Chapter 159: So Many Talismans
Just as Yan Wentao was dazed, Xuan Xia took out another one.
The remaining evil spirits and ghosts also ate Xuan Xia’s talisman paper, and at this moment, as if they had agreed beforehand, they all turned their spears around and charged at Xuan Xia with bared fangs and claws.
“I’ll go!” Qu Xingxuan shouted, quickly moving behind Xuan Xia, saying on his mouth, “You come, you come.”
Xuan Xia faced those few ghosts with bared fangs and claws, full of ferocious faces, and felt extremely annoyed in her heart.
Talisman paper was scattered as if it cost nothing, and just as she was about to urge it with an incantation, Yan Wentao, who had been thrown aside, saw this and hurriedly shouted loudly, “Layman Xuan, leave one alive!”
Yan Wentao saw her take out two in one breath, terribly brutal, and was very worried that if he didn’t remind her first, Xuan Xia could really wipe them all out.
Xuan Xia paused and said, “Then Daoist Master Yan, you pick one first?”
Yan Wentao: “…”
Qu Xingxuan: “…”
Ding Lu, who couldn’t see the specific situation: “???”
What was going on? It sounded like Teacher Xuan was very powerful?
In just two sentences’ time, those few ghosts had already rushed in front of Xuan Xia, so Xuan Xia could only dodge first.
As soon as she dodged, those few ghosts thought Xuan Xia was scared, and became even more ferocious with bared fangs and claws.
Yan Wentao saw Xuan Xia dodging in a disheveled state., not knowing defense, and anxiously shouted at her, “Layman Xuan, you you you… defend…”
“Ah? I won’t!”
Yan Wentao: “…”
Seeing that the sharp claws of one of them were about to grab Xuan Xia’s face, Qu Xingxuan hurriedly helped defend, thus avoiding Xuan Xia possibly being disfigured.
In his heart, he couldn’t help but complain again that if it weren’t for needing to leave one alive, it would have been done long ago.
Yan Wentao didn’t dare delay any longer, quickly picked one from the remaining few, formed hand seals to conclude the print, used a talisman to create a soul binding lock, and hurriedly encircled and bound it.
Then he called out, “Alright, alright, Layman Xuan, you… go ahead.”
Upon hearing this, Xuan Xia finally stopped dodging in circles, suddenly turned around to face the remaining ghosts head-on, twisted a hand seal in her hand, and the next second, the Five Thunders burst out ferociously, the Five Thunders that purged filthy evil spirits swept through
Those ghosts couldn’t resist at all, as shrieks of resentment and unwillingness instantly echoed through the villa.
Ding Lu couldn’t see it, but that didn’t stop her from hearing it at this moment, immediately scaring her pale-faced.
After a while, Ding Lu tentatively asked, “Teacher Xuan, how is it?”
After finishing the work, Xuan Xia breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing Ding Lu’s question, she immediately smiled at her. “It’s done, everything’s fine.”
Hearing that everything was fine, Ding Lu felt relieved in her heart.
Xuan Xia continued, “We also kept one alive. We’ll try asking it in a bit to see if we can find out who harmed your husband.”
Ding Lu nodded, then asked: “Then how is my husband… now?”
This…
Xuan Xia looked at Yan Wentao. She didn’t understand these things very well either, so she decided to ask the professional.
The ghosts bound by Daoist Master Yan’s Soul Binding Lock were struggling, while Daoist Master Yan was exerting effort to control them, clearly using all their strength and obviously not distracted by listening to their conversation.
Everyone: “……”
Xuan Xia patted Qu Xingxuan, motioning for him to go help.
Qu Xingxuan widened his eyes, “Me?”
Xuan Xia replied to him, “Are you sure you want me to go?”
She wasn’t sure if going to help would actually be helping, or if it would lead to wiping out the last survivor.
Qu Xingxuan thought about it and agreed, so he decided to go himself.
With Qu Xingxuan’s help, Yan Wentao finally completely subdued that unwilling ghost, then answered Ding Lu’s question.
Her husband is fine now. He just needs to complete the remaining religious ceremony to ensure she gets back a lively and energetic husband.
Ding Lu said: “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Daoist Master.”
Yan Wentao said it was only right, and after temporarily handing the bound ghost over to Qu Xingxuan for safekeeping, Yan Wentao continued the religious ceremony.
When the religious ceremony ended, sure enough, Cheng Qinhua, who had been lying down unable to get up, sat up by himself. His line of sight passed over Xuan Xia and the others, the first thing he looked for was Ding Lu.
After locking onto Ding Lu, Cheng Qinhua hesitantly shouted, “Honey, I feel very hungry.”
Upon hearing this, Ding Lu’s eyes reddened a bit uncontrollably, thinking to herself that after lying down for several days with little rice and little water, of course she’d be hungry!
Turning her head, she asked Yan Wentao: “Daoist Master, can my husband eat normally now? Or are there any taboos?”
Yan Wentao said: “Your mister has been lying down for a long time, so you should still pay some attention to his diet. Tonight, have porridge first, something light.” As for this porridge, Yan Wentao recommended glutinous rice porridge first.
Ding Lu nodded and said okay.
Yan Wentao said again: “I have a Daoist Talisman here. Later, burn it and dissolve it in water, and have your mister drink it first.”
Ding Lu: “……Alright.”
With the talisman water and the incantation, Cheng Qinhua drank it and within mere seconds, his spirit recovered by more than half.
After finishing with Cheng Qinhua, it was time to deal with the remaining survivors next.
Because it was Ding Lu’s request, he still asked Ding Lu’s opinion first, to see if she wanted to try interrogating here for the whereabouts of that person who caused harm, or hand it over to Qinghui Temple to handle the follow-up, and inform her of the result after it was done.
Ding Lu thought about it and chose the latter.
Upon hearing Ding Lu’s choice, the most disappointed was Qu Xingxuan.
They clearly came together, so why hand it over to Qinghui Temple to handle in the end?
Xuan Xia didn’t care who handled it, after all, the ones who opened the altar and performed the ritual were Daoist Master from Qinghui Temple, and even the one who cured Cheng Qinhua was Yan Wentao.
Yan Wentao got the contact information from Ding Lu and her husband, and since he still needed to bring that ghost back to Qinghui Temple, he didn’t stay long and immediately contacted Qinghui Temple, asking people from Qinghui Temple to come pick him up.
As such, Xuan Xia and Qu Xingxuan also didn’t stay.
The three bid farewell to Ding Lu together.
Ding Lu called out to wait, hurriedly went upstairs, and soon came down with three red envelopes, giving one to each of Xuan Xia and the others.
Xuan Xia quickly refused, “I don’t need one. These two are professionals, so what they get is enough.”
Ding Lu thought about it and agreed, “Then I won’t stand on ceremony with you, I’ve noted your help.”
Xuan Xia smiled.
People from Qinghui Temple arrived quickly, just in time for Xuan Xia and the others to catch a free ride.
Xuan Xia then said goodbye to Ding Lu.
“Don’t call me Manager Ding anymore.” Ding Lu said while seeing her off: “Call me sis from now on.”
Xuan Xia went along with it, “Okay, see you then, Ding sis.”
“Mm, see you. Let’s have dinner sometime.”
Xuan Xia agreed.
–
On the way back.
Qu Xingxuan opened the red envelope and glanced at it, immediately letting out a “whoa” of exclamation, drawing Xuan Xia and Yan Wentao to look at him.
He immediately covered it up, then looked at Yan Wentao and asked: “Hey, check yours, how much do you have?”
Yan Wentao wasn’t as cautious as him and opened the red envelope right there.
Inside was a check for twenty thousand.
Seeing the amount, Xuan Xia silently went “wow,” then looked at Qu Xingxuan again.
Qu Xingxuan met her gaze and showed his.
His was also a check for twenty thousand.
“See, aren’t you shortchanged.” Qu Xingxuan said to Xuan Xia, otherwise you could have gotten this much too.
Xuan Xia was envious but even if she had known beforehand how much Ding Lu would give, she wouldn’t have taken it.
After all, she was different from the two of them.
The one driving in front was also a Daoist Master, fellow disciple with Yan Wentao, and knowing they were looking at the red envelopes, he curiously chimed in: “Is the client very generous?”
Yan Wentao nodded and told his senior brother the amount.
The driving senior brother, upon hearing it, also let out a “whoa,” “That much, huh.”
After a pause, the senior brother added: “Then we have to handle the follow-up nicely, it has to be worth the client’s generosity.”
Yan Wentao nodded vigorously in deep agreement.
Qu Xingxuan, hearing this, felt that he had done the least but gotten quite a bit, and felt a bit embarrassed.
He followed up: “Then if there’s anything I can do, I’ll help too.”
Yan Wentao didn’t refuse.
Although Xuan Xia hadn’t taken the money, Ding Lu had her call her sis, so Xuan Xia said she could help too.
As for her, Yan Wentao hesitated slightly.
No other reason, she was just too brutally savage beyond her appearance, and Yan Wentao was afraid he couldn’t hold her back later.
But Xuan Xia didn’t know his thoughts, and after saying she wanted to help, she eagerly asked: “Daoist Master Yan, will you start interrogating once back? Then can I go to Qinghui Temple with you, and we try to finish things tonight.”
Yan Wentao: “Uh, well…”
“No ‘uh’s, more people more strength.” Xuan Xia immediately said to the driving Daoist Master, go straight back to Qinghui Temple.
The Daoist Master was very agreeable and immediately changed the route.
Xuan Xia rubbed her fists, very eager to see how Yan Wentao would force that ghost to confess its master, maybe she could learn something for future use.
……
The car soon arrived back at Qinghui Temple.
After arriving at Qinghui Temple, Yan Wentao went to make preparations first, while Xuan Xia took the chance before starting to visit Chang Zhendong.
After Chang Zhendong learned her intentions, he expressed a very warm welcome.
Taking advantage of Daoist Master Qin’s absence today, Chang Zhendong brought up old matters again, trying to directly persuade Xuan Xia to join the Qinghui Temple family, which made Xuan Xia very embarrassed.
Fortunately, Yan Wentao’s side was ready, so she quickly bid farewell to Chang Zhendong to attend to the main business.
At this moment, Yan Wentao was performing the invocation ritual, borrowing a bit of divine power, and through that divine power, he finally established formal communication with that ghost.
Xuan Xia had not yet closed her Heavenly Eye, so she personally witnessed this communication.
That ghost, due to being refined by its master, could no longer express itself freely, but after Yan Wentao’s communication, it finally agreed to rely on the faint bond between master and servant to lead Yan Wentao and the others to find its master.
Thus, Xuan Xia had not been at Qinghui Temple for long before leaving it again.
However, this time, it was not just the three of them and the driving Daoist priest.
Chang Zhendong mobilized about ten Daoist priests, and the group, carrying their respective gear, piled into the vehicles. Several cars with the Qinghui Temple logo then neatly drove out of the Qinghui Temple scenic area.
Led by that ghost, everyone followed all the way to a village on the outskirts of Yanjing City.
It was already nightfall, with lights on in every household in the village, but few people were outside cooling off.
The Qinghui Temple Daoist priests moved like well-trained soldiers, with Yan Wentao leading the way, their footsteps light as they reached a courtyard at the edge of the village.
As soon as that ghost reached the courtyard gate, it seemed seized by something and whooshed inside.
Everyone exchanged glances and immediately entered the courtyard each using their own skills.
The so-called “each using their own skills” meant seeing whether you would climb over the wall or whatever.
Don’t underestimate them; despite their immortal and Daoist appearances, they were all adept at scaling walls.
As for Xuan Xia, she waited for Qu Xingxuan to climb in first, then have him open the gate for her.
But… the people who climbed in took forever to come open the gate for her.
Xuan Xia couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
She looked at the several Daoist masters waiting beside her for the gate to open, hesitated, and said, “Daoist Master, could something have happened inside?”
Those few were already finding it strange that there was no sound at all, and when Xuan Xia asked, one of them immediately exclaimed in alarm and hurriedly directed his fellow brothers nearby to lend a hand.
With two Daoist masters as footholds, the one who sensed trouble quickly stepped on them to peer over the wall into the courtyard.
At this look, he shouted “Oh no!” even louder.
He hurriedly pulled out a Daoist talisman from his person and drove it with an incantation to paste it into the courtyard.
But once the talisman entered the courtyard, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—no effect at all.
The Daoist master’s heart sank, and he hurriedly pulled out another talisman and sent it into the courtyard, but the effect was exactly the same as the previous one.
This situation made this Daoist master even more anxious and heartbroken.
After all, drawing two talismans took a good half day.
But in the current situation, he couldn’t afford to be heartbroken; he pulled out two more, this time changing the incantation, and there was some effect, though minimal.
The Daoist master’s face had already turned very grim, and the two below, clueless, one of them asked, “How is it? What’s the situation?”
“There’s a spell formation in the courtyard; I can’t break it,” the one on top explained.
“Then what do we do?” the other one below said. “Let me try?”
The three Daoist masters took turns trying, but all ended in failure.
The first one simply suggested, “How about we all go in?”
The square-faced one said, “No, we should immediately contact the temple.” With that, he pulled out his mobile phone, only to find no signal.
Everyone looked, and their faces grew even grimmer one after another.
Xuan Xia watched for a while and understood the situation fully, then spoke up: “Daoist Masters, let me try?”
The three looked at Xuan Xia, considered, and the first one who tried spoke: “Then how about Layman Xuan gives it a try.”
Xuan Xia nodded, then said to the square-faced Daoist master, “Daoist Master, you go outside the village first and check if there’s signal outside. If there is, quickly call Temple Master Chang for reinforcements. If not even outside the village, drive farther to find signal.”
The other party thought it made sense upon hearing this.
Everyone was a seeker of the Dao and cultivator, not fussing over girls hanging back, so the square-faced Daoist master agreed and ran toward outside the village.
Xuan Xia, with the help of the two Daoist masters, climbed onto the wall top, and only then, straddling the wall, did she finally get a clear view of the situation inside the courtyard.
It seemed the courtyard not only had a spell formation but possibly also an illusion; she couldn’t even see a single shadow.
She asked below what incantation the Daoist masters had used that had some effect, and upon getting the answer, she immediately opened her bag and pulled out a stack of talismans.
The two Daoist masters below stared at the stack of talismans in her hand, their expressions unable to hide their shock.
So… so many talismans?
So many—how long would it take to draw them?
