The Doomsday of the Centipede Spirit and the Sacrifice of the Hero Chicken

During the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor, there was a farmer living at the foot of Mount Song in Henan Province. The head of this family was named Cao Hua, and besides his wife, Zhong, they also had a four-year-old daughter. Cao Hua would work the fields on the mountainside, while Zhong managed the household affairs. Their daily routine was simple and peaceful, living a tranquil and relaxed life.

Every year around the time of the Spring Equinox, the Cao family could see two red lights at the peak of Mount Shaoshi. From a distance, they appeared to be about six to seven feet tall and four to five feet short, winding and flickering up and down like two fire dragons. As soon as the roosters crowed at dawn, the lights disappeared. This phenomenon continued until autumn, and after September, the red lights would vanish until the following spring equinox when they reappeared. This cycle repeated year after year, leaving the nearby residents puzzled about its cause.

Zhong raised a group of hens at home, selling the eggs at the market to earn some extra money. In addition to the hens, they also had a rooster for breeding purposes. This rooster was strong and weighed ten catties (about 5 kg), and all the eggs it mated with hens hatched successfully. The couple had a special liking for this rooster, calling it "Old Rong," and despite keeping it for over ten years, they couldn't bear to part with it. However, in a strange turn of events one year, although the hens laid dozens of eggs, only one hatched into a chick, while all the others turned out to be bad. Cao Hua was deeply troubled by this rare occurrence, considering it an ominous sign.

One afternoon, a foreign merchant passed by the Cao family's home at the foot of Mount Song. Feeling thirsty, he knocked on their door and asked for water to drink. Being hospitable, Cao Hua served him a cup of tea and the guest sat in the courtyard while drinking. During their interaction, the merchant noticed the Old Rong and the young chick walking in the yard, which caught his attention. He stared at the chickens intently for a long time, completely ignoring his tea.

Observing the merchant's interest, Cao Hua couldn't help but wonder what was so appealing about the chicken. Perhaps the merchant was hungry and wanted to buy one to eat? But why stare at them for so long? Before he could speak, the merchant raised his head and asked, "Would you be willing to sell me these two chickens?" Cao Hua, considering the recent issues with the eggs, thought it might be a good idea to sell the rooster. He casually replied, "If the price is right, why wouldn't I sell them?" The merchant, delighted by his response, quickly asked, "How much for the rooster and the chick?" Cao Hua said, "Three hundred will do." The merchant agreed immediately, and without bargaining, Cao Hua was surprised. Seeing the joy on the merchant's face, he became suspicious and decided to test him. When the merchant pulled out three strings of coins from his sleeve, Cao Hua hastily said, "Wait, the three hundred I mentioned were in silver taels, not in copper coins." This revelation made the merchant's expression change, leaving him uncertain.

Feeling a tinge of regret for possibly asking for too much money and scaring the merchant away, Cao Hua was about to assure the merchant that it was just a joke and the three hundred copper coins would suffice. Unexpectedly, after a moment of contemplation, the merchant looked up resolutely and said, "If that's the case, then so be it. You can't change your mind now, this is the price." Overjoyed by this response, Cao Hua thought that selling the chickens at this price was indeed a fortune, enough to support his family for ten years (during the mid to late Qing Dynasty, one or two silver taels were enough to build two grass houses, and 30 taels a year indicated a middle-class family). The merchant further added, "I don't have enough silver on me today, but I will come back tomorrow with the money." They agreed, and the merchant bid farewell and left.

Cao Hua told Zhong about the events of the day, and both were surprised as the merchant did not seem crazy to offer such a high price. They inspected the chickens in the cage but found nothing unusual despite their suspicions. Although puzzled, they were content with the good sum they would receive from the sale and lay in bed eagerly awaiting the merchant's return the next day with the three hundred taels.

The next day, as the Old Rong crowed, the merchant arrived at Cao's house. After a brief exchange, the merchant handed three hundred taels to Cao. Cao took the money, put the chickens in a cage, and handed them to the merchant. Then, curiously, he asked the merchant, "I was joking about the three hundred taels, but you agreed. I'm curious, what do you plan to do with these two chickens at such a high price?" The merchant laughed and explained, "Since you ask, I will tell you the truth. Have you noticed the two red lights at the top of Mount Shaoshi in recent years?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Hua was puzzled and inquired if it had any connection to their situation. The merchant nodded and explained that the lights were emitted by two evil centipede spirits. If allowed to grow for another hundred years, they would cause devastation within a hundred-mile radius, causing havoc and harming all living beings. The older spirit was currently weak and couldn't openly cause chaos, but with the help of Cao's chickens, they could be subdued. The Old Rong's robust body was not a concern; the real worry was about the young chick, as cultivating it properly would allow it to mature and help the Old Rong in defeating the centipede spirits when they grew stronger.

Cao Hua was bewildered by this information, as he and his wife couldn't see anything special about the chickens the night before. The merchant explained that the difference was subtle, with the special chickens having lower eyelids rather than upper ones, hence their name "Angry Eyes," believed to be a descendant of the phoenix. After sharing this knowledge, the merchant bid farewell, promising to visit again the following year.