Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Xu Xiaofeng: "…"

Wei Xi: "…"

The others in the car: "…"

Tuan Yiyi hurriedly said, "Please focus on driving and don't talk anymore."

The driver hesitated but then turned back to drive for a while before turning his head again, unable to resist. "Infidelity only happens once or countless times. My wife deceived me back then. I thought it was a moment of weakness, oh well! Later, I realized that you can never forgive such things. If it happens, divorce is necessary!"

On the other end of the call, Xu Xiaofeng suddenly moved the phone away from his mouth. "You're awake?!"

In the next second, a barely audible defense came from Kuang Zhiming. "…I… I didn't!"

It seemed as if Kuang Zhiming had been unconscious and had woken up abruptly upon hearing this.

The driver looked eager to gossip, but Tuan Yiyi, fearing for Kuang Zhiming's life if the conversation continued, quickly gestured ahead. "Car! Car! Car!"

At that moment, they were on an overpass. The driver, having been alerted by Wei Xi, finally focused on driving. Unbeknownst to him, his shocking revelation had already caught the attention of some Tai Cang Sect employees. A few ghost substitutes perched on the car roof peered curiously at him through the windows.

"One of them said his wife cheated on him..."

"It seems it wasn't just once or twice. No wonder he always looked like he was wearing a green hat..."

"Ai, poor thing. Betraying a marriage is despicable. Uncle Shen told me our detective agency often gets hired for cases like this. Human relationships can be terrifyingly messy."

"Stay strong, uncle! Believe in love!"

Unaware of the sincere encouragement from the enthusiastic Tai Cang Sect employees outside the window, the driver continued driving. A few ghostly grandmas even reached in to pat his head with concern.

However, he probably wouldn't have been too happy about it if he knew...

Wei Xi ignored his nosy employees and turned to Kuang Zhiming, who had just woken up and was groggily explaining to Xu Xiaofeng that he hadn't cheated. "Did you catch the one who did the ritual?"

Kuang Zhiming sounded exhausted. "No, I don't know who it was. My mind was blank, and I almost followed them away. Thankfully, I heard a thunderclap from afar, which prevented them from succeeding."

It was a thrilling tale. Kuang Zhiming had been bound by the ghostly messenger, nearly losing his soul. Fortunately, he and Xu Xiaofeng had been living in a Taoist temple recently. That thunderclap was likely a warning from the deities within the temple, sparing him from a calamity.

The driver was utterly confused by the explanation, still in a daze as he followed them out. He couldn't help but grumble under his breath, "Cheating is cheating, why do these scumbags have so many excuses?"

All the employees of Taicang Sect looked at him sympathetically. It was clear that he had been left with some emotional trauma.

*****

Due to this incident, the car took a detour and headed for Liandu Temple. By the time Wei Xi and his disciples arrived, there were already many people inside. Kuang Zhiming was lying weakly on the bed, surrounded by fellow Taoists who had come to inquire about his condition.

Fortunately, Kuang Zhiming was unharmed, just suffering from a soul injury causing a headache. With some rest, he should recover.

However, the Taoist masters present were still terrified – someone had attempted to claim a Taoist's soul! How could they allow this? Ordinary temples and shrines were imbued with the righteousness of heaven and earth, and with holy deities enshrined within, evil spirits dared not approach. For someone to dare summon the Underworld Messengers to Liandu Temple under the watchful eyes of the celestial deities, it was without a doubt the work of the Yin Realm officials.

This was an outrageously vicious and audacious act! Kuang Zhiming, living in a temple, had nearly fallen victim, saved only by the heavenly thunder. What would have happened if it had been someone else?!

Everyone was deeply concerned and engaged in animated discussion:

"Who would have thought such a method existed? Inviting the Underworld Messengers to come and go freely in a temple, how can one guard against it?!"

Indeed, there was no way to defend against it. The Underworld Messengers were different from ordinary malevolent spirits; they were official agents, not bound by mortal Taoist spells. No matter how many gathered to perform rituals, they might not even be able to hinder the Messengers. After pondering, everyone realized that their only options were to pray to the gods and city gods, and to remain vigilant.

But how could gods be so easily appeased? If it were that simple, the world wouldn't be what it is today.

Everyone couldn't help but feel gloomy. Wei Xi, thinking of his own sect recently classified as an official institution, criticized the industry's flaws with dissatisfaction, "It's simply collusion between yin and yang, corruption and embezzlement. The work ethic in our Underworld Bureau is far too poor."

His emphasis was rather peculiar, leaving everyone speechless: ".................."

One of the Daoist priests who had spoken first coughed and asked Kuang Zhiming, "This is...?"

This was an elderly Daoist priest from the local Daoist Association, a member of the review committee. He didn't usually come out much, so he didn't recognize Wei Xi. Kuang Zhiming quickly explained, "This is Daoist Priest Wei from Taicang Sect, whom I recommended for the association."

He had already submitted Wei Xi's application materials some days ago.

As soon as Wei Xi heard him, all the Daoist priests in the room, whether they knew him or not, including the old Daoist priest who had asked the question, looked up at him.

The old Daoist priest's gaze was a little dull. After sizing up Wei Xi for a moment, he uncertainly asked Kuang Zhiming, "So... this is...?"

Kuang Zhiming nodded weakly.

"Daoist Friend Kuang, you've already recommended me?" Wei Xi understood what Kuang Zhiming was saying. "Has the application been approved?"

Kuang Zhiming admitted his uncertainty. At that moment, the elderly Taoist spoke again, his expression turning peculiar. "Mainly, it's because your… your temple submitted some unique documents. There's quite a significant disagreement within the organizing committee, so we might need to wait a bit longer."

In reality, the situation was far more intense than what he had said. The entire organizing committee had been dumbfounded after receiving Taicang's application. The temple lacked proper approval documents; not to mention construction permits, they couldn't even provide certificates for their Taoist priests. The temple was located in a residential area, which should have been an immediate disqualification. Yet, among the pile of useless documents they submitted was a copy of a certificate specially approved by the Underworld Bureau.

What on earth was this certificate? At first, the Taoist masters on the organizing committee were flabbergasted. The oldest among them, with decades of experience, had never heard of such a fraudulent item, even more deceitful than a con artist. However, when they inquired with Liandu Temple, who had recommended them, they were told that the certificate was given to Wei Xi in front of many association members by an Underworld Messenger. With numerous witnesses, it could indeed confirm the authenticity of the certificate.

This put everyone in a difficult position. Taicang Sect's application clearly didn't meet the original regulations set by the religious bureau, yet they had a special approval from the Underworld Bureau, putting them at a deputy department level.

The current internal disagreement within the association was whether to follow the top or bottom. Normally, they would adhere to the rules from above, but their industry was special, and a large part of their work involved the underworld...

The elderly Taoist had lost half his hair over this issue lately. When he encountered this oddity in the industry, his pupils trembled, unsure how to handle the situation.

Wei Xi, under the Taoist's gaze, was only worried. As expected, Taicang Sect had limited influence, making it challenging to gain recognition within the industry...

Among the crowd, there were Taoist masters who were also unaware of the situation. After examining Kuang Zhiming's case, they were deeply concerned. Coupled with Kuang Zhiming's speculation that this might be retaliation from the Cultivation of Life after being exposed, they anxiously warned, "If this revenge attempt fails, they won't let it go easily. I've heard that Daoist Master Wei was the one who forced out the substitute from the replaced person back then. The Cultivation of Life can summon Underworld Messengers and use such bizarre methods. Daoist Master Wei must be extra cautious when you return."

Indeed, Wei Xi had punched the substitute out of Tan Fu with his fists. Now that Kuang Zhiming was being directly targeted, Wei Xi shared these concerns. He nodded seriously. "Thank you, I will definitely be careful."

The elderly Taoist glanced at him with mixed feelings—what was there to be careful about? Did he know what a deputy department level position entailed? He was the only official from the Underworld Bureau in the room, yet he talked about being careful. The one who needed the least caution was him.

**********

Yet, the more unexpected the target, the more likely they would be targeted, and not everyone was as well-informed as the morally corrupted Daoist Association's auditing team.

When Wei Xi returned from Liandu Temple, he felt as if something was watching him from outside the car. He looked around but only saw a sea of vehicles; he found nothing unusual.

He sent a few ghost employees who hadn't left yet to investigate, but they couldn't figure out anything either. One of the more sensitive substitute ghosts merely told him, "I sensed a faint aura of our kind, but I can't locate it."

Wei Xi frowned upon hearing this, ready to step out of the car to investigate. However, his arm was tugged back, and his second disciple made a hand gesture through the car window, instantly dispelling the feeling of being watched.

The second disciple said nonchalantly, "Just a petty clown, not worth our attention. It's late, let's head back and rest."

Seeing how unconcerned his disciple was, Wei Xi followed suit and dismissed the matter. He leaned closer to his disciple, speculating during the ride, "I wonder who lured Kuang Zhiming's soul."

His disciple's hand glided down his arm and enclosed his palm in the darkness. Lowering his gaze, he murmured with an ambiguous tone, "It doesn't matter who it is, they won't let anything happen to you."

In the backseat, Unity Righteous couldn't help but worry, "What if they try to lure our master's soul too?"

"Ah," sneered the junior disciple, "let them try then."

As an accomplished translator of both Chinese and English novels, specializing in the realm of danmei fantasy, I immerse myself in translating a tale that weaves together the ethereal threads of this genre. The following passage, rich with the nuances and mystique inherent to danmei and xuanhuan, is rendered with elegance and faithfulness to its original spirit:

Outside the vehicle, on the distant elevated highway on the other side, a lanky man, intently watching from outside the car window, was suddenly jolted backward into his seat without warning. Struggling to regain his footing, he was plunged into darkness and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The companions in the car were all startled, and they asked him in panic, "What happened?!"

The lanky man furrowed his brows and covered his eyes in pain, saying, "He's too vigilant. I don't know what powerful artifact he used, but it actually severed my ability to see a thousand miles away in an instant!"

"But it shouldn't have caused him to spit blood..." murmured a little fatty, "Senior Brother, we failed to hook Kuang Zhiming's soul just now, and now our attempt at peeping has also failed. Don't you think our skills are just too amateurish?"

"Nonsense!" the lanky man snapped. "My techniques were personally taught by my master. How dare you doubt them!"

Feeling slightly wronged by the scolding, Little Fatty responded, "...Master, didn't you end up bedridden due to the backlash from being summoned too? Maybe our entire sect is just... inexperienced..."

The lanky man was evidently quite proud of his sect, and he was left speechless by this remark. He stammered in anger, "S-Silence! You know nothing!"

Little Fatty indeed kept quiet. A pockmarked man beside him asked, "Senior Brother, which sect did you have your eye on? How could they be so powerful?"

The lanky man, still calming his anger, frowned and pondered. He recalled, "When he left Liandu Temple, I heard someone mention a sect called Taicang Sect."

One of the passengers in the car was taken aback. "I don't think I've heard of it! Could it be some insignificant Taoist temple?"

"It's impossible!" The thin and tall man finally regained some strength, propping himself up to sit steadily with a grim expression. He analyzed, "Beijing is a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers reside. Just because we haven't heard of it doesn't mean it's small-scale. On the contrary, with their impressive abilities, they might be a major Taoist temple that keeps to itself. Kuang Zhiming at least occasionally participates in public activities, which is why we were able to obtain his birthdate for the soul-snatching ritual. This Master Wei from Taicang Sect might be even more..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Little Fatty lifted his phone with a puzzled look on his face.

"Senior Brother, are you talking about this Taicang Sect? They don't seem to be very reclusive."

The thin and tall man's analysis was interrupted, and before he could get angry, he looked at the phone held up by Little Fatty.

Tachang Sect V: "Image" "Image" "Image" Our sect's Weibo has reached 300,000 followers! Retweet this blessed charm and you'll receive an extraordinary stroke of good luck. On New Year's Eve, we'll hold a draw and one lucky disciple will receive a Mind-Cleansing Charm personally drawn by our Sect Leader, Wei Xi!

Tall and lanky man: "..............."

Little Fatty snatched back his phone, swiping through it while murmuring to himself, "Ah... impressive. Their sect's leader actually used to be an actor before, and he's incredibly handsome—a real celebrity, even. He even has a Baidu Baike page, wow."

Tall and slender man: "..............."

Little Fatty marveled, "Wow, Baidu Baike is so detailed, even including height and birthday. Senior Brother, is this the eight characters of birth we were looking for?"

Tall and lanky man: "..."

Little Fatty: "Their sect's first tweet was posted over a month ago, seemingly around the time they were established. So, Senior Brother, it seems we really are too inexperienced, don't you think?"

The lanky man snatched his phone with gritted teeth, "Shut up right now, this instant!"

As an esteemed translator of both Chinese and English novels, specializing in the realm of danmei fantasy, I approach the task of translating a passage from such a novel with great care and dedication. Danmei, a genre that intertwines elements of romance between male characters with fantastical realms and mystical elements, requires not only linguistic precision but also a deep understanding of cultural nuances and the genre's aesthetics. Below, I offer an elegant and faithful translation of the given placeholder, infusing it with the essence of danmei fantasy:

Tuanjie Yi was editing the photos of today's group expansion activity of his family's sect, preparing to post them on Weibo, when he suddenly thought of something: "Master, it seems that there is a birth date on the Baidu Baike edited by your fans before. Should I go and delete it?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Xi peered over and saw that it indeed displayed the birthday of the little unlucky fellow. He waved his hand and said, "Ignore it."

"Really?" Unity Yì seemed to comprehend but not entirely. "I thought from what Daoist Kuang and the others were discussing so seriously today that one shouldn't casually reveal their birthdate and zodiac. Turns out there's no such thing?"

Wei Xi yawned, clutching the bag of chips as he dozed off, replying vaguely, "It depends on the situation."

*********

The night was deep, a time for sweet dreams, yet some still remained awake. Incense filled the room, and in the brazier, countless ghost banknotes and gold ingots burned, with ashes and paper scraps fluttering throughout the space. Suddenly, a shattering noise pierced the silence.

Huddled around the brazier, Little Fatty and the pockmarked man trembled with fear. The lanky man had smashed his phone, jumping furiously in the dark room. "These eight characters belong to someone who's already dead! Already dead!"

Despite his unhealed body, his anger unleashed boundless energy, overriding the pain in his chest and eyes. After enduring weariness and exhaustion all night for this outcome, he found it unbearable, his eyes reddening as he cursed, "Liars! Scoundrels! No wonder they dared to post these on Baidu Encyclopedia! They're fake! I've wasted my time!"

Beside the brazier, the pockmarked man, with dark circles under his eyes, was busy burning paper money for the Underworld Messengers. Hearing his senior's explosive roar, he murmured, "Journalists covering celebrity gossip used to say that some female stars would lie about their age. I never thought male stars did too. Daoist Wei looked quite young in the photos. If even that's fake, the entertainment industry must be incredibly tough."

Little Fatty, slumped beside him, nodded off, struggling to keep his eyes open. Half-asleep, he mumbled, "Who knows? Didn't the last one fail too? Maybe it's just that Senior is not skilled enough to summon souls."