Chapter 78: Water Escape—Object Manipulation!

Unable to manifest here? Qi Yan was taken aback for a moment, then immediately realized… Of course—even if a fire broke out, even if chaos ensued, not to mention other countries and religions, the very halls of Mahayana Buddhism and the Daoist exhibits from China were filled with all manner of sacred objects meant to dispel evil!

Whether these artifacts truly possessed supernatural powers or were merely for show, surely among such a great number, there would be a few genuine items, wouldn’t there?

Yet Shinji Watanabe paid him no further mind, turning back to the statue of Shiva and tossing out a cold remark: “Don’t be nervous. Today is your lucky day. You’re not my target…”

Qi Yan was left both awkward and relieved, casting a fierce glare at him before dragging his father around to continue toward the exit.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder—what was this dangerous man up to here? If he hadn’t been mistaken back in the Shinto hall, wasn’t it this very man who’d set fire to the “Amaterasu Radiance Scroll”? He had no idea what method the man had used to ignite the hanging scroll, like some conjuring trick, but the fact that he could still stand here as if nothing had happened proved he was at the heart of this incident.

This curiosity drove Qi Yan to look back as he hurried toward the exit.

What he saw made his heart race—a scene utterly beyond belief.

The young man raised his right hand toward the Shiva statue, fingers splayed. Without any visible effort, the display case—full human height—began to sink downward!

The statue and the case together slowly descended into the floor. The process was not swift but deliberate, and utterly impossible! Yes, water had pooled on the ground from the ongoing sprinklers, but it was only a centimeter deep at most, hardly a pond. How could a solid exhibit sink into it?

Qi Guoheng was equally dumbfounded. He didn’t know who this young stranger was, but how could he do such a thing?

No one in their right mind would be performing a magic trick at a time like this, would they? Could there be some hidden mechanism beneath the case?

Purely out of instinct—a photographer’s professional reflex—Qi Guoheng unconsciously raised his camera and snapped a shot.

As a professional photographer, his equipment was of high quality; most of his cameras were waterproof, so despite the deluge, it still functioned and likely captured a clear image.

But between the flash and the crisp shutter sound, with the distance not being great, how could Shinji Watanabe not notice? He whipped his head around and glared at Qi Guoheng.

Qi’s father, ever the realist, took another shot just as Watanabe turned—“click.”

Well then, not only had he captured the shocking act, but in the second shot, he’d even gotten a full-face image…

This time, Watanabe lost his composure. His accomplices had gone to great lengths to remotely hack the convention center’s surveillance system, ensuring that nothing would be caught on camera during this crucial time. They’d even started a fire to scatter the crowd and trigger the sprinklers—all to prepare for this moment.

Now, with the area cleared, even if Qi Yan and his father saw something, no one would believe them. But these two high-definition “clicks” were too much, especially with his face in one of them…

“Stop!” he barked suddenly.

Qi Yan was startled by his father’s actions—it was as if he’d photographed a murderer in the act!

His father didn’t know the man’s identity, and Qi Yan himself was unsure who or what he was, but one thing was certain: this man was terrifyingly dangerous.

“Dad, run!”

With a shout, Qi Yan grabbed his now-alert father and took off at a sprint.

Watanabe wanted to give chase immediately, but his task wasn’t finished—the display case still had a bit left to sink. He was forced to tarry for seven or eight seconds.

Only when the entire display and statue had vanished beneath the marble floor, like an ox sinking into mud, did he set off in pursuit.

Qi Yan and his father had the head start, but burdened by his father, Qi Yan couldn’t run fast. Their pursuer was far more agile, and the slippery floor posed no obstacle. He was gaining fast.

Realizing this couldn’t continue, Qi Yan snatched the camera from his father’s hands. “Dad, head out the main entrance on your own!”

“What?” Qi Guoheng was confused, but before he could react, Qi Yan had already taken off in another direction with the camera.

Watanabe, unable to see what Qi Yan had done ahead, lunged at Qi Guoheng, grabbing his collar—only to notice the camera was missing. A quick glance revealed Qi Yan running off to the side. In an instant, he understood and changed course.

Qi Guoheng was left standing there, utterly at a loss—what on earth was going on?

Qi Yan, clutching the camera, ran without looking back. He didn’t know why that man was moving the statue in such a bizarre way, and his father’s impromptu photography had shocked him, but then he thought—this might be perfect!

Last time, these people had caused him so much trouble and then disappeared, so he’d let things go. But now, here they were, brazenly using some dark art to steal from an art expo? And his dad had, by chance, captured such “constructive” photographs…

As long as he handed this camera to the police, even if these people were desperados, they’d be in serious trouble.

What a twist of fate—time to settle the score.

Barreling through the exhibition hall, Qi Yan finally found an open glass side door. Once outside, he expected to find a crowd—attendees, staff, firefighters, or police.

But, unfortunately, this door led to a narrow corridor—no one was there. The crowds were gathered out front by the north gate’s plaza, and he’d exited through a side door to the west.

Just two meters ahead was a small drop-off, beyond which lay a sloped flowerbed, the flowers spelling out “Longbin New City Asian Religious Culture and Art Exhibition.”

If he wanted to rejoin the crowd, he’d have to circle a quarter of the convention center to reach the north plaza.

Qi Yan didn’t hesitate, ready to change direction and run, but just as he turned, Watanabe burst out and struck at him with his palm.

Qi Yan lost his balance and tumbled onto the flowerbed, then rolled down the slope…

Below was a broad, flat lawn, empty at this hour.

He wasn’t badly hurt, but as soon as he landed, Watanabe was already there, deliberately blocking his path. He extended a hand, voice cold: “Give me the camera, and I’ll spare your life.”

Getting up from the grass, Qi Yan glanced around. He could still hear the distant commotion of the crowd, sirens of fire trucks and police, but this spot was utterly isolated. The convention center’s domed structure blocked all sightlines, casting a heavy shadow in the night.

A quick estimation told him it was at least two hundred meters to the nearest crowd. Even if he shouted, no one would hear—security had all run to the main plaza, where it was even noisier.

The dangerous man stood right before him. Qi Yan had already experienced his prowess—despite his slender frame, even five of him together might not stand a chance.

A fire had just broken out inside the convention center, and though the flames had subsided, no one would be coming to this deserted lawn on the western side anytime soon. Everyone was busy calming the crowd at the main plaza…

Qi Yan gripped the camera in one hand and, with the other, drew out his yin talisman. “You said it couldn’t unleash its power inside—what about now?”

He’d expected the other man to be wary, but Watanabe’s eyes flashed coldly. “Oh? You want to duel with spirits here?”

He hesitated for a moment, then shrugged indifferently. “Very well, as you wish…”

With that, he drew three small paper effigies, each tied with a red string, from his sleeve.

The sight of these stunned Qi Yan. In a flash, countless memories surged in his mind.

“Onmyoji shikigami… So it was you?!”