Chapter 62: Tit for Tat!

"Still talking back to me, are you?" The elderly man raised his slightly aged hand, pointing at Jian Yichen as he scolded, "Jian Yichen! Let's wait until the Wei hour. Let your master see whether, after practicing for so long, you can—ah, the affinity of the talismanic arts! Let's see if you dare talk back again!" At this moment, Jian Yichen's master wore a faint smile, looking somewhat disdainful toward this prodigal disciple.

"Haha, Master, aren't you slapping your own face with that?" A triumphant look spread across Jian Yichen's face as he stood before his master.

"Very well, let your master witness my dear disciple's strength at the Wei hour." A kinder expression replaced the sternness on the old man's face, though deep down he still harbored disbelief. He knew a thing or two about Jian Yichen's reputation—a notorious rogue within a radius of ten miles who charmed maidens' hearts, stole chickens, and chased dogs, capable of every petty crime imaginable. *I truly find it hard to believe he could awaken the talismanic roots within his body,* thought the master.

Slowly turning around, the old man walked up to the center of the Talisman Hall. He pivoted, coughed, and said, "Be quiet! Niu Xiaodan, why are you turning around? Disobedience deserves punishment!"

"I was wrong, Master!" Niu Xiaodan lowered his head, gently letting his hands drop to stroke his sides.

"Right, Xiaoshan, take those three and help them get familiar with the talismans from now on. When the time is ripe, they will naturally practice alongside you all. If the time is not yet ripe, Xiaoshan, do you understand?" The old man looked toward Xiaoshan, his voice carrying a deep undertone as he gave another slight cough.

"Understood, Master. You must take care of your health!" Xiaoshan nodded slowly—up and down, very slowly, as if in solemn agreement—and said with a hurried, anxious voice, "Master, please look after yourself."

"It's nothing, it's nothing, just a minor ailment." The old man waved his hand gently with a soft motion, turning to walk toward the main hall. His footsteps were heavy.

Those who wielded immense talismanic power without having attained the absolute highest realm of the craft would suffer physical backlash, which escalated alongside the potency of the talismans. Many ancestors of the Talisman Sect seemed to have perished from this very affliction.

"You may all leave!" With that, the old man departed from the area.

"Let's go, everyone!" Xiaoshan said to the senior martial sisters and brothers standing before him.

"Jian Yichen, let's go!" Weiyu's voice carried a sweet tone as she turned her head slightly, her eyes vibrant like stars.

"Senior Brother Jian, Senior Sister Weiyu, wait for us, let's go together!" Xiaoshan hurried over and asked, "May I?"

The three of them left the grand hall, passing by Niu Xiaoshan and Niu Dachuang, who were slowly making their way toward the dining hall.

A moment later...

To Yufan's left walked Senior Sister Fangyu, and to his right was Xingchenzi. Before them stood the Talisman Pavilion. They slowly entered, and just as before, the intricate stone doors slowly swung open.

They filed in one by one, and a faint wave of sandalwood fragrance greeted them.

* * *

"Senior Sister, Xingchenzi, wait for me here," Yufan said, looking at the two of them with a slight tremor in his voice.

"Go quickly, and return quickly," Fangyu's soft voice lingered in the ears of Xingchenzi and Yufan.

"I'm off," Yufan said.

A moment later...

"Yufan, where are you going?" Weiyu asked gently, her eyes fixed upon him. Xiaoshan and Jian Yichen, standing nearby, also cast glances at Yufan. As for Jian Yichen, he felt too ashamed to speak; he remembered all too well the crushing blow to his dignity when he had once collapsed on the ground, clinging to Yufan's legs and begging for his life.

"Nowhere special! Where are you headed?" Yufan lowered his voice.

"We were just about to look for you," Weiyu replied.

"You guys go ahead then! My senior sister and my younger brother are in the Talisman Pavilion," Yufan said, standing before her with a low voice. Then he added, "Right, Jian Yichen, come over here for a moment. A word in private, if you please!"

Jian Yichen glanced over, thinking to himself, *What is he up to? Surely he isn't going to humiliate me completely!*

"Senior Brother Yu, I haven't provoked you! Don't do anything drastic!"

Weiyu nudged Jian Yichen at her side. Stumbling forward a few steps with a pale expression, Jian Yichen raised his hands toward Yufan in a pleading gesture. "Please, no! Please, no, Senior Brother Yu!"

"Get over here. I'm not going to do anything like that, nor am I that kind of person," Yufan told him.

A moment later...

"Senior Sister, Xiaoshan, you guys go ahead! Go find those two talisman students and help them get familiar with the surroundings. Senior Brother Yu and I have some business to attend to," Jian Yichen said, clenching his fists in fury. *It must be that little wretch who did this, no doubt about it!*

"Junior Brother, don't do anything bad!" Weiyu urged anxiously.

"I won't. Let's go, Brother Yu!" Jian Yichen slowly walked away from Weiyu's side, muttering curses under his breath: *Gu Yiling, are you really going to disregard even the shred of affection between us?*

"Oh right, Senior Sister, I won't be able to make it to the match at the Wei hour. Could you please help me explain to my master and spare me the trouble?" Jian Yichen turned back briefly before passing out of Weiyu's sight.

* * *

Walking along the narrow path leading to the North Pavilion Peak...

"How about this? You lure him out, and then we teach him a lesson. Otherwise, there's no way we can take on the entire North Pavilion Peak by ourselves," Yufan said, turning his head slightly toward Jian Yichen.

"That works too. It has to be you," Jian Yichen replied, gazing ahead.

They walked for a long time. Gusts of eerie wind brushed past the two of them, carrying a mild warmth accompanied by a few withered yellow leaves fluttering down through the air.

"We've arrived. Ahead is the North Pavilion Peak. Brother Yu, wait for me here," Jian Yichen said, pointing forward before lowering his right hand.

Standing before the grand gates of the North Pavilion Peak, Jian Yichen hollered at the top of his lungs, "Come out! Gu Yiling, get your butt out here! All you know is how to resort to these cheap, underhanded tricks!"

Several figures in long robes, marked with the unique emblem of intertwined tree vines on their backs, emerged and surrounded Jian Yichen.

Gu Yiling stepped out with his hands clasped behind his back, a trace of disdain on his face. "Oh, so it's you, Jian Yichen. Well, well, are you here to surrender and beg for forgiveness?"

Gu Raolin followed closely behind him. Bright-eyed and radiant, she looked at the man before her in sheer disbelief. "Jian Yiling!" She could hardly trust her own eyes.

Gu Yiling turned around and said, "Get back inside, Sister. Don't waste your heart on this heartless wretch anymore."

Jian Yichen cursed, "Gu Yiling, whatever issues your sister and I have in our relationship, you shouldn't drag other people's thatched huts into this! You can burn down my hut all you want, but you had no right to burn theirs! What kind of game are you playing?"

"Shut your mouth, Jian Yichen! How dare you arbitrarily slander people?" Gu Yiling raised his right hand, pointing at Jian Yichen in a tirade.

"Ha! That's hilarious. Aren't you trying to kill me? Come on then! What's the meaning of having so many people gang up on just one person? Is this the hospitality of your North Pavilion Peak?" Jian Yichen asked unhurriedly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "There's only of me, so shouldn't you all fight me one-on-one?"

"Fine! Very well then!" Gu Yiling snapped.