Chapter 5: Eerie Impressions
His hand habitually reached toward his earlobe. Who would believe a tale of time travel? Encountering the Bearded Warrior had already sown seeds of doubt in him—that history’s wheels might turn in the same way.
Searching his memory, he recalled the Bearded Warrior as a man of boldness and distinction, vehemently opposed to evil, a man of his word, harboring grand ambitions to establish a kingdom. Yet, in the end, it was not he who forged that dominion, but another entirely.
Glancing at Ye Ziyan, his face filled with shock, as if still struggling to wake from a haze.
When the Bearded Warrior asked how they knew each other, Ling Xuan’s lips curled into a smile. Since Old Master Chu had asked him to be a stand-in, he returned the question lightly: “I once heard my grandfather speak of it.”
“Tai Chi Needle Technique, the Ling family’s secret art,” the Bearded Warrior mused thoughtfully. “I never imagined that Doctor Ling changed his surname to Chu and lived in seclusion here. Since Jiankang City fell, years have passed without seeing him. Is he still alive?”
Old Master Chu was a former imperial physician of the Chen dynasty? Changed his surname to Chu? Originally Ling? And there was some old connection with the Bearded Warrior’s Zhang family?
Ling Xuan was utterly puzzled. This was truly baffling. No wonder the Bearded Warrior lent his aid upon hearing mention of the ancestral Tai Chi Needle Technique.
Ye Ziyan’s steady gaze suggested she had long known, showing no surprise at all.
Hearing that Old Master Chu had gone to the Demon Suppression Abyss, a flicker of regret flashed in the Bearded Warrior’s eyes. “Ling Xuan, our families have been friends for generations. You may call me Third Uncle.”
Within their Zhang family, he ranked third, so such a form of address was fitting.
Yet what he said next startled Ling Xuan: “Rumors in the martial world tell of the emergence of Great Shikigami, heralding chaos. The Spirit Snake Entwining the Moon is among them. Have you heard of this?”
“What? A curse, a shikigami? One of the Great Shikigami causing turmoil across the land?”
Ling Xuan was stunned into silence. Could a mere intern doctor from another time truly exacerbate the fate of the world?
But with his life at stake, he needed to find the cause of the illness. To lift the curse, he must first understand the shikigami. He hastened to ask, “Third Uncle, what is a shikigami?”
“A spiritual entity born of mortal obsession,” the Bearded Warrior laughed heartily. “In ancient times, when humans battled demons, a great sage refined demon souls into controllable shikigami by secret arts. Didn’t your grandfather tell you?”
Shikigami were demon souls. No wonder Ye Ziyan said they could demonize. He had only met Old Master Chu once—how could he have known such things?
Ling Xuan smiled wryly. “Third Uncle, grandfather was always busy, only urging me to master acupuncture. What exactly is a Great Shikigami?”
“There are many shikigami,” the Bearded Warrior explained, “distinguished by seven-pointed star patterns. Those capable of triggering celestial changes, even with a single star point, are called Great Shikigami.”
He waved his wine gourd, the fragrance of wine filling the air. As the Bearded Warrior drank, he laughed, “The Spirit Snake Entwining the Moon can harness the moon’s power, greatly amplifying its might, but it carries a curse that backlashes. You will understand in time.”
Once a Great Shikigami backlashes and demonizes, there is no reversing it.
Ling Xuan’s face turned pale with cold sweat. He would grow scales like a serpent on one side of his body, be controlled by the Spirit Snake, and become a puppet.
“Third Uncle, if Ling Xuan demonizes, I will act immediately—shatter his heart veins,” Ye Ziyan said without hesitation, “lest he fall into darkness and bring disaster upon all living beings.”
“Such a wife, what more could a husband ask for?” the Bearded Warrior nodded repeatedly. “Ling Xuan, a man’s ambition lies beyond these walls. What are your thoughts?”
Was this a subtle way of valuing the Tai Chi Needle Technique, urging him to follow and achieve greatness?
Plucking a blade of grass, he chewed the bitter taste and smiled. “Third Uncle, grandfather wants me to enter the Imperial Medical Office.”
“The Imperial Medical Office? The Divine Dynasty’s Medical Office?” The Bearded Warrior’s face showed surprise and silent astonishment. What scheme was Doctor Ling plotting? Was he seeking a way to lift the curse?
“If I don’t enter the Medical Office, grandfather will never see me again,” Ling Xuan said, spitting out the grass and taking another. He smiled playfully. “Third Uncle, what is the Demon Suppression Abyss?”
The mention of the Abyss brought fury to the Bearded Warrior’s face. “The demon seals weakened. The Divine Emperor declared to all under heaven, conscripting a million laborers, spending five years to dig the Demon Suppression Abyss, using national fortune to suppress evil, spanning north and south. But half or more of the workers died; blood and bones filled the earth!”
An artificial excavation of the Demon Suppression Abyss? Piles of bones? Five years’ labor?
Ling Xuan’s smile froze. Could the Demon Suppression Abyss be the Grand Canal of the Capital?
The Grand Canal, an immense project begun in the first year of the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, was known for the thousands of laborers who perished during construction.
Records mainly said it was for the emperor’s leisure. How could it here be a weapon to suppress demons?
The Bearded Warrior’s indignation was clear. “Though the Abyss suppresses demons well, they frequently escape, wreaking havoc. The Great White Snake is such a case. If I hadn’t sensed the surging demon aura and pursued it, Ling Xuan, what do you think would have happened?”
His words sounded grand, but knowing the Bearded Warrior’s ambitions, the chase was likely for the snake’s tough scales, perfect for weapons and armor. Ling Xuan was nearly convinced.
His eyes darted, aware of history’s course. Even if the Bearded Warrior eventually moved overseas, such matters must remain secret now.
He casually replied, “Third Uncle, Ye Ziyan and I just married. It’s been years since I last saw my parents. I must go pay my respects.”
“A filial son’s heart is commendable,” the Bearded Warrior nodded approvingly. Then his tone shifted: “The stars are shifting. The Divine Dynasty has the Grand Astrologer. What will you do?”
The Grand Astrologer? Ling Xuan’s heart stirred. It was the Sui dynasty’s institution for observing celestial phenomena, renamed by Emperor Yang in the third year of the Daye era. If even the Bearded Warrior noticed, how could the Grand Astrologer not perceive clearly?
He must understand the cause before curing the ailment. With such knowledge of Great Shikigami, could the Bearded Warrior himself harbor one?
Feigning confusion, Ling Xuan probed, “Third Uncle, what do you think I should do?”
The Bearded Warrior’s spirit rose. “Ling Xuan, extraordinary times demand bold decisions. A true man stands tall and must accomplish great deeds.”
Again urging him to follow, Ling Xuan politely declined. “I’m weak now, only hoping to survive. First, I must enter the Medical Office and find my grandfather.”
Laughing heartily, the Bearded Warrior handed over a small white snake. “Third Uncle offers this as a wedding gift. The Great White Snake will help you awaken your shikigami. They share the same lineage. It will benefit your Spirit Snake Entwining the Moon.”
Could the little white snake help him improve his cultivation?
Ling Xuan caught it quickly, clutching the wine gourd tightly. The rich aroma mixed with medicinal scent—this was no ordinary drink. Third Uncle must not be called in vain.
“Third Uncle, this gift is a bit unfair—only the snake, but no wine to raise it? Why not give me both? That’s what I call double blessings.”
The Bearded Warrior’s expression grew strange. “Drinking accelerates the Spirit Snake’s demonization. Do you still want it?”
“What?”
Ling Xuan leapt up in alarm. No wonder he had felt something writhing inside after drinking.
He glanced skyward as the Bearded Warrior rose. “Watch the moonlight and the little white snake’s state closely. When the Demon Hunting Camp’s hawks appear, I will lead them away. We shall meet again. If you need me, come to Jiangdu.”
Ling Xuan admired him silently. Though politely refused, the Bearded Warrior still showed goodwill, so carefree—a true remarkable man. No wonder he ultimately succeeded abroad.
No sooner had the Bearded Warrior left than the once timid little white snake became extraordinarily lively. Ling Xuan was startled. “Could it be that Third Uncle’s Great Shikigami frightens the little white snake?”
A faint “click” sounded as Ye Ziyan’s purple jade phoenix hairpin pressed against her neck. She smiled faintly. “Ling Xuan, I’m in a bind. Should I strike now, or wait until you’ve demonized?”
The little white snake hissed angrily, coiling rapidly, its triangular head raised high, crimson forked tongue flickering in protest.
“Protecting its master?”
Ye Ziyan’s surprise grew; a hint of envy crept into her smile.
Ling Xuan’s lips curved. “The little white snake is sentient.”
No sooner had he spoken than the snake darted toward the mark on his chest, snapping sharply.
Ye Ziyan’s hairpin flashed, a sharp sound as the snake remained unharmed.
She was about to strike again when Ling Xuan quickly stopped her. “Wait.”
“Wait for what?” Ye Ziyan asked in puzzlement.
Ling Xuan stared blankly, dazed. “How can this be?”
A pitch-black abyss, a woman in white robes resembling the girl undergoing chemotherapy.
Nine chains bound her, bones scattered before her, forming the characters “Yuwen.” She cried hoarsely, “Divine Emperor, you deceived us, helping you seize the world, yet…”
A piercing, high-pitched cry echoed through the clouds. A black shadow, like a bullet, streaked swiftly across the night sky. The scene cut abruptly. The little white snake looked up, alert to its surroundings.
“Eagle hawks?”
Purple light gleamed in Ye Ziyan’s eyes. Her face changed sharply. “Hide!”
“What do you mean?”
Hadn’t the Bearded Warrior led the Demon Hunting Camp’s hawks away?
Without question, she pulled Ling Xuan into the shadows. Ye Ziyan explained, “The Yuwen family specially crafts demon-binding talismans to capture demons escaping the Demon Suppression Abyss. Third Uncle led some away, but the little white snake’s aura remains. It’s still dangerous.”
Ling Xuan froze. Could the abyss he had just seen be the Demon Suppression Abyss?
The bones before the woman in white bore the name “Yuwen.” Was the Demon Hunting Camp run by the Yuwen family? His memories recalled the Grand Canal’s commander was a Yuwen, responsible also for building the Eastern Capital Luoyang.
Could his Spirit Snake Entwining the Moon be connected to the woman in white? Yet how could she resemble so closely the girl undergoing chemotherapy?