“Why do you want to follow me?” Tang Guo asked curiously. “That Buddhist cultivator has already promised to send you into reincarnation, perform rites for you, and purify the malevolent energy in your soul forms. In your next life, you will surely have a good one.”
“The next life is the next life. Without memories, would that still be us? That would already be another person.”
Tang Guo had not expected that answer. “Then you can think about it some more.”
In this world, there truly was such a thing as ghost cultivation. If these little ghosts were unwilling to reincarnate, cultivating was also not a bad choice.
Once they became ghost cultivators, they would have entered the path of cultivation. Even ghost hunting Taoists would not lightly make enemies of ghost cultivators. Ghost cultivators had many methods. Without deep enmity, no one was willing to provoke them.
Before long, screams of fright and pain echoed from many rooms in the village.
The screams of fright were from women. The screams of agony were from men.
Tang Guo gazed at the crescent moon in the sky.
The little ghosts beside her were also curious. They imitated her and lifted their heads, staring blankly at the curved moon.
All night long, the village was filled with screams.
Many men ran out of their houses, but they were still entangled by the little ghosts. Perhaps they had learned from Tang Guo. Before killing those men, they would always help them recall how they themselves had died at their hands.
By dawn, half of the men in the village were dead.
The numb women hid inside their houses and did not dare to come out.
Even the men who had not been targeted did not dare to step outside. After witnessing the events of the night, they were afraid as well.
“I wonder when the ghost hunting Taoist will arrive.”
When daylight came, these people finally dared to emerge. Seeing the corpses lying around, they felt chills run down their spines. If not for the rising sun shining down, they would not have dared to come out at all.
“He should arrive soon. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”
This time, no one in the village doubted the existence of ghosts anymore.
“Let’s get more black dog’s blood and some boys’ urine. At night we’ll all stay in one house.”
Tang Guo still sat on the rooftop, watching them discuss. Around her gathered a group of little ghosts. Earlier, when Tang Guo told them that sitting beside her would protect them from sunlight, they had been doubtful.
Now they did not doubt it at all.
“Amitabha. Cause and effect cycle. Retribution for retribution.”
“Since you have taken your revenge, go over there. That Buddhist cultivator will not harm you.” Tang Guo pointed into the distance. “You should remember that fork in the road. The Buddhist cultivator is on the tree.”
Most of the little ghosts were still willing to reincarnate. They bowed to Tang Guo and drifted away.
When they approached the tree, their soul forms were drawn into the Buddha statue involuntarily. Unlike before, when approaching the statue had caused them sharp pain, this time they felt only a gentle force. The agitation in their hearts and the resentment and malevolent energy on their bodies gradually dissipated, as if they had come to a very warm place. It was so comfortable that they wanted to fall asleep.
A few little ghosts remained by Tang Guo’s side. “You really aren’t going?” she asked.
“We are willing to follow you.”
“Very well. Since you are unwilling to be reborn as humans, then become ghost cultivators. I happen to have ghost cultivation techniques here. Take them and practice.”
Tang Guo thought about what she would do next. Having a few subordinates to use would not be bad.
“You should also cultivate beneath the tree. He will not drive you away.”
After receiving the techniques, the little ghosts bowed to Tang Guo and happily drifted toward the Buddha statue.
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