The Blind Eye
After the ghoul was hurled out, it struggled to its feet, swaying and staggering toward the courtyard gate. However, it didn't get far before a large smoking pipe slammed into the back of its head. With a dull thud, the ghoul fell flat on the ground.
Old Lady Liu circled to the front of the ghoul and struck a peculiar pose. She planted her left foot firmly on the ground and rested her right foot on top of it, appearing to sit on thin air. Raising her smoking pipe high, she brought it down on the ghoul's head with force.
"First strike, separate the soul!"
"Second strike, banish the spirit!"
"Third strike, end the grievance!"
With each strike, the ghoul let out a bone-chilling scream, its body convulsing violently as if seized by a fit. By the third strike, the ghoul went completely still.
Exhausted, Old Lady Liu collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Inside the house, my grandfather, who had been kicked hard by the ghoul earlier, finally managed to stagger to his feet. Hearing the commotion outside subside, he hurried out to check.
What he saw shocked him: Old Lady Liu was slumped on the ground, breathing heavily, while the ghoul lay motionless nearby. The courtyard was a chaotic mess, littered with the bodies of weasels and foxes. Even the big black dog my father had brought had been disemboweled by the ghoul, lying in a pool of blood with no signs of life.
The enormous weasel that had appeared earlier seemed wounded too, its body covered in gashes. It cast a glance at my grandfather before limping away with its injured companions. After living with these creatures for three years, my grandfather had grown completely trusting of them. During that time, they had delivered food to our family daily and, tonight, even risked their lives to save us. Watching the enormous weasel's retreating figure, my grandfather called out, "Thank you, Great Immortal Weasel!"
Naturally, there was no response. The weasel quickly vanished into the darkness.
Grandfather then turned his attention to Old Lady Liu. Under the faint moonlight, he was startled to see a long scar running from her forehead to the corner of her mouth, as if slashed by a blade. One of her eyes appeared blinded.
"Old Lady Liu, are you alright?" he asked anxiously.
Panting heavily, she replied, "I'll live."
"What about the ghoul?" Grandfather glanced nervously at the lifeless body on the ground.
"Don't worry. It's over now," Old Lady Liu assured him. "The soul of Ma Laosan's wife has been scattered. Without a soul, this body is no longer a threat. Dispose of it—either bury it on the back mountain or return it to Ma Laosan's family for proper burial. Once that's done, the matter will be settled."
As they spoke, my father timidly poked his head through the doorway. Hearing that the danger had passed, he stepped into the courtyard, visibly shaken by the scene of devastation.
"Come inside. It's safe now," Grandfather called out.
Just then, my mother's desperate cries echoed from the house. "Father! Husband! Little Jie's not waking up! Please come quickly!"
Alarmed, everyone rushed inside to find my mother cradling my unconscious body in her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"What happened?" Grandfather asked, leaning in to examine me.
"Just now, when Ma Laosan's wife broke into the room, I saw a large shadow of a fox with eight tails appear on the wall behind Little Jie," my mother explained through tears. "The shadow scared the ghoul, who fled out the window. But after that, Little Jie fainted and won't wake up. What's wrong with him?"
Hearing this, Grandfather and my father were both terrified and leaned closer to check on me.
Old Lady Liu, after a moment's thought, waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing serious. The child's body must house an immortal spirit. It emerged to drive away the ghoul, saving both mother and son from certain death. The immortal's intervention weakened the ghoul, giving me the chance to finish it off. However, the immortal spirit is now severely drained from the ordeal. It shares a bond with the child, so he'll need some time to recover. Rest assured, he'll wake up within three to seven days."
Relieved by her explanation, my family finally let out a sigh of relief.
Afterward, there was much to be done. My father borrowed a cart and hauled Ma Laosan's wife's body to the back mountain, planning to notify Ma Laosan at daybreak to retrieve and rebury it. Meanwhile, Grandfather buried the bodies of the thirty-odd weasels and foxes in a large pit in the corner of the yard. Their vibrant fur could have fetched a high price, but they had sacrificed their lives to save mine. Grandfather refused to dishonor their memory by selling their pelts.
Once everything was taken care of, dawn had broken. My mother had patched up Old Lady Liu's wounds as best as she could. Grandfather fetched a donkey cart from the east end of the village and personally took Old Lady Liu to the hospital in town for proper treatment.
On the way, Grandfather couldn't stop lamenting, "Sister Liu, we're not even related, yet you've gone blind in one eye for our family. We can never repay you, and it pains me deeply."
Old Lady Liu, however, shook her head and said, "Brother Wu, I've already told you—I ask for no reward. Helping an immortal is a blessing that I've earned through lifetimes of virtue. Your grandson being chosen by an immortal is a sign of great fortune and destiny. He has immense potential, but his fate is also fraught with challenges. He will face calamities every three years. Some will die so he may live, or he may perish if the odds are against him. Mark my words: when he turns nine, he'll face the greatest trial of his life. If he survives, his fate may take a dramatic turn for the better. If he doesn't, he'll lose his life. On his ninth birthday, make sure he doesn't leave the house, no matter what."
"Why nine years old? Doesn't he have another calamity at six?" Grandfather asked, puzzled.
"The calamity at six may be manageable with my help," Old Lady Liu replied, taking a deep puff from her smoking pipe. "But the trial at nine will be beyond my abilities. It will depend entirely on his fortune." She gazed toward the direction of Jiushan Village, her thoughts unfathomable.
Three days later, I woke up.