Volume One: The Journey of the Useless Prodigy – Fiery Demon-Slaying Chapter Six: Forming a Pact with the Tiger, The Taoist Descends the Mountain

The old man appeared not far away, hands clasped behind his back, drifting leisurely atop the treetops, walking on air. He stopped near Chen San and sat cross-legged on the crown of a tree.

“Your summoning technique has succeeded. The moment you sensed me, our spirits became linked. But now you’re just a soul—where do you intend to invite my spirit? Without a body, you can’t bear my spirit.”

Chen San was taken aback and complained, “Old man, you left me here without a word. You could’ve told me!”

“Can’t blame me. Even if I had told you, you’d probably not have understood. If I explained, it would only confuse you.”

“You never told me! How do you know I’d be confused?”

“No need to be so stubborn. Don’t you know your own limitations? I left you here to test your ability to summon in times of peril. The spirit tiger and ghost spirit were only probing you, not intending harm. I wanted you to understand what kind of circumstances and requirements are necessary for casting spells.”

Seeing the old man descend, Chen San plucked up his courage and jumped from the treetop, landing face-to-face with the spirit tiger.

It was truly huge. Chen San was already tall, but the tiger matched him in height, its massive head and paws making his scalp tingle.

The old man continued, “From now on, the spirit tiger will follow you. Once your soul returns to your body, it will guard the area around your village.”

Chen San was startled. “It’ll follow me? For what?”

The old man taunted, “Is your mind really so small? Of course it’ll protect you. Did you think I was marrying it to you? Besides, haven’t you noticed the spirit tiger can see you? You’re a disembodied soul now, and yet it can see you. What do you think that means?”

He gestured with his hands as he spoke; the spirit tiger let out a disdainful roar, frightening Chen San into jumping behind the old man.

Chen San pondered, only half understanding, and nodded vaguely. The old man, seeing his confusion, didn’t bother to explain further, thinking Chen San would understand in time.

“Who is she, then?” he asked.

“She was once a resident of your town, killed by bandits a century ago in these very woods. Her soul, filled with grievance, never reincarnated. By chance, she absorbed the power of the sun, moon, and stars from my formation for over ten years, transforming into a ghost spirit. She has lived with me in seclusion here and will accompany you down the mountain as your guardian.”

“Oh my, old man, you’re not so lonely up here after all... Wait, ‘guardian’? What do you mean by that? Will she watch me eat, drink, and relieve myself? No, that won’t do. Old man, don’t joke.”

At his words, the beautiful ghost below the tree flared with spiritual energy, her ethereal hair billowing wildly to cover Chen San’s eyes, her deep, cold gaze fixing on him so intensely that he dared not meet it.

“She has her reasons for following you, but you needn’t worry. Once your soul returns to your body, you won’t see her. Just pretend she doesn’t exist. Now, come meet the spirit tiger, so you don’t get bitten in the future.”

Chen San looked incredulously at the old man, then at the spirit tiger. The snow-white tiger was indeed awe-inspiring—its silvery stripes radiated a mysterious aura, and its massive paws were strong and powerful. Unlike ordinary tigers, the usual “king” character was absent from its forehead; instead, flame-like silver markings were engraved there. Its mighty roar proclaimed its dominance.

The old man formed a seal with his hands, placing his palm on the tiger’s head. “Put your hand here,” he instructed Chen San.

After he withdrew his hand, Chen San, though a little frightened, did as told. Instantly, he felt a part of his soul drawn into the fiery silver stripes. Startled, he quickly withdrew his hand.

“The white tiger is a spirit beast. You’ve now formed a bond with it. Hereafter, what you think, the tiger can sense; if you wish it to appear, even from a thousand miles away, it will answer your call through your spirit.”

“Remember, though the white tiger is fierce, it’s not adept at dealing with ghosts or demons. Against tangible threats, its strength is unmatched—it can shatter stone and break mountains. In a crisis, it will help you out of danger.”

Though a bit shaken by the soul-binding process, the old man’s words eased Chen San’s mind.

“Old man, why are you doing all this? I’ve never encountered any demons or evil spirits, and I don’t have much use for your summoning technique.”

The old man chuckled. “Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed. Just because something hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it won’t—it’s only a matter of time. As for what will happen, you’ll experience it yourself. Knowing in advance won’t help you.”

“What about the ghost spirit? Do I need to make a contract with her too?”

The old man shook his head. “No need. She’s following you of her own accord—no contract necessary. If you want to know why, ask her yourself.”

With that, he turned and walked toward the bamboo hut on the mountain. The white tiger and ghost spirit didn’t follow but gradually disappeared into the forest.

Chen San trailed after the old man, grumbling, “That old geezer never answers anything, always so mysterious. Who knows what he’s up to.”

Before he could finish muttering, the old man turned and knocked him on the head, making Chen San wince and rub his scalp. The old man continued up the mountain, and Chen San, now subdued, followed with a look of grievance.

Elsewhere, Daoist Wang traversed the dense forest, calculating as he walked. In over twenty hours, he’d found three feng shui points, but aside from wild animals, he hadn’t seen a trace of ghosts, let alone any master.

Only the final Li Tiger position remained. This site was more special than the others—the most spiritually charged feng shui spot, and also the farthest, deep in the northern woods.

When he first climbed the mountain, Wang suspected the master would be at this position. But then he thought, if even he could guess it, the master wouldn’t be there. Moreover, it was at the mountain’s deepest point, so he searched in order of proximity.

Yet the first three sites yielded nothing, and Wang’s hopes were fading. He’d never met the mysterious master before.

His food and water were nearly gone. If he couldn’t find the Li Tiger position, he’d have to return and seek his master at Mount Mao to save the villagers—a two-day detour that left him regretful.

Even as he considered his next move, he pressed on, following his compass and adjusting his path as he calculated.

Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain, Chen Family Town was swathed in thick, sun-blocking mist. Overnight, nearly all livestock had died without a sound.

The townspeople were terrified. Those who’d never believed Wang’s warnings were the first to pack up and flee with their families. The rest shut themselves indoors, but to no avail.

Even those who left died quietly in their sleep, and among those who stayed, old and young alike perished in their dreams.

Within two days, only a few dozen of the hundreds in Chen Family Town remained alive. Chen Xin and Aunt Nian kept constant vigil over Chen San—aside from fetching water or using the latrine, they never left the house.

They subsisted on dried provisions, and by the dim lamplight at night, Chen Xin wept as she changed Chen San’s handkerchief. Only then did she take a good look at his face.

Though they often met on the street, Chen San had always teased her, sometimes even daring to slap her backside, making her blush and flee home. As they grew up, she’d never really looked at him closely.

Despite his roguish appearance, Chen San was tall and handsome, his features upright and dignified.

Wiping her tears, Chen Xin said to Aunt Nian, “Mother, you haven’t slept in almost five days. You’ll collapse. Let me watch over Chen San—you rest. If I can’t go on, I’ll call you.”

Aunt Nian nodded weakly. “All right. Though your father is gone, we must go on living. Chen San became like this carrying your father’s coffin—his parents are long dead. We must look after him.” With that, she sat down, pillowed her head on her knees, and fell asleep.

Chen Xin covered her with a coat and, afraid she’d doze off, stood up to continue tending to Chen San.

Back in the bamboo hut, Chen San’s soul had been separated for two days. Including the trip down the mountain and the merging process, time was running short.

He was anxious. The old man sat down inside, while the little monkey hopped in through the window, bouncing onto the table. The old man poured tea, and the monkey chittered at Chen San.

Unable to keep his worries to himself, Chen San blurted, “Old man, since I’ve learned the summoning technique, isn’t it time to go back? If we wait any longer, I’m afraid I’ll really die.”

The old man sipped his tea with a smile. “Why so impatient, young man? Life and death are fated; wealth and honor are heaven’s affair. Your time is not up—you won’t die yet. We have to wait for someone. If he doesn’t arrive, you may survive, but he might die in these woods.”

“Who are we waiting for?”

“Likely a Daoist. When I cast your fortune, I also looked into your town’s fate. The result was slightly better than yours—nine deaths and one life, fate hanging by a thread, but there’s still hope.”

“That’s enough to know he’s a Daoist? You’re even more slippery than me!”

“Believe it or not, we’ll see. If there’s a turning point, it must be caused by someone who understands yin and yang—most likely a Daoist. He may not be able to resolve this either, otherwise the signs wouldn’t be so dire. But this matter will not go unassisted.”

Hmph, if no one comes, let’s see how you explain yourself, Chen San thought.

“This forest is a coiled dragon and crouching tiger—anyone versed in feng shui would know its nuances. If he’s skilled in geomancy and divination, he stands a chance of finding this place. Whether he succeeds depends on his fate.”

The old man took another sip of tea.

Chen San, surprised, asked, “If you know he’s looking for you, why not just meet him, instead of wasting time?”

“It’s because of you! Your town is no longer peaceful. The days of tranquility are over. Some ancient seals are loosening.”

“Ancient beings?”

“The most formidable demons! Haven’t you already died once? If I don’t teach you some means of survival, there’ll be many more hurdles you can’t cross. Your parents entrusted you to me—if you died young and joined them, how could I face them?”

Chen San’s face twitched. So the old man’s intentions were good.

“Besides, teaching you takes time. If you weren’t a soul, it would take twenty years at least for you to master union of spirit and soul. I’m not unwilling to find him; I just can’t leave.”

Just as Chen San was about to reply, a weak shout came from outside.

“Is anyone here? I am Wang, a humble Daoist from Creek Mountain Village. Chen Family Town has suffered calamity—evil spirits are at work. Two have died since I entered the mountain, one is half dead, and things grow worse. I know but little, only some geomancy and divination, and not the arts of yin and yang. If there is a master here, please come with me to save the townsfolk, or disaster will befall many.”

Chen San was jolted with excitement, looking at the old man. “You really are something! That’s the Daoist our village invited for the ritual. He really came looking for you. Hurry, let’s go see!”

“No rush. He can’t see you. I’ll go dispel the formation and invite him in, let him rest and explain the situation. Then we’ll prepare to descend the mountain.”

The old man spoke as he walked out the bamboo door, while Chen San made faces at the monkey.

Soon, the old man returned with Daoist Wang. He invited the Daoist to sit and poured him tea.

“Master, you’ve worked hard for the people of Chen Family Town—your merit is immeasurable. I am ashamed to say, for selfish reasons, I made you search these woods. It was wrong of me.”

Daoist Wang, surprised, asked, “Why do you say that?”

The old man shook his head. “A few days ago, I observed the stars and knew disaster would befall Chen Family Town. A child of an old friend is involved, so to protect him, I drew his soul here. To fulfill my promise, I spent the past two days teaching him ways to preserve his life, which delayed my descent.”

Wang was stunned. “Whose soul did you seize?”

“A boy named Chen San.”

“Chen San? He was unconscious when I left—so it was you. No wonder he was cold but breathing steadily.”

The old man nodded. “What is the situation in Chen Family Town?”

“When I left, two people had died—one collapsed in the night, another never woke in the morning. Many animals also died, but my skills are meager, and I can’t determine the cause.”

“Don’t blame yourself. Everyone has their fate—it’s beyond our power. The town’s misfortune was sown centuries ago; it’s not something we can easily resolve.”

“Centuries ago?”

The old man sighed. “That’s also why I taught Chen San these techniques. This isn’t something I can resolve by going down the mountain. I can buy some time, but not forever. We’ll see the full extent when we arrive.”

“Then let’s hurry. I fear for the town if we delay.”

The old man nodded and instructed Chen San, “You’re a spirit now. The forest’s formations protect you from the sun, but there are none on the road below. You must return to the gourd so I can carry you down.”

Chen San agreed.

Wang asked in surprise, “Is Chen San here now?”

The old man nodded. “He’s got some aptitude and has just learned these survival techniques.”

He walked to the bamboo window, took down a gourd, replaced the talisman with a new black and purple one, then formed hand seals and chanted. Chen San was drawn into the gourd.

The monkey handed the old man the lid, which he secured before tying the gourd to his belt. He took a bundle by the bed, a peachwood sword, donned a white robe, and descended the mountain with Daoist Wang.

At that moment, Chen Family Town was in dire peril. The mist continued to spread, and more people died each day.