Chapter 40: Soul Calling (1)

They walked for about twenty minutes before he finally stopped, looked around, nodded, and said, “This is the convergence point of the local energy veins. This is the best place.”

I cursed inwardly. Isn’t this just the highest small dirt hill in the village? Just because you can stand higher and see farther, it becomes a convergence point of energy veins.

Old Man Jiang did not know what I was thinking. He simply directed my father to place the table in a specific position and began setting up the ritual altar. If he knew what I was thinking, my bottom would probably suffer again.

After the altar was set up, Old Man Jiang said seriously, “I am going to perform step pattern technique, open the heavenly eye. This is different from the ordinary kind of opening eye used to see ghosts. This time, it must see through everything in this village in order to find your second daughter’s soul. There is one taboo. No person or livestock must come into contact with it. You all retreat below the dirt slope and also make sure no livestock rushes up, especially cats and dogs.”

Fortunately, the dirt slope gradually narrowed from bottom to top. The three of us stood halfway up, and we could not see what Old Man Jiang was doing. At the same time, we were fully capable of guarding this place and preventing any animals from rushing up.

In truth, in the middle of the night like this, what livestock would even come here? Moreover, after those three years, wild animals had also become much fewer. This was only a precaution.

Old Man Jiang solemnly took a Daoist robe from his bag and put it on. This time he brought out two peach wood swords. In my impression, he usually preferred hand seals and rarely used magical instruments. It seemed this time was different.

Then Old Man Jiang took out a token and another object I did not recognize. Later I learned this was called a hu, the tablet held by officials in the Song dynasty in television dramas.

This was quite an impressive setup.

“I am about to begin the step pattern technique. All of you retreat quickly,” Old Man Jiang shouted.

My family immediately separated and went to their assigned positions, nervously guarding the hilltop while Old Man Jiang performed his ritual.

We could not see what was happening at the top of the slope. After a short while, we heard Old Man Jiang’s clear voice chanting, “I receive the method of the Supreme One, and act according to its command...”

This was the first time I heard his incantation clearly. I did not understand what it meant.

Only a few minutes passed, but for my family it felt like hours. We were terrified that something might rush up and interrupt his ritual.

Fortunately, that torment ended quickly. We clearly heard Old Man Jiang shout, “Open!”

After that came silence. I did not know what my parents felt, but at that instant I saw the sky above the entire village suddenly change color. Several different colors slowly gathered toward this place, then dispersed again.

But it only lasted for an instant. In the next moment, the village returned to normal.

I was calm. I really was calm. I was already getting used to this strange ability of mine. I had even seen ghosts before, so why would I fear these shifting colors of energy?

After several more minutes of silence, we finally heard Old Man Jiang’s voice again. “You can come up now.”

The three of us finally sighed in relief and quickly ran toward the top of the hill, eager to know where my second sister’s soul had gone.

“Two of the souls are in the same place. The remaining one soul and two spirits are in different locations. That makes things a bit easier,” Old Man Jiang said as soon as he saw us, explaining the location of my second sister’s soul.

“Where are they?” my mother asked anxiously.

“I will take you there. Do not worry. Hmm, to avoid interference, Old Chen, you go back first. Xiuyun and San Wa Er will come with me,” Old Man Jiang said.

My father immediately agreed. He did not dare risk the consequences of his daughter losing part of her soul.

After packing up the altar, my father carried the table back. The three of us remained. At this moment, Old Man Jiang took out a flat lantern from his bag that looked like a treasure pouch. He fiddled with the bamboo frame inside, and the lantern expanded. He handed it to my mother.

Then he took out a white wax candle, placed it inside, and said, “When we arrive, I will keep some distance with San Wa Er to protect you. A living soul is easily startled. You must hold the lantern the entire way and keep calling your second sister’s name without stopping. Your steps must be slow, and the lantern must never go out. Otherwise, the living soul may scatter from panic. You must remember this.”

After saying that, Old Man Jiang took out a red string bracelet from his bag and put it on my mother’s wrist, tightening the knot.

“This seals part of your yang energy. Your second daughter’s living soul has been wandering outside for several days. A woman’s yang energy might scatter it. After you wear this, no matter what happens, you must not let your emotions fluctuate. If your emotions become unstable, your yang energy will rise and fall, and it may break this seal. You understand, I cannot seal too much of your yang energy. It would harm your body.”

So there were so many taboos in soul calling. My mother became nervous and grabbed Old Man Jiang, saying, “Master Jiang, just give me the strongest sealing charm. Please, I am not afraid. As long as my second daughter can be brought back safely.”

“No. Absolutely not,” Old Man Jiang refused without hesitation.

My mother knew that when Old Man Jiang was serious, he was almost never to be contradicted. She could only reluctantly agree.

“Just behind that tree is one of your second daughter’s souls. The soul is slightly stronger than the spirits. Let us call the soul back first,” Old Man Jiang said, leading my mother and me to the first location where my second sister’s soul had been lost.

My mother nodded nervously. Old Man Jiang silently lit the candle inside the lantern for her, then signaled her forward while pulling me back nearly ten meters.

My mother carefully held the lantern, afraid the flame would go out, and walked behind the tree.

“Chen Xiaojuan, Chen Xiaojuan...” my mother softly called my second sister’s name. Old Man Jiang and I watched the situation closely.

“San Wa Er, do you want to see it?” Old Man Jiang asked me.

I nodded quickly. My innate heavenly eye ability was unstable, and at that moment I very much wanted to see my second sister.

“Alright, seeing a living soul is not too difficult. Listen to me. Close your eyes now, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, clear your mind of everything, focus entirely on sensing your surroundings, then recite this incantation...”

Old Man Jiang carefully guided me.

In truth, the heavenly eye is one of the hardest abilities to cultivate. It requires an extremely high level of accumulated power to reach a natural state of activation with the chant. My ability was a kind of heaven’s rare gift. For ordinary people, it would be terrifying rather than fortunate.

This is what talent in cultivation means. Of course, if my character were not pure enough, I would also be shut out from the gate of the Dao.

I followed Old Man Jiang’s instructions. After a short while, I really “saw” it. However, it was not as miraculous as before. I could only see a blurry darkness, my mother’s vague figure, Old Man Jiang’s faint outline, and behind my mother a grayish mass.

Looking closer, that gray mass was clearly my second sister. Her expression was dull, and her entire body floated lightly, giving an unreal feeling.

At this moment, I saw Old Man Jiang nodding at my mother, signaling that it was ready. My mother began calling my second sister and could bring her back.

My mother understood and carefully held the lantern, softly calling my second sister’s name as she walked toward our home.

But at that moment, I saw several other gray mist-like figures quickly approaching my mother. I knew what they were and nearly shouted out, but at that instant a large hand covered my mouth.

It was my master, without question. With that cover, I immediately could not make a sound, but I also calmed down. I knew he had his reasons.

My mother continued walking forward, softly calling my second sister’s name. After she had gone some distance, I clearly saw four or five darker gray shadows following behind her. Looking carefully, they were the shapes of four or five people, all with blank expressions.