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Shi Xu of Wuxing, commander at Xunyang, was a skilled debater. One of his disciples also had a gift for reasoning and always maintained that ghosts did not exist. One day, a visitor in black robes and a white jacket suddenly appeared and fell into conversation with the disciple. In time, their talk turned to ghosts and spirits. After they had debated for most of the day, the visitor could no longer hold his ground. At last he said, “Your words are clever, but your reasoning falls short. I myself am a ghost. How can you say there are none?” The disciple asked, “Why have you come?” He replied, “I was sent to fetch you. Your allotted span ends tomorrow at mealtime.” The disciple pleaded so bitterly that the ghost asked, “Is there anyone who resembles you?” “The chief officer serving under Shi Xu looks like me,” the disciple said. They went together to find him, and the disciple sat facing the officer. The ghost produced an iron chisel more than a foot long, set it against the officer’s head, then raised a mallet and struck it. The officer said, “My head aches a little.” Soon the pain grew worse, and within the time it takes to eat a meal, he was dead.