Chapter 614 - 614: A Blessed Land Becomes a Haunted House

Zhao Yuan first turned to Lin Xue. "I bought a villa in the Cao Tang Peninsula District," he said. "The price was definitely high, but it's worth it. Once you see the house, you're going to love it."

Only then did he turn to ask Ying Chen, "Mr. Ying, I believe a man of your stature can surely see the value of that villa. What I don't understand is why you wouldn't move in yourself. Why sell it instead? You must know that the long-term benefits of living in that villa far outweigh what you'd gain from a single Elixir from me, right? So, is there a problem with the house?"

Hearing this, the store manager frantically shot Ying Chen a look, urging him to choose his words carefully.

But things took a turn completely opposite to what the store manager had hoped.

Ying Chen didn't deny it or make excuses. Instead, he admitted it frankly. "I knew I couldn't hide this from you, Mr. Zhao. You're right. There is indeed a problem with the villa!"

The store manager was stunned. He wanted to scream at Ying Chen: 'Are you fucking stupid? When people sell a house, they talk it up like it's heaven on earth! Even if it has problems, they keep their mouths shut or make up excuses to cover for it. But you? You just admitted it outright... Are you even trying to sell this house? Aren't you afraid he'll use this to drive down the price?'

Little did he know, Ying Chen wasn't worried about Zhao Yuan haggling over the price. He was worried that if he didn't tell the truth, he would offend Zhao Yuan.

After all, Zhao Yuan was currently someone the Ying Family was desperately trying to curry favor with!

To say nothing of the fact that the Marrow Cleansing Pills and Qi Condensing Pills he had provided were all Spirit Pills with miraculous effects! After taking the Marrow Cleansing Pills, several members of the Ying Family's younger generation had already broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm. And with the help of the custom-made Soul-Stabilizing Incense, they had begun to engage in highly efficient Cultivation!

Now, not only the Ying Family Ancestor but the entire Ying Family, from top to bottom, had pinned their hopes for the family's prosperity on Zhao Yuan.

If he offended Zhao Yuan over this and caused him to cut off the supply of Elixirs to the Ying Family, not only would he be torn to shreds by his furious clansmen, but he would also become a traitor to the Ying Family, reviled by generations to come!

Faced with such circumstances, how could he possibly dare to offend Zhao Yuan? Of course, he had to tell the truth!

"What's the problem?" Zhao Yuan asked. He recalled being secretly watched while viewing the house the day before and couldn't help but wonder, 'Could it be because of that strange neighbor? Does he want that Blessed Land all to himself, so he won't let other Cultivators move in?'

Ying Chen dared not hide anything from Zhao Yuan. He immediately turned to the real estate agency's manager and Mu Han. "Would you two please step out for a moment?" he said. "I have something to discuss privately with Mr. Zhao."

The manager and Mu Han didn't want to leave. They were both dying to know what was wrong with the villa, but they couldn't ignore a client's request. They had no choice but to get up and leave the reception room.

Ying Chen then looked toward Lin Xue and the Bone Woman. "Mr. Zhao," he said, "perhaps these two ladies should step out as well?"

Zhao Yuan shook his head. "There's no need to hide it from them."

Ying Chen nodded and didn't press the issue. He got up, closed the door to the reception room, and upon returning to Zhao Yuan, whispered, "That villa... is a haunted house!"

"Oh?" Zhao Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"A haunted house?!" Lin Xue gasped, quickly clamping a hand over her mouth to stifle her cry.

The Bone Woman's gaze grew sharp. She remained silent, waiting for Ying Chen to continue.

Ying Chen, however, was startled by her stare, thinking with alarm, 'What a terrifying gaze! This woman is a Cultivator too, and an incredibly powerful one at that. A single look from her made me feel like I was frozen solid. She's horrifying!'

Ying Chen was deeply curious. Where did Zhao Yuan find such a master? And why was she so devoted to him?

Outside the reception room, although the manager and the other consultants couldn't hear the conversation, they could see their clients' changing expressions and couldn't help but start whispering among themselves.

"What in the world is wrong with that villa?"

"No idea. Ying Chen has never mentioned anything about this before."

"Of course not! He's the seller. If there's a problem with the house, he's not going to bring it up. How else would he get a good price?"

"Then why is he saying it now?"

"Who knows? Maybe he's afraid of offending Mr. Zhao. Didn't you see how he acts around him? He's being incredibly respectful."

"Look! Mr. Zhao and his two companions have the strangest expressions! I'm dying to know what's wrong with that house!"

The chatter from outside reached Zhao Yuan's ears, but it didn't disrupt his train of thought.

He reached out and took Lin Xue's slender hand, a comforting gesture that calmed her panic and fear. At the same time, he said to Ying Chen, "Explain the details."

Ying Chen began his story. "It all started five years ago. At the time, on the advice of a Feng Shui Master, I bought this villa in the Cao Tang Peninsula District, intending to make it my long-term residence and a base for my Cultivation. But when I started renovations, a series of accidents occurred. In just two days, several workers were injured, all in very strange and unsettling ways. I concluded that the villa must be occupied by a Ghost. I immediately halted construction, gathered a few of my kinsmen, and planned to drive out the Evil Ghost that had taken over my home. But the result... was a crushing defeat..."

At this, he paused, lifting his shirt to reveal his stomach to Zhao Yuan.

His abdomen was wrapped in a thick layer of gauze.

As he peeled away the gauze, a horrific wound was revealed to everyone.

The wound looked as if it had been clawed open by something sharp. Despite being dressed with medicine, the flesh around it showed clear signs of rot. A foul, yellow pus oozed ceaselessly from the gash. The wound was so deep that his intestines were clearly visible inside his abdomen.

"Is that the wound you received back then?" Zhao Yuan asked, frowning.

"Yes." Ying Chen nodded and sighed heavily. "This is the very wound I received five years ago when I was defeated by that Evil Ghost. It's been five years. I've visited countless famous doctors, and my family has tried every method imaginable, but nothing can heal it. All we can do is keep it from spreading and rotting more of my organs and muscles. For five years, day and night, I have endured the agony of this corrosion. It's a fate worse than death!"