Chapter 796

Abe Taiqin opened his mouth, wanting to stop chanting the name-summoning spell, but what surged up from his throat was actually his own name.

"Abe Taiqin——"

He suddenly raised his hand and choked his own neck, but it was already too late.

This is shouting your own name in the spell itself!

He instinctively responded with an "Eh!"

With that response, his five viscera and six bowels felt as if a giant hand had clenched them hard and then twisted sharply.

"Ugh——" he clutched his stomach and bent over, cold sweat pouring down all at once.

He was shocked and turned pale.

Why? Why does the name-summoning spell backfire?

He struggled to steady himself, trying to stop the incantation, but his lips simply would not obey him.

"Abe Taiqin——"

He covered his mouth, he must not respond at all!

But the spell is the spell; from the first sound of the response, there is no longer any chance to escape.

That "Eh!" still came out of his mouth.

The intense pain in his abdomen shot straight up from his lower belly, his gut feeling as if it had been churned into a lump and then twisted into a knot.

He could no longer stay seated; his whole body curled up.

No, I must stop!

But to stop the name-summoning spell, one must finish chanting the incantation; without finishing, it's impossible to stop.

Yet to finish the spell, one must continue shouting one's own name.

"Abe Taiqin——" he shouted again.

"Eh!"

The intense pain surged again, his five viscera and six bowels feeling as if a rusty knife were being stirred back and forth, hurting him so much his whole body arched like a fully cooked large shrimp.

"Abe……Taiqin……" he desperately lowered his voice, but it was no use.

Even if spoken softly, it's still a chant; once chanted, one must respond, and responding means bearing that heart‑rending pain.

He curled up into a ball on the tatami, his whole body twitching incessantly, yet his lips never stopped moving.

"Don't……don't shout……" he muttered indistinctly, his eyes blood‑red, snot and tears smearing his face.

Outside the quiet chamber, two yin‑yang aides sat cross‑legged by the door, listening to the sounds coming from within.

Why does the master call his own name, and then answer himself with a sound?

The two exchanged a glance and, without prior agreement, both showed expressions of reverence.

The technique the master employed tonight, sustained for so long, is truly unheard of.

It must be a profound secret art that we low‑level yin‑yang practitioners have not yet been able to reach.

Indeed, as the head of the yin‑yang bureau, his cultivation is truly deep!

Thus, Abe Taiqin spent the whole night in the quiet chamber battling himself, until the name‑summoning spell had been chanted 9,981 times.

His vision went black, he lay flat with arms and legs spread, and lost consciousness.

The next day at noon.

Abe Taiqin, face ashen, leaned against the wall as he walked out of the quiet chamber.

The two yin‑yang aides immediately rose and stepped forward, one on each side, to support him.

Abe Taiqin, exhausted, said: "Support, support me back to my quarters to rest."

"Yes."

"Master, you worked hard last night with your spell; Lord Fujiwara sent someone early this morning to inquire."

"Fujiwara Yoshinobu?"

Abe Taiqin understood; he must have wanted to know the effect of last night's spell.

"What did you tell him?"

"We told the truth."

"The master didn't sleep all night, kept calling his own name in the quiet chamber; we don't know what spell he was casting, but it must be extremely profound."

Abe Taiqin: "……"

He gritted his teeth: "Good, that's good."

One yin‑yang aide scratched the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed, and asked: "Master, though my talent is lacking, I am not afraid of hardship; I wish to make up for clumsiness with diligence."

"I don't know if the master could teach me last night's technique?"

The other also chimed in: "Yes, master, we're all terribly envious."

Abe Taiqin, unable to speak of his bitterness, said: "Teach? Uh, alright, once the enemy nation's troops retreat, I will pass it on to you."

"Thank you, master!" The two were overjoyed.

But, after only a few steps,

A yin‑yang aide hurried over: "Master, someone from the General's residence has come, bearing the Grand General's order, saying they must see some results today."

"They also said the military situation is urgent; the head of the yin‑yang bureau must not be lax."

Abe Taiqin angrily closed his eyes.

One after another, they're all urging me!

Now they think of me?

But he could do nothing about it.

He stopped walking, thought a moment, and said: "Forget it, I'm not going back; what time is it?"

Just past noon.

Anbei Taiqin sighed: 'Help me to the keep on the city wall.'

Yes!

After a moment, Anbei Taiqin stood in the keep, gazing outward from the city.

The Main Camp of Lie State lay only a hundred steps from the city wall, and the situation inside could be faintly seen.

He braced his hands on the windowsill, his fingers trembling slightly.

Last night's eighty-one repetitions of the Summoning Name Spell had almost drained his vital energy; even now, his legs were limp, devoid of any strength.

However, now that he is so close, if he can see that father and daughter, casting the spell would be much easier than in a quiet room.

He drew a deep breath, narrowed his eyes, and continually scanned the Main Camp.

At noon, the Main Camp bustled with people coming and going, cooking smoke curling upward, and several figures resembling commanders stood together, talking about something.

He waited patiently.

Finally, he saw a tall, straight-backed figure; wherever he went, the soldiers all saluted him.

Anbei Taiqin's lips curled up—it was him!

Lie State's war god, Prince Ning Xiao Yuanhang.

Great! I can use the Eye Spell!

No, no, no—I also need to add the Finger Spell; I must not miss this excellent opportunity!

General and Tengyuan Liangxin are both waiting for me to give an explanation.

Turn around!

Let me see or point to your chest; even just an edge, as long as it's hit squarely when the spell is activated, that will be enough.

He activated his vital blood and spat out a mouthful forcefully.

In the next moment, his eyes slowly turned blood-red, his right index finger slowly rose, the fingertip aimed at the chest of that figure, his lips constantly moving.

Just then, Xiao Yuanhang turned around, facing directly toward the city wall.

Anbei Taiqin was overjoyed.