Chapter 361

~19 min read 3,625 words

"What, you say this house has formed a killing spirit? You're not joking with me, are you?" I was greatly startled.

Pangzi nodded firmly: "Yes, this house has formed a killing spirit; if we don't get rid of it soon, the feng shui simply cannot be changed."

The killing spirit Pangzi refers to is the spirit formed when this residence has long been troubled by yang killing energy, the killing energy gaining sentience and condensing into a spirit body. As for killing energy, I think many people understand it—for example, utility poles or stubborn stone mounds beside a house; if they are in the wrong direction, they produce killing energy that troubles the household's owner.

However, it is rare for killing energy to condense into a killing spirit. Since killing energy differs from resentful energy, the yearly flow and the rotation of the duty star lord can cause killing energy to dissipate. Unless there truly is a place of extreme yin and extreme yang—a dead land—where the residence is constantly eroded by excessive yang energy over years, only then could a killing spirit form.

Without a doubt, after the period of the Five Ghosts passed and yet they refused to demolish the house, the residence shifted from partial yin to extreme yang; after centuries of accumulation, it has indeed become a dead land.

Since it is a dead land, it is not impossible for a killing spirit to arise.

"What should we do now?" I said, my mood not exactly heavy, but worry was certainly present.

A killing spirit differs from ordinary ghostly spirit bodies; it is extremely domineering in both yin and yang. Put simply, it is a spirit body formed from a "qi", like the three-legged golden crow in myth, conceived within the sun, whose domineering nature cannot be matched by human strength.

"So, that's why I've gone to all this trouble—setting up formations, and even the Nine Dragons Drawing Water..." Pangzi said solemnly.

When Pangzi entered the residence today, he immediately sensed something abnormal; the arts of the Huaguang lineage are extremely domineering and highly sensitive to utmost yang things. After a brief analysis of the terrain here and the flow of qi movement, he knew the house had already formed a killing spirit.

Afterward, Pangzi had Fan Wuchang's subordinates sprinkle water mixed with five yin woods inside the house, because this yang killing energy is extremely averse to yin things. Since spirit objects have special feelings for their native grounds, Pangzi did not hope a single bucket of water would drive it out of the house; he only wished to make it uncomfortable for a while, or perhaps drive it out.

Such a killing spirit is a disaster wherever it goes. An extreme-yang killing spirit can destroy all things; an extreme-yin killing spirit can turn everywhere it passes into ice, becoming a dead land.

"Such a killing spirit born from feng shui is extremely hard to eliminate; it needs the aid of a formation." Pangzi pointed at that well and said, "That's why I dug a well here and used the Nine Dragons Drawing Water to draw water into the well. I've calculated that this dry well lies at the extreme yin point of the residence, and it is also the Death Gate among the Eight Gates, able to reach the netherworld. As long as we drive out the killing spirit and guide it into this well, using yin qi to melt its yang qi, it will naturally be destroyed."

"How to lure it? We don't even know which corner of the house this killing spirit hides in, and even if we drive it out, we can't fight it!" I spoke the truth; Daoist talisman arts actually possess a certain yang nature, otherwise how could they restrain yin spirits?

"Naturally, I will lure it out, then you fight it!" Pangzi raised his eyebrows and said, "You forgot—your Yinshan School is the most yin-heavy sect within Daoism..."

I suddenly understood—no wonder the dead Pangzi insisted I bring the Yinshan command flag.

"Let's go, we're entering now!" Pangzi waved his hand and walked into the residence.

After entering, I quietly took the command flag in hand and carefully used my spiritual sense to feel every part of the residence.

However, even after focusing all my spirit, I still felt no abnormal qi in the house; of course, there is heat, after all this residence is a dead land.

【20】 "Hehe, there's none now, but there will be soon!" Pangzi gave a lewd smile and pulled something out from his bosom.

【21】 As I got a clear look at the thing, the corner of my mouth couldn't help but twitch.

【22】 "Pang Grandpa, we're not brawling in the street—why did you bring a brick?" I stared at the black, lusterless brick in Pangzi's hand, the corner of my mouth forming a forty-five angle and twitching rhythmically.

【23】 "What the hell, what's that look for? I'm telling you, this isn't an ordinary brick," Pangzi said with a very solemn expression and grave tone: "This is a brick that has been sacrificed and refined."

【24】 I… frankly, isn't it still just a brick? Or like coal, black and lusterless.

【25】 "Damn… this is the golden brick of Great Emperor Huaguang; if you keep looking at this brick with that eyes, believe me I'll smack you dead with one brick!" Pangzi bared his teeth and brandished his claws in correction: "Three eyes on the face penetrate the three worlds, holding the golden brick to slay evil essences, emitting samadhi fire, and from the pouch dispatching fire crow soldiers… the Huaguang master-summoning total mantra you surely know, yet you're still putting on an act here."

【26】 I glanced at him: "Isn't it still just a brick?"

【27】 In the In Search of the Supernatural, there is indeed a record of Great Emperor Huaguang's golden brick: his third incarnation is the son of the Red Flame Demon King of the Douzi Palace, the Spirit-Luminous Heavenly King. The golden brick in his hand was made by the Spirit-Luminous Heavenly King fraudulently obtaining a demon king's golden sword and sacrificing and refining it. Later generations of Huaguang disciples' magical implements do indeed contain golden bricks… but the golden brick in Pangzi's hand, at first glance, looks like a big handful snatched casually from a coal pit.

【28】 Seeing Pangzi bare his teeth and wave his claws, glaring at me with a resentful face, having the posture of a commoner whose anger makes blood spatter five steps, I quickly changed the subject and urged: "Hurry up and lure out that killing spirit; my feet are going numb from waiting."

【29】 At this moment, Pangzi finally remembered the business at hand, and without digressing he muttered to me: "I'll explain later—this is a gold brick, not a fire brick."

【30】 I rolled my eyes; whatever gold brick or dirt brick, if it can smack a dead rat, it's a good brick.

【31】 "I invoke the imperial decree to summon the Five Manifest Great Emperor Huaguang…" At this moment, Pangzi placed the golden brick in his hand on the table, activated the Seal Finger, and chanted the Huaguang Mantra.

【32】 As Pangzi's chanting rose, a fiery red mist rose from his head; the mist looked thin, like a wisp of blue smoke, but it certainly existed and its aura was extremely hot.

【33】 Besides the heat rising from the brick, Pangzi's body turned completely red, giving me the impression… like a pig being roasted.

【34】 At first I didn't understand what Pangzi was doing, but after thinking it over I also realized: he was using himself and the golden brick as a medium to draw out the killing spirit hidden in the residence.

【35】 It is now night, with not a trace of sunlight. Moreover, the surroundings of the residence have been sprinkled with water mixed with five yin woods. In this environment devoid of yang qi, one would imagine that killing spirit is feeling extremely stifled.

【36】 Now Pangzi directly performs the sacrifice and refinement of the golden brick within the residence, and also cultivates the Fire Mantra. Huaguang's martial arts have always been extremely yang-dominant and domineering; in this setting, there is no doubt it brings a glimmer of bright dawn to the killing spirit lurking in darkness.

【37】 Pangzi's body grew hotter and hotter; even I, standing beside him, could feel that scorching aura. And just then, a feeling that made me extremely uncomfortable and panicked surged in my heart, quickly spreading to every part of it.

【38】 This is an innate counteraction; Yinshan disciples are heavily yin and thus extremely sensitive to utmost yang qi. Although Pangzi's aura is also domineeringly extreme yang, within that extreme yang there is a hint of Buddhist Sect compassion.

【39】 But the aura I now feel in my heart carries annihilative destruction; to me it feels like an executioner wielding a butcher's knife, leaving no blade of grass growing and no poultry or dog at peace wherever it passes.

【40】 I closed my eyes and sensed carefully; it felt as if something inside the residence was constantly drifting about. It is now moving toward my direction, its target being Pangzi and the golden brick beside me.

【41】 I dared not hesitate; I quickly chanted the master-summoning mantra, formed a Seal Finger and clamped the command flag between my middle finger, cautiously guarding all around. My intuition told me that the yang killing spirit hidden in the residence would soon appear.

【42】 Time trickled by; even as the temperature around us rose at an extreme speed, even as I now felt like I were in an oven, surrounded by layers of flames roasting me, I dared not relax in the slightest.

【43】 With a ding, like a child seeing his parents and being unable to suppress the inner joy from excessive happiness. Immediately after, a fiery red thing shot out extremely fast from the northeast corner of the house, lunging toward the golden brick on the table.

【44】 Just as that thing darted to within less than a meter in front of us, Pangzi moved, grabbing with both hands the black, lusterless brick on the table and dashing out the door like a gust of wind.

【45】 Almost the instant Pangzi set off, I followed behind him; at the moment he stepped out of the doorway, I swung the command flag and struck at that mass lunging straight at us.

【46】 ------------.

"Hehe, there's none now, but there will be soon!" Pangzi gave a lewd smile and pulled something out from his bosom.

When I finally got a clear look at this thing, I couldn't help but twitch at the corner of my mouth.

【21】 As I got a clear look at the thing, the corner of my mouth couldn't help but twitch.

"Fatty, we're not brawling in the street—why did you bring a brick?" I stared at the dull black brick in his hand, the corner of my mouth set at a forty‑five angle, twitching slowly and rhythmically.

"What the hell, what's with that look? I'm telling you, this isn't an ordinary brick." Fatty's expression was dead serious, his tone grave: "This is a brick that's been ritually refined."

I… frankly, isn't it just a brick? Or maybe it's like coal—black and grimy.

【24】 I… frankly, isn't it still just a brick? Or like coal, black and lusterless.

"Damn… this is the golden brick of Emperor Huaguang. Keep looking at it like that and I'll smash you with it!" Fatty bared his teeth and waved his claws, correcting me: "The three‑eyed brick that sees the three realms, held in hand, dispels evil spirits, emits samadhi fire, and summons fire‑crows from its pouch… you know my Huaguang initiation mantra, yet you're still pretending not to."

I glanced at him: "Isn't it just a brick?"

【26】 I glanced at him: "Isn't it still just a brick?"

In the Soushen Zhuan there is indeed a record of Emperor Huaguang's golden brick: his third incarnation was the son of the Red Flame Demon King of the Douzi Palace, the Luminous Heavenly King. The brick in his hand was forged by the Luminous Heavenly King tricking a demon king out of his golden dagger and refining it. Later Huaguang disciples' magical implements do include golden bricks… but the one Fatty holds looks, at a glance, like a big lump snatched straight from a coal pit.

Seeing Fatty snarling, teeth bared, face full of resentment, radiating the aura of a man whose anger could spill blood five paces, I quickly changed the subject and urged: "Hurry up and draw out that killer spirit—my feet are going numb."

At that moment Fatty remembered the real business, muttering without deviation: "I'll explain later—this is a gold brick, not a fire brick."

【29】 At this moment, Pangzi finally remembered the business at hand, and without digressing he muttered to me: "I'll explain later—this is a gold brick, not a fire brick."

I rolled my eyes; whether it's gold or clay, a brick that can smash a rat is a good brick.

【30】 I rolled my eyes; whatever gold brick or dirt brick, if it can smack a dead rat, it's a good brick.

"I invoke the imperial decree summoning the Five Manifestations of Emperor Huaguang..." At that moment Fatty placed his golden brick on the table, formed the mudra, and chanted the Huaguang incantation.

As Fatty chanted, a reddish mist rose from his head—thin like blue smoke, yet truly present and extremely hot.

【32】 As Pangzi's chanting rose, a fiery red mist rose from his head; the mist looked thin, like a wisp of blue smoke, but it certainly existed and its aura was extremely hot.

Besides the heat rising from the brick, Fatty's whole body turned crimson, giving me the impression… of a pig being roasted.

【33】 Besides the heat rising from the brick, Pangzi's body turned completely red, giving me the impression… like a pig being roasted.

At first I didn't get what Fatty was doing, but then it clicked: he was using himself and the golden brick as a medium to lure out the killer spirit hidden in the house.

It's night, with not a ray of sunlight, and the house's surroundings have been doused with water mixed with five‑yin wood. In this yang‑devoid setting, that killer spirit must be feeling terribly stifled.

Now Fatty is directly refining the golden brick in the house and cultivating the fire technique. Huaguang's martial arts are intensely yang and overbearing; in such an environment it undoubtedly brings a glimmer of bright dawn to the killer spirit lurking in darkness.

Fatty's body grew hotter and hotter—I could feel the scorching heat even standing beside him. Then a wave of intense discomfort and panic surged through my heart, spreading rapidly to every part of it.

This is an innate restraint: Yin‑mountain disciples are heavily yin and thus extremely sensitive to pure yang energy. Although Fatty's aura is also fiercely yang, it carries a hint of Buddhist compassion within its overbearing yang.

The feeling I now have in my heart, however, is one of annihilating destruction—like an executioner wielding a butcher's knife, leaving nothing alive wherever he goes, not even a blade of grass, nor chickens or dogs at peace.

I closed my eyes and sensed carefully; it felt as if something was constantly darting about inside the house. It is now moving toward me, aiming for Fatty and the golden brick beside me.

I didn't dare hesitate; I quickly recited the invocation mantra, formed the mudra, clamped the command flag between my middle finger, and guarded the surroundings warily. My intuition told me the yang killer spirit hidden in the house would soon appear.

Time ticked by; even as the ambient temperature rose at breakneck speed, even as I felt like I stood in a furnace, surrounded by layers of flame roasting me, I couldn't afford the slightest lapse or relaxation.

A clear "ding" rang out—like a child seeing his parents and being unable to contain his joy. Immediately, a fiery red thing shot out from the house's northeast corner at great speed, lunging for the golden brick on the table.

When that thing came within less than a meter of us, Fatty moved—he snatched the dull black brick from the table with both hands and bolted toward the door like a gust of wind.

Almost the instant Fatty set off, I followed close behind; as he stepped through the doorway, I swung the command flag and struck at the oncoming mass.

【45】 Almost the instant Pangzi set off, I followed behind him; at the moment he stepped out of the doorway, I swung the command flag and struck at that mass lunging straight at us.

------------。

【46】 ------------. (The line is just a series of dashes; we keep it as is

◈

End of Chapter

Press ← / → to navigate

Ch. 361 / 55865%