"Oh crap—Soul Seizure Technique incoming!" Shawn Young felt Andrew Qi’s weird stare slice into his brain like a ninja with a steak knife. His knees buckled, and he hit the floor like a sack of potatoes. His thoughts went haywire, especially deep in his Second Sight, where some freaky, uncomfortable force barged in. It was like getting stripped buck naked in front of everyone—talk about mortifying!
Shawn Young realized he’d shot his mouth off and ticked off Andrew Qi. The old fox wasn’t just cunning—he was scanning Shawn’s Second Sight with that creepy Soul Seizure spell! In Daoist circles, this was top-shelf forbidden magic, only the real heavy hitters could pull it off. Basically, the caster sends their own spirit charging into someone else’s mind and Second Sight, snooping for secrets or even hijacking control!
But this Soul Seizure stuff was risky business—mess with it and you could fry someone’s brain for good. If you were lucky, you’d just be spaced out for a few days. If not, say hello to vegetable-ville or full-on idiot mode!
That’s why all the legit Daoist sects keep a tight leash on disciples messing with this dangerous spell. If some shady dude mastered it, he could go poking around in people’s heads and secrets all day—disaster waiting to happen! But Shawn Young knew Andrew Qi was pure evil, straight outta the demonic playbook, and he’d whip out this dark magic without batting an eye.
Shawn Young swallowed hard—yikes, Andrew Qi was savage! Just one dumb slip and the old snake was all over him, busting out that creepy Soul Seizure Technique for a brain-peek. Guess Shawn had poked the hornet’s nest and triggered one of Andrew Qi’s dirty secrets!
But right now, Shawn Young was totally at Andrew Qi’s mercy—no dodging that creepy mind probe. His brain felt like a blender on high, his spirit getting sucked deeper and deeper. Shawn’s vision went fuzzy, and suddenly he was staring up at a dark blue sky packed with thunderclouds and wild lightning snakes. He knew it was just Soul Seizure hallucinations, but man, those lightning strikes hurt like hell!
Shawn watched as his spirit world stretched and warped, like he was getting pulled into a giant, psychedelic whirlpool with no bottom in sight. He tried to pull himself together and break free, but deep down, he couldn’t help feeling a bit freaked out—and weirdly curious. What if there were secrets hiding in his own Second Sight that even he didn’t know about?
"Whoosh—whoosh—" Outta nowhere, a blinding blue flash lit up the scene. That nasty Soul Seizure power smacked into something invisible and bounced off like a rubber ball. "Boom!" Shawn’s mind rang like a gong, yanking his spirit right back. And there, at the entrance to his Second Sight, was a giant bottle glowing with mysterious blue light—hold up, wasn’t that the Mystic Jade Bottle Pendant that vanished in the underground cave? No way—it had snuck into his Second Sight and, right when he needed it, blocked Andrew Qi’s nosy magic!
Right then, Shawn Young realized Andrew Qi could unleash the Soul Seizure Technique on his Second Sight again at any moment. Not only could all his secrets be exposed, but he could also be turned into a fool at any time!
So, Shawn Young focused his mind and emptied his thoughts. He knew Andrew Qi wanted to seize control of his spirit, and the best defense was to shut out all sensory input and seal off his consciousness, giving Andrew nothing to latch onto. Quickly, he formed his hands into a special seal—pressing his ring finger against his thumb to create the Jade Purity Mudra—and silently recited the incantation: "Star of the Supreme Platform, ever-changing and unyielding, drive out evil and bind spirits, safeguard life and body, bring clarity and peace of mind—let it be so, by law—release!"
Shawn Young was reciting one of the Eight Great Daoist Incantations—the Mind Purification Incantation. This mantra could quiet the mortal mind, restore Daoist calm, and cleanse the spirit, making the soul clear and pure. It repelled evil influences and protected the soul from harm.
As Shawn finished the incantation, his hands moved in front of his chest—"Whoosh!" A streak of white light shot up from the depths of his Second Sight, transforming into a layer of shimmering golden energy in his mind. Even outside his body, a faint white glow appeared. Shawn quickly felt his spirit return to his body, and the dreadful sensation of the Soul Seizure Technique vanished in an instant!
"Ugh—" Andrew Qi grunted, his gloomy old face turning purple as his chest heaved violently. A surge of blood nearly rose to his throat—he almost coughed up blood! Turns out, after his Soul Seizure Technique was bounced back by the strange bottle in Shawn’s Second Sight, the Mind Purification Incantation’s backlash hit him hard, leaving him with a nasty internal injury!
Seizing the chance, Shawn Young scrambled up from the floor, still shielded by the Mind Purification Incantation’s barrier. Even if Andrew Qi tried the Soul Seizure Technique again, he wouldn’t be able to break through so easily!
"Well, well! Elder Grant, you sly old fox! Didn’t expect you to have tricks up your sleeve—totally misjudged you! Hmph!" Andrew Qi took a deep breath, forced down the blood in his throat, and shot Shawn a look that could curdle milk.
"Uh—Second Elder Qi, why do you greet me with such a dangerous joke the moment we meet? If I’d reacted any slower, you might’ve killed me!" Shawn Young replied coldly. He knew Andrew Qi hadn’t uncovered his secrets, but was now extremely wary of him—maybe even murderous. Shawn could sense Andrew Qi was the kind of guy who’d kill without blinking.
"Hmph—just a joke, heh. If Elder Grant says so, let’s call it a joke!" Andrew Qi’s venomous gaze swept over Shawn, but he ignored him and sat back in the hot spring, closing his eyes and sinking into his own thoughts.
"Damn, he thinks we’re just gonna let that slide?! That crusty geezer nearly scrambled my brains! If I get the chance, he’s toast!" Shawn Young muttered, flipping Andrew Qi the finger behind his back. Suddenly, he caught Tiger Cloud shooting him a death glare from across the room—definitely not a fan, maybe even itching for a fight. Shawn knew Tiger Cloud always had it out for "Gavin Grant," so he just ignored him and slipped into the hot spring with his best sneaky grin.
"Hehe—Gavin Grant—come over here and chat with me, darling!" Suddenly, May Gu called out. Shawn Young froze and turned to see May Gu smiling mysteriously at him, her expression unreadable.
"Oh crap—" Shawn Young instantly realized that his secret psychic wrestling match with Andrew Qi had set off alarm bells for both May Gu and Tiger Cloud. Those old-school underworld sharks could sniff out trouble from a mile away, and they’d definitely picked up on his weird vibes. Just thinking about it made Shawn's skin crawl and his heart pound. He silently begged the universe for a miracle to bail him out—come on, luck, don’t fail me now!