Chapter 87 – Two Families

When they returned to the Jiang family, Old Master Jiang had fully regained consciousness and was sitting weakly by the bed, sipping porridge. Although he was no longer vomiting the foul-smelling mucus, his complexion remained sallow, clearly indicating that his vitality had been severely depleted.

“Yangyang, you’re back?” Jiang Nian approached them as soon as they entered and handed over a small bowl. “This is what the old man just vomited. Is there something wrong with it? How should we handle it?”

The bowl contained the dead jade that Zhang Xiuqi had earlier stuffed into the old man’s mouth. However, the once white jade had now turned black, covered in misty patterns and emitting a strong stench, as if it had been rolled in a cesspool.

“It’s evil filth,” Wei Yang answered on behalf of Zhang Xiuqi. “It’s best to bury it deep in a jar. The evil energy isn’t too severe, and it should dissipate naturally in about ten years.”

Wei Yang had seen dead jade more than once and had some experience in handling it. Hearing this, Jiang Nian didn’t dare delay and immediately sent someone to bury the jade. At this moment, Old Master Jiang, sitting by the bed, waved his hand weakly and called out, “Yangyang, come here…”

Hearing the old man’s call, Wei Yang quickly stepped forward and stood in front of him. “Uncle, are you feeling better now?”

The old man coughed twice, his thin arm clutching Wei Yang’s sleeve. “Yangyang, before I die, I must give you something. It’s a family heirloom…”

His voice trembled, weak and hoarse, carrying the frailty unique to someone who had just recovered from a serious illness. The plea, resembling a last wish, was hard to refuse. However, Wei Yang interrupted him with a smile, “Is it the Zhufang? Uncle already had me try it earlier. Uncle, I’m really not cut out for it.”

Completely unaware that his son had already let Wei Yang try the Zhufang and had spilled the family’s secrets, the old man was momentarily speechless. His grip on Wei Yang’s arm loosened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. His cloudy eyes shifted as he changed his approach, “Maybe it was affected by the evil energy? Why not try it again at a different time? I remember dusk is the best. Yangyang, it’s not that I can’t let go, but serving the household deity is a tradition that has been passed down in our family for generations. It can’t end with me. You have the blood of the Jiang family in you; you should do something for the family.”

Wei Yang’s eyes dimmed slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. He replied calmly, “It’s a different era now, Uncle. I think you’re overthinking it. Even if we raise another household deity, there aren’t any demons left in the village to catch. Are you planning to use it to exchange for corn or pork?”

Wei Yang had seen many rituals when he was young. Whether they were effective or not, the hosts would usually bring some grain, meat, or poultry, along with money, of course, but it was mostly just red envelopes. It wasn’t enough to bankrupt anyone, nor was it enough to make anyone rich, let alone achieve great wealth.

Old Master Jiang’s eyes, however, grew fervent. “That’s because the offerings weren’t good enough! Jiang Nu is too yin; she’s not as powerful as Jiang Han. If we could get guidance from a great immortal, not only could we prosper, but we could even become overnight millionaires. Our ancestors even had records of a Jiang Han who received teachings from an immortal and unearthed treasures. Unfortunately, the world was too chaotic at the time, and they were forced to leave their hometown and come to this remote place… Yangyang, you mustn’t underestimate the abilities of our family’s household deity!”

There were indeed legends of household deities possessing people and helping them achieve great wealth, but in reality, such occurrences were rare. After all, immortals possessing humans to protect mortals were either repaying a great debt of gratitude or seeking to accumulate merit to enhance their own cultivation. Therefore, instances of being able to freely command household deities were exceedingly rare. Not to mention guiding people to wealth or bringing glory to the family, even those willing to answer calls for divination or demon exorcism were few and far between. They weren’t domesticated animals and naturally wouldn’t obey unconditionally.

Before this, Wei Yang hadn’t known much about immortals, but as he gradually understood the rules, the behavior of the Jiang family’s fox deity became increasingly bizarre. It didn’t seem like a worshipped deity at all; it was more like a servant that came at a beck and call. Coupled with the bone formation and the ghost yin wood used for soul attachment, the origin of the fox spirit was downright suspicious.

Wei Yang hesitated for a moment, then spoke as if unsure, “Maybe the household deity has already repaid its debt and left on its own? There’s no such thing as an endless supply of benefits in this world, Uncle. This kind of thing can’t be forced.”

“You don’t understand!” The old man’s frail body suddenly stiffened, and he tightly grasped Wei Yang’s arm. “We have a blood oath with the household deity. As long as the Zhufang exists, the household deity won’t leave!”

His eyes burned with fervor and greed. Wei Yang’s lips curled into a smile as he countered, “The problem is, the Zhufang is broken now. Will the household deity still stay?”

The old man’s breathing grew heavy, rasping like an old bellows. His bony hand dug painfully into Wei Yang’s wrist. Before Wei Yang could react, Zhang Xiuqi stepped forward and expressionlessly removed the hand.

Seeing this, Jiang Nian also grew anxious. His father had just woken up and didn’t know the abilities of the Little Celestial Master, but he was well aware. He quickly stepped in to mediate, “Yangyang, the old man has just been possessed and isn’t thinking clearly yet. Please don’t take it to heart. Third Brother, help Grandpa lie down and rest! Master Zhang, please don’t be angry. Let’s talk outside…”

As his grandson pulled him back onto the bed, Old Master Jiang still seemed unwilling to give up, struggling to sit up. “Yangyang, Yangyang, you have talent! That day, the Zhufang even glowed. You truly have…”

“Uncle, did my grandmother never tell you? The household deity said I bring misfortune to the family!” With that, Wei Yang turned and walked out of the room, pulling Zhang Xiuqi along.

Without the antique carved furniture, stepping outside was like stepping into another era—cement floors and white plaster walls. Standing in the courtyard, Wei Yang let out a long sigh, as if trying to expel the heaviness in his chest. Jiang Nian followed him out, looking somewhat helpless. “Yangyang, the old man is just getting on in years. He’s like a child now, always thinking about unrealistic things. Once you leave, he’ll probably give up.”

Wei Yang forced a smile, “It’s hard to let go of something you’ve been longing for your whole life. But seeing how spirited he is, I guess there aren’t any lasting effects.”

Jiang Nian immediately looked pained, “Actually, the family just wants peace. If it’s like today, no one can handle it. By the way, what exactly happened this time? Why did the Zhufang break?”

“Maybe the household deity destroyed its own cultivation to block the evil spirit. The thing on my grandmother’s grave was indeed very fierce. Brother Qi had to put in a lot of effort. Taking the Zhufang to the grave was really asking for trouble.” Wei Yang directly concluded the matter. With a Little Celestial Master by his side, his words carried significant weight.

Jiang Nian’s expression darkened further. He shook his head, “After so many years, not many of the younger generation believe in this anymore. We’ve long since let go of such thoughts. Yangyang, don’t take those words to heart. This time, it’s all thanks to you and Master Zhang that the old man’s life was saved. We haven’t even thanked you two yet…”

As he spoke, he glanced furtively at the Little Celestial Master standing next to Wei Yang. After hesitating for a while, he pulled Wei Yang aside and lowered his voice, “Yangyang, what exactly is your… ahem… relationship with this young master?”

Having been a bit too affectionate at the gravesite earlier, it was inevitable that someone would notice. Wei Yang smiled, “Brother Qi is my friend. Uncle, you don’t need to be so polite. There’s no need to bring up thanks or anything like that.”

The word “friend” carried a subtle implication. Jiang Nian’s lips moved, but in the end, he didn’t say anything. Their entire family had been cautious and devoted to serving a fox deity for generations. This Master Zhang was a truly capable figure. If they could latch onto such a powerful connection, what did the nature of the “relationship” matter?

Seeing that this uncle opened his mouth but said nothing, Wei Yang couldn’t help but chuckle. Regardless of what the other was thinking, he said directly, “If there’s nothing else, we’ll head back now. The family is worried, and we can’t stay here forever.”

“Don’t say that. The Jiang family is your family too. Come back and visit whenever you have time. We’ll always welcome you.” Jiang Nian quickly added, his tone genuinely sincere. However, with the family in such a mess and the old man like a ticking time bomb, he really didn’t dare keep them for long. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he had someone escort them back to the Wei family.

By this time, Jiang Yong had likely left, and only the eldest uncle and aunt were at home. As soon as they saw Wei Yang return, the eldest uncle sprang up from his chair, “Xiao Yang, are you… are you alright? I heard something wasn’t right over there…”

Seeing the anxiety on his face, Wei Yang felt a bit lighter. He comforted him gently, “Don’t worry, Uncle. It’s not a big deal. Brother Qi has already taken care of it. It’s just my grandmother’s remains…”

“Cremation is good! Cremation is good!” The eldest uncle immediately chimed in, “Ah, if it weren’t for the Jiang family’s rules, we would have wanted to bury your grandmother in a cemetery directly. Thinking about it now, it’s still a bit scary. Let’s just have her cremated in the city so she can be with your parents.”

The Wei family’s ancestral graves didn’t accept remains tainted by evil spirits, as it was feared it would disturb the geomantic energy. The eldest uncle didn’t dare break this rule either. After much deliberation, he decided it would be best to buy a small plot in the city and bury his mother and brother’s family together, so they could at least keep each other company.

Hearing this, Wei Yang smiled, “Yes, my parents couldn’t enter the ancestral grave anyway. Having Grandma with them is good.”

The eldest uncle was momentarily stunned, then quickly shut his mouth! He knew his family’s affairs all too well. The circumstances surrounding his brother’s family were etched firmly in his memory. Such a tragic event was best forgotten, especially since Yangyang was just a child at the time! But who would have thought that Wei Yang would bring it up himself? It was enough to make his face pale in shock.

Wei Yang, however, acted as if he hadn’t noticed and continued, “But I won’t be able to stay home for long. I might not even be able to attend the three-year memorial…”

The eldest uncle’s lips trembled slightly before he finally spoke, “Yangyang, you… you know about it? That was so long ago. Don’t take it to heart…”

“Uncle, don’t worry. I’m not a child anymore. I was bound to find out about what happened back then. I’m just here to visit this time. I don’t have any other intentions.” Wei Yang’s expression was calm, showing no emotion.

The eldest uncle’s heart ached. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said, “Actually, no one really knows what happened back then. It’s best to just let it go. Once we’ve taken care of your grandmother’s three-year memorial, there shouldn’t be anything else going on at home. If you want to come back, you can always visit…”

His tone wasn’t as earnest as Jiang Nian’s, but the unease underlying his words was even more touching. Wei Yang was silent for a moment before nodding with a smile, “Alright.”