Old Gu Hui was a heavy smoker.
At this moment, he took several puffs from his pipe, a look of comfort on his face.
Because my luck had been continuously deteriorating, my complexion grew worse and worse.
"Borrowing lifespan" was imminent; otherwise, I would only have my lamp extinguished and my life ended.
So, I asked Gu Hui:
"Master, when that female ghost comes tonight, what should I do?"
After exhaling several puffs of smoke, my master seemed much more relaxed.
He looked at me and said confidently:
"Little Qin, you've now received your Dharma name and entered the righteous path.
From this day forward, you gain three parts of righteous energy.
When the incense offering is extinguished, grab a handful of ashes and keep it on you.
Tonight, I will teach you to use this righteous energy and a handful of ashes to subdue that foul entity…"
Hearing this, I felt a surge of excitement, even like I had been injected with adrenaline.
Perhaps it was due to being tormented by the foul entity for so long, my heart had been greatly suppressed.
Now that I had found a patron, I finally felt like a serf turned master, ready for revenge.
Afterward, my master explained in detail what I needed to do tonight.
He said that malevolent spirits usually appeared at night, around the hour of Hai (10 PM).
He told me to wait until about 9:30 PM, take the ashes, and head out towards Old Huang Mountain.
About five hundred meters away, there was an old stone bridge.
When the time came, he wanted me to stand on the bridge and wait.
The foul entity clinging to me, wanting to find a replacement for its life, would definitely come looking for me.
He told me not to be afraid, that he would protect me from the shadows.
I asked him why he wouldn't come with me.
Master said if he were there, he feared the foul entity might be too scared to reveal itself.
He also said that once I lured out the foul entity, I should find an opportunity to sprinkle the ashes onto it.
Because it was on the bridge, the entity wouldn't dare go into the water and had nowhere to hide.
With a handful of ashes, some would surely hit their mark.
He also said this was the incense of the Ancestor, and these ashes were the ashes of King Yama.
Once hit, the foul entity's powers would be broken.
At that point, it would have no choice but to surrender and be at my mercy…
Because my life was on the line, I listened very carefully, memorizing every detail.
But I did ask one more question.
I asked why Taoist exorcists didn't give me things like peach wood swords or talismans, but instead just a handful of ashes.
My master just smiled and said: "You haven't even learned to crawl, how can you expect to walk?"
I felt there was some truth to what my master said, so I nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
That evening, we cooked a bowl of egg noodles in the shop.
It was still early, so I could only sit idly in the shop and wait.
Gu Hui not only loved to smoke but also enjoyed playing the computer game "Snake."
He sat in the chair behind the counter and hadn't moved his butt for over two hours.
Seeing that it was 9:30 PM, I got up and said to Gu Hui:
"Master, it's 9:30."
Gu Hui, staring at the computer screen, didn't even lift his eyelids.
"Go ahead! Do as I told you, I'll be there shortly."
For something as crucial to my survival as this, my new master seemed so nonchalant.
I was stunned, wanting to say something but holding back.
Finally, I grabbed a handful of ashes, waved goodbye to my master, and left the Wanfu Hall at 81 Yellow Springs Road.
There's a saying that goes well: The master leads you in, but cultivation is up to the individual.
One's own life should be held in one's own hands.
One cannot be like a sissy, blaming fate.
One cannot place all hope on others.
Master Gu Hui had already taught me a way to protect myself.
If I were to be harmed even with this, it would be my own fault, and I couldn't blame anyone else.
Before, I feared foul entities because I had no means to deal with them, and I was afraid of being killed.
But now, I had a method. With these ashes from the Ancestor, my courage had grown considerably.
Who would end up dead was still uncertain.
I exited Wanfu Hall and saw that the entire street was dark.
The air was somewhat cold, and I shivered.
Stepping onto this "Yellow Springs Road" where the living walked, I began to head towards Old Huang Mountain.
The street was deserted, and I couldn't see a single person.
Under the moonlight, an old street with a single figure and its shadow.
I walked forward slowly like this.
After walking on the road at night for a consecutive month, today was the day I felt the most at ease and confident.
Although my heart still held a sliver of apprehension,
At least, I wasn't as scared anymore.
In fact, I even felt a slight anticipation for the foul entity to appear sooner.
That way, I could use the method Master taught me to get rid of it and borrow its lifespan to extend my own.
Lost in thought, I unknowingly walked out of the street.
From a distance, I heard the sound of water.
"Huala huala…"
I continued walking along the road.
Sure enough, after passing through a small grove of trees, I saw a small stone bridge.
At this point, it was no longer passable by vehicles; one could only walk.
Following my master's instructions, I walked onto the small bridge and stood in the middle.
The small bridge was only about seven or eight meters long, with a stream flowing beneath it.
The water was clear and reflected the moonlight.
Standing on the edge of the bridge and looking down, I could even vaguely see my reflection.
Amidst the "huala huala" sound of the water, I stood quietly on the bridge, waiting.
Cautiously, I remained vigilant of my surroundings, observing both sides of the bridge.
Time ticked by.
Standing on the bridge, I kept one hand in my pocket, tightly gripping the ashes.
From around 9:50 PM until 11:30 PM, there was no unusual activity.
Just as I was starting to feel bored, the wind around me stopped, and the sound of the water seemed to diminish significantly.
The air suddenly became colder.
This sudden change, coupled with this chilling sensation,
Made me instinctively hug myself tighter, but my entire being became alert.
These past few days, I had felt this sudden chill too many times.
And each time it appeared, it was accompanied by something bad happening.
I felt that the foul entity clinging to me.
Might be coming, or perhaps it had already arrived…