Chapter 10: True Experts Are Found Among the People
Is this the legendary night vision ability
Because everyone was very happy, I did not want to ruin the pleasant atmosphere, so I held back and did not immediately ask Zhou Tan face to face. I decided to wait until after the meal to quietly ask him. During the meal, I urgently needed to go out, and as a result, I discovered something that shocked me greatly: I could see clearly even in very dark places, it was just that the tones were different from those in the daytime.
According to Zhou Tan, I am a man, and also a virgin, representing the essence of Yang; the demon fox is a demon, and also female, embodying the essence of Yin. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the demon fox by utilizing the powers of time, formations, medicinal concoctions, and spells. This is a secret technique passed down from the ancient shamanic tribes by the ancient practitioners of Yin and Yang, which Taoist priests may not necessarily understand. At that time, he spoke extensively, but I did not hear everything clearly nor fully comprehend it. I only cared whether his methods were effective, rather than how complex and mysterious they were.
I thought I had succeeded this time, but Zhou Tan's expression remained gloomy. His originally sallow face appeared somewhat pale, and at times a flush would rise to it. His complexion grew increasingly unsightly, and suddenly a look of determination flashed in his eyes. The aura coming from above me surged violently, and the restless energy within my body was all forced to concentrate in a certain place on my back.
A few days later in the morning, Zhou Tan set up a ritual in my home’s hall, drawing numerous runes known as the Soul Gathering Array. In the center of the array stood an inverted large bronze bell, into which I was stripped down to only my shorts and placed inside. A large quantity of medicinal liquid was poured in, and a fire was lit beneath the bell, creating a scene reminiscent of boiling a living person. Those who have seen "Journey to the West" would find this scene quite familiar
I do not know how much time has passed, but I gradually felt warmth in my body, my eyes opened, and I was able to move my hands and feet. However, Zhou Tan appeared to be on high alert, extremely tense, urging me not to move and to continue boiling the medicinal soup. He was wearing a Taoist robe and holding a peach wood sword, which looked somewhat comical, yet his expression was serious and solemn, quite different from the image of Kong Yiji I had seen in the past.
I was too preoccupied with the surprise of being reborn to notice, and hurriedly supported Zhou Tan, who appeared extremely fatigued and weak, even unable to stand steadily
Next to the village stands a Phoenix Head Temple, which houses a large bronze bell. My grandmother took the initiative to consult several respected elders in the village, and with a bit of her old face, she managed to borrow it. At the village entrance, there are three large camphor trees, said to have existed since the Tang Dynasty, with an age exceeding a thousand years. By cutting off some branches, one can extract camphor oil. These three 'sacred trees' are often offered incense and worshipped, and normally, no one dares to touch them. However, in order to save a life, one can only muster the courage to cut them down. Although a ten-year-old rooster is rare, it is not entirely impossible to find... if one is willing to spend money, it can still be purchased... These three 'sacred trees' are often offered incense and worshipped, and normally, no one dares to touch them. However, in order to save a life, one can only muster the courage to cut them down. Although a ten-year-old rooster is rare, it is not entirely impossible to find... if one is willing to spend money, it can still be purchased...
I heard Zhou Tan chant the word "Ding" three times in succession, the sound resonating so powerfully that my ears buzzed. At the same time, he pressed his left hand against my back three times while forming a seal, and then he spat out a mouthful of blood
Zhou Tan hurriedly helped my grandmother up, repeatedly exclaiming that he would live long. My grandmother is slightly older than him, and according to the complicated hierarchy of kinship, he should even address my grandmother as "aunt".
About a minute passed, and it seemed that a certain energy had increased within my body, making me feel less weak. Zhou Tan finally let out a sigh of relief and released his grip: "Alright, call someone in to carry him out, cough, cough..."
Then Zhou Tan spoke to my grandmother at length. In summary, he would do his utmost, but whether he could wake me up or if there would be any aftereffects was not his concern; it depended on how strong my life force was—an old charlatan is still an old charlatan, first washing his hands of any responsibility completely.
However, the good times did not last long. I suddenly felt my body grow cold and numb, and even my consciousness began to blur. Zhou Tan was alarmed and pressed several talismans onto my head, but to no avail. He hurriedly picked up a brush to draw a talisman, and it seemed to take great effort, as if he were lifting dozens of pounds. After finishing the drawing, when he was performing the hand gestures and reciting the incantation over the talisman paper, he unexpectedly spat out a mouthful of blood
Everyone at the table was very happy, especially Old Lin, who, after finishing his drink, spoke with great enthusiasm, recounting his glorious history. He shared tales of an encounter with a monster during a hunting trip, a year when he fought for three hundred rounds against a certain person's wife without defeat, and stories of monsters that devoured people in certain places
I know I have been saved, and I am extremely grateful and respectful towards him. This is what is meant by not judging a person by their appearance, and that the sea cannot be measured by a ladle
It turned out that at the same time my soul was reuniting, the soul of the fox spirit within my body was also synchronously reuniting. This was inevitable, which is why the many experts that Lu Chengshan sought were unable to help. Originally, Zhou Tan's plan was to gather a portion of the souls and then negotiate with the fox spirit, asking it to spare me. However, the fox spirit's consciousness had not fully recovered and began instinctively to expel me, attempting to seize control of my body. At that moment, my soul was very fragile; once expelled, it would be impossible to return to my body. Zhou Tan had no choice but to forcibly suppress it, but given his cultivation level, it was difficult to maintain control, and he had to risk his life.
Suddenly, I thought of a very serious issue. It seems that Zhou Tan did not kill the fox spirit, nor did he drive it away. So, is the fox spirit still inside my body? The thought of that thousand-year-old fox still being inside me makes me feel as if there is a centipede crawling on my back, and I feel completely out of sorts
By the way, there was also a friend from Zhou Tan present at the time, named Wu He, who is well-versed in traditional Chinese medicine. He inserted a large number of silver needles into me, claiming it was to channel the medicinal properties and heat into my body
He is an old educated youth, surnamed Lin, and very few people know his real name, so both young and old refer to him as Old Lin. The character "zi" is a dialectal suffix and a habit, not a term of respect, and is unrelated to the "zi" in Laozi, Mozi, Sunzi, or Han Feizi.
Zhou Tan continuously recited incantations, drew talismans, and performed the steps of the Big Dipper, reciting and drawing, burning and then reciting and drawing again, burning repeatedly for half a day. No one knew exactly what he was doing, only my mother kept calling my name, urging me to come back (calling the soul), while others stayed outside, keeping a distance to prevent passersby and large animals from approaching.
Who is Lao Linzi?
The family was all smiles, hurriedly serving the freshly made chicken soup to me and Zhou Tan for nourishment. Zhou Tan only drank a little before heading to my room to rest. I should also lie down, but I had already been lying down for over a month. With an extreme desire for movement, I felt as if I could run around the Earth; how could I possibly lie down? In fact, I felt a bit overly energetic. After expelling a lot of dark and foul substances, I had no discomfort aside from feeling a bit lightheaded while walking. The most noticeable feeling was hunger, but I couldn't eat much; I had to gradually allow my stomach to recover. In fact, I felt a bit overly energetic. After expelling a lot of dark and foul substances, I had no discomfort aside from feeling a bit lightheaded while walking. The most noticeable feeling was hunger, but I couldn't eat much; I had to gradually allow my stomach to recover.
I could no longer contain myself and immediately climbed out. However, when I pressed my hand against the bronze bell, I was scalded and let out a cry. The medicinal soup was also too hot for me to step into. In my impatience, I made a desperate leap and surprisingly jumped straight out.
Sir, sir... are you alright? My mother was terrified; although she had no idea what was happening, she could sense the seriousness of the situation
My family was both astonished and delighted, repeatedly expressing their gratitude. They asked Zhou Tan to take a seat. My grandmother knelt down to bow to him, and my mother followed suit. I could only imitate them. This is a lifesaver, equivalent to being reborn to new parents, so bowing a few times is absolutely warranted
When Lao Lin first went to the countryside, he knew nothing about farming and could not earn any work points, often going hungry. He happened to live at my grandfather's house, and my grandmother, being a kind-hearted person, saw the young man in a pitiful state of hunger. Although her own family was also struggling, she still tried her best to give him some food and invited him to a feast during festivals, as she could not bear to see someone else's child starve to death. Later, Lao Lin made a name for himself in the countryside and regarded my grandmother as a great benefactor, repaying her countless times. If it were not for the matter concerning my life and death, my grandmother would not have asked him to undertake such a dangerous task.
Amid the care and congratulations of family and friends, an afternoon passed by unnoticed. Zhou Tan had some ginseng chicken soup and rested for half a day, and his complexion improved significantly, allowing him to walk on his own. To express her gratitude to him, Old Lin, Wu Zhangya, my uncle, and the relatives and friends who provided substantial help, my mother prepared a variety of dishes and brought out a jar of aged wine that had been stored for ten years. My mother's glutinous rice wine is quite famous in the village.
He pressed the talisman onto the top of my head, continuously reciting incantations while applying pressure with his hand. A surge of energy flowed into me, awakening my senses, and the restless, cold energy within me was subdued once again
I feel completely revitalized, yet I only feel weak. The medicinal soup in the copper pot feels extremely hot at this moment, almost as if it is about to cook me thoroughly
At times I am confused and at other times I am clear-headed, not even aware of how much time has passed. I only know that my family is busy searching for various medicinal herbs and some special items, such as a large bronze bell that can cover a whole person, camphor oil that is over a thousand years old, a rooster that has been raised for more than ten years, and rice from forty-nine families.
Lao Lin is the only educated youth who remained here after the Down to the Countryside Movement. He is a native of Fuzhou, now in his forties, tall and strong, with a fierce appearance and a scar on his face. This individual has a quick temper and an eccentric personality, and to this day, he has neither married nor established a career. He often flirts with other people's wives and frequently gets into fights and disturbances. Moreover, he is an unparalleled gourmet, a super foodie; not only does he hunt wild boars and rabbits, but he also ruthlessly preys on poisonous snakes, mountain mice, wasp nests, and the larvae of longhorn beetles.
In recent years, Old Lin has been traveling everywhere, sometimes disappearing for a year or so. Grandma tried calling a number he left behind, and the next day he rushed over, patting his chest and assuring her it was all on him. On what was probably the third day, he set off with my uncle, as he never worships any deities and asked my uncle to perform the rituals at the small temple before gathering herbs.
Zhou Tan recommended Lao Lin to go because he has practiced martial arts, possesses agile skills, and is adept at climbing due to years of hunting in the deep mountains. Additionally, he is fierce and strong, exuding a heavy aura of killing, making him someone that even malevolent spirits dare not approach. He is the best candidate.
"It's nothing..." Zhou Tan said with difficulty, raising his hand to signal my mother not to come over. One of his hands was still resting on the top of my head, trembling gently, but he did not breathe again.
I noticed that Zhou Tan spoke little tonight, with a slight frown, flickering eyes, and an expression heavy with thoughts. He has healed me, so he should feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. Even if he desires more compensation, he should be boasting about his achievements and the costs he has incurred. Why then does he seem so downcast?
I have rekindled hope, yet I dare not hold too much hope. Lu Chengshan has sought out so many renowned experts without success; can a little-known old charlatan truly provide a cure?
His blood is sprayed on the ground, not on the talisman paper, so it is not the blood from the tip of the tongue meant to enhance efficacy, but rather a result of overexertion in cultivating energy.