Chapter 19 Zhang’s attitude

A powerful monster slayer? I couldn’t help but twitch a little. Is he really a Taoist priest? Does he have to deal with all kinds of strange things wherever he goes? I thought this expedition to find the essence of the ginseng was just a primitive mountain exploration trip!

Chengxin was silent, playing with a delicate lighter in his hand, not knowing what he was thinking.

Ru Xue looked at me with an interested expression. Her eyes were so amusing that I felt itchy and uncomfortable. After all, I liked her so much, how could I stand her kind of “teasing” eyes? But I also saw her lips moving slightly, clearly saying three words: “thing expert.”

Haha, I was helpless, but I also laughed happily, as if the subtle little secret between me and Ru Xue was more important than any difficulty. Old Zhang looked at me in bewilderment, not understanding why I was laughing so happily when I heard about the monster.

Look at me, I’m in my early thirties, and I’m still like this, I forget myself when I’m happy. I quickly coughed, looked serious, and said to Lao Zhang, “Lao Zhang, in fact, I just told you that we are not ordinary people. To put it more deeply, we are cultivators, to put it more simply, we are Taoists, we…”

When Old Zhang heard that we were Taoist priests, his face really lit up. He asked, “Are you the kind of people who jump around and chant? The kind of people who make people drink water with charms? The kind of people who say that everyone is possessed? No, you don’t look like that.”

As soon as Zhang finished speaking, Chengxin, who was deep in thought, began coughing violently. I couldn’t hold my face any longer, it was turning red and white. How could I explain this? These days, there are so many scammers, and in the hearts of the common people, Taoists are probably just jumping around like a god. How can I explain that jumping around like a god is actually a witch’s trick, and that people can really jump around like a god?

Xue smiled, her eyebrows and eyes full of happiness. I guess she was amused by the awkwardness of me and Chengxin, but she didn’t mean to explain for us. I was helpless. My master once said that Taoism is never used to fight or show off, and it can’t be casually shown to ordinary people. After all, if you suddenly show off your skills when others are living a good life, won’t you make others’ values collapse?

But an explanation is always necessary. What I want to say is not this. After I calmed down, I said to Old Zhang, “The sect has a rule that one’s abilities should not be displayed at will. Old Zhang, I may be afraid of tigers and big bears, but I may not be afraid of monsters. I can always protect you after a fight. Old Zhang, I just want to tell you honestly that I know about the things in your dream…”

As soon as I said this, I saw the old ghost Wu floating on the roof, like a monkey jumping up and down, winking at me and giving me a wink. He dared not ‘direct’ me, but he was certainly anxious. But he understood that if I made this clear, perhaps Zhang would turn around and leave.

I hesitated for a moment, knowing that we needed Zhang, but only slightly. I also decided that I should say what I wanted to say. After all, I never forget that people still need a little bottom line and principles. So I continued, “Zhang, I actually know what happened in your dream. In the end, there is a person who died unjustly and needs your help to fulfill his unfinished wishes. But in fact, I should also tell you that if you don’t do it, life will go on the same way. But I also promise that if you are willing to help us, as you dreamed, there will definitely be a chance.

At this point, I had already decided that if I could really find the essence, I would have to give Lao Zhang some, and I would do my best to draw a talisman for him. Although I couldn’t draw a silver talisman like my master, I would definitely give him a purple talisman.

Chengxin also said, “There really will be a chance. I, Chengxin, who is in the medical profession, promise you this.”

Having said that, we have said what we can say, and we naturally have to give Wu Laogui a little face. We can’t just ‘sell’ it, so I’ve done what I can do to the limit.

Old Zhang didn’t say anything, refilled the tobacco in the pipe, and started smoking again. His brows were furrowed, and he began to think carefully. I think this should be an important decision in his life. At this time, we shouldn’t disturb him. Let him think about it. The benefits, the dangers, the middle joints, I can lay them out, and I have already laid them out.

The snow in the pot gradually melted, and slowly, the snow water began to emit hot steam, and the snow water boiled… During this process, everyone in the house was also silent until the pot began to “gurgle.” Old Zhang finally spoke: “Can you protect me?”

“You protect us from fierce beasts, but we protect you from evil spirits. I promise you that if we meet a powerful opponent, one of us will have to die. You run, and I will die.” I was serious. Old Zhang worked for us, and I couldn’t sell someone else’s life. I would have to die many lifetimes to pay back the karma.

Lao Zhang looked at me, his eyes full of emotion. This wasn’t an act, he was really moved. But then he said, “I’m old. Can I give my son a chance?”

There is a way! I said seriously, “To your son, to you, and to your wife, I will do what I say!”

Old Zhang lowered his head and played with the precious map in front of him, saying, “I can say that I have given my soul to these vast mountains for most of my life. I was born in the mountains and will die in the mountains. I am not afraid of dying in this old forest. I always feel that I have died in the right place! I have always had a wish, that is, to be able to complete the map that our ancestors have left behind. I really want to explore the places marked with question marks. You say you have the ability to fight the old monster. I believe it. I will follow you on this trip and fulfill myself. I can also get benefits and opportunities. My business is not a loss.

Old Zhang was rarely humorous, but he made all three of us feel relaxed. One of our biggest worries was finally put to rest. Old Wu was so excited that he suddenly floated down and stood in front of Old Zhang.

Lao Zhang is a calm person, but when he suddenly saw Wu Laogui appear, he was still startled and stood up suddenly, yelling, “What the hell is this? What the hell is this?”

I went to hold Zhang and said, “Zhang, calm down. Look carefully and see who it is.” In fact, I was helpless. It’s impossible to say that a ghost that’s been around for hundreds of years is completely powerless. After all, it’s been wandering around for hundreds of years, it’s the “soul of a cultivator,” it has a strong ability to dream, there aren’t that many taboos in the world, and it has the ability to let whoever it wants to see it see it.

After all, Zhang was a hunter who had been born and died in the mountains, and he had seen a lot of strange things. Besides, the strange behavior of Chengxin in the past two days had more or less prepared him psychologically. When I said this, he was barely calm down, but his lips were still trembling. After all, this was seeing a ghost.

A little afraid, Zhang looked at Wu Laogui, who was no longer wearing his fashionable clothes, but had returned to his old self.

When Lao Zhang saw this, he understood and could not help but say in a trembling voice, “It’s you?”

Wu Laogui didn’t say much, looked at Lao Zhang, and then knelt down to Lao Zhang, giving him three solid knocks on the head. Then he said, “It’s me, I’m the ghost of the person who died unjustly. I won’t say more. We don’t engage in that kind of nonsense in the Northeast, so I’m just giving you a bow. First, thank you, and second, I’m sorry for having had this dream for so many years.”

Fear comes from the unknown. Not to mention Old Zhang, even if many ordinary people encounter a ghost like this, but if the ghost speaks nicely, doesn’t look scary, and is well-read and sensible, they probably won’t be afraid.

After taking a few deep breaths, Lao Zhang calmed down and said with a straight face, “Don’t kneel. I can’t take it either. I… I can understand your feelings. I was born and raised in the forest, and I have a deep respect for everything. After a long time, I especially believe in fate and fate. I think this may be your fate and mine. Is this the way it is? I will accompany you into the mountains. In fact, if it weren’t for my wife and children, I would like to live an adventurous life. This is something that people in the mountains have in their bones and cannot be changed.

This old Zhang, I was really moved by him, but I also found it funny. This old Zhang, in the end, still didn’t dare to go over and help the old ghost Wu up. He was still afraid in his heart. Haha…