Chapter 50: Li Tagu

“This gentleman seems unfamiliar. May I ask what brings you here?”

Zhang Shouzheng put away the broken sword and smiled gently as he spoke, but Jiang Litian kept his gaze fixed coldly on Wang Mazi, showing him no friendliness.

Wang Mazi coughed a few times before speaking. “Originally, I came to see Daoist Qingxu, but I heard he has passed away. My condolences to you both.”

“Speak your mind or hold your tongue!”

Jiang Litian looked at Wang Mazi with disdain, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. There’s no such thing as a casual visit; if he guessed right, this man had come to ask for help.

Indeed, Wang Mazi glanced awkwardly at Jiang Litian, then turned to Zhang Shouzheng and said, “I am Wang Mazi, the village chief of Guyue Village. Many years ago, Daoist Qingxu visited our village and performed a divination for a child. He told us that the child would be targeted by a water ghost seeking a substitute when he turned ten. If the child’s resentful spirit remained unsettled, he said we should come here to seek his help. Unfortunately, the Daoist has passed on, so now I must trouble you, young master.”

The two Daoists were opposites in temperament—one irascible, one gentle. Wang Mazi wisely sought out Zhang Shouzheng, hoping for a softer approach.

“If it was my master’s promise, I will certainly help. Don’t worry, Uncle Wang. Come in and have some tea first,” Zhang Shouzheng said, noticing how tired Wang Mazi looked. He immediately invited him into the temple, treating him with utmost courtesy. Jiang Litian, meanwhile, crossed his arms and stared at Wang Mazi with piercing eyes, making him feel as if a wild beast was watching him. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

Wang Mazi went on to recount the strange events in the village, including the bizarre incident when Old Zhu retrieved a corpse from the water.

“Junior brother Shouzheng, this resentful ghost will be difficult to handle. The child’s anger runs deep—he won’t rest until his purpose is fulfilled. And such ghosts are not taken in by the underworld. What will you do? Drive it away? Or scatter its soul? Driving it away is hardly feasible; he died in Guyue Village and is a water ghost. No matter what you do, he remains tied to the village. As for scattering his soul, could you bear it?”

Jiang Litian chuckled softly. Truth be told, he had no desire to meddle, and such child ghosts were notoriously troublesome.

Zhang Shouzheng fell silent. His senior was right—driving the ghost away wouldn’t work, and dispersing its soul was clearly out of the question. Daoists did not scatter souls without cause, lest they incur karmic retribution. Only those ghosts guilty of heinous crimes and slaughtering innocents would be destroyed in the name of heaven. This was the philosophy Qingxu had instilled in him; he knew little of other sects.

Seeing Zhang Shouzheng’s silence, Wang Mazi grew anxious. He swallowed hard and pleaded, “Young master, you must help us. As for how to handle this child, let his mother decide. If you help us, we will reward you handsomely. Our village possesses an item that even Daoist Qingxu praised highly. If you can resolve this disaster in Guyue Village, I’ll give it to you. What do you say?”

“What sort of item could even interest the old man?”

Jiang Litian was surprised, leaning closer to scrutinize Wang Mazi.

Wang Mazi shook his head mysteriously. “I can’t reveal it yet. If you won’t help, I’ll seek out other Daoist masters. With this item, they’re sure to agree.”

“When do we leave?”

Jiang Litian snorted, pressing his hands on the wooden table as he looked at Wang Mazi.

Zhang Shouzheng wiped the cold sweat from his brow and whispered, “Senior brother, you… you really have no bottom line…”

Without even eating lunch, the three descended the mountain and soon boarded a car bound for Guyue Village. The matter was urgent—a night had already passed, and who knew what might have happened in the village.

Meanwhile, in a certain city, within a luxurious apartment building, an extraordinarily handsome man slowly opened his eyes. His features were exquisite, almost otherworldly. His skin was pale, with a red dot between his brows, but not a single hair adorned his head—his scalp was entirely bare.

He sat in a sealed room, in the center, surrounded at each corner by massive bronze toad statues. Each toad’s mouth gaped open, and a yellow talisman was affixed to its back. The man sat cross-legged in the center, dressed in linen robes and trousers, exuding a sense of Zen that felt eerie in such a strange setting.

Soon, the chamber door opened, and a tall, muscular man—fully two meters in height—entered. He wore a sleeveless shirt, his muscles bulging, crew cut, and gaze fierce. Yet upon seeing the enchanting bald man, he immediately grew respectful, dropping to one knee and saying, “Master, why have you summoned Iron Ox?”

“Rise. Qian Hao’s corpse has escaped my control. Come with me to Fen Shui Town. Go pack your things now.”

The bald, alluring man stood slowly and instructed the towering Iron Ox.

Iron Ox frowned at this. “Master, you insisted on keeping his body, making it into a corpse servant. His soul left, but his mind remained strong—that’s the root of the trouble. If he remembers his past, we’re in for it. If I’d known, I’d have eaten his body myself!”

The bald man grinned, his smile seductive. “Iron Ox, it doesn’t matter. I made him a corpse servant because he has his uses. Now go get ready and meet me outside.”

Iron Ox nodded and strode out of the chamber.

The alluring bald man approached one of the toad statues and suddenly peeled off the yellow talisman. Instantly, the toad began to tremble violently, its eyes emitting a wicked red glow as it croaked menacingly:

“Li Tagu, once I get out, I won’t spare you! You dared make my body a corpse servant—when I’m free, I’ll eat your flesh and drink your blood!”

The voice was filled with venom and piercing malice.

“You still dream of escape? You’re suppressed by my Evil-Subduing Toad—you can’t break free. You think I don’t know your tricks? You tampered with your own body before death. Otherwise, how could your corpse have learned to expel the corpse-controlling talisman? Your plot was clever, hoping your body would rescue you, but it’s pure fantasy. I’ll personally seek out your corpse and take what I want, then destroy it completely.”

Li Tagu’s tone was calm, a faint smile on his face, betraying no anger.

“When my corpse claims that item, even you won’t be able to kill him. Prepare to die!”

The soul of Qian Hao was sealed within the toad, but before he could finish, Li Tagu pressed the talisman back in place. The red light faded from the toad’s eyes, and Qian Hao’s voice vanished, leaving the chamber eerily silent.

Shortly after, Li Tagu arrived in front of the building, where a brand-new off-road vehicle waited. Iron Ox emerged from the driver’s seat and rumbled, “Master, everything’s ready. How shall we find Qian Hao?”

Li Tagu gazed into the distance and replied softly, “Of course we head to Fen Shui Town. That youngster borrowed Qian Hao’s corpse—now it’s time to reclaim what’s mine.”