Envy

The child led him along, through the bustling crowd.Xia Houyao is always like a little monkey on weekdays, crawling around in the crowd, and walking slowly when leading him.Warm little hands have been holding a few of his fingers.

He was not familiar with the people in Yunqi Town, and he would not walk on the busy streets on weekdays.The tea stand is not far from his home, and he can walk to the tea stand after walking two straight alleys after leaving the house.

Passing under the East Bridge, an old man with a goat beard blocked their way.The old Taoist stroked his long beard, and said in a calm and vigorous voice, "Young master is very handsome, let me tell your fate?"

Yaoyao rolled his eyes at him, and quickly pulled Yan Zhaohan away: "Brother, we have met a liar, ignore him."

"You kid, talk nonsense." Goatee walked around to the kid, looked down at the upturned shofar braid tied with red string, and when his gaze fell on her face, he froze for a moment, pinching his fingers to make a fortune.His face became a little horrified: "This little girl will be terrible in the future."

"This little girl is Huaihe's fate, and she will become a disaster in the future."

Xia Houyao suddenly raised her head and stared at him, rushed over and slapped the old man with her hands and feet: "You are talking nonsense!"

Yan Zhaohan followed the sound, leaned over and grabbed Yaoyao, took her hand and said softly, "Let's go home."

They had just walked a few steps, and the sheep-bearded old man behind him sighed: "It's hard to stay together, staying together is a luxury, and we are often separated in this life."

Yan Zhaohan stopped in his tracks.Yaoyao turned her head, but the old Taoist behind her was nowhere to be seen.She was surprised and said, "Brother, can all Taoist priests fly? Why did he disappear with a 'swoosh'?"

He thought about the old Taoist's words, and his heart suddenly ached.

He only said vaguely, "Probably."

Away from the noisy streets, they turned into the alleys.The surroundings became quieter.Seeing a stone on the road ahead, Yaoyao let go of Yan Zhaohan's hand, ran over and kicked the stone aside.

Her palms were sweating, and she rubbed her hands on her clothes, and when Yan Zhaohan approached, she took his hand again, and said as if asking for credit: "There is a big stone on the road, I'm afraid I will trip Yan Zhaohan." Brother, just kick it aside."

Yan Zhao said with a smile, "Thank you Yaoyao."

Yaoyao even said no.She said, "Brother Yan, when I grow up, I will marry you and take care of you for the rest of my life."

There is still a little bit of sticky sugar water in the child's palm.She squeezed his hand tightly.

Yan Zhaohan bent the corner of his mouth gently: "Okay."

After hearing the promise, Xia Houyao was so happy that she even jumped up and down when she walked.

The summer wind in the evening stretches the branches and leaves of willows on the river bank.After a rustling sound, the sound of the bell gradually became clearer.The sound is not crisp, a little blunt.

Yan Zhaohan knew this kind of bell.It is carved from edge wood, covered with a layer of silver inside, and the stones inside are generally collected from the foot of Yunshan Mountain.Some cultivators carry this kind of bell with them and use it to attract souls.

The man came and stopped Yan Zhaohan: "My lord, your purse."

He handed over an old and rough kit.Yan Zhaohan rolled up his sleeves and realized that he really lost his money bag.

Yaoyao took the purse from the man's hand on tiptoe, and stuffed it back into her elder brother's hand.Yan Zhaohan said sincerely, "Thank you."

The man looked at his dull eyes, was startled, and then said "goodbye" with a flick of his sleeve.

The voice is very young, he should be seventeen or eighteen years old, and he walks very smartly.

……

There were very few people enjoying the shade at the door that night.Several families shouted, saying that they would go to West Street to watch Taoist priests eliminate spirits.He had dinner and had nothing to do, so he followed everyone to join in the fun.

Mr. Liu has been bewitched for nearly two months, his face is blue, his pupils are dim, unable to speak, sometimes he gets up in the middle of the night and goes crazy, and if he catches a servant, he will dig his heart out.The half-immortal king and the blind man in the town meant that Mr. Liu was hopeless, so the Liu family should be burned to the ground with all the evil spirits as soon as possible.

The Liu family even prepared the coffin, and bought tung oil a few days ago.The young master and his wife were brewing emotions, thinking about how to burn and cry heart-piercingly.At this moment, Song Jingran appeared.

Neighbors on the third floor and the third floor outside surrounded Liu's house tightly.Yan Zhaohan stood on the outermost side, separated some distance from the neighbors, and listened to their conversation.

Although outsiders described this Taoist priest as a god descending from heaven, after they saw the true face of this little Taoist priest, they found that he was just a young man dressed in clean clothes, with a childish look still on his face.But he does have some refined temperament, and there is a clean air between his brows.

Song Jingran drew a formation in the courtyard, spread black sand on the formation, and lit a fire.The smoke produced by the burning of the black sand had a faint blue light, and the smell was a bit pungent, and Yan Zhaohan could smell it at the door.

Someone exclaimed: "This little Taoist is really talented, it seems that he is not lying."

Mr. Liu sat on the chair in the formation, his hands and feet were bound.His face was ferocious, and his body kept struggling.The Liu family did not dare to approach, and stayed aside tremblingly.

Song Jingran chanted the mantra in a low voice, rang the bell, and the bell rang three times for a reincarnation.The dull bell seemed to have life, and every time it was shaken, there would be a sustained sound, and several sounds interlaced at the same time, and scattered like sand.

Master Liu seemed to be stimulated, roaring and howling like a beast, struggling with his bloated body, trying to break free from the chains, but he fell down with the chair and couldn't move anymore.

Repeated this many times, until the smoke and light from Xuansha dissipated, they did not see any ghosts coming out.There is only the night wind blowing from nowhere in the yard.

Mr. Liu had a chair tied to his back.He was exhausted and collapsed to the point of fainting.

Song Jingran wiped off his sweat and rang the bell a few more times, but it still didn't work.The onlookers held their breath and stared at him nervously.But when the moon was half covered by the black veil, Yin Ling was still peaceful and motionless.

Song Jingran felt a little guilty.He thought to himself, this is impossible, how could there be ghosts who did not respond to the soul-calling.

Song Jingran re-laid two layers of black sand along the array, and lit it again.This time he increased the amount of black sand, and Master Liu reacted violently when he smelled the smell.His pupils turned dark blue, glowing in the night.He desperately broke free from the shackles, raised his head and howled, and suffered many injuries from struggling.

The Yin spirit attached to Mr. Liu finally couldn't bear it anymore, and half of his body leaned out.Everyone in the Liu family and the onlookers turned pale with shock.Yan Zhaohan was almost pushed down by the people who suddenly backed away.

In fact, they didn't see it clearly either, they just saw a blurry, almost transparent mass.But they know it's grievous filth.

Song Jingran dipped the clean whip in the water soaked with new willow leaves, and whipped around Mr. Liu.Yin Ling quickly hid in Master Liu's body.Song Jingran didn't hurt them at all.

The black sand used for the second time was quickly burned out, and now Yin Ling was more at ease, no matter what tricks Song Jingran used, he would not show up again.

The evening wind brought some coolness, Song Jingran's whole body was drenched with sweat, and his chest was also congested.He was silent for a long time, feeling stressed.

He looked at the lively neighbors outside the door and said discouragedly: "This ghost is really powerful, I have to think of other ways."

The people in the town were a little disappointed, and then scattered away chattering.

After the noise disappeared, Yan Zhaohan heard a bell ringing angrily.

Song Jingran waited until the last few people left before crossing the threshold and going under the willow tree in front of Liu's house.There is a well there.He quenched his thirst with water, and washed his sweaty face with water.

The hair on his forehead was also soaked, and he felt uncomfortable.When he turned around, he saw the blind young man he met in the evening.

Yan Zhaohan was standing in front of Liu's house, and the moonlight stretched his shadow very long.He said softly: "It is enough to subdue the Yin spirit with talisman water or sunlight, the Taoist priest does not need to spend so much trouble."

Song Jingran stared at him in a daze as he turned around and walked away. It took him a while to come back to his senses, wondering if he was blind.

……

Even in summer, when you bathe in cold water, the chill can still invade the bone marrow.Yan Zhaohan wiped his body, changed into a thin shirt, and prepared to hide under the blanket and sleep.

At this time every day, he can feel a little joy.

There was a meowing sound from the window sill, soft, lazy and seductive.He turned around and opened the window to let in the night breeze.

He reached out and touched the warm mass.It squinted and rubbed against his palm.

Maojun is a regular customer, who once woke him up from his bed at dawn at the end of winter night.Yan Zhaohan scratched its hair with his slender fingers, and asked with bent eyes, "Whose cat are you, huh?"