Fight the Ghost 08

"In this world, some people are hell-bent on doing evil, yet there are demons wholeheartedly seeking the Dao. How tragic and lamentable..." Fang Zhiyi sighed. No wonder this black bear could actually consecrate the talismans he drew. From the looks of it, the founding patriarch wasn't exactly a god who strictly adhered to dogma either.

The Black Bear Spirit looked at him, its eyes still full of caution.

Little Hei also breathed a sigh of relief. It knew better than anyone that Fang Zhiyi's only life-saving measure right now was the mouse in his sleeve. He had called Xiaobai in earlier partly to confirm the demonic aura, and partly to prepare for a mutual destruction if necessary.

Fortunately, it didn't have to take the fall now.

"What kind of blockhead are you?" Fang Zhiyi suddenly said. He then walked to the door and reached out to pinch the cheek of a little Daoist boy.

This action made the Black Bear Spirit a bit nervous, but thankfully, Fang Zhiyi didn't go any further.

"Look at this, sallow and emaciated. Do you think humans are like you, able to forage all over the mountain when they're hungry? Just eating those few radishes and greens in the backyard? I'm afraid if your master doesn't come back, these two will starve to death."

"I, I..." The Black Bear Spirit was somewhat speechless.

It had never left this mountain from the very beginning. Furthermore, knowing there was a war outside and needing to guard the Daoist temple, it naturally didn't want to go out. The only method it could think of was something it had secretly observed before: pilgrims would buy its master's talismans. However, it didn't know how to draw them itself, so as soon as it saw the talismans Fang Zhiyi drew, it got an idea, though its ambitions weren't that big after all.

"Still waiting for pilgrims to come? Even if pilgrims do come, what use is the money to you? Are you going to gnaw on raw silver to satisfy your hunger?"

The black bear lowered its head in frustration; it seemed it hadn't thought about this at all.

Fang Zhiyi suddenly leaned in close to it. "How about this: you listen to me. I'll take them down to sell. After selling them, I'll buy food, clothing, and daily necessities to bring up for you, and then you can help me process more... Your two junior brothers will live, you will live, and you can still guard the temple. How about it?"

The Black Bear Spirit looked up at Fang Zhiyi, unable to tell if the person in front of it was telling the truth or lying.

But its mind was a mess right now, so it simply nodded. "Do you mean what you say?"

"Of course, I, your Daoist master, always keep my word!"

The Black Bear Spirit was quite naive. "Alright! Then I'll leave it all to you!"

Fang Zhiyi shifted the conversation. "However, shouldn't we help each other out a bit?"

"Huh?"

"Escort me down the mountain."

"Oh, oh, okay."

Little Hei was somewhat disdainful. "You're too inhumane. After all that, you were just afraid of going down the mountain by yourself?"

Fang Zhiyi felt perfectly justified. "Is it my fault? Who knows if I'll run into some demons and ghosts on the way back! Isn't it better to have an extra helper?"

Little Hei glanced at the Black Bear Spirit. It seemed this monster didn't know its own strength... With Fang Zhiyi's current level, this bear could crush him to death just by sitting on him.

"Big swindler."

"Don't talk nonsense, this is called mutual benefit between me and it, understand?"

Whether it was due to the black bear's escort or not, Fang Zhiyi's trip down the mountain went very smoothly. He didn't even hear a single ghostly wail.

Upon reaching a populated area, the black bear hurriedly ran back without looking back; it was rushing to return to the Daoist temple.

"Truly pure-hearted," Fang Zhiyi sighed with emotion as he watched the black bear's retreating back.

Xiaobai jumped down from his sleeve and, in the blink of an eye, transformed into the appearance of a young maiden.

"Daoist master, where are we going now?" She admired Fang Zhiyi even more now. Such a massive Black Bear Spirit, and Fang Zhiyi made it completely obedient without even lifting a finger. He was simply... too amazing!

"Where? Home, for revenge!"

"Revenge?" Xiaobai was a bit confused. Fang Zhiyi was already so powerful, yet he still had enemies?

"Oh right, Daoist master, do you think that Black Bear Spirit will be able to wait until its master returns?" Seeing that Fang Zhiyi didn't answer, Xiaobai changed the subject.

Fang Zhiyi's expression darkened slightly. "Highly doubtful."

Little Hei chattered endlessly in his ear. "They've been dead for a long time, all of them. Some died saving people, some died by demons, and others died on the battlefield..."

Fang Zhiyi reached out and swatted it.

Little Hei curled its lip and turned its head away.

Fang Zhiyi looked back at Longtou Mountain, which was shrouded in clouds and mist. "It's fine, it still has a long life ahead."

At night, a figure wearing a long dress slowly appeared on a tree branch. She had been hanging here for a long time, the resentment in her heart constantly growing, yet no one knew of this pain.

From afar, she saw a person walking over; it seemed she had seen this person before.

As the person drew closer, the Hanged Ghost became somewhat excited. That's right, she had seen him! This person could see her!

If she could make him hang himself here too, would she be freed?

Her gaze stared fixedly at the approaching Fang Zhiyi.

Fang Zhiyi also stared fixedly at her.

One person and one ghost just stared at each other like this. Then, just as the Hanged Ghost's body swayed slightly, Fang Zhiyi suddenly smiled. In that instant, the Hanged Ghost inexplicably felt a chill down her spine.

Wait, she was a ghost, how could she feel a chill?

Fang Zhiyi suddenly crouched down. The petite woman behind him hurriedly took out a jug, then a broken bowl, and carefully poured the chicken blood from the jug into the bowl.

Fang Zhiyi also crouched down. Although he knew he couldn't cast his Daoist spells, he still muttered an incantation, mixed cinnabar into the bowl of chicken blood, stirred it for a while, and then rolled up his sleeve and smeared it on his arm. Immediately after, he took out a talisman and slapped it on.

The Hanged Ghost was a bit confused, and the unease in her heart grew stronger and stronger.

Right after, she saw Fang Zhiyi stand up facing her, pull out a handful of talisman papers, and pounce on her without a word. He slapped the talismans onto her body as if they cost nothing, and a burning sensation instantly swept over the Hanged Ghost's entire body.

The effectiveness of these consecrated talisman papers was still remarkable.

"Ah! Ah!" Miserable ghostly shrieks echoed all around. Xiaobai, following behind, covered her ears. "Daoist master, what, what are you doing?"

"That's for fucking scaring me! And you even dared to ride on my neck! Are you crazy!" Fang Zhiyi had finally found his chance. With the help of the consecrated talisman papers, he had temporarily gained the means to touch ghosts.

Fang Zhiyi's thought process was very simple: I can't use Daoist spells, but I have items!

Items are also a part of the Dao!

Those talisman papers stuck firmly to the Hanged Ghost's body, emitting a faint yellow light. The Hanged Ghost screamed endlessly as waves of malevolent aura billowed out from her body. After lasting for several minutes, the malevolent aura finally overpowered the talismans, and the papers gradually lost their effectiveness and fell to the ground.

The extreme pain drove the Hanged Ghost into a frenzy. "I want you dead!"

Her face twisted, looking exceptionally terrifying, but in the next moment, she saw Fang Zhiyi pull out another handful of yellow talismans from his chest.

The scene fell into a brief silence.

"Um, Daoist Master, I was wrong, okay?"

Fang Zhiyi turned his head and said to Xiaobai, "See that? If you beat them enough to hurt, even ghosts will listen to reason."

Xiaobai swallowed hard. "As long as you're happy, Daoist master."