Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Seeing Mrs. Feng confirm Qian Yusheng’s identity, Lan Chenghai still had no intention of letting the two young people enter the building.
He had visited once during the day and had already sensed that the thing beneath the building would be difficult to deal with. He wasn’t even sure if he could suppress or eliminate it himself.
If he only took Mr. and Mrs. Feng down, he might still be able to protect them.
If he added two more young people to the mix, things would likely become much more troublesome.
“Wait here. I will go down and bring your senior back up safely.”
Qian Yusheng knew Lan Chenghai was barring them out of concern for their safety, so he said, “Student Xia is a member of the Mystic Sect just like you, Master. We are capable of protecting ourselves. Please, Master, let us go down with you.”
“She is also a member of the Mystic Sect?”
Lan Chenghai’s gaze fell upon the clean, fair young girl beside Qian Yusheng. He let out a huff, his snowy white beard fluttering with his breath.
“Young man, don’t assume you can exorcise demons just because you’ve read some fake fortune-telling knowledge online.
“In this line of work, the slightest oversight can cost you your life. There is no room for carelessness. It’s better if you don’t go down and risk yourselves.”
Lan Chenghai’s intentions weren’t bad. However, as the president of the Mystic Sect Joint Association, he had occupied a high position for many years. It was inevitable that he would be somewhat arrogant, and his tone unconsciously carried a hint of a lecture.
Qian Yusheng was not one to argue. He looked at Xia Sheng, waiting for her to convince the master.
However, Xia Sheng only replied calmly with two words: “Understood.”
Seeing how agreeable she was, Lan Chenghai’s expression softened slightly. He took out a Talisman and handed it to Xia Sheng.
“This is a Protective Talisman that took me half a day to draw. Keep it with you to prevent that evil entity below from coming out and harming you.”
Xia Sheng nodded. “Thank you.”
Lan Chenghai said no more and led the Fengs into the building.
Watching the three walk away, Qian Yusheng asked Xia Sheng worriedly, “Student Xia, are we really not going down?”
Although that master seemed very powerful, Qian Yusheng still couldn’t set his mind at ease.
Xia Sheng didn’t speak. She raised her hand and drew a Talisman in the air.
Before Qian Yusheng could clearly see her movements, a streak of golden light merged into his body.
Just as he was about to ask something, he saw Xia Sheng draw another Talisman with her hand. Then, Xia Sheng’s figure vanished into thin air.
Qian Yusheng was horrified and looked around wildly. “Student Xia, where are you?!”
If he weren’t still standing there perfectly fine himself, he would have thought it was another haunting!
“I’m here. Keep your voice down.”
Xia Sheng’s voice sounded right in front of him. Qian Yusheng jumped back half a step in fright. “Student Xia? How did your body disappear?”
“I drew an Invisibility Talisman. Your current state is the same as mine.”
Hearing this, Qian Yusheng raised his hand. Sure enough, he couldn’t see his own body.
Qian Yusheng had thought Xia Sheng could at most tell fortunes or read faces; he hadn’t expected her to be able to draw such miraculous talismans!
“Student Xia, don’t you need Talisman Paper to draw them?”
“It works with or without it. It’s just that with yellow paper and cinnabar as a medium, the incantation can last longer and the effect will be stronger.”
Xia Sheng gave a casual explanation and then said, “Let’s go in.”
Qian Yusheng nodded, then suddenly realized Xia Sheng couldn’t see him, so he spoke up: “Okay.”
Xia Sheng: “You don’t need to speak. The Talisman that entered your body carries my aura, so I can see you. You should be able to sense my position as well.”
“Oh, okay.”
As the two of them walked inside, Qian Yusheng suddenly thought of the Talisman Lan Chenghai had given Xia Sheng before entering.
That master just said it took him half a day to draw a single Evil-Warding Talisman.
Why did his classmate draw two Invisibility Talismans in just a few seconds?
Was it because an Evil-Warding Talisman was much more difficult to make?
Once they entered the building, Qian Yusheng stopped speaking, worried that Lan Chenghai and the others might discover their presence.
The building had no power, so they had to take the stairs.
Qian Yusheng went to the railing and looked down. Seeing the staircase dropping away with no end in sight made his legs tremble. He hurriedly pulled his gaze back and followed closely behind Xia Sheng.
He counted the floors as they went down, one level at a time.
When he reached eighteen, they finally stepped onto flat ground.
The number immediately made him think of the Eighteen Levels of Hell. The hair on his body stood on end, and he instinctively edged closer to Xia Sheng.
Lowering his voice, he asked, “Student Xia, what do we do next?”
Xia Sheng said, “Wait.”
What was down here wasn’t too hard to deal with. With other practitioners of the Mystic Sect already involved, she originally hadn’t wanted to come down at all.
But that old man had just said it took him half a day to draw a single Evil-Warding Talisman, and Xia Sheng couldn’t help feeling a little uneasy.
She wasn’t very familiar with the level of other Mystic Sect practitioners in the Capital City, but if she judged by that old man’s ability, he probably wasn’t particularly outstanding within the Mystic Sect. Following along was the safer option.
Lan “Not Particularly Outstanding” Chenghai, President of the Mystic Studies Association: “?”
The Fengs descended eighteen floors. Yet even after they reached the bottom, it was still pitch-black-so dark they couldn’t see their own hands.
Their phone flashlights swept across the space, but everywhere the beams reached was empty.
Mrs. Feng asked, “Master Lan, is my son not here?”
Master Lan was just about to speak when a deafening tiger roar suddenly exploded from one side.
His eyes flashed. He immediately shoved the Fengs away and retreated as well.
A White Tiger with razor-sharp fangs appeared before them, hot breath pouring from its mouth-fierce and terrifying.
Qian Yusheng saw the tiger and nearly collapsed again, bracing himself against the wall just to stay standing.
Xia Sheng remained unruffled. She gave the White Tiger a quick glance and already had a read on it.
Lan Chenghai’s face, however, changed drastically at the sight.
He had no idea what this White Tiger had taken form from, but it stood two meters tall, radiating an overwhelming pressure like storm clouds bearing down.
This Tiger Beast’s power was absolutely above his.
He’d thought he could suppress it, and if not, at least ensure the Fengs could retreat safely.
Now it seemed he had underestimated whatever lurked beneath this ground.
The White Tiger snorted, its sharp claws landing on the floor. With fangs bared, it circled Lan Chenghai.
With the beast hemming him in, Lan Chenghai’s palm grew slick with sweat around the Talisman Paper he held.
One man and one tiger faced off for a long while before Lan Chenghai broke the balance first, snapping a piece of Talisman Paper onto the White Tiger.
The Talisman Paper sizzled the instant it touched the White Tiger’s body.
The White Tiger flew into a rage at the attack and threw back its head with a long howl.
Amid the ear-splitting roar, the White Tiger raised its massive paw and swung it at Lan Chenghai.
If that slap landed, Lan Chenghai would have no chance of survival.
The old man’s face turned deathly pale. The pressure carried in the roar pinned him in place, leaving him unable to move.
Mrs. Feng screamed from the side, “Don’t-!”
But at the very last moment, just before the Tiger Beast’s claws could touch Lan Chenghai, a piece of Talisman Paper tore through the air and struck, bouncing the Tiger Beast away.