False Relic's Daytime Flight, Through Fire and Water

Chen Cuo jolted in alarm!

Thoughts flashed through his mind—

Chen Jiao, the Paper Crane, the old beggar!

"Stop the carriage!"

Chen Hai hurried forward and called out, "His Lordship's orders! Stop the carriage, quickly!"

The Ox Cart came to a halt.

Chen Cuo jumped down and raced toward the spot where the old beggar had been. By the time he got there, no one was in sight.

"Where is he?"

Chen Cuo wasn't about to give up. He summoned Chen Hai and several servants, gave them a quick description of the old beggar, and sent them to search the nearby streets.

Chen Hai and the others were full of questions. Why had their lord suddenly stopped the carriage to look for an old beggar? But over the past few days, Chen Cuo had grown more commanding. They dared not disobey and did as ordered.

Chen Cuo kept searching too. He picked an alley and charged down it, glancing into every side lane and at every building as he ran.

By the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Chen Hai and the servants had regrouped and found Chen Cuo. They had found nothing. Neither had he.

Maybe the Evil Ghost has me so on edge that I'm seeing things. What are the odds that some old beggar on the street is the one who was with Chen Jiao's Paper Crane all those years ago? Beggars aren't rare in Jiankang City, and neither are old ones. I just haven't seen many along Qingxi Creek. Not every beggar I pass can be a hidden master wandering the mortal world. This isn't a novel!

He sighed and returned to the Ox Cart, though he still felt reluctant to let it go.

So many people looked for him and found nothing. That's a little strange, isn't it?

He rubbed his forehead and sighed again and again.

Ah, if I pin my hopes on a chance encounter or a savior, my fate is still out of my hands. If I could learn the Way of Incense, that would solve the problem outright. But judging by Daoist Zhou's attitude, even if he knows it, I probably won't get it without becoming his disciple. For now, I'd better find a temple to hide in. Which one, though? I don't know much about temples, and the Southern Dynasty has far too many of them.

As he thought, he glanced at the box beside him.

Then there's the pill and the Ink Crane. If the Ink Crane can warn me about the Evil Ghost, it's valuable indeed. I'll use it as soon as I get home, before anything else happens...

The mask in Dream Marsh came back to mind. He shook his head and pushed the thought away.

Chen Cuo held on until they reached the Marquis's Residence, then went straight to his Study. He couldn't wait to put the Ink Crane to use.

He took out the brocade pouch Zhou Youzi had given him, opened it, and pulled out a Note. He unfolded it and froze.

There was only one sentence on it.

"Drip blood upon it. It shall belong to one of virtue, who will receive its protection."

Chen Cuo sank into thought.

"..."

Wasn't that a little too simple?

"Even plenty of novels think binding something with a drop of blood is too silly and make up more elaborate methods. Why am I getting this here?"

Frowning, he turned the Note over and examined it from every angle. In the end, he even lit an oil lamp and a candle in broad daylight and held the paper over them.

"No hidden writing. Should I soak it in water?"

At last, he stopped and laughed at himself.

"The Evil Ghost's got me anxious. No need to soak it or burn it. The Daoist gave me this pouch when he left and said it explained how to use the Ink Crane. Why hide some secret in it? Not at a time like this."

He ran a finger over the words "one of virtue" again and again.

"That's usually what experts say when they're taking a treasure for themselves. Here, it probably means Merit. Otherwise, Daoist Zhou wouldn't have emphasized Public Esteem. Ah, and that's what got me into this mess! If so, the blood might only be the first step. Merit may be what actually makes it work. The instructions aren't the problem; meeting the condition is. If I managed to bring an Evil Ghost into being, surely I've got enough to activate this thing?"

With that thought, Chen Cuo stopped hesitating. He searched the Study but found nothing sharp, so he called a maid and asked her to bring him a needle.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen much of Cui Ju today..."

Chen Cuo took the silver needle from the maid. The stray thought vanished as he carefully opened the wooden box and took out the ink-black jade crane.

His earlier glance had been too hurried to make out the details. Now, turning it over in his hands, Chen Cuo examined it carefully from every angle and couldn't help marveling. It was truly a work of art, carved with such precision, smooth all over and seamless, as if formed by nature, without a trace of tool marks.

What was more, up close Chen Cuo could even see fine lines on its surface, like the texture of coarse paper.

There are wonders enough in this world. Maybe someone turned a Paper Crane into jade!

Muttering to himself, he set down the Ink Crane, picked up the fine needle, took a deep breath, and pricked a finger!

The Note hadn't said how much blood to use, only to drip it on. So Chen Cuo pricked his finger, smeared a drop of blood onto the Ink Crane's surface, and waited quietly, watching it.

"Nothing's happening. Did it activate or not?"

Chen Cuo muttered to himself, wondering whether to smear on a little more blood, when his vision suddenly swam. A wave of dizziness hit him, and he reached out to steady himself against the edge of the table. A faint breeze rose from his body and gathered around the Ink Crane in an instant. Wind had no shape, yet Chen Cuo could clearly sense it.

The Ink Crane trembled slightly and gave a clear chime. Then it flapped its wings and rose lightly into the air, as though it were alive!

Chen Cuo stared in amazement. Fighting the dizziness, he looked at the delicate thing before him and reached out to touch it.

In an instant, the dizziness faded and his awareness extended outward. Chen Cuo froze, feeling as if he had grown another pair of eyes on the Ink Crane. He could actually see himself!

The disorienting shift in perspective made his head spin. He quickly closed his eyes.

With his own eyes shut, the Ink Crane's view stood out even more. It was like a small child looking up at an adult.

The adult sat in a chair with his eyes closed. It was Chen Cuo himself.

"Interesting! Very interesting!"

Chen Cuo's curiosity surged.

"It's just like a drone!"

He commanded the Ink Crane to fly higher.

The Ink Crane beat its wings and climbed, but suddenly another wave of dizziness struck. Exhaustion flooded Chen Cuo, sinking into his bones!

Vaguely, he felt as if a string had been pulled taut to the point of snapping!

This is bad! The next moment, his viewpoint was wrenched away from the Ink Crane.

The Ink Crane wobbled as it fell.

Chen Cuo hurriedly opened his eyes and lunged forward, fumbling to catch the Ink Crane, afraid his treasure would hit the floor and break.

Cradling it in his hands, Chen Cuo breathed a sigh of relief. Looking down, he found that although he could no longer see through it, he still felt a strange connection to the little thing. He marveled at it and treasured it all the more.

I'd better store it carefully. Jade breaks easily...

He put the Ink Crane away again, rubbed his forehead, and lay down on the couch.

I've been through a lot today. Too much has happened, and my fortunes have swung every which way. I'm worn out. Controlling the Ink Crane seems to drain my energy too. I should get some rest...

Before long, he fell fast asleep...

And went straight into Dream Marsh.

Looking out over the endless white haze, Chen Cuo began to wonder.

Does this count as resting?

He shook his head. The mask floated not far away; Chen Cuo looked at it, gritted his teeth, and turned away.

After a few steps, he came upon a pile of books and stopped.

If I write another story about a savior monk or a living bodhisattva, could I bring him into reality too and have him fight the Evil Ghost? Then I could reap the benefits while they battled.

After a moment's thought, Chen Cuo made his decision.

He would not tempt fate again.

He had originally wanted to write another chapter to strengthen his Public Esteem. Now he gave up on that too. Until he dealt with the Evil Ghost, it was best to stop updating. Who knew what the next chapter might bring into being?

For the sake of everyone under heaven, I'll bear the pain of putting the story on hold!

His resolve firm, Chen Cuo set off again.

Time to look at the pill. I can't use the Ink Crane in Dream Marsh...

The thought brought him up short.

Wait! How do I know I can't if I haven't tried?

Chen Cuo perked up at once. He looked around, found a spot, and sat down.

I should toss a bed or a chair in here. Even in a dream, I'm stuck sitting on the ground... After muttering that, he thought of the Ink Crane and tried to reach it.

Whoosh!

As soon as the thought formed, his senses extended outward. Once again, Chen Cuo's view appeared through the Ink Crane!

And the fatigue was much weaker this time!

It worked! It really worked!

Delight filled him!

Now I can give it a proper try.

With a thought, Chen Cuo woke from the dream. He got up, removed the lid covering the Ink Crane, and lay back down.

"What a bother."

Back in Dream Marsh, Chen Cuo sat down again. He thought of the Ink Crane, extended his senses to it, and gave it a command. From within the dream, he began to control it.

In the Mortal World, the Ink Crane rose unsteadily into the air.

After circling the room for a while, he grew bolder and steered the Ink Crane toward the window.

The moment it flew outside, a gust of wind hit it. Chen Cuo felt a biting chill, so he guided the Ink Crane higher, hoping to rise above the wall's shadow and find the sun.

But as soon as it cleared the wall, scorching heat struck, followed by freezing cold. The sudden swings between hot and cold caught him off guard!

The heat seared; the cold hit with savage force.

Chen Cuo's mind reeled. Heat burned inside him while cold gripped his whole body. Startled, he instinctively brought the Ink Crane lower.

As it rose and fell, it traveled several more feet and ended up in the alley outside the residence, wobbling unsteadily. But the alley sheltered it from sunlight and wind, and much of his discomfort faded.

What happened? Controlling the Ink Crane is this dangerous? I nearly passed out just now. If I hadn't been dreaming, I might have lost control and smashed it...

Chen Cuo was still puzzling it over when a figure appeared in the Ink Crane's view, cutting off his train of thought.

An old beggar sat cross-legged at the street corner!