Otherworldly Merchant

“Haha! You overestimate yourself!”

Yin-Yang Tiger sounded happy over our misfortune. He stood by the well and said, “Old monk, if you like this well that much, I’ll make its host come and treat you well.” 

As the cold wind blew up from underneath us, a bad premonition arose in my heart. Was a fierce evil spirit living in this well? 

Zen Master Baimei stood upright. He moved the beads fast between his fingers. Soon, white light illuminated the entire well. His forehead was covered in sweat.  

I raised the Emei Piercer and looked around. If there was an evil spirit living in this well, it should be at the Ghost King level. Only a ghost at that level could make Zen Master Baimei act this cautious. 

Therefore, it wasn’t that the ghosts didn’t dare to come to this well because of the thick Yang energy; it was because of the ominous spirit living in this well. 

Yin-Yang Tiger laughed crazily before leaving. Zen Master Baimei and I exchanged looks.

Zen Master Baimei sighed and said, “Young Benefactor, I was the one who trapped you here. I’m sure I can get you out safe and sound.” 

I gazed at him and said, “What do you mean?” 

He shook his head. “You know what I mean. There’s no need to ask.” 

Of course, I knew what he meant. Zen Master Baimei simply meant that at the critical moment, he would sacrifice himself to ensure that I would live. 

I coldly stared at him, and anger seethed in me. In the end, my face turned red as I roared, “I said I wouldn’t let it happen again!” 

He was shocked that I had yelled at him. I let out a sigh and didn’t talk to him. At the moment my head turned around, tears swelled in my eyes. What good things had I done to make Zen Master Baimei and Chuyi sacrifice their lives for me? 

Once more, more than ever, I craved to have strong power. I didn’t want them to get involved every time. 

Anyway, I couldn’t do that now. To become stronger, the first thing I had to do was get out of this well safe and sound. 

I had been cautious for quite some time, but nothing strange had happened. I was surprised and asked, “Could it be that Yin-Yang Tiger fooled us to make us drain our energies here?” 

Zen Master Baimei nodded. “It’s possible. Why don’t you sleep first? If something happens, I will wake you up.” 

I shook my head. “No, this is your match. You should rest to recover your strength.” 

He nodded and smiled at me. Then, he adjusted his kasaya and rested at his spot. Zen Master Baimei closed his eyes.

The surroundings were so quiet that I could only hear the two of us breathing. I controlled the Invisible Needles around the well and checked every corner. 

The Invisible Needle moved all around, and the images were reported in my head. Although they weren’t clear, they were enough for me to see the entire well. If I wasn’t wrong, this well was the legendary Forgetfulness Well. 

I exhaled. If this was the Forgetfulness Well, I could ease my mind. This was a mysterious well in Fengdu. Ghosts who had great luck could come here and see their next life. When souls came here, they hoped to see what they were going to be in their next life. That was why they wouldn’t do anything harmful here. 

As my nerves relaxed, the Invisible Needle moved faster. It had gone up to the mouth of the well many times. 

I hurriedly retrieved it. Then, an image appeared in my head: Yin-Yang Tiger was crouching by the well, watching our moves. 

My heart throbbed. I called the Invisible Needle to come back to me. I leaned against Zen Master Baimei and discreetly nudged him. 

Zen Master Baimei wasn’t asleep. He made a sound to let me know that and kept quiet. Seeing that Zen Master Baimei was well-prepared, I didn’t disturb him. I closed my eyes and decided to rest. 

The sky soon turned brighter. When Zen Master Baimei and I opened our eyes, Yin-Yang Tiger, who was hiding by the well, made a move. He poured a large bucket of icy water on us. The chilly sensation ran directly to our hearts. 

Flames of anger arose from the bottom of my heart. I beckoned a little ghost to bring me out of the well. I wielded the Holy Mother Scepter and aimed it at him. 

Zen Master Baimei crawled out of the well behind me. He threw his mala beads toward Yin-Yang Tiger’s head. 

Yin-Yang Tiger was an excellent fighter. However, he was best known for his fast reflexes and cunning mind. It meant that his fighting capacity wasn’t good enough. He couldn’t resist both of us for a long time. 

I felt cheered up and prepared to capture him. Suddenly, One-Armed Dragon appeared. A white shadow tagged behind him. 

When I saw them, I tensed up. That white shadow was Chuyi! 

“Follow them!” screamed Zen Master Baimei.

I retrieved the Holy Mother Scepter and ran after them. Yin-Yang Tiger wanted to stop me. As I hurried after One-armed Dragon, I didn’t have the mind to parry with him. I directly read the Big Dipper Sirius Whip. The Holy Mother Scepter radiated a fierce red light. Immediately, I threw it toward Yin-Yang Tiger. 

Yin-Yang Tiger easily avoided the staff. Zen Master Baimei came to entangle with him, while I hurriedly ran in the direction where One-Armed Dragon had disappeared. 

He was fast, but it seemed he was waiting for me on purpose. That was why I hadn’t lost track of him yet. 

I knew he was luring me into a trap. However, Chuyi was with him. I had to grit my teeth and follow him. Along the way, ghosts continuously came to me. They sniggered and gazed at me. “You are going to lose! You are going to lose!” 

My rage arose again. I screamed, “Get lost!” 

They sniggered and flew away. 

“Damn it!” 

I felt like I was a tiger being bullied by a bunch of stray dogs on the streets. I couldn’t just kill any ghost I met in Fengdu. I had to show respect to their masters. If the Demon King became angry, I wouldn’t even know the cause of my death. 

The more I thought about it, the angrier I felt. I wanted to vent out my wrath on One-Armed Dragon. If they hadn’t troubled us, we would have been able to return home and save my in-laws with the mermaid’s tears. 

“Young Benefactor, why are you still here?” 

The flame of anger in my heart burned harder, until I heard Zen Master Baimei’s voice. I was surprised to see that I was in an illusion. 

After all, there should be no ghosts around. As the bosses had separated us, those ghosts couldn’t see us! 

I wiped the sweat off my forehead. I wanted to chase him further. But when I lifted my head, One-Armed Dragon was nowhere to be seen. 

My face turned sullen. “We lost them. I wonder if Chuyi is okay.” 

Zen Master Baimei frowned. He held the mala beads in front of him and chanted something indistinctive. Then, he threw the chain of beads over his head. The mala beads spun in the air, releasing a white light. Suddenly, they flew away. 

I was cheered up. Could the spirit living in the mala beads sense Chuyi’s whereabouts? 

Indeed, Zen Master Baimei called me to follow the beads. After running for a long time, the beads stopped at a dark tree. It was so big that it would take ten people to surround it. 

A mass of Yin energy hovered above the tree. I was curious why the Yin energy had only gathered above the tree. I looked closer and found that the mass of energy wanted to move outward. However, as soon as it flew out of the range of the canopy, it bounced back as though it had bumped into an invisible barrier. 

“What the heck is that?” 

I gulped my saliva. If it came out, I thought that even my grandfather couldn’t do anything. 

Zen Master Baimei said quietly, “Young Benefactor, if we lose, I’m afraid we will become fertilizer for this dead tree.” 

This tree was a Corpse Tree. To grow, it absorbed corpses and souls.

Cold sweat damped my palms. I didn’t look at the tree anymore. From the corner of my eye, I captured a glimpse of a white shadow. I was frightened, and then wished to kill One-Armed Dragon. At this moment, Chuyi was hung on the Corpse Tree! 

I screamed his name, “Chuyi!”

Raising the Holy Mother Scepter, I didn’t mind anything else and dashed toward the Corpse Tree. However, before I could take a second step, I bumped into a barrier and bounced back. 

I felt as though I had been in a freezer for a dozen hours. My limbs had turned rigid. I looked at the corpse tree in fright. If the barrier was that fierce, our Chuyi would… 

Zen Master Baimei lifted his kasaya and sat down. He shouted, “Chant the sacred texts with me!” 

He started to read the Diamond Sutra while I read the Sacred Text of Daoism. After chanting it a few times, my limbs could feel and move again. I stretched and checked my arms. I asked, “Master, what should we do now? Chuyi is…” 

Zen Master Baimei put the beads on his wrist. He read something very quickly, and a halo expanded from his hand. It created a light cage that protected him. He got up and asked me to watch out outside. Then he walked toward the deadly Corpse Tree. 

When he came to the barrier, the air suddenly ripped apart. His white halo rubbed against a ring of dark smoke. They sizzled and sparked as though they were electricity. 

Zen Master Baimei swayed for a while. Before the white halo was worn out, he got in. Then, he moved much faster. It seemed the tree only had one barrier. Feeling relieved, I exhaled. 

Suddenly, Zen Master Baimei screamed, “Not good!”

He retreated like a lightning bolt. He staggered and slumped to the ground, vomiting blood. 

“Master…” 

I hurriedly lifted him. I said as I gritted my teeth, “I should go!”  

Zen Master Baimei shook his head. “Chuyi is trapped in an illusion, and he will attack anybody that intrudes!” 

I cursed under my breath, then turned to rush back to the inn. 

Zen Master Baimei stopped me and said, “Where are you going?”  

I smiled coldly. “Of course, I’m going back to deal with Yin-Yang Tiger. As long as he is defeated, One-Armed Dragon has to release Chuyi!” 

“Young Benefactor, don’t act recklessly.” 

Zen Master Baimei brought his palms together in front of his chest and chanted, “Merciful Buddha.”

Then, he rubbed the mala beads at my glabella. “Don’t let them control your mind. Otherwise, Chuyi’s life will be in grave danger.” 

I was shocked, but soon, I cooled my head. I read the Sacred Text of Daoism to subdue the anger in my heart. 

Chuyi was trapped in an illusion. If I left now, Zen Master Baimei wouldn’t be able to defend himself or find a chance to save Chuyi. I thought I would break down in the next moment. “What should we do now?” 

Zen Master Baimei thought for a while then shook his head. “Chuyi’s soul and body are in trouble. We can’t delay it for a second. We should find a way to get him out of there as soon as possible.” 

I gritted my teeth and said stubbornly. “Zen Master, let me try! That deadly Corpse Tree has thick Yin energy. I’m afraid Chuyi can’t put up with it for a long time.”

Zen Master Baimei was perplexed. But then, he nodded. He understood that Chuyi couldn’t stand it for a long time. Seeing his expression, my heart sank. 

Zen Master Baimei gave me the mala beads he often wore around his neck. He chanted something, which seemed to give more energy to the beads. A white light glowed, which then covered me. I felt a flow of warm water move around my body. 

“No matter what you see, it’s just an illusion! Keep this in mind!” said Zen Master Baimei. He sat down cross-legged. “I’ll protect you from here.”