“Please rest assured, Master and Mistress. The young master is now out of danger. He just needs to rest quietly for three to five days and he will naturally recover completely,” a man’s voice was heard saying from the back hall.
“In that case, we are deeply grateful to you, sir. Another banquet shall be arranged later to properly thank you for your great kindness,” a woman’s delicate voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a rough, hearty voice replied. “Why wait for another day? Why not tonight? I shall have my people prepare a feast right away so that we may drink heartily together, sir.”
“Master—-,” the woman’s voice, which had spoken earlier, responded with a tone of gentle reprimand, “Master Qi is our honored guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders another day to accompany him properly. Master, you mustn’t use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmmmm—-,” the hearty voice hesitated slightly, then spoke in a more conciliatory tone, “My dear wife, you know I have abstained from alcohol for over half a month now—-“
“Master and Mistress,” the man’s voice interrupted, “I have always been unaccustomed to feasts and banquets, preferring simple meals instead. Besides, healing the sick and saving lives is merely the duty of a physician. There is no need to mention any gratitude banquet. It is getting late, and I must take my rest now,” he said.
Mei Qing, listening outside the house, was even more astonished. He hadn’t expected that this yellow-faced man would not only transform his identity overnight into that of a physician but also genuinely cure the young master’s illness. Thinking further, Mei Qing speculated whether this fellow might have ulterior motives, perhaps using the guise of treatment as a cover for some sinister plot, or even having caused the young master’s illness in the first place as a pretext to carry out some scheme.
Mei Qing pondered for a while but did not act hastily. Instead, he kept his distance and observed as a burly man with a heavy beard escorted the yellow-faced man out, then ordered a servant girl to accompany the man to a side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed the pair from a distance, passing through the moon-shaped gate into the side courtyard. He noticed that although this secondary courtyard was small, it was very tidy and well-kept. The guest room where the yellow-faced man was to stay was at the far end of the courtyard. Though there was no artificial pond, the space was filled with elm and willow trees, creating a rather secluded and peaceful atmosphere.
The servant girl escorted the yellow-faced man into the room and then quietly closed the door behind him. Mei Qing approached quietly and hid himself by the window. Just at that moment, he suddenly heard the door creak open, and the servant girl emerged with a look of both shame and anger on her face. Without looking back, she walked away, muttering to herself, “Looks like some kind of plague-carrying god. Who on earth would take a fancy to you! If it weren’t for Master’s orders to serve you, who in their right mind would get close to you! And yet, without me even saying anything, you put on this act of being a noble gentleman! Looking all mysterious and suspicious, you don’t seem like a decent sort at all. Don’t even know what you really are!” she continued grumbling as she walked away.
Mei Qing observed that although the servant girl’s facial features were quite ordinary, her figure was alluring and seductive, making her quite a temptress. That the yellow-faced man had rejected her so decisively was quite unexpected to Mei Qing.
After much contemplation, Mei Qing was about to leave when suddenly he sensed a ripple of spiritual energy emanating from the man’s room. A chilling, sinister aura spread out, and he faintly heard the man exclaim in surprise. Startled, Mei Qing didn’t know what had happened, so he extended his spiritual awareness to quietly investigate the situation inside the room. As his awareness entered the room, he was shocked to see the yellow-faced man sitting cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had previously seen taken from a tomb placed in front of him.
The small cauldron, made of some unknown material, was entirely black and lusterless. The last time Mei Qing had seen it, it had seemed quite unremarkable. But now, for some unknown reason, dark purple rays of light were swirling around its surface, and sinister energy was continuously radiating from it.
The yellow-faced man was sweating profusely, both hands forming strange mudras as he struggled to suppress the evil energy rising from the cauldron. At that very moment, Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness passed through the window, colliding with both the sinister energy and the man’s magical gestures.
The evil energy had already been difficult for the yellow-faced man to contain, and was just about to erupt violently, when it suddenly encountered Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness. Like it had been drawn by some force, it shot straight toward Mei Qing outside the window with a “whoosh.”
Inside the room, the yellow-faced man was already feeling desperate when this unexpected change occurred, causing him to exclaim in alarm. He then noticed someone peering in from outside the window, and a mixture of shock and anger surged within him as he silently cursed his own carelessness. Seeing that the sinister energy from the cauldron had inexplicably turned its attention toward the figure outside the window, he felt a sudden relief. With a sharp cry, he raised his hand and released a pale green bracelet.
As soon as the bracelet appeared, it emitted a brilliant green glow, filling the room with emerald light. With a few quick hand movements, the man’s body transformed into a wisp of green smoke that attached itself to the bracelet. In an instant, it became a streak of green light. With a shout of “Hurry!” it burst through the window, releasing a cascade of green light directly toward Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was utterly stunned. He had only intended to observe and find out what was going on. He had never expected that the sinister energy within the cauldron, which had been gaining the upper hand in its struggle against the yellow-faced man, would detect his spiritual awareness so acutely. Even more surprisingly, it had abandoned its fight with the yellow-faced man altogether and rushed toward him as if he were its sworn enemy.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is now out of danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will recover fully,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“Thank you so much, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our gratitude,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait? Let us arrange a feast tonight and drink to our heart’s content with the gentleman.”
“Master—” the woman’s voice chided gently, “Mr. Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, softening, “Madam, you know I’ve abstained from alcohol for over half a month now—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to drinking. I prefer a simple diet. Moreover, healing the sick is my duty as a physician. Let us not speak of a banquet. As the evening approaches, I must retire to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Mei Qing, listening outside, was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had also successfully cured the young master’s illness. A thought crossed his mind—could this man have ulterior motives? Perhaps he had orchestrated the illness himself, using the guise of treatment to carry out some sinister plot? Mei Qing pondered but refrained from acting rashly. He observed from a distance as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out, instructing a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them discreetly, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest but impeccably clean. The man’s guest room was at the far end, surrounded by elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the man into his room and closed the door. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding by the window. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She muttered under her breath as she walked away, “Ugly as a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master’s orders, I wouldn’t have come near you! You put on airs, acting all righteous and mysterious. Who knows what kind of creature you are!” She stormed off, cursing.
Mei Qing noted that while the maid’s features were plain, her figure was alluring. The sallow-faced man, however, was an enigma. Mei Qing couldn’t fathom why he would reject such a woman.
As Mei Qing contemplated leaving, he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from the man’s room. A chilling, malevolent aura filled the air, and he heard the man exclaim in surprise. Alarmed, Mei Qing extended his spiritual senses to investigate. To his shock, he saw the man seated cross-legged on the bed, a small cauldron placed before him—the same cauldron he had seen in the tomb.
The cauldron, made of an unknown material, was pitch black and dull. Previously, it had seemed ordinary, but now, dark purple light swirled around it, emitting waves of sinister energy.
The man was drenched in sweat, his hands forming seals as he struggled to suppress the malevolent energy emanating from the cauldron. Just then, Mei Qing’s spiritual senses entered through the window, clashing with the evil energy and the man’s seals.
The malevolent energy, already on the verge of breaking free, suddenly surged towards Mei Qing, drawn by his presence. The man, startled by this unexpected turn of events, realized someone was spying through the window. Furious at his own carelessness, he noticed the evil energy shifting towards the intruder, relieving some of his pressure. With a sharp cry, he released a green bracelet.
The bracelet glowed brightly, filling the room with green light. The man’s body seemed to merge with the bracelet, transforming into a streak of green light that shot through the window, aiming directly at Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was stunned. He had only intended to observe, but the evil energy had detected his presence and turned its full force against him. The chilling cold of the malevolent energy froze him in place, and he hastily summoned a protective talisman.
The talisman’s barrier flickered under the combined assault of the evil energy and the man’s spell. Mei Qing realized he was outmatched. He had come unprepared, and now his lack of experience was showing.
Regretting his earlier complacency, Mei Qing decided to act. He reversed the talisman’s energy, disrupting the surrounding elements to create an opening for his escape. With a loud crack, the talisman’s barrier shattered, and Mei Qing’s form twisted and distorted in the chaotic light.
As the malevolent energy closed in and the man’s spell descended, Mei Qing completed his incantation and activated his escape technique. He felt himself merging with the earth, disappearing into the ground in a flash of light.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed his spell, watched in disbelief as Mei Qing vanished into the earth. He gasped, “Earth… Earth Escape!”
Another cry of surprise echoed from the room—this time, it was Mei Qing’s voice.
A series of faint, creaking sounds filled the air as the faint Vajra shield formed by the talisman was quickly overwhelmed, appearing on the verge of collapse. Seeing this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but feel anxious.
Originally, he had entered the scene in secret, and this was merely an ordinary civilian residence, so he hadn’t made many protective preparations. Now, when faced with an emergency, his lack of experience was clearly exposed.
At this moment, Mei Qing couldn’t help but regret his recent focus solely on drawing first-grade talismans, with little effort put into crafting talismans of the second grade or higher. Now, he only had a few leftover talismans from his earliest attempts. If he had known this would happen, he should have prepared more talismans as spares before coming here.
Just as Mei Qing was filled with regret, he suddenly heard a furious shout from inside the house, followed by a streak of green light bursting through the window. As soon as it exited the window, it was like a cluster of cold stars suddenly exploding, spreading into a sky full of glowing mist that poured down on him like a deluge.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is no longer in any danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will naturally recover to his former health,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“Thank you so much, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our gratitude for your great kindness,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a gruff voice chimed in. “Why wait for another day? Let us arrange a feast tonight and drink heartily with the gentleman, what say you?”
“Master—” the woman’s voice returned, tinged with reproach. “Sir Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the gruff voice hesitated slightly, softening in tone. “Madam, you see, I have abstained from alcohol for over half a month now—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to drinking or feasting, as I prefer a simple diet. Moreover, healing and saving lives are the duties of a physician. Let us not speak of a banquet. As the evening approaches, I must retire to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Listening from outside, Mei Qing was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had also genuinely cured the young master’s illness. However, Mei Qing couldn’t help but wonder if the man harbored ill intentions, perhaps using the treatment as a guise for some nefarious scheme, or if he had tampered with the young master’s condition to orchestrate a plot. Mei Qing pondered but refrained from acting rashly, instead observing from a distance as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out and instructed a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them discreetly, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest in size but impeccably maintained. The man’s guest room was located at the far end of the yard. Though there was no artificial pond, the area was lush with elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into his room and closed the door. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding by the window. Just then, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She stormed off without looking back, muttering, “You look like a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master’s orders, I wouldn’t have gone near you! I didn’t say a word, and you put on airs like a righteous gentleman! You seem so mysterious, like some shady character. Who knows what you really are!” She continued cursing as she left.
Mei Qing noted that while the maid’s features were ordinary, her figure was alluring, making her quite a catch. He was surprised that the sallow-faced man had rejected her advances, which was beyond his expectations.
After much deliberation, Mei Qing was about to leave when he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from the man’s room. A chilling, sinister aura emanated, and he faintly heard the man exclaim in surprise. Startled, Mei Qing quickly extended his spiritual senses to investigate. Upon doing so, he was shocked to see the man seated cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had retrieved from the tomb placed before him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown material, was pitch black and devoid of luster. Previously, it had seemed unremarkable, but now, dark purple light swirled around it, and waves of malevolent energy radiated from its surface.
The sallow-faced man was drenched in sweat, his hands forming seals as he struggled to suppress the rising evil energy from the cauldron. Just then, Mei Qing’s spiritual senses penetrated the window, clashing with the evil energy and the man’s seals.
The evil energy, already on the verge of breaking free, suddenly shifted its focus, drawn towards Mei Qing outside the window. It surged towards him with a whoosh.
The man, who had been in distress, was startled by this sudden turn of events. He let out a cry of surprise, realizing that someone was spying from outside. Furious at his own carelessness, he noticed that the evil energy had redirected itself towards the intruder, relieving some of his pressure. With a sharp cry, he released a green bracelet.
The bracelet emitted a brilliant green light, illuminating the room. The man’s hands moved swiftly, and his body seemed to merge with the bracelet, transforming into a streak of green light. With a shout of “Go!”, he burst through the window, casting a green glow that enveloped Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was dumbfounded. He had only intended to investigate, but the evil energy from the cauldron, which had been gaining the upper hand against the man, had detected his spiritual senses and turned its attention towards him as if he were a sworn enemy.
As the evil energy approached, Mei Qing felt an icy chill that froze his entire body. Terrified, he quickly summoned a protective talisman, the Diamond Talisman, which formed a faint golden shield around him.
The shield creaked under the pressure, on the verge of collapsing. Mei Qing cursed his luck. He had entered the house invisibly, assuming it was just an ordinary residence, and hadn’t prepared much in the way of defenses. Now, faced with this emergency, his lack of experience was evident.
Regretting his earlier negligence, Mei Qing realized he had focused too much on creating low-level talismans and hadn’t prepared higher-level ones. The few he had were his earliest attempts. He wished he had brought more.
Just as Mei Qing was lamenting his oversight, he heard a furious shout from inside the room, followed by a burst of green light that shattered the window. The light exploded into a mist of cold stars, raining down on him.
“Restriction Art!” Mei Qing, well-versed in restriction techniques, recognized the mist immediately. The cold stars were a facade, masking the underlying manipulation of the five elements. The mist’s restrictive power was already disrupting the surrounding elemental forces, further weakening his Diamond Talisman.
“Metal and Earth, return to origin! Sever!” Seeing the dire situation, Mei Qing knew he couldn’t hesitate. He reversed the Diamond Talisman, silently reciting an escape incantation, preparing to flee.
The Diamond Talisman, which drew upon the metal and earth elements, was a stable, well-established talisman. However, under the combined assault of the evil energy and the man’s restriction art, it was on the brink of collapse.
The restriction art targeted all five elements, and since the Diamond Talisman was based on metal and earth, it was doomed to fail. The evil energy, likely a manifestation of death, was beyond the five elements and unaffected by the restriction. If the talisman failed, Mei Qing would be defenseless against the evil energy.
Thinking quickly, Mei Qing decided to disrupt the five elements himself, creating chaos to buy time for his escape.
With a loud “Bang!”, the golden aura of the Diamond Talisman burst, creating a swirling vortex of light around Mei Qing. His figure, previously obscured by the aura, now twisted and distorted in the chaotic light.
Mei Qing, having already prepared the necessary hand seals, finished his incantation. As the five elements around him became disordered, the icy evil energy closing in, and the cold stars of the restriction art descending with a faint roar, he felt the immense restrictive power draining the elemental energy above him.
“Escape!” With a gesture, Mei Qing felt his body merge with the earth, disappearing into the ground. He traveled an unknown distance, only emerging when his spiritual energy was nearly depleted.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed his restriction art, noticed the intruder had detonated his protective talisman, seemingly preparing for a fight. He smirked, readying another magical tool to deal with the intruder.
To his surprise, the intruder was bluffing. As soon as the protective talisman burst, the intruder vanished into the earth with a “Whoosh!”, leaving no trace.
“Five… Element… Escape…!” The sallow-faced man gasped, unable to contain his shock.
Another gasp followed, this time from inside the room. To everyone’s astonishment, it was Mei Qing, who had just escaped, who had uttered it.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is no longer in any danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will naturally recover to his former health,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“Thank you so much, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our gratitude for your great kindness,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait for another day? How about tonight? I’ll have the servants prepare a feast, and we can drink to our heart’s content with the sir.”
“Master—” the woman’s voice complained, “Sir Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him on another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, softening his tone. “Madam, you see, I’ve abstained from alcohol for over half a month now—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to drinking or feasting, as I prefer a simple diet. Moreover, healing and saving lives are the duties of a physician. Let us not mention the banquet. As the evening approaches, I must retire to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Mei Qing, listening outside the house, was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had also genuinely cured the young master’s illness. However, a thought crossed his mind—could this man have ulterior motives? Perhaps he had orchestrated the illness to carry out some sinister plan. Mei Qing pondered but decided not to act rashly. Instead, he kept his distance, observing as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out and instructed a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them from afar, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest but impeccably clean. The man’s guest room was located at the far end of the yard. Though there was no artificial pond, the area was shaded by elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into the room and closed the door. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding outside the window. Just then, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She muttered under her breath as she walked away, “You look like a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the Master’s orders, I wouldn’t have come near you! You act all high and mighty, pretending to be a gentleman. You seem so mysterious, like you’re up to no good. Who knows what you really are!”
Mei Qing noticed that although the maid’s features were ordinary, her figure was alluring. He was surprised that the sallow-faced man had rejected her advances, which was beyond his expectations.
After much deliberation, Mei Qing was about to leave when he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from the man’s room. A chilling, ominous aura emanated, and he faintly heard the man exclaim in surprise. Startled, Mei Qing quickly extended his spiritual senses to investigate the situation inside the room. To his shock, he saw the man sitting cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had seen in the tomb placed before him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown material, was pitch black and devoid of luster. When Mei Qing had seen it before, it had seemed unremarkable, but now, dark purple light swirled around it, and waves of malevolent energy radiated from its surface.
The sallow-faced man was drenched in sweat, his hands forming seals as he struggled to suppress the rising evil energy from the cauldron. Just then, Mei Qing’s spiritual senses penetrated the window, clashing with the evil energy and the man’s seals.
The evil energy, already on the verge of breaking free, suddenly shifted its focus, drawn toward Mei Qing’s spiritual presence. It surged toward him like a predator spotting its prey.
The man inside the room, already in distress, gasped in surprise upon noticing the intrusion. He realized someone was spying from outside and cursed his carelessness. Seeing the evil energy redirecting toward the intruder, he seized the opportunity, releasing a green bracelet that emitted a brilliant light, illuminating the room.
The man’s body seemed to merge with the bracelet, transforming into a streak of green light that shot through the window, aiming directly at Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was stunned. He had only intended to investigate, but the evil energy had detected his presence and abandoned its struggle with the man, attacking him instead.
As the evil energy approached, Mei Qing felt an icy chill that froze his body. Panicking, he quickly summoned a protective talisman, but the barrier it created was already on the verge of collapse.
Mei Qing regretted not preparing more advanced talismans. He had focused on basic ones and now found himself ill-equipped for this emergency.
Just as he was about to give up, he heard a sharp cry from inside the room, followed by a burst of green light shooting through the window. The light expanded into a mist of stars, descending upon him.
“Restriction Art!” Mei Qing recognized the technique immediately. The stars were imbued with the power of the five elements, and their energy was already disrupting the surrounding forces. His protective talisman was on the brink of shattering.
Knowing he couldn’t hold out any longer, Mei Qing reversed the talisman’s energy, preparing to escape. The talisman’s golden aura exploded, creating a chaotic swirl of light around him.
With a swift hand seal, Mei Qing activated an earth escape technique, vanishing into the ground just as the evil energy and the restriction art closed in.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed his restriction art, was shocked to see the intruder explode his protective talisman and then vanish into the earth.
“Earth Escape Technique!” the man exclaimed, unable to hide his astonishment.
Another cry of surprise echoed from inside the room—this time, it was Mei Qing’s voice.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is now out of danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will recover fully,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“Thank you so much, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our gratitude,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait? Let us arrange a feast tonight and drink to our heart’s content with the gentleman.”
“Master—” the woman’s voice chided gently, “Mr. Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him another day. Please, do not use this as an excuse to drink again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, softening in tone. “My dear, I have abstained from alcohol for over half a month now—”
“Master and Madam, I am not accustomed to drinking and prefer a simple diet. Moreover, healing the sick is my duty as a physician. Let us not speak of the banquet. As the evening approaches, I must retire to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Listening from outside, Mei Qing was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had genuinely cured the young master’s illness. However, Mei Qing couldn’t help but wonder if the man harbored ulterior motives—perhaps he had orchestrated the illness himself to carry out some sinister plot. Mei Qing hesitated but decided to observe from a distance as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out, instructing a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them discreetly, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest but impeccably clean. The man’s guest room was at the far end, surrounded by elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into his room and closed the door. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding by the window. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She muttered under her breath, “You look like a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master’s orders, I wouldn’t have come near you! You act all high and mighty, but who knows what you really are!” She stormed off, still grumbling.
Mei Qing noted that the maid, though not particularly striking, had a seductive figure. He was surprised that the sallow-faced man had rejected her advances.
As Mei Qing pondered whether to leave, he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from the man’s room. A chilling, sinister aura filled the air, and he heard the man exclaim in surprise. Alarmed, Mei Qing extended his spiritual senses to investigate. To his shock, he saw the man seated cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had seen in the tomb placed before him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown black material, now emitted dark purple light, exuding an evil aura. The man, drenched in sweat, was using hand seals to suppress the malevolent energy emanating from the cauldron. Just as Mei Qing’s spiritual senses entered the room, they clashed with the evil energy and the man’s seals.
The evil energy, already on the verge of breaking free, suddenly surged toward Mei Qing as if drawn to him. The man, realizing someone was spying, let out a cry of alarm. He quickly released a green bracelet, which emitted a brilliant light, enveloping the room. The man transformed into a wisp of green smoke, merging with the bracelet, and shot out the window, aiming directly at Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was stunned. He had only intended to investigate, but the evil energy from the cauldron had detected his presence and abandoned its struggle with the man to attack him instead. The chilling energy froze him in place, and he hastily summoned a protective talisman, but it was quickly overwhelmed.
Realizing the danger, Mei Qing decided to flee. He reversed the talisman’s energy, creating chaos in the surrounding elements, and prepared to use an escape technique. As the talisman exploded, creating a whirlwind of light, Mei Qing’s form became distorted and ghostly.
With a final incantation, Mei Qing activated his escape technique, merging with the earth and disappearing into the ground. He traveled a great distance before resurfacing, exhausted.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed his technique, was shocked to see Mei Qing’s protective talisman explode and then vanish into the earth. He gasped, “Earth escape technique!”
Another gasp came from inside the room—it was Mei Qing’s voice.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is no longer in any danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will naturally recover as before,” came the voice of the man from the inner hall.
“Then we are deeply grateful to you, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our thanks for your great kindness,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait for another day? How about tonight? I’ll have the servants prepare a feast, and we can drink to our heart’s content with the gentleman.”
“Master—” the woman’s voice chided gently, “Mr. Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, softening in tone. “Madam, you see, I’ve abstained from drinking for over half a month now—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to drinking or feasting, as I prefer a simple diet. Moreover, healing and saving lives are the duties of a physician. Let us not speak of the banquet. As the evening approaches, I must retire to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Listening from outside, Mei Qing was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had also genuinely cured the young master of the household. However, a thought crossed his mind—could this man have ulterior motives? Perhaps he had orchestrated the illness himself, using the guise of treatment to carry out some sinister scheme. Mei Qing pondered this but refrained from acting rashly. Instead, he kept his distance, observing as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out and instructed a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them from afar, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest in size but impeccably tidy. The man’s guest room was located at the far end of the courtyard. Though there was no artificial pond, the area was lush with elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into his room and closed the door behind him. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding by the window. Just then, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She stormed off without looking back, muttering under her breath, “You look like a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master’s orders, I wouldn’t have gone near you! I didn’t say a word, and you had the nerve to act all high and mighty, pretending to be a gentleman! You seem so mysterious, like you’re up to no good. Who knows what you really are!” She continued to curse as she walked away.
Mei Qing noticed that although the maid’s features were ordinary, her figure was alluring, making her quite a beauty. He was surprised that the sallow-faced man had rejected her advances, which was unexpected.
After much deliberation, Mei Qing was about to leave when he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from the man’s room. A chilling, malevolent aura emanated from within, and he faintly heard the man exclaim in surprise. Startled, Mei Qing quickly extended his spiritual senses to investigate the situation inside the room. To his shock, he saw the man sitting cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had seen in the tomb placed before him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown material, was pitch black and devoid of luster. When Mei Qing had seen it before, it had seemed unremarkable, but now, for some reason, dark purple light swirled around its surface, and waves of evil energy radiated from it.
The sallow-faced man was sweating profusely, his hands forming seals as he struggled to suppress the malevolent energy within the cauldron. Just as Mei Qing’s spiritual senses penetrated the window, they clashed with the evil energy and the man’s seals.
The evil energy, which had been on the verge of breaking free, suddenly seemed to be drawn toward Mei Qing’s spiritual senses, rushing toward him like a gust of wind.
The man inside the room, who had been in distress, was startled by this sudden turn of events. He let out a cry of surprise, realizing that someone was spying on him from outside. Filled with a mix of anger and regret for his carelessness, he noticed that the evil energy from the cauldron was now entirely focused on the person outside. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly summoned a greenish bracelet.
The bracelet emitted a brilliant green light, illuminating the room. The man’s hands moved swiftly, and his body seemed to merge with the bracelet, transforming into a streak of green light. With a shout of “Go!”, he burst through the window, casting a green glow that enveloped Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was dumbfounded. He had only intended to investigate, but the evil energy from the cauldron, which had been gaining the upper hand in its struggle with the man, had detected his spiritual senses and immediately abandoned its fight to attack him instead.
As the evil energy approached, Mei Qing felt an icy, bone-chilling cold that paralyzed him. Panicking, he quickly summoned a protective talisman, the Diamond Talisman, which formed a faint golden shield around him.
The shield creaked and groaned under the pressure, on the verge of collapsing. Mei Qing cursed his lack of preparation. He had been focused on creating lower-level talismans and had neglected to prepare higher-level ones. Now, he was paying the price.
Just as Mei Qing was regretting his oversight, he heard a furious shout from inside the room, followed by a burst of green light that shattered the window. The light exploded into a cloud of shimmering mist, descending upon him.
“Restriction Art!” Mei Qing recognized the technique immediately. The seemingly harmless mist was actually a powerful restriction that disrupted the surrounding elemental energies. His Diamond Talisman, already under strain, was now on the brink of collapse.
“Metal and Earth, transform! Five Elements, return to origin! Sever!” Realizing the dire situation, Mei Qing knew he had no choice but to reverse the Diamond Talisman’s energy and prepare to escape.
The Diamond Talisman, which drew on the energies of metal and earth, was a stable and well-established talisman. However, under the combined assault of the evil energy and the restriction art, it was no match. Mei Qing decided to disrupt the elemental energies around him, creating a brief window to activate his escape technique.
With a loud “Bang!”, the golden shield around Mei Qing exploded, creating a swirling vortex of light. His figure, already blurred within the shield, became even more distorted.
Mei Qing, who had already prepared the necessary hand seals, completed the incantation just as the evil energy was about to engulf him and the restriction art’s power was about to take effect.
“Escape!” With a swift motion, Mei Qing felt his body merge with the earth, and he vanished into the ground, traveling an unknown distance before emerging, exhausted, far from the scene.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed his restriction art, noticed that the intruder had detonated his protective talisman, seemingly preparing for a counterattack. He smirked, holding another magical tool in his hand, ready to deal with the intruder.
To his astonishment, the intruder had feigned an attack only to vanish into the earth using the Five Elements Escape Technique.
“Five… Elements… Escape…!” The sallow-faced man gasped, unable to hide his shock.
Another gasp came from inside the room, this time from Mei Qing, who had just escaped.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is now out of danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will recover fully,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“Thank you so much, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our gratitude,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait for another day? Let us arrange a feast tonight and drink to our heart’s content with the gentleman.”
“Master—” the woman’s voice chided gently, “Mr. Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him on another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, then softened, “Madam, you see, I have abstained from alcohol for over half a month—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to drinking and prefer a light diet. Moreover, healing and saving lives are the duties of a physician. There is no need to mention the banquet. As the evening approaches, I must retire for the night,” the man’s voice concluded.
Mei Qing, listening from outside, was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had also successfully cured the young master’s illness. A thought crossed his mind—could this man have ulterior motives? Perhaps he had orchestrated the illness to carry out some sinister plan? Mei Qing pondered but decided not to act rashly. He stayed at a distance, observing as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out and instructed a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them discreetly, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest but impeccably clean. The man’s guest room was located at the far end, surrounded by elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into his room and closed the door. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding outside the window. Just then, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She muttered as she walked away, “Ugly as a plague god! Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master’s orders, I wouldn’t have come near you! You act all high and mighty, but who knows what you really are? Mysterious and suspicious, you’re no good, I’m sure!”
Mei Qing noted that while the maid’s features were ordinary, her figure was alluring. He was surprised that the sallow-faced man had rejected her advances, which was unexpected.
As he contemplated leaving, Mei Qing suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from the man’s room. A chilling, ominous aura emanated, and he faintly heard the man exclaim in surprise. Alarmed, Mei Qing extended his spiritual senses to investigate. To his shock, he saw the man seated cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had seen in the tomb placed before him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown black material, was now emitting dark purple light and exuding a sinister aura. The man was sweating profusely, forming hand seals to suppress the malevolent energy within the cauldron. Just as Mei Qing’s spiritual senses entered through the window, they clashed with the evil energy and the man’s seals.
The evil energy, already struggling against the man’s suppression, suddenly surged toward Mei Qing as if drawn to him. The man, startled by this unexpected turn of events, realized someone was spying outside the window. Furious at his own carelessness, he noticed the evil energy was now targeting the intruder, relieving some of his pressure. He quickly summoned a green bracelet, which emitted a brilliant light, illuminating the room. The man transformed into a wisp of green smoke, merging with the bracelet, and shot out the window, aiming to capture Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was stunned. He had only intended to observe, but the evil energy had detected his presence and abandoned its struggle with the man to attack him instead. The chilling aura froze him in place, and he hastily activated a protective talisman, which barely held against the onslaught.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mei Qing decided to flee. He reversed the talisman’s energy, disrupting the surrounding elements, and prepared to escape using a teleportation technique. As the protective barrier shattered, he vanished into the earth, reappearing far away only when his energy was nearly depleted.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed his spell, was shocked to see Mei Qing escape using earth teleportation. He gasped in disbelief, covering his mouth with his hand.
Another gasp came from inside the room—this time, it was Mei Qing’s voice.
Therefore, with lightning-fast thinking, Mei Qing decisively abandoned his protective talisman formation. He reversed the flow of the five elements, creating a momentary disruption that would allow him to quickly perform an escape technique.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is now out of danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will recover fully,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“Thank you so much, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our gratitude,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait for another day? Let us arrange a feast tonight and drink to our heart’s content with the gentleman.”
“Master—” the woman’s voice chided gently, “Mr. Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, softening his tone. “Madam, you see, I have abstained from alcohol for over half a month now—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to drinking and prefer a simple diet. Moreover, healing and saving lives are the duties of a physician. Let us not speak of the banquet. As the evening approaches, I must retire to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Mei Qing, listening from outside, was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had also successfully cured the young master’s illness. However, a thought crossed his mind—could this man have ulterior motives? Perhaps he had orchestrated the illness to carry out some sinister plan. Mei Qing pondered but refrained from acting rashly. Instead, he observed from a distance as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out and instructed a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them discreetly, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest but impeccably clean. The man’s guest room was located at the far end, surrounded by elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into his room and closed the door. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding by the window. Just then, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She muttered as she walked away, “You look like a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master’s orders, I wouldn’t have come near you! You put on airs, acting all righteous and mysterious. Who knows what you really are!” She continued her tirade as she left.
Mei Qing noticed that although the maid’s features were ordinary, her figure was alluring. He was surprised that the sallow-faced man had rejected her advances, which was beyond his expectations.
As Mei Qing contemplated leaving, he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from the man’s room. A chilling, ominous aura emanated, and he faintly heard the man exclaim in surprise. Startled, Mei Qing quickly extended his spiritual senses to investigate. To his shock, he saw the man sitting cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had seen in the tomb placed before him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown material, was pitch black and devoid of luster. Previously, it had seemed unremarkable, but now, dark purple light swirled around it, and waves of malevolent energy radiated from its surface.
The sallow-faced man was drenched in sweat, his hands forming seals as he struggled to suppress the rising evil energy. Just then, Mei Qing’s spiritual senses entered through the window, clashing with the evil energy and the man’s seals.
The evil energy, already on the verge of breaking free, suddenly shifted its focus, drawn to Mei Qing’s presence. It surged towards him with a whoosh.
The man, who had been struggling, noticed the anomaly and exclaimed in surprise, realizing someone was spying from outside. He cursed his carelessness and, seeing the evil energy diverting towards the intruder, seized the opportunity. With a sharp cry, he released a green bracelet.
The bracelet emitted a brilliant green light, illuminating the room. The man’s body seemed to merge with the bracelet, transforming into a streak of green light. With a shout of “Go!”, he burst through the window, casting a green glow over Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was stunned. He had only intended to investigate, but the evil energy had detected his presence and abandoned its struggle with the man, attacking him instead.
The chilling energy enveloped him, freezing his body like ancient ice. Panicked, Mei Qing summoned a protective talisman, the Diamond Talisman, which formed a faint barrier around him.
The barrier creaked under the pressure, on the verge of collapsing. Mei Qing cursed his lack of preparation. He had been focused on creating basic talismans and had neglected higher-level ones. Now, he regretted not bringing more powerful talismans.
As he lamented, a sharp cry came from the room, and a green light shot through the window, exploding into a mist of stars that rained down on him.
“Restriction Art!” Mei Qing recognized the technique immediately. The stars were imbued with the power of the five elements, draining the surrounding energy and creating a dazzling display. The mist had not yet fallen, but Mei Qing could feel its restrictive force, disrupting the five elements around him. His Diamond Talisman was on the brink of shattering.
“Metal and Earth, return to the source! Sever!” Seeing the dire situation, Mei Qing knew he had to act quickly. He reversed the Diamond Talisman, preparing to escape.
The Diamond Talisman, based on metal and earth, was a stable, time-tested talisman. However, under the combined assault of the evil energy and the restriction art, it was no match.
The restriction art targeted all five elements, and Mei Qing’s talisman, based on metal and earth, would be obliterated. The evil energy, however, was beyond the five elements and would remain unaffected. Without protection, Mei Qing would be at its mercy.
In a split-second decision, Mei Qing abandoned the talisman, disrupted the five elements, and activated an escape technique.
With a loud bang, the Diamond Talisman’s barrier exploded, creating a swirling vortex of light. Mei Qing’s figure, already indistinct, twisted and distorted in the chaotic energy.
As he completed the incantation, the surrounding elements were in disarray, the evil energy chilling his bones, and the restriction art’s stars bearing down with a deafening roar.
“Escape!” With a gesture, Mei Qing felt his body merge with the earth, disappearing into the ground. He traveled an unknown distance, emerging only when his energy was nearly depleted.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed the restriction art, noticed the intruder had detonated his protective talisman, seemingly preparing for a fight. He smirked, readying another artifact to deal with the intruder.
But to his astonishment, the intruder vanished into the earth with a whoosh, using the Five Elements Escape Technique.
“Five… Elements… Escape…” The sallow-faced man gasped, unable to contain his shock.
Another gasp came from inside the room, even more surprising—it was Mei Qing, who had just escaped.
Mei Qing had already completed the hand seals and incantation in advance. As he sensed the chaotic five elements around him, the icy-cold sinister energy approaching his body, and the star-like brilliance above, accompanied by a faint whistling sound indicating the immense power of the restricted technique draining all five elements from the surrounding area, he acted.
“Escape!” With the hand seal completed, Mei Qing felt as if his body had merged with the vast earth itself. In an instant, he vanished into a chaotic mass of thick soil, moving swiftly in the direction his mind willed. He didn’t stop until his internal true energy was nearly depleted, at which point he emerged from the ground.
The yellow-faced man had just unleashed his restricted technique when he noticed the figure outside the window attempting to peek in had detonated his protective talisman, seemingly trying to make a desperate gamble. A sneer crossed his face as his right hand moved, revealing another magical artifact he had prepared, ready to deal with the intruder.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is now out of danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will naturally recover to his former health,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“Then we are deeply grateful to you, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our thanks for your great kindness,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait for another day? How about tonight? I’ll have the servants prepare a feast, and we can drink to our heart’s content with the gentleman.”
“Master—” the woman’s voice chided softly, “Mr. Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, softening in tone. “Madam, you see, I’ve abstained from alcohol for over half a month now—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to indulging in food and drink, preferring simplicity. Moreover, healing and saving lives are the duties of a physician. Let us not speak of the banquet. As the evening approaches, I must take my leave to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Listening from outside, Mei Qing was astonished. The sallow-faced man had not only transformed into a physician but had genuinely cured the young master’s illness. Yet, a thought crossed his mind—could this man harbor ill intentions? Perhaps he had orchestrated the illness himself, using the guise of treatment to carry out some sinister plot. Mei Qing pondered but did not act rashly. Instead, he observed from a distance as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out, instructing a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing trailed them discreetly, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest but impeccably clean. The man’s guest room was at the far end, surrounded by elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into his room and closed the door. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding by the window. Just then, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She muttered as she walked away, “You look like a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master’s orders, I wouldn’t have gone near you! You put on airs, acting all righteous and mysterious. Who knows what you really are!” She stormed off, still grumbling.
Mei Qing noted that while the maid’s features were ordinary, her figure was alluring. The sallow-faced man, however, had unexpectedly rejected her advances, which puzzled Mei Qing.
As he contemplated leaving, a surge of spiritual energy emanated from the man’s room, accompanied by an eerie, chilling aura. Mei Qing heard the man exclaim in surprise. Alarmed, he extended his spiritual senses to investigate. To his shock, he saw the man seated cross-legged on the bed, the small cauldron he had retrieved from the tomb placed before him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown, dull black material, now emitted swirling dark purple lights and a sinister aura. The man, drenched in sweat, was using hand seals to suppress the malevolent energy emanating from the cauldron. Just as Mei Qing’s spiritual senses entered the room, they clashed with the sinister energy and the man’s seals.
The malevolent energy, already on the verge of breaking free, suddenly turned its attention to Mei Qing, rushing towards him like a predator sensing prey.
The man, struggling to contain the energy, was startled to discover someone spying outside. He cursed his carelessness. Seeing the energy redirect towards the intruder, he seized the opportunity, releasing a green bracelet that emitted a brilliant light. The man, transforming into a wisp of smoke, merged with the bracelet and shot out the window, aiming a beam of green light at Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was stunned. He had only intended to observe, but the sinister energy had detected his presence and abandoned its struggle with the man, attacking him instead. The chilling energy immobilized him, and he hastily activated a protective talisman. However, the talisman’s barrier was quickly overwhelmed.
Realizing his precarious situation, Mei Qing decided to flee. He reversed the talisman’s energy, preparing to escape using a earth-based teleportation technique. As the green light from the man’s bracelet approached, Mei Qing activated his technique, disappearing into the ground just as the energy and the man’s attack converged on his location.
The man, having unleashed his attack, was shocked to see Mei Qing vanish. “Earth… teleportation…?” he muttered in disbelief.
From within the room, another exclamation echoed—this time, it was Mei Qing’s voice, though he had already fled.
“Please rest assured, Master and Madam, the young master is now out of danger. With a few days of quiet rest, he will naturally recover as before,” came the voice of the man from the back hall.
“In that case, we are deeply grateful to you, sir. We shall host a banquet another day to express our thanks for your great kindness,” a delicate woman’s voice echoed from afar.
“Indeed, indeed,” a robust voice chimed in. “Why wait for another day? How about tonight? I’ll have the servants prepare a feast, and we can drink to our heart’s content with the gentleman, what do you say?”
“Master—” the woman’s voice chided with a hint of reproach. “Mr. Qi is an esteemed guest. It would be more appropriate to invite the village elders to accompany him on another day. You, Master, should not use this as an excuse to indulge in drinking again.”
“Hmm—” the robust voice hesitated slightly, softening his tone. “Madam, you see, I’ve been abstaining from alcohol for over half a month now—”
“Master, Madam, I am not accustomed to indulging in food and drink, as I prefer a simple lifestyle. Moreover, healing and saving lives are the duties of a physician. Let us not mention the banquet of gratitude. As the evening approaches, I must take my leave to rest,” the man’s voice concluded.
Listening to the commotion from outside the room, Mei Qing was astonished. The sallow-faced man had unexpectedly transformed into a physician and had genuinely cured the young master of the household. However, Mei Qing couldn’t help but wonder if this man harbored ill intentions—perhaps he had orchestrated the young master’s illness to carry out some sinister scheme. Mei Qing pondered this but refrained from acting rashly. Instead, he kept his distance, observing as a burly, bearded man escorted the sallow-faced man out and instructed a maid to accompany him to the side courtyard.
Mei Qing followed them from afar, passing through the moon gate of the side courtyard. The courtyard was modest in size but impeccably tidy. The man’s guest room was located at the far end of the yard. Although there was no artificial pond, the area was lush with elms and willows, creating a serene atmosphere.
The maid led the sallow-faced man into his room and closed the door behind him. Mei Qing crept forward, hiding outside the window. Just then, the door creaked open, and the maid emerged, her face flushed with anger. She stormed off without looking back, muttering under her breath, “You look like a plague god. Who would fancy you? If it weren’t for the master ordering me to serve you, I wouldn’t go near you! You act all high and mighty, pretending to be a gentleman, but you seem suspicious and untrustworthy. Who knows what you really are!” She continued cursing as she walked away.
Mei Qing noticed that although the maid’s features were ordinary, her figure was alluring, making her quite a beauty. He was surprised that the sallow-faced man had rejected her advances, which was unexpected.
After much deliberation, Mei Qing was about to leave when he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy emanating from the man’s room. A chilling, malevolent aura filled the air, and he faintly heard the man exclaim in surprise. Alarmed, Mei Qing quickly extended his spiritual senses to investigate the situation inside the room. To his astonishment, he saw the man seated cross-legged on the bed, with the small cauldron he had retrieved from the tomb placed in front of him.
The cauldron, made of an unknown material, was pitch black and devoid of any luster. When Mei Qing had seen it before, it had appeared unremarkable, but now, dark purple light swirled around its surface, and waves of sinister energy radiated from it.
The sallow-faced man was drenched in sweat, his hands forming seals as he struggled to suppress the malevolent energy within the cauldron. Just as Mei Qing’s spiritual senses penetrated the window, they clashed with the sinister energy and the man’s seals.
The malevolent energy, which had been on the verge of breaking free, suddenly shifted its focus, drawn toward Mei Qing outside the window. It surged toward him with a whooshing sound.
The man inside the room, who had been in distress, was startled by this sudden turn of events. He let out a cry of surprise, realizing that someone was spying on him from outside. Furious at his own carelessness, he noticed that the malevolent energy had inexplicably redirected itself toward the intruder. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly summoned a green bracelet, which emitted a brilliant green light that illuminated the room.
The man’s hands moved swiftly, and his body seemed to merge with the bracelet, transforming into a streak of green light. With a shout of “Go!”, he burst through the window, unleashing a wave of green energy that enveloped Mei Qing.
Mei Qing was dumbfounded. He had only intended to investigate, but the malevolent energy from the cauldron had detected his spiritual senses and abandoned its struggle with the man, charging at him instead.
As the sinister energy approached, Mei Qing felt an icy chill that froze him to the core. Panicking, he quickly summoned a protective talisman, the Diamond Talisman, which formed a faint golden barrier around him.
The barrier creaked and groaned under the pressure, on the verge of collapsing. Mei Qing cursed his lack of preparation. He had been focused on creating lower-grade talismans and had neglected to prepare higher-grade ones for emergencies.
Just as Mei Qing was regretting his oversight, he heard a furious shout from inside the room, followed by a burst of green light that shattered the window. The light exploded into a cloud of shimmering mist that descended upon him.
“Restriction Art!” Mei Qing recognized the technique immediately. The seemingly harmless mist was actually a powerful restriction that disrupted the surrounding elemental energies. The Diamond Talisman, already under strain, was on the brink of shattering.
“Metal and Earth, return to the source! Sever!” Seeing the dire situation, Mei Qing knew he had to act quickly. He reversed the Diamond Talisman’s energy and began chanting an escape spell, preparing to flee.
The Diamond Talisman, which drew on the energies of metal and earth, was a stable and reliable talisman under normal circumstances. However, faced with the combined assault of the malevolent energy and the restriction art, it was no match.
The restriction art targeted all five elements, and the Diamond Talisman, being based on metal and earth, would be rendered useless. The malevolent energy, however, seemed to be composed of death energy, which was beyond the five elements and thus unaffected by the restriction. Without any protection, Mei Qing would be at the mercy of the sinister force.
Thinking quickly, Mei Qing decided to disrupt the elemental energies around him before the restriction art took full effect. By creating chaos in the elements, he hoped to create an opening to escape.
With a loud “bang,” the golden barrier around Mei Qing shattered, sending ripples of distorted light in all directions. Mei Qing’s figure, already blurred within the barrier, twisted and warped as the light fluctuated.
With the escape spell ready, Mei Qing felt himself merge with the earth, disappearing into the ground in an instant. He traveled an unknown distance, only emerging when his spiritual energy was nearly depleted.
The sallow-faced man, having unleashed his restriction art, was surprised to see the intruder shatter his protective talisman and attempt to counterattack. He smirked, holding another magical tool in his hand, ready to deal with the intruder.
But to his astonishment, the intruder was merely bluffing. After shattering the protective talisman, the man vanished into the earth with a “whoosh,” leaving no trace.
“Five… Element… Escape…?” The sallow-faced man gasped, unable to contain his shock.
Another gasp came from inside the room, this time from Mei Qing, who had just escaped.
Another cry of surprise came from inside the house, even more shocking than the last. This time, the voice belonged to Mei Qing himself, who had just escaped.
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