“If I let him go, will you really spare me?” the snake spirit looked at Liu Laoshi, who had already fainted in her arms, then at the strangely expressioned Madam Fan, hesitated for a moment, and finally uttered a sentence, though it sounded hesitant and unnatural, her eyebrows twitching awkwardly. Clearly, she still harbored doubts about Madam Fan’s previous seductive words and remained indecisive.
After all, in the snake spirit’s mind, the character of this ugly old woman was still unknown, and how much of her words could be trusted was uncertain.
Right now, Liu Laoshi was a human shield in her grasp, the only bargaining chip available for negotiation. The old woman had always been cautious, afraid to act rashly, mostly because of this hostage. If she released him now, and the old woman suddenly turned her back on her word, she would be completely helpless.
“Of course! In these villages, who doesn’t know that I, Madam Fan the Immortal, always keep my word?” Madam Fan’s forehead dripped with large beads of sweat, her teeth clenched tightly, clearly in considerable pain. Madam Fan thought to herself, damn, this time I really miscalculated. If I had known beforehand that even spirit possession couldn’t deal with this demon, I wouldn’t have wasted so much effort. Now, I haven’t even caught the fox, but I’ve ended up covered in stench. Thinking this, she raised her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her face, complaining loudly about why the weather was so unbearably hot, making her feel suffocated even when exerting her powers.
“But… what if you go back on your word?” Thinking Madam Fan was about to act, the snake spirit finally voiced her concerns, her eyes fixed tightly on Madam Fan after speaking.
It seemed this creature now believed her words by at least ninety percent. Sigh, her old life was finally saved. Madam Fan exhaled deeply, still suppressing her relief, merely coughing deliberately twice and folding her hands behind her back, assuming an air of a Daoist immortal.
“Was it just about this?” Her shoulders shook, and with a crooked smile, she chuckled twice: “Don’t worry. I’ll not only let you go, but I’ll also offer some incense at your dwelling and instruct nearby villagers not to disturb your cultivation hereafter. I swear to heaven!” Having said this, Madam Fan actually raised her right hand and made a solemn oath gesture, whispering to the sky as though it were real, then loudly declared in a voice audible to everyone in the room: “If I break this oath, may lightning strike me down and may I die a miserable death!”
“Alright, old woman, I’ll trust you today.” The snake spirit laughed. It naturally knew that those fortune-tellers, mediums, priests, monks, and nuns who made a living dealing with yin and yang matters usually understood some geomancy and fate, and were well aware of heavenly principles. Precisely because of this, they took oaths, especially dire ones, extremely seriously. Generally speaking, even in the face of the greatest accidents, they would not break their promises. Therefore, after Madam Fan solemnly swore before everyone, the snake spirit was now a hundred percent convinced of her sincerity.
“Mm-hmm.” Madam Fan nodded appreciatively: “Knowing when to advance or retreat shows you have some sense. I’ve been in this business for a long time, and I don’t like fighting or killing. I prefer everyone to sit down, talk things out, share difficulties and express needs, and get along peacefully, right?”
“If I let him go, will you really spare me?” The snake spirit glanced at Liu Laoshi, who had already fainted in her arms, and then at the strangely composed Granny Fan. After a moment of hesitation, she finally blurted out a sentence, though it sounded somewhat hesitant. The subtle changes in her expression were also quite unnatural, clearly indicating that she still harbored doubts about Granny Fan’s earlier persuasive words and was wavering in her decision.
After all, in the snake spirit’s understanding, the true character of this ugly old woman was still an unknown, and no one could guarantee how much of her words could be trusted.
Currently, Liu Laoshi was her only bargaining chip, the shield she held in her hands. The reason the ugly old woman had been hesitant to act was largely due to this hostage. If she were to release him now, and the old woman suddenly turned against her, she would be left with no recourse.
“Of course, in these villages, who doesn’t know that I, Granny Fan, always keep my word?” Granny Fan’s forehead was beaded with large drops of sweat, her teeth clenched tightly, evidently in considerable pain. She thought to herself, “Damn, I really miscalculated this time. If I had known that even divine intervention couldn’t deal with this creature, I wouldn’t have wasted so much effort earlier. Now, not only did I fail to catch the fox, but I’ve also ended up in a mess.” Wiping the sweat from her face with her sleeve, she complained about the heat, saying that even her powers were making her feel stifled.
“But… what if you go back on your word?” Thinking that Granny Fan was about to make her move, the snake spirit finally voiced her concern, her eyes fixed intently on Granny Fan.
It seemed that the creature was now about ninety percent convinced. Granny Fan sighed in relief, though she kept her joy hidden, deliberately coughing twice and placing her hands behind her back, assuming an air of divine composure.
“So that’s what you’re worried about?” She shrugged and chuckled dryly. “Don’t worry, not only will I let you go, but I’ll also offer incense at your dwelling and instruct the nearby villagers not to disturb your cultivation, Great Snake Immortal. I swear to the heavens, how about that?” With that, Granny Fan raised her right hand, making a solemn oath, muttering something to the sky, and then declared loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear, “If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!”
“Alright, old woman, I’ll trust you today.” The snake spirit laughed. She naturally knew that those who dealt with the supernatural, such as shamans, mediums, and monks, were well-versed in feng shui and the principles of heaven. Because of this, they took oaths, especially severe ones, very seriously. Generally, even in the face of great adversity, they would not break their vows. So when Granny Fan made her solemn oath in front of everyone, the snake spirit was fully convinced of her sincerity.
“Good.” Granny Fan nodded approvingly. “You know when to yield, that shows some wisdom. In my line of work, I don’t seek conflict; I just want everyone to sit down and talk, discuss their difficulties and requests, and resolve things peacefully. Isn’t that better?”
“I was wrong, I didn’t recognize your greatness. I rarely venture out, so I didn’t know your capabilities. If I had known, haha, I wouldn’t have dared to confront you even with a hundred times the courage!” The snake spirit also spoke flatteringly, though Granny Fan knew that nine out of ten words from such creatures were lies. But the words were soft and warm, and they did make her feel somewhat pleased.
“Now that you know, let’s not waste any more time. Everyone, go about your business!” Granny Fan waved her patched sleeve triumphantly. “Release him, and you may leave!”
“Please, Immortal, don’t forget that my place of cultivation is at the Lingguan Temple. Just offer incense there.” The snake spirit narrowed her eyes greedily.
“Hmph, all creatures of the world are the same—bullying the weak and fearing the strong, always greedy.” Granny Fan cursed inwardly. But given the current unfavorable situation, to secure her victory, she naturally puffed out her chest and assured the snake spirit that it was just a bit of incense, no big deal, and she would send it tomorrow without delay. The snake spirit was indeed overjoyed, thanking her repeatedly and retracting her long tongue, keeping her promise to release Liu Laoshi.
“Father!” Liu Dashao threw down the oil bottle and rushed to embrace the swaying Liu Laoshi, his voice filled with sincerity and a hint of tears. Clearly, he cared deeply for his father. Despite Liu Laoshi’s usual harsh words and frequent scolding, in Liu Dashao’s heart, his father’s position was unshakable. At that moment, Liu Laoshi slowly opened his heavy eyelids, trembling hands reaching for Liu Dashao’s face. His pale, oxygen-deprived face seemed to pause for a moment before he mumbled, “Where’s the little rascal?”
“Father, feel for yourself, the little rascal is right here, right by your side. You mustn’t let anything happen to you! What would I do if something happened to you?” Liu Dashao could no longer hold back, throwing himself into Liu Laoshi’s arms and weeping.
“Don’t worry, my life is cheap; even the King of Hell doesn’t want it. See, I’ve been dragged back by my precious son, haven’t I?” Liu Laoshi smiled comfortingly, though he then coughed violently twice. Liu Dashao quickly checked his pulse, and after a moment, his tense expression relaxed. “Father, don’t speak anymore, save your strength. Rest now! Your pulse is still unstable, but there’s no serious danger.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.” Liu Laoshi nodded.
While the touching father-son scene unfolded, Granny Fan frowned deeply, watching the snake spirit as it prepared to leave Village Chief Tian’s body. She asked, “Great Snake Immortal, what exactly is going on with the Lingguan Temple? I remember it used to be quite effective and popular for a long time, but now it’s like this. Moreover, I’ve clearly felt that in recent days, Xiushan Village and Xiushui Village have been quite unsettled. The strangeness here is definitely not simple.”
The snake spirit’s expression changed, and after a long pause, she shook her head. “I’m not entirely sure either, but as you suspected, something strange has indeed happened recently. I can’t make sense of it.”
“Oh?” Granny Fan’s eyes narrowed, her voice slightly drawn out. She knew that anything that caught the attention of one of the five great spirits of the folk, like the snake spirit, was certainly not ordinary.
“Giggle…” The snake spirit twisted her waist. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but since you’re planning to offer me incense, I’ll give you a hint. Since last month, after that provincial research team built a dam nearby and dug up a lot of things, we who have cultivated here for generations have noticed that the malevolent energy within a radius of dozens of miles has increased tenfold, even a hundredfold. Because of this, many dormant demons and ghosts have reawakened. I suspect something may be emerging from underground.”
“What?!” Granny Fan’s eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief and fear.
“What, Immortal, are you scared?” The snake spirit seemed quite satisfied with Granny Fan’s reaction, laughing heartily. “Before I leave, I’ll give you a piece of advice. As you said, one must know when to yield. This thing is beyond your ability to handle!” As soon as the last word left her mouth, Granny Fan felt her vision blur, and Village Chief Tian collapsed to the ground. His facial expression was no longer twisted, indicating that the snake spirit had indeed left. However, Granny Fan remained cautious, squatting down and pressing firmly on Village Chief Tian’s left middle finger with two fingers until he cried out in pain. Hearing a male voice, Granny Fan finally relaxed, sitting on the ground and gasping for breath. The previously composed expression on her face faded away, replaced by a pale, sweat-drenched visage, her back soaked through.
“Now that you understand, we won’t chat any longer. Let’s all go about our business!” Madam Fan proudly waved her patched sleeve: “Let him go, you leave!”
“Please don’t forget, my cultivation spot is at Lingguan Temple. Just bring incense offerings there,” the snake spirit said greedily, narrowing her eyes.
Hmph, just as expected, all creatures under heaven were the same—cowardly in the face of strength, and greedy by nature! Madam Fan cursed inwardly. However, the current situation was still disadvantageous for her, so to secure her victory, Madam Fan naturally patted her chest repeatedly, promising that a little incense was nothing, and she would deliver it tomorrow without delay. The snake spirit was indeed delighted, thanking her repeatedly, retracting her long tongue, and faithfully releasing Liu Laoshi.
“Dad!” Liu Dashao dropped the oil bottle and rushed forward to embrace the swaying Liu Laoshi, his expression sincere and his tone tinged with tears. Obviously, he cared deeply for Liu Laoshi. Although the old man often scolded him with words like “good-for-nothing,” it was clear that in Liu Dashao’s heart, his father’s position was irreplaceable. At this moment, Liu Laoshi slowly opened his heavy eyelids, trembling hands reaching out to touch Liu Dashao’s face. Then, his pale face, drained of oxygen, looked momentarily dazed and confused, blurting out: “Where’s that good-for-nothing?”
“Dad, feel me, the good-for-nothing is right here beside you, right here beside you! Please don’t have anything happen to you! If you do, what will I do?” Liu Dashao could no longer hold back and burst into tears, throwing himself into Liu Laoshi’s arms.
“Don’t worry, my life isn’t worth much; even King Yama doesn’t want it. See, I’ve been brought back for my beloved son.” Liu Laoshi smiled reassuringly, but then coughed violently twice. Liu Dashao quickly checked his pulse, and after a moment, his worried expression eased: “Dad, please don’t talk anymore. Save your strength until you recover. Rest first! Your pulse is still unstable, but nothing serious.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to you, son.” Liu Laoshi nodded.
While the father and son were immersed in their emotional reunion, Madam Fan frowned, watching the snake spirit preparing to leave Tian Cunzhang’s body and asked: “Snake Immortal, what exactly is going on with Lingguan Temple? I remember the temple used to be quite effective and popular for quite some time, but now why has it become like this? Moreover, I clearly feel that these days, Xiushan Village and Xiushui Village haven’t been very peaceful. There must be something strange going on that’s not simple at all.”
The snake spirit’s expression changed slightly, and after a long pause, she shook her head: “I’m not very clear either, but as the Immortal predicted, something strange has indeed happened recently. I can’t figure it out either.”
“Oh?” Madam Fan’s eyes sharpened slightly, her voice stretching a bit. She knew that anything that caught the attention of this snake spirit, one of the five revered folk spirits, must be extraordinary.
“Giggle…” The snake spirit twisted her waist: “Originally, I wasn’t going to tell you, but since you’re offering me incense, I’ll let you in on it. Since last month, ever since that provincial archaeological team built a dam nearby and dug up a lot of things, we who have cultivated here for generations have noticed that the negative energy within dozens of miles has increased tenfold, even a hundredfold compared to usual. Because of this, many dormant demons and ghosts have resurfaced. I suspect something underground might be about to emerge.”
“What?!” Madam Fan’s eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief and fear.
“What’s the matter, Immortal? Scared?” The snake spirit seemed satisfied with Madam Fan’s reaction and laughed heartily again: “Let me give you a parting piece of advice! As you said, one must know when to advance or retreat. This thing, you simply can’t handle!” As the last word left her mouth, Madam Fan felt a sudden blur before her eyes. At the same time, Tian Cunzhang collapsed to the ground, his facial expression no longer twisted or drooling. From this, it could be seen that the snake spirit had indeed left. Still cautious, Madam Fan squatted down and pressed hard on Tian Cunzhang’s middle finger with two fingers until he cried out in pain, “Ouch!” Hearing a male voice, Madam Fan finally relaxed, sitting on the ground and panting heavily. The previously composed and calm expression on her face completely vanished, revealing a yellowish pallor. Sweat streamed down her aged face like a brook, and her back was already soaked with perspiration, leaving her looking utterly disheveled.
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