Chapter Twenty-Nine: Rising from the Dead

I refused to believe in the supernatural, so I tapped three more times toward the front, but nothing happened. This, however, drew the curious gazes of those around me. Embarrassed, I forced a smile and glanced at my master, only to find him not looking at me. Instead, he was frowning at the mourning hall, making me even more puzzled. I looked again in that direction.

There, I saw an elderly man in a traditional tunic suit standing at the entrance of the hall, his gaze meeting ours. After a while, he was the first to leave. My master also withdrew his gaze, turned to me, and said, “Kid, someone from Mount Dragon-Tiger has shown up. It wasn’t that your ghost-expelling incantation failed just now; he was interfering. Looks like we’ll have to deal with him tonight.”

Hearing this, I glanced once more at the hall. Indeed, my first impression of that old man was that his spiritual sense was remarkable. I looked at my master and asked, “Master, what’s your plan?”

He didn’t answer, but closed his eyes, forming several unfamiliar hand seals. After a moment, he spoke: “This is bad. Something’s going to happen tonight.”

I was taken aback, instantly becoming alert. Frowning, I asked, “Master, what’s going to happen?”

He thought for a moment and replied, “There’s something strange about Zhang Guoqing’s death. I just used the Taoist Eye to check; his spirit and corpse are both changing. It's clear his body will become a zombie tonight. And... that Taoist from Mount Dragon-Tiger hasn’t noticed a thing. If I’m not mistaken, this won’t be a simple case of the dead rising.”

My master finished, brows tightly knit. I listened intently as he continued, “Let’s just wait and see. With me here, nothing will happen.”

I nodded, and with my master present, I felt much safer. We stayed in Zhang Village for a few more hours, and soon dusk fell. I saw the geomancer from earlier pick up a microphone, tapped it, and announced, “Everyone! Gather around, it’s time to eat!”

With that, he called over a young man, whispered a few words, and the young man nodded, went to the kitchen, and returned with three bowls and a pair of chopsticks. The bowls contained some food, and one held white wine. The young man then pulled out a string of firecrackers from a box, placing them beside the bowls.

When everything was ready, the geomancer lifted the microphone and called out, “The deceased departs westward, but leaves honor for the family. Zhang Guoqing, come home for dinner~” He deliberately drew out the last word.

As he finished, the young man with the firecrackers lit them and tossed them out. Instantly, a deafening crackle filled the air. When the noise died down, everyone at the table picked up their chopsticks, including my master and me. Just as I was about to eat, someone suddenly sat beside me. Startled, I turned—wasn’t it the old Taoist in the tunic suit?

My master saw him too, patted me, and switched seats with me. Holding his bowl, my master smiled and greeted, “Daoist Master Daogui? I’ve long heard of you.”

Daogui returned the smile. “You flatter me. The name is nothing.”

“Oh, it’s not nothing. I’ve heard your name often in the occult world,” my master replied.

Daogui paused, looking curiously at my master. “Oh? The occult world? Are you in the same line? May I ask your name?”

“It’s just a humble name, not worth mentioning. Come, let’s eat first,” my master said, smiling.

Daogui nodded. My master took a sip of wine, offering only a cold chuckle and no further words. Daogui did the same, but with my sharp hearing, I caught him muttering through gritted teeth, “Hmph! These two weaklings want to snatch my job? I’ll show them humiliation soon enough.”

After that, Daogui put on a smile again. My master and I ignored him, eating in silence. After a while, the cook took away the leftovers. My master and I settled into two wooden chairs, toothpicks in our mouths. By now, night had fully fallen. In the countryside, streetlights are rare, and many had to rely on flashlights to get home after dinner.

I checked my phone—it was eight or nine o’clock, and most people had left. Only seven or eight members of the Zhang family and the geomancer’s group remained; even the drummers had gone to rest. The place grew much quieter, the chirping of crickets audible. I yawned, stretched, and said to my master, “Master, I’m so sleepy. Is there anywhere to sleep?”

He shook his head. “How would I know? This isn’t my house. Ask that girl Zhang Moyun.”

I nodded, stood up, and went to look for her. But no sooner had I left than something happened. My master, sitting on his stool, suddenly heard the cawing of crows from the surrounding trees, mixed with the frantic scurrying of rats and bats—so much so that even the crickets fell silent. Frowning, he muttered, “It’s here.”

I was searching for Zhang Moyun in the side room when I too noticed the commotion outside. I dashed back to my master’s side. Now, a cold wind was blowing, swirling dust and leaves across the ground. The people sitting together looked around in confusion, saying, “Why did the wind come up so suddenly? Let’s go inside and talk.”

They picked up their chairs and filed into the side room. Standing by my master, I frowned. The wind’s arrival was too abrupt, and with the whistling gusts and pitch-black night, the atmosphere felt truly unnerving.

The geomancer and Daogui had also come out, observing the strange weather. Daogui called, “Hey, fellow Daoist, come inside! Or do you enjoy the wind?”

My master glanced at him, replying, “Daogui, don’t you feel anything?”

“Feel what? I don’t feel anything at all,” Daogui replied with disdain.

With a frown, my master pulled me quickly inside. As soon as we stepped into the mourning hall, I felt a sudden heat in my right arm. My master noticed too, gave my shoulder a reassuring pat. The young man by the geomancer closed the main door behind us, shutting out the wind.

We found seats. My master immediately said to Daogui, “You really don’t feel anything? Aren’t you from the Tiger Qi lineage of Mount Dragon-Tiger?”

Perhaps my master’s questioning annoyed Daogui, for he retorted, “What do you mean by that? Are you doubting my abilities? As if Mount Dragon-Tiger would tolerate such insults. And you claim to have the Taoist Eye with your meager skills? I called you ‘fellow Daoist’ out of courtesy, but by seniority, you should call me ‘Elder’!”

I knew my master’s temper well. Unwilling to back down, he stood and replied coldly, “Daogui, you think too highly of yourself. Even if your sect leader came, I wouldn’t be impressed. You want to challenge me? You’re not qualified.”

Daogui’s face darkened. He strode up to my master, who met him head-on. The atmosphere froze. The geomancer hurried over to mediate, “Gentlemen, please, there’s no need for anger, especially before the deceased.”

Thanks to his intervention, the tension eased a little, but Daogui still growled, “Boy, if you can’t speak properly, you’d best go back to your mother’s womb and learn how.”

My master replied with equal disdain, “Ha! Xuan Chengzi has truly accepted a fine disciple. Have the rules of Mount Dragon-Tiger been fed to the dogs?”

“If you dare say that again, insulting my master, you won’t leave here alive!” Daogui’s eyes blazed.

My master repeated himself, and Daogui, furious, struck out with his palm. As he did, I heard a fierce tiger’s roar. My master didn’t flinch, only sneered. Just as Daogui’s hand was about to hit my master’s shoulder, a sudden banging erupted from the rear of the mourning hall.

The noise was abrupt and unmistakable. Daogui frowned, glancing aside, as three more bangs sounded. Everyone heard it clearly. My master, brow furrowed, circled around the decorations to the coffin at the back. The lid had been pushed open a crack. Daogui saw it too and blurted out, “A corpse uprising? How can that be?”

“Why not? Weren’t you warned? What did you do?” my master replied coldly.

The geomancer hurried over, breaking out in a cold sweat as he saw the coffin opening. My master continued, “Sir, why didn’t you use a Soul-Calming Nail when you lowered the coffin?”

The geomancer stammered but said nothing. My master shook his head, drew a Soul-Calming Talisman from his pocket, slapped it forward, and intoned, “Gods of darkness, transcend to the spirit world and subdue!”

As soon as he finished, the talisman flashed with golden light, and the coffin fell silent. We thought it was over, but unexpectedly, after a brief pause, the coffin erupted with a loud bang. I whipped around—the lid had been flung open from within by tremendous force. My master reacted instantly, darting forward. The Zhang family, sitting in the side room, rushed in at the commotion, even Zhang Moyun appeared. Seeing Zhang Guoqing, who should have been lying in the coffin, now standing atop it, everyone shrieked in terror and bolted for the door.

Zhang Moyun, to her credit, kept calm—it was her beloved uncle, after all. She shouted, “Uncle! Lin Xuan, what’s happening to my uncle?”

Preparing for battle, I kept my eyes on Zhang Guoqing and replied, “Your uncle has become a zombie. Get out, now!”

The geomancer called to his young assistant, “You too, take Miss Zhang and go, quickly!” The young man nodded, dragging Zhang Moyun out. In the hall, only my master, Daogui, the geomancer, and I remained. My master shot Daogui a cold glance and said, “Daogui, there’s no use arguing now. Let’s take care of this first.”

He pressed his palms together and chanted, “By mandate of Heaven, ascend to the Nine Palaces; all gods take their places, attend the divine lord, souls refined, organs in harmony; the Curse of Extinguishing Sun, arise!”

As he finished, dozens of talismans floated around Zhang Guoqing’s corpse. My master traced a circle with his sword fingers, then waved upward. The glowing talismans instantly wrapped around Zhang Guoqing, who roared and struggled, but the talismans alone couldn’t restrain him. With a sweep of his arms, he tore them apart. Daogui, stunned, stomped his foot, and a phantom tiger appeared behind him. With a shout, Daogui formed a fist and punched at Zhang Guoqing.

With a thunderous crash, Daogui’s punch landed squarely, sending Zhang Guoqing reeling back several steps. But Zhang Guoqing seemed impervious to pain and charged at us again. This time, my master used his true skill—reaching into the air, he grasped fiercely, and a golden longsword materialized in his hand.

He thrust the golden sword forward, piercing Zhang Guoqing’s brow with unerring precision. The corpse toppled backward, motionless. To be sure, my master examined him closely before finally breathing a sigh of relief, dismissing the golden sword. “It’s over,” he announced.

Daogui withdrew the tiger’s aura, calming himself, and asked, “How could a corpse uprising be so powerful? That’s not right.”

My master didn’t answer. He called for my help to lift Zhang Guoqing back into the coffin. The geomancer, impressed by my master’s prowess, hurried over to help close the lid. But just as we secured it, I felt Zhang Guoqing inside forcefully push at the coffin lid again. My master, startled, said, “Still not giving up? Must I destroy you completely?”

No sooner had he spoken than the coffin fell silent. But then, a visible black smoke seeped out, swirling into the words: “They are coming!”

The smoke dispersed. My master, frowning, pondered the message, but before we could think further, the doors were suddenly flung open by a tremendous force. Zhang Moyun and the young man rushed in. I looked at her, puzzled. “Moyun? Didn’t I tell you to leave? Why are you back?”

Gasping for breath, she answered, “Something’s happened in the village... Something big! You have to come and see!”

The geomancer, who had been watching the drama unfold, asked, “Disciple, what happened?”

The young man, also out of breath, replied, “I don’t know either, Master. Let’s go, we can’t stay here!”

But the geomancer ignored him, glancing at us. My master looked out at the pitch-black sky, frowning, and said, “Let’s go and see what’s happening outside.”