They split into two teams again. Since they would be facing an evil ghost this time, Daoqing and Daoming led one team, while Qu Nanzhu led the other.
Lu Luqing got his wish and was assigned to Qu Nanzhu's team again, climbing the mountain steps in high spirits.
Qu Nanzhu looked back and asked him, "You're this happy about going to work?"
Lu Luqing told him solemnly, "This isn't just any ordinary job."
All right, then.
Qu Nanzhu didn't understand, but he respected it.
Their team's task was to search the outskirts of the village for the evil ghost's hiding place, while the other team was responsible for talking to the villagers and searching the village for clues.
The five of them spread out to search the dense woods outside the village. The trees blocked out the sun, and the atmosphere was cold and gloomy.
"Over here!" Zhou Mingzhong's somewhat urgent shout rang out, and the others immediately gathered around him.
Before them lay a graveyard. They all had their Yin-Yang Eyes opened now, so naturally, they could see the yin energy swirling here like thick fog.
"Hiss... There's so much yin energy here!" Lin Qianyu instinctively rubbed her arms.
While everyone was observing the area with grave expressions, the sharp-eyed Lu Luqing noticed that Qu Nanzhu hadn't come closer. Instead, he was leaning lazily against an old tree a short distance away, his arms folded and an expression that said he was ready for a good show.
[What's with God Qu's expression?]
[I feel like he's up to something.]
[Same.]
"Master Qu?" Lu Luqing ventured, feeling a little unnerved by his gaze.
Qu Nanzhu raised his chin toward the center of the thickest yin energy and said casually, "Looks like our target's most likely down there. Go on, get it out."
The four of them: "???"
An awkward silence spread among them. They exchanged looks, their faces full of bewilderment that said, "What is he talking about?"
"Get it out?" Luo Wenxi's voice was full of uncertainty. "How?"
As though he had heard a strange question, Qu Nanzhu raised an eyebrow and said in a tone that asked, "Do I really need to teach you this?"
"However you like. Just wake it up the way you normally wake people up."
[Awesome, even this evil ghost gets a wake-up service.]
[Are they really catching an evil ghost? Why does this look like they're playing around?]
Under Qu Nanzhu's "encouraging" gaze, the four had no choice but to steel themselves and begin an extremely unprofessional "wake-up service" in the graveyard.
There was no method to it at all. They were practically dancing on someone's grave, making a noisy, chaotic racket.
Leaning against the tree, Qu Nanzhu watched their funny but earnest efforts, his smile growing even brighter.
He wasn't worried about their safety in the slightest.
After all, the evil ghost's strength was halved during the day, and each of them had a willow switch to ward off evil and a protective jade talisman. The one who really ought to worry about safety was the evil ghost.
"Singing and dancing on a dead man's grave. Where are your manners?"
After about ten minutes of singing and dancing, a harsh, grating voice came from underground.
At the same time, the dense yin energy churned violently, and a vague, twisted black shadow flickered within it.
Unlike ordinary ghosts, evil ghosts could manifest before people.
With their Yin-Yang Eyes as well, everyone present could clearly see his ugly face, while the livestream viewers could see a blurry ghostly figure through the camera and hear those awful roars.
[What an eye-opener! I've finally seen something new.]
[I saw it! I saw it! Did you guys see it!!?]
[Not only saw it, but heard it too. Holy crap, evil ghosts really exist!]
[Waaah, this is so scary. I'm going to watch from under my blanket.]
The four people at the scene were even more frightened. They all took half a step back, tightening their grips on their willow switches nervously as they looked toward Qu Nanzhu behind them.
But Qu Nanzhu still showed no intention of stepping in himself. He even said disapprovingly, "It really was rather rude. In that case, whoever woke it up is responsible for soothing it."
The four were horrified.
"Master!!"
"Don't call me. We agreed I couldn't intervene unless necessary."
"But we don't know how! What if it tries to kill us!!?"
"Don't you have weapons in your hands? Don't be afraid. Ghosts fear the yang energy in humans most. The stronger your presence, the less it can do to you. You can do it!"
Faced with Qu Nanzhu's expression of complete faith in them, they could neither advance nor retreat.
This enraged the evil ghost, who felt these people weren't taking him seriously at all.
"Roar!"
The evil ghost roared in fury and lunged straight at them the next second.
The four screamed and scattered.
Qu Nanzhu encouraged them from the sidelines. "Don't run! Hit him with the willow branches in your hands!"
"It's daytime now. At least half its strength is suppressed. What you have in your hands is enough to deal with it."
"Yes, just like that. See? Isn't it cowering now?"
In her panic, Lin Qianyu swung her hand and struck the evil ghost with her willow switch. There was a sizzling sound, and the ghost roared in pain.
The others looked over.
Clutching her willow switch in both hands, Lin Qianyu exclaimed delightedly, "Wow! It really works!"
The other three, who had just been running in every direction, stopped and tightened their grips on their willow switches, their eyes resolute.
The tables had turned.
Before the evil ghost could react, the four were batting him back and forth like a shuttlecock.
"Ah!"
"Aah!"
"You're courting death!"
"Stop! Stop right now! I'll dissipate if you keep hitting me!"
[Wait...? Isn't this a little too hilarious?]
[Suddenly, ghosts don't seem that scary.]
[I can't take it anymore. I really want to join them.]
[Say no more. I'm going to find a graveyard right now, drag a ghost out, and whip him for eighty-one days.]
[Awesome. The King of Hell woke up to find himself knocked down to second place.]
[I advise everyone to stick to wanting to do it rather than actually doing it. Ordinary people are still at a disadvantage against evil ghosts. Remember, the magical treasures these people have are worth tens of millions.]
[Thanks to the person above for that bucket of cold water. I've calmed down.]
On camera, Qu Nanzhu only strolled forward to stop them once he saw that the ghost had been beaten enough.
The evil ghost could sense the aura on Qu Nanzhu that terrified ghosts. His face, which had long since admitted defeat, took on a fawning look.
"Esteemed Celestial Master."
Qu Nanzhu didn't respond. He handed the red cord to Lin Qianyu, who was closest to him, and said, "Tie him up. We'll take him back to the station later."
Lin Qianyu was very bold now. She and Lu Luqing each took one end and began winding it around the evil ghost.
Zhou Mingzhong clicked his tongue. "Even ghosts have to go to the station these days."
Qu Nanzhu said, "Don't worry. They all end up in the Underworld."
Lin Qianyu tied the evil ghost securely and said excitedly, "I feel like I could take on ten more!"
As soon as she finished, Qu Nanzhu mercilessly smacked her on the head.
"Owww!"
Qu Nanzhu looked at her expressionlessly and said, "Don't do anything stupid. It's daytime, so the evil ghost can barely use its strength. If it were nighttime and it created some sort of illusion, there's no telling who would be beating whom."
As he spoke, he began dutifully carrying out the special task Director Li had entrusted to him that morning-sharing knowledge live.
Qu Nanzhu said, "Back when I first started livestreaming, a young woman came into my livestream asking for help because an evil ghost was haunting her. That ghost wanted to eat her soul, but she had a protective talisman, so it couldn't get close. It spent several days tormenting her mentally instead, trying to frighten her soul out of her body."
"Once your soul leaves your body, a protective talisman can't help either. So if you really encounter an evil ghost at night, stay calm and go somewhere crowded. No matter what you hear, don't turn around. Once you're safe, find the police. Make sure you remember: whenever you encounter danger, you can go to the police."
[I was there, but back then, clips from God Qu's livestream weren't allowed to circulate online, so it's normal that not many people know.]
[Here's someone who watched the whole thing. I still remember that young woman's heart-wrenching screams. I still have the Divine Mantra for Purifying the Mind that God Qu chanted then saved.]
[Speaking of that, I remember going to the market for groceries last time and seeing two old ladies arguing over one yuan. Someone called the police, and when the officer arrived, he gave them one yuan each and told them to go their separate ways.]
[Can I add the person above as a friend? I've always wanted the audio of the Divine Mantra for Purifying the Mind, but I can't find it anywhere online.]
Meanwhile, Lin Qianyu, who had just felt so powerful, bit her lip and nodded.
It wasn't that she felt wronged by the scolding, but that she was ashamed of having been so arrogant.
Eager-to-learn Lu Luqing made his appearance just then. "Then, Master, where can we buy protective talismans like these that can ward off ghosts!?"
He had asked the crucial question. Qu Nanzhu gave him an approving look and passed on what he had learned that morning.
"You can look it up online. Any state-certified Buddhist or Taoist temple will have them available."
[I actually learned something useful from watching a livestreamed variety show!]
[Yes! There's a legitimate Taoist temple right by my home! I'm going during the holidays!]
[Hehehe, get yourselves ready for the peak of your careers!! Little Taoists and little monks!]
[What the hell? The abbot of the Taoist temple near my home has gone wandering the world? Says he'll be back in three years?]