Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 189: Date (Part Three)

Fang Xiu had property nearby? Gao Shan was surprised.

But it made sense. Xushan was dangerous, sure, but from afar, the view was beautiful. It wasn’t uncommon for the wealthy to buy vacation villas nearby to enjoy the scenery.

The old Taoist responded slowly, seemingly unwilling to appear too eager.

Forget it. There’s no point in overthinking it, Gao Shan told himself.

He didn’t have any talent in cultivation anyway and could only work as a middleman in the field. The old Taoist offered generous commissions, so what did he care about the man’s deeper intentions?

He stepped on the gas pedal of his luxury car, taking the old Taoist, Fang Xiu, and Bai Shuangying away from the scene. As for the other three black Taoists, they would have to rely on their own skills.

Their destination was a small villa community they had passed earlier.

It was early spring, and the chill still lingered. The mountain vegetation was a mix of green and brown, making it a poor season for sightseeing. Most of the villas were unoccupied.

Fang Xiu led the way confidently and brought the group to a secluded villa.

Just as they arrived, the other three black Taoists also rushed over, covered in dust. Their speed was impressive.

The old Taoist didn’t seem concerned. He carefully observed the villa’s layout and the valuable landscaping in the courtyard, gently twirling his beard with his fingers.

Fang Xiu showed a look of amateurish awe.

Knock knock knock.

He smiled and exchanged a glance with Bai Shuangying, then slowly knocked three times on the door. At the same time, Bai Shuangying flicked his fingers, and illusions rose like mist.

Creak.

The door slowly slid open, revealing a beautifully maintained courtyard. The trees and arrangements looked exactly as seen from the outside. The yard was clean and elegant, with a classical charm that showed it was regularly maintained.

“Please, Masters.” Fang Xiu respectfully gestured.

“Oh, Mr. Fang…”

A short “old man” scurried out from inside. His skin was deathly pale, and his cheeks were unnaturally red, giving him a somewhat eerie appearance.

Just as he was about to speak, he caught sight of Gao Shan and the four Taoists. The old man paused, glanced at his wrinkled hands, then exaggeratedly changed his tone, “…Young Master Fang, what brings you here? We didn’t get any notice and didn’t prepare food!”

“I brought guests at the last minute. It’s not your fault.”

Fang Xiu said generously, “Dian’er, go brew some tea for the Masters.”

“Right away!”

The odd little old man grinned wide, revealing ghostly pale teeth.

Inside, the villa was decorated in a traditional style, with three or four ink paintings hanging on the walls. Gao Shan took a closer look and felt they could be genuine. There were a few orchids and some porcelain pieces around the room, all seemingly high-end antiques.

This silly kid’s family really was rich.

“Please warm yourselves with some tea before we begin the spirit cleansing.”

Fang Xiu sat on the couch beside Bai Shuangying, openly holding his hand. “If possible, please also cleanse my lover. I’m fine with paying for it.”

Just then, the little old man walked back in with a tea tray.

As he approached, a rich fragrance wafted from the teapot. He poured seven cups of tea with practiced care. The tea was amber-colored and crystal clear, very inviting.

The old Taoist picked up a cup and looked pleased. “Hm, not bad.”

“We’ll do the spirit cleansing for your partner afterward. No charge this time. Once you’ve experienced the benefits yourself, you’ll understand.”

Dian’er: “Pfft.”

Realizing that might be inappropriate, he quickly added two coughs and pretended his throat was acting up.

The old Taoist gave him a cold side-eye.

Fang Xiu raised his cup like a toast and downed it in one go.

“Thank you, Master. I’m not sure if the tea suits your tastes. To be honest, my father knows more about this stuff. I can’t really tell good from bad.”

Seeing Fang Xiu drink, the old Taoist finally took a sip himself. “Not bad.”

The other three Taoists followed suit and all expressed approval.

Gao Shan quickly took a sip too…then nearly spat it out. It was sour and bitter, like crushed medicine tablets. What part of that was “not bad”? Were the others taste-blind?

As Gao Shan spit out the tea, the old man Dian’er gave him a creepy grin.

…And then turned his head one hundred eighty degrees to look at him.

An evil spirit, in broad daylight!

Gao Shan jumped up in fright, pointing at the strange old man. “You, you, you…”

The black Taoists also sensed something wrong and gathered together cautiously. The old Taoist stared at Dian’er, trying to feel his spiritual energy, but sensed nothing.

“Weren’t you all enjoying the tea?”

Fang Xiu sat there innocently, his hand still covering Bai Shuangying’s.

“Gao Shan didn’t like it, but he didn’t faint either,” Bai Shuangying said mentally. “Which means his karmic debt isn’t deep, though he has no merit either. His exact status should be judged by the living.”

Fang Xiu shook his teacup with his other hand. “Looks like the ‘tea’ needs more tweaking.”

Dian’er’s grin vanished instantly. Its face scrunched up. “You want to tweak it again, Master Fang?”

“There’s always room for improvement,” Fang Xiu replied. “Do it right and I’ll raise your salary.”

The grin immediately returned to Dian’er’s face. “You said it!”

Meanwhile, Gao Shan was slowly edging toward the door. He quickly pulled it open when the others weren’t looking, only to find pitch-black darkness behind it.

The darkness was bottomless and instinctively chilling. Gao Shan fell to the ground, lips trembling.

Big cities had stronger yang energy. In all his years as a middleman, the most he’d seen was someone possessed by a minor spirit. He’d never even experienced being lost in ghostly illusions, let alone this level of horror.

What was going on? Weren’t those two just naive rich kids?

He had received the deposit and confirmed Fang Xiu was a real person. So how was this so terrifying?

Even the slow old Taoist realized something was wrong now. “What did you give us?!”

“Well, my Bai Shuangying can see karmic threads, but I didn’t want him to waste his time identifying garbage like you,” Fang Xiu said with the same respectful tone, though against the backdrop of darkness, it carried a subtle note of mockery.

“I came up with the concept. He cast the spell. Together we created this product—people with merit faint after drinking it and forget everything. People without merit remain conscious. The more blood debt you carry, the better it tastes.”

“I’ve tried it myself. That aroma is indescribable. I drink a cup every day.”

The old Taoist sneered. “Tricks and gimmicks!”

He pulled out a talisman, ready to attack—but his wrist suddenly froze.

Somehow, the little old man had gotten close and now held his wrist in a grip like iron. The Taoist couldn’t move at all.

The other three Taoists were similarly immobilized, only able to move their eyes.

Dian’er’s smile widened as he revealed his paper-doll appearance.

The old Taoist shuddered. “An Underworld enforcer?”

“That’s right. At least you have eyes.” Dian’er grinned, snapping his fingers. “You were far too rude to our Lord. How lucky you are to be invited by him in person.”

In a flash, the luxurious living room vanished. The eerie doorway disappeared as well.

The eight “people” were now standing in a small courtyard, surrounded by swaying red lanterns, gently moving even without wind.

The old Taoist’s pupils darted frantically, and his face finally showed fear.

At this point, he couldn’t tell who Fang Xiu really was or what he had done. He had no idea where this place was.

He couldn’t give up. He had to find a way out.

Seeing his three disciples restrained, he had a powerful gut feeling—if he didn’t act now, he would die here.

That paper figure enforcer was definitely dangerous.

That strange young man in red… His acting was terrifyingly good, and he was being addressed as “Lord” by the enforcer, so clearly, he was someone important.

…The only one who hadn’t acted yet was the man in white.

For some reason, the enforcer never looked his way. Combined with Fang Xiu’s affectionate behavior along the way, he was likely just a pretty boy being kept.

Still, the old Taoist was confident he could hurt the pretty boy.

If he could escape, he’d book an international flight immediately and leave all this nonsense behind.

His Adam’s apple bobbed. His beard trembled.

Yes, he would risk everything to take that man hostage.

The old man pretended to panic and inhaled deeply. Suddenly, fierce winds swirled around him. Veins bulged beneath his shriveled skin.

At the same moment, he bit down hard and swallowed a hidden pill from his fake tooth.

He shook off Dian’er and moved faster than ever, pulling out a ritual dagger and lunging toward Bai Shuangying—

Clink!

The blade tip lightly touched Bai Shuangying’s extended finger. The impact rang with an unnatural metallic sound. The dagger bent out of shape instantly.

Bai Shuangying looked genuinely puzzled. He couldn’t understand why he was the target.

Still lost in thought, he flicked his finger. The old Taoist flew back like a slingshot pellet, slamming into the courtyard wall.

If Dian’er hadn’t quickly thrown up a protective ward, the man’s soul might have shattered on the spot.

Fang Xiu, who had been watching: “…Wow.”

Bai Shuangying turned and looked at him with mild confusion.

“I think I get what he was trying to do. I’ll explain later,” Fang Xiu said gently. “What matters is, you looked really cool just now.”

“Mm.” Bai Shuangying forgot his confusion and looked entirely pleased.

Then he turned toward the three immobilized Taoists, clearly eager to try something.

“Wait, wait, wait, let us handle it. No need to get your hands dirty,”

Dian’er jumped in quickly. “We don’t know how to handle the one with light karmic debt. Lord Fang, what do you say?”

Fang Xiu nodded and took hold of Bai Shuangying’s wrist.

In the corner, Gao Shan was frantically slapping himself in the face, trying to wake from what had to be a nightmare.

Unfortunately, even after drawing blood and swelling his cheeks, he was still stuck in this terrifying place.

“Hey, Master.”

Fang Xiu stood before him, smiling as he pulled out the custom contract.

“…Can I collect my goods now?”

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True criminal-on-criminal robbery be like ↑

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