Chapter 83: Zongzi Barbecue
Chapter 83: Zongzi Barbecue
Liam picked up Mr. Ren's empty coffee cup and twirled it as he looked at Coffee Grounds. "Falcon, you will soon encounter a mortal enemy. Staff... an attack. Skull, Mr. Ren, with all due respect, your future is fraught with danger." Finally, Liam gently placed the coffee cup on the table and said to Mr. Ren, "Lastly, the Omen of Misfortune is the Worst Possible Omen, Life and Death in the Blink of an Eye."
Mr. Ren's face turned pale, as he had recently found himself increasingly troubled and his business was declining. This was why he had recalled the words of the Feng Shui Master from twenty years ago, intending to Relocate the Grave of his father to change his fortune. However, these words made him feel uneasy, so he turned to Uncle Kiu. After all, he trusted his old neighbor, Uncle Kiu, more than the outsider, Liam.
Uncle Kiu asked Liam, "Are you certain?"
Liam replied, "Our Sect has a Divination Department, and my teacher is a descendant of the Divination Lineage. He has made prophecies that have influenced the fates of thousands."
Uncle Kiu could tell that every word Liam spoke was true, so he nodded at Mr. Ren.
Mr. Ren, disregarding his pride, asked, "How can this calamity be averted?"
Liam shook his head. "It's still unclear, but Mr. Ren, you will have a Benefactor to help you. However, you must not Act Alone and Recklessly, or you will Regret Beyond Measure."
Mr. Ren wanted to ask more, but Uncle Kiu stopped him. "My disciple has said all he can. Asking him further won't reveal anything new. Since you have a Benefactor, just be cautious on the day of the Grave Relocation. If necessary, I will step in."
Hearing Uncle Kiu's words, Mr. Ren finally felt less anxious. Soon, he left with his daughter. Uncle Kiu, who was not fond of Western Tea, also prepared to leave. Liam, on the other hand, ordered another pastry, had it packed, and planned to take it back for his two senior brothers at the Mortuary.
On the way, Uncle Kiu asked Liam if this Divination might bring any negative consequences.
Liam thanked his master for his concern and explained that the accuracy of such Divinations was not high, and the visions were often vague. Therefore, the pressure on the Diviner was minimal.
A couple of days later, it was the day of the Grave Relocation. Liam and his master and senior brothers dressed formally and headed to Mr. Ren's family cemetery. Liam wore his Hogwarts Robe, explaining to Uncle Kiu that it was to show respect. In reality, he had his wand tightly gripped under the wide sleeves, ready to cause some trouble.
After some polite conversation, Liam stood behind Uncle Kiu and his two senior brothers, acting as if he were invisible. He naturally overheard Wencai's classic line, "Is Feng Zang the same as a French Funeral?" and saw Uncle Kiu fuming with anger.
As in the story, Uncle Kiu explained what Feng Zang was, and a few strong laborers began to dig up the grave. Liam noticed that the coffin was indeed buried vertically.
Uncle Kiu then instructed those with Clashing Birth Years to turn away, and the four laborers stepped forward to remove the nails and open the coffin.
At that moment, the crows began to caw, and a flock of them flew out from the surrounding trees. A thick sense of foreboding hung over everyone.
Uncle Kiu's expression was serious, clearly sensing something amiss, but the relocation continued.
As soon as the coffin was opened, a cloud of black smoke emerged. Unfortunately, Mr. Ren and Ren Tingting immediately knelt and wept when they saw the coffin, missing this eerie sight.
Uncle Kiu led Liam and the three apprentices forward to take a closer look. They discovered that the deceased had a black, glossy face, like black iron, with no signs of decay. Even the townspeople, who didn't know the situation, could tell something was off.
Liam noticed no one was paying attention to him, so he discreetly pointed his wand at the coffin and whispered a Viking Spell: "Detect Magic."
This was a simple spell that used ambient energy to test if the target or its surroundings had any magical reactions. However, because the energy in this world was inherently dark and evil, the spell triggered the already fully zombified Old Master Ren when it hit the corpse in the coffin.
Suddenly, the zombie in the coffin opened its eyes and stood up with its arms outstretched.
"Reanimation!" "Help!" The surrounding townspeople immediately broke into chaos.
Seeing the zombie about to pounce on the Ren family father and daughter, Uncle Kiu reacted quickly, grabbing them by the back of their collars and dragging them back to avoid the zombie's attack.
"How can a zombie wake up and attack in broad daylight?" Uncle Kiu muttered, glancing at the bright sun. Because Liam's magic was subtle and Uncle Kiu didn't understand the spells from the Harry Potter world, he didn't realize Liam was the one behind the mischief.
"Quick, Ink Line", Uncle Kiu shouted to his disciples. Qiusheng quickly pulled out the Ink Line and worked with Uncle Kiu to approach the zombie. The zombie, not having absorbed the blood of a close kin, was weak. Under the sunlight, it started to emit thin wisps of blue smoke, and its black, iron-like skin began to crack and fade.
When the Ink Line touched the zombie, the point of contact quickly burst into flames. Seeing the zombie injured and trying to run, Liam immediately raised his wand and shouted, "Petrify."
The zombie was immobilized and fell back into the coffin. Under the combined effects of the Ink Line and sunlight, it quickly turned into a pillar of fire.
Soon, the flames died down, and the zombified Old Master Ren was reduced to a charred skeleton. It was clear he wouldn't transform into a powerful, invincible zombie to terrorize the town.
Fortunately, this zombie hadn't evolved into the ultimate version seen in movies; otherwise, mere sunlight and the Ink Line wouldn't have been enough to destroy it.
At this point, the Ren family father and daughter finally came to their senses and wept bitterly over the charred remains of Old Master Ren.
Mr. Ren, still upset, cried out, "Father was afraid of fire in life. Why did you have to burn him?"
Uncle Kiu, hearing this, became somewhat angry and said, "Didn't you see the zombie about to attack? From what I know, once it's out, it will drink the blood of its kin. I saved your life, and you shouldn't be saying such things. Not to mention the safety of the entire town. What if it had gone on a rampage?"
The townspeople also chimed in, "That's right, Mr. Ren. You can't be so selfish and endanger everyone."
Liam stepped in to mediate, "Mr. Ren, you saw what happened. My master wasn't exaggerating. Besides, after twenty years, a normal person's body would have turned to bones. The old master's remains are still here, so it's not a complete loss. Please try to accept this and move on."
Mr. Ren, who had been acting out of momentary emotion, now calmed down and recalled the danger they had just faced. Liam's words gave him a way to step down, so he thanked Uncle Kiu for saving his life and hired people to collect the remains from the coffin. They then had the coffin carried to the mortuary, where Uncle Kiu would find a suitable Yin Residence for burial.
(End of Chapter)
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