I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 142 - 93 Midnight Rooster Crowing_2

"Senior Brother Wang did not collect any silver."

Xu Qing instantly understood.

The Government Office wouldn’t send him a corpse for free, so it must be Wang Lingyuan who paid the silver coins for him.

"This matter can’t be settled like this!"

A broken bamboo basket, a broken bamboo umbrella, what difference does this business make compared to doing it for nothing?

Xu Qing already planned to wait until nightfall to chat with that female ghost. If there was really an injustice, he might even be able to solve a case for Wang Lingyuan and let him get some Government Office reward silver to recover.

...

After handling the corpse at hand, Xu Qing had nothing else to do, so he returned to the counter and took out the Grotto Heaven Talisman, studying it bit by bit.

The way of talismans is obscure and difficult to understand, not something that can be learned in a day.

The skills he gained from the Sutra of Salvation came naturally without a teacher, but learning a new skill from the outside world was not so easy.

Xu Qing studied until the evening and gained some understanding of the way of talismans.

"Given my situation, I definitely can’t draw common talismans, such as the True Fire Talisman, Exorcism Talisman, Peace Talisman, or higher-level Thunder Talisman, which all require the use of clear, spiritual, and upright magical power as a talismanic guide."

Xu Qing flipped through for a while, his eyes finally resting on some talismans relatively suited to his cultivation body.

Ignoring talismans that required Yang Qi to activate, he was left with those that used Yin Cold Qi as the driving force.

Xu Qing read through carefully and found that entry-level talismans included the Plain Water Talisman, Pain Relief Talisman, Cold Ice Talisman... Higher-level ones were the Divine Movement Talisman, Profound Moon Talisman, Yin Thunder Talisman, etc.

Seeing the Yin Thunder Talisman, Xu Qing was tempted, but the zombie’s fear of thunder made him somewhat apprehensive.

The Thunder Talismans in the Cave Profound Talisman generally divided into Yin and Yang categories, with the Yang Thunder Talisman requiring Heart Fire and Lung Metal’s Yang Qi to activate during drawing and use.

The Yin Thunder Talisman used the Yin Cold Qi derived from Kidney Water and Liver Wood as its guide.

Xu Qing had never seen a zombie using Thunder Techniques, only records of zombies being charred by Thunder Techniques in Corpse Talk.

Zombies could not avoid the calamities of the three disasters, meaning sooner or later, they’d be struck by lightning.

Xu Qing pondered the Thunder Talisman Technique, debating whether he should get used to the feeling of being struck by lightning in advance to improve his lightning resistance.

In the end, he temporarily gave up on this idea.

Regardless of whether he, a zombie, could draw the Yin Thunder Talisman, even if he could, he would have to be proficient in the talisman techniques before considering it.

After all, the way of talismans has always been easy to learn but difficult to master. The Yin Thunder Technique is one of the more advanced talisman techniques that would take an unknown amount of time to master.

But Xu Qing had plenty of time.

"Who says a zombie can’t use Thunder Techniques?"

The clash of Yin and Yang generates thunder and agitation creates electricity. Though zombies can’t cultivate Thunder Techniques, they might be able to use talismans to indirectly control lightning by stimulating talismans with Yin Qi.

In the end, it was unknown if the lightning would strike the enemy or himself.

"Forget it, I’m a zombie, what do I need Thunder Techniques for? Better to look at other talismans..."

Xu Qing, eager to try, eventually settled down and began drawing the basic entry-level talismans.

Xuan Yu sat on the counter, watching Xu Qing draw talismans intently. Whenever he failed and discarded a piece of talisman paper, it reached out its claws and played with the paper ball until it fell to the ground.

By evening, the floor beneath the counter was littered with balls of paper.

"I’ve succeeded, haha, I’ve succeeded!"

Xu Qing, having drawn talismans all afternoon, ecstatically held up a yellow talisman, looking as excited as a scholar who just aced his exams.

"Xuan Yu, would you like to try the talisman I’ve drawn?"

Impatient to test the talisman’s effect, Xu Qing looked around the shop, which was empty except for him and a cat.

"No, I don’t." Xuan Yu instinctively refused.

"Are you sure? This is the first talisman I’ve drawn successfully, aren’t you curious?"

Xuan Yu, naturally very curious, hesitated for a moment before asking, "What kind of talisman is it? I heard some Daoists’ talismans are very powerful, capable of subduing demons..."

"Rest assured, Xuan Yu Immortal Family, this is just a simple Fireproof Talisman, used to prevent and avoid fire."

Xu Qing placed the talisman on Xuan Yu’s forehead and then casually snapped his fingers, using the Lighting Technique to light the candles on the counter.

"Xuan Yu Immortal Family, try placing your paw over the candle flame."

Xuan Yu, curious, approached the candle and tentatively placed one of its front paws above the flame.

"How is it?"

Xuan Yu’s eyes widened in surprise, "The fire feels cool."

Xu Qing’s heart stirred, and he suddenly said, "Wait a moment, I’ll fetch some lamp oil."

He went to the shelf and brought over a lamp with Exorcism Lamp Oil that Yang Qiying had obtained from Cizhao Temple.

To prevent any mishaps, he also positioned the water vat next to the stove for backup.

Removing the talisman emitting a faint cold aura from Xuan Yu’s forehead, Xu Qing transferred the talisman to Galloping Immortal Disciple Sun Erniang.

Zombies feared fire, and the lamp oil from Cizhao Temple had always been a great threat to him.

This was precisely why he had first learned to draw the Fireproof Talisman.

Common zombies had plenty of cultivation, but they could only engage in close combat and were inherently countered by magic. If he could master a set of talismans, it would fill this gap.

If so, while possessing magic resistance, he might also be able to use talismans against his enemies.

"Why didn’t Xu Immortal Family continue letting me test the talisman?"

"This lamp oil is quite potent; I’m afraid it might harm you."

Sun Erniang stood silently in front of the coffin.

Xu Qing added the lamp oil to the lamp and held it in front of the Silver Armored Female Zombie to test the reliability of the Fireproof Talisman.

The golden-red flames were extremely hot, and Xu Qing could feel the heat from the lamp even as he held it.

A faint incense fragrance wafted from the lamp, and as the flame touched the zombie’s body, the talisman on Sun Erniang’s forehead emitted a thin black glow that enveloped her.

Seeing this, Xu Qing was delighted and gathered the discarded paper balls from drawing talismans, stacking them at Sun Erniang’s feet before dousing the area with lamp oil and setting it on fire.

The strange fragrance quickly filled the Funeral Shop. After about five or six breaths, the talisman on Sun Erniang’s forehead began to fade. By ten breaths, the Fireproof Talisman suddenly ignited without wind and turned to ash, dispersing.

Seeing the female zombie’s attire catch fire, Xu Qing hurriedly used the leak-proof bamboo basket to pour water over her.

To his surprise, the water made the flames burn even stronger.

Acting quickly, Xu Qing grabbed the back of the female zombie’s neck and threw her into the water vat.

"What kind of lamp oil is this from Cizhao Temple?"

Xu Qing marveled at Sun Erniang’s submerged skirt that continued to burn for a while before eventually extinguishing, amazed.

Fire that doesn’t go out with water and even continues to burn underwater had to be no ordinary fire.

Perhaps he could ask Hu Baosong tomorrow; that old fox was knowledgeable and might know the origin of this fire...

Suppressing his thoughts, Xu Qing retrieved the soaking wet female zombie, revealing her graceful curves, and began checking her body.

Thankfully, the Silver Armored Corpse’s body was strong enough, and the fire had only burnt a section of the skirt without damaging the body.

"My set of phoenix crown and wedding robe is impervious to water and fire, can ward off filth, and avoid weapons, but I don’t know if it can resist this anomalous fire."

Xu Qing pondered for a moment, already forming a plan.

The wedding gown couldn’t be worn all the time and might not withstand the anomalous fire, but at least the Fireproof Talisman was still effective.

Just not as enduring as it was against ordinary fire.

However, Xu Qing was not worried about this.

If one Fireproof Talisman was insufficient, he could draw ten, a hundred.

Then it would be a matter of whether the lamp oil or his talismans lasted longer.

After cleaning up the messy room and feeling a sense of crisis, Xu Qing sat at the counter and began calmly drawing talismans.

As night fell, the shop’s lamps shone brightly.

Xu Qing’s technique grew increasingly proficient until, after drawing three more Fireproof Talismans, he finally felt slightly relieved.

He had originally planned to visit the old tailor’s house tonight to meet the female ghost.

But now, he was thoroughly immersed in the joy of drawing talismans.

Meeting a female ghost might be pleasant, but not more important than his own safety.

Xu Qing made up his mind that tonight, he would go nowhere but stay and draw talismans.

At midnight, the night owl Xuan Yu had disappeared, leaving only Xu Qing under the candlelight still drawing talismans.

Having completed the twentieth Fireproof Talisman, Xu Qing was just about to draw the twenty-first when he suddenly heard a rooster crow outside the shop.

"Is it almost dawn?"

Xu Qing was surprised as he thought the Night Watchman had only struck the third watch drum...

Looking up at the water clock, it was indeed the third watch.

As Xu Qing wondered, there was a sudden knock at the Funeral Shop’s door.

Who could be visiting in the middle of the night?