Chapter 181: Trapping The Turtle In A Jar
After Xuan Xia finished chanting, she immediately called out to Daoist Master Qin and Yan Wentao to confirm they were both by her side, then she asked them: “Did either of you bring a mobile phone? Lend some light.”
As a result, neither of them had brought a mobile phone, of course.
One of them was hosting the Ghost Festival religious ceremony that night, so it was impossible to carry a thing like a mobile phone.
Yan Wentao heard Xuan Xia’s earlier complaint and couldn’t help asking: “Boss, do you know where this is? It isn’t another illusionary scenery you’ve experienced, is it?”
If it weren’t for the total darkness where no one could see anyone, Yan Wentao would have seen the approval on Xuan Xia’s face.
“Yeah.” Xuan Xia recalled the situation from last time she entered this illusionary scenery and said: “This illusionary scenery is simple too—just one corridor, with doors on both sides. Some doors can be opened, leading to rooms; others are just decorative.”
“The ghosts in this illusionary scenery like to play hide-and-seek with people, but they’re easy to deal with—cunning to some extent, but not very intelligent.”
She didn’t know if, by this second round now, that ghost had grown smarter like the one wearing the ghost mask.
If it had become smarter, she didn’t know how that would show.
But Xuan Xia didn’t plan to think about that first; she wanted to replicate last time’s method.
Anyway, she had to dismantle this place eventually.
The current problem was that without light, their movements would be hindered, but not for the ghosts.
Xuan Xia even remembered the ghost hiding here was a long-haired woman with pitch-black eyes and no pupils.
Brushing aside her memory of that long-haired woman, Xuan Xia thought about how to proceed.
At this moment, Daoist Master Qin spoke: “I remember a miscellaneous art called Light Borrowing Technique, which can be used for illumination.”
As soon as he said it, Yan Wentao immediately chimed in: “Ah yes, that’s right. I’ve heard of it too. But I’ve only heard of it, never learned it.”
Daoist Master Qin said: “I know it.”
“Hm?”
In the darkness, Xuan Xia and Yan Wentao both turned their heads toward the middle, but it was pitch black, and they couldn’t see anything.
Still, it was great that Daoist Master Qin knew the Light Borrowing Technique!
Xuan Xia quickly urged Daoist Master Qin to perform it.
Yan Wentao also hoped Daoist Master Qin would perform it right away, but as a student, he couldn’t urge his mister.
Daoist Master Qin said: “This miscellaneous art requires some props.”
“What props?” Xuan Xia and Yan Wentao asked in unison.
Daoist Master Qin didn’t answer immediately, thought for a moment, then said as if making a decision: “Wentao, you act as the prop.”
Yan Wentao was puzzled but didn’t dare refuse.
“Alright. Then what do I need to do?”
Daoist Master Qin said: “Extend your hand to me first. I need to write talismans and cast spells on you.”
“Oh, oh.”
Yan Wentao now understood why he was the one to act as the prop.
They couldn’t very well write talismans on Xuan Xia.
After some communication and operation between Daoist Master Qin and Yan Wentao, Daoist Master Qin soon wrote talismanic patterns on Yan Wentao’s chest, supplemented by incantation blessings.
Soon, Yan Wentao’s chest began to glow with flowing light.
The flowing light condensed along the talismanic patterns, soon gathering into a disk-like orb that slowly emitted a bright, moon-like glow.
The glow deepened from faint to strong, soon illuminating the surroundings and revealing a scene matching Xuan Xia’s description.
But Xuan Xia didn’t look around; instead, she couldn’t help chuckling at the glowing Yan Wentao.
Yan Wentao’s current appearance was just too funny.
Because his chest was so bright, Yan Wentao seemed entirely immersed in the light; apart from his outline, nothing else was visible.
So Yan Wentao looked just like a glowing lightbulb.
But aside from that, Xuan Xia really liked this Light Borrowing Technique.
After this was over, she definitely had to learn it from Daoist Master Qin. She wondered how many other interesting miscellaneous arts he knew.
Having been laughed at, Yan Wentao looked up at Xuan Xia, knowing her laugh was aimed at him, but since she was the boss, what could he complain about?
He could only bear it stoically.
To make it easier for Daoist Master Qin earlier, Yan Wentao had been squatting; now standing up, the light from his chest reached even farther.
Looking out, the seemingly bottomless corridor was lined densely with doors on both sides—indeed eerie and terrifying.
They didn’t know which segment of the corridor they were in, but either side stretched endlessly.
After checking both sides, Yan Wentao asked Xuan Xia: “Boss, how did you leave here last time?”
“Same as before—burn it all. Quick and simple.”
As for how exactly to burn it, Xuan Xia generously shared her experience from last time.
Yan Wentao: “…”
So his boss was an arson enthusiast?
It seemed he needed to adapt as soon as possible.
“So we do it that way?” Yan Wentao asked while looking toward Daoist Master Qin, preferring to hear his opinion.
With Yan Wentao’s movement, the light fully shone on Daoist Master Qin—so much so that even Xuan Xia knew who he was asking.
Daoist Master Qin squinted at the light, “Mm, let’s do that.”
“Good, let’s find some tools.” Xuan Xia had expected Daoist Master Qin to agree and immediately took over, already deftly pushing nearby doors to see which ones would open.
At the second door, Xuan Xia found it could be pushed open; she had Yan Wentao shine the light over while pushing the door open.
As the door opened, Xuan Xia wondered what the room inside held—the best outcome would be like the first time she opened a door here: a washroom with old-fashioned water pipes she could dismantle.
But when the door was half-open, a sharp claw suddenly lunged, its razor nails aimed straight at her eyes.
Xuan Xia’s breath caught; just as she was about to react, her peripheral vision caught a blood bead grazing past her eye corner and instantly striking the claw.
The blood bead splattered, and the claw abruptly halted.
The next second, a shrill screech rose.
Only then did Xuan Xia follow through—not closing the door and retreating, but releasing it and kicking the door fully open.
The door slammed against the wall with a thunderous crash; at the same time, with the light behind her, Xuan Xia saw the room’s layout and a rapidly retreating figure.
The room was furnished like a living room, with quite a bit of furniture, all covered in white cloth.
With so many things and dark corners, the retreating figure vanished instantly.
Xuan Xia cursed inwardly, then shouted to Yan Wentao: “Come in with me. This woman has indeed grown a brain—it’s different from last time.”
With that, she stepped into the room first.
Since this woman was in the room, then…
She would catch her in a trap!
Yan Wentao, hearing this, didn’t have time to think and immediately followed into the room.
Daoist Master Qin brought up the rear.
With all three inside, they closed the door; plus Yan Wentao’s lightbulb shining, the room’s interior became even clearer.
