Uncle Qin said it, and he did it too.
He approached the flower rack and lifted the tool basket resting there.
From inside, he first took out a hammer, then reached deep down to grab a handful of nails.
Each nail was about the length of a chopstick, with a nail head as thick as a thumb, all covered in rust.
These were coffin nails.
Uncle Qin held one of the coffin nails in one hand and gave it a slight shake, causing all the rust to flake off.
However, what lay beneath was a deep, uneven blackness.
This was not the original color of the nails, but rather the result of years of soaking in corpse energy.
Even without venturing into the underworld, Li Zhiyuan could vaguely see the black mist emanating from each nail.
This indicated that they had only recently been pulled from the coffin of a great evil.
At that moment, Li Zhiyuan suddenly realized that his earlier warnings had been somewhat unnecessary.
He had an inkling of what Uncle Qin was about to do next, and it was far more frightening than he had imagined.
Training to the brink of death was not the peak; there was something even more terrifying—the training so hellish that one wished for death.
No wonder Uncle Qin had specifically come over to explain things; he wanted to seal Li Zhiyuan's mouth in advance.
In truth, Li Zhiyuan should have returned to his room to read or accompanied A Li in painting.
It was best not to linger here any longer.
Not because it was gruesome, but due to the potential strain it could place on their relationship.
Yet, Li Zhiyuan did not leave.
He stood rooted in place.
Runsheng had just finished another set of punches, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the ground and wiping his nose with the back of his hand before turning to Li Zhiyuan and smiling.
As Uncle Qin approached with the hammer and coffin nails, Runsheng's smile froze momentarily.
However, he quickly waved to Li Zhiyuan and said, "Xiao Yuan, you should go inside. It's dirty outside."
Clearly, Uncle Qin had shared this method with Runsheng beforehand, and Runsheng himself had agreed to it.
It undoubtedly helped to preemptively eliminate the possibility of a rift in their relationship.
Nevertheless, Li Zhiyuan still did not leave but instead sat down on the steps.
Runsheng raised his hand again, wanting to urge Li Zhiyuan back inside, but seeing him settled, he said nothing further and stood straight.
Uncle Qin took aim at Runsheng's right shoulder with one of the coffin nails and swung the hammer down.
"Crack!"
The sound was soft but quick; the coffin nail sunk effortlessly into Runsheng's shoulder, leaving only the round nail head flush against his skin, resembling a dark sticker.
Runsheng gritted his teeth, gasping for breath, eyes bulging wide.
No wonder, when he came this morning, Uncle Qin had been hammering the flower rack; he had been practicing.
Next, he moved to the other shoulder.
"Crack."
The second coffin nail found its mark.
Runsheng's body swayed, yet he steadied himself, veins bulging at his neck, his eyes nearly popping out.
But because Xiao Yuan sat right in front of him, a pained smile was forced onto his face, no matter how ghastly it appeared.
Li Zhiyuan stood up, turned, and walked toward A Li's room, pulling the curtains up.
A Li, who had been painting, turned when she saw the boy sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window.
He stared down at his hands.
He had good hearing; even with the curtains drawn, he caught every faint "crack" from outside.
Each sound made his fingertips tremble involuntarily.
A Li did not disturb him but continued painting, knowing he needed solitude to process certain things.
This was good news, as it meant he had emotions to digest; too bad they were not pleasant ones.
After Li Zhiyuan entered the room, Runsheng finally let his mask slip, revealing a grimace of pain.
Uncle Qin worked swiftly, each strike of the hammer precise.
There was no time for Runsheng to react to the penetrating feeling; instead, he was left savoring the deeper pain that lingered.
Gradually, a total of fifteen nails had been driven into Runsheng's shoulders, arms, palms, legs, and heels.
When the sixteenth nail was hammered in, Uncle Qin patted Runsheng on the back.
"Alright."
This gentle pat made Runsheng stagger forward in a daze.
Just as he lost control and nearly dropped to his knees, Uncle Qin's voice rang out again.
"Are you conceding?"
Runsheng took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain standing.
Uncle Qin tossed the hammer back into the basket.
“My Qin family’s body training is about accumulating strength within oneself, using the body as a cage to seek the strength of the dragon, an endless cycle. Remember, this breath should not only be recalled in the heat of battle; from this moment onward, you should keep nurturing it.”
“Understood…”
“Continue training.”
“Yes, Master.”
Runsheng straightened up and began punching again, moving slowly since each motion sent excruciating pain from the sixteen coffin nails coursing through his body.
However, that was secondary; the corpse energy inside the nails was continuously invading him, rejecting his internal energy.
It felt as if he was being scorched alive.
Uncle Qin stood with his arms crossed, observing for a while before asking, “Didn’t you eat enough at noon?”
“I… I ate enough.”
“Then why are you dawdling?”
Runsheng picked up the pace, only to feel himself teetering on the brink of fainting from the overwhelming pain.
At that moment, Uncle Qin, with a quick kick, sent a pebble flying from the cobblestone path that struck Runsheng in the back of the head.
Runsheng’s mind cleared in an instant, but the clarity only brought back the sharp pain.
And so, Runsheng continued to train, with frequent bouts of near unconsciousness that were always disrupted by Uncle Qin's strikes.
As time went on, a sizable gap appeared in the cobblestone path beneath Uncle Qin.
This was no mere training; it was akin to the harshest of tortures.
When Uncle Qin had earlier mentioned laying a new foundation for Runsheng, he meant it quite literally.
At dusk, Aunt Liu returned from the main house to prepare dinner.
Upon entering the yard, she glanced at Runsheng, who was still punching away.
Then, she shot an incredulous look at Uncle Qin.
Uncle Qin nodded in acknowledgment.
Aunt Liu's lips trembled slightly as she whispered, meant only for Uncle Qin’s ears, but those in the house had sharp enough hearing to catch it.
“You’re insane! You actually nailed him down with pressure points; aren’t you afraid of killing him?”
Uncle Qin’s lips also twitched. “This kid has a unique constitution; he won’t die.”
“Does Xiao Yuan know?”
“Xiao Yuan saw it.”
At that moment, Uncle Qin gave a flick of his foot, sending another pebble sailing into Runsheng's head, snapping him awake to continue training.
“Ali, you’re sowing discord within the Dragon King family.”
“It was Runsheng who told me he was foolish and asked if there was a quick way to improve. I mentioned this, and he agreed. He said he wanted to grow strong quickly to protect Xiao Yuan. Do you think this method can succeed with my coercion and wake-up calls? Ultimately, it relies on his own will and belief to push through.”
“Ali, next time, discuss it with Xiao Yuan in advance. The matriarch has turned a blind eye this time due to Xiao Yuan’s face, but given Xiao Yuan’s status now and his future ties with A Li, we might have to kneel and bow when we meet the old man.”
“A Ting, you haven’t walked the river; you don’t know that most of the time, even surviving to light the third lamp to announce the end of the journey is a luxury. Walking the river can indeed lead to death.”
“You should speak to Xiao Yuan about it later.”
“I will. By the way, what happened to that girl you brought along? She hasn’t come back?”
“I taught her to make a West Lake vinegar fish. It contained twelve poisons. I had a bite; she finished a whole plate. Now she’s lying in the house, her skin shifting in a multitude of colors. I plan to let her fully experience how those toxins wreak havoc on the body before I return to wake her and teach her how to detox after dinner.”
“Did you tell Xiao Yuan about this beforehand?”
“No.”
“Then why are you warning me?”
“I’m fine, but that girl isn’t as close to Xiao Yuan as Runsheng is.”
“What a pity; our two families lack people, so there’s no way for you to shine.”
“Bah, don’t even start.”
Aunt Liu walked into the house, first slicing some fruit before heading to A Li's room.
At that moment, Li Zhiyuan was no longer in the chair but stood beside A Li, watching her paint.
Aunt Liu placed the fruit platter down, then leaned against the door frame, watching the golden boy and jade girl for a while.
When she finally tasted sweetness in her mouth, she realized her sense of taste had returned after eating that girl’s West Lake vinegar fish.
Only then did she leave the study to head to the kitchen to cook dinner.
Uncle Qin followed, but as a man, he couldn’t just barge in like Aunt Liu; he was just preparing to knock when the door opened from within.
“Uncle Qin.”
“Xiao Yuan, regarding Runsheng…”
Li Zhiyuan smiled. “I trust your expertise, Uncle Qin, as well as Runsheng's talent and determination.”
“Then there’s no issue.”
Uncle Qin turned to leave, not heading back to the yard but walking into the kitchen.
Aunt Liu was cutting vegetables and turned to glance at him, asking, “Did you and Xiao Yuan reach an understanding?”
“Yes.” “So soon?”
“Xiao Yuan expressed understanding and support.” As he spoke, Uncle Qin pointed toward A Li's study and then at his own ears.
Aunt Liu seemed to remember something and pointed back toward A Li’s study before picking up the knife to cover her eyes.
Uncle Qin spoke, “Didn’t you tell me Xiao Yuan gained a new insight into the ‘Qin Family Observation of Serpents’? What about the new book?”
“Xiao Yuan gave the new insights from the Qin Liu family’s two books to the matriarch, but she hasn’t even finished translating the ‘Liu Family Qi Observation Sutra’ yet. If you think you can make sense of that scribbled text, I can bring you the ‘Qin Family Observation of Serpents’ for you to try.”
“Forget it; do you think I haven’t forgotten my past? I’m notoriously bad at reading, and it made the matriarch so furious she let me starve for ten days.”
“Enough already; I secretly slipped you food; do you think the matriarch didn’t know?”
“I’ll wait for the matriarch to finish her translations before looking at the modern language commentary version.”
“By the way, why don’t you tell Xiao Yuan about your past experiences with the river?”
“I failed.”
“Aren't failures more important?”
“Every person’s situation is unique; sharing my experience will only confuse him. Besides, I believe Xiao Yuan has matters in hand.”
Uncle Qin picked up a jujube from the table, took a bite, and walked out of the kitchen into the courtyard while tossing the seed which hit Runsheng on the back of the head, again bringing him back from the edge of unconsciousness.
“We don’t have much time; you must get used to this. Even when they’re pulled out later, you must feel like they remain. Unfortunately, your understanding isn’t up to par; you’re learning the ‘Qin Family Observation of Serpents’ too slowly. But you’re fortunate that your body can handle this method, meaning you’ll learn it faster than anyone else.”
The training continued until a voice called out, “Dinner time!”
Tan Wenbin came down the stairs and sat at the dining table, taken aback by the sight of Runsheng’s face.
Runsheng looked paler than the last time he’d been stabbed through by a steel rod in the wall.
In front of Runsheng was a large bowl; Tan Wenbin had a medium-sized bowl in front of him.
After the incense in the bowl burned out, Runsheng picked up a spoon and slowly scooped out the food, putting it into his mouth.
Only while chewing did a fleeting look of relaxation surface on his face.
Liu Yuemei served herself and said nothing.
Tan Wenbin asked, “Where's Yin Meng?”
Aunt Liu explained, “She’s full from tasting the dishes.”
After dinner, Runsheng returned to the yard step by step to continue practicing his punches.
Li Zhiyuan stood nearby, watching for a while.
He didn’t know if it was due to this reason, but Runsheng persisted for an unusually long time this time.
He even had the energy to inhale sharply as he said, “Once I master this, when I strike that official general, I can lift him! Hehe.”
Runsheng was determined to stay here to train tonight.
Li Zhiyuan and Tan Wenbin left the yard, not immediately heading back to the dormitory but instead visiting the house where Liu Yuemei used to live.
Upon entering, they found Yin Meng lying on the cooling mat in the living room, her body appearing as though splattered with paint.
In form, it seemed as if they would wrap up the "body" in the mat and discard it in a mass grave.
She remained in an unconscious state, unable to speak or hear, and after Li Zhiyuan watched for a moment, he stepped back outside.
On their way back to their dormitory, Tan Wenbin whispered, “Xiao Yuan, those round things on Runsheng, are they stickers or…”
“They're coffin nails.”
“Ugh…”
When they reached the dormitory floor, Tan Wenbin pushed open Lu Yi's door and entered.
Lin Shuyou was lying on the edge of the bed, eating noodles that Lu Yi had packed for him from the cafeteria in a plastic bag, which also contained half a red sausage.
Seeing Tan Wenbin enter, he raised his head and shouted, “Big Brother.”
Tan Wenbin nodded at Lin Shuyou, then hugged Lu Yi’s shoulder and said, “Aren’t you looking to make some money on the side? The affordable store across the hall is ours, and we need someone to handle the accounting. You won’t have to tutor anymore; just go there to inventory when you have time, and you can name your price—guaranteed to pay better than tutoring.”
“Brother, that’s too much; I can’t just take advantage of you.” Working part-time on campus with pay guarantees was far superior than slogging away off-campus.
“It’s fine; just consider it your ancestors shining down on you.”
“Huh?”
“Come on, let’s head to the store now. I’ll brief the part-timers and help you get familiar with the place.”
“I... I...”
“Are you in or out? Be quick about it.”
“Since you trust me, I’ll do it!”
“Of course, I trust you.”
A guy who worried about his fellow countryman starving but still offered food to others was certainly trustworthy.
Late into the night, Li Zhiyuan lay in bed with his eyes wide open, lost in thought.
Tan Wenbin, in the adjacent bed, tossed and turned; he was sleepless.
He felt he had been working hard and constantly pushing himself ever since he moved into Li Dage’s home, but today, he felt despair and defeat.
It was because he had seen firsthand those who were more gifted than him, yet they worked even harder, without regard for their lives.
“Ah…”
Tan Wenbin turned to face Li Zhiyuan's bed and, seeing that he was also awake, couldn't help but express, “Xiao Yuan, how am I supposed to live as an ordinary person when they work so much harder?”
“Aren't you also working hard, Bingbing?”
Mentioning that made Tan Wenbin's lips twitch involuntarily.
He certainly was studying, but he was studying how to better assert dominance in various situations.
However, truth be told, chatting with the old lady always brought forth many insights, especially regarding tone and the posture of those in power.
He felt that even if he did nothing else in the future, just relying on his demeanor could make him a resounding figure in the traditional southern and northern styles of selling corpses.
Li Zhiyuan sat up in bed.
“What’s wrong, Xiao Yuan?”
“I’m considering what unfinished business still lingers in me. Bingbing, could you find out about which girls have died in this dormitory building in the past? The more detailed the information, the better.”
“Alright, I’ll look into it.”
“And also ask Uncle Tan if there are any updates on the Qiu Minmin case from seven years ago.”
“Got it.”
Li Zhiyuan was pondering the connections still tied to him.
He decided not to care about his hometown; all that remained were these two matters.
Because it was quite possible that these two issues could continue to create new waves for him.
Regarding the evil book, the Mao father and son were dead; the evil book was wrapped tightly in layers; theoretically, it had severed all external contact, and while it was wicked, it shouldn’t draw any further consequences.
Although Lin Shuyou could also pose a risk of drawing something out, he was currently of more positive use and thus could stay.
This was the pathway that Li Zhiyuan had concluded based on past experiences, combined with Wei Zhengdao's “Orthodox Observations."
However, if the rhythm and turmoil of the earlier stages were set, could he turn the passive into proactive?
For instance, if he could resolve a tumult or adversity in advance, would that mean he could find a moment of peace?
It would be great if he could find an opportunity to experiment with this.
Li Zhiyuan lay back in bed and closed his eyes.
“Good night, Bingbing.”
With the mission assigned, Tan Wenbin felt more at ease and soon succumbed to drowsiness.
“Good night, Dragon King.”
...
Before dawn broke, Li Zhiyuan awoke.
It was still early, and he didn’t mean to wake Tan Wenbin, but today he was unusually sensitive.
The slightest sound roused him, after which he dragged himself up, his face still clouded with sleep.
“Bingbing, it’s still early; neither the police station nor the archives have opened yet. You can sleep a little longer.”
“I can chat with my dad first. Sigh, with those two, one always studying while the other tastes everything, how can I sleep?”
The two of them washed up and parted ways at the dormitory entrance.
A Li had moved into the school, not far away, and it wouldn’t take long to get there.
As Li Zhiyuan pushed open the yard gate, he heard the sound of the first-floor glass window opening.
Dressed in a blue satin nightgown, A Li stood barefoot by the window.
Li Zhiyuan walked over to the window, slipping off his shoes to enter.
“Next time I come in the morning, will you at least pretend to be asleep if you hear me? Just like when you entered my room back at Grandpa's house waiting for me to wake up; I’d like to experience that too.”
A Li nodded her head.
Li Zhiyuan took hold of A Li’s hand, feeling nothing.
A Li tilted her head to look at him.
Li Zhiyuan said, “Release the barriers; I don’t believe they haven’t returned since yesterday.”
A Li lowered her head.
She had refrained from telling the boy that she could see them during the day because she didn’t want him to be affected by the ugly and filthy sight of them while playing with her.
Li Zhiyuan lowered his head, seeking her eyes with his gaze: “A Li, be good, listen to me.”
A Li raised her head, and once again, Li Zhiyuan heard the voices in his ear, though this time not as noisy as yesterday.
The boy did not feel uplifted; instead, his expression darkened.
Because they had ultimately returned.
Weakness, no matter how intense the warning, remained just that—brief and limited.
In this world, it was not about who had the loudest voice; it was about who could strike harder.
“Crack!”
Li Zhiyuan snapped his fingers and ventured into the underworld.
He found himself in the bungalow, standing beside A Li, with the broken ancestral tablets of the Qin and Liu families behind him and ghostly shadows still lingering outside the threshold.
Yet this time, they stood slightly farther away than before.
Only one figure, wearing a white robe, balancing on stilts with an indistinguishable face due to thick white makeup, held two white lanterns at the threshold.
It seemed to notice the boy's gaze and did not retreat; instead, it smiled a chilling smile.
It even deliberately shook the two lanterns in its hands.
One lantern read: "Kill Parents;"
The other read: "Become a Prostitute."
Li Zhiyuan scrutinized this figure, committing every detail of its appearance to memory.
Then, with a warm and gentle smile, he addressed it: “Congratulations, you’re the first.”
Everyone was so incredible that our "Grave Robber" shot straight to the top of the monthly ticket list, leading to some folks claiming I was tampering with votes.
To be honest, our subscription isn’t that high.
I mentioned in my “Shelving Gratitude” section that I don’t write blockbusters, yet every time on the rankings, we seem to perform well, perhaps because while we’re few, we’re all elite.
So, once more, I humbly request monthly tickets so we can hold the top position a while longer! Thank you all!
(End of Chapter)