He had heard from storytellers that using human hearts to concoct dicine could cure all diseases. It’s conceivable that soone could be so heartless, willing to dig out hearts to cure an illness.
Fan Shizhong’s face was stern as he said, "The murderer is so ruthless. Regardless of the reason, we must catch him as soon as possible! Investigate thoroughly and leave no stone unturned!"
The constable promised earnestly and sent people to inquire around the neighborhood, hoping to find any traces left by the murderer.
As soon as the neighboring households were questioned, they turned pale with fright. "There’s no murderer! It’s a demon, a heart-digging demon!"
Fan Shizhong and the constable were both taken aback.
The elderly lady, still terrified and trembling, insisted, "I heard it! It was a demon! Sir, you must believe !"
Fan Shizhong furrowed his brows. His Fan family had just narrowly escaped disaster, nearly losing the lives of all its mbers. Now, encountering such a bizarre situation, he couldn’t simply dismiss it outright.
Ruyang City had never experienced such incidents before, and now five people were dead. Fan Shizhong had to treat this matter with caution.
Unexpectedly, a young constable rushed in, shouting that there was another incident.
Fan Shizhong quickly asked what had happened.
The young constable reported, "Over on the main street, a cat demon suddenly started causing havoc. Fortunately, a young Taoist appeared and stopped the demon’s rampage. They’re still in a standoff."
Fan Shizhong was astonished, "So it really is a demon?"
He imdiately hurried to the main street.
At this mont, chaos reigned on the main street. Many stalls were overturned, and goods were scattered on the ground. The citizens had fled to a distance of over ten ters, watching from afar.
A Taoist with a peachwood sword was locked in a fierce battle with the cat demon. The demon’s ferocious attacks were countered by the Taoist, and realizing it was at a disadvantage, the demon grabbed a nearby citizen and threw them.
"Ah—" The citizen was none other than Second Master Fan. He had only co out for a cup of tea and a piece of cake, yet he had encountered a rare demonic attack. His luck was terrible.
"Watch out!" He Wen caught the person securely, but this allowed the cat demon to escape.
Second Master Fan, feeling dizzy from the ordeal, was overjoyed to find himself unhard. He clung to He Wen’s hand, "Thank you, sir!"
Although he had been deceived by Fan Guizong before, the Ninth Princess had restored his faith in Taoists. This young Taoist had acted swiftly and decisively, saving a citizen in distress. He must be a good Taoist.
He Wen, still frowning, sighed heavily, "No need to thank . This demon is extrely vicious. Now that it’s escaped, it will surely cause more trouble."
Hearing this, the surrounding citizens turned pale, whispering anxiously about what to do.
Second Master Fan imdiately thought of Nanli, but she had left Ruyang City two days ago. Even if soone were sent to find her, it would take three to five days. The demon was wreaking havoc now; distant help was of no use.
A man pleaded, "Master Taoist, please, you must subdue that demon, or we won’t be able to sleep in peace."
A woman nodded urgently, "Yes, I heard this morning that there was a murder in the west of the city. An entire family had their hearts dug out. It must be that demon’s doing."
This statent caused even more fear among the citizens.
Just then, Fan Shizhong arrived with the constables, and people imdiately questioned him about the heart-digging murders.
Fan Shizhong, sweating profusely, didn’t know how to respond. Admitting the truth would only cause more panic.
But Second Master Fan, oblivious to the consequences, saw his brother’s silence as confirmation, "Brother, you not saying anything ans it’s true, doesn’t it?! Thank goodness this Taoist was here, or my heart would’ve been dug out too."
He clutched his chest, exclaiming in fear.
The crowd erupted in panic. So, already terrified, began to weep, unsure of what to do.
Fan Shizhong glared at his brother, thinking how he wished the demon had taken his heart so he wouldn’t be here causing trouble.
He Wen observed all this with a solemn expression, but inside, he was gleeful. His days of lurking in Ruyang City and ticulously planning this sche had paid off brilliantly.
Raising his hand slightly, he said, "Everyone, do not panic. I have talismans that can ward off demons. Just paste them in your hos, and the demon won’t dare co near."
Second Master Fan was the first to get excited. "You have demon warding talismans? Give ten!"
He Wen replied, "If the house isn’t too large, one talisman should suffice."
"My house is quite big. Ten might not even be enough. I think I’ll need at least twenty," Second Master Fan pondered, stroking his chin. "Right, brother?"
Fan Shizhong, relieved to hear about the talismans, felt a weight lift off his shoulders. With these, he could ensure the safety of the citizens while figuring out how to catch the demon.
Instead of responding to his brother, he asked, "Sir, how much do these talismans cost?"
Though exorcising demons was the duty of a Taoist, he couldn’t expect the man to work for free.
"Three taels of silver per talisman," He Wen said. "If anyone needs more to ward their hos, I can draw extra to help everyone get through this crisis."
Fan Shizhong admired the man’s reasonable pricing, seeing him as a good Taoist.
After the recent turmoil, the citizens were eager to buy the talismans. Fan Shizhong invited He Wen to the yan, where he began drawing talismans imdiately. The constables helped maintain order, ensuring each household could buy only one talisman. For those who couldn’t afford one, the cost was covered by the Fan family, ensuring no one was left unprotected.
Fan Shizhong had earned the love and respect of Ruyang’s citizens over the years for his dedication.
He Wen worked tirelessly, the pile of silver growing ever larger.
It wasn’t until nightfall that the stream of citizens wanting talismans subsided. He Wen’s hand was sore and nearly immobile from the effort, his face pale from the drain on his energy.
Grateful, Fan Shizhong imdiately arranged for him to rest.
He Wen nodded, "Please have soone move the silver to my room."
"Of course, of course," Fan Shizhong agreed readily.
He Wen returned to his room, and soon the silver was delivered. The constables who brought it couldn’t help but stare in awe, their eyes shining. The pile easily amounted to several thousand taels—more than they could earn in ten lifetis. They hadn’t realized being a Taoist could be so lucrative.
Ignoring their envious looks, He Wen had them leave and shut the door.
After waiting a mont to ensure no one was around, he said, "Co out."
Sang Wan, hearing the command and mindful of the Demon Lock around her neck, obediently erged from behind a shelf. A faint silver light shimred, and she transford into her human form.
"Husband," she said, her voice tinged with fear.
He Wen, his hand too weak to move, instructed her to use the Qiankun Bag to pack up the silver. They needed to leave imdiately.
Sang Wan was puzzled. "Aren’t we supposed to perform a demon-catching act? Why are we leaving now?"
After all, she was well-rehearsed in this drama.
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