The Pauper Ghost

"Even if the sky falls, you can't come in. Get out!" the disciple shouted.

Zhang Lingshan had no choice but to leave the main hall.

Fortunately, Shi Lei followed him out as well. Expressionless, he asked, "What happened?"

"Li Fu's family of three hanged themselves."

"Oh."

Without the slightest ripple of emotion, Shi Lei took out the money pouch Li Fu had given him earlier and handed it to Zhang Lingshan. "I failed the job. Return this money to them."

With that, he turned and left.

Zhang Lingshan knew Shi Lei had been shaken, so there was nothing he could say. In any case, Shi Lei could not help now. The reason Zhang Lingshan had sought him out was for these twenty taels of silver.

Only with silver in hand could he go to Red Leaf Temple to ask for talismans. If he went empty-handed, who would care who Zhang Lingshan was?

There was no extra time to waste. The moment Zhang Lingshan got the money, he raced toward the city outskirts.

Following the familiar route, he headed straight for Red Leaf Temple.

Because his physique had improved recently, he was twice as fast as before. Even after running all the way to the foot of Red Leaf Mountain, he was not tired.

But—

Something happened that Zhang Lingshan had not expected.

When they had delivered supplies to Red Leaf Temple before, the place had been deserted. Now it was packed to the brim. Even at the foot of the mountain, people were crammed together in a dense mass.

Is it really this popular? Is everyone here to pray to gods and worship Buddha?

Zhang Lingshan was rather astonished.

Judging by the crowd's pace, though, he probably would not be able to squeeze his way up the mountain even by noon.

But that did not stump him.

After all, he had worked here for half a year. He knew every route up the mountain like the back of his hand.

Before long, he found a concealed shortcut and entered Red Leaf Temple.

"Benefactor."

A young monk in gray robes was practicing Standing Posture at the back mountain. When he suddenly spotted Zhang Lingshan, he hurriedly called out, "How did you come up from here? Outsiders are not allowed on this path."

"Greetings, little master. I lost my way and wished to find a master who could give me a talisman to drive away evil."

Zhang Lingshan pressed his palms together.

The gray-robed monk did not answer. Instead, he stared at Zhang Lingshan with bright eyes for a long while before sighing. "Your condition is complicated, benefactor. There is a mass of black qi within you and a layer of bloody radiance outside you. This little monk cannot see through it, but I do know that misfortune hangs over your head. Please come with this little monk to see my master. My master is the renowned Du'e Zen Master. He will surely have a solution."

"Thank you, little master."

Zhang Lingshan was overjoyed.

This young novice looked only twelve or thirteen, yet his discerning eyes were like torches. He had actually seen through Zhang Lingshan's condition at a glance.

The black qi inside him was clearly the cause of the red marks on his body.

The bloody radiance outside him was naturally the curse of Li Fu's family of three.

If even a novice could see it at a glance, his master's abilities had to be greater still. He would surely have a way to drive away evil and resolve Zhang Lingshan's calamity.

It seemed there was hope for this trip after all.

Filled with anticipation, Zhang Lingshan's steps became lighter. He followed behind the novice, turned through several passageways, and finally arrived at a simple, elegant courtyard.

"Master, this disciple Hui Xiu encountered a benefactor who climbed up from the back mountain. His condition is complicated, and he seeks your guidance."

The novice called loudly from the courtyard gate.

"Come in."

An aged, kindly voice came from within.

Just from the voice alone, one could tell it belonged to an old monk who cultivated his character, possessed an immortal air and noble bearing, and commanded deep respect.

Creak.

He pushed open the courtyard gate.

Sure enough, Zhang Lingshan saw an old monk seated amid a carpet of red leaves. His yellow monk's robe stood in striking contrast against the crimson leaves covering the ground.

Faintly, Zhang Lingshan could even see a layer of yellow light spilling from the monk's body.

Buddha's light?

Zhang Lingshan had never expected that, though Red Leaf Temple had only recently been built, such a master would already be living here in seclusion.

He hurriedly pressed his palms together in salute. "Little Scholar greets the holy monk."

"Amitabha."

Du'e Zen Master raised his eyes slightly. After his clouded gaze swept over Zhang Lingshan, he shook his head. "Benefactor, you bear the karma of killing, have stolen a dead man's wealth, and have become entangled in a debt of grievance. Your allotted fate has run out. You should go down the mountain."

"Master, please save my life!"

Zhang Lingshan hurriedly took out the twenty taels of silver.

Yet Du'e Zen Master did not even glance at it. He calmly closed his eyes and flicked his sleeve. "Hui Xiu, take him down the mountain."

Whoosh!

Zhang Lingshan felt a fresh breeze sweep toward him, and his entire body involuntarily staggered backward again and again.

By the time he came back to his senses, he was already outside the courtyard, and the gate closed softly with a creak.

Everything had happened in an instant.

Du'e Zen Master's methods left Zhang Lingshan stunned.

"Benefactor, since my master says he can do nothing, you can only seek your own fortune. Please follow this little monk down the mountain."

Hui Xiu made an inviting gesture.

Zhang Lingshan's heart sank heavily.

With only a few words, Du'e Zen Master had neatly summarized everything Zhang Lingshan had experienced lately. That showed just how capable he was.

Yet even he said Zhang Lingshan's allotted fate had run out.

Could it be that he truly could only close his eyes and wait for death?

With a heavy heart, Zhang Lingshan followed the young monk Hui Xiu down the mountain, one step at a time.

Suddenly, Hui Xiu stopped and sighed. "This little monk sees that you are not an evil man, benefactor. There must be hidden circumstances.

"My master lives in seclusion from the world and does not wish to become stained by karma, but this little monk believes that saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.

"This little monk has two talismans here. One is a Ghost Suppression Talisman, which can suppress the Greedy Ghost inside you.

"One is a Grievance Resolution Talisman, which can ward off the curse of your grievance debt."

As he spoke, he took two talismans from his robes.

Zhang Lingshan asked in delighted surprise, "Can these two talismans truly resolve my predicament?"

"Of course. But the benefactor must sincerely seek and invite the talismans."

"How do I show sincerity?"

"Show the same sincerity you showed before this little monk's master just now."

As Hui Xiu spoke, his gaze flicked toward the money pouch in Zhang Lingshan's robes.

Zhang Lingshan suddenly understood.

"Ha ha!"

He abruptly laughed, then burst into hearty laughter. "I understand. Farewell!"

Too lazy to keep wasting words with Hui Xiu, he turned and left at once, racing down the mountain and returning to Hong Clan Martial Hall.

Rather than spend twenty taels of silver buying Hui Xiu's two worthless talismans, he might as well hurry back to Hong Clan Martial Hall. At the very least, he could still get a bowl of food that would increase his energy by 0.1.

Why did he call them worthless talismans?

Because Du'e Zen Master had already said his allotted fate had run out. If that old monk could not save him, how capable could his little disciple possibly be?

It was obvious Hui Xiu wanted to swindle him out of his money.

Earlier, in his desperation, he had actually rushed blindly to seek doctors everywhere, wanting to pray to gods and ask for talismans to save his life.

How utterly foolish.

Relying on others was worse than relying on himself.

Rather than spend money on spiritual talismans, he should spend it on medicinal ingredients and dried meat to build up energy.

As long as he had enough energy, his strength would increase and his qi and blood would be abundant. Why should he fear some Greedy Ghost or some grievance-debt curse?

Ghosts feared evil men.

As long as he was fierce enough and wicked enough, he would not need to fear any Evil Spirit.

Why had Li Fu's family of three not dared curse Three Rivers Gambling House? Because those people were vicious enough!

Once Zhang Lingshan understood this, he felt as though heaven and earth had suddenly widened before him.

His steps became even lighter, and he feared nothing.

Right now, let alone some Evil Spirit, even if the emperor himself came, Zhang Lingshan would dare bite him.

As long as I am not afraid, it is others who will be afraid.

"Uh, that pauper ghost just ran off. Does he look down on my talismans?"

Watching Zhang Lingshan flee without looking back, the young monk Hui Xiu felt a surge of displeasure.

No wonder Master had only taken one look before driving this kid away, not even deigning to say a single word to him.

Master truly had discerning eyes. He had seen at a glance that this kid was a pauper ghost.

Buddha only ferried the rich.

Even these two talismans were beyond a pauper ghost's means. What right did he have to buy Master's high-grade spiritual talismans?

Pah!