The incoming white light was struck away by a pair of hands. Without hesitation, Mei Qing and Hou Shen sprang into action—Mei Qing focused on the zombie, swiftly suppressing its powers, while Hou Shen moved swiftly, his twin daggers plunging into the back of the zombie’s head. With a mighty shout from Hou Shen, the daggers pierced through, pinning the zombie’s skull to the ground.
At the very moment the daggers struck, Mei Qing distinctly felt the various talismanic symbols deep within the zombie’s forehead thrown into chaos by the violent killing aura radiating from the blades. The negative energies from the other two talismans also became disoriented and chaotic. A surge of dark energy wildly surged within the zombie’s body. Mei Qing immediately shouted, “Quick! Get back!”
Hou Shen, ever the sharp one, had already sensed the violent fluctuations the moment his blades pierced the zombie. Upon hearing Mei Qing’s warning, he didn’t hesitate—he yanked the daggers free, then sprang backward with a flick of his toes, soaring like a great bird, instantly retreating to Mei Qing’s side.
No sooner had Hou Shen leapt away than the zombie’s body began to swell like a balloon, its long white hair standing on end like a porcupine. Then came a muffled explosion—the zombie burst apart, sending fragments of flesh and bone flying in all directions, accompanied by a foul black liquid that splattered everywhere.
Luckily, Mei Qing and the others had already prepared themselves and retreated a safe distance, narrowly avoiding the gruesome mess. Everyone exhaled in relief.
“How dare you!” The white light spun back, hovering above them, and suddenly spoke in a voice brimming with suppressed fury. “And, heh—heh, old number four, you’ve come to oppose me too?”
Everyone was startled to hear the white light speak. They suddenly recalled that the earlier cry of “Stop!” had also come from this very light. When they turned to see who had struck it down and prevented it from saving the zombie, they were all stunned.
The hands that had swatted away the white light belonged to Shi Hufa—the very same Shi Hufa who had recently died after having his heart torn out by the zombie.
No one knew when Shi Hufa had risen again, but his chest wound remained as it was—blood had coagulated into black clots under the moonlight, and his entrails were faintly visible. He had already been badly mauled by Yang Jin’s puppet, and now his hands were completely shattered from striking the white light, exposing the white bones beneath.
The corpse of Shi Hufa stood there, eyes rolled back, and spoke in a stiff, mechanical voice. “Oppose you? Master Dian, you’ve cursed the living, turned the dead into zombies, and trapped souls—this violates the natural harmony and damages your own virtue. If I can undo this, it’s for your own good, not malice. Besides, you saw clearly enough—it was only a greeting from me. The real ones who destroyed your zombie were those damned dogs in golden coats. What have I to do with it?”
Upon hearing this, the white light sneered coldly. “We’ll settle this later. But tonight, you’ve gone to such lengths—what is the origin of that inkstone? If I hadn’t sensed the zombie’s disturbance, I wouldn’t have known you were secretly here trying to snatch such a treasure. A few days ago, I heard that there was an inkstone in the Jinyiwei that seemed unusual. Could it be this very one?”
Shi Hufa replied in a flat tone, “Since when has Master Dian taken an interest in inkstones? Are you going to grind cinnabar and draw talismans with it? This item… sigh, to be honest, it was a gift from one of my disciples. Although he has since passed away, I should still cherish this gesture. As for you, Master Dian, your zombie was destroyed by those golden-coated dogs. Surely the great Master Dian won’t just let this go?”
Upon hearing this, the white light flared brilliantly, enveloping Mei Qing and the others in its glow. Just then, a voice suddenly shouted out, “Master Dian, what are you getting so worked up for? You got knocked away by a corpse, and now you’re blaming my men?”
Mei Qing recognized the voice immediately—it was his own Sixth Master. Sun Busan and Sun Busi, who had been bracing themselves for a major confrontation, instantly relaxed, as if everything would be fine now that the Sixth Master had spoken.
The white light wavered for a moment, then sneered, “You old ghost, you always send your little pups to stir up trouble. You know how much effort I put into that zombie. Now it’s all ruined—do you really think you can just leave it at that?”
The Sixth Master spat and said, “Master Dian, I think you’ve lived too long and gone backwards! Justice has its source, and debts have their due. Can’t you tell the difference anymore? We of the Jinyiwei are here to investigate cases. That dead man sent a few little cats and dogs to steal our property—aren’t we allowed to catch thieves? As for why those little thieves ran here with the stolen goods, perhaps you should ask that dead man yourself!”
The white light snorted angrily and growled, “Fine, old ghost. You still protect your little pups like this. Be careful one day you won’t be able to contain the consequences. Regardless, my zombie was destroyed by you. Since that’s the case, this inkstone will serve as compensation. Let your little pups scram!”
The Sixth Master chuckled, “You old Taoist are still as greedy as ever. You think any little thing is worth something. I don’t write, I don’t paint—what’s a broken inkstone worth to me? Busan, Busi, did you hear Master Dian’s words? Hurry up, grab that little thief and get back here!”
Sun Busan and Sun Bisi answered in unison, quickly wrapping up Yang Jin and pulling Mei Qing along as they stepped out of the ancestral hall.
Just then, the white light suddenly pointed at Mei Qing and asked curiously, “Who is this kid? Why does he seem vaguely familiar to me?”
Before Mei Qing could respond, the Sixth Master’s voice rang out with a teasing scold, “Damn you, old cow-nosed Taoist! Do all my men have to report to you personally? His name is Dabao—he used to work in the southern compound. Maybe you saw him at court before—who cares?”
Then he shouted again, “You bunch of idiots, what are you still dawdling for? We’ve got our man—get back here and do what we came for. Are those two monsters so fascinating to look at?”
The white light snorted again, spun around a few times, then said nothing more. Mei Qing knew that the Sixth Master had deliberately cut off the white light’s questioning for a reason, so he simply kept his head down and followed the others out. Once outside, Sun Busan once again activated his talisman technique, swiftly leading the group away without looking back.
Inside his private chamber, the Sixth Master opened his eyes, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and muttered, “Damn, that old Taoist is sharp. He almost figured it out.” He sat in thought for a while, murmuring, “This can’t go on like this. With all the chaos in the capital lately, I must find a way to send him away for a while.”
The white light, referred to by the Sixth Master as Master Dian, slowly circled above the ancestral hall and addressed Shi Hufa’s corpse, “Old number four, that old ghost is gone now. It’s just us two good buddies here—surely you won’t oppose me this time? Heh, heh. After all these years, have you ever beaten me at anything? This time, with Guo Gongye imprisoned and punished, you must be very disappointed, huh? Haha!”
Shi Hufa’s corpse stood motionless for a while before finally speaking, “Master Dian, I know I can’t beat you. But… you won’t get this item either!”
With that, Shi Hufa’s corpse took a stiff step forward and brought his foot down hard on the inkstone lying on the ground.
“You dare!” The white light let out an angry cry, suddenly transforming into a blade of light that slashed toward Shi Hufa’s extended leg.
There was a dull thud. Shi Hufa didn’t even attempt to dodge. The light blade cleanly severed his left leg. The white light, delighted at first, had not yet spoken when the severed leg suddenly melted into a puddle of black liquid, splashing onto the inkstone below.
Shi Hufa’s body swayed and then crashed to the ground, silent forever. On the inkstone, a hissing sound continued—where the black liquid had splashed, the stone began to corrode rapidly, as if melting snow under hot water. In no time, it had eaten a large portion of the inkstone away, and soon completely dissolved it.
The white light let out a piercing shriek, suddenly splitting into dozens of beams that slashed Shi Hufa’s corpse into pieces. Finally, it screamed in fury, “You good-for-nothing number four! Just you wait!”
With that, the light shot out like an arrow, smashing through the window and vanishing in an instant.
Inside the hall, silence fell. Only the faint breeze stirred by the departing light rustled the ashes of the incense still smoldering in the old censer. After a while, the incense burned out, the smoke dissipated, and the hall was utterly still. A single beam of moonlight pierced through the broken window frame, illuminating the shattered floor and scattered dust, as if the place had remained undisturbed for years.
“Tao Zhongwen?” Hou Shen asked in disbelief. “You mean that white light was actually the same Tao Zhenren who holds such power in the court today?”
“It must be him,” Mei Qing replied softly, sipping his tea with a faint air of melancholy. “Who else would dare speak to the Sixth Master in such a tone? And who else would be called ‘Master Dian’?”
“But then… why would he be interested in that inkstone?” Hou Shen asked, puzzled. “He’s so favored by the Emperor—surely if he wanted an inkstone, the Emperor would just give it to him?”
Mei Qing mused, “First, I suspect he was just there by coincidence. He had merely been cultivating the zombie in that courtyard, and the Sixth Master likely knew about it but chose not to provoke him. However, when we destroyed the zombie, Tao Zhongwen sensed it and came out.”
“Second, this inkstone’s transformation probably happened after the fire three years ago. There’s much I still don’t understand. But one thing is certain—it must be connected to Tao Zhongwen and that unseen master.”
Hou Shen asked, “So you mean there’s a third party who truly wants this inkstone?”
Mei Qing nodded. “Precisely. That person must be the one behind Yang Jin, Zheng Jiu, and Shi Hufa—the same one the Sixth Master called ‘the dead ghost’ and Tao Zhongwen referred to as ‘old number four.’”
Hou Shen grew excited. “Then if we investigate Yang Jin, Zheng Jiu, and Shi Hufa’s backgrounds, won’t everything become clear?”
Mei Qing replied with a bitter smile, “It’s not that simple. From what they said, all three were members of the Wenshang Sect, which originated in Yongping. Yang Jin had been hiding among the Zhang family in Yongping after escaping from exile. The Zhangs were old friends of his father’s, a respected family for generations—surely not the kind to be involved in a cult. Moreover, the Wenshang Sect is just a minor local cult. What kind of powerful figure could be behind them, capable of standing on equal footing with the Sixth Master and Tao Zhongwen?”
Hou Shen grinned. “But we captured Yang Jin—didn’t he reveal anything?”
Mei Qing shook his head. “That fellow used secret techniques too often, draining his life force. By the time we brought him back, he could barely speak—just barely alive. Sun Busan tried using magic to stimulate his consciousness, but he only managed to utter three words before passing away.”
“Oh? What were the three words?” Hou Shen asked curiously.
“Qianjin Ye.” Mei Qing frowned. “I’ve already had people check all available records—I can’t find any mention of this ‘Qianjin Ye.’ I don’t even know if it’s a person’s name.”
Hou Shen thought for a moment. “What did the Sixth Master say about it?”
Mei Qing replied helplessly, “He didn’t say anything at all. He just told me to stay home and not go running around. He said he’d have something for me in a few days, and then wouldn’t let me ask anything else—he just kicked me out.”
“Oh,” Hou Shen nodded, then after a pause added, “As for that inkstone… I wonder what secrets it held. Too bad it fell into the enemy’s hands. Sigh… in this matter, we clearly lost this round.”
Mei Qing just smiled faintly. With a flick of his sleeve, a purple inkstone suddenly appeared on the table before them. On its surface were seven eye-like inclusions arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper, gleaming with a strange light.
“The Big Dipper Inkstone…?” Hou Shen’s eyes widened. He stammered, “But you left it in the ancestral hall—how…?”
Mei Qing took another sip of tea, smiling as he said, “Didn’t you say the Jinyiwei also deal in counterfeits? Well, as you can see, the trade of forgeries can be quite promising.”
He gently placed the teacup beside the inkstone. The cool stone, touched by the warmth of the tea, quickly formed a fine mist of droplets across its surface. The seven eye-shaped inclusions grew hazy with condensation.
(Volume One Completed)
This update has been unstable lately. Frustrating.
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Prologue
Zhang Chengming was drunk.
He couldn’t help it—it was his wedding day.
As the groom, in the small but not insignificant town of Yifeng, he was the target of endless teasing and celebration from relatives and old friends. One by one, his smiling friends and relatives approached with cups of wine, and within just a few rounds, his head was spinning. He could only keep pouring the tasteless liquor into his mouth.
When his family saw how things were going, an elderly fourth uncle finally stepped in, scolding the rowdy well-wishers and rescuing the poor groom from further torment.
By then, however, Zhang Chengming was already slurring his words and staggering, unable to tell north from south. But the joy on his face was unmistakable. He grabbed every person who passed by, slurring insistently that he must drink with them again.
Because he was happy.
Of course he was happy—his bride was a renowned beauty for miles around.
Her maiden name was Qiao Niang, the youngest daughter of the wealthy Cai family.
Cai Qiao Niang was not only stunningly beautiful, but also gentle and refined in temperament. Though her father was merely a local rich man, Qiao Niang had been educated from childhood, skilled in writing and calligraphy. She was also exceptionally talented in embroidery and needlework.
If the Zhang family hadn’t been a respected and virtuous household for generations, and if Zhang Chengming himself hadn’t been the most promising young man among the Zhangs, how could he have ever won the honor of marrying Qiao Niang?
Just thinking of Qiao Niang’s delicate face, her soft hands, and her gentle voice made Zhang Chengming’s heart race.
It was only this past Lantern Festival that he had managed, after much effort and many sweet words, to steal a secret meeting with Qiao Niang on the night of the lanterns, when she was still his fiancée.
Though their meeting had been brief, and even holding hands had left him trembling with fear, it had been enough to make him smile foolishly for half a year whenever he thought of it.
Today, he had finally reached this day. Zhang Chengming’s face once again broke into that familiar silly grin.
The guests, seeing this, either laughed and scolded him for being lovesick, envied him for “getting such a pretty girl,” or took the opportunity to raise their cups again in teasing. The hall was a noisy, joyous mess.
When the maids finally took their payment and shut the door, leaving Zhang Chengming alone with his bride in the bridal chamber, his heart nearly stopped beating.
He saw Qiao Niang sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, her face hidden beneath the red veil.
He saw the shy smile beneath the veil, like a blooming lotus.
He saw her gently stop his hands as he tried to undress her, whispering softly for him to extinguish the lamp first.
Then he saw nothing at all.
It was as if he had suddenly fallen asleep.
Something deeply unsettling stirred in his mind. With all his strength, Zhang Chengming forced himself awake. He felt as if his limbs were pinned beneath a mountain, unable to move. His mouth was dry as if it would burst into flames, but when he tried to call for water, he couldn’t make a sound.
Then he heard strange sounds around him and began to wonder where he was.
“Where am I? What’s happened to me? Ah… wasn’t today supposed to be…” He suddenly remembered—it was supposed to be their wedding night. Where was Qiao Niang? What were those sounds beside him?
With great effort, he rolled his eyes, trying to see by the moonlight filtering through the bed curtains—and what he saw was beyond belief.
Beside him lay a young girl’s naked body, pale as lamb’s wool, her long white legs raised high, her slender waist twisting and writhing as she let out soft moans and gasps.
Her face was flushed, her delicate brows furrowed in what seemed both pain and pleasure—there was no mistaking it—this was his beloved bride, Qiao Niang!
Zhang Chengming’s breath caught in his throat. The sight before him was too much to bear. He forced his eyes wide open, hoping it was just a nightmare. But no matter how hard he tried, the scene before him remained unchanged—too real to be anything but reality. Qiao Niang’s hands reached out, seemingly embracing something invisible, her body moving in a shamelessly wanton posture, accepting an unknown force’s relentless thrusts. Yet there was nothing on top of her—only empty space, as if she were responding to an imagined presence.
Shock… anger… fear… sorrow… a flood of complex emotions surged through Zhang Chengming’s heart. His heartbeat seemed to exceed its limits, his chest filled with a chaotic storm of emotions, as if it might burst apart.
With all his strength, he struggled against the invisible chains binding him. Overcome with rage, his vision darkened, and he felt a sweet, salty liquid surge from his mouth.
“Ahhhh!” A piercing scream echoed across the Zhang family estate.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage