Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

Chapter 273 The Ghost Banner Arrives, Arrangements

"Clang!"

The office door was pushed open, and Ma Teng walked out with a dark expression.

The eyes of the people outside all swept over, their faces showing confusion.

Why did he come out first? Where is Chen Mo?

"What are you all looking at? Don't you have anything better to do?"

As soon as he shouted, everyone quickly looked away and went back to their work.

Ma Teng stood at the door and looked around. Seeing that no one dared to look at him anymore, he stepped out.

His pace was much faster than usual.

Inside the room, Chen Mo sat in a chair, examining the transparent bead the size of a mung bean in his hand. The bead was very light, so light that it was almost weightless, and it had a faint, shimmering white halo.

This is the living spirit of Ma Teng.

With this thing in hand, Ma Teng was essentially entrusting his life to it.

The moment a thought arises, the bead will shatter, and Ma Teng's sea of ​​consciousness will collapse, beyond even the help of a deity.

"The Ghost Banner Taoist's Soul-Drawing Spell is quite useful, but unfortunately it can only be used on those with a lower cultivation level than oneself."

Chen Mo sighed, put the Soul Pearl into his storage space, and was just about to get up when the communication talisman on his chest suddenly felt hot.

Hmm, Ghost Banner Taoist has arrived?

He pushed open the office door and came out.

As Chen Mo passed by Sun Wenchang, he didn't stop, but simply waved goodbye.

Sun Wenchang squatted on the ground, watching Chen Mo's figure disappear into the rain, and remained motionless for a long time.

He suddenly realized that this fellow villager from Linhe County seemed quite different from the one he knew before.

Jinshi, East Street Intersection.

It rained all morning, and the road surface was washed clean.

No. 198 Liuye Lane.

The alley was quiet, and the air after the rain was filled with a damp, musty smell.

Ghost Banner Taoist stood at the alley entrance and looked up at the two-story villa.

-

Today he was wearing a gray cloth Taoist robe, his hair was tied in a bun, and a palm-sized black cloth banner hung at his waist.

The moment he stood there, he exuded a chilling aura.

"This should be it, right?"

He held the note in his hand, checked it against the brass plaque hanging at the door, and only after confirming that it was correct did he take out the communication talisman from his pocket and activate it.

Fifteen minutes later, a black figure turned into the alley.

As soon as Chen Mo stepped into Willow Leaf Alley, the first thing Zi Guang saw landed on Ghost Banner Taoist.

The main problem is that this person's image is just too villainous.

Standing in that damp alley, it looked like someone had crawled out of an old grave.

As Chen Mo sized him up, the Taoist priest was also sizing up Chen Mo.

The two exchanged a glance, and the Taoist priest with the banner moved first, "May I ask if you are Master Chen?"

"This humble Taoist priest, Guifan, has come to await orders from my esteemed master."

Chen Mo pretended it was their first meeting, his eyes scanning over the five people one by one before he nodded, "I am Chen Mo."

Ghost Banner Taoist straightened up, his respectful expression unchanged. He stepped aside to let the four people behind him pass, and gestured with his hand, "Master Chen, these are all my good friends. They have come together to serve me this time."

"Liu Qi, whose magic weapon is the Death-Snatching Bell, is also very famous in the underworld."

17

Liu Qi didn't speak, but nodded slightly and forced a smile at him.

"This is Lao Gao, Gao Dezhi, an expert in Gu insects."

Old Gao smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Mo: "Greetings, Master Chen."

"Hong Gu has practiced her cunning claws for twenty years; she can make five holes in a five-inch-thick brick wall with a single claw."

"The corpse poison on her fingernails was cultivated by herself; those who are infected will ulcerate, and ordinary medicines are ineffective."

Hong Gu raised her hand expressionlessly as a greeting.

Finally, it was a young man. Before Ghost Banner Taoist could even speak, he grinned.

"Master Chen, my name is Chen Youzhi. I'm a rough guy, and I only know a little bit of external martial arts."

He patted his chest as he spoke, making a loud thud.

After the four finished their introductions, they stood at their sides, their eyes all fixed on Chen Mo, their faces revealing no emotion.

Chen Mo remained calm, taking in the expressions of the four people and making a decision in his mind.

"Let's go inside and talk. It's not convenient to talk here."

Seeing that Aunt Zhou and the other neighbors were secretly looking in their direction, he waved to them, turned around, and pushed open the iron gate of the courtyard.

He led the five people across the courtyard and into the living room on the first floor.

His living room wasn't big, but Zhou Nian kept it tidy.

"Sit down, it's your home, don't be shy."

Chen Mo took out a set of white porcelain teaware from the cabinet, and then took out half a pound of new tea and placed it on the coffee table.

The water was freshly boiled; the copper kettle was placed on the coal stove, and soon it began to gurgle and steam.

Chen Mo wasn't in a hurry. He waited for the water to boil, then scalded the teapot, warmed the cups, added the tea leaves, and poured in more water. His movements were unhurried and steady, each step exuding a sense of calm and composure.

As the tea leaves unfurl in the boiling water, the tea soup gradually turns a clear, light yellow.

The aroma of tea mingled with the steam, which helped to reduce the dampness in the living room.

Guifan Daoist sat opposite Chen Mo, watching him brew tea, his eyelids twitching slightly.

He has met many young people.

Some are overtly ambitious, eager to display their talents on their faces, while others feign profundity and put on airs.

But this young man in front of us is unassuming and unassuming, yet he is impossible to fathom.

Just for that composure, he's no ordinary person.

Chen Mo poured six cups of tea, picked up his own cup, blew away the foam, took a sip, and then looked up at the others.

"Thank you all for coming from afar. You must be tired."

Ghost Banner Taoist quickly put down his teacup and cupped his hands in greeting: "Master Chen, you're too kind. It's my pleasure."

Old Gao nodded with a smile, while Chen Youzhi casually picked up his teacup, downed it in one gulp, smacked his lips, and said, "Good tea!"

Chen Mo glanced at him, said nothing, and poured him another cup.

Setting down the teapot, Chen Mo leaned back on the sofa, tapping his fingers lightly on his knees before speaking, "Now that everyone's here, I'll get straight to the point."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the living room changed noticeably.

The group sat up straight silently.

"You are all people invited by our master, and I trust your abilities."

His gaze slowly swept across their faces. "But let's get this straight: since you're here, you have to follow my rules."

"If anyone feels wronged, it's not too late to leave now. Once we're out this door, we'll go our separate ways, and no one should blame anyone else."

The living room was quiet, with the grandfather clock ticking away.

Ghost Banner Taoist was the first to speak: "Don't worry, Master Chen. Our master gave us all the instructions before we came. We'll do whatever you say."

Old Gao nodded in agreement, smiling broadly as he chimed in, "Yes, yes, Master Chen, just give the order."

Hong Gu didn't say anything, but simply put down her teacup and placed her hands on her knees.

Chen Youzhi was straightforward, patting his chest and saying, "Master Chen, I'm just a rough man; if you tell me to go east, I'll definitely go west!"

Chen Mo nodded slightly as he observed their reactions.

"Alright, let's get down to business."

He stood up from the sofa, took a few steps, and then said, "You five, split into three groups."

"Hong Gu, Chen Youzhi."

Chen Mo turned around and looked at the two men. "You two go to the Green Gang."

Hong Gu raised her eyelids and glanced at him, but didn't say anything.

Chen Youzhi was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "The Green Gang? The Green Gang from Jinshi?"

Is there another Green Gang in Jinshi?

He walked back to the coffee table, picked up his teacup, and took another sip. "The Green Gang has become quite powerful in recent years, and they have a lot of people under their command."

"They welcome all martial arts practitioners, external masters, as long as they can fight and kill."

"With your abilities, it won't be difficult for you two to sneak in."

Chen Mo put down his teacup and looked at Hong Gu, "After you go in, don't rush to show yourself. First, find out the situation inside, especially their leader Gu Ruzhang, and find out the strength of the guards around him."

Hong Gu nodded slightly, "I understand."

"You're a woman, you're meticulous, so you make the decisions, and Chen Youzhi will follow your arrangements."

Chen Youzhi wasn't annoyed at all, grinning and patting his chest, "Alright, I'll listen to Hong Gu!"

"The Green Gang is always recruiting; you just need to find an opportunity to get in."

Chen Mo took out two communication talismans from his pocket and handed them to Hong Gu and Chen Youzhi respectively. "Take these talismans. Contact me only if you have important information. Don't use them lightly otherwise, so as not to be noticed."

Hong Gu took the talisman and put it into her sleeve.

Chen Youzhi took the talisman, looked at it over and over, and then put it in his pocket.

After arranging the two men's destination, Chen Mo turned to Lao Gao and Liu Qi.

"Old Gao, Liu Qi, you two go to Linhe County."

Old Gao blinked, seemingly surprised: "Linhe County? Master Chen, that's..."

""

My hometown and my family are all in Linhe County.

, 7

The living room fell silent for a few moments.

"Once you arrive in Linhe County, your main task will be to protect my family."

He put down his teacup and glanced at Lao Gao and Liu Qi: "There's something I need to say upfront."

"If anything happens to my family, no matter who did it, you don't need to come back."

Old Gao's smile froze completely. After a few moments, he came to his senses, forced a smile, and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect. "Don't worry, Master Chen, with Master Liu and me here, not even a fly can get into your house."

Chen Mo glanced at him and didn't pursue the topic any further. "Also, there's another group of people in Linhe County."

"Who?"

"Small Knife Society"

"Keep an eye on them, but don't alert them."

"If members of the Small Knife Society run into trouble, and if you are willing to lend a helping hand without compromising the protection of my family, you can mention my name."

Old Gao blinked, wanting to ask something, but seeing Chen Mo's expression, he wisely swallowed his words.

After explaining the details to the two groups, Chen Mo finally looked at Gui Fan Dao Ren.

Ghost Banner Taoist had been waiting, and when it was finally his turn, he leaned forward slightly and rubbed his withered fingers on his knees a few times.

"You stay with me; I need you to handle some things later."

He was taken aback, then a hint of joy flashed in his eyes, which he quickly suppressed. "This humble Taoist obeys."

"You all understand now, right? Is there any difficulty?"

Several people shook their heads.

"Don't worry, Mr. Chen, this is nothing."

Old Gao smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, "Then Mr. Liu and I will take our leave first, and we'll let you know once we've settled down in Linhe."

Liu Qi also clasped his hands in greeting, and as he turned around, the bell on his body jingled softly.

Hong Gu stood up, nodded slightly to Chen Mo, said nothing, and led Chen Youzhi out.

The four people filed out, passed through the iron gate of the courtyard, and disappeared around the corner of Willow Leaf Alley.

The living room fell silent again, with only the ticking of the grandfather clock remaining.

Chen Mo stood by the window, looking towards the alley entrance, until the figures had completely disappeared before turning his gaze away.

"Fellow Daoist Guiban, please sit down, the tea is still warm."

Ghost Banner Taoist responded, sat down again, and took a sip of tea with his withered fingers.

Chen Mo sat down opposite him and crossed his legs.

"How much material have you collected for the Ten Thousand Souls Banner?"

Ghost Banner Taoist put down his teacup, his expression turning serious.

He didn't rush to answer, but instead took a small bundle from behind his back and placed it on his lap.

"Master Chen, ever since your master gave the order, I haven't had a moment's rest."

As he spoke, he took things out of his bundle.

The first thing taken out was a section of bamboo tube, about a hand's length long, with both ends sealed tightly with wax, and a yellow paper talisman pasted on the tube.

"This is water without roots."

Ghost Banner Taoist gently placed the bamboo tube on the tea table. "I visited three Taoist temples before I found one that was suitable."

"Rainwater is rootless when it hits the ground, but the timing also matters."

"I used the rain that fell at midnight on the fifteenth of July last year. That day had the heaviest yin energy, and the rainwater carried natural yin energy, making it perfect for refining the banner."

Chen Mo picked up the bamboo tube and weighed it in his hand. It was quite heavy, and the water inside rattled. A faint coolness emanated from the area where the talisman was attached.

He nodded without saying anything.

Seeing that he couldn't find any fault with it, Guifan Daoren breathed a sigh of relief and took out a second item from his bundle.

It was a ball of black silk thread wrapped around a wooden board. The thread was as thin as a hair and its color was shiny black.

"This is black silk."

He placed the wooden board on the coffee table. "Black silkworms are not like ordinary domestic silkworms. These things have to be raised in dark caves and fed with Chinese tallow leaves. Even a hundred silkworms can't produce more than a few ounces of silk."

"I asked several friends to help me get this from a silkworm farmer in southern Anhui. It's just a small board, but it's enough to weave the warp threads for the banner."

Chen Mo reached out and picked up a silk thread. It felt smooth to the touch and cool against his skin, definitely different from ordinary silk threads.

"Is this enough?"

Ghost Banner Taoist shook his head, "The banner fabric is still a bit lacking, but we can lay out the warp threads first, and the weft threads can be made up with other materials."

""

"If that's still not enough, I'll think of another way."

Chen Mo didn't ask any further questions, his gaze falling on the bundle.

Seeing that he was paying attention, the Ghost Banner Taoist reached in again and pulled out a small cloth bag.

The cloth bag was only the size of a palm, and its opening was tied with a red rope.

Upon opening, there was a small pile of dark red powder inside, its color sallow.

If you get close, you can smell a faint sulfurous odor, mixed with a hint of blood.

"Master Chen, this is realgar and cinnabar from Chenzhou." Guifan Daoist's tone was tinged with pride. "Don't underestimate this small amount. I went to great lengths to obtain it from a retired old Daoist."

As he spoke, he gently flicked the powder with his fingers, saying, "Most of the realgar and cinnabar on the market are ordinary products, at most good for repelling insects and snakes."

"But the realgar and cinnabar produced in Chenzhou are different. This stuff grows in the deepest part of the mine, never seeing the light of day."

"The mine is filled with yin energy, and the cinnabar extracted from it carries a hint of yin energy, making it a top-grade material for refining soul banners."

"At first, the old Taoist priest refused to exchange them. I used a talisman to persuade him for two days, and finally paid him fifty yuan in ritual fees to get these."

Chen Mo frowned as he looked at the pile of dark red powder; the quantity seemed rather small.

Is that enough?

Ghost Banner Taoist hesitated for a moment, "We need to find at least one more ounce."

"Mr. Chen, you don't know this, but nine out of ten of the things circulating in the market now are fake."

"The realgar and cinnabar from Chenzhou have been almost completely mined out. The remaining ones are being held by various individuals, and no one is willing to trade them."