FI Ch5: The First Client

The receipt bore the name of Pei Jin. The issuing party was faintly visible, showing something that looked like “Qi Gui Xing (?) Residence*,” and the transaction date was precisely last weekend, matching the timing of Pei Jin’s “return to glory.”

While it didn’t amount to concrete evidence, this half-revealed clue made it all the more enticing to investigate.

In the midst of dull studies, a bit of spice was just the thing.

In just ten minutes, the forum had erupted:

[Dream of Flight]: Is this true? Just seeing the title is terrifying! *[shivers]*

[00XX112]: I know a little about this. Those statues and talismans above are definitely used to boost test luck.

[Red Leaf]: Where did this even come from?? Don’t spread rumors! [anxious]

[Mu Xi w]: Oh my god, just thinking about being in the same school building as someone doing this stuff makes my skin crawl. I’m ready to drop out!

[Visitor039]: I don’t believe in this stuff, but Pei Jin’s grades have always been stable, and the sudden ups and downs are pretty odd. @Academic Office I suggest checking into this.

…

“Slander—!”

In the classroom, Chen You clenched his phone in anger, almost pressing down long enough to turn it off. “Pei Shen would never do something like that!” He was ready to jump into the fray but, after hesitating, couldn’t find the right words to counter. He turned to Lin Su for help.

“Is there any solid way to clarify this?”

Lin Su, seeing his puppy-eyed expression, sighed, took his phone, and replied under the post:

[Nonsense!]

Chen You’s sense of indignation flared up. “Yes!”

Lin Su, mimicking his tone, typed: [Pei Shen is so broke, where would he get the money to hire ghosts?]

Chen You: “…!!!”

Staring at Lin Su in shock, Chen You blurted, “Is this… how you’ve always interacted with Pei Shen online?”

Lin Su handed the phone back to him. “The most potent counter to a deep-seated rumor often requires the simplest, most down-to-earth approach.”

Chen You checked the screen; his comment had instantly racked up over 30 likes.

“…”

The forum bickered for a full half-hour.

Under normal circumstances, Pei Jin, being a top student, wouldn’t be left to face unchecked rumors alone. Yet, in the Academic Office, a group of educational tech teachers discovered they couldn’t delete the post—

The school’s unusual silence allowed the rumors to spread unchecked, growing ever more intense.

Several accounts claiming to be Pei Jin’s classmates even joined the frenzy in the forum:

[I always knew he wasn’t clean-handed. Those dark circles under his eyes? Totally looks like he’s possessed by a ghost!]

[It’s affecting me too; my grades used to be good…]

Lunch break wasn’t even over.

On the rooftop of the sophomore building, Lin Su looked at Pei Jin standing in front of him.

While the school was in an uproar, the protagonist of the story didn’t seem as anxious or panicked as everyone imagined.

The recent upheavals and shattered perspectives had stripped away his naivety, lending a new air of maturity to his brow, with a hint of trust evident in his gaze.

“So, what’s next?”

By now, he fully believed in Lin Su’s extraordinary abilities. Would they draw talismans, cast spells, or perform an exorcism?

Lin Su spoke up, “Obviously, we should call the police.”

“…?” Pei Jin asked, “Huh?”

Lin Su skillfully opened the Criminal Law code. “According to Article 246, Clause 1 of the Criminal Law, if someone knowingly spreads false information that damages another person’s reputation online, it constitutes defamation if the circumstances are severe.”

“This qualifies as defamation.”

He closed his phone and instructed Pei Jin matter-of-factly, “Take screenshots as evidence, apply for leave this afternoon, and file a case at the police station.”

There was silence for almost ten seconds.

Then Pei Jin nodded. “Alright.”

—

After agreeing, Pei Jin left.

On the empty rooftop, a ball of light appeared: 【What about our side?】

Lin Su had just advised Pei Jin to call the police, which was the proper solution in a law-abiding society. However, regarding the spiritual side of things, Lin Su surely had his own way to handle it.

Xue Ni Ma was certain of this.

Lin Su scrolled through his phone. “Of course, we’ll report it too.”

【?】

“Isn’t there a Heavenly Masters Surveillance Association? Why waste our own efforts? Let them handle it.”

With a few quick taps, he filed an online report.

Closing the page, he returned to a screenshot from the forum. Lin Su’s fingertip tapped on the blurry words “Qi Gui Xing (?) Residence,” and he smiled slightly.

“So, this is the place…”

Before the culprit was caught, he intended to reap a bit of mind power first.

The light hovered silently for a moment before commenting: 【You resemble an ancient divine chef.】 Lin Su turned to look at it. 【Like Chef Bao Ding.】

Each cut hit precisely, neither sparing a single tendon nor adding an unnecessary move.

“…”

Lin Su asked, “Do you know the difference between me and Chef Bao Ding?”

Xue Ni Ma instinctively covered its ears, sensing that whatever he said would be nothing but shameless. Yet, Lin Su’s voice still slipped through, threading into its ears,

“Chef Bao Ding cooks an ox, but I… am the ox.”

【…】 Arghhhh.

—

In the afternoon, the police unexpectedly arrived at the school.

It happened during the break between classes, and students crowded by the windows, all craning their necks to look below.

“Whoa, the police are here!”

“This has blown up! Are they investigating that ‘spirit-raising’ thing? Is Pei Jin actually getting taken away?”

Lin Su’s seat was right by the window, now overtaken by classmates. He leaned to the side, scrolling through his phone.

“Who reported this!?”

Chen You had also squeezed his way over, standing beside Lin Su and saying excitedly, “Still, I believe in Pei Shen. The internet isn’t beyond the law, and the police should definitely investigate who started these rumors! …Lin Su, are you even listening?”

Lin Su lowered his gaze, and for a brief second, a crackling sound came from his phone, a faint flash flickering in his eyes.

He murmured in agreement, a slight smile tugging at his lips, “They should investigate.”

The talisman disrupting the magnetic field had already been destroyed.

In his mind, Lin Su responded with a lofty tone, “Only using an intermediate-level talisman? They must think I’m dead.”

Xue Ni Ma reminded him: 【If your birth details were true, then yes, you’d likely be dead.】

“…” Lin Su’s expression shifted slightly at the reminder.

“Let’s leave the rest to the police.”

…

After the fourth class, dusk was falling. The clouds were thick and dimly yellow, almost appearing ready to press down on the sports field below.

A commotion suddenly arose from the field.

In the classroom, someone stood up to take a look and immediately gasped in shock, “Whoa, someone’s being taken away!”

The room erupted, “Who?! Pei Jin?”

“No, it’s someone else!”

“Huh? Who?”

“Quick, check the forum—it’s been posted!”

A classmate immediately refreshed their phone and reported, “It’s someone from the same class as Pei Shen, called Wei Dong! Turns out it was a problem with the school’s backend, and the police tracked the IP address. He was the one who made the post.”

“The post about Pei Shen is gone—it’s already been deleted!”

…

Downstairs, Wei Dong was being escorted by the police across the sports field.

The dim light cast a murky glow, and a dense crowd of students gathered to watch, three layers thick. The teachers struggled to keep them back. The murmuring around resembled the scene earlier that morning when students had gathered to celebrate Pei Jin’s return to the top.

But the gazes directed at Wei Dong now were entirely different:

“That’s him, the one who secretly posted…”

“If it’s slander, doesn’t that mean his post was fake?”

“Disgusting, like a rat lurking in the gutters!”

“If it really was defamation, could he end up in jail? He’s already 18, he’ll have to take responsibility, right?”

A student beside him added, “Not sure, but with all this fuss, he’ll at least get expelled…”

Just as he said this, Wei Dong passed by and overheard.

Wei Dong flinched, raising his head to stare in terror: Nonsense! These idiots don’t know the law! He’d only posted something; he couldn’t possibly go to jail, or get expelled.

The Master had assured him it would be fine. Once this was over, he’d go back to the Master for help; there would surely be a way…

One of the policemen next to him frowned and snapped, “What are you glaring at? Get moving and cooperate with the investigation!”

Wei Dong’s face went pale as he trembled and followed behind.

He’d been bold enough when hurting others, but now that the consequences had come knocking, he was suddenly afraid.

Lin Su pulled his gaze back from the window, not sparing another glance.

—

At ten in the evening, stars filled the night sky.

In the old part of town, an alley stretched quietly behind a row of old residential buildings. This area was marked for demolition, with only a few scattered lights dotting the darkness.

Lin Su was still in his school uniform—a white shirt and school pants.

He held a compass in one hand.

A red tassel dangled from his left ear, and a black traditional-style outer robe hung over his white shirt, its surface faintly decorated with mountain and river patterns, with fine gold threads that glimmered faintly.

Not far off, a streetlamp’s dim yellow light fell over him.

Xue Ni Ma was at full alert: 【Are you ready?】

Lin Su nodded, “Ready, set, g—”

【…Don’t sing.】

Lin Su replied, “I’m just singing the first line. Given the current scene, the next line isn’t quite suitable.” Finishing, he put away the compass and walked into the alley, stopping quickly at the end.

Above the doorway hung a signboard: “Qi Gui Xing (?) Residence.”

Lin Su narrowed his eyes slightly. “They actually dared to use this character.”

“鬼行 (Gui Xing)” refers to a forbidden Daoist character associated with the Big Dipper constellation, specifically the fourth star—Heavenly Authority, Lord of Darkness and Literature.

An eerie voice suddenly echoed from behind the curtain.

“You’ve got some skill, I’ll give you that.”

The curtain lifted, revealing a middle-aged man’s face. His skin was dark and mottled, with a hawk-like intensity to his sharp gaze. “To come here unscathed… your birth details must be fake, right?”

He stared at Lin Su. “Heh, at your age, such cunning!”

Lin Su and Xue Ni Ma: …

Ridiculous! Lin Su was as pure as the driven snow.

But the middle-aged man had clearly convinced himself that Lin Su was setting up an elaborate plan. He let out a self-satisfied, sinister chuckle, “Still, you think you’re the only one moving in the shadows?”

Just as he spoke, a gust of fierce wind rose from the ground—

Clang! Lin Su raised his hand in an instant, intercepting one of the sneak attacks with a pitch-black bamboo pen. He glanced down—seven-inch-long nails, seven in total, previously hidden on the ground.

They were coffin nails.

Snap, snap… Seven sharp sounds followed. Before the middle-aged man could react, all seven nails shot back and embedded themselves in his door frame! His face changed immediately, “You…”

Lin Su withdrew the pen. “Those nails suit you better.”

The middle-aged man’s expression twisted; this was a curse for his death—

Lin Su added, “Now, you’re a true ‘nail household.’”

The middle-aged man was speechless.

A new caution and tension appeared in his expression as he narrowed his eyes. “Who’s your master?” Lin Su walked over unhurriedly, noticing the badge on the man’s collar as he drew closer.

Lin Su ignored the question and instead asked, “What’s your relation to Qi Yuheng?”

The man froze, blurting out, “Family ancestor…” Although, in reality, it wasn’t a direct relation. Qi Yuheng was the previous head of the Qi family, but this man had long defected as a distant branch member. Wary of further probing, he added,

“He passed away a year ago.”

A sense of nostalgia and wistfulness filled Lin Su: Ah, right. It had been over sixty years since he’d last seen him…

Seeing Lin Su’s slight distraction, the man’s eyes glinted.

Clutching a handful of talismans, his intent to kill intensified even further, mixed with a fear he refused to admit—he hadn’t expected Lin Su to be acquainted with someone from his main family.

If word of this got back to the family, he’d be better off dead.

Without hesitation, he grabbed the most lethal talisman and threw it at Lin Su. “Die!” Almost simultaneously, Lin Su, who seemed lost in thought, moved. The man’s pupils constricted instinctively—

His focus and intent were peaking at that moment.

Lin Su couldn’t hold back the smile tugging at his lips.

Bring it on.  

This will be my feast!

Feeling the overwhelming energy surge within him, he even spread his arms wide, much to the man’s bewildered gaze.

Xue Ni Ma: 【Stop showboating and retreat!】

The talisman flew at him in an instant. Lin Su dodged quickly, a pen sliding into his hand. But before he could counter, a gust of wind surged faster than him.

Bang!!!

Stone shards scattered, dust filling the air. A shimmering, steely Tang blade had pierced through the talisman, embedding itself in the ground.

A tall figure dropped from the sky.

Xue Ni Ma’s eyes widened as it spotted the insignia on the newcomer, exclaiming: 【Inspector?!】

Inspector? Lin Su steadied himself and turned to look.

As the dust settled, it revealed an excessively handsome yet aloof face, with deep brows, a high nose, and sharp lips. Beneath his traditional open-front outer robe was a tight, black outfit that accentuated a strong, defined physique.

The outer robe, decorated with crane feathers, fluttered in the wind. Underneath, near his left chest, a faint outline showed through the garment—a…ring?

…

“Ni Ma.”

Lin Su’s hand quietly reached up to the button on his own collar, declaring nobly, “I am ready to sacrifice my beauty.”

__

Author’s Note:

Xue Ni Ma: Are you ready?

Lin Su (disrobed version): Always ready.

Xue Ni Ma: …That’s not what I meant by ‘ready’!

*Note: The ? character couldn’t be processed. It should be “鬼行” with the later character pronounced “xìng.”  

*The ring is a type of spiritual artifact, and he’s a serious, upright Gong (yep).

*Legal reference: Criminal Law.