Chapter 107 – Interrogation

When Wei Yang returned with the food, he was momentarily stunned upon entering the room. Master Zeng was already sitting up by the bed, seemingly awake for some time, while the Little Celestial Master sat obediently beside him, diligently engaged in his usual routine of drawing talismans and performing his rituals. On any other day, this scene would have been perfectly ordinary, but after the events of that morning, even the seasoned conman couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.

Seeing Wei Yang enter, Master Zeng greeted him calmly, “Ah Yang, you went to buy breakfast?”

After several days of persistent effort to get closer, Master Zeng had long since dropped the formalities and no longer addressed Wei Yang as “Master Wei.” But hearing such a familiar greeting, Wei Yang’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly plastered on a smile. “I got some breakfast from the small cafeteria. It’s all easy-to-digest stuff. Master Zeng, please eat while it’s still warm.”

Even in a VIP ward, the hospital food was still lacking, so for the past few days, Wei Yang had been ordering meals from a specialized cafeteria, ensuring they were nutritionally balanced and easy on the stomach. This had become a routine, and under normal circumstances, there was no need to mention it explicitly. However, as soon as the words left his mouth, Wei Yang inwardly cursed himself—wasn’t this just making small talk for the sake of it? But Master Zeng didn’t seem to notice, simply nodding with a smile. “Thank you for your trouble.”

His attitude remained as natural as ever, and Wei Yang’s anxious heart relaxed slightly. He quickly set the breakfast he had bought on the table. For Master Zeng, there was a bowl of thick rice porridge, while for the Little Celestial Master, there was meat porridge and buns, accompanied by two light and tasty side dishes. The table was quite lavishly set, and the two of them began their breakfast as usual. Watching their elegant and refined eating manners, Wei Yang finally let go of his vigilance and joined them, devouring his meal in a hurry.

After breakfast, he was sent out to fetch some items. Knowing that the Little Celestial Master was running low on talisman paper, Master Zeng had made a few calls and arranged for everything they needed to be prepared and sent to the post office. While this method was a bit cumbersome, it was relatively safe and unlikely to cause any issues. After picking up the package, Wei Yang also took the opportunity to visit the police station to inquire about the situation. Captain Wang from the Criminal Investigation Division was an old acquaintance of Wei Yang’s and had witnessed the supernatural incident at his former superior’s home. He was quite invested in the case of capturing the Jiangtou Master, even setting up undercover agents near Old Yao’s residence, waiting for the culprits to take the bait. However, after several days of surveillance, there had been no activity. Seeing Wei Yang arrive, Captain Wang couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

Wei Yang, seemingly aware of the other’s difficulty, smiled and said, “After all, the surveillance footage in the neighborhood didn’t capture that person’s image, so it’s definitely a tough case. Captain Wang, we’re already very grateful for your efforts. I’m not here to ask about that, but rather, have you found any leads regarding the two suspects who died suddenly?”

One had died in the county town, and the other in the city. These two Jiangtou Masters had caused the police quite a bit of trouble. However, since they were connected to a major human trafficking case, the investigation into them had been quite thorough. Even their mobile phones had been seized and analyzed, with some numbers being tracked and located. However, the investigation had stalled at this point. Captain Wang sighed, “Xiao Wei, I suspect these two have some complicated backgrounds. After a while, the investigation couldn’t proceed further. The water here is quite deep.”

Wei Yang was mentally prepared for this. Generally speaking, people with such special abilities were often guests of the wealthy and powerful. Not to mention others, even he, a conman, had managed to connect with high-ranking officials in the provincial department, let alone those two ruthless and daring individuals. Their network was likely far more complex than he imagined. Otherwise, Master Zeng, a direct descendant of the Sanliao Village, wouldn’t have been forced to shut down his phone and hide for so long before returning to the provincial capital.

However, if the other side had such influence, they probably already knew about their intentions in the hospital, right? Feeling uneasy, Wei Yang didn’t show it on his face. Instead, he smiled sincerely at Captain Wang, “Getting to this point is already a gain. At least now we have a clearer picture.”

Captain Wang still seemed uneasy. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Should we send some people to guard the hospital? Your current method seems a bit risky.”

As an experienced detective, Captain Wang naturally understood what Wei Yang and the others were trying to do. However, Wei Yang shook his head, “No need to trouble yourselves. Against those with magical abilities, having more people won’t make a difference. We’ve made quite a few preparations on our end and are relatively confident. However, if anything happens, we’ll need your help to cover it up.”

“That’s no problem!” Although Master Wei had caused them quite a few headaches, he had also brought them significant achievements. The success of the human trafficking case alone had brought him a lot of glory. Helping out with such a small matter was nothing.

Despite having the police’s assurance, Wei Yang didn’t feel much more at ease. Instead, his heart grew heavier. It seemed Master Zeng had a deep understanding of their enemies, and their situation wasn’t truly secure. Yet, even in such a situation, Master Zeng rarely shared truly useful information with him, treating him more like a temporary assistant. In truth, this couldn’t be blamed on Master Zeng. After all, Wei Yang was just an outsider who had stumbled into this situation by chance. But this was still Brother Qi’s uncle, and the feeling of being kept at arm’s length wasn’t pleasant.

Looking at the talisman paper and ritual instruments in his hand, Wei Yang sighed helplessly. He wondered when he would finally be accepted by that inscrutable uncle.

After handling the matters at the police station, Wei Yang didn’t linger and hurried back to the hospital, delivering the items he had picked up to Master Zeng. The man was already able to get out of bed and, together with Zhang Xiuqi, unpacked the items and checked their contents. In addition to the yellow talisman paper, cinnabar, and red nitre used for drawing talismans, there were also limonite, chicken throats, and other accessories. The quality was far superior to what he had seen before, likely of genuine professional grade.

Master Zeng was also quite satisfied with the quality of the items. After inspecting them, he said to Zhang Xiuqi, “Xiao Qi, go downstairs and set up the formation. I estimate they won’t wait much longer.”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded, picked up the items, and headed out of the room. Wei Yang’s heart immediately tensed. Were they already starting to set up formations? Did that mean the other side was about to make their move? How did Master Zeng know this?

As if sensing his question, Master Zeng smiled faintly, “They won’t delay much longer. It’ll likely happen within the next day or two.”

Wei Yang hesitated for a moment before finally asking, “Master Zeng, do you have some leads?”

“I’ve been tracking them for several years now, so of course I know a few things,” Master Zeng replied frankly, but the implication was clear—these were things he wasn’t keen on sharing with Wei Yang.

Wei Yang fell silent for a long time before finally speaking again, “Are they powerful? I mean, the ones we encountered at the railway community were already quite troublesome. What if they send someone even stronger… Should we call for more help? I know a Master Chizhi, and he’s quite powerful…”

Master Zeng, however, waved his hand, “If we call for more people, they’ll just disappear. It’s already rare to lure them into a trap, and I don’t want to miss this opportunity.”

Even if it meant using himself, or his own nephew, as bait, he wouldn’t hesitate? Wei Yang couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud, but Master Zeng could see it in his eyes. He turned his gaze to the window, his voice soft but resolute, “That person killed my brother-in-law and has a significant connection to the loss of Xiao Qi’s Heavenly Soul. If I can find him, I’m willing to pay any price.”

His words were calm, but the determination in them was undeniable. Wei Yang couldn’t help but clench his fists, “Master Zeng, I can help too. Although it’s not always effective, my Bone Formation has been quite useful against those guys. I could be a wildcard. If you trust me, maybe I can play a bigger role.”

This was Wei Yang’s genuine sentiment. He was a cunning little conman, yes, but when it came to something as crucial as this, which involved Brother Qi, he held nothing back. Hearing this, Master Zeng looked him up and down, then suddenly smiled, “I know. But there’s one thing that’s been bothering me. What exactly is your relationship with Xiao Qi?”

His lips curved into a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Being hit with such a sudden question, Wei Yang’s forehead immediately broke out in cold sweat. Why was he suddenly asking this? Had Master Zeng discovered something? His mind was in turmoil, but he still managed to stammer out an explanation, “Brother Qi saved me, so I…”

“He’s saved you many times. I know that,” Master Zeng interrupted coldly, “But even if it weren’t you, he would have still saved you. He can’t stand to see ghosts and monsters harming people. You should know that better than anyone. Xiao Qi isn’t a normal person. He’s lost a primary soul—the Heavenly Soul, which governs emotions.”

If Wei Yang had been worried before, now he fully understood what Master Zeng was getting at. He hadn’t expected to be exposed so quickly, nor had he anticipated that Master Zeng would choose this moment to confront him. It felt as if the sofa had sprouted thorns, and Wei Yang stood up awkwardly, his mouth opening and closing as he forced out a few words, “Master Zeng, I’m sorry, but my feelings for Brother Qi are genuine… I’m serious…”

“Serious about someone who only has memories from before the age of eight? You should know that he doesn’t even have desires. He’s as blank as a sheet of paper.” Seeing the desperate expression on Wei Yang’s face, Master Zeng’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

“I know, so I haven’t… Master Zeng, I really don’t have any intention of taking advantage of him. I care about Brother Qi more than anyone and cherish our relationship…” Wei Yang was almost incoherent. He had indeed taken advantage of the Little Celestial Master, but he had never done anything that Brother Qi wasn’t willing to do. Facing Master Zeng’s interrogation, he realized for the first time just how cowardly he was. Yet, no matter how anxious he felt, he couldn’t back down. He couldn’t abandon Brother Qi.

Master Zeng didn’t respond, simply observing the young man in front of him. He was a good judge of character. Every Feng Shui master started by learning to read people, and he had never been wrong about anyone. That was why he had entrusted his most important nephew to this little conman. Now, he could see Wei Yang’s sincerity, as well as the unmistakable anxiety and fear in his eyes. He truly cared about Xiao Qi…

After a moment of silence, Master Zeng finally spoke again, “If Xiao Qi had lost his Primordial Yang, there would be nothing left to discuss. The only reason I’ve let you stay is because you haven’t gone that far.”

Although the Heavenly Soul was lost, and he couldn’t actively generate desires, Zhang Xiuqi was still a fully developed adult male. With deliberate provocation, it would have been possible to make him lose his Primordial Yang. However, Wei Yang hadn’t done that. Even if there had been physical intimacy, they had never deliberately crossed that line. The only explanation was that this young man truly cared about Xiao Qi’s feelings, and that was why Master Zeng hadn’t turned on him.

Wei Yang’s eyes lit up, and he took a step forward, “Then I…”

“You can’t continue.” Master Zeng interrupted him without hesitation, “He doesn’t understand these things, but you do. Xiao Qi can’t tell the difference between affection and love. He likes you, relies on you, but the main reason is simply that he remembers you. You were the last person he saw before losing his Heavenly Soul, and the first person he saved. Of course, that’s important to him, but it’s not love, and it can’t become what you want it to be.”

If the previous words had been a thunderclap, these were a cold, drenching downpour. Wei Yang stopped in his tracks. He couldn’t refute this. In fact, this was his greatest fear. Master Zeng didn’t miss the momentary hesitation, and a cruel smile touched his lips, “Moreover, one day, Xiao Qi will recover. He’ll regain his Heavenly Soul, his memories, and his emotions. When that happens, what will you be to him? A fond childhood memory? Or a scoundrel who took advantage of him when he was vulnerable? When that day comes, you’ll realize you’ve made a mistake—one that will make it impossible for you to even remain friends.”

This blow struck right at Wei Yang’s weakest spot. His face quickly turned pale, and his lips trembled slightly, “Maybe… he’ll remember me, remember what happened between us…”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Master Zeng’s tone softened slightly, carrying an indescribable sadness, “You can’t be sure. It’s just like trying to grasp the moon’s reflection in the water.”

Beautiful yet illusory, something that would eventually drown you.

Wei Yang didn’t respond, simply taking a step back and collapsing heavily onto the sofa behind him. He had feared that Master Zeng would try to separate them, even kick him out, but he hadn’t expected the man to calmly lay out these truths—things he had been too afraid to even think about. It was like throwing a stone into a tranquil pond, shattering the beautiful illusion. He had never truly been prepared.

Seeing the young man’s pale face, Master Zeng lowered his gaze to his hand, where a simple golden ring rested on his left ring finger. He had never married, yet he wore a wedding band—a plain gold ring. It wasn’t his.

A bitter smile touched his lips, and Master Zeng suppressed the sigh in his heart. He wasn’t unsympathetic to what Wei Yang was going through, but he couldn’t allow this to continue. Such feelings weren’t good for either of them. However, the bitter smile was fleeting, and Master Zeng looked up again, his voice calm, “You’re still young. There’s plenty of time to wrestle with these things, but not now, not at this moment. Those people will be here soon, and I don’t want to see someone by my side who’s only caught up in daydreams.”

The words “daydreams” felt like a final blow. Wei Yang’s shoulders hunched, but the uncontrollable trembling gradually subsided. Finally, he looked up, “Master Zeng, you may not be able to trust me right away, and even if I continue, it might all be for nothing. But right now, I truly want to help you, to help Brother Qi… regain his Heavenly Soul.”

There was an indescribable bitterness in those words, but also a deep resolve. Wei Yang took a light breath, “I’ll be mindful of my actions, but if one day, Brother Qi really does regain his Heavenly Soul, I still want to try. I want to be with him—not as a joke, not as a passing fancy. And the only one who can decide the nature of our relationship is Brother Qi himself. I know this goes against societal norms, but I can’t give up.”

His eyes still held traces of struggle and pain, but the trembling had stopped, just like his steady voice.

Master Zeng stared directly at the young man before him, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Instead, he simply picked up an ancient book from the cabinet and handed it over, “I’ve gone through this book carefully. There are a few Ghost Language talismans and formations inside. Take it and see if you can make use of them.”

Wei Yang was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, standing up and accepting the book with both hands, “Master Zeng, I’ll do my best to try!”