"This…"
Master Lu hesitated, his face darkening as he glanced sideways.
Steward Lu, standing by, paled and protested, "Master, I swear, I didn't say anything…"
His words betrayed him, admitting there was indeed a problem in the Lu household.
Steward Lu was usually meticulous, but his fear of Master Lu made him slip in panic.
Master Lu's expression grew even grimmer.
Before he could erupt, Wang Daoxuan spoke, "No need to blame others, Master. The steward said nothing. I simply noticed something amiss."
He led them outside, pointing to a corner of the wall and a distant tree. "Days of scorching sun, not a drop of rain, yet moss and mold grow in the corner. The jujube tree is damp, and a dead bird lies beneath… There must be yin baleful qi."
The group looked and saw it was true.
These small details now seemed eerie.
Li Yan, standing behind, smirked inwardly.
Wang Daoxuan was kind but no stranger to martial world tricks.
Since dedicating himself to the mystic path, he'd traveled far and wide, seeking masters. Though he failed and was often deceived, he gained some knowledge.
He knew a bit about mystic arts.
By all accounts, with such skills, he should've made a living.
But his awakened divine power was tied to his tongue. He could only discern omens by tasting things.
He couldn't exactly lick everything, could he?
Lick a zombie or ghost? Lick a possessed maiden?
Fortunately, he found a workaround, using talisman paper or other means to collect flavors discreetly.
Even so, his most common trade was as a feng shui master.
After all, geomancers had a technique: tasting soil.
His tongue's divine power wasn't without potential. At a high enough cultivation, reciting true mantras could unleash great power.
Wang Daoxuan clearly lacked such mastery.
Performing the visualization ritual drained his savings and left him in debt, making him destitute.
He saw potential in Li Yan.
Li Yan could smell unique scents; Wang could taste their omens.
Together, they complemented each other perfectly.
On the road, they'd been silent, coordinating.
Li Yan had caught a faint yin baleful qi and signaled with his hand—palm up for yang, back up for yin.
His raised pinky pointed to the anomaly's location.
Wang, ever observant, entered with a plan, playing the lofty master before the Lu household, firmly planting the "hitching post."
"Master Wang, truly impressive!" Sha Lifei exclaimed, clapping as the perfect hype man.
Three heads were better than one.
Master Lu's face shifted. He gave Wang a deep look, bowed respectfully, and said, "Master Wang, your skill is remarkable. Please, take a seat."
They returned inside and sat.
Master Lu hesitated. "It's not that I meant to hide anything, but this matter…"
"Rest assured, Master," Wang Daoxuan said with a nod, sensing his concern. "My skills are modest, but my lips are sealed."
Master Lu sighed. "It's a strange affair."
"Last night, our guard Zhao Jiu heard a noise and went to check. He saw a figure floating in the air—it was my first wife."
"Zhao Jiu shouted, and others came out and saw it too. Then it vanished before everyone's eyes."
Wang Daoxuan frowned. "A ghost? How could that be?"
Li Yan found it odd too.
Ghosts, soldiers, or immortal spirits were invisible to ordinary eyes. Only those with awakened divine powers could sense them.
Regular people could only see them in specific cases: near death, wrapped in yin baleful qi, or in dreams with spirits.
For so many to see it at once was bizarre.
Sha Lifei, unconcerned with such details, was already gorging on food and guzzling wine, muttering, "The mistress… has passed?"
"That's the issue."
Master Lu gave a bitter smile. "My wife's been ill, bedridden for years, barely conscious these past months."
"After the incident, we checked."
"She's still alive!"
Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard, frowning. "This is a living soul leaving the body. A soul-calling and stabilizing ritual is needed. But living souls are invisible too. For so many to see it is unheard of."
Li Yan, sitting beside him, wasn't idle either, his chopsticks flying, stuffing his mouth with spiced beef and perch.
He looked like he was just eating, but his eyes glinted.
Could this anomaly be tied to what he was seeking?
Master Lu gritted his teeth. "Master, how do we resolve this?"
Wang Daoxuan pondered. "A living soul leaving the body has many causes. I suspect the mistress, long bedridden, has weak yang qi, causing her soul to drift."
"Let's perform a soul-calling ritual first."
---
The night was windless, the Lu mansion aglow with candlelight.
Contrary to Sha Lifei's words, though Master Lu had two beautiful concubines, he hadn't abandoned his first wife and treated her with great respect.
The main residence in the back courtyard was her quarters.
Though bedridden, near vegetative, the courtyard was kept immaculate, with many servants.
More notably, it was the master's inner quarters.
Master Lu had vacated it, moving with his concubines to another courtyard.
Now, a ritual altar stood in the yard.
It was just a square table, holding the statue and plaque of Lord Chen of Mysterious Qi Manifestation. Behind were red candles, a sandalwood burner, incense tray, a water vessel, ritual slips, a token, a wooden fish, a peachwood sword, yellow talisman paper, and more.
There was also a soul-wandering jar.
A small black jar, wrapped in red rope, sealed with yellow cloth, and adorned with talismans, faintly radiating yin baleful qi.
It held a minor yin soldier Wang Daoxuan had painstakingly acquired, capable only of delivering messages or fetching small items.
For this big job, Wang brought all his tools.
Master Lu, the guards, and servants were all present.
Wang Daoxuan pinched his fingers, speaking gravely:
"The mistress was born in the Year of the Tiger. Those born in the Years of Ox, Tiger, Snake, or Monkey must leave the mansion and return only at dawn…"
"Cover all mirrors in the mansion…"
"The maid who tends the mistress daily stays…"
"All others must withdraw, stay in your rooms, and no matter what you hear, do not come out…"
His rapid orders left the crowd dazed.
Master Lu barked, "What are you waiting for? Do it!"
The servants scrambled, and a few Zhao Family Fist guards exchanged glances but said nothing, leaving.
Only Master Lu asked cautiously, "Do I need to withdraw too?"
Wang nodded. "Living souls are easily startled. One wrong move, and it could scatter. Better to be cautious."
"Very well. I leave it to you, Master."
Master Lu didn't argue, turning to leave.
The courtyard now held only Li Yan, Wang Daoxuan, and the maid, who, as instructed, entered the room to clip a lock of the emaciated, comatose mistress's hair and tear a piece of her undergarment.
Seizing the moment, Li Yan whispered, "Master Lu has a urine-like stench, masked with expensive perfume. I could barely stand near him…"
"I noticed."
Wang wasn't surprised, shaking his head. "When I traveled the provinces, I visited a village where families often had their second sons castrated to seek fortune in the palace. Many became great eunuchs, returning to build grand homes, and others followed suit."
"But the palace is cutthroat. Not everyone succeeds. Many in that village, failing to enter, ended up idle—potbellied, beardless, with loose skin…"
"Your divine power's back?"
"On and off."
Li Yan's face showed frustration.
Since its eruption outside Xianyang, his divine power had been erratic—sometimes faint, sometimes surging, leaving his soul exhausted.
It had flared just now, catching Master Lu's scent.
No wonder he kept two beautiful concubines close, even flaunting them proudly. If he was a eunuch, it made sense.
Li Yan came to the Lu household for that mysterious treasure.
A eunuch, once in the capital…
Could it be a treasure from the imperial palace?
Unfortunately, his divine power failed him now—bad timing.
Wang, unaware of his thoughts, explained, "Soul-calling stems from ancient shamanic rites. The *Book of Rites: Mourning* says, 'The caller summons the soul to return.' It also speaks of soul-calling and body-preparation rites for burial."
"With the mistress's condition, soul-calling might lead straight to funeral rites."
As he spoke, he cut paper.
With deft snips, a large yellow talisman sheet transformed into a soul-calling banner, adorned with cloud patterns and small figures.
Li Yan couldn't help but praise, "Fine craftsmanship, Master."
Wang shook his head, smiling. "If you ever meet a mystic paper-craft master, you'll see true artistry. I've only scratched the surface…"
He kept talking, teaching Li Yan mystic knowledge.
This was their understanding: Li Yan assisted, and Wang introduced him to the trade, sharing its secrets.
As they spoke, the maid returned with the hair and cloth.
Wang burned the hair to ash, sprinkled it into a water vessel, and observed its flow. After a moment, he stuffed the cloth scraps into the banner's pole, saying, "At the midnight hour, hold this banner, stand on the northeast corner rooftop, and shake it, calling, 'Soul, return! Soul, return!'"
"Don't be afraid. If you feel a chill, close your eyes and keep shouting. When the wooden fish sounds, run back immediately."
"If someone calls you from behind, *never* turn around!"
The maid, trembling with fear but driven by Master Lu's promised reward, gritted her teeth. "M-Master, I understand."
She carefully took the banner and left.
Li Yan, puzzled, asked, "Calls from behind are from demons or ghosts. Can a living soul harm someone?"
Wang whispered, "Living souls are fragile, like sleepwalkers. They need gentle guidance to return."
"I'm worried the maid might scare the soul away."
Li Yan chuckled. Wang thought of everything…
---
Soon, midnight fell, and the Lu mansion was pitch-black.
The maid had climbed the rooftop, eyes closed, shaking the banner and chanting, "Soul, return! Soul, return…"
Her eerie voice sent servants hiding under their blankets.
In another side courtyard, Master Lu and his two concubines huddled in a dark room.
His face now held a trace of authority. He turned to the concubines, voice cold. "Take them out."
Each concubine reached beneath her skirt, pulling out a jujube.
Master Lu took them, popped them into his mouth, and chewed, listening to the distant chants, his eyes flickering with uncertainty…
**(End of Chapter)**