Chapter 77
I hadn't slept a wink all night, but I didn't think about going to bed first. When I saw it disappear, my first thought was to see what the mystery behind the front door was.
This is my home, but I had no idea this wooden door could actually ward off evil spirits. I used to think only door gods affixed to doors could scare away wild ghosts, but I never expected the wooden door itself to have this effect. Apparently, it's even more powerful than painted door gods.
I hadn't noticed it before because I hadn't paid any attention. But now, after careful observation, I found the trick. The two halves of the front door's wood were covered with black patina, and the rough grain had almost been worn away, but I could still see that one had "Gui" written on it, and the other had "Ming" written on it.
Ghostly.
Seeing those two words suddenly filled my blood, and tears welled up in my eyes. That was my father's name. Was this destiny? Even if he wasn't by my side, he would appear when I was in danger.
I gently stroked the two words on the door, just like stroking my father's face.
Where are you guys?
My heart ached, and I crouched down, clutching my heart. After a moment, the cramping subsided, and I breathed deeply. Looking at Dad's name on the door, I realized he had been with me all these years, in a different way.
But these two doors can only protect me from the headless ghost at home, and cannot help me destroy it.
Just when I was worrying about how to deal with it, an unexpected person came - Master Zhang.
I was sitting in the yard at the time, thinking over and over, but I couldn't think of a solution. This thing, other than destroying it, was completely useless. But with my current abilities, I was completely helpless against it.
Master Zhang knocked on my door and called out, "Little sister, are you home?"
His voice was so familiar to me that I thought I was hallucinating. It wasn't until the knock on the door came again that I was sure it was really Master Zhang knocking.
I excitedly opened the door and saw Master Zhang's familiar outfit, which was like timely help.
"Master, why are you here?"
"Some time ago, during the calculations at the Tianshi Mansion, my father felt that something was wrong with you, so I came here."
"Grandpa Tianshi?"
"Well, has something happened recently? I smelled that stuff as soon as I entered your house."
I was deeply moved when I saw Master Zhang, who was exhausted from the journey and asked about me before he even set foot on the ground.
"But please come inside and sit down first."
I couldn't handle the long car ride, let alone Master Zhang, who was already over 90 years old. I poured him a glass of water and then told him what had happened during my time home.
When he heard me say it was a headless ghost, he frowned and said, "How did you get involved with this thing?"
"I didn't provoke it. I ran into it that night when I came back from the ditch. I didn't expect it to scare me away, but instead found another target."
"If I had asked Danyang to come back with you when you left, this wouldn't have happened." Master Zhang sighed.
"Everyone has their own life. If my magic power was still there, they wouldn't have died so tragically."
"This is not your fault. You don't have to be too hard on yourself."
With Master Zhang, I immediately relaxed. But I still have a question: why is Wang Laosan's soul lost even though he has been called back and never saw the headless ghost again?
I asked this question to Master Zhang, and he, as a master, hit the nail on the head.
According to Master Zhang, this is because the headless ghost is extremely vicious and will not stop until death. It is also very intelligent. Although I used the method of "Li Dai Tao Jiang" to trick it once, it was discovered.
After Master Zhang's explanation, I certainly felt that way. For example, that night at Wang Laosan's door, it clearly hesitated when it took the paper figurine. But the figurine I had made didn't reveal any flaws, temporarily fooling it. Later, when it realized that while the figurine looked just like Wang Laosan, the energy contained within its soul was clearly different, it realized it had been tricked and returned, taking Wang Laosan's still unstable soul with it.
"Is this headless ghost easy to deal with?" I asked.
Master Zhang said, "Evil cannot defeat good!"
Just by this aura, most ghosts dare not approach. This is what is called righteousness.
The good days of the headless ghost were over. That night we prepared to destroy it at the exit behind Xiao Liang. Master Zhang summoned the headless ghost through soul-calling techniques.
He was seen practicing the Seven Star Steps of the Celestial Gang, muttering something to himself. As the ceremony concluded, a sudden gust of wind blew up. The headless ghost, riding the wind, ran towards Master Zhang and me.
Master Zhang unleashed three finger swords, forming an inverted triangle, striking the headless ghost. Like three nails, the three finger swords pinned the headless ghost to the mountain. Master Zhang's display of skill revealed a new level of sophistication. It seemed the Tianshi Mansion truly lived up to its name as a sacred Taoist site.
The headless ghost was injured and exuded ghost energy. He melted the three nails and pounced on Master Zhang.
This was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Master Zhang drew out his sword, jumped into the air, and directly cut the flying headless ghost into two.
Its two halves fell to the ground, blood oozing out. However, it wasn't dead. The two halves stood up from the ground. Each half had only one arm and one leg left, and they walked uncoordinatedly on the ground.
It looks like they want to fit together.
It's really like a centipede, dead but still alive. I didn't expect it could still move even after being split in half.
Master Zhang couldn't let it close. He thrust his sword into the ground, and a golden Bagua diagram appeared at the ghost's feet. Encircled by this golden light, the headless ghost was instantly imprisoned. The eight hexagrams—Kan, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, and Kun—spun at high speed, the golden light growing increasingly blinding. I was forced to close my eyes.
When I opened my eyes again, the headless ghost had vanished. Master Zhang had already sheathed his sword and stood there with the air of a master.
The thing that had troubled me for so long was easily removed by Master Zhang.
The next day, the old village chief ran into Master Zhang and cried for help.
And I told him that the headless ghost had been eliminated.
The old village chief bowed his head and flattered, and his behavior was no different from a few years ago.
I thought this trip home would simply be a simple tribute to Xie Baoyi, but unexpectedly there were so many twists and turns that it has continued until now. In fact, the source of all this is me. My physique has made me prone to these things since birth, so wherever I go, there are all kinds of evil spirits who want to kill me.
The story of the headless ghost ended there. However, just as we were about to leave our village, the old village chief caught up with us. He told us that he had a relative in Huangjiayu, a place I had never heard of as a local, and that it was also haunted. He wanted Master Zhang and I to help before we left.
It is the Taoist priest's duty to eliminate evil and defend the way. Thinking back to the incident with Xiagou Lingling, Master Zhang worked hard and was willing to help without asking for any money. When the old village chief asked, there was no reason for Master Zhang to refuse. So, we followed the old village chief to Huangjiayu.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
