Chapter 39: The Dog Demon

The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Only one day remained until New Year’s Eve.

As soon as Lin Hansu’s sprained foot could bear weight, she ignored Granny Xu’s advice and insisted on leaving the estate to inspect the City’s businesses.

Ding Suian, who was escorting her, brought Zhisheng, who was staying in the front courtyard, along with them.

Free labor—why not use it?

They rushed about all day, visiting more than a dozen establishments, including the silver shop, the pharmacy, the satin store, and the Northern Goods Emporium.

According to Wansu, who accompanied them, this was only the tip of the iceberg of the Princess Consort’s assets; outside the City, there were dozens of farms, and in Central Heaven, she owned an entire street of shops.

Only then did Ding Suian truly grasp the value of his wealthy sister.

What was that old saying again?

Oh, right: Fortune favors the brave!

Among the shops they inspected today, some were part of Lin Hansu’s dowry from years ago, and others were originally assets belonging to the Estate.

The dowry shops went without saying, but the managers of the businesses originally belonging to the Estate were also exceptionally warm and respectful upon Lin Hansu’s arrival. After all, the managers were not blind; on the twenty-first of the Twelfth Lunar Month, The Du Brothers failed in their attempt to cause trouble at the Estate, followed immediately by the death and arrest of the Old Side Consort’s confidantes, and the subsequent dismissal of all remaining servants.

In just a few days, Prince Lanyangs Estate was managed by the Princess Consort to be impenetrable.

The Du Brothers, however, remained shut up inside their doors.

In everyone’s eyes, the outcome of this property dispute, triggered by the ‘accompanying burial,’ was already decided.

At every location, Lin Hansu first offered gentle encouragement. Then, Wansu brought the accountant to compare the year-end ledger, which had been prepared in advance, with the store’s ledger. If there were no discrepancies, ten percent of the profit would be immediately allocated as a reward.

Wherever they went, everyone was overjoyed.

Checking the accounts was her ritual for the managers to acknowledge her as their new Master; the rewards, naturally, were meant to win over people’s hearts.

They remained busy until the hour of You (5-7 PM), when the bright lanterns were first lit, before the convoy turned back toward the Estate.

As they passed through Along-the-River Street, the second most prosperous street in Lanyang City after Mansion Front Street, it seemed a major event had occurred ahead, and countless commoners were rushing toward it from all directions.

“Madam, what happened up ahead?”

Ding Suian casually stopped a woman to ask. She initially didn’t want to bother, but after a quick glance, she saw that the person asking was a handsome Young Master, and she paused. “The Immortal Master of the State Religion found a demon mixed into the City and is catching it!”

“A demon? And you’re going to join the crowd? Aren’t you afraid of losing your life to a demon?”

“You, Young Master, have no experience. With the Immortal Master of the State Religion here, no demon can cause trouble!”

Because the road ahead was blocked, the Estate’s convoy had to temporarily stop by the street. Ding Suian jumped onto the carriage shaft to look into the distance.

Fifty or sixty paces away, commoners were densely packed in a circle.

However, a space about twenty to thirty paces in radius was left in the center.

A short, thin Cultivator of the State Religion, sporting a thin mustache on his lip, stood in the center, wearing a vermilion robe and a vermilion pointed crown with two folds.

Behind him followed more than ten black-clad Protectors of the Faith carrying short staffs.

Confronting them was a barefoot beggar in tattered clothes.

It couldn’t even be called a confrontation. The beggar was currently sitting against a wall, picking lice. Facing the gaze of countless people, he occasionally looked up and grinned foolishly, muttering incessantly, “Monster, hee hee, monster, hee hee hee.”

The Vermilion Robe Patriarch stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his small frame exuding calm confidence. “Vile beast, what is your intention for sneaking into the City?”

“Immortal Master, Immortal Master!”

Just then, an old man who lived on Along-the-River Street ran forward, panting, and hastily explained, “Immortal Master, ten years ago, Silly San’s wife died in childbirth, taking two lives. That’s why he went mad. I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding—”

“Presumptuous!”

A black-clad Protector of the Faith pointed his short staff at the old man, severely reprimanding him for disrespect.

The Vermilion Robe Patriarch raised his hand slightly, signaling that it was fine. He then looked around at the commoners and sighed with emotion. “You are blinded by the five colors; what you see is not real. Watch as I force him to reveal his true form, then you will know if he is human or demon!”

The moment he finished speaking, the Vermilion Robe Patriarch’s wide robes billowed without wind, and his hair and beard flew up. “Ignorance conceals the heart; the skeleton reveals the form! Dog Demon, reveal yourself!”

The Patriarch’s lips moved, seemingly whispering, but everyone within a hundred paces heard it clearly.

The beggar called Silly San’s face gradually became confused, then showed an expression of pain. His body twisted, followed by his palms pressing against the ground and his knees kneeling, while his throat made a muffled whimpering sound. His eyes slowly turned crimson.

Although he was still in human form, his prone posture strongly resembled that of a dog.

Immediately after—

“Woof~ Woof~ Woof~”

The surrounding commoners were all startled and retreated several steps. With a loud ‘buzz,’ chatter erupted everywhere.

“It really is a Dog Demon!”

“Thankfully the Immortal Master discovered it in time, or our Along-the-River Street would have suffered disaster!”

“My family lost a chicken a few days ago; it must have been this Dog Demon!”

In the distance, Ding Suian instinctively looked toward Zhisheng.

Although they hadn’t known each other long, they had developed some tacit understanding. Zhisheng raised his right palm, chanted a Buddhist epithet, and explained, “What the Patriarch just used was the State Religion’s ‘Demon-Detecting True Incantation.'”

Ding Suian asked, “Is it real?”

The question was incomplete, yet Zhisheng understood.

But this time, he pondered for a few breaths. “This poor monk does not know.”

Ding Suian asked again, “If I speak like this, do you think I’m a demon?”

Zhisheng looked earnestly at Ding Suian for a long time. “In This poor monk’s view, Benefactor Ding is not a demon.”

“Alright. If the Immortal Master of the State Religion used the Demon-Detecting True Incantation technique on me, what would happen?”

Zhisheng, who usually answered without thinking, pondered for a while again. “This poor monk does not know, but the Relic Bead Bracelet This poor monk gave to the Benefactor can stabilize the soul and break illusions. The Benefactor need not worry.”

Ding Suian chuckled. “Are you saying that the State Religion’s Demon-Detecting True Incantation is a’Soul-Controlling Lie’? Otherwise, why would you mention’Stabilizing the Soul and Breaking Illusions’?”

“…” Zhisheng’s face rarely flushed, but he stammered for a long time before finally saying, “Amitabha.”

On the other side, the commoners who had been scared away and retreated far back now surrounded the area again, thanks to the Patriarch’s statement: ‘I have retracted the Spell from this Dog Demon; it is no different from an ordinary dog.’

Someone in the crowd tentatively and fearfully kicked Silly San, who was lying on the ground mimicking a dog’s bark. Seeing that he was unresponsive and dazed, everyone’s courage gradually increased.

Starting with one person slapping him and another spitting on him, the scene slowly spiraled out of control.

Moments later, people had sticks, bricks, and stones in their hands, mercilessly striking Silly San.

With the New Year approaching, the festive decorations adorning every street and alleyway reflected the excited, crazed crowd.

“Kill the Dog Demon!”

“Neighbors, wait, stop for a moment! Maybe there’s a mistake!”

Only the old man who had initially tried to intervene was still making futile efforts, only to be struck on the back of the head by an excited neighbor.

The old man silently collapsed to the ground.

Seeing this, everyone paused simultaneously.

Silly San, the unfortunate soul who had grown up on Along-the-River Street, was now unrecognizable, with blood staining the ground.

The old man who had tried to persuade them twitched twice while lying on the ground, then gradually fell silent.

Only then did the crowd start to feel fear.

Just then, one person nervously said, “Silly San was identified as a Dog Demon by the Immortal Master. Old Xu kept speaking up for him, so even if he’s not a demon, he’s an accomplice!”

“Right, right, right! He must be a demon too!”

“I knew something was off about him!”

“He deserved to be beaten to death!”

“Exactly! With the Immortal Master as witness, we are merely eliminating demons. The yamen wouldn’t dare arrest us!”

Having witnessed the entire farce, Ding Suian jumped down from the carriage shaft and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhisheng, looking at the noisy, excited crowd.

“Zhisheng, are there really demons in this world?”

“This poor monk does not know.”

“If even an eminent monk like you doesn’t know, then ordinary people like us certainly wouldn’t.”

“Amitabha.”

“No wonder your Buddhist and Daoist factions are being squeezed by the State Religion, and your followers are dwindling.”

“What do you mean, Benefactor?”

“It’s understandable that you dare not compete with the State Religion for the right to ‘detect demons,’ but the Buddhist school clearly possesses Magical Artifacts that stabilize the soul and break illusions, yet you hoard them like treasure. It serves you right that you are declining.”

“…Benefactor Ding, This poor monk gave you a Relic Buddhist Bead, so how have I hoarded it?”

“Since the Buddhist bead string can stabilize the soul and break illusions, why not widely distribute it among your followers?”

“Benefactor Ding, the Relic Buddhist Bead String is not easily acquired. In the past ten years, my temple has only refined one.”

That precious?

Ding Suian was slightly surprised. He took the Buddhist beads out of his pocket and examined them carefully. They were a dull gray color, odorless, and tasteless.

This thing? The Buddhist ancestral temple, Shangling Temple, only refines one in ten years?

The threat from the State Religion is imminent. This item can counter the State Religion’s Divine Abilities. If it can be mass-produced, that would be best. One string for every member of the An Squad!

Ding Suian planned to ask what Materials were needed and have Lin Hansu help find them, so they could refine a few more!

“Tell me what Materials you lack, and I’ll help you get them!”

“Amitabha. Refining the Relic Buddhist Bead String requires the remains of an eminent monk who has achieved Nirvana.”

“…”

That ruthless? Ding Suian was astonished. When he looked at the Buddhist beads again, his gaze became much more solemn. “Which eminent monk’s Dharma Body was used to refine this string of beads?”

“It was This poor monk’s Master.”

“Cough, cough, cough… So, you used your Master to pay off thirty taels of prostitution fees?”

“Amitabha.”

“AZhi, I really like making friends with filial children like you!”