Coffin Pressing Longevity

"It was bought?"

In front of the guest room door of the Tian'an Village band, Wei Lai frowned, his expression unable to hide his surprise.

"Yes, it was a young Daoist priest. He just left. Perhaps you saw him when you arrived."

Master Zhong finished speaking and couldn't help but ask:

"Sir, are those nabo some kind of antique?"

Wei Lai looked at Master Zhong's face, which held a bit of hope and hidden annoyance, and knew what he was struggling with. He smiled and said:

"It's not an antique, just a Buddhist ritual implement."

"A Buddhist ritual implement?"

Master Zhong was confused but relieved.

If he had really sold an antique for a low price, he probably wouldn't have been able to sleep well tonight.

"Old sir, have you ever heard of the opera 'Mu Lian Saves His Mother'?"

"Sir, you jest. I'm just a village musician, how would I have heard of any opera? Even if I had, I wouldn't be able to name it. I just listen to the excitement vaguely."

Master Zhong looked embarrassed.

"If you have the chance, old sir, you can find a storyteller. The item thrown by Mu Lian in the opera is the nabo. It's a ritual implement used for Buddhist salvation, like Buddhist prayer beads or a Buddhist bell."

Wei Lai didn't turn to look for it but patiently explained.

"When you mention Buddhist prayer beads, I understand. I was wondering what antique it was, and why so many people were looking for it all night."

Master Zhong was completely relieved.

"After all, it's a rare ghost marriage. With so many people coming to watch, it's inevitable that someone would recognize it and, seeing something they liked, come looking for it."

"That makes sense. It's also my first time playing for a wealthy family, and the scene is indeed unusual."

"Since the nabo has already been sold by you, old sir, I won't disturb you further. Goodbye!"

"Farewell, sir!"

Wei Lai cupped his hands and turned to leave.

While feeling a bit annoyed, he also felt a sense of kindred spirit.

If he guessed correctly, the person who bought the nabo must be the young Daoist priest he brushed past at the inn's staircase.

He thought, he's quite a character.

Discovering a treasure, he was willing to wait until the host finished the ghost marriage before taking it. He was restrained and not greedy, a person worth befriending.

Hope to meet again someday!

Wei Lai smiled slightly, left the inn, and looked up at the sky.

Under the dim night, the bright moon hung high, and the stars were dim.

"It's still a bit early. Let's wait a while longer. When everyone is sound asleep, then I'll make my move."

With his thoughts settled, he returned to his lodging and waited silently.

The night deepened.

"Bang! Bang!"

"Fourth watch of Chou hour, the weather is dry, be careful of fire!"

Just after the fourth watch, with a creak, after a faint sound of a window opening, a figure, like a phantom, stepped on the blue tiles and took a path through the dark alley, heading towards the place ablaze with lights!

Qian Dayuan was indeed the great proprietor of the Wanbao Merchant Guild. Even late at night, his mansion was still brightly lit.

Red lanterns were hung high.

Wei Lai moved through the shadows, climbed over walls, crossed corridors, and in the front courtyard of the main building, he saw the solitary red coffin placed there.

On the offering table at the head of the coffin, the memorial tablet, fruits, and livestock offerings were all present.

Beside the coffin, there were two night watchmen sleeping like logs.

Wei Lai formed a hand seal and flicked out two streams of spiritual light, which landed on the servants, preventing them from being awakened by the sound of the coffin being opened.

After doing this, he walked to the coffin, placed a hand on the coffin lid, and exerted force. The "son and grandson nails" that sealed the coffin could not stop his strength at all.

With a creak, it was suddenly lifted.

Wei Lai glanced inside, and the scene, completely different from his expectations, caused his pupils to dilate. His figure shot out like a rainbow, and he quickly leaped backward.

Moonlight poured into the coffin, illuminating the sinister object as if it were daylight.

Under the moonlight, a figure suddenly sat up from the coffin, turned its head, and looked over.

"It's you?"

Wei Lai was stunned. The person in the coffin was the young Daoist priest he had brushed past at the inn's staircase.

"You've got the wrong script, haven't you?"

Mo Chuan looked at the young man dressed as a scholar with a strange expression, a strong sense of absurdity welling up in his heart.

"Script? What is that?" Wei Lai asked, looking bewildered.

"Never mind that! It's the middle of the night, why aren't you sleeping? What are you doing here?" Mo Chuan asked.

"Naturally, to save someone! Right, where is the woman in the coffin?"

"Looks like the script was really wrong."

Mo Chuan muttered.

It was too coincidental. Not only did they both discover the nabo at the same time, but they both also thought of coming to save someone. This whole situation was baffling him.

"Do you know the woman in the coffin?"

Mo Chuan didn't answer, instead asking back.

If you were to ask where the woman in the coffin went?

She had been temporarily placed inside the Sacrificial Dao Furnace by him.

"No, I don't. I heard she wasn't dead, so I came to take a look."

"Oh? And if she isn't dead?"

"Of course, I'd save her. Hmm, why are you lying in the coffin, fellow Daoist?"

"If the coffin is missing someone, shouldn't I fill the spot?"

Mo Chuan said with a playful look.

Wei Lai smiled and cupped his fists with a serious expression:

"Indeed, heroes think alike. I also intended to lie in the coffin to confront the malevolent spirit!"

"Certainly, come, come, come, I'll let you have the coffin to lie in!"

Mo Chuan scrambled out and beckoned.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist, for your generosity!"

"The forest is vast and contains all sorts of birds; even a piece of coffin board is treated like a treasure."

"Alas, as the saying goes, it's better to test someone else's coffin than their shoes. A coffin pressing longevity, a joyous occasion, naturally I treasure it."

Wei Lai replied earnestly, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

"There's such a saying? I've learned something new. By the way, is there really a malevolent spirit causing trouble?"

Mo Chuan stood to the side, watching the scholar genuinely jump into the coffin without reservation. He secretly wondered if he was truly an upright person.

"Of course! Madam Liu's two sons died prematurely over ten years ago. Why would they suddenly appear in dreams without reason? Moreover, I saw the ghost matchmaker during the day, and there was a faint demonic aura lingering around them. I fear it's a collusion between humans and demons, acting under orders."

As Wei Lai spoke, he looked at Mo Chuan: "Fellow Daoist, have you discovered anything?"

"I merely observed the woman's birth characters. Extremely yin and extremely malevolent, she was likely targeted by a demon as a great tonic, which is why I decided to investigate."

Having experienced the incident of the Great Five-Armored Demon in Changlan City plundering lives, Mo Chuan was naturally very sensitive to birth characters.

"There's such a method? Master was right, there are indeed heavens beyond heavens and people beyond people."

Wei Lai looked surprised, clearly not expecting Mo Chuan to have such a sharp perspective.

"Someone's coming. You lie down well! I'll be outside and will try to look out for you if I have time."

"Thank you, fellow Daoist, for your strong support!"

"We just share the same taste!"

With that, Mo Chuan put his feet to the ground and, with movements as agile as a fox, disappeared without a trace over the wall and onto the tiles.

Wei Lai, hearing the faint footsteps, quickly closed the coffin lid.

Not long after, two servants carrying lanterns on patrol walked over timidly.

Seeing the servant guarding the coffin sleeping soundly, they became furious and quickly woke him up, not without a round of complaints and scolding.

Wei Lai, listening to the commotion outside, gradually relaxed.

As his thoughts flowed, he found the day's experience quite amusing!

Wait, he was so caught up in discussing the malevolent spirit that he forgot to exchange names.

He wondered which sect that Daoist priest belonged to. If he could introduce him to the sect, his master would surely be pleased with such a disposition.