Chapter 213
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Chapter 213: Exorcising Evil Spirits
At the city gate of Datong County, Wang Chen dismounted from his large blue donkey.
Upon seeing Wang Chen’s attire, the soldiers stationed at the city gate not only refrained from collecting an entrance fee but also saluted him respectfully.
Da Qian, under the governance of the Yunyang Sect, has always revered Taoism since its establishment. Thus, Wang Chen, an unassuming young Taoist, was accorded a level of respect far beyond that of ordinary citizens.
Indeed, he could have ridden his large blue donkey straight into the city without any hindrance.
Yet, Wang Chen chose to abide by the rules, leading his donkey along the bustling street into the city.
Datong County bore little difference from the counties he had previously visited, such as Taide and Sanhe.
The narrow streets were lined with low, modest houses and a chaotic array of shops, teeming with a diverse crowd—commoners, laborers, merchants, martial artists, and beggars alike.
The atmosphere was vibrant and crowded.
Most passersby treated Wang Chen with deference, promptly making way for him as he passed.
Clang—
Suddenly, the resonant sound of a gong pierced the air, followed by a sharp voice that reached every ear.
“The world is on the brink of chaos, Maitreya Buddha descends!”
At these words, many faces turned pale, filled with awe.
A murmur rippled through the crowd, “The Maitreya Sect.”
Clang! Clang! Clang—
The gong’s toll grew louder, heralding the approach of a lengthy procession.
At the forefront were four robust, bare-chested muscular men, adorned with yellow headbands and red sashes. Two wielded gongs, while the other two bore high-fluttering banners.
The yellow banners were emblazoned with the bold black characters “Mi” and “Le.”
Following them were ten young boys and girls, their faces painted and clad in short white garments. Behind them, eight strong men carried a red lotus Buddha throne.
A delicate veil shrouded the throne, through which the silhouette of a graceful figure could be faintly discerned.
Trailing the cloud palanquin was a group of women, each holding a basket of flowers, smiling as they distributed fruits and pastries to the onlookers.
“Believe in Maitreya, and peace shall be yours!”
Those who received the pastries knelt in devout reverence, murmuring, “May the Saintly maiden show compassion, may Maitreya bless us!”
Initially, only a few voices joined in, but soon the chant swelled, echoing along the street.
The entire main street was lined with kneeling devotees, their faces filled with piety!
In such an atmosphere of fervor, even the most resolute minds could not help but be swayed.
Wang Chen observed the scene with a cold detachment, leading his large blue donkey to the side.
He was deeply astonished.
That someone dared to proclaim, “The world is on the brink of chaos, Maitreya Buddha descends,” so openly was shocking.
And from their demeanor, it was clear this was not their first such proclamation.
Could it be that the local authorities were truly turning a blind eye?
Wang Chen was entirely unfamiliar with the Maitreya Sect, but witnessing such heresy emerge in Da Qian, a land that revered the Taoist path, and hearing their seductive chants, he sensed that true chaos was brewing!
As the red lotus Buddha throne passed by, he felt a piercing gaze settle upon him.
It was swiftly withdrawn.
The procession of the Maitreya Sect, with their gongs and drums, moved swiftly through the streets, which soon returned to their previous state.
Wang Chen’s eyes flickered as he tugged the reins of the large blue donkey and continued forward.
He stopped a passerby and inquired, “Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the Theater in the South of the City?”
The man’s face turned pale with fear: “No, I don’t know!”
Wang Chen asked several more people, but each one claimed ignorance or denied any knowledge of the place.
Their eyes shifted uneasily, their words hollow, as though they had encountered a harbinger of doom.
Even Wang Chen’s status as a Taoist seemed to carry no authority here!
In desperation, Wang Chen approached a little beggar sitting by the roadside and tossed him a silver ingot: “Take me to the Theater in the South of the City, and this silver is yours.”
“Right away!”
The little beggar snatched the silver, bit into it fiercely, and then broke into a wide grin: “Follow me!”
Guided by the little beggar, Wang Chen navigated through a maze of streets and alleys.
They soon arrived at the edge of a marketplace.
“Just keep going straight, and you’ll find the theater,” the little beggar said, stopping in his tracks.
He then whispered, “Taoist, are you going there to confront the Evil Spirits?”
“Hmm?”
Wang Chen was taken aback: “How did you know?”
“I’ve seen a Taoist like you before…”
The little beggar ducked his head: “He went there and never returned. We’ve been too afraid to go near.”
“Then do me one more favor.”
Wang Chen smiled and handed him the reins: “Look after this. If I don’t come back, the large blue donkey is yours.”
The little beggar, confused, took the reins and stared at the donkey, who stared back.
The large blue donkey snorted disdainfully: “Ah-choo!”
By the time the little beggar wiped the spittle from his face, Wang Chen had already disappeared.
Shivering instinctively, the little beggar quickly led the large blue donkey to the side and crouched down to wait.
Meanwhile, Wang Chen performed three “Shortening the Earth” techniques and soon spotted the grand theater ahead.
The theater stood in the center of the marketplace, surrounded by crumbling houses, devoid of any signs of life.
It was a stark contrast to the lively streets he had just left behind.
Step by step, Wang Chen approached the theater.
According to the Exorcism Hall’s reports, this place had been bustling with activity just six months ago. But ever since an actor tragically fell to his death from the stage, eerie phenomena had begun to occur.
In the dead of night, the theater stage occasionally echoed with haunting melodies, captivating and eerie.
The surrounding residents, gripped by fear, fled in droves, while those who sought to unravel the mysteries often vanished without a trace.
The Exorcism Hall had dispatched investigators, but they returned empty-handed.
It was suspected that Evil Spirits were behind the chaos.
The county office once considered dismantling the theater, but no one dared to undertake the task.
As long as the common people stayed beyond a hundred steps from the theater, they remained unharmed.
Over time, its presence became an accepted part of life, though everyone kept their distance.
Wang Chen halted and activated his Spirit Eye.
His Spirit Eye had reached perfect mastery, enabling him to see through illusions and directly perceive negative energy, thus confirming the presence of Evil Spirits!
In Wang Chen’s vision, the theater ahead was enveloped in a dense, malevolent aura.
It resembled a dormant fierce beast, poised to awaken at any moment!
After a moment’s thought, Wang Chen retrieved a cloud-patterned cushion, a purple sandalwood table, a calming incense burner, and a red clay tea kettle from his storage bag…
He sat in quiet meditation, lighting incense and brewing tea, awaiting the start of the performance!
This was the final stop of his patrol, and upon completion, he would retreat into closed-door cultivation to break through to the Qi Training ninth level.
Thus, Wang Chen was patient.
As dusk deepened, a crowd began to gather near the theater.
Common people and street vendors flocked to the scene, adults urging their children to dance, transforming the once desolate marketplace into a lively, bustling hub.
They seated themselves around Wang Chen, fanning themselves and cracking seeds, chatting and laughing merrily.
With the strike of drums and gongs, performers took the stage, singing in a dialect Wang Chen couldn’t comprehend.
Yet the tale of star-crossed lovers unfolded clearly before his eyes.
Wang Chen sipped his fragrant tea, watching until the performance ended and the crowd dispersed.
He had fully grasped the story told on stage.
Above, the actors sang of sorrowful partings, while below, the audience moved on, oblivious to the past.
A soft voice whispered into his ear: “May I ask, Taoist, what brings you here?”
Wang Chen smiled.
But his eyes held no warmth.
“To vanquish the wicked and dispel the Evil Spirits!”
