Chapter 33: The Unknown, Path of Yin and Yang

Cocoa Metaphysics Studio.

Ever since returning from the incident at Yang Han’s villa, Qi Yan had begun undertaking something he would never have done before: offering his ghostly talisman in the customary manner. Of course, every type of ghost talisman required a different method of veneration, but Qi Yan’s… even he was unsure how to properly “nurture” it.

But since he had decided to face it openly, he felt obliged to make some gesture, at least in his actions. Each day at mealtime, he deliberately set an empty bowl and chopsticks on the table, even if he was dining alone. Though he lit no incense or candles, he treated the talisman much more gently than before, no longer tossing it about like some trivial item.

It was not mere respect, but reverence—a certain awe. He had to admit, he still feared and dreaded the malignant spirit bound to the talisman, yet it had saved his life more than once. These changes, seen by Li Ruoke, left her somewhat bemused. While sorting merchandise, she teased, “So you’ve finally decided to get along with it?”

“If I can’t get rid of it, what choice do I have but to try to accept it?” Qi Yan replied helplessly. “I just hope that if I treat it kindly, it’ll absorb less of my vitality. It’s a slow form of backlash, though not too apparent yet.”

Ever since the talisman had latched onto him, Qi Yan’s life had veered far from its original course. Especially after the recent events, he felt as though some force had taken notice of him. The talisman, for all its terror, was at least an overt presence—but if the villa’s murder was not merely an accident, then the situation was entirely different.

Li Lan happened to be in the shop that day. Hearing about the grisly ordeal his sister and Qi Yan had endured, he was still shaken—just thinking about it filled him with dread.

Qi Yan carefully laid the talisman flat on the table and, as they ate lunch, he felt compelled to raise the subject. The mounting questions of the past few days had left him restless and sleepless.

“Ruoke, you claim to be a metaphysics expert, and Lan, you’re a history major. We’re all insiders here—could you both explain, in simple terms, the Japanese Onmyoji and their Shikigami? I’m not inventing troubles—the situation is genuinely bizarre.”

He was now quite familiar with the siblings, calling Li Ruoke “Ruoke” and Li Lan “Lan.” The three were close, their bond forged in adversity, despite not having known each other long.

Li Ruoke, still unsettled by the matter, had been the one to identify the ghostly face as a Shikigami. She nodded to her brother, “Lan, maybe you should give a general overview first?”

Li Lan set down his chopsticks and nodded. “I only know a little—so I’ll stick to what the records say…

“Japanese Onmyodo can be traced back to the pre-Qin era in China, to the School of Yin-Yang among the Hundred Schools of Thought—a branch with a long history of metaphysical practice. They revered natural philosophy and the theory of the Five Elements, mastering astronomy, calendar systems, timekeeping, divination—all their specialties. Their concepts even tie in closely with science. In Japan, those skilled in Onmyodo are called Onmyoji.

“I won’t bore you with the whole history, but as everyone knows, Onmyoji didn’t just use the Five Elements for divination and prediction—they practiced a most famous technique, their claim to global fame: the Shikigami!

“Japan’s metaphysical culture differs from ours—they worship ‘ghosts’ as a branch of ‘gods,’ the two are interchangeable, so their proficiency in spirit veneration is high. Japanese Onmyoji excel at controlling and commanding spirits—that’s no secret. To put it simply, it’s quite similar to Thailand’s ghost-raising practices, though they belong to different schools and cultures, with different purposes and beliefs.

“It sounds creepy to us, but ancient Japan didn’t see it that way. Onmyodo was proud of its Shikigami arts, once basking in glory…

“The Heian era of Japan was a time when all manner of monsters and spirits roamed freely. Onmyoji served as the bridge between ghosts and the living, forging contracts with spirits through Onmyodo, even achieving a strange peace and stability between humans and supernatural beings.

“Abe no Seimei stood out among them, attracting much attention. He was a legendary metaphysical genius, revered by both the imperial court and common folk—his fame even eclipsed that of Shinto, Japan’s national religion! That was Onmyodo’s golden age.

“After Seimei’s death, he was venerated as a demi-god. But his passing marked the end of Onmyodo’s preeminence. Buddhism also held great sway in Japan, and the struggle between Shinto and Buddhism lasted nearly a millennium. To suppress Buddhism, Shinto cleverly absorbed Onmyodo. The merger greatly strengthened both, but from then on, Onmyodo began to decline.

“After the Meiji Restoration, Onmyodo was denounced as heretical and eventually broke from Shinto. Onmyoji, once widespread in court and among the people, were suppressed by the government and Ise Shrine. Now, it survives only as folklore—true Onmyoji skilled in the arts are exceedingly rare. That’s what I know about the rise and fall of Onmyodo.”

After listening to Lan’s account, Qi Yan understood the trajectory of Onmyodo, but still puzzled, he asked, “If Onmyodo is now considered heretical in Japan, how can true Onmyoji who master Shikigami arts still exist in today’s world? And… how could I encounter one here in China? To be attacked by an ‘imported ghost’ on home soil—truly incredible!”

“Your ghost isn’t exactly ‘domestic’ either…” Li Ruoke frowned and shook her head. “A centipede doesn’t die easily—since even our generation is familiar with Onmyoji, it proves they weren’t wholly eradicated. Even in this era, there are still a few who truly understand the arts. I’m confident in my judgment—the little paper man form that ghost took in the end, nothing but a Shikigami could explain it…”

That was the most crucial point. If it was a Shikigami, it was certainly not a lone wandering spirit—there must be a powerful Onmyoji behind it.

But this ghost… no, rather, the mysterious Onmyoji behind it, what purpose did they have in sending their Shikigami to Yang Han’s home to kill?

Since those attacked by the Shikigami weren’t just Qi Yan and Li Ruoke, it was hard to determine who the real target was.

Was it really as it appeared—that an Onmyoji was secretly after Wang Yudong and Shi Xiaoxue, and the two of them were just caught in the crossfire by chance?

Qi Yan knew he would never have the answer. Even if he asked Yang Han, she might not know, and even if she did, she might not tell the truth.

He wanted to chalk the whole ordeal up to bad luck, just an accident. After all, how could he have offended some Onmyoji master?

So far, he hadn’t even met a real Japanese person—he had no idea why this had happened.

And he was just an ordinary person—how could he have any dealings with people from the supernatural world? If anyone, Li Ruoke might have some connections.

The only thing he truly had any link to was…

Thinking this, Qi Yan unconsciously glanced at the talisman on the table, lost in thought.