Chapter Seventeen: The Spell of Mistaken Identity

Just as Boss Hu was about to speak, he suddenly stopped. “Young Master San, you’ve accepted Qin Qing’s employment, right? Does that mean… you’ve taken over his business?”

Actually, I hadn’t accepted Qin Qing’s employment. I didn’t take his commission, nor did we discuss what would happen if the deal succeeded. More importantly, there was no sorcerer’s contract between us.

Strictly speaking, I was merely helping him out.

But I couldn’t tell Boss Hu that.

I replied, “Qin Qing asked me to save his sister. Qin Yun’s true body died the very night they got married.”

“This deal, in a way, ended before it even began.”

Boss Hu nodded repeatedly, “Just say it as it is… Young Master San, let me tell you about the Three Ridges.”

With a hand sweeping over the snow, the accumulated snow instantly transformed into a panoramic view of the Three Ridges.

Boss Hu pointed to the snow, “There used to be twenty-one immortals here, now there are only eighteen left.”

He added deliberately, “The rat and the serpent you killed don’t count as immortals, so while there’s some grudge between us, it’s minor. Your actions more than settled those scores.”

I pointed at the snowy scene, “What about these five temples?”

“That’s where a few of us reside,” Boss Hu said. “The five temples are spread across five directions, each corresponding to our own territory.”

“The locals call this place the Five Sacred Temples, or the Plum Blossom Temple.”

“This was exactly where Qin Qing was searching.”

I roughly examined the locations of the Five Sacred Temples. “Where do you think the immortal fate is most likely to appear?”

“Well…” Boss Hu hesitated.

I looked at him, “Qin Yun has probably already set out for the immortal fate. If you hesitate any longer, we’re both finished.”

Boss Hu gritted his teeth, “I think it should be beneath this mountain.”

He pointed to an unremarkable hillock. “I’ve sensed the immortal fate here for a long time, but since it’s someone else’s territory, I haven’t dared to go casually.”

I scanned the snow map again and finally pointed to a place resembling a stagnant pool.

“A nameless, dead water pool!” Boss Hu replied. “That place never dries up, but there’s nothing special about it. The water smells terrible, and the mountain beasts all come there to drink.”

I asked further, “What about the feng shui?”

“What feng shui?” Boss Hu scoffed. “If there’s no water, that place is a trap for beasts. If someone’s buried there, it’s like a tiger falling into a mountain ravine—it won’t help no matter how strong you are. It’s a deathtrap!”

“Sounds like a perfect spot!” An idea immediately formed in my mind.

I looked at the bewildered Boss Hu and asked, “Do you have any decent treasure on hand? It doesn’t have to do anything practical, just something that can emit some spiritual energy or treasure light.”

Boss Hu looked troubled. “I left all the treasures at home… Hey, what about this?”

He turned and entered a small temple, returning with an aged bronze incense burner. It had probably been exposed to many offerings over time and still carried a faint spiritual aura.

“Not bad!” I supported the incense burner with my left hand and pointed at its body with two fingers of my right, chanting, “I invoke the true spirit of the mountains and rivers to empower this mortal object to reveal a divine form—three parts treasure light, seven parts illusion, fish eyes disguised as pearls to deceive the gods. Awaken!”

I cast the “Fish Eyes Disguised as Pearls” spell on the burner. Within ten meters around me, the snow instantly melted, the black earth beneath turned rapidly into fine sand, and the released spiritual energy was fully absorbed into the bronze incense burner.

What was once a rusted bronze incense burner soon overflowed with spiritual energy and radiant treasure light.

I quickly tore a piece of red cloth from Qin Qing’s backpack and wrapped the incense burner.

Boss Hu’s eyes gleamed as he watched, repeatedly reaching out but hesitating to snatch it openly.

I handed him the incense burner. “See? The treasure light is masked a bit. Although it’s a trick, too bright a glow would draw attention.”

Carefully, Boss Hu lifted a corner of the cloth and peered inside for a long time before sighing. He could tell it was a ruse; the incense burner’s essence hadn’t changed at all.

The “Fish Eyes Disguised as Pearls” spell from the “Yin-Yang Scout” technique is essentially a common trick used to lure enemies. Ordinary scouts create noises to distract sentries, but Yin-Yang Scouts use secret magic.

Things that can attract ghosts and spirits are usually heavenly materials or earthly treasures, which a scout obviously doesn’t carry. So they extract nearby spiritual energy to fake it using mundane objects.

However, Yin-Yang Scouts never borrow too much spiritual energy at once, or the area would turn barren for years, not a blade of grass left.

If they borrow too much, they suffer karmic consequences.

Boss Hu asked, “Young Master San, you want me to lead with this treasure to attract Qin Yun?”

“Not you, him!” I pointed to the unconscious Qin Qing. “Only he carrying the treasure can lure Qin Yun away. If you act, you’ll probably just lose a life without any effect.”

“But you need to assign someone to watch over Qin Qing. Don’t actually kill him.”

“Don’t worry, leave that to me,” Boss Hu promised, slapping his chest. “If he loses even a hair, you’re the only one I answer to.”

I said again, “You need to find me an immortal who can infiltrate the Plum Blossom Temple. Any immortal will do, as long as they’re brave.”

“That’s doable!” Boss Hu went off to call someone, while I roused Qin Qing. “Qin Qing, I didn’t touch your sleeping point just now. You must have heard what Boss Hu and I said.”

“Your sister died long ago. If you want revenge, I can help you. If not, just leave the mountain. I won’t force you.”

Qin Qing’s eyes reddened, “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe my sister is dead. I refuse to believe she killed my parents!”

I said calmly, “If you don’t believe it, that’s your choice. But the fact remains unchanged. No one can alter it.”

Qin Qing glared at me fiercely, shouting, “Is it because you came too late that my sister died?”

“If you had come earlier, could she have died?”

“Now you want to trick me into helping you kill my sister?”

“I’ll kill you!”

Suddenly, Qin Qing jumped up and swung his axe at my head.

Originally, I didn’t want to argue with him—who could accept such news easily? Just like when I first heard about my parents, I was stunned for a long time.

But Qin Qing trying to kill me was another matter entirely.

My gaze turned cold as I was about to act, but Boss Hu, who had rushed back, slapped Qin Qing hard, sending him flying against a rock and knocking him unconscious.

Boss Hu said coldly, “Young Master San, this man is a disaster waiting to happen. Should I take care of him for you?”