Chapter 203: The Naked Fairy

In the dim light, a hooligan noticed Shui Miao resisting and immediately lunged at him with a knife.

“Ahh…”

The thug suddenly felt a chill on his face as water unexpectedly sprayed into his eyes. He clutched his face and screamed, stumbling around blindly like a headless fly. He lost his footing and tumbled down the hillside. The other two thugs, unaware of what had happened, assumed Shui Miao had thrown dust at them. As they stepped forward to attack, a massive black venomous python suddenly raised its head and spat poison at one of them. The man dropped his blade and cried out in agony. The remaining thug turned to flee, but hadn’t gone far before he spotted a white-robed female ghost rising from the ground. He was so terrified he fainted on the spot, eyes rolling back.

Moments later, the black python slithered into the bushes, and the white-robed ghost vanished.

Of the three thugs, two had rolled down the hill, and one had collapsed from fear.

This outcome was somewhat unexpected for Shui Miao.

He helped the young woman up and escorted her home.

On the way, the woman was still shaken, unable to fully recover from the earlier events, so she remained silent. When Shui Miao stopped at the front gate without entering the house, she grabbed his hand and pleaded, “Zhang Ling, I beg you, please stop pretending to be someone else. I’ve already made a phone call. That person named Chen Bing said that Shui Miao is still in Zhonghai City and even had drinks with him tonight. He asked who I was and why I was playing such a joke. Zhang Ling, if you don’t like me, just say so directly. I won’t cling to you. Although I’m an orphan, I’m not so desperate as to force myself on you. Now, your parents are getting old, and Zhang Juan’s family has already left. If they found out the truth, how could they continue living?”

…

Upon hearing this, Shui Miao immediately suspected the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Niang had taken his form.

Previously, he had suspected that the ghost’s intention might have been to obtain faith and worship. He had arranged for Zhonghai Chamber of Commerce to build temples and Taoist shrines using three antique collections, which would accumulate immense faith and offerings. Obviously, the ghost must have been coveting this power, so she tricked him into leaving Zhonghai City and took his place.

Shui Miao wanted to return immediately, but upon reflection, what could he do if he went back now?

His power was too weak—he’d only be meddling and risking angering the ghost, endangering everyone.

No, I need to make a few calls! Shui Miao quickly decided. Even if he didn’t return, he had to find out whether the ghost’s true intention was indeed for faith and offerings. As long as she didn’t harm his family and friends, he was willing to let her take as much faith and offerings as she wanted.

Shui Miao paused. “Alright then, let’s talk about this later. You go rest first. I’ll stay outside.”

“You won’t come in to sleep?” the woman asked, puzzled.

Shui Miao shook his head, walked directly to the veranda, sat on a reclining chair, and closed his eyes.

Seeing his firm refusal, the woman felt a chill in her heart. Thinking of the bedding still at Shuilong Ridge, she called her two friends to fetch it. Everyone has their pride—she was starting to feel angry, believing her husband no longer loved her.

Shui Miao didn’t mind, but he felt uneasy late at night.

So, he got up and went to the bulldog’s kennel, removed the talisman, and released the dog’s soul.

As soon as the bulldog was freed, it darted out and vanished in an instant.

Shui Miao turned around and saw the ghost of Third Uncle standing behind him.

A faint smile appeared on Third Uncle’s face. “Zhang Ling, I want to ask you a question.”

“Hehe, coincidentally, I also have a question for you,” Shui Miao replied with a slight smile. “Since you’re older, you go first.”

“Alright!”

Third Uncle looked fondly at Shui Miao, stroked his beard, and asked, “Are you really Zhang Ling or Shui Miao?”

“I’m Shui Miao,” Shui Miao smiled slightly and countered, “Third Uncle, I’d like to know, what’s so special about Shuilong Ridge? Why are the ghosts here stronger than elsewhere?”

“Good, I appreciate your honesty,” Third Uncle nodded, then pointed southward with his hand. “You know about Shuilong River, right?”

“Of course,” Shui Miao nodded.

Third Uncle withdrew his hand and stroked his beard again. “My grandfather’s grandfather once told me that during the Ming Dynasty, a very skilled feng shui master came here searching for a dragon’s lair. His surname was Liu. My grandfather told me that our ancestors called him Master Liu. He was sent by the imperial court, accompanied by elite imperial guards carrying precious swords. Master Liu wasn’t familiar with the waterways here, so he hired several locals from our village to guide him. Among them was one of my ancestors…”

Third Uncle also bore the surname Liu, and his ancestors were from the same clan as Master Liu.

It was an autumn day, clear and sunny, with a bright sky.

Liu Neng, Ma Fu, Long Xiang, and Old Wu, each manned two bamboo rafts, carrying Master Liu, his bookboy, and the two imperial guards, heading upstream along Shuilong Ridge. At that time, the village had only a dozen households, and the river was much swifter than it is now. However, on that day, the current was unusually calm.

Master Liu stayed in the village for three days. He predicted the weather would be good that day, and indeed, his prediction proved accurate.

Seeing Master Liu’s refined and dignified demeanor, Liu Neng and the others regarded him as a celestial being, showing utmost respect. Master Liu had them take turns rowing the rafts from morning until dusk, showing no sign of returning.

Once night fell, the mountain waterways became haunted by many malevolent entities. As local villagers, Liu Neng and the others had witnessed the dangers before. Liu Neng stepped forward, begging Master Liu to return early. But Master Liu pointed to the mountain peak and insisted they would stay overnight there. Liu Neng was terrified. Even without considering the demons and venomous snakes, the dense vines and undergrowth made climbing nearly impossible. However, Master Liu seemed confident, promising extra payment. Under the intimidating presence of the two imperial guards, Liu Neng and the others reluctantly agreed, carrying Master Liu’s wooden boxes from the rafts and ascending the mountain.

The four followed Master Liu up the mountain. The path was surprisingly easy, which struck them as odd—Master Liu had never been here before, yet he knew the way.

During a rest, Liu Neng cautiously asked how Master Liu was so familiar with the area. Master Liu replied that he had observed the cloud formations and feng shui, and from afar, detected the mountain’s spiritual energy, allowing him to find the path. Liu Neng, still curious, asked what Master Liu was searching for on the mountain. Master Liu made a throat-cutting gesture and said that knowing the truth would mean death, scaring Liu Neng into dropping the question.

At midnight, they finally reached the summit, exhausted.

They ate some dry rations and rested briefly. Then, as expected, Master Liu gazed at the night sky, which was unusually bright and clear. The mountaintop was a wide, flat platform, seemingly man-made. Under the moonlight, Liu Neng saw the winding Shuilong River below, like a dragon coiling around the mountain base, encircling it—an awe-inspiring sight.

After observing for a while, Master Liu instructed his bookboy and the two imperial guards to open the boxes carried up by Liu Neng and the others. They were curious—what could be inside? They had handled it carefully all the way, fearing it might be fragile.

When the boxes were opened, the imperial guards forbade them from approaching.

Liu Neng saw Master Liu first take out a compass and examine it. Then he retrieved a large bronze mirror, using moonlight to reflect around. After a while, he shook his head and told the imperial guards that the dense trees on the mountain were blocking the light. He ordered that all trees on the ridge must be cut down three meters high within three days, and only after that could the precise location be identified.

Upon hearing this, the imperial guards immediately sprang into action, leaping into the trees with their swords to cut the treetops.

However, as soon as the imperial guards left, Master Liu whispered to Liu Neng and the others that he had already found the exact location. He had lied earlier to avoid being killed by the imperial guards if the truth were revealed. He devised the tree-cutting plan, reasoning that the imperial guards would tire soon and return to ask for help. Master Liu instructed Liu Neng and the others to find tall trees nearby, climb up with ropes tied around their bodies, and keep their eyes tightly shut no matter what sounds they heard—because opening their eyes meant certain death.

Terrified, Liu Neng and the others grabbed ropes and axes and climbed the trees.

The imperial guards assumed they were helping and paid no attention.

Meanwhile, Master Liu had his bookboy stand beside him holding the sword, then sat cross-legged on the ground, chanting incantations and burning talismans. Soon, the sky darkened, a cold wind blew, and eerie sounds echoed from afar…

Liu Neng and the others, scared stiff, kept their eyes tightly shut.

But not long after, they heard a woman’s laughter and voices near their ears…

Liu Neng, being a rational man, knew there were no women on the mountain—it must have been spirits trying to trick them. He refused to open his eyes.

However, Old Wu, who had lived a celibate life, couldn’t resist temptation. He peeked just once—and immediately screamed, dying of fright.

Old Wu had been tied to a tree by Liu Neng, only a short distance away.

Hearing Old Wu’s scream, Liu Neng knew he was probably already dead.

But shortly after, Old Wu tapped Liu Neng on the shoulder and whispered, “Hey, look! There are so many naked fairies dancing…”