Chapter 14: Conflict in the Room

It was still dark before dawn. The moment the door closed, the room plunged into gloom. A sliver of moonlight from outside filtered through the carved lattice window, casting a stark rectangle of light onto the oversized “Double Happiness” character on the wall.

In the darkness, Dongfang Yueli’s voice suddenly cut through the air, cold and sharp: “I suppose you are yet another evil spirit from the Purple Palace, aren’t you?”

Jiang Xiaoyu couldn’t adapt to the dark; he couldn’t see her at all. Judging by the sound, she was on the other side of the room, so he retorted, “I was just thinking about how to have a decent conversation with you, but you, you liar—you’re playing the villain and accusing me first!”

Dongfang Yueli sneered, “I must admit, you are the most un-spirit-like spirit I have ever encountered. Those from the Purple Palace are usually easy to identify at a glance. But you are different—not only do you know the names of the owners of the three rooms in the Purple Palace, but there isn’t a shred of malevolent energy on you. What surprises me most is that the Daoist Hypnosis Talisman had no effect on you.”

“What are you spouting?” Jiang Xiaoyu was getting annoyed. “I am a human, not some ‘spirit.’ I just walked into the wrong room—that room you call ‘Wanxing’—and somehow ended up here.”

“You think I don’t know?” Dongfang Yueli’s voice grew colder. “After the Purple Palace slipped from my control, it fell into a place infested with evil. It is a place so treacherous that even I must avoid it. Now you tell me you are human—tell me, how could any human survive in such a place?”

“You mean the Purple Palace is Room 1314, right?”

“Exactly! Though I still do not understand the meaning of that combination of four digits.”

“Idiot! 1314 represents ‘forever and always,’ it’s a metaphorical pun for lovers’ vows. The place you call the Purple Palace is just the top floor of Building 13 at the Huangshan Vocational Institute! The school is full of students learning trades; there are no evil spirits! Everything is bright and clear—stop with this feudal superstition…”

Dongfang Yueli’s sneer deepened. “A silver tongue! I only believe what I see with my own eyes—you are not the first spirit I have purged, and you will not be the last. The parents of the body you are possessing were present earlier, so I did not act out of respect for them, playing along with your little game. Now that it is just the two of us, I have no need for restraint. I shall purge you in the name of the heavens…”

Before she could finish, and before Jiang Xiaoyu could speak again, Dongfang Yueli’s fingers blurred as she formed hand seals. Golden light erupted from her, forming a thin, sun-like corona in the darkness.

She flipped her wrist, and a talisman appeared between her two fingers. Her clear, cold voice echoed through the room:

“Mystical Sect of Heaven and Earth, golden light shrouding the body, thunder and fire incinerating evil, ghosts and phantoms fleeing from sight! I heed the command, to cut down the malevolence and collect the essence! By the order of the law, hurry, hurry!”

As her voice faded, the talisman ignited. Golden-red flames leapt up, casting shadows on her frost-bitten face and dancing in her eyes.

Jiang Xiaoyu stared, dumbfounded. “My god, it’s like a movie—Dongfang Yueli, is that Daoist magic or just props? Can you teach your husband this? That’s so cool…”

Dongfang Yueli ignored him, her chanting growing faster and deeper: “Heavenly fire burning the talisman, heavenly soldiers descend! Demons bound, nowhere to hide! By the decree of Fengdu, exterminate all monsters! Cut down the demons—go!”

She pointed a finger at Jiang Xiaoyu, and the flaming talisman exploded. Seven golden phantoms materialized from the fire—clad in dark armor and wielding long spears, seven heavenly soldiers. With a unified cry of “Kill!” they dove from the air toward Jiang Xiaoyu, spears lowered.

Jiang Xiaoyu couldn’t see clearly. In his blurred vision, all he saw was Dongfang Yueli throwing a piece of light, gauzy cloth at him.

He was furious! First the “Dongfang” from before, now this Dongfang Yueli—why were all the people in the Dongfang family like this? They couldn’t just talk things out; they had to play god and scare people.

Pah! All of them were self-righteous and arrogant. He swung his hand at the gauzy cloth, batting it aside.

To the heavenly soldiers, however, Jiang Xiaoyu had unleashed an invisible force. It was overbearing, lethal, and impossible to defend against. They were like paper before this power; they didn’t even have time to scream before dissolving into seven streaks of golden smoke, vanishing silently.

The room suddenly fell quiet.

Dongfang Yueli scrambled, chanting in a panic as she rubbed her fingertips to produce a small flame, which she used to light the oil lamp on the table.

She clutched the lamp in front of her with both hands, her voice devoid of its previous cold intensity, replaced by uncontrollable panic. “Evil spirit! You… don’t come any closer! If you dare to approach, I will use my Primordial Dao Fire to perish with you!”

By the lamplight, Jiang Xiaoyu finally saw where she was—she had huddled herself into the corner of the wall.

Jiang Xiaoyu felt a mix of irritation and amusement.

“Is this necessary? Still acting! No wonder Yin Susu in Heaven Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre said that the more beautiful a woman is, the better she lies. The ancients never lied to me!”

Seeing that he didn’t seem to harbor any malice, Dongfang Yueli relaxed slightly, though she still gripped the lamp with white knuckles.

Watching her retreat further and further until she was practically pressed against the wall, Jiang Xiaoyu felt his irritation rise once more.