Qin Tiantian hid behind me and shivered. She didn’t even dare to lift her head.
This woman was really interesting. She didn’t look scared when she worked with Mr. Qin to harm her father, but she was scared out of her wits after seeing a ghost possessing her sister.
“Grandpa, I… Why did you say that I wasn’t filial?” I asked.
“Do you remember what I told you last time? Where’s my great-grandson?” Qin Sisi fumed, her round eyes gazing at me.
An old man’s hoarse voice was coming out of the mouth of a beautiful girl; it was really creepy.
Anyway, I was at a loss for words. I never expected that he would ask about his great-grandson as soon as he saw me.
“It hasn’t been that long since the last time we met. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t give you a great-grandson.”
Grandpa shot me a fierce look. “I don’t care how long it will take you. If I can’t see my great-grandson, then I won’t be able to rest in peace.”
Senior Shu laughed. “Old Brother Zhang, I’m sure there will be many opportunities in the future. There’s no need to force him. Anyway, we’re facing an emergency here, and we need to hurry and deal with that Thunder Sword. If that sword kills your grandson, you will never be able to see or hug your great-grandson!”
Grandpa was enraged but was helpless. He coldly swung his arms. “Old Shu, you’ll be my witness! Within one year, if this kid doesn’t give me a great-grandson, you will become my great-grandson!”
Senior Shu wore a dark face and changed the topic. “Okay, we should talk about the Thunder Sword first!”
Grandpa said, “Dealing with that sword is both easy and difficult. As long as we use the right method, it’ll be as easy as flipping one’s hand to subdue the Thunder Sword.”
Senior Shu looked worried. “Why do we have to subdue the Thunder Sword? Can’t we deal with it directly?”
Grandpa sighed. “Throughout my whole life, the Thunder Sword is the strongest otherworldly item I’ve ever encountered. It’s not easy to deal with it. Back then, its resentful energy was already very high. Since it was confined for years, I’m afraid it must be even higher now.”
I was a little scared as I looked at my grandpa. “In that case, can we even deal with it?”
Grandpa said, “I’m afraid we’ll have to improvise.”
I had a headache. If even my grandpa wasn’t so sure about this case, we were in an extremely difficult situation.
“I can help you with the plan, but I can’t intervene directly,” said Grandpa. “I’m now a Netherworld Messenger, so I can’t interfere too much with the world of the living.”
“What?” Senior Shu was stunned. “No matter what, this is some unfinished business you left behind. Why do we have to clean up your mess?”
Grandpa glared at him. “I also want to help, but the consequences might be too troublesome.”
After pausing for a while, he continued, “Actually, you can use poison to fight poison, and deal with the Thunder Sword this way. If we cannot use manpower to deal with the Thunder Sword, you must borrow power from other sources.”
“What other sources?” asked Senior Shu. “The Zhang family? They wish they never accepted this case in the first place.”
“I think I got it,” I said. “Grandpa, you mean that we should find an otherworldly item that’s similar to the Thunder Sword or a departed soul whose power is equal to the Hegemon King of Western Chu, and have them deal with the sword, right?”
My grandfather said, “Yeah, that’s what I meant.”
“Okay, let’s go with this plan! Senior Shu, since you are knowledgeable, you must know some departed souls that are as powerful as the Hegemon King of Western Chu, right?”
Senior Shu furrowed his brows. “I can indeed find these such souls, but what worries me the most is that we don’t know a method to make use of their power! If the soul doesn’t cooperate with us, it will become another pain in the ass. Then, we wouldn’t be able to solve the Thunder Sword and we would have another fiend to deal with!”
Grandpa said, “You guys should discuss this carefully later.”
After pondering for a while, he turned to me. “Jiulin, I guess you still remember all the incantations I taught you when you were young, right?”
I nodded immediately. “I can even read them backward.”
“I’m sure some of them will come in handy.”
A strange wind blew before I could ask him anything. Then, Qin Sisi’s body collapsed on the ground.
I immediately reached out to support her and asked Qin Tiantian to take her to her room to rest.
Qin Tiantian was so scared that she didn’t even dare to touch her sister. I eventually had to ask Li Mazi to carry Qin Sisi to her room.
Qin Minghao suddenly shrieked. I turned around and saw that he was struggling harder and harder. The rope that tied him was stretched, and it could break at any second. The man had green veins all over his face, which made him look frightening.
I ran toward him to suppress him, but the man opened his mouth and tried to bite me.
I shoved a pillow in his mouth and asked Senior Shu, “Senior Shu, it’s important to save his life. If you have any special item, please use it now.”
Senior Shu grimaced. Eventually, he took out a talisman. “This is my last spirit talisman...”
Li Mazi snatched the talisman from Senior Shu’s hands and forcefully slapped it on Qin Minghao’s body.
Qin Minghao’s struggles eased, but he didn’t stop completely. Moreover, as the power of the talisman gradually lost its effect, he started to wiggle again. I could only try my best to hold him down.
“Senior Shu, help me!” I screamed. “It’s not the time to be stingy!”
Eventually, out of reluctance, Senior Shu took out another spirit talisman from his pocket. His eyes brimmed with tears. “This is my last one. This time, for real...”
With the two talismans working at the same time, Qin Minghao’s struggles subsided. Eventually, he stopped and laid still on the sofa as if he was slumbering.
I hurried to tighten the rope around him. After I secured the knots, I also slumped on the sofa and looked at Senior Shu. “Senior Shu, you said that you can find a soul that’s as intimidating as the Hegemon King of Western Chu. Can you tell us who that is?”
Senior Shu answered, “Zen Master Baimei has confined a one-thousand-year Ghost King in his Dabei Temple. That Ghost King was a famous general in the Qin dynasty, Bai Qi. In the Battle of Changping, Bai Qi lured and slaughtered four hundred thousand soldiers of the Zhao army. He earned his reputation from this feat. Back then, people called him the God of Slaughter! Afterward, King Qin Zhaoxiang started to suspect him and asked him to kill himself. Before he committed suicide, Bai Qi screamed at the sky and asked what crime he had committed to bear such a fate. After he died, his soul couldn't rest in peace, and he became a Ghost King. Zen Master Baimei subdued him and kept him in Dabei Temple. If we can use Bai Qi to deal with the Hegemon King of Western Chu, it will be a battle between a God of Slaughter and a God of War! He is the best match we can find. It just happens that the pagoda that’s keeping Bai Qi is about to lose its power. Zen Master Baimei is also old and weak now, and I’m afraid he won’t be able to seal Bai Qi one more time. If we can use Bai Qi, it’ll be like killing two birds with one stone! Still, we will need to work hard to make use of Bai Qi.”
Senior Shu eyed me oddly. “Kid, I can’t do much here. You should try to think of a solution.”
I felt my head swelling. “If you’re also helpless, how am I supposed to deal with this matter?”
Senior Shu said, “Your grandfather said that he taught you many incantations when you were young. I’m sure he said that for a reason. It was a reminder to you. Those incantations may come in handy!”
I looked pensive and nodded. “Give me a moment to think about it.”
I tried to search through my memory. Shortly after, I remembered an incantation that could work!