“Hee hee hee…”

Liu Yumei chuckled as she ate preserved fruit.

After their friendly and cordial greetings at the hospital, Tan Wenbin also invited the two men to Old Sichuan for grilled fish.

The conversation at the table was dense, but it mostly followed a predictable pattern.

For instance, they would first inquire about the traditional culture of Guanjiangshou, expressing great curiosity, then swiftly change the subject to ask how many temples usually exist in one area, and if too many temples would mean there wasn’t enough incense and offerings to go around.

Another example: they would start by praising Lin Shuyou’s upright and unyielding character, mentioning that a fellow student in the dormitory dared to keep ghosts as guardians, which angered Lin Shuyou so much that he summoned the White Crane Child to possess him, nearly beating the student to death.

Tan Wenbin said, “If you ask me, people who play with ghosts like that are truly evil!”

Lin Fu’an and Chen Shoumen readily agreed.

Tan Wenbin continued, “So our Dragon King admitted his mistake and performed rites to send the ghosts he used as guardians to the afterlife.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Fu’an and Chen Shoumen’s expressions immediately changed.

In short, this routine was repeated back and forth, tormenting them until the meal was over. When the two left the restaurant and walked out, their legs were trembling, and their faces were ashen.

Tan Wenbin even helped them hail a taxi. The two decided to return to Fujian that very night, without even saying goodbye to Lin Shuyou.

Liu Yumei took a sip of rice wine and commented, “You kid, you certainly know how to put people through it.”

“It’s all thanks to your excellent teaching, Grandma.”

“I never taught you that.”

“Just this afternoon, you taught me that life is a continuous process of picking up and letting go. I simply tried the ‘on tenterhooks’ method on them first.”

“Smart-mouthed.”

“Shall I slap my mouth then?”

“Alright, I’m satisfied. Let’s put this matter to rest. You handled it well. Grandma is very pleased.”

“I wouldn’t dare take credit. They were terrified their temples would be demolished. They weren’t afraid of me; they were afraid of you, Grandma, behind me.”

“Not bad.”

“Besides, even the best tactics become dull if used too much at once.

In the first half, they were genuinely scared. By the end, they probably gradually caught on. If we truly intended to demolish their temples, would I still be rambling on and on like this?

Ultimately, it was me talking, and them playing along, feigning surprise.

When they left the restaurant, their walking posture was so exaggerated, their acting was terrible. Ah You’s grandfather secretly pinched his own thigh hard, forcing his eyes to turn red.”

“Good.”

“They were acting for me, hoping I’d relay it to you, to amuse you and appease your anger.”

“Very good.”

“Heh heh.”

Liu Yumei handed her wine glass to Tan Wenbin: “This is for you.”

There was originally a pair of these glasses, but the old lady had personally smashed one that afternoon.

Tan Wenbin took the glass, poured half a cup of rice wine into it, drank it all, and then placed the glass back on the coffee table:

“Thank you, Grandma. This rice wine is quite sweet.”

Liu Yumei leaned back slightly in her chair and said faintly, “It seems your taste has elevated, and you no longer care for these small gifts from Grandma. Tell me, what do you want?”

“Just listening to your teachings and enjoying a few meals at your home has already been a huge advantage for me. I can’t ask for anything else. After all, I’m following Brother Yuan, how could I accept… accept things from outsiders?”

“Am I an outsider, Grandma?”

“That depends on who you’re talking to.”

“I’m tired; I need to rest.”

“Then I’ll leave. I’ll come back tomorrow to hear your wisdom.”

Tan Wenbin stood up, emptied the remaining preserved fruit and snacks from the coffee table into his pockets, and then walked out.

As he reached the door, he heard the old lady from behind him say:

“Very good. You have a clear understanding of things.”

Tan Wenbin paused, smiled, walked out the door, and went downstairs.

In the courtyard, he first tapped on Run Sheng’s coffin and asked if he was bored.

Then he went over to Yin Meng and asked if she was well-pickled yet.

After greeting both, Li Zhuiyuan also emerged from A-Li’s room, carrying a hiking backpack and Lin Shuyou’s school bag.

Tan Wenbin reached out and took the bag; this time, Li Zhuiyuan didn’t refuse.

The two walked side by side towards the dormitory.

Tan Wenbin didn’t go into detail with Li Zhuiyuan about the Guanjiangshou matter, as he knew Brother Yuan wasn’t interested in that. He simply mentioned that the two men had already returned.

“Brother Yuan, what’s the name of the cup Grandma drinks from?”

“A Chenghua doucai chicken cup.”

“Grandma smashed one today.”

“The remaining one is even more valuable.”

“Hmm… how much is it worth?”

“Don’t rush to sell it before you’re in dire need. Once sold, your family won’t be in financial trouble for generations.”

“That’s quite a sum then.”

“Are you heartbroken?”

Li Zhuiyuan guessed what had happened. Grandma Liu had a habit of giving away her belongings when she was in a good mood.

“Not really, I just wanted to ask so I can boast about it when I’m older and drinking at roadside stalls.”

“Mm.”

“Brother Yuan, will Run Sheng and Yin Meng really be okay if they continue training like this?”

“There will be problems.”

“What are the side effects?”

“Loss of lifespan.”

Any training method that seeks quick results will have the side effect of depleting one’s life force.

Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu had to make them experience their respective unique skills within a short period, so they could have a direction for future exploration and improvement. This was a life-depleting form of teaching.

“Then later…”

“Accumulate virtue to replenish lifespan.”

Tan Wenbin licked his lips and chuckled, “Then wouldn’t I be making a huge profit? Those who haven’t depleted their lifespan don’t need to replenish; it will only keep adding up, haha.”

The late-night breeze blew past them, and continued to blow for several days.

The sun was bright, and at the school’s sports field, Li Zhuiyuan sat on a corner step with a book.

Freshmen, grouped by class, stood in lines below, preparing for inspection.

When the school leaders began to speak, Li Zhuiyuan opened the first page of his book.

By the time he finished one book, the vice-principals had not even finished their turns speaking.

Fortunately, Li Zhuiyuan was prepared; he had brought two books.

But it turned out he underestimated the leaders’ strong desire to express themselves.

After he finished the second book, the last vice-principal finally finished speaking. Next were the lower-level leaders, directors, and representatives of outstanding teachers.

Just the opening line, “In this season of golden breezes and fragrant osmanthus, we gather together…”

Every leader, using different words, repeated the praises of autumn again and again.

Finally, the inspection began. Each class marched in formation across the stage, showcasing their military training achievements and spirit.

Li Zhuiyuan was there because Tan Wenbin was also in the formation.

Tan Wenbin had only participated in military training at the very beginning, then had constantly taken leave. After all, with the continually injured Lin Shuyou, someone was always approving his leave requests.

Each time, the instructor would check with the infirmary, confirm everything, and could only sigh that this child was too unlucky, falling twice from the dormitory building right after school started.

Tan Wenbin originally thought he wouldn’t have to participate. Without proper training and cohesion, joining the formation would disrupt the rhythm and affect the class’s score.

But the new counselor was a very resourceful person. He strongly insisted that Tan Wenbin participate in the final inspection.

Moreover, after discussing with the instructor, the new counselor placed Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou at the very front of the formation. Even the flag-bearer carrying the class flag had to be behind them.

Tan Wenbin was asked to hold up the commendation certificate issued by the police department.

Lin Shuyou’s physical condition was already fine, but the new counselor asked him to re-bandage himself a bit and handed him a crutch, instructing him to walk with it.

The new counselor originally intended to give him two, but Lin Shuyou walked too fast with one crutch, looking lively, so one was taken away, making him appear resilient despite his injury.

The class’s formation slogan was also interesting; it wasn’t like other classes’ “Class One, Class One, Never Ordinary.”

Instead, it was: “Care for classmates, help each other; act bravely for justice, contribute to society.”

It didn’t rhyme.

But with a genuine story behind it, rhyming or not was secondary.

This was essentially “cheating.”

And without any suspense, their class took first place in the military training inspection.

Students and counselors from other classes, though green with envy, were helpless. Moreover, because the event involved a child trafficking case, their strong moral compasses compelled them not to openly show their displeasure.

The instructors, however, were more accepting. They understood that sometimes, no matter how well a class trained, “merit” sometimes just went to certain individuals—it was fate, and sometimes truly beyond envy.

After the inspection, each class returned to its previous formation position.

The school leaders began speaking again, and once more, the air above the sports field echoed with:

“In this season of golden breezes and fragrant osmanthus…”

The instructors took this opportunity to re-form their ranks at the back, running off in a silent farewell.

Li Zhuiyuan also picked up the books from the ground and went to the classroom instead of returning to the dormitory.

There was a formal class meeting later.

He was the first to enter the classroom and sat in the last row, in the corner by the window.

Students entered still in their military training uniforms, taking their seats. Li Zhuiyuan didn’t know them, and they didn’t know Li Zhuiyuan. Many were surprised to see such a young boy sitting there.

Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou entered one after another. Tan Wenbin walked directly to Li Zhuiyuan and sat down. Lin Shuyou tried to squeeze in, but Tan Wenbin pointed to the front, so Lin Shuyou had no choice but to sit in the row in front.

“Brother Binbin, can’t I get rid of this crutch now?”

“Keep using it for a couple more days. If you ditch it now, people might gossip.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Besides, why ditch it? It wasn’t bought with money, was it? Just sell it. You can stand at the school store entrance and shout, ‘Crutches for sale!’ ‘Crutches for sale!’”

“But what if no one has leg injuries?”

“This crutch doesn’t have to be sold to someone with leg injuries; you can also sell it to someone whose brain isn’t working right.”

The new counselor walked in. His surname was Wu, and his name was Wu Hong. He was very young, not tall, quite plump, with a round face and small eyes. He wasn’t greasy but exuded a shrewdness.

The students in the class affectionately called him “Fatty Wu,” which was what he requested.

As soon as he entered, calls of “Fatty Wu” rose and fell throughout the classroom. He smiled and waved, his gaze sweeping over everyone’s faces.

Li Zhuiyuan noticed he was mentally taking notes.

Those students who called out “Fatty Wu” would likely miss out on scholarships and class committee positions.

Meanwhile, the small minority of students who consistently called him “Counselor” or “Teacher Wu” instantly stood out.

Tan Wenbin, however, didn’t call out. Instead, he took a book from Li Zhuiyuan and bent his head to read it carefully.

The class meeting began. He didn’t follow the popular method of voting for a class president; instead, he directly appointed one:

“From now on, Tan Wenbin will be our class president. Let’s give him a round of applause!”

Applause filled the classroom. Lin Shuyou clapped the most enthusiastically and loudly.

This indeed didn’t require a vote. Even though Tan Wenbin hadn’t participated in military training for many days, any class with a student who could contribute to fighting child trafficking criminal gangs at the start of the new semester would undoubtedly elect him.

Tan Wenbin, who had just looked up from the world of the deceased, looked bewildered: “What? I’m class president?”

After the class meeting, the new class president Tan Wenbin, before the students left, called out:

“All military training uniforms should be returned to the counter at the discount store for recycling. Mention my name, and you’ll get a free cup of orange juice!”

Cheers erupted from the students.

Canned drinks were too expensive. The orange juice was purely made from orange crystals dissolved in water. There was a glass frame at the store entrance, and when the machine was on, the yellow drink would churn, looking very appealing, but in reality, the cost was very low.

However, daring to treat the entire class to drinks at that time was considered a generous gesture.

Lin Shuyou excitedly said, “Brother, congratulations!”

Tan Wenbin rolled his eyes at him, but soon, he himself smiled.

He had originally not been interested in being class president, thinking it would distract him. But he couldn’t deny that the feeling of becoming class president at that moment was quite good.

And recently, some of his own ideas had gradually changed.

Just as Grandma Liu said, Brother Yuan might not like another ‘little Yuan’.

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Congratulations, Brother Binbin.”

Tan Wenbin paused, suddenly realizing that when facing the child named “Liangliang” that night, Brother Yuan had called him “Brother Binbin” instead of “Brother Zhuangzhuang.” This wasn’t an oversight; it was deliberate.

Brother Yuan wanted to see him receive honors, win awards, and even sit here and watch him become class president.

At this moment, Fatty Wu waved over: “Class President, come to my office for a moment.”

“Alright!” Tan Wenbin raised his hand to signal he understood.

“All of you come,” Fatty Wu added.

He clearly meant Li Zhuiyuan specifically.

“Alright!” Lin Tiantou enthusiastically responded.

Fatty Wu’s office was shared; there were four desks inside, but when they entered, no one was behind the other desks.

Earlier in the classroom, Fatty Wu hadn’t specifically mentioned Li Zhuiyuan, but now in the office, he was intently chatting with Li Zhuiyuan, starting with questions about his life as an opener, and then quickly steering the conversation towards Luo Gong.

Finally, he brought the topic to his own romantic life to offset the utilitarian impression of the middle part.

Fatty Wu opened a drawer, took out a photo frame, and showed everyone a picture of himself with his partner.

Tan Wenbin leaned over for a look and quipped, “Brother Wu, you should take your sister-in-law to an eye doctor.”

Fatty Wu’s partner was tall and had a sweet face, the type considered a pure campus beauty at the time.

A man generally doesn’t get angry when others say his partner is a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung; instead, he feels proud.

Fatty Wu not only accepted Tan Wenbin’s familiar address of “brother” but also proudly lifted his barely noticeable neck:

“Your sister-in-law has excellent taste. Let me tell you, when we were in school, she was the one who pursued me.”

“Brother Wu, honestly, do you have a profound family background that you’ve kept hidden?”

“If I had kept it hidden, I wouldn’t be sitting here trying to curry favor with Luo Gong through your connections.”

Tan Wenbin slapped his thigh: “Oh no, it seems taking sister-in-law to the eye doctor isn’t enough, she needs to see a neurologist.”

“Get out of here, we have true love! In a while, I’ll invite you all out for a late-night snack, and I’ll bring her along so you can meet her.”

“Why ‘in a while’? Still stingy.”

“She’s busy lately, taking care of her parents in the hospital. I’ll be going to the hospital to accompany them soon too. Since we’re not married yet, I need to make a good impression on her folks.”

“Both parents got sick?”

“Yes, after her parents went back to their hometown to visit graves a while ago, they came back feeling unwell and were hospitalized. They haven’t found any specific illness yet; doctors suspect food poisoning.”

Li Zhuiyuan raised his eyelids.

Tan Wenbin was also startled, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, suddenly shocked.

Visiting graves, getting sick—aren’t these the keywords?

Only Lin Shuyou was still explaining folk remedies for food poisoning from his hometown.

Fatty Wu took out a piece of paper, listening and diligently taking notes.

“Brother Wu, can you get me a piece of paper too?”

“Here.”

“Brother Wu, do you have a pen?”

“Here.”

Tan Wenbin: “Brother Wu, where is your sister-in-law from?”

“Near Huangshan.”

“When did your sister-in-law’s parents go back to their hometown to visit graves?”

“Just recently.”

“Specific date.”

“The first of this month. I went with her to the train station to see her parents off.”

“Your sister-in-law didn’t go, right?”

“No, she didn’t.”

“Which hospital are the elderly couple in now?”

“Third Hospital, not far from our school, across from the flower and bird market.”

“What room number?”

“Why are you asking for so much detail?”

“I know an old Chinese medicine doctor, his medical skills are top-notch, specializing in difficult and complicated diseases. I’ll invite him to take a look for you; you can’t even get him with money, it’s all about personal connections.”

“How could I possibly… When can he go?”

“In a few days, I need to contact him. First, tell me the room number. Once I’ve arranged it, I’ll take him there. Don’t worry, I’ll say you invited him, Brother Wu.”

“Okay, I’ll write it down for you.”

“Besides your parents-in-law being sick, have there been any other abnormalities at home?”

“She hasn’t mentioned anything.”

“What’s the exact location of her hometown?”

“Min’an Town. I haven’t been there yet; it hasn’t reached that stage in our relationship.”

“Okay, Brother Wu, don’t worry, I’ll keep following up.”

Fatty Wu chuckled, “Your dad isn’t a police officer, is he?”

“Uh, yes, he is.”

Upon hearing this, Fatty Wu immediately became more interested, seemingly wanting to delve deeper into this topic.

Tan Wenbin folded the piece of paper, immediately interrupting him and saying, “Brother Wu, don’t worry. If you ever get caught soliciting, remember to call me.”

“You rascal.” Fatty Wu understood what he meant. “Alright, we’ve discussed everything. From now on, I’ll relay class matters to you, and you and the class committee members can coordinate and handle them. Meeting adjourned.”

Leaving the office, the three walked towards the dormitory.

Tan Wenbin asked, “Brother Yuan, could this be a new thread appearing?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Not necessarily, it’s hard to say for sure, and it’s too early. It’s also quite distant from us.”

One wave had just subsided; although some time had passed, it shouldn’t be so swift, because the first wave was already dealt with prematurely. Theoretically, the interval between them should be longer.

Tan Wenbin: “True, it is quite far from our school.”

“Brother Binbin, I wasn’t referring to distance, but to connection.”

“Connection?”

“The counselor’s future in-laws are too distantly connected to us. If this line were to be established, the future development pattern should be:

The counselor’s partner also contracts a strange illness due to caring for and trying to solve her parents’ problems.

The counselor also contracts a strange illness from caring for and trying to solve his partner’s problems.

Although you are currently the class president, your relationship with the counselor isn’t particularly close; it needs time to cultivate rapport.

Based on that, one day when you go to his office to submit materials or when you two are having a late-night snack together, he would suddenly fall ill in front of you, either collapsing or having a seizure—in short, it would have to be very obvious.

Only then could it transition from you to me.”

Tan Wenbin nodded: “If we’re calculating it that way, even if I’m good at building relationships, it would take at least two months to achieve that level of closeness.

And even though I like dealing with people like Fatty Wu, it’s hard to truly confide in them, unless I went to his home sometime, and his beautiful partner cooked us a meal.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “His partner would also need to adopt a few stray cats, preferably also volunteer at an orphanage, be gentle and kind, creating a contrast with the counselor’s image.”

Tan Wenbin: “Only then would it affect you, Brother Yuan?”

“It’s you.”

“Oh right, it’s me.”

He almost forgot, his Brother Yuan had no emotions.

Tan Wenbin: “Then I would be overflowing with sympathy and come to ask for your help, Brother Yuan.”

“Mm.”

Tan Wenbin blinked. Saying he himself was overflowing with sympathy felt really strange.

But he also started to understand the true meaning: he really needed to love life, be sociable, and express emotions.

For example, today, if it weren’t for wanting to see him become class president, Brother Yuan wouldn’t have even gone to the classroom for the class meeting. And it was precisely because of his connection that Brother Yuan agreed to chat with Fatty Wu in the office about interpersonal relationships.

Grandma Liu was right; he couldn’t blindly imitate Brother Yuan.

He needed to be Brother Yuan’s radar.

At this thought, Tan Wenbin swayed lightly, feeling uplifted.

Let those driven ones continue to strive; as long as I return to my true nature, my role in the team will be irreplaceable. Ha, that’s destiny.

Li Zhuiyuan: “So, it’s still too early.”

“Yes, indeed, too early.”

Following the vine to find the melon—at least there’s a vine. If this line were to be established, it wouldn’t be following the vine; it would be like digging with four or five shovels right when the seed just sprouted.

Lin Shuyou asked curiously, “What are you two talking about?”

Tan Wenbin: “Adults are talking, kids shouldn’t interrupt.”

Lin Shuyou: “If you find any malevolent spirits, please remember to call me. It’s my duty!”

Subduing demons and defending the righteous path was true, and wanting to learn secret arts was also true. Lin Shuyou now not only bore the responsibility of righteousness but also the future development of all Guanjiangshou temples in his hometown’s two cities and thirteen counties.

His burden was heavy.

He now desperately wished for more incidents like the previous one with Grandma Yu’s deceased spirit, so he could continue to be “pierced.” Of course, getting more experiences would be even better.

Tan Wenbin: “Don’t worry, we don’t need you for now. My Run Sheng is coming out of his training tomorrow.”

Lin Shuyou: “Although we all see subduing demons and defending the righteous path as our duty and don’t care about who’s better, he can’t beat me.”

They had sparred before. Run Sheng and his companions couldn’t stop him even when they teamed up.

Tan Wenbin: “It’s fine. Just wait and see. The first thing Run Sheng will probably want to do after his training is spar with you.”

Lin Shuyou: “If righteous people fight among themselves, wouldn’t that make their loved ones suffer and their enemies rejoice?”

“I’m going to get a bottle of ink.” Li Zhuiyuan entered the store.

Lu Yi sat on the counter collecting money. He truly liked this job now; he would come over as soon as classes ended. Although he was paid, he felt like a boss.

Li Zhuiyuan took a bottle of ink from the shelf. As he walked to the counter to pay, Lu Yi was on the phone.

“The Prodigy is here; I’ll let him take the call.” Lu Yi handed the phone to Li Zhuiyuan. “It’s the Boss calling.”

Lu Yi had learned that title from Tan Wenbin.

Li Zhuiyuan took the phone: “Hello, Brother Liangliang.”

“Xiao Yuan, Jingjing has fully recovered and been discharged. Your godmother wants to treat you to a meal to express her gratitude. Teacher asked me to call and ask if you’d like to come. It’s fine if you don’t want to.”

“Have you returned to Jinling?”

“No, we’re in Dujiangyan right now.”

“Then I won’t go.”

“Alright, I’ll call godmother back in a bit. That’s all, I’m hanging up…”

“Brother Liangliang, where in Anhui are you from?”

“Nantong, Anhui.”

“I’m asking you seriously.”

“Oh, I thought you wanted to continue that joke with me, and I was going to play along. My hometown is near Huangshan, a small town.”

“What’s its name?”

“Min’an Town. It’s an old town, really beautiful. I’ll be back with Teacher next month, and my dad’s birthday is around then too. I’ll take you all to my hometown; you’ll definitely love our architectural style there.”

“What date is your uncle’s birthday next month?”

“End of next month, still early.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“But don’t prepare gifts, just come.”

“Okay.”

Li Zhuiyuan hung up the phone.

Holding the ink, Li Zhuiyuan left the store and returned to his dormitory.

Lin Shuyou tried to follow him in but was deterred when Tan Wenbin feigned a kick, forcing him back to his own dormitory.

Closing the door, Tan Wenbin sighed helplessly, lamenting, “This guy wants to stick to us all day now. How about I deal with it and make him quietly become a door god?”

A door god is affixed outside the door, not inside.

“Mm, and send him two more sets of talisman needles.”

“Heh heh, send one set first, and if he performs well, give him another.”

“Brother Binbin, you decide.”

“Task guaranteed.”

Tan Wenbin left with a set of talisman needles.

Li Zhuiyuan sat down at his desk and opened the book in front of him.

This was a new sample edition of “Zhuiyuan’s Secret Scrolls” sent from his hometown school. It was no longer in the form of test papers but hardbound, with syllabus content, formula analysis, and answer explanations included.

Three sets were sent, in three different colors, upper, middle, and lower volumes.

The main purpose was for Li Zhuiyuan to check the cover design, and considering the practicality, the inner pages were blank, making it a hardbound souvenir from his hometown school.

The one Li Zhuiyuan had open now was the upper volume of “Zhuiyuan’s Secret Scrolls,” on which “Volume One” was written in fountain pen, titled “Grandma Yu.”

It fully documented all the threads of the “Grandma Yu” incident, along with post-event analysis and conjectures.

Tan Wenbin had already read this volume. On his desk now was also a small booklet titled “River Walking Code of Conduct.”

Li Zhuiyuan picked up his fountain pen and wrote “Volume Two” on a new page.

Then, he pushed the book aside and wrote “Min’an Town” in a nearby notebook.

When two seeds sprout in the same place, it might no longer be a coincidence.

But if they were to actively investigate so far in advance, wouldn’t it be too frustrating for the deceased spirits on the other side?

Li Zhuiyuan’s lips curved into a smile:

“Why should I empathize with you?”

“Here, take it.”

Tan Wenbin handed the talisman needles to Lin Shuyou.

“Thanks, Brother!”

Lin Shuyou received them with immense excitement. Before, Tan Wenbin had already given him one set, as promised at the bedside.

One set consisted of two evil-breaking talisman needles and two sealing talisman needles, usable once by one Guanjiangshou. After use, they were rendered useless unless, like Lin Shuyou last time, he could restore them by getting “life extension” from his temple.

Lin Shuyou took out the original set from under his bed, holding one set in each hand.

“This set is for me, and this set I’m sending back to my grandfather.”

“Aren’t you silly? You didn’t even think to send the first set you got back immediately, so your family could see if they could replicate it.”

“My grandfather can’t replicate it,” he said, pointing to his stomach. “Here, even if my grandfather wanted to mend it, he’d have to erase and repaint.”

“How do you know it won’t work if you don’t try?”

Lin Shuyou scratched his head: “But even if they could replicate it, who would dare to try? The slightest mistake, and you’d die trying.”

“True, you’re suddenly looking quite smart.”

The prototype design for these talismans came from Wei Zhengdao’s “Record of Righteous Demon-Subduing.”

Drawing talismans required attention to spiritual essence and texture; it couldn’t be done by simply copying. These details were only recorded in the book.

Furthermore, it was A-Li who personally drew these talismans.

Therefore, Li Zhuiyuan fundamentally monopolized the production of these talisman needles. Even if they were given away, each one used meant one less in existence.

Tan Wenbin pointed to the other set of talisman needles in Lin Shuyou’s hand and said, “Since your grandfather has one, what about your master? Send this set back too, for your master.”

“Then I won’t have any to use myself?”

“I’ll give you some when you need them.”

“Ah, right, big brother, you’re so smart!”

“Also, let me tell you something: you can follow me to and from school, but when I’m with Brother Yuan, don’t follow along. Have some common sense.

Go to class calmly during the day, return to the dormitory to sleep at night. I’ll call you when needed. At other times, be my Brother Yuan’s external protector.”

“Understood.”

“I have another set of talisman needles here. If you do well, I’ll give it to you later.”

“Okay!”

Tan Wenbin reached out and patted Lin Shuyou’s arm: “When Run Sheng comes back, you should have a good fight with him.”

“Ah? How can that be?”

“Are you stupid? If you fight him and you can’t beat him, will my Brother Yuan add some extra ‘ingredients’ for you to help him increase his intensity?”

“So, I deliberately lose to him?”

Tan Wenbin frowned.

Lin Shuyou excitedly said, “Right? As long as I deliberately lose to him, Brother Yuan will keep adding ‘ingredients’ for me.”

Tan Wenbin’s mind flashed with the terrifying special training Run Sheng had undergone recently.

“Silly child, if you play like that…”

“It’s fine, right?”

“Run Sheng will beat you to death.”

Upon returning to the dormitory, Tan Wenbin saw Brother Yuan reading. The dormitory was now filled with many books, basic reading materials sent by Grandma Liu.

During this time, he and Brother Yuan had been reading these books together, giving Tan Wenbin the illusion that he and Brother Yuan were at the same stage, building their foundations together.

“Brother Liangliang’s father has a birthday next month, and his hometown is also Min’an Town.”

“Min’an Town?” Tan Wenbin, who had just sat down, immediately sprang up. “Brother Yuan, could it really be this?”

“Not certain, but the probability is increasing.”

“Should we start investigating now?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head:

“No hurry. Wait until Run Sheng and Yin Meng finish their special training.

When you grasp this thread, the vibrations will also transmit along it.

So, either do nothing, or if you act, push forward along all lines at the fastest possible speed, giving it no time to react.”

“Okay, I understand.”

At mealtime, the two just ate some bread, then read together until the afternoon.

Tan Wenbin left the table. He had just finished one volume of a basic book, while a stack of recently finished books lay at Brother Yuan’s feet.

“Brother Yuan, I’m going to chat with Grandma. Are you going now?”

“I’ll go tonight.”

“Alright, I’m heading off then.”

Tan Wenbin arrived at the Liu family home alone. As he pushed open the door and entered the courtyard, he saw Run Sheng sitting on a chair.

This time, however, Run Sheng showed no signs of weakness; instead, he exuded a calm composure.

“Run Sheng, you’re…”

Run Sheng: “My special training is over.”

“Then where’s Uncle Qin?”

Aunt Liu, with disheveled hair and a haggard face, walking somewhat unsteadily, emerged from the house: “He had an urgent matter and went out. He’ll be back in a while, but the lessons are finished.”

Tan Wenbin looked at the pickling jar in the corner and didn’t see Yin Meng’s figure.

Aunt Liu said, “I found an ancient well in Jinling for Mengmeng and immersed her in it, to purify her body before she completes her training.”

“Oh, I see.” Tan Wenbin nodded.

With a clang, several tools were thrown at Tan Wenbin’s feet: tweezers, a wrench, a pry tool, a hammer, and a small knife.

“This is…”

Aunt Liu, holding her forehead, said, “He left in a hurry and didn’t have time to clean up. And I’m too tired. Zhuangzhuang, please help Run Sheng remove the sixteen coffin nails from his body.”

Run Sheng took off his shirt, exposing his back.

Tan Wenbin picked up the tools from the ground and looked at the embedded nail heads on Run Sheng’s body, swallowing with difficulty.

The sight was truly terrifying. Each nail was as long and thick as a chopstick. The thought of extracting them made his scalp crawl, let alone sixteen of them.

It wasn’t a matter of courage—he had, after all, killed people with rocks—but to do this to his companion, he truly couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Run Sheng comforted him, “It’s alright, it doesn’t hurt.”

“Okay.” Tan Wenbin took a deep breath, and just as he was about to begin, he stopped again.

Run Sheng: “What’s wrong?”

“I thought of a good place where they can not only be removed effectively but also sterilized at the same time.”

“Brother Fan, my dearest Brother Fan.”

Fan Shulin twitched when he heard that voice.

He looked up at Tan Wenbin, then immediately shifted his gaze to what was behind him.

Phew… He’s not carrying anyone on his back this time.

“Brother Fan, a friend of mine accidentally got a thorn stuck in him while walking, and I’d like to ask for your help to pull it out.”

“Okay, I’m good at that.”

“Where is the person?”

“I told him to wait in the operating room.”

The school infirmary, which also served as a community hospital, had an operating room, but surgical frequency wasn’t high. For more serious conditions, patients were usually advised to go to larger nearby hospitals.

However, Fan Shulin had recently used this operating room to perform several major surgeries in a row. If it weren’t for concerns about regulations, he would have written papers about them.

On the way to the operating room, Tan Wenbin tried to slip a red packet into Fan Shulin’s white coat.

Fan Shulin pushed it away, saying, “Not this time.”

“Yes, you must.”

“No, it’s just pulling out a thorn, it’s nothing.”

“It’s still hard work.”

“If you consider me a friend, don’t give it.”

“Alright then, next time I’ll send you a commendation banner.”

“Hey, that’s a good idea!”

“Brother Fan, you should’ve said so earlier. Still not straightforward enough, not telling your brother what you need.”

“Then, brother, are you free tonight? Want to go for a drink?”

“Tonight?”

“Yeah, an old classmate who I used to drink and chat with until dawn recently got divorced today. I need to go comfort him.”

“Why did they get divorced?”

“Who knows? He and his partner were working well in Jinling, but his partner suddenly became dead set on quitting her job here and returning to her hometown.”

“Is that just an excuse for divorce?”

“It really doesn’t seem like it. She actually quit her job; she’s going back to Huangshan.”

“Back where?”

“Huangshan, that’s where her hometown is.”

Tan Wenbin froze in place. Fan Shulin opened the operating room door, puzzled: “Aren’t you coming in?”

Seeing Tan Wenbin still unresponsive, Fan Shulin first closed the operating room door, put on his gloves, picked up his tools, and walked up to Run Sheng. Upon seeing him, he couldn’t help but chuckle:

“Hey, another familiar face. Looks good this time, not seriously injured. I say, your gang has been quiet lately, right?”

“Gang?” Run Sheng seemed a little confused but still nodded. “It’s been quiet recently.”

“So, uniting the entire school’s underworld is almost complete, right?”

“Uniting the underworld has just begun.”

“Mm, a long and arduous journey indeed. Come on, where’s the thorn? I’ll pick it out for you.”

Run Sheng took off his clothes.

Tan Wenbin, still dazed outside the operating room door, was startled awake by a scream:

“You guys are devils!”