Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

---

Chapter 32

Cartoon images are much easier to draw than realistic versions. With a few strokes, everyone’s charm could be sketched out, and then appropriately exaggerated. Each character’s unique attributes jump out on paper, making it difficult for people to forget. Dong Zhi became more excited and started drawing four-grid comics while giving everyone a fictitious name. He then retouched the pictures and uploaded them to his social media account.

His social media account was originally used to post original artwork from <The Great Wasteland>. Although he didn’t verify his account, his post was often retweeted several times by the official <The Great Wasteland> account that eventually, over the past few years, many gamers recognized that he was the main artist for the game. When he posted his resignation, many of the comments were full of regrets.

Dong Zhi posted the comic and couldn’t think of a good name for it, so he simply and crudely wrote: [The Incident Book of the Relevant Department for Subduing and Eliminating Demons]. Finally, drowsiness had caught up with him. He turned off the computer, laid down, and shortly fell asleep.

In the days that followed, his life was simple. He was either practicing his talisman technique on the rooftop or drawing comics in the dorm.

He not only drew himself but also included He Yu and the others. He Yu liked his style and expressed his joy at becoming the protagonist of the comic. He also took the initiative to provide some jokes and plotlines and urged Dong Zhi to update daily. Zhong Yuyi had also shown great interest in it. Kan Chaosheng was extremely dissatisfied with his character, seeing that it was a cat instead of a more majestic creature. Eventually, he coerced Dong Zhi to change him into a dragon, saying that even if he couldn’t be one in reality, it’d still be a good addition to his comic!

As for Long Shen… Dong Zhi didn’t bother harassing him with such trivial matters, as a Deputy Director already has enough on his plate.

The response to his comic was a bit unexpected. Originally, he only drew it for fun and the comments were cute and jocular, but gradually, his comics were retweeted and spread and attracted more readers, causing the number of his fans to increase at a rapid pace.

The story he uploaded today was provided by He Yu. It was a case that he encountered when he was an intern at the Northwest Branch.

There was a girl who often had strange dreams. At first, she didn’t pay much attention to it, until later, when she discovered that her dreams were prophetic. For example, one day she dreamed that there was a fire in the local area, and after a few days, a fire really did break out in the area that she dreamed it would. Another incident was when she dreamed that her classmate would get into a car accident, which was soon realized shortly after.

After a few times, the girl started to believe that she had this ability. Then one day, she dreamt that her father was pushed down the stairs and was seriously injured. When she woke up, she was frightened and told her father about her dream. Her father didn’t believe her and thought she was making a fuss. In the end, she had no choice but to follow her father around to ensure that nothing bad would happen to him.

It happened to be the day that her father was meeting with an important business partner. The girl strongly asked to go with him, and seeing that she could not be dissuaded, the father reluctantly agreed. The girl was ecstatic and went upstairs to dress up for the occasion. They lived in a two-story duplex, and her room was on the second floor. That day, she specifically changed into a new pair of high heels that didn’t fit her well. When she walked towards the stairs, she twisted her ankle and fell forward. Her father, who happened to be standing by the side of the stairs and had his back turned to her, was inadvertently pushed down by her and died on the spot as his head hit the floor.

The girl thought that she was going to save her father, but in the end, she was the reason that misfortune fell on him in the first place. It left her in utter shock. Due to the emotional toll, her mother suffered a heart attack and followed in her father’s footsteps a few days later, decimating the girl’s entire family overnight. Burdened by these events, she felt that she was the cause of all their misery and fell into a deep depression, eventually committing suicide by jumping into a lake. Fortunately, she was recused by a master of a nearby temple.

The master had some contact with the Northwest Branch and handed the case over to them. It was eventually transferred to He Yu because no one from the branch took it seriously. To them, it seemed like just an ordinary tragedy, but He Yu had doubts. After some investigation, he learned that the father had interfered in someone else’s way, causing them to suffer a substantial financial loss that indirectly caused their wife and children to leave them. The other party wanted revenge, so he did everything possible to destroy the father’s family. He eventually found a corrupted cultivator who recruited a dream demon. The dream demon entered the girl’s dream and reversed time, clouding the girl’s memories. While she thought she dreamt of the future, in reality, the events she dreamt about had already transpired. This led her to believe that she could dream of the future and that her dreams affected the real world.

They eventually found the businessman who hired the hit and tracked down the cultivator behind the demon and subdued him.

With He Yu’s consent, Dong Zhi adapted the case into a serialized comic with a cute style that showed off the protagonists’ daily lives. While he didn’t portray the story verbatim, the plot was still terrifying yet funny and caused so much excitement from the readers that they couldn’t stop chasing it. They constantly would urge him to release more content under the comments and he was even contacted by many magazines that wanted to publish his work.

The Master of Arts, Dong Dong Qiang, hadn’t successfully joined the Relevant Department yet, but instead became popular on the internet. However, he had no plans to commercialize the comics for the time being and continued serializing them on his social media account. He doesn’t update daily, as his focus was on preparing for the exam.

Soon, two months passed in the blink of an eye, and the day for the written exam had arrived. Because it was an independent recruitment exam, the date was different every year. This year, it would be held between June and July, the hottest time in the capital.

It was said that last year’s exam time coincided with an earthquake that happened in the southwest. Demons and monsters took the opportunity to run wild, spreading chaos and panic. Many sects regarded it as a good opportunity to train their disciples, allowing them to gather more experience, so many opted to skip the exam and took the chance to exorcise demons instead. In the end, the number of candidates for the final exam was barely five, and the number of admissions was zero.

This year the weather was good. Although there was an incident involving an Archfiend, the Special Administration Bureau quickly controlled the situation, so news of it did not spread widely. There were also those who failed the exam last year and signed up to retake it again. That, in combination with new applicants, had many of the exam participants hit a record high this year.

The examination venue was on the second floor. Dong Zhi went down early and waited outside the examination room. He was not the earliest, however. There were many others who came earlier than him. Since the examination room hadn’t opened yet, many were gathered outside, and some were dressed in exotic or ethnic clothing, and some wore Taoist robes. There were people of all shapes and sizes and ages, though most were young. He found in the crowd the fox boy he met when he first arrived, when He Yu was showing him around.

The fox boy’s nervousness was easily seen on his face, making him look more like an easily frightened rabbit than a fox. He was extremely conspicuous among all the candidates. Dong Zhi took the initiative to walk over to greet him. The other party still remembered him and asked with surprise and puzzlement, “Aren’t you a staff member?”

Dong Zhi laughed. “My friend is, but I’m not. This year is also the first time I’m taking the exam.”

Fox Boy: “Great, me too! My name is Hu Shua*. How about you?”

*(胡说) Translated means bullshit.

The name was quite interesting. Dong Zhi smiled as he said, “My name is Dong Zhi, referring to the winter solstice.”

Hu Shua was a chatty person. Meeting someone that he could talk to, he immediately opened up his chatterbox. “Ah, I just started reading practice books a few days ago. The elders in my family wanted me to take the exam, saying it was a good chance. Even if I can’t pass, I can always come again next year!”

Dong Zhi nodded. “I think so too. Don’t be too nervous, just acquire experience.”

Hu Shua said with a sad face, “But the questions are so difficult. There are words I don’t even recognize.”

Dong Zhi comforted him, “I heard that the scores in the written exams are generally not highly regarded.”

Hu Shua’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Really?” Almost at the same time, someone else said the same response.

Dong Zhi turned his head and found a man in national clothing. The other party gave him a smile and introduced himself. “Hello, my name is Ba Sang. Tibetan. You just said that the written test is easy. Is this true?”

Dong Zhi said, “The questions are the same as on the national exam, but the scores of the candidates are generally lower than on the national exam. I’ve heard that in previous years, the admissions standards have occasionally been lowered due to insufficient admissions, but this year there are so many people, so it should be more difficult, right?”

Ba Sang scratched his hair. “Ah, I am most afraid of the written exam!”

He looked to the side again and said, “Meiren¹, how are you preparing?”

Beauty¹? Where?

Dong Zhi followed Ba Sang’s line of sight and saw a girl with beautiful eyes, but whether or not she was a beauty was a matter of different opinions. He thought Ba Sang was flirting with her, but instead he introduced her to them. “Let me introduce you. Her name is Gu Meiren¹, for the Dai tribe. She’s very good at playing the flute.”

¹Clarity: [Gu Meiren] (顾美人). [Meiren] (美人) Translated means beauty. When Ba Sang first called out, he was calling her [Meiren] (her name), but to Dong Zhi, he thought that he was calling some girl a “beauty”.

Gu Meiren nodded to them. “Hello everyone.”

Not only is her name eye-catching, but her voice was also very nice. However, her personality seems a bit cold. After everyone got acquainted with each other, they returned to discussing the exam. Hu Shua’s emotions had almost calmed down, but seeing more candidates gathered, his heart began to get anxious again.

“Do you know about the interview process? My cousin has taken the exam before, and he said that they ask questions during the interview?”

Ba Sang, who knew a bit about the interview, nodded when he heard those words. “The questions are different from the written test. The interview questions are more practical, testing your ability to respond on the spot and demonstrating what you’re best at.”

Hu Shua said nervously, “But I only know how to transform right now. Will I be able to pass?”

Dong Zhi was surprised. “Seventy-two transformations*?”

*(七十二变) Reference to Sun Wukong’s (from Journey to the West) ability where he can transform into different things.

Hu Shua laughed. “It would be great to have such a powerful ability. I only know two forms so far, and I don’t have time to train! What about you? What are your skills?”

Ba Sang and Gu Meiren were honest and had no intention of concealing their abilities. Ba Sang said that he could communicate with birds and other animals that could more or less understand him, while Gu Meiren said she could manipulate snakes with her flute.

Dong Zhi was amazed by their skills and felt that there were crouching tigers, hidden dragons¹ among their compatriots, some of whom were even from an ethnic minority. Not mentioning others, by contrast, his own technique of cramming Buddha’s feet² was difficult to master.

¹Reference to the movie referring to hiding your strength from others. 
²(时抱佛脚) Idiom referring to making a frantic last-minute effort. || He’s basically saying that while he just started a few months ago, these people have most likely been practicing their arts for years, if not all their lives.

“I only know a little bit of talisman art that I just got started with.”

Ba Sang was surprised. “Are you a person in a Taoist sect? Why not join them?”

Dong Zhi looked in the direction of his mouth and saw there were a lot of people gathered around the other end. Some of them were wearing Taoist robes or practice clothes, and others were in plain clothing.

Ba Sang said, “Some of them are from the Longhu and Maoshan Sect. I heard that they are both famous sects.”

Dong Zhi nodded. “Like thunder.”

He looked around and saw groups of twos and threes gathering outside the examination room. Everyone had their own cliques. Candidates from the Longhu Sect naturally gathered closer to each other, so most likely they came to take the exam together.

While everyone was in conversation, the bell rang and the examination room opened, which signaled the start of the exams. Everyone stopped chatting and formed a spontaneous line consciously as they went for inspection at the door.

Two young people stood at the door. One was checking everyone’s admission tickets, and the other was holding a detector scanning the candidates up and down. There was a middle-aged man standing at the door with his hands clasped behind his back, staring coldly at each of the incoming candidates.

“Do not bring irrelevant items into the exam. Abide by the orders of the examination room. All communication devices, such as cellphones, must be turned off and handed over at the podium… You, stop!”

Dong Zhi had just gotten his admission ticket back and was about to enter when he was startled as he heard this. Only when he saw that the middle-aged man’s gaze was falling behind him did he realize that the other party wasn’t talking to him.

The middle-aged man said coldly to the candidate behind him. “What do you have with you? Hand it over.”

The candidate stammered, “No, no!”

Middle-aged man: “You. Go search him.”

The staff member nodded, and as soon as he approached the person, the detector in his hand sounded.

Middle-aged man: “You want to be searched or do you want to take it out yourself?”

The candidate felt aggrieved and took out a talisman that was folded into a triangle from his body. “This is a peace talisman given to me by my mother. Do you have to confiscate this?”

The middle-aged man grabbed the talisman, took it apart without saying a word, and quickly took out a hidden talisman inside it. He squeezed it in his hand and shook it. Five white rays of light pierced out from his hand, fell onto the ground, and turned into five small white figures in the shape of children. He yelled twice, and they turned into smoke and disappeared.

Dong Zhi was stunned.

The middle-aged man sneered at the candidate, “Does your mother still let you use the five ghosts handling technique to keep you safe?”

As if the candidate was mourning the result of their exam, it seemed that they were on the verge of crying.

The middle-aged man looked around the crowd and raised his voice. “Last time a person who wanted to cheat with the five ghosts handling technique on the exam was disqualified for 30 years. If you have the mentality of using illegal methods to steal grades or test questions, I advise you to die as soon as possible! The bureau just imported this handheld detector from the United States. This kind of instrument is especially used to deal with vampires and black witchcraft over there. It’s a waste to use it on you. Even a double-sided mirror from a heaven and earth bag* can be found on you. If you don’t believe me, just you dare try!”

*Qiankun Bag (乾坤袋) It’s a bag with incredible power that is used for storage. The space can accommodate heaven and earth (thus also why it’s called the heaven and earth bag). There could even be another universe inside this bag.

The corners of Dong Zhi’s mouth twitched.

“Even if the instrument fails, my eyes are not blind!” The middle-aged man sneered again. “Now you still have a chance to throw away your cheating tools. Don’t wait to be discovered when you enter the examination room. It’s still a light sentence to be disqualified from the examination, but tread carefully so that your future children’s chances of entering the Special Administration Bureau won’t be affected. I’ll give you 30 minutes. Lose everything that should be lost!”

There was no sound in the audience, and a few people in the long line immediately left silently, presumably to get rid of what they needed to be rid of. The middle-aged man frowned and said nothing, but the candidates passing in front of him became more cautious.

Even Dong Zhi was overwhelmed and gave in to his obsessive-compulsiveness and rechecked everything he was carrying before he found a seat to sit down. There were so many people taking the exam this year that one room wasn’t enough to fit everyone, so it was divided into three rooms. The classroom Dong Zhi was in had over sixty seats, which shows how fierce the competition was this year.

After the middle-aged man’s warning, all the candidates became extremely honest, and the talkative people quickly shut up. Everyone obediently sat in their seats waiting for the paper to be handed out. Soon the written exam started.

All the tension was released the moment Dong Zhi got his paper. Seeing the dense topics, he didn’t have time to get nervous as he picked up his pen and started working on his test. Time passed by in a flash, and he triple-checked his paper before handing it in. There were ten minutes left before the exam was over, and no one had handed in their paper in advance. When he got up and walked to the podium, he drew a lot of surprise and envious gazes, which made him feel more confident.

The multiple-choice exam was conducted in the early morning, and there were still the free response questions in the afternoon. Dong Zhi hurried back to the dorms for a meal and rested. In the early afternoon, he arrived outside the examination room for the second portion. There were a lot of people gathered around as usual. Dong Zhi looked for Hu Shua and Ba Sang in the crowd while listening to the conversations around him. Not surprisingly, people were discussing their answers. Some were excited, while others were distraught. It seemed that no matter whether you were an ordinary person or a practitioner, as the fate of a candidate, they were all the same.

The unprepared and completely going in blind type: “The exam this morning was so difficult! I didn’t even understand how to read the questions, let alone choose the right answer. I can only guess. I listened to my cousin, who told me to choose C if I didn’t know it. Apparently, the accuracy is higher with that letter.”

The last-minute cramming type: “I saw this question on the question bank last night, but I didn’t pay attention to the answer. Who would have thought it would really be on the test!”

The complaining type: “Hey, why is the exam so strict this year? There weren’t any detectors last year. The most unfortunate thing is that I forgot to bring my Pure-Heart Mantra* before I left. It was written by my master specifically for me. It made me upset all morning that I couldn’t answer the questions. I definitely failed this time!”

*Qingxin Mantra/Universal Mantra (清心咒) Created by later generations of Buddhist scriptures. Reciting it can clear one’s mind and calm you down. It can remove vexation and stop evil.

The skeptical type: “What harm can a magnetic resonance imaging system cause the human body? What kind of shit is this? How would I know! Why aren’t there questions like what a century-old zombie will do to human beings?! Isn’t there someone in charge of the topics? Are they deliberately trying to make us fail?!”

Dong Zhi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he walked through the crowd. He finally found Ba Sang and the others, who were in the midst of discussing the written exam.

Dong Zhi could only say, “Let it pass and ignore it. If you keep finding your answers are wrong, it’ll affect your mood for the written exam later. This will affect your performance.”

Hu Shua’s whole fox body wilted. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to answer any questions in the afternoon.”

Everyone hurriedly comforted him. Even Gu Meiren said that she didn’t do well this morning. If the general average wasn’t good, the admission standard would definitely be lowered, which gave Hu Shua some hope and he recovered.

The written exam was all subjective questions, and the results were based on the biases of the examiners. For the same answer, some may give one point more, while others may give one point less. This was something that couldn’t be controlled by the candidates, so they could only honestly answer to the best of their abilities. As long as the basic points are met, the score won’t deviate too much.

While he didn’t hand in his papers in advance for the afternoon exam, he still thought he did well. As he walked out of the examination room, a figure flew past him as he was wailing. When Dong Zhi reacted, he found that it was Hu Shua, but his figure had already disappeared.

Kan Chaosheng was waiting for him outside, staring intently at Hu Shua and only reluctantly retracted his gaze when Hu Shua completely disappeared from sight. He then heard Kan Chaosheng lick his lips and say, “His original form must be very fat, tender, and delicious.”

Dong Zhi: …

He quickly changed the subject. “Do you know when the score will be released?”

Kan Chaosheng said, “Within a week. You should prepare for the interview first.”

Dong Zhi walked out with him, but was stopped by someone.

“Fellow Taoist, you dropped your pen.”

Turning his head around, Dong Zhi saw a tall and thin young man standing behind him. When he saw that the other party was holding onto his pen, he quickly thanked him and took it back. The other party suddenly said, “Are you Dong Zhi?”

Being keen, Dong Zhi immediately noticed that he said, “Are you Dong Zhi” instead of “What’s your name”.

“Do you know me?” He smiled at the young man.

The other party raised his eyebrows, looked at him up and down, and suddenly smiled. “So that’s really all you are.”

The sudden hostility made Dong Zhi feel inexplicable.

The other party introduced himself. “My name is Liu Qingbo.” Without waiting for Dong Zhi to reply, he quickly left after speaking.

Dong Zhi: ???

He turned his head and asked Kan Chaosheng. “Who is this person?”

Kan Chaosheng said, “Liu Qingbo. His mother is a descendant of the Hmong people and can use poison*. His father is a descendant of a sword master in the Republic of China. He went to Taiwan first before going overseas. He has roots on both sides and has made some contributions to the civil exchanges before, so his impression is good. If there are no issues, it’s almost certain that he’ll join.”

*Gu (蛊) a venom-based poison associated with cultures of South China. See lore for details.

Dong Zhi asked casually, “Even if he doesn’t score well on the written test?”

Kan Chaosheng showed him a “stupid human” expression, and Dong Zhi immediately understood. It seems that walking through a backdoor is prevalent anywhere.

Dong Zhi asked, “Why did he seem to be very hostile to me just now?”

Kan Chaosheng said coldly, “He knows that you admire the boss and want to be his apprentice, so he treats you as his competitor!”

“He also admires the boss and wants to be his apprentice?”

“When the boss was fighting with the bone dragon on Changbai Mountain, did you know that he was already injured?”

Dong Zhi nodded. “He Yu had mentioned it.”

Kan Chaosheng said, “That injury happened last year. Liu Qingbo was young and vigorous. I didn’t know how he found out, but he heard that there were dragons in the Yangtze River, and he attracted a golden-beard Aoyu*. The Aoyu had cultivated over 800 years—older than me, and was almost able to turn into a dragon, but its opportunity was interrupted by him. That made it extremely angry. At that time, the boss happened to pass by doing business and noticed the water pulses changing. He rushed over and saved Liu Qingbo in the nick of time. He suffered an injury during the fight that left some residual damage. He was almost healed, yet who knew that he would run into a bone dragon, and later have to use telepathy to save you.”

*(鳌鱼) Translation varies but it’s a legendary aquatic creature (turtle/fish seems to be the agreed upon) that has the head of a dragon. See lore for details.

Dong Zhi never expected that there was such a piece of detail. When he heard the entire story, he couldn’t help feeling guilty.

“Then how is he doing now?” Thinking of Long Shen’s uncharacteristic performance these past few days, Dong Zhi felt that he was being overwhelmed with guilt.

Kan Chaosheng shrugged. “It’s not a big problem, but he needs to recuperate. I hope nothing major will happen during this time, or he’ll have to act even if he doesn’t want to.”

“What about the Aoyu? Dead?”

Kan Chaosheng let out a sigh.

Dong Zhi couldn’t help but say, “But it was obviously Liu Qingbo who went to provoke it first and broke its practice!”

“There was no other choice. The Aoyu refused to stop and wanted to create floods around the area to dispel the hatred in his heart. If he were allowed to succeed, it’d inevitably cause massive destruction. The boss could only make this decision.”

In the end, it was Liu Qingbo who caused the trouble, but Long Shen was the one who had to clean up the mess. Dong Zhi curled his lips and lost any remaining goodwill towards this person.

However, personal feelings should be kept separate in private, and Dong Zhi knew this clearly. With Long Shen’s status, even if he accepts apprentices, he will never receive a bunch like they were wholesale, but most likely pick only one. Since he saved Liu Qingbo’s life, he must be deeply grateful and respect Long Shen, and he had that background to back him up. Compared to Dong Zhi, Long Shen would most likely be more inclined to accept Liu Qingbo than him, who had just stepped into the ranks of a cultivator and had a weak foundation.

Thinking about this, he immediately felt a strong sense of crisis. If he doesn’t work harder, his wish to become the male god’s apprentice would be for naught!

Kan Chaosheng saw Dong Zhi walking in a daze, so he stretched out his hand and poked him and said impatiently, “How come you are picking up habits from Zhong Yuyi! Hurry up!”

“Where are we going?”

“He Yu wants to celebrate your completion of the exam, so we’re going to have a big meal and then go karaoke!”

“But I still have the interview.”

“Then we can have another big meal after that too!”

You just want to eat!

Despite thinking that, Dong Zhi quickened his pace to match Kan Chaosheng’s. He had been reviewing nervously the entire time and needed to unwind.

He Yu said that in order to celebrate his completion of the written exam, he was going to take everyone to a hotpot restaurant. Zhong Yuyi also joined. When Dong Zhi arrived, they had already ordered a lot of side dishes and a mandarin duck pot.

Dong Zhi was now familiar with Zhong Yuyi. Although he rarely spoke and was usually distracted, Dong Zhi found that he got along quite well with him. What’s more, compared to Liu Qingbo, Zhong Yuyi, who was also an admirer of Long Shen, was obviously a hundred times cuter.

“How was the exam, Xiao Dongdong? Do you want me to ask the boss to open a backdoor for you?” He Yu teased.

“The boss doesn’t review the paper exams. If you go ask him, you’ll only get beaten!” Kan Chaosheng tore down the wall without hesitation.

“The boss won’t beat him. He’ll just deduct his salary and vacation.” It was rare that Zhong Yuyi was acting normally today. He didn’t look like he was sleepwalking as he picked up a piece of meat and dipped it into the spicy hotpot.

Kan Chaosheng laughed. “You’re telling the truth!”

He Yu rolled his eyes and hugged Dong Zhi’s shoulders. “Don’t listen to them! It’s just a written test. I have confidence in you! In order to celebrate your smooth passage, let’s go karaoke after dinner. Zhong Yuyi is also invited!”

Zhong Yuyi swallowed the meat before slowly saying, “Why am I invited?”

He Yu said confidently, “Because your salary hasn’t been deducted recently, I’ll help you find a way to spend your money!”

Dong Zhi chuckled. “Is it a tradition to have your wage deducted for doing something wrong?”

If this was the case, then would his salary go into the negative every month?

Kan Chaosheng sneered, “Only He Yu is like this. We’re not like him who messes up all day long!”

He Yu scoffed, “I made mistakes because I do more work, which shows that the boss respects me!”

Zhong Yuyi: “It’s because the boss knows that you play games all day long and don’t work that deducting your wage is the most direct and effective means.”

Dong Zhi watched them bicker cheerfully, and the tension after the exam had been wiped away. He felt relaxed and lazy.

“I’ll pay for it tonight as thanks to you during this time. My thunder technique wouldn’t have improved so fast without your help. Just order whatever you want to eat!” He waved his hand, giving off an aura of a local tyrant.

He Yu: “Big brother, please let me hug your thigh!”

Kan Chaosheng turned his head and called out. “Waiter, add 10 servings of sweet potato, 10 servings of Australian beef, 10 servings of shrimp…”

Dong Zhi jokingly shouted, “Hey, hey!”

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Gu/Poison (蛊)

Is a venom-based poison associated with cultures of south China, particularly Nanyue. The traditional preparation of gu poison involved sealing several venomous creatures (e.g., centipede, snake, scorpion) inside a closed container, where they devoured one another and allegedly concentrated their toxins into a single survivor, whose body would be fed upon by larvae until consumed. The last surviving larva held the complex poison. Gu is used in black magic practices such as manipulating sexual partners, creating malignant diseases, and causing death. According to Chinese folklore, a gu spirit could transform into various animals, typically a worm, caterpillar, snake, frog, dog, or pig.

See the Wikipedia for deeper details.

—

Aoyu (鳌鱼)

Legendary aquatic creature (turtle/fish). Legend has it that in ancient times, gold and silver carps wanted to jump over the dragon gates and fly into the clouds and ascend the sky to transform into dragons, but they swallowed the dragon balls in the sea and could only turn into a fish body with a dragon’s head, giving them the name Aoyu.

Male Aoyu have golden scales with a gourd tail, while female Aoyu has silver scales with a hibiscus tail.

This is what they supposedly look like.

---

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

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

---

Chapter 31

Dong Zhi drowsiness was instantly wiped away and he shouted, “How did you get in?!”

Kan Chaosheng: “You forgot to lock the door. I didn’t get an answer when I knocked, so I opened it!”

Dong Zhi let out a sigh, scratched his head, and got up. “There are dried fish in the drawer, so you can help yourself.”

Kan Chaosheng rolled his eyes and said disdainfully, “Why do you think I would want dried fish? I’m not a cat spirit!”

Dong Zhi casually said, “Then a tiger spirit?”

Kan Chaosheng said angrily, “You’re a tiger spirit! Your whole family is a tiger spirit! Laozi’s body is very powerful! How could I be compared to such a low-level beast like a tiger spirit!”

Seeing him infuriated, Dong Zhi suppressed his smile and humbly asked, “Then what are you?”

Kan Chaosheng tilted his chin. “Guess!”

Dong Zhi said, “Since your name is related to water, your true form should be a creature of the water. You also like to eat very much, but He Yu said you are not gluttonous. Perhaps a turtle? A salamander? A golden toad? A dragon? Hmm… or is it a jiao*?”

*(蛟) Dragon in Chinese mythology often referred to as a “scaled” dragon that is hornless and aquatic. See lore for details.

He quickly got his answer based on the change in Kan Chaosheng’s expression. Dong Zhi said in surprise, “So you’re really a jiao?”

Kan Chaosheng snorted but acted tsundere and didn’t answer.

A dragon with horns was a dragon, while a hornless dragon was a jiao. Legends had it that a jiao, before going through a calamity, was inferior in strength to that of a dragon. But of course, these were, after all, just legends. The existence of this kind of creature was as ethereal as a dragon and had never been confirmed to exist.

Since he didn’t answer, Dong Zhi assumed he had acquiesced. He let out a sigh and asked, “Is there really a jiao in the world?”

Kan Chaosheng looked displeased. “You have even seen a dragon, so why ask such a question?”

Dong Zhi smiled and said, “But it wasn’t a living dragon. If you are truly a jiao, then you’re a living legend and I will need to take a look at you in your original form to confirm!”

Though Kan Chaosheng has a bit of a temper, he’s also easy to get along with. As long as you feed him and smooth his hair, you’ll eventually be able to find his soft spot. Dong Zhi had now successfully reached that spot. Sure enough, there was a hint of blush on his face as he exuded an arrogant aura.

Dong Zhi asked curiously, “Then why do you usually become a cat?”

“This floor is not big enough to fit my body. Besides, turning into a cat can reduce the vigilance of humans. Don’t you all like weak animals?”

“Won’t your combat abilities be weakened? If you had transformed your body on Changbai Mountain, that would’ve been a very majestic sight, right?”

Kan Chaosheng curled his lips. “That place is a scenic area, and one dragon was enough. I will transform again, and when that time comes, there’ll be hell to pay. I will clean up all the mess and settle accounts with every department that has beef with us!”

Dong Zhi nodded and was convinced. He knew the real reason was because a jiao had an inferiority complex in front of a true dragon, even if it was just a bone dragon. These were signs of weakness that he could not say in front of Kan Chaosheng.

“Get up quickly!” Kan Chaosheng said roughly, “The boss asked me to take you to the top floor to practice!”

“You can just tell me how to get there and I’ll go by myself. That way, you can do your own thing.”

Kan Chaosheng’s nostrils flared, and he said impatiently, “You need to swipe a card to enter. You haven’t joined yet, so how do you expect to get in?”

Dong Zhi innocently replied, “But I haven’t even eaten breakfast yet. Let’s go together. I know there’s a Cantonese dim sum teahouse nearby. Their wrappers are handmade, and they are the same as those in the old town of Guangzhou. The skin is thin, and the fillings are delicious.”

Kan Chaosheng’s eyes immediately lit up, as if he would perk his ears and meow. It’s a pity that he wasn’t in the big yellow cat form, or Dong Zhi would have given him endless pets.

After breakfast, the two returned to the Special Administration Bureau, and Kan Chaosheng took Dong Zhi to the top floor. Having to climb the stairs for 32 floors made Dong Zhi doubt life.

“Has no one ever complained about the lack of an elevator? Am I the only one who is crawling up these stairs on the verge of death? Didn’t He Yu say that there are also ordinary people in logistics?”

Kan Chaosheng: “Yes, we get complaints many times a year.”

“So why don’t the people above fix it?”

“In the end, they all transferred their posts and left, saying that they would rather go to National Security than come here, but every year, fools like you are tricked into coming in, so it doesn’t matter.”

Dong Zhi gave a contemptuous look.

Kan Chaosheng said, “Didn’t you learn kung fu tona at the Hezao Sect? Climbing stairs every day is one of the practice courses.”

Dong Zhi subconsciously always regarded himself as an ordinary person. Hearing Kan Chaosheng’s words, he suddenly realized that he had already stepped a foot into the ranks of cultivators. In accordance with the way of the Hezao Sect, he slowed his breathing while climbing the stairs. Once his attention was no longer on his legs, the distance didn’t seem to be that long.

The two eventually reached the top floor, where a door to the rooftop was tightly closed. Kan Chaosheng took out his work permit, and the card machine on the wall beeped, opening the door.

“Come in.”

Dong Zhi was starry-eyed. He thought that he would see a rooftop that would be like any other ordinary commercial building, but he quickly found that his imagination was too lacking. When he stepped through the door, it was like he had leapt from the real world and entered a fantasy world.

There was green grass that grew everywhere. Sporadic waterfalls were gushing, splashing beads of water around. Lush vegetation covered the area that was filled with streams and rocks scattered around. It was like a vast and boundless scene that had no end in sight.

Such a scene could not be observed in the steel jungle of a modern city, not to mention that they were currently in the heart of Beijing.

Did they travel through time and space and come to another world?

“Are we still in Beijing?” Dong Zhi exclaimed.

Kan Chaosheng snorted, “Of course. Why are you making such a fuss? This is just an enchantment.”

“Is it an illusion?”

“No. In your own words, it is a limited space that expands infinitely.”

Dong Zhi walked to the river, bent down, and touched the water. The water flowed between his fingers, leaving them icy and cold, and the summer breeze held the aroma of fruits. These feelings felt all too real.

Dong Zhi asked, “Does everyone practice here?”

“There are several areas divided here. Group one, group two, and group three each have their own different spaces. Don’t worry about accidental injuries. I am a member of group two, so my work permit can only open the area for group two. The best thing here is that although the enchantment separates us from the real world, the qi is still connected, so the effect of cultivation is the same. For example, descend!”

He beckoned to the sky, and a dark cloud floated over their heads.

“Rain.” Kan Chaosheng said.

Suddenly, a downpour rained down, but it was limited to just the area above Dong Zhi. As soon as he raised his head, he was instantly drenched.

Dong Zhi: …

Kan Chaosheng laughed loudly.

Dong Zhi was expressionless. “Spit out all the dumplings for me.”

Kan Chaosheng made a face and said, “Hurry up and practice. I’ll be responsible for supervising you today!”

Dong Zhi saw through his intentions instantly and sighed. “You just want to wait so I can treat you to dinner, right? Originally I wanted to take you to eat grilled fish at night, but now my enthusiasm has been completely extinguished by you.”

Kan Chaosheng blinked a few times and suddenly changed his attitude. “Then why don’t I help you practice? If you can attract thunder today, you’ll treat me to grilled fish tonight.”

Dong Zhi said, “How can you help?”

“I can help you repair the talismans. Every time you use them, they will burn out, but I can restore them so you can reuse them without wasting extra time drawing new ones.”

“Okay, deal.”

Long Shen had taught him the correct posture for holding a sword while reciting his mantra. He had a good memory, so his movements weren’t bad. He was also proficient in memorizing the runes as well. Although those talismans were written by him, they’ve been certified by He Yu that they conform with the teachings, but no matter how he practiced, there was no improvement.

After the talisman ignited, it fluttered in the air and landed on the ground, completely devoid of the prestige it once had when it attracted thunder on Mount Hezao.

This situation was common. The old master had told him that He Yu could attract heavenly thunder but only once a month, and that was already considered to be genius level. He had succeeded in the initial test overnight, so naturally it was gratifying, but his heavenly thunder was unpredictable. The stronger his abilities were, the higher the success rate. Even experts like Zhang Daoling¹ and Tao Hongjing² couldn’t constantly summon heavenly lightning.

¹Chinese religious leader who lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty credited with founding the Way of the Celestial Masters sect of Taoism, which is also known as the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice, and he was the founder of Taoism.
²Chinese alchemist, astronomer, calligrapher, military general, musician, physician, pharmacologist, and writer during the Northern and Southern dynasties. A polymathic individual of many talents, he was best known as the founder of the Shangqing “Highest Clarity” school of Daoism and the compiler-editor of the basic Shangqing religious texts.

Dong Zhi wasn’t discouraged. He kept trying repeatedly for the entire morning. After the talisman ignited and turned to ashes, it was restored by Kan Chaosheng. He only needed to use two talismans in turns. Kan Chaosheng sat on a branch eating nuts, and after a while, there was a pile of shells under the tree.

“Your technique is not good. It’s not neat enough!”

“You need to recite the mantra faster. When you’re fighting a real enemy, they won’t just wait around until you finish your recitation!”

“Oi, have you not eaten? You have to channel your qi into the sword!”

During the gaps in between eating snacks, Kan Chaosheng didn’t forget to chatter while pointing at all the mountains around.

“Idiot. The tip of the sword must be up! Up!” Kan Chaosheng inarticulately yelled as his mouth was stuffed full of snacks.

Dong Zhi muttered to himself. “I wonder if I should eat hairy crabs or crayfish for dinner?”

Kan Chaosheng’s face changed faster than turning a page of a book. “Honestly, this is the first time I’ve seen such a talent like you. It is such a waste not to practice this technique. The General Administration needs you. The country needs you. The people need you!”

Dong Zhi laughed and stopped fighting with him as he began to concentrate on his practice again.

At first, there would be noises around him that would disturb him, but gradually he became immersed, and the noise outside started to quiet. Although there had been no progress for the time being, at any rate, his mood had adapted, and he wasn’t easily affected by external factors.

Long Shen swiped his card and walked through the door of the rooftop with someone behind him. From a distance, Dong Zhi’s figure could be seen standing by the stream practicing his technique.

After watching him for a moment, Wu Bingtian joked, “Do you want that kind of kid? It seems that group two is getting less picky these days.”

There was a hint of ridicule in his words, but Long Shen ignored it as he walked over with Wu Bingtian.

“Boss!” Kan Chaosheng shouted when he saw them coming over. He clapped his hands and jumped down from the tree.

Hearing Kan Chaosheng, Dong Zhi turned his head and nodded politely.

Long Shen said to him, “This is Boss Wu. He wants to take a closer look at your situation at Tianyuan Building that day.”

Wu Bingtian smiled slightly. He looked seemingly approachable, but there was a sense of distance. “We have asked He Yu, Tang Jing, and others, since we can discover different things from different viewpoints. The more comprehensive report we put together, the more it’ll help us fill in the gaps.”

He Yu had told him that there were three deputy directors in the bureau, each in charge of their own groups in the Special Administration Bureau. This Deputy Director Wu must be the leader of the first group.

Although Wu Bingtian’s facial features weren’t comparable to Long Shen’s, he wasn’t bad by any means. He had a very upright face that was a bit burly, matching his tall figure. He could be regarded as a beautiful man type.

The existence of the Archfiend must be vitally important to the Special Administration Bureau. Otherwise, they would not have taken matters so seriously and dispatched two deputy directors to personally question him.

Dong Zhi realized this and didn’t dare be sloppy. He carefully recalled the process of his acquaintance with Xu Wan as well as the situation at the Tianyuan Building, and briefly described it. There wasn’t any new information discovered, but Wu Bingtian still listened to him very seriously. At the end, he nodded and said nothing, and told him to continue practicing while he turned around and left with Long Shen.

When they reached the exit of the enchantment, they heard a muffled rumbling from overhead. The two raised their heads and saw dark clouds above, slowly converging towards Dong Zhi. In the clouds, bright light sparked, then suddenly a thick lightning bolt suddenly struck!

Kan Chaosheng yelled as he fled from under the tree, running at the speed of light. Because he was so frightened, halfway through running, he transformed into a cat and jumped several times before falling into the stream.

Within the next second, lightning struck the tree that he was sitting on right down the middle, splitting the entire tree in half. With a bang, half of the tree crashed into the ground, crushing the pile of empty nut shells that Kan Chaosheng had eaten.

The big yellow cat was extremely angry. It hissed at Dong Zhi, barring its claws and teeth. “Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow?!”

“…I don’t understand.” For the first time in his life, he found out that cats could make such grating cries.

The big yellow cat hissed at him a few times before light condensed around it, turning into spots, and eventually it returned to Kan Chaosheng’s appearance.

“Do you want to commit murder and robbery?!”

Dong Zhi said innocently, “I didn’t know that the tree would be hit.”

Long Shen and Wu Bingtian didn’t stay behind to look. They left the enchantment and went down to the lower floor.

Wu Bingtian said, “We plan to expand our search area where the mural was found last time to see if we can find the stone tablet.”

Long Shen nodded. “Then Inner Mongolia will be left to you, and I will also let the people from the Northeast Branch continue to search near Changbai Mountain.”

Wu Bingtian sighed. “Our country is so big that it is impossible to dig three feet of ground inch by inch. I hope that the Archfiend will come out and do something again. That way, we can follow its trail and find the stone tablet one step at a time. But having said that, do you think that the Archfiend is rushing towards the stone tablets to steal them or destroy them?”

Long Shen said, “If the stone tablet is really part of the talisman array, its purpose is most likely the latter. However, it’s not yet known what role the talisman array has.”

“I have asked the above to send documents to various sects to assist in finding information. Maybe I can find clues related to the stone tablets, but don’t hold out much hope. Mr. Zhang said that the runes on the stone tablet were extremely old. The Longhu Sect had rummaged through relevant materials and still found nothing for the time being.” He said this, naturally, in hopes of exchanging information with Long Shen.

Long Shen was silent for a moment before saying, “I asked He Yu to inquire about it at the Hezao Sect. Headmaster Xin said that the age of the stone tablet and the talismans on it may be before the Ming and Qing Dynasties.”

Is this nonsense? Given the abilities of the Longhu Sect, they couldn’t figure out that the talisman was before the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but the Hezao Sect did. Wu Bingtian couldn’t help feeling disappointed, but then recalled that the Hezao Sect had been on the decline since the Qing Dynasty and had suffered several turmoil that had burned many of their works. Indeed, they were overwhelmed and underpowered*.

*More than enough in the mind, but not enough strength (心有余而力不足) Saying that refers to intentionally doing something but objectively could not. Powerless.

“I’m afraid there will be follow-ups to the stone tablet incident. There are so few people in group two. I hope the Long Bureau can recruit a few more this year. It’s good to cherish feathers*, but if you’re too lofty, you’ll be misunderstood!” Wu Bingtian said with a smile.

*Metaphor for cherishing one’s reputation and acting very cautiously. || In this context, he’s mocking Long Shen for being too picky (afraid that his reputation will be spoil if he picks the wrong suborindates).

Long Shen said lightly, “Didn’t Boss Wu see one just now?”

Shit! Why did he bring this up?

Wu Bingtian wanted to scold his mother! Just now, he had followed Long Shen to the rooftop and saw Dong Zhi practicing. At first, he didn’t take him very seriously. He had a discerning eye and knew from a glance that Dong Zhi was just a novice. For such a novice, let alone being admitted to the General Administration Bureau, he wouldn’t even be able to take one step past the gate of the Longhu Sect. Who knew not long after he finished laughing at Long Shen, he was slapped in the face by a thunderbolt, and it wasn’t an insignificant one but was powerful enough to show off all its glory.

Wu Bingtian pretended that he didn’t say anything. He wanted to laugh at his opponent, yet tripped over his own feet.

He laughed awkwardly and said, “The Boss Long is really wise and knowledgeable. Why haven’t I found a newcomer of such good quality before!”

Long Shen snorted.

Wu Bingtian: …

How dare you snort? Just you wait. When you’re not looking, I’ll grab the person you like and see if you can pretend to keep calm, ah?!

Dong Zhi was unaware of the happenings between Long Shen and Wu Bingtian and how they felt about him. At this time, he was overcome with great joy at his success in attracting thunder again. After Long Shen had left, he practiced more than a dozen times and on two occasions managed to attract lightning the size as thick as his thumb. It wasn’t as powerful as the first time, but this success rate shows that he had made great progress. He was told that after he successfully attracted thunder, it would take at least another month before he could succeed again.

To reward Kan Chaosheng for helping him, Dong Zhi called He Yu and invited them both to eat crabs and crayfish. Near midnight, the three of them dragged their round bellies back. Dong Zhi couldn’t fall asleep due to eating too much, and recalling his experience today, he got overly excited again.

Before today, he had never thought that he, an ordinary otaku who had lived for more than 20 years, would one day be able to step into a mysterious and fantastical world while also obtaining abilities of his own.

The victory from today’s first battle invigorated Dong Zhi, injecting him full of motivation. He couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come so he could continue making persistent efforts and practice harder. He picked up his phone as he strolled around, wanting to send Long Shen a message but felt that it was too intrusive. Today, Boss Long came with Boss Wu to personally ask him questions that were most likely related to the stone tablet. He guessed that it must be a serious matter for them, and Long Shen must be too busy right now to care about anything else.

After thinking about it, he opened a shopping website and bought some daily necessities for himself. He also bought a bunch of self-heating hotpot mix for Kan Chaosheng, a three-dimensional mouse pad, and a cute little bear backpack for He Yu.

Since he met them on the train, they have helped him out a lot. Although one was cheap and gluttonous, and the other was always absentminded, except when it came to exorcism, he still considered them brothers and friends. He never felt taken advantage of when he extended his offer to invite them to meals and often bought them gifts.

When he got to Long Shen, however, he felt embarrassed.

What does the male god like?

Dong Zhi entered keywords like antiques and famous swords. Looking at their prices made him unable to breath.

The Dong’s family background is quite good. After his parents’ deaths, they left him a sizable inheritance. In addition to the salary that he made while working in the games industry, his wealth is relatively sizable. He can say that he doesn’t need to worry about food and clothing, but even so, the price of these swords was something that was unaffordable, and he didn’t even know if they were real or fake.

After staring at the computer for a while, he turned on his phone and messaged a friend who was studying abroad. It was daytime over there, so the old friend quickly replied back: [Yo. You finally remembered me! What are you up to these days?]

Dong Zhi: [I have resigned from my job and am preparing to take the civil service exam. Brother, let me ask you a question.]

Old friend: [Shoot.]

Dong Zhi: [I have a friend who wants to give gifts to someone. He has a good impression of this person, but he’s not sure if it’s considered love or not. What do you think this person should give?]

Old friend: [That friend is you, right?]

Dong Zhi: …

The old friend immediately sent a series of laughing emojis at him.

Old friend: [You fell in love as soon as I broke up. Have you no conscience?! Send me photos so I can see!]

Dong Zhi felt helpless: [There are no photos, and I said I’m not sure how I feel about him, so I want to ask you for your opinion.]

Old friend: [He??? Male???]

Dong Zhi had accidently typed “he” instead of “she”, but he didn’t expect the other party to be so keen*. He hesitated whether he should tell the truth or not.

*In Chinese, he (他) and she (她) are similar characters. They are also pronounced similarly too, so when speaking, often it’s hard to discern if they are referring to someone’s sex.

The old friend immediately sent another message: [I already knew you were bent. Why else would you have been single for more than 20 years!]

Dong Zhi was unconvinced: [I have also had a good impression of girls, okay?!]

Old friend: [That’s like in elementary school. Besides, let alone men and women, going beyond humans, there’s also animal love and asexuality. This brother is open-minded and calm.]

Dong Zhi: […Anyways, this person is extremely powerful and good-looking. Aside from that, he also made a good impression on me and has helped me out a lot. I want to thank him, so what should I give?]

Old friend: [Money!]

Dong Zhi: …

Old friend: [Money is the most real thing! Just send him a red envelope with 520* yuan. You can test him while also thanking him. Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?]

*When pronounced, 520 [wǔ èr líng] sound very close to I love you [wǒ ài nǐ] [我爱你] so it’s now become a reference to it.

Dong Zhi: [Forget it. Let’s talk about why you’re lovelorn.]

He listened to his friend complain about how bad his girlfriend was for over an hour and comforted him. After hanging up, Dong Zhi picked up the sketchbook album and turned to a half-painted portrait that hadn’t been completed since he was on the train.

The outline was a side angle of a slightly lowered head, as if the person was listening or in deep thought. The expression was indifferent and calm, and his eyes were blank. This was the first time they had met on the train, and Dong Zhi had no idea who Long Shen was at all. He was only impressed by his appearance alone. The eyes were the windows into one’s soul, so he couldn’t draw the other person’s eyes, so he kept them blank all this time.

After staring at it for a while, Dong Zhi chose not to fill in the eyes. Instead, he turned the page and started sketching a few cartoon characters from Group Two.

Sitting on the bed, with his short legs dangling, was Kan Chaosheng, who had a mouth full of snacks. Beside him was He Yu, who was holding his phone, obsessing over it. Zhong Yuyi was sleep walking with his hands in his pockets, and then there was Long Shen, who was holding his sword in a cool posture. He also drew himself practicing the Five Thunder Talisman technique and was finally able to attract heavenly lightning, but it struck Kan Chaosheng on the head.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Note: I’m using thunder and lightning interchangeably. Thunder for the name and lightning for the actual bolts that strike because, technically, thunder is just the sound that lightning makes and lightning is the actual thing that does the damage, so from an English point of view, it sounds inaccurate to say something was struck by thunder.

Dong Zhi’s old friend, I’m hoping that is platonic animal love, because if it’s not, then I have news for you bud, no.

—

Jiao/Jiaolong

Type of dragon in Chinese mythology that is hornless and scaled. It is aquatic or river-dwelling. English translations have referred to it as “jiao-dragon”, “crocodile”, “flood dragon”, “scale/scaly dragon”, or even “kraken”.

Though called “dragon” it is in fact not a dragon but a species of water beast that has dragon blood. They like to hide in ponds and rivers for several hundreds to thousands of years, and if they can survive a calamity, they can ascend to become a real dragon.

Depending on text, its descriptions vary, but generally it’s agreed that it’s aquatic in nature, hornless, and scaley. It is said that they control the water and can make clouds and rain as well as summon floods. They are flightless by nature and only have a pair of claws.

---

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

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

---

Chapter 30

Long Shen took him back to the Special Administration Bureau, but instead of going upstairs, they went to the underground parking lot. It was then that Dong Zhi realized that when Long Shen said he was “taking him to a place”, it was somewhere that wasn’t nearby.

“Get in the car,” Long Shen said as he got into a black Land Rover. There was a thick layer of dust covering the car window. It seems that it hadn’t been washed in a long time.

“Is this the unit’s car?” Dong Zhi asked curiously.

“No, it’s my own,” Long Shen said.

Dong Zhi was flabbergasted. Seeing He Yu cry and preach about his own poverty every day, it inevitably formed the impression that “everyone in the Special Administration Bureau is extremely poor”. Who knew that his boss was actually a local tyrant.

Long Shen seemed to have seen through his thoughts. “He Yu can afford to buy this kind of stuff if he wants, but he spends his money like water and never saves it.”

Dong Zhi was reminded that He Yu spends all his money on games, like buying props and costumes, and even pestering him to buy him gift packs. He nodded in agreement. Then he thought how unscientific it was for a rich, pure, unpretentious, tall, handsome, and capable man to work all day long. Not bother mentioning being married and having kids, he didn’t even seem to have a girlfriend. It didn’t make sense!

Curiosity overtook Dong Zhi and he tried to endure it, but, in the end, couldn’t hold back. “You’re so busy all the time. Do you have any time to accompany your girlfriend?”

Long Shen said, “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Dong Zhi subconsciously said, “You’re so handsome, yet you can’t find a girlfriend?”

Long Shen glanced at him from the rearview mirror. “Do you really want to fall in love? There are not many people your age in the General Administration Bureau, but there are more in the East China Branch. I’ll let He Yu introduce you to some when I have the opportunity.”

Dong Zhi first let out a subconscious cry, then reacted and hurriedly explained. “No, I’m just asking casually. I don’t want to fall in love! At this stage, I plan to work hard and be admitted to the Special Administration Bureau, join your unit, learn from you, and contribute to the elimination of monsters and demons to create a harmonious society!”

He didn’t even need to rehearse this sentence. After speaking all in one breath, he felt it was a bit too tongue-in-cheek, thinking that he might’ve been reading too much information about the public exam recently.

Even more amazing was that instead of feeling like he was full of hot air, Deputy Director Long nodded in agreement and said. “The work of eliminating demons is heavy and you have a long way to go. Since you have this opportunity, even if you don’t enter the Special Administration Bureau, you must persevere in your cultivation.”

“Yes!” Dong Zhi said, dryly. He felt he had dug a hole for himself, but Long Shen looked serious while preaching to him, which he thought was unexpectedly cute.

The car drove into a side street. Most of the shops here were selling the four treasures of the study*, antiques, calligraphy, and paintings. At this time, most of them were closed, while the ones that were still open were deserted.

*(文房四宝) Calligraphy and paintings tools that are pen/brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

The area looked like it would be very lively during the day, but after nightfall, there were only a few pedestrians on the street. Long Shen parked his car on the side of the road and took him into a shop with dimly lit lights. There was a person there that was packing up, about to close up shop.

“Eh, I’m closed. Come back earlier tomorrow…” The other party turned around and said, but halfway through speaking, he pushed up his reading glasses to the bridge of his nose and said, “Boss Long, why are you here?”

Long Shen said, “Getting a sword back. Master Fu Qing’s.”

The other party asked, “No consignment?”

Long Shen: “No.”

The shopkeeper glanced at Dong Zhi, nodded, and didn’t ask much. “Then wait a bit. I’ll go get it.”

Dong Zhi turned his gaze around and found that it was not much different from other shops. There was a lot of antique calligraphy and paintings, but he couldn’t tell if they were authentic, so he looked at them with excitement.

The shopkeeper quickly came back out with a sword case.

“Someone came to ask for the price, but they couldn’t offer what you asked for. They kept trying to haggle, but I wouldn’t budge.”

Long Shen said, “Thank you very much.”

The shopkeeper smiled and said, “You have helped me a lot over the years, so no need for formalities. Otherwise, we’ll just keep going around in circles.”

He put the box on the counter, unlocked it, and with a click, the box popped open. Dong Zhi stepped forward curiously and saw that there was a sword inside. Compared to the two that Long Shen hung in the office, it had neither precious inlaid stones nor special decorations, making it look pretty mediocre.

Long Shen took out the sword and said, “There is no need for the box. I’ll sit and have a cup of tea next time.”

The shopkeeper laughed. “Don’t keep saying this. It’s already been three times and you have never stopped in for tea. You always come and leave in a rush!”

Long Shen also laughed. “It’s too late today. I want to stay, but you don’t have time right now. We’ll do it next time.”

The tone of his conversation with the shopkeeper was very relaxed. It was very different from when he was with He Yu and the others. Dong Zhi guessed that these two must’ve known each other for a long time. They shortly left the antique shop afterwards, and Long Shen drove back to the Special Administration Bureau.

“Are you going to my office or He Yu’s dorm?” Long Shen asked. Both places were in the same building but on different floors, and since Dong Zhi was living in He Yu’s dorm temporarily, Long Shen brought it up.

Recalling that the other party had something to talk to him about, he hurriedly went with Long Shen back to his office. The office was still as neat and organized as before, with just the two swords that hung on the wall; there were no other unnecessary decorations.

He didn’t know the source, but he remembered a saying that a person’s hobbies, personalities, and even weaknesses can often be seen from the details of their office furnishings. If this statement is accurate, then Long Shen’s personality is undoubtedly the same as this office; at most, he has a penchant for swords in addition to being clearheaded and organized.

Dong Zhi sat upright in the office waiting for Long Shen to speak while his mind was full of wild thoughts.

“Here.” Long Shen put the long sword he had just brought back from the antique shop on the table and pushed it towards Dong Zhi.

Dong Zhi was startled and couldn’t help but touch the long sword. It felt cold to the touch, and unexpectedly, the sword was light, as if it was made with an ultra-light alloy, but just from seeing its exterior, it didn’t look as if it was made with that kind of material.

“Boss Long, I don’t know any swordsmanship. This sword would be a waste on me.” He spoke honestly.

Long Shen said, “This sword is called the Qingzhu Sword. Its master was Fu Shan* of the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, who was also known as Fu Qingzhu. While not his best sword, it can help you practice the Five Thunder Talisman technique.”

*Fu Shan (傅山) also known as Fu Qingzhu (傅青主) when he adopted his Qingzhu sword style. He’s master said to be unparalleled in both medical skills and martial arts, and has profound attainments in Wuji swordsmanship.

Dong Zhi was shocked. “Use a sword to practice the Five Thunder Talisman technique?”

Long Shen nodded. “The Hezao Sect is not a school of sword cultivation. They pay more attention to the unity of runes and thoughts, but you didn’t grow up on Mount Hezao. You can only learn a few techniques. Your foundation is too shallow, so it’s difficult to compare to a person who has been practicing since childhood. If you use a sword to draw thunder, you will do it better with half the effort.”

Dong Zhi suddenly recalled the night he first learned the thunder technique. He was able to draw thunder, but for a period of time after the death of his shishu, when they stayed behind to help with the funeral and take care of the aftermath, he would occasionally practice the technique, but there was no thunder like that night. At most, the sky would get covered with dark clouds. Now that he had heard Long Shen’s words, he understood a little.

“You’re saying my foundation is too poor. If I want to do more with half the effort, it is best to have external help. This sword is equivalent to a medium that allows the talisman to mobilize the power of the heavens faster?”

Long Shen nodded approvingly. Though Dong Zhi could barely be counted as a cultivator, and he had no foundation before, he was still considered good because of his profound understanding and high innate talent that allowed him to quickly pick up on things.

“But this sword is too valuable. I can’t accept it.” He wanted to be able to better his talisman technique, but at the same time felt uneasy.

Long Shen said lightly, “It takes more than 200 years to master the Five Thunder Talisman technique. By itself, the sword is valueless, and its only benefit is to be used for this. Take it. If you fail the exam, then I will take it back.”

With his heart resolved, Dong Zhi quickly thanked him and accepted it silently. From this, he realized what He Yu meant when he said that Long Shen was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Although he usually didn’t smile and trained people harshly, it wasn’t because he didn’t care about them. He made rewards and punishments clear, and he was also willing to make corrections. Even if Dong Zhi knew that this was probably the treatment he got in exchange for his good performance in Yanchang, he still couldn’t help but feel happy. As for the possibility of the gift being taken back, Dong Zhi chose to temporarily forget about it.

Since it was a rare opportunity, he took it and asked a few questions, and Long Shen answered them all. Although his words were concise and even more straightforward than He Yu’s, they were not difficult to understand.

Dong Zhi got up contentedly and said goodbye, not forgetting to thank him again, before returning to the dormitory with his sword in hand.

Before leaving, Long Shen said to him, “A separate practice field has been opened up on the top floor of the building. It’s protected by a barrier, so go there to practice. Don’t practice anywhere else. When you go, call Kan Chaosheng or the others.”

The building was in the downtown area. With the abilities of everyone in the Special Administration Bureau, if they were to practice their technique at every turn, grass wouldn’t even grow within a ten-mile radius.

Inspired by his idol, after returning to the dorms, Dong Zhi did a set of national exam questions in one go, practiced his runes drawing, and then washed and changed his clothes before going to bed. Due to all the activity, he was either too excited or nervous about the exam, so it took him a long time to fall asleep after multiple rounds of tossing and turning, and he ended up having a weird dream.

In his dream, he had passed the written exam and successfully entered the interview portion. There were several interviewers sitting in front of him, one of whom was Long Shen. Dong Zhi pinched a talisman with one hand and held a sword with the other. He was trying to attract thunder in front of the examiners, and as a result, instead of floating up after the talisman caught fire, it fell to the ground and turned into a beautiful woman that was hefty in front and voluptuous in back.

He said to Long Shen, “Boss Long, this is the girlfriend that I have summoned for you. Do you think I can pass the exam?”

Long Shen nodded in satisfaction, got up, and walked over, but instead of hugging the beauty, he hugged Dong Zhi, touched his hair, and pinched his face.

“Yes, you passed the interview with flying colors.” He said on behalf of the other interviewers that Dong Zhi couldn’t see their faces clearly.

Dong Zhi looked dumbfounded, trying to break free from Long Shen’s arms. “No, no! You are mistaken. The beauty is for you, but I’m not!” The beauty who he summoned bowed to the interviewers and thanked them.

Suddenly, Dong Zhi was picked up in a princess carry as Long Shen lowered his head and smiled at him charmingly seductively, “You don’t need to take the exam anymore. Come back and help me warm my bed!”

Dong Zhi was shocked. After reviewing for more than half a year and memorizing countless previous test questions, he was now replacing someone that he had summoned. Feeling anxious and angry, he shouted loudly, “I want to take the exam! Ahhhhhhhh!”

When he opened his eyes, he was dripping with cold sweat and clinging tightly to his blanket with both hands. It took him a while to realize that it was all just a dream. Usually dreams are forgotten after waking up, but this was more like a nightmare that had gathered all his grievances over the past few months. He can still vividly recall every detail, including Deputy Director Long’s mischievous, seductive smile.

Dong Zhi couldn’t help shuddering and was stunned, as if he had been struck by lightning. He shook his head wildly, trying to get the dream out of his mind.

No, no, no. It was just a dream. Don’t think too much about it. A dream is the opposite of reality!

Looking at the time on the phone, it was just a little after 3 AM. Seeing that it was still early, he lay down again and stared at the ceiling in a daze. They all say that dreams are a reflection of the subconsciousness deep in one’s heart, so what does that dream he just had mean?

Just dreaming about the exam is fine as it was most likely due to the mental pressure he was under recently as he was preparing for it, but why the hell is he dreaming about Boss Long robbing an innocent person?!

Dong Zhi then recalled that he had a conversation with Long Shen along the way when they went to get the sword last night and realized something was off. When Long Shen said he didn’t have a girlfriend, under normal circumstances, he should have dug a bit deeper and asked for things like his criteria when looking for a significant other so that he could possibly help or try to comfort him by saying there must be a beautiful, gentle, and understanding goddess waiting for him out there.

But Dong Zhi found that there was a hint of amusement in Long Shen. What was he so amused about?! Could it be because he was a single dog and had no girlfriend that he developed a dark mentality that when he saw his idol, he would replace his lack of a significant other with him? Could it be… that he had some ulterior thoughts regarding his male god Long Shen?!

Dong Zhi hugged his blanket tightly and fell into deep contemplation. He calmed himself down, and two villains in his mind began answering methodically, trying to sort out his thoughts.

Villain A: You ugly dog, you must be confused by his appearance!

Villain B retorted: No! The reason why the male god is a male god is not only because of his appearance. On Changbai Mountain, he was able to deal with the bone dragon and beat up two Japanese onmyojis!

Villain A sneered: That’s because Kan Chaosheng and Old Zheng were there. The success of one person is often due to the success of the team!

Villain B: Then you can’t deny that he is the core of the team. Even Headmaster Xin said that Boss Long is very powerful, and he saved my life in Yangcheng!

Villain A mocked again: It’s not popular nowadays to indulge in self-praise!

Villain B: Who would be as dirty as you? It’s not surprising that someone as powerful as him would become a role model, right? I won’t talk about He Yu and Kan Chaosheng. Although they are usually rambunctious, they are also honest in front of Boss Long. Zhong Yuyi is the same as me. After seeing his heroism, he did everything possible to get admitted to the Special Administration Bureau. Isn’t it just like admiring a solider then joining the army? It’s just being influenced by a role model!

Villain A said coldly: You said so much, yet why are you so happy to know that he doesn’t have a girlfriend?

Villain B was speechless.

Villain A: Do you want to enter the Special Administration Bureau to fight alongside him?

Villain B: Of course I do!

Villain A: Would you like to see him smile at you and praise you for doing well?

Villain B: Yes!

Villain A: What can you do for him?

Villain B: Give him support and strive not to hold him back so that he can be assured that someone has his back! Then try to do what he asks of me.

Villain A: If he wants you to be his boyfriend, would you agree?

Villain B: ??? This kind of scenario doesn’t exist!

Villain A: Don’t think about whether it exists or not. Just answer honestly if you want to. I am your inner voice, so don’t be hypocritical!

Villain B: Well, I’ll be extremely shocked, but I don’t know if I’ll agree. After all, this is all hypothetical.

Villain A: So, you actually like him a bit?

Villain B: …

Villain A: Let’s change the question. How would you feel if you saw He Yu in a relationship?

Villain B: Wow dude! You move faster than me! Blessings to you, and let me treat you to dinner!

Villain A: What if you see Long Shen befriending someone?

Villain B: Well… I’ll give him my blessings too…

Villain A: Why is your attitude so negative and unwilling?

Villain B: …

When the battle between heaven and man came to an end, Dong Zhi yelled depressingly, thinking that it was all wrong. Although he had visited Long Shen office before and thought about the unspoken rules, it was mainly because he wanted to put his mind at ease and was just joking around. He didn’t really have these kinds of thoughts, right?

He had been an otaku for more than 20 years of his life. He had never been in love, but he had seen attractive girls while he was in school, though nothing ever became of it. It still means that he wasn’t bent, right?

No! Whether he’s bent or not is not the point!

He just admires Long Shen deeply. There’s no doubt that anyone who sees a strong man fighting a bone dragon with a sword wouldn’t be awe-inspired and feel a deep longing in their heart.

But is admiration tantamount to liking? Isn’t this too superficial?

He hardly knows anything about Long Shen, like his age or family situation. What does he even like about him? Is it his handsome appearance or his powerful aura?

Thoughts and pictures flashed through his mind quickly, but he found that what left the deepest mark in his heart in the end had nothing to do with appearance or ability. The scene of Long Shen standing next to the sinkhole on Changbai Mountain while holding his sword as the break of dawn came. When he got trapped in the enchantment on Liuhua Bridge in Yancheng, he was in danger when suddenly he heard the other party’s voice calling out to him, “It’s me”. When the other party didn’t approve of him joining the Special Administration Bureau but still gave him the Qingzhu Sword after seeing his determination and was just hiding his concern under his sternness.

With a cry, Dong Zhi pulled the blanket and covered his face.

Congratulations. For the first time in his life, Dong Zhi found someone that he liked, but the object of his affection was the unattainable male god.

Suddenly, he realized that he wanted to get rid of his single life, but that seems highly improbable now. The nightmare had made him completely sleepless, and he tossed and turned the rest of the night, rolling himself into his blankets like a caterpillar. All kinds of thoughts swarmed in his mind, including the idea of pushing the Long Shen down and turning raw rice into cooked rice*.

*(生米煮成熟饭) It’s a metaphor for things that have been done and cannot be changed from the quote, “Miss, now that the raw rice is cooked, why do you resist?”. It’s used to refer to couples who have sex/get pregnant before marriage. || In this context, he’s fantasizing about physical “activities” with Long Shen.

But even if it gets to that point, forget about whether he could push Long Shen down, Dong Zhi felt he would definitely end up being packed up and thrown into the sinkhole as feed for the Sneaky Yaksha.

By the time dawn almost came, he finally fell asleep. He didn’t know how long he slept for, but he was awoken by crinkling noises. His first reaction was that he was dreaming, and his second reaction was that there was a mouse, and his third reaction was to open his eyes.

Kan Chaosheng was holding a bag of potato chips in one hand while stuffing his mouth with the other as he sat on a chair with his legs dangling down, looking as if he was bored.

“You’re finally awake.”

---

The author has something to say:

A small theater that has nothing to do with the text:

Dong Zhi: As a beautiful young man with comprehensive moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetic development, I even dreamed of taking the exams. Is there anyone more suitable to enter the Special Administration Bureau than me?

Kan Chaosheng: Liar. I obviously saw you laughing and drooling while sleeping.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Well, I didn’t expect we have a realization of feelings so soon. Well, jiayou Dong Zhi. You’re gonna need it.

---

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

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

---

Chapter 29

Dong Zhi was awakened by his phone alarm early the next morning. He opened his eyes and stared blankly, then habitually picked up his phone, turned off the alarm, and checked to see if there were any notifications. He saw that Long Shen had sent him a message last night.

[When you return to Beijing, come find me.]

Dong Zhi stared wide-eyed at the text and immediately sat up. He kept his gaze on it for over three seconds as the smile on his face got wider. He felt delighted and rolled around in his bed while hugging his blanket several times.

The feeling of loss from last night instantly vanished. He jumped out of bed, washed up, and started his set of morning exercises in the yard according to what the old man taught him yesterday. While doing it, he paid careful attention to his breathing. When he was finished, he was sweating profusely, but his body felt much lighter.

When he was about to have breakfast, he saw He Yu coming out.

“You didn’t sleep in?” Dong Zhi said incredulously.

“Where’s shishu?” He Yu looked around.

“Haven’t gotten up yet,” Dong Zhi said, noticing He Yu’s expression change.

“What’s the matter?” He sensed that something was off. He Yu suddenly took off, and he followed after him, perplexed. After a while, He Yu reached a room, opened the door and strode inside.

The buildings in the Hezao Sect have been around for years. They were all made from ancient brick and stone, and they all had sloping wooden doors. There was only a cell tower dedicated to cellular signals that showed any traces of modern civilization.

When He Yu opened the door, he exerted too much force that it made an unpleasant creaking noise. As Dong Zhi entered, he saw the old man lying on the bed, motionless. He Yu yelled, his face turning pale, but he couldn’t wake the old man up.

Dong Zhi stared in disbelief at the old man whose eyes were closed as if he was peacefully sleeping, and suddenly remembered he didn’t even know his name.

A thunderstorm gathered outside; following it was the sound of pattering rain. The wind blew the raindrops around, bringing in a burst of coolness.

The joy of receiving a reply from Long Shen was erased. The old man had taught him how to draw talismans last night, and his smiling appearance was still vivid in Dong Zhi’s mind. Tears welled as his vision blurred and he couldn’t hold them in any longer as he broke down crying.

The original birthday celebration had turned into a funeral. The disciples of the Hezao Sect came in one after another when they heard the news, and they dealt with the aftermath. Dong Zhi assisted them while silently crying, unable to stop his tears. His fair complexion only enhanced the redness of his eyes even more. They couldn’t bear to see him in this state. Even Headmaster Xin came to comfort him.

“My junior brother was nearly a hundred. They say that there is also joy in death. You don’t have to be too sad. He lived his life freely like an urchin, and he didn’t want to watch you mourn for his passing.”

“Sorry,” Dong Zhi wiped away his tears: “Shishu and I hit it off when we first met. Despite teaching me how to draw talismans, I have nothing to repay him in return. My parents have passed away, and just as I met shishu, he too had passed away. Maybe it was because of my misfortune that shishu…”

Headmaster Xin laughed and felt touched by Dong Zhi’s words. He thought that his junior brother had not misjudged. The boy was upright and soft-hearted in nature. It was a pity that they were not fated to be master and apprentice.

“You don’t have to blame yourself. My junior brother knew his time was approaching long before you came. Your life is destined, and there is no human power that can reverse it. If your parents died young, it can only be said that it was heaven’s will.”

Dong Zhi felt better from his words of comfort: “Thank you, Headmaster.”

Long after his parents’ death, Dong Zhi met a fortune teller at a stall on the street. The fortune teller told him that he wasn’t good to his parents and that his future could not depend on his family*. He was brooding over his fortune when he heard that the fortune teller was later reported and arrested for lying. However, those words still resonated with him as he felt there were some truths in them, so they had stuck with him. Shishu’s death was the last straw that overwhelmed him so that he suddenly lost control of his emotions.

*Six relatives are not close (六亲不近).

Headmaster Xin said: “He Yu is my close disciple. I no longer accept apprentices. Although my junior brother couldn’t accept you, since he had taught you the technique of drawing talismans, you can register him as your teacher in name, so when you go take your exam, you can be named as a disciple of the Hezao Sect. This will not prevent you from accepting an apprenticeship from someone else in the future, and it will be convenient for the sake of your exams.”

Headmaster Xin was extremely considerate. Dong Zhi hurriedly thanked him.

After finishing shishu’s funeral, He Yu and Dong Zhi rested for a day before heading down the mountain to return to Beijing. Cheng Hui was slowly recovering. He was still a bit muddleheaded from the aftermath of losing a part of his soul, so he had to slowly recuperate, and he didn’t join them. Before they left, he had packed them several large bags full of mushrooms and kiwi and asked them to bring them with them and to eat them slowly on their way back.

“Brother, Dong Zhi, thank you!” Cheng Hui sighed: “Originally, I wanted to make persistent efforts this year and continue to participate in the recruitment examination, thinking there would be more open positions, so there would be more opportunities. Who knew that such a thing would happen to me!”

He then said to Dong Zhi: “I hear that you want to join the Special Administrative Bureau. You must fight for the Hezao Sect and crush those people from Longhu!”

He Yu was impatient, so he started rushing: “Alright, alright. Don’t put too much pressure on Xiao Dong Zhi. How can you say anything when you didn’t even pass the exam yourself? Now leave the food and scram!”

Cheng Hui was driven away mercilessly.

Hearing Cheng Hui’s words, Dong Zhi asked: “Is the Longhu Sect at odds with the Hezao Sect?”

He Yu scratched his head: “Not really. In addition to non-staffed personnel and non-combat personnel, the General Administration Bureau has three groups, headed by three deputy directors. Our boss is the leader of group two, but there aren’t many people in our group. Except for the boss and me, there’s just Kan Chaosheng and Zhong Yuyi. The leader of the first group is Wu Bingtian. He was born in Yuanming Palace on Mount Qingcheng. While he has some skills, he is also quite arrogant. If you meet him in the future, you should stay away from him. He likes to find faults, so he could pick on our group!”

Dong Zhi nodded: “Does he often bully Boss Long?”

He Yu yelled: “As if he would dare! The boss is equal to him. It’s okay to pick on us little minions, but if he wants to pick a fight with the boss, he may not win, so he can’t bully him. Let me tell you, Wu Bingtian has a lineage complex. He only recruited disciples from great factions. Yuanming Palace is closely related to the Longhu Sect so many of Longhu disciples are in group one. Peh, I just didn’t join them!”

Dong Zhi started to have a clearer understanding: “So when you joined group two, they regarded you as a traitor?”

He Yu touched his nose embarrassedly: “I just can’t get used to their haughtiness. Besides, group two is just as good as them. With the boss around, those people dared not make any waves. Group three is even more miserable. They’re known as the miscellaneous group, but their leader, Song Zhicun, is pretty awesome. I heard that he used to be a cook. Later, due to fate, he was appreciated by the big brothers of the Longhu Sect, and they taught him a few Taoist techniques. Relying on those skills, he taught himself further and became a talented person that could traverse rivers and lakes. Therefore, those who have the ability and will can make a splash wherever they go, so Xiao Dong Zhi, I’m quite optimistic about you!”

A cook that self-taught himself and eventually excelled was indeed awesome. Dong Zhi became more curious about Deputy Director Song and asked, “Did he join the Longhu Sect after?”

He Yu shook his head and said, “The threshold to join the Longhu Sect is high. It’s not so easy to enter. Song Zhicun was born a cook, and his surname is not Zhang, and he didn’t live on Mount Longhu as a child. I believe that these factors would prevent him from joining, but it’s all hearsay, so who knows! Well, the bus is here, so let’s go!”

Dong Zhi turned around and, while facing the direction of the mountain, kowtowed three times. He had met a lovely old man by chance and didn’t know that his name was Fang Yang until he had passed away. However, his kindness was deeply remembered in his heart. Before leaving the mountain, he solemnly added his name under Fang Yang’s on the lineage line of the Hezao Sect.

The passengers at the station looked at him weirdly, thinking that he was some kind of lunatic.

He Yu patted him on the shoulder: “Shishu understands your feelings, so get up. He had countless legends in his life. He has fought with many foreign devils. He resisted US aggression during the Korean War. Despite his old age, he always acted like a child. I think what he regrets the most is that he wasn’t able to formally accept you as an apprentice and couldn’t spend more time with you. He had no children, so he would definitely treat you as his own, or even like his grandchildren.”

Dong Zhi said, “Tell me more about him.”

He Yu: “When shishu was born, it was the most chaotic time in China…”

The shuttle bus arrived shortly after. They boarded it and watched as the image of Mount Hezao slowly got smaller. Looking back at it from a distance, Dong Zhi saw greenery covering the mountains and lush vegetation everywhere. It was full of vitality, with life blooming in all its layers.

It was like a scene of walking slowly in early summer. Occasional gales and showers could come, but they would quickly clear up, leaving behind a rainbow.

The two took the bus back to the station at the bottom of the mountain and then took a train back to Beijing. Nearly a month had passed since their trip. In addition to the time Dong Zhi spent recovering from his injuries from Changbai Mountain, there were only two months left before the exams.

Dong Zhi had wanted to join the Special Administration Bureau at the beginning, mainly because of his admiration for Long Shen and his curiosity for the fantastical, but after the incident on Hezao Mountain, he felt he needed to live up to his famous master’s intention. He took the time to look at his question bank on the way back, and his level of effort amazed He Yu.

In contrast, He Yu was busy playing games most of the way there, like a degenerate.

“Big boss, don’t practice questions all day. Come and carry me!” He Yu, the unscrupulous demon, said.

Dong Zhi was speechless: “How on earth did you manage to get admitted into the Special Administration Bureau?!”

He Yu: “It hasn’t always been formal like this. At that time, there was a serious shortage of manpower, so if you were willing to join and had some skills, you were accepted. Back then, the Special Administrative Bureau was attached to another department who could claim them for reimbursement. One year it would be under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and another year it would be under the Ministry of Education. It wasn’t until we adhered to international standards in recent years that the Bureau became completely independent. When I tested, don’t bother mentioning the written exam; the interview was just with a few big wigs in the bureau where you just perform a monkey act*.

*(猴戏) Refers performing acts in which a monkey participates in the performances. It is also used to describe people’s pretentious and superficial behavior || In this context, he’s saying the interview was just done for show.

Dong Zhi: “Monkey act???”

He Yu: “Oh, I’m used to calling the interview that. Ah, hurry up and carry me! I’m going to be destroyed! Ah!” He screamed and collapsed onto the chair lifelessly.

Dong Zhi: …

When the two arrived in Beijing, they each went back to sleep for a while. He wasn’t sure how long he slept, but Dong Zhi was awakened by an alarm on his phone. He suddenly remembered that Long Shen asked him to go find him when he returned to Beijing. He hurriedly turned on his phone and found that Long Shen had sent him a message in the morning asking if he had gotten up.

Nearly ten hours had passed since his message, and it was now nightfall, which meant he had been asleep for almost the entire day. Dong Zhi covered his face and hurriedly sent a message to say he’d just gotten up.

After a while, Long Shen sent a reply saying that if he hadn’t eaten yet, to come downstairs and he’d take him to dinner.

The male god took the initiative to make an appointment, so the obvious answer was to take him up on the offer! Even if he had eaten over ten kilograms of shrimp, he wouldn’t even hesitate to say he was hungry.

After replying to Long Shen, they decided to meet at the back door in half an hour. Dong Zhi hurriedly showered, changed into clean clothes, and took extra care in tidying himself up.

When he looked at himself in the mirror, he saw that he was a bit thinner, most likely due to all his trips recently. After a good night’s rest, his fair complexion looked more refreshed, with hints of blush, and a bit tender due to the hot water. He was very satisfied with how he looked as he examined himself in the mirror.

When he went downstairs to the back door, he was surprised. In addition to He Yu, who was yawning, there were also Kan Chaosheng and Zhong Yuyi.

Kan Chaosheng said impatiently, “What took you so long?!”

Dong Zhi hurriedly apologized. He had kept track of the time, making sure he didn’t go over half an hour. Who knew that there were so many people waiting for him?

“Let’s go, let’s go. I’m starving to death!” He Yu rubbed his eyes. It was obvious that he was awakened halfway through his sleep and his attire was all wrinkled as if he hadn’t even bothered changing his clothes.

“Don’t we have to wait for the boss?” Dong Zhi asked strangely.

He Yu walked in front of Kan Chaosheng and said, without looking back, “The boss has already gone ahead.”

Dong Zhi walked behind Zhong Yuyi, who didn’t speak at all. His expression was so blank that Dong Zhi couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He felt as if he should say something, so he introduced himself: “Hello, my name is Dong Zhi. I met you in the hallway that one time.”

A gust of wind blew by, but there was no answer.

Dong Zhi: …

As they walked down the streets, food stalls were seen everywhere, but it didn’t seem like that was their destination as they continued to walk straight ahead. He Yu and Kan Chaosheng had started bickering again, creating a lively scene, but behind him was complete silence.

It wasn’t until ten minutes later that Zhong Yuyi said, “Did you talk to me just now?”

Dong Zhi: “…Yes.”

Zhong Yuyi: “What did you say?”

Dong Zhi repeated what he said, and Zhong Yuyi made a sound and then was silent again. After another five minutes, he suddenly said: “I know about you. My name is Zhong Yuyi.”

Dong Zhi: …Bro, your response time is really slow!

“Your name is very interesting!” Dong Zhi chuckled dryly as he tried to find something to talk about.

Zhong Yuyi: “My mother was eating at home when she gave birth to me. When she finished giving birth, she found that there was only one salted duck egg left over, so she became extremely angry and named me Yuyi*.”

*Remaining [Yu] (余) One [Yi] (一). Combined means one remaining.

Dong Zhi: …

Not knowing how to respond, he embarrassingly said, “Your mother is quite humorous!”

Zhong Yuyi didn’t speak again and resumed, putting on his blank face as if he was lost in another world. Dong Zhi recalled that he had entered the Special Administration Bureau because of Long Shen. He thought perhaps the male god preferred this kind of taciturn tone. Was it too late for him to pretend to act aloof?

They turned the corner and walked towards a barbecue stall on the side of the road. When they entered, they greeted the boss and headed towards a private room. Long Shen had been sitting there already marking orders on a piece of paper with a pen. The scene was unexpectedly down to earth.

Seeing them come in, Long Shen pushed the list to them: “Order.”

Kan Chaosheng didn’t bother marking things down but directly called the boss over and said boldly, “Ten skewers of each serving! Three packs of beer!”

It seems that he’s a regular customer as the boss didn’t have any change in expression. He simply nodded, went out, and came back in with a bill after a while.

Dong Zhi stood up quickly: “I’ll pay for it.”

“I’ll do it.” A voice rang out and a hand was pressed on his shoulder. Long Shen was sitting by He Yu and Dong Zhi hadn’t noticed when he got up. He took the large bill from the boss.

Dong Zhi protested: “Boss Long, I told you I’d invite and treat you!”

“I only promised to have a meal with you but never agreed that it would be your treat.” Long Shen glanced at him and didn’t want to debate for half a day, so he simply sat back down on an empty seat next to him.

Dong Zhi recalled the other party saying “okay” leaving him speechless.

Long Shen said: “You’ve performed well in Guangzhou this time and successfully assisted the Special Administration Bureau in handling the case. I’ll apply for another bonus for you, Dong Zhi.”

Dong Zhi hurriedly asked, “Can the bonus be exchanged for extra interview points or something?”

Long Shen: “It can be used as a reference for the examiner on your resume, but it’s impossible to add specific points.”

It seemed that the 20,000 yuan turning into two points that He Yu talked about before was a joke. Hearing this made Dong Zhi feel a bit disappointed.

He Yu smiled and asked, “Boss, do I also get a bonus?”

Long Shen: “Yes.”

He Yu became excited: “How much?”

Long Shen: “930 yuan and six cents.”

He Yu said strangely, “Why does this number sound so familiar?”

Kan Chaosheng said, “That’s the price of this meal! The boss just quoted it. Is your brain like a goldfish?”

He Yu’s face suddenly turned green, and his smile looked uglier than his crying face: “Boss, don’t do this! I’ve been wanting to buy a game pack!”

Long Shen said: “Last month you said you wanted to change your game handle, so you borrowed 200 yuan from me and said that I could deduct it out of your bonus. To buy more in-game items, you borrowed another 500 from me. Then the month before, you borrowed another 300 from me, making your grand total 1,000. After deducting the money from this meal just now, you don’t need to pay me back the rest.”

Kan Chaosheng gloated, “If you don’t pay your debts, can you afford to owe the boss money?”

He Yu lay down on the table and pretended to be dead: “Wuwuwu, my game package!”

Dong Zhi felt happy watching the excitement from the side until Zhong Yuyi suddenly said: “My mother is not humorous.”

………………

Bro, seriously, how slow is your reaction?!

The corners of Dong Zhi’s mouth twitched. He heard Kan Chaosheng ask about the events in Guangzhou: “Have the Archfiend really been completely destroyed?”

He Yu, who hadn’t recovered from the bad news about his bonus, remained laying down on the table as he said weakly: “I don’t know. Tang Jing and I didn’t find any traces of Sneaky Yaksha in Guangzhou afterwards, which shows that the Archfiend who manipulated them is gone. Boss, did you find anything on the stone tablet in Inner Mongolia?”

Long Shen said: “It’s just a cave painting. It’s related to the stone tablet, but there wasn’t one there.”

He Yu didn’t know this, so he was taken aback when he heard the words: “So the stone tablet hasn’t been found yet? Are there any clues?”

Long Shen shook his head.

Kan Chaosheng said, “We suspect that the other party learned about the stone tablet a step earlier than we did. The boss has people watching those Japanese. The two onmyojis are still half-dead and healing, but Aso is very active. During this period of time, he has been in contact with the people of the Otowa Consortium at least three times already. If there are any major changes, we’ll be able to know immediately.”

While they were talking, barbecue skewers were delivered one after another. A large plate full of grilled squid, grilled duck gizzards, grilled chicken wings, grilled shiitake mushrooms, and grilled eggplants made everyone’s mouth salivate. Couple this with a large glass of cold beer and it was simply the best taste in the world.

Business talk stopped since it would spoil the atmosphere of good food.

Kan Chaosheng looked small but was able to stuff mouthfuls of meat that he had rolled up in a single bite. Sometimes he would swallow it without even chewing. While stuffing his mouth, he chatted with He Yu about a game, and after a few exchanges, they started arguing again. Zhong Yuyi sat beside them listlessly while silently eating in a well-behaved manner.

Taking this great opportunity, Dong Zhi intended to use it to make conversation with Long Shen. He was afraid that he would say the wrong thing and embarrass himself, so he rehearsed it in his mind over and over again.

Boss Long, how are you parents?

No, if someone has parents who are similar to themselves, this topic would be a complete minefield!

Boss Long, do you have a girlfriend?

This topic seemed too superficial. Pass.        

Many thoughts passed through his mind, until Dong Zhi gathered the courage and asked: “Boss Long, where are you from?”

Long Shen was taken aback for a moment, then started to think. Dong Zhi looked at him confusingly, thinking to himself if a question like this should require so much thought.

Long Shen thought for a while before giving him an answer: “It should be from Zhejiang.”

It is or isn’t? What the hell is “should” supposed to mean?!

Dong Zhi instantly imagined a bizarre and colorful life full of unknown twists and turns.

“Zhejiang is very good and has outstanding people. I have also been to Hangzhou.” Dong Zhi tried to find something to keep the conversation going.

Long Shen: “I am not from Hangzhou.”

Dong Zhi: …

Help, how can he talk without embarrassing himself!

Seeing his helpless appearance, Long Shen smiled slightly, but it was gone in a flash. Dong Zhi was too busy racking his brains thinking of something to talk about, so he didn’t notice.

“How are your studies going?” Long Shen asked.

Dong Zhi’s thoughts were still stuck on ‘what other cities are there in Zhejiang besides Hangzhou’ that he was caught off guard by the question.

“There shouldn’t be any problems with the written portion, but I’m lacking confidence in the interview.” He scratched his hair embarrassingly: “I asked He Yu, but he has never been an interview examiner, so he can only tell me hearsay.”

Long Shen said: “The interview first is for the director to see your capabilities, and second is to see your adaptability to respond on the spot.”

Dong Zhi blurted out, “Like the question about going on a business trip with a female colleague and forgetting to bring cinnabar, so you have to use her lipstick to draw on talisman paper?”

Long Shen nodded: “In fact, the answer may not be correct. It just needs to be the best in unconventional situations.”

Dong Zhi blinked: “Is there any scope for this examination?”

Long Shen shook his head: “There is no scope, and I didn’t come up with the question.”

This meant that the interview was a pit, and no one knew how deep that pit was. It could be shallow, like jumping a step down and landing safely, or extremely deep, directly falling to one’s death.

Dong Zhi asked, “Is the annual pass rate high?”

Long Shen: “Relatively low.”

Dong Zhi: …

Seeing that he was so choked up that he couldn’t speak, Long Shen said: “When you first arrived at the Special Administration Bureau, I didn’t think you had any hope. Now, at least there is some hope.”

Dong Zhi realized that he had been praised, and couldn’t help but ask happily: “How much hope?”

Long Shen: “Ten percent.”

Dong Zhi: …

His heart that was about to ascend was dragged back to its original place.

The alcohol was hot, and the food was fragrant. Kan Chaosheng buried his head and devoured the food while He Yu got drunk off the beer. He hugged Zhong Yuyi’s arm and whined to him, saying that he couldn’t get his game anymore and that he was always despised.

Long Shen didn’t drink as hard as they did. He would occasionally raise his glass and take small sips. Seeing that the atmosphere was good, Dong Zhi couldn’t let the chance pass to gather more information from the male god while he was in a relaxed state. He asked, “Boss Long, I heard from He Yu that you want to accept apprentices.”

Long Shen smiled and didn’t admit or deny it, but that smile gave Dong Zhi the courage to continue: “Do you think I can make it?”

After asking, he felt he was too impetuous. Sure enough, Long Shen shook his head. Seeing the sight, he couldn’t hide his feeling of loss, as if he had two invisible ears on the top of his head that instantly drooped down sadly.

Suddenly, in the next second, he heard Long Shen say: “But I hope you can.”

Dong Zhi immediately raised his head to look at him as he continued: “In recent years, the Special Administration Bureau has been short of manpower, but the recruitment criteria are too difficult for many. If you really want to join, just work hard.

This was the gentlest comfort Deputy Director Long could think of, but he made Dong Zhi’s eyes slowly light up again. He said solemnly, “I will work hard!”

After their meal was finished, Long Shen asked Zhong Yuyi and Kan Chaosheng to take the drunk He Yu back home while he took Dong Zhi somewhere else. When they left the lively night market, the flow of people gradually decreased and the lights cast a layer of warmth on the city, as if providing a guiding light for people who were returning late to find their way home.

Long Shen didn’t say much, and Dong Zhi didn’t question him either. He now understood the feelings of those star-chasers. Even though he wasn’t as crazy as those fans who would constantly chase after their idols all day, he still thought how nice it was to have the opportunity to walk alone with Long Shen, and how great it would be if this road would never end.

---

The author has something to say:

Zhong Yuyi is also super cute!

---

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

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

---

Chapter 28

In the midst of their conversation, He Yu returned. The old man felt a little tired, so he waved his hand and asked He Yu to instruct Dong Zhi while he gave pointers on the side. When He Yu heard that the old man was teaching Dong Zhi the Five Thunder Talisman technique, his mouth dropped. “Shishu, are you serious?”

The old man gave him a dissatisfied look. “You think I’m messing around? Of course I’m serious!”

“Then why don’t you just accept him as a disciple?” He Yu was puzzled. He had just left the mountains for a few years, yet his shifu and shishu were acting stranger by the day.

The old man glared at him. “Are you going to help me or not? Don’t delay my dinner!”

“All right, all right!” He Yu scratched his head and said to Dong Zhi, “The Five Thunder Talisman is a teaching that is specifically used to subdue demons. All sects have similar talismans that work the same way, but heavenly thunder is not something you can just invite whenever you want, so those who are not firm-hearted cannot learn…”

The old man interrupted him, “I already told him this! Get to the point!”

He Yu was speechless and could only continue, “You just started learning, so you shouldn’t learn this kind of advanced talisman technique, but since shishu wants me to teach you, I’ll demonstrate it first. Watch and ask if there’s anything you don’t understand.”

Since they were at the Hezao Sect, yellow paper and cinnabar was readily available and can be found at any time. He Yu pressed the paperweight on the yellow paper, closed his eyes, and inhaled. He brewed his thoughts , then opened his eyes, and quickly picked up a brush, all in one go.

Dong Zhi held his breath and didn’t dare disturb him as he watched He Yu intently while he drew on the yellow paper.

“Don’t you need to bite your fingers and drip blood on them?” Dong Zhi asked as he looked at the completed talisman.

“Usually, it’s not necessary. I only did it on the train because I couldn’t find yellow paper at that time and when I was fighting the Archfiend in order to enhance the effect,” He Yu said.

The rune on the Five Thunder Talisman was extremely different from the Sunlight Talisman. It looked much more complicated and was mixed with deformed Chinese characters. Dong Zhi simulated it in his head and silently wrote it down. Some details he couldn’t remember with just a glance, but his memorization will improve by rote.

After the talisman was completed and the ink was dry, He Yu walked to an open space, holding the talisman in one hand while pinching his palm with the other, and began reciting the spell.

Dong Zhi looked up at the sky. He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but the original sun that was obscured by dark clouds had looked even more gloomy. When He Yu recited the mantra, the talisman fluttered and suddenly ignited spontaneously. He let it go, but the talisman didn’t fall but swayed and slowly rose.

The wind blew from all directions. At first, it was a gentle breeze that held the heat of early summer and the smell of green grass in the mountains, but soon the wind became stronger, and the leaves overhead rustled aggressively. Many young leaves that were just growing were blown right off. Dong Zhi and the old man narrowed their eyes as sand blasted around them and eventually had to cover them to avoid sand from getting in them.

Dong Zhi asked, “Shishu, is the heavenly thunder about to strike?”

The old man snorted, “Talismans are a kind of medium. Just like in ancient times, when you visit someone’s house, you need to ask for an invitation. This is the same way as the heavenly thunder. The faster the talisman rises, the faster heaven will receive your message. But the boy can’t do it now… the talisman is as slow as a tortoise crawling.”

When He Yu heard this, he couldn’t help but protest. “I’m injured, yet you still asked me to invite heavenly thunder, and now you’re admonishing me. You think this is easy for me? I…”

Before he could continue, a spark of light suddenly flashed in the clouds, and shortly after, thunder followed closely behind. With a bang, Dong Zhi and the old man covered their heads and ran away as the stone table under the tree nearby was instantly split in half!

Old man: …

He Yu chuckled dryly. “I’m injured, so my accuracy is a bit poor. Sorry. Please forgive me!”

The old man reached out his hand and smacked him. “With the table gone, where am I going to eat?!”

After the thunder stuck, Dong Zhi found that the dark clouds had quickly dispersed, and the sky had returned to its normal brightness. He Yu was chased and beaten by the old man for a long time before a junior brother came to deliver dinner, rescuing him.

The disciples of the Hezao Sect must have been accustomed to this kind of scene as they turned a blind eye to the tragic fate of the stone table and asked the old man, “Shishu, where do you want me to put the food?”

Of all of Headmaster Xin’s disciples, He Yu was the youngest. The eldest of his disciples was the next head, and he was twenty years older than He Yu. His other disciples had accepted several apprentices of their own, and they were younger than He Yu and separated by two generations from the old man.

The old man casually pointed to the ground. “Put it there!”

The two disciples put down the food and looked at Dong Zhi curiously. They didn’t work in the kitchen and only wanted to see the excitement when they heard that He Yu had brought someone in. Dong Zhi greeted them with a smile, and the two shortly left after.

He Yu saw the food on the ground and yelled, “You’re secretly eating duck again!”

“This is for Dong Zhi!” The old man said stiffly.

Dong Zhi resolutely took the pot and gave a large piece to the old man first. “It’s okay to let shishu eat a little piece, right?”

The old man smiled. “Look at him compared to you!”

He Yu rolled his eyes. “Home flowers are not as fragrant as wild flowers*!”

*(家花不如野花香!) It refers to the spouse at home is not as good as the others outside. || Basically he’s accusing his shishu of favoring Dong Zhi (outsider) over him.

The old man wanted to beat him again.

The farm-raised ducks in the mountains were indeed much fatter and tender than the usual ones outside. In additional to their own deliciousness, the duck was also mixed with the aroma of tea leaves that made their meat tender so that it melts in the mouth. The duck meat that was originally slightly greasy was neutralized by the sweet tea leaves, leaving a crisp and refreshing taste.

The old man moved faster than anyone else. When Dong Zhi had only taken his second bite, the old man had already stuffed most of the duck’s meat into his mouth.

Seeing Dong Zhi watching in a daze from the way he was eating, He Yu said, “Look, this is the real evil intention of shishu when he asked you to catch ducks!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he received a slap on the back of his hand, then the old man moved the whole plate of duck meat towards Dong Zhi and himself.

“Then don’t eat it. You should lose weight too. You are too big and thick. It’s no wonder you can’t find a girlfriend. We’re a decent school, not a monastery. I don’t expect you to grow old alone!” 

Dinner ended with a slap in the face.

It’s been a long time since Dong Zhi felt this kind of atmosphere. It reminded him of when his parents were still alive. They had a good relationship and often acted lovey-dovey with each other as if there was no one else around. Dong Zhi was like a phone bill, cast aside on the table. The dinner between the three would always end as a sugary sweet meal for his parents. At that time, he felt that his titanium dog eyes* were going to be blinded, but after his parents passed away, he wanted to be blinded but there was no one to do it.

*(钛合金狗眼) Term associated with the game World of Warcraft. The saying “blind my titanium dog eyes” refers to the visual impact of peculiar things.

After the meal, the old man asked He Yu to bring over a bamboo recliner. He sat comfortably under the tree to cool off while continuing the unfinished topic with Dong Zhi.

“The shifu leads you to the door, but the cultivation depends on the individual. The key to all talismans lies in the individual’s understanding. For example, the effect that this kid used just now is a failure.”

He Yu, who was used as a negative example, was also lying on a bamboo recliner, playing on his phone, paying no heed to his words.

Before He Yu went down the mountain, let alone cellphones, there wasn’t even internet. At his strong behest, and in order to facilitate better ways to contact each other, Headmaster Xin asked people to come in and set up a communication facility.

Since then, it has now become commonplace for disciples in the sect to use phones, and under He Yu’s influence, they have formed groups to play games together, but they were all forcefully suppressed by Headmaster Xin.

The stars twinkled overhead, lighting up the ground that was as bright as frost, while insects buzzed and birds sang all around. Dong Zhi imagined he had entered a wonderful warm night of early summer and pictured this scene deeply in his mind. He planned to draw it when he returned.

It was cool in the mountains at night, but the old man still took out a pu fan and fanned himself. “If you use poetry to compare the effect of the thunder talisman, it’ll be more vivid. ‘When the east wind rustles and the drizzle comes, there is light thunder above the lotus pond’*. If you practice a few more times, you can achieve this effect, but it’s best to practice it in an empty space to avoid hurting innocent people.”

*(飒飒东风细雨来，芙蓉塘外有轻雷) Excerpt from “Four Untitled Songs”.  They are a set of four untitled poems created by Li Shangyin in the Tang Dynasty.

Dong Zhi nodded humbly.

The old man said, “When your proficiency reaches a certain level, you may be able to achieve the effect of ‘thunder bringing the torrential rain, and suddenly the wind’*. He Yu barely reached it just now, and he is one of the best qualified in his generation of the Hezao Sect.”

*(暴雨逐惊雷，从风忽骤来) Line from the poem “Big Water” by Xue Feng.

“What about further improvement?” Dong Zhi thought his way of using ancient poems to compare the effectiveness of the thunder talisman was extremely novel and interesting. He thought of the scene where Xu Wan was destroyed on the rooftop of Tianyuan Building. At that time, tens of thousands of thunder made a concerted strike that was earth-shattering, but according to the old man’s opinion, that wasn’t even the strongest.

The old man: “Then it’s ‘soul united with the land, the thunder like the power of a god’*. No one can reach this level. When I was young, I saw my shifu use it once, but since then, his vitality had been greatly damaged, and his body got worse by the day. If you remember He Yu’s demonstration just now, then we can try it out. You’re not able to draw the runes yet, so let He Yu go to my place and get you a few talismans that are already painted for you to use.”

*(魂魄山河气，风雷御宇神) Line from “Cold Food” by Lu Xiang.

He kicked He Yu. “Go get the Thunder Talisman!”

He Yu who almost ate the floor, cried out, “Am I raised by a stepmother?”

Old man: “Yes!”

He Yu: …

He muttered to himself as he got up and finished his game while walking away. The old man shook his head and said to Dong Zhi, “You don’t play games, right? Don’t learn from him.”

Dong Zhi laughed dryly and didn’t dare answer. He Yu quickly brought the thunder talisman and handed over a large stack.

“These will allow you to practice until dawn!”

The old man laughed and scolded, “Are you deliberately taking revenge?”

Dong Zhi took a talisman, walked to the open space, recalled He Yu’s actions, and began his practice.

His first attempt, nothing happened.

His second attempt, nothing happened.

His third attempt, the talisman ignited but failed to float.

…

On his eighth attempt, the talisman ignited and floated, but the sky was quiet.

On his ninth attempt, the burning talisman slowly floated into the air and dark clouds gathered overhead, as if a storm was coming.

Despite repeatedly failing, Dong Zhi didn’t care. He looked at the talismans in his hand intently and completely forgot about the outside world, including the old man and He Yu. It was as if he was in a separate dimension where even the sounds of insects buzzing, and birds crying didn’t reach his ears.

The thick stack of thunder talismans was depleted until there were only three left. Dong Zhi picked up the top one and sandwiched it between his index and middle fingers. With a straight figure, he closed his eyes to recite the mantra and broke the seal with one hand.

With a bang, the talisman ignited. He opened his eyes and let go of it, throwing the talisman out. The half-burning talisman slowly rose as if a hand was holding it. The sky was already dark, so it was impossible to tell if dark clouds were gathering, but the sound of thunder could faintly be heard from afar, echoing in the vast expanse, making muffled sounds.

Dong Zhi ignored the sounds and focused all his attention on his own little world.

Talismans are the medium of communication between heaven and earth. Humans are so small, but they can often burst out with great energy. They have the ability to invent talismans to arouse the power of the heavens and do things that other creatures cannot.

The talisman was about to burn out, and the flames got weaker, but the thunder overhead was getting louder. Dong Zhi was expressionless, no longer having his usual soft and cute demeanor. His face was like a jade carving that was illuminated by lightning from time to time.

Even He Yu, who was focused on his game, couldn’t help but take his attention away and sat straight up looking at the scene in front of him. Neither he nor the old man made a sound, afraid they might disturb Dong Zhi during his spellcasting.

Suddenly, a loud bang sounded as lightning flashed, accompanied by thunder that struck less than three feet in front of Dong Zhi. The extremely dazzling light made the two of them squint their eyes. But things had just begun, as immediately afterwards, three to four more flashes crashed down above Dong Zhi, surrounding him but not hitting him.

Several scorch marks soon appeared on his body, seemingly forming a circle. The thunderbolts were no thicker than the size of his fingers, but they were enough to surprise the old man. It had taken a month of practice for He Yu to reach the stage that Dong Zhi had done in a single night!

He quickly ran out and held Dong Zhi, who was in mid-fall.

“My head’s a little dizzy…” Dong Zhi looked pale and was profusely sweating.

“You overexerted yourself. Go take a break and rest.” The old man said kindly.

Dong Zhi said with some regret, “But I still want to hear more of your stories.”

The old man smiled. “Wait until tomorrow. When you get up, I’ll tell you all the stories you want, but it’s time to rest now!”

Dong Zhi nodded obediently.

After Dong Zhi left, He Yu put down his phone, got up from the bamboo recliner, and said triumphantly, “Well how about it, shishu? The person I found is pretty good, right?”

The old man sighed. “It’s not just pretty good, but it’s a pity that he could easily be taken advantage of.”

He Yu’s face straightened, and he stopped smiling. “Shishu, why are you talking so much today? Be honest, even if you like Dong Zhi, you wouldn’t treat him like an old friend and talk endlessly with him from just the first meeting.”

The old man rolled his eyes at him. “I’m in good spirits today, so can’t I? Besides, my time is approaching. Don’t you think it’s better for me to eat and talk more?”

He Yu was taken aback.

“Don’t tell me, your shifu didn’t mention it to you?” The old man said slowly, “Why do you think I didn’t accept Dong Zhi as a disciple? I can’t teach him, but even if there’s no apprenticeship between us, the child has a good heart and temperament, so I’ll teach him the Five Thunder Talisman so you’ll have more helpers in the Special Administration Bureau.”

“Shishu…” He Yu’s eyes were slightly red, and he smiled reluctantly. “Why would you say that? The boss was reluctant to recruit him in the first place, and now that he can’t be your apprentice, without the Hezao’s name, he most likely won’t be admitted to the Special Administration Bureau.”

The old man shook his head and said, “That’s not necessarily true. I think his chance will come in the near future. We’ll cross the bridge when we get there*. You don’t need to think about it. I did a divination on myself a year ago. The deadline should be in the summer of this year. It’s good for you to come back so I can see you one last time.”

*The boat will naturally go straight to the bridge (船到桥头自然直) Refers to no need to worry in advance and the problem can be solved by then.

Seeing that He Yu’s face had turned sour, the old man patted him on the hand. “Although we and the Maoshan and Longhu are of similar heritage, the Hezao lineage has been broken after all. They have been the same for thousands of years, so it’s normal for them to look down on us. In the beginning, you complained to me that you wanted to enter the first group of the Special Administration Bureau, but in the end, you couldn’t get in, so instead you went to the second group, the Dragon Bureau. When I look at it, I think with your temperament, staying in the second group is actually better than the first. Am I wrong?”

He Yu nodded. “Yes, the boss has a cold face but a warm heart, and the atmosphere in the group is lively. His strength is not inferior to that of the first group. Now, even if I’m asked to go to the first group, I won’t be able to get used to it.”

The old man smiled. “Sometimes blessings come from misfortunes. Everything in the world is like this. Don’t blame your shifu. He’s not passing on the leadership to you because he doesn’t value you. On the contrary, the Hezao Sect needs someone who can speak in the face of officials. Your outgoing temperament is the most suitable.

He Yu said, “I understand. Don’t talk about it. After so many years, I have already figured it out.”

The old man: “A while ago, you informed your shifu of Cheng Hui’s disappearance, so your shifu asked me to do a divination for Cheng Hui. According to the divination, at that time Chen Hui was in danger, but there may still be some follow-up troubles. You need to be more careful going forward.”

While in front of Dong Zhi, He Yu didn’t reveal his feelings, but now listening to the old man as if he was saying his last words made him even more uncomfortable.

“Stop talking about it. I’m sleepy, so I’m going to bed. We’ll talk more when I get up tomorrow!”

“Go, go on then!” The old man didn’t keep him. He got up with a smile and walked into his room with his hands behind his back.

Back in the guest room, Dong Zhi was lying on the bed tossing and turning as he couldn’t fall asleep. He had both the excitement of learning a new spell and the illusion that he had reached the pinnacle of his life. Rolling side to side like a pancake, he couldn’t resist sending a message to Long Shen.

Dong Zhi: [Boss Long, I have good news for you. Today I learned how to draw the Five Thunder Talisman! O(∩_∩)O]

After sending it, he regretted it. He didn’t know Long Shen well, and it seems to be too presumptuous of him to send a message this late. Dong Zhi put down his phone and rolled around again, causing the bed to rattle.

Since his insomnia wasn’t going away, he took out a pen and paper from his backpack and began practicing drawing the Five Thunder Talisman. After doing it for a while, his phone screen lit up, and he glanced at it, finding that Long Shen had replied, so he hurriedly picked up his phone to look.

Long Shen: [When you master it, you can roast squid for me!]

Dong Zhi: ???

Following the message was a drooling emoji.

Five Thunder Talisman? Use the thunder to roast squid?

Dong Zhi’s mind swayed between “the other party was possessed” and “the other party’s phone was stolen”.

Before he could reply, he immediately got another message: [It’s me. I had Kan Chaosheng watch my phone since I was expecting a call.]

The corners of Dong Zhi’s mouth twitched as he breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly replied: [I see. I couldn’t sleep, so I wanted to talk to somebody. I hope I didn’t bother you. Today I met He Yu’s shishu at the Hezao Sect. Although he didn’t accept me as an apprentice, he still taught me the Five Thunder Talisman. It’s said that this talisman is a powerful magic weapon of Taoism. If I can be admitted to the Special Administration Bureau in the future, I won’t drag people down.]

He typed out a lot of words in a breath and sent them.

This time, Long Shen replied back quickly: [It’s difficult to master the Five Thunder Talisman. Even He Yu’s performance is not stable.]

The implication is that for a rookie like Dong Zhi, who just started, he shouldn’t expect to be able to do anything earth-shattering with the technique.

Seeing this message made Dong Zhi disheartened. There was no praise or encouragement, but this was Long Shen’s style of seeking truth from facts, but it also made people feel that he was cold. He didn’t tell Long Shen that he was able to successfully attract thunder, but compared to Long Shen’s abilities, this was nothing to boast about.

Dong Zhi took a while before simply replying: [I see, thank you, Boss Long. I will practice well. (*^__^*)]

He put the phone aside and didn’t look at it again.

What he didn’t know was that Long Shen was currently sitting by a fire in a yurt somewhere in the desert far north of the northeast as he looked at Dong Zhi’s messages.

“What do you think of Dong Zhi?” he asked suddenly.

“…” Kan Chaosheng, who was gnawing on a roasted leg of lamb, stopped chewing. His usual cheeks were puffed with food. He was caught off guard momentarily by the question as he swallowed the lamb with difficulty and said, “He’s okay, right?”

His answer was perfunctory to satisfy his immediate boss. Although Kan Chaosheng wasn’t afraid of heaven and earth, when facing Long Shen, he still couldn’t help but restrain a bit of his impulsiveness.

“Human beings are very fragile, but He Yu said that Dong Zhi is very talented at drawing runes. If he can learn it well for a few years, it shouldn’t be bad. Isn’t He Yu planning to take him back to his master’s school and have him become a disciple? When he becomes a disciple of the Hezao sect, he’ll be able to add some impression points during the interview exam.”

Long Shen said, “The Hezao Sect won’t accept him.”

Kan Chaosheng was surprised. “Why?”

Long Shen: “But they taught him the Five Thunder Talisman.”

Kan Chaosheng scratched his cheeks. “Then, it should be fine then? Our group two has always been short of people. It’s usually okay, but when it comes to major events, our weaknesses are exposed. This time we were the ones who discovered the Archfiend first, but group one took away our credit under the pretext of our lack of manpower.”

Long Shen said lightly, “It was indeed our negligence to let the Archfiend go on the train.”

Kan Chaosheng was unconvinced. “At that time, we were busy dealing with the bone dragon, and the Japanese were interfering as well, but we still did our best. Those groups of bastards are only strong when spewing slander. Why didn’t they find out there was a problem on the train first? They threw the blame on us and then grabbed the credit at the critical moments. Obviously, we put in more effort and are stronger! Boss, when recruiting for the exam this year, you must be strong. Don’t let group one poach people again!”

Long Shen allowed him to keep complaining as he retained his sullen expression. “I see.”

Kan Chaosheng continued to chew on the leg of lamb as Long Shen continues staring at his phone. He didn’t think there was anything wrong with telling the truth, so he sent that message. Seeing that Dong Zhi didn’t reply, he assumed he had fallen asleep.

He put down his phone, clasped his hands and put them behind his head, then lay down on the carpet. The warmth of the fire quickly made him close his eyes.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

The road to chasing your male god is a hard one.

---

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

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.

---

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

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

---

Chapter 23

Still lost in a daze, Chung Hui slumped to the ground without saying a word. His expression was listless, as if he hadn’t heard their conversation at all. Since they met, Dong Zhi felt there was something off with him, but the situation at that time was urgent, so he didn’t have time to ask questions.

“What’s wrong with him?”

He Yu said, “A person has three souls, fetal light, cool spirit, and secluded spirt*. He has lost his cool spirit, so now he’s muddleheaded, like a mentally handicapped person. After getting off the bus, it seems you ran into a ghost that was determined to lead you towards the bridge. I wanted to chase after you, but I was stopped by a few naked girls who appeared dancing in front of me.”

*The three souls that govern the spiritual part of the body. Fetal light governs your life. Cool spirit governs your knowledge and wisdom. Secluded spirit governs your personality. See Kinky Thoughts for lore.

The corner of Dong Zhi’s mouth twitched. “Sola Aoi*?”

*Former Japanese AV idol who is widely considered the most famous AV idol of the 2000’s.

He Yu rolled his eyes. “Their figure was better than Sola Aoi’s. How could this master who had seen all her thousands of sails be fooled? Seeing that they couldn’t stop me, they all turned into Cheng Hui, and only one of them was real. I was eager to deal with them and rescue Chung Hui, but I lost you. Fortunately, the boss helped us out, or this would’ve been quite troublesome!”

Dong Zhi bluntly said, “I think you might get punished when you return.”

He Yu wailed, “That’s for sure! When I went out, not only did I carelessly lose you, but I also had to rely on the boss to save us. I can already see my beloved money sprouting wings and flying away!”

Dong Zhi wanted to cover his ears to block out He Yu’s whining, but he couldn’t help but think about the execution ground and the military policemen he encountered. The chill didn’t dissipate in his heart.

“What happened just now? Did we run into a ghost, or did we travel through time?”

He Yu said solemnly, “Neither. Someone had set up a trap around here and was waiting for us to crash into it. The things you saw were demons with highly condensed grievances. Human vision is often limited, so they can get easily confused.”

Dong Zhi was stunned. “So, what we saw just now was an illusion?”

But he was physically apprehended, and all the sobbing he heard felt so real.

He Yu: “It’s not an illusion. These guys belong to the same kind of demons as the Sneaky Yaksha, but they are of a lower level, so they cannot absorb the essence of the human brain and can only survive in a specific boundary.”

Dong Zhi said worriedly, “Then ordinary people will not be affected, right?”

He Yu shook his head. “This place was once an execution ground in the Republic of China. There were countless dead here, and their resentment was condensed here. After hundreds of years, it still had not dissipated, forming a special magnetic field. However, nothing was wrong until someone took advantage of this fact, deliberately lured us here and created an enchantment, making us think we had traveled a hundred years back in time. If we were to stay for too long, we would not be able to return again.”

The two set off with Cheng Hui, one holding his left side the other his right. There was no resistance since he was still muddleheaded. The hotel was crowded with people, making it inconvenient, so they returned to Cheng Hui’s rented home instead.

It was late at night, and the sky was clear. The landlady, who was in the middle of a good dream, was awakened by their arrival. She came to open the security door with a grumpy expression. When she saw they had really recovered Cheng Hui, she recalled the strange method they were using when she led them to his room and was in complete disbelief. The scolding that she was about to give them was instantly forgotten.

Dong Zhi lied and said that they had rescued him from the MLM organization, but because he had been bullied, he was in bad spirit and needed rest. They would take care of him for a few days and said she could temporarily increase the rent, successfully appeasing her anger*.

*Strangled in the cradle (扼杀在摇篮) Idiom referring to killing the idea before it’s even implemented. It refers to babies being defenseless and weak and therefore easier to kill before they can grow up and become a hidden danger. || In this context, the landlady was angry that more people were going to stay in a single room, but they offered to pay more rent, which appeased her before she even proposed the idea (and thus appeased her anger).

After settling Cheng Hui down, they both collapsed on the floor, exhausted and feeling like they never wanted to move again.

“I’ll report to the boss later and ask him to find someone to investigate that Liuhua’s Bridge enchantment,” He Yu said weakly.

Dong Zhi reluctantly got up, collected two bottles of water from the fridge, and tossed one to him.

“I feel as if someone is always seemingly pushing us towards something. Cheng Hui’s matter is most likely related to what you asked him to investigate.”

He Yu opened the bottle, took a big gulp, and let out a comfortable sigh. “It’s all my fault. I was too careless. This kid is very curious. He must have discovered something unintentionally attracting the other party’s attention.”

Dong Zhi took out a pen and paper, wrote the word train on it, then drew an arrow pointing it to Changchun. Southeast of Changchun is Changbai Mountain. Then there’s Guangzhou. Finally, he connected all the dots. From north to south, it spanned almost half the country.

Dong Zhi placed brackets with [Sneaky Yaksha] written in them besides the train, Changchun, and Changbai Mountain. He looked up at He Yu and wrote by Guangzhou: [Low-level Sneaky Yaksha].

He Yu frowned as he looked at the schematic diagram Dong Zhi drew.

“I remember there was a past event,” He Yu said. “Seven years ago, I was sent to the boarder of Yunnan to perform a mission there where I encountered a similar situation at that time. We were confused by the demons and thought we had returned to ancient Yunnan, thousands of years ago. I had just joined back then, so I was hotblooded and not afraid of either the sky nor the earth. As a result, I almost met my end. I later learned that those monsters were called Sneaky Yaksha, and they specialize in feeding on blood essence and souls.”

Dong Zhi was surprised. “They’re everywhere?”

He Yu shook his head. “They’re not difficult to deal with, but they’re elusive and they specialize in finding human weaknesses. The weaker ones are like those that we ran into in the enchantment, while the stronger ones possess the human body and suck out their brains, like what happened on the train.”

“I heard the boss say that for these demons, the weak follow the strong, while the strong follow the stronger. If they suddenly appear, they must’ve been summoned by a more powerful demon. They provide blood essence and souls for the demon, and in return the demon provides them with protection, so they can feed on humans without scruples.”

“However, last time on Changbai Mountain, we completely destroyed the bone dragon and also killed many of the Sneaky Yaksha. The demon hidden behind the scenes must also have suffered some backlash. Even if we didn’t kill it, they were most likely severely injured and shouldn’t dare show up again so shortly after.”

Dong Zhi pinched the two fluffy ears of He Yu’s backpack as he had now developed this habit while thinking. Lost in his thoughts, he almost deformed the bear’s head from his rubbing.

“To summarize, there are two possibilities. The first is that there may be a stone tablet here and the other party came to deal with it.”

He Yu let out a sigh, showing that he wasn’t surprised, as he was thinking along the same line of thought.

“The second possibility, according to what you said, is that the person who is manipulating the Sneaky Yaksha may have been severely injured due to the backlash on Changbai Mountain. If this is the case, he must find a place to heal, right? Since he’s injured, his power has decreased, so he can only summon lower-level demons in a limited enchantment, as he doesn’t have the strength to support the higher-level Sneaky Yaksha.”

Dong Zhi further analyzed it and said, “This corresponds to the fact that you asked Cheng Hui for his divination. It’s very likely that he had found some clues and inadvertently attracted trouble.”

He Yu was stunned, showing that he obviously didn’t think of this possibility.

Dong Zhi continued, “If he needed more blood essence and soul resentment, the ideal target area should be in a city like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, where there are three religions and nine streams¹, and fish mixes with dragons². Even if a few people go missing every year, it’ll probably be difficult to track them down in a vast sea of people.”

¹Three religions are: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The nine streams refer to the identities of different ranks. See lore for more details.
²(鱼龙混杂) Idiom that means the good people mixes with the bad.

He Yu asked sarcastically, “Then why Guangzhou instead of Shanghai or Beijing, which are closer to Changchun?”

Dong Zhi answered seriously, “I remember you said that after the Special Administration Bureau was split into four, the southern headquarters was moved to Shanghai, and now there’s only a small office in Guangzhou. If I were that person, I would definitely choose a place that is far out of sight from the Bureau and has a decent foreign population size. Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and even Hong Kong are all good choices.”

He Yu stared at him blankly, speechless. Dong Zhi got the creeps when he saw He Yu’s expression, but he couldn’t prevent him from patting him heavily on the shoulder.

“I didn’t expect you to be so smart!”

Black lines appeared as Dong Zhi asked, “Do I look stupid?”

He Yu: “You should show your cleverness in front of the boss next time, so maybe he’ll be willing to open a backdoor for you!”

Dong Zhi wanted to tell him, ‘Every time I’m in front of your boss, I get so overwhelmed by his aura that I forget where north, south, east, and west are, so how could I possibly show him anything?’

With that said, He Yu took Dong Zhi’s phone and called Long Shen. The phone rang for a while before it was picked up by Kan Chaosheng.

“What? The boss helped you get out of trouble today, so he’s exhausted and is resting. What do want?”

He Yu knew that Long Shen’s condition was severe, otherwise he would have answered his phone instead of having Kan Chaosheng do it.

“Can you wake him up for me? It’s urgent!”

Kan Chaosheng didn’t question him. After a while, the voice on the other line changed.

“What’s wrong?” Long Shen sounded tired.

Dong Zhi was too worn out and no longer had the energy, so he didn’t listen to He Yu’s conversation, and instead fell asleep while in a haze until he was awakened the next day.

He Yu’s spirits looked much better today, as he was joking around. “You sure can sleep. You didn’t wake up at all last night, as I talked to the boss. He said he could hear your snoring!”

Dong Zhi was shocked. “Really?!”

He Yu said bitterly, “Of course I’m lying. Why are you so gullible and cute! My little baby Dongdong, you’re no longer the great Dongdong Qiang* in my mind!”

*Clarity: That’s Dong Zhi’s online handle. Also, the Dong (咚) in his handle is a different character than the Dong (冬) in Dong Zhi.

Dong Zhi: …

Since Cheng Hui had lost a part of his soul, he was unresponsive. He sat cross-legged on the bed as he nibbled on a bun in his hand, remaining quiet, and didn’t get involved in their bickering.

He Yu slapped him with a stick, then gave him a sweet jujube* and hurriedly said, “I bought breakfast. There’s soy milk, fritters, rice noodles, and buns on the table. Take whatever you want to eat. To reward you for your hard work yesterday, this brother will treat you to a big meal at noon!”

*Metaphor for using both reward and punishment to induce a desired behavior (AKA carrot and stick).

Dong Zhi couldn’t care about food, so he hurriedly asked, “What did Boss Long say last night? What should we do next?”

He Yu said, “Good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?”

Dong Zhi: “…Bad news.”

He Yu: “According to the portrait you provided last time, we used facial recognition to find Xu Wan and her daughter. Their identities are not abnormal. Xu Wan did divorce her husband a few years ago and then took custody of her child.”

Dong Zhi found this strange. “So they’re not suspicious? What kind of bad news is this?”

He Yu: “A week ago, Xu Wan brought her daughter, Chen Tong, to Guangzhou.”

Dong Zhi was surprised. “They really have something to do with Sneaky Yaksha?!”

He Yu said, “You met Xu Wan on the train, and there happened to be a Sneaky Yaksha on the train. You met her at the hotel, and it happened that someone died there. Later, on Changbai Mountain… There are many coincidences in the world, but it’s rare for this kind of coincidence to happen related to this point. I even suspect that she wanted to attack you at the beginning—the water bottle being evidence—but was interfered with by the boss, so she had to divert her target to the train attendant.”

Dong Zhi murmured, “She became my replacement?”

He Yu shook his head. “No, I said that although your Ba-zi is useful, they are not the easiest to attract ghosts and demons. The train attendant was born on the Mid-Autumn Festival, so her Ba-zi was more suitable than yours.”

Dong Zhi: “But then at the hotel, you weren’t there. She obviously had many opportunities, so why didn’t she start with me?”

“Because of this.” He Yu took out a sunlight talisman and put it on the table.

“We broke her schemes on the train, so she had to remain vigilant. If something happens to you, it’ll allow us to track it back to her. She was eager to resurrect the dragon corpse and couldn’t afford any extra trouble, so she let you off.”

He sighed. “But others are not as lucky, like the person who jumped out of the hotel and Yao Bin. Before that, she must’ve killed many people along the way, collecting enough blood essence and resentment to awaken the dragon corpse.”

He thought about the number of times he ran into Xu Wan, even staying in an adjacent room next to her, and how he managed to escape death, making him inadvertently shudder. He couldn’t help pondering why he didn’t feel vigilant against her through their multiple encounters.

Dong Zhi recalled carefully and found that whenever he looked at Xu Wan, he always felt she gave off a gentle and amiable aura, and he even felt it was similar to his deceased mother, so he consistently dropped his guard around her. Even when he saw her on Changbai Mountain, he didn’t even doubt her, but instead thought she got lost, and didn’t find anything wrong with the situation until after a while.

It wasn’t until later, after they came down from Changbai Mountain, He Yu and the others started investigating the stone tablet that he told them about his “chance encounter” with Xu Wan that they started a deeper investigation into her.

He was afraid after that realization hit him, so he told He Yu about his thoughts.

He Yu didn’t seem surprised by them. “It’s not shocking. It’s a demon’s nature to confuse people. If Xu Wan is really related to demons, if she wanted you to fall in love with her wholeheartedly, it could be done. It’s just that we were too careless at that time and didn’t block the train for on-the-spot inspections. Otherwise, perhaps Yao Bin wouldn’t have lost his life. Fortunately, it’s not too late to make amends.”

Dong Zhi comforted him, “She was prepared from the beginning. First using the train attendant to distract our attention and even attracted the Japanese as a cover. This was done intentionally, and no one would have expected it.”

He Yu said, “Is there someone else behind Xu Wan, or is she a demon herself? Now that we have a clue, we need to find her to get answers. When the mother-daughter duo came to Guangzhou, whether it was through immigration or hotel registration, there were no records of them. I suspect they have used fake documents and certificates and are now hiding somewhere.”

Hearing such unexpected news first thing in the morning, Dong Zhi had to drink some soy milk to suppress his shock.

“What about the good news?”

He Yu smiled and said, “Willows and flowers*. Before you got up, I used a location method, and based on the approximation given by the chopstick, I asked my brother’s department to help with monitoring and investigation, and finally found a video of Cheng Hui before his disappearance.”

*(柳暗花明) Metaphor for sudden survival after twists and turns and hardships.

Dong Zhi gave a thumbs up. “The combination of Chinese and Western medicine has a good curative effect. So amazing, brother!”

He Yu brushed back his hair chicly. “That’s right. Look who’s doing all the work!”

Cheng Hui looked at him blankly and suddenly said, “Fool…”

He Yu said angrily, “Shut up! You’re the fool. I’m helping a big fool like you find your soul!”

Cheng Hui: “Big fool.”

He Yu: …

Dong Zhi was trying hard to hold back his laughter. Cheng Hui had lost his soul and was usually unresponsive. From time to time, he would utter a few irrelevant words out of nowhere, and He Yu was too lazy to argue with him. He pulled up the map app on Dong Zhi’s phone and entered the location.

“The video showed that Cheng Hui did not come out since he entered this alley that day. I did not sense a remnant of his soul near Liuhua Bridge, so it’s very likely that it’s still imprisoned somewhere. For now, since this is the only clue we have, we’ll check here first.”

Dong Zhi looked at the map. “The alleys in urban villages like this are generally very narrow, so there are no cameras. Most likely, it’ll be difficult to check.”

He Yu said, “We’ve narrowed it as much as possible. Let’s go over and have a look first.”

After finishing breakfast, Dong Zhi felt he had regained all the strength he lost from yesterday. “Is there anything I can do?”

He Yu said, “I’m injured. Come and help me draw talismans. We should prepare first, then set off in the evening.”

Dong Zhi thought this was odd. “Isn’t there more sunlight during the day?”

He Yu replied, “The other party is aware of this, so she’ll definitely choose to be active at night. As the night passes, I’ll be more likely to sense their magic energy.”

With that said, the two got busy quickly. Things like drawing talismans require focus. Even though he still remembered how to draw them, he wasn’t necessarily efficient at it. By the time evening approached, Dong Zhi was sweating profusely as he set his brush down. His ability to draw talismans had improved a lot, but still, only one in ten could be used, which was already quite remarkable. Using over half a day, he was only able to draw ten decent sunlight talismans.

He Yu had lost too much blood. In order to strengthen the talisman, he had to infuse his own blood into them. By the time he was done with all of them, he collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.

“I regret it now…” He Yu face looked as if he was dying. “I knew I should have pulled Kan Chaosheng over. His blood is much better than mine!”

Dong Zhi was a little worried. “Are you still able to locate someone in your current state?”

He Yu raised his hand weakly and made an OK gesture.

Dong Zhi also lay on the floor, not wanting to get up anymore either. “What do you want to eat? I’ll order takeout.”

He Yu said, “No, I’ll have someone deliver it.”

He made a call and ordered over a dozen dishes, such as Buddha jumping over the wall, stewed black chicken with donkey-hide gelatin, sea cucumber congee with millet, and ten other dishes, all in one breath, before contentedly hanging up.

Black lines appear on Dong Zhi as he said, “Can you finish eating all this and isn’t stewed black chicken* eaten by women?”

*Clarity: The dish is broken into 3 parts (based on ingredients) that each have a variety of (supposed) benefits. Black chicken helps with dysentery, wrists, and abdominal cramps (so it’s good for mothers) and also cures postpartum weakness, collapse, and leucorrhea. Jujubes can invigorate the spleen and stomach, nourish qi and blood. Donkey-hide gelatin helps with the liver, lungs, and kidneys and returns them to their meridians.

He Yu said confidently, “Replenishing blood and nourishing qi is what we need now!”

Dong Zhi: “You’re suddenly so extravagant. Is it because you can be reimbursed?”

He Yu proudly said, “My family’s Xiao Dongdong is so smart. Since this is related to demons, it shows that the Changbai Mountain incident is not over yet, so it’s business matters. The boss has agreed to reimburse me!”

Dong Zhi couldn’t stand him pretending to be cute like a five-and-a-half-year-old. “Who’s your family? Cheng Hui’s your family!”

He Yu frowned. “Then whose family are you? Boss’?”

Dong Zhi blinked, paused, and then said, “Why did you suddenly involved Boss Long?”

He Yu laughed. “Look at how nervous you are. The boss is so powerful, so it’s normal for you to admire him!”

While they were talking, the phone rang. He Yu went downstairs to pick up someone, and after a while, he came back with a young man who was carrying food in his hand. As soon as the takeout box was opened, a strong fragrance quickly filled the entire space.

He Yu introduced them, “This is Lin Jun, from the Guangzhou office. This is the Dong Zhi.”

Dong Zhi gave him a smile while the other party was extremely enthusiastic. “I wonder where Senior Brother* Dong is from?”

*Senior martial brother [shixiong] (师兄) Term normally used to address people who are from the same teacher and who are older than you.

He Yu said impatiently, “Eat first! I’m starving to death!”

Hearing him, Lin Jun shut up. The three, plus a Cheng Hui who had lost his soul, were like winds sweeping away clouds*, and swept away the entire meal quickly.

*(风卷残云) Metaphor for sweeping away the remaining things all at once, usually people’s food.

After finishing, He Yu stretched his legs out and twisted his waist side to side. His spirits looked much better now. He said to Lin Jun, “The incident happened so suddenly that I had to ask you for your help. If the people of the South China Branch arrive in time, can you ask them to come to this address to find us.”

Lin Jun looked at the location sent by He Yu on his phone, nodded, and said, “Senior Brother He, don’t worry. I’ll be watching Senior Brother Cheng here.”

Their luggage was still left at the hotel when they first checked in. Lin Jun was enthusiastic and volunteered to go collect it for them. After showering and changing into a new set of clothes, Dong Zhi felt completely refreshed. He Yu explained a few more things to Lin Jun and then left with Dong Zhi.

Dong Zhi was very curious about Lin Jun. “Is he your junior brother*?”

*Junior martial brother [shidi] (师弟) Term used for a disciple that’s younger than you (same concept as shixiong).

He Yu shook his head and said, “Senior Brother is just a generic term. He’s a member of the side branch of the Lin Family in Lingnan. His ability is mediocre, and his kung fu is just for show*. There’s no one in Guangzhou’s office now, so sometimes he comes in handy!”

*Stalking horses (溜须拍马) Metaphor meaning fawn over, shameless flattery.

Dong Zhi said unexpectedly, “Do cultivators also have this kind of life?”

He Yu rolled his eyes. “Cultivators are also human beings. Of course, flattery and intrigue are indispensable. If he was more capable, there would be no need for the two of us to brave the devil’s lair. I already sent an urgent request to Shanghai, hoping they’ll send a few reliable people over.”

Braving the devil’s lair was a very accurate way of putting into words of what they were doing right now. Suddenly, Dong Zhi felt a sense of sadness and solemnity.

The two took a taxi to the place they had found. It was another urban village that was lively at night, but this one was still on the main road. Once they entered the alleyways, there weren’t any bright streetlamps, and the surroundings immediately dimmed as lightbulbs that had fallen into disrepair flickered occasionally, making a sizzling noise.

“It’s here,” He Yu said.

They were standing at the entrance to an alley that was extremely narrow. Two self-built houses stood next to each other, leaving a small gap in the middle that formed the alley. Some alleys were difficult for even one person to squeeze through. Luckily, this was better. There were scattered lights and signs throughout the alley for shops for massage parlors, inns, and mahjong halls.

He Yu and Dong Zhi first picked the inn and went in.

The boss was sitting at the front desk watching a Korean drama. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of them coming in but didn’t take a closer look as she casually asked, “Want a room?” After asking, she gave them a quick glance, and her expression immediately changed as she gave them a meaningful look.

Dong Zhi: …

You’re the one who spoke up first before even looking at people!

---

Kinky Thoughts:

What are your thoughts on Chinese idioms? Should they be translated if a good translation exists, or do you prefer them footnoted? I usually footnote them unless they are too awkward to put in the translation or if the translated meaning makes it flow better. For example: “the fishes mixes with the dragons” could probably be translated as the good mixes with the bad or a mixed bag. They basically mean the same thing.

IMO I like the Chinese idioms as they give a little of Chinese culture to the novel, and it is, after all, a Chinese novel.

—

The three souls, more commonly referred to as the three souls and seven souls, governs the spiritual part of the body.

In Taoism, the three souls refer to the “heaven soul, earth soul, and human soul” which are respectively named “fetal light, cool spirit, and secluded spirit”. In ancient times this was called “main soul, awakened soul, and living soul” or “primitive spirit, yang spirit, yin spirit”.

• Fetal light: is in charge of your life. If this is gone, that means you’re dead.
• Cool spirit: is in charge of your wisdom, inspiration, and everything you need to think about. It is said that people who are stupid lack this soul.
• Secluded spirit: is in charge of your lineage and any personality that comes with it. This includes such things like your hobbies, sexual orientation, your earthly wants and desires, ect.

When a person dies, the three souls return to their three lines.

• Heavenly soul/fetal light returns to the Heavenly Road as it is only a conscious thought and is immortal.
• Soul of the Earth/cool spirit returns to the underworld because it knows the karma and retribution of everything in your main soul.
• Human soul/secluded spirit lingers among the cemeteries.

The three souls will reunite again when the main soul reincarnates.

The seven souls refer to:

1. Joy
2. Anger
3. Sorrow
4. Fear
5. Love
6. Evil
7. Desire

—

3 Religions and 9 Streams

The three religions are:

1. Confucianism: Confucianism revolves around the pursuit of the unity of the individual self and the God of Heaven, or, otherwise said, around the relationship between humanity and Heaven.
2. Buddhism: As expressed in the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths, the goal of Buddhism is to overcome suffering caused by desire and ignorance of reality’s true nature, including impermanence and the non-existence of the self.
3. Taoism: Is the concept that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (natural order of the universe) and achieve perfection through self-cultivation.

These religions are further divided into 9 streams that are classifications of people’s status and occupational names in ancient China. They are:

1. Emperors
2. Scribes
3. Officials
4. Doctors
5. Monks
6. Solders
7. Peasants
8. Craftsmen
9. Merchants

---

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