391-395

Chapter 391: The Amulet  

"An amulet?!"  

Chinatown, Qian's General Store.  

After listening to Old Qian’s description, before Lin Jiuying could even speak, a few local Chinese standing nearby couldn’t help but exclaim, "Old Qian, are you out of your mind? You’re playing with fire collecting something like that!"  

The Thai amulet, a unique and deeply rooted protective charm in Thailand, is widely known through numerous legends and stories. However, not all of them portray it in a positive light.  

Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a category of amulets known as "Yin" amulets—those associated with the underworld.  

Compared to Mahayana Buddhism, Theravāda Buddhism has significant differences, especially after merging with Thai cultural influences. Many of its doctrines have evolved, and the concept of amulets has expanded beyond traditional Buddha statues. Some amulets depict revered monks, while others even feature supernatural beings and ghosts.  

In recent years, with the growing number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, even Fox Spirit amulets have gained popularity. However, since foxes are not native to Thailand, the Nine-Tailed Fox amulet is a special product designed specifically for the Chinese market. Thais themselves rarely wear them.  

As members of the Chinatown community, the locals were well aware of the value of Thai amulets, the hidden truths behind them, and the taboos associated with them.  

For this reason, few people in Chinatown engaged in the amulet trade.  

After all, this business was traditionally controlled by local Thais and monks. Buddhism, being Thailand’s national religion, had an influence even deeper than Voodoo in Haiti—it had been rooted in the region long before the Thai kingdom was even established in the 13th century.  

While Voodoo spread its faith through fear, it never reached the same level of widespread acceptance as Buddhism.  

According to statistics, 95% of Thailand's population practices Buddhism.  

The country has a dedicated Department of Religious Affairs, which oversees religious matters, with the Supreme Patriarch holding the highest authority. There are over 9,000 Buddhist academies and two Buddhist universities in Thailand, specializing in the training of monastic scholars. With the rise of Thailand’s tourism industry, an increasing number of Westerners have taken an interest in Buddhism, leading to the establishment of numerous meditation centers across the country. As a result, the influence of Buddhism has become even stronger.  

For Thai people, life revolves around the temple. Buddhist monasteries serve not only as religious institutions but also as centers of social and educational life.  

According to custom, every Thai man must experience monastic life at least once in his lifetime to be considered a complete person.  

This illustrates the profound influence of Buddhism in Thailand—it has become an inseparable part of daily life.  

"How was I supposed to know this amulet was a problem?"  

Hearing the group’s reaction, Old Qian's face wrinkled with unease.  

He had been in this business for years, and nothing had ever gone wrong before. Why was this time different?  

"Can I take a look at that amulet?"  

Lin Jiuying didn’t know much about the amulet Old Qian mentioned, but he had a suspicion.  

It seemed likely that Old Qian’s recent streak of bad luck was tied to this very amulet.  

"Wait here, I’ll go find it."  

Without arguing further, Old Qian rushed behind the counter and began searching for the "Masked Buddha" amulet he had recently purchased.  

He had spent 6,700 yuan on it, thinking he had gotten a great deal. But now, it seemed obvious—there was no such thing as a free lunch.  

The person who sold it to him had probably been desperate to get rid of it.  

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Old Qian rummaged through a wooden box behind the counter and finally pulled out the amulet.  

Staring at the carved Masked Buddha, he felt a chill run down his spine.  

What once appeared to be a solemn, sacred figure now looked eerily sinister in his eyes.  

A shiver ran through him as he hurriedly made his way upstairs with the amulet in hand.  

"I found it! The amulet is—"  

But just as he was speaking, either due to his haste or his old age, his unsteady legs suddenly gave out beneath him.  

Despite having climbed these stairs thousands of times before, this time his foot slipped, and he staggered backward.  

At his age, a fall like this wouldn’t just be a minor injury—it could easily be fatal, just like the fate of the three broken vases in the shop.  

"Watch out!"  

Seeing him about to fall, Lin Jiuying instinctively called out.  

With a swift motion, he flicked his foot, sending a nearby suitcase sliding across the stairs.  

The heavy luggage arced through the air and landed precisely at the staircase landing—just in time for Old Qian to land on it.  

"Huh?"  

"I'm... fine?"  

The searing pain he had braced for never came.  

Opening his eyes, Old Qian touched himself all over and realized that a suitcase had cushioned his fall.  

It was only thanks to that unexpected intervention that he hadn’t broken anything.  

"Are you alright, Old Qian?"  

"You need to be more careful!"  

"Seriously, if Daoist Lin hadn’t acted, you could’ve been in real trouble."  

A few local Chinese helped Old Qian to his feet, chattering about the incident.  

"I don’t know what happened… My legs just suddenly gave out..."  

Still shaken, Old Qian glanced at the suitcase beneath him, relief flashing in his eyes.  

But the moment he turned to look at the amulet in his hand, his relief turned into terror.  

"No... This wasn't an accident… It was the amulet! It made me fall!"  

The moment those words left his mouth, the people helping him instinctively recoiled, stepping back.  

If what he said was true, then that amulet was dangerous.  

Had touching him just now put them at risk too?  

Their sudden retreat left Old Qian speechless.  

But he had no time to worry about that.  

Staring at the Masked Buddha amulet in his trembling hands, he felt an icy fear creeping over him.  

"May I take a look at it, Old Qian?"  

The crowd’s retreat created just enough space for Lin Jiuying to step forward.  

His gaze fell on the amulet—its design was strikingly different from any he had encountered before.  

Intrigued, he extended his hand.  

"Of course! You can take as long as you want. Hell, you can keep it if you want!"  

Without hesitation, Old Qian shoved the amulet into Lin Jiuying’s hands, as though it were a red-hot coal he couldn’t wait to be rid of.  

(End of Chapter) Chapter 392: Hidden Danger  

“What is carved on this amulet?”  

Reaching out, Lin Jiuying took the amulet from Lao Qian’s hand and examined the engraved Buddha figure on its surface. He frowned and asked, “What is this?”  

“This is a Phra Pidta, also known as Phra Phit Ta. It is one of the common protective amulets in Thailand,” someone explained.  

According to legend, there was a disciple of the Buddha named Phra Maha Kassapa. He was exceptionally intelligent and bore a striking resemblance to the Buddha, with a handsome appearance and a charismatic presence. Many devout followers admired him, and some even mistook him for the Buddha himself. However, this admiration became an obstacle to his spiritual practice.  

Among his fellow monks, rumors began to spread. Some female devotees, enchanted by his looks, treated him with special favor. Gossip arose, accusing him of violating monastic rules by engaging in improper relationships with women.  

Realizing the hindrance these rumors posed, Phra Maha Kassapa used his divine power to alter his appearance—making himself ugly, short, and stout. This form is now known as the "Sangkachai" Buddha image. Yet, despite his efforts, the devotion of his followers remained unchanged. To completely detach himself from worldly distractions, he chose to keep his eyes permanently shut, ignoring the opinions and actions of others, focusing solely on his practice. Thus, he became commonly known as Phra Phit Ta, meaning “closed eyes.”  

Listening to the explanation, Lin Jiuying nodded in understanding. He then lowered his head and carefully examined the Phra Pidta amulet in his hand.  

At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary Buddhist amulet.  

Based on what he had just heard, the Phra Pidta—or Phra Phit Ta—was a genuine Buddhist figure, not some malevolent deity.  

In theory, it shouldn’t be bringing misfortune to Lao Qian.  

But then why…?  

Frowning, Lin Jiuying recalled the moment Lao Qian had nearly fallen just a short while ago. He ran his fingers over the amulet, and when his touch passed over a scratch on the Buddha’s stomach, his expression suddenly changed. Carefully inspecting the mark, he abruptly called out to his apprentice.  

“Ahao, bring me some rooster’s blood.”  

“Oh, got it, Master.”  

Ahao, who had been peeking curiously at the situation from the staircase, immediately turned around. He set down the vase he had been holding and picked up a small bowl that had previously contained rooster’s blood.  

Clatter—  

Just as he turned, the previously still vase on the ritual altar suddenly trembled.  

“Hey, stop messing around,” Ahao scolded.  

Fortunately, he quickly turned back and steadied the vase, giving a stern warning to the spirit inside. Holding the vase in one hand, he called out to Lin Jiuying upstairs.  

“Master, there are only a few drops of rooster’s blood left in the bowl.”  

“That’s enough.”  

Lin Jiuying showed no sign of disappointment.  

“Catch, Master.”  

Without hesitation, Ahao lightly tossed the small bowl upward.  

Lin Jiuying reached out, caught it smoothly, and with a swift flick of his wrist, ensured that not a single drop of blood spilled from the bowl.  

Glancing at the thin layer of blood at the bottom, he dipped his thumb into it and smeared it over the scratch on the Phra Pidta’s stomach.  

Sizzle—  

A sharp, crackling sound erupted from the amulet just seconds later. A wisp of black smoke rose into the air, accompanied by the eerie noise.  

In the blink of an eye, the once golden amulet turned pitch black. More cracks spread along the surface, particularly around the scratch on the Buddha’s body.  

“What is this?!”  

The change in the amulet, especially the sinister black smoke, made it clear to everyone present—this Phra Pidta was not as simple as it appeared.  

Watching the transformation, Lin Jiuying calmly set the small bowl aside. Then, pressing his fingers firmly against the amulet, he peeled away the outer layer with ease, as if stripping fabric from a body.  

Beneath the golden exterior, a completely blackened, eerie figure was revealed.  

“A Yin Amulet!”  

Standing on the staircase, Lao Qian’s wrinkled face instantly turned pale.  

“What is a Yin Amulet?”  

Still holding the vase, Ahao asked instinctively after hearing Lao Qian’s exclamation.  

“A Yin Amulet differs from traditional Buddhist amulets because it contains ‘Yin elements’ in its creation,” someone explained. “These elements usually include cemetery soil, coffin nails, and similar objects. More powerful Yin Amulets might even contain corpse oil, cremation ashes, or remains from individuals who died unnatural deaths—including infants or stillborns. In short, it is an extremely sinister artifact.”  

Hearing this, Ahao glanced at the amulet in Lin Jiuying’s hand with visible disgust.  

“People actually want these things?” he asked in disbelief.  

Wearing something made from the dead—how could anyone not find that disturbing?  

“Compared to standard amulets, Yin Amulets are believed to be more powerful and capable of fulfilling the wearer’s desires. That’s why many people travel to Thailand every year to acquire them,” someone responded.  

In Thailand, Yin Amulets have a significant demand.  

“But in reality, these amulets are just a way to keep ghosts,” Lin Jiuying said, his brow furrowing. “Even if one temporarily benefits from their power, there is always a price to pay. More importantly, wearing a Yin Amulet for a long time can cause even an ordinary person to absorb its negative energy.”  

He lowered his gaze to the blackened amulet in his hand and spoke in a deep voice.  

“Moreover, the person who crafted this Yin Amulet deliberately covered it in gold and disguised it as a Phra Pidta. That is an act of pure malice.”  

There is a clear distinction between sacred Buddhist amulets and ghostly Yin Amulets. The two are not meant to coexist.  

Furthermore, as previously mentioned, those who wear Yin Amulets must perform offerings and rituals. Different spirits require different methods of worship, and making a mistake can bring misfortune. If the spirit inside the amulet is left unserved for too long, its resentment will grow, eventually turning on the wearer.  

Because this Yin Amulet had been disguised as a genuine Buddhist amulet, its owner would never have known to perform offerings.  

Over time, the spirit trapped inside grew more malevolent, bringing endless misfortune to its owner—potentially even leading to their death.  

Lao Qian’s recent streak of bad luck was clearly caused by this Yin Amulet.  

Had Lin Jiuying not intervened, Lao Qian might have already lost his life.  

Chapter 393: Spirit Writing  

“What is this supposed to be…?”  

Chinatown, Qian’s General Store.  

Old Qian looked at the yin talisman in Lin Jiuying’s hand, his expression as sour as if he had just swallowed a fly.  

“If I had known this would happen, I never would have tried to save a few bucks by buying this Buddha amulet.”  

As the saying goes, “A hunter is bound to be pecked by the geese one day.” He had completely misjudged this one.  

“Fortunately, it didn’t turn into a bigger problem. Consider this a lesson you paid for.”  

Lin Jiuying pulled out a talisman paper from his pocket, wrapped the yin talisman in it, and tied it securely with a red string. Then, he turned to Old Qian and said,  

“Master, since you discovered the yin talisman hidden inside the Buddha amulet, does that mean Uncle Qian is safe now?”  

At the staircase, Ah Hao, who was holding a vase, glanced at the yin talisman in Lin Jiuying’s hand and asked.  

Hearing this, Old Qian quickly turned to Lin Jiuying as well, clearly anxious about the answer.  

“It’s not that simple.”  

Lin Jiuying glanced at Old Qian’s hopeful expression, shook his head, and said, “The spirit inside the yin talisman is far more ferocious than it seems. Even I can’t subdue it completely in a short time. I can only use a talisman paper to temporarily suppress its malice. Once the talisman paper loses its effect, misfortune will strike again.”  

Yin talismans operate on the principle that the more sinister they are, the more effective they become.  

The one in his hand was obviously unusual. It had been concealed within a Buddha amulet, preventing the malevolent spirit inside from releasing its energy. Now that the amulet had been broken, the spirit’s resentment had been unleashed. Although they had uncovered the secret within the amulet, they had also stirred up the grudge inside the yin talisman. Sealing it again wouldn’t be an easy task.  

“Ah…”  

Hearing Lin Jiuying’s words, several Chinese bystanders on the stairs instinctively took a few steps away from Old Qian.  

Meanwhile, Old Qian looked panicked and pleaded, “Jiuying, for the sake of our past relationship, you must help me this time! Back when you wanted to go to Mao Mountain to study Taoism, I was the one who helped you…”  

At the staircase, Ah Hao’s face lit up with curiosity when he heard Old Qian mention his master’s past.  

Lin Jiuying had always been tight-lipped about his past and never spoke of it.  

“Ahem!”  

Seeing that Old Qian was about to spill his secrets, Lin Jiuying quickly covered his mouth and let out a loud cough, interrupting him.  

Then, he pointed to the yin talisman in his hand and said righteously,  

“If you only want to stop your bad luck, the solution is actually quite simple. You just need to hold a ritual to reseal the yin talisman and worship it daily. This will pacify the spirit inside and keep it from harming you. However, this is merely a temporary fix, not a real solution. If anything goes wrong, you’ll end up in the same predicament again. Now that I’ve come across this situation, I can’t just let it continue causing harm. We must find the true culprit behind all of this.”  

Although Old Qian was tempted by the idea of a quick fix, he didn’t dare object to Lin Jiuying’s decision. After all, his survival now depended entirely on him.  

“But, Master, we don’t know anyone in Thailand. We don’t even speak the language. How are we supposed to find the person responsible for this?”  

Lin Jiuying’s words sounded righteous, but given their current circumstances, Ah Hao couldn’t help but throw some cold water on his plan.  

Hearing Ah Hao’s concern, the others present also looked worried.  

Lin Jiuying, however, remained calm as if he had already anticipated this. He turned to Old Qian and asked,  

“Old Qian, do you remember what the person who sold you this yin talisman looked like?”  

Old Qian hesitated for a moment before replying,  

“I do remember, but just knowing what he looks like isn’t enough to find him.”  

Bangkok, as the capital of Thailand, had a population in the tens of millions. Chinatown, in particular, was one of the busiest areas in the city, with thousands of people passing through every day. Finding one specific person here wouldn’t be easy.  

“Ordinary methods won’t be enough to locate him,” Lin Jiuying said with a confident look. “However, as the saying goes, ‘Every debt has its debtor.’ Since this person sold you the yin talisman, a connection has been established between you two. If we use this connection properly, we should be able to track him down.”  

Upstairs, in the General Store  

A thin layer of ash was spread over a wooden board, which was then placed in Old Qian’s hands. A red string was tied around his left index finger. Lin Jiuying muttered an incantation and pricked his own left pinky, allowing a drop of fresh blood to drip onto Old Qian’s bound finger.  

“Young Master, what is Master Lin doing?”  

The onlookers, though unsure of the purpose of Lin Jiuying’s ritual, felt a growing sense of reverence. One of them whispered to Ah Hao,  

“Master is performing a spirit-writing tracking ritual. He’s using the connection between Uncle Qian and the person who sold him the yin talisman to divine the seller’s whereabouts.”  

Spirit writing, also known as planchette writing, is a form of divination in folk beliefs—a way to communicate with the unseen.  

As Ah Hao explained, Lin Jiuying held a talisman paper in one hand and a burning incense stick in the other. He pulled the incense stick from the table and suddenly stabbed it into Old Qian’s bound finger.  

“Ahhh!”  

Lin Jiuying showed no mercy. The moment the incense touched Old Qian’s finger, fresh blood oozed out. He quickly collected a few drops on the talisman paper and began chanting another incantation.  

The next moment, the talisman paper ignited on its own, bursting into flames in his hand.  

“Open your mouth!”  

As the paper burned, Lin Jiuying dropped it into a prepared cup, then grabbed Old Qian’s jaw and shoved the cup toward his mouth.  

As soon as the cup neared, the smoke from the burning talisman paper was inhaled into Old Qian’s body.  

A second later, Old Qian, who had been standing upright, suddenly lost consciousness, his legs giving way as he began to collapse.  

Lin Jiuying swiftly steadied him by supporting his knee and secured the wooden board in his hands. Holding the incense stick respectfully, he bowed deeply before turning back to Old Qian and inserting the burning stick into his mouth.  

What happened next was bizarre—Old Qian, still unconscious with his eyes tightly shut, suddenly began moving his head, tracing shapes in the ash-covered board. It was as if he wasn’t controlling his own body but was instead being guided by the incense stick in his mouth.  

Chapter 394: Tracking  

Lin Jiuying extended his finger, tracing the patterns Old Qian had drawn in the dust. Then, he turned slightly and adjusted the direction of the compass in his hand. Nodding to himself, he took out a pen and quickly sketched a few markings on a piece of paper.  

A few minutes later, Old Qian, who had been drawing in front of the wooden board, suddenly stopped his movements.  

Seeing this, Lin Jiuying immediately circled a location on the paper.  

He then took the incense stick from Old Qian’s mouth, gently patted his head, and softly chanted an incantation to dismiss the spirit.  

“What… happened?”  

As the spirit left, Old Qian, who had previously been sitting motionless with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. Looking around in confusion, he glanced down at the wooden board in his hands and asked in a daze.  

“I just performed a ritual to seek guidance from the spirits.”  

Noticing Old Qian’s bewildered expression, Lin Jiuying casually explained. He then grabbed his shoulder to help him up, pointing at the marked spot on the paper.  

“By the way, Old Qian, do you know what place this is?”  

Hearing the question, Old Qian frowned as he put down the wooden board. He instinctively reached for the paper Lin Jiuying handed him, studying the marked location for a long time before looking up with a helpless expression.  

“I can’t make sense of this at all.”  

“Master, you used the Qimen Bagua formation to mark directions. Aside from you, no one else can understand this.”  

Ah Hao, who had been peeking at Lin Jiuying’s paper from the side, quickly chimed in.  

“Open, open, open!”  

“Lost again!”  

“One more round…”  

“Are you kidding me? Why do I keep losing?”  

Bangkok, Rama III Road, at the entrance of a narrow alley.  

Inside a hidden underground casino, a crowded room was packed with gamblers of all kinds.  

They huddled around the gaming tables, shouting excitedly as they placed their bets.  

Tera rubbed his foggy head and shook it slightly.  

Looking at the pile of chips he had completely lost, he frowned and cursed before standing up to leave the casino.  

“You’re leaving already, Tera?”  

A fellow gambler nearby looked at him with surprise.  

“What’s the point of staying? I lost everything.”  

Tera had thought that after selling that damned Buddha amulet, his luck would turn around. But in just a few days, he had already gambled away all the money he got from it.  

“You could borrow money from the casino.”  

Hearing Tera’s frustration, another gambler pointed toward the entrance, tempting him.  

“If you make a comeback, you could win as much money as you want.”  

Tera instinctively glanced toward the cash exchange counter, feeling a bit tempted.  

However, he steadied himself, rubbing his head, which was inexplicably foggy, and ultimately shook his head, rejecting the enticing suggestion.  

“Forget it. I don’t know why, but my head feels a little dizzy today. I’m not in the right state of mind. Even if I had more money, I’d still end up losing. I’d rather go back, rest up, and try again when I’m feeling better.”  

Declining the "kind offer," Tera stepped out of the packed casino.  

The fresh air outside helped clear his foggy mind a bit. He walked toward the alley’s exit and onto Rama III Road.  

The intense, adrenaline-fueled environment of the casino made it easy to lose track of time. By the time he stepped out, night had already fallen.  

Mounting his three-wheeled motorbike, he navigated through the alleyways of Rama III Road.  

After about half an hour, the neon-lit streets gradually gave way to a more rural landscape lined with trees. Taking a few more turns, Tera finally arrived at his home.  

His residence was a simple, rundown single-story house, located next to a rubber plantation where many plantation workers lived.  

There was only basic electricity and running water—no internet.  

But for Tera, this place was just a temporary resting spot. He barely spent any time here compared to the hours he spent at the casino.  

After parking his motorbike, he carefully secured the wheel with a lock.  

This three-wheeled motorbike was not just his mode of transport; it was also his livelihood. He made money by using it to transport goods for the rubber plantation.  

After double-checking the lock to make sure it wouldn’t budge, he took out his keys and walked toward his house.  

Click—  

Reaching the front door, he inserted his key to unlock it, but to his surprise, the door swung open on its own.  

“Did I forget to lock the door when I left?”  

Tera frowned, puzzled by the sight of his open door. He hesitated for a moment, then pushed it wider and reached for the light switch.  

Zzzzt—  

After a few flickers, the dim yellow bulb illuminated the room.  

However, the moment the light turned on, Tera’s expression changed drastically—  

Because standing inside his home was a figure he did not expect to see.  

“Achoo!”  

The next morning.  

Chinatown, Qian’s General Store.  

Ah Hao stretched lazily as he woke up in the store. Pushing open a second-floor window, he glanced down at the people bustling through Chinatown.  

Even though it was just dawn, the streets were already filled with people. Among them were tourists, their foreign appearances standing out as they wandered through the neighborhood.  

Ah Hao then looked up at the sky.  

Thailand’s weather was as hot as ever.  

“Almost forgot.”  

Squinting at the blazing sun, Ah Hao suddenly remembered something. He patted his forehead and quickly grabbed the vase sitting by his bedside.  

As soon as he picked it up, the vase trembled violently, as if sensing its impending fate.  

“No use struggling. You shouldn’t have messed with Master.”  

Looking at the shaking vase, Ah Hao muttered to the three ghosts trapped inside. Without hesitation, he placed the vase on the balcony outside.  

As sunlight poured over it, faint wailing sounds could be heard from within.  

Hearing the ghostly cries, Ah Hao shook his head and mumbled under his breath.  

Just as Lin Jiuying had said before—exposure to sunlight wouldn’t kill the ghosts inside the vase, but it would make them suffer for quite a while.  

“Good morning, Master.”  

After finishing his task, Ah Hao headed downstairs.  

As soon as he reached the first floor, he saw his master, Lin Jiuying, and the store owner, Old Qian, having breakfast together.  

“Smells great! What are you guys eating?”  

Chapter 395: A Step Too Late  

"Still early?"  

Taking a sip of the hot porridge in her bowl, Lin Jiuying shot Ahao a glare and said teasingly,  

"The sun is already high in the sky. If we delay any longer, it'll be time for lunch."  

"I actually got up a while ago, Master," Ahao quickly explained, sensing that something was off from Lin Jiuying's tone. He put on a flattering smile.  

"I was just dealing with the three ghosts in the vase, which is why I came down a bit later."  

As he spoke, Ahao reached out toward the basin in front of Lin Jiuying, attempting to sneak some food with a cheeky grin.  

"Hey~"  

Lin Jiuying tapped Ahao’s outstretched fingers with her chopsticks and blocked the basin with her other hand.  

"I got up early to buy this breakfast. If you want to eat, go buy your own."  

"Master, there's no need to be so stingy," Ahao said, his face falling in mock disappointment.  

"As the saying goes, 'Even blood brothers should settle accounts clearly,' let alone master and apprentice."  

Lin Jiuying, wearing a serious expression, picked up a small piece of fried dough stick and popped it into her mouth.  

"No need to buy any. I’ve already prepared breakfast," an elderly man named Lao Qian chimed in.  

Sitting inside the grocery store, Lao Qian watched the playful bickering between master and apprentice and quickly intervened. As he spoke, he pushed a bowl of steaming porridge toward Ahao.  

"Thanks, Uncle Qian," Ahao immediately thanked him, grabbing the bowl quickly and sitting down, fearing that if he hesitated, he might lose his share of breakfast.  

"Lao Qian, as the saying goes, 'Jade must be polished to become a gem.' My apprentice is too spoiled, so I'm trying to get him used to being more independent. If you keep doing this..."  

Lin Jiuying shook her head as she looked at Ahao, who was slurping down his porridge.  

As a master, she wasn’t actually so petty as to compete with her disciple over breakfast. The main reason for her strictness was to train Ahao, ensuring that he could fend for himself in the future—just in case she wasn't around one day.  

"Training a disciple isn’t something that happens overnight. More importantly, we should first deal with my situation," Lao Qian interjected.  

Compared to the teacher-student dynamic, Lao Qian was obviously more concerned about his own predicament.  

"I investigated the location you mentioned. The divination pointed to an area near the rubber plantation on Rama III Road."  

Having lived in Thailand for decades, Lao Qian had his own sources of information. He asked a few local acquaintances in Bangkok and quickly confirmed the divination’s location.  

"Since we have a confirmed location, let’s head there immediately. The sooner we act, the less chance there is for anything to go wrong," Lin Jiuying said decisively.  

Last night, after performing the divination, she had wanted to head out right away. However, since she was unfamiliar with the local terrain and needed Lao Qian’s assistance, and given that it was already late, she had no choice but to rest for the night.  

"I was thinking the same thing," Lao Qian agreed.  

Right now, no one cared more about the cursed amulet than him.  

After all, his life was literally hanging by a thread because of it.  

If not for that, he wouldn’t be so eager—waking up early, preparing breakfast, and even pulling strings to track down the location.  

All of it was just so he could rid himself of the amulet as soon as possible.  

"This should be the place."  

With Lao Qian’s help as a local, the master and apprentice found the target location almost effortlessly.  

Standing at the edge of the wooded outskirts, Lin Jiuying glanced at the rubber plantation’s early morning workers, then lowered her gaze to the compass in her hand. Within moments, she locked onto their target.  

Raising her head, she took in the sight of a small, shabby house. Her eyes swept over the three-wheeled motorcycle parked outside.  

"Looks like he's still home," she said confidently, noting the lock on the motorcycle's tires.  

"Finally..."  

Lao Qian’s face lit up with excitement upon hearing her words.  

Lin Jiuying put away her compass and signaled to Ahao with a glance.  

"Hoo~"  

Ahao nodded, taking a deep breath.  

Beep beep!  

Steeling himself, he stepped forward and raised his hand to knock on the door.  

Creak!  

But before his knuckles could make contact, the door creaked open with an eerie sound.  

Startled, Ahao turned to look at his master.  

"Master, the door's open."  

Lin Jiuying frowned slightly at the half-opened door before giving a simple command:  

"Then go in. The compass shows he’s still inside."  

Hearing her words, Ahao hesitated for a second before nodding. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside while thinking to himself,  

"Could he have heard us coming and hidden inside?"  

But the moment he saw the scene inside, Ahao's casual expression froze instantly.  

"Master… the person… the person we’re looking for… he’s dead..."  

His voice trembled as he pointed toward the corpse inside.  

"Dead?!"  

Lin Jiuying's face darkened. She immediately stepped past her apprentice and into the house.  

The electric light in the room was still on, though the morning sunlight made its glow seem dim.  

On the cement floor, the man they had tracked down using divination lay motionless, eyes wide open in horror.  

His face was twisted in agony, his facial features contorted. Thick blood had seeped from his orifices, and his corpse looked as if it had endured unbearable pain before death.  

A large hole gaped open in the middle of his chest, exposing shredded flesh and veins. The surrounding wound was a bloody mess, resembling something a wild beast might have torn apart.  

"Ugh~"  

Lao Qian, who had followed them inside, instinctively covered his mouth, barely managing to keep his breakfast down. His face turned deathly pale.  

He immediately recognized the victim.  

It was the very same man who had sold him the cursed amulet not long ago.  

Now, looking at his gruesome fate… what about himself?  

Standing over the corpse, Lin Jiuying’s expression grew grave. She silently counted on her fingers, her brows furrowing deeper.  

"It seems this amulet situation is more complicated than we thought. Someone else got to him before us and used black magic to kill him… to cover up the truth behind the amulet."