As soon as Tan Wenbin entered the operating room, he saw Fan Shulin scrambling backward on the floor, pushing himself towards the door with his legs.

“Brother Fan, how did you manage to fall so carelessly? Come, let me help you up.”

Fan Shulin turned his head to Tan Wenbin, pointing at the shirtless Runsheng.

“You call *that* a thorn?”

“There’s no clear standard for how long or thick a thorn should be, right?”

“This is *rooted*? Count them; how many are there already?”

“With all due respect, who counts the grains of rice in their bowl when they’re eating a meal?”

“No, I can’t do this, I really can’t.” Fan Shulin stood up, intending to leave.

Tan Wenbin quickly embraced him. “Brother Fan, the banner, the banner!”

“I don’t want it anymore!”

“Brother Fan, please help. A healer’s heart, a healer’s heart.”

“My healer’s heart was eaten by a dog!”

“Yes, yes, yes, I ate it. I’ll spit it out for you now.”

“You…”

“Look, my friend here was treated by you last time. You saved his life. Can you bear to let him go now?”

“I…”

“Please hurry, I’m worried about tetanus if we don’t get these out soon.”

Fan Shulin felt dizzy. He was pushed back in front of Runsheng, where he changed his gloves and tools. It wasn’t until he exerted force and pulled out a section of the first nail head that he suddenly came to his senses.

“What exactly am I doing?!”

Tan Wenbin shrugged, his tone calm again. “It doesn’t matter, Brother Fan, because you’ve already started.”

Fan Shulin swallowed with some difficulty, then continued pulling.

As it turned out, with gradual steps and increasing pressure, human adaptability often surpasses one’s own imagination.

He began to get into the swing of things.

Just as the first nail was about to come out, Fan Shulin called out, “Help me hold it. I need to prepare for hemostasis.”

Tan Wenbin said, “Okay, coming.”

Runsheng said, “No need for all that trouble.”

Runsheng reached out his own hand, grasped the nail head, and pulled. The nail was completely removed just like that.

“Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing…”

Immediately, a shocking scene unfolded for Fan Shulin: after the nail was pulled out, the original wound began to close on its own. It was closing, not healing.

The flesh tightened by itself, stopping its own bleeding.

Fan Shulin’s mouth hung open. His brain, continuously stimulated, was in a strange, disoriented state. What he was thinking now was:

If all patients on operating tables nationwide had this ability, wouldn’t doctors wake up laughing?

Then, another thought emerged:

My thesis is hopeless. If I were to write about and publish on a patient like this, it wouldn’t be a matter of academic fraud, but rather having my medical license revoked for mental instability.

“Brother Fan, Brother Fan?”

“Ah, yes, I’m here.”

“There are fifteen more. You’d better hurry.”

“Oh, right.”

Fan Shulin continued to pull out the second nail. It was the same as before: he only needed to loosen the nail, and then the patient in front of him would reach out, grab it, and pull it out, with the wound still closing on its own.

“No, wait. I just forgot. I need to check if there’s any infection or pus inside.”

Runsheng said, “Oh.”

The wounds at two symmetrical locations reopened, like a pair of eyes opening.

“Hmm, no infection. Very good.”

After Fan Shulin finished speaking, he suddenly collapsed to the ground with a thud, terrified by the horrifying scene he had just witnessed, his eyes rolling back.

Tan Wenbin quickly helped him up again. “Brother Fan, Brother Fan, Brother Fan?”

Fan Shulin recovered, nodding numbly, getting up numbly, and numbly continuing to pull out nails.

This time, he didn’t wait for Runsheng to reach out; he pulled it out himself.

And then he continued.

He seemed to have lost the ability to think. He felt less like he was performing surgery and more like he was helping someone saw wood in the countryside.

Finally, all sixteen nails were completely removed.

Fan Shulin sat exhausted on the operating table, while Runsheng stood up.

“Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Fan.”

Fan Shulin turned his head, looking at the tray next to him, filled with sixteen thick, long coffin nails. Then he looked at Runsheng, who was already dressing as if nothing had happened.

He suddenly began to doubt his entire medical career.

“Oh, right, Brother Fan, when does your class reunion start?”

“Late… late at night. Everyone’s on duty, so it’ll be midnight.”

“Alright, if I can make it, I will. If not, I’ll call your infirmary beforehand to let you know.”

“Hmm… okay.”

“Brother Fan, please rest well. I’ll be leaving now.”

After saying goodbye, Tan Wenbin and Runsheng left the infirmary together.

As they walked towards the school, Runsheng asked, “Is there an emergency?”

“How could you tell?”

“You’re walking very fast.”

“My lightness kung fu has seen some minor achievements recently.”

“If it’s an emergency, you shouldn’t have waited for me there. You should have gone to tell Zhuiyuan immediately.”

“There is something, an extra clue, but there’s no rush right now. Brother Zhuiyuan said that even if we’re to start anything, we have to wait for you and Yin Meng to return to the team.”

“I understand.”

“Also, Runsheng, how long will it take for your injuries to heal?”

“These aren’t injuries, this is a Qi Sea.”

“You call this a Qi Sea? I’ve at least read some ancient texts with Brother Zhuiyuan. Whose Qi Sea is literally made by hammering nails into their body?”

“Master said… Uncle Qin said everyone’s characteristics are different.”

“So, how do you feel now?”

“A little hungry.”

Tan Wenbin and Runsheng first returned to the dorm together. When they opened the door, no one was inside.

“Brother Zhuiyuan must have gone to Grandma Liu’s. Let’s go too.”

Closing the door, they went downstairs and happened to see Lin Shuyou, leaning on a crutch with his left hand and carrying a thermos with his right. He must have just gotten hot water from the dispenser.

Lin Shuyou’s eyes lit up when he saw Runsheng.

Tan Wenbin also spoke up then, asking, “Runsheng, itching for a fight?”

Runsheng nodded. “The incense is finished. I need to go back to the store’s basement room to get more.”

“I wasn’t asking about that. Do you want to find someone to practice with?” Tan Wenbin said, glancing at Lin Shuyou.

Lin Shuyou proudly puffed out his chest.

Runsheng shook his head.

During his special training, Uncle Qin was his sparring partner, defeating him again and again.

If before he merely knew that Zhuiyuan hoped he would become the next Uncle Qin, now, Uncle Qin’s image had materialized for him.

With a clearer, higher goal in mind, even after the special training ended, he didn’t feel complacent or eager to spar.

Tan Wenbin whispered, “Runsheng, we’re about to take action. Brother Zhuiyuan probably wants to see your progress too, so he can make reasonable plans.”

He knew sparring with Runsheng himself wouldn’t be effective; whether before or after the special training, Runsheng could easily defeat him.

But Lin Shuyou was a good reference, a clear unit of measurement.

Runsheng said, “Then Zhuiyuan has to tell me to fight. Only then will I.”

“Of course, we can’t engage in private fights.”

“Let’s go find Zhuiyuan.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Tan Wenbin and Runsheng left.

Lin Shuyou stood frozen. Hadn’t Runsheng said he would fight him after his seclusion? Why was he not fighting now?

Dropping his crutch, Lin Shuyou wanted to chase after them to ask why, and perhaps initiate a righteous sparring match.

He had originally believed that infighting among the righteous would pain Heaven and delight evil spirits. Now, he felt that healthy internal sparring and competition would be more beneficial in combating evil.

But before he could take two steps, he saw a classmate approaching. Seeing this, Lin Shuyou quickly turned back and picked up his crutch.

Sometimes, once a lie is told, one has to keep embellishing it.

“Shuyou, let me help you with your thermos.”

“Come, let me help you upstairs.”

Lin Shuyou had no choice but to be escorted upstairs by his helpful classmate, all while pretending to limp.

Li Zhuiyuan was originally headed to the Liu family’s residence, but as he passed the sports field, he was drawn in by two “stalls” inside.

The freshman military training ended in the morning, and with it, the recruitment for student councils and clubs began.

Everyone set up tables and signs on the field. Senior students pulled out all the stops to attract the wide-eyed, innocent freshmen.

For most freshmen admitted to this university, high school studies were often quite dull. Often, the belief that sustained their efforts was a beautiful vision of college life.

Broadly speaking, there were two main aspirations:

One, a vibrant array of campus activities.

Two, dating.

Campus activities were listed first because most people quickly found their illusions shattered, realizing after a brief burst of enthusiasm that it wasn’t all that impressive.

The second aspiration, however, often persisted. Whether or not someone found a partner or fell in love, it would remain an enduring topic of conversation within dorm circles, with single people often being the most enthusiastic about it.

Of course, for freshmen, quickly finding a partner right after school started was the exclusive privilege of a few outstanding individuals, but joining clubs or the student council was quite simple.

Some influential departments or those with impressive-sounding names, as well as a small number of clubs that clearly fit current popular trends, would face overcrowding. To handle this, they wouldn’t hesitate to conduct “interviews and assessments” for selection.

The vast majority of other departments and clubs, however, were in a desperate state.

If they didn’t actively promote themselves and attract enough members, they would, like declining martial arts sects, simply await their demise.

This sports field was also a sort of “Jianghu.”

Walking through it, one felt a sense of youthful vitality, and many club names were diverse and imaginative.

Traditional clubs were extremely specialized, and non-traditional clubs were also plentiful.

What drew Li Zhuiyuan to walk around the sports field fence and enter was a small cluster of stalls in the corner.

Blocking the view of that cluster was the Go Club. Go was very popular at the time, and many freshmen came to get forms, fill out applications, and ask questions.

Several tables already had Go boards set up, with senior students and proud freshmen playing against each other, and spectators watching nearby.

Although Li Zhuiyuan often played Go with A’li, he was never interested in Go itself.

Squeezing through the crowd, he finally reached the very corner. There were a total of four tables. Not many freshmen were there, but the older club members were patiently operating.

The president of the “Alien Club” was holding his scrapbook, telling a few freshmen about UFOs and some of the world’s unsolved mysteries.

The president of the “Qigong Club” sat on the ground with two senior members, meditating with aluminum pots on their heads.

One member stood by, explaining that they were observing the trajectories of artificial satellites and, if necessary, would control their own satellites to collide and fight with those of other countries.

Perhaps feeling that this boast was too outlandish, and that their president and two members were acting a bit too foolish, the member responsible for introductions simply flipped open the display board, taking a different approach.

The board read: “Practicing Qigong helps increase your luck in romance.”

Clearly, this board had a miraculous effect, and several freshmen immediately asked if it was true.

These two were still somewhat popular among the otherwise quiet cluster. As for the other two inside, Li Zhuiyuan’s actual targets, there was truly no one in front of them.

On the left table, a sign read “Fate Divination Club,” and behind it sat a bald senior student who was dozing off.

A rather unfortunate senior, likely due to a hereditary condition.

Such a problem was almost intractable; no amount of care or maintenance helped. It primarily manifested after a certain age, where even previously thick hair would immediately result in baldness.

On the right table, a sign read “Physiognomy Club,” and a man and a woman, both wearing thick glasses, sat there.

These two weren’t sleeping. They looked quite embarrassed and awkward, still nervous and uneasy even with no one in front of them.

Actually, if their two tables were combined, and they acted like wandering diviners, putting up a flag that read “Master Calculator,” “Fortune-telling for Love and Career,” “No Fee If Incorrect,” and perhaps wore some Taoist or Buddhist robes, they would definitely attract a lot of people.

Yet, the two physiognomists were clearly severely introverted and afraid of socializing, while the bald senior seemed to have seen through the mundane world.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to the man and woman and saw that they had made identity tags for themselves: President Liu Tao, Vice President Lu An’an.

“Hello seniors, I’d like a reading.”

“Huh?” Liu Tao was a bit surprised. “Little brother, we’re recruiting for our club.”

Lu An’an reached out and nudged Liu Tao. “Just give the little brother a reading.”

Just sitting idly was more awkward; it was better to have something to do.

Besides, the boy was quite handsome. Staring at an attractive young man was better than staring blankly into the air.

Liu Tao hesitated, then nodded and asked, “Little brother, what do you want to see?”

“A reading.”

“Heh heh, I mean, what specific aspects do you want to look at? Academic performance or physical health?”

Li Zhuiyuan pointed to his face and said, “First, a facial reading, a character analysis.”

Hearing this professional terminology, the expressions of both noticeably changed.

Liu Tao took out a thick, dog-eared book from a drawer. After opening it, he pulled out a notebook, uncapped his fountain pen, and prepared to calculate.

Lu An’an, meanwhile, retrieved an abacus from under the drawer of the dozing bald senior next door and placed it in front of Liu Tao.

Liu Tao held his pen in his right hand, manipulated the abacus with his left, and stared at Li Zhuiyuan, continuously mumbling incantations.

This posture genuinely surprised Li Zhuiyuan, indicating that the other person was actually calculating, not merely “counting on fingers” and then looking up an entry in a book to deceive.

However, their skill level seemed very low, as if one foot was in the door but the other was still outside.

Because under normal circumstances, if someone were to divine for him in his presence, he would be clearly aware of it.

Back then, on his great-grandfather’s estate, Liu Yumei used to love divining for him, even deliberately hiding her hands in her sleeves or behind a fan.

But each time, he would feel a sense of alert, either disrupting her by making faces or directly countering her calculations.

Lu An’an walked out from behind the table and came to Li Zhuiyuan’s side. “Little brother, let me feel your bones.”

“Okay.”

Lu An’an wasn’t tall and didn’t wear perfume. She was an ordinary-looking girl, but her fingers were quite delicate and soft.

Moreover, when her fingertips touched your skin, you could perceive her very subtle application and withdrawal of force.

She genuinely knew how to practice osteomancy.

After the touch, Lu An’an walked to Liu Tao, said a few words to him, and Liu Tao immediately started flipping through his book again, searching, then continued staring at Li Zhuiyuan and manipulating the abacus.

Li Zhuiyuan felt something, very faint, like a mosquito bite.

But this also meant that Liu Tao had entered a state of concentration, albeit based on their combined effort.

However, as he calculated, Liu Tao began sniffling continuously, occasionally pressing the back of his hand against his nose, and a considerable amount of time had passed.

Lu An’an, fearing Li Zhuiyuan would grow impatient, reassured him, “Little brother, this takes a little waiting, but don’t worry, it’ll be ready soon.”

“Okay.”

Li Zhuiyuan smiled in response, while his fingertips began to tap lightly.

The fact that he was able to calculate was now a bit of a problem.

Lu An’an took a piece of candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and offered it to Li Zhuiyuan’s mouth.

“Little brother, big sister invites you to have some candy.”

Li Zhuiyuan hesitated. His hands were currently occupied, so he could only open his mouth.

“Hehe.”

Lu An’an didn’t find the boy’s actions presumptuous and happily fed the candy into his mouth.

It was a milk candy, very sweet.

“Little brother, do you live nearby, or are your parents faculty here?”

“I’m a freshman.”

“You’re really a freshman?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“So young, a prodigy?” Then, as if something occurred to her, Lu An’an excitedly said, “Then join our Physiognomy Club! You’ll be our next president!”

Quality over quantity. If they could recruit a prodigy, it would bring great prestige to the club.

Furthermore, Lu An’an knew very well that their line of work required a lot of mental power.

Li Zhuiyuan neither confirmed nor denied, his fingertips still lightly tapping.

In fact, if he were to stop now, they wouldn’t have to wait for the next generation, because the current president would likely have to retire due to illness.

Gradually, Liu Tao’s sniffling grew louder, and cold sweat appeared on his face. Even though it was late summer, early autumn, and still hot, white mist began to rise from the top of his head.

Seeing this, Lu An’an sensed something was wrong. “Liu Tao…”

She tried to step forward and stop him, but Li Zhuiyuan grabbed her wrist.

Lu An’an instinctively tried to pull free, but found the boy’s grip much stronger than she had imagined.

“Let the senior continue calculating. Don’t disturb him.”

Li Zhuiyuan ended his counter-calculation.

“Ah!”

At this moment, Liu Tao suddenly cried out, then fell backward along with the chair he was sitting on.

Li Zhuiyuan released Lu An’an’s hand. Lu An’an ran over and helped the pale-faced Liu Tao up.

“Liu Tao, you’re bleeding from your nose. Wait here, I’ll get you some tissues.”

Liu Tao murmured to himself, “I can’t calculate it, I can’t calculate it, I can’t calculate it…”

This commotion woke up the dozing bald senior next door.

He groggily opened his eyes. Seeing the scene, his expression startled, he immediately took two steps forward and cursed.

“Are you just messing around and calculating for yourself when you have nothing better to do?”

As he spoke, he pinched Liu Tao’s jaw with his right hand to open his mouth, and with his left hand pulled out a handful of black pellets from his pocket, which looked very much like the popular “rat droppings” snack sold outside elementary schools.

Li Zhuiyuan recognized the smell, knowing it was a calming tonic. He used to get nosebleeds frequently, and Aunt Liu often brewed him herbal medicine, with A’li always bringing it to him.

“Don’t feed him those,” Li Zhuiyuan said, walking over.

The bald senior glanced at Li Zhuiyuan, and seeing how young he was, had no intention of listening, continuing to try and feed Liu Tao.

“A little bleeding and a few days of headache will be good for him; it’s like clearing out a blockage.”

“What did you say?” The bald senior frowned, looking at Li Zhuiyuan again. These words didn’t sound like something an ordinary boy would say.

“If you feed him, his suffering will be in vain. Let him rest for a few days; he’ll have a better feel for things later when he calculates.”

The bald man said in a deep voice, “Little friend, are you from the Divination Gate?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. He didn’t know exactly what “Divination Gate” referred to, but by its name, it should be a collective term for a series of sects that primarily focused on physiognomy and divination.

“Then who are you? Can you take responsibility for what you say? If he doesn’t take medicine in time, his brain might have problems.”

“There won’t be any problems. However, if you want to feed him the medicine, go ahead.”

“You…”

The bald student was speechless for a moment. You’ve already said that, is it still appropriate for me to feed him?

At this moment, Liu Tao seemed to have recovered a little. He focused his gaze on Li Zhuiyuan and asked, “Why couldn’t I calculate anything at all?”

“Normal.”

He was currently “walking the river,” the river waters surging, magnificent and powerful.

“Walking the river and lighting the lamp” was equivalent to “submitting” one’s fate; only by lighting the third lamp would one truly reclaim it.

During the “river walking” phase, his fate belonged to the Jianghu, or perhaps, the heavens above.

Therefore, what he had been calculating just now was the will of Heaven.

This was a taboo infinitely greater than divining for oneself in a mirror.

Li Zhuiyuan had originally thought Liu Tao couldn’t truly divine, just an enthusiast, but when he entered a state of calculation, to prevent him from being crippled, the boy had also been divining for him, essentially controlling the intensity to help counteract the backlash and maintain a reasonable balance.

Liu Tao was injured, had a nosebleed, and would have a throbbing headache for a few days, but after recovering, his physiognomy skills would have advanced to a point where both his feet were “in the door.”

The bald senior stood up, looked at Li Zhuiyuan, and asked, “Since you’re not from the Divination Gate, then which path are you on?”

Not even knowing how to perform the proper salutation, he was clearly a mere insignificant figure in the Jianghu.

“You wouldn’t know.”

“Who is your master? What’s your family name? Where are you from?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head again, then turned to Lu An’an. “Senior sister, you are very skilled at osteomancy.”

For some reason, Lu An’an felt flattered and overwhelmed by the boy’s compliment.

“I learned from my grandma. My grandma does this back in our hometown.”

“Next time you go home for break, Senior sister, you can tell your grandma that when practicing osteomancy, she can add ‘finger tremor resonance’.”

Lu An’an’s eyes immediately widened. She had heard her grandma mention this term more than once, and each time it was accompanied by regretful sighs, saying that it was originally part of their family knowledge, but the tradition had been broken during her great-grandmother’s two generations, so it couldn’t be passed down.

“My grandma… doesn’t know it.”

She spoke very honestly.

And the milk candy she had given him earlier hadn’t fully dissolved yet, still releasing faint sweetness.

“Senior sister, bend down.”

“Oh.”

Lu An’an bent down.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his right hand, slightly clenched, and lifted it.

Lu An’an took a deep breath, turning her face towards the boy’s hand.

Li Zhuiyuan’s ring finger knuckle tapped her forehead three times.

“Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!”

Three resonating vibrations echoed in Lu An’an’s mind.

She retreated continuously, sitting on the ground, looking up at the sky, feeling it vast and clear. Looking around, she seemed to perceive many more clear and subtle sights and sounds; her entire being entered a state of ethereal emptiness.

This was “finger tremor resonance,” a technique in osteomancy. Under the finger tremor, with resonance for control, it could achieve more specific and detailed osteomancy effects.

“Detailed Explanations of Yin-Yang Physiognomy” recorded osteomancy, but only as a minor branch. Relatively speaking, osteomancy was somewhat inconvenient and had significant limitations.

Li Zhuiyuan had learned this technique but never used it for osteomancy. The previous times he used it were on Jingjing, who was possessed, and Binbin, who was in a coma, using it as a “stepping stone” to awaken their consciousness.

Lu An’an said with delight, “You know it! You actually know it! Can you teach me?”

Li Zhuiyuan was surprised. Hadn’t he just taught her? Three times, even.

Lu An’an immediately stood up, crossed her hands in front of her, then took half a step back with her right leg, her hands, head, and entire upper body, alternately lowering in a bow.

From the looks of it, Lu An’an was likely the one with the deepest family knowledge, much more reliable than Liu Tao and the bald senior, because her grandma had also taught her traditional etiquette.

As for her grandma, she was probably similar to Liu Jinxia from his hometown, earning a living this way. However, Liu Jinxia entered the field late in life due to her strong fate, and her mastery of metaphysics certainly couldn’t compare to Lu An’an’s grandma.

Li Zhuiyuan returned with a Liu family salute.

Lu An’an merely continued to smile. Liu Tao, who had gotten up but was still bleeding from his nose, looked bewildered. Only the bald senior pointed at Li Zhuiyuan, saying triumphantly:

“See, I told you! You have a family inheritance!”

Evidently, none of the three present recognized the Liu family.

Lu An’an said, “Junior brother, no, Senior, please teach me.”

“I have something else to do.” Li Zhuiyuan looked at the sky. “I need to go.”

“Senior, this is the club application form.” Lu An’an took out a form and a pen, offering them. “You tell me what to fill in?”

“I’m not joining.”

He had merely noticed this corner when passing by the sports field fence while the sky was still bright, so he decided to come over and have some fun. Now that he was done,

It was quite interesting. Both Liu Tao and Lu An’an had some genuine skills.

The bald senior stopped Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up at him and asked, “What do you want?”

The bald senior scratched his bald spot and said, “Don’t misunderstand, I just feel like I’ve lost something somehow. Do you feel that way?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and continued walking.

The bald senior moved aside.

He continued scratching his head, truly feeling he had lost something today, but he wasn’t sure what exactly.

In truth, he hadn’t lost anything, but since the other two had gained, it made it seem as though he had.

Moreover, when Li Zhuiyuan walked over, the first person he looked at was him, because his hairstyle was so attention-grabbing, but he was dozing off.

Seeing his friend in that state mid-nap, he naturally felt a bit irritated and spoke somewhat aggressively. He also didn’t realize the boy’s ability and change his attitude in time like Lu An’an did, still retaining a bit of arrogance.

Sometimes, it truly is personality that determines destiny.

His two friends benefited, but his name wasn’t even remembered.

As Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the sports field gate, he happened to see Tan Wenbin and Runsheng walking together.

“Zhuiyuan.”

“Brother Zhuiyuan.”

Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze fell on Runsheng, and he blinked.

Runsheng walked over, turned his back to Li Zhuiyuan, and bent down.

Li Zhuiyuan climbed onto Runsheng’s back. Runsheng stood up and walked forward, carrying the boy.

As dusk approached, the horizon began to put on its twilight makeup, draped in glowing clouds.

Tan Wenbin informed Li Zhuiyuan about Yin Meng’s emergence from seclusion and the news about Mount Huang that he had gotten from Fan Shulin.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, indicating he understood, then rested his face against Runsheng’s back.

Arriving at the Liu family residence, they pushed open the courtyard gate and entered.

Aunt Liu’s voice came, “Oh, our little Zhuiyuan is getting smaller and smaller; now Runsheng has to carry him.”

Li Zhuiyuan got off Runsheng’s back, smiled at Aunt Liu, and asked:

“Aunt Liu, when will Yin Meng finish her seclusion?”

Aunt Liu looked at Tan Wenbin. “Didn’t I tell Binbin? Mengmeng still needs to soak for another day.”

“To detoxify?”

“Where’s the poison? If there was poison, would I let her soak in the well? That’s for beauty.”

“Then I’ll trouble you, Aunt Liu, to get her out.”

“Something urgent?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go right now.”

Aunt Liu wiped her hands on her apron, went into the house to retrieve a large bag, then walked straight out of the courtyard.

“Brother Runsheng, do you need to rest?”

“Zhuiyuan, I have no injuries.” Runsheng pointed to several spots under his clothes where the coffin nails had been embedded. “This is a Qi Sea.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. This was a body-tempering technique developed based on the “Qin Clan’s Dragon-Viewing Method.”

He recalled how Uncle Qin, standing by the Yangtze River, grew webs between his toes and gills on his face, then leaped into the river. Alone, he nearly pierced through the entire Baijia Town.

Its principle was precisely this.

The “Qi Seas” formed by these sixteen coffin nails could help Runsheng accumulate energy on land and breathe in a special way in water.

To be able to ascend to the sky and descend into the river, that is a true flood dragon.

“Brother Runsheng, why don’t you go eat at the store first? Make sure to eat your fill, and then pack your gear and mine.”

“Understood.”

“Brother Binbin, please arrange for Lin Shuyou. Find a suitable location for him to spar with Runsheng. It needs to finish before eleven tonight.”

“Understood.”

Tan Wenbin then pointed upstairs, where Grandma Liu was.

“Today, I’ll talk to Grandma Liu on your behalf.”

“Alright.”

Runsheng and Tan Wenbin turned and left.

The French windows in A’li’s room were tightly closed, and the curtains were drawn. Li Zhuiyuan didn’t rush to find A’li but went upstairs first.

Grandma Liu was standing at a table, holding a brush and sketching clothing designs.

“It’s rare for you to come see Grandma first when you enter. What is it, something urgent?”

“Yes, I’ll probably have to leave soon.”

“So soon?”

“Also to make an early start.” Li Zhuiyuan walked to Liu Yumei’s side and helped her with her paint palette.

“How about this one?” Liu Yumei asked.

“It suits A’li very well.”

“I trust your taste, boy.”

“These past few days, Runsheng, Binbin, and Yin Meng have caused you some trouble.”

“Is this connection about to break?”

“How could it break? It’s just a different door opening; we’re still family.”

“I’ll listen to you; I trust you know what you’re doing. But those two… forget it. Zhuangzhuang hasn’t caused me any trouble.

That guy now acts like a little eunuch whenever he’s in front of me. He treats me like Empress Dowager Cixi.

He probably thinks I can’t tell, but it’s not like I haven’t watched TV and movies.”

“Heh heh.”

“Oh dear, that poor child. He has to come coax this bad-tempered old lady every day.”

“You are an elder, both protective and generous, both dignified and reasonable. What family wouldn’t happily coax such a grandmother?”

“As long as you don’t find me nagging or annoying.”

“Only elders who are corrupt, stubborn, and who arrogantly pull rank and lecture their juniors are annoying to their descendants. You are none of those things.”

“You really do know how to talk.”

Liu Yumei reached out and touched Li Zhuiyuan’s face, then stepped back, examining him carefully from head to toe. “You have grown taller. In a few more years, you’ll be a big boy.”

“Isn’t A’li the same?”

“A’li is different. In my heart, no matter how old she gets, she’ll always be a child. You should be too, but you understand that what you carry is different.”

“I know.”

“It’s still the same old saying: Grandma is content. Whenever you feel tired and don’t want to continue, just come back and light the lamp.

The Qin and Liu families have done enough. Protecting two young ones to live peaceful lives for a lifetime is still no problem.”

“Uncle Qin left again?”

“Yes, he only came back midway. Now that things here are settled, matters there are still waiting for him. But he won’t be gone long this time.

What’s wrong? Are you worried I sent him to Fujian to trouble those two Guanjiong Shou?”

“You’re at peace now.”

“Yes, when life has hope, one feels differently.

Alright, go find A’li. Since you’re going on a long trip, you two should talk a bit more.”

“Okay, Grandma.”

Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs and opened the door to A’li’s bedroom.

He didn’t need to knock because A’li could sense his arrival.

As he entered, A’li had just put down her carving knife.

“Did I disturb you?”

A’li shook her head and handed the seal to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan took the seal. It was small and exquisite, yet contained an inner power, especially the dragon-elephant on top, which was remarkably lifelike.

Not rushing to look at the engraving below, he pressed it onto an ink pad, then walked over to the painting scroll on the table.

The painting depicted him ending Grandma Yu.

“It’s drawn really well.”

Li Zhuiyuan placed the seal onto the painting. When he lifted it, a bright red imprint appeared on the scroll: “Acting on Heaven’s Behalf.”

It meant the same as “Enforcing Justice on Behalf of Heaven,” but its presence felt different.

Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t have such grand ideals or ambitions; the concept of “righteousness” wasn’t deeply ingrained in him, as he had studied Wei Zhengdao’s unofficial books from the very beginning.

But he truly enjoyed the feeling of “cheating” the heavens.

If he were to explain it to outsiders, those four characters would undoubtedly refer to his grand ideals, but in reality, it was a mischievous and dark humor deep within him that only she knew about.

The painting was complete, and the seal was affixed. However, the scroll’s frame wasn’t ready yet, primarily because more waste material was used than expected, leading to an insufficient number of ancestor tablets for this batch. They would have to wait for the next batch of remade ancestor tablets to continue.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and took A’li’s hand. “Come, let’s pick another one.”

The boy and the girl closed their eyes together.

Li Zhuiyuan stood behind the threshold. In front, the mist remained, as did the rustling sounds, and they were noticeably closer and louder than when he had just dealt with Grandma Yu.

One Grandma Yu could deter them temporarily, but it was far from enough to make them truly afraid and flee.

Li Zhuiyuan stepped over the threshold and pulled out the white lantern tucked into a crack in the wall.

One person, one lantern, they walked into the mist.

In the mist, spectral figures loomed, some probing, some mocking, some provoking.

Then, the lantern in front of him was suddenly enveloped by a mass of mist, as if something was swallowing it.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t panic, his hands still gripping the pole.

From the lantern’s end, a pulling force emanated; it was proactive!

Li Zhuiyuan vigorously swung the lantern pole, like casting a fishing rod after a fish has bitten.

With a resounding boom,

The surrounding mist dispersed,

A large, entirely black fish streaked overhead, its massive body and hateful eyes passing above.

Let the willing take the bait!