Chapter 29: Chapter Twenty-Nine: Xiuniang: I Want to Be the Young Master

Good news: Xiuniang can indeed activate talismans.

Bad news: Her activation effect is inferior to Gu Zhao’s.

Even with the hand seals and incantations Gu Zhao taught her, perhaps due to a fundamental difference in the nature of the magic power used, much of the spiritual energy leaked out during activation, leaving only about seventy percent of the effect.

What surprised Gu Zhao was Bai Ke.

Logically, as a spirit restrained by thunder magic, she should have been immediately counterattacked by the yellow talisman upon activation—but unexpectedly, though she felt some discomfort, she still succeeded in activating it.

“Why is this?” Gu Zhao didn’t understand.

But Bai Ke seemed to grasp something; her gaze toward Gu Zhao carried an unspoken horror: “This talisman carries a vast, righteous force that suppresses all yin evils and strange phenomena. It’s only because my soul carries no malevolent energy that I can even use it!”

She had never encountered such power in this world!

Whether deities absorbing incense-based divine energy or spirit lords refining their own magic power, none achieved such a majestic, righteous effect when confronting yin ghosts and strange spirits. As for mortal sorcerers who hadn’t formed a pact, had limited lifespans, and relied solely on their own cultivation, their power was even weaker.

Where on earth did this guy come from? What lineage does he cultivate? His magic power doesn’t seem particularly high, yet his spells are so powerful—even summoning heavenly thunder!

Hearing Bai Ke’s words, Gu Zhao suddenly understood.

When Bai Ke mentioned malevolent energy again, he couldn’t help but recall the aura absorbed by the Five Thunder Talisman when he killed those ghostly entities—the very energy born of their wicked deeds.

This perfectly matched Bai Ke’s claim that she hadn’t committed evil, so her soul carried no malevolent energy.

Daoism upholds the will of heaven and aligns with human ethics; though it doesn’t interfere with natural cycles, if one acts wickedly out of desire, their soul becomes impure and carries malevolent energy. All Daoist schools’ methods for subduing demons, expelling ghosts, and slaying evil target precisely this malevolent energy!

Bai Ke, as an outsider, still faces obstacles—but at least she carries no malevolent energy, so she won’t be counterattacked by the magic power.

“Though I’m not certain if this is truly the case, I’ll accept it as such—it’s logically sound enough.” Gu Zhao stopped pondering and pulled out a box.

“What’s this?” Bai Ke asked, casually opening the box—and froze in shock.

Inside the small box lay stacks upon stacks of folded yellow paper, triangular in shape, through which the vermilion-drawn talisman inscriptions were clearly visible.

Bai Ke’s eyes turned into spirals, her fur bristled along her neck, and she gasped, “So many?”

In her view, talismans like these—akin to single-use magic artifacts—capable of allowing an ordinary person like Xiuniang to block the attacks and movements of a Jinfeng Sect guardian spirit, must be exceedingly precious. Even if Gu Zhao could make them, he wouldn’t have many.

But what did she see now?

Inside this palm-sized box lay a dense mass of twenty to thirty!

“Xiuniang’s pact with you makes thunder talismans the least effective, so I won’t give you thunder talismans. These are Tian Gang talismans and Xuan Wu Black Malevolent talismans—perfect for offense and defense, with the best results,” Gu Zhao said.

The Tian Gang talisman needs no explanation; the Xuan Wu Black Malevolent talisman is also from the *Shangqing Tianxin Zhengfa*.

Unlike the thunder talismans in the *Shenxiao Yushu Zhan Kan Wu Lei Dafa*, which cannot be drawn without sufficient cultivation, most talismans in the *Shangqing Tianxin Zhengfa*—except for a few rare types—have no cultivation requirement. Yet the power they unleash is directly tied to the cultivator’s level.

For example, with Gu Zhao’s current cultivation, the Tian Gang talisman can only momentarily halt that Jinfeng Sect ghost spirit. But if his cultivation grows stronger, the talisman’s triggered power might obliterate it outright.

Seeing the dense mass of talismans in the small box, Bai Ke’s eyes gleamed.

But Xiuniang slammed the box shut and hurriedly pushed it back to Gu Zhao. “Master is leaving to handle something important. Xiuniang and Xiao Bai can’t help—how can we take your yellow talismans?”

Bai Ke opened her mouth but said nothing.

Gu Zhao stroked Xiuniang’s hair and returned the box to her. “Take it. My task isn’t dangerous, and I’ve kept some for myself. You don’t want me worrying about the village while I’m away, do you?”

Xiuniang wanted to cry and laugh at once, reluctantly taking the box back. She looked at Gu Zhao earnestly. “Master, you’re really not in danger, right?”

“No danger at all,” Gu Zhao nodded.

“Then it’s not because you don’t want Xiuniang to be your maid that you won’t let me come with you?” Xiuniang asked pitifully.

“Of course not,” Gu Zhao smiled.

“Then will you let Xiuniang be your maid?” Xiuniang blinked her large, sparkling eyes, hopeful.

“Why are we suddenly talking about being a maid?” Gu Zhao sighed. As a youth raised under the red flag, nurtured in the spring breeze, he had no concept of maids. “I treat you like a little sister.”

Xiuniang interrupted, “I won’t be your sister—I want to be your maid!”

Gu Zhao was speechless. Seeing Xiuniang on the verge of tears, he nodded. “Fine, fine, you can be my maid. You’ll serve me tea, pour me water, make my bed, fold my quilts.”

Xiuniang’s eyes lit up. “Great!”

Gu Zhao: (°ー°〃)

“Alright, go back to sleep…” The words were barely out when a white line appeared in the eastern sky—it had been through battle, explanation, talisman testing, and conversation, and dawn had broken.

“Squeak—”

A door creaked open. He Laozhang pushed it wide and saw the two people and one fox huddled in a circle in the courtyard, whispering.

He Laozhang blinked, then quickly turned away.

“Bang!”

…

Perhaps knowing Gu Zhao wasn’t far away, or perhaps because she had successfully become Gu Zhao’s maid, Xiuniang’s mood remained excellent for the next two days, and she diligently practiced cultivation with Bai Ke.

Though a complete beginner, Xiuniang’s cultivation base grew visibly with each passing day.

Gu Zhao stroked his chin, pointing at the Five Thunder Talisman in his mind. “You’re useless. Someone else’s pact alone boosts cultivation speed to this level—and you still need to kill monsters to level up!”

Five Thunder Talisman: “...”

Bai Ke, however, cleared up his confusion. “No ordinary person’s pact boosts cultivation this fast. Xiuniang’s speed comes from her soul’s perfect harmony with me—and since she’s a beginner, she naturally progresses faster than most. After this…”

After this, with me—a descendant of the Celestial Fox—as her pact partner, her cultivation speed will naturally surpass others!’

Bai Ke: ୧꒰•̀ᴗ•́꒱୨

Seeing Bai Ke’s smug expression, Gu Zhao reached out to pet her. She dodged, leapt into Xiuniang’s arms, and Xiuniang passed her right back to Gu Zhao.

Bai Ke let out two soft “yinyin” sounds, then settled onto Gu Zhao’s lap, enjoying it while looking distinctly uncomfortable. “I’m not an animal anymore—don’t treat me like a pet!”

Gu Zhao nodded and scratched behind her neck.

Bai Ke grinned happily.

Bai Ke: (▼へ▼メ)