Chapter Eighty-Seven: The Taunt

After washing off all the adrenaline in the lavish bathroom of the Zhou residence and changing into the clean clothes Zhou Ming had given me, it was already past three in the early morning.

Step by step, I walked from the second floor down to the main hall, then out into the courtyard. At that moment, I couldn’t help but reflect on how fortunate the rich are—living in one villa after another. Unlike me, who had once cramped with my mother in a two-bedroom apartment at my father’s workplace. I hadn’t minded as a child, but growing up, the space felt unbearably small. I even recalled that my room was smaller than one of the bathrooms in Zhou Ming’s house.

In the courtyard outside the hall stood Master Huang. I felt a wave of frustration as I watched him wielding a peachwood sword before a ritual altar, muttering incantations under his breath. Occasionally, he would scoop up a handful of rice and throw it forcefully onto a nearby incense candle, causing sparks to flare.

To me, these seemed like mere parlor tricks. For one, this stout man was walking casually, with no sign of any true Heavenly Stem or Northern Dipper formation.

“Master Yang, I truly apologize for what happened earlier,” Zhou Ming said, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. After all, he had entrusted our agency to handle this matter and had already paid Chen Chuyi. I had come partly to find Yinyin and partly to prevent Old Master Zhou from returning unexpectedly.

“Well, this Master Huang you invited is…” I began.

Zhou Ming hurriedly explained, “Ah, Master Yang, please don’t take offense. Master Huang was arranged by my secretary. I heard he’s quite famous up north for capturing jiangshi. Since Li Lina turned into a fierce jiangshi and escaped last night, I thought…”

I nodded slowly. “Not bad, that’s good. This will give Master Huang a chance to try. We all got hurt a bit last night.”

Seeing I was not upset, Zhou Ming chuckled softly and handed me a cigarette, lighting it for me. Though I rarely smoked, I pretended nonchalance and took a drag.

As the smoke curled from my lips, a woman in a porcelain-blue embroidered robe appeared beside me—it was none other than Yinyin’s mother, Wanniang.

“Young master, I’ve searched everywhere around here but found no trace of Yinyin’s aura. We should look elsewhere,” she said.

I nodded. Just as I was about to stand, the bowl of rice in front of Master Huang suddenly leapt violently. Wanniang shuddered and coldly said, “Young master, Master Huang has detected me.”

I sighed. “Let’s leave quickly.”

Wanniang nodded and started toward the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Master Huang suddenly waved his hand, scattering a handful of rice. Wanniang, unprepared for the sudden attack, failed to dodge and was hit. She staggered, looking disheveled.

Fury surged in me, about to lash out, but Wanniang shook her head silently. It seemed even she was irritated by Master Huang. I had never seen Wanniang fight before and was curious to witness her abilities.

After all, a centuries-old female ghost, and since Chen Chuyi entrusted her to protect me, she was clearly no ordinary spirit.

Sure enough, as I relaxed my guard, Wanniang’s demeanor shifted suddenly. Her once serene hair lengthened dramatically. With a swift motion, she sent a child holding a yellow talisman flying; the boy crashed heavily against a wall, unconscious.

“What a fierce ghost! To harm my disciple, today I shall scatter your soul to the winds!” Master Huang roared. He stabbed the yellow talisman with his peachwood sword, holding the bowl of rice in his other hand, watching the rice tremble to detect Wanniang’s location.

“Master Yang, what is this…?” Zhou Ming, still haunted by last night’s ordeal, hurried over with concern. The last jiangshi had been corporeal, but tonight’s spirit was invisible—seeing it would mean death.

“These troubles are all of Master Huang’s own making. Let’s watch for now. Rest assured, my agency has taken your money and will handle this properly—there won’t be a second charge. If Master Huang can’t even deal with this little ghost tonight, then he’s no good at handling jiangshi either. You won’t have to pay him a cent—better to waste some unnecessary money than nothing!” I said.

Hearing me, Zhou Ming thanked me repeatedly. I ignored him and focused on the duel between Master Huang and Wanniang.

By now, Wanniang had straightened her clothes and returned to her composed form. She reached out and released the bowl of rice, which spilled onto the ground.

Master Huang let out a fierce shout, wildly waving his peachwood sword while chanting articulate incantations—things like "The Celestial Master’s Decree" and "Urgent as the Law’s Command." He flailed as if battling Wanniang, but in truth, he was performing a solo act. Wanniang stood perfectly still.

Suddenly, Wanniang flashed forward and slapped Master Huang across the face. He flew toward me and crashed heavily onto the ground.

“Master Huang, are you alright?” I asked with a smile, helping him up casually.

“This ghost is too powerful. Mr. Zhou, you said it was a jiangshi, right? I’m skilled at catching jiangshi, but ghost hunting isn’t really my specialty,” he replied.

Before Zhou Ming could speak, I feigned worry. “Master Huang, you’re a famous jiangshi Taoist; hunting ghosts should be child’s play for you, right?”

“Child’s play?” Master Huang looked at me in disbelief. That slap from Wanniang left five black finger marks on his face. Watching him cautiously retreat step by step into the courtyard made me chuckle. From the beginning, he’d been all show, with no real power displayed.

Now, he no longer had the bowl of rice that helped him sense Wanniang’s position. He was utterly miserable, with Wanniang only slapping him repeatedly across the face, never attacking elsewhere.

“Ahhh… don’t play dirty like this!” Master Huang lay on the ground, refusing to get up.

I smiled wryly, while Zhou Ming behind me was utterly speechless.