Chapter 1

In early autumn, the great bell in the imperial city rang three times, and the rain, carrying a chill, began to fall.

As dusk approached, a large gate on one side of the imperial city opened silently, and two rows of paper umbrellas with slightly red lanterns slowly moved through the city gate.

The leading middle-aged man wore official attire and, after passing through the gate, paused briefly. He gazed at the misty road between the deep courtyards and high walls, his expression solemn.

"Mr. Ning, please come in."

The man called Mr. Ning was an elderly man named Ning Qinshui. He was over seventy, with white hair, and still wore a Taoist robe and hairstyle with meticulous care. Although his face was very gaunt, the bright spirit in his eyes was like a fire still burning beneath the ashes.

Behind the old man were a boy and a girl, both dressed in Taoist robes.

The boy was about fifteen or sixteen, and the girl was younger. Both were slender and delicate, and they kept their heads down, occasionally lifting their eyes to sneak a glance at the grand and deep palaces of the imperial city.

In the drizzling rain, the imperial city seemed particularly quiet.

After passing through a long corridor, the majestic palace came into view. The boy, dressed in a simple Taoist robe, felt a sense of oppression and unease, and his steps slowed. The little girl beside him glanced at him, a sneer on her lips.

The middle-aged man led the three into a palace courtyard, which was quite spacious. The maids holding umbrellas and trimming the flowers bowed slightly when they saw the middle-aged man.

After passing through the screen wall and the long corridor, the man led them forward. The door of the room at the end was open, and the middle-aged man explained, "The owner of this room is temporarily absent. Mr. Ning can settle here with your two disciples first. A discussion about the exorcism will be held later by a priest."

Ning Qinshui, who had been fidgeting with his fingers, suddenly stopped and looked at him. He then smiled, "I am an old man, so it doesn't matter to me, but my two disciples are young. Being affected by evil spirits is no small matter, and they cannot stay in this haunted house."

The middle-aged man's expression changed slightly, and he asked with a smile, "Why do you say that, Mr. Ning?"

Ning Qinshui smiled slightly, knowing that the man had brought him here to test him. He did not cross the threshold but took a copper coin from his sleeve and gently tossed it. The coin landed on the threshold but did not stop. Instead, it flipped and bounced like a living thing, and finally, when the old man opened his palm, the coin leaped back.

Ning Qinshui closed his hand tightly around the coin, his expression becoming more solemn. After a moment, he spoke slowly.

"The owner of this room died three days ago. The lingering resentment has not dissipated, and it seems he hanged himself due to possession. Someone performed a ritual, but that person also died. Many people in the mansion have also fallen ill. If we were not coming today, this palace courtyard would have been sealed, right?"

The middle-aged man looked at him deeply, his expression filled with admiration and approval. He raised his hand, and the maids and the women trimming the trees withdrew. After the area was clear, the man bowed and said,

"The rumors are indeed true. Mr. Ning's Taoist skills are indeed different from the previous ones. I brought you here today to test you, but it seems I cannot hide anything from you. Please do not be offended."

Ning Qinshui smiled, "No problem. I know that several itinerant Taoists have already died. Testing my abilities is also for my own good."

"This courtyard is naturally not suitable for living. Please move to another courtyard, Mr. Ning." The man nodded lightly, "When can you perform the ritual?"

Ning Qinshui glanced at the dim sky, which was gradually clearing.

"At midnight," the old man said with a slightly hoarse voice, "I hope the official does not forget his promise."

"Of course not," the man smiled, "My name is Song Ce. If you have any questions, send someone to find me."

The conversation gradually faded, and a small red bird flew away from the eaves in the rain.

...

...

"Our teacher often tells us that as Taoists, we uphold righteousness, like a candle in the night. No matter how dark the night, it cannot extinguish this tiny flame. So as long as you stay close to me, there is no need to be afraid. Even if things do not go well, we can always escape," Ning Qinshui said, sitting in a large armchair and looking at the boy and girl standing beside him. "When we perform the ritual later, you two must keep your minds pure and not have any evil thoughts. Otherwise, the evil spirits will take advantage, and I won't be able to save you. Ning Changjiu, Ning Xiaoling, do you understand?"

The boy was named Ning Changjiu, and the girl was named Ning Xiaoling.

Ning Changjiu kept his head down, listening attentively. When the old man asked, he nodded respectfully, "I understand."

The girl also spoke respectfully, but her eyes flickered with disdain and anger.

Ning Qinshui nodded, "Then meditate and calm your minds. At midnight, follow me to exorcise the evil spirits."

"Yes," they both replied.

After giving the instructions, Ning Qinshui got up and walked out. As he left, he waved his拂尘 (duster), and the door closed with a sound. The old man turned back and looked at the door, his gaze cold, as if he were looking at a dead person.

The boy and girl, who had not truly entered the path of Taoism, did not notice the cold gaze Ning Qinshui cast through the door.

Ning Changjiu followed his teacher's advice, sitting cross-legged and muttering incantations.

Ning Xiaoling glanced at him and said coldly, "Fool, do you really believe that old man's nonsense?"

Ning Changjiu ignored her and continued to meditate.

Ning Xiaoling sat in the armchair, her small body curled up inside. She crossed her thin legs and placed her hands on her knees, but she did not meditate. Instead, she lightly tapped her knees, annoyed, "You fool, can't you feel it? That old man's gaze has been getting stranger lately. Sometimes he looks at us like we are his hidden treasures, and other times he looks at us like... "

She pursed her lips and did not continue, sighing, "In short, we might be sold at any time."

Ning Changjiu opened his eyes in dissatisfaction and argued, "We were all bought by the teacher, and he treats us well. Why say such things?"

Ning Xiaoling laughed coldly, "What has he taught us in all these years?"

Ning Changjiu insisted, "The teacher has his reasons."

Ning Xiaoling laughed coldly again, "When you buy chicks and ducklings and raise them, do you teach them martial arts or the principles of being a good person? No, you just wait until they are fat and then sell them or kill them for food."

Ning Changjiu was uncomfortable with her analogy, frowned, and wanted to argue but was at a loss for words.

He just couldn't understand why his seemingly delicate and lovely junior sister often said such harsh things.

"Ah..." Ning Xiaoling sighed, no longer pretending to meditate. She sat in the chair, swinging her legs lightly, her head resting on the back of the chair, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

She also couldn't understand why her senior brother, who seemed so intelligent, was so dull.

"Actually..." Ning Changjiu hesitated for a moment, then spoke uncertainly, "Recently, as we approached the imperial city, I often think of some strange things."

"Strange things?" Ning Xiaoling became interested.

Ning Changjiu nodded, "I often see a Taoist temple, very familiar, as if I have lived there since childhood."

Ning Xiaoling was puzzled, "What kind of temple?"

Ning Changjiu shook his head, "A very ordinary one. The door of the temple is always closed, but there seem to be seven... no, eight people inside!"

Ning Xiaoling laughed, "Foolish senior brother, the ritual hasn't even started, and you're already possessed?"

"I don't know either," Ning Changjiu shook his head, smiling self-deprecatingly, thinking he was becoming more and more confused.

He silently thought about his teacher's teachings, recited a few phrases to calm his mind, and gradually stopped thinking about those vague things.

The girl took some dry and cold food and chewed it slowly, looking at the night falling outside the window, harboring secrets and confidence, but feeling increasingly uneasy.

Time passed slowly, and Ning Xiaoling pounded the back of the chair with her fist, feeling more and more restless.

When Ning Qinshui returned, it was almost midnight. "We are almost ready. Follow me."

Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling followed him out, and as they closed the door, Ning Changjiu whispered, "Don't be afraid, junior sister. I will protect you."

You should be the one to be afraid... Ning Xiaoling snorted, pretending not to see the sweat on his forehead, cursing him in her heart but still nodding lightly.

Ning Qinshui took two yellow talismans from his sleeve and gave them to the two, saying solemnly, "These are protective talismans. Attach them to your bodies. If anything happens, they can save your lives."

Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling took the talismans and thanked their teacher together.

The night mist gradually enveloped the imperial city.