The Unruly Immortals

Leaning against the trunk, Li Huowang fell into contemplation, seemingly pondering something. "Senior Chen, could you recount the events you experienced here in detail?"

"After all, I am new to this place, so I need to understand the specifics before making plans. As you know, every time we from the Ao Jing Sect use our methods, there's a considerable price to pay."

Chen the Blind nodded in agreement, prodding the soft mud on the ground with the stick in his hand, and slowly began to speak, "Ah, I took a job, see, I was told there was trouble here so they wanted me to take a look, so I disguised myself as a fortune teller and came to Gan Yuan Village."

"For the first few days, I felt many faces, and on the third day, the thing inside the wall actually came to me, asking for a bone-reading fortune!"

"They thought that since I, Chen the Blind, couldn't see anything, they could fool me. Heh! My eyes might be blind, but my ears are far better than most."

"That night, there was clearly only me in the room, but within moments, three different voices arose! And not a single sound of footsteps."

"Where could they have come from? Clearly, they had wriggled out from the mud. That evil spirit even tried to mimic human speech, asked me for a bone reading."

"I did it. For the first time, I, Chen the Blind, read the fortune of an evil spirit. But guess what? All three faces had the features of a violent death!"

"Right then, my stick jabbed towards them—one was killed on the spot, another wounded."

"After that, I figured, having rid Gan Yuan Village of an evil spirit, the least they could do was invite me for a meal. But guess what? Not only did they not do so, they actually chased me out with hoes and carrying poles!"

"When I regained my composure, I knew, the villagers had been bewitched by this evil spirit. Unless they were eradicated, the villagers would never be well."

"So, every night, after they were all asleep, I'd sneak into the village to carry out justice on behalf of heaven."

"As you've seen, they're as slippery as loaches. Some days, they even tried to ambush me, Chen the Blind, but I saw through them."

After talking for so long, Chen the Blind's mouth grew dry. He squatted down and scooped water with his hands from a small muddy hole made by a cow's hoof to drink.

Feeling somewhat relieved in his throat, he turned towards Li Huowang's direction and said, "Kid, I've said so much, are you even listening? Hurry up and think of a plan."

Soon, Li Huowang's voice came from the other side. "I'm listening, senior. Rest assured, I'm considering which method to use to flush them out."

"Well, make it quick. The next time I take a job, it'll have to be closer; this journey is just too troublesome."

Chen the Blind sat back down on the mossy rock, turned around, took out a Bagua-patterned mirror from the bamboo basket on his back, carefully wiped it with a cloth, and placed it back inside.

"Senior, I've thought of a method. What place do these mud ghosts frequent the most?"

"The Mud Bodhisattva Temple. Don't know why, but they like going there the most."

"Let's start at the Mud Bodhisattva Temple then."

"We have to be quick. If it gets light, those ignorant villagers will come to cause trouble again. You tell me, to kill or not to kill, either option is troublesome."

Having said this, Chen the Blind tapped the ground continuously with his stick, following the sound of Li Huowang's footsteps, heading back towards the village.

No one was in the village just a short while ago, and still, no one in the village now, deeper into the night. The narrow paths between the houses were illuminated only by the occasional twinkling of fireflies.

Suddenly, Chen the Blind's expression became serious. Supporting himself with both hands, he lay flat on the ground and began to listen intently.

"Little Ear, be careful, someone is coming. This sound is off, I've never heard it in the village, four people in total, two men and two women—one of the men is huge, seems he must be wearing armor!"

Li Huowang looked around with a grave expression and said, "It's the middle of the night, and suddenly four strangers arrive; they're definitely up to no good. I'm going to meet them."

Before Chen the Blind could respond, Li Huowang had already charged off.

Chen the Blind did not get up; he continued to crawl on the ground without stopping, listening to those sounds.

Gradually, he heard that the four people started to turn away from the village.

"Elder, I'm back. I've cast a blinding spell on those people and led them away from Gan Yuan Village," Li Huowang said to the blind old man in front of him upon his return.

"Let's go; the faster we finish, the sooner we can leave. The more people there are, the more problems are bound to arise," Li Huowang nodded and hurriedly followed.

By the time it was the second watch of the night, the two had already arrived in front of Mud Bodhisattva Temple. To say it was in front of them wasn't exactly right, as there was still an alley separating them.

"We can only get this close; if you go any further, you'll startle the snake. You got targeted because you went in before," said Li Huowang.

Li Huowang estimated the distance and then nodded. He reached into his bosom and took out a Taoist Bell. "Elder, please bear with it, it might get a bit noisy soon," he said.

After saying that, Li Huowang immediately began to ring the bell. The grating sound of the bell exploded in Gan Yuan Village like a clap of thunder.

As Li Huowang vigorously shook his head, the figure of You Lao Ye in front of him rapidly split into eight.

Li Huowang took a piece of clay from the ground, stuffed it into his mouth, and said to the eight You Lao Yes, "Zhuāng zhùn hūng! Zhè xiàn rǒng tāng yù!!"

Composed of various lines, the You Lao Yes rapidly nodded their heads and all at once submerged into the ground.

What happened next, Chen the Blind couldn't hear at all, as the piercing noise completely enveloped him.

"Little Ear, this method of yours is no good! You've woken up everyone in the village!" he yelled toward the direction of the bell.

"Don't worry, Elder Chen! Although it's noisy, it will quickly force them out!" Li Huowang shook the hand holding the Taoist Bell even more fiercely.

Chen the Blind stumbled towards Li Huowang. Just as he reached behind Huowang, he felt as if his stick had touched something on the ground and immediately bent down to pick it up.

In that moment of bending down, a flash of cold light flitted by, and Chen the Blind thrust the bamboo stick in his hand towards Li Huowang's waist.

This move was incredibly treacherous and, under the cover of the bell, nearly silent.

But just as the slender tip was about to penetrate, Li Huowang's body inexplicably twisted, and the hilt of his sword moved to block the stick's sharp point.

Although it was blocked, the force was tremendous, directly propelling Li Huowang several meters away.

At the same time, the You Lao Yes, who had already been lying in ambush underground, slowly surfaced, encircling Chen the Blind.

Li Huowang, wide-eyed and fuming with anger, had just gotten to his feet and was about to say something when the other party took the initiative to speak first.

"Hmph! Oblivion Path! You bunch of swindlers!! Do you really think I, Chen the Blind, would believe your nonsense? I didn't ask for help at all; where did this so-called rescue come from!"