Sweat rolled down Chuyi’s forehead. Although he was panting heavily, he still answered, “It’s the Tai Chi Sword Technique.” 

“Tai Chi? I’ve never heard of it before.” Zhao Kuo shook his head. 

“It’s normal that you haven’t heard about it before. This sword technique was invented one thousand years after you died.” I smiled. 

“I see.” Zhao Kuo nodded. “You should leave. I can’t break through this sword technique, so you’re free to go.” 

He spared us because he couldn’t break through the sword technique? Shouldn’t Zhao Kuo be more skilled than that? 

Right when I was about to ask him, Zhao Kuo explained, “I don’t want to damage the body of my descendant. That’s why I’m sparing you.”

When I heard that, I realized that Chuyi had reminded me that the girl’s family name was Zhao. 

He had told me that because she was Zhao Kuo’s descendant. 

Zhao Kuo, the Battle of Changping, Zhao family... It was easy to link them together, but I made the connection only now.

Since Zhao Kuo was this little girl’s ancestor, I thought of something. “General Zhao, since you don’t want to damage your descendant’s body, it means you still have goodness in your heart. If we use hate to deal with hate, there will be no end to it. Moreover, everything is over now. Bai Qi has died, and the Qin state was destroyed. Why do you want to keep killing?”

“Hmph!” Zhao Kua sneered. “You weren’t buried with my people. Of course, you can stand here and say righteous words. If Bai Qi hadn’t agreed to release my four hundred thousand men, I would have never surrendered... However, Bai Qi didn’t keep his promise. Not only did he shoot me, but he also massacred my men. If I don’t take revenge for this insult, I won’t be worthy of the surname Zhao!”

Zhao Kuo’s firm voice resonated in the area as he told me a detail that wasn’t recorded in history. 

According to the official records, Zhao Kuo was shot dead by an arrow while he was breaking the siege. It didn’t say that Zhao Kuo was shot dead after he had surrendered.

Actually, history didn’t even record that Zhao Kuo had surrendered. The man was way more pitiful than how history books depicted him. 

“King Zhao ordained me with the title of General and bestowed me this long sword. He then sent me and my army to fight against the Qin state. Since I’d received an imperial order, I had no choice but to fight. In the end, all my men were killed.” 

I wanted to say something, but Zhao Kuo continued telling his story. “That Bai Qi was so malicious that my men and I couldn’t rest even in death! I was a general, yet I was buried deep in the ground, unable to see the sunlight. Today, I have to take revenge for my soldiers!” 

But then, Zhao Kuo’s tone changed. “Still, you have a point. Things will never end if we use hate to deal with hate. I don’t need to kill all the people of the Qin state. I just need to kill four hundred and fifty thousand. That’s how I will retaliate.”

I laughed when he said that. “General Zhao, are you kidding me? Even if you can make four hundred and fifty thousand people line up for you, it would take you several months to kill them!”

After I said that, Zhao Kuo guffawed arrogantly. “You’re forgetting that I have four hundred and fifty thousand resentful souls of the Zhao army here. Tonight is the Chinese Ghost Festival. It’s the right time for the Zhao state’s heroes to rise and see the sun again!”

I felt a chill run down my spine, and sweat damped my clothes. 

No wonder Chuyi had to accept this dangerous case despite the risks. It turned out the sword was carrying four hundred and fifty thousand lives!

Yet, we only had three people on our side.

Is this the real-life version of the Lord of the Rings?

Yin Xinyue and I turned pale. We tacitly turned to Chuyi in hopes that he had a solution for this. 

“What time is it?” he asked me. 

I checked the phone. “11 o’clock.” 

“We still have one hour left.” He shook his head. “We should go.” 

“Go where?” I was dumbstruck. “This fellow wants to summon four hundred and fifty thousand souls from his dead army. If he succeeds, wouldn’t the world end?” 

“That’s why we have to stay away from Shanxi as far as possible.”

I wanted to say something, but Chuyi gave me a look; I knew he had a plan. I immediately took Yin Xinyue and left with him. 

Zhao Kuo kept his word. He let us leave the mountain and didn’t do anything to stop us. 

It didn’t take long to reach the foothill. However, we didn’t realize that the entire mountain was under military surveillance. As soon as we reached the foothill, we heard the crackling noises of guns being loaded. 

Four searchlights shone on us, and a group of soldiers aimed their black muzzles at the three of us. 

Feeling helpless, we had to raise our hands. 

“Who are you? Why did you descend the mountain?” asked a fierce-looking soldier. 

“We were sent to the mountain by Company Commander Chen to investigate,” I explained. 

“Impossible! No one has ever descended this mountain.” 

“We’re not ordinary people.” 

“Oh? Are you not human beings?” 

I didn’t know if I should cry or laugh. Chuyi muttered to my ear, “We have to hurry… We need to do something important later!” 

Still, these soldiers seemed to have mistaken us for monsters. Some of them were even ready to open fire.

While I was thinking of an explanation, I heard a car engine from a distance. An off-road military car approached the barbed wire fence. 

The guards recognized the car’s plate number, so they went to the car and saluted. Company Commander Chen got out of the driver’s seat. When he saw his soldiers with loaded guns, he fumed, “What the heck are you doing? Put your guns down!” 

Since his soldiers were well-trained, they immediately followed his command. 

Company Commander Chen asked them to open the wired fence. At the same time, an old monk cheerfully got out of the car. It was Zen Master Baimei!

I hurried to greet him. “Zen Master Baimei, why are you here?” 

Zen Master Baimei shook his head. “Merciful Buddha, I’m here because this is an important matter. I had to come and check. Anyway, this is not a good place to talk. Get in the car. We will discuss it on the way.”

We immediately got in the car. The off-road car was wide enough, so we didn’t need to squeeze in.

After the engine started, Zen Master Baimei said, “I was abroad to deal with an otherworldly item when Chuyi sent me a message, asking me to come to Changping Village within three days. I had to return as fast as possible.”

I was surprised and asked, “You already knew about Zhao Kuo’s story?” 

“I knew about it since three years ago.” Zen Master Baimei brought his palms together in front of his chest. “Sigh, three years ago, when this Myriad Soul Sword was unearthed, I knew that this day would come.” 

“Myriad Soul Sword?” When I heard the name, I couldn’t help but shiver. 

“Yes. It was already a murderous weapon back then. After the Battle of Changping, it had absorbed the Yin energy of four hundred and fifty thousand resentful souls, becoming an extremely dangerous otherworldly item. Since it was unearthed, I knew that the consequences were going to be unimaginable.”

“What should we do now?” I was worried.

Zen Master Baimei didn’t answer me. He turned to talk to Chuyi. “Daoist Priest Chuyi, you just met Zhao Kuo, right? Did he tell you his wish? Without a goal, he couldn’t have been able to endure that torment for several thousand years.”

“Wish?” Chuyi thought then said, “Yeah, he has a wish. He wants to massacre four hundred and fifty thousand people to fulfill his wish.”

“Oh, this…” Zen Master Baimei sank in his thoughts. “If I could throw beans and turn them into humans, it wouldn’t be a problem to create four hundred and fifty thousand people for him to kill.” 

When he said that, I was thrilled. “Zen Master Baimei, do you really know such a skill?”

“Unfortunately…” Zen Master Baimei brought his palms together. “I don’t know such a skill.” 

Why even mention it if you didn’t have it?! 

Zen Master Baimei smiled. “But I have a solution that might keep the four hundred and fifty thousand resentful souls from reviving…”  

I didn’t understand what Zen Master Baimei meant, so I shot a look at Chuyi.

He nodded and rolled down the window. He observed the sky then said, “I’m afraid it won’t work. The moon is too bright tonight, and there are no clouds in the sky.”

“What time is it?” Zen Master Baimei and Chuyi had asked the same question. 

I checked my phone. “11:20 PM.”

“Perhaps we can still make it in time.” Zen Master Baimei took out his phone and used the hand-free function to dial a number. 

The call went through after the first ring. “Zen Master Baimei, it’s rare for you to call me this late. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yeah.” Zen Master Baimei said solemnly, “Old Wang, use all your means to reach the Air Force. Within half an hour, I want dark clouds to cover the entire sky above Changping Village.” 

“Zen Master, are you kidding? How can I contact the Air Force this late at night?”

Zen Master Baimei said resolutely, “Time’s running out. If we delay this, I’m afraid the entire Changping Village will cease to exist tomorrow.” 

“What?!” The other party hadn’t expected the situation to be this serious. However, from his tone, he completely trusted Zen Master Baimei. 

The man hesitated for a moment then said, “All right, what do you need the artificial rain for?”

“No, I don’t want rain,” said Zen Master Baimei, looking pensive. “I need dark clouds that can block the moonlight…”