The Blade-Wielding Legend

"This..."

Landlord Lu hesitated, his face wearing an expression of displeasure as he looked to the side.

Housekeeper Lu, who was standing by to attend to him, had a bitter expression and hastily protested, "My Lord, I didn't say anything..."

Before he finished speaking, he inwardly cursed his luck.

It was practically a confession that there was a problem with the Lu Family.

He had always been meticulous in his tasks, but the fear he felt towards Landlord Lu had, in a moment of panic, led to a slip.

The demeanor of Landlord Lu, of course, became even uglier.

But before he could explode with anger, Wang Daoxuan spoke up, "Layman need not blame others, the housekeeper did not say much; it's just that this priest has noticed a problem."

Saying so, he led everyone outside the courtyard, pointed at a corner of the wall, and then pointed at a distant tree, speaking, "Despite days of blazing sun and no rain, there is moss and mold growing on this wall corner. The jujube wood is damp, and dead birds have fallen... There must be Yin Evil Qi here."

Everyone looked and, indeed, it was as he said.

These seemingly negligible incidents now seemed to be full of mystery.

Li Yan, standing behind the crowd, chuckled to himself.

Though Wang Daoxuan was quite amicable, his pugilistic world tricks were equally slick.

Ever since this Daoist resolved to join the Mystical Sect, he had traversed north and south of the country, visiting renowned masters. Though he didn't succeed and was often cheated, he nevertheless gained some insights.

He had some understanding of the various aspects of the Mystical Sect.

Logically, with these abilities, earning a living wouldn't be a problem.

But the Divine Skill that Wang Daoxuan had awakened was the Tongue Divine Power; he could only discern information by tasting things with his mouth.

He surely couldn't just lick everything he saw, could he?

How could he lick zombies or fierce ghosts?

And if a young lady were possessed by evil, would he also lick her body?

Fortunately, he later found a method. He would use talisman paper or other means as a guise and discern by tasting the flavors that rubbed off on them.

Even so, his most common undertaking was that of a Fengshui Earth Master.

After all, there are secret skills among Earth Masters, such as tasting soil.

Of course, the Tongue Divine Power wasn't without potential. When his Dao reached a certain level, uttering True Words and incantations could unleash greater power than others.

Wang Daoxuan obviously hadn't reached that level of capability.

When performing the Storing God ritual, he had exhausted all his savings and incurred substantial debts, which left him in a state of destitution.

After meeting Li Yan, he also hatched a plan.

Li Yan could smell specific scents, from which he could discern omens.

Together, they complemented each other perfectly.

They did not speak along the way; they were engaging in this very partnership.

Li Yan had sensed a faint whiff of Yin Evil Qi, so he turned his hands palm-side up behind his back, as the palm is yang and the back of the hand is yin.

Lifting his little finger, he pointed it toward the abnormal area in the courtyard.

Wang Daoxuan was ever observant, and as he entered the door, he already had a clear idea in mind and decided to show off his prowess before the Lu family, firmly driving in the "Horse Tie."

"Master Wang is indeed brilliant!"

Sha Lifei feigned surprise, clapping his hands in prompt applause, playing the role of an admirer.

Three mediocre heads together could yet rival Zhuge Liang.

Sure enough, Landlord Lu's expression changed subtly and he looked at Wang Daoxuan deeply, respectfully bowing with his hands clasped, "Master Wang is brilliant. Please, take a seat."

Everyone returned to the room and sat down.

Landlord Lu hesitated for a moment, "It's not that I intend to withhold information, it's just that this matter..."

"Layman, rest assured."

Wang Daoxuan knew what he wanted to say and nodded with a smile, "This priest's Dao is modest, but I am very discreet."

Landlord Lu then sighed, "This matter is very peculiar."

"Last night, Protector Zhao Jiu heard a noise during his patrol and went to investigate. He saw a figure floating in the air, which was none other than my wife."

"Zhao Jiu cried out in alarm, and many others came out and saw it as well. Afterwards, she vanished in full view of everyone."

Wang Daoxuan frowned, "This is bizarre, how can it be?"

Hearing this, Li Yan also found it strange.

Be it ghosts, soldiers, or immortals, all are formless beings, only discernible to those who have awakened their Divine Skills.

Ordinary people, unless they are on the brink of death, entwined with Yin Evil Qi, or visited by yin souls in dreams—only under these special circumstances—are they likely to see such entities.

For so many people to see it at the same time was quite odd.

Sha Lifei, not caring about all this, was already unable to restrain himself, stuffing his mouth with food and gulping down drinks, muttering, "Has the lady passed away?"

"The problem lies right here."

Landlord Lu gave a wry smile, "My wife has been bedridden for many years due to poor health, only to have been groggy and unconscious for the past several months."

"After the incident, we went to check."

"The person, she's still alive!"

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and furrowed his brows, shaking his head, "This is a case of the living soul leaving the body. We need to perform a Soul Summoning and Soul Calming Ceremony. But as living souls are also formless, it is unheard of for so many people to be able to see one."

Sitting beside him, Li Yan was no slower in action; his chopsticks whirled, shoving large slices of soy sauce beef and bass into his mouth.

Seemingly engrossed in his meal, yet a flash of sharpness sparkled in his eyes.

Could this special phenomenon be related to the treasure he was seeking...

Landlord Lu bit his lip, "Master, how can this be resolved?"

Wang Daoxuan contemplated for a moment, "The living soul separating from the body can happen for many reasons. According to this priest's guess, the lady has been ill and bedridden for a long time, her yang energy is weak, leading to the dispersal of the soul."

He continued, "Let's perform a ritual to summon the soul first."

...

In the still of the night, without a breath of wind, the Lu Mansion was brightly lit with candles.

Despite what Sha Lifei had said, even though Landlord Lu had married two beautiful concubines, he had not abandoned his wife of bitter circumstance, showing her exceptional respect.

The inner yard of the main residence, which had been transformed into the lady's dwelling, remained exceptionally tidy despite her being bedridden and nearly as unresponsive as a vegetative person. The household was well-maintained and staffed with many servants.

More importantly, this was the inner quarters of the owner.

Landlord Lu had vacated it, moving with his concubine to another courtyard residence.

At this moment, a magic platform had been erected in the courtyard.

The so-called magic platform was in fact just a square table on which was placed the Divine Statue and Token of Chen Tianjun, who was renowned for demonstrating the power of Xuan Qi. Arrayed behind were a pair of red candles, Sandalwood Incense Burner, Sandalwood Plate, a bowl of clear water, a Magic Scroll, a Token, a wooden fish instrument, Peach Wood Sword, Yellow Paper, and various other items.

There was even the Wandering Soul Vase.

This small black vase was wrapped with red rope and sealed with a yellow cloth, bearing talismans and emitting a faint flow of Yin Evil Qi.

Inside was a small yin soldier that Wang Daoxuan had managed to capture; although not very powerful, it could be used for sending messages or searching for items.

Having secured a significant task, Wang Daoxuan brought all his gear with him.

Landlord Lu and all the Protector servants of the household were present.

Wang Daoxuan pinched his fingers and said solemnly,

"The lady is born in the year of the Tiger. All those born in the years of the Ox, Tiger, Snake, and Monkey must leave the residence immediately, and only return after dawn tomorrow…"

"All mirrors in the house must be covered…"

"The personal maids who usually take care of the lady will stay behind…"

"All the other idle people should stay away, hiding in their rooms, and no matter what they hear, they must not rashly come out…"

A stream of commands spilled forth, leaving everyone somewhat bewildered.

Landlord Lu scolded sharply, "What are you waiting for? Get to it!"

The servants immediately sprang into action. Several members of the Zhao Family boxing club, acting as Protectors, looked at each other but did not say much more, and turned to leave.

Only Landlord Lu asked cautiously, "Do I also need to stay out of the way?"

Wang Daoxuan nodded, "The living soul is easily frightened; if handled improperly, it may scatter completely, so it's best to be cautious."

"Alright then, I'll leave it to you, Master."

Landlord Lu didn't waste words; he turned and left.

At this point, only Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan remained in the courtyard, along with a maid as instructed; she entered the room and cut a lock of hair and a piece of clothing from the emaciated, unconscious lady.

Taking this opportunity, Li Yan whispered: "Landlord Lu reeks of urine, masked by expensive fragrances; I can hardly bear to be near him…"

"I noticed long ago."

Wang Daoxuan wasn't surprised and shook his head, "When I traveled through different states, I once came across a village where peasants would often command their second sons to castrate themselves to seek fortune in the Imperial Palace. Through the generations, many high-ranking eunuchs emerged, who would return and build lavish mansions, setting an example for others."

"But the palace is treacherous, and not everyone can make it big. There are many who can't enter the palace, and in the village, some idle men are just like that, potbellied, pale with no facial hair, and flabby skin…"

"Did your Divine Skills come back?"

"They are intermittent."

Li Yan said with a somewhat helpless expression.

Ever since his Divine Skills erupted outside Xianyang City, they had been abnormal, sometimes weak, sometimes suddenly strong, then followed by exhaustion of the Divine Soul.

Just now, he caught the smells surrounding Landlord Lu.

No wonder this man kept two beautiful concubines by his side, indifferent to the gaze of others, even somewhat proud; it would make sense if he were a eunuch.

He came to the Lu Mansion in search of that mysterious treasure.

Was he perhaps a eunuch from the Capital...

Could it be a treasure that had leaked from the Imperial Palace?

Unfortunately, his Divine Skills were not shining brightly at the moment; such bad luck.

Wang Daoxuan certainly had no idea what he was thinking and began to explain, "The method of soul summoning originated from Ancient Witchcraft rituals, and mentioned in 'The Rites of Zhou. Funeral Rites', saying, 'retaking someone` denotes the officer summons the soul and restores the spirit'. It also notes that the ritual of soul summoning encompasses a range of activities during the burial process."

"Judging by this lady's condition, I'm afraid once her soul is summoned back, it will be time for the funeral rites."

As he spoke, he cut paper.

A large piece of Yellow Paper, skillfully formed into a Soul Banner with his scissors, featured not only cloud patterns but also small figurine designs.

Li Yan couldn't help but praise, "Master Wang, you're quite skilled."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head and chuckled, "If you ever come across a paper mache craftsman from the Mystical Sect, you'll understand what true skill is; I've merely learned the basics…"

He kept talking, imparting Mystical Sect knowledge to Li Yan.

It was a tacit understanding between them; Li Yan would assist him, and in return, Wang Daoxuan would introduce him to the profession, teaching him various secret techniques.

As they conversed, the maid returned with the hair and clothes.

Wang Daoxuan first burned the hair into ashes, then sprinkled it into the Clear Water Altar to observe its patterns. After watching for a while, he stuffed the cloth fragments into the Soul Banner's stick and said, "When midnight comes, hold this Soul Banner at the northeast corner rooftop of the courtyard and wave it to call back the wandering soul."

"Remember, do not be afraid. If you feel a chill, close your eyes and keep shouting. Once you hear the sound of the wooden fish, immediately run back."

"If someone calls you from behind, never look back!"

The maid was already trembling with fear, but recalling the promise of a substantial reward from Landlord Lu, she gritted her teeth and said, "Don't worry, Master Daoxuan, I have remembered."

Saying so, she carefully carried the Soul Banner away.

Li Yan found something odd, "Calling from behind is something done by demonic spirits and fierce ghosts, can living souls also harm people?"

Master Wang spoke in a low voice, "The living soul cannot withstand shock, much like someone with somnambulism; it must be guided back."

"I'm afraid she might scatter the living soul out of fear."

Li Yan heard this and couldn't help but laugh softly.

Master Wang's considerations were indeed thorough...

...

It wasn't long before midnight fell, and the entire Lu Mansion was shrouded in darkness.

The maid had already climbed onto the roof, eyes closed, swinging the Soul Banner and calling out with determination, "Soul return, soul return..."

Her prolonged calls frightened many servants into hiding under their bedding.

Meanwhile, in another side courtyard, Landlord Lu and his two concubines were also hiding in a pitch-dark room.

At this moment, he had a more dignified look, turned to the two concubines, and said coldly, "Take them out."

The concubines quickly reached beneath themselves and each produced a jujube.

Lu took them, threw them into his mouth, chewed as he listened to the calls outside the window, his eyes flashing with indecision…