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墨書 Inktalez
Her room was quite simple. The layout posed no issues, and I noticed a talisman affixed to the door of the bedroom. I couldn't even understand it; it seemed to be for warding off evil and perhaps for protecting the home, resembling something used in Call of Souls. I asked her where she got it from. She said she bought it on Taobao. I suggested she tear it up, saying it was useless.
It wasn't that I thought it was useless just because I couldn't understand it; rather, there were no proper symbols on it, and the paper looked like ordinary printer paper from a stationery store. The key point was that the characters on the talisman appeared to be printed, making it even more ineffective.
She asked, "Is it really useless? It cost me quite a bit."
I replied, "You're so naive. If it had any real use, it wouldn't have been in and out so many times."
She nodded and tore up the useless talisman.
I pointed to the bedroom and asked, "Do you mind if I take a look inside?" She seemed to think of something and then said to wait a moment. She slipped into the bedroom and opened the door after a few seconds, saying, "Come in. It's all tidied up." I nodded in understanding. Taking out my compass, I searched the bedroom but found nothing.
This was something I had anticipated; first of all, it was daytime, and its magnetic field was weak. Unless it actively revealed itself, finding it would be quite difficult. Moreover, it might not even be in this room.
Since this was my first time dealing with such matters, I felt a bit flustered and searched the entire room again but still found no response. In fact, even if it were another Spirit God, this method of searching might not guarantee success. Nevertheless, this was a necessary procedure to begin with.
Miss Duan followed me around a few times and noticed my disappointed expression. Instead of feeling discouraged, she comforted me by saying, "This is tough work; take your time. I've been battling with it for three years now. You wouldn't believe how other masters I've consulted just came in, took a quick look around, muttered something about ghosts, and then casually handed over talismans or tea leaves before taking their money and leaving."
I admitted, "I really feel lost right now; it's daytime and not ideal for this. I'll think of something when it gets darker."
She nodded in agreement and said she would treat me to dinner later; we could discuss other matters then.
Feeling my stomach rumble with hunger, I quickly agreed while walking and brainstorming strategies. The more I thought about it, the more lost I felt. After dinner, I told Miss Duan to head back first while I took a stroll to digest my food.
Once Miss Duan left, I sat on a small stone bench downstairs for quite some time but still had no plan.
Finally feeling helpless, I pulled out my phone and called my master.
The master's cheerful voice jolted me, instantly clearing my mind.
He was the same as ever, asking right away, "Brat, what trouble have you gotten into this time?"
I felt a wave of shame wash over me. When did I become someone who only sought out the master when I was in trouble?
I started bantering with him again, saying, "Nothing much, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be heading back in a few days. I'll come up to the mountain and stay with you for a while."
He replied, "You better bring some good wine with you, or I'll break your legs."
I said, "Sure, I definitely will. It's been a long time since I've heard your teachings; I feel like I've regressed a lot."
The master said, "If you've got something to say, spit it out. I don't have time for your nonsense."
As expected, he knew me well. I immediately asked, "Alright then, how should we deal with the Lustful Ghost?" The master paused for a moment. Even though he was familiar with the Lustful Ghost, he still found it a bit awkward after thinking it through. Noticing his silence, I asked, "Are you still embarrassed?"
He laughed and scolded me lightly before saying, "You need to explain the situation first if you want my advice."
I quickly recounted everything about Miss Duan from start to finish. Of course, I left out some of the more explicit details; I trusted the master would understand. After I finished explaining in a rush, he pondered for a moment and then told me that this matter was actually quite easy to handle—the key was whether I could do it.
I steeled myself and declared something noble: as long as it didn't go against righteousness and could solve the problem, I would definitely be able to do it.
The master ignored my playful tone and said, "Then listen carefully."
I immediately perked up and gathered all my strength to shout loudly, "Yes, Master!" The sudden outburst startled him so much that he hung up the phone. Realizing my mistake, I apologized to a few nearby ladies and quickly called the master back. When he answered, I immediately began to apologize profusely.
After calming him down for a while, he finally returned to normal and gave me some guidance along with a mnemonic. Suddenly, I had a basic understanding of how to deal with the Lustful Ghost. Just as I was about to ask for more details, the master fell silent again and ended with a parting remark: "If you can scare me like that, why would you be afraid of handling two Spirit Gods?"
I reluctantly hung up the phone and called Miss Duan again to ask if she had a wig. After receiving a positive answer, I began to ponder and digest the method my master had mentioned. While thinking, I went upstairs. I knocked on Miss Duan's door, and when she opened it, she asked if I had come up with a plan.
I replied that I was close, but I might need to work late tonight. She countered with, "Do you mind?" I said, "What’s there to mind about? I'm just providing a service." She chuckled, clearly amused by my witty response that broke the awkward atmosphere once more.
Once inside, I mentioned that I couldn't start until after 11 PM. At that moment, I remembered that Snow Leopard was airing, the one with the line: "bi you all?" where the protagonist threatens, "I’ll take you down if you can’t provide evidence." Since I preferred watching Anti-Japanese dramas, time passed quickly.
Before I knew it, it was 11 PM. I immediately stood up because I wanted to finish things up quickly and head back; after all, it was quite inconvenient for a man and woman to be alone together. I said, "First, you need to trust me and then cooperate with me." She asked what she needed to do, and I told her to follow my instructions. "Alright," I said, "let's go set up in the bedroom."
Her bedroom was simple—a large wardrobe, a bed, and a TV cabinet—but it had a decent amount of space. The setup required wasn’t much; just a Soul Summoning Array. However, this one was meant to attract a Lustful Ghost, so it differed from the usual Soul Summoning Arrays. The Lustful Ghost had its own characteristics; it was naturally cautious and appeared at unpredictable times. When it concealed itself, it was hard to find—even the Call of Souls wouldn’t work unless it chose to reveal itself. Some books even claimed it could transform into a fleeting thought within a person's mind. While that sounded quite alarming, I believed that even if it wasn't exactly like that, its ability to hide wouldn't be lacking.
I asked Miss Duan to bring out a standing fan and point it at the bed. Then I took out a string of wind chimes to hang above the bed. Underneath the bed, I placed some items that could guide souls and even pulled out a few copper coins—yes, copper coins. Some could ward off evil spirits while others could guide souls. So everyone should know that while copper coins are good things, those of unknown origin should not be used carelessly. After arranging these auxiliary items last night, I set up the main Soul Summoning Array; this part is not convenient to elaborate on but is actually quite simple.
As I worked, I explained to Miss Duan that I couldn’t directly summon it out to eliminate it; instead, I had to lure it out. She asked how we would do that and if she needed to help lure it.
I replied that there was no need for her involvement; although it wouldn’t harm her under normal circumstances, once provoked, I couldn’t guarantee her safety. She agreed and asked what she needed to do next. "Please get your wig for me," I instructed. "And find me one of your looser nightgowns." Then I added, "I'm going to take a shower now; do you mind if I use your body wash?"
She laughed awkwardly and quickly dashed into the bathroom before returning with a few pieces of clothing saying she was ready.
Using her body wash was intended to mimic her scent. With the wig and her nightgown in hand, there was no doubt that my plan involved impersonating a woman. It felt quite refreshing to think about it. To ensure everything went smoothly and effectively, I was truly putting in my best effort.
Once everything was ready, I called Miss Duan into the bedroom and placed a talisman on both the bedroom door and the guest room door to prevent the Lustful Ghost from escaping from one room into another. Then I performed an exorcism on her; even if it attached itself to her, I'd be able to draw it out. Afterward, I instructed Miss Duan to turn off the TV and let herself rest in the guest room. "No matter what sounds you hear," I told her firmly, "do not come in until I've finished."
She nodded and stepped outside.
When everything finally quieted down, it was nearly midnight. I changed into her nightgown and put on the wig before lying down on the bed. The fan blew gently as the wind chimes jingled softly; their frequency was ideal for summoning spirits. Holding a handful of Cinnabar Ash in one hand and a talisman in the other, I lay on my side waiting for the Spirit God’s appearance.
Half an hour passed without any sign of activity. When one is doing nothing at all, time seems to drag on endlessly; apart from the sound of wind chimes, there were no other noises around me.
The feeling was stifling. I knew the Spirit God was in this room, and I had prepared everything, even feeling a bit drowsy. However, it did not appear for a long time. Just as I was contemplating whether to use a female voice to lure it out, a shadow loomed over me. My heart leaped with joy; I knew it had come out. When it pressed down on me, I felt a momentary weakness, but that sensation quickly faded. After all, I wasn't a girl; I wouldn't be entranced by a Lustful Ghost.
As I sensed that its contact with me covered more than half of my body, I raised my hand and scattered the cinnabar-infused incense ash. It felt like it released me, and then I kicked out with my foot. I actually made contact with something solid. The sensation was very real; there was no feeling of kicking into empty space. I heard a loud thud against the floor, followed by the faint light filtering in from outside. I assessed its position and grabbed the bag I had prepared earlier, pulling out several handfuls of incense ash to scatter as I recited the Soul Binding Spell. It struggled fiercely, suddenly crashing against the bedroom door with a loud bang. Because there were talismans on the door, it couldn't escape. I quickly scattered more incense ash and grave soil, pulled out an Ink Fight Line, and charged forward. No matter what, I had to trap it first.
The combination of the spell and the Ink Fight Line proved effective; it gradually quieted down, perhaps because its struggles had exhausted most of its strength. At that moment, it sat slumped in the corner by the door with its legs stretched out. I knew it was almost over. I began lighting incense candles and burning Joss Paper to send it away in the most forceful manner possible. The reason for using such a brutal method was that it also served as a punishment for it.
Initially, I had considered dispersing it directly. Many colleagues had shared methods for dealing with Spirit Gods that involved breaking them apart without causing karmic backlash since that act itself helped end their suffering. However, I couldn't easily disperse a Spirit; I knew that after sending it away, it would still dissipate into nothingness, but at least not in my hands. These types of Spirit Gods had long lost their conditions for Reincarnation. This was fate—unavoidable—and also a price—inescapable.
After finishing everything, it was already past one o'clock. I knocked on the door of the adjacent guest room where Miss Duan had been awake all along. I told her that everything was taken care of but that the room was a bit messy, so we should clean up together. I helped Miss Duan change her bedding and tidied up the floor afterward; by then, it was already past two o'clock. During this time, we chatted continuously, and I reassured her that the matter had been thoroughly resolved. Of course, she brought up the topic of Reward herself; I said to let fate decide. In the end, she still gave me a sum that satisfied me. I mentioned our usual practice: she would give half now and the rest later.
At two-thirty in the morning, after Miss Duan insisted on keeping me there, I finally left their community. I didn't return to Wuchang; this experience of disguising myself as a woman left me wide awake. As I walked along, I spotted an internet café and walked in without hesitation. Since I wasn't tired, I thought I'd play some games for a while. However, just minutes after sitting down, sleepiness hit me like a wave. Leaning back in my chair, I fell asleep and dreamt that I truly became a woman.
A month later, I received a text from Miss Duan saying her life had gotten back on track and that her work had improved significantly as well. She also informed me that the final payment had been transferred. I replied: "Thank you; congratulations!"
She responded: "I should be thanking you."
A few minutes later, I received a transfer notification—double the final payment amount. I didn't consider returning it because it was heartfelt gratitude from her—a compensation for my first experience dressing as a woman at this age.
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