Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Miao Sanding laughed. He pointed at Nanshan Hill and said, “I know you think it’s unbelievable, but this hill and your battle array are the same.”


  “Hmm, you are right.” Wang Yao nodded.

  Compared to observing Qi described by Miao Sanding, Wang Yao’s herbal field was truly unbelievable.

  The two of them followed the winding path on the hill to walk toward the herbal field. As they were approaching the field, the weather started to change from cold to warm.

  When they reached halfway to the top of the hill, the weather around them became nice and warm like spring. Both of the felt very comfortable. It was as if they were bathing in the spring air.

  “May I ask how you were able to do this?” Miao Sanding asked.

  “It is Spirit Gathering Battle Array,” Wang Yao replied.

  The name sounded common. It often appeared in fantasy and Kung Fu novels.

  Hmm? Miao Sanding stopped as he suddenly felt short of breath. It felt like something got stuck in his throat or someone was holding his neck. He also felt dizzy. His heartbeat was fast.

  Puff! Puff! Miao Sanding tried his best to breath. What is wrong with me?

  The trees in front of him suddenly became much bigger.

  Wait! How come there is a face on that tree? The face seemed to be bleeding.

  Suddenly, he was surrounded by warm air. His breath started to become smooth. His heartbeat slowed down, and the hallucination also had gone.

  “Gee, what was that just now?” he asked.

  “Something in the battle array,” Wang Yao replied.

  “Amazing,” Miao Sanding said.

  He had another look at those trees, which suddenly started to shake. The trees became denser and denser, and they moved faster and faster.

  It’s a hallucination. He knew it was hallucination, but he couldn’t do anything about it.

  “Let’s go.” Miao Sanding turned around and walked back. When he reached the foot of the hill, all the discomfort disappeared due to cold air. He stopped and took another look at Nanshan Hill, which was covered by green trees and very vibrant.

  “I’m so glad to see such a wonderful battle array. Now, I don’t have any regret in my life,” Miao Sanding said with a sigh.

  “I am flattered,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

  “I suppose this battle array was not natural,” Miao Sanding said.

  “No, I made it,” Wang Yao replied.

  “I see.” Miao Sanding nodded. “I want to give this to you.” He took a book, which looked old and yellow, out of his pocket.

  “What is this?” Wang Yao asked.

  “It is an old book about Feng Shui,” Miao Sanding said. “I got it by chance. I learned a lot from this book. The knowledge from the book plus what I’ve learned from my teacher allowed me to become a Feng Shui master. Thank you for showing me such as spectacular Feng Shui wonder. I don’t know how to thank you, so please take the book.”


  “You are too kind, but I can’t accept the book,” Wang Yao said.

  This book was like a Feng Shui bible to Miao Sanding. It was precious. He should pass it onto the next generation.

  “I’m afraid it will be a waste for me to keep the book,” Miao Sanding said.

  “No, I can’t take it,” Wang Yao replied.

  Wang Yao was interested in the book, but he did not desperately want to read it. After all, he was a medical practitioner, not a Feng Shui master. His role was to cure people not assess Feng Shui.

  “Well, that’s fine.” Since Wang Yao really didn’t want to accept the book, Miao Sanding didn’t insist. “But, I need to remind you something.”


  “What is that?” Wang Yao asked.

  “Your village will soon become unsuitable for anyone to live in,” Miao Sanding said.

  “Why?” Wang Yao asked with surprise.

  “I can feel the evil aura on the hill at the west side,” Miao Sanding said. “It is probably the aura of death, which will bring death to your village.”


  “Is there any way to remove it?” Wang Yao asked.

  “I’m not sure. I don’t have the capacity to remove it anyway,” Miao Sanding said. “But, I’ve seen something similar in other places. Once the evil aura exists, it is very hard to remove it. Unless……”


  “Unless what?” Wang Yao asked.

  “Unless you can build a same battle array on that hill to offset the death aura with vibrant aura,” Miao Sanding said.

  “I don’t think I can do that,” Wang Yao said.

  The Spirit Gathering Battle Array had attracted all the vibrant aura from different directions in the village. He didn’t have the power to build another one in such a short distance.

  “That’s gonna be tricky,” Miao Sanding said.

  “How did the death aura appear?” Wang Yao asked.

  “It is hard to say. There are a lot of things in this world you cannot explain. Maybe a lot of people died in that place or some sort of dirty aura invaded that place. Or, the aura of that place might have just changed itself for no reason,” Miao Sanding explained.

  Wang Yao didn’t think a lot of people died there. It was more likely that the place was invaded by dirty aura.

  “What could create dirty aura?” Wang Yao asked.

  “Hmm, like lost souls and ghosts,” Miao Sanding said.

  “What?” Wang Yao was surprised. “Those things exist?”


  “Ha-ha, even the Spirit Gathering Battle Array exists, so why not the ghosts?” Miao Sanding asked.

  “No, it can’t be true,” Wang Yao said. “I’ve just been to the hill on the west side lately. I didn’t feel anything unusual.”


  “You?” Miao Sanding looked at Wang Yao. “If I am right, you should have good Kung Fu skills.”


  “Yeah, I practice Kung Fu a bit,” Wang Yao said.

  “Your Qi is very vibrant. Nothing dirty dares to get anywhere close to you. It will only try to stay away from you,” Miao Sanding said.

  Wang Yao and Miao Sanding were chatting while walking. Miao Sanding was a knowledgeable person, especially in the area of Feng Shui. He was not a fraud.

  “Why does a capable person like you run a business like this?” Wang Yao asked.

  Miao Sanding could open a Feng Shui store with his rich knowledge. He would have a lot of clients and wouldn’t need to travel around.

  “Well, maybe you won’t be convinced. I actually like walking around, talking to different people, and experiencing different things. I don’t like staying in one place for too long. It would be boring,” Miao Sanding said. “I have thought about it. When I get old and don’t have the energy to travel around, I will go back to my hometown to open a store.”


  This man in his 40s seemed to be happy when talking about it.

  “I learned a lot from you today,” Wang Yao said.

  “It is nothing,” Miao Sanding replied.

  “No knowledge is insignificant. I heard there were three roads leading to heaven,” Wang Yao said.

  “That’s bullsh*t,” Miao Sanding said with a smile. “I only know a bit of Feng Shui. I don’t have any chance to learn more profound knowledge.”


  Wang Yao invited Miao Sanding into this clinic.

  “Thank you,” Miao Sanding said.

  They entered the clinic. Wang Yao made Miao Sanding a cup of tea.

  “Hmm, this tea is nice,” Miao Sanding said.

  “Thank you, I’m glad you like it,” Wang Yao said.

  “So, you are a Traditional Chinese Medical Practitioner?” Miao Sanding asked.

  “Well, actually Ancient Chinese Medical Practitioner,” Wang Yao replied.

  “Ancient?” Miao Sanding was intrigued.

  “I’m a Traditional Chinese Pharmacist,” Wang Yao said.

  “Traditional Chinese Pharmacist. Like those ones in ancient China?” Miao Sanding asked with surprise.

  “Yes, you know what it is?” Wang Yao asked.

  “I heard about it, but never met one,” Miao Sanding said with a smile. “I’ve seen all the things I heard about today. You really opened my eyes.”


  Wang Yao had a pleasant chat with Miao Sanding. They wished they had met earlier.

  “Thank you for the tea. I need to go,” Miao Sanding said.

  “Where are you doing next?” Wang Yao asked.

  “I want to visit Tai Mountain and go back to my home town for Chinese New Year,” Miao Sanding replied.

  “Let me drive you to the train station. There is fair a bit of distance from here to the town center,” Wang Yao said.

  “OK, thank you,” Miao Sanding replied.

  Wang Yao drove him to the town center. Miao Sanding thanked him for the ride. The two exchanged contact info. Wang Yao watched Miao Sanding getting into the train before driving back to the village.

  “What? Our village is no longer suitable to live in?” The villagers started to gossip.

  “Yes, I heard it from the Feng Shui master,” said the villager who had invited Miao Sanding.

  “What master? He must be a fraud. He just wants money. Have you asked him how to break the curse?” a middle-aged villager asked.

  “Of course, this is our village,” said the villager who had invited Miao Sanding.

  “What did he say?” the middle-aged villager asked.

  “He said he can’t help us,” said the villager who had invited Miao Sanding.

  “What? Did he ask for money?” asked the middle-aged villager. “He didn’t? seriously?”


  “No, he didn’t ask for money,” said the villager who had invited Miao Sanding.

  “Where is that Feng Shui master now?” the middle-aged villager asked.

  “He left after lunch,” said the villager who had invited Miao Sanding.

  “Do you have his number?” the middle-aged villager asked.

  “No,” said the villager who had invited Miao Sanding.

  “Where did you find him?” the middle-aged villager asked.

  “He was introduced by a friend,” said the villager who had invited Miao Sanding.

  Wang Yao happened to hear the conversation on his way home.

  The hill at the west end? Wang Yao took at glance at that hill, but couldn’t see anything unusual. Let me take a look there.

  He went up to the hill on the west and walked around the hill slowly. The aura is not quite right! He could sense something obscure. The air there was not flowing naturally. It got stuck, like dead water. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

  The hill originated from south and then stretched north. The wind came from the north at the moment, so the air shouldn’t get stuck.

  Where is the problem? Wang Yao wondered. The hill was still the same hill, nothing had ever changed.

  He walked around again. He remembered the locations where he didn’t feel right. He took a close look at those locations but couldn’t find anything unusual. Two of the locations were marsh land, one was a smooth land, and the last one was a big rock with a large dent.