Chapter 6, The Paper Man
The practice of burning paper figures is a continuation of human sacrifice. Before the Qin and Han dynasties, when nobles and dignitaries died, many living individuals would be buried with them, driven by the belief that they would continue to wield power and influence in the afterlife. Ordinary families, however, could not afford such sacrifices. Yet, as the saying goes, what is good above must be followed below, leading to the invention of a method to burn two paper figures for the deceased, ensuring that they would not be alone in the afterlife, as there would be someone to serve them. This practice eventually evolved into a custom.
The scene was in complete chaos, with the vengeful spirits splattered by blood transforming into blue smoke. There were also wild foxes, entangled and incessantly bitten by the malevolent spirits, howling in pain. In the blink of an eye, the yellow fox that had once brought misfortune to the Zhao family fell dead, torn to shreds by the obedient spirits. Lin Laoshi watched in astonishment as the small courtyard turned into a hell on earth. It was unclear how much time had passed, but the wails of the spirits gradually faded away. The courtyard was in disarray, with ghosts and foxes having fought to mutual destruction. Only the black fox remained, along with the paper figure of a little girl.
Regardless of how Lin Laoshi felt, he was utterly immobilized. All he could hear was the increasingly loud cries of his wife, which indicated that the child was about to be born. Upon hearing Li's cries of pain, the black fox raised its head in a show of defiance, baring its teeth at the group of ghosts. Under the guidance of the paper figures and the soul-calling lantern, the ghosts responded with fierce howls towards the black fox. In that small courtyard, the sounds of wailing and howling filled the air, as if it were not of this world
With a snap, the black fox descended from the sky, its pair of enchanting red eyes fixed intently on Tingshuo. It raised its right front paw and made a feigned swipe at him. As the black fox moved, the inner elixir transformed into a beam of pink light that suddenly shot towards Tingshuo. The inner elixir whistled away, generating a fierce gust of energy, and the surrounding area was instantly filled with a foul odor.
The black fox, in pain, twisted its body, blood splattering everywhere, hitting Lin Laoshi's face. The demon core fell, dim and lifeless, just as it dropped into the mouth of a newborn child. Lin Laoshi initially intended to strike again, but at that moment, he heard his wife let out a moan. His hand paused for a moment, and taking advantage of this brief hesitation, the black fox turned and fled, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
The pervasive heavy aura of darkness transformed into drops of rain that fell from the sky, accompanied by the wails of ghosts and a sudden rise in the howling wind, causing the temperature to plummet several degrees. The stench of blood spread everywhere, and in an instant, this place seemed to have turned into a realm of the underworld. The aura of darkness grew increasingly dense, and the vengeful spirits, once like smoke and mist, gradually became clearer. Countless malevolent spirits shrieked as they charged towards the group of foxes
Immediately afterward, more than a dozen foxes of various colors darted into the courtyard. Among these foxes were white, red, yellow, and those with a mix of yellow and white. Among them was the white fox that Lin Laoshi had struck with an axe, as well as the yellow fox that he had seen with the old woman of Li Toupeng. Each of these foxes was carrying a black dog in its mouth
Lin Laoshi, relying on his craft, was always invited to help make two paper figures whenever there was a funeral in a household. The wealthy families looked down on the paper figures he made; his clients were mostly from humble backgrounds. Although he couldn't earn much money, he was always treated to a good meal and drinks. Gradually, Lin Laoshi became acquainted with some of the customs involved. The paper figures also had names: the male figure was called "Tinghua" and the female figure "Tingshuo." It was forbidden to paint eyes on the paper figures, as it was said that doing so would imbue them with spirit, making them reluctant to be burned. Some even claimed that they could become sentient and cause mischief.
Two paper figures holding a soul-calling lantern stood guard at the entrance, surrounded by a thick aura of malevolent spirits. Even the black fox dared not provoke them easily, resulting in a stalemate. In the distance, ghostly flames continued to gather towards his yard. In a short while, dozens of wild spirits appeared in the small courtyard, among which Lin Laoshi recognized several, as they were the people who had died in the nearby villages and the library over the past few years.
Before him stood two paper figures, and Lin Laoshi's heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself, could it be that there was a problem with the paper figures he made for that family? However, in the past six months, no one from the nearby villages had sought him out for paper figures. Moreover, these two paper figures were quite different from those he had made before; the materials were clearly high-quality South China paper, not the ordinary straw paper. The pigments were also of a superior grade, and he had never used such fine paper or such high-quality pigments before.
But being able to see this is worse than not seeing at all, hazy and indistinct. Before him, what is that ghostly fire? It is clearly two paper figures used for grave offerings. On the left is a boy in a red outfit, and on the right is a girl in a green outfit. Both paper figures have pale faces, and their red and green garments emit a dim, obscure glow as if smeared with oil. Each of their cheeks is adorned with rouge, giving them an incredibly eerie and sinister appearance
The black fox was also aware of the formidable nature of the yin energy and did not dare to hold its ground. It slowly retreated, and with this back-and-forth movement, it was on the verge of being forced out of the courtyard. Once it was out the door, the black fox would not be able to accomplish its task tonight. However, to everyone's surprise, when the black fox reached the two dilapidated wooden doors that seemed almost non-existent, it suddenly stopped, then tilted its head and let out a shrill cry.
The cry of the black fox is sharp and piercing, imbued with an indescribable sense of hatred and malice. Upon hearing it, the listeners seem somewhat anxious, as the ghostly cries urge the wild spirits to move forward. At that moment, the dogs in the village suddenly begin to bark furiously. The barking starts abruptly and fades just as quickly; some dogs begin to bark only to fall silent immediately, as if someone had suddenly grasped their throats.
Old Lin knew that the black fox had come for revenge, but he did not understand why so many evil spirits were protecting his home. He was unsure whether it was the ancestors showing their divine presence or if the offerings made today had pleased these ghostly lords, prompting them to come and bless him
Lin Laoshi is also skilled at making paper figures, and his craftsmanship is quite good. He uses local reeds to create the skeletons of the figures, then applies glue to attach paper and adds color. This skill was learned from an elderly woman in a neighboring village. Lin Laoshi is a sincere person, yet his hands are quite adept, and the paper figures he creates possess a certain spirit. To what extent do they possess this spirit? It is said that a family burned one of Lin Laoshi's paper figures, and the deceased elder from that family was very pleased, even appearing in a dream to thank Lin Laoshi.
The soul-calling lantern emitted a chilling aura, causing the black fox to hesitate in its approach. It twisted oddly in mid-air but was blocked by the sound. Lin Laoshi, disregarding everything else, scrambled into the house, only to find the wooden bed covered in blood and flesh. His wife was silent, leaving him uncertain of her fate, while the child's cries were remarkably strong, echoing far into the night.
Upon hearing the black fox's desperate struggle, its pitch-black eyes spun rapidly. It pouted and suddenly inhaled sharply towards the soul-calling lamp, drawing all the ghostly flames within into its body. A ball of eerie blue fire ignited around it, transforming the entire being into a mass of ghostly flames. This ghostly fire was chillingly cold, meeting the inner core expelled by the black fox. At the moment of their encounter, a flash of white light swept through the entire room, and the paper figure was said to have vanished without a trace. The black fox fell to the ground, suddenly spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, its form slumping slightly. No longer wishing to contend, it abruptly leaped into the air, attempting to swallow back the already dim and lifeless inner core. The entire being had turned into a mass of ghostly flames, this ghostly fire chillingly cold, meeting the inner core expelled by the black fox. At the moment of their encounter, a flash of white light swept through the entire room, and the paper figure was said to have vanished without a trace. The black fox fell to the ground, suddenly spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, its form slumping slightly. No longer wishing to contend, it abruptly leaped into the air, attempting to swallow back the already dim and lifeless inner core.
Evil spirits are inherently most afraid of foul energy; when splashed with dog blood, it becomes even more formidable. The group of ghosts was so intimidated by the pack of foxes that they began to retreat. It is said that the two paper figures were somewhat unable to suppress themselves, and soon the foxes launched a large-scale attack. The blackness in the eyes of the boy paper figure grew increasingly intense, and it emitted an extremely strange cry. This cry was deep and muffled, causing the group of ghosts to weep in unison. It is said that the two paper figures were somewhat unable to suppress themselves, and soon the foxes launched a large-scale attack. The blackness in the eyes of the boy paper figure grew increasingly intense, and it emitted an extremely strange cry. This cry was deep and muffled, causing the group of ghosts to weep in unison.
The black dog, clutched by the fox, was drenched in blood and ran about wildly, splattering blood everywhere. Some of the ghosts, splashed by the dog's blood, immediately ignited, emitting piercing cries before vanishing without a trace
Moreover, these two paper figures have been painted with eyeballs, the pitch-black eyes devoid of life, evoking an overwhelming sense of chill at a mere glance. Strangely, each of these paper figures holds a soul-calling lantern in their hands, the ghostly white lanterns seemingly transformed from the resentful thoughts of numerous souls in hell, cold enough to chill the very soul.
Old Lin's eyes were blurred with tears, and he was in unbearable pain. He could hear his wife crying out in agony, yet he was unable to move. Suddenly filled with shock and anger, he struggled with all his might. After a while, he still could not move, but the sharp pain in his eyes was not as intense as before. He could vaguely open them and see a little bit of something.
At that moment, a loud cry of a baby echoed in the room. Lin Laoshi's entire body trembled; his child had finally been born. However, upon hearing the cry, the black fox, which had remained still, suddenly lunged forward like a bolt of black lightning, moving at an incredible speed. Lin Laoshi gasped, realizing he could move. His heart was filled with both anxiety and joy, a feeling that was indescribable. He heard himself making strange noises, and there were no helpers left by his side; only she remained, wielding the soul-calling lamp, striking at the wild fox that was pouncing towards them.
Old Lin kept chanting "Amitabha" in hopes of driving away the black fox. He did not dare to be careless, raising the short axe in his hand and turning to protect the wooden bed. As he turned, he saw the black fox's eyes glowing red, shining with an eerie light. Suddenly, it opened its mouth, and a pink inner core the size of a soybean was ejected from its mouth. The inner core and the book-like core spun erratically above its head, emitting a strange glow. Once the inner core was expelled, the black fox suddenly blew a breath towards it. This breath sprayed onto the inner core, causing its red light to intensify, while the black fox's body shrank by a circle. Suddenly, it opened its mouth again, and another pink inner core the size of a soybean was ejected, spinning erratically above its head and emitting a strange glow. After the inner core was expelled, the black fox blew a breath towards it again, causing the inner core's red light to intensify, while the black fox's body shrank by a circle.
These wild spirits did not spare him a glance, only hearing the commands of two paper figures as they continuously blew towards the black fox. The two soul-calling lanterns grew increasingly bright. In this standoff, the two paper figures moved first. At this moment, the yin energy in the courtyard had thickened to the point of almost dripping with water. Under the pervasive yin energy, the obedient ones, upon hearing the command, advanced towards the black fox while holding the soul-calling lanterns, and the dense yin energy surged forward like a tide.
Since ancient times, it has been widely believed that dog blood can ward off evil spirits. This is not because ghosts fear dogs, but for other reasons. Dogs are often raised in environments where they consume feces and urine, which are the most foul substances, and humans possess a strong yang energy. However, while dogs are alive, their foul energy is suppressed by human yang and cannot be released. Once a dog dies, the yang energy dissipates, and the foul energy that has accumulated throughout its life is fully released.
At this moment, Lin Laoshi was truly desperate. He shielded his wife and children with his body and swung the axe with all his might towards the black fox's head. The black fox, having exhausted its strength and significantly diminished in demonic power, was unable to evade this blow. With a sound of "puchi," the axe sank three inches into the bone, leaving a large gash on the fox's face.
Under the pale light, Lin Laoshi could see clearly that in his small courtyard, there were layers upon layers of countless evil spirits. These spirits all had ashen faces, dressed in red and green, comprising men, women, the elderly, and children, in various forms. Yet, they all shared the same action, pouting their lips and blowing towards the base of the locust tree.
The black fox smirked coldly, emanating a strong aura of dark energy that blocked the malevolent spirits' chilling presence. However, it was impossible for it to approach, as the dark energy, though obstructed, did not dissipate, enveloping this small area of Lin Laoshi's home.