Zhong Kui wandered aimlessly through the bustling streets of modern China, a stranger in this new era that felt foreign to him. The dreams he once held close to him, the ambition to establish great kingdoms and unite his people had been shattered long before his eyes, leaving him with little but a deep sense of loss.
In the olden days, festivals brought people together, filling the air with joy and music. Zhong Kui had often watched as lovers and family members danced gracefully to melodies played by royal musicians. Those scenes were now just memories, replaced by the sight of individuals staring intently at glowing rectangular objects in their hands, devices he couldn't quite comprehend, (Phone). Lost in thought, Zhong Kui accidentally collided with a young woman absorbed in her cellphone.
"Hey! Can't you see where you're going?" she snapped, quickly bending down to retrieve her phone and inspect it for any damage.
She turned to confront him, her expression sharp with anger. But the words caught in her throat as her gaze traveled up, taking in his towering frame. Her voice faltered, and she stood frozen, her earlier bravado slipping away in the shadow of his imposing presence.
Zhong Kui stared intently at her trembling eyes, a smile graced his lips and he spoke. "Kneel, before your god" he commanded, hoping to get the response he wanted but she only looked at him with disdain. "What a creep," she scoffed, walking away as she left Zhong Kui flabbergasted by such disrespect.
This was it, Zhong Kui thought. Not only had he lost his life and his heavenly abilities, he had also lost the authority he had during his years as a god. Zhong Kui knelt to the floor, stairing down at his hands, his body trembling as he had never felt so humiliated in his entire life. The people around him shared glances at each other, wondering who this strange barefooted man was.
Just as he lost all hope on everything he had wished and hoped for, being powerless and all, there was still hope for him. Glancing down at his trembling hands, Zhong Kui felt a surge of energy building up inside of him, his hands glowed with a burning intensity as a strange purple light emanated from his palm.
Zhong Kui was beyond shocked. He had thought he lost everything, but it seemed to be the opposite, though the five bats of fortune were not in his possession, he still had power and that meant that he now had a renewed hope of regaining the power he once lost. Zhong Kui grinned at this, "Now the mission is all clear to me," he said, his fist tightened as he declared. He stood to his feet, walking away from the crowd of passersbys who glanced at him, some even taking shots with their mobile phones.
Zhong Kui arrived at Mr. and Mrs. Cheng abode, knocking on the front door. Mrs. Cheng answered the door, opening it. The sight of Zhong Kui from the beginning was already startling, seeing him another time was enough for her to place her hand on her chest in a desperate attempt to calm her nerves down.
Mr. Cheng who sat at the dining table, wondered who was at the door. "Who's at the door?," he asked, thinking it was maybe that one delivery boy with their daily newspaper. Mrs. Cheng said nothing, and her silence was enough for Mr. Cheng to leave the dining table and walk towards the front door.
He himself was also shocked to see Zhong Kui who had arrived as well. "My name is Zhong Kui, may I stay at your abode?," Zhong Kui said, humbling himself before the old couple. Mr. Cheng, hesitated before stepping to the side as a sign of welcoming the young man. Zhong Kui slightly bowed his head, as a sign of respect for the kindness they had shown him.
After the whole situation, the trio had finally settled down. Zhong Kui and Mr. Cheng sat at the dining table, while Mrs. Cheng and returned to the kitchen where she planned on preparing something for lunch that day. This gave the two men a chance to communicate as males, "You said your name is Zhong Kui, if I'm correct?" Mr. Cheng muttered, the tone of his voice sounding like he was bewildered by such a name.
Zhong Kui nodded, confirming the fact that he was correct. "Indeed, I am. I believe that you have questions for me?" he said, his confidence standing against Mr. Cheng.
Mr. Cheng responded with a sigh, he couldn't help the fact that this man, Zhong Kui was correct. "I'm afraid, you are correct… Zhong Kui!" he stuttered, trying to fathom such a name that he didn't believe a common man in twenty first century would bear.
"I'm sorry if you find my name confusing, I'm sure you have heard of it before, its just rare for a man such as myself to bear," said Zhong Kui, humbling himself once again. As he did so, the thought of doing so was enough to enrage him, but he kept his cool. He then continued, "You should ask your questions, I'm ready to answer them"
Mr. Cheng nodded, and before he could ask his questions, possibly questioning him about the mystical tunnel the ragged sound of Mrs. Cheng screaming echoed through out the household. Mr. Cheng stood to his feet, leaving a flabbergasted Zhong Kui and rushing to where the sound had come from.
His daughter's room.
When Mr. Cheng arrived, he spotted his wife knelt beside a bed, bawling her eyes out. Ontop of the bed was a young woman, possibly in her early twenties, the intricate description of the young woman: long dyed blonde hair, very petite frame due to the sickness eating her up. "What's happening…. Why does my daughter have all this on her face?" Mrs. Cheng called out in agony, pointing out the black inky mass that was spreading through out her face.
This was Cheng Hui, the sick daughter of the Cheng family whom her parents had almost risked their life for. Mr. Cheng dropped to his knees as he saw the dire state of his daughter, "Its all over," he said, tears dropping from his eyes. "I can't save my daughter, I'm sorry Hui my dear."
As the daughter of the Cheng family slowly wasted away, Zhong Kui walked in that very moment. His gaze wandered around the morning family, then at the sick girl, and from the look on his face he was beyond shocked. He couldn't help but notice the dark forces that surrounded the lady. "I've witnessed this phenomenon before.." he muttered, not even worried about the family's situation.
Mr. Cheng who had overheard what Zhong Kui said, glanced up at him. "Zhong Kui, you're here?…" he muttered, tears still welling up in his eyes. Zhong Kui faced Mr. Cheng with an intense look in his eyes.
"Mr. Cheng," he said calling out their family name despite not being told. "Your daughter has been plagued by a thousand cursed spirits. Now I want you to answer my questions, if you want her to be saved"
Mr. Cheng paused for a second, firstly, this strange man who called himself Zhong Kui, had already figured out the name of their family. Bit what was more surprising was the cursed spirits he was talked about and how they had an effect on his daughter, forcing her into such a dire state. What is more baffling is Zhong Kui requesting that he answers the question he gives.
Zhong Kui pointed out his finger as an indication for the first question. "What is your daughter's name?" he asked. Mr. Cheng quickly answered, "Cheng Hui…" he stuttered but he made a response. Mrs. Cheng who was more baffled by his questions, stood from her seated position.
"Who are you to ask questions? Can't you see our daughter is in pain?" Mrs. Cheng shouted, tears rolling from he eyes.
Mr. Cheng beckoned for his wife to remain calm. "No, stay back!" he commanded. Mrs. Cheng kept quiet, not saying a word, not because of the command of her husband but the eerie look that Zhong Kui gave her, glancing at her from the side.
Zhong Kui faced Mr. Cheng, and then he continued. "The second and the last question isn't a question but a request." he said, pointing out his middle finger now alongside his index. "Months ago, you visited a local monk if I'm correct"
Mr. Cheng couldn't believe what he was hearing. All that moment that this man, Zhong Kui had been humbling himself was all a fluke, this was just a way of getting their trust, but he nodded, answering his question.
Zhong Kui couldn't help but smile, he walked towards the sick woman, placing his hand on her chest. "Once I'm done with this, I want you to arrange a meeting with this priest" he said to Mr. Cheng, before continuing whatever he was doing. The couples watched as Zhong Kui traced his hands from her chest down to her forehead, and in that instant a great surge of energy escaped from his body. A strong wind found its way into the room, swirling around Zhong Kui, followed by a strange purple light that was transferred from Zhong Kui's hand and into Hui's body.
The couples could not believe what they were seeing, but their curiosity was piqued as to how this was going to end. They watched as Zhong Kui reached out with the other hand, digging it into her chest and pulling out an extremely long blade, its steel glowing with an ultra violent light before subsiding. Slowly, Hui's body returned to its original state, her shriveled body obtaining its fresh form and the black mass that irritated her skin, broke from her skin like burning paper.
Cheng Hui slowly opened her eyes, and the first face she was greeted with was a mysterious man with purple eyes, stairing directly at her, a smile so mischievous, his intensions seemed unclear.