Taoist Priest 01

Little Hei looked at the visibly exhausted Fang Zhiyi. "Host, are you alright?"

Fang Zhiyi waved his hand dismissively. "I’m fine. But I don’t want to come to a world like this again—it nearly killed me." Then, his tone shifted. "Though, it wasn’t all bad." The Little Hei before him had not only regained its original human form but had also become less dark, with faint traces of veins subtly visible beneath its skin.

It seemed the greater the deeds they accomplished and the more impact they had on the world, the more... robust Little Hei became.

"So, where to next?"

"Let’s go."

Fang Zhiyi opened his eyes and found himself seated on a meditation cushion.

The original host was a Taoist priest—a rather formidable one at that—and a member of the Mystic Purity Bureau, an organization that served as a bridge between the underworld and the living. Their duty was to maintain the balance between yin and yang. In simpler terms, they handled what the underworld couldn’t.

The problem, however, lay with the original host’s young disciple.

This disciple had been picked up by the original host. After Fang Zhiyi’s master, Lu Jiuzhang, passed away, Fang Zhiyi had left their rundown Taoist temple to wander the world. In his youth, he arrived at a village plagued by malevolent energy. The vengeful spirit born from this energy slaughtered everyone in the village. Fang Zhiyi exhausted all his strength to capture it, only to hear the cries of a little girl as he was leaving. From that day on, he took her in—Xu Lingshan.

Though he had considered sending her to an orphanage, he soon realized the girl had an unusual sensitivity to the supernatural. So, he decided to keep her as his personal disciple.

Xu Lingshan was a quick learner, but as she grew older, she became rebellious—just like any ordinary teenager. She frequented internet cafes, got into online arguments, and even hung around with petty delinquents.

Fang Zhiyi had reprimanded her, but Xu Lingshan lashed out, blaming him for her parents’ deaths. If he hadn’t been so slow to act back then, she wouldn’t be an orphan.

Stung by her words, Fang Zhiyi could only let her be, watching helplessly as she neglected the skills he had taught her. All he could do was sigh in resignation.

But then Xu Lingshan did something drastic—she fell in love with a man she met online. Eager to meet him in person, she soon discovered he wasn’t human at all. He was a millennium-old ghost known as the Bloody Corpse Immortal, a creature said to have escaped the underworld. It fed on the souls of those with profound virtue to rebuild its fleshly form, much like a zombie. It no longer fell under the underworld’s jurisdiction, and ordinary Taoists were no match for it.

Thus began a twisted romance between human and ghost, fraught with complications. Xu Lingshan frequently turned to Fang Zhiyi for help, and he exhausted himself trying to protect his wayward disciple.

While the Bloody Corpse Immortal continued devouring souls, it also indulged in its relationship with Xu Lingshan, the two of them living carefree. Eventually, the Mystic Purity Bureau took notice. As one of its pillars, Fang Zhiyi had no choice but to intervene—even if the underworld wouldn’t act, Taoists couldn’t allow such a monster to roam freely.

It was then that Fang Zhiyi discovered his disciple had been consorting with the ghost. He tried desperately to stop her, but Xu Lingshan’s heart belonged to the creature. With her help, the ghost escaped.

Fang Zhiyi wanted to give chase, but he couldn’t abandon his gravely injured disciple. So, he stayed to tend to Xu Lingshan, unaware that this act of mercy would plant the seeds of his own doom—nor did he expect the disciple he had raised to betray him.

The Bloody Corpse Immortal coveted Fang Zhiyi’s cultivation and virtue. Together with Xu Lingshan, they set a trap. When Fang Zhiyi fell into it, they struck without mercy. What devastated him most was seeing Xu Lingshan standing by, coldly watching as he died. It was then that Fang Zhiyi realized the true horror of the Bloody Corpse Immortal—it hadn’t fled because it was weak, but because it was plotting something far worse. Its goal was to consume the flesh and blood of powerful Taoists to ascend to greater heights, and Fang Zhiyi, as one of the most accomplished of his generation, was the perfect target.

After devouring Fang Zhiyi, the Bloody Corpse Immortal broke through to unprecedented power, feeling invincible. Yet, swayed by Xu Lingshan’s inexplicable love, it chose to conceal its identity and live as an ordinary man. It even took command of other malevolent spirits, restraining them while continuing its romance. However, its overwhelming aura drew the attention of Taoist sects, though none dared act, fearing retaliation.

Fortunately, the Mystic Purity Bureau refused to give up. With Fang Zhiyi’s soul dissipated, they quickly traced the incident back to Xu Lingshan. To protect her, the Bloody Corpse Immortal revealed itself, leading its army of ghosts into battle against the Bureau. Its ghostly subordinates nearly wiped out the entire organization. But at the last moment, Xu Lingshan had a sudden change of heart. Through sheer persuasion, she convinced the Bloody Corpse Immortal to choose love. It renounced its evil ways, and the two vanished into the world.

"What nonsense," Fang Zhiyi muttered, then asked, "What’s the current timeline?"

"Host, there’s no time—your disciple is already in an online relationship."

"Let her do what she wants. A disciple like that is worse than useless," Fang Zhiyi said indifferently. "Just a disciple, after all."

Little Hei smirked mysteriously. "But what you just saw was from your perspective. From another angle, you’re the villain."

"Oh? How so?" Fang Zhiyi closed his eyes again.

Sure enough, the narrative shifted—this time, Xu Lingshan was the protagonist. She had lost her parents as a child, and the culprit was none other than the wandering Taoist. If he hadn’t come to the village, her parents might still be alive. (Fang Zhiyi scoffed, "They would’ve died anyway—just slower!")

As Xu Lingshan grew up, Fang Zhiyi’s inability to earn a proper living—relying solely on exorcisms—left them in constant poverty. Resenting her master, she plotted her escape.

The internet became her salvation. She soon met a wealthy man who treated her kindly, unlike the delinquents who only wanted her body. When they met in person, he turned out to be an elegant antique dealer. But one day, Xu Lingshan discovered his secret—he was a ghost.

After a tumultuous mix of love and fear, she resolved to stay with him. Yet her stubborn master intervened again, determined to destroy her beloved. Using her wits, Xu Lingshan stalled him.

Her lover, unable to let her go, returned in secret—only to be discovered by the rigid Taoist. At that moment, Xu Lingshan saw her master for what he truly was: a man obsessed with his path, blind to the fact that not all ghosts were evil. Working together with her ghostly lover, they eliminated the obstacle once and for all. In her eyes, her master had brought this upon himself.

Fang Zhiyi finished reading the passage again and clapped his hands in admiration. "So this is the first impression? No wonder I always feel like the first person to appear in any movie must be the good guy."

Xu Lingshan smiled sweetly, took off her headphones, and patted her pockets—empty again. It had been half a month since she last went back, and yet her master hadn’t even called to check on her? The thought made her grit her teeth in frustration. That old man was always going on about how she should inherit the sect or whatever, but he couldn’t even spare her some money. Disgusting.

Who’d want to be some lousy Taoist priest? Broke and looked down upon!

When she reluctantly returned to her master’s place, she was stunned. The usually quiet shop was now packed with people.

"Business is booming?" Xu Lingshan muttered in confusion.

But as soon as she stepped inside, she realized everything had changed. A middle-aged woman came out carrying a basin of water. "Foot wash or massage? Just wait a moment!"

"What foot wash or massage? Who are you people?"

The woman didn’t answer, just pursed her lips and pointed at the entrance. "Young and already going blind?"

Xu Lingshan walked back outside and looked up. The old sign reading "Fortune Telling & Divination" had been replaced with "Acupressure Massage & Foot Soak."

She stood frozen for a moment before it finally clicked. "Fang Zhiyi! Where the hell did you go?" She hadn’t called him "Master" in a long time—just his name.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhiyi had already taken a bus to the neighboring city. As soon as he got off, he headed straight for Southeast Street’s incense and candle shop. This was the storefront he’d reserved online—the previous owner, too old to keep running it, had handed it over after Fang Zhiyi spent all his savings.

First, he needed to make a living. Second, he had to wait for "that thing" to appear. Starving to death before then would be a problem.

The neighboring shops merely saw him as another businessman and paid him little mind, though they tended to avoid those in the funeral trade, considering it unlucky.

Fang Zhiyi wasn’t in a hurry. He was slowly absorbing the original owner’s skills, occasionally practicing a few gestures.

Two days later, his first customer arrived—a pale, unsteady young man.

"Do you have any talismans here?" His voice was hollow, as if he’d already given up hope.

Fang Zhiyi sensed a familiar aura from him—one he recognized from his own days as a ghost.

"No talismans here. What would an honest person need those for?" Fang Zhiyi replied.

The young man froze, then shook his head with a bitter laugh. "Never mind, then."

Fang Zhiyi studied him, noting the crucifix around his neck, a Guanyin pendant, and even some unfamiliar silver coin. He couldn’t help but scoff. "The ghost chasing you must have quite the international background, huh?"