Zhang Jian looked over and saw a row of papermen at the entrance from a distance. Their faces were adorned with blush, wearing blue hats, but without pupils. Additionally, there was a row of paper horses that looked extremely majestic.
Zhang Jian knew that in folk traditions, offerings to ancestors must include these papermen and paper horses; the former served as attendants, while the latter represented means of transportation and status.
Those who were a bit wealthier would also purchase gold and silver houses.
Gold houses to hide beauties, the meaning is roughly the same.
But neither the paper children nor the paper horses had eyes, which was very much in line with the style of Paperman Zhang, the owner of Zhang's Paper Mache Shop, in Zhang Jian's memory.
"Are they from the same school, or is it just a coincidence?"
Soon, Zhang Jian saw a clever-looking young boy walk out from inside.
Upon seeing Zhang Jian, his eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward and said, "Esteemed guest, do you need to buy items for a funeral? Our shop just opened recently, and we offer discounts on both paper horses and longevity wood, all with guaranteed quality..."
Zhang Jian said indifferently, "Let me take a look first! You go attend to other customers!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Lu, who was standing behind him, blocked the boy with his tall frame, and Zhang Jian entered Liu's Paper Horse Shop.
From afar, Zhang Jian saw a somewhat pale middle-aged man busy inside, crafting papermen. One by one, they took form in his hands, standing in the hall as if alive!
In the depths of the hall, there was a small shrine covered with red silk, emitting a special incense aroma.
Zhang Jian's gaze fell on the middle-aged man. At this moment, he could sense in his divine thought a dense and chilling spiritual mechanism gathering and lingering inside the shop.
Especially around that middle-aged man.
Zhang Jian, however, did not act immediately. Instead, he spoke.
"Is it Boss Liu? Business is coming in, are acquaintances here to buy gold and silver yuanbao?"
Upon hearing Zhang Jian's voice, the middle-aged man looked up. His face was deathly pale, and he appeared quite haggard. However, upon seeing Zhang Jian, his expression changed slightly, as if remembering something, and he immediately fell silent.
Zhang Jian smiled and said, "What's the matter, Boss Liu, don't you want to do business with me, or do you have issues with me as a customer?"
The tall and thin middle-aged man replied, "Esteemed guest, the good items are in the back courtyard. Would you be willing to take a look?!"
As he spoke, he straightforwardly got up and lifted the black curtain covering the passageway and stepped inside.
Next to him, Zhang Lu quietly muttered, "Young Master, this paper horse shop owner seems to have an unusual demeanor?"
"Young Master, should I go find Uncle Qi and summon the city defense troops? Whatever it is, a volley from everyone will take care of it..."
At the end, Zhang Lu made a gesture and chuckled.
Zhang Jian smiled and said, "No need to go to such trouble!"
After turning into a paper ghost, Paperman Zhang had decent Dao practice but was not capable enough to contend with him.
Zhang Jian stepped into the back courtyard, which was filled with more paper children. These paper children were entirely different from the papermen outside, having two blood lines in the pupil positions, like blood-red eyes.
As Zhang Jian stepped in, all the paper children suddenly stood up, their gaze fixed straight on him.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man's figure had disappeared into the darkness. Seeing this, Zhang Jian laughed:
"Uncle Zhang, are you still thinking of attacking me?"
In the darkness, a cold figure with blood-streaked eyes appeared, looking closely; it was Paperman Zhang's face.
A ghostly voice was heard:
"Scholar Zhang, I really don't want to attack you, but since you've discovered my whereabouts, I can't let you leave. You shouldn't have followed!"
His eyes were veiled, and in an instant, blood shadows appeared in the boundless darkness around him. Those paper children transformed into fierce ghosts, and a sinister aura rushed towards Zhang Jian.
Zhang Jian displayed a smile, his figure unmoving. Around him, layers of intense Extreme Yang Magical Power surged, and Blazing Pure Yang Magical Power erupted from the depths of his orifices. With just a slight surge of Pure Yang Spiritual Mechanism, the temperature of the entire back hall suddenly seemed to increase by half, and the void was filled with scorching sparks.
The slightest touch from those paper children instantly ignited them in a crimson halo, shattering into countless fragments of firelight.
Zhang Jian watched this scene with indifferent eyes, locking onto a direction. Without any intermediary, the Soul Purification Spell manifested in his hand, transforming into a black rune and instantly striking a figure trying to hide.
The Soul Purification Spell descended like a Heaven and Earth Net enveloping a figure.
The tall and thin middle-aged man was completely immobilized, surrounded by countless Yin Qi and blood light that sizzled and emitted mournful cries.
A twisted figure escaped from his head!
From within came a difficult voice, "My grandson... Scholar Zhang, I still have to wait for my young grandson, please show mercy!"
Under the Soul Purification Spell, in just a few moments, the Yin Qi and blood light on him were mostly purified, but a strong obsession in the depths of his Yin Soul continued to expand, making the Yin Qi exceptionally tenacious.
Seeing this, Zhang Jian slightly furrowed his brows.
He had read the notes from Iron Immortal Temple and knew that Yin ghosts, like cultivators, needed to maintain pure Yin Qi to have the hope of stepping onto the path of the Great Dao.
But most Yin ghosts' thoughts were uncontrollable, coupled with bloodstained resonances, with complex and massive Yin Qi. Even if their Yin Qi soared, it was difficult to enter the portal of the Great Dao!
However, there were a few rare Yin ghosts with pure Yin Qi and great potential!
Firstly, due to the unique spirit body!
Secondly, because the obsession runs so deep!
Zhang Jian glanced at the unusually solid Yin Qi surrounding Paperman Zhang's body!
"It seems he's not lying!"
With a wave of his hand, Zhang Jian dispelled the Soul Purification Spell with a black light. Yet, in just a snap, seven or eight crimson thunder threads spread around the rear hall, ensuring that if Paperman Zhang attempted to escape, he'd meet a tragic end.
Seeing Zhang Jian lift the magic, Paperman Zhang breathed a sigh of relief, painfully got up, and cupped his hands in salute:
"Young Master Zhang, this old man knows I've wronged you, but I was caught at a disadvantage some time ago and had no choice but to use the secret technique on my paper figures to probe the Zhang family's activities. I have received my deserved punishment and am now no longer a person!"
"Young Master, my only thought now is to find my poor grandson. If I can retrieve my grandson, I will leave myself at your disposal!"
At this moment, he didn't beg for mercy, instead, recounting the origins and consequences of the attack on the Zhang family, which resolved the Zhang family's doubts.
He also felt a little surprised: "The power of the Stone Mirror is more profound than I imagined. Paperman Zhang merely used heterodox methods to investigate, and he was nearly obliterated by the mirror's backlash!"
This couldn't help but make Zhang Jian secretly astonished. Unfortunately, he has never been able to use that Treasure Mirror; he can only keep it at home as a protective talisman.
"So, the Lady Honghua who saved you later, who is she, and what is her purpose…"
Zhang Jian's gaze fluctuated as he recalled the Red Lotus Daoists he had inadvertently seen before. These followers not only appeared in Fengxi County but are now emerging inside and outside of Fengyang County.
Yet, Paperman Zhang spoke in panic: "Scholar Zhang, do not mention her true name; it is said that she is highly responsive, and as long as someone silently chants her name, she will sense it!"
"Oh…"
Zhang Jian's thoughts shifted, and suddenly he spoke softly.
"Paperman Zhang, if I step forward to help you retrieve your grandson from the Gu Family, how would you repay me?"
Upon hearing this, Paperman Zhang's blood-colored eyes lit up with immense joy, and he immediately gritted his teeth and said: "If the esteemed scholar is willing to help this old man rescue the young grandson, this old man is ready to give his life to the esteemed scholar!"
At this time, Zhang Jian also noticed that upon mentioning the grandson, the intense Yin Qi behind Paperman Zhang was still frantically surging, faintly increasing.
His eyes fluctuated, nodding slightly.
"Very well, I shall spare your life for now, and I look forward to your repayment!"
Zhang Jian then put away the Thunderbolt Silk he had buried in the rear hall, and watching Zhang Jian withdraw the thunder, Paperman Zhang's eyes flickered with more reverence.
Originally coming from a heterodox sorcerer background, after becoming a fierce ghost and joining the Red Flower Temple, he gained even more insight, but he had never heard of a cultivator able to control lightning.
At this moment, Zhang Jian's gaze swept through the rear hall. Many objects inside had already been burned clean by his surrounding Extreme Yang Magical Power, yet some gold and silver yuanbao remained. Additionally, he saw several Ningshen Lotus flowers and a few extremely ornate Lotus Palace Lamps; he waved his hand, picked one up, and asked.
"What is this new product?"
Seeing the mention of his old craft, Paperman Zhang restrained his fear and respectfully stepped forward.
"Young Master, this is the Purple Qi Golden Lamp. It is said that upon achieving Immortal Family cultivation, one manifests anomalies above their head, azure clouds and purple qi, thousands of purple qi golden lamps, containing infinite light, countless hope, never falling into calamity. This old man hopes one day when stepping into the Netherworld, to have such fortune, so he crafted these Lotus Golden Lamps based on ancient texts!"
Hope the next life won't be too tough!"
"Lotus Golden Lamp?"
Zhang Jian glanced at it, noting the intricate carvings on the lamp, dense small seal style runes, depicting scripts like the Spirit Treasure Scripture and the Sutra of Deliverance from Suffering, seemingly costing quite a price.
Zhang Jian slightly surprised, looked at Paperman Zhang, this old man indeed has creativity, he's a true treasure.
A treasure trove old fellow!
Today, what is most important if not innovative thinking!
"Very nice, I'll take these things away!"
Immediately, he summoned Zhang Lu and Hu Shan to come in and move the items.
Seeing this scene, Paperman Zhang couldn't help but ask from the rear: "Then, young master, my grandson…"
"Wait for news; provided the Gu Family hasn't deceived you, you should see him in no more than a few days!"
Zhang Jian called back without turning his head.
...
As he returned to the Zhang family's grain depot with a large batch of gold and silver yuanbao, Zhang Jian proceeded alone to the separate courtyard in front of Dragon-locking Dam.
Someone was already waiting for him there.
The Dragon Maiden was dressed in a seven-colored Jueqiao, her figure slender, plain faced, it was the first time Zhang Jian saw her wearing something other than black, her graceful silhouette seemingly radiating bright light in the sunlight.
Upon seeing Zhang Jian, her voice echoed.
"Dao Brother, the matter you entrusted me with has been completed!"
"This is the ironclad proof you requested!"