With virtue

Meanwhile, Young Master Wang assigned the locations where Sun and He had confessed.

The men he brought with him this time were all elites, his personal guards. They were naturally very capable in doing these things, and soon they each received their orders and went off in three teams to their respective locations.

Young Master Wang then sent a message to Yuan Zhisheng, telling him not to return to the city, but to wander around outside the city a few more times and see if Master Lushan, who had not yet settled down outside, could be found.

With such a combined encirclement from both inside and outside, as long as there are still those sorcerers in the city who dare to make contact, we are not afraid of not being able to catch them.

After making the arrangements, Young Master Wang found a courtyard to sit down and leisurely sipped his tea.

Next, all Zhao Yunshu needs to do is wait for news from his subordinates, then figure out the details of that spell, and then he can put an end to this matter.

As night fell, the lights began to illuminate the surroundings, and the young master Wang, sparing no expense in lighting them, made the area as bright as day, as if he wanted to illuminate the impending storm.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yunshu returned to the small courtyard where she had slept the previous night.

When he got back, he didn't do anything else. He went straight to the table and started studying the papers with symbols and incantations written on them. He used sunlight during the day and lit candles at night, studying them from daylight until the moon rose.

The more I studied them, the more sinister these spells seemed. The opening incantation alone told me they were not good things, and the symbols inside looked like snakes crawling and worms, which didn't look like anything good.

Spells are actually quite pure; they will manifest in whatever form they are based on. The foundation upon which this spell is based is clearly not a good one.

He studied it for most of the day and gradually grasped some of the tricks. The incantations that Zhao Yunshu learned were directly passed down from the old Taoist priest's talismanic arts.

Talismanic arts, also known as incantations, are a type of spellcasting. They involve drawing talismans and performing rituals to achieve the power of incantations. This is a relatively common type, and peach talismans also belong to this category.

However, magic is a profound and unfathomable thing, and it is far more than just talismans.

For example, ancient spells and curses come in all shapes and sizes and can be encountered in various places. Ordinary people may not even know that they are spells or curses, but they may be affected by them without realizing it, and even benefit or lose as a result.

Losses are the most common occurrence, and many families are torn apart and people die. This is because destruction is indeed easier than construction, and destruction is more likely to occur when the underlying principles are not understood.

For example, there are many skilled craftsmen who have worked their whole lives. They may not understand spiritual practice or know that they are using witchcraft, but they often have similar lineages.

Building houses, ships, repairing tombs, ramming earth to lay foundations, building stoves and kang beds, obtaining timber, raising beams and laying tiles, repairing doors and thresholds, nailing beds and settling in—they were familiar with every step of these processes and had spells to use. Placing certain items in specific locations or deliberately leaving out certain items was considered casting a spell, without needing any runes.

In any construction project, if the homeowner treats the craftsmen unfairly and offends them, the craftsmen will mutter a few words when the beam is raised, place something under the threshold, or carve something on the bed board. At best, the household will be unsettled; at worst, it will bring bad luck, injury, or even sudden misfortune and death.

These curses are hidden in the shadows, almost invisible, unlike the rituals performed by Taoist priests who set up altars, burn incense, perform the Yu Step, sprinkle water, draw talismans, and perform other spells. Yet, they can still make people restless.

There is also the concept of verbal incantations, which are even more bizarre than the witchcraft incantations mentioned earlier, as they are entirely based on spoken words.

The Book of Rites of Zhou (specifically the section on the Spring Official) records that in ancient times, there was a position called "Zhu Zhu" in the royal court. These people were specifically in charge of such methods. At that time, there was no emperor yet, and the various feudal lords were enfeoffed in different parts of the country. When they needed to make oaths with each other, shamans would come out to make oaths and prayers, performing the Zhu You method, which was to communicate with the gods through words. As soon as the incantation was uttered, good or bad fortune would follow.

The words they utter are incantations, also called "spells of words," a kind of magical art. Besides these, there are also Buddhist mantras unique to Buddhism, transmitted from India, originating from the Brahman lineage of local sages. Originally called "True Word Dharani," they were simply referred to as Buddhist mantras or "bright mantras" by outsiders in Central China. The scriptures state: "Dharani, in Qin language, means 'able to hold,' or 'able to prevent.' 'Able to hold' means to gather various good deeds, able to hold them so they are not scattered or lost. 'Able to prevent' means to prevent the arising of evil and unwholesome roots of thought. If one desires to commit evil sins, holding it prevents them from being committed; this is called Dharani."

The Buddhist community claims that each word and phrase of a mantra contains immeasurable meaning. If one recites it, all obstacles will be removed, and the benefits will be vast and profound. As long as a monk who practices this method recites the mantra and forms mudras, the vibration of the sound will bless the body with the power of the mantra, and can also subdue demons and monsters.

There are also Confucian gentlemen who can recite classics, possess a righteous spirit, and are immune to all evils. Although they do not admit it, in essence, they are no different from those who use incantations.

There are countless spells and incantations in the world, each with its own principles. There are numerous schools of thought, including the three religions and nine schools of divination. It would probably be impossible to exhaust them all, even if one cultivated until death.

However, although spells are chaotic and may merge or mutate during their various transmission processes, they still have commonalities in the end.

Zhao Yunshu learned the old Taoist's incantation. Based on his knowledge, he could basically determine that no matter what kind of method the incantation came from, it always came down to three steps.

The first of these three joints is called leveraging.

One important reason why spells can be listed separately is that they all borrow power. These spells themselves have no power, so ordinary people can use them. All the effects depend on the power that the caster borrows from elsewhere.

Using special methods to communicate with the power of heaven and earth is a common practice in witchcraft and incantations. Alternatively, offerings can be used to obtain the power of ghosts and gods, such as the Six Luo Talisman or the Yellow God Amulet. Or, one can use one's own vital energy as bait to lure something else to do something for free. In any case, there needs to be something to drive it.

The second is called implementation. The borrowed power must eventually be put into a real place. For example, a talisman is put into a talisman paper and runes, while witchcraft involves straw figures, puppets, small arrows, and the like. In short, the borrowed power must be nailed from the void into reality.

The third is called persistence.

Once the power is established, there needs to be a method to ensure it doesn't dissipate. Some rely on talismans and scriptures, some on repeated incantations, and others on the unseen power of thought in the void, or perhaps on future incense offerings, someone's vital energy, or something similar—there needs to be a continuous and consistent method. Once these three elements are established, the spell will continue to operate; if they dissipate, the spell will disappear.

Therefore, the young Taoist priest fell into deep thought.

The talisman held in one's hand must have something to rely on when casting the spell. It doesn't resemble the energy of heaven and earth, nor does it have the power of incense or vows. So it must be either the power of ghosts or gods or one's own cultivation.

As for the location of the curse... it can be confirmed that it is a specific person like Sun Meng or He Wulang who was cursed, so it is probably related to their birth date, name, and other three things. However, it is also possible that it is located in a fixed place, such as a house, foundation, or beam.

The continuous power of the incantation is not inexhaustible; it dissipates on its own as the caster moves away, indicating that there is almost no means of maintaining it and that it is maintained by the caster's own cultivation. This suggests that the caster's cultivation level must be quite high.

Now that we've figured out the principle, how do we work backwards?

That's the problem.

Zhao Yunshu turned the papers over and over, examining them repeatedly. He felt that the spell, though seemingly simple, actually contained profound secrets; it was truly a remarkable technique.

He wrote down his deductions on paper, spreading them all over the table, and then checked them one by one, using a clumsy method to calculate. But every time he thought he had found a starting point, he would discover that it was a trap.

The person who created this spell is extremely cunning and must be a scheming old man without a wife. Otherwise, how could they create such a lousy spell? The points of leverage are vague, the implementation is tightly hidden, and there are seven or eight possible threads in the continuity. Every time he thinks he has found the clue and starts to solve the problem, he loses his way again after a while. Upon closer inspection, he finds that it is all fake, all of it is just a charade.

Throughout the night, he felt he had succeeded several times and picked up his pen to work backward, but he got stuck halfway through writing and could only crumple the paper into a ball and throw it away.

At first, he was able to calm down, but he grew increasingly angry, wishing he could drag out the person who designed the spell and stab them to death. However, after most of the day had passed, the more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. He had almost figured it out: the creator of this communication spell was far more skilled in these matters than he was.

His idea of ​​cracking the code in a single day is simply overestimating his abilities.

This went on for so long that before they knew it, it was past midnight.

Outside the courtyard, a night watchman walked by, striking a gong. The sound from outside made the small courtyard seem even more quiet.

As he was deep in thought, at a loss for what to do, he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.

Although Zhao Yunshu did not cultivate the divine ability to predict the future, he still had some connection with the dragon and tiger and had a certain sense of it. In the face of life and death, his hair stood on end. Fortunately, he was not wearing a hat, otherwise the hat might have been pushed up by his hair.

Almost instinctively, he twisted his body, lowered it to the left, rolled on the ground, and rolled away.

With a whoosh, an arrow struck the spot where he had just been sitting, its tail feathers trembling wildly.

Zhao Yunshu had just finished rolling when a second arrow came flying in.

He didn't have time to draw his sword, but his toes moved even faster. With a swift movement, he flipped the table, sending many pages flying and swirling in the air. Arrows, carried by the wind, pierced through many pages and embedded themselves firmly in the tabletop.

Fortunately, the table was made of high-quality hardwood and was not pierced by the arrow.

With the table as cover, he drew his sword, then moved the table and peered through the crack. (Search "Germany Flags" on Bing to see the latest chapter!)

Under the moonlight, a masked man dressed in night clothes stood outside, holding a crossbow in his hand, the string still vibrating.

Damn it, military crossbows, they even managed to get their hands on these. It really is a disaster caused by war.

The masked man saw him hide without saying a word, hung his crossbow on his body, drew a thin knife from his back, and stepped into the courtyard.

The man was dressed in black, his body completely obscured by darkness, except for a gleaming silver weapon he carried in his hand.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he pounced on the table like a cat, kicking it away and then slashing at the face!

However, Zhao Yunshu had already taken up the iron sword, so instead of retreating, he advanced and swung the iron sword upwards!

The two blades clashed, sparks flying everywhere. The assassin took a step back, somewhat taken aback.

Wasn't it said that this person was seriously injured?

Indeed, this was the case. If Zhao Yunshu had been injured and hadn't recovered his strength a few days earlier, his fate would have been uncertain if he had encountered such a desperate assassin.

But tonight, as soon as he got his hands on the sword, he felt something was different.

His condition at this moment was hard to describe. He had been studying talismans all day, which had left him dizzy and disoriented. Even though he had taken a restorative pill, his injuries were still not fully healed, and he was very weak. But once they actually started fighting, the situation would be different.

But then the young Taoist priest flipped his wrist, and his sword path changed. After the first sword parried the blade, the second sword seemed to have no reaction force, and it went straight to the parry.

Without a guard, the assassin's thumb would have been sliced ​​off in one blow.

Even if it was, the shock made his wrist ache, forcing him to change his move.

But as soon as this change occurred, Zhao Yunshu also changed, his sword tip aimed at the assassin's right rib.

The assassin was startled and hurriedly withdrew his knife to defend. Zhao Yunshu seemed to be led by the opponent's movements, following closely behind. He touched the back of the knife with the tip of his sword, used the force to deflect it, and then the blade made a delicate flip, slashing towards the opponent's left shoulder.

Ingenious, effortless, and swift, the thrust is sharp and the slash is gentle, like the wind brushing against a willow, like the moon reflecting on the water.

His swordsmanship was truly different. At this moment, the sword moved with his mind, and the sword followed his intention. Every move was smooth and effortless, so light that even he himself was somewhat surprised.

Seeing this, the assassin, wanting to trade injury for life, simply stopped parrying the blade, gripped the knife with both hands, and slashed down fiercely!

However, Zhao Yunshu blocked the attack from the side, and using the force of the downward strike, he twisted and turned his sword, and the attack was deflected in an unbelievable way, leaving the assassin's armpit wide open.

Zhao Yunshu was not about to let his opponent straighten up. Before the opponent could regain his balance, the tip of his sword was already extended, about to pierce his heart directly from under his armpit.

The assassin hastily withdrew his hand, but a gash was also slashed across his back. The two exchanged blows for only two or three moves, in the time it takes to breathe, before the assassin was completely overwhelmed.

To outsiders, the little Taoist's swordsmanship could be described as unorthodox. No matter how the enemy attacked, it was as if he was striking into the water. When he moved, the water moved, but not completely. The stronger you were, the greater the reaction force, and the less power you could exert.

In a short while, the assassin had five or six bloody gashes on his body. Although they were not fatal, they were painful. Under the influence of pain and fear, his swordsmanship naturally became more and more chaotic.

The assassin had clearly not expected his swordsmanship to be so exquisite. He was already considering retreating, knowing that if he continued to entangle with him, he would surely die. He made a feint with his sword and then turned and ran towards the top of the wall.

Zhao Yunshu continued his pursuit, his sword tip aimed at the elbows and knees. If the assassin didn't dodge or block, he would surely be finished. This forced the assassin to defend himself, like a fish in a net, unable to break free.

Within a few moves, the assassin managed to reach the wall, but with the wall behind him and sword flashes on his left and right, he had no way to escape.

At this moment, the assassin suddenly sprang up and slashed fiercely with his sword again, his momentum extremely powerful. It seemed that he wanted to force Zhao Yunshu back and then escape over the wall.

Zhao Yunshu remained calm and dodged to the side, then chopped off the other's hand, forcing him to drop the knife.

Even without his weapon, the assassin refused to surrender and reached for the dagger at his waist. But Zhao Yunshu was not about to give him the chance. She stepped forward, pressed her right knee against his lower back, and with a twist and a press, struck him on the back of the head.

The assassin could no longer stand, and Zhao Yunshu grabbed his arm and pinned him to the ground with his arms twisted behind his back.

Zhao Yunshu took a breath, reached out his sword and lifted the black cloth covering the assassin's face. In the moonlight, he saw that what was revealed under the black cloth was the face of an extremely beautiful woman.

Although it wasn't very clear in the darkness, her features were exquisite, and she appeared to be around twenty years old. She was biting her lower lip, glaring at him with resentment, looking even more aggrieved than he, the assassin. Zhao Yunshu blinked, thinking to himself, "The assassins trained by the Lushan Sect are so unrefined; why are they even taking care of their skin?"

However, the opponent's swordsmanship was indeed superb, and could be considered first-rate in the martial arts world. If it were Zhao Yunshu's mediocre skills from a few days ago, he would have been killed by the opponent in four or five rounds.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a few days ago.

But the other party just wanted him dead, so to say he's showing mercy is ridiculous...

Without saying a word, Zhao Yunshu pinned the opponent's foot to the ground with a single sword strike!

It's easy to think about, but not so easy to leave.