Chapter 343

"Don't panic, everyone, he's my friend and also a Daoist." Yao Yirong explained to everyone while walking over to me.

"I never expected you to be so capable; I didn't even tell you my cousin's company address, yet you managed to find your way here." Yao Yirong came up to me and smiled, pursing her lips.

I was dazed. What's going on? Your cousin's company? Damn it, I came chasing that tomb lord; what does it have to do with your cousin?

For a moment I couldn't tell direction; Yao Yirong pulled me and walked me in front of everyone.

Yao Yirong pointed at a tall, slender girl and introduced her to me, saying this is her cousin Taozi.

I glanced over and was instantly bright-eyed; the woman before me wore a light green long dress, her cuffs embroidered with pale blue peonies, silver threads forming a few auspicious clouds, the hem densely patterned with blue sea‑water clouds; her every move exuded a gentle aura, and with her tall figure she showed a touch of mature charm.

"Hello……" At my moment of stupor, Taozi's vermilion lips parted slightly, and she slowly extended a hand.

"Oh… hello, I'm Chen Hai Sheng." Regaining my senses, I quickly reached out a hand and politely responded in kind.

Including me, there were four people in the room: Yao Yirong, her cousin Taozi, the manager Tang Zheng who had just shouted at me, and the Maoshan Daoist invited by Taozi, whom everyone respectfully calls Daoist Master Kong. Perhaps because of professional rivalry, this old Daoist Kong always eyes me with a hint of wariness, afraid I'll steal his business.

After I clasped my hands and greeted Daoist Master Kong, he suddenly put on airs, gave a noncommittal hum, and continued his rites at the altar, not even glancing at me.

Thinking of the tomb lord who had fled into the building and whose whereabouts were still unknown, fearing delay, I hurriedly asked Yao Yirong: "Just now a tomb lord ran into your company; I'm here to catch him. Did you see her just now?"

Yao Yirong blinked her eyes and curiously asked me: "What is a tomb lord?"

"It's just a cockroach."

As soon as the words fell, Taozi burst out with a puff of laughter, which provoked everyone into loud guffaws; Old Daoist Kong looked at me with a half‑smile, his eyes full of mockery.

"Really, believe me—if the tomb lord gets away, who knows how many people will suffer." Although they dismissed it, I still did my utmost to explain.

"Haha… what tomb lord lady, little Daoist, don't try to mystify yourself here to boost your status." Old Daoist Kong snorted contemptuously: "Just watch how this Daoist Master subdues demons and eliminates evil; you youngster, take note."

"You…" My face darkened as I prepared to flare up—what Maoshan Daoist Master, I haven't provoked him; is it necessary to look down on people like this?

"All right, all right, just focus on waiting for the Daoist Master to finish the rites; as for that cockroach…" Yao Yirong puffed a laugh, quickly correcting herself: "No, I mean the tomb lord—after the Daoist Master finishes his rites, I'll help you catch it."

Seeing everyone treat it as a joke, I simply gave up, stood beside Yao Yirong with arms crossed, and watched to see what tricks Daoist Master Kong could pull.

"Hai… the Supreme says: Misfortune and blessing have no gate; they are self‑invoked. The reward of good and evil follows like a shadow. Therefore the gods who oversee heaven and earth, according to the severity of human transgressions, seize one's lifespan…"

Daoist Master Kong planted his horse stance, flourished a peach‑wood sword into a graceful form, chanted the incantation, and began the Yu step.

Everyone held their breath, eyes unblinking, fixed on Old Daoist Kong.

But… what is this supposed to be? Although I'm not well versed in Daoist rites, I've never heard of anyone exorcising ghosts by reciting the Supreme Response Chapter. Looking at Old Daoist Kong's Yu step, though it appears proper on the surface, it's merely empty form—I haven't a clue which Yu step it is.

As everyone knows, Daoists cultivate the five arts—mountain, appearance, medicine, life, divination. Within mountain arts there are martial exercises for strengthening the body; even a Daoist who draws talismans but doesn't practice martial arts has at least trained the basics.

But this Old Daoist Kong's steps are hollow and weak; at a glance you can tell his body has been drained by drink and lust. Though to laypeople his performance seems orderly, I know he has no foundation at all.

In an instant I labeled him…… nothing more than a money‑grubbing charlatan, certainly not a genuine Maoshan Daoist.

Thinking this, I gently nudged Yao Yirong, pointed at Old Daoist Kong and asked doubtfully: "Is this Daoist the one your father summoned?" I was puzzled—her father is said to be of the Plowshare Witch Sect, so why would he call in such an unreliable Daoist?

Yao Yirong shook her head and said: "Of course not."

I asked her again: "Your father, why doesn't he come himself?"

She looked at me in surprise: "Why would my father come? He can't catch ghosts."

I was stunned; it seemed I had overlooked a question all along—Yao Wenrong doesn't even know her father is of the Plowshare Witch Sect, and as for anything about the witch family, she knows nothing at all; otherwise she wouldn't still be dazed after Ou Yaofeng placed a spell on her.

As for why her father concealed it from her, I don't know. But since he didn't tell her, I see no need to expose the matter.

"Nothing, just asking casually," I laughed to cover it up, then shifted the topic: "By the way, you still haven't told me what's going on—why does your cousin's company need a Daoist to perform rites?"

Yao Yirong glanced around furtively, then moved closer to me, her vermilion lips parting: "I heard that a female employee died at my cousin's company a month ago…"

With Yao Yirong's explanation I finally understood the whole story. A month ago a female employee at that company jumped from a building; half a month later someone saw her appear in the elevator; a few days after that another female employee on night shift hanged herself at the company. The incident left everyone in the company panicked, staff wanting to quit. To calm hearts, Yao Yirong's cousin summoned this Maoshan Daoist Kong, hoping a rite would send away the vengeful spirits of those who died in the company.

Although I don't know how much truth there is in her story, I'm certain that if there really are ghosts, this half‑bucket‑of‑water old Daoist definitely couldn't subdue them.

The moment I thought that, an anomalous phenomenon appeared in the hall.

A pattering sound interrupted Daoist Master Kong's chanting; when everyone traced the noise to its source, they all gasped in astonishment.

On the right side of the hall is the employees' workspace, partitioned by some dividers; on the desks sit some computers, all of the desktop‑tower type, quite large.

The pattering sound came from exactly one of those positions; needless to say, everyone could tell it originated from a computer keyboard.

Upon hearing the sound, Old Daoist Kong's expression turned flustered, his hands gripping the peach‑wood sword trembling. Yet with everyone watching from behind, he gritted his teeth, chanted "Supreme Old Lord, urgent as law," seized the rooster's blood from the altar, rushed forward, and poured it onto the source of the noise.

"Don't……" That move made my heart clench; I quickly shouted to stop him.

Pouring rooster's blood on ghosts is pure theatrics; although rooster blood and dog blood are supremely yang, substances that restrain ghosts, everything has two sides—this talisman that controls spirits is no exception: it works only on some wandering souls, but if it meets a ghost with heavy resentment, it not only fails to subdue it, it actually provokes the ghost's ferocity.

Moreover, the effect of rooster's blood is time‑limited; the blood sitting before Old Daoist Kong's desk is merely for show, left so long it has coagulated, and with coagulated blood the yang energy has gradually dissipated—how could it inflict any real harm on the ghost?

At the instant the keyboard sounded, I saw a long‑haired woman sitting at the computer desk, incessantly striking the keys. I thought no one else in the room could see this besides me, so to avoid causing panic I kept silent.

But… I don't know if it was Old Daoist Kong's incredibly bad luck, but the rooster's blood landed squarely on the female ghost. The sight made me laugh and cry; seeing her ferocity provoked, my heart tightened and I rushed forward.

Yet I was still half a beat late; by the time I reached behind Old Daoist Kong, the long‑haired female ghost had already pierced his neck, and the splatter of rooster's blood instantly revealed her form.

What everyone saw was this: a Daoist in yellow robes hanging suspended in mid‑air, then a hand slowly emerged, piercing the yellow‑robed Daoist's neck, appearing so abruptly with no warning.

Next, the owner of that hand slowly appeared before everyone, frightening the crowd behind me into terrified screams.

"Xiao Ling……" That cry seemed to come from Taozi, Yao Yirong's cousin.

Who is Xiao Ling? I had no time to ponder, but since the female ghost had appeared, I was determined to capture her.