Chapter 87: (2)

Though confident in his own strength, he trusted Xiaoyuan's judgment even more.

But the moment the White Crane Child lunged, hands clawing through the air, and he raised the Yellow River Spade to block—just a simple clash—and Runsheng instantly realized he had underestimated his opponent.

The spade, once an extension of himself, was now no longer fully under his control. In a pure contest of strength, Runsheng was at a disadvantage. His footing began to falter.

Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng were both stunned. They knew how strong Runsheng was. For someone to overwhelm him like this after entering a possessed state—terrifying.

Without hesitation, Yin Meng and Tan Wenbin attacked from the sides.

The White Crane Child flicked his face, vertical pupils flashing with a ghostly light. His strength surged, and with a sweep of his arms, he hoisted the Yellow River Spade.

Runsheng still clung to the spade, but now he was lifted off the ground, spun through the air, and slammed down. He tried to use the momentum to counter—but the White Crane Child yanked him back and kicked him square in the chest.

Runsheng hit the ground hard. The Yellow River Spade was entirely seized.

“Whoosh, whoosh…”

The spade swung down toward Runsheng.

Runsheng slammed both palms to the ground and vaulted forward to dodge.

“Bang!”

The cement court where he had been lying cracked, a crater forming under the force of the strike, spiderweb fractures spreading around it.

Yin Meng lashed out with her whip, aiming for the opponent’s face, but the White Crane Child raised his left hand and caught it with precision.

A powerful tug followed. Yin Meng was yanked off the ground like a kite and slammed downward.

Tan Wenbin cast the Homecoming Net, enveloping the White Crane Child like a fisherman casting for prey.

Normally, the net dulled the senses of any malevolent spirit it ensnared.

But the White Crane Child simply turned his head. His vertical pupils locked onto Tan Wenbin.

Tan Wenbin’s back went cold. He awkwardly raised his hands.

“Uh... good evening?”

“Crash!”

A single sweep of the Yellow River Spade tore the Homecoming Net apart.

The White Crane Child advanced on Tan Wenbin. He staggered back, but the opponent’s Three-Step Praise, though appearing slow, moved like a flickering shadow, closing the distance in an instant.

Overwhelmed, Tan Wenbin toppled backward.

The White Crane Child raised the spade.

Runsheng, having climbed to his feet, grabbed a loose net rope and hurled it.

It wrapped around the White Crane Child’s ankle, and Runsheng pulled with all his might.

The White Crane Child turned his head toward Runsheng, but still brought the spade down on Tan Wenbin.

“Bang!”

Tan Wenbin’s legs split wide, and the ground between them exploded.

Just a hair closer and he’d have lost all hope of a peaceful retirement.

The White Crane Child didn’t even glance at him. He turned to face Runsheng.

He raised a foot and kicked back.

Runsheng lost his balance again, stumbling forward.

The White Crane Child advanced. The instant they met, he threw a punch at Runsheng’s chest. Runsheng twisted aside and slammed his shoulder into the attacker’s torso.

It was a solid hit—strong enough to knock down a Dead Sinker—but the White Crane Child didn’t budge.

Instead, he grabbed Runsheng’s waist and lifted him with one arm.

Still sitting on the ground, Tan Wenbin could only gape. Was this reality? Runsheng—lifted like a toy?

“Boom!”

Runsheng was slammed into the earth.

The White Crane Child raised his foot, aiming for Runsheng’s face.

Runsheng crossed his arms and blocked, veins bulging across his face from the effort.

In the struggle, noise came from behind.

The White Crane Child turned to see Yin Meng flying in with a kick. He dodged, but her legs wrapped around his neck, locking her body upside down on his shoulders.

This chokehold would kill an ordinary person, even a Dead Sinker would crumble—but the White Crane Child remained standing.

Fired up, Tan Wenbin stood again, rummaging through his pockets for powders. But remembering how useless the Homecoming Net had been, he realized—this enemy wasn’t a malevolent spirit. His whole stash was useless.

With no other choice, he grabbed the Seven-Star Hook and lunged like a spearman, yelling.

The White Crane Child caught the hook mid-charge, halting Tan Wenbin’s momentum.

Now he stood there—foot on Runsheng, hand restraining Tan Wenbin, Yin Meng slung across his shoulders.

One man against three, and not at all outmatched.

“Hold him down! He can’t stay in that state forever!” shouted Runsheng.

Yin Meng and Tan Wenbin gritted their teeth and doubled their efforts.

The White Crane Child’s vertical pupils shifted toward the boy who had been standing at a distance since the fight began.

He was a ghost-raiser—a real threat.

The White Crane Child switched from stepping to stomping. Runsheng was kicked away, dragged across the court.

But as he flew, Runsheng’s now-free hands clenched into fists and smashed into the opponent’s lower leg.

The White Crane Child jolted violently. Yin Meng was flung away and hit the ground hard.

Finally, he turned to face Tan Wenbin, still locked in a tug-of-war over the Seven-Star Hook.

The White Crane Child took a step back and released it.

Tan Wenbin stumbled forward and fell flat on his face.

The White Crane Child’s vertical pupils turned again to Li Zhuiyuan. As he raised a foot, pain shot through his leg. His body seized with spasms.

Even the pupils in his eyes began to fade.

Lin Shuyou had a leg injury—and Runsheng had just struck that exact spot.

Runsheng got up. In his mind echoed the words Xiaoyuan had spoken at lunch—this opponent was tricky, dangerous.

He now understood. The White Crane Child’s possessed state had been inhuman.

Thankfully, the time was up.

But then, the White Crane Child drew two incense sticks from within his cloak and planted them in the crane-feathered crown on his head.

“Open the way, expel the evil~”

The incense lit itself, emitting a strange fragrance. Power surged back into him. His dimming gaze re-formed into deep, vertical pupils.

“No! Stop him!” Runsheng roared.

Like a wild bull, he charged once more—but then halted.

Xiaoyuan had opened his eyes and raised his left hand, signaling him to stay back.

Runsheng sighed inwardly. Still not strong enough. In the end, it always came down to Xiaoyuan.

He underestimated himself. To last this long against a possessed White Crane Child—while still human—was extraordinary.

Runsheng’s body far surpassed ordinary standards. But brute force could never match orthodoxy.

Thankfully, that would soon change. Once Xiaoyuan was formally initiated, a real member of the Qin family would teach him.

With the incense burning bright, the White Crane Child turned directly toward Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t back away. He stepped forward, pressing red ink to his right hand and smearing it across his face.

The White Crane Child raised his fist, ready to strike this ghost-raising heretic. But just then, the whites of Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes turned pitch black.

He looked up at the White Crane Child.

The fist stopped mid-air. Confused, the White Crane Child stared.

He sensed something—something familiar.

As if the boy in front of him was one of his own—a classmate from the same ritual corps. And the most ill-tempered one, no less.

The Corpse Retriever’s greatest legend was the Pair of Increase and Decrease Generals—once demons, later subdued by the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva to become his guardians. The Increase General split into two, which was why the famous duo was, in fact, a trio.

The White Crane Child, also called the Guiding Child, led the procession during temple rites. Behind him often followed the Increase and Decrease Generals.

Now, he stared into Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes.

The White Crane Child tilted his head back and forth, confused, uncertain. How could the person he was supposed to destroy suddenly feel like an ally?

Before coming to university, Li Zhuiyuan had brought three books from his great-grandfather’s house. One of them was the Sutra of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Though busy at school, he always found time to read. Just that afternoon, while Tan Wenbin reviewed a textbook, Li Zhuiyuan had been reading the Sutra.

It was like flipping to a random page before an exam, only to find the main question was right there.

Time slipped away.

The incense burned fast. Then, it went out.

The possession ended. The deity’s presence departed.

“Thud…”

Lin Shuyou collapsed, coughing blood, pale and exhausted.

Clearly, though Runsheng had seemed overwhelmed, his attacks had done damage. The possessed state had merely delayed the effects.

“Snap!”

Li Zhuiyuan snapped his fingers. His eyes returned to normal.

Lin Shuyou raised his head with difficulty, watching the boy wipe red ink from his face.

“Why… why could you invoke a god?”

It wasn’t just the White Crane Child who was confused. Lin Shuyou was utterly baffled.

What he didn’t know was—this morning, an old woman named Liu had been even more confused than he was.

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “Why do we come to university?”

“To… to study?”

“Exactly. I just read a little more than you.”

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