Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 20 Seeking Revenge
In the dilapidated courtyard, the candles on the altar had long since gone out, leaving only a few wisps of smoke in the incense burner, struggling to dissipate in the cold night wind.

Qi Yun quietly tidied up the memorial tablets and incense burner on the table, her movements swift and efficient.

The neighbors followed and cautiously gathered around Qi Yun.

Fear filled the faces of those who were still in shock.

"Little Taoist priest! Little Taoist priest!" The skinny woman had the highest voice and was at the front, asking impatiently, "What...what happened to that thing?"
"Have you tamed it yet? We can't let it come back!"

Her voice trembled.

"Yeah, yeah! That talisman was burning so fast it was terrifying! It flashed red light and then disappeared. Did it run away?"

Another woman patted her chest, her face pale with lingering fear.

"God help us, please don't haunt us!" The old woman clasped her hands together, muttering incantations, her cloudy eyes filled with fear.

Qi Yun carefully wrapped the last memorial tablet in blue cloth, stuffed it into his satchel, and then straightened up, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

His voice was not loud, but it clearly drowned out the chatter: "That ghost had already been suppressed by my master, Master Xuanji, with talismans, and was just waiting to be subdued and delivered to the afterlife."

He paused, his tone laced with cold sarcasm: "But then I was entangled by that Song Laosan, who was tearing at my master, which delayed me for a moment!"

In that very instant, the talisman's power was exhausted, and the ghost seized the opportunity to escape!

With a loud "boom," the crowd erupted in chaos!

"That damned Song Laosan! Gambler! A scoundrel!"

"He dared to ruin the Taoist priest's ritual because his own wife brought this trouble upon him!"
"What a wicked creature, even the King of Hell wouldn't accept it!"

"That ghost doll deserves to haunt him to death! He'll be damned!"

"They've dragged us all down with them! What a tragedy! Why didn't they just kill themselves at the gambling den!"

The curses were like boiling water, instantly turning their anger towards Song Laosan.

The women spat as they spoke, and the men waved their fists, as if they wanted to unleash all their fear and lingering dread on the unconscious drunkard.

At this moment, Song Laosan was no longer the fearsome rogue, but a scoundrel deserving of death.

Qi Yun coldly watched this farcical transfer of anger.

After the cursing subsided, he spoke again, his voice steady and carrying an unquestionable certainty: "Fellow villagers, rest assured."

My master's Taoist teachings are profound, and I have already followed in his footsteps.

Now that this wicked creature has revealed itself, there is no way it can escape!

"With the intervention of Master Xuanji, we will surely be able to completely eradicate them and restore peace to this place!" He emphasized the words "Master Xuanji" and "profound Taoist skills".

He was essentially made famous by his own mentor!

These words were like a reassuring pill.

The fear on everyone's faces quickly faded, replaced by flattery and fawning.

"Oh my! I knew it! The old Taoist priest looks like a highly accomplished master! He has the air of a sage!"

"Young Taoist priest, you are so young, yet you have such an extraordinary demeanor!"

That golden light just now, wow, that was divine skill!

"Thanks to the two Taoist priests' compassion! Otherwise, none of us in this alley would dare to close our eyes at night!"

"Yes, yes, yes! If that Song Laosan still dares to cause trouble after waking up, we will all be your witnesses!"
They should be handed over to the authorities and accused of obstructing the exorcism of a demon and falsely accusing an innocent person!
Let the magistrate give him a good beating!

The gaunt woman patted her chest and vouched for him, and the others echoed her, filled with righteous indignation. Qi Yun understood perfectly well that this group of people, when afraid of ghosts, only sought to protect themselves, and when they hated Song Laosan, they verbally attacked him. Now that they were safe, they sang praises, never mentioning "the Taoist priest's mercy" or "witnessing," but never uttering a word of thanks.

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings." Qi Yun bowed and said calmly, "Now that the evil spirits have been eliminated, this matter is settled."

It's late and the dew is heavy; please all return home.

Unwilling to waste any more words, he slung his satchel over his shoulder, parted the crowd, and headed straight for the "Yuelai" Inn.

Behind them, they could still faintly hear the women cursing Song Laosan and praising the master and apprentice in hushed tones.

Back in that musty, cramped room, Qi Yun took off his satchel and sat heavily on the cold edge of the bed.

A wave of fatigue washed over me.

Tonight, a series of events churned in my mind: Xuanjizi's solemn and dignified ritual steps, the talismans he painstakingly consecrated, the fragility of the golden talisman that crumbled at the first blow, and the red talisman that trapped the ghost but ultimately failed...

This was far from the thunderous methods and overwhelming demon-slaying scene he had imagined.

"Master..." Qi Yun murmured to himself, his brows furrowed, "...doesn't seem...that powerful?"

Compared to the Crimson Hunting Immortal Fire within his own body, which burned the black-haired monster like dry grass, the old Taoist's performance tonight seemed tedious, strenuous, and even... somewhat powerless.

"The Five Organs Temple... the Five Organs Temple in the ruins of Immortal Mountain... my master is the current abbot... the Crimson Hunting Fire was also obtained from the alchemy furnace there..."

His thoughts were in turmoil. "Is it just a coincidence of having the same name? Or... is there some connection I don't know about?"

And also, am I really not going back? Am I going to be stuck in this godforsaken place forever?

Countless mysteries shrouded Qi Yun's mind, and he couldn't figure them out no matter how hard he tried.

Exhaustion from a night of tossing and turning finally took over. Too lazy to even take off his clothes, he collapsed onto the cold bed fully clothed, and his consciousness quickly sank into the chaotic darkness.

……

I don't know how long I slept.

"Ugh!" A short, painful groan escaped Qi Yun's throat.

He woke up with a start, his heart pounding and a sharp pain shooting through him!
It is the Crimson Hunting Flame that is issuing a warning!

He instantly regained full consciousness, his inner shirt soaked with cold sweat.

The room was pitch black, and there was no moon outside the window; only deathly silence.

However, a chilling, bone-chilling stench, carrying the strong stench of river water and a rotten, sweet smell, was seeping in through the cracks in the dilapidated window frames, quickly filling the entire cramped space!
Qi Yun's pupils contracted sharply, and his gaze shot towards the window like lightning!

On the window frame covered with tattered paper, a sticky, ink-like black shadow was eerily "seeping" in! It was silent and invisible, like oil dripping into clear water, ignoring the wooden barrier and slowly coalescing into shape.

It was that escaped ghost baby!
Two crimson lights suddenly ignited in the darkness, locking onto Qi Yun on the kang! The resentment and greed in his eyes were a hundred times more intense than when they were in the courtyard!
It clearly recognized the enemy that had caused it great harm and indirectly led to the injury of its "mother"!

"Waaah—!" A shrill scream filled with endless hatred tore through the silence. The ghost infant transformed into a twisted black shadow, carrying a pungent stench, and rushed straight at Qi Yun's face with lightning speed!

The intense resentment was almost tangible, threatening to freeze and tear Qi Yun's soul apart!
Too fast! So close!

Qi Yun didn't even have time to turn around and dodge!
On the brink of life and death, the instinct for survival and the rampage of the Crimson Hunting Fire perfectly coincided!
"Get out!" Qi Yun roared, and the fire seed in his heart exploded!

Almost instinctively, he slammed his right palm out like lightning to meet the oncoming black shadow!

"call--!"

A pure, condensed, and incomparably blazing orange-red flame suddenly burst forth from his palm!

There are no complicated talismans, no lengthy incantations, only the purest and most violent power of incineration!
(End of this chapter)