Chapter 53: Sealing the Acupoint (2 / 2)

"That's great news," the village chief said, visibly relieved.

As for the 20,000 yuan I contributed — I was at peace with it. After all, the money was earned back when I was working in Zhoujia Village, and since the wrath that fell upon this place was indirectly caused by Zhoujia's misfortune, it ultimately had something to do with me. Using 20,000 yuan to settle a karmic debt seemed entirely worth it.

"Uh... Master," the village chief said with a sheepish smile, "you promised me before... that you'd help me take a step forward."

I immediately understood — by "a step forward," he meant promotion and prosperity.

"Don't worry," I assured him. "I'll keep my word. Once we count the money, we'll get right to it."

The chief burst out in hearty laughter and immediately called home, instructing them to slaughter a chicken and prepare a feast — tonight, we would drink and celebrate properly. In the countryside, a feng shui master with true skill is held in high regard. Despite my young age, people in the village respectfully addressed me as "Master" whenever I passed by.

I've always been someone who treats others kindly and never acts arrogantly. I understand deeply that "there are always people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens." It was precisely this humility that once saved my life during a deadly calamity.

Back to the village chief. After we finished counting the money, the accountant was worried about safety, so he had Da Biao ride his motorcycle with him to the county to deposit it right away.

With just the chief and me left, I asked him, "Do you know how many wells are in this village?"

He pondered for a while and said, "Almost every household has one. Why do you ask? What do wells have to do with my fortune?"

I said, "The village's qi flow is connected to its water sources. In other places, it might not matter. But here in Zuoheqi, where water is scarce, everyone drilling their own well has fractured the underground water veins. This disrupts the qi network and leaks spiritual energy. And since you're the village chief, you're positioned at the dragon's head. Now tell me, if a dragon's body is riddled with holes, do you think it could ever soar across the skies?"

The chief lit a cigarette and looked troubled. "So, what should I do?"

I explained, "Switch to unified water supply for the whole village. I know your village isn't very big, and the residents are fairly concentrated. Drill just two large wells, and direct all household water use through those. Within three months, your family's fortune will begin to rise. In five years, the entire village will prosper."

What I was suggesting was basically like building two water purification stations — drill two main wells, draw water, and redistribute it to the homes. But the cost of this plan was high, and getting that kind of funding from the villagers was impossible. If it wasn't, the chief wouldn't have looked so troubled.

After five minutes of silence, he finally said, "I trust you, Master. I'll report it to the town officials tomorrow and try to get approval. But for now, can you pick the well locations for me?"

We still had time before dinner, so the two of us left the committee office. First, we picked a spot on the east side of the village, then another on the west side. The wells needed to be built with bluestone and shaped according to the bagua (eight trigrams). Their locations had to align with the White Tiger direction of the village — since White Tiger represents metal, the choice symbolizes the generation of metal-born water.

In feng shui, wells play a crucial role. Because they're underground and don't see sunlight, wells are considered yin and are said to connect with the underworld. If dug improperly or placed in the wrong location, or if any taboos are violated, a well won't just fail to produce water — it could destroy the area's feng shui and even cause serious harm to people or livestock. The feng shui of a well ranks just below that of a burial site.

Liu Zixuan, for example, was buried beneath a well — a yin place in the yang world — and eventually turned into a zombie.

Once I marked the locations, I told the chief to leave visible markers. If this plan got approved, I'd likely need to stay a while longer. Today was mostly about letting him see it for himself.

I turned to the awestruck chief and asked, "Did you remember everything I just told you?"

"Yes, Master. Thank you for your guidance," he replied sincerely.

"No problem," I said casually. "This place has abundant water qi. It'll help soften the Hidden Dragon Acupoint and balance the energy."

As we chatted, we made our way to his home. I also reminded him that the area around the wells must be kept clean, and that he could plant non-flowering trees nearby — these help suppress excessive yin and filter toxins.

Once at his home, a warm and lavish reception awaited me.

There's a tradition in rural areas: when men eat, women must eat in the kitchen — and there's no table. They eat while standing by the stove. I found it uncomfortable, but the chief insisted this was the most respectful way to host a guest.

Having learned from the Zhoujia Village incident, I was closely involved in every step of this temple's construction — from planning to site layout. I ended up staying at the chief's home for some time. The two wells I gave them were part of my goodwill.

When the materials finally arrived and everything was ready, I led the construction crew in a grand procession back to the Hidden Dragon Acupoint, ready to break ground on the new Taoist temple.