Chapter 12: The Old Man Who Threw Himself into the Lake

The old man’s methods truly shocked me, but my mind was entirely preoccupied with Zhao Yong; I had no spare focus for anything else. I didn't stop the old man as he walked away.

Back home, I kept dwelling on the matter of Zhao Yong’s girlfriend. Feeling restless, I called Old Man Xie. On the other end, Xie sounded extremely impatient, only listening because I begged him. I immediately got to the point, giving him a rough account of Zhao Yong’s girlfriend.

"When he jumped, was his back facing the sky or his face?" Xie asked, suddenly interested.

I recalled the moment and said, "It seemed to be his back."

"Did he land head-first or feet-first?"

"I didn't see clearly at the moment of impact, but I have a feeling it was head-first."

"Back to the sky, immense power; head-first, and even as a ghost, his head stays pointed down. Your friend is beyond saving," Xie said casually.

I didn't quite understand. Was there really so much meaning behind these details? Back to the sky, head-first, a ghost with its head pointed down? What was that even supposed to mean?

Unable to grasp it, I pressed Xie for answers. On the other end, he sounded incredibly annoyed. "Can you stop calling me, kid? I’m busy; I don't have time for this nonsense. Go, go, I can't help your friend—that’s his own karma."

*Beep, beep, beep.*

He hung up. I felt a surge of anger; how could he always be like this? I stared at my phone and pondered for a while, when suddenly, another topic crossed my mind: the trick I’d seen earlier that day where leaves turned into fish. I dialed Xie again.

It took a while for him to pick up, and he was livid. "Are you kidding me? I told you not to call!"

I gave him a sheepish grin and immediately brought up the old man by the fishpond. Xie went silent.

"What, cat got your tongue?" I couldn't help but ask.

After a pause, Xie’s voice came through. "The legendary Lake-Dumping Elder? What kind of dumb luck did you stumble into to actually see him?"

Lake-Dumping Elder? Hearing this, I wondered if he was famous. I was instantly intrigued and demanded that Xie stop stalling and talk. Xie, now clearly interested himself, dropped his impatience and began to speak at length.

As I listened to the stories about the Lake-Dumping Elder, I was stunned. My phone slipped from my hand several times, and I didn't even realize when Xie finally hung up. I had no idea the old man was so formidable; it seemed I had truly encountered a benefactor.

The Lake-Dumping Elder was a sorcerer. Years ago, his reputation was even greater than the "Little Ghost Lady." He was a master of illusions—he could turn stones into gold and water into oil. The trick I saw him perform with the leaves was merely the most basic of his illusions.

Legend has it that during the War of Resistance Against Japan, when our region was occupied, the Japanese troops prepared to invade the village where the Lake-Dumping Elder lived. The Elder, only in his twenties, stepped forward alone to face an entire company of Japanese soldiers. With a flick of his hand, the entire village vanished before their eyes. Another flick, and a mountain over a hundred meters high disappeared as well.

The Japanese soldiers were left dumbfounded, completely unable to process what they had seen. My heart skipped a beat as Xie told me this. A village gone with a flick of a hand, a mountain gone with another—was he really that powerful?

After the war stories, Xie told me about the Cultural Revolution. Back then, the "Four Olds" were being destroyed, and the Red Guards were terrorizing the countryside. The Elder and his village were prime targets. Soon, a massive group of Red Guards arrived at the village, shouting, threatening to "struggle" against him and throw him into a cowshed to starve.

The Elder was in his forties then, but he still looked like a young man. Hearing the commotion, he walked out of the village without hesitation. The Red Guards were thrilled—for them, having someone famous to persecute was a golden opportunity. Most of them were students and young ruffians; they rushed toward him in a frenzy.

But just as they were about to reach him, the Elder flicked his hand. A bottomless abyss suddenly appeared between him and the Red Guards, splitting the two sides apart like a massive trench.

The Red Guards, previously so excited, were stunned into silence by the sight of the chasm, not daring to take another step. They ended up fleeing in a panic, and the Elder’s status in the village reached new heights.

Listening to all this, I gulped, completely dumbfounded. I asked Xie, "Is this for real? Are you pulling my leg? Is he really that magical?"

Xie grew impatient again. "I’m telling you the truth, and you doubt me? Fine, I’m done."

"No, no, keep going!"

Xie continued with more stories, each more mystical than the last, leaving me both thrilled and terrified. No wonder I felt a chill in my heart when I stared at him earlier that day. By the time the call ended, I realized I was drenched in cold sweat.

It was unbelievable. First the Little Ghost Lady, and now this Lake-Dumping Elder—who, according to Xie, was even more powerful. If I could get him to help me, wouldn't I be safe from the Little Ghost Lady?

Unfortunately, he was so powerful—would he even help me? I wasn't sure, but I had to try, didn't I?

From that day on, I focused all my efforts on the Lake-Dumping Elder. Every chance I got, I went to the fishpond in the suburbs. I saw him several more times, but never had the chance to speak to him. Every time I tried, he would cast a cold glance at me, and I would lose my nerve.

But I never expected that, due to an accident, I would end up saving the life of the Lake-Dumping Elder.