Chapter 318

The mystic cat forbids anyone from touching the copper coin person.

Before, it itself used to like lying on the copper coin person's head to sleep, but now even it won't touch the copper coin person.

If those eight pawn tickets are really hidden on the copper coin person… no, I still have to go look for them.

If I'm not allowed to touch it with my hand, can't I just use something else instead?

I picked a wooden stick as thick as a finger, took it to the west room, and Li Qingying followed me all the way.

As soon as I approached the copper coin person, the mystic cat meowed around me, warning me, even with a hint of scolding.

The copper coin person now can no longer be called a copper coin person.

One-quarter of the copper coins covering his body are overlaid with white scales, and the rest of the copper coins have faded to nearly white.

I carefully poked his sole with the wooden stick, and the tip of the stick got some bloodstains on it.

That bloodstain spread like a plague, climbing up the stick rapidly toward my hand.

The mystic cat scratched me with its paw, and Li Qingying exclaimed in surprise.

I threw the wooden stick away in one motion.

The moment the stick hit the ground, it had lost its core, turned into a pool of blood, struck the floor, and splattered everywhere.

I, Li Qingying, and the mystic cat almost simultaneously sprang backward, fearing to be tainted by that bloodstain.

This thing is too sinister!

"Incense ash!" I realized, shouting, "Cover the bloodstain with incense ash."

No matter what this blood is, it's certainly not good; it belongs to yin and evil things, while incense ash is pure yang and can dispel it.

All the incense ash from the censers in the west room and the main hall was poured by us onto those bloodstains.

Immediately, a black vapor rose in the air, making a sizzling sound.

We waited until there was no movement, then swept up the incense ash, packed it, and buried it deep in a secluded spot.

Back at the pawnshop, Li Qingying picked up the mystic cat and rubbed it vigorously, but the cat's front paw stepped on her face and she broke free.

I stared at the dried bloodstains at the base of the spirit altar, feeling a lingering fear.

When I had just returned from Changshi, blood would drip from the scale seams on the copper coin person's arm, and Li Qingying would wipe it daily with a cloth.

But at that time, this kind of situation did not occur.

Now the bloodstains on the copper coin person are increasing, yet they no longer drip, but their corrosiveness has become this strong… This shows that as the copper coin person deteriorates, the entities seeking to seize his body are growing stronger!

At this moment I also realized deeply that we no longer need to look for those eight pawn tickets.

With such a powerful opponent, if he dares to release those eight female corpses, how could he easily let me resolve the crisis with pawn tickets?

Impossible.

I glanced again at the other offerings on the spirit altar, calculating in my mind that I must find a way to temporarily move them elsewhere, or else they will eventually be corroded by the 'copper coin person'.

After leaving the west room, I asked Li Qingying, "Sister Qingying, what did you find out about that earlier deceased?"

"According to my investigation, that deceased was indeed drained of essence and blood by a human-skin puppet and died." Li Qingying said, "I have already warned his family to be on guard."

I nodded, telling Li Qingying to go to sleep quickly, as dawn was approaching.

Li Qingying also told me to rest.

I lay in bed but just couldn't fall asleep.

Too many things happened tonight, catching me off guard.

I tossed and turned for a long time; only when a faint light appeared outside the window did I drift off to sleep in a daze.

I didn't sleep long; after more than two hours, I suddenly jerked awake from my dream.

I hadn't dreamed; it was just that too many things weighed on my mind, I couldn't sleep deeply, lacking a sense of security.

My chest gave a sudden throb, then my heart started pounding wildly.

My consciousness had awakened, but my eyelids felt heavy and wouldn't lift.

A fresh floral scent came to my nose; this smell… seemed familiar.

I flung my eyes open and saw a multicolored butterfly flapping its wings past my vision, then quickly vanished.

What's going on?

Was I just seeing things?

No, it's not that, because the room still retains that floral scent.

Did my aunt come by?

I immediately sat up to figure it out, but as soon as I moved my body, I felt something was off again.

That floral scent was actually emanating from my own body.

Very faint, very faint.

And after I woke up, this floral scent gradually faded away.

I was uneasy, thinking it over, and still called Uncle Huo to tell him about this.

Uncle Huo listened, sighed, and said, "Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, I told you last time we met that as your mother's inner elixir merges more and more with you, it will become harder to separate the lingering soul and essence; this is just the beginning."

I asked, "If things are left to develop, will it have a bad effect on my aunt?"

Uncle Huo pondered a moment, then said, "Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, butterflies and floral scent are inherently your aunt's alone."

In other words, I am already affecting my aunt.

Separating the lingering soul and essence has already reached an urgent point.

After hanging up, I raised my hand and firmly pinched my brow, then forced myself up to wash and go out for breakfast.

Hui Moqiong didn't return all night, not sending back a single message, which made both Li Qingying and me very worried.

That piece of land is indeed troublesome.

After thinking, I said, "Sister Qingying, send someone to contact Fifth Lord Hui and have him come back."

It's a turbulent time; I don't want to drag that land's affairs into this again, only adding trouble.

That land has lain there peacefully for many years; let's leave it be for now and discuss it after we've dealt with the pressing matters.

Li Qingying shook his head: "Nearly 300 mu of land, Xiao Jiu — don't even mention me; even Grey Old Five is drooling over it. No matter how difficult, do you think he'd easily let go?"

"Not letting go, just taking it slow." I said, "We have plenty of time ahead."

Li Qingying was hesitating when suddenly a car engine roared outside; we went to the door and saw a domineering black Maybach parked at Xijiekou, with Jin Wuya just stepping out.

He had stepped out from the passenger seat; a woman sat in the driver's seat, her appearance bright and magnificent, a cascade of loose waves flowing freely, she lit a lady's cigarette and leaned against the window, slowly puffing.

Jin Wuya got out of the car, then turned back and said something to the woman; she waved at him, and only then did he step toward the pawnshop.

After not seeing each other for several months, Jin Wuya had completely shed his previous decadent look; his complexion was so good he seemed to have suddenly become six or seven years younger.

It seems this trip to Lingnan was indeed the right choice for him.

In the reception hall of the rear wing, Jin Wuya handed me a small porcelain bottle containing the Soul‑Stabbing.

He also brought gifts for everyone, all good things—even Hui Moqiong got one.

When he spoke, I paid particular attention: his gaze toward Li Qingying lacked the regret of unrequited love and instead held a sense of openness.

Jin Wuya set it down.

Quite sudden.

I couldn't help but probe indirectly: "Boss Jin, is that beautiful woman in the car your friend? Why didn't you invite her to join us for tea?"