Chapter Seven: The Taoist's Extraordinary Adventure

Eating frogs is extremely cruel, as the heads and bodies of the frogs are not consumed. Not only is it troublesome to handle, but there is also little meat. I catch the frogs and use a small knife to cut off their two hind legs at the root, discarding their bodies and only peeling the skin off the frog legs, which I then roast over a fire to eat

Around the age of ten, during a tumultuous summer, our family faced severe shortages of food and water. Even the small fish and shrimp in the water were rarely seen, as they had become scarce. With no other options, I often went to the edges of the pits and rivers to catch frogs, which I would then cook and eat their legs

About half a month after my illness, a "semi-divine" person from the same clan informed my family that my ailment was not an ordinary one. However, he had limited abilities and could not resolve it. He advised my family to take me to the Ziyun Taoist Temple, which was several dozen miles away, to seek the guidance of the Taoist priest Shaoyang Zhenren, as there might be hope for my recovery

The frogs, whose hind legs have been severed, are thrown aside by me. Although they bleed profusely, they do not die immediately. They lie there, suffering, with their eyes wide open, looking at me with a mix of anger and helplessness as I eat their legs

"Unless you renounce the world, how could the Frog King and countless vengeful spirits spare you? In a few days, your legs will surely rot, and you will die in agony and lamentation..." The Taoist priest shook his head, sighed, and fell silent.

In utter helplessness, I had no choice but to follow the advice of the Taoist priest Shaoyang from the *Book of Images*, to renounce the world and seek refuge from calamity. This can also be seen as a blessing in disguise, as I was fortunate to encounter my esteemed master, the True Man of Shaoyang. Following my master, I learned the way of the Dao and practiced rituals, traveling far and wide to help those in distress, which has led to my present circumstances

It is said that the wandering Taoist priest resolved the village's great trouble with the old turtle's nest. The entire village, young and old, expressed their gratitude. They unanimously elected the local gentry, Mr. Hu Deshen, to represent the villagers in offering a substantial monetary reward to the priest. However, the priest firmly declined to accept any payment.

The story of the Taoist priest left the villagers in awe, and they all expressed their willingness to heed his teachings and accumulate virtue through good deeds

My family found several doctors for me, and after taking a few doses of medicine, my high fever gradually subsided. However, I still feel drowsy, and my legs are becoming increasingly painful, eventually turning numb, making it difficult to walk

Later, I sought many doctors one after another and took a considerable amount of medicine. Not only did I not see any improvement, but my legs became increasingly severe, rendering me completely unable to walk. Consequently, I was in such pain that I moaned day and night

Thus, I do not know how many frog legs I have consumed, nor do I know how many frogs have suffered a fate worse than death, enduring torment and ultimately perishing! In short, I simply catch them, and whatever I catch, I eat. Gradually, the frogs have become increasingly scarce, making them harder to catch.

Just as I was about to return in disappointment, I discovered not far from me a large frog. Upon closer inspection, the frog was as big as a bowl, with a yellow-green back and a white belly, appearing quite robust and plump under the glow of the setting sun. I was overjoyed; such a fat frog is truly rare. Looking at it, I could almost envision the two frog legs I had cut off, followed by their delicious and fragrant roasting.

We naturally do not believe that this is so serious and are determined to return home to seek a renowned doctor

My family took me to the Ziyun Taoist Temple, where I was guided by two young acolytes to meet the renowned Shaoyang Zhenren. I saw that the Daoist priest had white hair and beard, a clear and serene face, bright and piercing eyes, and his flowing white beard gave him an air of ethereal grace and dignity

The next day, we traveled to a county town several dozen miles away and sought the help of a foreign doctor. The foreign doctor conducted various examinations but found nothing. My legs, which were both painful and numb, indeed showed no signs of bruising or injury. The foreign doctor shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he was also at a loss.

Thus, I do not move forward, and it does not escape; when I lunge forward, it leaps ahead, always maintaining a distance of about one zhang from me. The more this happens, the stronger my desire to catch it becomes. I straighten my back and rub my hands together, determined not to give up until I have captured it.

I have been to this place before, called "Old Ghost Slope," which is essentially a mass grave. Generally, adults do not allow children to come here, as it is said that this Old Ghost Slope is very sinister. Adults with weak constitutions who come here often return to experience nightmares and delirium.

Unknowingly, I chased that big frog all the way until the sun set, without realizing how far I had gone. I only felt drenched in sweat. I stopped and looked around, and I was so astonished that I almost screamed!

Regardless of whether others believe that frogs possess a spirit, I certainly resonate with this notion. However, what I encountered was not a frog, but a weasel—specifically, the renowned Huang Daxian.

That night, I developed a high fever and kept having nightmares. In my dreams, two frogs the size of basins led countless little frogs without hind legs to surround me, all shouting, "Give me back my legs, give me back my legs..."

Just as I was about to turn and run, I discovered that two frogs had appeared beside me without my noticing. These two frogs were as large as washbasins, their eyes very expressive, yet filled with anger and an eerie quality, quite different from the frog eyes I was accustomed to. The moment I locked eyes with one of them, I felt my hair stand on end, and sweat poured down my back like cold water. At that moment, my thoughts were no longer about the tender and delicious frog meat, but rather about how to escape!

One evening, as the weather had turned slightly cooler, I found myself once again by the small river where I often grilled frogs, preparing to indulge my cravings. Strangely enough, after searching for quite some time, I did not find a single frog.

The Taoist priest, having heard these words, agreed and settled in the village. After meals and during tea time, he recounted many past events to the villagers, serving as a means to encourage goodness and to preach to others. For the sake of convenience in narration, I will adopt the first-person perspective, where "I" refers to the Taoist priest himself.

Everyone felt quite apologetic and insisted on inviting the Taoist priest to stay in the village for a few more days. The local gentry, Hu Deshen, also stated that while he could forgo a large sum of money, he could not go against the will of the people. If the Taoist priest did not stay for a few more days, the villagers would also feel uneasy in their hearts.

I swallowed hard, bent down, and slowly walked towards the large frog, preparing to catch it in one swift motion when the distance was just right. Just as I was about to get close, it suddenly leaped away, creating a gap between us, and then it squatted there motionless again. ... I approached slowly once more, and it jumped up again, leaving me to miss my chance once more

My family name is Chen, and I was born in a time of turmoil. In my childhood, I was quite mischievous, climbing trees to catch birds and poking beehives, going into the water to catch fish and shrimp. Anything edible was either roasted or boiled, while inedible items were treated as toys, resulting in the death of countless living beings, without ever considering the act of releasing them back into the wild. Thus, I formed a karmic bond, leading to adverse consequences

The sky gradually darkened, and the surroundings became unclear. Just as I turned to run, two frogs, each the size of a basin, lunged at me from either side, biting my thighs. Although it wasn't very painful, it startled me enough to let out a scream and flee in a panic

The Taoist priest glanced at me slightly, without examining the injury on my leg, and slowly said: "Although it is a chaotic and harsh time, making a living is not easy, yet at such a young age, you have committed grave sins! While it is the way of nature for all beings to consume one another to survive, it is utterly unacceptable to let them suffer in a state where they cannot live or die, enduring endless pain and torment until death. Moreover, the countless killings have created too much resentment, which may lead to irreparable consequences!"

Not far along, I encountered my elder brother who had come to find me. It turned out that my father, seeing that I had not returned home so late, had sent my brother to look for me by the riverbank near the pit where I often played. Upon hearing my cries, my brother came towards me and took me back home

I hurriedly sought help from the Taoist priest, and my parents were also pleading with him on my behalf

Later, I sought countless doctors, using an unknown number of internal and external medicines, yet my legs remained unable to get out of bed and walk. My family grew increasingly anxious, and I became more terrified and desperate