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墨書 Inktalez
"I can cover you from behind, but it's dangerous if you go alone," Master Pan said firmly.
I shook my head and replied, "Master Pan, this is something I got myself into. You can help me get out, but once I'm outside, its Resentment will be directed at you. How will you handle that?"
"Do you think I can't handle it? This situation is something we deal with in our line of work; you just happened to notice it," Master Pan said, getting agitated. He knew my stubborn nature and understood that reasoning wouldn't work with me in this case.
Seeing him getting anxious, I hurriedly said, "Master Pan, you know people like us always face various calamities. If we back down in situations like this, how can we claim to be cultivators? Besides, it's such a short distance; it should be..."
"Stop talking nonsense! It's true there are calamities, but many of them don't have to be faced alone. If we can use the resources around us to get through this, what's wrong with that? Do you think you can get out while I can't?" Master Pan's voice grew louder, as if he were about to argue with me.
"Master Pan, that's not what I mean. You're my senior and older. You move slower; I'm younger and can run fast. I can get out quickly. Its target is me. You won't face any obstacles if you go out. If I go first and can't escape, you'll definitely stay behind to save me. If something unexpected happens, who knows we're in here?" I said calmly. This was exactly what I worried about; every person who could escape mattered. At least I could find someone to help. To me, this was the safest plan.
Master Pan fell silent and reopened the Cosmic Bag he had put away earlier. He took out a stack of talismans without saying a word and began drawing a Symbolic Altar. This time he took out a small dagger and made a cut on the pads of his right index and middle fingers, squeezing out dozens of drops of blood to mix with the Cinnabar Powder ink.
I knew he had agreed to my plan; he couldn't argue against it and could only provide some protective measures as best as he could.
I didn't disturb him or even say thank you; some things are better kept in the heart than spoken aloud.
Master Pan drew the talisman for over an hour. After finishing, he called out, "Come here."
The cave was small; turning my head was all I needed to do. Master Pan squatted on the ground, holding more than ten freshly prepared talismans mixed with his blood for better defensive power.
He took half of them and said, "One on each shoulder, two on your chest and back, and one in each shoe." Then he handed me the other half and added, "This is for striking at spirits; hold it in your right hand. If you feel it grab you or pounce on you, use this talisman to strike." After saying that, he asked me to extend my right hand.
I stretched my hand out toward Master Pan. He grasped my hand with his left while forming a sword gesture with his right hand. He bit his finger again, causing fresh blood to seep from where it had already stopped bleeding. Then he drew a symbol on the back of my hand with his blood. After finishing that, he drew several Hand Spells over it before handing me the bell he had used earlier and said, "You know how to shake the Soul Bell, right?"
I nodded and said, "I understand." I didn't say thank you, as those two words felt entirely insufficient to express my feelings.
Master Pan grunted, still feeling uncertain. He then took out a divination stick and asked me, "You were born on September 20th, right?" I nodded in affirmation, and Master Pan squatted down to begin the divination. I knew he was trying to confirm whether I could survive this calamity.
He performed the divination three times, then put the sticks away. With little expression on his face, he said, "It should be almost time. I'll go check the sunlight situation." After saying that, he turned and went outside. I watched as Master Pan stood at the entrance of the Small Stone Cave. I quickly began reciting the Soul Summoning Spell. Although I was its primary target, I couldn't guarantee Master Pan's safety. The Soul Summoning Spell could distract it, but more importantly, it would let it clearly feel that I was still here and that I wasn't leaving.
Seeing me recite the Soul Summoning Spell, Master Pan turned back to look at me and shook his head with a smile, saying, "You know, you're just a tiny bit smarter than Xiao X."
...
Master Pan only stayed outside the cave for a few seconds before returning and saying, "In about half an hour, it should be when this cave receives the most sunlight. At that time, we'll go out. This time I'll listen to you; I'll go first. Once I'm up there, I'll throw a stone down. When you hear the sound, run quickly to where the sunlight is shining."
I replied, "Okay, I understand. Don't worry; I can run so fast that even I am surprised."
"Always joking around. Just remember what I told you earlier..."
"Left hand shaking the Soul Bell, right hand holding the Soul Binding Talisman. The rest are on my person; I understand, don't worry." I interrupted Master Pan with a grin. He smiled and nodded before replacing a pair of red candles. Looking around the Small Stone Cave, he said lightly, "It's good we have this Small Stone Cave; otherwise, we would really struggle to get through this night. But you still need to be careful; move quickly. The things I've given you won't hold for long."
I nodded again and set up a Soul Guiding formation inside the cave.
Half an hour later, Master Pan stood up and said we would proceed according to plan; he would go first. After saying that, he stepped out of the Small Stone Cave decisively. I quickly activated the Soul Summoning Array and continued reciting the Soul Summoning Spell. First, I needed to cover Master Pan's exit; I didn't dare leave the Small Stone Cave myself as that would prevent me from seeing how Master Pan was doing. However, aside from my chanting, I didn't hear anything unusual, so I assumed Master Pan was safe.
In less than a minute, I heard the sound of Master Pan throwing down a stone that hit another stone and then heard him say it was okay. Taking several deep breaths, I kicked apart the Soul Summoning Array. The copper bell from my Hand Spell began to shake in rhythm with the Soul Bell as my right hand tightly gripped the Soul Binding Talisman spell, preparing to rush out.
As soon as my feet stepped out of the Small Stone Cave, a chilling wind suddenly swept in from behind me. I thought to myself, this is bad; I've been targeted so quickly. Without hesitation, I turned and started running towards the cave entrance.
It was only after I began to run that I realized what seemed like a short distance was actually quite exhausting. Inside the cave, there were no clear paths, and I had to leap over several high stones, the tallest of which was about a meter high. The ground was uneven, and the lighting was poor, making it difficult to gain any speed. I had to be extremely careful; the area was littered with sharp-edged rocks that could easily cause injuries.
The chilling wind followed me the entire way, but thanks to Master Pan's talismans and copper bell, running felt much easier than before. Although my stamina and energy were waning, I could still manage to run. Remembering what Master Pan had told me about not being able to hold out for long, I pushed myself harder towards the cave entrance.
Just a few steps in, I stepped into thin air and twisted my ankle. At that moment, I distinctly felt the presence of the Senior Master lunging at me. However, due to the numerous talismans on me, it didn't have a significant impact. Ignoring everything else, I didn't even look back; gripping the Soul Binding Talisman tightly in my right hand, I swung it back with all my might.
My right hand was enhanced by Master Pan's blood talisman, so it wasn't overly restricted. The sensation in my hand confirmed that I had hit it. But why did my hand feel numb? Regardless of how much it affected the entity, my current mission was to reach the sunlight.
Without pausing for a moment after striking, I limped towards the sunlight. To me, that sunlight represented hope, the future, and all the dreams I once held dear.
After climbing over the highest stone, I was just a few meters away from the sunlight when suddenly the pressure from the Yin Qi around me intensified. Panic surged within me; could it be that Master Pan's talismans had already lost their effectiveness? After all, that ink was mixed with his blood. How could it fail so quickly?
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