Post-'80s Cultivation Journal Chapter 3

Chapter 3 -Kill the Child Trafficker

Even though under Ma Wulang’s deterrence, Zhang Jiaohua didn’t dare to let out a cry, however two lines of tears just like open taps, flowed down without stopping.

Ma Wulang also upon seeing the brat cry out in such disorderly fashion, no longer thought it to be amusing, “I am not a child trafficker, rather I am Ma family’s Daoist Priest Ma. Do you know me?”

Daoist Priest Ma? Isn’t that even more terrifying than a child trafficker? No sooner had Ma Wulang spoken out this sentence, Zhang Jiaohua began crying even more grievously. It was not that Ma Wulang was a devilish or monstrous person, rather this was the result of preschool education. Usually, when a child is not being obedient, Grandpa and Grandma, Father or Mother would say: Daoist Priest Ma will come, if you still keep crying, then Daoist Priest Ma will take you away and make you a little ghost. Therefore, in the mind of a child, in the ranking of the most fearful person, the child trafficker is on the number two spot, while Daoist Priest Ma is on the number one spot.

Daoist Priest Ma didn’t expect this kind of a result, and immediately became as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a housefly. Motherfucker, I don’t harass any women or young ladies, I don’t even steal chicken or steal dogs, just tease those who look unfavourably on me, with some minor dao technique? How did my image become like this?

Jinhu et al were all trembling and shivering, rigidly hiding behind Zhang Jiaohua, but nevertheless didn’t run away.

“Don’t cry!” Daoist Priest Ma immediately got angry. Three sentences in praise are not as good as a nice beating, your Grandpa, I cannot control you brat.

Zhang Jiaohua was trembling in fright. Jinhu, et al were also shivering from head to toe, while making crying noises. This was the first time that they had made any sound. Zhang Jiaohua had been terribly frightened by Daoist Priest Ma, and unexpectedly didn’t even note this point.

“What is your name?” Daoist Priest Ma was very pleased with this result.

“Zhang, Zhang Jiaohua.” Zhang Jiaohua somewhat dreadingly looked at Daoist Priest Ma. This was someone who was even more terrifying than a child trafficker, his body was dirty, looked just like a beggar, disheveled hair and crude face, wearing a Daoist robe with dance program like effect having silk thread below. Daoist Priest Ma was barefooted, both of his feet were very big. Had a feeling that this image of Daoist Priest Ma and the one described by Mother earlier were too different.

“Your mother really has standards!” Daoist Priest Ma laughed, obviously this name Zhang Jiaohua had cheered him up.

“It was not set by my Mother, it was chosen by my Grandpa.” Zhang Jiaohua thought that the credit for this should be given to Grandpa. Actually, Zhang Jiaohua was quite pleased with his name, because his name had the character 花 (Hua-Flower) in it. And flowers are really beautiful. The line of thought of brats cannot be the same as that of adults.

“Ok.” Daoist Priest Ma thought that it is better not to quibble with these brats, otherwise would possibly be brought down into a ditch, “I heard you were being possessed by little ghosts? Where are they hiding?”

“Don’t tell him!” Jinhu anxiously whispered to Zhang Jiaohua. He was afraid of Daoist Priest Ma.

“They……” Zhang Jiaohua was feeling very strange, Doesn’t Daoist Priest Ma grab ghosts? How come just like Father and Mother, he cannot see Jinhu and all?

Jinhu and all were very anxious, suddenly they came out from behind Zhang Jiaohua’s back, and impleadingly said: “Don’t tell him! We truly beseech you. We all will die.”

“Tell quickly! Otherwise I will kidnap you and sell you off.” Daoist Priest Ma threatened somewhat impatiently.

Zhang Jiaohua pointed behind Daoist Priest Ma, while also intently staring at a pillar behind Daoist Priest Ma.

Daoist Priest Ma sensed a chill run down his back, as if a current of bone chilling ill wind was blowing from his back, feeling as if he had fallen into a ice hole. Daoist Priest Ma’s little bit of daoist technique wasn’t fake, but his cultivation ability was just at the level of deceiving the fellow villagers. Hadn’t opened Heaven’s Eye, also didn’t have innate Yin-Yang Eye, how could he see the presence of Jinhu and all?

Daoist Priest Ma promptly turned his body to look. Naturally, he couldn’t see anything. However, Daoist Priest Ma couldn’t let others know that he couldn’t see ghosts, even if it is a brat.

Although Zhang Jiaohua was only seven years old, he was still quite intelligent. While Daoist Priest Ma turned around, he immediately ran out of the gate. In the grain drying field, beans and corncob (Maize) were being dried, Zhang Jiaohua grabbed a maize corncob and threw it at Daoist Priest Ma.

“Die you Child Trafficker! Damned Swindler!”

The five little ghosts also became unexpectedly fearless, and were throwing maize corncobs at Daoist Priest Ma along with Zhang Jiaohua.

A maize could be almost three-four tael heavy. The brats in the rural areas every day throw stones on the mountains. The hand strength of a seven year old brat must not be underestimated. Add to that those five little ghosts. On that day the flying maize corncobs seemed like a hailstorm. The strength of the five ghosts was unexpectedly even greater than Zhang Jiaohua. Upon being hit by Zhang Jiaohua, he could only cover one’s head and run.

Ma Wulang’s cultivation wasn’t high, but he wasn’t an idiot. Naturally could make out, that attacking him incessantly was not just that one brat. Several little ghosts were also participating.

Daoist Priest Ma had a wee bit of cultivation ability, if he were permitted sufficient time to prepare, he could draw several talismans, also could bring out magical item passed down by Founder, then perhaps dealing with these five little ghosts wouldn’t be that big of a problem.

Added to that, today he was intending to gorge till satisfaction at Zhang Jiaohua’s house, therefore by this time his belly was completely empty. Chasing after several little ghosts across the entire courtyard, the remaining grains in his stomach had already been consumed cleanly. Now his empty stomach was making gurgling sounds.

Zhang Jiaohua was fortunate. Those five little ghosts, the more they hit the more experienced they became. Moreover, they had great strength. Zhang Jiaohua who had been just like was throwing maize corncobs since the beginning, now directly threw behind a shoulder pole him at Daoist Priest Ma chasing behind him. It seemed as if that the flying shoulder-pole was going to hit Daoist Priest Ma. Daoist Priest Ma was planning to raise the staff in his hands to guard himself, but his hands were instead struck by the shoulder pole. The staff directly fell down onto the ground, the bells on top of it made jingling sounds on the ground. If Daoist Priest Ma could use Dao Technique to control this bell, then within one round he would have been able to control these little ghosts. However, Daoist Priest Ma’s cultivation ability wasn’t refined, he absolutely couldn’t control the little bell strung atop the staff. A legacy magic item of the Founder, had unexpectedly been turned into an ornament.

Daoist Priest Ma threw down the staff, and again thought of taking out something. What Daoist Priest Ma was wearing was a Daoist Robe, and the thing was placed in the sleeves. Usually he would have been able to pull it out smoothly, but in this time of crisis, he couldn’t pull it out. Reckless application of force resulted in the sleeve getting torn off, and the the things inside fell out. It seemed to be a book, and a compass. The compass dropped down onto the ground with a clanking sound, and rolled a few times on the ground before stopping.

Shortly thereafter, Daoist Priest Ma was struck again by the shoulderpole. Then looked up again to saw that a firewood chopper, a double-edged axe was flying out from Zhang Jiaohua’s house. Daoist Priest Ma was frightened, his soul had almost departed. Where would he have the time to take care of the treasure dropped down on the ground? He broke into a run to get out.

Although, Jinhu and the others of five little ghosts saw Daoist Priest Ma escaping, but they actually didn’t pursue him out from the courtyard.

One person and Five little ghosts had just now erupted with all their energy. At this time, the powerful enemy had ran, so they sat down on the threshold gasping for breath.

“What bad luck!” Gasping for breath, Zhang Jiaohua was looking at the corncobs on the ground, he immediately scowled miserably. He immediately ran to pick up the corncobs everywhere.

“Jiaohua, we will help you pick up!” Jinhu and other little young comrades stepped up.

In the courtyard, a strange phenomenon was appearing, the corncobs spread across the entire courtyard were flying, automatically flying onto the bamboo mat in the grain drying field.

Daoist Priest Ma gasping for breath had run out for quite a distance, and was seen by the villagers.

“Daoist Priest Ma, how did you end up like this?” Liu Qiangwang, tractor operator in Meizi’ao was also a known character in Meizi’ao. He mockingly looked at the battered and bruised Daoist Priest Ma.

“Bad luck, through and through! Zhang Youping’s house has several little ghosts which have turned into malicious spirits. Today if it were not for me running quickly, I would have nearly died in that house.” Daoist Priest Ma still had some lingering fears.

Chapter end