Warden Zhao got up early as usual. Generally, they would wake to the sound of the rooster since there was no clock in the house, and they weren't sure of the time.
He found it strange why the roosters hadn't crowed although it was already light out today, but he didn't pay much attention to it. Perhaps the chickens had already crowed.
After washing up, he ran to Da Zhuang's house, a companion who shared his love for running, and knocked on his window to wake him up.
Da Zhuang, seeing it was still early and the chickens hadn't even crowed yet, was inconvenienced but got up due to pride.
The two of them carried on their routine of running atop the river levee, under the brilliant moon that seemed to remind people it was still early.
While running, Warden Zhao saw a woman dressed in white standing by the river. Although the moonlight was bright, he couldn't see her face clearly. Thinking she might be contemplating suicide, he stopped running.
Da Zhuang ran a few steps, noticed the absence of his companion, turned around, and saw Warden Zhao standing there motionless. He ran back a few steps to Warden Zhao's side and asked what he was doing.
Warden Zhao pointed toward the river and said that there seemed to be someone wanting to jump into the river; otherwise, why would someone be standing there on a full stomach early in the morning?
Da Zhuang looked where Warden Zhao was pointing, but the riverside was empty, save for some reeds—no sign of a ghost or anyone else.
Warden Zhao insisted that there definitely was a woman in white standing by the river.
"You must be confused," Da Zhuang said. "Dragging me out of bed in the middle of the night to run, running is one thing, but now you're claiming there's a woman in white by the river."
Warden Zhao couldn't be bothered to engage with him and kept looking as the figure of the woman began to move. She headed toward the river, walking slowly step by step.
Worried that she might indeed be suicidal, he sprinted toward the river's edge, but he stopped not far along as he witnessed an unbelievable scene.
When the woman in white walked into the river, she did not fall into the water but walked on the surface of the water, heading eastward without a sound.
At that moment, Warden Zhao didn't feel scared, just curious. He pointed at the woman and shouted for Da Zhuang to look quickly.
The figure of the woman gradually became blurred and slowly disappeared from sight.
From beginning to end, Da Zhuang was utterly confused and had seen nothing.
He went up to Warden Zhao, felt his forehead, and found no fever—all he heard was nonsense.
Warden Zhao was stunned for a moment, then came to the realization that maybe he had encountered a ghost late at night. After explaining to Da Zhuang, the two of them ran back the way they came quickly, never going for a morning run again.
Later, Warden Zhao consulted a Demi Immortal skilled in the Ying Yang Art and was told that this being was neither a ghost nor a demon but possibly a celestial being or a monster.
From then on, whenever Warden Zhao talked about this incident, he claimed he had seen a Celestial Being.
Reaching this part of his story, the master concluded it wasn't a ghost or a demon but rather a being from the Celestial Realm. They believe that water appears like liuli, which means their vision of water is like that of glass to us, solid. Thus, they can walk on it as if it were flat ground.
The bumpy journey made me feel like vomiting; my face turned deathly pale. The master initially thought it was weakness due to my recent return to the Mortal World, and he instructed me to sit cross-legged, breathing in and out to nourish my body. Warden Zhao, seeing my state, claimed it was simply car sickness, assuring me that it would pass after resting a bit off the vehicle.
As the sky was about to turn dark, we finally arrived at the Taoist Temple. The first thing I did after getting out of the car was to lean over and throw up by the side of the road; I had never gotten car sick like this before.
The master squatted down and helped me by patting my back, which made me feel a lot better. I took the paper Warden Zhao handed me, wiped my mouth, and casually threw it by the roadside.
We invited Warden Zhao to rest for a bit in the temple, and he looked up at the sky before following us in.
After offering him a seat, my master instructed me to chat with the warden while he prepared some things.
I had wanted to help my master, but with a guest present and a master's order not to be disobeyed, I had no choice but to give up on that idea. I first poured a glass of water for the warden, then sat down and began to chat casually.
The warden asked me why I didn't study well and instead followed the Yin Yang Master to learn spells.
I explained that the village was too poor, with hardly anyone literate. Becoming an apprentice was a chance occurrence. If it weren't for being haunted by a ghost, I might still be resigned to looking to the heavens for my sustenance. Learning some skills from my master would at least help to feed myself in the future.
Hearing about my past, Warden Zhao's eyes lit up with hope, and he eagerly asked if I could find a way to let him see a ghost.
I was taken aback, wondering why he would make such a request. While others were afraid and would avoid ghosts at all costs, he was outright asking if he could see one.
I decisively refused, saying it wasn't my decision to make and we'd have to wait for my master to see if he would agree. If my master consented, he could try to see a ghost; if not, we'd have to drop the matter.
Warden Zhao was somewhat disappointed, but a person's curiosity isn't easily extinguished once aroused.
So, Warden Zhao began to fish for information, beating around the bush until he finally came to the point, asking if the methods rumored among people could really allow one to see a ghost.
I found it quite amusing. Why not just try it out for himself and see?
The warden solemnly stated that one can't just try such things recklessly. What if one really encountered a ghost and didn't have someone skilled in spells around? What would happen if the ghost lingered, or worse, if it harmed him?
I burst into laughter, finding the warden quite interesting. He wanted to see a ghost yet was afraid, and though he didn't want to see, he was itching to try.
Just then, my master came in with a yellow cloth bag on his back. Seeing how joyous my laughter was, he asked what we were talking about that seemed so delightful.
Before the warden had a chance to speak, I hastened to answer my master's question, saying the warden wanted to see a ghost but was also scared.
Upon hearing this, my master scolded me, remarking that such a feeling is only human nature and there's nothing funny about it.
Seeing my master scold me, the warden seemed to take pleasure in my misfortune, rubbing his hands together as he approached my master with a plea, hoping my master would fulfill his small wish.
My master outright refused, stating that ghosts weren't anything pleasant and ordinary people who saw them could fall ill.
The warden smiled playfully, continuing to rub his hands together, insisting that with such a powerful master around, how could illness be possible. He flattered my master as a reincarnation of a Sky Deity with boundless mana and the ability to relieve suffering, basically showering him with a barrage of flattery.
Perhaps the flattery worked, as to my surprise, my master eventually agreed.
In my master's words, it was to spare himself the warden's constant prattling.
My master ordered me to boil some hot water so that the warden could bathe and change clothes. He said that if the warden cleansed himself, his yang energy would be strong, preventing the fear of possession when seeing the ghost.
As my master instructed, I boiled three full tubs of water until I was dizzy and bleary-eyed.
The warden went off to bathe and change, while I, already starving, continued to stoke the fire to cook some rice porridge to eat.