Chapter 28

Isn't that obvious?

The other two disciples looked at him with nothing to say.

If nothing strange had happened, why would they be here?

But Feng Li nodded without changing expression, 'You're quite right.'

After praising Jiang Luo, he stepped inside.

Wang Santan and the other exchanged an incredulous look.

Master Feng rarely praises anyone, yet just now he praised Jiang Luo.

They exchanged glances for a moment — so this was the kind of answer Master Feng liked?

The young man led them to the living room, where a mother and daughter sat on the sofa.

Huang Yulan and her daughter had been crying until their eyes were red. Seeing them enter, they hurriedly dabbed their tears with handkerchiefs and stood up with a strained smile. 'Master Feng, please sit.'

Feng Li sat on the sofa; Jiang Luo and the other two stood behind him.

'Tell me,' Feng Li said lightly, 'what's happened that you've called me.'

As a celestial master of the Feng Clan, Feng Li rarely left home for such minor matters. But this time he happened to be in Yunnan, and the Elder Celestial Master was acquainted with Huang Yulan — which was why he'd been asked to act.

At this, Huang Yulan's tears spilled over again. Her son Ke Hetang hurried on, 'It's my father. Something's happened to him.'

'Half a month ago, my father started acting strangely. His temper grew violent — he'd fly into a rage at the slightest frustration. That alone would be bad enough, but he also began eating insects he'd never touched before,' Ke Hetang said with difficulty. 'Crawling insects — ants, silkworm pupae, cockroaches... If he'd just cleaned and cooked them, we could have accepted it. But we caught him swallowing them raw when he thought we weren't looking.'

Jiang Luo heard the two beside him swallow hard.

Swallowing them raw. That was brutal.

The world was vast and full of wonders — some people's tastes were strange, others' appetites.

But if that were all, it wouldn't warrant calling a celestial master.

Sure enough, Ke Hetang continued, 'It didn't stop there. He kept scratching at his own skin — front, then back — until he drew blood and still wouldn't stop. When we asked if it hurt, he said he couldn't feel a thing.'

Huang Yulan clutched her handkerchief. 'Master Feng, you haven't seen the wounds he's clawed into himself — they're bad enough to need stitches. Can he really not feel the pain? I feel... I feel like he's been Possessed by Evil.'

Feng Li listened in silence. When they finished, he stood. 'I understand.'

'Come with me.' Feng Li glanced sideways at Jiang Luo and the other two.

The Mansion was enormous. Feng Li led them through The First Floor, then up to the second.

Huang Yulan and her two children followed behind, watching them intently. They reached The Study on the second floor, and before even entering, Jiang Luo sensed a cold, Yin Qi-laden breath.

Feng Li must have sensed it too. Without a moment's hesitation, he walked straight into The Study.

The Study was large, its two walls lined with books. A custom rosewood desk stood before the shelves, and a tiger-skin patterned rug covered the center of the floor.

At first glance it was stately and imposing, but on closer inspection the design was ostentatious. Walking through, Jiang Luo decided the family must be nouveau riche — sudden wealth, no taste.

The Study held many plants with auspicious meanings. A painting hung on the left wall; a Jade Coin ornament sat on the desk.

After surveying the room, Jiang Luo's gaze returned to the painting.

The painting showed a man's full-length back. He wore a jacket of some age, and from the waist down he sank into darkness. At the bottom, beside his feet, lay a stiff, mechanical shadow — darker than the surrounding black, and only on close inspection did it become clear that the shadow was faintly divided into three segments.

The painting gave Jiang Luo a bad feeling.

Feng Li asked, 'What have you noticed?'

Another test. Drawing on the lesson just learned, Wang Santan said carefully, 'There's definitely a problem here.'

The other disciple added quickly, 'And it's definitely not a small one.'

Feng Li said, disappointed, 'Empty talk. Useless.'

He looked at Jiang Luo again.

Jiang Luo was still studying the painting. 'This painting... it looks alive?'

A faint smile flickered across Feng Li's face. He turned to Huang Yulan and her children. 'When was this painting acquired?'

Ke Hetang said cautiously, 'My father bought it at an auction half a month ago. Master Feng, is there something wrong with the painting?'

Feng Li gave a slight nod, stepped forward, and felt the paper of the painting. After a moment's thought, he told his disciples, 'Come feel the material.'

The three disciples felt it in turn. The surface was slick and elastic to the touch — almost addictive under the fingers. When they finished, Feng Li asked, 'Have you identified the material?'

Jiang Luo shook his head along with the others.

He'd studied design for years and had never encountered paper like this.

Feng Li said, 'This is Human-Skin Paper.'

Everyone froze. Huang Yulan's hands trembled as she murmured, 'Human-Skin Paper?'

Mother and sons went ashen, trembling all over. They couldn't believe a painting made of human skin had been hanging openly in their home.

Feng Li turned to the Jade Coin enshrined on the desk. 'When was this coin placed here?'

'T-two months ago,' Ke Hetang said, his face the color of gold leaf, terrified. 'I brought it back. My father has always loved antiques and calligraphy — we make a point of buying such things for the house.'

Feng Li walked to the desk, looked down at the coin, his tone cool. 'A Jade Coin passed down through a family can be displayed — it has a stabilizing effect. But a coin of unknown origin easily picks up filth.'

He picked up the coin, studied it for a moment, and said, 'This coin was taken from a dead man's mouth.'

Ke Hetang couldn't speak. Sweat poured off him. After a moment he managed, 'Master Feng, I didn't know it came from a dead man's mouth.'

'The Yin Qi on this coin is extremely heavy,' Feng Li said, setting it down and wiping his palm with a handkerchief. 'The Yin Qi has been feeding the Human-Skin Paper, breeding Malevolent Aura. Another half a month, and the master of this study would be dead.'

Huang Yulan pressed urgently, 'Master Feng, and now? Is it too late, now that we've found out?'

'There's still time,' Feng Li said, 'but I need to see your husband.'

With lives at stake, Huang Yulan's husband Ke Wangwei was back at the Mansion within half an hour.

Ke Wangwei walked in with a stony face. A ring of black Qi hovered at his yintang, his temples bulged, and his features were heavy and brutal — the kind of face often seen on a butcher. From this single meeting, Jiang Luo saw no sign of the great wealth and status the study's owner was supposed to have; instead, the man looked vicious and dangerous.

Mr. Ke had come in visibly impatient, but the moment he saw Feng Li he froze. He clearly recognized him; the irritation vanished at once, replaced by a broad, ingratiating smile. 'Master Feng? What brings you to my home?'

In today's society, the higher a person's status, the more superstitious they tended to be. Ke Wangwei was no exception — anyone with connections knew Feng Li's reputation, but very few could secure his services.

Ke Wangwei hadn't expected to find Feng Li in his own home. For a moment he was both startled and delighted, and the discomfort he'd felt over recent days suddenly eased.

'To what do I owe the honor of your visit, Master Feng?'

Feng Li studied him for a moment, then pointed at the painting in The Study. 'Mr. Ke, do you recognize this painting?'

Ke Wangwei found the question strange but answered anyway, 'I bought it half a month ago — of course I recognize it.'

'No,' Feng Li said. 'I mean — do you recognize the man in the painting?'

Ke Wangwei, baffled, looked at the painting.

In fact, it was the sense of familiarity at first glance that had made him buy it. But he couldn't identify the man's back. Even now, staring at it, he saw nothing — his eyes began to ache. Just as he was about to look away, an uncanny feeling surged up inside him.

Ke Wangwei went white. 'Impossible!'

Feng Li, unmoved, said, 'You've recognized him. Who is the man in the painting?'

Sweat slid down Ke Wangwei's forehead. He stammered, 'I-I don't know him...'

Feng Li turned to leave with his disciples.

Huang Yulan cried out in panic, 'Master Feng, don't go!'

She yanked Ke Wangwei's sleeve in fury. 'Whatever you know, say it now! Do you have any idea — if Master Feng doesn't help, you'll be dead in half a month!'

Ke Wangwei's gaze flickered to the painting, cold sweat streaming. He gritted his teeth and shouted, 'I'll talk! I'll talk! Master Feng, please, save me!'