Xiaodongjiang's Fengtou Mountain is the tallest and broadest mountain range in our area, stretching northward for hundreds of miles.

Of course, that's a broad statement. When we ordinary folk talk about Fengtou Mountain, we're referring to a stretch of wilderness about five miles north of the city's outskirts. It's a suburban area, but it's also urbanizing with convenient transportation and many roadside farmhouses and auto repair shops, making it a lively place.

"Let's call Wang Dong. He has a drone. We can go check out Boss Lu's ancestral grave," I decided, not wanting to waste any time.

Zhao Man nodded eagerly but asked curiously, "Why do we need a drone? We can see the ancestral grave up close."

"In geomancy, mountains govern people, and water governs wealth. To observe an ancestral grave is to observe the mountains and water. We can't see it clearly without a drone."

"I see. I'll go get Wang Dong right away. He's taking a shower," Zhao Man said, now following my every word like a loyal subordinate.

Before long, she and Wang Dong arrived. He had taken a refreshing shower, and his stomach had shrunk by half. He looked much more energetic, although he still struggled to walk.

"Brother Li, we're going to see the ancestral grave, right? I'll personally drive you there!" Wang Dong said, thoroughly convinced of my abilities and referring to himself as my junior.

I smiled inwardly and said, "You know how to repay kindness. Let's go to Fengtou Mountain."

The three of us got into the car with the drone and headed toward Fengtou Mountain.

As Wang Dong drove, he chattered, "Brother Li, you're freaking amazing. There are really ghosts in this world! It's mind-blowing!"

I closed my eyes to rest and conserve my energy, which had been depleted by my earlier exorcism.

Wang Dong turned to Zhao Man and continued chattering, "Zhao Man, Brother Li is awesome, but I'm awesome too. If it weren't for me stalling that starving ghost for half a year, Brother Li wouldn't have had a chance to show his stuff."

"Just drive the car. Li Shiyi's troubles aren't over yet," Zhao Man said with a worried glance at me. Although she didn't know what was wrong with me specifically, she had guessed something.

Wang Dong opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, focusing on speeding toward Fengtou Mountain.

In the time it took to play a few songs, we arrived at Fengtou Mountain.

The base of Fengtou Mountain was bordered by a major road, and there was even a roadside farmhouse nearby. The mountain path was overgrown with weeds, and no one ventured up the mountain except during the Qingming Festival.

I stepped out of the car and took a look at Fengtou Mountain. It appeared to be less than a hundred meters tall, with its mountain range extending northward, seemingly endless.

"What's the plan, Brother Li?" Wang Dong couldn't help but ask again.

I waved my hand and said, "Let's go into the mountains and launch the drone!"

Half an hour later, we reached a ridge on Fengtou Mountain, from which we could see a vast expanse of wilderness and the tallest peak.

That was the main peak of Fengtou Mountain.

Zhao Man pointed to the main peak and said, "Boss Lu's ancestral grave is on the main peak. It'll probably take us over an hour to get there."

At these words, Wang Dong's face immediately fell. "Do we have to walk some more? I'm so fat; I'll melt if I walk anymore."

"No need to walk. Let's launch the drone," I said, not feeling like walking either. Besides, I didn't really need to see the ancestral grave. My goal was to observe the layout of Fengtou Mountain.

Wang Dong perked up and immediately controlled the drone to take flight, heading toward the main peak.

I told him there was no need to rush and to fly slowly around the main peak, covering the entire two-kilometer stretch of wilderness.

Wang Dong was skilled at controlling the drone, making it soar and swoop like a performing acrobat. Through his phone screen, I was able to see everything clearly and understood the geomantic layout.

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"A swallow perched on a beam. This shouldn't be," I murmured, feeling puzzled.

Zhao Man asked curiously, "What do you mean by 'a swallow perched on a beam'?"

"This stretch of wilderness resembles a swallow resting on a large beam, with its head facing upward and its tail pointing downward. The tail is split into two sections, and Boss Lu's ancestral grave is located at the most auspicious spot, the swallow's head," I explained.

"Is this a good geomantic layout?" Wang Dong inquired.

"The 'swallow perched on a beam' brings good fortune, but it's not a long-lasting layout. Swallows eventually fly away. Wealthy families generally don't choose this temporary good fortune. Who doesn't want eternal prosperity?" This was my point of confusion.

Wang Dong and Zhao Man looked at each other, even more puzzled.

I gazed once again at the distant mountains and suddenly felt as if the swallow's wings, or the two guardian mountains, were unusually neat, almost as if they had been trimmed by someone.

"Wang Dong, take a look at the southern foot of the main peak," I instructed.

Wang Dong immediately maneuvered the drone over, lowering its altitude and flying along the base of the main peak.

One look, and I understood.

The wings of the swallow had indeed been trimmed, altering the landscape through tree-cutting and slope grading. Viewed from above, the swallow's wings were no longer wings, but rather a veil.

The dense forest and neatly trimmed mountain foot formed a veil hanging over the main ridge.

This was not a swallow perched on a beam, but a lady within the veil.

"Zhao Man, is Boss Lu afraid of his wife? And does he not have a son, or are his sons plagued with misfortunes?" I turned to ask Zhao Man.

Zhao Man shook her head and then nodded. "Boss Lu and his wife are very affectionate, always seen together. I wouldn't say he's afraid of his wife. It's true that his son has had many misfortunes, including two car accidents. It's been quite tragic."

I pondered for a moment and suspected that there must be some hidden truth behind Lu's apparent affection for his wife.

"Li Ge, many people know about Boss Lu's son's misfortunes. Don't tell me you figured it out through feng shui," Wang Dong said with a look of surprise.

"With the lady within the veil seated, the male offspring will die a violent death. Boss Lu's wealth is pouring in, but it all ends up in his wife's pockets. His son is destined for a violent death, while his daughter will become a powerful woman," I analyzed.

Wang Dong looked shocked and skeptical.

Just then, a sparrow flew by and landed on the main peak, chirping loudly.

"It looks like it's standing on Boss Lu's ancestral tombstone," Zhao Man observed from a distance.

"Indeed, it's standing on the tombstone. The sparrow is a flying bird, belonging to the xun wood element. The sparrow standing on the tombstone signifies prosperity and a promising future. But its chirping is a sign of mourning, indicating the withering of the xun wood. This means that while Boss Lu's family appears prosperous and wealthy on the surface, they are actually facing the end of their lineage. I fear that his son may be in danger," I concluded.

"Can it really be that eerie?" Wang Dong asked, looking incredulous. Coincidentally, one of his WeChat groups beeped, and he picked up his phone to see a message that made him exclaim, "Damn it, the bridge on Tianzi Road collapsed and hit Lu's son's car. His forearm was crushed and he's being rushed to the hospital!"

"Really?" Zhao Man gasped, her eyes wide with amazement as she looked at me.

Wang Dong swallowed hard and stood at attention, saluting me with a sharp "Li Ge, I'm impressed!"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Things are getting complicated, but at least we have a breakthrough. Boss Lu surely wouldn't want to see his lineage come to an end. He probably doesn't know about the feng shui of his ancestral grave."

"I understand. We'll help Boss Lu continue his lineage and get him to reveal the secret of Qiansi Lake," Zhao Man said, picking up the task.

Wang Dong thought for a moment and suggested, "Li Ge, I'm also considered one of the project bosses at Qiansi Lake. I'll go visit Lu's son and try to strike up a conversation. Maybe I can pry some information out of him."

This sounded like a good plan.

Without their help, I wouldn't have been able to get close to Boss Lu.

We decided to act quickly and headed back to the city.

It was starting to get dark, so Wang Dong wasted no time and went straight to the hospital to visit Lu's son. Zhao Man, meanwhile, returned to the radio station to use her connections.

I was tired after the day's events, so I went back to my rented room to take a shower. Looking in the mirror, I saw that I was once again possessed by an evil spirit.

"You're deliberately antagonizing me, aren't you? Don't let me catch you, or I'll drain every last drop of water from you!" I cursed, not daring to sleep. I sat cross-legged, visualized my lower dantian, and circulated my taiqing qi to refine the evil spirit.

This time went smoothly as well. My mind was clear and I devoured the evil spirit like a juicy chicken leg.

When I woke up, it was already the afternoon of the next day.

As I was about to get up, I noticed that the mat under me was damp, and there were water stains everywhere on the floor.

My rented room wasn't in such bad shape that it would leak, so where did the water come from?

I stood up to take a closer look and realized that the water stains vaguely resembled human footprints, as if a wet person had been walking around in my home and even sat on my mat, making it damp.

I couldn't help but feel creeped out, suspecting that the evil spirit from the lake had come to my home and watched me cultivate.

Despite being trapped by the Eight Gates, it had still managed to visit me and leave its mark, which was equivalent to a "manifestation" in the spirit world. For ghosts, this was called a manifestation of evil. Only terrifying and powerful ghosts could achieve this.

As the old saying goes, "When a fierce ghost manifests its evil, even the sun cowers in fear." This meant that if a ghost could leave its mark, it was so powerful that even the sun couldn't destroy it.

I shivered at the thought that it could easily kill me, so why did it just make me possessed?

Could it be that it had another purpose for seeking me out?