Chapter 57: Fear Not, It Is No Fiend

Su Chen handed all the peace talismans over to A-Biao.

"Brother Biao, these two are the good ones at 150 each, and these eight can only block a disaster once, at 20 each."

"Just keep them all in your shop."

"Alright, alright, great!"

A-Biao hurriedly cradled them in his arms like precious treasures: "Bro, are you leaving right now?"

"Mn, things always need a proper conclusion."

With that, Su Chen called out, "Honghong, say goodbye to Uncle A-Biao."

The little one immediately waved her hands, said goodbye obediently, and then picked up the bag of snacks. Just as she reached for the bag containing the scarves, A-Kui hoisted her up by the collar.

"Let me, let me! Master, we'll carry these. You just lead the way."

She was already impatient.

She just wanted to track down the mastermind behind all this and beat the living daylights out of them.

Yet just as she stepped forward, she retreated a few paces, backing up to where A-Biao stood.

She asked in a low voice, "Are these talismans really effective?"

A-Biao was somewhat intimidated by her and instinctively shifted to the side: "Yeah."

"Then give me one—no, three!"

"The 150 ones are out of the question, I have to keep those," A-Biao quickly reminded her.

A-Kui looked at him in astonishment: "What right do you have to keep them?"

A-Biao gave an awkward laugh: "I, I have use for them. Besides, these are talismans drawn by my brother, and I'm paying to keep them. Do, do you have a problem with that?"

A-Kui gave him a strange look: "Fine, fine, I won't argue with you. Give me three of the 20-dollar ones then!"

Cash was exchanged for talismans.

Once they left, A-Biao finally let out a slow breath.

He wiped his forehead.

That woman was truly fierce!

He'd better stay far away the next time he saw her.

A-Kui carried the bag of scarves and quickly caught up with the main group, just in time to hear A-Yang and Old Cui whispering to each other.

"Dad, is A-Ning really better now?"

Old Cui hesitated: "She’s eating, so... she should be better, right?"

"Then tell me, does Brother Su Chen really have real skills?"

"Who's to say he doesn't?"

A-Kui couldn't help rolling her eyes.

Were these two blind?

Did they not see how that paper figurine was floating around like that? How could he possibly lack real skills?

Sigh, it's just that that detestable man was too selfish, otherwise he should have bought a 150-dollar talisman for A-Ning no matter what. Her niece had suffered too much; with that talisman, she could at least live in peace from now on.

At the entrance of Chunming Street.

A-Yang stepped forward to hail two taxis, but after counting the people, two cars were not enough, so he raised his hand again.

"Master, over here!"

Not far away, Zhao Dongsheng, chewing on a toothpick, waved at Su Chen, quickly drove the car over, and pulled up beside them.

A-Yang: "..."

Su Chen motioned for A-Kui and the others to put their things in the trunk, then took Honghong by the hand and taught her how to open the car door. Once inside, he said to Zhao Dongsheng, "Brother Zhao, let's head to Shuitou Town!"

Zhao Dongsheng had already noticed the group and asked with curious wonder, "Master, what's going on with these people?"

"Oh, they were forced into a nether-marriage."

Su Chen didn't plan to explain further. After dropping that sentence, he pulled out a picture book and began reading it to Honghong.

Seeing Honghong holding the picture book and reading it attentively, he then reminded Zhao Dongsheng, "Don't touch that cement pit in Longshan yet."

"Why?" Zhao Dongsheng asked in confusion.

"Captain Zhang investigated and said that place was a pig farm before liberation. Pig farms are filthy, and building one in such a special location disrupts the mountain's aura. It seems someone laid out a formation there before liberation. Now that they've built a cement pit and put animal remains in it, it's likely the same bunch of people, and their intentions are malicious. Later on, Brother Zhao, we'll make another trip to Longshan and set a trap."

Zhao Dongsheng hadn't been very enthusiastic at first, but his eyes lit up at those words.

"Alright, I'll listen to you, Master!"

He loved catching bad guys!

Once the master cast a long line to catch a big fish, it would be best to give them a thorough beating!

After driving for over an hour to Shuitou Town, the group got out of the car and marched imposingly toward the shaman's house.

This grand procession left the townspeople completely bewildered. Someone shouted loudly, "Old Xu, what are you guys..."

"Yo, A-Ning woke up? Is she all right now?"

Hearing this, Old Xu finally wore a smiling expression: "Yeah, our A-Ning is much better now!"

"Then what are you all doing..."

"Going to settle accounts!"

"——Huh?"

Everyone caught the grinding teeth in Old Xu's tone and exchanged bewildered glances, but instinctively followed along anyway.

Missing out on a good show would make someone a bastard.

Seeing Old Xu and the others enter Granny Liu's courtyard, everyone's expressions turned strange.

"What's going on here?"

"What did Granny Liu do to A-Ning?"

"No way? I remember Old Xu and the others went to Granny Liu for talisman water before, but A-Ning was already sick by then."

"Could she have been cursed by Granny Liu?"

"Bah, bah, bah, don't talk nonsense. Granny Liu is powerful, be careful she comes after you at night."

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone immediately fell silent.

Upon entering Granny Liu's courtyard, Su Chen instinctively furrowed his brows.

In that three-room cottage, the room on the far right was shrouded in black Qi.

He tilted his head and asked, "Did this shaman have any family members living with her originally?"

A-Kui shook her head: "Not really?"

"How could she not?" Old Xu's wife hurried over, glanced at the room as if somewhat afraid, but still lowered her voice to explain, "She used to have a daughter, but later she ran off with someone and hasn't been back for many years."

"Really? How come I didn't know?" A-Kui asked in surprise.

"That's ancient history. You were only four or five back then, how would you know?"

Su Chen frowned: "The gender doesn't match."

If a daughter was to be used for a nether-marriage, they would look for a male, not choose A-Ning.

"Then could it be... a son she secretly gave birth to with someone in the town over the years?"

Su Chen remained silent, took out the paper substitute figurine, and imprinted several Dao seals upon it: "Go!"

The paper figurine floated up once more, swaying unsteadily, but its target was extremely clear—it headed straight for the small room on the right.

At that moment, Old Xu trotted back from the middle main room: "It looks like nobody is home."

Seeing the paper figurine flying, he froze for a moment, then curiously glanced at the room on the right. The door of that room was tightly shut and secured with a large, heavy lock.

For some reason, Old Xu shivered involuntarily, feeling as though he was being watched by something.

He hurried back in a light jog to Su Chen's side, only then feeling the eerie chill leave his body.

The paper figurine drifted to the door, slowly descended, and slipped through the crack at the bottom.

Seeing this, Zhao Dongsheng stepped forward to take a look, rummaged through his backpack, and pulled out a hammer: "Master, should I smash this lock?"

Su Chen nodded: "Smash it."

He then motioned for them to wait outside for a moment. Once Zhao Dongsheng smashed the lock with a single swing, twisted it open, and pushed the door open, Su Chen followed him inside.

The room was frighteningly cold and dreary, making even a blood-and-guts fellow like Zhao Dongsheng shrink his neck and rub his hands together.

"Damn, why is it so creepy in here?"

He fumbled along the wall, couldn't find the light switch, and could only pull out a flashlight in frustration.

As the beam swept across the room, it illuminated a pitch-black coffin placed squarely in the center.

"Whoa!"

Zhao Dongsheng retreated a step in fright, feeling his back being steadied. Realizing it was Su Chen, he offered a sheepish smile.

"Master, thi—this, this!"

"Don't be afraid, it's not a malevolent ghost."

"Oh, oh, right."

Su Chen formed several Dao seals and struck them onto the coffin. Soon, a faint, fine golden light flickered across the surface of the pitch-black coffin before rapidly fading away.

Feeling the room grow a little warmer, Zhao Dongsheng let out a slight breath of relief, stepped forward, and shoved the coffin lid open.

With a glance inside, he saw a youth of about fifteen or sixteen lying quietly within. The boy's body was stained with some unknown purplish-black substance, his skin withered and shrunken, looking precisely like a dried corpse.