Chapter 49: The Qingyun Ring
Upon hearing his words, Su Yun became even more convinced that the young man before him was a master, while the elderly man was likely just a decoy to avoid drawing attention.
He truly had no other choice. Even though he didn’t believe a young man could know much, he was at the end of his rope. If his streak of bad luck continued, death might be the only way out.
"Young Master Mu, your foresight is impeccable." Su Yun knew he was being reckless and that his actions might bring danger to others.
If it weren’t for his financial troubles, Mu Lichuan would have kicked this man out immediately. Yet, a voice inside him urged him to obtain the hidden item the man carried.
Mu Xiaoran frowned, filled with unease. They were in no position to handle something as ominous as a "cursed object." If it carried any malevolent energy, it might cost them their lives.
"Hand it over." Mu Lichuan extended his hand and spoke slowly while Su Yun stood there nervously.
Su Yun let out a sigh of relief. As long as he could rid himself of this hot potato, losing a villa was nothing.
[烫手山芋 (tàng shǒu shān yù): lit. a hot potato; fig. a troublesome or burdensome matter)
"Let’s be clear, aside from the villa, this cursed object now belongs to me," Mu Lichuan stated upfront, leaving money out of the discussion for now.
"Of course, of course. As long as this thing doesn’t return to me, I’ll give Young Master Mu an extra three million," Su Yun replied awkwardly. His finances were tight.
He had tried to discard this ring countless times, even entrusting it to a master for suppression, yet it always found its way back to him. The relentless recurrence filled him with terror.
Mu Lichuan gave him a faintly mocking look. "You may leave." He had no intention of saying more.
"Thank you, Master! Thank you!" Su Yun didn’t dare linger, fearing the master might change his mind and return the ring, leaving him with no recourse.
"Lichuan, the evil aura from this ring is terrifying," Mu Xiaoran said, not daring to touch it. Without any spiritual power, he was no different from an ordinary old man, save for his discernment.
Mu Lichuan was surprised. "Grandfather, you can sense the evil aura?" Though the ring felt icy in his hand and he sensed something clinging to him, he felt no physical discomfort.
He examined the ring closely. Its material was unidentifiable, its design simple - just a plain band engraved with patterns resembling indecipherable script.
"You… can’t feel it?" Mu Xiaoran asked in shock. "Lichuan, I dare not touch this thing. If I do, I might die instantly. That man wasn’t old, but judging by his appearance, this ring was draining his vitality. Lichuan, get rid of it now!" His tone turned grave.
Though the current state of the Mu family was uncertain, if anything happened to Lichuan, their lineage would truly end.
"Grandfather, look." Mu Lichuan sighed as the ring slid onto his middle finger, resizing itself to fit perfectly.
"This…" Mu Xiaoran was baffled. He hadn’t even seen his grandson put it on, how had this evil object chosen him?
Mu Lichuan clearly sensed a surge of malevolent energy from the ring. "Grandfather, I need to rest. Don’t disturb me," he said quickly, realizing his recklessness. Why had the ring switched owners so abruptly?
"The Qingyun Ring?" Xiao Mo, who had been dormant, suddenly awoke. His voice was filled with shock as he saw the ring on Mu Lichuan’s hand.
[青雲 (Qīngyún): Azure Clouds, symbolizing lofty ambitions, immortality, or the heavens)
"You recognize it?" Mu Lichuan’s unease settled slightly.
After a pause, Xiao Mo said, "This is a spatial ring fought over in the divine realm. No one knows what’s inside, but…"
"It doesn’t quite match. The evil aura clinging to it is overwhelming. Purifying it would require an extremely pure soul force."
Mu Lichuan found his words unhelpful. "Solution."
Xiao Mo replied slowly, "Expel it with your willpower." He could possess the boy’s body precisely because of his pure soul force, which was a rarity even in ancient times. But given his current physical limitations, he couldn’t handle spiritual cultivation yet.
Mu Lichuan focused inward. In his consciousness, he saw red tendrils of energy encroaching, repelled by milky-white wisps.
Though he knew nothing of cultivation or soul control, he guided the red energy outward. Yet it grew denser, coiling around him.
A dull pain spread, but it was bearable. He focused his inner power and expelled the red energy.
"Container!" Xiao Mo suddenly shouted. Mu Lichuan’s eyes snapped open as his hands formed intricate seals, trapping the red energy in a transparent glass jar with a talisman-laden lid.
The action felt instinctive, though he had no memory of learning it.
He stored the jar in his spiritual sea, then examined the Qingyun Ring. Despite being cleansed, it seemed unremarkable.
"You haven’t even touched the threshold of cultivation. Don’t expect to unlock the Qingyun Ring," Xiao Mo said flatly. "I’ll return to dormancy. Study the books in your space, they’ll aid your worldly trials."
Exhausted, Mu Lichuan lay down and slept, relieved to have resolved the crisis.
The next morning, he felt refreshed. Mu Xiaoran was equally surprised but relieved his grandson was unharmed.
Su Yun arrived early, relieved to find the ring hadn’t returned - proof of Master Mu’s prowess. Keeping his promise was wise, offending such "master" never ended well.
"It’s settled. Proceed with the transfer," Mu Lichuan said coolly. The "haunted villa’s" secrets would require a nighttime visit.
When the deed was in hand, Mu Lichuan marveled at how easily he’d acquired a villa and three million. But he knew such dealings were best avoided - karma was no joke. The Qingyun Ring was sheer luck.
"Grandfather, what do you think? The villa’s decent, but the layout’s off, and the trees are too dense," he remarked.
Mu Xiaoran surveyed the surroundings. "Lichuan, this place isn’t just haunted. Su Yun hid something from us." A seasoned judge of character, he pegged Su Yun as a shrewd but not irredeemable merchant.
"Right. I only fixed the ring. His karma is his to bear," Mu Lichuan said, smiling. He wasn’t kind enough to clean up after deliberate deceit.
In his past life, he’d dismissed the supernatural until Mu Xiaolin killed him, his soul was refined, and he was reborn at fifteen. Now, with yin-yang eyes, he straddled both worlds. Even his birthdate was a blur to his family.
Mu Xiaoran hesitated, then said firmly, "Lichuan, pursue your path without restraint. I won’t stand in your way." His own cultivation was lost, but he wouldn’t hinder his grandson’s future.
"Thank you, Grandfather."
Night fell swiftly. Armed with talismans and his grandfather’s "spirit sword," Mu Lichuan ventured to the villa.
True to rumors, the air was thick with a chilling, bloodied aura. His studies suggested no ghosts, but something else lurked within.
Moonlight vanished at the villa’s gates, replaced by a murky haze. The trees, denser than by day, seemed to shift.
His soul-enhanced vision pierced the dark. The leaves, green by day, now glowed blood-red. The trunks themselves moved.
A talisman flew from his hand with a sharp whistle. Crackling energy repelled an attacking tree.
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