Unconventional [Rebirth] - Chapter 52.1

The Wei family’s fortune was so flourishing that, in ancient times, it would have rivaled the surging prestige of a newly crowned top scholar. It seemed the Wei ancestors must have produced someone of immense historical significance. However, such matters were not within Jiang Rui’s current scope of concern.

Jiang Rui intended to use the breaking of this formation as bait to draw out the mastermind behind it. Yet, doing so now was too risky. Not only was he unsure if his current strength could match the mastermind, but the potential connection between Rong Jingitang and this hidden figure left him feeling uneasy.

While this Absolute Death-Fiend Formation appeared incredibly dangerous, it was far simpler than the Spirit-Muddling Formation at the Rong manor. This was likely due to two factors: first, the practitioner lacked time and couldn’t stay at the Wei residence for long; second, this formation appeared several years older than the one at the Rong house.

The world’s murky aura is naturally potent, but the Wei family’s fortune was so vast it exceeded Jiang Rui’s imagination. Over the years, that fortune had physically worn down much of the formation’s momentum.

Seeing Jiang Rui staring silently at the residence with a detached expression, the others felt their hearts leap into their throats. Though Wei Kerang (Wei Five) was usually flippant, the Wei family was united when it came to the Old Master. Seeing Jiang Rui like this, he couldn’t help but ask, “Jiang Rui, is there something wrong with the old house?”

Previously, he had only felt a vague discomfort near the manor. At first, the female members and the elderly in the house had fallen ill and were sent away. However, Old Master Wei was stubborn and refused to move until his illness became so severe he couldn’t be relocated.

Jiang Rui nodded but remained silent, his expression as calm as still water. Just as Madam Wei was about to lose her patience, Jiang Rui glanced at her seemingly by accident, the corner of his mouth curling slightly. Instead of answering Wei Five directly, he asked, “How many men and women are currently in the Wei family?”

This had just occurred to Jiang Rui via a prompt from Miao Xuan. He recalled a similar formation from an ancient jade slip: the practitioner required four men of “Pure Yang” (all-Yang pillars) and four women of “Pure Yin” (all-Yin pillars) to form an Eight-Gate orientation. They had to remain perfectly still during the ritual, or the entire formation would fail.

But how had someone managed to convince Old Master Wei to allow such a malevolent formation to be set up here? Jiang Rui kept a neutral face while his mind raced.

He had to save the Old Master. In his past life, after the Old Master’s death, the Wei family struggled immensely to stabilize the chaotic Jinlin province, suffering a blow to their vitality that took years to recover. If the Old Master recovered in this life, the Wei family would owe Jiang Rui a debt of life—a massive benefit for both him and Xiao Jinnan.

He never considered what would happen if he failed. Failure would not only offend the Wei family but likely result in them hounding him at every turn.

Though confused by the question, Wei Five frowned and answered: “Currently at home, besides us five brothers, there is my eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, fourth sister-in-law, and two family nannies.”

The Wei family retained the old habit of keeping domestic servants. Besides the brothers and their wives, there were only the two nannies who had spent half their lives with the family. Jiang Rui then asked for their Ba Zi (birth dates and times). Fortunately, the Wei family kept traditional records in their genealogy; otherwise, gathering this information would have taken a great deal of time.

Once the details were clear, the rest was simple. People with “Pure Yin” or “Pure Yang” pillars are rare, but this formation only required two such people to act as the “formation eyes.” These two had to be blood-related to the Old Master.

As it turned out, the two individuals were Secretary Wei and his wife. Jiang Rui sighed internally; it was a stroke of luck—finding the key made breaking the formation much easier. Although he was confident, he maintained a troubled expression, speaking in the professional jargon of a “wandering Taoist.”

“Secretary Wei, Madam Wei,” Jiang Rui said, flicking his sleeve and pointing toward the gates. “Does the Wei manor happen to have a peach tree and a willow tree planted in the North and South positions?”

Secretary Wei was stunned and nodded. He couldn’t understand what trees had to do with his father’s illness.

“I must trouble you both to stand beneath those trees for a moment,” Jiang Rui instructed. “Madam Wei under the peach tree, and Secretary Wei under the willow.”

The couple exchanged a hesitant look. Jiang Rui said nothing, and Xiao Jinnan stood silently by. Eventually, Secretary Wei made his decision and led his wife into the manor. Once they were positioned, Jiang Rui smiled and followed.

“Fifth Brother, please take me to the Old Master’s room.”

“It’s upstairs,” Wei Five nodded, leading the way. Jiang Rui motioned for Xiao Jinnan to wait in the hall.

The Old Master’s room was in the dead center of the second floor, exactly where Jiang Rui expected. He noted the layout; even if the Secretary didn’t believe in metaphysics, the elderly often “preferred to believe just in case.” The room was positioned in the Longevity Spot (Yan Nian), an auspicious star location that aids health and protects descendants. It also faced Southeast—the direction of “Auspicious Purple Qi from the East.”

The room was filled with soft yellow light and felt strangely cool despite the summer heat. The furniture was mostly wood, including peach wood crafts. Peach wood wards off evil, which was likely why the formation hadn’t managed to kill the Old Master yet.

Jiang Rui knew he couldn’t let others watch the final expulsion. If the mastermind felt the formation being broken and retaliated, Jiang Rui could protect himself, but he couldn’t guarantee Wei Five’s safety. Understanding this, Wei Five trusted him and retreated to the first floor.

Once alone, Jiang Rui disabled the seven or eight security cameras in the room and consulted Miao Xuan. “Is there anything sinister on the Old Master’s person?”

“He is wearing a Guanyin jade on his chest and a Bodhi ring on his right hand,” Miao Xuan’s voice echoed.

Jiang Rui checked. The Old Master’s body was ice-cold, and his skin took seconds to bounce back when pressed—he was at his limit. Jiang Rui felt the cold, poisonous Yin energy emanating from the two pieces of jade. They were similar to the one Rong Jingtang wore.

His expression darkened. “How do these compare to Rong Jingtang’s jade?”

“Lower quality, but no less poisonous,” Miao Xuan replied.

Jiang Rui pocketed the jade and placed Soul-Settling Talismans on the Old Master’s pressure points: the temples, the philtrum, the chest, and the soles of his feet.

Outside, Madam Wei was growing bored and suspicious. Just as she was about to walk away, the temperature around her plummeted. Despite the sweltering sun outside, she felt as if she had stepped into a frozen lake. The chill lasted only a moment, but to her, it felt like a century. After it passed, she realized Jiang Rui might actually have some skill—but that was the extent of her respect.

Upstairs, Jiang Rui watched as black gas seeped out of the Old Master’s body. The aura of the Absolute Death-Fiend Formation vanished from the house. Jiang Rui was drenched in sweat; he had underestimated the formation’s strength, but he had managed to stabilize the backlash at the last second. He realized he would need to be even more careful when dealing with the Rong family’s formation later.

After feeding the Old Master a Grade 1 Pill he had refined himself, Jiang Rui recovered slightly and headed downstairs.

“Jiang Rui!” Wei Five stood up anxiously. He poured Jiang Rui a cup of tea, which Jiang Rui accepted.

“Little brother… my father…?”

“Old Master Wei is out of danger,” Jiang Rui smiled. “You can bring the Secretary and his wife back in. However, for the next two days, people should stay out of his room. Women, in particular, must not enter.”

Because the Old Master’s Yang energy was currently depleted, the Yin energy of female family members would hinder his recovery. Secretary Wei agreed immediately, now looking at Jiang Rui with newfound reverence.

Having achieved his goal, Jiang Rui left the manor. He walked into a nearby wooded area to change out of his Taoist robes. As he walked, he heard the sounds of a young couple being “intimate” nearby. He sighed, wondering if he was just getting old or if the youth of today were simply too bold.

He stowed his robe—actually a low-grade Dharma treasure from his space—and checked his phone. It was his mother.

“Jiang Rui! Your Uncle Jianlin is back!”

Jiang Jianlin had returned to Qingshi after being released from Jiang Rui’s illusion. He was a changed man, but he had walked in on his wife, Li Xiuzhi, in bed with a local restaurant owner.

A massive family row ensued. Li Xiuzhi, caught red-handed, didn’t even try to deny it. Instead, she demanded a divorce and custody of their son, Jiang Min.

Jiang Rui arrived at his uncle’s house an hour later. The whole family was there. His presence immediately calmed Jiang Jianlin. Meanwhile, Li Xiuzhi was throwing a tantrum, demanding half the assets.

“Divorce is fine!” Li Xiuzhi screamed. “But I want the shop!”

“Fine,” Jiang Jianlin agreed coldly.

“And the house!”

“The house is the Jiang ancestral home,” Jiang Jianlin barked. “It isn’t mine to give. You’ll have to ask my mother and brothers.”

Li Xiuzhi then remembered her son. “And Minmin…”

“Minmin stays with me,” Jiang Jianlin said firmly. He knew his wife was only interested in the boy as a bargaining chip for more money.

Jiang Rui stepped forward. Though he was a child, his aura was so cold it made Li Xiuzhi shiver. “From this day on, the Jiang family has nothing to do with you. Minmin stays with us.”

Terrified by the boy’s gaze, Li Xiuzhi signed the papers, packed her things, and left that same day.

Jiang Jianlin turned to his brothers, his eyes red. “I’ve been a fool. From now on, I will change my ways and be a proper man.”

The ordeal had been short for the family, but for Jianlin, the weeks in the illusion had felt like a lifetime. He was no longer the pushover he once was.

As the family began to disperse, Jiang Jianlin took his son’s hand. “Minmin, let’s go home.”