Chapter Seventeen: The External Incarnation (Part Two)

"Did you all stay up all night?" Seeing Modo, Chi Shang, and Liu Qing crowding around the two fake dummies, arguing and critiquing them with great enthusiasm, Shi Jun couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

Liu Qing smiled and nodded, "That’s right. We’re not like you anymore—we hardly need to rest now."

So it really was as he suspected. Shi Jun admired and envied the energy these three had, realizing he’d never be able to match it himself. Perhaps, after cultivating, he might reach their level someday. Still, the funniest thing was that Modo always boasted about how the “new generation of the Demon Realm” was different from mortals, yet his gluttonous nature surpassed even the most notorious gourmands among humans. The thought made Shi Jun chuckle to himself.

"Old Shi, there’s one more thing I forgot to tell you: you’ll still need to control the illusion yourself," Modo suddenly interjected.

Shi Jun was taken aback. "Me? I have to control it? What, are you planning to install some kind of surveillance device on them?"

"Not exactly," Chi Shang explained. "This type of illusion is rather basic, and for now, this is the best we can do. They can substitute for you at school, but after all, these are just dummies without their own thoughts. If someone talks to them, you’ll have to handle the response yourself."

Handle it myself? Shi Jun’s jaw nearly dropped. Just as he was about to ask what that meant, Modo grabbed the fake Shi Jun from the sofa, exclaiming, "It’s easier to show you—let’s do an experiment!" With that, he shoved the dummy into the bedroom and shut the door.

Shi Jun blinked, still confused, when he suddenly heard Modo’s smug voice in his ear, "Hey, who are you?"

"What do you mean, who am I?" Shi Jun replied, bewildered. Chi Shang then tossed him a small jade talisman and said, "Hold this and try speaking again!"

Taking the talisman, Shi Jun asked, "What kind of treasure is this?" The moment he spoke, he heard the same question, in his own voice, echoing from the bedroom: "What kind of treasure is this?" The tone and inflection were identical.

Realizing what was happening, Shi Jun quickly pushed open the bedroom door and found Modo grinning at the fake Shi Jun. "Well, do you get it now?"

Shi Jun burst into laughter, talisman in hand. "Come on, did you cast some other spell?" As soon as he finished, the fake Shi Jun echoed, "Come on, did you cast some other spell?" copying his laughter perfectly.

Modo clapped the dummy on the shoulder, and at the same moment, Shi Jun felt a light jolt on his own. While he was marveling at this, Chi Shang led in the equally lifeless fake Hu Hai and said with a laugh, "That’s how it works. We’ve set several charms on these substitutes. Wherever they go, whatever happens, you’ll sense it. And as long as you hold the jade talisman, you can speak through them and interact with others. Impressive, right?"

He then tickled the fake Hu Hai under the arms and patted him twice on the forehead, chuckling. "We realized one person can't play two roles, so in a while we’ll recast the spell so Modo controls the fake Hu Hai. That way, we can all get things done without worry, agreed?"

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Shi Jun nodded eagerly, more amused the more he thought about it. Laughing, he said, "Hu Hai is terribly ticklish. If you tickle his substitute like that, he ought to feel it too, right?"

"Hu Hai’s ticklish? Well, I won’t be polite then!" Modo, delighted, leapt like a monkey to the fake Hu Hai, clawing and grabbing at him with exaggerated gestures. The dummy remained perfectly stiff and unresponsive, staring blankly as if resigned to his fate—almost heroically tragic in his indifference. The others had to stifle their laughter, not daring to let the real Hu Hai, lying in the next room, overhear.

Poor Hu Hai, still asleep, was suddenly roused by unbearable itching, unable to move or speak, suffering in silence, splayed helplessly on the bed, gasping for breath.

After a while, Shi Jun and the others agreed to split up: Liu Qing and Chi Shang would head to the TV station to investigate the suspicious female announcer from last night, while Shi Jun and Modo would go out to find a suitable catalyst for forging a magical weapon.

*

The matter of this magical weapon had actually been decided the night before, at Modo and Chi Shang’s suggestion. After his experiences in the Underworld and several battles with Chi Shang, from the Rakshasa’s “Beast Trap” and Modo’s “Fire Pearl” to the “Spirit Ring” passed on to Hu Hai by the Ancestor of the Yellow Springs, Shi Jun was increasingly convinced that magical weapons in the world of spell duels were as indispensable as swords to a martial hero. However, he still had no idea how to begin crafting one. That was why, when Hu Hai first discussed it with him, he hadn’t made up his mind, but now, with the need to face Chi Shang’s brothers—who were said to be far more formidable—this matter became a priority.

Modo and Chi Shang bombarded him with a flood of suggestions about forging magical weapons in both the Underworld and Demon Realm. Finally, it was Chi Shang, ever the thoughtful one, who suddenly asked, "By the way, which elemental attribute do you plan to choose for your weapon?"

"Eh? Which attribute? I hadn’t thought about it!" Shi Jun was suddenly reminded of the theory of the five elements—Chi Shang and the other spirits were denizens of the Underworld, whose natural element was water; water overcame fire, which is why Modo’s weapon was ineffective against Chi Shang. Earth overcomes water, and the human world’s attribute is earth. Since he was still a mortal, it made sense to start with earth as the foundational attribute for cultivation...

At this thought, he heard Modo say dismissively, "Old Shi is still just a mortal. What else can he cultivate but earth?"

"Right, that’s what I thought too—earth it is," Shi Jun replied, then asked, "So to forge an earth-elemental weapon, I suppose I need to find a special kind of stone as a catalyst, don’t I?"

Modo and Chi Shang nodded simultaneously. Chi Shang added, "But not just any stone will do. You’ll need to find one infused with the essence of heaven and earth, something rare. That way, you’ll need less time to refine it, and the result will be more powerful. If you ever have to face my brothers, you won’t be at a disadvantage."

He knew full well that Shi Jun was preparing a weapon to deal with his own brothers, yet Chi Shang spoke without reservation, completely open and honest. This surprised and moved Shi Jun, who didn’t know what to say, so he simply looked at Chi Shang in silence.

Chi Shang understood at once and smiled. "Last night, after you fell asleep, Sister Liu and I talked a lot... I, too, was once at the mercy of others, so I’d hate to see innocent people suffer because of us. Besides, I think you’re a good person—you wouldn’t make trouble for my brothers without reason. And, well," he chuckled sheepishly, "your powers are still a bit... unusual, and now that we’re linked, if something happens to you, I won’t fare any better!"

He was too embarrassed to spell out that Shi Jun’s abilities were still unstable, but Shi Jun wasn’t foolish—he understood at once and laughed. "That’s true. I’m not too confident in my own strength these days. Thanks for your concern!"