Chapter 13: The Wedding Invitation

As soon as I stepped out of the police station, I headed straight for the bank. According to Hell Show, everything I redeemed with my livestream points should be securely stored in my personal safe deposit box.I wasn't entirely sure what a personal safe deposit box even was, but I doubted Hell Show would lie to me about this.Covered in mud, with my pant legs torn, I looked like a refugee as I arrived at one of Jiangcheng's largest banks."Sir, how can I assist you today?""I'd like to retrieve the items in my personal safe deposit box. My account number is 622843...""Personal safe deposit box? I'm sorry, sir, but our bank doesn't offer that service. Are you sure there hasn't been some mistake?" The teller's tone was polite, but the other customers waiting in line were far less so."Who's this bumpkin talking about a personal safe deposit box? Does he think this bank is his private vault?""Hey man, did you wander in from the credit union next door?""Let's hurry it up, some of us have places to be."I ignored their chatter. I was used to this kind of attitude. "Please check again. My account number is 622843..."The teller hesitated, her face showing some discomfort, while the security guard at the door started moving in my direction. "How about this? I'll check with the manager. If she doesn't know, there's really nothing else I can do."This teller looked like a college graduate fresh out of school. If it had been someone else, they probably would've lost their patience by now."Hey, we don't have all day!""Bumpkin, get out of the way!"A few moments later, the teller rushed back but didn't say a word. Instead, she placed a "Service Temporarily Unavailable" sign on the counter."What's this? Neglecting your duties? We'll file a complaint!""Yeah, where's the branch manager? I want to file a formal complaint!"Within seconds, not just the teller at my window, but the next three counters in line also stopped their operations, and all the staff hurried to the back."What's going on? A security drill?"Before I could figure it out, a sweet voice came from the VIP lounge: "Mr. Gao, this way, please!""VIP lounge? For High-net-worth account? Him?" The crowd stared, wide-eyed, trying to see through me with their gazes. The beautiful branch manager called out again, "Mr. Gao, please follow me to the VIP area."Under their astonished stares, I finally managed to lift my head proudly for once. "Oh, alright, but standing here so long has made me thirsty.""My deepest apologies. Would you prefer Dragon Well tea or Pu'er?""No need for the fuss. Just get me an iced Coke."It was my first time in the VIP area, and I never imagined a bank could have such a luxurious reception room."Not bad, this place. Is this couch real leather?""I'm glad you like it," the manager replied with a professional smile. A few minutes later, the young teller returned with a tray."Sir, here is the key to your safe deposit box."In the center of the tray lay a jet-black card. It was non-reflective, with an understated and elegant design."Your safe deposit box is in the basement. Shall we head down now?""Of course."Accompanied by four staff members, I entered the basement. After swiping my card, entering a password, and unlocking the safe deposit box, I retrieved its contents, which were wrapped in a black cloth.The entire process felt like a scene from a blockbuster movie. Even after leaving the bank with the package in hand, it all felt surreal."Incredible. Hell Show is truly incredible," I muttered, trying to guess what kind of organization Hell Show might be while unwrapping the package.Clink! Something gold and shiny fell to the ground, drawing the attention of countless passersby."That luster... that shape... that blinding glow...""Holy crap, a gold bar!"I quickly picked up the gold bar and jumped into a taxi without looking back. "Driver, step on it!"Sitting in the passenger seat, I slipped the gold bar into my pocket and began examining the Heavenly Eye Manual I'd redeemed."One point gets me a whole gold bar. This Heavenly Eye Manual cost me three points—it must be extraordinary," I thought, eyes gleaming with excitement as I opened the package, feeling like I was about to unveil Pandora's box.The book was bound with thread and appeared ancient. On the first page were bold, elegant characters:"Each drop of essence reveals the truth, Five eyes and six senses discern Buddha from demon, To see and hear a thousand miles away""What a masterpiece! The profundity, the depth—this is pure genius!"I was so thrilled that I almost clapped. But as I turned to the second page: "Blank?"The entire page was blank, not a single word."This must be a printing error. Everyone makes mistakes, right? Understandable."A sinking feeling crept over me as I kept flipping: "Blank. Blank. They're all blank!"I punched the seat in frustration, startling the driver. Furiously flipping through the book, I confirmed that apart from the first page, the rest of the book was entirely blank."Hey buddy, it's just a knockoff book, no need to lose your mind over it.""Knockoff book?" This thing cost me three gold bars—roughly 70,000 yuan. Where are you buying knockoff books like this?Barely suppressing the urge to tear it apart, I wrapped the book back up. "I wonder if Hell Show allows returns..."Exhausted after an almost sleepless day and night, I was finally looking forward to getting some rest at my little store.But as I stepped out of the taxi, I realized how naive I'd been.Standing at the entrance of the small adult shop, three people were waiting for me: one leaning against a BMW X1, one crouching by the door with a wooden pole, and a timid-looking girl sitting to the side with a backpack."What is this, an ambush? Is this what they call when it rains, it pours?"The man by the BMW wore gold-rimmed glasses and a tailored suit, holding a red folder. The older man with the wooden pole looked to be in his forties or fifties but was robust and imposing, with his eyes covered by a black cloth and a menacing air about him. The third person, a shy and nervous high school girl, kept glancing at the other two.I knew all three of them. The man in the suit was the secretary to the CEO of Jiangjin Real Estate, a notable figure in Jiangcheng. The imposing man with the wooden pole was none other than Liu the Blind, and judging by his demeanor, he was here for revenge over the talisman incident. The timid girl was Xia Qingzhi, worried about her brother's safety."Wow, what an honor. Three esteemed guests at my humble shop. Unfortunately, I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, so we're closed. Goodbye!"As I turned to leave, I heard a sharp whoosh by my ear. Thud! The seven-foot wooden pole slammed into the ground an inch in front of me, cracking the pavement beneath.My throat went dry. Clearly, things were not looking good. Forget the other two—Liu the Blind alone was enough trouble for one day."Liu, buddy, what are you doing? This is a lawful society. Let's talk things through, no need for violence." Forcing a smile, I pulled out my keys. "Let's not stand around outside. It doesn't look good. Come in, and we'll talk inside.""I won't impose further," the man in the suit said, adjusting his glasses with a professional smile. "This is an invitation to the wedding of Young Master Jiang and Miss Ye Bing. Both of them would be delighted if you could attend.""Me?" Why would a wealthy scion like Jiang want to see someone like me at his wedding? It's obvious. He wants to humiliate me in front of Ye Bing, to prove who's the better man.I could already picture the scene: a crowd of sycophants mocking me, groveling to Jiang, and making me the butt of their jokes."What a petty guy. But it doesn't matter. I promised Ye Bing I'd show up, and I will." This wasn't giving up; it was because some things needed to be said to her face."We'll await your presence." He placed the gilded invitation in my hand and drove off in his BMW."One down, two to go."Switching the shop sign to "Closed," I invited Liu and Xia Qingzhi inside.The atmosphere in the small shop was oppressive, with the three of us staring at the thin talisman paper on the desk."Old Liu, don't be too upset. I'll take responsibility for this..." I looked at Liu the Blind, whose face had turned a shade of iron gray. I never thought a human face could rival a bronze statue in color."Without this talisman, I wouldn't have survived last night. If you want compensation, just say. If it's within my power, I won't refuse," I said, trying to sound sincere."Compensation?" Liu snorted coldly. "The web of karma is tangled. I want your life in return to settle the score. Would you agree to that?""Um... it's a lawful society nowadays. If something happens to me, wouldn't you also get into trouble?" I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead. Liu the Blind usually kept to himself like a harmless herbivore, but now he was all about life and death. "This is more like a civil dispute. How about I compensate you with money?""Money? That's laughable." Liu pulled out a peachwood box from his chest, carefully handling the talisman as if it were an ancestral relic."This talisman was passed down by my great-grandfather to uphold the Liu family's fortune, ensuring a hundred years of prosperity, flourishing branches, and endless descendants," he said with a solemn tone."But as far as I know, you're in your forties and still single. Has the talisman lost its effectiveness?" I quipped.Smack! His carrying pole struck the ground with a force that sent me and Xia Qingzhi flinching. I dared not say another word."The Liu family comes from a lineage of geomancers. The wisdom of our ancestors is beyond the comprehension of commoners like you," he said, his expression stern.I nodded obsequiously. "Of course, of course. It was my mistake.""This talisman has survived wars, foreign invasions, and the turmoil of the past century, only to fall into your hands in the end," he sighed."Just my luck, I guess. Ignorance is bliss, right?"As he returned the talisman to the peachwood box, I could've sworn it seemed to regain some vitality."You meddled with the Liu family's protective talisman, binding yourself to its karmic fate. If the Liu family encounters trouble, you are obligated to assist. Otherwise, the backlash of karma will bring disaster upon you," Liu said. His face softened slightly, seeing that the talisman wasn't severely damaged but only slightly depleted."Of course, of course. Just say the word, and I'll be at your service," I promised hastily."Empty words. Who knows if you're truly sincere?" He sighed, carefully tucking the box away. "By involving yourself in the Liu family's karma, you've brought a great deal of trouble upon us. Looking at you, your face is darkened, your fate hanging by a thread. You've really dragged us into a mess."If someone had told me in the past that I looked doomed on the streets, my first reaction would've been to chase them away with a shoe. But after everything I've been through lately—being forcefully signed into Hell Show, staying at a haunted inn where at least four people had died, and even witnessing possession-like phenomena—I couldn't dismiss Liu's words as nonsense. Maybe my fate really was sealed."Old Liu, do you know any way to break this? If, as you said, we're in this mess together, we'd better figure something out," I asked desperately."Who knows what malevolent spirits or sinister forces you've provoked? Besides, I'm just a fortune teller. Reading faces and interpreting symbols is my expertise. Fighting demons? Not so much," Liu replied. He removed the black cloth from his eyes and pulled out a bottle of eye drops."You're not actually blind?" Xia Qingzhi, who had been sitting quietly in a corner, finally mustered the courage to ask."I never said I was. The black cloth is for training my senses and attuning with the heavens," Liu explained as he reapplied the cloth after using the drops. "Young lady, shouldn't you be in school instead of hanging around with this man? You're shrouded in yin energy. Staying close to him won't do either of you any good.""I came here to—""Ahem!" I interrupted Xia Qingzhi. Hell Show's rules were clear—its existence was strictly confidential."To be honest, I don't even know what's haunting me lately. And for certain reasons, I've had to frequently visit desolate, eerie places," I explained."What on earth are you doing in places like that?" Liu frowned.I placed a black bundle on the desk and opened it, revealing a gold bar. "For money. People die for wealth, birds for food."The deeper reason was something I couldn't disclose. I just hoped Liu would understand my predicament."Hold on a second. Where did you get this book?" Liu suddenly asked, his attention completely focused on the Celestial Eye Compendium. "You didn't rob the Myozhen Sect, did you? This compendium is an esoteric text, only accessible to core disciples after five years of moral cultivation.""Do I look like a thief? This book... Well, let's just say I didn't steal it.""Improper origins invite trouble. Be careful, or you'll set yourself on fire. Modern cultivators are not to be trifled with.""Is the Myozhen Sect really that formidable?" Liu's words made me nervous. After all, who knows where Hell Show got this book from?"You really are fearless. Modern Taoism has evolved over millennia, with numerous internal factions. Academically, there are the Five Categories: Virtue Cultivation, Scripture Study, Talisman Crafting, Alchemy, and Divination.""Regionally, you've got Longmen, Laoshan, Suishan, Huashan, Yushan, Heshan, Huoshan, and Wudang Sects.""And by lineage, there are countless schools, such as those of Shaoyang Wang Xuanfu, Zhengyang Zhongli Han, Chunyang Lü Dongbin, Ziyang Zhang Boduan, and Chongyang Wang Zhongfu.""The Myozhen Sect belongs to the Suishan lineage, one of the most influential sects today," he explained."Wow, there are still so many cultivators around?""The world is vast, full of hidden talents. Most Taoist masters prefer seclusion and have little attachment to the mortal world," Liu said."Well, that's a relief. If they're not interested in worldly affairs, they won't care if I master the Celestial Eye and gain x-ray vision," I joked, flipping through the book. "Besides, this book is mostly blank. Do your kind like to play tricks too? Does it need to be soaked in realgar wine to reveal its contents?""If you truly wish to cultivate, I'll leave you with four words: Sincerity brings enlightenment," Liu said, closing the book. "This text should not be shown casually. Don't force anything. Let fate guide you; things will happen when the time is right."