The fault of yin and yang

Chapter 13

"Beautiful lady," I said, pulling my suitcase quickly as I walked up to her.

...

"Your little one's about to start vacation, right?" I asked, sitting in the car drinking yogurt.

"Well, about a week more. They say there's only one exam left," my uncle replied as he drove.

"Stop calling him 'little brat' all the time. My son is a grown man in his twenties," the aunt said with a smile.

"Oh, this is your fault. You don't look like the mother of a twenty-year-old at all. People would believe you're thirty," I said loudly, deliberately exaggerating.

"Our Weiyang has such a sweet tongue, you'll have to teach Zilu a lesson when we get back," Auntie said, beaming from ear to ear. Women, no matter their age, always enjoy being praised.

...

"Beautiful lady—", Zilu was already waiting there as soon as the car arrived at the parking lot.

"Xu Zilu," I rushed forward.

Because I was raised by my aunt and grandmother from a young age, and after my aunt got married, I would stay at their house for two or three days almost every week. In my eyes, my aunt was like my mother. And my relationship with this mother's son was naturally even more special. Even during my most rebellious adolescence, he was completely obedient to me.

"You brat, why didn't you pick me up from the airport?" I asked, shoving the luggage heavily into Zilu's hands.

"Reporting to the beautiful Weiyang, I have an exam this morning," Xu Zilu replied, standing ramrod straight.

...

My aunt was cutting fruit in the kitchen while my uncle went out to buy groceries. Xu Zilu came over with a cheeky grin and asked, "Sister, I heard from my mom that you ran away from your arranged marriage?" Good heavens, one of them is my own grandmother, and the other is my own aunt. Why are they insulting me like this?

I glanced at the kid dismissively without answering and continued packing. Although I was only staying for half a month, I brought all the usual gadgets I needed. This kid had seen his mother tinker with these things since he was little, and now that he's grown up, he sees me doing it, so he's used to it.

"I heard they even gave away wedding dresses? I heard they're pretty rich? And I heard it's more than one? Sigh... I also heard..." This guy seemed completely unconcerned that I was staring at him so intently my eyes were practically popping out, and he kept talking with a smug look on his face...

"Get out—!" I finally couldn't take it anymore and yelled. Xu Zilu ran away quickly. Actually, he ran fast not because I yelled, but because I had already raised a freezing talisman in my hand.

When I first learned the immobilization spell, I practiced on him. At first, it didn't work nine times out of ten. Finally, it worked, and I excitedly ran to tell my grandma, completely forgetting about the little guy. I only remembered him when I couldn't find him at mealtime. When I went to check, he had already wet his pants. From then on, he would run away whenever he saw me with the immobilization spell.

"What's wrong? What's wrong? Why did you provoke your sister again?" Auntie came over with a plate of fruit.

"Eat this, it must be snowing in our house," Auntie said, offering a slice of watermelon.

"Yes, it's still warm here, no need to wear so many layers," he nodded while eating watermelon.

"Well, I heard from your grandma..." I finally understood why Xu Zilu, a grown man, was so gossipy; it turns out it was hereditary.

"Auntie, I'm here to seek refuge, please don't discourage me," I pleaded helplessly, putting down the watermelon. Xu Zilu, meanwhile, was happily munching on a kiwi.

I suddenly felt a little regretful...

"Auntie, come here," I called my aunt into the room while my uncle was cooking in the kitchen and the little brat was playing video games.

"Did they catch them?" I asked in a low voice. This was the main reason I came here. Otherwise, who would be stupid enough to go out during the Spring Festival travel rush?

"Shh, don't let your uncle hear. I already promised him I wouldn't do it. If he finds out, he'll get angry again," the aunt whispered. Then, feeling a little embarrassed, she added, "It's not that I'm afraid of him, it's just that harmony in the family brings prosperity."

"Where is it?" That was all I could think about.

"This is quite a 'spirit,' though not very big, only a few hundred years old. It's much harder to catch than a little ghost," my aunt said proudly. Hearing that it was a "spirit," I couldn't help but get excited too.

We often hear rumors about "raising a ghost child," like someone suddenly having a stroke of good luck, winning the lottery or making a fortune. The benefits of "raising a ghost child" extend beyond the "five ghosts bringing wealth" concept. Many people might wonder how a previously unknown celebrity, who couldn't sing or act, suddenly became a superstar. I can confidently say that this is absolutely due to "non-human" factors. Or, a company might suddenly turn a profit, or be acquired by a large manufacturer to avoid bankruptcy. But in reality, this too is due to "non-human" factors.

"Raising a ghost child" is just a common folk term; we call it "spirit control," a minor trick belonging to the "Mountain" branch of metaphysical Taoism. It's called a minor trick because this kind of magic requires absolutely no skill; anyone can do it as long as they follow the rules. However, most people, because of their greed, end up being devoured by the spirit.

However, more and more people are now confusing "spirit control" with "black magic" and even calling them both "raising ghosts." Little do they know that "black magic" is a vicious witchcraft with a lifelong, paid contract, while "spirit control" is just a regular ghost-controlling technique with a limited lifespan.

The practice of "raising a ghost child" in "black magic" is real and authentic. One of the most terrifying methods is "stealing the dragon and transferring the phoenix," originating from Thailand and later adopted by Maoshan Taoist priests. The target is usually one's unborn child. These sorcerers first cultivate a vegetable called "Yuan Cai" (元菜), and daily, after drawing talismans and burning them, they water the Yuan Cai with the talisman water. When the baby is born, the sorcerer cuts off the Yuan Cai, burns more talismans, and performs rituals. In this way, the baby's soul is "stolen" and transferred to another object that the sorcerer wants it to possess. Because the baby will die suddenly after its soul is taken, this kind of magic, which harms even one's own child, is extremely insidious.

"Spirit control" involves finding mature objects in nature and using them to accomplish tasks.

The spirits controlled by the art of "spirit control" are also different. All things in the world are divided into yin and yang, and spirits are no exception. Among them, "ghosts" are yin, referring to wandering ghosts from the underworld, while "essences" are yang, referring to the spirits that cultivate in the human world, also known as spirits, but different from demons. These "essences" are mostly the spirits of plants, absorbing the energy of heaven and earth and gathering the spiritual light of the sun and moon to form pure spirits.

"Where did you put it?" I asked hurriedly.

"Shh, I'll take you to see it tonight. How can you keep something like this at home?" My aunt said with a smile, slapping my hand.

(V) Spirit Control Chapter 4: The Spirit of Mount Buzhou

Gonggong and Zhuanxu vied for the throne, and Gonggong struck Mount Buzhou with his head. From that moment on, the pillar of heaven broke, the earth's axis snapped, and the sky tilted to the northwest. Hence, the shape of Mount Buzhou is not as described.

This "Mount Buzhou" is not merely a legend, but a real place located where the Yellow River flows underground. The legendary peach-shaped celestial fruit that once graced the mountain also existed, said to grant the forgetting of all sorrows. However, even if such a fruit existed to this day, it would be beyond human comprehension.

"The seven stars of the celestial plate are all complete. The Buddha has given three orders to stick to the northwest, to the south (Bing and Ding), and to the four stars above the fire... Spirit of Buzhou Mountain, obey my command!" Indeed, the old fox is still the most cunning. After Auntie showed off these skills, she no longer looked like a housewife in her forties. She was practically a female celestial official.

“Not thorough…not thorough…” Accompanied by a faint, high-pitched voice, a fruit pit appeared in the center of the compass in Aunt’s hand. It was dry and flat, yet seemed to be wriggling.

Aunt lit a "spirit-controlling talisman" and swirled the burning talisman around the fruit pit on the compass.

"Eastern Heavenly Official, Southern Sea Feather Spirit, rise!" With the flames of the talisman, the fruit pit suddenly plumped up. It seemed that in just the time it took for a gust of wind to blow, this flat, fruit-pit-like thing grew to more than a foot tall, taking on a completely human shape, except that it was entirely green and had two intertwined vines growing on its head.

This little mountain spirit, entirely green, stood on the compass, its green light so bright it hurt the eyes. Fortunately, it was still contained within the compass; otherwise, if it were to emerge, it wouldn't be us "controlling spirits," but rather the mountain spirit "controlling people."

As I was engrossed in watching, I heard my aunt shout, "North Sea Divine Dragon, divide the marshland into nine palaces, gather!" The verdant mountain spirit vanished like a wisp of smoke back into the compass. I tried to stop it, but I only managed to grab a handful of air.

“Weiyang, you should know that although controlling spirits is a small trick, this ‘Yangling Mountain Spirit’ is not something my Zuo family can control.” My aunt put away the compass and patted my hand as she spoke.

Although she knew her aunt was right, she was still a little reluctant to part with this rare "spirit of Buzhou Mountain." She could only nod with a touch of melancholy.

The "spirit of Buzhou Mountain" is the essence of a wondrous mountain and its exotic fruits. Just now, I saw that the vines on the spirit's head were almost twisted together, indicating that this spirit will soon be among the immortals. The ancient Yin-Yang teachings say, "If man rules the heavens, his fortune will surely decline; if he judges the spirit by his heart, his life will surely perish."

Such an act of defying the will of Heaven is undoubtedly suicidal. That's why Auntie so quickly put away this rare "Mount Buzhou Spirit."

"You're really brave! Where did you get this from?" I asked, glancing at the bag containing the compass.

“I retired from the mountain a long time ago. Besides, even if I hadn’t, I might not have been able to find it. This is something I borrowed,” Aunt threw a few more spirit-suppressing talismans into the bag containing the compass.

"Borrowed?"

"Well, but if it weren't for showing this to you, I would never have any contact with that kind of person. We're not on the same path, so it's better to have less contact," my aunt said, shaking her head. She added, "It's late, you must be tired after a long day. Go to sleep early," and then pulled me out of the storage room.

Lying in bed, I couldn't help but feel a little curious about this "fellow traveler who isn't on the same path." "Or perhaps a top-tier expert? I must find a chance to meet him and see just how he's not on the same path..."

...

"Wei Yang, this is Teacher Qiu, my niece, Zuo Wei Yang." After much pleading, I finally got my aunt's permission to come with her to that expert's house to return the compass.

“We’re definitely not on the same path.” Even before entering the gate, I felt a sinister atmosphere permeating the courtyard.

This is a small, detached house on the outskirts of the city. The yard isn't small; apart from the cement path connecting the main gate and the house entrance, the rest is bare yellow earth. The cement path is flanked by waist-high iron fences, seemingly to prevent people from entering the yard. Strangely, the yellow earth in the yard is completely bare, without even a blade of grass. Yet, as you walk along the cement path, you can vaguely sense something in the yards on either side…

The house was very large, and there seemed to be many rooms inside. The room where Teacher Qiu received us seemed to be a living room, which was decorated quite homely, with a sofa, coffee table, TV, murals, lucky bamboo, etc.

This Ms. Qiu was a woman older than my aunt, around fifty years old. Her wavy hair made her look younger, and her loose casual clothes made her look quite energetic. However, her eyes, with their prominent whites, made it impossible for me to feel any goodwill towards her. So after greeting her and saying hello, I listened quietly to her and my aunt's small talk without interrupting.

Although it was only for about ten minutes, it made me feel very uncomfortable. The fragrance in Teacher Qiu's house was too strong, and it seemed to be mixed with another smell. This smell suddenly gave me an idea...

When I saw the black thread on Teacher Qiu's wrist as we said goodbye, my suspicions were confirmed.

As I was leaving, I happened to run into Ms. Qiu, who had a client arriving at the door. The client was a woman adorned with jewels, who entered the courtyard with an air of arrogance...

"Miss, where is this Teacher Qiu from?" I asked after we had driven quite a distance.

“You’ve grown up, girl. You know it’s safer to ask now,” Auntie said with a smile as she drove. “I’m not very familiar with her, but I heard that Qiu Danping lived in the China-Myanmar border area for a while.”

“No wonder, you said that in that yard…” I nodded and leaned on the back of the front seat.

“Not only that, there are many more in the house,” Auntie interrupted.

"Let's not associate with them anymore. I can't tell the difference between good and bad people. They put something in my tea. I didn't drink it, but I don't know if they put anything else in it. It's because of them that I only dared to speak now." I said angrily.

The smell in Teacher Qiu's house was a peculiar sour, rotten odor, somewhat like spoiled blood. The black silk thread on her hand was something that people who "raise ghosts" usually carried; they used it to let little ghosts climb onto their bodies to play. In their eyes, raising little ghosts was just like raising children.

"Hmm," Aunt nodded without answering, but it was clear that she agreed.

The phrase "raising ghosts" carries a hint of "black magic," and this Qiu Danping seems to be a character who embodies both good and evil. She can capture "spirits of Buzhou Mountain," and she also raises "ghost infants," making her a truly difficult person to understand. Most importantly, this person, who seems to have no distinction between yin and yang, is actually a master...

...

"Wow, how could such a rich woman die? What a pity. Sis, when do you think I'll be able to earn billions?" Xu Zilu lay on the sofa reading the newspaper and munching on an apple.

“Come on, look, wouldn’t it be great if you married a woman with hundreds of billions of dollars? Preferably an old woman who dies not long after the wedding, then you’d hit the jackpot,” I joked, snatching the newspaper from her.

"This looks familiar," I muttered to myself, looking at the photo in the newspaper.

“You’ve seen it on TV, haven’t you?” Zilu said, picking up another newspaper.

"No... Aunt, look, isn't this the woman we met at Qiu Danping's place the other day?" I suddenly remembered that jewel-adorned, glittering woman.

"Hmm, it seems so," Auntie said hesitantly, nodding as she looked at the newspaper for a while.

"...The richest woman died of heart failure at home..." Looking at this report, I felt a little strange. My aunt was sitting there with me, looking at the newspaper in my hand, while Xu Zilu was still eating an apple...

(V) Spirit Master Chapter 5: Coincidence

"You have a new message, please check it." When my hand rests on the small mouse Lu Hantian gave me, I always think of him. Seeing the jewelry the prince brought back on my wrist reminds me of him again. It seems like I'm in a different place, but my mood hasn't improved.

"A man called you several times, saying he wanted to talk business. I gave him your number, and he said he'd call you today. And those two incredibly handsome men still come to the bookstore often; business is booming. P.S.: That guy named Li Guandong, why is he so talkative!" This was Yufei's message; it seems Comrade Li Guandong offended the beautiful Chen when he came to the bookstore to see me.

"Buzz...buzz..." The cell phone on the table vibrated and spun around.

Hello, Zuo Weiyang

"..."

"Yes, I'm in Y City."

"..."

"Okay, I'll be there in forty minutes."

After hanging up the phone, I started to feel pretty good about myself. It turns out even people from another city know me! Looks like it won't be long before the name Zuo Weiyang is known worldwide…

He was a very handsome man, around thirty years old. His clear blue eyes indicated that he was of mixed race, and his fair skin was even more delicate than a woman's. His large T-shirt was covered with colorful graffiti.

When I walked over, he was anxiously stirring the straw in his cup.

"Hello, Zuo Weiyang," I said as I shook his hand. His nails were painted a brilliant sapphire blue, which complemented his eyes and added a touch of "allure" to the man, but it wasn't unpleasant.

"I am Zhao Yanlong, my friends call me Henri, please have a seat," said the man named Zhao Yanlong in fluent Chinese.

“Hennri, the name of an American painter,” I said with a smile as I sat down. He seemed a little nervous. Yes, of all the people who come to me, how many are actually living a carefree life?

"Yes, I also work in art," he forced a smile, which, though somewhat strained, made him appear even more handsome. Henri exuded an aura that could be described as "beautiful"—the kind of man who would make women want to stand up for him.

After saying that, Henri didn't say another word. He just kept stirring the straw in his hand.

After ordering "Italian coffee," I stopped talking and just stared intently at the somewhat "seductive" mixed-race man across from me.

A fleshy nose indicates a life free from worries about food and clothing; pale purple lips suggest anxiety and indecisiveness; slender hands with faint lines suggest a person lacking in decisiveness; a pointed chin indicates handsomeness, but perhaps a life devoid of romantic fulfillment...