After a moment, Wang Chunhua handed a pair of scissors to Zhang Enpu. Zhang Enpu took them, grabbed the neck of the rooster that Liu Laoshi held out, and with a single snip, sheared off the rooster’s comb. The rooster let out a sharp cry, struggling painfully against the grasp of Liu Laoshi's palm, but Liu Laoshi held its wings and legs tightly, rendering all its struggles futile. Zhang Enpu pressed the bleeding comb against Xiao Mazi’s forehead and wrote a single character—a large, crimson “Pardon” ().

Xiao Mazi’s father looked at his son lying on the table and asked Zhang Enpu, “Heavenly Master Zhang, my boy—he’ll be alright, won’t he?”

Zhang Enpu shook his head. “It shouldn’t be anything serious. He should wake up soon enough.” The entire room gathered around the table, waiting for Xiao Mazi to regain consciousness.

After some time, Young Master Liu suddenly exclaimed with delight, “I think I saw Xiao Mazi’s eyelid twitch!”

Xiao Mazi’s father quickly agreed, “I saw it too! I definitely saw it!” His face broke into a wide grin of relief.

Another long silence passed before Xiao Mazi finally opened his eyes. The first words he spoke to his mother were, “Mama, I’m afraid of ghosts.”

His mother instantly scooped him up. “Mama is here, don’t be scared! I’m right here, ah!” After saying this, she burst into sobs.

Seeing that Xiao Mazi was safe, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

Zhang Enpu asked Xiao Mazi, “Child, what exactly did you see?”

Xiao Mazi whispered to Zhang Enpu, “Mr… Divine Immortal Zhang, I heard someone crying outside the brick kiln. I was so scared being alone. Then a woman walked toward me. I screamed once, and after that, I can’t remember anything else.” Everyone understood then; Xiao Mazi had truly been terrified out of his wits by a spirit.

Being scared out of one's soul by a ghost meant the spirit had fled the body in fright. A person whose soul had departed in such a manner was essentially a corpse, a body without a spirit—what people usually called a living dead person, or a person in a persistent vegetative state. Due to extreme shock, the body secretes massive amounts of adrenaline, which can directly lead to a myocardial infarction, causing death. People with pre-existing heart conditions are especially vulnerable to being frightened to death.

As for why Zhang Enpu used the blood from the roasted rooster’s comb to draw that strange symbol, Young Master Liu later explained to everyone that the rooster’s yang energy was the strongest. Furthermore, the rooster is the herald of dawn, the bane of ghosts; as soon as a rooster crows, spirits dare not linger and cause trouble—much like a cat reacting to the sound of a bowl being tapped. Rooster blood could also be used for soul retrieval. By smearing the blood on Xiao Mazi’s forehead, Zhang Enpu had effectively called his soul back, and Xiao Mazi naturally awoke.

The Xiao Mazi family thanked Zhang Enpu profusely before heading home. Zhang Enpu advised them that it was normal for children to be mischievous, but they must refrain from speaking too harshly in the future, even during reprimands. From that day forward, Young Master Liu never witnessed Xiao Mazi’s father strike his son again.

The Northeast weather was fiercely cold, and Zhang Enpu’s body was starting to succumb. He gradually developed rheumatism, and lately, the flare-ups had been so severe that he could barely leave the village grounds. Compounding this, ever since Granny Fan and Immortal Wang passed away, the heavy burden of handling all funerals, weddings, and geomancy matters within a dozen miles fell squarely upon Zhang Enpu’s shoulders. Fortunately, Young Master Liu had now achieved a degree of mastery and could assist Zhang Enpu in routine tasks. The morning before, a messenger arrived from a neighboring village, requesting Zhang Enpu’s services for an elderly gentleman who had passed away. However, given Zhang Enpu’s frailty, after careful consideration, he decided to send Young Master Liu, accompanied by the village’s master suona player, Suona Wang, and the master percussionist, Luogu Chen, to gain some practical experience in his stead.

Along the way, Young Master Liu learned the village they were going to was Huaixi Village, and the bereaved family was named Xiang. The donkey cart moved slowly, crushing the snow beneath its wheels. The journey of several dozen li took three hours, and by the time they arrived at Huaixi Village at five in the evening, it was already dusk. The deceased was a serene old man with white hair, already washed and laid out in the center of the main hall. Since they were there to perform solemn rites, Young Master Liu, upon Zhang Enpu’s prior advice, donned a more formal set of clothes and neatly combed his hair before entering the room the Luo family had prepared for them to change into their ritual attire.

Young Master Liu turned to Suona Wang and Luogu Chen. “Gentlemen, do you think I can manage this?”

Luogu Chen chuckled. “If Heavenly Master Zhang said you could, then you can! Unlike Old Wang here, who can’t even play the suona properly.”

Suona Wang couldn't let that stand. “Don’t drag me into this! My suona playing is far better than your gongs and drums!”

Seeing the two about to argue, Young Master Liu intervened. “Both of you, save your breath, and stop bickering. For a funeral rite like this, the three of us each have distinct roles; none of us is dispensable. So, stop arguing and hurry up and change so we can get out there!” The two realized he had a point and quickly changed into their clothes before emerging. Upon entering the main hall, before the coffin, Young Master Liu donned his ritual robe and cap, sitting down to write couplets and draw talismans. Suona Wang stood at the door, playing his instrument, while Luogu Chen directed others in dismantling the doors to affix the couplets and charms. Everything proceeded methodically; the two funeral veterans were clearly experienced and swift. But Young Master Liu, forced into the role, was sweating profusely from sheer inexperience on his first attempt.

An hour later, all the preparatory work was complete. Young Master Liu sought out members of the Luo family to inquire about the deceased’s situation. When he finished his questions, he was startled: the old man had passed away at the Zishi hour connecting the Second Nine and Third Nine periods of the winter—a time when the severe cold of the Second Nine met the deep chill of the Third Nine, resulting in extremely heavy yin energy. There was a fear that the remaining yang energy had not fully departed and was lingering near the heart. Such a body must not be touched by spiritual entities, or a strange transformation might occur. This, of course, was not something he could reveal to the Luo family, but they noticed the look on his face and asked, “Little Master, there isn’t anything wrong, is there?”

Young Master Liu adopted a serious expression. “Have you prepared the elderly gentleman’s coffin? It’s best to inter him quickly.”

The eldest son, Luo Ping’an, replied, “Little Master, is there something amiss? We haven’t prepared the coffin yet. My father was always in good health, and we hadn't fully arranged the details. His illness came suddenly; he passed away in less than a week, so we didn't have time to prepare. We only commissioned the village carpenter today, and it might not be ready until tomorrow morning. Is there an issue, Little Master?”

Young Master Liu managed a faint smile. “There is no issue right now, and I sincerely hope there won’t be one, as the consequences could be unpredictable! Have you arranged for people to keep watch? You should have several more people tonight, and most importantly, ensure no cats or dogs walk over the old man’s body. It will be fine once he’s interred tomorrow. Don’t worry, nothing major!”

The rites concluded past six in the evening, so the three “Masters” were invited by the Luo family to eat. Several elders from Huaixi Village also arrived. Seeing this young yin-yang practitioner, they couldn't help but ask, “Young man, you are so young! We wonder about your magical skills. The masters who visited before always performed magic during the processional viewing of the coffin. We would also like to see your performance! Haha, don’t disappoint us!” Their original intention had been to invite Zhang Enpu, but Young Master Liu had arrived instead, so deep down, they naturally placed little trust in this young ritualist.

Young Master Liu had accompanied Zhang Enpu out several times, a fact he was aware of. He replied, “My skills are far inferior to my master’s. I will do my best and hope I don’t make a fool of myself! Haha.”