Eternal madness

Chapter 67 Watch Our Special Skill
After lunch, Zhang Laifu slept for the entire afternoon, not waking up until after five o'clock.

After waking up, he opened his bundle, took out bamboo strips, and began to make the frame.

This was a warm-up; Zhang Laifu felt the fibrous texture of the bamboo, slowly getting into the right mindset.

The craftsman recovered quickly. Before, he had no strength in his hands and his joints ached when making lanterns, but after a couple of naps, his balance and strength have returned. Even the wounds on his hands have scabbed over, and he can make the frames faster and faster.

After bending six skeletons, Zhang Laifu felt he was in the right state of mind.

He opened his pocket watch, calculated the time, and made a lantern in less than ten seconds.

"Hey buddy, let's do this!"

That sound again! It means my wife is ready!
Zhang Laifu was overjoyed as he held the lantern, but then he suddenly realized something: where should he place the lantern?
The house has a blue brick floor, unlike a bamboo house where it's easy to insert a lantern pole.

After a while, Zhang Laifu still couldn't find a place to put the lantern, and the lantern's echo disappeared.

This is something we really need to be careful about. If we can't find a place to put the light when it's crucial, it will definitely cause us to make a big mistake.

Zhang Laifu found Li Yunsheng: "Brother Yunsheng, it's done! My special skill can be used now. I just used it once, and I'll demonstrate it for you again."

Li Yunsheng quickly stopped Zhang Laifu: "Brother Laifu, this special skill takes a lot of energy. Don't demonstrate it yet. If you demonstrate it too much, it might not work again."

"If you say it's usable, I'll definitely believe you. I'll go discuss it with Butler Luo later, and we'll go to the young master's room again tonight."

Zhang Laifu thought about it and realized that made sense. He realized that he might have practiced too hard before, which prevented him from using his special skills.

"Brother Yunsheng, you'll have to help me out later and recite a spell for me."

Li Yunsheng understood Zhang Laifu's meaning; he wanted to stimulate bodily functions through incantation techniques.

After the two reached an agreement, Li Yunsheng went to find Butler Luo, hoping to get Zhang Laifu another night of rest, but the butler refused.

"Didn't we already agree on this? This is the master's order, and we must give you an explanation today. If you give a good explanation, everything will be fine. If you don't, forget about the reward, and you might not even be able to leave the Yao family's gate!"

Li Yunsheng suppressed his anger and nodded slightly: "Alright, then let's set it for tonight. I'll trouble you to help with the preparations."

Butler Luo was equally straightforward: "Just tell me what you need, and I'll get it for you. But make sure you tell me everything you need, or you'll blame me if things don't work out."

At eight o'clock in the evening, Li Yunsheng calculated an auspicious time, bathed and burned incense, and began his medical practice.

He usually sets up a stall on the street and has never made such a big show of it before. The reason he put on such a grand show today is firstly to boost Zhang Laifu's morale and help him successfully use his special skills.

Secondly, he wanted to intimidate the Yao family and make them understand that he was not an ordinary person and could not be manipulated by them. If the matter could be accomplished, they would have to pay him.

Several servants first moved Yao Deshan to the open space in front of the east wing. Li Yunsheng set up an altar facing south, with the Azure Dragon position on the left, where documents and talismans were placed, and the White Tiger position on the right, where knives, spears, axes, and halberds were placed.

In the central area, a statue of the Yellow Ancestor was set up, and a Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams array was laid out. Bamboo talismans for suppressing evil spirits were placed in the four corners. Three protective lamps were lit for Yao Deshan: the Black Lamp to illuminate the Yin, the Red Lamp to suppress the soul, and the Yellow Lamp to guard the spirit.

Li Yunsheng held a sword in his left hand and a spirit bell in his right. He circled the altar once, rang the bell three times, and shouted: "Heaven is round and earth is square, the laws are in nine chapters. This disciple is here, setting up an incense hall to invite the Ancestral Master!"

This shout startled Yao Deshan, making him tremble.

Yao Renhuai, along with his entire family of over a hundred people, watched from the sidelines, feeling as if a thunderclap had struck, causing a sharp pain in his chest.

"My goodness, this doctor's voice is too loud!" Madam Yao clutched her chest and coughed several times. A maidservant hurriedly served tea, but was too slow and was slapped by the steward. Magistrate Yao was quite satisfied with Li Yunsheng; the effectiveness of the treatment was still unknown, but at least the presentation was satisfactory.

The only thing that was a little lacking was the three soul-suppressing lamps. They were neither ox horn lamps, nor gauze lamps, nor even wire lanterns. They were three paper lanterns made by Zhang Laifu himself.

This wasn't because Li Yunsheng couldn't afford good lamps; it was something they had agreed upon. With these three paper lamps, Zhang Laifu would have three weapons, and he could deal with any trouble that might happen.

Li Yunsheng knelt before the statue of the patriarch, burning three bundles of incense: first, he invited the heavenly light; second, he invited the earthly protection; and third, he invited the patriarch to descend.

The candlelight flickered, the incense smoke spread, and the solemn atmosphere was palpable. Yao Deshan was a little restless in his chair, his hands opening and closing, as if he wanted to get up.

Li Yunsheng took out three talismans and affixed them to Yao Deshan: a calming talisman on his forehead, a soul-locking talisman on his chest, and a spirit-stabilizing talisman below his navel.

When Li Yunsheng was applying the talisman to Yao Deshan's forehead, he used a little too much force and almost knocked Yao Deshan unconscious. Yao Deshan was about to start cursing, but seeing Zhang Laifu standing to the side, he held back.

The most crucial moment arrived. Li Yunsheng picked up the peach wood sword, stepped out in the Seven Star Steps, and began chanting the incantation: "Heavenly light above, Ancestral Master as witness, with a sincere heart, I drive away all evil forms. The talisman fire illuminates the night, the spirit water is clear, all demons bow their heads, daring not to devour life. Clouds part and the energy rises, I tread the path of thunder, if a ghost defies me, may its spirit scatter and its soul be overthrown..."

While he was chanting incantations, Zhang Laifu quickly made paper lanterns by the light of the candles.

To be honest, Zhang Laifu was very nervous. He was a civil engineering major and rarely performed rituals.

He got his tools and started making lamps, but the first lamp's frame wasn't done well enough, so it was ruined.

The second lamp frame was finished, but my hand trembled while pasting the paper on it, and it was ruined again.

The third lamp is finished!
Zhang Laifu put on the lantern pole, went around to Yao Deshan's back, and there was a vase behind him, which Zhang Laifu had prepared in advance.

He stuck the lantern into the vase, and the lantern stood up!

A blinding light flashed, making it impossible for everyone to open their eyes. Old Madam Yao covered her eyes and muttered softly, "What's going on now?"

"What else could it be?" Magistrate Yao asked with a stern face. "Isn't this just the same old paper lantern maker's stuff?"

As Zhang Laifu had guessed correctly, a paper lantern maker had come before, and judging from Magistrate Yao's attitude, the previous paper lantern maker had failed to solve the problem.

Butler Luo quickly explained, "I think these two are just itinerant hustlers. They have no real skills. They're just using all these fancy tricks to bluff people. This...this seems a bit different!"

Under the bright light, everyone stared at the altar with surprise. Zhang Laifu's craftsmanship was indeed different from that of a paper lantern maker.

Li Yunsheng, holding the peach wood sword, his face covered in sweat, continued chanting: "Hurry, hurry, as commanded, retreat into the netherworld, the gates of the living are guarded, the path to the underworld proceeds on its own. Soul returns to its rightful place, spirit is as secure as a city wall, the gods are by your side, protecting this true life, ooh, ooh, ooh..."

He can't speak ghost language, but now he can't even speak human language properly. Zhang Laifu's special skill is so unique that it has intimidated Li Yunsheng.

Panicked and trembling, Li Yunsheng could barely hold onto the peach wood sword. He looked around.

Brother Laifu, where have you been?
Zhang Laifu's figure disappeared.

Li Yunsheng had never seen such a bright light before.

P.S.: "The Demon of Ten Thousand Lifetimes" has reached number one on the new book charts, all thanks to the deep affection and support of all my dear readers. I, Sarah, bow deeply in gratitude! Thank you all, dear readers! I'll definitely be updating like crazy once it's officially released!

(End of this chapter)