Chapter 7: I See That Your Fate Is Marked by the ‘Hidden Peach Blossom’
Who are the malevolent spirits? How does one exorcise them? Ji Yun was completely clueless.
As his thoughts spun, the elderly Taoist priest beside him, chewing noisily on a large pork knuckle with a greasy mouth, glanced his way and asked again, “Young brother, poor appetite?”
Ji Yun looked at the Taoist priest who had spoken to him several times, hesitated for a moment, then replied, “Yes.”
The text message had said that everyone in this desolate realm was a “malevolent spirit.”
But from Ji Yun’s perspective, these spirits appeared no different from the living.
He figured they might be like NPCs in a game.
Perhaps only by interacting would they trigger dialogue?
Coincidentally, as soon as this thought surfaced, the Taoist priest’s shrewd eyes suddenly shifted and he brought up a new topic: “Young brother, I see your forehead is full and your complexion is rosy. Recently, your fate is troubled by romantic entanglements... yet your relationships are not going well?”
Ji Yun’s expression remained indifferent.
Having grown up around coffin shops, he had been exposed to all sorts of fortune tellers and their professional patter, so he was no stranger to their tricks.
He knew when someone opened with that line, they were after money.
Originally, Ji Yun had no interest in listening.
But since this was an NPC, maybe it would trigger a quest or plot.
With that thought, a subtle change in his attitude caught the Taoist’s attention, who then adopted a mock-serious expression and continued, “Ah, young brother, your fate is indeed afflicted by romantic troubles. But...”
Hearing the pretentious tone, Ji Yun almost smiled inwardly.
This was the classic charlatan’s spiel.
People who sought fortune tellers usually asked about three things: career, love, and wealth.
And since they came to a seer, it was probably because something in their lives was amiss.
Ji Yun expected the Taoist to follow up with vague, ambiguous phrases to fish for information, then deliver a preset verdict.
But unexpectedly, the old man suddenly changed tack and said, “However, your forehead is darkened; the peach blossoms that come to you are ‘yin peach blossoms.’”
His tone was certain, without a hint of hesitation.
Ji Yun’s eyes flickered, sensing something was off.
Before he could ponder, the Taoist’s cloudy gaze fixed on him and he bluntly said, “You’ve recently attracted something unclean, haven’t you?”
That statement silenced Ji Yun’s earlier dismissiveness.
He thought to himself: this old man might actually have some skill.
“Yin peach blossoms?”
Instinctively, Ji Yun thought of Shang Xiaoyu.
A dead person revived, and she was his ex-girlfriend—wasn’t that the very definition of a “yin peach blossom”?
This wasn’t any vague deception; it was a direct hit.
Ji Yun immediately became more polite and asked, “Master, do you read faces?”
He realized he might have triggered a “key NPC.”
The Taoist was not modest: “A little, a little.”
Ji Yun seized the opportunity: “Please, then, enlighten me.”
The old man glanced sideways at him with a hint of disdain: “???”
Ji Yun paused briefly before understanding—fortune telling requires payment.
Those with manners don’t say it outright; you’re supposed to know.
But Ji Yun only had a phone on him. There was no way to scan a QR code from an NPC in this desolate realm.
He looked troubled and stammered, “I left in a hurry and didn’t bring much money...”
At this, the Taoist’s dignified aura momentarily faltered.
He didn’t hide his disdain for the poor and frowned, “Forget it. Fate brought us together. Just remember you owe me a fortune-telling fee; you can pay me later.”
Ji Yun quickly agreed, “Naturally.”
Owing the fee was even better.
Without beating around the bush, the old man cracked his knuckles and said bluntly, “This yin peach blossom... ordinary people would avoid it, but for you, it might not be a bad thing. After all, marriage is about parental arrangement and matchmaking. Those arranged by elders may not be ideal, but they are certainly the most suitable.”
Ji Yun took this as confirmation.
It seemed Shang Xiaoyu was indeed arranged by his parents.
Curious, he pressed, “Master, what do you mean?”
“Master” was the highest honorific for a fortune teller.
Though no money was given, pleasantries were still obligatory.
Sure enough, the Taoist’s expression softened, but only slightly, and he mumbled, “Yin peach blossoms are still peach blossoms. You should secretly rejoice.”
Without payment, the words grew more perfunctory.
Ji Yun was speechless.
He certainly didn’t consider being haunted by a dead ex-girlfriend any kind of romantic luck.
But the Taoist had lost interest in continuing.
Owing debts limits one’s speech, so Ji Yun didn’t press further.
By now, he was convinced the old man truly had ability.
Since he said it wasn’t necessarily bad, it hardly seemed urgent.
Instead, the current situation warranted more concern.
Ji Yun didn’t understand what this desolate realm was exactly, but if he wanted to clear the game-like dungeon, he needed to find NPCs to trigger quests.
Wasn’t this Taoist just right?
Even if everyone in the manor was a malevolent spirit, the Taoist’s presence brought the most reassurance.
He decided to inquire further.
With that thought, Ji Yun watched the old man still greedily devouring his meat, then quietly said, “Master, I can’t help but feel that the Liu family manor is rather eerie.”
This entry point successfully piqued the Taoist’s interest.
Looking up, he said, “Oh? You noticed it too?”
Ji Yun hadn’t exactly noticed, but was reasoning backward.
Since Shang Xiaoyu said there were malevolent spirits here, how could the manor be normal?
Noticing the word “too,” he felt encouraged.
“Indeed! I feel the manor carries an inexplicable aura of death.”
The Taoist’s eyes flickered with surprise, raising his eyebrows in admiration: “Young man, you are not a cultivator, yet you can perceive the death aura of this manor? How?”
At this, Ji Yun was fully convinced the Taoist was extraordinary.
A zombie man earlier had also expressed surprise that Ji Yun, not being a cultivator, could smell the corpse’s stench.
It seemed cultivators had a way to detect each other’s spiritual abilities.
“Crows.”
Ji Yun hadn’t actually sensed any corpse aura; he simply pointed to several tall, withered trees outside the manor, where birds perched.
As night fell, the barren branches looked like iron.
On those branches sat a flock of black birds.
They were crows—over a hundred of them.
Crows were considered ominous because they fed on carrion.
Legend said people possessed by evil spirits would have their internal organs rot before death.
Crows could detect the scent of decay more keenly than humans.
Hence they came early, waiting to feast.
Once superstition, now after witnessing ghosts and monsters, Ji Yun no longer dismissed it as mere tale.
When he observed these scavenger crows around the Liu manor, he sensed something was amiss.
Connecting this with the message text, it was easy to conclude someone in the manor was possessed.
That was likely the source of the terror.
Those who truly understood needed no further explanation.
The Taoist clearly grasped Ji Yun’s meaning; his sharp eyes gleamed and he praised, “Ah, young man, you have some insight.”
Ji Yun smiled modestly, knowing he had guessed right and triggered this NPC.
If he was wrong, the Taoist would correct him.
The old man showed no desire to elaborate, but Ji Yun pressed on while the moment was ripe, “Master, this Liu family manor looks prosperous and blessed, a home of great benevolence. How could it harbor death aura?”
He had overheard most of the gossip earlier.
The manor’s head was Liu Yuancai, a renowned philanthropist in the nearby villages.
He was lenient with tenant rents, gave out preserved meats and grains during holidays, and funded local infrastructure like bridges and roads.
Truly a great benefactor.
Hearing this, the Taoist snorted disdainfully and said softly, “Sometimes, whether a person is good isn’t judged by what they do now, but why they do it.”
Perhaps reluctant to speak ill of the master, he whispered to Ji Yun, “Everything has cause and effect. People often give what they lack. This benevolent Mr. Liu clearly has a mentor. Building bridges and roads is a way to accumulate yin virtue.”
Ji Yun pondered and immediately understood: “Master, you mean...?”
Wasn’t this just saying he lost yin virtue and was trying to make it up?
The Taoist glanced around at the guests and nodded tacitly, saying no more.
Since he had figured it out, Ji Yun realized the old man wasn’t just here to eat but to deal with the manor’s malevolent spirits.
Had he really triggered a hidden NPC quest?
Moreover, this explained the “exorcism by marriage” ritual perfectly.
Ji Yun seized the chance and whispered, “No wonder... that’s why Lord Liu arranged a ‘lucky marriage’?”
In the eyes of the older generation, descendants dying young meant their ancestors had severely damaged the yin virtue.
So, the young master’s illnesses likely stemmed from his father.
But the question remained:
What exactly had this benevolent Mr. Liu done?
The Taoist neither confirmed nor denied, only looking at Ji Yun with a hint of approval: “You’re rather clever.”
With that, the old man showed no intention of continuing.
Ji Yun felt it was enough.
He had found the root cause.
Just as he was thinking of probing further for more information, the joyous sound of suona horns rang from outside the manor.
Someone shouted, “The bride is here!”
Firecrackers cracked and popped outside the estate.