of the creation of heaven and earth before one can understand one's mind and see one's nature.
Sit and cultivate your mind, and exhale to open your meridians.
But Qing Ling still didn't quite understand it, so he could only practice it randomly. After all, this thing was already mentioned at the beginning of the ancient book. If one had the talent, he could understand it, but if not, he wouldn't feel anything. In other words, it wouldn't hurt to practice it well, so he might as well give it a try.
After this test, his mind was immersed in a mysterious and vast world.
When he opened his eyes again, it was already bright outside, and a ray of light fell on Qingling through the small window.
Qing Ling, who was sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes. He did not even feel tired. He clenched his hands lightly, thinking that he was grateful. He must have a talent, right?
But the book says that when you draw Qi into your body and accumulate Qi to rush through the "three gates", your Dantian should become hot and your limbs should become warm, but he...
Why do I get colder the more I practice?
Qingling was a little hesitant.
Doesn’t it mean that even if you don’t practice well, you won’t get bad results? Could it be that something went wrong with his training?
Just at this moment, the bailiffs opened the prison door and two men came in to put handcuffs and shackles on Qingling, but as soon as they touched Qingling's arms, they felt they were touching a cold corpse. They screamed in fear and retracted their hands.
The head of the yamen guards frowned and shouted coldly: "What's going on? Why don't you do anything?!"
“This…this…” The bailiff broke out in a cold sweat and was afraid to move. “He, he doesn’t look like a living person!”
Qingling has become accustomed to their reaction.
But he could feel his own body temperature, and he didn't know why these people thought he was a corpse.
Seeing that the two men didn't dare to make a move, the head of the yamen runners was also afraid of this evil young master of the Qing family. After a little hesitation, he reluctantly said, "Then let's go. The court is open."
Qing Ling had a blank expression on his face, but he was thinking to himself, I wonder if Shang Changheng has come back yet, he has been appearing and disappearing silently all day long.
If that bastard official wants to punish him, he can feel more at ease with Shang Changheng around...
It was natural for Qing Ling to use Shang Changheng. Dislike and rejection were one thing, but he had suffered so much, so what was wrong with getting some back from Shang Changheng?
The evil spirit is still thinking about his life all day long.
In court.
Qing Ling stood upright. After entering the court, Luo Qingxiang, dressed in an official robe, sat under the plaque that read "A Bright Mirror Hanging High". He smiled at Qing Ling with ill intent and said, "Kneel down, everyone in the court!"
Qing Ling naturally didn't want to kneel, but he didn't know whether Shang Changheng had returned or not. As he was hesitating, he suddenly heard a loud noise.
The plaque "A Clear Mirror Hanging High" fell down suddenly, hitting the ground and leaving cracks.
It almost hit Luo Qingxiang's head. Everyone was in an uproar. County Magistrate Luo was so scared that he jumped up and moved away from the plaque. Then everyone's eyes fell on Qingling.
He is really weird!
Qing Ling felt relieved and stood more openly. He looked at County Magistrate Luo and said calmly, "An innocent person, do you still need to kneel, Lord Luo?"
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