C36 Pond Collecting Man

I once heard my adoptive father talk about the Pond Collecting Man, a person who assists ghosts in fulfilling their desires and resolving their emotional burdens. In return, the spirits willingly submit to their command.

True Pond Collecting Men are nearly extinct today, and the reason is quite straightforward. They spend their lives interacting with corpses and spirits, often standing vigil in cemeteries, which makes it hard for them to avoid loneliness, poverty, and an early death.

Most Pond Collecting Men don't live past the age of forty, with only the exceptionally fortunate matching the lifespan of an average person.

Aside from these hardships, there are three stringent requirements to become a Pond Collecting Man. First, one must be born with the ability to see spirits and possess a strong, pure Yang presence to counteract the Yin energy of ghosts. Second, they need to be skilled in martial arts to defend against spirits exploiting their vulnerabilities. Third, they must remain chaste for their entire lives.

Considering these criteria, the towering figure before me, Deaf Zhang, seemed to meet all three. He might just be a genuine Pond Collecting Man.

"Mr. Ergou, are you really a Pond Collecting Man?" I inquired.

"What? You... What did you say? Louder... Louder!" Deaf Zhang responded, his voice booming.

Sighing, I repeated myself at a higher volume, "I asked, Deaf Zhang, are you truly a Pond Collecting Man?"

"Of... Of course," he replied, brandishing his whip. "This isn't just any whip for herding livestock; it's an heirloom of the Pond Collecting Men." With a flick, he cracked the whip in the air, producing a sharp snap.

"Little... Little brother, did you hear that? The sound of this whip can drive away any stray spirits nearby," Deaf Zhang boasted, then pulled out several black Talismans from his pocket. "See, little brother, I also have these Pond Collecting Talismans handed down from my master. They're incredibly potent."

I couldn't help but smile wryly at the endearing oaf before me. Mimicking his stutter, I raised my voice, "Mr. Ergou, this... This isn't the place for casual talk. Let's get out of here."

Deaf Zhang nodded and accompanied me to the summit of the mountain behind us. Picking up our previous conversation, I asked, "Mr. Ergou, you mentioned wanting to visit Hundred Ghost Slope, right?"

"Yes... Yes, I want to go to Hundred Ghost Slope to tame the Hundred Ghosts. It was my master's dying wish. Do you plan to go there too, young man?" Deaf Zhang inquired.

I replied with a smile, "What a coincidence. Visiting Hundred Ghost Slope was also my foster father's dying wish."

"Did your dad send you there to tame the Hundred Ghosts as well?" Deaf Zhang probed, to which I responded with a smile and a shake of my head.

Somehow, I found myself warming to this large fellow. Maybe it was his straightforward and goofy nature that made one's guard come down.

Since the passing of my foster father and Old Master Jiaang, and parting ways with Ms. Xiaofeng, I've been without family or friends, let alone someone to talk to.

I'm not as cunning as my foster father; I'm just a teenager. Having faced so much misfortune and adversity, I desperately needed to talk to someone, to vent.

With a sigh, I shared the story of my life and experiences with Deaf Zhang, holding back some critical secrets and details, of course.

Deaf Zhang listened intently, his expressions filled with empathy. He comforted me with a reassuring pat on the shoulder, like an older brother would.

At that moment, I wasn't overwhelmed by sadness. Time had passed, and I had learned how to cope.

Ironically, I was now dying of thirst, my voice nearly gone. I hadn't anticipated that speaking with a deaf person could be so draining.

Deaf Zhang idly toyed with the wild grass with his whip, lost in thought. After a while, he finally spoke, "Changsheng, I've never encountered someone with a unique constitution like yours. But I have a feeling you might not have to survive on eating corpses..."

"Is there another way?" I asked eagerly, the thought of not having to consume that revolting "jerky" was a relief.

"You eat corpses, I presume, to store enough Yin Qi in your body. While this method is straightforward and effective, there are other ways you could consider to replenish your Yin Qi."

"Why would I need to add Yin Qi? I'm alive; what use do I have for Yin Qi? I recall my father mentioning that it's only necessary for nourishing a corpse," I asked, bewildered.