Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 18 [A Buddhist Ceremony] (Happy New Year 2025!)
(New book recommendations won’t be available until the 5th, which is Sunday…)

I blame myself for delaying the signing process, so I'm still running around naked...)
·
Chapter 2025 [A Ritual] (Happy New Year !)
"Well, sir, what is your name? May I know your name?" Chen Yan was quite polite, but of course he was also a bit curious - he didn't know what his colleagues in the city were like, as he had never dealt with them.

The white-haired middle-aged man held his tongue and said with a slow smile, "Young man, since you are Mr. Fang's tenant and have some connection with this house, then just call me Uncle Qing, just like Assistant Yan."

Chen Yan felt very awkward when the white-haired middle-aged man said this.

The tone is wrong.

It's that kind of tone and intonation, as if he was pretending to be so: I'm very awesome, I originally looked down on you, but I'm approachable, so I'll take a loss and allow you to call me uncle.

Well, that’s probably the feeling it gives people.

But... Chen Yan was not happy.

"I'm sorry, I have a small family and no uncles or aunts, so I have never called anyone uncle since I was a child." Chen Yan said lightly.

I don’t even know who my biological father is, so where do my uncles and aunts come from?

Well, this is one aspect of Chen Yan’s personality that some people may find awkward.

He always believed that one should be polite and courteous to strangers - and that was right.

To a stranger, say "you", to a man you don't know well, say "sir", to a woman, say "ma'am"...

When you meet an elderly person, call them "old man" or "old lady"...

That's enough.

But, as for calling people uncle, aunt, grandpa, or grandma, he doesn't like to call them that easily.

Or if you are a relative of mine, then I can call you uncle or something, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Or, we have a friendship, you have helped me, or taken care of me, you are older than me, I call you uncle or something, and treat you as my elder, that's right!
Either you are highly respected, like the one who works with rice, and Chen Yan would be willing to kowtow and call you grandpa - but he still feels that he is not qualified.

As for the rest... nothing, just a stranger?
Just because you are ten or twenty years older than me, a stranger, you come to my house, sit down, and let me call you uncle?

Who are you?

When you get older, you can have younger people call you uncle all over the world?
You ask him to go find Principal Wang, and then say to Principal Wang in a very "approachable" way, "Just call me uncle."

Does he have that face?

——You can say that Chen Yan is a bit pretentious and a bit exaggerated on this point.

But there's no way, that's just his personality.

·
The white-haired middle-aged man was a little embarrassed when he heard this, as if he didn't expect the young man to be so disrespectful. He cleared his throat, and the expression of restraint in his eyes also fell for a moment, and then he said sullenly:

"My last name is Luo."

"Uncle Qing is a master. His Taoist temple is in Qixia Mountain in Jiangbei. He is the owner of Luo Yunzhai at the foot of Qixia Mountain." Assistant Yan, who was standing next to him, saw that the situation was a bit awkward and quickly added an introduction.

Chen Yan's expression remained unchanged.

To put it simply, it doesn’t matter who is from Luo Yunzhai, even if you are the Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, it’s none of my business.

This is the house I rent, it's my home. As for the relationship, Assistant Yan is the landlord's man, and Chen Yan has dealings with him. This Luo guy is a stranger.

To put it in a broader sense, is Luo Yunzhai as awesome as my old lady?

Can you make the Black and White Masters kneel down and kowtow to you?
"Well, then, Mr. Luo, what advice do you have?"

Chen Yan asked the white-haired middle-aged man indifferently - he thought his name should be Luo Qing.

Luo Qing had just been humiliated by Chen Yan, so he stopped smiling and said coldly, "You should know about the case that happened in this house before."

"Well, although I don't know the specific situation, I have heard about it in general." Chen Yan nodded in a calm tone.

"Something bad happened in the house, so Mr. Fang asked me to perform a few rituals. Exorcising evil spirits and suppressing evil… Even if I tell you too much, young people like you won't understand. Anyway, after the rituals, this house can be inhabited in peace and prosperity for the future, and bad luck will be warded off."

Chen Yan nodded: "And then? Hasn't the ritual already been done?"

"Praying for good fortune and exorcising evil, this kind of ritual is very complicated, and one is not enough. So... young man, you are not in our profession, so you certainly won't understand even if I tell you. Anyway, Mr. Fang wants to perform another ritual here.

"It's the end of the year, let's get rid of the bad luck. This house has been the scene of a crime like that before, and the evil spirits are stubborn. If you don't get rid of them, you won't feel at ease living here." At the end, Luo Qing threatened Chen Yan.

Chen Yan smiled.

When he first moved in, he used his clairvoyance to carefully examine the entire house, inside and out.

I also used a compass to calculate directions and looked into Feng Shui.

I even calculated it carefully using the "Qiyun Zhoushu".

There's nothing wrong with this house.

Chen Yan stopped paying attention to Luo Qing and looked at Assistant Yan: "I see. In other words, you are going to perform another ritual in this house?"

Assistant Yan nodded: "Yes, that's what I mean."

Chen Yan thought about it...it didn't seem like a big deal. He could also see how his colleagues in the city performed rituals.

Observe and learn.

However, Chen Yan's thoughts caused Assistant Yan to misunderstand.

He quickly said, "We know that you've just moved in, and we're disturbing you for something like this. You must feel a little uncomfortable.

As compensation, we can waive one month of your rent... and you can deduct this from your next six-month rent payment."

Oh! You should have said it earlier!
The rent is fifteen thousand a month!
Do!
Just do it!
Chen Yan immediately smiled: "Okay, okay! Let me know when you're coming to do it!
It's just a ritual, I'm just watching the fun from the side."

Luo Qing beside him snorted, and Assistant Yan immediately said with a smile: "Well...it's not good to let outsiders see this ritual.

Uncle Qing is a remarkable man, and his skills are not to be passed on to outsiders..."

Oh, you’re not allowed to watch it?

Chen Yan thought about it and decided, okay, if he couldn’t watch it, then he couldn’t watch it. It was fifteen thousand anyway.

"That's fine. Just tell me when you're coming and I'll go out and find a place to go shopping or watch a movie. I'll make the house available to you."

"Uh, this..." Assistant Yan hesitated for a moment and lowered his voice a little: "Well... during the day, it won't work during the day."

Chen Yan blinked: "You mean, at night?"

Luo Qing said coldly, "So-called daytime is yang and nighttime is yin! Yin energy is at its peak at midnight. Any evil energy, any stubborn evil, will only become active at that time... Anyway, you youngsters won't understand even if I tell you.

You just need to know that this ritual must be performed at night."

Chen Yan was still smiling, but the smile on his face was no longer the same as before.

"So what you're saying is, one night, when it's this cold, I have to leave my house and find a place to stay for the night, leaving the house empty for you to perform the ritual. Is that what you mean?"

Assistant Yan nodded, a cautious look on his face: "I know, this kind of thing is indeed a bit inhumane..."

"Half a year's property management fee." Chen Yan spoke without waiting for him to finish.

"Ok?"

"I said, add another half year's property management fee." Chen Yan said calmly: "Although the house belongs to your boss, I rent it. This is my home before the expiration of the lease.

Regardless of whether I believe what you say or not... I have been to college and I only believe in science.

You also want me to stay away from home at night, in the middle of winter, and let me find a place to stay at night, leaving the house for you to mess around with. I can at least ask for more compensation.

The one month's rent you mentioned isn't enough. Add half a year's worth of property management fees."

Assistant Yan looked at Chen Yan, pondered for a moment, and nodded: "Okay! Mr. Chen is right. It is true that our request is a bit unreasonable.

It's just as you said. Plus half a year's worth of property management fees."

When Chen Yan heard this, he thought: That's quite generous.

This time, Luo Qing next to him didn't say anything.

It wasn't his money anyway. As long as Mr. Fang didn't deduct his fee for the ritual, the rest was none of his business.

Assistant Yan then agreed with Chen Yan that he would bring Luo Qing over to perform a ritual the day after tomorrow at 10:30 pm, and that Chen Yan would be out that night and not be able to return. Chen Yan didn't have any valuables at home.

The three most important things are:
A jade ring, a secret booklet, and half a candle.

Just put it in your arms and go.

·
After the conversation, Chen Yan sent the two out. When they reached the outside of the yard, Chen Yan called Assistant Yan.

"Words are not enough, give me a written document.

Also, you should go to the property management company and pay the half-year property management fee today.

Now that we have made the decision, let’s get the job done first.”

Assistant Yan looked at Chen Yan and said reasonably, "Mr. Chen, this request is not excessive. I will go and pay the property management fee right away."

Luo Qing beside him was unhappy: "Are you still going to the property management? I'm in a hurry to meet a friend later..."

Assistant Yan smiled and said, "It's okay, it's okay. Let the car take Uncle Qing away first. I'll take a taxi back when I'm done."

Having said this, he politely sent Luo Qing to the car and gave a few instructions to the driver, asking him to provide good service and take this expert home.

Chen Yan saw this and started to think more highly of Assistant Yan.

This person is good.

·
Some people, if they work alongside wealthy bosses for a long time, will inexplicably develop an air of arrogance, and they want their tails to stick up in the sky, as if after seeing too many rich people, they feel that they are rich too.

Assistant Yan, on the other hand, was polite and courteous in his actions and words. Chen Yan knew that he had said something rather harsh a while ago.

The conditions proposed are also a bit tentative.

Assistant Yan didn't seem angry at all and remained polite and courteous.

This is the perfect candidate to be an assistant to a wealthy boss.

Those who act so arrogantly and shout orders around in the name of the boss, don't they just attract hatred from their boss?
This person is a sensible person who knows his limits.

·
Assistant Yan went to the property management office and paid half a year's property management fee, which amounted to more than 18,000 yuan.

The monthly property fee for this luxury villa is over 3,000 yuan.

Assistant Yan not only paid the money, but also borrowed paper and pen from the property management to write a document exempting Chen Yan from one month's rent.

Finally, he took the document and the receipt from the property, returned to the villa, knocked on the door, and handed the things to Chen Yan.

Do things thoroughly.

Chen Yan smiled and looked at Assistant Yan: "Come in and sit for a while?"

"I won't sit down. Mr. Fang has something to do. So the day after tomorrow, I'll trouble Mr. Chen." The man's tone was still polite.

After saying this, Assistant Yan was about to leave, but Chen Yan suddenly laughed and said, "The ritual was held in the middle of the night. Besides the reason that the expert mentioned, it's because you don't want to draw attention, right?"

Assistant Yan stopped.

"This house is a haunted house after all. It's been peaceful and smooth for a few years now, and several generations of people have lived here.

It has been a few years and the matter should have faded away...but suddenly they are going to perform a ritual again. If the neighbors in the community see it, they will definitely start to spread rumors about this house again. I'm afraid there is something wrong with it.

If this gets out, it will affect Mr. Fang's investment in this house, right?
So, the ritual has to be done in the middle of the night?"

Assistant Yan smiled and said, "Mr. Chen Yan is smart and insightful. You are well aware of our intentions. Don't worry, after the ritual is completed the day after tomorrow, I will have the house cleaned up. It won't affect your living conditions."

Chen Yan nodded: "I trust Assistant Yan to do things."

After saying that, he suddenly said, "Oh, I remembered something."

"You say."

Chen Yan looked at Assistant Yan:

"Just stand here and don't leave. I'm going to get something..."

After saying that, he turned around and went back.

Assistant Yan stood there with a strange look on his face.

No...you went to college, and I've also been educated!

Do you think I haven’t seen "Back View"?

A few minutes later, Chen Yan came out again and stuffed a small cloth bag into Assistant Yan's hand.

"Fifteen thousand in rent plus eighteen thousand in property fees. You've made me thirty-three thousand this trip."

I can't take this money for nothing.

We also have a rule in our sect: if you accept money from others, you must give them compensation."

Chen Yan said, and smiled lightly: "This thing is a little gadget I made by myself. If you want to talk about how powerful it is, it is definitely not as good as the expert invited by your Mr. Fang.

But if you keep it with you, it will be a good luck charm."

“…Ah? This, this…”

Chen Yan smiled pretentiously and said, "Assistant Yan, do you think I'm just an ordinary college student if I dare to rent a haunted house?"

After saying that, Chen Yan closed the door.

Assistant Yan stood there, stunned for a moment.

no……

Sect? Rules? Amulet?
Didn't you just say you went to college and only believed in science?!

Why do you treat me like this?

Assistant Yan walked a few steps outside with the thing in his hand, opened the cloth bag and took a look.

A jade plaque the size of a matchbox.

He followed a wealthy boss and had a good eye. He could tell at a glance that it was just a piece of low-grade, inferior white jade.

There are some fine patterns on it, carved with a knife.

However, he couldn't understand the pattern of the ghost painting, but he could understand that the knife work was very crude!

After thinking about it, he picked up the phone and dialed a number.

After the call was connected, Assistant Yan held the phone in both hands and said respectfully, "Boss, the matter has been settled. The tenant has agreed."

After a pause, Assistant Yan continued, "However, the tenant has made some additional requests. On top of one month's rent, they also added six months' worth of property management fees, totaling 33,000... I think it's important and within the budget you gave me, so I accepted it."

The person on the other end of the phone listened quietly, then simply replied, "Okay, got it."

Assistant Yan hesitated for a moment: "Uncle Qing has also gone back to make preparations. But... Boss, I'm a little worried.

The previous rituals were always performed by Elder Zi, and I don’t know about Uncle Qing who was invited this time…”

"Humph, I'd like to invite Master Zi as well, but he's been away from Jinling Prefecture for the past few months. He's been asked by the governor of the state to go to the north to handle some personal matters. Uncle Qing is Master Zi's senior brother, so I think his abilities are not inferior to Master Zi's.

Let's do this first. "

·
Happy first day of 2025! Hope you all are well!

May there be warm wind and intoxicating clouds on your journey of life.

May you already have a home where you can take off your armor.

May you already have the smile you love most by your side.

·
[Ask for a little reward as a red envelope, it doesn't have to be much, just as a good start.]

·
(End of this chapter)