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墨書 Inktalez
"Let's go to my study and talk," Elder Ge said as he walked. "It might be because you repelled the Taotie Ghost before, but recently Ningcheng has been quite unsettled, with ghosts causing trouble everywhere. It's been non-stop… I'm swamped. Come with me tonight to pay respects to our ancestors, and just stay here for dinner with your master."
"Alright, Master."
Elder Ge's study was spacious, with bookshelves occupying half the room, filled with numerous books. The walls were covered with handwritten talismans, simple charms for blessings and exorcisms. The youthful beauty Ge Shui Lian was lazily sprawled over the desk, using a brush to doodle. Upon seeing Elder Ge enter, she immediately sat up straight. She glanced at Bai Zhuo behind him and made a dissatisfied face, baring her cute little tiger tooth at him.
Elder Ge shot her a stern look, causing Ge Shui Lian to shrink her head back and stop her actions.
"Shui Lian, from now on, he will be your junior brother. Take good care of him, understand? Alright, no more drawing. You're on summer break from university, so it's rare for you to come here to play with your grandpa. This time I'll let you off easy; go out and have fun."
"Haha, Grandpa is the best!" Ge Shui Lian exclaimed as she leaped up at the chance to go out. She tossed aside her brush and talismans, hugged Elder Ge's neck for a kiss, and dashed away, throwing a haughty glance back at Bai Zhuo as she left.
Elder Ge chuckled while wiping the wet mark off his face. "That girl… Hehe, have a seat, Bai Zhuo."
Elder Ge continued, "From now on, Bai Zhuo, you will be Shui Lian's junior brother. She can be a bit temperamental, but her nature isn't bad; you need to understand that."
"I understand, Master."
"Alright, enough chit-chat. Bai Zhuo, how much do you know about Yin Yang Masters?"
"Well… I only know that Yin Yang Masters exorcise ghosts and eliminate evil spirits. Many people think Yin Yang Masters are from Japan; in fact, they originated during our Warring States period in China before flourishing in Japan."
Elder Ge nodded and shook his head at the same time, leaving it unclear whether he was satisfied or not. "There are distinctions between 'Yin Masters' and 'Yang Masters.' Only those who can truly embody both can be called true Yin Yang Masters. Yin Masters excel in exorcising evil; Yang Masters are skilled in illusions and divination. Only by mastering both can one become a true Five Elements Yin Yang Master and bring peace to the Yin Yang Realm!"
"Oh! I didn't know there was such a method!"
"Well, then, how much do you know about Taoist priests?"
"Taoist priests? Most of them seem to pursue self-cultivation, like... the feeling of achieving immortality? I don't really know; maybe you can explain it to me, Master."
"You don't know this?"
"Um, I really don't."
"Actually, about Taoist priests... I don't know either."
"..."
"Haha, just kidding. The history of Huaxia Taoism is long and rich in cultural heritage. Strictly speaking, Onmyoji is a branch of Taoism. However, nowadays, the cultivation world has become desolate, and most Taoist priests live in seclusion, avoiding worldly affairs. You can understand this much; there's no need to delve deeper."
"Master, you really are... old in years but young at heart. What does it mean for you to tell me this?"
"Well, just remember this. Today is the thirtieth day of the sixth lunar month. In seven days, do you know what day it will be?"
"In seven days? July seventh, ah, Ghost Festival?"
"That's right, Ghost Festival. It's also the most important festival in our Yin Yang Realm." Elder Ge nodded. "During this annual Ghost Festival, the young Onmyoji of our Yin Yang Realm hold a competitive tournament."
"A competition?"
"Yes, a competition to catch ghosts. Exorcising ghosts is the simplest task for an Onmyoji; exterminating them is their duty. But catching ghosts is the essence of being an Onmyoji. You'll come to understand just how important catching ghosts is."
"Are you saying that I should participate in this competition?" Bai Zhuo asked.
"A Talented Disciple," he said. "In this competition, participants cannot be over thirty years old, and they must have a sponsor. I have two spots available, so your Senior Sister and you will compete together. I hope you both can win the championship this time!"
Bai Zhuo looked bewildered. "Master..."
Elder Ge raised his hand to interrupt Bai Zhuo. "I know you haven't gone through formal training and lack confidence in yourself, but in my eyes, you are truly talented! Regardless of the circumstances, you are someone who can fend off the Taotie Ghost on your own!"
"But that night, actually..."
"Enough of that. Since you've agreed to be my disciple, you should listen to your master. Don't worry; you already have a solid foundation. In just a week, you'll learn a lot."
"...Alright, Master."
"Good. There are some important points I need to discuss with you." Elder Ge poured two cups of cool water from a teapot and handed one to Bai Zhuo.
After taking a sip, he continued, "For this competition, we have the advantage of location since it will be held in Ningcheng. However, recently Ningcheng has been quite unsettled, with ghosts causing trouble everywhere. This may be due to the fact that you didn't follow my steps to eliminate the Taotie Ghost properly, which has allowed many Vengeful Spirits and evil spirits to run rampant. The Taotie Ghost devours souls for its own use; we must first eliminate the evil spirits within it before we can completely destroy it... But I understand that your situation at that time was precarious, so it's excusable. Next time you encounter it, you'll know what to do."
"Oh, understood, Master. I'll remember."
"As the saying goes, 'The King of Hell is easy to meet, but ghosts are hard to deal with.' My concern is that there are many ghosts this time; even a swarm of ants can kill an elephant. You must not underestimate any ghost, understood?"
Bai Zhuo nodded heavily in agreement.
"There's one more crucial point..." Elder Ge paused for a moment. "The reward for this competition's champion is the most generous it's been in ten years. Therefore, the participants will definitely be a mixed bag. You and Shui Lian must stay vigilant; your Senior Sister has a bad temper and lacks cunning, so you need to take good care of her, understood?"
"Master, since this competition is so dangerous, why not just let Shui Lian... Senior Sister Shui Lian not participate?" Bai Zhuo asked in confusion.
Elder Ge shook his head. "It's difficult to back out now... My Ge Family holds some weight in the Yin Yang Realm. Everyone knows that I, Ge Zhongxiang, have a granddaughter with the First Yin-Yang Eye. If she doesn't participate, how will others perceive us?"
"Is money more important than life?" Bai Zhuo nodded without refuting Elder Ge. He asked, "I'm curious, what rewards does the champion get?"
"Do you remember the peach tree from Burial Mountain?"
"Yes, I remember."
Bai Zhuo thought to himself, isn't this all because of you, my cheap master?
"After you saved the Tree Spirit, the only usable part of that peach tree was its roots."
Is that my fault?
Elder Ge sighed, "What a pity, such a large Thunderstrike Wood, and it's a peach tree... cough, I digress. In the end, that Thunder Tribulation Divine Tree was taken by the Tang family. Tang Qibo, as the president of the Onmyoji Association, is willing to offer half of the Thunder Tribulation Divine Tree as a reward. That half is enough to make a complete Peach Wood Sword!"
"Huh? That wood can be a reward?"
"Kid, be grateful. A Thunder Tribulation Divine Tree is rare beyond measure! Besides this reward, the top three in the competition can each choose an item from the Onmyoji Association's warehouse. So make good use of it; you're half an Onmyoji now. Don't you want to stand out and revive the Bai Family?"
If I could, I would love to be an ordinary person; this cursed ability is better off not having! Bai Zhuo's mind raced as he fell silent.
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