STOTTD |Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty/Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Together with Changsheng, she passed through Chaoyuan Gate shoulder to shoulder, and then saw a paper crane of a thousand-folded sheets flying toward them in midair.

It circled above Zhou Xin’s head, and the voice of Linghe Zhenren came from the air: “Come to the quiet room.”

As soon as the words fell, the paper crane turned into a scatter of broken light and vanished into smoke.

Zhou Xin: “……” Why does Zhenren only look for me?

Changsheng bit on a tanghulu, “A Zhou didn’t do anything with a guilty conscience, so what is there to be afraid of?”

How could she not have a guilty conscience?

It was guilty as can be!

She forced a smile and changed the subject, “What kind of spell was that just now?”

“Paper crane message spell.”

“Is it hard to learn?”

“Not hard, Changsheng learned it in one go!”

The quiet room was in the direction of the west side of Chaoyuan Gate. Changsheng had to go back to A Zhou, so their paths were different. He waved his hand, “A Zhou, go quickly, don’t let Zhenren wait too long.”

She grabbed Changsheng by the collar and yanked him back, “Junior Brother will go with me.”

Changsheng: “?”

Changsheng: “If we’re going, then we’re going. Why does A Zhou have such a death-defying expression?”

＊

Inside the quiet room.

Linghe Zhenren was organizing books in the library. Zhou Xin pulled Changsheng inside and stood against the wall.

With a cold face, she did her best to maintain the original body’s aloof persona, “What does Zhenren seek this disciple for?”

“I heard from Shen Shaoqing that last night, when you sealed the Fox King, you suffered backlash and now have completely lost your memory?”

“…Yes.”

Zhou Xin’s heart tightened, and she probed, “What else did he say?”

At that, Linghe Zhenren looked over with deep, dark eyes: “Anything else?”

“…No, nothing.” She touched her nose guiltily.

After looking at her for a long while, he withdrew his gaze and continued putting books into the qiankun pouch, “Right now, you have a body full of dao arts, but you do not know how to use them. If you run into demons and evil spirits making trouble again, what then?”

“…This disciple does not know.”

He got up and came over, handing the qiankun pouch to her, “These are all books you once studied. Go back and read them carefully. If there is anything you do not understand, then come ask your master.”

After pausing slightly, he continued, “As for the Taishi Ling, master will ask for leave on your behalf. You may rest assured and go into seclusion.”

“Yes.”

Zhou Xin took the qiankun pouch and subtly let out a breath.

“Has the sealed spirit vessel been handed over to the Dali Temple yet?”

“Not yet.”

She took out that sealed spirit vessel and handed it over. Linghe Zhenren reached out and took it, lowered his eyes to study it for a while, then softly said one word, “Manifest!” The bronze seal inside lit up with a burst of red light from the inside out.

Immediately after, a fox with nine tails, covered in blood and wounds all over, already had its breath cut off, appeared out of nowhere on the ground.

Changsheng went, “Eh?” and crouched down, blinking his big eyes as he looked closely, “This is the king of ten thousand foxes?”

“Do not underestimate it, the nine-tailed fox is skilled in illusion arts, and it is not easy to capture it.”

He stretched out two fingers and checked its abdomen. Then he suddenly lifted his eyes to look at her, his gaze blazing like fire, as if he wanted to see through her: “Its demon core is on you?”

Zhou Xin: “?”

She almost answered reflexively, “It’s not!”

After a moment of silence, Linghe Zhenren raised his hand. Using his sword fingers, he lightly tapped between her brows, probing her spiritual platform before withdrawing his hand.

“Forget it.”

He sealed the Fox King’s corpse once again inside the bronze spirit vessel, “Perhaps someone took the Fox King’s thousand-year demon core while you were unconscious.”

“Why take it?”

Linghe Zhenren’s expression changed slightly, “Last night, the Fox King escaped from the Demon-Subduing Pagoda. I’m afraid this person did it on purpose. They used this to lure you into making a move, then seized the chance to steal the thousand-year demon core. They may want to use the demon core to raise their cultivation. Such forbidden arts go against heaven’s will, and will bring heavenly punishment.”

“Could this person be the evil cultivator who attacked the hamster demon with baleful qi?”

“More than likely.”

She still wanted to ask more, but Linghe Zhenren got up and left, going straight to the alchemy room.

So Zhou Xin returned to Shuiyun Courtyard, set all the books from the qiankun pouch onto the newly bought antique shelf, and obediently went into seclusion to cultivate.

Since the original body’s dao arts were profound, and she had an excellent memory, she learned very quickly, and in just seven or eight days she had already overtaken Changsheng’s cultivation progress.

On this day, after practicing the healing talisman spell, Zhou Xin went to the meal hall. But when she got there, she found the doors closed. After asking, she learned that the meal serving time had long passed.

Sitting on the steps at the entrance of Yuanji Hall, she rested her chin in both hands, her face full of complaint, “Damn it, they’re closing earlier and earlier every day. And all my money went to buying furniture. Tonight I’m going to be hungry again!”

A plainly dressed old matron crossed Chaoyuan Gate and walked toward her through the dusk, then stopped in front of her, “Daoist, may I ask where Linghe Zhenren is now?”

“Zhenren is lecturing on scriptures at A Zhou.” Zhou Xin stared at her fixedly, “Madam, I see that the point between your brows is dark, and black qi is lingering around your whole body, so I’d like to ask presumptuously, has something happened in your household recently?”

At the words, the old matron widened her eyes, and said both shocked and delighted, “Daoist’s words are exactly right, please save my son!”

“Madam, don’t rush. Tell me slowly what exactly happened.”

The old matron’s surname was Shen. She was a widow living in Zunxian Fang, and she had one young son at home.

Some time ago, her young son caught a chill while napping at noon.

It was supposed to be a minor illness, and by reason a single prescription should have cured it. Unexpectedly, the child’s condition grew more and more serious. She had seen every doctor, but nothing worked. By now he was already bedridden, refusing food and drink.

Zhou Xin asked for his birth date and eight characters to calculate carefully.

Although the old daoist priest had not taught much in the way of talisman spells, he had given her all he had in divination and physiognomy. Relying on that, she had made a name for herself in the modern world, and at the very least, when she failed at catching ghosts and had no choice but to fool people, she could still shock them into a daze.

She didn’t know if she didn’t calculate, but once she did, it startled her.

This child of the Shen family had an extremely yin fate, one that easily attracted evil things. By rights, he should not have lived long, yet he actually had a Chang Sheng!

Since his fate should not end here, it meant this matter could be handled.

But her level was limited, so of course she did not dare to act tough. She asked about some details, wanting to weigh it a bit more.

“Shen Shen Madam, is the child’s condition at night worse than in the day?”

“There is no difference.”

Not afraid of sunlight, then it was not ghosts causing trouble. The child was young, so it also could not be a demon or evil being deliberately taking revenge. Then what other thing had the method of causing trouble by stealing people’s vital essence, making them bedridden and life-threatening?

She continued to ask, “Then in ordinary times, while caring for the child, did you notice anything unusual?”

Shen Madam thought for a moment, then said, “There isn’t really anything unusual. It’s just that every time I get close to Tannu’s bed, I feel cold. Sometimes I also feel like something has brushed across my cheek, the touch is cool, and a little itchy.”

Sounds like a devouring qi spirit.

That thing always bullies the weak and fears the strong. Zhou Xin had encountered it twice before, and both times it ran off the moment she showed a peachwood sword.

This was practically business delivered right to her door.

She just happened to be short on money, if she didn’t do it, then it would be for nothing!

She rubbed her fingers together and gave the person a look. Shen Madam immediately took out a purse and stuffed it over.

Weighing it in her hand, she asked, “Does Shen Madam’s household have cinnabar and glutinous rice?”

Shen Madam hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes!”

“Poor daoist priest will go fetch something. Please wait a moment, Shen Madam.”

Zhou Xin went back to her room and took out the newly carved peachwood sword, tucking it behind her waist.

The black iron seven-star sword of 朝南衣 had broken. Linghe Zhenren had wanted to forge a new one, but she did not agree.

Black iron swords are sharp, but they hurt others and themselves too. She did not have 朝南衣’s skill, so even if she held one, it would be useless. Thus she insisted on using peach wood carved from thunderstruck wood.

Linghe Zhenren did not say much, only taking the peachwood sword away when she finished carving it and personally adding another layer of seal on it.

After taking the sword, Zhou Xin went to the quiet room to pay respects to Linghe Zhenren. After receiving permission, she followed Shen Madam to her home.

The moment she entered the courtyard, she saw a familiar figure carrying a medicine bowl out of the main room. The instant the two met eyes, the other person’s face instantly turned darker than Shen Madam’s brow.

Even his originally gentle expression turned cold, as if covered with a layer of frost. His tone was as sharp as ever, looking exactly like the kind of scene where enemies meet and their eyes blaze with fury.

“What brings Lingyun Jun here?”

Shen Madam was surprised for a moment, “So the daoist priest knows Fourth Young Master?”

Shen Jibai answered coldly and bluntly, “Do not know him!”

After speaking, he carried the medicine bowl, turned left, and entered the side room on the left of the main room.

Strange.

This main room was overflowing with black qi, and even Shen Madam was surrounded by it. Why was he able to go in and out without getting any black qi on him?

Zhou Xin suppressed the doubts in her heart, told Shen Madam to prepare glutinous rice, cinnabar, and a bowl of well water, and entered the main room by herself.

There were windows on both the north and south sides of the room. Under the north window was a luohan couch, and on the couch lay a child of about seven or eight years old, his face bloodless and his breath weak.

Above him floated a mass of black qi, with a strong feeling of dark clouds pressing over the city!

Zhou Xin raised her hand and grabbed at the black qi. The qi mass coalesced without dispersing, its touch like silk, cold and smooth.

It really was a devouring qi spirit.

That thing was always good at taking advantage of weakness, and it specialized in sucking the vital essence of the injured and sick.

“Why would Lingyun Jun come here?”

Shen Jibai’s voice came from behind her.

Zhou Xin shot back, “Didn’t Shen Shaoqing say he didn’t know Shen Jibai?”

The other party was silent for a moment, then said, “Shen advises Lingyun Jun not to target Tannu. Otherwise, do not blame Shen for being impolite.”

“If I insist not to, then what?” Zhou Xin turned her head to look at him, smiling provocatively.

“朝南衣!”

Just as he shouted it out, Shen Madam, who had walked up behind him, hit him once, “Speak properly, what are you shouting for! With such a fierce manner, how are you supposed to find a new wife!”

Shen Jibai: “……”

Zhou Xin rolled her eyes.

This person was cold-hearted and cold-lunged. He’d be lucky not to stay single for life, and he still wanted a new wife?

Dream on!

Shen Madam walked in carrying a redwood tray, and kindly explained to her, “Please don’t blame him, Daoist. Fourth Young Master is concerned about Tannu, so it is inevitable that he is worried and confused.”

“Poor daoist priest would naturally not dare to argue with an official.”

Zhou Xin took a talisman paper from her sleeve, pinched it between two fingers, silently recited the spell, and the talisman paper instantly burst into flames.

She stuffed the talisman paper into the ceramic bowl filled with well water, then carried the bowl and sat by the couch. She helped the child up, pinched his chin, and fed him the talisman water.

After drinking a bowl of water, the child’s complexion visibly turned rosy. Shen Madam was overjoyed, set the tray to one side, and leaned against the couch calling his name, “Tan’er, Tan’er!”

But in the blink of an eye, that rosy color faded away. His complexion became pale again, even paler than before, and even the color of his lips was turning from dark to light!

Shen Madam’s face also went pale along with it. She suddenly grabbed Zhou Xin’s hand, her voice urgent as she asked, “Daoist! What is going on?”

Yes!

She also wanted to know what was going on!

“Shen Madam, pardon me.”

Zhou Xin pretended to be calm as she pulled out the hairpin from her head, pricked the tip of the ring finger on her left hand, smeared the bleeding from her forehead down to the space between her brows, drawing a vertical blood mark, closed her eyes, formed seals, and chanted, “The heaven and earth have their way, ten thousand forms do not perish, heavenly eye open fully!”

As the words fell, she suddenly opened her eyes. Only then did she clearly see that the black qi coiled above Tannu was actually the black hair of a malicious spirit!

And the owner of that hair was a devouring qi spirit without facial features, with sharp ears. It floated in the air facing the child, continuously sucking away the child’s vital essence.

Sensing Zhou Xin’s gaze, it slowly turned its head, seeming to look over.

“Shen Madam, please step back!”

Zhou Xin hurriedly pulled Shen Madam behind her.

She drew the peachwood sword tucked behind her waist, held the hilt upside down, and carried the sword behind her shoulder as she shouted, “Fiend! If you do not leave now, do not blame this daoist priest for being impolite!”

Normally, by the time the procedure reached this point, the devouring qi spirit would run away.

Unexpectedly, this one was not afraid of the threat at all, and instead kept “giggling, giggling, giggling” with nonstop laughter.

Zhou Xin secretly wiped away a layer of sweat and thought, what is going on?

This is not quite the same as what I expected?

This, this, this…

Is it still too late to run now!