Cheng Dong pulled a thick wad of cash from his wallet, about two thousand yuan, and said to me, "If you can make me see a ghost, this money is yours. Otherwise, I'll call the police right now and report you for spreading superstitions."
I let out a cold laugh. Seeing ghosts is easy. But I'll warn you of a few things first. Once you see a ghost, pretend you can't see it. Don't show too much surprise or scream. If they realize you can see them, they'll cling to you and won't leave you alone. That could be a real problem."
Xu Xiaoling took a step back, hands clasped over her chest, and asked in a whisper, "Are there ghosts?"
"Just wait and see his face," I replied.
I stared directly at Cheng Dong. "If you're scared and want to back out now, then forget about the money."
I used a little reverse psychology here. Just a moment ago, he'd mocked me in front of Xu Xiaoling. Now, it was my turn to play with him.
He had to save face in front of her, even if he was scared.
Sure enough, seeing my confidence, Cheng Dong's eyes showed a hint of fear, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "Who said I'm scared? I believe in science! I oppose superstitions! Bring it on!"
I pulled out a Yin Talisman from my pocket.
I liked to carry a few talismans with me—three Yin Talismans, three Yang Talismans, and three Qingxin Talismans.
With my index and middle fingers, I held the talisman and addressed Cheng Dong: "Look, there's no one on the street right now. Just a few passing cars, right?"
As I spoke, I gathered the little Yang energy I had left and ignited the Yin Talisman!
The talisman caught fire, burning with a dim green flame.
Cheng Dong and Xu Xiaoling were both stunned because I didn't use any tools to light the talisman—it ignited all on its own.
They had only ever seen such things in movies before. To witness it in real life was beyond shocking.
A slight smile appeared at the corners of my mouth as I touched his left and right shoulders with the flame.
The moment I did, Cheng Dong's expression changed instantly!
He looked like he was about to cry, trembling as he handed me the two thousand yuan, his voice breaking with panic as he begged, "Master, I believe! I believe! Please, don't make me see these things again!"
I took the money without hesitation, then pulled a Yang Talisman from my pocket, lit it, and touched his shoulders to reignite the Yang fire that had been extinguished earlier.
Then, I lit the Yang fire on my shoulders and said, "If I'm not mistaken, the ghost haunting Miss Xu is quite vengeful. I advise you to go home. Staying with me could be dangerous."
Cheng Dong swallowed nervously and said, "Master, please give me a spiritual talisman! If not, I'm too afraid to go home on my own. I apologize for my earlier disrespect!"
Seeing the money, I pulled out a Yang Talisman and handed it to him, saying, "Normally, ghosts don't harm people. Just don't look back when you walk at night, and you'll be fine. Take this talisman. If you start feeling cold for no reason, burn the talisman and drink the ashes with water. It will help in an emergency. But don't reveal my identity. If you do, this will be our last meeting."
Cheng Dong gratefully took the talisman, apologized to Xu Xiaoling, and practically ran off, his haste making him look like he had a fire under him.
Xu Xiaoling, seeing Cheng Dong's dramatic change, stepped closer to me, her gaze a mixture of shock and fear. She lowered her voice and asked, "Master, are there ghosts nearby?"
Looking at her, I couldn't help but recall the time I first met the old con artist. I had fainted in fear back then. But now, after seeing so many ghosts, I wasn't nearly as scared, though the ones with a sinister aura still sent a chill down my spine. They certainly didn't look as harmless as the "sea cucumber" ghost.
To comfort the still shaken Xu Xiaoling, I said, "Don't be afraid. The ghosts around here are just ordinary wandering spirits. They can't harm humans. I'm going to go home and grab some weapons to deal with the ghost haunting you."
"Master, thank you for helping me. How much should I pay you for your services?" Xu Xiaoling asked softly, "I just started working a month ago and don't have much money..."
I shrugged. "No need to pay. I'm a legitimate Taoist practitioner, not some street con artist."
She protested, "How can I let you do this for free?"
"Don't call me Master. It sounds awkward. My name is Zhang Xiaolong(Bruce). And by the way, I'm a new Taoist practitioner. This is my first time dealing with ghosts."
I was blunt and honest, letting her know I was still a rookie.
"Ah?" Xu Xiaoling's face fell with disappointment, but she kept walking beside me and asked, "Then... Xiaolong(Bruce), am I being haunted by a ghost? Recently, I have been having the same dream every night. I'm in front of a mirror, putting on makeup, but the face in the mirror isn't mine. Last night, I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and happened to glance at the mirror again. I saw the same face from my dream! At first, I thought it was an illusion, but... it didn't feel like one."
After listening to her description, I nodded. "Based on what you're saying, the problem is likely with your place. When did you move in?"
"Two months ago, but these strange dreams only started recently."
By now, we were downstairs. I told Xu Xiaoling, "Wait here for a moment. I'll grab something from my place and come right back."
"Uh... Xiaolong(Bruce), can I go up with you?" she asked, clearly too scared to wait alone downstairs.
I sighed. "Fine."
I opened the building door and led her upstairs.
When I entered my apartment, my parents were still waiting for me. They were confused when they saw me bring a woman home, but my dad quickly greeted us, "Oh, is this one of your friends? Come on in and sit."
My mom was just as welcoming. I briefly introduced Xu Xiaoling, saying she worked at a nearby museum and had come to help me authenticate a "broken sword hilt."
I went to my bedroom, grabbed my black backpack, packed the Shadow Sword, thirty Yang Talismans, and the last half-bottle of Cow Tears, then told my parents I was heading to the museum for the authentication, and wouldn't be back until late, so they shouldn't wait for me. I left with Xu Xiaoling.
Before leaving, my mom gave Xu Xiaoling a warm handshake. "Sweetheart, come visit us more often!"
My face turned red from embarrassment, and Xu Xiaoling seemed a bit awkward too.
Once we were outside, Xu Xiaoling seemed less frightened, though there was now a lingering sense of awkwardness between us. We walked in silence for a while.
Finally, she broke the silence. "Xiaolong(Bruce), do you think this trash can looks weird? I feel like we've passed it four times now."
It took me a moment, but when I noticed the trash can, I realized something wasn't right. The road leading out of the neighborhood was one I walked every day. Even when I jogged in the morning, I didn't take such a long route. This meant we'd likely encountered a "ghost wall!"
Why would this happen? Simple. When someone is at their lowest, ghosts can take advantage of the situation. It was clear that Xu Xiaoling was one of those unlucky people.
A "ghost wall" is a common trick used by spirits.
But playing ghost wall games in front of me? Too naive!
In the Niu Family Chronicles of Demon Slaying, there are dozens of methods to break a ghost wall.
Looking at the terrified Xu Xiaoling, I reassured her, "Don't worry, it's just a ghost wall."
As soon as I mentioned it, Xu Xiaoling nearly burst into tears. She pressed herself tightly against me, no longer caring about her modesty. I couldn't help but laugh.
Since I wasn't "seeing" at the moment, I couldn't spot the ghost tricking us, and honestly, I didn't want to see it either.
I quickly drew a circle with my left foot and stamped my foot hard...
My leg went numb, but we finally broke free of the ghost wall.
This method was one I learned from an ancestor.
I could have used a Yang Talisman to break the ghost wall or "open my eyes" to negotiate with the ghost. But I thought stomping my foot was the coolest, most mysterious method. Who knew I'd end up eating my own words?
We limped to the street, flagged a taxi, and headed straight for Xu Xiaoling's place.
The whole ride was quiet.
When we arrived at her building, she suddenly said, "I want to see what a real ghost looks like."
I tried to dissuade her, saying, "You might regret it. Seeing one could leave you with a permanent mental scar."
But she was determined. "I have to see it!"
Sighing, I pulled out my precious Cow
Tears and wiped a bit on her eyes.
Why not use a Yin Talisman to "open her eyes"? Because Xu Xiaoling's Yang fire was already weak. If I extinguished any more of it, she'd likely fall ill immediately.
As for me? I needed all the Yang energy I could get to deal with the ghost. After all, this was my first time dealing with one!
Once we were both prepared, I took my Shadow Sword in my left hand and a Yang Talisman in my right, and we slowly headed upstairs.