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Yin Yang Demon Suppression
The Chen Family Hollow is relatively remote, with bumpy and uneven roads. Joan felt like she was about to throw up, and even Ye Mingshang's expression wasn't great.
"Hmm?" As they passed a clearing, Ye Mingshang's eyes narrowed. It was a Willow Grove; the willows themselves weren't anything special, but there were countless ghosts standing beneath them!
"Did you see that?" Old Ma noticed Ye Mingshang's unusual reaction.
"Yes." Ye Mingshang nodded gravely.
"The first time I saw this, I was shocked. From my observations, these willows are arranged in a specific pattern. They gather a large number of Wandering Souls because willows belong to the Yin Wood and naturally attract Yin Qi. These souls linger for a long time and can even appear during the day, but they cannot leave the grove. No one dares to walk here at night; it’s certain death!" Old Ma sighed.
"Then why not cut down these willows?" Joan asked curiously.
"A long time ago, a Yin Yang Master was commissioned to do just that, but as soon as he made his move, that unfortunate fellow died mysteriously. See that? It's that Wandering Soul over there," Old Ma pointed to the edge of the forest where a willow tree stood, under which a Wandering Soul in an Azure Daoist Robe stared blankly.
"Uh... I can't see it..."
"I almost forgot about this. Here, take this; it's Cow's Tear. You know how to use it, right?" Old Ma paused for a moment before pulling out a small bottle.
The bottle contained a sticky light blue substance that had a foul odor.
"Wow! It stinks!" Holding her nose, Joan dabbed some Cow's Tear onto her eyelids.
Immediately, her eyes felt a cool sensation, and after blinking, her vision cleared for a moment. Then Joan saw a terrifying scene before her.
Under the lush green willow trees, a number of Wandering Souls drifted aimlessly in the wind. The gentle breeze swayed the willow branches, creating a scene that should have been quite beautiful. However, if each willow tree had a ghost standing beneath it, and if each ghost swayed like the branches, the picture would be utterly bizarre!
"This! This is too..." Joan stammered in shock.
"I forgot to tell you, after that Yin Yang Master died, a Taoist from a Second-rate Sect came here. It was said to be the Heir of the Sect Leader. The Real Person's Tablet is not far from here. His strength is comparable to their sect leader," Old Ma sighed. "Although he was young and impulsive, he still managed to act with caution. He planned to set up a formation to use the strongest sunlight at noon to burn away the Yin Qi of the willow grove. With the Yin Qi dissipating, the exposed ghosts would naturally pose no threat. His idea was good, but when he activated the formation, that Fellow was actually burned to death by the yang energy! It was like spontaneous combustion."
"Afterward, that sect sent many experts for revenge. However, after their leader was severely injured and many experts were killed, this matter was left unresolved."
Listening to Old Ma's account, Joan widened her eyes in horror. If that Yin Yang Master died due to insufficient strength, then what about that Heir of the Sect Leader? What about the experts from that sect? Although he had only studied for a short time under his master, he still understood the classification of strength in the Magic World. Those who had just entered and could use simple spells were called Sage, which essentially meant they were not very skilled. They could at most deal with wandering souls or minor ghosts; someone like him would be considered weak even among Sages.
Above Sage was Sorcerer. His deceased master was a Sorcerer, and so was Old Ma. A Sorcerer could skillfully master various techniques of Exorcism, but due to limitations in magical power and other factors, they were generally capable of dealing with evil spirits at the level of Evil Entity, while more powerful ones could handle Vengeful Spirit.
Above Sorcerer was Real Person. To advance to a Real Person, one needed not only magical power but also sufficient accumulation of Merit to register in the Underworld. Registering in the Underworld is not just about receiving a plaque; it allows one to request teachings from ancestors, deepening their magical power and learning advanced Daoist Arts. Those lucky enough might even gain unexpected opportunities.
Generally speaking, ranked Real Persons are significantly stronger than those without rank. Of course, some exceptions exist. For example, Ye Mingshang has no rank but is someone no one dares to underestimate.
Above Real Person is Master. The leap from a Real Person to Master is entirely qualitative. The requirements for magical power and Merit are extremely high; in addition, one must meet some stringent conditions. Currently, there are only a handful of Masters visible within the entire Taoist Sect, not counting hidden strong individuals.
Above Master lies the ability to sever the Three Corpse Worms and advance to become a Human Immortal. However, this step is incredibly difficult. Throughout history, many Masters have stopped at this point and may even be backlashed by the Three Corpse, leading to their demise. If transitioning from a Real Person to Master is a dividing line, then moving from Master to Human Immortal is akin to crossing a chasm. A Human Immortal not only possesses great strength but also has an extended lifespan—up to 100 years longer—and can even briefly utilize magical power for flight. Their abilities are akin to those of deities. As for what lies above a Human Immortal, Joan had no knowledge.
After a bumpy journey, they finally arrived at the Chen Family Hollow. Despite its remoteness, this village appeared quite affluent; many families had built substantial homes. Even Ye Mingshang saw an old farmer finishing his work before getting into a Land Rover.
Indeed, one cannot judge by appearances; who would think farmers are poor? This old farmer drove a Land Rover, and just by looking at his attire outside, who could have guessed how wealthy he truly was?
Finally, the car stopped in front of a well-decorated villa. An elderly man who looked quite kind was already waiting at the door.
"Master Ma is back. I wonder where the Expert you are looking for is," the old man said with a chuckle.
"This is Senior Brother Ye, the Expert I mentioned," Old Ma introduced, extending his hand.
"Ah~ this brother is your expert?" The old man seemed somewhat skeptical, feeling that Ye Mingshang was too young.
Old Ma understood what the old man was thinking and smiled, "Village Chief, don't be fooled by Senior Brother Ye's age. In our field, he is truly a top expert. Even with my skills, I can't compare to him."
"Oh, it seems I've underestimated him. Please come inside," the Village Chief said, cupping his hands in invitation.
Upon entering the house, Joan almost laughed out loud at the decor. Although the villa looked quite fancy from the outside, the interior decoration and furniture were entirely traditional Chinese. It was indeed a blend of Eastern and Western styles.
"You must be tired from your journey and probably hungry. I'll have my wife prepare some food right away. Please sit down and have some tea," the Village Chief offered.
Hearing that food would be served made Joan extremely happy. He had been too worried about not waiting for Ye Mingshang and hadn't dared to leave the station earlier, but now he was starving. The bumpy ride had made him nauseous, and his stomach was completely empty.
"Village Chief, let's address any questions first," Ye Mingshang said after taking a sip of tea.
"Sure, here's the situation..." The Village Chief began to explain but was interrupted.
"Village Chief! Village Chief! It's bad!" A strong middle-aged man in his thirties rushed in, leaning on his knees and breathing heavily.
"What are you so flustered about? You're not a child anymore," the Village Chief scolded.
"Village Chief... it's not that I'm flustered; it's... it's that monster has appeared again!" The middle-aged man gasped for breath as he spoke haltingly.
"What! It's happening again?!" The village chief exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes. This time several cows have been drained of their blood!"
"Sigh, what are we going to do?" The village chief anxiously paced back and forth. "First it was chickens, then pigs, and now it's cows. At this rate, they might start eating people!"
"Don't panic, chief. We still have our people," Old Ma said.
"You're right, how could I forget that? I need a few of you to go investigate what's going on. If this continues, we'll have no choice but to leave the village," the Old Village Chief said, slapping his forehead and signaling a middle-aged man to lead the way.
The dead cows belonged to Old Chen's family. Old Chen was over seventy years old, with no children or relatives, relying on raising cattle for a living. He had a few cows and was living a fulfilling life, but now he had lost them all at once. His situation was dire.
At that moment, Old Chen was in his yard, looking troubled. When he saw the village chief approaching, he hurried over.
"Old Chen, what's going on?" the village chief asked with concern.
"Sigh, don't mention it. I woke up this morning to find all my cows dead. How am I supposed to live now?" Old Chen said with a frown.
"Old Chen, don't be too upset. The cows may be dead, but they haven't been gone long. If we sell them quickly, even at a lower price, it can help everyone enjoy a meal and recover some losses," the village chief suggested.
"That's right! Uncle Chen, just give me ten pounds of meat later. With so many people in our village, we can share a few cows," a simple-hearted middle-aged man encouraged.
"Sigh, thank you all. I guess that's all I can do," Old Chen sighed.
"Eat? If you really do that, the people in your village might end up dead too," Old Ma remarked sarcastically.
"What do you mean by that!" a young man couldn't help but shout angrily.
"What do I mean? Just take a look for yourself." Old Ma directly took a knife and cut a piece of meat the size of an egg, throwing it to a local dog. The dog sniffed it and swallowed the piece of meat in one bite.
The people around them fell silent, watching what would happen to the dog. In less than three seconds, the dog let out a howl and collapsed, twitching a few times before lying still.
"Ah! That's so poisonous!"
"Thank goodness I didn't eat any. Otherwise, I would end up like that dog!"
"What kind of monster is this? How can it be so toxic!"
The villagers whispered among themselves, while Old Chen had a sorrowful expression on his face.
"Alright, everyone quiet down!" It seemed the village chief still held considerable authority; as soon as he spoke, everyone fell silent, looking at him to see what he would do.
"Old Chen, stop looking so miserable. You must have saved some money over the years. I'll have my family lead a couple of calves over to you. Just get through this tough time." After advising Old Chen, the village chief turned to Old Ma. "Master Ma, what do you think we should do? If this continues, the villagers won't be able to handle it." Clearly, the village chief regarded Old Ma as someone older than Ye Mingshang. Although Ye Mingshang didn't mind this, Joan seemed a bit displeased and muttered a few complaints.
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