"No, no, no, it's like this, like this, like this again..."
In the sewer, two overturned cabinets formed a comfortable bed. The Taoist priest sat in the middle of the bed, put down the roast chicken in his hand, moved the gilded jade-inlaid silk cloud-patterned futon under his buttocks, and almost couldn't help but slap Lin Feng on the head.
"Hey, go on."
The Taoist chuckled and made a hand seal, and a gust of wind blew in from the sewer opening, bringing them fresh, clean air.
Lin Feng lowered his head and continued working with the talisman the Taoist priest had given him, until his saliva was almost dry. Finally, he folded out a small, square house.
"Alright, alright..." The Taoist priest looked Lin Feng's masterpiece from left to right, then took out a brush and handed it over: "Draw the surrounding brick walls and rubble more carefully, just make do with it."
Lin Feng lowered his head and began to draw silently until the tiny house, no bigger than a palm, had doors, windows, walls, and eaves, before he put it down again.
"Peace reigns throughout the land, this divination is truly stable, it doesn't change at all." The Taoist priest, bored, put away the electronic tortoise shell, turned his head and saw that Lin Feng had finally finished, and reached out to grab the small house.
Lin Feng remained silent: "..."
"Ahem, I'll ask you one more time, have you thought it through?" The Taoist shifted his legs, took out the folded paper hidden under his clothes, and placed it in front of Lin Feng.
Swords, spears, halberds, and a house that had just been folded.
"Hmm, cough! Dao... I'll begin. Although the ancestral worship activity has evolved into things like burning paper money in the process of becoming a folk custom, it still emphasizes the connection between heaven and man."
"When the lower levels are moved, the upper levels are also moved; when the upper levels are moved, the lower levels will respond. This kind of interaction is the main reason for the formation of sacrificial rites, which became a unique method of communicating between humans and gods."
"At the beginning, there is a sacrifice to Heaven, with offerings of three kinds of sacrificial animals, food, tea, and wine. Afterwards, there is a sacrifice to the ancestors, with three incense sticks and kowtows, praying for a good harvest."
"Everyone has their own destiny, and they are all connected by blood..."
The Taoist smacked his lips, grabbed a brazier, and slammed it down in front of Lin Feng. He quickly said, "Heavenly connection, yes, destiny and bloodline. In scientific terms, it means that through sacrificial rites, you establish a more stable energy link with your ancestors and spirits, allowing your soul to connect with theirs and create a greater flow of energy."
"The ghost of the Ghost Lady is already set in stone; if you want to change it, you need to provide the variables."
"Burning paper money is a variable, but the key is to first establish a connection between heaven and man!"
"Once you establish a real connection with her, it won't be as simple as raising a ghost anymore!"
Lin Feng nodded, without any other thoughts. Necromancers share some commonalities in this respect. According to the Taoist's explanation, this would allow the Red Spirit Ghost to have many more variations.
Just then, the Taoist's eyes suddenly darted around: "Hehe, I've said it before, if you cultivate a powerful soul body, it will be no different from a human body. At that time, this ghost woman will really be your wife. You can then arrange another one, and the connection will be even more stable."
"..." Lin Feng glanced at the Taoist priest with disdain, then took out a lighter from his ring and lit the brazier. He began to sense the connection between himself and Hong Linggui.
Louis had previously offered special ghost contracts such as incestuous marriages, which only required replenishing yang energy with nightmare points to gain powerful assistance. However, he didn't have such inclinations, and besides, Hong Linggui didn't have any romantic thoughts, nor did he have any intention in that direction.
He threw the paper house he had just made into the house, along with the finished swords, spears, and halberds.
Unfortunately, he was unable to create decent technological weapons. The interaction between heaven and man also requires sincerity and cannot be done perfunctorily.
"Oh, it's emitting smoke! You're quite talented!" The Taoist priest glanced over and saw the smoke successfully drift into Hong Linggui's hand, transforming into swords, spears, and halberds. "Tsk tsk, what a pity. Such great talent, yet you insist on taking this path."
The connection is good, and it also shows that Hong Linggui's influence on Lin Feng will be more profound. A living person is still a living person. Being haunted by a ghost is troublesome. But thankfully, this is the Nightmare Space.
"Walking the path of ghost cultivation? Or some kind of heroic spirit, or perhaps a body with two souls?" The Taoist thought for a moment. He hadn't studied this much, mainly because he wasn't interested.
Before long, some walls began to appear and disappear around Hong Linggui. Lin Feng opened his eyes only when the area they were in was enveloped by a small house.
"Hehe, this is the first time I've seen something like this either. The effect looks really good." The Taoist priest stepped forward and opened the window. Outside was still a sewer, but the size of the house inside had already exceeded the size of the sewer. "The soundproofing is excellent. Having a house with you... keeping a mistress in a golden cage, what a blessing..."
Lin Feng opened the door, went out and came back in. He seemed to see his own body sitting in the same spot, but he was able to wander around for a while.
"Currently, it only has a deceptive effect. The spiritual vision can see it vaguely, but the specific situation depends on the power of the Red Spirit Ghost."
Back inside the house, Hong Linggui took out the heated blade and wielded it with incredible skill, performing a series of head-wrapping sword techniques.
"!" The Taoist priest, who was still studying the house, immediately turned around when he heard the sound of a knife. "Oh, this, oh!"
The Taoist's eyes lit up, and he forcefully hooked his arm around Lin Feng's shoulder, laughing, "As expected, as expected, I knew I wasn't wrong. You're using ghost-controlling techniques, aren't you?"
Seeing that Lin Feng did not answer, the Taoist priest said indifferently, "The key difference between exorcism and control lies in the difference between exorcism and control. Exorcism harms people by using ghosts, but it is the mind that is used. As for control, it is the mind that is used."
Seeing that Lin Feng had not yet answered, the Taoist coughed, turned his head and chuckled secretly.
These were the words of his master, and they're quite effective at impressing people occasionally.
After the Taoist priest sat down again, Lin Feng sat on a spot on the floor, took out a nutritional paste, and put it in his mouth.
The things inside the house were a mix of reality and illusion. Without Hong Linggui's interference, his body made the same movement, putting the nutrient paste into his mouth.
Time flew by. After spending three days in the sewer, Lin Feng opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.
Over three days, Hong Linggui repaired the wounds in his soul through mental communication with him.
In those three days, he made significant progress toward his personal goal of entering the cyber world.
I practiced the 19th revised version of the Mental Power Cultivation Method ten times. My mental power did not increase, but some thoughts and ideas were organized neatly, making my mental senses exceptionally clear.
After practicing the third revised version of the Vortex Mental Power Cultivation Method several times, he successfully mastered it. This cultivation method, which enhances mental cohesion, will further improve his explosiveness and focus. Over time, his mental power will also become more stable, making it an invaluable auxiliary method.
As for the 7th revised version of the Five Organs Visualization Method, he only studied a part of this cultivation method. This method, which can further enhance the spiritual level, can only be regarded as a reference for him at present. It cannot be applied to practice. It is mainly used to broaden his horizons.
After practicing these cultivation methods once more, Lin Feng finally stood up from the ground, ending his three days of arduous training.
With five days left until the end of the mission, his need for the mission had been reduced to a minimum, but the Taoist priest still showed signs of wanting to go out and cause trouble.
"Whatever, you can't do this. I've helped you so much, how can you be so heartless as not to lend me a hand?" The Taoist leaned back on a sofa with a bitter expression, who knows what he was hiding in his spatial ring: "I don't need you to do anything, just help me stall for a while."
Lin Feng remained calm, took out his water bottle, and took a large gulp: "Are you involved in any missions related to eliminating cyber-psychotics?"
"Oh~ whatever, you're finally planning to go out?" Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest immediately jumped up, but after seeing Lin Feng's calm gaze, he said listlessly, "No, no, my mission, besides eliminating an evil participant, is to find out the truth behind the chaos on the street and to sweep up the criminals."
Um?
His mission is to find the electronic ghost, while the Taoist priest's goal is to uncover the truth behind the chaos in the streets. Is there any connection between these two things?
The chaos in the cyber world is obvious. With the upper echelons at odds, they will naturally not allow the lower echelons to unite. As long as you join a gang's backing company, you can find the answer.
If he hadn't met Pan Tao, he would definitely have gone to communicate with the illegal artificial intelligence outside the Black Wall to investigate the electronic ghost.
As Lin Feng was pondering this, the Taoist priest exclaimed, "When I first met you, I almost had the idea of exorcising the demon. You looked so lifeless, and then I saw you were raising a female ghost... Tsk tsk, you're nothing like a normal person."
“However, Heaven cherishes life, and I am not an unreasonable person. You, Ghost Lady, do not show any signs of indiscriminate killing, so how can I, a humble Taoist, harbor murderous thoughts!” The Taoist said, circling the room before arriving in front of Lin Feng. He held a string of prayer beads in his hand, then suddenly turned to the side and said quickly, “To be honest, I admire you very much. How about considering becoming my disciple? I guarantee you… a long and healthy life!”
Lin Feng glanced at him, and the Taoist knew what he was talking about. He immediately turned around and returned to his sofa: "Ahem, are we going out today?"
"go out."
After recovering, Hong Linggui did not remain idle. She explored the surrounding area thoroughly and recorded some cyber mental illnesses as Lin Feng instructed.
"Wait!"
The Taoist grabbed the sofa armrest, jumped over in the blink of an eye, and chased after Lin Feng, shouting, "We're a team now, a team—so we have to act together!"
When the word "team" came out of the Taoist priest's mouth, Lin Feng involuntarily slowed his pace.
What do you want?
Seeing Lin Feng's question, the Taoist priest blocked the doorway, shaking his head and saying loudly, "Look, we haven't even had a proper chance to enjoy this world. We're just hiding from each other every day. Isn't that a bit too harsh on ourselves?"
"We should do this, and we should also enjoy this blessing appropriately!"
Lin Feng nodded calmly. What the Taoist priest said did make some sense, but he had no intention of enjoying himself. What he saw and heard at the banquet had a sensual allure to him, but the allure of power was no less.
And dangerous 'temptations'.
They are now hiding in the sewers on the edge of the northern industrial zone of Night City, with an oil field on one side and the industrial park of Arasaka on the other. This extremely dangerous place is incredibly safe for them.
With the food stored in the spatial ring, hidden in this place, as long as I don't go out, no one will be able to find me.
but...
The mental cultivation method is progressing well, but even if you spend the rest of your time practicing it, you are unlikely to achieve any substantial changes. You might as well consider whether you can complete the task and obtain Nightmare Points.
"The Night Corporation won't openly target Arasaka, but Dog Town dares. Team up with them to sabotage Arasaka once, and your mission will be complete." Lin Feng said, concealing the houses that had been hidden from view, and waving away the lingering scent. "Then you can do whatever you want..."
"Huh? Aren't you coming with me?" The Taoist priest understood the implication in the words.
"I'm going to find the Ye Corporation," Lin Feng said, taking a step forward. He hadn't gone far when the Taoist hurriedly followed. "What do you need the Ye Corporation for?"
Lin Feng sighed deeply and said, "I'm unlucky and have no fortune to enjoy this. Now that you're gone, I'll have to rely on the Ye family company to save my life."
The Taoist priest was speechless for a moment, then suddenly shouted, "Wait!"
Lin Feng turned around, his eyes holding a hidden meaning, waiting for the Taoist priest to continue.
"I'll go with you, Daoist Master!"
"Oh..." Lin Feng's expression was indifferent, as if it were nothing important, and he continued walking deeper into the sewer.
The Taoist priest was a step behind, but then followed with a calm expression, though he spoke much less frequently than before.
Following the sewers and the route given by Hong Linggui, Lin Feng pushed open a half-open iron door and finally emerged from the dark underground.
This area is near the Night City sewer hub, with a bunch of haphazardly placed water pipes and forklifts, looking like no one has been here for a long time.
After carefully putting on his hat to conceal his figure, Lin Feng led the Taoist priest, who was also wearing a hat and robe, to an inconspicuous corner and leaned against the roadside.
There were very few passersby around. The few who did pass by kept their heads down, busy using their prosthetic eyes to communicate with others in a friendly manner.
After waiting a short while, a drunk man who had been drinking walked over. His swaying body accidentally bumped into the wall, and then he quickly rushed towards the fence on one side.
Lin Feng slightly raised his head, looked at the swaying footsteps of the passersby, and took a few steps back.
In just a few breaths, the man rushed towards them, grabbed the corner of the steps, and vomited.
After he finished vomiting, his dazed eyes seemed to see something and were suddenly dragged into darkness.
"Call Delaman Taxi and ask him to pick up the person from the vortex."
A dagger appeared against his neck, its cold gleam tinged with green light, stinging his dazed expression.
"ah?"
Sizzle! The dagger pierced his arm, and the warning that flashed in his prosthetic eye was clearer than any thought in his mind.
"Okay, okay, okay!!!" The passerby straightened his head and dialed the number without hesitation: "I'll be there in 20... minutes."
Upon hearing this, Lin Feng released his grip and led the Taoist priest into the alley behind him. They climbed over low walls and headed towards another street.
They didn't have prosthetic bodies implanted, so if they wanted to summon Drumman, they would need to grab a passerby and call him remotely.
The Vortex Gang is an extremely dangerous and violent gang based in Night City's industrial district. They are also a group of people notorious throughout Night City for their deep and illegal cybernetic modifications.
This profound transformation is bound to lead to severe cyberpsychosis, but instead of minding it, they enjoy this hysterical madness and chaos.
When he first saw the mission, he thought of the Vortex Gang, which happened to be hiding near the industrial area, waiting for him to harvest their wealth.
The Taoist priest moved with lightning speed, rushing to Lin Feng's side in a flash: "Whirlpool Gang?"
"Okay, I'll take you out and crack down on the criminals."
"Oh, Comrade Sui, well... it would be too impolite of me not to say a few words." The Taoist priest rolled up his sleeves and was about to speak when Lin Feng stopped.
Looking across the street, several members of the Vortex Gang were vandalizing a car parked on the side of the road.
On their heads, unique to the Vortex Gang and featuring deeply modified prosthetics, glowed red eyes; several tubes emerged from the back of their heads, connecting to their arms; and the devices on their chests resembled reactors.
As they smashed the car door open with both hands, a pitiful face immediately appeared.
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