Chapter Forty-Six: The Art of Death Pointing
The Three-Eyed Taoist, his eyes brimming with tears and his heart full of misery, clung desperately to the peerless treasure handed down by his ancestor—the Little Yellow Book.
“As long as it’s not this manual, anything else is negotiable!” He twisted his neck away, unable to meet the gaze of the person before him, his voice trembling as he forced himself to speak, embodying the resolve of a warrior willing to sacrifice.
Jiang Lan cast a glance at the Little Yellow Book in his arms. It was simply a collection of modest insights written by a mortal who had brushed against the path of immortality. Its shabby appearance testified to its centuries-old existence, passed down through a dozen generations.
“Look at how you treat your precious item, so stingy—no wonder your business is so poor.” She gave the dilapidated stall a disdainful once-over.
A reasonably flat long table was covered with a coarse linen cloth. Seated on the bench was a goateed Taoist in a yellow robe, carrying a white pouch. The banner standing beside him must have been the most valuable item at the stall—at least it had no patches.
The Three-Eyed Taoist was seething inside, wishing he could hurl every fire talisman at this monstrous being and be done with it! But, rubbing his fingers together, he knew he was no match.
“So what do you want? Am I supposed to yield to you?” His voice trembled with suppressed sobs.
Jiang Lan felt her mind surge with countless thoughts. She pulled out a pouch of silver from her bosom and tossed it onto the table, glaring at the Taoist. “Put away your filthy intentions. I’m hiring you to make talismans for me!”
“Talismans?” The Taoist’s eyes darted toward the silver, then he turned his face away, mustering the courage to say, “Isn’t that a bit little?”
He was answered by the sound of knuckles cracking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the monster’s right hand clench into a fist. Though it wasn’t large, it was terrifying.
“I’ll do it, I’ll do it—won’t that suffice?”
Swiftly, the Three-Eyed Taoist stowed the money, fearing Jiang Lan might retract the offer.
Jiang Lan followed him to his dwelling, surveying the ruins and chaos; even Ming Ge’er’s old house paled in comparison. It wasn’t so much decrepit as it was disorganized—things lay scattered everywhere, leaving Jiang Lan unsure where to step. She could only follow closely, stepping in his footprints.
Despite the apparent neglect, Jiang Lan discerned some clever tricks in the place and smiled, “I didn’t expect you to dabble in the occult. Did you set up this confusion yourself?”
The Three-Eyed Taoist was furious but dared not be arrogant before Jiang Lan, muttering under his breath, “Ignorant—this is called the Art of Diverting Paths.”
Though his mortal body meant his spiritual consciousness was his own, he was well aware of every shift in the wind and grass around him.
“Enough muttering, get on with the talisman-making!”
...
Having acquired fifty each of Speed Talismans and Invisibility Talismans, Jiang Lan returned to her residence. Xi Chi and Min Zhe, having gathered news, were waiting outside the study.
“Come in.”
“What’s happened recently at Xing Mansion?”
At first, Min Zhe found it odd that his master had suddenly taken an interest in the Minister of Personnel’s household. When he saw portraits of the minister’s sons, he was indignant. Truly, the thief’s ambition will not die! Bah!
“The third son of Xing is unconscious and won’t wake. The imperial doctors say he’s been afflicted by evil spirits. Madam Xing has spent a fortune to bring back Master Wei, a renowned demon hunter, to deal with the evil.”
“Master Wei? Who is he?”
“Master Wei is barely thirty, yet already the most formidable among the twelve junior celestial masters at the Imperial Observatory. His teacher, Master Hao, ranks second among the twelve grand celestial masters and excels in the Thirteen Arts of Yin-Yang, especially the technique of pointing out evil.”
“Pointing out evil?”
He thought of the female ghost—delicate in appearance, yet her aura of malice was heavier than that of a whole pond of water ghosts combined.
It seemed Master Wei would not spare her.
“What about Xing San?”
Min Zhe frowned, thinking that the matter with Liu Heng was still unresolved and he couldn’t afford to make enemies now.
“He’s recovered, radiant in spirit...”
Jiang Lan no longer cared to listen to Min Zhe’s report—something about Liu Heng and Qian Qian. She merely nodded stiffly.
As night fell, the Three-Eyed Taoist, enjoying his peaceful evening with wine and snacks within his courtyard, was furious when a black-clad figure leaped over the wall, silver shimmering.
“To hell with the Sanqing Taoist! It was enough being bullied by a nameless monster during the day, but now an uninvited guest at night!” He rolled up his sleeves and rummaged in his pouch for talismans.
“Nameless monster?”
His hand quivered in the pouch, eyes wide with shock.
“You—you—you... Why are you here again?” He slapped his thigh, his face full of resignation.
Is there no end to this torment?
Jiang Lan tossed him a set of night-clothes. “Come with me.”
“Can I refuse?”
Jiang Lan leapt onto the roof beam, looking back. “What do you think?”
...
Within Jiankang City, aside from the largest mansions near the palace, a young man in a lake-blue brocade robe sat by the pond in a wheelchair, holding a small box of fish food. His slender, pale fingers scooped a bit and scattered it by the water’s edge.
Instantly, hundreds of large carp leapt from the previously calm surface, scrambling for the morsel. The water was soon stained crimson.
The young man’s smile deepened.
A servant in green crossed the corridor, knelt down respectfully.
“Master, news just arrived—the one has begun to act against Liu Heng. Should we keep applying pressure?”
The servant felt his master had changed lately; in the past, subordinates caught in a deadlock were simply dealt with in prison—why go to such lengths and secretly oppose the other party? Wasn’t he just a powerless heir? Why devote so much effort?
The blood on the lake grew thicker, the young man’s smile ever more chilling.
“Do carp eat meat?”
“Hm?” The servant was startled. “I haven’t raised them, so I’m not sure. They probably don’t.”
The young man shook his head. “If hungry enough, even the gentlest fish will eat meat.”
The servant didn’t understand his master’s meaning, but he was pondering another piece of news.
“Is there anything else?”
Usually, Shijin would have bowed and departed, but now he remained kneeling. The perceptive young man was not fooled.
“They requested recent news from Xing Mansion. As instructed, I sent it all. Is the other party targeting Xing Ke?”
Shijin thought his master shouldn’t indulge the enemy, shouldn’t let that man live on—one failed scheme followed by another. Did he really have such luck to survive twice? Xing Ke was a trusted subordinate, placed at the Empress Dowager’s side.
Originally, he had hoped to use Liu Heng as a tool to eliminate the man and silence Liu Heng. Now, if Xing Ke became involved, it would be risky.
“Xing Ke?”
The young man closed the box.
“That fool who alternates between spoiling and destroying his wife? Why focus on him?”
“Should we warn Xing Ke?”
The young man shook his head. “No need. Keep an eye on Liu Heng. When Liu Heng dies, those people will be desperate to know who targeted them.”
“Yes.”
The servant’s smile turned bloodthirsty; he inwardly admired his master’s cunning. Liu Heng had long been involved with the powerful and noble, handling many affairs for them—and accumulating plenty of leverage.
Pulling Liu Heng down, such a minor figure wasn’t worth so much effort. Anyone with a modicum of sense would see it as an attempt to learn what Liu Heng knew, to gain control and threaten others.
If those people found out, well, his master wouldn’t even need to act.
...
The Three-Eyed Taoist, perched on the eaves, stared in bewilderment at the strange scene before him. Night raids on mansions, reckless use of invisibility talismans—fine, but what was with the line of little ghosts trailing behind?
“Master, you’re finally here!”
“Yes, yes!”
“We’ve been bullied so badly!”
“Yes, yes!”
“Master, you must bring us justice!”
“Wuu wuu wuu wuu wuu~”
...
The Three-Eyed Taoist wailed, “Master, Ancestor, you told me to learn the art of pointing out evil—look, now there’s a great demon. What do I do?”
Lifting and moving a few tiles, Jiang Lan found Xing San.
He was dressed in white, holding a scroll, seemingly deep in study. The red string around his neck was conspicuous. Jiang Lan raised her brows, pulled out a talisman, her lips murmured, and sparks flickered at her fingertips as the talisman burst into flames.
“Wind, rise!”
Soon, a sinister wind arose from nowhere, sweeping into the room. Bookshelves and tables shook, Xing San’s clothes billowed.
“As expected.”
The Three-Eyed Taoist watched in confusion. What did she mean by “as expected”?
“Let’s go. It’s not here.”
Outside Xing Mansion, the Taoist was still bewildered, leaning against the wall, gasping for breath.
Using so many invisibility and speed talismans had drained his spirit. He still couldn’t fathom what sort of monster this usurper was, able to wield Taoist magic!
Utterly astonishing.
“Master, the girl was captured. Are you going to rescue her?”
Jiang Lan nodded. That foolish girl had hung the life-saving jade she’d given her on Xing Mo’s neck.
How stubborn could she be?
Whether she was alive or dead, Jiang Lan had no idea—how exasperating!
“Master, could you please give that wretched celestial master a beating? He’s so infuriating. We’ve been so well-behaved lately, haven’t scared anyone at all~”
“Yes, yes!”
“Master, he even placed a forbidden curse on us. Look!”
The water ghosts lifted their tattered clothes, revealing black marks on their chests, each filled with deep purple evil energy.
“A forbidden curse!”
Jiang Lan looked at the wide-eyed Taoist. “Do you recognize this?”
His brow furrowed deeply.
“This is the most taboo poison among the thirteen arts of Yin-Yang. Ruthless indeed. I never thought Wei Li would secretly study this path—wasn’t he specialized in pointing out evil?”
“What do you mean?”
The Taoist straightened the wrinkles on his white pouch. “Ah, the art of pointing out evil is the most arrogant among the arts. The other six, aside from the Temple of the Nation’s Fate, all look down upon it...”
Seeing Jiang Lan listening attentively, the Taoist was startled.
“Are you really going to confront him?”
Jiang Lan smiled, said nothing, and pulled out a yellow talisman, grabbing the Taoist’s pouch with her other hand.
“No—!”