Chapter 009: The Corpse Vulture

I was so frightened that my soul nearly left my body. After steadying myself, I glanced at the person who had saved me, and it was none other than the scruffy old Taoist who had been silently standing in the corner all along

The half-bodied monster scrutinized me for a moment, then suddenly extended its greenish tongue and licked my face! I instinctively recoiled, hitting my head heavily against the coffin lid. After a bout of dizziness, I saw the monster open its gaping maw and lunge at my face, the foul stench from its mouth nearly suffocating me on the spot

This is a monster with only half of its body, resembling a human quite closely. It has long black hair that cascades down its shoulders, and its arms are thin and long, allowing it to support its half-body while jumping and walking. At this moment, it is facing me directly, and due to the cramped space in the coffin, my face is almost touching its face. I can see clearly that its face is not much different from that of an elderly woman, covered in wrinkles, yet extremely pale. After being smeared with the semi-coagulated blood of a corpse, it appears even more hideous and terrifying.

Everyone was left dumbfounded, nodding incessantly. However, the old priest pulled my arm and said, "Little brother, I have saved your life; how about inviting me to your home for a meal?"

This has become the corpse vulture of the climate. Those with disabilities in their lower bodies are most likely to transform into this malevolent spirit after death. It can be considered a rather bloodthirsty ghost, specifically feeding on human corpses to aid in its cultivation. Once it has consumed a sufficient number of corpses, it will transform into a fierce ghost, at which point it will be difficult to subdue it.

Upon hearing this, I shook my head repeatedly and said, "Daoist, is there no other way? If not, you could talk to her and ask her to leave my home and stop bothering me."

I led the old priest home. Upon arriving, I recounted the thrilling scene that had occurred at the Liu family to my mother. Upon hearing it, she was quite startled and warmly invited the old priest to sit down while she went to the kitchen to prepare a meal

I could only nod and say: "Daoist, there indeed used to be a female ghost living in this house, but..."

It was clear to everyone that Liu Xicai was experiencing a series of strange events at home today. Having finally encountered such a remarkable person, he was naturally unwilling to let the opportunity slip away and was desperately trying to please the old Taoist. However, the old Taoist did not take the bait and shook his head. I quickly said, "Daoist, you have saved my life, and I should repay you, so please come to my home."

I stole a glance at the old Taoist, seeing him standing there as steady as Mount Tai. Although his appearance was dirty and disheveled, he exuded an air of celestial grace and Daoist demeanor. His words were spoken with such certainty that they left no room for doubt. I thought to myself, this old Taoist is quite remarkable; since Xiao Lian is not staying at home tonight, he is still able to perceive the ominous ghostly energy in this house. It seems that any attempt to conceal it would be futile.

I returned to my room, lying on the kang with a chaotic mind, uncertain whether encountering this highly skilled old Taoist was a blessing or a curse, along with the *tu* *shu*. The three talismans the old Taoist affixed are certainly detrimental to Xiao Lian. When she returns and sees me colluding with outsiders to harm her, won't she turn against me? I thought about going out to tear down those three talismans, but recalling the old Taoist's admonitions before he left, I held back. I silently murmured, "Xiao Lian, oh Xiao Lian, please don't blame me; I just want you to stay away from me and not cling to me anymore." I thought about going out to tear down those three talismans again, but remembering the old Taoist's warnings, I restrained myself. I kept repeating in my heart, "Xiao Lian, oh Xiao Lian, please don't blame me; I just want you to stay away from me and not cling to me anymore." Although according to your words, it seems I loved you in my past life, now you are a ghost and I am a human; it is impossible for us to be together!

The old man smiled with satisfaction and said, "This child is indeed teachable"

I have something to attend to, so I will come to your house tomorrow evening. You must remember, do not let the talisman fall off under any circumstances. " The old priest said this and pushed the door open, walking out.

The old Taoist suddenly let out a cold laugh, pulled me up by my hand, and led me towards the room where Xiao Lian lived. Upon entering the room, the old Taoist pointed with his hand and said: "There is a ghostly presence in this room, and it is of a very malevolent kind"

The monster was howling wildly, its small eyes glinting with a vicious light as it fixed a malevolent gaze on the old priest. Its two slender arms reached out to grab the old priest's face. The old priest pointed at the talisman on its forehead, chanting incantations under his breath. In an instant, the monster stiffened, and gradually its body turned completely charred, ultimately perishing.

I felt a chill in my heart upon hearing this, knowing that this old Taoist was no ordinary person. His words carried a certain weight; there was indeed a female ghost residing in my home. This matter, when contemplated, seemed quite eerie, and one could easily find themselves in a situation where they would die without a burial place. Although Xiao Lian mentioned that she had suffered greatly at the hands of others over a hundred years ago, from her words, it seemed that my past life had some ambiguous connection with her. However, she is, after all, a female ghost, and without any evidence, I certainly could not take her ghostly words at face value. Although Xiao Lian mentioned that she had suffered greatly at the hands of others over a hundred years ago, from her words, it seemed that my past life had some ambiguous connection with her. However, she is, after all, a female ghost, and without any evidence, I certainly could not take her ghostly words at face value

Thinking of this, I said: "No, nothing unusual, everything is normal"

Before I could speak, Liu Xicai hurriedly began to curry favor with the old Daoist, "Daoist, I was blind to your greatness just now. Please dine at my home; I will prepare the finest dishes for you."

I was just about to explain to Xiao Lian, to tell her that this old Taoist is actually a person of misfortune, with a very tragic background, but unexpectedly, the old Taoist waved his hand to stop my words, saying, "I see you still want to cover for her. Do you know that your current situation is quite precarious, and you could lose your life at any moment?"

Mother has prepared the meal and is bringing it in. Upon seeing the old priest about to leave, she says: "Daoist, please eat before you go"

The old priest laughed heartily and said, "You child think it is easy. Since this fierce ghost has come to find you, there must be a reason for it. Do you think that with just a few words from me, the Daoist, I can send her away?"

The old Taoist finished speaking, reached into his tattered robe, and pulled out several pre-written talismans, the strange symbols on which I could not comprehend at all. I watched as the old Taoist affixed one talisman to the door frame of the room, then led me to the courtyard, where he placed a talisman on each side of the main gate.

This time, I unusually did not shout loudly; it was not because I was brave, but rather because I was so frightened that I could not make a sound. My sweat was dripping down, and my clothes were completely soaked. I do not know which wretched person forced me into this coffin; is this not a matter of life and death for me

The old man saw that there were only the two of us in the room, and his expression began to grow serious. He asked me, "Tell me the truth, has anything strange happened at home recently?"

She said she might not come back tonight because there are monks chanting, and she can't stand it

I was taken aback, not expecting this old priest to suddenly ask such a question. Strange things have been happening at home; I feel as if I've seen a ghost!

At this critical moment, a powerful hand pressed down on the monster's head, grabbing its long hair. The owner of this hand reached out with the other hand to grasp my belt, and with a sudden force, pulled me out of the coffin

I stammered for a long time but still couldn't tell the old priest the truth. Now I am unsure of the old priest's depth of understanding. If I mention Xiao Lian's matter to him, it is possible that, due to his professional needs, he might want to perform a ritual for her as well. Xiao Lian is so fierce; I estimate that the old priest is truly no match for her. At that point, if Xiao Lian holds a grudge against me, I would be in serious trouble.

The old Taoist held the monster's hair and muttered to himself: "Such filth has come out to harm people. Look at your tongue, so green; you must have eaten no less than three people. Today, I shall perform a rite of exorcism for you!" As soon as the old Taoist finished speaking, he pulled out a talisman from his tattered and filthy robe and affixed it to the monster's forehead

I asked the old master, "Daoist, what do you think I should do now?"

The old Taoist threw the monster aside and wiped his dirty hands on his robe, as if to wash them. At this moment, the terrified crowd surrounded the old Taoist, and Liu Xicai also respectfully approached him. It was only now that he realized this filthy old Taoist was an extraordinary person from beyond the world!

The old Taoist's expression was grave as he said, "This female ghost is extraordinary; she is a fierce ghost that has cultivated for many years, and her Taoist skills are not to be underestimated. I have traveled here and noticed the eerie ghostly energy swirling above He Long Village, which indicates the presence of a vengeful and fierce ghost. That is why I entered the village to investigate. In my opinion, you should cooperate with me to eliminate this female ghost, as that would be the best course of action."

Of course, I do not wish to hurt Xiao Lian either. If this old priest can help me resolve this matter peacefully, it would be best if he could persuade Xiao Lian to stop pursuing me. That would be the most favorable outcome.

The more I thought about these things, the more anxious I became, and I lost my appetite for dinner, eventually falling into a heavy sleep on the kang.

"Did she say when she would be back?" the old man asked me

"This Taoist priest, what kind of ghost is this? Why is it so frightening?" asked Old Kong.

The old man did not look back, and his solitary figure vanished into the night.