"If I let him go, can you truly spare me?" The serpent spirit glanced at Liu Laoshi, who had long since fainted in its embrace, and then at Granny Fan's strangely contorted face. After a moment of thought, a hesitant sentence finally emerged, its delivery strained, the shift in its brow remarkably unnatural. It was clear that the serpent spirit remained deeply suspicious of the profoundly suggestive rhetoric Granny Fan had just employed.

After all, in the serpent spirit's estimation, the true character of this old hag was still an enigma; there was no guarantee how much credence one could place in her words.

Liu Laoshi was currently its shield, the sole bargaining chip it possessed. The old woman had been hesitant to strike precisely because of this hostage. If the serpent released him now, and the hag suddenly reneged on her promise, it would be left entirely defenseless.

"Of course. In all these villages, who doesn't know that I, Immortal Aunt Fan, always keep my word?" Several large beads of sweat trickled down Granny Fan's forehead; her jaw was tightly clenched, indicating considerable pain. Granny Fan thought to herself, Damn it, I miscalculated this time. If she had known that even her Shen Da summoning wouldn't handle this sprite, she wouldn't have exerted herself needlessly earlier. Now, not only had she failed to catch the fox spirit, but she had dragged herself into deep trouble. Thinking this, she wiped the sweat from her face with her sleeve, repeatedly grumbling about how hot it was and how suffocating it felt to exert her powers.

"But... what if you go back on your word?" Sensing that Granny Fan was genuinely preparing to attack, the serpent spirit finally voiced its anxiety, fixing its eyes intently on Granny Fan as it spoke.

It seemed the creature now believed her words almost entirely. Sigh, my old life is probably safe. Granny Fan let out a long breath, yet deliberately held back any outward sign of relief. She merely coughed a couple of times, placed her hands behind her back, and adopted an air of detached wisdom.

"So that is what troubles you?" Her shoulders shook, and she gave a dry, rattling laugh. "Worry not. I will not only let you leave, but I will also send offerings of incense to your dwelling place, and instruct the nearby villagers never to disturb the cultivation of Great Immortal Snake, your respected self. I swear upon the heavens, how about that?" As she finished, Granny Fan actually raised her right hand in a gesture of oath, muttering earnestly toward the sky above. Then, in a voice that everyone in the room could hear, she called out, "If I break this vow, may heaven strike me with lightning, and may I meet a wretched end!"

"Good, old woman, I believe you today." The serpent spirit laughed. It certainly knew that those who dealt in the dualities of life and death—like shamans, priestesses, spirit mediums, and monks and nuns—understood Feng Shui, fate, and the workings of the Heavenly Way. Because of this knowledge, they placed immense value on oaths, especially deadly ones. Generally, even when major accidents occurred, they would not violate their sworn promises. Thus, once Granny Fan solemnly swore before everyone present, pointing to the sky, the serpent spirit believed her sincerity one hundred percent.

"Mmm." Granny Fan nodded with approval. "Knowing when to advance and when to retreat shows some intelligence. In my line of work, I prefer peaceful negotiation to fighting and killing. Let us sit down, discuss any difficulties, talk through any demands—wouldn't it be much better if we could all remain calm and even-tempered, yes?"

"I was wrong, I failed to recognize a true master. I rarely venture out and was unaware of your capabilities. Had I known, hah, I wouldn't have dared confront you even if you lent me a hundred times my courage!" The serpent spirit echoed her pleasantries with a grin. Although Granny Fan knew that nine out of ten words from a sprite were lies, this soft, warm tone was strangely pleasing to hear.

"It's good that you realize it. Let's stop dawdling and return to our own affairs!" Granny Fan waved her patched sleeves with satisfaction. "Release him, and go!"

"Please, Immortal Aunt, do not forget. My place of cultivation is at the Lingguan Temple. Sending incense there will suffice," the serpent spirit narrowed its eyes greedily.

Hmph, all spirits are truly the same! They bully the weak, fear the strong, and are inherently greedy. Granny Fan cursed internally. However, the current situation was highly unfavorable. To secure her victory, Granny Fan loudly beat her chest, repeatedly assuring the spirit that a mere offering of incense was nothing, a mere trifle, and she would deliver it by tomorrow without fail. The serpent spirit was overjoyed, thanking her profusely, and retracted its long tongue, honorably releasing Liu Laoshi as promised.

"Father!" Young Master Liu dropped the oil cruet he held and rushed forward to embrace the swaying Liu Laoshi. His expression was sincere, his voice tinged with the sound of crying; clearly, his concern for his father was absolute. It seemed that although this old man often cursed him as a "little bastard" and a "good-for-nothing," his father's standing in Young Master Liu's heart was unshakable. At that moment, Liu Laoshi slowly opened his eyelids, which felt as heavy as lead. His trembling hand reached up to touch Young Master Liu's face. Then, his ashen face, pale from oxygen deprivation, paused in confusion. He mumbled dreamily, "Where is the little bastard?"

"Father, touch me, see? The little bastard is right here, right beside you! You absolutely cannot have anything happen to you! What would I do if something happened to you!" Young Master Liu could no longer restrain himself and collapsed into his father's arms, weeping uncontrollably.

"Don't worry, Father's life is cheap; even King Yama doesn't want it. See? Didn't my precious son drag me back?" Liu Laoshi smiled comfortingly, but then broke into a severe fit of coughing. Young Master Liu quickly checked his pulse. A moment later, the gravity in his expression eased. "Father, don't talk anymore. Save your strength until you recover. Your pulse is still unsteady, but it’s nothing serious!"

"Alright, Father will listen to you," Liu Laoshi nodded.

While the intense father-son affection was unfolding nearby, Granny Fan frowned. She looked at the serpent spirit, which was just about to emerge from Village Head Tian's body, and asked, "Great Immortal Snake, what exactly is going on with the Lingguan Temple? I recall that temple being quite efficacious back then, and it was popular for a time, but how has it become like this now? Moreover, I distinctly feel that the villages of Xiushan and Xiushui have not been peaceful these past few days. There is definitely more to this than meets the eye."

The serpent spirit's expression shifted. After a long pause, it shook its head. "I don't understand it completely either. But just as you surmised, Immortal Aunt, a strange thing has indeed occurred recently. I, too, cannot fathom it."

"Oh?" Granny Fan's eyes sharpened, her voice lingering slightly. She knew that anything concerning enough to draw the attention of the serpent spirit—one of the Five Great Immortals of the common folk—could not be ordinary.

"Hee-hee..." The serpent spirit twisted its waist. "Originally, I hadn't intended to tell you, but considering your promise to provide incense, I might as well offer you a hint! Starting last month, ever since that cursed survey team from your province built a dam nearby and dug up quite a few things, those of us who have cultivated here for generations have noticed that the malevolent energy within a radius of dozens of li has increased tenfold, perhaps even a hundredfold, compared to usual. Because of this, many dormant demons and ghosts have reawakened. I suspect something underground is about to emerge."

"What?!" Granny Fan’s eyes widened, her face a mask of disbelief, fear spilling over uncontrollably.

"What, Immortal Aunt, are you scared?" The serpent spirit seemed quite pleased with Granny Fan's reaction, laughing again, rocking back and forth. "Before I leave, a piece of advice! Just as you said, one must know when to advance and when to retreat. You simply cannot afford to provoke this thing!" The moment the last word left its mouth, Granny Fan felt the world blur before her eyes. Simultaneously, Village Head Tian collapsed to the ground. His facial expression was no longer the skewed, lopsided grimace it had been before, indicating that the serpent spirit had indeed departed. However, Granny Fan remained cautious. She crouched down and pressed hard on the middle finger of Village Head Tian's left hand with two fingers until the man let out a sharp cry of pain. Hearing a male voice confirmed her suspicion, and Granny Fan finally slumped onto the ground with a relieved sigh, breathing heavily. The composure she had forced upon her face evaporated instantly; her complexion was a sickly yellow, and countless beads of sweat streamed down like tiny rivers, leaving her old face a mess. A large patch on her back was thoroughly soaked.