Chapter Nine, Birthmark

After cursing a few times, my mood finally calmed down. I then asked, "But you entered my body without telling me about yourself, and you also did not leave. What is going on with that?"

What do you want me to do? I can't just give you my body, can I? Fortunately, my self-control is still quite strong. Although Zhao Xiaoruo is beautiful and has a pitiful background, I absolutely cannot make such a foolish deal of giving my body to him and losing my mind in the process.

The old man casually glanced at me on the table, and that single glance caused him to tremble all over, his face displaying an expression of disbelief. Suddenly, he hurriedly approached me, extending his trembling hand to gently stroke my chest

"Can you hug me? I'm very cold," Zhao Xiaoruo said, lowering her head. Although she is now a ghost and cannot blush, I still sensed her embarrassment.

Before long, I was stripped bare by my parents like a white-skinned pig. Fortunately, I was unconscious; otherwise, it would have been utterly humiliating.

The old Taoist observed for a long time, suddenly raised his head, and, somewhat excitedly, pointed at my chest and asked my parents: "Is this thing innate?"

No wonder, no wonder, it seems this child is truly destined to be with me. I never expected that after all this time, I have finally found my disciple, hahaha!" After the old Taoist finished speaking, he laughed heartily towards the sky a few times, then crossed his legs and sat in front of me, saying to my parents: "Let us wait until nightfall. After it gets dark, I will cast my spell and guarantee that I can save this child.

Hearing this, I was at a loss for words. Everyone desires to live; no one willingly wishes to die. If the situation were to be reversed, I too would find it difficult to say. Therefore, I did not blame her; I merely sighed.

The Supreme Taoist Deity, also known as the Supreme Old Lord of Taoism, is one of the Three Pure Ones in Taoism. It is said that he is the progenitor of the divine kings, residing in the Purple Tenuity, and is the master of the flying immortals. He has become the supreme celestial deity and often manifests in different forms in the world, existing in every realm. Taoist texts record that he was born before heaven and earth, and figures such as Fuxi, Nuwa, and Laozi are all considered his reincarnations.

The parents, having heard the old Taoist priest's assurance that he could save me, and having witnessed his earlier display of skill, thought to themselves that the only child of the He family would finally be safe this time. With their minds at ease, they now awaited the arrival of night.

I watched as the yellow light coiled around her like a snake, unable to resist reaching out to untangle it for her, but the yellow light was like real light, making it impossible for me to touch it

No, there is no need for that. The old Taoist outside will perform a ritual tonight to force me out of your body. I only ask that once I am out, I not be beaten to the point of losing my soul. I have already told you about my death. I hope that once you are well, he can perform a ceremony for me. All I seek is to return to the underworld and be reincarnated.

Listening to what his classmates and teachers said, this child sleeps while holding a peach wood sword, but later they discovered that the sword was made of locust wood, the mother said softly

In Daoist secret arts, there is a saying about turning beans into soldiers. In "Investiture of the Gods," the Lantern Master used this remarkable skill to assist Jiang Taigong in defeating the army of Chaoge. Ordinary people may think this is a fabricated legend, but such extraordinary techniques do indeed exist, and those who possess this skill are undoubtedly true masters of the Daoist tradition

"You... you must save me. The old Taoist and the bookish scholar outside are very formidable, and I am very afraid." Zhao Xiaoruo, trembling in the yellow light, looked at me with pleading eyes

This time my parents were completely taken aback by the strange behavior of the old Taoist priest, watching him kneel and bow to me, utterly at a loss for what to do

Upon hearing him say that he would definitely save my life, my parents couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. When he mentioned taking me as his apprentice, although they were puzzled, at that moment, saving my life was all that mattered. Moreover, the magical technique he had just displayed was truly astonishing, and learning some skills from him seemed quite beneficial. They had now completely come to believe in the existence of ghosts and deities in this world, so they treated this Taoist with great respect and eagerly nodded in agreement.

"It doesn't matter, just holding me like this is enough for you." Zhao Xiaoruo nestled in my arms and said softly to me

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist's expression became even more agitated. He quickly stepped forward to his father, grasped his hand, and urgently asked, "Please tell me the child's date of birth"

The handful of beans was scattered by the old man, but unlike the way an ordinary person would throw them, they formed a perfect circle around the table where I lay, all the beans gathered neatly together, with not a single one rolling away.

The father, who had been hiding at the door, was both astonished and delighted upon witnessing the old Taoist perform such a feat. He was surprised that this disheveled old man could actually wield this legendary magic, and delighted that his son was finally saved. The middle-aged Taoist standing beside the father was also wide-eyed in astonishment; it was the first time this fake Taoist had seen the true and miraculous spells of Taoism.

Zhao Xiaoruo felt a bit embarrassed upon hearing my question and lowered her head. After a long pause, she quietly said: "I originally intended to tell you the truth and then leave, but later I started to have ulterior motives. I do not want to die; I want revenge. Therefore, I stayed. Moreover, your body seems to be quite special, as there is a force protecting you, and I feel I cannot leave either."

Although she is a female ghost, we have had a relationship, so my heart suddenly softened. I walked up to her, crouched down, and without hesitation, I picked her up and held her in my arms

The birthmark on my chest, apart from being a dark red color, also has the peculiar shape of a human head. This head features a tall bun, a prominent nose, and even the beard on the chin is distinctly visible. Upon closer inspection, it resembles the profile of an elderly Taoist priest.

Although the parents were anxious, the old Taoist remained unhurried, calmly drawing paper talismans. It was not until nearly midnight that the old Taoist stood up, and, pulling out a handful of yellow beans from somewhere, signaled for the parents and the middle-aged Taoist to stand back. He then raised his hand and scattered the yellow beans.

As dusk was just settling in, the middle-aged Taoist who had led us up the mountain brought us dinner. After everyone had finished eating, the middle-aged Taoist did not return to the temple, seemingly eager to witness how the old Taoist would go about saving me

The old Daoist, seeing that his parents had agreed, appeared very pleased. He glanced at me on the table a couple more times, furrowing his brow in curiosity, and asked his parents: "This child has some connection with my Daoist teachings. Generally speaking, ordinary vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts cannot approach him. Was there anything unusual when he encountered trouble?"

Her body was very light and soft, as light as a kitten, gently resting in my arms. I was not lost in thought at all, for I could feel her body trembling continuously in my embrace. It seemed that the yellow light truly posed a significant threat to her

Upon hearing his mother finish speaking, the old Taoist's hands trembled even more violently, and it seemed that tears were welling up in his eyes. His parents, observing his strange demeanor, were at a loss as to what had transpired and were so frightened that they did not dare to breathe.

Upon seeing this, my parents realized that the old man was referring to a birthmark on my chest. This birthmark, which has been with me since birth, is a dark red mark about the size of a fist, located on the left side of my chest

Zhao Xiaoruo looked at me with a slight smile after I agreed. This smile was not the strange kind I had seen before, but rather one filled with gratitude, accompanied by a hint of the shy demeanor of a young girl, which stirred a wave of excitement within me

Fortunately, the old priest bowed three times and then stood up. Observing the anxious expressions of the parents, he spoke: "You need not worry. This child has a great destiny with me, and I will certainly save his life. However, there is one condition: he must become my disciple and stay with me on this mountain for three years"

The old man did not answer him, but leaned his head against my chest and observed for a long time. He was quite disheveled, and now he placed his hand on my bare chest. This scene could easily lead one to think of unfavorable implications. If I were awake, I would definitely give this old fellow a slap.

At that moment, the old Taoist suddenly turned around and shouted at me: "Great Supreme Taoist Deity, please accept your disciple's three honors and a tribute!" As he spoke, the old Taoist suddenly bowed down, knocking his head three times on the table in front of me, the sound of his head hitting the ground resonating loudly, demonstrating great reverence.

Hearing her request was not excessive, which relieved me. I nodded and said to her: I will definitely help you accomplish it

After thinking for a moment, my father shook his head and said, "There is nothing strange about it; when we arrived, the child was unconscious, as if dead."

The sudden action of the old Taoist startled my parents. If it weren't for the incredible display he had just shown, my father would surely think that this old fellow was a bit unhinged. Watching him stroke my chest as if he were caressing a rare treasure, my father couldn't help but ask, "Daoist, what are you doing..."

Seeing the unusual behavior of the old Taoist, the father felt a sense of unease and momentarily forgot to respond. It was the mother beside him who spoke up, saying: "Master Tao, my child was born on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month"

The parents, upon seeing the old Taoist's tense expression, nodded in agreement and said: "Yes, it is innate. This child was born with this birthmark, which was not as large before; it has grown along with our child."

There was nothing particularly strange, except for the shape of that birthmark

I am a soft-hearted person, especially when I cannot bear to see women displaying a pitiful demeanor in front of me. In particular, Zhao Xiaoruo directly touched the most tender part of my heart, making me unable to resist the urge to hold her in my arms and protect her

At that moment, my parents placed me on the table, and the old Taoist priest instructed them to remove my clothes, stating that it would be more convenient for the ritual to be performed later

I couldn't help but hold her a little tighter, sighing inwardly, alas, she is a pitiable girl