Chapter 62

As soon as he entered the mansion, Qi Xiang didn't even bother to admire it and hurriedly flew to the door. He calmed himself and saw that above the door, in the center, hung a... Bagua mirror?

Seeing this object, if Qi Xiang were not in a soul state, he would have cried out in surprise.

After all the fuss, the strange and peculiar protective force that could block his soul from entering or leaving was actually just a very ordinary Bagua mirror...

"Wait, it's not just a Bagua mirror!"

A flash of inspiration struck Qi Xiang, and he pondered, "It should be called a Feng Shui talisman!"

He was an antique dealer and had dealt with traditional industries many times. When he received unearthed artifacts, he would also hold a purification ceremony. This ceremony, in essence, belonged to the realm of Feng Shui.

Therefore, he had some understanding of Feng Shui.

"Feng Shui talismans seem to have the effect of purifying yin evil and intimidating demons, right?"

Qi Xiang pondered, gradually gaining some insight. No matter how much he tried to conceal and beautify his soul, it was strictly speaking a yin entity. Feng Shui talismans naturally became his nemesis.

As expected, Feng Shui talismans also have varying strengths.

A powerful Feng Shui talisman has a very strong ability to drive away yin spirits. A weak Feng Shui talisman, on the other hand, would not be enough to resist the invasion of yin spirits and would be easily broken through.

Understanding the situation, Qi Xiang's good mood instantly vanished.

He thought that after his soul left his body, he could roam the world without any constraints. Who knew that in this world, where everything has its counter, there was actually something like a Feng Shui talisman that could counter him.

Although this counter was limited, as his strength increased, the counter effect would definitely weaken. But at his current level, it was definitely a big trouble.

At the very least, the Feng Shui talisman in the nearby estate was like a wall of copper and iron. With his current strength, he was helpless against it.

Qi Xiang's soul moved again and flew to the outskirts of the estate. With a concept in mind, he carefully observed and found that hanging at the entrance of the estate was a pair of wooden peach charms.

The peach charms were carved with the images of the door gods Shen Tu and Yu Lu, and there were also some crooked lines, which seemed to be talismans.

Qi Xiang finally understood why he was immediately repelled as soon as he approached the estate.

Peach charms ward off evil, and talismans drive away ghosts.

For a soul, this was like a deadly weapon.

While Qi Xiang was musing, he suddenly saw a figure emerge from the dark estate and walk onto the spacious lawn.

He was very curious and couldn't help but observe from a distance.

The figure was slender, with a very light and quick pace, and seemed to be holding something in his hand. Before Qi Xiang could see clearly, the person suddenly moved, and the object in his hand whistled through the air, shaking like thunder and lightning.

The sound of the wind and thunder instantly subsided.

The sound had not even spread when it mysteriously disappeared, without any trace.

As Qi Xiang felt alarmed, a terrifying oppressive force gradually spread through the estate courtyard.

Qi Xiang quickly observed and saw that the person in the courtyard was holding what seemed to be a thick and long staff. The staff was completely black, and it was unknown what material it was made of.

In short, the staff was quite heavy, and when it was swung, it produced a faint whistling sound, as if it could vibrate the air.

No, it wasn't just vibrating the air; it could also stir the wind and clouds!

The person was just warming up, moving slowly and casually, so Qi Xiang could see clearly.

But after a few warm-up movements, the person's actions suddenly changed, and the staff moved like a storm, sweeping and swirling, powerful and swift.

It was too fast, incredibly fast, as if it had surpassed human limits.

Qi Xiang watched in amazement, seeing the person in the courtyard lawn seem to have disappeared, leaving only a series of staff afterimages floating in the vast space.

At first, Qi Xiang couldn't see much, just thinking that the person's staff movements were beautiful and very impressive.

The staff afterimages sometimes spread out like a peacock spreading its feathers, brilliant like fireworks. Sometimes they contracted into a single column, sweeping away thousands of troops, fierce and powerful, with a strong wind.

At this moment, Qi Xiang finally understood what the strange light he had seen in the estate earlier was.

As the saying goes, extremes lead to their opposites. Although the black staff did not reflect light, in the midst of the swirling staff afterimages, a faint light appeared.

This light was very dim, almost imperceptible, appearing and disappearing. Only someone with Qi Xiang's vision could notice it and appreciate this beautiful and strange scene.

But a moment later, Qi Xiang also realized that this scene was not just beautiful; it was also full of hidden dangers.

As the staff swept, chopped, and spun, some fine dust floated up and, under the influence of a force, formed a hazy cloud sea.

The cloud sea undulated, unpredictable and surging, completely enveloping the staff afterimages.

Suddenly, the courtyard was left with only a faint dust swirling, completely silent. This strange situation made Qi Xiang feel uneasy, and he had a sudden sense of foreboding.

Qi Xiang sensed danger, and his soul flashed away in an instant.

At the same time, a faint light appeared out of nowhere, carrying the force of the nine heavens' wind and thunder, and struck the position where he had just been standing.

"Whoosh!"

Qi Xiang's reaction was still a bit slow. His soul, touched by the end of the staff, dissipated like snowflakes in intense sunlight, losing a small part of itself.

In that instant, Qi Xiang's ethereal soul became even lighter. However, since he had dodged in advance, it wasn't a serious issue. His soul paused slightly and then escaped the scene.

While fleeing, Qi Xiang couldn't help but look back.

He saw the dust in the courtyard settle, and a slender figure, as if weightless, lightly leaped down from a tree, like a white feather, silently...

The person looked around, frowned slightly, and observed the surroundings with great focus, clearly puzzled.

"Peeping on someone's martial arts practice is probably a big taboo in the martial world, right?"

A while later, his soul returned, and Qi Xiang opened his eyes, feeling a bit tired but not too severely. He knew that with some rest, he would recover.

"This is a real wake-up call..."

Qi Xiang sighed, becoming even more vigilant. Any pride or complacency that had started to grow was immediately suppressed and nipped in the bud.

"Earth seems to be more dangerous than I imagined!"

Qi Xiang shook his head, realizing more clearly that the world is vast, and everyone has their own opportunities and encounters. He wasn't the only child of the heavens; he couldn't have all the good things in the world.

"Or, perhaps this is an opportunity..."

Qi Xiang's heart suddenly stirred, and he made a decision.

That night, Qi Xiang didn't rest much but instead used the moonlight to slowly repair his damaged soul. Before dawn, he stopped, feeling refreshed and energetic.

Afterward, Qi Xiang went out, bought an expensive gift, and then directly went to the door of the estate on the opposite hill.

He straightened his collar and rang the doorbell.

The clear and pleasant doorbell sound echoed with his mood...

He was a bit uneasy but maintained a calm expression, waiting patiently.

As an expert who had been in the antique collecting industry for many years, he knew one thing very well: in any industry, a guide is essential.

He agreed with Chen Bixue's four elements of cultivation: method, companion, wealth, and place!

Method: the cultivation techniques and secret manuals.

Companion: a fellow practitioner to exchange with or a mentor to guide one's cultivation, a guide.

After all, every industry has its own set of rules. Without guidance and without interacting with others, it's like building a cart behind closed doors or a blind man feeling an elephant; there would be no great achievements.

Industries are like mountains, and rushing in without understanding would lead to a bloody nose and a bruised face.

That's why, in Nanjing, Qi Xiang had visited Chen Bixue, hoping to receive his guidance. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and he returned empty-handed...

Qi Xiang hoped this time would not disappoint him.

However, sometimes, things don't go as one wishes. He rang the doorbell outside the estate, but after a long wait, there was no response from inside.

Qi Xiang frowned and rang the doorbell again.

Again and again...

After three rings, Qi Xiang came to a conclusion: either no one was in the estate, or the people inside didn't want to deal with him, a stranger.

While Qi Xiang was considering, a housekeeping service van drove up from behind. A middle-aged woman got out and, upon seeing Qi Xiang, was somewhat surprised: "Mr. Qi, what are you doing here..."

"I came to visit my neighbor, but it seems no one is home," Qi Xiang said calmly, waving the gift in his hand.

"Oh!" The woman understood and smiled, "Mr. Qi, you're right, no one is inside."

"Hmm?" Qi Xiang raised an eyebrow.

"The person inside left early this morning and will be gone for some time. We don't know when they'll return," the woman explained, "So they instructed us to clean and tidy up every two to three days, not every day..."

"Left?" Qi Xiang was taken aback, feeling disappointed, lost, and uneasy.

"Missed by a hair's breadth..."

Qi Xiang felt a sense of loss, with a mix of emotions, he looked back at the estate one more time, then slowly returned home.

As soon as he got home, his phone rang urgently. Qi Xiang turned it on and saw an unread message from Xiao Ding.

Qi Xiang opened the message, and his gaze froze.

The content of the message was simple, just an address.

But at the end of the address were the words "Help" followed by several exclamation marks...