Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 19 Gambler
The old gambler from the Song family hadn't been home for days and nights, but he just happened to come back at this time!
His face was swollen and purplish-red with fleshy folds, his eyes were cloudy and bloodshot, his hair was greasy and matted, and his tattered cotton-padded jacket was open, revealing his filthy chest.

He had clearly just come out of a gambling den or tavern after drinking his fill of drugs.

Through his drunken haze, he immediately saw his wife lying unconscious on the ground, and then two unfamiliar figures inside the house.

This scene instantly ignited his already chaotic and violent rage.

"Fuck your grandma! Where did this quack Taoist priest and pretty boy come from!"
"How dare you trespass on my property! And touch my wife?!"

Immediately, he grabbed a thick wooden stick used to prop the door shut and rushed forward with a strange cry!

"You old bastard! How dare you humiliate my wife!"

Pay up! If you don't pay up, I'm not done with you!

"Song Laosan! Are you crazy! That's a Taoist priest! He's here to exorcise evil spirits from your house!"

At that moment, the neighbors all rushed over.
"Drive your mother's evil spirits away!"

Old Man Song was like a mad tiger, completely ignoring the warnings. His eyes were red, and he held the stick but didn't dare to actually hit anyone, so he simply threw the stick away.

It pounced directly at him, its bear paws, covered in mud and grease, gripping the front of Xuanjizi's tattered Taoist robe tightly, tearing and shoving it wildly, while spewing foul language.

"Bullshit Taoist priests! I think you're all just womanizers!"

You think you can just take advantage of my wife for free? No way! Pay up!
"If you don't pay me back, I'll sue you in court! I'll accuse you of rape and robbery! I'll make sure you regret it! Hand over the money now!"

As he tore at the bag, he reached into Xuanjizi's arms and groped around, trying to snatch the money pouch.

Several men wanted to step forward to break up the fight, but they were afraid of being haunted by ghosts, so they dared not come in. They could only anxiously stamp their feet at the door: "Song Laosan! Stop it! Don't disturb the Taoist priest's ritual!"

"Get out of my way! Mind your own business! I'm going to make this old swindler pay me back today!"

Song Laosan clung to Xuanjizi relentlessly. The old Taoist priest tried to explain the situation, but Song Laosan wouldn't listen and kept muttering about losing money!

The other party did not have the ability to see ghosts, so they could not see the suppressed ghost infant in the corner.

This caused the scene to immediately descend into chaos.

At this moment, the talisman that was tightly binding the ghost infant exhausted its power, and the cinnabar runes on it suddenly dimmed!
"puff!"

With a soft sound, the talisman ignited without fire!

It instantly transformed into a small, dazzling crimson flame, which then extinguished, leaving only a few drifting black ashes!
The ghost infant, now free from the talisman's suppression, instantly turned into black mist and vanished in a flash from the corner!

Although the group could not see the ghost, the sudden burst of flames from the talisman startled them!
"A ghost...a ghost!!!"

"Oh my God!!!"

The woman who was crowding at the doorway let out a heart-wrenching, ear-piercing scream!
Song Laosan, who lived nearby, was the first to be hit!
"Uh!"

All of Song Laosan's arrogance and greedy thoughts were instantly crushed!
His hand, which was gripping Xuanjizi's collar, suddenly froze, and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets!

Xuanji Zi's expression changed drastically!
The ghost baby has escaped. If it is allowed to devour people and grow stronger, or escape and go into hiding, the consequences will be endless!

"Don't leave, evil creature!"

With a sharp shout, the old Taoist broke free from Song Laosan's already powerless hand, and his withered body burst forth with astonishing speed as he chased after the ghost infant!
"Wait...wait!"

Although Song Laosan was terrified, the desire for money seemed to be ingrained in his bones. Seeing the old Taoist priest about to leave, the remnants of greed made him subconsciously reach out to grab Xuanjizi's sleeve again. His voice was distorted with fear, but it still carried a rogue's stubbornness.

"You haven't paid your debts yet...you can't leave...ah!"

"You scoundrel!" Xuanji Zi was so angry at his shamelessness that his hair stood on end, and he stomped his foot!

"boom!"

A dull thud!

Qi Yun raised his right foot like lightning, bringing a sharp gust of wind, and kicked Song Laosan hard in the thick, mud-covered chest!

Song Laosan's massive body was like a tattered sack, kicked half a foot off the ground by the immense force contained in that kick, and he flew backward through the air!

It crashed heavily into the earthen wall behind it! A cloud of dust fell from the earthen wall.

He coughed up a mouthful of filth mixed with the smell of alcohol, collapsed to the ground, his chest aching terribly, his vision going black, and could only groan and gasp in pain, unable to utter another word.

Qi Yun slowly withdrew his foot, his eyes as cold as knives, sweeping over Song Laosan, who was lying on the ground like mud, and then over the few terrified neighbors at the door who were trembling like quails.

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly drowned out the sobs and groans inside the room.

"Look carefully! My master, Daoist Xuanjizi, is a highly accomplished Daoist who has received ordination and is a distinguished guest of the county magistrate in the city!"
Today, out of compassion, I have eliminated demons and protected the righteous path for you, without taking a single penny!

You vile scoundrel, if you dare utter another word of slander, I'll drag you to the authorities right now!
Let the county magistrate's rod teach you a lesson about 'false accusation resulting in punishment'!

Let's see if your bones are harder, or that fiery and watery stick!

The four words "false accusation and punishment" were like a cold iron awl, piercing deeply into Song Laosan's muddled mind.

He struggled to say something, but was choked by the excruciating pain in his chest and extreme fear, and could only gasp for breath, his eyes filled with dread as he looked at Qi Yun.

Qi Yun's kick made him realize that this pretty boy was no pushover!

Qi Yun did what the old Taoist priest was unwilling to do.

The old Taoist nodded to Qi Yun in approval, then glared at Song Laosan, who was slumped on the ground with snot and tears streaming down his face. His eyes were filled with heartache, anger, and a deep sense of powerlessness.

Then he said urgently to Qi Yun:
"This place is your responsibility to clean up! Return to the inn as soon as you're done!"

Before he could finish speaking, the old Taoist's gaunt figure moved like a gray lightning bolt, following the direction the ghost infant had fled, smashing open the crooked back door, and without hesitation plunged into the icy, biting night and the impenetrable darkness outside.

There was a moment of deathly silence inside the dilapidated house.

All eyes were instinctively drawn to Qi Yun, the only person standing in the room with a cold expression.

Qi Yun stopped looking at them and instead focused his gaze on the unconscious Song Shi on the ground, his brows furrowing slightly.

He bent down and checked her breath and pulse, confirming that she had only been knocked unconscious and was out of danger. He silently took off his half-worn blue Taoist robe—which Xuanjizi had temporarily given him—and carefully covered Song's thin and tattered body with it.

After doing all this, he straightened up, gave Song Laosan, who was slumped in the corner like a dead dog, one last cold glance, and without lingering, turned and strode out of the filthy, dilapidated house.

They returned to the courtyard where the ritual was performed and put away all the tools.

He thought to himself, "What a mess! Not only did I not earn a single penny, but I also lost money on incense and candles, and I almost got scammed!"
What a hell! "

(End of this chapter)