Chapter 57: Battling the Ghost (2 / 2)

Back to the main story — I asked the vendor how much for the painting. Without even lifting her eyes, she replied, "Fifteen thousand."

"What?!" I stared at her in shock. This was the wholesale market on Beier Road, not some antique shop on Zhongjie Street. Asking for 15,000? Was she insane?

"You heard me — fifteen thousand. This is the store's treasure piece. I wasn't planning on selling it. But if you really want it, then fifteen thousand and it's yours." The vendor said, walking out the door.

"Can't you give me a discount?" I asked helplessly.

"How much were you thinking?" she replied, seemingly more interested now.

I decided to be honest. "I only have a thousand yuan. Sell it to me."

"Deal," she said without hesitation.

I stood there stunned. Zhao Na gave me a look like I was an idiot. I glanced behind the vendor and noticed several identical scrolls piled like garbage in the corner of the store.

I'd been played — no doubt about it. But it was too late to back out now, so I pretended not to notice and swallowed the embarrassment.

We wandered around a bit longer to gather items for the ritual. Zhao Na tried to speak to me a few times, but I silenced her each time. Though she looked heartbroken, I had my reasons. It wasn't just about our breakup — honestly, I didn't care that much. The real issue was that the Muffled Ghost had already locked onto her.

Who knew where it might be hiding, listening? One careless slip, and everything would fall apart.

Once we returned to Zhao Na's home, I got to work immediately.

First, I hung the portrait of Lord Guan in the center of the living room. Then, I set up the incense burner and offerings: incense, flowers, tea, oil lamps, and fruits — all standard Taoist offerings. I also placed a jug of wine in front of the altar, bowed three times, and began the ritual.

In the living room, I set up a ritual altar and lit a perpetual lamp. Around the altar, I planted five Guardian Flags of the Five Directions — blue (east), red (south), yellow (center), white (west), and black (north). These flags serve as a protective formation in Taoist rituals. (You may recall a similar setup in the first episode of Romance of the Three Kingdoms during the Yellow Turban Rebellion.)

After everything was ready, I bathed and changed into a Taoist robe. Using copper coins, I laid out a Bagua Formation on the floor. Also known as the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams, this ancient formation is said to be created by Zhuge Liang himself. Nine represents the ultimate number — derived from six lines and the multiplication of three by three, symbolizing infinite transformation according to the Book of Changes.

Once all preparations were complete, I turned to Zhao Na and said solemnly,"Do exactly as I say. If you can hold out until dawn, you'll be safe."

Honestly, I had no choice but to face the Muffled Ghost head-on tonight. Fighting ghosts isn't like fighting people — lose to a human, and you end up in the hospital; lose to a ghost, and you're dead. My goal tonight was to send the Muffled Ghost into the afterlife. If I failed, we would be the ones buried.

Zhao Na nodded firmly.

I sighed and warned her,"Whatever happens, do not step out of the Bagua Formation. As long as you stay inside, it won't find you. I need to head out for a bit to finish setting things up. You stay right here."

"Don't leave me, Dabao! I'm scared!" she cried.

"I'm sorry," I said. "But if you want to survive, you have to listen to me. I'll protect you tonight."

I placed the Seven-Star Sword and the Kirin Wind Bell on the ritual table, then went outside. Using red thread and copper coins, I laid a 'Fishing Net Formation' around the perimeter of the apartment building. It sounds simple, but in practice, it was exhausting. By the time I finished, it was already deep into the night.

I exhaled heavily. My first official ghost battle — and I had to face a ghost that was neither yin nor yang. I felt uncertain.

That's why I invoked Lord Guan. For those who have tattoos, you might know — Lord Guan's Five Element attribute is "inauspicious." That means he exists outside of yin and yang — making him particularly effective against ghosts like this one.

On the way back, the autumn night was cold as water. Though the building was only a few dozen meters away, the road felt sinister and eerie. A chill ran through me, and I had a bad feeling. The wind whistled against my robe. I looked up — no stars, no moon.

My heart sank.

According to Mao Shan rituals and feng shui scriptures, this kind of sky is called "Heavenly Dog Devours the Moon." It's considered the most yin-heavy day of the year. On such a night, even the strongest yang magic loses its power.

But it was too late to retreat now. I forced myself to press on.

When I got back upstairs and opened the door, what I saw inside the Bagua Formation made me gasp in shock.