You Didn't Do It?

Crack!

When the four skeletons stuffed the people from the Zhao Household and the Blissful Union House into the coffin, then hoisted its four corners and bounced toward Shanshan, the two groups finally broke down.

"Triple!"

"We'll pay triple the Green Fly Coins!"

Wang Quan said in a hollow voice, "Too late!"

"Anomalies are running all over the place now. They're much harder to catch than before."

"Five times!"

"At least five times!"

The two groups stared wide-eyed. "You're looting a burning house!"

The next second, a skeleton came over carrying the coffin lid. Bang!

The lid slammed shut.

Inside the coffin, both groups screamed, "Five times! We agree!"

Crack!

Moved by the Green Fly Coins, the skeleton lifted the lid straight off, its jaws opening and closing with a clattering rattle.

"Six times!"

"Six times the Green Fly Coins, and we'll deal with these anomalies right away!"

The two groups had no time to think it through. They hurriedly said, "No problem!"

The next second:

The Officiant Daoist Nun pulled an incense table, an incense burner, sandalwood incense, and other supplies from her sachet.

She lit the incense and prayed, murmuring incantations.

Wang Quan's eyes darted about. He set up an incense table of his own and lit some incense, then swung his Green Beetle Sword like a shaman performing a spirit dance.

The next second, the surrounding mountains rumbled. Trees swayed, and mountain springs suddenly gushed forth, their waters flowing toward them.

Beside them, the Dream Nun had a thought and muttered inwardly, These two are each more convincing than the other!

I'll show a few tricks too.

She patted her slender waist, and her belt flew out, transforming into a Beauty Snake that casually grabbed the bones and tossed them into the coffin.

Soon:

The sandalwood incense burned away.

The people inside the coffin climbed out, and the skeletons lay down inside.

Excellent!

Perfect!

Onward!

Toot-toot, ta-ta!

The burly men formed from Paper People blew their suonas with all their might. The people from the Zhao Household and the Blissful Union House rejoiced. "We finally dealt with those anomalies."

"Only... why does something feel off?"

Although there were Lower Court cultivators among them, they had only studied the most basic three thousand Daoist Scriptures. They knew nothing of many spells and noticed no clues.

As for the New Method cultivators, they did not understand even a single volume of Daoist Scriptures, so naturally, they saw nothing wrong either.

Wang Quan and the Officiant Daoist Nun, on the other hand, exchanged a glance and chuckled.

The Officiant Daoist Nun sent him a message. "Flower-Scatter Daoist, you really were born for this line of work!"

"I never imagined your methods were so exquisite!"

"I didn't even notice just now."

Wang Quan froze for a moment. "I only made a suggestion. I didn't actually do anything."

"I thought you were the one behind it."

The Officiant Daoist Nun grew a little flustered. "I'll ask whether it was the Dream Nun's doing."

A little later, she said with a trace of alarm, "It wasn't the Dream Nun either."

At those words, Wang Quan fell silent.

After a moment, he smiled. "If none of us did it, does that mean the bones really became anomalies?"

The Officiant Daoist Nun shook her head. "They don't count as anomalies yet."

"They're probably in the process of becoming anomalies."

"We need to hurry and bury them!"

"Otherwise, heaven knows whether they'll pull some new stunt in a moment."

"Mm!"

This time, in less than half a quarter-hour, everyone arrived at the burial site Wang Quan had chosen.

Strange rocks crowded the site, and chilly winds blew in gusts.

Yet neither the Blissful Union House nor the Zhao Household raised any objections. Instead, they nodded repeatedly. "Since a professional chose it, we'll listen to the professional."

Wang Quan nodded, but still pointed in every direction, explaining the site in terms of Feng Shui, Earth Veins, and even some Ritual Magic.

Finally, he said gravely, "These corpses turned into anomalies halfway here. They're harder to handle than they were at the start."

"I originally chose this grave on the assumption that they hadn't become anomalies."

"Now, I can't guarantee that this grave will be able to suppress them."

The two groups exchanged a glance. "We'll pay more!"

Wang Quan shook his head. "More money won't help!"

"Unless you give me time to find another burial site."

"But then the fee will be even higher."

The two groups exchanged another glance. "How much higher?"

Wang Quan smiled. "Finding a burial site alone will cost a million Green Fly Coins."

Both groups fell silent. That price was far too high. It wasn't worth it.

The Ox Spirits picked up their iron picks and dug a pit, grunting with effort.

Finally, all fifty-two skeletons were thrown inside.

Fill it in, bury the pit!

Wang Quan patted his case again, and two sheets of paper flew out.

Bang!

Blue smoke burst out, and the paper transformed into lifelike Tomb Guardian Beasts that crouched atop the grave.

The next second, the Tomb Guardian Beasts linked themselves to the surrounding Earth Veins and the flow of the Feng Shui.

Unseen by outsiders, the paper Tomb Guardian Beasts maintained a faint connection to the bones in the grave, monitoring their changes.

Aside from the Officiant Daoist Nun, no one noticed this technique of Wang Quan's-not even the Dream Nun.

Everyone merely saw the Tomb Guardian Beasts appear and felt that the grave had instantly risen a notch in quality. They clapped in praise.

"Settle up, and let's go!"

Wang Quan had no interest in watching these people celebrate. He asked the Officiant Daoist Nun for his money directly. "I still need to go back and cultivate."

The Officiant Daoist Nun smiled. "Once I collect the multiplied fee in a little while, I'll transfer your share through the token."

"All right!"

At this point, the Ox Spirits and hired mourners also wanted higher wages.

The Officiant Daoist Nun unleashed a torrent of abuse. "A bunch of trash with no backing! You should count yourselves lucky I'm paying you anything at all!"

"You want higher wages? Why didn't you speak up when those skeleton anomalies appeared?"

The Ox Spirits and mourners laughed sheepishly.

In the end, the Officiant Daoist Nun still paid them double wages, and the Ox Spirits and mourners left in high spirits.

Wang Quan said a few words to the Dream Nun, then sped away in his carrying chair.

As he traveled, Wang Quan's feelings were mixed.

He had never imagined that merely disposing of a few enemies would turn them into anomalies.

Originally, he had planned to dig up his enemies' bones later and refine them into Skeleton Warriors.

Now, it appeared that those bones were already showing signs of becoming anomalies.

Whether or not the grave could extinguish their chance of becoming anomalies, he had no intention of digging up the corpses anymore.

This purge of his enemies had only been a small test of his methods.

Now, only that old bastard in the Miscellaneous Goods Hall is left.

That old bastard definitely has more magical power than I do, and more tricks up his sleeve.

And he never leaves the Lower Court!

I'll wait a little longer. Once I have more magical power and know more spells, I'll find a way to kill him.

After returning to the Lower Court this time, Wang Quan adjusted his cultivation plan:

He would reduce his nightly magic-refining time slightly, so long as he could refine one strand of magical power.

After refining his magic, he would gather purple qi and master fifty spells. Finally, he would study the Daoist Scriptures and begin the next round of magic refinement.

Once this payment arrives, I'll not only be able to repay Senior Sister Round-Faced, but also buy items to assist my magic refinement with the money left over.

That will make my cultivation plan go more smoothly.

He contacted the Round-Faced Daoist Nun. "Sis, I earned some money. I'll repay you tonight or tomorrow."

The Round-Faced Daoist Nun chuckled. "No problem."

"Sis, prepare some [bright moon white jade], [Bright Moon Command Banners], and [bright moon sandalwood incense] for me. My budget is around two hundred and fifty thousand coins."

"Get the highest-quality materials."

The Round-Faced Daoist Nun said, "If you're spending around two hundred and fifty thousand coins on materials, you might as well go all the way and use three hundred thousand coins' worth."

"It's only a difference of fifty thousand coins, but there's a considerable gap in their effects."

Wang Quan sighed. "I don't have any more money!"

The Round-Faced Daoist Nun had a thought. "If you don't repay me, can you scrape together three hundred thousand coins?"

"Yes!"

"But..."

The Round-Faced Daoist Nun chuckled. "You've only just started refining magic, and you're already earning tens or even hundreds of thousands."

"I trust you can repay that little bit of money."

"Just don't forget your sister's support when you make it big!"

Wang Quan nodded. "Thank you!"