Put Away Your Divine Techniques Now! Chapter 5: After modification - 3 [Old lady, you tricked me...]

To be frank, Chen Yan's present circumstance was far beyond merely peculiar and absurd.

A palpable sense of unease and tension had begun to creep in.

Boss Ma gazed at Chen Yan, a sudden flicker of understanding crossing his features as he offered a smile, "Very well, Mr. Chen Yan, would you be so kind as to deliver a message to the old lady for me? Simply convey that West Lake Little Horse wishes to pay his respects. I wonder if such an honor is within my grasp?"

Chen Yan's lips quirked involuntarily at the moniker "West Lake Little Horse!"

"Uh..."

His mind brimming with questions, Chen Yan chose his words with care, "The old lady is at home. Our doors are never locked, and the villagers often pop by to borrow a bit of garlic or what-not... If you wish to see her, you may simply go and knock directly."

Boss Ma let out a hearty laugh before his expression turned serious.

"Mr. Chen Yan, it transpires that when the old lady first met me years ago, she laid down one of her rules."

"What rule was that?"

Boss Ma sighed, "The old lady stipulated that we could only meet once."

Only once?

"That signifies she will only meet with those seeking fortune one time. After that solitary encounter, there will be no second meeting in this lifetime. She explained that a prosperous destiny is preordained, and to reveal too many heavenly secrets would invariably shorten her own lifespan."

Boss Ma articulated this with evident caution, as if carefully measuring each word.

Just once?

Revealing heavenly secrets?

Shortening her lifespan?

A suspicion began to form in Chen Yan's mind: the old lady was likely pulling President Ma's leg—these sounded like phrases plucked straight from an online novel.

Wait a moment, Boss Ma, have you perhaps misunderstood?

The one who invests in online novels is a different Boss Ma, not you!

Boss Ma appeared somewhat flustered and ill at ease, "It’s like this: the assistance she provided back then was immense! One could even describe it as a life-saving grace! Without her guidance, I certainly wouldn't be in my current position!

Since that day, I have attempted on numerous occasions to seek her out again, but she consistently refused."

Upon hearing this, a disquieting premonition began to stir within Chen Yan...

Boss Ma sighed again, "Recently, I've run into some rather formidable challenges and found myself with no alternative but to seek her counsel once more. I reasoned that if things didn't go smoothly, I would first approach her family... And so, I boldly requested someone to invite you..."

Chen Yan's hand began to tremble!

Boss Ma's brow furrowed with concern, "I realize this sounds abrupt and perhaps even rather insensitive.

It is a selfish request, I admit... This truly puts me in an awkward position, Mr. Chen Yan, I truly apologize, I sincerely apologize!!

I shall punish myself with a drink first!"

With that, Boss Ma raised his cup...

Buzz!

Ever since entering the premises, Chen Yan had been grappling with a pervasive sense of bewildered absurdity.

Now, suddenly, his mind was jolted, as if by an explosion! A crystal-clear realization flooded his consciousness.

Chen Yan abruptly pushed himself to his feet!

Though his mind was reeling, his face remained utterly impassive!

If the old lady wasn't merely posturing and genuinely possessed such abilities...

Then...

That prophecy – "Your lifespan is nearing its end"...

A profound chill traced its way down Chen Yan's spine!

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Chen Yan's voice adopted a somewhat stilted quality, "My apologies, President Ma, I believe I must return home immediately."

Chen Yan bolted for the door. The men in black stationed outside moved as if to intercept him, but Boss Ma's voice boomed from behind, "Do not impede him! Fetch a car, escort Mr. Chen!"

Chen Yan strode out with uncharacteristic haste.

·

The car halted at the village entrance. Chen Yan disembarked and practically sprinted the rest of the way home. By the time he neared his residence, his breath was ragged, and his legs felt alarmingly weak.

This time, genuine fear coursed through him!

The main hall door stood wide open.

Inside, the old lady was seated, diligently shelling fresh beans.

Curiously, witnessing this familiar scene brought Chen Yan a sliver of reassurance.

"You're back?" The old lady lifted her head, casting a glance at Chen Yan. She set aside the beans, retrieved a cigarette from a pack on the table, lit it, and took a contemplative puff.

"Old lady..." Chen Yan murmured softly, his voice laced with apprehension.

The old lady regarded Chen Yan with a knowing smile:

"You didn't partake in any of the food at that gathering, did you?"

Buzz!

Chen Yan felt a tingling numbness spread across his scalp!

Breathing became difficult for Chen Yan, "Old lady, you knew?"

The old lady chuckled kindly, "I foresaw that Boss Ma would undoubtedly seek you out. You are not unintelligent; you would deduce the implications and then... you would certainly rush back here in your haste, wouldn't you?"

"I..." Chen Yan's voice was unusually dry.

"The beans I shelled this morning, I shall stir-fry them for your lunch, alright?" The old lady's tone was remarkably gentle and warm.

"Grandma..." Chen Yan's voice trembled.

The old lady sighed, placing down the cigarette, and slowly approached Chen Yan, tenderly resting a wrinkled hand upon his cheek.

"You always address me as 'old lady,' so why the sudden shift to 'grandma'?"

"Because..."

Chen Yan's voice was hoarse, "I am truly frightened now."

"Well, this lunch will be the final meal I prepare for you. Afterward, there shall be no more opportunities." The elderly woman gently pinched Chen Yan's cheek, her voice warm, "My dear grandson has truly matured. Now, Grandma must stand on her tiptoes to reach your head."

Thump!

Chen Yan dropped to his knees on the ground, his gaze fixed on the old lady with eyes brimming with tears. His throat felt parched, making speech incredibly difficult.

"Is... is everything truly as you say? Is it real?"

The old lady tenderly stroked Chen Yan's head, her tone remarkably serene. "Fate is fate. Do not be afraid, my child, do not fear..."

Chen Yan's body began to tremble, leaving him speechless. How could he possibly not be afraid?

He had been raised for twenty-two years, starting from the tender age of two.

From the moment his memories began...

Without a father, without a mother. From his earliest days until this very moment, the only constant presence in his life had been this dear old lady!

"Alright, alright, I shall go fry the beans now."

"I don't want to eat!"

Chen Yan tightly clasped the old lady's legs, his voice filled with desperation. "I only want you to not leave me! Grandma, you are incredibly powerful, aren't you? Can't you save yourself?

Didn't you always claim to possess powerful incantations and divine techniques?

Grandma! Please don't go, okay?"

The old lady gazed down at Chen Yan, her eyes clouded with a complex emotion.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Actually... there is..."

"Actually what? What is it?" Chen Yan leaped to his feet as if a spark of hope had ignited within him. "What do you mean by that? Actually what? Is there a way? Is there really a way?"

The old lady's voice grew heavy with difficulty. "There is a way... however, it is rather involved."

"No matter how complicated it is, it must be done!"

The old lady took a deep, steadying breath, her face becoming solemn.

"Three items are required."

"What do you need? I'll go find them immediately!"

"Firstly, I require the most tender new bud from the very top of the ancient willow tree situated at the village entrance! Willow trees possess yin energy, allowing them to bridge the gap between yin and yang! I need that fresh shoot, with its bark carefully peeled away, and its innermost essence extracted."

"I'll go get it at once! What else is needed?"

"Secondly, journey to the dilapidated temple situated behind the southern hill of the village, precisely at the location indicated by the Celestial Number. There, you must excavate a stone that has absorbed the earth's energy. It should present as half black and half white, feeling warm to the touch on one side and distinctly cold on the other."

"Understood, I will retrieve the stone! What is the third requirement?"

A flicker of difficulty crossed the old lady's eyes. "The third... is the most challenging."

"Just say it! Tell me what it is!"

The old lady's expression turned extremely serious. "To prolong life is to borrow life! To extend my own, someone intimately close to me must willingly relinquish ten years from their own lifespan. Do you comprehend this, my dear grandson? Ten years of life."

"I'll give it! Not just ten years, but twenty if it's necessary!" Chen Yan interjected, cutting off the old lady without a moment's hesitation.

"My dearest, Grandma cannot bear to witness you making such a sacrifice..."

"I offer my life!" Chen Yan insisted firmly. "The willow bud, the Yin Yang Stone! And my ten years of life? With these components, it will be effective, won't it?"

"...Yes."

"Excellent!" Chen Yan's face hardened with determination. "I shall retrieve the willow shoots! I will unearth the stone! Wait for me! I will bring you those two items!!"

Watching Chen Yan sprint out of the house, a peculiar glint flashed within the old lady's eyes. "Yes, remember, the willow tree is by the village head's house, and the Celestial Number is on the southern hilltop. I instructed you on Celestial Number calculations when you were very young. Do you recall?"

"I remember! I definitely remember!" Chen Yan nodded rapidly.

The old lady observed Chen Yan charging out the door, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

She then turned, lit another cigarette, took several drags, glanced at the shelled beans scattered on the table, rose, and carried them into the kitchen.

The cooking stove had already been ignited.

...

Chen Yan practically flew to the village leader's residence and located the ancient willow tree.

It was impossible to tell the tree's exact age; he remembered playing beneath its branches since his earliest childhood.

The villagers often remarked that the tree could be decades, if not over a century, old.

Yes, this seemed to be the right one?

Chen Yan scrambled up the massive trunk – for a child raised in the countryside, scaling trees was a familiar feat.

He ascended, meticulously searching the upper reaches for the freshest new shoots for a considerable time.

Uncertain which particular shoot was the absolute freshest, he grasped a generous handful, clutching a sizable cluster.

Leaping down with agility, he tucked the willow shoots securely inside his shirt and dashed towards the southern hill.

The old lady mentioned the small, ruined temple atop the hill! He needed to unearth the stone from the ground there!

Hurrying along, barely dozens of steps into his sprint, Chen Yan lost his footing and tumbled, scraping his elbow and drawing blood. The carefully gathered willow shoots scattered across the ground.

Chen Yan immediately sprang back to his feet, frantically gathering the fallen shoots.

However, after retrieving just a few, he suddenly froze.

A jolt of alarm shot through his heart!

Something is terribly wrong!

He quickly pulled out his phone and checked the current time.

Last night, the old lady had stated: "I have eighteen hours and forty-three minutes of life remaining!"

As the evening hour approached six o'clock, precisely eighteen hours and forty-three minutes from that moment, it would be approximately one o'clock in the afternoon.

The clock on the phone displayed twelve fifty-seven noon, a mere three minutes shy of one.

Deceived! A sudden dread seized Chen Yan, causing him to discard the willow shoots and race back towards his home with utmost urgency!

·

The door was shut tight.

With a forceful shove, Chen Yan pushed it open, only to find the main hall deserted.

Resting upon the table, concealed beneath a cloth, was a freshly prepared, steaming plate of stir-fried beans with pork!

Chen Yan felt his energy completely falter; a wave of panic washed over him as he rushed to the old lady's room, flinging the door open.

Chen Yan's knees buckled beneath him.

Within the room, her bed was meticulously made with freshly changed linens.

The old lady lay there, adorned in her ceremonial burial attire, vibrant yet neatly arranged, her arms folded peacefully across her chest.

Her eyes were closed, a tranquil expression gracing her features.

She appeared exactly as she always did...

Yet, there was no breath to be found.

"Old lady, you deceived me..."

With a heavy thud, Chen Yan, his eyes brimming with tears, fell to his knees upon the ground.

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(More content forthcoming)

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