"The human spirit loves clarity, yet the mind disturbs it. The human heart seeks stillness, yet desires pull it astray."
Inside a modest mortuary hall, three-year-old Lucas Lu sat on the doorstep, reciting Daoist scriptures alongside Uncle Jiu.
Over the past few years, Uncle Jiu had taken meticulous care of him. When Lucas was still toothless, he had gone out of his way to find a wet nurse, sometimes even begging for goat's milk just to keep him fed.
Little by little, Lucas grew.
Though only three years old, he already showed remarkable independence. He could dress himself in the morning, spoke earlier than most children, and rarely cried or fussed. This made Uncle Jiu especially fond of him.
After all, Uncle Jiu had never raised a child before. He assumed that with proper care, any child would be this easy.
After their morning recitation, training began.
In the courtyard, one large figure and one small figure stood before wooden stakes, holding a horse stance.
The smaller one, Lucas, had a look of determination on his face. Sweat soaked through his clothes, yet he showed no sign of giving up.
"Daoist Wu! Daoist Wu, are you here?"
A voice called from outside the courtyard. It was meant for the priest stationed here, a fellow disciple of Uncle Jiu.
With a creak, the door opened. When the visitor saw Uncle Jiu, he paused in surprise.
"Excuse me, Daoist… is Daoist Wu here? Something urgent has happened in our village."
"My junior brother has gone to Guangxi and won't be back for a few days. I'm looking after this place for now. What's happened in your village?"
The man's face fell at first, but he quickly realized something.
If Daoist Wu was this man's junior, then this Daoist must be even more capable.
"May I ask your name, Daoist?"
"I am Lin Jiu of Maoshan."
"Daoist Lin, recently many of our livestock have been dying mysteriously. At first we thought wild animals from the mountains were responsible, but after several nights of strict watch, we found nothing. We truly don't know what to do anymore."
Uncle Jiu thought for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand. Go back first. I'll prepare some things and head over shortly."
The man's face lit up with relief.
"Thank you, Daoist Lin! If you can resolve this, our entire village will repay you. Whatever you ask, we will not refuse."
Uncle Jiu waved his hand lightly.
"There's no need for that. It is the duty of Maoshan to eliminate evil and protect the innocent. Rest easy."
The villager left, full of hope.
Back inside, Uncle Jiu began preparing talismans. He selected several corpse-suppressing talismans, a few spirit fire talismans, and an old peachwood sword.
Then he called out to the courtyard.
"Lucas, get ready. Tonight, I'll take you to capture a jiangshi."
"Yes, Master."
The child's voice was soft but steady.
Lucas fetched a bucket of water and quickly washed up, then returned to his room to gather his own "equipment."
He, too, had a peachwood sword, though much smaller than a normal one, barely forty centimeters long.
Seeing the seriousness on his tiny face, Uncle Jiu couldn't help but chuckle.
"Every time I see you acting like a little adult, I can't help but laugh. There's no need to be so tense. This is likely just a white jiangshi, nothing serious."
Lucas smiled as well. He realized he had been acting a bit too mature for his age and made a mental note to tone it down.
"Master, how can you tell it's a white jiangshi?"
Uncle Jiu gently patted his head.
"It only targets livestock. And despite so many villagers keeping watch at night, no one has encountered it. That means it fears living humans. That's a typical trait of a white jiangshi. A simple talisman will suppress it easily."
Lucas nodded thoughtfully.
Soon, master and disciple set out, each carrying a peachwood sword.
When they arrived, the villagers hurried over to greet them.
"Daoist Lin, the livestock that died are piled in a pit behind the village. Since we don't know what killed them, no one dared to eat the meat."
Uncle Jiu nodded.
"You did the right thing. Take me to see them."
Led by a villager, they reached the pit.
Standing beside it, Uncle Jiu used a wooden stick to turn over the carcasses one by one. Each had two puncture wounds.
He nodded slightly.
"This was done by a jiangshi. You were wise not to eat the meat. There's no need to panic. It's still weak. After feeding on these animals, it may have grown slightly stronger, but as long as you don't wander alone tonight, you'll be safe."
Judging by the number and size of the animals, Uncle Jiu estimated that if the creature had decent potential, it might be close to becoming a half-step black jiangshi. But since it hadn't tasted human blood yet, it was still manageable.
The villagers let out a collective sigh of relief.
They had seen such things before. The Daoist stationed here had once easily slain a ragged jiangshi that had wandered in from elsewhere.
Under Uncle Jiu's instructions, every household shut their doors, waiting for nightfall.
The sun dipped low, casting golden-red light across the land, illuminating the faces of master and disciple.
They hid near a livestock pen deliberately left as bait.
Time passed.
Darkness fell, and the moon rose faintly overhead, its light dim and hazy.
They remained perfectly still in the shadows.
Gradually, the moon drifted across the sky.
Uncle Jiu glanced at Lucas, who remained focused without the slightest slackening. Satisfaction filled his heart.
Then, faintly, a sound echoed in the distance.
A rhythmic hopping.
It grew louder as it approached.
Lucas tugged gently at Uncle Jiu's sleeve, signaling toward a small grove to the south.
Uncle Jiu looked carefully.
The jiangshi had appeared.
Neither of them made a sound, waiting patiently.
The creature wore tattered Qing Dynasty official robes. Its hat was broken, and dried blood stained its mouth.
Inside nearby houses, villagers stayed awake, peering through cracks in their windows.
As the jiangshi approached the pen, the livestock began to stir uneasily, sensing danger.
Those who caught sight of its horrifying face covered their mouths, afraid to make a sound.
Closer and closer it came.
Less than ten meters.
Uncle Jiu quietly took out a corpse-suppressing talisman.
When the jiangshi was within five meters of their hiding place, he struck.
He leapt out with incredible speed, Lucas following right behind.
Uncle Jiu's footwork was swift and precise. The jiangshi couldn't fight back at all and turned to flee.
But Uncle Jiu gave it no chance.
He slapped the talisman onto his peachwood sword and thrust forward, pinning it directly into the creature's lower back.
The jiangshi froze instantly.
Another talisman was placed on its forehead, sealing it completely.
Uncle Jiu withdrew his sword.
From inside their homes, the villagers erupted in quiet excitement.
After confirming that all the livestock bore identical wounds, Uncle Jiu concluded there were no other jiangshi.
"Daoist Lin, is it over?" someone called nervously.
"It's over. There was only this one."
The villagers poured out, many of them having stayed awake just to witness this moment.
"Daoist Lin, what will you do with it?" an elderly man asked.
"This jiangshi has already consumed blood. It cannot be left alive. I will cremate it here."
The villagers nodded in agreement. Many had suffered losses. Destroying it was the best outcome.
Uncle Jiu took out a spirit fire talisman. With a slight surge of mana, its edge ignited.
He tossed it forward.
The moment it touched the jiangshi, flames erupted violently.
Within moments, the creature was reduced to ash.