Chapter 914: Master Chunhuang

Translator: Azza

After leaving the hotel, Chen Shi was still immersed in shock. Elderly people being deceived is a common topic, but the level of disaster for an extremely rich man like Old Man Lu was far beyond that of ordinary old people.

"Why would he be fooled like this?" Lin Dongxue said, "Typically, the elderly are deceived due to the word ‘money’. Nearly one-tenth of Long’an's wealth belongs to him. Could it be for attaining immortality?"

"This is another topic that has never changed." Chen Shi said, "This swindler must have an impressive background or he would not be able to beguile Old Man Lu until he is mentally confused. Mr. Wang, do you know his details?"

Wang Haitao let out a long sigh. "Master Chunhuang was born into the family of a ship tycoon in 1894. When he was a child, his father was hacked to death by the Axe Triad, making him reflect that birth, aging, sickness, and death were part of life’s transience, so he gave up his wealth and went to Tibet for spiritual training. He met the incarnation of Buddha in the snow-capped mountains. The Buddha took him through the eighteen levels of hell and he observed all the consequences of karma in the world. He was instantly enlightened and became a Buddha. The moment he became a Buddha, he asked the Buddha whether the Dharma can save the people. The Buddha answered him that the people would have to save themselves. Thus, he resolutely gave up on becoming a Buddha and turned to Taoism to find a way to save the common people. Although he’s just over 100 years old, he has experienced eighteen lives through the practice of the Yuanshen method. During these hallucinatory phases, he’s been a beggar, a god of gambling, gone to the battlefield and killed Japanese soldiers as well as fallen in love with a glamorous fox spirit. Finally, he became enlightened and was reborn as an immortal at Mount Emei. He can survive without eating or drinking and ascend to the heavens. His rank as an immortal is far above minor deities such as the Barefoot Great Immortal and the Monkey King. Only Taibaijinxing is on an equal footing with him."

"In 1994, he and Sichuan’s Taoist master Bojie dueled with magic, causing a flood in the Central Plains. Master Chunhuang rode upon seven-color auspicious clouds in order to save people. At the time, he was spotted in many places in Henan, Anhui, and Jiangxi. The people knelt in worship. He saved one thousand four hundred and thirty-seven people in one go, but due to his great loss of vitality during the duel, 13 people couldn’t be saved. His soul went to the underworld to save those people. The King of Hell said that the thirteen people had already reached the end of their predestined lifespans. Despite this, he still couldn't quiet the guilt in his heart, thinking that this was a karma debt he owed. Thus, he remained in the mortal world and went everywhere to deliver people from suffering, so that he could pay off this debt before returning to heaven."

"He really dared to make things up!" Chen Shi commented. "Not even fantasy novels are written like this."

"Why does this seem similar to the methods that pick-up artists use on girls?" Lin Dongxue said.

"It's all true." Wang Haitao said weakly, but he was obviously not serious.

"What is the name of this Taoist master?" Chen Shi asked.

"His mortal surname is Liao."

"Liao Chunhuang? 1894? Okay, let me see if I can find information on him."

"Mr. Chen!" Wang Haitao took Chen Shi's hand. "Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, you must bring that item over to participate in my father's life extension ceremony… This matter totally depends on you. I can only rely on you!"

With that, tears glistened in Wang Haitao's eyes, and Chen Shi could hear that he only meant the last sentence sincerely. He was sending out a desperate signal for help.

"I will do my best." Chen Shi promised.

After bidding farewell to Wang Haitao, kk and Sun Zhen kept talking about the matter. Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue walked together, and Lin Dongxue said, "Wang Haitao is really pitiful that his biological father is such an unreasonable man. This swindler must have caused his family great misery."

"Old Man Lu has caused trouble not just once or twice."

The two groups of people went back to their respective homes. Before leaving, Chen Shi asked kk and Sun Zhen to help investigate the swindler. kk said, "Easy. By the way, which school is Yueyue going to now? Why doesn’t she come over to play?"

"She’s attending the police academy."

"Attending the police academy?!" kk was shocked. "You sent such a clever girl to the police academy to become a police officer?"

"Are you mad? Should I have sent her to the university of life to become a thief instead?"

"But it's fine." kk looked at Sun Zhen and said with a smile, "We’re also dealing with the police nowadays, and maybe we’ll be asked to work for them in the future."

"You can think about it. Take a junior high school course first, and then we’ll talk about it after you pass the exam." Chen Shi said.

"Fuck, in that case, forget it!" kk scratched his head. "Well, don't forget to call us when the wedding is held. We’ll give you and Sister-In-Law a big red envelope."

"I know. See you in two days!"

The two drove off. When Chen Shi got into the car, he thought of something. He took out an evidence bag and put the check in it. Lin Dongxue asked, "Fingerprints?"

"Yes, this is also a clue."

"You won't really give him Zhou Xiao's murder weapon, will you?"

"Zhou Xiao’s murder weapon? His murderous fruit knife still has a label on it and I don’t know how many yuan it had cost to buy it from a street stall. Based on Old Man Lu’s nature, I’m guessing he would say I’m making a fool out of him. I’ll go to a street stall and buy him a beautiful handcrafted knife!"

"Should we put some chicken blood on it?"

"No need. Even murderers will wash the knife… Damn swindler, he could have used anything for the scheme, but why did he have to coax Old Man Lu into worshipping a murderer? I don’t know what he was thinking. Even swindlers are so trendy these days."

"Perhaps he thinks that the more eerie and weird it sounds, the more credible it would seem, just like how some Westerners hold Black Masses and worship Satan."

Chen Shi remembered that he had heard similar things before. Some criminal exhibits were bought by civilians after the litigation period. Some were used to protect their houses spiritually and some were used to ward off evil spirits. This behavior is similar to eating human blood-soaked buns.[1]

Zhou Xiao’s arrest caused a massive sensation throughout the whole country. Many publishing houses contacted the Long’an police, saying they wanted to interview Zhou Xiao in prison, and a museum of unknown legitimacy said they wanted to buy his criminal exhibits. Chen Shi refused all of these requests. He disliked this concept of demonizing murderers. Murderers aren’t demons, they are just human beings. Bad guys!

The two arrived at the place where Lin Dongxue was renting a house, and the moving company was already waiting there, so Chen Shi had no choice but to ask them to help with moving the furniture.

A group of brawny guys deftly loaded Lin Dongxue's furniture onto the truck and drove it to Chen Shi's place. Then they moved it skilfully into the house and laid it out properly. Their customer service attitude was also very enthusiastic. In order not to hinder their work, the two stood by the door. Lin Dongxue looked at the door of Gu You's house and said, "Zhou Xiao refused to say anything. Miss Gu's whereabouts is still unknown, haii."

"There will be some news eventually." Chen Shi said, but in his heart he hoped that Gu You's body wouldn’t be found, or that it would already have become a set of white bones when she was discovered, so that Peng Sijue wouldn’t have to see her pitiful corpse.

Thinking of those who had died, and thinking of Zhou Xiao's tablet that had been placed on the altar to receive incense offerings, Chen Shi suddenly felt rage well up. This was a clear blasphemy against the dead. He must teach this swindler a lesson!

The moving company finished their work and drove away. After adding some furniture, the house was more crowded than before. The house cat saw the new furniture and was very happy. It jumped up and down to explore its new territory. Lin Dongxue held the cat up. "It’s not as bright and spacious as it was in the past. However, with three people and one cat, it feels more like home."

"Wife, do you want to buy another house?"

"It's nice here and it's close to work, in addition it evokes many memories." Lin Dongxue smiled, and the two kissed.

"But I want a bigger kitchen."

"You’re no longer a driver with a flexible schedule. How much time do you have to come back and cook?"

"In that case, do you think that girls prefer to live by themselves or with their parents after they grow up? Although they aren’t biologically related…"

"You should ask Yueyue's opinion! Be subtle. Don't let her think we’re driving her away because I came to live here."

"With her character, asking directly is the most subtle."

Chen Shi looked at the time. Thanks to the help of the moving company, today's task had been completed ahead of schedule. He said, "Wife, it's still early. What should we do before we enter the bridal chamber?"

"You can think about doing something after entering the bridal chamber." Lin Dongxue smiled coquettishly and pulled Chen Shi into the bedroom.

1. According to feudal superstitions, eating buns (mantao) soaked in the blood of executed prisoners was supposed to cure sicknesses.