Chapter 17: Disturbing My Quiet Cultivation
“Huff, huff…”
It sounded like someone was operating an old bellows, or the heavy panting of a giant monster.
Looking in the direction of the sound, Song You saw that the white figure was still floating around the courtyard, as she usually did at this hour. However, behind the white figure, he could vaguely see two massive figures clambering roughly over the courtyard wall and entering the yard.
They were over a zhang tall but moved silently. Only when they stepped into the brightest patch of moonlight in the courtyard, could he see their true forms clearly…
They had ghostly green faces covered with curly red beards as well as disheveled red hair. They had gaping bloody mouths with tusks sticking upwards as well as broken jagged canines inside.
Their bodies were strong inverted triangles, covered in sinewy muscles that bulged in lumps. Their arms hung down to their knees, with palms as large as the palm-leaf fans used by the neighborhood women to fan themselves at night. Their nails were curved and sharp like hooks, capable of impaling and lifting a person with a single swipe.
When they came, even the white figure in the courtyard was momentarily stunned.
These were definitely not humans, nor were they demons, ghosts, gods, or immortals. They were man-eating Yakshas[1]!
“There are ghosts.” The calico cat had arched her back and the fur on her back was standing on end. She stared at the Yakshas in the courtyard who seemed to be searching for something then turned to whisper to Song You, “Let’s run.”
“No need.” Song You had already figured it out…There was no ghastly wind, no foul stench. Although these Yakshas’ movements were not clumsy and sluggish, they were not agile enough. They were not real Yakshas.
This was a type of magic.
Upon closer inspection, though they appeared ferocious and strong, there was something awkward and out of place about them.
They were either badly-drawn or cut out badly.
They were paper Yakshas!
This was a Buddhist technique that used paper to draw Yakshas, then cutting them out and casting spells to animate them so that they would obey the caster. Originally used to guard temples and altars, it later unfortunately fell into the hands of talented jianghu eccentrics who learned it. It was often used for robbery and murder.
Although these were paper Yakshas, their ferocity rivaled that of real ones. If the caster had some attainments in this field, they could even surpass real Yakshas…
Not only did they possess supernatural strength, the hard parts of their bodies were like solid rocks. Their soft parts were like tree bark, and they had no fear of death. Even if their level of enlightenment was relatively low, normal skilled jianghu people would have to be cautious if they encountered them.
However, they had a fatal weakness.
Song You placed his hand on the calico cat’s back, stroking it from head to tail. He told her softly not to panic, then he turned and stepped outside.
Upon hearing movement, the two Yakshas immediately turned their heads. Their eyes which like bronze bells stared at him.
The Yakshas spread their arms wide and their massive bodies actually soared more than a zhang into the air. They covered half the courtyard in a single bound, both lunging at him.
“Fire, ignite!” As soon as he finished speaking…A blazing huge fire ignited in the courtyard with a whoosh.
Although the Yakshas were clearly the size of bulls, they burned like hollow paper figures coated in oil in this blazing fire and were instantly consumed by the flames. In just a few moments, they were reduced to a few pieces of blackened yellow paper laden with black ashes drifting down.
After all, being made of paper, their greatest fear was fire.
If one did not know this, and tried to chop them with sabers or shoot them with arrows, it might take a whole squad of soldiers to dispatch them. As for jianghu people, they would also need some martial arts skills. Yet if one could see they were paper Yakshas and knew that they feared fire, even an exorcist without any skills could easily destroy them.
All things mutually generate and restrain one another. There is always a way to break any technique.
The profundity in this is indescribable.
In the blink of an eye, the fire had died down. The night returned to its original state, silent and bathed in moonlight.
Song You raised his hand and opened it.
The last piece of yellow paper whose corner still smoldered landed on his palm, where the sparks quickly extinguished.
Song You withdrew his hand and turned around.
Lady Calico was sitting properly behind him with her tail wrapped around her little paws. Seeing him turn and return to the room, she hurriedly followed.
“Whoosh.” The oil lamp lit itself, illuminating the room dimly.
Song You pulled out the chair and sat down in front of the table.
The calico cat jumped onto the table, staring intently at him. “You’re so powerful.”
“Lady Calico, you flatter me.”
Song You carefully studied the corner of the paper in the lamplight.
This Yaksha had been crafted from a large sheet of yellow hemp paper, the same kind used for making talismans. In the moonlight, he could faintly see an eye of the Yaksha on the corner of the paper. Looking closer, he could even see the detailed cinnabar lines on it and symbols dotted with blood.
It was actually good paper that was hard to come by…
Thick and durable, the material had a slightly reddish hue.
Lady Calico asked, “Are all Daoist priests this powerful?”
“Not really.”
“Then why are you so powerful?”
“How else could I protect you?” Song You responded casually while pondering the paper.
He had not been in Yidu long. He had spent his days going out to listen to stories or cooking and cultivating at home. He had never made any enemies. The only things he had done were eradicating the fog spirit on Jinyang Road and helping Constable Luo capture the burglar who could traverse through the earth.
Could it be that some peculiar talented eccentric had heard that a Daoist resided here and decided specially to visit and test him in this manner?
At that moment, he heard Lady Calico’s clear and delicate childish voice again. “Where did the ghost come from?”
Song You did not feel vexed at all and patiently replied, “I don’t know yet.”
“Why did it attack us?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“You don’t know yet…” The calico cat repeated his words, staring at him.
“In any case…”
It is impolite not to reciprocate.
Song You put away the piece of paper.
Since the other person had already paid a visit, he should pay them a return visit based on both sentiment and reason.
***
Early the next morning.
Song You seemed to have forgotten the events of the previous night. He leisurely chopped some pickled vegetables and made himself a bowl of pickled vegetable noodles.
This was considered quite a luxurious breakfast these days. It was thanks to the twenty taels of silver he had received a few days ago.
As for Lady Calico, she ate the mouse she had caught.
After cooking the noodles and putting them aside, Song You fetched a broom to sweep up the ashes left over from the night before that had been scattered by the wind.
At that moment, he somewhat regretted that though Lady Calico had been enlightened, her cultivation level was insufficient for transformation. If she could take human form, even as a child, he could coax her into doing chores like sweeping and stoking the fire, giving him some leisure.
He only started eating once the cleaning was done.
The pickled vegetable noodles were made using the method for big pot noodles from his hometown in his previous world. The broth had a little fox nut starch[2] added and thus appeared somewhat thick. All the flavors were in the broth which clung thickly to the noodles, making them exceptionally flavorful.
The sour and hot soup was appetizing and warming. Swallowing a bite in the early morning made him feel comfortable from his throat to his heart.
After finishing, he didn’t wash the dishes, but sat idly in the courtyard. He listened to the city waking up and watched the calico cat chase and play with fallen leaves. He let yellow plum leaves fall on him, and enjoyed the warm early morning sunlight filtering through the yellow plum branches.
He peeled a mandarin orange for dessert.
In that moment, he was in heaven and felt like a little immortal living without a care.
Lady Calico didn’t like the scent of mandarin oranges and hated the oil that squirted out when they were peeled most of all. She was originally playing at his feet but quickly shrank away, even staring at him with puzzled eyes from a distance.
Song You paid her no mind, putting one segment of orange after another into his mouth.
It was both sweet and sour, full of juice.
It even made him narrow his eyes in delight.
He only remembered something after finishing the orange. He reluctantly took out the piece of paper from the previous night and examined it many times while holding it up against the sky. Then he let out a long sigh.
“Lady Calico, please look after the house.”
The calico cat’s eyes immediately narrowed upon hearing this. “Where are you going?”
“To find someone.”
“Who?”
“The one who troubled us last night.”
Lady Calico said, “I will go with you.”
“Alright.”
“Wash your hands first.”
“Alright.”
The man and the cat went out together.
They investigated outside the courtyard. Song You couldn’t help being somewhat vexed when he saw that the spot where the two Yakshas had climbed over the wall into the courtyard last night was now badly damaged by their hooked claws. According to the contract, he would either have to compensate the landlord or repair it for him before moving out.
He continued searching until he finally found a red brush mark at the base of the east courtyard wall on the outside next to the ground, still imbued with magic.
That was it…Those Yakshas whose enlightenment level was low, could manage if the target was near but would get lost if it was far. To direct them to harm someone, markings had to be made in advance.
The other party must have visited yesterday or the day before yesterday.
Song You examined it, then turned to leave.
He should go and inquire at that paper shop.
Song You had a hunch…He would soon have his answer.
***
Meanwhile, Constable Luo had just left for work.
After walking a few steps along the alley and passing by Song You’s little courtyard house, he suddenly stopped, turned his head and looked over.
He saw several vertical claw marks on the wall. They were the width of three fingers and one to two chi long, as if a savage beast had ravaged the wall. They all clustered around the top of the wall. Many of the tiles from the rain eaves had fallen, leaving a gap and broken pieces littered the ground.
“What…” Constable Luo couldn’t help bending down and picking up a piece to inspect it closely.
The tile fragments on the ground were as small as fingernails, most of them similarly sized, as if crushed by something.
What had climbed over the wall here?
Furthermore, it had done so without any skill.
Constable Luo’s first thought was that this climber was absolutely not human. Not only was it not human, it was probably also a large creature with sharp claws like knives.
Constable Luo frowned, feeling apprehensive inside.
With such a monster, was the Daoist priest alright?
He hurriedly ran to the courtyard door, and started knocking and calling out the Daoist priest’s name, but there was no response.
He wanted to break in but he didn’t dare. He was unsure if he should. For a moment, even a decisive man like him couldn’t make up his mind.
Eventually, he learned from a passing neighbor that the master had left around the time it took to burn an incense stick earlier, possibly to buy groceries. Constable Luo was relieved and waited at the door for around the time it took to burn two incense sticks. He only left when he was about to be late for work.
1. Malevolent spirits in Buddhist mythology. ☜
2. Starch made from fox nuts, used as a thickener in Chinese cooking. ☜
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