Chapter 129

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang flew into a rage inside Fengqi Academy, forcing its head, Zhang Weiyi, to rush back and hear his reprimand.

When Zhang Weiyi hurried into the courtyard, Pan Yun and the other two were sitting on the railing, their short stature leaving their legs dangling as they swayed back and forth.

Wang Cong stood beside them, half-heartedly trying to calm Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang; when Zhang Weiyi arrived, everyone's gaze turned to him.

Zhang Weiyi halted his steps, stepped forward under the keen stares of Pan Yun and the other three, and bowed to Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang. "Fifth Uncle."

Seeing him, Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's anger slightly subsided, but he frowned and asked, "Where are the others?"

Zhang Weiyi replied, "Deng Ziyu and Xue Hua haven't arrived; the rest may be doing their lessons in Chongqing Academy."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's face darkened. "Who put the water on the door?"

Zhang Weiyi claimed ignorance but promised to investigate and give Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang a full account.

Pan Yun didn't believe he knew nothing—how could a head of academy lack even this basic ability?

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang also sensed his evasion; his expression grew darker, but since Deng Ziyu and Xue Hua were absent and only Zhang clan members remained, he swallowed his anger for the sake of the Zhang family's reputation.

With a "teng!" he summoned spiritual energy; the water on his head and clothes instantly vaporized into steam, and within moments his hair and robes were dry.

He glowered. "Fine. I'll wait half a day. Hand them over before sunset."

He glanced at Pan Yun, seated on the railing with a solemn face, and introduced her to Zhang Weiyi: "These are new students this year—disciples of Sanqing Temple on Mount Sanqing: Pan Yun, Seeing Miao Zhen, and Miao He. Starting today, they'll reside in Fengqi Academy. Arrange it."

Zhang Weiyi frowned. "Fifth Uncle, Fengqi Academy houses only Yang Dao practitioners. These three are Yin Dao. Why not place them elsewhere?"

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang snapped, "This is the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's decree. You have no choice but to accept it!"

Wang Cong quickly added, "Our Daoist path treats Yang Dao and Yin Dao equally—we hold no worldly prejudices."

Zhang Weiyi fell silent. Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang swept his sleeves and said, "As head of the academy, arrange it. I leave them in your care. Their status is extraordinary—even the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi pays close attention. Handle them with care."

Zhang Weiyi's expression darkened, yet he still bowed in acceptance.

Wang Cong frowned in worry—Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang had deliberately made the three junior uncles targets; this would surely draw much resentment.

Pan Yun didn't care. She shrugged at Zhang Weiyi. "See? We didn't want to live here—it's the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's order. Your Zhang family insisted we stay."

Zhang Weiyi stared at Pan Yun; she met his gaze without yielding. After a silent standoff, seeing her fearless demeanor, he lowered his eyes and stepped back. "Younger sister, your rooms are right behind you—three connected chambers. Divide them among yourselves."

He added, "Nine people live here. Besides you three, the other six are fourth- and fifth-year students. They're all busy—only returning at night. So please be considerate. Don't disturb others; everyone's workload is heavy."

Pan Yun: "Heavy enough to set up water basins on doors to prank people? Or is that part of your curriculum?"

Zhang Weiyi fell silent, his face sour.

Pan Yun smiled. "You're all fourth- and fifth-year students. So you'll receive your talismans and leave this year or next? Then for the coming years, we'll be the ones living here, won't we?"

Zhang Weiyi pressed his lips shut, gave her an unreadable look, and asked, "What are you getting at, Younger Sister?"

"I mean," Pan Yun smiled gently, "Fengqi Academy belongs to you—and to us. But ultimately, it belongs to us. After all, we're young and entered late."

"Unless…" Pan Yun grinned. "Unless you can't receive your talismans. But surely none of you here are incapable of that?"

Zhang Weiyi turned and walked away. "Looks like you don't need me to introduce Fengqi Academy. I have other matters. I'll take my leave."

Pan Yun didn't mind. She waved. "Brother Zhang, until we meet again."

Zhang Weiyi hurried off.

Wang Cong shook his head. "Junior Uncle, you've offended the local powers the moment you arrived."

"One more offense won't hurt," Pan Yun said. "Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang deliberately made me a target. These people are already setting water basins on doors. Do you think they need me to offend them further?"

Seeing Miao Zhen nodded seriously. "They've already offended us thoroughly. One more time won't matter."

Miao He asked, "Junior Uncle, will they bully us later?"

"I don't know if they will," Pan Yun said, eyes gleaming. "But they sent us a gift. I must return one. Even though Fifth Uncle intercepted their gift, I understand their intent. How could I not respond?"

Wang Cong said, "You three handle things. I'm heading down the mountain. Once I've bought the shop and arranged the manager and staff, I'll come back to take you down for a gathering."

Miao He widened her eyes. "Big Brother, aren't you helping us?"

Wang Cong sighed. "I studied at the Imperial Academy too—I'm several years senior to them. How can I interfere in this? You handle it yourselves. Just don't go too far."

Pan Yun said, "Big Nephew, rest assured—we won't exceed what they gave me today."

Wang Cong relaxed, dropped his luggage, and left in a hurry, as if ghosts were chasing him.

Pan Yun chuckled, turned to the three rooms, kicked open the door with her foot—the door slammed into the wall and bounced back, no problem.

She peered inside. "They only set traps at the door?" She didn't quite believe it and tossed Pan Xiaohei into the room. "Go check for traps."

Pan Xiaohei let out an angry meow but dutifully wandered around the room. "There's no trap here—I think you're imagining things—"

No sooner had it finished meowing than it turned sharply toward the wardrobe.

Pan Yun stepped inside, glanced around, then stared at the wardrobe. "You feel the heavy yin energy too?"

Miao He hid behind Pan Yun, peering forward. "What's wrong with the wardrobe?"

Seeing Miao Zhen pulled out a Sunfire Talisman and said firmly, "Whatever it is, if it's heavy with yin energy, use a Sunfire Talisman. If one doesn't work, use two."

Pan Yun told Pan Xiaohei to open the wardrobe.

Pan Xiaohei shot her a glare but obediently leapt onto the wardrobe and swiped its door open with one paw.

A white-clad female ghost suddenly lunged out, surging with dense yin energy toward Pan Yun…

Miao He screamed in terror—this was her first time seeing a ghost. Seeing Miao Zhen's face turned pale too, but she reacted quickly—flung the Sunfire Talisman… and forgot to activate it.

Pan Yun: …

!. Read

She moved instantly, pinching the Sunfire Talisman between her right fingers, then clamping her left hand around the ghost's throat, freezing her in place.

The ghost tried to push her hand away—but when she touched it, she recoiled in shock. "Y-y-you…"

"I-I-I—I have a talisman," Pan Yun said. "Specifically designed to suppress ghosts. And my left hand has this."

She dangled the Sunfire Talisman before the ghost's face and smiled faintly. "Sunfire Talisman. Move again, and I'll burn you to ash. Do you believe me?"

The ghost believed. She went utterly still in the child's grip.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He stepped out from behind Pan Yun, staring wide-eyed at the ghost. "Junior Uncle—there really is a ghost!"

"Don't be afraid, not all fierce ghosts harm people," Pan Yun said. "This female ghost was most likely brought in from outside by someone."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Raising ghosts and monsters — that violates a major taboo of the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi Mansion. You've got some nerve, daring to show yourself in the Grand Shangqing Palace. Aren't you afraid some other Daoist Priest will run into you and beat you until your soul scatters?"

The female ghost curled up tight, looking pitiful, and said: "Little Daoist, I wandered in by accident. Please, little Daoist, have mercy and let me leave?"

"What's the point of leaving? Wouldn't it be better if I sent you to the underworld to be reincarnated?"

Terror flooded the female ghost's pallid face. She shook her head again and again. "No, no, no, I don't want to be reincarnated. I — I'll just leave, that's all. I promise I won't come back to scare the little Daoist again."

Pan Yun tightened her grip and said coldly: "You say leave and you leave — wouldn't that make me look like a pushover? Either go be reincarnated, or have your soul scattered. Pick one."

The female ghost got angry and began to struggle. "What's the difference between reincarnation and having my soul scattered? If this old lady loses her memories, is she still this old lady?"

Pan Yun nearly lost her grip.

The female ghost struggled even harder, cursing as she went: "So what if you're a Daoist Priest? This one wants to catch me, that one wants to keep me. If you've got the guts, go settle the score with the one who started all this — what's the use of grabbing a knife at me…"

She struggled so hard that Pan Yun couldn't hold on, so she simply slammed her down onto the ground, balled her fist, and began pounding it into the ghost's face with heavy thuds. "You think scaring people makes you right? An adult bullying three little children — aren't you ashamed? Calling you for scaring me, calling you for helping the villain do evil…"

Every one of Pan Yun's fists landed squarely on the ghost's soul, and she beat the female ghost until she wailed like a banshee.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He, who had been a little scared at first, gradually lost their fear too, rushed in to help her, and every now and then landed a kick on the female ghost — only to find they couldn't actually hit her.

Miao Zhen studied Pan Yun closely for a moment and immediately understood. "You have to use primal energy."

So the two of them channeled primal energy into their feet and kicked the female ghost, who screamed even louder.

Once all three of them had tired themselves out, they finally stopped.

Pan Yun flipped her hair back, climbed off the female ghost, and rolled her wrists a few times.

The female ghost instantly shrank into the corner of the bed, curled up, and cried uncontrollably.

Pan Yun said irritably: "Stop crying. Tell me — who is the one who started all this?"

The female ghost didn't dare cry loudly anymore. Between sobs she said: "It's — it's Zhang Weiliang, the one who lives across from us."

Pan Yun asked: "Anyone else?"

"It's the three people living across from us, all surnamed Zhang. I just arrived too, I don't know many people."

"Your master is Zhang Weiliang?"

The female ghost shifted a little and said in a small voice: "I haven't acknowledged a master yet. Actually, I'm not opposed to switching to a different master."

Today's lucky number is the one ending in 2. Screenshot as proof.

(End of chapter)