Chapter 36: Soul Enters the Abyss
After the decision was made, the atmosphere in the hut grew extremely solemn. None of the four spoke again, but immediately began to act. Chu Yun walked to the center of the room and pulled out four blank sheets of yellow talisman paper from his pocket. He spread them one by one on the ground, then sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. He used neither cinnabar nor his own blood, but instead focused his entire mind within, channeling the gentle power he had just mastered. Li Ge, Mo Li, and Zhi Lan all watched him silently. They could sense a pure, vital energy slowly gathering at Chu Yun's fingertips. Chu Yun opened his eyes, and a small, soft golden glow lingered around his fingertips. Using his finger as a brush and his breath as ink, he began to draw on the first sheet of talisman paper. His movements were slow, extremely slow, each stroke imbued with unprecedented focus and caution. Lines of golden energy flowed slowly across the yellow talisman paper, ultimately forming a simple, harmonious rune. It was unlike any other offensive or defensive talisman he had used before. The rune's structure looked less like a "weapon" and more like a "container," a warm "nest" designed to protect something fragile. "This is a Heart Guarding Talisman." Li Ge gazed at the rune, his eyes filled with genuine shock for the first time. "It incorporates... the power of 'life.' I've only seen theories of this kind of talisman in the oldest forbidden texts of the Ghost Doctor lineage, never imagined anyone could actually draw one." Chu Yun didn't answer, simply handing the first talisman he had drawn to Zhilan. "Zhilan, keep this close to you. Once you enter the dream, no matter what happens, never let it leave your body. It will protect you from harm." Zhilan took the talisman. The small piece of paper felt warm to her touch, giving her an inexplicable sense of peace. She nodded solemnly and carefully placed it in her inner pocket. Chu Yun then drew three more identical talismans, handing them to Li Ge and Mo Li, and keeping one for himself. When Mo Li took the talisman, she could clearly feel the gentle energy emanating from it resonate wonderfully with the cold, logical power within her, a force of mechanical engineering. They no longer repelled each other as before. "Thank you," she whispered, looking at Chu Yun. "We are companions," Chu Yun replied simply and calmly. After doing all this, Chu Yun's face paled even further. Drawing this talisman imbued with the power of the origin...
After the decision was made, the atmosphere in the cabin became extremely solemn. None of the four spoke again, but immediately took action.
Chu Yun walked to the center of the room and pulled out four blank sheets of yellow talisman paper from his pocket. He spread them out on the ground, then sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. He didn't use cinnabar or his own blood. Instead, he focused his entire mind and began to channel the gentle power he had just mastered.
Li Ge, Mo Li, and Zhi Lan all looked at him quietly. They could feel a pure and vital energy slowly gathering at Chu Yun's fingertips.
Chu Yun opened his eyes. A soft golden light lingered on his fingertips. Using his finger as a brush and his breath as ink, he began to draw on the first piece of talisman paper. His movements were slow, extremely slow, each stroke imbued with unprecedented focus and caution. Lines of golden energy flowed slowly across the yellow talisman paper, eventually forming a simple and harmonious rune.
It wasn't any offensive or defensive talisman he'd used before. The structure of the rune didn't look like a "weapon," but more like a "container," a warm "nest" used to protect something fragile.
"This is the Heart Guarding Talisman." Li Ge looked at the rune, and for the first time, genuine shock flashed in his eyes. "It incorporates... the power of 'life'. I've only seen theories of this kind of rune in the oldest forbidden texts of the Ghost Doctor lineage, and never imagined anyone could actually draw it."
Chu Yun didn't answer. He simply handed the first talisman he had drawn to Zhilan. "Zhilan, keep this close to you. Once you enter the dream, no matter what happens, don't let it leave your body. It can help you ward off bad things."
Zhilan took the talisman. The small piece of paper felt warm to her touch, giving her an inexplicable sense of peace. She nodded solemnly and carefully placed it in her inner pocket.
Chu Yun then drew three more identical talismans, handing them to Li Ge and Mo Li, while keeping one for himself. When Mo Li took the talismans, she could clearly feel the gentle energy emanating from them resonating wonderfully with the cold, logical, and mechanical power within her. They no longer repelled each other as before.
"Thank you." She looked at Chu Yun and said in a low voice.
"We are companions." Chu Yun's answer was simple and calm.
After completing all this, Chu Yun's face paled even further. Drawing this talisman, imbued with the power of the origin, was extremely exhausting. He didn't pause. Instead, using the four Heart Guarding Talismans as a base, he used his remaining strength to lay a small "Heart Guarding Formation" on the ground where the four of them stood. Golden lines flashed across the ground before disappearing, but everyone felt the cold, sticky energy surrounding them, completely isolated by an invisible barrier.
"This is all I can do." Chu Yun looked at Li Ge.
Li Ge nodded. She stepped forward and pulled out the porcelain bottle containing the "Three Souls Guiding Pills." She uncorked the bottle and poured out four longan-sized, pitch-black pills that exuded a strange aroma.
"This is the 'Three Souls Guidance'." She distributed the pills to everyone. "It allows our consciousness, what Taoists call our 'soul', to temporarily escape from the body and enter a world of spiritual power. The effect lasts only one hour. Within that hour, whether we succeed or fail, we must find a way to return. Otherwise, our souls will be lost there forever, never to find their way back."
"Is there anything I should pay attention to?" Mo Li asked. She held the dark pill and examined it carefully, as if trying to analyze something from its structure.
"Yes." Li Ge's tone became extremely serious. "First, remember your own identity. Dreams will confuse you with your deepest memories and most desired illusions. Once you immerse yourself in it and think that you are the person in the dream, you will never get out. Second, don't trust anyone easily, not even 'us'. Nightmares can easily copy the appearance of any one of us to deceive you. The only way to distinguish is to feel the warmth of the 'Heart-Guarding Talisman' on your chest. The 'Heart-Guarding Talisman' will resonate between true companions."
"The third and most important point." Li Ge's eyes swept over everyone, "Don't die. In the spiritual world, death is true death. The soul will be scattered and there will be no chance of reincarnation."
Every warning made the atmosphere in the cabin more solemn.
"Zhilan." Li Ge finally looked at the girl who had been listening quietly. "You are different from us. Your heart is pure and not easily deceived by illusions. But at the same time, your mental strength is also fragile and cannot withstand any direct attack. Therefore, your only task is to follow us closely and do not leave us more than three steps away. Do you understand?"
Zhilan nodded heavily. Although there was a hint of nervousness on her face, it was more of a determination to help that "sad adult".
"Mo Li," Li Ge looked at Mo Li again, "Take out the 'Heart Knot'."
Mo Li placed the semi-finished device, already connected with silk threads, in the center of the four people. She bit her finger and dripped a drop of blood onto the core of the device. "The energy circuit has been activated. It will connect the four of us mentally at the most basic level, ensuring that we won't be separated the moment we enter. At the same time, it will prioritize protecting Zhilan's mental connection."
All the preparations have been completed.
The four of them sat cross-legged around the "Heart Knot", each holding the pitch-black "Three Soul Guide" in their hands.
"Are you ready?" Chu Yun asked.
No one answered. Li Ge and Mo Li simply nodded firmly. Zhi Lan followed their example and nodded vigorously.
"I'll count to three." Chu Yun said.
"one."
He put the pill to his mouth.
"two."
Mo Li and Li Ge also put the pills to their mouths at the same time.
"three!"
At the same time, four people swallowed the forbidden drug called "Three Souls Guide".
The pill melted in their mouths, turning into a stream of cold air with a strange fragrance, which instantly flowed into their limbs and bones.
Chu Yun's consciousness instantly began to blur. He felt his body becoming lighter and lighter, as if it were about to float away from this heavy shell. He could "see" his body still sitting cross-legged in the same place, motionless. But he himself was constantly rising or falling towards a place of infinite height and depth.
The sense of time and space was completely disrupted at this moment.
A second ago, he seemed to see the huge fire that broke out in the Evil Suppression Bureau thirteen years ago.
The next second, he seemed to be in the bustling streets of Qingxi Town again.
Then, there was the cold metal wall of the Mechanical City, the giant ghost hand on the mass grave, and the resolute back of Mo Li atop the Tianshu Tower as he blocked the attack for him...
Countless fragments of memory and countless emotional torrents, like a flood bursting through a dam, madly attacked his consciousness, wanting to tear him apart and devour him completely.
At the moment when his self-awareness was about to be washed away by this torrent, the "Heart-Protecting Talisman" he had drawn with his own hands on his chest suddenly emitted a warm feeling.
That warm power, like a solid anchor, firmly fixed his consciousness as it floated in the endless abyss.
He suddenly woke up.
He found himself floating in an endless expanse of pure darkness. Above, below, left, and right, there was nothing, no reference point. He could not see his body, nor could he feel his own existence. The only thing he could feel was a unique warmth in his chest.
That was his only support.
He tried to sense the presence of Li Ge, Mo Li, and Zhi Lan, but found nothing. The "heart knot" that was supposed to connect them seemed to have temporarily lost its effectiveness in this chaotic realm.
He was alone, falling into the endless abyss called "Dreamland".
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
