Taboo Mage - Chapter 122 - The Second Xiao Meng

Because of the situation in Lin Huan’s family, I specifically called Shenyang. When I used to live in the Chi Family mansion, I vaguely remembered hearing great-grandfather Chi mention something about a fox spirit.

Upon hearing that I was seeking his help, great-grandfather Chi returned my call and told me that his father once, while searching for a tomb deep in the mountains, unexpectedly encountered a beautiful woman.

She was strikingly enchanting. Even in the frigid winter of the Northeast China mountains, she was clothed only in a thin cheongsam.

Great-grandfather’s father thought he’d had a stroke of romantic luck. Though he knew the woman was unusual, he couldn’t resist her allure, and they spent an exhilarating night together.

The fox spirit, having transformed into human form, specifically enchanted men to absorb Yang Energy. The next morning, the beautiful woman vanished. However, great-grandfather’s father found his legs too weak to walk, and spent two days bedridden, unable even to open his eyes.

The family gathered mountain flowers, which an eminent monk ground into powder for him to consume, and he gradually recovered.

I thought about the fox spirit that great-grandfather’s father encountered and realized it was much more formidable than the one Uncle Lin faced. According to great-grandfather Chi, those mountain flowers must be particularly effective against the fox spirit.

I wondered if it would be possible to find the Flower Spirit of those flowers and make a life amulet to specifically counteract the fox spirit that was haunting Uncle Lin.

Great-grandfather Chi agreed with my idea, thinking it feasible.

After hanging up, I informed Jue Chi of the news and began searching nearby to see if I could find the mountain flowers great-grandfather Chi mentioned.

Chi Rui had already emailed me a picture of the mountain flower. I found its appearance strange, as I had never seen it before. It resembled a cockscomb, with a bright red color.

I printed the photo, sent a copy to Lin Huan, and distributed it to the neighbors, Xu-Jie, and a few regulars like Old Gu, asking them to help identify it if possible.

However, before the mountain flowers could be found, another incident occurred in the Lin Family.

That morning, I was planning to visit Chan Guang Monastery to discuss the fox spirit situation with Jue Chi. I had just arrived and hadn’t even warmed my seat when Lin Huan called to tell me that his father had sneaked out and disappeared without informing anyone.

After hanging up, I drove straight to the Lin Family’s neighborhood. As I pulled up, Lin Huan rushed out, jumped into the passenger seat, and gave me an address.

With a quick acceleration, we sped towards that address. As we arrived, my heart sank seeing the glowing sign of a nightclub overhead.

“Are you sure your dad’s here?” I asked.

“Positive! The manager just called me. He said an old man barged in and grabbed a hostess, claiming she was his wife and insisting on taking her away. If I didn’t know the duty manager inside, my dad would probably have been beaten up!” Lin Huan replied through gritted teeth as he opened the door and headed inside. I followed, wondering if Uncle Lin had become obsessed with that fox spirit.

Because it was daytime, the nightclub hadn’t started its business yet, but it was already filled with people. Various flamboyantly dressed women were milling about, their makeup almost as thick as plaster on a city wall, their eyeliner extending to their ears.

I followed Lin Huan to one of the inner private rooms.

The room was lit, with Uncle Lin sitting on the sofa, his eyes fixed on a woman sitting across from him. I glanced at her. Her face was caked with makeup and she wore a wig.

But… she did resemble Xiao Meng a bit, aside from her eyes. Xiao Meng’s eyes naturally carried a fox-like charm, whereas this woman looked as if she’d spent too long in this environment, showcasing a façade of feigned enthusiasm.

Lin Huan exchanged a few words with a man guarding the door, who then left, leaving just the two of us, the woman, and Uncle Lin in the room.

“Dad, what are you getting up to now?” Lin Huan asked helplessly, plopping down next to Uncle Lin.

Uncle Lin simply stared at the woman, pleading, “Xiao Meng, do you really not recognize me? What are you doing in a place like this? If you need money, just tell me.”

“Who are you? And for that matter, do you even have money? Why would I be interested in talking to you?”

The woman crossed her arms and shot Uncle Lin a disdainful look, her face full of contempt.

I’ve never had much patience for women like this, especially since, regardless of who Xiao Meng is, Uncle Lin is devoted to her. This woman, sporting a face similar to Xiao Meng’s, yet still chooses to demean Uncle Lin with her words.

Such women are destined to remain trapped in this murky environment for life.

Lin Huan looked at Uncle Lin with disappointment and frustration. Unable to bear it any longer, he grabbed his father’s arm, trying to drag him away to avoid further humiliation by a hostess.

Uncle Lin’s eyes never left the woman, and in the end, he violently brushed Lin Huan off and clung to the woman, sobbing.

I couldn’t fully grasp Uncle Lin’s feelings for Xiao Meng, but watching him like this filled me with an overwhelming sense of sorrow.

“Excuse me… uh, you…” I stood next to Uncle Lin, trying to say something but failing to find the right way to address her.

The woman struggled to push Uncle Lin away and shouted, “What do you want, you old creep? Looking for some young thing? I’ve been here as Lin Xiao Meng for a while, and the line of people wanting to keep me stretches all the way to Beijing. Who do you think you are, trying to hit on me?”

Hearing her words, Lin Huan lost control and rushed forward to hit her. I was momentarily stunned, realizing something, and quickly grabbed Lin Huan, turning to the woman, “What did you say your name was?”

“Lin Xiao Meng!” she shouted impatiently.

Lin Xiao Meng… Xiao Meng…

The face of the woman in front of me overlapped with the face I saw at the Lin Family. My head buzzed, and I took a step forward, quickly asking, “What have you been doing in the past few days?”

“Are you crazy?” Lin Xiao Meng glared at me, trying to leave.

I grabbed her arm, “If I’m not mistaken, you probably don’t remember what you’ve been doing these past few days, and you only recently woke up. Uncle Lin, tell me, does your Xiao Meng have any distinguishing features?”