The Tale Of The Ghost Eyes - Chapter 90 The Dark Daytime (2)

Master Liu ushered me out of the office and through the school’s front door. There was a black car waiting for us. As we approached it Master Liu asked, “How is your training coming along, and school, how is school?”

I told him that I was keeping up in school, my dad was a teacher after all and it wouldn’t be good for anyone if I fell behind. “I practice Da Hong fist every morning and evening, and I can make over fifty different amulets now!” I smiled up at him.

“Is that so?” He asked, looking down at me with a smile. “And what grade of amulet have you achieved?”

“With the spirit’s help I learned to make a lot, but I still can’t make blue grade amulets. I can channel his energy for over thirty minutes now though!” I had been waiting to tell Master Liu this for a long time. I said a mental prayer that the good would outweigh the bad.

“I’m a bit shocked that you haven’t mastered blue grade amulets. Otherwise, you’ve done very well” He told me.

“Don’t be too hard on the kid.” Zuo Qingmu said, “He’s still young.”

Master Liu gave a snort of laughter and leaned to the bald man walking next to him. “My godson has surpassed most ordinary men. Don’t judge him by their level.”

Zuo Qingmu glowered at Master Liu, walking silently behind him. The four of us climbed into the car. The Village Head took the driver seat. He stated forward as if afraid to interrupt the conversation.

The bald man sat gingerly into the car on the other side of Master Liu. He gave a groaning cough and said, “Junior Fellow Apprentice Liu, you can praise your apprentice, but you don’t need to criticize mine.”

I stared at the old man. “Is he Master Liu’s senior apprentice?” I wondered.

Master Liu gave a light sigh and nodded at the bald man. “Of Course Senior Fellow Apprentice, I don’t mean to criticize Qingmu, but Xiao Yong is…”

The bald man waved a hand to interrupt, “I see, I see. Now we know some of the Taoists in our party are cruel. Since the event though, it’s pointless to be angry with them. Why don’t you teach your godson to protect us?”

I listened intently, trying to memorize every word, but daring not interrupt. When the old man stopped talking Master Liu placed his hand over mine, looking at me with warmth. “My godson was gifted with supernatural eyes. I’m not sure if I can ever cure them. He’s expressed desire to be a Taoist, though he has no fate for it. Xiao Yong cannot inherit our party through divination. He may never be a Taoist I worry that it is wrong to continue teaching him.”

I was stricken with terror at this last statement. My mind spun, “Why would he say that? Why could it ever be wrong? He has to keep teaching me!”

Master Liu’s face fell into a gloom and he stroked his old fingers over mine.

The bald man smiled and then stretched his hand over to pat me on the shoulder. His voice sounded like wind rustling through dry leaves. “Junior Fellow Apprentice, don’t fret. I will deal with whatever falls upon our family. We won’t let the outliers take advantage of us.”

My head continued to spin. I looked from one older man to the other in confusion.

“Oh!” Master Liu said, “Where are my manners? Xiao Yong, this is my Senior Fellow Apprentice Sima Jie. He is the Taoist Master of many parties. You can call him Master Sima.” Master Liu smiled at me like the past few minutes hadn’t even happened.

“Taoist master?” I asked. My brain was running loops trying to recall everything I’d read in the amulet-crafting book about Taoist Masters. “Masters can disorder the world when they perform religious rites!” I said in awe. “You can call upon your own name to practice Taoism!”

Both men chuckled at my shocked expression. The bald man said with a smile, “Xiao Yong, your godfather has been too modest around you. He can call upon my name as well. There is great power in our party. Master Liu’s is grander than even mine.” His mouth stretched in a toothless grin that both gave me the willies and made me strangely happy.

One thing ticked strangely in my mind though, why didn’t Master Liu want me to be in contact with others in his party? Why didn’t he want me interacting with Zuo Qingmu?

The Village Head drove us to the granary. We got out and walked in. The floor had been cleared away and readied for the harvest. The Village Head lead us into the open area and gestured with his arms wide. “This is at least a couple acres, you’ll be able to see in every direction. Will it work for what you need?”

“Thank you Deputy Qu. This will do perfectly. Please do as I asked though, no one must know about this.”

Village Head Qu nodded at Master Liu and walked back to the car. “I’ll head back to town then. I’ll be back in the other car when you’re ready.”

Village Head Qu closed the door and drove off. Zuo Qingmu took out his compass and walked slowly around the granary floor. Master Liu and Sima Jie walked together to the center of the wide-open area. I looked around at my options and followed Master Liu.

“Why are we here?” I asked after an unbearable silence.

Master Liu looked at me in surprise, “You don’t know yet? The rainbows, my boy! The rainbows!” He chuckled and shook his head like it was obvious. “We’re here to explore.”

Sima Jie added, “Zuo Qingmu was here a year ago to confirm the location.” The old man swiveled his head to look at his junior apprentice. “That’s when he met with your frozen ghost.”

I looked at Zuo Qingmu walking around with his compass. Master Liu asked, “When was the last time you saw it?”

The image of a bluish face illuminated by lightning flashed into my head. I told the elderly men everything I saw. They listened closely, Master Liu silent, Master Sima making sucking noises with each smack of his toothless mouth.

“That sounds like a dark day.” Master Liu said to Master Sima.

“What is that?” I interrupted.

“A dark day is a collection of supernatural energy all expelled at once. It usually appears as thunder and lightning. It’s kind of like when something powerful has a really bad day. If it’s a tremendous disaster, then it might be a demon or spirit, and it must be powerful.”

“Would whatever it is come out to hurt people?” I asked. I remembered the snake spirit that Master Ge battled in the tomb, but that was a spirit, not a demon!

Sima Jie’s head bobbled like it was in the wind, “Demons and spirits won’t hurt people because that’d bring a lot of attention and difficulties their way. I wouldn’t worry too much.”

Zuo Qingmu joined us with his compass. “Master, Master Liu” He cast a look at me and then shook his head. “By everything I can tell, it’s here. This is the spot. There’s no supernatural air though, are you sure this is the wonder of the three rainbows?”

Sima Jie nodded. “It might be.” He raised a gnarled hand and pointed to the center of the granary, a few feet from where we stood. “We’ll need a reason to stay here. Zuo Qingmu, you need to build a shed. We’ll get some hives and disguise you as a bee keeper!” His old eyes gleamed brightly.

Zuo Qingmu bowed, “Yes, master.”

“Why does he have to stay here?” I asked curiously.

Master Liu rapped his knuckles on my head. “You ask too many questions. Silence yourself and follow me.”

I followed silently. Zuo Qingmu led the way as we walked back to the center of the village. He split off at a fork to find Village Head Qu and waved at the rest of us. Master Liu, Sima Jie and I continued to my house.

The question bubbled incessantly inside me until I worked up the courage to voice it. “Master Liu,” I half shouted I was so nervous, “Why don’t you want me to contact the other apprentices in the party?” My heart sped to a mile a minute.

Master Liu’s face hardened and then curved into a large smile. “Oh that! Ha! I was worried that you’d anger some one. Not everyone in our party is a good man. Master Sima and Zuo Qingmu are fine! You’re welcome to speak with them. Others though, I advise you to stay away from the others.”

“Who else is an apprentice under Master Sima?” I asked.

The hardened look returned. His brow furrowed and his eyes burned as we walked. I looked on in silence, awaiting the punishment for asking more questions.

But it wasn’t Master Liu who answered. “I had two apprentices,” Sima Jie said. “My elder apprentice was killed. Now there is only Qingmu.”

I apologized for intruding saying, “Its not my business! I’m sorry!” The old man walked over to me and touched my head softly as we walked. He was surprisingly quick for being so old.

“It was his fate.” He said, still holding my head. “He was a good man. He’ll be with a good family in his next life.”

Sima Jie looked at Master Liu, saying “Chunan, it wasn’t your fault. We believe in nature. Those who seek status will never grow or achieve in Taoism. And you” He jabbed a wrinkly finger at Master Liu, “Won’t grow through hate. It will only pull you away from our power. My master always said that you can maintain peace, not massacre.”

Master Liu was silent for a moment. “Don’t worry, Sima Jie. They’re not worthy of my power.”