Chapter 98: Thick Fog, Corpse Poison Rampage

  Shi Jin wiped the knife clean with a handkerchief and quietly returned it to its scabbard. After tidying up his clothes, he strolled over to the well and drew another bucket of water containing the corpse poison. Shi Jin carried the bucket steadily up the stone steps, slowly pushed open the door and entered the house, smiling and greeting everyone as if nothing had happened. However, in secret, Shi Jin locked the door with a latch when he closed it behind him.

  Shi Jin looked at his brothers who were already seated on both sides, and he naturally walked to the first position in the hall. He put the bucket of water beside him, dusted off the armchair with one hand, sat down, and asked Li Bai Cao with a sideways glance: "Bai Cao, when did you realize there was poison in this well?"

  Li Bai Cao was staring at the water brought in by Tong Ti, until he heard Shi Jin ask him a question, then shifted his attention from the bucket and slightly turned around to say: "At first I didn't think of it either, but those who came to see me for illness were getting more and more, everyone said so, so I followed them all the way here. I also drew some water and tested it, oh dear, at that time the silver needle changed even more than now, so I immediately went back and told Chen Da, he ordered to seal this well on his bed."

  "Oh, I see. So..." Shi Jin said as he turned his face to look at the small-headed man sitting below him on the right side, and continued: "Brother, you took the order of the third master and brought your brothers here to guard, it's been hard on all of you."

  That little head hurriedly got up and paid his respects, the two servants standing beside him also hastily followed suit. The little head said: "It's nothing, it's nothing, being able to serve the master is a blessing that we have cultivated."

  Shi Jin listened and smiled, waving his hand to let the three of them return to their seats, and continued to ask: "Brother, how many men did you bring to guard this courtyard? Have you eaten any porridge or rice?"

  That little head took a look at Shi Jin, who was considerate and easy-going, and his heart was delighted. He spoke more freely: "This well is now the most important thing, and this dyeing workshop is not small either. So we've called in thirty brothers to guard it here, responsible for the security of this side. The little ones have also eaten porridge."

  "Oh, oh, that's good. Although our grain and hay are not much, saving a bit will still barely be enough for everyone to eat for another day or two." Shi Jin said, paused for a moment, then turned to ask Li Baicao: "Baicao, when you first came here, were there these yellow paper talismans in this courtyard? Have they been locked up like this?"

  Although Li Bai Cao didn't know what Shi Jin's questions were getting at, he knew that behind Shi Jin's seemingly random and disorderly inquiries, there must be a clear and transparent purpose. So, looking at Shi Jin seriously, he replied: "When I first came here to test the water, there was no yellow paper talisman here, not even the doors were locked, every door and window was open, unlike now."

  "Oh?" Shi Jin exaggeratedly widened his eyes, pretending to be very surprised, and said after a pause: "Wasn't it like this? Then that's strange, brother——" As he spoke, Shi Jin turned his head again and asked the little boss: "When you came, was it already like this? He wasn't like this when he came. So what happened in the time difference between you two at this esteemed Kong's Dye Workshop? Didn't you ask who posted so many yellow talismans when you arrived?"

  The little head hesitated for a moment before speaking with a smile: "At first, when I arrived, I saw the yellow paper talismans all over the courtyard and felt surprised. At that time, there were still some common people fetching water in the courtyard, so I asked them." The little head said, glancing up at Shi Jin, seeing his expression unchanged before continuing: "They told me that a Taoist priest came to this Kongji dyeing workshop, pasted these yellow paper talismans, performed a spell and left. It was just after he left that I arrived here. If I had walked faster, who knows, maybe I would have met that immortal."

  That little head said, fearing Shi Jing wouldn't believe him, so he added: "I heard the common people say that the Taoist priest wore a long green robe with a Daoist bun at the back of his head, holding a feather duster in his hand and carrying a precious sword on his back. In this courtyard, he muttered to himself while pasting yellow paper talismans, and before long, he left by himself."

  Shi Jin nodded and said, "Indeed, he is a superior man. My Huayin County has hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and it can be said that superior men are emerging in large numbers. Unfortunately, now I couldn't find him." Shi Jin sighed, stood up and said, "It's okay if the superior man is gone, but this superior man happens to be someone I know."

  "Oh?" Now it's this little head's turn to be surprised, and this is not Shi Jin's pretence. He was really taken aback by Shi Jin's words. The little head had just been afraid that Shi Jin wouldn't believe him, but unexpectedly Shi Jin actually knew this person. His heart was now filled with mixed emotions, and he stuttered: "I... I know... it's good."

  Li Bai Cao listened and found it quite ridiculous. To outsiders, Huayin County was a mixed bag of good and bad people, but to him, who had lived in Huayin County for generations and had been secretly gathering intelligence for years, he knew best whether there were any superior beings in the county. All that talk about Taoist masters and superior beings was nonsense, just rumors spread by the common folk. But Shi Jin said he recognized someone, so Li Bai Cao leaned forward slightly to listen carefully to what Shi Jin would say next.

  Shi Jin stood up and said: "You didn't mention it, I almost forgot. This immortal has a strange temper, he closes his door all year round and doesn't like to interact with people. So, in this Huayin County, after staying for over a decade, very few people know that there is such a person. His Taoist name is Kuang Chen, his secular name is Bian Zi, and he has a very high level of Taoist cultivation. In the past, when my Shi family's village was haunted by ghosts, it was him who came to subdue them. Afterwards, my father invited him to have a big meal. Because he loved our family's wine so much, he stayed for several days. And...” Shi Jin swept his eyes around the room, seeing that everyone was listening very carefully, especially the little head with three parts happiness on his face, who listened even more entranced.

  Then Shi Jin walked up to the little head and said, "Moreover, during those few days, he also taught me some strange escape techniques. Do you believe it or not?"

  Li Bai Cao looked at Shi Jin with a somewhat serious expression, but he had never heard of any Taoist priests, let alone Shi Jin mentioning that he knew the art of Qimen Dunjia. His face was full of suspicion. But the little head sitting on the other side was different, nodding continuously: "The great master's heroism is well-known, I naturally believe it and believe it wholeheartedly!"

  The horse was photographed beautifully, but what made Shi Jin feel comfortable was not this, but his own calculations in his heart, which had already begun to guide the people in the house who should be hooked to send themselves to their doom...