Chapter 28

"Turn around, listen to the seal" I almost shouted out impatiently, and Hong Nainai only then reluctantly turned her body.

"Obeying the Yinshan Great Dharma Master, the Ghost Power Great King's imperial order, the imperial seal..." After finishing the incantation, I struck a palm at Hong Nainai's back; this palm is called the Yang-Suppressing Palm. In the Yinshan Pangu Method there is a technique called Yang-Suppressing and Yin-Suppressing. Yang-Suppressing can disperse a person's Yang Qi when used on people, and increase Yin Qi when used on ghosts; conversely Yin-Suppressing works the same way. At the same time striking Hong Nainai's body, there was also the imperial seal appointing him as Western Troop-Leading General, the name Xuan Hui.

"Pangzi, burn the Five Ghost Money and Longevity Gold" After sealing Hong Nainai, I had Pangzi burn the Five Ghost Money and Longevity Gold in the fire pan. Then I began facing west, making the Yin-Invoking Finger with my hand and stepping the Five Ghost Steps with my feet. I chanted the Troop Dispatch Mantra.

"Obeying the summon of the Divine Incarnation, transforming into the City God to assist the body, the Moon Void Three Sounds echo, the Grand Duke Jupiter leads the Yin Soldiers…… Soldiers arrive at the altar and obey my command; divine troops rush as per law and order, the imperial seal." After the seal, I overturned the bowl of rice in front of the altar onto the ground, then flipped it over. This is the Yinshan rule for borrowing troops. The raw rice in the bowl, turned upside down on the ground, then flipped again; the amount of rice left indicates how many troops you can borrow.

After the troops are borrowed, naturally I must explain their purpose; next I must also chant the Opening Spell to tell the troops their destination, plus Yao Yirong's Eight Characters, and then match it with the You-Hour Opening Talisman. From the moment the talisman burns, I wave the command flag, directing these troops to Yao Yirong's residence.

When Hong Nainai led those troops onward, I lit a kerosene lamp and sat cross-legged before the altar. This oil lamp is the soul lamp of our Yinshan Daoists; if during a spiritual duel, or due to other factors the soul lamp extinguishes, the troops and the Daoist's own spirit will suffer harm.

Normally, when performing rites, this soul lamp would not be needed; but I wanted to follow these troops to investigate, to see what trick Ou Yaoyang was playing, so I set up this soul lamp.

To avoid being disturbed while performing the rites, I left some troops on either side and did not mobilize all of them.

The night deepened slowly; Hong Nainai led the Yin Soldiers to Yao Yirong's home. Fortunately, Yao Yirong's home had no door gods or earth gods and the like; otherwise I would have had to avoid the door gods to enter.

Yao Yirong's residence is large, with many servants, but Hong Nainai still found her room according to the Eight Characters. Strangely, Yao Yirong's room had only her alone, with no movement or sound.

"How strange, you didn't say Ou Yaofeng would cast a spell on Yao Yirong? Why is there still no movement?" said Pangzi beside me; he was now pinching a hand seal, sitting in an odd posture, leaving me speechless.

Pangzi used the Huaguang Sect's Mystic Eye Divine Ability; the Great Emperor Huaguang had left and right attendants resembling two yaksha-like little demons. These two are not ordinary wild ghosts, but rather Clairvoyance and Wind-Following Ear. Thus, the Huaguang arts also contain two secret techniques: Mystic Eye and Ear Report. Although not as exaggerated as the legendary Clairvoyance and Wind-Following Ear, these two divine abilities are indeed formidable. I perceived through the Yin Soldiers, while Pangzi used the Mystic Eye to see.

However, each use of the Mystic Eye consumes a great deal of vital energy; after one use, it cannot be reused for at least forty-nine days. Yet Pangzi actually used the Mystic Eye's divine ability to watch the spectacle; I don't know whether QingSongShu will chop him if he finds out.

After more than an hour passed, I could not help but feel drowsy. Meanwhile, Yao Yirong's home still showed no unusual circumstances.

I almost doubted whether I had misseen; perhaps Ou Yaofeng had not cast the Bewildering Union Subjugation on Yao Yirong.

Just as that thought suddenly popped into my mind, the reclining Yao Yirong on the bed suddenly changed; her face abruptly flushed red, her body twisted contrary to reason, and although I didn't know what she was mumbling in her dreams, it was certain that this girl was lovesick.

Suddenly, another terrifying thought flashed in my mind: could Ou Yaofeng be using the Dream Soul Exchange Technique?

The Dream Soul Exchange Technique is a wicked art; it makes the victim restless day and night, arousing deep-seated desire, as if having taken an aphrodisiac. At this moment the caster's soul leaves the body and merges with the victim's spirit. This wicked art is far more serious than carnal lust. Controlling the body cannot control the mind and soul. Whereas Dream Soul Exchange makes a person have spring dreams, causing inexplicable affection toward the caster, even throwing themselves into their arms. What is controlled is also the mind and soul. Ask: if a woman's heart is wholly set on a man, could that man still fail to obtain her flesh?

Thus, everything now makes sense; all that Ou Yaofeng has done so far was merely to bewitch Yao Yirong's spirit, thoroughly releasing the desire within a person's soul. If at this moment Ou Yaofeng's spirit leaves the body and enters Yao Yirong's dream, the soul exchange can naturally be completed. Though said to be unrelated to the body, the impact on mind and body is far greater than on the body alone.

Thinking this through, I chanted the Dharma spell, ordering Hong Nainai's led troops to hide aside, waiting for Ou Yaofeng's spirit to emerge, then launch a sudden strike, chopping at the ghost with a broadsword.

"Holy shit, it's started, he's hot enough to be about to take off his clothes— isn't that too exciting…" Pangzi drooled beside me, wearing a lecherous grin.

Yao Yirong's face grew redder and redder; perhaps her spirit was too deeply bewitched, making her body uncontrollable, producing some reactions that gradually intensified.

At this point, I dare not be careless; instead I focused my spirit and energy, paying attention to the movements in her room. According to my estimate, Yao Yirong has been driven to a critical point by the aphrodisiac; Ou Yaofeng's spirit should have emerged to enter the dream for soul union; if it does not come, entry into the dream for soul fusion is impossible.

As expected, a gust of dark wind blew through the room's window; a ghost silently slipped in, heading straight for Yao Yirong on the bed. Judging by the ghost's appearance, it was undoubtedly Ou Yaofeng.

"Boundless Heavenly Venerable of Blessings, two Daoist friends, why are you here commanding troops and controlling ghosts—are you plotting to harm others?"

At the critical moment, a pedantic phrase echoed in the alley.

At some point, a refined bespectacled man ran into the alley; wearing a white outfit, he looked like a scholar, and his speech was equally pedantic.

"The sage says: A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it rightly; a lovely lady, one must not covet wantonly. I see you two Daoists are dignified in appearance—why do you commit such heinous acts? Know that practicing law for evil brings karmic retribution; I urge you two Daoists to lay down your butcher's knives and take refuge in the highest good, like water..."

Before I could speak, the bespectacled man began to ramble on, and what he said was all nitpicking over words, truly bewildering.

The bespectacled man gave me the feeling of an ancient scholar, yet oddly, why was he reciting Daoist Sect's aphorisms? Could he also be connected to the Daoist Sect?

I dare not underestimate the bespectacled man in the slightest; merely his demeanor makes me feel uneasy. Indeed, this bespectacled man, through study, has cultivated the righteous qi of a Confucian.

Confucians are neither Daoists nor Buddhists; they are a group who read the sages' books and revere the sage Confucius. Besides Daoist priests and Buddhist monks, there are three kinds of people that ghosts and monsters generally dare not approach: first, market butchers and ruthless thugs, heavy with killing qi; second, soldiers; third, those who read the sages' books, wholeheartedly for the world.

In ancient times, scholars did not venerate ghosts and gods, only the sovereign and ministers; yet ghosts and gods still dared not intrude. Because scholars' brushes carried righteous qi for the world. As long as a scholar harbored justice, they would receive the Confucian qi's protection; even without revering gods and Buddhas, evil spirits and monsters would still not dare approach.

It is said that a piece of calligraphy by the late Song scholar Zhang Zai frightened ghosts and gods into fleeing. Zhang Zai, who uttered, "To establish the heart for heaven and earth, to establish the livelihood for the people, to continue the lost learning of the sages, to open peace for all ages," this grand Confucian—such a scholar, not to mention ghosts fearing him, even the gods admire him.

However, with the changing times, studying has changed its flavor. Forget about "establishing the heart for heaven and earth, establishing the livelihood for the people"; even the ability to read smoothly the Han classics such as the Confucian Analects, Doctrine of the Mean, and Great Learning is almost nonexistent. The purpose of study is no longer for the nation and the people, but for future personal fame and profit, or merely to pass exams. Abandoning the thousand-year legacy of Han Chinese culture, one buries oneself in the ocean of math, physics, chemistry, and English, unaware that this Han legacy contains the ancient Confucian's insights on self-cultivation and governance, and the philosophy of conduct as a human. This is the most original essence of Han Chinese culture. Reading much can alter one's demeanor; those who comprehend its meanings and attain the realm of self-cultivation, family regulation, and state governance can further cultivate a righteous qi that makes ghosts and gods retreat three feet.

Now, this bespectacled man's presence actually causes a sense of panic among my surrounding troops. Undoubtedly, he has at least reached the ancient scholars' level of self-cultivation, granting him the protection of Confucian qi, which is why yin spirits dare not approach him.

But this feeling only makes me feel uneasy. Now Yao Yirong's side has reached a critical moment, and I naturally cannot allow this bespectacled man to cause trouble.

I, with one hand forming the Seal Finger, commanded Red Granny to expel Ou Yaofeng's soul; with the other, I ordered the surrounding troops to drive away this bespectacled man.

The bespectacled man, seeing the yin soldiers charging at him, felt no fear; instead, he slowly pulled out… a brush.

Holy shit, what is this bespectacled man doing? Is he going to write? Could he be intending to perform calligraphy on the spot, learning from the great Confucian Zhang Zai, infusing his brush with righteous qi to frighten away these yin soldiers.

Before I could even be surprised, the bespectacled man formed a hand seal and then, from his mouth, chanted a mantra.

"The Daoist arts are not many; with a single character, they subdue the north and south mountains and rivers, vanquishing all demons in the world."

After finishing the mantra, he drew an imperial character in midair; this character was not aimed at the charging yin soldiers, but rushed toward me, whose defenses were wide open.

I never expected him to use this move, so carelessly I sent forth all the yin soldiers; I also never imagined he would ignore those troops, instead seizing the leader first—capturing me, whose defenses were wide open.

I turned my command flag, trying to recall those troops for defense, but I was still half a step slow. Instantly, the breath of that imperial character struck me, making me involuntarily spit out a mouthful of heart's blood, as if my five viscera and six bowels were about to burst.

The soul lamp on the altar also instantly went out; aside from Red Granny, all the yin soldiers vanished. But Red Granny was no better off, for she is the army general I conferred by imperial edict, linked to my spirit; since I was wounded, she naturally suffered as well—within seconds of the lamp's extinguishing, she immediately severed her connection with me.

The last image before the connection broke was Red Granny being beaten back step by step by Ou Yaofeng.