Mei Qing was just about to ask Sun Busi what those myriad puppets were when suddenly Sun Busan’s voice, though clearly being held back, still rang out loudly: “What’s the matter with you this time, old three? No matter how many puppets he has, all we need to do is follow and find his hideout. We’ll chase the one on the left, and the right one can be left to that kid and his group.”
Mei Qing and the others had already drawn near and faintly overheard Sun Busan’s words. Only then did they realize that Sun Busan had in fact never left far away, but had been beside Sun Busi all along, merely hidden from sight.
Sun Busi muttered to himself, “What a pity, young master. We brothers can no longer accompany you on your journey. You must be careful. I heard from my elder sister that those who skillfully use the myriad puppets are usually evil people. Without my and my second brother’s protection… oh dear…”
From the side, Sun Busan’s voice cut in: “Old three, why do you always chatter on like this? If you keep babbling, that guy will disappear from sight!”
Only then did Sun Busi shut up and continue employing his technique of shrinking distances into inches, chasing down the left path.
Mei Qing and the other four followed the right fork in the road, seeing the floating dark figure not far ahead. It made no sound at all, nor did it seem to move, yet no matter how hard the four sprinted, they could not catch up.
Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang were both martial men by background and possessed decent skills, so they weren’t too strained. Zhao Dayou, however, was always lazy by nature and unaccustomed to such exertion. Therefore, he hadn’t run far before he was clutching his belly and panting heavily, barely able to hold his teapot steady. What surprised everyone most was Mei Qing. Though he appeared delicate and frail, seemingly not a martial type, aside from some initial shortness of breath at the beginning of the chase, he gradually grew more relaxed. Eventually, he ran as casually as if strolling, without falling behind Yao and Zhou even slightly. Finally, seeing that Zhao couldn’t keep up, Mei Qing simply supported him, preventing him from being left behind.
Just as the group was running furiously, they saw the figure in black twist slightly again. A crack appeared from its head downward, and in no time, it split once more into two figures!
Everyone was stunned. Mei Qing decisively declared, “I’ll go left with Old Zhao, and you two—Yaozi and Zhou Chang—go right. Chase!”
Immediately, he grabbed Zhao Dayou and rushed down the left path, while Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang turned right.
Zhao Dayou, half-supported and half-dragged by Mei Qing, gasped for breath with loud wheezing. His teapot shook violently in his hand, already empty of tea. His usually bold and rugged face had turned pale. As they neared the fork ahead, Zhao, nearly in tears, pleaded, “Master Mei, what exactly are we chasing… how can it even split itself?! I have no problem hunting tigers or capturing leopards, but I can’t handle ghosts and spirits! If it transforms again, don’t you dare leave me behind!”
This fellow, seeing the figure ahead change and split repeatedly, had begun to worry that if it split again, he and Mei Qing would have to separate and chase different paths. The thought of facing the monster alone terrified him so much that his bones felt weak and his tongue trembled.
Mei Qing said nothing, continuing to drag Zhao along. At this moment, his mind was unusually clear, as if his feet moved effortlessly on their own, making the chase surprisingly easy and pleasant. They hadn’t chased far when they saw the black-cloaked figure turn right at a bend ahead, and Mei Qing hurried to catch up.
Rounding the corner, Mei Qing was momentarily stunned. The place seemed strangely familiar. Looking at the dark figure again, it had already drifted quickly to a crossroads ahead. Before he could see which direction it turned, it vanished from sight.
Reaching the center of the crossroads, they saw a figure rushing from the left entrance. Mei Qing and Zhao Dayou looked closely and were astonished.
The figure they saw was small and thin, yet moved with long, swift strides, arriving before them in just a few steps. It was none other than Sun Busi, the third of the Sun brothers who had earlier split up to chase.
Sun Busi was also surprised to see the two of them. His already furrowed brows knitted even tighter as he spoke: “What a pity, young master… why are you here? Where’s that thing?”
Before Mei Qing could respond, a sharp voice came from the main entrance ahead: “You idiot, old three! Don’t you understand yet? We’ve all been tricked—we’ve lost the trail!”
Hearing Sun Busan’s voice from another entrance, Mei Qing sighed and said, “The two seniors must have encountered the same thing splitting again, so you both pursued separately. Never would we have thought this fellow was so cunning, using a diversion tactic to fool all of us.”
At that moment, footsteps were heard from the right entrance. Turning, they saw Yao and Zhou running up, panting heavily. As he ran, Zhou Chang shouted, “Master Mei!… Did you see… the monster?”
Zhao Dayou shouted loudly, “Don’t even ask! There’s no monster—it must have hidden out of fear of us! Me and Master Mei came from Nai-zi Alley and didn’t see a thing. The two seniors must have had the same experience!”
By now, Yao and Zhou had finally reached the group, both drenched in sweat. Upon further questioning, it turned out that everyone had encountered the same situation. The monster had split into four, and finally disappeared at this crossroads.
After a whole night of frantic chasing, they ended up with nothing. By now, the moon had tilted westward, casting a hazy glow around. The group stood at the crossroads, their long shadows stretching across the street, silent and at a loss.
After a while, Zhao Dayou muttered, “Master Mei, since we’ve already lost it, maybe we should just…”
Mei Qing gave no immediate reply. He furrowed his brow in thought before finally asking Zhao, “Zhao Jingli, you know this area extremely well. From where we started to where we are now, are you familiar with all these places?”
Zhao chuckled and puffed out his belly proudly, “Of course! There’s no corner in the capital that Old Zhao doesn’t know!”
He then pointed at the alley they were at and said, “This is called Nai-zi Alley. It’s said that in the previous dynasty, an emperor’s wet nurse lived here, so people named the place accordingly. Further ahead where we turned was called Kengwa Lane, then we went through Renyi Alley… beside it are Heishui Ditch and Xisanhu. Further still is where we started—Tianshui Street—and now we’re at Liyu Crossing, all part of the same street.”
Now Mei Qing understood why the street looked familiar. Looking around, he indeed saw rows of shops lining the street, confirming it was the very same road where they had first begun chasing the monster.
Zhou Chang said, “What’s the use of just knowing the names? This area must cover several miles. Even at Liyu Crossing, there are countless shops—where on earth would we look?”
Sun Busi lowered his eyelids, pretending not to hear. Sun Busan also remained silent. It was clear these two considered themselves superior, and now having lost the target, both felt humiliated.
Mei Qing thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He squatted down, picked up a small stone, and drew a few lines on the ground before turning to Zhao Dayou and saying, “Zhao Jingli, according to what you said, isn’t the monster’s path actually going in circles?”
Everyone listened and looked at the faint white lines Mei Qing had drawn. As they mentally traced the routes, they all came to the same realization. Though the group had split up during the chase, the overall path they had taken was indeed circling around a large loop.
Zhao Dayou, most familiar with the terrain, was the first to react: “It really is going in circles! Why would that thing not hurry home but instead lead us in circles? Could it be a donkey spirit?”
This was because in the countryside, donkeys pulling millstones were often blindfolded and made to walk in circles, hence Zhao’s remark.
Mei Qing smiled and said, “It’s circling because we’re following it. Do you all remember when we entered this loop, the talisman lost its target? If I’m not mistaken, it must have used the circular route to secretly remove the talisman. At the time, we were too far away to see if anyone appeared.”
A voice from the air carried Sun Busan’s words: “You definitely wouldn’t have guessed that one. I suppose I’ll have to tell you. We high-level cultivators would naturally think of that. I’ve been observing in hiding ahead of you all along. Although I missed the moment when the talisman was removed, I can confirm that the creature was definitely alone at the beginning, with no one else appearing.”
Mei Qing nodded and said, “Then there’s no need to say more. The person who removed the talisman probably didn’t truly remove it but instead used a sealing technique to temporarily suppress the child talisman on the inkstone. Otherwise, with the mother-child talisman system, if the child talisman were truly removed, the mother talisman would have been destroyed immediately. Since the mother talisman is still with me, it means we’ve just lost track of the child talisman’s location, likely because it was sealed. The one who cast the sealing technique must be nearby, secretly performing the spell to block our tracking method, then allowing the puppet to split and escape, taking the opportunity to return.”
Zhao Dayou asked doubtfully, “Even if that’s the case, this area is still quite large. Where should we go now? Moreover, Master Mei, you mentioned those parent and child talismans—since they’ve already been sealed, how can we find them again?”
Mei Qing smiled and said, “Since the sealing technique was cast from a distance, the caster must be nearby. Since the puppet has been going in circles, the one casting the seal must be within the square formed by Tianshui Street, Nai-zi Alley, Heishui Ditch, and Renyi Alley!”
“Exactly!” Sun Busan’s sharp voice suddenly rang out, startling everyone. “Since that fellow hasn’t removed the child talisman yet, we just need to get there quickly. We’ll be able to sense the magical fluctuations when he removes the seal, allowing us to catch him. But you lot run too slowly and lack sufficient cultivation. Watch my technique!”
Just as Mei Qing was about to ask Sun Buzi what these myriad puppets were, he suddenly heard Sun Busan’s voice, which, despite being deliberately lowered, still rang out loudly: “Third brother, what are you making a fuss about now? No matter how many puppets there are, we just need to find their lair. Let’s just follow the one on the left, and let the kid and the others chase the one on the right.”
Mei Qing and his companions had already closed in and faintly heard Sun Busan’s words, realizing that Sun Busan had not actually gone far but had been by Sun Buzi’s side all along, just invisible.
Sun Buzi continued to mutter, “Sin, sin, young benefactor, we brothers can’t accompany you any further. You must be careful. I heard from my elder sister that those who use the myriad puppet technique are mostly evil. Without my second brother and me to look after you… oh dear…”
Sun Busan’s voice interjected, “Third brother, stop rambling. If we keep this up, that guy will be gone!”
Only then did Sun Buzi stop talking and continued to use his shrinking the ground technique, chasing down the left path.
Mei Qing and his four companions chased along the right fork, seeing the floating figure not far ahead, making no sound or movement, yet no matter how fast they ran, they couldn’t catch up.
Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang, both skilled in martial arts, found it relatively easy. Zhao Dayou, who was usually lazy, was soon out of breath, clutching his stomach and struggling to hold his teapot. The most surprising was Mei Qing. Though he appeared frail and not like a martial artist, after the initial chase, he became more and more relaxed, eventually walking as if on a leisurely stroll, yet keeping pace with Yao and Zhou. Seeing Zhao Dayou fall behind, Mei Qing simply supported him, ensuring he didn’t lag.
As they were chasing, the black-clad figure ahead twisted slightly, and a crack appeared on its head, soon splitting into two again!
Everyone was stunned. Mei Qing decisively said, “Old Zhao and I will go left, Yaozi and Zhou Chang go right, chase!”
With that, he immediately took Zhao Dayou and chased down the left path. Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang turned to the right.
Zhao Dayou, half-supported and half-dragged by Mei Qing, gasped for breath, his teapot shaking, the tea long spilled. His usually bold face was now pale. Seeing the figure ahead nearing the fork, Zhao Dayou cried, “Master Mei, what are we chasing… it can split itself. I can handle tigers and leopards, but not these ghostly things. If it changes again, don’t leave me behind…”
Zhao Dayou, seeing the figure split repeatedly, feared that if it split again, he and Mei Qing would have to separate, each chasing a different path. The thought of facing the monster alone terrified him, making his legs weak and his voice tremble.
Mei Qing remained silent, continuing to chase with Zhao Dayou. His mind was clear, his feet seemingly moving on their own, effortlessly. Not far ahead, the black-clad figure turned right at a bend. Mei Qing quickly followed.
Turning the corner, Mei Qing was stunned, finding the place somewhat familiar. The black-clad figure quickly floated to a crossroads ahead, and in a blink, it disappeared.
Reaching the center of the crossroads, they saw a figure approaching from the left. Mei Qing and Zhao Dayou stared in shock.
The figure was small but moved with large strides, quickly reaching them. It was Sun Buzi, the third brother of the Sun brothers they had split from earlier.
Seeing Mei Qing and Zhao Dayou, Sun Buzi was also surprised, his brows furrowed, “Sin, sin, young benefactor… why are you here? Where is it?”
Before Mei Qing could answer, a sharp voice came from the front, “Third brother, you fool, don’t you get it? We’ve been tricked, lost it!”
Hearing Sun Busan’s voice from another path, Mei Qing sighed, “You two must have encountered the figure splitting again, hence chasing separately. Who would have thought it so cunning, using a diversion to trick us all.”
Just then, footsteps sounded from the right. Turning, they saw Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang running over, panting, Zhou Chang shouting, “Master Mei!… did you see… the monster?”
Zhao Dayou loudly said, “Forget it! There’s no monster. It must have been scared of us and hid. Master Mei and I came from Milk Alley and didn’t see it. The two elders are the same.”
Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang finally reached them, sweating profusely. Upon questioning, it turned out everyone had the same experience: the monster split into four and disappeared at this crossroads.
After a night’s chase, this was the outcome. The moon was now low, casting a hazy light. They stood at the crossroads, their long shadows stretching across the street, silent.
After a while, Zhao Dayou hesitantly said, “Master Mei, since we’ve lost it, maybe…”
Mei Qing didn’t respond immediately, frowning in thought, then said to Zhao Dayou, “Officer Zhao, you know this area well. From where we started to here, do you know all these places?”
Zhao Dayou chuckled, patting his belly, “Of course! I know every corner of the capital!”
He pointed to the path they came from, “This is Milk Alley, named after a wet nurse of a former emperor. The place we turned earlier is called Pit Lane, then Benevolence Alley… next to Blackwater Ditch and West Three Houses. Further ahead is the street we started on, and now this Carp Mouth, all connected.”
Mei Qing then realized why the street looked familiar. It was indeed the street they first chased the monster on, lined with shops.
Zhou Chang said, “Knowing the names is useless. This area is several miles wide. Even Carp Mouth has many shops. Where do we start?”
Sun Buzi kept his eyes down, as if not hearing; Sun Busan remained silent. Clearly, these two, considering themselves experts, were embarrassed to have lost the target.
Mei Qing thought for a moment, his eyes lighting up. He crouched, picked up a small stone, and drew a few lines on the ground, then said to Zhao Dayou, “Officer Zhao, if what you say is true, then the monster’s path, if continued, would be going in a circle?”
Everyone looked at the shallow white lines Mei Qing had drawn and realized that despite splitting up, the overall path they had taken was indeed a large circle.
Zhao Dayou, most familiar with the terrain, was the first to react, “It really is a circle! Why would that thing lead us in circles instead of going home? Is it a donkey spirit?”
In the countryside, donkeys are blindfolded and made to walk in circles to grind grain, hence Zhao Dayou’s comment.
Mei Qing smiled, “It’s circling because we’re following. Remember how the talisman lost its target after a while? I think it used the circling to secretly remove the talisman from the object. We were too far to see if anyone appeared.”
Sun Busan’s voice came from the air, “You couldn’t have guessed that, so I’ll tell you. As experts, we naturally thought of that and were invisibly observing ahead. Though we missed the talisman removal, the figure was definitely alone at first, no one else appeared.”
Mei Qing nodded, “Then it’s clear. The person who removed the talisman didn’t actually remove it but temporarily suppressed it with a sealing technique. Otherwise, with the parent-child talisman, if the child talisman is removed, the parent talisman would be destroyed. Since the parent talisman is still in my pocket, it means the child talisman is just hidden, likely sealed. The person who sealed it must be nearby, secretly casting the spell to block our tracking, then using the puppet’s splitting to shake us off and escape.”
Zhao Dayou asked, “Even so, this area is vast. Where do we start? And Master Mei, you said the parent-child talisman is sealed. How can we find it now?”
Mei Qing smiled, “Since the sealing was done remotely, the person must be nearby. Earlier, the figure was circling, so the person casting the seal must be in the center of the square formed by Heaven Water Street, Milk Alley, Blackwater Ditch, and Benevolence Alley!”
“Exactly!” Sun Busan’s voice suddenly rang out, startling everyone. “Since the child talisman isn’t removed, if we hurry, we can detect the spiritual energy fluctuation when it’s removed and catch them. But you’re a bit slow and lack the skill. Watch my move!”
With Sun Busan’s sharp voice, several small paper talismans appeared in the air, landing on Mei Qing and the other three. The others didn’t notice, but Mei Qing, with sharp eyes, saw the cloud script characters for “Divine Steed” and felt the true energy flowing on them.
Then Sun Busan’s voice commanded, “Go!” They felt their feet move on their own, rushing towards the mentioned direction. Seeing they were about to hit a wall, Zhao Dayou cried, “Mom!” The others were also startled, but a gust of wind lifted them, and they soared over the roof, then glided forward from the rooftop.
Just then, they heard Sun Busan’s voice shout from beside their ears: “Go!” Instantly, they felt a surge of energy beneath their feet and began running forward involuntarily. Before they knew it, they were rushing straight toward a wall without stopping. Zhao Dayou cried out “Mommy!” while the others were startled too, but then they felt a gust of wind beneath them, lifting them up as if flying on clouds, soaring straight onto the rooftops. From there, they glided swiftly forward like birds in flight.
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