Starting from the folklore forum, making up town objects

Chapter 394 Defending Against the Fierce Tiger
After roughly completing the draft of the "Gate of Hell" plan, Chen Xin made some selections and then focused his first target on the aspects of "tiger" and "deterrence".

He planned to start compiling a talisman related to tigers to test this idea.

If feasible, it will be included in the compilation of materials for the "Gates of Hell" project.

Chen Xin turned on his computer, opened the "Night Talk Folk Customs Forum," found some posts he had previously saved, and selected one about mugwort warding off evil spirits.

The person who posted this thread encountered a paranormal event and sought help in the forum.

When Chen Xin saw this post, the poster had already stopped replying, and no one knew whether the poster was dead or had found another way.

Although the post ended without any resolution, some concrete responses were given within it, which prompted replies from other users on the forum.

Perhaps after the meeting between the Underworld and the Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau relaxed some restrictions on "Night Talk Folk Customs Forum," or perhaps some people learned about the situation after receiving inside information.

In short, nowadays, the "Night Talk Folk Customs Forum" is no longer just filled with a few IDs that Chen Xin is familiar with, such as "Heavenly Cripples and Earthly Deficiencies".

The person answering the question in this post is a new ID.

"Black Fatty: OP, you can try weaving mugwort leaves into a tiger shape and hanging it on the door."

"Smog: @BlackLittleFat, are you sure you're not talking nonsense? I've only ever heard of mugwort dispelling dampness and repelling poisonous insects, I've never heard of mugwort warding off evil spirits!"

"White Snowflake: I don't understand, I'm curious @BlackLittleFat, please explain in detail. I'll try it whether it works or not, I just happen to have mugwort at home."

"Black Fatty: @Haze, mugwort does indeed have medicinal value, and modern people only know about its medicinal value. But in fact, many books have introduced the effect of mugwort in warding off evil spirits. For example, burning mugwort indoors can drive away evil spirits and prevent them from entering the body; another example is mixing mugwort with cinnabar, realgar, and atractylodes, putting it in a red cloth bag to make a sachet, which can ward off all evil spirits; yet another example is bathing in mugwort water, which can remove bad luck!"

"Black Fatty: You can try all of the above, as well as making mugwort into the shape of a tiger and hanging it on the door."

"Smog: @BlackLittleFat, shall we try it? Why don't you try it yourself?"

"Black Fatty: Because I haven't encountered the situation you're facing, judging from your situation, there seems to be no other way. Instead of doing nothing and just waiting, you might as well try everything."

"Smog: So you really were talking nonsense!"

"White Snowflake: @BlackLittleFatty, buddy, I have mugwort leaves, but I don't know how to make them into a tiger shape!"

"Black Fatty: @White Snowflake, if you don't know how to make it, you can look for some handicraft videos online. If that doesn't work, you can tie it with rope or glue it with paste. But it's best to just use mugwort leaves to weave a tiger shape."

White Snowflake: Okay, I'll give it a try.

"Black Fatty: @White Snowflake, by the way, it's best to choose wild mugwort leaves, especially those that grow on sunny hillsides, field ridges, and wastelands. Also, aged mugwort that has been stored for more than three years has the best effect. If the leaves are yellow or black, don't use them."

"White Snowflake: @BlackLittleFat, huh? So many interpretations? Okay, I'll give it a try. My friend recently said she encountered something evil and has been having trouble sleeping. I'll send it to her once I've made it!"

"Black Fatty: @White Snowflake, if you're in a hurry, you can try other methods first. If all else fails, then make an Ai Tiger. If it really works, remember to @ me. By the way, there's another method. If you can find calamus, you can pick some calamus and artemisia and hang them on the door together to ward off evil spirits."

"White Snowflake: @BlackLittleFatty, okay, thank you so much!"

"Smog: @WhiteSnowflake, you believe everything? I think it would be better for you to tell your friend to see a doctor than to do this."

"White Snowflake: @Haze, what's wrong with giving it a try? You don't have to try if you don't believe me!"

"Smog: @WhiteSnowflakes, you idiot!"

The conversation in the post ends here. A week has passed since then, and the user "White Snowflake" has not replied. It is likely that after creating it, they found it useless and therefore stopped replying.

Therefore, timing is still very important.

Chen Xin organized what "Black Little Fatty" said in the post, and then found some folk customs knowledge that he had categorized recently.

Regarding the use of mugwort, "Black Fatty" is not wrong, and even the saying that it should be hung on the door together with calamus has a source.

When Chen Xin created the "Evil-Suppressing Calamus Sword," he had already learned about the calamus. Calamus resembles a sword and, according to folklore, can slay demons. Placing both on the door can enhance the power of suppression.

However, "Black Fatty" didn't mention another example about mugwort, which is making human figures out of bundles of mugwort. This is a folk legend that uses witchcraft, and it's not directed at ghosts, but at people.

However, neither the calamus nor the mugwort figure was Chen Xin's purpose this time.

What he wants now is not a powerful talisman, but a talisman that meets his requirements!
After organizing his notes, Chen Xin began writing on "The Complete Book of Town-Suppressing Objects".

……

At the same time, a girl in a certain community paused her video and picked up some mugwort leaves that were placed next to her.

Not far from the girl, there were more than a dozen woven items that looked like cats, dogs, and tigers scattered haphazardly.

"We can finally begin!"

Bai Xue looked at the mugwort in front of her, a determined light shining in her eyes.

Ever since she saw the information about mugwort in the "Night Talk Folk Customs Forum", she made a sachet for her friend based on what "Black Little Fatty" said, and even had her friend soak mugwort leaves in water to take a bath. She even burned mugwort leaves in her friend's rented room and fumigated the whole room!
The smoke from the mugwort leaves almost made the neighbors call the fire department!

Unfortunately, even after all that, her friend still couldn't shake the feeling of being haunted by something unclean.

Seeing her friend's eyes becoming increasingly bloodshot and her dark circles getting worse due to lack of sleep, Bai Xue felt sorry for her.

She tried many methods to deal with this, and even called the police.

She had seen online that someone said Da Xia had a department that specifically dealt with paranormal events, so she wanted to ask Da Xia for help.

The police accepted her request, but two or three days passed without any follow-up.

With no other option, she could only turn her attention back to Ai Hu, the one "Black Fatty" had mentioned.

She wasn't worried about mugwort, because she had relatives who ran a pharmacy, so she had a source of mugwort.

The problem is, she's never done any crafts before!
In junior high school, she saw a girl in her class knitting a bracelet for the boy she liked, and she wanted to knit one for the boy she had a crush on as well.

By the time she finished braiding it, the boy was already wearing another girl's bracelet.

After that, Snow White stopped doing any handicrafts.

Even now, Bai Xue has had to pick up handicrafts again.

As she expected, she wasn't talented in this area. Even though she learned by watching videos, it took her three whole days to make something that looked like a tiger.

She originally wanted to practice some more, but recently her friend's problem isn't just poor sleep, it's that she can't sleep at all!

Even if we move to a different place, it's the same!

If Ai Hu's method still doesn't work, she doesn't know what else to do.

With a do-or-die determination, Bai Xue picked up the mugwort leaves and began to weave a mugwort tiger according to the instructions in the video!
Half an hour later, a strange tiger woven from mugwort appeared in front of Bai Xue.

This is the best one Bai Xue has made recently.

But she didn't stop. She spent another two hours making three more tiger-shaped figures.

Four tiger-shaped ornaments were laid out in front of her. Bai Xue chose the one that looked the best and left her home.

As she walked along the road, after calming down from the excitement of knitting the tiger, she began to feel uneasy.

What if AiHu doesn't work?
Is it worth wasting so much time?
"Night Talk Folk Customs Forum" is just a forum; no one claims that the things in it are true.

Bai Xue couldn't help but think of what the "smog" had said.

What if her friend's condition is really just an illness?
If a junior doctor can't cure the problem, what if we find a better one?

Filled with anxiety and uncertainty, Bai Xue arrived at her friend's house.

Looking at the mugwort she had previously placed on her friend's door, Bai Xue reached out and picked it down, then hung the tiger woven from mugwort in her hand on it.

After gently patting the little tiger twice, Bai Xue took out her key and opened the door.

Because of her friend's recent situation, Bai Xue also took a key to her house. "Tingting, I'm here!"

Seeing that no one was in the living room, Bai Xue walked towards Ke Ting's room.

After opening the door, she saw Ke Ting standing in front of the window.

"Tingting, what are you looking at?"

Just as Bai Xue was about to walk over, she saw Ke Ting suddenly turn over and climb towards the window.

This action terrified Snow White.

She rushed over and hugged Ke Ting, and the two of them fell to the floor of the room.

"Tingting! What are you doing! Are you out of your mind?!"

Bai Xue glared angrily at Ke Ting, but when she saw Ke Ting's haggard and aggrieved face and remembered what the other had been through recently, Bai Xue's anger turned into pity.

She hugged Ke Ting and patted her back, saying, "There must be a way, Tingting. I made that tiger figurine and hung it on your door. Let's try it and see if you still have nightmares when you sleep."

Bai Xue led Ke Ting, who looked like a walking corpse, into the living room.

These days, if Ke Ting needs to sleep during the day, she sleeps sitting on the sofa, which helps her wake up faster.

As for the night, she didn't dare to sleep at all.

Bai Xue took out her phone, turned on the timer, and after five minutes, she nodded to Ke Ting.

"Tingting, let's begin."

Ke Ting glanced at Bai Xue, then slowly closed her eyes.

The two had tried this kind of cooperation many times during this period, so they didn't talk much to each other.

Ke Ting could hear even breathing after closing her eyes for just five seconds.

Bai Xue nervously watched the countdown on her phone, hoping that Ke Ting wouldn't be plagued by nightmares this time.

Time passed second by second, and two minutes after Ke Ting fell asleep, Bai Xue saw Ke Ting's face suddenly flushed.

Ke Ting told Bai Xue that she would experience various death threats in her dreams, such as drowning, hanging, stabbing, and being burned. Correspondingly, when experiencing these processes, Ke Ting's body in reality would also show various reactions.

Seeing that the veins on Ke Ting's face were bulging, Bai Xue hurriedly put down her phone and prepared to shake Ke Ting.

Just then, Bai Xue suddenly felt a chilling aura emanating from He Ting. This aura swept over Bai Xue and headed straight for the door.

Bai Xue didn't know what was going on, but then he saw a wisp of black energy emanating from Ke Ting's forehead swirl in the air and then dissipate.

Bai Xue had a guess in her heart, and overjoyed, she disregarded the lingering cold and reached out to shake Ke Ting.

Seeing Ke Ting open her eyes in a daze, Bai Xue was pleasantly surprised.

The previous times Bai Xue woke up Ke Ting were all very difficult, and each time Ke Ting was woken up, the other party reacted very strongly, as if a drowning person had grabbed a lifeline.

Bai Xue still has bruises on her body from Ke Ting scratching her flesh after she woke up.

But this time, it's different!

"Tingting, how are you feeling?"

Bai Xue looked at Ke Ting expectantly.

After regaining her senses, Ke Ting looked at Bai Xue and murmured, "I... I was just being choked by a pair of hands, struggling desperately. Just when I felt I was going to die, I suddenly heard... a tiger's roar."

"Then, then those hands seemed to have been scattered by the roar, disappearing without a trace."

"Then, you woke me up."

As Ke Ting spoke, she seemed to realize something as well.

She looked at Bai Xue and asked, "Xiao Xue, is it... is it that thing of yours working?"

Bai Xue was also excited, but she was still unsure.

"I don't know. Tingting, you continue to sleep and see if there are any more problems."

Upon hearing this, Ke Ting nodded and then closed her eyes again.

One minute passed, five minutes passed, ten minutes passed...

As Ke Ting slept longer and longer, Bai Xue's expression grew increasingly agitated.

Never before has Ke Ting been able to sleep for so long!
It must be Ai Hu!

Bai Xue couldn't think of anything other than Ai Hu that could have changed Ke Ting's sleep state this time.

Seeing that Ke Ting was acting normally, Bai Xue went outside to take a look.

Ai Hu is still the same Ai Hu, only her stitches are a little messy.

Whether it was psychological or not, Bai Xue always felt that the tiger that came from her hands exuded majesty and solemnity!
With her hands clasped together, Bai Xue bowed to Ai Hu before returning to the room.

Right next to Ke Ting, she picked up her phone, opened the "Night Talk Folk Customs Forum," and found the previous post.

"White Snowflake: @BlackLittleFat, you're awesome! It really works! AiHu really works!"

……

Let's rewind to a few hours earlier.

Chen Xin had just finished compiling Ai Hu when he saw that there was already one more in existence!
Chen Xin cast a glance at him.

There's a girl over there, she seems to be making an iQiyi tiger.

"What a coincidence! It just so happened to coincide with the time I finished compiling it?"

After watching for a while, Chen Xin stopped observing.

Turning his head, he looked at the new town-protecting items in the "Complete Guide to Town-Protecting Items".

……

"Guardian of Evil - Tiger"

Uses: To ward off evil spirits and dispel negative energy.

Current strength: Underworld level
Current quantity: 1
Description of the talisman:

Ancient sages observed the image of a fierce tiger devouring a ghost and noticed that the shape of mugwort resembled a tiger's claw. Therefore, they regarded mugwort as a spiritual object to ward off evil spirits.

Therefore, skilled craftsmen use three-year-aged mugwort to weave a tiger shape, complete with head, claws, and tail. They hang it on red doors or tie it to their belts to ward off evil and bring good fortune.

The more yang energy mugwort contains, the better the effect of mugwort tiger.

Therefore, the best quality mugwort is that which is picked at noon on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Mugwort picked on sunny slopes, paths, and open fields is of the highest quality, while the rest is of lower quality.

However, there are three taboos: first, do not collect it after the rain has stopped; second, do not collect it if it is moldy; and third, do not collect it if it is dirty.

Violating these three taboos will not only render the medicine ineffective, but may also anger evil spirits and bring misfortune.

……

(End of this chapter)