"But don't panic, as the saying goes, fortune favors the bold, from a bicycle to a motorcycle."
"This danger is also an opportunity. Old Master Long is searching for treasure, and this treasure is likely extraordinary," Zhao Yan comforted.
Wang Xianzhi worried, "I'm just afraid it'll be from a bicycle to an ambulance, and our master and disciple will be completely wiped out."
Zhao Yan thought of something and said, "General Black Tiger should have arrived in the capital by now."
"He should have."
Zhao Yan took out a talisman, handed it over, and said, "Slip this talisman into General Black Tiger's dog collar, then have Wu Jiaxin bring General Black Tiger nearby. Once you've done that, you can come back."
Wang Xianzhi worried, "Will Old Master Long agree to let me leave the Long family?"
Zhao Yan rolled her eyes, "Do you think you're that important to Old Master Long? Do you pose a significant threat?"
"When it comes to catching evil spirits, you can't even compare to General Black Tiger."
Wang Xianzhi gave a smile that conveyed "thank you for nothing."
Standing by the window, Zhao Yan watched Wang Xianzhi leave the Long family.
Just as she expected, no one stopped Wang Xianzhi from leaving.
An hour later, Wang Xianzhi returned.
In the evening, Old Master Long hosted a grand banquet. After dinner, Zhao Yan returned to her room.
Around eleven o'clock at night, there was a knock on the door.
"Master, Old Master Long wants us to go downstairs."
Zhao Yan said, "Alright," and followed Wang Xianzhi down.
Upon reaching the first floor, they saw Han Lin setting up a formation according to the blueprints.
The formation was quite large, encompassing the entire backyard.
Zhao Yan initially helped, but Han Lin later found her work unsatisfactory, so she lazily stopped and sat aside to watch them work, enjoying her leisure.
The glass coffin was pushed into the center of the backyard.
Looking at it now, the female corpse was clearly an empty shell, its soul having vanished.
The night was cold and damp, so Zhao Yan put on an extra jacket.
"Have you arranged the matters I entrusted to you?" Zhao Yan asked.
Wang Xianzhi grunted, "As Master said, everything is arranged. Wu Jiaxin has General Black Tiger in a car nearby."
"Well done," Zhao Yan said.
As they spoke, Han Lin had finished setting up the formation and immediately turned to Zhao Yan, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, please enter the formation."
"Coming," Zhao Yan walked over.
Han Lin pointed to the leftmost position and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, you will occupy this position."
Zhao Yan said sheepishly, "This is the fourth position, and I dislike the number four. I prefer six. I'd like to be in the sixth position."
Han Lin replied, "Stand wherever you wish, as long as you don't switch positions before the formation is activated."
Zhao Yan stepped into the sixth position.
She understood the treasure-seeking formation very well.
The placement of each position was crucial. The sixth position was the Shunyang position, which utilized the least amount of yang energy.
The yang energy of the eight people converged, passing through the sixth position.
Precisely at midnight, Old Master Long spoke, "Everyone, we can begin the formation."
"Activate the formation, circulate the yang energy!" Han Lin commanded.
As Han Lin circulated his yang energy, the other six Xuanmen masters also began to circulate theirs.
Zhao Yan had already prepared a talisman and affixed it to her wrist. She raised her hand and, though she chanted incantations, no yang energy flowed from within her.
The talisman on her wrist was called the Gathering Yang Talisman. Coupled with her position in the Shunyang spot, the yang energy of the seven people was actually gathered on her person and channeled towards the formation's core through her.
On the surface, Zhao Yan appeared to be working the hardest, but in reality, she was coasting.
Moreover, she used the Gathering Yang Talisman to absorb the yang energy of the other seven.
She only absorbed a tiny bit.
As the seven people continued to circulate their energy, they felt increasingly fatigued, as if their essence was being drained.
Meanwhile, the female corpse in the formation's core showed no reaction.
"Sir, why is the corpse not reacting? Could there be an error with the treasure-seeking formation?" a middle-aged man beside Old Master Long asked.
Old Master Long sat on a stool and said, "The treasure-seeking formation is a grand formation that requires considerable yang energy. The yang energy from eight Xuanmen masters is not yet enough to rouse the corpse. This is normal."
Zhao Yan felt that if she absorbed any more, it would be too much. She slightly reduced the power of the Gathering Yang Talisman.
She turned and said weakly, "Old Master Long, do you have anything that can greatly replenish yang energy? Please give me some to recover. My yang energy is almost depleted."
The other Xuanmen masters were internally cursing. The formation's yang energy consumption was so immense.
They strongly agreed with Zhao Yan and immediately chimed in, "Master Zhao is correct. Please prepare some yang-replenishing items for us, otherwise, this formation cannot be activated."
"Just a moment, I will have some wild lingzhi brought for all the masters," Old Master Long said.
"Here is some wild lingzhi, twenty to thirty years old. Please replenish yourselves."
Zhao Yan took it and took a bite. The wild lingzhi tasted quite good.
It was a pity it was only over twenty years old.
"It's rising, the formation is complete!"
At this moment, the female corpse suddenly sat bolt upright from the coffin and stood beside Old Master Long.
The female corpse's eyes were tightly shut, and her face was a pale green.
"Ah! So tired!!"
Zhao Yan was the first to collapse onto the ground. She lightly sprinkled the prepared white powder on her face, making it appear very pale.
The other Xuanmen masters were also panting heavily, as if they were drained.
"This formation consumes so much yang energy. Six-tenths of my yang energy has been depleted."
"Only six-tenths? No wonder this formation is so difficult to activate. All seven-tenths of my yang energy is gone."
Zhao Yan weakly extended her hand, "I am completely drained. All ten-tenths of my yang energy is gone."
"My… my disciple! Quickly help your master sit down."
"Coming," Wang Xianzhi quickly walked over and helped Zhao Yan to a seat.
As soon as she sat down, Zhao Yan adopted a "Ge You slump."
She panted heavily, looking as if she could die at any moment.
"Oh dear, Master, why is your face so pale!" Wang Xianzhi exclaimed in surprise. Zhao Yan's face was as white as a corpse.
Zhao Yan waved her hand, "I take money to solve problems. Since I, Zhao Yan, accepted this job, I will definitely do a beautiful job for Old Master Long."
Seeing this, the other Xuanmen masters felt admiration for Zhao Yan. She had used all her yang energy.
Without Zhao Yan present, this formation would likely have failed.
Yang energy was very important to them. Losing yang energy would take several days to recover. The more yang energy Zhao Yan expended, the less they had to.
Their impression of Zhao Yan suddenly improved.
"Earlier, Master Zhao's golden light was the brightest, and she had the most yang energy."
"This hundred-year-old wild lingzhi was purchased at an auction. I will give it to Master Zhao to replenish her energy now." Old Master Long waved his hand, signaling someone to bring out a small box.
"Do you all have any objections?" Old Master Long asked the other Xuanmen masters.
Except for Han Lin, who remained silent, the other Xuanmen masters said, "We have seen Master Zhao's contributions and have no objections."
Zhao Yan weakly said, "This is too much, Old Master Long."
Although she said this verbally, her right hand had already pulled her pocket wide open.