The lanterns inside the temple flickered as night had fully fallen.
Howard Zhou wore a sycophantic smile, clapped his hands, and immediately a steward came over carrying a bundle. The crisp sound of silver coins rubbing together echoed in the air.
"Master Taoist, here are one hundred taels. Please count them."
Zachary Justice said nothing, staring at Howard Zhou, while Zhang Anle behind him looked eager to accept the bundle.
"Boss Zhou, I just told you to speak honestly—leave nothing out."
Howard Zhou hesitated, while Zhang Anle stepped forward, about to grab the silver from the steward. Zachary Justice immediately pressed down on his hand.
"Master Taoist, didn't I say? It was just before we transported the grain two nights ago—something weird happened. The guards heard lots of people coming and going from the granary. They got up to check, but found no one. When they lay down again, they heard it again, checked again, still nobody. After several rounds, they searched everywhere and found nothing, so they were too scared to sleep all night. Then, during yesterday's grain delivery, a sack broke open and the rice and flour spilled out. We discovered it was mixed with sand and some rotten rice."
Howard Zhou glanced at the steward, then spoke again.
"I'll leave the money here, Master Taoist. It's getting late and I have other matters to attend to. I'll head back now. Come to the restaurant tomorrow morning and we'll talk in detail."
The steward was about to set down the money, but Zhang Anle quickly moved to grab it. Suddenly, Zachary Justice's face turned angry—one hand pressed down on the steward, the other blocked Zhang Anle.
"Master Taoist, what's wrong? Is a hundred taels not enough? Then..."
"I may not have much money, but I've seen plenty of gold and silver in my time. I bet most of this is just rocks."
Howard Zhou's face darkened instantly, glaring furiously at Zachary Justice.
"Hmph. Master Taoist, I, Howard Zhou, have always built my business on honesty. That's why my family is prosperous. All those rumors in town are just jealous slander."
With that, Howard Zhou turned and left, the steward following with the bundle full of gleaming silver.
Zachary Justice burst out laughing.
"Let this be a lesson. Within seven days, your Zhou Family will face even greater disaster. You'd better cut out that black heart of yours soon."
Howard Zhou snorted and strode away. By now, Elder Peach had already slipped away and followed him up the mountain. Surprised, he watched as the steward opened the bundle, took about twenty taels of silver, and revealed that the rest was all rocks.
"That damned Taoist, just wait and see."
Elder Peach's eyes widened in anger. He immediately pulled out a yellow talisman, muttering under his breath, preparing to cast a spell to teach that black-hearted man a lesson.
Howard Zhou's intent was obvious—leave the silver behind, then return the next day with officials to threaten Zachary Justice and force him to work for free.
"Don't get angry. People like that aren't worth it."
A hand pressed down on Elder Peach's, stopping him from forming a seal—it was Master Zhiqing.
"Master Zhiqing, why? That guy is trying to cheat you, and he dragged Lenny Lee into it too. It's so vile—I can't stand it."
Zachary Justice smiled and shook his head.
"There are plenty of people like that in the world. Why get angry over them? Heh."
Back at the temple, the monk and two disciples grew furious after hearing Elder Peach's account.
"Master, that guy is truly despicable. Forget about virtue—let me summon a ghost to deal with him."
"Enough, enough. Don't dwell on it. Let's figure out how to rescue Master Lee, then be on our way!"
Elder Peach sighed helplessly, but on reflection, he realized it was true. Howard Zhou no longer had any sign of fortune or prosperity. He was soon to decline. As the saying goes, good and evil will always be repaid. Howard Zhou was already the richest man in the county, yet he kept doing evil, exhausting all the blessings his ancestors had accumulated. Just three days after his son's wedding, the bride died suddenly. Clearly, the Zhou Family's luck had run out.
Looking at Zachary Justice's smiling face, it seemed he had thought of something.
Suddenly, Elder Peach's expression changed. He stared at the sky outside, where the moonlight glowed faintly red. He rushed out, grabbed a handful of grass, chewed it, then pulled out a yellow talisman, burned it, and swallowed the ashes. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes. After a while, his eyes snapped open.
"Someone is casting a spell—an evil one. What is going on?"
Zachary Justice stepped outside and glanced up at the reddish sky.
"Ah, I have a good idea who it is. Why bother, Master Lee?"
Elder Peach stared at Zachary Justice in shock. He had just noticed the strange celestial sign and used magic to investigate, sensing a trace of evil power—clearly some kind of dark sorcery.
But Zachary Justice spoke as if he already knew who was using such evil magic. Elder Peach was shaken; he himself had once fallen to temptation and used dark sorcery, which led to being possessed by a ghost, turning him into something neither human nor ghost. This is the greatest taboo for Taoists. Worse, Master Lee's skills were weak—if a ghost attacked him, things could get very bad.
"There's no time to lose, Master Zhiqing. Let's hurry over!"
"No rush. The number seven is a reversal—it won't be so quickly corrupted. Be patient. The reason behind this isn't something we can know right away."
Seeing Zachary Justice like that, Elder Peach sensed he had an idea but wasn't certain. Still, he grew anxious. Master Lee's skills were weak, but his reputation in the county was good. When he was arrested, many people on the street shook their heads and sighed.
Early the next morning, as Elder Peach stepped out of the temple to fetch water, several people hurried up the distant hillside—one of them was Howard Zhou's steward.
Zachary Justice walked out slowly. The steward immediately produced three hundred gleaming taels of silver, hoping to persuade Zachary Justice and his group to come down the mountain and visit Howard Zhou's home.
"What happened?"
The steward stammered about Howard Zhou being ill, but Zachary Justice glared at him angrily. Zhang Anle, meanwhile, bit each silver piece to test if it was real.
"Anle, stop it! Can't you see Master is angry?"
Master Zachary Wu grabbed Zhang Anle, but Zhang Anle quickly stuffed a silver ingot into his pants. Master Zachary Wu forcibly pried it out of his hand, put it back, and then threw the three bundles of silver to the steward.
"Our Master doesn't care for your filthy money. If you won't tell the truth, get lost!"
The steward immediately confessed: Howard Zhou's beloved son had died last night. Now Howard Zhou was at home, crying uncontrollably. He begged Zachary Justice to come, offering any amount of money to rid the Zhou Family of disaster.
Zachary Justice sneered and glared at the four men who had come.
"If any of you change your story later, tonight you'll die suddenly—just like Howard Zhou's son."
Zachary Justice spoke angrily, then led the group down the mountain.
At the Zhou Family home, everyone looked anxious. Howard Zhou sat in the main hall, pale and weak, staring at his son's corpse, which was covered with cloth.
"Master Taoist, please save my son! No matter the cost—even if it ruins me—I'm begging you!"
"He's already dead. How am I supposed to save him?"
Howard Zhou suddenly changed his demeanor and gave a signal. Soon, more than ten officers entered, even the county magistrate arrived.
"Sir, my son died suddenly last night after taking this Taoist's medicine. Please give me justice!"
Howard Zhou cried and knelt on the ground. The officers immediately moved to arrest Zachary Justice. The two disciples could barely restrain themselves, ready to fight these corrupt officials. Elder Peach gripped a purple talisman, prepared to curse them for a year if they dared act.
"Wait."
Zachary Justice shouted with a voice like thunder, stunning everyone. The magistrate waved his hand, and the officers left, shutting the door behind them.
"Master Zhiqing, I've heard you're famous in your field. Although Master Lee's words in jail aren't reliable, I've confirmed with my business friends that you're the real deal. My son died last night for reasons unknown. Bring him back—don't your Taoist arts have strange powers? Otherwise, I won't go easy on you."
Zachary Justice burst out laughing, his eyes flashing like lightning. Howard Zhou shivered and stepped back.
"Hmph, I repeat: he's already dead. How am I supposed to save him?"
"Guards! Arrest the murderer and take him to the county office!"
The three men nearby were about to move, but Zachary Justice's gaze stopped them. Elder Peach glared angrily at the officers who were restraining and locking him up, taking all his belongings. Zachary Justice raised his hands and was locked up too, sneering.
"Think carefully, Master Zhang. You have seven days. I heard that the soul can return within seven days of death. If my son isn't revived, I'll bury you four with him."
Howard Zhou spoke firmly, but Zachary Justice replied with righteous conviction.
"The dead cannot return to life. That is the law of heaven and earth."