Chapter 40 I Am the Divine Halberd

  As soon as I heard that the village chief's house was haunted, Yu Wu and I turned our heads and ran back, but were stopped by villagers who had heard the shouting, saying that we were running in the wrong direction, the village chief's house was behind us.

  After a few seconds of delay, the people behind us surrounded us, chattering that the village chief was possessed by an evil spirit and told me to hurry up and catch the ghost.

  In a moment of urgency, I said to return to the reception room to fetch some items and come back later. Yu whispered in my ear, "Tell you what, that thing is called a dharma instrument!"

  The village cadre refused to agree and grabbed my wrist, wanting to take me to the village chief's home.

  That day he was also in the ancestral hall, now it's more convenient to talk, I hurriedly pulled him back and whispered: "Uncle, don't you know how many catties and taels I have? How could I catch ghosts?"

  The village cadre looked at me and shouted in a loud voice: "What? Little Tian Shi is confident? That's great!" The villagers responded with warm applause, and the village cadre said in a low voice: "I don't care if you can catch ghosts or not. Anyway, everyone in the village knows that you are Little Tian Shi, the apprentice of Xu Daozhang from Longhushan. If you go, everyone will feel at ease."

  It's purely forcing the duck to go on the shelf, I told him that even if he pulled me over, it would be useless, I couldn't save the village chief, and it's better to go to the reception office to find my uncle, he has the ability.

  The village cadre stopped in his tracks, staring at me suspiciously. I hastily nodded and he dispatched two people to follow Yu Wu to the reception hall to receive Liu Weimin, but insisted that I go ahead first to check out the situation.

  After staying in Guanshi Village for a few days, I also sensed something, although I didn't know the reason, but I was sure that there were some unknown secrets. The ghosts and zombies in this village liked to make friends with me, so when the village chief was possessed by a ghost, I dared not get close to him. I told the village officials: "Let's wait for my uncle to come and save the village chief, I have something else to do. Last time you forced me to go and rescue Xu Daozhang, as a result, Xu Daozhang was injured and returned to the mountain. If you force me to go to the village chief's house again, who knows, it might harm him!"

  The village cadre thought for a moment, then turned to the villager and said, "Xiao Tian Shi has something to entrust, so I'll take you under this tree and ask quietly: 'You're a disciple of Xu Daochang, and the village chief has always stood on Xu Daochang's side. Since I'm the village chief's good brother, we're on the same front line, right?'"

  I'm telling you, so you can't always fool me! I really don't know how to catch ghosts, it's all the village head spreading rumors to calm people down!

  The village cadre sighed and said, "I have no choice. The village chief has been spreading your name for a reason. A developer came to our village recently, wanting to tear it down, but our ancestors have always warned us that if the village is gone, disaster will strike. However, some people don't believe in this superstition and want to make a profit from the demolition compensation, so they've been stirring up trouble in the village every day. The village chief asked Master Xu about it, and the result was that we can't tear it down. Lately, the old patriarch has been making a big fuss, and everyone has calmed down. Today, something happened to the village chief, and someone jumped out saying that our village is an unlucky place, so why not just tear it down and move everyone to a better place? A group of people are at the village chief's house right now demanding a vote, so I want you to come over and settle them down!"

  You really overestimate me, I can't even handle the woman on my bed, let alone the villagers.

  The village cadre said seriously, "To be honest with you, I'm a university graduate from outside, so we can communicate easily. Don't underestimate the title of Little Heavenly Master, when villagers go to other towns and villages, they say they're from Guanxi Village, who wouldn't give them a thumbs up? Why? Because our ancestor is Zhang Tian Shi from Longhu Mountain, with deep roots. Everyone likes to brag outside, making Zhang Tian Shi into a god-like figure, the more they brag, the more they believe it themselves. If you ask the village head to say something, people may not necessarily give face, but when someone from Longhu Mountain comes, who wouldn't treat them like an ancestor?"

  It's really sharp! I didn't expect a village official to start analyzing human nature too!

  "Especially the people of Xu Daochang's lineage, everyone has a deep respect for him from the bottom of their hearts. I'm sure you don't know that Xu Daochang is actually the eldest brother of this lineage, and Guan Cun Village is his own territory. If he were the emperor, what would you be? The crown prince! Not to mention others, if you just stand in front of the village head's house with a cold face and not say a word, those who cause trouble will know they're wrong!"

  The village cadre's words made me feel itchy in my heart, and when I looked at the villagers' envious eyes around me, I felt as if my whole body was floating lightly, as if I was about to ascend.

  Crown Prince? It's too embarrassing!

  But I like this title!

  Thinking of my own little idea, I asked the village cadre, since I'm so capable, if I let everyone help me catch someone, shouldn't it be no problem?

  The village cadre glared at me: "Do you really think we're stupid? Who would commit a crime with you if they didn't get paid?"

  His face stiffened, and he added another sentence: "However, giving up some of one's own interests is no big deal. You just bluff a bit and say that once the village is relocated, disaster will strike, and they'll be finished!"

  Regardless of everything, he dragged me to the village chief's home. On the way, I asked him which university he graduated from and what major he studied. His eloquence is really good!

  He told me: "I studied excavators at Blue Arrow for a few years."

  The village chief's house was much more dilapidated than Huang Jinbai's, with a low wall made of earth and stones surrounding the yard. In the yard, there was a jujube tree that had just matured, but the village chief was tied to the tree, shouting loudly and occasionally jumping up to kick people, without hitting anyone, shaking down over a dozen jujubes that hit him on the head.

  What I didn't expect was that Huang Jinbai also stood outside the crowd with his hands in his sleeves, watching the excitement. Seeing a few villagers surrounding me and coming over, he suddenly had a smile on his face and walked towards me with a grin.

  From Liu Weimin's words, it can be inferred that the Huang Jipeng we saw is not the one he was looking for, and the Huang Jipeng in the village is not the real Huang Jipeng.

  It's easy to understand without knowing the inside story. For example, Huang Jinbai left home at the age of 20 and returned ten years later as a completely different person. He told everyone that he was Huang Jinbai, and since his appearance hadn't changed much, the villagers believed him. Liu Weimin could only be certain that the real Huang Jinbai was indeed in the village, possibly disguised as anyone, quietly observing our every move.

  That's roughly what I meant.

  That Huang Jinbai, with his sleeves rolled up, swayed and staggered towards us. I was suspicious in my heart, not knowing what kind of evil plan this seemingly cunning old man had brewed up again, so I stared at him intently without blinking.

  As he drew closer, Huang Jinbai first cupped his hands in greeting, then changed to a bitter expression and asked: "Little Tian Shi is doing well? Just took my family's Jiu Xiang away, didn't even have time for a warm reunion, and now you're rushing here to save the village chief. What a busy person! Alas, it's just pitiful that I'm not home often, those two foolish sons of mine don't have anyone to take care of them either."

  Huang Jinbai showed a sorrowful expression, extremely desolate, shook his head and hunched over, walking past us while muttering: "Pitiful, getting old, the daughter-in-law who raised me in my old age was given to the young master, this is fate..."

  The people around me all sighed and sympathized with some of them, looking at me with eyes that were no longer so respectful, as if I had taken advantage of Lao Huang's misfortune.

  The one who was really wronged is me! Not only did I bring back a zombie, but he also humiliated me in public.

  I can also make people feel disgusted!

  He hastily caught up with Old Man Huang, and said loudly but sincerely: "Old Huang, actually it was Master who told me to do this. Master said that you've been doing some things outside these past few years that have lost you some good karma, and that's why the village has been plagued by disaster. I'm taking Nine Fragrance away because we're waiting for Master to come back and perform a ritual to drive out the evil spirits. Don't worry, it'll only be a few days before she's returned to you!"

  The villagers whispered to each other, discussing what kind of heinous crime Huang Jinbai had committed. Some even thought that his two sons becoming idiots was the heavenly retribution for his family.

  Huang Jinbai looked around, snorted coldly and said: "No need for Little Heaven Master to send someone, set a date, I'll personally go pick up Jiu Xiang and let everyone see what kind of person the evil-expelling Jiu Xiang is!"

  My eyes twitched twice, and I took the opportunity to lower my head and say to him: "Old dead man, return my cousin's soul, let's not interfere with each other, how about it?"

  "What? You actually dare to say such a thing?! The world is going downhill, people's hearts are no longer ancient! Huang Jinbai stormed off in tears, as if I had really said something that corrupted the youth and made him feel sorrowful for the younger generation."

  The old man Huang can still perform, but it's no match for the villagers' respect for Mount Longhu, and it'll be fine once Liu Weimin takes over.

  I had just walked to the village chief's door when someone in the yard shouted, "Little Heavenly Master has arrived! Everyone make way, Little Heavenly Master is going to invite the immortal to descend upon our village chief!"

  As soon as I heard this, I turned around to run away, but the village cadre grabbed my arm tightly and whispered: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, they just shout loudly, but in their hearts they know you can't invite gods. After a while, you'll hum and circle around twice, imitating the appearance of a Taoist priest in the movie, and finally tap my forehead. I'll pretend to invite the god into my body and help you perform this play."

  I said: "Learn from your grandma, Taoist priests in movies can even do backflips, I'm just good at falling on my ass!"

  The village cadre was so anxious that he almost cried: "Then think of other ways, can't you pretend to be a ghost? Shift their attention, mention the demolition and relocation, wait until the village chief recovers before discussing it again. The village really can't be demolished, once the development zone is established, it will be managed by the town, all our village cadres will be laid off, you don't want Director Xu to have no place to retire in the future, do you?"

  Emotions got the better of me, and I really thought he was a good village official who loved his people like his own children. However, his last sentence struck a chord in my heart; after all, this is Xu Qi's territory, so I had to make some effort.

  Pushing aside the village cadres, I strode into the village head's courtyard with a big swagger.

  The man who was standing on the table, loudly proclaiming the benefits of demolition, hastily jumped down and ran to my front, smiling slyly: "Little Master Tian, please save our village chief quickly! He's been possessed by a female ghost. Just now he was still singing opera... Alas, our village chief is so pitiful. After this ordeal, he'll definitely fall seriously ill. In the future, we'll help take care of village matters."

  The village cadre started scolding, I didn't say a word, raised my chin and walked to the front of the village chief, he kept shouting let go of me, I want to kill you all, when he saw me, it was as if he didn't recognize me, scolded me for being a little rabbit, slept with his daughter but didn't give money.

  I thought he was normal when I saw him outside the hospital, but it turned out that he was still crazy. Suddenly, he stretched out his arms and clasped his hands together, chanting "Amitabha" and singing a couple of lines from the Great Compassion Mantra...

  I've only seen monks performing Buddhist rituals, but never a Taoist priest doing divination.

  A villager asked cautiously: "Little Tian Shi, have you also studied Buddhist scriptures?"

  I slowly turned my head, looking at him with a disdainful gaze, not saying a word. In just a few seconds, he became flustered, beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down his face, and he forced out a smile as he said to the person beside him: "No wonder you're the Little Heavenly Master, meditating and cultivating the Tao - in the future, you'll be a living god!"

  The village cadre was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle it, and kept making eyes at me to pat his forehead. I turned around and said in a nonchalant tone with a hint of disdain: "Go find nine roosters, tear off their combs, feed the chicken blood to the village chief, and I'll go back inside to perform some rituals. In ten days or half a month, everything will be fine."

  It's all the tricks I learned from Liu Weimin, it should be enough to fool them. As for ten days or half a month later... if Liu Weimin can't save the village chief, I'll run away before that time comes.

  At this moment, the village chief who was loudly cursing everyone, with a pair of eyes rolling around, sneered a few times and changed into a smooth tone, saying to me: "Hey, do you want me to drink chicken crown blood? Are you saving him or killing him? Which fake Taoist priest doesn't even know that chicken crown blood is a great tonic for ghosts?"