Chapter 50 – Intentions

That night, the armed police officers stationed around the villa spent the entire night on edge. These were elite officers who had fought on the front lines, many of whom had undertaken highly classified missions. Their combat skills were formidable, and their willpower was unshakable. Yet, despite all that, this night fundamentally altered their worldview and left many of them with lasting psychological scars.

There really are fucking ghosts in this world!!

After the sun set, strange occurrences began in the courtyard. First, a mysterious localized fog rolled in, completely enveloping the small yard. Then, a series of spine-chilling sounds echoed through the air, followed by earthquakes and strong winds. Even the distant mountains seemed to look different. If it had just been some commotion in the yard, one might have dismissed it as special effects concocted by the three “masters” to scam money. But by around 10 PM, everyone’s phones stopped working—calls wouldn’t go through, and signals were lost, leaving only static noise. Those wearing watches even witnessed the bizarre sight of their watch hands spinning wildly. It was like a scene straight out of a horror movie!

After a night like that, even the most steadfast communist soldier would have to question their beliefs. But most ordinary people weren’t that resolute, and many were on the verge of running away with their tails between their legs. As a result, Director Sun received a call unusually early. When the yard finally fell silent at 2 AM, someone called him, and by the crack of dawn, Director Sun had arrived at the old house with his team.

“Director Sun, it’s been quiet for several hours now,” said Captain Wang, who had been personally promoted by Director Sun and was one of his most trusted men. It was thanks to his leadership that the soldiers hadn’t all fled.

Director Sun nodded, then asked cautiously, “Have the masters come out yet?”

“No,” Captain Wang replied promptly. “It’s been completely quiet since midnight, and the fog has cleared too. I think they’ve finished the job.”

It was likely because the strange phenomena had stopped in the latter half of the night that his men hadn’t deserted. Of course, it was also possible that the masters had ordered them to stay on guard, and no one dared to disobey the masters’ instructions.

Director Sun let out a soft “Hmm,” then took a deep breath. “Let’s go in and take a look!”

That was exactly what Captain Wang had been waiting for. He quickly sent someone to open the courtyard gate, and the team followed Director Sun into the yard. As soon as they entered, Director Sun couldn’t help but gasp inwardly. This wasn’t an exorcism—it looked more like a demolition crew had spent the night here. All the greenery in the yard had been stripped bare, the pond was completely dry, and the dead fish had somehow been flung onto the shore. The rockery by the pond had been moved, and the ground was covered in red markings that looked like ghostly talismans, making it hard to even step forward.

But to be fair, despite the yard’s current state, the eerie atmosphere that had once pervaded the place was completely gone. Now, there wasn’t a trace of the previous gloom, and the air felt as fresh as if they were in the mountains. Was this the result of the exorcism? After steadying himself, Director Sun didn’t dare to delay and quickly made his way toward the villa.

The inside of the house was in much better shape. Every room seemed untouched. Director Sun, of course, knew the layout of his father-in-law’s house well and led the team straight to the end of the hallway. Ahead was the study and small reception room where the iron Buddha had been placed. Regardless of how the evil had been dealt with, the masters would surely be there.

And they were. However, when Director Sun saw the state of the masters in the small reception room, he was momentarily stunned. Monk Chizhi was sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed, while Master Zhang was lying on the other end. Both looked utterly exhausted, as if they were catching up on sleep. Master Wei sat alone by the coffee table, his gaze fixed intently on a headless Buddha statue.

Wasn’t that the cursed iron Buddha? Just as Director Sun was about to speak, Wei Yang, as if only now noticing their footsteps, looked up and raised a finger to his lips in a “quiet” gesture. It was a small motion, but not a single person dared to ignore it. Even Director Sun himself couldn’t help but hold his breath.

Satisfied with their reaction, Wei Yang stood up expressionlessly and walked over to Director Sun. In a low voice, he said, “Who told you to come in? Leave. Come back in an hour.”

It had been years since anyone had dared to speak to him like that, but Director Sun opened his mouth and found he couldn’t muster a retort. He could only nod awkwardly and ask in a hushed tone, “What about the evil spirit…?”

“It’s been dealt with, but the lingering evil energy remains. It won’t dissipate until the sun fully rises,” Wei Yang replied coldly, his tone decisive. “Bring an ambulance in an hour.”

With that, he walked back to the sofa without sparing Director Sun another glance and resumed his intense scrutiny of the Buddha statue. Was this still part of some ritual? Director Sun couldn’t help but regret his earlier presumption and quickly led his team out of the room. Captain Wang, following behind, was trembling slightly. Would that evil energy affect them? His boss hadn’t seen what had happened last night, but the masters hadn’t said anything, so why was he panicking?

Only after they had retreated to the courtyard did Director Sun regain his composure. After all, he had a background in criminal investigation, and with just that one glance, he had managed to take in the general state of the room. The chaos was one thing, but Wang Ming was still lying on the floor, and it seemed that Master Wei and Master Zhang had also sustained some injuries. Could they have been hurt during the exorcism?

Thinking this, Director Sun quickly instructed his men, “Go contact Central Hospital and have them prepare a few VIP rooms. Make sure the medical staff are ready to take good care of the masters… Ah, I’ll go and arrange it myself!”

Director Sun was a decisive man and immediately headed to the hospital, leaving Captain Wang on the verge of tears. Boss, I don’t want to stay in this haunted place either!

Once the sound of footsteps had completely faded away, Wei Yang stopped sitting upright and staring at the broken Buddha statue. He stretched out on the sofa with a long yawn. They had been busy until the early hours of the morning, and although they had finally eradicated the remaining evil energy from the iron Buddha, Monk Chizhi and Zhang Xiuqi were utterly exhausted. Wei Yang had let them rest where they were, as the area had been infused with celestial energy and catalyzed by dragon energy. It might not be better than other places, but it was at least a good spot for recovery. After a short nap, Wei Yang had started preparing his act to give Director Sun a stern warning. After such a night, he needed to make sure they were compensated.

Now that the warning had been delivered, the next step was to see how far Director Sun’s generosity would go. After all, a provincial-level official couldn’t possibly be less generous than their previous clients. And Director Sun’s position could also be of great use… Lying on the sofa, Wei Yang pondered for a while before checking the time on his phone. He stretched again and got up to head over to the supplies. Zhang Xiuqi would be waking up soon, and he needed to make sure he was fed.

An hour later, an ambulance arrived at the courtyard gate. The three masters calmly got into the vehicle and were taken to Central Hospital, the best medical facility in the province, where they were admitted to VIP rooms reserved for high-ranking officials. A series of comprehensive physical examinations followed. Monk Chizhi had no external injuries but was physically drained and had depleted his vital energy. Wei Yang had some internal injuries, and his hand had been re-bandaged. Zhang Xiuqi, however, was more severely injured. He had received a few stitches on his head, and his arm had been put in a sling before the doctors finally let him go.

After the examinations and changing into clean clothes, the three of them went to the reception room. Director Sun had been waiting there for some time and immediately stood up when they entered. “We are truly indebted to you, masters! I’m still concerned about the lingering evil energy…”

Wei Yang waved his hand dismissively. “The iron Buddha is no longer a problem. You can either burn it or bury it—it’s up to you, Director Sun. However, it’s best not to stay in the house for now. Either let it air out for a while or find someone with strong yang energy to neutralize it. It’s your call.”

Director Sun felt a weight lift off his chest, but then he remembered something else. “Why hasn’t Xiao Wang woken up yet?”

This time, Monk Chizhi answered. His voice was even hoarser than before, sounding weak and weary. “Young Master Wang was possessed by the evil spirit, and his soul was severely disturbed. He’ll need a few more days to rest and stabilize his spirit before he wakes up. However, he must be careful in the future. If he encounters something like this again, it could be dangerous.”

The old monk’s words were tactful, but Director Sun understood the underlying message. If Wang Ming were to face such a situation again, his life might be at risk. After all, he had been the one assigned to take care of the old man, and this time he had been caught up in the mess through no fault of his own.

However, before Director Sun could express his concern, Wei Yang cleared his throat and said, “Wang Ming played a part in awakening the evil energy within the iron Buddha. If he had been pure of heart, the evil entity wouldn’t have been able to possess him. It was his malicious thoughts and reckless actions that gave it an opportunity.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Director Sun’s sympathy for Wang Ming evaporated. So that’s how the evil spirit worked—no wonder it hadn’t caused trouble when it was just sitting in the study! But then it struck him, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Did “malicious thoughts” refer to the unpleasantness at the exhibition? The jade carver, Master Liu, seemed to be on good terms with the two masters. Could it be that Master Wei held a grudge over that incident?

Now that he had witnessed the true abilities of these two masters, Director Sun realized that if they wanted to cause trouble for him, it would be all too easy. If they hadn’t agreed to exorcise the evil, his entire family might have been plunged into disaster. Now that they had helped him despite the past, he couldn’t afford to be ungrateful.

Thinking quickly, Director Sun forced a smile. “So there was such a serious underlying cause. It’s my fault for choosing the wrong person to accompany the old man. I’ll make sure to be more careful in the future… By the way, my father-in-law has some other antiques. I’m not sure if they’re safe to keep. Could I trouble you masters to take a look?”

Wei Yang, ever sharp, immediately understood what Director Sun was getting at. Since they had met at the Buddhist artifact exhibition, it was clear that they had an interest in antiques. Now that they had done him a huge favor and he was genuinely worried about the safety of his collection, why not use this opportunity to offer them some valuable pieces? After such a major ritual, just giving money wouldn’t be enough to show his sincerity. Adding some high-value antiques would make a much better gesture.

Wei Yang grasped the implication, and Monk Chizhi, a seasoned old monk, did as well. However, the monk shook his head lightly. “This old monk must return to Xuanzhao Temple as soon as possible to recuperate.” He then clasped his hands toward Wei Yang. “Master Wei, I am deeply grateful for the wooden fish you provided. Unfortunately, the prayer beads weren’t very effective. If you have the time in the future, please visit Xuanzhao Temple. I will have my junior brother, Chinian, find some protective ritual tools for you.”

Wei Yang hadn’t expected the old monk to say this and quickly returned the gesture. “Master, you’re too kind. If we have the opportunity, my senior brother and I will certainly pay a visit.”

As the two exchanged pleasantries, Director Sun’s heart began to race. Chinian was the true abbot of Xuanzhao Temple, not just influential within the province but also well-connected in the national Buddhist association. After knowing them for only two days, Monk Chizhi was already showing them such respect. It seemed their backgrounds were even more profound than he had imagined. He would have to invest more “effort” into this relationship!

However, the three “masters” paid no attention to Director Sun’s thoughts. Monk Chizhi didn’t stay long and soon took his leave. Wei Yang, maintaining an air of authority, spent another day recuperating at the hospital before leisurely heading out with the Little Celestial Master to “appraise treasures.” This time, Old Man Ye finally made an appearance. Having heard about the events at the old house, he didn’t dare to maintain his usual aloof demeanor and instead nervously invited them into his vault, presenting his entire collection.

The old man’s collection was indeed impressive—paintings, gold and jade artifacts, and Buddhist items were all present, and most of them were genuine. It was hard to tell how many of them had been misappropriated by Director Sun. Wei Yang gave the collection a cursory glance before leaning over to whisper to the Little Celestial Master, “Brother Qi, take a look and see if there’s anything with strong spiritual energy.”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t understand the value of antiques, but his ability to sense spiritual energy was unmatched. Hearing Wei Yang’s request, he quickly scanned the room and walked over to a landscape painting. The painting featured bold, vigorous brushstrokes, exuding a sense of grandeur while also conveying a profound tranquility. It was undeniably a beautiful piece. However, Zhang Xiuqi had no interest in its aesthetic value. After a brief glance, he returned to Wei Yang’s side, signaling that he had completed his task.

While Zhang Xiuqi didn’t understand, Wei Yang was an expert. He glanced at the signature and was startled to see the seal stamped with the characters “Bitter Melon.” In the world of art, there were countless painters, but only one artist used “Bitter Melon” as his signature—the renowned Qing Dynasty master, Yuanji.

Was this a genuine Yuanji painting? Wei Yang subtly shifted his gaze and noticed Old Man Ye standing nearby, his expression a mix of fear and anguish, clearly torn. At that moment, Wei Yang understood—this painting was likely a genuine work by Master Yuanji. In recent years, works by Qing Dynasty masters had been highly sought after, and a painting like this would easily fetch millions. However, Wei Yang didn’t care about its monetary value. His eyes swept across the room once more, this time focusing on the gold and jade artifacts in the vault. He picked out the ones that looked the most valuable and ancient, examining them closely before turning to Director Sun and saying calmly, “Director Sun, my senior brother and I have thoroughly inspected the items here. There shouldn’t be any cursed objects like the iron Buddha.”

Old Man Ye was dumbfounded. Hadn’t they just been looking at Yuanji’s landscape painting? Why was it suddenly deemed safe? What was going on? Director Sun, however, reacted quickly and nodded with a smile. “That’s great to hear. Thank you, masters.”

Wei Yang smiled faintly. “It’s nothing. Now, please arrange for someone to take us home.”

Director Sun didn’t dare to delay and personally escorted the two masters to their car, showering them with gratitude and compliments before returning to the vault. By then, Old Man Ye had regained his senses and grabbed his son-in-law’s arm. “Weren’t they supposed to choose some antiques? Why didn’t they take anything…?”

“Father,” Director Sun couldn’t help but smile wryly. “They were here to ‘appraise’ the items. If they had asked for something directly, it would have been like outright robbery. It’s up to us to show our sincerity and deliver the gifts to them properly.”

“What?!” Old Man Ye felt a pang in his chest. “But they looked at so many things! How are we supposed to decide what to give?”

“Exactly because of that, the way we give and the amount we give will best reflect our sincerity. Father, what do you think…?”

Old Man Ye’s beard trembled for a while before he finally bit the bullet. “Then… then just give them whatever they looked at. It’s all just material possessions…”

The old man had spent his life collecting these items, and each one was like a part of him. But possessions were not life itself, and this incident had truly shaken him, stripping away his usual air of authority. Seeing his father-in-law relent, Director Sun breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the old man agreed, everything else could be managed. Antiques could always be replaced, but the opportunity to repair relationships and befriend such powerful individuals might never come again.

Suppressing his unease, Director Sun nodded firmly. “Don’t worry, I’ll arrange for the items to be delivered immediately!”