From Paper Craftsman to World-Suppressing Immortal

Zhang Zhixuan, Qingxuan, and Wuming sat together in Old Sun's house. Steam rose from the hot tea on the table, and the sun outside the window was already setting in the west.

Old Sun told the three of them to have a simple meal at his home that night, and then pulled his wife to the kitchen to get busy. Only Zhang Zhixuan, Qingxuan and Wuming were left at the table. There were melon seeds and peanuts on the table to entertain them, but they didn't touch many of them. The atmosphere was much more serious than before.

Qingxuan spoke first, tapping his fingertips on the table, his brows furrowed into a deep frown: "Master Zhang, I've always felt something was off about this. We've been in Linshuigu Town for most of the day, and all we've heard about is the headless ghost harming people. But everyone who's actually seen the headless ghost says he only asks, 'Where is Songjiang going?' and has never actually harmed anyone. I think that headless ghost isn't even as vicious as those two water sprites you pulled up today. The police files clearly state that all those missing people disappeared near Huishui Bay."

Wuming nodded in agreement: "Qingxuan is right. When we were performing the ritual for that mother and child, I could also sense that the bodies of those two people who died unjustly were shrouded in demonic energy. Among all kinds of evil spirits and monsters, demonic energy is the most unique, naturally carrying the aura of the original form of the demon. However, the mother and child had been soaking in the canal for too long, and the demonic energy on their bodies was mixed with various things in the water, making it difficult to identify the type of demon. But at least it proves that the deaths of these two people have nothing to do with the headless ghost."

Zhang Zhixuan picked up his teacup, took a sip of the warm tea, and sorted through all the clues he had heard that day: Xu Er only asked for directions from the headless ghost without harming anyone; most of the missing persons cases in Linshuigu Town occurred in Huishui Bay; and the bodies of the mother and child were tainted with demonic energy.

All the clues point to a completely opposite conclusion: the headless ghost that everyone in town fears may not be the real culprit, and the real culprit may be someone else entirely.

Zhang Zhixuan put down his teacup, looked up at the two of them, and said in a calm tone, "Based on all the clues we've gathered today, I suspect that the disappearances over the past two weeks weren't caused by the headless ghost. The real culprit behind the disappearances is probably something hiding in the Huishui Bay area. It's using the name of the headless ghost to quietly cause trouble, pouring all the dirty water on the dead soul while hiding in the shadows and getting away with it."

Qingxuan's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh: "That's right! I knew it! What kind of evil spirit harms people with just words and no real action? It turns out there's something else using him as a cover!"

Wu Ming still looked worried: "But this headless ghost wouldn't just wander around here for no reason. It appears at the canal ferry every night, asking everyone it meets, 'Where is Songjiang?' It must have some unresolved obsession. If we don't find out its origins and help it pass on to the afterlife, it's hard to guarantee that its obsession won't turn into evil in the future. We let it go because of a momentary guess. If its obsession turns into evil and harms innocent people in the future, wouldn't we also bear the sin?"

"Master Wuming is right." Zhang Zhixuan nodded, as this was exactly what he was worried about.

"Gentlemen, rumors circulating in the marketplace may be repeated a hundred times, but it's better to see for ourselves!"

"Does Layman Zhang mean that we should personally confront that headless ghost?"

"Yes! Since the future is uncertain, let's just go and meet him. Besides, we've already torn down the headless ghost's exorcism notice from the police station."

As Zhang Zhixuan spoke, he looked up at the darkening sky outside the window and said in a deep voice, "Tonight at midnight, we'll go to the canal ferry to see this headless ghost with our own eyes. If he is indeed deeply obsessed, he will surely turn into evil in the future. We might as well exorcise the ghost and eliminate the evil as soon as possible, so that the town can have peace and tranquility. Of course, if we can resolve his obsession and resentment, we might as well help him get rid of his obsession and send him to a peaceful death."

"Okay! Let's do it this way!" Qingxuan and Wuming immediately agreed.

The three had barely finished speaking when the curtain was lifted, and Old Sun walked in from outside: "Three esteemed gentlemen, this old man overheard you just now. Are you planning to go and meet the headless ghost at the ferry?"

"Yes, does Master Sun have any insights?"

"Alas, I can't say for sure. I heard some time ago that the headless ghost was wearing a scholar's robe from the late Ming Dynasty, and its speech and mannerisms were quite ancient. I wondered if the headless ghost might be a vengeful spirit from that sunken ship?"

"A shipwreck? Please tell me." Suddenly, a new clue appeared, and Zhang Zhixuan and the other two immediately became interested and quickly asked more questions.

Old Sun pulled up a chair and sat down, saying, "I've lived in this Linshuigu Town my whole life. I started working as a corpse retriever when I was a teenager. I've seen and heard a lot of weird and strange things in this canal, but the most peculiar one has to be that sunken ship in the canal."

"It is said that at the end of the Wu Ming era, a large ship was traveling south from Suzhou. When it reached the Linshuigu ferry, it was overtaken by the Qingman pursuers. The two groups fought on the river, and the ship was sunk by the Qingman's cannons. All the people on board were either killed or killed, and their corpses sank into the canal. From then on, the river became unsettled. People would often hear two groups fighting on the water at night. Later, because the fighting became too fierce, it caused panic among the people, and many moved away with their families. Most of the town of Linshuigu was abandoned. Later, a wise man passed by and heard about the situation. He immediately chose an auspicious time to perform a ritual to appease the souls of the dead. After that, the ferry crossing on the canal became much quieter."

"Does Master Sun know what kind of people are on that big ship?"

Old Sun shook his head and said, "I don't know. It's been too long, more than two hundred years. I only heard about it from the older generation. It's amazing that I can still remember it now."

After saying that, Old Sun added, "If you really want to find out the details of this shipwreck, go to the town government office and find Master Qian. That old man was a local scholar in his younger days, and he's almost seventy years old now. He's handled a lot of paperwork, so maybe he can know the specifics of this."

"Thank you for informing us, Master Sun. We've taken note." Zhang Zhixuan bowed to Old Sun in thanks.

"What are you thanking me for!" Old Sun waved his hand, a hint of shame on his face. "If it weren't for Mr. Zhang today, I would be dead. This is nothing."

As he spoke, he stood up and smiled at the three of them, saying, "It's getting dark, and dinner is ready. Why don't you three experts eat first? After you've eaten and drunk your fill, we can go and meet that headless ghost again tonight."

"Then we'll have to trouble you." Zhang Zhixuan was already hungry after a day of running around. The group followed Old Sun out of the inner room and saw a small table set up in the courtyard, with plates and bowls piled high on it.

In the center sits a large bowl of cornbread and stewed small fish. Don't underestimate this unassuming farmhouse meal; it has its own local Tianjin specialties.

The palm-sized crucian carp from the canal are cleaned, first deep-fried, then cooked and stewed with soy sauce and vinegar over low heat until tender and flavorful, even the fish bones are softened.

A ring of golden cornbreads is stuck to the edge of the large iron pot on the earthen stove. Half of them are soaked in fish soup, absorbing the salty and savory flavor, while the other half are roasted until crispy. Next to them is a bowl of shrimp paste and scallions. The finely ground shrimp paste is steamed until it is salty and flavorful, and paired with the crisp and tender scallions, it is the perfect accompaniment to rice. A pot of thick cornmeal porridge is also served. These are the most authentic dishes of ordinary northern families. There is no trace of delicacies, but they are full of the warmth and comfort of everyday life.

"We don't have anything fancy at home, please don't mind, eat whatever you like." The old lady smiled as she served the three of them porridge and kept piling vegetables into their bowls.

"You're too kind, ma'am. The food is delicious; we're so lucky to have such a wonderful meal today," Zhang Zhixuan said with a smile.

"Amitabha!" Wuming chanted the Buddha's name, watching helplessly as he ate the tempting delicacies on the table but could only chew on scallions and take a few bites of cornbread.

Zhang Zhixuan and Qingxuan were not polite at all. They picked up their chopsticks and ate with great skill. There is a saying in Tianjin: "Eat cornbread and stew small fish, the more you eat, the sillier you become!"

By the time we finished eating, it was completely dark, and it was well past midnight.

Old Sun found three windproof lanterns for the three men, put on straw raincoats, and repeatedly warned them, "The three of you must be very careful."

"Thank you, Grandpa Sun, we've got it." Zhang Zhixuan thanked the old man and his wife again, then he, Qingxuan, and Wuming carried the lanterns, turned and left the courtyard, heading towards the canal ferry.

The town of Linshuigu at night was even more desolate than during the day. Every household had its doors and windows tightly shut, and not a single light could be seen. The only sound was the howling of the wind blowing through the empty streets. The three of them walked along the dirt road toward the ferry. The light from the kerosene lamp drew a dim yellow ball in the dark night, but it could not illuminate very far.

The closer they got to the ferry, the colder the air became, and the air was filled with a faint, pungent smell.

When they reached the ferry crossing, there was less than a quarter of an hour left. The three of them found a sheltered, dilapidated boat and hid behind it, waiting quietly.

Time ticked by, and the sound of a clapper echoed from the depths of the town, clang, clang, clang...

The clapper sounded twelve times, its dull thud piercing the night and landing on the ferry crossing.

It's midnight.

Zhang Zhixuan stared intently at the area near the ferry crossing, his brows furrowed.

The moment the clapper fell, the previously calm river surface suddenly changed.