Taboo Mage - Chapter 24 - Manjusaka

Manjusaka, also known as the red spider lily, is rumored to grow by the Santu River and guide departed spirits to the afterlife. Despite all the legends, manjusaka is nothing more than an ordinary plant.

Its usual blooming period is from September to October. Now that October has just ended, I should be able to find some if I try hard enough.

To complete the life amulet as quickly as possible, I informed Wu Qian about the search for manjusaka.

Wu Qian acted swiftly. By the third day, she called to notify me that she had found a large area filled with manjusaka. That afternoon, Uncle Qin drove over to take me to search for the right Flower Spirit.

Sitting in the car, I originally thought Wu Qian must have found the flowers in some remote mountain. To my surprise, Uncle Qin drove me to a private estate.

I saw a large area of manjusaka surrounded by a few European-style pointed buildings. The dazzling red flowers looked like a sea of blood stretching out for miles.

Wu Qian, in a long white dress, stood in the center. She turned and smiled slightly when she saw me.

I couldn’t help but feel my heart flutter and found myself unable to move.

“How is it? Are there enough manjusaka here for your needs?” Wu Qian reached out her hand to me, smiling gently with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes.

I snapped out of it and looked around. Although there were plenty of manjusaka, most were artificially cultivated and too recently planted. Finding one that could nurture a Flower Spirit would be difficult.

I originally intended to share this with Wu Qian, but seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

“Yes… but I need some time to look.”

With that, I plunged into the sea of flowers. After searching for half an hour, I still came up empty-handed. Nearly all the manjusaka were just ordinary plants.

Despairing, I sat down on the muddy ground, holding my head in my hands. Suddenly, I noticed a small, inconspicuous seedling under the strong stems of the manjusaka.

I lay flat on the ground, carefully placing my right hand gently on the seedling. A surge of powerful spiritual energy penetrated my hand, coursing through my limbs.

I jumped up from the ground, shouting excitedly, “I found it! I found it!”

Wu Qian and Uncle Qin, hearing my voice, quickly ran over.

I took out the soul-capturing bottle I had with me and placed it in front of the seedling. Then, I lit the yellow talisman paper and stuck it on the seedling while chanting the Incantation, finally shouting, “Capture!”

Crimson smoke, as red as blood, slowly wafted out from the seedling and immediately flowed into the soul-capturing bottle.

I closed the lid and held it up triumphantly, presenting it to Wu Qian.

“Is this the Flower Spirit?”

Wu Qian played with the soul-capturing bottle in her hands, curiously staring at it.

I was afraid she might accidentally drop and break it. Finding the Flower Spirit of manjusaka was purely a stroke of luck. If it were destroyed, her husband would truly have no chance.

Carefully, I took back the soul-capturing bottle, placed it gingerly into my bag, and after briefly explaining some things to Wu Qian, Uncle Qin drove me back.

Once home, I began preparing the life amulet. Wu Qian’s husband’s condition was different from Xu-Jie and Li Mi. To awaken someone’s life with the life amulet, the Flower Spirit must recognize its master from the beginning.

The next morning, with the soul-capturing bottle and some peach blossom tree branches ready, I headed to the place Uncle Qin had designated.

It was a luxurious sanatorium guarded by two armed police officers. They stopped me at the entrance and asked for my identification.

I spread my hands and asked, “I don’t have ID; can I just show my face?”

The two guards almost made a move against me, probably never having encountered someone who had the gall to demand facial recognition at such an upscale place.

Just as I was about to find a lower wall to climb over, Uncle Qin came rushing out, apologizing repeatedly before leading me inside.

Following Uncle Qin, I walked through the lavishly decorated corridor until we reached a room at the far end. Uncle Qin knocked gently on the door, and Wu Qian’s familiar voice responded from inside.

I had always imagined that a man loved by a woman like Wu Qian must be incredibly handsome and charming. But when I saw the man lying on the bed, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes in surprise.

He was a middle-aged man, around forty, with a beard on his chin and the marks of time giving him a rather rugged appearance.

He lay there quietly, his eye sockets somewhat sunken, but one could still imagine that, if he were to open his eyes, they would radiate a certain brilliance.

Wu Qian sat quietly on the edge of the bed, holding his hand. Her normally cold eyes were now filled with an unmistakable glow as she looked at the man she loved deeply.

I thought, Wu Qian must deeply love this man lying there. Only such profound love could make her set aside her usual strength and, like a young girl, smile wholeheartedly just by looking at him.

“Mr. Gu has arrived,” Uncle Qin announced, seemingly used to this scene. He bowed slightly toward Wu Qian and then placed a chair in front of me.

Wu Qian snapped out of her reverie and looked up at me, saying softly, “I appreciate your help, Mr. Gu.”

Having seen many powerful people’s indifferent faces, it was rare to hear someone speak so politely. I smiled back, indicating that I was merely doing my job for the payment.

I then directed Uncle Qin to help the man on the bed sit up and took out the soul-capturing bottle, yellow talisman paper, and glutinous rice water I had prepared.

With everything ready, I placed the wooden amulet carved in the shape of manjusaka at the man’s feet. Lighting the yellow paper, I stuck it onto the wooden amulet, then opened the soul-capturing bottle, placing it in the already set dharma array, and shouted, “Rise!”

The lid of the soul-capturing bottle opened with a responsive pop, and the crimson Flower Spirit floated in the air. I threw the red string into the air, one end connected to the Flower Spirit and the other tied to the man’s wrist. The Flower Spirit, sensing the man’s presence, started to float toward him along the red string.

Seizing the right moment, I lifted the wooden amulet and placed it on the man’s forehead. The Flower Spirit moved along the red string, leaping a few times before entering the wooden amulet.

Success. I threw the wooden amulet into the glutinous rice water, then used the imprisoning Incantation to Seal the Flower Spirit. Finally, as usual, I made a hole at the top of the wooden amulet, threading the red string through it.