As Xu Fu’s sorcery gradually unfolded, a portal tore open in the sky. He then shouted at Zhang Liusun, “The gateway is ready—where is the bronze figure?”
Zhang Liusun remained seated, unmoving, and with a single wave of his hand, the bronze figure soared into the air, flying directly into the dark, shadowy portal.
At this moment, black light flickered within the portal, with streams of black and white energy crisscrossing and spiraling within. As soon as the bronze figure entered, a furious shout rang out. The inscriptions covering its body transformed into starlight, scattering into the portal. The figure’s previously stiff limbs began to move, and its body expanded instantly, growing as tall as the portal itself. Its limbs stretched outward, firmly bracing against the four edges of the glowing gateway.
Xu Fu slowly rotated his hands, conjuring one strange talisman after another, which he directed toward the bronze figure. The figure was bathed in radiant light, shining with dazzling brilliance.
The portal in the sky gradually stabilized, its dark interior occasionally shimmering with a faint, hazy glow, like the distant stars.
Xu Fu’s voice, now tinged with fatigue, announced, “The portal is open. Please proceed.”
Mei Qing curiously glanced at the portal above, seeing only darkness. He felt a slight sense of curiosity, wondering what lay beyond. He turned to look at Zhang Liusun, whose expression remained calm and composed. Yet, something about him made Mei Qing feel uneasy, as if something were hidden behind the scenes.
Mei Qing’s mind raced through several thoughts. At this point, everything should have been accounted for. Xu Fu shouldn’t have any reason to oppose him, and although Zhang Liusun coveted the child cauldron inside him, he wouldn’t dare to act recklessly before leaving, risking angering both Mei Qing and Xu Fu. Even if he somehow managed to betray them both, he himself would have no way of escaping this place. Trapped in this dead-end, where would he find someone to help him forge another body?
As for what came after leaving, Mei Qing could only take a gamble. If luck was on his side and his assumptions were correct, Zhang San, Master Ku, and Bi Zhen would be waiting outside, ready to rescue him. If they arrived in time, he would have strong allies, and with Zhang San’s reputation, Zhang Liusun wouldn’t dare to attack him outright. At worst, Mei Qing could hand over the child cauldron—after all, he had already gained much.
Still, Mei Qing glanced again at Zhang Liusun, who remained as calm as ever. A vague sense of unease gnawed at Mei Qing, as if he had forgotten something. But with Xu Fu urging him to move, he pushed the thought aside and proceeded toward the portal.
Mei Qing quickly activated a protective talisman gifted by Zhang San, then urged his spirit crane forward, gliding gracefully into the glowing portal.
At the very moment his body crossed the threshold, Mei Qing noticed Xu Fu’s expression change suddenly. From the corner of his eye, he saw the bronze figure tremble.
Alarmed, Mei Qing poured all his energy into breaking free, but an immense pressure, like a mountain pressing down on him, rendered him completely immobile. His spirit crane let out a mournful cry before reverting to its paper form and vanishing.
At that moment, Mei Qing realized the bronze figure, which had been holding up the portal, had suddenly withdrawn its support. Like a collapsing mountain, it crashed toward Xu Fu. Without the figure’s support, the portal teetered on the brink of collapse. Mei Qing, caught in the middle, was instantly trapped by the overwhelming force.
He felt his bones creak under the pressure. Although protected by Zhang San’s talisman, the energy required to maintain the portal was immense. Without the bronze figure’s support, Mei Qing’s power was far from sufficient. With a few cracking sounds, the talisman shattered.
Panicked, Mei Qing clenched his teeth and, following Zhang Liusun’s teachings, circulated his energy, suppressing his yuan-ying, and forcibly separated the child cauldron from his body.
A wave of excruciating pain surged through him like a thousand knives. Even with his strong spiritual awareness, Mei Qing’s mind swam. Yet, in this moment of life and death, there was no time to hesitate. With a final effort, he channeled his consciousness into the child cauldron he had just separated.
As his spirit entered the cauldron, Mei Qing felt it tremble under the immense pressure. It began to deform and shrink, collapsing inward toward his body.
After that, everything went dark, swallowed by a thick, black mist. Then, he lost consciousness.
Drifting as if on a cloud, Mei Qing felt moments of ease and tension, alternating with heat and cold, passing through endless cycles. He felt fire burn, water drench, saw the vitality of wood, the destruction of metal, and the weight of earth.
Again and again, the cycle repeated, turning into something both familiar and foreign, until he fell into a deep slumber.
“Ahh!” Mei Qing suddenly awoke with an instinctive stretch, only to cry out in pain.
The sound brought a wave of agony from every limb and joint. The pain was unbearable, causing his voice to falter and sweat to pour from his body like rain.
Then, he fainted again.
When he awoke once more, the searing pain had somewhat eased.
“Ah Qing, you’re awake!” A joyful voice reached his ears, distant and muffled. As the voice entered his mind, a sense of familiarity surged through him, and his spiritual awareness stirred.
It was Bi Zhen. As soon as the thought formed, a surge of information erupted in his mind like a volcanic explosion, overwhelming his consciousness like a collapsing mountain range.
Startled, Mei Qing felt his spiritual awareness tossed like a small boat in a raging storm, teetering on the brink of destruction.
Suddenly, a brilliant halo illuminated around him, stabilizing the chaos and gradually restoring order. The halo gently gathered the scattered awareness, calming Mei Qing’s mind, allowing him to sink into a peaceful meditation.
When Mei Qing opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was Bi Zhen’s worried gaze.
“Ah Qing… you big meanie, you finally woke up, huh…” Bi Zhen threw her arms around him, half-hitting, half-crying.
Mei Qing winced at the pain but managed a smile. “Zhen’er… is that really you? I’m fine now. Where am I?”
He turned his head slightly, discovering he was lying in a bed, with Zhang San and Shi Mengzhu by his side. He quickly said, “Master, Mr. Shi, I’m sorry to have worried you all. Is everyone okay…?”
Bi Zhen, still upset, muttered, “Okay? What okay? Why did you have to go in there alone? I was so scared I couldn’t even get in…”
At this, tears streamed from her eyes again. “We waited for days. Master Ku said we should call for help from the sect. Master Tao said to try one more time. When we were about to blast our way in, the stone just exploded on its own…”
Seeing Bi Zhen’s red, swollen eyes and her thin, disheveled appearance, Mei Qing felt a warm surge in his heart. He quietly reached out and took her hand, whispering, “I’m sorry to have worried you and Master.”
Bi Zhen lowered her head, tears flowing more freely. “Now you say that, but next time, don’t go rushing off alone again.”
Mei Qing nodded repeatedly, but his mind was racing. He remembered escaping into the cauldron, but everything afterward was a blur. He quickly asked, “Zhen’er, you said the Qianjin furnace exploded? What happened afterward?”
“After? Well, you came out!” Bi Zhen puffed her cheeks. “We didn’t know exactly when you emerged, but suddenly the Qianjin exploded. I was pulled out by the elders. When we went back to investigate, it seemed the explosion originated from inside. And there you were, lying naked on the ground, sleeping like a baby!”
From Bi Zhen’s words, Mei Qing deduced that Xu Fu had somehow broken the formation, likely due to Zhang Liusun’s treachery, allowing him to escape. But the details remained unclear.
He turned to look at Zhang San, whose face was a mix of concern and mischief. Embarrassed, Mei Qing called out, “Master!”
Zhang San grinned and leaned closer, examining Mei Qing. “My good apprentice, you really had us worried. You sure had quite the adventure, didn’t you? Your little wife here nearly lost her mind. If you hadn’t come out soon, she might have eaten me alive!”
Mei Qing tightened his grip on Bi Zhen’s hand and smiled. “Master, you exaggerate. Zhen’er is very particular about her food. She wouldn’t eat just anything. And besides, your meat is sour and tough. No one would want it.”
“You cheeky brat!” Zhang San rolled his eyes. “As soon as you’re better, you’re already talking back to me? If my meat were tender, would you just boil me up then?”
As the two bantered, Bi Zhen blushed furiously, calling out softly, “Master…” before lowering her head in shyness.
“Alright, alright,” Zhang San said, waving them off. “The kid’s fine now. Let’s not disturb him. He needs to rest and eat something before we talk more. You’ve been watching over him day and night, so go get some rest, girl!”
He turned and left, leaving the two to their quiet moment.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage