This way, when he dotted the paper figures' eyes in a moment, they would naturally carry the aura of a living person.
Once the ink was ready, he placed the deathbed rice-a bowl of uncooked rice with three sticks of incense inserted into it-in front of the two paper figures.
Then he laid the well-water-soaked yellow paper on the ground, all the way from the grove to the railway tracks. This was the spirit road the paper figures would walk along shortly.
Finally, Cui Jiuyang took out two pig hearts, held two fingers together like a blade, and trimmed and carved the hearts into the shape of human hearts.
He then carried the two pig hearts over and stuffed them into the paper figures' chest cavities.
The old man who made the paper effigies really did know his trade. Opening the chests of the two Empty Husks revealed cages of thin bamboo strips at the heart positions, just large enough to hold the pig hearts.
Then he lit seven white candles around the two paper figures.
Strangely enough, although these were ordinary candles bought at a general store, all seven flames now glowed an eerie green.
Seeing that the appointed time had nearly arrived, Cui Jiuyang first lit the three incense sticks in the deathbed rice, then picked up the weasel-hair brush, loaded it with ink, and walked up to the paper figures.
He chanted, "Dot the dragon's eyes, bind souls to paper effigies; borrow your forms to stand in for true bodies. Rise!"
With four swift strokes, he dotted the eyes of both paper figures.
Master Tiger's keen ears heard the two pig hearts inside the paper figures... thump, thump, thump. They began beating, slowly at first, then faster!
Cui Jiuyang darted aside.
Three wisps of blue smoke rose