Chapter 006: Residential Malevolence (I)

What nonsense! the master scolded, I meant for you to go out and bring that thing back...

"It's about the same," the master sighed. "Although there is danger, we cannot just stand by and watch them die. That thing has not fully emerged yet, and it won't be far from here."

Master... you... you want to marry me off to that thing? I absolutely refuse, I already have Morning Star, besides, I am a man!

I perked up my ears to listen, but all I could hear was the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. I slowly opened my eyes and found that everything around me was still the same, there was absolutely nothing "there".

The so-called Yubu is said to have been created by Da Yu; it is a shamanic step used for summoning souls and spirits. The order in which one steps with each foot, as well as the orientation of the toes and heels, follows a strict pattern and is not done haphazardly

I walked on like this, not knowing how long had passed, when I suddenly saw a mound of snow appear directly in front of me. As I approached, it turned out to be a graveyard. The tombstones were already covered in snow, resembling large white buns. Beside the graveyard was a grove of trees, stripped of their leaves, looking desolate, and when the wind blew, they made a sound like "woo woo la la".

A warmth surged in my chest, "Rest assured, Master, I will go!"

The master looked at me and said in a deep voice, "Leng'er, it can only depend on you..."

This statement may be somewhat perplexing, so let me provide a simple example for better understanding. In ancient times, Qimen was a technique used by emperors for strategizing the realm. Some emperors would marry their princesses or younger sisters to foreign tribes to alleviate border issues, which was based on the principles of Qimen Dunjia

After a moment, the master opened his eyes and exclaimed, "Oh no!"

Upon arriving at the cemetery, find a spacious and level area, step on the Seven Stars, walk the Yu Steps, recite the Jade Maiden Reversal Formula and the scriptures three times in succession. If that entity appears, you must immediately return the way you came. Remember, under no circumstances should you look back

Just as I was thinking, a sudden gust of strong wind blew, almost inflating the cotton-padded jacket I was wearing. Then I heard a crisp sound, and a small tree by the roadside was blown down.

I am going right now

Taking a step forward, I stood still with my eyes closed, listening to my own heart pounding like a drum. I hurriedly regulated my breathing, pressing my palms together, which helped me calm down. This is a method taught to me by my master

This method of the master can be explained in a more vivid way: it is akin to an emperor issuing a proclamation to his rival, saying, "I will marry my sister to you, come and take her; let us cease our conflict." Yet, in his heart, he thinks, "You fool, as soon as you come over, I will eliminate you."

Well

Oh, I understand. I patted my chest, saying, the master's intention is for me to act as a marriage proposal messenger and to deceive that item into my possession

The vacant land is not large, scattered with two rows of tree pits that have been excavated, each filled with snow. In the middle of the two rows of tree pits is a flat area, approximately two to three meters wide, sufficient for walking.

When I took the final step for the third time, I involuntarily closed my eyes, feeling as if my heart was about to leap out of my chest

Walking east along this tree, I ventured into the wilderness, which grew increasingly desolate. Thinking of the earlier "predicament" I had found myself in, I couldn't help but become vigilant, glancing around as I walked.

The incantations in the Faqimen are quite bizarre and difficult to memorize. The Yunu Fanbi Jue consists of over 100 characters, which are not coherent with one another; in fact, they are merely phonetic transcriptions of the incantation in Chinese characters. I have a naturally good memory and can remember ordinary things after just one glance, yet it took me more than an hour to memorize this incantation. This incantation is used for summoning deities and spirits; it is recited in a forward manner when invoking deities and in reverse when summoning spirits. The term "Yunu Fanbi" implies using the "Yunu" to attract and confine deities and spirits, with the deities being "Fanbi" for one's own use, while the spirits are "Fanbi" for one's own control.

"Wait a moment." The master stared at the official, calculated with his fingers, and pointed towards the direction of the Nine Palaces, saying, "Leng'er, you should go out and head south first. After about half a mile, you will see a fallen tree. From the position of that tree, turn and continue east for about a mile, and you will find a graveyard..."

Enter through the main door, and when bringing that thing in, come through the hole in the wall.

I had just taken two steps when I was called to stop by my master

I walked around the cemetery and found nothing. Checking the time, it was already past one o'clock. Remembering the method my master taught me, I widened my eyes and looked around. I noticed an open space to the west of the grove, so I walked over there

This child was not born by this girl! the master said

The pair before us are not biological mother and son; their blood cannot merge, and they cannot generate a sufficient force field to attract that "thing." It is akin to the aforementioned saying, "a village girl cannot attract others"

Be very careful, go ahead. The master patted my shoulder and said with concern

I thought to myself that the "thing" is a feminine object, possibly hidden in this graveyard. Looking over, I saw that this was a cemetery, with no fewer than a hundred mounds, all covered by thick snow.

I stuck out my tongue; isn't this just a fallen tree? I secretly admired my master in my heart

What happened? I was taken aback

Remembered

The master took out a yellow talisman and affixed it to the head of the paper figure, writing the two characters "Yi Mu" on the talisman with a cinnabar brush. Then, the master pricked the index fingers of the mother and child with a needle, drawing blood, which he then dotted onto the yellow talisman inscribed with "Yi Mu".

I slowed my pace, walking while observing my surroundings, but I did not see any fallen trees at all. I couldn't help but frown; could it be that even my master makes mistakes sometimes

I reached into my cotton-padded jacket and touched the Seven Star Sword, my mind slightly settled. I silently recited the Jade Maiden's Closing Technique, gritted my teeth, and stepped onto the Celestial Pivot at the summit of the Seven Stars, then proceeded to the Celestial Sphere. Thus, I continued to step forward while clenching my teeth and reciting the incantation.

That is a Seven Star Sword, crafted from ancient wood, with seven stars engraved on it. It was given to my master by a client six months ago as a token of gratitude for helping with feng shui, claiming it has been passed down through generations. I have only heard my master say that this sword is very powerful, but nothing significant has happened since then, and it has never been used. I have only seen it once, after which my master put it away.

As I gazed at the "Seven Star Diagram" before me, thoughts of the upcoming task filled me with a sense of unease. I looked around, and everything appeared as it had before, with no signs of anything unusual. However, now that I was closer to the woods, an eerie feeling began to envelop me

Hmm, what time is it now

After speaking, the master quickly set up a situation on the ground and pointed to the Xun Fourth Palace, saying, "The result you obtained last time was the White Tiger devouring the master. Now, with the White Tiger falling in the Xun Fourth Palace, it indicates that the object is located in the southeast"

I am quite perplexed; could it be that the method is ineffective, and all my efforts have been in vain? Suddenly, I thought of that graveyard, which has become obscured by trees, rendering it impossible to see its entirety. ... I pondered that perhaps that thing has already emerged and is searching for me in the graveyard, while I am hidden behind the trees, unseen by others

"This is for you, keep it close to your heart." The master took a small sword from his waist and handed it to me, revealing that he had brought a magical tool when he went out earlier

I left the old house and walked south, quickly covering half a mile. Thanks to the tailwind, I didn't feel too cold.

As I was about to enter the cemetery, I suddenly sensed something was amiss. I felt that the sound of my footsteps had become much louder, almost echoing. ... After taking two more steps forward and listening carefully, it was clear that it was not an echo at all, but rather someone was following behind me, walking in step with my footsteps ...

Hmm. The master nodded

The master did not respond, and I walked over to examine the palm prints of the mother and child.

"It is still early before dawn; there is plenty of time," the master said

The girl sitting in the circle of candles looked very pitiful

They are not biological mother and child, so how can they be combined into 'Yimu'?

Having completed the first round, I had just finished reciting the mantra, and I was already drenched in sweat. It was due to both exhaustion and tension. I dared not pause for even a moment, nor did I allow myself to glance at the surroundings. Taking a deep breath, I began the second round again.

I looked towards the palace pointed out by my master and saw a layout resembling "Yi + Ji". In Qimen Fengshui, "Yi" represents a coffin, while "Ji" signifies a grave. Together, as my master mentioned, it is indeed a burial ground

The master wrote the two characters "Yi Mu" on my forehead with a vermilion brush and instructed me to carry some talismans

I had always held a prejudice against this beautiful girl in front of me, thinking that it was one thing to be with a wealthy man, but having a five-year-old son at such a young age seemed a bit inappropriate. However, after hearing what my master said, I felt an inexplicable sense of guilt towards this girl.

After completing all of this, the master placed the paper figure thirteen steps away from the broken hole in the corner of the wall, muttering incantations under his breath

Wait a moment

The roots of my hair stood up immediately, and I almost forgot the master's admonition not to look back once I started walking. I forced myself to stop, and my neck ached from the strain.

What should we do? I asked with a frown

I crouched down, pretending to tie my shoelaces, and through the gap between my legs, I saw a person standing about five or six meters behind me. I could only see a pair of legs, a pair of decaying human legs

I was taken aback and jumped back a step

In that situation, if a person were to suddenly appear, both of us might be scared to death at the same time. In the entire wilderness, apart from the sound of the wind, there was only the sound of my "thud thud" footsteps, followed by the vast expanse of snow

At this moment, not a single star is visible in the sky, all obscured by heavy clouds. I calculated the position of the Big Dipper and its arrangement through the seasons, grounding myself firmly. I took a step using the Yubu technique, leaving twenty-eight shallow footprints in the snow, subtly corresponding to the twenty-eight lunar mansions. Each group consists of four footprints, totaling seven groups, and these seven groups of footprints formed the shape of a spoon

Therefore, even if you do not place your own younger sister at the palace gate to attract others, you must find someone of exceptional beauty who resembles a princess. If you randomly select a rough, clumsy village girl to impersonate a princess, others will not be easily deceived and will not come.

I stared intently at the hole, feeling both anticipation and anxiety in my heart

With this thought in mind, I walked towards the cemetery. When I was able to see the entire scene, I looked up and saw that there seemed to be nothing in the cemetery.

The four heavenly stems, Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding, have another interpretation. Jia belongs to wood, and Yi also belongs to wood, with Yi being the younger sister of Jia. Marrying Yi to Geng can resolve Jia's difficulties. As for Bing and Ding mentioned above, they are both children of Jia, restraining Geng and protecting their father

The master's watch was damaged when he rushed to bring the girl, and I glanced at it; it was not yet twelve o'clock