Chapter 115: The Duel of Dao and Sorcery

Let's talk about this Li Wu first.As mentioned earlier, Li Wu shamans are mediums capable of commanding spirits and ghosts—killing enemies from a thousand miles away. But they have a fatal flaw: to better commune with the netherworld, they transform their constitution to a half-human, half-ghost state. This makes their soul bodies fragile and extremely vulnerable to pure yang forces.

After more than an hour jostling on the city bus, I finally arrived at the hotel.As soon as I walked in, the front desk clerk greeted me warmly:

"Hello sir, are you checking in?"

"Sorry, I'm looking for someone." I replied awkwardly.

"If you're looking for someone, please contact them directly. If two people want to stay together, they still need to register. The police have been conducting checks lately."From her expression, I could tell she'd seen every kind of excuse before—people pretending to "look for someone" when they're just sneaking into rooms.

Then I changed tactics."Miss, I lost my wallet outside your hotel. Can I take a look at your security footage to see if I dropped it or if someone stole it?"

She frowned. "That's not allowed. If you're really concerned, you should file a police report."

"That won't help," I said with a forced smile. "There wasn't much cash, but the receipts inside are important. The police wouldn't care. Please, just one look—I'd really appreciate it."

She looked more and more annoyed. I quickly stepped forward and slipped her 200 yuan, smiling:"Just a quick peek, please help me out. Thank you, sister."

Years as a Feng Shui master taught me:Money paves the road to fortune.As a practitioner of yin and yang, I've also learned that money moves even the spirits.In this world, when you bring out cash, nine times out of ten, the road becomes smooth.

She immediately changed her tone—tucking the money away with a grin."Oh come on, little brother! Don't be so polite—it's nothing. Come, I'll show you."

"Thank you so much," I said respectfully.

She brought me to the computer behind the front desk and introduced me to her colleague as her "little brother."No one questioned anything. Soon, we were scrolling through surveillance footage.

I scanned recordings for the past three hours.Sure enough, I saw Kun Ji stumbling out of the hotel, clutching his stomach.By my estimate, he hadn't come back yet.

I whispered to the clerk, "That's him."

"You want to call the police?" she asked tentatively.

I shook my head. "Just looking for my receipts. Calling the cops might cause trouble for your hotel."Then I handed her another 200 yuan.

I asked her to unlock Kun Ji's room.Sure, the excuse was paper-thin, but money has a way of making fake stories sound real.

She recognized Kun Ji on the camera right away—likely the only minority guest in the hotel.

I said, "Please, sis. Just let me go in and take a look. You can come with me."

She hesitated, looked around nervously—probably knowing this was crossing the line.Still, she'd taken the money. After warning me several times not to get her in trouble, she fetched the keycard.

We entered Kun Ji's room together.

"Quick," she urged. "He could be back any minute!"

I nodded.I searched around, and in the shower stall, I found a few strands of hair—sealed them in a talisman paper.Then I took a red cloth pouch and stuffed it into the toilet tank.

A shaman from the Li ethnic group isn't someone to underestimate.I had to be cautious.

When done, I told the clerk: "Sorry, my mistake. Wrong room."

"Let's go, this is totally against the rules," she muttered anxiously.

"If he asks, just say you were doing a routine cleaning," I said.

"Got it, got it. Geez, you talk too much. Hurry before someone sees us—I'll lose my job!"

I thanked the greedy-yet-helpful clerk and left the hotel.

Based on my guess:This hotel is close to both a hospital and a crematorium.Kun Ji was gravely wounded—his ghost king defeated by Wang Yi's Shangqing Five Thunder Sword Curse.He must be seeking a place heavy with yin energy to heal.

Two options: the hospital or the crematorium.

This hotel, situated right between the two, was perfect.

Outside the hotel, I took a deep breath.Today, Kun Ji will not leave alive.

Looking at the row of pine trees lining the street, I walked to the one directly in front of the hotel entrance.Took three steps forward and buried a Bagua mirror into the ground.On the opposite side, I buried a small bronze sword.

Seven steps between them.

Then I tied red strings on the trees, adding Chinese knots to anchor the formation.

Next stop: the farmer's market.

I bought a freshly skinned dead dog—originally just wanted the head, but they wouldn't sell it separately.

Being a Taoist under precepts, I can't eat dog meat, so I gave the rest back to the butcher—who cursed me as a lunatic.I just smiled, bagged the dog head, and broke off a few willow branches on the way back to the hotel.

This was my first attempt at fusing Feng Shui and witchcraft to harm someone.But I was confident—even Kun Ji's soul wouldn't escape.

I stayed hidden in the hotel until nightfall.By 8 PM, I began constructing the ritual altar.

A table was enough.

I placed:

Incense burner

A bowl of rice (as a spiritual field)

Five directional flags

Yellow talisman papers inscribed with:

Sanmao True Lords

Lü Mountain King

Six Ding and Six Jia Warrior Gods

Six sticks of incense burned.Tea offered.I covered the smoke alarm with a towel.

Then, I knelt and bowed three times.

Three incense sticks into the burner.Three into the rice bowl.

Facing the altar, I clasped my hands and chanted:

"Heaven and Earth, pure and bright.Sun and moon shine in harmony.Six Ding and Six Jia, protect my form.Today I, Zhang Dabao, summon Sanmao True Lords, Lü Mountain King—Aid me in subduing demons!"

After that, I took Kun Ji's hair and began knotting it.

Each knot tied to a memory—Jiang Shiyu resting peacefully in her wooden bath…Wang Yi cracking jokes with a smile…

All of it, ruined because of him.

I didn't care who was right or wrong anymore.Some debts simply must be paid.

After three knots, I placed the hair onto the yellow talisman.

Formed the 'Chong Finger' mudra and pointed.

Suddenly, an insect fell from above, landing on the hair.

I shook the Qilin wind chime three times—clear ringing echoed through the room.The candle flames flickered violently.

That insect started to crawl along the hair—step by step, toward the dog's nose.

This was folk witchcraft: the Soul-Return Technique.It draws the target's soul into the item you designate.

The other end of the hair was buried in the dog's head—symbol of yang-polar hell.Each shake guided the insect closer until it finally burrowed into the dog's nose.

Then, I brandished my Seven-Star Sword, stepped into a Tiangang foot formation, and slashed at the candle:

"Strike!"

Flames flared.

The room filled with golden light.

Next, I put the sword down.Left hand formed Thunder Seal, pointed at the rice bowl.Right hand held a willow branch and struck:

"First strike, Heaven clears.Second, Earth calms.Third, Kun Ji's bones break.Fourth, his soul scatters.Fifth, may he never reincarnate!By the decree of the Three Lords, divine soldiers act swiftly—as the law commands!"

The rice bowl shattered.

A dog's howl echoed in the empty room.

Then I burned four more talisman papers and tossed them to the corners.

Pulled the flags:

"Five Directional Warrior Gods! Capture the evil shaman's soul without error!"

I hurled the command.

A gust of yin wind swept through.Five streaks of light shot skyward—vanishing into the clouds.

Let me explain clearly, for your understanding.

In Feng Shui, form is everything.

Bagua mirror and bronze sword suppressed Kun Ji's yin energy.Even if his ghost king returned, he couldn't step outside the hotel.

Red strings on the trees acted as spiritual arrows.

The hair served as a conduit.

The insect was the carrier—leading his soul into the dog's head, representing extreme yang and ultimate torment.

Once trapped, I used the God Beating Spell to strike him five times.

Like the weasel sorcery used against me, this forced his soul out of his body.

But trapped in the dog's head, his soul would fly chaotically, unable to escape.

Sensing danger, it would instinctively flee to colder, darker areas—the bathroom.

And there, I'd left a red cloth pouch, a woman's item used to suppress yin.Once inside, he'd never get out.

Three souls, seven spirits—none would escape.

I could've gone further—with soul-dividing needles or soul-anchoring weights—but that would reveal my identity and put myself in danger.

Since Kun Ji could use Gu magic to harm me, I could use Mao Shan sorcery to harm him.

That's why Wang Yi always said:"Mao Shan chooses its disciples based on character."Because in the wrong hands, these methods can be far worse than murder.

I waited in silence.

Half an hour later, the candle flame in front of the altar began burning rapidly.

Just as it was about to die out—Five beams of light descended, surrounding a red cloth pouch, and delivered it before me.

I took eight copper coins and laid out a Soul-Locking Formation, casting the pouch into the center.

Then I spoke coldly:

"Don't think you're the only one who knows how to steal souls!Today—I'll make sure you never reincarnate.This… is the price for my master's life.And for mine."