Chapter 306: with translation of chapter title

At this moment, heaven and earth seemed to lose their color.

What is Zhao Zixun thinking about right now?

Is he thinking about his first encounter and first acquaintance with Fu Wan?

Or is he thinking about Fu Wan's countless admonitions each time he went out to battle?

Or is he reminiscing about his state of mind when he resolved to propose to Fu Wan, and before the final battle, his anticipation of seeing her again and beginning to prepare their wedding?

But all of this came to nothing because of Chen Ping's ambition!

I think, no one hates Chen Ping more than Zhao Zixun does.

Chen Ping not only destroyed everything he had, but also imprisoned his soul, preventing him from reincarnating, and burdening him with so much karmic debt.

He is controlled by Chen Ping… no, to be precise, he is controlled by that coffin nail in his brow, controlled by the true master behind the nail.

If we could successfully remove that coffin nail from his brow, could Zhao Zixun regain his freedom?

But who would dare to rashly help him pull out that nail?

No one dares to guarantee what will happen after pulling out the nail.

Zhao Zixun might suffer a backlash, his soul scattering; or his soul might remain attached to the nail, and even if the nail loses its mana, he would still have his soul scatter……

Another possibility is that the current state persists; as long as the nail's master remains alive for a day, the nail will not truly fall off, and Zhao Zixun will remain under control.

Of course, if the nail's master is annihilated or reincarnated, the nail will also become ineffective, and Zhao Zixun will still have his soul scatter……

So, if we want to help Zhao Zixun, we must first figure out how to handle the aftermath.

I didn't want to go over and disturb them, so I stood by the river and also watched the ghost theater over there.

After a while, Zhao Zixun came over leading his warhorse.

He stood beside me, silent for a while, then suddenly said: 'Her soul is well nurtured and blessed with merit; in the future, serving as Clear Wind in the pawnshop will be more than enough, Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, please take good care of Wanwan.'

I smiled and asked, 'What about you? Are you interested in joining the pawnshop?'

Zhao Zixun froze.

But he immediately shook his head: 'No, I know my sins are deep; I dare not defile the pawnshop's ground. Once the affairs of Wufu Town are settled, I will only have two outcomes: either my soul scatters, or I descend into the eighteenth level of hell……'

I didn't rush to refute him, but asked instead: 'Back then, the killing and skinning—was it something General Zhao himself wanted to do?'

'I was controlled; at that time I had no will of my own, I…' Zhao Zixun said instinctively, then suddenly stopped, he self-mockingly curled the corner of his mouth, 'No matter what, those heinous acts indeed came from my hands; I ought to atone.'

'If General Zhao thinks that way, he certainly couldn't join our pawnshop.' I said, 'After all, someone who can't tell right from wrong and is willing to take the blame for a true demon—we wouldn't dare to take such a person in the pawnshop.'

Zhao Zixun froze.

I continued: 'As for Fu Wan, her spirit tablet has already been enshrined in the pawnshop; her future is hers to earn. She waited for General Zhao for over a hundred years. I think what she waited for, the one she deeply loved, should not be a self-ashamed, clueless person; she loves the one who, on the ancient battlefield of Changshi, descended like divine troops, with iron bones and steadfast spirit—a great hero!'

Having said that, I left without looking back.

I might have a hundred ways to persuade Zhao Zixun, but I used the most cold-hearted one.

This is probably the idea that one who stays near vermilion becomes red, near ink becomes black—I've learned to be 'bad' from following Hui Moqiong.

Matters of the heart are the most tangled and impossible to sort out.

Some things, persuasion is useless; scolding might actually have a bit of effect.

But in the end, it still depends on whether the person involved can have an epiphany.

As for Fu Wan's safety, Zhao Zixun is secretly watching over her, so nothing major will happen.

·

When I returned to the pawnshop, that human-skin puppet had already been forcibly brought back by Li Qingying, and outside the Nan Shu Fang door, Liang Chao was hiding, trembling.

Liang Chao saw me, stepped forward and stammered: 'Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, it's going to keep causing trouble for a few more days; my son really can't stand it. As soon as it goes back, it grabs my son and sucks his blood. I shoved my hand into its mouth, but it doesn't suck—does it dislike my rough, thick skin because it can't chew? Think of a way, please, please.'

'Then just guard your son well; it might still need a day or two.' I said, 'I will quickly find a way to suppress it.'

Liang Chao's face was full of bitterness, yet he dared not complain further, and he left sheepishly.

The human-skin puppet sucked blood tonight, and its cheeks became a little more rosy.

Li Qingying's whip bound the puppet's neck, staring at it tiger-eyed as it hung on the drying rack… the scene was somewhat comical, yet also somewhat terrifying.

Seeing me return, Li Qingying asked: 'Xiao Jiu, how should we deal with it? We can't just keep staring at it like this, can we?'

I thought of several plans, but in the end I rejected them all myself.

I glanced at the still-heavy night outside, sighed, and said: 'Let me make a phone call first.'

I dialed Jiang Que's phone.

Jiang Que is the eleventh-generation inheritor of the Gui Xiu craft; during the incident when Tafeng Village was destroyed, we helped him rescue his son, who was over three years old, and he said that if the pawnshop needed help, he would come anytime.

The phone rang for a long time before being answered; Jiang Que's voice was thick with sleep: 'Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, why are you calling me so late? Is there something you want me to do?'

'Sorry, Mr. Jiang.' I apologized, 'The pawnshop indeed has a very thorny matter here; I'm afraid only your help can suppress it, and not just tonight—over the coming period, I'm afraid I'll keep bothering you…'

'No bother, no bother.' There was rustling on the other end, presumably as he was getting dressed: 'I'll tidy up and set off right away; I need a little time, Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, please wait.'

I exchanged a few more pleasantries, hung up, and my heart settled a little.

I tried to communicate with the human-skin puppet, but found that perhaps it hadn't absorbed enough blood, its spiritual awareness wasn't open, making communication impossible, so I gave up.

Actually, I do have a way to simply suppress the human-skin puppet—for example, a Xuan cat should be able to do it.

But how many human-skin puppets are secretly hidden in Wufu Town is impossible to estimate; if there were a large outbreak, could we suppress them?

Therefore, control is far more important than suppression.

Jiang Que arrived just before dawn, driving himself, with three large wooden crates stuffed in the trunk.

One was filled with bottles and jars containing strange liquids and powders.

Another was full of pelts, medicinal herbs, stones, and so on.

And the third contained small grinders, mortars, sickles, and so on……

At a glance, it's clear he's prepared to reside in the pawnshop long-term, wholeheartedly helping me with work.

I felt happy on one hand, yet also a bit worried: 'Mr. Jiang, Wufu Town has been unsettled lately; your child is still young, you don't need to……'

"Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, what are you talking about?" Jiang Si Que said solemnly, "If it weren't for your pawnshop, my family line would have ended; the incense of this ghost embroidery trade would basically be cut off. Such great kindness and virtue are unforgettable for a lifetime. Now the pawnshop needs me, so I certainly won't shirk my duty."

I didn't decline further, and had Li Qingying prepare a side room for Jiang Si Que to stay in.

While Jiang Si Que was busy studying the human skin figurines, Li Qingying pulled me aside and whispered, "Mr. Jiang is already a practitioner of the yin-yang trade, knows the rules, is capable. Xiao Jiu, let's seize this opportunity and bring him into the group, come on..."