Chapter 28: The Taoist Priest Visits

Invisible, Fang Yuean crouched beside the stone lion at the Lin family’s gate, resting her chin in her hand and looking up as two Taoist priests exchanged pleasantries with the Lin family’s father and son.

The Taoist surnamed Li spoke: “This humble priest foresaw that your esteemed household would summon me again. However, this matter is beyond my abilities alone. I’ve specially invited my master, Taoist Lingxu from Yuhua Mountain, to assist.”

Old Master Lin exchanged a glance with his son and said, “If the two masters can resolve this disturbance for the Lin family, I will certainly reward you handsomely.”

Over the past two days, he and his son had encountered misfortune after misfortune. Upon carefully questioning his grandson, they learned that the spirit haunting them wasn’t the late Old Master Xu but rather the soul of the child they had sealed away years ago, which had returned.

Taoist Lingxu’s lips curled in a faint smirk, his demeanor arrogant, as though the matter required no more than a flick of his fingers.

“Rest assured, sir. Once today’s ritual is complete, you’ll be free of all concerns.”

Hearing this, Old Master Lin felt reassured and smiled, flanking the priests alongside his son as they warmly invited them into the house.

Fang Yuean followed them inside.

Before entering the Lin residence, Taoist Lingxu seemed utterly confident. But the deeper he walked into the estate, the more furrowed his brow became.

His tone grew heavy. “There may be more than one restless spirit in this household.”

Old Master Lin’s heart sank.

Ordinarily, he wouldn’t easily believe such claims. But he had indeed heard similar things from his grandson.

Throughout his life, he had climbed the social ladder by any means necessary, his hands stained with the blood of countless innocents and leaving many wrongly accused and mistreated in his wake.

Now, faced with this revelation, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease as he looked around.

He became even more deferential than before. “I trouble you, Master Taoist.”

In Lin Xu’s Residence, a ritual altar had already been prepared.

On the table were a censer, a pig’s head, two roasted chickens, and an assortment of pastries and fruits arranged neatly around them.

Taoist Lingxu walked around the courtyard, inspecting it thoroughly, before finally stepping into the main house.

Inside, Lin Xu clung tightly to Madam Lin. His hair was disheveled, and dark circles marred his eyes.

His gaze was fixed intently on Guo Lang, who sat in a chair, muttering incomprehensibly under his breath.

Guo Lang saw two men dressed as Taoist priests entering the room and appeared slightly uneasy.

Lin Xu, noticing Taoist Lingxu’s white hair and brows that hinted at expertise, released his grip on his mother. He stumbled off the bed, clutching the old Taoist’s sleeve tightly with one hand while pointing at Guo Lang with the other, almost like a child tattling:
“He’s right there! Kill him quickly! Destroy his soul entirely!”

His words brimmed with venomous malice.

Then, he pointed outside. “There are ghosts everywhere out there! They keep scaring me. Make them all disappear, and I’ll reward you handsomely!”

Taoist Lingxu followed the direction Lin Xu pointed, glanced at the chair, and reassured him, “Young master, don’t worry. I will do my best.”

Taoist Li stepped forward to comfort him as well. “Young master, my master is none other than the renowned Taoist Lingxu, known far and wide. He will ensure you sleep peacefully from now on. Rest assured.”

Standing by the door, munching on a drumstick, Fang Yuean asked:
【Is Taoist Lingxu really powerful?】

Huai Ze replied:
【He does have some skills, but he doesn’t use them for good. Many wronged souls have perished under his hands.】

Fang Yuean took a fierce bite of her drumstick, her gaze locked on the two Taoist priests.

Guo Lang, seeing Taoist Lingxu draw his peachwood sword, grew nervous and floated toward the corner of the room.

Fang Yuean approached him, tossing her sachet lightly upward, revealing her form as she appeared before him.

Seeing Fang Yuean, Guo Lang immediately calmed.

Lin Xu, whose eyes had been fixed on Guo Lang, suddenly noticed Fang Yuean as well.

He widened his bloodshot eyes and shrieked, pointing at the corner, “There’s another one! A little girl in pink clothes!” His voice was piercing as he clung tightly to Taoist Lingxu, urging him to look.

Taoist Lingxu gestured for Lin’s father to calm Lin Xu down before pulling away. Taking a few steps back, he pulled a paper talisman from his robe, pinched it between his fingers, and tossed it into the air.

The talisman instantly ignited, hovering mid-air, burning with a blue flame.

Taoist Lingxu raised his peachwood sword, moving in sync with its motions.

The Lin family father and son retreated behind a folding screen.

Madam Lin held onto her son as she moved closer to the bed.

Taoist Li also drew his wooden sword and joined his master in circling the burning talisman, moving in unison.

In just moments, both men were drenched in sweat.

Fang Yuean finished her drumstick, casually tossing the bone outside before stepping forward. She stood near the direction where the Lin family father and son were hiding, then lightly blew toward the talisman.

In an instant, the talisman flared up, releasing a massive burst of flames that surged straight toward the two Taoists’ faces.

As they shielded themselves and stumbled back, the flames seemed to develop a mind of their own, like a heavy punch, veering toward the Lin family father and son near the folding screen, engulfing them entirely.

In the blink of an eye, the talisman burned to ash, falling to the ground.

The two Taoists exchanged nervous glances, relieved only after confirming that they were unharmed.

Meanwhile, the fire on the Lin family father and son subsided, leaving their clothes reduced to ash and their hair completely singed off, turning them into bald, blackened figures.

Madam Lin screamed in terror and fainted on the spot.

Fang Yuean, her back turned to the chaos, covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.

Lin Xu stared blankly for a moment, as though something within him snapped. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the footstool by the bed, his eyes vacant.

It wasn’t until Guo Lang’s form reappeared in his vision that he trembled and crawled back onto the bed, curling into the corner.

He shouted loudly, “Stay away! Don’t come near me!” His behavior grew even more erratic compared to the day before.

Guo Lang said softly, “See? None of this works on me. If you want me gone, go to the streets and confess your crimes. Tell everyone how your elders helped you escape justice. Only human punishment can make me leave.”

He stepped closer. “Otherwise, I’ll keep following you. You haven’t even seen what I looked like after soaking in cold water all night, have you?”

Fang Yuean had already left the room, making her way to the ritual altar. She collected the pig’s head, roasted chicken, pastries, and fruits, stashing them into her spatial pouch.

The sudden disappearance of offerings left the courtyard’s ghosts looking at one another in confusion.

Fang Yuean, with her short stature and slow pace, had just reached the Lin family gate when shouts erupted behind her.

Moments later, the two Taoists were thrown out.

Taoist Lingxu yelled, “This is the work of an evil spirit! Let me explain! Just let me explain!”

The heavy door slammed shut in his face. Furious, Taoist Lingxu bellowed, “If even I can’t resolve this, no one can! Just wait for your punishment!”

The failed exorcism left a dark cloud hanging over the Lin household.

The Lin father and son only dared to summon their personal attendants to help them bathe.

Yet, even after scrubbing for half an hour, they couldn’t remove the blackened marks left by the flames.

They began seeking doctors in desperation.

Fearing public ridicule, the father and son both requested leave from court.

Two days later, the blackened patches remained, driving them into a frenzy. All their energy was spent on seeking remedies.

Lin Xu, his hair disheveled and wearing a loose robe, broke free from the servants trying to restrain him and stumbled out of the estate.

When the servants reported this, the Lin father and grandfather didn’t dare leave to look for him themselves, instead shouting at the household staff to find him immediately.

On Yongsheng Street, the busiest area of the capital, people bustled about amid a sea of carts and carriages.

Lin Xu, his spirit unsteady, staggered through the crowd.

Compared to two days ago, his complexion was darker, his dark circles more pronounced, and his behavior increasingly erratic.

Guo Lang had since gained a few ghostly allies, who, upon hearing his story, volunteered to help. Ghosts spread the word, bringing in some of the most terrifyingly disfigured spirits, who took turns haunting Lin Xu, scaring him unconscious twice.

Now, Lin Xu’s mind was a chaotic mess.

He stopped walking, stood still for a long moment, then suddenly raised his head and shouted, “I’m a murderer!”

“Three years ago, Guo Lang didn’t accidentally drown in the Imperial College lake.” He continued walking forward.

“I killed him!”

“My father, Lin Heng, who worked at the Ministry of Justice, erased the evidence. My grandfather helped cover it up too!”

“I bullied and humiliated my classmates. I’m a terrible person!”

…

Guo Lang followed behind Lin Xu, listening to the crowd’s murmurs as if he were an outsider, hearing the recounting of his life’s tragic end.

Thinking of his short and fleeting life, the unfulfilled ambitions, and his now-aged parents, he could no longer hold back. He stopped in his tracks and broke down, weeping bitterly.

There had been no deep-seated hatred between them, so why had Lin Xu been so ruthless toward him?

The onlookers, drawn by Lin Xu’s confessions, moved forward, following his steps. Various figures passed through Guo Lang’s incorporeal form.