Yin and Yang - Chapter 3

When Shen Qingwei arrived, three men and two women were already inside the house, all in their early twenties. One held a feng shui compass, another stood with his back to Shen Qingwei, glancing around, and a slightly older woman stood in the center of the room, looking up. Her young apprentice asked, “Immortal Master, is there a problem here?”

Immortal Master Luo, Luo Ying, was a feng shui expert. At twenty-two, she had mastered the Three Points of Feng Shui Diagnosis, possessed considerable experience, and had earned a modest reputation in the field. Now, Luo Ying looked up and asked, “Do you see anything?”

Her apprentice followed her gaze to the white ceiling, where a crystal chandelier hung brightly. He saw nothing amiss, utterly baffled. He shook his head. “No, I don’t.”

“What have I taught you?” Luo Ying snapped, her temper flaring. “Three Points, Three Points! The most crucial is the ceiling beam!”

“Mirrors on the ceiling are a grave taboo!”

Only then did the apprentice notice two mirrors embedded around the crystal chandelier, one on each side, facing each other. He frowned, realizing he had been too dazzled by the chandelier’s brilliance to notice them earlier.

Luo Ying snorted coldly and summoned the homeowner. “Mr. Zhao, has anyone tampered with this house?”

Mr. Zhao hurried over to her. “Several feng shui masters have visited,” he said. “I honestly don’t know if anything’s been moved.”

Shen Qingwei glanced sideways at Mr. Zhao. He was wearing a light gray shirt, faded jeans, and brown leather shoes. Average height with a buzz cut, his face looked honest and earnest. Luo Ying asked, “Do you know who installed the mirror above?”

Mr. Zhao nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! I even held the ladder for the master when he put it up. But he left the very next day.”

“Master?” Luo Ying sneered. “What was his name?”

Mr. Zhao paused, thinking hard. “It was Wu—” He couldn’t recall. “I have his WeChat!”

He pulled out his phone and scrolled for several minutes before muttering, “That’s odd.”

“Stop looking,” Luo Ying said. “He’s no master at all!”

Mr. Zhao asked, “Why do you say that?”

“Go look at the threshold,” Luo Ying replied. The group immediately moved toward the doorway. As two men passed Shen Qingwei, they turned to stare at her. One of them stopped and greeted her, “Hello! Are you a feng shui master too?”

Shen Qingwei smiled warmly, her expression gentle. “Yes, I am. What are you all talking about? Who’s that man?”

“Immortal Master Luo!” the man whispered. “You don’t know Immortal Master Luo?”

Standing nearby, Immortal Master Luo’s expression darkened slightly. She glanced disdainfully at Shen Qingwei, whose sleeveless top and ultra-short skirt screamed “low-class.” She scoffed coldly, “It’s not surprising she doesn’t know me. My reputation hasn’t sunk so low that every Tom, Dick, and Harry has heard of me.”

Shen Qingwei nodded slightly and asked the man, “What are you all looking at?”

“The threshold,” he replied. “It’s broken.”

Luo Ying chimed in, “That’s right. The threshold is broken, the entrance blocks the wind, and the ceiling has mirrors.”

Her disciple clapped his hands together. “A Yin Dwelling!”

Houses are divided into Yin Dwellings and Yang Dwellings. This house originally had excellent feng shui, but thanks to this master’s meddling, it had become a true Yin Dwelling. Yin Dwellings attract evil spirits and nurture yin energy. Even ordinary ghosts can absorb this energy and transform into Malevolent Spirits, let alone those that were already Malevolent Spirits to begin with. The streamers who came here for thrills were practically offering themselves up as sacrifices!

This won’t be easy to deal with.

Luo Ying’s face darkened further. She rarely smiled, her expression perpetually stern. Shen Qingwei walked up to her and clapped her hands. “Wow! Immortal Master Luo is so amazing! You’re incredible!”

The flattery rang hollow, and Luo Ying remained unmoved. She loathed women who dressed provocatively and flaunted themselves. Shen Qingwei seemed to be deliberately pressing all her buttons, making it unbearable to even glance at her.

In contrast, her disciple was quite taken with Shen Qingwei. When Luo Ying didn’t respond, he eagerly chimed in, “Of course my master is amazing! Did you come alone? Do you have a master? Which Heavenly Master Sect do you belong to?”

He practically wanted to ask for Shen Qingwei’s birthdate in a single breath. Shen Qingwei smiled sweetly. “A master? No, I’m self-taught, actually.”

Her voice was sweet and cheerful, and her smile was utterly charming. The men present couldn’t help but glance at her out of the corner of their eyes. Luo Ying sneered inwardly. A vixen. What Heavenly Master Sect would ever take in such a creature? She’s just a self-taught charlatan, trying to fool people. This Haunted House case in Qingping City has drawn a lot of attention, and these self-taught types are all trying to solve it to boost their reputations. But they all ran away terrified after one visit. This one will probably be no different.

Luo Ying’s disciple nodded slightly. “Oh, self-taught? That’s fine, that’s fine. I’m Hu Shengsheng. What’s your name?”

Shen Qingwei smiled sweetly. “I’m Shen Qingwei.”

“What a lovely name.” Hu Shengsheng was about to continue when Luo Ying coughed coldly. He held his breath, smiled at Shen Qingwei, and winked. Shen Qingwei’s phoenix eyes curved upward as she met his gaze, returning a flirtatious wink of her own.

Hu Shengsheng instantly felt flushed. He tugged at his collar, his face and ears burning crimson.

Luo Ying observed their subtle exchange, flicked her sleeve, and turned her back to Hu Shengsheng.

The girl holding the compass asked curiously, “Has anyone from the Yin-Yang Sect arrived yet?”

Her question caused a stir among the group. The Yin-Yang Sect was renowned throughout the feng shui world, not only for their Sect Master’s profound cultivation but also for their rigorous selection process. They only accepted disciples with either supremely yin or supremely yang constitutions—a selection so rare it shrouded the sect in mystery. Moreover, they rarely left their secluded mountain, only intervening when even the Heavenly Master Sect couldn’t resolve a situation.

Such as this haunted house.

Hu Shengsheng replied, “Yes, time is almost up. Why haven’t they arrived yet?”

“Do you think Sect Master He will come himself this time?”

“Sect Master He hasn’t appeared in public for years. It’s probably his junior brother who will come instead.”

They turned to Luo Ying. “Immortal Master Luo, have you heard any news?”

As the eldest and most experienced among them, and the only one who had met both Sect Masters, Luo Ying drew their curious gazes. She replied, “I haven’t heard any news either. But Sect Master He hasn’t appeared in public for many years. I did hear that both his disciples have completed their training and left the sect.”

“It can’t be a disciple,” the girl holding the compass said. “Even Immortal Master Luo can’t handle this haunted house temporarily. Sect Master He himself will have to come to subdue it.”

Her words were a thinly veiled insult. Luo Ying felt a surge of suppressed anger. While she excelled at feng shui divination, she was no expert in exorcism. She wouldn’t have come if her junior brother hadn’t been unavailable and no one else in their sect could handle the situation.

Now, she could only hope that Sect Master He or his junior brother would arrive. If Sect Master He’s disciples solved the problem, where would she put her old face?

Her expression darkened as she turned away. Shen Qingwei whispered, “What’s the Yin-Yang Sect?”

Pfft… Someone let out a stifled laugh. The living room fell silent for a moment, even Luo Ying was amused despite her anger. This half-baked novice should at least do some research! Acting like a clueless damsel in distress is just ridiculous!

She couldn’t stand looking at Shen Qingwei for another minute, but Hu Shengsheng patiently explained, “The Yin-Yang Sect is the most powerful sect within the Heavenly Master Sect.”

It wasn’t that he particularly wanted to explain, but Shen Qingwei was just too captivating. Even the way she tilted her head to ask questions made his heart itch. She seemed mature in some ways, yet her words and actions carried a childlike innocence. And despite her apparent naivety, her figure and appearance were undeniably those of a seductress.

How can such pure innocence and bewitching allure blend so perfectly? It’s truly miraculous!

Hearing the explanation, Shen Qingwei suddenly understood. “So, is this even more powerful than Immortal Master Luo?”

Luo Ying, her back turned, remained silent.

Don’t get angry, don’t get angry. Arguing with an idiot is just torturing yourself.

When Luo Ying didn’t reply, Shen Qingwei nodded. “I see. It must be even more powerful than Immortal Master Luo.”

Luo Ying’s shoulders trembled slightly as she clenched her fists, desperately trying to control her emotions. Hu Shengsheng awkwardly explained, “The Yin-Yang Sect is different from my master. My master specializes in feng shui.”

“Oh,” Shen Qingwei replied. Then she remembered, “Oh right, I saw someone downstairs wearing a Tai Chi Daoist robe. Could that be Sect Master He you mentioned?”

The moment she finished speaking, the others turned to look at her. Hu Shengsheng asked, “What did he look like?”

“What did he look like?” Shen Qingwei pondered. “He had graying hair, a fierce expression, and a long scar on his left cheek.”

Luo Ying’s eyes lit up as she turned around. Shen Qingwei continued, “He also had a white jade pendant hanging from his waist.”

The others looked at Luo Ying. “Immortal Master Luo, could that be Sect Master He?”

Luo Ying nodded. “Most likely.”

“Then why isn’t he coming up?” the girl holding the compass asked curiously. “Won’t he come up to take a look?”

“Yeah, isn’t he coming up?” the others echoed, their curiosity piqued. Hu Shengsheng turned to Shen Qingwei. “Did Sect Master He say anything else?”

“Yes,” Shen Qingwei replied with a firm nod. “He said the one upstairs is a Malevolent Spirit, particularly vicious. Especially after midnight, even he can’t subdue it.”

Her words sent a wave of unease through the group. The younger members paled, and even Hu Shengsheng looked stunned. They had dared to enter only because they knew the Yin-Yang Sect was coming. Now that even Sect Master He admitted he couldn’t subdue the spirit, what chance did they have staying here?

Certain doom!

The group immediately envisioned their grim fate. Luo Ying asked, “Did he really say that?”

“Yes,” Shen Qingwei confirmed. “He even told me not to come up. When I insisted, he gave me this protective talisman.”

A yellow talisman floated into view. Luo Ying’s expression darkened instantly. Seeing her reaction, the others knew Shen Qingwei’s words were true. They began to backpedal. “Maybe we should leave too?”

“Yes, Immortal Master Luo, let’s leave as well?”

Seeing them about to leave, the homeowner frantically blocked their path. “Esteemed masters, please don’t go! If you leave, what will become of my home? I beg you, please help me!”

In a life-or-death situation, who would care about him? Luo Ying said, “Mr. Zhang, please don’t panic. Let’s return for now. Tomorrow, buy a few items to rearrange your home. Once the house is properly ventilated, we can discuss further plans.”

“Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking too,” the homeowner agreed eagerly.

Just moments ago, they had all been fearless, but now they were like mice scurrying to escape. The homeowner had no choice but to nod. “Alright, Immortal Master Luo, I’ll do as you say tomorrow.”

Luo Ying nodded and instructed Hu Shengsheng to pack up. The living room was in chaos as everyone busied themselves preparing to leave. Only Shen Qingwei strolled around leisurely. As the group finished packing and prepared to depart, Hu Shengsheng asked, “Miss Shen, aren’t you coming?”

“Not at all,” Shen Qingwei replied with a sweet smile. “I’m not leaving. I’m going to subdue this ghost!”

Hu Shengsheng couldn’t bear to see such a beautiful woman meet her end here. “Please, Miss Shen, come with us,” he urged. “This ghost is so fierce that even Sect Master He couldn’t handle it!”

The man beside him chimed in, “Yes, let’s go back first and plan our next move.”

Even the homeowner, who had just been begging Luo Ying to stay, looked at Shen Qingwei with pity. “Miss Shen, why don’t you come back with us?”

“No,” Shen Qingwei said stubbornly. “I’m going to subdue this ghost! I want to make a name for myself!”

“Foolish!” Luo Ying finally snapped, unable to contain her anger. “Idiot!”

She declared, “Stay if you want, but we’re leaving!”

Hu Shengsheng glanced back at Shen Qingwei, his eyes lingering on her. Their gazes met, and Shen Qingwei suddenly called out, “Mr. Hu.”

“Yes!” Hu Shengsheng, thinking she had changed her mind, quickly asked, “Are you coming back with us?”

“No, I wanted to ask you for a favor.” Shen Qingwei tilted her head, her smile sweet. The others stopped walking and turned to look at her. Hu Shengsheng asked, “What kind of favor?”

“I’d like you to help me take a photo with everyone.”

“A group photo?” Hu Shengsheng asked.

“Not exactly,” Shen Qingwei smiled. “I just want to take a death photo with everyone.”

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