CG - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The counselor, having finished his work, didn't come to see Wu Gu in her dorm until that evening. He casually glanced over her bunk and immediately spotted the yellow paper talisman on her headboard. After finishing his words of concern, he said earnestly, “The university isn't against students having personal beliefs, and I respect every student's freedom in that regard. However, this is a school, and as a student, your focus should be on your studies. You need to have discernment. If you have difficulties, you should talk to your counselor first, not just trust people you've recently met off-campus.”

Wu Gu felt there was a hidden meaning in the counselor's words but couldn't quite figure out the situation, so she resorted to the good student's code: “I understand, sir. I'll be careful.”

The counselor assumed she understood and said, “Then please take down that thing you've posted on your bed.”

Only then did Wu Gu realize he was talking about the talisman she had put up because of Song Yang. She had completely forgotten about it and quickly nodded in agreement, taking it down. Just then, Zhao Shu returned from outside. Knowing Wu Gu was back, she had intentionally stayed out late, but upon seeing the counselor the moment she entered, she wished she could turn right around and leave.

The counselor glanced at Zhao Shu but said nothing. He continued lecturing Wu Gu for a while longer before finally leaving, greeting the other students on his way out. Zhao Shu breathed a sigh of relief. After the previous blunder about changing dorms, the counselor had questioned the other roommates about Wu Gu's situation. She had started to regret blurting out that Wu Gu had posted a talisman. It hadn't been intentional, but she still felt guilty whenever she faced Wu Gu.

In truth, the other roommates had known about this for a while. Liu Ningyu shot Zhao Shu a look and quietly explained the whole story to Wu Gu. Wu Gu felt the counselor was just being well-intentioned. After all, not many people who haven't experienced such things would believe in them—just like Mr. Wei over a decade ago. Ultimately, the counselor was just afraid she would be led astray.

As for Zhao Shu, Wu Gu had no intention of blaming her. Their bunks were across from each other, and the talisman was on the headboard, right in Zhao Shu's line of sight when she lay facing outward. It was understandable that some people disliked talk of ghosts and found it creepy. It was just like how Wei Jinzhi disliked sweets. Her master had taught her to be broad-minded; after all, it was far too easy for a Daoist cultivator to harm an ordinary person. A narrow mind would not only harm others but also oneself.

In the end, Zhao Shu didn't change dorms. For every exam, Liu Ningyu and Cao Zhenzhen helped Wu Gu up and down the stairs. Wei Jinzhi would visit her several times a day, occasionally bringing a large pile of snacks to share with her roommates. After a few days, it wasn't just their dorm; anyone in the building who had seen Wei Jinzhi would come by to ask about her. Wu Gu would sigh, but she also felt a sense of pride.

Wu Gu had been gone for a month, and Song Yang had been checking every few days to see if she was back. Chang Yiqing was very busy now and rarely returned to the university, so Song Yang was more bored than ever. The moment she saw Wu Gu that day, she was overjoyed, circling her for a long time until Wu Gu swatted her away. Fortunately, the dorm was empty at the time.

Wu Gu said, “You're making my eyes spin.”

Wei Jinzhi saw a blurry shadow. It wasn't distinct, but she knew it must be the Song Yang that Chang Yiqing had mentioned. The moment Song Yang saw Wei Jinzhi, she immediately abandoned Wu Gu and drifted over. “Who is this elegant and beautiful young lady?” she said, reaching out to take advantage of Wei Jinzhi, but Wu Gu quickly pulled her back.

Wu Gu, holding onto Song Yang, tilted her head and looked at Wei Jinzhi. She had just seen Wei Jinzhi make a move to dodge. “Can you see her?” she asked.

“A blurry shadow. Was she about to come over and touch me just now?”

Wu Gu nodded. “Yes. Don't worry, I've got her.”

Song Yang was amazed. “Such a beautiful young lady is actually a Celestial Master! Have the standards for looks among you Celestial Masters gotten this high?”

Wu Gu and Wei Jinzhi said, “It's probably because you're constantly surrounded by Yin Qi, so you're more sensitive to it.” Wu Gu then turned to Song Yang, annoyed. “And this is all your fault. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been lectured by the counselor for days on end.”

Wei Jinzhi asked, “What happened?”

Song Yang nodded, indicating that Wei Jinzhi had asked the question for her. Wu Gu explained, “It's because you scared me last time. I put a talisman on my headboard, and the counselor thought I was into feudal superstitions. He's worried I've joined some shady organization, so now he keeps coming to have heart-to-hearts with me.”

Song Yang threw up her hands. “Well, you can't blame me for that.”

Wu Gu looked at her. Chang Yiqing had been taken in by North City's Han family, which meant it was time for Song Yang to move on. “My exams are in two weeks,” she said. “Don't forget you promised me you'd leave after this semester ends.”

Hearing this, Song Yang looked a little dejected. “I know,” she said listlessly. She suddenly felt that a ghost's existence was very dull. “I'm going back to the rear mountain. You and this young lady can chat.”

“She's gone?” Wei Jinzhi came back to herself; the blurry shadow of Song Yang was no longer in the dorm. She had been thinking about Wu Gu's problem. Wu Gu still had two years of university left, and it was inevitable that she would have to deal with ghosts and exorcisms during that time. If a classmate were to see her using talismans and chanting spells, it would be difficult to explain. It would be better to be open about it. She asked, “Have you ever thought about getting a Celestial Master license?”

“A Celestial Master license?”

“A professional qualification certificate for Celestial Masters, issued by the state. There's a specific exam, and I think with your skills, you'd have no problem passing.”

“I'll take it after I graduate, then. I don't need it right now.”

Wei Jinzhi didn't say anything more. She left after having dinner with Wu Gu. Once she was out of the university, she called Hu Feng to ask about the exam content and schedule for the Celestial Master license.

Hu Feng said, “Are you asking for our little Daoist friend? Registration is in September. There's a dedicated website; I'll have Hu Chen send it to you later. The exam is usually in early November. The theory part is quite basic—simple spells, the history of the Xuanist sects, that sort of thing. The practical exam is much harder and stricter. It's held in three rounds at various locations and lasts for twenty days.”

Knowing Wu Gu, Wei Jinzhi feared the theory portion alone would be enough to stump her. She had heard Wu Gu mention that Master Wu never wasted time teaching things like the history and decline of sects. On the other hand, the practical exam was far too long; for someone with Wu Gu's abilities, it felt like a waste of time. She asked, “Is there any other way?”

Hu Feng laughed. “You certainly know how to find shortcuts for her. There is a way, yes. It requires a recommendation from a Grandmaster-level Celestial Master for an exam exemption. Ma Zhenshan would qualify, why don't you go try your luck with him?” He paused, then added, “But it depends on the person. If I were the one making the recommendation, the test I'd set would be even harder and more dangerous. So I'd advise you not to let her take any shortcuts.”

Wei Jinzhi couldn't refute that. “Thank you, Master Hu,” she said. After hanging up, she had Wu Yong look up a list of all Grandmaster-level Celestial Masters in the country. When Wu Yong handed it to her the next day, her eyes fell on a familiar place name: Sun Ting of Huaishang Palace on Huaishan. Could this Sun Ting be that old Daoist priest? she wondered. She searched for a photo online and saw that it was indeed him. She smiled, thinking that getting Wu Gu's license would be easy after all.

And then came an even bigger coincidence. On the very day Wu Gu was getting her cast removed, Sun Ting arrived in North City. There was a national mission that required a Grandmaster-level Celestial Master. As soon as Wei Jinzhi got the news, she had Wu Yong wait at the station. The moment Sun Ting appeared, he was brought back to the Changshan Villa. Wu Gu, leaning on a crutch and balancing on one leg, greeted him in the courtyard. Sun Ting was delighted to see her and came over, cheerfully inquiring after her health.

Wei Jinzhi said, “I apologize for bringing you here so presumptuously, Daoist Sun. In addition to my thanks, I also have a favor to ask.”

“Go ahead,” Sun Ting said. He glanced at the Spirit-Gathering Formation outside, walked over, and casually made a few adjustments. “Who set this formation up for you? They must have done it on purpose. It's all for show and no substance. Were they too embarrassed to charge you?”

The first time Wu Gu came here, she had thought the formation wasn't very good, but it wasn't her place to comment at the time. Later, she got used to it and forgot all about it. Now, with Sun Ting's small adjustments, a steady stream of spiritual energy began to gather, and a wave of comfort washed over her entire body. “You're amazing, Daoist Sun,” she said. “I'm terrible at this sort of thing, and with my master gone, I'm even worse at learning it.”

Sun Ting said, “This old Daoist can teach you! I may not be good at much else, but I've thoroughly mastered the business of feng shui, spirit gathering, and making money.” Besides, he felt an instant kinship with Wu Gu and would have been willing to teach her even the ultimate techniques of Huaishang Palace, if only the young girl was willing to learn. “Right, what was it you needed from this old Daoist?”

Wei Jinzhi explained, “Although Wu Gu is still a student, as a practitioner of Daoist arts, she inevitably has to use talismans and formations. It's very inconvenient for her to do things without a Celestial Master license.”

Sun Ting understood and smiled. “You want this old Daoist to recommend her for an exemption, don't you? What's so difficult about that? I'll get it taken care of for you tomorrow.” Wei Jinzhi had thought he would set a test for Wu Gu, like Hu Feng had described, and was surprised he agreed so readily. Sun Ting saw her doubt and explained, “This old Daoist could, at best, only see that the Yin Qi surrounding you was a curse. But this little friend was able to break that curse. What else would I need to test her on?”

That made sense. Wei Jinzhi smiled. “Then we'll have to trouble you, Daoist Sun.”

Wei Jinzhi treated Sun Ting to dinner at the best hotel in the city and bought him many gifts. Sun Ting cheerfully said she shouldn't have, but his hands were quite honest as he accepted them. Wu Gu, leaning on her crutch, watched with a secret smile. Sun Ting caught her eye and winked. Then he remembered something he hadn't mentioned. “I forgot to say, Ma Zhenshan's disciple came to my place to ask about you two. I managed to fool him and send him away, but you both need to be careful. I've only met that Ma Zhenshan a few times, but I get the feeling he's not a simple man.”

A Celestial Master's intuition is sharp, and Wu Gu had the same feeling. She nodded. “Thank you for the warning, Daoist Sun.”

It was getting late, so they didn't want to disturb Sun Ting's rest. The next day, a dedicated car came to pick him up. After Wu Gu and Wei Jinzhi said their goodbyes, they returned to the Changshan Villa. Wu Gu said, “Next time I see Daoist Sun, I need to ask him about Ma Zhenshan's situation. Master always said to know your enemy and know yourself.”

About a week later, Sun Ting visited the Changshan Villa again, carrying a form for picking up the Celestial Master license. He didn't look well; it was the result of a severe depletion of his spiritual power.

Wu Gu asked, “Daoist Sun, are you alright?”

Sun Ting shook his head. “I'm mostly fine. Take this form. You can pick up your certificate from the Tianshi Association in five business days.” He then turned to Wei Jinzhi. “This old Daoist has an impertinent request. Would it be convenient for me to stay here for a couple of days?” The major families of North City had all suffered injuries during the recent mission, and he felt it would be an imposition to stay with them. He had no desire to go to Ma Zhenshan's, which made this place his most favored option—if the two young ladies didn't mind a bothersome old man like him.

Wei Jinzhi said, “You're being too formal, Daoist Sun. I'll have a room prepared at once.”

Wu Gu was curious. “What kind of mission was it that even you couldn't handle, Daoist Sun?”

“It wasn't just me! The Hu, Han, Shan, and Duanmu families combined couldn't handle it. I'm one of the lightly injured ones; Hu Song is completely bedridden. It was strange. The place was overflowing with baleful Yin Qi, and everyone's compasses were going haywire. Before we were even ready to set up a formation to neutralize the sha qi, we were swept into a barrier by a gust of wind. We were stuck for two or three days and don't even know how we got out. All I can say is, this old Daoist wasn't fated to die.”

Wu Gu remembered to ask about Ma Zhenshan. “What about Ma Zhenshan?”

“He didn't go. He sent Zhou Mao and two other disciples. The three of them are in the hospital with barely a breath left in them.”

“He claims his master was from the Xuanqing Sect, which is said to be a very powerful school.”

“Pah! Don't listen to his nonsense. In this day and age, the only ones who can claim any connection to the Xuanqing Sect are us at Huaishang Palace. The Xuanqing Sect died out a hundred years ago. The founder of Huaishang Palace was once an outer disciple of the Xuanqing Sect. Later, when the Xuanqing Sect fell into decline, they dismissed the outer disciples. Our founder eventually wandered to Huaishan and established Huaishang Palace there.”

Wu Gu asked, “So how powerful was this Xuanqing Sect, exactly?”

“The Xuanqing Sect was best at catching ghosts and exorcising evil. Their spells were powerful, and it's said that the artifacts they forged were superior to those of other sects. But these are all just legends; this old Daoist has never witnessed it. The Xuanqing Sect has been extinct for a hundred years. Whether they were powerful or not is just what's been passed down by later generations.”

Wu Gu nodded. “Looking at it that way, Ma Zhenshan seems even less like a good person.”

Sun Ting sighed heavily. “This time, the entire Xuanmen of the country has suffered severe damage. If someone were to take this opportunity to stir up trouble, I'm afraid we'd be powerless to resist.” He stopped short, and Wu Gu's gaze met his. Their eyes locked, and he continued, “Don't tell me this old Daoist's words are about to become a self-fulfilling prophecy?”

Wu Gu gave him a thumbs-up. “As expected of a Grandmaster-level Celestial Master. Your senses are incredibly sharp.”

Sun Ting's face was grim. “Little friend, this is no time to be teasing an old man. I have no desire to be a jinx.”

Wei Jinzhi, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “Daoist Sun, I think you should contact the Tianshi Association and report this potential threat immediately. The day after tomorrow, I need to take Wu Gu home. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like.”

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