Even after Guo Zhengde left, the barbecue restaurant remained busy.
Amidst the chanting of sutras during the Water and Land Dharma Assembly across the street, the group drank until very late.
Perhaps it was in this increasingly eerie atmosphere that everyone felt safe with the monk opposite them.
But what no one knew was that they had become terrifying ghost monks.
The current Water and Land Dharma Assembly has progressed to the step of [conferring the precepts to the netherworld].
It means guiding the deceased to repent for the evil deeds they have committed in the past, to vow to change their ways and do good, and to seek the precepts.
Since it's a guide, the undead must be summoned first.
So, Zhao Youliang, who was seemingly drinking with the guests but was actually keeping a close eye on the situation, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Then, many ghosts dressed in clothing from the Republican era, with their heads hanging down like zombies, slowly walked in from outside the town and gathered around the altar.
These were the same hundred demons that had appeared before.
In addition to the aforementioned hundred ghosts, there was also that group of "soldier spirits".
They dispersed around the altar, appearing vigilant.
"May you have boundless blessings...that Venerable One!"
Liao Zhiyuan, who also possesses the ability to see ghosts, was so frightened by what he saw that he almost dropped his wine glass.
"Quantum, Brother Quantum, the Ghost Monk has summoned a hundred ghosts and military spirits. Are they planning to slaughter everyone in the town tonight?!"
Liao Zhiyuan asked Zhao Youliang a question, but Zhao Youliang didn't even know who to ask, so he had no idea how to answer.
However, he noticed that there were far fewer "hundred ghosts" than before, now less than half the number they used to be.
In his nervousness, he didn't think much of it and just continued to keep a close watch.
Just then, a gust of cold wind blew in, blowing away the yellow cloth hanging on the altar and revealing the scene inside.
They were so shocked by what they saw that Zhao Youliang and Liao Zhiyuan almost screamed out loud.
The figure sitting atop it was the male doll that had run out of the paper-making shop.
Behind the doll stood three evil spirits with strange appearances and a malevolent spirit dragging a sack.
Previously, the souls of the dead residents of the town were seen kneeling in front of the doll, trembling and wailing.
At the same time that Zhao Youliang and his companion saw the male doll, the other party seemed to have noticed them as well.
With a creaking sound, it turned its head and looked at those eyes that were full of white.
This scene startled Zhao Youliang and Liao Zhiyuan, who quickly lowered their heads and pretended not to see anything while offering toasts to others.
Fortunately, the vengeful ghosts did not go berserk. They silently surrounded the altar, looking pitifully in the direction of the barbecue restaurant until they closed up shop.
After closing up shop, Zhao Youliang, feeling anxious, didn't let Yingchun's sister-in-law go back to her own home, but insisted that she sleep at the coffin shop.
Of course, Liao Zhiyuan, who originally lived in the coffin shop, had no choice but to follow Zhao Youliang back to the paper shop.
The reason for doing this was that Old Liu was not there, and there was no one else at the coffin shop;
Secondly, Old Liu had usually placed many protective measures in the coffin shop to prevent dirt from getting in, which was enough to protect Yingchun's safety.
Yingchun's sister-in-law was incredibly clever, and naturally she could vaguely guess the reason behind it.
So, as they parted, he whispered, "Quantum, has the evil thing come out again? And it's getting stronger?"
Zhao Youliang nodded slightly, and after a moment's thought, he took out the prayer wheel from his pocket and handed it to Sister Yingchun.
"Sister, remember this: no matter what you hear or see tonight, don't leave the shop."
"We...we...sigh!"
Upon hearing this, Sister Yingchun's face showed a worried expression.
"Quantum, you need to be careful too!"
"If all else fails... if all else fails, you can stay here with your sister."
At this point, Sister Yingchun blushed and quickly explained to avoid Zhao Youliang misunderstanding.
"We'll each have our own room. I trust your character!"
"Your shop is too eerie; what if something supernatural happens to it..."
As she spoke, Sister Yingchun's eyes reddened and filled with tears.
"It must have been tough for my sister to be alone all these years."
"Now that I finally have you as family, I really don't want anything to happen to you!"
Seeing Yingchun's sincere feelings, Zhao Youliang was deeply moved.
"Don't worry, sister, I'll be fine... I have to go back and discuss with the immortals how to deal with the evil spirits."
"Go inside and rest. I'll close the door for you."
With Yingchun's sister-in-law looking on with reluctance, Zhao Youliang closed the door for her from the outside.
Still feeling uneasy, he made a special trip back to the paper shop to retrieve the "scripture armor" left behind by the Great Master Ku Ben, and hung it outside the door of the coffin shop.
(For details about this treasure, please see Chapter 0170 of this book: The Scripture Armor)
......
Inside the shrine, the immortals, led by Huang Yu, were all waiting for Zhao Youliang to return.
Upon seeing him enter, Chang Jie immediately floated up slowly and landed gently on his head with a soft "plop".
The falling cigarette ash choked Zhao Youliang, causing him to cough repeatedly.
"Oh my god, Egg Boy, you really need to smoke less."
Chang Jie ignored him and continued smoking a cigarette.
"Quantum, the older sister you showed me, I've figured it out for you."
"She's dead."
"What...what?!" Zhao Youliang was shocked upon hearing this. Of course, he knew that the "elder sister" Chang Jie mentioned referred to Sister-in-law Yingchun.
"Egg Boy, are you sure? You didn't see it wrong, did you?!"
This strange immortal was clearly not fond of talking, much less of arguing.
Hearing this, he ignored Zhao Youliang, giving him an attitude of "believe it or not."
Zhao Youliang was both anxious and helpless, so he could only take Chang Jie off his head, hold him in front of his eyes, and ask him earnestly.
"Little Egg, can you explain this to me clearly?"
"Why is my sister dead? But I can feel it, she's breathing, she has a heartbeat, and she's not possessed by an evil spirit."
"And she's not afraid of prayer wheels either!"
When their eyes met, Chang Jie's uneven and cross-eyed look was full of confusion. Then he said something that almost made Zhao Youliang spit blood.
“Quantum, I don’t know the answer to your question. All I know is that she is dead.”
"Even the kind that's been dead for many years."
Zhao Youliang: "......"
Just as our quantum mechanics was at a loss for words, Huang Yu suddenly spoke up.
"She's been dead for many years? No wonder I'll see her on the ghost carriage later."
"But if she's dead, then what we usually interact with was a corpse?"
“Even if it is a corpse, it should have 'rotted' long ago after so long, and it would no longer have breathing or heartbeat.”
"Furthermore, if she were a corpse, she would absolutely not dare to touch the 'token' that Quantum gave him, let alone carry it with her..."
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