Chapter 941 The Returnee's Notes 15

The Xiaowushan Taoist Temple is located at a high altitude and in a remote area.

Old Ming went on the weekend, so Xie Ning also had time to see it. Otherwise, the old lady wouldn't allow her to take leave on weekdays. Therefore, Xie Ning secretly thought about finishing her junior high school studies as soon as possible.

There aren't many people in the Taoist temple now, just Old Master Wang and a few young Taoist boys, and then there's Wang Ze. His two senior brothers are out of town doing commissioned work.

Xie Ning now meditates with the old lady and exercises more regularly, so even climbing to the top of the mountain doesn't feel tiring. The old lady, who is so old, doesn't even blush or pant.

"Grandma Xie and Sister are here? This way please. Xiaoling, go and get some tea."

Xie Ning carefully examined the small Taoist temple, noting that it had a layout similar to a traditional courtyard house. "Is this architectural layout set up according to the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams?"

"How could you tell, Sister?" Wang Ze, dressed in an old Taoist robe, looked surprised.

"Wood, fire, metal, and water are the four cardinal elements, plus earth in the center, which perfectly completes the five elements." This is one type of layout for a Taoist temple. Another type is a balanced and symmetrical layout.

Actually, it's not difficult, but Xie Ning is still young, which is why Wang Ze was a little surprised.

“Ah Mei is right, but I can’t teach you anything more advanced, haha.”

Wang Ze smiled. This Taoist temple was initially deserted and dilapidated. Then, when Wang Laodao came here, he felt a connection and settled down here.

Later, he and his apprentice picked up a few unwanted children from other families, and as they raised them, their popularity grew.

People come to burn incense and pray on ordinary days, but most of them are those who know the connections and seek their "help".

Therefore, they cannot be considered orthodox Taoist priests; they are merely unorthodox practitioners who have learned some skills to make a living and support their families.

He also planned to retire from this line of work once he had made enough money, get married, have children, and live a peaceful life. After all, this line of work isn't good for you if you do it for too long.

Only his master, Master Wang, had no wife or children, so he took in a few disciples and devoted himself to learning this art and working in this profession, thus having fewer worldly desires.

Of course, this desire doesn't refer to money; his master was quite ruthless when it came to asking for money after accepting commissions.

When will they arrive?

The old lady didn't go inside; she just stood outside looking up at the sky. They had arrived early, and the sky was just beginning to brighten, shedding its gray-blue hue and taking on a clear orange glow.

Bamboo grows in the Taoist temple, rustling in the wind. It is a lonely autumn day, but the bamboo seems to find joy in whispering.

As the morning glow faded, Lao Ming and Zhang Guizhi entered the small Taoist temple together. Accompanying them was a tall man, about thirty years old, with a buzz cut. As soon as he entered, he looked the temple over with suspicion in his eyes.

He is someone who doesn't believe in ghosts or gods.

Zhang Guizhi's attention was focused on Lao Ming. Seeing that his complexion had improved considerably since entering the Taoist temple, she became even more hopeful, hoping that the old Taoist priest could successfully exorcise the evil spirits and restore peace to their family.

A young Taoist priest led the three into the courtyard, where Xie Ning, the old lady, and others were already waiting. Old Taoist Wang had also made preparations.

Compared to Wang Ze, Wang Laodao was more experienced and could tell at a glance that Lao Ming was possessed by a vengeful spirit.

Although Lao Ming's complexion had improved a lot, his eyes were more bloodshot and even showed signs of turning black. Wang Laodao sensed something was wrong and glanced at the old lady.

The old woman shook her head, indicating that this thing was not easy to disperse. It wasn't that it couldn't be, but rather that it was not advisable, because it would anger the vengeful spirit and cause even deeper harm to the possessed person.

Therefore, the two decided to lure out the vengeful spirit first.

If mediation is possible, then mediation is the best option; if not, the only recourse is to try to break up the conflict or perform a ritual to help the deceased pass on to the afterlife.

The first method is the best, but scattering them can easily anger the vengeful spirits. So if the first method fails, most people prefer the last, safer method.

However, performing a ritual to help the deceased pass on to the afterlife is a long process, and there is a possibility that it could get out of control.

Therefore, the old lady suggested breaking it up; if Wang Laodao couldn't handle it, she could step in.

Xie Ning and Wang Ze listened silently to the two old men's discussion. Zhang Guizhi, on the other side of the screen, was somewhat uneasy because Lao Ming was behaving even strangely, constantly muttering "why" with a look of sorrow in his eyes.

He hadn't believed in anything before, but Dahe, who had come with his elders, felt a tremor in his pupils as his worldview shattered. Could there really be something evil? Or was his uncle mentally unstable?

Old Master Wang instructed Wang Ze to wrap the red rope, while Xie Ning followed the old lady to light incense and then placed the incense from the small burner into the red rope circle that Wang Ze had wrapped.

Incense is believed to attract the soul; many incenses have this effect, but the incense made by the old lady is even more effective and has a temporary bewitching effect.

The one performing the ritual was Old Taoist Wang. Xie Ning and Wang Ze stepped aside and glanced sideways. They saw Wang Ze trying to suppress a laugh. Xie Ning was puzzled, but was quickly drawn to Old Taoist Wang's loud shout.