Foot seal

As night fell, the evening breeze of early autumn began to carry a subtle chill, adding a touch of coldness to the air.

Ye Shu found himself engulfed in anxiety within the basement memorial hall, and the current situation seemed rather precarious.

Initially intending only to approach Mr. Su, Ye Shu unexpectedly found himself caught in a predicament, becoming a collaborator with Master Yang to perform a soul-summoning ritual.

Leaving aside the perilous nature of the ritual, the potential outcome was dire—once the soul was successfully summoned, Xiao Leng would be in jeopardy, and Ye Shu would be an accomplice.

Frowning in contemplation, Ye Shu observed as Master Yang meticulously arranged the props. In front of him lay a small black incense burner, emanating an unusual blood-red incense with a peculiar fragrance.

Additionally, beside the incense burner were a string of dark bells, and in Master Yang's left hand were two silver needles.

Witnessing these arrangements, Ye Shu felt a sense of foreboding. This old fellow seemed quite formidable; he just hoped the ritual wouldn't actually succeed.

"Master Yang, it's not midnight yet. Why burn incense so soon?" Ye Shu inquired, but Master Yang, sitting cross-legged with a serious expression, didn't even turn his head.

"This is the Soul-summoning Incense; it will burn until midnight. You need not concern yourself with the soul-summoning; your task is to ward off evil spirits," Master Yang said, implying that Ye Shu should remain silent to avoid disrupting the process.

However, Ye Shu, persistent in his disruption, continued, "Oh, how intriguing! And what about this bell?"

Curious, he asked, prompting Master Yang to reluctantly provide an explanation, "The Soul-summoning Bell. At midnight, I will ring it, gathering spirits from the netherworld. Perhaps we can summon Miss Su's soul."

"In that case, what happens after the summoning?" Ye Shu persisted, causing Master Yang's patience to wear thin.

"You wouldn't understand even if I explained. Cease your inquiries and wait quietly," Master Yang replied, clearly irritated by Ye Shu's persistent questions.

Although Ye Shu's intention was to disrupt, he knew when to stop. Not wanting to aggravate Master Yang further, he reluctantly ceased his questioning.

No longer pressing, Ye Shu sat down to wait. As time passed, his inner anxiety grew, yet he maintained a calm exterior, resembling an aloof sage.

After an indeterminate period, Ye Shu's legs grew numb, and the midnight hour drew near.

Suddenly, Master Yang spoke, "Come over and assist me; use the silver needles to pierce my fingers."

Raising his left hand, Master Yang displayed two silver needles gleaming with an icy light.

Ye Shu briskly approached and took hold of the needles. "Pierce them, let the tips be stained with my blood," Master Yang instructed, and Ye Shu, attempting to prolong the process, queried, "Why must I pierce you, and for what purpose?"

"Why so many questions? These are Binding Needles, meant to seal Miss Su's feet, preventing her soul from escaping. Do you understand now?" an impatient Master Yang explained, urging Ye Shu to act quickly.

Cursing inwardly, Ye Shu begrudgingly complied, forcefully jabbing the needles. Master Yang winced in pain and scolded, "Are you trying to kill me? Withdraw them immediately."

Ye Shu smiled in earnest and pulled out the needles. The slender instruments now bore traces of Master Yang's blood.

"Go, insert the needles into Miss Su's toes within the coffin, make sure they're secure," Master Yang instructed, leaving Ye Shu astonished by the true purpose of the Binding Needles.

Despite his internal resistance, Ye Shu, aware of the surveillance cameras and Mr. Su's watchful eyes, reluctantly performed the task.

However, he found a loophole—Master Yang, sitting still, couldn't see Ye Shu's actions, and the coffin's interior remained hidden from the camera's view.

With determination, Ye Shu swiftly approached the coffin, opened its lid, and was met with an extreme cold that made him shiver. Gazing at Xiao Leng's delicate feet, he pretended to pierce her toes with the needles, casually tossing them into the coffin.

To convey authenticity, he even feigned a struggle, saying, "It's like piercing ice sticks; quite challenging."

Master Yang, monitoring the time, impatiently urged, "Hurry up, time is running out."

Seeing an opportunity, Ye Shu continued with strained grunts, "It's done, it's done. Needles are in."

Efficiently closing the coffin lid, Ye Shu's heart sighed in regret. The eccentric Mr. Su unintentionally thwarted his plan, allowing Master Yang to successfully seal Xiao Leng's feet just as midnight arrived.