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墨書 Inktalez
The next morning, after finishing my early class, I opened my phone to find over thirty missed calls, among which about ten were from Jiezi, and the rest were from that girl. There were also many text messages, and before I could even check the contents of the messages, my phone rang again. This time it was Jiezi calling. He said, "I called you all night! Why didn't you turn on your phone? That girl is driving me crazy. You need to tell me your address so that next time something like this happens, I can just come to your place."
Before I could respond, the girl snatched the phone from Jiezi. "Hello, Master Liu, I believe you now. Can you help me? What happened last night was exactly the same as what happened to you. My face is so pale right now; I don't look pretty at all."
I was speechless; at this moment, she was still worried about her appearance and completely ignored how weak and exhausted she felt. I said, "Thank you for trusting me. Are you at Jiezi's place right now? I'll come over to check on you."
She quickly replied, "Yes, yes! Please hurry. I'm feeling very anxious."
After hanging up, I took a shower and headed to Jiezi's house. When I arrived, the girl opened the door with a pitiful expression on her face, looking as if she might cry at any moment. She was dressed in all white. Perhaps she thought wearing white would make her face look less pale, but it had the opposite effect; it only made her complexion appear even paler.
Moreover, she was bare-faced and looked nothing like her profile picture on QQ; in fact, it felt like a world of difference. Thankfully, I'm not someone who judges by looks, so I didn't feel too shaken by it. She let me in and I saw Jiezi standing up from his chair. After I found a stool to sit on, the girl came over to me and said, "Brother Liu, please take a look for me. Thank you." Her expression was one of sincerity and desperation.
Since she had truly recognized the situation, I decided not to press her further. I said, "I'll take a look for you; it's not about how you look. I'm going to check your house to see if you've removed that talisman."
She replied, "No, I haven't dared to tear it off. It's not that I don't trust you; it's just that I really think this thing is very sinister. I'm afraid to even touch it." I said, "I understand. It's good that you haven't torn it off; this way I can treat it properly and maybe even force out that 'expert' who deceived you into returning your money."
She said, "Money isn't really important to me; I just want to be okay. Consider it a lesson learned for the money I've spent. Plus, I don't want to see him again."
Her change in attitude puzzled me; she went from being fine with him to not wanting to see him at all. I was sure that after waking up last night she had contacted that 'expert' again and their conversation hadn't gone well. But I still needed to clarify what they had discussed since it might help resolve this issue. So I asked her about it, and she admitted that they had been in touch and recounted everything in detail.
It turned out that after we finished our call last night, she contacted that 'expert.' He directly asked her if she had gotten any menstrual blood ready for him. She told him she hadn't gotten her period yet; apparently, he wanted her to use menstrual blood because during their meeting a couple of days ago he had made a request for them to share a bed together. She had refused using this reason. Then he suggested using menstrual blood as part of his plan against him. But when she mentioned not having her period yet, he became somewhat displeased and insisted that as soon as her period started she should prepare the blood for him immediately. After waking up from a nightmare last night, she suddenly realized there was something wrong with that talisman and felt that what I said was right; thus she changed her view of that 'expert' and thought of seeking my help.
To make such an inappropriate request upon their first meeting is hardly something benevolent; I'd never believe it no matter what—it's just unfortunate how some girls can be so naive nowadays. Understanding this aspect only reinforced my judgment about the situation. So without holding back any longer, I explained the function of the talisman and its issues in detail to her—whether or not she understood didn't matter; at least I'd said everything that needed saying.
This time she didn't continue defending that 'expert' but directly asked me what could be done to help her. I replied, "There are ways to help; it just requires your cooperation."
She nodded without hesitation and said she would follow my instructions.
In that case, I suggested we first check the talisman at her house, and I wanted to see the orientation and layout of her bedroom, as it might also have a gathering of yin energy. So, for safety's sake, it was better to take a look.
The girl's home was not far from Jiezi's, so we arrived quickly. Once inside, the place was relatively clean and tidy, with a fragrance unique to girls. A girl's cleanliness can add quite a bit to her charm; some girls may appear neat on the outside but have a messy home, giving off an impression of laziness. There were no major issues outside, but once I entered the bedroom, I carefully calculated the orientation and arrangement within. There didn't seem to be any significant problems. Just as I was about to close the bedroom door after exiting, I noticed a copper coin at the foot of the bed. The coin was well-hidden; it couldn't be seen from certain angles as it was pressed under the bed leg. I quickly turned back, lifted the bed, and indeed retrieved a copper coin from underneath. It wasn't a Qing Dynasty coin but from another dynasty and was quite thin. If it were meant for warding off evil spirits, that would definitely not be the case; a coin pressed under the bed leg would lose its efficacy. I lifted the bed leg again and looked around; there were no other coins at the other legs. However, when I shone my flashlight underneath, I discovered several scattered copper coins arranged in a clever manner.
I placed the coin I had taken from the bed leg back where it belonged. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be part of a small Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation. The Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation has many uses in Daoist techniques; it's most commonly used by priests during Gangbu rituals. When combined with incantations, it can easily harness the energy of the Big Dipper for purposes like warding off evil spirits or healing—it's quite a commonly used technique in Daoism. When setting up formations, the properties of materials are extremely important. These coins clearly belonged to the category of yin coins; they not only ward off evil but also attract spirits. The formation's head and tail pointed towards two yin gathering talismans, which made their intentions clear—it was crafted with great care. Although these coins were fake, once set up in this formation, claiming they had no effect would be untrue. However, these methods were aimed at dealing with an innocent girl; such malice was truly wicked. If he had been more extravagant with his resources and used genuine materials instead, this girl would likely have been completely subdued within three days. If she lacked courage, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she could even lose her sanity out of fear. At this thought, a chill ran down my spine as I involuntarily imagined how that beautiful girl would look if she became dazed—what kind of scene that would create.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I refrained from touching anything inside and walked out. Jiezi asked me if there was any situation; I didn't answer him directly but instead asked the girl: "Has that 'expert' ever been to your house or stayed in your bedroom?"
She widened her eyes in disbelief and looked at me: "How do you know? Did he forget something? We didn't do anything—I swear."
I replied, "Whether you did anything is none of my business. It's certain that something was left behind—not forgotten but intentionally left here. You should understand the purpose now."
She nervously asked what it was. I led both of them into the bedroom to show them the talisman and copper coin formation without explaining its function since they already believed me; there was no need for further elaboration. Next, we just needed to break this formation properly.
I instructed Jiezi to go down to the market to get some Cock's Comb Blood—fresh blood is essential—not too much though. He foolishly asked what he should do if Boss wouldn't give it to him. I told him if Boss refused, he should buy an entire chicken and then ask Boss for some Cock's Comb Blood—two portions: one from each chicken—and it must be from a rooster. I figured buying one chicken and then asking Boss for another rooster's blood shouldn't be an issue.
After Jiezi left, I took the girl into the bedroom again and pulled out my pen to modify that yin talisman’s Gathering Footprints; its core couldn't be changed though. Then I replaced all the yin coins in the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation under the bed with my Five Emperor Coins. This way, what was initially a defensive Gathering Yin Formation transformed into a basic Yang-raising array—everything was fine except for its core.
When Jiezi returned, I used a brush dipped in Cock's Comb Blood to cover up those eight Red Circles added by that 'expert' on the girl’s behalf and painted over the core part of the talisman with Cock's Comb Blood before redrawing a talisman meant for dispelling yin and driving away evil spirits. After everything from last night was completed, I sighed in relief and said we were done. The girl looked surprised and asked: "Why not just remove these things directly? Why go through all this trouble?"
I explained: "Some things can't just be discarded without consequence; if that were possible, why would you need me here? A simple phone call would suffice—it's like untangling a knot in a rope; if you try to forcefully pull it apart without following its twists and turns, it'll only tighten further. Moreover, by doing this, I can also send a message to that 'expert.' You should invite him over tomorrow noon while I'm there too."
She nodded in agreement.
Some formations can be controlled by the practitioner, determining when to collect or release the spell, and how to do so, all under the practitioner's direct control. However, everything has two sides; with control comes backlash. If I am not mistaken, that "expert" tonight will likely follow the same path as that girl. I woke from a nightmare, unable to sleep the entire night.
The next day, since Jiezi was also in their group and had no prior contact with that expert, I impersonated Jiezi and waited with the girl at her home for the arrival of that "expert." He promised to come quickly, and indeed he did. He probably thought he was coming to collect a spell. Upon entering, his face looked terrible, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins. Clearly, he hadn't slept well all night. Yet he appeared quite excited. If he had suffered backlash and was still this happy, it could only mean one thing: he had set multiple traps. He would never suspect that this girl, who idolized him so much, would go against his wishes and seek someone to disrupt the Minor Yin Gathering Array. However, things did not unfold as he had anticipated.
After we exchanged greetings, he used the excuse of forgetting something last time to enter the bedroom. I calmly followed him inside and saw him glance at the talisman before crouching down to examine a recent copper coin closely. Just a few seconds later, he suddenly stood up abruptly, glaring at me with a look of anger mixed with disbelief. He slowly squeezed out two words: "It's you..."
I replied, "Yes, that's right. You use such crooked methods against a girl who has no enmity with you. Don't you feel any guilt? Aren't you afraid of facing a bad end after death? Is this how your master taught you to behave?"
His eyes were filled with rage; they were already bloodshot but now bulged as if he wanted to devour me whole. He turned around as if to tear down the talisman.
I said, "Are you out of your mind? Don't you understand the consequences of forcibly tearing it down?"
He paused for a moment; his rationality still intact, he surprisingly asked, "What consequences?"
At this question, I overturned all my previous judgments. His Method of Feng Shui likely lacked any formal lineage. He probably learned some crooked techniques from somewhere; he wasn't even a half-baked practitioner. He might know how to cast spells to harm others but was almost entirely ignorant about everything else.
I said, "If you forcibly tear it down, not only will you be in trouble; even I won't be able to help you. Of course, if you can find a powerful senior practitioner, then just pretend I didn't say anything."
He asked, "Aren't you afraid of backlash?"
I replied, "You should learn more instead of dabbling in evil practices without understanding anything. You might end up getting yourself killed without even realizing it. To retaliate against me, you first need to know how to reverse my formation. Besides, this is a Yang formation; even if there is backlash directed at me, I won't be afraid—my Yang Qi is abundant."
After some tutoring from me, he began to believe my words. However, the hatred in his eyes did not diminish. I thought that if he weren't afraid of losing a fight against me, he would definitely rush over and confront me. But even without charging at me, he looked ready to do so. Just as I prepared myself for a potential fight with him, that girl suddenly rushed over with tears in her eyes and slapped him hard across the face. This slap completely calmed him down. After weighing the pros and cons of the situation, he actually squatted down and began to cry. The girl then left the room and ran into the living room to cry on a chair; the atmosphere was strange—almost as if their sobbing rhythms matched.
As I contemplated whether I should also cry to enhance the atmosphere when that "expert" suddenly stood up and walked toward me. Then with a thud, he knelt on the ground before me.
This action startled me; how could such a humble person like him receive such a grand gesture? I quickly pulled him up, but he refused to rise, instead sitting on the ground and beginning to confess.
He had liked this girl for a long time. When they were online, they had video chatted, but he felt that his appearance did not match hers, so he never let her see him. Over time, he learned many things about her. Due to his insecurities, he never showed her his face in videos, and gradually, she began to distance herself from him while his feelings for her deepened. He knew that she was fascinated by and revered certain supernatural matters, so he searched for a long time until he found a malevolent path and learned a particularly vicious technique. He created a new account, pretending to be a "master" to approach her. Since he understood her well, she genuinely believed he was a master, as he accurately predicted many things. This eventually led to her being blindly worshipful and falling victim to his manipulations.
During this time, I realized that he did not fully understand the formation he was using and was unaware of its effects. He was blindly practicing it here. I told him many things, mostly disparaging the Gathering Yin Formation, explaining that it was a self-destructive tactic that harmed both parties involved and benefited no one. I also mentioned that this formation was specifically aimed at him; he wouldn't be able to break it himself. If he didn't follow my instructions, I could just as easily ruin his life. I knew he had set more than one formation; he needed to dismantle them all safely, or he would truly be finished. He knew how to set them up, so naturally, he knew how to dismantle them too. My intention in saying this was purely to scare him into releasing those whom he had ensnared.
He seemed genuinely remorseful and showed no signs of deceit; I believed he would keep his word because from what I gathered, he was essentially an amateur in this field and would likely heed my warnings.
As I sent this downcast "master" out the door, aside from the fact that I hadn't yet received my commission, this matter should have come to an end. I exorcised the evil from the girl and then mentioned the reward and chance encounter without being overly polite or demanding exorbitant fees. She offered to treat me to dinner as thanks for my help. I declined, telling her she should rest well instead. She didn't have cash on hand but transferred half of the commission into my account before I left her home. Before departing, I reminded her, "If everything is fine in a week, remember to send me the remaining payment."
A week later, I received the money along with an invitation from the girl to dinner as a token of gratitude; I understood her intentions.
The purpose of this was simply to show him through my actions that I did not want to become his next idolized master. Most of the time, I just wanted to quietly be a Little Taoist. Some forms of admiration were burdens too heavy for me to bear.
Admiring someone can be a good thing, but it must be based on understanding that person; blind admiration can sometimes lead to fatal harm for oneself. Strengthening one's self-protection awareness is urgent; through this story, I hope to remind everyone of that. Wishing you all health and safety.
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