Chapter 81: Malevolent Thoughts Steal Life

Heavenly opposition and earthly conflict. In addition, an innate clash of fate. With just these two points alone, Sun Qing’s destiny can be declared as a doomed one.

“Master, what’s wrong?” Old Sun seemed to sense something amiss from my reaction, gazing at me anxiously.

“The thirteenth of next month.” After careful calculation based on Sun Qing’s birth chart, I gave the final date: on the thirteenth of next month, the forces of heavenly opposition and earthly conflict will reach their peak. At that time, his life will be in the greatest danger.

“What about the thirteenth?” Old Sun continued to ask. Judging by his expression, I believed he understood what I meant, but he wanted confirmation.

The matter was already settled; no matter what, it had to be faced. Seeing that his fate was indeed fatal, and the day of death was next month’s thirteenth, I had no choice but to reveal everything truthfully.

Hearing that his son would die on the thirteenth of next month, Old Sun’s face turned grim. He stood stunned for several minutes before regaining his composure.

“Master, is there really no way? As long as my son can survive this calamity, I am willing to pay any price.” Old Sun was desperate. Having struggled all his life to reach this point, if his son died as well, the Sun family would truly be extinct. As a father, he could not bear to witness such an end.

Whether there was a way, I did not say. I merely explained Sun Qing’s fate, which was predetermined, and informed Old Sun that even if a solution could be found, the chances of success would be very low.

Low success rate could mean everything would be for naught. He might pay a great price, yet still fail to save Sun Qing’s life.

Implicitly, I was telling Old Sun: fate is set; in such cases, the best course is not to struggle in vain.

How can man contend with heaven?

There was, in fact, a way—a life for a life, though it was by no means certain to succeed.

After a moment of silence, Old Sun asked, “Master, according to what you say, there is a way, but it might not succeed?”

I nodded and said directly, “There is a way. Use your life to exchange for your son’s, let you bear this destined calamity in his stead. If it succeeds, you die and he lives; if it fails, neither of you will survive.”

Old Sun fell silent.

From his expression, I could tell he was inclined to choose the exchange. But from my perspective, I was reluctant. Firstly, changing fate always carried risk of failure. Secondly, I was new to this field and had little confidence in such a grave undertaking.

Lack of skill made failure more probable.

Seeing Old Sun pondering his decision, I hurriedly added that this act went against the rules, the likelihood of failure was eighty percent, and clarified that while I was confident in other matters, I had never attempted a life exchange and could not guarantee results.

All considered, the probability of success was only ten percent.

“I’ll think about it.” Old Sun rose and walked outside. His desolate silhouette tugged at my heart, yet the truth remained: fate cannot be changed simply by wishing.

“You shouldn’t have said there was a way.” Hao Jianguo looked at me with some displeasure. Clearly, he wanted me to say there was no solution, so Old Sun’s hope would be cut off entirely and he would at least survive. But now that hope existed, however slim, Old Sun might well take the risk.

The words were already spoken; even if I regretted it, nothing could be altered.

I had no argument for Hao Jianguo’s reproach; I knew my lack of experience. The handling of this matter had been less than ideal from the start.

Half an hour later, Old Sun returned and said, “Sooner or later I’ll die; if Qing is gone too, what meaning is left for me? I’ll use my life to buy him a chance to live.”

I remained silent.

“Master, I beg you. I don’t want my grandson to lose his father.” Old Sun's eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze made it impossible for me to refuse, however much I wished to.

Standing behind Old Sun, Hao Jianguo kept shaking his head, urging me to decline.

Although Old Sun’s fate was cursed, such destiny often meant a long life. Judging from his appearance, he had at least another ten years to live.

Is it worth ten years of life for a slim hope?

I did not know.

“Let me think, see if there’s a better way.”

Old Sun did not press further, nodded, and turned to ask Hao Jianguo, “I heard the master had something that needed help. What is it?”

Having spent many years in official circles, Old Sun was skilled and experienced. He recognized my hesitation and proactively offered to solve my problem, clearly intending to make me owe him a favor and force me to help him in return.

Hao Jianguo seemed aware of Old Sun’s purpose, mouth agape, unsure whether to speak.

“Speak.”

The sudden command startled me. Hao Jianguo shuddered and could only explain that I was searching for someone. Hearing this, Old Sun immediately went inside, took out his phone, and made a call.

Though retired, his connections remained. With a single call, the search for Xu Bu Huo became an order.

I observed all this silently, saying nothing. I left for the pavilion outside to ponder if there was a better solution than exchanging lives.

After two hours of quiet contemplation, I conceived a superior method, though somewhat cruel, bordering on sorcery: extracting longevity through malediction.

By this method, Old Sun could sacrifice his life for a slim hope for Sun Qing, but after the ritual, Old Sun would continue to live for another year, instead of dying immediately.

Moreover, the sooner preparations began, the better.

I found Old Sun and explained the feasible method, but also made it clear that if the fate-changing ritual failed, Old Sun would not recover his current state—he would only have one year left to live.

“One year is better than none. Let’s do it. Master, tell Jianguo what you need, he will prepare it.” Old Sun agreed without hesitation.

With matters settled, I wasted no more words and immediately instructed Hao Jianguo on what was needed.

The main items were the Five Beasts.

Sacrificing the Five Beasts, adjusting the courtyard’s feng shui, under the influence of the ritual, would grant Old Sun another year of life. Extracting longevity through malediction was similar to Zhao Guang’s Five Elements exchange, but instead of human lives, we used the Five Beasts: ox, dog, sheep, pig, and rooster.

The ox must be black, the dog white, the sheep white, the pig black, and the rooster a large red cock, each raised for at least a year; the longer, the better.

Old Sun was Hao Jianguo’s master. With his command, even if Hao Jianguo was reluctant, he had no choice but to prepare. I took the compass my grandmother left me and went outside to select an appropriate burial site.

Choosing the location, digging pits, each pit contained a large clay jar, inside which all necessary incantations and spell formations were inscribed.

These basic preparations took nearly three days to complete, and Hao Jianguo managed to procure the Five Beasts as required.

The Five Beasts, alive, had to have their limbs severed and placed in the jars.

I could not bring myself to do it; Hao Jianguo handled this task. Once the Five Beasts had their limbs severed and were placed in the jars, the pre-made blue stone slabs were used to seal the jars, the gaps filled with wax, locking them tight.

On each stone slab, the corresponding spell formation was drawn.

All life harbors resentment. Human hatred toward things is called grievance; animal hatred is called malediction.

Severing the limbs of the Five Beasts alive and sealing them in the jars was to foster malediction, which, through the ritual, would forcibly grant Old Sun another year of life.

On Old Sun’s body, bed, and throughout his room, many talismans and spell formations were drawn.

Additionally, as I required, to reverse fate, Sun Qing needed to return now and begin nurturing within the spell formation.

The longer the nurturing, the higher the chance of success.

Sun Qing was in the hospital, but Old Sun paid no heed, ordering his son, still in a coma, to be brought home.

Spell formations covered nearly every corner of the house. At a glance, the place bristled with an eerie atmosphere.

Every night, I had to circle Old Sun and Sun Qing, stepping the ritual path to activate the spell.

On the day of Old Sun’s birthday, Hao Jianguo suddenly found me and said, “There’s news about the person you’re looking for.”

News had come about Xu Bu Huo?