Chapter 14 Skeleton Under The Clothes 07
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Without the Seal, one had no authority to summon ghost envoys. However, upon receiving the Seal, the power to call upon them through various actions was granted.
This implied that unless one received the official Seal and was issued the decree to invoke the deities from all directions, they could summon the ghost envoys of Fengdu. Since Chen Yang hadn’t received the official Seal, how could he possibly summon a ghost envoy?
Kou Xuanling looked at Chen Yang with doubt, while Mao Xiaoli raised her head, finally grasping the situation and also feeling surprised. The hierarchy of celestial masters consisted of nine ranks, with the eighth and ninth ranks serving as the entry level. Without receiving the Seal, one couldn’t summon ghost envoys and suppress evil spirits. That was why they couldn’t be called Celestial Master.
Only with the official Seal could one be referred to as a Celestial Master.
Chen Yang involuntarily glanced at Du Shuo, who remained unperturbed and seemed uninterested in resolving the issue on his behalf. Chen Yang sighed quietly. How should he explain? Should he reveal that he had performed a spiritual marriage with an underworld ghost official, who happened to be seated right in front of them?
Obviously not.
For humans and ghosts to have such a close connection was clearly not a righteous approach.
“I have been practicing the Ghost Dao,” Chen Yang paused for a moment, then smiled warmly, “I don’t keep ghosts as pets. I can only seek the assistance of ghost envoys. After cooperating with them several times, we have become quite familiar.”
Kou Xuanling scrutinized Chen Yang’s face for a while, confirming that he wasn’t a malicious individual but rather someone with hidden merits. Feeling assured, Kou Xuanling nodded and addressed him, “Fellow Cultivator Chen.”
Chen Yang smiled in response.
Mao Xiaoli held her cheeks, her expression filled with amazement. “The traditional Ghost Dao has been lost for two thousand years, but I never expected Brother Chen to be a practitioner of the Ghost Dao. There are rumors that reaching a certain level of cultivation in Ghost Dao could directly lead to becoming a Ghost Immortal or attaining the status of a Xiuluo.”
Being a Xiuluo in Ghost Dao meant transcending the Six Realms. Unlike the malevolent Asuras, Xiuluo were considered benevolent deities. The term “Ghost Dao” actually originated from the ancient era of the Ba-Shu Witchcraft. Celestial Master Zhang, who had created his own sect known as the Zhengyi Alliance Authority Sect, had drawn upon the witchcraft of the Ba-Shu traditions.
The Ba-Shu Witchcraft, with Ghost Dao as its core, could be considered the foundation of Celestial Master Dao. However, the Ghost Dao was not accessible to ordinary individuals. It involved killing, suppressing, and controlling ghosts, as well as having close associations with them. In the early days, the Ba-Shu Witchcraft misused their knowledge of witchcraft and Ghost Dao for selfish purposes, causing disturbances in the Ba and Shu regions with the emergence of ghost towns and markets. Such actions were looked down upon by those on the righteous path.
Among the celestial masters, a common saying circulated: “The path of immortality brings good fortune, while the path of ghosts brings misfortune.”
As time passed, fewer individuals practiced the Ghost Dao, causing its decline. Although a small branch of the Witchcraft still lingered in the Ba-Shu regions, it hadn’t gained much prominence.
This was because practicing the Ghost Dao imposed stricter requirements on innate talent compared to practicing the Celestial Master Dao.
Kou Xuanling: “May I know who Fellow Cultivator Chen learned from?”
Du Shuo looked up and said, “You haven’t paid respects to your ancestral master since you returned.”
“That’s right!” Kou Xuanling slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing his oversight. He quickly went upstairs.
Chen Yang: “He needs to pay respects to the ancestral master when he returns?”
“Only him. He carries the ancestral master’s portrait with him and pays respects three times a day,” Du Shuo subtly described. “Three is the measure word.”
“…” Finally, Chen Yang understood why Feng Yuan and the others mentioned Kou Xuanling’s exceptional devotion.
After they finished their meal, Chen Yang said to Mao Xiaoli, “Let’s go and see if we can find the Ghost Locust Tree.” Inadvertently, he caught Du Shuo’s calm gaze, hesitated for a moment, and changed the topic, “Let’s split up and search.”
Mao Xiaoli responded, “Okay.” She stood up, tidied the brushes, ink, and cinnabar on the table, and grabbed the yellow talisman. “I’m heading out, Brother Chen.”
“Be careful.”
The living room was now only occupied by Chen Yang and Du Shuo. Chen Yang tilted his head and asked, “Shall we go?”
Du Shuo stood up and took a few steps forward, then turned back and extended his hand. “Aren’t you leaving?”
Chen Yang smiled, gently held Du Shuo’s hand, and said, “Let’s start by unraveling the puzzle of ‘Fang’.”
“Did you guess it?”
“I have some ideas.” Chen Yang slightly leaned his head, his eyes glistening like a pool of sunlight. “But I still need further confirmation.”
Chen Yang settled in a cafe in the commercial street of the villa area, ordered a cup of coffee without asking Du Shuo if he wanted anything. Chen Yang had a habit of enjoying coffee, resembling an old man.
Across from the cafe stood a large shopping mall, with a children’s play area located on the second floor. The cafe, situated on the third floor, provided a clear view of the entire play area where numerous children were happily playing.
Chen Yang took a sip of coffee, the bitter flavor wrapping around his taste buds and causing him to involuntarily frown. He placed the cup down and silently slid it in front of Du Shuo. Then, he fixed a serious gaze on the children’s play area across from them.
Du Shuo glanced at Chen Yang and remarked, “If you can’t handle bitter things, don’t be tempted by novelty.”
His young wife didn’t even like slightly bitter tea.
For years, Du Shuo had been attempting to nurture Chen Yang’s love for tea, but Chen Yang simply couldn’t appreciate even the tiniest hint of bitterness.
Chen Yang pursed his lips, pretending he hadn’t heard anything at all.
After a short while, Wei Changping’s figure appeared across from them. Ge Qing and Feng Yuan followed, wearing expressions of boredom. Standing by Wei Changping’s side was a beautiful young girl, and he treated her with constant attentiveness, greeting her with a warm smile.
“There she is,” Chen Yang leaned slightly and whispered, “Fang Wenwen.”
Du Shuo raised an eyebrow and questioned, “Is this the lead you came up with?”
“It’s a coincidence,” Chen Yang raised his index finger and explained, “Fang is a keyword and related to Miyun Haunted House. It just so happens that there’s a pretty girl named Fang who appeared alongside Wei Changping. I am just speculating and being skeptical.”
“How do you know the girl is named Fang Wenwen?”
“Last night, Wei Changping proudly shared with me the name and contact information of Fang Wenwen. They made plans to bring Fang Wenwen’s younger brother to the amusement park the next day. Secondly,” Chen Yang raised his second finger, “the Miyun Haunted House has been uninhabited for ten years. People have moved in before, but without exception, they couldn’t stay for long and eventually left. However, nobody knows what happened afterwards. Even after they moved out, they disappeared shortly thereafter. Every family, all the members vanished. The last residents of the house had the surname Fang.”
“Well done.” Du Shuo pushed the coffee, mixed with milk, sugar, and sugar cubes, in front of Chen Yang and said, “Drink it.”
Chen Yang glanced down at the light brown coffee, lifted it, and took a sip. It had no bitter taste, only a pleasant aroma and a perfectly balanced blend of milk and sweetness. Unable to resist, he took another sip. “I knew you could create the flavor I enjoy.”
Du Shuo raised his thumb and casually wiped off a drop of coffee from the corner of Chen Yang’s mouth before licking it off.
Chen Yang paused for a moment, then turned his head to gaze away. His ears subtly reddened.
At that moment, Fang Wenwen crouched down and spoke tenderly to a young boy. Shortly after, the boy entered the amusement area to play. Fang Wenwen stood outside, watching over him, while Wei Changping stayed by her side, engaged in conversation and occasionally scratching his head, signaling Feng Yuan and Ge Qing who were not far away.
Feng Yuan and Ge Qing exchanged a brief look. Ge Qing approached with a familiar expression, reaching out to shake hands with Fang Wenwen.
Fang Wenwen smiled softly, extending her hand, which was covered with a glove.
Ge Qing’s smile stiffened briefly upon seeing it, but she quickly regained her ease.
Shortly after, Feng Yuan appeared and forcefully nudged Ge Qing. Ge Qing accidentally bumped into Fang Wenwen, who then discreetly slipped the Five Thunders talisman into her jacket pocket.
Fang Wenwen helped her up, showing no visible change.
Feng Yuan and the others exchanged glances. Ge Qing subtly shook his head, released a silent sigh, and departed hand in hand with Feng Yuan.
Du Shuo:”The Five Thunders talisman doesn’t affect Fang Wenwen.”
“There must be another method to protect her from the harm of the thunder talisman,” speculated Chen Yang, gently stroking his chin.
Du Shuo: “Perhaps Fang Wenwen is more than just an ordinary person.”
Chen Yang tilted his head and leaned closer to Du Shuo, whispering, “Brother Du, can you tell me the third clue, please?”
Du Shuo gazed at him with a smile that was hard to decipher.
After a few seconds of eye contact, Chen Yang sheepishly said, “If you don’t want to tell, then forget it.”
Du Shuo raised his hand and gently pressed Chen Yang’s neck, advising, “Let’s adhere to the rules of the game.”
Suddenly, Fang Wenwen’s younger brother dashed out from the amusement area and rushed into her embrace. Within moments, the boy began trembling uncontrollably, causing panic.
Believing something was wrong, Wei Changping quickly inquired about the situation. However, Fang Wenwen swiftly removed her jacket and draped it over her brother, holding him tightly with an expression of both fear and helplessness.
Wei Changping urgently called for an ambulance, causing a commotion among the crowd. When he finished the call and turned back, he discovered that Fang Wenwen and her brother had vanished without a trace.
Chen Yang stood up and, along with Du Shuo, went downstairs to intercept Wei Changping, who was heading towards Fang Wenwen’s house to gather information.
Just as Wei Changping began to explain, Chen Yang interjected, “I saw it all. Let’s return to the villa first.”
Wei Changping was perplexed and questioned, “The talisman was placed in Fang Wenwen’s pocket, and she’s unharmed. She’s not evil and a danger.”
“Her brother was harmed.”
“I know, Fang Wenwen mentioned it was epilepsy—”
Wei Changping suddenly halted his words. Epilepsy? How could it be such an uncanny coincidence? If it truly was epilepsy, then why did her reaction just now seemed like it was her first time facing such a seizure?
Furthermore, why weren’t they allowed to assess the situation? Why couldn’t they wait for the ambulance?
The more he pondered, the more terror and fear filled his mind.
A shiver ran down Wei Changping’s spine as he said, “No, it can’t be true.”
“Let’s go back. Try to avoid being alone with Fang Wenwen as much as possible.”
At present, it could be surmised that Fang Wenwen might be human, but the same couldn’t be said for her brother.
During noon, Feng Yuan and Ge Qing returned, bringing along Ma Qiqi.
Ma Qiqi appeared fragile and lovely. She walked behind Ge Qing, tightly gripping her hand, her eyes displaying a mix of anxiety and confusion.
Chen Yang noticed a mark on her neck and raised his hand to interrupt Ge Qing. He advised them to have a warm bath and a good sleep. Ge Qing glanced at Chen Yang, who possessed a gentle gaze as if he knew everything, and nodded. They ascended the stairs with Ma Qiqi.
“Was she attacked?”
Feng Yuan immediately nodded. “Master, your insight is remarkable. Ma Qiqi was attacked last night. If it weren’t for the talisman her grandmother obtained from Dingguo Temple and placed around her neck, she might have been strangled to death.”
“It seems they’ve already started taking action.”
“Master, what should we do?”
“We’ll act tonight.” Chen Yang surveyed the area and asked, “Has Xiaoli returned yet?”
Coincidentally, Mao Xiaoli pushed open the door and walked in. As soon as she entered, she exclaimed excitedly, “Brother Chen, I found the ghost locust tree with the lump!”
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