Chapter 94: God-stealing Evil Spirit, Temple Great Immortal
Late at night.
Lingguan Temple, the pious men and women gradually dispersed, and the temple noisy for days returned to its usual tranquility.
Incense candles flickered before the hall, banners and umbrellas rustling loudly.
In the center of the main hall, a Spirit Official Idol with a red face and beard sat high on a cloud-patterned throne.
Clad in golden armor and red robe, with three eyes glaring angrily, left hand pinching the jade pivot finger, right hand raising the golden whip, under the glow of incense, it looked extraordinarily majestic, as if it would come alive in the next moment.
And on the left and right of the Spirit Official Idol, there were many accompanying deities, such as the God of Wealth, Emperor Huaguang, and the like.
After inquiring at multiple Firework Bureaus and still not finding who had set off the “Thunder Fire Golden Whip.”
The old temple keeper dragged his weary body, closed the temple door, returned to his quarters, and went to bed to rest.
No matter what, this hurdle of the year had finally been crossed.
Safe and sound after some scares.
The night grew darker, snores rising everywhere.
Under the moonlight, the bamboo grove rustled, and the Spirit Official statue in the hall also rustled as it turned its head.
Crack,
Crack…
The gold-painted head of the Spirit Official, with peeling lacquer, twisted bit by bit, slowly turning, then the head separated, revealing a thin black slit.
With the sound of “rustle rustle rustle rustle,” a pair of chelicerae like opening and closing shears, dark green in color, emerged from the gap at the statue’s neck.
Then came the mouthparts, a ferocious scorpion head, and then a body segmented and covered with barbs.
The several-feet-long tail with its stinger curved like a bow, poison sac swollen, casting strange shadows on the wall.
“This year’s incense power is three points stronger than in previous years. It was worth our seclusion here for several days.”
Spiritual sense transmitted soundlessly. This green scorpion, only slightly smaller than the Spirit Official statue, coiled on top of the statue’s head, its mouthparts wriggling as if breathing, its face showing a human-like look of concentration.
“Great Immortal Kong Qing, with this year’s incense power, could you spare me an extra ten percent?”
From the gold ingot held by the God of Wealth, a spotted toad suddenly jumped out, its swollen belly occasionally bulging, emitting muffled sounds.
“Pan Hu, this ownerless incense is of no benefit to us immortal path cultivators ourselves. Forcing its refinement would even damage our foundation. It can only be used to refine fooling insects for gathering qi and fooling the people. Your territory is limited—what do you intend by wanting more incense?”
Emperor Huaguang’s chest directly split open, and a centipede with an iron back and silver hook, nearly as long as a man’s body, crawled out.
The toad said dully: “I have a deadly rival who might enter the capital. I want to use incense to poison him to death.”
The iron-back centipede sneered: “You’re quite bold. If you take an extra ten percent, then I want an extra ten percent too.”
The majestic Lingguan Temple, incense burning brightly.
Yet atop the idols enjoyed by the people’s sacrifices, three evil spirits coiled.
Dividing the incense, seizing interests.
“Enough!”
The large green scorpion impatiently snapped its chelicerae and said,
“Fine. But exchange it with an ‘immortal seed’.”
The toad and iron-back centipede hesitated slightly.
“Deal.”
“Agreed.”
“Then disperse.”
As the large green scorpion was about to leave, the toad suddenly called out to it.
“Great Immortal Kong Qing, regarding the uproar over the Hibiscus Paste Fire these days, do we need to intervene?”
The iron-back centipede’s eyes narrowed.
Upon hearing this, the large green scorpion’s tail stinger faintly flickered with black glow, chilling to the bone.
It laughed heartily,
“Why bother with it? Good things that come to one’s mouth—there’s no reason not to swallow them… As for other matters, the great immortals above will handle them. Without some chaos, where would we have room to maneuver!”
“Great Immortal Kong Qing speaks wisely.”
“Excellent, excellent!”
As soon as the words fell, three black shadows silently flew out the window and vanished.
In the main hall, the idols stood towering, majestic without anger.
As usual.
……
Zheng Shicheng dead, sixty loads of Fragrant Heart Clearing Paste burned, Guo Lu Society retreated, martial world greenwood either beheaded or fled.
The entire Wuqing County returned to its former peace.
The next morning, San Dezi and Scarred Liu’s families bid farewell to Chen Shun’an and took their bedding home.
When Lin Shou Zhuo came to pick up Dou Dou, his face was complex, even staring at Chen Shun’an with a hint of envy for a long while.
Until Chen Shun’an felt a bit creeped out, chills in his heart, Lin Shou Zhuo left sullenly.
The list of appointed shopkeepers had just been drafted, and the landlord instructed it not to be leaked yet.
Lin Shou Zhuo could only hold back this good news and leave.
Thus, Chen Shun’an’s life returned to normal.
As usual, pushing the cart to deliver blessed water, sacrificing his looks to earn wishes, practicing martial arts and cultivation.
Occasionally going to the Li Family to practice martial arts（ and greet the half-dead Master Li）, or visiting the teahouse when free to listen to storytelling.
Want fish? Go to Jindu. Want to gain wisdom? Find Scholar Ma.
Everything in order.
Chaodou Hutong had some changes instead.
That Xiao Jichang visited the Li family every few days to see Li Dongyang and his mother, later even taking Li Dongyang as a disciple to teach him martial arts.
Children from other families heard and came, peeking with butts sticking out.
Thinking one cow or a herd is the same to graze.
Xiao Jichang simply found a vacant wasteland behind Chaodou Hutong, built houses, pulled strings, invited local gentry to endorse, and opened a small martial arts school.
The name was very casual.
In Chaodou Hutong, there was now the Chaodou Martial Arts School.
It didn’t recruit externally, just teaching children and youths from Chaodou Hutong and neighboring villages, over a dozen in total.
Chen Shun’an could often hear the enthusiastic martial arts practice sounds from the Chaodou Martial Arts School across the courtyard.
Instead, Xiao Jichang learned that Li Dongyang’s neighbor was actually a second-rate expert water carrier at the water station.
He came nervously to pay respects, sending gifts and hosting banquets, and finally even wanted to invite Chen Shun’an to be an instructor to guide these martial pupils.
Chen Shun’an naturally declined politely, refused the gifts, rejected the invitation, and shut the door.
You Xiao Qingchou do whatever you want!
I, Chen Shun’an, want to see what medicine you Xiao Qingchou have in your gourd!
……
Startling winds scatter white clouds in daylight, time flows westward.
In a blink, nearly two months later.
On a small road not far from Wusheng Street, a group of commoners in coarse hemp clothes gathered around Chen Shun’an.
Two months passed, Chen Shun’an’s appearance seemed unchanged: blue cloth jacket, black cloth pants, slim figure, corners of his mouth always curved in a amiable smile, the picture of a harmless good guy, easy to like.
At Chen Shun’an’s waist hung a palm-sized cricket cage.
Golden Head Overlord lay obediently inside, silent.
“Master Chen, have you eaten? If not, come to my place for a bite… Right, do you still have any sweet water? Please be generous and give some more. My child just recovered from a serious illness, doesn’t have two taels of meat on him!”
“Master Chen, you’re delivering blessed water to my home? No no, whatever you bring I’ll take! I overdid martial arts practice early on, seriously depleting myself, now afflicted with hidden ailments. Please have pity on me…”
“Master, I beg you, a few more drops of sweet water! I’ll do anything you ask, even climb a mountain of knives or descend a sea of fire, I won’t flinch!”
Facing the crowd’s pleas, Chen Shun’an showed a helpless expression and cupped his hands,
“Everyone, this chicken head pearl condenses only seven or eight drops of sweet water every three or four days. If I give it to you, what about the poor children at the orphanage? You adults can endure, but these kids can’t—they’ll die.”
Hearing this, the crowd thought of something, showed reluctance, and sighed.
“Of course, in a few days, Chen Mou will think of a way to squeeze out a few drops daily for everyone to share.”
At these words, liveliness flashed in their eyes, they thanked him profusely, and quickly made way.
No one dared harbor evil thoughts or block him.
Only because several corpses had already been dumped in sewers and manure pits.
Chen Shun’an continued pushing the cart, finally stopping before an unremarkable rundown courtyard.
High walls around, many houses, but only a pitch-black gate tightly shut.
On one side of the gate, a wall cabinet embedded in the wall, with a small wooden door that could open and close, unknown for what purpose.
The “sweet water” the crowd mentioned was naturally produced by the chicken head pearl squeezed from the golden scaled perch’s belly.
Placed in a humid place with water vapor, if nearby there are treasure herbs and grasses, sweet water is obtained; if there are deadly poisons, foul water is obtained.
Turbid water detects deadly poisons.
Sweet water nourishes essence and supplements qi.
Now many knew that Water Carrier Chen Shun’an from Weihang Street carried a chicken head pearl.
Ordinary people drinking sweet water cured qi and blood deficiency, strengthened the body; even third-rate warriors gained strength and invigorated essence blood.
As the saying goes, treasures of nature belong to the virtuous.
And now, Chen Shun’an had plenty of “martial virtue.”
After he casually revealed his strength had broken through to second-rate mid stage in just two months, escaped from a second-rate late stage villain using lightness skill, and led a group of water carriers back for revenge, flaying him alive.
Many covetous and greedy gazes dissipated.
In earlier days, Chen Shun’an had schemed deeply, personally delivering blessed water door-to-door.
Now, people begged eagerly, flocking to him, hoping he would produce the pearl and dispense water.
After all, the water he now gave was truly blessed water.
Setting up the water cart properly, Chen Shun’an took an empty bucket, pulled the plug, and began dispensing water.
He looked up at the courtyard.
The courtyard was quite large, probably two or three mu, with faded stone lions at the entrance, the high gate plaque long gone.
But nailed crookedly to the courtyard gate was a wooden board reading—
Rongyuan Orphanage
“Master Chen is here!”
“Quick, come out, time to fetch water!”
“Master, no need to trouble yourself, we’ll do it!”
As soon as Chen Shun’an arrived, two little ones peeked through the door crack. Seeing his familiar figure, their faces lit up, they shouted into the courtyard, and rushed forward.
Chen Shun’an didn’t refuse, looking at the group of “oddities” before him.
Mostly young, the smallest five or six, the oldest twelve or thirteen.
Some limped, some missing arms or legs, some blind, some with deformed bodies, spines curved, slithering like snakes when walking.
If smeared with ghost makeup and dressed in opera ghost soldier clothes, walking the street would scare children silent.
Chen Shun’an ignored the self-deprecating gazes from dark corners, half-human half-monster.
After the children finished fetching water and poured it into the water vats under the kitchen eaves, he entered the orphanage.
The water was heavy, the kids carried it unsteadily but spilled not a drop.
Entering the courtyard, it seemed originally a large garden, imitating southern garden layouts, with many trees, a pond, and wooden bridge.
But dismantled and rebuilt into an orphanage.
Reaching the kitchen, smoke curled, steaming buns.
Chen Shun’an happened upon a figure shouldering over ten bags of flour, piled like a small mountain.
This person had unusual hands, white and conjoined fingers.
He put the flour into a small room, came out, saw Chen Shun’an, paused, then bowed and saluted,
“Master Chen.”
Chen Shun’an nodded: “You’ve done well.”
Yi Yan smiled: “I grew up here. Helping the younger ones is like helping myself.”
Yi Yan was Zuoling Yi Wen’s illegitimate son, raised in the orphanage since childhood, and mixed in the colored gate for years.
Also the one who had made it best among those from the orphanage.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t due to clever brains or fine character.
It relied on the bloodline flowing in his body and innate martial arts aptitude.
Yi Yan set down the white flour and hurried off covering his face.
As if afraid of being seen.
“Great benefactor Chen has arrived.”
“Lord Chen!”
“That child Yi Yan, how come he’s sending white flour again? If his mother finds out, she’ll scold him again.”
At this time, one man and one woman hurried from the kitchen, seeing the room full of white flour, both glad and worried.
These two were the stewards of the Nurturing Infant Hall, a married couple.
The man looked honest and timid; the woman had phoenix eyes, somewhat shrewd.
Chen Shun’an said no more, took out the chicken head pearl, and placed it in the water vat.
The chicken head pearl bobbed unsettled on the surface, wisps of white mist swirling around it.
Then the originally turbid water faintly took on a milky white hue, emitting a faint fragrance.
Chen Shun’an casually asked: “How is it? Is the Jin Family Opera Troupe willing to take people now?”
The man shook his head bitterly: “Jin Troupe Leader is still standing the fire cage. The troupe is leaderless—let alone taking people, the troupe itself is about to collapse!”
Chen Shun’an frowned: “Didn’t I tell you to pull strings and raise money to redeem her?”
The woman shook her head helplessly.
“County Magistrate Wang has spoken: to redeem, at least three thousand taels of silver! Where do we get that much? Helplessly, we bribed the runners guarding the fire cage, padding three thick bricks under Jin Troupe Leader’s feet, hoping with her martial path strength she can hold out a bit longer.”
The woman smiled miserably: “That kid Yi Yan said he’d figure something out. But he’s like a clay Buddha crossing the river, hard pressed himself—poor boy…”
Chen Shun’an frowned slightly.
Standing the fire cage was a form of cangue: the offender locked in a front-long back-short wooden cage, fire basin below, standing day and night, even head hung with body suspended, slowly dying bit by bit.
Even second-rate martial artists couldn’t endure; golden muscles and jade tendons hard to withstand the constant charcoal roasting.
The severity of suffering and length of life depended entirely on how many bricks were removed, i.e., how much was paid.
Two months ago, Guo Lu Society brothers impersonated the Jin Family Opera Troupe to intercept the meeting, whether out of necessity or unforeseen.
The Jin Family Opera Troupe suffered unwarranted disaster.
The county yamen said: can’t deal with Guo Lu Society heroes, can’t we deal with you villains?
Not only was the troupe leader arrested, the Jin Family Opera Troupe signboard smashed, ordered to suspend and renovate.
As for how to renovate, it depended on County Magistrate Wang’s face?
And for many children leaving the orphanage, the best path was the Jin Family Opera Troupe.
Though training involved beatings and hardships, even deaths.
But at least food and shelter, a goal, and the troupe leader even taught basic martial arts.
So some successful ones with conscience would donate money and effort, giving back to the orphanage.
Yi Yan was the best example.
Forming a cycle of mutual aid.
Now this incident not only tormented the troupe but also cut the orphanage’s funding and outlets to some extent.
“Alright alright, line up properly for food.”
The man banged the gong and drum, the woman and some older children carried steamers of mung bean porridge cooked with diluted sweet water.
