Chapter 44

Chapter 44

With his interns in a fierce battle against the local ghosts, Wei Xi, as the leader, couldn't just sit idly by. As he was about to rush over to assist, someone grabbed his shoulder.

His second disciple's voice held a hint of anger, "Why didn't you dodge earlier?"

After a moment of realization, Wei Xi responded, "If I had dodged, your senior brother would have been hit."

He thought his disciple was merely asking casually, but after his answer, the other's gaze intensified, burning with an intense heat and a touch of disbelief, "You... protected him?"

Even with Wei Xi's drastic change in personality, it was hard for anyone to believe that he would associate with the concept of "protecting others."

"Of course," Wei Xi was oblivious, effortlessly tossing out sweet words, "Not only your senior brother, but your master also protects you. You're my treasure too."

Upon reflection, Unity Yi often complained that Wei Xi favored his junior disciple. Could it be that his second disciple was feeling jealous? The leader, determined to be a good master, hurriedly reassured and cared for him, "I heard a loud noise when you kicked that thing. Are you hurt? Did it hurt? Let me take a look."

As he spoke, he sincerely reached out to lift his disciple's pant leg. However, as soon as he finished speaking, his shoulder was grasped.

Looking up, he saw a mix of confusion and resignation on his disciple's face. After studying him deeply for a moment, he silently pulled Wei Xi to his feet and changed the subject, "...The souls here have no lingering attachments and don't need to be guided."

There's a distinction between ghosts who died violently and those who didn't.

Violent death refers to unnatural causes, like the new interns at Taicang Sect who, filled with unresolved obsessions and without anyone to guide them, wander the mortal realm. Ghosts who didn't die violently, on the other hand, either passed from old age or illness. After their lifespan ended, ghostly officials would come according to the register of souls to escort them into the next cycle of reincarnation naturally.

The group of elderly ghosts before them fell into the latter category, which was why ordinary Taoist exorcism methods were ineffective against them.

Wei Xi, whose mind wasn't functioning properly, immediately let go of his disciple's pants leg while his attention shifted. "So that's it. I guess the rumor about this place being an old burial ground is true after all. No wonder the two gods Bai Hao and the others invited were useless. Door gods guard the entrance, keeping watch over external evil spirits. They have no jurisdiction over the guests inside."

Shuo Zong nodded. Wei Xi had pointed out a headache-inducing issue for those in the Mystic Realm. After settling down, some people would seek divine protection for their homes by inviting statues or talismans from Taoist temples or shrines, hoping to keep their homes "clean." However, land was limited, and upon looking around, one could see that beneath the brightly lit commercial districts and residential complexes, there were likely buried remains. Even if these corpses' souls hadn't dispersed, they were fundamentally different from guest ghosts. Guest ghosts would inexplicably cause trouble for a family, akin to home invaders stealing with shameless audacity. Dealing with them harshly was justified, even if it meant dispersing their souls. But the original inhabitants, who had lived there longer than humans, might have owned the land centuries ago. As a newcomer, moving into their former home and then trying to evict them without reason sounded rather unreasonable, didn't it? The deities one invited home wouldn't be pleased to meddle in such matters.

Therefore, unless there was actual haunting, most Mystic Realm practitioners would choose to turn a blind eye to such requests, simply comforting their believers. Why be overly hostile towards ghosts when everyone, human and spirit, shared the same roof? If the ghosts were amiable, they might even lend a helping hand to new tenants from time to time.

A few years ago, there was a widely-discussed post on a local Beijing forum. A shut-in woman claimed that when she returned home after being away for a few days, not only was her house cleaned, but her pile of dirty laundry had been washed too. When she called her relatives, they denied helping. Perplexed and amazed, she received criticism from online commenters for making up stories. However, those in the know understood that an old resident living under the same roof had tidied up because they found the young woman's messiness unbearable. Normally, ghosts couldn't physically interact with the world, so one could imagine the pressure the old resident must have felt.

This historical issue had also given rise to various folk traditions. For example, before construction projects like digging mountains, paving roads, or building high-rises, rituals would be conducted to appease the spirits disturbed by these excavations, such as setting up altars and offering incense and sacrifices.

Most normal spirits were reasonable. Life was hard for everyone, and they had no grudges. Seeing sufficient sincerity, they'd step back and not make a fuss.

Like the original residents of the Hong Kong Building causing trouble, such cases were rare exceptions.

Shuo Zong frowned, momentarily unsure what these elderly, weak, and disabled spirits were up to.

*****

The chaotic battle finally came to an end. Although Taicang Sect didn't have the upper hand in terms of ghost numbers, their young ghosts were vigorous, and most of the Substitute Ghosts had terrifying appearances, which frightened even ordinary ghosts. As a result, they emerged victorious.

Despite losing the fight, the long-term residents remained indignant. The old ghost practicing Tai Chi grumbled, "This is outrageous! You barged into my home unprovoked and caused chaos, disrupting the natural order!"

The Taicang Sect interns were equally unrelenting. "Is it reasonable for you to steal our offerings in our dormitories? And talk about disrupting the natural order – your sins of pushing people to jump off buildings are even more heinous!"

The old ghost was furious: "I already said it! He fell by accident!"

Kuang Zhiming and his wife were utterly stunned, sitting cross-legged outside the battlefield, speechless as they watched the two groups of ghosts engage in a heated verbal dispute. The revelation of Xiao Ke's fall from the building, as told by this old ghost, made them feel it was time to take their leave.

Fortunately, at that moment, the second disciple of Taicang Sect approached with an icy expression: "If you didn't intend to harm anyone, then why did you throw the helmet down from the building earlier?"

Kuang Zhiming and his wife snapped back to reality, recalling the incident, and their faces grew solemn.

The old ghost grunted but remained silent, clearly unwilling to divulge any more information. Just as Kuang Zhiming was about to reason with them, Wei Xi stepped forward menacingly: "It doesn't matter why he threw it; either way, it frightened you and your senior brother. I'll seize his head right now to avenge you!"

Wei Xi was about to make a move, leaving the old ghost utterly stunned. "How unreasonable you Taoist priests are!"

Kuang Zhiming: "…"

Knowing he couldn't defeat Wei Xi, the old ghost could only defend himself in a fit of rage. "Who wants to hurt your disciple! I was going to smash that brat!"

His gaze fixated on Bai Hao, who, despite being in a daze, instinctively shivered from the cold stare.

Tuan Jieyi was also taken aback. "Why would you do that?"

The old ghost replied, "If I don't knock him out, would he just go back and bring more people to continue the construction? Dream on!"

The implication was clearly to let the construction site remain abandoned indefinitely, which was perplexing. Beijing was vast, with many graveyards left behind. As the city expanded, schools and residential complexes were often built on these sites. This was the first time they had encountered such a strong objection from an original resident, who had managed to delay the mall's construction for nearly a decade.

Shuo Zong narrowed his eyes. "It's just a burial ground. You'll reincarnate sooner or later."

The old ghost glared coldly at Bai Hao. "Even if we do, we won't let them build houses here!"

His stubbornness didn't resemble that of a ghost who had passed away peacefully. Except for those who died tragically, which ghost would hold such an intense grudge?

Kuang Zhiming was in an extremely awkward position. The elder had indeed been buried here for many years and had every right to claim seniority. He refused to cooperate, leaving Kuang Zhiming no choice but to avoid resorting to force. Clearly, the conversation had reached a deadlock.

However, Unity Right felt that something was off. The elder's words sounded as if there was some long-standing grudge between them.

He promptly whispered into his master's ear, and upon seeing Wei Xi reluctantly nod, he stepped forward with a smile to mediate. "Oh, why must everyone be so hostile? Let's sit down and talk things through. Elder, we won't pursue the helmet issue. But you have to understand that it's not easy for Mr. Bai's company to apply for such a large project, don't you think? It would be a huge loss not to utilize such a vast piece of land. Why intentionally make things difficult for a young man? Is there something about their company that displeased you?"

The elder didn't acknowledge his attempt at reconciliation, merely snorting coldly.

Wei Xi frowned and said, "Why bother talking to him? I'll just pluck his head off for you."

"..." The elder glared at him indignantly before finally speaking, directing a cold glance at Bai Hao and gesturing to Unity Right. "Ask him yourself."

Bai Hao: "???"

Bai Hao finally regained his composure, but now felt utterly confused by the accusation. "I... What did I do? Our company hasn't done anything wrong, has it?"

The elder was furious. "You didn't follow the rules and disrespected your elders first, yet you still have the audacity to argue!"

Bai Hao felt unjustly accused. "Rules?! What rules? For the love of God, how did I disrespect you?!"

Kuang Zhiming pondered for a moment and finally recalled something: "Are you referring to the dedication ceremony that should be held before the foundation is laid?"

The old ghost seemed to have been hit where it hurt: "Hmph!"

Bai Hao felt even more wronged: "That can't be right. I remember there was a ceremony before the construction site's groundbreaking. Weren't offerings like pig heads, roasted chickens, and incense burnt? That's standard practice in the industry! We instructed the construction company about it."

Upon hearing this, the old ghost grew even angrier, as if Bai Hao were trying to evade the truth. Unity Yi felt that the standoff between them was at an impasse, so he turned to external help and searched for news on the Hong Kong Building's groundbreaking ceremony online.

With the construction site abandoned for so long, the groundbreaking ceremony was old news from many years ago. Fortunately, the browser's portal still had records. Upon clicking on the article, there were indeed photos taken by journalists of the contractor conducting the ceremony that day. Upon seeing what was placed on the offering table, Unity Yi fell silent.

Lost in thought, Shuo Zong noticed his senior brother approaching with an expression that conveyed a thousand words, holding out his phone for him to see.

Fixing his gaze, he instantly recognized the group of bewildered blond foreigners kneeling before a makeshift altar on a construction site, along with... several outdated first-generation tablets displayed on the altar.

Shuo Zong: ".................."

Bai Hao was also speechless upon seeing this, so astonished that he stood up. "What the hell! Are foreigners really that unreliable? We asked them to offer a pig's head and roasted chicken, but they used iPads instead?!"

Feeling dizzy and more wronged than Dou E, he wondered if the delay of their company's construction project for over seven years was somehow due to the lack of a genuine pig's head offered during the groundbreaking ceremony...

What a ridiculous situation!

Bai Hao felt like crying. The money lost in this half-finished building over the years could probably buy all the pig heads in the country.

"Not just about a pig's head!" the old man retorted. "It's a matter of respect! Since they have no respect for us, why should I allow them to disturb our graves?"

Everyone present, except Wei Xi, including Shuo Zong, felt speechless. He calmly averted his gaze, unsure why he was still there.

Uncle Shen seemed to understand the ghosts' mindset and knew what was bothering them. He floated over to mediate. "Oh, old man, foreign builders don't understand our country's customs. I don't think the developers had any ill intentions. Don't hold a grudge; let's sit down and talk it out. Can't they just hold the ceremony later?"

Although they had fought just now, both parties were ghosts. Upon hearing Uncle Shen's words, the old man seemed to waver, but still hesitated to express his stance.

Wei Xi found this irritating, his face turning cold. "Let me rip off his—"

His second disciple gently placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting him with a lightness that belied its weight. "Unity Yi, call Qiu Guokai's elders."

Unity Yi was taken aback but quickly realized. "So they're also queuing up for temporary residence in the mortal world? CEO Qiu's mother mentioned something about reporting lawbreaking during that period…"

Damn!

The ghost elder was startled. How did these people know about this rule?

Afraid of being complained against and affecting his next reincarnation, he didn't dare act coquettishly anymore. He could only glare at Bai Hao resentfully before turning to Uncle Shen. "Let him come over for a detailed discussion with me."

Bai Hao followed along, not knowing what day it was, his mind in a mess. He thought to himself, I've made it. In this life, I can actually negotiate with ghosts...

Upon hearing that they would negotiate, the original ghosts in the abandoned building swarmed over. Uncle Shen transformed into a mediator, immediately making the tense atmosphere more formal. He didn't favor his own kind and occasionally helped to reject some of the original ghosts' outrageous demands when the lone human at the negotiating table seemed to be having trouble thinking.

Unity Yi watched with great satisfaction and couldn't help but sigh to Wei Xi, "No bloodshed, Master. Our company can even open a separate segment called 'Golden Mediator'."

With their sect resolving such a big problem for Bai Hao, it would definitely be smooth sailing when discussing the intern dormitory with the other party later.

Kuang Zhiming and his wife: "…"

After much negotiation, both parties finally reached an agreement and shook hands in peace. However, Bai Hao had already broken down. When he was brought back to the group, his expression was that of an idiot.

He remained in a daze for a long time before finally calling his project team colleagues at the hospital to inquire about Xiao Ke's condition.

His colleague told him that Xiao Ke was still unconscious, and the cause was uncertain. The doctors also didn't know when he would wake up. Upon hearing this, the original ghosts who had just entered the peace agreement finally felt a little embarrassed. The ghost elder, who previously felt justified, also reflected, "Although he fell down the building due to his own misstep, the root cause was seeing this old man. I should still personally apologize to him."

He finished his statement without waiting for Bai Hao's response, then glanced beyond the construction site before vanishing in a blur.

Ten minutes later, still lost in a daze, Bai Hao received a call from a colleague.

On the other end of the line, the colleague's voice was filled with panic, with rapid electronic beeps in the background: "Boss Bai!!! What should we do??? Xiao Ke's ECG is fluctuating wildly!!! Could he be in danger???"

Bai Hao looked up at the sky amidst his colleague's shouting and hung up the phone silently.

**********

Meanwhile, Wei Xi was pleased with the conclusion of the incident and his intern and disciple's efficiency.

Unity Yizhi had completed the first task assigned by his master, albeit in an unconventional way, and felt proud of himself. He approached his master, seeking encouragement.

Wei Xi cherished his two disciples more than anything. Seeing Unity Yizhi staring at him like a puppy, he recalled how his senior disciple nearly got hit by the helmet thrown by those immoral fellows. Filled with both concern and relief, he reached out to pat the young man's head.

Just as his hand touched Unity Yizhi's hair, his second disciple slowly approached, watching him silently.

Wei Xi asked, "What's the matter?"

The second disciple opened his mouth, seemingly finding it hard to speak. His gaze fell on the fingers entwined in Unity's hair, and after a long moment, he managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth, "My legs hurt."