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墨書 Inktalez
The master finished speaking and, without further pleasantries, turned to leave with the owner of the old house. As everyone realized there was no longer any excitement to witness, they each returned home. Not a single Native Dog could be seen; they had all vanished. The lively scene from just moments ago had turned eerily quiet. I remained behind because I had too many items to carry, and my two hands were insufficient. Moreover, the journey back was not short. I looked around but couldn’t find a stick to help me pick up my things.
If only I had a shoulder pole! With that thought in mind, I felt an urge to go into the Old House to search for one. My curiosity about the place also played a part in my decision, so without further hesitation, I walked through the open door of the Main Hall.
By then, it was nearly dark, and once inside, visibility was even poorer. I switched on my flashlight and searched the Main Hall but found no shoulder pole. However, the cold atmosphere inside was palpable; it felt familiar yet much stronger than the usual Yin Qi. I thought that if I had a compass right now, it would surely react significantly.
Just as I was about to leave after failing to find a shoulder pole, I noticed a thicker black stick lying horizontally in the corner by the main door. Although it wasn’t a shoulder pole, it could serve as a substitute. I hurried over, ready to grab the stick and leave, feeling an oppressive atmosphere knowing there was a Spirit God present.
As soon as my hand touched the stick, an icy sensation shot through my fingers. The texture didn’t feel like that of a stick at all; yet it looked just like one. Despite my unease, I picked it up. As I bent down to lift it fully, what had been a straight stick began to bend at both ends. My palm tightened around it—this wasn’t a stick; it was clearly a snake.
At that moment, the stick truly transformed into a snake in my hand, startling me. Although I recognized this type of snake—it was common in my area and known as the Grass Carp Snake—I didn’t know its scientific name. This snake is non-venomous; even if bitten, it wouldn’t cause harm. Just then, someone handed me a bag.
I took it and opened it to find an aluminum lunch box inside, filled with rice and vegetables that the master had packed for me from Boss Ning’s place.
I was indeed hungry and didn’t hesitate to sit down on a stone Dunzi to eat while recounting my experiences in the Old House to the master.
As he listened and organized his cloth bag, he paused when I mentioned the Spirit God Head hanging under the stairs had a blood hole and that its left hand seemed broken. He stopped his movements and asked, “Is the Spirit God you described wearing a Funeral Garment, has a flat top haircut, appears young, and does the blood hole align with the left temple?”
I swallowed my food in confusion and asked, “Master, how do you know this?”
“Is that Funeral Garment entirely black with no hint of white?” he continued without answering.
He asked this because in our region, when someone passes away, their Funeral Garment typically has a white inner lining with an outer black robe. Below the robe is sewn a white pocket known as a Road Money Bag used for placing Joss Paper for the Spirit God on Yellow Springs Road. Of course, not all pockets are white; some are black but those are rare. Overall, when worn on a corpse, the Funeral Garment displays distinct black and white colors. A person brings nothing impure into life; thus after death they must be pure as well—hence the Funeral Garment’s contrasting colors.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! I was puzzled why this Spirit God wearing a Funeral Garment was entirely black with no white at all,” I replied as I set down the lunch box and wiped my mouth.
"This is a bit troublesome. The Spirit God wearing the Funeral Garment, I know him. He was a bricklayer from the neighboring village who fell to his death a few months ago while building a barbecue chimney. It's strange, really; he fell from just over three meters high, and there was only one sharp rock below. He just happened to hit his head on that rock. He died on the spot, blood everywhere," the master said with a hint of sorrow.
Hearing this, I still couldn't understand why a Spirit God who died months ago in the neighboring village would appear here. I remained silent, looking at the master with confusion.
He organized his things, pulled out the Cloth Bag, and took out the Great Seal, wiping it with his sleeve as he spoke. "The funeral for this person was handled by your Second Master. He mentioned to me that there was something unusual on the day of burial; it’s possible that his soul ran away. Your Second Master is skilled in Yin House Feng Shui and conducting normal funerals, but how could he know if the soul really ran away? He just waited a week or two and assumed that the family was fine, thinking it was just a false alarm. This time, it turns out that the soul did run away; not only was this Spirit God not taken by Yin Chai, but he was also brought here by another ghost."
I knew about my Second Master's abilities—he could read Yang House Feng Shui, conduct burial ceremonies, and calculate Birth Dates and Times with ease—but he seemed somewhat lacking when it came to matters of ghosts; it simply wasn't his field.
I said, "That Spirit God in the white sweatshirt seemed very fierce. As soon as I entered, I felt an overwhelming presence of Yin Qi; it was quite oppressive."
The master chuckled lightly and nodded. He set down the Great Seal and took out a compass, laying it flat in his hand. Then he made a Hand Seal and drew a symbol in the air above the compass before asking, "Can you estimate how far we are from the entrance of that Main Hall?"
"About eighty meters," I replied confidently. The master grabbed the flashlight resting on a nearby stone and shone it onto the compass, saying, "Come over and take a look at this reaction."
"Oh wow."
Good night. Thank you for the fine wine from Zoe's Enchanted Home.
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