Not a Single One is Worry-Free

After Ye Dan returned to the Central Action Team, she sent a message to Zhu Shian through Wangyun Temple. After the Ghost Festival, the Yin Soldiers that had appeared in various places across the country all went quiet, and everything returned to normal.

Everything else returned to normal, so why hasn't the Mountain Valley in Zhenshan County returned to normal?

Zhu Shian couldn't help but suspect that there were ghosts in the Underworld targeting her. Especially Bai Youqian, who had taken her benefits, was avoiding her—she suspected he knew something.

Zhu Shian guessed that this might be related to power shifts in the Underworld. The struggles between various factions in the Underworld were not something outsiders could understand. She didn't know which side the Taiyi Sect souls, who had been detained in the Underworld and couldn't reincarnate, stood on. As someone who had reincarnated, she couldn't intervene and had no right to.

Zhu Shian returned to Sanqing Lane with a snake and a dog. The county town at midnight was particularly quiet, and the night wind had taken on the coolness of early autumn. Time really flies.

When they reached Sanqing Lane, Dahei whimpered and rubbed against Zhu Shian's pant leg before turning away. She watched him use his head to push open the door of Zhu Changming's house. After going in, he kicked the door shut with his hind legs.

Zhu Shian stared blankly: "Is this dog a bit too smart?"

Xiaobai also thought Dahei was smart: "If it were during a time of Abundant Spiritual Energy, I think Dahei would definitely be able to cultivate into human form."

As for now, Xiaobai thought Dahei wasn't even as good as her—he probably couldn't even cultivate a Spirit Body.

At the entrance to the Zhu Family main house, Zhu Shian said while opening the door: "You just got lucky. If it were now, don't say cultivating a Spirit Body—I don't think you could even Enter The Dao."

Xiaobai grinned sheepishly. She knew she was lucky.

Although Xiaobai had cultivated a Spirit Body, in her time, she was the lowest-ranking snake spirit in the Liu Sect. If it weren't for the then-head of the Zhu Family visiting a friend in the Northeast and encountering her, bringing her from outside Shanhaiguan to Zhenshan County, she probably wouldn't have found a willing worshipper.

The terrain and topography of Zhenshan County were somewhat special. For the residents living here, it wasn't a particularly good place. But for Xuan Sect practitioners engaged in Dao Cultivation, or for spiritual beings like Xiaobai and Dahei, Zhenshan County was a good place. For the dead ghosts who lingered in the mortal world unwilling to leave, Zhenshan County was an even better place.

Wang Erzhu used to think the same way. As a ghost these years, he felt he had lived okay, but recently he was anxious. After hearing Zhu Shian's words, he desperately wanted to find a good family to reincarnate into.

Wang Erzhu waited until midnight for Zhu Shian to return. He floated in the air behind her, muttering about the two families he had his eye on today, asking Zhu Shian if she could pull some strings to get him reincarnated into one of those families.

"Which two families did you pick?"

"A young couple who are teachers at the county high school, and a dual-worker couple who came from Nanjiang County to work in a factory. Both couples have jobs and their families have few people—I think they're good." Wang Erzhu studied Zhu Shian's expression, testing: "These two families are middle-class in the county town, not particularly good. They probably don't have much merit, right? No ghosts should be competing with me, right?"

Zhu Shian laughed: "I thought you'd have your eye on that couple from Chongqing."

That couple from Chongqing had been introduced by Xie Ci and Chen Qian, and their family conditions were very good.

Didn't Wang Erzhu want that? He didn't mention it because the recent blows had made him realistic. How could a small ghost like him aspire to families that were clearly protected by ancestral阴德? Was that something he could aim for?

"Master Zhu, tell me, can I reincarnate into those two families?"

"I'm not the King of Hell. How would I know if you can reincarnate? You have to ask the Underworld about this."

Wang Erzhu whimpered: "Stop using the Underworld to shut me up. Don't think I don't know—you definitely have a way to pull strings and squeeze me in. You just won't help me."

"Really can't help."

Wang Erzhu pitifully came closer: "I'm not greedy, Master Zhu, please please please."

Zhu Shian waved him off, telling him not to get so close, and said: "You've been guarding my door for me all this time, soaking in the Soul Nourishing Water every day. Your soul is already very solid now. Honestly, if you go to the Underworld to reincarnate now, you'll definitely run faster than other ghosts. If you're truly not greedy, you could go reincarnate now and get first pick of the best families."

Zhu Shian added: "By 'best' I mean, among the families you can reincarnate into, you can pick the best one first. Don't look up at the higher ones."

The best among the worst is still worst. Wang Erzhu was afraid—he was afraid he'd reincarnate into a poor family again and have to live through another life of not having enough to eat or wear. What was the point of reincarnating then?

Wang Erzhu pressed relentlessly: "I don't want to reincarnate into a college graduate family anymore. Can I reincarnate into a county town dual-worker family? Is that good enough?"

Zhu Shian advised him: "Look at this world—it's getting better day by day. If you go reincarnate now, even if you reincarnate into an ordinary family, it'll definitely be better than your previous life."

Wang Erzhu didn't want to hear this kind of talk. He dejectedly floated away.

Zhu Shian called after him: "Don't be too stubborn. Let me know when you figure it out, and I'll send you to reincarnate."

Wang Erzhu pretended not to hear and floated back into his water jar to hide, never wanting to come out again.

Zhu Shian went back to her room to wash up and had just lay down when faint, suppressed ghost wails drifted from the back garden.

Without Zhu Shian having to say anything, the seasoned Xiaobai ran off to teach the ghost a lesson.

Closing her eyes to meditate, Zhu Shian thought: Heaven's way has its rules—but who set these rules? Do all paths from the bottom to the top really follow the great way? Is there really no back door to take?

Zhu Shian clearly knew: no, that wasn't the case.

However, those who discover back doors and those who can walk through them are two different groups. The former are discovered and eliminated by the great way, while the latter are the favored ones of the great way—they are given passage by default.

She and Wang Erzhu, such small ghosts, were the former who must follow the great way's rules.

In the back garden.

Xiaobai pulled Wang Erzhu out of the water jar and told him to shut up: "If you keep wailing and howling and wake the master, do you think she'll immediately kick you to the Underworld?"

Wang Erzhu's ghost face twisted: "Bullying me, everyone bullies me!"

Xiaobai quickly let go: "I'm not bullying you. I came to tell you about a good path to reincarnation. Do you want to know?"

The ghost energy on Wang Erzhu suddenly dispersed: "How to reincarnate?"

"I'm only telling you, okay? Don't tell other ghosts it was me who told you."

Wang Erzhu smiled fawningly: "What the immortal says, I definitely won't tell other ghosts. Only I will know. Believe me."

Xiaobai whispered: "I know there's a secret method in the Xuan Sect. If it's a blood relative with deeply tangled Predestined Affinity, if they can't bear to let you go, they can ask a master to perform a ritual to have you reincarnate back into your own family."

Wang Erzhu's fawning expression instantly cooled down. Reincarnate back into his own family? No—he didn't want to reincarnate back into his own family.

Xiaobai continued to persuade, wagging her tail: "You died saving your nephew. Your karmic connection with your eldest brother and his family is very deep. You perfectly fit the criteria—I think you can reincarnate into your eldest brother's family. If you want a good life, just have your eldest brother work hard to earn money. That way, you'll enjoy happiness the moment you're born."

Wang Erzhu thought about how hardworking his eldest brother was, and his heart wavered. It seemed like a solution too, right?

If his own family's life improved, why would he go to such lengths to reincarnate into someone else's family?

Seeing that Wang Erzhu was swayed, Xiaobai continued to mislead him: "Instead of crying here every day and annoying people, you might as well save that effort to send dreams to your family members. Have them get rich quickly so you can reincarnate back and enjoy happiness."

"Seems like I can do that, huh." Wang Erzhu listened.

"Definitely can. Don't make trouble, just wait well." Feeling she had solved Wang Erzhu the crybaby from the root, Xiaobai went back satisfied.

Wang Erzhu had no time to cry—he was busy the whole night. After sending dreams to his parents, he sent dreams to his eldest brother and sister-in-law. After that, before dawn, he didn't even spare his young nephew.

Cockcrow three times, it was dawn.

Wang Fugui opened his eyes and said to his wife beside him: "I dreamed about our Erzhu last night."

"I dreamed about him too."

"What did you dream?"

Wang Daniang said: "Erzhu said to urge his eldest brother to work harder and earn more money. In a couple of years, build a Brick And Tile House for the family. He said our Mud-Brick House is too broken."

Wang Fugui pondered: "Is Erzhu not living well underground? Does he want to live in a Brick And Tile House?"

"Maybe. Who doesn't want to live in a good house?" Wang Daniang said: "It's definitely because Erzhu wants to live in a Brick And Tile House underground. Since he can't live in one himself, he's urging our family to build one. When he sees us living well underground, he'll be happy too."

"A few days ago during the Ghost Festival, we burned two bundles of paper money for Erzhu—it wasn't enough for him to spend. Let's go buy two more bundles and burn them for him tomorrow, so he can buy a big house underground himself."

"I think that's fine."

The old couple Wang Fugui and Wang Daniang were discussing burning paper money for Wang Erzhu. In the next bedroom, Wang Dashan and his wife were also discussing last night's dream.

Wang Dashan said: "Wife, what does Erzhu mean by coming to my dream to urge me to earn money? We make our living from the land—what money can we earn? We just wait for the brigade to distribute money at the end of the year. At most, during New Year, we catch fish and sell them in the city for another share. Besides that, what other income is there?"

"Did you forget what I told you yesterday? The Li family behind us secretly raised seven or eight more chickens this spring. When they're not busy, they carry them to the city to visit relatives. They say they're visiting relatives, but everyone knows they're selling them in the city. Besides the Li family selling chickens, many families in our village go to the city to sell eggs, ducks, vegetables—there are many families secretly earning money."

Wang Dashan's wife whispered骂 the man: "It's only you who's stupid, with courage as small as an ant. You don't dare do it yourself and you won't let me go. How much money have we lost? Look, now even Erzhu can't stand it—he specifically sent a dream to urge you to earn more money."

"Erzhu sent me a dream for that reason?"

"Definitely!" Wang Dashan's wife said firmly: "From now on, when I go to the city to sell eggs and vegetables, you mustn't stop me. If you dare stop me, beware Erzhu sending you another dream."

Wang Dashan didn't say a word.

Wang Jianhua was also depressed right now. He was in second year of high school this year, his grades were average, and the whole family was counting on him to pass the college entrance exam. His pressure was already heavy. Who knew that even sleeping wasn't peaceful—his little uncle had come to his dream to urge him to study hard and improve. Was he going to let anyone live?

Wang Dashan's wife got up to make breakfast. Seeing her son hadn't gotten up yet, she quickly knocked on his door: "Your spirit is better in the morning. Take out your books and memorize them. Don't waste time."

Wang Jianhua sighed. With his grades, even if he worked hard from morning to night, not to mention college, it would take a miracle from his little uncle just to pass the technical school exam.

"Wang Jianhua, are you up?"

"I'm up."

Wang Jianhua got up with a depressed face and went to memorize books.

Wang Erzhu spent the whole night sending dreams to the whole family without resting. As soon as it was bright, he became honest,乖乖 lying in the water jar waiting for nightfall. During this free time, he正好 thought about what to say in tonight's dreams to his parents, eldest brother, sister-in-law, and young nephew.

Zhu Shian didn't notice Wang Erzhu had become honest. Zhu Shian had the day off today. After eating breakfast early in the morning, she went up the mountain.

It had been some time since she'd seen Zhang Jie. As soon as she arrived, she checked his progress. Zhang Jie had decent talent with Talismans—he'd already learned to draw entry-level Talismans with proper form, but they were just that: form without substance, not effective.

Zhu Shian didn't demand too much from him in this regard. After all, the one teaching him to draw Talismans, Zhang Xuanqing himself, was a hack. Could she expect him to teach a capable disciple?

After looking at the several types of Talismans Zhang Jie had been practicing recently, Zhu Shian picked out the Peace Talisman and said: "Today I'll teach you how to use qi to make the符文 come alive."

Zhang Jie stood beside her and watched her take the cinnabar brush and draw a Talisman Head on the yellow paper. When her brush touched the paper, Zhang Jie clearly felt qi flowing around the brush tip. The cinnabar under the brush became several shades redder.

Zhu Shian lifted her brush—the qi broke, the qi flowing in the Talisman vanished, and the cinnabar and yellow paper suddenly became ordinary, losing the刚才的气韵.

"Feel the difference?"

Zhang Jie nodded. He said: "When the brush lifts, the Talisman dies."

Zhu Shian nodded satisfied. Being able to feel this showed the child was teachable—she hadn't wasted her time teaching him.

"Look again."

This time when Zhu Shian drew the Peace Talisman, she completed it in one go from Talisman Head to Talisman Tail. When she lifted her brush, the Talisman formed a whole—spiritual energy circulating within it, like yin and yang cycling and converging, taking on the meaning of endless renewal.

"The Talisman is alive."

Seeing the flowing Talisman, Zhang Jie's eyes widened. So that's what Talismans are like.

Zhu Shian asked him: "Do you know how to make a Talisman come alive?"

Zhang Jie shook his head. The Master Advisor only said he had spiritual nature and taught him to meditate and chant scriptures, but he didn't know what these had to do with spiritual nature.

Zhu Shian put down the brush and explained in detail: "A point of spiritual light is the Talisman. For those capable masters, as long as they can use spiritual energy freely, they can draw Talismans in mid-air without using cinnabar or yellow paper. If you can't grasp that point of spiritual light, if you can't inject your essence, energy, and spirit into the Talisman, then no matter how good the cinnabar and yellow paper you use, it's useless."

Zhang Jie proactively asked: "But how do I grasp that thing you mentioned?"

"Xuan Sect disciples with exceptional talent can realize it through their own meditation—for example, me." Zhu Shian smiled and raised an eyebrow: "As for you, I'll teach you a simple method."

Zhu Shian got up and went outside: "Come with me."

"Okay."

Zhu Shian brought Zhang Jie to the Soul-Suppressing Bell. Zhu Shian bent her finger and gently struck the bell—a trace of spiritual energy was enough to make the Soul-Suppressing Bell emit a low hum.

Zhang Jie imitated her and struck the bell. The Soul-Suppressing Bell didn't move at all, let alone make any sound. Zhang Jie changed methods—he made a fist with his right hand and struck it. His small fist was completely harmless to this huge bronze bell.

"Why won't it ring?" Zhang Jie didn't understand.

"The Soul-Suppressing Bell is a Magic Implement. Relying on your strength definitely won't make it ring. You need to unify your mind and spirit, gather qi before you can make the bell ring." Zhu Shian reminded him: "Do you remember how you felt when you struck the bell during New Year's Eve?"

Striking the bell? Zhang Jie turned to look at the huge撞击木 suspended in the air. He saw符文 carved on the撞击木 but didn't understand what they meant.

"The符文 on the撞击木 can draw out the spiritual energy in your body to make the bell ring. Now you don't have the撞击木—you have to rely on yourself to draw out the spiritual energy from your body, guide it, and strike the bell. The day the Soul-Suppressing Bell rings will be the day you enter cultivation."

Zhang Jie still didn't understand: "How do I draw it out?"

Zhu Shian touched his forehead. Zhang Jie suddenly felt many lines grow inside his body. Those lines were grasped by the young lady, and he was pulled until his feet left the ground—his soul floated up.

Zhu Shian let go and smiled: "Many Xuan Sect classics say all things have spirit. This 'spirit' refers not only to your soul, but also to the qi flowing inside your body. The body of a Dao practitioner is a container with a lid—it can be opened to pour out, or through cultivation, things can be put in."

Zhu Shian patted his forehead: "Entering cultivation is about finding the feeling of being drawn out. As long as you find this feeling, you can draw spiritual energy to your fingertips. Your fingertips can lightly touch and ring the Soul-Suppressing Bell. Then, you can also pour spiritual energy through the brush tip into the Talismans you draw, making your Talismans come alive."

Finishing, Zhu Shian lightly tapped the Soul-Suppressing Bell with her index finger. The Soul-Suppressing Bell trembled gently, the vibrating hum making Zhang Jie's soul tremble along with it.

Zhu Shian felt she had thoroughly explained how to cultivate to Zhang Jie. She said: "From now on, your homework is to cultivate in front of the Soul-Suppressing Bell. When you can ring the bell without the撞击木, that's when you've Entered The Dao."

"Can I then become your disciple?"

Zhu Shian smiled and nodded: "Naturally."

Zhang Jie clenched his fist and promised: "I'll work hard."

Zhu Shian touched his forehead again: "Spirit is flowing qi. Understanding the Dao is about feeling. Rather than blindly working hard, you should look more for the sense of becoming one with the world, naturally integrated."

Zhang Jie nodded, half-understanding.

Leaving Zhang Jie to cultivate beside the Soul-Suppressing Bell, Zhu Shian went to the inner hall to attend to her own matters.

"Master Advisor's good grand-disciple, what did your future master teach you? Did you understand? If you don't understand, you must ask quickly, you know? Otherwise, when she leaves the mountain and you want to ask again, you'll have to find her at the foot of the mountain." Zhang Xuanqing, who had been hiding and watching from the side all along, came running over, his white beard flying.

Zhang Jie looked up at him and said: "Master Advisor, the young lady just taught me how to make Talismans come alive, and also taught me how to cultivate. The young lady said that when I enter the Dao, when I can ring the bell, she'll accept me as her disciple."

Zhang Xuanqing was both surprised and delighted: "What, the young lady taught you the secrets of cultivation and Talisman-drawing?"

"She taught me."

Zhang Xuanqing really wanted to ask how the young lady taught it, but he realized this was her family's proprietary skill. As an outsider, it wasn't appropriate to ask. He swallowed the question.

Ah, for the sake of his little grand-disciple's future, he wouldn't ask.

Zhang Xuanqing patted his shoulder full of expectation: "Listen to the young lady and practice hard. When you've practiced well, I'll prepare a disciple acceptance ceremony for you."

"Okay."

Zhang Xuanqing brought him a cushion. Zhang Jie, a small child, sat cross-legged on the cushion, staring blankly at the Soul-Suppressing Bell.

After staring blankly for a while, he stood up and touched the Soul-Suppressing Bell with his forehead. He touched it many times but couldn't find the feeling of the young lady grabbing the lines and pulling his soul up just now.

Zhang Jie stepped back and sat on the cushion again. He thought, stared blankly, closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the wind passing, then listened more carefully—the sound of leaves fluttering in the wind, the rustling of Cogon Grass swaying in the wind... He also smelled many scents in the wind—the smell of plants, wild flowers, the incense smell from the Daoist Temple...

Zhang Jie felt like he was a stone on the mountain—everything in this world was alive, only he was stupid and dull, not enlightened. After a while, he felt like he was a blade of grass swaying in the wind, then like a burst of cotton being embraced by the sun.

Zhang Xuanqing finished making lunch and came out to call his grand-disciple to eat. Seeing the child lying motionless on the cushion, he quickly ran over and picked him up: "How did you fall asleep? Sleeping in the wind will give you a cold."

Zhang Jie rubbed his eyes and opened them: "Master Advisor, I dreamed I was a cloud, floating so high, so high."

Zhang Xuanqing laughed: "The Daoist classics say clouds are ladders to heaven. You little one hasn't even entered cultivation yet, but you're already dreaming of becoming an immortal and ascending?"

Zhang Jie grinned. He thought it was a good dream.

Zhu Shian stayed at Yuntai Temple for two days and went home in the afternoon of the second day. When she left, that child Zhang Jie was using his head to hit the bell.

Xiaobai followed Zhu Shian down the mountain and said: "It's very hard to understand the Dao by yourself. Why don't you directly lead him into the Dao? Wouldn't that be simpler?"

"How can the path led by others be as good as what you understand yourself?"

"But it's easier. Like me before—when the seniors in the Liu Sect discovered I had the talent for cultivation, they taught me how to separate my spirit and body to manifest. I learned quickly."

Zhu Shian seemed to realize something: "So you took a shortcut from the start—pulling up the seedlings to help them grow."

Xiaobai quickly asked: "What does what the master said mean?"

Zhu Shian laughed: "It's also pretty good. With your talent and lazy disposition, if that Liu Sect senior hadn't helped you, you probably wouldn't have lived to see the day you succeeded in understanding the Dao yourself—you would have already reached the end of your life."

This sentence Xiaobai understood. She unhappily hummed: "Since I have the talent for cultivation, even without that Liu Sect senior's help, there would naturally be others to help me. This is called heaven having its own arrangements."

"Fine, fine—heaven has its own arrangements. It arranged a Liu Sect immortal to our Zhu Family, showing your fate is good—wherever you go, you have贵 people helping."

This Xiaobai was happy to hear, and she became cheerful again.

Zhu Shian found Xiaobai both cute and amusing.

Everything is fate, everything is heaven's will. Xuan Sect practitioners are the most devout believers in the Mandate Of Heaven. Generation after generation, it has become an ideological imprint—no one thinks about whether所谓的天命 behind it hides something.

Back then, during the Taiyi Sect's glorious era, Xuan Sect practitioners of that time had very strong Rebellious Spirit. Because they used the gods, they respected the gods.

If the gods weren't theirs, then rebel and find another sect. The more radical ones were even Xuan Sect practitioners shouting to destroy the gods and kill the Buddhas.

Now it's the opposite. All the Xuan Sect methods that remain in the world have become favors. Xuan Sect practitioners must respect the gods to ask them to be used.

Zhu Shian sometimes thought: it's only been a thousand years—how did it come to this?

Maybe the reason for the Xuan Sect's decline shouldn't be entirely attributed to the closing of the heavenly轨道. Xuan Sect practitioners actively giving up rebellion and choosing to obey the Mandate Of Heaven is also one reason for the decline.

Thinking about it more—the Xuan Sect not only had Rebellious Spirit back then, but also had great diversity. Even within the same Dao Sect, different sects within the Dao worshipped different gods. The Dao Sect was like this, let alone other Xuan Sects without unified beliefs—for example, the single character '巫' could give birth to countless small sects.

Many sects from a thousand years ago either vanished in the rolling dust of history or were absorbed by other sects. Really too bad.

On her way down the mountain, Zhu Shian was still lamenting how so many diverse Xuan Sect small sects were gone. As soon as she got home, she encountered a rare small sect descendant—Mu Biao, the head of the Raft Sect.

The Raft Sect is related to raft workers—these are poor people who make their living on the river. They worship the master法师 Chen Silong as their ancestor. Raft Sect descendants study water-related Spellcraft, using it to protect themselves when releasing rafts from water ghosts demanding lives and from illness and pain. It's a very practical small magic sect.

The lives of raft workers are extremely harsh—they can easily die in rapid rivers, and their precarious existence leads many raft workers to be fierce and violent. Reflected in their appearances, they simply look hard to deal with.

Mu Biao, this Raft Sect descendant, fit the stereotype of Raft Sect believers very well. He was tall and burly with a fierce face—the kind of appearance where children would run away upon seeing him. But his personality was very gentle.

At their first meeting, he introduced himself to Zhu Shian: "Master Zhu, hello. I'm Mu Biao. I was introduced by Daoist Li Qingyuan of the Southwest Action Team. Daoist Li said you're a Daoist Physician and can help treat that kind of illness."

When Mu Biao said 'that kind of illness,' his tone had emphasis. Zhu Shian naturally understood what he meant.

Zhu Shian studied Mu Biao's face—his forehead was dark, death qi overflowing. He was at the end of his rope. If she wasn't mistaken, if she couldn't save him, he probably wouldn't survive.

"I promised Action Team leader Zhu Jin—I'm a Daoist Physician, and I can indeed help treat some hard-to-treat illnesses."

"Can you also treat Spellcraft?"

"Should be able to, but shouldn't you be looking for a wizard for Spellcraft? Why come to a Daoist Physician like me?"

Hearing Zhu Shian say she should be able to treat it, Mu Biao slightly relaxed. He said: "After discovering I was cursed, I went to Yunnan to find the local great witch You Jinmei. You Jinmei said she couldn't break it."

"Is You Jinmei very capable?"

Mu Biao nodded: "Very capable. The Action Team invited her to join, but she was old and in poor health so she didn't go. However, her disciple A Hua is in the Action Team."

Zhu Shian oh-ed—she's A Hua's master, so she probably knows what kind of person You Jinmei is.

Zhu Shian didn't understand: "Since You Jinmei is a famous witch, breaking curses should be easy for her. Why did she say she couldn't?"

Mu Biao苦笑: "If we must break it, there's a way. You Jinmei said this curse is very sinister. To break it, unless it's a life for a life—transferring the curse from my body to another person's. But I didn't want to harm anyone's life, so I..."

Zhu Shian understood. She said: "Hold out your hand—either one."

Mu Biao held out his right hand. Zhu Shian gripped his wrist, drew a manifestation Talisman in mid-air, and after the Talisman formed, slapped it onto Mu Biao's wrist. Immediately, a curse word appeared on Mu Biao's arm. Zhu Shian tilted her head to look: "What's this squiggly thing? It doesn't look like a Talisman character."

Mu Biao's wrist trembled in fear: "I saw this kind of character at You Jinmei's place. This is text from Southeast Asia—was it a Southeast Asian wizard who Pilfered our Water-Breaking Magic Staff?"

"Water-Breaking Magic Staff? The staff that the Raft Leader in your sect uses to strike the water and suppress ghosts when leading the raft on the river?"

"Yes." Mu Biao didn't expect Zhu Shian to know this.

Every time the raft workers go out on a mission, the leading Raft Leader holds the Water-Breaking Magic Staff and stands at the front of the lead raft. Once they discover something strange in the water, they use the Water-Breaking Magic Staff to strike the water surface, terrifying the evil ghosts in the water and protecting the rafts behind to pass through safely.

The Water-Breaking Magic Staff is an iron staff carved with Evil Suppression spells—it's the Mu family's heirloom. A month ago, the Magic Implement kept at home was Pilfered. Mu Biao followed the traces and was cursed and knocked out by the other party. When he woke up, the Magic Implement was gone, and he himself didn't have long to live.

Getting back to the point, Zhu Shian asked: "What are they Pilfering this staff for?"

Mu Biao didn't know, but he knew the Magic Staff couldn't be allowed to leave the country—it had to be found. Otherwise, even if he died, he wouldn't have face to meet his ancestors.

"Master Zhu, can this curse be broken?"

"Can, but you'll have to wait a bit. Let me cut a Paper Figurine."

Zhu Fengqin, who had been silent beside her, quickly said: "Scissors and yellow paper, right? I'll go get them."

Zhu Shian stopped Zhu Fengqin who was already out the door: "Aunt Feng, use the yellow paper from my drawer, and bring the cinnabar brush."

"Okay, got it."

Quietly waiting for the yellow paper and scissors to come, Zhu Shian didn't speak, but Mu Biao's mouth wouldn't stop: "This must be reported to the Action Team—there must be a conspiracy. The Water-Breaking Magic Staff can not only suppress evil, but also stir up waves. If our family's Magic Staff is used to do something that violates heaven's will, what then?"

Zhu Shian added tea to his cup: "Don't panic yet. A Magic Staff can only be used on rivers. The other party doesn't understand the trick, maybe they can't even use it—it won't cause much damage."

"How does Master Zhu know?"

Zhu Shian smiled. She didn't say it plainly—your Raft Sect's ancestor only had that much skill. Could it be that passing to you, you really developed the Raft Sect?

If it were really so, they wouldn't have let someone sneak into the house and Pilfer the family heirloom.

Since he asked, Zhu Shian couldn't not answer. She said: "In the end, Spellcraft is a means of using curses to control the enemy. If the person breaking the curse is skilled, they can also trace the cursing wizard through the curse and Counter-Kill back."

Mu Biao didn't dare believe: "Master Zhu, as a Daoist Physician, you actually understand Spellcraft so well?"

"I'm not worthy—I've just dabbled a little."

Compared to those Xuan Sect methods that make people spray blood three feet away, this kind of Spellcraft that leaves a Counter-Kill opportunity for the other party is just a minor path.

Zhu Fengqin brought the things. Zhu Shian personally cut a Paper Figurine the size of a palm. After getting Mu Biao's birth date and hour, she wrote it on the Paper Figurine.

Zhu Shian stuck the Paper Figurine to Mu Biao's palm, lightly tapped his spirit platform with her middle finger, silently recited the Calamity Resolution Edict, and made hand seals. Mu Biao only felt a jolt all over. He saw Zhu Shian pinching something between her middle and index fingers, and in another blink, the curse that had appeared on his arm transferred to the back of the Paper Figurine with his birth date written on it.

The Paper Figurine floated away from Zhu Shian's palm. It turned its head to run but was caught by the leg by Zhu Shian.

Seeing the Paper Figurine's nimble appearance, Mu Biao immediately got goosebumps all over: "Is this my substitute?"

"Just now it was your substitute. Now, the curse on your body has transferred to this Paper Figurine—this Paper Figurine is the curse-caster's substitute." Zhu Shian turned to him: "Aren't you going to find your family's lost Magic Implement? Take the Paper Figurine and you'll find it. Do you want it?"

"I want it." Mu Biao's tone was direct, without hesitation.

Zhu Shian drew a Guidance Talisman on yellow paper and stuck it to the Paper Figurine's back before handing it to Mu Biao: "Follow the Paper Figurine to find it. If you find the right person, the Guidance Talisman will turn to ash to tell you."

"Thank you, Master Zhu. When this matter is settled, I'll come back to thank you."

Zhu Shian did a good deed to the end and gave him three Five Thunders Talismans: "I hope everything goes smoothly."

Mu Biao nodded: "I know I'm not a match for that person. I'll report to the Action Team to help me."

"That's good—that's more stable."

A foreign wizard stealing a Raft Sect descendant's Magic Implement—such a big matter, the Action Team couldn't not intervene.

After Mu Biao left, Zhu Fengqin only said: "This young man looks hard to deal with—big and sturdy. I didn't expect his skills to be average."

Zhu Shian laughed: "The Raft Sect was always a small sect. The ancestor didn't pass down much skill to the descendants. In terms of attack, even if the Raft Sect isn't at the very bottom among the Xuan Sect sects, it's close to it."

"That's new—first time I've heard that raft workers have their own sect. There's also raft workers on our Spring River. Why haven't I heard of this?"

"It's different."

Those raft workers who worship the Raft Sect make their living on the river risking their lives every day—they're completely different from the boatmen on Spring River.

A foreign wizard appearing on their own country's soil to steal a Magic Implement—this wasn't a small matter. The impact of Mu Biao's family's lost Water-Breaking Magic Staff was bigger than Zhu Shian expected.

After Mu Biao informed the Action Team, even the old folks who usually didn't move from their command posts in the Action Team were mobilized. Half a month later, the Action Team caught the wizard who had Pilfered the Magic Staff and cursed Mu Biao in Guangdong.

If this wizard had immediately left after getting the Water-Breaking Magic Staff, maybe he wouldn't have been caught. But he completely didn't take Mu Biao seriously. After Pilfering Mu Biao's family's Magic Staff, he turned and went to the Hu family sect in Guangdong Maoshan.

There was a Magic Implement in the Hu family sect called the Demon Slaying Blade, which had the effect of the Wave Calming Art. That wizard was trying to Pilfer the Demon Slaying Blade, which was why he was caught.

Ye Dan participated in the entire capture. After the interrogation, Ye Dan wrote the interrogation results in a letter and had Wangyun Temple send it to her.

In the letter, Ye Dan said that wizard was actually just a third-rate wizard—he didn't know many curses. He was able to smoothly commit crimes across the South because he grew up at the Southwest Border and was fluent in the Yunnan Dialect, and could also write Chinese characters. The letters of introduction he used in various places were all forged.

Ye Dan also said that although the wizard's skill was not great, the person teaching him Spellcraft behind him was very capable. The Action Team suspected there was foreign Xuan Sect forces targeting them.

After this, the Action Team fully mobilized—first, to check if any Xuan Sects had lost Magic Implements, and second, to strengthen supervision of the Southwest Region to prevent foreign Xuan Sect people from crossing the border into the country again.

After reading the letter, Zhu Shian had a feeling the Action Team was right. Someone was plotting against domestic Xuan Sect practitioners. This third-rate wizard might just be a stone thrown out to test the waters.

Besides telling Zhu Shian about Mu Biao's follow-up, Ye Dan also told her some good news—there was a new development in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The report on solving the successor problem for the Traditional Chinese Medicine team was approved and distributed. On December 26th, there will be a Traditional Chinese Medicine Selection Examination. The old Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners who pass this examination will be selected to work in hospitals in various places, solving the situation of townspeople lacking doctors.

Ye Dan also joked: Probably because the capable doctors selected during the trial run last time mostly chose to open their own practices and weren't willing to work in hospitals. This formal selection directly stated that selected Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners would work in hospitals.

This time, it's estimated that over ten thousand Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners will be selected across the country. The conditions aren't as strict as the August trial selection. Zhu Shian thought some doctors in the Zhu Family with decent medical skills could give it a try.

Going to the Medical Hall to work in the morning, Zhu Shian told Zhu Changfeng the news, asking him to inform the clan members. Those who wanted to take the exam could start preparing early. This time they didn't have to travel so far—they could take the exam in the city.

When Zhu Shian was talking to Zhu Changfeng, Zhu Shouxin and Zhu Shouguang also heard. Zhu Shouguang sighed: "How险啊—if we missed that last time, we don't know when we'd get this individual practice Medical Practitioner Qualification Certificate."

Zhu Changfeng laughed: "Thanks to our young lady having good connections. Otherwise, we really would have missed that opportunity."

Zhu Shian said though: "The difference is just a matter of sooner or later. All industries outside are slowly liberalizing. The individual practice Medical Practitioner Qualification Certificate will eventually be available."

"It's still better early than late. If Medical Halls spring up everywhere, it won't be easy for us to get so many good medicinal materials—there will be many people competing with us."

At the end of August, Second Aunt took the young people in the clan to visit medicinal material dealers and collectors that the Zhu Family had cooperated with before. After so many years, not many who were still alive were still dealing with medicinal materials. Second Aunt and the others went house to house. Many families thought they had too much medicinal material stored with no use—they couldn't use much themselves. Considering past relationships, they sold or gave much of it to the Zhu Family.

When Second Aunt and the others came back after two months, the warehouse behind the Medical Hall finally had some stock—good medicinal materials that couldn't be bought with money in the past.

The two old men Zhu Shouxin and Zhu Shouguang were very happy—any free time they loved to go check the warehouse. When Zhu Shian needed to use medicinal materials from the warehouse to make a batch of prepared medicines, both disagreed. It made Zhu Shian laugh.

Now the three were talking about medicinal materials again. Zhu Shian pointed out to the two old men: "You bought the medicinal materials back—what are you keeping them in the warehouse for? Not selling them to patients? Are you waiting for them to get bugs, or for the medicinal properties to disappear and use them as firewood?"

"Young lady, it's not that I'm speaking as an elder—are good medicinal materials that easy to get? This time we got lucky because we happened to be there. The other party sold us their best stuff from the bottom of the chest. Next time we go, there won't be so many good things. Even if they sell to us again, they'll just be ordinary goods."

"Use them sparingly. Wait until our stock increases more, then you can make medicinal pills."

"Those几家 medicinal material sellers that Master Mingjue introduced are good. Ask them later if they know other collectors. Our Medical Hall still lacks good medicinal materials, you know."

"Young lady, you're the head of the family now—don't be short-sighted."

Zhu Shian only said one sentence, but Zhu Shouxin and Zhu Shouguang surrounded her and lectured her. Zhu Shian could only say: "Fine, fine—I hear you all. Use them sparingly, okay?"

Only then did Zhu Shouxin and Zhu Shouguang stop, satisfied. Look—the older generation's experience still has some use.

Zhu Changfeng laughed: "We'll talk about the medicinal materials later, young lady—it's time. Let's open for business. There are patients waiting outside already."

"Okay, let's open."

After the Frost Descent, it was already deep autumn—the weather got colder every day. Recently there were many sick people in the county town. Not only was the County Hospital packed, but Zhu Medical Hall was also full every day.

Only Zhu Zheng and Zhu Changfang were dispensing medicine—they couldn't keep up. These past two days, the pastry business at the Medical Hall was paused. Zhu Changkun was temporarily transferred to the front hall to help Zhu Zheng and Zhu Changfang.

Wang Fugui came to the Medical Hall in the morning and saw many people queuing to see a doctor. He watched for a while then left. At four-thirty in the afternoon, he came again. He didn't join the queue to see a doctor—just waited outside the Medical Hall.

Zhu Fengqin had also been helping at the Medical Hall these past few days. She recognized Wang Fugui and went to ask if he had something to discuss.

Wang Fugui smiled awkwardly: "Yes, I have something I want to discuss with Doctor Zhu."

The curtain of Diagnosis Room One lifted—a patient went out, the next patient came in. During this gap, Zhu Shian looked up and saw Wang Fugui.

It had been quite some time since Wang Erzhu had come to her. Wang Erzhu was rarely so well-behaved—not causing trouble or making mischief. Quiet. Why was Wang Fugui here for no good reason?

After waiting about another hour, Zhu Shian finished seeing the last patient and asked Zhu Kanglin to invite Wang Fugui over.

As soon as Wang Fugui saw Zhu Shian, he said: "Master Zhu, can I trouble you to talk to our Erzhu and tell him to stop sending dreams to our family?"

"Sending dreams? What dreams?"

"I don't know what's gotten into Erzhu. During that time at the end of September, he kept sending dreams to us—every night urging me and his mother, his brother and sister-in-law, to earn money, and urging his young nephew to study and pass the college entrance exam. Later we burned paper money for him and advised him not to send dreams every day—harvest was coming, if we slept badly we wouldn't have strength to work and earn work points. During harvest he didn't send dreams. We thought he'd never come again. But as soon as harvest was over, he started sending dreams again every few days."

Wang Fugui sighed: "We really can't help it. I beg Master Zhu to persuade Erzhu—please stop sending us dreams. Our bodies really can't take it."

Zhu Shian didn't know the reason, but she agreed first: "Go back. Tonight I'll ask him."

Wang Fugui said gratefully: "Thank you, Master Zhu."

After the Medical Hall closed and she went home, when it got dark, Zhu Shian summoned Wang Erzhu and asked him why he was sending dreams to his family every day.

Wang Erzhu shook his head and said: "Of course I'm urging them to earn money—to create conditions for my future good life. I don't have a chance at other good families. Can't I at least find a way back to my own family? The little white snake told me—I have a heavy Predestined Affinity with my family, so I can find a back door to go back."

"Xiaobai!"

Xiaobai had already slipped away when she saw things going bad. Zhu Shian didn't catch her.

Not a single one is worry-free.