Chapter 128: Taoist Yi Miao

Inside Room 502.

The atmosphere was a bit eerie.

At times like this, I usually wouldn’t soften my heart. Besides, the red Hungry Ghost Mother was just another hungry ghost.

Hungry ghosts are terrifying when it comes to eating, but their ability to harm people isn’t particularly strong. Many of them just hide under patients’ beds, waiting for them to cough up thick phlegm before pouncing to devour it.

I thought to myself that I still had some red threads on me, which would come in handy. The Hungry Ghost Mother didn’t have much combat skill and simply lunged at me. After eating, her speed had indeed increased. I gripped the jade ruler in my hand.

The Hungry Ghost Mother slammed into the jade ruler, showing no fear of pain. She gurgled and squealed in her mouth. I lost my footing and was knocked against the wall. Above my head was a poster of the Ten Marshals, swaying precariously before fluttering down from the impact.

The Hungry Ghost Mother sprouted strange tentacles that wrapped around me, seemingly trying to burrow into my body. The jade ruler stabbed into her, emitting green smoke, but she didn’t seem the least bit bothered.

The Hungry Ghost Mother lunged again, and her children swarmed up in droves, searching for spots to crawl inside me.

My foot slipped, and I fell to the ground, the back of my head hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

I was pinned down by a large hungry ghost and a swarm of small ones, their weight pressing densely against me.

I could feel them all trying to force their way into my body.

On the Hungry Ghost Mother’s body, I spotted a centipede pattern. The jade ruler’s light flared up again. Xiao Jian also leaped onto me, opening his mouth to bite. After biting one, he tossed it into the iron tray to burn. A *pfft* sound followed, and a foul stench filled the air.

It seemed like two had already burrowed inside, and the Hungry Ghost Mother was halfway in, seemingly entering through my chest. A sharp pain shot through me.

I had been careless. I was about to be possessed by a hungry ghost. From now on, you’d have to call me Hungry Ghost Xiao Qi.

As the Hungry Ghost Mother lunged, her tentacles wrapped around my hands.

The jade ruler was completely useless.

After burning two small hungry ghosts, Xiao Jian finally realized the problem—the Hungry Ghost Mother was too powerful. He bit her twice but was flung aside, crashing against the wall and passing out. The Hungry Ghost Mother ignored everything else as she forced her way into my chest.

Once her head was inside, she began pushing her neck in, though it was a bit long and took a while. My hands were immobilized, and the jade ruler had fallen to the ground.

I could only hope the Five Worms would bite the Hungry Ghost Mother to death.

Ye Wenxin hid at the bedroom door, with a group of elderly professors behind her. But they could only watch helplessly, offering nothing but sympathy.

I cursed inwardly. The pain in my chest came in waves. If the Hungry Ghost Mother wanted to be quick, she should just dive in all at once, but she was moving agonizingly slow.

The pain—it felt like someone had stomped on my little brother.

Or like the pain of a woman on her period. I’d just have to become a big-bellied man for now and find someone to expel her later.

I gave up.

Just then, a handsome man in his thirties leaped into Room 502, a horsetail whisk tucked into his Eight Wolves belt.

The man moved swiftly, his footsteps light. He stepped forward and slapped a “Purity Breaker Talisman” onto the Hungry Ghost Mother, then spat on the yellow paper while chanting:

*”By the essence of the Big Dipper, descend into this water. Ghosts of a hundred battles, flee ten thousand miles. If you do not leave, be slain and delivered to the White Child of the West. Urgently, urgently, as the law commands!”*

This method of exorcism relied on the Big Dipper’s power to subdue demons and dispel corruption, though his saliva was a bit questionable. Normally, talismans used clear water—this was the first time I’d seen someone spit on one.

Was he some kind of expert?

The man frowned. “Hey. Why aren’t you rolling away?”

I snapped, “Brother, stop spacing out! Pull her out! Are you waiting for the Hungry Ghost Mother to dissolve into blood? Until the apocalypse?”

The man shook his head, muttering to himself, *”Did the Purity Breaker Talisman not work?”*

After I yelled at him twice, he grabbed the Hungry Ghost Mother’s legs and yanked.

It hurt like hell when she went in—but pulling her out hurt even more.

“Hold on. Giving birth is a bit painful,” the man said, sweat dripping down his forehead.

He pulled the Hungry Ghost Mother’s legs outward. I sprawled my legs, howling in agony.

The professors hiding in the bedroom muttered, “Is he giving birth already? The screams are too tragic.”

“You old men, it’s not childbirth. Something’s burrowed into him and is being yanked out. Of course it hurts. Poor kid—now he gets to experience what it’s like to give birth,” Ye Wenxin said, her eyes full of sympathy.

The man gritted his teeth. “Almost there. Push a little. Are you hungry? Need some energy? Sorry, I didn’t bring any food. Useless talk.”

I cursed, “Hold her legs tight—she’s trying to go back in!”

After ten excruciating minutes of struggle, the Hungry Ghost Mother was finally pulled out by the man.

I sat on the floor, clutching my chest in pain, drenched in sweat. The other small ghosts that had burrowed inside seemed frightened and fled.

The man yanked the Hungry Ghost Mother out, smacked her with his horsetail whisk, and slapped on a “Nine Phoenix Purity Breaker Talisman.”

*”Nine Phoenix True Palace, purity-breaking phoenix. Crimson-robed, wielding a sword, standing above. Nine heads spew fire, soaring through the sky.”*

The talisman was covered in wild, unreadable strokes, but when he chanted, I realized it depicted a phoenix.

I tossed him the red thread beside me, and he deftly wrapped up the Hungry Ghost Mother.

“Toss her in to burn,” I said, pointing at the alcohol flame in the iron tray.

“I still need her,” the man said, pulling me up. “I’m Yi Miao. A lay Daoist. About my identity—I’ll only tell you. Don’t spread it around.”

And so, this was the first time I met Yi Miao—a funny guy, because he told me that while he was a Daoist, he wasn’t just any Daoist. From first to sixth grade, he was always in Class 2.

Alright, I didn’t laugh.

“I’m Xiao Qi. A ghost-hunting feng shui master. And don’t go spreading my identity around either,” I said, standing up and rubbing my chest. “Also, what’s a ‘lay Daoist’?”

“Heh, I used to cultivate the Dao. Then I went into business. But sometimes, the itch comes back, so I wander around to see if I can stumble upon anything strange,” Yi Miao said, lighting a cigarette after securing the Hungry Ghost Mother.

“So, have you found anything strange?” I pressed.

“Honestly? Ghostly stuff is as rare as pandas. Lucky to encounter it once a year,” Yi Miao said, taking a drag. He seemed to sense the ghosts inside the door.

He bent over, looked through his legs, and spotted Ye Wenxin and the others.

He didn’t have much interest in a bunch of old men.

“But this time, I tracked down a fake Daoist. These hungry ghosts were raised by him. I’ll keep the Hungry Ghost Mother here and wait for him,” Yi Miao said, gazing lonely out the window, the lamplight reflected in his pure eyes.

“Alright. I’ll head back first,” I said, standing and picking up Xiao Jian.

Yi Miao protested, “Don’t leave! If you go, I’ll be scared.”

“Seriously?” I couldn’t believe my ears. This lay Daoist, who made such a dramatic entrance, was saying he was afraid?

“Let me explain. I’m not scared of ghosts—I’m scared of loneliness. Having someone to talk to makes life easier,” Yi Miao said, handing me a cigarette.

I set Xiao Jian aside. After all, the guy had saved me. Running off now would be ungrateful.

Yi Miao passed me a smoke. I checked the brand but couldn’t recognize it—no markings at all. Yi Miao laughed. “Not a fancy brand. I grew the tobacco myself, dried the leaves. Strong flavor.”

I took a drag and coughed violently. Damn, this tobacco wouldn’t sell for even a penny—harsh as hell.

But I liked it.

Yi Miao, perhaps starved for company, rambled on. Once, he thought he’d encountered a ghost at night, only to realize it was two girls walking home in the rain. He stuck talismans on their faces.

“Let me tell you, some girls these days—beautiful with makeup, but without it? Scarier than ghosts,” Yi Miao said, laughing uproariously.

Yeah, not funny at all.

Gradually, I understood why Yi Miao talked so much. Like Zhong Li, usually quiet and reserved, but chatty when meeting Chen Tutu—because they were the same kind.

Yi Miao felt the same about me. Normally hiding his Daoist identity, living like a regular person, with no one to talk to. Finally meeting me, he just wouldn’t shut up.

“One time, I tailed a vicious ghost at night. Turned out? Some extra walking home after filming a horror movie. Wore the costume to avoid getting robbed. Can you believe that?” Yi Miao said, checking his watch now and then.

Yeah, still not funny.

After resting, my strength slowly returned. I examined the Hungry Ghost Mother—her belly was empty again, her reactions sluggish. On her shoulder, I spotted a centipede.

The centipede looked familiar, like I’d seen it somewhere.

My scalp prickled. I felt like something was watching me. I quickly glanced up at the dim, yellowed ceiling.

Only cobwebs—no eyes.

“Daoist Yi, you’re an expert. Tell me—is there an eye up there?” I asked.

Yi Miao checked his watch again, then paced the room with his horsetail whisk. “No eye. Unless a demon’s here.”

“Daoist Yi, don’t scare me like that,” I said, wiping sweat from my brow.

Just dealt with the Hungry Ghost Mother, and now a demon?

“Hah. You’re easily spooked,” Yi Miao said absentmindedly, checking the time again.

“He’s here,” Yi Miao announced, gripping his horsetail whisk.

I stood, grabbed a rusty kitchen knife, and stood guard at the door.

“Daddy’s late—hope you didn’t suffer!” The voice was urgent, full of energy.

Familiar.

I’d definitely heard it somewhere before.