Chapter 16: Demon Sealing Tower (1)

Zhou Xin lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong and explained the whole matter from beginning to end.

Perfected Linghe did not speak the entire time. Only when he heard that she had been unable to summon heavenly thunder and had nearly died at the Shen residence did he say, slightly astonished, “...You couldn’t summon heavenly thunder?”

She instantly grew vigilant, a faint chill settling in her chest.

She thought, Is he suspicious?

That made sense.

Chao Nanyi’s Daoist arts were profound. Even if her cultivation had been damaged, she should not have fallen so far that she went from a genius who could wield high-level spells freely to a useless person who could not even activate a lightning-summoning talisman.

Seeing that she said nothing and only lowered her head even further, Perfected Linghe gently shook his head.

“Forget it.”

He said softly, “In truth, your master had long calculated that you were fated to undergo this calamity. What happened that night was a matter of personal karma and opportunity. Whether you could survive depended entirely on your own fortune. Your master could not stop it, nor could I reveal the secrets of Heaven.”

Zhou Xin: “?”

So he had known all along that this would happen?

He had probably also calculated that Chao Nanyi would die on the spot. That was why, when she appeared at Taiqing Temple safe and sound, he had looked at her with that kind of gaze.

Perfected Linghe said, “Being able to survive is already a great blessing. As for your Daoist arts... let them follow fate. Your talent is excellent. Among all your master’s disciples, you are the one with the greatest comprehension. Given time, you will certainly return to your peak.”

Return to her peak?

To be honest, she did not have that confidence.

Chao Nanyi was a genius. She was not. She was just a good-for-nothing who had to practice the paper crane voice-transmission art eight hundred times.

But she wanted to cherish this chance and study the arts properly. She did not ask to become famous throughout the world like Chao Nanyi. She only hoped to become a Daoist cultivator who used real skill to catch demons and evil beings and protect the people’s peace.

After all, if there truly was a choice, who would willingly become a swindling charlatan?

Seeing that she still did not speak, Perfected Linghe asked, “What happened after that? How did Court Minister Shen come to swallow a mist spirit?”

Zhou Xin continued explaining everything that had happened afterward in full detail, including the discovery of the secret room.

After finishing, she asked, “Why did Perfected Linghe not mention the spirit-controlling art that day?”

Perfected Linghe said, “When the hamster demon saw the paper effigy, the movement of its hands looked as though it was forming a seal. In that kind of situation, unless the spiritual consciousness being controlled belonged to a Daoist cultivator, it would be impossible. Your master was more inclined to believe that he used a substitute talisman.”

“So that’s how it was.”

Perfected Linghe glanced at the hall, raised his hand, and lightly knocked her on the head. “Tomorrow at noon, your master will return. Before that, put everything back the way it was.”

Seeing that he had no intention of punishing her, Zhou Xin let out a breath of relief and faintly realized something.

The reason she could break through the barrier was probably because the barrier had never blocked her in the first place.

In other words, aside from Perfected Linghe, she could also enter and leave the secret room freely. That was why the moment her palm touched the wall, the barrier disappeared.

From this, it could be seen that regardless of Chao Nanyi’s attitude toward Perfected Linghe, Perfected Linghe had no defenses against her and treated her with complete sincerity.

The horsetail whisk trembled slightly, then suddenly grew enormous, hovering in the air.

Perfected Linghe lifted his robe and sat on the whisk handle, looking as though he was about to leave.

Zhou Xin hurriedly stepped forward and probed indirectly. “Perfected Linghe, the qi-eating spirit’s black qi couldn’t harm Court Minister Shen. That means he is definitely no ordinary person, correct?”

“Mm.”

He answered lightly.

“He has no three fires, which means he isn’t human. But there is no demonic aura around him either, so he is not a demon or evil being,” Zhou Xin said. “Then what exactly is he?”

“The secrets of Heaven cannot be revealed.”

Perfected Linghe stepped onto the horsetail whisk. It seemed he was going back to the palace.

“Perfected Linghe was not surprised when he heard this. Did you already know?”

Zhou Xin followed closely behind him.

“Yes.” This time, Perfected Linghe did not speak in riddles or evade the question. “You knew before as well.”

With that, the horsetail whisk flew straight away, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Xin: “?”

She suddenly remembered that day outside Changfeng Tavern, when Shen Jibai had pointed his blade at her and mentioned “all manner of humiliation,” as well as the rumors that the two were like fire and water. A thought rose in her heart.

Could it be that Chao Nanyi knew he was not human, which was why she could not stand him? Not only had she publicly called him useless and embarrassed him, she had also opposed him at every turn?

The shadow in the sky vanished into the night, no longer visible.

Zhou Xin turned around and went back to the hall to clean up the books scattered all over the floor.

Fortunately, she and Shen Jibai had divided the work clearly. Although books were now scattered everywhere, they were actually easy to sort.

The books on one side of the desk were all the ones Shen Jibai had moved out from the library. The books on the other side were all the ones Zhou Xin had moved out from the secret room.

After arranging them into a stack, she carried them back to the library trip after trip. Once she had finished transporting the ones Shen Jibai had gathered, she began organizing the pile she herself had taken out.

She first tidied up the books on the floor and put them back in the secret room. Then Zhou Xin began arranging the mountain of books she had not yet had time to read.

By chance, she opened one and immediately saw the three characters “qi-eating spirit” in the table of contents.

She flipped to the page number, and the first thing that entered her eyes was an illustration of a faceless man. In the lower right corner were three small words: qi-eating spirit.

She hurriedly flipped further back, reading each word with great concentration.

The records about qi-eating spirits in this book were more detailed than those in *Records of the Strange*. After finishing, Zhou Xin could not help feeling delighted.

With this, wouldn’t the range of suspects for the evil cultivator become even smaller? As long as she told Shen Jibai the clue, he would certainly be able to investigate the evil cultivator’s identity!

She tucked the book into her robes, planning to go to the Court of Judicial Review tomorrow.

After putting all the other books back in the secret room, Zhou Xin went through the library and secret room once more to tidy them up. By the time everything had been organized, a few streaks of dawn had already appeared in the east. Morning light poured through the open window into the hall, falling on the desk and casting rippling fragments of shadow across the floor.

Behind the desk, a lone cushion sat on the ground, empty and desolate, out of place against this warm scene.

Just like that angular person, who seemed somewhat awkward in his dealings with this world.

Zhou Xin sat before the desk. A smiling face appeared before her eyes, so she took out a piece of lightning-struck wood and slowly carved it in the sunlight.

＊

When Shen Jibai woke, the sky was already bright.

After taking the pill Perfected Linghe had left behind, the injuries on his body had completely healed. Not only that, he felt much more energetic.

After washing up, he prepared to go early to the Court of Judicial Review. Since he had been absent without reason for an entire day yesterday, he would inevitably be nagged by Duke Song.

“Knock, knock, knock—”

Madam Shen’s voice came from outside the door. “Fourth Young Master?”

Shen Jibai opened the door. “Aunt.”

“What time did you return last night? I waited until deep into the night but still didn’t see you come back.”

Madam Shen walked in carrying a tray with steamed buns and side dishes, then placed it on the desk.

Shen Jibai said, “I returned too late and did not want to disturb Aunt.”

She looked him over from top to bottom and left to right. Only after confirming that the person before her was no different from usual did she finally relax and praise, “Perfected Linghe truly possesses great divine powers.”

Shen Jibai said, “It was not Perfected Linghe who helped.”

Madam Shen: “?”

He explained, “Perfected Linghe was not at Taiqing Temple. Your nephew had no choice but to search through related ancient texts in the library together with Lord Lingyun to find a solution.”

Madam Shen gave an “Ah,” her expression somewhat complicated.

“Fourth Young Master used to grit your teeth whenever you mentioned Lord Lingyun, as if there were some deep hatred between you. Now you seem rather different from before.”

After saying this, she added, “Was there some misunderstanding in the past? Although the neighbors did not quite believe it when they heard that Lord Lingyun saved Tannu, and what they said was not very pleasant, I always felt that she should not be that kind of person.”

“No,” Shen Jibai said. “Chao Nanyi is exactly that kind of person.”

Madam Shen said, “How could that be? If she truly were that kind of person, she would not have taken the initiative to help back then.”

Shen Jibai’s tone was extremely certain. “That is why she is not Chao Nanyi.”

This sounded strange, and Madam Shen could not understand it.

“Then who else could she be?”

Shen Jibai said, “I do not know. Your nephew is investigating.”

Madam Shen understood even less. “She hasn’t harmed us. Why are you investigating her?”

Hearing this, Shen Jibai lifted his eyes and looked over. “Is Aunt not curious?”

Madam Shen could not help laughing. “What is there to be curious about? Could knowing the truth make my wonton shop earn a fortune every day?”

Shen Jibai: “...”

He was silent for a moment, then said, “Chao Nanyi would not have someone impersonate her for no reason. There is something suspicious about this matter.”

“You!” Madam Shen shook her head helplessly. “You’ve investigated too many cases. Now everyone looks suspicious to you!”

It seemed Aunt had a very good impression of her.

Shen Jibai did not want to continue the topic, so he changed the subject. “How is Tannu?”

“He is very well. It’s just that whenever studying is mentioned, he still throws a temper and tries to be lazy.”

Shen Jibai said, “Your nephew has already spoken with the Wang family. Tomorrow, let him attend the Wang family school as a temporary student.”

Madam Shen was delighted, nodding repeatedly, agreeing so much that she could not agree more and feeling so happy that she could not be happier.

“That really could not be better! The Wang family is a scholarly household. Their ancestor was once called ‘Wang Confucius.’ Though Third Young Master Wang is only two years older than Tannu, his talent showed early, and he could compose poetry and couplets at six! Letting Tannu go there and be influenced by them would be wonderful. I do not ask that he become accomplished, only that he understand reason and distinguish right from wrong. Fourth Young Master is truly thoughtful!”

Although Shen Jibai had not planned to eat breakfast, Madam Shen had already brought it in, so naturally he could not embarrass her by refusing. He sat by the table, and when he picked up a steamed bun, he paused slightly.

As though possessed, he tried breaking the bun in half, placed some side dishes in the middle, and ate it bite by bite.

Madam Shen had never seen this way of eating before and could not help feeling surprised. “Where did Fourth Young Master learn such a novel way of eating? It looks quite interesting.”

Shen Jibai lowered his eyes and thought of that person who had tried so hard to pretend, yet had done so full of flaws. He nodded lightly.

“It is quite interesting.”

Seeing him like this, Madam Shen’s eyes brightened, and she understood at once. “Did you learn it from some young lady?”

Hearing this, Shen Jibai’s swallowing paused slightly.

Madam Shen saw it and was delighted.

“I say, Fourth Young Master! You are not young anymore. It is time you considered marriage. You cannot keep going on like this forever...”

Before she could finish, Shen Jibai stood up and walked out while biting the steamed bun, mumbling, “Your nephew will leave first.”

“Hey!”

Madam Shen chased after him. “The moment I mention this, you get unhappy. Look around you—children your age in the neighborhood already have children of their own!”

Shen Jibai quickly quickened his pace and fled as though escaping for his life.

Madam Shen chased him to the courtyard gate and looked at his already distant back, then sighed softly.

＊

Taiqing Temple, quiet room.

Zhou Xin sat on the library floor reading. Vaguely, she heard voices speaking in the courtyard.

“Why does Perfected Linghe want to find it?”

It was Changsheng’s voice.

“Of course because someone needs it now.”

Perfected Linghe chuckled, his voice coming closer and closer.

“Changsheng is so envious. Changsheng also wants such a powerful ritual tool,” Changsheng muttered.

“You? If you can change that habit of getting sleepy the moment you practice, your master will give you one.”

Perfected Linghe’s voice sounded kind and benevolent, and there was even a hint of playfulness in his words.

“Really?” Changsheng’s voice was full of expectation.

“Fake.” Perfected Linghe laughed softly.

“Perfected Linghe tricked Changsheng again. If you’re going to trick me, fine, but don’t pinch Changsheng’s nose...” Changsheng’s voice came closer and closer.

A moment later, footsteps sounded in the hall. The sound drew nearer and finally stopped at the library door.

As soon as the library door was pushed open, Perfected Linghe saw that disciple of his, who had always been somewhat obsessed with cleanliness, sitting on the floor. Her head was lowered as she read the book spread across her lap, her hands stiffly and slowly forming seals according to the book. Because the range of her movements kept shifting between too large and too small, her Daoist robe had been pulled loose, pressing down on the messy books scattered around her feet.

Hearing the movement from this side, she looked up.

Her palm-sized face was fair as jade, and her downturned peach blossom eyes curved. Her clear, elegant face was like a hibiscus in full bloom. She truly was extremely beautiful.

But beautiful as she was, this smile seemed different from before no matter how one looked at it. It seemed to have lost a bit of coldness and gained a bit of warmth.

She stood and said, “Perfected Linghe.”

Perfected Linghe nodded slightly. Thinking of the question Shen Jibai had asked the day he returned, he could not help pondering: could suffering backlash truly change a person’s temperament so greatly?

Changsheng leaned over with curved brows and eyes. “Senior Sister, what spell are you secretly learning?”

Zhou Xin pointed at the book on her lap. “Five Elements Escape Art.”

“Wow! That sounds difficult!”

Changsheng leaned over to look, formed hand seals according to the gestures drawn in the book, and chanted under his breath, “Lin, bing, dou, zhe, all arrayed and moving forward. Escape!”

As soon as the words fell, Changsheng abruptly vanished.

Zhou Xin: “?”

A moment later, Changsheng’s crying voice came from outside. “Perfected Linghe! Changsheng is stuck in a tree and can’t get out!”

Perfected Linghe glanced at her meaningfully, then turned and walked out.

Zhou Xin hurriedly stood and followed behind him. She saw half of Changsheng’s body sticking out of the trunk of the nanmu tree in the courtyard, while the other half seemed to still be submerged inside the trunk, nowhere to be seen.

His hands were braced against the trunk, his teeth gritted and eyes wide as he strained, as though using all the strength he had while desperately trying to pull his body out. But after working at it for a long while, it was completely useless.

Perfected Linghe smiled faintly and shook his head. With a sweep of his sleeve, a clear wind suddenly rose and gently blew toward the nanmu tree. Like blowing up a fallen leaf, it lifted Changsheng into the air. His whole body spun several times before he lightly landed on the ground.

“Too hard! Five Elements Escape Art is too hard! Changsheng almost became a tree person!” He patted his chest in lingering fear, his face still shaken.

“When using the Five Elements Escape Art, you must clearly picture in your mind the target whose power you wish to borrow and where you want to escape to. If your mind is empty, this kind of thing will happen.”

Perfected Linghe said, “Try imagining borrowing the strength of the nanmu tree and escaping to the poplar tree in front of the dining hall.”

“No, no.” Changsheng waved his hands repeatedly. “If the senior brothers see, they’ll laugh at Changsheng for being stupid again.”

Zhou Xin covered her lips and laughed. “How could that be? They would only laugh at you for being a tree person.”

Changsheng pouted. “Senior Sister, you’re secretly making fun of Changsheng!”

“Not at all!” Zhou Xin laughed. “I’m openly making fun of a tree person.”

Changsheng immediately ran to Perfected Linghe to complain.

“Perfected Linghe! Senior Sister is bullying Changsheng again!”

Perfected Linghe shook his head, took out a white jade bamboo-joint bracelet strung with silver bells from his sleeve, turned, and handed it over.

“This is the Mute Bell Bracelet. It can summon heavenly thunder.”

Changsheng gave an “Oh—” of realization. “So Perfected Linghe is returning it to Senior Sister!”

Zhou Xin immediately caught the important point. “Returning?”

Changsheng explained, “Yes! This ritual tool originally belonged to Senior Sister. It’s just that Senior Sister was too powerful and could freely use lightning-summoning talismans at the age of ten, so she didn’t need it, and Perfected Linghe put it away.”

He seemed very surprised. Tilting his head, he leaned beside her with his round eyes widened. “But Changsheng finds it strange. Why can’t Senior Sister do it now?”

Only then did Zhou Xin belatedly realize why, when she could not summon heavenly thunder, Shen Jibai’s gaze had seemed a little strange, and why even the always-composed Perfected Linghe had looked astonished when he heard she had failed to summon lightning.

Fortunately, she had lied early on and said she had “lost all memory” and her “Daoist arts were damaged.” Otherwise, she truly would not know how to explain it. Having no memories of the past really left her full of flaws. Every day, she was either lying or on her way to covering up a lie.

“...Maybe my cultivation was damaged after suffering backlash?” Zhou Xin guiltily rubbed the tip of her nose.

“That is not impossible.” Perfected Linghe explained its method of use one by one. “Drive it with qi. When the silver bells ring, heavenly thunder will appear.”

So that was how it worked.

Zhou Xin lowered her eyes and looked at it.

This bracelet was made of alternating white jade bamboo joints engraved with talismans and silver bells. There were no clappers inside the bells, so they would not ring. Presumably, that was why it was called the Mute Bell Bracelet.

“Thank you, Perfected Linghe.” Zhou Xin immediately put it on.

Perfected Linghe reminded her, “Jade has spirit and can connect with spells. Use it to assist in setting formations, and the moment there is any movement inside the formation, the bamboo joints will give a warning.”

Hearing this, Zhou Xin’s eyes brightened, and an idea for catching the evil cultivator immediately formed in her mind.