Under the moonlight, the outlines of Xiao Yan's rather desolate courtyard gradually came into focus. Pushing his creaking "Ritual Altar," Xiao Yi crept up to the courtyard gate like a thief prowling through the night.
He tilted his head and listened for a moment. After confirming there were no unusual sounds inside, he climbed over the wall, then took a slender piece of wire from his robes and fiddled with the lock. With a soft click, the lock sprang open.
Quick as a flash, Xiao Yi caught the lock before it could fall to the ground. He quietly opened the gate, pulled in the Ritual Altar that carried all his hopes, and placed it in a relatively open spot in the middle of the courtyard. Once everything was ready, he locked the gate again to prevent his "patient" from escaping.
Next, Xiao Yi checked the arrangement of his "ritual implements" once more, making sure the Talismans, Blood Bowl, Ore Powder, and everything else were in their proper places. Then he took a deep breath and solemnly hung the silver-gray Cross around his neck. The cold metal pressed against his skin, bringing a strange sense of peace.
He then picked up the little Bronze Bell tied with red string from one side of the "Ritual Altar" and held it in his left hand. His right hand tightly gripped the crude Wooden Sword in which he had placed such high hopes. With everything ready, he rose onto his toes and stole toward Xiao Yan's closed bedroom door, silent as a nimble cat.
The room was pitch-black, with only faint moonlight filtering through the window to trace the furniture's hazy outlines. Holding his breath, Xiao Yi gently pushed open the door and slipped inside. He immediately spotted the mound beneath the covers and heard the steady breathing coming from it.
Excellent. The target is still asleep. The time has come!
A crafty gleam flashed through Xiao Yi's eyes, and he hesitated no longer. He quickly skewered several coarse-paper Talismans smeared with Black Rock Lizard blood and red ore powder on the tip of his Peachwood Sword. Then he pulled his homemade Lighter from his robes and ignited the Talismans with a whoosh! Flames instantly leaped up, flickering brightly in the dark room and illuminating Xiao Yi's slightly excited face.
"Hah! What foul creature dares devour this Daoist master's... ahem, this young master's Dou Qi! Today, I shall subdue you!"
Xiao Yi violently shook the Bronze Bell in his left hand, its clear, piercing chimes abruptly shattering the night's silence. At the same time, he brandished the Peachwood Sword with its burning Talismans and loudly recited a "sacred invocation" he had concocted himself, mixing terminology from Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity!
"Aaaah!!!"
Xiao Yan jolted awake and sprang out from beneath the covers, letting out an exceptionally shrill, almost cracking, feminine scream! Bleary-eyed and utterly terrified, he stared at the intruder wielding a burning wooden sword, chanting bizarre incantations, and ringing a bell like mad. For a moment, he thought he was having a nightmare.
"Lunatic! Crazy Ghost, you lunatic!" Recognizing the intruder, Xiao Yan nearly had his soul scared out of his body. He scrambled off the bed, yanked open the door without a second thought, and charged into the courtyard!
"Where do you think you're running? Watch me capture you, you 'Qi-Sucking Ghost'!"
Seeing this, Xiao Yi grew even more imposing and chased him outside, waving the burning Peachwood Sword. As he ran, he flicked the nearly burned-out Talismans from the blade toward Xiao Yan. Trailing sparks, the burning scraps of paper flew like hidden weapons toward the fleeing Xiao Yan.
"Spirits of heaven, spirits of earth! Hallelujah! Boundless Heavenly Venerable! Swiftly, swiftly, obey the decree!"
Scared into scurrying like a rat with his hands over his head, Xiao Yan ran desperate circles around the small courtyard. He cursed nonstop but dared not stop, terrified that one of those burning "hidden weapons" would touch him. Beneath the silent night sky, shrill cries, clear bell chimes, Xiao Yi's nonsensical chanting, and pounding footsteps formed an utterly absurd, comical scene. In the shadows beside the courtyard wall, Ling Ying covered his mouth, his shoulders trembling slightly as he fought back laughter.
With burning Talismans flying around the courtyard like fireworks, Xiao Yan was frightened out of his wits and could do nothing but flee with his hands over his head. Xiao Yi was getting carried away with the chase. Seeing that ordinary "Talisman attacks" seemed to have limited effect and only kept his opponent running ragged, he rolled his eyes, and a plan came to mind.
Xiao Yi yanked the Cross pendant from his chest, holding the cold metal in his palm. He cleared his throat and imitated the solemn tone of a priest from his memories. Though the result was neither fish nor fowl, it certainly sounded imposing.
"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit... uh, begone, evil demon!" Before his words had even faded, he hurled the Cross at the back of Xiao Yan's head!
The silver-gray Cross traced a small arc through the air and struck Xiao Yan squarely on the crown with a thunk. The blow was not powerful, but it was enough to make the running Xiao Yan cry out in pain and stumble, nearly falling.
"Ow! You lunatic! What the hell are you doing?!" Xiao Yan clutched the back of his head, where a lump had instantly risen, and turned to roar in fear and fury. "Are you dressed like that to catch hopping corpses?! And you're even wearing a cross! Neither properly Chinese nor properly Western-what the hell are you trying to pull?!"
"Hmph! Against a 'Qi-Sucking Ghost' like you, naturally I have to combine Eastern and Western treatments for better results!" Xiao Yi replied smugly, never pausing his hands. He abruptly raised his hand and snapped the string of half-polished "Buddhist Prayer Beads" threaded on coarse hemp cord. With a twang, the cord broke, and a dozen or so wooden beads of different sizes and shapes scattered toward Xiao Yan like hidden weapons!
Still shaken, Xiao Yan was caught completely off guard by this sudden "Buddhist Prayer Bead attack." His foot landed on a bead and slipped, sending him crashing onto his backside with a thud. Before he could get up, Xiao Yi darted forward, puffed out his cheeks, and spat a mouthful of thick red liquid mixed from Black Rock Lizard blood and ore powder straight into Xiao Yan's face with a pfft!
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! Bastard! You... what did you spit on me?!" Xiao Yan's face was splattered all over. The bloody, astringent smell shot straight up his nose and nearly made him vomit. He frantically tried to wipe the filth from his face, his eyes full of fear as he looked at Xiao Yi.
"Where do you think you're escaping? Behold my ultimate strike!" Xiao Yi seemed to have become addicted to the game-or rather, he felt he was getting closer and closer to the truth. He raised the Peachwood Sword again, swiftly skewered a fresh Talisman on it, and set it alight. Chanting an even more chaotic incantation, he pushed off with both legs and leaped three feet into the air!
"Stay away from me!!" Xiao Yan shouted, scrambling backward on his hands and feet as he tried to distance himself from his increasingly "deranged" sworn elder brother.
"Celestial Master, subdue the demon! Jesus, exorcise the ghost! Buddha, manifest your power! Break!"
Seeing the Peachwood Sword wreathed in eerie flames about to slash down onto him, Xiao Yan instinctively raised his right hand to block. The ancient Black Ring he always wore on his finger met the descending sword tip and burning Talisman head-on!
Sizzle! A faint sound rang out, like cold water splashing into hot oil. The instant the burning Talisman touched the ring, the ancient Black Ring erupted with an intense burst of white light! Then an almost transparent, illusory figure carrying an aged aura was forcibly "struck" out of the ring and appeared in midair, staggering!
The courtyard instantly fell deathly silent. Xiao Yi remained frozen in his sword-swinging stance, staring dumbfounded at the translucent old man who had suddenly appeared before him. Still sprawled miserably on the ground, Xiao Yan forgot to get up, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. Even Ling Ying, concealed in the darkness, abruptly emerged from the shadows. His amused spectator's expression froze, replaced by unparalleled shock!
"Wh... what is going on?!" all three said in unison.
Before you continue