The wooden shed was built on a clearing in the woods, so it wouldn't catch the forest on fire.
Behind us, flames roared with crackling sounds.
I glanced back but didn't linger.
Following the small path, I soon reached the five paddy fields.
The stench here was overwhelming, making me feel incredibly uncomfortable.
Upon arriving, both Master and Daoist Tang had clear objectives.
That was to destroy the straw figures used for ghost binding, leaving none behind and sweeping them all away.
They instructed Mo Ting and me to collect firewood from the surroundings, stack it on the fields, and then set it ablaze.
Fortunately, these five paddy fields weren't large, and this being an old mountain ravine, firewood was abundant.
After half an hour of work, we finished stacking the dry wood and lit the fire.
It hadn't rained for days, so the weather was quite dry.
As soon as the firewood in the paddy fields caught fire, it roared and ignited the entire field.
Master and Daoist Tang were remarkably coordinated this time, simply watching the five fields burn.
Not a single one was to be left for Miao Nanzi; they had to be thoroughly burned.
Even if they couldn't be completely burned, they had to be broken with sticks.
We waited another thirty to forty minutes until all five fields were completely consumed by the flames.
After completing these tasks, we began our return journey.
Along the way, Master and Daoist Tang didn't utter a word.
They still regarded each other as enemies, neither able to stand the sight of the other.
By the time we exited the mountain the way we came and returned to the main road at the foot of South Mountain, it was almost one in the morning.
With what needed to be done completed, we planned to head home to rest.
Mo Ting and I each hailed a car, and then we stood at the intersection.
My Master stood about ten meters away, smoking intermittently.
Daoist Tang, holding his large wine gourd, was also drinking intermittently.
They would occasionally exchange glances, let out a cold snort, and repeat.
Mo Ting and I stood on either side, not knowing how to intervene, finding the situation extremely awkward.
After waiting for about half an hour, the cars that were picking us up finally arrived.
In the car, Master didn't say much.
He just said that we had worked hard these past two days, advised me to rest well after returning home, and told me not to come to work tomorrow.
Hearing this, my heart filled with joy.
I thanked Master twice in quick succession.
My Master smiled, waved his hand, and then closed his eyes to rest.
As it was on the way, the driver first dropped me off before taking Master back to his shop.
After getting out of the car, I watched Master's car drive away.
Taking a deep breath, I then started walking in the direction of my rental.
These past two days had been truly exhausting.
Last night, I had almost died at the hands of the headless ferocious ghost.
Tonight, I had run across a large part of South Mountain.
Although I hadn't encountered any dire dangers, I was still incredibly worn out.
Dragging my weary body home,
I took a shower and then comfortably lay in bed, feeling much more relaxed.
I glanced at the ghost longevity coin on my left hand; its color had deepened from grayish-brown to black.
Based on previous experience,
the lamp oil I had accumulated was now enough for me to live another forty to fifty days without issue.
At the same time, I also felt a sense of regret.
The headless ferocious ghost and the red-clothed female ghost hadn't died by my hand.
If I had managed to kill them, I could have obtained more lamp oil and longevity.
The continuous encounters played out in my mind.
I felt as though I had never faced so many life-or-death situations in my entire life.
My curiosity about Qing Dai grew with each passing day.
Despite the life-and-death dangers, it had been worth it.
I had gained over twenty more days' worth of lamp oil.
With accumulation, I believed that one day, I would gather enough lamp oil for the rest of my life.
Concurrently, I also felt my own weakness.
Having entered this profession, danger would be constant in the future.
I would have to deal with all sorts of malevolent entities, competing for longevity and snatching lamp oil.
Entities as ferocious as the headless ghost and the red-clothed female ghost were beyond my current capabilities.
Now, I was even being specifically targeted for death by Miao Nanzi, the demon who understood ghost cultivation.
If I didn't become stronger,
perhaps before I could save enough lamp oil for the rest of my life, I would become someone else's meal.
Thinking this, my eyes widened, and I suddenly sat up.
My originally weary body seemed to have regained some energy.
In fact, I felt incredibly invigorated, completely free of fatigue, and had no desire to sleep.
Sitting on the bed, I let out a long sigh:
"Since I can't sleep, I might as well cultivate diligently!"
With that thought, I sat cross-legged on the bed.
Following the breathing techniques taught by Master, I began to inhale and exhale at varying lengths.
Master had said that the reason our profession could capture ghosts and expel evil was not only due to our ability to use exorcism artifacts and understand talismans but also because we understood how to circulate Qi.
We understood how to gather the Qi of heaven and earth, thereby increasing our own Qi and advancing our cultivation.
What I lacked now was cultivation.
Only by becoming stronger myself could I achieve true safety and obtain more longevity and lamp oil.
No sooner said than done, I began my breathing exercises.
After so many days of learning,
I had not only mastered the art of talismans but had also become proficient in the rhythm and techniques of breathing exercises.
With each breath, I could feel a warmth in my abdomen.
Master said that was the convergence of Qi.
A thousand miles can be reached by taking small steps; rivers can be formed from small streams.
Cultivation was no different.
However, I wasn't sure of my current level; Master hadn't explained it in detail.
At this moment, I didn't dwell on such thoughts.
I simply repeated the breathing process over and over again.
Only when I felt a sense of expansion in my dantian did I conclude my cultivation for the night.