Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 27

The mountain gate above their heads didn’t seem far away, but it took a full two hours to reach it. When he arrived, Dong Zhi found that the scenery he had just vaguely seen under the steps had completely changed.

The original dense forest scenery was now a Taoist temple that was standing majestically in front of him. Coiled dragon stone pillars stood at the center of the square as Taoist flags fluttered in the wind. Figures that wore Taoist robes and had their hair tied in a bun were seen walking through corridors. All this made him feel as if he had stepped into another world.

“This is the Hezao sect?” Dong Zhi asked curiously, “Can ordinary tourists come in?”

He Yu said, “Although it is part of the mountains, there are barriers in place. Ordinary people wouldn’t even find the entrance, let alone enter. Just like what’s written in the Tao Yuanming’s Chronicles*, there is no way to enter.”

*(桃花源记) Is a famous writer during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His collection of works is titled Land of Peach Blossoms, which expresses his ideals of pursuing a better life and his dissatisfaction with his real life at that time. It’s an allegory to chasing “paradise”.

Under the azure sky, the Taoist Temple became more solemn, and the tai chi floor tiles on the square seemed to be shining brightly. Dong Zhi gasped in astonishment as his eyes filled with admiration. “It’s worthy of its famous name. It’s so different from the tourist area!”

He Yu said, “You haven’t even seen the bigger sects yet. Rich sects like Mount Longhu and Maoshan are a hundred times more magnificent than this. Despite us having just as much prestige as the other two, the Hezao Sect bears its name in vain for they refuse to spend money on marketing, so it’s devastatingly poor… Ouch!”

The back of his head was smacked before he could finish his shit talk.

“Which bastard…” He Yu touched his head and turned it around, then immediately changed to a smiling face. “Shishu*, did you come out to let the wind out¹?”

*[Shishu] (师叔) It’s a combination of teacher + uncle. It’s a title for the junior brother of one’s master [shifu] (师父) that’s younger than him. I previously translated it as “martial uncle or uncle” but decided now to use the pinyin form. While Chinese has distinctions in these titles, I cannot think of an English equivalent and martial uncle just doesn’t sound quite right to me.

The old, white-bearded man made a gesture as if to beat him again. “What wind¹? I’m your shishu, not someone locked up in a mental hospital!”

¹Let loose (放风) Has many meanings. In this context, He Yu is asking if he’s out to “take in the fresh air” but it also has a double meaning of “letting prisoners go out to walk in the yard or use the toilet” which is why the old man responded like this.

He Yu hurriedly hid behind Dong Zhi and pushed him forward. “Shishu, look, look. This is the apprentice I brought back to you!”

The white-bearded old man looked at Dong Zhi, smiled kindly, and said, “Where did you find this kid?”

He Yu proudly said, “I picked him up on the road. As your nephew, I have a good eye. I chose one that has quite some talent for drawing talismans. He can almost instantly learn how to draw runes with just one lesson, which is more powerful than I was back then!”

Dong Zhi was busy acting modest. “It’s not that good. It’s only because I went to graphic design school that I have a little foundation!”

The old man smiled and said, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Have you brought back Cheng Hui’s remnant soul?”

He Yu: “I brought it back. We barely escaped death back then! Even my life was almost accounted for there.”

The old man said: “Your shifu* is waiting for you, so take Cheng Hui over quickly. It’s not good for him to delay too long.”

*[Shifu] (师父) Refers to the master/teacher. I’ll leave it in pinyin form as well to keep things consistent.

He Yu nodded and looked at Dong Zhi. “Then you can play with my shishu for a while. I’ll come back and find you later.” With that said, He Yu led Cheng Hui away.

Dong Zhi complained in his thoughts. ‘How can you dare say play with him when your shishu’s this old?’

The old man smiled and said, “Since it’s your first time here, I want to entertain you well. How about eating tea-smoked duck tonight? The cook is from Sichuan, so he combines Sichuan style cooking with the local tea-smoked duck. It’s a delicious delicacy that you can’t find anywhere else.”

Dong Zhi was flattered and hurriedly declined, not wanting to intrude too much.

The old man said, “It’s fine. Thanks to you, I can have such a good meal. Let’s go.”

He walked slowly in front with his hands behind his back, pointing to a stone or tree from time to time while saying a word or two about them to Dong Zhi.

The Hezao Sect flourished during the Northern Song Dynasty. It, along with Maoshan and Longhu, was designated as the three major sects of Buddhism by Emperor Song Huizong. During this time, it was prosperous. At the end of the Song Dynasty was the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, when the Hezao Sect fell into turmoil. Some Taoists of the Hezao Sect fled to participate in the rebellion. Encountered by military disaster, their Taoist temples were almost destroyed, and all three sects sharply declined. It was not until the Ming Dynasty that, with great efforts from the head of the 31^st generation, the Hezao Sect was revived and became prosperous again.  

In order to avoid repeating the same mistakes and being destroyed by war and fire, the Hezao Sect learned from Maoshan and Longhu, and hid their entrance in the back of the mountain behind a barrier, which has lasted to this day.

Dong Zhi listened with relish and asked once it ended, “So ordinary tourists can’t find the real path to Maoshan and Longhu Mountain?

The old man smiled and said, “Naturally, those scenic spots outside are for ordinary people to see. Although the Hezao Sect has also put up a similar trick and is on par with the history of Maoshan and Longhu sect, we are still just a small group and are not comparable to a large organization like them.”

Before Dong Zhi had time to ask more questions, he heard the old man say, “We’re here.”

They stopped at a lake that had a group of big white ducks that were happily flapping their wings in the water. The weeping branches hung down low by the shore, and the lotus were blossoming, beginning to populate the lake. Such a sight was truly idyllic.

Old man: “Okay, catch it.”

Dong Zhi: ???

Seeing his face blank, the old man said, “Don’t you want to eat tea-smoked duck? You have to catch the duck yourself.”

Dong Zhi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Can I really catch ducks this casually?”

Old man: “Of course, this is what we raise for the kitchen. They say that I have high blood pressure, so they rarely let me eat them, so it’s hard to wait until guests come that I can finally have a meal today!”

Dong Zhi discovered that what He Yu said wasn’t disrespectful to his elders at all!

He really meant it by telling him to go play!

Dong Zhi felt like he’d been tricked into boarding a pirate ship, but under the kind gaze of the old man, he had to accept his fate, so he pulled up his trousers and walked towards the group of ducks.

At the same time, in the airtight room with all the windows closed, Cheng Hui tilted to the side and fell to the ground. The head of the Hezao Sect, Headmaster Xin, was sweating profusely, and his face was ghastly pale. He said to He Yu, “It won’t be too bad of an issue when he wakes up.”

He Yu hurriedly handed in the towel. “Shifu has worked hard!”

Headmaster Xin wiped a handful of sweat on it, shook his head and said, “Although Cheng Hui is good at divination, he doesn’t know any kung fu skills. How could he walk into a trap so easily?”

He Yu said, “At first, I just wanted him to help track down the people behind the Sneaky Yaksha, but I didn’t expect that it would draw out an Archfiend*.”

*Clarity: the term (人魔) is used to describe what Xu Wan is. I previously translated it as “demon” but it’s not necessarily correct. It’s more like a cross between a human who’s “fallen” to become a demon. I can’t really think of an appropriate name, but just think along the lines of fiend, devil, demon, ghoul, fallen ect. I have decided to use Archfiend because it’s a high-tier demon that can control other demons.

Headmaster Xin’s expression froze. “Archfiend? Are you sure it’s an Archfiend?”

He Yu nodded. “Also, the boss found fragments on stone walls in the desert area of northwestern Inner Mongolia. The runes are similar to those on the stone tablet we found on Changbai Mountain. I would like to ask you to take a look.”

He pulled up an album on his phone and zoomed in on the photo. Headmaster Xin’s brows furrowed tightly.

“Do you know how many ups and downs the Hezao Sect has encountered?”

He Yu was puzzled by the seemingly irrelevant* question. “I know, as you taught me, the rise and fall of Taoism is closely related to the rise and fall of a dynasty. In troubled times, Taoism’s ancient records are lost and scattered to all reaches of the world, and some couldn’t be restored.”

*The wind, horse, and cattle are not in harmony (风马牛不相及) Idiom that refers to incompatibility. || In this context, He Yu was confused by Headmaster Xin’s question that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the cryptic runes.

Headmaster Xin said, “When I was a child, I once heard your shizu* say that there was a Book of Scriptures from a sect in the Central Plains that was destroyed by fire at the end of the Qing Dynasty. He once flipped through it and vaguely remembered some of the talismans and demonstrated them to me, but because it was all from memory, what he repeated was incomplete. I didn’t teach it to you, but I remember that one of the talismans is at least seven or eight strokes similar to the rune in the middle of the photo.”

*(师祖) Title of your master’s master.

He picked up the incense burner, poured some ash on the ground, and drew the talisman according to his memory. He Yu gave a chuckle and compared it to the photos. Although it wasn’t exactly the same, it was very similar.

“Do you know what this talisman does?”

“Suppresses demons.”

Headmaster Xin patted the ashes on his hands and said, “I heard your shizu say that the Book of Scriptures was written many years before the founding of the Hezao Sect, so it should at least be before the Tang Dynasty. Based on the photos you provided, combined with this remnant rune, I speculate that the rune engraved on the stone tablet should be a rune representing a different direction or function of a talisman array.”

He Yu took a deep breath. “Then this talisman array is really big! One is on Changbai Mountain. The other is in the desert of Inner Mongolia. So, are there other stone tablets?”

Headmaster Xin said, “I have to tell Long Shen about this in person. Give me his contact information.”

He Yu let out a cry, turned on his phone, tapped it a few times, and handed it over. When Headmaster Xin looked at it, he was so angry that he raised his hand to smack the back of He Yu’s head.

“Who would scan the QR code at this time to add friends?! Hurry up and call him!”

He Yu was aggrieved and said, “How would I know that you wanted to speak to him? I thought you liked communicating like this!”

He dialed Long Shen’s number, but no one picked up the first time. He tried again, and it took a long time before someone picked up.

“What’s the matter?” Long Shen’s voice sounded.

Headmaster Xin took the call and pressed it on speaker. “Boss Long, it’s me, Xin Huaiyuan.”

Long Shen had met Headmaster Xin before, so he naturally recognized his voice. “Headmaster Xin?”

Headmaster Xin didn’t bother with greetings and went straight to the point and explained his speculation just now, then asked, “Are you sure that the Archfiend you ran into is indeed an Archfiend?”

Long Shen said, “A few years ago, when He Yu and Tang Jing went on a mission to the Yunnan border, they ran into a drug lord who could manipulate a Sneaky Yaksha. After they eliminated him, they thought the matter was over. Who knew that three years ago, Tang Jing and I went to Russia and encountered a similar incident. With Xu Wan, this would be the third time. Sneaky Yaksha are monsters* that condense by refining the blood and soul of resentment. Under normal circumstances, it’s impossible for them to appear on a large scale in batches, let alone have any sense of autonomy, so it must be that they are deliberately being manipulated by someone.”

*Clarity: I have previously called these “demons” and technically they are as (魔物) is used to describe them, but they are like very lower-level demons than what Xu Wan is as she can control them. In order to not get things confused and establish a “power ranking” I’ll now change to calling them monsters instead.

Humans have seven emotions and six desires* that they build resentment if they either beg for or abandon them. In a city with men and women feasting and drinking, endless resentment condensed in the sky above them. Some grievances are harmless and would dissipate on their own over time, while others were deep obsessions that could last forever. People with motives could use these grievances and condense them to blend with souls of those who died in vain and turn them into monsters.

*The seven emotions generally refer to: joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, evil, and desire. The six desires (according to Buddhism) are: lust, appearance, posture, speech, voice, smoothness, and human desires.

This is not something that any ordinary practitioner can do. It can only be done by a powerful demon.

Headmaster Xin said solemnly, “Take resentment and hatred as the soul. Take hostility as the God. Take evil as the bone, flesh, and blood, and together they form the Archfiend.”

Long Shen: “Indeed, according to ancient records, among the great demons, Heavenly Demons, Earth Demons, and Archfiends are considered the worst. Heavenly Demons call the wind and rain, Earth Demons destroy the mountains and rivers, and Archfiends walk with tens of thousands of demons. Although its human body is dead, it can be reborn again by changing their sacs, just like the evil spirit in Liaozhai’s “Painted Skin“*. Although it’s not the most powerful of the three, it’s the most difficult. The cycle of life and death is endless, so it’s hard to completely eliminate them.”

*Is a work by Pu Songling and one of his most famous from his “Strange Tales from a Liaozhai“, which is a famous work in Chinese ghost stories. See Kinky Thoughts for lore. The TLDR is that a man picks up a demon who wears human skin that it “paints” to make it look like any human.

Headmaster Xin’s expression was solemn. “If that stone tablet is really part of a talisman array, then the dragon corpse was most likely guarding it. I suspect that the Archfiend’s aim in resurrecting the dragon corpse was to use you to destroy the stone tablet, thereby destroying the talisman array.”

Long Shen said, “We think so as well. Coupled with the valuable clues provided by you, it is assumed that this is not far from the truth*.”

*Eight to nine is not far from ten (八九不离十) Idiom that means very close to the actual situation.

Headmaster Xin said, “I don’t know what kind of monster is in this talisman array. If it is a Heavenly Demon or an Earth Demon, it will be very troublesome. You’d better make haste before the Archfiend and send people to find the rest of the stone tablets and guard them.”

Long Shen: “Our bureau is having a meeting now. If there is further news, He Yu will let you know. One more thing. I hope that you can join the delegation and participate in the World Exchange Conference next year.”

Headmaster Xin smiled. “Thank you for your invitation. I will consider it carefully. If there is any need, you can directly tell He Yu. He has the right to call on the resources of the Hezao Sect.”

Seeing that Headmaster Xin hung up, He Yu asked, “Shifu, are you really going to participate next year?”

Headmaster Xin glared at him. “Is it really time to care about this? Cheng Hui is fine, so you should go back quickly and see what you can do to help!”

He Yu wailed, “Shifu, I am your apprentice, and I was not raised by a stepmother*! My injuries have not fully healed yet. Even so, I worked hard to rush back to that old man and wish shishu a happy birthday. How can you treat me like?!”

*(后娘养的) Proverb referring to a child who is not love by anyone.

Headmaster Xin suddenly sighed and patted him on the shoulder. “We have no one like you in the Hezao Sect, and we’re not as deep-rooted as the Longhu Sect. It is indeed hard for you to walk by yourself in the Special Administration Bureau.”

He Yu’s howling stopped abruptly as he became stunned and said cautiously, “Shifu, are you—are you okay?”

His shifu was suddenly so gentle to him. Could this be a pit that was waiting for him to jump into?

Headmaster Xin kicked him angrily. “You ingrate. You don’t appreciate it when I use nice words, so you prefer I beat you then, ah? Then let me grant your wish!”

He Yu hugged his head as he ran away.

—

Dong Zhi held a big white duck as he followed the old man to the kitchen and heard him say to the staff, “I don’t want to eat tea-smoked duck tonight. This is for the guest who specifically requested this dish.” Dong Zhi was speechless.

He handed over the duck and followed the old man while saying disgruntledly, “Is it okay to use me as a shield?”

“Why not?” The old man walked with his hand behind his back, looking like a duck. He continued slowly, “My birthday is coming up soon, so I just want to eat something I like. It’s not against the law. It’s just I can’t eat it too much at my age!”

Seeing that his beard and hair were all white and his complexion was ruddy, Dong Zhi laughed. “I think you can definitely live longer than me!”

The old man smiled. “He Yu didn’t tell you? I’m almost 100 this year!”

Dong Zhi thought he had heard it wrong. “You look like you are fifty or sixty!”

The old man said kindly, “I am much older than He Yu’s shifu, but I just started late, so I’m behind.”

Dong Zhi didn’t know the old man’s name, so he followed He Yu’s lead and called him shishu. The old man didn’t seem to mind, as if he had completely forgotten about what He Yu said earlier regarding accepting him as an apprentice.

He led Dong Zhi around the Taoist temples, and finally they reached a room. From the statue and plaques inside, Dong Zhi faintly recognizes that this temple was dedicated to the ancestors of the Sanqing* and the Hezao Sect.

*Reminder: They are the highest gods of Taoism: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tiazun, and Daode Tiazun.

The old man pointed to the pillow on the ground and said, “Go on. Go up and worship. I’ll say something and you repeat it after me.”

Dong Zhi knelt down and bowed three times. Then he heard the old man say, “The patriarch of the Sanqing. Ancestral spirit. This person is not a disciple of my Hezao Sect, but because of his integrity and his kindness to our disciples He Yu and Cheng Hui, I will teach him the Five Thunder Talisman today.”

Dong Zhi: ???

The old man put the incense in his hand and said to Dong Zhi, “Repeat after me. The ancestors of the Sanqing were at the top and our ancestors acquire the Five Thunder Talisman from them. This is our secret technique of the Hezao Sect. We vow to stick to our hearts and follow the righteous path. Never slander Taoism, vent scriptures lightly, and bully the poor or seize property. Never be violent or arrogant or aimless.”

Seeing that there was no sound coming from Dong Zhi, the old man urged, “Start repeating!”

Dong Zhi gave a perplexed look and hurriedly repeated what the old man had said.

The old man inserted the incense into the incense burner, and then bowed his hand for a long time. Only then did he say, with satisfaction, “Okay, get up.”

Dong Zhi was confused. “What are you doing?”

The old man said, “He Yu brought you here so I could take you on as my apprentice, but I am too old to have one. However, you have a clear mind and are likely to work with He Yu in the future, so I’ll teach you our secret technique. I heard that you learned the art of the Sunlight Talisman from He Yu, so your foundation is barely just enough. Come with me.”

When he heard that the old man would not accept him as an apprentice, he felt a trace of disappointment, but also breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t dissatisfied with this shishu or the Hezao Sect, but He Yu’s remark about Long Shen accepting disciples still lingered in his mind, causing him to hang on to unrealistic expectations.

The old man turned his head and saw that he was standing there stupidly and didn’t move. “Not happy with the Five Thunder Talisman? Let me tell you! This isn’t something that can be learned by disciples unless they have been here for at least five years!”

Dong Zhi was dumbfounded and felt touched. “Is it okay for you to teach such an important secret to an outsider?”

The old man smiled and said, “It’s fine. Do you think that I would teach this to anyone so casually? I watched over He Yu since he was a child. He’s casual when it comes to small things, but unambiguous to serious things. You were brought in by him and passed the mental test. Just now, you were fooling around with me for a long time trying to catch ducks, yet you show no impatience. This is a sign that you’re a good child, so what’s wrong with me teaching you something?”

Dong Zhi: “But…”

Old man: “Okay, okay. Don’t be reluctant. The meaning of talismans is for people to learn them. If you hide it and dare not teach anyone, what’s the difference between a sect that prides itself on its righteousness and a hypocritical villain?”

The fate between people was wonderful. Although the two had just met not long ago, there was an instant connection between them. Just as Dong Zhi liked this lively and lovable old man, he too felt a similar feeling for Dong Zhi. Hearing his words, Dong Zhi no longer struggled. He got up and kowtowed three times.

“Thank you, shishu, for teaching me. I will study hard and use what I have learned to follow the righteous path. I will never commit any crimes!”

The old man was pleased with his show of courtesy and cleverness. He smiled. “That’s right. Don’t be hypocritical. Alright, I’ll take you somewhere to teach you.”

“Right here.” The old man led him to the yard, pointed to the stone table under the tree, and said, “This place is suitable for you to learn. Go and sit.”

Dong Zhi said curiously, “Is there enough spiritual energy here?”

The old man took out his phone from the inner pocket of his robe and said, “No, but it’s convenient for dinner. Wait a moment. I’ll text the group and ask them to deliver it here when it’s done.”

Dong Zhi: …

He finally knew where He Yu’s unreliability came from.

After sending his message on WeChat, the old man waved to Dong Zhi with satisfaction and began to teach him the art of breathing and nourishing qi.

When He Yu taught him to draw talisman before, he once said that there was no internal kung fu in Dong Zhi. Even if the talisman matched, they would only have the appearance but not the blessing. On the rooftop of Tianyuan Building, the talismans he used for the bagua array were drawn by He Yu in advance. Otherwise, the talisman he created would only deter a Sneaky Yaksha. It would be delusional if he thought it could subdue an Archfiend.

Only by practicing the kung fu tona* can you truly get started in drawing talismans.

*Breathing (吐纳) Technique for qi-refining in qigong. It includes external and internal breathing. In Taoism, the breathing method is used for chanting sutras, mantras, and summoning gods. || I’ll be using it pinyin form as this is not just “regular” breathing but a specific kind.

The old man said, “This set of kung fu is not a secret. All sects know it. Have you heard of Wudang Mountain? There are tai chi training classes on it every year. You can learn this breathing method for a few thousand yuan. All the internal kung fu are basically the same. The key is to persevere for many years. Half an hour in the morning and half an hour before going to bed.”

He recited a mantra while using kung fu tona so Dong Zhi could memorize it, then demonstrated it himself and let Dong Zhi follow. Dong Zhi didn’t know how lucky he was as the old man didn’t accept disciples and the disciples of the Hezao Sect rarely got his personal guidance.

The old man said, “You have to learn to meditate. When you close your eyes, imagine that there’s a sun above your head and you’re absorbing its essence. When you breath out, imagine that you’re expelling the turbid qi from your body.”

The allusion was so vivid that Dong Zhi immediately had an intuitive impression. He nodded. It wasn’t difficult. When he was a child, he studied tai chi with his grandfather, who taught him the basic skills of breathing and practicing qi. However, he didn’t stick to it, since, like all children, he was more interested in playing. Doing this exercise now evoked those memories of the past.

When the old man saw that he had done it correctly, he started teaching him the Five Thunder Talisman technique.

Dong Zhi felt that this shishu was too impatient, not at all like the leisurely old man when they first met, but the old man seemed to insist on finishing his lesson before dinner. He said, “The Five Thunder Talisman technique is something many sects, including the Maoshan and Longhu Sects, have. It is popularly called the Law of Five Thunders because heavenly thunder can exorcize evil spirits and demons since, in order to transform into humans, spirits and monsters must cross a thunder tribulation. Kan Chaosheng is an example that you probably met in their bureau… Forget it, forget it. In other words, the Five Thunder Talisman is the induction between itself and the heavens attracting thunder and lightning to descend. Do you understand?”

Dong Zhi nodded and asked, “Then if the user is injured, or is not proficient in learning, and cannot completely control the talisman, will it lead to a backlash?”

Seeing that Dong Zhi could draw inferences from his words, the old man was quite happy. “Of course. Such a situation is applicable to everything in the world, and the same is true of the Five Thunder Talisman. However, as long as your mind is firm and there’s no mistake on the talisman, then generally speaking, there will only be a difference in power. For example, novices cannot attract thunder. Among the disciples of this sect, only He Yu is able to do it, and it’s only once a month.”

Kinky Thoughts:

I’ve been wishy-washy with what I translate and what I leave in pinyin. Originally, I planned to translate everything, but some terms just don’t have a suitable English equivalent, so they are left in pinyin.

Also, my research is very basic as I’m not an expert in Taoism or any of these mythological stuff. If you are more proficient in this area, do let me know so I can add to my notes.

—

Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio – Painted Skin by Pu Songling

An academician from Taiyuan, referred to only by his surname, Wang, chances upon a homeless girl who claims to be an ill-treated concubine. Noting her beauty as well as feeling pity for her, Wang agrees to let her stay at his residence temporarily. They make love in his study, unbeknownst to anybody else. A few days afterward, Wang’s spouse, Chen, discovers their affair and is unhappy with the arrangement; but she fails to change her husband’s mind.

At the marketplace, a Taoist priest informs Wang that he has been possessed by an evil spirit. The incredulous Wang dismisses this. Returning home, he finds the gates locked but manages to find a way into the courtyard, where he finds that the front door is bolted too. Peeking through the window, Wang makes a startling discovery: the girl is actually a “green-faced monster, a ghoul with great jagged teeth like a saw.” All this while, she had been wearing a mask made of human skin, on which her attractive features were painted.

Shocked, Wang returns to the Taoist priest and begs him to help. The priest agrees but ambivalently wishes to be lenient with a fellow sentient being, and thus offers Wang only a charm meant to ward off demons. Wang returns home and hangs the charm outside his bedroom; but it has no effect on the demon. Instead, she turns enraged and rips out Wang’s heart. Wang’s spouse reports this to the priest who, incited to fury, launches a full-scale offensive against the demon. The priest and Chen find that the demon has transformed itself into an elderly helper working at Wang’s brother’s place. In the climax, the demon reverts to its original form, and the priest beheads it with his wooden sword. The demon’s remains dissolve into smoke which the priest stores in his calabash. He also rolls up the demon’s “painted skin” and stores it away.

Later, the priest tells Chen to visit a lunatic beggar at the marketplace if she wishes to revive her husband. The madman treats her with disrespect by continuously demeaning her, but she takes this in stride and patiently pleads with him for help. Finally, he coughs forth some phlegm and makes her swallow it. The beggar departs, and Chen is left feeling deeply ashamed. Back home, during funeral preparations, the phlegm gradually hardens and rises from Chen’s stomach to her throat. Ultimately, she disgorges a throbbing heart, which she places into the gaping wound in Wang’s chest; slowly, his life is restored.

<<< || Table of Contents || Lore Glossary || >>>

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 26

Both of them ignored him. Tang Jing said sarcastically, “Oh, so handsome, yet why still a single dog?”

He Yu said angrily, “How can you talk about me when you’re a single dog yourself?!”

“Excuse me, I’m not human*. I have no need to use a limited life for courtship like you, thanks!”

*Clarity: The reason why Xu Wan didn’t want to possess Tang Jing. What Tang Jing really is though won’t be revealed until much later.

He Yu pointed angrily at Dong Zhi. “Then he’s also a single dog too! Why don’t you say anything about him?!”

Dong Zhi shot him a look of innocence, indicating that he was tired.

Tang Jing said, “He is much more handsome than you, so I’ll introduce him to a girlfriend tomorrow. There are so many beautiful women in the East China Branch who would rush at this opportunity when they see him.”

“He won’t go to the East China Branch. Our General Administration Bureau has reserved a spot for him! I also want my uncle to accept him as an apprentice. He is a preparatory disciple of our Hezao Sect!”

Tang Jing sneered, “I have only heard of outer and inner disciples, and I have never heard of preparatory disciples. What’s so good about the Hezao Sect? It’s better to worship me as a teacher. I can teach him better than you!”

He looked at Dong Zhi and smiled sweetly. “How about it? Do you want to worship me as a teacher? As you saw just now, even the Hezao Sect has to rely on me to save the day!”

If He Yu hadn’t been lying on the ground, completely drained, he would have jumped to his feet by now. “Don’t!”

Under the gaze of the two of them, Dong Zhi felt immense pressure. “I have already promised He Yu…”

He Yu laughed but was choked by his cough.

“Cough, cough… let me just say that our Xiao Dong Zhi is not such a wishy-washy person!”

Dong Zhi knew that Tang Jing didn’t mean it when he said he’d accept him as a disciple and only said it due to his argument with He Yu. Taking advantage of the truce between the two, he hurriedly said, “Zhang Chong has fainted!”

Tang Jing walked over to check on him and said, in disgust, “He’s fine. Maybe a concussion. This Mount Longhu generation isn’t as good as the previous. Is this the kind of talent they have now? Don’t bother mentioning upper demons; he couldn’t even take on a Sneaky Yaksha!”

He Yu coughed. “He was kicked out of the mountain because he wasn’t proficient enough and had too high ambitions. I have met the leader of Mount Longhu. His name is Zhang Heng, and his patient is as good as mine.”

He took out a black porcelain vase from his body, opened the stopper, and sat up cross-legged while positioning both hands in preparation to chant a mantra.

“Cheng Hui, a disciple of Mount Hezao, return to his soul quickly!”

“Cheng Hui, a disciple of Mount Hezao, return to his soul quickly!”

When he chanted it for the fifth time, Dong Zhi saw a translucent figure floating over in a trance, and it quickly disappeared into the bottle. He Yu quickly took out a talisman, attached it to the bottle, and wrapped it up.

“I want to take Xiao Dong Zhi back to the school and then let master and the others return Cheng Hui’s soul.” He Yu said.

Tang Jing was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “What about finishing up the work here?”

He Yu: “Ah, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest! Ah, I’m fainting!”

After speaking, he really closed his eyes and fell to the ground.

Tang Jing, Dong Zhi: …

Dong Zhi stepped forward to check. He raised his eyelids and shook him a couple times, then said to Tang Jing: “…It seems like he really fainted.”

The corner of Tang Jing’s mouth twitched, and he suddenly came over. He tore the hems of He Yu’s jacket open and pressed his hand on the torn holes.

Dong Zhi said in horror, “What are you doing?!”

Tang Jing messed with He Yu’s making him look like an exhibitionist that’s stripping off his clothes, then raised his phone high, leaned in, used his right hand to pinch his chin, raised his head forty-five degrees and made a pouty expression before taking a shot.

Dong Zhi: …You really are too much.

Tang Jing took several photos in a row before stopping contentedly. “Getting some proof, lest he say he doesn’t remember owing me a favor.”

Seeing Dong Zhi’s speechless face, he touched his head and said, “Don’t pick up bad habits from him. If the Hezao Sect refuses to accept you, you can come find me in Shanghai!”

Though Tang Jing said he was a man, from the way he dressed to his voice, one could not tell. Dong Zhi was embarrassed when his head was patted but was too shy to avoid it.

“Thank you, Tang Ge.”

He Yu rolled his eyes quietly while lying next to him.

How old is this ancient monster? Pretending to be warm and tender, barf!

Dong Zhi didn’t want to recall how they finally moved He Yu and Zhang Chong to the hospital. Because of all the commotion from the battle, they were discovered by security guards who almost called the police. Thankfully, Tang Jing used an illusion spell to confuse them, and the group was able to leave without any issues.

Though He Yu seems to have the strength to bicker with Tang Jing, in all seriousness, his injuries were much more severe than Zhang Chong’s, who was covered in blood. He had multiple visceral injuries and soft tissue contusions on his body that almost made the doctor transfer him to the intensive care unit.

Dong Zhi fared better. Besides the multiple abrasions, there were no other major problems.

The battle on top of Tianyun Building raised too much clamor. At the beginning, He Yu was able to isolate the noise due to an enchantment, but it later couldn’t hide the lightning and thunder and whirlpool in the sky that it was hard not to attract the attention of ordinary people. In addition, the roof of Tianyuan Building collapsed, and some floors and walls were damaged. Though it wasn’t substantial damage and could be attributed to a natural disaster, the activity was so great that within a few days, gossip was everywhere about how Tianyuan Building was haunted by demons and ghosts.

There was only Lin Jun left in the Guangzhou office, who proved to be quite useless. Tang Jing had to run around like a headless chicken, dealing with all types of affairs. Not only did he have to report to the boss, but he also had to communicate with his several departments to eliminate the adverse effects of their battle. He was so busy that he filed a solemn protest with the General Administration Bureau in anger, saying that if they didn’t send more people to the station in Guangzhou, he would resolutely not clean up any mess in the future.

Much later in time, when Dong Zhi had become an important member of the Special Administration Bureau and passed through Guangzhou on a business trip, he discovered that Tang Jing’s protest was not entirely ineffective. The office there had been upgraded to a branch under the jurisdiction of the East China Branch, and the personnel had also undergone earth-shattering changes.

These, though, are afterthoughts for a future time.

Ten days later, He Yu’s injuries were slightly better, so he took the Dong Zhi and Cheng Hui on a journey to Mount Hezao. Though his injuries were not fully healed, He Yu didn’t want to drag things out further since Chen Hui urgently needed to be reunited with his remnant soul. The longer it takes, the weaker the yang of the soul and the more unfavorable it will be for Cheng Hui.

When they arrived at the foot of Mount Hezao, He Yu’s phone rang. Dong Zhi caught from a glance that his originally careless posture had suddenly straightened unconsciously.

He Yu said, “The boss wants to make a video call with us? Wait!”

He quickly messed up his hair, unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt, and slapped himself a few times.

Dong Zhi: ???!!!

He Yu came over to pull on Dong Zhi’s clothes. Dong Zhi quickly stretched out his hand to block his attack.

“What are you doing?!”

He Yu said seriously, “Sell misery! If we don’t make ourselves look worse, how can we make the boss sympathize with us, so he’ll give us more bonuses!”

Dong Zhi looked incredulous and refused. “I don’t want to!”

He was eager to make a good impression on the other party, so he wouldn’t get stuck during the interview exam. How could he self-depreciate himself now!

He Yu aggrievedly said, “Why, don’t you love me anymore?”

Dong Zhi pushed him away with a cold face. “I have never loved you, thanks.”

He pressed the answer button on the video call smoothly. Long Shen’s frowning face appeared on the screen.

“Why did it take so long to pick it up?”

“I didn’t hear it just now!” He Yu changed his face in a flash, now all flattering and smiling. “If you need something, please tell me!”

Such a kiss ass*! Covering his face, Dong Zhi was too embarrassed that he couldn’t bear witness to this.

*Too dog-legged (好狗腿) Dog-legs is a metaphor for to flatter/flattery.

Long Shen: “Where are you now? Is it convenient for you to speak?”

He Yu: “It’s most convenient. I took Xiao Dong Zhi back to my school. We have just passed the Hezao barrier, but I haven’t reached the mountain gate yet. There are only insects around within a ten-mile radius.”

He also deliberately pointed the phone screen at the scenery behind him and scanned it around to show that he wasn’t lying.

Even if it wasn’t peak tourist season now, there would still be some tourists around Hezao Mountain. However, after they got off the bus at the foot of the mountain, He Yu, being familiar with the area, led Dong Zhi and Cheng Hui on an off-the-beaten path. After passing through a forest on the side of the road, the rugged path disappeared, replaced by a neatly paved granite road.

As they walked up, the towering mountain gate looked as if it was floating on a cloud. The mountains in the area were covered by clouds and it was misty and smokey. The scenery was completely different from the lively tourist spots that are crowded with people. Here, only the sounds of birds chirping, and insects buzzing could be heard; a perfect spot for cultivation.

“Is everything in Guangzhou taken care of?” Long Shen asked.

“Yes!” He Yu answered confidently, feeling no guilt as he shamelessly passed the buck to Tang Jing. “Boss, where are you now? Why does it look as if there’s sand behind you?”

Long Shen: “Ejin Banner.”

He Yu looked dumbfounded. “Where is that?”

Long Shen said succinctly, “The desert to the west of Inner Mongolia. If you are okay after, go back as soon as possible.”

He Yu: “What’s wrong?”

Long Shen: “The matter of the boundary marker has become clear.”

He Yu was surprised. “So fast? Is it really related to the bone dragon?”

Long Shen said, “It has nothing to do with the bone dragons, stone tablets, or demons. Didn’t Tang Jing tell you?”

He Yu said, “Tang Jing only said that Xu Wan is a demon, but he didn’t say much else.”

The matter is of great importance, so it was rare that Long Shen spoke so much. “This is the former site of Yanjun Division in Heishui Town during the Western Xia Dynasty. Chaosheng and I found some stone wall symbols similar to the talisman on the boundary marker, but they are slightly different and mixed with Western Xia texts. You need to go back and find an expert to decipher them. Chaosheng will send you the photos later. Show them to your elders.”

After he finished speaking, he turned the camera around. Dong Zhi leaned over to look and saw that at the end of the other screen was Long Shen in a cave.

On the stone wall behind him were dense engravings of symbols and text, most of which had been erased by the years. Some of the remaining symbols were indeed similar to the ones seen on the stone tablet they found on Changbai Mountain.

Long Shen’s voice came through. “Did you see it?”

He Yu hurriedly said, “Yes!”

Long Shen: “These symbols are too scattered, so Chaosheng can’t capture them all in one picture. I’ll pick some out and send them to you later.”

After he said that, he suddenly asked, “Is Dong Zhi there?”

Dong Zhi didn’t think Long Shen would mention him, so he was caught off-guard. He hurriedly said, “I’m here!”

Long Shen nodded to him, his cold expression softening slightly. “I heard from Tang Jing. You did well this time.”

Dong Zhi didn’t expect Tang Jing, who he had met only once, to put in a good word for you. He blushed and quickly replied, “Tang Ge is just flattering me. He did most of the work. I didn’t do much to help…”

Long Shen smiled slightly. It was only for a short moment, but it was captured by Dong Zhi. He suddenly realized that there are people in this world who can wipe away the dust from one’s heart with just a smile. The hardships he experienced and the anxiety and panic he felt when facing demons were all turned into shreds and were scattered away by the wind at this very moment.

He felt that his heart had been soothed and was rejuvenated. This is the pursuit of a top-tier dog.

“No, no! Tang Jing didn’t do all the work. Dong Zhi really helped a lot. Without him, we would probably be out of commission!”

He Yu didn’t know what humility meant since he was a child. He hurriedly pushed Dong Zhi away, beat a snake with the stick*, and put on his goofy smile. “Boss, that demon was really difficult to deal with. It almost wiped out our entire group had it not been for Dong Zhi’s great contribution. Let’s not talk about going through the back door, but shouldn’t we give out some bonuses or something? Look, look! This is the doctor’s diagnosis I brought!”

*(打蛇随棍上) Refers to seeing an opportunity and taking advantage of it to strive for greater benefits.

Dong Zhi wanted to refuse, but suddenly saw He Yu reach into his Rilakkuma backpack and pull out medical and reimbursement forms. Seeing such a scene made the corner of Dong Zhi’s eye twitch. Being sharp-eyed, he saw that the forms not only included He Yu’s but also his and Zhang Chong’s, which were sandwiched in the middle, making the stack of forms look thicker.

Long Shen’s face had an expression that was saying: ‘Please start your performance.’

He Yu said, “Boss, the paw that was slapped by the bone dragon in Changbai Mountain is still hurting from time to time, yet I still ran all the way to Guangzhou to catch demons. You know, people often secretly say bad things about you, like how cold-hearted you are, but I try my best to clear up your image every time. Do you have the heart to hurt such a young and helpless person like me…”

Long Shen: “Are you finished?” The blue veins on his forehead twitched slightly, indicating that the deputy director was about to reach his limit of patience.

He Yu immediately used his hand to zip up his mouth. “Done!”

Long Shen: “Combined with your performance for these two occasions, your merits and demerits are equal. Your next month’s salary will be paid as usual, and this year’s annual leave will also be granted as usual.”

He Yu: “Thank you, boss! Boss, you are really the best person in the world. Ah no, the best in the…”

Long Shen disconnected.

He Yu was elated for a while, then suddenly felt something was wrong. “Why do I feel as if my left hand is out, and my right hand is in*? Isn’t the salary and vacation originally mine in the first place?”

*This is referring to left in right out (左进右出). In Taoist culture, the left is referred to as the clean hand, while the right is the filthy hand. This extends to wearing jewelry, where wearing things on your left brings fortune and on your right brings misfortune. || He Yu flipped the saying so that it means instead of left hand in, it’s right hand in, signifying that he basically encountered misfortune (he got duped by Long Shen).

Dong Zhi: …Congratulations, young man. You are not entirely stupid yet.

“Can you give me Boss Long’s phone number?”

He Yu said with surprise, “What do you want it for?”

Dong Zhi said, “The last time we strayed into the enchantment at Liuhua Bridge, didn’t Boss Long save us? I want to thank him personally and invite him to dinner or something, otherwise it’ll be too shameful…”

He Yu suddenly said, “I see! Could it be that you…” He showed a knowing expression as a grin appeared on his face.

Dong Zhi: …

“You want to take the opportunity to get closer so you can go through the backdoor when we recruit in the future, right?”

Hearing his words, Dong Zhi was taken back.

Seeing Dong Zhi look at him with such a face full of weakness, he couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m just teasing. I know you’re not that kind of person. Lighten up!”

He wrote down the number and gave it to Dong Zhi. Dong Zhi asked: “Don’t you need to seek permission from Boss Long first?”

“It’s fine. I’ll send a message to the boss.”

He took Dong Zhi’s phone and sent a friend’s request to Long Shen. The note attached was: [Boss Long, this is Li Han’er.]

Dong Zhi was baffled. “??? Who’s Li Han’er?!”

“The daughter of Li Rui, a consultant in our bureau. She’s very beautiful. Li Rui was born on Mount Longhu, so it’s rumored that Li Han’er also studied on Mount Longhu since she was a child. Now in the East China branch, she’s pursued by a bunch of mad bees and butterflies*, but she only has eyes for our boss.”

*Refers to a large group of admirers. Often use derogatorily.

Knowing the other party was a typical straight guy, the girl He Yu was describing was probably a white, rich, and beautiful* person.

*The term is [bai fumei] (白富美) Buzzword referring to a woman with fair complexion, strong economic strength, with a beautiful appearance and has a good figure and temperament.

“Then does Boss Long like her as well?”

He Yu shrugged. “I don’t know, so I’m trying to find out. If he’s willing to add her as a friend, doesn’t that mean that fate has already been written*? I made a bet with Kan Chaosheng and whoever loses will have to treat the other to dinner for a month.”

*Refers to Bazi without a stroke/Fate has not been written yet (八字还没一撇) Metaphor referring to things that are not clear yet.  || In this context, He Yu is saying that fate has already been decided, meaning Long Shen and Li Han’er will get together, assuming that Long Shen adds her as a friend.

Black lines appeared on Dong Zhi as he silently thought, ‘You sure have a lot of courage to fool around with your immediate boss like this.’

After a while, the friend request was rejected. Reason for refusal: [He Yu’s annual leave is denied.]

Dong Zhi, He Yu: …

He Yu shouted crazily, “Impossible! He doesn’t have clairvoyance! How did he know it was me?!”

The corners of Dong Zhi’s mouth twitched. “Maybe it was Kan Chaosheng who sold you out.”

He Yu made a post at lightspeed in their internal social group chat that was a roaring expression of Ma Jingtao, then attached the text: [Kan Chaosheng!!!!!!!!!!]

The string of exclamation marks couldn’t reflect the amount of inner anger he had.

Kan Chaosheng quickly replied in the group: [?]

He Yu: [Private chat!]

Kan Chaosheng: [No way. If you dare say it, do it in front of everyone, or did you do something bad behind the boss’ back?]

He Yu: (indifferent face.jpg) [Oh, I won’t tell the boss about the bad things you did, like hiding in his office while he was away eating snacks.]

Kan Chaosheng: [Private chat!]

He Yu: [Hehe.]

In the next second, Kan Chaosheng sent He Yu a private chat with a red envelope. He Yu clicked on it and got 66 yuan. He reluctantly accepted it and asked in a private chat: [Did you tell the boss about the bet I made with you regarding Li Han’er?!]

Kan Chaosheng: […]

He Yu: [What does the ellipsis mean? Answer me quickly!]

Kan Chaosheng: [Last time when the boss passed by, he happened to see me texting you. I accidentally leaked it. You can’t blame me.]

He Yu: [I knew your mouth was bigger than a hippo!]

Just as He Yu gritted his teeth while bickering with Kan Chaosheng, Dong Zhi had sent out a friend request to Long Shen again. This time he wrote: [I’m sorry, Boss Long. This is Dong Zhi. What happened just now was a prank.]

After sending it, he began to wait anxiously for a reply. The fatigue he felt from climbing the mountain was completely transferred to his attention on his phone. Every so often, he would take out his phone and look at it.

He Yu was too busy arguing with Kan Chaosheng on WeChat that he didn’t pay any attention to Dong Zhi. After a while, with no reply from Long Shen, Dong Zhi started to let his imagination run wild.

The most normal situation should be that Long Shen was busy and had no time to look at his messages. It was also possible that he had already seen it and decided to ignore it while snorting inwardly thinking something like, ‘He Yu, you still want to cheat me?!’ or ‘This Dong Zhi is just an ordinary person, yet he dares want to get closer to…’ An image he conjured of Long Shen acting like a domineering president who was smiling at the phone as he said, “Little fairy, just because you want to be friends with this president…” He suddenly felt that the plot was heading in a bad direction.

No, no, Boss Long shouldn’t be like this! How terrible!

While lost in his thoughts, he looked down at his phone and saw a prompt on the screen.

[Long Shen has accepted your friend request.]

Dong Zhi: ?!

His heart was about to fly. He quickly clicked on it and confirmed that it was really the chat interface between friends.

What should my first message say? Hello is bland. Boss Long is so busy that he’ll probably won’t even reply. Should he just get straight to the point and say that he wanted to invite him out to dinner? No, no. That’s too straightforward, and what if he gets rejected?

Dong Zhi’s mood was like that of a fan who just finally added their male god’s WeChat but didn’t know how to start communicating with said male god. After much hesitation, he finally wrote: [Hello, Boss Long. Thank you very much for saving my life when I was in Yancheng. I wonder if I can invite you to dinner. It would be such an honor. (*^__^*)]

It should be fine to add an expression at the end, right?

Dong Zhi deleted some parts and reduced others, and finally sent the message out. After thinking about it, he added: [If you’re busy, no need to reply. I wish you good health and smooth work! O(∩_∩)O]

When he sent the second message out, he felt a bit of regret, thinking that Long Shen probably wouldn’t reply. Being able to be friends with his idol was already the highest pursuit any fan could hope for, so he really couldn’t expect more.

It seems that God had heard his tangled heart and was extremely impatient to grant him his wish. When he and He Yu arrived at their destination, Dong Zhi received a response.

[Ok]

It was a simple, single word, without punctuation, let alone any accompanying expression, but it was enough to make Dong Zhi fly from the bottom of the valley to the sky.

Oh my god, the male god replied to me!

He immediately replied: [Thank you, male God! I’ll treat you to dinner as soon as I return to Beijing!]

After sending it out, Dong Zhi realized that he originally wanted to type “Boss Long”, but his fingers were faster than his brain and instead he typed “male God”. He was instantly horrified.

Despite that, Long Shen no longer replied. He was most likely surveying stone monuments in the desert and was too busy with other important matters to care. It wasn’t easy to give him a response, so Dong Zhi put his phone away in content as he was filled with bliss.

After He Yu finished his argument with Kan Chaosheng, he turned his head and saw Dong Zhi walking briskly and in high spirits, so he said suspiciously, “Aren’t you tired?”

Dong Zhi turned his head and flashed him a wide grin. “When I think of working hard and striving to be your colleague, it fills my heart with motivation!”

He Yu: …

Kinky Thoughts:

I love the interaction between He Yu and Kan Chaosheng.

<<< || Table of Contents || Lore Glossary || >>>

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 25

After knocking on the door for a while, just as his anxiety was intensifying, he suddenly heard a lot of movement coming from the other end of the door, then the iron gate slowly opened. An unkempt young man, who looked as if he hadn’t completely woken up yet and smelled like instant noodles, stuck his head out.

Was this the wrong place?

Dong Zhi felt suspicious. He said, “Hello, He Yu asked me to come. Do you know him?”

“What happened?” The young man blinked and said slowly, “Senior Brother He from the General Administration Bureau?”

“Yes, that’s him. A demon has appeared in Tianyuan Building and he asked me to come to report and for help!” Dong Zhi said anxiously.

The young man looked horrified. “Demon? Is it the one Lin Jun said before?”

Dong Zhi nodded and said, “Yes. I’m the only person on He Yu’s side right now. I’m afraid I can’t handle it alone. Come with me quickly!”

The other party became excited as he rubbed his hands together and said, “Great. It’s finally my turn to do a big job. Wait a bit. I’ll go and get a few things!”

He became full of energy, turned around and disappeared behind the door. Dong Zhi followed him in. The inside was lit up with incandescent lamps that made the area extremely bright, revealing a few tables in the middle as the rest of the room was a mess. It felt as if he was standing in the middle of a garbage dump and couldn’t bear to look at it.

The young man rummaged through the boxes as if he didn’t know what he was trying to find and introduced himself, “My name is Zhang Chong. I was born at the foot of Mount Longhu. What is Taoist brother’s name?”

“Dong Zhi, as in the solar term for the Winter Solstice!” Seeing him slowly acting, Dong Zhi became angry and rushed him. “Brother, hurry up. He Yu is still waiting, and that demon is very difficult to deal with!”

“What’s the rush? It’s not like the sky is falling!” Zhang Chong grumbled.

Dong Zhi suddenly remembered what He Yu requested and asked, “Do you have a magic weapon made with five-baht coins?”

Zhang Chong said strangely, “Five-baht? No, I have a brass sword, which was given to me by the elders of my school. Did you want to broaden your horizon?”

Dong Zhi repeatedly confirmed, “You really don’t?”

Seeing as how his expression was too serious, Zhang Chong replied seriously, “I really don’t. Lin Jun and I are the only two people in this place, and he doesn’t use swords.”

Dong Zhi: “Haven’t it been used before? He Yu specifically asked me for this magic weapon!”

Zhang Chong smiled and gave him a look that said, ‘You look smart, but why do you act like a fool’. “The magic weapon is carried on you. Who would leave something like that to others and wait for them to bring it? Senior Brother He has never been here before so how would he know that there’s a five-baht sword here?”

That’s right. He Yu was an expert, so it was impossible for him to say such a stupid thing. He had asked him to set out on this trip all the way out here, knowing that it would take him at least three hours…

Dong Zhi came to this realization, and his heart thumped.

He did it on purpose!

“He’s in danger! Hurry up and come with me!” Regardless of his reasons*, Dong Zhi stepped forward and dragged Zhang Chong and ran out.

*Regardless of the 3-7-21 (不管三七二十一) Idiom meaning, regardless of everything/regardless of the reason.

Zhang Chong was still dawdling. “Wait! There’s also a copper bell. I’ll take it too!”

“It’s too late!” Dong Zhi roared. “He lied to me about there being a magic weapon here. He knew that the demon would be extremely dangerous and deliberately misled me, so I wouldn’t get hurt! That monster killed many people, and Lao He was just recently injured again. He won’t last long!”

Zhang Chong was stunned and finally let himself be dragged out without resistance. The driver had been waiting impatiently for a long time. He wanted to leave, but he felt it would be a waste if he left with an empty car for the trip back, and he couldn’t bear to lose the cost, so he struggled inwardly. When he saw Dong Zhi coming back out, he instantly cheered up. He heard the words “Tianyuan Building” and immediately stepped on the gas, and the car sped off.

I hope I can make it in time!

Don Zhi was anxious as he secretly prayed.

It was past midnight when the two arrived at the Tianyuan Building. Eager to help He Yu, he took out a few hundred-yuan bills and stuffed them into the driver’s hand. Without waiting for the other to give change, he quickly rushed to the top floor with Zhang Chong.

Tianyun Building has more than 90 floors and was counted as one of the two tallest buildings in the region. There was no elevator to the rooftop, so the two could only go up to the 98^th floor and then climb the stairs.

When they finally reached the door to the rooftop, Dong Zhi found that it can’t be open.

“There’s no lock, so why won’t it open?!”

“There should be a barrier set up. Look!” Zhang Chong said. He took out three sticks of incense from his backpack, lit them with a lighter, pinched them between his two fingers, and skillfully raised his hand to his forehead.

Dong Zhi looked at him nervously as his heart accelerated. He saw Zhang Chong close his eyes and spoke aloud. “Spirit of Sanqing*, the emperor of above, Mount Longhu disciple Zhang Chong invites the quartet…”

*Refers to Sanqing Hall where 3 solemn deities are enshrined. They are the highest gods of Taoism: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tiazun, and Daode Tiazun.

Before he could finish his chant, a gust of wind blew by, and the burnt parts of the incense all fell off. The smoke and smell dissipated, leaving Zhang Chong dumbfounded.

Dong Zhi: …

“What now?!” Dong Zhi asked frantically.

“I’ll try again!” Zhang Chong nervously answered.

Dong Zhi finally knew why He Yu looked down on the people in the Guangzhou office. Although Zhang Chong came from a famous family, he was most likely thrown out by his teacher because of his poor academic skills.

“Your brass sword… Tear open the barrier…”

The voice faintly echoed as another dreary wind blew by.

“Who!” Zhang Chong drew his sword and held it close to his chest, looking around vigilantly.

“I am… Cheng Hui…” His voice was soft and intermittent. It didn’t sound like he was deliberately trying to scare them, but he was weak.

Zhang Chong was at a loss as he didn’t know who Cheng Hui was, but Dong Zhi, on the other hand, was overjoyed. “Is it really you, Cheng Hui? Did He Yu recused you? Is he on the rooftop now? We have to save him!”

Cheng Hui: “Open the door…sword…and talisman…”

Dong Zhi asked anxiously, “Is the sword Zhang Chong’s sword? What talisman?!”

Cheng Hui: “Sunlight ta…”

Zhang Chong slapped his forehead abruptly and yelled, “I see! Use the bagua gang method* to match the wind, but the sunlight talisman belongs to the Hezao sect. I don’t know it!”

*Bagua is known as the 8 trigrams. Taoist spell that’s require when fasting, drawing talismans, practicing methods, and channeling spirits. See lore for more details.

Dong Zhi hurriedly said, “I do! I’ll cooperate with you. What should I do?”

Still holding the sword closely to his chest, Zhang Chong said, “Look at me and match my movements. It’s best if we do it together since I’m afraid my magic technique may not be powerful enough!”

Dong Zhi was full of confusion, but at this point he bit the bullet and nodded. “Got it!”

Zhang Chong muttered words in his mouth, and when he uttered “edict”, the brass sword in his hand pointed to the door as Dong Zhi held the sunlight talisman he had prepared and matched the magic formula handprint according to what He Yu had taught before.

“The heavens give birth to water, the earth gives birth to fire, the heavens give birth to wood, the earth gives birth to gold. The five central palaces, subdue malignity, overcome disasters, and eliminate all traces of evil!”

A flash of red light appeared on the sword before it flew out. Matching its movement, Dong Zhi also slammed the talisman on the door. With a bang, the door opened abruptly, and the wind swept in! The two of them subconsciously lowered their bodies and stuck to the wall tightly.

Light shined brightly on the rooftop, showing Xu Wan standing in the middle, like a highly anticipated centerpiece. He Yu was beaten severely as he fell to the ground in an embarrassing state.

“There are two more, but unfortunately you’re not what I want.” Xu Wan’s gaze turned to Dong Zhi and Zhang Chong as she said with a smile, then she turned her gaze back to He Yu.

“How wonderful.”

Listening to her gentle and soft tone, those who were ignorant would’ve thought she had some ambiguous intention with He Yu. Xu Wan was wearing a fiery red dress. Her waist-length hair danced wildly in the wind, and her movements were graceful. Except for her bloodshot eyes, she didn’t look like a demon who had killed countless.

“I fucking told you not to come and you still came!” He Yu panted and yelled at Dong Zhi. He was in a sorry state as his chest and arms were bleeding. He made a gesture with one hand behind his back.

Dong Zhi quietly held the talisman in his pocket.

Zhang Chong raised his sword and shouted, “Evil! I’ll capture you in this instance!” With that, he dashed towards her, but before he even touched the corner of Xu Wan’s clothes, the latter raised her hand and, with a wave, Zhang Chong’s entire body overturned and the brass sword in his hand fell to the ground.

Dong Zhi and He Yu: …

Zhang Chong, who prided himself, couldn’t believe that he was taken down by the enemy with a single move. He looked at his empty hands with a dull expression.

“Are all those old guys dead that they sent trash for me to deal with?!” Xu Wan snorted coldly, stretched out her five fingers, and the wind and mist all around her suddenly condensed in her palm. She instantly let go and it rushed towards Zhang Chong, who was still on the ground.

“Get out of the way!” He Yu yelled loudly.

Zhang Chong’s reaction was not slow, as he rolled to the side. In the next second, the violent wind carried the mist where he had initially fallen and left five deep marks on the cement floor, making it look as if it had been scratched by the claws of a beast.

Zhang Chong thought the demon was targeting him. He crawled towards the brass sword and picked it up. He started reciting the Five Thunder* Mantra, wanting to ask thunder from above to destroy this demon. Despite chanting for a long time, the color of the night sky did not change, and he didn’t know whether it was because he wasn’t proficient enough or if this evil was too powerful.

*(五雷轰) Idiom that describes how people will be punished by God in various forms after they have done bad things. In Taoism, it’s basically summoning the thunder/lightning of the heavens (keep this in mind for later).

He wanted to desperately prove that his school was wrong, and that he was indeed a man of great ambition and talent. When he was driven down the mountain, he vowed to make a career out of himself to impress the elders of the school. He was extremely dissatisfied with being placed in a casual position in Guangzhou, but the fact was that this position was extremely suitable for him. He was a disciple from a younger generation, from the same Taoist lineage, but was not comparable to even one of He Yu’s fingers.

Among all the people present, the only one who can contend with demons is He Yu, and said person was still injured. Xu Wan’s goal was always to stop He Yu from the very beginning.

Zhang Chong felt that his dignity had been insulted. He shouted loudly, used his hand to pinch a magic technique, and rushed towards Xu Wan, who was fighting He Yu. Suddenly, the sound of paper being torn was amplified, and the brass sword tore a break in the periphery of the violent wind!

Zhang Chong was overjoyed. He clenched his long sword, recited an exorcism mantra loudly, and raised his sword to stab Xu Wan in the back.

Meanwhile, Dong Zhi walked quietly around the rooftop, hiding in the shadows that weren’t illuminated by the light. With Xu Wan at the center, he was quietly setting up a bagua array. This was the formation method that assisted Long Shen in subduing the bone dragon on Changbai Mountain. After the fierce battle, He Yu had adjusted and taught him better, so his proficiency had increased.

One hand held a small compass to determine the direction, while the other hand held the talisman that set the heavens and earth. This time, the bagua array would be more effective than before. In the future, if he could excel, he would name this formation the Dong Zhi Yin-Yang Bagua Array. Or was it better to say Dong Zhi’s Invincible Bagua Array?

At this moment, He Yu spat out a mouthful of blood and sprayed it on a talisman, causing the clouds to move from all directions towards Tianyuan Building. Muffled thunder could be heard from afar. Dong Zhi was startled by the sound and hurriedly pulled his distracted mind back as he continued to lay a talisman in the direction pointed by the magnetic needle on the compass, then rushed to the next location.

Facing the thunder overhead, Xu Wan turned a blind eye and sneered, “It’s not even the five thunders from the heavens. What can you do with so little dry thunder?! It seems that this little brother is really out of strength, so it’s best to just give me your body and obey me obediently!”

With a wave from her right hand, Zhang Chong, who was about to get close behind her, was thrown away again, his head directly hitting the wall. He collapsed onto the ground, blood covering his entire face, his fate unknown.

“While this body isn’t difficult to use, I still prefer a practitioner with plenty of blood like you!”

Xu Wan smiled as she waved her hands. Wind surged in all directions, creating an invisible barrier that blocked the thunder and lightning that struck from above. Purple lightning slid along the side of the barrier and dashed towards Dong Zhi.

“Get out of the way!”

Dong Zhi was busy arranging the talisman array against the howls of the violent wind. His ears had become accustomed to the rumbling of the thunder, so he didn’t expect that lightning was about to strike right at him. When he noticed something was wrong, alongside with He Yu’s shout, Dong Zhi raised his head, and his eyes were almost blinded by the electric light.

Avoid it!

Was the only thought that came into his mind, but his body’s response was half a beat slower than his mind. He was about to be split into charcoal as a white line entered his sight. More precisely, it was a white light that separated him from the lightning.

The lightning was shattered by a piece of white silk*. Dong Zhi felt force as something wrapped around his waist and, with a strong force, pulled him aside! He fell heavily to the ground. His nose smelt the scent of something burnt, and his palms scraped against the ground, causing him to wince from the burning pain, but at least he managed to live.

*[Bai ling] (白绫) A kind of cloth usually made with silk. It’s sometimes used as a weapon, like the silk in this scene from House of Flying Daggers.

Someone had saved him at the critical moment! Dong Zhi looked towards the source of the white silk and saw a woman in ancient costume falling in front of him. With ribbons fluttering and white attire like an immortal, she looked like a divine being descending from the nine heavens. The sight was graceful, gorgeous, and dazzling.

In the next moment, the fairy lightly opened her lips.

“He Yu, do you want to die?! You think just because you’re the leader of the Hezao Sect you dare come alone to fight a demon? You even dragged in normal people! If laozi hadn’t arrived in time, you would’ve been wiped out by now!”

Dong Zhi: …

His reverie for fairies was instantly crushed.

He Yu was familiar with the newcomer as he immediately retorted to her words, “If you came earlier, how would I be in this kind of state! It’s your fault!”

As He Yu spoke, Dong Zhi saw him pointing his fingers slightly towards his side, and he immediately reacted, quietly moving his body in the direction of where the last talisman should be placed.

Xu Wan narrowed her eyes to look at the woman in costume, and then shook her head after a while. “Having only the appearance but not the essence¹, with flesh of gold and bones of iron²… Useless, I don’t want this type³.”

¹The original idiom is empty table/emptiness has its own appearance [kong you qi biao] (空有其表) which refers to its not real/on the surface it’s good-looking in appearance but in fact it’s not.
²The original idiom is copper bars and iron bones [tong jin tie gu] (铜筋铁骨) Metaphor for a very strong body. Also, could refers to a person who can bear heavy responsibility. From Journey to the West.
³Clarity: Xu Wan is changing a few words in the idioms. She changed (铜筋铁骨) to (金筋铁骨) which now replaces copper with gold. Combined with the first idiom, this would be basically her saying along the lines of “All you have is appearance.” There’s a reason why Xu Wan is saying this specifically to this person, but to avoid spoilers, I won’t put it in (because that reason isn’t revealed until much, much later, but keep this in mind).

The woman sneered. “Don’t you feel ashamed for a great demon like you to hide in a mortal’s body?”

“Shame is a human conception, but that doesn’t apply to someone who’s not human, such as I. Besides, no matter how human you try to act, you’re not human either!” Xu Wan smiled strangely, and her voice didn’t seem to be coming from her body.

She raised her hand and pointed to He Yu. “I don’t want you. Leave that man behind and you can go!”

The woman in costume noticed that when the other party was talking, her other hand was slowly curled up, her white fingers became bruised, and a thick black mist started to condense, forming around her palm.

Villains die by talking too much, but Xu Wan was not a gossiper. It seems that she needed time to gather magic, so she deliberately stalled for time!

The woman no longer hesitated. She took out a mirror from her sleeves and put it in front of her. The thunder and lightning continued to strike above her head, but they were all absorbed by the mirror. The mirror shook, then suddenly turned into a golden light as it soared into the sky!

On the other side, Dong Zhi was facing the fierce wind as he crawled forward with great difficulty, exhausting all his strength to place the last talisman in place!

The Sunlight Bagua Talisman Array was completed!

Looking in the distance, he didn’t know when, but He Yu was holding on to Zhang Chong’s brass sword with one hand while pinching his hand with the other as he spat out blood while reciting a spell that led to lightning to the top of Xu Wan’s head. Lightning suddenly slammed down in a flash!

Zhang Chong slowly woke up from a corner on the side. His face was confused as he didn’t know what was currently happening.

In an instant, the thunder and lightning, the mirror’s golden light, and the bagua array echoed each other, and the heaven and earth shook in all directions! Thunder surged between the clouds like an immortal’s tribulation while wind howled violently around them as if the world was coming to an end!

At this moment, if anyone were to look up at the sky, they would see a black hole spinning slowly above Tianyuan Building, turning purple as flashes of lightning struck from time to time. The scene was inexplicable and shocking.

Dong Zhi felt as if he was wandering between the realms of life and death. The power of the heavens and earth that were seduced and provoked was so great that mortals could only struggle to survive by hiding in the cracks and praying for God’s benevolence.

The sound of thunder was deafening, and the golden light was blinding. Suddenly, the barrier around Xu Wan shattered! Her body was imprisoned by the talisman array and was smashed to pieces by the lightning!

The golden light from the mirror suppressed all outside damage, isolating the battle within the range of Tianyuan Building’s rooftop, minimizing the damage.

He didn’t know how much time had passed before Dong Zhi felt the surroundings gradually calm down. The light had disappeared, and the thunder had subsided. His ears were still ringing, and his eyes were irritated from staring at the strong light.

Nothing remained of where Xu Wan was standing. On the ground were scorched marks left behind from the lightning and the damage surrounding their battle.

Everyone collapsed to the ground, including the woman in the costume. Her face was pale; her condition was not much better than He Yu’s.

“Is she really dead?” Dong Zhi asked after a long time, while he was still panting for breath.

Everyone worked hard, barely escaping death* and eventually defeating the demon, but everything felt surreal, as if it were all a dream.

*Nine deaths and lives (九死一生) Idiom refers to escaping death after going through all kinds of hardships and dangers.

Was the demon wearing Xu Wan’s human skin completely gone and would no longer be a scourge to the world?

There was blood spilling from the corners of He Yu’s mouth, as he probably didn’t have the strength to answer him.

The woman in costume said, “She used a human life to build up resentment and gather blood essence in order to wake up the dragon corpse, but it only resulted in it being destroyed by you and severely injuring her. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so easy for us to take her down this time!”

You call that easy…?

As he looked around, apart from his own weakness and multiple bruises, he saw that the blood on Zhang Chong’s head had dried, making him hideous. He Yu was obviously in the worst state. He had fought with Xu Wan directly and lost a lot of blood. Now he lay motionless on the ground, not even having the strength to say a single word, his breath becoming shallower.

The only one who seemed to be in good condition was the woman in the costume. She leaned against the wall, took out her phone and…

Took a selfie???

Dong Zhi: …

After posing for three consecutive shots, the woman noticed Dong Zhi was looking at her stupidly and raised her voice a few octaves higher.

“Why are you such an idiot? Fighting with a demon and dragging ordinary people into this mess?!”

He Yu’s response was to roll his eyes.

Dong Zhi: “Uh, hello, young lady. My name is Dong Zhi.”

The woman in costume spoke to him in a much softer tone. “Did you set up the bagua talisman array just now?”

Dong Zhi nodded and said shyly, “He Yu taught me it. Fortunately, I didn’t drag you guys down.”

“Your performance is very good.” The woman in costume flipped her hair. “My name is Tang Jing; the Tang of the Tang Dynasty, Jing* from clean.”

*Tang (唐) of the Tang Dynasty. Jing (净) from [gan jing] (干净) which means clean/neat (no dust, pollution, dirt).

“Hello, Tang Jie.” Dong Zhi called out obediently.

“Good boy,” The woman in costume said, in a very satisfied manner. “But it’s Tang Ge.”

Dong Zhi asked weakly, “…Tang Ge?”

He Yu asked weakly, “Why did the boss let you come over?”

Tang Jing said angrily, “Did you think I want to? I was participating in a cosplay at an anime convention, but I was urged by deadly serial calls* from Boss Long that I had to rush over and didn’t even have time to change my clothes!”

*Slang for incessant, non-stop calling.

He Yu said sourly, “The boss really trusts you. He only sent you alone knowing that I was still injured. If you can’t stand it, we can settle accounts tonight!”

Tang Jing sneered, “It seems you’re not very injured if you still have the strength to be jealous! If you want the boss to come be the hero to save the ugly, then you have to look at the distance between Beijing and here, plus the distance from the airport, including traffic conditions. By the time he arrives, your daylily will be cold*!”

*Reminder: (等到黄花菜都凉了) Colloquialism refers to people who are late or do things late. || In this context he’s saying by the time Long Shen gets here, it’ll be too late.

He Yu said angrily, “What do you mean be the hero to save the ugly? Go to the streets and see how many men are as handsome as laozi!”

Dong Zhi said weakly, “Stop fighting…”

The author has something to say:

The demon was injured in Changbai Mountain and went south to escape. It happened that Cheng Hui was asked by He Yu to perform a divination, and he found a clue and pursued it, causing him to be imprisoned by the demon. He Yu came to save him with Dong Zhi. Seeing as how He Yu had more blood and was more energetic, the demon wanted to take over his body, so he took Cheng Hui’s remnant soul as bait to lead him to Tianyuan Building. Although he knew it was a trap, he had to go. Dong Zhi took Zhang Chong to desperately try to save him. Little Baby Dong Zhi is not a drag on the mentally retarded.

— This is a plot summary for readers and friends who have a hard time following the story.

Kinky Thoughts:

Did not expect Tang Jing to be a guy.

—

Bagua gang method

For Taoist practitioners, step, gang and tread are all spells that must be learned when fasting, drawing talisman, practicing methods, and channeling spirits.

The gang method that has been circulated in modern times include fighting gang method, innate bagua gang method, acquire bagua gang method among others. The fighting method, the innate bagua method, and the acquired bagua method are mostly passed down in the folk.

<<< || Table of Contents || Lore Glossary || >>>

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 24

Ignoring the misunderstanding of the boss, He Yu leaned forward, acting solemnly. “I’m here to catch an adulterer. Someone said that my wife came here to rent a room with a man. Pretty lady, can you let us check the rooms? If we don’t find anyone, we’ll leave immediately!”

The boss’ face sank. “It’s your own business if you want to catch your wife cheating. How can you expect me to open and let you search all the rooms in my business!”

This kind of inn wasn’t formal. As long as you can pay, you don’t need to register or show any documents. He Yu took 200 yuan and put it on the counter. “No need to search. Just help me identify someone.”

Seeing the money, the boss’s face improved. “Who?”

He Yu turned on Dong Zhi’s phone and pulled up the photo he had taken of Cheng Hui. “In the past few days, has this person ever entered your place?”

The boss frowned and said, “Not today. I wasn’t here two days ago.”

He Yu took out another 200 yuan and stuffed it in her hand. “Can you ask for me?”

For the sake of money, the boss called her husband. The boss looked at the photo again and then remembered. “I did see him! I remembered that he came here a few days ago but didn’t say whether he wanted to rent a room or not. After loitering around for a bit, he left. I thought it was a cop trying to confiscate porn, but he said he was looking for someone, then went to the foot spa nearby.”

He Yu: “Did he leave later?”

The boss replied, “I don’t know. I didn’t follow him!”

After leaving the inn, the two went straight to “Xinyue Foot Spa” diagonally opposite the inn. The light inside was dim, setting an ambiguous mood. From a glance, one would know that there was also a “side business” in addition to pedicures.

A charming middle-aged woman greeted them with a smile. “Are the two of you familiar with our foot therapists?”

He Yu said, “No. Can you introduce two of them?”

He lowered his voice again. “Young, beautiful, and pure.”

The middle-aged woman pretended to be displeased. “We’re all serious food therapists here!”

He Yu said impatiently, “Cut the nonsense. It’s 350 per hour!”

Seeing that he was familiar with the road, the middle-aged woman became delighted. She led them into a small room and said, with a smile, “Wait here for a minute,” then left.

Dong Zhi stared blankly at him and said, “How do you know that it was 350 an hour?”

He Yu laughed, “National prices will not differ much!”

Dong Zhi was speechless. “Are you planning to reimburse this?” As he finished speaking, he saw that He Yu was focusing on the compass and couldn’t help feeling a sinking feeling in his heart. “Is there a problem here?”

He Yu: “I sense some magic, but it’s not heavy. It should be that Xu Wan stayed here… Shh, someone’s coming!”

Dong Zhi immediately became silent. The door opened and two young women came in.

“Hello, sir. Let’s soak your feet first. Would you like sea salt or ginger juice?”

The two of them came in holding wooden barrels at the corners of their robes as one woman whispered to He Yu.

“Whatever! You are so beautiful that I’ll be comfortable with anything!” He Yu acted like an anxious lecher that had a tail that was wagging excitedly.

The two women seemed accustomed to this kind of flirty language, while Dong Zhi felt uncomfortable. Seeing as one of the women reached out her hands to help him take off his shoes and socks, he bent over and started doing it himself.

The woman pursed her lips and smiled. “Just lie down and let me handle it.”

For such an occasion, being tacit was key, and there was no need to put on airs. The therapist started massaging He Yu’s legs, slowly moving her hands up in an ambiguous movement.

He Yu quickly winced. “I have a backache. Do you have anyone here that can massage my waist!”

The woman chuckled. “It’s not convenient here, so how about we change places?”

He Yu: “Change it!”

He acted like a pervert who couldn’t wait as he quickly got up and followed the woman out.

Dong Zhi raised his voice. “Lao He!”

He Yu perfunctorily said to him, “This room belongs to you. You can do whatever you want. It’s all on me today!” After that, without waiting for Dong Zhi to respond, he hurriedly hugged the woman and left with her.

Dong Zhi: …

Suddenly, he felt pain on the sole of his feet that made him inadvertently scream, causing the woman to laugh. “You haven’t slept well in the past few days. Your meridians are a bit blocked. I’ll help massage it for you.”

Seeing that Dong Zhi was stunned, she laughed. “Or do you want to have your waist massaged too?”

As she spoke, she moved her hand along his calf, causing Dong Zhi to jolt and hurriedly stop her hand. “No, no, I’m okay!”

The woman laughed again, embarrassing Dong Zhi. He felt as if he had been completely seen through.

“My name is Xiao Dong. What’s your name, sister?”

Calling a lady by sister was very useful on women as she loosened a bit. “You can call me A’Yue. Is this your first time?”

Dong Zhi nodded and whispered, “A’Yue Jie, I’m here looking for someone.”

A’Yue became wary. “Who are you looking for?”

Dong Zhi took out his phone and showed it to her. “It’s her.” It was a picture of Xu Wan’s ID photo that He Yu had sent to him.

A’Yue was startled for a moment, then quickly denied. “There’s no such person here.”

She denied it so quickly that Dong Zhi knew she was lying.

“Truth is, she is my sister.” Dong Zhi said. Seeing as how He Yu left him here alone, it indicated that A’Yue wasn’t related to demons, so he could inquire with confidence.

A’Yue let out a sigh, showing a surprised expression.

Dong Zhi continued convincingly spouting nonsense. “When my sister got married, everyone in my family opposed it, but my sister loved my brother-in-law and had to be with him. As a result, she gave birth to a daughter with autism, which caused my brother-in-law to divorce her. Since she fell out with our parents, she didn’t want to go back, and in a fit of desperation, she came here to work. I asked many people to find her, and only then did I find out that she’s here. A’Yue Jie, if you know anything, can you please tell me?”

If this was said by He Yu, it wouldn’t be effective at all, but Dong Zhi looked pure and innocent, and seeing him act so cute and miserable, she couldn’t help but soften her heart at that moment, especially when he took out 500 yuan and stuffed it into her hand and said softly. “A’Yue Jie. Please tell me, okay? I won’t tell anyone.”

A’Yue finally loosened her tongue. “She came not too long ago, and she didn’t use the name Xu Wan.”

This was the norm, though, because who would use their real name in this industry?

Overjoyed, Dong Zhi hurriedly asked, “Did she come to work today?”

A’Yue said, “She took a two-day break. I’m not familiar with her, but there’s another person who’s closer to her that may know her address. I’ll ask for it for you later.”

Dong Zhi: “Thank you, A’Yue Jie!”

Since Xu Wan was related to demons and could be one herself, she came all the way to the south but lived in seclusion as a prostitute behind some back alley. In addition to hiding herself to avoid detection, was it because she also had further ideas, thinking this was a more convenient way to kill and escape?

He didn’t dare think too carefully about it, as it only made his fears grow.

Dong Zhi left her a message on WeChat and wanted to leave, but A’Yue made him stay, saying that their business was vigilant and guests could not leave halfway, otherwise it would make people think that it’s an undercover cop trying to investigate. With no other choice, Dong Zhi stayed the full hour, where he was overwhelmed with the other party’s constant questions. After the hour was up, he quickly fled, leaving behind A’Yue with a teasing smile.

When he left the shop, he waited at the entrance for a while before He Yu came out. As he came out, he stretched lazily and yawned, giving off a look as if he was addicted to money.

“Why did you come out so quickly? Didn’t you enjoy it?”

Dong Zhi was speechless. “Do you think everyone is as hungry as you? I’m not ashamed of being a virgin!”

He Yu said, “Tsk, tsk. Comrade, you can’t be thinking along this kind of line. I’m sacrificing my image for the sake of business. Besides, how can my precious chastity be wasted in such a place? You look down on my taste too much!”

Dong Zhi: “Then at what level will it be to your taste?”

He Yu thought about it quite seriously before saying, “It will have to at least be 800 an hour.”

Dong Zhi: …

He Yu finally remembered business matters. “Is there any news from your side? Although my side knew Xu Wan, she didn’t know her address. I used a little method on her to make sure she didn’t lie. If you didn’t get anything, then we’ll just have to go talk to the procuress.”

Dong Zhi said, “I exchanged WeChat with A’Yue, and she said she would help me ask.”

He Yu patted him on the shoulder and said with satisfaction, “I was right about you. Your appearance is the most evocative of a woman’s motherhood.”

Black lines appeared as Dong Zhi said, “I’m also a handsome guy with long legs! You’re insulting my dignity as a man!”

The two of them walked out of the alley while bickering when Dong Zhi received a WeChat notification. When he opened it, it was from A’Yue, who had sent him the address. The place was not far from here.

He Yu said, “In the future, we’ll send you on seductive tasks. This is the trust the organization places on you.”

Dong Zhi: “How thoughtful of the organization. Is it just us two going into the tiger’s den? Shouldn’t we wait for reinforcements to come?”

“I have already asked Lin Jun to notify them, but I don’t know who’s coming. Since the Special Administrative Bureau expanded, we have had many people like Lin Jun that’s half a bucket of water*. With Xu Wan’s cunningness, she would soon know that we’ve been to the place where she works and would move to another place that’s even harder to find.”

*(半桶水) Cantonese dialect that originally was half a bucket of shit but being too vulgar was changed to water. It refers to someone who’s not smart or good at learning.

He Yu patted his chest with confidence and said, “Don’t worry. You have this brother, so you’ll be safe and sound.”

Dong Zhi: …The more you assure me, the more uneasy I get.

Xu Wan’s residence was easy to find. It was just after 8, so there were occasional people coming in and out of the downstairs. He Yu and Dong Zhi blended in and followed them in, saving them a lot of effort. Each floor of the building held two families. According to the address given by A’Yue, Xu Wan lives in room 302. They went up to the third floor and rang the doorbell, but no one answered.

‘No one’s there?’ Dong Zhi mouthed to He Yu.

He Yu shook his head and looked at the compass in his hand. Since entering the building, the magnetic needle on the compass had been spinning frantically. Seeing this, He Yu didn’t hesitate any longer and used a shady method to quickly open the door. The room was quiet and pitch black, a sign that the owner was not at home.

He Yu turned on the lights in the living room. The home had two bedrooms and a living room, and the layout was simple. Looking around, Dong Zhi didn’t find anything related to children in the living room, nor were there any feminine furnishings. This was not normal for a supposedly single mother who loves her child very much.

“There’s a lot of demonic energy here. I’ll go to the rooms to have a look. Wait for me here and get the talismans ready,” He Yu said.

Although Dong Zhi didn’t sense any magical aura, he also felt a gloomy, dreary atmosphere here, which made him feel a bit breathless. There was no need for feng shui analysis. Intuition was often the most accurate. He recalled a time when he was about to rent a house. As soon as he walked into it, he felt a sense of unease and uncomfortableness. The agent who showed it to him had insisted there was no problem with it. It was only later that he found out from a neighbor that a murder had taken place in that house before. Now, this home gave him the same familiar vibe as back then.

As he was looking away from the last year’s calendar on the wall, he suddenly found a dark shadow at the door of the second bedroom, causing his heart to jump. When he looked at it more closely, he saw that it was a familiar figure.

“Tongtong?” Although Dong Zhi knew that Xu Wan was a major suspect, he still sympathized with this sick and innocent little girl. She didn’t even know that her mother had been in contact with demons.

The little girl looked at him motionlessly, as before. Dong Zhi couldn’t bear it and he lowered his voice more. “Tongtong, we didn’t mean to break into your house. Something happened to your mother, so we had to take a look. Do you know where your mother is?”

“Mom…” The little girl seemed to be touched, and suddenly raised her hand and motioned for him to come over.

Dong Zhi suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and slowly walked over. When he was about to walk to the door of the second bedroom, the corners of Tongtong’s mouth suddenly raised in a weird arc, and her pale little hands grabbed him.

Dong Zhi was already mentally prepared. Though he was still shocked, he hurriedly stepped back and quickly put the talisman he had been holding in his hand on her head. As soon as the talisman came into contact with the little girl’s skin, it immediately ignited spontaneously. The girl screamed, and blue veins appeared all over her face.

This scene made him think of Yao Bin, who was possessed by the Sneaky Yaksha on Changbai Mountain. All his hairs stood up as the talisman quickly burned out and the little girl’s expression became more hideous as her face became pale and blue and she rushed over!

Dong Zhi took advantage of the situation and grabbed her wrist, thinking that he could control her strength. Surprisingly, the little girl’s strength was even greater than He Yu’s, so she immediately slapped Dong Zhi with her backhand, gripped his thigh with one hand, and plunged her five fingers into Dong Zhi’s flesh!

Before he could scream, He Yu had run out of the master bedroom and choked the back of Tongtong’s neck.

“Cinnabar!”

Hearing He Yu’s roar, Dong Zhi ignored the pain in his thigh and hurriedly took out the cinnabar box from He Yu’s backpack and opened it.

He Yu formed a sword finger* with one hand and slammed it into the cinnabar box.

*[Jian Jue] (剑指) This is a gesture used in Taoism when casting spells. The finger shape also represents a sword in martial arts.

“The four great enlightenments, heaven and earth are eternal, water and fire extinguished each other, gold and water cut each other. Those who see demons and beasts will be destroyed from top to bottom, as hastily as I decree, break!”

As he used his index finger to paint the runes on top of the girl’s head, Tongtong screamed wildly. He Yu completed it in one go, and as the mantra was recited, he grabbed it with five fingers in the air! Dong Zhi saw black mist being pulled out of Tongtong’s body as it coagulated in He Yu’s hand. He tried his best to hold them in, and he struggled frantically.

“Sunlight Talisman!” He Yu roared.

Dong Zhi reacted quickly. As soon as He Yu spoke, he had already attached the sunlight talisman to the black mist. He Yu quickly let go as the black mist roared and wailed, and together with the sunlight talisman, it suddenly turned to ashes, leaving no residue behind.

Dong Zhi panted and caught the little girl who had fallen softly.

“Lao He, now…”

“Let go!” He Yu screamed at him.

Dong Zhi was startled and subconsciously let go of her hand, only to see the little girl suddenly open her eyes with a hideous smile on her face. When He Yu was about to make a move, the little girl bent backwards in a posture that no human could do and stood upright not far from them.

“I didn’t expect you to come so fast…”

The little girl giggled, her voice hoarse and low, definitely not the tone that she had ever spoken before.

Dong Zhi was incredulous. “Xu Wan?!”

The little girl gave him an eerie smile. “I should have eaten you a long time ago…”

This was completely different from the well-behaved Tongtong that he had met on the train. Dong Zhi inadvertently shuddered.

He Yu said solemnly, “I don’t care what collusion you have with demons. The remnant soul you captured is my junior brother. If you are willing to hand over his remnant soul, I can let you go! Or do you want to be hunted down by the Special Administration Bureau and the Hezao Sect forever!”

Hearing this, the little girl was not only not afraid, but she even laughed louder. “Long Shen is almost here and you dare rabble this kind of nonsense!”

Hearing her mention the boss, He Yu’s face sank more. This showed that the demon was familiar with them.

“If you want that remnant soul, take the stone tablet and come to me on the rooftop of Tianyuan Building!”

He Yu said angrily, “The stone tablet is now in Beijing. We won’t be able to get it for a while!”

She smiled gloomily and said, “Tomorrow before sunrise. Don’t be late!”

Before she even finished, He Yu had acted. Holding a seal in one hand and a talisman in the other, he rushed towards the monster. The latter didn’t have time to react before her neck was already squeezed by him and the talisman carrying the fire of wind and thunder was imprinted on her heart!

Dong Zhi heard a loud roar as thunder and fire suddenly erupted, causing the little girl to wail and fall softly to the ground. He didn’t know what was going on, so he hurriedly stepped forward but was pushed back by He Yu. Unprepared, he almost fell over.

At this time, the little girl’s body started shriveling at a pace visible to the naked eye. Countless densely packed maggots crawled out of the place where the small hole was made in her heart. Seeing the sight, all his hair stood up, and Dong Zhi cried out, “What are these?!”

He Yu threw another talisman that fluttered in the air, falling onto the little girl, but it immediately ignited, and the fire quickly spread all over the girl’s entire body. The light from the fire was extremely dazzling, but there was no billowing smoke as it was controlled by an invisible circle. In just ten minutes, the little girl’s body was engulfed by fire and burnt out. Dong Zhi looked at the empty ground that didn’t even have ashes remaining.

“Is she dead?”

“She is not a human being.” He Yu sat on the ground and said wearily, “You also saw it just now. Her body had long been invaded by those insects, and Xu Wan had been controlling her body.”

Dong Zhi was in disbelief. When he saw Tongtong on the train, she was no longer a living person.

“Is it a demon that controls Xu Wan and her daughter? Or…”

He Yu interrupted him, “The most important thing now is not to let it escape. I have to report to the higher ups immediately and rush to Tianyuan Building!”

When Dong Zhi heard him say “I” instead of “we”, he immediately said, “I’ll go too!”

He Yu smiled bitterly. “Little baby Dongdong, I have some confidence in you due to past events, and you’re capable of becoming a disciple. However, this time there’s no retreat, and I may not be able to protect you…”

Dong Zhi said without hesitation, “The demon was prepared a long time ago, and you’ve been injured again. Having an extra person will be better!”

“I need you to go to the Guangzhou office,” He Yu said solemnly. “Cheng Hui’s remnant soul is still in the hands of the demon. I can’t help but go, but I can’t do it alone. I remember that there is a magic weapon made of five-baht coins* in the office. Go and get it for me and find a few helpers. Come with as many people as possible!”

*Copper currency in ancient China. Most likely, the item is a sword-like weapon made entirely of five-baht coins stuck together.

Hearing this, Dong Zhi quickly agreed. He Yu took his phone and called Long Shen, mainly to explain the seriousness of the matter. Dong Zhi didn’t know what was said on the other end. Eventually, He Yu said a few ums and hung up.

“The boss said that there happened to be someone from the East China Branch in Xiamen. In the afternoon, he asked the other party to rush over to help, but I don’t know if he’ll make it in time. Anyways, I’ll go there first. Remember to bring me the magic weapon!”

Seeing Dong Zhi’s serious face, He Yu patted his shoulder and joked, “If I die, remember to tell the boss and ask him to burn a few more beauties for me every year. I don’t want to go down there and still be a single dog!”

Dong Zhi didn’t have his sense of humor. He smiled reluctantly and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely burn a few more handsome guys for you!”

The two parted at the intersection. Dong Zhi took a taxi to the Guangzhou office. The location was in another district that spans almost half of Yangcheng. Even if he went by car, it’d still take nearly two hours to reach his destination.

At first, the driver was chatty as he drove. When they were about to arrive, he became more restless and stopped talking. He would frequently look at Dong Zhi from the rearview mirror, and his expression became more serious, and he finally couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure the address is correct?”

The scenery outside the car was becoming more remote. After moving away from the bustling urban areas, the scene changed to small villages and towns. Without the setting of thousands of streetlights, the sparse streetlights on the road appeared lonely and cold.

Dong Zhi had never been here before. He felt his heart sinking into a bottomless pit and said, “That’s right. Just drive according to the address.”

If this incident wasn’t dire, he would have thought that He Yu was playing a prank on him. After all, who would set up an office next to a cemetery? But then he remembered that the original site of the General Administration Bureau was in a famous haunted house, so it’s not too surprising that there would be an office here.

The car finally stopped at its destination, which was a factory building near a cemetery. There were wastelands all around, and occasionally a few trees grew, exuding a desolated aura. A few abandoned factories were scattered across the highway. From the looks of things, even during the day, no one would deliberately stop at a place like this.

Dong Zhi took out his wallet and wanted to give the driver money.

The driver said, as he trembled with fear, “No cash. I only accept Alipay or WeChat.”

Dong Zhi: …

He knew what the driver was worried about, and he might even have cracked a joke to scare him, telling him some nonsense urban myth, but he currently wasn’t in the mood. After paying, Dong Zhi asked the driver to wait on the side of the road for a while, then he walked towards a factory where no one would reside in.

Kinky Thoughts:

A few chapters ago, I thought that Tongtong was the real mastermind and Xu Wan was being controlled by her, but I guess I was wrong. I didn’t put it in my Kinky thoughts because I was afraid that it might be a spoiler.

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