“Scared the life out of me!”
Back in the modern world, Lu Zheng patted his chest, letting out a few long breaths.
“Sunset and dusk, when ghosts come out to play?”
Shedding his wig and ancient clothes, he slipped into modern attire, ready to go out and wander.
To calm his nerves!
“Zhao Si, free to hang out? What, watching a film with your wife, about to start?”
“Lao Tong? Working overtime? Forget it then…”
“Little Lei, you must be free, right? Back home for the summer?”
Hanging up, all three roommates were busy. That was just great…
As for other classmates, he wasn’t close enough to call them up for a casual chat.
No friends available, but there was another way to unwind.
This method was exhilarating, invigorating, leaving you feeling utterly satisfied, as if you’d fought a grand battle, body weary, craving only sleep.
So…
Lu Zheng found a reputable, high-end massage parlour, booked a skilled master, and got a full-body massage from head to toe.
After washing up at home, he collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly, dreaming nothing, sleeping soundly.
The next morning, Lu Zheng felt refreshed, energised, and, well, standing tall.
He could even use his fortune light to boost his physical condition again.
“What! A massage can shorten the adaptation cooldown?”
Life always had surprises. Lu Zheng had never considered actively reducing this cooldown period before.
“But no rush to boost my physique. I need to visit Baiyun Temple again!”
Last night’s ghost encounter, well, he wasn’t sure if it was a ghost, but he had to go back to Baiyun Temple today.
He needed a way to protect himself. Who knew if that thing had marked him?
The sky was bright now. Evil spirits shouldn’t come out in daylight, right? That thing appeared at dusk yesterday.
So, Lu Zheng put on his stab-proof vest, grabbed his stun baton, and cautiously crossed back.
“Hm, nothing’s changed…”
Lu Zheng looked around, then lifted his pillow to retrieve the yellow talisman, unchanged from yesterday.
“That thing didn’t come last night,” he muttered to himself, stepping out. “Li Bo!”
“Young Master!”
Li Bo appeared with dark circles under his eyes, clearly having slept poorly.
“Let’s go, to Baiyun Temple!”
“What, again?” Li Bo flinched, startled. They went yesterday and met a strange entity on the way back. Why not stay home safely today?
“If we don’t go to Baiyun Temple, how do we deal with that ghost?” Lu Zheng asked.
“Didn’t you already avoid it?”
“How do you know I avoided it? We’ve crossed paths. What if it shows up at my door? Aren’t you scared?” Lu Zheng countered.
Imagining a ghost at the door, Li Bo’s face paled, lips trembling. “I-I-I… I’m scared.”
“Then let’s move! It’s broad daylight. Do ghosts come out in the day?”
“Probably… not?”
Li Bo didn’t know a ghost’s traits. Common knowledge didn’t cover their weaknesses. Usually, meeting a ghost meant you were done for.
So, grabbing some steamed buns from Aunt Liu and some preserved meat from storage, Li Bo and Lu Zheng headed to the cart rental.
Zhang Laoshi’s cart was already hired out, so they took another and hurried out of the city.
“Two trips to Baiyun Temple in two days?”
The cart rental manager watched the donkey cart leave, his face full of pity. “Must’ve run into some trouble…”
…
Baiyun Temple.
Daoist Mingzhang studied the talisman, his expression grave.
“The peace talisman ensures safety. When the corpse ghost showed no malice, the talisman didn’t react.”
He explained, “But when it called out to you, it revealed ill intent, its aura exposed, so the talisman warned you.”
“I see.”
Lu Zheng nodded, understanding, then quickly said, “Please, Daoist, save me!”
“Save you from what?” Mingzhang looked puzzled.-English (UK): baffled. “Didn’t you already escape?”
“Won’t it come after me again?”
“Generally not. Since you resisted its temptation, it’ll likely seek another,” Mingzhang said.
Generally not…
Lu Zheng blinked. “Won’t you slay the demon, Daoist?”
Mingzhang shook his head, smiling. “The corpse ghost’s whereabouts are unknown. Where would I find it?
Besides, the way of heaven has its order. A corpse ghost’s existence has its reason. Acting rashly risks great karma, which isn’t the path of cultivation.”
In plain words, don’t meddle unless it’s your problem, the cost isn’t worth it, or it’s incidental. Cultivation comes first.
“Fair enough, thank you, Daoist. But what’s a corpse ghost?” Lu Zheng asked.
“A corpse ghost is a human corpse, rotting yet with a lingering soul, corrupted by netherworld qi, turning into an evil spirit that devours hearts to harm and seek rebirth.”
“Devours hearts for rebirth?”
Mingzhang explained, “Born of netherworld qi, corpse ghosts are foul and ugly, dwelling in graves or dark places. This one clearly has skin-painting art, blending among humans to find a substitute.”
“Skin-painting art? A substitute?”
“It devours hearts to refine its body, paints skin with blood, merges with it, loses its corpse qi, becomes human, and lives another century.”
“Hiss!”
Like an advanced version of *Painted Skin*?
“And after a century?”
“It dies naturally,” Mingzhang said matter-of-factly.
“No chance of becoming a ghost immortal?”
“Ghost immortals aren’t so easy. They require a pure soul, refining essence, qi, and spirit, then gathering heaven and earth’s spiritual qi to form a human body, ahem.”
“In short, Young Master, don’t fear. The Great Jing Dynasty has ruled for centuries. Corpse ghosts dare not harm freely,” Mingzhang said.
“The court oversees this? The City God?” Lu Zheng probed.
“The City God guards the underworld, set by the court, but corpse ghosts aren’t their concern,” Mingzhang said.
Good heavens, Lu Zheng thought, the court appoints City Gods?
This world’s depths are profound…
Feeling he’d said too much, Mingzhang ended the topic. “You’re not a cultivator, Young Master. No need to know these things. Go home, study, build your career. The talisman’s warning will keep you safe.”
“But what if the corpse ghost targets me again?” Lu Zheng asked.
“Then come to the temple. I’ll handle it,” Mingzhang said.
“What if there’s no time? Does it have weaknesses? Can mortals fight it?”
“Its essence is still a corpse. Ordinary blades can kill it, but its netherworld qi makes it fast and strong, hard for mortals to match,” Mingzhang said. “If you’re worried, hire guards with silver, arm them with clubs and blades, and you’ll be fine.”
That’s an option?
“Killing a corpse ghost is a deed of merit,” Mingzhang added. “But if it dies, its netherworld qi scatters. Inhaling it may cause illness or shorten your life. Be cautious.”
“I see, thank you, Daoist.” Lu Zheng exhaled, asking his final question. “Tell me, Daoist, does a corpse ghost carry fortune?”
