Iron Bull taucht wieder auf

Kapitel 2

The next day was Tuesday, September 13th. Class teacher Li Yong called everyone from dormitory to dormitory, waking them from their sleep. Li Jinyu and the others hurriedly washed up, changed into their green military uniforms, ate breakfast in the cafeteria, and rushed to the parade ground, laughing and joking as they lined up in two rows. The military training instructors, with stern faces, gave them a stern reprimand, a show of force that startled the freshmen.

The first day of training involved grooming, standing in formation, and cultivating an iron will and steel discipline. The boys fared slightly better, but the girls had many more problems: Zhang San's hair was too long, Li Si's uniform button wasn't fastened properly, Wang Wu suddenly fainted under the blazing sun, Zhao Liu blushed and reported needing to use the restroom... In short, it proved the old saying true: "Women, your name is trouble."

After enduring a long, sweltering morning, taking a three-hour break, and then enduring an even longer afternoon, the freshmen eagerly awaited the dismissal whistle. Exhausted, they dragged themselves back to their dorms, collapsed onto their beds, and lost their appetites for dinner.

Girls love to be clean. Even if they're tired, they still need to wash away the smell—no, the fragrant sweat. Ji Yun and Dai Shuzhen had already showered and gone to bed early. Huo Lili changed her clothes and invited Li Jinyu to go to the sauna together, but Li Jinyu politely declined with a smile. She waited until seven o'clock, guessing that the peak time at the bathhouse was almost over, before taking a basin, soap, and a towel to the bathroom.

Couples were a common sight on S University's campus, strolling hand-in-hand under the streetlights, cuddling in the shadows of trees, oblivious to everyone around them, forcing Li Jinyu to deliberately avoid them. As she passed the entrance to Cafeteria No. 3, Zhou Wen, wearing a tank top and carrying a bag of spare clothes, brushed past her. Li Jinyu reacted quickly, lightly patting his shoulder and greeting him, "Hi, Ma Qingxiong, what are you doing here?" She then casually imprinted the Jade God Talisman on him.

Zhou Wen felt a burning sensation on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Li Jinyu, a beautiful girl from the Chemistry Department. His heart fluttered, and he asked, "Who is Ma Qingxiong?" Li Jinyu stuck out her tongue shyly and said, "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else. I thought you were a high school classmate." Just as she was about to turn away, she suddenly noticed that Zhou Wen's eyes had turned bloodshot. He grabbed her arm and said coldly, "What do you want to do?"

He was so strong that Li Jinyu cried out in pain. She struggled desperately and whispered, "Let go! You're hurting me!" When she looked up, she saw the most incredible thing in her life: the jade talisman on Zhou Wen's shoulder turned into tiny sparks, drifting away into the night, as dazzling and captivating as fireworks, making people's hearts flutter and lose control.

Zhou Wen's blood-red eyes saw right through her. He smiled, revealing two gleaming white fangs, and said, "You go your way, I'll go mine. Why meddle? I just want my body back and to live a normal life, understand? This kind of low-level talisman is useless against me. Meddling will never end well. Be careful, or I'll drain you dry!"

Li Jinyu shivered instantly, her whole body turning ice-cold, as if she had fallen into an ice cave. A thought flashed through her mind: "Possessed by a vengeful spirit, it must be a vengeful spirit!" Her face turned as pale as paper, and she opened her mouth to scream, but Zhou Wen suddenly grabbed her tender throat and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but to Li Jinyu it felt like centuries. She trembled as if she had been electrocuted, stunned and forgetting to struggle, her mind filled with utter shock: "My first kiss was stolen by this wretched vengeful spirit! It was my first kiss!"

Zhou Wen's lips brushed against her face, and he whispered in her earlobe, "You're very beautiful. I know Zhou Wen is interested in you, but human appearance means nothing to me—stay away from me if you don't want to become a dried-up corpse!" He released Li Jinyu, casually patted her cheek, and turned to walk away.

Watching his departing figure, Li Jinyu was filled with resentment and fear, and tears finally streamed down her face uncontrollably. Only then did she realize that in just one day, the vengeful spirit's lower body had been completely buried inside Zhou Wen's skull!

Section Six Maoshan Road

Li Jinyu stood in a daze at the entrance of Cafeteria No. 3 for a while, hastily wiping away the tears on her face with a towel. She took a deep breath and comforted herself, saying, "It's okay, it's nothing. It was just a kiss on the lips, just like a mosquito bite!" But this rough kiss felt like a needle piercing Li Jinyu's heart, making her upset and unable to concentrate on taking a shower. She hurriedly fled back to her dormitory.

Xu Ye, who lives in room 306 next door, sneaked in quietly, put her arm around Li Jinyu's shoulder affectionately, and said, "When did you get a boyfriend? You kept it a secret from me so well, you didn't let out a word, you're not a good friend at all!" She was also from X City and was Li Jinyu's classmate in high school. She was admitted to the Chemistry Department of S University, majoring in education, and aspired to become an engineer of the human soul.

Li Jinyu was taken aback and complained, "What Boyfriend? Don't talk nonsense!" Xu Ye clicked his tongue and said, "Still not admitting it? I just saw you being affectionate with a guy at the entrance of Cafeteria No. 3! Hey, what year is he in? What's his major? What's his name?"

Li Jinyu felt even more troubled. She forced a smile and said, "No, you must have mistaken me! I was just taking a shower." Xu Ye said, "Huh—we've been deskmates for three years, and you still mistake me for someone else? If you don't tell me the truth, I'm going to get angry!" Li Jinyu had no choice but to plead in a low voice, "It's a secret. I'll tell you later. It's not what you think!"

Xu Ye smiled slyly and said, "I'll let you go this time! Sigh, you've finally found your true love, but where is my Prince Charming?" Li Jinyu was both amused and exasperated, secretly cursing Zhou Wen in her heart: "Damn you, you've caused me so much trouble, just wait and see how I deal with you! I refuse to believe that the Celestial Masters' righteous path can't defeat a mere vengeful spirit like you!"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [10]: She managed to get rid of Xu Ye with some persuasion, and then quickly made a long-distance call to her grandfather, describing in detail the mutation that occurred when the Jade God Talisman was applied to Zhou Wen's body. Her grandfather was silent for a moment, and then said, "Ayu, this vengeful spirit is not simple. I advise you not to get involved in this matter." Li Jinyu was somewhat unconvinced and said, "Can't our Maoshan Taoist magic subdue a small vengeful spirit?"

Her grandfather sighed softly and muttered to himself, "It's a pity my legs are crippled, otherwise I really want to see it with my own eyes... You have the Three Flowers Protection, that vengeful spirit can't harm you. Try the Azure Spirit Talisman again. If it still doesn't work, have your brother make a trip. Don't force it!"

Li Jinyu was a little unconvinced and asked, "How is my brother's Heavenly Mourning Technique progressing?" Her grandfather said, "He's about 70% there—Ayu, not that I'm being nosy, but if you're going to cast the talisman, you should do it sooner rather than later. If that vengeful spirit completely controls your classmate's body, things will get complicated!"

Li Jinyu's heart tightened, and she asked, "What will be the consequences?" Her grandfather said, "Once the vengeful spirit has its own body, its magical power will increase dozens of times. At that time, not only will the Azure Spirit Talisman be no match for it, but even your brother's Heavenly Sorrow Technique might not be able to defeat it!" Li Jinyu nodded silently and said, "I understand... That's all for now. Take care, Grandpa. Goodbye!"

Zhou Wen had no recollection of anything that happened when the vengeful spirit possessed him, including that kiss devoid of any tenderness or affection. He only vaguely remembered the name Ma Qingxiong, but couldn't recall where he had heard it before. He quietly nudged Ge Hui and asked in a low voice, "Do you know who Ma Qingxiong is?"

Ge Hui immediately perked up and said, "You've come to the right person! I'm an expert in this area! Ma Qingxiong is the disciple of Sha Tongtian, the Ghost King of the Dragon Gate in 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' known as one of the Four Ghosts of the Yellow River. The eldest is Shen Qinggang with the Soul-Severing Blade, the second is Wu Qinglie with the Life-Chasing Spear, the third is Ma Qingxiong with the Soul-Snatching Whip, and the fourth is Qian Qingjian with the Death-Gate Axe." "You two, step forward!" the instructor roared, his eyes wide like copper bells, startling Zhou Wen. "Sneaking around talking, you have no sense of organization or discipline at all! How can you be university students! Stand aside and reflect on your mistakes, then come back!" Zhou Wen and Ge Hui looked at each other, seeing his stern and impartial appearance, they had no choice but to run to the shade of a tree to reflect on their mistakes.

The instructor roared again, "Who told you to hide under the shade of the trees? All the other students are marching seriously, but you two are just finding a place to rest! Stand in the sun!" Zhou Wen and Ge Hui had no choice but to run to the side of the platform in full view of everyone, and sheepishly lowered their heads to admit their mistake. Sweat dripped down their faces like tiny insects, and they didn't dare to wipe it away.

Fortunately, it was already past eleven o'clock, and the morning military training was about to end. As soon as the dismissal whistle blew, everyone lined up and ran towards the canteen. As they passed Zhou Wen and Ge Hui, they made faces at them, laughing at their cluelessness in running into the line of fire. Li Jinyu glanced at Zhou Wen a few more times, and Xu Ye, like Columbus discovering a new continent, whispered, "The one standing on the right must be your soulmate...hehe, aren't you heartbroken?"

Huo Lili overheard this and quickly looked up, only to be greatly disappointed: "Li Jinyu's boyfriend? The one on the right? No way, he's short and fat! You have such poor taste, he's practically a flower..." The instructor glared at them and loudly reprimanded, "Do you also want to stand up and reflect on your mistakes?" Huo Lili stuck out her tongue, quickly lowered her head, and remained silent.

The girls in her group all knew that Zhou Wen was Li Jinyu's boyfriend, and they all had a half-smile on their faces, making Li Jinyu so embarrassed that she just wanted to find a hole to crawl into. She glared at Xu Ye and waved her fist at her. Xu Ye saw that her eyes were a little red and felt very embarrassed, so she quickly made an apologetic gesture to her. Li Jinyu turned her head away and ignored her.

After all the students had left, the instructor walked over to Ge Hui with his hands behind his back. Since no one was around, he wasn't as stern as before: "What were you two whispering about during military training?" Ge Hui glanced at Zhou Wen and said sheepishly, "He asked me if I knew who Ma Qingxiong was." The instructor paused, finding the name catchy, and casually asked, "Ma Qingxiong? Who is Ma Qingxiong?"

Zhou Wen coughed and said, "He's a friend of my cousin's. He's an instructor in the 83110 unit stationed in G city. Do you know him, Instructor?" The instructor said "Oh," thinking to himself, "No wonder he sounds so familiar, he's from the same unit! Tsk—I have absolutely no recollection of him."

The hierarchy in the army was very strict. As a lowly soldier, not wanting to offend the political instructor's friend's cousin, he said sternly, "Do you realize your mistake? Soldiers must have iron discipline! I'll let it go this time, but you must have the right attitude in the future. Standing in formation and marching in step is a very serious matter. You must not whisper to each other, understand?" Zhou Wen and Ge Hui nodded obsequiously like chickens pecking at rice. The instructor nodded in satisfaction and let them go back to eat.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [11]: The two hurriedly went to the canteen, afraid that if they went too late there would be no good food. When they passed the clock tower, they suddenly saw Li Jinyu waiting there. She said to Zhou Wen with a gloomy face: "Zhou Wen, wait a moment, I have something to say to you!" Ge Hui winked at him and said: "You two talk, I'm going to eat first!" With that, he squeezed into a side road and walked away.

Zhou Wen was a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and asked, "What's wrong?" Li Jinyu snorted and muttered, "It's all your fault! I'm so ashamed!" She stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Wen's hand tightly, and chanted a spell rapidly. Zhou Wen held her soft little hand, completely bewildered: "What are you doing? Reciting a foreign language?"

Suddenly, a blazing white light emanated from Li Jinyu's palm. Zhou Wen cried out, his eyes instantly turning blood red. He violently flung Li Jinyu's hand away, grinning maliciously, "You brat, are you tired of living?!" Li Jinyu took a half step back, saying contemptuously, "Don't think I'm afraid of you! If the Jade God Talisman is useless, then try the most powerful Azure Spirit Talisman of the Maoshan Sect!"

Zhou Wen raised his palm and saw a bright red talisman slowly seeping into his skin, transforming into several glistening red lines that flowed along his meridians towards his elbow. Zhou Wen desperately tried to stop himself from moving, growling like a wild beast, and said intermittently, "This talisman wasn't drawn with cinnabar...you...you drew it with a virgin's blood..." Li Jinyu looked at him with pity and said, "Go, leave Zhou Wen's body, return to the underworld and be reborn. There's nothing in this world worth staying for!" Zhou Wen cried out in a hoarse voice, "No! This is my body! Give me back my body!" He suddenly roared and ran away like an arrow, disappearing into the bushes in the blink of an eye.

Chapter Seven: The Murder Case

Zhou Wen didn't show up at the military training field all afternoon, which worried Li Jinyu. She wondered if the Cangling Talisman she had drawn by biting her tongue had worked. Xu Ye noticed that her good friend was restless, so she took advantage of a break to go over to the boys' group and ask. Liu Zifeng said that Zhou Wen seemed to have heatstroke and hadn't eaten lunch, and had been receiving treatment at the infirmary.

Xu Ye encouraged Li Jinyu to visit her sweetheart when she had some free time, and Li Jinyu was somewhat tempted, wanting to see if the vengeful spirit above Zhou Wen's head had been exorcised. However, a sudden murder occurred that night, disrupting their plans.

S University is divided into two campuses, east and west, separated by the wide Sijing River. The university intends to build a bridge across the river to facilitate travel between faculty and students and connect the two campuses. However, the Sijing River is one of the main waterways in G City, with a constant flow of cargo ships, so the municipal government has not yet approved the project.

Along the river on the west campus, there was a small mound where an elderly man in his fifties lived, cultivating flowers and bonsai for the school to earn a meager living. On September 14, 1994, his impoverished and lonely life finally came to an end. Two third-year biology students went to the mound to look for agave specimens and found his shriveled body in the bushes. His right carotid artery had been bitten open, and all the blood in his body had been drained.

The two students, terrified, scrambled down the hill, screaming frantically, alerting the school security guards. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the guards immediately cordoned off the area and reported the incident to the police. The investigation was led by Chief Xie of the Criminal Investigation Brigade. He led the forensic team and detectives in investigating until late at night, confirming it was a homicide. Based on the modus operandi, the killer was the same person who murdered Han Mei and Lin Yongshou, and it was highly likely not human.

Everyone was deeply saddened. Shen Jibei, the president of S University, couldn't sleep all night. How could students concentrate on their studies when such a heinous murder had occurred on campus? He immediately summoned the class advisors of the two biology students to his office, repeatedly instructing them not to spread the news. He also called Director Xie of the Criminal Investigation Brigade to discuss whether they could reach an agreement with the newspapers and television stations to temporarily suppress the matter until the case was solved.

Director Xie said with great difficulty, "It seems we can't suppress it anymore. This is already the third murder case. You need to be prepared; reporters will definitely come to interview you. Please make sure the students don't say anything out of turn. The pressure from public opinion is immense right now, and the less impact this matter has, the better." Shen Jibei sighed and could only assure Director Xie that he would take care of things at the school.

The following morning, Thursday, September 15th, Shen Jibei convened a meeting of all middle-level cadres and decided on three countermeasures. First, all teaching activities at the school would proceed as usual, the student council would organize more recreational activities, and homeroom teachers would manage their classes to prevent any disturbances. Second, if reporters from newspapers or television stations came to interview, teachers and students must maintain a consistent and low-key stance; any alarmist statements would be dealt with seriously and without leniency. Third, security forces would be increased, patrols strengthened, and those without school badges or student IDs would be prohibited from entering or leaving the school.

The murder caused a huge uproar among the students. S University appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were brewing. Li Jinyu remembered Zhou Wen threatening her, saying, "Be careful, or I'll drain you dry," and she felt uneasy. She suspected that the old man on the mound was killed by Zhou Wen. But Zhou Wen used the excuse of heatstroke to avoid showing up at the military training field for several days.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [12]: Li Jinyu couldn't hold back any longer and mustered up the courage to call Zhou Wen, asking him to meet at the entrance of Rongxi Hall at 7 pm, saying she had something to ask him. Although Zhou Wen was a little surprised, he still agreed. Cai Wenyuan jealously tapped his head, shouting, "You've got some luck with women, why don't you treat us to a meal!" Ge Hui added fuel to the fire, saying, "I didn't realize that you've only been in school for a few days and already have beautiful girls chasing after you!"

Liu Zifeng leaned against the bed frame, arms crossed, a dull ache in his heart. He had secretly fallen for Li Jinyu from the very first day he saw her, but the unassuming Zhou Wen had beaten him to it. What a stroke of luck! He was incredibly resentful, but what could he do? Jealousy gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake. He clenched his fists and made up his mind: "Who does Zhou Wen matter? I will definitely win Li Jinyu back!"

At 6:55 PM, Zhou Wen arrived alone in front of Rongxi Hall. Li Jinyu was already waiting there, dressed in a floral dress, her graceful figure captivating. Zhou Wen greeted her, "Hi, sorry to have kept you waiting. Did you arrive early?"

Li Jinyu glanced up at the top of his head and her expression changed drastically. The vengeful spirit hadn't been driven away by the Azure Spirit Talisman; instead, half of its body was deeply embedded in Zhou Wen's skull, with only its upper body swaying in the air. A bitter taste filled her mouth as she thought, "Even the Azure Spirit Talisman can't deal with him; I'll have to call my brother!"

Seeing that she was staring blankly without speaking, Zhou Wen waved his hand in front of her eyes a few times and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Li Jinyu followed his words and said, "Yeah, I suddenly feel really nauseous... I'm sorry, I was going to ask you to go to the movies with me... I want to go back to my dorm and lie down for a while."

Zhou Wen felt a little regretful and said, "Then let's do it another day. I'll take you home!" Li Jinyu quickly replied, "No need, it's inconvenient if someone sees us. Goodbye!" She ran away as if fleeing. Zhou Wen turned back to look at the billboard in front of Rongxi Hall. Today's screening was two films: the classic romantic comedy "Roman Holiday" and "Waterloo Bridge." He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "What a pity! Why did she suddenly have a stomachache? Did she eat something bad?"

Zhou Wen seemed lost in thought, his expression somewhat stiff, just like when Phineus saw Medusa's terrifying head. His eyes suddenly turned blood red, and a sinister smile appeared on his lips as he muttered to himself, "Li Jinyu, Li Jinyu, I warned you long ago that this kind of low-level talisman is useless against me. Meddling in other people's business will never end well!"

He quickly chased after Li Jinyu, determined to drain this successor of the Maoshan sect of energy into a dried-up corpse, lest she ruin his grand plan. Li Jinyu, lost in thought, was completely unaware of the immense threat she was in. Just as Zhou Wen's hand was about to touch her shoulder, she suddenly recoiled as if electrocuted, watching Li Jinyu walk into the girls' dormitory.

Zhou Wen narrowed his eyes, licked his lips, and whispered, "Interesting. So she has the Three Flowers Protecting Her Body. No wonder she's so arrogant! Hehe, what Maoshan Sect? We'll see. Once I have complete control of this body, I'll deal with you properly!"

Section 8 Vampire Fang

That afternoon was the foreign language placement exam, and military training was suspended for half a day. The girls had a natural advantage in languages, and they all handed in their papers after just over an hour. The boys, on the other hand, were in a terrible situation. They were all racking their brains, chins in hand. They knew all twenty-six letters of the alphabet individually, but they didn't know what they meant when put together.

"Li Jinyu from room 304, someone's looking for you! Li Jinyu from room 304, someone's looking for you!" The old woman guarding the girls' dormitory called out twice at the top of her lungs. Li Jinyu responded by sticking her head out of the window, waving at a tall, handsome man with long hair, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll be down!"

Dai Shuzhen peeked out from behind the curtains, exclaiming in surprise, "Wow, what a handsome guy! Li Jinyu, you changed boyfriends? Zhou Wen is nothing compared to him!" Li Jinyu shoved her and complained, "Don't talk nonsense, that's my brother!" She hurriedly changed her clothes and ran downstairs to greet her brother, saying, "Come on, let's talk outside."

Li Bing smiled slightly, revealing his snow-white teeth. He tugged at the girl's hair and said, "You've gotten so much darker these past few days. Was military training tough?" Li Jinyu mumbled, "Don't even mention it. The instructors are incredibly strict. You can't stay in the sun for even a minute less!" Li Bing patted his backpack and said, "I bought you a bottle of sunscreen. I don't know what brand you like, but you'll have to make do with this for now."

Li Jinyu chuckled and said, "When did you become so good at charming girls? Save it for my future sister-in-law!" Li Bing looked slightly saddened and remained silent for a moment before saying, "People like us are destined to be alone for life." Li Jinyu sighed softly. She knew her brother had decided to dedicate his life to promoting Maoshan Taoism, but times had changed. Who still cared about talismans and magic these days?

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [13]: The brother and sister walked out of the North Gate along the cement road. Li Jinyu said with great interest, "I know a very special little restaurant. Let's go eat first. Hehe, even an emperor doesn't starve his soldiers!" Li Bing smiled and said, "It's not easy for you to be here alone. Don't spend too much money." Li Jinyu took his arm and said, "It's okay. It's rare for you to come here. As your sister, I can't just treat you to a boxed lunch!"

She led her brother to a small restaurant called Lao Shandong, ordered a few home-style dishes and two bottles of ice-cold beer. Li Bing tried to dissuade her, saying, "Forget it, don't drink." Li Jinyu disagreed, saying, "It's okay, I'll keep it from Grandpa. You've had a hard enough time cultivating in the mountains."

The brother and sister chatted as they ate. Li Jinyu lowered her voice and recounted in detail how Zhou Wen had been possessed by a vengeful spirit. Li Bing frowned and said, "This vengeful spirit is no ordinary being; even the Azure Spirit Talisman couldn't deal with it. I suspect—" He glanced at his sister, "that the old man on the mound was killed by it!" Li Jinyu's heart skipped a beat, and she said, "That's what I think too, but I have no evidence."

Li Bing hesitated for a moment, then said, "The Azure Spirit Talisman is the most powerful talisman in our Maoshan sect. Ordinary demons and monsters absolutely cannot withstand it. That vengeful spirit is probably a vampire with a thousand years of cultivation. After being hit by the Azure Spirit Talisman, it relied on sucking people's blood to enhance its magic power, which is why it survived. If we don't get rid of it as soon as possible, once it controls Zhou Wen's body, I will be no match for it."

Li Jinyu asked worriedly, "Will driving it away harm Zhou Wen?" Li Bing said, "It's hard to say. Ordinary demons and monsters aren't very powerful, so of course there won't be any problems. But this is a thousand-year-old vampire... You know that the Heavenly Mourning Technique is a very domineering spell. If anything goes wrong, your classmate might become an idiot."

Li Jinyu felt a pang of pity and said, "It said it just wants its body back and to live a normal life..." Li Bing shook his head and said, "How can you believe such nonsense? Vampires suck people's blood, they are utterly wicked and are the greatest enemy of our Maoshan Sect. There's no time to lose, you should lure it to a secluded place tonight, and I will perform a ritual to summon heavenly lightning to turn it to ashes before it becomes too powerful."

Li Jinyu said, "Then be careful not to hurt Zhou Wen; he's innocent." Li Bing said, "I know. When I cast the spell later, use a spirit talisman to protect his body. I hope everything goes smoothly." Li Jinyu sighed softly, resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought. Li Bing smiled and asked, "Have you fallen for that Zhou Wen? You seem so concerned about him!"

Li Jinyu blushed and said coquettishly, "What are you talking about? You're making fun of me again! He's short and fat, who would want him! I want to find someone as handsome as you, brother!" Li Bing said slowly, "Handsomeness is secondary, the key is good character and compatible temperaments." He thought of his ex-girlfriends and felt a pang of sadness.

Li Jinyu drank half a glass of beer with her brother, her face flushed. She touched her cheek and said, "I can't drink anymore, I'll get drunk." Li Bing finished the rest of his beer, looked up at the clock and said, "It's almost time, let's get started." Li Jinyu nodded, took out her wallet, paid at the counter, and led her brother north.

Beyond the Stone Pagoda Bridge lay a desolate ruin, littered with rubble and bricks, overgrown with knee-high weeds. The area was deserted, the streetlights knocked down by mischievous students, and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness, save for a few dim starlight points. Li Bing chanted an incantation, drawing a large talisman on the ruins with cinnabar, and sat cross-legged in the center. With everything prepared, he nodded to his sister, signaling her to bring Zhou Wen over.

Li Jinyu searched for a public phone, and after crossing the Shita Bridge, she turned into a small alley and found a small grocery store that was still open. She paid five cents and called Zhou Wen, saying anxiously, "My brother came to see me, but he drank too much and is completely drunk. I can't carry him, can you come and help me?" Zhou Wen agreed without hesitation and asked, "Where are you?" Li Jinyu said, "I'm waiting for you on the Shita Bridge, hurry up and come!"

Zhou Wen rushed to the stone pagoda bridge and saw that Li Jinyu was alone. He asked, "Where is your brother?" Li Jinyu gave him a complicated look and whispered, "He's up ahead." She took Zhou Wen's hand and touched her soft little hand. Zhou Wen's mind went blank for a moment. Without asking any questions, he followed her forward in a daze.

The two arrived at the ruins. Li Jinyu pointed to the figure in the middle of the talisman and said, "Look, he's right there. Please help him up." Zhou Wen, without any suspicion, strode to Li Bing's side. Just as he stretched out his hands, he suddenly realized the danger. He let out a low growl, his eyes turned blood red, and two white fangs appeared at the corners of his mouth.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [14]: Li Bing slowly stood up, his long hair moving without wind, his dark eyes flashing. He stared at the vengeful spirit above Zhou Wen's head and said, word by word, "You can't hide it from me. Come out. I know you are a vampire with a thousand years of cultivation." Taking advantage of Zhou Wen's momentary surprise, Li Jinyu quickly imprinted the spirit talisman drawn in his palm onto the back of his neck. A green light shone and tightly wrapped Zhou Wen's body in the middle.

Section Nine: Heavenly Mourning Technique

Zhou Wen sensed the extreme danger he was in. He grunted, and a black, gleaming claw extended from the tips of his ten fingers as he lunged at Li Bing. Li Bing pulled his hand back and then released it, and suddenly a muffled thunderbolt struck down from mid-air, instantly igniting a raging fire on the ruins. This fire was no ordinary fire, but the Samadhi True Fire summoned by the talisman he had drawn. Zhou Wen dared not risk his life and hurriedly dodged to the side.

Li Bing stood with his hands behind his back, calm and composed, exuding the air of a highly accomplished master. He shook his head slightly and said, "It's no use, you can't escape the Heavenly Mourning Formation I've set up!" Fearing that he would disturb the residents in the distance, he stopped playing cat and mouse and immediately formed a Demon-Sealing Seal with his right hand, chanting an incantation, determined to finish the battle quickly and summon heavenly lightning to blast his opponent into ashes.

Zhou Wen darted left and right through the gaps in the Samadhi True Fire, his movements becoming faster and faster. But each time he reached the edge of the talisman, it was as if he had crashed into an invisible wall, forcing him to retreat. His physical body was protected by the spirit talisman and was temporarily unharmed, but the vengeful spirit above his head was in danger of being completely annihilated if it were even slightly scorched by the Samadhi True Fire!

Li Bing finally finished reciting the last incantation, and with a flick of his wrist, the Demon-Sealing Seal descended upon Zhou Wen. Zhou Wen, of course, knew the power of the seal; once struck, all his magical power would be lost, and he would be struck by heavenly lightning, rendering his thousand years of cultivation futile. He no longer cared about damaging his own body; with a fierce cry, he suddenly split into four, and the four Zhou Wens simultaneously lunged at Li Bing.

Li Jinyu was startled and hurriedly shouted, "Brother, be careful! That's a clone technique!" Three of the four Zhou Wen were afterimages, and only one was the real body. If they misjudged, even a scratch from the vampire's venomous claws would be fatal.

Li Bing was slightly taken aback. The Demon-Sealing Seal only struck one of the afterimages. Zhou Wen seized the opportunity to plunge his claw into Li Bing's chest, but unexpectedly, it bounced back. He was immediately shocked: "So you've mastered the Valley Robe Heart Technique!" Li Jinyu was both surprised and delighted. The Valley Robe Heart Technique was a secret protective divine skill passed down by the Maoshan Sect, which only highly skilled Taoist masters could comprehend. She never expected that her brother had actually cultivated it to such a level!

Zhou Wen hurriedly moved far away, his stomach churning in pain. Humans eat grains, so their bodies carry the impurities of those grains. The Grain Clothing Technique can expel these impurities, forming a "grain coat." At its "Great Perfection," it not only makes one impervious to blades and spears, and impervious to fire and water, but also heals one's own injuries. He hadn't fully controlled Zhou Wen's body yet, and many powerful spells were unusable; he was no match for Li Bing!

Li Bing hadn't expected his opponent to act so quickly. He frowned and said to Li Jinyu, "No, this vampire is too cunning. I can't save your classmate's body!" Li Jinyu hurriedly pleaded, "Brother, please, have mercy! We Maoshan Taoists only exterminate demons and monsters; harming human lives will incur divine retribution!" She then said to Zhou Wen, "Quickly leave his body, and we'll spare your life!"

Zhou Wen grinned maliciously and said, "Absolutely not! This is my body, why should I give it to him!" Li Bing said, "It's no use, this guy is very stubborn. Let him suffer the punishment of heaven, rather than let him harm people in the future, it's better to get rid of him now!" He chanted a spell, stretched out his right index finger and drew a talisman in the air, shouted "Break", and the talisman on Zhou Wen's body disappeared without a trace.

"No!" Li Jinyu rushed forward, but was gently repelled by the Heavenly Mourning Formation. Li Bing released both hands simultaneously, and muffled thunder rumbled in the air. The Samadhi True Fire, as if doused with oil, engulfed Zhou Wen completely. Li Jinyu stared blankly as Zhou Wen was engulfed in flames, feeling extremely guilty. She whispered, "I'm sorry, it's my fault!"

At this critical moment of life and death, the vengeful spirit above Zhou Wen's head suddenly sank down, its body below the throat completely sinking into his skull. It felt an indescribable sense of intimacy; this body no longer resisted its control, and spirit and flesh began to merge into one! What a wonderful feeling this was! It had cultivated for a thousand years for this moment, and today, a thousand years later, it finally possessed its own body!

Zhou Wen slowly extended his right hand, and the Samadhi True Fire surged into his palm, condensing into a fireball that churned up and down. Li Bing was taken aback, his eyes filled with disbelief. He pointed at his opponent and said, "You... how did you do that?" Li Jinyu was even more stunned by this sudden turn of events. His mind went blank, and his lips moved slightly, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Zhou Wen smiled and said, "I should thank you. If you hadn't set up the Heavenly Mourning Formation and forced me to the brink of life and death, my fusion with this body would never have happened so quickly! Hehe, what should I do with you? I wonder what the blood of a Maoshan Dao successor tastes like. It must be very nourishing. I like it!"

Li Jinyu finally realized what was happening and shouted, "No! You can't hurt my brother!" Zhou Wen glanced at her coldly, grinned to reveal his white fangs, and said, "You've deceived me time and time again, I won't let you get away with this! After I've dealt with your brother, I'll deal with you properly!"

Li Bing snorted and said disdainfully, "What a big mouth! How much do you think you are? Evil has never prevailed over good since ancient times. How can your few unorthodox spells compare to our Maoshan sect!" He bit his index finger, drew three talismans, silently chanted a spell, and gently blew on them. The three talismans floated towards Zhou Wen.

Zhou Wen said, "Hmm, let me see... The first one is the Purple Nether Talisman, the second one is the Azure Nether Talisman, and the third one is the Azure Spirit Talisman. Tsk tsk, three talismans in one, but unfortunately you didn't use them very skillfully!" Before he finished speaking, the three talismans suddenly stopped above the fireball in his palm and were instantly turned into nothingness by the Samadhi True Fire.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [15]: Li Bing was secretly alarmed. He did not expect that the magic power of this thousand-year-old vampire was far superior to his. In his desperation, he bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood. He clenched the Demon-Sealing Seal with both hands and shouted, "Five Thunderbolts!" Before he could release the Demon-Sealing Seal, Zhou Wen released the fireball formed by the Samadhi True Fire and it flew out and hit Li Bing's chest hard. Li Bing cried out and his whole body was immediately engulfed in the raging flames. The protective grain clothing gradually melted and he was about to be buried in the Heavenly Grief Formation that he had set up.

Zhou Wen laughed and said, "Although your magic is superb, your practical combat experience is too poor..." Suddenly, he felt an unbearable pain in his head, as if a force was trying to push the vengeful spirit out of his body. Zhou Wen's face changed drastically. He clutched his head with both hands and roared, "No! You can't take my body! Brother! This is mine!" He leaped up and easily shattered the Heavenly Mourning Formation, disappearing into the vast night in the blink of an eye.

Uncontrolled, the Samadhi True Fire gradually dimmed. Li Jinyu hurriedly drew a spirit talisman to protect her brother's body, helplessly asking, "Brother, are you alright?" Tears streamed down her face again. Li Bing barely opened his eyes, chanted a spell to extinguish the Samadhi True Fire, and sighed, "It's truly a stroke of luck that I survived this time. I didn't expect the Vampire Fang to be so powerful; even the Heavenly Sorrow Formation couldn't trap him... Alas, what a pity about my grain clothes; they're all burned by the Samadhi True Fire!"