Hearing the mention of the Cold Altar Ghost Soldier, Wang Daoxuan's face changed sharply.
Li Yan, watching his reaction closely, felt reassured.
Bringing up the Ghost Soldier was a test.
Though Wang Daoxuan made a good first impression, his downtrodden state raised doubts. If he hadn't even heard of a Cold Altar Ghost Soldier, there'd be no point discussing deeper matters.
"To be honest, I've run into some trouble…"
Convinced Wang was knowledgeable, Li Yan dropped the pretense and recounted the Ghost Soldier incident.
But the martial world was treacherous, and one never revealed the full truth. He withheld key details.
For instance, Widow Wang was described only as the village's spirit medium who vanished mysteriously, with no specifics to avoid stirring trouble for her.
She was hiding from enemies, and betraying her trust was unthinkable.
The curse plaque was also omitted.
It tied to his family's vendetta, and with the mastermind likely linked to the mystic world, he had to be cautious.
The stand-in idol? That stayed secret from everyone.
As for his divine sense of smell, he laid it all bare.
Wang Daoxuan listened intently, first puzzled, then frowning in thought, and finally staring at Li Yan with disbelief. He spoke:
"Your birth chart must be exceptionally strong!"
A strong fate?
With the stand-in idol, his fate was indeed unyielding.
Li Yan bowed quickly. "Please, Master, enlighten me."
Wang Daoxuan pondered, then shook his head. "Fine. Since you've awakened a divine power, you're tied to the mystic world. This isn't some great secret—anyone who digs enough can learn it. I'll tell you."
"Speaking of Ghost Soldiers, we must first discuss mystic soldiers. Whether it's the orthodox mystic sects, local lineages, or even some evil paths, all who perform rituals keep soldiers."
"There are many kinds: orthodox sects have talisman soldiers, city god and earth temples have local decree soldiers, regional lineages have five-directional or five-camp yin soldiers, shaman mediums have five-path immortal soldiers, and folk cults have five-passage soldiers…"
"These soldiers are formless, invisible to ordinary eyes. Masters can use them to scour mountains, break temples, drive out demons, fight others, or even take lives…"
"Ghost Soldiers have many origins, too complex to detail now, but they're all fierce, hard to control, yet powerful."
"As for Cold Altars, they're temples or lineages that have died out, with no disciples to maintain their incense, turning them into abandoned ruins."
"Many keep Ghost Soldiers, but there's a catch. If the incense stops, they go rogue, possessing beasts or people, seeking blood offerings."
He mused, "In Guanzhong, the Taixuan Orthodox Sect clears mountains and temples at set times, so Cold Altars are rare. This Ghost Soldier likely came from the Qinling Mountains."
"That Cold Altar Ghost Soldier was as fierce as a vicious ghost. You awakened a divine power and had guidance to defeat it, but surviving means your fate is undeniably strong!"
Li Yan nodded thoughtfully. "Are such soldiers common in the mystic world?"
Wang Daoxuan nodded. "The Taixuan Orthodox Sect has talisman soldiers—nobody knows how many, but they're numerous, practically heavenly troops. That's why they lead the orthodox sects, backed by the court for generations."
"Not to mention local lineages, some ancient, with ancestral soldiers numbering in the tens of thousands. Add in countless minor folk sects, and the total soldiers are beyond counting…"
Li Yan's heart shook, unable to calm.
One Cold Altar Ghost Soldier nearly killed him. The thought of thousands was chilling.
He couldn't help asking, "With such power, couldn't the mystic world easily dominate the realm?"
"Not so simple."
Wang Daoxuan scoffed, shaking his head. "Soldiers are many, but you need sufficient mastery to command them. Controlling millions requires many high priests and days-long grand rituals."
"Plus, the Great Way balances itself. Soldiers aren't invincible. Hide in a thriving city god or earth temple, and small-scale soldiers can't enter…"
"The mystic world has many arts; soldiers are just one…"
"And sacred mountains and blessed lands gather innate stellar qi. Take Mount Tai, the chief of the Five Peaks—who'd dare summon soldiers to attack it?"
"Not only would the altar collapse, but the soldiers would turn on their master, maybe even rouse the gods within…"
Li Yan blurted, "Gods are real?"
Wang nodded. "Naturally, though not like in folk tales. Their complexity eludes even orthodox high priests, let alone a half-baked like me."
Li Yan's eyes sparked with curiosity. "What about… immortals?"
Wang sighed. "Longevity is a vain dream, the immortal path elusive. Legends of immortals abound, but most are names without traces. I daren't speak rashly."
Li Yan pressed, "Can cultivation let you fly, shift earth, chase stars, or live centuries?"
Wang looked exasperated. "Even the orthodox sect leader can't do that. When it's time to die, they still meet the Ancestor of the Way."
Thirsty, he grabbed a cup of cold tea and drank.
Li Yan fell silent, disappointed but persistent. "Master Wang, since I've awakened a divine power, can you recommend me to the Taixuan Orthodox Sect?"
*Pfft!*
Wang sprayed his tea, coughing for a while before shaking his head. "Your fate's strong, but don't dream too big."
"Mystic cultivation requires visualizing the spirit. The older you are, the more cluttered your mind, the harder it is to start. So, orthodox sects and lineages train children from a young age."
"Some folk lineages, doing rituals, snatch up children who awaken divine powers. The orthodox sects have their own methods and never lack disciples."
He gave a bitter smile. "Many awaken later, like me. Unwilling to accept fate, I forced my way into the mystic world, spent my fortune, went from Shopkeeper Wang to Old Mopey Wang."
"After years of struggle to enter, though I call myself Daoxuan, I'm a joke to peers, unfit for high halls."
"If you want to fix your trouble, it's simple. I know the local city god temple's priest. I can arrange a ritual to seal your six yang senses, letting you live as an ordinary person, unseen by evil entities."
"Or go to the Taixuan Orthodox Sect. They'd seal your power too, make you an incense-burning, floor-sweeping Taoist, chanting the Yellow Court daily to escape the mortal world."
Li Yan paused, then looked up. "I won't accept fate!"
"Good for you."
Wang stroked his beard. "If everyone accepted fate, the world wouldn't turn, dynasties wouldn't change, and the human path would stagnate."
"I have a method for spirit visualization, not from the orthodox sect but from a thousand-year lineage. If you succeed, you can control your divine power and learn simple spells."
Li Yan, grateful, asked, "How much for your method, Master?"
He could tell Wang, though down on his luck, was principled and sincere, unlikely to peddle fake techniques.
"How much?"
Wang sighed. "I spent my wealth, begged everywhere, got nothing but scams. When I was at my lowest, a dying wandering Taoist gave me a true method, asking only to keep the incense burning."
"This incense line—how could I charge for it? Whether it's fortune or doom for you is unclear. If you fail to visualize and attract evil, wouldn't I have harmed you?"
"I can't take that money."
He stood, fetching a booklet from a shelf. "This is a secret text. I've copied several, checked carefully, no errors. Any questions, ask me, and I'll answer truthfully."
Li Yan, still skeptical, said, "Master, aren't you afraid I'm a villain who'd misuse this to do evil?"
Wang chuckled. "You're a martial world man. Even basic fist skills can kill. Do you dare kill freely?"
"The mystic world has rules too. The Taixuan Orthodox Sect's enforcement hall isn't a joke, and Daxuan's laws bind mystic practitioners too."
Li Yan relaxed, taking the booklet. Titled *Western Mysterious Void True Scripture*, it was filled with dense text: *The way of spirit visualization avoids impure ties, seeks quiet seclusion, nurtures essence, treads the void, holds the mind's gaze, guards the subtle core, calms the soul, shapes the form, so ten thousand harms cannot touch, hundred ghosts flee, and thousand demons dare not act…*
His head spun reading it, so he tucked it away and said, "I came for another matter. Do you know Sha Lifei?"
"Sha Lifei?"
Wang frowned, puzzled, thinking hard.
That guy was full of it!
Li Yan, expecting this, described him: "Big bald head, meaty face, muttonchop beard, loves to brag and spout nonsense…"
"Oh!"
Wang's eyes lit up. "I remember! Years ago, I met Brother Sha. We hit it off."
"It was spring. He invited me for drinks at Chang'an's Drunk Flower Brothel, called a bunch of girls. But when I got drunk, he slipped away."
"I nearly got a beating, but the brothel had an evil spirit. I performed a ritual to exorcise it, covering the bill…"
"What, is Brother Sha here to pay me back?"
**(End of Chapter)**