Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 15: Night at the Temple Fair

“Hiss—so cold.”

Fang Xiu lay on the bedding, gasping continuously.

A few thin blankets were added to the cage floor, and the top of the cage was covered with straw mats to shield from the drizzling rain. Most of the meat and drinks had been eaten, leaving only bones and empty cans.

Beside Fang Xiu, Bai Shuangying’s face was expressionless as he applied herbal paste. He mashed the herbs into a paste and used his index and middle fingers to apply it to the bite marks and lacerations.

Oh, and the bruises too.

…He had only been away for a little while, and Fang Xiu got beaten up again!

Judging by the marks, it looked like someone had viciously kicked him in the stomach.

Humans are indeed fragile, Bai Shuangying thought blankly, applying a little more force with his fingers. In the blink of an eye, they could die on you.

Fang Xiu trembled and coughed dramatically. “Don’t be mad. Here’s what happened…”

Not long ago.

After laughing wickedly, Fang Xiu spent three to five minutes assessing the situation before heading into the inner room.

Upon learning that Brother Scar and Doctor had both died, Fourth Master was furious. Naturally, Fang Xiu, who delivered the bad news, didn’t fare well; Fourth Master kicked him from the living room into the courtyard, causing him to spit out blood.

Fourth Master immediately followed him outside. Standing nearly two meters tall with a pair of menacing eyes, he exuded a pressure comparable to a grizzly bear. Fortunately, he hadn’t lost his rationality. He merely fixed his cold gaze on Jia Xu.

“Explain,” he spat out a single word.

Seeing Fang Xiu unable to get up from the ground, Jia Xu had no choice but to steel himself…

“We want to work with you!” he shouted.

On the way here, Fang Xiu had mentioned this seriously.

Doctor was in terrible condition and might not make it. If both Fourth Master and Doctor were fine, they would pretend to be rookies scared out of their wits; if only Fourth Master was okay, they’d go with the “useful newbie” route.

Jia Xu recalled the script Fang Xiu had taught him. “This afternoon, we went to the cemetery. Brother Scar accidentally violated a taboo and was attacked by evil spirits… We both almost died and barely escaped.”

It was all true, just with a little omission.

Fourth Master still looked furious. He crossed his muscular arms and remained silent.

“Here are the chains and the jade Buddha fragments. We’re returning them to you.”

Jia Xu puffed out his chest, trying to appear calm. “It’s our first time participating in the ritual. We don’t know anything. If we were to oppose you, we’d just get ourselves killed, and that would be a loss for everyone.”

“We need the help of experienced people, and it wouldn’t be convenient for you to be alone. There’s no need for us to kill each other when food and drink are no longer an issue.”

After finishing, Jia Xu recounted in detail the encounter with the Old Man Fu.

Fourth Master was calmer than they had expected. As he listened, his brows furrowed more and more tightly, then gradually relaxed.

Jia Xu seized the moment. “We also figured out the second taboo. If there are three taboos this time, then only one remains…”

Finally, Fourth Master sneered, “Fine, at least you two had the sense to return.”

He whistled, and the spirit-binding chain slipped from Jia Xu’s hand like a snake, wrapping itself around Fourth Master’s arm.

“We can cooperate, but you two are still staying locked up.” He pointed at Jia Xu. “You, come in and explain in detail.”

Cold sweat ran down Jia Xu’s back.

The chain dragged people effortlessly, ignoring physical differences. Just a moment ago, he had harbored the naive hope of launching a sneak attack.

Fang Xiu was right. If Fourth Master dared to entrust the chain to his subordinates, he must have had his reasons. The thing was loyal to its master, and if Jia Xu had tried anything, he would’ve been instantly overpowered.

Taking a deep breath, Jia Xu followed Fourth Master inside.

……

“He told Fourth Master the second taboo?” Bai Shuangying paused in applying the medicine.

“Mm…” Fang Xiu stretched his back. “The other side had almost figured it out anyway, so why not use it as leverage?”

Bai Shuangying was silent for a moment. “That Fourth Master… isn’t a good person.”

His face plainly conveyed, “You got kicked ten miles by him.”

Fang Xiu chuckled. “Relax, there’s still one taboo left. Fourth Master is on his own now. He’ll definitely ‘cooperate’ with us.”

“If you know how to read people, why deliberately provoke a beating?” Bai Shuangying asked, puzzled.

Fang Xiu licked the bloodstains on his lips. “This way, Jia Xu looks more like the boss, and Fourth Master won’t be too wary of me.”

It was strange. Though Bai Shuangying was a fierce ghost, his hands were exceptionally gentle as he applied the medicine. His snow-white sleeves floated with his movements, swaying softly like mountain mist.

Bai Shuangying sat beside him. His black hair cascaded down his back like a waterfall, flowing over his shoulders. A strand of hair fell in front of Fang Xiu’s eyes, and he couldn’t resist touching it. It felt just like satin.

The strands of hair were as cold as Bai Shuangying’s fingertips. As they slid over his burning wounds, the sensation was so soothing that Fang Xiu almost lost the strength to think.

“I feel like I’m King Zhou*,” Fang Xiu sighed.

*Last king of the Shang dynasty who’s often depicted as a tyrannical and decadent ruler. He’s often mentioned in folklore for his cruelty, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to the downfall of the Shang dynasty and more famously his consort, Daji.

“…I’m not a fox spirit*.”

Clarity: This is referring to Daji, King Zhou’s consort. She’s often blamed for the fall of the Shang dynasty and was the influencer in corrupting King Zhou.

For once, Bai Shuangying caught the reference, and his hands immediately applied more pressure.

Fang Xiu winced and then tried to keep a straight face. “I know, my dear consort is a seductive ghost*.”

*Clarity: Given the reference and that Bai Shuangying (supposedly) is a seductive ghost, Daji is a pretty fitting character for him, which is what Fang Xiu is making fun of.

Bai Shuangying: “……”

For the sake of having eaten well, he grudgingly suppressed his malice.

Bai Shuangying lowered his eyes and gently stroked Fang Xiu’s bare back. His thin muscles stood out, and his shoulder blades were sharply defined. Fang Xiu’s skin was already pale, but the blood-red wounds on his back made for a startling contrast.

…Too thin and fragile. He’d look much better if he gained some weight.

“So you do feel pain after all.” Bai Shuangying continued applying the medicine, his fingertips tracing each wound.

“I’m not only terribly afraid of pain, but I’m also scared of trouble, suffering, loneliness, and especially death,” Fang Xiu confessed earnestly.

Bai Shuangying was equally earnest. “It’s not even nightfall yet, stop talking in your sleep.”

Fang Xiu laughed again. He turned his head, and his black eyes, like two pieces of onyx, gleamed faintly.

“Really,” he said. “I’ve never told anyone this before. It’s a little secret between friends… Ow!”

Bai Shuangying couldn’t resist and pressed harder again.

Fang Xiu flopped like a fish. “Take it easy! Please, brother, I’ll treat you to Fourth Master’s head another day…”

In the small courtyard house.

Fourth Master didn’t know he’d been added to the menu, but if he did, he’d probably be even angrier.

He understood that the ritual was merciless, but losing two subordinates in one day was still too much. This was his fifth ritual, which meant he’d have to participate in the remaining three on his own.

Just the thought of it made Fourth Master’s scalp tingle. If he didn’t still need the newbies, he’d have killed them all to vent his anger.

Doctor was understandable. His mental state was off. His body had deformed, and it made sense for him to have committed suicide in despair.

But Brother Scar wasn’t so easy to kill.

Back in the mortal world, Brother Scar was one of his thugs, with several lives on his hands. Fourth Master knew Brother Scar’s personality well. Having survived four rituals, Brother Scar wouldn’t have been stupid enough to violate a taboo randomly.

Brother Scar’s only flaw was his arrogance. He might’ve let his guard down around the newbies.

But knowing something was wrong didn’t help. This was an obvious trap.

No matter how Brother Scar had died, the fact was, Fourth Master was now alone. No matter how strong he was, it would be hard to manage so many people, deal with the village’s evil spirits, and still investigate the third taboo.

“Fucking hell.”

Fourth Master kicked a table hard, shattering the fragile wood.

…He had no choice but to cooperate with that group.

Fine, if he could control Brother Scar and Doctor, he could control those fledglings. He just needed to keep an eye on the two guys, especially Jia Xu, who with his thick brows, square jaw, and imposing physique, looked like someone who meant business.

At the same time, Jia Xu was sighing loudly in the cage.

His sighs were so exaggerated that Fang Xiu couldn’t help but turn to look. It had been a long day. Poor “Boss” Jia Xu had had a rough time.

Jia Xu had successfully negotiated cooperation with Fourth Master.

As for his companions… Fang Xiu’s particularly mischievous smile still hadn’t been explained, but Jia Xu had preemptively covered it up by claiming, “Fang Xiu was so scared he got confused.”

It wasn’t clear why Jia Xu was so nervous, given that they weren’t enemies at this point.

After the cooperation deal, Cheng Songyun told them the original escape plan, including everyone’s abilities. Jia Xu and Fang Xiu also shared their experiences and skills, though Fang Xiu slightly tweaked his explanations.

“Polluting karma” was hard to explain, so it was better to describe it as “concealing one’s presence”.

While Bai Shuangying’s ability had some lethal potential, turning people into trees was a bit flashy and had many limitations. A punch to the face from Blondie, on the other hand, was simple and effective. Hit hard enough, and everyone became equal, one life at a time.

In terms of practicality, Mei Lan’s “water surface stealth” and Cheng Songyun’s “fierce ghost shield” were more useful, even with their limitations.

Jia Xu’s “transformation” and Blondie’s “physical enhancement” were on par with the “ghost scout” of the gloomy teenager. They were straightforward and didn’t require any cost.

That said, Bai Shuangying had never demanded any kind of price either… Could it be that Jia Xu’s Painted Skin was so afraid of Bai Shuangying because it was actually weak?

Perhaps Jia Xu’s heavy sighs were from realizing this.

Having finished applying the medicine, Fang Xiu slowly came out of hiding.

Thinking about how his ghost’s abilities hadn’t even reached the threshold for a “price” tax, he couldn’t help but pat Bai Shuangying comfortingly, to which Bai Shuangying responded with a slow-growing question mark on his face.

After exchanging information on their abilities, Blondie was particularly smug as the designated primary combatant.

He glanced at Fang Xiu. “Everyone else’s ghost and abilities match, except yours. Why would a seductive ghost have a stealth ability? Shouldn’t it have something like ‘seduction’?”

Fang Xiu was stunned. “My ghost looks like that. Does it even need to cast a seduction spell?”

Blondie: “?” Brother, your point is valid, but something feels off.

Fang Xiu: “Besides, using stealth to lure humans in makes perfect sense. After seduction, are they supposed to use an ID card to book a hotel?”

Blondie pondered for a moment but still felt something was off. “…Brother, you summoned a male seductive ghost. You’re not into guys, are you?”

He backed away while clicking his tongue.

At this unexpected question, Fang Xiu was momentarily confused but quickly became genial again. “I’ve never thought about it, but don’t worry. Whether I like men or women, I can guarantee I won’t like you.”

Blondie: “…”

He froze, unsure whether to say, “That’s a relief” or “Fuck you”.

A group of evil spirits saved him from answering.

Old Man Fu’s suona band appeared once again, this time by themselves. The sound of suonas filled the courtyard, the melody winding and twisting like a river.

“God descends from Weishan—guests arrive with bitter rain—”

“Foreign guests are rare—lingering in the village—”

“Today we welcome them with joy—tomorrow we bid them farewell in sorrow—”

“Fighting like trapped beasts—only to wound our hearts—”

A pair of big-headed child ghosts entered the courtyard, their large masks smiling brightly, painted in faded oil colors.

Each of them held four red paper invitations, matching the eight people in the courtyard—no more, no less.

“The shrine is restored, the temple fair is coming—”

“The village chief invites you at night—”

Their sharp voices echoed.

It’s here. Fang Xiu straightened his clothes. His red T-shirt was soaked with blood and medicine, looking rather disheveled.

Hearing the noise, Fourth Master, fully armed, emerged.

He wore the ghost chain on his right arm, held a peach wood sword in his right hand, and wore a pair of ancient-style armguards on his left. Five jade Buddha pendants hung around his neck, strung together with red threads, and a copper gourd dangled from his waist.

He hadn’t even spared Thin Monkey’s dagger, which hung next to the gourd.

Fang Xiu remained silent. This scene was akin to a new player running into a whale*; Fourth Master had more gear than they had people, and that was just what was visible.

*Krypton player. This is equivalent to a whale in games, a player who spends a large amount of money on in-game purchases or microtransactions. 

…Interestingly, there were no talismans from Mai Zi among his items.

Fourth Master approached the pair of spirits and reached for an invitation. They giggled and handed him one but clung tightly to the rest.

Cursing under his breath, Fourth Master turned to unlock the cage.

“Everyone, come out and get your invitation.” He ordered irritably.

Cheng Songyun shuddered. “Do we have to take it? What if something happens… ah!”

She hadn’t finished speaking when an invisible force flung her against the wooden fence.

Fourth Master withdrew his left hand and shook his armguard. “Anyone else want to talk nonsense?”

Fang Xiu raised his hand.

Fourth Master ignored him, and Fang Xiu kept his hand raised.

Fourth Master: “……”

Fourth Master: “…Speak.”

“My copper coin sword was confiscated. Can I have it back?” Fang Xiu asked softly.

“Just do your part. That trash is useless anyway,” Fourth Master replied.

“So, what exactly should we be doing?” Fang Xiu blinked.

Fourth Master glared at him. “Do you not understand human language? Get your invitation.”

At this point, he seemed to give up, scratching his head in frustration. “Fine, I’ll explain one more thing. Old Man Fu dares to use the name of a god because he’s a great evil spirit. Don’t rush to your deaths carelessly trying to send him off.”

Blondie couldn’t hold back. “But he sounds pretty reasonable.”

“Evil spirits that speak human language are either small-time ghosts that are tricksters or great evil spirits.” Fourth Master sneered. “They use language as a tool. None of them are good. If you think you can reason with them, you might as well reincarnate now.”

Fang Xiu: “……” Hearing the phrase “none of them are good” come from you is rather ironic.

He helped the groaning Cheng Songyun to her feet. “Cheng Jie, are you okay?”

Cheng Songyun nodded and forced herself to stand. “You don’t have to be so polite. My daughter is about your age. Just call me Auntie.”

“My mom told me that if someone’s younger than her but older than me, I should call them ‘jie’. Cheng Jie, you don’t look fifty yet, and I’m twenty-eight,” Fang Xiu whispered.

Cheng Songyun’s expression softened. “What about your mother?”

“She’s fifty-one,” Fang Xiu replied. “If she were still alive.”

Cheng Songyun paused, her lips tightening. “…Just call me Cheng Jie.”

“Alright.”

“Stop chatting over there!” Fourth Master snapped. “Get out here and take your invitation!”

Cheng Songyun lowered her voice. “Xiao Fang, I don’t think those invitations are anything good…”

“I know, but Old Man Fu must have information we need,” Fang Xiu whispered back.

After two days, they had combed through most of Weishan Village.

The abandoned houses were all alike, containing only some broken furniture and old odds and ends. Interestingly, aside from ancient newspapers pasted on the walls, they hadn’t found any recent newspapers, let alone diaries.

Everything was eerily “clean”, as if someone had been diligently tidying up.

Fang Xiu had found some clues at the cemetery, but still no leads on the strange statue.

…Which meant that the next step in their investigation would inevitably involve confronting the evil spirits.

Fang Xiu was about to offer some placating words, but Cheng Songyun figured it out herself. “Haa, I understand. Some things still require risk.”

Just as she finished speaking, another wave of force hit them, and this time, both Fang Xiu and Cheng Songyun were slammed into the wooden fence. Cheng Songyun was fine, but Fang Xiu coughed up blood again.

Fourth Master: “Did I not say to fucking hurry up? Are you deaf?”

Bai Shuangying, who was watching from the sidelines: “……”

This was annoying. He had already run out of herbs.

In fact, ever since the big-headed children entered, Bai Shuangying had been deep in thought.

These spirits clearly weren’t here with good intentions. If things escalated into a full-blown fight, what would he do?

Bai Shuangying had originally intended to take a laid-back approach. Helping out a little was fine, but if Fang Xiu was on the verge of death, he definitely wouldn’t risk exposing himself to save him.

If Fang Xiu died, Bai Shuangying would lose some of his cultivation, but compared to full exposure, that was a price he could afford.

But perhaps he had been cooped up for too long, and observing the ritual was actually quite entertaining. There were also living souls to devour… Maybe, as long as he didn’t reveal too much, he could put in a bit more effort?

Even if Fang Xiu died, it should be after Bai Shuangying had had enough fun.

As Fang Xiu spat out blood and wiped it from his mouth, he tugged on Bai Shuangying’s sleeve.

“Stay behind me later. That Old Man Fu is a great evil spirit, very dangerous. Fourth Master wouldn’t lie about that.”

Bai Shuangying’s eyebrows twitched. “I heard.”

What great evil spirit? If not for the restraints of the underworld, Old Man Fu wouldn’t even be enough to fill Bai Shuangying’s teeth.

Fang Xiu realized something. “Ah, you can mimic human speech too… Don’t let it bother you when Fourth Master says you’re a ‘small time ghost that is a trickster.’ It’s not true.”

Bai Shuangying’s expression faded. “……”

…More effort? He might as well keep spectating.

A few minutes later, even the lunatic had an invitation stuffed into his collar. Fourth Master used the ghost chain to tether the lunatic while allowing the others to move freely.

Although “freely” was a loose term, as the suona band herded them along, making it impossible to control their own pace. The suonas blared in their ears, and the eerie melodies pierced through their bodies, making their insides feel as though they were being pricked by needles.

Fang Xiu tried striking up a conversation with them, asking about the origin of the “God’s descent from Weishan”, but they completely ignored him. Eventually, Bai Shuangying grew annoyed and stopped him.

“Don’t bother,” Bai Shuangying said. “They’re only mimicking human speech. They don’t understand what they’re singing, and they certainly can’t comprehend what you’re saying.”

Fang Xiu’s understanding of the cultural literacy of evil spirits took a new turn.

“Being able to speak human language” and “understanding human language” were two very different things.

“You can speak human language. That’s great,” Fang Xiu remarked. “Otherwise, we’d have to communicate through possession, and I wouldn’t even be able to ask if the food I’m treating you to suits your taste. You wouldn’t get human jokes either…”

Bai Shuangying: “…Sometimes, I think it’s actually you who doesn’t speak human language very well.”

Fang Xiu: “See? You’re already making human jokes.”

Bai Shuangying fell silent.

Fang Xiu grinned, lowering his head to examine the bright red invitation. The invitation was square-shaped, with a mourning-white upside-down “Blessing” character in the center and lines of golden text neatly written along the edges.

[Do no evil, heaven’s blessings are far-reaching; Practice all virtue, and the rain that nurtures all things brings deep fellowship.]

[Peace is precious, yin and yang harmonize resolving calamities; Haste makes wastes, defying the gods and ghosts.]

The horizontal and vertical lines corresponded to one another, with the horizontal pair clearly forming the shrine’s couplets. The new vertical lines were less perfectly matched, but their persuasive intent was obvious.

As Fang Xiu stared at the vertical lines, the smile in his eyes slowly faded.

……

This was the second night since they arrived at Weishan Village, and the rain had continued for a second day.

The rain clouds made the night even darker, and Weishan Village seemed to be swallowed by a river of shadows, except for a vast area of fiery red near the shrine.

The shrine had been restored to its original state, its doors wide open, revealing a brand-new idol inside.

This time, the idol had four arms and four legs, with its limbs still twisted and chaotic, resembling a squashed spider.

It still had three heads, its faces painted ghostly white, while its lips were painted bright red. The red paint hadn’t fully dried, slowly dripping down the idol’s chin, giving it a strange, bloody appearance.

On both sides of the altar, red candles flickered chaotically, and outside the door, countless red lanterns hung in the rain that trembled violently in the rain, like beating hearts.

The scale of the “fair” this time was far greater than before, with stalls stretching as far as the eye could see, forming a maze. Across from the shrine, a lavish opera stage had been erected, its orange-red lights illuminating half the sky.

The seats in front of the stage were packed, and in the center sat the tall and thin Old Man Fu, standing out like a crane among chickens.

The group was herded toward the stage by the suona band. As they drew closer, the opera singers’ voices grew louder, drowning out the mourning music of the suonas.

“She toiled in vain, left with a heart full of sorrow.”

“He only sought self-preservation, ending up as a puddle of rotten flesh.”

“She fled in terror, only to be fried in oil.”

“He wailed in anguish, finally hanging himself with white silk.”

“The guest becomes the host, the host becomes the guest, a fabrication of lies; Ghosts resemble gods, gods resemble ghosts, all morals overturned—”

“Impossible to grasp, impossible to understand, no answers to be found; No way out, no way in, a bird trapped in a cage—”

The mournful tune pierced through the air like a cry, burrowing into their ears. When they saw the opera performers clearly, both Blondie and Mei Lan screamed in horror.

They were looking at four corpses, four corpses they recognized. Each one wore red silk opera costumes, with bright red flowers tied to their chests, slumped over in high-backed chairs.

Mai Zi’s corpse was dark and swollen, with maggots crawling out of her nose and mouth. Lao Mian had become a pile of meat wrapped in red cloth, oozing putrid liquid through the silk. The timid auntie was reduced to white bones, still bearing scorch marks.

And then there was Doctor’s body.

When they had left, it had still been hanging from a tree.

Doctor’s white coat had been replaced with a red opera robe, and his broken neck hung limply to one side. His mouth remained still, yet the sharp, bone-chilling lyrics continued to pour out.

“Impossible to grasp, impossible to understand, no answers to be found; No way out, no way in, a bird trapped in a cage—”

“Impossible to grasp, impossible to understand, no answers to be found; No way out, no way in, a bird trapped in a cage—”

“Bravo!”

Old Man Fu stood up, clapping his hands vigorously. “Marvelous singing!”

The rest of the figures stood up as well, mimicking him. “Marvelous—singing—”

Then, all of them simultaneously turned their heads and looked directly at Fang Xiu’s group.

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The author has something to say:

By the way, let me explain why Bai Shuangying doesn’t use healing magic (*/ω＼*).

This story draws on traditional Chinese culture. In folklore, only certain deities (like Taiyi Zhenren^*) or special ghosts (like medicinal ghosts) are skilled in healing magic. It’s not something just anyone can do, and it has nothing to do with strength.

*A Daoist deity. It is believed he was a historical figure and a renowned physician.

When it comes to healing, various panaceas and elixirs are more common.

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