Chapter 28: How to Set the Price?

Assistant Yan escorted Chen Yan back home, and before parting, Chen Yan told him: "I need to think carefully about Director Fang's matter and do some calculations. You just wait; if I find a lead, I will contact you."

Assistant Yan left with endless gratitude. After Chen Yan closed the door, he walked into the living room, took out the two A4 paper packages from his chest, spread them on the coffee table, and fell into deep thought.

On one sheet of paper was the sandalwood stick he had taken away, which had been crushed into two pieces on the way.

On the other sheet of paper was a small pinch of incense ash.

Chen Yan began to ponder a question in his heart.

This money...

Should I earn it or not?

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The problem lies with this sandalwood stick.

Chen Yan had read some basic identification methods in the artifact identification section of the secret manual. Especially the identification of basic materials for drawing talismans and casting spells, which he had firmly memorized in his heart.

This sandalwood stick, with its yellow incense lines, looked like the most common sandalwood on the market. But Chen Yan's Yuan Qi perception could faintly smell a trace of lingering resentment!

He broke off a piece of the sandalwood, rubbed it carefully until it turned to dust, then pinched the incense ash, comparing the two sides.

"Mixed in a tiny bit of bone powder?"

The artifact identification section described this method: grind the bones of a creature carrying resentment after death into powder, and then... this thing can actually be used to release resentment.

However, this method is somewhat vicious and not the righteous path, so the artifact identification section only mentioned how to distinguish it, without recording the specific production process.

This kind of thing is called "Resentment Bone Powder."

Some of these things are powerful, while others are not.

The most vicious type of Resentment Bone Powder recorded in the book is made by extracting bones from the bodies of stillborn infants before full term and grinding them into powder—since the stillborn infant could have become a human but fell short at the last moment, the resentment it contains is the strongest, making the resulting Resentment Bone Powder the most vicious and powerful in effect.

At the very least, it causes domestic unrest, with illness, disasters, and misfortunes unceasing, ultimately leading to the destruction of the family.

However, such things are both rare and involve evil, poisonous methods; their refinement is extremely difficult, and only those evil cultivators who have gone deep down the evil path would make them.

But the ordinary kind is easier to obtain.

It uses the ground bones of a certain animal as a substitute.

As for what animal bone powder substitutes for the stillborn infant, it is something ordinary people generally cannot imagine.

—Pig bones.

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Pigs are creatures commonly eaten by secular households as livestock.

But few people know that pigs are actually animals with quite high intelligence.

It is said that dogs understand human nature; dogs are humans' friends, loyal companions.

In fact, the intelligence of pigs is even higher than that of dogs.

Among the myriad living beings and many mammals, pigs are considered a high-intelligence species.

This thing actually understands human nature even better than dogs.

With not bad intelligence and a rudimentary understanding of spiritual sensitivity, they naturally have certain emotional fluctuations.

Using pigs to make 【Resentment Bone Powder】 is much easier in terms of method.

First, this livestock material is easy to obtain.

The difficulty of production is also lower.

One only needs to use special means to slaughter a pig, then peel off the skin and remove the meat, leaving only the skeleton, and finally grind and refine it.

One pig can yield several jin of this Resentment Bone Powder.

According to the records in the booklet, there are indeed many swindlers and charlatans in the Jianghu who like to use this kind of thing to harm others.

The effect of this thing is much milder than using Resentment Bone Powder made from stillborn infants, and the harm is not so great.

After all, the resentment value is not that high, so the effect is relatively weak.

If one is exposed to this kind of resentment for a long time, it will merely make a person feel listless, suffer from insomnia and anxiety, or occasionally encounter minor illnesses and small disasters.

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Like this stick of incense in Chen Nuo's hand, with this resentment-laden bone powder mixed into the sandalwood, I don't know what method was used to deliver it to Director Fang's hands.

Director Fang likes to pretend to be cultured and occasionally lights one to calm his spirit.

Then the erosion and pollution of resentment will cause Director Fang to encounter some bad luck from time to time.

The situation is already quite clear... someone is harming him.

Chen Yan narrowed his eyes and thought: The question is whether I should get involved in this matter.

·

The benefit of handling this matter is very simple: money.

Director Fang was willing to pay a hundred thousand for my broken compass; if I can help him solve this problem, there will definitely be a considerable sum of money coming in.

But the downside is: it is easy to make an enemy of someone.

Someone is harming Director Fang in the shadows; if they can use such a method, they are clearly not an ordinary person, and might even have some cultivation.

If I step in to save Director Fang, and his enemy finds out and traces the clue back to me...

I have no blood ties or close relationship with Director Fang; there is really no need to make an enemy just to earn some money.

Moreover, the enemy is very likely to be a vicious person with cultivation.

Making money is very appealing, but I am not short of money at the moment.

As he was pondering, Chen Yan suddenly felt a stir in his heart and remembered the tube of sandalwood incense he had seen in Director Fang's office.

The simple, ancient wrapping pattern of swirling clouds on that paper tube.

Chen Yan frowned: Luo Yun Zhai?

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The next morning.

Chen Yan put on a down jacket, deliberately stood up the collar, and even wore a face mask before heading out.

He hailed a ride-hailing car and went straight to Qixia Mountain.

Qixia Mountain is in Jiangbei. Jin Ling Prefecture spans both the south and north of the river; reaching Qixia Mountain requires crossing the river, and the road is not short.

Qixia Mountain was already famous, home to an ancient temple of a thousand years that has always enjoyed abundant incense offerings.

Relying on this thriving incense trade, these years have further driven the surrounding industries nearby.

Outside that great temple, a district gradually formed, selling antiques and collectibles, dealing in calligraphy and paintings, and also those practicing metaphysics, fortune-telling, and physiognomy.

Where there is demand, there is foot traffic; where there is foot traffic, supporting catering businesses will inevitably sprout.

Over time, it actually formed a quite bustling commercial street.

Add to that the fact that it is nearing the end of the year, and people in the Dragon Kingdom love to pray to gods and worship Buddhas, making the crowd here even more lively.

Chen Yan did not enter the great temple; instead, he wandered around the nearby commercial street for a morning and even found a vegetarian restaurant said to be quite famous to have a meal.

In the course of that morning, he had already gathered the information he wanted: the address of Luoyun Zhai and some general details.

To be honest, it was not hard to inquire—around here, those specializing in feng shui, divination, fortune-telling, and physiognomy are mostly independent operators; that means ninety-nine percent are liars.

And there are a few that have their own shops, their own courtyards, run quite large businesses, and are said to have their own lineage—whether true or false, no one knows.

Anyway, they made it look quite legitimate and convincing.

Those reaching such a scale, there are probably three or five on the entire commercial street.

And Luoyun Zhai is the most famous among them. The information Chen Nuo gathered was that Luoyun Zhai's protective talismans and the like are very effective, and that there are experts within the sect; fortune-telling and physiognomy are their specialties, and their feng shui services are also very renowned.

Some business owners seeking fame would come knocking...

Chen Yan had heard similar remarks on street corners and alleyways.

Actually, it is quite ironic... right next door stands such a large Monk temple with abundant incense offerings.

Yet here they practice feng shui, divination, fortune-telling, and physiognomy.

This is not the same path as the Buddhist sect at all.

But the common people of the Dragon Kingdom have always believed in a mix of things and do not care about such distinctions.

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In the afternoon, Chen Yan sat on the second floor of a street-facing teahouse, chose a spot by the window, and brewed a pot of tea—the merchant claimed it was Biluochun.

Anyway, Chen Yan could not tell good tea from bad; the second floor of the teahouse was nearly empty, so he sat leisurely, looking out at the street opposite the window.

Opposite was Luoyun Zhai.

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Sitting by the window on the second floor, one could roughly make out the outline of Luoyun Zhai:

The ground floor was a shop selling antiques and treasures, as well as rune carvings for warding off evil and repelling demons.

People were stationed inside the shop, telling fortunes and reading faces for customers.

Behind the shop were two courtyards.

Chen Yan sat there for nearly an hour, using the Heaven Eye Qi Observation Technique to scan and examine the direction of Luoyun Zhai's courtyard complex no fewer than ten times.

He confirmed one thing... there was not a single trace of Yuan Qi fluctuation within Luoyun Zhai!

Chen Yan frowned inwardly; this was strange.

How could they devise such a scheme to swindle people without even a single trace of magical fluctuation in their home?

At least it is their own Daoist field; their own Daoist field, shouldn't they set up some formation or something?

Even the simplest formation for gathering Qi and enhancing luck, wouldn't they set one up?

He glanced at the counter on the teahouse's second floor; incense sticks were burning in the censer, and right on the table beside it sat a tube of sandalwood incense—the packaging was exactly the same as the tube Chen Yan had found in Director Fang's office.

Earlier, he had pretended to chat with the shop's waiter, who told Chen Yan that this sandalwood incense was purchased from Luoyun Zhai across the street.

Of course, the sandalwood incense here was the most ordinary kind, without any additives.

But judging by the packaging, it was confirmed without a doubt.

Luoyun Zhai's methods are quite despicable.

They give Director Fang this kind of additive-laden sandalwood incense that brings bad luck, making people suffer misfortune, and then they come to the door to help solve the problems.

The money they earn... it is against conscience.

Chen Yan shook his head.

So be it!

Director Fang, after all, you did take ten thousand yuan from you.

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As for Chen Yan's personality, if one says he is selfish, then certainly there is a selfish side.

If one says he is cold, then certainly his nature is cold—he grew up with Old Grandma, had no father or mother, and no relatives. His personality was actually quite reclusive.

But there is one thing: he still observes some rules and righteousness.

Not much, but there is a little.

Chen Yan did not want to make an enemy for Director Fang's sake. But he thought, after all, he had taken ten thousand yuan from Director Fang.

Would he give the man a useless broken compass?

Wouldn't that be pure deception?

It would not be right to engage in pure deception.

He had learned Old Grandma's skills; Old Grandma's manual contained a set of rules.

Actually, it is not "take someone's money and remove their disaster."

Although I, the one who serves the Great King, receive your salary, if you order me to capture the Tang Monk and his three disciples and bring them back to you—I actually do have the ability to do so!

So the Old Grandma's rule is, don't demand that the disaster must be dispelled.

Instead: take a person's money, and put out the effort for them.

Whether the matter can be done or not aside, some effort still has to be put in.

So for today's trip, Chen Yan came over first to take a look at the situation.

If everyone in Luoyun Studio is a clueless bumpkin who knows no magic arts, pure swindlers who just happen to have learned from somewhere this method of tricking people…

Then Chen Yan can rest easy and boldly go earn Mr. Fang's money.

If there really is an expert within Luoyun Studio.

Then Chen Yan will honestly return that hundred thousand to Mr. Fang, and admit his own skills are lacking, and not get involved in this matter.

His bottom line isn't high, but at least he still has one.

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After refilling the water twice and a pot of tea had been drunk until it had no flavor left, Chen Yan, sitting on the second floor, saw a familiar figure walk out of Luoyun Studio across the street — it was Luo Qing.

Watching Luo Qing get into a car and leave, Chen Yan then got up and went downstairs.

He stood up the collar of his down jacket and put on a mask too — in winter, plenty of people on the street dress like this, so it didn't look conspicuous.

Chen Yan crossed the street and swaggered into Luoyun Studio.

Pretending to be a passing traveler, he wandered around the shop, looking here and there.

This kind of business shop didn't have many people to begin with. Chen Yan deliberately had the shop assistant show him a few protective talismans — all the kind of utterly useless handicrafts.

He pretended to browse, then waited until the other two customers in the shop left.

Only he himself, the shop assistant attending him, and a Mr. who was waiting for someone to come have his fortune told were left in the shop.

And the fortune-telling Mr. was in a side room of the shop, separated from the outside by a screen.

Chen Yan pretended to haggle with the assistant over a stone-carved Pixiu, then had the assistant turn around to fetch something from a shelf for him.

Taking advantage of the moment the assistant turned, Chen Yan quickly glanced around the shop — no one on either side — and from behind the curtain he could faintly hear the fortune-telling Mr. playing on his phone…

Chen Yan looked up at the target he had long since scoped out — a wooden plaque hanging on the shop's wall, bearing four large characters: Purple Qi from the East.

Chen Yan swiftly fished out something he had prepared from his pocket, channeled his Yuan Qi into it, then flicked it with a flick of his finger!

Swoosh!

An object flew onto the plaque, landing squarely right behind it.

Chen Yan pretended to stroll to the side, and from below the side of the plaque, looked up to confirm the thing was wedged behind the board.

The angle was very tricky — an ordinary person, unless they deliberately walked to this spot and deliberately looked up, would not notice it.

What Chen Yan had flicked out was something he had prepared at home the night before.

A thin wooden tablet the size of a cigarette box, with a talisman pasted on it.

The talisman was written and drawn on yellow paper with cinnabar, and the talisman script was recorded in the secret manual.

This was a 【Fortune-Severing Damage Talisman】.

The use of this talisman script was much the same as the Fortune-Severing Art Chen Yan had used before.

Chen Yan's training was still shallow; at present the talismans he could draw numbered no more than three or five kinds. Just this one talisman, he had attempted three times at home last night before finally completing one.

This thing had a time limit — once drawn, the moment Yuan Qi was channeled into it, the talisman's effect would be triggered.

And it could only last about two days before the efficacy would dissipate on its own.

At this moment, Chen Yan stood in the shop, and with his Yuan Qi sense, he could clearly feel a faint wisp of damage-qi slowly emanating from behind the plaque. Anyone who came into contact with more of this damage-qi would have their fortune harmed, and would inevitably suffer some minor illness or small disaster.

This thing's effect wasn't powerful, but… this was a test on Chen Yan's part.

Anyone with cultivation and Yuan Qi, as long as they stood in this shop, would be able to sense this damage-qi!

Ordinary people couldn't detect it, but anyone with cultivation would feel it like a lamp in the darkness — no matter how faint, it would be plain as day.

Chen Yan planned to come back in two days to check.

If the talisman was no longer behind the plaque, that would mean Luoyun Studio, while having swindlers, also had capable experts who had discovered this thing and taken it down and dealt with it — in which case Chen Yan would have nothing more to say, and would leave this matter alone.

If, two days later when he came back, the talisman was still behind the plaque.

Then it would mean there wasn't a single expert in this place — they couldn't even detect this!

Then, there was nothing to fear!

The assistant turned back around with the item Chen Yan had asked to see, and Chen Yan casually glanced at it twice and picked a flaw.

But so as not to be too conspicuous, he didn't leave empty-handed either — he deliberately bought a cheap protective talisman for fifty yuan.

A thumb-sized stone-carved Pixiu, with very clumsy craftsmanship.

The assistant boasted it had been consecrated at the ancient temple next door — not a single punctuation mark of that did Chen Yan believe.

Leaving Luoyun Studio, Chen Yan headed home.

·

The next day, Chen Yan sat in meditation at home cultivating his Yuan Qi, and when bored he practiced drawing talismans in the study.

Assistant Yan called to ask whether he should go to Mr. Fang's house to take a look. Chen Yan used the excuse that his new Luo Pan compass wasn't ready yet, and pushed the matter back two days.

·

On the third day, Chen Yan went out again to Luoyun Studio on Qixia Mountain.

When he entered, the shop assistant was a different person, sitting there listlessly yawning, and only gave a lazy greeting when he saw Chen Yan come in, but didn't get up from his seat.

Chen Yan pretended to look at the items in the display case, wandering here and there, walked to the side, and glanced up behind the "Purple Qi from the East" plaque.

In the crevice, the talisman he had tossed in was still plainly there.

Chen Yan kept a straight face, then left Luoyun Studio.

Two whole days, and he had thrown a low-level talisman like this into their place, and every day their own people went in and out without noticing?

Chen Yan smiled. It seemed there wasn't much of a master in this Luoyun Studio.

After leaving the shopping street, he called for a car. Sitting in the car, Chen Yan dialed a number.

Not Assistant Yan's number, but President Fang's.

"President Fang, are you still recuperating in the hospital?" Chen Yan said with a smile. "There's something—let's meet and chat about it. Mm, just the two of us, alone."

President Fang seemed to realize something on the other end of the line, his tone very solemn: "Alright, then please trouble Teacher Chen to come to the hospital. I'll wait for you in the ward—don't worry, it'll just be the two of us meeting alone, I won't tell anyone. Assistant Yan isn't here with me today either."

"Alright, I'll be there in a bit." Chen Yan hung up the phone and began calculating in his mind.

Mm, for this matter, how much silver should I ask President Fang for?

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【Today's two chapters are done. Begging for bookmarks, begging for a few recommendation tickets.】

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