Engraving Spirit Patterns

Chapter 39: Engraving Spirit Patterns

Closing the courtyard gate, Shi Yue took out the Heaven Controlling Bead. After a moment's thought, he walked to the Spirit Field, squatted down, and dug a pit in the earth.

"What are you doing, Shi kid! We can talk things out, we can talk things out. Don't do anything rash!" Xiaoyaozi's voice was a little hurried.

Shi Yue ignored him. He wrapped the Heaven Controlling Bead in a silk cloth, placed it in the pit, and then filled it with soil, burying the Heaven Controlling Bead in the dirt.

"Shi kid, are you crazy? Why are you burying the Heaven Controlling Bead for no reason? Let's talk properly, don't be rash!" Xiaoyaozi's voice grew more urgent.

Shi Yue still didn't pay attention to Xiaoyaozi. He used a stone to mark the spot where the Heaven Controlling Bead was buried and then left his residence.

Although Xiaoyaozi hadn't revealed his true terrifying nature yet, Shi Yue was still worried about being taken over by such an unknown entity. Since he now had a thousand Contribution Points, he could go to the Spring Return Hall to engrave Spirit Patterns that would prevent Body Seizure.

Lost in thought, Shi Yue summoned his Leaf Magic Tool and flew away on it.

After the time it takes for a cup of tea to brew, Shi Yue landed in a bamboo forest. About a hundred meters ahead stood a pavilion over ten zhang tall.

The entire pavilion was constructed from wood, with not a single stone used.

A blue plaque hung on the pavilion's main door, inscribed with three large blue characters: "Spring Return Hall."

The pavilion's main door was tightly shut. Near the entrance, there was a wooden frame, about a person tall, on which hung a blue bronze bell the size of a washbasin. Beside it lay a small blue hammer.

Shi Yue had visited the Spring Return Hall several times before and was quite familiar with its layout.

He quickly walked to the wooden frame, picked up the small blue hammer, and gently struck the blue bronze bell three times.

Three clear bell tolls, "Dang, dang, dang," rang out.

The tightly shut pavilion door slowly swung open.

Seeing this, Shi Yue strode inside.

Upon entering the pavilion, he was greeted by a spacious hall. Inside, there was a blue wooden chair and a blue wooden table. A rosy-cheeked old man in a green robe sat on the bamboo chair, holding a thick book.

"Disciple Shi Yue pays his respects to Uncle-Master Chen," Shi Yue said, bowing respectfully.

"Mm, speak. What brings you here? Are you poisoned or have you been infected by an evil spirit?" the old man in the green robe asked calmly, putting down his book.

"Disciple may have encountered something unclean," Shi Yue replied honestly.

To be frank, Shi Yue wasn't sure if he had truly gotten rid of Xiaoyaozi. He was worried that Xiaoyaozi might have left some kind of mark on him.

"Something unclean?" The old man in the green robe's face showed a hint of interest at his words.

With a flip of his palm, a bronze mirror, about the size of his hand, appeared.

"This Evil Warding Mirror can detect if there's anything unclean on you. However, the process might be a bit painful, so you'll have to bear with it," the old man said calmly.

"Yes, disciple understands." Shi Yue nodded. It was a matter of his life, so no matter how painful it was, he would endure it.

The old man in the green robe pointed the bronze mirror at Shi Yue and injected some Magical Power into it. A beam of yellow light shot out, instantly entering Shi Yue's body.

As the yellow light entered him, Shi Yue felt a warmth spread through his body, followed by a sharp, piercing pain that shot into his mind. He let out an involuntary scream.

The old man in the green robe ignored him, shaking the bronze mirror in his hand. The yellow light began to scan Shi Yue's body inch by inch.

Seeing this, Shi Yue could only grit his teeth, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead.

A moment later, the old man in the green robe withdrew his Magical Power. With a flip of his palm, the bronze mirror disappeared. He glanced at Shi Yue and said coldly:

"There's nothing unclean on you. You're perfectly fine. However, since I've performed the examination, there will be a fee. Thirty Contribution Points."

"But I still feel somewhat uncomfortable, as if a ghost is constantly by my side, making it hard to sleep," Shi Yue said, relieved. He then remembered something and spoke hesitantly.

"If you're still worried, you can have some Spirit Patterns engraved on you. These Spirit Patterns can prevent Body Seizure. Low-level spirits that touch you will be annihilated. However, this requires two hundred Contribution Points. Including the previous examination fee, that's a total of two hundred and thirty Contribution Points. Payment first." The old man in the green robe said calmly, then produced a silver jade plate and made some gestures on it.

"Alright! Then engrave the Spirit Patterns on me." Shi Yue agreed, took out his identity token, and lightly swiped it across the silver jade plate in the old man's hand. Two hundred and thirty Contribution Points vanished.

"Follow me." The old man in the green robe put away the silver jade plate, instructed, and then stood up, heading towards the second floor.

Shi Yue nodded and quickly followed.

The second floor was narrower than the main hall and completely empty.

"Sit down and take off your shirt," the old man in the green robe said, pointing to a bare spot on the floor.

Shi Yue didn't dare to delay. He honestly took off his shirt, leaving his upper body bare.

The old man in the green robe walked behind Shi Yue and took out a Golden Awl, a Silver Talisman Brush, a blue wooden box, and a thin booklet from his storage bag.

The old man in the green robe opened the booklet to a certain page. Using the Golden Awl, he pricked out mysterious patterns on Shi Yue's back. He then wiped away the oozing blood with a white cloth, opened the wooden box, and dipped the Silver Talisman Brush into the Golden Liquid inside. He then drew mysterious patterns on Shi Yue's back.

Half an hour later, the old man in the green robe put down the brush. Dozens of mysterious Golden Runes now adorned Shi Yue's back, emitting a faint golden light and looking quite extraordinary.

"Alright, you can put your clothes back on. Remember, although these Spirit Patterns can prevent spirit possession, they are only effective against low-level spirits. They cannot block high-level ones. Also, each activation of these Spirit Patterns will consume some of your vital essence. If you don't need them in the future, it's best to wash them off. You can use licorice root mixed with wood ash to remove them, or even urine." The old man in the green robe said word by word.

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master Chen." Shi Yue cupped his fists in thanks, put on his clothes, and walked downstairs.

After Shi Yue left the pavilion, the main door automatically closed again.

Upon returning to his residence, Shi Yue immediately dug out the Heaven Controlling Bead.

"I told you, Shi kid, don't be rash. Let's talk properly." As soon as Shi Yue dug out the Heaven Controlling Bead, Xiaoyaozi's voice echoed in his mind.

"You don't know what I was doing?" Shi Yue stared at the Heaven Controlling Bead, asking with a strange expression.

"Do you think I'm a reincarnated immortal? How could I possibly know what you were doing?" Xiaoyaozi replied somewhat indignantly.

Shi Yue breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his guess was correct. Xiaoyaozi was trapped within the Heaven Controlling Bead and couldn't leave. As long as he didn't carry the Heaven Controlling Bead with him, Xiaoyaozi had no way of knowing what he was up to.

"By the way, let me remind you, if anyone asks how you managed to store so much urine, how will you answer?" Xiaoyaozi asked.