Chapter 4 Chapter Four — The Five-Tong Deity

Li Daoxuan's eyes brightened. An actual spell!

Talisman-craft was fine, but it ate through yellow paper and cinnabar, and failed easily besides — how could it compare to the easy grace of a spell?

What kind of spellmaster is a Daoist who can't cast spells?

Calling wind and rain, sowing beans to raise an army, moving mountains to fill seas, walking between the living and the dead… those were a Daoist's proper ambitions.

He was well pleased with this Shrinking the Earth, Divine Striding art — fight or flee, it kept you alive, and suited him perfectly.

But he did not begin cultivating at once. Instead he found a kitchen cleaver, slit open the bat demon's belly, and in the blackened flesh and blood found that bean-sized demon core.

A demon core forms when a yaoguai draws in the essence of sun and moon; it is precious beyond measure. Some herb shops would pay a hundred taels of silver for a single core.

But it cannot be swallowed raw — it must be refined into a pill to purge the demonic force within.

Li Daoxuan put it away, then searched the dead Squire Wang's body. Not even a few taels of silver.

Unwilling to give up, he ran to the bedroom and searched again — and this time struck fortune: a full thirty taels of silver, and two gold ingots, ten taels each, gleaming cheerfully, quite lovable.

Twenty taels of gold is two hundred taels of silver. Even in the early Zhenguan era, with prices high, that was enough for a family to live without want for a lifetime!

Truly the landlord-rich of Xiaosha Village!

Li Daoxuan tucked the gold and silver away carefully, and felt his backbone firm up considerably. He was not afraid of being wanted by the authorities. This world, though it was the Tang, was not the Tang of history — demons roamed everywhere.

A traitor like Squire Wang, in league with demons, dead was dead; the yamen usually wouldn't trouble itself.

…

At the village elder's home.

The old elder held his granddaughter; the two were growing drowsy, nodding off — when a knock sounded at the door.

The old village elder started awake and quickly covered the girl's mouth, lest she speak.

What stood outside might not be a living thing.

But then a clear, bright voice put him at ease.

"Village Elder, I am Li Daoxuan, the master who purged the demon. The bat demon is slain. The night is cold and deep, and my stomach empty — might I trouble you for a bite to eat?"

The bat demon was dead?

A flicker of bewilderment crossed the old elder's eyes — and more, doubt.

He told the girl to stay hidden under the quilt, rose, went to the gate, hesitated, then slowly opened it.

In the moonlight stood a great bat demon, green-faced and fanged, enough to freeze the blood.

The old elder's scalp went numb; terror rose in his eyes. His hand trembling, he moved to shut the door — but in the next instant the dreadful bat demon crashed to the ground, revealing the young Daoist behind it.

Li Daoxuan gave a gentle smile, nudged the demon with his foot, and said, "No need to fear, Elder. This thing was struck dead by my heavenly thunder."

The old elder's eyes widened. Sure enough, the bat demon's corpse was scorched black all over, long since stilled.

A small figure darted out, crying in excitement, "Daoist big-brother, you didn't die!"

A quick source note: this chapter appears on from its author, while this copy was made without approval.

She saw the dreadful bat-demon corpse pinned beneath Li Daoxuan's foot; her big eyes held fear, then joy, and finally all of it melted into worship.

…

A moment later.

The whole of Xiaosha Village was roused. Countless villagers rose in the dead of night to come see the bat demon that had plagued them for years, done every manner of evil.

Some families the demon had harmed wept as they hacked at its corpse with cleavers.

The bat demon was dead!

The village, which every night fell into deathly silence, now buzzed with life. People ran and cheered, shouting in excitement — it was near to New Year.

And Li Daoxuan was eating his fill.

The meal was plain: a few steamed cakes, a bowl of thin gruel with wild greens floating in it. The only luxury was a plate of dried mutton the old village elder had been saving.

The honest old man could not bear to let the demon-slaying hero eat so poorly, and brought up the cured meat meant for the New Year, giving it all to Li Daoxuan.

Li Daoxuan fell upon it like a whirlwind, a starving ghost reborn.

In the early Zhenguan years, the realm had only newly emerged from war; all trades languished and prices stood high. Since his transmigration, most of what he earned from exorcism had gone to yellow paper and cinnabar, and he had eaten his fill rarely.

The elder's little granddaughter eyed the dried meat on the table and swallowed.

Li Daoxuan grabbed a few pieces and handed them to her. She broke into a brilliant smile, her eyes curving to crescents, and sucked at the meat as if it were treasure, afraid that one chew would finish it.

Such were the common folk of the early Zhenguan era — had this not been the village elder's house, there might not have been dried meat at all.

A single strip of cured meat was a delicacy many could only dream of.

When Li Daoxuan had eaten his fill, he left a tael of silver on the table and made to slip away quietly.

But the old village elder came with some of the village elders, and behind them many villagers, all gazing at Li Daoxuan with awe.

Many were whispering.

"I knew it all along — young Daoist may be young, but you can tell at a glance he's got real skill!"

"Eh? Didn't you tell me before the old monk looked the most fearsome?"

"This Daoist is not only mighty — he's fine as a painting!"

…

The old village elder and the elders came before Li Daoxuan and dropped to their knees. Not just them — the villagers behind followed, all kneeling.

The little granddaughter, sucking her mutton, blinked in confusion, then, nudged by others, knelt toward Li Daoxuan as well.

Li Daoxuan frowned and hurried to raise the old elder. "None of this. Subduing demons is the duty of those who walk the Dao. Besides, it was but a small bat demon — you needn't do this!"

But the old village elder did not rise. He pleaded with Li Daoxuan, "Daoist Li, your power is vast — I beg you, rid evil root and branch, and help us!"

Li Daoxuan asked, puzzled, "Wasn't the bat demon already killed?"

"Daoist Li does not know. This Bat Deity… the bat demon is in truth the Five-Tong Deity of Stone-Crow Mountain, thirty li from the village. In the third year of Wude — seven years past — they appeared suddenly and preyed upon the countryside.

"We reported it to the authorities, but the former magistrate, for daring to tear down the Five-Tong Temple, perished with his whole family. After that none dared resist. The new magistrate even had the Five-Tong Temple renovated!"

The Five-Tong Deities are five kinds of spirits, beasts who cultivated into essence, worshipped by the common folk — creatures that prowl by night, wreaking havoc on livestock and fields. Thus the people both loathed and feared them, yet could only offer worship, begging to be spared.

The Five-Tong Deities bear the name of gods, but are in truth great evils — profane, illicit sacrifices.

Li Daoxuan's heart lurched. "So you mean — there are four more demons like this bat?"

The old village elder shook his head. "Fortunately, three years ago a passing Daoist took away three of the Five-Tong Deities. Pity the cause, but he spared the remaining two and drifted away."

"So besides the bat demon, only one Five-Tong Deity remains?"

"Correct. He styles himself the Green Emperor, and delights most in ravishing women — girls of fair looks within dozens of li, many have suffered him!"

Hearing only one remained, Li Daoxuan let out a breath. Had there been four, he would have fled on the spot.

But then a thought struck him, and a chill ran down his spine.

Legend held that the Five-Tong Deities shared a peculiar bond of sense. Having slain the bat demon, would the self-styled Green Emperor already know — and come for revenge?

At that, Li Daoxuan felt thorns upon his back. He looked to the night sky, and in the blackness fancied a man-eating beast concealed.

Even the moon seemed to dim.

Flee! He must flee, at once!

Li Daoxuan had a premonition: the self-styled Green Emperor would be far, far more terrible than this bat demon!

His mana had recovered only to half, and his talismans were nearly spent — with what would he subdue a demon?

"Ahem — something I must attend to has come to mind. I take my leave."

Li Daoxuan took a step to flee, but after a few paces stopped.

He turned to look at the villagers still kneeling. If he fled, would the self-styled Green Emperor take out his wrath upon them?

The village elder's little granddaughter looked from her dim-eyed grandfather to the Li Daoxuan preparing to leave. Her small head could not make sense of it — why the mood had turned so heavy all at once.

She held out both hands, the half-licked mutton, and though reluctant, said, "Daoist big-brother, I… I only licked a little. The rest is for you. Will you help Grandfather?"

Li Daoxuan froze.

Thinking he found her licking distasteful, she cried, voice breaking, "Daoist big-brother, A-Ye isn't dirty — A-Ye rinses her mouth with a willow twig every morning…"

Flee, or stay?

Li Daoxuan was silent. After a long while, he sighed softly, and at last made his choice.