Energetisch

Kapitel 4

A blood-red mist hung in the air along the way, and the library seemed to have become a dark realm, with countless "things" surging within. It took the four humans a full half hour to reach the lobby on the first floor. As soon as they stepped out of the library, the fresh air rushed towards them, and everyone felt a sense of relief. Wu Bing, Chu Yunnan, and Fatty Dong Hua breathed a sigh of relief, but their legs felt weak, and they collapsed to the ground, their shock subsiding.

Ma Ming stretched his aching wrists, looked back at the tall building standing in the vast night behind him, frowned, and sighed, "This time, you little devils have really gotten yourself into big trouble."

Chu Yunnan and Fatty Dong Hua glanced at Wu Bing at the same time. The latter had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask, "Teacher Ma, what exactly is going on?"

Ma Ming shook his head helplessly, "Do you know what that weather vane is?"

Wu Bing stubbornly argued, "According to our feng shui calculations, that wind vane is an ominous object. Doesn't the book say, 'Wind follows evil things, and ghosts arise from the wind'?"

"Ghosts arise from the wind, but it doesn't say ghosts are weather vanes, classmate." Ma Ming rubbed his temples with his fingers, clearly defeated by these three novice feng shui enthusiasts. "Let me tell you, this weather vane is the prized possession of our middle school. Do you remember the lotus flower symbol on the weather vane?"

"I remember," Wu Bing replied.

“That’s called a Lotus Platform Wind Veil, which is specifically used to break a deadlock. Our school’s feng shui layout is not good, so we used a Lotus Platform Wind Veil on the top floor of the library to prevent the deadlock from forming. Now you’ve actually removed the wind vane so decisively. The yin energy that couldn’t flow and gather before is now unobstructed and has started to flow according to the feng shui pattern. Sooner or later, something big will happen.”

"How serious is it?" Chu Yunnan asked timidly.

"Ugh... it's as terrible as failing all subjects in a final exam."

For high school students, there is no more vivid and easier-to-understand analogy than this, and all three of them changed their expressions.

"Now that there's no weathervane, it looks like my junior brother and I won't have a single minute to slack off starting tonight." Ma Ming looked up at the inky sky and sighed dejectedly. "By the way, why did you guys suddenly do something like this? Normal high school students should be playing online games or dating, right?"

Faced with this question, the three looked at each other, neither willing to speak. After a long while, Wu Bing finally mustered the courage to say to the other two, "Let's tell Teacher Ma; maybe he can help us." Chu Yunnan and Fatty Dong Hua remained noncommittal, so he turned to Ma Ming, coughed deliberately, and then said, "Actually, the problem started in the dormitory of four girls in our class..."

As the narration progressed, Ma Ming's brows furrowed more deeply, and his previously amiable expression turned stern...

At this time, Shen Fengxi was completely unaware of all these matters—

Even if he knew, he wouldn't be interested—the only thing he wanted to do as soon as possible was to go to the classroom to get his necklace and then go back to his dorm to sleep.

The pendant on the necklace was given to him by his master when he entered the sect. It was made of pure silver, with two strands twisted together, symbolizing yin and yang. His Dharma name, the character "谨" (Jin), was also coiled on it. The craftsmanship was exquisite. Each disciple received one, and they wore it on different parts of their body according to their personal preferences. The master said that the joint was infused with the "qi" of everyone present. If anyone among them were in danger, all the fellow disciples within a hundred miles would know through the pendant.

“If a major disaster occurs, the chain between fellow disciples will break as a warning, which is the most serious situation,” Ma Ming also told him.

"I see. Then you must take care, senior brother." Shen Fengxi said with a serious and warm expression. Before Ma Ming could say anything, he added, "If you encounter danger and my necklace breaks, it won't be worth much."

"...I'm telling you, Fengxi... if this ever really breaks down, it'll definitely be because we brothers are fighting amongst ourselves..."

According to the rules, the necklace should never be removed from one's person; however, Shen Fengxi found it in the way during evening self-study, so he took it off and put it in his desk drawer, only to discover it just before going to bed. So, while cursing the god of amnesia in his heart, he got dressed and left the dormitory, rushing to the classroom under the cover of night to retrieve the necklace—after all, it was made of silver, and if it were stolen, Shen Fengxi, who was always complaining about being poor, would have a lifelong psychological trauma.

"Whether you're human or ghost, don't even think about getting the better of me."

The boys' dormitory was located on the edge of the campus. To get to the classrooms, one had to cross the playground and a long corridor. However, Shen Fengxi knew a shortcut. By climbing over a wall not far from the dormitory, one could reach a small botanical garden with an iron gate that was never locked, leading directly to the back of the teaching building.

Shen Fengxi quietly dressed, pushed open the door, and tiptoed to the dormitory entrance. The dormitory door was firmly locked with a large padlock; Fengxi weighed the padlock in his hand—it wasn't light. Before he could decide what to do next, he suddenly heard the sound of slippers beside him, and then an old woman wearing a white vest, blue shorts, and wooden slippers walked over with a flashlight.

Everyone calls this gatekeeper Lao Zhong. He's in his sixties and it's said he was a scout when he was young, so he can see through any little tricks the boys living in the dormitory have.

"Where are you going so late?" Old Zhong asked sternly, glaring at Shen Fengxi as he shone his flashlight on Shen's face.

“Observing the stars is our geography assignment,” Shen Fengxi replied without batting an eye.

Old Zhong sneered and stretched out his big hand: "Sorry, the dormitory building will be closed after 11 o'clock, and no one is allowed to enter or leave."

Shen Fengxi said impatiently, "I have my own way of getting in and out."

Old Zhong was taken aback; he'd never seen such a bold student before. He picked up his flashlight and shone it again, squinting his eyes: "You're that new kid who came today...you've got some nerve, haven't you?"

"My surname is Shen, not 'that thing'."

"Wow! You're so young, but you've got quite the temper. Do you think it's something to be proud of to go back to the dorm after the curfew?"

"Isn't the purpose of thresholds precisely for being violated?"

How can you be so sure I'll let you go?

"Because I am more than ten thousand times more handsome than you."

Old Zhong let out a "Huh?" and grinned. He waved his hand and said threateningly, "Go back to sleep now, or I'll tell your homeroom teacher tomorrow."

Shen Fengxi coldly forced a sneer, slowly raised his right hand, and swiftly pointed his index finger at Lao Zhong's brow. Lao Zhong didn't understand his meaning and was about to reflexively brush it away. But in the next instant, he felt his eyelids suddenly become incredibly heavy, and an intense drowsiness rapidly swallowed his consciousness. Before he sank into the abyss of sleep, a voice vaguely echoed in his ear:

"Forget that you saw me going out in the middle of the night, and don't mention it to anyone."

After dragging Lao Zhong back to the guardhouse and closing the door, Shen Fengxi walked out of the dormitory building and came to the wall.

The wall was old, with peeling paint, like a zebra with a skin disease, revealing the red bricks underneath.

The wall wasn't high, and a few bricks had been pried off, creating a foothold. Shen Fengxi had been known as the "Wall-Climbing Demon" since childhood, so this obstacle was a piece of cake for him. In less than a minute, he nimbly climbed to the top of the wall and easily jumped to the other side.

This botanical garden isn't very large. It mainly contains sunflowers, mimosa, morning glories, and lilacs, along with two or three soapberry trees, so the air is filled with a faint, mixed fragrance. It's used for students' biology practice classes, and theoretically, it's managed by a dedicated interest group. However, most students are busy with exams and papers, so it's rarely visited, and it always looks somewhat dilapidated.

As soon as Shen Fengxi landed, he suddenly felt a wave of nausea, as if something had abruptly stimulated his heart and stomach. He desperately suppressed the urge to vomit, pressing his hand to his chest. As a novice Taoist, he could clearly sense that the atmosphere in the air had suddenly become chaotic; something must have happened somewhere on campus, disrupting the balance of the earth's energy. He calmed himself and, judging from the flow of yin energy, deduced that the initial chaos must have originated from the library.

"It's true, the uglier the house, the more trouble it attracts."

Shen Fengxi roared inwardly. As someone who always competed with Ma Ming to see who was lazier, he also wanted to work overtime. Just then, a loud crashing sound suddenly came from the depths of the garden, like a flowerpot breaking, followed by a small scream from a woman.

Shen Fengxi was startled and instinctively reached into his robes with his left hand to grab a talisman, while picking up a wooden stick with his right. This way, he could deal with either a human or a ghost.

"Hey? Who's over there?" Shen Fengxi asked loudly, while cautiously following the sound step by step to see who was lingering in such a place so late at night.

But there was no response; the entire botanical garden remained silent, as if nothing had happened. Shen Fengxi grew suspicious. Could it be a young couple having a late-night rendezvous? But choosing such a place seemed rather tasteless.

As he was thinking this, he stopped in his tracks, thinking it was better not to meddle in other people's business. Anyway, it's none of my business, who cares if they die.

At that very instant, an even louder "crash" rang out, followed not by a woman's scream, but by a low growl resembling that of a wild beast. Shen Fengxi was startled, his grip on the stick tightening.

A startled girl rushed out from between two locust trees. She staggered forward a few steps and collapsed at Shen Fengxi's feet. Shen Fengxi quickly helped her up and discovered that it was Gu Fuchen. She was covered in sweat, a few strands of hair stuck to her forehead, her breathing was rapid, and her face was even paler than during the day. Shen Fengxi was about to ask her anything when he noticed a curved bloodstain on Gu's neck.

Before he could get a good look, another deep roar sounded in his ear. Shen Fengxi hurriedly looked up and saw a person standing in front of him.

This "person" wore a light blue school uniform, with long, disheveled hair hanging down her head. Judging from her figure, she was a girl; however, her eyes were rolled back, revealing no black pupils, her cheekbones were high, her face was ashen, and she walked with a staggering, heavy gait, her legs unable to bend, which was chilling. Even more peculiar was the red dot on her forehead and the five-colored ribbon tied around her neck.

"A human corpse?" The thought sent a chill down Shen Fengxi's spine, and the blood in his veins seemed to freeze. How could such a thing appear on a high school campus?

The zombie opened its mouth and roared, a few grains of red sand falling to the ground with a crisp sound. Shen Fengxi, unable to think of any other way, gritted his teeth and grabbed a wooden stick to strike it. The zombie, however, seemed oblivious, stretching out its withered hands and charging straight at Xiao Gu. Up close, the zombie's lividity was clearly visible, and the stench of death was overwhelming.

The corpse wasn't moving fast, but its rolled-back eyes gave off an indescribable sense of terror. Shen Fengxi inwardly groaned. There were dozens of types of corpses, each with different causes and weaknesses; in this haste, it was impossible to judge them, let alone subdue them.

However, regardless of the type of corpse, they all possess immense strength and are infested with corpse poison, making them extremely troublesome. Under normal circumstances, Shen Fengxi would have turned and run away in this situation, but now he had an unconscious Gu Fuchen lying beside him, a burden he couldn't simply discard.

"Why did it have to be me!" Shen Fengxi cursed inwardly in frustration. He pulled a talisman from his robes, flicked it swiftly, and stuck it to the corpse's forehead. The moment the talisman touched the corpse, it emitted a dim golden light. The corpse felt a sharp pain, took two steps back, roared, and tore the talisman off.

"Damn it! The Righteousness Talisman didn't work!"

Shen Fengxi reflexively reached for his neck; the pendant, imbued with his master's magic and his own spiritual power, could be used as a substitute for a magical artifact. He grabbed at empty air, realizing he'd left it in the classroom. "Damn it!" He swiftly pulled four talismans from each pocket, tucked them between his fingers, and flung them out with all his might. Four sharp "snap, snap, snap, snap" sounds rang out as the four talismans adhered to the corpse's limbs. This time, it had a slight effect; the corpse seemed to be bound by the small barrier formed by the four talismans. Knowing this wouldn't last, Shen Fengxi immediately lifted Gu Fuchen and headed outside, swallowing hard and muttering to himself, "Damn it… I didn't bring more… only those few, what am I going to do…"

At the same time, Ma Ming, who was listening to Wu Bing's rambling, noticed the abnormal airflow and turned around in alarm: "Someone is using a talisman... This can only be a wind aura... Something's wrong!" He immediately turned around and ran away, while Chu Yunnan and the others, who were unaware of what was going on, followed after him while calling out "Teacher Ma".

Fortunately, Gu Fuchen was light and not heavy, and Shen Fengxi carried her for 20 meters in one breath. Soon, the low growl of the corpse came from behind again. This corpse seemed quite crazy, probably caused by the inexplicable turbulence earlier. In a moment of desperation, Shen Fengxi tried to pick up Xiao Gu and leave. But as soon as he lifted her up, he heard a "clang" on the ground, and something slid off Xiao Gu's body.

Shen Fengxi didn't even bother to look down; he simply supported Xiao Gu's slender waist and ran forward, panting heavily. The botanical garden wasn't large, and it was divided by countless flowerpots and trees, leaving little room to maneuver. Shen Fengxi dragged Xiao Gu to the wall in one breath, only then remembering that the garden's only door was in the direction where the corpse was.

"Looks like I have no choice but to go around it..." Shen Fengxi tried to suppress his heavy breathing, secretly praying that the corpse wasn't very intelligent. Cold sweat began to trickle down his angular face. He had no magical artifacts on him now, and his pendant was still in the classroom. He really wasn't sure if he could defeat this corpse. His only hope was that his senior brother, Ma Ming, would notice something was wrong and come to his rescue quickly. "Wait... if it's that guy, he'll probably run away immediately. How can I count on him?" Shen Fengxi covered his head and sighed dejectedly.

Just then, Xiao Gu woke up and saw Shen Fengxi's disheveled appearance, with cold sweat dripping down his forehead. He couldn't help but exclaim "Ah!" and asked, "Where am I?" "In danger, classmate A."

Shen Fengxi replied irritably that if it weren't for her, he wouldn't be in this situation. If he survived, Shen Fengxi would really like to grab Xiao Gu by the collar and yell, "What are you doing here in the botanical garden in the middle of the night?!"

Xiao Gu didn't seem surprised by Shen Fengxi's appearance. She touched her neck, her expression still pale and indifferent: "You, you're the one from this morning..."

"Stop arguing, or that guy will hear you!"

Shen Fengxi shouted in a low voice, while slowly moving along the wall to the right, hoping to use the lush plants to block the corpse's view and successfully reach the entrance of the botanical garden.

The plan seemed to be a success; the corpses had stopped moving, probably because they had lost their target. Shen Fengxi, carrying Xiao Gu in his arms, slowly made his way to the door. Through a few clumps of drooping sunflowers, they could even see the loosely hanging lock on the door.

Shen Fengxi held his breath and looked around to make sure there was nothing unusual. He then ran quickly toward the gate, while Xiao Gu held onto his neck, her eyes thoughtful.

Just as Shen Fengxi's hand was about to touch the doorknob, a sudden gust of cold wind blew past him. He quickly withdrew his hand, and a clump of green slime stuck to the doorknob, making a hissing sound.

Shen Fengxi turned around and found that the corpse had somehow appeared behind him. The two people (or rather, one person and one corpse) were facing each other. Shen Fengxi could even see the blackened veins on the corpse's face and the few blood vessels in its pale eyes. Its face was completely indistinct; it was simply a skeleton covered with a thin layer of flesh.

The corpse tried to get closer, and Shen Fengxi subconsciously ducked and rolled to the side. However, he did not expect the corpse's claws to change direction midway. He hurriedly dodged, but at the same time he and Xiao Gu cried out "Ah!" and the two of them fell to the ground in a sorry state.

"Don't push your luck!"

Shen Fengxi was utterly enraged this time; he had never been forced into such a wretched state. He simply put Xiao Gu down, then stood up straight and glared at the corpse. The corpse seemed to be stunned by his astonishing power, and for a moment, it didn't move.

"Anyone who dares to mess with me will die! Even if you're already dead, you'll die again!"

With a furious grin plastered on his handsome face, Shen Fengxi made a peculiar hand gesture in front of him, and a sudden gust of wind rose from the ground, enveloping his entire body. This was called the Heavenly Gang XX (can't spell it properly...) Technique, a rather high-level Daoist art that could unleash a fierce attack without the aid of any magical artifacts. However, this spell was extremely energy-consuming; once used, one would be unable to move for several days, so Shen Fengxi would only use it as a last resort.

Now, it is clear that we have reached this "last resort" moment.

As Ma Ming ran all the way to the botanical garden, his heart sank. "That guy used that technique... Oh no!"

The corpse seemed to sense the danger as well. It roared and lunged at Shen Fengxi, only to be forced back by the strong gale. While focusing his mind, Shen Fengxi chanted an incantation, and a golden balloon quietly appeared in his palm.

"—Greedy Wolf, Giant Gate, Prosperity, Literature, Integrity, True Star, Martial Star, Breaking Army—!" Reciting the final incantation, Shen Fengxi prayed silently that the corpse wouldn't launch another attack; he simply didn't have the strength to stop it. This spell required extremely high mental concentration; otherwise, the released power could easily backfire on him.

The corpse retreated two or three steps before charging forward again. This time, however, its target was no longer Feng Xi, but rather Xiao Gu, who was lying softly at Feng Xi's feet.

"asshole!"

Shen Fengxi cried out, his mind momentarily scattered. The yellow sphere instantly crumbled, and the caster, guided by the chaotic airflow, collapsed between the corpse's claws and Xiao Gu. Immediately afterward, an out-of-control yellow light burst forth between Shen Fengxi, Xiao Gu, and the corpse...

Just a few steps from the door, Ma Ming felt the silver chain on his wrist snap with a soft "clink," tumbling through the air before falling to the ground. Without bothering to pick it up, he kicked open the botanical garden gate and rushed inside.

Shen Fengxi swayed, the only remaining sensation being the blinding red exploding before his eyes. An indescribable pain engulfed his limbs like a tidal wave. Before his body lost consciousness and plummeted to the ground, accompanied by the darkness that swept over him, he faintly heard a panicked scream:

"—Wind's Breath!!"

Chapter Three

Five minutes ago—

In the night sky, thin, sharp black smoke mingled with the dark clouds above the library, creating an eerie picture that was both ominous and tinged with madness.

"Teacher... did something happen?" Dong Hua asked the other two anxiously. Wu Bing and Chu Yunnan both craned their necks to look in the direction Ma Ming had left, their eyes filled with a mixture of unease and curiosity.

A few minutes ago, Wu Bing was stammering as he recounted recent events. Ma Ming, who had been nodding and pondering from time to time, suddenly sharpened his gaze and turned to say urgently, "Someone is using talismans... This place... can only be Feng Xi... Something's happened!"

After saying this, Ma Ming immediately leaped into the air and sprinted away, his speed like that of a Samoyed. Wu Bing, Chu Yunnan, and Dong Hua only felt a gust of wind brush against their faces.

The teacher had already run to the corner of the library and disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind three dumbfounded fools...