Chapter 154 – Extra 15 – Baijia Buddha 5

Having experienced it firsthand, Sang Yuqiao was even more respectful toward the two masters, wishing they could inspect his entire house and adjust the Feng Shui thoroughly. However, Wei Yang’s guidance was rather limited. He merely glanced around a few rooms and told him to remove all the nonsense that the previous Feng Shui master had introduced. As for other things, not only did he not suggest any Ritual Instruments, but he didn’t even change the positions of the furniture.

It felt like entering a treasure mountain and leaving empty-handed. Could it be that the two masters were still upset? Feeling uneasy, Sang Yuqiao cautiously smiled and said, “Master Wei, I truly was too negligent and didn’t treat you properly. But my family has been in a state of panic and has suffered so much. Could you please take another look? The consultation fee will definitely not be lacking…”

Wei Yang, however, waved his hand nonchalantly. “Since you already have the Black Jade Buddha, and you’ve personally enshrined it, adding other things might cause conflicts. As long as you properly enshrine the Buddha statue, it will definitely be stronger than ordinary Ritual Instruments.”

Sang Yuqiao was genuinely pleased to hear this. Although the Curio Shelf had initially made him uneasy, the fact that he had obtained a Ritual Instrument was a great compensation. He immediately asked, “Is there anything specific I need to do to enshrine the Ritual Instrument? Should I offer incense?”

Wei Yang smiled. “Since it’s a Buddha statue, it’s natural to chant sutras and make offerings. Given that this is the Vajra of Purification, you might as well start with the Vajra of Purification mantra. However, like other Buddhist scriptures, sincerity is crucial for it to be effective. In fact, it was a stroke of luck this time. If it hadn’t been the Vajra of Purification that was carved, it might not have been able to suppress the Baijia Buddha so effectively.”

This was one of the unique characteristics of the Vajra of Purification—it could be used anywhere, purifying and cleansing without any restrictions. Although Sang Yuqiao wasn’t well-versed in Buddhist teachings, he was an educated man and had looked up some information about the Vajra of Purification. Hearing this, he nodded repeatedly. Wei Yang, however, seemed to have lost interest in the matter. After a few more casual and perfunctory remarks, he turned to Heipi and asked, “Brother Ming, what time is our train tonight?”

Heipi had been observing everything and naturally understood Wei Yang’s tactics. The “hard goods” had already been displayed, and there was no need to push the sale further. Stepping back and playing hard to get was the mark of a true expert. With a knowing smile, he immediately said to Sang Yuqiao, “Master Sang, since everything here has been taken care of and we really have something urgent to attend to tonight, we’ll take our leave now.”

While this might have seemed somewhat impolite, Sang Yuqiao found it particularly impressive. They had even bought train tickets for the same day—how confident must they be in their abilities? The misfortune that had plagued his family for days had been resolved effortlessly by them. It would be foolish not to forge a connection with such masters. Although he didn’t dare to physically stop them, Sang Yuqiao showered them with compliments and even treated Heipi with more respect, personally driving them to the high-speed train station. Although he didn’t dare to bring up the topic of payment during the ride, the reward he had in mind would certainly not be meager.

Only after the train had left the station did Heipi click his tongue and say, “I really didn’t expect you two to pull this off so seamlessly. It was flawless. But it’s such a shame to give that Jade Buddha to him…”

Even now, Heipi thought the two had been putting on a show. The way the Little Celestial Master had let Wei Yang take the lead was simply brilliant, and the little conman’s acting was also top-notch. The few words he had spoken sent shivers down Heipi’s spine. The combined effect of their performance was exponentially greater than if one had just talked while the other acted.

Wei Yang smiled but didn’t explain. Instead, he said with a hint of teasing, “Giving the Jade Buddha was actually the better move. Don’t advertisements cost money? As long as Master Sang spreads the word, don’t you think Ah Qu will get more business?”

Heipi, of course, understood this, but he just wanted to vent a bit. However, after a moment of thought, he lowered his voice and said, “Don’t let Xiao Qu’er in on this yet, or else that guy’s ego will skyrocket. He’s been behaving himself for a few days now, and it’s been a rare period of peace for our family. But speaking of which, are the things he carves really effective? Do they carry some kind of fortune or energy?”

“Everything has spirit. Things crafted with heart and soul are more likely to carry the creator’s vitality. That’s why most Ritual Instruments are made by masters. You can rest assured, Brother Ming, Ah Qu will definitely become a true master in the future.” Although it sounded like flattery, Wei Yang wasn’t entirely exaggerating. After all, there were very few things that Brother Qi would describe as “carrying fortune,” and Liu Qu’s jade carvings were definitely one of them. Moreover, jade itself was a spiritual material, so the combined effect was naturally extraordinary.

The compliment hit the mark perfectly, and Heipi was inwardly delighted, though he maintained a composed demeanor on the surface. He chuckled modestly and said, “At least that little rascal hasn’t been a complete waste of resources. Ah Yang, you can rest assured that this time, Sang won’t shortchange us. I’ll transfer the money to your account as soon as it comes in. But if we run into any trouble in the future, your Jieshui Studio can’t turn us away.”

“Of course not.” Wei Yang replied with a smile, but there was a hint of distraction in his expression. Ever since earlier, his thoughts had been focused on the person beside him. Although neither Heipi nor Sang Yuqiao had noticed, Wei Yang couldn’t ignore the peculiarities of today’s events. What had made his Brother Qi suddenly change his stance? He was genuinely curious.

After chatting idly for a while longer, Heipi glanced at Zhang Xiuqi, who had closed his eyes and hadn’t spoken a word, and then at Wei Yang, whose gaze kept drifting toward him. He coughed dryly and excused himself to use the restroom. With the three-seat row now occupied by only the two of them, Wei Yang smiled, tilted his head, and leaned closer to the adjacent seat. He whispered in Zhang Xiuqi’s ear, “Brother Qi, are you hiding something from me again?”

Zhang Xiuqi opened his eyes and looked over. Although he hadn’t spoken, he was acutely aware of how long Wei Yang had been watching him and knew exactly what the other wanted. However, there were still some things he hadn’t fully decided on. After a moment of silence, Zhang Xiuqi spoke, “Uncle called me this morning and told me some things.”

This caught Wei Yang off guard, but he quickly frowned and asked, “Are you going to make another unilateral decision? What exactly did Uncle say?”

No one understood Zhang Xiuqi’s nature better than Wei Yang. Although he appeared expressionless and reserved, Zhang Xiuqi was inherently kind and gentle. His childhood experiences had robbed him of much of his life, making him cherish what he had now even more. However, being inarticulate, he tended to keep his thoughts bottled up and bear them alone, just like the time he had left without a word. If it had been anyone else, they might have been driven mad by this stubbornly tight-lipped man or simply let him go. But Wei Yang wasn’t like those people.

Seeing the look of concern on Wei Yang’s face, Zhang Xiuqi shook his head. “It’s not what you think. Uncle just told me that he wants to give you some of the things my mother used.”

Wei Yang was momentarily stunned and stammered, “Y-your mother’s things?”

“Yes, a compass she used, as well as a Yin-Yang lock and a Book of Divination. Uncle has kept these things since my mother passed away and hasn’t let anyone else touch them.” Zhang Xiuqi gently grasped Wei Yang’s wrist and said softly, “He wants to give them all to you.”

Wei Yang opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. This was indeed different from what he had expected. Why would Master Zeng give these things to him? They were treasures left by the previous Yin-Yang Sage. Not only would the Zeng Family never let go of them, but even the three major Feng Shui families wouldn’t part with them. He was just a conman—how could he be worthy of using such things? However, the hand holding his was warm and firm, not allowing him to escape. Wei Yang suddenly understood. Although Zhang Xiuqi hadn’t agreed yet, he had been swayed. That was why he had let Wei Yang examine the Curio Shelf at the Sang Family’s home and why he had stepped back, allowing Wei Yang to explore more ways to use his Wu Family Bloodline. No longer clinging to his old stubbornness, his Brother Qi was indeed loosening his grip, trying to curb his controlling nature and discuss the hidden matters in his heart.

This was something that had never happened before.

Wei Yang’s heart pounded fiercely. After a brief silence, he suddenly spoke, “But those are your mother’s things. Even if you’ve taken the Longhu Mountain path, you could still use them…”

Zhang Xiuqi interrupted him, “My mother passed away very early. According to them, it was because she saw through the secrets of heaven. I don’t really like these things…”

“Then why do you want me to use them now?” Wei Yang pressed, his dark eyes locking onto the other man’s.

Zhang Xiuqi’s lips moved slightly, and he finally said, “They were my mother’s things.”

Even if he wouldn’t use them or didn’t want Wei Yang to use them, Zhang Xiuqi still wanted to give them to him. Wei Yang understood the unspoken meaning behind those words. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he rested his forehead on Zhang Xiuqi’s shoulder. “Brother Qi, sometimes you really drive me crazy. Agree to Uncle’s request. Tell him I want to use those things, to make the Ritual Instruments of the previous Yin-Yang Sage shine again in my hands. Brother Qi, I want to become a stronger person, someone powerful enough to protect you.”

Wei Yang grasped Zhang Xiuqi’s hand, his fingers tracing the elegant knuckles. Every word he spoke carried immense weight. He hadn’t thought that far ahead—finding Brother Qi’s Heavenly Soul and eliminating that old monster had been enough to satisfy him. But now, a new impulse had replaced those thoughts. He genuinely wanted to make good use of his talents, to become someone worthy of those Ritual Instruments, a new… Yin-Yang Sage?

Zhang Xiuqi’s fingers stiffened for a moment before tightening around Wei Yang’s hand. There were some things he struggled to express, but there were also things that didn’t need words to convey. Wei Yang chuckled softly, “Of course, you’ll still protect me most of the time, just like your parents did. Or maybe, you could give me another Longhu Mountain Talisman Jade?”

“I’m not sure if Talisman Jade would conflict with your Wu Family Bloodline…” Zhang Xiuqi’s voice was low, tinged with hesitation.

Wei Yang immediately understood and smiled, scratching the other’s palm. “Did you really think I’d seal it away again? But I don’t think it will. If Longhu Mountain could suppress the Wu Family Bloodline, the Wu Family would have been wiped out long ago. Brother Qi, whether it’s Talisman Jade or those Ritual Instruments, I want them all. I won’t let a single one go.”

Hearing the laughter in Wei Yang’s voice, Zhang Xiuqi finally showed a hint of a smile and softly replied, “Okay.”

As he spoke, their lips met once more. This was a completely public setting, surrounded by countless passengers, but neither of them held back. The kiss was deep and intense, lingering and tender. Heipi, who had just returned from the restroom, froze two steps away, a string of curses exploding in his mind. When the hell had these two gotten together? However, he tactfully stopped in his tracks, awkwardly scratched his nose, and turned back toward the restroom.

Outside the train window, countless scenes sped by at 300 kilometers per hour. But inside the train, two hands remained tightly clasped, as if fused together.