155: Chapter 155 Taking the Living as a Substitute

Han Jingyang was not surprised at all.

Everything was under his control.

With the new compass, his ability to observe Qi had become much stronger, allowing him to perceive many subtle changes that he could not see before.

The moment those seven paper talismans were lit, he observed seven strange wisps of Qi dissipating into the world.

He had already made a guess at that time.

Now it was confirmed, and the timing matched perfectly.

Moreover, he and He Dingkun did not have any deep-seated grudge to begin with; they became enemies upon their first meeting, and in just three or four days, he had brought down He Dingkun, his whole family, and the Dingshen Group.

He had long anticipated this outcome for He Dingkun.

Therefore, he said calmly, "It was only a matter of time, nothing to be happy about. Hmm, you can tell Wang Jinliang and his wife."

"Alright."

Shi Xiaoya quickly drafted a message and sent it to Wang Jinliang.

A moment later, she received a reply from Wang Jinliang, containing only two words: "Thank you."

Shi Xiaoya pursed her lips, turned her head to look at the bronze tripod in Han Jingyang's hand, and asked, "Boss, is there anything special about this tripod?"

Han Jingyang nodded, "It is a quite excellent dharma instrument."

"That's good, that's good," Shi Xiaoya breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried that I might have let you waste your time, Boss."

"Not at all. This trip to Dongpo Village has been very rewarding."

"Exceeded expectations?"

"Far exceeded expectations. Even if this little tripod were worthless, it would still have far exceeded expectations."

Hearing this, Shi Xiaoya moved closer to Han Jingyang, twisted her waist, and nudged him lightly. "Boss, does that mean I'm your lucky star?"

"Yes."

"Is there a reward?"

"Yes, you can make one request, and I will do my best to fulfill it."

Upon hearing this, Shi Xiaoya slowly lowered her head, acting shy. "I—I just want... a hug from you, Boss."

Han Jingyang couldn't help but turn his head to look at Shi Xiaoya.

This woman really is a little temptress.

Even though he knew she was faking it, he still couldn't control himself.

Damn it.

He couldn't let this woman get the better of him.

He couldn't make a fool of himself.

Take a deep breath.

Damn, it smells so good. This fragrance... it's a bit special.

Han Jingyang smelled the fragrance emanating from Shi Xiaoya, his heart beat faster, his blood gradually heated up, the veins on his forehead throbbed, his breathing became rapid, and the air he exhaled from his nostrils grew scorching hot.

Push her down!

Must push her down!

At this moment, Liu Jing on the other side snorted with a livid face, then quickly changed her expression, putting on a sweet smile. She sat next to Han Jingyang, hugged his arm directly, and asked in a cloying voice, "Boss, what is special about this little tripod?"

Han Jingyang gave a start and instantly calmed down.

Damn, he almost fell into the little temptress's trap.

Truly impressive.

They say heroes have a hard time passing the trial of beauty; the ancients truly did not deceive me.

A beauty acts coy, and even the most iron-willed hero will quickly soften.

One beauty is this powerful, what about two?

Han Jingyang looked at Shi Xiaoya on his left and Liu Jing on his right; one was more charming than the other, each outstanding in her own way, hard to compare.

Which one should he choose?

Or... should he have them both?

Han Jingyang coughed lightly, "Ahem, this little tripod is a good item. It's from the late Zhou Dynasty. Although it's small, the craftsmanship is exquisite. Look at this pattern; this is a beast-face motif, and the lines are very fluid. It's hard to imagine this was the aesthetic standard from three thousand years ago, when most of the world was still in the state of savage tribes."

"Is it valuable?"

"Definitely valuable. The price I told Zhou Jianjun earlier was conservative. If I were to put it up for sale, it would be my lack of ability if the final price were lower than ten million," Han Jingyang said while turning the little tripod. "Of course, I won't sell it. This is a dharma instrument, a very good one, and it has great utility."

"Name: Late Zhou Dynasty Bronze Three-Legged Beast-Face Motif Tripod."

"Grade: Rank 4."

"Attribute: House Protection +12."

"Skill: Awe-Inspiring without Anger."

Rank 4.

House Protection.

Awe-Inspiring without Anger.

The grade is not low, and the attribute is good too. With +12 points, it can completely serve as the core dharma instrument for some Feng Shui formation.

Seeing this grade and attribute, Han Jingyang decided to keep it for his own use.

It's Rank 4 and has a House Protection attribute; such good items should naturally be reserved for himself and his own people.

Customers?

There are so many Rank 6 or 7 ordinary items without skills in the shop; those are enough for them.

Outsiders shouldn't even think about such good items that he can use for a lifetime or even several lifetimes, unless they spend a lot, a lot of money.

On the other side, Shi Xiaoya, unwilling to be outdone, hugged Han Jingyang's arm and wiggled. "Boss, what is the specific effect of this little tripod?"

"Uh, House Protection."

"House Protection? For home use?"

"Yes, isn't my house planning to be rebuilt? I'll put it in the house then."

"Boss, you're really extravagant, using a ten-million-worth item for house protection. But why did He Dingkun use a house-protecting item to extend his life?"

Han Jingyang shook his head.

How would I know?

Perhaps this tripod originally had life-extending functions, and it only became a House Protection attribute after I appraised it.

But he said aloud, "The Yin-Yang Master who worked for He Dingkun must have been a half-baked amateur. Besides, in that Octagonal Building, this tripod wasn't the important part; the dolls and paper talismans were the core."

"Speaking of the dolls, where are they? Boss, looking at your expression, those dolls must be good items too, right?"

"Yes, they are treasures too."

"Name: Republic of China Era Set of Wood-Carved Dolls."

"Grade: Rank 6."

"Attribute: Longevity +5."

"Skill: Substitutive Death."

The rank is not high.

But the attributes are even better than the Rank 4 bronze tripod.

Not only does it have the Longevity attribute, but it also has a super powerful skill.

Substitutive Death—ordinary people might not understand it, but in Taoism and folk traditions, there are many similar secret arts. Sowing the Life Base works on a similar principle.

The specific method involves finding a large rooster or another living creature to die in place of the target person. It is rumored that those with advanced skills can deceive the eyes of the King of Hell, but even just using a living creature to ward off illness and disaster is already very impressive.

This skill is even more powerful than what an average Yin-Yang Master can do, because it can truly achieve the purpose of "substitutive death."

In other words, even if someone is destined to die, this skill can help them survive a fatal calamity.

Warding off illness and disaster is even easier.

These dolls, likewise, are not for sale.

The attributes are good, the skill is even more special, and it has great utility at critical moments. With the dolls in hand, it's equivalent to having at least one extra life. When encountering certain difficult and complicated diseases, one can simply arrange for the dolls to intervene, without needing to worry about pathology, causes, or severity of the condition; it results in a direct recovery.

These skills are just that unreasonable.

Han Jingyang took the dolls out of his pocket, looked at Shi Xiaoya, then glanced at Liu Jing, and said seriously, "This is a treasure. It can save lives at critical moments, and it can also cure illnesses and ward off disasters. But the number of uses in a short period is limited. If you two need it, feel free to ask."

"Ah? We can use it too?"

"Of course, we are all our own people. Feel free to use it, no charge."

Liu Jing was very embarrassed, "Boss, how can I accept this..."

Shi Xiaoya, however, smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Boss," she said, and then lightning-fast kissed Han Jingyang on the cheek.

Then, the two women looked at each other across Han Jingyang.

Liu Jing's eyes were filled with anger.

Shi Xiaoya, on the other hand, had curved eyebrows and a beaming smile.

A moment later, Liu Jing snorted and turned her head away.

Shi Xiaoya acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to hug Han Jingyang's arm and asking questions one after another.

Han Jingyang sighed inwardly.

This blessing of having multiple women is not that easy to enjoy.

Living in a Shura field every day, one slip-up and there's a risk of being hacked to death by a jealous lover.

I really don't know how those big shots who can embrace women on both sides without getting hacked by jealous lovers manage it.

I want to be their apprentice.