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墨書 Inktalez
I nodded and said, "I've memorized it. You can start."
Master Pan replied, "Hmm, don't raise your voice too much, or it will be tiring. Just maintain a speed similar to how you usually recite the Transcendence Spell. Do you understand? First, silently recite it in your mind. Once you match my speed, then speak it out loud. Remember, no matter what happens, do not interrupt the incantation. You must complete the entire verse."
"Okay," I responded with a nod.
Master Pan looked around and said, "Alright, let's begin. I shall invoke..."
I followed Master Pan's lead in silently reciting the spell. Once I fully adapted to his rhythm, I began to softly chant along with him. Just as we started, the talismans affixed to the stone walls outside the Small Stone Cave began to rustle ominously. As Master Pan had predicted, Senior Master Midnight couldn't contain itself any longer and rushed over.
However, the defenses outside were too strong; it could only glare at us resentfully from outside, continuously slamming its Soul against the talismans on the stone wall.
At this point, one might wonder why the talismans were stuck to the wall and why Senior Master’s Soul didn’t simply rush in through the open entrance of the Small Stone Cave but instead kept crashing against the talismans. The answer is quite simple: the defensive array formed by the talismans creates an invisible barrier based on specific orientations. To put it plainly, it's similar to a defensive laser grid seen in movies, where laser emitters are installed on both walls to create barriers.
The talismans that Master Pan inscribed on the stone wall operate on this principle; their placement and inherent power, combined with the incantation's enhancement, can form an invisible shield. Therefore, even though the Small Stone Cave is open, it cannot enter unless it destroys those talismans on both sides. And since talismans are naturally effective against spirits, it would not be easy for it to damage them—especially while Master Pan and I continued our incantations inside.
It wasn't as difficult as I had imagined; although Senior Master did not give up, everything was futile for it. The longer it persisted, the more its Yin Qi was consumed. Despite its increasingly ghastly appearance and expression growing more terrifying, we gradually began to overlook those superficial aspects.
As Midnight approached its end, Master Pan paused his incantation and remarked, "I didn't expect this Senior Master to harbor such great Resentment; it's now completely like a soulless ghost. It can only mechanically repeat the same actions. Alas, it's quite tragic for it."
I kept chanting my spell without interruption for safety's sake. Listening to Master Pan's words left me feeling uneasy. After all, a Spirit God is still a Spirit God; under the dual influence of resentment and hatred, it's easy for one to lose their true self.
Once Midnight passed, I sighed in relief as I watched Senior Master's increasingly blurred Soul. It stopped attacking the talismans on the stone wall and began to wander at the entrance instead, its expressionless face revealing no emotion—perhaps it realized that this barrier was beyond its current capabilities to breach.
After wandering for several minutes, it turned away and headed toward the direction of its coffin where it had placed its Corpse.
I looked up at Master Pan and asked, "Does this mean we can leave? It seems like Senior Master has exhausted itself."
Master Pan replaced his red candles with a new pair and shook his head. "No, this type of ancient Daoist spirit that has accumulated Yin Qi over centuries can easily restore its own Yin Qi. We can leave now; however, once we step outside at night in these mountains without any support... it's hard to say what will happen. So we should wait until dawn before departing."
I agreed and asked if we should continue reciting spells.
"Master Pan" said it seemed unnecessary to continue, so we should take a break. I never expected its consciousness to fade so quickly; since it had already given up in its unconscious state, it likely wouldn't return. We would take turns keeping watch, and we must not let our guard down.
I looked around the environment and said, "I'm sorry, Master Pan, for making you spend the night in such conditions. You rest; I'll keep watch."
"It's fine. Remember when we were young? Staying up all night was common for us. The conditions here are already quite good. But can you handle keeping watch all night?" Master Pan asked with concern.
I perked up and chuckled, "Don't worry, Master Pan. I can manage; I'm still young. Staying up late is nothing new for me."
Master Pan nodded and took out a stainless steel cup from the Heaven and Earth Bag. After taking a couple of sips of water, he yawned and said, "Alright then, you keep an eye out while I take a short nap."
He leaned against the wall and quickly fell asleep. It was clear how exhausted he was. The temperature inside the cave was stable, so there was no need to worry about catching a chill. I dragged my weary body to sit at the cave entrance, leaning against the stone wall, trying to think of things that would keep me from dozing off too easily.
To be honest, I was also very tired. I hadn't slept the previous night and had only rested for half a day. After working for so long and being affected by the cold wind several times, my physical strength and energy were already depleted. At this moment, all I could do was hold on until dawn when sunlight would shine in.
Thinking about how I'd been affected by the cold wind, I used Talisman Water on myself and drank it down. However, it didn't seem to have much effect; my fatigue remained. I figured it was probably due to my insufficient cultivation level, which made the Talisman Water less effective.
The night passed relatively peacefully; I changed candles three times. Before four o'clock in the morning, I had seen the Senior Master's soul twice, but it seemed to just be checking in without making any attempts to breach our defensive formation. So I paid it no mind. Around four o'clock, Master Pan woke up and said that as he got older, he needed less sleep. He felt refreshed and told me to rest for a bit.
I didn’t hesitate; too lazy to move from my spot, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. Within moments, I fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up again, it was already seven in the morning. Master Pan was seriously drawing talismans. Compared to yesterday, he seemed even older; the many wrinkles on his face that were once faint appeared quite pronounced under the red candlelight. A day and night of exhaustion combined with not washing up made Master Pan look somewhat disheveled.
Seeing me awake, Master Pan chuckled and said, "You're awake! I've just calculated that in three hours we can leave."
"Good morning, Master Pan! What happens after we go out?" I casually asked. The Senior Master's soul had transformed into a Vengeful Spirit; regardless of its past intentions or willingness, it was no longer suitable to remain in this world.
Master Pan pondered for a moment before replying, "This Senior Master is not simple at all. So after we go out, let's discuss it with your master; it's better for everyone to make decisions together. Besides, neither of us has the ability to deal with it alone."
"Okay," I agreed. "Master Pan, will there be any danger when we go out?"
Master Pan put away his brush and blew on the freshly drawn talisman before saying, "Just be cautious; there's no sunlight here and no distinction between day and night. So I believe it's still lurking nearby waiting for an opportunity." After saying this, he crumpled the talisman into a ball and casually tossed it outside.
As the talisman settled on the ground, it was suddenly swept up by a gust of cold wind, rolling a few times before landing between two stones.
"Did you see that? It has been waiting all along," Master Pan said, his brow furrowed and his expression serious.
I nodded slightly. The cave was essentially sealed off; there was no way for wind to blow inside. The only explanation was that the Senior Master had done something. The talisman drawn by Master Pan lacked incantations and even the basic properties of a talisman, making it no different from one drawn by an ordinary person. This kind of talisman was perfect for testing—appearing as a talisman but lacking its power.
"Master Pan, when we go out later, we can't leave together. The entrance is too small, and the sunlight coming in is very limited. Once the person in front blocks the entrance, the person behind won't be able to see any light, which could be dangerous," I said.
Master Pan nodded and replied, "Yes, you're right. So..."
I looked at Master Pan and said, "So, Master Pan, you should go out first. Its main target is me; as long as I don't move, it shouldn't interfere with your exit. After you get out, I'll find a way to get out myself."
As soon as I finished speaking, Master Pan immediately countered, "No."
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