Chapter 120 – Preparations

Following Zeng Jingxuan into the study, Wei Yang immediately noticed something was off. In just a short while since he had last entered, the study had accumulated many new items. Besides the talisman papers and various potions scattered on the desk, there was a large travel bag leaning against the small bed, seemingly not yet unpacked. Only a few wooden boxes were haphazardly placed on the bed, likely items Master Zeng had brought back this morning.

Noticing Wei Yang’s gaze, Zeng Jingxuan casually waved his hand. “Some of these are things I had stored at a friend’s place, and others are items I’ve exchanged for. They’re all things we’ll need for this trip. Later, I’ll see if there’s anything suitable for you and give you a few.”

Without even looking, Wei Yang could tell these were likely powerful ritual instruments. Yet, in Master Zeng’s words, they sounded like a pile of cabbages. Wei Yang couldn’t help but marvel, but the other man didn’t waste any time. He picked up a notebook from the bedside and handed it to Wei Yang.

“This is the information I’ve compiled. You can take a look,” Zeng Jingxuan said, his tone now steady and calm, without a trace of earlier hesitation.

The item handed to Wei Yang was a leather-bound notebook, quite hefty and clearly old, its cover worn from frequent use. Wei Yang opened it and skimmed through, finding it filled with clippings, notes, and photos, spanning a significant period. Some of the newspaper clippings and black-and-white photos appeared to date back to the Republican era. It must have taken considerable effort to compile this.

Zeng Jingxuan didn’t wait for him to finish reading. He spoke directly, “About ten years ago, there was a mudslide in the inner peaks of Luofu Mountain, completely destroying an ancient temple nearby. At the time, the government was planning to develop the Luofu Mountain tourist area, and a businessman wanted to build an eco-resort there. He invited me to survey the earth’s energy. However, when I arrived, I realized things weren’t as simple as they seemed. The mudslide was triggered by the inexplicable withering of vegetation around the ancient temple. For two kilometers, not a single blade of grass survived. This had to be the result of some kind of spell. I’d seen similar situations before, but never on such a large scale.”

Wei Yang glanced at Zhang Xiuqi, who had just entered the study, and tentatively asked, “Did something similar happen in the Forbidden Land of Longhu Mountain?”

“Correct,” Zeng Jingxuan answered without hesitation. “Only members of the Zhang family can enter the Forbidden Land of Longhu Mountain. But over the years, I’ve often visited the area around the Forbidden Land, trying to find some clues. Finally, my efforts paid off. Two or three years later, the trees near the Forbidden Land began to wither on a large scale. You must understand, the areas around spiritual apertures have unique geographical environments, and the trees there have grown for thousands of years. Even pests or natural disasters wouldn’t cause them to wither entirely. However, while natural disasters couldn’t, earth movements could. This is common knowledge in the field of feng shui. If external forces alter the course of the earth’s veins and steal the energy of the spiritual aperture, the surrounding environment will undergo irreversible changes. It was only then that I realized something: the person who killed my brother-in-law might not have done so solely to kill him. It was likely more about targeting the spiritual aperture in Longhu Mountain. But why had the Daoist community never reported anything like this before? The Soul Stealing Formation had been lost for over a thousand years. How could it suddenly reappear? After much thought, I realized I’d been mistaken about one thing. What they used initially might not have been the true Soul Stealing Formation but a less powerful variant, aimed at stealing easily accessible earth and life energy.”

Hearing this, Wei Yang’s heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, “Wang Village back then! Were they trying to steal the earth energy of Wang Village?”

“Very likely,” Zeng Jingxuan sneered. “After realizing this, I followed this lead and discovered several similar cases. One even occurred during the Cultural Revolution. A village experienced a chronic disease outbreak, and within five years, everyone living there had died. Those who left the village didn’t live past forty-five. In that era of famine, it didn’t seem particularly unusual, but if it was man-made, that’s a different story.”

Zeng Jingxuan’s tone was calm, but Wei Yang felt a chill run down his spine. Was the formation set up in Wang Village really that sinister? If it hadn’t been disrupted by the Bone Formation he possessed, would Wang Village have met the same fate of extinction?

“Wouldn’t they fear heavenly retribution for doing something like this?” Wei Yang couldn’t help but voice the question weighing on his mind. He remembered that Sun Yunhe hadn’t used the Soul Stealing Formation in such a way. Even during the massacre in the dream, he hadn’t stolen earth energy—he’d only killed people.

“He does fear it,” Zhang Xiuqi interjected coldly from the side. “Human lives are the bottom line of Daoist practices. Recklessly stealing earth energy like this would generate a significant amount of vengeful spirits. That’s why he thought of using the Soul Binding Formation.”

The Forbidden Land of Longhu Mountain was a completely yin spiritual aperture, and only the Zhang family used such apertures to temper their descendants and study ghostly Daoism. If the Soul Binding Formation were used on the path to the Yellow Springs, it would cause a riot of ghosts, destabilizing the spiritual aperture. This way, the vengeful energy could be transferred into the aperture. However, opening the spiritual aperture required the bloodline of the Zhang family, which was why the perpetrator had staged the ambush during the trial.

“His Soul Stealing Formation wasn’t complete, and my father managed to block it at the cost of his life. Although the Forbidden Land suffered significant damage, the spiritual aperture wasn’t destroyed. However, the residual power of the Soul Binding Formation nearly shattered my life soul. By a twist of fate, my Heavenly Soul ended up attached to the Bone Formation.” Zhang Xiuqi’s eyes glinted with ferocity, his voice as cold as ice shards.

Zeng Jingxuan added, “Because the soul-stealing failed, that person must have also suffered considerable injuries. But he managed to seize the Bone Formation from my brother-in-law and, using some secret method, recovered his full strength in less than a few years, even surpassing his previous capabilities. The most obvious sign was that he could now use the Soul Stealing Formation. Luofu Mountain was the former Daoist site of Ge Hong, the Immortal Elder. Although the spiritual energy there was depleted and the lineage had been severed, there was indeed a remnant spiritual aperture near the ancient temple. Somehow, he found it and performed the Soul Stealing Technique. This became my first clue to their activities.”

Wei Yang immediately grasped the key point. “Besides Luofu Mountain, have those people stolen spiritual energy elsewhere?”

“Every five years,” Zeng Jingxuan replied bluntly. “Either the spiritual apertures they found weren’t of high quality, or the sins they’d committed were too heavy, requiring more spiritual apertures to transfer the vengeful energy. Every five years, they find a spiritual aperture to steal energy, maintaining their lives in the process. But the act of soul-stealing creates significant disturbances and requires complex ritual instruments and materials. Using this, I gradually tracked their movements.”

As he spoke, he reached over and flipped through the notebook to a specific page, pointing at a photo. “This man is named Luo Jin. He appeared twenty years ago, skilled in Jiangtou, particularly those related to the soul. He’s been a guest of honor among certain powerful figures, handling unspeakable cases.”

The photo showed an elderly man with white hair and beard, looking at least seventy years old. His face was thin, but there was something unsettling about his demeanor—no trace of the ethereal aura of an immortal, but rather a hint of malice. Wei Yang frowned. “Is this the person who cast the spell? The leader of that group?”

Zeng Jingxuan shook his head. “No, this person is likely that man’s disciple, and a powerful figure handling external affairs. As for his master, no one has seen his true face. Luo Jin himself claims that his master is over a hundred years old and inherited the Daoist lineage from Yunfeng Temple during the late Qing dynasty. But that’s just a story for outsiders. Yunfeng Temple was reduced to ashes during the Opium Wars. There’s no way there are still inheritors. Moreover, Yunfeng Temple was originally part of the Zhongge lineage, which has no connection to Sun Yunhe whatsoever.”

“He claims to be a descendant of the Zhongge Sect?” Wei Yang suddenly interjected. “Isn’t Zhongge a sect focused on immortality? Is that his real goal?”

The Zhongge Sect could be considered the most focused on “cultivation” within Daoism. Their pursuit was immortality and ascension, which made their true practitioners highly sought after among certain circles. Wei Yang recalled that the man surnamed Xu had once claimed his master was the “True Body of Myriad Sects” and could “live forever.” This was likely one of the things they boasted about.

“Not the goal, but a cover,” Zeng Jingxuan replied coldly. “Sun Yunhe’s method was to exchange spiritual energy for lifespan. If that person truly inherited his teachings, he could indeed achieve ‘immortality,’ but it would be through external means to extend his life. That’s why he has to emerge every five years to find a spiritual aperture and prolong his life.”

“And now it’s that five-year cycle again.” Wei Yang finally understood why Master Zeng and Brother Qi were preparing so urgently and why they were so excited to obtain the spiritual aperture map left by Sun Yunhe.

Zeng Jingxuan nodded. “Correct. The map contains records of that spiritual aperture, located in a branch of Purple Canopy Peak on Mount Xian.”

Purple Canopy Peak on Mount Xian was also one of the legendary Ten Great Grotto-Heavens. It wouldn’t be surprising for there to be one or two spiritual apertures there. More importantly, Sun Yunhe’s feng shui map indeed marked a location on Mount Xian.

Wei Yang nodded in understanding. “When do we set out?”

“These Soul Stealing Formations are typically activated during the full moon. Based on the information I’ve gathered, they enter the mountain during the dark moon. We just need to arrive before the formation is activated.”

No wonder Master Zeng had been so certain the other party would act at the hospital the other day. They were probably afraid of delaying their entry into the mountain. Now that it was already the beginning of the month, those people had likely already entered the mountain to set up the formation. They could act at any moment. Although Mount Xian wasn’t too far from Shanxi Province, they probably didn’t have much time left.

However, Wei Yang didn’t show any signs of distress. Instead, he seemed invigorated. “Then in the next few days, I’ll need to learn more. And the matter of using witch blood for medicine—should we start experimenting with that soon?”

Zhang Xiuqi’s brow immediately furrowed. “No! Your vital energy hasn’t fully recovered yet. You still need to rest!”

Wei Yang grinned, about to say something, but Zeng Jingxuan waved his hand. “Xiao Qi is right. Since you’re coming along, you’ll need a few more days of rest. We’re still preparing talismans and ritual instruments. There’s no rush.”

Wei Yang’s eyes darted around. “Do we need any other support? Like contacting Director Sun to use his resources and investigate Luo Jin’s current whereabouts…”

“No,” Zeng Jingxuan firmly shook his head. “They also have connections in high places. If we investigate too thoroughly, we might alert them. Don’t worry about this. I’ve asked a friend to keep an eye out. If there’s any news, he’ll contact me immediately.”

It seemed that although they hadn’t found any allies to help eliminate the evil, Master Zeng’s network wasn’t narrow. Wei Yang anxiously rubbed the notebook in his hands and finally sighed. “Then can I at least take a look? I’m sure there’s a lot I need to catch up on. Let me get familiar with this stuff first.”

A faint smile appeared on Zeng Jingxuan’s face. “Alright. Xiao Qi needs to balance work and rest these days. I’ll leave this task to you.”

Wei Yang wasn’t sure what this “task” entailed, but he stole a glance at the stern-faced Little Celestial Master and couldn’t help but feel a bit pleased. This time, he had truly been accepted by the two of them and wouldn’t be left behind. What could be better than that?

With a grin, Wei Yang stood up and stretched. “Alright, you two keep working. I’ll go order some food and handle the logistics.”

Without waiting for their response, he picked up the notebook and left the room. Watching his retreating figure, Zeng Jingxuan suddenly turned and asked, “Reluctant to let him go?”

Reluctant to leave him behind, reluctant to let him slip away. Zhang Xiuqi understood the underlying meaning, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he silently clenched his fist.

Seeing his nephew like this, Zeng Jingxuan sighed and couldn’t help but add, “With a major battle approaching, you two still need to be careful. Don’t let it interfere with the main task.”

He glanced meaningfully at Zhang Xiuqi’s slightly reddened lips. Noticing his uncle’s gaze, the Little Celestial Master, for once, looked somewhat embarrassed and pursed his lips. “I’ll teach him properly.”

That wasn’t the answer Zeng Jingxuan was looking for, but… perhaps it was for the best. He sighed softly and changed the subject. “I’ve brought back some more things. Come take a look…”