Chapter 169 Fake Taoist

Chapter 169: The Fake Taoist Priest

Meng Wan looked puzzled. "Ghosts? Demons?"

He turned to Uncle Chen. "Uncle Chen, you all went to the sugarcane field yesterday, didn't you? Was there any bloody water there?"

Uncle Chen was also dumbfounded. "No... not that I know of. Erwa, did you see anything?"

"No, I didn't."

"There are people in the sugarcane field every day. I haven't heard anything about bloody water, or any ghosts or demons."

The villagers in the crowd began to chatter.

Tong Laoda sensed something was off and turned to look at his younger brother.

Tong Laowu opened his mouth, his mind in turmoil. He wanted to say something to his brother, but his chest twitched with pain, as if something was gnawing at it. Remembering something terrifying, he struggled to speak, finally managing to change the subject. "Big Brother, Tong Quan..."

Reminded by him, Tong Laoda instantly recalled the most important matter. Right! There was still Tong Quan and the others.

"Master, I have several nephews who have gone missing. Please help me find them." Tong Laoda put on a worried expression and pleaded with the old Taoist.

The families of Tong Qing and Tong Quan also looked at the old Daoist, but their expressions showed little hope, as if they had already resigned themselves to fate. It seemed they had only come to cooperate in this absurd charade because of some promise.

More and more villagers came up the mountain to watch. Those who had arrived earlier were describing what had happened to those behind them. Everyone was shocked to hear that Tong Quan and the others had possibly been killed on the mountain, and they whispered among themselves.

Everyone's attention was on the old Taoist. He did not disappoint. He performed the Heaven's Steps, bent his index and middle fingers, and pressed his thumb against the middle section of his ring finger. He closed his eyes in meditation for a moment, then suddenly sighed. "I'm afraid they have already been killed."

At this moment, Tong Laowu shot a hidden glance at Meng Wan. Thinking of how the four had died, his blood surged.

Indeed, they had been killed! How could that Meng be so brazen, even letting this kind of thing leak out?

Although he had been told to tell his brother that the four had died of poisoning after eating chickens that had ingested the toxic grass, that Meng was truly arrogant enough to kill people without fear of being found out?

As he thought this, his chest began to ache again. Then he silently recited, "Meng Wan is a great person, a Bodhisattva at heart..."

Demon! Poisonous bastard!

Oh no, it hurts again!

Meng Fulang is a saint in this world, a kind-hearted person...

Tong Laosan, who had inadvertently caught Tong Laowu's changing expressions, was puzzled. "Fifth Brother, what's wrong with you? You've been acting strange since you came home two days ago." At one moment, his face twisted in ferocity and grinding his teeth; the next, it was peaceful and serene, as if he were about to achieve enlightenment.

Tong Laowu maintained a calm expression. "Nothing, Third Brother."

Tong Qing's family wailed in grief, as did the families of Tong Quan, Tong Fu, and Liu Si. Even though they hadn't seen the bodies yet, one word from the old Taoist was enough for them to be certain the four were dead. They sobbed with genuine sorrow.

Tong Laoda had been observing Meng Wan's emotions the whole time. Seeing his complex expression as he watched their sad display, he became even more convinced of his suspicions.

That Meng must be feeling guilty!

After all, the men had died from eating his chickens, and with so many strange occurrences happening, his earlier calm was probably just an act. Who knew how scared he was right now!

"Master, where are the remains of my nephews now?" Tong Laoda pretended to be sad, his voice trembling and choked as he asked the old Taoist.

The old Taoist acted decisively, sweeping his sleeve and pointing to where the ashes of the talisman had fallen. "This place has the heaviest resentment. Their bodies are right here!"

As soon as he spoke, Tong Qing's family, who had been wailing on the ground, rushed over. The servants Tong Laoda had brought handed them shovels.

Tong Laoda looked wary, afraid that Meng Wan would order the Tao family to stop them, but to his surprise, the man made no move.

He felt a bit uneasy. Even if Meng Wan hadn't directly killed the four, their deaths were still connected to him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have secretly buried their bodies. So why wasn't he stopping them? Could the bodies have been moved?

Tong Laoda grew uneasy. If the bodies had been moved to another place, the Red Mountain Village was surrounded by mountains, and it would be hard to find them anytime soon.

"We dug something up!"

"We really dug something up! It's blood!"

"So much blood!"

"My son! You had such a hard fate!"

"Who was the bastard who killed you!"

"Who was so vicious as to bury my son under a tree, not even letting him be reborn!"

They hadn’t been digging long when they actually uncovered the corners of clothing belonging to the four under the big tree. The soil was stained with blood. From a distance, several pits could be seen beneath the tree, with patches of clothing visible in the red dirt. The scene was quite horrifying.

The villagers were stunned. They had been half-doubting before, but none expected to actually find something on the mountain. For a moment, even the whispers stopped. Their hair stood on end, and the scene fell completely silent.

Tong Laoda, instead, lost his unease and felt elated. It was great that these four had been found—better still that they were dead! If not for their gluttony, how could such an effect have been achieved?

"Don't worry, Meng Fulang. It seems these men died on the mountain for some reason. As long as they didn't die unjustly, once we find the bodies and hold a funeral, a simple rite will settle them." Tong Laoda pretended to comfort Meng Wan.

Meng Wan's expression relaxed. "Then I can rest easy."

But how could Tong Laoda let him truly relax? He sighed again. "I only hope they went peacefully. If it was an unjust death..."

Meng Wan lowered his eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line, his voice cold. "What happens if it's an unjust death?"

"If it's an unjust death, they will naturally haunt the person who caused their death, tormenting them day and night until they pay with their own lives!" The old Taoist's sharp eyes bore into Meng Wan.

Meng Wan was startled. "Pay... with their lives! Master, how can this be resolved?"

Seeing he had taken the bait, the old Taoist ignored Tong Laoda's signal and added his own line. "First, I must set up an altar and perform a ritual. You must offer silver and gold to the immortals to ensure temporary safety. Then you must leave this place and not come within a hundred li of this mountain for ten years. Otherwise, you will be haunted by resentful ghosts until death!" A hundred li would cover not just Red Mountain Village but the entire Luyun Town. The Tong family had thought this through rather thoroughly.

Meng Wan's face turned pale. "This... this... what are silver and gold?"

The old Taoist was annoyed by his slowness. "Of course, worldly silver and gold! Offer them to the immortals, and they will protect your life. Otherwise, even if you flee to the ends of the earth, you will still die!"

Meng Wan seemed to finally understand and asked sincerely, "How much silver and gold must I offer to the immortals to resolve my predicament?"

The old Taoist rubbed his fingers together. "Ten silver ingots and eight gold ingots. Each ingot must be at least twenty taels. If the weight is insufficient, it won't suppress the vengeful spirits, and don't blame me for that."

Before Meng Wan could react, Tong Laoda shot the old Taoist a harsh glare. The further Meng Wan fled, the better. This old Taoist was taking money and still being so greedy. Did he think the Tong family was pushover? After this matter was settled, he would make sure the old Taoist paid!

Meng Wan clenched his fingers, biting his lip until a pale mark appeared. He hesitated. "Silver and gold are easy enough, but I've rented land in the village to plant sugarcane. The seedlings are already on the way. What about my hundred mu of sugarcane fields?"

Tong Laoda was overjoyed inside, but on the surface, he pretended to be concerned. "Fulang, you're mistaken! Even gold and silver are worldly goods. Those business dealings are trivial. Your life is what matters!"

Meng Wan seemed persuaded, hesitating. "The penalty for breaking the contract is three times..."

Tong Laoda generously said, "Don't worry, Fulang. The Tong family will only take one-tenth of the penalty. I can also buy your remaining sugarcane seedlings at a low price." As he spoke, he pulled out a piece of paper—it was the very contract they had signed that day.

Meng Wan's expression changed. He suddenly turned to Tao's family, who had been quietly standing by. "Brother Tao, Sister Tao, since they've been digging for a while without success, why don't you go help them out?"

At his command, the Tao family took their shovels and went forward without a word.

The villagers craned their necks to look into the pit, and seeing that there was indeed nothing but blood-stained clothes, when the Tao family joined in and dug deeper, they found that the pit contained not the bodies of Tong Quan and the others, but over a dozen dead chickens with their throats slit!

Tong Laowu was the most incredulous. "How is that possible!" But then he thought of going with Tong Laoda, and that Meng Wan must have moved the bodies. That must be it, no wonder he was so unflappable.

The faces of the Tong family members were a picture of dismay. Seeing the land almost within grasp, Tong Laoda grew anxious. He racked his brains for some other excuse to keep digging recklessly on the mountain.

At this moment, the old Daoist's face also turned pale. Having put on a show for so long, he couldn't keep his composure and was about to say something else when Meng Wan suddenly stepped forward. "Since that's the case, I won't hide it from everyone anymore. I actually studied Daoist arts elsewhere when I was younger. Since this Daoist master couldn't find anyone and ended up digging up a pile of dead chickens, I might as well show off a bit myself."

The old Daoist's muddy eyes bulged wide. "What? You know how too?"

Meng Wan raised an eyebrow, reached behind him, and Xue Sheng handed him a blank piece of white paper and a small box.

Meng Wan opened the box, dipped his finger into the pale yellow waxy substance inside, smeared a little, then rubbed the white paper with his fingers. Before everyone’s eyes, the paper burst into flames.

Amid the gasps, he imitated the old Daoist's earlier manner, without using any incantations or hand gestures. He simply waved his sleeve in a random direction, and the ashes of the burnt paper drifted gently in the direction his finger pointed.

"I suspect the missing four are over there. If you don’t believe me, feel free to go search." The onlookers were too scared to go search, but the families of Tong Qing, Tong Quan, and the others exchanged glances and actually went to look for themselves.

That spot was the farthest back part of the chicken coop. Fearing they might startle the chickens or break something, the Tao family also followed.

The remaining villagers were utterly astonished.

"Meng Wan actually has some Daoist skill?"

"I saw it—Meng Wan touched his finger to something, then rubbed the paper, and it caught fire."

"What was that thing? Did the old Daoist also have something on his fingers?"

Some sharp-eyed observers watched closely and indeed saw faint pale yellow marks on the old Daoist’s fingers.

"You guessed it. This stuff is taken from a type of rock. Uncle Six, come try it. As long as you apply this on most papers, they can be lit."

Meng Wan enthusiastically invited them to try, and sure enough, everyone could light the paper successfully.

"This one is even simpler, though a bit more troublesome. It requires a specific kind of paper. Here, you try."

After teaching them to light the paper, he showed them how to make it fly forward. That was a bit trickier—needing the right wind and force—but some managed to do it.

At this point, everyone understood that the old Daoist was a fraud!

The villagers silently surrounded the old Daoist. Having a con artist in the village was everyone's business; no need for the Village Head to order it. It was a serious matter for the whole village. Luckily, the old Daoist hadn't tricked anyone out of their money, otherwise they'd have caught and beaten him to death.

Tong Laoda, who had been gloating moments before, saw the situation turning against him and hurriedly distanced himself from the old Daoist. "You swindler! How dare you trick me!"

Meng Wan was furious and joined the scolding. "This old Daoist has some nerve, using a false story of murder to trick me into giving him gold, silver, and even land!"

When he heard the word "land," Tong Laoda's eyelid twitched, but he refused to give up. "Mr. Meng, not all of it was fake. Since ancient times, everyone knows that wronged spirits come back for revenge. Tong Qing and the others really might be dead..."

His words were cut off by crying from behind the chicken coop.

After so many twists and turns today, the villagers thought they were numb to it, but the crying made their hearts sink. What now? Had they really found the bodies of Tong Qing and the others?

"That doesn't sound right. I think I hear Tong Fu's voice."

"Me too. He almost sounds like he's crying."

"That's an ugly cry."

"Haven't you heard of 'wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves'? Maybe it's a ghost..."

"Stop it, that's too scary. I'm leaving. I'm going down the mountain to find the Village Head."

Someone shouted, "Don't go, don't go! They're coming out! It's really Tong Fu!"

Everyone looked over. "And Tong Qing, Tong Quan, and Liu Si! They're not ghosts—they're alive!"

"So they weren't dead?"

"Who said they were dead? They're alive and well."

Tong Laoda and Tong Laosan stared dumbfounded as Tong Qing and the others walked out of the chicken coop, unharmed but looking haggard, reeking of chicken manure. Yet they were undeniably alive.

Tong Laoda turned to his youngest brother in disbelief, his voice trembling. "Fifth Brother, didn't you say you saw with your own eyes that they were dead?"

As he spoke, Tong Laowu's eyebrows shot up, his eyes bulging as if they'd pop out of their sockets. He rushed forward and grabbed Tong Qing by the collar, shocked. "Weren't you dead? How is this possible!"

Face to face with his accusation, Tong Qing stole a glance at Meng Wan and explained timidly, "We were craving meat, so we went up the mountain to catch chickens. The Taos caught us. Meng Wan told us to stay on the mountain and shovel chicken manure for five days before coming down."

The villagers suddenly understood. "So those chickens in the pit were the ones you killed? More than a dozen of them! That's wicked. Meng Wan's punishment was well deserved!"

Tong Laowu realized he had been made a fool of, but he never expected that even what he had seen that day was a trick. He was utterly crushed, and his chest ached from the pain. "What about the gu curse that had me under its spell? The Soul-Refining Purple Scale King?"

Meng Wan blinked his pretty eyes and said casually, "Oh, that? It was just an ordinary worm. It's probably turned into dung by now."

"Impossible! If I wasn't bewitched, how could my heart ache so terribly every time I tried to speak ill of you?" Tong Laowu absolutely refused to believe he had been so stupid as to betray his brothers and family without real bewitchment.

Meng Wan turned away and let out a chuckle. "That was indeed a poison my godson used for practice, but it's not life-threatening. After taking it, whenever you get emotionally stirred, your heart will ache. After a month, the toxicity will dissipate on its own. You brought men up the mountain to poison my chickens. That was a minor punishment, wasn't it?"

Tong Laowu's face went pale. How could he have been so stupid? He hadn't realized that every time he spoke ill of Meng Wan, exerted himself, or felt agitated, his heart would ache. He had been so terrified of the fake gu that he had let Meng Wan manipulate him.

"What gu? What Soul-Refining Purple Scale King? Fifth Brother, you teamed up with that Meng fellow to cheat your own family!"