Master Taozhi, the abbot of Solitary Cold Temple, appeared benevolent, kind, and affable on the surface, but behind closed doors, he was an out-and-out villain.
He indulged the monks in desecrating the monastery, deceiving believers, and amassing wealth for himself. When his vile deeds were exposed, he was beheaded in the vegetable market as a public spectacle.
At the moment Master Taozhi's head fell to the ground, the city's residents erupted in jubilation, shouting with delight, wishing they could reattach the scoundrel's head just to behead him once again.
However, according to the ghost Chai Cuiqiao, Master Taozhi was not human but instead, a kind of simian demon known as a Mountain Demon.
On the day of the execution, he combined Bone Shrinking Technique with Illusion Technique to feign the fall of his head, deceiving both the executioner and the onlooking crowd, thereby escaping certain death.
And each year in July, he would return to Solitary Cold Temple to retrieve the aged wine buried deep in the cellar and feast with various demons.
Although Chai Cuiqiao had become an Earthbounded Fierce Ghost and their abilities seemed quite similar, the Mountain Demon had a stature as towering as a giant, a human face but long arms, and was infused with such intense malevolence and Evil Qi that normal ghosts who approached him would melt away like snow under the spring sun, let alone seek revenge.
In previous years when Master Taozhi returned to Solitary Cold Temple, Chai Cuiqiao could only hide beneath the temple's foundations, concealing her presence even as her soul nearly eroded from the surging hatred and wrath within her.
Thus, upon discovering that Li Ang and his unusual companions possessed extraordinary skills, she immediately decided to employ whatever means necessary to have them help her kill her nemesis, the Mountain Demon.
Whether through intimidation or enticement.
"That Mountain Demon possesses several Magic Artifacts and Buddhist relics," Chai Cuiqiao said in a grave tone. "One is a Purple-gold Kasaya, impervious to water, fire, swords, and spears. Another is a Purple Gold Bowl, capable of absorbing the moon's essence and refining it into droplets of Spiritual Energy. And then there's the Vajra Devil Subduing Pestle, which nothing can penetrate when swung, easily splitting tablets and crushing rocks.
"Among these, the Purple Gold Bowl is the most precious. Ordinary Cultivators endure the hardships of drinking dew and eating the wind on mountain tops for months to gather a hint of Spiritual Energy, yet with the Purple Gold Bowl, the speed of cultivation would increase by more than just a few times.
"If great demons were not so rare in the world, and if that Mountain Demon were not somewhat formidable in combat, he would likely have been killed long ago for the treasures he possesses.
"If you are willing to work with this lady to eliminate this fiend, all three Magic Artifacts from his body are yours for the taking, and after the deed is done, I'll bestow upon you a tremendous reward..."
As for the content of the reward, Chai Cuiqiao did not specify, her lips merely curled into a cryptic smile.
Heh heh, Li Ang cracked a grin. Sure, I'll trust you as far as I can throw you.
"This matter is of great importance, and I can't make this decision alone. If Miss Chai doesn't mind, I'd like to discuss it with my friends first."
Chai Cuiqiao, holding a Molotov cocktail, nodded with a smile as Li Ang pulled Xing Hechou and the others beneath the temple's signboard to discuss in hushed tones.
Li Ang furrowed his brow and asked, "Alright, what does everyone think?"
"I don't have much of an opinion," Wanli Fengdao replied with a twist of his mouth, his voice grave. "I've always believed in the separation of human and ghost realms. Those eaten by a Tiger are bound to become ghosts that linger around it, helping the Tiger lure living people.
"Bound by the System to Solitary Cold Temple, we have no way to collect evidence from the outside world to confirm every word this ghost has said.
"What if she's an underling of that Mountain Demon?
"What if she's tricking us into not killing her, patiently waiting in the temple for the Mountain Demon to come and finish us off?"
Wanli Fengdao, though born in the nineties, already looked like a greasy man in his forties. He had once possessed a fervent heart and passionate spirit, but his many past experiences of being taken advantage of for his kindness had made him distrustful and less inherently optimistic about human nature.
If he couldn't discern the authenticity of others' suffering, he thought it best to harden his heart and become cold and indifferent.
"Speaking strictly from a benefit standpoint, I'm more inclined to just do away with her." Wanli Fengdao glanced at his silent teammates and stated bluntly, "Just now, she was thinking about killing us. Now that we've uncovered her bones and hold her life in our hands, should we really take her word for it?"
Xing Hechou seemed hesitant. Liu Wu Dai remained silent. Wanli Fengdao took a deep breath, looking at the young monk Hui Bin, trying to find an ally. "Master Hui Bin, you heard earlier. The reason that female ghost perished was because of the monks' wrongdoing.
"What if she's developed a monk PTSD after death? What if she tries every possible way to kill you during these seven days?"
Hui Bin's expression revealed bitterness as he chanted 'Amitabha,' unsure whether it was due to the imminent threat to his life or the tarnishing of the Buddha Sect's honor.
"Miss Liu? Brother Xing? If we hesitate any longer, who knows what other strange occurrences might ensue—the night is long and filled with nightmares," Wanli Fengdao urged.
Xing Hechou's gaze sharpened, as if he had made up his mind. "We shall pretend to cooperate with her for now, just to get through these few days. By the seventh day, whether the Mountain Demon comes or not, we'll be fully prepared for any possible situations. Xiao Li, what are your thoughts?"
"Me?" Li Ang chuckled lightly, licking his lips, and whispered, "My thoughts are the same as Brother Xing.
"Scenario one: If we hadn't found the ledger, hadn't deduced that a lecherous Monk once hid in Solitary Cold Temple, hadn't uncovered the secret behind the temple's decline, and hadn't unearthed Chai Cuiqiao's skeletal remains. In that case, it's very likely both sides would have grown increasingly irate, fighting to the death. We would never have communicated with Chai Cuiqiao. Our main task during these seven days would then be to survive her relentless attempts on our lives.
"Scenario two: We find the ledger, unravel the mystery of the temple's decline, and unearth Chai Cuiqiao's remains, but refuse to cooperate with her. Then, we'd still go to war. While we'd likely have the upper hand and could eliminate her, we'd probably suffer some casualties.
"Scenario three: We pretend to cooperate with Chai Cuiqiao, buying ourselves at most six or seven days of safety. During this time, we can gather more clues within Solitary Cold Temple and plan our countermeasures. If the Mountain Demon does arrive on the seventh day, we can adjust our strategy based on its strength—either betray Chai Cuiqiao or team up with her to kill the Mountain Demon."
While smiling and waving at Chai Cuiqiao in the distance, Li Ang weighed the pros and cons in an exceedingly calm and detached manner, saying to his teammates, "Considering most scenarios, I still suggest we cooperate with Chai Cuiqiao temporarily, although it's best if we keep her bones in our possession."
The minority submits to the majority. After agreeing on the collective action plan, everyone returned to Chai Cuiqiao to negotiate. They were willing to work with the ghost, provided that her skeletal remains must be supervised by the mission team.
To their surprise, the female ghost did not express strong dissatisfaction over the possession of the remains but instead proposed an additional condition to the mission team.
"Seven days from now is when the Mountain Demon invites demons to the feast. During these seven days, all kinds of minor demons will gather in Solitary Cold Temple. You otherworldly beings need only pretend to have accepted the invitation to blend in. However, among the guests, there are those capable of seeing my ghostly form."
Chai Cuiqiao's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. Lowering her head, face beet red, she said to Li Ang, "To avoid detection, I hope to hide inside your body, Master Li."
Probably, this was not only to conceal her identity but also to control the mission team, given Li Ang was the weakest of them all.
Xing Hechou furrowed his brows, about to refuse when he heard Li Ang's strange chuckle. Stepping forward, Li Ang crouched in front of Chai Cuiqiao and struck a posture reminiscent of Zhu Bajie carrying his wife. "By all means."
Almost as he crouched, and unseen by the others, a brilliant light burst forth from the Cat's Eye in Li Ang's gaze.
Chai Cuiqiao became frozen in place, her eyes vacant and her expression rigid and blank. To the others, she appeared to be contemplating how to infiltrate Li Ang's body.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Li Ang, still maintaining his crouched position, silently adjusted the output power of the Cat's Eye. After his battle with the Black Zombie, his proficiency in the Illusion Technique had improved significantly, to the point where he was confident he could control even a Fierce Ghost like Chai Cuiqiao.
He was willing to let her merge with him, but he had to have countermeasures.
Li Ang quietly dispelled the illusion. The female ghost, suddenly oblivious to her three-second complete trance, nodded. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground, unmoving, but her upper body stretched like melted playdough, slowly enveloping Li Ang's back.
Eventually, that pallid and sorrowful face merged with his.
Both faces blended together, interfering with each other. Ears grew out of Li Ang's eyes. Fingers sprouted from his nostrils. From between his teeth, clumps of hair emerged. And from his stomach, a cat's stark white leg stretched out.
The scene was so bizarre, the situation so horrifying, that it made Xing Hechou and the others involuntarily shudder.
After a long moment, the fusion of man and ghost was successful, and those strange appendages gradually receded.
"How do you feel?" Xing Hechou asked with concern. "Are you experiencing any discomfort?"
Li Ang was silent for a long moment, then stretched out his hand to press down Chai Cuiqiao's protruding nose on his cheek. He grinned, gave a thumbs-up, and said, "This feeling... it's a chill that goes right through you, and makes your spirit soar!"