Chapter 148: Chapter 122: Empowering the Magic Artifact

Sang Que retrieved the Dao Bell and Copper Coin Armor from under the cushion in the carriage, and Yao Zhen praised them as fine items, saying she couldn’t afford such a bell made from pure brass.

As for the Copper Coin Armor, Yao Zhen held it with her eyes shining, making Sang Que feel like the Black Bear Spirit seeing Tang Seng’s Kasaya.

“Such fine items, oh such fine items! You just left them lying in the carriage so casually, didn’t even put them in a box? Wait a minute, you didn’t bring them back to your room last night, did you? Aren’t you afraid of thieves? Where did you get such good stuff from, you’re not even a Daoist?”

Sang Que, feeling guilty, kept an impeccable expression, “I once met a benefactor, a Daoist, who gave me these items before he passed away. This donkey was also left by him.”

Meow~

Xuan Yu voiced disdain, while Xia Chan nodded as she ate, agreeing with everything her sister said.

Yao Zhen sighed, “That Daoist must have truly been a great man. Such treasures cannot be crafted without at least ten or twenty years of spiritual practice. Let me tell you…”

Yao Zhen shared some basic knowledge with Sang Que, explaining that a Dao Bell blessed by a Taoist Disciple can directly shake away ordinary Ghost Walls and dispel illusions caused by evil spirits. The sound of the bell can repel evil spirits.

If an evil spirit approaches silently, the bell can serve as a warning. Its usage depends on the strength of use.

The Copper Coin is even more versatile for Taoist Disciples; it can be used for divination, exorcism, setting up formations, performing rituals, and crafting Copper Coin Weapons, including the luxurious Copper Coin Armor.

The coin’s outer circle represents Heaven, the inner square represents Earth, and the era mark signifies Humans, thus embodying the powers of Heaven, Earth, and Man, holding the ability to alter fate.

Moreover, having passed through countless hands, Copper Coins gather the positive energy of various families, allowing them to resist evil spirits and ghosts.

Sang Que and Yao Zhen conversed while traveling. Sang Que learned a lot about the Taoist Sect from Yao Zhen, who continuously tried to dissuade Sang Que from joining the Evil Suppression Bureau or going to Pinghu Village, urging her to come to the mountains for cultivation.

In Taoist cultivation, one must offer their true name to the Daoist Lord, after which they can borrow incense fire from the Daoist Lord, the amount depending on their devoutness.

Devotion is hard to measure. Daily worship of the Daoist Lord, spreading Taoist decrees, and developing followers can accumulate devotion over time, allowing access to more incense fire.

Additionally, the power of the Daoist Lord can be invoked to create talismans, enhancing the capability of magic artifacts as the level of devotion increases.

Sang Que always felt that giving one’s true name to this so-called Daoist Lord was an extremely risky act.

Joining the Evil Suppression Bureau has its drawbacks too; there’s an endless stream of bizarre cases requiring frequent contact with evil spirits and ghosts, and it’s not very free.

Plus, the incense fire accumulated through casework at the Evil Suppression Bureau belongs to the agency’s incense burner, not oneself.

In the Taoist Sect, part of it belongs to oneself, with another part going to the Daoist Lord, as outsiders first recognize the status of the Taoist Disciple, then pay attention to the personal ability of the Daoist.

Comparatively, Sang Que naturally prefers the Evil Suppression Bureau, especially since her mother helps her accumulate incense fire wishing power. As long as she has the Bureau’s incense burner in her hand, the incense fire on it can be used by her.

If she manages to work at the Evil Suppression Bureau for a lifetime, the incense fire on the Bureau’s incense burner would be no different from her own.

The day’s journey felt easy and enjoyable with conversation, and by around four in the afternoon, they arrived at the second post station en route to Bailong County.

Sang Que routinely asked for a room, and Yao Zhen said she wanted to perform a ritual at night to bless a magic artifact, insisting on staying together with them, content with making a floor bed.

Sang Que didn’t expose Yao Zhen’s frugal intentions and allowed her to make a floor bed in the room.

The Daoist’s ritual should not be interrupted by outsiders, yet Yao Zhen was unfazed, setting up an incense burner and other items behind the guest room’s screen, chanting spells that Sang Que did not comprehend, invoking the power of the Daoist Lord to bless the magic artifact.

Through the screen, Sang Que heard the sound of the Dao Bell, as the room temperature dropped with Yao Zhen’s increasingly rapid chants. Xia Chan and Xuan Yu felt the eerie atmosphere and huddled in the bed’s corner.

The candlelight and lamp flames in the room were suppressed by the cold, and the room gradually fell into darkness.

An unresistable chill rose from Sang Que’s back, causing goosebumps all over her body, yet the Mountain Ghost Token she held against her chest emitted a slight warmth, enabling her to resist the cold.

Wisps of purple-black mist emerged from the ground, with something seemingly twisting and undulating within, stirring the mist, gathering towards the screen as the candle on Yao Zhen’s desk cast a shadow on it.

Sang Que couldn’t see clearly, but the shadow’s outline suddenly reminded her of the indescribable thing conjured by the Yin Child during its transition, piecing together three torn corpses.

A mere glance made her head spin, the sharp ringing in her ears intensified, causing a splitting headache.

She immediately turned away and closed her eyes, not daring to look further.

Was the thing the Yin Child assembled back then the true appearance of the ’Ghost God’?

Moments later, the chill faded, and the room’s lighting was restored.

Yao Zhen emerged from behind the screen, looking exhausted, handing Sang Que the Copper Coin Armor and Dao Bell.

“My capabilities are limited. The Dao Bell can repel up to fourth layer ghost entities three times, and the Copper Coin Armor can withstand one attack from fourth layer ghost entities. Ordinary blades cannot penetrate it.”

Sang Que was slightly surprised; she found being able to withstand an attack from fourth layer ghost entities already impressive. And this was called limited capability? Yao Zhen’s cultivation level must be at least fourth layer.

Yao Zhen yawned, “Also, don’t let your sister play with the Copper Coin Armor and Dao Bell, be careful not to harm her.”

Sang Que’s pupils shook; had Yao Zhen found out Xia Chan was an Evil Person?

“It’s three hundred coins, a fair price, not a single one less. If you pay in full, I’ll gift you a soul candle. I noticed earlier that you use soul lamps, right?”

Yao Zhen cheerfully waved a red soul candle before Sang Que.

Sang Que took the one thousand coins given by Kou Yushan from her bag and counted three hundred coins for Yao Zhen. She actually felt it was quite cheap, so there was no need to haggle.

The transaction completed, Yao Zhen happily sat at the table, carefully stringing the three hundred coins, taking out ten coins separately.

Without incident, the following afternoon, they arrived at Bailong County.

The county town was a bit rundown, with dirt roads throughout, noisy and chaotic at the city gate. The roadsides were lined with stalls propped up by bamboo poles, selling fresh vegetables and meat, full of vendor shouts and vibrant local life.

The donkey cart slowly moved through the crowd, Xuan Yu climbed out from inside and jumped onto Sang Que’s shoulder, twitching its nose and licking its lips at the roadside stalls.

There were plenty of fish sellers, the fishy smell was heavy.

Yao Zhen said to Sang Que, “South of Bailong County are many lakes, so villages around here are mostly fishermen, worshipping spirits of the water. The locals have many rules and are very particular, so be cautious with your words and actions outside.”

With that, Yao Zhen turned back and took her bag, jumping off the donkey cart.

“Alright, I’ll get off here. Since you gave me a ride for a bit, I’ll advise you again: it’s best not to go to Pinghu Village. If you must go, don’t eat or drink anything after entering the village, that’s your only chance.”

“Anything else you ask me, I can’t say much. I’m waiting for someone in Bailong County, setting up a divination stall at the eastern market for about half a month. If you need help, bring ten thousand coins and find me.”

Yao Zhen smiled at Xia Chan inside the cart, swung her bag behind her, and left with her sword in hand, gracefully.

Sang Que watched Yao Zhen disappear into the bustling crowd, retracted her gaze and cracked the whip, driving the donkey cart to find the Evil Suppression Bureau’s branch.

While time is still early, she plans to first meet the report filer Zhang Yuanzhong.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep