I followed Dazhu as he drove a rented SUV, bumping along the mountain road for four hours.
Along the way, a strange white mist clung to the car windows, and the further we went, the deeper it seemed, as if we had entered a primeval forest.
It was noon, but the sky was as dark as an evening dyed with ink.
Dazhu huddled in the passenger seat, his withered fingers gripping the seatbelt tightly.
"We'll be there soon."
He suddenly spoke, his voice a mixture of morbid excitement and trembling.
I hummed in agreement, my eyes fixed on the compass placed in the car.
The pointer spun wildly between the "Li" and "Kan" trigrams, before finally plunging sharply westward.
That's the location where the Yin meridians converge.
The phone screen suddenly flickered, displaying the time as "19:44", but the sunlight outside the car was still lingering on the mountain peak.
When the off-road vehicle stalled halfway up the mountain, the thick fog almost completely engulfed the vehicle.
I pushed open the car door, and the damp mist immediately filled my collar, carrying a rotten, sweet, and fishy smell.
It was so cold that I couldn't help but shiver.
The moment I opened my third eye, I saw a wisp of purplish-black turbid air swirling in the sky, shaped like a fox raising its head and stepping on the moon.
The demonic aura was mixed with a strong murderous intent, and it had a more bloody smell than ordinary spirits.
I took out my phone to check the time, but the screen only showed "No Service," and the digital clock was jumping wildly between "12:03" and "23:47."
The compass needle was still spinning rapidly.
First it pointed to the chaotic graveyard in the southeast, then suddenly turned to the shady locust tree in the northwest.
"The magnetic field has been disturbed."
I frowned and pressed down on the compass; the metal casing was incredibly hot: "It's like something is deliberately blocking signals from the mortal realm."
Dazhu pulled a military green tent out of the trunk.
"Master Chen, this fog won't clear until 3 a.m.
He unfolded the moisture-proof mat and forced a smile: "You should take a nap first. You need to be well-rested tonight."
As he spoke, he handed me a compressed biscuit: "Master Chen, have something to eat first. I'm sorry to have kept you busy for so long."
I took the compressed biscuits he offered and casually asked, "Your wife and daughter..."
"Sigh~"
Dazhu's eyes immediately reddened: "My wife went back to her parents' home and said... said that my daughter's illness is retribution for my sins!"
He suddenly squatted down, his fingers digging into the soil: "But I clearly gave all the money to the hospital! I put a peach wood sword under my pillow every day! Why are those white hairs still crawling into my bed?!"
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes red as he looked ahead: "Just one more night, and once I get the last piece of porcelain, I'll take my daughter abroad for treatment!"
I stared at him, stunned.
He seems to have been affected.
She was crying her eyes out before, then knelt down before me, saying she wouldn't dare do it again.
But just now, he actually said he'd stay up one more night?
"Big Pillar".
I interrupted him, watching as the compass needle suddenly pointed at his heart: "Have you ever considered that those porcelain pieces aren't antiques at all?"
He was startled: "What...what do you mean? If it's not an antique, then why can it be sold for money?"
"It is a living soul."
I took out a talisman and lit it. The flame made his face look pale. "Every piece of porcelain contains the essence of a man. You think you're making money off the dead, but you're actually trading your lifespan for the spirit."
"That's not right!"
Dazhu suddenly became excited: "But that's real gold and silver, money you can actually touch!"
I sighed and said, "The money is real, but it's money that will cost you your life. And do you really think the people who bought it are genuine antique collectors?"
Hearing my words, Dazhu was taken aback: "What else could it be but a genuine antique buyer?"
I raised an eyebrow: "Perhaps... a fox?"
"Fox...fox?"
Dazhu suddenly coughed violently, his phlegm mixed with white hair-like bits of hair.
not good!
I bit my fingertip and quickly applied the blood to Dazhu's forehead.
Dazhu's pupils contracted instantly, the veins in his neck bulged, and something seemed to be wriggling under his skin.
I frowned deeply. This evil energy was so deeply entangled that ordinary exorcism talismans could hardly suppress it.
I immediately formed a mudra with my hands and quickly chanted: "Namo Ratna Trayaya. Namo Arya. Avalokiteshvara. Bodhisattvaya, Mahasattvaya. Maha, Karunikaya. Om, Sarva Bhadra, Sudana Tadyatha..."
As I read faster and faster, Dazhu trembled violently, letting out a beast-like growl from his throat.
A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with confusion: "Master Chen, I... what happened to me just now? Did I say something wrong?"
"Your mind has been deceived."
I looked at the compass needle spinning wildly and sighed, "The magnetic field here is chaotic and the evil energy is too strong; even souls can be easily lured away."
"Master Chen, I..."
Dazhu's voice trembled: "I think I just heard someone calling my name..."
I made a hand seal and touched his forehead: "It's not a person shouting, it's a ghost urging you to die. But it's okay now, don't think too much. If you're afraid of having wild thoughts, just think about your daughter and your wife."
Just then, the roar of an engine came from afar.
Several blinding headlights pierced through the thick fog.
One after another, luxury cars worth millions slowly drove in.
These cars didn't stop here; they drove straight into the deeper part of the area.
As time went by, the once deserted hillside became lively.
Tents were set up one after another.
At first, we only had one tent, but later five or six tents were erected.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
