The technique Master used should have been called a targeted "Soul-Return Technique."
Using his own blood to mark a doll, then invoking the summoned soul's name within a certain area to forcibly call it back.
The moment he issued the command, the straw doll Master had thrown into the pool sank straight beneath the water with a splash.
Then, something strange happened.
The water in the pool suddenly grew turbulent.
Huge bubbles rose with loud gurgles, and the pool water began to churn violently.
The sound of splashing continued...
As those massive bubbles surfaced, flickering flames appeared across the water's surface.
Not only that, the pool, which had shown no abnormalities before—
As the water roiled and huge bubbles emerged one after another—
Visible sinister baleful energy began spreading across the pool's surface...
"Master, there's baleful energy."
I was startled. I hadn't sensed a thing just moments ago.
But now, dense sinister baleful energy was continuously rising from within the pool.
Master's expression darkened as well.
"Has Zhuang Sheng turned into a baleful spirit?"
As Master spoke in surprise, the entire pool became like boiling water.
Massive bubbles kept rising with loud gurgles, while strands of black, malevolent baleful energy continuously spread from within the pool.
"Zhuang Sheng, can you still hear your master's voice?"
Master spoke lowly toward the pool.
But in the next instant, there was a splash from within the water. A gigantic black clawed hand stretched straight out of the hot spring pool and grabbed at Master.
The claw was enormous, its five fingers spread wide enough to easily grasp a grown adult.
Its arm was black as ink, billowing with thick black mist. It was covered in densely packed swastika-like symbols, but unlike the orthodox manji, they faced the opposite direction.
Who knew what kind