Old Tang had good self-cultivation and thick skin. Faced with Wang Ya pointing at his nose and cursing him out, his expression didn’t change. He calmly replied, “Wang Ya, whether you’re a Zhongyin Feng Family descendant or not, you must understand one thing: obtaining the Feng Family Inheritance brings great disaster! How powerful the Zhongyin Feng Family was back then—even if you don’t know the details, you’ve heard the rumors. Even they got exterminated. Do you think a country girl like you can stay safe? You have some skills, but ask yourself honestly: how do you compare to the Zhongyin Feng Family of old? Can you match them?”
Wang Ya laughed coldly repeatedly in fury. “Are you threatening me?”
Old Tang said, “Not a threat, just proposing a mutually beneficial deal.”
Wang Ya rolled her eyes and rejected him outright: “No interest!”
Old Tang said, “Wang Ya, have you considered what happens if Ghost Granny spreads word everywhere that you’re a Zhongyin Feng Family descendant? Can anger solve the problem? Ghost Granny won’t let A’qi go, and she won’t let you off either. No matter how skilled you are, you’re just one person. You can’t match the Xuan Men of the Righteous and Evil Paths. Back then, it wasn’t one faction that wiped out the Zhongyin Feng Family—it was the entire Righteous and Evil Paths united!”
Wang Ya demanded angrily, “Trying to scare me?”
Old Tang said, “Not scaring you, just stating facts.”
Wang Ya snorted coldly. “I just overheard that the Yunnan Zhang Family was one of the initiators in the Zhongyin Feng Family extermination case!”
Old Tang said, “Wang Ya, saving A’qi isn’t something only you can do. We approached you because you happen to have the ability and we happened to meet. Lend a hand. More friends mean more paths; more enemies mean more walls. Hope you’ll think it over. Young people get impulsive and stir up big trouble! The Zhongyin Feng Family’s downfall started because a collateral disciple, unhappy that Feng Family Secret Arts were only passed to direct descendants, impulsively colluded with outsiders.”
Wang Ya sneered, “You know quite a bit about the Zhongyin Feng Family? Were you one of those who participated in the extermination?”
Old Tang said, “To be honest, someone from my sect did participate in the Feng Family extermination. I can even tell you frankly: some still aren’t giving up, searching for Zhongyin Feng Family remnants, but they’ve had no leads. Now that you’ve appeared, everything changes. My guarantees aren’t many: save Huang Qi once, and when you face great peril in the future, we’ll save you once. A promise from me, Old Tang, and the future head of the Yunnan Zhang Family, still carries some weight!”
Wang Ya hesitated a bit. She glanced toward Zhang Beauty standing at the construction site entrance. It was too far, and with the dim light, she couldn’t see her expression clearly, but she felt Zhang Beauty staring back at her.
Wang Ya knew well that whether she was a Zhongyin Feng Family descendant didn’t matter now. What mattered was that her displayed skills had been seen by outsiders. Old Tang, Zhang Beauty, and Ghost Granny were convinced she had obtained the Zhongyin Feng Family Inheritance—and that was exactly why the Zhongyin Feng Family had been exterminated back then! The safest way was to silence them. The dead old lady ghost was easy to seal—just find and destroy her! But Zhang Beauty and Old Tang? She could kill ghosts to silence them, but could she kill people? Their elders had participated in the Feng Family extermination and might still be hunting the Inheritance. How could she silence these two? Wang Ya took a deep breath and said, “We can make this deal, but I set the terms. No money.”
Old Tang nodded. “Good, state them. As long as it’s negotiable, we can talk slowly.”
Wang Ya said, “I’m in the ghost-catching business; I don’t touch human lives. Only you few are convinced I have the Zhongyin Feng Family Inheritance. You must guarantee not to leak this!”
Old Tang asked, “What about Ghost Granny?”
Wang Ya said, “That’s not your concern.”
Old Tang said, “Come to the office and sit. I need to discuss with Little Zhang.”
Wang Ya said, “Fine!”
Old Tang invited Wang Ya back to the office, where Bodyguard Fang Yan brewed her a pot of tea and sat accompanying her.
Old Tang and Zhang Beauty huddled in the small conference room for over half an hour before emerging.
Once out, Zhang Beauty walked to Wang Ya’s side and said, “Wang Ya, this matter can rot in our bellies, but you must agree to two conditions: one, join forces with us against Ghost Granny and rescue Huang Qi; two, no revenge against our Zhang Family or Old Tang’s sect on behalf of the Zhongyin Feng Family. Whether Ghost Granny spreads your info is none of our business.”
Wang Ya wanted to jab at Zhang Beauty just seeing her. She laughed, “Zhang Beauty, isn’t your Yunnan Zhang Family pretty capable? Why ask for my help?”
Zhang Beauty replied flatly, “The Yunnan Zhang Family deals in viewing mountains and waters, altering Feng Shui—not demon subduing or ghost catching!”
Wang Ya agreed, “Alright then. May I ask your name?”
Zhang Beauty asked, “Necessary?”
Wang Ya said, “Even pig teammates are teammates. Can’t not know a teammate’s name, even if it’s a pig?”
Old Tang coughed lightly. “Wang Ya, just like you call me Old Tang, call her Little Zhang.”
Wang Ya snickered, “She’s older than me; calling her Little Zhang wouldn’t be right?”
Zhang Beauty glanced at Wang Ya. “Then call me Big Zhang!” With that, she glided away like a specter in her several-inch high heels!
Wang Ya chuckled “hehe” several times. “Big Zhang! Hey, Big Zhang, you won’t even give your real name—are you afraid I’ll hook your soul too? Dao Sect folks can’t even guard their own souls; pretty embarrassing.”
Zhang Beauty didn’t turn her head and left the office directly.
Old Tang looked at Wang Ya. “Wang Ya, since the terms are settled, here’s to a pleasant cooperation!” He extended his hand to her.
Wang Ya shook Old Tang’s hand. She leaned in close and whispered softly, “Old Tang, one more thing: to hook someone’s soul, I don’t need their Birth Chart or name. Knowing their appearance is enough to call their soul.” Her voice was eerie and light, paired with that half-smile, giving off a strange vibe.
Old Tang stepped back, cupped his hands in salute. “I know your skills; Old Tang yields, alright?” He bowed repeatedly in a placating manner before saying, “Let’s go upstairs and check on Huang Qi.”
Wang Ya agreed, “Fine.” She added, “Tell me about how Zheng Yanxia’s soul got hooked on the way.”
