Taboo Mage - Chapter 2 - Bewildered
Seeing Xu-Jie’s gem-like eyes up close, her eyelashes quivering delicately like lotus petals, and her jade-white face reminiscent of the reborn Xi Shi, stirred intense emotions in my heart.
“You… you don’t want money?” My undisguised desire led to her misunderstanding. “As long as I can get my husband back, I… I can break the rule one last time…”
Her face turned a deep shade of red as she quickly looped her jade-like arm around my neck, while her other hand encircled my waist. Her soft, snake-like body drew close, her face nearly touching mine.
The warm breath she exhaled onto my lips and cheeks instantly made me lose my senses. Especially those captivating eyes of hers, like two deep water vortexes, seemed to want to pull me in.
Normally, I wouldn’t have been so easily captivated, but for some reason, I truly succumbed.
With her skills, it would be hard not to make big money as a hostess.
At the same time, a deep fear arose within me. How could my usually calm and steadfast mind become so unhinged in her presence? It was utterly irrational.
As her lips drew near, my heart tingled…
My left hand instinctively wrapped around her slender waist. My right hand squeezed her firm, supple bottom. Even though there was a skirt between us, I could feel her smooth, enticing skin.
The passionate kiss and the intoxicating scene were like the most beautiful sight on earth.
Her soft body trembled lightly, her blouse slipping down to reveal the pale, flawless skin of her chest, laid bare before my eyes.
Her lips had a sweet scent, and I kept squeezing her breasts fervently. My hand, almost as if driven by a force of its own, slowly, slowly slipped into her skirt…
Suddenly, it felt as if I had been shocked. Something inside me seemed to pull me back from the depths of my delirium, and I was instantly drenched in cold sweat as I hastily pushed her away.
“Don’t… don’t do this. Just give the money.”
An uneasy feeling surged in my heart. Staring at her, I felt a sense of fear. A vague feeling that something wasn’t quite right.
She didn’t seem as simple as she appeared on the surface, but I also yearned for the scene just now to continue.
I quickly pulled my hand out from Xu-Jie’s clothing. To calm my breathing, I dashed out of the shop and told her to wait there, saying I needed to prepare something for the peach blossom amulet.
I was still panting heavily after running out of the shop, struggling to shake off the lingering arousal from earlier. Meanwhile, my mind raced, sensing that something was off.
But with my limited knowledge, I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
I shook my head to stop myself from overthinking. Maybe I was just fooling myself, but I couldn’t afford to worry about that now. I needed money for my Mother.
As long as I made the peach blossom amulet, and it helped her win back her husband, it would no longer concern me.
I just needed to do my job. To make a peach blossom amulet, I needed a peach blossom spirit, which was quite tricky to obtain.
As a novice with no supplies, my only option was to try my luck in the peach blossom grove on the eastern outskirts.
Creating a life amulet was too complicated, requiring the finest wood carefully crafted into specific patterns, along with the incorporation of a corresponding spirit, making it quite costly and taxing.
However, the peach blossom amulet didn’t need to be as elaborate. Ordinary wood would suffice. According to ancient texts, everything in the world had a spirit.
Trees had Tree Spirits, flowers had flower spirits, and even people had their own spirits.
About forty minutes later, I stood, panting and out of breath, at the edge of the peach blossom grove.
According to my ancestral book, capturing a spirit was an intricate process. It required thirty pieces of glutinous rice soaked in black dog blood, mashed and mixed with a small bowl of clear water. Using yellow talisman paper, you would lightly press it against a tree to sense the Tree Spirit. Even one extra grain of rice could harm the Tree Spirit.
Commonly, the older the tree, the more potent the spirit it harbored.
After taking several deep breaths to calm my nerves, I began my search by probing a few trees.
One, two, three… no response at all.
Just as I was about to give up, a cool sensation spread into my palm.
A spirit!
Now, it was time to lure it into my trap.
I lit the incense and yellow talisman paper that I had prepared in advance. Sitting cross-legged, I made an unusual hand gesture and began chanting the Incantation.
Strangely enough, although I had always struggled to memorize ancient poems, I could remember the Incantations from the book with ease.
Just as the yellow talisman paper was about to burn out, I shouted, “Capture!” A peach-colored light spot flew into the glass bottle. Quickly sealing the bottle, I let out a sigh of relief.
A cool breeze blew past, and I felt a chill on my back. When I touched it, I realized it was soaking wet.
I hadn’t even noticed how much I’d been sweating from the tension earlier.
But looking at the glass bottle in my hand made it all worthwhile.
After a long effort, I returned home by noon. Seeing Xu-Jie still sitting in the shop, I avoided further contact with her, gave a brief greeting, and went into the Inner Room to make the peach blossom amulet.
Once inside, I checked all the materials according to the book again.
An aged piece of peachwood, cinnabar, a red string, and the Tree Spirit of the peach blossom tree…
I carved the peachwood into the size of a playing card, engraving some patterns on it. This was to provide spiritual energy to the Tree Spirit; without a source of energy, the spirit would eventually fade away, rendering the peach blossom amulet ineffective.
Next, I painted several talismanic incantations using cinnabar to imprison the Tree Spirit and keep it from escaping.
Finally, I guided the spirit into the wooden amulet. As the last bit of the peach-colored light spot entered the amulet, I quickly activated the imprisonment talisman.
Seeing the faint light spot flickering on the wooden amulet, I breathed a sigh of relief. The task was complete.
Lastly, I drilled a hole in one corner of the wooden amulet and threaded the red string through it, making it easy to wear around the neck.
Holding the red string with one finger and looking at my first creation, I felt a sense of satisfaction. Now, it was time to see if it worked.
“Boss Gu, is my amulet ready?”
Xu-Jie’s clear and pleasant voice came from outside.
I smiled, took the peach blossom amulet hanging from the red string, went out, and stood before her, saying it was ready as I dangled the amulet.
Xu-Jie stared intently at the peach blossom amulet, her face filled with eagerness.
Not intending to tease her, I said, “This is the peach blossom amulet. Just wear it around your neck, and it will start working.”
I handed the amulet to her. Xu-Jie took it and immediately put it around her neck.
The instant she put it on, I felt a change in Xu-Jie’s entire aura.
She became more enchanting and alluring, like the bewitching Su Daji1 from ancient legends, capable of captivating men throughout history. Her presence was magnetic, making it hard for me to look away.
“Thank you, Boss Gu,” Xu-Jie’s crisp voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Ahem. So, are you satisfied with it?”
“Oh, Boss Gu, I’ll bring the money to you tomorrow. I didn’t carry that much with me today,” Xu-Jie said apologetically.
“No problem, we all live around here. A little delay is fine.” Mother’s chemotherapy payment was due in a few days, so I didn’t need the money immediately. It was no trouble to show her some leniency.
Footnote:
Su Daji(苏妲己): Su Daji is a famous figure from Chinese mythology and ancient legends, particularly known from the historical novel ‘Fengshen Yanyi’ (Investiture of the Gods). She is synonymous with seduction and manipulation, often depicted as a femme fatale whose allure and cunning have captivated and destroyed men throughout history.
