Chen Shi’s heart was filled with trepidation. He held a simple belief—if his grandfather was an Evil Spirit, then as his grandson, he must be an Evil Spirit too.
But if I am an Evil Spirit, how could I not know?
He pushed aside these odd thoughts and followed his grandfather into the decrepit mansion.
Inside, the mansion was dim and desolate. However, when the moonlight from the sky shone down, the place where it touched instantly transformed. The mansion sparkled with lights and colors, and many graceful girls flitted about, some carrying baskets of flowers, others holding trays of exquisite food, all giggling as they seemed to be preparing for a grand banquet.
After a moment, Chen Shi and his grandfather sat in the splendid main hall.
His grandfather still held his green umbrella, while seated in the main seat was a whiskered giant of a man, bare-chested, surrounded by a bevy of wives and concubines.
"Chen Yindou, you’re not here to exorcise and disperse evil, are you?"
The whiskered giant asked carelessly, "Though I have become an Evil Spirit, I don’t cause harm unless someone provokes me. You have no reason to attack me."
Grandfather shook his head, "Old Hu, I am not here to kill you, but to ask you for a favor. Little Ten, call Uncle Hu."
Chen Shi’s words were sweet: "Hello Uncle Hu, your nephew greets you."
The whiskered giant grunted, seemingly displeased with Chen Shi. freёweɓnovel_com
Grandfather smiled and said, "Old Hu, I am old and may not live much longer. I want Little Ten to take you as his godmother. Having you as his godmother, Little Ten will surely honor you, worship you daily, and provide offerings during festivals, so you won’t be a lonely ghost here."
The whiskered giant’s face darkened and he sneered, "Old Chen, you can make him return from the dead, which I admire, but you’ve also caused a huge disaster! You were indeed kind to me in the past, and I repaid your kindness when we saved him! My Fox Clan risked their lives back then! By asking him to take me as his godmother, are you trying to repay kindness with malice, to harm me?"
Grandfather sighed, "Old Hu, I am about to die, and after my death, Little Ten won’t be able to survive..."
"Just kill him! Kill him before you die!"
The whiskered giant pounded the table, spitting as he spoke heatedly, "You’re about to die, why don’t you kill him? Are you leaving him to harm mankind? Chen Yindou, kill him now, and I’ll admire you as a brave man!"
Chen Shi’s head buzzed. It was clear that Old Hu was an old acquaintance of his grandfather and had once risked his life along with him to save Chen Shi. But Old Hu’s talk of killing referred obviously to killing Chen Shi!
But why save him initially, only to want to kill him now?
From his tone, it was certain that after his grandfather died, Chen Shi would surely bring chaos to mankind.
But Chen Shi knew he would never do such a thing.
What kind of kind person was he?
He could easily make the villagers submit and offer all sorts of food, yet he still went through the trouble of stealing melons and peaches, reluctant to use force on them.
How many had he killed to protect the villagers of Huangpo Village?
Madam Zhao and several hundred others were lured into the Ghost God Domain, turned into porcelain dolls. He could have smashed them all, but he hadn’t laid a hand on them, showing immense mercy.
How could such a kind person ever bring chaos to mankind?
Moreover, he didn’t even possess such a capability.
What angered Chen Shi even more was that Old Hu thought his grandfather should be the one to kill him.
Clearly, Old Hu believed that reviving Chen Shi had caused a tremendous disaster by his grandfather!
What kind of unreliable, fair-weather friend was this?
Grandfather looked sorrowful and began to walk out.
Old Hu hurriedly spoke, "It’s dark outside, aren’t you worried about the Evil Spirit? Stay and have a simple meal before you go. Otherwise, if word gets out, old friends will laugh at me for not knowing how to treat a guest properly. Are you really leaving? Then I won’t see you out."
Though he spoke graciously, his buttocks seemed glued to the chair, not moving an inch.
Grandfather waved his hand and walked out of the dilapidated mansion.
Chen Shi called out to Black Pot and quickly followed him.
Old Hu sat in his seat, his expression changing unpredictably, no longer interested in the exquisite food or the company of his concubines.
A delicate and fair concubine nestled in his arms, giggling, "What is troubling you, my lord?"
"It’s all because of Chen Yin."
Old Hu sighed, feeling somewhat guilty, "He has always been strong-willed, never asked anyone for anything. This time he came asking for help for the first time in his life, and I refused him. I do feel somewhat guilty. When he asked me, it reminded me of the days when we made names for ourselves together. Actually, he treated me well. When I was on my deathbed, I told him that if I died and became an Evil Spirit, he should kill me personally. He has always been firm and I knew he could set aside brotherly love to eliminate me, preventing me from causing harm..."
He smiled then said, "But when I woke up from my senseless stupor, I found that I hadn’t lost my senses, but could live like a living person in this mansion. Do you know what he did?"
He stood up, his demeanor excited, waving his robe, and said loudly, "He used his lifetime’s wealth, his lifetime’s collection of treasures, his knowledge, to build this mansion!"
As he waved his robe, countless magnificent talismans and treasures emerged from the mansion’s walls, floors, ceilings, pillars, gardens, vegetation, gates, bricks, and so forth, shimmering with light!
Old Hu’s face streamed with tears, but he laughed loudly, "He created a man-made Ghost God Domain for me, allowing me to keep my senses here! He didn’t kill me; instead, he allowed me to live! He housed me in such opulence, making himself a pauper! His kindness, in this life, even in the next, I cannot repay!"