C38 Fighting Against the Same Enemy

I paused and called out to Deaf Zhang, "Mr. Ergou, you mentioned you came from the county town, yet Hundred Ghost Slope lies to the east of it, and our village is to the west. How did you end up taking such a roundabout way to our village's back mountain?"

Deaf Zhang replied, "Well... That's because I heard rumors of a haunting in your village. I... I assumed it was the work of some malevolent spirit, not expecting it to be the Corpse Devil. But... your village does have an eerie feel to it. Even from a distance, one can sense a shroud of death hanging over it."

I turned to gaze down at the village below the mountain and let out a heavy sigh, "Our village may be free of ghosts, but there's someone far more dreadful than any specter. He intends to sacrifice the lives of all the villagers to extend his own, turning them into ghosts."

"What... What are you talking about? Can you explain what's going on?" Deaf Zhang asked, his curiosity piqued.

After I recounted the tale of the Evil Taoist, Deaf Zhang's face registered shock, but it was anger that seemed to dominate his expression.

"Mr. Ergou, what... What's the matter? Are you acquainted with that Evil Taoist?" I inquired.

"My master was gravely wounded by that Taoist and, sadly, he later succumbed to his injuries," Deaf Zhang said through clenched teeth.

"Your master too..."

"That Taoist sought a malevolent spirit my master had once tamed, but fearing he would misuse it, my master refused. Little did he know, the Taoist would ambush him, inflicting severe wounds," Deaf Zhang explained, realizing his plight was nearly identical to mine.

Deaf Zhang, like me, was an orphan, raised by his master from a young age. Both of us were destined to confront death throughout our lives, our stories strikingly similar.

And by some twist of fate, we now shared the same foe and the same goal: Hundred Ghost Slope. Deaf Zhang and I were truly united in our enmity and empathy for each other's plight.

"Mr. Ergou, did the Evil Taoist ever get what he wanted? Was he able to take your master's ghost?" I asked.

Deaf Zhang shook his head, gazing resolutely down the mountain, "This Taoist is elusive as a ghost. I've been searching for him for three years without a single clue. This time, I'm determined to avenge my master. Changsheng, you want to avenge your father too, right?"

I nodded vigorously, "Absolutely, the Evil Taoist must pay for his crimes with blood. He's been struck by the golden light, and I doubt he's fully recovered. This is our best chance to kill him."

My resolve and fighting spirit flared. I was driven not only to avenge my foster father but also to rid the villagers of this menace.

With our minds set, we began to plot our revenge. Deaf Zhang shared what he knew about the Evil Taoist, mentioning a possible connection to Mao Mountain.

But Deaf Zhang's master believed the Evil Taoist wasn't a true member of the Prime Clear Sect of Mao Mountain, but rather an imposter who had stolen some of their techniques.

Deaf Zhang's master also mentioned a link between the Evil Taoist and the Seventy-third generation master of the Prime Clear Sect on Mao Mountain, a figure from the Qing Dynasty era.

His master speculated that the Evil Taoist might have used some dark magic to survive from the Qing Dynasty to the present day.

As Deaf Zhang and I discussed how to confront this legendary Evil Taoist, he said to me, "Changsheng, the Evil Taoist's magic may be powerful and quick to master, but it has a deadly weakness: it's vulnerable to backlash. So, our first move should be to break the curse he's placed on the villagers."

"Mr. Ergou, you might look a bit clueless, but your analysis is spot-on. Surely you know how to break the Evil Taoist's curse, right?" I asked, grinning.

To my surprise, Deaf Zhang just shook his head and chuckled, "Truth is, all this was my master's dying advice. I'm not sure what to do next."

I couldn't help but smile wryly. However, as we talked about breaking the curse, a memory flashed through my mind—the wooden chest buried beneath the ruins of my home.

Could the Heaven Connecting Secret Technique left by my foster father hold the key to breaking the Evil Taoist's sinister spells? Perhaps this book contains the solution I seek.