C18 Eight Pythons Coiling Around the Dragon

The wind whipped against me, sending a tingling sensation through my body. I reasoned that we were atop the tallest structure in the vicinity, and with the rooftop being so exposed, it was only natural to feel the breeze.

Standing on the rooftop, we were treated to a panoramic view that made all the surrounding peaks seem insignificant.

At the rooftop's edge, a low wall rose half a meter, topped with a metal fence over a meter high.

To the trained eye, this place was a treasure trove of details; to the uninitiated, it was merely a spectacle.

Third Uncle made his way around the rooftop, with Liang Yue trailing him, her expression one of detached curiosity. She inquired, "Taoist Master Lee, there's no inscription here. Have you discerned anything? Is there a problem with our Feng Shui?"

Liang Yue's skepticism towards Third Uncle and myself was palpable. While I remained unfazed, Third Uncle, who prided himself on his expertise, must have felt her doubt as a slight against his abilities.

Normally, Third Uncle would have seized the opportunity to flaunt his Feng Shui acumen. But this time, he was uncharacteristically silent, ignoring Liang Yue's question and continuing his methodical circuit of the rooftop, his face betraying no emotion, which only heightened the tension.

Confused, Liang Yue glanced at me. I could only offer a helpless shrug; this behavior was new to me as well. Had Third Uncle actually discovered something?

For our outing, Third Uncle had packed a large, bulging canvas tote, which he had insisted I carry. I had dutifully brought it up to the rooftop.

After several laps, Third Uncle finally requested the bag. He rummaged through it, extracting various items. I recognized a compass, but the rest resembled surveying tools. Though Third Uncle was versed in Taoist practices, not surveying, it seemed these tools were for assessing Feng Shui.

He set up the equipment on the rooftop, coordinating it with the compass in a meticulous process. I watched as his focus narrowed, eventually centering on a specific spot in the southwest corner of the rooftop.

Third Uncle had been hunched over, busily working away. Once he pinpointed the location, he finally stood up straight, rubbed his lower back, and turned to Liang Yue, saying, "Assistant Liang, if I'm not mistaken, the spot where the annual jumping incidents you mentioned occur is right here, isn't it?"

His words took Liang Yue by surprise. She stared at Third Uncle, almost unable to believe it, and gave a silent nod.

So Third Uncle was looking for this exact spot. He could even determine where the jumps took place?

I found myself taking a closer look at the spot Third Uncle had indicated. It seemed unremarkable, indistinguishable from any other part of the rooftop at first glance.

But after a while, I sensed that something was off.

A warm breeze was emanating from that corner. It enveloped me in such a comforting warmth, I couldn't describe how pleasant it felt.

Lost in the comfort, I forgot all about my surroundings and found myself drawn towards that corner.

I wasn't far from the spot. After just a few steps, I was right up against the railing.

I realized that the warm air was rising from below. It even sounded like someone was calling my name from downstairs. I craned my neck, eager to climb over the railing and see what was below. I hoisted my leg over the low wall.

Just then, I heard Liang Yue's cry of alarm and felt a sharp pain at the back of my head. A hand reached out and yanked me back in one swift motion.

By then, one of my legs had already swung over the railing. Had I been even a moment later, I would have jumped without a second thought.

The pain snapped me back to reality, as if waking from a dream. The one who had grabbed me was Third Uncle. I looked at him and Liang Yue, bewildered. Liang Yue had her hand over her mouth, her face a picture of shock and fear.

I glanced at Liang Yue, then turned to Third Uncle and asked, "Third Uncle, what just happened?"

His face was ashen, his forehead slick with sweat. He snapped at me, "What happened? You nearly went over the edge! I looked away for a second, and you were heading over there... What were you thinking?"

Rubbing the back of my head, I tried to recall the moment, then said, "No, that's not it, Third Uncle. I felt the warm breeze and thought I heard someone calling me. I was drawn over there without even realizing it..."

Third Uncle was taken aback. "You heard someone call your name? Are you certain it was your name?"

At that moment, my head began to throb. Trying to recall the recent events proved difficult as they started to blur.

I shook my head. "I don't know. I can't remember anymore..."

Just then, Liang Yue peered over at me, then at Third Uncle, and burst into uncontrollable laughter, doubling over and clutching her stomach.

I approached her with a puzzled look. "Hey, have you lost your mind? What could possibly be so funny that you're laughing yourself silly?"

Liang Yue, still laughing, pointed at me and then at Third Uncle. "You two... Hahaha, should be vying for an Oscar with that performance. At first, I actually thought he had the knack to pinpoint the exact spot to jump from the building. Now it looks like you're putting on a show for me. With those acting skills, you might fool Director Wu, but not me... Hahaha..."

Reflecting on everything I had just been through, it didn't seem frightening at the time, but thinking back, it was truly terrifying. I was seriously shaken, and Liang Yue's suggestion that we were just putting on an act made me quite angry. I retorted sharply, "You're the one acting. Believe it or not, no one's forcing you."

Liang Yue, accustomed to giving orders and rarely challenged, stopped laughing abruptly when I spoke up and demanded, "Hey, who are you talking to?"

Seeing us on the verge of another argument, Third Uncle quickly intervened, "Both of you, settle down. This place has an ominous air. Lee Yang was affected by a weakness in his Yang energy. Assistant Liang, being a woman, should also be cautious."

With that, Third Uncle pulled a piece of yellow talisman paper from his bag and swiftly drew on it with cinnabar ink before slapping it onto the low wall in the corner.

Curiously, despite the strong winds, the talisman paper adhered to the wall, fluttering only slightly.

Liang Yue gazed at the scene with curiosity, eager to take a closer look, but was held back by Third Uncle.

Third Uncle addressed Liang Yue, "Assistant Liang, since Director Wu has invited us, I've come to inspect the site and must share my insights. You can relay everything to Director Wu. If he finds merit in my words, we can proceed. However, if he believes that I, Taoist Lee, am merely posturing with mystique, we'll depart at once without lingering a moment longer."

Liang Yue nodded and prompted, "Alright, what insights do you have?"

Third Uncle gestured towards the base of the main building and began, "This place was meant to be a Dragon Vein..."

Liang Yue paused, then chuckled, "Have you been reading too many tomb-raiding stories? Dragon Vein? In this day and age?"

Third Uncle let out a cold laugh, "Regardless of the era, Dragon Veins exist. There are various kinds, including crouching dragons, sleeping dragons, true dragons, and evil dragons... Not every Dragon Vein gives rise to an emperor. Observing Tianyou Square and the lay of the land, I discern the line of an Evil Dragon. It's encircled by the eight directions of the Eight Trigrams: Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui, which, along with the elements of Heaven, Wind, Water, Mountain, Earth, Thunder, Fire, and Lake, represent the cycle of spring's birth, summer's growth, autumn's harvest, and winter's storage. The Evil Dragon's vein is inherently ominous, but it's restrained by the Eight Trigrams, which can be likened to a python line. The Fengshui configuration here is thus an Eight-Python-Encircling-Dragon pattern. While a python doesn't compare to a dragon, the combined force of eight pythons can stand against the Evil Dragon. And since the Evil Dragon is still a dragon, it possesses Dragon Energy, which brings favorable winds and rains, thriving business, and a convergence of merchants, making it a Fengshui treasure."

Liang Yue inquired, "Then why did Tianyou Square become unusable after it was built?"

Third Uncle replied with a smile, "It's quite simple. Something must have occurred during the construction of the square, drastically altering the Fengshui. Now, the eight pythons can no longer contain the Evil Dragon. When the Evil Dragon turns malevolent, it naturally trends towards deterioration."

Liang Yue waved her hand dismissively, "All this sounds quite lively, but I don't get it, and I reckon Director Wu doesn't either. How can you prove whether what you're saying is right or wrong?"

Third Uncle chuckled, "It's quite simple. You can verify right now whether the people who have jumped from the building were all born in the Year of the Snake and during the winter, which is their hibernation period. Also, check if these jumping incidents all occurred within the last four years. For the first three years, two people died annually, and this being the fourth year, there should have been one already. You might also want to ask Director Wu if any peculiar events occurred while these buildings were being constructed."

Liang Yue was dubious and mumbled, "You speak as if it's all true. Well, let me check on that."

With that, Liang Yue pulled out her phone and stepped aside to make a call.

I approached Third Uncle and whispered, "Do you actually have any evidence for these claims?"

Third Uncle replied confidently, "Nonsense, of course I do. This is Third Uncle's expertise. I'm not one to falter; it's like charging through five barriers and slaying six generals single-handedly. I feel my moment of glory is upon us. You should learn more from Third Uncle..."

Third Uncle had barely managed to stay serious for five minutes before reverting to his usual self.

After a bit, Liang Yue came back, looking sheepish. Seeing her expression, I had a hunch about what was coming. It seemed Third Uncle's words were likely accurate; otherwise, she wouldn't be acting this way.

As expected, Liang Yue approached Third Uncle with a notably different demeanor, forcing a smile and saying, "Taoist Master Lee..."

Third Uncle grinned, "No need to go on. I was right, wasn't I?"

Liang Yue nodded, "Indeed, those who died by jumping were all born in the Year of the Snake. For the past three years, there have been two such deaths each year, and just last month, another person jumped. Director Wu also mentioned that many strange occurrences took place during the construction of these buildings. He didn't specify what they were but said he would come and discuss them with us in detail. Director Wu would like to invite you to have a closer look and perhaps devise a solution."