79: Azure Dragon Strikes the Heart

From the outside, it appeared as if the wind was battering the windows, but in truth, it was resentment surging against the house. Of all those present, only I and Zhao Wanglong could see it.

The thumping sounds struck at the hearts of everyone inside, making them extremely anxious. Zhao Wanglong sidled up to me, whispering, “Master, what should we do?”

Gazing at the resentful energy spiraling and crashing outside the window, I realized that the hatred of the five murdered souls was fiercer than I’d imagined.

With the secret art broken, they could no longer avenge themselves upon the Zhao family. Their anger manifesting now was normal, but soon enough, these lingering grievances would dissipate.

I ignored the commotion outside and began to lift the restrictions of the formation from the Zhao family trapped within.

Zhao Guang lay unconscious on the floor. As the spell unraveled, the wounds on his arms and head—injuries from the car accident—gradually became visible, looking horrifying.

Zhao Guang was doomed. Zhao Wanglong understood this well; though his body trembled with grief, he could only silently endure. After all, these were his own choices. If you refuse to harm others for your own life, no one dies. But if someone dies, a life must pay for it.

After sending Zhao Guang back to his room, the force battering the window faded significantly. By the time I finished tidying up inside, the resentment outside had all but dispersed.

Zhao Wanglong found me, his face twisted in pain, begging me to save him. I told him to spend whatever time he had left with his family. As for saving his life, it was already too late—the process had begun, and there was no turning back.

To avoid further trouble, I reminded Hao Jianguo and the others that although Zhao Wanglong had confessed, he couldn’t be arrested yet. If they brought him in now and he died that night, it would only complicate matters.

As for the other two, once the karmic ties with the others were severed, they would follow Zhao Wanglong in death, one after the other.

There was no need to arrest them.

The investigation’s purpose was merely to use them to uncover the crimes of others and uproot the Zhao family’s entire network.

But from the look on Cao Guangshan’s face, I could tell the matter ran deep. Pushing further would be difficult; after all, these men were only the lowest rung.

So I decided not to intervene further. Everyone has their own fate. If certain people could not yet be brought to justice, it was only because their time had not come.

That night, just after midnight, Cao Guangshan knocked on my door. “Zhao Wanglong just died. Do you want to see?”

Death was inevitable. Without looking, I already knew Zhao Wanglong would appear as if frightened to death. I shook my head and declined; Cao Guangshan and the others went on their own.

When quiet returned, my thoughts turned to the old Taoist who performed the Five Elements Life Borrowing ritual. I couldn’t fathom how someone could so callously harm others—were they not afraid of karmic retribution?

But then I remembered Old Master Qin, who plotted for years only to die a miserable death. I knew the fate of such men would never be good. Breaking this Five Elements spell and saving a few lives might even earn the Taoist some merit, so I let it go.

With Zhao Wanglong gone, Hao Jianguo and his men submitted their findings, but it caused little stir. Only a few insignificant people were investigated.

I didn’t involve myself further. I read the birth charts for two officers who’d asked before, and told them what they should do. Whether they could succeed would depend on their own efforts.

On the third day, Hao Jianguo suddenly came to me. I assumed he had news of Xu Buhuo, but instead, he explained that an old superior of his had heard of me and wished to meet.

In other words, this old leader’s family was facing some trouble, and he wanted my help to see if it might be related to the supernatural.

At the moment, my greatest concern was finding Xu Buhuo—to confirm he was alive and discover what he was up to. As for others’ affairs, as my mother once advised, I should avoid getting involved if I could.

By now, I understood that once you become entangled, trouble follows.

The best way to avoid problems is absolute non-involvement. So I had set myself a rule: if I could avoid reading others’ fortunes or meddling, I would.

As I hesitated, Hao Jianguo added, “This old leader has broad connections. In the city, his word is law—many people treat his requests as orders.”

I understood the implication.

Hao Jianguo knew what I needed. If I wanted to find Xu Buhuo faster, I would have to help the old leader; handle his problem, and greater assistance would be mine.

Thinking it through, I realized that relying on Hao Jianguo’s ties alone was limiting—he was only asking for help as a friend, not issuing commands.

This meant the outcome depended on whether others were truly invested.

I’d left home for the sole purpose of finding Xu Buhuo. After days of waiting with no word, I was growing anxious.

If you want something, you must give something.

In the end, I agreed. Hao Jianguo immediately took me to the county, and together we headed for Phoenix Mountain in the suburbs, stopping halfway up.

Ahead was an estate-like courtyard. The buildings were all in a traditional style—pavilions and towers, streams and flowers—still fresh and new, as if recently constructed.

Inside the courtyard, the layout was harmonious; the fresh air made one instinctively calm.

At a glance, I could tell the feng shui of this place had been carefully arranged during its construction.

“Jianguo, you’re here.”

As I was surveying the grounds, a silver-haired but vigorous gentleman emerged from the main hall. Hao Jianguo greeted him respectfully, “Elder Sun.”

This man had wielded considerable power once. I greeted him as Elder Sun as well.

The old leader studied me for a few seconds, then looked around the courtyard and asked, “Can you see the feng shui of this place?”

A test?

I didn’t answer immediately, but carefully examined the surroundings. After about a minute, I replied, “Elder Sun, since you moved in, do you find yourself waking suddenly in the middle of the night?”

At this, Elder Sun’s brows shot up, his gaze shifting as he nodded. “That’s right. Ever since I moved here, the faintest sound outside wakes me before dawn. Until you mentioned it, I thought it was a habit left over from my years as a policeman. You mean it’s the feng shui?”

I smiled and nodded. “Feng shui can nurture or harm. In a harmonious environment, you feel at peace and enjoy your meals. But if the feng shui is disruptive, you’ll never rest easy.”

The old leader nodded, clearly knowledgeable about feng shui himself.

“The overall feng shui here is sound, suited for health and longevity. The cause of your nightly awakenings, however, lies with the mountain opposite.”

I pointed to the two small peaks facing us. “These represent the Azure Dragon to the left and the White Tiger to the right. The Dragon should be higher, the Tiger lower. But here, the left is low and the right is high—the Tiger treads on the Dragon’s head, creating a baleful force.”

Both Elder Sun and Hao Jianguo stared at the hills, nodding as they understood my explanation.

“Normally, the problem across the way wouldn’t affect this place. But the main gate of the courtyard aligns directly with the gap between those two peaks. The wind funnels through, directing the Dragon’s baleful energy here—what’s known as the Dragon striking the heart.”

“The only saving grace is this wall. Without it, the force would be even stronger; long exposure would bring more than just waking at night—it would cause nightmares and declining mental health.”

“So how can this be solved?” Elder Sun asked curiously. “Should we level the peaks?”

“No need,” I replied. “One solution is to change the main gate so it faces due west, aligning the Dragon above the Tiger. Alternatively, you could mount a large mirror on the wall, directly opposite the gully between the peaks, to reflect the Dragon’s energy back.”

Beside me, Hao Jianguo immediately volunteered, “Elder Sun, let me handle this. I promise to get it done.”

Perhaps because my words had hit the mark, Elder Sun seemed pleased, nodding his approval. Hao Jianguo was delighted.

“Come, let’s talk inside. I asked you here for another reason.”

The old leader turned and led us into the hall.

From the first glance at his face, I’d known he had another matter in mind, not just the courtyard’s feng shui.