After their previous conversation, Gai Xiao had thought Xia Xianning was taciturn, but now she discovered he could speak eloquently. She couldn’t help but look up, meeting his gaze, and felt momentarily dazed, suddenly wanting to confide despite not wanting to say a word earlier.
Gai Xiao couldn’t help but say, “Hoping to survive in desperate circumstances, isn’t this following one’s nature and instinct?”
Xia Xianning calmly replied, “Things reverse when they reach the extreme. When yang reaches its peak, yin emerges. After survival comes the door of death.”
The third card tells of the famous strategist Zhuge Liang’s six campaigns to attack Wei, each ending in vain – ‘East wind blows cold flower-like appearance, passing through the courtyard like snow returning to the edge.’ Spring retreats, winter returns, and finally ‘the moon rabbit sets as the red wheel rises, birds trapped in the net obscured by leaves’ – yin exhausts, yang is born.”
He casually threw down the last card and said to Gai Xiao, “Wu Zetian’s abdication was like this. Expelled from power at 82, the Li clan restored the Tang Dynasty, her energy and power exhausted, her glory gone!”
His body exuded a cold charm, like winter sunlight, bright after the cold. Each sentence was like raindrops falling into a lake, creating ripples in her heart. At this moment, as his words reached their conclusion, Gai Xiao’s heart was like a stormy sea, no longer calm.
She blurted out, “No, it can’t be! He clearly said sealing that shrine would solve everything! This time it should definitely be over!”
Words once spoken can never be taken back. Yue Ling was startled and looked up, while Gai Xiao covered her mouth.
Xia Xian Ning’s face showed no excitement or satisfaction at extracting the truth. He maintained his tone and rhythm, slowly saying: “That was completely useless. The consequences have occurred, and Yue Huan still exists. But how exactly did he materialize, and why would he kill?”
Who told you this method? Gai Xiao, tell me the truth. Once you reveal the truth, all your worries and anxieties will be shared by others.”
His words seemed to carry a strange magical power, with a gentle comfort seeping through the coldness. Gai Xiao’s panic gradually dissolved in his words, merging into an invisible mist, with a hopeful light flickering behind it.
She murmured: “Yes, he still exists. I don’t know how to make him disappear, but I’m so afraid, so regretful…”
As she spoke these words, the room’s light suddenly dimmed, and a large crack split the floor. Several white lights shot out from the crevice, attacking the three people present.
Xia Xian Ning snorted coldly, flicking his fingers. A cluster of black flames flew from his fingertips, transforming into sword shadows that quickly met the white light, instantly dissolving the attack.
The floor crack was about to close, but Xia Xian Ning was quick. He pointed his fingers at the crack and shouted: “Quickly summon the Heavenly True Lord’s divine sword!”
A broad-bladed long sword materialized with a thunderous sound, forcibly inserted into the crack, preventing it from closing. A spray of blood light erupted from the crevice.
She said uncertainly: “It seems like… people from the underworld?”
Xia Xian Ning withdrew his sword, casually saying: “It is the underworld.”
The ambusher is injured and won’t recover without me. I’ll interrogate them later.”
Yue Ling: “…” Boss is just awesome.
After this commotion, Gai Xiao, who had been bewildered by Xia Xian Ning, suddenly awoke. She felt like she had just been in a dream, staring blankly at the two people before her, trembling: “I… what happened to me?”
Xia Xian Ning remained calm, saying: “You were possessed.”
Gai Xiao: “Ah?”
Yue Ling: “…” Ah?
Gai Xiao whispered softly: “I’ve had this idea for a long time, but I was just thinking about it and knew it was impossible. When I went to Thailand for a trip last year, I noticed people often wore Buddha amulets, so I followed the trend and went to a small shop, wanting to pick a few to bring back home. I discovered there was an amulet that supposedly could have consciousness artificially injected into it.”
Xia Xian Ning’s heart felt a soft tenderness.
Yue Ling asked, “An amulet with artificially injected consciousness, how is that done? Did the amulet seller tell you?
Chapter 79: Everyone Finds Fault
Xia Xianning quickly suppressed his momentary daze and listened to Gai Xiao’s response: “Yes. That person told me that if I wanted to see someone I couldn’t meet, I could think of that person’s appearance, write their name and eight characters in blood on a talisman paper, and he could make an amulet for me.”
Gai Xiao paused, then said urgently: “I often deal with entertainment industry people and know some raise spirit servants, and know these things are evil. But I’m different. I didn’t want to harm anyone, nor seek protection or luck. The shop owner said there would be no bad things mixed in the amulet, and after making it, it would just be like chatting with me. I just really wanted to know… if Yue Huan became real, what would he say, what kind of person would he be.”
Yue Ling saw Xia Xianning was silent and continued: “So you tried it, and unexpectedly succeeded, and Yue Huan actually broke free from the amulet, took shape, and could harm people. So you wanted to destroy the amulet.”
Gai Xiao said softly: “Yes. I tried to destroy the amulet several times but never succeeded. A few days ago, I invited a master who told me to find an empty space, saying he could help me seal the shrine and amulet. I thought it was successful, but it seems not.”
In a case like Gai Xiao’s, her actions were definitely wrong, but she had no malicious intent and wouldn’t have caused casualties without unexpected developments.
According to the guidelines issued to the special investigation unit, she couldn’t be sentenced but would be fined.
The truly dangerous person was the amulet maker, but since they were in Thailand, they were beyond Xia Xianning’s jurisdiction.
Xia Xianning said: “Xiao Yue, tell Song Ze to investigate the amulet’s origin. Also communicate our situation with the Thai magical arts association.”
Yue Ling agreed. Xia Xianning stood up, nodded slightly to Gai Xiao, and said: “We’ll need to collect some of your blood, and within ten days, please restore the shrine’s original location. During this time, colleagues will supervise you. Hope you’ll cooperate. The fine amount will be notified separately.”
His meaning was clear: Gai Xiao must cooperate whether she wanted to or not. Despite her strong personality, she couldn’t resist Xia Xianning.
Unwilling, she still agreed and asked: “Director Xia, don’t you think I did something wrong? But I really didn’t expect things to turn out this way. Those people can’t be said to be harmed by me, right?”
Xia Xianning, who didn’t like wasting words, said coldly: “Just have a clear conscience.”
The law will be fair, and you can’t escape your responsibilities.”
Gai Xiao murmured: “I couldn’t control myself. You definitely haven’t loved anyone. Once you love someone, you’ll understand… you’ll know how painful feelings can be…”
Unexpectedly, she felt the cold man before her seemed to smile.
His eyes curved slightly like a crescent moon in a quiet night, brilliant and dazzling, momentarily stunning Gai Xiao.
Then Xia Xianning said casually: “How do you know I haven’t?”
A “snap” sound – Yue Ling’s pen fell on the table.
Xia Xianning glanced at the pen and added: “I think it’s good.”
Whether he meant loving someone feels good or his loved one is good, the other two women in the room felt uncomfortable.
Gai Xiao: “…”
