Chapter 158: The Boss Is Not In A Good Mood
Early the next morning, Yang Haoran climbed out of bed, his hair disheveled, his head feeling somewhat muddled.
He had drunk quite a bit of alcohol last night; so had Wang Yiming. Chen Ying, on the other hand, hadn't touched a drop, though she had been plied with plenty of non-alcoholic drinks.
Although there were only three of them, and the food was quite ordinary, the trio conversed delightfully. There wasn't a single moment of awkward silence from beginning to end, and no one even touched their phone.
By the end of the meal, the bond between the three had significantly deepened. Chen Ying, in particular, had done a complete U-turn in her attitude towards Yang Haoran compared to their first encounter; she even started calling him "Brother Yang" instead of his full name.
Yang Haoran had successfully learned the memory-wiping technique from Wang Yiming. Just as Wang Yiming had stated, it truly wasn't a particularly complex method; as long as one wasn't an ordinary person and possessed inner power, mastering the technique was a mere matter of moments.
Yang Haoran naturally had his own plans and considerations for wanting to learn the memory-wiping technique from Wang Yiming.
He had no interest in wiping the memories of ordinary people, but the memories of souls? Those he was quite keen to erase. It wasn't just an interest; in his view, it was absolutely essential.
Because he didn't want the spirits he subdued to know his secrets.
Although he had placed a seal on the Soul-Gathering Bead, ensuring that the spirits within could not learn anything about the outside world unless he willed it, he was quite at ease regarding this point.
The vast majority of the spirits within the Soul-Gathering Bead were meant to be turned in. Even if he could bypass Deng Feng, what would he do once they reached the Underworld?
He couldn't possibly keep all these spirits in his possession forever, never handing them over, could he?
While it was a method, it was ultimately a last resort. After all, most of these spirits were just ordinary Wangling; they still had a chance at reincarnation. Abusing his authority to keep all of them captive was something Yang Haoran genuinely couldn't bring himself to do.
Therefore, when he saw Wang Yiming employ the memory-wiping technique yesterday afternoon, a thought sparked in his mind: could this method also be effective on spirits?
If so, then in the future, he wouldn't be so passive regarding such matters; at the very least, he would have a considerably better way of handling things.
However, all of this hinged on whether the memory-wiping technique was indeed effective on spirits. If it wasn't, he would simply have to devise other methods.
Yang Haoran didn't directly question Wang Yiming about this. After returning home last night, he immediately began experimenting himself. Though he had consumed a good deal of alcohol, his inner eagerness to discover the results outweighed any concern for that.
After experimenting, he discovered it was indeed feasible! This memory-wiping technique was effective not only on the living but also on spirits!
Although the one he released at the time was just a very ordinary Wangling and not a Half-step Evil Spirit like the Skin-Borrowing Ghost, as long as it proved effective, that was enough for Yang Haoran!
Rubbing his head, Yang Haoran circulated the Spirit Power within his body. Fatigue was swept away, and his head, which had felt like it was filled with lead, cleared completely.
He was in a rather good mood. After washing up and paying his respects to his parents and the Death God, he left the convenience store without even eating breakfast.
It was almost noon when Yang Haoran finally returned to the convenience store, his hands full with numerous bags, both large and small.
On this trip, he had purchased cinnabar. Everything was ready, save for the crucial final element. Since he had already cultivated the Talisman Master Power Seed, his next step was to become a Talisman Master in the shortest time possible.
Dealing with the Skin-Borrowing Ghost this time, it wouldn't have been easy to get it into the Soul-Gathering Bead without the help of Wang Yiming and Child Tong. But if he successfully became a Talisman Master, capable of drawing talismans, then the situation would be entirely different.
For the foreseeable future, Yang Haoran spent his days in the convenience store drawing talismans, and his nights thoroughly purging Lecheng of all its Wangling.
Days turned into weeks, and in the blink of an eye, it was the end of the month.
During this time, Guan Hai also returned to Lecheng from his hometown. He sought out Yang Haoran, and the two shared drinks several times. Yet, neither of them brought up the matter of Yangjiawan, as if it had never occurred. They were still the same as always, sitting together, laughing and chatting, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
The residents of Lecheng who had returned for the New Year gradually departed Lecheng during this period. Their livelihoods were not in a small place like Lecheng, so after the New Year, they naturally had to return to their jobs, restarting another year of busy work.
As they left, Lecheng gradually reverted to its usual state. Though still bustling, it was a far cry from the festive fervor of the New Year.
However, Yang Haoran paid no mind to any of this. Ordinary people had their ordinary lives and aspirations, and now, he too had his own.
It was just that the gains from this period of time hadn't particularly satisfied him.
Without Xu Meijing around, Yang Haoran had collected a considerable number of Wangling within Lecheng city, a harvest that actually made him quite content. What he was dissatisfied with, however, was the matter of talisman drawing.
During this time, he had been exceptionally diligent, spending his days either practicing talisman drawing and cultivation or poring over that Broken Book detailing talisman arts. Yet, the results were not particularly evident.
Aside from the Talisman Master Power Seed within him steadily strengthening day by day through his daily cultivation, he hadn't managed to draw a single talisman—not even the simplest one. This left him utterly speechless and frustrated.
However, he certainly wouldn't give up over such a minor setback. After all, the path ahead was still long, and he believed that one day he would successfully draw talismans and become a true Talisman Master.
Today was once again the day to hand over souls. Yang Haoran left the convenience store early in the morning and arrived at the South Lake Death God Temple.
He hadn't been here for a while, but nothing had changed; it was exactly as it had been during his last visit.
Yang Haoran found Jiang Dashi, returned the books he had borrowed, and the two talked for a long time, about many things.
Jiang Dashi knew about the incident at Yangjiawan, but he wasn't aware that Yang Haoran was from there, so he didn't bring up the matter in front of him.
Since the other party was unaware, Yang Haoran naturally wouldn't bring it up himself. After all, this matter was a scar on his heart; every mention was like tearing open the wound. He wouldn't actively expose the deep scars within his soul.
Besides Jiang Dashi, the other temple keepers, upon learning of Yang Haoran's arrival, all greeted him warmly.
Upon entering the hall behind the stone wall again, Yang Haoran couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. What had transpired here at the end of last month was still vivid in his memory, and today, one person would not be present—perhaps never again.
"Plans can never keep up with changes. We agreed this month you'd surpass me, but instead, you got a promotion and a raise and left."
Yang Haoran looked at an empty spot and shook his head with a bitter smile. That spot was precisely where Xu Meijing used to sit.
"Little Yang, come on over! Haven't seen you in a month, how was your New Year?"
Yang Haoran wasn't the first to arrive in the hall; several Night Watchers were already waiting there before him.
The one who greeted Yang Haoran was an old man; he remembered him as a temple keeper from the countryside.
Taking his usual seat, Yang Haoran flashed his customary smile and replied to the old man, "Not bad. How was your New Year?"
Yang Haoran didn't let his inner sorrow show, for he was never one to garner sympathy by playing the victim.
"Good my ass! The New Year period nearly killed me with all the work. Oh, by the way, I heard Xu Meijing disappeared. Do you know anything about that?"
The old man spoke without the slightest reserve, which Yang Haoran didn't mind. However, the mention of Xu Meijing did indeed pique his interest.
Xu Meijing had only been gone from Lecheng for a short while, yet not only did the Spirit Police know, but even this old man in front of him knew. Could it be that Xu Meijing's departure was no longer a secret?
But then Yang Haoran realized something was amiss. Both Wang Yiming and the old man before him spoke of Xu Meijing as having simply "disappeared," not as having been promoted and transferred to Ancheng. From this, it was clear that they didn't know much about Xu Meijing's true circumstances.
However, their ignorance didn't mean Deng Feng was also unaware. One must remember that Deng Feng was Lecheng's Emissary of Death; it was impossible for him not to know about Xu Meijing's promotion to Emissary of Death and her transfer to Ancheng.
He just didn't know what Deng Feng's attitude was concerning this. Yang Haoran estimated that Deng Feng probably had quite strong objections.
Of course, this was just his speculation. Whether it was true or not, he would find out shortly.
If Deng Feng was truly as furious as he had guessed, Yang Haoran only hoped that anger wouldn't be unleashed upon him.
Yang Haoran didn't disclose anything to the old man about Xu Meijing; he simply listened, smiling, as the old man and several other Night Watchers discussed her throughout.
Slowly, more and more Night Watchers filtered into the hall. Before long, all Night Watchers, save for Xu Meijing, had arrived. The most common topic of their discussions revolved around Xu Meijing's sudden disappearance: where had she gone? Was she alive or dead?
To Yang Haoran's slight surprise, not every Night Watcher was ignorant of Xu Meijing's whereabouts. There were still a few well-informed individuals who knew she had gone to Ancheng and even become an Emissary of Death.
At this, every Night Watcher save Yang Haoran gasped in astonishment, for they understood perfectly well what this implied!
It meant that this young woman, who had once worked under Emissary of Death Deng Feng, had now, like a serf reborn, ascended to become her own boss. She had achieved a status equivalent to Emissary of Death Deng Feng himself, and there was absolutely no reason for them not to be shocked.
While shocked, these Night Watchers also felt an immense sense of wistful envy. Almost all of them had served as Night Watchers longer than Xu Meijing, yet she had already been promoted and found prosperity, while they remained stagnant.
Just as all the Night Watchers were still reeling from the shock of Xu Meijing's news, a rift suddenly tore open in the space within the hall. Deng Feng, his face grim, stepped out of the fissure, and the boisterous hall instantly fell silent.
Every Night Watcher could tell: their boss was not in a good mood.
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