"They belong to a type of earth-bound spirit."
"Earth-bound spirit?"
"Indeed." Zhang Mingrui nodded:
"These underworld souls cannot leave this place for so reason, and they beco stronger here, naturally, they are not very afraid of the living."
"Daoist!"
A voice called from afar:
"Please co over and look at this thing."
"Alright."
Zhang Mingrui got up.
...
"Magical artifact?"
Gazing at the palm-sized bronze sword slantingly inserted on the coffin lid, Zhang Mingrui's face turned somber. After inspecting the other coffins, his eyes showed shock and anger.
"This tomb cluster, I'm afraid soone is deliberately capturing underworld souls here, using them to cultivate fierce ghosts."
"What?"
"Is such a thing possible?"
"..."
Everyone was startled upon hearing this.
"Everyone, take a look." Zhang Mingrui touched so patterns on the coffin and said:
"These coffins have been cursed, engraved with the Resentful Soul Attraction. The buried ones will turn into underworld souls, tortured day and night."
"Never able to reincarnate!"
"When the ghosts grow strong enough, the person raising the ghosts will release them, letting the ghosts devour human flesh and blood to transform into resentnt-bearing fierce ghosts."
"Hmm..."
"Fortunately, it was discovered in ti, otherwise, this place would have beco a true ghostly realm, even if a Mage ca, they wouldn't return."
"Is such a thing possible?" Linghu An's brows furrowed:
"Can the Daoist possibly discern who is responsible?"
"Sorry." Zhang Mingrui shook his head:
"My cultivation base is low and my knowledge limited, I can barely see that there is a Resentful Soul Attraction here for ghost raising, but cannot discern the source of the spell."
"Actually..."
"The one casting the spell is most likely a Mage, and should not be an ordinary Mage."
Mage?
Everyone was once again startled.
Mages are far rarer than martial artists, and even in the Prefecture City, a Mage is a guest of those high-ranking officials and nobles.
Status,
is far superior to martial artists.
...
"Profound and mysterious, observe your departed souls; Celestial Origin Taiyi, masters of forces; those discordant in yin and yang, stabilize!"
Zhang Mingrui held a peach wood sword, stepped in Celestial Spirit Step, wielding Netherworld Paper, muttering incantations to cast spells for the souls bound to this place:
"Many beings bear grudges, deep resentnts hard to resolve, grudges ford in one life, repaid over three lives. I now impart the wondrous thod, releasing all grievances, listen with intention and care, adversaries naturally disperse."
Resentnt Relief Spell.
"The supre forgiveness, transcend your solitary souls; all ghostly beings, four lives blessed."
"Those with heads transcend, those without are reborn; those slain by knife or gun, jumping water, hanging rope."
"Bright deaths, dark deaths, grievances heavy and unjust; creditors and enemies, demanding life's return."
"Kneel before my altar, primordial spirit shines; transcend away, reborn elsewhere!"
"Everyone, go!"
Rebirth Spell!
The process completed, the eerie tomb cluster seed to gain so warmth.
"Open the coffin!"
A loud shout echoed, everyone pried open the coffin.
Under the blazing sun, wisps of black smoke drifted away, occasionally accompanied by mournful screams, but ultimately unable to escape the searing sunlight.
"Huff..."
After a busy half-day, Zhang Mingrui finally found so respite, crouching beside Fang Zheng, silently.
"What's wrong?"
Fang Zheng turned his head:
"Daoist, are you troubled?"
"Yes." Zhang Mingrui nodded:
"The main soul of this tomb seems to have escaped, the key is the black water overflowing from beneath the tomb, this... is an ill on."
Main soul?
That ghost face?
"What ill on?"
"Severe drought!"
Zhang Mingrui said:
"Next year, I'm afraid there will be a severe drought."
In this realm, warlocks can access heavenly knowledge and earthly geography, along with the connected qi of the earth, often able to foresee environntal changes.
As such, he was not surprised.
Fang Zheng's brows furrowed.
Having been here for over a year, he naturally understood what severe drought in a place ant for the local people.
But there's still ti.
"Then report it to the Governnt Office."
Fang Zheng said:
"Plan ahead for grain, distribute it when the drought arrives next year, it should save many people, and perhaps avoid major chaos."
?
Zhang Mingrui looked surprised, then showed a bitter smile and shook his head:
"Young Master Fang, you are compassionate, but you are misguided. If the governnt office finds out a drought is coming, the people won't survive this year."
"Rich rchants will receive the news first, they will hoard grain and raise prices."
"Next year..."
"They will seize the opportunity to buy others' land, do you know how the Ren Family acquired so much fertile land? It was during years of disaster."
Fang Zheng was silent.
He was, after all, too naive.
But whether there is a drought or not, it doesn't concern him, he can simply go back to modern society and hide."
*
*
*
A few days later.
Mountain peak.
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, flashes of lightning appeared intermittently.
"Master."
Old Fan rubbed his rough hands, full of excitent and worry:
"I wonder if it will succeed?"
"If the Wang Family's formula is correct, there shouldn't be much issue." Fang Zheng stood in the earthen kiln, looking towards the sky through the opening:
"Thunder Walking Red Porcelain..."
"I wonder what it will beco when combined with my porcelain formula."
"Surely one of the finest porcelain in the world, perhaps even Treasure Porcelain." Old Fan nodded vigorously:
"Master's plain body is exceptional, and the Wang Family's Thunder Walking Red Porcelain needs the power of thunder to fire, truly unheard of."
"Combined together..."
"It's coming!"
"Crackle..."
Winding lightning, like a weapon in the hands of a god, slashed through the black night sky, tore through heavy clouds, and landed on the kiln peak.
There.
Erected was sothing resembling a lightning rod.
Lightning traveled along the 'lightning rod' all the way down into the kiln chamber, causing a violent reaction in the glaze on the porcelain surface.
"Rumble..."
Only then.
The delayed thunder sound invaded the eardrum.
The next day.
Fang Zheng sat in the hall, holding a porcelain bowl, scrutinizing it.
The bowl,
had a rosy, translucent color, its glaze beauty like a dream, the thunder-walking pattern added complexity.
Lightly tapped.
The sound was crisp and lodious.
"Marvelous!"
Fang Zheng lightly praised, his voice full of emotion:
"This porcelain piece, even viewed worldwide, surely belongs among the finest, it should count as Treasure Porcelain, the only flaw may be the pattern."
Struck by thunder, the porcelain surface has web-like patterns.
Good patterns appear natural, enhancing rather than detracting, but the power of thunder is unpredictable, resulting patterns vary.
Most are not aesthetically pleasing.
Moreover,
Each firing produces different porcelain.
"It's enough."
Fang Zheng squinted:
"We can't control lightning's path here, but in modern society, maybe we can, if we can guide the pattern's path..."
"Treasure Porcelain!"
Having been here for so long, he could finally return to modern society to make his mark.
"Master." At this mont, Wu Hai ca from outside, reporting:
"There are a few people from Sun's Cloth Shop who want to seek refuge, should we take them in?"
"Seek refuge?" Fang Zheng put away the porcelain:
"What's going on?"
"Since Sun Die passed away, there's been a huge conflict within Sun Family over the shop, ultimately unresolved." Wu Hai thought aloud:
"Power struggles at the top lead to declining business at the cloth shop, wages aren't paid on ti, many people have started looking elsewhere."
"By the way!"
"When Master first ca to Gu'an County, wasn't he acquainted with Old Liu? He has left the cloth shop, hoping for Master to take him in."
"His daughter too."
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