Watch for My Signal

The Black Yao were little known among the sixty-four kingdoms of the Western Regions, for their people were few and lived scattered far apart. They could even be found in the northwestern lands controlled by the New Han Dynasty.

Huang Huaji had once led troops on campaigns in the northwest, so it was perfectly normal for him to have Black Yao People among his personal guards.

The Black Yao tribe was rather mysterious. They worshipped the Unborn Great Black Heavenly God, and many of their children were born with jade in their mouths. Instead of crying at birth, they shouted. It was said that their first shout sounded like a tiger's bone snapping and was extremely effective at warding off evil.

When these children grew up, they could commune with spirits and possessed an inborn ability to suppress evil and drive away malevolent forces.

Xie Hama said, "General Huang didn't seek out the Heaven-Listening Bureau when something uncanny happened at his estate. It must be as he said: this is a family matter, perhaps even a family scandal. Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public."

"But he couldn't leave this uncanny business unresolved. My guess is that General Huang sent his Black Yao People guards to suppress the evil. Now it looks like at least one of them died because of it, which means this must be very difficult to handle."

Wang Qilin asked, "Then should we go take a look?"

Xie Hama suddenly grew cautious. "No. We're going back."

"Huh?"

"A Black Yao who could serve as General Huang's personal guard certainly wasn't an ordinary man. If even he couldn't suppress the uncanny happenings at the general's estate, what would we go there for? To feed them kills? So our best move now is to run."

Xu Da looked up at the sky. "If we head back now, we can still make it in time for dinner."

Wang Qilin said unhappily, "Didn't the divination say we had to resolve this trouble for the general's estate?"

Xie Hama said solemnly, "I may have calculated it wrong."

Wang Qilin felt frustrated. Xu Da, who had been gazing westward, suddenly said, "Wait a minute. These Black Dragons Carrying the Coffin—two processions? Hey, two Black Yao People died? No, it looks like one procession again? But I clearly saw two earlier!"

"What?"

Wang Qilin looked northwest as well. By now, the Black Dragons Carrying the Coffin procession had gone deep into the barren hills, its figures fading in and out of sight.

He watched the coffin bearers in the distance. Slowly, as the procession crossed a small hill and headed down, another procession dressed entirely in black and carrying a coffin appeared on the other side...

The black-clad coffin bearers behind were following the exact route taken by the procession ahead.

Xie Hama's face grew grave. "Mountain spirits are making trouble. Those coffin bearers have run into danger. Remember how I said the Black Yao People are born with a piece of jade in their mouths? They must hold that same jade in their mouths when they die. It's called Six-Step Qi Jade, and to demons and spirits, it's a real treasure."

"Six-Step Qi Jade? What a strange name," Xu Da said.

Xie Hama said, "It's also called Innate Jade. That name's clear and simple, isn't it? It's called Six-Step Qi Jade because the Black Yao have a saying about the innate: 'The qi of the six steps-birth, growth, transformation, gathering, and storage-all arrive in response to their innate times.'"

At this, Xu Da's eyes widened. "This is Innate Jade? They say it contains a breath of innate qi, and once you refine it, you can advance from Postnatal to Innate?"

Xie Hama slowly nodded.

Xu Da waved a hand. "What are we standing around for? After them! We can't let those spirits steal my Innate Jade!"

Xie Hama grabbed him. "Innate Jade is precious, but life is worth more."

Xu Da sneered. "Old Taoist, I'm starting to think you're a real coward."

Xie Hama laughed coldly. "I simply don't want to die without knowing why! Besides, once we get involved with the Black Dragons Carrying the Coffin procession, we may get involved with the general's estate... Hey, hey, what are you two doing?"

"Going to take a look," Wang Qilin said as he walked ahead.

Watching their retreating backs, Xie Hama couldn't help giving himself a light slap. "You just had to show how much you knew! Forgotten all your past lessons?"

The sun was already sinking in the west, its dying light bleak, the wind bleak as well.

As they walked through the wilderness, the plants, earth, and stones before them were bathed in a hazy red by the sunset. Each step felt like treading through bloody water.

A few willows and locust trees grew on the little hills. When the wind blew, their branches and leaves rustled against one another.

Viewed from the shady slopes, the swaying branches looked like shifting ghostly silhouettes.

Wang Qilin was searching for the coffin bearers. He saw no one, but heard a scream from ahead and to one side.

Xu Da immediately took off, legs pumping like a running chicken, bellowing as he ran, "Heaven-Listening Bureau, on official business! Cough, cough, cough!"

A gust of mountain wind swirled past and made him choke.

After rounding another two small hills, they saw the coffin procession. The red coffin had been set down, and nine men huddled together in panic.

Seeing that they were unharmed, Xu Da happily patted his chest. "We're from the Heaven-Listening Bureau. Don't be afraid."

The three approached, but the nine men said nothing. They only stared at them.

The sun sank behind the western mountains.

Night fell.

Being stared at by nine pairs of eyes in these desolate hills...

Xu Da strode forward casually. "Don't be afraid, brothers. We're all on the same side. See that man behind me? The youngest Minor Seal in the Heaven-Listening Bureau, Lord Wang Qilin, known in the jianghu as the Heaven-Overturning Qilin!"

The nine men still said nothing. As he advanced, they retreated.

Wang Qilin demanded warily, "Who are you?"

The man at their head came forward carrying a soul-summoning banner and opened his mouth.

Wang Qilin instinctively stepped back.

Xu Da chuckled. "Seventh, why are you so timid? This brother wants you to look inside his mouth. How strange, he has no tongue? No wonder he can't speak!"

Then he asked the other eight, "Do none of you have tongues?"

The eight opened their mouths.

They were empty inside.

There were only two rows of stark white teeth.

"What is this?" Xu Da sucked in a cold breath. "Are the Black Yao People born without tongues? The old Taoist didn't mention that. Hey, where's the old Taoist?"

Wang Qilin was puzzled too. "Why hasn't he caught up yet?"

They were now in a hollow between two hills. Looking around, they saw that night had covered the area.

The sun had set very quickly.

There was plenty of dead wood and scrub on the hills. Xu Da built a fire and asked, "Seventh, how are we supposed to communicate with them?"

Wang Qilin said, "That can wait. We need to find the Taoist first."

Xu Da scoffed. "Maybe he was too scared to follow us!"

Wang Qilin shook his head. "No, he came after us."

The night wind blew past, and the campfire flickered violently twice.

Wang Qilin turned and saw the nine men sitting blankly around the coffin, staring at the two of them with wooden expressions.

The sight was rather unnerving.

After warming his hands, Xu Da asked, "Hey, aren't you coming over to warm yourselves by the fire?"

"Heh heh, Strongman Xu certainly is bold, striking up friendships with humans and ghosts alike." Xie Hama's voice drifted over on the night wind, and his limping figure appeared on the hill to the east.

Xu Da looked startled. "What took you so long?"

Xie Hama said, "I had to protect the coffin bearers before I could come here. I got here quickly enough."

Wang Qilin turned, standing back-to-back with Xu Da as he watched the nine men beside the coffin. "Aren't the coffin bearers right here?"

"Here?" Xie Hama gave a cold laugh. "Heh heh, who told you the nine things here were the coffin bearers?"

Xu Da caught on and immediately snatched up a burning stick. "Holy shit!"

The nine men turned to look at Xie Hama on the hill.

A voice suddenly rang out. "How do you two gentlemen know that thing is your colleague?"

The bright red coffin slowly opened, and a man in Taoist robes stood up inside it.

The night wind blew, making his loose sleeves flap and the hair on his head sway. Standing in the coffin, he did not look eerie. Instead, he stood as steady as a deep pool and a lofty mountain, an immortal air floating about him.

The man revealed himself and smiled at Xie Hama. "Fiend, I've finally caught you!"

At these words, the night wind grew colder!

Xu Da was baffled. "What's going on?"

Wang Qilin said quietly, "Don't speak. Watch my eyes for the signal!"

Xu Da looked at the pitch-black sky and grew even more baffled!

Wang Qilin slowly reached for his saber.

His hand found nothing!

The Furnace of Creation swallowed the saber I just got, too?

What the fuck, fuckity fuck?

Is this thing a gold-devouring beast?

Wang Qilin cursed on the spot!