After thinking it over, in the end I could only honestly say to Old Priest, “I’ve always tried to do good in my life. If I have to count my guilty deeds, there are only two: not helping an old man who fell down, and peeking at the girl next door while she was bathing. I don’t know if either of these things has anything to do with what’s happening now?”

Old Priest gave me a contemptuous glance, then said, “If I’m not mistaken, the ghost that’s harming you must have a deep grudge against you. Looks like you won’t be able to figure out what went wrong any time soon.”

A deep grudge? I was really baffled, because although I’m not exactly a saint, I’ve never made any real enemies. Where would such a grudge come from?

Old Priest said, “You’d better look into it. If you don’t deal with that ghost, I’m afraid it’ll come after you again.”

I nodded helplessly, feeling both shocked and scared inside.

At this moment, Old Priest continued, “To tell you the truth, you’re destined for a life of poverty, with little fortune or luck. And now, out of nowhere, you’ve come into a windfall, using up all the fortune you had for your whole life, and even shortening your lifespan. I’d say your name is about to be crossed off the Book of Life and Death!”

“What?” I was shocked. What this old guy said was almost exactly the same as what John Thompson told me. Could it be that I really am doomed? I was terrified and quickly said, “Master, what should I do? Is there any way you can save me?”

“Call me Celestial Master!”

“Uh… Celestial Master, please tell me what to do.” I said anxiously. Dealing with this kind of Taoist, I was really at my wit’s end.

I was burning with anxiety, but Old Priest just stared at me with a playful grin, looking so sleazy that I was getting angry. If I didn’t need his help, I’d have cursed him out already. But right now, I had no choice—after all, I needed him.

Old Priest said with an air of superiority, “I am the 107th generation head of the Maoshan Sect, of course I have a way to save you.”

Although I was annoyed by his show-off attitude, I was still overjoyed to hear this and said excitedly, “Really? What’s the way? Please tell me. As long as you can save my life, I’ll definitely repay you well in the future.”

“It’s simple. Just become a Taoist priest and be my disciple.” Old Priest grinned lecherously.

“What? Be your disciple again?” I was stunned. What the hell is this?

Old Priest said, “If you become my disciple, not only can I guarantee your safety, but I can also change your unlucky fate. In the future, you’ll defeat rich second-generation heirs, marry a beautiful, wealthy woman, and reach the peak of your life—none of that will be just a dream! With a master like me, you’re lucky to have me!”

Hearing this, I almost stumbled and fell flat on my face. Damn, did I just run into a lunatic? Or is this old guy a human trafficker?

Honestly, I was starting to suspect this guy might be a scammer.

I said, “Um… Michael Bolton, do I really have to be your disciple? Is there any other way?”

Old Priest looked a bit unhappy and said, “You think I want to take you as my disciple? If I weren’t at the end of my lifespan and about to pass away, afraid of cutting off the Maoshan lineage, even if you begged me, this kind of good thing wouldn’t fall to you.”

“What? You’re dying?” My jaw almost dropped to the floor in shock.

“What’s so surprising? Everyone dies, it’s just a matter of time.” Old Priest said indifferently.

“How much longer can you live?” Although I didn’t really believe him, I was still curious.

“One day!” Old Priest held up one finger.

“One day? If you’re about to die, how can you save me?” Now I was truly dumbfounded.

Old Priest rolled his eyes and said, “Precisely because I’m about to die and don’t have time to save you, I want to take you as my disciple and teach you magic. That way, you can save yourself. Then the mission of maintaining peace in the human world will be yours.”

Hearing this, I was nearly struck dumb. At this point, I was really starting to wonder if this old man was mentally ill… or mentally ill… or just mentally ill.

I said, “Are you sure you didn’t escape from some hospital?”

Old Priest gave me a knock on the head and said, “You brat, you think I’m crazy? You can think it over tonight, and if you decide, come find me before midnight tomorrow. Here’s my business card…”

“Certificates, locksmithing, computer repair. Contact: Old Bolton, QQ: 317764513…” I read the card and was nearly blinded by its sheer tackiness.

“Uh… that, I gave you the wrong one. That’s my side business, hehe, side business.” Old Priest laughed shamelessly, quickly snatched back the card, and handed me another one.

I immediately felt a few black lines drop down my forehead, and a flock of crows flew over my head… Is this guy a certificate fixer or a Taoist priest? Can he really save me?

I wiped a cold sweat from my brow, feeling completely out of sorts…

Chapter 9: Ghost Hitting the Wall

However, Old Priest didn’t care about this at all. He pointed at the business card in my hand, looking all smug, and said, “Kid, to outsiders, my business card is worth its weight in gold. On the back is a protective talisman drawn by this Celestial Master himself. With this card in hand, even a hundred ghosts can’t touch you!”