Chapter 112: The Exorcist

The woman slowly raised her head to look at Ye Kun. His bald head seemed to glow with a divine Buddhist light, suggesting he was a monk of exceptionally high cultivation. If he were to intervene, her daughter would surely be saved!

However, upon seeing Ye Kun’s attire, she was filled with confusion for a long moment. Then again, she had heard that high-level monks were often unconventional. With this thought in mind, the woman gripped Ye Kun’s wrist tightly, as if clutching a lifeline, and cried out, "High monk, please, save my child..."

Ye Kun froze completely. Even Ye Qin stopped feeling sad; his older brother seemed even more miserable than he was now.

Ye Li and Yan Mu'er paused for a heartbeat, then burst into melodious laughter. Their husband had actually turned into a "high monk."

*You two are laughing your heads off, but if my Brother Kun becomes a high monk, you’re both going to become widows,* Ye Kun thought.

Yuan Zhen and Feng Dian really didn't want to laugh, considering they were currently relying on Brother Kun, but hearing that he had become a high monk made it impossible to hold back.

Dong Ci and Da Ci did not laugh. Instead, they stared at their teacher’s bald head, and suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck!

*The teacher’s bald head is not without reason! Could this be a form of the teacher's spiritual practice?!*

It was fortunate that this woman had pointed it out; otherwise, they never would have understood the teacher's profound intentions. A bald head symbolized Buddhist nature. They remembered that a long time ago, the teacher had meditated on Zen, and then he had disappeared.

*It seems my own smooth, long hair is a stumbling block on the path of cultivation! One must know how to make sacrifices!*

The more Dong Ci and Da Ci thought about it, the more profound it seemed. The teacher was truly incredible! They would cut off their hair as soon as they got back! On the path of cultivation, it didn't matter if one went bald—this was a realm of letting go!

*If I can even give up my hair, what else can stand in my way? That must be the logic.*

Ye Kun was in a state of confusion, though he probably didn't realize that most exorcists were indeed monks who practiced good deeds to accumulate merit. Just then, a wave of laughter erupted around them.

"An exorcist? Hahaha..."

"This little bald guy is an exorcist? Don't make me laugh."

"I’ve lived a long time and this is the first time I’ve heard of such a young exorcist."

"Young man, you'd better go home and make babies with your pretty wife; exorcism is no child's play." The speaker was a middle-aged man dressed in ordinary clothes, but with a string of fist-sized prayer beads hanging around his neck. He, of course, had hair.

Dong Ci and Da Ci were instantly ready to explode. If the teacher couldn't solve the problem, how could mere mortals like them possibly do it? But since the teacher hadn't spoken, they dared not act rashly. If they disrupted the teacher's ascetic practice, it would be a grave sin!

Ye Kun understood the skepticism of the crowd; after all, they had only read about such things in books. He had only wanted to try because he saw no one else stepping forward and felt pity for the child.

"Then, I invite this senior to perform the exorcism." If Brother Kun were to get angry over this, he would truly have a small heart.

"You have some discernment." The man stood up, emerged from the corner, and exuded the aura of a master.

At that moment, someone nearby exclaimed, "A Five-Gua Exorcist!"

Following the exclamation, everyone looked at the man’s waist. Five copper coin charms! They symbolized both strength and virtue! Ye Kun noticed them too; no wonder the man was so confident.

Exorcists were ranked by skill. Beginners had no copper coins; they had to perform exorcisms to obtain spirit cores from vengeful ghosts, submit them to the Exorcist Guild for recording, and then pass an examination to be awarded the coins as a mark of status. One gua was the lowest, and five were the highest!

Very few people in the entire Taijing could qualify for five gua; you could count them on one hand! Exorcism was not widespread, so guilds were only established in Ankang Prefecture, though Taijing had one as well. Exorcists were highly respected, as the profession was dangerous, the mortality rate was extremely high, and it paid little—at most, one earned a good reputation, which often didn't justify the risk. But as the saying goes, reaching the pinnacle of any trade brings a great transformation.

Like this man with the five copper coins, once recognized, everyone looked at him with awe and treated him with great deference. To encounter such an exorcist on this flying ship was incredibly lucky!

The man cupped his hands toward the crowd: "I didn't expect my low profile to be seen through. You all have sharp eyes."

Ye Kun simply sat beside his wife and watched this "Five-Gua Exorcist" put on a show.

"May I ask the master's name?"

"I like your question," the man smiled at the inquirer. "My name is Kong Xu (Void)."

As the man revealed his name, the crowd gasped! It was the famous Young Master Kong Xu!

Yuan Zhen and Feng Dian were rolling their eyes. *When it comes to putting on a show, I only bow to Brother Kun.* Only Brother Kun could make showing off look so divine, especially when he claimed it was an accident afterward. That innocent look on his face—they really wanted to carve three words on his forehead: "Show-off Addict!"

Ye Kun thought the name was pretty good. Thinking of his own title, he felt... Ye Li’s was the same—"Golden Woman!" Who would choose a name like that? It was so tacky! Look at others; they were already "Void."

"I never expected to meet Young Master Kong Xu here. It is truly an honor."

"I heard Young Master Kong Xu is ranked second in the Exorcist Guild. Is that true?"

Kong Xu fingered his prayer beads and smiled faintly: "There is no ranking in exorcism, only saving people."

Upon hearing this, the crowd seemed to undergo a baptism: "Young Master Kong Xu is truly virtuous and prestigious. We are the ones who are superficial."

"It is nothing. The atmosphere is as it is. We exorcists walk the path of kindness, letting the light of Buddha shine across the entire Xuanyue Continent!"

Someone started clapping, and everyone followed suit. That was a masterfully led rhythm. Ye Kun had to admire this Kong Xu; he could really spin a yarn. When someone with actual power talks nonsense, everything they say sounds right.

Just as Kong Xu was enjoying the applause, the little girl suddenly lunged at him. Her eyes glowed with a faint green light, and her teeth became incredibly sharp!

"In my presence, do not be presumptuous!" Kong Xu let out a sharp cry, drew a spirit talisman, clamped it between two fingers, and infused it with Daoist power!

The talisman instantly emitted a golden radiance. With a flick of his wrist, Kong Xu stuck it firmly onto the girl's forehead. The previously violent girl went silent instantly, though her face remained contorted in extreme pain.

Ye Kun frowned slightly. Books stated that spirit talismans were divided into three types: offensive, defensive, and auxiliary. Each type had thousands of variations. First, one had to learn to draw them; whether a talisman reached its full potential depended on how well it was drawn, as well as the Daoist power infused into it! Both were indispensable.

For an ordinary vengeful spirit, using an offensive talisman was normal. But this Young Master Kong Xu was a Five-Gua Exorcist! Even if he had used an auxiliary talisman, he could have subdued it; the difference was that an auxiliary talisman would have lessened the pain of the possessed person.