Chapter Fifty-Seven: Qingyangzi and the Female Ghost Begin Their Battle
Luo Qi accepted the talismans drawn in cinnabar. Touching them, he felt a warm, smooth sensation that dispelled the surrounding chill. Reassured, he noticed Qingyangzi's solemn expression and straightened his posture as well. Qingyangzi said in a deep voice, "These talismans were all drawn by me personally, imbued with my cultivation, and contain pure yang energy. Tonight, I urge Young Master Luo, Madam Luo, and Young Mistress Luo to wear them close to their bodies, never removing them, and especially avoiding contact with water. After nightfall, keep the doors and windows tightly closed, and you may sit quietly indoors reciting the 'Qingjing Jing' (a Buddhist scripture). In any case, do not go out before dawn. Remember this well."
The most taboo thing to do during exorcisms is to have living people present. This is especially true of vengeful spirits stained with blood and filled with deep resentment; they are exceptionally ferocious and cunning. If ordinary people who don't know the proper methods are nearby, their chaotic presence can easily disrupt the ritual altar and attract the spirit's attention. The practitioner will then have to contend with both the spirit and the mortal, inevitably finding themselves stretched thin. If the spirit seizes an opening, the consequences could be dire. It might even provoke the spirit's ferocity, causing it to turn on the living first, and the situation would completely spiral out of control.
"Thank you for your detailed advice, Daoist Master. I understand the implications," Luo Qi said sincerely, bowing. "Tonight, we will rely entirely on you. If you can eliminate this great calamity, the entire Luo family will never forget your kindness." Although he deeply resented these ghosts that had disturbed his home and caused him constant fear, and would certainly feel relieved to see them perish, he ultimately valued his own life more. He was even secretly glad that Qingyangzi had made this request, so he wouldn't have to risk his life himself. Without hesitation, he led Qingyangzi and his disciples through the winding corridors, which appeared even more eerie under the moonlight, to the entrance of the back garden, where the yin energy was heaviest. A chill more biting than elsewhere swept over them, and Luo Qi shivered. Not daring to linger, he quickly led all the servants out. Following instructions, he directed everyone to place talismans, bury copper coins, and hang peach wood swords in key locations throughout the mansion, such as doors, windows, pillars, and the well, to set up a simple exorcising formation for complete protection.
Inside the garden, Qingyangzi instructed his three disciples to quickly set up an altar in the central open space. The eldest disciple, Liuyu, calmly took out a peach wood magic sword from his backpack; the second disciple, Mingxin, respectfully arranged the incense burner and candlesticks; and the third disciple, Xuansu, spread out a yellow cloth and neatly arranged cinnabar, talismans, a magic bell, and a copper coin sword. Without the host present, many tedious rituals and appeasing performances could be omitted. The disciples moved swiftly and focused intently; in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a simple yet menacing altar, adorned with talismans, was ready.
Qingyangzi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the sky. Night had fallen, thick clouds obscuring the moon, not a single star in sight. He had cultivated for decades, vanquishing countless evil spirits, and should not have been moved by this level of ghostly energy. Yet, from the moment he stepped into this garden, a faint yet incredibly powerful and profound pressure had lingered around him, causing his mind to reel and his brow to twitch. This feeling was definitely not from those few resentful female ghosts; though they were fierce, they had never exerted such a sense of oppression. He had a vague feeling that this operation might not go as smoothly as expected, and that there might be unforeseen circumstances.
Just in case, before the formal opening of the altar, Qingyangzi took out several purple talismans with flowing lightning patterns from his inner pocket and distributed them to his disciples, whispering, "These are carefully drawn thunder and fire talismans, which draw upon the fire of yang thunder from heaven and earth. They are extremely powerful and should not be used lightly. Each of you should take one and guard the four directions of Kun, Li, Dui, and Xun. Be vigilant and act according to circumstances. Do not be reckless. Your self-preservation must be the priority." After giving his instructions, he took a deep breath, held his breath, and silently circulated his profound energy. He pressed a point of spiritual light on his temple with his fingertip and uttered a low shout: "Heaven is clear and earth is bright, yin is turbid and yang is clear. Open my Dharma eye and see into the netherworld! Command!"
In an instant, a clear light flashed in his eyes, and his vision changed drastically. The seemingly ordinary garden was now filled with a gray-black resentment, almost solidified. And at the point where the resentment was strongest, stood several slender yet sinister figures—the six female ghosts. Their faces were pale, their eyes filled with venom, their fingernails were long and sharp as black, and their bodies were surrounded by a distinct blood-red aura. They were staring intently at the altar, clearly enraged by the ritual being performed against them.
In fact, most of their anger was directed at Rong Jiang and Jiu Ya, who had concealed their presence. Rong Jiang and Jiu Ya had deliberately revealed themselves to them earlier, their words seemingly revealing a thorough understanding of the Luo family's affairs, yet their attitude remained ambiguous. Now, they had vanished without a trace, a move that left the female ghosts both confused and furious. Their innate hostility towards Taoist priests made them see Qing Yangzi and his disciple as their primary targets, wishing they could pounce on them and tear them to pieces immediately.
Jiu Ya tugged at Rong Jiang's sleeve, watching the tense situation below with great interest, and whispered, "Ranran, this Qingyangzi seems to have some skill, he's got a lot of presence. What do you think he'll do later? Will he try to be polite first and ask the sisters what their grievances are, or will he just go up and start fighting?"
Rong Jiang's gaze swept over Qing Yangzi's copper coin sword, engraved with runes, and the thunder and fire talisman in her disciple's hand, which remained dormant. "The orthodox Daoist tradition, in its scriptures, has always touted salvation first, suppression second, and extermination last. They constantly chant about compassion and the benevolence of Heaven." Her sarcasm deepened. "Yet, among cultivators in the world, many are seeking fame and fortune, many are eager for quick success. Those truly willing to spend time and effort to resolve resentment and help the deceased achieve rebirth are few and far between. In reality, most follow… the easiest and quickest path, that is, extermination as their primary goal."
Jiu Ya gasped, "Huh? You mean they don't intend to ask any questions, regardless of whether these sisters are wronged or not, and just want to destroy them completely, so they can't even be ghosts anymore? Then all our work has been for nothing! This is simply a slap in the face to our Underworld!" She felt that ghosts should be judged by the laws of the Underworld when they committed crimes. When did it become the place for Taoist priests of the mortal world to overstep their bounds and resort to private punishment? This was not only cruel, but also a provocation against the authority of the Underworld.
The two women hovered in mid-air, conversing freely, completely unconcerned about the impending confrontation in the room. This was a nightmare for the six female ghosts, who were utterly bewildered and terrified. These two mysterious women appeared and disappeared intermittently, speaking strangely, mentioning words like "underworld" and "judgment," seemingly not aligned with the Taoist priests, yet showing no intention of helping them. What were their intentions? Were they friend or foe? This uncertainty only fueled the female ghosts' anxiety.
At this moment, Qingyangzi and his disciples had already opened their Yin-Yang eyes with the help of talismans, and they could clearly see the heavy bloodthirsty aura swirling around the female ghosts. Especially the two older female ghosts at the head, whose blood-red color almost permeated their souls, clearly indicating that they had killed more than one person. Qingyangzi's last remaining doubt about whether they could be "saved" vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling killing intent and a determination to "eliminate this scourge for the people." He stepped forward, his copper coin sword emitting a low hum, its tip pointing directly at the horde of ghosts. "Amitabha! I, Qingyangzi, came here with a sliver of compassion, hoping that you might have some grievances torment you, lingering in the mortal realm, and could perhaps offer some salvation and send you to the afterlife. But I never imagined you would have fallen so low, harming human lives, your evil deeds overflowing! Your bodies radiate a bloodthirsty aura that soars to the heavens! How can Heaven tolerate you?! The principles of Heaven are clear, how can it allow you vengeful ghosts to roam the world, harming living beings! Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven, slaying these demons and eliminating all evil, so that you may be annihilated, body and soul, forever preventing future troubles!"
"Form the formation! Protect your positions!" Qingyangzi commanded his disciples sternly. As master, he naturally had to stand in front of his disciples. Before his words even finished, he flicked his wrist, channeling his inner energy into the sword. Several yellow talismans, already held in his other hand, shot out, precisely targeting the female ghosts. These talismans were specifically designed to ward off evil spirits—"Evil-Slaying and Demon-Breaking Talismans." The talismans ignited spontaneously in mid-air, transforming into clusters of blazing white yang fire that rushed towards their targets.
When the talisman fire touched their bodies, it was like being doused with boiling oil; the female ghosts emitted hissing black smoke and let out extremely shrill screams.
"What kind of fire is this! It hurts! Help me!" The female ghost named Zhushu was the most terrified. She frantically patted the flames off her body, only to ignite her palms instead. Tears streamed down her face as she retreated, instinctively trying to hide behind the other female ghosts, especially behind Qiuju, who looked the fiercest. Just like her usual trick in life and death—she was petite and delicate, with an innocent appearance, always able to evoke pity and protection from others. Even as a vengeful ghost, when devouring souls, it was mostly other female ghosts who captured or even killed the living. She reaped the benefits, sharing the souls to strengthen herself, her hands never directly stained with blood. Naturally, she was the most afraid of death and pain at this moment.
Seeing this, Qiuju's resentment flared up. "Sisters! Did you see that? These wicked Taoist priests are ruthless and cruel. They didn't even give us a chance to speak. They just wanted to kill us right away! We're all going to be annihilated anyway, so we might as well fight them! Tonight, the yin energy is at its peak. It's our domain. Are the six of us afraid of the four of them?! Let's kill them and drain their yang energy!"
Stimulated by the talisman fire, the female ghosts' intense pain and fear transformed into overwhelming malevolence. Seeing that Jiu Ya and Rong Jiang remained on the sidelines, clearly not coming to the aid of the Taoist priests, their fear lessened slightly, and their ferocity intensified. They immediately roared and brandished their sharp claws, stirring up gusts of bone-chilling wind that carried fallen leaves and sand as they frantically pounced on Qing Yangzi and his disciples.
"My God, they've really started fighting already? Aren't they going to follow any procedures? At least ask the sisters why they killed someone? Maybe there's some huge injustice involved." Jiu Ya was dumbfounded. This Taoist priest was too efficient. He took action without saying a word, even more decisive than those from the Demon Realm.
Rong Jiang's eyes were indifferent. "Those who are not of our kind are bound to have different hearts. In many people's eyes, the words of ghosts are deceitful and untrustworthy, so why should we listen to them? Especially since they are vengeful ghosts who have already broken the precept against killing; their words are seen as sophistry to deceive people. Their 'justice' is to completely annihilate them, to end it all." She slightly turned her head, sensing the faint spatial fluctuations coming from afar, a sign that the underworld passage was opening. Her tone suddenly became somewhat playful. "A-Jiu, we've seen enough of the excitement; we can leave now."
"Leave? Just leave? Just watch these Taoist priests beat the sisters to a pulp?" Jiu Ya was surprised. This was not like Rong Jiang's style. She usually couldn't stand the order of the underworld being disturbed by people from the mortal world, and she hated this kind of indiscriminate "purification".
Rong Jiang raised an eyebrow. "The underworld officials in charge of this area have arrived. Cleaning up the mess and guiding the souls of the dead is their duty. Why should we overstep our bounds? As for these Taoist priests overstepping their bounds and attempting to exterminate souls in private... those who trespass on criminals to be interrogated by the underworld will be dealt with by the judges. We should move on to the next place; the atmosphere here is unpleasant."
Having said that, his figure slowly faded, as if disappearing into the night. Seeing this, Jiu Ya, though still curious, had no choice but to follow, taking one last look at the fiercely contested battlefield below.
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