“Ah? How did you know we are the ‘Buzhisan’ and ‘Busi’er’?” The giant copper bowl, floating in midair, suddenly spoke with a voice as sharp as metal being scraped: “Since you already know that we, the esteemed brothers, have arrived, why don’t you surrender quickly? Save us the trouble of laying hands on you and tarnishing our noble image.”
Sun Busi, standing in the center, replied with a frown: “What a shame, brother, you’re mistaken again. That layman’s ‘Buzhisan’ and ‘Busi’er’ likely refers to your inappropriate behavior, not that he has heard of your reputation.”
Sun Buzhan, upon hearing this, angrily retorted: “How can you know he isn’t praising us if you’re not him? If you keep talking, I’ll have to discipline you on behalf of the eldest sister, giving your backside a good kick!” His voice, filled with rage, caused the copper bowl to vibrate with a buzzing sound that lingered for quite some time.
Sun Busi’s face twisted into a bitter expression, clearly discontented, but dared not speak again.
The brothers once again became entangled in their quarrel, and it was hard to know when they would ever sort things out. Mei Qing tilted her head slightly toward Zhao Dayou, who immediately stepped forward, puffing out his belly, holding a teapot in one hand, and lifting his mustache while shouting loudly: “You little thieves up ahead! Your crimes have already been committed, and now that we are here, you have no chance of escape. Why not surrender immediately?”
“What a bold statement!” A cold voice from the room replied: “Who exactly are you, you brute?”
“Dare to ask!” Zhao Dayou roared: “I am an officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, here to arrest you by imperial order. Do you still intend to resist at this point?”
“The Embroidered Uniform Guard?” The voice from the room suddenly turned icy cold, quivering with rage: “Good, it’s exactly you Embroidered Uniform Guards I’m after. Watch me strike!”
With a loud crash, the wooden door of the room was suddenly shattered, and a black shadow burst forth like lightning, heading straight toward Zhao Dayou.
Zhao Dayou screamed “Mom!” and tried to turn and run, but his legs had turned to jelly, unable to move an inch. Just then, Sun Buzhan’s sharp voice rang out: “Lin!”
As the black shadow rushed forward, the giant copper bowl had already positioned itself in front of it. With a clang, the shadow struck the bowl, causing it to ring loudly, but also successfully blocking the shadow and saving Zhao Dayou’s life.
At this moment, everyone finally saw the tall figure of the black shadow. A large felt hat covered its face, hiding its features; it wore black clothes, and its hands, feet, and waist were bound with coarse rope—exactly the strange creature that had been followed earlier.
A furious voice then came from within the room: “So good, you’ve dared to come to my doorstep. Heaven and earth, gods and ghosts, myriad directions, I command you by the power of the law!”
With these words, the black shadow instantly split into two, then into four, and then into eight, quickly multiplying until there were eight black figures surrounding the courtyard, viciously charging at the people inside.
“Oh no!” Sun Buzhan was also greatly startled. Although the copper bowl was large, it struggled to defend against eight shadows at once, swaying unsteadily as it blocked their attacks, nearly allowing the shadows to break through the circle of people. Panicking, Sun Buzhan shouted: “Lao San, what are you standing around for? Hurry and help!”
Sun Busi’s face turned sour: “Brother, you know I haven’t mastered all the Daoist techniques. These ghosts are entirely sustained by yin energy, not belonging to the five elements. I can’t stop them.”
Mei Qing stood in the middle, watching the copper bowl spinning rapidly, blocking from all directions. Hearing Sun Busi’s words about the ghosts not belonging to the five elements, she suddenly had an idea.
Most forbidden arts in the world are based on the five elements, using the principle of mutual generation and restraint to suppress their power. For example, to suppress wood-type entities, one would use metal energy; to control water-type entities, one would use earth energy. However, the puppet-like creatures before them were clearly forcibly controlled and refined yin entities, not belonging to the five elements, making ordinary elemental techniques ineffective.
Therefore, most cultivators dislike facing Yin practitioners who specialize in puppetry. Once a fight breaks out, aside from directly countering with equal force or overwhelming them with sheer power, there are few specific techniques to deal with them.
However, there are always exceptions among the many techniques in the world. The Shenxiao Thunder Technique that Mei Qing practiced was one such exception. Although Thunder techniques also involve the five elements, their foundation lies in the division of Yin and Yang, making their application naturally superior.
“Eh? How did you know we are the ‘Not Three, Not Four’?” The massive bronze bowl suspended in mid-air suddenly spoke, its voice as sharp as scraping metal. “Since you know it’s us, the great masters, who have arrived, why don’t you surrender immediately to save us the trouble of moving our hands and tarnishing our esteemed image?”
Standing in the center, Sun Bu-Si spoke with a troubled expression, “Sin, sin, Second Brother, you’re mistaken again. What the benefactor meant by ‘Not Three, Not Four’ is that your behavior is inappropriate, not that he has heard of your fame.”
Sun Bu-San, upon hearing this, angrily retorted, “You’re not him, how do you know he wasn’t praising us? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll have to discipline you on behalf of our elder sister, giving you a good kick in the rear!” His angry words caused the bronze bowl to vibrate loudly, the sound lingering for a long time.
Sun Bu-Si, hearing this, grimaced and shrank into himself, showing clear dissatisfaction but not daring to speak further.
The brothers were entangled in their usual bickering, and it seemed it would take forever for them to get their act together. Mei Qing tilted his head towards Zhao Da-You, signaling him. Zhao immediately stepped forward, puffing out his chest, holding a teapot, and with his beard bristling, he boomed, “You thieves up front! Your deeds have been exposed. Since we, the masters, have arrived, you have no chance to escape. Surrender now, what are you waiting for?”
“Such big words!” a cold voice from the room said. “Who is this fool?”
“Bold!” Zhao Da-You shouted angrily. “I am an officer of the Imperial Guard, here by order to capture you. At this point, are you still going to resist?”
“The Imperial Guard?” The voice from the room suddenly turned icy cold, trembling with anger, and said through gritted teeth, “Good. It’s the Imperial Guard I’ve been looking for. Take this!”
With a loud crash, the loosely closed wooden door of the room was suddenly smashed to pieces, and a black shadow shot out like lightning, heading straight for Zhao Da-You.
Zhao Da-You screamed, “Mommy!” and tried to flee, but his legs were too weak to move. Just then, Sun Bu-San’s sharp voice shouted, “Halt!”
As the black shadow swiftly approached, the massive bronze bowl blocked its path. With a clang, the shadow hit the bowl, causing it to ring loudly but also stopping the shadow in its tracks, saving Zhao Da-You’s life.
At this moment, everyone could see that the tall, black figure that had burst through the door wore a large felt hat that obscured its face; it was dressed in black, with hands, feet, and waist bound with hemp rope—it was the monster they had been tracking.
From inside the room came an angry scream, “Good, good, good. You dare to come to my door. Heaven, Earth, gods, and demons, by the law of the universe, act now!”
With these words, the black shadow instantly split into two, then four, then eight, and in no time, the courtyard was filled with black figures, all fiercely attacking everyone in the yard.
“Oh no!” Sun Bu-San was also shocked. Although the bronze bowl was quite large, facing eight shadows at once was overwhelming, causing it to sway and nearly allowing the shadows to break through the circle. Desperately, Sun Bu-San shouted, “Third Brother, what are you standing there for? Lend a hand!”
Sun Bu-Si said with a pained expression, “Second Brother, you know my Taoist arts are incomplete. These ghostly things are all supported by a yin energy, not belonging to the five elements, I can’t control them.”
Mei Qing, standing in the middle, watched as the bronze bowl spun like the wind, blocking everywhere. Hearing Sun Bu-Si’s words about these ghosts not belonging to the five elements, he had an idea.
Most forbidden arts in the world derive from the five elements, using the principles of generation and restriction to control their operation. For example, to restrict wood, one uses metal energy; to control water, one uses earth energy. But the puppet-like entities before them were clearly crafted from forcibly extracted yin essence, not belonging to the five elements, so ordinary five-element forbidden arts naturally couldn’t deal with them.
Therefore, most practitioners in the world do not favor specializing in the dark arts of puppetry. Once engaged in combat, apart from attacking head-on and forcefully breaking through with magical power, there are few targeted methods.
But the world is full of various methods, and there are always exceptions. Mei Qing’s practice of the Shenxiao Thunder Method is one such exception. Although Thunder Forbidden Arts also involve the five elements, their foundation lies in the differentiation of yin and yang, naturally placing them a level above.
The Thunder Forbidden Arts consist of four levels: Qi Detection, Acupoint Knowledge, Light Fixation, and Forbidden Stationing. Mei Qing had already become quite proficient in the first two levels, Qi Detection and Acupoint Knowledge, when his Golden Core was restricted. Once the restriction on his Golden Core was lifted, he began to practice the latter two levels, and now his Light Fixation technique had achieved minor success.
Thinking of this, Mei Qing did not hesitate. He instantly released his consciousness, feeling the yin winds around him, the yang energy blocked, and the five elements still. He urgently followed the Thunder Forbidden Method, circulating his true essence within, urging the sun and moon to shine together. A purple light shot straight onto his Golden Core, and in an instant, purple energy surged. Where his divine sense went, it immediately locked onto the monster’s main body.
Originally, although the monster had split into eight, its main body was still one. Although the myriad puppets were driven by ghosts, the main body required a bit of true yang to control the yin and manifest its powers. This bit of true yang was the foundation of its main body. But the true yang of its main body jumped unpredictably among the eight clones, never staying in one place, making it impossible for ordinary methods to lock onto it.
But Mei Qing, with his divine sense knowing the acupoints, did not care how it jumped. He only locked onto the yang energy’s location, then with both hands forming seals, the left hand leading as yang, the right hand pointing down as yin, the hands crossed and turned, he chanted the incantation, “Yin and yang differentiate, thunder is born, forbidden to act, fix!”
A flash of purple light appeared in the field, and the eight monster forms suddenly stopped moving, fixed in mid-air, looking extremely bizarre.
Sun Bu-Si, seeing this, was greatly surprised and muttered, “Sin, sin, it turns out the young benefactor has a way…”
But Mei Qing was suffering greatly. His Thunder Forbidden Arts were still in the experimental stage, and he had not practiced them for long. Moreover, he had only reached the third level, Light Fixation, which could only temporarily restrain but not completely forbid. Therefore, he was fully focused on suppressing the monster’s main body’s struggles with all his true essence, and had no time to listen to what others were saying.
Seeing the puppets being controlled, the person inside the room was almost driven mad. With a scream that did not sound human, a figure burst out of the broken door again, followed by another leaping out.
The first person was quite young, dressed in a white robe, with a pale face that showed no trace of blood. Although he was quite handsome, his face was now ferocious, and under the pale moonlight, he looked like a fierce ghost. As he flew out, he raised his hands, each holding a blood-red long nail, and without hesitation, he turned his hands and inserted them into his left and right shoulders. Then he bit his tongue, spitting a bit of blood onto the puppets, and shouted, “Break!”
The white hemp ropes on the hands of the eight puppets in the courtyard suddenly turned as red as blood, and the eight puppets let out a shrill cry together, waving their hands!
Mei Qing felt his true essence spinning wildly inside, as if struck by lightning, causing his Golden Core to tremble. He knew his cultivation was still shallow, and his Thunder Forbidden Arts were not yet fully developed, so he couldn’t withstand such a desperate attack from the opponent. If he continued to hold on, he might end up harming himself, so he decisively cut off his divine sense and stopped the Thunder Forbidden Arts.
Even so, the shock from that moment still caused his true essence to fluctuate wildly, and his Golden Core was slightly unstable, showing that he had already suffered some hidden damage.
As soon as the Thunder Forbidden Arts stopped, the eight puppets regained their vitality, baring their teeth and claws, ready to pounce again.
But in the brief moment that Mei Qing had acted, Sun Bu-San had already freed his hands. With a roar, the bronze bowl spun up, and below it suddenly appeared a tall monk.
Sun Bu-San was dressed in a large red kasaya, with nine scars visible on his shaved head. He was naturally tall, his posture as steady as a mountain, embodying the immovable vajra, and his voice roared like a lion, “Om… Ma… Ni…”
As he spoke, the symbols on the bronze bowl lit up one by one. Mei Qing then noticed that the symbols on the bowl were not Taoist talismans but Sanskrit six-syllable mantras. The bowl’s light flowed, making Sun Bu-San’s kasaya shine brilliantly, as if an arhat had descended to the human world.
“A monk? You’re from the True Word Sect!?” The white-robed man, seeing a monk suddenly appear and make such a display, immediately changed color.
Originally, his ghost-driving technique, although difficult for Taoists to deal with, was like snow meeting fire when encountering Buddhist monks, meeting its nemesis.
Buddhist cultivation mostly excels in self-protection but lacks in attacking enemies. Their methods of subduing demons are far less varied than those of Taoists, and in terms of breaking through defenses and being unstoppable, they are far inferior. But when it comes to being as solid as a golden soup, impervious to external demons, they are far stronger than Taoists.
Especially against ghost-driving and other yin evil methods, they are invincible. The True Word Sect mostly uses sound to defeat enemies, making them the natural nemesis of mass puppet attacks like this. Judging by Sun Bu-San’s display, it seemed that with one mantra, the eight puppets would be scattered like smoke.
Therefore, when the white-robed man saw Sun Bu-San appear in a kasaya, he was greatly alarmed. These myriad puppets were a treasure given by his predecessors, tied to his life, how could he bear to see them destroyed here? So he could only grit his teeth, form seals with his hands, and chant, “Retreat!”
The two long nails on the white-robed man’s body fell with the chant, and the eight puppets in the air merged two by two, eight becoming four, four becoming two, two becoming one, and turned to fly back to the white-robed man.
The white-robed man chanted to retract the spell, but this clearly caused a heavy backlash. Although his expression remained unchanged, a thin line of blood had already seeped from the corner of his mouth.
At this moment, the imposing Sun Bu-San suddenly stopped his mantra, and the light on the bronze bowl also suddenly disappeared. And Sun Bu-Si, who had been standing still behind him, suddenly raised his hands and chanted in a low voice, “Command!”
Thinking thus, Mei Qing wasted no time. Her consciousness instantly expanded outward, sensing the cold winds and blocked yang energy, with the five elements unmoving. She quickly activated the Thunder Restriction Technique, circulating her inner energy, invoking the interplay of sun and moon, and sending a purple ray directly to her golden core. Instantly, purple energy surged forth, and with her spiritual sense, she locked onto the puppet’s true form.
Although the creature had split into eight, its true body was still only one. Although the countless puppets were animated by ghostly forces, their true form required a point of yang energy to control the yin and manifest supernatural power. This point of yang energy was the foundation of its true form. However, this true yang point kept shifting unpredictably among the eight clones, never staying still, making it impossible for ordinary methods to lock onto it.
However, Mei Qing used her spiritual sense to locate the meridian points, disregarding its movements and simply locking onto the yang energy. Then, with both hands forming mudras, her left hand extended forward as yang, her right hand pointing downward as yin, and her hands crossing and rotating, she chanted: “Yin and Yang divide, thunder arises, restriction established. Ding!”
A purple flash streaked across the scene, and the eight puppet forms suddenly froze mid-air, motionless, creating a very eerie sight.
Sun Busi was greatly startled, muttering: “What a shame, what a shame. It turns out the young layman actually has a way…”
“Eh? How did you know we are the ‘Not Three, Not Four’ brothers?” The massive bronze bowl suspended in mid-air suddenly spoke, its voice as sharp as scraping metal. “Since you know it’s us, the great masters, why not surrender immediately to save us the trouble of moving our hands and tarnishing our image?”
Standing in the center, Sun Bu-si spoke with a troubled expression, “Sins, sins, Second Brother, you’re mistaken again. The benefactor’s ‘Not Three, Not Four’ likely refers to your inappropriate behavior, not that he has heard of your fame.”
Sun Bu-san, upon hearing this, angrily retorted, “You’re not him, how do you know he’s not praising us? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll have to discipline you on behalf of our elder sister, giving you a good kick on your backside!” His angry words caused the bronze bowl to vibrate loudly, the sound lingering for a long time.
Sun Bu-si, hearing this, grimaced and shrank back, clearly dissatisfied but not daring to speak further.
The brothers were entangled in their usual bickering, and it seemed it would take forever for them to sort things out. Mei Qing turned his head slightly, signaling to Zhao Da-you. Zhao immediately stepped forward, puffing out his chest, holding a teapot, and with his mustache twitching, he loudly declared, “You little thieves up ahead! Your misdeeds have been discovered. Since we, the masters, have arrived, you have no chance of escape. Surrender now, what are you waiting for?”
“Such big words!” A cold voice from the room said, “Who is this fool?”
“Bold!” Zhao Da-you shouted angrily, “I am an officer of the Imperial Guards, here on orders to capture you. At this point, are you still going to resist?”
“The Imperial Guards?” The voice in the room suddenly turned icy cold, trembling with rage, “Good. It’s you, the Imperial Guards, I’ve been looking for. Take this!”
With a loud crash, the loosely closed wooden door of the room was suddenly shattered into pieces, and a black shadow shot out like lightning, heading straight for Zhao Da-you.
Zhao Da-you screamed, “Mommy!” and tried to flee, but his legs were too weak to move. Just then, Sun Bu-san’s sharp voice shouted, “Halt!”
As the black shadow rapidly approached, the massive bronze bowl moved to block its path. With a clanging sound, the shadow struck the bowl, causing it to ring loudly but effectively stopping the shadow and saving Zhao Da-you’s life.
At this moment, everyone could see that the tall, black figure that had burst through the door wore a large felt hat that obscured its face, dressed entirely in black, with hands, feet, and waist bound with hemp ropes—it was the monster they had been tracking.
From inside the room came an angry scream, “Good, good, good. You dare to come to my door. Heaven, earth, gods, and ghosts, by the myriad laws, quickly as commanded!”
With these words, the black shadow instantly split into two, then four, then eight, filling the courtyard with black figures, all fiercely charging towards the people in the yard.
“Oh no!” Sun Bu-san was also startled. Although the bronze bowl was quite large, facing eight black shadows at once, it was inevitably overwhelmed, swaying unsteadily and nearly allowing the shadows to break through the circle. Frantically, Sun Bu-san shouted, “Third Brother, what are you standing there for? Lend a hand!”
Sun Bu-si, with a pained expression, said, “Second Brother, you know my Taoist arts are incomplete. These ghostly things are all carried by a yin energy, not belonging to the five elements, I can’t control them.”
Mei Qing, standing in the middle, watched as the bronze bowl spun like the wind, blocking all around. Hearing Sun Bu-si’s words about these ghosts not belonging to the five elements, he suddenly had an idea.
Most forbidden arts in the world are derived from the five elements, using the principles of generation and restriction to control their operation. For example, to restrict wood, one uses metal energy; to restrict water, one uses earth energy. But the puppet-like creatures before them were clearly forcibly refined yin essences, not belonging to the five elements, so ordinary five-element restriction methods naturally couldn’t deal with them.
Therefore, most practitioners in the world don’t particularly like those who specialize in the dark arts of puppetry. Once encountered, apart from attacking head-on with brute force, there are few targeted methods to deal with them.
But with so many methods in the world, there are always exceptions. Mei Qing’s practice of the Shenxiao Thunder Method was one such exception. Although the Thunder Restriction Technique also operates within the five elements, its foundation lies in the differentiation of yin and yang, naturally placing it a level above.
The Thunder Restriction Technique consists of four levels: Qi Observation, Acumen Knowledge, Light Fixation, and Restriction. Mei Qing had already become quite proficient in the first two levels, Qi Observation and Acumen Knowledge, when his golden core was restricted. Once the restriction on his golden core was lifted, he began to practice the latter two levels, and now the Light Fixation technique had achieved some success.
Thinking of this, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. He instantly released his consciousness, feeling the yin winds around him, the yang energy cut off, and the five elements unmoving. He urgently followed the Thunder Restriction method, circulating his true essence within, urging the sun and moon to shine together. A purple light shot onto his golden core, and in an instant, purple energy surged. Where his divine sense reached, it immediately locked onto the monster’s true form.
Although the monster had split into eight, its true form was still only one. Although the myriad puppets were driven by ghostly energies, the true form required a bit of true yang to control the yin and manifest its powers. This bit of true yang was the foundation of its true form. However, the true yang of its true form jumped unpredictably among the eight clones, never staying in one place, making it impossible to lock onto with ordinary means.
But Mei Qing, using his divine sense to know the acumen, didn’t care how it jumped. He simply locked onto the yang energy and then, with both hands forming seals—the left hand leading forward for yang, the right hand pointing down for yin—he crossed and turned his hands, chanting, “Yin and yang differentiate, thunder is born, restriction acts, fix!”
A flash of purple light filled the scene, and the eight monster forms suddenly stopped moving, suspended in mid-air, looking extremely bizarre.
Sun Bu-si, seeing this, was greatly startled and murmured, “Sins, sins, it turns out the young benefactor has a way…”
Mei Qing, however, was suffering greatly. His Thunder Restriction Technique was something he had secretly explored, and his practice time was short. Moreover, he had only reached the third level, Light Fixation. Although he could temporarily control the monster, he couldn’t restrict it completely. Thus, he poured all his true essence into suppressing the monster’s struggles, with no time to listen to what others were saying.
Seeing the puppets being controlled, the person inside the room was nearly driven mad. With a scream that didn’t sound human, a figure burst out of the broken door again, followed by another leaping out.
The first person was quite young, dressed in white robes, with a pale face devoid of any color. Although he was quite handsome, his expression was ferocious, looking like a fierce ghost under the pale moonlight. As he flew out, he raised his hands, each holding a blood-red long nail, and without hesitation, he stabbed them into his own shoulders. Then, biting his tongue, he spat a bit of blood onto the puppets, shouting, “Break!”
The white hemp ropes on the hands of the eight puppets in the courtyard suddenly turned as red as blood, and the puppets let out a shrill cry, waving their hands together!
Mei Qing felt his true essence inside him spinning wildly, as if struck by lightning, causing his golden core to tremble. He knew his cultivation was still shallow, and his Thunder Restriction Technique was not yet fully developed. Facing such a desperate attack from the opponent, he couldn’t hold on. If he continued to resist, he might end up harming himself. Therefore, he decisively stopped the Thunder Restriction Technique, cutting off his divine sense and stopping the technique in an instant.
Even so, the momentary shock had already caused his true essence to fluctuate, and his golden core was slightly unstable, indicating he had suffered some hidden damage.
As soon as the Thunder Restriction Technique stopped, the eight puppets regained their vitality, baring their teeth and claws, ready to pounce again.
But during the brief moment Mei Qing had acted, Sun Bu-san had freed his hands. With a roar, the bronze bowl spun and flew up, revealing a tall monk beneath it.
Sun Bu-san was dressed in a bright red kasaya, with nine scars clearly visible on his shaved head. He was naturally tall, his posture as steady as a mountain, embodying the immovable vajra, and his voice roared like a lion, “Om… Ma… Ni…”
As he chanted, the symbols on the bronze bowl lit up one by one. Mei Qing then noticed that the symbols on the bowl were not Taoist talismans but Sanskrit mantras. The bowl’s light flowed, illuminating Sun Bu-san’s kasaya, making him look like a Luohan descending to the mortal world.
“A monk? You’re from the Shingon Sect!?” The white-robed man, seeing a monk suddenly appear with such grandeur, immediately changed his expression.
His ghost-driving technique, although troublesome for Taoist practitioners, was like snow meeting fire when faced with a Buddhist master.
Buddhist cultivation mostly focuses on self-preservation rather than attacking enemies. Their methods of subduing demons are far less varied than Taoist methods, and they are much weaker in terms of breaking through defenses and destroying obstacles. But when it comes to being an impenetrable fortress, impervious to external demons, they far surpass Taoist methods.
Especially when dealing with dark and evil techniques like ghost-driving, they are practically invincible. The Shingon Sect, in particular, uses sound to defeat enemies, making them a natural nemesis to mass puppet attacks like this. Judging by Sun Bu-san’s display, a single mantra from him could likely scatter the eight puppets into smoke.
Therefore, when the white-robed man saw Sun Bu-san appear in his kasaya, he was greatly alarmed. These myriad puppets were a treasure given to him by his predecessor, tied to his life. How could he bear to see them destroyed here? So, gritting his teeth, he formed seals with his hands and shouted, “Retreat!”
The two long nails on the white-robed man’s shoulders shook and fell with the incantation, and the eight puppets in the air merged two by two, eight becoming four, four becoming two, and two becoming one, turning and flying back to the white-robed man.
The white-robed man chanted to retract the technique, but this move clearly had a heavy backlash. Although his expression remained unchanged, a thin line of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
At this moment, the imposing Sun Bu-san suddenly stopped his mantra, and the light on the bronze bowl also disappeared. Behind him, Sun Bu-si, who had been motionless, suddenly raised his hands and chanted in a low voice, “Command!”
Seeing their puppet immobilized, the figure inside the room nearly went mad. With a scream that sounded inhuman, a figure burst forth once again from the broken doorway, followed closely by another.
The figure in front was quite young, wearing white robes with a pale face devoid of any color. Although his appearance was delicate, his expression was now twisted with rage, resembling a vengeful ghost under the pale moonlight. As he flew forward, he raised his hands and without hesitation drove a long, blood-red nail into each of his shoulders. Then, biting his tongue, he spat a mouthful of blood onto the puppet and shouted: “Break!”
Suddenly, the white ropes on the hands of the eight puppets turned as red as blood. All eight puppets let out piercing wails and simultaneously swung their arms!
Mei Qing felt her inner energy spinning wildly, as if struck by lightning, causing her golden core to tremble violently. She knew her cultivation was still shallow, and her Thunder Restriction Technique was not yet fully mastered. Facing such a desperate counterattack from the opponent, she simply could not maintain control. If she continued to resist, she would likely end up harming herself instead. Therefore, she decisively broke the spell by reversing her hand mudras and cutting off her spiritual sense, instantly stopping the Thunder Restriction Technique.
Even so, the brief shockwave from that moment still caused her inner energy to fluctuate violently, and her golden core became slightly unstable, indicating she had already suffered some internal damage.
As soon as the Thunder Restriction Technique was lifted, the eight puppets regained their vitality and once again lunged forward, claws bared.
However, during the brief moment Mei Qing had acted, Sun Buzhan had managed to free himself. With a furious roar, the copper bowl spun upward, and beneath it, a tall monk suddenly appeared.
Sun Buzhan was dressed in a bright red kasaya, his head marked with nine clearly visible precept scars. His tall and imposing figure stood like a mountain, exuding an unshakable presence, and his voice thundered like a lion’s roar: “Om… ma… ni…”
As he chanted, the symbols on the copper bowl began to glow one by one. Mei Qing now realized that the symbols were not talismans, but the six-syllable mantra of the Sanskrit language. The copper bowl radiated light, illuminating Sun Buzhan’s kasaya, making him appear like a living Bodhisattva descending into the mortal world.
“Eh? How did you know we are the ‘Not Three, Not Four’ brothers?” The massive copper bowl floating in mid-air suddenly spoke, its voice as sharp as scraping metal. “Since you know it’s us, the esteemed brothers, why don’t you surrender immediately? Save us the trouble of moving, and spare our esteemed image.”
Standing in the center, Sun Bu-Si frowned and said with a troubled expression, “Sin, sin. Second brother, you’re mistaken again. The gentleman’s ‘not three, not four’ likely refers to your inappropriate behavior, not that he’s heard of your fame.”
Sun Bu-San, upon hearing this, angrily retorted, “You’re not him, how do you know he’s not praising us? If you keep talking, I’ll have to discipline you on behalf of our elder sister and give you a good kick in the rear!” His angry voice resonated sharply, causing the copper bowl to hum loudly for a long time.
Sun Bu-Si, hearing this, grimaced and shrank into himself. Though clearly dissatisfied, he dared not speak again.
The brothers were entangled once more, and it seemed it would take ages for them to sort things out. Mei Qing tilted his head and signaled to Zhao Da-You, who immediately stepped forward, puffing out his chest, holding a teapot, and raising his voice loudly, “You little thieves up front! Your deeds have been exposed. Since we, the masters, have arrived, you have no chance of escape. Surrender now, what are you waiting for?”
“Such big words!” A cold voice came from the room. “Who are you, this fool?”
“Bold!” Zhao Da-You shouted angrily. “I am an officer of the Imperial Guards, here to arrest you by order. At this point, do you still intend to resist?”
“The Imperial Guards?” The voice in the room suddenly turned icy, trembling with rage, and gritted its teeth as it said, “Good. It’s you, the Imperial Guards, I’ve been looking for. Take this!”
With a loud crash, the loosely closed wooden door was suddenly shattered, and a black shadow shot out like lightning, heading straight for Zhao Da-You.
Zhao Da-You screamed, “Oh my!” and tried to flee, but his legs were too weak to move. Just then, Sun Bu-San’s sharp voice shouted, “Halt!”
As the black shadow charged forward, the massive copper bowl blocked its path. With a clang, the shadow struck the bowl, causing it to ring loudly, but it also stopped the shadow, saving Zhao Da-You’s life.
Only then did everyone see that the tall figure that had burst through the door was wearing a large felt hat that obscured its features. Dressed in black, its hands, feet, and waist were bound with hemp ropes—it was the monster they had been tracking.
From inside the room came an angry scream, “Good, good, good! You dare to come to my doorstep? Heaven, earth, gods, and spirits, by the law of urgency, act now!”
As the voice echoed, the black shadow instantly split into two, then four, then eight, and in an instant, the courtyard was filled with black figures, all charging fiercely at the people in the yard.
“Oh no!” Sun Bu-San was also shocked. Although the copper bowl was large, facing eight shadows at once left it struggling to keep up, swaying and nearly allowing the shadows to break through. Desperately, Sun Bu-San shouted, “Third brother, what are you standing there for? Lend a hand!”
Sun Bu-Si, with a pained expression, said, “Second brother, you know my Taoist arts aren’t complete. These ghostly things are sustained by yin energy, not bound by the five elements. I can’t handle them.”
Mei Qing, standing in the center, watched as the copper bowl spun like the wind, blocking attacks from all sides. Hearing Sun Bu-Si’s words about the ghosts not being bound by the five elements, he suddenly had an idea.
Most forbidden arts in the world stem from the five elements, using the principles of generation and restriction to control their movements. For example, to restrict wood, one uses metal energy; to restrict water, one uses earth energy. But the puppet-like creatures before them were clearly crafted from yin essence, not bound by the five elements, so ordinary five-element restrictions wouldn’t work against them.
Thus, most practitioners in the world disliked specializing in the dark arts of puppetry. Once engaged in combat, aside from attacking head-on and using brute force to break through, there were few targeted methods to deal with them.
But the world of techniques is vast, and there are always exceptions. Mei Qing’s cultivation of the Divine Thunder Method was one such exception. Although thunder restrictions also interacted with the five elements, their foundation lay in the division of yin and yang, giving them a higher level of control.
The Thunder Restriction Method had four stages: sensing energy, knowing the key, fixing the light, and immobilizing the target. Mei Qing had already mastered the first two stages when his golden core was restricted. After the restriction was lifted, he began practicing the latter two stages, and now his “fixing the light” technique had achieved some success.
Thinking this, Mei Qing wasted no time. His consciousness expanded outward, sensing the yin winds around him, the yang energy blocked, and the five elements stagnant. Following the Thunder Restriction Method, his internal energy flowed, activating the interplay of the sun and moon. A purple light shot toward his golden core, and in an instant, purple energy surged. Where his divine will reached, the monster’s true form was immediately locked.
Although the monster had split into eight, its true form was still one. While the countless puppets were driven by ghostly energy, the true form required a spark of true yang to control the yin and manifest its powers. This spark of true yang was the foundation of its true form. However, the true yang in its true form jumped erratically among the eight clones, never staying in one place, making it impossible to lock down with ordinary methods.
But Mei Qing, using his divine will to know the key, ignored its erratic movements and simply locked onto the yang energy. Then, with both hands forming seals—the left hand leading with yang, the right hand pointing down with yin—he crossed his hands and chanted, “Yin and yang divide, thunder arises, restriction takes effect, halt!”
A flash of purple light filled the courtyard, and the eight monster clones froze in mid-air, looking extremely bizarre.
Sun Bu-Si, seeing this, exclaimed in shock, “Sin, sin. So the young gentleman has a way…”
But Mei Qing was inwardly struggling. His Thunder Restriction Method was still in its early stages, and he had only reached the third level, “fixing the light.” While it could temporarily immobilize the target, it couldn’t fully restrict it. Thus, he was pouring all his energy into suppressing the monster’s struggles, leaving no room to listen to others.
Seeing the puppets immobilized, the person inside the room nearly went mad. With an inhuman scream, a figure burst out of the shattered door, followed closely by another.
The first figure was a young man dressed in white, his face pale and bloodless. Though handsome, his expression was now ferocious, resembling a vengeful ghost under the pale moonlight. As he flew out, he raised his hands, each holding a blood-red long nail, and without hesitation, drove them into his own shoulders. Then, biting his tongue, he spat blood onto the puppets and shouted, “Break!”
The white hemp ropes on the hands of the eight puppets suddenly turned blood-red, and the puppets let out a piercing wail, their hands flailing wildly.
Mei Qing felt his internal energy spinning wildly, as if struck by lightning, causing his golden core to tremble. Knowing his cultivation was still shallow and his Thunder Restriction Method incomplete, he couldn’t withstand such a desperate attack. If he persisted, he might end up harming himself. So, he decisively stopped the technique, flipping his hands inward and cutting off his divine will, instantly halting the Thunder Restriction.
Even so, the brief shockwave caused his internal energy to fluctuate, and his golden core became slightly unstable, indicating he had suffered some hidden damage.
As soon as the Thunder Restriction stopped, the eight puppets regained their vitality, baring their claws and preparing to attack again.
But during the brief moment Mei Qing had bought, Sun Bu-San had freed himself. With a roar, the copper bowl spun into the air, revealing a tall monk beneath it.
Sun Bu-San was dressed in a bright red kasaya, with nine scars visible on his shaved head. His imposing figure stood like a mountain, exuding an unshakable presence. His voice boomed like a lion’s roar, “Om… Ma… Ni…”
As he chanted, the symbols on the copper bowl lit up one by one. Mei Qing now noticed that the symbols were not Taoist talismans but Sanskrit mantras. The bowl’s light flowed, illuminating Sun Bu-San’s kasaya, making him appear like a Buddhist arhat descending to the mortal world.
“A monk? You’re from the True Word Sect!?” The white-clad man, seeing a monk appear with such grandeur, suddenly turned pale.
His ghost-controlling arts, though troublesome for Taoists, were like ice meeting fire when faced with Buddhist monks—they were his natural nemesis.
Buddhist cultivation was mostly focused on self-preservation, lacking the offensive variety of Taoist methods. While they might not excel in aggressive, destructive techniques, their ability to remain impervious to external demons far surpassed that of Taoists.
Especially when dealing with ghostly, yin-based techniques, they were virtually unbeatable. The True Word Sect, in particular, used sound to defeat enemies, making them the natural counter to swarming tactics like the myriad puppets. Judging by Sun Bu-San’s display, a single mantra would likely reduce the eight puppets to nothing.
Thus, the white-clad man, seeing Sun Bu-San in his kasaya, was terrified. These myriad puppets were a treasure bestowed by his predecessor, tied to his very life. How could he bear to see them destroyed here? Gritting his teeth, he formed hand seals and chanted, “Retreat!”
The two long nails in his shoulders fell with the chant, and the eight puppets merged into four, then two, then one, before flying back to the white-clad man.
Though the man’s expression remained unchanged, a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, showing the heavy backlash he had suffered.
At that moment, the imposing Sun Bu-San suddenly stopped his chant, and the light on the copper bowl vanished. Behind him, Sun Bu-Si, who had been motionless, raised his hands and chanted in a low voice, “Command!”
It turned out that his ghost-summoning technique, although difficult for Daoist practitioners to handle, faced its true nemesis in Buddhist monks, just like snow melting in fire.
Buddhist cultivation mostly focused on self-defense, with fewer offensive techniques compared to Daoist methods. When it came to breaking through defenses and overwhelming enemies, they were far inferior. However, when it came to unshakable defenses and resisting external demonic influences, they far surpassed Daoist practitioners.
Especially when facing techniques involving ghost-summoning and other yin-based arts, they were essentially invincible. The Shingon Sect, in particular, specialized in using sound mantras to defeat enemies, making it a natural counter to group attacks like the swarm of puppets. Judging from Sun Buzhan’s display, a single mantra from him would likely reduce the eight puppets to nothing more than smoke and dust.
“Eh? How did you know we are the Bu San Bu Si brothers?” The massive copper bowl floating in mid-air suddenly spoke, its voice as sharp as scraping metal. “Since you know it’s us, the great masters, why not surrender immediately and save us the trouble of moving our hands, which would tarnish our noble image.”
Standing in the center, Sun Bu Si spoke with a troubled expression, “Sin, sin, Second Brother, you’re mistaken again. The benefactor’s mention of ‘Bu San Bu Si’ likely refers to your inappropriate behavior, not that he has heard of your fame.”
Sun Bu San, upon hearing this, angrily retorted, “You’re not him, how do you know he wasn’t praising us? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll have to discipline you on behalf of our elder sister, giving you a good kick in the rear!” His angry voice resonated sharply, causing the copper bowl to vibrate for a long time.
Sun Bu Si, hearing this, grimaced and shrank back, his face full of dissatisfaction but he dared not speak again.
The brothers continued to bicker, and it seemed it would take forever for them to sort things out. Mei Qing turned his head slightly, signaling to Zhao Da You. Zhao immediately stepped forward, puffing out his chest, holding a teapot, and with his beard bristling, he loudly declared, “You scoundrels ahead! Your deeds have been exposed. Since we, the masters, have arrived, you have no escape. Surrender now, what are you waiting for?”
“Such bold words!” A cold voice came from the room. “Who are you, this fool?”
“Audacious!” Zhao Da You shouted angrily. “I am an officer of the Imperial Guards, here on orders to capture you. At this point, are you still going to resist?”
“The Imperial Guards?” The voice from the room suddenly turned icy cold, trembling with rage, “Good. It’s the Imperial Guards I’ve been looking for. Take this!”
With a loud crash, the slightly ajar wooden door was shattered, and a black shadow shot out like lightning towards Zhao Da You.
Zhao Da You screamed, “Mommy!” and tried to flee but found his legs too weak to move. Just then, Sun Bu San’s sharp voice shouted, “Halt!”
As the black shadow rapidly approached, the massive copper bowl blocked its path. With a clang, the shadow hit the bowl, causing it to ring loudly but also stopping the shadow, saving Zhao Da You’s life.
At this moment, everyone saw that the tall black figure that had burst through the door wore a large felt hat that obscured its face; it was dressed in black, with hands, feet, and waist bound with hemp ropes—it was the monster they had been tracking.
From inside the room came an angry scream, “Good, good, good. You dare to come to my door. Heaven, Earth, gods, and demons, by the law, quickly!”
With the voice, the black shadow instantly split into two, then four, then eight, and in no time, the courtyard was filled with black figures, fiercely attacking everyone from all directions.
“Oh no!” Sun Bu San was also startled. Although the copper bowl was large, facing eight shadows at once was overwhelming, causing it to sway and nearly allow the shadows to break through. Desperately, Sun Bu San shouted, “Third Brother, what are you standing there for? Help out!”
Sun Bu Si, with a bitter face, said, “Second Brother, you know my Taoist skills are incomplete. These ghostly things are all carried by a yin energy, not belonging to the five elements, I can’t handle them.”
Mei Qing, standing in the middle, watched as the copper bowl spun like the wind, blocking all around. Hearing Sun Bu Si’s words about the ghostly things not belonging to the five elements, he had an idea.
Most forbidden arts in the world are derived from the five elements, using the principles of generation and restriction to control their operation. For example, to restrict wood, one uses metal energy; to restrict water, one uses earth energy. But the puppet-like creatures before them were clearly made from forcibly refined yin essence, not belonging to the five elements, so ordinary five-element restriction methods naturally couldn’t deal with them.
Therefore, most practitioners in the world don’t like to specialize in the dark arts of puppetry. Once encountered, apart from attacking head-on with strong magic, there are few targeted methods.
But there are many methods in the world, and there are always exceptions. Mei Qing’s practice of the Shenxiao Thunder Method was one such exception. Although the Thunder Restriction Method also involves the five elements, its foundation lies in the differentiation of yin and yang, naturally placing it a level higher.
The Thunder Restriction Method has four levels: Qi Detection, Acupoint Knowledge, Light Fixation, and Restriction. Mei Qing had already become quite proficient in the first two levels, Qi Detection and Acupoint Knowledge, when his Golden Core was restricted. Once the restriction on his Golden Core was lifted, he began to practice the latter two levels, and now his Light Fixation technique had achieved some success.
Thinking of this, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. He instantly released his consciousness, feeling the yin winds around him, the yang energy blocked, and the five elements unmoving. He urgently followed the Thunder Restriction Method, circulating his true essence within, urging the sun and moon to shine together, a purple light shooting onto his Golden Core. In an instant, purple energy surged, and where his divine sense went, he immediately locked onto the monster’s main body.
Originally, although the monster had split into eight, its main body was still one. Although the myriad puppets were driven by ghostly creatures, the main body needed a bit of true yang to control the yin and manifest its powers. This bit of true yang was the foundation of its main body. But the true yang of its main body jumped unstably among the eight clones, never staying in one place, so ordinary methods naturally couldn’t lock onto it.
But Mei Qing, with his divine sense knowing the acupoints, didn’t care how it jumped, only locking onto the yang energy’s location. Then, with both hands forming seals, the left hand leading as yang, the right hand pointing down as yin, he crossed and turned his hands, chanting, “Yin and Yang differentiate, Thunder is born, Restriction acts, fix!”
A flash of purple light appeared in the courtyard, and the eight monster forms suddenly stopped moving, fixed in mid-air, looking extremely bizarre.
Sun Bu Si, seeing this, was greatly surprised, murmuring, “Sin, sin, it turns out the young benefactor has a way…”
Mei Qing, however, was suffering greatly. His Thunder Restriction Method was still in its infancy, and he had only reached the third level, Light Fixation. Although he could temporarily control the situation, he couldn’t fully restrict it. Therefore, he poured all his true essence into suppressing the monster’s main body’s struggle, having no time to listen to what others were saying.
The person inside the room, seeing the puppets being controlled, was nearly driven mad. With a scream that didn’t sound human, a figure burst out of the broken door again, followed by another leaping out.
The first person was quite young, dressed in white, with a pale face devoid of any color. Although he looked quite handsome, his face was now ferocious, looking like a fierce ghost under the pale moonlight. As he flew out, he raised his hands, each holding a blood-red long nail, which he unhesitatingly stabbed into his left and right shoulders. Then, biting his tongue, he spat a bit of blood onto the puppets, shouting, “Break!”
The white hemp ropes on the hands of the eight puppets in the courtyard suddenly turned blood-red, and the eight puppets let out a shrill cry, waving their hands together!
Mei Qing felt his true essence inside him spinning wildly, as if struck by lightning, causing his Golden Core to tremble. He knew his cultivation was still shallow, and his Thunder Restriction Method was not yet fully developed. Facing such a desperate attack from the opponent, he couldn’t hold on. If he continued to resist, he might end up harming himself. So, he decisively stopped, with both hands forming seals and pointing inward, cutting off his divine sense, instantly stopping the Thunder Restriction Method.
Even so, the momentary shock still caused his true essence to fluctuate, and his Golden Core was slightly unstable, showing that he had already suffered some hidden damage.
As soon as the Thunder Restriction Method stopped, the eight puppets regained their vitality, baring their claws and preparing to pounce again.
But in the brief moment Mei Qing had acted, Sun Bu San had freed his hands. With a roar, the copper bowl spun and flew up, revealing a tall monk beneath it.
Sun Bu San was dressed in a bright red kasaya, with nine scars clearly visible on his shaved head. He was tall, his figure as steady as a mountain, in an unshakable vajra posture, his voice like a lion’s roar, “Om… Ma… Ni…”
With his voice, the symbols on the copper bowl lit up one by one. Mei Qing then noticed that the symbols on the bowl were not Taoist talismans but Sanskrit mantras. The bowl’s light flowed, illuminating Sun Bu San’s kasaya, making him look like a Luohan descending to the mortal world.
“A monk? Are you from the Shingon sect!?” The white-clad man, seeing a monk suddenly appear with such grandeur, immediately changed his expression.
Originally, his ghost-driving technique, although difficult for Taoists to deal with, was like ice meeting fire when encountering Buddhist monks, meeting its nemesis.
Buddhist cultivation is mostly about self-preservation, lacking in offensive capabilities. Their methods of subduing demons are far less varied than Taoist methods, and they are far inferior in terms of breaking through defenses and destroying everything in their path. But when it comes to being an impregnable fortress, impervious to external demons, they are far superior to Taoists.
Especially against ghost-driving and other dark arts, they are invincible. The Shingon sect, in particular, uses sound to defeat enemies, making them the natural nemesis of mass puppet attacks. Seeing Sun Bu San’s grandeur, it was likely that with one mantra, the eight puppets would be scattered like smoke.
Therefore, the white-clad man, seeing Sun Bu San appear in a kasaya, was greatly alarmed. His myriad puppets were a treasure given by his predecessor, tied to his life. How could he bear to see them destroyed here? So, he could only grit his teeth, form seals with his hands, and command, “Retreat!”
The two long nails on the white-clad man’s body fell with the incantation, and the eight puppets in the air merged two by two, eight becoming four, four becoming two, and two becoming one, turning back to the white-clad man.
The white-clad man chanted to retract the spell, but this move clearly had a strong backlash. Although his expression remained unchanged, a thin line of blood had already seeped from the corner of his mouth.
At this moment, the imposing Sun Bu San suddenly stopped his mantra, and the light on the copper bowl also disappeared. And Sun Bu Si, who had been motionless behind him, suddenly raised his hands, his voice low as he commanded, “Order!”
“Eh? How did you know we are the Bu San Bu Si brothers?” The massive bronze bowl suspended in mid-air suddenly spoke, its voice as sharp as scraping metal. “Since you know it’s us, the great masters, why don’t you surrender immediately and save us the trouble of moving our hands, which would tarnish our image as great masters.”
Standing in the center, Sun Bu Si frowned and said with a troubled expression, “Sin, sin, Second Brother, you’re mistaken again. The benefactor was referring to your inappropriate behavior, not praising your reputation.”
Sun Bu San, upon hearing this, became furious and retorted, “You’re not him, how do you know he wasn’t complimenting us? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll have to discipline you on behalf of our elder sister and give you a good kick in the rear!” His angry voice resonated sharply, causing the bronze bowl to hum loudly for a long time.
Sun Bu Si, hearing this, grimaced and shrank into himself, clearly dissatisfied but not daring to speak further.
The brothers continued to bicker, and it seemed it would take forever for them to understand. Mei Qing tilted his head and signaled to Zhao Da You, who immediately stepped forward, puffed out his chest, held a teapot, and with his mustache twitching, shouted in a loud voice, “You little thieves in front! Your crimes have been exposed. Since we, the masters, have arrived, you have no chance of escape. Surrender now, what are you waiting for?”
“What a big mouth!” a cold voice from the room said. “Who is this fool?”
“Bold!” Zhao Da You roared. “I am an officer of the Imperial Guards, here by order to capture you. At this point, are you still going to resist?”
“The Imperial Guards?” The voice in the room suddenly turned icy, trembling with rage, and said through gritted teeth, “Good. It’s you, the Imperial Guards, I’ve been looking for. Take this!”
With a loud crash, the loosely closed wooden door in the room was suddenly shattered, and a black shadow burst out, darting towards Zhao Da You like lightning.
Zhao Da You screamed, “Oh my!” and tried to flee, but his legs were too weak to move. Just then, Sun Bu San’s sharp voice shouted, “Halt!”
As the black shadow rushed forward, the massive bronze bowl blocked its path. With a clang, the shadow struck the bowl, causing it to ring loudly, but it also stopped the shadow, saving Zhao Da You’s life.
Now everyone could see that the tall figure that had burst through the door was wearing a large felt hat that obscured its face, dressed in black, with hands, feet, and waist bound with hemp rope—it was the monster they had been tracking.
From inside the room came an angry scream, “Good, good, good. You dare to come to my doorstep. Heaven, earth, gods, and ghosts, by the law of the universe, act now!”
With these words, the black shadow instantly split into two, then four, then eight, and in no time, the courtyard was filled with black figures, all fiercely charging towards the group.
“Oh no!” Sun Bu San was also startled. Although the bronze bowl was large, facing eight shadows at once, it was inevitably overwhelmed, swaying and struggling to keep up. Several times it nearly failed, almost allowing the shadows to break through. In desperation, Sun Bu San shouted, “Third Brother, what are you standing there for? Lend a hand!”
Sun Bu Si, with a pained expression, said, “Second Brother, you know my skills are incomplete. These ghostly things are all driven by yin energy, not part of the five elements. I can’t handle them.”
Mei Qing stood in the center, watching the bronze bowl spin like the wind, blocking all around. Hearing Sun Bu Si’s words about the ghosts not being part of the five elements, he suddenly had an idea.
Most forbidden arts in the world are derived from the five elements, using the principles of generation and restriction to control their operation. For example, to restrict wood, one uses metal energy; to restrict water, one uses earth energy. But the puppet before them was clearly a yin essence forcibly refined by someone, not part of the five elements, so ordinary five-element restriction techniques would naturally be ineffective.
Therefore, most practitioners in the world do not like to specialize in the dark arts of puppetry. Once they encounter such practitioners, apart from countering with brute force, there are few targeted techniques.
But the world is vast, and there are always exceptions. Mei Qing’s cultivation of the Divine Thunder Technique was one such exception. Although the Thunder Restriction Technique also interacts with the five elements, its foundation lies in the division of yin and yang, making it naturally superior.
The Thunder Restriction Technique has four levels: Sensing Energy, Knowing the Key, Fixing the Light, and Restricting the Presence. Mei Qing had already mastered the first two levels when his golden core was restricted. Once the restriction on his golden core was lifted, he began to practice the latter two levels, and now the Fixing the Light technique had achieved some success.
Thinking of this, Mei Qing did not hesitate. He instantly released his consciousness, feeling the yin winds around him, the yang energy cut off, and the five elements unmoving. Following the Thunder Restriction Technique, he circulated his true energy within, urging the sun and moon to shine together. A purple light shot onto his golden core, and in an instant, purple energy surged. Where his divine sense reached, he immediately locked onto the monster’s true form.
Although the monster had split into eight, its true form was still one. Although the myriad puppets were driven by ghosts, the true form required a bit of true yang to control the yin and manifest its powers. This bit of true yang was the foundation of its true form. But the true yang of its true form jumped unpredictably among the eight clones, never staying in one place, making it impossible to lock onto with ordinary means.
But Mei Qing, with his divine sense knowing the key, did not care how it jumped. He simply locked onto the yang energy and then, with both hands forming seals—the left hand leading as yang, the right hand pointing down as yin—he crossed his hands and chanted, “Yin and yang divide, thunder generates, restriction acts, fix!”
A flash of purple light filled the courtyard, and the eight monsters froze in mid-air, appearing extremely bizarre.
Sun Bu Si, seeing this, was shocked and muttered, “Sin, sin, it turns out the young benefactor has a way…”
But Mei Qing was inwardly suffering. His Thunder Restriction Technique was still in its infancy, and he had only reached the third level, Fixing the Light. Although he could temporarily restrain the monster, he could not fully restrict it. Thus, he poured all his true energy into suppressing the monster’s struggles, with no time to listen to what others were saying.
The person inside the room, seeing the puppets restrained, was nearly driven mad. With a scream that sounded inhuman, a figure burst out of the broken door again, followed by another person leaping out.
The first person was quite young, dressed in white, with a pale face devoid of any color. Although he looked delicate, his expression was ferocious, and under the pale moonlight, he looked like a vengeful ghost. As he flew out, he raised his hands, each holding a blood-red long nail, and without hesitation, he stabbed them into his own shoulders. Then, biting his tongue, he spat a drop of blood onto the puppets and shouted, “Break!”
The white hemp ropes on the hands of the eight puppets in the courtyard suddenly turned blood-red, and the puppets let out a piercing wail, waving their hands together!
Mei Qing felt his true energy churning wildly within him, as if struck by lightning, causing his golden core to tremble. He knew his cultivation was still shallow, and his Thunder Restriction Technique was not yet fully developed. Facing such a desperate attack from the opponent, he could not hold on. If he continued to resist, he might end up harming himself. So, he decisively cut off his divine sense and stopped the Thunder Restriction Technique.
Even so, the momentary shock had already caused his true energy to fluctuate, and his golden core was slightly unstable, indicating he had suffered some hidden damage.
As soon as the Thunder Restriction Technique stopped, the eight puppets regained their vitality, baring their teeth and claws, ready to pounce again.
But in the brief moment Mei Qing had acted, Sun Bu San had freed himself. With a roar, the bronze bowl spun into the air, revealing a tall monk beneath it.
Sun Bu San was dressed in a bright red kasaya, with nine scars visible on his shaved head. His tall figure stood like a mountain, exuding an unshakable presence. He roared like a lion, “Om… Ma… Ni…”
As he chanted, the symbols on the bronze bowl lit up one by one. Mei Qing now noticed that the symbols on the bowl were not talismans but the six-syllable mantra in Sanskrit. The bowl’s light flowed, illuminating Sun Bu San’s kasaya, making him look like a Luohan descending to the mortal world.
“A monk? You’re from the True Word Sect!?” The white-clad man, seeing a monk appear with such grandeur, suddenly turned pale.
His ghost-controlling technique, although difficult for Taoists to deal with, was like ice meeting fire when faced with a Buddhist master.
Buddhist cultivation is mostly about self-preservation, lacking in offensive capabilities. Their methods of subduing demons are far less varied than those of Taoists, and in terms of breaking through defenses and destroying all obstacles, they are far inferior. But when it comes to being an impenetrable fortress, impervious to external demons, they far surpass Taoists.
Especially when dealing with ghost-controlling techniques, they are invincible. The True Word Sect, in particular, uses sound to defeat enemies, making them the natural nemesis of mass puppet attacks. Judging by Sun Bu San’s display, a single mantra from him would likely reduce the eight puppets to nothing.
Thus, when the white-clad man saw Sun Bu San appear in his kasaya, he was terrified. These myriad puppets were a treasure bestowed by his predecessor, tied to his life. How could he bear to see them destroyed here? So, gritting his teeth, he formed a seal with his hands and shouted, “Retreat!”
The two long nails on the white-clad man’s shoulders fell with the incantation, and the eight puppets in the air merged two by two, eight becoming four, four becoming two, and two becoming one, turning back towards the white-clad man.
The white-clad man chanted to retract the spell, but the backlash was severe. Although he kept his expression steady, a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
At this moment, Sun Bu San, who had been so imposing, suddenly stopped his mantra, and the light on the bronze bowl vanished. Sun Bu Si, who had been motionless behind him, suddenly raised his hands and chanted in a low voice, “Command!”
“Eh? How did you know we are the ‘Not Three Not Four’?” The massive copper bowl suspended in mid-air suddenly spoke, its voice as sharp as scraping metal. “Since you know it’s us, the esteemed brothers, why not surrender immediately to save us the trouble and preserve our noble image?”
Standing in the center, Sun Bu-si frowned and said with a pained expression, “Sins, sins, Second Brother, you’re mistaken again. The benefactor’s ‘Not Three Not Four’ likely refers to your inappropriate behavior, not that he has heard of your fame.”
Sun Bu-san, upon hearing this, angrily retorted, “You’re not him, how do you know he’s not praising us? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll have to discipline you on behalf of our elder sister and give you a good kick in the rear!” His furious voice caused the copper bowl to resonate loudly, the sound lingering for a long time.
Sun Bu-si, hearing this, grimaced and shrank back, his face full of dissatisfaction but not daring to speak again.
The brothers continued to bicker, and it seemed it would take forever for them to sort things out. Mei Qing tilted his head and signaled to Zhao Da-you. Zhao immediately stepped forward, puffed out his chest, held a teapot, and with his mustache twitching, bellowed, “You little thieves up ahead! Your crimes have been exposed. Since we, the masters, have arrived, you have no chance of escape. Surrender now, what are you waiting for?”
“Such big talk!” A cold voice from the room sneered, “And who might you be, you fool?”
“Bold!” Zhao Da-you roared, “I am an officer of the Imperial Guards, here on orders to capture you. At this point, do you still intend to resist?”
“The Imperial Guards?” The voice from the room suddenly turned icy, trembling with rage, “Good. It’s the Imperial Guards I’ve been looking for. Take this!”
With a loud crash, the slightly ajar wooden door was shattered, and a black shadow shot out like lightning, heading straight for Zhao Da-you.
Zhao screamed, “Oh my mother!” and tried to flee, but his legs were too weak to move. Just then, Sun Bu-san’s sharp voice shouted, “Halt!”
As the black shadow sped forward, the massive copper bowl blocked its path. With a clang, the shadow struck the bowl, causing it to ring loudly but also stopping the shadow, saving Zhao Da-you’s life.
Now everyone could see that the tall black figure who had burst through the door wore a large felt hat that obscured his features, dressed in black with hemp ropes tied around his hands, feet, and waist—the very monster they had been tracking.
From inside the room came an angry scream, “Good, good, good. You dare to come to my door. Heaven, earth, gods, and ghosts, by the myriad laws, act now!”
As the voice echoed, the black shadow instantly split into two, then four, then eight, filling the courtyard with black figures, all fiercely charging towards the group.
“Oh no!” Sun Bu-san was also startled. Although the copper bowl was large, facing eight shadows at once was overwhelming, causing it to sway and nearly let the shadows break through. Desperately, Sun Bu-san shouted, “Third Brother, what are you standing there for? Lend a hand!”
Sun Bu-si, with a pained expression, said, “Second Brother, you know my Taoist skills aren’t complete. These ghostly things are all supported by a yin energy, not part of the five elements, I can’t handle them.”
Mei Qing, standing in the middle, watched as the copper bowl spun like the wind, blocking all around. Hearing Sun Bu-si’s words about the ghosts not being part of the five elements, he suddenly had an idea.
Most forbidden arts in the world stem from the five elements, using the principles of generation and restriction to control their operation. For example, to restrict wood, one uses metal energy; to restrict water, one uses earth energy. But the puppet-like creatures before them were clearly crafted from forcibly extracted yin essence, not part of the five elements, making ordinary five-element restriction techniques ineffective against them.
Therefore, most practitioners in the world dislike specializing in the dark arts of puppetry. Once engaged in combat, aside from countering with attacks and breaking through with sheer force, there are few targeted methods.
But the world is full of exceptions. Mei Qing’s cultivation of the Divine Thunder Technique was one such exception. Although thunder restriction also involves the five elements, its foundation lies in the judgment of yin and yang, naturally placing it a level above.
The Thunder Restriction Technique has four levels: sensing energy, knowing the key, fixing the spark, and restricting the stay. Mei Qing had already become quite proficient in the first two levels when his golden core was restricted. Once the restriction on his golden core was lifted, he began practicing the latter two levels, and now the technique of fixing the spark had achieved some success.
Thinking of this, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. He instantly released his consciousness, feeling the yin winds around him, the yang energy blocked, and the five elements still. He urgently followed the Thunder Restriction method, circulating his true essence within, urging the sun and moon to shine together. A purple spark shot towards his golden core, and in an instant, purple energy surged. Where his divine sense went, the monster’s main body was immediately locked.
Although the monster had split into eight, its main body was still one. While the myriad puppets were driven by ghostly energy, the main body required a bit of true yang to control the yin and manifest its powers. This bit of true yang was the foundation of its main body. However, the true yang of its main body jumped unpredictably among the eight avatars, never staying in one place, making it impossible to lock down with ordinary means.
But Mei Qing, with his divine sense knowing the key, didn’t care how it jumped. He simply locked onto the yang energy’s location, then with both hands forming seals—the left hand leading as yang, the right hand pointing down as yin—he crossed and turned his hands, chanting, “Yin and yang divide, thunder generates, restriction acts, fix!”
A purple spark flashed in the courtyard, and the eight monster forms suddenly froze in mid-air, looking extremely bizarre.
Sun Bu-si, seeing this, exclaimed in shock, “Sins, sins, it seems the young benefactor has a way…”
But Mei Qing was inwardly suffering. His Thunder Restriction Technique was still in its infancy, and he had only reached the third level of fixing the spark. Although he could temporarily restrain the monster, he couldn’t fully restrict it. Thus, he poured all his true essence into suppressing the monster’s struggles, with no time to listen to what others were saying.
Seeing his puppets restrained, the person inside the room nearly went mad. With an inhuman scream, a figure burst out of the broken door again, followed by another leaping out.
The first person was quite young, dressed in white, his face pale as if devoid of any blood. Although he was handsome, his expression was ferocious, looking like a fierce ghost under the pale moonlight. As he flew out, he raised his hands, each holding a blood-red long nail, and without hesitation, he stabbed them into his own shoulders. Then, biting his tongue, he spat a drop of blood onto the puppets and shouted, “Break!”
The white hemp ropes on the hands of the eight puppets in the courtyard suddenly turned blood-red, and the puppets let out a piercing wail, waving their hands wildly!
Mei Qing felt his true essence churning wildly within, as if struck by lightning, causing his golden core to tremble. Knowing his cultivation was still shallow and his Thunder Restriction Technique not yet perfected, he couldn’t withstand such a desperate counterattack. If he persisted, he might end up harming himself. Thus, he decisively cut off his divine sense, stopping the Thunder Restriction Technique immediately.
Even so, the momentary shockwave still caused his true essence to fluctuate, and his golden core became slightly unstable, indicating he had suffered some internal damage.
As soon as the Thunder Restriction Technique stopped, the eight puppets regained their vitality, baring their claws and preparing to pounce again.
But in the brief moment Mei Qing had bought, Sun Bu-san had freed himself. With a roar, the copper bowl spun and rose, revealing a tall monk beneath it.
Sun Bu-san, dressed in a bright red kasaya, with nine scars clearly visible on his shaved head, stood tall and imposing like a mountain, exuding an unshakable presence. He roared like a lion, “Om… Ma… Ni…”
As he chanted, the symbols on the copper bowl lit up one by one. Mei Qing now noticed that the symbols were not Taoist but Sanskrit mantras. The bowl’s surface shimmered with light, making Sun Bu-san’s kasaya glow as if a Luohan had descended to earth.
“A monk? You’re from the True Word Sect!?” The white-clad man, seeing a monk appear with such grandeur, immediately paled.
His ghost-driving technique, though troublesome for Taoists, was like ice meeting fire when faced with a Buddhist master.
Buddhist cultivation is mostly about self-preservation rather than subduing enemies. Their methods of subduing demons are far less varied than Taoist techniques, and they are even more inferior when it comes to breaking through defenses. But in terms of creating an impenetrable defense, they far surpass Taoists.
Especially against ghost-driving and other yin-based techniques, they are virtually invincible. The True Word Sect, in particular, uses sound to defeat enemies, making them a natural counter to mass puppet attacks. Judging by Sun Bu-san’s display, a single mantra from him could likely disperse the eight puppets into smoke.
Thus, the white-clad man, seeing Sun Bu-san in his kasaya, was terrified. His myriad puppets were a precious gift from his predecessors, tied to his very life. How could he bear to see them destroyed here? Gritting his teeth, he formed seals with his hands and chanted, “Retreat!”
The two long nails in his shoulders fell with the chant, and the eight puppets in the air merged two by two, eight becoming four, four becoming two, and finally one, which turned and flew back to the white-clad man.
The white-clad man chanted to retract his technique, but the backlash was severe. Although he kept his expression steady, a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
At that moment, the imposing Sun Bu-san stopped his mantra, and the light on the copper bowl suddenly vanished. Behind him, Sun Bu-si, who had been motionless, suddenly raised his hands and chanted in a low voice, “Command!”
At that moment, Sun Buzhan, who had been displaying great power, suddenly stopped chanting his mantra, and the light from the copper bowl vanished as well. Meanwhile, Sun Busi, who had remained inactive behind him, suddenly raised his hands and, in a deep voice, shouted: “Chi!”
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