Chapter Seventy-Nine: Entrusted to the Wrong Person, Dragon Aura Leaks

Day after day passed, and Wang Cheng devoted himself entirely to refining his techniques. During this time, he also checked the ledgers in the Money Eye for records of income and expenditure. Yet the owner of "Five Peaks Treasure" across the way had not responded again; whether it was due to lack of time or some unexpected mishap, Wang Cheng could not say. In a world where even the New Year must be guarded against rampaging evil spirits and sudden folk rituals, it was almost expected that disaster would strike.

Much like Wang Cheng himself—were it not for his protective talisman, he would long since have met his end. But he held faith that as long as the Five Peaks Treasure remained in this world, its whereabouts would eventually come to light.

He turned his attention inward, ignoring the world outside, and quickly digested all he had accumulated over this period. During the intervals of crafting the Dragon Robe, his mastery of the secret art "Divine Fragrance Manual" and the strange skill "Ghostly Talisman" gradually found their proper course.

As a liaison between the Mountain-Sea Society and the Heavenly Consort faction, he soon learned that his series of encounters with spirits that night were not solely the result of the "fortune" paid out by the Four Seas Treasure. Rather, the true cause was the ritual "Blood Crossing, Gods Refuse Offerings," which had, over several days, fermented and finally erupted in full force.

This forbidden ceremony had quietly transformed the unclaimed incense and wishes that filled Moon Harbor into a deadly sacrificial brew, irresistibly enticing to evil spirits. When he had previously petitioned for rice, he noticed the spiritual clarity in the roadside shrine’s father-god statue had become dulled, and now he understood why.

The first to sense the anomaly was none other than A Xiao, who lived under the same roof as Wang Cheng. When Wang Cheng reported this to his master and sought A Xiao’s advice, he received a calm reply:

“Wait and see. With me here, so long as they don’t accidentally abandon any temple, it won’t matter.”

A chilling wind, tangled with the stench of blood and decay, blew ceaselessly into Moon Harbor. Numerous evil spirits who had slipped through the cracks during the Boat Sending and New Year ceremonies now surged into the city at tenfold, a hundredfold their former numbers.

"Frozen Bone," "Flesh Tailor," "Hungry Ghost," "Head-Banging for Longevity," and "Tall Snake" were mere appetizers. "Ghost Knocks Door," "Ghost Taps Shoulder," "Cat-Eating Rat," "Embroidered Shoes," "Red and White Double Fiends," "Tiger Auntie," and more followed in rapid succession.

Thus, as the gentry faction retreated en masse, the Five Peaks Banner and Mountain-Sea Society stepped forward to take full charge of Moon Harbor’s defense. At the same time, the central figure of this crisis, the Temple Keeper of Lady Banquet, A Xiao, joined forces with temple keepers and temple guards from the Heavenly Consort faction, forming Moon Harbor’s third pillar. They operated discreetly, tending only to their followers and leaving all else untouched.

The three groups formed a pincer with the city’s Octagonal Tower and the port’s Treasure Mountain Signal Tower, forcibly suppressing the "Eight Directions Wind Ascending Pavilion Bureau" and imposing a citywide curfew.

Only now did the gentry realize the severity of their situation. They had summoned their forces repeatedly for spirit processions, and even the major and private temples in the city had been covered by "Blood Crossing," completing ninety-nine point nine percent of their task. Yet one stubborn obstacle remained: the Heavenly Consort Temple atop Treasure Mountain Signal Tower, personally guarded by the "Direct Duty Hall Officer" Old Shen.

A mountain is renowned not for its height, but for its deities; water is hallowed not for its depth, but for its dragons. Though the temple was small, it posed a tremendous risk to their plan.

Their chief aim was to pollute the wishes and sever communication between mortals and gods, preventing the Heavenly Consort faction from intervening at a critical moment. Especially since Lady Banquet’s reincarnation and the heir to the Prince of Sea Pacification had not yet been captured, Pu Shouying remained deeply concerned that these genuine second-generation deities, with their uncanny powers, might exploit a loophole and cause him great trouble.

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At once, Pu Shouying issued his directive:

“The world loves to mock failures in drama, saying that despite all their scheming, they understand nothing at all. In truth, the most effective strategy is the simplest—avoid elementary mistakes and you’re halfway to victory. I believe human will prevails over fate; destiny and spirits are not to be relied upon!

Old Money Five, I’ll give you five thousand taels—patch this last leak for me.”

“Yes, Boat Master.”

The local tough, "Night Fragrance Man" Money Five, had no choice but to accept the task. He knew well how reckless it would be to show off before Old Shen at the Direct Duty Hall.

How had the loophole arisen? Simply because, during their spirit processions, they had all instinctively avoided that place. But now, avoidance was no longer possible.

Just days before, some heartless and cunning soul had spread rumors, falsely accusing Xie He of switching sides and betraying the gentry. Though both he and Pu Shouying knew that "Sealed Lips" had been triggered, and Xie He neither knew many secrets nor could divulge the few he did possess, they still had to quell unrest among their ranks.

To set an example, Pu Shouying had Xie’s ancestral home burnt to cinders—leaving not even a dog alive.

At such a time, who dared defy Pu Shouying’s orders?

To advance meant possible death for oneself; to retreat meant death for one’s entire family.

Thus, Money Five chose—

“Matchmaker Ye, for the sake of the bigger picture, I have an important job for you. No matter the cost, you must complete it! I’ve managed to secure three thousand taels of silver from the employer for you—take a spirit procession team to Treasure Mountain Signal Tower. Make it clean, and when the task is done, head straight out to sea. Not only will you get the silver and avoid Moon Harbor’s whirlpool in advance, but you’ll also be rewarded afterwards. It’s all for your own good.”

Money Five, though pained, handed over a portion of the "activity fund" given by Pu Shouying to the most steady and seemingly honest "Dark Matchmaker."

Matchmaker Ye took the bank drafts, nodding with great sense of the bigger picture, just as she had when mediating the dispute between corpse fishers and leather traders:

“Alright. Money Five, I’ll go at once.”

Out the door, she made a sudden turn and sought out Yang Asheng, a fellow from out of town who had worked with her during the recent spirit processions. He had no ties or weaknesses.

Matchmaker Ye smiled sinisterly and said:

“Asheng, Grandma has two thousand taels here—split it with your brothers. This procession has only one destination: Treasure Mountain Signal Tower. With this money, you can buy land and return home a wealthy man.”

Yang Asheng took the silver, nodded vigorously, and without a word, entered a teahouse—not to find his own team, but the leader of another team next door, Mo Tianbao, who was enjoying a drink.

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“Tianbao, I’ve got a big job here—do you want it? The employer offers a thousand taels to take a spirit procession.”

Moments later, Mo Tianbao found Lin Kangsheng and Old Four Ling from his team and, in a brotherly tone, said:

“Brothers, we’ve got another job. The employer is paying generously—look, a whole... one hundred taels! Just one last round at the final temple, and this silver is yours. You can marry a big-bottomed wife and live in bliss.”

In this critical moment, the two didn’t hesitate, each pocketing fifty taels and carrying the god-palankin Yang Asheng had prepared.

When they reached the last intersection before Treasure Mountain Signal Tower, Old Four Ling saw two young men heading up the mountain together. With a glance at Lin Kangsheng, he hurried over and called out:

“Brothers, I’ve got two taels here—could you carry this palanquin up for us? We’ve eaten something bad and our legs are weak; we really need to relieve ourselves. Give us a hand, thanks!”

Wang Cheng and his third senior brother, Zheng Qian, took the silver with bemused expressions, watching the two men slip deftly into the crowd.

Above, a majestic white-headed, gold-beaked bird cast its shadow on the ground, flitting after them.

It followed the pair to the now-dispersed first spirit procession team, then through them to Mo Tianbao, who was just boarding a ship to flee with his fortune. From Mo Tianbao, it traced Yang Asheng, already at sea and bound for home. Through Yang Asheng and his bank drafts, it located Matchmaker Ye, who had long since returned to her old trade in Xiangzhou.

Only Money Five, trusting the effects of "Sealed Lips," remained.

Though he spent heavily, "Dark Matchmaker" and her team vanished without a trace, alive or dead, but this was expected, and he was satisfied with the outcome.

Next day, he checked from afar and saw the temple gate at Treasure Mountain Signal Tower closed, its spiritual light utterly dulled.

Everything progressed smoothly, as if guided by an unseen hand.

The evil aura and malice of spirits battered Mountain-Sea Society’s defenses, and the "Eight Directions Wind Ascending Pavilion Bureau" began to show cracks.

As time passed, the situation worsened.

Until, on the night of the twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month, in the dark and gloomy hours, the Bureau suddenly trembled.

A distinctive aura—cold yet commanding—suddenly leaked into the world.

In Moon Harbor, cattle, sheep, and horses collapsed; flies and mosquitoes fled madly.

Money Five rejoiced, lighting a faith incense to report to Pu Shouying, whose true body was not in Moon Harbor:

“Boat Master, Lady Banquet has been exposed!”

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