Volume One, Chapter 10: Master, I’ll Protect You!

When Ying Yuwei rushed to the first floor, the crowd, previously scattered, had gathered in a circle to watch something. Seeing her approach, they parted to clear a path.

However, the sight that greeted her made Ying Yuwei’s heart sink.

The mirrors that had been buried in various corners had been dug up and laid out together. The cat that had just leaped from the second floor had landed squarely on these mirrors; as they became stained with its blood, every single one shattered instantly.

Under normal circumstances, the Eight Malice Formation would have been manageable. But now, tainted by the blood of a black cat—a creature known for its potent, ominous spirituality—it was likely that the An family would face a bloody catastrophe that very day.

The three members of the An family, who had followed close behind her, also witnessed the scene. Mrs. An shrieked in terror, and Mr. An immediately pulled her behind him, though his own expression betrayed a jolt of alarm at the eerie sight.

Ying Yuwei’s face was grave. She turned to the An family and said, "For today, send everyone else away, and call all your family members back home immediately."

An Yu, staring at the shattered mirrors and the dead cat on the floor, asked cautiously, "Master, what is this?"

Ying Yuwei’s expression was stern, and her words sent a chill down their spines: "Someone has set an Eight Malice Formation in your home. Since it has now been tainted with blood, someone in this house will surely die tonight."

Upon hearing this, Mr. An rubbed his temples, his eyes smoldering with anger. "Student Ying, I told you our family does not need this. Please stop spreading these rumors here, will you?"

Ying Yuwei raised an eyebrow, flicked her sleeves, and prepared to leave. After all, it is hard to save those who are determined to walk toward their own doom; if they refused to trust her, there was little she could do.

Seeing that she was truly about to leave, Mrs. An and An Yu became agitated. Mrs. An clutched her chest and cried out, "An Minsheng, I can't live like this anymore! I want a divorce!"

An Yu rushed over and hugged Ying Yuwei’s leg. "Master, don't go! We can't do this without you! Don't leave!"

The onlookers were stunned by the scene. Could this Ying Yuwei truly be some kind of profound master?

Mr. An, unable to withstand the pressure from his wife and son, and agreeing that the current situation was no place for guests, cleared the house and made calls to summon the rest of his family.

Sensing that events were spiraling out of control, An Yu quickly ordered for the live-streaming equipment to be shut down.

***

The first to return was an elegant woman in her thirties. With a broad forehead and refined features, she carried herself with an air of sophistication. As soon as she entered, she shouted, "Brother, you’d better explain what you meant by that phone call! What do you mean by a 'bloody catastrophe'?"

The woman walked inside and, upon seeing the unfamiliar face of Ying Yuwei, shot her a look of disdain. "So you’re the so-called 'master'? You’re the one claiming our family is facing a disaster?"

Mrs. An hurried over to smooth things over, taking Ying Yuwei’s hand and introducing her with a smile: "Master, this is my sister-in-law, An Lingling." She tried to signal An Lingling with her eyes, but the latter ignored her, pulling Mrs. An away from Ying Yuwei. "Sister-in-law, don't let yourself be swindled by these street charlatans."

Ying Yuwei glanced at the walnut prayer beads on An Lingling’s wrist and said with near certainty, "Your youngest son was in a car accident recently, wasn't he?"

An Lingling’s mouth fell open. She looked at An Yu in disbelief. "Did you tell her that?"

"I'm innocent, Auntie! I didn't say a word!" An Yu raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Items made of nuts belong to the 'Kan' trigram, which governs the second son. Since the beads on An Lingling’s wrist were cracked, it signified misfortune; furthermore, the Kan trigram also represents ditches and traps, indicating danger. Thus, Ying Yuwei deduced that her son had recently been in an accident.

An Lingling began to circle Ying Yuwei, tilting her head as she scrutinized her. "You calculated that? You’re that good?" Ying Yuwei only curled her lips in a faint, composed smile.

As the members of the An family returned one by one, their attitude shifted from initial skepticism to growing belief. Even Mr. An, who had never believed in such supernatural nonsense, began to think that Ying Yuwei might possess genuine ability.

Because there had been too many people present earlier, Ying Yuwei hadn't voiced her full concerns. Now that only the family remained, she explained:

"Someone has used the principle of the 'Blood Basin Mirror' to set an Eight Malice Formation in your home. Originally, this array would only have drained your family's fortune without threatening lives. But because the mirrors were stained with blood, it is highly likely to give birth to a Malice Spirit. By midnight, that spirit will certainly claim a life!"

"Ah!" Mrs. An and An Lingling screamed, clutching each other. Mrs. An’s face had turned deathly pale.

"Then why are we still staying here? Quick, An Yu, pack our things! Let’s go hide at your uncle’s house."

Ying Yuwei stopped An Yu as he moved to pack. She shook her head. "It’s useless. The Malice Spirit was nurtured in your home and took form here. No matter where you go, it will find you."

***

"Instead of scattering, it is better to stay here. A Malice Spirit needs a medium to kill; it will typically choose to possess someone. When that happens, we can simply pluck the possessed person out."

Relief washed over the crowd upon hearing this.

Ying Yuwei rummaged through her small cloth bag, then looked back at the family. "Also, tonight, other than your own family, no one else should remain in the house. Give your domestic staff the night off."

After giving her instructions, Ying Yuwei took a Bagua mirror from her bag and walked out into the courtyard. She intended to set up a barrier outside. She was unsure of the spirit's true power, but she knew that if it escaped the An residence, it would be difficult to track. It had to be contained here.

Moreover, she suspected the An family’s butler was not as simple as he seemed; it was highly probable he was the one who had set the formation. Yet, when she had asked Mrs. An to summon him earlier, they found he had already vanished.

As Ying Yuwei walked, she noticed someone following her.

An Yu stayed glued to her side, practically sticking to her back. When she turned around, An Yu’s thin lips curled slightly, revealing a row of neat, white teeth.

"I’m here to protect you, Master Ying."

Ying Yuwei: "..."

Time flew by until eight in the evening. When Ying Yuwei and An Yu returned after setting the barrier, they found the An family sitting stiffly on the sofas—not even a single person was on their phone. When they saw Ying Yuwei, their eyes lit up like hungry wolves spotting a lamb.