Chapter 27: Big Domain Village
Editor: Henyee Translations
A true Daoist priest indeed lived a hard life.
An ordinary Daoist priest's monthly allowance was only a few hundred yuan. After the living expenses, sometimes they couldn't even afford a real tortoise shell.
However, Qin Yang was different. He was the Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain.
In fact, since 1988 when Dragon Tiger Mountain was officially opened to the public, tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world have come to Dragon Tiger Mountain every day.
The annual income of Dragon Tiger Mountain was still quite considerable. They could earn hundreds of millions of yuan every year.
In good years, the income could even reach a billion.
Of course, this money wasn't only for Dragon Tiger Mountain. As the leader of the Dao Sects, Dragon Tiger Mountain had a great responsibility.
This money had to be distributed to some weaker Daoist sects in all parts of Dragon Country. For example, if a Daoist temple needed repairing but didn't have money, Dragon Tiger Mountain had to send people to inspect and allocate funds.
Some Daoist temple might have collapsed and needed money to rebuild; some Daoist temple might not have enough funds and was about to close down; some Daoist priests might not afford to pay for their meals.
As the leader of the Daoist sects, Dragon Tiger Mountain couldn't ignore them, right?
Therefore, they needed to spend money on a lot of things.
Even so, Qin Yang, the Celestial Master, still had a lot left to control.
With some effort, he could afford to raise this white tiger.
Qin Yang was still calculating the food expenses of the White Tiger.
Outside the Celestial Master Residence, Xuan Yin returned.
"Celestial Master, the village chief of Big Domain Village at the foot of the mountain is here. He said that something strange had happened in their village. It's maybe the doing of some mountain spirit or ghost, so he has come to us to seek help."
Qin Yang said, "Big Domain Village? Isn't there a Demon Sealing Talisman personally drawn by the old Celestial Master in that village? What strange thing could have happened?"
Qin Yang remembered this village called Big Domain Village.
Dragon Tiger Mountain was located in a mountainous area. There were also some villages in the surrounding area.
These villages varied in size.
The big ones were made up of hundreds of households.
The small ones might only have just over a dozen or dozens of households.
Every year, these nearby villages would come to Dragon Tiger Mountain to burn incense, pay respects to the gods, and offer donations.
The previous Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain would personally draw a Demon Sealing Talisman for these villages.
He asked them to stick the talisman at the entrance of the village.
With the Demon Sealing Talisman personally drawn by the old Celestial Master, ordinary demons and ghosts didn't dare to approach.
Qin Yang remembered that Big Domain Village was a large village with more than 500 people.
Because of its size, the old Celestial Master even drew three demon-sealing talismans for their village the year before.
Logically speaking, nothing strange should happen in Big Domain Village for at least a year.
However, Xuan Yin was saying that something strange had happened in the village.
Since he had to report to the Celestial Master, it seemed that the strange things that happened in the village were rather serious.
Xuan Yin knew his business well. Usually, he wouldn't inform Qin Yang about things that the red-robed Daoist masters could resolve.
Only when Xuan Yin felt that they couldn't resolve the issue would he go to the Celestial Master Residence to ask the purple-robed Celestial Master for help.
Since Xuan Yin was here, it meant that the matter had reached a point that ordinary Daoist masters couldn't resolve.
Qin Yang got up and walked out, saying, "Let's go. We'll find out what's going on."
Qin Yang led Xuan Yin out of the Celestial Master Residence.
On the way, he briefly learned about what had happened in Big Domain Village from Xuan Yin.
Big Domain Village was a large village with more than 500 households.
In the first half of the year, because of the seal drawn by the old Celestial Master, the village stayed safe even when there were deaths in the village.
However, since the beginning of last month, strange things have begun to happen.
As it was a rural area, every household raised chickens, ducks, and geese. Several households also raised pigs.
From the beginning of last month, some chickens, ducks, and geese had disappeared for no reason.
In their sheds, a large amount of blood was also found as if these animals had been slaughtered and eaten alive by some strange thing.
In the beginning, many villagers didn't take it seriously because only one or two families had been stolen. Everyone thought that some thief had entered the village at night.
Everyone thought they should just be more careful and make sure the chickens and ducks were in their sheds at night.
But gradually, many villagers realized that it was useless even if they drove the poultry back at night.
Because even if they did that the night before, they would still lose some poultry at night.
In the beginning, it only happened to a few families, but later on, nearly a hundred families were affected.
Later on, something even more terrifying happened.
An old couple in the village was in their seventies. They raised dozens of chickens and ducks at home. They valued these poultry very much. After all, they relied on selling eggs and vegetables to make a living every month.
Hearing that thieves had come to the village to steal, the old couple moved the chickens and ducks into their living room and locked the door.
It was a little dirty and smelly, but at least the poultry would be safe.
Those thieves couldn't possibly come into a locked room to steal, right?
However, when the old couple woke up the following day, they realized that the lock of their living room had been bitten off. The chickens and ducks in the room had also disappeared.
As the matter developed, all the chickens and ducks were stolen, and even pigs began to disappear.
Furthermore, the village chief discovered that the talismans drawn by the old Celestial Master last year had been destroyed, torn apart, and thrown on the ground.
The villagers of Big Domain Village were terrified.
Therefore, the chief came to Dragon Tiger Mountain the following day to ask for help.
…
In the Three Pure Hall, the village chief of the Big Domain Village, Liu Tianbao, paced back and forth, looking very anxious.
Beside Liu Tianbao, a few villagers from Big Domain Village were chattering and asking questions.
"Chief, do you think the Daoist masters of Dragon Tiger Mountain can solve our problem?"
"That Daoist Priest Xuan Yin didn't agree to our request, right? Those old sows of mine are worth a lot of money. If they're gone just like that, who's going to compensate me?"
"Didn't you say that the Daoist masters of Dragon Tiger Mountain would definitely be able to help us? Why are they all gone now?"
Liu Tianbao was already anxious, and the chatter of the villagers made him even more annoyed.
He shouted, "Shut up, all of you. Why are you talking so much? Didn't Master Xuan Yin say just now that he heard our report? He went to the Celestial Master Residence and let the Celestial Master make the decision. The Celestial Master Residence is at the top of Dragon Tiger Mountain. It's not a place that can be reached in a few steps. Can't you just shut up and wait?"
These villagers were used to being impatient and couldn't wait for anything.
Hence, everyone was talking at once.
Now that Liu Tianbao had scolded them, many people immediately stopped talking and waited quietly for Xuan Yin to return.
Before long, Xuan Yin returned to the Three Pure Hall. Beside him was the purple-robed Celestial Master and two burly men in golden clothes.
They were Qin Yang and the two Yellow-scarved Strongmen who had come down from the Celestial Master Residence.
Beside Qin Yang was a huge white tiger cub.
Seeing that the purple-robed Celestial Master had arrived, Liu Tianbao hurriedly walked over.
"Celestial Master, something strange has happened in our village. You must help us!"
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