Volume Eleven: Serpent Spirits Chapter Three: The Evil Ghost

"Isn't this the Daoist Priest of Return Mountain from the outskirts of Leaf City? Did you invite him, Phoenix?" Director Jia looked at the Daoist with a questioning gaze.

"That's right. He's a professional ghost catcher. This is Daoist Master Return Heart," Yaoguang replied with a smile.

"Boundless Celestial Sovereign, I greet you," both Return Mountain and Return Heart performed the Daoist salute.

"Old man, stop dawdling. You'd better spend this time thinking about how to get through the night," Yaoguang waved her hand dismissively.

"What sort of fierce spirit did you encounter to be so troubled?" Return Mountain sat down, eyeing Yaoguang.

"An evil ghost that's over a hundred years old. Figure it out yourself," she shot him a glare.

"Whoa, over a century old? This will be a real headache." Return Mountain glanced at the sun, now slanting west. "Return Heart, let's get to work. This one's a tough nut to crack. Phoenix, what kind of fate do you have, that you always run into such strange happenings wherever you go?"

"What are you talking about? If I weren't here this time, who knows how rampant this ghost would have become? Hurry up and do your job," Yaoguang said, then walked over to Yitian. "What's the situation? Why haven't the Immortals arrived yet?"

"Great-granduncle Wang sent word. He went back to Sacred Mountain to fetch the four elders. This century-old ghost is no easy matter. They should arrive soon," Yitian checked his watch.

"All right," Yaoguang nodded.

Yitian called Huo Mingkun and Chen Haixu to the back of the RV to bring down an offering table, then arranged an incense burner, candles, and other items.

Return Mountain and Return Heart affixed spirit talismans to the main gate and each house door. Then, preparing cinnabar in the same way, they drew a Bagua formation on the ground.

"Boundless Celestial Sovereign!" At this moment, a voice came from outside. Yaoguang looked and saw four Daoist elders, exuding immortal aura, enter one by one, followed by a host of celestial beings from the main hall.

The Zheng family could only see the four Daoist elders, not the celestial company behind them.

"Director Jia, Brother Zheng, in a moment, you must all return to your rooms. No matter what happens, do not come out. Xuancheng, you and your group stay," Yaoguang instructed, glancing at them all. "Heavenly Thunder Soul-Locking Formation—begin."

As soon as she spoke, Yaoguang leapt into the air, followed by Return Mountain, Return Heart, and the four elders. The Zheng family only saw the Daoists, led by Yaoguang, leaping and flying about, their fingers weaving intricate gestures, chanting continuously. Unseen by mortal eyes, several figures hovered mid-air, positioned at the eight trigrams points of the formation, above the courtyard. Xuancheng, Tianyou, Huo Mingkun, Chen Haixu, and Jiang Yun stepped in mysterious patterns around the Bagua.

The rooster, sensing something, stomped back and forth atop the Bagua formation. For nearly an hour, they busied themselves, as dusk fell into night.

Yaoguang addressed the group, "Inside, now. The formation eyes, take your positions." She turned and walked to the offering table, burning incense in a ritual to the heavens.

Director Jia led the Zheng family indoors. Yaoguang sealed the door with a talisman, then quietly stood behind the offering table, eyes fixed on the door.

Night deepened. Inside, the Zheng family grew increasingly uneasy. Zheng Wenhong wrung his hands, "Brother, do you think we'll be all right?"

"With Phoenix here, we will," Director Jia assured him.

"How can you be so sure?" Zheng Wenhong pressed.

"I just know. If even she can't handle it, then no one can," Director Jia said calmly, sipping his tea. Zheng Wenhong was surprised by his brother's composure, wondering if the seemingly gentle Phoenix was secretly formidable.

Jingling bells sounded from the courtyard, making Zheng Wenhong nervous for no reason.

"It's here," Yaoguang sneered.

The bells at the threshold rang more urgently, scraping the ground.

Thud, thud, thud—the main gate was struck, as if something was ramming it.

Yaoguang and the others watched the gate, unmoving.

The pounding grew more violent; the door shook. With a crash, the gate burst open, creaking as it swung. A mass of black fog drifted in, halting at the center of the courtyard.

Still, Yaoguang and the others did not move, simply watching. The rooster, at some point, had dashed out. When it neared, the black mist actually retreated slightly.

"Since you're here, why not show yourself? Stop pretending to be mysterious," Yaoguang taunted.

Upon hearing her words, the black mist stirred, then began to coalesce, gradually taking human shape. It formed into a man of short, slightly stout build, his entire body emanating black energy. His face was dark and greasy, full of evil and lechery, his eyes black voids without whites, staring fixated on Yaoguang behind the offering table.

"Heh, such a delicate girl will make a fine meal for me," the evil ghost leered.

"I know I'm delicate. But whether you can devour me depends on your ability," Yaoguang replied with a smile.

"So many people—are you afraid I won't be full?" the ghost sneered.

"Pick whomever you like; I won't stop you. Be my guest," Yaoguang gestured invitingly.

"I only want to eat you," the evil ghost declared, lunging toward her.

Yaoguang smiled as he drifted closer. When he was upon her, she suddenly flicked her hand, splashing a bowl of cinnabar wine at lightning speed. The ghost was caught wholly unawares, drenched in the potion.

"Ahhh—" The ghost screamed in agony, then snarled, "You're seeking death!"

It rushed at Yaoguang, but her feet glowed with spiritual energy, and she dodged in a flash. Missed, the ghost grew more enraged, attacking again and again, but Yaoguang evaded each time, narrowly avoiding his grasp. The ghost's fury mounted, its black aura thickening. "You dare mock me? I'll eat you alive!" he roared, launching yet another assault.

Yaoguang kept dodging, but her hands began rapidly forming seals across her chest. The Zheng family, peering from behind the window, could only see Yaoguang darting about, pursued by a shadowy figure; the chase seemed almost comical.

Suddenly, Yaoguang spun around, casting a talisman at the ghost. But this was no ordinary specter—the ghost dodged the talisman with unnatural speed. Yaoguang's hand seals blurred even faster. "Life and Death Talisman, arise!" she shouted.

At her command, the talisman papers on the altar rose into the air, as if alive, and surged toward the black figure. The ghost fended them off, but Yaoguang's incantation grew more rapid, and the talismans closed in relentlessly.

"Go!" Yaoguang's right hand formed a sword gesture, and nine peachwood swords flew from the altar, streaking toward the ghost. It dodged as it ran, but finally, the talismans surrounded it, binding the ghost like a mummy. The nine peachwood swords pierced its body as Yaoguang continued her chant.

"Mere tricks won't harm me—fools dream in vain!" the ghost bellowed, and with a burst of force, the talismans exploded into fragments. The nine swords snapped apart, and the ghost laughed wickedly before charging at Yaoguang.

Golden light flared around Yaoguang. This time, she did not dodge but met the evil ghost head-on, her radiance forming a shield, refusing to let it touch her. This ghost, having endured a hundred years, was in fact a ghost immortal—had he followed the right path, he'd have been a formidable cultivator by now. But he had chosen the dark road, and such deviants were far more troublesome than true ghost immortals, relying on whatever means they could.

As they grappled, Yaoguang's light began to dim.

"Old man, is it time yet? I can't hold on much longer," Yaoguang called to Return Mountain.

"Five more minutes," he shouted back.

"Damn," Yaoguang cursed. The Ghost Orchid Sword appeared in her hand—it could block the ghost's magical attacks, but was useless in harming him physically, as he had no tangible body. That was the greatest trouble with evil ghosts—physical attacks were futile; only spiritual power worked.

"Phoenix!" Return Mountain called, prompting Yaoguang to launch a rapid assault, luring the ghost toward the center of the formation.

"Seal the formation!" As the ghost entered the center, Return Mountain shouted.

Incantations echoed from all sides. In the sky, a vast net of golden light descended upon the evil ghost, while the celestial beings sent beams of energy streaking down.

"Curse you all!" The ghost howled as the formation trapped him.

"Spirit Confinement!" Return Mountain commanded. The formation constricted.

Finally, Yaoguang could catch her breath. She seized the rooster, pricked its comb anew, and intoned a spell. The rooster, agitated by the incantation, flapped its wings and began pecking madly at the ghost writhing inside the formation.

"You wretches!" the ghost shrieked, growing more frenzied. The madder he became, the more gleeful the rooster grew, pecking with even greater fervor.

Yaoguang took her place at the last formation node, her fingers weaving ever-faster, her chanting accelerating. The rooster, galvanized by her spell, fought with redoubled zeal. The surrounding incantations rose to a crescendo.

The battle between ghost and rooster was intense, but the rooster, after all, was no match for a century-old spirit and began to falter. At that crucial moment, Yaoguang's chant and hand seals shifted, summoning a beam of golden light from the heavens that struck the rooster. Even the Zheng family in the house saw a giant shadow—another enormous rooster—overlaying the bird.

"Phoenix, you even summoned the Star Lord down!" Return Heart exclaimed.

"Do you think I wanted to? This is no ordinary evil ghost. He has roots—I suspect his physical body was used by evil men. This ghost was cultivated—a tougher foe than the demon ghosts of the Ghost Sect," Yaoguang retorted.

"Seriously?" Return Heart groaned.

With the Morning Star Lord possessing the rooster, its fighting power soared, and the evil ghost began to lose ground.

Yaoguang paused and addressed the ghost, "You have already cultivated a ghost soul. Will you accept my transcendence and become a true ghost immortal?"

"I refuse! Cultivation is too arduous—better to remain a ghost," the spirit shrieked.

"If you will not accept transcendence, I'll have to destroy you. Are you sure?" Yaoguang asked.

"No," the ghost raged.

"Are you certain?" Yaoguang pressed. Heaven is merciful; to transcend is to avoid destruction. Destroying a ghost incurs karmic consequences, and for a deity, such karma can only be erased by divine lightning. Such heavenly punishment is best avoided.

"I refuse," the ghost thundered, "I'll eat you all!"

"Old man, activate the Heavenly Thunder Formation," Yaoguang commanded.

"Right," Return Mountain and the others at the formation nodes changed their incantations and hand seals, stepping in their prescribed patterns. Yaoguang, at the central node, began a different ritual step.

Above, dark clouds gathered, blotting out the stars.

As the clouds thickened, everyone sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, and chanted.

Lightning rolled among the clouds.

"I'll ask you one last time—will you accept transcendence?" Yaoguang intoned.

"You cannot kill me!" the ghost howled.

Yaoguang recalled the rooster, then sent a golden beam into the sky.

With a crash, a purple lightning bolt, drawn by the golden light, struck the ghost.

"Ahh!" he screamed, still struggling.

More lightning crashed down—a second, a third—yet the ghost kept fighting.

Seven thunderbolts fell in rapid succession.

"I accept!" the ghost, prostrate in the formation, screamed.

Yaoguang halted. "Good. I will transcend you." She sat cross-legged, reciting sacred texts, golden light spreading outward. But as the light touched the ghost, he broke free from the formation and rushed toward the Zheng family's house.

Screams erupted within.

"Not good!" Yaoguang reacted instantly, dashing for the door. But before she could reach it, Zheng Wenhong burst through, no longer himself—his face ashen, black energy swirling around him, his eyes bloodshot and fierce as he glared at Yaoguang.

"Wenhong, what's wrong?" his mother cried, terrified.

"Back inside! He is possessed. Go in, I will save him. Director Jia, get everyone back," Yaoguang said, never taking her eyes off the ghost.

Director Jia dragged the sobbing Mrs. Zheng back inside.

With a wave, Yaoguang closed the door.

"I’ll devour you!" Zheng Wenhong growled.

"I do not wish to kill you, but you are too stubborn," Yaoguang, now truly angered, replied.

"You dare not! If you kill me, he dies too," the ghost shouted, and in a frenzy, Zheng Wenhong overturned the offering table.

Yaoguang gathered her energy and unleashed a roar, "Zheng Wenhong!"

His body stiffened, and she rushed forward, pressing acupoints on his body in quick succession.

Return Mountain and the others gathered around, chanting in unison. Zheng Wenhong suddenly clutched his head and howled. Possessed, he was monstrously strong, and in his fury, sent Jiang Yun, Huo Mingkun, and Chen Haixu flying. Xuancheng and Tianyou were also thrown aside. Return Mountain, Return Heart, and the four elders retreated.

Zheng Wenhong raged; no one could get close. Yaoguang couldn't attack with spiritual force without risking harm to the real Zheng Wenhong. In her anxiety, a huge figure—Serpent Spirit—slithered over, sweeping Zheng Wenhong off his feet with a flick of its tail, then coiled around him, pinning him in place.

At that moment, Yaoguang leapt onto the serpent's back, her right hand glowing gold as she pressed it to Wenhong's crown, clawed fingers pulling with all her might. A black shadow was drawn from his head, and as it left, Zheng Wenhong collapsed, limp. Serpent Spirit carried him to the door.

His mother opened the door and brought him inside, while Serpent Spirit coiled before the entrance, its eyes locked on the black shadow.

"So ungrateful. Seeking death," Yaoguang, furious, ascended into the air, her body radiating intense light. Her hair came undone, and the Phoenix Goddess's nine-tiered crown appeared, along with golden armor, golden cloak, and a phoenix seal blazing on her brow.

With a roar, golden wings unfurled from her back. Yaoguang soared into the heavens, darting among the lingering storm clouds.

The evil ghost attacked Return Mountain and the others, wounding them all.

"Is this girl a goddess?" Mrs. Zheng was stunned by the sight outside.

"Evil ghost, you have plagued the world long enough. Tonight, I will see you reduced to ashes!" Yaoguang's voice thundered from the sky.

"Everyone stand back! The golden thunder summoned by the Phoenix's true spirit will destroy us, too!" Return Mountain shouted, pulling the group to safety.

The Ghost Orchid Sword in Yaoguang's hand transformed into the Phoenix Spear, drawing a thick column of golden lightning from the heavens, which crashed down upon the evil ghost with a deafening roar, raising a cloud of dust.

The ghost's agonized screams rang out as the dust settled, revealing a massive crater. A black pearl slowly rose from its depths. Yaoguang swooped down from the sky, stopping mid-air, and caught the pearl in a small porcelain bottle.

"A ghost core of a hundred and forty-nine years—perfect for my Yun. You were truly stubborn—refusing transcendence and dragging me into karmic entanglements," Yaoguang sighed.

"Phoenix, is it over?" Return Mountain approached.

She exhaled, spreading golden light over the wounded, healing their injuries. A stream of energy flew through the window, settling on Zheng Wenhong, who slowly regained consciousness.

"Zheng family," Yaoguang's voice echoed from midair, as if from beyond the sky.

"Yes, yes!" The family hurriedly came out.

"Though today's disaster was not your intention, it arose because of you. 'A man is innocent, but cherished treasures bring him trouble'—such is karma. Today, I have taken this karma upon myself for you. Hereafter, you must commit yourselves to goodness," Yaoguang declared.

"Yes, yes, we promise," the Zheng family nodded sincerely.

"Serpent Spirit, I am Phoenix, Revered Goddess of Sacred Mountain. Today, I witness you becoming the Zheng family's rightful guardian spirit. From now on, you must cultivate diligently and protect the family. The Zhengs, you must honor the guardian with offerings and incense, neglect not, and in time your family will prosper and flourish," Yaoguang continued.

"Thank you, Goddess," the family chorused, kneeling in gratitude. Zheng Wenhong knelt and kowtowed, but a gentle force lifted them to their feet.

Yaoguang smiled and nodded, then sent a stream of golden light into Serpent Spirit, whose scales began to gleam radiantly.

"Phoenix, what did you mean by karma?" Director Jia asked.

"Karma is simply karma. Director Jia, you must reimburse me this time. I've suffered quite a loss for your sake. Step back—thunder is coming," Yaoguang rolled her eyes and began to ascend.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and three bolts of lightning struck Yaoguang directly.

"How could this be? Why would lightning strike even a goddess?" Old Master Zheng exclaimed in shock.

"Master Zheng, your good intentions attracted an evil ghost. Phoenix destroyed it and broke its cultivation—a good deed—but revealed her divine form before mortals, incurring karma. Normally, you would bear this yourselves, but for mortals, karma brings even more troublesome consequences than lightning tribulation. The young goddess, out of compassion, took the karma upon herself, transforming it into celestial punishment instead," Return Mountain explained with a sigh.

"And what will happen to her?" Mrs. Zheng asked.

"She will lose cultivation and suffer physical injury," Return Heart replied.

Four more thunderbolts fell, followed by two more, causing Yaoguang to cough up blood each time.

"Well, that was brutal," Yaoguang muttered as the thunder faded, wiping blood from her lips. "That hurt like hell."

"Phoenix, although you revealed your true form before mortals, the Zheng family are people of great virtue and deep spiritual roots. Serpent Spirit is a dragon-fated soul sent to the mortal realm to cultivate. By aiding the virtuous and fulfilling a destined bond, your merits outweigh your faults. Heaven has decreed you be granted a golden immortal body, enhancing your spiritual path. The Phoenix Seal shall grant you passage through five realms. May you continue to do good and soon return to your seat in the divine realm," a resounding voice echoed in Yaoguang's mind.

"Much appreciated," she replied with a smile. In the next moment, her body shimmered with radiant light; her golden armor transformed into a phoenix robe, and her nine-tiered crown shone even brighter. Spiritual energy surged within her, and her wounds healed instantly. With a wave, the clouds dispersed, and she shed her divine regalia, reverting to her tranquil attire.

Yaoguang drifted gently to the ground, frowning at the enormous crater. She had overdone the golden thunder. What now?

"Master, are you all right?" Jiang Yun hurried over as she returned.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. A blessing in disguise. Are you all okay?" she asked.

"We're all fine," Jiang Yun replied.

"It wasn't easy, but the evil ghost is finally gone." Xuancheng joined them.

"Not so fast. This matter isn't so simple. During the fight, I sensed this was no ordinary evil ghost. His cultivation and spiritual power were far beyond a century-old ghost, and he bore a formation mark—I suspect someone used his body or bones to set a vicious formation. That's why he was so formidable. It's no coincidence he targeted the Zheng family. Normally, with immortals involved, ghosts and spirits would not dare a direct confrontation, but this one rivaled Serpent Spirit—that's illogical," Yaoguang analyzed.

"I agree. Do you know where the evil ghost's tomb is? We should check tomorrow. If someone's behind this, they must be rooted out, or all of Quiet Source Manor could be in danger," Return Mountain said, exchanging a glance with Return Heart.

"You're right. Brother Zheng said there's an ownerless grave in the hollow of East Mountain. Let's investigate tomorrow," Yaoguang said, then frowned again.

"What is it, Master? Is there more?" Huo Mingkun offered her a glass of water.

"What do we do about this crater?" Yaoguang lamented.

"Hahaha, you've really done it this time—left a huge hole in their courtyard. You'll have to deal with it," Xuancheng laughed.

"No worries, Goddess, don't trouble yourself. You saved our family—you're our savior! We'll handle this," Zheng Wenhong said cheerfully.

"Brother Zheng, just call me Phoenix. 'Goddess' sounds odd. But this crater—no, I can't stand it," Yaoguang glanced at the crater, then at Wenhong, and pulled out her phone. "Hello? Get some sand and cement here tomorrow morning. I've made a mess—there's a big hole in someone's yard. Bring people to fix it, I'll send you the location." Hanging up, she said, "I made the mess, I'll clean it up myself!"

"Ah, my offering table," Yaoguang groaned at the shattered remains.

"Phoenix, how much did it cost? I'll buy you a new one," Director Jia offered.

"Forget it, I'll buy my own," she sulked.

"No, really, name your price," he insisted.

"All right, since you're so generous—one hundred sixty thousand. Pay up, Director," Yaoguang grinned, extending her hand.

"One hundred sixty thousand? What kind of wood is that?" Now it was Director Jia's turn to be exasperated.

"Top-grade Indian rosewood. This time, I've really lost out," she mourned her table.

"Uh..." Director Jia was speechless.

"Yitian, gather the pieces. We'll make ornaments from the large ones, bracelets from the small ones, and sell them at the shop. Ah, my poor table... Yun, let's go to bed," Yaoguang said, shuffling toward the house. Jiang Yun hurried after her, playfully sticking out her tongue at those behind.

The two master and apprentice left the crowd in stunned silence.

Dawn was breaking over the horizon.