My Daoist Arts Failed, but So Did the Ghosts

Taoists train by striving for balance and harmony. I’m different. When I train, I strive for something ghosts can’t understand. Draw a talisman? The paper catches fire before I’m even done. Recite an incantation? By the time I finish, I’ve untied my own shoelaces. My master says I’m the most useless disciple he’s ever had, the one who’s managed to learn every sect art completely wrong. That is, until a vengeful ghost responsible for nine deaths broke into our temple. I tossed out a misdrawn talisman with my eyes closed. Then I heard a heart-wrenching wail. When I opened my eyes, the vengeful ghost was cowering in the corner, clutching its head and trembling: “Big brother, this spell of yours... it doesn’t play fair!” From that day on, I understood: It doesn’t matter if I learn Taoist arts wrong, as long as I can mess up ghosts too, I’m a good Taoist priest. Later, an urban legend spread through the ghost realm: If you run into that Taoist priest, don’t let him use his powers. He’ll make you wonder whether you were even supposed to be born as a ghost.