At the same time, the pounding on the door outside suddenly stopped. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes and looked outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen—it must have been captured by the Grand Duke of yearly misfortune.
Zhang Enpu exhaled in relief and said, “The evil has been eliminated!” He opened the door and let Liu Dashao sprinkle some water infused with willow branches around the house to cleanse the bad energy. Then he hurried Liu Dashao toward the village head.
Meanwhile, the banging on the door outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao, with his Yin-Yang eyes, peered outside and saw no trace of the monster. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led Liu Dashao towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had changed entirely. Village Chief Tian was discussing something with a few members of the local militia. On the ground, Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared. He had ordered the militia to be ready to tie up the troublemakers as soon as the fight broke out, buying time for Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu to return home and perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, likely dead for some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the worshipped ghost, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the retribution of karma.
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these men, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a violation of the natural order of karma, good and evil. Moreover, he had the audacity to dig up his father’s grave and kill his mother. He had already incurred the wrath of heaven. His fate today is entirely his own doing.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth. Ke Jiang’s body was carried away, and his accomplices were tied up and taken back to the town.
Zhang Enpu murmured, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao, using his Yin-Yang eyes, looked around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before vanishing.
This is the retribution of good and evil, the cycle of karma.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Heavenly Master’s Records” written by Zhang Enpu’s generation.
“There are many paths to enlightenment, but the ultimate destination is the same.”
It means that those who commit great evil will face retribution, and those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the worshipped ghost had been attached to the ring. By placing the Five Thunder Talisman on the door, all evil spirits were kept out of the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the worshipped ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost, trying to return to the ring, clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you defeat Ke Jiang? I was on edge watching!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple. Before the bet, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, seeing the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I easily defeated him with a single move.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted elm trees nearby. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought sincerely.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically had Liu Dashao attempt to draw a “Ding Mou Public March Talisman” on the fifteenth day of the lunar month to ensure Gou Dan’s safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands trembled, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu said, “The Dao follows nature, and thoughts arise from the heart. Don’t be too concerned with the strokes of the talisman.” Liu Dashao pondered that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—not focusing on the strokes but using his intent to draw.
Winter arrived, and the weather grew colder. The New Year was approaching, and the village became lively. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a pot of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his padded jacket and left home.
It was the coldest part of winter, and Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaks, like those of a mouse. Liu Dashao followed the sound into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the wine pot and dumplings, crouched, and tried to pry open the trap. It didn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap opened slightly, the little creature pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—if a person had stepped on it, they might not have been able to free themselves. Liu Dashao thought that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, the blood dried. He took out several dumplings and fed them to the creature. It held the dumplings with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one, it grabbed another, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the wine pot, and a strong aroma of wine filled the air. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched, likely in pain. It smelled the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the wine pot and licked the wine around the edge. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao patted its head and said, “Little one, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place, then looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes before darting off.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao delivered the items to Village Chief Tian’s house and stayed for a while before returning home. By then, Liu Laoshi and his wife had returned with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal similar to the one he had just seen. He went to the study to find the book.
After searching for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the Yellow Immortal or Huang Er Ye. Huang Er Ye was said to have great powers. Zhang Enpu had once mentioned that Huang Er Ye could possess people and control all animals and some minor ghosts. Even immortals had to show it respect. Moreover, it loved to drink. Liu Dashao thought that explained why it had clung to the wine pot. But why was this Huang Er Ye white?
The book mentioned that Huang Er Ye was usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could this white Huang Er Ye have even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to see Huang Er Ye the next day. He put the book back and took out the “Heavenly Master’s Records” to read after dinner.
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water infused with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led Liu Dashao towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had completely changed. Village Chief Tian was speaking with a few members of the local militia, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared all along. He had instructed the militia to be ready to capture these men as soon as the fight broke out, buying time for Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu to return home and perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, as if he had been dead for quite some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the worshipped ghost, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was karma, he said.
When Village Chief Tian saw Zhang Enpu approaching, he said, “Old Master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these men, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a perverse practice that goes against the natural order of cause and effect, good and evil. Moreover, he committed the ultimate sin by digging up his father’s grave and killing his mother. He was already destined for divine punishment. His fate today is entirely of his own making.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth. Ke Jiang’s body was carried away, and his accomplices were bound and taken back to the town.
Zhang Enpu murmured softly, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao used his Yin-Yang eyes to look around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before vanishing.
This is the way of the world: good and evil will always be repaid, and cause and effect will always come full circle.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Heavenly Master’s Records,” which mentioned that by Zhang Enpu’s generation, it was written:
“There are many paths to enlightenment, but the ultimate destination is the same.”
This meant that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
When Zhang Enpu returned home, he told Liu Dashao that the worshipped ghost had been attached to the ring. By placing a Five Thunder Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be kept out of the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu retrieved the ring, the ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu then summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost, attempting to return to it, clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was on edge the whole time!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple. Before the bet, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I used a simple technique to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought to himself.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month to have Liu Dashao attempt to draw a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” to ensure Gou Dan’s safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands trembled the whole time, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu, however, said that the Dao follows nature, and the mind guides the brush. There was no need to obsess over the strokes of the talisman. Liu Dashao pondered this and realized that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes, but the intention behind them.
As winter set in, the weather grew colder, and the New Year was fast approaching. The village became lively again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went out to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange offerings to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a jug of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his padded jacket and headed out.
It was the coldest part of winter, and Liu Dashao walked along the snow-covered path, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of a mouse. Curious, he followed the noise into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the jug of wine and the dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap. It didn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap finally opened a crack, the little creature pulled its leg free. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—if a person had stepped on it, they might not have been able to free themselves. Liu Dashao thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, the blood already dried. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
It finished one dumpling and immediately started on another, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the jug of wine, and the strong aroma of alcohol filled the air. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a strip of cloth to bandage it.
The creature twitched its nose, likely in pain, and then, smelling the wine, it reached out with its front paws and licked the wine from the edge of the jug. It then lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little one, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes before darting off into the distance.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao stayed at Village Chief Tian’s house for a while after delivering the items before heading home. When he returned, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already come back with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. He went into the study to look for the book.
After searching for a while, he finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Lord Huang.” Its abilities were vast, as Zhang Enpu had once explained.
It was said that Lord Huang could possess people and control all animals and minor spirits. Even the immortals had to show it respect. Moreover, it had a particular fondness for alcohol. Liu Dashao thought to himself that this explained why it had clung to the wine jug earlier. But why was this Lord Huang white?
The book stated that Lord Huang was usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Lord Huang had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on Lord Huang the next day. He put the book back and picked up the “Heavenly Master’s Records” to read after dinner.
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water infused with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led him towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had completely changed. Village Chief Tian was discussing something with a few members of the local militia, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared all along. He had ordered the militia to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out, delaying them so that Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu could return home to perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, as if he had been dead for quite some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the worshipped ghost, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the retribution of karma!
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a heinous act that goes against the natural order of karma and the cycle of good and evil. Moreover, he even dug up his father’s grave and killed his mother, which was enough to incur divine punishment. His fate today is entirely of his own making!”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly and exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu before ordering the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth, the removal of Ke Jiang’s body, and the binding and escorting of his accomplices back to the town.
Zhang Enpu whispered, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now, and old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life!”
Liu Dashao used his Yin-Yang eyes to look around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before disappearing.
This is the ultimate retribution of good and evil, the eternal cycle of karma!
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage written in the “Heavenly Master’s Records” up to Zhang Enpu’s generation.
“There are many paths to convenience, but only one road to return to the origin!”
This means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the worshipped ghost had been attached to the ring. By pasting the Five Thunder House Protection Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be unable to enter the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the worshipped ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu invited the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost tried to return to the ring but clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating for you!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was actually quite simple. Before I gambled with him, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I casually used a technique to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted elm trees beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought from the bottom of his heart.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month to have Liu Dashao try drawing a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” to ensure Gou Dan’s safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands were trembling, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu said that the Dao follows nature, and the intention comes from the heart. There’s no need to be overly concerned with the strokes of the talisman. Liu Dashao pondered that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes but the intention behind them.
As winter set in, the weather grew colder, and the New Year was approaching. The village became lively again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. The grandmother took out a pot of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his cotton-padded jacket and left the house.
It was the coldest part of winter, and Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of mice. Curious, he followed the sound into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked somewhat like a mouse but was much longer and larger. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the wine pot and dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap with his hands, but it didn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap opened slightly, the little creature quickly pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—even a person stepping on it might not be able to free themselves. He thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
Liu Dashao lifted the little creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, and the blood had dried. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one, it grabbed another dumpling and started munching, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the wine pot, and a strong aroma of wine wafted out. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched a few times, likely in pain. It smelled the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the wine pot and licked the wine around the edge. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little guy, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes before darting off and disappearing.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao stayed at Village Chief Tian’s house for a while after delivering the items before heading home. By the time he returned, Liu Laoshi and his wife had also come back with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that a creature similar to the one he had just seen was mentioned in one of Zhang Enpu’s books in the study, so he went to the study to look for it.
After flipping through the pages for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Great Immortal” or “Second Lord Huang.” The abilities of Second Lord Huang were vast. He had heard Zhang Enpu talk about it before.
It was said that Second Lord Huang could possess people and control all animals and minor ghosts. Even immortals had to give it some respect. Moreover, it loved to drink wine. Liu Dashao thought, no wonder it clung to the wine pot earlier. But why was this Second Lord Huang white?
The book mentioned that Second Lord Huang was usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Second Lord Huang had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, he decided to bring some wound medicine to check on Second Lord Huang tomorrow. Liu Dashao put the book back and took out the “Heavenly Master’s Records” to read after dinner.
Meanwhile, the banging on the door outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water infused with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led him towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had completely changed. Village Chief Tian was discussing something with a few members of the logistics team, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared all along. He had instructed the logistics team to be ready to tie up the troublemakers as soon as the fight broke out, buying time for Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu to return home and perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, likely having been dead for some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the ghost Ke Jiang had worshipped, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the retribution of karma!
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a perverse act that goes against the natural order of karma and the cycle of good and evil. Moreover, he had the audacity to dig up his father’s grave and even killed his mother. He had already incurred the wrath of heaven. His fate today is entirely of his own making!”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth. Ke Jiang’s body was carried away, and his accomplices were tied up and taken back to the town.
Zhang Enpu murmured softly, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao, using his Yin-Yang eyes, looked around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu from a distance before vanishing.
This is the ultimate retribution of good and evil, the eternal cycle of karma!
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Heavenly Master’s Records” that Zhang Enpu had written in his generation.
“There are many paths to enlightenment, but the destination is the same.”
It means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the ghost Ke Jiang had worshipped was attached to the ring. By placing the Five Thunder House Protection Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be barred from entering the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost, trying to reclaim it, clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating bullets watching you!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple, actually. Before I gambled with him, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I just used a simple move to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the hill behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought sincerely.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically had Liu Dashao attempt to draw a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” on the fifteenth day of the lunar month to ensure Gou Dan’s safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands trembled incessantly, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu, however, said that the essence of Taoism lies in naturalness, and the power of the talisman comes from the heart. One shouldn’t be overly concerned with the strokes of the talisman. Liu Dashao pondered that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes but the intent behind them.
As winter deepened, the weather grew colder, and the New Year was fast approaching. The village became lively again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went out to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange offerings to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a pot of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his padded jacket and stepped out into the cold winter.
The winter was at its coldest, and Liu Dashao walked along the snow-covered path, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed by a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of mice. Curious, he followed the sound into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked somewhat like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the wine pot and dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap with his hands, but it wouldn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap finally opened a crack, the little creature quickly pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—if a person had stepped on it, they might not have been able to free themselves. Liu Dashao thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, the bloodstains dried up. He took out several dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one, it grabbed another dumpling, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the wine pot, and a strong aroma of alcohol wafted out. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched a few times, likely in pain. It sniffed the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the wine pot, licking the wine around the edge. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little guy, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its beady eyes before darting off into the distance.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao delivered the items to Village Chief Tian’s house and stayed for a while before heading home. By the time he returned, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already come back with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. So, he went into the study to look for the book.
After flipping through the pages for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Huang Er Ye.” The Yellow Immortal was said to possess great powers. Zhang Enpu had once told him that the Yellow Immortal could possess people, control animals, and even command minor spirits. Even other immortals would give it some respect. Moreover, it had a particular fondness for alcohol. Liu Dashao thought, “No wonder it clung to the wine pot earlier!” But why was this Yellow Immortal white?
The book mentioned that Yellow Immortals were usually yellow, and those with deeper cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Yellow Immortal had even greater cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on the Yellow Immortal the next day. He put the book back and picked up the “Heavenly Master’s Records” to read after dinner.
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is karma. He can only blame himself for committing so many heinous acts. Summoning ghosts is an evil practice that violates the natural cycle of good and evil, right and wrong. Worse still, he committed the ultimate taboo—digging up his father’s grave and murdering his mother. He deserved divine punishment long ago. His fate today is entirely self-inflicted!”
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that the Tai Sui had captured it.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water around the house using a willow branch to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led Liu Dashao towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had completely changed. Village Chief Tian and a few members of the local militia were discussing something, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared all along. He had instructed the militia to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out, delaying them so that Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu could return home to perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, as if he had been dead for quite some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken away. This was the retribution of karma.
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a heretical practice that goes against the natural order of karma, good and evil. Moreover, he even dug up his father’s grave and killed his mother, which was enough to incur divine punishment. His fate today is entirely his own doing.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth. Ke Jiang’s body was carried away, and his accomplices were tied up and taken back to the town.
Zhang Enpu whispered, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao used his Yin-Yang eyes to look around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before disappearing.
This is the ultimate retribution of good and evil, the cycle of karma.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Tianshi Records” that Zhang Enpu had written in his generation.
“There are many paths to convenience, but only one road to return to the origin.”
This means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the ghost he had worshipped was attached to the ring. By pasting the Five Thunder Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be prevented from entering the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost tried to return to it but clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating for you!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple. Before I gambled with him, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I casually used a move to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought to himself.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month to have Liu Dashao try drawing a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” for Gou Dan to ensure his safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands were trembling, afraid of making any mistakes.
Zhang Enpu said that the Tao follows nature, and the intention comes from the heart. There was no need to be overly concerned with the strokes of the talisman. Liu Dashao realized that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes, but the intention behind them.
As winter set in, the weather grew colder, and the New Year was approaching. The village became lively again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange offerings to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a jug of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his cotton-padded jacket and left the house.
It was the coldest time of winter, and Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of a mouse. Curious, he followed the sound into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on the trap had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the jug of wine and the dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap. It didn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap opened slightly, the little creature pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—if a beast or even a person were caught in it, they might not be able to escape. He thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
Liu Dashao lifted the creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, the blood dried up. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
It finished one dumpling and started on another, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the jug of wine, and a strong aroma filled the air. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched, perhaps in pain. It smelled the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the jug and licked the wine from the rim. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao patted its head and said, “Little guy, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place, looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes, and then disappeared in a flash.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao stayed at Village Chief Tian’s house for a while before returning home. By the time he got back, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already returned with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. So, he went into the study to look for the book.
After searching for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Second Lord Huang.” The Yellow Immortal was said to possess great powers. Zhang Enpu had once told him that the Yellow Immortal could possess people and control all animals and minor ghosts. Even the immortals had to show it some respect. Moreover, the Yellow Immortal loved to drink. Liu Dashao thought that explained why it had clung to the wine jug earlier. But why was this Yellow Immortal white?
The book stated that Yellow Immortals were usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Yellow Immortal had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to see the Yellow Immortal the next day. He put the book back and took out the “Tianshi Records” to read after dinner.
Zhang Enpu murmured softly, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can finally rest in peace, and you too, old lady. May you both find a better rebirth!”
Liu Dashao looked around with his Yin-Yang eyes and indeed saw, in the distance, the old ghostly woman and Yan Xiaoliu bowing deeply to Zhang Enpu before vanishing in an instant.
This was truly a case of good and evil receiving their due, with karma always circling back.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Records of the Celestial Master,” which had been written in Zhang Enpu’s generation:
“Convenient means are many, but the path to the origin is one!”
This meant that great evildoers would inevitably face karmic retribution, while those who do great good would be watched over by Heaven, no matter how difficult their lives might be.
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao activated his Yin-Yang vision to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water infused with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led Liu Dashao towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had completely changed. Village Chief Tian was discussing something with a few members of the local militia, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared all along. He had ordered the militia to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out, buying time for Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu to return home and perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, likely having been dead for some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the ghost Ke Jiang had worshipped, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the retribution of karma.
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you truly are divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a perverse practice that goes against the natural order of cause and effect, good and evil. Moreover, he had the audacity to dig up his father’s grave and even killed his mother. He had already incurred the wrath of heaven. His fate today is entirely of his own making.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth. Ke Jiang’s body was carried away, and his accomplices were bound and taken back to the town.
Zhang Enpu murmured softly, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you too, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao, using his Yin-Yang vision, looked around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu in the distance, bowing to Zhang Enpu before vanishing into thin air.
This is the ultimate justice of good and evil, the eternal cycle of cause and effect.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Heavenly Master’s Records,” written by Zhang Enpu’s generation.
“There are many paths to enlightenment, but the destination is the same.”
This means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the ghost Ke Jiang had worshipped was attached to a ring. By placing a Five Thunder Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be barred from entering the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu then summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost, attempting to reclaim it, clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was on the edge of my seat!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple, really. Before I gambled with him, I sealed the evil spirit in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I casually used a technique to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought sincerely.
A month later, Gou Dan returned, his arm wrapped up like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month to have Liu Dashao attempt to draw a “Ding Mou Public March Talisman” to ensure Gou Dan’s safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands trembled incessantly, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu, however, said that the essence of the art lies in naturalness, and the intention comes from the heart. There’s no need to obsess over the strokes of the talisman. Liu Dashao pondered this and realized that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes, but the intention behind them.
As winter set in, the weather grew colder, and the New Year approached. The village became lively once more. Liu Laoshi and his wife went out to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange offerings to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a jug of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his padded jacket and stepped out into the cold winter.
The winter was at its coldest, and Liu Dashao walked along the snow-covered path, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed by a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of mice. Curious, he followed the noise into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked somewhat like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the jug of wine and the dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t budge it. Summoning all his strength, he managed to open the trap just enough for the little creature to pull its leg out. As soon as he let go, the trap snapped shut with a loud bang, its force truly astonishing. Even a human stepping on it might not be able to escape, let alone an animal. Liu Dashao thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the little creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, the blood already dried. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which eagerly held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one dumpling, it grabbed another, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the jug of wine, and a strong aroma immediately filled the air. He poured some wine on the creature’s injured leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched a few times, likely in pain. It sniffed the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the jug and licked some of the wine from the rim. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little one, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes before darting off into the distance.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao delivered the items to Village Chief Tian’s house and stayed for a while before heading home. By the time he returned, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already come back with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. So, he went into the study to look for the book.
After flipping through the pages for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Second Lord Huang.” The Yellow Immortal was said to possess great powers. Zhang Enpu had once told him that the Yellow Immortal could possess people, control animals, and even command minor spirits. Even other immortals would give it some respect. Moreover, it had a particular fondness for wine. Liu Dashao thought, “No wonder it clung to the wine jug earlier!” But why was this Yellow Immortal white?
The book mentioned that Yellow Immortals were usually yellow, and those with deeper cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Yellow Immortal had even greater cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on the Yellow Immortal the next day. He put the book back and picked up the “Heavenly Master’s Records,” planning to read it after dinner.
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water infused with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led Liu Dashao towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had completely changed. Village Chief Tian and a few members of the local militia were discussing something, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared all along. He had ordered the militia to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out, delaying them so that Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu could return home to perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, as if he had been dead for quite some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the retribution of karma.
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a heretical practice that goes against the natural order of karma and the balance of good and evil. Moreover, he had the audacity to dig up his father’s grave and even killed his mother. He had already incurred the wrath of heaven. His fate today is entirely his own doing.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly and exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu before ordering the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth, the removal of Ke Jiang’s body, and the binding and escorting of his accomplices back to the town.
Zhang Enpu whispered, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao used his Yin-Yang eyes to look around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before disappearing.
This is the ultimate retribution of good and evil, the eternal cycle of karma.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Heavenly Master’s Records” that Zhang Enpu had written in his generation.
“Convenience has many doors, but the path to the origin is singular.”
It means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the ghost Ke Jiang had worshipped was attached to the ring. By placing the Five Thunder House Protection Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be unable to enter the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost, attempting to return to the ring, clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating for you!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple, really. Before I gambled with him, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I just used a simple technique to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought to himself.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month for Liu Dashao to attempt drawing a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” to ensure Gou Dan’s safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands trembled uncontrollably, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu said, “The Tao follows nature, and the mind dictates the flow. There’s no need to be overly concerned with the strokes of the talisman.” Liu Dashao pondered this and realized that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes, but the intent behind them.
As winter set in, the weather grew colder, and the New Year was approaching. The village became lively again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went out to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange offerings to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother brought out a jug of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his cotton-padded jacket and left the house.
The winter was at its coldest, and Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of mice. Curious, he followed the sound into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the jug of wine and the dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap. It didn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap finally opened a crack, the little creature quickly pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—if a beast or even a person had been caught in it, escape would have been nearly impossible. Liu Dashao thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the little creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, the blood already dried. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one dumpling, it picked up another and started eating again, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the jug of wine, and a strong aroma of alcohol wafted out. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched a few times, likely in pain. It sniffed the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the jug and licked the wine around the rim. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little one, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes before darting off into the distance.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao delivered the items to Village Chief Tian’s house and stayed for a while before heading home. By the time he returned, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already come back with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. So, he went into the study to look for the book.
After flipping through the pages for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Lord Huang Er.” Its abilities were vast. Liu Dashao had heard Zhang Enpu talk about it before.
It was said that Lord Huang Er could possess people and control all animals and even some minor ghosts. Even the immortals had to show it respect. Moreover, it loved to drink. Liu Dashao thought, “No wonder it clung to the wine jug earlier. But why was this Lord Huang Er white?”
The book stated that Lord Huang Er was usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that the white Lord Huang Er had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on Lord Huang Er the next day. He put the book back and took out the “Heavenly Master’s Records” to read after dinner.
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and had Liu Dashao sprinkle water around the house using a willow branch to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led him towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had changed entirely. Village Chief Tian was discussing something with a few members of the local militia, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared all along. He had instructed the militia to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out, buying time for Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu to return home and perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, as if he had been dead for quite some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the law of karma.
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a violation of the natural order of cause and effect, and he even went so far as to dig up his father’s grave and kill his mother. He had already incurred the wrath of heaven. His fate today is entirely his own doing.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth. Ke Jiang’s body was carried away, and his accomplices were tied up and taken back to the town.
Zhang Enpu whispered, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao used his Yin-Yang eyes to look around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu in the distance, bowing to Zhang Enpu before disappearing.
This is the law of karma—good and evil will always be repaid, and cause and effect will always cycle.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Tianshi Records,” written by Zhang Enpu’s generation.
“There are many paths to enlightenment, but the destination is the same.”
It means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the ghost that had been worshipped was attached to the ring. By placing a Five Thunder Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be kept out of the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost, trying to return to the ring, clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating for you!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple. Before I gambled with him, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I just used a simple technique to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought to himself.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped up like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month to have Liu Dashao try drawing a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” to protect Gou Dan.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands were trembling, afraid he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu said, “The Dao follows nature, and the mind guides the hand. Don’t worry too much about the strokes of the talisman.” Liu Dashao realized that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes, but the intention behind them.
Winter arrived, and the weather grew colder. The New Year was approaching, and the village became lively. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to pay respects to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to clean up. His grandmother took out a jug of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his cotton-padded jacket and left the house.
It was the coldest part of winter, and Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of a mouse. Curious, he followed the sound into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the jug of wine and the dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap. It didn’t budge. He used all his strength to pull the trap apart, and as soon as a small gap appeared, the little creature pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—if a human had stepped on it, they might not have been able to free themselves. Liu Dashao thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the little creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, and the blood had dried. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly.
After finishing one, it grabbed another dumpling and started eating, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the jug of wine, and a strong aroma of alcohol filled the air. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched, probably in pain. It smelled the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the jug and licked the wine around the edge. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little guy, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its shiny little eyes before darting off into the distance.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao delivered the items to Village Chief Tian’s house and stayed for a while before returning home. By the time he got back, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already returned with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. So, he went into the study to look for the book.
After searching for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Second Lord Huang.” The Yellow Immortal had great powers, as Liu Dashao had heard from Zhang Enpu before.
It was said that the Yellow Immortal could possess people and control all animals and minor ghosts. Even the immortals had to show it respect. Moreover, it loved to drink. Liu Dashao thought, “No wonder it didn’t want to let go of the wine jug earlier. But why was this Yellow Immortal white?”
The book mentioned that Yellow Immortals were usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Yellow Immortal had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on the Yellow Immortal the next day. He put the book back and picked up the “Tianshi Records” to read after dinner.
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside his grave. Liu Dashao sincerely hoped, “May Yan Xiaoliu become a good person in his next life.”
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that the Tai Sui had captured it.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and had Liu Dashao sprinkle water with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led him towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had completely changed. Village Chief Tian and a few members of the local militia were discussing something, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had been prepared. He had instructed the militia to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out, delaying them so that Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu could return home to perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, likely having been dead for some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the worshipped ghost, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the retribution of karma.
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old Master, you are truly divine. After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a heretical practice that goes against the natural cycle of karma, good and evil. Moreover, he had the audacity to dig up his father’s grave and kill his mother, which was enough to incur divine punishment. His fate today is entirely of his own making.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth, the removal of Ke Jiang’s body, and the binding and escorting of his accomplices back to the town.
Zhang Enpu whispered, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good next life.”
Liu Dashao, using his Yin-Yang eyes, looked around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before disappearing.
This is the ultimate retribution of good and evil, the eternal cycle of karma.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage written in the “Tian Shi Bi Lu” by Zhang Enpu’s generation.
“There are many paths to enlightenment, but the destination is the same.”
It means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the worshipped ghost had been attached to the ring. By placing the Five Thunder Protection Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be unable to enter the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the worshipped ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost, trying to return to the ring, clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating for you!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple. Before the bet, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, seeing the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I just used a simple trick to win.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought to himself.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm bandaged like a rice dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month to have Liu Dashao attempt to draw a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” for Gou Dan to ensure his safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands trembled, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu said, “The Tao follows nature, and the mind guides the hand. Don’t worry too much about the strokes of the talisman.” Liu Dashao realized that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—not by focusing on the strokes, but by using the power of his mind.
Winter arrived, and the weather grew colder. The New Year was approaching, and the village became lively. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange offerings to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a pot of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his cotton-padded jacket and left the house.
It was the coldest part of winter, and Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaks, like the sound of mice. Curious, he followed the noise into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the wine pot and dumplings, crouched, and tried to pry open the trap, but it wouldn’t budge. He used all his strength to pull the trap apart, and as soon as a small gap appeared, the little creature pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—even a human stepping on it might not be able to free themselves. Liu Dashao thought to himself that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the little creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, and the blood had dried. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held the dumplings with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one, it grabbed another dumpling and started eating again, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the wine pot, and a strong aroma of wine filled the air. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched a few times, likely in pain. It smelled the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the wine pot and licked the wine around the edge. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little guy, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes before darting off into the distance.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks ago, Liu Dashao delivered the items to Village Chief Tian’s house, stayed for a while, and then returned home. By the time he got back, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already returned with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. So, he went into the study to find the book.
After flipping through the pages for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Second Lord Huang.” The Yellow Immortal was said to have great powers. Liu Dashao had heard Zhang Enpu talk about it before.
It was said that the Yellow Immortal could possess people and control all animals and some minor ghosts. Even the immortals had to show it respect. Moreover, it loved to drink wine. Liu Dashao thought, “No wonder it didn’t want to let go of the wine pot earlier. But why was this Yellow Immortal white?”
The book mentioned that Yellow Immortals were usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Yellow Immortal had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on the Yellow Immortal the next day. He put the book back and took out the “Tian Shi Bi Lu” to read after dinner.
Meanwhile, the knocking on the door outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that the Tai Sui had captured it.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water with willow branches around the house to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led him towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had changed entirely. Village Chief Tian and a few members of the logistics team were discussing something, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had prepared in advance, ordering the logistics team to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out. This was to delay them so that Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu could return home to perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost that Ke Jiang had worshipped. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, likely having been dead for some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the worshipped ghost, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was karma, he said.
When Village Chief Tian saw Zhang Enpu approaching, he said, “Old man, you are truly divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is already a dark art that goes against the natural order of cause and effect, good and evil. Moreover, he dug up his father’s grave and killed his mother, which was enough to incur divine punishment. His fate today is entirely his own doing.”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth. Ke Jiang’s body was carried away, and his accomplices were tied up and taken back to the town.
Zhang Enpu whispered, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now. And you too, old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good afterlife.”
Liu Dashao used his Yin-Yang eyes to look around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before disappearing.
This is the ultimate retribution for good and evil, the eternal cycle of cause and effect.
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage written in the “Tian Shi Notes” by Zhang Enpu’s generation.
“There are many paths to enlightenment, but the destination is the same.”
It means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the worshipped ghost had been attached to the ring. By placing the Five Thunder House Protection Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be barred from entering the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu took the ring back, the ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu then summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, forcing the ghost to return to it. When the ghost clashed with the Tai Sui, it was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating for you!”
Zhang Enpu chuckled, “It was quite simple. Before the bet, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I easily defeated him with a simple move.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted elm trees beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought sincerely.
A month later, Gou Dan returned with his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically chose the fifteenth day of the lunar month for Liu Dashao to try drawing a “Ding Mou Public March Talisman” to protect Gou Dan.
It took Liu Dashao the entire morning to draw the talisman for the first time. His hands trembled, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu said that the Dao follows nature, and the mind dictates the strokes. There was no need to obsess over the exact lines of the talisman. Liu Dashao realized that this was why the old man could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes but the intent behind them.
As winter set in, the weather grew colder, and the New Year approached. The village became lively again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a pot of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his cotton-padded jacket and left the house.
The winter was at its coldest. Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of mice. Curious, he followed the noise into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on its leg had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the wine pot and dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap. It didn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap opened slightly, the little creature pulled its leg out. When Liu Dashao let go, the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—if a human had stepped on it, they might not have been able to free themselves. Liu Dashao thought that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the little creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap. The blood had dried. He took out a few dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one, it grabbed another dumpling, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the wine pot, and a strong aroma of alcohol wafted out. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched, likely in pain. It smelled the wine and licked a few drops from the edge of the pot before lying down again, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao patted its head and said, “Little one, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, looked at Liu Dashao with its shiny little eyes, and then darted away.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao stayed at Village Chief Tian’s house for a while before returning home. When he got back, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already returned with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that a book in Zhang Enpu’s study mentioned a creature similar to the one he had just seen. He went into the study to find the book.
After flipping through the pages, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the “Yellow Immortal” or “Second Lord Huang.” The Yellow Immortal was said to possess great powers. Zhang Enpu had once told him that the Yellow Immortal could possess people, control animals and minor spirits, and even immortals would give it some respect. Moreover, it loved alcohol. Liu Dashao thought that explained why it had clung to the wine pot earlier. But why was this Yellow Immortal white?
The book mentioned that Yellow Immortals were usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Yellow Immortal had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on the Yellow Immortal the next day. He put the book back and took out the “Tian Shi Notes” to read after dinner.
Meanwhile, the knocking outside suddenly ceased. Liu Dashao opened his Yin-Yang eyes to look outside, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had been captured by the Tai Sui.
Zhang Enpu let out a long sigh and said, “The evil has been vanquished!” He opened the door and instructed Liu Dashao to sprinkle water around the house using willow branches to dispel the bad luck. Then, he led him towards the village entrance.
Upon reaching the village entrance, the scene had changed entirely. Village Chief Tian was discussing something with a few members of the logistics team, while Ke Jiang’s accomplices were tied up and squatting on the ground.
It turned out that Village Chief Tian had prepared in advance, instructing the logistics team to be ready to tie up these people as soon as the fight broke out. This was to delay them so that Liu Dashao and Zhang Enpu could return home to perform the ritual to exorcise the ghost worshipped by Ke Jiang. As for Ke Jiang, his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, likely having been dead for some time.
Zhang Enpu quietly told Liu Dashao that the Tai Sui had captured the worshipped ghost, and Ke Jiang’s soul had also been taken. This was the retribution of karma!
Village Chief Tian, seeing Zhang Enpu approach, said, “Old master, you are truly divine! After we subdued these people, we were about to tie up Ke Jiang, but he suddenly went mad and strangled himself to death!”
Zhang Enpu sighed and said, “This is retribution. He can only blame himself for committing too many heinous acts. Worshipping ghosts is a heretical practice that goes against the natural cycle of cause and effect, good and evil. Moreover, he had the audacity to dig up his father’s grave and kill his mother, which was enough to incur divine punishment. His fate today is entirely his own doing!”
Village Chief Tian nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few words with Zhang Enpu, and then ordered the confiscation of the ill-gotten wealth, the removal of Ke Jiang’s body, and the binding and escorting of his accomplices back to the town.
Zhang Enpu whispered, “Yan Xiaoliu, you can rest in peace now, and old lady, your wish has been fulfilled. I hope you both have a good afterlife!”
Liu Dashao used his Yin-Yang eyes to look around and indeed saw the ghost of the old lady and Yan Xiaoliu bowing to Zhang Enpu in the distance before disappearing.
This is the ultimate retribution of good and evil, the eternal cycle of cause and effect!
Liu Dashao finally understood a passage from the “Celestial Master’s Records” that Zhang Enpu had written in his generation.
“Convenience has many doors, but the path to the origin is singular!”
This means that those who commit great evil will inevitably face retribution, while those who do great good, no matter how difficult their lives may be, will be watched over by heaven.
Zhang Enpu returned home and told Liu Dashao that the worshipped ghost had been attached to the ring. By pasting the Five Thunder Protection Talisman on the door, all evil spirits would be unable to enter the house. Thus, when Zhang Enpu brought the ring back, the worshipped ghost was blocked outside. Zhang Enpu summoned the Tai Sui to suppress the ring, and the ghost tried to return to it but clashed with the Tai Sui and was captured.
Liu Dashao asked, “Master, how did you manage to defeat Ke Jiang? I was really sweating for you!”
“Hehe, it was actually quite simple. Before I gambled with him, I sealed the evil ghost in his left hand. Then, when I saw the red light above Ke Jiang’s head turn into a lifeless green, I casually used a technique to defeat him.”
Later, the villagers buried Yan Xiaoliu on the mountain behind the village and planted an elm tree beside the grave. “I hope Yan Xiaoliu will be a good person in his next life,” Liu Dashao thought from the bottom of his heart.
Gou Dan returned after a month, his arm wrapped like a dumpling. Zhang Enpu specifically had Liu Dashao try to draw a “Ding Mou Gong Marching Talisman” on the fifteenth day of the lunar month to ensure Gou Dan’s safety.
It was Liu Dashao’s first time drawing a talisman, and it took him the entire morning. His hands trembled constantly, fearing he might make a mistake.
Zhang Enpu said that the Dao follows nature, and thoughts arise from the heart. There was no need to be overly concerned with the strokes of the talisman. Liu Dashao pondered that this was why the old master could draw talismans so quickly—it wasn’t about the strokes but the intent behind them.
As winter set in, the weather grew colder, and the New Year was approaching. The village became lively again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods, while Zhang Enpu went to the temple to arrange offerings to the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed home to tidy up. His grandmother took out a pot of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao put on his cotton-padded jacket and left the house.
It was the coldest part of winter, and Liu Dashao walked on the snow-covered road, the snow crunching under his feet. As he passed a small grove, he heard a series of squeaking sounds, like those of mice. Curious, he followed the noise into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small, snow-white creature with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked like a mouse but was much larger and longer. It seemed to have been trapped for a long time, as the blood on the trap had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pleading eyes.
Liu Dashao put down the wine pot and dumplings, crouched down, and tried to pry open the trap with his hands, but it didn’t budge. He exerted all his strength, and as the trap opened slightly, the little creature quickly pulled its leg out. Liu Dashao let go, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was astonishing—even a human stepping on it might not be able to free themselves. Liu Dashao thought that if his fingers had been caught, they would have been crushed.
He lifted the little creature’s hind leg, which had several holes from the trap, and the blood had dried. He took out several dumplings and fed them to the creature, which held them with its front paws and ate quickly, its little mouth moving rapidly.
After finishing one, it grabbed another dumpling and started eating, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the wine pot, and a strong aroma of wine filled the air. He poured some wine on the creature’s hind leg and tore a piece of cloth to bandage it.
The creature’s nose twitched a few times, likely in pain. It smelled the wine and, with its front paws, grabbed the wine pot and licked the wine around the edge. Then it lay down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and patted its head, saying, “Little guy, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It spun around in place a few times, then looked at Liu Dashao with its shiny little eyes before darting off and disappearing.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone to visit relatives a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao stayed at Village Chief Tian’s house for a while after delivering the items and then returned home. By the time he got back, Liu Laoshi and his wife had already returned with the New Year’s goods. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered that in one of Zhang Enpu’s books, there was a description of an animal that resembled the little creature he had just seen. So, he went into the study to look for the book.
After searching for a while, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel, commonly known as the Yellow Immortal or “Yellow Second Lord.” The Yellow Second Lord had great powers. Liu Dashao had heard Zhang Enpu talk about it before.
It was said that the Yellow Second Lord could possess people and control all animals and some minor ghosts. Even the immortals had to show it respect. Moreover, it loved to drink wine. Liu Dashao thought that explained why it had clung to the wine pot earlier. But why was this Yellow Second Lord white?
The book stated that Yellow Second Lords were usually yellow, and those with deep cultivation were black. Could it be that this white Yellow Second Lord had even deeper cultivation?
Regardless, Liu Dashao decided to bring some wound medicine to check on the Yellow Second Lord the next day. He put the book back and took out the “Celestial Master’s Records” to read after dinner.
Winter arrived, and the weather grew increasingly cold. Before long, the Lunar New Year was approaching, and the village became lively once again. Liu Laoshi and his wife went to buy New Year’s goods. Zhang Enpu went to the temple to worship the Three Pure Ones. Liu Dashao and his grandmother stayed at home, tidying up. His grandmother took out a pot of wine and some homemade dumplings, instructing Liu Dashao to deliver them to Village Chief Tian’s house. Liu Dashao then put on his cotton-padded coat and stepped outside.
It was the coldest time of winter. As Liu Dashao walked along the snowy path, his footsteps crunching through the snow, he passed a small grove of trees and heard a sound like squeaking mice. Curious, Liu Dashao followed the sound into the grove.
After searching for a while, he found a small creature, completely white, with its leg caught in a hunting trap. It looked very much like a mouse but much larger. It had clearly been trapped for quite some time—the blood on the trap had dried and turned black. The little creature just stared at Liu Dashao with pitiful eyes.
Liu Dashao set down the wine pot and dumplings and crouched down to try to pry open the trap with his hands, but he couldn’t budge it. He exerted all his strength, straining to pull the trap apart. Just as it opened a crack, the white creature yanked its leg free. As Liu Dashao let go, the trap snapped shut with a loud bang. The force was incredible—no wild animal could escape once caught, and even a human might not be able to break free. Liu Dashao thought to himself how close he had come to losing his fingers.
He lifted the creature’s hind leg and saw several puncture wounds, the blood already dried. He took out several dumplings and gently brought one to the creature’s mouth. The little creature used its front paws to hold the dumpling and began eating rapidly with its tiny mouth.
It quickly finished one and grabbed another, clearly starving. Liu Dashao opened the wine pot and immediately smelled the strong aroma. He poured some wine onto the creature’s injured leg and tore off a cloth strip to bandage it.
The creature twitched its nose a few times—probably from the pain—and then sniffed the wine. With its front paws, it grabbed the wine pot and licked a bit of the spilled wine before lying back down, smacking its lips.
Liu Dashao reached out and gently patted the creature’s head, saying, “Little fellow, I have to go home now. I’ll come see you again tomorrow!”
To his surprise, the creature seemed to understand. It turned around a few times on the spot, then looked at Liu Dashao with its bright little eyes before darting off and disappearing.
Since Tian Guoqiang had gone on leave a few weeks earlier, Liu Dashao delivered the items to Village Chief Tian’s house, chatted for a while, and then returned home. When he got back, his parents had already returned with the New Year’s goods. Suddenly, Liu Dashao remembered that there was a book in Zhang Enpu’s study that described an animal resembling the one he had just seen. He went into the study to look for it.
After flipping through a few books, Liu Dashao finally found it. The little creature was a weasel—commonly known as Huang Da Xian, or “Lord Huang,” often called Huang Er Ye. Huang Er Ye had great powers. Zhang Enpu had told him about this before.
It was said that Huang Er Ye could possess people, control all kinds of animals and minor spirits, and even command respect from other immortals. Moreover, it loved drinking alcohol. Liu Dashao said to himself, “No wonder it clung to the wine pot earlier!” But why was this Huang Er Ye white?
The book stated that Huang Er Ye was usually yellow, and those with higher cultivation were black. Could it be that this white one had even greater powers?
Regardless, he decided to bring some medicine for wounds tomorrow to check on Huang Er Ye. Liu Dashao returned the book and picked up a copy of the “Records of the Celestial Master,” planning to read it after dinner.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage