Liu Dashao was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, “You two sure are experienced! It seems you’ve gone through a lot over the years. But barbecue? I’ve never done it and don’t know how. I guess I can only watch you two now!”
Suona Wang waved his hand, “You don’t need to barbecue! You’re only responsible for starting the fire. Wait, I don’t mean using this fire. I’m talking about that fire you used three days ago—it cooks things both quickly and evenly. Even a pig’s head can be roasted fast. Don’t worry about the timing; we’ve memorized the exact time needed. A chicken takes one minute, a pig’s head three minutes. Anyway, you don’t need to worry about that, just take care of the fire, okay? Why aren’t you preparing yet? We’re almost ready!” As he spoke, the two had already seasoned three chickens and skewered them with wooden sticks, and were now preparing to roast the pig’s head.
Liu Dashao pulled out several talismans from his bag, examining them left and right. Luo Gu Chen asked, “What are you looking at, Dashao?”
Liu Dashao replied bitterly, “Without cinnabar, how can I write talismans?”
Luo Gu Chen said, “You call yourself an intellectual? I’ve seen that half-immortal Wang usually just spits on his brush to write. Since it’s your first time, maybe you should do it properly. Go get some water with these two bottles!”
Liu Dashao said, “Do I really need that much water?”
Luo Gu Chen glared at him, “Don’t you get thirsty? There’s a ditch with water near the field on the other side. We passed by earlier and I saw it’s definitely there.”
Liu Dashao knew they were sending him to fetch water to drink, but seeing that the two of them were busy, he did not resist and obediently took the three bottles to go find water. Upon reaching the ditch, he indeed found running water and could simply fill the bottles by scooping them into the stream. By then, the sky had gradually darkened, and visibility had become poor. In the countryside, this time of day is called “hazy eyes,” because at this moment everything appears blurry, as if covered with pockmarks.
While filling the bottles, Liu Dashao suddenly felt a cold breeze blowing from behind. An ordinary person might just think it was a chill wind, but Liu Dashao was different—he was no ordinary man. He could sense something approaching.
After filling all three bottles, the thing was still there, motionless, as if afraid of Liu Dashao. People fear ghosts, but ghosts fear people even more, especially those with strong yang energy. As the saying goes, people fear ghosts three parts, but ghosts fear people seven parts. Liu Dashao sensed the ghost’s fear. It wasn’t a harmful vengeful ghost, nor a playful spirit wandering in the mountains. He made a hand seal and swept it before his eyes. Immediately, the two wandering souls of a homeless man appeared before him, looking very weak.
Liu Dashao looked at him and asked, “Uncle, are you on your way? Why aren’t you moving forward?”
The ghost, realizing someone could see him, understood that the other must be no ordinary person, as he could sense the powerful yang energy radiating from him. Slightly trembling, he replied, “Young sir, you must be someone extraordinary. Please don’t harm me. I am a wandering hungry ghost who starved to death in a foreign city. I was destitute and famished on the streets, having begged for food without success for several days until finally, five nights ago, I starved to death in a street corner, unnoticed and uncared for. The day after I died, my body was thrown into a mass grave area. Now, only my two wandering souls remain, weak and drained. It took me three entire days just to arrive here. I must return home before the seventh day after my death to locate my family’s peach orchard. Without anyone to bid me farewell after death, I snatched a bit of money from where people had burned paper offerings for the deceased. I’ve spent every last bit of it getting here. My home is still dozens of miles away, and in my current condition, I can only travel at night. I don’t know if I can make it within two more days. Please, show mercy and don’t capture me!”
Liu Dashao knew that ghosts like him were called wild ghosts in the underworld—those who died away from home without any registration. If caught by the underworld officials, they were doomed. He said, “Uncle, don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you. I’m not an underworld official but a yin-yang master. Helping you is my duty. Come with me, have something to eat before you continue your journey.” Saying this, he walked toward the cowshed.
When they arrived at the cowshed, Suona Wang and Luo Gu Chen had already completed the preparations and were waiting for the fire. Suona Wang asked, “Dashao, why did you take so long? We’ve been waiting for ages!”
Liu Dashao smiled, “I met a friend while fetching water and chatted a bit. I brought him along for something to eat.”
Suona Wang was puzzled, “Friend? Where? I don’t see anyone.”
Liu Dashao replied, “He’s not a human, so you naturally can’t see him.” He then turned to behind him and said, “Come, Uncle, please sit down.”
The ghost drifted gratefully to one side. The two men felt a cold breeze and couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily.
Roasting meat with talisman fire indeed proved convenient and fast. Within minutes, the meat was ready. Liu Dashao couldn’t help but exclaim, “I never thought learning magic would have this benefit. This is the first time I’ve truly appreciated the usefulness of magic!” As he spoke, he split the chicken in his hand into two halves, placing one half on the roasted pig’s head and offering it to the ghost, saying, “Come, Uncle, eat up!”
Liu Dashao finally saw how a hungry ghost ate—half a chicken was first swallowed whole and then the bones were spat out, and the pig’s head was finished in just a few bites. Liu Dashao watched in amazement. Although ghosts don’t eat real food, they still eat as if they were consuming real food.
After finishing his meal, Liu Dashao asked, “Uncle, are you full? If not, I can give you my half too.”
The ghost, deeply grateful, said, “Thank you, young sir! This is the first full meal I’ve had in a year. I can’t eat anymore now. If only I could have a drink.”
Liu Dashao took a bottle of wine from in front of Luo Gu Chen and placed it before the ghost. The ghost drank half of it in one go. To outsiders, the wine appeared untouched, but Liu Dashao could clearly see him drinking. After watching him finish, Liu Dashao returned the wine to Luo Gu Chen and said to the ghost, “Uncle, do you need to hurry on your way? If so, you can go ahead. We’re not like you—we three need to stay here for the night. Let me burn some money for you. You returning like this might face some trouble at the peach orchard. Take this as some toll money.” Saying this, he began eating while pulling out a bundle of spirit money and a stick of incense from his pocket and burning them beside the fire.
While eating, Liu Dashao watched the ghost beside him. The ghost was carefully sorting through the money one piece at a time, tears streaming down his face. When Liu Dashao finished half a chicken, the ghost had finished organizing all the spirit money. To humans, it was just useless paper, but to ghosts, it was real money. After putting the money away, the ghost, in tears, said to Liu Dashao, “Young sir, this is the richest I’ve ever been in my entire life. I spent half my life begging for food, living off others’ charity. I never imagined that even in death, I’d still rely on your charity to have a full meal and money for the journey. I can only repay your kindness in my next life!”
Liu Dashao smiled, “Uncle, don’t say that. It’s our duty in this line of work. You’d better hurry on your way and reach the peach orchard soon. This is all I can do for you. Travel safely!”
The ghost departed. Now well-fed, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to cross mountains and rivers. He would surely reach home soon. But Liu Dashao and the other two still had to spend the night in the cold, wind-battered cowshed.
After the ghost left, Suona Wang asked, “Xiaofeng, who was that ghost just now?”
Liu Dashao replied, “A hungry ghost, someone who died in the city from starvation and has now returned home to find his peach orchard. He flew away after having a full meal.”
Suona Wang shook his head, “Out here in this remote wilderness, you’d better avoid getting involved with these things. We’ve eaten, so let’s sleep. Don’t get mixed up in too many affairs, or you’ll invite unnecessary trouble.”
Liu Dashao sighed, “But we can’t just ignore someone in need! Seeing how weak he was, unable to even walk properly, if we didn’t help, he might not make it before the seventh day.”
“Anyway, this time is done. Just remember next time!” Suona Wang warned.
Liu Dashao had memorized every word of the few books given to him by Zhang Enpu; the records within were still clear in his mind. He said nothing more and leaned by the fire, drifting off to sleep.
The next morning, the sun rose, making the snow-covered ground even brighter. On the dazzling white snow, a trail of three footprints stretched out from the cowshed, already several miles long. Liu Dashao grumbled, “Why are we leaving so early? Wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit longer?”
Luo Gu Chen replied, “What do you know? If anyone found out we stayed in that cowshed, everyone in the village would chase after us cursing!”
“Huh? Why?”
Luo Gu Chen said, “Why? I don’t know exactly, but a few years ago we once slept in a cowshed on a mountain. It was spring, the weather was nice, and we overslept a bit. But someone found us, and the whole village accused us of coming to ruin their feng shui. They chased us for miles!”
Liu Dashao laughed, “Didn’t you try to explain? Haha!”
Suona Wang said, “What good is explaining? Old Chen, that fast little rabbit, ran ahead, but I couldn’t keep up. I stopped to explain, and do you know what happened? I was scolded so badly it felt like being drenched in dog blood!”
Imagining a scene of a group of people furiously cursing one person, Liu Dashao nodded, “Then let’s hurry up and go!”
After several hours of marching, the three finally arrived at Xiushui Village, where the warmth of home was felt at that moment.
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