13, the first talisman.

This figure is as tall as a yard, almost reaching the ceiling. It appears strange because it is humanoid in shape, but there are no human features in any detail.
The head is like that of a wolf, with a muscular and bulging body, covered in fragments of torn flesh and skin. It seems as if this monster emerged out of thin air, and then its enormous body burst open, creating this appearance.
"Retreat!"
Without turning his head, Zhou BuHuo lightly called out to remind Yuan Xiu.
Instead, he took a step forward and with one hand, grabbed the terrified middle-aged man, and with a light flick, threw him behind him.
Yuan Xiu quickly supported the man and swiftly retreated to the door. With several previous experiences, he remained calm and knew that he couldn't be of any help at all, going up would just be a waste.
In the room, only Zhou Bu Huo was left to confront the monster.
The monster's eyes gleamed with madness, but it seemed to know that the person before it was not easy to deal with. A deep and eerie roar came from its throat, but it did not immediately make a move.
Zhou Buhuo stood with his hands hanging down, with a faint glow in his palm.
His gaze was calm as he looked at the towering monster in front of him. Just then, a dark figure seemed to flash past on the dim second floor behind the monster.
Zhou Buhuo's face changed, and a bright glow appeared in his palm. But the monster ahead also moved at the same time, with its huge and ferocious claws fiercely swiping towards his head.
"Pa!"
Outside the door, Yuan Xiu suddenly heard a loud noise from above.
一道黑影自二楼破窗而出，坠落下来，正落在几步开外，袁修几乎下意识的抬脚便向那人影跑去。
“不对呀，我肯定打不过？！”
After two steps, Yuan Xiu snapped out of it and quickly stopped.
The person in black clothes and a black hood, with an unseen face, squatted down and turned to look at Yuan Xiu, suddenly raising their palm and clapping.
"Get lost!"
Yuan Xiu only felt a huge force attacking him from afar, causing him to stumble back and sit down on the ground.
The figure took the opportunity to run away, with Zhuge Liang angrily shouting and giving chase, but he couldn't catch up, allowing that person to break free and quickly scale over the wall, disappearing without a trace.
"Damn it..."
At the moment he fell to the ground, Yuan Xiu felt a chill.
But in the next moment, he realized he wasn't hurt.
Other than the initial force that knocked him down, he felt no discomfort in his body. He patted his bottom, stood up, and even performed a few exaggerated poses, indeed unharmed.
"Nothing happened?"
Yuan Xiu exclaimed in surprise.
Just then, from the nearby small building, there suddenly came a clear shout!
The whole small building seemed to tremble and shake, on the verge of collapse, and a dazzling light pierced through the window paper, causing Yuan Xiu to squint his eyes.
With a few muffled bangs, followed by the sound of heavy objects falling to the ground.
Yuan Xiu quickly looked over and saw the captain rushing out of the house, his robes fluttering. As soon as he stepped out, he looked around, as if searching for something.
"A man in black ran away, I couldn't catch up," Yuan Xiu quickly reminded.
Yeah, although I only chased for two steps, I did chase him...
Zhou Buhuo asked with concern, "Did he attack you?"
"He slapped me."
"Yuan Xiu pointed to his chest and smiled, 'But I didn't get hurt.'
Zhou Buhuo's face showed no trace of joy, but instead there was a barely noticeable frown. He looked at Yuan Xiu and said, 'That person is most likely a demonic cultivator who caused this incident.'
Yuan Xiu was stunned for a moment.
Due to Zhou Bu Huo's peculiar gaze and expression, Yuan Xiu, who had lived for two lifetimes, was not foolish. From his subtle expression on his face, he naturally noticed something.
"The captain is suspecting me..."
He took a deep breath and understood what Zhou Bu Huo meant.
It made sense too, he had just become a cultivator and there was no reason for him to be able to withstand a palm from an evil cultivator without a scratch. Coupled with his background that was already related to evil cultivation, being suspected of having some connection to evil cultivation did not come as a surprise.
Even so, Yuan Xiu was still somewhat disappointed.
"Where is the Wuhou?"
Zhou Buhuo did not look at him again, but spoke aloud.
Soon, a black-cloaked Wuhou came running, bowing and saying, "Sir, the identity of the person who has become a monster has been determined. His name is Yu Yizheng. He lives alone and has no wife or children."
It is evident that he has a lot of experience in this kind of thing. Before Zhou Buhuo could ask, he revealed the information he had found.
"It's really him."
Zhou Buhuo's face darkened slightly.
Yuan Xiu didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed. It was Yu Yizheng who died, which proved that the clues he had organized and deduced were correct. However, another death now made it difficult for anyone to feel happy.
"Let someone handle it properly."
With a single sentence, Zhou Bukuo gestured to the Wuhou that Yuan Xiu should leave Guangyao Fang and return to the team.
Along the way, he didn't say much.
But Yuan Xiu became more certain that the captain was suspicious of his guesses.
"What exactly is going on?" he had been thinking about it all the way.
The demonization incident in the remote mountain village, the missing iron pillar, the inexplicably acquired Zhuzi Yunji, and the evil cultivator today who could have seriously injured him but didn't...
The intangible mist left Yuan Xiu perplexed.
"Anyway, the most important thing is to find a way to prove his innocence first, in order to stay..."
This was Yuan Xiu's final thought.
He needed the truth, and the captain needed the truth as well.
Back to the team, he went straight to Xu Lao's place and got some yellow paper and cinnabar for drawing talismans. This is the most basic material for talisman making. As the only talisman practitioner in the team, he has obtained Xu Lao's permission to exclusively use the team's talisman materials, although the quantity is not much.
So for the next period of time, Yuan Xiu entered a semi-seclusion state.
He focused on his practice every day, practicing the drawing of runes. When he got tired, he would go downstairs for a walk in the peach grove, or go to seek advice from Xu Lao about any problems he encountered.
Life went on like this.
As for the case, the captain didn't have any new arrangements, and Yuan Xiu didn't plan to actively apply to investigate the case when he was still in a tangled situation.
However, he still heard some information from Lu Xiaoyou and Chang Yun's mouths.
With Yuzheng's death, it was basically confirmed that Yuanxiu's guess was correct, so the remaining two – Dingdu and Zhang Xuan – were closely monitored by Wuhou in secret.
Luxiaoyou and Changyun also went there in person several times. It is said that after retiring, Dingdu lost all his cultivation and couldn't find any means of livelihood. He became destitute and drank his days away. Two years ago, he developed psychosis and now the neighbors avoid him. They often see him talking nonsense, crying and laughing, unable to tell if he is drunk or suffering from a mental illness.
As for Zhang Xuan, his situation is much better.
Although he lost his left arm in that battle with the demons, he still retained his cultivation. After retiring, he joined the city defense army of Chang'an City and became a rank-nine regimental commander, enjoying an easy and comfortable life.
These messages, Yuan Xiu heard and did not pay attention.
Because on the evening of the third day of confinement in the room, he finally made his first talisman!
In the room, Yuan Xiu carefully picked up the thin talisman paper, on which were drawn symbols with cinnabar, smooth and vibrant.
After holding it in his hands for a while, he suddenly raised the talisman.
Using a trace of true essence, he infused it into the talisman.