Two Techniques

Early morning.

The sun had just risen, and Zheng Que immediately set out for the ruined temple.

Qing Li drifted along, her translucent figure hovering in the air as she followed close behind.

Tap, tap, tap...

On the bluestone road, shrouded in a thin morning mist, the lone footsteps made the surroundings seem especially quiet.

The doors and windows of every household were tightly shut. The vegetable plots in their courtyards lay overgrown, and the sounds of crowing roosters and barking dogs were faint and feeble. The town was growing more and more lifeless... Lost in thought, Zheng Que had already passed through the streets and alleys and arrived at the ruined temple.

He stopped before the courtyard gate, straightened his clothes, then strode right inside.

Everything in the courtyard was as it had been, except the Hanging Ghost was no longer in the shadow of the withered old tree.

Zheng Que continued down the weed-choked path. This time, Qing Li didn't follow him. Instead, she edged slowly along the base of the wall and into the shade of the dead tree, seemingly terrified of whatever dwelled in the ruined temple.

Creak.

He pushed open the half-shut temple door. Daylight spilled inside, and dust drifted soundlessly through the air. A gray-robed figure sat quietly within.

Daoist Qu was just as he had been the day before, sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion with his eyes closed as he rested. The curtains of the shrine behind him hung low, shrouding it in deep gloom.

Zheng Que stepped forward and bowed. "This disciple pays his respects to Master."

Daoist Qu gave a slight nod, opened his eyes, and looked out into the courtyard.

After a long while, he finally said calmly, "It seems like she's gained intelligence, yet not quite. It seems like she's been enlightened, yet not quite."

"The Ghost Servant you have now must have encountered some kind of fortune."

Zheng Que immediately replied with utmost respect, "Master's discerning eye is flawless!"

"After this disciple returned last night, I immediately began cultivating. Once I finished, the Female Hanging Ghost had become as she is now."

Whether it was the Life and Death Book or the existence of the Underworld, both were earth-shattering secrets!

And yet he, the one who knew this secret, was currently only a novice cultivator who had just entered the Dao.

If even the slightest hint leaked out, he would surely be doomed beyond redemption!

Therefore, before he truly grew strong, he would not let anyone learn of this matter.

Not even those closest to him!

Thinking of this, Zheng Que added, "If Master is interested, this disciple can go ask the Female Hanging Ghost later."

Daoist Qu shook his head with an impassive expression. "No need."

"All things are impermanent; birth and death follow cause and effect."

"This is the karma between you and the Female Hanging Ghost. It has nothing to do with me."

As he spoke, his gaze settled on Zheng Que. He didn't continue the subject, but instead turned to the day's business. "You have already learned the Ghost Controlling Technique."

"Today, I'll teach you two techniques. The first is called the Yin Gathering Technique."

"The incantation for this technique is..."

As he spoke, Daoist Qu began forming the hand seals, demonstrating every detail to Zheng Que.

Zheng Que listened with rapt attention. The Yin Gathering Technique could gather dark clouds within a certain area and block the sunlight, allowing a Ghost Servant's strength to remain unaffected during the day.

Compared to the Ghost Controlling Technique, the Yin Gathering Technique was much simpler. After all, it was only a supporting technique.

Daoist Qu soon finished explaining the Yin Gathering Technique, then continued, "The second is called the Spirit Eye Technique."

"This technique must not be used too often. Otherwise, the yin energy in your body will build up in your eyes, diminishing your eyesight and even making you blind."

"Its incantation is..."

Zheng Que carefully watched Daoist Qu demonstrate the Spirit Eye Technique.

Like the Yin Gathering Technique, the Spirit Eye Technique was also a supporting technique, and it wasn't difficult to cultivate.

This technique gathered the spiritual energy within his body in his eyes, allowing him to see things invisible to the naked eye.

Besides that, the Spirit Eye Technique could reveal the aura of other cultivators or ghosts, letting him judge how strong his opponents were.

Of course, if an opponent's cultivation was far beyond his own, the Spirit Eye Technique couldn't see through them either.

A moment later, Daoist Qu finished explaining the two techniques and gave his instructions without beating around the bush. "Cultivate these two techniques properly."

"Come back tomorrow. I'll test you."

Zheng Que rose at once and bowed. "Yes!"

After taking his leave of his master, he walked out of the ruined temple and immediately saw Qing Li hanging herself from the withered old tree again. Her pale skirts cascaded in layers, fluttering in the wind. Her black hair fell like a waterfall, concealing her face. Her lifeless stillness gave off a quiet, desolate serenity.

Zheng Que beckoned to Qing Li, then walked out of the courtyard.

As soon as he stepped outside, Zheng Que spotted someone he knew. The man wore a blue short jacket and looked deeply troubled. He was pacing back and forth in an open space nearby, his hands tucked into his sleeves. It was Zhao the Second.

Zhao the Second looked dazed, as if he hadn't rested in a long time. When he saw Zheng Que, he froze briefly before coming back to himself. Then he hurried over and asked with some agitation, "Zheng Que, have you become an Immortal Master's disciple?"

Zheng Que nodded. Daoist Qu coming to this remote town to take on disciples was no secret. And Zheng Que had been visiting the ruined temple every day lately, so anyone who paid a little attention could figure out that he had successfully become Daoist Qu's disciple.

Thinking of this, Zheng Que asked, "Second Brother Zhao, what's the matter?"

Seeing that Zheng Que really had become an Immortal Master's disciple, Zhao the Second visibly relaxed. Then, somewhat nervously, he asked, "Can you use magic now?"

Magic?

Zheng Que glanced at Zhao the Second and immediately remembered the argument he'd overheard while passing by the man's house the other day.

If nothing unexpected had happened, Zhao the Second had come to find him today because of that incident...

After thinking it over, Zheng Que nodded. "I've just learned a little."

As soon as he heard that Zheng Que really could use magic, Zhao the Second's expression relaxed considerably. He quickly went to the side, picked up a basket from the grass, and brought it over. It was full of eggs. He held it out to Zheng Que and said quietly, "Zheng Que, I suspect the woman I married isn't human!"

"But my mother won't believe me at all. She even insists that I live with that woman."

"From the day we got married until now, these past few days, I haven't been able to sleep a wink."

"We've been neighbors for years. You have to help me!"

As he spoke, Zhao the Second kept trying to press the basket into Zheng Que's hands.

Looking at the basket of eggs still smeared with dust and chicken droppings, Zheng Que remained calm. This world was not as prosperous and wealthy as his previous one. Eggs were already a precious food for ordinary households. Under normal circumstances, people only got to eat them when they were sick, giving birth, or nursing.

However, he was already a cultivator, and he no longer needed food as much as ordinary people did.

After thinking for a moment, Zheng Que said, "Second Brother Zhao, I have something to take care of right now. I'll come by your house later and have a look."

[Note] "All things are impermanent; birth and death follow cause and effect" was adapted from the verse in the Shurangama Sutra: "All things are impermanent; the nature of thought is originally subject to birth and death. Cause and effect now differ, so how can one attain perfect penetration?"