With virtue

"What did you dig up?" Zhao Yunshu turned to look at the ghost general.

Upon seeing this, the beauty quickly stepped forward: "It was just a joke, Daoist Master. Think about it, it's only been two hours. How could we possibly find the Immortal Master's whereabouts?"

Zhao Yun breathed a sigh of relief: "So it was just a joke, then I'm relieved."

"I was taken in and raised by my master when I was five years old. Although I have never been obedient and have always quarreled with him, I still know how my master treats me. All I ask for today is that my master can peacefully ascend to the Pure Land. Since my master is alright, I will go inside to get the box for you, and then we will all leave. How about that?"

"That would be best," the beauty said. "Then we'll wait for the Taoist priest outside."

"Alright, I'll go in first then," Zhao Yunshu said, and then walked into the Taoist temple.

Although it's called a Taoist temple, it's really just two small wooden houses. One is used to enshrine the patriarch and the gods, and the other is used for living. It's very simple and is located on a flat area in the mountains.

The beauty watched Zhao Yunshu walk into the Taoist temple.

Then she looked at the ghost general: "General, why create unnecessary trouble? And... did you send ghosts to capture those people again?"

As they spoke, one could vaguely see several ghostly figures behind them, who then dragged the woman and child back.

It seems that Chen Wanchuan, this seasoned veteran, escaped with the two children, while the woman and another child were captured.

"You think I'm afraid of him? Do you think I'd just let my blood offerings go?" the ghost general sneered.

The beauty sighed: "We are well aware of the general's abilities. In life, he was a slayer of a thousand men, and after death, he became even more formidable than before. In this entire state, there are few who can match you in battle."

"But listen to what he just said, this person... is very likely a member of the orthodox Xuanmen sect. Even if he isn't, the fact that we couldn't find him before shows that he must have some tricks up his sleeve."

The ghost general was displeased. In fact, when Zhao Yunshu asked the question just now, he felt a little uncomfortable and unaccustomed, which made him somewhat unhappy. It was a feeling he had not experienced for a very long time.

He thought for a while before realizing that the feeling was called apprehension.

That's why he was so angry and unwilling to show weakness, which is why he let the hundred ghosts capture the person again.

"The four directions and eight positions," the ghost general spoke, his voice extremely cold, "if you miss even one, you will all go to my blade to receive your punishment."

After speaking, he untied the ghost-head knife from his waist, placed it across his lap, and sat cross-legged on the stone steps in front of the temple gate.

His already imposing figure, now seated, made him resemble an iron-cast gatekeeper, completely blocking the only exit. Though the ghost-headed saber remained unsheathed, the image of a hundred ghosts parading at night, carved on its scabbard, slowly writhed in the moonlight, as if it might burst forth at any moment.

The remaining ghosts each found their place. Several cunning creatures with dog bodies and human faces were lying on the wall, and a wandering corpse with wings like tattered cotton was hanging upside down from the eaves. A snake spirit covered in green scales was coiled next to it, and even three balls of phosphorescent light slithered into the broken window of the woodshed.

The water ghosts and hungry ghosts that had been there before were also lingering around.

Many ghosts and monsters were driven by the ghost general and scattered throughout the surrounding area.

The beautiful woman stood alone in the courtyard, looked around, and nodded slightly.

This Taoist temple was only a few dozen feet in circumference, but it was filled with layers upon layers of ghosts. There were no dead ends in the sky, on the ground, in front, behind, left, or right. Not to mention a living person, even a mosquito flying out from any direction could not escape the simultaneous detection of so many eyes.

It shouldn't be a big deal, it's just going back on one's word. What does a ghost care about such things?

The ghosts held their breath, all was silent, and the entire Taoist temple was like a birdcage held by an invisible hand, while the birds inside were unaware of it.

?

And on the other side-

Zhao Yunshu entered the Taoist temple, where he saw the ancestral master's portrait carved by his master himself, surrounded by various spirit officials.

He sat down in front of the statue of the patriarch and then took off his shoes. The soles of his shoes were soaked in blood, and the skin on his soles looked as if it had been scraped off by something, rotting beyond recognition.

Zhao Yunshu rummaged through the Taoist temple, pulled out a roll of clean cloth, bit it in his mouth, and silently wrapped it tightly around his feet. With each wrap, cold sweat trickled down his temples, but he only frowned slightly, his hands moving without any slackening. After finishing, he put on his shoes, stomped his feet, and tested the tightness.

Okay.

He drew his sword, which the old Taoist priest had left him.

The sword gleamed coldly in the dim hall, illuminating his face. His face lacked the calm and collected demeanor he had displayed outside, and it also lacked the murderous aura that the ghost general exclaimed when digging the grave.

Then, the package was opened, revealing some talismans left behind by the old Taoist priest.

These are all talismans, not magic charms.

When Taoist priests talk about talismans, they are actually referring to talismans and incantations. These talismans and incantations come from celestial officials of high rank, because only these great gods are qualified to issue talismans and incantations.

Therefore, these talismans can summon ghosts and gods, making them come at your beck and call.

The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, in its chapter on magic arts, records that during the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a Taoist priest named Fei Changfang. He failed to achieve immortality, but received a talisman from his master, who said, "Use this to control the spirits and deities on earth." With this talisman, Fei Changfang was able to cure all kinds of diseases, whip hundreds of ghosts, and command the local deities and water gods. He was successful in everything he did, and even the Dragon King dared not disobey him in the slightest.

The record states: "Later, the Lord of the East Sea came to see the Lord of Gebei, and then committed adultery with his wife. The eldest son of the Lord impeached him and imprisoned him for three years, during which time the East Sea suffered a great drought. The eldest son went to the sea and saw the man praying for rain. He said to him, 'The Lord of the East Sea is guilty. I previously imprisoned him in Gebei, but now I release him to make it rain.' Immediately, rain poured down."

However, Fei Changfang later lost the talisman, and the ghosts killed him.

But the unorthodox Taoist priest naturally wouldn't have these; all he had were talismans.

It is a mixture of folk shamans and sorcerers, incorporating Western Buddhism, local Taoism, and the literary style and refinement of Confucian scholars.

When Cangjie created characters, millet rained down from the sky, and ghosts cried at night. Characters themselves possess the power of creation, capable of warding off evil and bringing good fortune. This tradition still circulates among the people today. Whether it is a wedding, funeral, moving to a new house, or raising the roof beam of a building, people will write auspicious words to pray for blessings and ward off evil. Even when a child cries at night, the elders in the family will ask a scholar with official rank to write a "night crying note" to seek the protection of the characters.

These characters, pieced together using various methods, formed the earliest talismans. The earliest users of these talismans were folk shamans and unorthodox Taoist priests. Many of the talismans they used were composed of calligraphy, inlaid with star charts, various items for capturing and binding ghosts, and even other methods. As long as they worked, they were fine. They were not valued by famous temples and monasteries, and were therefore called unorthodox sects.

The Five Pecks of Rice sect of Taoism was also known as "Rice Witches" because they were skilled in these unorthodox practices, meaning they were unworthy of the status of a Grand Master.

These kinds of talismans are called witch talismans or curse talismans.

The old Taoist priest left behind five talismans.

Two "Road Inaccessible Talismans" had already been used, which could be considered a waste due to a moment of impulsiveness, but Zhao Yunshu did not regret it.

If you hide in the cave and don't come out, then of course it won't be a waste, but if you do that... you might remember it for the rest of your life.

He looked outside.

You can actually see the two women and children who were captured and brought back.

My master's grave was also dug up.

Therefore, the impulse became even stronger.

All the belongings were laid out, including a "Great General Arrives Here Talisman," a talisman used to subdue zombies and specifically to suppress corpses. It used the power of a great general to suppress the evil energy within the zombie monsters.

A "Yellow God Amulet" – the Yellow God is the god of the center and also the god of the earth. The "Baopuzi" records that ancient alchemists would wear the "Yellow God Yuezhang Seal" for protection when entering deep mountains. It says: "In ancient times, people who entered the mountains all wore the Yellow God Yuezhang Seal, which was four inches wide and had 120 characters. They would seal it with mud and place it 100 paces away from their dwelling on the four sides. Then tigers and wolves would not dare to approach them."

This talisman uses the divine power of the Yellow God to subdue all ghosts and achieve the wonderful effect of protection.

One of the five talismans is called the "Demon-Subduing Talisman," which is also the only lethal talisman among them. The way this talisman is drawn is quite peculiar, divided into two ends: the upper end is heavenly fire and the lower end is earthly fire. The core of the talisman is in the middle. Although it is called the Demon-Subduing Talisman, in Zhao Yunshu's words, it is better to call it the Barbecue Talisman.

Three talismans and an iron sword.

Then, he took out the yellow book.

I just walked through a group of ghosts and monsters, only to find that the yellow book had dozens of extra pages.

The text that appears on the first page is the portrait and biography of that beauty.

The portrait was extremely exquisite and detailed, with brushstrokes as fine as hair, vividly depicting the beauty's appearance. The beauty in the painting was draped in silk and satin, her hair was styled in a high bun, and her eyes exuded charm.

The book continues: "Mei San Niang, whose real name was Wang Huanmei, was the top courtesan of the Wu County Jiaofangsi during the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty. She was skilled in playing the pipa and could sing the complete 'Rainbow Feather Garment Dance'. People at the time called her 'Mei Xian' (Plum Blossom Fairy). A wealthy merchant offered a thousand taels of gold for a single meeting but failed. Later, she was taken in by a staff member of a military governor. However, less than three years later, the staff member was convicted and imprisoned. She was implicated and eventually sent to Youzhou."

During the An Lushan Rebellion, Youzhou fell, and Mei Niang was captured by the rebel army and imprisoned in their camp, where she suffered humiliation day and night. One day, the garrison commander ordered her to sing, and Mei Niang sang the song "Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe." After finishing the song, she slit her wrists with broken porcelain, dying instantly, her blood splattering the tent curtains. The garrison commander, enraged by her bad luck, skinned her and left her body in the wilderness. Later, her vengeful spirit attached itself to the skinned face, transforming into a seductive ghost. She sought revenge but was nearly killed by the army in rebellion. She escaped and began to use her beauty to bewitch men.

Then the next page.

"Drowning ghosts are those who accidentally fall into the water in the countryside, either by drowning themselves or by being pushed into the water. After death, their souls are trapped at the bottom of the water, unable to reincarnate. Whenever they see a living person near the water, they wrap water plants around the ankles and drag the person into the water to drown, which is called a 'substitute.' However, even after the substitute is made, the original ghost is still unable to be freed, because the karma of killing is increased by another layer. Therefore, the more this ghost drowns people, the more desperate it becomes, and the more desperate it becomes, the more it drowns people, with no hope of escape."

Another page.

This time, it depicts two red shadows hanging upside down atop a flagpole, with long hair flowing like a waterfall and phosphorescent light flickering around them.

The footnote reads: "The Crimson Shadow Ghost is formed from the soul of a violent death. It is viewed upside down and is adept at bewitching people's minds. It is most afraid of things with abundant yang energy. A smear of rooster blood can break its form."

On the next page: "Night-walking corpses are those who died a violent death, their breath not yet exhausted but their bodies already buried in the earth. Their souls are trapped in the corpses, unable to escape. Nourished by yin energy, their flesh does not decay. Every night, they break through the earth and wander, growing fleshy wings from their sides. Although they cannot fly high, they can glide on the wind. They are blind and cannot see, but their ears are extremely sensitive. They will gather together when they hear human voices. Those who encounter them can escape by holding their breath and remaining still. If they are captured, dozens of corpses will bite them. They fear sunlight as much as they fear fire. As soon as it is light, they will hide in the earth. Their wings will turn into pus and blood when they touch the sunlight."

The next page reads: "Will-o'-the-wisp, the soul of a person who died a violent death is weak. After leaving the body, it has nowhere to attach itself and cannot become a ghost. However, if there are many dead, dozens or hundreds, they merge into one and become phosphorescent flames, drifting among graves and desolate fields. Its shape is sometimes blue and sometimes green, its brightness fluctuating. At first, it is just a ball of air, but over time it condenses into a human face with distinct features, and can make sounds of crying and laughing. It is not afraid of weapons, but only of strong winds. If it encounters thunderstorms or strong winds, it is like a candle caught in a raging storm, instantly extinguished. If one shines a bronze mirror on it, it will see its own image, be terrified, and flee—because when this ghost sees its own ghostly appearance, its soul is terrified and disperses on its own."

The ghost general meticulously recorded all the ghosts around him, with each page detailing a different creature, each accompanied by an illustration. The ghosts were depicted with lifelike detail, their scales, fangs, and claws rendered with exquisite precision, each a masterpiece of illustration and text. The ghosts included fierce spirits, vengeful souls, mountain demons, and walking corpses, each with its own form, origin, and taboos.

The most important ones are the Soul-Stealing Ghost General and Mei San Niang. The others don't have specific names or origins, only these two have a background.

As for the other demons, many of them had already been recorded in the Yellow Book before. The purpose of recording their auras again now is simply to make the previous images clearer.

It seems that only those who are stronger deserve to have their own page in the book, while those who are not strong enough will be categorized into a certain category.

After reading these pages, about half a cup of tea's time had passed when a sharp whistle suddenly came from outside—it was the beautiful woman's voice, shrill and piercing, cutting through the bamboo forest and stabbing straight into the eardrums: "Daoist Master? Have you found the box? Why have you been gone for so long?"

Zhao Yunshu ignored him, simply putting away the yellow book and closing his eyes.

A second whistle rang out, this time closer, and the tone less polite: "Taoist Master? If you don't come out soon, we're going in."

Ghostly shadows loomed outside the window, and Mei San Niang's voice echoed in his ears. He tucked the yellow book into his robes, then placed three talismans between the five fingers of his left hand, raised the iron sword with his right hand, and took out a red gourd from the Taoist temple.

I let out a long sigh of relief.

Master, oh Master...

When the master was alive, he often said, when refusing invitations from wealthy and powerful families to exorcise ghosts, "You can't exorcise the ghosts of rich and powerful families."

"Why? Those wealthy and powerful families, who knows which deity they've offended? Even if they haven't offended any deities, they're bound to have a few concubines and servants die in their backyards, all filled with resentment. No way, no way!"

Actually, there's more to that statement.

"Besides, going to those places... you might not know if you're helping ghosts or humans. If you end up killing someone, that would be a real problem."

"My master also kills people?"

"I won't kill you unless I see you. I'm old and soft-hearted, so I'll see you less. I'll just watch over you and raise you. I can't let you wander around with that old Taoist priest!"

"I'm not afraid!"

"I know you're not afraid, that's why I can't. Come on, Master will take you to buy sugar figurines."

"If you don't like sugar figurines, can you eat something else? That fermented rice wine is quite delicious..."

"You little rascal, this is the first time I've ever seen a kid who doesn't like sugar figurines but loves rice wine! You're definitely going to be a drunkard someday!"

Yes, sometimes, if you don't look, nothing will happen. You can plug your ears and hide until dawn.

But once I saw it, I couldn't resist.

Pull open the gourd and take a big gulp.

A third sound came from outside the door.

Immediately afterwards, the gate of the Taoist temple creaked open!