Baldy's sudden words left me completely dumbfounded. He had barged into my home with four burly men, all armed and brimming with menace—only to tell us that assaulting people was illegal.
Was there no justice left in the world?
"Get lost!" Uncle Huzi bellowed.
The bald man flinched violently, fear flashing in his eyes, then hobbled away with his four badly beaten companions.
"Wait…" Uncle Huzi called after them.
The bald man turned his head, forcing a smile. "Big brother, what else do you need?"
"Take your dirty money with you," Uncle Huzi said, pointing at the bills scattered across the floor.
Baldy hurried to scoop up the cash before fleeing like his life depended on it.
Once they were gone, Uncle Huzi turned to me. "Young master, they didn't hurt you, did they?"
I looked at him with open admiration. "Uncle Huzi, I never knew you could fight like that. How come I've never seen it before?"
He scratched his head with an awkward grin. "Back when I roamed the underworld, these kinds of punks weren't even worthy to shine my shoes. With skills like theirs, they should be ashamed to show their faces."
"Uncle Huzi, you're amazing!" I gave him a big thumbs-up, then asked, "So, what did you do before? And why did you end up working for my master?"
I'd asked him before, suspecting that he had a past far from ordinary. But each time, he'd dodge the question.
This time, I hoped for a straight answer.
Instead, his gaze turned evasive. He waved a hand. "The past isn't worth talking about. If your master hadn't saved my life back then, I'd have been chopped into pieces a long time ago."
The more he brushed it off, the more curious I became. But he changed the subject. "Young master, who sent these people?"
I shook my head, my expression darkening. "No idea. They came because of Li Na—told me to stay out of it, even offered me half a million. Clearly, someone realized I was getting too close."
"When you broke the Annihilation Formation at the grave last night, I checked the area—completely empty except for us. How would they know you were involved?" he asked.
That snapped me to attention.
If no one had seen me, then there was only one possible leak: Liu Peng.
This morning, he had been bragging in the class group chat about helping me dismantle the formation. Someone with ulterior motives must have seen it, leading to today's visit.
And among my classmates, the only one with a direct connection to Li Na was Wang Chaoyang.
Could he have something to do with her death? Was he the one who sent the payoff?
But Li Na had committed suicide. Why would Wang Chaoyang arrange an Annihilation Formation at her grave?
The more I thought about it, the more tangled it became.
Still, I figured I'd get answers soon—because the Flesh Jar was still in my possession. And anyone haunted by the spirits inside it wouldn't last long before coming to reclaim it.
I just didn't expect them to move so quickly.
At around 4 p.m., I received a text from an unknown number: "8 p.m., Baiyun Teahouse, Table 9."
I knew immediately it was from the Flesh Jar's owner.
By 7:30, I was in a cab heading there.
Uncle Huzi wanted to come along, but I refused. In our line of work, there are taboos—especially when both sides are feng shui masters hired by different clients. This was already an unseen battle.
The difference was that I was in the open, while they hid in the shadows.
Baiyun Teahouse was quiet at this hour. I found Table 9 tucked away in an inconspicuous corner.
I ordered a pot of Biluochun tea and drank slowly, scanning the room.
I knew my contact was already here, watching to make sure I'd come alone.
After two cups—barely ten minutes—a strange figure appeared in the hallway.
It was sweltering outside, yet this person wore a black trench coat, baseball cap, sunglasses, and a mask—completely covered.
He moved briskly toward me, but as he neared, I opened my Heavenly Eye.
Instantly, I saw thick, inky-black ghostly energy swirling around him. On his shoulders and legs clung several ghastly spirits—some missing limbs, others reduced to a single head. One, with only half a skull, had an eyeball dangling by a nerve, swinging as it glared at me while devouring the man's life force.
The man stumbled just short of my table, clutching a nearby chair to steady himself before finally collapsing into the seat opposite me.
He pulled out a bank card, pushing it toward me with a strained voice. "This is the payment from my last employer. I didn't touch a cent… it's all yours. Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Who told you to set up the Annihilation Formation at Li Na's grave?" I countered.
"We're in the same circle—you know the rules. We never reveal our clients, no matter what…" He broke off into a violent coughing fit.
I kept my eyes on the half-headed spirit gnawing on his shoulder. It turned its dangling eye toward me again.
"In that case," I said coldly, "we have nothing more to discuss. Goodbye."
I stood and prepared to walk away.