Chapter 29 - Soul-Capturing Yin House (Part V)

Chen Shaoxian was startled by the shrieks of the two individuals. Annoyed, he said, “What are you screaming for?”

The two, their faces flushed from Chen Shaoxian’s remark, took a closer look at the thing they were holding, which was slippery and sticky, somewhat like solid glue, except it was transparent.

Mr. Zhuo was helped to his feet, leaving a puddle of water where he had fallen.

After getting up, Mr. Zhuo felt his stomach churning and hurried to the bathroom to vomit, heaving out a foul-smelling dirty water.

When Mr. Zhuo returned, his complexion had regained some color, no longer as pale as before, and his eyes were clearer.

Seeing Mr. Zhuo’s improved appearance, the Zhuo family members felt a renewed sense of hope, believing their health had improved.

Zheng Lei tugged at Chen Shaoxian, asking, “Shaoxian, what is this membrane?”

“It’s a corpse membrane, a substance produced after corpse fluid enters the body, and it will thicken over time. I estimate that in a few days the person will be completely enveloped and turn into a cocoon. This is my first encounter with such a thing,” Chen Shaoxian said gravely.

Afterward, using the same method, he treated every Zhuo family member, young and old.

Consequently, the Zhuo family members collectively rushed to the bathroom, filling the house with a pungent odor. When it was the turn of the two Taoist priests, Chen Shaoxian noticed they were affected less severely, probably due to some protective measures they had taken, which made him think of a plan.

Seeing Chen Shaoxian’s effective intervention, the two priests wanted to kowtow and become his disciples right then, but Chen Shaoxian refused, though they still looked up to him, as their lives were still in his hands.

Once everything was settled, Chen Shaoxian leaned back in his chair, his expression weary.

When everyone gathered in the hall, Chen Shaoxian opened his luggage and distributed a talisman to each person. The Zhuo family, overjoyed at their recovery, attempted to kowtow to Chen Shaoxian in gratitude for saving their lives. Chen stopped them, informing them that this was only the beginning, addressing only the symptoms, not the root cause.

Chen Shaoxian asked for the names of two Taoist priests; one was named Zhang Xinming, and the other Zhang Xinyi, brothers who had learned some skills in the Southern Sect’s Ziyang Sect.

Chen Shaoxian nodded, wrote a list, and instructed Zhang Xinyi to take a few people and make sure to purchase everything listed.

He also asked Zheng Lei to go shopping with Zhuo Junfan and Zheng Ruirui, insisting they buy extra food and drinking water. Additionally, they were to visit a pharmacy to pick up some herbs to supplement yang energy, which left Zheng Lei bewildered.

Seeing the confusion on Zheng Lei’s face, Chen Shaoxian clarified with disdain, “It’s to supplement yang, not to enhance virility.”

This caused Zhuo Junfan to stealthily pinch Zheng Lei several times. Grinning, Zheng Lei then left with the two.

Chen Shaoxian instructed the Zhuo Family Members to replace all cooking and dining utensils with new ones, a precaution since the Zhuo family’s utensils had been used for cooking human flesh, and Chen Shaoxian dared not eat anything prepared with them.

Secondly, he ordered all windows to be opened for ventilation, thirdly, the swimming pool’s dirty water to be treated, and fourthly, after all the tasks were completed, for the Zhuo Family Members to take baths using the soap Chen Shaoxian had brought, and to burn all clothes they had changed out of.

Thus, the Zhuo Family Members began working efficiently, no longer appearing listless as they all saw a chance for survival.

Chen Shaoxian also took this time to rest a bit.

Once the Zhuo Family Members had finished their tasks, Chen Shaoxian, feeling somewhat revitalized, instructed them to prepare two copper basins filled with burning charcoal, seal all the room windows, and leave the doors wide open.

After preparations, Chen Shaoxian directed the Zhuo Family Members to place one basin in the hall and the other in the now-empty swimming pool, then had everyone withdraw to the courtyard. He then took out two tea boxes, opened one, and poured its powder contents into the hall’s basin where the charcoal glowed red. A thick white smoke billowing out filled the hall with the scent of mugwort. Chen Shaoxian then stepped back.

Retreating to the courtyard, Chen Shaoxian poured the contents of the second tea box into the pool’s basin, rapidly filling the entire Zhuo household with smoke.

As the smoke in the courtyard cleared, the Zhuo Family Members noticed the rancid smell was gone. They began discussing among themselves, but no one dared to disturb Chen Shaoxian.

Chen Shaoxian was keeping track of the time. Half an hour later, he instructed a Zhuo Family Member to open all the windows in the house again. Once the smoke and dust had dispersed, not a trace of foul smell remained in the Zhuo household; in fact, there was even a faint fragrance that considerably refreshed everyone’s spirit.

Chen Shaoxian asked Mr. Zhuo, “How much of those materials we used last time do we have left?”

Mr. Zhuo quickly directed his family to bring the leftover items to Chen Shaoxian.

Seeing the items, Chen Shaoxian couldn’t help but chuckle, having thought that they wouldn’t have enough. It looked like there was enough to build another house for the Zhuo family. He arranged for the Zhuo Family Members to spread incense ash on the ground just like before, and handed out many small mirrors for them to hang on the doors.

At that moment, Zheng Lei and his two companions returned, followed by a truck that seemed to be carrying enough supplies to stock a supermarket, apparently preparing for a prolonged battle. Zheng Lei got out of the truck and directed the workers to carry each item inside. He then handed over the herbs he had bought.

Chen Shaoxian took the herbs, poured the charcoal from one copper basin into another without even rinsing it, dumped the herbs in, added water according to the ratio, and placed it directly on the copper basin in the swimming pool.

Zheng Lei walked over and asked, “Shaoxian, why are you using a copper basin to boil the medicine? Isn’t metal the worst for boiling medicine?”

Chen Shaoxian smiled and explained, “The prescription I made includes wood, earth, fire, and water elements-it just lacks metal, which is why I’m using a copper basin.” After the medicine was ready, he called everyone out and gave each person a bowl to drink.

After everyone had finished drinking, Chen Shaoxian himself went to the front door to smoke a cigarette, chuckling mischievously to himself while the others, unsure of what he was planning, dared not approach him.

It only took the time it takes to smoke a cigarette for the Zhuo Family Members’ stomachs to start rumbling. Suddenly, someone let out a fart, and then one by one, the Zhuo Family Members began to fart, their faces blushing with embarrassment.

At this point, Chen Shaoxian, standing at the door, cheerfully shouted, “No one is allowed inside the house; everyone must stay outside.” After a pause, he added, “And don’t any of you come near me!”

Zheng Lei and his companions approached Chen Shaoxian with stern faces and said, “You knew this was going to happen, why didn’t you call us out?”

Chen Shaoxian shrugged and replied, “I came out-why didn’t you?” Suddenly, he felt a pinch on his waist. Looking down, he saw Zheng Ruirui’s hand twisting his waist.

Chen Shaoxian quickly removed her hand and, rubbing his waist, said, “The Zhuo Family Members have too much yin energy inside them. I gave them some medicine to replenish their yang energy, to help expel the yin energy from their bodies.”

Suddenly, Chen Shaoxian’s expression changed, and he pointed towards the door, exclaiming, “Where’s that car?”