Chapter 6, The Harmony of Yin and Yang

Master, I acknowledge my mistakes, I acknowledge my mistakes! Qing Xuan did not dare to reveal the mastermind behind the clam, repeatedly bowing and admitting fault. Rong Chenzi snorted coldly: "I am unworthy of being called Master! At such a young age, you are already so skilled in scheming; I, with my limited knowledge and ability, see that I can teach you nothing further!"

Their eyes met, and although Fuya felt a bit flustered, she quickly composed herself: "I heard that Daoist Rong Chenzi punished her for the last incident, so I came specifically to pay a visit."

Qing Xuan was greatly shocked upon hearing this, and blood even oozed from his forehead: "Master, the disciple was momentarily possessed by a ghostly delusion and truly realizes his mistake! In the future, the disciple will certainly remember the master's teachings, valuing life and being pragmatic, and will never dare to engage in such opportunistic acts again..."

The next morning, Master Rong Chen was teaching his disciples calligraphy. Fu Ya, who was very interested in Central Plains culture, wanted to attend the class as well. Master Rong Chen found it difficult to refuse and had no choice but to let her join. In the classroom, the disciples' eyes sparkled—where had the master's ceremonial vessel gone today? ... This sorcerer ...? ... Could it be that he intends to usurp the nest?

Fuya responded with a sound, turned, and exited the secret chamber. As she was leaving, she glanced back and saw Qingxuan holding a jar of water, having mixed in the sugar, and was currently feeding the river clam spirit spoonful by spoonful. He sighed softly, saying, "Master only allowed me to feed you water; I dare not let you go. Alas, why are you causing trouble again? In a couple of days, when Master has calmed down, I will plead for you; for now, just drink some water..."

The river clam did not shy away, directly stopping in front of Rong Chenzi's table. The atmosphere in the dining hall suddenly became somewhat ominous. The young Taoist priests lowered their heads to eat, yet their eyes intentionally or unintentionally kept glancing this way—it's over, the master’s backyard is about to catch fire

The sorcerer hidden in the shadows likely did not anticipate that the Nine Tripod Palace would intervene in this matter, and has consequently quieted down for the time being, with no further actions taken.

In the evening, he dined with Fuya and several disciples in the dining hall. As the two were deeply engrossed in conversation, a sound of golden bells rang from outside, and the river clam gracefully approached. Rong Chenzi immediately frowned slightly and turned to look at Qingxuan. Having been with him for a long time, Qingxuan understood at once: "The dinner has been delivered."

The river clam finally settled down, and he sent some necessities to Fuya through his disciples, then took a rest in his room

Rong Chenzi's anger was uncontainable: "I often teach you that the path of immortality values life and is boundless in its compassion for others! Yet, I have only been away from the observation for a few days, and what have you done? You sent someone to the Nine Tripod Palace, but why did you not first inform the True Person of Conduct about the patient's symptoms, instead of kneeling down to plead? You have not learned well! Instead, you have only mastered the art of deceiving the world, stealing fame, and evading responsibility with empty rhetoric!"

She murmured a spell, and a cluster of dark green flames rose from her fingertips. Without much searching, she pressed the image of the mountain pine on the wall. Before entering the secret passage, she tested it several times, being very cautious. However, everything went smoothly, and she successfully entered the secret chamber

By the afternoon, a foreign woman suddenly arrived at the observation center, dressed in a red robe, with slightly curled, somewhat burnt-yellow hair. She claimed to be able to unravel the Blood Eye Technique. Naturally, Rong Chenzi treated her with courtesy, and she was quite straightforward, quickly concocting an antidote that was much simpler than Rong Chenzi's method

That morning, Rong Chenzi finished his grooming and suddenly remembered the giant clam in the secret chamber. He adjusted his sleeves and stepped into the chamber. The clam was still lying on the couch, its position unchanged. Rong Chenzi stood in front of the couch for a while, feeling somewhat hesitant—releasing her at this moment would inevitably lead to her crying. He decided to wait until the evening to have Qing Xuan come over to release her, thus avoiding the need to coax her again.

The preparation of the antidote is a tedious process. Rong Chenzi has not closed her eyes for several nights and naturally cannot pay attention to the river clams. However, the disciples in the observatory continue to perform their respective duties, and her daily food supply remains unaffected.

Upon this thought, he was about to leave. Just before departing, he cast a glance at the person within the gauze curtain. Suddenly, Rong Chenzi's expression changed dramatically as he lifted the curtain with one hand. There, within the tent, the person lay with her eyes tightly shut, a stream of blood tears flowing from her right eye, contrasting starkly against her fair complexion, a sight that was truly shocking.

Perhaps due to the frequent occurrences, the river clam has been sleeping less lately. By the end of the hour of the snake and the beginning of the hour of the horse, she was already awake, observing Qingxuan leading the disciples in their martial arts practice at the temple. The disciples of Qingxu Temple are versatile and learn a variety of skills. In addition to scriptures and classics, they are also required to learn some martial arts and musical instruments.

This time, the river clam was indeed perceptive, nodding slightly as it stood up. The corner of her feathered garment brushed against Rong Chenzi's face, a gentle yet soft touch, akin to fine wine sliding down the throat, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

Rong Chenzi stood up and suddenly turned back to say: "As practitioners of the Dao, you cultivate your body, speech, and virtue; you cannot always have such a bad temper."

The river clam weeps with tears like pear blossoms in the rain

In the evening, the Qingxu Temple held a ritual to offer blessings for the villagers who died tragically due to the Blood Eye Technique. The ceremony took place at an open-air altar, presided over once again by Master Rongchen. In the center of the venue, an altar was set up, adorned with vases, incense burners, incense tubes, and wax tapers, providing offerings of incense, flowers, water, fruits, and lamps. Additionally, ritual implements such as jade seals, jade slips, auspicious objects, and command flags were arranged.

Master Rong Chenzi first went to the Ninghui Hall to assess the condition of the injured. Upon hearing about the events that occurred in the afternoon, it only added fuel to the fire. He immediately ordered all disciples of the temple to gather in the Ancestor Hall for instruction.

The Jiuding Palace, due to the presence of the Bathing Sun True Person, did not cause any disturbances this time and even sent disciples to assist. Rong Chenzi numbered all the secretions from the patients and used different Five Elements talismans to test the medicinal herbs.

Blood Eye Technique

At noon, the meal was still served in the dining hall. Rong Chenzi hesitated several times but ultimately did not allow his disciples to bring him food. Qing Xuan wanted to ask several times but did not dare to, and in the end, could only suppress his curiosity. This time, Rong Chenzi was truly determined to teach this fellow a lesson—if he did not show him some restraint, he would only become more reckless.

The river clam sat in front of the mirror of introspection under the eaves, idly toying with the sign tube. The sunlight in September was soft and prolonged, causing her garments to shimmer. The disciples occasionally stole glances at her, even putting in considerable effort in their movements.

Alright, stop crying! "" is a high note

In the pharmacy, there are several large stoves that boil medicine day and night. Rong Chenzi stands by to control the fire, his clothes soaked with sweat. The river clam, fearing the heat, seldom enters, instead following Qing Xuan daily to gather herbs. After advising Qing Xuan several times, Rong Chenzi no longer inquired further.

Qing Xuan was taken aback by this and rushed over, only to see the villager covering his right eye and screaming in agony. He glanced at the half of the bamboo skewer still embedded in the villager's eye socket, then looked back at the river clam sitting in front of the skewer stand: "You..."

Qingxu Temple has housed many patients. Master Rongchen instructed them to cover their eyes with a cloth and provided them with talismanic water. After ingesting the talismanic water, yellow mucus began to flow from their right eyes. Master Rongchen ordered his disciples to collect the mucus and analyze the triggers used in the sorcery. The black magic of the southern frontier has always been mysterious and unpredictable; different triggers lead to various methods of resolution.

Rong Chenzi nodded: "Mm, you go back to your room first"

After several attempts, Fuya still could not get it right and finally could not help but speak up: "Daoist, please teach me."

She smacked her lips and exclaimed sincerely: "Goodness, this turtle is incredibly accurate!"

Rong Chenzi did not dare to provoke her, keeping his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart: "Hmm, I understand."

Rong Chenzi, no longer concerned about the proprieties between men and women, stepped forward and abruptly threw back the quilt, his expression one of extreme anger. The river clam naturally understood; she hugged her knees, her feathered garments cascading around her, her long hair partially mingling with the garments and partially spilling onto the couch. Rong Chenzi's fury was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, yet it was directed at an incorrect vent.

After waiting for a moment without any movement, she cautiously lifted the curtain with her wand. Inside the red curtain, the river clam lay quietly, its eyes tightly closed, silent and motionless, with a binding spell inscribed on its forehead. Fuya was instantly overjoyed, quickly plucking a hair from her head, and just as she was about to turn and leave, the Arhat lamp on the wall was lit, and a person entered the secret chamber—it was Qingxuan

Fuya struggles with writing Chinese characters, while Rong Chenzi stands beside her, his expression gentle: "Your grip on the brush is incorrect"

Qing Xuan seemed to be unaware: "Master's bedroom has always been a place where he does not like others to intrude, please ask the wizard to leave."

He Bang was still indignant, saying, "No good deed goes unpunished!" She lowered her head to look at the half-bloodied bamboo skewer and suddenly felt amused again, for she saw the words inscribed on it: "The path ahead is clear, yet the way back is not."

As she spoke, she began to cry: "Moreover, it’s not like I intended to hurt anyone. If I don’t take action and he really sees Qingxuan, what will you do if you can’t break this curse... Wuwu, you’ve been gone for so many days, and when you come back, you don’t even care about me, just staring and scolding me..."

The river clam did not have the same patience for him as it did for Rong Chenzi: "Damn it, if I hadn't acted quickly, you would have already fallen into the trap! I don't possess the profound Taoist skills of the True Man Xingzhi, and I can't draw talismans. Your master isn't here either. By the time he returns, he would probably only have time to light a stick of incense for you!"

Fuya is very confident; as long as she obtains a single hair from this clam spirit, she can devise one hundred and eight flawless methods of death for her.

The dust of the container exploded in the lungs: "Mussels! ! ! !"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. How could the river clam be easily provoked? She immediately slammed the table and glared with fury: "Damn you, immortal board! Did I come to this broken place voluntarily? On what grounds do you scold me? I am not your disciple, so why should I care about your mood?" Her voice was louder than that of Rong Chenzi, and she showed no concern for her image. "Damn it, I am living here like a year in hell, unable to eat enough or sleep well! Living in the Taoist temple, I even encountered a headless ghost scaring me! You, you son of a turtle with a stinky nose, lacking any ability, dare to point your finger and scold your disciple, and after scolding your disciple, you still have the face to lecture me!" "Damn it, I am living here like a year in hell, unable to eat enough or sleep well! Living in the Taoist temple, I even encountered a headless ghost scaring me! You, you son of a turtle with a stinky nose, lacking any ability, dare to point your finger and scold your disciple, and after scolding your disciple, you still have the face to lecture me!"

"Wuliang Tianzun, the young Daoist has finally understood why our Daoist teachings emphasize the harmony of Yin and Yang and the balance of the universe" said a young Daoist, stifling a laugh.

Thus, two more days passed, and Fuya began to feel somewhat anxious. She had pulled out a single hair from the clam spirit, but over the past two days, she had exhausted all kinds of spells, with no effect whatsoever. It was as if that hair had never grown on any living being at all

About half an hour later, the dining hall announced that it was time for lunch. Qingxuan was instructing his junior disciples to practice one last time when suddenly a villager ran straight towards him. Just as he was about to greet him, a half bamboo skewer came whistling through the air and, with a thud, pierced the villager's right eye, instantly splattering blood everywhere

In the room, with no lamp lit, amidst the silence, one could almost hear the sound of one's own heartbeat. She turned her right hand over and grasped a bone staff, on which coiled a creature with a human face and a serpent's body, seemingly the true god they worshipped

There is truly no way for Rong Chenzi to deal with such a person; the disparity in strength is simply too great.

Only then did she feel happy, skipping out like a little spotted deer

Qing Xuan knelt down in repentance, while the river clam smacked its lips: "Tsk, Rong Chenzi, you are truly impressive! If only my family Chunyu Lin could kneel like this in front of me, I wouldn't hit him!"

The ancestral hall of Qingxu Temple enshrines the golden body of Master Puan. Incense smoke swirls around the offering platform, while the disciples below appear as if mourning their ancestors. Rongchenzi forcefully placed his whisk down, and the clear sky suddenly turned dark with wind and rain. Qingxuan immediately knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head.

In the ancestral hall, hundreds of eyes were fixed on her, and the crowd's mouths were agape as if they could fit a large goose egg. She was still filled with righteous indignation, and as she thought about it, she felt wronged: "A few days ago, you promised to take me out to play! Just a few days ago, you sneaked away! Does your scripture not say that those who cultivate the Dao can disregard their words?" She blinked her eyes, and tears began to swirl, "I had Qingxuan send people to Jiuding Palace, who am I doing this for? You are full of righteousness, do you really find joy in watching them go to their deaths?"

Qingxu Temple has temporarily closed its mountain gate due to this matter, in order to accommodate and treat the injured

The river clam said no more, turning around and hopping away. Rong Chenzi had been in the Dao for many years and had encountered countless people. He had seen both good and bad, but someone as childish as her was a rarity in his life. Although he was furious to the point of smoke coming out of his seven orifices, he could not chase after her to hit her. He could only repeatedly apologize to Fuya.

Rong Chenzi slightly furrowed his brows, then took a square sweat towel from the table used for wiping ink, gently covering her hand with it. After that, he held her hand through the towel, writing together with her. Fuya discreetly stole glances at him; he was focused and calm, entirely absorbed in the strokes on the paper, with no distractions whatsoever.

The river clam spirit is both impulsive and foolish, which is not particularly concerning. However, this man is the reincarnation of a true deity, with a solid foundation in the Dao and lacking in romantic sentiment, making it difficult to take action against him. She pondered to herself

The emergence of the Blood Eye Technique has not only caused panic in the villages at the foot of Lingxia Mountain, but also prompted the Jiuding Palace to intervene in the matter. The Master of Bathing Sun now rarely leaves his home, adorned with the exorcism and refuge talismans of the Master Xingzhi. However, the black sorcery of the Southern Frontier has always been enigmatic, and even Master Xingzhi is uncertain about the effectiveness of these talismans compared to the *Tushu*.

The river clam and Qingxuan returned from gathering herbs, and naturally, they had heard about this witch named Fuya. Qingxuan went to examine the injured, noticing that the blood color in their eyes had faded significantly, which made him marvel in surprise. The river clam also bent down to inspect the injured, and whether intentionally or not, remarked with a cold laugh: "Indeed, to untie the bell, one must find the person who tied it, hmph."

The river clam was already very happy to see him return, and at this moment, it also followed him to the ancestral hall

Before the commencement of the Dharma assembly, several disciples performed the "Bu Xu" melody, while the assembled masters chanted the "Bu Xu" lyrics. The opening tune was based on "Xiao Jiu Ku." When Master Rong Chen began to lead the chanting of the scriptures, he suddenly recalled the river clam, causing him to refocus his mind.

"Alright, alright, I was wrong, no more crying." Rong Chenzi stood up and walked in front of her, this time speaking in a deep bass voice, "I have traveled extensively and have some understanding of southern sorcery. Although the Blood Eye technique is complicated to decipher, it is not without solutions. Alright, I do not hold any blame against you, so please stop crying."

Fuyah had been listening nearby, and when no one was paying attention, she turned and sought a small path into a side hall, which was precisely the bedroom of Rong Chenzi. It was evident that she had scouted the way before coming, as she seemed quite familiar with this place, and in no time, she had already entered the room.

The dining hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, and all the Taoist priests were as still as wooden chickens, with only a fresh green cabbage leaf stuck in Fuya's hair, continuously swaying back and forth.

In her observations, she indirectly inquired with the young Taoist and learned that this clam spirit was actually a vessel of Rong Chenzi. She was quite astonished; if this obstacle were not removed, obtaining the flesh of the immortals would likely require considerable effort.

Qing Xuan was at a loss for words; after all, in front of this monster, he could only be considered a junior, regardless of his status, seniority, or age and experience. He turned his head and urgently instructed his disciples to stop the bleeding of the injured.

After spending a long time with Qingxuan and Rongchenzi, it is inevitable that one would be filled with righteous indignation, and he suddenly became somewhat angry: "How can you casually harm others?! That is an eye; do you know how important eyes are to a person?!"

This time he was truly angry and did not enter the secret chamber to see her. The river clam can store food; as long as it is not exposed to the scorching sun, it can survive for several days without being fed or coming into contact with water, especially since she is a river clam spirit. Therefore, Master Rong Chen simply chose not to take care of her anymore

After a long time, he suddenly drew a binding talisman, without saying a word, pressed it onto the forehead of the river clam, and then directly carried her into the secret chamber

The young Taoist priests did not dare to lift their heads, their shoulders shaking desperately, their faces contorted from suppressing laughter

Feya's attire was as fiery as flames, and on her wrists were two Tibetan silver bracelets, intricately carved with the image of a creature that had a human head and a serpent's body. At this moment, she was also examining the river clam, yet she did not rise; she merely nodded slightly, her expression imbued with the haughty demeanor of a sorceress: "This is ... ... "

The woman's name is Fuya, and she claims to have come to capture the misguided sorcerer in the village. Rong Chenzi has been to the southern frontier, and the two of them found much common ground in their conversation

She said little more and returned to her room. Rong Chenzi had been busy for several nights without rest. After changing clothes and bathing in Qingxuan's room, feeling truly fatigued, he instructed Qingxuan to attend to guests and manage affairs, and then he rested in Qingxuan's room

Fang Ya gritted her teeth, ultimately having no choice but to return to her room to change clothes. The various Taoist priests, fearing that the city gates might catch fire and implicate them, all lowered their heads to eat, wearing expressions that conveyed "Do not look at me, do not ask me, do not scold me, I have seen nothing"

The room was shrouded in darkness, with only the incense burner in the corner emitting a faint glow from the burning incense. Fuya, using the cold light of the flame in her hand, surveyed her surroundings and suddenly found herself believing a bit more in the words about the cauldron. She cast a protective spell, still wary of the clam spirit.

Fearing that she would cry again after being rejected, Rong Chenzi did not avoid her. The river clam still sobbed: "Then you must not scold others"

The atmosphere in the palace suddenly shifted, reminiscent of a small sun appearing after a thunderstorm. The river clam, taking advantage of the situation, wiped away his tears with his snow-white sleeve. Although he hurried back to the temple in a dusty state, his attire remained neat and dignified. There was no scent of sweat on him; instead, a fragrant aroma lingered, captivating those around him

In a fit of rage, Rong Chenzi would not allow anyone to interrupt him: "Shut up! And you!" He pointed at the river clam, and his anger surged even more, "If it weren't for your instigation, Qing Xuan would never have committed such a ridiculous act! You hold a position of responsibility yet do not attend to your duties, spending your days idly, indulging in laziness. Have you ever accomplished a single proper task? On ordinary days, I might tolerate you, but today you have actually harmed someone...! You hold a position of responsibility yet do not attend to your duties, spending your days idly, indulging in laziness. Have you ever accomplished a single proper task? On ordinary days, I might tolerate you, but today you have actually harmed someone...!"

Practicing martial arts serves two purposes: firstly, to strengthen the body, and secondly, to ensure that one has sufficient stamina when capturing demons and driving away ghosts. As for learning a musical instrument, it is primarily to cultivate one's character, and secondly, to avoid the need to hire a music troupe during rituals.

By evening, Rong Chenzi hurried back. The old Taoist from Jiuding Palace was not kind; before he even entered the door, he had already reported him. As a result, his face was ashen, and everyone in Qingxu Temple held their breath, shrinking their necks and tucking in their tails, walking with great caution

The river clam weeps incessantly

"Don't cry, what's so fun about the Dharma assembly? You'll just be bored if you go." This is in a medium tone.

Rong Chenzi quickly walked back to the bedroom, where the clam had already arrived first, curled up in a ball with the blanket.

Finally, a long prescription was written out, instructing the disciples to go up the mountain to gather herbs

The river clam also came forward, leaning over to observe the villagers rolling on the ground. Without any visible movement, it had already pulled out the bamboo skewer. A stream of blood and tears slowly flowed down, and the villager had already fainted on the ground

The Jiuding Palace was in great joy and had sent people several times to invite her, but this woman remained unmoved. Instead, she proposed to stay at the Qingxu Temple for a while, while also seeking out the black sorcerer who indiscriminately harmed others. Rong Chenzi was a hospitable person, and since the originator of the Blood Eye Technique had yet to appear, having a sorcerer from the Southern Wilderness here was certainly more reassuring. Therefore, he ordered his disciples to clean a meditation room and accommodated this sorcerer there

The Jiuding Palace dispatched a large number of disciples to search for clues about the sorcerer, while the Qingxu Temple, fearing that he might harm the innocent again, also sent disciples down the mountain. However, the Qingxu Temple is not comparable to the Jiuding Palace; it primarily focuses on doing good and cultivating the Dao, whereas the Jiuding Palace emphasizes martial arts and self-improvement. Therefore, if one were to truly assess their strength, the disciples of the Jiuding Palace would be somewhat stronger.

As Rong Chenzi coughed dryly, the river clam remained silent. She gracefully approached Fuya, lifted the soup basin, and before Fuya could respond, she swiftly splashed a bowl of cabbage and tofu soup all over her face!

Well, I was wrong

The river clam is still aggrieved: "Then why are you shouting at me so loudly!"