Chapter 54 – Soul Detached

The incident happened too quickly. Wei Yang only had time to catch Zhang Xiuqi’s figure as he fell backward. The injured left hand exerted force abruptly, sending a burning pain through his body, but he had no time to care about it. He simply gripped the other man’s shoulder tightly: “Brother Qi! Brother Qi, wake up!”

Heipi was also startled and quickly stepped forward: “What’s going on! Should we call an ambulance?”

Uncle Qi, clearly calmer than the two young men, directly grabbed Zhang Xiuqi’s wrist. However, as soon as he took the pulse, his brows furrowed: “Strange, why does his pulse feel like the Soul Loss Syndrome?”

Humans have three souls and seven spirits. The absence of any soul or spirit would cause the pulse to become chaotic and disordered. Thus, with just a touch, Uncle Qi sensed something was wrong. Not expecting to have it pointed out so directly, Wei Yang grabbed onto Uncle Qi’s wrist like a lifeline: “Uncle Qi! Brother Qi lost a soul when he was young, but he’s been fine until now. It’s just today…”

Even without encountering the Bone Formation, the Little Celestial Master had been acting strangely today. Wei Yang regretted not taking it seriously earlier. If only he had contacted Master Chizhi sooner…

However, Uncle Qi looked surprised. The three souls and seven spirits are the foundation of all living beings. Not to mention losing a soul, even the loss of a single spirit would make it impossible for a person to act normally. Yet, he hadn’t noticed anything unusual about the young man earlier. Thinking quickly, he asked sternly: “Did he use some kind of Longhu Mountain Taoist technique to stabilize his soul? Could that technique have failed? Today is the third day of the lunar month, the day when souls are said to leave the body. If something goes wrong, it could lead to the soul scattering.”

At the mention of “soul scattering,” Wei Yang suddenly remembered Master Chizhi saying something similar. The third, thirteenth, and twenty-third days of each lunar month are the most unstable times for the three souls. In the evening, the souls would leave the body and wander outside. For ordinary people, this might not be a big deal, but Zhang Xiuqi only had two souls left in his body. If those two souls also left… A cold sweat broke out on Wei Yang’s back, and his hands began to tremble: “What should we do now? Can we capture the souls?”

Uncle Qi shook his head: “That’s a true Taoist technique. Even if others know about it, they might not be able to perform it. Moreover, capturing souls is usually done by the person themselves, lying flat, clenching their teeth, and coordinating their breathing. In his current state, how could he possibly do that? However, since he’s been able to grow up safely despite losing a soul, it seems the original method from Longhu Mountain was effective. Do you know how he originally stabilized his soul?”

It was the Soul Stabilizing Talisman. Wei Yang knew this, and he had seen the drawing process countless times… His hand tightened, and he blurted out: “If I were to draw the talisman, could I stabilize his soul?”

“It’s hard to say.” Uncle Qi’s brows furrowed even deeper. “You don’t know Taoist techniques, and drawing talismans requires special training. If not done properly, not only might it not work, but it could also backfire on you…”

“But there’s still hope…” Wei Yang seized the key point. “Let me try!”

Faced with Wei Yang’s determined expression, Uncle Qi couldn’t say more. Heipi, seeing this, quickly asked: “Ah Yang, what do you want to do?”

“A quiet room.” The trembling in his jaw gradually stopped. Wei Yang tightly gripped Zhang Xiuqi’s arm, fresh blood seeping from the bandage on his left hand and staining the Little Celestial Master’s sleeve. “Find me a quiet room. I’ll draw the talisman!”

&&&

Darkness enveloped him like a heavy curtain. Zhang Xiuqi didn’t even have the thought to struggle, simply allowing the darkness to consume him. In the midst of the black veil, he seemed to see a figure walking toward him. It was a man, exuding a familiar sense of nostalgia, who reached out and took his left hand.

“Xiao Qi, opening the forbidden path is a bit dangerous, but all disciples of Longhu Mountain must go through this. Don’t be afraid, I’m here…”

Zhang Xiuqi looked up at the figure and suddenly realized he seemed to be getting shorter, having to exert all his strength to keep up with the man’s pace. But he didn’t fall behind, staying firmly by his side as if they would never be separated. He opened his mouth, as if asking something, but no sound reached his ears.

The man’s large hand holding his tightened slightly: “The forbidden path indeed leads to the Yellow Springs. In three years, when we return, we can see your mother… Do you remember what your mother looked like?”

Zhang Xiuqi felt as though he nodded. The man beside him smiled, though the smile was not clear: “…Yes, we should be able to see her…”

The man’s words suddenly dissipated. A strong wind swept through, and Zhang Xiuqi felt himself lighten, as if a vast abyss had opened beneath him. A bone-chilling cold seeped through his marrow. He was falling, and ghostly figures flashed past him one after another, each one cackling at him. The noise grew louder, and he struggled to push away the ghosts, searching for a path he could tread upon. He remembered someone saying that as long as he stepped onto that path…

“Who?!”

A sharp shout pierced through the cacophony. It was the man’s voice. Then something exploded, and Zhang Xiuqi felt himself plummeting to the ground. A burning sensation spread across his body, and then the burning turned into pain, a pain so intense it drove him mad.

“Get away!” The man’s furious roar echoed in his ears. A warm hand tightly grasped his: “Go! Follow me quickly!”

In the darkness, strange colors burst forth. A formation, the man’s hand stroking his forehead, the bone joint inches away from him, and that shadow, the one that had pushed him at the last moment… A bright flash, an explosion, and Zhang Xiuqi felt as though he was flying, watching the scene below with a distant detachment. Exhaustion gradually overwhelmed his limbs, as if just a little more force would completely consume him.

Where am I going? Zhang Xiuqi stared blankly into the darkness, his heart empty, as if everything he cherished had disappeared. The wind blew again, and he drifted higher and further away.

&&&

Supporting Zhang Xiuqi’s back, Wei Yang gently laid him flat on the sofa. He took out a small box from his pocket, a stationery box about the size of a glasses case, containing a brush, cinnabar, and yellow talisman paper—things the Little Celestial Master always carried with him. Taking out the yellow talisman paper and spreading it on the table, Wei Yang took a deep breath and picked up the brush.

“Yangyang, you’re very talented at copying and imitating, but it’s best not to learn this.” The old man took the meticulously copied paper, his tone grave. “Your father used to make bronze molds, and I don’t want to see you follow in his footsteps. And what do you want to do with these characters? Do you want to perform rituals like your grandmother?”

A voice from the past echoed in his ears, but Wei Yang ignored it. His wrist pressed down, and the brush tip touched the yellow paper. His brushwork was almost identical to Zhang Xiuqi’s, with fine lines starting from the center, gradually branching and intertwining, tightly woven together like a mysterious and unfathomable painting. Gradually, all sounds disappeared. Wei Yang’s eyes were fixed solely on the yellow talisman, and a strange tide seemed to rise within him, wave after wave crashing against his heart, only to be suppressed by some heavy force, as if locked in a silent struggle, trying to break through the barrier.

Slowly, a red mist rose in Wei Yang’s eyes, and the hand holding the brush began to tremble, but his wrist remained steady. The lines were precise, without the slightest deviation, perfectly aligned. In a place he couldn’t see, the Longhu Mountain Talisman Jade began to glow. Blood dripped from the reopened wound on his left hand, falling to the ground like it was painting another picture. After what felt like an eternity, Wei Yang suddenly threw down the brush, grabbed the talisman, and pressed it against Zhang Xiuqi’s chest.

Where was the light that was supposed to flash on the talisman?! The talisman was pressed against Zhang Xiuqi’s chest, but nothing seemed to happen. The bloodshot corners of Wei Yang’s eyes were about to split: “Brother Qi! Wake up!”

His left hand, dripping with blood, gripped Zhang Xiuqi’s arm. At the base of his thumb, a small mole, redder than blood, pressed against the chaotic pulse.

In the darkness, Zhang Xiuqi slowly opened his eyes. He didn’t know how high he had drifted, but his wrist suddenly tightened, as if someone had grabbed him. A scorching heat exploded at his wrist, rushing up through his veins and into his chest. Someone was calling him… Someone had caught him…

His body jerked, and he suddenly felt weight return to his form, rapidly falling downward. But Zhang Xiuqi felt no fear, because he knew someone was waiting below to catch him.

Light burst from the talisman, and the body that had been nearly comatose suddenly trembled, opening its eyes. Those dark eyes still lacked focus, filled with a nearly scattered confusion, but Wei Yang couldn’t help but clench his teeth and reach for the cinnabar brush on the table.

“The Soul Stabilizing Talisman! Quickly, draw the Soul Stabilizing Talisman!” This awakening might just be a coincidence, but what about later? When the sun sets? Wei Yang didn’t dare to gamble.

However, looking at the brush, Zhang Xiuqi remained dazed, as if reluctant to take it: “The Soul Stabilizing Talisman… will make me forget…”

“What?” Wei Yang couldn’t help but ask, “Forget what?”

“Father… Yangyang…” The Little Celestial Master frowned with effort, as if trying to force out an expression.

Only then did Wei Yang remember what Master Zeng had said: “The technique has gone awry.” Could the problem be that it would strip away the Little Celestial Master’s remaining memories and leave him emotionless? Wei Yang’s nose suddenly ached, and he shoved the brush into Zhang Xiuqi’s hand, pulling the table over to him in one swift motion: “Forgetting is better than soul scattering. Hurry and draw it. There are only a few hours until dusk!”

Seeing the bloodshot eyes, the stains on his hands, and the slightly trembling lips, Zhang Xiuqi finally picked up the brush and began drawing the talisman with focus. Each stroke seemed to tug at his soul, and the childlike innocence gradually faded with the brushstrokes, becoming sharp and cold once more, like a pool of rippling water frozen over, leaving no trace.

However, watching this silent transformation, Wei Yang silently stepped back and sat down on the other end of the sofa. The pain from his wound began to spread, but he ignored it, simply watching the man drawing the talisman. Only now did he finally understand why Master Zeng always had a faint sadness in his expression. Not drawing the talisman would lead to soul scattering, but drawing it would turn him into an emotionless puppet, a machine. No matter the choice, it would bring unbearable pain.

Yet, compared to death, he would rather see Brother Qi alive, even if he no longer called him “Yangyang” or showed that faint, confused smile.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Wei Yang took a deep breath and stood up, walking toward the door. His steps were light, not disturbing the Little Celestial Master still drawing the talisman, and he stepped out of the room. Heipi was still waiting outside, even having lit a cigarette but not bothering to smoke it. Seeing Wei Yang come out, he quickly put out the cigarette and walked over: “How is he?”

“He’s awake.” Wei Yang forced a smile. “I’ve caused you trouble again…”

“Don’t be so formal.” Heipi patted Wei Yang’s shoulder. “If you need anything, just tell me. Treasure House might not be as big as other places, but we still have connections…”

Wei Yang gave a light hum, changing the subject: “By the way, where’s the Bone Formation?”

“Here, Uncle Qi asked me to give it to you.” Heipi took out the sandalwood box from his pocket and handed it to Wei Yang. “He said the Little Celestial Master might have seen this Bone Formation before. It might not be this exact one, but it’s definitely related. What exactly is this thing?”

Gripping the box, Wei Yang clenched his fingers: “I don’t know, but I can look into it.”

“How?” Heipi was surprised. Even his resourceful Uncle Qi hadn’t been able to figure it out. What could Ah Yang do?

Wei Yang smiled faintly: “I think I’ve seen this thing when I was a kid. I just forgot some things. Maybe if I go back home, I’ll remember something…”

His smile was dry, as if ice had passed through his eyes. Heipi immediately fell silent. He had known Wei Yang for a while, but he had never heard him talk about his hometown, not even where he was from. People who acted like this usually had their reasons, and it wasn’t something just anyone could touch.

Sighing, Heipi shook his head: “Then be careful. If anything happens, just let me know.”

“Thanks, Brother Ming.” This time, the thanks were sincere. Wei Yang didn’t say anything more, nodding at Heipi before walking back into the room. By then, the second Soul Stabilizing Talisman was finished, and in the flash of white light, the Little Celestial Master seemed to glance up, noticing that the person was still there, and lowered his head again.

Looking at Zhang Xiuqi’s utterly serious expression, Wei Yang sighed softly and sat down on the sofa beside him.

They stayed at Treasure House for a long time that day, until the cinnabar in the box was completely used up. No one knew how many talismans had been drawn, but the Little Celestial Master’s movements had clearly changed, no longer sluggish and confused, and a coldness had returned to his demeanor. Seeing the improvement, Wei Yang didn’t dare to delay any longer and took Zhang Xiuqi away from Treasure House, heading toward the company next door. If they were really going home, they needed to gather some things first.

However, before they could step through the door of Jieshui Studio, Wei Yang’s footsteps suddenly halted, and he blocked Zhang Xiuqi’s path. As he moved, several people emerged from all sides, surrounding them and effectively trapping them in the middle.