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墨書 Inktalez
I sat at the entrance of the shop, continuing to observe the statue of the deity while Cao Yin went inside to fetch his father.
After a while, I heard the sound of a cane tapping against the ground.
I looked up towards the doorway and saw a hunched-over old man with a white beard being supported by Cao Yin. He must be Old Cao the Craftsman.
From his appearance, he seemed to tremble as he walked. It was truly a burden to ask him to sharpen my knife; if it weren't for Liu Qingfeng's repeated instructions, I would never have done this.
I stood up and walked in front of him, bowing slightly as I said, "Grandfather, could you please help me sharpen my knife?"
Old Master Cao seemed a bit displeased. "Show me what you've got."
Having just experienced a robbery on the way here, I had become much more cautious. I hesitated for a moment, and only after Old Master Cao grew impatient did I slowly pull out the dagger and hand it to him.
Old Master Cao took the dagger and held it up close to his eyes. With a swift motion, he tossed aside his cane. Holding the dagger with both hands, he straightened his back and sternly commanded Cao Yin, "Close the door. We're taking a break today."
At that moment, my nerves were completely on edge. What was he planning by closing the door? Just moments ago, he had appeared so weak; how could he suddenly seem so energetic? Was there something more going on?
I reached out to snatch the dagger back, but Old Master Cao dodged aside.
Though fear gripped me and cold sweat began to form on my palms, I forced myself to maintain an angry facade. I glared at him and raised my voice, "What do you want?"
To my surprise, Old Master Cao changed his demeanor entirely and became very respectful.
"Kid, don't be afraid. I just want to ask where you got this dagger."
His sudden change in attitude made my heart race even more…
"Old Master, if you give me back the dagger, I'll tell you."
Seeing Old Master Cao's evasive demeanor, as if he didn't want to return the dagger, I immediately feigned anger and threatened, "If you dare not give it to me, aren't you afraid that thing will come for you?"
I was merely recalling the Yellow Weasel that bit me, hoping to scare Old Master Cao a little. To my surprise, his face turned pale. He held the dagger with both hands and presented it to me, trembling as he said, "I wouldn't dare; I absolutely wouldn't dare."
I was taken aback by Old Master Cao's fearful expression but couldn't show any surprise on my face. I reached out to take the dagger and pretended to be nonchalant.
I initially intended to recount the incident at the dilapidated temple but suddenly thought of Mu Xuanche. The words almost slipped from my mouth, but I changed my mind and threw Liu Qingfeng under the bus instead.
"It was Liu Daozhang who asked me to find you to sharpen the blade. He's waiting for my return, so I need to hurry."
Old Master Cao looked up at me with suspicion but seemed too intimidated to disregard me. He quickly lowered his head and said, "Alright, please hand the knife to me. I will immediately remove the mud seal from this treasured blade."
Judging by his demeanor, I figured Old Master Cao wouldn't have any ulterior motives regarding my dagger, so I handed it over.
Old Master Cao took the dagger and went into the back room, instructing me to wait at the door while also telling Cao Yin to take good care of me. This left both Cao Yin and me a bit bewildered, unsure of what scheme Old Master was concocting.
After about a cup of tea's worth of time passed without any sign of Old Master Cao returning, I started to feel anxious. What if he ran off with my dagger? I was about to check on what was happening when Cao Yin stepped in front of the door with his tall frame, blocking my way.
I exchanged glances with Cao Yin for a moment; it was clear he wasn't going to let me pass. I had no choice but to return to my spot and wait.
After another cup of tea's worth of time had passed, Old Master Cao hurriedly emerged from the back room, cradling the dagger in his hands.
I hurried over and asked, "Old Master, is this dagger ready?"
Old Master Cao looked confident, a proud expression on his face. "With my craftsmanship, there’s absolutely no problem."
I reached out to take the dagger he handed me. Removing the clay seal revealed a blade that gleamed like silver in the air, appearing incredibly sharp.
I was astonished. Although I didn't know much about knives, this newly polished dagger seemed extraordinary. No wonder the Yellow Weasel leader considered it a treasure.
Since the dagger was ready, I needed to hurry back to find Liu Qingfeng and say goodbye to the Cao family.
"Wait."
Hearing Old Master Cao's voice made my heart skip a beat. Was he going to ask for something else?
I reminded myself to stay calm as I turned around, waiting for his next move.
Old Master Cao rubbed his hands together, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Young one, I’d like to give you something and ask for your help in return."
I kept my guard up and asked, "What do you need me to do first? If I can help, I will."
Old Master Cao trembled as he pulled out a delicate leather scabbard adorned with jewels from his pocket. He handed it to me with a smile. "This scabbard is for you; I hope you can help me with something."
I was immediately drawn to the scabbard; it felt like an inner voice urged me to accept it. I swallowed hard and waited for Old Master Cao to continue.
"My eldest son was killed in a car accident three years ago. I want to ask Liu Daozhang about his situation. Could you do me a favor and help me connect with him?" Old Master Cao said, tears streaming down his face.
His eldest son was the one who had tried to harm me earlier on the road, and I wanted to refuse him. However, seeing his pitiful state made it hard for me to do so. Feeling sorry for him as a parent, I took the Scabbard from his hands and said, "Old man, I will show this Scabbard to Liu Daozhang and see if he is willing to help. If he agrees, I will let him keep it. If not, I will return the Scabbard to you. What do you think?"
Old Master Cao's mood seemed a bit agitated. "Alright, thank you, kid."
After bidding farewell to Old Master Cao, I hurried back to Liu Daozhang's house with the knife in hand, still shaken by the earlier encounter with the Evil Spirit. To avoid any further trouble, I chose to take a longer route home, which left me utterly exhausted.
When I finally burst into Liu Daozhang's house, I nearly crawled inside.
As soon as my foot crossed the threshold, I shouted inside, "Daozhang, I'm back!"
Two figures rushed out from within, and as they approached, I realized it was my parents. Seeing me in such a disheveled state, they hurriedly helped me inside.
Liu Qingfeng had already prepared an altar in the house. Upon seeing me enter, he came over anxiously and asked, "How did it go with the dagger?"
I handed him the dagger sheathed in the Scabbard and relayed Old Master Cao's message.
After listening, Liu Qingfeng snorted and said, "Old Cao the Craftsman really cares for his kid; even after death, he spends so much to protect him."
Noticing that I was staring at him, Liu Qingfeng reassured me, "Don't worry; I'll take care of this. I'll handle his matters." Then he glanced at my father. Before I could comprehend what was happening due to his strange look, my father had already tied me up with a rope.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
"What is this for? Why are you tying me up?"
"Dad, say something!"
Suddenly bound by someone, I screamed in terror, even though I knew my parents would never harm me. But being tied up like this was frightening, and my father's demeanor made me feel something was off.
No matter how much I shouted, my father ignored me. I wanted to call for my mother for help, but she held my hand tightly, preventing me from moving.
With tears in her eyes, my mother tightened the ropes around me and said in a hoarse voice, "Yan Xi, don't blame your father and me. We're doing this for your own good. Just bear with it; once today is over, everything will be fine. Be obedient, okay?"
I was furious inside. How could this so-called good be tying me up like this?
Nonsense! I seriously suspected that Liu Qingfeng had brainwashed my parents; otherwise, how could they treat their own daughter like this?
Outnumbered and outmatched, I couldn't resist my parents' strength at all. They bound me to a chair and then lifted the entire chair along with me onto a high platform.
It was Liu Qingfeng's turn to take the stage. He walked over with a serious expression and tied a lock of hair that he had cut from Mu Xuanche onto my hair.
Then he stood in front of me, burned a yellow talisman, scattered a handful of glutinous rice, and began chanting incantations as part of the ritual.
I stared blankly at everything happening before me, feeling as if I had become a sacrifice.
Liu Qingfeng waved the peach wood sword, jumping up and down while his eyes were closed, continuously reciting various spells.
"Urgent command, I beseech the Ancestor Master to reveal your spirit..."
Half an hour passed without any change; I felt like I was about to be scorched by the sun. Struggling to get down, Liu Qingfeng pressed me back down forcefully.
I watched as he extended his finger and made a cut with a dagger, letting his blood drip onto the peach wood sword before continuing with his ritual.
This time, he moved much faster, and the incantation on his lips became more hurried.
Slowly, a wisp of green smoke began to rise before my eyes. I looked down to check, only to find that the tuft of hair I had tied was burning.
Liu Qingfeng appeared unusually pleased as he flipped over and brandished the Peach Wood Sword directly at me.
Just as he was about to get close, he suddenly fell to the ground, his eyes rolling back, and his face began to contort slowly, turning a dark shade of blue and purple. The veins on his neck bulged grotesquely, creating a terrifying sight. He let out a loud shout, and a mouth ful of fresh blood sprayed from his mouth, splattering onto my face.
I bent down to check on him and saw him looking up with a face full of unwillingness and anger. In a fit of rage, he uttered one last phrase.
"I was deceived."
Then he fainted.
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