CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 14: TALISMANIC FIRE LEADING THE WAY

Walking out of the main house, the sunset on the horizon gradually dimmed, and the He Family couple were still kneeling there holding the child.

A Black Donkey was tied in the corner of the yard, kicking towards Sang Que, braying, as if complaining about something.

He Baosheng had tears in his eyes, biting his teeth, he stared fixatedly at the yellow talisman and lantern in Sang Que’s hands.

Sang Que’s gaze sharpened, she tucked the yellow talisman into her lapel, went back to Ming Zhang’s room, and quickly came out to close the door.

"Go... let’s go, go... go to your home."

Sang Que stammered to the couple, raising the lantern in her hand, indicating that she was about to perform Summoning Soul.

Qin Fangru looked at He Baosheng beside her, and He Baosheng took the child from Qin Fangru’s arms, resigned to reality.

"It’s getting dark, let’s talk about it after we get back."

The two supported each other as they walked back, with Sang Que following behind.

"Girl, I’ve never seen you before, where are you from?"

Qin Fangru, falling a few steps behind, inquired of Sang Que, her voice still choked with sobs.

Previously, when Kou Yushan brought her back to the village, they hadn’t encountered the He Family, so they didn’t know Sang Que’s current identity.

Just as Sang Que was worried that explaining her identity might expose her accent, two people appeared ahead, bathed in the glow of dusk, hurrying over.

The first was none other than Kou Yushan, followed by a black and thin young man in his early twenties, slightly hunched, who gave an initial impression of a monkey.

Was he the Skinny from the Ming Zhang Notes, where the old lady always heard strange tunes needing glutinous rice to ward off evil?

Kou Yushan rushed over to first check on Sang Que, confirmed her safety, then looked at her holding a jar and carrying a lantern, and He Baosheng holding the unconscious child, immediately understanding what had happened.

Kou Yushan explained, "Brother Baosheng, this is my elder sister’s adopted daughter, Yu Niang, who just arrived in the village today. I don’t know what Master Yan saw in Yu Niang, insisting on taking her as a disciple."

Hearing this, He Baosheng’s eyes lit up slightly, "Old brother, then please talk to Yu Niang, have her give me the Guiding Talisman and soul lamp, I’ll summon my son myself, I’m begging you, old brother, this is my son’s life. How can I trust it to someone who knows nothing?"

Qin Fangru nodded repeatedly, starting to worry and weep again. Sang Que seemed very wooden and not clever at all, and they had no way to entrust their child’s life to Sang Que.

The previous Ming Zhang, although mean and always extorting extra money and items from villagers, was experienced, bold, and indeed had some real skills.

A few months ago, when the Zhao Family’s youngest, Zhao Tiancong, lost his soul, it was Ming Zhang who successfully summoned it back.

However, in the end, Zhao Tiancong disappeared in the rain, his whereabouts still unknown, dead or alive.

The Skinny beside them, hands on hips, gasped for breath, scrutinizing Sang Que, "How old are you? How come you’re taller than me? Have you ever done soul summoning before? Are you confident?"

Sang Que deliberated, "I’ll try."

Upon hearing this, He Baosheng’s eyes turned red with urgency, "This is my son’s life, how can you just ’try’? Give me the items, I’ll do it myself!"

"No!"

Sang Que withdrew silently, clutching the items tightly. If it weren’t for keeping her persona, she would have chopped them both down with a hand each to save the trouble and noise!

"Brother Baosheng, don’t panic," Kou Yushan stopped He Baosheng, noticing the villagers in the courtyards on both sides peeking out, quickly suggested, "Let’s go back, we’ll discuss it there."

Kou Yushan signaled the Skinny with his eyes, and the Skinny quickly gestured to Sang Que, "Come, come, Yu Niang, I’ll first take you to Brother Baosheng’s house to prepare."

Sang Que followed the Skinny first, while Kou Yushan restrained He Baosheng and Qin Fangru, walking behind them.

Upon arriving at the He house, as darkness descended, Sang Que walked into the yard and saw a girl about her age using a long pole to hang a white lantern under the eaves.

The lantern was new, with the word ’condolence’ on it. The girl’s eyes were swollen and red from crying for a long time.

In the main room of the earthen house, a white-haired Old Man He was picking up a wild vegetable bun, placing it on a small altar in front of a small memorial tablet.

"Oh You Niang, Grandfather is incapable, unable to protect you. Now that you’re gone and your brother is in this state, it’s all retribution. If your spirit is in heaven, for the sake of your parents, help your brother. If you want to blame anyone, blame Grandfather. You can take Grandfather’s life if you want."

Old Man He hunched over, wiping his tears with his hand;

Skinny introduced to Sang Que, the one hanging the lantern was He Erniang, who would be getting married next month, and inside was Old Man He. Now, only a few members of the He Family were left.

He Erniang was very indifferent, not even acknowledging Skinny; after a glance, she went into the house.

Kou Yushan followed with the He Family couple, though their eyes were still filled with distrust towards Sang Que, they said nothing more.

After nightfall, Qin Fangru and He Erniang watched over He Family’s Fourth at his bedside, while Sang Que had a brief private conversation with Kou Yushan outside.

Sang Que was asking Kou Yushan how much he knew about the process of soul summoning.

Kou Yushan could only describe it roughly. Most villagers of Black Mountain Village only knew the basics: using the Guiding Talisman and soul lamp, calling out the name all the way back, and encountering Wandering Souls along the way.

But they didn’t know which finger the blood for the Guiding Talisman should come from, nor how to light the soul lamp, or which part of the head the hair needed as a medium.

And the most crucial rule, Yan Daozi deliberately didn’t tell her.

Fortunately, it was written in the Ming Zhang Notes.

Do not look back when guiding the soul back!

Ming Zhang didn’t remember those cumbersome and harsh conditions, but only this one rule, indicating that this was the most critical one. The others could probably be discounted.

"How confident are you?" Kou Yushan asked Sang Que.

Sang Que thought seriously. Although she didn’t know what might force her to look back on the way back, as long as she doesn’t listen or look, keeps her mind clear, and doesn’t scare herself with wild thoughts, a single attempt shouldn’t be a big problem.

"I’ll do my best."

Kou Yushan nodded. In fact, he was the only one among everyone who believed in Sang Que. After all, she was the daughter of the Witch Temple’s priest, even if she hadn’t learned much, she surely had something remarkable.

Otherwise, the first time she returned to Black Mountain Village, she would have died with Ming Zhang.

"Do you think Yan Daozi will follow me?" Sang Que asked, fearing this the most.

Kou Yushan replied, "If you don’t leave the village, he might follow you, but once you leave the village limits, he absolutely won’t. He’s very cautious with his life. He’s been in Black Mountain Village for more than half a year. The farthest he’s been is the forest by the wheat field. Most matters were handled by Ming Zhang."

Sang Que nodded, feeling relieved but nervous again.

"Please tell me once more about the Black Mountain Village and the surrounding terrain, and the general location of each family."

Kou Yushan dipped his finger in water from a bowl and drew on the table as he spoke to Sang Que. Sang Que listened intently, more focused than she had ever been in class.

She feared losing her way in a panic if some unexpected situation arose. The nights here were definitely not like Yan Daozi described. Even if they aren’t as bad as the evil spirits and wandering souls, she had to be extremely cautious.

Moreover, Yan Daozi was obviously trying to trap her, using soft words to lower her guard.

A moment later, Sang Que memorized the terrain and the methods Kou Yushan mentioned, like judging the hour by the moon’s position and direction by the stars. She said to Kou Yushan, "Let everyone come out now. I don’t want to waste words."

Kou Yushan went inside and persuaded everyone to come out. During the summoning ritual, outsiders being inside was taboo.

Once everyone came out, Sang Que took her things and quickly went inside, and when He Baosheng was just about to speak, the door slammed shut, giving him no chance.

"Oh, what do we do now, his father, Shou’an is still so young, my heart aches..."

Qin Fangru clutched He Erniang’s arm, crying uncontrollably. At this moment, the family couldn’t do anything, only waiting silently and praying for a miracle.

Inside the house.

Sang Que looked at the child, only seven or eight years old, on the earth kang and sighed silently.

"I will try my best, but I also hope you can muster some strength. If you want to live, relying only on others won’t do. Your parents know other people can’t be relied on."

At the head of the kang was a basket of needles and threads. Sang Que took two locks of hair from He Shou’an’s head, an extra one just in case.

She held the needle over the lamp’s flame for a moment, then pinched He Shou’an’s left middle finger to prick it and squeezed out a drop of blood, smearing it on the Guiding Talisman.

The blood, like fire, instantly ignited the yellow talisman, and a fist-sized green flame emerged, circling around He Shou’an.

Sang Que smeared some corpse mud on her forehead. The cold feeling made her shiver. She quickly heated the needle over the lamp again and tucked it into her clothes for later use.

After the talismanic fire circled thrice, it sped like the wind, directly piercing through the tightly closed window and flew outside.

Without thinking, Sang Que grabbed the soul lamp and hatchet, pushed open the window, and leaped out with one hand propped up.

Upon landing, Sang Que stiffened, realizing she had broken her persona.

She looked around, relieved that no one was present. Who knew that the talismanic fire could pass through walls and fly so fast.

The talismanic fire circled outside He Family’s yard, waiting for Sang Que to catch up.

Black Mountain Village rests against the towering Da Heishan and faces the Deserted Forest, rooted in the crevice between the mountains and the plains.

Under the night sky, the mountains lay silent, and even the bright moon was veiled by clouds. The towering mountains resembled an indescribable terrifying presence. The trees’ shadows were claws of the night, harboring untold unknown evils in the dark forest.

At first, Sang Que hadn’t thought much, her mind entirely engaged in the summoning steps. Now, suddenly stepping into the darkness, alone facing an empty village, she found herself still scared.

The greatest human fear stems from the unknown; besides that, fear also arises from a lack of power.

She has both now, but the arrow is on the string, and she must let it fly!

Pressing lightly on the object hidden in her garment, Sang Que gripped the hatchet and lantern tightly, walking resolutely toward the cluster of talismanic fire outside the yard.

"Let’s go!"