Chapter 031: A Visit to the Residence

The man said unhurriedly, 'Dear fellow villagers, do not be alarmed. Watch how I subdue the evil spirit dwelling in this broadsword and restore clarity to the world.'

With that, the man took out a talisman and stuck it onto the rust-covered chopper.

The talisman emitted faint golden light, gradually enveloping the entire blade.

The onlookers widened their eyes as they saw the blade tremble incessantly, large chunks of rust falling off onto the ground. In an instant, the once-rusty blade became gleaming bright.

As if freshly forged.

But the talisman turned dull and dark, crumbling at the slightest touch.

The man raised the chopper and walked around the crowd, letting everyone see it clearly. He said slowly, 'Now, the ghost dwelling in this blade has been subdued by me. And the talisman I used—you've all seen it. This talisman came from an old Daoist master. I only have two hundred of them.'

The man held up two fingers, showing off proudly.

Wang Bo saw this and immediately understood what was going on—it was a talisman seller.

Sure enough, when the gathered crowd heard that the man still had two hundred talismans, a commotion arose. Someone immediately asked if he could spare a few, saying the price could be negotiated.

At first, the man was reluctant, but as more and more people demanded talismans,

and with his petite and lovely wife constantly urging him, he finally put on a reluctant expression and agreed to sell one hundred and ninety talismans at a hundred coppers each.

Xiaoqing saw this and seemed about to speak, but Wang Bo quickly patted her shoulder and shook his head.

Then he pulled Xiaoqing and Xiaobai out of the crowd.

Xiaoqing said indignantly, 'Why didn't you let me expose that fraud? There's no ghost on that blade at all.'

'I know.'

Wang Bo had seen clearly—there was no ghost on that chopper, only yin energy. If he wasn't mistaken, it was an executioner's blade.

Because it had killed too many people, it had accumulated a great deal of yin energy.

That was also why the blade turned the clear water red when dipped into it.

And the talisman the man used was not for catching ghosts but specifically for removing yin energy.

Although the man had lied, his behavior wasn't too bad, because the talisman was genuine, not fake.

While it couldn't catch ghosts, if the holder encountered a vengeful or malicious spirit, it might help them escape disaster.

Generally, if an ordinary person encountered an evil ghost, even if they escaped with their life, they would inevitably be contaminated by yin energy, leading to a severe illness or even death.

With this talisman, they could dispel the yin energy and save their life.

Therefore, Wang Bo stopped Xiaoqing from exposing him. After all, the man's behavior was at most an exaggeration of the talisman's effect, not selling counterfeit goods, so there was no need to specifically undermine him.

In fact, Wang Bo had seen such behavior too often in the modern world. Which of those TV commercials wasn't full of special effects and exaggerations?

In comparison, this man's actions were nothing.

After Wang Bo slowly finished his thoughts, Xiaoqing snorted and said, 'That guy got off easy.'

Xiaobai smiled slightly and took her hand. 'Alright, let's not dwell on unpleasant things. Let's go look over there.'

'Let's go.'

Xiaoqing quickly cast aside her displeasure and walked off with Xiaobai.

Wang Bo followed behind the two women with a smile.

The three of them strolled from morning till noon, found a spot to use the Gourmet Tablecloth, enjoyed a hearty lunch, and then continued from noon till evening.

Even as the lanterns were lit, Wang Bo and his companions showed no sign of wanting to go home.

Instead, at Xiaoqing's suggestion, they began to explore the night scene.

Luoyang at night was not under curfew and was very lively. Every household hung lanterns, offering a completely different scenery from daytime Luoyang.

Wang Bo took out his camera and occasionally took pictures of Xiaoqing and Xiaobai, and sometimes the three of them took group photos as souvenirs.

Only late at night, when the myriad lights gradually went out, did the three reluctantly head home.

Soon, they returned from the bustling streets to the mansion. As soon as Wang Bo stepped through the door, the steward rushed over. 'Master, Master, you're finally back. We have visitors.'

'I know.' Wang Bo had heard a few faint breathing sounds inside the mansion when he entered, but he hadn't paid much attention. He led Xiaobai and Xiaoqing to the main hall and saw a thin, elderly man in a Daoist robe sitting in the spacious hall.

Beside the old man stood several guards, all of whom possessed magical power, and their clothes were particularly conspicuous.

Wang Bo had seen them once before.

They were from the Tang Demon-Subduing Department.

Wang Bo stepped forward, sat across from the thin old Daoist, poured himself a cup of tea, and asked, 'Esteemed Daoist, how should I address you?'

The old Daoist coughed and said, 'My surname is Yuan, and my common name is Tiangang.'

Yuan Tiangang—a famous man. Together with Li Chunfeng, he left behind the千古奇书 'Tui Bei Tu' (The Prophecy Chart).

'So it's Daoist Yuan. May I ask what business you have with me?' Wang Bo inquired.

Yuan Tiangang said, 'Not long ago, the current emperor fell ill with a strange ailment. He cannot sleep peacefully day or night, and once he falls asleep, he is plagued by nightmares. It has been seven days now. The emperor is growing weaker by the day. If this continues, there is a danger of his demise.'

These words could be considered treasonous, bordering on cursing the emperor. But the surrounding Demon-Subduing Department guards turned a deaf ear, as if they had heard nothing.

Wang Bo said, 'So, the Son of Heaven has been cursed?'

'Exactly.'

'Then why come to me?'

'I once sacrificed ten years of my life to perform a divination for the emperor. I found that in this world, aside from the celestial immortals, only you can save him.'

'Oh, you divined about me?' Wang Bo was skeptical. He knew his own origins well; divining about him would be extremely difficult.

Even the Tathagata Buddha might not be able to deduce his background, let alone a mere Yuan Tiangang.

Wang Bo acknowledged that Yuan Tiangang's skill in writing a remarkable book like 'Tui Bei Tu' surpassed that of ordinary immortals, but it should still be inferior to the Tathagata Buddha's.

Yuan Tiangang shook his head and said, 'I dare not speak falsely. I did not actually divine you. But I divined that the emperor's turning point lies in Luoyang City, and then I used a certain method to find you.'

Wang Bo suddenly understood. 'I see.'