Chapter 38:
A Strange Case of Male Pregnancy (Part 3):
“Touch Him, and You Die…”
The man’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“I’m asking, will you fight him or not?” Jiang Wan pressed.
“I won’t fight someone who’s pregnant,” the man replied.
“Then you can’t point your sword at him.” Jiang Wan smiled, stepping forward and pressing down on his wooden sword. “He’s carrying a snake child.”
The man hesitated, his face showing doubt. “Really?”
“Don’t you know?” Jiang Wan said. “The snakes here have a peculiar habit. They sneak into houses at night and impregnate men.”
“I’ve heard of it. That’s why I’m here.” The man seemed to believe her, sheathing his sword. “You’ve been afflicted too?” He walked towards Chen Henian. “Let me check your pulse.”
“That’s unnecessary,” Chen Henian stepped back, waving him away. “Let’s fight. If you lose, you leave.”
“No,” the man insisted. “I have to confirm this first.”
“Who said you have a choice?” Chen Henian’s voice was cold, his annoyance evident. But the man didn’t back down, reaching for his wrist.
Chen Henian spun around, his hand striking the man’s wrist. The man grabbed his arm, his eyes fixed on him, determined to check his pulse.
“What’s wrong with you?!” Chen Henian snapped, his patience wearing thin.
His master had warned him to avoid conflict with the Northern and Southern Daoists, to avoid attracting attention, to avoid revealing his location. This man, a newly ordained Southern Daoist, was as stubborn as a bull.
“It wouldn’t be fair to fight you if you’re pregnant,” the man said, observing Chen Henian’s discomfort, even without checking his pulse. He was almost convinced by Jiang Wan’s words.
“But you can’t beat me anyway,” Chen Henian retorted.
The man paused, his expression thoughtful.
Another wave of nausea washed over Chen Henian, forcing him to bend over. The Daoist’s approach had brought with it the pungent smell of incense, the cloying scent of the Daoist temple, making him even more irritable. This place was disgusting.
“Are you alright?” the man asked.
Chen Henian just scoffed, ignoring his concern.
“So annoying,” he muttered, his voice laced with frustration.
The red string on his finger grew warm.
He frowned, his long hair swaying, obscuring his face, but not the coldness in his eyes.
“Wait…” the man’s hand tightened around his sword hilt. “An evil presence?”
A powerful gust of wind erupted from behind Chen Henian, forcing the man to brace himself, his hands shielding his chest, his feet planted firmly on the ground. He didn’t have time to chant or wield his sword, almost blown off his feet.
He tumbled backward, his back hitting a tree, stopping his fall.
“What was that?” he asked, his voice low and serious.
The black shadow expanded, rising above Chen Henian’s head, its presence immense, its power like a crashing wave, louder than thunder.
The man gasped, drawing his sword, the tassels of camphor leaves and tree resin swaying, his left hand forming a protective seal, preparing to fight.
But Chen Henian’s voice, calm and indifferent, stopped him.
“You can’t defeat this ghost.”
The man looked up, seeing the change in his expression, the discomfort replaced by a cold, detached smile.
“How?” he asked, puzzled. How could he stand so calmly beneath such a powerful entity?
The great ghost had emerged, its eyes closed, its breath warm against Chen Henian’s ear. Its skeletal hand reached out, gently straightening his bent back, its cold form close behind him.
Its face materialized, its eyes snapping open, their gaze like daggers, directed at the man.
The man quickly averted his eyes, not daring to meet its gaze.
“Don’t worry,” Jiang Wan, standing at a safe distance, said, watching the scene unfold. “It won’t attack you unless you provoke it. It seems the snake disturbed its slumber.”
The great ghost, indeed, had been awakened by the snake fetus. It ignored the two humans, its hand moving to Chen Henian’s abdomen, turning into black water, seeping through his clothes.
Chen Henian inhaled sharply, a cold, itchy sensation spreading through his lower abdomen. His face remained impassive as he leaned back against the ghost’s body, its form soft and yielding, like a mattress, enveloping him. The nausea subsided, the foul smell fading.
The foreign presence within him had vanished.
The great ghost spoke, its deep voice clear and cold, its words a chilling warning. “Touch him, and you die…”
It wasn’t clear who the warning was directed at. It closed its eyes, its form dissolving into black mist, the cold intensifying, then fading, leaving only a lingering chill.
The red string on Chen Henian’s finger tightened, leaving a warm, red mark on his skin.
“You’re feeding yourself to a ghost?” the man said, his mind still reeling, then shook his head. “No, I was wrong. You have a pact with a ghost.”
Chen Henian rotated his wrist, his expression clearing, his movements fluid as he drew a small knife. “Can we fight now? Just you and me.”
Seeing his calm demeanor, the man nodded. “Yes.”
Jiang Wan interrupted. “Why do you have to fight?”
“I need this,” the man replied. Southern Daoists, upon reaching eighteen, were required to descend the mountain and complete a series of tasks within three years before returning to receive their robes and titles. This was one of his assigned tasks.
“It’s easy to resolve,” Jiang Wan said quickly. “We can be your clients. You handle the snake, we’ll take care of the rest. We’re all here to deal with the snake, aren’t we? How about that?”
The man considered her proposal, then agreed, extending his hand. “Payment.”
Jiang Wan turned to Chen Henian, shrugging. “I don’t have anything.”
“Did I agree to this?” Chen Henian asked.
“Wouldn’t it be better to work together, then part ways?” she said, winking at him. Her meaning was clear. If the Daoist left now, knowing what he knew, it could cause trouble for Chen Henian. It was best to keep him around until the matter was resolved.
His luck was truly terrible, encountering a Southern Daoist in this remote place. He opened his suitcase, taking out a paper figurine and handing it to the man.
“This is your payment,” he said dryly.
The man accepted it without question, his eyes still fixed on the suitcase. “Can I see the mirror?”
“No,” Chen Henian snapped, closing the suitcase, not allowing him another glimpse. “Now, go do your job.”
The man nodded, accepting his role as an employee. “My name is Zuo He. If I fail, you can report me to the temple at the foot of Mount Jielü.”
Zuo He, the Southern Daoist, was from a nearby town. He had just finished another exorcism when he heard rumors of a snake spirit impregnating men in this village. He had traveled overnight by ox cart, arriving this morning.
“Let’s go,” Chen Henian said, leading the way. “Let’s see what’s wrong with this mountain.”
“Snakes,” Zuo He said. “This is Snake Mountain.”
“If they block our path, kill them,” Chen Henian replied.
“Alright.” Zuo He moved ahead, clearing the path with his sword, cutting through branches and killing any snakes that crossed their path, his movements swift and efficient.
They reached the summit, only to find it barren, a large, blackened crater.
The surrounding trees were charred stumps, the damage old, the ashes barely visible.
“Lightning,” Chen Henian said. “Tribulation lightning.”
The mountaintop had been struck by lightning, not ordinary lightning, but multiple strikes, two smaller craters visible on the other side of the peak.
Three bolts of lightning. Animals cultivating in the mountains, seeking enlightenment, had to endure tribulation lightning.
“A snake attempting to transform into a dragon,” Jiang Wan said. “Do you think it succeeded?”
“No,” Zuo He replied. “If it had, there would be shed skin here.”
“What if someone took it?” Jiang Wan said. “The villagers hunt snakes on this mountain.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Chen Henian said. “If a snake had become a dragon, the feng shui wouldn’t be this corrupted. If it failed, its cultivation would be destroyed, its soul scattered.”
“Perhaps that’s why it had to possess Yang Zhen.”
“Then why did it target you?” Jiang Wan asked.
Chen Henian glared at her, and she shrugged, realizing her question was foolish. If a better vessel appeared, why would the snake hesitate?
“But the snake last night was a four-legged snake. It didn’t look like it had been struck by lightning. Perhaps it’s a curse, a lingering resentment. Otherwise, why would a single glance be enough to afflict you?”
“Have you seen any other pregnant men in this village?” Chen Henian asked.
“No,” Zuo He replied. “But I haven’t met everyone.”
“Then let’s check,” Chen Henian said, looking down at the scattered houses below. “We need to determine if the entire village is affected, or just the Yang family.”
“That’s easy, leave it to me.” Jiang Wan smiled, her fingers touching her forehead, her eyes flashing red as she chanted, “Eyes of wraith, become my eyes.”
“Heart of wraith, share your senses.”
“Elder Sister, arise!”
Her aura shifted, and a ghostly wail echoed through the air, a dark shadow sinking into the ground.
With ghost control, she could see through a ghost’s eyes. The villagers could hide from humans, but not from ghosts.
“Elder Sister will tell me,” she said, smiling.
Zuo He stepped forward. “That was… a Black Wraith.”
“You can control a Black Wraith?” His voice turned cold.
“Don’t look at me like that, I’m not using any dark arts.” She pointed at Chen Henian. “He’s the strange one. Do you know what’s inside him?”
Zuo He shook his head. “I’m not sure, but it’s very powerful.”
“A true great ghost, yet it seems to obey him,” Jiang Wan said. “That’s why they say he’s a treasure trove. Aren’t Daoists supposed to have discerning eyes? Did you notice anything?”
Chen Henian snorted. He knew she was doing this deliberately, but she was too blunt.
Zuo He’s reply was even more direct.
“A Tai Yin body,” he said calmly. “Truly rare.”
Jiang Wan hadn’t expected such a straightforward answer. “Were you testing me?”
“Yes,” Zuo He admitted.
His expression remained unchanged as he turned to Chen Henian. “I knew the moment I saw you.”
He met Chen Henian’s gaze, his dark eyes unwavering.
“I couldn’t identify the evil presence within you, but I’m familiar with the Tai Yin fate. My master said that where a Tai Yin body resides, evil entities gather. That’s why I came here, following the other practitioners.”
“A Tai Yin body, a precious fate, yet you seem… ordinary.” His posture was straight, his voice firm. “I understand your situation. Many are hostile towards you, but you’re not evil, your heart is not filled with malice. I’m here to eradicate evil, and you are not evil, so we have no conflict.”
“You’re my client. I’ll deal with the snake, and then we’ll part ways. I won’t reveal your location to anyone.”
