The Three Pure Ones' Secret: Expressing Spirit

Old Fan and I walked slowly through the narrow and oppressive dam passage, one in front of the other, keeping our bodies low.

The cement walls on both sides were badly damaged, with large patches of cracked and peeling surface, and gravel scattered on the mossy path, making a rustling sound when stepped on. The deeper we went, the darker it became, with only the faint beams of our two cell phone flashlights barely cutting through the thick darkness.

Just as we were about to reach the end of the passage, a large section of collapsed and broken rock face suddenly blocked our way. The piled-up rocks and jagged cracks clearly showed that they had been formed by the compression and collapse of the mountain in earlier years.

Right in the center of that collapsed stone wall, that ugly, shifty-eyed face sat quietly in the shadows, motionless, staring straight at us.

It neither flinched, nor ran away, nor made a sound. Its dark eyes were fixed on us, silently hanging in the darkness, exuding an indescribable sinister malice.

My back tightened, and I instinctively held my breath, my hands clenching tightly. My grip on the white jade staff tightened slightly, and my scalp tingled.

Fan Biao, standing to the side, remained calm, his eyes sharp, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze fixed on the strange face. He slowly stepped forward, walking to the edge of the crack in the collapsed stone wall.

I followed closely and looked down. The ground inside the crack was unusually smooth and solid. The soil and stones were worn shiny, clearly an old road worn out by people walking on it every day over the years.

Just as we approached, the giant, grotesque face slowly shrank back and silently disappeared into the darkness deep within the crevice.

"Trying to mess with us? Something's up." Fan Biao gave a low, cold snort, his eyes darkening. He gestured to me, "Follow Old Pu!"

Without hesitation, we ducked into the crevice and hurried after them. Just as we passed through the crevice, our view changed drastically.

We actually entered a huge natural mountain cave!

The cave floor was surprisingly flat and open, without any rocks or potholes. The clean rock walls stretched out in all directions, making the space ridiculously spacious, at least the size of two basketball courts. The walls were dark and damp, with tiny water droplets seeping from the cracks in the rocks. The air was cold and damp, carrying the deathly chill unique to ancient caves deep in the mountains.

The entire cave was empty. Apart from the crack we had just entered through, the surrounding rock walls were completely sealed, and there was no other exit at all.

In the very center of the deepest part of the cave, a dim, flickering candlelight shone alone in the darkness. The firelight swayed and flickered, illuminating a solitary little hut.

The house was strangely designed; it was neither a Taoist temple nor a proper Buddhist temple, but a small, simple, and rustic house with blue tiles, the most common type of house in the countryside. It stood alone in the middle of the huge cave, looking out of place and extremely eerie.

I held up my flashlight and scanned the surroundings, becoming increasingly confused. I turned to Fan Biao, who looked grave, and asked in a low voice, "Hey, Fan, this cave only has one entrance; there's no other way out. Did that monster hide in this little shack?"

Fan Biao squinted, his dark face gleaming, staring intently at the small, blue-tiled house lit by candlelight. His expression was serious as he slowly shook his head: "Hard to say. This place is damn awesome, a house like this inside a cave. Let's go in and take a look."

After he finished speaking, he raised his hand to signal me to follow closely. He walked very lightly and steadily, and the two of us were highly vigilant as we slowly approached the strange little house step by step.

The door was ajar, unlocked, with a crack slightly open. Dim candlelight from inside shone through the crack, flickering and casting shifting shadows at the entrance.

The two men exchanged a glance, held their breath, and cautiously stepped into the house. The house was surprisingly clean and tidy, the floor spotless, unlike the filthy and dilapidated state one would expect from a deep mountain cave.

The interior was simply furnished, with a square wooden table in the center and several long wooden benches beside it. An old bamboo recliner was folded up in the corner, suggesting that someone had been living and resting there for a long time.

But just as our gaze swept to the center of the room, I froze on the spot, my heart leaping in my throat!

On the prayer mat in the center of the room, a fat man was kneeling.

At first glance, it looks like a person; its physique and posture are no different from an ordinary person's. But upon closer inspection, anyone can see that this thing is not human at all!

Behind its fat rear end, a thick, long tail, shaped like a snake's tail, hung softly on the ground, swaying slightly with its slightest movements.

It knelt obediently on the prayer mat, its head lowered, its shoulders trembling slightly, muttering something under its breath, its expression both respectful and eerie.

Looking at that strange kneeling figure, the hairs on my body stood on end, and I felt both panicked and puzzled.

Fan Biao's face turned completely cold, his eyes sharp and piercing as he stared at the monster's back. He spoke in a deep voice, his cold shout echoing in the quiet little house: "What kind of monster dares to play tricks here!"

The moment Fan Biao's cold shout fell, the figure inside the room, who had been muttering softly, suddenly stopped. Then, the obese body slowly turned around.

The moment he saw the face clearly, his heart skipped a beat, and he instantly confirmed that the face in front of him was the same huge, strange face that they had encountered in the shadows of the server room!

It has a shifty, rat-like appearance, with round, bulging eyes that are wide apart. Its pupils bulge outwards, and its eyebrows and eyes reveal a cunning nature. However, it is paired with a bloated, fat, round face and a plump, round body. Its body is extremely disproportionate, making it look both strange and comical.

The long, thin, serpentine tail still rested on the ground, swaying gently twice, completely confirming its identity as a demon.

It showed no sign of ferocity; instead, it stood there dumbfounded, its round eyes staring unblinkingly at me and Lao Fan, its expression blank and wooden, completely unlike the eerie feeling it had when it was in the darkness.

Quietly, it stood there stunned for several seconds before slowly opening its mouth and uttering a muffled, drawn-out sound. Its accent was sticky, its pronunciation unclear, and its tone drawn out, revealing a natural, naive quality: "Who...who are you...?"

It tilted its chubby head, looking at us with a bewildered expression, and said in a simple, honest tone, "My name is Hui Mi. My father went out, and Master Chang also went out, leaving me alone at home to look after the house... Who are you looking for?"

Lao Fan and I were stunned on the spot. We looked at each other, our faces full of astonishment.

We initially thought this was a strange monster lurking underground, capable of easily moving a heavy iron cover and knowing all the secret passages of the dam, so it must be cunning and highly skilled.

But this thing in front of me looks dull and slow-witted, speaks unclearly, and has a silly and foolish appearance. It doesn't have the slightest aura of a harmful monster.

I was filled with doubt, secretly observing its plump body and strange long tail, completely baffled. The thing that had kept us chasing it, running incredibly fast and moving with unpredictable agility, was actually such a dull-witted, stupid monster?

Fan Biao, standing to the side, also composed himself, his brows furrowing slightly, his eyes filled with surprise and contemplation as he quietly watched the fat demon before him, without rushing to speak.

Mo stood to the side, completely bewildered and puzzled. He quietly lowered his voice and moved closer to Lao Fan.

I eyed the fat monster suspiciously, muttering to myself, "What kind of monster is this? It looks so stupid, like it's missing a screw. Is it an idiot?"

Old Fan's expression remained tense, his eyes fixed on the gray creature opposite him, his brows furrowed. He gently turned his head to remind me, his tone serious: "Don't let your guard down. It looks stupid, but it might not be really stupid. It could be pretending to fool us. Look at its facial features, its eyebrows and bone structure; nine times out of ten, it's a rat that has come to life."

My friend was completely dumbfounded, utterly astonished. He could understand if the ragged, beggar-like humanoid monster they'd encountered earlier, wandering the town, was a rat spirit. But this thing before him—fat head, big ears, a round, bloated body—wasn't it supposed to be a pig demon? And it was also a rat spirit?

The guy couldn't help but think to himself, "This doesn't look like a rat at all; it's clearly a fat pig that's become a monster!"

Old Fan ignored my shocked expression, his gaze fixed on Hui Mi, and asked in a deep voice, "You spirits should live in seclusion deep in the mountains, away from human activity. Why do you choose to roam around human towns, hiding in this dam cave?"

When Lao Fan asked him such a serious question, Hui Mi was clearly flustered.

Its plump body shrank slightly, and a hint of fear appeared in its round, bulging eyes. It still looked dull and mumbled, and hurriedly replied, "I...we didn't come by ourselves...we followed Master Chang. We are all Master Chang's servants. Wherever he goes, we go."

"Master Chang?" Old Fan's eyes flickered, his pupils shifting slightly as he sensed something was amiss. He pressed on, "Who is this Master Chang? You are demons, so why are you obeying his commands?"

Hui Mi, his chubby mouth agape, was about to explain Master Chang's background to us. Just as the atmosphere inside the room had begun to ease, a sharp, aged voice suddenly rang out from outside!

The voice was thin and hoarse, carrying a sinister and malevolent aura. It suddenly rang out in the silent cave, startling my buddy so much that he trembled all over. Lao Fan and I were both startled and instantly tensed up.

"Who is Master Chang? Why are you asking about him?"

"You two juniors, how did you manage to barge into Qingshui Tomb?!"

The voice was cold and sharp, almost piercing, carrying a strong sense of questioning and murderous intent. It echoed and buzzed between the empty hut and the cave. Old Fan and I changed our expressions instantly. We didn't dare to delay and turned our heads sharply to look at the door of the hut.

There, in the dappled light and shadow at the entrance, stood a disheveled and shabby figure. It was none other than the beggar rat spirit we had initially planned to ambush outside the abandoned power station! His clothes were tattered and covered in grime and dust, the edges worn to shreds, and he looked filthy, exuding an aura of sinister evil from the lower classes.

The dejected, harmless begging appearance of the past is completely gone. The pair of eyes that were once evasive and timid have now become extremely fierce, with their cunning eyes fixed on me and Lao Fan.

His gaze was cold and sinister, filled with intense vigilance and hostility. He stared intently at the two of us, and the atmosphere around us instantly became extremely oppressive.

Facing the murderous beggar rat spirit, Old Fan beside him showed no fear whatsoever. His face remained calm, and instead, a slow, sinister smile curled at the corners of his lips, a smile even more eerie and unpredictable than the monster before him. He was relaxed, completely unfazed by the surrounding menacing aura. He glanced at the other man indifferently, his tone casual yet carrying a hint of pressure: "Oh! Finally, someone who speaks fluently. I'm too lazy to waste my energy on this fool. Since you've come to me of your own accord, then answer me honestly."

He leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze locking onto the beggar monster, and questioned clearly, "Just who is this Master Chang? What are you monsters hiding under this dam, what are you planning to do?"

Old Fan's completely nonchalant attitude instantly stunned the beggar rat spirit. The ferocity on its face faded, and its eyes were filled with disbelief and surprise. In its understanding, mortals who encountered monsters should have been terrified and trembling with fear. But these two juniors not only showed no fear, but also dared to question it, completely disrupting its expectations.

To be honest, from beginning to end, only Old Fan wasn't afraid of monsters, not me. I pretended to be calm and stood steadily to the side, relying on Fan Biao to keep things in order the whole time. I secretly wondered what the old man was thinking. I didn't know why he was so ridiculously calm every time he encountered these evil spirits and monsters, showing no fear whatsoever, but rather acting as if he were casually chatting with an ordinary person.

Upon hearing this, the beggar rat spirit immediately let out a chilling laugh, its voice sharp, hoarse, and grating, full of sinister malice: "Who is Master Chang? Master Chang is the great immortal who guards this town!"

Its triangular eyes narrowed suddenly, revealing a fierce glint as it stared intently at us, its malevolence surging: "It's you two callow humans who, utterly ignorant of your place, dare to trespass on our territory!"

Its face grew even more ferocious, and it gritted its teeth and roared, "Today, your Grandpa Gray will teach you two a good lesson on behalf of your family! I'll ensure you have a peaceful journey to the underworld, free from suffering!"

Before he could finish speaking, this old monster, who had no manners or upbringing whatsoever, didn't waste any more words with us. He kicked off with all four limbs, leaped up, and charged straight at me and Lao Fan. His attack was extremely fierce, clearly intending to kill us.

But Lao Fan remained calm and showed no fear whatsoever.

He raised his left hand, his fingertips rapidly tracing lines on his right palm with swift and precise movements. His voice was steady and clear as he recited a mantra: "The God-Slaying Mantra, Subduing Yin and Yang, raise your finger like a brush to draw the pure energy, borrow the Samadhi Fire of Zhu Rong, lift your finger to form a talisman to annihilate the demon!"

The moment the incantation ended, he raised his hand and delivered a sharp slap to the old monster charging towards him.

In that instant, Lao Fan's speed was ridiculously fast, so fast that my naked eye could hardly keep up! The air was torn apart by the palm wind, even leaving faint afterimages, which left me dumbfounded and completely stunned on the spot.

*Smack!*

A crisp sound echoed through the small house.

The arrogant and domineering beggar rat spirit took the slap squarely, with no room to dodge.

It must have been the fire talisman drawn in his palm that had such a miraculous effect; the moment his palm struck, it was as if a raging fire had exploded. The old monster's entire profile was instantly scorched by the flames, his skin and flesh charred and curled up, half of his face burned black.

A strong, pungent smell of burning flesh immediately filled the air, both choking and eerie, sending chills down one's spine.

The rat spirit, which had been fierce and murderous just moments before, froze in place, its arrogance completely gone.

The old beggar demon who had been slapped was clearly Gray's father. Half of his face was charred and festering, with faint smoke rising from his skin. He was in so much pain that his whole body convulsed violently. He fell to the ground in a sorry state, rolling and struggling, squeezing out soft, painful howls. All his previous arrogance and ferocity were gone.

The dull-witted Hui Mi, seeing his father, who usually looked after him, beaten like this, instantly became enraged. Even with his slow and simple nature, he was now completely frantic, disregarding the disparity in strength and his own safety, shouting wildly in his rough voice, "Don't hit my dad! You're bad people! I'll bite you to death!"

His roar was urgent and hoarse, filled with a childlike, stubborn anger. His chubby body exerted itself clumsily, dragging his long, thin snake tail, stumbling and charging recklessly towards me and Fan Biao. He exuded a reckless, suicidal energy.

But his clumsy and flustered charge was utterly ridiculous in front of the agile Lao Fan. It was like a young woman breastfeeding someone else's child, bringing shame upon herself! He posed absolutely no threat.

I could see it clearly from the side: Hui Mi was slow and bulky, staggering with every step, moving at an absurdly slow pace.

Old Fan remained calm and stood still, not moving an inch, patiently waiting for him to pounce.

Just as Gray's chubby body rushed towards us, before it could even make any attack move, Old Fan's wrist suddenly shot out, the movement incredibly clean and swift, accurately grabbing Gray's thick neck. The force was just right, firmly locking the enraged fat demon in place, rendering it unable to move.

The rat spirit, writhing and howling on the ground, was clearly in excruciating pain on half of his face, trembling all over. But when he saw his foolish son being choked and locked by Lao Fan, he panicked instantly. He gritted his teeth and endured the piercing pain, struggling to get up from the ground. His knees buckled and he knelt down with a thud.

Gone was his initial arrogance; he repeatedly kowtowed, his attitude utterly humbled. He frantically begged for mercy, his voice trembling with pain, filled with both anxiety and fear: "I'm sorry! Please forgive me, two Daoist masters! It was I, Old Gray, who was blind and didn't recognize a true immortal, and offended you! Please, please don't harm my son. You can ask me anything you want to know, and I'll tell you everything honestly!"

This old rat spirit has absolutely no backbone and is extremely fragile. At first, he was aggressive and threatened to kill us, but after witnessing Lao Fan's truly terrifying methods, he immediately surrendered completely.

At this moment, he no longer possessed any of the ferocity of a demon. He looked utterly pathetic, like a servile old man, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly, begging for mercy. He was extremely humble, as if afraid that we would take our anger out on Hui Mi.

Old Fan completely ignored the old rat spirit kneeling and begging for mercy. His eyes were cold and sharp as he stared intently at the old monster on the ground. He turned to me calmly and said, "Old Pu, I have a yellow talisman in my backpack. Take it out."

I immediately reached into Fan Biao's backpack and pulled out a handful of crumpled, haphazardly folded yellow talismans. The talisman paper was old and yellowed, covered with winding cinnabar patterns. I couldn't understand them at all, let alone distinguish the uses of each type of talisman.

I placed a pile of talismans in front of him and let him choose.

Old Fan glanced at them, quickly picked out two identical calming talismans, handed them to me, and calmly instructed, "Just these two, one for each demon, stick them on their backs!"

After saying that, he looked up at the terrified old rat spirit kneeling on the ground, his voice cold and steady: "Don't worry, I won't kill you. But to prevent you from playing tricks and harming small animals behind your backs, you must first be restrained and your movements restricted. You must cooperate obediently."

Upon hearing this, I immediately stepped forward and firmly affixed the two calming talismans to the backs of the old rat spirit and the fat demon Hui Mi.

The moment the talisman touched their bodies, the two demons froze!

Old Fan then slowly released his grip on Hui Mi's neck.

In an instant, the two monsters, one large and one small, were completely frozen in place, their bodies stiff and straight, like two wooden stakes standing in a room. Their limbs were completely unable to move, and their bodies could not be moved even slightly. Only their mouths could still open and close to speak, completely losing all ability to resist or cause trouble.