A group of headless people, dressed in prison clothes, each carrying a head, approached the ox cart slowly. They looked like a group of executed prisoners, and the heads in their arms were still muttering incessantly.
Xie Lian quietly instructed the other two, "When they get close, make sure not to make a sound."
San Lang tilted his head and asked, "Brother, are you some kind of extraordinary person?"
He sounded intrigued. Xie Lian replied, "Not extraordinary, just know a little. They can't see us now, but when they get closer, it's hard to say."
The old man driving the cart was already stunned by the sight of the flying white ribbon, and seeing the headless people made him almost faint. He shook his head in panic, "No, no! I can't hold it in! What should I do, Daoist?!"
Xie Lian said, "Well, there's a way. Sorry about this." He quickly tapped the old man on the back, causing him to slump over the cart, fast asleep. Xie Lian gently laid him flat on the cart, then took the driver's seat. He suddenly sensed movement behind him and turned to see the young man sitting right behind him. He asked, "Are you alright?"
San Lang propped his chin with one hand and said, "I am. I'm scared."
Though his voice didn't sound scared at all, Xie Lian comforted him, "Don't be afraid. As long as you're behind me, nothing will hurt you."
The young man smiled but said nothing. Xie Lian noticed he was staring at him, specifically at the black collar around his neck, a curse shackle that couldn't be hidden and often led to unpleasant associations. Xie Lian tugged at his collar, though it didn't cover much.
The sky had darkened, making it hard to see the young man's expression. Xie Lian picked up the reins and gently coaxed the ox. The group of headless ghosts came closer, trying to pass by but felt something blocking their way in the middle of the road. They grumbled in rough voices, "This is strange! Why can't we pass?"
"Really! We can't pass! It's like we've seen a ghost!"
"Damn it, we are ghosts! What ghost could we see?"
Xie Lian finally calmed the ox and brushed past the headless prisoners, finding their bickering quite amusing. The ghosts complained, "Hey, did you mix up the bodies? I feel like the head I'm holding belongs to someone else's body."
"It's your body that got the wrong head!"
"Quick, switch them back..."
"Why is your head's cut so uneven?"
"Sigh, the executioner was a newbie. It took him five or six tries to chop it off. I wonder if he did it on purpose."
"Didn't your family bribe him? Next time, make sure to bribe them for a clean cut."
"What next time!"
...
The fifteenth day of the seventh month, the Ghost Festival, is the biggest holiday in the ghost world.
On this day, the ghost gate opens, and all sorts of demons and ghosts that usually lurk in the dark come out to celebrate wildly.
Humans should avoid them, especially at night, when staying indoors is the best choice. Going out increases the chance of encountering something unusual.
Xie Lian, who always seemed to have bad luck, even wearing a Taoist robe couldn't avoid ghosts, and now he ran right into them.
Green ghost fires floated everywhere, and many ghosts chased after them. Some expressionless ghosts in burial clothes sat in circles, reaching out to receive the paper money and offerings burned for them by the living.
It was a scene of chaos. As Xie Lian walked through, he thought he should check the calendar before going out next time. Suddenly, a voice screeched like a chicken, "Oh no! Oh no! Ghosts are being killed!"
The shout made the ghosts panic, "Where? Where are the ghosts being killed?!"
The screaming ghost said, "I was scared to death! I found a lot of broken ghost fires over there, all smashed to pieces, so ruthless!"
"All smashed? That's like being torn to pieces! So ruthless!"
"Who did it? Could it be... a Taoist or monk snuck in?!"
The headless ghosts shouted, "Ah! Now that you mention it, we were blocked by something on the road earlier. Could that be..."
"Where, where?"
"Right there!"
Xie Lian thought, "This is bad." In the next moment, a large group of demons and ghosts surrounded the ox cart, their faces fierce and menacing, saying, "I smell the fresh scent of the living..."
There's no hiding now!
Originally, bumping into ghosts during the Ghost Festival was bad luck for the living. Xie Lian didn't want to fight such a large group, so he urged the cart forward, "Go!"
The ox, already uneasy and pawing the ground, eagerly pulled the cart forward at his command. Xie Lian didn't forget to pull the young man behind him, "Hold on tight!"
Ruoye retracted, clearing a path for escape. The ox cart suddenly became visible in the circle of ghost fires and broke through the encirclement. The ghosts with green faces and sharp fangs, missing arms and legs, screamed behind the cart, "There really is a Taoist!!! That Taoist must be tired of living!!!"
"A living person daring to disrupt our Ghost Festival, they can't blame us!"
"Chase them!"
Xie Lian held the reins in one hand and threw a handful of talismans on the ground with the other, "Trip!"
These were "Trip Talismans," great for escape. Each small explosion set up an obstacle for the ghosts, delaying them for a short while, but only a short while. With so many talismans used, they'd catch up in less than half an incense stick's time. Xie Lian drove the ox cart down a mountain path like his pants were on fire, then suddenly shouted, "Stop—!"
The old yellow ox had pulled the cart to a fork in the road. Xie Lian saw two dark mountain paths ahead and quickly pulled the reins.
He had to be extremely careful here!
On the Ghost Festival, sometimes people find a road that doesn't exist on normal days. Such roads are not for the living. If you take the wrong one and end up in the ghost realm, it will be very difficult to return!
New to the area, Xie Lian couldn't tell which of the two paths to take. He remembered that besides collecting a bag of junk, he had also bought some miscellaneous items in town, including a fortune-telling stick.
He thought, "I'll try my luck," and pulled out the stick, shaking it while saying, "Heavenly blessings, nothing is forbidden! Roads lead to heaven, let's see which one is better! First stick left, second stick right! Whichever is good, we'll take that path!"
As soon as he finished speaking, clatter! Two sticks fell out. He picked them up and fell silent.
Both sticks were bad luck, very unlucky!
Both paths were bad luck, very unlucky, meaning either way was a dead end?
Xie Lian was helpless, so he shook the stick wildly with both hands again, "Stick, stick, it's our first meeting today, why be so heartless! Give me a break!" As soon as he finished speaking, clatter! Two more sticks fell out. He picked them up and, again, both were bad luck, very unlucky!
At this moment, San Lang suddenly said, "Let me try?"
Since it couldn't get any worse, Xie Lian handed the stick to him.
San Lang took it with one hand, shook it casually, and two sticks fell out. He handed them to Xie Lian without even looking.
Xie Lian took them and was surprised to find both were good luck, very lucky. He was amazed.
Because, with his bad luck, he often seemed to bring others down with him. He wasn't sure if it was true, but he was often blamed for it. Yet this young man seemed completely unaffected, directly shaking out two good luck sticks!
With both sticks being good luck, he randomly chose a path and drove the cart, sincerely praising, "Friend, you have really good luck."
San Lang tossed the stick back casually and smiled, "Do I? I always thought I had good luck. Always."
Hearing him say "always," Xie Lian thought, "The difference between people really is like a chasm." After running for a while, they suddenly heard ghostly cries from all directions, "Caught them! They're here!"
"Everyone, come over! The Taoist is here!!!"
Ghost heads popped up everywhere. Xie Lian said, "Ah, I still chose wrong."
The Trip Talismans' effect had worn off, and they were surrounded again!
There were at least a hundred demons and ghosts, surrounding them in layers, and more were coming.
He couldn't understand why so many non-human creatures gathered here, but there was no time to wonder. Xie Lian spoke gently, "I didn't mean to offend you all, please show mercy."
A headless ghost spat, "Stinky Taoist, why don't you show mercy first? You were the ones who smashed a bunch of ghost fires over there, weren't you?"
Xie Lian said innocently, "It wasn't us. To be honest, I'm just a junk collector."
"Don't lie! What kind of junk collector looks like you? You're obviously a Taoist! Is there another Taoist who would do something so brutal?"
Xie Lian said, "Smashing ghost fires doesn't have to be a Taoist."
"Then what else could it be? A ghost?"
Xie Lian quietly put his hand into his sleeve, "It's not impossible."
"Hahaha, dead Taoist! You... you... you..."
The group of laughing ghosts suddenly stopped. Xie Lian asked, "What about me?"
When he asked, the ghosts couldn't even stutter. They stared at Xie Lian as if seeing something terrifying.
Several headless prisoners were so scared that the heads they were holding fell to the ground.
Xie Lian tentatively said, "Everyone? You..."
Before he could finish, the ghosts scattered like the wind. Xie Lian was stunned, "No way???"
He hadn't even taken out the talismans he had in his sleeve, and they were already discovered? Were they that sensitive? Besides, these weren't even powerful talismans. Xie Lian was puzzled. Were they really looking at him?
Or was it something behind him?
Thinking of this, he turned to look behind him.
Behind him was only the unconscious cart owner and the red-clothed young man still leisurely supporting his chin.
Seeing him look back, San Lang smiled slightly and put down his hand, "This Taoist is quite impressive, scaring away all those demons and ghosts."
"......"
Xie Lian also smiled slightly, "Really? I didn't expect to be so impressive."
With that, he tugged on the reins, and the cart slowly started moving again.
The rest of the journey was smooth, and in less than half an hour, the ox cart slowly climbed out of the forest and onto a clear mountain road. Pugilistic Village was already below the hillside, its clusters of lights warm and bright.
It was indeed the "very lucky" path, with no danger at all.
The night wind blew, and Xie Lian turned back again. San Lang seemed in a good mood, lying down and looking at the bright moon, his features under the faint moonlight not quite like a real person.
After a moment of thought, Xie Lian smiled and said, "Friend."
San Lang replied, "What?"
Xie Lian asked, "Have you ever had your fortune told?"
San Lang turned his head, "No."
Xie Lian said, "Would you like me to tell yours?"
San Lang looked at him, smiling, "You want to tell my fortune?"
Xie Lian said, "I kind of want to."
San Lang nodded slightly, "Alright."
He sat up, leaning slightly towards Xie Lian, "How do you want to do it?"
Xie Lian said, "How about palm reading?"
Hearing this, San Lang's mouth curved slightly. That smile was hard to interpret, but he said, "Sure."
With that, he extended his left hand to Xie Lian.
The left hand had long fingers, clearly defined joints, and looked very nice.
It wasn't a delicate kind of nice, but one with hidden strength, the kind of hand no one would want around their throat. Remembering how his expression had changed when San Lang touched him earlier, Xie Lian was careful to avoid physical contact, just examining the hand closely.
The moonlight was clear, not too dark or too bright. Xie Lian looked for a while, the cart still slowly moving on the mountain road, the wheels and axles creaking. San Lang asked, "How is it?"
After a while, Xie Lian slowly said, "Your fate is very good."
San Lang asked, "Oh? How so?"
Xie Lian looked up, speaking warmly, "You are persistent and determined, though you face difficulties, you always stay true to yourself, often turning bad luck into good fortune. This kind of blessing is long-lasting. Friend, your future will surely be as bright as flowers, full of happiness."
Everything he said was made up on the spot. Xie Lian didn't actually know how to read palms.
When he was demoted, he often regretted not learning palm and face reading from the national teachers at the Royal Extreme Temple.
If he had, he wouldn't have had to perform street acts and break stones on his chest to make a living. His real reason for looking wasn't to see the young man's fate, but to check if he had palm lines and fingerprints.
Ordinary demons and ghosts can create fake human bodies, pretending to be living people, but such bodies usually lack details like palm lines, fingerprints, and hair tips.
This young man had no magical fluctuations, nothing detectable, and his palm lines were clear.
If he were really a disguised demon or ghost, it would have to be a very high-level ghost king to achieve such a perfect disguise.
But why would a ghost king of that level spend time with him in a small mountain village? Just like the heavenly realm's officials, they are very busy!
Xie Lian pretended to be confident, making up a few more lines until he couldn't anymore. San Lang watched him the whole time, listening to his nonsense and laughing quietly, a laugh full of meaning, "Anything else? Hmm?"
Xie Lian thought, "Do I have to keep making things up?" and asked, "What else do you want to know?"
San Lang said, "Isn't a fortune-telling supposed to include love predictions?"
Xie Lian coughed lightly, seriously saying, "I'm not skilled in that, but I think you shouldn't worry about it."
San Lang raised an eyebrow, "Why do you think I shouldn't worry about it?"
Xie Lian smiled, "Surely many girls like you."
San Lang asked, "Why do you think many girls would like me?"
Xie Lian was about to answer, but then realized the young man was trying to get him to compliment him directly. Amused and unsure what to say, he rubbed his brow, "San Lang."
This was the first time Xie Lian called him San Lang. The young man laughed heartily, finally letting him off the hook.
By then, the ox cart had wheezed its way into the village. Xie Lian turned and quickly got off the cart.
San Lang also jumped down, and to Xie Lian's surprise, the young man, who had been lounging on the cart, was actually taller than him when they stood together, making it impossible for them to see eye to eye.
San Lang stretched lazily in front of the cart, and Xie Lian asked, "San Lang, where are you going?"
San Lang sighed, "I don't know. Sleep on the street or find a cave to make do."
Xie Lian said, "That won't do, will it?"
San Lang shrugged, "I have no choice, I have nowhere to go." He glanced over, laughing twice, "Thanks for the fortune-telling. May your words come true. Until we meet again."
Hearing him mention the fortune-telling made Xie Lian sweat a little. Seeing him really about to leave, Xie Lian quickly said, "Wait, if you don't mind, would you like to come to my temple?"
San Lang paused, half-turning, "Can I?"
Xie Lian said, "The place isn't really mine, I heard many people used to stay there. It might be more basic than you expect, I'm afraid you won't be comfortable."
If this young man really was a runaway young master, he couldn't just let him wander around.
Xie Lian suspected he hadn't eaten more than half a bun all day.
Young people can't just rely on their bodies and act recklessly; sooner or later, they'll collapse on the street.
Hearing this, San Lang finally turned around, not answering, but walked up to Xie Lian.
He leaned forward, and Xie Lian didn't know what he was doing, only feeling the distance between them suddenly shrink, making him a bit flustered.
The young man stepped back, casually picking up the large bag of junk Xie Lian had carried back, "Then let's go."