Chapter 112: Survival Lies in Extinguishing the Lamp; Success Lies in Lighting It

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Many people in the village knew that something had happened in my family, but none of them knew the details. They all guessed that my elder brother had gotten into a minor dispute with my grandfather, and that my grandfather had beaten him until he collapsed and could not get back up. It was not that the villagers lacked imagination. The truth was that no one could possibly have imagined that my grandfather was the one who had killed my father.

After Chen Dongfang and Li Qing left, it was no longer convenient for our family to stay at the village committee office. Doing so would only invite more gossip. Since Chen Dongfang had said that my grandfather was already gone, there was no need to worry about having to face him for the moment, so he suggested that we return home first.

My mother naturally had no objections, but my elder brother insisted on returning to Sanlitun. He did not want to stay at home. I had to admire his physical condition—he had been lying on the ground only a short while ago, yet now he was already able to stand. We did not force him, after all. Ever since returning to the village, my elder brother had not wanted to live at home.

What comforted me most was Han Xue. Although everyone else could tell that something had happened to my family, she did not ask a single question. Perhaps, in her heart, she believed that I would tell her whatever I could.

Once we reached home, I settled my mother in and asked Han Xue to look after my elder brother, whose emotions were still unstable. Then I went out alone, intending to meet the eldest daughter Chen Dongfang had mentioned.

Technically speaking, she was also an online friend I had known for many years. Although we had met only once, I felt an inexplicable familiarity with her. I called Chen Dongfang and told him that I could meet her immediately.

“Fine,” he agreed. “I’ll have Li Qing come pick you up. I’m staying at the county guesthouse.”

While waiting for Li Qing to drive over, I suddenly realized that going alone was not a good idea. The recent events had left me feeling deeply insecure, so I called Fatty and asked him to come with me. There was also something I wanted to ask him.

“What’s gotten into you?” Fatty said. “Little Thief King, do you have any conscience? You just kissed Miss Han, and now you’re off to meet another young woman? I, Fatty, despise people like you!”

Fatty truly did possess both a broad mind and a broad body. No matter the circumstances, he could always make a joke without the slightest effort.

“Chen Dongfang said she wanted to see me. Stop talking nonsense. I’m in no mood to joke around with you. I’m at the village entrance. Come if you want.”

With that, I hung up.

Before long, Fatty came running over, covered in dust. The moment he saw me, he said, “Well, look at you. Your temper has grown, hasn’t it? You actually dared to hang up on me. What, did a few words from Chen Dongfang buy you over?”

“At a time like this, can we please speak seriously? What do you mean, buy me over?” I glared at him.

Fatty raised both hands. “All right, all right. I know you’re in a bad mood, so I won’t hold it against you.”

I ignored his teasing and asked, “Fatty, what do you make of what Chen Dongfang told us?”

He shrugged. “Same as I said before: listen to half of it and throw away the other half. In the story he told, he painted himself as some flawless saint, while Tang Renjie was reduced to nothing more than a coward who clung to life. Something doesn’t add up.

“Think about it. Chen Jinzhi, the founding ancestor of the Chen family, made his moves here, slaughtered the entire Ye family, and later erected the Dragon Head Stele. That means he understood the affairs of this place extremely well. After Chen Jinzhi, the later patriarchs of the Ye family not only died, but their bodies disappeared without a trace.

“If you tell me the Chen family was not waiting for something, I would never believe you. Chen Dongfang must have his own motives as well. He is simply an absolute hypocrite who hides them very deeply.

“Think about another thing. Judging from his performance in the expedition back then, Chen Dongfang was unquestionably better than Tang Renjie. Yet before your father died, why did he hand the object to Tang Renjie instead of Chen Dongfang? That alone tells us a great deal.

“I know you probably think I have a grudge against him. Don’t worry. I do have my opinions, but I’m perfectly rational. They will never affect my judgment.”

I looked at Fatty. He was a man of two conflicting extremes. On the one hand, he was careless and easygoing; on the other, there were times when his mind was extraordinarily sharp.

Chen Dongfang’s story had sounded almost flawless to me. Yet Fatty, who knew almost as little as I did, had managed to uncover so many problems in it. What was more, his analysis sounded entirely reasonable.

Chen Dongfang had spent several hours telling that story, while Fatty had managed to pick out its flaws from such a long narrative. That was no ordinary ability.

I gave Fatty a thumbs-up and laughed. “Fatty, setting everything else aside, I’m impressed by your talent for finding faults where none seem to exist!”

Fatty burst out laughing. “That flattery feels wonderful coming from you.”

“All right. I have one last question, and you must answer honestly.” I looked at him.

“Ask away.”

“What exactly did the yellow weasels whisper to you? What was that one sentence worth that you spared their lives?”

I knew Fatty would not reveal it easily. Sure enough, the moment I asked, he immediately put on a furtive expression.

I grabbed him by the arm. “Tell me honestly, Fatty. Have you forgotten how the two of us survived all the way here together?”

“All right, I’ll tell you the truth. But, Yezi, you must not tell anyone—not even your elder brother. First, swear it to me.”

“I swear that if I tell anyone else…” I raised my hand, but before I could finish, Fatty stopped me.

“Live in extinguishing the lamp; succeed in lighting it.”

He leaned close to my ear and whispered those words.

After hearing them, I stared at him in confusion. “What does that mean?”

Fatty pointed at my left shoulder. “Don’t forget the lamp you extinguished, or what Lord Guan said about the ghostly aura in your destiny chart.”

His words made me understand somewhat. I asked, “Are you saying that the yellow weasel meant I survived because that lamp was extinguished? But what does ‘succeed in lighting it’ mean?”

Fatty frowned. “I’m not entirely sure myself. But certain things in your body, including aspects of your fate, were concealed when that soul lamp went out.

“Actually, many things are not difficult to figure out now, especially considering what your grandfather said today. If your father had not died, you would not have survived. So our earlier conclusion—that your father died because of you—was correct.

“From the looks of it, your grandfather made a pact with your father, exchanging your father’s life for yours. And the method he used to preserve you may have been to extinguish one of your soul lamps.”

“I still don’t understand,” I said.

“Those who cultivate the Way will eventually undergo a heavenly tribulation once they reach a certain level. If they survive it, they can ascend to Heaven and take their place among the immortals. But heavenly tribulation is certainly not easy to overcome. Those who fail are reduced to dust and annihilated.

“Some cultivators do not wish to ascend. They want to remain in the mortal world and enjoy the privileges of immortals. So they use special methods to conceal the aura around them and deceive Heaven.

“I suspect that extinguishing your soul lamp was one such method. Given the heritage of the Ghost Path, it is not strange that they would know such a secret art. So your grandfather probably extinguished your soul lamp to preserve you.

“But once the soul lamp is lit again, the extraordinary aspects of your being will reveal themselves. That is what it means to succeed in lighting it.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Light it for me!” I said. “Once it’s lit, I’ll become a great hero. What problem could I possibly fail to solve?”

Fatty rolled his eyes at me. “I once considered helping you light it, but now I wouldn’t dare, even if you begged me to. What if the moment it’s lit, heavenly tribulation descends? Forget nine bolts of thunder—one would be enough to reduce you to ashes.

“Your body is still too weak. Once everything here has been settled, I’ll take you to see my master. With his abilities, he will certainly be able to see through whatever trick your grandfather played on you.”

“Didn’t you say your master wanders the world and that even you can’t find him?” I asked with a smile.

“Then we’ll wander the world looking for him too,” Fatty said awkwardly.

Just then, Li Qing’s car pulled up beside us. He seemed surprised to see that I was with Fatty.

“There have been too many things happening lately,” I told him. “I don’t feel safe alone, so having Fatty with me gives me some confidence.”

That was merely an excuse. Unexpectedly, Li Qing’s expression immediately turned ugly. I knew he must have thought that I did not trust him.

I opened the car door and got in. “How are your injuries?”

“I’m fine. I know my limits,” Li Qing replied.

Things had already been awkward between Li Qing and me, and my earlier remark only made the atmosphere stranger. We said nothing throughout the journey.

By the time we arrived at the county guesthouse, Chen Dongfang was already waiting for us in the lobby.

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