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墨書 Inktalez
I was actually deceiving them. People are inherently curious, so I had to say that to ensure they wouldn’t look, as seeing it wouldn’t be good for them.
Once they all entered, I lit three red candles and set up the Soul Calling Array, preparing to begin the Call of Souls. I had already confirmed that it was conscious, so it was necessary for me to communicate with it and see what obsessions it had that I could assist with. Although I could forcibly send it away, that approach wasn’t particularly advisable.
This time, the Call of Souls went smoothly, and I didn’t even feel the usual fatigue that follows such a ritual. It felt as if it appeared on its own for me to see, which left me somewhat astonished; clearly, my efforts were somewhat unnecessary.
When it emerged, it smiled. Its pale complexion, illuminated by the warm glow of the red candles, didn’t seem as frightening. In fact, I felt its smile was almost like that of a normal person—everything appeared so natural except for its hollow, lifeless eyes. If it weren’t for the black Funeral Garment it wore, I wouldn’t have realized it was a Spirit God. I put down the items used for the Call of Souls and smiled back at it. It didn’t hold back either; it plopped down on the freshly piled mound without hesitation. Before I could speak, it remarked, “Finally looking like something.” Then it turned its gaze to the offerings in front of the grave and the remnants of what had been burned before, exclaiming in surprise, “What a lavish offering! But there’s no wine, young man. Do you have any wine?”
I was taken aback; I had encountered many talkative Spirit Gods before, but this was my first time meeting such an assertive Spirit Lord. Its words left me momentarily speechless. After a pause, I quickly replied, “Please wait a moment,” and turned towards the Container House where Hua Bin and the others were.
Upon entering, they all faced away from my direction. As soon as I stepped in, I said, “The matter isn’t over yet; don’t move just yet. Also, tell me if there’s any wine and where it is.”
Hua Bin paused for a moment before asking me, “What do you need wine for? There’s Rice Wine under my bed. I brought back more than half a bottle from my hometown.”
Before he finished speaking, I found that half bottle of Rice Wine and grabbed a bowl before heading back outside. As I exited, I left them with a warning: “Don’t turn around; once everything is done, I’ll call you. Anyone who looks back will get into trouble. Ghostly matters are no joke.”
When I reached the mound again, it was still sitting there, its Black Funeral Robe particularly striking against the backdrop. It didn’t stand up immediately but smiled and said, “You really do have wine! Thank you very much. I know you’re here to help me move on, and I also know that little one in the water has already departed. After this meal, I'll need your assistance to guide me on my way.”
I poured some wine into the bowl. There are rules when offering wine to a Spirit God; food follows similar guidelines. It shouldn’t be too much or filled to the brim—just a small portion is enough. This isn’t about being stingy; rather, since Spirit Gods no longer maintain bodily functions, their consumption is more about intention. Even so, they still require appropriate offerings to feel satisfied. It’s like watching television; experiencing an unturned-off TV versus one showing your favorite program feels entirely different. The significance of offerings to Spirit Gods is similar; we shouldn’t assume that once we’ve offered something and there’s less left over means it’s useless—it’s quite the opposite. Therefore, when paying respects to deceased elders in the future, bringing items they enjoyed is essential. Even if most elders transition into the Ghost Path after some time has passed following their death, what if some haven’t? Even if they haven’t moved on yet, it's still a gesture of goodwill that can be felt by those below.
I placed one end of my chopsticks on the wine bowl and the other on a Roast Suckling Pig before quickly inviting the old man over to enjoy his meal. He didn’t hesitate; he walked over and sat down on his gravestone before eagerly tasting the offerings. In less than three minutes, he finished enjoying them and said to me: “Young man, I've been here for nearly a century now; do you think I can’t enter the underworld? The truth is my obsession is too strong—I don’t want to go.”
I asked him why he felt that way, and he began explaining everything to me.
He had originally been someone without water in his five elements—a carpenter who understood some cultivation techniques as well. In earlier times, skilled carpenters often knew some Daoist Arts as well; Master Lu Ban—the ancestor of carpenters—was also highly accomplished in Daoist Arts. The Lu Ban Square he invented became an attacking weapon for many Yin Yang Masters during various dynasties due to its incredible power. Many Feng Shui masters also mastered its use with great skill.
He was a villager from this area a hundred years ago, making a living as a carpenter. When he had no work, he would do some farming. However, one day while washing radishes by the reservoir, he was pulled underwater by a water ghost. Although he had been skilled in swimming since childhood, he was no match for the water ghost once entangled. Yet, he knew some Daoist Arts. The area was shallow, and the water wasn't very deep, so the water ghost couldn't quickly drag him into deeper waters to claim his soul. Instead, they struggled together in the shallow water for over ten minutes. But after all, he was human and the water ghost was a spirit. The ghost did not tire, but he did. After more than ten minutes, he was already exhausted, and being a creature of extreme Yin, the water ghost's prolonged contact with him meant that even his knowledge of Daoist Techniques could not fend off the overwhelming Yin Qi invading his body. Just when he felt he could no longer hold on, two people arrived and pulled him out of the water. At that point, he was already on the brink of death. Shortly after being taken back home, he passed away.
He had no children and never married, so naturally, no one was there to see him off in death or to inscribe an epitaph for him. Only a few kind-hearted villagers pooled together to dress him in the Funeral Garment he had prepared for himself and placed him in the coffin he had made. They dug a hasty grave by the reservoir and buried him there. At that time, most people were poor, and such simple burial methods were not uncommon. Moreover, without any descendants to erect a named tombstone for him, it did not bring shame to his memory.
Due to the influence of ghosts and deities leading to direct or indirect deaths, souls usually wander without guidance from Yin Chai and thus cannot find their way. This is what is meant by: ghosts demand lives; life ends; lifespan is not complete. Therefore, such souls belong to the illegal resident population in the Underworld. The Underworld refuses to accept them until their lifespan has ended before they can enter the gates of hell. After his death, he lingered nearby waiting for Yin Chai to escort him. During this waiting period, he encountered that water ghost. The water ghost was mindless; even after becoming a ghost itself, it could not communicate with it. Furthermore, since its lifespan had not yet ended, it retained its consciousness. It also understood some Daoist Techniques and was knowledgeable about the Five Elements. Gradually, it discovered the fate of the water ghost and realized that its targets could only be those devoid of water in their elemental makeup. This was fortunate because such individuals were already rare; even fewer would pass by the reservoir and enter its vicinity.
Having been harmed by the water ghost, it did not wish for it to continue harming others. Thus, it harbored an obsession. However, since both were spirits and the water ghost remained in the water, it found itself powerless against it and could only guard this spot day after day and year after year. Even if it could not reincarnate, it could not allow the water ghost to harm others. When its lifespan finally came to an end, it easily evaded Yin Chai because its destined moment of death would not be by the reservoir. Therefore, Yin Chai could not locate its soul since its tombstone was nameless and unmarked.
Thus, it did not reincarnate but remained due to this obsession, continuously watching over the water ghost and guarding this reservoir until this recent incident occurred.
After hearing all this from it, I suddenly understood that when Shunzi and his group of six went to bathe in the reservoir, it had followed behind Cousin and even nudged him a few times in an attempt to stop them from entering the water. As for how it could tell that Cousin lacked water in his elemental makeup—I did not know; perhaps it possessed unique observation skills. When Cousin was carried back by them after fainting from fright, perhaps it also aimed to ensure they would never dare approach the reservoir again. As for what it intended when it later approached Cousin’s door—I could only guess; perhaps it truly resented Cousin for carving its tombstone. But none of that mattered now; at least Cousin was fine now and would soon be back to his lively self after resting for a few days.
After finishing its tale, the red candle was nearly burnt out. I stood up and bowed slightly: "Old man, it's getting late; I sincerely apologize for your situation but I must send you on your way. Staying here is not good for you; I believe you understand better than I do."
It nodded and replied: "Young man, I am very grateful to you; without you, I wouldn't know how long I would have waited otherwise. My wish has now been fulfilled; I no longer cling to this world—only before leaving did I get a proper mound and tombstone for myself. Though there is some regret, it's still a perfect ending. Thank you truly; go ahead."
After saying this with a smile that seemed even brighter than before, I began performing the Send Soul ritual while watching as the Black Funeral Robe old man slowly faded away. I felt comfortable and relieved inside. I held great respect and fondness for spirits who linger due to benevolent obsessions because their goodwill made their presence in this world seem less tragic; on the contrary, they appeared quite content.
Goodness and evil are fundamentally straightforward concepts—whether human or spirit—the meaning remains unchanged: harbor goodwill brings blessings even in hardship; harbor malice leads to unrest even amidst prosperity.
After sending him off, I felt too lazy to return indoors and simply called out: "It's done; you can come out now." Then I began tidying up my things with a good mood while humming a tune—a picture of triumph—leaving Hua Bin and others puzzled at my demeanor. Finally unable to contain himself any longer, Shunzi asked: "Brother Liu, what's going on? Weren't you supposed to have a fierce battle with a ghost? Why are you so cheerful?"
Hua Bin chimed in: "Brother Liu, have you been possessed?"
I finished packing my things and shot him a glare: "You're the one who's possessed! Anyway, I've resolved your issue; why do you care whether or not I battled with a ghost? Sleep soundly tonight; nothing will happen again in the future—you can bathe in the reservoir without worry! Hahaha!"
I then instructed them to plant two evergreen trees on either side of the tombstone before slinging my bag over my shoulder while humming happily as I walked toward my car—ready to head home for some rest.
The captain caught up with me and said, "Liu Master, I haven't given you your reward yet."
I took the 50 reward and replied, "Thank you, Captain. If everything goes well in a week, please transfer the remaining money to me. I'll send you the account number on Hua Bin. Haha, I wish you all the best in your business."
After saying that, I turned and got into the car, heading straight home. It hadn't even been a week; just three days later, I received the rest of the reward. It's comforting to know that in our line of work, very few people would delay their final payments. I didn't have Master Zhang's account number and didn't plan to ask for it. Instead, I made a call to invite Master Zhang out for dinner and to give him the reward. He gladly accepted.
During dinner, I recounted the entire story to Master Zhang. He was deeply moved and said while drinking, "I haven't encountered such a kind-hearted Spirit God in a long time. Young man, you've done well; you've learned everything from your master, especially here."
After he finished speaking, he pointed to his heart. I raised my glass and said, "To it, Master Zhang, let's drink to that."
He solemnly replied, "Not just one glass but three glasses for all the kind-hearted Spirit Gods who remain in this world." That night, we drank a lot. I didn't go home but stayed at Master Zhang's place for the night. Because of this ritual and this drink, Master Zhang and I grew closer.
Kindness doesn't mean one cannot do good; goodness is not a knowledge but an action.
If Spirit Gods can be this way, how much more so can humans?
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