Статья 11

Глава 6

"What's the butler's name?" I asked. I had to be meticulous about every detail, and I wouldn't let anything related to this matter slip by easily.

"Why are you asking this? My grandfather didn't tell me either, but he seemed to have mentioned that the butler's surname is Li."

Surname Li? Li Haitao? Li Zheng? Li Xie? Li Heng? They all have the surname Li?

However, there are so many people with the surname Li in the world, it's hard to say that they have any connection.

"Okay, continue."

She pouted at me, and seeing my embarrassed smile, she continued, "As soon as Shan Fangfang arrived, she told the housekeeper to pull Grandpa away. Grandpa was a frail scholar, and the housekeeper immediately restrained him, leaving him unable to move. Poor Xiaodie was being slapped by Shan Fangfang, one slap on the left and one on the right. My grandpa was anxious and shouted for her to stop. Upon hearing this, Shan Fangfang panicked and grabbed a vase, smashing it against Hu Xiaodie. Grandpa rushed over, but it was too late. As for their touching conversation at that moment, Grandpa didn't tell me. But I imagine it must have been very touching."

Xiao Tao actually showed a longing look. This girl is a bit strange.

"Okay, let's forget about their romance and just tell you what you know."

When she heard me say that, she came to her senses, blushed, and said, "Yes, at that moment, Shan Fangfang walked up to Grandpa and asked him whether he loved her or Xiaodie."

Grandpa was also consumed by anger at that moment, and in his haste, he blurted out that he had never loved her at all, then picked up Hu Xiaodie and left.

"Hmm, was Hu Xiaodie still alive at that time?"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [22]: "No, according to my grandfather, she is dead. As for my grandfather himself, he was a little confused at that time. He only remembered repeating his promise to Hu Xiaodie over and over again."

"Oh, what kind of promise is that?"

"What exactly do you want to know?" she seemed a little dissatisfied.

"Don't misunderstand me. I'm thinking that things that seem unimportant might actually be the key."

"Yes, Grandpa said that his promise to Hu Xiaodie was to go their separate ways and enjoy life. What? Is there a problem?"

"Hmm...it seems like there is, but I can't quite put my finger on it. What secret lies behind this?" My worries are growing.

Based on what Chen Penghai, Huang Hua, Li Heng, Li Xie, and Xiao Tao told me about the many things that have happened in the School of Humanities recently, as well as the clues left by Li Zheng and what I saw with my own eyes, the whole story can be pieced together.

Based on my speculation, after Hu Xiaodie's death, her vengeful spirit remained in this place. In 1989, Shan Liang, taking advantage of Dean Li Haitao's unrequited love for Huang Jing, gathered resentment and lured Hu Xiaodie's spirit out. Zhang Xue was probably the most innocent victim; she was likely killed by Shan Liang. But why did Huang Jing later become a female ghost? Was Shan Liang truly a descendant of Shan Fangfang? If so, why did she lure out Hu Xiaodie's vengeful spirit? And more importantly, why did Li Heng's vengeful spirit only reappear ten years later?

So my intuition tells me there must be a truth behind this that I don't yet know. Or rather, what I know is only the surface truth. But in any case, we can't delay any longer. The more things escalate, the more the students in the entire college are starting to sense something is wrong. If it causes panic, it will make things even harder to resolve.

Thinking of this, I looked at Xiao Tao sitting in front of me. She always gave me a strange feeling that calmed my mind. Moreover, when my master passed on the Bodhidharma Mantra to me, he also said that only when it is connected with the Purification Mantra can it have true magical power. This is because the Bodhidharma Mantra is extremely strong and intense, while the Purification Mantra is extremely yin and gentle, and the two mantras complement each other.

Xiao Tao smiled at me and said, "I know what you're thinking. Actually, you don't need to say anything; I would have investigated this matter anyway. So, let's start a cooperative relationship now."

I was taken aback by Xiao Tao's straightforwardness, but she burst out laughing when she saw my reaction.

I waved my hand and shrugged, saying, "A good man doesn't fight with a woman."

At noon, Li Xie called me and told me that Gu Yu had been found. I immediately took Xiao Tao to his office.

As soon as Li Xie saw me, he rushed over to greet me, only to find Xiao Tao following behind, looking quite surprised. I quickly explained, "Her name is Xiao Tao, and she's someone who's closely connected to this matter."

He responded with an "Oh," and then led us into the inner room.

He pointed to a box on his desk and said, "That, that's Gu Yu."

I took two steps forward and lifted the box called "Gu Yu" with both hands.

Actually, this antique rain box only has a more exquisite surface pattern, giving it a classic and nostalgic feel. But it doesn't look old; it seems to have just been made, with the paint on the box surface shining black.

I was about to open it when Li Xie stopped me. He said, "Lin Wei, this box can't be opened yet."

"Oh, why? What's inside? Can this little box really deal with the Panlong Blood Curse?" When I held the box, I couldn't sense any spiritual power from this "Ancient Rain".

“I don’t know either,” Li Xie put the Ancient Rain back on the table, stared at it, and continued, “Actually, I was able to obtain the Ancient Rain by a very coincidental opportunity.”

"Huh? A coincidence?"

"Yes, it was quite a coincidence. I had already found out that Gu Yu was at Lingyin Temple, but when I got there, the abbot told me that Gu Yu had disappeared a month ago. Just as I was about to leave the mountain in disappointment, a wandering Taoist priest stopped me and asked if I was looking for Gu Yu. I saw that he had a full beard and was dressed in a disheveled manner, and he did have a mysterious air about him, so I said that was him. He gave me this box and said that it could only be opened at the very end, otherwise Gu Yu's magic power would not be manifested. So, I was basically a bit suspicious."

"What? A wandering Taoist priest? Is his voice very hoarse?"

I replied.

"Also, he's quite tall, probably around 1.8 meters," Xiao Tao added.

"Yes, yes, you... how come you all seem to know?" Li Xie asked in surprise.

I gave a wry smile, exchanged a glance with Xiao Tao, and said, "He is the master who taught me the Bodhidharma Mantra five years ago."

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [23]: Xiao Tao also came forward and said, "He is also my master. He taught me the Heart-Cleansing Mantra four years ago."

Li Xie fell into deep thought, staring at Gu Yu without speaking. This wandering Taoist priest seemed extremely mysterious and knew everything about the whole matter. Just who was he?

After hearing my question, Li Xie examined the ancient rain on the table again, then suddenly turned to me and said, "Why don't we open it and take a look?"

I picked up "Ancient Rain" and silently recited the Bodhidharma Mantra. Under the influence of my power, "Ancient Rain" slowly began to tremble. I immediately handed it to Xiao Tao and said to her, "Quickly use your Purification Mantra to sense it."

Xiao Tao took the box with her left hand and pressed her right hand against the surface. "Gu Yu" was still trembling under the influence of the Bodhidharma mantra. When Gu Yu began to calm down, Xiao Tao slowly raised her right hand, forming a delicate orchid shape. A light blue aura emanated from her palm and seeped into the box through the cracks. This time, Gu Yu was perfectly calm, but Xiao Tao's expression grew increasingly grave. After a long while, Xiao Tao carefully placed "Gu Yu" on the table, then let out a heavy sigh. Before we could ask, she whispered to us, "There's a spirit inside 'Gu Yu'."

"A spirit? Did it say anything?"

"He didn't speak, he just cried, his voice was so shrill, it was like he was crawling out of hell."

"Using ghosts to fight ghosts? Could this be the method Li Zheng came up with back then?"

"I don't know, my brother never told me about using ghosts to fight ghosts," Li Xie replied.

"Should we still use Gu Yu to deal with the vengeful spirits in the Arts Building?"

Xiao Tao came to my side and asked softly.

“Go,” I answered them firmly, “we’ll take a gamble on him.”

"Gambling? No way?" Li Xie asked in surprise.

"Okay, everyone, let's get some rest now."

At 1:00 AM sharp, Li Xie, Xiao Tao, and I met up about 20 meters outside the main entrance of the Arts Building. Li Xie, dressed in his police uniform, saw Xiao Tao and me laughing and explained that it was good for gathering yang energy. Xiao Tao, however, was dressed in all white. She just smiled and said that we would find out the reason soon.

I was still dressed in the same lazy style, but now I had a seven-copper-coin sword in my hand.

I handed "Gu Yu" to Xiao Tao and told her that I was going to check the gate first, and asked them to wait for me there.

I walked to the gate and was about to lean out to look at the seven stars on the ground in the center when suddenly a figure flashed inside. I quickly jumped back a small step, only to find that the gate had already been opened.

I hurriedly recited the Bodhidharma mantra, my mind was completely clear, but I found nothing. So I beckoned them over. Anyway, I was going to fight the so-called ghosts and monsters, so I was no longer afraid.

We came down the stairs from the second floor, and halfway down, we saw someone walking towards the front door from a distance. They were both startled, and I quickly told them to come and hide with me to the side. Although they were puzzled by my actions, they followed me and hid around the corner.

The man slowly approached the gate, and in the moonlight, I gradually made out his appearance.

"Li Heng?" I was taken aback. Although I had anticipated that the seventh person would appear, I never expected it to be Li Heng, who had been unconscious.

Xiao Tao whispered in my ear, "Who is he? Why did you react that way when you saw him?"

I turned around to speak, but I accidentally kissed her on the lips. She blushed and lowered her head. I squatted down, at a loss for what to do.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from the doorway: "Haha, it's finally your turn."

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man behind us laughing loudly at Li Heng as he slowly approached. Yes, it was him, that mysterious figure. No wonder he seemed so familiar. So that was him… Li Heng finally reached the gate. The man stepped forward and said to Li Heng, “Hey, Li Heng, we’ve been friends, and I didn’t want to treat you like this, but you were born at the hour of Zi (11 PM - 1 AM). Now that Peng Hai has reached the Western Paradise, you should go down and join him. Haha…” As he spoke, he pulled out a seven-coin sword from behind his back, pointed it at Li Heng, and said, “You should be happy that you can help me, right?” He then looked at Li Heng, ready to stab him.

The time to show myself had finally come. I winked at them, and they nodded. I immediately walked out from around the corner and said casually, "Hey, Huang Hua, long time no see. Oh, no, it's finally time to meet."

Upon hearing a voice behind him, the man quickly turned around, his seven-piece copper coin sword held horizontally in front of him for protection. Seeing that it was me, he exclaimed in surprise, "It's you? Didn't you go up to the fourth floor?"

"Yeah, I didn't go. I really have to thank you for the tip." I slowly walked towards him, while Xiao Tao and Li Xie remained standing in place.

Huang Hua took a step back and said, "Impossible, you couldn't possibly know my plan."

Plan? What plan?

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [24]: "Haha, of course I know, I discovered your plot a long time ago."

"Impossible, impossible." He seemed a little anxious and took a step towards me.

As soon as I saw that he had moved a certain distance away from Li Heng and that his attention was also drawn to me, I immediately made a secret signal behind my back with my left hand.

Upon receiving my signal, Li Xie leaped past Huang Hua and landed next to Li Heng. Huang Hua, seeing Li Xie's sudden movement, understood my intention, but it was too late to stop him.

Li Xie hugged Li Heng and laughed loudly, saying, "I finally understand how he controlled them to come here; it was just hypnosis."

"Hmph, is that so? Do you think I'm that simple?" Seeing that Li Heng was already in our hands, Huang Hua loosened his grip and took another step forward towards me.

"I don't care if you're simple-minded or not, I just want to know, did you also kill Chen Penghai?" He was one of my best friends, and I never imagined that he would kill my other friends. This fact has made me doubt life and humanity ever since I guessed that the mysterious figure might be him.

"Hmph, they should be happy that they would die for me, because I am their good friend, haha..." "You—why did you do this? What is your purpose?" I never dreamed that he, who seemed so kind, would be this kind of person, but an uneasy premonition kept floating in my heart, and I couldn't figure out what it was.

"Hmph, I don't need to tell you. You're all going to die anyway, and dead people don't need to know so much."

"What makes you think you can do that?" I absolutely do not believe he has that ability.

"Because of my sister Huang Jing."

"What? Huang Jing, your sister?" the three of us exclaimed in surprise.

"If it weren't for you, my sister could have been resurrected, but it's not too late now."

Since Li Heng is no longer needed, using your blood is even better, haha.

After he finished speaking, he suddenly thrust his sword at me. I dodged to the left, but unexpectedly bumped into something soft. I knew something was wrong, so I jumped towards Xiao Tao. When I looked back, I saw that the object I had bumped into was Huang Jing, who was wearing white clothes but whose face was covered in blood.

Upon seeing Huang Jing, my heart calmed down, and I held the Seven Copper Coin Sword horizontally in front of me. Xiao Tao stood behind me, and Li Xie had already come over. He held the unconscious Li Heng and asked me, "Are you alright?"

I smiled and nodded, saying, "It's alright. It seems the truth is about to come to light."

Huang Jing faced me, gave a cold smile, and said, "Kid, you've already won."

I coldly replied to her, "This isn't about winning or losing; it's about human lives."

She snorted, ignored me, and turned to Huang Hua softly, saying, "Hua, forget it."

Huang Hua grabbed her hand, her voice choked with emotion: "But, but, sister, it's just one step away."

"Silly child, your sister is no longer a pure person, why would you... Besides, I can't be resurrected, you've been used."

"No, my sister will always be the woman Xiaohua loves most."

What? My favorite? My sister? Oh my god, at this moment, I really don't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Silly child, our love was wrong from the start."

Upon hearing Huang Jing's words, Huang Hua immediately squatted down like a child, covered his ears with his hands, and cried out, "I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it, I just love my sister."