"Well, we still have other work to do, so we will take our leave now," Talia Bishop said with a slight smile. Quickly, Talia pulled John Nolan's sleeve and began to walk away.
"Mr. White, sometime I would like to invite you for tea, if you have the time," Nolan added with an awkward smile, waving at Lance before hurrying to follow his training instructor.
Lance just smiled slightly, not thinking too much about it. He soon realized that although Talia Bishop had no personal issues with him, Talia had a personality similar to Sidney—another black female police officer that Lance knew. Both women had a firm and efficient working style.
In a country where racial discrimination still often occurs, Lance knew very well that black women like Bishop and Sidney had to work ten times harder to reach their current positions. Hard work and dedication were the only ways for them to earn respect.
As Lance was about to close the door, the doorbell rang again.
This time, two other guests appeared at the door—Nancy and Sidney.
Lance opened the door and smiled widely. "Ah, two beautiful women! Are you here to tell fortunes again? Or perhaps you encountered another man-eating monster?"
Nancy and Sidney exchanged glances for a moment, looking confused by Lance's words. Their expressions full of questions made Lance chuckle softly, waiting for further explanation.
Nancy wiggled her fingers and said, "Mr. White, we did experience something strange, but it wasn't a monster. It seems to be a sorcerer, like you, but from the East. That person seems to know a lot about a very powerful curse, and we would like to ask for your help to look into this."
"An Eastern sorcerer who can curse?" Lance was immediately surprised and raised an eyebrow. "What did that person use to activate the curse? How do you know that person can curse?"
Sidney clicked her lips. "Actually, the man is the prime suspect in this case. We suspect that he killed his daughter's tutor. We didn't find the murder weapon, but the tutor claimed before dying that the man killed with a curse. You know, such claims wouldn't be accepted as evidence in court."
Nancy continued, "The object that the man used to activate the curse is very strange—a paper human. Does that object really have magical powers as claimed?"
Lance was immediately intrigued, his eyes narrowing. "Paper spells do exist, although they are rarely used now. In the past, such curse magic was present, but very few people understood it well... Alright, I will join you and take a closer look."
...
...
...
Du Fu, one of the greatest poets in classical Chinese literature, once wrote: "The day has darkened as I welcome guests, so I light a lantern and open the door; warm water washes my feet, and Paper Cutting calls to my soul."
Paper Cutting is a traditional folk craft that originated in China. Its history can be traced back to the 6th century, although some believe that this art form has existed since the Warring States period (around the 3rd century BC). In its early days, Paper Cutting was not only a decorative art but also a ritual tool for worshiping deities, calling souls, and offering sacrifices to spirits.
A true master of this art could use paper figures to perform various spells, including creating living figures from simple paper cutouts.
Before Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, he experienced countless wars. One of the most tragic battles was the Hongdu Defense War, now known as Nanchang. At that time, Zhu was accompanied only by a handful of loyal followers.
In a critical situation, one of Zhu's followers was discovered by Chen Youliang's troops. In the midst of the crisis, the follower quickly pulled out scissors and cut four interconnected paper figures. He slapped the paper cutouts onto a large rock.
When Chen Youliang's troops arrived, the four paper figures transformed into four large armored men, complete with weapons in their hands. They stood firm, blocking the advance of the enemy forces.
The four paper soldiers fought valiantly, but their strength was limited. As their bodies were pierced by the enemy troops, they reverted back to a pile of paper on the ground.
Chen Youliang's forces continued to pursue Zhu and his followers. In a final effort, the follower again used scissors to cut out figures of a man and a horse from paper, then threw them in the opposite direction. The paper figures distracted the enemy, giving Zhu and his followers time to escape.
When Chen Youliang's troops finally caught up, they only saw a man fleeing in panic, riding a horse that was galloping fast. From a distance, it was clear that it was Zhu Yuanzhang. Believing they were close to capturing their prey, Chen Youliang immediately led his troops in pursuit.
However, as they managed to close in on the figure, something shocking happened. Both Zhu Yuanzhang and his horse suddenly transformed into yellow paper cutouts that slowly floated down to the ground. The figure they were chasing turned out to be an illusion, a clever magical trick.
This misunderstanding gave Zhu Yuanzhang and his followers enough time to escape to safety. In the end, they successfully evaded Chen Youliang's pursuit and won the Battle of Hongdu.
Of course, legends like this are merely stories passed down from generation to generation. However, behind the tale lies the fact that Paper Cutting Magic is a technique that requires high focus, making it unsuitable for those who are mentally weak.
Some combinations of Paper Cutting Magic techniques with other spells can create surprising effects. For example, the cloning technique. The cloning technique that Lance performed the night before is a perfect example of such a combination.
Lance used the foundation of Paper Cutting Magic to create paper figures imbued with weak magical power. Then, Lance added a confusing talisman spell, which transformed the paper figure into a replica of a living creature.
Through the art of Heaven Communicating Talisman Art, Lance was even able to simplify this process. Lance no longer needed paper figures; he could simply draw magical symbols in the air to create a perfect replica.
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