The knocking had subsided considerably.
"The wind... so strong, Xian Shen brother, it's really cold..."
"Didn't you ask me to go home?"
The pleading voice touched my heart.
For a fleeting moment, my eyes were filled with confusion, and I relaxed my grip slightly.
"Lord, it's Xian Qian!"
Tang Quan let out a hoarse roar, wrenching himself away from my grasp and yanking open the door!
The thick fog outside was so dense that one couldn't see their hand in front of their face!
The sharp wind suddenly burst in, followed by the fog that filled the room.
My vision became clear, and my hair on the back of my neck stood on end!
A barefoot woman stood quietly at the door.
Her feet were very dainty, resembling three-inch golden lotus feet, with long, proportionate, and pale legs.
The cool red underpants just covered the three critical points, and the white lotus-like arms were intertwined across the chest.
But her neck was bare!
This is not what Tang Qian should look like at all!
It must be the headless ghost that fooled me when I was leaving the village, pretending to be an old Qin!
A muffled sound resonated from her abdomen, as if she were laughing.
Tang Quan collapsed straight backward, clearly fainted from fright.
The headless ghost suddenly extended her slender arms, as if to cup my head.
In that instant, the chilling feeling was particularly strong!
I suddenly bit my tongue, spewing a mouthful of blood.
The bronze clapper heavily struck the gong surface, producing a sharp, piercing sound!
"It's the fourth watch. The wild chicken eats grass!"
At the same time as my loud shout, the residents' houses on both sides of the silent street started to emit ear-piercing chicken crowing sounds.
The blood mist scattered from my tongue, sizzling and falling onto her.
Her hands suddenly dropped to her sides.
The wind suddenly grew stronger, and the white mist became thicker, engulfing her within it.
In the next instant, the wind dispersed and the mist vanished, everything returned to tranquility.
The headless ghost was gone.
Outside, the street remained dim and quiet, as if nothing had happened.
But is that really the case?
The blood in my mouth is very pungent, and cold sweat soaks through my clothes, making it sticky and unpleasant.
This ghostly entity should not be the life-threatening danger that the old Qin warned me about after the Xu family breached our contract.
Because being haunted by a ghost is not a danger that can be avoided simply by hiding one's identity.
She has been haunting me for a long time.
When Lao Qin was alive, she dared not show herself, just waiting for the right time.
I just wonder when I offended her?
After a while, I couldn't figure out the reason.
Subconsciously, I glanced at the gong.
A faint green patina had appeared on the thick copper drum face.
My pupils constricted.
Copper rusting means it has been corroded by resentment...
The watchman is specifically adept at controlling ghosts' souls. I have struck the four watches bell, but still fall victim to the ghost's counterattack!
This headless ghost has a tremendous ferocity!
After several deep breaths, I calmed down slightly, put the gong clapper back in the bag, and helped the unconscious Tang Quan onto a chair.
Grasping the nape of someone's neck with your index finger, you apply pressure.
Tang Quan shivered, suddenly awakened, he roared "Ghost!" and his arms flailed wildly.
I quickly pressed his wrist against my leg and whispered, "It's okay, Uncle Tang. She's gone!"
Tang Quan stopped struggling and stared at me blankly.
"Qian... Qian Qian?"
"Qian Qian didn't come back." I released my grip, my emotions a bit complicated, and said, "It seems that since she doesn't want to see us now, that ghostly thing found an opportunity to seek me out."
Summoning souls with the watchman's bell is usually accurate, unless it doesn't reach the target, then it can attract other ghosts.
Tang Quan was stunned, his face showing even more bitterness, and said:
"Qian Qian has a very stubborn personality. Once she decides on something, it's hard to change her mind."
"Back then, I was going to set up a spirit tablet for you, but Qian Qian stopped me. Even at a young age, she said that she wouldn't believe you were dead unless she saw your corpse. Since she hasn't seen your body, she doesn't believe you're dead."
"She brought you back, which might have fulfilled her obsession. Perhaps she can rest in peace now."
After saying that, Tang Quan revealed a forced smile.
"She won't rest in peace. How can she when the murderer hasn't been brought to justice?" I said mournfully.
Tang Quan shuddered and said, "Lord... you were just now...?"
"But Qian Qian... can we call her that one more time?"
Even though Tang Quan may seem disheveled, how could he be a simple-minded person as the head of Luo family's steward?
He was merely flattened by the tragic and oppressive life, appearing dull-witted.
"It can't be brought back. It seems she only wants me to stay away from danger, not to involve myself in her matter." I shook my head and muttered to myself softly, "This girl is too foolish."
At this moment, a series of dizziness once again overwhelmed me. I really felt cold all over.
The blood from the tip of my tongue is not ordinary blood but the supreme malevolent blood.
Only those who have their yang spirit leaving the body, or those who have crossed the boundary of life and death into the realm of the spirits, have such extreme yang poison blood. This is because at the peak of yang, yin can also reach its extreme yang.
The blood from the tip of ordinary people's tongue can only supplement the yang energy of malevolent ghosts.
Whether it's leaving the body's yang spirit or crossing the boundary of life and death, consuming the blood from the tip of one's tongue requires ample rest.
"Uncle Tang, you go rest. Bring me to that KTV tomorrow. I'll stay in Qian Qian's room tonight."
I said one more thing, dragging the suitcase and holding the bag, and entered the room on the left.
"Lord, I won't sleep. Please call me if you have any orders." Tang Quan's voice was slightly trembling, with a hint of excitement.
I didn't try to persuade him.
Some people live night after night in revelry and pleasure, while others sharpen their knives every night, finding each day a year.
For Tang Quan, the matter of sleeping can wait another day.
...
I didn't have a bed, so I took a few thick clothes from the suitcase and laid them on the floor. Then I lay down in my clothes.
When I woke up the next day, the room was filled with sunlight.
Opening my eyes, I saw the portrait right away. The girl's smile was forever pure and spotless. The faint scent of the mimosa in the room made me feel even more calm.
After getting up, I carefully put the portrait in my pocket and walked out of the bedroom.
The sloppy and dirty living room was cleaned up spotlessly.
Tang Quan changed into a clean set of clothes and shaved his beard, looking much younger than last night, though his eye sockets were too deep and his eyes too dark.
"Lord, have something to eat first."
Tang Quan, supporting himself on one leg, made a gesture of invitation.
The food on the table made me momentarily dazed.
A plate of golden, slightly crisp, thin pancakes, stir-fried potato strings, minced meat with green beans, and a large bowl of pumpkin porridge.
This is what Tang Quan's wife, Hu Auntie, used to make every day for breakfast.
Simple and rustic home-cooked dishes, warming both the stomach and heart.
"Lord, please taste it. Is it still the familiar home taste?" Tang Quan said respectfully.
"Uncle Tang, the Luo family is no more. Call me Xian Shen [Manifest God] from now on," I took a deep breath and said, "Join me for some food."
"Lord, I've already eaten. The Luo family will always be here. You must be able to restore the family's reputation!" Tang Quan said confidently.
Tang Quan spoke with certainty, looking full of spirit.
I didn't say much, sat down, and ate the porridge in large mouthfuls and picked at the food with a big fork.
Actually, I have a lot of things I want to ask.
For example, I want to ask about my parents' occupations back then.
What were the reasons behind their deaths and disappearance?
Tang Quan must know a lot.
But some questions can only be raised after others are resolved.
The food on the table was finished in a flash.
Then I asked Tang Quan for some information.
For example, I asked Tang Quan for the names of the KTV owner and executives, but he knew nothing.
He could only be sure that Qian Qian had been retaliated against.
I didn't ask anymore, letting Tang Quan wait for me for a few minutes before I went back to the room.
I took out several yellow papers from my backpack, skillfully and quickly folded them, and three palm-sized paper dolls appeared in my hands.
I pinched my index finger and bled on the paper dolls, giving them eyes.
Instantly, the paper dolls seemed lifelike, but their abdomens were flat and thin, as if they had an empty stomach.
In the five categories of Daoist magic, paper-wrapped technique has various methods.
The larger the paper-zhang (paper wrapped), the more room it provides for the ghost's upper body.
For example, the eight paper dolls for Old Qin's eight immortals carrying the coffin allowed the malevolent ghost to possess a body and return to life!
Of course, the material is also important; a portion of human skin is used.
At this moment, the yellow paper person I made uses a special method that can summon hungry ghosts as soon as it gets dark.
Putting away the paper dolls, I walked out of the bedroom again.
Tang Quan's eyes were bloodshot, and his face was bitter.
Clearly, he was feeling uncomfortable, knowing he couldn't provide any useful information.
"Uncle Tang, I already have a way to do it. Let's go." I smiled on my face.
