Chapter 76: An Unremarkable Way of Reformation

“Please lend me a fire to ward off evil and extend the day.” The little ghost, holding an unlit lantern, stood respectfully in front of the fire as he spoke and bowed.

Silently, the lantern lit up. Song You also found this quite wonderful as he watched.

“Thank you, Mountain God.” The little ghost bowed again, then turned to Song You and smiled, “It's done. Please follow me, I'll send you out of the market.”

“Alright.” Song You followed him, chatting as they walked.

“Are you from the previous dynasty?”

“How did you know, Daoist Master?”

“The way you address people is different.”

“What do you mean?”

“Since the Great Yan Dynasty was established, common people prefer to call Daoist priests and Daoists among the people ‘Mister’.”

“I see. Then I'll call you ‘Mister’ too.”

“Whatever you prefer is fine.”

“Then I'll go with ‘Daoist Master’.”

The little ghost walked ahead with the lantern, casting a patch of firelight on the ground that resembled the color of dusk. “I am indeed from the previous dynasty, but I was born during its final years. At that time, the world was in chaos. Demons and ghosts frequently appeared. My parents and I were eaten by a fierce tiger while traveling through these mountains, turning me into a ghost of a devoured victim.

“However, spring came quickly, and with

Jingzhe

, thunder struck. The fierce tiger, having eaten people and accumulated evil qi, was taken by heaven. As I have never harmed anyone, I escaped this calamity. Later, I regained my freedom, and gradually settled in these mountains. I unexpectedly found that there was another world hidden within these great mountains.”

“This is the world of demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters.”

“Yes, in this world, it's rare for us demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters to have such a place.”

“

Sigh

…” Song You only sighed. This was a world where humanity prevailed, undoubtedly encroaching upon the space for demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters. But being human himself, how could he say anything?

“Daoist Master, you don't need to feel that way. Though I am a ghost, I was once human too.” The little ghost smiled.

He added, “Being a wild ghost in these mountains also isn't bad. Although in recent years, Daoists often come to these mountains to catch ghosts, they usually don't trouble those of us who behave ourselves. There are countless demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters in these great mountains. It's a harsh life, but not so boring. It might even be more enjoyable than the human world.”

“This trip has really opened my eyes.”

“Don't be surprised. We may be spirits, ghosts and monsters, but once we gain enlightenment, we have our own lives too!”

“Indeed.” While talking, they had already reached the edge of the market. The little ghost stopped and raised the lantern with a smile, asking, “Daoist Master, do you still remember the way back?” Song You took the lantern from his hand.

“Vaguely.”

“Be sure to be careful along the way.”

“Meeting you was really the greatest fortune of this night.”

“And for me as well.”

Since they met by fate and talked freely, it was only natural to part when the time came, without really needing many words. They bowed to each other, cherishing this fated encounter, bid each other farewell, and went their separate ways. The little ghost returned to the market, and Song You walked into the night.

The lantern illuminated a small area, clearly revealing the cracks in the dry dirt road and the weeds. People vaguely approached from behind on the roadside, and walked into the mist ahead. Meanwhile, others emerged from the mist ahead with surprised or puzzled eyes as they brushed past Song You on their way to the market.

Song You patted his horse's neck, “Do you still remember the way back?” The horse didn't speak, only silently lifted its hooves and moved forward.

Song You smiled. “Thanks to you.”

The calico cat followed them with small, quick steps. She looked up at him, then at the demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters passing by. She kept moving forward, but her eyes and head turned to follow them.

“You were staring at that incense seller earlier. It was really rude,” Song You said as they walked. “It has gained enlightenment and is no longer an ordinary animal after becoming a demon. You shouldn't have stared at it like that. You might have frightened it.”

“That was a mouse!”

“Every living thing in this world, whether demons, ghosts, spirits or monsters, once they gain enlightenment, are like humans. If you eat them, it's like eating humans. You'll accumulate evil qi, which is against Heaven’s law.”

“I was just looking!”

“Very rude.”

The little cat fell silent, seemingly pondering this, and thus slowed down somewhat, falling slightly behind. After figuring it out, she quickly trotted to catch up, shaking her head at the same time. “

Bleh

,

bleh

,

bleh

…” she recited, mimicking the tone of his “very rude.”

The journey outward was also wondrous. This truly was the world of demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters. Besides the market set up in the center by those with cultivation skills and followed rules, the road was also filled with countless less intelligent little creatures with inadequate cultivation skills.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Song You saw a kind of small spirit which stood upright on all fours. It looked human but different, only as tall as a palm. It carried a tiny palm-sized house on its back, struggling along the road, neither coming from nor going to the market, just walking along the road.

In the boundless thick fog, its destination and purpose were unknown.

He also saw a tiny person walking on the tree trunk holding an umbrella. She looked like a delicate woman and her umbrella was also a floral one. However, she was walking upside down on the tree trunk, with her head facing down and her feet facing up, stepping along the lower edge of the trunk.

No one knew why she didn't fall nor why she carried an umbrella that wouldn't shield her from rain but might even accumulate rainwater when it rained.

There were also people who shouted as they walked along. These people were also very small, even slightly smaller than a palm. They stood upright on all fours, resembling human figures, yet different from humans.

They were almost naked, with only two or three strips of cloth, which could be said to be modesty coverings. However, these cloth strips did not cover their private parts but were instead wrapped around other areas.

Song You could not understand what they were saying but their voices were shrill and tone vehement. However, there was nothing in front of them and they seemed to be talking to the air.

Interestingly, they only spoke like this when unseen. Once noticed, they fell silent immediately.

At first, Song You thought they were talking to him, and he repeatedly looked at them several times. These little beings would then alternately chatter and quiet down several times. Song You found it amusing and puzzling, but later he realized that they did this whenever other demons, ghosts, monsters and spirits passed by too. He realized this was probably just their nature.

“Daoist priest, I think I've been poisoned eating mushrooms!”

“You didn't eat any at all.”

“

Oh

, right...”

Gradually, they moved farther and farther away from the market. The number of pedestrians on the roadside dwindled gradually. Thick fog surrounded them both ahead and behind. The mountain path gradually grew darker, illuminated only by the tiny glow of his lantern as they walked slowly through the mountains.

It was still vaguely recognizable as the same path they had been on before. At some point, apart from himself, other lights were no longer visible in his field of vision.

Occasionally, he could vaguely make out a faint glimmer, but it was almost indiscernible through the fog. Meanwhile, evil creatures from the periphery began to follow them.

“Daoist priest...” The calico cat whispered a warning.

“It's alright.” Song You continued walking ahead, holding his lantern.

In the dark night and mountain fog, the appearances of the evil creatures were unclear. Intimidated by the lantern's light, they did not dare to come too close. Only their shadows could vaguely be seen hidden in the darkness. He could hear their panting or faint, indistinct, and incomprehensible sounds that they emitted. Thus, he could sense their presence.

But it seemed that a living person attracted them far more than the demons, ghosts, monsters and spirits that frequented these mountains. Gradually, their numbers actually increased. Just like humans, they became bolder as they gathered. Thus, they started to come closer and closer to the light.

“There are more and more of them...” The calico cat whispered to Song You. Her body had quietly tensed up, fur bristling, as she considered whether spitting fire might scare them away.

Gradually, their figures began to appear on the outskirts of the firelight, becoming clear in the dim glow.

Indeed, they were diverse and bizarre in appearance. Some were evil creatures born from various coincidences between heaven and earth, some were vengeful ghosts, some had physical forms, while others were illusory figures.

Some were humanoid, others twisted in shape, some were beautiful, others ugly. Some retained only the predatory instincts of fierce beasts, while others had twisted intelligence and could understand human speech.

Some were familiar, while others were not. Some could even be used as medicinal ingredients, either entirely or partially, and the resulting medicine had miraculous effects, such as ensuring honesty or boosting courage.

Some could even be directly cooked and eaten after being caught, with unusual effects. The preceding market had sold items related to them. They were either objects transformed from their deceased forms or parts of their bodies. It gave the impression that anything could be cooked and eaten or used as medicine.

The premise was that one must be able to catch them, know how to prepare them as medicines, and dare to consume them. However, do not associate them with demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters.

Even demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters disliked or even feared them. In the eyes of demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters, their image was not much different from how humans perceived them. To them, demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters were not much different from humans.

The biggest difference was that most demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters had some cultivation skills and were difficult to deal with.

Faced with this scene, even many demons, spirits, ghosts and monsters from the market with deep cultivation skills would be startled, either turning back with their lanterns or thinking of other ways to escape.

Song You, however, was unafraid, observing as he walked. Gradually, they were surrounded by them in layers, three layers inside and three layers outside.

Even the jujube-red horse also began to feel uneasy, repeatedly turning to look at Song You. Only after Song You smiled and reassured it, did it feel more at ease and continued forward.

These evil spirits were undoubtedly afraid of the lantern. They stopped when it stopped, greedily staring from beyond its light.

If the lantern moved a step forward, those behind surged forward a step too, while those in front scrambled to retreat a step, some falling and rolling away on the ground in their haste. The bolder, less intelligent ones started repeatedly eyeing the shadows beside the jujube-red horse, thinking of leaping into them.

“

Hah

...” Song You chuckled twice, suddenly asking curiously, “Do you all want to eat us?”

There was no immediate response. The evil spirits only stared at them, their eyes full of greed that answered the question.

Song You, dissatisfied with the silent response, shook his head with a smile and raised the lantern in his hand. “If you all answer me, I'll extinguish it.”

Some of the evil spirits that could understand exchanged glances, then they widened their eyes. Strange voices echoed one after another. “Yes!”

“Yes...”

“Yes!”

Song You shook his head again, amused. “You're all really foolish. This lantern can't burn you, so why fear it?”

But he kept his promise…He simply stopped walking, lifted the lantern, and blew at it.

“

Whoosh

...” The lantern's light went out instantly. The only light in the mountains vanished, leaving a deathly still, oppressive, and suffocating darkness. In the darkness, the group of evil spirits immediately surged forward like a tidal wave breaking through a dam. They rushed eagerly, one after another, excitedly swarming toward the human, horse, and cat in the center, pushing and shouting.

“

Boom

!” Suddenly, a light shone again in the mountains. This light wasn't white, green, blue, or purple, but a bright yellowish-red flame.

The firelight didn't come from the front or the back, nor from the left or the right. It lit up from every direction around them, from above and below, from all directions, illuminating half the mountain in an instant.

Along with the firelight came a fire that blotted out the sky and covered the earth. Any evil spirit was reduced to nothingness.