Chapter 176: You Can

Early morning.

Su Yan had finished breakfast and was preparing to go out for a stroll when Sun Mang arrived before she could even leave the house.

It had been a week since they returned from the provincial capital, and in that week, he still maintained his same gaunt, monkey-like appearance.

Su Yan suddenly realized that his thinness wasn't caused by a lack of food at home; he was likely just born this way.

Back in the provincial capital, this kid ate and drank well every day, able to wolf down four or five large white steamed buns in one sitting, yet even so, he hadn't gained a single ounce in half a month.

"Su Yan, I took on a job. I came specifically to find you."

Whenever business was mentioned, Sun Mang's face would light up.

The reprimand that had been on the tip of Su Yan's tongue was retracted because of this sentence.

"What kind of business?"

"Do you remember Li Qing from Class Five?"

"I don't," Su Yan replied truthfully.

She had only gone to study there because she sensed something was wrong with Xinghua; she hadn't actually wanted to go to school, so she naturally didn't care about teacher-student relationships.

She hadn't even memorized the people in her own class, let alone paid attention to students in other classes.

Sun Mang's mouth twitched. It would be one thing if it were anyone else, but Li Qing was quite famous at school; he hadn't expected her not to know him.

"That's not important. What matters is that he's been possessed lately. His family has been asking around for connections everywhere and actually found their way to me. We really have become quite famous now!"

Looking at his smug expression, Su Yan had nothing to say other than a helpless smile.

"You accepted it?"

Sun Mang nodded immediately. "Although the pay is a bit low, we are classmates after all. I can't just stand by and watch him be haunted by evil spirits."

"Fine, then go ahead." After briefly inquiring about Li Qing's situation, Su Yan simply uttered those words.

The smile on Sun Mang's face instantly froze. "You're not... making me go by myself, are you?"

Sure enough, under his gaze, Su Yan gave a definitive nod.

"You have the Yin-Yang Eyes, and you know how to use Soul-Collecting Talismans and Dispelling Talismans. You can handle ordinary evil spirits."

Su Yan was certain of this.

After all, he had been by her side for so long and had seen plenty of situations; it was time to let him face something on his own.

Sun Mang's face fell into a wail. "Are you serious? I can't..."

His first reaction was self-doubt.

"There's nothing you 'can't' do. Go and try first. If there really is a problem, come back and tell me, and then I'll go." Su Yan's arrangement was perfectly logical.

Grandma Sun's time was likely drawing near. If Sun Mang could truly become capable of standing on his own, the old lady could pass away with more peace of mind.

Of course, she couldn't share these intentions with Sun Mang.

Sun Mang was still about to refuse when Su Yan produced a talisman he had never seen before.

"Keep this on you. If you encounter danger, I will be able to sense it. It's the same thing I said before: if you truly can't solve it, come find me. But I believe you can do it."

This was the first time Su Yan had been so certain of him, and most of the trepidation in Sun Mang's heart dissipated.

Amidst the nervousness, there was actually a faint hint of excitement.

*Can I really do it?!*

"Then... I'll be going?"

The sentence carried the aura of a warrior heading off to a battle from which he might never return.

Watching his departing figure, Su Yan thought she might take this opportunity to visit Grandma Sun.

Half an hour later, Sun Mang stood at Li Qing's doorstep, feeling stiff from head to toe.

He was also carrying a cloth bag, which contained two Soul-Collecting Talismans and two Dispelling Talismans.

The talismans were given to him by Su Yan, and he had practiced the incantations to activate them quite thoroughly during that night of the Blood Moon.

As for the cloth bag, he had specifically found it in a shop. His intention was to find one similar to the one Su Yan carried, but after searching around, aside from both being cloth bags, they shared absolutely no similarities.

Even so, he felt it gave him a great sense of security and presence.

Straightening his back, he mimicked Su Yan's aura and knocked on the door.

Soon, someone came out from inside.

"Who are you looking for?"

Facing the newcomer, Sun Mang was about to offer a flattering smile, but the thought of his identity made him immediately let out a dry cough.

"Is this Li Qing's house?"

"It is. Are you a classmate of his? It's not convenient for him to see guests right now."

Before Sun Mang could speak, the other party was already preparing to close the door.

"I am Li Qing's classmate, and I was invited here by Li Qing's father. If you don't believe me, go inform Uncle Li and tell him Sun Mang has arrived."

Perhaps intimidated by Sun Mang's pretentious manner, the man hesitated for a moment before actually turning to go inside.

Soon, Sun Mang saw Li Qing's parents walking out personally.

This feeling of being valued made him feel wonderful.

"Sun Mang, you've arrived!"

As Father Li spoke, he glanced behind him. Upon seeing that Sun Mang was alone, his expression turned to surprise.

"Just you?"

"That's right. I alone am enough."

Sun Mang knew what he meant, but since he hadn't explicitly mentioned Su Yan before, he could still maintain his composure.

Father Li and Mother Li both froze for a moment, seeing the same look of disbelief in each other's eyes.

Ever since their son had been possessed, they had been searching everywhere for a master to resolve it, but all they had found were frauds who looked the part but were useless.

Finally, through a friend, they heard that there was a particularly powerful master in the county town, and they had exerted great effort just to obtain a way to contact this master.

What they least expected was that the legendary, powerful master would actually be their son's classmate.

"Uncle Li, you wouldn't doubt me, would you?" Sun Mang asked rhetorically.

In truth, such situations were quite common for him.

Father Li quickly greeted him with a smile. "How could we? Please, come in."

"Sun Mang, to be honest, before you arrived, we thought you would be bringing that master with you. We didn't expect that you would be that master yourself." After taking a seat, Father Li was the first to speak.

Sun Mang felt a bit guilty. "Uncle Li, please don't say that. I don't count as a master."

"How could that be? I have heard things about your abilities. I didn't expect someone so young to have such great skill; you are truly a person of hidden depths!" Father Li was indeed praising him sincerely.

After all, for such an ordinary-looking kid to understand these things was remarkable.

*The one with hidden depths isn't me, it should be Su Yan,* Sun Mang couldn't help but mutter in his heart. Suddenly, he understood why Su Yan was unwilling to come.

If she actually came, wouldn't the whole school know her identity?

"Ahem, Uncle Li, actually, I prefer to keep a low profile. After I finish checking on Li Qing, if I am fortunate enough to solve the problem, please tell Li Qing that he must not make any mention of me. Is that alright?"

Su Yan was always the most low-profile person; naturally, he had to be the same.

Father Li and Mother Li exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.

(End of Chapter)