Persuasion

Meng Jingzhou felt he had done plenty of good deeds. Even though he came from an unfortunate background and had been forced to associate with the Meng Family, he had run away from home early on and severed ties with them. After arriving at the Dao Seeking Sect, he had cultivated with even greater diligence, all to avoid the day his father might track him down and hang him up for a beating. Was this the result of fooling around with Lu Yang every day? That did not seem right either. If that were the case, how did Lu Yang possess such deep immortal affinity, enough to receive personal guidance from the Immortal Fairy? Miao Shan blinked, an amorous look crossing her face. "Then, little monk, how much do you want?" "Ten taels of silver." "Here." Without hesitation, Miao Shan retrieved a silver ingot from her sleeve and slapped it onto the table. Shi Chan inspected the ingot to verify its authenticity, then turned to ask, "Senior Brothers, this female patron has a request. Which of you is willing to make a sacrifice?" Meng Jingzhou: "..." Lu Yang: "..." Now it was Miao Shan's turn to freeze. "Wait, isn't it you, little monk?" Shi Chan pressed his palms together, looking solemn and entirely earnest. "Patron Miao Shan, this poor monk is an ordained monastic. How could I do such a thing?" Miao Shan's expression turned bizarre. Judging by your conduct last night, you hardly looked like a monk. "What happened at the Chunxiang Brothel yesterday was merely this poor monk failing to withstand the test." "Then can I forgo praying for a child?" "You may." Shi Chan handed the silver ingot back to Miao Shan. "In a few days, once this poor monk saves up enough silver, I will visit the Chunxiang Brothel again to temper my mental state." Only then did Miao Shan's expression soften. After sending off two consecutive patrons who had come knocking on his door, another hour passed before a third piece of business arrived. "Master, do you perform exorcisms here?" A middle-aged man approached Shi Chan with a deeply troubled countenance. One look showed he was plagued by worries—the exact kind of person fraudulent fortune-tellers loved to scam. A few ambiguous words would be enough to convince him that the charlatan was a true master. "I do. May I ask if you are seeking an exorcism, Patron? According to this poor monk's observation, there is no evil invasion upon your person. You merely have worries weighing on your mind, causing palpitations and cold sweats." Shi Chan poured a cup of tea. The pot contained Heart-Calming Tea brewed by the Hanging Temple. "The tea is free of charge. Please, drink." The middle-aged man downed the tea in one gulp and calmed down. "It isn't for me, but my daughter." "What has happened to your esteemed daughter?" "One day my daughter went out and ran into a lad who lives two streets away from us. From that moment on, things spiraled out of control. She fell hopelessly in love with him—love at first sight, claiming it was fated by destiny, and became utterly devoted to him. "I refused to agree to the marriage, so she went on a hunger strike. She hasn't eaten for three whole days! "In the past, when she threw tantrums and went on hunger strikes, she could never hold out for more than a day. This time, she actually held out for three days! Even when I tried tempting her with skewers from her favorite Try Again Barbecue Shop, it was no use!" "Patron, breaking up couples is not a virtuous deed," Shi Chan said. "This poor monk will not commit such an act for money, as it damages my merit. "Furthermore, examples of love at first sight have existed since ancient times; they are by no means rare. "However, starving oneself to the point of risking a human life is truly improper. This poor monk can go and try to persuade your esteemed daughter." "That would be wonderful!" Shi Chan packed up his stall, and the three of them accompanied the middle-aged man to his residence. On the way, the three learned that the man was named Zhong Ming and ran a medicinal herbs business. His wife had died early, leaving him to raise his daughter alone. His daughter was named Zhong Qinger, and the lad was called Kang Wei. That morning, he had purchased a three-hundred-year-old spiritual Ganoderma. Coincidentally, its owner was a female cultivator in the Qi Refinement stage. He had asked her whether an expert could help if his daughter was bewitched by evil, and she had recommended Shi Chan, whom she had met at an inn the night before. *So it was Miss Fu Ling who introduced him,* Lu Yang thought. No wonder Zhong Ming had asked Shi Chan straight out if he could exorcise evil without even doubting whether he was a fraud. The residence was quite spacious, a three-entry courtyard manor with several hired servants. Zhong Ming led the three to Zhong Qinger's boudoir, where cold dishes and skewers sat on the floor. "This is my daughter's room. Er, Master, as an ordained monastic, is it proper for you to enter a maiden's boudoir?" "Naturally." Shi Chan pushed the door open and strode in without hesitation. It was an ordinary boudoir, centered around a round tea table holding burnt-down candles and miscellaneous books. A bronze mirror, rouge, and cosmetic powders rested against the wall. Zhong Qinger lay on the bed, her face pale from hunger. Seeing her father enter with a monk and two unidentified youths, she said feebly, "If I cannot be with Brother Kang, I would rather starve to death!" "Young lady, this poor monk has come to persuade you to eat," Shi Chan said. "If you choose to starve to death, this poor monk also offers deliverance services. The price is somewhat higher than persuasion. "This poor monk is rather skilled at deliverance. Having worked in a slaughterhouse for over a year, the livestock that perished by my hands are countless, and all of them were delivered by this poor monk." Shi Chan pulled out his large banner once more, pointing at the word "Deliverance" written upon it to prove he was not lying. Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou did their best to maintain solemn expressions, looking like Shi Chan's left and right protectors. Zhong Qinger: "..." "This poor monk is not gifted with words and lacks the eloquence of Daoist Buyu, so it may be difficult to successfully persuade you. However, this poor monk has Fasting Pills here, and I can force you to swallow one. "If you are unwilling, this poor monk can also throw you out of the manor and into the street. At that time, with no one to care for your safety and no family to rely upon, you will naturally be willing to eat." The more Zhong Qinger listened, the paler her face became. Zhong Ming was also thoroughly startled. The master looked kind-hearted, but his methods were anything but gentle! Frightened by Shi Chan, tears welled in Zhong Qinger's eyes. Had her father hired a monk or a butcher? "I... I'll eat." She had only intended to frighten her father; she had never truly wanted to starve herself to death. "Can I have skewers from the Try Again Barbecue Shop?" "You cannot. You have not eaten for three days; bingeing carries the risk of death. You should stick to light food." Shi Chan turned to Zhong Ming. "Patron, please prepare a bowl of plain congee." Zhong Ming was caught off guard at first, not expecting his daughter to agree to eat so quickly. Overjoyed, he immediately went out to cook it himself. Before long, Zhong Qinger was sipping the plain congee in small spoonfuls. "It is all thanks to you, Master! How much incense money would be appropriate?" Shi Chan shook his head. "We cannot leave just yet. Your daughter is indeed afflicted by evil. There is a faint fluctuation of magical power on her." Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou nodded inwardly; they had noticed it as well. Zhong Qinger had clearly been subjected to a spell, which was what caused her behavior. Yet they wondered what sort of spell could make someone fall in love. "She has fallen under a Dream Illusion Technique," the Immortal Fairy said, seeing through the spell on Zhong Qinger at a single glance. "Dream Illusion Technique?" "It is a spell that induces dreams, with the dream's contents controlled by the caster. Remember my Yellow Millet Pillow? Something similar to that, though far inferior in quality."