Chapter 63: Miss Chu, Are You Really Human?

"Oh right, Your Highness, this commoner forgot to remind you. The correct way to use the longevity talisman is to ignite it and drop it into a bowl of water, making it into a talisman-infused drink to be consumed. However, keeping it on your person for a long time also has some effect. It's up to Your Highness how you intend to use it."

Chu Li had also figured it out. Whoever he wanted to give the longevity talisman to was his business; she didn't care for it.

Even if he saved the talisman for that woman, she wouldn't mind. Let them live; who could outlive her anyway?

Hearing this, Fu Heng nodded, indicating he had taken note.

He took out the longevity talisman once more, and after a moment of thought, he cut off two corners of his robe, wrapped the longevity talisman carefully in multiple layers, and then tucked it securely back into the pocket inside his lapel.

Out of the corner of her eye, Chu Li saw his actions and curled her lip. It looked like he intended to keep the talisman and give it to someone else. He really had the patience; faced with the immense temptation of a longevity talisman, he could still remain unmoved, willingly giving away the chance to live a few more years. What a freak.

The salvation ritual began. Chu Li quickly gathered her stray thoughts and focused her gaze on the makeshift salvation array in front of her.

The flames of the four red candles were burning vigorously. Chu Li smoothly pulled out a purification talisman, ignited it, and tossed it onto the white marten pelt.

The blue flames engulfed the pelt, and the immortal marten at the side had already cried into a weeping mess.

Chu Li let out a soft sigh, then addressed the empty void, "Rest in peace. From now on, your little one will follow me, and they are bound to achieve greatness."

Suddenly, the wind blew in gusts, and the white marten pelt, which had been laid flat on the large boulder, began to move.

Amidst the blue flames, the white marten pelt seemed to grow flesh and blood, actually standing up.

Fu Heng snapped his body straight, his grip on the long sword tightening involuntarily.

Following this woman out, one could truly always witness the most incredible things.

The immortal marten beside them was already crying breathlessly, and Fu Heng was dumbfounded at the sight.

For a wild marten to mimic a human form to this extent—it was probably only a step away from speaking human language.

If this were to be led into the city, wouldn't it be mistaken for a marten sprite?

Chu Li glanced at the immortal marten, feeling a pang of sympathy. After a moment of thought, she said, "I am about to perform the soul-salvation for your parents. If you have anything to say to them, you can say it now."

The immortal marten plucked a clump of grass nearby, wiped it roughly across its tear-soaked eyes to clear away the tears, and then obediently hopped up onto the large boulder.

Accompanied by a series of squeaking sounds, Chu Li produced her final props: three little paper figures.

She had commissioned Cui Shi to buy a large quantity of talisman paper. These little paper figures were made from a special kind of talisman paper, thicker and capable of carrying more spiritual power.

The three little paper figures lay quietly and flatly in Chu Li's palm. Fu Heng was much taller than her and could see them with absolute clarity.

What strange novelty was this again? Fu Heng stretched his neck, staring fixedly at Chu Li, afraid of missing a single detail.

"Through the four forms of birth and the six paths, revolving through life and death, leaving suffering to attain bliss, entering forever into the path of goodness, ascending to the realms of humans and heavens, being reborn in the pure land, enjoying boundless joy, coming and going without attachment or obstruction... May the wandering souls find salvation and become immortals, go—"

As Chu Li chanted softly under her breath, strands of Daoist incantations imbued with spiritual power echoed between heaven and earth like Sanskrit sounds descending from the highest heavens.

At this moment, even Fu Heng, who did not believe in life, death, and reincarnation, inexplicably felt an unprecedented sense of destiny. The restless elements buried deep within his heart were soothed at this moment, the turbulent lake of his mind was smoothed out, and his state of mind suddenly expanded.

Just then, the three little paper figures in Chu Li's palm suddenly vied with one another in a carp-like leap, flipping over and detaching themselves from her hand to land upon the large boulder.

One of them held a tiny wooden fish, another wielded a Taiji horsetail whisk, and a third sat cross-legged in place with palms pressed together, as a small mouth grew on its paper face...

The Sanskrit chants entered the ears, accompanied by the tapping of the wooden fish and the rustling sound of the Taiji horsetail whisk. Around the white marten pelt, golden barriers inexplicably rose out of nowhere.

Fu Heng watched with his own eyes as such a bizarre scene unfolded before him, frozen stiff as wood!

Shocked, entirely unable to believe it, doubting whether he was experiencing hallucinations!

It wasn't until Chu Li walked back to his side and cast a sidelong glance at him that Fu Heng finally recognized reality—all of this was true.

It was true that the little paper figures moved; it was true that the little paper figures could babble and speak; and the golden barrier of light lingering around the large boulder was also true.

And the person who had created all these unbelievable sights was standing right beside him at this moment. She was flesh and blood, with a frail physique, yet every method she employed was so earth-shattering.

"Lady Chu, are you really human?"

In the end, Fu Heng could not stop himself from asking this question.

He suddenly felt that the name "Immortal" suited this woman much better.

He had never imagined that the world he inhabited could contain such bizarre and fantastical occurrences; this woman had completely shattered his worldview.

Chu Li had been enjoying the pleasant mood of admiring her own masterpiece. She had always loved performing salvation rites for others; as long as she dispatched the salvation paper-figure troupe, she didn't have to expend much effort, and she would even reap a handsome reward in merits upon completion.

However, her good mood was quickly ruined by Fu Heng's mood-killing remarks.

*Are you really human?*

Listen to that, was that human speech?

"What does Your Highness mean by that? This commoner merely borrowed a bit of your yang fire; do you actually suspect I am not human?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Heng realized his words were ambiguous and quickly added:

"This king means that since Lady Chu possesses such supernatural powers, could you perhaps be an immortal?"

Chu Li shot Fu Heng a look of disdain. Tsk tsk, why did King You still believe there were immortals in this world?

"Your Highness, I know some of these methods of mine exceed your understanding, but we mystic masters are simply like this. How could we go out to handle affairs without a few small props on us?"

With that, Chu Li pointed at the little paper figures that were still huffing and puffing as they diligently performed the salvation:

"Are you curious about them? These are the little paper figures commonly used by us mystic masters. Don't look at them as if they're weaklings; they may be soft, but they have enormous uses."

When speaking of her own profession, Chu Li was still quite proud and confident.

Yet halfway through her sentence, Chu Li thought of something and quickly added:

"However, these little paper figures can only be used by me, their master. If someone else takes them, they are just ordinary cut-paper."

She was afraid Fu Heng would ask her for the little paper figures. This stuff truly wasn't meant for ordinary people; only a mystic master could activate them.

Fu Heng stared at the three little paper figures with glowing eyes; to say he wasn't envious would be a lie.

Yet, recalling carefully, he realized that in all his memories, he had never seen any mystic use such paper figure props.

He had indeed seen paper figures the height of a person—some meticulous families hired craftsmen to make a few paper figures for the deceased during funerals.

"Aside from salvation, what else can they do?"

Chu Li curled her lips proudly and said, "Oh, plenty of things! A powerful paper figure can rival a mystic—guarding and suppressing houses, locking souls... Wait, why should I tell you? You wouldn't understand even if I told you."

Chu Li pouted, feeling a pang of annoyance. Why had she become so talkative? She hadn't intended to say so much to Fu Heng before.