Chapter Eighty-Five: Soul-Capturing Art versus Stupa Method

Jiang Pingchuan quickly followed the golden characters in his mind and began to study the contents of the Pagoda Art. It was a method for controlling the soul through writing.

When his own soul came under attack from an outside force, the Pagoda Art would automatically conceal his true spirit, creating the illusion that the one being seized had already lost all awareness.

And once the cultivator using soul-seizing arts ceased the assault, the Pagoda Art would run of its own accord, erasing the invading presence in full and restoring the seized person’s consciousness.

Jiang Pingchuan began circulating the Pagoda Art within his body. It shared some similarities and differences with his former healing technique. What it had in common was that it, too, could only be cultivated by those who possessed restorative true energy.

But it also required the cooperation of offensive true energy in order to function to perfection. When Jiang Pingchuan saw this condition, he felt that the cultivation methods in All Methods seemed almost tailor-made for him.

As true energy poured in, the Pagoda Art within Jiang Pingchuan’s body began to operate. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Lord Gong. The curtain of light behind Lord Gong had already vanished. Seeing Jiang Pingchuan awaken, Lord Gong let out a sneer.

"Pingchuan, have you decided? You should know those three spoiled souls can’t withstand such torment."

Playing with Jiang Pingchuan’s purple skull, Lord Gong spoke with a smile. Jiang Pingchuan pretended to think for a moment, then nodded.

"I can agree to it. But you must let them go first."

He looked at Lord Gong and spoke with a calm expression. By now, the Pagoda Art circulating within him had completely hidden itself, waiting only for Lord Gong to cast the soul-seizing spell upon him.

In his own mind, Jiang Pingchuan had also found several soul-seizing techniques, though they did not seem entirely the same as Lord Gong’s. Still, according to his present understanding of the Pagoda Art, all soul-seizing arts bowed before the pagoda.

No matter what kind of soul-seizing method Lord Gong used, Jiang Pingchuan was certain the Pagoda Art within him would not fail him.

"Releasing them is fine, but I don’t trust you. What do you suggest?"

Lord Gong’s expression changed abruptly. With a sinister look, he fixed his eyes on Jiang Pingchuan and spoke sharply. His pair of yin-yang eyes searched Jiang Pingchuan’s body without pause; it was clear he was being extremely cautious, afraid of being tricked.

Jiang Pingchuan’s expression remained calm, though he was not entirely without tension. He still did not fully understand the methods within Lord Gong’s possession.

If the latter sensed the Pagoda Art’s presence, Jiang Pingchuan could not hesitate. He would have to strike with lightning speed and settle Lord Gong here and now, or else there would be endless trouble to come.

"You may seize part of me first, but only part. Once I see that they are safe, then you can fully take control of me. Don’t even think of going back on your word. You know that as long as I retain consciousness, I can drag you to die with me at any moment."

Jiang Pingchuan said gravely, still watching Lord Gong as he continued searching his body. Upon hearing this, Lord Gong burst into laughter and clapped his hands in praise.

His yin-yang eyes no longer searched Jiang Pingchuan’s body. It seemed he had become quite reassured, or perhaps Jiang Pingchuan’s proposal had left him with no reason to hesitate.

"Pingchuan, you truly are a man of loyalty and righteousness. Rest assured, you will certainly become the most powerful puppet under my command. None other will compare."

Lord Gong slowly walked toward Jiang Pingchuan and put away the purple skull. Black mist gathered around his hands as he waved them slowly before Jiang Pingchuan.

Jiang Pingchuan looked at those hands, and his mind began to tremble. His body felt as though mountains and seas had turned upside down within it. In that instant, it seemed as if he were no longer himself. That sensation was the same as when he had been a tiny fish in the Ever Ascension Lake.

Only then, what he had to overcome was his own desire. Now, what he had to resist was the added intrusion of Lord Gong’s soul.

Jiang Pingchuan’s face contorted. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his lips began to turn purple.

His fair, handsome features would at times wrinkle deeply, then return to their original form. In that moment, Jiang Pingchuan and Lord Gong seemed to exist within one another.

Yet in this contest, Lord Gong held the advantage through his soul-seizing technique. As it took effect upon him, Jiang Pingchuan could clearly feel the Pagoda Art hidden within his body begin to circulate together with it.

Only when Jiang Pingchuan’s soul grew somewhat muddled did Lord Gong withdraw his hands. He looked into Jiang Pingchuan’s eyes: one remained as bright and clear as ever, while the other held a pupil but no trace of expression. Half of Jiang Pingchuan was now under Lord Gong’s control.

"Heh, very good, very good. Pingchuan, how do you feel?"

Lord Gong asked with a sly smile, gazing at the dazed Jiang Pingchuan. Jiang Pingchuan stared back blankly and did not answer. Then, suddenly, he raised a hand, and a square seal manifested in the air.

Muttering beneath his breath, Jiang Pingchuan drove the seal in his palm straight toward the stone screen before the gate of the Gong residence. With a thunderous crash, the seal slammed violently into the screen’s center. The moment the screen shattered, Jiang Pingchuan once again heard the faint cries of an infant within it.

He spun around at once and fixed Lord Gong with a fierce glare.

"What are you trying to do?" Jiang Pingchuan roared at him nearly in fury.

Lord Gong merely curled his lip and shrugged.

"I was only checking your strength, and using a bit of the art within you to test it. Judging by the result, I’ve struck gold."

Looking at the hand that had manifested the square seal, Lord Gong’s eyes were full of greed. If Jiang Pingchuan were fully controlled and could make both his hands produce such seals, then the power would surely be even greater.

Hearing this, one of Jiang Pingchuan’s brows tightened slightly. Half of his body was no longer under his own control, and that was not what worried him. What troubled him was that Lord Gong was already able to use half of his body to activate the techniques within him.

When the square seal appeared, Jiang Pingchuan had not possessed the slightest ability to stop it, and could only watch helplessly as the seal from his own palm was blasted out by his own hand.

Jiang Pingchuan was deeply worried that Lord Gong might be able to control the seal. If that were so, could he also control the other arts within his body? Could he even control the Pagoda Art?

Seeing that Lord Gong had no intention of testing further, Jiang Pingchuan quietly let out a breath.

He did not dare think too much, fearing that even part of his thoughts might have already been seized by the man before him.

"Can you release them now?"

Jiang Pingchuan looked at Lord Gong. He had the distinct feeling that the half of his body under Lord Gong’s control was slowly trying to invade the other half.

Time was running out. Once he was fully taken over by the soul-seizing art and lost all will of his own, if the Pagoda Art within him did not begin to operate in time, then there would be nothing he could do to stop Lord Gong from doing anything at all.

"Of course."

Lord Gong once again recovered that kindly, benevolent expression and smiled gently at Jiang Pingchuan. With a clap of his hands, Ah Hu and Zhen Dong emerged from behind the side hall of the Gong residence, escorting Fox Charm, Lan Dao, and another woman Jiang Pingchuan did not recognize into the main hall. Jiang Pingchuan looked at the three of them and gave a bitter smile. At last, he had seen them again.

"Brother Chuan, what’s wrong? Damn it, you old fossil, what have you done to my Brother Chuan?"

Lan Dao broke free from Ah Hu’s restraint and rushed to Jiang Pingchuan’s side. Seeing Jiang Pingchuan half-human and half-ghastly, he immediately flew into a rage, turned around, and charged straight at Lord Gong.

A deafening crash rang out.

"Me... your grandfather..."

Before Lan Dao could even reach Lord Gong, Ah Hu, who stood beside him, kicked him flying. He slammed hard into a hall pillar, spat out a mouthful of blood, cried out in agony, and collapsed to the ground.

Jiang Pingchuan clenched his fist in fury and glared at Lord Gong. The unfamiliar woman hurriedly staggered to Lan Dao’s side when she saw him sent flying, holding him close and frantically wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. Jiang Pingchuan looked at Fox Charm, who lay nearly lifeless in Zhen Dong’s arms, and one of his eyes was filled with crimson.

"Release them."

With half-opened lips, Jiang Pingchuan growled. Lord Gong, however, merely waved a hand toward Zhen Dong, who nodded and pushed the woman in his arms toward Jiang Pingchuan.

The moment Jiang Pingchuan reached out to take Fox Charm, a sudden roar exploded in his mind.

With a buzzing crack, Jiang Pingchuan let go of Fox Charm and clutched his head with both hands, his face twisting even more savagely.

Lord Gong had already begun the second phase of the soul-seizing. Jiang Pingchuan’s face and Lord Gong’s seemed to flicker back and forth in constant alternation.

Lord Gong’s shadow began to appear in Jiang Pingchuan’s mind, grinning ferociously, madly, while Jiang Pingchuan’s vision grew blurrier and blurrier.

With a thud, Jiang Pingchuan fell to the ground. Lord Gong chuckled as he helped him up. Once Jiang Pingchuan got back to his feet, he stood there dumbly, without thought, staring at Lord Gong.

Lord Gong looked at him with great satisfaction. The young man before him was the most powerful puppet he had subdued in all these years.

Seeing Jiang Pingchuan’s condition, Fox Charm fainted, tears still warm at the corners of her eyes.

Lan Dao and the woman beside him also stood there, dazed and speechless, staring blankly at the scene before them. Everyone present knew that Jiang Pingchuan had already become Lord Gong’s puppet.

Only he himself knew who he truly was.

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