Chapter 53

In a humble, unremarkable bungalow in Xiaohui District,

Liu Tianlong, who had just emerged from the whirlwind of an investigation by the organization, sat respectfully on a small mat, his face filled with anticipation as he looked at the gaunt, pale-faced, white-haired, emaciated old man across from him.

The matter concerning his son, Liu Yong, had been settled. Liu Yong, in collusion with a woman named Liu Meimei, had committed murder and theft, a serious case that had been directly investigated by the municipal bureau. Even though he was the vice mayor of Mingzhu City and had many connections, he was powerless in the face of this situation. The confessions and evidence from his son and Liu Meimei were irrefutable, leaving no room for appeal.

Moreover, his power was not enough to turn the tide. He was just the lowest-ranking vice mayor and not a member of the Standing Committee.

Fortunately, his son's case had not implicated him. Although his own hands were not clean, the extensive web of interests ultimately led to someone higher up pulling him through. However, he would no longer be able to serve as vice mayor and would likely be reassigned to a nominal position in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) to spend his remaining years.

Faced with this outcome, Liu Tianlong was actually unwilling. He had only one son, Liu Yong. If Liu Yong were sentenced to death, he did not know how he would go on living. His wife had passed away long ago, and his son was now his only emotional support.

Losing his son would mean losing everything. He might as well take a desperate gamble. He was willing to pay any price to save his son.

So, he came to this old house, seeking out the familiar yet strange old man who had lived there for decades.

He called the old man familiar because he had been in their family for decades, ever since Liu Tianlong was a child. However, he called him strange because in all those years, he had only spoken to the old man face-to-face five times, and each conversation had never lasted more than ten minutes.

Ever since the old man came to their home, their family had gradually risen in status. Liu Tianlong had climbed from a factory worker to the position of vice mayor of a municipality, and his son had become the deputy director of the district public security bureau at a young age.

However, there was a price to pay. As their careers flourished, his parents, wife, and other relatives died in various accidents, either struck by lightning or dying in mysterious ways.

He vaguely remembered his father saying on his deathbed, "Tianlong, Master Gui Lang is no ordinary person. He can bring us great fortune, but he can also bring us great misfortune. He chose our old house because it sits on a place of extreme yin. He cannot leave here until he breaks through his constraints. This might take a short time or a long time. Whatever happens, you must never offend him. Whether it is a blessing or a curse depends on your fate."

For decades, Liu Tianlong had carefully kept this secret and never actively visited Master Gui Lang. However, what shocked him was that over the years, Master Gui Lang had initiated five meetings with him, each time in a mysterious and eerie manner.

Liu Tianlong remembered the first time Master Gui Lang summoned him, which was on a dark and stormy night thirty years ago. At the time, he was a workshop director in a state-owned factory, reading documents in his study. Master Gui Lang's shadow suddenly appeared out of nowhere, told him to go to the old house, and then vanished into the night, passing through the wall.

It was important to note that his home was on the sixth and top floor.

On subsequent occasions, Master Gui Lang always summoned him in the same way.

During these five meetings, Master Gui Lang had two requests: one was to find ancient jade, the older the better, and the other was to obtain freshly deceased bodies.

The first request was not a problem, but the second request made Liu Tianlong break out in a cold sweat.

Obtaining fresh corpses was not only bizarre and terrifying but also extremely dangerous.

However, Master Gui Lang offered generous rewards. If Liu Tianlong completed the requests, Master Gui Lang would help him advance in his career.

After much deliberation, Liu Tianlong's desire overcame his reason, and he agreed to Master Gui Lang's terms.

From then on, every time he helped Master Gui Lang, his career advanced significantly. In particular, anyone who stood in his way in the political arena would meet with a tragic end at a critical moment. Over the years, his career flourished, and he eventually became the vice mayor of Mingzhu Municipality.

During the last meeting, because Master Gui Lang required a large amount of ancient jade, Liu Tianlong had to seek help from his close business associate, Hao Jian. Through Hao Jian's wealth and connections, they obtained a large quantity of ancient jade. Liu Tianlong remembered that when he delivered the jade and several fresh corpses from the morgue and crematorium to the old house, Master Gui Lang unexpectedly requested to meet Hao Jian.

Later, Liu Tianlong understood that Master Gui Lang wanted to meet Hao Jian because the jade Hao Jian obtained was of exceptional quality and age. Master Gui Lang wanted to personally inquire about its origin.

After that, Hao Jian became involved in their dealings. Master Gui Lang instructed that if there were further needs, Hao Jian would be responsible for providing the jade, while Liu Tianlong would provide the bodies. However, Hao Jian could only meet Master Gui Lang through Liu Tianlong.

This time, Liu Tianlong came uninvited because he felt he had no other choice. His son's case was about to go to trial, and he had been temporarily suspended from his position. His life was at a critical juncture, and his only hope was Master Gui Lang.

Liu Tianlong looked at Master Gui Lang with trepidation, relieved to see that the old man did not appear displeased.

However, he did not know how to start the conversation.

After a long pause, just as he was about to muster the courage to speak, Master Gui Lang spoke first.

"You are in trouble and want me to help you, correct?"

Liu Tianlong was already accustomed to Master Gui Lang's mysterious ways, so he was not overly surprised when the old man immediately understood his purpose.

"Yes, Master, I am at my wits' end and can only seek your help."

"Considering your father's generation and your years of assistance, I will help you this one time, but only this one time, no more," Master Gui Lang's voice was low and solemn, but to Liu Tianlong, it was thunderous.

Liu Tianlong was overjoyed. With Master Gui Lang's promise, any problem could be solved.

Just as Liu Tianlong was about to explain his son's situation in detail, his phone rang inappropriately.

Initially, Liu Tianlong did not want to answer, but when he saw the caller, it was Hao Jian.

Since it was Hao Jian, there was no harm in answering the call in front of Master Gui Lang.

"Master, it's Hao Jian. Should I answer?"

Master Gui Lang nodded, playing with two white, skeletal skulls and closing his eyes.

Liu Tianlong answered the call, his tone less than friendly.

"Mayor Liu, it's Hao Jian. I have a favor to ask. I want you to help me arrange a meeting with Master Gui Lang. Last night, someone tried to harm me, and this person likely knows secret techniques. They made me lose control of my body for a while, as if possessed by a ghost, and also made me and a friend, Zhao Chunnan, lose our minds for a long time. We did many things we didn't know or want to do. When we regained consciousness this morning, we couldn't remember anything that happened. This is too bizarre and eerie, so I want to meet Master Gui Lang and ask him to help me deal with this person."

Liu Tianlong hummed a few times, instinctively wanting to hang up. How could he let Hao Jian interfere when he was seeking help from the Master?

But just as he was about to hang up, Master Gui Lang spoke.

"Have him and his friend come to see me. Also, ask him who this person is and how old they are."

With Master Gui Lang's words, Liu Tianlong dared not hang up. He repeated the message as instructed: "Hao Jian, I'm at the old house now. Master said to bring you and your friend. Also, ask who this person is and how old they are."

Hao Jian's voice suddenly rose, clearly excited and delighted to hear that the Master would see him.

"Mayor Liu, just mentioning this makes me angry. I'm not sure, but it's almost certainly a guy named Ye Feng. He's very young, around twenty-four or twenty-five. What's most infuriating is that this Ye Feng is just a water delivery worker and has also given me a green hat."

Hearing Ye Feng's name, Liu Tianlong's heart skipped a beat, and his hand trembled, dropping the phone to the ground.