Chapter 196: Night Dragon Bait

Otherworldly Merchant

Li Mazi didn’t care about this old story as he was too attracted by the Night Dragon Bait. He couldn’t wait to go and dug up Zhong Ziqi’s tomb to get it.

I was really worried, though. The ax and the zither should be buried in the two tombs, right? Why are they here on this table? Were the tombs dug up? In that case, the Night Dragon Bait...

Chuyi sighed. “We can only rely on our luck. I hope no one else has gotten wind of the Night Dragon Bait. Since it was put in the throat of the deceased to seal his last breath, I don’t think it has been stolen yet.”

After listening to him, my hopes of obtaining it grew bigger!

Later on, I discovered that Chuyi already knew that the ancient zither and the ancient ax were a pair of otherworldly items. That was why he let Li Mazi and I deal with the zither while he went to find the ancient ax.

This ancient ax had created a lot of paranormal activities, too. As long as we buried both the ax and the zither together tonight, we could dissolve the anger of the two otherworldly items.

I nodded. Since we have found both items, it should be easy to settle their anger.

When night fell, Li Mazi, Chuyi, and I stayed in the living room. As for the rough-looking man, he slept in his room.

He was reserved, so we didn’t talk much.

There was a full moon that night. The pale moonlight shone over the world while the wind swayed the blades of grass, which made them surge like ripples of water. We waited silently for the ancient ax and the zither to reveal the spirits dwelling inside them.

As the clock ticked by, we suddenly heard a commotion outside. It seemed someone was walking toward our wooden lodge.

The footsteps stopped at the door. Then, we heard a gentle knock. The moonlight shone on that figure, but it was too vague to see who it was.

I was anxious. It’s so late. Who is it?

I looked at Chuyi. He gave me a nod and motioned at me to open the door.

When the door opened and I saw the man standing outside, I dropped my jaw in shock. It was the owner of the zither, Old Cai, the prop master.

Old Cai was standing on his tiptoes and wore a smile on his pale face. His eyes looked upward, and he looked like the ghost of a hanged person.

I immediately backed off and looked at him in bewilderment. “Why are you here?”

Old Cai didn’t talk. Instead, his dull eyes fell on the zither. Then, still tiptoed, he walked toward it, sighing and lamenting.

While I was thinking about how to deal with him, the bedroom’s door sprang open. The rough-looking man walked out in the same manner as Old Cai. They exchanged looks, and the grins on their faces disappeared while tears lingered in their eyes.

Chuyi immediately signaled me to step aside and to not disturb them.

I nodded and hurried to step aside.

Old Cai looked at the broken zither and gave a slight sigh. The other man patted his shoulder to comfort him.

The two stood face-to-face, motionless, and on their tiptoes. It was a really scary scene.

“It’s easy to earn a thousand gold but it’s really hard to find a soul mate.”

All of a sudden, Chuyi stood up. “You two have reunited after a really, really long time. How about I pour you both a bottle of good wine so that you can cheer up and share your joys?”

The two didn’t react.

Chuyi didn’t say anything. He just walked forward and picked up the zither and the ax. Then, he headed to the door.

Old Cai and the rough-looking man were surprised. They looked at Chuyi in bewilderment as their eyes flashed with cold light.

Old Cai reacted first. He moved stiffly and grabbed Chuyi’s shoulder. A rough voice came from his throat. “Drop the items!”

Chuyi said reluctantly, “You had promised to see each other at the high mountain where the stream runs on August 15th. This place isn’t suitable to play music. I’m afraid it will pollute your beautiful work of art. I suggest finding a quiet place for you to cheer up and share your joys. How does that sound?”

The rough-looking man walked forward and patted Old Cai’s shoulder. Old Cai hesitated for a while but in the end, he let go of Chuyi.

Chuyi immediately took the two to the mountain.

I threw a glance at Li Mazi. Li Mazi nodded and we followed them.

We ran all the way to the peak of the mountain where we saw a stream. It was a high place with rocks and a Greeting Pine Tree. Under the gentle moonlight, this place looked like a distant wonderland.

Chuyi immediately used some fine salt to draw a circle on the ground. The circle surrounded the rough-looking man and Old Cai. Afterward, he took out a bottle of wine and poured it into the tumblers. He placed them outside the ring and stirred them with a willow twig. Then, out of the blue, he started to read an ancient poem.

“One pot of wine among the flowers,

Alone, I drink alone with no one whom I care for.

I raised my cup to the brilliant moon,

With thee, my shadow and I, three drinking companions.

Alas, you understand not of drinking ways,

And my shadow can only follow me.

Still thy presence and shadow, I dost request,

To enjoy this night of spring.

Dithering here and there, I sing to thee,

As my shadow dances haphazardly.

Awakened from my stupor, more pleasures I pursue.

Only in drunkenness do we part and say goodbye.

Eternal friendship but fated not to be enjoyed together.

Perhaps, amongst the remote clouds we shall meet.”

Chuyi’s voice was really magnetic. Since he was wearing white clothes and lifting his head to watch the moon, his fringe covered his forehead. At this moment, he looked really artistic and attractive.

The rough-looking man and Old Cai seemed to enjoy this ancient poem a lot. They smiled and stepped toward the tumblers of wine.

However, after they had got out of the circle, they suddenly slumped on the ground. I seemed to see two shadows leave their bodies at the very last moment.

Chuyi gave us a nod and motioned at the rough-looking man and Old Cai. He wanted us to take them away.

We didn’t say anything but ran forward. We carried the two unconscious men.

I turned around and looked at Chuyi. He didn’t seem to want to leave. He stood there and signaled at us with his eyes to leave first.

Reluctantly, we carried the two men and descended the mountain. Li Mazi and I were exhausted, and as we turned around, we saw that Chuyi didn’t descend the mountain with us.

I was a little worried and wanted to climb up to check on him.

However, Li Mazi stopped me. “Even if you go up there, you will only trouble him. I can tell that the two souls are not evil. I don’t think they will fight Chuyi!”

We didn’t have a choice, so we could only hope that Chuyi would take care of himself.

When the rough-looking man and Old Cai slowly woke up, they didn’t know why they went to the foot of the mountain. They were completely baffled.

Old Cai thought that he was still in Beijing!

Li Mazi and I had to explain the situation to them. We told them the story of Boya and Zhong Ziqi.

After listening to me, they quieted down.

Eventually, Old Cai said, “In the past, my family name was Yu. Does this mean that Yu Boya was my ancestor?”

The other man sighed and said, “My family name is Zhong.”

I understood now. No wonder the two otherworldly items appeared so far from each other. It turned out they had recognized their ‘masters.’

Although they weren’t the real Boya and Zhong Ziqi, the otherworldly items recognized their bloodlines. Since they were Boya and Zhong Ziqi’s descendants, the two items had created chances to gradually enter their lives and return to their hands.

We waited at the foot of the mountain until dawn. Finally, we saw Chuyi descend the mountain.

He looked mentally exhausted with dark circles under his eyes. As he descended the mountain, he trembled a lot.

After seeing Chuyi, I immediately ran toward him. “Did you handle the matter?”

He didn’t reply and took out a bead from his pocket.

It was a pure white bead around the size of an infant’s fist. Under the early morning sunlight, I could see a streak of blood inside the bead.

Li Mazi screamed in delight. “The Night Dragon Bait! This is the Night Dragon Bait, right?”

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