Chapter 1: Becoming a Teacher Yang Xiaoyang

  I was born in the 1970s and had a really tough life, especially from a so-called bourgeois family with poor composition, basically nine deaths without a life.

  I am the only child in my family. After I was born, I had two birthmarks on each of my legs and arms, one resembling a mountain and the other a cloud. My grandfather named me Niu Shan Yun.

  The day my mother gave birth to me, winter had just begun. That year, my grandfather was also being criticized and struggled against. My grandfather was a teacher, one of the so-called "stinking old ninth category". Our home was ransacked, and the only valuable thing, a piece of five-flavor pork, was taken by my father to beg for help, but it backfired, and was seen as evidence of our capitalist tail. My grandfather and father were both sent to the cowshed, where they were criticized and beaten every day.

  I'm not even a month old, and my family has changed so much. My mother is crying every day, she can't eat well and doesn't have milk for me. I'm hungry and wailing, my mother is a hot-tempered person. "Child, our old cow family owes you an apology, we've made you suffer since the moment you were born. In your next life, choose a good family to be reborn into." After saying that, my mother carried me up to the cliff.

  That snow was heavy that day, the northwest wind in winter was howling loudly, and the big snowflakes covered the entire Yang Village. On the cliff, there were faint footprints, which were Mother's footprints. Standing on the cliff, looking out at the vast whiteness, Mother held back tears, "My child, I'm sorry to you, I couldn't bear for my child to suffer, don't blame me when you go down."

  "Hmph, is this how you behave as a mother?" Just as Mother was about to jump off the cliff with me in her arms, Old Man Yang arrived.

  "Yang Laoer, weren't you locked up in the cowshed? How did you get out? My child's life is so bitter, our old cow family has become like this, can we make a living?" The mother cried again.

  "All you know is crying, you can cry to death. Your family's old cow was beaten half to death by those Red Guards, go take a look. I'll come and support this child for you, but if this child cannot be supported, don't blame me later. Today I've been with you all day, seeing that you have no expression on your face, I know you're looking for death."

  Yang Laoer and mother made an agreement, mother handed me over to him and went back to find father.

  Yang Laoer, no, should be called Shifu, it was he who pulled me back from Yan Wangye, and also he who turned me into a Taoist.

  This old Yang, from now on I'll call you Second Father.

  My second uncle was a mysterious figure in Yang Village back then. Don't look at him as just an old man, when he saved me that year, he was already 120 years old. After liberation, my second uncle came to Yang Village and has been rooted there ever since. In the surrounding villages, who doesn't know him? If any family had a wedding or funeral, it wouldn't be grand enough without my second uncle.

  Er Dai has just arrived in Yang Village and is unfamiliar with the place. No one pays attention to him, and even eating becomes a problem.

  That day, after arriving at Yang Village, the sky was gray and overcast. On the road, I encountered robbers and my luggage was stolen clean. My stomach growled with hunger, but when I begged for food from several households, no one even opened their door.

  It just so happened that on that day, Zhao Tianxi, the son of Zhao Cai's family in Yang Village, got married and invited guests from all over the village. The scene was quite grand. Er Ye had originally wanted to get a free meal, but unexpectedly, it was there that Er Ye was revered as a living immortal.

  Not all rich people are bad, Zhao is a kind old man, respected by the villagers, but his son Zhao Tiancai is a rascal, who did something evil just before his wedding.

  Next door, Wang's eldest daughter is as beautiful as a flower, and men from all over the village are infatuated with her. However, there's just one problem - Wang's eldest son is an idiot. Zhao Tiancai certainly finds this Wang Xiaohua to his liking, but whenever he thinks about having to spend his own family's money on that foolish brother-in-law in the future and having him eat at their table, he becomes displeased. Yet, he also has a soft spot for this girl.

  It just so happened that on that day, he went to the city to drink flower wine. He passed by Pan Village and had a wicked thought, so he bullied Wang Xiaohua. Old Wang was chopping firewood and came back, Zhao Tiancai had just finished, saw that things were exposed, and under the influence of alcohol, used an axe to kill Old Wang, cutting off his head directly. Wang Xiaohua was frightened into paralysis. This wicked person went back and bullied her again, feeling guilty, he killed her too, and threw both father and daughter into a well.

  The silly brother went to the well to fetch water and saw a corpse, then jumped in and drowned as well.

  The three members of the family all died, and at that time, the country had just been liberated, and it was a chaotic and confusing situation. Such unexplained deaths could not be investigated, especially since Zhao Tiancai and the son of the city's public security chief were in cahoots with each other. The matter was thus dropped.

  Zhao asked his son, how could he admit it, five days later, and again his son was overjoyed, how could he not be happy.

  On the day of Zhao Tianci's wedding, the streets were decorated with lanterns and streamers, and everyone was immersed in the festive atmosphere. Er Ye walked along the main road, and the wedding procession came into view. Zhao Tianci rode a white horse, and Er Ye suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of oppression, as if dark clouds had gathered, and his left hand's sixth finger itched unbearably.

  That tall horse let out a loud whinny and the three men in front who were holding its reins were thrown off, the horse was frightened and charged towards Er Ye.

  "Not good, it's a demon." Second Master's index finger licked once, drew a few strokes on his left hand, and slapped the horse's forehead with his palm. The horse immediately calmed down, and Zhao Tiancai on the horse had already been scared out of his wits. Mr. Zhao, the wealthy master, rushed over to thank Second Master profusely and invited him to be the guest of honor.

  "This old man is so fierce."

  "Who says it's not? One palm and the horse was fixed."

  The legend of Er Dai's divinity spread instantly.

  The horse has calmed down, but that wicked father is uneasy at heart. This white-faced young man's temples are black and his eyes are streaming with tears; this matter is not simple.

  Second Master quickly drew a divination to take a look, and this one scared Second Master badly. This little guy's anniversary is today next year. His interference ruined the heavenly sign.

  It seems heaven doesn't want him to die this way.

  The couple is about to worship the ancestors, kill a chicken and spill its blood, worship all the gods, and the wife is also a girl from Pan Village. When kowtowing to her parents, she trembles under the veil, followed by a burst of sinister laughter.

  Others were still complaining about this girl being unruly.

  Zhao Tianci felt a chill on his back, turned around to look at his wife who was about to enter the bridal chamber. His wife also slowly turned back. "Zhao Tianci, you harmed my family of three, I want your whole family to pay with their lives for me. Hahaha"

  Zhao Tianci was frightened stiff, "Ghost! Help!"

  Shoes fell off, pants dropped, Zhao Da Caizhu was still puzzled what happened, wasn't everything fine? His son went mad.

  Yes, everything looks normal in everyone's eyes, except for that evil smile and those convulsions.

  Now it seems that the girl slowly lifted her veil again, looking at her father-in-law with a pale face, "Is something wrong with you, Father? Are you all right?"

  "Housekeeper, go find someone to drag Young Master back here and continue with the wedding ceremony. What kind of nonsense is this?"

  "Yes, sir."

  Zhao Tianci was forcibly pressed down to worship at the altar, but was so frightened that he lost his soul, muttering "Please spare me."

  "What did you say? I'm your wife, what's wrong with you?"

  "Ah, you are really my wife, you are not Wang..." Zhao Tianci stopped and didn't dare to say any more.

  "Master, it's me, Yue'er. What's wrong?"

  "Go away, don't come over here."

  Finally, after his wife's persuasion, he relaxed a bit. However, there was still some fear left.

  Zhao Dacai, the wealthy master, came over with a stick and said, "You little scoundrel, what are you doing? You're making our Zhao family lose face. I'll beat you to death, you good-for-nothing thing."

  "Dad, I was wrong, Dad, Dad." His wife Yue'er's mouth twitched again.

  At night when entering the bridal chamber, Second Uncle pulled Zhao Da aside and said, "Forgive me for speaking bluntly, but your son is not a clean thing."

  "Hey, don't talk nonsense. Today I'm grateful that you blocked the horse to save my son. I'll treat you as an honored guest. My Zhao family has always been kind and virtuous, how could we have anything unclean?"

  Zhao Dacai gave Second Master a few silver dollars and sent him on his way.

  The second master didn't explain either and turned around to leave.

  "Come on, husband." With a flirtatious glance from Moon's eyes, Zhao Tianci finally couldn't hold back. Moon's slender legs, fair skin, and playful toes teased him, and after a passionate encounter, Zhao Tianci fell fast asleep.

  Zhao Tiān Cì had a faint feeling that something was off, his eyes snapped open to see Wang Xiao Hua's rotting skull, with a gruesome expression, holding an axe and about to chop himself, he couldn't move no matter how hard he struggled, nor could he make a sound.

  Zhao Tianci was frightened awake, but the scene in front of him made him unable to help himself. Yue'er's evil smile, Hala's drool on Zhao Tianci's face, and the axe in his hand that had killed Wang Xiaohua back then.

  "I died miserably, today, today I want your whole family to be buried with us, hehe."

  Zhao Tianci's body felt like it was being pressed down by a mountain, unable to move or make a sound, and he could only watch as the axe came crashing down.

  Second Master bursts in, "You wicked child!" A talisman flies over, and Moon falls to the ground unconscious. Zhao Tiancai feels a sudden relief and shouts for help.

  Zhao, the wealthy master, now believed and knelt down to cry and beg, saying that he didn't recognize Mount Tai when he saw it, and hoped that Second Master would save his life. He said this while taking out a stack of silver dollars, "I am acting on behalf of heaven."

  "Your wife has been possessed by a demon, and at the wedding ceremony, her head was covered with a veil, plus the gloomy weather and lack of sunlight, which made your wife fall under its spell. The specific reason will be known after I investigate further, but judging from the current situation, the evil spirit is here for revenge, and this matter must be related to your son."

  "Besides, this thing is not just one, otherwise it won't become a trend. I'll give you a protective charm first to temporarily ward it off."

  "Thank you, great immortal, for saving my life. My family, the Zhao's, will never forget this kindness. You must save my son too, as our family line is at stake. This rascal of a son of mine has been spoiled by me, his father... Alas."

  The Second Master is preparing to invite these fierce ghosts to have a talk and will also call Zhao, the wealthy merchant, to let him know why.

  In the late afternoon, Second Master called for Zhao Da, and everything was already set up on the incense table.

  "Second Master, with a few swift movements, used his hands to tear off several human-shaped talismans. 'The Supreme Venerable Lord's urgent decree as law, Yang Xiaojun, the 131st generation successor of the Lushan Sect, humbly requests the Ancestral Master to grant him the method, now.'"

  Several small paper men sprang up and stood upright.