Chapter 7: The Crimson Lotus Formation

  The case of theft in the financial department has no leads yet, but it's all over the headlines.

  Lao Qian told me in a tone of schadenfreude that the most useless thing is our local police station, as well as the traffic police squadron. They are not only incompetent but also have the worst temper. Recently, they've been extremely busy, with strange incidents happening at various supermarkets and accidents occurring non-stop at intersections, especially at the intersection leading to my home, where people have even seen blood. Damn it, it looks like our case won't be solved until the year of the monkey.

  I was shocked, and it seemed to be no different from what I had expected in my heart. It seems that Wuyingmen has increased its efforts, using all its strength to force the Lingdao to appear, and Li Yan's words were not wrong after all.

  Here is the translation:

  First, let's talk about the Baifu Supermarket near us. It's always bustling with people and has the best business in our area. However, recently, a series of strange things have happened. First, goods went missing without any reason, just like what happened to our finance department. They weren't really lost, but were neatly placed at the back door of Baifu Supermarket where goods are loaded and unloaded. At first, we thought it was because the goods hadn't been fully unloaded, but after a few days, we were shocked. Then, there's the strange phenomenon with the escalators between floors. Either they would suddenly stop, leaving people stranded on them, or they would spin wildly, causing many people to fall and get injured. The supermarket had to pay tens of thousands of yuan in medical expenses, fortunately, it was only external injuries, no one suffered serious harm or died. Helpless, the supermarket assigned security guards to stand at the escalator entrances, forcing people to walk up the stairs instead, which greatly affected business and made everyone nervous. The supermarket invited over ten electricians to diagnose the problem, but they all said everything was normal. Deputy Director Guo of the local police station even reviewed the surveillance footage frame by frame and deployed dozens of undercover agents to stake out the area for a week, but in the end, nothing was found.

  Here is the translation:

  To make matters worse, minor accidents involving scratches and bumps frequently occur at intersections, and from time to time, there are serious collisions between motorcycles and taxis that result in head injuries and bloodshed. According to the car owners' accounts, they all say it's terrifying - in that moment, their minds go blank, and they can only watch as the vehicles collide, without even feeling pain despite being injured. Fortunately, no one has died yet.

  The most frequent accidents occur at the intersection near my home, where the most severe incident took place. A woman carrying a child suddenly crossed the road, and a taxi failed to brake in time, colliding with them head-on. Luckily, the driver was experienced and managed to stop the vehicle, but the woman's right leg was fractured, and the child suffered a head injury.

  When asked about the accident, the woman said she hadn't intended to cross the road, but it was as if someone had pushed her from behind, and she crossed over in a daze. The child, who was also injured, spoke nonsense, saying that many bats were flying around, and he was trying to catch them.

  The two of them didn't make sense, leaving the traffic police officer confused. Although they had broken the rules, the injured parties took priority, and the taxi driver reluctantly accepted the fine, complaining that his brakes weren't working properly and that it was a living nightmare.

  The deputy mayor of the small town stationed at the Public Security Bureau, holding meetings for several days in a row. Each intersection increased police force, with special police patrols day and night, making the atmosphere tense and everyone nervous. However, every evening the TV broadcast a special program to stabilize public sentiment, saying it was a natural phenomenon, that effective measures had been taken, and people should feel at ease, without saying anything outside. The small town still attaches great importance to its external image, fearing that the current major task of attracting investment will not be completed.

  I was shocked and amazed at how intricate and elaborate this plot is.

  The official series of measures has achieved results, and the situation has eased. The propaganda campaign also cooperated closely, and the people's hearts were stabilized.

  But I know this is the darkness before dawn, the calm before a great storm.

  For several nights in a row, I couldn't sleep well, and all I could think of was the scene of blood flowing like rivers. In the middle of the night, I woke up with a cold sweat. This life is worse than being a ghost.

  It's another sleepless night, tossing and turning. If this continues, I'm really going to collapse.

  Qingshan Daochang appeared again in my room, as quiet as a ghost. At first glance, he looked like a bamboo pole, even thinner than before, with only two bright eyes that showed he was still a lively person. Standing suddenly in front of my bed in the middle of the night, I didn't feel any fear or shock at all. Instead, I felt as if I had seen an old friend and burst into tears with joy.

  I almost rolled out of bed and hugged Qing Shan Dao Chang tightly, it was like hugging a bamboo pole, but to me it was like hugging a big tree. I cried and said: "Dao Chang, something bad has happened, really bad."

  Qingshan Daochang wiped away my tears with a loving expression and said: "What's wrong? I'm here, aren't I?"

  I held back tears and nodded, this is the first time I felt at ease since returning from Nan Village.

  I thank Daozhang Tongling for his protection. However, Daozhang Qinglian's expression was grave, saying: "We can't delay any longer, you and I are destined to have a connection, and now we must work together to complete a great task. Some of my fellow daoists are still in seclusion, I originally wanted to gather everyone together, but the situation is far more severe than I imagined."

  I no longer asked randomly and knew it was related to fate. I just said: "What can I do?"

  "Let's break through this small formation first and then talk," said Dao Chang.

  "You have a righteous spirit and a strong body, with copper bells protecting you. It can only be you." Dao Chang said again.

  I nodded and said: "I don't know when I got the right spirit either. Master Dao, just give me orders."

  "You will know later, you and I must get up quickly now, and by the time of midnight when yin and yang are interchanging, we cannot miss the heavenly opportunity. Set up the red gauze formation, there are some things to tell you in detail." Dao Chang's robe was inflated at this time, nearly three times more than when he just entered the house, his vital energy had fully recovered, I quickly got up.

  "Where shall we go first?" I asked.

  "Towards home." Dao Chang had already floated away.

  "I'm driving," I said.

  "Hu nao, still wants to cross Yang!" The Taoist had already floated out for nearly half a mile.

  Arrived home. Found the air was gloomy and depressing, street lamps were shrouded in a layer of white fog, dim and unclear.

  Qing Shan Dao Chang suddenly walked on the lotus flower with his feet, I couldn't learn it, but I tightly grasped the copper bell given by Dao Chang in my hand, damn, still have to protect myself first.

  He let out a loud "Ah" and suddenly shouted loudly, which scared me.

  In the blink of an eye, Daozhang took off his outer jacket, and with a flip, inside was a bright red color. Daozhang danced like a red ball, getting faster and faster, under the dim light, it was dazzling, his feet still in lotus step shape, the red shadow occupied the entire road mouth.

  Foggy Night Starry Sky

  Suddenly, a shrill cry rose up, and from the flat ground, a swarm of blood bats flew out. The largest one was as big as a bucket, with blood-red eyes as large as eggs, and white mist spewing from its mouth, making the most ear-piercing shriek.

  The Taoist priest held a red pellet in one hand and swiftly drew out a small peach-wood sword with the other, his wild dance taking on the shape of a lotus flower.

  As the Taomu Xiaojian swooshed with a fierce gust of wind, groups of blood bats dispersed and gathered, the sword wind passing by, leaving behind fragments of corpses, and beneath his feet was already a bloody mess.

  I've seen this scene before, but I'm also going all out this time. Yelling loudly in my mouth, the original intention is to help and cheer, damn it, I can't beat you, and shouting will make the sky dark.

  The Taoist priest suddenly turned around and looked at me with a fierce gaze, his eyes were bloodshot, the corners of his eyes had cracked open revealing threads of blood, "Shut up, stabilize your true spirit, do not move your thoughts carelessly, protect the copper bell."

  I suddenly shut my mouth, apparently having made things worse. It was only then that I realized one of my hands had been tightly grasping the copper bell all along, and although there was a pool of blood at my feet, not a single vampire bat had attacked me.

  The green mountain path is long and winding, with tattered robes and shoes that are completely worn out. A faint breeze stirs up, blowing gently, making my back feel cool.

  Suddenly, Qing Shan Dao Long fell to the ground with a thud. His stiff goat beard was even swaying slightly in the wind. He raised his peach wood sword and shouted sternly, "You scoundrel, have you decided to rebel against your master?"

  At that time, the largest blood bat was suspended above Dao Chang's head, with a fierce glow in its eyes and thicker mist in its mouth, looking like it was also struggling extremely hard.

  Suddenly a gloomy voice sounded, "I am a slave, you are a farting spirit, the master passed on the sword to you, but hid my true body from me, I don't accept it!"

  "Southern Barbarian, you'd better stay put, do you know your master's recent situation?" Oh, so the leader is called Southern Barbarian.

  "That old devil is biased, I don't care." The southern barbarian's white mist grew thicker.

  "Respected Master, you've broken the seal of spiritual closure because of him. I regret not killing him that day on Sancai Road and even teaching him magic." Daozhang's head was surrounded by swirling hot air, and his peach wood sword trembled non-stop as he spoke while exchanging blows with the other party. Nanmanzi watched, sensing a dark aura, and for a time, the two were evenly matched, but it was hard to say who would win in the end, as Qing Shan Daozhang seemed to be desperately holding on.

  "Hahahaha", a burst of sinister laughter came from the Blood Bat's mouth, "That old thing is so conservative, several times blocking my grand plan to unify the Netherworld. It was that old thing who set up the Paifang Bridge on Sancai Road, trying to save Pude himself, what does it have to do with me? The broken spirit is because his cultivation wasn't enough, I stole just a bit of true spirit, he got angry and had malicious intentions, no wonder."

  Qingshan Daochang's face was now covered in blood, but his eyes were still sharp and bright. He shouted loudly, "You committed evil first, stealing Master's true spirit and using it to expand your power by transferring spirits to little ghosts everywhere! Master knew about this long ago. Your last evil deed was in the south village, where you destroyed a family and left someone young and widowed. You took advantage of their grief to occupy their thoughts. Master wanted to eliminate you, but I begged for mercy. However, you joined the Wuying Gate instead, which enraged Master's anger and attacked his heart. It was all because of you! Now that the great calamity has arrived in the world, it is again your desires that have stirred up wind and clouds. Today, I will take revenge on you on behalf of Master!"

  "My goodness, could it be that Zhang Er's widow is still connected to this matter?" I didn't dare think further.

  "Don't think that just because Master favors you, he passed on the Red Cloak Formation to you, what can you do to me?" Nanmanzi cawed loudly and eerily, with a bloody wind blowing in waves.

  Looks like this guy has learned some evil skills and is daring to challenge me now.

  The Southern Barbarian suddenly made a swift and fierce whirl, the white mist in his mouth rolled towards Qing Shan Dao Zhang's head, the peach wood sword was almost pressed to the ground. Suddenly, with a loud crash, he rushed towards Qing Shan Dao Zhang, pressing down fiercely, Qing Shan Dao Zhang's robe was torn apart, the peach wood sword was hard to wield, and that fan-like wing was about to cover Dao Zhang's head.

  I let out a cry of surprise, it's all over, this evil thing is done for. In such a hurry, what to do?

  At the moment of a thousand hooks and one shot, it was a clear and beautiful female voice that sounded in my ear: "Xin Xin, quickly bite your middle finger, shed spiritual blood to help the Daoist."

  Without thinking much, he bit his middle finger and spat it at the southern barbarian.

  It was as if a loud crackling sound was heard, and the southern barbarian seemed to have been struck by a blow to the head, letting out a pained cry, suddenly lifting his head, only to coil around Dao Zhang's head once again.

  "Have you found the spiritual knife's mark? Was it that old thing that guided you? Or are you still biased towards me, woe is me, the spiritual blood hurts me. In the end, you're just deceiving Master and being pampered by him, but you're still a good-for-nothing!" At this time, Nanmanzi's mouth was already filled with white mist turning black, panting heavily.

  "Who cares about the spiritual blood or not, go to hell with your spiritual knife and its marks! I don't care anymore. Since it's useful, I'll splatter my hot blood all over you!" I thought resentfully in my heart. I raised my middle finger and sprayed it around me non-stop.

  The words were spoken too late, the moment was swift. Where blood splattered, a swarm of bats let out a mournful cry and flew up in unison; those who were lightly wounded fell to the ground. The Southern Barbarian let out a series of anguished cries as he rapidly fled southward, "Old thing, wait for me, I'll be back!"

  Bloodstains on the ground, it turned out that they followed the swarm of blood bats as they rose and departed, suddenly rising from the flat ground, converging into a column of blood, and flying away together, disappearing in an instant.

  It suddenly dawned on me that the female voice just now was Li Yan's.

  Qingshan Daochang had already stood up, his face still covered in blood, and said: "Alas, our sect is unfortunate to have such a grievance, thanks to you for taking action."

  Suddenly, Qing Shan Dao's blood-red face froze, the peach wood sword was raised again, and he shouted loudly: "Which demon is hiding, why not show up?"

  In an instant, a red figure flashed before him, and with a soft rustle, she fell to her knees in front of Qing Shan Daozhang.

  It's really Li Yan.

  The Taoist in red robes danced again and suddenly rushed towards Li Yan on the ground, saying: "Residual ghost defeated yin, also come to make a disturbance."

  I took a swift step forward and pounced on Li Yan, using my body to pin her down. The red cloak fell onto my back.

  I'm naturally not surprised. Suddenly busy getting up, took the red robe and said to Daozhang: "This is a good ghost."

  Qingshan Dao stared at me absent-mindedly.

  Li Yan was crying on the ground, "Master Dao save me!"