Shui Miao hurried to the electronics mall, carrying 130,000 yuan, just enough to buy an imported digital video camera.
He knew absolutely nothing about cameras.
All he cared about was that it was of high quality, a good product, and easy to use. Everything else didn’t matter.
With the camera in hand, Shui Miao hurried back.
Just as he placed the camera on the bed inside the shop, the granddaughter of Zhang the blind man came running over, “Big brother, two policewomen came looking for you earlier. Here’s their phone number—she said to call them when you got back.”
“Policewomen?”
Shui Miao took the small slip of paper with the phone number and said thanks, but immediately felt like the number looked familiar.
“Isn’t this Cao Miaoyi’s number!?”
Shui Miao was puzzled—hadn’t he kept a low profile? How had he managed to draw her attention?
Immediately, he extended his spiritual awareness.
At that moment, a car door nearby opened, and two beautiful women in police uniforms stepped out—none other than Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi.
“Why are you two here?”
Shui Miao walked forward in surprise.
Lin Xue stopped, looked at Shui Miao, sighed, shook her head, and said in an annoyed tone, “Shui Miao, I really don’t know what to say to you anymore. You came back to Haihuang City, a huge deal like this, and didn’t even tell us? Is it because you think we’re not even worthy of being your friends?”
“Sis, don’t be like that…”
Chu Miaoyi gently tugged at Lin Xue’s sleeve.
They were still the same as ever—one as fierce as a man, the other gentle and graceful like a refined lady.
Shui Miao scratched his head and sighed, “It’s hard to explain. You know how I am—I care too much about all of you, so I didn’t want to drag you into anything. But I didn’t expect you to find out anyway… hehe.”
“Haha, Shui Miao, don’t worry. We’re not afraid of being dragged into anything. Don’t always think like that,” Chu Miaoyi smiled warmly and glanced behind Shui Miao, “Honestly, I never expected you to be so high-profile now. And yet you still opened a little shop here—you really are one of a kind, unfathomably deep.”
“Shui Miao, Miaoyi’s right. So what if there is some danger? It’s just life and death. What’s there to be afraid of? Besides, even if we die, we still have our souls. We can start over again. Twenty years from now, we’ll still be heroes!” Lin Xue spoke boldly, truly a woman among men.
Chu Miaoyi covered her mouth and smiled.
Shui Miao exhaled in relief and turned toward the shop, “Wait a second, I need to grab something.”
He turned back, picked up the camera from the bed, and with a thought, placed it into the Shengyuan Ring before walking out, “I bet you two haven’t had dinner yet. Let me treat you to a feast.”
“Great! I’ve been hungry for a while. Let’s have a few drinks too.”
Lin Xue readily agreed, unreservedly.
The three walked together toward a nearby restaurant about three hundred meters away. On the way, Shui Miao learned that the village head, Liu Kaikai, had gone to the police station to report being cursed by someone evil. Coincidentally, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi had recently been transferred back to serve as the chief and deputy chief of the East City Police Station. Based on Liu Kaikai’s description, the two naturally thought of Shui Miao.
Right now, Liu Kaikai was still at the station, clutching his stomach in pain.
Meanwhile, Shui Miao, Lin Xue, and Chu Miaoyi were in a private room at the small restaurant, enjoying a hotpot dinner, chatting and laughing.
“Shui Miao, when you suddenly disappeared before, what exactly happened? If it’s not too much trouble, tell us,” Lin Xue said after drinking half a catty of baijiu, showing no signs of drunkenness.
Shui Miao looked at Chu Miaoyi, then at Lin Xue, and licked his lips, “It’s complicated. I entered a mysterious space, and some incredible things happened. When I returned, half a year had already passed in the outside world. It’s all too surreal to explain. This time, I opened a shop here. So far, only you two and my godfather Wang Yong know about it. I told everyone else that I was ascending to the Immortal Realm. Do you know why I did that?”
“Could it be that a more powerful enemy is threatening you?” Chu Miaoyi and Lin Xue exchanged glances, frowning.
“You could say that,” Shui Miao nodded, his expression serious. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. I’ve become so strong, and I feel like it’s all part of a huge conspiracy. My loved ones and friends have become the leverage that the hidden enemy is using against me. So I need to find a quiet place to think carefully and figure out which path I should take next.”
“…”
Hearing this, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi suddenly understood why Shui Miao had been avoiding everyone.
“Shui Miao, maybe you’re overthinking it?” Chu Miaoyi hesitated before saying.
Lin Xue quickly added, “There’s nothing we can’t handle. Even if it really is a conspiracy, we’re not afraid…”
“But I am afraid,” Shui Miao took a deep breath. “Now that you know the truth, please keep this secret for me. And more importantly—forget me. I don’t want to drag anyone else into this.”
“…”
Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi looked at each other, speechless.
At that moment, Lin Xue received a call.
It was from Officer Li at the station. He said that Liu Kaikai couldn’t endure the abdominal pain anymore and had left the station over ten minutes ago.
After hanging up, Shui Miao said directly, “Liu Kaikai is a cruel, bullying, corrupt official who has been oppressing the villagers. I wanted to force him to turn himself in, so please wait a bit longer. He won’t be able to hold out for long.”
“Shui Miao, you’re such a good person, but why do good people always suffer so much?” Chu Miaoyi couldn’t help but sigh softly.
Lin Xue clenched her fist, “I knew that guy wasn’t good. He looked like a pig’s head, and now it turns out he’s a blood-sucking corrupt official. I won’t let him off the hook!”
Shui Miao hurried to the electronics mall with 130,000 yuan and managed to buy an imported digital camera.
He knew nothing about cameras.
All he cared about was that it was high-quality, reliable, and easy to use—nothing else mattered.
With the camera in hand, Shui Miao rushed back.
Just as he placed the camera on the bed in his shop, Zhang the Blind Man’s granddaughter ran over. “Big brother, two police sisters came looking for you earlier. They left this number and asked you to call them when you got back.”
“Police sisters?”
Shui Miao took the small slip of paper with the phone number written on it, thanked her, and felt the number looked somewhat familiar.
“Isn’t this Chu Miaoyi’s number!?”
Shui Miao was puzzled. He hadn’t made much of a stir—why would Chu Miaoyi come looking for him?
Immediately, he extended his divine sense to scan the area.
Not far away, a car door opened, and two beautiful women in police uniforms stepped out. They were Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi.
“What brings you here?” Shui Miao asked in surprise as he walked toward them.
Lin Xue stopped, looked at Shui Miao, sighed, and shook her head in frustration. “Shui Miao, I really don’t know what to say to you. How could you come back to Huanghai City without telling us? Do you think we’re not even worthy of being your friends?”
“Sis, don’t be like that…” Chu Miaoyi gently tugged at Lin Xue’s sleeve.
The two of them were still the same as always—one tougher than most men, the other gentle and ladylike.
Shui Miao scratched his head and sighed. “It’s a long story. You know me—I care too much about you, my friends. I didn’t want to drag you into my troubles, but it seems you found out anyway. Heh…”
“Heh, Shui Miao, don’t worry. We’re not afraid of being dragged into anything. Don’t always think like that,” Chu Miaoyi said with a gentle smile, glancing behind Shui Miao. “I never expected someone of your status to open a shop here. You’re truly one of a kind—unfathomable!”
“Shui Miao, Miaoyi is right. What’s the big deal? It’s just a life. Everyone dies eventually—sooner or later. There’s no such thing as dragging others down. Besides, after death, there’s still the soul. We can start over again—in twenty years, we’ll be heroes once more!” Lin Xue declared boldly, truly a woman with the spirit of a man.
Chu Miaoyi covered her mouth and laughed.
Shui Miao let out a relieved sigh and turned toward the shop. “Wait here for a moment. I need to grab something.”
He went back inside, picked up the camera from the bed, and with a thought, stored it in his Saint Origin Ring. Then he walked back out. “I assume you haven’t had dinner yet. Let me treat you to a meal—we’ll go all out.”
“Great! I’m starving. Let’s have a few drinks too,” Lin Xue agreed readily, without any hesitation.
The three of them walked together to a restaurant about 300 meters away. On the way, Shui Miao learned that Village Chief Liu Kaihui had gone to the police station to report that he had been cursed by an evil sorcerer. Coincidentally, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi had been transferred back to the East City Police Station as chief and deputy chief. Based on Liu Kaihui’s description, they naturally thought of Shui Miao.
Now, Liu Kaihui was still at the station, clutching his stomach in pain.
Meanwhile, Shui Miao, Lin Xue, and Chu Miaoyi were in a private room at a small restaurant, enjoying a hot pot meal, laughing and chatting merrily.
“Shui Miao, what really happened when you suddenly disappeared? If it’s not too sensitive, could you tell us?” Lin Xue asked after downing half a kilogram of baijiu without showing any signs of intoxication.
Shui Miao glanced at Chu Miaoyi, then at Lin Xue, licked his lips, and said, “It’s complicated. I ended up in a mysterious space where some incredible things happened. By the time I returned, half a year had passed here. It all sounds unbelievable, so it’s better not to talk about it. As for opening this shop, so far, only you two and my godfather, Wang Yong, know about it. I told everyone else that I was ascending to the immortal realm. Do you know why?”
“Is it because there’s a more powerful force threatening you?” Chu Miaoyi and Lin Xue exchanged glances, frowning as they spoke.
“You could say that,” Shui Miao nodded, his expression serious. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch. The power I’ve gained now feels like part of a huge conspiracy. My loved ones and friends are being used as leverage by the mastermind behind it all. That’s why I need to find a quiet place to think things through and figure out what to do next.”
“…”
Hearing this, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi finally understood why Shui Miao had been avoiding everyone.
“Shui Miao, maybe you’re overthinking it?” Chu Miaoyi said after a pause.
Lin Xue quickly added, “It’s not a big deal. Even if it is a conspiracy, we’re not afraid…”
“But I am!” Shui Miao took a deep breath. “Now that you know the truth, please keep it a secret. And… forget about me. I don’t want to involve anyone else.”
“…”
Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi looked at each other, at a loss for words.
Just then, Lin Xue received a phone call.
It was from Xiao Li at the station, informing her that Liu Kaihui, unable to bear the abdominal pain, had left the station over ten minutes ago.
After hanging up, Shui Miao said directly, “Liu Kaihui is a ruthless, corrupt official who bullies the weak and exploits the villagers. I wanted to force him to turn himself in. Let’s wait a bit longer—he shouldn’t be able to hold out.”
“Shui Miao, you’re such a good person. But why do good people always suffer so much?” Chu Miaoyi sighed softly.
Lin Xue clenched her fists. “I knew that guy was no good. He looks like a pig’s head, and it turns out he’s a bloodsucking corrupt official. I won’t let him off easily!”
“Let me handle it. I can do it without leaving a trace. You’re police officers—you can’t act recklessly,” Shui Miao said, picking up a newly opened bottle of baijiu. He channeled his immortal energy, and mist began rising from the bottle. Soon, he poured the liquor into three bowls and raised one. “I’ve refined this wine with my power, infusing it with vast amounts of saintly energy. It will be greatly beneficial to you. After we drink, let’s part ways. I really can’t drag you into this.”
With that, Shui Miao downed the wine in his bowl, stood up, paid the bill, and left.
Just then, Liu Kaihui happened to arrive at the entrance.
Without waiting for Liu Kaihui to speak, Shui Miao withdrew the soul-devouring energy inside him with a thought, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him toward the river.
Watching Shui Miao leave like this, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi sat in stunned silence, their emotions in turmoil.
After a while, Lin Xue picked up her bowl and took a small sip. “Huh? How did the wine turn into water?”
Chu Miaoyi also tasted a bit from her bowl. “It’s true! This is incredible—it feels like a dream!”
“Whatever, let’s drink it. I’m going to find him and ask him to take me as his disciple,” Lin Xue said, downing the contents of her bowl in one go.
Chu Miaoyi bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then also drank the saintly energy in her bowl.
This was water-element saintly energy, extremely pure. Once it entered the human body, it circulated with the blood through breathing, refining and improving the body, granting endless benefits.
But when Chu Miaoyi and Lin Xue arrived at the shop, they found it empty and deserted.
※※※
By the river, Shui Miao gazed at the water and sighed to himself, “Perhaps only in death can the soul truly be free?”
“Master, y-you’re not going to kill me, are you?” Liu Kaihui, having experienced Shui Miao’s power, now regarded him with awe and dared not show the slightest disrespect. Seeing Shui Miao’s demeanor, he quickly knelt and begged, “Master, I know I was wrong. I’ve thought it over—as long as you don’t make me turn myself in, I’m willing to reform and become a good person. I’ll donate all my ill-gotten wealth to help the people. If I break my word, may I be struck by lightning!”
“Oh?”
Shui Miao had been lost in thought and hadn’t expected his casual remark to frighten Liu Kaihui into confessing.
“Perhaps you’d like to see what I’m capable of?”
A idea suddenly occurred to Shui Miao, and he pulled Liu Kaihui toward a nearby square. The riverside square was brightly lit, with many elderly people dancing to loud music—a very lively scene.
Liu Kaihui’s heart raced with anxiety, unsure of what Shui Miao intended to do.
Shui Miao stopped at a corner of the square, and like magic, he retrieved the digital camera from his Saint Origin Ring. He turned it on and started recording, then sat down cross-legged, motioning for Liu Kaihui to sit beside him.
Shui Miao calmly watched the middle-aged and elderly couples dancing joyfully. “Is there any wind now?”
“None at all!” Liu Kaihui waved his hands repeatedly.
Shui Miao nodded. “Do you think it’s too noisy here?”
“Yes, the speakers are too loud. Should I ask them to turn it down?” Liu Kaihui tried to guess Shui Miao’s intentions.
Shui Miao waved his hand dismissively. “Just watch. I’ll make this place quiet.”
What did he mean?
Just as Liu Kaihui was wondering, he saw trash a few meters away begin to spin…
“Is… is that wind?”
Liu Kaihui’s eyes widened as he saw the whirlwind spin faster and grow larger, forming a dark funnel two to three meters in diameter that connected heaven and earth, twisting like a black dragon!
The sudden appearance of the whirlwind terrified everyone.
It swept away the speakers, leaving only the howling wind and the screams of frightened women.
“Great Immortal, spare me! I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong!!”
Liu Kaihui was terrified out of his wits. He knelt and kowtowed to Shui Miao, begging for mercy.
Shui Miao suddenly focused his mind, and the wind vanished. By then, the square was completely empty.
“Great Immortal, spare me! I really know I was wrong…”
Liu Kaihui wept and pleaded, tears and snot streaming down his face.
“Shh, quiet!” Shui Miao raised a finger to his lips.
Liu Kaihui immediately covered his mouth tightly.
Shui Miao turned around, picked up the digital camera, and played back the recording…
He believed that eyes could lie, but a digital camera never would.
In the playback, panicked people were seen running in all directions, but there was no sign of a tornado.
“Just as I suspected!”
Watching the recording, Shui Miao’s heart raced with excitement. It was all a deception—a massive, elaborate hoax!
With that, Shui Miao downed his bowl in one go and immediately stood up, paid, and left.
Just then, Liu Kaikai had arrived at the door.
Before Liu could say a word, Shui Miao, with a mere thought, withdrew the soul-devouring force inside him, grabbed his collar, and dragged him toward the riverside.
Watching Shui Miao leave like that, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi sat there, stunned, their hearts heavy with complex emotions.
After a while, Lin Xue picked up her bowl and took a small sip, “Huh? Why does this taste like water now?”
Chu Miaoyi also took a sip from her bowl, “It really does! This is so strange—it feels like a dream!”
“Whatever, I’m drinking it. I’m going to find him and become his disciple.”
Lin Xue raised her bowl and finished it in one go.
Chu Miaoyi hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, then also drank the Holy Spirit Qi in her bowl in one go.
This was pure Water-type Holy Spirit Qi. Once it entered the body, it would flow through the blood with each breath, refining and improving the body, bringing countless benefits.
But by the time Chu Miaoyi and Lin Xue reached the shop, they found it completely empty, with no one inside.
※※※
At the riverside, Shui Miao gazed at the water and sighed to himself, “Maybe only in death can the soul find true freedom?”
“Master, you… you’re not going to kill me, are you?” Liu Kaikai had already experienced Shui Miao’s power. Now, he regarded him with the reverence of a god, not daring to show even a hint of disrespect. Seeing Shui Miao speak like this, he immediately knelt down and begged, “Master, I know I was wrong. I’ve seen the light. As long as you don’t make me turn myself in, I promise to reform, become a good person, and donate all my ill-gotten wealth to help the villagers. If I break this promise, may I be struck by lightning!”
“Oh?”
Shui Miao had been deep in thought when, unexpectedly, a single offhand remark had made Liu Kaikai beg for mercy.
“Perhaps you want to see just how powerful I am?”
Suddenly inspired, Shui Miao grabbed Liu Kaikai and pulled him toward a nearby square. The riverside square was brightly lit, filled with elderly people dancing to loud music—it was very lively.
Liu Kaikai’s heart was in his throat, not knowing what Shui Miao was planning.
Shui Miao arrived at a corner of the square and, like a magician, pulled out the digital camera from the Shengyuan Ring. He turned it on to record and then sat cross-legged, motioning for Liu Kaikai to sit beside him.
He calmly watched the elderly dancing happily in pairs, “Do you feel any wind now?”
“No, no wind at all!” Liu Kaikai shook his head repeatedly.
Shui Miao nodded, “Do you think it’s too noisy here?”
“Yes, the music is way too loud. Should I go ask them to turn it down?” Liu Kaikai tried to guess Shui Miao’s intentions.
Shui Miao waved his hand and said calmly, “Just watch. I’ll make it quiet here.”
What did that mean?
As Liu Kaikai was still puzzled, he saw trash swirling a few meters away…
“Is… is that wind?”
Liu Kaikai’s eyes widened. The whirlwinds grew faster and larger, dark vortexes two or three meters in diameter connecting earth and sky, twisting like black dragons!
The sudden whirlwinds terrified everyone.
The winds carried off the speakers, leaving only the howling wind and women’s terrified screams.
“Immortal, have mercy! I know I was wrong! I know I was wrong!!”
Liu Kaikai was so scared he immediately knelt down, kowtowing to Shui Miao.
Suddenly, Shui Miao shifted his will and stopped all the winds. By then, everyone in the square had already fled.
“Immortal, have mercy! I really know I was wrong…”
Liu Kaikai sobbed, tears and snot streaming down his face.
“Shhh, be quiet!”
Shui Miao raised a finger to his lips.
Liu Kaikai quickly clamped both hands over his mouth.
Shui Miao turned around, picked up the digital camera, and began replaying the footage…
He believed that eyes could lie, but the digital camera never did.
In the playback, he saw panicked crowds running in all directions—but there was no sign of any whirlwinds!
“Just as I suspected!”
Looking at the footage from the camera, Shui Miao’s heart surged with excitement. It was a scam—a massive, elaborate scam!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage