Chapter 18: Huang San Pretends to be a Ghost, the Old Daoist Arrives in Pursuit

  "Come and see, come and see! The shopkeeper is going to kill someone! Heaven have mercy, I'm just an old man with nothing but skin and bones, weighing no more than a few dozen pounds in total, and yet they want me to be made into human meat buns! Black-hearted shop, black-hearted shop!" A loud cry echoed through the crowd, like the sound of slaughtering pigs.

  The people around pointed and scolded, some cursing the shopkeeper for doing dark business in broad daylight, while others cursed the old Taoist priest as a good-for-nothing, instantly making the scene as lively as a horse market.

  "You old scoundrel! For seven days in a row, you've been coming here at sunset to swindle food and drink from me. After eating your fill, you'd fly away without paying. Today, you even dared to lay hands on my wife! You're truly asking for death! If I don't deal with you today, it would be a shame to my skills!" With the boss's order, a group of young men rushed into the crowd, bound the old Taoist's shoulders and back, and seized him.

  Huang Shiren stood with his hands inserted, smiling and watching the scene. The old Taoist had a big white head, but his body was thin and bony, wearing a black Taoist robe that was dirty and tattered, greasy and smelly, with patches all over it. His mountain goat beard was twisted and curled into a roll, and his face was painted with blue, black, and red colors, with thick layers of makeup emitting a foul odor. On his back, he carried a large purple-red gourd, tied up by the store owner's children, who were still arguing with him.

  "Shopkeeper, you're in the wrong here. With so many hotels at this station, why did I come to yours?" The old man said with a raised nose and a smile.

  "Yes, with so many hotels around, why did that Taoist priest come only to your place?" The people around also asked the shopkeeper.

  The shopkeeper was so angry that he was fuming with rage and shouted: "What! You old good-for-nothing, how did I know you'd come to my place!"

  The old man chuckled and said, "Isn't it because the wine made from the mountain fruits in your family's store is exceptionally fragrant?"

  "Hey!" A group of people around were made to cry and laugh by this old Taoist, the whole world was full of people who ate for free, it's really rare to see someone with such a thick skin.

  Everyone thinks this old man is going to make a move and are eager to watch the excitement.

  "Hit me!" With a loud command from the shopkeeper, one of the shop assistants swung the stick in his hand and struck horizontally.

  That old Taoist was thin and dry, this stick hit down the air, everyone worried that it must be a brain explosion, red and white, everything is used.

  Crack! The stick fell on Lao Dao's body, and it broke with a loud noise. That old man shouted like he was slaughtering a pig: "Someone's coming! Murder! Murder!"

  "Big brother, this old man is not ordinary," Jin Daxiang said in a low voice beside him.

  "Big promotion, you've also figured it out?" Huang Shiren sneered.

  Although he didn't know what kind of person this old Taoist was, from Huang Shiren's perspective, he couldn't see the other party's cultivation level, and it was clear that the other party's abilities far surpassed his own.

  "What a fun cow nose. Master Dao meets a good fate today." Huang Shiren cleared his throat, adjusted the towel on his head, held up the divination flag, walked into the crowd, and grabbed the shopkeeper.

  "Ah, ah, shopkeeper, you have a calamity of blood and light on your face, in five days you will lose your life! Come, come, come, I have the virtue of good living, I'll give you directions for free..." Huang Shiren's hands were so fast that they flew, the shopkeeper's collar was caught by him, almost lifted up.

  "Blood and light, your mother!" The shopkeeper was getting angry when he suddenly saw a Taoist priest rush out and almost choke him to death, saying that he had a bloody disaster, and slapped Huang Shiren with one palm.

  "You're just a coward." Huang Shiren cursed inwardly, lowering his head and dodging away.

  "Shopkeeper, I am a Kunlun man. Judging from your facial features, you are destined for great wealth and nobility. Why is the area between your eyebrows so dark? This is not good, not good at all!" Huang Shiren shouted loudly.

  His appearance was originally a bit ethereal and otherworldly, and when he reported his name as Kunlun, the shopkeeper couldn't help but be taken aback.

  Among ordinary people, the Kunlun Taoist has a reputation outside, Huang Shiren insisted that the shopkeeper had a bloody disaster, and the shopkeeper was also chilled in his heart.

  "You stinky Taoist, you must be a swindler! What disaster could I possibly have?! My family's shop is thriving, making a fortune every day, with no worries about food or clothing. Disaster to your mother! If you dare curse me again, I'll make you into filling!"

  Huang Shiren was an expert at reading people's expressions in his past life. He swept a glance over the shopkeeper and saw that there was only one woman with some charm standing behind him, then he said again: "I ask you directly, Shopkeeper, do you have no children?!"

  "What?! The shopkeeper was stunned by his words and quickly put down the fist he had raised.

  "Grandma, I don't believe it's not right. Huang Shiren knew that the treasure was correct, and with a smile, he looked up at the wine building behind the shopkeeper, pretended to pinch his fingers, muttered to himself, and then looked at the shopkeeper from head to toe, shaking his head repeatedly: "Alas! You're really a person who doesn't know life or death! This place is filled with evil spirits, yet you're unaware of it. I have a kind heart to save you, but you mistake my good intentions for a donkey's liver and lungs. How sad, how lamentable!"

  Having said that, he put on an extremely disappointed look and turned around to leave.

  "Hey, Immortal! Don't go!" The shopkeeper grabbed Huang Shiren.

  Gotcha!

  "Shopkeeper, you want to hit me?"

  "Xian Chang, this... hehe, I'm dead, I'm dead. Please come inside to talk!" The shopkeeper's attitude made a 180-degree turn, and with great respect, he led Huang Shiren in.

  "Shopkeeper, one should accumulate virtue and do good deeds. Let this old Taoist go." Huang Shiren pointed at the old Taoist.

  "Alright! Let this old fellow go!" The shopkeeper nodded and the waiters did as they were told.

  As for Huang Shiren's actions, the old Taoist had been watching with intention and unintentionally. Seeing that he was released, instead of leaving, he sat down at the entrance of the store with a thud, and said: "You just said you wanted to beat me to death, if I die, I'll die, but if you don't beat me to death, you're not a good man!"

  "Hey! This ox nose is really something!"

  "Exactly!"

  The people around were furious.

  The old man looked at Huang Shiren again and laughed: "Youngster, I was having a great time, who told you to save me?!"

  "Good grief! This old Taoist has lived for so many years that he's now as vicious as a dog! Someone with good intentions came to save him, but he bites back instead!"

  "It's really nothing at all!"

  The people around him said all sorts of unpleasant things, but Lao Dao remained unmoved, looking at Huang Shiren with a faint smile.

  His smile made Huang Shiren's heart skip a beat.

  This old man is no ordinary person.

  "Senior, how can you have fun?" Lao Huang is not an ordinary person, so I'll just accompany this old man to lose face together.

  "I didn't drink enough wine just now!" The old man smacked his lips, as if still savoring the taste.

  "Shopkeeper, all Taoist priests are one family. I'd like to borrow your precious land to invite him for a drink, okay?" Huang Shiren took out a piece of dog-head gold and tossed it to the shopkeeper.

  Zhang Gui came for two reasons: first, to see Huang Shiren's skills, and second, because the other party was generous with their money. Although he had a million complaints in his heart, he forced himself to smile and asked someone to bring out wine and dishes for Lao Dao, and brought out a jar of good wine.

  That old Taoist was not polite, sitting at the edge of the table, a pair of chopsticks flying like knives, swirling clouds and rain, one mouthful of wine and one mouthful of food, eating with great relish, like a starving ghost, making people around him frown.

  "Xian Chang, you just said there's a surge of evil energy here, what did you mean?" asked the shopkeeper.

  "There are two little demons here, and of course the demonic energy is overwhelming." The old Taoist grabbed a lamb leg, took a bite, and chuckled.

  Huang Shiren's hair stood on end: "Damn it, did this guy see through our true identities?"

  "Old fellow, if you make another peep, I'll chop you up!" The shopkeeper's heart was anxious and couldn't tolerate the old Taoist interrupting.

  The old man glanced at the shopkeeper and muttered a sentence before lowering his head to drink.

  "Shopkeeper, your store's location is excellent, it should bring great wealth and prosperity. However, there are two evil spirits here that have suppressed the fortune of having children, which is why you've had no offspring all these years. This lack of children is a minor issue, but what's more serious is that these two evil spirits have been cultivating their powers here for years, and once they reach a certain level, they will start to drain your life force. Have you felt like your physical condition has deteriorated over the past two years, with frequent lower back pain?"

  The boss nodded directly at what was said first.

  "Ah ah ah! I was wondering, my body was still very good two years ago, why have my waist and knees been sore for the past two years? You are indeed a divine doctor!" The shopkeeper exclaimed with a clap of his hands.

  What a lousy guy! Huang Shiren cursed in a low voice. Your mother, your wife is a seductress behind your back, she's at the age where she's as fierce as a wolf, riding on top of you every night, and you're not supposed to be impotent with a limp dick?!

  The people around him thought he was a heavenly being and admired him even more.

  "Shopkeeper, your vital energy has been almost completely drained by the two demons. If I hadn't arrived in time, you would have died within five days!" Huang Shiren's words scared the shopkeeper so much that he knelt down with a thud.

  "Immortal elder, you must save me!" The shopkeeper grasped Huang Shiren's collar tightly, as if grasping a life-saving straw, fearing he would fly away.

  "This is a bit difficult." Huang Shiran shook his head and sighed.

  The shopkeeper didn't know what Huang Shiren meant, and turned his face to say to the woman: "Don't you bring things over yet?"

  At that moment, the woman brought up a wooden tray, lifted the red cloth, and it was a row of silver ingots shaped like snowflakes.

  "Shopkeeper, what are you doing? I am a cultivator, what use do I have for this thing?" Huang Shiren hastily pushed it away.

  "Immortal elder, I know you regard wealth as dirt, but this is a token of my sincerity, please save his life!" The shopkeeper cried out.

  "Alright then. Since the shopkeeper and I are destined to meet, I'll risk my life to take down these two demons." Huang Shiren nodded, while on the other side, Jin Dashi collected the silver coins, and the two scoundrels worked together in perfect harmony.

  Only then did Old Huang take out a sword and lead the crowd to the backyard, entering a granary where he found two rats. With a flick of his wrist, he used his magic to transform them into the size of domestic pigs, pulling them out. Instantly, the people around him knelt down in awe.

  "Indeed there is an evil spirit! The immortal's divine power!"

  "Immortal's Magical Power!"

  The shopkeeper was even more grateful, and couldn't help but call him "dad": "Immortal, your great kindness and virtue, my whole family will never forget. Please tell me your name, so I can build a temple for you and burn incense day and night!"

  "A trivial matter, my surname is Huang, and my Taoist name is San Tai." said Huang Shiren with a smile.

  "We pay our respects to the Third Master Dao!" The crowd knelt on the ground, performing a grand kowtow.

  Haha, haha, haha. The old man looked at this scene and burst out laughing, holding his belly in laughter, and said to Huang Shiren: "This is fun, this is fun! You little rascal are quite cunning. In all these years, I've never seen anything so amusing. Not bad, not bad."

  Everyone thought this old Taoist was crazy and didn't bother to take care of him. Some people pulled, others dragged, all wanting to get a share of Huang Shiren's "divine aura".

  "Shopkeeper, although the evil spirit is gone for now, you must remember that from now on, you should do more good deeds and accumulate merits. Especially towards cultivators, no matter who they are, you must show respect. Only then can you move the heavens and receive blessings for your bloodline, understand?" Huang Shiren instructed earnestly.

  "From now on, as long as there's a Taoist priest around, that's my own grandfather!" The shopkeeper nodded his head like a chick pecking at rice.

  "That's it, then I'll be off." Huang Shiren saw that the situation had been manipulated to his advantage, the old Daoist had been rescued and he had obtained the silver, so he decided not to linger any longer, lest things take a turn for the worse. He turned around and left.

  A group of villagers tried their best to keep him, but all they saw was Huang Shiren's figure disappearing into the distance, leaving behind only a wisp of smoke.

  "What a fairy-like person!" The shopkeeper was so moved that he wiped away his tears, turned around, but found that the old Taoist who was drinking at the table had also disappeared without a trace, and he was puzzled.

  "It was just here a moment ago. It vanished in the blink of an eye." The shopkeeper said stupidly.

  "What are you staring at? Don't you go buy materials? I'm building a shrine for San Tai Dao Chang!" the shopkeeper shouted loudly.

  This shopkeeper specially built a temple for Huang San Tai, worshiping and burning incense every day. Later, he did many good deeds and treated the Taoist priests who came from all directions like his own grandfather. As a result, his wife gave birth to seven or eight sons one after another, and their descendants filled the hall. Throughout his life, he was grateful for Huang San Tai's kindness. The temple also attracted people from all over to pay their respects, regarding the three Taoist priests as local deities. The incense fire has been burning for generations without interruption.

  And so, Huang San Tai, fearing that the shopkeeper would discover and come to make trouble, ran for dozens of miles in one breath and finally caught his breath. Together with Jin Da Sheng, the two scoundrels sat down, counting the silver given by the shopkeeper, beaming with joy, and then took out the wine and meat from their bags, eating and drinking merrily, feeling extremely happy.

  The meat is excellent, and the wine is even better, being a fine vintage from Mei Mountain, its fragrance wafting for miles.

  "Two young whippersnappers, with such good wine, why don't you first show respect to an old man like me?" The two scoundrels were in the midst of their revelry when they heard a snickering laughter coming from above.

  "High-level cow people" fellow daoist guessed that this high person is Shen Gong Bao, haha, not not, guess again? Haha, hinting that this person is one of the few cow people in the world. Roar roar. Fellow daoists, looking at the face of the cow people, give me a few votes! Thanks!