Chapter 64 – Unsettling

The hospital room was extremely quiet, with no windows open, no television on, and most of the monitoring equipment turned off. The excellent soundproofing made the room feel like an isolated island, free from any outside disturbances. In this silence, the faint sound of breathing was amplified many times over, becoming impossible to ignore.

Zhang Xiuqi’s gaze turned to his side, where the breathing sound was coming from. Someone was lying there, deeply asleep. Perhaps due to the relief and relaxation after the ordeal, Wei Yang had fallen asleep while leaning on the bed, completely unaware that he had been moved onto the bed and placed beside Zhang Xiuqi, lost in a deep dream.

Even in sleep, Wei Yang’s face remained pale, with a few shallow scars marking his cheeks, revealing faint reddish flesh. His neck was wrapped in a bandage, clearly indicating that he had suffered not insignificant injuries. Zhang Xiuqi carefully examined this face for a long time before finally shifting his gaze to his own hands, which were also wrapped in bandages.

Many memories from last night were hazy. At one point, he had completely lost consciousness, only remembering the overwhelming smell of blood and an uncontrollable rage. Suddenly, fragments of something had appeared in his chaotic mind—something that made it hard to breathe and tightened his chest. He remembered his father, the events in the Forbidden Land, and the figure walking away. But all of these were fragments, like faint reflections glimpsed through the cracks of an abyss.

There was something buzzing in Zhang Xiuqi’s mind, cold and hard, like a stone lodged in his throat, driving him to the brink of madness. Yet these reflections were so important that he couldn’t help but dig deeper, trying to break through the cage that imprisoned them.

A small spot of blood seeped through the bandage, leaving a faint red stain. Perhaps he had accidentally reopened the wound while moving Wei Yang earlier. The battle with the Corpse Puppet had cost him dearly, leaving him with many injuries, but he seemed oblivious to the pain. He simply sat motionless on the bed, staring at the bandage on his hand.

Beside him, the breathing remained steady and peaceful, like a child safe in its cradle. That steady rhythm gradually soothed the fear in his heart—though Zhang Xiuqi might not have been aware that this emotion was called fear. He just sat quietly on the bed, letting the fragments in his mind collide and churn.

When Monk Chizhi arrived at the hospital, Wei Yang had already woken up. The exhaustion from the previous night, coupled with the intense stress and fear, had overwhelmed him, and despite his best efforts to stay awake, he had collapsed into a deep sleep after Zhang Xiuqi regained consciousness. By the time he woke up, he found himself lying on the bed, having slept for two hours.

However, this brief nap did little to calm his nerves. Seeing Monk Chizhi, he quickly approached and grabbed the old monk’s sleeve. “Master Chizhi, I’m sorry to call you here so urgently, but I need your help to check on Brother Qi. Something happened last night that seems to have affected his soul…”

It was no wonder Wei Yang was anxious. After waking up, he had noticed that Zhang Xiuqi was behaving unusually. Although he had regained consciousness, the Little Celestial Master didn’t seem as hungry as usual, nor did he get up to draw talismans or move around. Instead, he just sat motionless on the hospital bed, appearing even more withdrawn than before.

Describing Zhang Xiuqi as “withdrawn” felt strange, as he had always been a man of few words. But Wei Yang was different from others; he could clearly sense that this silence was not the same as before. If the previous silence had been due to the numbness and confusion caused by the missing soul fragment, this new silence felt like an “emotion,” a self-imposed isolation born from psychological factors. It was as if something had been added to the blankness, something heavy, with its own weight and will.

This change filled Wei Yang with unease. The initial excitement had faded, replaced by a new wave of worry. So when Monk Chizhi arrived, Wei Yang felt as if he had found a lifeline.

Monk Chizhi didn’t respond directly. Instead, he turned his blind eyes toward Wei Yang and, after a long pause, said, “Let’s set aside Master Zhang’s situation for now. It seems there’s been a change in you as well, Master Wei.”

This response caught Wei Yang off guard. Frowning, he was about to ask what the old monk meant when Monk Chizhi walked over to the hospital bed. Despite being blind, his steps were steady, as if he could see everything in the room. His voice, though dry and hoarse, was calm and measured. “Master Zhang, have you remembered something?”

Zhang Xiuqi’s dark eyes turned toward Monk Chizhi, but they didn’t focus on him. Instead, they seemed to look through him, toward some distant place. After a long pause, he nodded. “Some things. They’re… chaotic.”

In his muddled mind, fragments of memories were churning, trying to break free from the shackles that held them. But with one soul fragment missing, it was difficult for him to understand the emotions tied to these memories, let alone comprehend what was stirring in his heart. Even so, the remnants of these memories were beginning to ferment, gnawing away at what little was left of his inner world and further destabilizing the already burdened two soul fragments.

Monk Chizhi nodded. “The soul has not returned, yet the karma has arrived. No wonder it’s like this. Aside from the Corpse Puppet, what else happened last night?”

This question wasn’t directed at Zhang Xiuqi but at Wei Yang. Earlier, when Wei Yang had called, he had only briefly explained the situation without going into detail. Now, faced with Monk Chizhi’s inquiry, Wei Yang didn’t hold back. “The Longhu Mountain talisman jade I’ve worn since childhood shattered. It was a relic left by Brother Qi’s father. Could that be why he’s…”

Monk Chizhi shook his head. “The change in you may be due to the talisman jade, but Master Zhang’s situation is certainly not caused by it.”

This answer surprised Wei Yang again. Monk Chizhi, as if sensing his confusion, explained directly, “The talisman jade is a heirloom of the Longhu Mountain lineage. If it were connected to Master Zhang’s missing soul fragment, it would have been discovered long ago. The changes in him are unlikely to be due to the talisman jade. However, the barrier that once covered you has disappeared. It’s possible that the Longhu Mountain talisman jade suppressed the aura within you. Now that the jade has shattered, that aura has emerged. However, as I am not a practitioner of the Xuanmen arts, I cannot discern the root of this. But…”

He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. “…but perhaps I misjudged the karmic connection between the two of you, or rather, I inverted it.”

This explanation was cryptic, and Wei Yang felt as if he had been pulled into a fog. What was this aura on him? And how was it connected to Brother Qi?

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, he swallowed hard. “What about Brother Qi? Is his condition worse…”

Monk Chizhi shook his head again. “It’s not worse, but rather a breakthrough. Whether it’s for better or worse depends on what happens next. Master Wei, it’s possible that this karmic connection will fall on you.”

“Because of that aura?” Wei Yang felt a bitter taste in his throat. What kind of aura could he possibly have? He had never learned any advanced techniques growing up. Could it be that the Longhu Mountain talisman jade had been suppressing his so-called aura?

“Because of that karmic connection,” the old monk replied calmly. “If we can find the karmic link between you and Master Zhang, we might be able to trace his missing soul fragment.”

The conversation circled back to the karmic connection. Wei Yang closed his eyes for a moment. “I understand. Please help stabilize Brother Qi’s soul first.”

Since he had come to help, Monk Chizhi didn’t refuse. He sat cross-legged beside the bed and began chanting Buddhist scriptures. The Great Compassion Mantra was a Buddhist method for dispelling negative karma and had the effect of calming the soul and stabilizing the mind. As the hoarse chanting filled the room, Zhang Xiuqi gradually closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep.

After chanting the mantra seven times, Monk Chizhi stopped and took something from his sleeve. “This is a ritual instrument I obtained from my senior brother. I originally intended to give it to you, Master Wei, but now it seems more suited to Master Zhang.”

Wei Yang took it and found that it was a Bodhi seed. Unlike the ordinary prayer beads commonly found on the market, this one was translucent and smooth, with a faint golden jade-like luster. Its surface was intricately patterned, resembling a lotus throne. Just holding it in his palm brought a calming coolness, soothing his mind.

“This is a rare variety of Coix seed that my master obtained by chance many years ago. It was carved by a master craftsman and nurtured for a long time before becoming this ritual instrument. Wearing it can ward off evil and calm the spirit, which should temporarily stabilize Master Zhang’s soul. However, to fully restore him, we must find his missing soul fragment.”

Wei Yang clenched the Bodhi seed in his hand and nodded. “I’ll try my best. Please also help contact Longhu Mountain. It was Brother Qi’s uncle who entrusted him to me. If we can find Master Zeng, it might help.”

Master Zeng had left in a hurry earlier, and although he had left a phone number, it was no longer reachable. Reluctantly, Wei Yang had no choice but to seek help and consider the next steps. Remembering something, he added, “By the way, when we were dealing with the Corpse Puppet last night, one of the Three Corpses—the Middle Corpse, Peng Zhi—escaped by possessing someone else. The person it possessed has already died. I don’t know if Peng Zhi is still alive. Brother Qi isn’t in a state to deal with it now, so I was wondering if you could help investigate whether Peng Zhi has been eliminated.”

Monk Chizhi’s brow furrowed slightly. “There was a Three Corpse in the Corpse Puppet? Tell me in detail what happened last night!”

Seeing the old monk’s serious expression, Wei Yang quickly recounted everything he had seen and experienced the previous night, including the part where he had stopped the Corpse Puppet. However, Monk Chizhi’s frown deepened, and he eventually shook his head. “No, if the Corpse Puppet truly came from the Three Corpse and even gave birth to a Ghost Fetus, it wouldn’t have been so easily eliminated. Did you use any other ritual instruments?”

Wei Yang was taken aback. “No, nothing else. And I heard from Sun Muhua that Brother Qi went berserk at the end and killed the Corpse Puppet with his fists…”

“Nonsense! A demon that could shatter the Longhu Mountain talisman jade couldn’t possibly be killed with bare hands!” Monk Chizhi’s expression turned cold, and he spoke sharply. “Is Master Sun also in the city? Call him immediately. We need to go and investigate together!”