“The aura on it is too obvious,” Sienna said. “It’s a magical aura. I’m sure that it was very strong before death. Is it your prey?”
“Chen, take me to see it. I want to see what prey it is.” David instantly grew excited.
Chen Zhao didn’t reject them. After all, David had seen supernatural powers with them before. He counted as a member of their circle.
Chen Zhao brought Sienna and David to the basement. David instantly saw the huge skeleton that circled the wall.
“So big… What was it when it was alive?”
“It doesn’t have a name. It’s just a monster.”
“You could actually kill something so strong. Even though only the bones remain, I can still feel that it contains strong magic power. Can you give me a bone?”
“I’m keeping it here to look pretty. If you take away a bone, my collection will be ruined.”
“It’s too wasteful for you to put it here.”
“What are you going to use it for?”
“To make a magical potion, obviously.
Magical potion?
Chen Zhao thought for a moment. He was getting more and more reliant on magic when treating some difficult patients. Every time he finished, he would be mentally and physically exhausted.
If he could improve his magical abilities, it would be a great help to his career.
“I can’t give you this, but I can get you some other bones,” Chen Zhao said. “I’ll help you get some later, but you have to share the magic potion with me.”
“Sure.”
“Oh, Chen, you’re here?”
Just then, Normans and Eveleigh walked down the spiral staircase. They saw Chen Zhao and his two friends.
“What’s this?”
“It looks so realistic. Is it a dinosaur model?” Eveleigh asked curiously.
Normans touched a bone. “It feels special too.”
“No, a Hollywood prop master made it. I see weird creatures in movies all the time, so I paid a prop team to make this for me.”
“It feels so special,” Eveleigh said. “It’s different from bones.”
“Of course,” Chen Zhao said. “After all, it wasn’t cheap.”
“Putting a model like this in a dark basement… You’re seriously creepy.” Sienna pretended to shiver. “Let’s go up.”
Chen Zhao shrugged. “Let’s go. There’s nothing to look here. Let’s go up.”
Everyone in the front yard was having fun. Dell was bragging about his past—something about skydiving, deep-sea diving, or what mountains he’d climbed.
“Uncle Chen, I want to see your magic tricks,” Faith said, tugging Chen Zhao’s pants.
“Chen, I want to see your magic too,” Risfar said. “How about you do a trick?”
Chen Zhao snapped his fingers and turned his hand. A coin was between his fingers. He turned his hand again and the coin disappeared.
“I can see these tricks on TV every day,” Risfar teased. “Do something harder.”
Chen Zhao chuckled. He put his hands together. Then coins of various sizes kept slipping out of the cracks. Pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters fell out endlessly.
Soon, the ground was covered in coins.
Everyone was amazed at this. Chen Zhao wore short sleeves, so he couldn’t hide so many coins in his hands.
Chen Zhao piled the coins together. Then he wiped his hands over the pile and the coins all disappeared.
Sienna looked at him in confusion. Was this a magic trick or spell? If it was a spell, how come she couldn’t feel anything?
“Uncle, can you do something bigger?”
Chen Zhao separated his hands slowly. A bottle of wine appeared between his palms. But then he put his hands together and the wine disappeared.
“Okay, please clap now.”
Everyone started clapping and cheering. Chen Zhao finally took out the bottle of wine happily.
“Chen, where did you hide this wine?” Dell asked curiously. “How come I couldn’t see it at all?”
“Magic is magic. I can’t tell you. If you want to know, then go think of the answer yourself.” Chen Zhao chuckled. Just then, the phone rang. “The performance is over. Keep having fun.”
He went somewhere without people and answered the call. It was from Pierce South.
“Chen.”
“Pierce, how can I help you?”
“Chen, I’m outside your door.”
Taken aback, Chen Zhao went to the door. He saw Pierce South standing in the shadows with a robed man.
“Pierce.”
“Mr. Chen, let me introduce you to Jacia from India.”
“Hello, Mr. Jacia.”
“Chen, Jacia and I are here today to work with you.”
“For that King of the Sun Golden Chalice?”
“Yes. I don’t believe that you can be so careless. Such an important thing…”
Chen Zhao cut Pierce off. “Pierce, please let me maintain the last bit of a good impression I have of you. That diary is already burned. I didn’t know how important it was until you told me the true background of the diary.”
“Fine. Chen, I hope you can think about it carefully. We can share the Sun King Gold Cup, because everyone can only take the effect of one mouthful. Working together is good for everyone.”
“Pierce, you’re not welcome here. Please leave.” Chen Zhao finally tried driving him away.
He hated how Pierce South kept clinging to him. That diary belonged to him. He could share it if he wanted to. If he didn’t want to, no one could force him to do so.
Pierce South and Jacia could only turn and leave. In the darkness, Pierce asked, “How is it? Did you get a result?”
“He lied,” Jacia said. “That diary is still here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.” Jacia pulled a python out. It had a pentagon on its head. “My baby tells me that the Chinese man is lying.”
Pierce’s face darkened. “So that guy wants to take it for himself?”
“It seems to be the case.”
“What solution do you have?”
“Since he’s unwilling to cooperate, I’ll have to make him feel pain,” Jacia said confidently. “I’ll make him come beg me.”
“That Chinese man is really strong. He’s not a typical wizard. You best be careful.”
“I won’t go face-to-face. Only barbarians do that.” An eerie smile appeared on Jacia’s face.
Hiss, hiss.
Terrifying noises came from Jacia’s sleeve. Pierce glanced at him. This was why he’d asked Jacia to come.
Jacia was a wizard like him, but he was the most dangerous wizard of all!
