Chapter 306 The Return of The Kuman Thong 2
"I want to go with you. See you at the entrance then. If you plan to escape again, I will…" said Ye Shaoyang as he showed the spirit binding chain to Gua Gua.
"Don't worry Heavenly Master Ye, as long as you don't capture me and take me to the Netherworld Council, I will not try to escape." Gua Gua waved his hand; he gathered the child spirits and walked toward the woods. The child spirits jigged up and down in excitement. Out of nowhere, one of them started to sing, "You're my little apple…."
The song stunned Ye Shaoyang. It seemed like these kids had stayed in the mortal world for quite a long time that they were up to date with the latest popular song. He headed back to the pavilion, called the two, and walked to the entrance.
On the way to the entrance, Ye Shaoyang explained Gua Gua's background. He omitted the part about the Great Yin Mountain. After all, they were just lay people that would never hear about that place.
As the three approached the entrance, the song of My Little Apple sounded again. Tens of aunties were shaking their butts and legs at the space in front of the entrance, exercising the plaza dance.
Now, Ye Shaoyang understood how the child spirits learned the song.
Zhuang Yuning was started. She grasped Ye Shaoyang's arm and asked in a trembling voice, "Are they ghosts too?"
"You think too much. Spirits will not listen to this kind of music."
Xiao Ma had nothing to do, so he disturbed the aunties as he walked past them, "Hey pretties, it is half past ten now, don't you plan to get some rest?"
The aunties grinned from ear to ear when they heard Xiao Ma calling them pretties. One of them effusively replied, "The plaza dancing competition is just around the corner. We are having extra practice."
They walked along the wall of the amusement park and saw Gua Gua waiting under a lamp pole; he humphed along with the song and enjoyed watching the view of the aunties' dancing.
"Can you have a better sense of taste?" said Ye Shaoyang as he approached Gua Gua.
"What? Both the song and dance are nice!" Gua Gua looked at Ye Shaoyang in astonishment. He paused for a while and said aloud, "I have a dream. The Underworld is too quiet and boring; I want to make a change. I want to teach those boring spirits plaza dancing and make the Underworld become lively."
Imagining the spirit commissioners, the Ox-Head, and the Horse Face dancing to the My Little Apple plaza dancing, goosebumps filled Ye Shaoyang, and he shook his hands relentlessly, "No. No. No. The plaza dancing has caused much disaster in the mortal world, please leave the Underworld in peace."
Zhuang Yuning and Xiao Ma had never been so closed to a spirit. Besides, Gua Gua looked chubby and cute, especially the coconut hairstyle; Many times, Zhuang Yuning had wanted to ask where he got his haircut, but she held back her tongue because she was too afraid to speak to a spirit.
"Where did the name of A Xing come from?" Ye Shaoyang asked Gua Gua.
"I was the one who name her. She has an Underworld Jade on her forehead resembling a shining star, so I named her A Xing." Guo Guo replied proudly.
[Tl note: Xing is star in Chinese]
An Underworld Jade on forehead…. It most probably is a Kuman Thong. Ye Shaoyang pondered.
Gua Gua brought them to an old, broken building at a residential area. They climbed up to the top floor. An old, wooden ladder laid by a skylight.
"Is A Xing staying up there?" asked Ye Shaoyang.
Gua Gua nodded in approval. He hopped onto the skylight and called them up.
Ye Shaoyang crawled up with the ladder, followed by Zhuang Yuning, and Xiao Ma. It was empty on the rooftop but Ye Shaoyang could sense a thick Spirit Qi from one direction. He examined around and finally his gaze fixed onto a tall chimney.
Before Gua Gua told him, Ye Shaoyang had jumped up, bent low, and looked into the chimney. A brownish red human-shaped wooden puppet hung inside; it was the spiritual body of a Kuman Thong!
Ye Shaoyang raised his head and looked around and understood at once: The spiritual body of Kuman Thong was fragile. It had to be kept in somewhere hidden to prevent it from experiencing danger, and the tall chimney was the most suitable place as no one would dive into a chimney unless it was clogged.
Hiding in a chimney was one of the safest places in a busy town area. However, a Kuman Thong could not carry its own spiritual body so Ye Shaoyang guessed Gua Gua was the one helping A Xing to move its spiritual body here.
Ye Shaoyang extended both of his arms and grabbed the puppet. The puppet's mouth cracked open; white smoke emerged and formed a hideous face that laughed eerily.
Gua Gua snorted when he heard the laughter and muttered, "Idiot. Trying to frighten a Heavenly Master with this little cultivation. He can kill you a thousand times."
Ye Shaoyang stuffed his fingers at the hideous face. The face disappeared, turned into white smoke, and returned to the puppet.
Ye Shaoyang felt funny that the Kuman Thong's actions were funny. He could assume that the Kuman Thong had cultivated in a righteous way. Instead of hurting the intruder, it chose to frighten the intruder away with its terrifying face. Then, Ye Shaoyang carried the puppet and returned to the rooftop.
As he gently placed the Kuman Thong onto the ground, Xiao Ma and Zhuang Yuning stepped up and studied the puppet under the moonlight: A wooden puppet the size of a one-year-old baby in a sitting position, with both of its palms placed together. It has an innocent, kind face. On its forehead there was a round, shining jade embeded.
"This is it. A Kuman Thong that is similar to mine." Zhuang Yuning said emotionally.
Gua Gua knocked on the Kuman Thong's forehead and said, "Come out, A Xing. You have guests."
The Kuman Thong did not respond at all.
Gua Gua scratched his head, "He is timid and afraid of strangers. I will go in and chase him out." As he spoke, his body gradually turned transparent.
Ye Shaoyang stopped Gua Gua and spoke to the Kuman Thong, "Hey kid, your owner, Zhu Zhongying asked us to take you back."
Seconds later, a timid, trembling voice sounded from the Kuman Thong, "Really?"
Ye Shaoyang did not reply to his question. He took out a few pieces of the spirit nails and placed them on the ground.
The Kuman Thong recognized its nails at once. A white smoke emerged from the Kuman Thong and became a cute four-to-five year old boy.