Chapter 628: The Odd Story of Tofu


    As thedonkey-drawncart was approaching the vige, the dog barking became louder and clearer.


    Indeed, all the dogs in the vige acted as Uncle Chen had told me. They were barking crazily, and I could sense fear in their barking. It seemed something very dangerous or horrible was about to take ce.


    I frowned. Uncle Chen, since whendid thedogsstartbarking at you?Youve been selling tofu for so many years.Did it just happen recently?


    Uncle Chen thoughtfor a moment.I dont remember the time clearly, but Im sureit startest year.


    It seemed the vige had something new, or thevigershad changedthegeomancy. Otherwise, the dogs wouldntfrantically barklike that. Dogs were atypeofspiritanimal. They could feel the existence of ghosts and souls, and they would bark when they felt endangered. Thatwas why people in rural areas liked to keep dogs. It wasnt just to prevent thieves, but also to prevent ghosts from entering their houses.


    I didnt dare to imaghe thing that was scaringall the dogs.However,Iwassure it was a big boss! My intuition told me thatthis casewouldnt be solved aseasilyas the previous cases. I called Li Mazi to bring me the Holy Mother Scepter and the Yin and Yang Umbre.


    Uncle Chen became tense when he saw my cautiousexpression. Immortal, did younoticesomething?


    I frownedand said, Those dogs are barking at an ominous thing.Then, I stood up on the cart to check out Xiaoliu Vige. It was twilight, the moment when day and night, Yang and Yin shifted. If therewassomething foul in the vige,nowwould be the time it would show up or leaveamark. Evenifit could concealitself, Iwould sense the anomaly through the abnormal air movement.


    However,we hadentered the vige,andI hadntnoticedanything. I even feltthatthis vige was quite peacefulpared to other ces. This ce gave me an unknown but firm feeling.


    The people here might have been worried that the trucks could break their roads, so they had installed two big rock columns at the vige entrance to narrow the road. The space between the two columns was just enough for a small vehicle topassthrough. Uncle Chen was worried that his cart would brush the columns here and there, so hegot out ofthe cart. I also followed him to the back to help him push the cart.


    After we passed the columns, before I could get on the cart, I saw many people congregating. They werepointing at us.They didnt lookangrybut worried. A middle-aged man walked out of the crowd. He came and offered Uncle Chen acigarette,and saidwith a twisting face,Brother Chen, the dogs in our vige keep barking. I think you should


    That middle-aged man wanted to ask us to leave politely. Uncle Chen didntbemad. He puffed his cigarette then saidin a serious tone, Old Liu, Im not here to sell tofu. Im here to help.


    Old Liu was bewildered. His gaze turned to me and the yellowbagon my back. His eyes becamevignt. He stiffly asked, Brother, what do you mean?


    Uncle Chen thought that his house hadaproblem, so he came to me for help. Ive checked his house carefully. I found nothing strange about it. Thats why Ithinkthe problemlieswithin your vige. Weve here to take a look. If you dont believe me, we can leave, I said faintly.


    SinceOld Liu didnt give me a polite look, I wasnt going to be polite to him.


    Old Lius countenance changed. He sternly looked at me and then at Uncle Chen. Then, he turned to the people behind him and said, Stop watching. Go home for dinner, folks!


    After he said that, the crowddispersed. It seemed this man had some power in this vige. After all the peopleleft, he put on a wry smileandextendedhis hand toward me.


    Good evening, I am Liu Dali,theVige Elder of this vige.He apologized for his manner and told us about the situationinthe vige. He understood that the problem wasnt from Uncle Chen fortwo reasons. One,when Uncle Chen wasnt in the vigesellinghis tofu, the dogs still barked crazily. Two,when some vigers ate tofu, the dogsbarkedcrazily.However,themotion wasnt as big as when the tofu seller came.


    Beingthe Vige Elder, LiuDali wasconcerned for hispeoples wellbeing, so he had to push the me on Uncle Chen. Recently, he had secretlyinvitedsomegeomancers. They came and did someexaggeratedmoves, achieving nothing, orran away with a panicked face. Some had asked Liu Daly to pay a huge sum to help this vige. However, as Liu Dali was keeping this problem a secret from his vigers, he couldnt ask them to contribute money. In the end, nothing had been resolved yet


    After he said that, he sighedand pulledmy arm. If you hadnte here,Master, I think I would have asked the folks in our vige to stop eating tofu forever! Please, help us!


    Hmph! Before I could answer, Uncle Chen snorted and pulled his donkey cart. It seemedhe was leaving.


    Ifelthewas angrythat Liu Dali hadpushed the me forthis unfortunate event on him. Liu Dali and I hurried to stop him. Unexpectedly, the old man wanted to leave, no matter what.


    Feeling helpless, I told him, Uncle Chen, the thing that has caused trouble here somehow rtes to tofu. We would need to use your tofu tonight. I dontthink youshouldleave


    Okay, Illleave my tofu hereforyou to help this vige, Immortal Zhang. Dont letitharm people, saidUncle Chen.


    Then, hethrew a hostile look toward Liu Dali. He left his donkey cart inthevige and went home. I shruggedand lookedat Liu Dali.


    Liu Dalismiled reluctantly. Chen Tofu is a good man. However, hes too stubborn.


    After this shortevent, the sky waspletely dark. Liu Dali and I pulled the donkey cart to his house and tied the donkey by the stack of woods behind his house. Hekindlyinvitedme to have dinnerat his home. No matter what, I needed to wait for Li Mazi to bring me my tools, so I agreed.


    Liu Dali happened to have a dog in his house. When I came to the courtyard, I saw the dog lying on the ground, whining. It wascurlingits body into a ball. Its head was cockedto the side.It ignored me,a stranger who had just intruded into the house.


    I frowned and wanted to approach the dog to see what it was looking at. It could help me guess the direction of that foul thing. Unexpectedly, as soon as I moved close to it, the dog jumped up. I was lucky that it was chained. Otherwise, it could have bitten me already!


    The dog sawthat I had stoppedapproaching itanddidnt mind me anymore. Itid backdown. This time, it lookedin anotherdirection. I decided to try a few more times. The dog reacted in the same way. However, it would change its direction every time iiddown. I thoughtthat thiswasnt a good method.


    Iwanted towait and see what would happenat night. If that thing was interested in tofu, I thought it woulde out, no matter what.


    Alittle girl around four or five years oldstayed inLiu Dalishouse. He told me she was his granddaughter, a kindergartener in the vige. After dinner, the little girl nicely sat down and did her homework. SheaskedLiu Dali to help her from time to time. I liked kids, so Iyedwith her for a while.


    After the little girlfinishedher writing exercise, Dalis wife took her to the bedroom. I lifted my head to check the clock. It was 8:00 PM already,andLi Mazi hadnte here yet. I took out my phone to call him, but the linedidnt connect.


    I frowned. I tookout the Emei Piercer from my bag andrushedoutside. Liu Dali hurriedlyranafterme. Whats wrong?


    Uncle Liu, stay here and wait for me. Im going to fetch my friend.


    I didnt turn aroundand randirectly to the vige entrance.Alongthe way, I heard the dogsbark non-stop.I recognized that the situationwaseven more serious than I had imagined. Those dogs had been barking for more than two hours. They should be exhausted. What made them bark and howlwith noregardfortheir lives?


    When Ireachedthe vige entrance, I realized that I should call Ru Xue. She told me that Li Mazi had departed right after receiving my call. He had left three hours ago!The strange thing was thatthe distance only required one hour!


    Li Mazi, are you here? Li Mazi!


    I was bewildered for a while, butI pulled myself togetherand called his name. However, my voice wassilenced by thedeafening dog barks. Moreover, Li Mazi wasnt in the vige. If hewas, he would have called me. I thought he had identally provoked that foul thing.Ordinarypeoplecould easilyenter the vige. This time, Li Mazi was carrying the Holy Mother Scepter and the Yin and Yang Umbre, two powerful weapons. The evilcreatureswould automaticallyconsiderhim their enemy.


    I patted my thigh in regret. But then, Ithought ofa solution. I could read the spell to awake the Holy Mother Scepter.Oncethe Holy Mother Scepter radiated gold light, I could spot Li Mazis whereabouts!


    It required a lot of magical power to cast the spellfrom adistance. However, to save Li Mazi,thiswas the only solution I had. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, ready to read the spell.At thismoment, Liu Dali suddenly called me. Wed exchanged numbers before dinner; thatwaswhy hehadmy number.


    Uncle Liu, whats wrong? I thought he wanted to know where I was, so I told him that I was at the vige entrance. While talking with him, I kept scanning the ce.


    Liu Dalis voice was shaking on the other end of the line. YoungMaster, you shoulde back. Hurry! Something...Somethings wrong here