Chapter 93

Chapter 93

In Huaxia's traditional culture, the number nine is considered the "ultimate" number, representing the maximum times one can petition deities and ancestors. Beyond that, no further requests can be made.

When the old man thought about making the ninth request, the lot had just fallen out of the lottery tube, and he was suddenly swept out of the hall by a gust of wind.

He feared the Xuanmen ancestor might rise from the dead to punish them for their unfilial behavior.

Chen Zhao was utterly disheartened and distressed, saying, "Why? Why won't they let us go? Are we stuck being poor forever? Did I get some kind of seven-day trial card?!"

Was he really bound to the impoverished Xuanmen for life? Chen Zhao felt like crying.

Seeing Chen Zhao's sorrowful expression, as if his master had died, the old man's expression turned grave. He vaguely sensed that Xuanmen was not a good place to be.

Although Xuanmen was an independent metaphysical institution, it had always taken on tasks assigned by higher authorities. Logically, state-owned enterprises should be highly regarded.

However, he keenly noticed something amiss.

Years ago, the higher authorities had entrusted Xuanmen's Daoist Physicians with the crucial task of developing a vaccine to enhance Yang energy, allocating significant funds to speed up its development. Yet, after years of research, the vaccine remained stalled without progress.

This summer, the authorities recruited Master Lius, Daoist Physicians, and modern medical experts from the private sector to join the research team. Among them was Dr. Wu from Chengde Medical Hall. In just half a year, the vaccine overcame its hurdles and was successfully developed.

The old Dr. Wu did not ask for any rewards but instead requested a Daoist Physician internship certificate from Xuanmen for his grandson, who was live-streaming.

This might just show that Xuanmen's Daoist Physicians were ineffective, but the old man noticed that the authorities were planning a major national ritual for next spring, which should have been hosted by Xuanmen. However, he heard that their allocated positions were severely limited, with most going to other metaphysical sects or private Master Lius.

The old man thought Xuanmen had been underperforming lately, and the authorities had lost faith in them. After all, every sect has its ups and downs. Xuanmen was once just a small branch, supported solely by the ancestor. If the current disciples weren't putting in effort, it was no surprise Xuanmen had declined.

However, when he applied to Xuanmen to "resign" with Chen Zhao, he accidentally overheard shocking news—

The elders of Xuanmen had halved and then halved again the wages that should have been paid to them, using the money to buy high-quality yellow paper, folding it into gold ingots and offerings, and burning them all to the ancestor.

When he heard this, the old man was stunned: "What?!"

What was this? They had converted the majority of their hard-earned wages into offerings and burned them to the ancestor?

Given the ancestor's abilities, perhaps after his ascension, he didn't need to reincarnate in the underworld and could even secure an official position. Why would he need so much hell money? With Yanjun's strict governance, was the ancestor raising an army down there?

The point was, it was their hard-earned money!

Shocked by the news, the old man made a noise and was caught.

"Don't overthink it; the ancestor must be protecting us," the Xuanmen leader said, though not very confidently, scolding the old man. "Don't you know that in our line of work, we are bound by the 'five losses and three deficiencies'? The ancestor made us lack money but spared us from other misfortunes. That's a good thing."

This was true; those in the metaphysical field suffer from the "five losses and three deficiencies." The "five losses" refer to "widowhood, loneliness, disability," and the "three deficiencies" are money, life, and power. Money is the least significant.

But in today's society, without money, one cannot move an inch! Lack of money is like being strangled.

Though it made sense, the old man felt something was wrong. After being denied nine times, he didn't dare make a scene in the hall.

Seeing Chen Zhao's deep sorrow, the old man thought it best to be cautious in these troubled times. If things looked bad, he would take his disciple and hide in the mountains.

After all, they were used to being poor; enduring it for a lifetime would pass.

"Eat up today; back in Xuanmen, the food won't be this good," the old man said to Chen Zhao. "Pack some to take on the road."

Chen Zhao was indignant, feeling that the old man might as well not have come!

Wu Heng's coming-of-age ceremony was about to begin.

Wu Heng came downstairs dressed in traditional ethnic clothing, under the gaze of numerous guests and online viewers, first offering incense at Chengde Medical Hall.

Old lady Lai rasped, "Please have the elder cleanse and present the earring to Wu Heng."

Wu Su had been washing his hands since dawn, scrubbing them nearly raw. Upon hearing old lady Lai's words, he dried his hands on his clothes and gingerly picked up the shiny new silver earring.

In Nan Nuo Village, both boys and girls get their ears pierced and wear earrings starting at age seven, though the designs vary greatly between children and adults.

Wu Su took a clean, damp cotton cloth and meticulously wiped the earring clean, then passed it to Village Chief Zhou Dagui.

The honor of presenting the earring should have gone to the elder Dr. Wu Tai, but since he was not at home, it was entrusted to the most authoritative village chief.

Wu Heng knelt straight on the cushion, leaning forward slightly, and Zhou Dagui fastened the adult earring onto Wu Heng's left ear.

Wu Su was overcome with emotion; he had truly raised Wu Heng to adulthood at eighteen.

He had really kept someone alive!

He was absolutely incredible!

Zhou Dagui, beaming, urged Wu Heng to stand, "Go on, child."

As per Nan Nuo Village's coming-of-age tradition, Wu Heng was to climb to the mountaintop and sing folk songs, thereby declaring to heaven and earth his adulthood. After descending, he would stop by the Nuo God Temple to offer incense, marking the official end of the ceremony before rejoining the feast.

Wu Heng led the procession, with You Jin and Zhou Yi trailing behind, bearing trays of fruit and wine.

"Dr. Wu's about to sing folk songs. Wonder how he'll sound? Let's tag along and find out," Li Hao immediately urged He Yunxiao.

He Yunxiao was about to call out to Shi Xuan, but he'd already joined You Jin and the others.

The little white snake and Xi Xi trailed along; they'd never heard Wu Heng sing folk songs before. The village youth and live-stream reporters also joined the procession.

"Dr. Wu's finally an adult. I just recalled his first live stream, which he cut short because of youth mode. It still cracks me up thinking about it now."

"Time flies. It's been ages. I checked Chengde Medical Hall's live stream check-ins, and they're just one or two shy of a hundred, right? The hundred-day live stream check-in participation prize is five thousand yuan, with the first prize being one million yuan in cash, but Dr. Wu isn't short of money."

"Ah, luckily I'm not from this village. Having to sing folk songs on the day of adulthood? Socially anxious people who can't sing would be terrified, so embarrassing, my goodness."

"This is where natural talent comes in. Climbing such a high mountain and still having the energy to sing folk songs at the top."

Wu Heng easily reached the mountaintop. The weather was excellent, with a view of the still green layered mountains in winter, faintly shrouded in mist and clouds, with sunlight shining directly down.

Wu Heng took the offering tray of fruits and incense candles from You Jin and Zhou Yi, seeing their smiles stretching to their ears, almost unable to hold back their laughter.

The flirtatious mountain songs of their village are quite wild; the lyrics would likely be censored on a literary site like Jinjiang. The songs for offering to heaven and earth are more decent, but singing alone in front of so many people is overwhelmingly embarrassing.

When You Jin and Zhou Yi came of age at eighteen, their adult ceremony wasn't held on the actual day of adulthood. Instead, the village chose an auspicious day for them to go up the mountain and sing folk songs with other young men and women from the village who were coming of age the same year.

Singing together with many people is at least a bit better; alone... Zhou Yi felt he would socially die.

"Can Wu Heng pull it off? Maybe we should all turn around; I'm scared to death for him."

"Dr. Wu isn't a singer; we can't expect too much. He's the birthday boy today; let's give him a break."

"Srds, I really want to hear it, hahaha. Will this folk song make me lose my perfect image of Wu Heng?"

Wu Heng also felt a bit overwhelmed. He avoided the gazes of the crowd, looking out over the villages below the mountains. As his Adam's apple gently moved, a distant chant flowed from his throat.

There were no lyrics, just a soft hum, like the sound of mountain wind, falling leaves, or rain, melodious and mysterious, as if from an ancient melody.

Yet... it was oddly soothing.

Everyone felt an unexpected calm, and their fear from the recent evil spirit invasion slowly faded.

Wu Heng gazed at the vast blue sky, silently paying homage to the heavens.

Today, he officially came of age.

Having returned to this body from ancient times, with his soul and body united, he was now fully an adult.

Sunlight broke through the thin clouds and landed directly on Wu Heng. He was enveloped in golden light, as if the heavens had blessed him with gold.

Mysterious and sacred.

Wu Heng looked at his left hand, which wore a shrunken white jade collar, and the ancient seal script in his palm shimmered like flowing water.

This was... the ancient shaman's manuscript, acknowledged by the heavens.

When he first arrived in this world, he couldn’t access this certificate and was once reported by viewers for not having proper credentials.

The heavenly manuscript, born from the power of all natural elements, was the wind, the water, the soil, and countless herbs.

The age of ancient shamans was long past, but the ties between shamans and today’s sects could all be traced back to ancient times.

Wu Heng’s lips twitched into a faint smile.

These days, getting certified is no small feat.

"It sounds so beautiful, it calms my heart. I recorded it; if I run into ghosts, I’ll play this and see what happens."

"Whoa, the sunlight just broke through the clouds. With the supernatural revival, this can’t be a coincidence, can it?!"

"What’s on Wu Heng’s left palm? I swear I saw something glowing."

"What a spectacle! He declared his adulthood to the heavens, and the heavens actually responded? My NPC existence."

"This moment is unreal! Even more epic than a fantasy drama, the scene is so beautiful, truly the heavens’ chosen one."

"Xiao Heng?"

Wu Heng heard Eugene's soft call, he hid his left hand behind his back, "The heavens already know, let's go back down the mountain."

The young villagers who came to watch felt a little let down, ah, too bad they didn’t get to hear Wu Heng sing the mountain song, it would’ve been so cool.

Wu Heng led the group down the mountain, entered the Nuo River Temple to offer incense, and by the time they got back to Chengde Medical Hall, it was already 11 a.m.

Wu Su stood in the center of the banquet, first gave an enthusiastic speech, then announced, "Thank you all for coming to my son Wu Heng's coming-of-age ceremony, let the feast begin."

This was the first time these young masters like He Yunxiao had eaten a rural banquet, each dish was not large in portion but extremely numerous in variety, allowing them to taste many flavors.

"The taste is really good!"

Su Dayi and the little white snake Xi Xi sat at a small table inside the house, watching in distress as the two snakes devoured their food.

She really had lost weight, just not a lot.

If she ate today, she might gain it back tomorrow, she must resist.

"Xiao Heng, come with me to toast." Wu Su, beaming with joy, called out to Wu Heng.

Following village tradition, they moved from table to table to toast the guests.

Wu Heng scanned the room, noting that most guests were somewhat tainted by evil energy.

These days, it’s nearly impossible to avoid picking up some evil energy. Evil energy is everywhere—even staying home won’t keep you safe from it.

Wu Heng paused, then glanced at Shi Xuan, "Ready to go?"

Shi Xuan grabbed the wooden tray loaded with bottles of high-proof liquor, homemade rice wine, and red wine.

When Shi Xuan neared the table, his eyes caught the yin energy, and the evil energy surged toward him uncontrollably.

Some weary guests perked up after a sip of the wine.

The elders of Nan Nuo Village whispered excitedly, "Could the Wu family’s homemade wine actually ward off evil? I just saw a video on my grandson’s phone of the mountain, and the heavens and earth responded to that kid Wu Heng."

Guests who’d finished eating stayed put, eagerly waiting for Wu Heng and his crew to toast them.

Some guests were tipsy, slurring their words and swaying slightly. They pointed at Wu Heng and Shi Xuan, who was trailing behind with the wine tray, and teased Wu Su, "Zhong Wu, is this your son and... hiccup, son-in-law? Both are quite handsome, hahaha."

Wu Su froze for a second, his mind racing.

A son-in-law is definitely closer than an adopted son. If he became the family’s live-in son-in-law, Old Shi might just keel over from rage.

But Shi Xuan seems pretty straight—back when he was the Shi family’s butler, there was no hint of anything like that.

"Grandpa, have another drink," Shi Xuan said, stepping up to toast.

Wu Su was floored—Shi Xuan didn’t deny it and even initiated the toast. But at this moment, he couldn’t think too deeply about it and continued to toast the guests at other tables with a smile.

Wu Heng was relieved to see Shi Xuan could already manage the absorbed yin energy on his own.

"This village feast looks amazing. I saw someone online who only gave two hundred as a gift and still got a seat. He seemed to have been tainted by something dirty recently and had a persistent fever, but now he looks like he’s better."

"You don’t need to give much for rural banquets—two hundred’s plenty."

"Wow, there are so many people here—tons of netizens too. Must be thousands."

"Upstairs, this is just the start—it’s hilarious. The chefs are probably crying; they haven’t stopped working."

Zhong Wu planned a flowing banquet for his son’s coming-of-age ceremony but never expected so many rounds. Seeing this, the Village Chief had to urgently invite banquet teams from neighboring villages and towns to help.

It started at eleven in the morning and didn’t wrap up until four in the afternoon, with some guests even coming back for dinner.

It wasn’t until late at night that it finally ended, and the guests slowly trickled out.

"Well, Dr. Wu’s coming-of-age ceremony is done. Let’s head back to the Xuan Sect. Chen Zhao, go pack up," the old man said, satisfied, as he pocketed a few sugar tangerines.

Chen Zhao was miserable. Spotting Wu Heng, he cried out, "Dr. Wu, what do I do? The Xuan Sect Ancestor won’t let us leave, but I really want to be your disciple."

Even if the Xuan Sect Ancestor is gone, if he could manifest, he’d definitely outrank the sect leader.

Wu Heng smiled and said, "First go back to the Xuan Sect with your master, I will personally visit in a few days."

The old man’s expression changed slightly.

Chen Zhao instantly pictured a dramatic scene: the internet’s hottest shaman storming into the Xuan Sect to demand his release—it might just work!

"Great, Dr. Wu, you must keep your word, I will always be waiting for you at the Xuan Sect," Chen Zhao shouted excitedly, catching a glimpse of the old man pulling at his clothes, he added, "And my master."

Chen Zhao immediately went upstairs to pack his meager belongings, and Wu Heng personally escorted them to the small path outside.

Wu Heng looked at the group of poor Daoist Physicians and the Master Liu, who even robbers wouldn’t bother to target, and said, "Respecting teachers requires that they be respectable."

Several priests and nuns from the Xuanmen sect looked somewhat confused at Wu Heng, but the old man seemed deep in thought.

The old man clasped his hands solemnly and said, "Dr. Wu, I look forward to seeing you at the Xuanmen sect."

The group walked outside, with Chen Zhao dragging his suitcase and looking back every few steps, firmly stating, "I will be back!"

-

He Yunxiao and Li Hao still had to return to take their final exams, and with the New Year approaching, they couldn’t linger in Nan Nuo Village. After bidding farewell, they also left.

In just a day or two, Chengde Medical Hall returned to its usual level of activity.

That evening, Wu Heng planned to start a live broadcast. With the New Year approaching, he wouldn’t have much time to broadcast later. Before he could even pull out his phone, a voice came from behind: 'Wu Heng, do you know what’s going on?'

Wu Heng turned around and saw Lai Yin Chai holding a lantern, his face pale and confused.

"Can’t meet your targets again?"

Lai Yin Chai shook his head. Unusually, he brought up something unrelated to his targets, 'My grandfather, Lai Mazi, was the one who sent you to Chengde Medical Hall and then drowned in the Nuo River. I was still a baby at the time, so I never met my grandfather.'

Wu Heng roughly understood what Lai Wazi meant.

Spirits who have been to the underworld can only leave through the ghost gate and return to the mortal world during festivals, as well as on their own birthdays and death anniversaries.

His eighteenth birthday had just passed, and Lai Mazi died a few days later. Tonight should be Lai Mazi’s death anniversary.

'In the past, I couldn’t see my grandfather because I wasn’t a yin emissary, but why doesn’t he come home to receive offerings on his death anniversary?'

According to the rules, his grandfather shouldn’t have been eligible for early reincarnation, so why?

Wu Heng suddenly said, "Did your grandmother burn joss paper for your grandfather this year?"

Lai Yin Chai was startled and immediately rushed towards his home, where he indeed saw old lady Lai in the yard, using the streetlight to work on some cloth. There was no trace of incense ash in the air.

She really hadn’t burned any.

"Xiao Jun, don’t bother with your grandfather anymore; this is all our own doing," old lady Lai said hoarsely, seeing the confused gray figure.

Lai Yin Chai, even if he was slow, understood now. So, every year before his death, he burned joss paper for his grandfather just for show. This year, since he was also dead, he didn’t bother burning any, knowing that Lai Mazi couldn’t receive it anyway?

'What exactly is going on?'

Old lady Lai’s expression was complex, but after thinking, she decided to be straightforward, "Our Lai family has always been small due to the five misfortunes and three lacks. Your father passed away early, and your mother was pregnant with the Lai family’s only posthumous child. Your grandfather determined that you were destined to die young. Your grandfather... feared the extinction of the Lai family line."

"To let you live a bit longer, your grandfather somehow managed to bring Wu Heng back early, making you his guiding child, which extended your life by eighteen years."

Because of this identity, the underworld likely considered Lai Jun’s extensive experience, so they let Lai Wazi continue guiding spirits down below.

Lai Yin Chai was stunned for a while and said, 'Huh? Doesn’t the underworld do background checks for yin emissaries? Doesn’t three generations affect civil service exams?'

Old lady Lai: "..."

Lai Yin Chai felt a sense of loss. His grandfather had worked so hard, yet he still died at eighteen without ever holding a woman’s hand, and the Lai family line was still cut off?

Forget it; his family didn’t have a throne to inherit, just those mystical things, so it’s fine if it’s cut off. Besides, was his grandfather’s brain not working right back then, thinking of making him a guiding child instead of trying to have another child with his grandmother?

Just...

Lai Yin Chai felt a pang of guilt. Could it be that his grandfather had brought Wu Heng prematurely to keep him alive, which is why Wu Heng had been a fool before? Wasn't this a wrongdoing of the Lai family?

Lai Yin Chai considered going back to Yang Xing to buy some paper replicas of weapons, often used in traditional ceremonies, as a gesture of apology. After all, he didn't have any money in the mortal world.

When he floated back to Chengde Medical Hall, Wu Heng had already started his live broadcast, with a young man in his mid-twenties sitting across from him.

The man was quite handsome, with long, artistically styled hair. In the background of the broadcast, one could vaguely see some landscape paintings hanging on the wall. The man seemed to have some vision problems, as his hands were fumbling around on the table for something.

Wu Heng gazed pityingly at the man's shrunken, tightly shut eyes, waiting for him to speak.