Chapter 8 – Gathering Evil

The following week was naturally a flurry of activity as they prepared to close the net. While the boss, Mr. Wang, appeared coarse, he was a seasoned businessman and not as foolish as he looked. He had sent his men to survey the “ritual instrument market” for a sampling. However, Cultural Street was only so big, and whose ears and eyes could be sharper than those within the circle? In the end, Mr. Wang obediently fell into the trap and, together with Sun Chengfeng, purchased the Lotus Platform.

Wei Yang wasn’t the least bit surprised by this outcome. They had chosen this target for two reasons: first, the third phase of Mr. Wang’s cemetery project was about to break ground, and second, it was due to Mr. Wang’s personality. Contrary to Mr. Wang’s imagination, Wei Yang had thoroughly investigated three generations of the Wang family before even meeting him. This wasn’t particularly difficult, as they had previously dealt with Mr. Liu, who was also in the construction industry, and had heard some rumors from him. Additionally, they had gathered information from the Wang family’s neighbors and their hometown connections.

Mr. Wang himself didn’t seem to believe in feng shui, but he had superstitious elders in his family. His ancestral grave had been specially examined by a master, and they had even moved the burial site once, which supposedly led to his current wealth. Although the elders had passed away, this “superstitious” gene had long flowed in Mr. Wang’s veins, and it only needed a trigger to be reawakened. And in this world, nothing could make someone more superstitious than “a ghost knocking on the door in the middle of the night.”

Mr. Wang had started his fortune by running illegal mines and had also worked as a contractor for a time. Now, he was in the cemetery business. His rise to wealth was anything but clean, built on blood and sweat. With so much “ill-gotten wealth,” he naturally became increasingly afraid of bad luck and evil influences, just like countless other wealthy people, making him a natural believer in feng shui.

With such thorough preparation, finding the right remedy was a piece of cake, so Wei Yang was at ease, methodically closing the net and trapping the big fish securely. The world wasn’t particularly kind to old-school feng shui masters, but for Wei Yang, it was a murky pond perfect for him to swim in, comfortable and at ease.

The Lotus Platform was eventually sold for 1.2 million, and after the deal was done, there was an additional 300,000 as a hefty reward for Master Sun’s hard work. With this money paving the way, Sun Chengfeng no longer maintained his ethereal, immortal demeanor and cheerfully set off to arrange the formation.

The luxury car sped smoothly along the suburban highway, but the people inside weren’t as confident. Mr. Wang glanced at the sky outside and asked hesitantly, “Master Sun, do we really have to go to the cemetery at this hour?”

It wasn’t fully light yet, and it was still ten minutes to six, the true break of dawn. Going to the cemetery at this hour to perform rituals would make anyone uneasy, let alone the already anxious Mr. Wang.

Sun Chengfeng smiled faintly. “This is the hour of Mao¹5-7 AM. The moon has not yet set, and the sun has not yet risen. It is the time when yin and yang intersect, and all things begin to grow. Feng shui is not as simple as placing a ritual object somewhere to solve a problem. Mr. Wang, you must remember, those who casually place objects in your home and claim to change your fortune or feng shui are ten out of ten frauds. True feng shui and yin-yang are not so crude. They encompass theories of time and space. In other words, one must observe both the heavens and the earth. The heavens refer to the timing, and the earth to the flow of energy. Only when the heavens, earth, and object are united can the ritual object achieve its best effect. If water techniques are used during the hour of Shen²3-5 PM or wood techniques during the hour of Chen³7-9 AM, at best, the effort will be half as effective, and at worst, it will backfire, which is extremely inauspicious.”

Mr. Wang listened with a mix of understanding and confusion, but the admiration in his eyes clearly grew. He swallowed nervously and asked softly, “Then what’s the explanation for this ritual object?”

“The Vermilion Bird represents the fire of Li. To allow the Vermilion Bird to rest on the Lotus Platform, we must choose a time that suppresses the fire of Li without extinguishing it. The hour of Mao belongs to wood, and the hour of Chen belongs to earth. Wood generates fire, and fire generates earth. When wood, fire, and earth intersect, and it coincides with the transition from yin to yang, the energy flow is balanced and harmonious. Therefore, placing the ritual object between six and seven will achieve the desired effect. This Lotus Platform not only dispels evil but also attracts wealth. The more incense burns in the cemetery, the more the lotus at the center of the platform will flourish, and great wealth and fortune will naturally follow. This is also a method of harnessing the life force of countless families for one’s own use. However, since it’s set up in a cemetery, it remains inconspicuous and won’t attract divine jealousy, ensuring its longevity.” Master Sun stroked his beard and spoke eloquently, the half-light making him appear even more like a man of profound wisdom.

Mr. Wang didn’t know how much he understood, but he was thoroughly impressed. He no longer worried about whether going to the cemetery at dawn was auspicious or not and instead became eager to proceed. Soon, the car arrived at the cemetery, and the group, carrying shovels and tools, walked deep into the grounds.

Because it was still so early, the chill of the cemetery hadn’t yet dissipated, and everything was eerily silent, as if the world had been reduced to the faint sound of their footsteps. In this unsettling quiet, Sun Chengfeng no longer spoke. Instead, he silently held a feng shui compass, carefully observing the celestial stars and the geography, his expression serious and cautious. With his demeanor and the props and environment, not only was Mr. Wang, who was already ensnared, intimidated, but even the men he had brought along were cowed, following behind like a group of trembling quails.

Mr. Wang didn’t dare to breathe too loudly as he followed Sun Chengfeng around the cemetery. When they reached the patch of grass where the third phase of the project was to begin, Master Sun suddenly stopped and stomped on a slightly dark red patch of ground. “Dig seven feet down, and be quick about it.”

Hearing this, Mr. Wang quickly waved to the two men standing beside him. They were reliable hands he had brought from home, skilled and here specifically to serve the master. The two men didn’t hesitate, their shovels flying, and soon they had dug a decent-sized hole. At this point, Wei Yang walked over from behind and presented a wooden box to Sun Chengfeng. “Master, the time is almost here.”

Sun Chengfeng hummed softly, took a deep breath, and opened the box. The Lotus Platform inside was covered with a layer of red silk. He didn’t remove the silk but instead held the bottom of the platform, carefully lifted it out, and bent down to place the 1.2 million yuan Jade Lotus Platform in the center of the hole. His movements were so cautious that everyone’s eyes were fixed on the platform. But as soon as the platform was placed, something strange happened!

In the faint light of dawn, a wisp of faint white mist suddenly appeared beneath the platform, especially noticeable against the red silk. It was colorless and odorless, like a wisp of ethereal smoke, rising from the hole, resembling the scene of a demon emerging in a horror movie. This was witnessed by everyone present, with no possibility of trickery. Mr. Wang was so startled he almost screamed, but Master Sun shouted, “Quick, fill the hole!”

This terrified everyone, and the two men didn’t bother with finesse, shoveling dirt as fast as they could. In less than 20 seconds, the hole was completely filled. The smoke was, of course, no longer visible, but Mr. Wang’s pig-like face was pale as he stammered, “Master, Master, is there something wrong?”

“On the contrary, the rising white mist is a sign that the ritual has succeeded,” Master Sun said calmly, taking a towel from Wei Yang and carefully wiping his hands. “The Vermilion Bird has landed, and the formation is complete. Mr. Wang, you can rest easy now.”

Seeing the master’s confident expression, Mr. Wang’s heart, which had been in his throat, suddenly relaxed, and he grinned foolishly. “As expected of Master Sun! Today, this country bumpkin has truly seen something extraordinary! I never thought a real feng shui arrangement could produce such a phenomenon! Unbelievable!”

Not only him, but even the two workers beside him were filled with awe and admiration. Wei Yang, without changing his expression, took the towel Master Sun handed back, and with a twist of his hand, placed the towel, along with a small bottle hidden inside, into his bag. In truth, producing white smoke was easy—a bit of dry ice used in stage performances would do the trick, and it wouldn’t cost much. But the effect needed the right atmosphere to be convincing. Now, no matter what was buried in that hole, it was definitely worth the price.

After re-leveling the grass, Master Sun graciously pointed out the cemetery’s layout, determined the excavation point for the third phase of the project, and instructed Mr. Wang to install a water circulation system in the memorial pond to ensure the water flowed continuously, allowing the feng shui to cycle and the energy to flow endlessly—of course, with a water circulation system, the fish wouldn’t die as easily. As long as the cemetery’s layout wasn’t altered, this feng shui formation would protect the cemetery from harm.

After all this, another half an hour passed, filled with the same old clichés, and even Wei Yang was getting drowsy, his attention wandering far away. He absentmindedly got back into the luxury car and headed back with Sun Chengfeng. In the back seat, Mr. Wang was so excited he was practically babbling, his flattery nauseating, but the charlatan Sun chuckled and seemed to enjoy it. Wei Yang didn’t pay much attention, just lazily gazing out the window. But when the car turned a corner, he suddenly stiffened, his eyes widening. What was that?

Although this was the outskirts, it was still part of Mount Miaotou, and there were still patches of sparse greenery. In the distance, two figures flashed by like lightning. One was about two meters tall, with a tilted head and running on all fours, while the other looked like a normal human, sprinting after the monster with inhuman speed. Because the car wasn’t moving slowly and was heading in the opposite direction, the two figures disappeared from view almost instantly.

Wei Yang blinked in shock, almost unable to resist the urge to look back. In the end, he gritted his teeth and suppressed the impulse. Glancing around subtly, he noticed that no one else showed any strange expressions. It seemed only he had witnessed that bizarre scene. Was it a hallucination, or had he mistaken rocks and trees for human figures? After pondering this for a while, the staunch materialist decided to dismiss the illusion and resolutely turned his gaze forward. He lightly tapped the bag in his arms, forcing himself to refocus.

Once he got the money, he’d go check out the properties in Chaoyang Community. A week had passed, and the rumors of hauntings were only getting worse. Some wealthy people must be eager to sell their houses by now, and he was waiting to scoop them up.

The luxury car sped toward the city, carrying a group of “monsters and demons.” However, in the mountains, a figure paused briefly. The windbreak forest on the outskirts wasn’t particularly dense, and the rising morning sun was beginning to bathe the wilderness, bringing life back to everything. Yet, this figure remained cold, like an unapproachable blade or a piece of ice, completely rejecting the warmth of the dawn. A gaze as sharp as a blade shot from those icy eyes, but it only lingered for a moment before he moved again, like a lone wolf chasing its prey, disappearing into the mountains after the strange, monstrous figure.

• 1
  5-7 AM
• 2
  3-5 PM
• 3
  7-9 AM