BXBX NOVEL Chapter 204 - 204: A Haunting? Just a Matter of One Sword
Purchasing non-registered phone cards was somewhat of a grey market activity. Typically, these cards were sold to known customers or through referrals, as most buyers weren’t exactly upstanding citizens. However, for Lu Xuan, the passive effect of the “Dao Evolution Scripture” was more effective than any referral.
After buying two phone cards and a couple of mobile phones, Lu Xuan called a housing rental service. He planned to stay on Yuan Xing for a month, as there were no urgent matters back in the Archean Eon Realm, and the establishment of the Demon God Mountain trial grounds wasn’t a priority.
“Two bedrooms, six hundred a month… Isn’t that a bit cheap? Oh? You’re saying it’s… haunted?”
Lu Xuan glanced at Cheng Lingzhu, who couldn’t help but smile and nod slightly at the mention of a haunting.
“Being haunted sounds good. We have to check this out,” Lu Xuan said with a grin. “Yes, we’ll be right over.”
After witnessing the flying carpet-like creature over the sea the day before, Lu Xuan had no doubts about this world being contaminated by the warship’s core. If sanity-defying things could appear openly, then a minor ghostly disturbance wouldn’t be surprising.
For ordinary people, a haunting might be troublesome, but for cultivators like Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu, it would be no more than a matter for a single sword strike.
In the Archean Eon Realm, cultivators who passed away naturally or were killed wouldn’t become malevolent spirits. Those who merged with the Dao after death nourished the world with their essence, while those killed brutally would only suffer more if they lingered as ghosts.
Taking a taxi, they arrived at the apartment complex mentioned by the housing agent – Yangxing Community, lush with greenery, a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes in summer.
At the entrance of Building No. 6, the agent, Du, was waiting. Du, a sharp-eyed middle-aged man in his forties with a shrewd air, greeted Lu Xuan warmly.
After exchanging pleasantries, Du explained the situation with the ‘haunted’ house. The property belonged to his aunt, originally bought as a wedding house for her son – Du’s cousin. However, since the cousin had been slow to marry, the house had remained unoccupied until he settled down this year.
After moving in, however, within less than a month, the cousin went insane. He was admitted to Ancheng Psychiatric Hospital and stayed there for half a year. Slightly recovered, he was then taken back home by Du’s uncle for further recuperation.
The family hadn’t initially suspected the house. Due to its good lighting and spaciousness, and its proximity to Du’s uncle’s workplace, which made caring for his son convenient, the uncle also moved in. However, both father and son eventually went insane.
Du’s aunt nearly broke down upon realizing something was wrong with the house. She then entrusted Du to sell the house, believing its presence was unsettling for the family.
Du was open about the house’s reputation for being haunted. The insanity of the three family members had even made local news. Whether renting or buying, a little investigation would reveal the history, so there was no point in hiding it.
Typically, such “unlucky” houses were sold to professionals like surgeons, who often didn’t believe in such things and were thought to have a heavier ‘yin’ presence from working in hospitals, which could suppress any unclean presence in the house.
Unfortunately, it was the off-season for selling properties, and finding a buyer was difficult. So Du, with the thought of making some money rather than leaving the house idle, listed it for rent. Perhaps a tenant might find the house appealing and affordable enough to buy it.
This led to Lu Xuan renting the house.
The haunted apartment was on the thirteenth floor. As the trio approached, even before opening the door, they felt a chilling sensation. Lu Xuan and Cheng Lingzhu exchanged glances, confirming the presence of something unusual in the apartment.
After touring the apartment, which had been vacated only a week ago by the previous tenant who was admitted to the psychiatric hospital, they found it relatively clean and well-lit, though the flowers on the balcony were wilting.
Returning to the living room, Du tentatively asked for their decision.
“We’ll take it,” Lu Xuan replied, having already identified the issue with the house.
Du, relieved and happy, promptly took out a pre-printed rental contract. Lu Xuan signed it and paid three months’ rent upfront, as they didn’t plan to stay long. This suited Du, who preferred short-term rentals, hoping to sell the house eventually.
Given the house’s haunted reputation and the unusual circumstances, Du didn’t even ask for a security deposit. He was just thankful to have it rented.
There was a superstition in the local real estate industry that if a house listed for rent remained unoccupied for the first month, it would become even harder to rent or sell later. So, having completed the contract and handing over the keys, Du quickly left, relieved to have the matter settled.
Cheng Lingzhu opened all the windows and cast a cleaning spell. The dust in the room was blown away, leaving everything spotless and clean.
“Alright… Later, we should buy some bedding, kitchenware, and a few clothes,” Lu Xuan planned. Though their current garments were magical robes capable of changing appearance, blending in with local customs was always a good idea.
“And it seems we’ve run out of stockings recently,” Lu Xuan thoughtfully added.
“Aren’t we going to deal with the thing in here first?” Cheng Lingzhu raised an eyebrow.
“Have you found it?” Lu Xuan asked with a smile.
“Of course,” Cheng Lingzhu confidently walked over to the TV cabinet where a palm-sized half-bust statue was placed.
Picking up the object, she weighed it in her hand, “This is it, right?”
As the Holy Maiden of the Dushi Sword Sect, Cheng Lingzhu’s spiritual perception was exceptionally sharp. After learning the Great Slaughter Divine Method and becoming the successor of the Demon Emperor, her ability to sense spiritual and ghostly presences had significantly improved.
“Indeed,” Lu Xuan agreed. “This is a Mother Mary statue from the local Nestorianism. But there’s something off about it, especially around the eyes.”
After examining the statue and scratching at its eyes, the white plaster fell away, revealing red material underneath, giving the illusion of the statue shedding blood tears.
Lu Xuan was about to start the containment process to neutralize the statue when he reconsidered and made a call to Du, the agent. He inquired about the origin of the statue, feigning interest in getting one for a relative.
According to Du, the statue wasn’t bought but found by his cousin under a flyover during heavy rain a year ago. Since obtaining the statue, the cousin’s family had experienced a stroke of good luck – promotions at work, winning at mahjong, and more.
The fact that the statue was found in such circumstances, especially during heavy rain, hinted at something unusual. The weather forecast predicted a storm tonight, piquing Cheng Lingzhu’s interest – the disciples of the Dushi
Sword Sect were always intrigued by such “dangerous” affairs.
The plan was clear – they would check out the flyover that night.
Lu Xuan nodded in agreement. With the coming storm and the mystery of the flyover, he thought it would be wise to have a Maybach for the night’s investigation.