Chapter 85: Tiger Claw, Tongue Tip Blood

Northern Fist versus Southern Legs? Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms? Dog Beating Staff Technique? Facing Guo Er, my mind was in total chaos. I almost wanted to transform into the protagonist of those martial arts novels I had read, but imagination was beautiful and reality was cruel. In that instant, Guo Er was already lunging at me.

Damn it, still not over!

I had already lost count of how many curses I had shouted today. I turned around and ran.

The yard was not large, but it was full of flowers, potted plants, and random jars and pots. There was even a tree standing in the middle. I ran in a miserable panic, leaping up and down like a monkey, while Guo Er chased closely behind me without the slightest intention of giving up.

Time passed painfully second by second. I did not know how long I had been running. Even someone like me, with good stamina, finally could not hold on. My vision blurred, and every breath felt like I was pumping a broken bellows in my chest, wheezing and gasping.

Finally, I tripped over a flowerpot. In that instant of falling, I even felt a strange sense of relief. Finally, I could lie down for a moment.

Of course, only for a moment, because Guo Er pounced on me the very next second.

I tried to kick him away, but I did not even have the strength or chance to lift my leg. He climbed on top of my stomach in a very strange way, pressing one hand on my shoulder and the other forcefully pinching my chin, as if trying to pry my mouth open.

What did Guo Er mean? No, what did that hungry ghost mean? My chin hurt so badly, but it did not stop me from thinking.

I had very little strength to resist. After the long, intense chase, I was almost completely drained. Managing even a small struggle was already impressive. I even found myself thinking that it would be great if a ghost could possess me right now.

But as the saying goes, you should not think carelessly, because what you think might just come true. The backlash arrived immediately.

Guo Er first pried my mouth open with force, then his expression twisted as if in pain. Next, I saw his stomach slowly shrink. It kept shrinking until it became a lump the size of an egg pressed against his abdomen.

He was already wearing tattered clothes, ripped into strips during the fight, so I could see everything clearly. I wish I had not looked. I almost wanted to dig my own eyes out.

That egg sized lump was rolling violently inside his stomach, struggling to break free. The skin on his abdomen was stretched thinner and thinner. In just a short moment, a grotesque face emerged, identical to the one I had vaguely seen earlier, roaring at me.

Only then did I understand. That lump was not a tumor, and it certainly was not an egg. It was a real hungry ghost. No wonder Old Man Jiang had said it was a kind of living entity.

In a crisis, the mind works especially fast. Suddenly I realized why Guo Er was forcing my mouth open. That hungry ghost was trying to escape from his stomach and crawl into my mouth.

It wanted my body. It wanted to possess me.

The thought alone made me feel disgusted enough to vomit. At the same time, I could not help but think how strangely creative this hungry ghost was, actually trying to take over the body of a Daoist. Was this the idea of hiding in the most dangerous place?

I almost went insane. And that surge of madness from deep inside my mind instantly strengthened my will.

I roared, slapped away the hand pressing my shoulder, and in that opening, I punched hard at the egg shaped lump on Guo Er’s stomach.

That punch used almost all my strength. The lump let out a strange cry somewhere between a rooster and an insect, then instantly collapsed.

Guo Er finally felt pain and curled up like a shrimp.

But what was worse was that I had no idea whether it was stomach acid or bile that got forced up, but he vomited directly onto my face. The sour stench hit me so hard that I almost threw up on the spot. It was right at my throat.

So this was a hero. The reality of a hero was far more miserable than those film images I occasionally saw.

I also had to be grateful for the strange digestive ability of Guo Er after being possessed by that hungry ghost. Otherwise, what would have been sprayed onto my face might have been the raw chicken meat he had swallowed earlier.

Taking advantage of this moment, I struggled to get up and tried to escape. If things went better, I could run into the house, lock the door, and buy myself some breathing space.

The only thing I absolutely could not do was leave the yard. I knew this low wall was not high enough to stop Guo Er, and as a human, his intelligence was still intact enough to open doors.

I could not imagine what would happen if a person possessed by a hungry ghost ran out into the village.

While it was still focused on trying to take my body, I had to hold it here.

Once again, imagination was beautiful, but reality was cruel. Guo Er only staggered for a moment before suddenly erupting with strength. He grabbed me again as I was about to break free and sat on top of me once more.

This time, he not only pinched my chin but also grabbed my throat. The force was painful but not enough to kill me.

My face quickly turned red. I gasped for air while desperately trying to pry his hand off my neck. At the same time, he kept my mouth forced open with my chin.

The next moment, something terrifying happened again. This time, the hungry ghost seemed to have become smarter. It no longer tried to burst out from the stomach. Instead, it slowly moved upward.

Upward.

I could only lie there helplessly, watching that egg like mass roll from his stomach to his chest, then slowly to his throat.

At that moment, I knew my face must have looked terrible. In this situation where a hungry ghost was about to enter my body, I would rather it burst out from the stomach than come out through his mouth. That image was something I could not endure for the rest of my life.

“Master, tiger is born from the same source as cat in terms of spiritual nature. They are both highly spiritual creatures. Why is cat yin and tiger yang?”

“In truth, tiger is not strictly yang. It is just that the tiger’s killing aura is extremely strong. There are legends that people become frozen in fear when they see a tiger and are helpless to resist. Some say tigers use sorcery, or that vengeful spirits of those killed by tigers follow them to confuse people. But that is not the case. Fear is part of it, but the real reason is being suppressed by the tiger’s killing aura field.”

“So I carry this tiger claw amulet because of its strong killing aura?”

“Yes. It breaks all fields. In addition, the tiger also carries strong yang energy. Yin and yang exist together. Like cats, they are highly spiritual, but the tiger’s body is powerful, which shows its strong yang nature. Cats are physically weak, so their yin nature is more exposed, making them seem gloomy. But tigers are pure danger and dominance. That is why.”

“Then can anyone wear a tiger claw to ward off evil?”

“Heh, it is not that simple. Only special tiger claws work, and the killing aura harms both others and the user. It must be used in a special way. Your tiger claw is not ordinary. Wear it properly.”

In this situation, I suddenly recalled this conversation with my master. I did not even know why my mind could stay so calm at a time like this.

My hands stopped blindly trying to pry Guo Er off me. Since he was not trying to kill me directly, I reached out, pulled off my, and stared hard at that rolling egg like mass.

The problem appeared again. If I struck now, I would pierce Guo Er’s throat. If I misjudged the force, the consequences would be severe. Especially since his body was already extremely weak, I might end up killing him.

That would make me a murderer.

What to do? What to do?

Cold sweat poured down. I saw Guo Er’s expression becoming more and more painful. That egg was already approaching his throat. I had no doubt that the hungry ghost would burst out in the next second.

It would only take an instant. I had no confidence I could hit it with the tiger claw amulet in that moment.

What now?

Then suddenly, I saw it. The tip of his tongue pressing downward, as if he was about to vomit it out.

Tongue tip. Tongue tip.

Tongue tip blood.