Old Tang patted Old Wu’s shoulder and said, “Let Wang Ya take a look. If she says she can cure you, she definitely can. Don’t let her youth fool you—she comes from a Ghost Catching family lineage and is quite skilled against yin evils.”
Old Wu said to Wang Ya, “Then I’ll trouble you. Do we need to prepare anything? Roosters, Glutinous Rice, Black Dog Blood, ink bucket lines, donkey hooves—I have them all ready.”
Wang Ya was speechless inwardly: No wonder he was once a Touch Gold Captain; he’s got everything. She said, “No need.”
Old Wu looked at her in surprise. “None of them?”
Wang Ya stood up. “Let’s do it inside. Just clear a space big enough for a person to lie down.”
Old Wu rose, grabbed his Cane, and led Wang Ya into the house, up to the emptiest room at the far end. This room was even barer than Wang Ya’s—just an empty bed frame with nothing on it, not even a mattress.
Wang Ya scanned the room, then took out ancient bronze coins from her bag and arranged them into a Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation on the floor. She had Old Wu lie down inside the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation.
Old Tang followed in and casually closed the door. To guard against accidents, he summoned his Paper Effigies.
Old Wu had sharp eyes and recognized at a glance the dynasty and era of Wang Ya’s ancient bronze coins. Such coins were rare treasures, one hard to come by—yet here were seven at once. He lay down in the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation as instructed.
Wang Ya took out the Ghost Collecting Bell and directly tried to use it to extract the Yin Fiend Curse Resentment from Old Wu’s body. But the Yin Fiend had seeped deep into his organs, and the Ghost Collecting Bell couldn’t pull it out directly. Wang Ya chanted incantations, formed seals, and struck the Ghost Collecting Bell, fixing it above Old Wu’s head. At the same time, she activated the formation of the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation! As soon as the formation activated, a scorching wave like blazing fire hit her face. In her eyes, the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation became a golden sea of raging flames—pure Supreme Yang Gang Qi that burned her whole body uncomfortably. Even the Ghost Collecting Bell grew hard to control. Wang Ya gritted her teeth against the fiery heat, standing firm without retreating an inch, eyes fixed on Old Wu lying in the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation. The blazing Supreme Yang Gang Qi seeped into Old Wu’s body, incinerating the black qi condensed within him. Wang Ya clearly saw the Yin Fiend Curse Resentment being burned away bit by bit by the formation’s Supreme Yang flames. Even the stray wisps that escaped his body were incinerated by the array’s power and absorbed by the Ghost Collecting Bell. In just a few minutes, it was all cleanly purged.
Old Wu, lying in the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation, let out a long, relieved breath, breathing deeply and freely.
Wang Ya stood a meter away from the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation for several minutes, already drenched in sweat, her skin feeling like it was on fire. Seeing that the Yin Fiend resentment in Old Wu was mostly cleared, she yanked back the Ghost Collecting Bell and shouted, “Old Tang, collect the ancient bronze coins for me!” She dashed to the door, flung it open, rushed out to the balcony far from the Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation. She took several deep breaths of the fresh, cool air into her lungs before feeling better. She wiped her forehead—nothing but sweat. Not just her forehead; her clothes were soaked through. Wang Ya had no doubt that if she had stood in the array just now, it would have been like standing in fire. She hadn’t expected to become so vulnerable to these demon-suppressing forces.
Suddenly, she heard faint footsteps and a gaze from behind. She turned to see Zhang Qingshui standing in the room, looking at her.
Old Tang came over from the other side and handed the ancient bronze coins to Wang Ya. “Wang Ya, you okay?”
Wang Ya shook her head. “I’m fine!” She took the coins, which burned hot in her hand like they’d been fished from fire. She quickly stuffed them into her bag.
Old Wu came over, leaning on his cane with a face full of exhilaration, laughing loudly. “Little Wang, impressive skills! I feel so refreshed all over, breathing easy! Hahaha!” Seeing Wang Ya drenched in sweat, he thought she had exhausted herself saving him. He thanked her profusely, calling her hardworking and praising her warmth and righteousness.
Wang Ya truly wasn’t acting out of warmth or righteousness. She just hated owing favors, even the tiniest bit. Besides, she had always believed her skills were for Ghost Catching and demon subduing against yin evils—this was just a simple task. But now it had turned out like this. Compared to Old Wu’s good mood, Wang Ya’s was utterly ruined. Screw Ghost Catching and demon subduing—I’m a Millennium Great Demon now! Wang Ya wanted to cry, but felt she was being dramatic. She quite enjoyed her Demonic Power and abilities; in her current situation, greater power was better. But this side effect was too much! So much that setting up a Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation to purge some Yin Fiend Curse Resentment nearly roasted her! Wang Ya was truly on the verge of tears.
For dinner, Old Wu had his wife prepare a lavish spread of dishes and liquor to host Wang Ya and the others. Wang Cheng’an ate with grease dripping from his mouth. Wang Ya downed cup after cup of liquor. By the time the meal was nearly over, her eyes were hazy, her face flushed, her Demonic Aura fully manifested. The whole room filled with the faint fragrance of Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower. Her drunken, lazy posture radiated extreme demonic allure and charm, leaving everyone in the room dazed. Wang Cheng’an stared at Wang Ya repeatedly, praising how much prettier his Yaya had become. Old Wu’s wife hid her hand under the table, pinching Old Wu’s thigh nonstop. Old Tang coughed uncomfortably a few times, reminding Wang Ya to take it easy. She had him itching to capture a demon.
Old Wu glared fiercely at his wife and whispered harshly, “Why are you pinching me? It’s not what you think! Can’t you tell she’s not ordinary?” Too bewitching! No one could be this beautiful, this seductive, with such a heart-stirring exotic fragrance. If not for his vast experiences and steady mind, he would have been utterly enchanted. Old Wu propped up on his Cane, pulled Old Tang outside, and asked in a low voice, “Old Tang, what’s Wang Ya’s real background?”
Old Tang said, “Don’t ask. Just pretend you saw nothing.”
Old Wu lowered his voice gravely. “Didn’t you see those two young girls traveling with you are already falling under her spell?”
