"Contact your martial uncle Li Shiwu later. Since your senior sister can't go, have him find another disciple to accompany you," Qing Yanzi instructed.
Wang Sheng nodded in agreement. Though he wished to stay on the mountain to cultivate peacefully, he knew that if he refused, his master would likely have to go in his place. As a disciple, this was a responsibility that he couldn't avoid.
It was one of the few inconveniences that came with living under someone else's roof.
"Master, what did Martial Uncle Li Shiwu ask us to do?"
"Exorcism," Qing Yanzi replied.
Wang Sheng felt a chill run down his spine. He lowered his voice. "Ghosts are real?"
"Before the resurgence of primal qi, they were impossibilities. When it returned, they began popping into existence," Qing Yanzi answered with a smile. With a casual wave of his hand, traces of white smoke appeared at his fingertips, forming the image of a ghost often seen in Halloween decorations.
"Master, that's a foreign design."
"They're all more or less the same." Qing Yanzi dispersed the smoke. "Little Sheng, where do you think ghosts come from?"
Wang Sheng cautiously gave the correct answer, which had been verified by various Daoist teachings in his previous life. "Residual spiritual consciousness entwined by primal qi?"
"Correct." Qing Yanzi smiled in satisfaction. "Reaching the Spirit Convergence Realm is the process of strengthening one's soul and tempering spiritual consciousness. However, although we cultivators refine ourselves, spiritual consciousness isn't exclusive to us. Ordinary people have it too, albeit theirs vary greatly in strength.
"I've deduced that when ordinary people experience intense emotional waves before death, their spiritual consciousness can burst forth, attracting primal qi. This could temporarily preserve a part of their spiritual consciousness in the world. Anyway, I'll teach you an exorcism spell. Memorize it. If you encounter ghosts during your task, use it to expel and guide them."
Wang Sheng bowed his head. "Understood."
Qing Yanzi cleared his throat and adjusted his posture. He then took a few deliberate steps forward as he solemnly began chanting.
"True Five-Star Radiance, illuminate the dark and let a thousand gods and saints protect my spirit!
"Scatter, slay, and vanquish all fiends! Make haste, as the decree commands!"
Wang Sheng rubbed his nose. Isn't this... the legendary shamanic dancing?
"Pay attention. The key lies in the tone and rhythm. Follow my steps," Qing Yanzi instructed seriously, pacing the room.
Wang Sheng obediently followed, imitating the chant and trying to memorize the heavily accented intonation.
Qing Yanzi, who was walking with his back to his disciple, couldn't help but look amused.
Having only returned to the mountains a month ago, Wang Sheng felt a bit disheartened about setting off again. However, since the trip only involved performing a ritual and exorcising ghosts, it didn't seem too challenging.
Still, he wondered why Li Shiwu had to come to Qing Yanzi for this. If it were just a simple exorcism, any early-stage Spirit Convergence Realm disciple could have just used their spiritual consciousness to disperse wandering spirits.
Is there more to this?
Wang Sheng grew slightly suspicious. While it was unlikely anyone was targeting him specifically, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared.
That night, after his training, he retrieved his long-neglected backpack. He then carefully folded a set of long-sleeved clothing to wear the next day and then placed a dark-blue Daoist robe into the bag. He also packed a few rejuvenation pills.
Afterward, he wrapped Abyss Listener in black cloth. This way, if anyone asked, he could claim it was a collector's item. Fortunately, they would be taking a private vehicle; he did not have to worry about security checks.
Once everything was packed, Wang Sheng lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
At the doorway, Mu Wanxuan poked her head in. "Hey!"
He hadn't seen her all afternoon; their master had mentioned that she had gone down the mountains to buy some supplies. He couldn't help but wonder where their master found the confidence to let her roam around alone.
"What is it, Senior Sister?"
She beckoned him over. "Come."
Wang Sheng got off the bed shirtless. He was about to head outside when Mu Wanxuan quickly stopped him, gesturing wildly toward the door.
Sensing his surroundings with his spiritual consciousness, Wang Sheng felt the presence of a familiar aura—a female's aura, to be precise.
What is Hao Ling doing here?
After he had put on a shirt to cover his well-built physique, refined through three years of sword practice, Mu Wanxuan finally pulled him outside. Hao Ling greeted him with a wry smile and a long sigh, the sorrow in her tone revealing a sense of grievance.
Apparently, Mu Wanxuan had convinced Hao Ling to accompany her down the mountains earlier that afternoon. It wasn't until late at night that they returned. They hadn't gone down to have fun but to shop, their purchases stored in a cardboard box in front of Hao Ling.
Hao Ling sighed once more. "Junior Brother Fei Yu, take a look inside. Your senior sister spent all her savings on it."
Mu Wanxuan nodded seriously. "Mm!"
Wang Sheng already had a hunch about what was inside. He quietly walked over, crouched down, and opened it. Glancing inside, he was rendered speechless, his forehead covered in metaphorical black lines.
Inside were several peace talismans in the form of pouches with different designs. They were cheap replicas of talismans, commonly sold in shops at the foot of the mountains. They were understandably common souvenirs from Wudang.
There was also a fist-sized bronze bell. It had a faint trace of primal qi, but it was clearly ancient and severely damaged. Behind the small bell was a string of oversized Buddhist prayer beads, each bead as large as a lion's head. The beads were polished to a smooth finish and coated with a thick layer of oil, but beyond that, they had no particular value.
Underneath the prayer beads were two door-god posters, a small mahogany sword about three cun[1] long, and a silver necklace.
Wang Sheng pulled out the necklace. When he saw the glaringly obvious cross pendant, he tried to say something, but no words came out.
Hao Ling quickly interjected, "Wanxuan carefully picked all of these as exorcism tools! You're not allowed to complain!"
Her tone made it clear that he shouldn't criticize his senior sister.
Wang Sheng chuckled helplessly. Even though it was a bit over the top—gathering items that represented Buddha, Jesus, and the Three Pure Ones in one box—he was well aware that his senior sister had put a lot of effort into it because she cared for him. To her, cultivation and these symbols of faith weren't particularly related.
Wang Sheng smiled. "Don't worry, Senior Sister. I'll bring all of these with me tomorrow."
Seemingly remembering something, Mu Wanxuan then ran into the small kitchen and soon returned, delightedly holding a bundle of garlic.
Wang Sheng and Hao Ling exchanged glances, both unable to hold back their laughter.
Mu Wanxuan blinked, utterly confused.
Regardless of how unreliable the items were, Wang Sheng still decided to take them with him except for the garlic. After all, the food from the Purple Cloud Temple's cafeteria was often bland; garlic could come in handy as a seasoning. Additionally, his task was to exorcise ghosts, not fight vampires. Garlic wasn't particularly useful.
After escorting Hao Ling back and watching Wang Sheng pack everything into his bag, Mu Wanxuan finally sighed in relief. She then gave Wang Sheng a worried look.
Wang Sheng deliberately put on a stoic, heroic expression. "Don't worry, Senior Sister. Master has taught me an exorcism spell. Even if I encounter a thousand-year-old malevolent spirit, I'll still be able to hold my ground against it!"
Wanxuan quickly turned pale. She rushed forward and grabbed the sleeves of Wang Sheng's clothes, nearly on the verge of tears.
In response, Wang Sheng quickly apologized and assured her that he was only joking.
He was merely performing a ritual in a nearby county that happened to be Li Shiwu's hometown. The target of the exorcism was a wealthy benefactor who had d substantial offerings to the Wudang Mountains.
Since Mu Wanxuan couldn't come due to certain circumstances, Li Shiwu had arranged for Zhou Yinglong and Wang Sheng to accompany him instead. Once they reached their benefactor's home, Li Shiwu would handle the formalities, while Wang Sheng and Zhou Yinglong would handle the actual exorcism.
If they encountered ghosts, they would exorcise them. If not, they'd return home. The two disciples would also receive a reward for their efforts. It was that simple. Still, although the task seemed straightforward, the fact that Li Shiwu sought assistance from Qing Yanzi suggested that there was more to it.
Wang Sheng hadn't forgotten how he had died in his past life. Now, he was much more cautious in everything he did. While he didn't think Li Shiwu would intentionally harm him, he suspected that some information was being withheld from him.
That night, Wang Sheng slept soundly. Mu Wanxuan tossed and turned, unable to rest.
Some things should never be brought up. Otherwise, they would be impossible to ignore. Several times, she thought about packing her things and joining her junior brother on the trip. Unfortunately, the image of long-haired beings crawling out of TVs or wells made her shiver.
Her junior brother's swordsmanship was excellent. He could handle it. He would definitely be fine...
The wind crept through the cracks in the windows, making the glass vibrate faintly. Simultaneously, an unknown nocturnal bird called out from the forest, its cries becoming increasingly mournful.
Instinctively shivering, Mu Wanxuan wrapped her blanket tightly around her. Despite her advanced cultivation, she couldn't help but feel chilled.
At that moment, she came up with an idea. Seemingly moving at lightning speed, she grabbed her blanket and darted into the adjacent room.
Wang Sheng, still half-asleep, felt something bump into him. Groggily opening his eyes, he found a "blanket spirit" now lying beside him.
"Don't worry, you can sleep here. I need to get up early tomorrow anyway."
Turning over to give her more space, Wang Sheng went back to sleep.
When Wang Sheng woke the next morning, he noticed that Mu Wanxuan had layered two thin blankets between them. Nevertheless, she still ended up sticking close to his back, her hands crossed over her chest.
Suppressing a faint ripple in his heart, Wang Sheng chuckled softly as he carefully got up.
The moment he moved, Mu Wanxuan opened her eyes, blinking groggily before her face flushed slightly—not out of shyness but embarrassment.
Even though she was Wang Sheng's senior sister, the wind last night had scared her so much that she had to seek refuge with her junior brother. It was quite humiliating.
Fortunately, her junior brother was really reliable.
Before dawn, Wang Sheng strapped his full backpack onto his back and picked up the cloth-wrapped Abyss Listener. Accompanied by his senior sister, he headed for the mountain gate.
At the Huilong Temple, Wang Sheng turned to tell Mu Wanxuan to head back. She bit her lip and gestured for him to go.
Why does this remind me of a wife sending her husband off to war? No, wait, isn't this the kind of plot where the husband never returns?
Wang Sheng gave her a carefree smile, waved, and then casually walked away.
Mu Wanxuan sighed lightly as she watched him disappear into the forest. She then headed back to their courtyard. Having lived together for years, her junior brother's sudden departure left an unmistakable emptiness in her heart.
1. A Chinese inch, traditionally one-tenth of a chi, about 3.33 cm (~1.31 inches) ☜