Chapter 072

On the first day of the New Year, Qiao Man opened his eyes, full of energy.

In the new year, Xiao Man was officially a six-year-old big boy!

He wasn’t in a hurry to get out of bed. First, his small hand reached under his pillow and, as expected, felt a red envelope. He opened it to find several brand-new banknotes tucked inside.

Qiao Man grinned happily, then reached under the pillow next to him. The red envelope he had placed there last night was gone.

He threw back the covers and jumped out of bed, running out cheerfully. “Xingxing!”

Lu Jianxing was in the middle of recording a New Year’s greeting video. Hearing the pitter-patter of footsteps approaching, he cancelled the recording and turned around to see the child standing barefoot on the floor, holding an opened red envelope.

Qiao Man lunged into his arms and was quickly scooped up. He happily wrapped his arms around the adult’s neck, rubbing his fuzzy head against Lu Jianxing’s shoulder. “Xingxing, thank you.”

This was the first time Xiao Man had ever received New Year’s money¹!

On the mountain, there was no need to spend money, so his master had never given him an allowance. Since they didn’t celebrate the New Year, there was no such thing as “lucky money,” let alone setting off firecrackers or watching the Spring Festival Gala. Everything he was doing now was a first for him.

He nuzzled contentedly for a moment, then noticed Lu Jianxing was already fully dressed. He hurriedly scrambled back down to the floor and dashed back toward the bedroom. “Xingxing, wait for me!”

They had agreed last night that they would go out to celebrate today. New Year’s in the city was incredibly lively. Not only were the amusement parks open, but there would also be bustling temple fairs² and performances. Lu Jianxing’s descriptions had left Qiao Man enchanted, and he had spent the time before sleep mumbling about all the things he wanted to see.

While the child went back to change, Lu Jianxing took the opportunity to finish recording his New Year’s greeting. Just as the upload finished, Qiao Man came running out again in his new clothes and shoes. He dashed into the bathroom, climbed onto a small stool, and began fussing with his hair with a comb, looking very serious. He was determined to have the perfect look for the first day of the year.

Once the child was ready, Lu Jianxing led him onto the subway.

It seemed like the entire city had come out to play. Public transport was packed with crowds. Qiao Man was squeezed between rows of long legs, clutching the hem of Lu Jianxing’s coat as he drifted with the tide. When the subway reached their stop, he simply flowed out with the mass of people.

The station was located near a Taoist temple, which was also one of the city’s famous landmarks. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, many people arrived before dawn to offer incense and pray for blessings. At this moment, the temple was packed with believers, and there was a long queue just to offer incense.

Lu Jianxing bought a bundle of incense and took Qiao Man to the back of the line.

Qiao Man looked around curiously; this was his first time visiting a proper Taoist temple. This was a famous, grand establishment and a major tourist attraction, so it was very well-maintained. The architecture was elegant and ancient, with towering trees and small ponds with flowing water. The scent of burning incense lingered everywhere, and a few stray cats lay lazily in the corners. Taoists in their Taoist Robes moved among the crowd. Despite the noise of the people, the environment still felt serene.

It was nothing like his dilapidated temple on the mountain, where they raised chickens and ducks and had to patch up a giant hole in the roof.

Qiao Man looked around, feeling incredibly envious. “The Taoists here live so well…”

He peered at the incense burner, which was overflowing with ash from countless sticks of incense. His envy grew. “The offerings here are so abundant…”

Lu Jianxing looked down at him.

Qiao Man said sourly, “But the Taoists here definitely aren’t as capable as me.”

A fellow pilgrim waiting in line heard this and turned around. Seeing a young father with a child, and realizing the boast had come from the little boy, the man couldn’t help but chuckle.

He teased, “A little kid like you knows how to be a Taoist? Can you catch ghosts? Or do fortune-telling? Or read Feng Shui?”

Qiao Man said confidently, “I can do all of that!”

The pilgrim laughed heartily. “Really? I don’t believe you.”

Qiao Man: “…”

Lu Jianxing placed a hand on the child’s shoulder, pulling him closer. He gave the pilgrim a cool look. “He really is very capable.”

Being stared down by the father made the pilgrim feel a bit awkward, even though the young man looked much younger than himself. “It’s just the first time I’ve seen a kid who wants to be a Taoist…”

Just then, a group of Taoists walked out of the main hall, each looking refined and otherworldly. The pilgrim quickly pointed toward them. “Look there. If you could study under them, you’d definitely become a powerful Taoist.”

Qiao Man squinted at them. “Are they very powerful?”

“Of course! In our A City, Zhengyang Temple is the largest temple. Not only does it have a long history, but it’s also very effective. The masters are incredible. Usually, if there’s any trouble with evil spirits or hauntings, people ask the masters from Zhengyang Temple for help,” the pilgrim introduced proudly.

Qiao Man sounded uninterested. “Is that so?”

Exorcising ghosts and warding off evil was something he could do too.

The pilgrim gave a “hey” of protest, trying to give an example. “Don’t be so skeptical. A while back, I had a stomachache for half a month. No matter which hospital I went to, it wouldn’t get better. But when I came to the temple, the Taoist here took one look at me and saw the problem. He gave me a talisman, and the pain vanished instantly. And during the drought in the middle of the year, as soon as the masters from Zhengyang Temple finished their rain ritual, it poured the very next day…”

Bored, Qiao Man kicked at the corner of a loose paving stone.

Healing illnesses and praying for rain… it didn’t sound nearly as impressive as the stories about that Master Qiao he’d heard last time.

The child’s bored expression triggered the pilgrim’s competitive streak. He racked his brain for more examples, determined to make this ignorant child realize the greatness of Zhengyang Temple.

Perhaps he was speaking too loudly, because one of the Taoists looked over. After excusing himself to his companions, the man walked straight toward them.

The Taoist leading the way looked like a person of high standing, though the pilgrim didn’t recognize him. The pilgrim quickly stood up straight, smoothed his clothes, and put on a smile. However, the Taoist walked right past him and stopped in front of the child, offering a polite bow.

“Master Xiao Man, Happy New Year.” The newcomer was Master Yu. He glanced at the line Qiao Man was in. “Are you here to offer incense as well? There are many people here for blessings today. Would you like me to take you to the front?”

“Happy New Year,” Qiao Man greeted him in return. “Is it really alright if I cut in line up front?”

Master Yu smiled. “I have a bit of influence here in this temple. Letting Master Xiao Man skip the line is a small matter. If anything, Master Xiao Man has done me a great favor.”

Seeing Qiao Man’s bewildered expression, he spoke plainly. “A fellow practitioner surnamed Zhu and I have some old grievances. I heard he recently had a magical duel with Master Xiao Man and lost. You’ve helped me vent a long-held frustration.”

Qiao Man suddenly understood.

He remembered that Daoist Zhu. He was the wicked Taoist who had helped Father Jiang with the Life Extension ritual, and he was apparently still recovering in the hospital.

As practitioners of the Way, they emphasized doing good deeds and accumulating merit, but Daoist Zhu had done many filthy things for the wealthy. Master Yu had despised him for a long time but had been unable to do anything about it. When he heard from the ghosts that Master Xiao Man had ordered a group of vengeful spirits to gang up on the man, Master Yu felt a complex mix of emotions, mostly bordering on schadenfreude.

He personally led the two toward the main hall. As they walked, he said with a look of shame, “The Talismans Master Xiao Man drew previously were incredibly effective. Unfortunately, some were swindled away from me by a scheme. I wonder when Master Xiao Man might be free? I would like to purchase some more.”

Qiao Man held his head high as they passed the stunned pilgrim from before. He kept his chubby face serious and nodded solemnly. “Hmm… maybe in a few days. I’ve been very busy lately.”

“Of course, Master Xiao Man’s affairs must come first.”

Master Yu led them into the main hall. Once the pilgrim in front had finished offering incense and prayers, he ushered them into the line.

Qiao Man and Lu Jianxing offered their incense and closed their eyes to pray devoutly. Qiao Man even took the opportunity to draw a fortune stick³. He looked at it: Great Fortune! His heart soared instantly, and he was in a wonderful mood as he walked out of the hall.

Master Yu continued to lead him around, introducing him to the Taoists of Zhengyang Temple along the way.

Master Yu was currently a guest practitioner⁴ at Zhengyang Temple and was familiar with all the Taoists there. When they saw him solemnly introducing a child and calling him “Master Xiao Man” at every turn, they were filled with doubt. Then they heard Master Yu explain, “The Talismans I used previously were all drawn by Master Xiao Man.”

The moment those words were spoken, the way the Taoists looked at the child’s chubby face completely changed.

The Talismans Fellow Daoist Yu used? They knew all about them!

Not only were they incredibly difficult to draw, but the quality was superb and they were exceptionally effective. They had significantly boosted Master Yu’s strength during ghost-hunting and magical duels. Most Taoists drew their own Talismans, and while their skill levels varied, it was rare to see any of such high quality.

Although the child before them looked very young, would Master Yu make such a serious introduction if it were a lie?

The Taoists’ attitudes immediately became enthusiastic. “So this is Master Xiao Man. I have heard of your great name for a long time.”

“Those Talismans are good—truly excellent! Last time I went ghost-hunting with Fellow Daoist Yu, a single Breath-Concealing Talisman kept us hidden right under the Vengeful Ghost’s nose. And that Thunder-Inducing Talisman nearly blasted the ghost’s soul into nothingness!”

“I’ve long heard the wild ghosts outside the temple talking about Master Xiao Man’s prestige, saying a powerful Taoist had arrived in A City. I didn’t expect Master Xiao Man to be so… so young.”

“To have such skill in drawing Talismans at such a young age, Master Xiao Man is truly remarkable…”

Qiao Man was so delighted by the praise that he pursed his lips to hide a grin. His face was flushed pink, his eyes were sparkling, and he tilted his head up confidently. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m only a little bit amazing.”

The pilgrim in the distance was dumbfounded. Watching several Taoists surround a child and shower him with flattery, he rubbed his eyes, questioning his very reality.

While the praise was in full swing, a young Taoist came rushing over.

“This is bad, Uncles,” the young Taoist said in a low voice. “The Temple Master⁵ has lost his soul⁶ again.”

The expressions of the various Taoists shifted. “What?”

Suddenly, there was no time for further pleasantries. The Taoists hurried away.

Master Yu lingered a few steps behind, intending to say goodbye to Master Xiao Man. When he looked down, he met the child’s eyes, which were filled with curiosity.

“What happened?” Qiao Man’s ears were practically twitching. “Whose soul is lost?”

Master Yu hesitated for a moment. Considering the boy’s abilities and the problem currently plaguing the entire Zhengyang Temple, he took the initiative to extend an invitation. “It concerns Temple Master Chen. It’s not convenient to discuss it out here. If Master Xiao Man is interested, why not come with me to take a look?”

Qiao Man turned to look at Lu Jianxing. Lu Jianxing had no objections, so the two followed Master Yu toward the rear hall.

Not far away, a passerby pulled back his phone, looking at the video he had just recorded with a bewildered face.

He had originally come with his family to offer incense. Seeing a celebrity and a child he recognized from a variety show, he had wanted to take a photo to show his friends, but he had accidentally recorded this scene instead.

What was going on?

He looked closely. Yes, the one surrounded by a group of Taoists was indeed Baby Xiao Man.

Just last night, he had joined the hype and reposted the Talisman Baby Xiao Man had shared.

Was Baby Xiao Man so powerful that he was being called in as backup by the Taoists of Zhengyang Temple?

Translator’s Notes