Zhuang Li took Zhuang Jiuge away from Jin Manlou and walked to the street to continue guarding his fortune-telling stall.
The crowd who like to watch the excitement has not dispersed yet.
Jin Man Lou was the property of the King of Qi, so these people didn't dare to trespass. Instead, they squatted outside and watched eagerly. When Zhuang Li finally arrived, he immediately shouted, "Sir, have you caught the evil spirits that are haunting Miss Zhou?"
This is the most famous haunted incident in Bazhou City, so everyone naturally wants to know the outcome.
"They are just a bunch of evil spirits, why can't we catch them?" Zhuang Li asked casually.
Standing behind him, Zhuang Jiuge puffed out his chest proudly and shouted, "My brother is amazing! He wiped out all the ghosts and monsters the moment he showed up!"
In reality, he already knew that Miss Zhou wasn't possessed by an evil spirit, but rather had been insulted to the point of being unable to bear the shock and losing her mind. However, this was too tragic for a woman, so he decided to blame it on the ghost.
Thinking this way, Zhuang Jiuge lowered his eyelids, quietly hiding the anger and compassion in his eyes. He had just realized that human hearts and words were actually more terrifying than ghosts.
Zhuang Li patted the back of his hand soothingly and advised, "Don't let your imagination run wild. Read your book carefully. If you want to change the world, you must first put yourself in a high position."
"Brother, I understand. I will work harder in the future." Zhuang Jiuge picked up the book and read it attentively. The noise around him did not affect him at all.
The King of Qi walked to the window and silently watched the two men, saying thoughtfully, "Both of these brothers are extraordinary."
Several guards said yes repeatedly, with a bit of awe on their faces.
Although Miss Zhou was not possessed by evil spirits and Zhuang Li had never caught a real ghost, his methods of controlling sleep and sealing memories were more shocking than catching ghosts.
Does Master Xuan Zhenzi of Qingtian Temple have such power? I'm afraid not! Otherwise, the prince would have received the news long ago, and the outside world would have spread it as a supernatural power.
And how could Master Xuan Zhenzi have taught a scoundrel like Taoist Lingxi? Could he himself be a demon in human form?
Several guards couldn't help but have such an association.
But the King of Qi said coldly: "I will not go to Qingtian Temple."
Several guards quickly agreed without any advice.
Meanwhile, Miss Zhou, who had a weak spleen and stomach, ate only a bowl of porridge before leaving Jin Man Lou. She didn't know why she wanted to go home and take a nap.
Mrs. Zhou supported her daughter and spoke softly about the changes in the family in recent years. She thought her daughter would be sad because of the Li family's cancellation of the engagement, but she didn't expect that her daughter was only in a daze for a moment, then shook her head and said that it was fine this way, and quickly let it go.
After waking up, she bravely and resolutely faced life's challenges, just as Mr. Zhuang had instructed. Although she seemed unchanged, she was much more mature than she was three years ago. Those scars ultimately tempered her soul.
Mrs. Zhou's eyes were red again, but a relieved smile appeared on her face.
The mother and daughter walked down the stairs talking and laughing, bowed to the shopkeeper who personally saw them out, stepped out of the threshold with light steps, and stroked the hem of their skirts naturally. Every move they made was filled with the grace and elegance that was engraved in their bones.
Mr. Zhou followed the two of them and said excitedly that he would take them to Baoyuzhai to buy jewelry.
Miss Zhou smiled and said, "Thank you, Daddy." Her eyes were clear and her expression was cheerful, without any trace of her previous madness.
Those who stayed behind to watch the excitement opened their eyes wide, expressions of disbelief on their faces. It was not until the Zhou family drove off the street in their carriage that they burst into exclamations one after another: "Oh my God! The evil spirit in Miss Zhou has actually been expelled!"
"She went in as a lunatic, but came out a lady from a noble family. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it!"
"Mr. Zhuang is so amazing!"
"I'm convinced! This time I'm truly convinced! Mr. Zhuang's level of cultivation is even higher than that of Taoist Priest Lingxi!"
“They say great people hide in the city, and the real masters are indeed in the market!”
After sighing, everyone rushed to surround Zhuang Li's fortune-telling stall and asked him for some advice.
Zhuang Li refused all of them, closed his eyes and said, "I only tell fortunes for those who are destined to be with me or those who are in trouble. You can all go away."
Some people dispersed obediently, while others curiously inquired, "Mr. Zhuang, you easily eliminated the evil spirit that even Taoist Lingxi couldn't resolve. Your level of skill must be higher than Taoist Lingxi's. So, how do you compare to Master Xuan Zhenzi? Who's stronger, the two of you?"
This question was like putting Zhuang Li on the spot. Who didn't know that Master Xuan Zhenzi was the most powerful Taoist priest in the Jin State? How could a young boy like Zhuang Li dare to compare himself to him?
Just when everyone thought Zhuang Li would belittle him and praise Master Xuan Zhenzi, he opened his eyes and smiled contemptuously, "Master Lingxi is nothing but a con man, a charlatan. How can he be compared to me? To have such a disciple, Xuan Zhenzi must have earned his reputation in vain."
Wow! Mr. Zhuang is so arrogant!
Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then made a dissatisfied noise.
"Do you know that the auspicious day for the emperor's enthronement was calculated by Master Xuan Zhenzi?" someone asked loudly.
Someone else chided him, "You do have some ability, but you're a bit too arrogant. You've never met Master Xuan Zhenzi, so what right do you have to say he's just a name for nothing?"
"I don't need to meet him to know that he is definitely not a good person." Zhuang Li closed his eyes again and ignored the people around him.
Religious groups are the most heavily constrained social organizations, with a high degree of ideological assimilation. If one person in the group develops a problem with their thinking, others will quickly be infected. Therefore, criminal behavior by religious figures is often collective.
300 Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania, USA, are suspected of sexually assaulting more than 1,000 children. This is a typical case of religious group crime.
This kind of case is based on the influence of group psychology, just like when a bad fruit appears in a pocket, the rest of the fruits will soon rot.
Therefore, Zhuang Li did not believe that Xuan Zhenzi was innocent, and even the entire Qingtian Temple was problematic.
Taoist Lingxi's method was both skillful and bold. He dared to harm the governor's daughter in the governor's mansion in broad daylight and in front of everyone. It can be seen that he has no fear of the powerful.
Where did he get this confidence from? He was just a small Taoist priest, who gave him the courage?
Zhuang Li secretly shook his head, deeply suspicious of the legendary Master Xuan Zhenzi. Without his connivance, Taoist Lingxi wouldn't have been so ruthless and insane.
While he was thinking, the crowd burst into exclamations: "Master Xuan Zhenzi is here!"
"He hasn't come down the mountain for a long time, right? What's the reason this time?"
"He was standing at the corner just now and heard everything Mr. Zhuang said clearly!"
"The person accompanying him seems to be Governor Qin!"
"It's over, Mr. Zhuang is in trouble!"
"Now we're going to have a good show. Master Xuan Zhenzi will definitely come and destroy Mr. Zhuang's reputation!"
"Who do you think is more powerful between the two of them?"
"Nonsense, of course Master Xuan Zhenzi is more powerful. When Master Xuan Zhenzi became famous, this Mr. Zhuang was not even born yet!"
Everyone quickly made way so that Master Xuan Zhenzi and Prefect Qin could walk unimpeded to Zhuang Li's fortune-telling stall.
The King of Qi, who had been gazing at this side from the teahouse, immediately stood up and hurried downstairs. Xuan Zhenzi had the support of the Qin governor, so shouldn't he also stand up for the young master?
---
Zhuang Li opened his eyes and looked forward, only to see an old Taoist priest with white hair and a youthful face walking towards him slowly, with a faint smile on his face and an unfathomable light flashing in his eyes. Beside him was a middle-aged man in gorgeous clothes.
"I heard what you said before, so I came to discuss with you." Master Xuan Zhenzi said with a warm smile.
The middle-aged man standing next to him was the prefect Qin. He was staring at Zhuang Li sharply, with an extremely displeased look on his face.
When he heard that the King of Qi had come to Bazhou and was seriously ill, he immediately thought of Master Xuan Zhenzi who had just made an elixir, so he went up the mountain at night to ask for help.
Along the way, he treated Master Xuan Zhenzi like an ancestor, but when he entered the city, someone stepped on Master Xuan Zhenzi in the mud in front of him. How could he bear it?
Governor Qin looked Zhuang Li up and down, anger brewing in his heart. But when his eyes fell on the jade pendant on Zhuang Li's waist, he froze. That was the token of the King of Qi!
Before the governor could think further, Zhuang Li pointed to the chair opposite him and said, "Please take a seat. Forget about discussing Taoism; let's have a fortune-telling competition."
Master Xuan Zhenzi showed no fear at all. He sat down calmly and asked with a faint smile, "What do you want to calculate?"
"How about I calculate your fortune and you calculate mine?" Zhuang Li raised the corners of his lips.
"Okay." Master Xuan Zhenzi looked at Zhuang Li deeply.
Zhuang Li took out a pile of copper coins and casually threw them on the table. He said to Xuan Zhenzi, "Please count these coins. If you don't count them carefully, the hexagram may not be accurate."
Master Xuan Zhenzi roughly counted them and said, "Nine."
"Wrong, count again." Zhuang Li gave a sarcastic smile.
Master Xuan Zhenzi lowered his head, counted carefully, and said with certainty, "It is indeed nine."
"Wrong, count them one by one." Zhuang Li looked at the crowd around him and ordered, "Be quiet, don't disturb the mage's thoughts."
The crowd who had originally shouted "It's nine, I'm not wrong" immediately shut up.
They had no choice but to keep quiet. The nobleman from yesterday appeared out of nowhere, accompanied by several ferocious-looking guards. The guards drew their swords one by one, with the words "keep quiet" written on their faces.
The surrounding people trembled and remained silent at the cold gleam of the blade. What made them even more hesitant was the reaction of the Qin governor. The local emperor of Bazhou quickly ran to the man's side and bowed in awe.
Even the prefect had to bow to greet him, so you can imagine the man's status.
The noisy streets fell silent in an instant.
To prove that he had counted correctly, Master Xuan Zhenzi pointed at the coins one by one with his fingers: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine."
The moment he finished counting, Zhuang Li immediately gave an instruction: "Wrong, count backwards again."
Master Xuan Zhenzi counted down subconsciously: "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."
Unconsciously, his mind had become confused, his consciousness compressed into a tiny range by the repetitive counting, and his judgment gradually became blurred. He could only stare at the copper coins on the table, mechanically counting them, and this state was already a mild hypnotic state.
When he began to count down as Zhuang Li requested, the mild hypnotic state unknowingly turned into a moderate hypnotic state.
At this point, Zhuang Li only needed to give a few words of guidance and Xuan Zhenzi would have hallucinations.
Zhuang Li then picked up a copper coin and said in a deep voice, "Stare at this coin, don't blink. Slowly, the hole in this coin will turn into a black vortex. Do you see it?"
Xuan Zhenzi nodded blankly, "I saw it."
Zhuang Li said slowly, "This vortex is the gateway to the underworld. Your soul, unable to resist the call of the underworld, floated out of your body and spun endlessly along the vortex. You spun and spun, spun and spun, unable to stop for a long time."
As he spoke, Xuan Zhenzi's head began to spin, his already confused expression turning completely numb. He had entered a deep hypnotic state.
Zhuang Li said in a deep voice, "Your soul spun for a long time before finally being sucked into the vortex and into the underworld. You landed in a towering, eerie hall. A plaque on the beam reads 'Yanluo Hall.' Did you see it?"
Xuan Zhenzi raised his head, looked into the void, and nodded stiffly like a puppet: "I see."
His expression, movements, and words all matched Zhuang Li's description, as if his soul had really been sucked into the underworld by the eyes of money and arrived at the Hall of Yama.
This strange and mysterious scene shocked everyone.
The already quiet street suddenly fell into silence, and everyone's eyes changed when they looked at Zhuang Li.
Can a person with such means still be called a human being?
Chapter 167 The Scientific Charlatan VS the Lucky Fairy 16┃Zhuang Li: I am waiting for my sweetheart.
The entire neighborhood became silent because of Zhuang Li's mysterious methods.
Everyone watched Master Xuan Zhenzi's soul fall into the Hall of Yama with almost holding their breath.
Zhuang Li said in a deep voice, "Now, take a good look at King Yama sitting in the hall, carefully identify his face, and then tell me who he is."
Xuan Zhenzi, looking up into the air, slowly shifted his gaze forward, his eyes wide open, but his pupils unfocused. After a long pause, he blurted out, "It's you! You're actually Yama!"
His pupils finally came into focus, but what was reflected in them was Zhuang Li's cold face.
Xuan Zhenzi fell to his knees with a thud, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, gradually soaking through his clothes. He was completely caught up in this half-real, half-false illusion.
After hearing Xuan Zhenzi's words, the crowd showed expressions of extreme horror, and then retreated together, actually thinking that Zhuang Li was the King of Hell.
The prefect Qin was also frightened and turned pale, and then he hid behind the crowd.
Only the King of Qi and his guards remained standing, silently guarding the isolated young master.
Zhuang Jiuge was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized. He had been wondering for days who was inside his brother's body, and now he finally had the answer.
Everyone was shocked by the illusion created by Zhuang Li. Xuan Zhenzi, who was in it, was trembling like a sieve, his heart and liver were about to burst, and a look of resistance appeared on his face, as if he wanted to break free from the illusion.
Zhuang Li immediately gave an order: "Look into my eyes and tell me your name."
Xuan Zhenzi couldn't help but look into those dark, deep eyes, and couldn't resist telling the truth: "My name is Zhang Dahu."
He gave his secular name, not his Taoist name, which shows that he has no sense of identity or belonging to Taoism. His belief is false.
Zhuang Li continued to inquire, "Where are you from? Why are you being tried in Yama Palace?"
Xuan Zhenzi answered honestly: "I am from Luanzhou. I don't know how I came to Yama Palace. I was already here when I opened my eyes."
"You're lying!" Zhuang Li said in a deep voice. "Only those who have committed extremely heinous crimes will be sent to Yama. What have you done in the secular world? Confess it now!"
"Your Majesty, I am really innocent. I have not committed any crime." Xuan Zhenzi refused to speak.
However, in a deep hypnotic state, his conscious and subconscious minds were completely out of his control. As long as Zhuang Li increased the intensity of his guidance, he would be unable to resist.
"Do you know the Book of Life and Death? Whether you speak of it or not, everything you've ever experienced is recorded in it. Let me take a look." Zhuang Li closed his eyes, as if flipping through a book in his mind, and then spoke coldly: "You slandered and harmed others, used clever rhetoric, committed murder and arson, and you deserve to go to hell! Do you admit to these crimes or not? If you don't, I will sentence you to death by slicing!"
Xuan Zhenzi knew about the Book of Life and Death, and also knew that the methods of the gods were not something that mortals could fool, so he had no choice but to bow his head and confess, "I admit it."
"Whose life have you killed? Tell me the truth!" Zhuang Li immediately guided him.
Based on Taoist Lingxi's actions, Zhuang Li suspected that Xuan Zhenzi's hands were not clean. To save time, he simply started with the most serious crime. If Xuan Zhenzi were asked to count how many people he had deceived over the years, he would probably never finish counting from today to tomorrow.
Hypnosis only creates an illusion and cannot change a person's thinking ability. Therefore, if Xuan Zhenzi had not killed anyone, he could completely deny it.
Xuan Zhenzi also wanted to deny it, but the person interrogating him was King Yama. If he lied, the records in the Book of Life and Death would immediately expose his lies, and the consequences would only be more serious.
This is the effect of authority in hypnosis. Once the hypnotist establishes supreme authority in the subject's mind, his words become oracles.
Xuan Zhenzi didn't dare to resist the gods and ghosts, so he had to honestly confess his crimes. From the time he first entered the martial arts world at the age of 18 to the time he became famous at the age of 68, he had killed a total of 49 people. Each of them had a name and a source, and it was not a fabrication.
Among them were his mistress with whom he committed adultery, his fellow townsman who had leverage over him, court officials who hindered his career, as well as ordinary people and his disciples.
He killed them for money, sex, power, or to silence them. In short, he had his own reasons.
He dumped their bodies in the wilderness to feed wolves, buried them in the earth to dry bones, or burned them to ashes. He even buried the body of a young Taoist child in the flowerbed of Qingtian Temple, where it nourished many beautiful flowers.
Everyone around was stunned. Someone exclaimed, "I know this Liu that Xuan Zhenzi is talking about! We're from the same village. That Liu went out for a trip and never came back. His wife was actually having an affair with Xuan Zhenzi! Xuan Zhenzi even killed him for this! Oh my God!"
This person's words caused everyone to burst into an uproar of horror.
He killed 49 people in fifty years, which is equivalent to killing one person per year on average. There really is such a demon in the world!
If you hinder his future, kill him! If he sees you carrying too much money, kill him! If you catch him doing something wrong, kill him! If you try to persuade him not to do evil, kill him!
This Xuan Zhenzi is not a human being at all, but a ghost in human skin!
The crowd retreated further, with angry expressions on their faces.
When Xuan Zhenzi explained his crimes in detail, Zhuang Li signaled his brother to write them down quickly.
Zhuang Jiuge quickly spread out a piece of rice paper and wrote with great speed. After Xuan Zhenzi finished his instructions, he also wrote the last word.
Zhuang Li took the petition, looked at it, then handed it to Xuan Zhenzi and asked him to sign it.
Xuan Zhenzi signed the document and pressed his fingerprints obediently, so Zhuang Li counted down to five to wake him up from his hypnotic state.
If the hypnotist doesn't give any instructions, the subject won't lose their memories during hypnosis, so Xuan Zhenzi remembered everything after waking up. He didn't care about the reactions of the people around him and suddenly pounced on Zhuang Li, trying to snatch the indictment.
Before Zhuang Li could dodge, the King of Qi knocked Xuan Zhenzi unconscious with a single blow of his sword. He said coldly, "Imprison him for interrogation. Governor Qin, immediately send someone to investigate the crimes listed in this petition. You must uncover the truth as quickly as possible and give the people an explanation. I will close the Qingtian Temple, and all the Taoists there will be imprisoned and await trial!"
The governor of Qin agreed with great trepidation, then hesitated and said, "Xuan Zhenzi has refined an elixir that is said to cure all diseases."
"I dare not eat the elixir made by this kind of person. I think it is dirty." King Qi said with extreme disgust.
Prefect Qin dared not speak for Xuan Zhenzi any further. He bowed deeply, then hurried away with the petition. The prince had personally ordered a thorough investigation, so he naturally dared not delay.
The crowd cheered for the King of Qi, while others were terrified and pale. But no matter how they felt, they all agreed on Zhuang Li—this Mr. Zhuang could actually bring souls into the underworld for interrogation! He must be an immortal!
Thinking of this, some people's knees weakened and they actually knelt down before Zhuang Li. Influenced by these people, more and more people knelt down.
Zhuang Li was most impatient with this and asked the King of Qi as a matter of course: "Please clear the area."
The King of Qi waved his hand slightly, and more guards came out from the darkness and dispersed the crowd.
When these people left, their eyes were filled with eagerness and expressions of extreme admiration, and they were shouting words like "Please enlighten me, gods!"
"It's just some magic tricks, nothing special." Zhuang Li pointed to the chair opposite him and said gently, "Please sit down."
The King of Qi sat down, his eyes fixed on the young man, and said frankly: "When you were catching ghosts for Miss Zhou, I was next door."
Zhuang Li raised his eyebrows slightly, a little surprised, but the corners of his lips curled up uncontrollably.
"System, do you still think this person doesn't pay attention to me?" he asked in his mind, with a bit of pride in his tone.
7480: "...Alright, Master, you win. The gods love you."
Zhuang Li smiled with satisfaction and then guided the King of Qi to speak: "So?"
The King of Qi said slowly, "So I know you deliberately belittled Lingxi and Xuan Zhenzi in front of everyone. You hoped these outrageous words would draw Lingxi out so you could put him on trial."
"Yes, but I didn't expect to lure his master out." Zhuang Li admitted his plan frankly.
Of course, during Lingxi's trial, he would conceal the experiences of Miss Zhou and other women with similar experiences, and only reveal the murder Lingxi had committed. But he didn't need to explain this to anyone.
The King of Qi nodded and said, "When I was fortune-telling yesterday, you said that the person I was looking for had appeared. Was that person you?"
Zhuang Li raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"
The King of Qi lowered his eyes slightly and fell silent. Something in his mind made his pale ears turn bright red. He wanted to ask again: Is this the one you're waiting for?
But he also knew that if he really asked, he would definitely get a negative answer, or even a burst of incredible ridicule.
A lively and beautiful boy will only fall in love with an equally lively and beautiful girl. How could he be interested in a dying, half-dead man like him?
This feeling of self-loathing and self-abandonment pierced the King of Qi's heart like a needle, causing him to be surrounded by a dense, stinging pain. In a trance, he finally realized the source of his restlessness and attachment.
After only meeting once, the young man left an indelible mark on his heart.
He was already thirty-five, but the boy was only eighteen or nineteen, so full of life, lively and lovely. His feelings for him seemed like a disgrace to the boy.
The King of Qi's ears, burning hot, quickly turned cold, and his slightly parted lips closed again. He waved his hand wearily and stood up to leave.
Zhuang Li, however, had already seen through his thoughts. He suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered with a smile, "Why don't you ask? You guessed right, the person I'm waiting for is you." After saying this, his tender lips gently rubbed the tip of King Qi's ear, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
The King of Qi froze in place, as if struck by lightning. He could never have guessed the answer, and the joy that followed was too much for his long-sealed heart to bear. He had no idea how to react, except for his ears, which quickly turned a deep red.
Zhuang Li didn't mind his slowness. He put away the things on the table, hooked his index finger at his brother, and said casually, "Closing the stall and going home."
Zhuang Jiuge saluted the King of Qi with great respect and dignity, then caught up with his brother and walked away quickly.
When the King of Qi came to his senses from his shock, the two brothers had already disappeared in the crowd.
"Go to Luoxia Village!" King Qi, who had returned to normal, couldn't wait to give the order.
---
At the same time, Zhuang Li and Zhuang Jiuge met up with Zhuang Laoer and Liu Chunhua at the dock.
The broker didn't know who owned the house in Xishan, and only said that he would help them find out and asked them to come back in two days.
Zhuang Li was not disappointed. He took out a stack of banknotes from his sleeve pocket and handed them to Zhuang Lao Er, saying calmly, "Dad, keep these banknotes. Use them to buy houses and land in the future."
Zhuang Laoer counted carefully and found a staggering 500 taels. His scalp tingled with shock. His son had earned a ton of gold and silver in just two days. What was going on? Would their family soon become the richest people in Bazhou City?
Zhuang Jiuge quickly recounted what had happened today in vivid detail, causing the couple to exclaim in surprise.
The news spread quickly at the dock. When the family of four stood together and talked, many people looked over at them, with expressions of awe on their faces.
Nowadays, everyone knows that Mr. Zhuang is a god-like figure with extraordinary means. Even the governor and the King of Qi have to treat him with courtesy! With such a son, why should Zhuang Lao Er work? He should just go back and be the eldest master.
Feeling everyone's awe-inspiring and envious gazes, Zhuang Lao Er straightened his back, waved his hand, and said happily, "Let's go to the bank to deposit some silver and buy a roasted pig!"
Zhuang Jiuge: "Dad, I still want to eat roast goose!"
Zhuang Li: "I want to eat braised pork elbow."
"Okay, roast pork, roast goose, braised pork elbows, everything is available!" Zhuang Lao Er laughed.
When a family of four was enjoying a sumptuous dinner in the city, two strangers came from Luoxia Village. They were both twelve or thirteen years old. They were very good at speaking and quickly won over the children of the village. They used candies and copper coins to get information about Zhuang Laoer's family. Their eyes were wandering and they looked around, and their behavior was very sneaky.
Because they were young and looked ordinary, the villagers were completely unaware of this.
Only Zhuang Tianer glanced at the two of them inconspicuously when she passed by, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, and she smiled sinisterly.
It seems that Boss Zhuang has spread the news that the second branch of the Zhuang family has made a fortune.
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