Realm of the Night God - Chapter 140: The Burned Patient

After leaving Yangjia Bay, Yang Haoran went straight back to the Lecheng grocery store. He didn’t contact anyone, not even Guanhai. He didn’t make a single phone call.

Today was supposed to be a joyful New Year’s day for everyone at home. He didn’t want to burden his friends with his own affairs, so he didn’t mention his return to anyone.

As Lecheng was just a small town, it lacked many amenities compared to big cities. Many people from Lecheng chose to leave for other big cities for better opportunities. Although Lecheng usually had a fair amount of people, during the New Year period, those who were away from Lecheng returned, making the whole town lively.

However, this festive atmosphere didn’t bring any joy or relaxation to Yang Haoran. Instead, it filled him with an indescribable sense of loneliness because he knew he didn’t belong here.

As Yang Haoran reopened the grocery store upon his return, the phone rang shortly after opening.

Yang Haoran was puzzled as he checked his mobile phone, only to find that the caller was Master Wu.

With a slight furrow of his brow, Yang Haoran forced a smile and answered.

“Haoran, when are you planning to return to the city? Old Man misses you. Let’s have a few drinks sometime,” Master Wu’s concerned voice came through the phone.

Having just returned, Yang Haoran couldn’t believe it was just a coincidence that Master Wu called so promptly upon his arrival. However, he didn’t reveal his suspicions. It wasn’t his style.

“I just got back to the city. I was actually planning to call and let you know, but here you are calling me already,” Yang Haoran replied with a forced smile.

Upon hearing Yang Haoran’s laughter, Master Wu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He advised, “When some things become inevitable and you can’t change them, you have to try to accept them. Adjust your mindset and do what you need to do. That’s what it means to be a man. I believe you understand what I’m saying.”

“Don’t worry, old man. I know. My mindset is stronger than you think,” Yang Haoran chuckled.

He seemed genuinely happy, as if he had truly moved on from his sadness and let go of what happened at Yangjia Bay.

However, Master Wu wasn’t naïve. He wouldn’t believe that Yang Haoran had truly let go.

For some people, crying doesn’t signify weakness. Likewise, smiling doesn’t always mean happiness.

Though he understood this, Master Wu didn’t point it out. Instead, he continued along with Yang Haoran’s conversation, “It’s best not to be fragile. In life, there are things we must inevitably face, sooner or later. Since you’re back, come over to my place. I’ll come pick you up later.”

“No need, old man. I just got back, and there are some things I need to take care of. Once I’ve sorted everything out here, I’ll come and have a few drinks with you,” Yang Haoran declined without hesitation.

Seeing Yang Haoran’s firm refusal, Master Wu was visibly disappointed, but he didn’t push it.

“Well then, it’s good for young people to be busy. It’s better than being idle. Once you’re done there, remember to give me a call. Don’t even lie to an old man like me,” Master Wu said.

“Heh, of course, of course. Don’t worry.”

After hanging up, Yang Haoran’s smile faded as he pondered silently, lost in thought.

After a while, he pocketed his mobile phone and took out the worn book that recorded the art of talismans. He sat down at the counter and began to study it carefully.

Previously, he only skimmed through the book, but now, as he delved into it, he gained a deeper understanding of its contents and realized its true value.

The book not only contained the conventional talismans of the Fu Sect but also some lost talismans, such as the lock yin talisman.

These lost talismans had specific annotations, whether made by Master Zhou or the previous owner of the book remained unknown.

Moreover, Yang Haoran couldn’t be sure if these lost talismans were truly lost. However, he tended to believe Xu Meijing’s words about the lock yin talisman being lost.

To embark on something, one must first understand it thoroughly. The deeper the understanding, the better the execution, leading to more efficient results and fewer mistakes.

Yang Haoran’s current task was to understand. Once he had a good grasp of the book, he would attempt to become a talisman master.

Days went by, and Yang Haoran continued to operate the grocery store while studying the art of talismans. When he encountered difficulties in his talisman studies, he temporarily set aside the book and shifted his focus to studying the soul-binding technique recorded on human skin.

With demonic pills in hand, deciphering the demonic script on human skin was no longer a challenge for Yang Haoran. He could easily understand it, making his research convenient. When he encountered a problem he couldn’t solve immediately, he put aside the human skin with demonic script and returned to studying talismans.

At night, he drove to the outskirts, exploring places he had never been before, searching for undead and guiding them.

With his current strength, he had little trouble dealing with most undead, as long as they weren’t powerful evil spirits or Half-Step Evil Spirits.

However, guiding undead wasn’t his main objective. The primary reason he ventured into uncharted territories in the wilderness was to find an extreme yin place.

After a few attempts, Yang Haoran managed to guide some undead and successfully capture them into the soul gathering bead. This was naturally a good thing for him.

However, he didn’t find the extreme yin place.

Of course, not finding the extreme yin place was within his expectations. Extreme yin places were rare, and even Xu Meijing rarely encountered them. So, he had mentally prepared himself for this outcome, feeling neither surprised nor greatly disappointed.

But what annoyed him was that despite spending time studying talismanic arts and the soul-binding technique, he hadn’t made any significant progress other than gaining a bit more understanding of the two.

The art of talismans was no easy feat. Wanting to become a talisman master was difficult enough, let alone achieving it through self-study in a short time. Only a fool would expect such a result.

However, what surprised him was the complexity of the soul-binding technique. He thought that with demonic pills in hand and his ability to understand demonic script, studying the soul-binding technique would be relatively straightforward. Yet, the reality was quite the opposite.

Despite his disappointment, Yang Haoran’s mindset remained unchanged. He continued to follow his plan and do what needed to be done.

“To become a talisman master, I must first cultivate the spirit power of talismans. Otherwise, I won’t be able to perform the steps of drawing talismans. I wonder if the spirit power of talismans will clash with the Yin spirit power inside me.”

Yang Haoran put down the worn book, furrowing his brows in thought. Though he wasn’t yet a talisman master, his research over the past few days had given him a better understanding of the subject. It was this growing understanding that led to his current concern.

The book didn’t record anything about this issue. If it did, Yang Haoran wouldn’t be troubled.

This highlighted the importance of having a master. With a master, such questions could be directly addressed, saving both time and effort.

Without a master, one had to rely on trial and error, which often led to unnecessary detours.

“Master Zhou emitted a gray power fluctuation when he was alive, which should have been formed after practicing the Corpse Control Sect’s corpse-refining technique. Yet, he was still a talisman master, drawing talismans and controlling them without any problems. What could this mean?”

“Could it be that… as long as the power is cultivated by oneself, regardless of its properties, it won’t harm the body?”

This was just Yang Haoran’s speculation. He couldn’t be sure if it was correct, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility either.

“Regardless of the truth, I’ll only know once I try. If the spirit power of talismans can’t coexist with Yin spirit power in my body, then I’ll have to find another solution as soon as possible. If my speculation is correct and they can coexist, then that would be the best outcome.”

With this in mind, Yang Haoran made some adjustments to his plan, intending to first cultivate the spirit power of talismans and observe his body’s reaction.

The book detailed how to cultivate the spirit power of talismans. With his current understanding of talismanic arts, Yang Haoran believed that following the instructions in the book should enable him to cultivate the spirit power of talismans that only a talisman master possessed.

However, he couldn’t be certain how long it would take. But that didn’t deter him from making his decision.

Just as Yang Haoran began to cultivate the spirit power of talismans, a patient arrived at Lecheng Hospital.

The patient was severely burned in a fire, with no intact skin left on his body. He was completely charred, and by the time he reached the hospital, he was barely clinging to life.

In such a condition, the significance of rescue efforts was minimal. The hospital naturally understood this, so they tactfully declined the patient’s family’s request for treatment. They didn’t want to cause trouble for the hospital.

However, the patient’s family didn’t see it that way. They believed that their loved one could still be saved. After all, he was still alive, and miracles could happen.

Furthermore, the patient’s family promised that regardless of the outcome, they wouldn’t trouble the hospital. They hoped that the hospital would at least try to save him.

Before the outcome of the negotiation was reached, the patient died in the hospital.

In his final moments, he gasped for breath, his eyes wide with extreme pain.

In those wide eyes, there was intense resentment and bitterness!

[Heartfelt thankyou for the support! BokuBoku]