Chapter 357

Chapter 357

◎Postmortem Staining◎

Others couldn’t smell the scent on Luo Xin, so they naturally wouldn’t notice the change in him. Ji Nanxing frowned as he looked at him: "Where were you just now?"

Luo Xin let out a confused "Ah?" and didn’t quite understand the meaning behind the question: "I went to look for Ding Ran. He’s in the He family’s booth. I just went around greeting people, but since I haven’t interacted much with Ding Ran before, suddenly inviting him over would’ve been strange. So I came back to tell you first—he’s in the Six Begonia booth downstairs."

The booths here were named after flowers. The meaning of Six Begonia flowers symbolized joy and the anticipation of reunion—a flower that bloomed beautifully and grandly. The doors of the rooms were carved with the corresponding floral patterns for distinction.

Luo Xin’s booth was Lily of the Valley, so the door was engraved with a lifelike, snow-white lily of the valley.

The flower names didn’t signify hierarchy, but the floors did. Each level represented a different social circle, and the higher you went, the more exclusive it became.

The He family Luo Xin mentioned was in the clothing business. In earlier years, they had capitalized on the economic boom and made their fortune in the garment industry. However, burdened by their family-operated business structure, they failed to establish themselves in either high-end original designs or mass-market affordability. Unable to compete in either the luxury or budget markets, they had to shift focus toward exports.

But exports weren’t a guaranteed lifeline. Given the scale of the He family’s clothing business, a few random foreign trade deals wouldn’t be enough to save them.

In short, the He family was clearly in decline and had begun desperately seeking ways to turn things around, expanding their network in hopes of finding some opportunity.

Luo Xin: "It looked like He Zhong was begging Ding Ran for something—probably trying to get him to invest. Young Master Xiao, should I take you directly to Ding Ran, or find an excuse to introduce you to He Zhong’s gathering?"

The He family had been in decline for years, especially after missing the early wave of the internet boom during the rise of the information age. When livestream sales later became popular, they dismissed the model as beneath their brand positioning. As a result, they were left behind by the times.

Given the He family’s current connections, they couldn’t possibly mingle in circles where the Xiao or Ji families were present. Even though Xiao Ye and Ji Nanxing were just students, they still belonged to a social circle far beyond the He family’s reach.

Xiao Ye glanced at Ji Nanxing, who nodded: "Let’s go down and take a look."

Luo Xin didn’t know why they were looking for Ding Ran, but he understood that some questions were better left unasked. As long as he took good care of the two, fulfilled their needs, and avoided offending them, he could build this connection. Who knew? It might come in handy someday.

He Zhong’s booth was much noisier than the one upstairs, and the crowd was far more chaotic. Some were openly kissing and groping, others sprawled on sofas smoking hookahs. The night’s main event hadn’t even started, yet some were already wasted. Near the sliding doors that overlooked the grand stage downstairs, a few relatively sober individuals sat chatting.

Luo Xin walked over and slung an arm around He Zhong: "Bro, let me introduce you to some friends. This is Young Master Xiao, and this is the fourth young master of the Ji family. I had to go through considerable effort to bring them here. Weren’t you looking for investors? Young Master Ji has some discretionary funds and is thinking about where to put them."

He Zhong’s eyes lit up, and he hurried over to shake hands. Xiao Ye intercepted the hand reaching for Ji Nanxing and gripped it instead: "Mr. He, right? I’ve heard so much about you."

He Zhong hurriedly replied: "Oh, no need for ‘Mr.’—just call me Xiao He, Young Master Xiao."

Ji Nanxing’s gaze immediately landed on the young man sitting in the far corner. Dressed in a black shirt and black trousers, his skin stood out as unnaturally pale—not the kind of fair complexion that came from genetics, but rather a bloodless, ghostly pallor.

While the rest of the crowd scrambled to cozy up to Xiao Ye, the young man didn’t even lift his head, focused on his phone. Unlike the others, who clung to one or two pretty young men or women, he sat alone, his quiet demeanor starkly out of place.

But what caught Ji Nanxing’s attention wasn’t his silence—it was the dark mist swirling around him, identical to the one that had surrounded Su Zhe.

However, Su Zhe had only been entangled by a few wisps—those were Gu worms, not some kind of aura. In other words, the haze around Ding Ran wasn’t smoke—it was a dense swarm of tiny insects, so small and constantly moving that they resembled drifting mist.

Ji Nanxing took half a step back, gooseflesh prickling his skin. He wasn’t afraid of bugs, but that didn’t mean he liked them—especially not in such numbers that they could envelop a person like smoke.

The moment he retreated, Xiao Ye immediately turned to him: "What’s wrong? Is the smoke here too strong? It’s getting late—should we head back?"

The one sitting in the corner was Ding Ran. Xiao Ye had spotted him the moment they entered. Today, Ji Nanxing had only wanted to observe Ding Ran and confirm whether there was anything unusual about him. Now that they had seen him, they probably had their answer. So Xiao Ye’s question was testing the waters—did they want to deal with it here and now, or leave first and discuss later?

Ji Nanxing, of course, chose to leave: "Let’s go back."

Xiao Ye glanced at Luo Xin, then waved at the others: "It’s getting late—we’ll head out first. We’ll chat more next time."

They hadn’t even exchanged more than a few words. He Zhong wanted to keep them longer, to properly ingratiate himself through business or social connections. He needed a chance to entertain them and build rapport. So he tried to persuade them to stay.

Luo Xin leaned in and whispered to him: "There’ll be other chances. This place is too chaotic. Next time, I’ll arrange a meeting in a quieter spot," he added quietly.

He Zhong looked at Luo Xin gratefully: "Thanks, Brother Luo."

Just as the crowd was escorting Xiao Ye’s group out, Ji Nanxing suddenly grabbed Xiao Ye and shoved him aside, then stomped hard on the ground.

The moment his foot hit the floor, a burst of flames shot up, twisting like a living snake.

The sudden eruption threw everyone into panic, screaming in alarm. Thinking it was a fire, they instinctively snatched sofa cushions or tablecloths to smother the flames.

Ji Nanxing pressed two fingers together and slashed through the air. A talisman flew out, bursting into flames upon impact with the ground.

Xiao Ye rushed over: "Naonao!"

Ji Nanxing: "Get everyone out!"

Brother Mo, used to helping the young master handle situations like this, reacted swiftly, grabbing people and pushing them out the door. Xiao Ye joined in clearing the room, while Luo Xin and He Zhong, still dazed, were shoved out before they could react.

Xiao Ye stayed behind, blocking the door. He called the authorities to send backup, kept an eye on Ji Nanxing and Ding Ran's confrontation, and clutched a stack of talismans ready to hand them over when needed.

Ding Ran, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, raised a hand. A wave of dark mist surged forward, extinguishing the talisman flames.

Though the flames didn’t touch him, his face darkened as he coldly eyed Ji Nanxing: "Didn’t expect that. You use talismans—so you're a Taoist? So such Taoists really exist?"

He had assumed Taoists were just scripture-chanting, bell-ringing types, with the slightly skilled ones messing with qigong or sword tricks. He never imagined there were real talismans capable of warding off evil.

Ji Nanxing: "What do you want?"

Ding Ran glanced at Xiao Ye: "I just thought his yang energy was potent and wanted to take a bit for myself. If you’re not willing, forget it. You can leave."

Ji Nanxing laughed: "You think we’ll leave just like that? Who do you think you are?"

The dark mist around Ding Ran gathered again: "Letting you go is mercy. Don’t think flinging talismans around makes you special."

Ji Nanxing: "Was Su Zhe your doing?"

Ding Ran narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning icy: "So it wasn’t a coincidence. You came here for him."

Ji Nanxing: "So it was you. Where did you get these insects?"

Xiao Ye quietly edged toward the door, sticking talismans on himself for protection. Without the second sight, he couldn’t see the insects, but he hoped the talismans would keep them away.

Ding Ran: "Not all talk, huh? You can tell they’re insects. But even so, do you really think you’re a match for me?"

Ji Nanxing didn’t bother arguing further. Grabbing a liquor bottle, he vaulted onto the coffee table and lunged at Ding Ran, swinging the bottle down at his head.

He could throw hands even with ghosts—a living person was no exception.

Ding Ran expected a mystical duel, not a brawl. Instinctively raising his arm to block, the bottle shattered against it with a loud crack.

Ji Nanxing hesitated—the hit didn’t feel right—but didn’t dwell on it. As Ding Ran blocked the bottle, Ji Nanxing lashed out with a kick, knocking Ding Ran flat on his back.

Xiao Ye rushed to help, but Ji Nanxing shouted: "Stay back! He’s crawling with bugs—you can’t handle them."

Xiao Ye gave a quick nod and fell back to guard the door.

Ding Ran rolled aside to dodge Ji Nanxing’s next strike, then sprang up. He realized this opponent was skilled, while the one with strong yang energy was just an ordinary person. Better to pick off the weak one first.

Realizing his intent, Ji Nanxing kicked up a chair and hurled it midair, intercepting Ding Ran mid-lunge toward Xiao Ye. His hands flew through seal formations as talismans shot forth one after another, interweaving densely to create an expansive circular formation.

Ding Ran turned to glare at Ji Nanxing: "Stay out of this."

Ji Nanxing: "Sorry, but I just love meddling."

Ding Ran's eyes filled with Dark Mist, and Ji Nanxing flinched again. He knew the Dark Mist surrounding Ding Ran was actually insects—his eyes being like this meant his entire body must be infested too. Even those who bred insects inside themselves had never shown anything like this.

Not even among the most twisted occultists.

As Ding Ran’s eyes turned black, his body seemed to transform. Every strike Ji Nanxing landed felt like hitting a solid steel barrier.

No matter how skilled he was, Ji Nanxing was still flesh and blood—throwing punches at solid steel would be suicide. So when Ding Ran closed in for the kill, Ji Nanxing began dodging.

Outside the talisman formation, Xiao Ye grew anxious. Seeing Ji Nanxing constantly retreating, he feared he was losing. He could handle ordinary fights, but these insects were beyond him. Charging in recklessly would only get Ji Nanxing killed.

In desperation, he redialed the Bureau. These people always arrived late when needed most—don’t let them show up only after everything was over.

Watching Ji Nanxing retreat, Ding Ran's eyes gleamed with triumph. He had offered them a chance to leave—but they refused. Now, they would all stay.

Just as Ding Ran believed he had the upper hand and chased after Ji Nanxing, his legs suddenly locked up as invisible restraints seized him, leaving him completely immobilized.

Ji Nanxing stopped moving. Amidst the faint chime of bells, the massive formation on the ground gradually revealed itself. Ding Ran was trapped at its center, streams of spiritual energy extending from the talismans, weaving into a colossal net that pinned him firmly to the ground.

Ding Ran thrashed wildly, dark mist surging from his body. But before the mist could spread far, it sputtered and fell like fireflies doused in water. As more died, even Xiao Ye could make out tiny black specks littering the floor.

With a wave of his hand, Ji Nanxing recalled the talismans forming the circular pattern, stacking them neatly in his palm while Ding Ran remained paralyzed.

Ding Ran glared furiously: "Let me go! Release me now!!"

Ignoring his shouts, Ji Nanxing lit a talisman and tossed it down, incinerating waves of the Dark Mist insects with a sharp sizzle.

Since these creatures feared talisman fire, he would burn them away piece by piece. No matter how many there were, their reproduction couldn't keep up with his flames.

With the insect corpses remaining and Ding Ran caught in the act, the evidence was undeniable. Ji Nanxing had planned to purge every last insect before taking Ding Ran away, preventing any interference along the way.

But as more and more Dark Mist insects perished, Ding Ran's condition became increasingly bizarre. When only a faint wisp of the mist clung to him, livid corpse marks surfaced across his face and body, making him look as if he had been dead for days.