"What did you say?"
Elder Bamboo looked at Chen Miao.
"I know the Six Livestock Art. Whatever she could do, I can do too."
Seeing how composed Chen Miao was, Elder Bamboo lost his smile and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Prove it."
"I don't have the materials."
The paper-offering man walked over.
"What materials do you need?"
"Talisman paper, a talisman brush, an inkstone, chicken blood, cinnabar, a doll, a ghost, pagoda tree wood-"
"What are you going to make?"
"A Six Livestock Doll. Would that count as proof?"
Elder Bamboo did not answer. The paper-offering man had already left.
Turning around, Elder Bamboo addressed the others. "Everyone, please wait outside. If our fellow practitioner here can prove everything he said, then... the plan will proceed."
At that, the others glanced at Chen Miao and left the space, including the three people released from the bamboo strips and Infant Man, who had severed his own wrist.
In the end, only Chen Miao, Elder Bamboo, Old Ghost, Old Woman, and the paper-offering woman remained in the space.
Old Ghost walked over.
"Young man, do you really know the Six Livestock Art?"
Chen Miao smiled and nodded.
"My studies are pretty varied. I know a little of everything, but I'm more of a jack of all trades than a master of any."
Old Ghost suddenly found himself reconsidering what it meant to be a jack of all trades.
"Then were you so sure you'd survive after killing her? And how did you know that knowing the Six Livestock Art would save you?"
Chen Miao shook his head.
"I wasn't sure. But if I didn't kill her, I'd die. If I killed her, I might survive. I knew perfectly well which choice to make."
"Why wouldn't I take a deal with everything to