"What are you doing here? Messing around with spirits and ghosts."
One of them stepped forward. Master Zachary Wu smiled, holding a Bagua coin threaded with red string and tied to a small needle.
"Nothing much, just nowhere to sleep at night, so..."
More than a dozen people, without another word, tied Master Zachary Wu up tightly and took him to the village office. By now, more and more people were gathering around. Everything Master Zachary Wu carried was searched: a wooden sword, a magic sword, a Taoist ruler, several spirit charms, and a small bell.
More than a dozen people, without another word, tied Master Zachary Wu up tightly and took him to the village office. By now, more and more people were gathering around. Everything Master Zachary Wu carried was searched: a wooden sword, a magic sword, a Taoist ruler, several spirit charms, and a small bell.
"These are proofs of his dealings with monsters and demons. Tomorrow there will be a public trial."
Instantly, the crowd erupted. Many cursed and shouted, but Master Zachary Wu seemed used to it, showing no sign of resistance. Soon, he was tied up next to a pillar.
Early the next morning, the village beat drums and gongs, announcing the crackdown on monsters and demons. Master Zachary Wu was tied up and dragged to a large open space in the village center. They put a paper white hat on his head, with the words 'monster and demon' written in big characters, and tied a spittoon to his chest, forcing him to kneel in the middle of the square.
Everyone was fired up; old and young joined in, lining up to curse and spit at Master Zachary Wu. My father was among them. When it was his turn, he hesitated for a moment. Master Zachary Wu smiled and nodded.
After all this ended, Master Zachary Wu was taken back and subjected to harsh interrogation. Yet he only insisted that he hadn't done anything wrong, that he was just passing through.
However, word got out that Master Zachary Wu had spent the night at my father's house. When my grandfather came home, he cursed my father harshly. Soon, more than a dozen men with red armbands arrived and searched my father's house, looking for evidence that Master Zachary Wu was a monster and demon and surely meant harm.
As Master Zachary Wu spoke, he took out a Bagua coin, threaded with red string and tied to a small needle.
Once my father got the talisman, he cautiously stuffed it into his pants. In the end, after the red armbands searched the house thoroughly and found nothing, their leader spoke to my grandfather, then casually took a crookedly drawn talisman as 'evidence' and left.
After that, Master Zachary Wu was branded as a monster and demon. Every day, he was forced to work in the fields to atone for his 'crimes', and almost every week, he was publicly humiliated.
A month passed like this. Another child died in the pool. Every night, Master Zachary Wu was tied to the big pillar at the village office. During the day, someone watched him as he worked in the fields. He seemed anxious.
One night, Master Zachary Wu woke suddenly from sleep. It was my father, who appeared flustered, carrying a ball of rice.
"Eat, Old Zhang."
Master Zachary Wu took the rice with his bound hands, thanked him, and started eating. He had to do heavy labor every day and was only given gruel, always hungry. After eating, Master Zachary Wu looked at my father.
"Little Zhang, be careful. Your brow looks dark lately. Don't go near the Pool to the north, understand?"
The area around the Pool was eerily quiet, not even a sound from insects or birds. My father carried an oil lamp to the slippery edge, found the spot Master Zachary Wu described, and buried the Bagua coin.
At that moment, my father seemed to be controlled, removing all the talismans placed around and digging up the Bagua coin, then throwing it into the Pool.
Master Zachary Wu shook his head and looked seriously at my father.
"No, Little Zhang. I'm just passing through here."
Determination filled Master Zachary Wu's eyes. My father nodded and ran off. From then on, every night, my father secretly brought food to Master Zachary Wu. They chatted and laughed; Master Zachary Wu told my father many stories, but never mentioned anything about ghosts or spirits.
Three months passed. The village's struggle against Master Zachary Wu lessened; they seemed to lose interest and just treated him as free labor. But his movements were still restricted, and he was tied up at night.
Gradually, people in the village seemed to forget about Master Zachary Wu. He asked my father to secretly place some talismans around the Pool, and for a long time, no one drowned.
Still, Master Zachary Wu remained worried. Every day, he observed my father's brow and palm.
Suddenly, with a roar, a golden Bagua flew over and struck the female ghost. Master Zachary Wu, moving as if treading on clouds, soared through the air, wielding a peachwood sword.
Master Zachary Wu smiled. He had warned some villagers not to go certain places, making up reasons to cover for it. For example, one day he told a villager not to go to the fields, and when they did anyway, they fell badly and had to go to the clinic. Gradually, more people listened to Master Zachary Wu's advice.
But Master Zachary Wu always explained it away—like saying it might be slippery because of rain. My father found this strange and asked him several times, but Master Zachary Wu never gave a real answer.
"By the way, Little Zhang, remember the position of the Pool. Take this and bury it under a big stone."
As Master Zachary Wu spoke, he took out a Bagua coin, threaded with red string and tied to a small needle.
"Old Zhang, it’s this kind of thing again. What are you really doing? Is there really..."
My father glanced around and spoke softly.
"Is there a ghost?"
Suddenly, Master Zachary Wu’s expression changed. He looked seriously at my father.
"It’s better not to mention that. There isn’t, Little Zhang. If you trust me, just help me."
"Alright."
My father muttered, then followed Master Zachary Wu’s instructions the next night, when my grandfather was away, and secretly went to the Pool.
The area around the Pool was eerily quiet, not even a sound from insects or birds. My father carried an oil lamp to the slippery edge, found the spot Master Zachary Wu described, and buried the Bagua coin.
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Suddenly, a piercing, resentful scream echoed out. My father was sure—it was the female ghost, rising from the water’s surface. With a splash, a wave surged toward him. Frightened, my father nearly fell into the Pool.
I saw a patch of blackness on my father's back. After he returned home, nothing else happened.
The next day, my grandfather came home, so my father could no longer visit Master Zachary Wu at night. Several days passed. Finally, on a scorching sunny day, Master Zachary Wu was working in the fields when my grandfather passed by with my father.
In an instant, Master Zachary Wu's expression changed. I saw black energy rising from my father's body, and above his head, dark clouds gathered. Master Zachary Wu calculated something on his fingers, and his face turned pale.
"Two days left."
At once, Master Zachary Wu dropped his hoe and tried to rush over, but suddenly, someone shouted loudly.
"What are you doing? Get back to work."
Master Zachary Wu stood still, looking around. The twenty or thirty people resting nearby all stared at him, but he still resolutely tried to go after them. Suddenly, those people came over and restrained him.
That night, Master Zachary Wu was publicly humiliated again.
"Captain, I didn’t mean to. I’m just too tired today. Look, I’ve been well-behaved—can you let me move around freely? If I keep being tied up, my hand will break."
Master Zachary Wu raised his wrist, already turning black from being tied up every night.
"Recently, I've had reports that you’re always talking superstitious nonsense, warning people not to go places. What are you really up to?"
The Red Armband Captain spoke, and Master Zachary Wu immediately shook his head.
"No, Captain. Sometimes it just gets slippery when it rains."
All night, Master Zachary Wu was restless and anxious. My father didn’t come that night, and after much thought, Master Zachary Wu managed to untie himself and ran toward my father’s house.
In the end, he was discovered before reaching my father’s house. He was caught, tightly bound, publicly humiliated again, and tied to the pillar. Several more people took turns guarding him.
That night, my father climbed out of bed as if bewitched. I saw his body completely shrouded in blackness, and he headed to only one place—Greenwater Pool.
Master Zachary Wu was frantic, but three men were still guarding him, playing cards and drinking. After a long while, Master Zachary Wu’s face darkened. He clenched his fists and stared at the three.
With a bang, Master Zachary Wu radiated golden light, broke the ropes, and instantly summoned his magic sword. It flew at the three men—crack, crack, crack—and knocked them out. He immediately strode toward the north.
At that moment, my father seemed to be controlled, removing all the talismans placed around and digging up the octagram coin, then throwing it into the Pool.
With a gurgle and a sinister laugh, the female ghost emerged from the Pool. My father walked step by step into the water.
Suddenly, my father snapped out of it, raised his hands, and shouted, struggling in the Pool.
"I love the sound of desperate screams. They’re delicious."
The female ghost repeatedly dragged my father underwater, then let him up for air, never letting him drown outright, as if venting all her resentment.
At that moment, the whole village erupted with furious barking. Every house lit up.
"You wretched creature, don’t harm the child!"
Suddenly, with a roar, a golden octagram flew over and struck the female ghost. Master Zachary Wu, moving as if treading on clouds, soared through the air, wielding a peachwood sword.