Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 21 Spring rain nourishes all things, white lotus descends to earth

A spring rain fell for three days in a row.

The bluestone roads in Changning County were washed until they shone, and the lingering smell of blood was gone from the air, leaving only the damp scent of freshly turned soil.

Contrary to popular belief, the days following the downfall of the Black Dragon Gang did not descend into chaos; instead, they presented an eerie peace.

Inside the paper-making shop, the fire in the charcoal brazier was burning brightly.

Gu Yan held a fine carving knife in his hand and was carving the mane of a paper horse that had just been pasted on.

His movements were slow, each cut rhythmic, as if he were carving rather than cutting paper.

Hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

"Master Gu! Master Gu, I need your help!"

The man who came was dressed in a coarse cloth short brown shirt, soaking wet, with mud spots all over his trouser legs.

Gu Yan recognized him; he was Wang Er, the tofu seller in the east of the city, a man who was usually honest and unassuming.

Gu Yan put down the carving knife, but didn't get up. He simply pointed to the stool next to him:

"Brother Wang, speak slowly. If an elder in the family passes away, and the coffin is placed next door, we'll have to hire a Taoist priest if we want to perform a ritual. I only specialize in paper effigies."

"It wasn't the old man who passed away... it was my wife, she... she's possessed!"

Wang Er's face was deathly pale, and his voice was trembling:

"She hasn't been eating for the past few days, just drinking some kind of holy water. She's become as thin as a skeleton, but her energy is frighteningly high."

He took a breath and continued:

"She suddenly collapsed to the ground. I wanted to take her to the hospital, but she refused, insisting that the Holy Mother was calling her to go to paradise. Master Gu, you're an official, you've seen a lot, can you take a look and tell me if she's dead or alive?"

"Holy water? Our Lady of the Holy Land?"

Gu Yan frowned slightly, and a sharp glint flashed in his seemingly cloudy eyes.

He had heard those words many times in the shop these past few days.

Since the Black Dragon Gang was destroyed, a group of people dressed in white suddenly appeared in Changning County, claiming to be followers of the "White Spirit Cult" and distributing porridge and medicine everywhere.

It is said that drinking their talisman water will cure all diseases, and not only will you not have to spend money, you can also get eggs.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch, let alone eggs.

"Let's go take a look."

Gu Yan stood up, casually picked up the oilcloth that had turned black from years of exposure to corpse fumes and draped it over his body, then reached under the counter for a seemingly ordinary paper umbrella.

The two of them rushed into the rain, one after the other.

Wang Er's home was in a slum, and a crowd had already gathered at his door.

Inside the house, a gaunt woman lay on a straw mat.

Just as Wang Er said, her face was sallow and her eyes were sunken, as if she had been drained of her energy, but there was a strange yet satisfied smile on her lips.

She held her hands tightly to her chest, protecting a rough wooden statue of a deity.

Gu Yan stepped forward, but instead of touching it directly, he glanced at the statue first.

The carving was poor; one could only vaguely make out the image of a woman. However, the eyes of the statue were painted with some kind of red pigment, making it appear particularly eerie in the dimly lit room.

"Master Gu, look..."

Wang Er rubbed his hands together, his face full of hope.

Gu Yan squatted down, extended two fingers, and placed them on the woman's wrist.

It was icy to the touch, and the pulse was so weak it was almost imperceptible.

[Contact with a body whose life force has been drained.]

[Cause of death: Spiritual exhaustion due to fanaticism, accompanied by chronic necrosis from cadaveric toxins.]

[Judgment: It's hopeless.]

Gu Yan's heart sank.

This is no holy water at all; it's clearly a poison made from corpse oil and hallucinogenic herbs.

It can not only induce hallucinations, but also slowly deplete one's vitality, squeezing out the last bit of value.

"Prepare for your funeral."

Gu Yan stood up, his tone indifferent, shattering Wang Er's last illusions.

"Her heart was broken; she was only hanging on by a thread. That smile... it was a final flicker of life before death."

As soon as she finished speaking, the woman suddenly convulsed, her eyes widened, staring straight at the ceiling, making a "hoho" sound in her throat, then her head tilted to the side and she fell silent.

Even after she died, the smile on her lips did not disappear; instead, it became even more stiff and terrifying.

"My dear wife!"

Wang Er rushed over and burst into tears.

Gu Yan stood aside, looking at the corpse, his heart unmoved.

As a paper craftsman, he had seen far too many such partings of life and death.

What truly caught his attention was that, with the woman's death, he saw a wisp of almost invisible white vapor rise from the top of her head. Instead of dissipating into the world, it seemed to be drawn by something and went straight into the wooden statue in his arms.

Collecting souls? Or the power of faith?

The White Spirit Cult has a very long reach.

"Gu Yan, since the person is dead, you can do business with him."

A gentle yet somewhat arrogant voice suddenly came from outside the crowd.

Everyone turned around and saw several men dressed in white walking out of the rain.

The leader was about thirty years old, with a fair complexion and no beard. He was holding a string of white bone prayer beads in his hand, and his face had a compassionate expression.

This person is none other than Bai Yunfei, the leader of the Bai Ling Sect.

"This devout woman has attained perfect merit and has been guided by the Holy Mother to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Bai Yunfei walked to Wang Er's side and gently patted his shoulder, "This is a joyous occasion, don't be sad."

Wang Er was stunned. Looking at this usually aloof "living god," he didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

Bai Yunfei turned to look at Gu Yan, his gaze sweeping over Gu Yan's greasy raincoat, a fleeting hint of disgust flashing in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

"This must be Gu Zhazhi, appointed by the authorities? I've heard you're quite skilled. Our White Spirit Sect will handle this believer's funeral arrangements."

He took out a silver ingot from his pocket and tossed it to Gu Yan.

"We need to make the best paper sedan chair, and four golden boys and jade girls. Most importantly..."

Bai Yunfei took a drawing out of his sleeve and handed it to Gu Yan:

"Make a paper image of the Holy Mother that is three zhang tall, just like this, for use in tomorrow's ceremony."

Gu Yan took the blueprints, and his pupils contracted slightly after just one glance.

The "Madonna" drawn on the drawing has three heads and six arms, and stands on a lotus flower.

At first glance, it appears solemn and dignified, but upon closer inspection, the posture of its arms is clearly some kind of evil grasping and tearing action.

Moreover, the base of the Virgin Mary was covered with densely packed runes, which Gu Yan had seen similar runes in Master Yin's secret manual.

That's a talisman for gathering evil spirits.

The purpose of this statue is mostly to collect the resentment and death energy of the entire Changning County.

"What? You can't do it?"

Bai Yunfei raised an eyebrow, a hint of threat in his tone, "If you can't do it, just say so. Our Bai Ling Sect doesn't necessarily need you. It's just that the government's reputation is likely to be ruined."

Gu Yan's expression shifted naturally, becoming fearful and humble as he quickly stuffed the silver into his pocket.

"Yes, yes! As long as the money's right, I can make anything for you, not just a statue of the Virgin Mary, but even the Jade Emperor!"

He wore a smile on his face, but inwardly he was sneering.

Does it look like paper?

Row.

Although Master Yin's "Yin Iron Rakshasa" is useful, it is too conspicuous and easily exposes his identity.

Since this "Madonna statue" is to be made so large, it just so happens that it is missing a skeleton inside.

If we were to bury a skeleton strung together with explosive talismans inside this statue of the Virgin Mary, and wait until the climax of tomorrow's ceremony...

Haha, that scene must be even more spectacular than fireworks.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master Gu."

Bai Yunfei nodded in satisfaction, seemingly enjoying the thrill of showering people with money.

He had no idea that he had just handed the fuse of a time bomb to this seemingly harmless boss.

"We will send someone to pick it up tomorrow at noon."

After saying this, the group from the White Spirit Cult turned and left, their white robes as pure as snow, spotless and completely out of place in the muddy slum.

Gu Yan watched their retreating figures, clutching the blueprint tightly in her hand.

He turned to Wang Er, who was still in a daze, and said:

"Brother Wang, please accept my condolences. I'll take the money. I'll make sure you handle your wife's matter properly."

Back at the shop, Gu Yan closed the door.

He spread the drawing out on the table, and then took out a large bundle of bamboo strips and the jar of treasured cinnabar from the cellar.

You want to steal my business and then expect me to do all the work for you?

A familiar smile curved Gu Yan's lips as he snipped the bamboo strip with the scissors in his hand.