Chapter 33 — The Talisman Painter Who Guards the Village

Cracks In The Barracks

A month had passed at Tiêu Sa Pass, and the hybrid bamboo barriers that Diệp Sương and Thanh Việt had reinforced around Diêm Cốc Village were beginning to show clear effects: the well had stopped drying up, and a few small plots of replanted fields had sprouted, though much more slowly than in richer soil.

But that morning, when a caravan from Tông Vân Các arrived, bringing letters and some extra spiritual reserves, Diệp Sương did not expect that there was a familiar face in the group.

"Tất Bá Kỳ?" she exclaimed, unable to hide her surprise when she realized that the disciple had recorded Húc Bá Nguyên's examination records.

"I was sent here to help take notes and monitor mission progress," Tất Bá Kỳ replied, his voice as cold as the first time they met, still holding a thick notebook in his hand. "By order of Elder Húc."

Cố Thanh Việt walked over and stood next to Diệp Sương, his eyes examining the new guest. "This mission has been approved by the sect master and Elder Tạ," he said, his voice calm but not hiding his wariness. "I don't recall any additional surveillance being requested in the initial mobilization order."

"This is the decision of the council of elders," Tất Bá Kỳ replied, not flinching at Thanh Việt's gaze. "A long-term, resource-intensive task like this needs to be closely monitored, to ensure transparency in reports sent to the sect."

Diệp Sương was silent, clearly feeling a new suffocation creeping into the already difficult life on the border. She glanced at Vệ Chinh standing quietly behind her and saw that his eyes also showed caution at this unexpected appearance. She suddenly realized how much she missed Âu Bội Nhi—if only she were here, there would have been a joke to ease the tense atmosphere. Diệp Sương took a deep breath and told herself she would not let any pressure slow down her unfinished work.

*

Tất Bá Kỳ's presence quickly created a restrictive atmosphere in the barracks. He closely followed all the activities of Diệp Sương and Thanh Việt, meticulously recording each talisman drawn, each method applied, sometimes asking questions that were more of an interrogative nature than normal inquiry.

"Your way of drawing talismans doesn't follow any formula in official books," he commented during a session when Diệp Sương reinforced the amulet system around the pass, his voice making no attempt to hide his skepticism. "If there is a mistake, who will be responsible?"

"I'm responsible," Diệp Sương replied directly, not revealing her rising discomfort. "I always closely monitor the effectiveness of each talisman, and am ready to make adjustments as soon as I detect a problem."

"The problem is," Bi Baqi continued, his voice even but sharp, "once the talisman fails in the midst of a crisis, there may be no more room for adjustment. Have you thought about that consequence?"

*

Sầm Nguyên Trạch, witnessing such tense exchanges several times, gradually showed little sympathy for the newly arrived disciple, although he still maintained the necessary politeness.

"Don't pay too much attention to him," he said privately to Diệp Sương one evening, as they both stood guard on the citadel wall overlooking the dark land in the distance. "I've met many people like that in the military - always trying to point out other people's mistakes instead of doing the work themselves. But your work, what you've done for Diêm Cốc village, the people there are the clearest proof, no need for his recognition."

"I know," Diệp Sương replied, "but I'm worried that if he reports falsely to the sect, these efforts may be misunderstood and even blocked."

True to his worries, a few days later, some soldiers in the pass began to be more cautious when interacting with Diệp Sương, perhaps after hearing rumors from Tất Bá Kỳ about "methods that have not been fully tested".

One evening, when Diệp Sương stopped by the soldiers' communal kitchen to ask for more boiling water to mix with ink, she overheard two young soldiers talking at the corner of the table.

"I heard that disciple used a homemade method, not following any textbook," one person said, his voice somewhat worried. "What if in the midst of an emergency, the talisman doesn't work? My life still depends on those talismans."

"But last time she saved the whole merchant caravan," the other person countered. "I can see it very well."

"Who knows," the first person shrugged, "just listening to that secretary talk forever makes me suddenly feel guilty."

Diệp Sương quietly left the kitchen, not wanting to interfere with the conversation, but her heart could not help feeling heavy. She understood that doubts, no matter how small, once planted in someone else's mind would be difficult to remove completely with a few empty explanations.

*

The opportunity to prove yourself, even though no one expected it, came sooner than expected. One afternoon, the alarm bell rang from the western watchtower, where a group of strange creatures - bodies covered with hard scales, moving on six sharp legs - suddenly appeared near a small trading caravan on their way to the border.

"This species has never been seen before!" a soldier shouted, hastily forming a defensive formation.

Diệp Sương and Thanh Việt rushed out immediately, along with a few other soldiers running towards the panicked merchant group. The strange creatures, although not too large, moved unpredictably fast, and the soldiers' regular spears did not seem to do much damage to their hard scales.

*

A porter in a trading caravan stumbled while running away. One of the strange animals immediately changed direction and rushed toward him, sharp teeth bared threateningly. Diệp Sương rushed forward to block the way, but the distance was still too great, and her heart clenched with helplessness.

"They react strongly to sudden light," Thanh Việt shouted, promptly rushing past, swinging his sword to stop the animal right in front of the porter, after observing a moment when the animal cowered before a ray of light reflected from his blade. "Maybe their eyes are unusually sensitive!"

Diệp Sương nodded, immediately mixed a special ink, quickly drew on a large cloth a strong glowing talisman - not a standard suppression technique, but a variation she had experimented with when she was in the sect but had never used it in actual combat.

A dazzling light burst out when the talisman was completed, causing the creatures to panic and lose direction, creating an opportunity for the soldiers to counterattack, eventually repelling the entire herd of monsters back into the wilderness without anyone in the caravan being injured.

*

After the battle, when everyone was still panting from tension, Tất Bá Kỳ approached, his eyes this time carrying a different look from his usual cold attitude.

"I've never seen that technique in any documents," he said, his voice somewhat reserved. "Where did you learn it?"

"I thought of it myself, based on observing the opponent's weaknesses," Diệp Sương replied, still panting. "In an emergency situation, sometimes there is no time to consult books."

Tất Bá Kỳ was silent for a long time, bending down to write something down in the notebook, his hands shaking slightly as if there was still a residual tension from the recent battle, but this time, his eyes no longer had the inherent skepticism, but revealed a true consideration.

"I'll write down exactly what just happened," he said, his voice slow, closing the notebook. "Nothing to add or subtract. Whether that's what Elder Húc wants to hear or not." Diệp Sương nodded, not sure whether it was a genuine change in attitude or only a temporary moment, but at least, for the first time since she arrived at Tiêu Sa Pass, she felt that a small, fragile yet real gap had opened in the wall of suspicion that had always separated the two.

That night, Cố Thanh Việt came to her side as the two stood resting on the citadel wall, the dry wind carrying the smell of sand and dried blood left over from the afternoon battle. "You did well," he said, his eyes filled with undisguised pride. "Both the soldiers and Tất Bá Kỳ witnessed it with their own eyes."

"I just hope that's enough for them to stop doubting," Diệp Sương replied, her voice still a bit tired. "But I'm also afraid, one success doesn't mean all suspicions will disappear completely. Maybe tomorrow something else will happen that makes them return to their old suspicions."

"Then we'll prove it again tomorrow," Thanh Việt said, his voice firm as he naturally placed a hand on her shoulder—a simple gesture of comfort, but enough to make Diệp Sương feel more confident in this strange, challenging land.