Chapter 426: with translation of chapter title

I tightly grabbed Pangzi's shoulders; because I was overly tense, my nails dug into his flesh.

What are you saying? Is this really true? Even now, I still can't believe it.

Pangzi didn't feel the pain of my nails digging into his flesh at all, and immediately replied, "It's true; my dad said that the Black and White Impermanence will come tonight to take away my sister-in-law's and elder brother's souls."

"What should we do now? Does Uncle have a way?" Pangzi hadn't finished speaking when I interrupted him again anxiously.

"Yes, my dad is currently using the lamp death‑avoidance method to hide the souls of Zheng Ge and my sister‑in‑law to avoid death, but…" Pangzi sighed: "With my dad's ability, at most he can stave it off for ten days; after ten days, I will no longer be able to conceal the heavenly secrets, and I can only watch as the Black and White Impermanence takes their souls."

Hearing that there was still room to turn the situation around, I couldn't help but let out a big sigh of relief.

The lamp death‑avoidance method is actually another clever use of the body‑hiding death‑avoidance technique. The body‑hiding death‑avoidance technique is a Daoist Sect art for disciples to avert calamity and dodge heavenly secrets.

For example, the spell from the Lu Ban Book: "Hide, hide, truly hide; hidden in the Great General Zhenwu, left hand holds the three souls, right hand holds the seven spirits; where to hide, stored in the sea of prajna below; heaven covers earth, earth covers heaven; lift the clouds and mist to see the blue sky; a thousand evil masters cannot find it, ten thousand evil masters cannot accomplish it; if an evil master comes and finds it, heavenly thunderbolts will reduce it to dust; I respectfully summon the Six Stars of the South Dipper and the Seven Stars of the North Dipper, I obey the Supreme Elder Lord's command, swift as law."

This is the body‑hiding method; in the Daoist Sect it is also called soul‑hiding. Although some mistakenly think it is an invisibility technique, frankly, the body‑hiding method and the invisibility method are two different things.

When disciples of the faith enter the sect, the master always seals their bodies and stores their souls in stones; when the disciple's cultivation is still weak and their spiritual sense perceives a disaster but cannot calculate it precisely, using the soul‑hiding method can avert the calamity.

As a cultivator, on the path of practice one often encounters a death‑gate. The death‑gate is actually heaven's punishment for cultivators. To evade the punishment and pass the death‑gate, Daoists use this soul‑hiding (body‑hiding) death‑avoidance method.

However, this soul‑hiding death‑avoidance method can be used only by Daoist Sect disciples who have undergone the body‑sealing instruction; ordinary people, even if they try it, find it ineffective.

Consequently, QingSongShu used the two lotus‑flower lamps before the Buddha altar to hide Dong Yumin's soul inside the wicks; when the Black and White Impermanence comes to seize souls, they cannot find theirs.

But human strength eventually runs out; the lamp has twelve turns, each turn a lotus petal falls off; after twelve turns the lamp will completely fade away; even someone as strong as QingSongShu, when the petals have burned out, will likely be powerless.

"Pangzi, I need to be away for a while. Tomorrow you must immediately give Murong Jiaja a spirit tablet, then go find Fan Wuchang; take as many people from Dongling as there are. Remember, make every subordinate of Dongling sincerely offer a stick of high incense to Murong Jiaja." I gritted my teeth and instructed Pangzi.

Pangzi was first bewildered, but after hearing me out he suddenly understood.

"I understand," Pangzi said happily, "you want to use the power of incense to heal Murong Mei's wounds, and once her wounds are healed we can refine the Eight Treasures Purple Gold Pill, right?" He then immediately looked at me doubtfully and asked, "Even if Murong Mei awakens, what about the medicinal ingredients for refining the Eight Treasures Purple Gold Pill?"

"You don't need to worry about that; the most crucial medicinal ingredient has already been secured!" I said calmly, then repeated to him everything Murong Jiaja had told me.

After I finished speaking, both Pangzi and Yuan Qiu couldn't help but feel great joy.

They said in unison, "That's naturally good; why don't we come with you?"

I waved my hands and said, "No, that won't work; Pangzi, your injuries aren't healed yet, moving around is still a problem, and Yuan Qiu, you also need to stay, after all there's still plenty here that needs your help."

Pangzi worried, "Can you manage on your own?"

I forced a relaxed smile and said, "In this situation, I have to do it even if I can't." Then I patted their shoulders, comforting them: "Don't worry; before Murong Hui Lingyu, she already told me everything that needs to be prepared."

Having said that, I prepared to leave the hospital to gather the materials needed for going up the mountain.

"Wait..."

As I was about to leave the hospital, my steps halted, and QingSongShu's voice came from inside the ward.

"In Xiaoqiang's room there is my Huaguang Seal; Hai Sheng, you take it with you up the mountain for emergencies." QingSongShu's voice echoed faintly from the room.

He also instructed Pangzi: "Besides that, Xiaoqiang, hand over the family‑handed down Dragon Spring Treasure Sword to Hai Sheng so he can bring it up the mountain as well."

QingSongShu's words warmed my heart, but when he mentioned the Dragon Spring Treasure Sword, I and Pangzi exchanged a startled look.

If I remember correctly, Pangzi had already given that Dragon Spring Treasure Sword to Wei Xiong; his plan to steal heaven and replace earth hasn't been carried out yet, so he simply didn't have time to forge a fake sword!

Pangzi's face turned deathly white; he paused, then moved his lips weakly and said, "Dad, I gave that Dragon Spring Sword away as a gift."

Stillness, death‑like stillness, silence, a silence that frightens one to death.

"You prodigal scoundrel, you dare to give away the family‑handed down Dragon Spring Sword! Good, that's truly excellent." After a moment, QingSongShu's angry, bitter laugh erupted from the ward, shaking the entire hospital's ceiling.

Pangzi covered his ears and curled up in the chair, while I immediately fled the hospital.

What a joke! I'm also involved in giving away the Dragon Spring Sword; if QingSongShu finds out and beats me, what will I do?

To preserve myself wisely, I decisively chose the Thirty‑Six Stratagems: fleeing is the best plan.

………………

After leaving the hospital, following Murong Jiaja's instructions, I bought some doll toys that children like to play with and some thin rope; the only thing still missing is donkey hoof blood.

Murong Jiaja said that if you dye the rope with donkey hoof blood once, you can bind that spirit‑formed Huangjing; I don't know what miraculous use donkey hoof blood has, but I have heard of black donkey hooves.

This is one of the essential tools that a grave‑robbing earth‑master must prepare, specifically used against zombies. But this donkey hoof blood… can it really bind Huangjing?

I had some doubts, but in the end I still chose without hesitation to trust Murong Jiaja.

However, frankly speaking, although technology in the 1990s wasn't very developed, finding a donkey in the city is still an extremely difficult task.

I walked from one end of the street to the other, asking everywhere, but I couldn't find anywhere that sold donkeys.

I could only wander helplessly along the street, hoping for a miracle or a stroke of luck—seeing someone leading a donkey down the street, and without hesitation I would spend a thousand gold to forcibly buy the donkey.

However, after strolling for half an hour, the legendary miracle never appeared; the donkey‑selling tale from martial‑arts fiction is pure nonsense in reality and simply cannot happen.

Just as I was rubbing my deflated belly while looking for a restaurant on the street, suddenly a restaurant came into my view.

Looking up, the restaurant's sign read "Donkey Meat Mountain Villa, heavenly dragon meat, earthly donkey meat."

Gazing at that sign, a smile involuntarily crept onto my lips; inspiration struck and a plan formed in my mind.

"Got it."

Immediately, I pushed the door open without hesitation and walked into the restaurant.

After I pulled out a chair and sat down, a long‑haired waitress in uniform came up to me, wearing a standard smile.

"Boss, hello, what would you like to order?"

I said, "I want to buy donkey blood!"

The waitress's smile froze instantly, her face filled with astonishment.

Moments later, the waitress put on her standard smile again, pen in hand, and began to introduce.

"Boss, what kind of donkey blood would you like? We have donkey‑blood stew, donkey‑blood tonic, donkey‑blood soup, donkey‑blood hot pot, donkey‑blood stir‑fried greens…"

The waitress smiled and rattled off a dozen or so dish names in succession.

I was both laughing and crying, and could only interrupt again: "I don't want any of these donkey bloods."

The waitress stopped; I thought she understood me, but instead she took out another menu, pointed at the dish names, and gave me another rundown: "Boss, aren't you satisfied? We still have…"

"Stop, stop, stop—I said it, I don't want these; I want donkey blood, raw donkey blood!"

The young lady was stunned, holding the menu, unable to snap out of it for a long while.

After a moment, the young lady extended her thumb, pointing at me and spoke in a weak voice.

"Boss... your taste is truly uniquely strong."

I: "......"