Chapter 36: The Yin-Yang Disk

"Therefore, I will not give up on the Liangmian Mountain project." Fu Ankang’s tone was incredibly firm.

Seeing that he could not be persuaded, Jiang Mingyuan let out a helpless sigh.

Chen Fan glanced at Fu Ankang, becoming increasingly curious about what exactly had transpired between this father and his daughter, Fu Xueyue.

"Fine, fine! I suppose I owe your Fu family a favor."

As he spoke, Jiang Mingyuan raised his hand and flicked the needle on the Yin-Yang Compass.

It was only a light touch, yet it carried the force of ten thousand tons; the needle began to spin wildly across the dial. Even though this was not the first time Fu Ankang had witnessed this technique, he was still struck with awe.

Chen Fan raised an eyebrow in curiosity. This Yin-Yang compass looked rather interesting.

"Boy, I’m borrowing your life essence," Jiang Mingyuan said without hesitation. "You’re a geomancer yourself, so you should be able to withstand a spirit possessing you, right?"

"This..." Fu Ankang’s expression changed drastically.

Chen Fan merely chuckled and shook his head slightly, signaling that he didn't mind. He could see clearly that Jiang Mingyuan was simply seizing the opportunity to take revenge. This old man was quite petty; if you didn't listen to him, he would find a way to target you.

The Jiangji Sect’s Yin-Yang compass did not actually require someone else's physical body or life essence to summon a spirit.

"It doesn't matter. I’m actually curious to see if you can truly encroach upon my life essence."

"Arrogant!"

Jiang Mingyuan said in a deep voice. The moment his words fell, the rapidly spinning needle stopped. It landed on the land of dark yin, pointing squarely at Chen Fan.

"Disrupting the Yin and Yang, turning heaven and earth upside down, dividing the river's boundary..."

"Spirit possess the body, speak of your past life!"

As Jiang Mingyuan chanted the incantation, a wisp of black mist rose from the Yin-Yang compass and surged toward Chen Fan. Chen Fan stood perfectly still, watching as the black mist drilled into the space between his brows.

"Return, return," Jiang Mingyuan muttered.

Fu Ankang frowned, staring nervously at Chen Fan.

Chen Fan’s gaze remained calm, and he offered a faint smile. "What a pity. It failed to possess me."

"How is that possible!" Jiang Mingyuan stared at Chen Fan, astonished. "What is your life essence?"

"Kirin," Chen Fan said, raising an eyebrow with interest.

"Invulnerable to all methods, eternal heavenly fortune!" Jiang Mingyuan’s eyes widened. "You have the Kirin life essence!"

In history, those who possessed the Kirin life essence were destined to achieve great success and leave a lasting name. Furthermore, the hallmark of the Kirin life essence was that it was immune to all ghosts and bound by no taboos.

"What? What is the Kirin life essence?" Fu Ankang asked curiously. He had seen Jiang Mingyuan perform this soul-summoning ritual no fewer than ten times, but this was the only time it had ever failed.

Neither of them paid any attention to Fu Ankang. As his shock gradually faded, Jiang Mingyuan stared at Chen Fan and asked, "Who was your master? Which sect do you come from?"

"That is none of your business."

Chen Fan refused quite bluntly. He had come to Qingcheng to live in anonymity and cut ties with his past life.

"Hmph!"

Jiang Mingyuan snorted, then immediately raised his hand and flicked the needle on the compass again. The needle spun at high speed. This time, before it even stopped, he began to chant.

"Soul return, soul return."

"Separated by Yin and Yang, crossing the river to meet, whether it be the River of Oblivion... or a cup of tea."

Jiang Mingyuan picked up a small teapot and poured a boundary line onto the tea table. The tea did not soak into the table; instead, it hovered slightly, appearing both miraculous and eerie.

The compass stopped spinning, and the needle pointed toward the white yang, indicating the side marked off by the tea. White mist rose from the compass and settled on the designated side. The mist gradually took the form of a human, appearing before Jiang Mingyuan.

"I... I’m dead? How am I dead?"

"I was murdered! Run, run!"

"My life is so miserable! So miserable!"

The misty figure was dazed at first, then began to wail and shriek. The sound of its mournful crying echoed in the ears of the three men.

"Let it go," Chen Fan said in a low voice.

"We need to know why he died!" Jiang Mingyuan retorted angrily. "This is the only value he can provide."

Chen Fan squinted, saying calmly, "The Jiangji Sect—are you no longer afraid of the karma you’ll accrue?"

"Forcing a soul that has been dead for a long time to regain consciousness will lead to its total annihilation."

Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Jiang Mingyuan’s face. It wasn't just surprise that Chen Fan could identify his sect; he was shocked that Chen Fan could see that if he continued to question the spirit—a wandering ghost forcibly pulled by the compass—it would be completely obliterated. Once a soul was annihilated, it could no longer enter the cycle of reincarnation; it would cease to exist within the three realms and six paths.

"There is no time! Protecting Fu Ankang’s life is more important than sacrificing one soul," Jiang Mingyuan argued fiercely.

"Old Fu, you choose." Chen Fan looked at Fu Ankang. "Do you choose to sacrifice this soul, or do you trust me?"

At this moment, Fu Ankang’s eyes were filled with hesitation. He did not answer immediately, but instead looked at Jiang Mingyuan.

"Old Jiang, who... who is he?"

Jiang Mingyuan paused for a moment before saying in a low voice, "He died in an earthquake. Is it really necessary to dwell on this?"

"It is!" Fu Ankang replied firmly. "A person must have principles, a bottom line, and integrity! If he cannot be reincarnated because of me, then how am I any different from a murderer?"

Chen Fan walked over to the weeping misty soul and slowly raised his hand. It had to be said that Buddhist teachings were useful, especially for forcing people—or spirits—to calm down.

"Buddhist teachings?!" Jiang Mingyuan looked at Chen Fan with astonishment.

Chen Fan did not answer, but looked at the spirit and asked calmly, "Tell me, who are you?"

"I... I am Li An. I am twenty-seven. I have a loving wife, I have a child..." The spirit laughed joyfully. "I, I have a child! But she... she just died like that?"

"She died right in front of me."

"And then I died too..."

Chen Fan frowned and asked, "Did you die in an earthquake?"

"No!" Li An’s voice trembled. "A furnace! It was a furnace!"