Chapter Sixteen: Summoning the Soul

  That day, I wasn't summoned for interrogation, I guess it's because the big captain was hospitalized and something happened. Whatever the reason, at least I could rest for a while. After telling Master about it, I had a good sleep. When I woke up, it was already evening, but I felt refreshed and didn't have the annoyance of being locked up. A person's fate is predetermined by heaven. If I hadn't been locked up, I wouldn't have met Master. Although it was only two short days, I felt like Master was like a family member to me. And what made me most proud was that Master wasn't as rigid as I thought, on the contrary, he was very open-minded.

  After dinner, I was lying in bed flipping through that book of tactics when an unexpected guest arrived. It wasn't anyone else but Captain Zhang. Although it had only been a day since we last saw each other, he looked even more haggard than before. Apparently, it was because of his sister. When we met, his eyes were bloodshot. The first thing he said to me was: "Liu Hai, I heard something went wrong in the interrogation room again today?"

  I nodded and smiled wryly: "Fortunately, I was prepared early on. Hey, Li Chengdong won't give up until he kills me, it seems that it's not just a matter of Big Pillar Brother, how about your sister?"

  Captain Zhang shook his head, looking exhausted, and handed over the package he was holding. Only when it was opened did they realize it was the things Master had mentioned yesterday - paper money, incense burners, red strings, copper bells, etc. These were used to summon spirits. It could be seen that Captain Zhang had put in a lot of effort. Indeed, Captain Zhang hesitated for a moment: "Liu Hai, I've been investigating my sister's case for half a year now, but there have been no leads. Many things have been secretly destroyed, and I was even transferred from the third brigade of the criminal police to the 110 alarm center as a big team leader. Alas, as a policeman, I actually have to rely on these supernatural things..."

  "If you don't believe it, then forget it. Some things are believable or not, no need to force yourself." Perhaps the master was not used to hearing such words, although Captain Zhang was just joking, but this kind of cultivator didn't like others doubting them.

  Captain Zhang's face stiffened, twitched, and gave a apologetic smile to the master: "Master, don't treat me like an ordinary person. I'm not doubting you, but mocking myself for falling to this point. I just want to find my sister..."

  Even if Captain Zhang was a tough guy, there were tears in his eyes. I couldn't bear to see this, so I quickly changed the subject: "Alright, Master, hurry up and get ready. You're going to save your apprentice. Why doesn't Big Pillar Brother go kill that bastard Li Chengdong?"

  The master nodded, took the package, and began to prepare. It was actually quite simple. Later, I heard the master say that summoning a soul wasn't so complicated - just a yellow paper with the person's name and birthdate would do. As for why it was done this way, it was because those sects wanted to make it more mysterious, which was a trick they used to confuse ordinary people. Of course, it also didn't rule out that the person's magical powers were insufficient, so they had to rely on some props.

  Arrange the incense burner, take out three sticks of incense and insert them, then put the paper money aside. Also, pull out a red rope and place it in front, put the copper bell on the left side, and arrange the water basin in front of the incense table. The ritual is very simple, just like the stone bed I sleep on. The master is very efficient, it can be seen that this business is very familiar. He took out a yellow talisman paper, and with three or two quick strokes, a paper man came out. Then he looked at me: "Little boy, tell me the birth date of the big pillar?"

  I was stunned, and I couldn't help but worry. Although I'm very familiar with Big Zhu Zi Ge, I don't actually know his birth date or time. I scratched my head, thinking carefully for a moment before hesitantly chuckling: "I remember that Big Zhu Zi Ge is a Tiger, so he should be 28 years old this year... and it seems like his birthday is in June? As for the exact day and hour, I really have no idea. We're just from the same village, and I only go back home during holidays - how would I remember all that?"

  I don't know if this will work, but apparently it won't. The master was stunned for a moment, his face twitched, and he glared at me with a hum. After a moment's thought, he turned to Captain Zhang again: "Alright, call your sister out too, tell me her birth eight characters, don't tell me you don't know."

  "Wu Yin year Geng Chen month Ding Hai day Bing Wu hour, Zhang Yanqiu, 26 years old." Captain Zhang succinctly recited his sister's eight characters of birth.

  The master nodded, writing Zhang Yanqiu's birthdate and name on the paper man, then placed it properly. He took a red string with his right hand and formed a finger sword with his left, beginning to chant. After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes wide, let out a loud shout, and pointed the finger sword at the incense sticks. Instantly, three flames erupted from the incense sticks. As the master's right hand shook, he threw out the red string, which moved as if someone was pulling it from the front, straightening out before passing through the flames without being burned. The string slowly moved forward, disappearing into a water basin in front of him. The water began to churn and eventually formed a whirlpool.

  Captain Zhang swallowed his saliva, his body didn't dare to move, fearing that he would startle the master. He watched as the master loosened the red rope, but the rope was already straight and suspended in mid-air without falling. If it were any other time, one would have thought that some trickery was involved. However, these things were all personally prepared by Captain Zhang himself, so he knew best whether there was any trickery involved or not. Even if the master wanted to resort to trickery at this point, it probably wouldn't work. It's truly mysterious.

  Not to mention Captain Zhang, even I, who have seen many things in the past few days, didn't feel a sense of wonder. The master was unusually solemn, like a transcendent being from another world. As he took out the paper money and flicked it with his hand, it suddenly ignited and started burning on the ground. He muttered to himself as he burned the paper, but unfortunately, I couldn't make out what he was saying, no matter how hard I strained my ears.

  A roll of incense had burned out, and only then did the master take a deep breath. With his left hand, he took up the copper bell and gently shook it, raising his voice: "Zhang Shiyanqiu, your soul returns, money buys the road, red thread builds the bridge——"

  As the master's voice rose, the ashes of the burnt paper money began to swirl and rise along the red string, without scattering in all directions. Slowly, they sank into the water basin, while the whirlpool inside was spinning faster and faster. A burst of cold air emerged from the whirlpool, causing the room temperature to drop significantly.

  "Zhang Shiyanqiu, soul returns-----: Master's chanting became more urgent, his left hand shaking the copper bell rapidly, while his right hand continuously added paper money inside, but still no movement was seen."

  I stared at Master nervously, unsure of the current situation. However, as I saw Master's expression becoming increasingly solemn, it was clear that the outcome wasn't ideal. Perhaps due to not seeing results for a long time, Master's face also changed slightly, and the shouting in his mouth became more urgent. As the incense stick had already burned halfway, Master suddenly stopped, grunted, stretched out the middle finger of his right hand, and bit it, causing a thread of fresh blood to flow out. Master seemed completely unaware, quickly using his bloody middle finger to tap on the red rope, forming a blood bead on it. At this moment, Master loudly shouted: "Open the auxiliary extreme emperor in the upper realm, use blood as a guide, connect yin and yang, quickly summon Zhang Shiyan's autumn soul to return, quickly return to its position!"

  As the voice fell, the blood bead suddenly slid along the red rope on its own, while the master shook the copper bell more urgently, continuously adding paper money to make the flames more prosperous. As soon as the blood bead crossed over the incense stick, it immediately sank into the whirlpool in the water basin. At this moment, the whirlpool seemed like a black hole, and it was unknown where it led to. It was very dark and frightening, and it looked very deep. A water basin could be so deep, but the whirlpool looked about two meters deep, still because it was too dark inside to be certain.

  As the blood bead sank, a mournful cry suddenly came from the whirlpool, and a large amount of cold air overflowed from the whirlpool. For a time, the entire room, even the entire detention center, dropped in temperature, to the point where people in other rooms were heard muttering: "What's going on? Why is it so cold? When did they install air conditioning? Ah-choo!"

  I couldn't help but shrink my neck, hugging my shoulders with both hands, but my gaze didn't leave the water basin for a moment. Master Ma's voice grew more urgent, and the incense stick was getting shorter again. It wouldn't last much longer. What was going on? Why was summoning the soul so difficult?

  Captain Zhang's face was also filled with anxiety, but fortunately, at this moment, a green mist suddenly emerged from the whirlpool in the water basin and began to move towards him along the red rope. The master's face suddenly lit up with joy, the copper bell rang more urgently, and more paper money was added. Looking at the green mist hesitating for a moment on one side of the incense candle, but the bell sound became more urgent, the mist finally rushed over and entered the paper man that was almost transparent under the master's hands.

  The ringing stopped, and the master also stopped adding paper money. Instead, he stretched out his hand and touched the red string with one finger. Suddenly, flames erupted, and in an instant, the protruding red string turned to ashes. The incense candle jumped violently and then went out. Afterwards, the water basin returned to calmness, without even a trace of ash from the paper money, as if nothing had happened.

  The master no longer paid attention to others, but quickly drew a simple symbol on the paper man with his bitten middle finger. It was called a symbol rather than a captive because it was too simple, looking like a cross, but also a bit twisted. With the master's last touch on the paper man, he patted his hand and sighed: "It's done, Zhang Yanqiu's soul has been found, but it doesn't seem very ideal. The soul just now was pale and eerie, known as a green-faced ghost. This green-faced ghost is an evil spirit, but it can't take shape, apparently it was hit by a Taoist master. As for how many of the three souls and seven spirits are left, I dare not guarantee. I said that this soul is so difficult to recruit, it turns out that only one residual soul is left."

  "What?" Captain Zhang's face changed greatly, and anyone who heard it wouldn't feel good either. But who can say this clearly? Maybe Zhang Yanqiu turned into an evil spirit to harm people and was beaten by a righteous person until his soul flew away. I, who was originally excited in my heart, could only remain silent. Even if I didn't ask, I knew it wouldn't be a good thing.