Chapter 38: Borrowing a Corpse to Return a Soul

  As soon as Bamboo Mountain Old Dao finished speaking, I immediately became a bit depressed. From Monday to Friday, I have to go to school, and on Saturday and Sunday, I still have to go to Bamboo Mountain Old Dao's place to learn skills, so don't I not have any time to play?

  "Then I won't have time to play anymore?" I looked up at Zhangshan Old Dao and asked with a hint of helplessness.

  "Hmm." The old Taoist of Bamboo Mountain nodded seriously as he spoke.

  I knew it was useless to beg Master Zhushan Lao for mercy, so I could only look at my mother pitifully and hope she would help me.

  "The road is long, Xiaofei is still a kid, he loves to play, let's give him one day off and let him have some fun?" my mom said.

  Mom said this, and I truly deeply understood that in this world, only mom is the best.

  "Alright, then take your day off every Sunday!" said Bamboo Mountain Taoist.

  It was settled like this: I and my mother had agreed on the terms with my master, Bamboo Mountain Taoist. My master then followed us back to Stone Horse Village and went home with me.

  After arriving home, Master Zhushan went to the scene of the incident, which was our kitchen. Actually, after what happened last night, my mom had already thought of asking Master Zhushan to take a look. So, whether it was the remaining pumpkin soup in the cupboard or the leftover rice, my mom didn't throw any of them away and kept everything. Of course, she also didn't erase the footprint on the threshold of the back door of the kitchen.

  Zhu Shan Lao Dao told my mother very confidently after seeing the footprint on the threshold that the footprint must have been left by a person. As for the pumpkin soup and leftover rice in the cupboard, Zhu Shan Lao Dao sensed it but couldn't detect any ghostly aura at all, which means that the pumpkin soup and leftover rice were definitely eaten by a person, not done by a ghost.

  What Zhū Shān Lǎo Dào is saying now is also within my mother's expectations. My mother invited Zhū Shān Lǎo Dào mainly to figure out what that black shadow is.

  "What's that black shadow thing anyway?" Seeing that Master Zhushan didn't mention the black shadow, my mom asked on her own initiative.

  "I'm not sure for now, but if nothing unexpected happens, that black shadow should appear again at midnight tonight." said Zhangshan Lao Dao with a pretentious tone.

  "Will it happen again?" My mom asked in surprise.

  Although my master, the old Taoist of Bamboo Mountain, said he couldn't be sure, anyone who heard this would understand. If that thing was a person, it would be a thief, and since it was discovered last night, it definitely wouldn't come again tonight. But if that thing comes again tonight, it means it's not a human being. What else could it be? No need to say, even my mother could guess.

  "That thing won't come without a reason, it must have a purpose. However, from my observations, perhaps because you discovered it, that thing didn't accomplish anything last night. Therefore, that thing will definitely come again tonight." said Bamboo Mountain Old Dao.

  "What can we do?" my mom asked.

  "That thing is even afraid of people, it shouldn't be able to hurt anyone. Even if it's a real ghost, it's just a useless coward. So, we only need to guard the kitchen tonight, and that thing will definitely not be able to escape." said Zhangshan Old Dao.

  Because that thing will come at midnight, which is between 11 pm and 1 am, so before it comes, we still need to make some preparations.

  At 10 o'clock in the evening, Zhangshan Lao Dao pasted a few talismans in my kitchen, and then hid with my parents in a corner. Of course, my mother was afraid that I would be unsafe alone, so she also had me hide together with them.

  We waited for a long time, but the black shadow still didn't appear. Just as I was about to fall asleep, the door bolt on the back door of the kitchen slowly slid open and then fell to the ground with a "bang".

  I saw with my own eyes that when the door bolt was sliding, there was absolutely no one by the door. Moreover, not only was there no one, but I didn't even see that black shadow.

  After the door latch fell, the back door creaked open. But I didn't see anyone pushing the door. It gave me a feeling that the door opened by itself, not blown open by the wind.

  After the door opened, it was quiet outside the door, and I felt like there was nothing. Just as I was feeling very disappointed, a person suddenly appeared at the door. It was dark at that time, and something covered the person's face, so I didn't recognize who the person was.

  At this time, my dad was already holding the stick and was about to pounce on that person. Just as my dad was about to get up, my master, Zhangshan Lao Dao, held him back and signaled him to wait a moment. My master Zhangshan Lao Dao meant to take a look first and see what that person wanted to do. After figuring out the purpose of that person, it's not too late to take action.

  My dad understood what Shifu meant, so he nodded in agreement and then squatted down.

  At this time, I saw the man walk to my house's cupboard and open it. There were still some leftover rice and dishes from last night in the cupboard. After seeing them, he took out those leftovers and started eating them voraciously.

  After finishing eating, the person put the bowl and chopsticks back, then closed the cabinet door. After closing the cabinet door, the person walked out of the room.

  As soon as he saw that person was about to leave, my dad couldn't sit still anymore and got up to chase after him. Just as he was about to get up to chase after him, my master Zhu Shan Lao Dao stopped him again and pointed to the side of the cupboard.

  Following my master's finger, the black shadow on the edge of the cupboard appeared again. The black shadow stood on the edge of the cupboard, as if looking for something inside.

  Just as the dark shadow was busy searching for something, my master, Zhangshan Old Taoist, suddenly started chanting scriptures. My master, Zhangshan Old Taoist, chanted scriptures while holding the peach wood sword and dancing with it.

  The old Taoist of Bamboo Mountain danced and danced, that black shadow suddenly hugged his head and squatted down, then turned into a wisp of green smoke, disappearing.

  "Quickly chase!" As soon as the green smoke disappeared, my master Zhu Shan Lao Dao shouted at my dad.

  As soon as the shout fell, my dad immediately chased out. As soon as he chased out of the door, my dad saw the person who had stolen food just now, and at this time, that person was curled up in the corner of the wall, trembling with fear, like a lost soul.

  "What the...!" My dad yelled, then rushed up and tore off the mask on that person's face. As soon as the mask was torn off, my dad was immediately stunned. Because the person in front of him was actually Zhang San, who had been dead.

  "Zhang San!" My dad shouted in surprise.

  As soon as my dad's roar fell, Zhang San, who was originally trembling with fear and seemed to have lost his soul, suddenly woke up with a start, pushed my dad away, and ran off in a flash.

  I witnessed the whole process with my own eyes. At that time, I saw a thin thread of green smoke drilling into Zhang San's nostrils, and it was only after that thread of green smoke drilled in that Zhang San came back to his senses.

  "Was that really Zhang San?" My dad was still a bit traumatized, after all, he had also helped to bury Zhang San. He was very clear that Zhang San was absolutely dead. But the person just now was absolutely alive. Because when my dad tore off the mask of that person, he accidentally touched his face, and from the feeling of his hand, it was absolutely a human being, not a ghost.

  "That's Zhang San." Bamboo Mountain Old Dao nodded very affirmatively.

  "It's Zhang San, so that means Zhang San isn't dead?" Just now my dad still thought he might have been seeing things, but after getting Old Daoist Zhushan's affirmative answer, my dad became even more stunned.

  Zhang San was clearly dead, but now he's come back to life. What's even more terrifying is that not only did Zhang San come back to life, but he also ran into my home and has been sneaking food from my kitchen cabinet. And it's not just Zhang San who came, but also that mysterious black shadow.

  Over the years, my family and Zhang San have not had much contact, and we don't have any grudges against each other. There are twenty or thirty households in Shimache Village, why did he single out my house? Also, what was that black shadow that followed Zhang San into my house, and what was it looking for in the cupboard?

  My dad threw all his doubts at my master, Zhangshan Old Taoist.

  I don't know if it was because my dad asked too many questions, but my master, the old Taoist priest Zhushan, didn't know where to start answering. He simply waved his feather duster and lightly said to my dad: "Borrow a corpse to return a soul!"