Maoshan Academy of Dark Secret Techniques - Chapter 9 - Another Battle with the Ghost Baby 1

Truly worthy of being called a monk-every gesture exuded a sense of reverence. Chen Yu walked in leisurely and, mimicking the monk earlier, sat cross-legged in front of the elderly man.

He asked, “Excuse me, are you the Abbot here?”

The elder smiled faintly and replied, “I am not the Abbot, and to be precise, we don’t have an Abbot here. I am merely a teacher, guiding the disciples here to gain the right knowledge and understand the significance of Buddhism. If I’m not mistaken, you are a disciple of the Maoshan Techniques.”

Chen Yu was taken aback. I haven’t done anything to reveal myself, so how did he know? Though he’d been hesitant earlier, he was now utterly convinced-this monk must have the ability to help him.

“Since you already understand, I assume you also know why I’ve come.”

The elder stroked his long beard and said, “Buddhism and the Maoshan Techniques belong to different schools, with distinct teachings. Buddhism emphasizes compassion and the salvation of all beings, while the Maoshan Techniques focus on subduing demons and vanquishing evil spirits. Though their approaches differ, both ultimately serve the greater good of all beings.

I’m aware of your purpose here. You aim to restrain that ghost baby for the benefit of the greater good. I shall assist you. However, I must caution you-the ghost baby’s resentment is exceedingly heavy. Do not take it lightly.”

Upon hearing that the monk was willing to help, Chen Yu finally felt a sense of relief.

“Thank you, Master, for the warning. I have my own methods to subdue it. Still, may I ask if you could provide me with an artifact infused with strong Yang energy to aid me in resolving the matter of the ghost baby?”

The elder pondered for a moment before saying, “Wait here.”

Chen Yu watched as the monk got up, walked behind a large Buddha statue, and retrieved a box. Inside the box was a golden figurine of a Taoist Boy with an especially large belly.

“Master, what is this?”

The elder gently wiped the dust off the box and said, “This is called the Linglong Body Taoist Boy. He was a child with a Linglong Body-a unique and extraordinary physique.

Sit down, and I’ll tell you his story.”

Chen Yu adjusted his position and listened attentively.

“When this boy was three years old, a ghostly abyss appeared in his village. By a twist of fate, he discovered it. At the stroke of midnight, the malicious spirits within the abyss were poised to emerge en masse.

The boy warned the villagers about what he had found. Unfortunately, no one was willing to believe the words of a three-year-old child. Disaster loomed for the village.

Even his mother refused to believe him. Yet, he would not give up.

He couldn’t stand idly by and watch his loved ones and friends meet a tragic end. He resolved to save them all. And so, he returned to the abyss.”

“What happened next?”

The Taoist Boy heard that the malicious ghosts would devour human flesh. Naively, he ran back home, gathered all the food he could find, and stationed himself at the entrance of the abyss.

When midnight came, one terrifying, ravenous ghost after another began preparing to emerge from the abyss. The Taoist Boy, however, used his small body to block the entrance entirely.

As he sat there, he desperately ate as much food as he could, forcing his stomach to expand rapidly. His hope was that the food could transform into his flesh and blood, sealing off the entrance completely.

But how could a three-year-old understand that recently digested food could not immediately become a part of his body? The process takes time.

With the ghosts below blocked off, they began to take their revenge, biting into the fat of his swollen stomach. The boy endured the unbearable pain, refusing to move away. He had a kind heart and could not bear the thought of his family and friends being harmed.

Before long, his stomach was almost entirely consumed by the ghosts, exposing his internal organs and intestines. Even then, the ghosts wanted to continue their feast. Just as they were about to keep devouring him, the Buddha happened to pass by and witnessed the horrific scene.

The Buddha could not turn a blind eye to the boy’s sacrifice. With a sweep of His hands, He granted the Taoist Boy a body of Linglong Gold-a perfected Linglong Body impervious to harm by any ghost.

Thus, the boy’s physical form was immortalized at the entrance of the abyss, while his soul was taken by the Buddha. To honor him, the Buddha created this golden figurine to accompany Him forever.

That is why this small figurine now sits beside the Buddha statue. Its Yang energy is so powerful that it rivals that of the large Buddha statue. Take it with you; it might aid you greatly.”

Chen Yu accepted the box and gazed at the shining golden figurine, feeling an overwhelming sense of admiration.

Who would have thought that such a young child could make such an extraordinary sacrifice to save others? It was truly inspiring.

Chen Yu held the figurine in his hands and said, “Thank you, Master. Once I’ve resolved the issue with the ghost baby, I will return this.”

“There’s no need for that. If the Taoist Boy remains by your side and continues to assist you, there’s no need to return it. Leaving it in the temple won’t be as beneficial as it being with you.”

“Thank you, Master. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will surely visit again.”

“Take care, and please be cautious.”

Chen Yu turned to leave but suddenly remembered something. He turned back to the monk and asked, “By the way, Master, do you happen to have an artifact that can subdue ordinary ghosts without harming them?”

The monk stroked his long beard thoughtfully before saying, “That’s quite tricky to come by.”

“Oh! I do have a ring.”

The Abbot pulled a ring out of his pocket and said, “This is something a donor left with me. It’s said that this ring can be used for protection and can also subdue ghosts. However, it requires the ghost’s consent to be taken in, and the ring can only be used once. When the ghost departs, the ring will shatter.”

Chen Yu looked at the radiant ring. Though it could only be used once, it might be incredibly helpful in a critical situation. Well, this was good enough. “Master, this ring is very useful to me. May I have it?”

“If you can make good use of it, then take it.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Chen Yu carefully took the ring and examined it closely. Most of its surface was a deep red color, with a ghostly face engraved on it-an unsettling design that sent a chill down his spine.

After pocketing the ring, Chen Yu bid farewell to the monk.

Once he left the temple, Chen Yu went on to acquire some black dog blood, sulfuric acid, and a small amount of gasoline. With all his preparations complete, he made his way back to the hotel.

Jogging along the way, he quickly arrived near the hotel. Just then, a familiar figure passed by him. Chen Yu turned his head and couldn’t help but recognize her-wasn’t that the non-mainstream girl?

She was holding hands with a guy who had bright blond hair and ears full of earrings. The two of them seemed very close. Seeing this, Chen Yu could only chuckle to himself helplessly.

I wonder how many boyfriends she’s had by now. Kids these days sure are open-minded. Heh.

Taking the stairs, Chen Yu headed to his room. Xuanxuan was already there.

“Xuanxuan, how’s it going? Did you manage to find the ghost baby’s parents’ photos?” he asked.

“Mm, I found them,” Xuanxuan replied.

“When I got to the school, I immediately felt the ghost baby’s aura. The resentment it carries is truly heavy. Thankfully, I only went as far as the teaching building and didn’t step into its territory. Otherwise, a fight would’ve been unavoidable.”

Xuanxuan pulled out two pieces of white paper.

“These are what I found at the school-the ghost baby’s parents’ records,” she said.

Chen Yu took the papers and examined them.

The first page read: Mo Ran, female, age 18. What followed was a typical resume-this was likely the ghost baby’s mother.

Chen Yu flipped to the second page. “This man must be the PE teacher, Wang Gensheng. The files themselves won’t be useful-just take the photos.”

He tore the photos of the two from the documents and casually tossed the files into the trash.

“Xuanxuan, you’re amazing. I didn’t realize you could move around freely during the day,” Chen Yu remarked.

Xuanxuan gave an awkward smile. “Of course I can. Ghosts fear sunlight, so during the day, our abilities are significantly weaker-but that doesn’t mean we can’t move around.”

“At night, however, the Yin energy is much heavier, which strengthens a ghost’s abilities significantly. That’s why most ghosts prefer to be active at night.”