Chapter 39: The Malevolent Wind

Yan Yu stepped into the house and surveyed his surroundings. The place was roughly a hundred square meters, a standard three-bedroom apartment with a living room. The decoration was meticulous, and the furniture was all in place. The only thing that marred the scene was the shattered glass scattered across the floor.

The glass had broken inward, shards littering the sofa and coffee table, while the wind whistled ceaselessly through the room.

“There’s nothing on the floor—how did this glass get smashed?” Master Cao wondered aloud.

Old Goat sighed, “Ever since that family moved out, the glass in this balcony window hasn’t lasted a single day.”

Yan Yu and Su Han walked across the fragments, making their way to the balcony. Su Han frowned, “I see it—the malignant energy you mentioned is right here on the balcony... But what exactly is malignant energy?”

Although Su Han possessed the ability to see the supernatural, her understanding of metaphysics remained shallow.

Yan Yu explained, “Malignant energy is essentially evil energy. Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty wrote in ‘Baopuzi: Ultimate Principle,’ ‘When exposed to malignant energy, one withers like frost; when met with positive energy, one thrives and flourishes.’ He spoke of the influence of energy on people and objects.

Our ancestors believed that a living environment is inseparable from energy—where there is energy, there is life. As the saying goes, ‘People survive by a breath; Buddhas by a stick of incense.’ That breath is the essence of existence. But energy is categorized: there is yang energy for the living, yin energy for the dead, resentment energy born of obsession, and malignant energy arising from the environment...

The movement of energy creates fields. Certain fields foster different forms of malignant energy, most of which are harmful. When malignant energy persists, it creates strange environments; wind, water, fortune, and fate are all affected. Under severe malignant energy, even corpse demons or ghostly monsters may emerge.”

Yan Yu’s explanation was esoteric—too much for Su Han to digest in a single moment. She cut to the point, “So, what kind of malignant energy is this?”

“It’s Yin Wind Malignant Energy,” Yan Yu replied. “Feng Shui is about storing wind and gathering energy, but Yin wind has negative effects. Living here long-term leads to nervous exhaustion, insomnia, and may even harm one’s fortune. The house is steeped in yin energy, compounding the evil. An ordinary person spending just one night here would fall gravely ill!”

He turned and pointed to the living room. “The living room is long and narrow, creating a draft. The house faces south, with the balcony exposed to the sun. Normally, this draft would sweep away evil energy, but for some reason, the sunny wind has become a Yin wind, turning the draft into a malignant force.”

Old Goat listened, feeling that this young man was unfathomable, and his respect grew.

But he frowned again, “I never invite trouble, nor do I have enemies—surely no one would come here to meddle with my sunny wind and Yin wind?”

“When did the glass start breaking? That’s when someone interfered,” Yan Yu answered. “The previous tenants lived here peacefully, but suddenly moved out. The only logical reason is that they did something to the house, for some purpose.”

Su Han added, “And they knew the altered house was unsuitable for the living, so they hurried away?”

“Yes, my pupil speaks well... Everything is just as I suspected!” Master Cao said, stroking his goatee, looking confident and profound.

Old Goat furrowed his brow, “I’ll call that family right now. You look around in the meantime.”

“We’ll first resolve this Yin Wind Malignant Energy,” Yan Yu nodded.

Old Goat went out to make the call. Master Cao sidled up to Yan Yu, grinning, “Master, I have to make my mark in this field. Let me show my skills. If we handle this well, we’ll never lack work again.”

“Alright, bring me the broom,” Yan Yu smiled.

“Got it!”

Old Goat hurried to fetch the broom, asking, “What do you want me to do?”

“Just sweep the floor—the glass shards are too sharp.”

Master Cao was momentarily deflated. Where was his promised chance to shine?

Big Black lay quietly in a corner, occasionally glancing toward the study, but otherwise showed no abnormality.

Yan Yu went to the balcony and inspected carefully. Sure enough, he found a bronze mirror hanging above the window.

“People hanging mirrors on doors and windows is a common custom—nothing unusual about that, right?” Su Han asked, puzzled.

Yan Yu shook his head, “A regular mirror does ward off evil, but this one... is different.”

“How so?”

“In earlier times, when young women died unexpectedly, people would place a bronze mirror in the coffin, fearing that unfulfilled wishes might cause a corpse to rise at the sound of thunder. The mirror, called a Yin-Yang Mirror, was meant to suppress the corpse. The one hanging here is such a mirror, dug out from a coffin. When the sunny wind passes through it, it turns into a Yin wind.”

“So, if we take it down, the malignant energy will disappear?” Master Cao, still sweeping, kept his ears keenly tuned.

“Yes. When Old Goat returns, you’ll take down the mirror,” Yan Yu said.

Master Cao grew excited, sweeping faster. After years as a charlatan, he was finally about to do something real—like an actor getting his first big role.

Soon Old Goat returned, his brow furrowed. “I couldn’t get through on the phone... How’s your investigation?”

Master Cao, calm and collected, declared, “After years of cultivation, Yin Wind Malignant Energy is nothing new to me. I have found the solution!”

“Really?”

“I shall now break this malignant energy!”

Master Cao stroked his goatee, drew a whisk from his pocket, and began muttering incantations as he paced the room in seven-star steps, showing surprising competence.

Yan Yu and Su Han leaned aside, waiting to watch the show.

Master Cao took two talismans from his pocket, ignited them as if by magic, and when they burned out, he shouted, “Tai Shang Lao Jun, heed my command—break the malignant energy!”

Yan Yu nearly burst out laughing. Tai Shang Lao Jun was the ancestor of the Three Pure Ones—how could he ever heed Master Cao’s command?

“Pupil, fetch me a chair,” Master Cao said to Yan Yu.

Yan Yu was taken aback, pointing at himself. Master Cao nodded, so Yan Yu brought him a chair.

Just moments ago, Master Cao was full of mystical airs. Now, panting, he clambered onto the chair, swaying precariously, needing Yan Yu’s support to stay steady.

He reached for the bronze mirror hanging on the balcony.

But as his hand touched the mirror, a sudden gust of Yin wind swept the balcony. Master Cao had just removed the mirror when he felt as though someone had kicked him in the chest—he was sent flying!

With no security bars on the balcony, he was half over the railing, staring at the ant-sized cars below. Terror-stricken, he cried out, “Master, save me!”

At the critical moment, Yan Yu grabbed Master Cao by the collar and hauled him back, smiling, “Master, you’re not as young as you used to be—you should be more careful when performing rituals…”