Chapter Fifty-Three: A Fair Method

Fang Mu approached the well and glanced down from above. From its appearance, the well seemed perfectly ordinary; its water was clean and clear. Though not transparent enough to see all the way to the bottom, there was no sign of muddiness.

“This is… a well?” Iron Calculation Immortal followed him and leaned over to take a look.

“Two people shouldn’t look into a well together, did you know?” Fang Mu grinned, recalling a story he’d once heard.

Iron Calculation Immortal was taken aback and shook his head in confusion. “What does it mean, ‘two people shouldn’t look into a well’?”

“One person shouldn’t enter a temple, two people shouldn’t look into a well, three people shouldn’t embrace a tree, and one shouldn’t lean alone against a rail,” Fang Mu explained. “If you’re looking into a well and the person next to you suddenly harbors malicious intent, isn’t it dangerous?”

Iron Calculation Immortal’s hairs stood on end, and he stepped back, only to realize—upon seeing Fang Mu’s smile—that Fang Mu was simply frightening him.

“Copper Demon, you really do like to joke—wait…”

Just as he relaxed, a sudden thought struck Iron Calculation Immortal.

“Copper Demon, are you saying there’s something inside this well?”

“Exactly.” Fang Mu nodded, casting a glance at the water. “Let’s empty it first and see what’s inside.”

Beside the well was a bucket with a rope attached, clearly used for drawing water.

Fang Mu picked it up, ready to use it, but Iron Calculation Immortal stopped him.

“Copper Demon, you can’t be expected to do this yourself,” Iron Calculation Immortal waved his hand magnanimously. “Let me draw the water.”

As a man accustomed to being a tool, Iron Calculation Immortal understood his own purpose well—this was his chance to shine.

“Bagua, rise! Pour!”

Illusory hexagrams surged from all directions. The well shook, and a thick column of water shot upward. Yet before it could soar very high, the water turned into vapor and vanished.

“The Bagua reversal can restore objects to their true nature, though my current power is limited—I can only use it on ordinary things,” Iron Calculation Immortal explained.

For some reason, he felt that even as a tool, he needed his companion’s praise—such was a tool’s pride.

Maintaining a pose with his finger pointed skyward, he waited as a breeze passed.

“Bravo… Well done, you deserve a reward,” Fang Mu said with an expressionless face.

Iron Calculation Immortal suddenly felt a chill—such perfunctory praise.

After clapping, Fang Mu focused intently on the bottom of the well, paying little heed to Iron Calculation Immortal’s display.

Iron Calculation Immortal awkwardly withdrew his hand and scratched his head.

It was fine, not a big deal—he knew his own strength, and that was enough.

Once the water was dissipated, Fang Mu peered down by moonlight.

It was dark inside, deep, damp, and straight as an arrow shaft.

He beckoned Iron Calculation Immortal, “Could you conjure a fire?”

Iron Calculation Immortal came over, shook his head at the request.

He wasn’t an all-rounder; his supernatural abilities were still a mystery to him.

“This should help,” Iron Calculation Immortal remembered something and produced a cloth bundle from his coat.

He opened it, revealing jars and bottles, and a tinderbox.

Fang Mu’s gaze lingered not on the tinder, but on the jars.

“Sleeping powder?”

“Traveling the world, there are things one must carry—Copper Demon, I hope you understand,” Iron Calculation Immortal explained, then suddenly realized something was off. “I replaced all the bottles—how did you recognize it?”

“The seal wasn’t tight enough,” Fang Mu replied calmly. “A bit of powder leaked out and stuck to the outside. I use it often, so I recognized it.”

Iron Calculation Immortal: “….”

Fang Mu saw nothing amiss. As a coroner, it was perfectly reasonable for him to carry medicines.

He took the tinderbox, found some cloth and kerosene in the Zheng family’s house.

He soaked the cloth in kerosene and lit it with the tinder.

With a roar, flames burst forth. Fang Mu tossed the burning cloth into the well.

The darkness vanished under the blaze. The fire shrank steadily until it was no larger than a fist, and then ceased to change.

“The bottom doesn’t look deep,” Fang Mu mused, stroking his chin. “Let’s go in and see.”

Iron Calculation Immortal raised his head to gaze at the moon.

Fang Mu patted his shoulder and sighed.

Iron Calculation Immortal kept staring at the sky, as if something awaited him there.

There was only this well before them—who would enter first, that was the question.

Fang Mu sighed, “Brother, you see I’m a weakling, hardly a match for your abilities. So you’ll have to take the lead.”

Iron Calculation Immortal protested, “Copper Demon, I only know the hexagrams—I’m not skilled in anything else!”

Weakling? Of everyone present, you’re the most capable, and now you claim to be powerless? How could that be?

“Let’s do this,” Fang Mu pondered for a moment. “We’ll settle it fairly—whoever loses goes first.”

Iron Calculation Immortal considered, then agreed, “Alright, I have no objection.”

“Good.” Fang Mu drew his Ghost Thorn and the Pig-Slaughtering Knife.

Iron Calculation Immortal’s mouth twitched. “Copper Demon, what are you doing?”

Fang Mu replied with certainty, “Let’s have a fight. Winner calls the shots—it’s the fairest way.”

Iron Calculation Immortal: “….”

Fair? This was your idea of fair?

Iron Calculation Immortal was full of grief and indignation—such strange fairness.

In the end, under Fang Mu’s fair method, Iron Calculation Immortal volunteered to go first.

Beside the well, the flames had burned out.

Following Fang Mu’s example, Iron Calculation Immortal found a stick, wrapped it with cloth, and fashioned a makeshift torch.

Holding the torch, he didn’t hesitate—he jumped down.

Before leaping, illusory hexagrams surged around him, likely some form of protection.

Fang Mu stood by the well and heard a thud from below, followed by Iron Calculation Immortal’s shout.

“Ahhhh—”

The sound faded from near to far. Fang Mu peered in and saw the torchlight growing smaller and smaller, until at last… it stopped.

“This is deeper than it looked at first,” Fang Mu thought to himself.

As he pondered, Iron Calculation Immortal’s voice echoed from below.

“Copper Demon, there’s a hidden world in here!”

“Oh?”

“There’s a huge chamber and a passageway,” Iron Calculation Immortal shouted again.

Upon hearing this, Fang Mu didn’t hesitate. He made a torch, lit it, and leaped in.

He channeled his vital energy to his legs, wind whistling in his ears—it was deeper than he’d imagined.

After a moment, a loud crash sounded, and Fang Mu felt solid ground beneath his feet. Iron Calculation Immortal stood nearby.