After the Immortal Disappeared

"If you draw even a single line on a Talisman incorrectly, the whole thing is ruined."

"Are you saying it didn’t work because Lui Yao botched the drawing?" Hee Lingchuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Even for something he was keeping as a trump card to save his life... no matter how reckless he was, he couldn’t have been that careless, could he?"

"I’ve heard of Lui Yao. The man was called the Cannibal General, and he came from a brutish background," Lil Qingge said with a small smile. "But you’re right. This Talisman is intricate and masterfully drawn. It shows years of practice, which should be beyond Lui Yao’s ability."

"This is just an ordinary Talisman, for the Wind Stabilizing Technique..." Lil Qingge suddenly fell silent, picking up the Talisman Paper and holding it up to the brazier’s light.

She leaned in closer and closer. Hee Lingchuan thought she was about to toss the Talisman Paper into the fire and was just about to speak when it burst into flame with a WHOOSH.

"Hey!" ’Even if you can’t figure it out, you don’t have to burn it! That’s food for the Divine Bone!’

As Hee Lingchuan reached to snatch it back, Lil Qingge firmly grabbed his arm. "Be still!"

Her tone was firm and severe, a stark contrast to her gentle demeanor from moments before.

The flames burned out in a flash. Miraculously, the Talisman Paper was completely unharmed, though the air now smelled of smoke and char.

"Just as I thought." Lil Qingge turned the Talisman Paper toward him. "Look again."

Hee Lingchuan stared intently. It was still black paper with red writing, but the strokes and patterns seemed slightly different.

"This is its true form?"

Lil Qingge didn’t answer, instead placing it back on the table, flattening it out, and observing it closely.

"I’ve only ever read about this kind of Talisman in ancient texts. I never expected to see a real one." Her expression turned serious. "This is a Sacrificial God Curse."

"And what does it do?"

"It uses one’s own body as a vessel to beseech a Deity to descend and display its Supreme Divine Technique."

’So when Lui Yao swallowed the Talisman, he wasn’t trying to save himself or escape. He was trying to summon a Deity to unleash a massive attack and kill all of his enemies?’

’He had no intention of surviving. He just wanted to take everyone down with him. Lui Yao certainly lived up to his reputation as a ruthless brigand.’

"How is that different from a Divine Descent?"

"You’ve heard of Divine Descent?" Lil Qingge glanced at him. "A Divine Descent requires long and meticulous preparation beforehand. The Deity descends into a designated vessel capable of withstanding its power. The Sacrificial God Curse, however, is a makeshift plea to a Deity, and the vessel offered isn’t guaranteed to meet the Deity’s requirements."

"Can you summon any Deity you want?"

"Of course not." Lil Qingge chuckled. "Deities don’t appreciate being disturbed without cause. The caster must pray and communicate with them in advance—give them a heads-up, so to speak—so they can be called upon in times of crisis. Therefore, every completed Talisman is, in fact, already linked to a specific Deity."

"So, which Deity is this one linked to?"

"That’s unclear. The connection exists on a higher plane; it isn’t written on the Talisman," Lil Qingge said softly. "I’ve heard the price for a Divine Descent Technique is enormous, let alone for a Sacrificial God Curse like this. By the time someone needs to use one, they’re either desperate or on their last breath. The price is paid to the Deity in advance, and when the human swallows the Talisman, the Deity is required to appear and help. The fact that no Deity answered Lui Yao’s call is why he looked so stunned."

’I get it. It’s like a check that’s supposed to be cashed when needed. But Lui Yao’s check bounced.’

’A Deity actually went back on its word. I can only imagine Lui Yao’s despair and confusion.’

Once he understood, a wave of fear washed over Hee Lingchuan. "It’s a good thing the Deity ignored him, then. Otherwise, none of us would have made it out alive, right?"

"More or less," Lil Qingge said, pouring a fresh cup of hot tea. "I’ve never witnessed a Deity’s descent, so I don’t know its true power. But since it’s used as a Killer Move, it must be incredibly strong. I suspect Lui Yao didn’t make this. It was probably made by Hong Xiangqian."

’Hong Xiangqian was known as the "Saint Master." It wouldn’t be strange for him to communicate with a Celestial God, would it?’

"Why didn’t the Deity show up?" ’If Hong Xiangqian made the Talisman, it should have been reliable. And since Hong Xiangqian would have paid the price in advance, all Lui Yao had to do was use it.’

"That’s hard to say." Lil Qingge pondered for a long time. "Perhaps the Talisman itself was flawed—after all, there’s no standard version for these Secret Arts to compare against. Or perhaps the Deity looked down on Lui Yao and couldn’t be bothered to help him, especially since Hong Xiangqian is already dead. This Talisman should, by rights, be a contract between Hong Xiangqian and the Deity. Or maybe... the Deity was busy and couldn’t make it in person?"

"In any case, it all comes back to the same thing—" She pushed the Talisman forward, her smile blooming like a flower. "Young Master Hee, you truly are a man of great fortune to encounter such a one-in-a-million stroke of luck."

"It seems I should go have a drink to calm my nerves." Hee Lingchuan put away the Talisman, thanked Lil Qingge, and took his leave.

Marquis Songyang watched him go, a thoughtful look on her face.

A quarter of an hour later, Li Fubo came to pay his respects, having just passed Hee Lingchuan on the way.

Marquis Songyang discussed improvements to the Seed Blade method with him. Since the Broken Blade’s nature was so active, the duration of the seeding process could perhaps be shortened to under ten days.

Once they finished their official business, Lil Qingge asked Li Fubo, "You’ve been by Hee Lingchuan’s side for seven or eight days now. What’s your assessment of him?"

Li Fubo thought for a moment. "Aside from his preference for Cultivation and martial arts, he’s not much different from any other rich young master. He’s a bit reckless and straightforward, and he spends money freely, so he’s not disliked in the army."

"Reckless and straightforward?" Marquis Songyang smiled. "Spiritual Artifacts choose their masters. Do you think Zhong Shengguang’s legacy blade would choose a reckless brute as its master?"

But Li Fubo shook his head. "This subordinate believes that a Spiritual Artifact doesn’t consider temperament or disposition when choosing a master, only fierce courage."

Marquis Songyang’s tone was laced with meaning. "Then, he at least has that much."

’Hee Chunhua is a master of schemes, while his eldest son, Hee Lingchuan, is reckless and straightforward.’

’Is that really how it is?’

Just then, a handmaiden came to report, "A business message has arrived from the branch in the Northern Demon Kingdom."

"Bring it in."

Someone then entered to deliver the letter.

Li Fubo took the opportunity to excuse himself.

...

Since there was nothing to be learned from the Black Talisman, Hee Lingchuan casually fed it to the Divine Bone Necklace before heading back to the Post House.

To his surprise, both Hee Chunhua and his wife were there.

The moment Madam Ying saw him, she pressed, "You were talking with Marquis Songyang for so long. What did you discuss?"

"We discussed a plan for reforging the Broken Sword, and I asked her to analyze something Lui Yao left behind." Hee Lingchuan yawned. "The almond tea there is good. That’s it."

"What thing?" It was Hee Chunhua who spoke.

"A black Talisman I picked up off Lui Yao’s body." Hee Lingchuan shrugged. "Turns out it was a Talisman for summoning a Deity to help get revenge. He used it, but it didn’t work. Sigh. I walked right up to the Ghost Gate without even knowing it."

"Let me see it." Hee Chunhua held out his hand.

"It’s gone." Hee Lingchuan scratched his head. "The pattern on it only showed up near a flame. I accidentally burned it to ashes."

Hee Chunhua just said, "Oh," as if he didn’t think much of it. Madam Ying, however, sighed softly. "That Marquis Songyang is quite pitiful, to be widowed at such a young age."

"She...?" Hee Lingchuan was stunned. ’She was married?’

’Forget it.’ He was tired of asking, "How come nobody told me?"

Madam Ying, however, was quite pleased with her eldest son’s cooperative expression. "Lil Qingge was married at sixteen to the Supervisor of the Secretariat, Fan Linong. It was a match arranged by her grandfather with great care. I heard that Lord Fan was exceptionally talented and handsome, the youngest Supervisor of the Secretariat since the founding of our Da Yuan, and a perfect match for Lil Qingge. Unfortunately, he wasn’t fated to enjoy her company for long. He died of illness less than two years after their marriage, at the age of twenty-nine. Truly, a case of heaven being jealous of great talent."

’The Supervisor of the Secretariat was the head of the Secretariat Department, in charge of classic texts, charts, astronomy, and the calendar. It sounded like a high-ranking position, but it was essentially equivalent to being the director of the national library, holding no real power in the current dynasty.’

’It seemed the old Marquis Songyang understood well the high risks that came with high position and power, and had found his granddaughter a husband with a leisurely post, far from the center of the political storm.’

Hee Chunhua smiled. "And where did you hear all this?"

Madam Ying shot him a sideways glance. "The noble families of Shihuan City know all sorts of news." She had made quite a few friends in Shihuan City this time, so her information network was much better than before. "Didn’t you say, my lord, that we shouldn’t miss any whisper of gossip from the Capital City?"

"Fan Linong was indeed talented, and he did die young, but not from illness." Hee Chunhua turned to give instructions to his steward, Old Mo, before continuing. "He picked the wrong side in the struggle for the throne. Afterward, when the current King inherited the throne and enacted reforms, Fan Linong responded with scorn and harsh criticism, declaring the reforms weak and ineffective while praising the enlightened system of the Northern Demon Kingdom. Later, someone reported him for sympathizing with rebels and secretly aiding an uprising, presenting evidence of his crimes. His Majesty the King had his head chopped off."

He said slowly, "And guess who it was that reported him?"

Hee Lingchuan looked at Madam Ying, who was staring in shock.

’Colluding with the enemy and treason were capital crimes. If the evidence was solid, why wasn’t the trial made public? Why was his true cause of death covered up with a story about illness?’

’Furthermore, how did Lil Qingge escape unscathed, still able to manage her Songyang Prefecture so well?’

’How did the Fan Family also escape punishment, avoiding implication in his crimes?’

’The answer was almost too obvious.’

Madam Ying hesitated before asking tentatively, "Could it have been... Lil Qingge?"

"’Someone secretly delivered evidence of his crimes into the palace and presented it before the King.’ Those were the original words. I don’t know if it was Marquis Songyang. The only ones who likely know the truth are His Majesty the King and the informant themself." Hee Chunhua leaned back in his chair. "However, I heard that Marquis Songyang had just entered the palace two days before Fan Linong’s arrest. Few people know about this matter, as His Majesty intended for it not to be spread."

Madam Ying clutched her chest, her voice trembling. "That woman... she’s so ruthless!"

Her own relationship with Hee Chunhua was a happy one, and her life was smooth and prosperous; she couldn’t imagine how another woman could report her own husband for a crime.

’But after hearing this, she was mostly relieved. Since her husband knew that Marquis Songyang had the heart of a viper, he would surely be wary of her, right?’

Hee Lingchuan was also surprised. ’So this is a case of knowing someone’s face but not their heart?’

Just then, the steward, Old Mo, came in to report. "My lord, everyone has arrived."

Hee Chunhua sat up straight. "Let them in."

Seeing that he was about to conduct official business, Madam Ying quickly took her leave.

Before arriving in Dunyu, Hee Chunhua needed to convene another meeting with his subordinates. This time, everyone was present: the three men of the Hee family—the father and his sons—Zeng Feixiong, Wu Shaoyi, Zhao Qinghe, Mozhe Jingxuan, and three newly promoted generals from the Supporting Army.

These were the core members of Hee Chunhua’s trusted circle.

Before speaking, he first handed each of his subordinates a green bamboo tube, sealed with a stopper.