The Corpse Clothes in the Green Bag [Complete] - 17

Chapter 214

The old lama Danba looked at Hansheng with a kind expression. He sensed that this boy from the countryside was not only kind-hearted but also possessed superb medical skills, making him a promising talent and someone worthy of trust. He himself had been afflicted by the "Yin-Yang Grass" curse, and even with Kunwei's arrival, whether the curse could be completely lifted was uncertain. At this moment, however, he had something more important than lifting the curse, and it was Hansheng's honesty and simplicity that made him suddenly make his decision.

"Master, let me help you put on your clothes," Hansheng said, helping the old lama Danba put on his clothes. Since he had taken them off himself, he should naturally help the old lama put them back on—this was common sense for a doctor.

The old lama Danba watched him silently until he gently tied his belt.

"Hansheng, the people in the capital are treacherous. It's best to return to your hometown as soon as possible. Simple food and clothing are better than the luxurious life here. A peaceful life is a blessing," the lama Danba said.

Han Sheng smiled faintly, thinking to himself, "Isn't Wuyuan also a place where people's hearts are treacherous?"

"There's something," Danba stammered, "I wanted to entrust it to you, but the risk is very high..."

Han Sheng paused, looking at Danba. He saw a mixture of urgency and hesitation in the old lama's eyes, with a hint of despair.

"I'm new to society and inexperienced. Master, is your matter very important?" Han Sheng asked cautiously.

"Very important," the old lama Danba said solemnly.

"Then, why don't you entrust it to your friends outside? Master Jin, the professor, and that woman?" Han Sheng asked, puzzled.

"They've already been targeted," Danba said in a low voice.

"Targeted? I don't understand..." Han Sheng was startled and said nervously.

“You don’t need to understand; this is actually for your own good,” Danba said hastily. “I have something for you to keep, but you must never tell anyone. Perhaps one day someone will come to take it from you, or perhaps no one will ever come. Are you willing?”

Hansheng nodded, seemingly understanding.

The old lama Danba breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Can you tell me where you live?”

“Nanshan Village, Wuyuan, Jiangxi,” Hansheng replied.

“Wuyuan?” The old lama Danba sighed deeply, muttering softly, “Could it be fate…”

Hansheng looked at him, puzzled.

The old lama Danba extended his right hand; his fingernails were long and sharp. With his left hand, he grabbed the lama’s red robe, and with a “swoosh,” his right fingernail sliced open the lining of the robe, revealing a thin sheepskin, about the size of a palm. The sheepskin appeared old, yellowish-brown, with faint writing on it.

“What is this?” Hansheng asked in surprise.

"These are some numbers on this sheepskin. Don't worry about their meaning. Remember, if no one ever comes to you for it in your lifetime, let it rest in peace with you in your grave." The old lama Danba's withered, slightly trembling fingers gripped the sheepskin tightly.

"Who would come to me for this sheepskin? There must be some kind of code word or something, right?" Han Sheng asked.

"Of course. If one day someone says to you, 'Geda 19358341,' don't ask any questions. Just give them the sheepskin. Understand?" the old lama Danba whispered.

"Understood," Han Sheng repeated to himself.

"Good. Now, this old monk must tell you a secret: the origin of this sheepskin. Remember, you are the fifth person alive in this world, besides this old monk, who knows this secret." The old lama Danba said solemnly.

Han Sheng immediately tensed up, even the hairs on his forehead stood on end.

"In May 1935, the Central Red Army, during the Long March, arrived at Shigu, the first bend of the Yangtze River on the Jinsha River. Deep in the mountains was a Karma Kagyu monastery, whose abbot was the old monk's teacher, the Living Buddha Geda. That day, three Han Chinese men in plain clothes came to the monastery. The leader was tall and imposing, clearly no ordinary person. He said he was a businessman who had come south, currently impoverished and struggling, and asked the Living Buddha to predict his future. At that time, the old monk was still a young lama, standing behind his teacher, and he remembered the conversation clearly."

"This old monk is of limited learning and unworthy to divine fortune or misfortune for the stars or predict the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness for the divine soldiers," said the Geda Living Buddha.

The tall Han man laughed and said, "I have heard that the Living Buddhas of the White Sect are knowledgeable in astronomy and geography. I humbly request the Living Buddha to have compassion on all living beings and offer some guidance." The Geda Living Buddha had no choice but to take out a piece of yellow paper, write the four characters "83" and "41" on it, and hand it to him. The man held it in his hands and looked at it, not understanding its meaning, and asked his master for guidance.

The Geda Living Buddha replied with his palms together, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. You will know in time." Later, before his death, the master gave the old monk this piece of sheepskin, on which several sets of numbers were written. The top set was "8341." The old lama Danba recalled.

"What does this mean? Who exactly was that tall Han man? It's really strange," Han Sheng pondered.

"Don't try to decipher it," Danba warned.

"The master said I'm the fifth person to know this secret. So, besides the master, are the other three the same people from back then?" Han Sheng asked.

"Exactly, and we must be wary of them," Old Lama Danba nodded.

"Who are they?" Han Sheng asked, his eyes wide.

"One is Chen Changfeng, and another is Wang Dongxing," Danba whispered.

"And one more," Han Sheng added.

"***." Old Lama Danba's voice was barely audible.

Han Sheng felt as if struck by lightning… The air seemed to freeze, a deathly silence descended… After a long while, Old Lama Danba sighed deeply and said softly, "Alright, child, you may go. This old monk won't blame you…"

Han Sheng stretched out his hand and calmly said, "I will keep it safe for the master."

Danba was startled, staring at Han Sheng. Those clear eyes clearly told him that all his worries were unnecessary.

"Do you know martial arts?" Old Lama Danba asked.

"No," Han Sheng replied.

Danba nodded and said, "Very well. Martial arts practitioners find it difficult to hide among the common people, so ordinary folks won't attract attention. Here, child, put these things away."

Hansheng took the sheepskin and carefully tucked it into a small pocket inside the "corpse shroud." Lan'er had thoughtfully woven it so that Hansheng could store valuables in the future.

"Child, thanks to you, this old monk has fulfilled this wish, and the world will be free of much unnecessary strife. Leave the capital soon; this year is bound to be turbulent," said the old lama Danba.

"Master..." Hansheng was truly worried about the old lama Danba's illness.

"Child, go and call them in," Danba said.

Hansheng silently stood up and walked outside the hall, where everyone immediately gathered around.

"How is Lama Danba?" Xiao Yanfang asked first.

"The master has woken up and wants you all to come in," Hansheng said calmly.

Master Jin, the professor, and Xiao Yanfang hurriedly entered the hall.

Han Sheng stood on the stone steps in front of the hall, looking up at the dark night sky, where snowflakes were still falling sporadically.

"Han Sheng, is Old Lama Danba alright?" Liu Jinmo asked quietly.

Han Sheng replied, "'Yin-Yang Grass' has been forced back into Master's body, but we don't know how to completely remove it. Master said he needs to invite a Thai sorcerer to continue the treatment. We can go back now."

Liu Jinmo nodded and said, "Alright, wait for me. I'll go find Master Jin. He should keep his promise and tell us the whereabouts of Yang Gong." With that, he stepped into the main hall.

Han Sheng walked towards the toilet on the west wall of Yongyou Hall, pondering what had just happened. A few sets of numbers, why was there such great danger? It seems that the capital city is not only a place where hidden talents reside, but also a place of strangeness and trouble.

Han Sheng recognized the sign for the men's toilet and went in. The toilet was very clean, and the wall lamps were very bright. In front of the urinal, Han Sheng unbuttoned his pants and began to urinate. The weather was cold, and people urinated more than usual.

Footsteps came from behind him, and someone entered the men's toilet. Han Sheng turned his head and was immediately shocked. The person who came in was Xiao Yanfang!

What happened next was even more astonishing. Xiao Yanfang unbuckled her belt, pulled out a man's penis, stood up, and began to urinate into the urinal with a hissing sound… Xiao Yanfang turned her head, smiled at the dumbfounded Han Sheng, gracefully shook off the last few drops of urine, and fastened her pants.

“You’re a man?” Han Sheng stammered.

Xiao Yanfang smiled gently and said, “I am a renowned Peking Opera star, a leading actress in the capital. Haven’t you heard of me?”

Han Sheng shook his head. He had heard that Peking Opera actresses were all dressed as men; he hadn’t expected her to be such a beautiful woman offstage.

“Han Sheng, are you in there?” Liu Jinmo’s anxious voice came from outside the toilet.

Han Sheng walked out of the toilet, followed by Xiao Yanfang, her hips swaying.

Liu Jinmo looked at them, utterly astonished.

“He’s a man,” Han Sheng explained, noticing Liu Jinmo’s confusion.

Xiao Yanfang raised an eyebrow, her almond eyes slightly tipsy, and smiled sweetly at Liu Jinmo, saying, "I am actually a man, I'm sorry." With that, she swayed like a willow branch and, with a "whoosh," floated into the hall.

Liu Jinmo sighed; such skill was simply unbelievable.

"Have you found out where Yang Gong is?" Han Sheng asked, looking at Liu Jinmo.

"Yes," Liu Jinmo nodded, "Yang Gong indeed arrived at Baiyun Temple a dozen days ago and rushed to Huanglong Prefecture in Guandong overnight."

"Then we..." Han Sheng hesitated.

"Let's go back to the inn first, take the early train out of the pass tomorrow, and we'll arrive in Changchun by nightfall. Then we can take a car to Huanglong Prefecture, which is now Nong'an County," Liu Jinmo said.

The snow was falling heavier and heavier, and the Yonghe Temple was already a blanket of white. At this moment, Xiao Yanfang's figure flashed out of Yongyou Hall, gracefully vaulting over the palace wall like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan.

He must have gone to invite that Thai sorcerer, Han Sheng thought.

Liu Jinmo glanced down at Xiao Yanfang's footprints in the snow; almost none had been left—truly a master of the light-footed skill of treading snow without leaving a trace.

Outside the West Gate, directly opposite the Baiyun Temple gate, was a small inn. Liu Jinmo lifted Han Sheng by the waist, and they lightly flew over the courtyard wall, returning to his room.

"Uncle Shanren is right. Beijing is truly a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers reside; it's full of strange people," Han Sheng said thoughtfully, lying in bed.

"This place gathers all sorts of people, all kinds of talented individuals, a mixed bag. Beijing has always been like this. Now that we've finished our business, let's go back to Jiangxi as soon as possible," Liu Jinmo said to Han Sheng.

"Mr. Liu, do you know who Chen Changfeng and Wang Dongxing are?" Han Sheng suddenly asked.

"They're both generals, people close to Chairman Mao. Why are you asking?" Liu Jinmo replied, surprised.

"Nothing, I saw it in the newspaper at the inn counter today. Just asking. I'm sleepy, let's go to sleep," Han Sheng yawned, speaking indistinctly.

Liu Jinmo reached out and turned off the light.

Han Sheng huddled in the blankets, unable to fall asleep for a long time. He reached out and touched the sheepskin under the shroud on his chest. The whole thing felt like a dream. What did those numbers mean?

Finally, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and he drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 215

Han Sheng was immersed in a dream. Spring was in full bloom, the grass was growing and the birds were singing. As a child, he excitedly followed his father to collect herbs in the Dazhang Mountains, carrying his little medicine basket. A squirrel scurried down from a black pine tree, staring at him with its dark eyes in surprise. After a moment, it would hop away and play with its companions. Occasionally, one or two gray rabbits would recklessly peek out from the grass, shaking their long ears. Whenever this happened, Han Sheng would put down his hoe and observe them with great interest until their figures disappeared back into the forest.

“This is danshen, that’s bupleurum, and that golden patch by the cliff is licorice,” his father would patiently nag, his eyes filled with loving affection.

Occasionally, when they passed a lone grave or two in the woods, Hansheng would always try to avoid it; lonely graves were believed to be haunted by spirits, and children were often uneasy about them.

“Dad, do people become ghosts when they die?” Hansheng often asked.

His father would smile, affectionately stroking his son’s head, smiling without answering.

The cold wind, carrying snowflakes, relentlessly pounded against the windowpane. Liu Jinmo’s ears twitched; he heard a slight sound—someone had jumped over the courtyard wall and landed on the snow.

In the darkness, Liu Jinmo quietly got out of bed, put on his clothes, glanced at Hansheng, and seeing him still fast asleep, gently opened the door and went outside.

A dwarf stood on the snow, his enormous head peeking out from under a blue cotton-padded coat. His eyes, twice the size of a normal person's, were piercing and appeared eerily large in the dead of winter.

Liu Jinmo stared at him coldly, remaining silent

. He knew that on such a cold night, an uninvited guest was bound to be hostile. The dwarf spoke, his voice low but his enunciation clear and loud.

"You went to Yonghe Temple tonight? Who are you? Where did you come from? What did the old lama Danba say to you?" The dwarf bombarded him with questions like popping beans.

Liu Jinmo still didn't answer, pondering in his mind. This man didn't seem to be with Master Jin. So when had he started watching him and Hansheng? From Baiyun Temple? Or Yonghe Temple? And then followed them all the way to this small inn… Right, the accent—this dwarf's accent was a genuine Northeastern accent.

Liu Jinmo let out a sharp, cold laugh and said indifferently, "Who are you to Yang Gong?"

"You..." The dwarf choked on his words, but a small hand reached out and slowly unbuttoned the cotton-padded jacket.

Liu Jinmo silently watched him, gathering his energy in his arm. It seemed a fight was inevitable. Liu Jinmo watched coldly, wanting to see what kind of trouble this neither-male-nor-female Cuihua could cause.

"Cuihua crossed a thousand miles to subdue the demon. Liaoning Province has the Liao River, the East Liao River, the West Liao River, and the Taizi River. Jilin Province also has rivers, the Yitong River and the Yinma River. Under the Datungen of Huanglong Prefecture, there is also the Mangniu River... Peaches nourish people, apricots harm people, and under the plum tree, the dead are buried. Tonight, I will bury your soul..." Cuihua sang while constantly blowing smoke.

Liu Jinmo was originally extremely experienced in the martial arts world and would never have fallen for a trick so easily. However, since spending time with Han Sheng, his once cold-hearted nature gradually revived, and his vigilance against life became dulled without him realizing it. Therefore, when he sensed that something was wrong, it was already too late.

The smoke was poisonous! Liu Jinmo finally realized that the dwarf Cuihua had distracted him with her easy-to-understand lyrics while simultaneously ambushing him with poisonous smoke. By the time he realized it, he had already inhaled a considerable amount of the poison.

Liu Jinmo roared, his right hand flashing out five steel fingernails that shot out with a "whoosh," aiming straight for five vital acupoints on Cuihua's chest: Tiantu, Tanzhong, Jiuwei, Juque, and Zhongwan... Liu Jinmo watched coldly, wanting to see what kind of tricks this neither-male-nor-female Cuihua could pull.

"Cuihua crossed a thousand miles to subdue demons, Liaoning Province has the Liao River, the East Liao River, the West Liao River, and also the Taizi River, Jilin Province also has rivers, the Yitong River, the Yinma River, and under the Datungen of Huanglong Prefecture there is also the Mangniu River... Peaches nourish people, apricots harm people, the plum tree buries the dead, tonight I bury your soul..." Cuihua sang while continuously exhaling smoke flowers.

Liu Jinmo, originally an extremely experienced martial artist, would never have fallen for such a trick so easily. However, since spending time with Han Sheng, his previously cold humanity had gradually resurfaced, and his usual vigilance had become dulled. Therefore, by the time he sensed something was wrong, it was already too late.

The smoke was poisonous! Liu Jinmo finally realized that the dwarf Cuihua had distracted him with easily understood lyrics while simultaneously attacking him with poisonous smoke. By the time he realized it, he had already inhaled a considerable amount of the poison. Liu Jinmo

roared, his right hand flashing out, and five steel fingernails shot out with a "whoosh," aiming straight for five vital acupoints on Cuihua's chest: Tian Tu, Tan Zhong, Jiu Wei, Ju Que, and Zhong Wan… Date: 3-31 15:30:00 Steel fingernails are extremely rare and deadly weapons in the martial arts world. How could the little dwarf Cuihua possibly withstand them? However, because Liu Jinmo had inhaled the poisonous smoke first, the accuracy and power of his attack were greatly reduced.

When Cuihua saw that her opponent, even after being poisoned by the smoke, was still able to shoot several hidden weapons, she was terrified. She quickly swung her peach wood sword to slash at them, simultaneously bending backward in a "bridge" move to dodge… The peach wood sword snapped with a "crack," but it blocked two steel-armored projectiles heading towards her Tian Tu and Tan Zhong acupoints. Worse still, two more pierced her breasts diagonally, causing excruciating pain. She couldn't help but curse, "You scoundrel!" But even worse, she felt a chill in her lower abdomen; a steel-armored projectile had blocked her Ren meridian. A tingling, electric shock-like sensation radiated along her seventh and eighth ribs, causing her legs to buckle and she collapsed onto the snow.

Liu Jinmo felt a wave of dizziness, lost her balance, and leaned against the wall.

Inside the window, Han Sheng, who had been awakened, witnessed everything. Without even putting on his outer clothes, he rushed out and caught Liu Jinmo.

"Hansheng, I've been poisoned by the dwarf's smoke. Go search her for the antidote," Liu Jinmo instructed with difficulty. Hansheng

first helped Liu Jinmo into the room, as it was too cold outside, then went out again and came to the side of the dwarf, Cuihua.

"Hey, do you have the antidote?" Hansheng asked, while curiously examining this disabled woman with a man's hairstyle and wearing a woman's floral underwear.

Cuihua was still in shock and anger, not understanding that she had been seriously injured, especially her breasts, which she was so proud of, which were throbbing with pain. Little did she know that the person who had just launched the hidden weapon was a top-notch martial arts master. If she hadn't inhaled the poison, she would probably be dead already.

"You scoundrel! You filthy man!" Cuihua repeated the curses.

Hansheng was about to reach for the antidote when Cuihua's curses stopped him, and he felt extremely embarrassed.

"This... are you a man or a woman?" Hansheng asked, his face red.

The dwarf glared at him, displeased, "Where did you come from, you wild brat? Of course, someone named Cuihua is a woman."

Han Sheng quickly said, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask you for the antidote."

"No way! That bastard, that filthy scoundrel, he actually hurt me..." Cuihua thankfully didn't finish her sentence.

A cool breeze swept by, and Han Sheng couldn't help but shiver. He noticed that Cuihua was only wearing a thin cloth apron, her arms exposed to the cold wind, and a feeling of pity welled up inside him.

"Cuihua, shall I carry you back to your room first? I'm a doctor, I can treat your wounds." Han Sheng said, looking at the dwarf's frail figure.

Cuihua was trembling all over, her bare arms covered in goosebumps. She thought for a moment, nodded, and instructed, "Be careful not to touch my chest."

Han Sheng reached out, supported Cuihua's legs, and put his arm around her waist to lift her up. Then he carefully carried her into the room and placed her on the bed.

"You scoundrel!" Cuihua couldn't help but curse again upon seeing Liu Jinmo.

Chapter 216

The guest room was warm and cozy. Cuihua shook her numb arms and smiled sweetly at Hansheng as a way of expressing her gratitude.

"Sister Cuihua, could you please give me the antidote for the poison?" Hansheng said kindly.

"Sure, but what about my injuries?" Cuihua blinked her large eyes at Hansheng.

"I'm a doctor, let me treat you." Hansheng said sincerely.

"But his hidden weapon injured my... breasts and lower body. I've never been married before." Cuihua said shyly, pointing to her breasts and abdomen.

Hansheng looked at this innocent and strange dwarf and found it amusing.

"I'm a doctor, you don't need to be shy..." Hansheng said again.

"Okay, but I can't look at this scoundrel." Cuihua murmured, blushing.

"I don't care to see, Hansheng, but you need the antidote first. You can't easily trust people in the martial world," Liu Jinmo said indignantly while circulating his qi to heal his injuries.

"No way! I'm not comfortable with such a lewd person lurking around," Cuihua objected firmly.

Hansheng smiled at Liu Jinmo and said, "Mr. Liu, this Sister Cuihua is simple and innocent, she shouldn't renege on her promise. Let me take a look at her now." At the same time

, he winked at him. Liu Jinmo saw this and wondered what kind of trick Hansheng was up to now, so he agreed, "I'll trust you this once."

Hansheng turned around: "Sister Cuihua, now I'm going to unhook your inner pocket."

Cuihua blushed and said, "Make him close his eyes!"

Liu Jinmo simply turned away.

Cuihua gently unfastened her peach-colored undergarment with her slender fingers, revealing two full and plump breasts that trembled slightly like startled white rabbits… Liu Jinmo's steel nails had already deeply pierced her breasts from bottom to top, leaving two crescent-shaped wounds oozing blood.

Han Sheng frowned and said to Cuihua, “The steel armor has penetrated too deeply into the muscle, and we don't have any surgical instruments right now. Even if we cut it open, my breasts will probably be disfigured later.”

“What should we do?” Cuihua asked in alarm.

Han Sheng said, “There is only one way that can both preserve the original appearance of your breasts and remove the hidden weapon.”

Cuihua hurriedly asked, “What way?”

“Use your internal energy to draw the steel armor out from the original wound, then apply some medicine, and in three days, there won't even be any scars left,” Han Sheng explained.

“Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and do it!” Cuihua said anxiously.

Han Sheng smiled apologetically and said, "I can't. I don't know any martial arts, and I don't have a single bit of internal energy. Only Mr. Liu can do it right now. But we need to first detoxify him from the smoke, then circulate his true energy throughout his body, and then reverse the flow of true energy in his Ren and Du meridians. We'll use the immense suction generated by the Laogong acupoint of the Hand Shaojueyin Pericardium Meridian to pull the steel armor out of the wound."

Liu Jinmo was taken aback. It turned out that Han Sheng was trying to find an antidote through a roundabout method.

"But... that rogue will get even more advantage..." Cuihua was extremely embarrassed and stammered.

Han Sheng smiled slightly and said, "I can blindfold him, and his hands will be an inch away from your chest, absolutely unable to touch your skin, how about that?"

Cuihua thought for a moment, then lowered her head, blushing. She reached into her waistband and pulled out a small porcelain bottle—the antidote to the poisonous smoke.

In Guandong, almost everyone, from old women to young wives, smokes. Hence the saying, one of the three strange things about Guandong is "a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl with a big pipe in her mouth."

Guandong's high latitude and low temperature result in a long tobacco growing season, producing strong, potent, and high-quality tobacco, especially the Jiaohe tobacco from the foot of Changbai Mountain.

The poisonous smoke from the little dwarf Cuihua was based on red Jiaohe toad-head tobacco, mixed with toad juice from Changbai Mountain streams and the erogenous glands of weasels. Inhaling it could cause hallucinations and hysteria, similar to the poisonous smoke from the old woman. Fortunately, Liu Jinmo possessed profound internal strength and noticed it early, inhaling only a small amount; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Following Cuihua's instructions, Han Sheng unscrewed the antidote bottle and held it to Liu Jinmo's nose. Liu Jinmo sniffed hard a few times as instructed, and a pungent smell assaulted his nostrils, shooting straight to the top of his head. He couldn't help but sneeze several times, instantly becoming fully awake.

"Ashamed," he thought to himself. "Alright, it's nothing," Liu Jinmo said, feeling his meridians were clear.

Next, Han Sheng took a towel and tied it behind Liu Jinmo's head, covering his eyes. Then, he grabbed Liu Jinmo's arms, guiding his palms to a distance of about an inch from Cuihua's chest, and said, "Mr. Liu, you can circulate your true qi now."

Liu Jinmo relaxed slightly, drawing a stream of pure, yin-toned true qi from his dantian, circulating it throughout his body. Then, he used his mind to force the true qi to flow back along the Ren and Du meridians, converging it along the six meridians of his arms to the Laogong acupoints on both sides, gradually urging the true qi to flow. The suction force of his palms suddenly increased.

The dwarf Cuihua nervously closed her eyes. She could already feel her breasts being sucked and pulled; the two steel fingernails inside her breasts seemed to wriggle, stimulating the nerves within, creating a strange, tingling sensation.

Han Sheng, holding a teacup from the guest room, pushed open the door and went out. He needed to collect some urine as a medicinal ingredient. Alas, he wondered how long his virgin urine could last.

Virgin urine, commonly known as "sou," was called "reincarnation wine" or "rejuvenation soup" in Central Plains medicine, but the common people, unfamiliar with its use, simply called it "urine."

A cold wind mixed with heavy snow fell from the sky, and the inn courtyard was already covered with a thick layer of snow. Braving the biting north wind, he quickly urinated into the cup. Due to the continuous travel over the past few days, he was a little dehydrated, and the urine was cloudy. He grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and put it into the cup. Snow in the twelfth lunar month, sweet and cold in taste, is also an excellent detoxifying and anti-inflammatory agent. When the two are mixed, the liquid in the cup immediately becomes clear. Cuihua is still a virgin; you can't just smear yellow "urine" on her body , can

you? Han Sheng opened the door and walked into the room. The scene before him left him speechless… The dwarf Cuihua, bare-chested, her enormous head flushed, her eyes slightly glazed, her lips moving as she breathed heavily… Liu Jinmo's eyes were still covered by a towel, but his hands were tightly gripping Cuihua's white breasts, his mind hazy, emitting soft but piercing sounds of pleasure from his throat… Han Sheng clearly saw that on Cuihua's back lay another dwarf old woman, dressed in red and green, with a bun and a wrinkled face… Han Sheng stood there dumbfounded, almost unable to hold his teacup, speechless.

The dwarf old woman smiled at Han Sheng, revealing a set of uneven, broken, yellow teeth, and then said in a thick Northeastern accent, "What's your name?"

"My name is Han Sheng," Han Sheng hurriedly replied.

"Oh, Han Sheng, you've brought Cuihua and her husband together. Hmm, well done," the dwarf old woman said with satisfaction.

"Who are you?" Han Sheng calmed down and asked cautiously.

The old woman chuckled and said, "I'm Old Cuihua, Little Cuihua's mother."

"When did you come in? Why are you on Cuihua's back?" Han Sheng asked in confusion.

Old Cuihua snorted and said disdainfully, "I've always been one with Little Cuihua. I just don't usually come out. Tonight is Little Cuihua's first time being intimate with a man, so what's wrong with a mother coming out to see?"

Han Sheng was even more surprised, but fortunately, he had experienced many strange things over the past few months, so he quickly calmed down.

He thought for a moment and said, "You must be the 'Ghostess Cuihua' worshipped by the shamans in Guandong?"

The old woman smiled, nodded, and said, "That's right, that's me."

Han Sheng glanced at Liu Jinmo and asked the old woman, "Aunt Cuihua, Mr. Liu is usually not interested in women, so why is he holding onto Cuihua so tightly today? Did you use some kind of magic?"

Old Cuihua shook her head and said seriously, "This is a natural physiological reaction when they fall in love at first sight and their love is so intense. I've been waiting for this day for decades."

"Decades? How old is little Cuihua?" Han Sheng asked doubtfully.

"Let me calculate, little Cuihua is exactly fifty years old this year." Old Cuihua said, counting on her fingers.

"Ah..." Han Sheng was surprised again.

"Hmm, let's find an auspicious day and have them get married first, in the Liao Pagoda in Huanglong Prefecture." Old Cuihua muttered to herself as she planned.

Han Sheng carefully examined Liu Jinmo and found him seemingly possessed and soulless. He walked behind him and untied the towel from his eyes.

Liu Jinmo's gaze was vacant, fixed on Cuihua's chest, his hands still tightly gripping her breasts, his withered fingers digging into her white flesh. Two bloodstained steel armor pieces lay on the ground.

"Mr. Liu, wake up," Han Sheng shook Liu Jinmo's shoulders.

"Uh, uh..." Liu Jinmo's throat still emitted that extremely pleasurable sound.

Old Cuihua, perched on Little Cuihua's back, swayed her head, watching them with great interest.

Chapter 217

"How did he become like this?" Han Sheng looked at Old Cuihua suspiciously.

Old Cuihua grinned, revealing several large, yellow teeth, and chuckled, "Seeing my beautiful young Cuihua, this old man is naturally captivated."

Han Sheng shook his head, disbelieving. Liu Jinmo wasn't a lecherous man, and judging by Cuihua's appearance alone... she must have been bewitched by some kind of evil magic from Old Cuihua.

Han Sheng removed his sweater, then took off the protective corpse shroud he wore close to his body, revealing his muscular upper body.

"What are you doing?" Old Cuihua sized up Han Sheng's well-built physique, clicking her tongue in admiration.

Han Sheng ignored her, casually brushing the corpse shroud towards Liu Jinmo's head... "Crackling and popping," a dazzling static electricity flashed, and Liu Jinmo shivered violently, instantly snapping back to reality.

First, Liu Jinmo realized his hands were gripping Cuihua's ample breasts, and he was immediately shocked, quickly withdrawing his hands.

Little Cuihua, quick-witted as ever, opened her eyes wide and discovered her breasts being grabbed and pinched. She immediately flew into a rage, shouting, "You scoundrel!"

"He's not a scoundrel, he's your fiancé," Old Cuihua suddenly spoke from behind Little Cuihua.

"Oh, Mother, why did you come out?" Little Cuihua asked in surprise.

"I came out to see my son-in-law. He's a bit thin, and his head isn't very big, but he possesses excellent martial arts skills. He's alright, Little Cuihua, don't be so picky," Old Cuihua said earnestly.

"Mother, he's a scoundrel!" Little Cuihua retorted.

Old Cuihua chuckled, saying affectionately, "He's not a hooligan, I saw it myself. His steel-armored hidden weapon was aimed at your pressure points; hitting your breasts was just a coincidence."

Little Cuihua glared at Liu Jinmo, saying indignantly, "Did you intentionally shoot my breasts?"

Liu Jinmo quickly shook his head, saying, "No."

Little Cuihua's anger subsided, and she turned to her mother, saying, "But he's not very good-looking."

Old Cuihua raised her face, sternly saying to Liu Jinmo, "Hmph, you've really gotten away with this! My daughter, Little Cuihua, has never been touched by a man before. Today, you've grabbed her most important parts; it's fate, isn't it? You'd better treat my daughter well from now on, or else... hehe."

Liu Jinmo suddenly let out a sharp, cold laugh: "In the martial world, Liu Jinmo of Qingtian has never been threatened by anyone."

Old Cuihua's face darkened, and she slowly said, "What? You look down on Little Cuihua?"

"Not just look down on me? I, Liu Jinmo, have never even considered starting a family in this lifetime!" Liu Jinmo declared loudly.

"That's because you hadn't met me before..." Xiao Cuihua suddenly said gently.

Han Sheng was surprised to see that Xiao Cuihua's big eyes were filled with spring-like joy, her large cheeks were flushed, and her thick lips were even more vibrant.

"Han Sheng, you actually broke my spell, you seem to be quite skilled?" Old Cuihua looked at Han Sheng with suspicion.

Han Sheng ignored her, put his teacup on the table, put on the shroud and sweater, and casually took a matchstick from the hotel's essential matchbox on the table. He stuck it into his ear and forcefully dug out a large chunk of yellow, oily earwax, preparing to put it into the teacup to mix.

"What are you doing?" Old Cuihua stared at the large chunk of earwax and asked in surprise.

Han Sheng said, "In Central Plains medicine, earwax is called 'cerumen,' a secretion from the ear canal. This brownish-yellow, oily, viscous substance is commonly known as 'oily cerumen,' and it's a good medicine for reducing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration. Apply it to the wound under Xiao Cuihua's breast, and after three days, there won't even be a scar."

"I don't want to use your earwax!" Xiao Cuihua cried out.

Han Sheng looked at Xiao Cuihua , puzzled.

"I want to use Brother Liu's," Xiao Cuihua said softly, her face flushed.

Han Sheng was slightly embarrassed and said, "Alright, Mr. Liu, let me see if you have any suitable cerumen in your ear."

Liu Jinmo was both amused and annoyed, and put his ear down.

Han Sheng switched to a thicker matchstick, inserted it into Liu Jinmo's ear canal, cut along the outer ear canal, and groped forward, first gently scraping, and finally twisting and pulling out a hard, dark brown lump.

"Ah, that feels so good," Liu Jinmo clicked his tongue.

Han Sheng chuckled, "This is a piece of dried, hard earwax. In traditional Chinese medicine, it's called 'stone cerumen,' while in Western medicine it's called 'cerumen impaction,' and it's even more effective."

He tossed the earwax into a teacup, gently shaking it to allow it to gradually dissolve.

"Brother Liu, Cuihua still has a fingernail stuck in her stomach," Little Cuihua said sweetly.

Liu Jinmo looked down and saw half a steel nail protruding from the Zhongwan acupoint on Little Cuihua's white belly. He reached out and pulled it out.

"Ouch," Little Cuihua let out a soft groan, her eyes pouting as she gazed at Liu Jinmo with tender affection.

The earwax in the teacup had dissolved. Han Sheng glanced at Xiao Cuihua, then smiled at Liu Jinmo, "Mr. Liu, the one who tied the knot must untie it. Please apply the medicine for Xiao Cuihua."

Liu Jinmo had no choice; after all, he was the one who injured her, so applying medicine was only right. He picked up the teacup, but there were no cotton swabs or anything like that nearby.

"Use your fingers," Xiao Cuihua suggested.

Liu Jinmo was a free-spirited, chivalrous man, not particularly concerned with matters of the heart, and certainly not one to be coy or pretentious. Without a word, he dipped his fingers in the medicine and gently applied it to the wounds on Xiao Cuihua's breasts and stomach.

Xiao Cuihua closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying it.

Old Cuihua nodded approvingly.

Han Sheng suddenly asked Old Cuihua, "Aunt Cuihua, of the eighteen types of corpse transformation in the Central Plains, which one do you belong to?"

Old Cuihua was taken aback, looked at Han Sheng, and said calmly, "None of them."

"Oh, then are you a human or a ghost?" Han Sheng asked again.

Old Cuihua slowly said, "Let me put it this way, the situation in Guandong is different from the Central Plains. The people there only believe in female shamans, also known as 'old immortals.' They can summon fox spirits and weasel spirits to possess people, exorcising demons and curing diseases. The one with the highest level of cultivation can summon me—Cuihua—to possess them. So, I am both an immortal and a ghost. Usually, I hide in Xiao Cuihua's body and only go out when needed."

Han Sheng asked in confusion, "Aren't you Xiao Cuihua's mother? How did you become an immortal ghost?"

Old Cuihua replied, "I am her mother, but I didn't give birth to her."

At this point, even Liu Jinmo was confused.

Old Cuihua coughed and explained, "Little Cuihua was born into a poor family in Huanglong Prefecture. She was disabled from birth, a dwarf, and suffered endless scorn and bullying from outsiders. I couldn't stand it, so I possessed her body and taught those evil people a lesson. From then on, Cuihua's reputation grew, and she became the most powerful 'Old Immortal' in Huanglong Prefecture. From then on, we became mother and daughter."

"Oh, so that's how it is." Han Sheng finally understood the relationship between the two Cuihuas.

"Then how did you meet Yang Gong?" Liu Jinmo suddenly asked from the side.

Old Cuihua was taken aback, staring at Liu Jinmo for a moment before slowly saying, "You're my son-in-law, so it's alright to tell you. Master Yang is the leader of the Shaman Black Witch of Huanglong Prefecture, with eight disciples, each highly skilled. I've always felt that Old Master Qian is a good person and wanted to take him as my son-in-law, but I couldn't persuade Little Cuihua. Ten years ago, Master Yang approached Little Cuihua, asking her to help him go to Beijing to monitor the 'Gang of Four': Master Jin of Baiyun Temple, Professor Liu of Peking University, the famous Beijing opera singer Xiao Yanfang, and the old lama Danba of Yonghe Temple. I persuaded Little Cuihua to agree to Master Yang's request and came to Beijing. Unexpectedly, Master Yang didn't show up even once in the past ten years. Alas, since I made a promise, I had to keep it, so I stayed in Beijing for ten years. Until a few days ago, Master Yang finally showed up and promised Little Cuihua to continue monitoring until the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, which is tomorrow."

"Where is Master Yang now?" Liu Jinmo asked.

“Huanglong Prefecture, he said he’d be spending the New Year in Guandong,” Xiao Cuihua said.

“Why is Lord Yang monitoring those four people?” Han Sheng asked.

Xiao Cuihua replied, “He said the old lama of Danba has something important, and if they find it, they must find a way to seize it and hand it over to Lord Yang.”

“What is it?” Liu Jinmo asked warily.

Xiao Cuihua shook her head, saying, “Lord Yang didn’t say.”

Han Sheng understood; that thing was currently in his possession.

Chapter 218

On the train heading north, the boundless fields outside the window were already covered in snow.

Xiao Cuihua silently gazed at the desolate, drifting snow beyond the Great Wall, quietly listening to Han Sheng recount Lord Yang’s bloodthirsty evil deeds and the tragic death of Boss Qian.

Liu Jinmo sat beside Xiao Cuihua, suddenly thinking of Xiao Caihua, a faint melancholy rising in his heart.

On his journey to Huanglong Prefecture, he knew he might not be a match for Yang Gong. If he implicated Han Sheng, how could he explain it to Lan'er? Han Sheng, facing his father's killer, was certain to face a fierce battle, extremely dangerous, with no chance of victory. Reflecting on his decades of service to powerful families, acting as their henchmen, indiscriminately killing the innocent, he lived a life of apathy, like a walking corpse. Since meeting Han Sheng, he had been moved by his kindness and compassion, vowing to follow him for life, protecting him from the machinations of the martial world. Unexpectedly, along the way, he encountered only unparalleled masters; self-preservation was difficult enough, let alone Han Sheng's complete lack of martial arts skills. In the end, only death could prove his resolve. A bitter smile appeared on Liu Jinmo's lips. Old Cuihua wanted him to marry Little Cuihua—how could Liu Jinmo be coerced? But if he agreed, Old Cuihua would be on his side, making the fight against Yang Gong much easier. Han Sheng would avenge his father, and he himself would be saved.

The only pitiful one was himself, destined to spend the rest of his life with a dwarf.

Last night, after much deliberation, Liu Jinmo accepted Lao Cuihua's suggestion and frankly told her about his impending life-or-death duel with Yang Gong.

Lao Cuihua immediately declared that for the sake of Xiao Cuihua's lifelong happiness, she would stand by her son-in-law without hesitation and join forces to eliminate Yang Gong.

The train slowly pulled into Changchun Station at dusk.

Changchun was a large metropolis, the capital of the puppet state of Manchukuo, known as "Xinjing." Many of the buildings in the city were constructed during the Japanese and Russian periods, giving it a distinctly foreign flavor. The climate in Northeast China is cold, and the people mostly eat grains, resulting in tall and strong individuals who speak with a hearty and forthright manner. The men, in particular, are fond of drinking, and many women have a habit of smoking tobacco.

Han Sheng, Liu Jinmo, and Xiao Cuihua walked out of the ticket gate. There were long-distance buses to Nong'an County outside the square, so they boarded directly and headed to Huanglong Prefecture overnight.

Huanglongfu, located within the county seat of Nong'an County, was a crucial military stronghold and political and economic center during the Liao and Jin dynasties. In 1126 AD, after capturing Emperors Huizong and Qinzong of the Song Dynasty, the Jin army imprisoned them here for a time. Yue Fei, a famous general who resisted the Jin during the Southern Song Dynasty, once said, "I will go straight to Huanglongfu and drink with my troops," referring to this place.

Within the ancient city of Nong'an stands an ancient Liao Dynasty pagoda, built in the third year of the Taiping era of Emperor Shengzong of Liao (1023 AD). The octagonal, 13-story pagoda, nearly 40 meters high, points its spire towards the blue sky. Wind chimes on its eaves tinkle melodiously, their sound carrying for miles around. Historically, this area has been home to various ethnic groups, including the Donghu, Xianbei, Huimo, Sushen, Khitan, Jurchen, and Mongols.

Not far east of the county seat is a town called Wanjinta (Ten Thousand Gold Pagoda), a name derived from a half-built pagoda within its territory; the name Wanjinta is a homophone of "half-built pagoda." Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Shengzong of Liao, a wandering monk came to the Liao Kingdom and told Emperor Yelü Longxu, "Last night, I observed the celestial phenomena and saw that an earth dragon would be born in the Liao Kingdom, located northeast of Huanglong Prefecture." Emperor Yelü Longxu was greatly alarmed and asked for a solution. The monk replied, "A pagoda can be built there to suppress the dragon vein, and then the world will be at peace."

So the emperor ordered the construction of a pagoda in the northeast of Huanglong Prefecture, as indicated by the monk. However, when construction was halfway complete, the monk advised that the earth dragon had already moved to Huanglong Prefecture, and the pagoda to suppress the dragon vein should be built within the city of Huanglong Prefecture. The emperor believed him without question and ordered the abandonment of the half-built pagoda, and a new pagoda to be built within Huanglong Prefecture, which is now the Nong'an Liao Pagoda. The abandoned site is now Wanjinta Township, then known as "Wanjinta Commune."

Over the long years, the Liao Pagoda in Nong'an has endured numerous wars and erosions. By the time of liberation, it had crumbled into a club-shaped structure, thin at both ends and thick in the middle. In 1953, the government renovated the pagoda. During the renovation, a foreman secretly discovered a hollow square brick in the middle of the 10th floor. He removed the brick and found a chamber inside, about half the size of a room. Inside the chamber was a brick platform upon which sat a mummified monk. The foreman was terrified and, without daring to utter a sound, quietly restored the brick to its original state. The next morning, the workers found the foreman's body at the foot of the pagoda. A forensic examination by the county public security bureau revealed that the deceased's brain was missing, leaving only an empty skull. Due to the bizarre nature of the incident, the public security bureau suppressed the news, sealed the case files, and destroyed them during the Cultural Revolution. Very few people still remember this story today.

The area outside the Liao Pagoda's walls is now a bustling downtown area. Although it was late, the red lanterns of the small tavern were still lit. Through the frosted glass windows, one could see groups of old customers from Northeast China still gathered around the stove, drinking large bowls of liquor, gnawing on greasy lamb trotters, and chatting idly about everything under the sun.

Han Sheng and his group finally arrived, weary from their journey. Liu Jinmo reached out and lifted the cotton curtain, pushed open the door, and went inside.

It was a small tavern with a sign that read "Nong'an County State-Owned Liqun Restaurant," and two red cloth banners hanging under the eaves.

Restaurants in Jiangxi didn't have this kind of decoration. Han Sheng stopped and looked up a few more times.

"The red banners are for Han Chinese, where they serve meat, while the blue banners are for Hui Muslims. One banner sells noodles, and the two banners sell stir-fries," Xiao Cuihua explained to Han Sheng.

Inside the restaurant, a large iron coal stove burned brightly, making the entire place warm and cozy. Liu Jinmo glanced around. At two simple wooden tables, several men from Northeast China sat drinking sorghum liquor from large bowls and smoking tobacco. Several long-haired dog-skin hats lay on the stools, and smoke billowed under the lamplight, the pungent smell filling the air. At

another table, a gaunt middle-aged man in black sat alone, with two plates of stir-fried dishes and a pot of hot liquor on the table, drinking alone.

"Comrade, how many of you are there? Eating or drinking?" A burly middle-aged woman lifted the curtain and came out of the kitchen, asking in a hoarse voice, smelling of kang (heated brick bed) smoke.

Liu Jinmo nodded and said, "Two pots of hot sorghum liquor, and a few stir-fried dishes."

Han Sheng and Xiao Cuihua also entered the room. The three of them chose a table against the wall and sat down. Xiao Cuihua, wrapped in a large blue cotton-padded coat, sat in the shadows of the lamplight, and at first glance, she could be mistaken for a child.

"Brother, you don't look like you're from around here. Our braised pork, blood sausage, and sauerkraut soup is pretty good, would you like a bowl?" the proprietress enthusiastically introduced.

Liu Jinmo said indifferently, "Just bring me a few of your specialties, and warm up the liquor first."

"Alright." The proprietress swayed her hips and went into the kitchen.

"Ten years have passed, and people don't recognize me anymore," Xiao Cuihua sighed softly.

A large tin kettle was placed on the table, and the aroma of warm, mellow sorghum liquor wafted out. Liu Jinmo couldn't help but sniff it a few times.

"Good liquor! Authentic pure red sorghum liquor. If you add a little boy's urine during brewing, the taste will be even more fragrant and mellow," Liu Jinmo praised after taking a sip.

"Mr. Liu, is it possible to add boy's urine to brewing?" Han Sheng asked with a smile.

Liu Jinmo smiled and said, "I've heard that this method was used in the local

distilleries of Northeast China, resulting in a particularly pure and authentic flavor." "What this gentleman says is quite right. The practice of adding boys' urine to brewing wine originates from the ancient northern barbarians, the Xianbei, a traditional brewing technique that was once popular in the three northeastern provinces," the middle-aged man in black sitting alone at the next table suddenly interjected.

Liu Jinmo smiled slightly, nodded, and instantly sized up the man.

He was dressed in Guanzhong attire, with somewhat compact features, and was quite handsome. He appeared to be around forty years old, with an extremely peculiar accent.

Han Sheng couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this man's words.

Liu Jinmo, with his extensive knowledge, immediately recognized him as an old man from Hebei.

"His accent..." Han Sheng quietly asked Liu Jinmo.

"He's an old man," Xiao Cuihua whispered.

"That's right, I am Feng Sheng, an old man from Tangshan," the man introduced himself with a self-deprecating smile.

In the old days, businessmen from Tangshan, Changli, Luanxian, and Leting who worked outside the Great Wall were collectively called "Lao Tai'er" (Old Tai'er). They were naturally shrewd and calculating, highly favored by their bosses, and formed a group. The famous "Lao Tai'er" spirit was: hard work, perseverance, and diligence.

Liu Jinmo quickly cupped his hands and said, "Liu Jinmo from Qingtian, Zhejiang."

Feng Sheng smiled at Han Sheng and said, "This brother has a spirited and agile appearance, with eyebrows reaching towards the heavens, and a face like a crescent moon. He has the appearance but no heart, and his appearance is born from his heart; he is surely a pillar of society."

Han Sheng smiled faintly and did not reply. It turned out this man was a wandering fortune teller.

"It's just a pity..." Feng Sheng hesitated.

Liu Jinmo immediately became alert upon hearing this.

At this moment, a burly man from Northeast China, reeking of alcohol, walked over and angrily said to Feng Sheng, "What did you just say? That there was boy's urine in our wine?"

Feng Sheng sat up straight, calmly saying to Liu Jinmo, "You see, Northeasterners are naturally forthright, passionate and flamboyant, with a strong inner nature and a tough exterior. However, while they are physically strong, their brains are somewhat underdeveloped."

"What did you say!" The man clenched his fist.

Feng Sheng pretended not to see it and continued, "However, Northeasterners are mostly great men, with few beautiful women. The men are mostly tall and strong, with high cheekbones and loud voices."

The man, feeling that this was true, slowly loosened his fist.

"But they are too rough, barbaric, and arrogant, lacking in refinement. As for the women, they are mostly delicate and pretentious, flashy but not substantial, and skilled in both smoking and drinking." After Feng Sheng finished his critique, he didn't even glance at the man, picked up his wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

Liu Jinmo nodded, thinking to himself, "This old man is probably here to cause trouble.

" The man from Northeast China sensed Feng Sheng's sarcasm and flew into a rage. He stood across the table, saying, "I'll make you drink..." while raising his fist to smash the wine pot.

Feng Sheng hooked the man's ankle with his toe under the table and pulled him back, politely saying, "Please sit down and talk." The

man from Northeast China ignored him and plopped down on the stool opposite Feng Sheng.

"Huh, why did he sit down? Did he drink too much?" he muttered to himself in surprise.

Feng Sheng gently poured himself a cup of wine, drank it down in one gulp, then picked up a piece of white meat with his chopsticks and slowly chewed it, his eyes fixed on the man's face.

"What's your name?" Feng Sheng asked coldly.

"I don't change my name, I don't change my surname. Ask around, I'm the warehouseman of Wan Jin Pagoda," the man from Northeast China said with wide, bull-like eyes.

“Just now, I overheard you discussing the haunting of the Wanjin Pagoda. Why don’t you tell me about it?” Feng Sheng said, looking at him expressionlessly.

The man from Guandong hesitated, looking at Feng Sheng without saying a word.

Feng Sheng chuckled and said, "Brother Cangzi, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. The story I told about mixing boy's urine with wine is from hundreds of years ago. Look, the sorghum wine I'm drinking now is the same as yours. Could it be that I've also drunk boy's urine?"

Cangzi thought for a moment, a smile appearing on his face. He nodded and said, "That makes sense. Alright, I'll tell you, old man. Not long ago, a strange ghost story happened in our Wanjin Pagoda. There was a family living in the village below the half-built earthen pagoda. One night, their dog barked. The adults in the family were already asleep, so they sent two little boys out to check. But they didn't return for a long time. So the adults got worried and went out with flashlights to search. They searched the whole village, but couldn't find the two children. Then all the villagers got up and finally found them on the half-built earthen pagoda. The two brothers were dead; the older brother and the dog were dead, and the younger brother was mentally disabled."

"How did they die?" Feng Sheng asked.

“My head is empty…” Cangzi said, shivering despite the heat in the room.

Liu Jinmo heard this and his heart tightened.

“Didn’t you report it?” Feng Sheng asked calmly.

“Yes, we did. The special police officer from Wanjinta came overnight, and the county police arrived early this morning, but they haven’t given us a single explanation yet,” Cangzi recounted.

“Hmm, and then what?” Feng Sheng continued.

“Then, then we had to ask He Xiangu to come,” Cangzi said.

“Who is He Xiangu?” Feng Sheng asked, puzzled.

Cangzi explained, “He Xiangu is the most powerful old fairy in our Nong’an. Even people from Fuyu in Jiangbei come to see her. He Xiangu can summon the fox and weasel spirits to exorcise demons. We’ll find out what happened from that mentally challenged younger brother. We’re here today to ask He Xiangu for help.”

“Oh, so where is He Xiangu?” Feng Sheng smiled slightly.

"The old fairy won't go with us mortals. She's already gone ahead on her big donkey. She's holding a ritual tonight. We'll go back together after we finish our drinks," Cangzi said with undisguised reverence.

"Haha, that's quite interesting. I'd like to go see it too. Is it far?" Feng Sheng asked.

"Not far at all. If you want to watch the fun, we'll go together after we finish our drinks," Cangzi readily agreed, his Northeastern hospitality kicking in again.

The dishes on Han Sheng's table were already served: a large pot of white pork, blood sausage, and sauerkraut soup; two large bowls of pork stew with vermicelli; and a plate of stir-fried pork with cold noodles, all steaming hot and fragrant.

"He Xiangu? Humph," Xiao Cuihua muttered dismissively.

Han Sheng and Liu Jinmo exchanged glances, both understanding that this wasn't a ghost story at all; it was clearly the God of the Underworld consuming children's brains again.

"Let's go too," Han Sheng said quietly, looking at Liu Jinmo.

Chapter 219

The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year, the north wind howled and snowflakes fluttered down.

In Wanjinta Township, a small village covered in snow, a roaring fire burned in three mud-brick houses, smoke billowed, and voices clamored. He Xiangu's altar was set up in this house.

Red cloth strips hung from the ceiling of the east room. On the wide red cloth of the main altar in the center was a large character "Hu," with two smaller characters "Tianba" below. To the left and right were couplets: the left couplet read "Cultivating truth and practicing Taoism in the deep mountains," and the right couplet read "Emerging from the ancient cave, spreading fame throughout the four seas." Then, in order, was the character "Huang," also with "Tianba" below it. The other narrower strips of cloth bore the names of small animals such as "Python Tianba," "Long Tianba," "Dog Tianba," "Goose Tianba," "Rabbit Tianba," "Duck Tianba," and "Chicken Tianba."

The room was filled with villagers, men, women, and wives alike, almost all smoking hand-rolled tobacco. Only a few elderly men and women each held a large pipe. The air inside was not only stale but also incredibly pungent. Some people, unable to fit in the room, stood in the kitchen or the west room.

Tangshan Lao Tai'er Feng Sheng and Han Sheng, led by Cang Zi, managed to squeeze into the east room.

"The main altar is dedicated to a fox spirit, but to avoid using the word 'fox,' we're using 'Hu' instead," Xiao Cuihua explained quietly to Han Sheng and Liu Jinmo from the shadows of the lamplight.

Leaning against the east wall was a chair, upon which sat a heavily made-up old woman, also holding a large pipe. This was the famous He Xiangu. She had dark skin, slanted eyes, large ears, and a mouthful of large, yellow teeth. It was said that the water in the Huanglongfu area had a high fluoride content, and the villagers generally had yellow teeth.

With a clang, He Xiangu struck a small bronze gong hanging on her chair with her pipe. "

Listen, folks," she proclaimed, "tonight I, the fairy, will invite the immortals. Long ago, Du Kang perfected the art of winemaking, and Liu Ling, drunk for three whole years, went hand in hand to the Western Paradise. There, they met the Buddha, who bestowed upon them the title of Wine Immortals! Ah, ahem, oh, oh..."

Then He Xiangu actually started singing.

Han Sheng was surprised that an old woman's voice was so loud and clear, and the melody was smooth and beautiful, full of rustic charm.

At this moment, someone brought over a bottle of liquor and a roast chicken, respectfully opened the bottle cap and placed it on the kang table next to He Xiangu.

He Xiangu probably hadn't eaten yet, Han Sheng thought.

He Xiangu sang: "Fox spirit, listen to my words, let me announce the names of the liquors: East Road Liquor, West Road Liquor, Zhuangyuan Red, Laobaigan, Shaohuang Erjiu, just opened, Orange Dew, Fruit Dew, cures coughs and vomiting, if you want to drink beer, buy it by the case, drink whichever jar you want, one jar will keep you drunk for seven or eight years..." After singing, she grabbed the bottle and tilted her head back, "gulping" down more than half of it.

This caused a stir in the crowd, some people clicking their tongues in praise, that was pure sorghum liquor with an alcohol content of over fifty degrees.

"Listen to the words of the Yellow Immortal, if you want to eat wild vegetables, it's not difficult. Let me list the dishes: yellow flowers, wood ear mushrooms, green celery, camel, goose, bear paws, deer meat, liver, pheasant neck, monkey legs, walnuts, tangerines, dried apricots, beef and mutton without any gamey smell, and pork belly that's exceptionally fresh. One bite and it's like riding a cloud to the Western Paradise! Ah, cough, cough, oh..." At this point, He Xiangu grabbed the roast chicken, "crunch," and bit off its tail... He Xiangu swallowed the roast chicken tail in one gulp, and then, with a "clang," the gong sounded again, and she shouted: "Yellow Dragon Mansion, the pagoda is high, many wandering immortals are inside, Hu Daleng, Huang Jinbiao, each mountain peak is exceptionally high. We meet them seven li away, welcome them eight li away, we stop here nine li away, resting before the Ten Thousand Gold Pagoda. The two immortals, Hu and Huang, have descended the mountain peaks! Ah, cough, cough, oh..."

He Xiangu beckoned, and someone carried the terrified child to the center of the house and made him stand there. The little boy was about five or six years old, with a chubby face, but his eyes were vacant, drool dripped from his mouth, and his body trembled slightly.

He Xiangu, tired, filled a pipe, took a few puffs, tapped the copper bowl against her shoe to remove the ash, and then suddenly pointed at the child, chanting again: "This child is possessed, doctors from the south can't cure him, herbal remedies from the north don't help, all is well, we beg the two old men, Hu and Huang, to investigate the cause of his illness, oh cough, oh cough, oh ah..."

People held their breath, all eyes fixed on the child.

He Xiangu also stared intently at the child.

The child continued to stare blankly at He Xiangu, drool slowly dripping from his mouth, opening his mouth but remaining silent.

He Xiangu offered her pipe, saying, "The Fox and Weasel Immortals want a smoke, quickly fill it up!"

Someone quickly took out a pipe, plucked out tobacco leaves, and filled He Xiangu's pipe with tobacco. Another person lit a match and blew a puff of thick smoke onto the child's face.

"Fox and Weasel Immortals, listen to me, wanting a smoke isn't difficult. East Mountain smoke, West Mountain smoke, big handfuls, small handfuls, toad head, dragon river smoke, willow filament smoke, sliced tobacco, cross-shaped orchid, pure seed tobacco, the Queen Mother's pick, the Nine Heavens Fairy's pinched tip, mortals smoke to relieve their troubles, immortals smoke to offer elixirs, red ones, blue ones, exhale a puff of ash smoke, it's like riding a cloud to the Western Paradise, oh cough, oh cough, oh ah..." He Xiangu's voice was already a little hoarse. She quickly took a big gulp of liquor and bit off the head of a roast chicken.

The child coughed twice from the smoke, tears streaming down his face.

Feng Sheng watched He Xiangu's performance with a strange smile, while everyone else watched with tense anticipation... He Xiangu's face flushed red, and she shouted, "What kind of demon are you? Show yourself!" With that, she took her pipe and smacked the child on the head.

With a "smack," the copper pipe hit the child's head, and the child cried out. The middle-aged couple standing behind him twitched their facial muscles; they were the child's parents. Han

Sheng's heart tightened; he wanted to step forward to stop her. In reality, the child was simply too frightened, causing his head's meridians to become disordered and blood flow to be blocked; a few silver needles could easily pierce him.

At this moment, the child suddenly stopped crying, slowly unzipped his cotton pants, revealing his penis, and with a "whoosh," began to urinate towards He Xiangu.

He Xiangu quickly dodged, but urine still splashed onto her trousers, making her look utterly disheveled.

The villagers inside burst into laughter, but after a few laughs, they realized it was inappropriate and fell silent again.

From inside the cotton-padded quilt tightly wrapped around Little Cuihua, Old Cuihua's head peeked out and whispered to Liu Jinmo in a hoarse voice, "Oh, how embarrassing! But we're all in the same trade, so I'll lend her a hand."

With that, a dark shadow flashed, and the people in the room suddenly saw a dwarf old woman clinging to He Xiangu's back… "Cuihua!" an old man exclaimed in surprise.

Chapter 220

Huanglong Mansion The older folks all knew that even the most powerful fox and weasel spirits were merely animal spirits, while Cuihua was a ghost spirit, her magic surpassing all animals. Being able to invite Cuihua was the highest level of shamanistic ritual in Guandong, especially to witness Cuihua's celestial body firsthand—a once-in-a-lifetime, unattainable opportunity.

"Cuihua! Cuihua!" several old men and women were the first to shout excitedly, their faces filled with a strange sense of happiness.

The young women and wives inside began to whisper in agreement, then hysterically cried out "Cuihua," their expressions unusually solemn and holy.

Old Cuihua, leaning on He Xiangu's back, smiled and waved, revealing two rows of uneven, yellow teeth.

"Dong..." The gong sounded again.

He Xiangu's body stiffened, and she shouted loudly, her voice indeed changing, becoming exceptionally loud: "Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, Kun, lay down the net of heaven and earth, what kind of wicked little demon are you? Cuihua will sit in the hall tonight, I advise you not to meddle in that nonsense..." After saying this, she leaped up from the chair, landed on the ground, and began to circle around the little boy.

The people were silent, everyone so tense that their mouths were dry and sweat beaded on their necks.

Every time she turned to face the child, the dwarf old Cuihua would breathe on the boy's face.

The circle spun faster and faster, making the onlookers dizzy.

At that moment, the little boy in the center of the room suddenly trembled, his teeth grinding together.

"Hey! Confess now!" He Xiangu roared.

Suddenly, the little boy let out a loud "poof..." fart, instantly filling the already cramped room with a foul stench.

The girls and women standing in the front row swayed, quickly covering their mouths and noses.

"A weasel! It's a weasel!" someone whispered.

Han Sheng shook his head, muttering softly, "It's probably indigestion."

Feng Sheng glanced at Han Sheng, then also stuck his finger into his nostril.

With a "smack," He Xiangu's pipe was once again placed on the boy's head.

"Bald old man! Bald old man ate my brother's brain!" the little boy suddenly cried out.

"Who is this bald old monster? Confess now!" He Xiangu shouted sternly.

"Half a tower, with a hole..." the little boy stammered.

Liu Jinmo looked at Han Sheng, who nodded. He understood that this might be Yang Gong's lair.

"Don't make a fuss, don't shout, don't yell, Old Fairy Cuihua is in charge. The old ox pulling the cart must be steady. The Wan Jin Pagoda is half-broken, there's a monster in the cave to capture, De'er ya hu hei yo, De'er ya hu hei..." After singing, He Xiangu pointed outwards with her pipe. Everyone understood that Cuihua was going to personally capture the demon, so they immediately parted to make way and followed behind the old fairy, marching in a grand procession towards the half-broken pagoda.

The northwest wind howled, and smoky snow rose from the frozen ground. The crowd, carrying more than ten flashlights, sent beams of white light mingling with chaotic footsteps as they surged towards the half-broken pagoda.

In the crowd, Feng Sheng followed closely behind He Xiangu, carefully observing the dwarf old woman clinging to her back in the dim light of his flashlight.

Han Sheng and Liu Jinmo walked unhurriedly through the crowd. The short, delicate Xiao Cuihua was wrapped tightly in a large blue cotton-padded coat, looking like an inconspicuous child.

Han Sheng looked at the dark sky and said to Liu Jinmo, "Mr. Liu, I think Huanglongfu is the base of the Guandong Black Witches. Yang Gong wouldn't have been living in that earthen cave all this time, would he?"

Liu Jinmo nodded and said, "Besides, killing someone near their lair would be giving them a handle to use against you, making a fool of yourself. As the saying goes, 'A rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow,' Yang Gong's lair shouldn't be here."

The group arrived at the half-broken tower and stopped in unison, their eyes turning to He Xiangu.

He Xiangu, holding the little boy's hand, led the group around the mound of earth.

This was a massive earthen mound, seven or eight meters high and over ten zhang in circumference, its dense yellow clay indicating it had been compacted. On the eastern side of the mound, facing away from the village, was a large, bluish-green stone, about a person's height, with an irregularly shaped hole about four inches wide at its base. The bottom of the hole was smooth, like a passageway for some animal. There were no inscriptions on the stone; these were relics from the Liao Dynasty, from which the Wan Jin Pagoda (pronounced "Half-Pagoda") got its name.

"Hey! Where's the Bald Old Monster's cave?" He Xiangu waved her pipe, which resembled a demon-slaying sword.

The little boy pointed tremblingly to the small hole beneath the stone.

He Xiangu raised the corners of her slanted eyes, glared with her whites, and sang loudly: "Little bald monster, why don't you come out when you see Cuihua? Five hundred years ago, we ate a meal; five hundred years later, we smoked a pipe. Cuihua just returned from the capital. Tangshan is full of old men. Shenyang is called Fengtian. We've traveled all the way, bumping along the way. Tieling, Kaiyuan, Changtu County, Siping, Gongzhuling, Changchun is north of Nong'an, Mishazi, Gaojiadian, and Lalatun. We've circled around. A fire and a few plumes of smoke. Bald monster,

let's see where you can hide today!" He Xiangu waved her hand, and several men from Northeast China, including Cangzi, brought over several bundles of sorghum stalks and started a fire on the spot. Under the old fairy's guidance, Cangzi took off his dog-skin hat and fanned the smoke into the small earthen cave. Thick smoke entered the earthen cave, and soon, a "squeaking" sound could be heard coming from inside. Cangzi continued fanning his pipe, the cries growing more urgent until finally, a few weasels emerged from the cave, staggering. As soon as they were outside, He Xiangu accurately placed her copper pipe on their heads, knocking them down one by one.

The villagers erupted in triumphant cheers.

Surrounded by the crowd, He Xiangu and Cangzi, carrying the weasels, strode ahead. Tonight was sure to be a night of revelry; the rich aroma of stewed meat already filled the village.

Feng Sheng followed behind He Xiangu, rubbing his eyes absentmindedly, and noticed that the dwarf old woman, Cuihua, was gone.

Old Cuihua had returned to Little Cuihua's cotton-padded monkey, poking her head out triumphantly and saying to Liu Jinmo, "Son-in-law, how was it? Your mother-in-law has some skills, doesn't she?"

A cold wind whistled, snowflakes fluttered, and in the blink of an eye, only Han Sheng and the others remained before the half-built tower.

Liu Jinmo said calmly, "It's true that weasels are alluring, but they could never eat a child's brain. Besides, the bald old man the child mentioned is undoubtedly Yang Gong."

Han Sheng nodded in agreement and continued, "From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the weasel, scientifically known as the yellow weasel, is a mammal belonging to the Mustelidae family, order Carnivora, and order Rodentia. It is good at catching mice and occasionally also preys on farm chickens. Its meat is sweet and smelly, and slightly poisonous. It is used internally to treat abdominal pain and externally to kill scabies and all internal parasites. The folk legend about the weasel being alluring is actually..." Actually, it's its odor, a substance called butyruvic acid. A skunk can produce about 1 milliliter of butyruvic acid per day, stored in its anal glands. When needed, the skunk stands upside down on its front legs, aims with its eyes, and sprays the odor towards its target, reaching a distance of about 4 meters, demonstrating its great power. In rural areas, some women or children with weak yin constitutions may experience hysteria after exposure to this gas. "We have a lot of these things in Wuyuan, Jiangxi, but they never attack people proactively, let alone eat human brains."

"So, it must have been Yang Gong who did it," Old Cuihua muttered to herself.

“Indeed, Master Yang must have been here,” Liu Jinmo said, glancing at the blue boulder at the base of the half-tower. “Since ancient times, when pagodas were built, an underground palace was always constructed beneath the foundation.”

With that, Liu Jinmo walked to the boulder, pressed his ear against it, and tapped it, saying, “There is indeed a hollow sound inside. Let me try.”

What a skillful Liu Jinmo of Qingtian! He gathered his true energy in his dantian, circulated it throughout his body, exerted force in his arms, and pressed his palms against the blue stone. First, he used five-tenths of his strength, but it didn’t budge. With eight-tenths, it loosened slightly. Finally, he used all his strength, and with a “creak,” the blue stone slowly began to rotate… The boulder turned to the side, revealing a gap only a person could barely make. It turned out that there were hidden axle mechanisms on both the top and bottom of the boulder, which could not be opened without a strength of a thousand or eight hundred jin. Only top-notch martial arts masters like Master Yang and Liu Jinmo could enter.

The cave was pitch black; nothing could be seen. The only smell was the smoke of burning sorghum stalks, the smell from when they entered the underground palace while smoking out the weasels.

Han Sheng took out a flashlight and handed it to Liu Jinmo.

The flashlight beam revealed a stone staircase leading to a large stone chamber. Liu Jinmo walked ahead, constantly on guard, while Han Sheng moved cautiously in the middle, and Xiao Cuihua brought up the rear, as they filed into the underground palace.

Chapter 221

This was an ancient underground stone chamber, about the size of several rooms, entirely constructed of bluestone. Although it was the dead of winter outside, the interior was warm and damp, with moss even growing at the base of the stone walls. In

the center of the chamber were a stone table and benches, and at the far end against the wall was a Buddhist niche, but it was empty of any Buddha statues. The Liao Dynasty was a regime established by the Khitan people of northern China, and the entire country practiced Buddhism. It's likely that this ancient pagoda was moved to the west gate of Nong'an County after its construction was only halfway complete, leaving the niche empty.

The entire stone chamber was empty. A few broken earthenware jars lay piled on the stone floor in the corner; Yang Gong wasn't there.

"What's this?" Han Sheng asked.

Liu Jinmo shone his flashlight over the jars. A kerosene lamp sat on the stone table, next to a box of Changbai Mountain brand matches. Liu Jinmo struck a match, lighting the lamp, its orange light illuminating the stone chamber.

"Yang Gong has been here. This seems to be one of his hideouts," Liu Jinmo said.

Han Sheng turned to Xiao Cuihua and asked, "Sister Cuihua, how can you meet Yang Gong when you return to Nong'an?"

Xiao Cuihua replied, "Last time, before leaving the capital, Yang Gong made an agreement that after I returned, I should tie a strip of cloth to the wind chimes on the east side of the tenth floor of the Liao Pagoda at the west gate of the county town, and then meet him at midnight the following night at the foot of the pagoda. He wouldn't be late."

"It seems we have no choice but to return to the county town," Han Sheng said.

"Ha, indeed, this is a hidden paradise," a man's voice came from the doorway, carrying a strong local accent.

Everyone turned around and saw Feng Sheng walk in

, holding a flashlight. Feng Sheng stopped in front of Han Sheng and Liu Jinmo, saying, "I told you those weasels couldn't possibly be the murderers. It seems there are still many secrets here."

"Who exactly are you?" Liu Jinmo asked coldly, her voice sharp and piercing.

Feng Sheng's gaze swept across their faces, and after a moment, he slowly said, "I'm an agent from the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, secretly investigating this case."

"Hmph," Liu Jinmo scoffed, "Don't talk nonsense. Would the Ministry of Public Security go to such lengths for a child's case?"

Feng Sheng smiled dismissively, then solemnly said, "In 1953, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage was repairing the Liao Pagoda in Nong'an County. Early one morning, a foreman was found dead at the foot of the pagoda. The cause of death was very suspicious, attracting the attention of relevant authorities."

"The cause of death is suspicious?" Han Sheng's interest was piqued.

"Yes, the person's brain tissue was missing," Feng Sheng said.

"The same as the boy who died in Wan Jinta's case?" Han Sheng asked in surprise.

"That's right. At the time, the authorities blocked the news, but the case remained unsolved. Later, it was shelved as a cold case. The Wan Jinta boy's ordinary murder case, because of the similarly suspicious cause of death, has rekindled the authorities' attention, so the two cases are being investigated together," Feng Sheng explained.

"Why are you telling us this?" Liu Jinmo asked warily.

"Because shortly after you entered the small restaurant, I had a premonition that you were involved in this matter, didn't I?" Feng Sheng stared intently at Han Sheng and the others.

Han Sheng and Liu Jinmo exchanged glances, remaining silent.

"You know who the murderer is, right?" Feng Sheng could tell from their expressions that his deduction was correct.

Han Sheng nodded.

"Who is it?" Feng Sheng pressed.

"Yang Gong," Han Sheng replied.

"Who is Yang Gong?" Feng Sheng asked.

“He is the leader of the Black Witches of Guandong, a heinous murderer,” Han Sheng replied.

Feng Sheng frowned and said, “Please elaborate.”

At this moment, Liu Jinmo stepped forward and stood in front of Han Sheng, speaking in a somewhat official tone, “Comrade Feng, I suppose you are a veteran on the public security front, and you must know a little about the rules of the underworld, right? Do you understand what I mean?”

Feng Sheng paused for a moment, then nodded.

Liu Jinmo continued, "We're also here to find Yang Gong's whereabouts," he pointed to Han Sheng, and continued, "Yang Gong killed his father and mother-in-law. We're tracking down and capturing Yang Gong according to the rules of the martial arts world. In a sense, Comrade Feng and we share the same goal. However, we don't have any accurate information about Yang Gong's whereabouts yet, so we might not be of much help to you."

Feng Sheng smiled slightly and said, "Liu Jinmo from Qingtian, you're indeed a martial arts expert. Alright, I, Old Tai, won't make things difficult for you today, but it's my duty, and I must ask a few questions. Of course, you certainly don't want to go to the county public security bureau to give statements, right?"

Liu Jinmo felt a little angry upon hearing this, but his expression remained unchanged, and he coldly said, "Please ask."

Feng Sheng asked, "You've just arrived here, haven't you? Where do you plan to stay?"

Liu Jinmo replied, "The county town."

"What's this young man's name and place of residence?" Feng Sheng turned to look at Han Sheng and asked.

"My name is Zhu Hansheng, and I live in Nanshan Village, Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province," Hansheng answered truthfully. Liu Jinmo frowned slightly.

"Why did Yang Gong kill your father and mother-in-law? What deep-seated hatred did you have? How did you meet? And how did you determine that Yang Gong was the murderer? Please tell me as completely as possible everything you know about Yang Gong." Feng Sheng bombarded him with a barrage of questions.

"This..." Hansheng truly didn't know where to begin. He looked at Liu Jinmo.

Liu Jinmo chuckled coldly a few times and said in a shrill voice, "Comrade Feng, we've already helped you by telling you who the murderer is. The rest is up to you to investigate. We don't need to answer your nonsensical questions."

Feng Sheng also chuckled coldly twice and said threateningly, "The public security organs are handling a case. Your only responsibility is to cooperate, understand?"

Liu Jinmo gathered his strength in his arm and silently raised his finger. According to his usual style, the other party would have already collapsed.

Feng Sheng stared back defiantly at Liu Jinmo, his right hand slowly drawing a pistol from his waist.

Neither Liu Jinmo nor Feng Sheng spoke; the air seemed to freeze, a battle about to erupt… A moment later, Feng Sheng's serious face slowly relaxed, his gaze softened, his tongue gently licked his lips, and then he opened his mouth, surprisingly singing in a coquettish voice: "Ah… the drum leans on the drum, the gong leans on the gong, the newly arrived son-in-law leans on his parents-in-law, the moon leans close to the tree fern, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl lean on the Milky Way, the Eighth Prince visits his mother, north and south are connected, such words need no further explanation…" "Pile up some pancakes, fill your belly and sing! There are silk pancakes, sugar pancakes, chewy pancakes, oil pancakes, stuffed pancakes, and even bald-head pancakes and crescent-shaped pancakes. There are ten kinds of Manchu-style pancakes. On the fifteenth of August, there are mooncakes; in February and March, we eat spring pancakes. Listen to me, son-in-law surnamed Liu! You can make them, I can make them! Let's eat together and go to the Western Paradise! The Queen Mother of the West takes a bite, and bites off more than half of it. Erlang Shen missed it, so he chased after it eight times with his divine dog. Isn't that a bit unfair? Hey, hey, hey, oh..."

Han Sheng knew that Old Cuihua had possessed him.

Old Cuihua, with a head as big as a bucket, clung to the thin Feng Sheng's back, grinning at Liu Jinmo with her gap-toothed grin.

Liu Jinmo couldn't help but laugh too.

Little Cuihua grabbed Liu Jinmo's hand, looked up, and said, "Jinmo, we can go now."

"What about him?" Han Sheng asked, pointing to Feng Sheng, the special agent from the Ministry of Public Security.

Little Cuihua smiled demurely and said, "My mother knows what to do."

Liu Jinmo nodded to Hansheng and said, "Let's go back to the county town."

"Ah... sesame flowers bloom higher and higher, millet flowers bend low, eggplant flowers droop, corn flowers are full of fuzz, Little Cuihua, you don't hold the stalks, Qingtian's son-in-law is never home, when will I be able to hold a chubby baby, oh cough oh cough oh ah..."

To the melody of Feng Sheng's beautiful song, everyone walked out of the half-tower underground palace.

Liu Jinmo turned and pushed the large blue boulder back to its original position, then, with Little Cuihua and Hansheng, headed towards the county town, disappearing into the snowstorm in no time.

Old Cuihua, seeing they had gone far away, whispered, "Let's go too." She then shrank into Feng Sheng's body.

Feng Sheng let out a long sigh, tucked his pistol into his pocket, and strode towards the light in the village.

The main hall in the three mud houses had been removed, and several square tables had been set up. On each table was a large enamel basin of stewed pork with wide potato noodles, the aroma rich and enticing. However, there were no other green vegetables, likely due to the freezing cold of the twelfth lunar month. Someone carried an iron kettle, filling two large bowls with heated sorghum liquor. The villagers were all happily drinking and eating heartily, while young women and wives chatted and occasionally puffed on their rolled-up newspaper pipes. The room was warm and cozy, the air thick with the smells of meat, tobacco, alcohol, and sweat.

"Hey, old man, sit down and have a drink!" Cangzi called out as he saw Feng Sheng enter.

Feng Sheng sat down casually, picked up his bowl of liquor, and gulped it down in one go.

"Good!" several men cheered, and someone quickly refilled the bowl.

Feng Sheng downed another drink in one gulp, his eyes glazed with drunkenness, and said, "Do you know who I am? Let me tell you, I am..." His body suddenly trembled, then he shouted, "I am Tangshan Lao Tai'er!"

The crowd roared with laughter, a joyful atmosphere filling the air. They drank bowl after bowl, and before long, Feng Sheng was completely drunk, collapsing onto the table.

Someone helped him to the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), pulled a greasy quilt over him, and let him sleep.

Old Cuihua chuckled coldly and then pounced on He Xiangu. The

little boy's father and several elderly villagers were drinking with the old fairy, sincerely thanking her for ridding the people of the scourge and saving their child.

He Xiangu stood up and said, "Now that the weasel demon is gone, this fairy will head home."

How could anyone disobey the old fairy's command? The villagers all stood up to respectfully see the fairy off. At the gate, He Xiangu's donkey was already laden with a pig's leg and a set of offal—a gift to the old fairy according to custom.

Cangzi gently helped He Xiangu mount the donkey, and in the wind and snow, He Xiangu sped off towards the county town.

Chapter 222

Midnight, west gate of Nong'an County. Snowflakes danced in the air, and the melodious sound of wind chimes from the eaves of the ancient Liao Pagoda carried far and wide, as if telling a long-forgotten story.

The streets were covered in snow, deserted.

Xiao Cuihua pulled a strip of emerald green cloth from her bosom and said, "Jinmo, wait here, I'll go tie this to the wind chimes on the tenth floor."

Liu Jinmo smiled faintly and said, "I'll go." With that, he picked up the cloth and leaped into the walls of the Liao Pagoda.

The massive Liao Pagoda, shrouded in darkness, seemed like a monstrous beast crouching silently, its atmosphere somber and oppressive. Liu Jinmo's shoes crunched on the snow, the reflections illuminating the sparse, withered lilac branches within the courtyard walls adding to the desolate and lonely atmosphere.

The Liao Pagoda had been closed since the Cultural Revolution. The paint on the mottled pagoda doors was peeling, and the north wind caused the two door panels to creak and groan softly. A chain connected the two doors, with a large iron lock hanging from it.

Liu Jinmo peered through the narrow crack in the door; it was pitch black inside, and he couldn't see anything. He grabbed the lock, gathered his inner strength in his arm, and prepared to break the lock with his internal force. However, the lock was merely a loose piece; with a gentle tug, the lock opened.

Liu Jinmo gently pushed open the tower door, took out his flashlight, and shone it inside. He could see a wooden staircase winding its way up to the next floor. Due to years of neglect, dust covered the floor, and cobwebs were everywhere.

At that moment, in the flashlight's beam, Liu Jinmo noticed something suspicious: a row of messy footprints on the dusty stair steps, the marks clear, indicating that someone had recently gone up and down. Connecting this to the loosely hung iron lock, he nodded; Yang Gong had most likely already been here.

In the martial world, one must be cautious at all times, always on guard against unforeseen events. Liu Jinmo naturally understood this principle. He gathered his inner energy, becoming fully alert, and lowered the flashlight's beam, only needing to see where he was standing. Then, he tiptoed up the stairs, his toes barely touching the ground.

The footprints continued upwards, two layers, three layers, four layers... until the tenth layer. The footprints stopped at the tenth layer. Liu Jinmo observed carefully and found that the footprints stopped in front of an inner wall on the east side. His gaze moved upwards to a blue-green brick. The

blue-green brick was fine-textured, square, about 50 centimeters wide, and was a Chengjiang brick, made from fine clay deposited in the river, commonly known as a "golden brick." It looked very old, with smooth edges. Although the edges were tightly sealed, it was clear that there was no white mortar grout; it was a movable brick.

Liu Jinmo carefully inserted his fingernail into the gap and pried it open. Sure enough, it moved. He gently pulled the brick out. Inside, it was dark and a cold wind blew out, carrying a faint fishy smell.

Liu Jinmo shone his flashlight inside and discovered it was a dark room with a blue brick platform. Seated on the platform was a mummified corpse, brown-faced, bald, and draped in a homespun robe—a monk… The word "pagoda" in Sanskrit means tomb or burial mound. Originating in ancient India, it was called a stupa and was a burial structure for Buddhist monks. During the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Buddhism was introduced to China. The stupa, combined with the traditional Chinese multi-tiered building, underwent development through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, gradually forming various types of pagodas with different forms and structures, including multi-tiered pagodas, multi-eaved pagodas, pavilion pagodas, stupa-shaped pagodas, Vajra throne pagodas, treasure box pagodas, five-element pagodas, multi-treasure pagodas, and seamless pagodas. Hexagonal, octagonal, and circular pagodas were the most common, made of rammed earth, wood, and brick and stone.

Moreover, every pagoda had an underground palace containing relics of high-ranking monks, scriptures, and other artifacts.

However, it is extremely rare to find a mummified monk enshrined in a secret chamber within a pagoda. This is a Liao Dynasty multi-eaved pagoda, over eight hundred years old. Who was this monk? Why did he pass away here? It seems impossible to verify.

Are the footprints on the stairs Yang Gong's? What is he doing here?

Liu Jinmo carefully examined the chamber; it was empty. Yang Gong wasn't here. He should put the bricks back first… Wait, this chamber seems to be airtight, but where did that chilling wind come from?

Liu Jinmo was an old hand; he knew there might be another secret passage hidden within the chamber. He turned off his flashlight, listened intently for a while, but heard no other suspicious sounds. So, with the flashlight in his mouth, Liu Jinmo quietly crawled into the chamber through the opening… The north wind grew stronger, and heavy snowflakes began to fall, covering the streets below the Liao Pagoda at the West Gate in a white blanket.

Han Sheng and Xiao Cuihua were already covered in snowflakes.

"Why hasn't Jinmo shown up yet?" Xiao Cuihua raised her face, red from the cold, her eyes fixed on the dark tower, her eyelashes already covered in frost.

Han Sheng was also extremely anxious. Although Liu Jinmo was experienced in the martial world, with Yang Gong nearby, it would be troublesome if they encountered each other.

The snow continued to fall, and Liu Jinmo remained motionless. Xiao Cuihua grew increasingly worried, and finally, unable to bear it any longer, she said to Han Sheng, "Han Sheng, you wait here, I'll go in and check." Without waiting for Han Sheng's reply, she hurriedly crossed the snow-covered street, leaped onto the more than three-meter-high tower wall, and then jumped down with a "plop."

Han Sheng looked at the high wall and sighed. He knew he couldn't climb up there no matter what. It seemed that without martial arts skills, one was always at a disadvantage. The old man from Xiangxi was right: in the martial world, having many skills is never a burden.

Han Sheng's eyes were fixed on the tenth floor of the tower. After a long while, his feet were numb with cold, and he could only pace back and forth, occasionally breathing on them and rubbing his hands.

There was no movement. Liu Jinmo and Xiao Cuihua had been inside the tower for almost an hour, and they hadn't sent any message. They had disappeared.

Just then, the distant "clop-clop" of a donkey's hooves clattering through the snow came... The north wind carried intermittent Northeastern folk songs: "...The Queen Mother of the West has issued a decree, Tangshan old man is in trouble, he slept until dawn, clop-clop, clop-clop..." It was He Xiangu's hoarse voice.

In the wind and snow, He Xiangu sat on the back of that big donkey, carrying a pig's leg and offal behind her, riding leisurely towards them.

"Hey, isn't this Brother Han Sheng? Where are my girl and son-in-law?" Old Cuihua's huge head peeked out from He Xiangu's shoulder.

"Ah! Old Cuihua! You've finally arrived!" Han Sheng was overjoyed and hurriedly called out.

Han Sheng quickly recounted how Liu Jinmo and Little Cuihua had sneaked into the Liao Pagoda, "I was worried something might have happened to them."

Old Cuihua was shocked to hear this and hurriedly said, "I must go in and check."

"Can I come with you?" Han Sheng asked.

"Of course, I can possess your body," Old Cuihua said.

Han Sheng was delighted and quickly said, "Then hurry up and get on."

A dark shadow flashed, and Han Sheng felt a slight tremor in his body. Old Cuihua was already clinging to Han Sheng's back. It turned out that the dwarf Old Cuihua seemed to have no weight at all.

"Ghosts only weigh two ounces," Old Cuihua explained, sensing Han Sheng's confusion.

Old Cuihua dismounted from He Xiangu's body, only to see the old fairy tremble slightly. She glanced at Han Sheng with surprise, then turned to look behind her at the pig's leg and the frozen offal on the donkey's rump. She muttered to herself, "Thank goodness, the offal is still there." Then, she tossed her head and continued riding her braying donkey leisurely away.

Han Sheng strode across the road and arrived at the blue brick wall of the Liao Pagoda. He looked at the high wall with difficulty and said, "It's so high, I can't get up there."

Old Cuihua whispered in his ear, "Hold your breath, relax your body, and imagine yourself ascending, leaping over the wall."

Han Sheng obeyed, took a breath, and then completely relaxed his limbs, imagining himself as a snowflake dancing in the air, drifting and floating over the wall... In a moment, he felt his feet gradually leave the ground, his body wobbling and swaying as he floated up.

Han Sheng was overjoyed and continued to imagine rising a little higher, a little higher, until finally he was over the wall and could see the withered bushes and the dark tower gate in the courtyard.

Overjoyed, Han Sheng hurriedly stepped over the wall, but his breath dissipated, and he fell on his backside, landing on the soft snow.

"When I'm helping you ascend, you mustn't breathe. Remember that next time," Old Cuihua warned.

Han Sheng got up, nodded, and without bothering to brush the snowflakes off his pants, headed straight for the tower gate.

The two tower doors were half-open, and it was pitch black inside; nothing could be seen. Han Sheng stopped in his tracks. Liu Jinmo had taken the flashlight; without light, it was impossible to move an inch.

"Listen to me, go forward, there's a staircase on the left," Old Cuihua whispered in Han Sheng's ear.

Following Old Cuihua's instructions, Han Sheng groped his way forward, his toes barely touching the ground. A step away, he found himself on the stairs. He climbed one floor after another, finally reaching the tenth floor, but Han Sheng was still completely surrounded by darkness.

"There's a hole in the inner wall on the east side," Old Cuihua whispered.

Han Sheng reached the hole, feeling a chilling wind on his face, a fishy smell filling his nostrils. He barely managed to suppress a sneeze.

"Let's go into the cave," Old Cuihua whispered.

Chapter 223:

Early morning, the Poyang Lake valley was shrouded in a thick fog.

Since Han Sheng left, Lan'er lost her appetite and grew increasingly thin. Wu Chushan remained unconscious, his condition showing no improvement. The old patriarch cared for the two infants, her longing for Liu Jinmo growing stronger each day. She was disheveled and unwilling to groom herself.

Only the big yellow dog, Benben, was constantly tense and inexplicably excited, because Heimei was about to give birth, and their future was about to change. This anxiety was a complex feeling that every first-time father experiences.

Beside the pool, a white waterfall cascaded like a ribbon, mist rising and falling. White wisps of mist appeared and disappeared among the verdant bamboo grove, ethereal and otherworldly, like a fairyland.

"Caw caw caw..." A series of hoarse crow cries echoed from the bamboo grove, utterly repulsive.

Granny Wang, standing by the pool, trembled slightly and muttered to herself, "The cawing of crows at dawn is not a good omen."

Mingyue, who had been practicing her exercises cross-legged on a large blue stone, slowly finished her breathing exercises and gracefully stood up.

"Master, did you sense something?" she asked cautiously.

"Mingyue, we're going to the capital," Granny Wang said thoughtfully.

"When are we leaving?" Mingyue asked, trying to hide a hint of joy in her heart.

"Immediately," Granny Wang sighed.

After breakfast, Granny Wang and Mingyue packed their belongings and prepared to set off.

"Granny, when are you and Sister Mingyue coming back?" Ping'er pouted.

Granny Wang gently stroked Ping'er's braids, saying affectionately, "Soon, Brother Hansheng will come back too."

"Ping'er will wait patiently," Ping'er said reluctantly, snuggling into Granny Wang's arms.

Granny Wang's gaze drifted to the old ancestor standing at the door.

The old woman, her breasts exposed, was breastfeeding the wrinkled baby girl, her face flushed. She murmured, "When you see Jinmo, tell him that Zuying is a rare, well-educated, and virtuous woman, and that she longs to reunite with him soon."

Granny Wang nodded in agreement, saying, "Don't worry, I will definitely convey your words verbatim."

Finally, Lan'er silently walked to Granny Wang, speechless, tears streaming down her face.

Granny Wang looked at her thin, lifeless face and gently comforted her, "Lan'er, today is the twenty-second of the twelfth lunar month. Tomorrow, the twenty-third, the Little New Year, we will arrive in the capital. Don't worry, child, Hansheng will be alright, I promise." Lan'er

's eyes were red and swollen with tears. She nodded, still unable to utter a word.

Granny Wang and Mingyue reached the valley entrance and turned back. The old woman was still standing at the gate, waving her arm high.

Granny Wang and Mingyue walked for more than ten miles before boarding a car. They arrived in Nanchang at sunset and then took an overnight train to the capital.

Mingyue had grown her hair out over the past few months. Although it wasn't very long yet, it was no longer noticeable that she had once been a nun. Her pretty face frequently attracted the attention of passersby.

The next day at dusk, the train slowly pulled into Beijing.

Although the Cultural Revolution had ended seven or eight years ago, its traces remained. The city's buildings were gray and gloomy, with only the ubiquitous red banners adding a touch of color to the bleak winter. Pedestrians on the streets were dressed in monotonous clothes, either blue-gray or all in yellow. A torrent of bicycles rolled by, and most of the riders looked pale and sickly.

Today was the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, the traditional Little New Year. The innocent children in the alleyways had smiles on their faces. Not only would they have fish and meat at home for the New Year, but they also had some pocket money. They were comparing whether to buy snacks or a few strings of firecrackers.

Night fell. Outside Xibianmen, Granny Wang and Mingyue stood in front of the gate of Baiyun Temple.

An elderly Taoist priest in a gray robe came out and was preparing to close the gate.

“Excuse me, Master, we wish to see Abbot Jin of your temple,” Granny Wang said, stepping forward.

The Taoist priest glanced at them with surprise, then hesitated before saying, “Abbot Jin is not at home.”

“Where is Abbot Jin now? We have urgent business with him,” Granny Wang added.

“Benefactors, I’m sorry, this humble Taoist does not know,” the Taoist priest said, then slammed the temple gate shut with a “bang.”

“Master, how could this Taoist priest be so rude?” Mingyue complained, displeased.

Granny Wang smiled and said, “Everything in the world is interconnected by cause and effect. Perhaps this old Taoist priest is in a bad mood, which is why he doesn’t want to talk to us.”

“Then what should we do?” Mingyue asked anxiously, seeing that it was getting late.

“Let’s go in and see for ourselves,” Granny Wang said.

Baiyun Temple is one of the three ancestral temples of the Quanzhen School of Taoism. Taoism is an indigenous religion of China, venerating Laozi as its founder and believing that the Tao is all-encompassing and omnipresent. Its main classic is the “Tao Te Ching,” and its founder was Zhang Daoling of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Baiyun Temple was first built in the 27th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (739 AD), and was rebuilt several times during the Kangxi and Guangxu eras of the Qing Dynasty.

The temple is divided into three sections: east, central, and west, with a garden at the rear. The main halls are located in the central section, including the memorial archway, mountain gate, Lingguan Hall, Jade Emperor Hall, Laolu Hall (Seven Immortals Hall), Qiu Zu Hall, Four Imperial Halls, the Ordination Platform, and Yunji Mountain House, totaling more than 50 halls of various sizes. Qiu Zu Hall is the main hall, containing a clay statue of Qiu Chuji, beneath which are buried the remains of Changchunzi. The east section contains the Nanji Hall, Zhenwu Hall, Fire God Hall, and Luogong Pagoda, serving as the living area for the Taoist priests. The west section contains ancestral halls, Yuanjun Hall, and Wenchang Hall. The rear garden, with its pavilions and covered walkways, is a renowned Taoist garden.

“Mingyue, Baiyun Temple is the foremost Taoist temple of the Quanzhen School since the Ming Dynasty, the largest Taoist temple in the capital and even the Central Plains. Throughout history, it has produced many masters. However, it has gradually declined since the Republic of China, and now it seems there is no one to carry on its legacy,” Granny Wang sighed.

“Is Master Jin a master?” Mingyue wondered. Since he is the abbot, his martial arts skills must be high.

Granny Wang shook her head and said, "I don't know either. I've only heard that you are blind and physically disabled, which must greatly limit your martial arts skills. Perhaps it's because of your profound Taoist knowledge."

They arrived at the east wall of Baiyun Temple. The master and disciple exchanged a knowing smile and leaped over the wall.

Inside the wall was one side of the Zhenwu Hall. A dozen ancient pines and cypresses stood scattered on the snow-covered ground, their dark green needles covered with a thin layer of white snow. The master and disciple landed silently on the soft snow.

The Zhenwu Hall enshrines Zhenwu the Great, the god of the north, also known as the "Water God," named Xuanwu. In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang's son, Prince Yan Zhu Di, launched the "Jingnan Rebellion" and seized the throne. Legend has it that Zhenwu the Great appeared to assist Prince Yan throughout his campaign. Therefore, after Zhu Di ascended the throne, he issued an edict specially bestowing upon Zhenwu the title "Northern Pole Guardian Heavenly Zhenwu Xuantian Shangdi."

As darkness fell, incense and candles still burned in the Zhenwu Hall. A robust man in his forties, dressed in a dark gray Zhongshan suit, sat cross-legged on a futon, meditating with his eyes closed. All was quiet. Granny Wang and Mingyue peeked into the hall.

"Amitabha," the man suddenly spoke, "Benefactor, Baiyun Temple doesn't receive female guests at night; you must have come on urgent business."

Granny Wang was startled, then smiled slightly and said, "Good hearing. You must be a master of the Quanzhen Sect. May I ask your Dharma name?"

The middle-aged man, still with his eyes closed, slowly said, "I am not a practitioner of the temple. May I ask what brings you here?"

"We have come from afar to see Master Jin. May I ask what brings you here?" Granny Wang said.

The middle-aged man suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze unusually sharp, completely different from ordinary people's eyes, exuding an aura of authority and menace. Mingyue's heart couldn't help but tremble.

Only then did Granny Wang get a good look at the man's face. She was secretly surprised; his forehead was high and prominent, his brow bones were prominent, and his temples were particularly striking, forming a straight line. His complexion was bluish, quite unlike that of ordinary people. This was the first time she had ever seen someone with such a face. There's a saying,

"Young nobles often have bluish faces," so this man's background and identity must be extraordinary.

"Master Jin has been closed to visitors for many years. Please leave, benefactor," the man said calmly.

"Master, let's go," Mingyue tugged at Granny Wang's sleeve and said softly. She sensed something chilling about the man before her.

Granny Wang chuckled and said, "Since you are not a member of the Taoist temple, how can you presume to serve me like this?"

The man nodded and slowly said, "May I ask if you and Master Jin are acquaintances?"

Granny Wang shook her head and said, "No."

"May I ask what business you have with Master Jin? Can the temple help you?" the man asked again.

"No," Granny Wang replied.

The man hesitated for a moment, then stood up, his gaze slowly sweeping over Mingyue before saying, "Please follow me." He then led the way out of the Zhenwu Hall.

Granny Wang and Mingyue followed behind, their eyes catching glimpses of two agile yellow figures flashing past in the shadows of the hall's corner.

Chapter 224:

The middle-aged man led Granny Wang and Mingyue out of the Zhenwu Hall, around the Nanji Hall, through the Chuihua Gate, and ahead lay the side gate of the Baiyun Temple.

Granny Wang looked back; in the night, the two yellow figures flashed by, then disappeared in an instant.

In the twilight, a black Shanghai-brand sedan was parked outside the Chuihua Gate. A young driver nimbly jumped out and opened the door.

The middle-aged man smiled faintly and said, "Master Jin is at the Yonghe Temple. Please get in." His gaze swept over Mingyue's face again, this time softening considerably.

Granny Wang, a worldly woman, though long accustomed to the Poyang Lake Valley, remained composed and gracefully got into the car. Mingyue, however, was riding in a car for the first time and felt flustered and at a loss.

The middle-aged man looked at Mingyue with a hint of a smile in his eyes, gently placing his hand on the car door frame, gesturing for her to get in.

Mingyue blushed slightly, climbed into the car, and sat next to her master.

The man got into the front seat, made a slight gesture, and the driver started the engine, the car slowly driving onto the street.

Mingyue gazed at the myriad lights and streams of bicycles rushing past the car window, wondering, "The capital is so vast, where is Jianguo at this hour?" A faint smile appeared on her face as she thought this.

The middle-aged man silently observed this in the rearview mirror.

Finally, the car stopped in front of a huge screen wall.

"We've arrived," the middle-aged man said, seemingly a man of few words.

Granny Wang glanced back and noticed a black sedan following behind. Inside were two men in military uniforms. She realized the two yellow figures in the Zhenwu Hall were the middle-aged man's bodyguards.

After getting out of the car, they passed through the archways on either side and entered the main gate of the Yonghe Temple. They stepped onto the palanquin path, passing the Bell and Drum Towers and the Hall of Heavenly Kings, finally arriving at the main hall of the Yonghe Temple. They bypassed the Stele Pavilion and went straight to the Yongyou Hall.

Stepping onto the stone steps and crossing the threshold, the hall was brightly lit, filled with the scent of sandalwood.

In a side room, a large, carved wooden bed held a red-robed lama. Several people sat on chairs beside the bed. Near the door was a woman in her fifties with short, trendy hair reaching her cheeks, a pale face, a hooked nose, delicate lips, willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and a prominent black beauty mark on her chin. Another elderly man, thin and fair-skinned, had one empty sleeve; he was one-armed. There was also a thin, dark-skinned, high-cheeked, and monkey-faced middle-aged man with an exotic air.

Sitting by the bed was a thin Taoist priest with grayish-white eyes and a blank, numb expression. Granny Wang knew this must be Master Jin.

The others tensed up when the middle-aged man entered, but no one spoke.

"Master Jin, someone is looking for you," the middle-aged man said calmly.

Master Jin looked up blankly. The other three looked at Granny Wang and Mingyue, who were standing in the doorway, with surprise.

Granny Wang slowly walked towards Master Jin, while the middle-aged man watched coldly from the side.

"Master Jin, I apologize for disturbing you," Granny Wang said.

"Forgive my ignorance, but who is this female benefactor?" Master Jin asked weakly.

Granny Wang smiled slightly and said, "This old woman, Bai Suzhen, has come today specifically to inquire about something."

Master Jin's grayish-white eyes darted around, seemingly unable to recall the name Bai Suzhen. Finally, he slowly asked, "May I ask what you wish to inquire about?"

Granny Wang cut to the chase, "Have an old woman and a young man from out of town come looking for you these past few days?"

Master Jin's thin, white eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, unnoticed by most, but not by Granny Wang. She knew immediately that Liu Jinmo and Han Sheng had already visited.

"I am the abbot of Baiyun Temple. Countless benefactors come to see me every day. Alas, I am blind and cannot remember," Master Jin sighed.

"Master, please think again. We have traveled a long way from Poyang Lake; the journey has been arduous," Granny Wang pressed further.

Master Jin shook his head and said decisively, "I'm sorry, I'm old and senile. My old friend Lama Danba has passed away, and I'm so upset that I really can't remember. Please leave, benefactor."

Hmm, why is he unwilling to reveal it? Granny Wang wondered to herself. Is it inconvenient to talk here? She glanced at the middle-aged man out of the corner of her eye.

Granny Wang thought for a moment, then slowly walked to the carved wooden bed, her gaze falling on the deceased old lama lying on it.

The old lama's eyes were closed, his face peaceful, but his face displayed two strangely contrasting colors, divided by the tip of his nose: one side was delicate and pink, while the other was jet black and shiny.

"Strange, you can still see this 'Yin-Yang Grass Curse' in the capital," Granny Wang said in surprise.

Granny Wang's words shocked everyone in the room.

"You know about 'Yin-Yang Grass' curses?" The flamboyant woman in her fifties, sitting on the chair, jumped up.

Mingyue stared at her in astonishment; even an older woman in the capital dressed so alluringly.

Granny Wang coldly said, "The most deadly curse in Siam, no wonder people died."

The one-armed man spoke up, "Lama Danba has guarded the Yonghe Temple for decades, always living a life of peace and tranquility. Who would be so cruel as to try to kill him?"

Granny Wang sneered and slowly said, "Although the Yin-Yang Grass curse is a death curse, it has a forty-nine-day limit. The person who cast the curse doesn't want him to die quickly, but..."

"But what?" Master Jin suddenly asked, his voice trembling.

"But to give him ample time to arrange his affairs before he dies," Granny Wang pondered.

Granny Wang's words were like a muffled thunderclap; the air seemed to freeze instantly, and everyone could hear their own heartbeats.

"Why?" the alluring woman asked, her face filled with fear.

No one answered.

At this moment, the middle-aged man stepped forward with a smile, breaking the tense atmosphere: "This lady has come from afar, and what she says seems rather sensational. You must not be an ordinary person; you must have an extraordinary background. Could you tell me more?"

Everyone's eyes focused on Granny Wang.

Granny Wang smiled calmly and said, "I'm just an ordinary peasant woman from Poyang Lake. I came to the capital with my granddaughter to search for our lost relatives. I noticed that this deceased old lama had a strange appearance, and I recalled seeing someone die in the same way in southern Xinjiang when I was young. That's why I have this question. Please forgive me if I spoke abruptly."

Granny Wang's words were reasonable, but everyone in the room was no ordinary person, and they all knew that this old woman was someone of great importance.

"Is there any hope for Lama Danba?" The one-armed man knew there was no hope, but he still asked Granny Wang cautiously.

Granny Wang shook her head and replied, "The lama has been dead for several hours. His blood has congealed, his organs have decayed, and his body is covered in yin-yang grass. Let's cremate him quickly."

Master Jin, his grayish-white pupils fixed on Granny Wang, slowly said, "My benefactor, searching for relatives from afar is truly difficult. If you could delay for a while, describe the characteristics of your family members' voices in detail, and allow me to recall them slowly, perhaps we can find something."

Granny Wang thought to herself, "This old Taoist priest won't burn incense until he sees the real Buddha.

" "Alright, I'll delay with my granddaughter for a while," Granny Wang agreed.

Over there, the middle-aged man sneered inwardly, a bright smile appearing on his face. He said to the crowd, "You all continue your conversation. Make sure you help them find their relatives. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."

His gaze lingered on Mingyue's face and body for a moment, then, without waiting for anyone's reply, he strode away.

"Please sit, benefactor," Master Jin said to Granny Wang after hearing the footsteps fade into the distance.

The one-armed man made way for the seat, and Granny Wang sat down without hesitation.

“Benefactor,” Master Jin explained earnestly, “the Venerable Danba Lama was like a brother to us. He was suddenly assassinated and died with resentment. I am heartbroken, my mind is in disarray, and my memory is fading. Therefore, I cannot recall the events of the past few days. If you could clear my mind, I would be able to regain my memory. Would that be alright?” Granny Wang

sat upright in her chair, smiled slightly, and said, “May I ask who these gentlemen are…”

Master Jin quickly introduced them: “This one-armed man is named Liu Yisou, a professor in the History Department of Peking University. That one is Xiao Yanfang, a famous actress from Beijing. The remaining one is from the Thai Consulate, named Kun Weichai. He was invited by the Danba Lama to treat his illness. He himself was once a highly skilled sorcerer.”

Granny Wang carefully observed the thin Thai man, and Kun Weichai nodded with a smile.

Chapter 225

Granny Wang awaited Master Jin's questions, knowing that the old Taoist priest would never speak the truth unless she offered something substantial.

"Benefactor Bai, your ability to pinpoint the fatal cause and effect of Danba Lama's death at a glance tells me you are a reclusive master..."

Granny Wang remained silent, waiting for him to continue. Master Jin

paused, then said, "So, Danba Lama was assassinated forty-nine days ago. As far as I know, he hasn't left the capital in the past few months. Could there be a highly skilled sorcerer hiding in the capital?"

Kunwei, standing to the side, interjected, "As far as I know, there are no sorcerers in the capital who understand sorcery." It turned out he could speak Chinese, though somewhat inarticulately.

Xiao Yanfang retorted, "Isn't it unusual for a few masters to be hiding in the capital?"

Kunwei shook his head and said, "'Yin-Yang Grass' is the highest level of witchcraft in Thailand. Ordinary sorcerers are not skilled enough. In our country, there are very few high-level sorcerers who understand this art. Even if they were to come to China, they would definitely have to contact the consulate, and then I would definitely know."

Granny Wang listened with great interest.

"Benefactor Bai, this humble Taoist would like to hear your insights," Master Jin said to Granny Wang.

"Well, let me put it this way," Granny Wang pondered, "First, based on the characteristics of Yin-Yang Grass sorcery, we deduced that Lama Danba was murdered in the capital. As for whether there are any masters of sorcery hidden in the capital, that's for sure. The key question is, does anyone know where Lama Danba was on that day forty-seven days ago? Where did he go? Who did he contact? Do you know?"

Master Jin and the others shook their heads in frustration; no one knew.

“Since that’s the case,” Granny Wang continued, “we need to look at it from another angle. What exactly did Lama Danba have to arrange for his funeral? Within the forty-seven-day timeframe, when did he first learn that his life was about to end?”

Professor Liu Yisou thought for a moment and said, “Last night, Xiao Yanfang suddenly came to Baiyun Temple to tell me and the Taoist priest that Danba’s condition was serious and that he had important matters to entrust to us. When we rushed over, Danba didn’t say anything.”

Xiao Yanfang nodded.

“This means that after Xiao Yanfang left Danba, in the time between your arrival at Yonghe Temple, Lama Danba had already taken care of his funeral arrangements, and it was entirely a last-minute decision without prior planning,” Granny Wang analyzed.

“What Benefactor Bai said makes sense,” Taoist priest Jin nodded in agreement.

“Then, during this period, who did Lama Danba meet with alone?” Granny Wang asked.

“Impossible,” Xiao Yanfang exclaimed anxiously.

“Why?” Granny Wang glanced at Xiao Yanfang.

"Because Danba had already fainted after instructing me to go and call them, and he hadn't woken up by the time we arrived at Yonghe Temple," Xiao Yanfang said.

"And then?" Granny Wang pressed.

"Then," Xiao Yanfang said hesitantly, her eyes darting around, "Danba woke up and asked me to go to the Thai consulate to find Kunweicha to treat him. The Taoist priest and the professor stayed by Danba's side."

Granny Wang looked at Taoist priest Jin.

Master Jin seemed to have realized something. His serious expression gradually relaxed, and his grayish-white pupils seemed to brighten considerably. He let out a long sigh and slowly said, "I know who I've entrusted with Danba Lama's final affairs."

"Who?" Xiao Yanfang asked anxiously.

"Hansheng," Master Jin said slowly.

Granny Wang and Mingyue were greatly surprised and looked at each other.

"You've met them?" Granny Wang asked. Although it was expected that Master Jin had met Liu Jinmo and Hansheng, she hadn't anticipated that Danba Lama would entrust his final affairs to Hansheng.

Master Jin nodded and said, "Benefactor Bai, the relatives you're looking for are Liu Jinmo from Qingtian and that young man who knows medicine, Hansheng, right?"

"That's right," Granny Wang nodded.

"Hansheng spent some time alone with Danba, treating him. When we returned to the house, Danba was already awake," Master Jin said.

Granny Wang nodded, then asked carefully, "How did Hansheng treat Lama Danba? Did something go wrong, causing Lama Danba to die in the end?"

Master Jin shook his head and sighed, "I don't know. When Hansheng and the other man left, Danba was in good spirits."

"That's right, Danba was even laughing and joking, quite different from his obvious sullenness and lethargy a while ago. I was wondering about that at the time," the one-armed old man, Liu Yisou, recalled.

"Later, Mr. Kunwei arrived, and the three of us went outside the hall to wait. Like Hansheng, he wanted to treat Danba alone," Master Jin said.

“Hmm,” Granny Wang looked at the thin Thai man and asked, “What happened later?”

Kunwei’s eyes flickered, and he slowly said in somewhat broken Mandarin, “Danba Lama is my friend, but we haven’t been in contact for a while. Until last night, Xiao Yanfang rushed to the consulate to find me, and that’s when I learned that Danba Lama had an accident. I followed Xiao Yanfang to the Yonghe Temple and discovered that Danba Lama was actually the most powerful Siamese curse in Southeast Asia—the Yin-Yang Grass. You know, that Yin-Yang Grass is alive; it takes root and multiplies inside the human body, eventually growing out of the patient’s skin. When the person dies, they look like a scarecrow, extremely terrifying. Although I am a senior Thai…” "The sorcerer, but Danba Lama's forty-nine-day lifespan has come, and Kunwei Cha is powerless to save him."

Granny Wang asked, "Didn't Hansheng cure Danba Lama?"

Kunwei Cha replied, "How could an ordinary doctor cure the Yin-Yang Grass Death Curse? I think he only deceived Master Jin and Danba Lama. He doesn't understand our country's mysterious sorcery at all. Not only did it have no effect, but it also accelerated Danba Lama's death. Look, the Yin-Yang Spirit Grass hadn't even grown out of his body before Danba had already breathed his last."

Upon hearing this, Granny Wang secretly pondered that Kunwei Cha was lying. With Hansheng's miraculous medical skills and his honest nature, even if he couldn't cure Danba Lama, he should at least have told the truth. Furthermore, once Hansheng agreed to treat him, he would definitely try his best and would never give up halfway and leave. There's something fishy going on here.

"Damn it!" Professor Liu Yisou exclaimed angrily.

Master Jin, his face grim, said, "Benefactor Bai, what do you think?"

Granny Wang pondered for a moment, then smiled faintly and said, "The most powerful Yin-Yang Grass in Southeast Asia is a living spiritual herb. The most prominent of these is a male and a female, known as the 'Yin-Yang Heads.' This pair burrows into the human body, mates, and rapidly reproduces. These two culprits hide in the dantian, where Yin and Yang meet. The male herb is rooted in the Du Meridian, the sea of Yang, while the female herb is rooted in the Ren Meridian, the sea of Yin, absorbing nutrients. This is something that perhaps none of you here, except Kunweicha, are aware of, is it?"

Master Jin, the one-armed professor, and Xiao Yanfang all nodded.

"Indeed," Kunweicha said, somewhat surprised.

Granny Wang continued, “In nature, the male and female herbs known as ‘Yin-Yang Heads’ are extremely rare. They require ten years of meticulous cultivation by a sorcerer to achieve a spiritual connection and cast spells at will. However, cultivating these herbs is not only time-consuming and laborious but also very dangerous, because the sorcerer needs to plant them in their abdomen, nourishing them with the Yin and Yang energy from their Ren and Du meridians, controlling their growth daily with incantations. Over time, they become like their own children, developing a deep bond.”

“Such a strange thing exists?” Xiao Yanfang clicked her tongue.

“Inconceivable,” the professor muttered.

Only Master Jin remained silent.

“Therefore, after each ‘Yin-Yang Herb Spell,’ the sorcerer must retrieve these herbs, like parents reuniting with their children after a long separation—a truly poignant moment.” Granny Wang gave Kun Weichai a meaningful look.

Kun Weichai’s face was extremely pale.

Master Jin silently raised his head, his trembling voice chillingly cold, like a whisper from an ice cave: "So, the person behind the scenes who killed Danba is nearby."

Granny Wang's gentle gaze suddenly turned icy, and she chuckled coldly, "Far away, yet right before your eyes."

A deathly silence fell... Professor Liu Yisou, the one-armed man, slowly shifted his gaze to Kun Weichai.

Xiao Yanfang looked around silently.

Master Jin suddenly let out a wicked laugh, a laugh that sent chills down one's spine.

Kun Weichai's face turned deathly pale, and he suddenly screamed hoarsely, "It wasn't me! It wasn't me!" Then he turned and ran out of the hall... Granny Wang sat smiling in her chair, motionless, while Mingyue stood to the side, watching this sudden turn of events, speechless with astonishment.

A flash of green, and everyone's eyes blurred. Xiao Yanfang moved with lightning speed, already pouncing behind Kun Weichai. With a "poof," blood mist spurted from Kun Weichai's neck. Xiao Yanfang's long fingernails severed the artery on the side of his neck. The corpse swayed a few times before crashing heavily to the ground.

Liu Yisou walked to Kun Weichai's body, using his one arm to pull down Kun Weichai's waistband. In the lower abdomen, two golden male and female pubic hairs protruded from the skin, one thick and one thin, intimately intertwined... "Daoist Master, it really is him!" Liu Yisou said angrily to Daoist Master Jin.

"Xiao Yanfang, you killed Kun Weichai. He's a foreigner. This matter is a bit tricky," Daoist Master Jin said slowly.

Xiao Yanfang's anger hadn't completely subsided: "Damn it, Danba and I trusted him so much, but it's hard to guard against a thief within the family. Killing him would be letting this scoundrel off too easily."

"But, since he's Danba Lama's friend, why would he do something like this behind the scenes? Someone must have been behind it," Granny Wang said calmly.

Liu Yisou looked at Xiao Yanfang reproachfully and said, "Yanfang, you acted too quickly. Now, the trail behind Kunwei Cha has been cut off."

Master Jin's grayish-white eyes turned to Granny Wang, and he said, "Benefactor Bai, thanks to you today, we found the real culprit. Danba can rest in peace now. We will handle Kunwei Cha's matter ourselves. Qingtian Liu Jinmo and Hansheng have already gone to Huanglong Prefecture in Guandong. I don't know what grudge they have with Yang Gong, please rest assured, Benefactor Bai. This humble Daoist Jia Shiming owes you a favor today. The three of us will remain neutral and stay out of it."

Granny Wang smiled slightly and said, "Master Jin, you're too kind. It was just a coincidence, a small favor. By the way, those two male and female herbs must be burned as soon as possible to prevent them from harming others."

"Thank you for the reminder, Benefactor Bai. Xiao Yanfang, go and burn those harmful things," Master Jin instructed.

“Okay.” Xiao Yanfang pulled a candle from the altar, walked to Kunwei Cha’s corpse, squatted down, and held the candle flame to the male and female plants.

With a few squeaks, the pair of male and female herbs, unable to burrow under the skin, embraced each other and burst into flames, emitting a pungent, acrid smell. These two rare, living spiritual herbs were instantly reduced to ashes. "

Benefactor Bai, if you ever need anything from me in the future, please don't hesitate to ask," Master Jin said politely, his words clearly implying that she should leave. Granny

Wang stood up and said, "Master Jin, you're too kind. Bai Suzhen takes her leave." With that, she left Yonghe Palace with Mingyue.

Under the night sky, snowflakes drifted down.

"Master, should we find an inn?" Mingyue asked.

"No, we'll leave the pass tonight," Granny Wang said thoughtfully.

The next morning, an unidentified corpse floated in the moat of the Forbidden City. Several elderly people who were out for their morning exercise discovered it and reported it to the authorities. The matter was never mentioned again, as if an ordinary vagrant had died.

Chapter 226

Liu Jinmo shrank back and disappeared into a hole in the wall. The secret chamber was about half the size of a room, with bare walls. The brick platform and the mummified corpse on it occupied a large portion of the space. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, and the floor was covered in dust. A row of messy footprints could be clearly seen leading to the back of the brick platform, and the eerie wind was blowing from behind the mummified corpse.

Liu Jinmo quietly circled around to the back of the brick platform and saw a circular hole in the ground, about two feet square, deep and bottomless, emanating a cool, damp air.

Liu Jinmo shone his flashlight vertically into the hole, but it was shrouded in mist, and the beam of light could not penetrate the white fog.

What was this place? Why was there so much water vapor? Logically, this should just be a cave inside an ancient pagoda.

As Liu Jinmo was thinking, he suddenly felt a gust of wind behind him and knew something was wrong! A powerful enemy launched a sneak attack… In the blink of an eye, even with Liu Jinmo's swift reflexes, it was too late. He was struck heavily in the back, the force of which was far beyond that of an ordinary martial arts master.

Instantly, Liu Jinmo's back went numb, he lost his balance, his footing slipped, and he fell into the cave… As his body plummeted, Liu Jinmo reached out to grab the cave wall, but his hands found only smooth, hard surfaces, offering no foothold. His steel fingernails drew sparks and hissed against the hard surface.

Finally, with a "plop," Liu Jinmo felt himself fall into a large pool of water, the sound of splashing water filling his ears. He was soaked, and in his panic, he even choked on some water. The speed of his fall suddenly stopped; the buoyancy of the water supported his body. Liu Jinmo quickly paddled a few times, his head breaking the surface, and he took a deep breath.

Just then, a large hand grabbed Liu Jinmo by the back of the neck, its steel-like fingers pressing on the Dazhui acupoint, pulling him out of the water… Liu Jinmo’s Dazhui acupoint on the Du meridian was restrained; this was a vital acupoint where the three Yang

meridians of the hand converged, and he dared not move. Glancing sideways, the first thing that caught his eye was an altar, the candlelight flickering, emitting a ghostly yellow glow. The large hand on the back of his neck dragged him to the altar, and casually pressed the Dushu acupoint on his back, severing the Yang energy of the Du meridian leading to the Bladder meridian, before tossing him to the ground.

“Liu Jinmo of Qingtian, how have you been?” A familiar voice rang in his ears.

Liu Jinmo knew it was Yang Gong.

“Yang Gong, why are you hiding in this dark underground?” Liu Jinmo said disdainfully, his voice sharp and grating.

Yang Gong sat casually on a grand chair on the altar, short black stubble growing on his bald head, looking much more haggard.

"Liu Jinmo, you're quite capable, actually managing to find your way to Huanglong Prefecture in Guandong. Speak, what brings you here?" Yang Gong stared into Liu Jinmo's eyes and said.

Liu Jinmo thought to himself that falling into Yang Gong's hands was already a near-death experience, but Han Sheng was still outside. If Yang Gong found out, he and Xiao Cuihua would surely be doomed. He had to conceal his intentions and buy time as much as possible. So he yawned and said, "Yang Gong, you severely injured Wu Chushanren. Now Han Sheng and Lan'er are watching over him day and night, unable to eat or sleep. I had no choice but to come to Guandong to ask you for the antidote."

Yang Gong was surprised to hear this and said, "Wu Chushanren isn't dead yet?"

Liu Jinmo said, "Wu Chushanren's phlegm poison has attacked his brain, and he's now a catatonic, unconscious all day long. Han Sheng sent me to get the antidote."

Yang Gong asked suspiciously, "Antidote? Where would I get an antidote? Even if I did, do you think I would give it to you?"

"Therefore, I must persuade you," Liu Jinmo said.

"Stop dreaming, Liu Jinmo. You're an old hand at this, don't you understand your situation?" Yang Gong sneered.

Liu Jinmo feigned ignorance, asking blankly, "You really don't have the antidote?"

Yang Gong's expression suddenly changed, and he burst into laughter: "Qingtian Liu Jinmo, how stupid! Aren't you the antidote yourself? It'll just satisfy my hunger, hahaha."

"I don't understand," Liu Jinmo said, inwardly cursing Yang Gong to the core.

Yang Gong tilted his head and sized up Liu Jinmo. After a moment, he slowly said, "Liu Jinmo has a wealth of experience in the martial world, all stored in his brain. Although an old man has a bit of a pungent smell and isn't exactly palatable, eating him would be very nourishing. Ah, well, it'll do. It's a decent late-night snack, after all."

Liu Jinmo sat on the ground, trying to circulate his inner energy to open the closed acupoints. However, Yang Gong's acupoint striking technique was extremely heavy and strange. After several attempts, he couldn't muster any inner energy. In the end, he had no choice but to give up and couldn't help but sigh. He thought to himself, "Who would have thought that I, the dignified Liu Jinmo of Qingtian, would end up having my brain eaten today? Even so, it's better to delay for now. I hope Hansheng and Xiao Cuihua will know when to back down and escape this calamity."

Thinking this through, Liu Jinmo felt relieved and smiled slightly, saying, "I have some questions. Could you please clear up my doubts, Master Yang?"

"Having doubts in your head isn't good; it affects the taste. What are your questions?" Master Yang leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Liu Jinmo asked, "Who is that mummified monk in the tenth-floor secret chamber of this ancient tower?"

Master Yang nodded and said, "His Dharma name is 'Ye Lao,' the founding patriarch of my Shaman Black Witch Cult a thousand years ago."

"Who attacked from behind, knocking me into the cave?" Liu Jinmo asked. He had clearly checked carefully; there was no one else in the secret chamber. This person's invisibility was unbelievable. He never imagined that Huanglong Prefecture in Guandong would hide such a master. He was ashamed.

"Ye Lao, it was he who knocked you into the cave," Master Yang said.

"..." Liu Jinmo was dumbfounded. How could this be? It was a mummified corpse!

Seeing Liu Jinmo's dumbfounded expression, Yang Gong laughed with a hint of smugness, saying, "The amazing black witch of Guandong, there are many things you southerners don't understand."

At that moment, with a "plop," another person fell from the cave into the pool.

With a "whoosh," Yang Gong leaped from the altar, flying over Liu Jinmo's head, grabbing the person in the water. He felt the person was small, like a child, and lifted them to the candlelight on the altar for a closer look, immediately startled.

"Little Cuihua!" Yang Gong exclaimed, speechless.

Little Cuihua's eyes had already caught sight of Liu Jinmo; her eyebrows twitched, and she was about to speak.

Liu Jinmo, who was behind Yang Gong, quickly blinked and shook his head, signaling Little Cuihua not to recognize him.

Little Cuihua shook her large head, blinked twice, and understood Liu Jinmo's meaning.

"Let me go!" Little Cuihua cried.

Yang Gong quickly released her, asking suspiciously, "Little Cuihua, how did you get here?"

Xiao Cuihua rubbed her neck, pouted, and said, "I rushed back from the capital, intending to climb to the tenth floor to send a signal and contact you. But I found a hole in the inner wall, so I climbed in, and for some reason, I was pushed down."

Yang Gong smiled and said, "Ah, I see. What's been happening at Yonghe Temple these days?"

"Hmm," Xiao Cuihua thought for a moment and said, "That old lama has been cursed with some foreign magic, and he probably doesn't have much time left. Master Jin from Baiyun Temple, Professor Liu from Peking University, and that androgynous Xiao Yanfang have all gathered at Yongyou Hall, guarding the old lama."

Yang Gong became agitated upon hearing this and hurriedly asked, "Xiao Cuihua, what have they said or done?"

Xiao Cuihua chuckled and said, "It's the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. Our appointment has expired, so I ran back as fast as I could."

"Oh dear, really! Now is the most crucial time! How could you leave? We've been monitoring him for ten years, waiting for this day!" Yang Gong scolded angrily.

Xiao Cuihua shook her head and said, "We agreed to come back on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month for the Little New Year."

"Idiot... utterly idiot!" Yang Gong cursed, seemingly referring to himself or Xiao Cuihua, and jumped up and down in anger.

"Who is this person?" Xiao Cuihua asked, pointing at Liu Jinmo.

"He's my midnight snack," Yang Gong said irritably.

Xiao Cuihua was secretly anxious. She had heard Han Sheng mention on the train that Yang Gong was addicted to brains, and Jinmo was in great danger.

Liu Jinmo was also extremely anxious. If Han Sheng also came to their door, they would be finished.

"Hey, you little brat, why are you here all alone? Where are your parents?" Liu Jinmo shouted at Xiao Cuihua.

Xiao Cuihua understood that Liu Jinmo was actually asking about Hansheng's situation, so she pouted and said, "My master is still at home. As for me, what I do is none of your business."

Liu Jinmo thought to himself, thankfully, Hansheng didn't come along. How could they get out of this predicament? Xiao Cuihua's martial arts skills were weak; she was no match for Yang Gong. Her acupoints were sealed, rendering her powerless. If Old Cuihua were present, the situation might change, but she was still with Tangshan Laotai at Wanjin Pagoda—a distant solution.

"Xiao Cuihua, where's Old Cuihua? Let her come out; I need to discuss something with her," Yang Gong urged Xiao Cuihua, also thinking of this.

"She's asleep," Xiao Cuihua lied, her heart tightening.

"Haha, ghosts sleep? Old Cuihua isn't with you, is she?" Yang Gong observed Xiao Cuihua's nervous expression.

Xiao Cuihua blushed, unsure how to answer.

"Don't believe me then." Xiao Cuihua finally said, turning her head away.

"Of course I don't believe you, Xiao Cuihua. You know too much. You trespassed into the Black Witch's Forbidden Land again tonight, so I won't be polite." Yang Gong's hawk-like gaze was fixed on her.

"What do you want to do?" Xiao Cuihua was afraid.

"Ha, Xiao Cuihua, I guess you're still a virgin, aren't you? Pure Yin body," Yang Gong smacked his lips in satisfaction, then continued, "To be honest, I, Yang Gong, have never used Yin to replenish Yang from a dwarf before."

Xiao Cuihua blushed upon hearing this and angrily said, "You dare?"

Chapter 227

Han Sheng looked at the dark hole in the wall, feeling a little scared, but he had just witnessed how he could easily climb over the high courtyard wall after being possessed by Old Cuihua. With her there, he had nothing to fear.

Han Sheng used his hands and feet to clumsily crawl into the hole. Once his feet were firmly on the ground, he felt a little relieved.

"It's so dark, I can't see anything, and it smells a bit fishy," Han Sheng said, the hollow echo reverberating in the secret room.

"There's an ugly mummified corpse in front of you," Old Cuihua whispered from inside his body.

"A mummified corpse!" Han Sheng was startled.

"Wait, this mummified corpse is a bit strange," Old Cuihua whispered.

"Has it turned into a corpse?" Han Sheng asked tremblingly.

Old Cuihua slowly said, "Judging from his attire, he's an ancient old monk, his skin dry and his muscles bulging, he's been dead for a thousand years, but I can feel that his three souls are still there, while his seven spirits have dissipated, it's extremely strange."

Han Sheng had read in the *Corpse Clothes Sutra* that people in the mortal world have three souls and seven spirits. The three souls are the Heavenly Soul (ghost soul), the Earthly Soul (guardian soul), and the Human Soul (true soul); the seven spirits are the Corpse Dog, Hidden Arrow, Sparrow Yin, Silkworm Thief, Non-Poison, Purifying Filth, and Stinky Lung, which correspond to the seven internal organs: heart, stomach, kidneys, intestines, gallbladder, liver, and lungs. The soul is yang, and the spirit is yin. When a person dies, the seven spirits disperse first, followed by the three souls. If someone is possessed and falls ill, the cause of the illness depends on which spirit has dispersed; the corresponding internal organ will definitely have a problem.

"Does this old monk still have his three souls?" Han Sheng asked doubtfully.

Old Cuihua thought for a moment and said, "Of the three souls, the Heavenly and Earthly souls are always outside, while only the Human soul resides alone in the body. These three souls don't often meet, especially the Heavenly and Earthly souls, which often leave the body at midnight. At this time, a person will dream. This old man's seven spirits are long gone, and his internal organs are all shriveled, leaving only a layer of withered skin. However, his brain is still active; I can feel it."

"He's not dead yet?" Han Sheng asked in surprise.

"Yes," Old Cuihua affirmed.

"Could it be the legendary 'skin corpse'?" Han Sheng muttered to himself.

"What skin corpse?" Old Cuihua asked, puzzled.

Han Sheng explained, "According to the folklore of the Central Plains, there are eighteen types of corpse transformations, and 'skin corpses' are one of them. Their characteristic is that their skin never decays, but their personality is extremely mischievous and persistent."

Old Cuihua paused, then sighed softly, "The Central Plains are vast and rich in resources, with a profound cultural heritage. Even corpse transformations have so many varieties; how can our Guandong region compare?"

Han Sheng felt a little embarrassed, so he changed the subject, asking, "What should we do next?"

"Go to the right, around the mummified corpse. There's a gust of cold wind blowing out from there; it should be a secret passage," Old Cuihua said.

Han Sheng cautiously stretched out his foot, tentatively walking behind the brick platform and standing at the edge of the cave. He could feel the cool, damp atmosphere inside.

"Wow, this cave is so deep! Listen to me, relax your whole body again, concentrate your mind, and imagine yourself as light as a goose feather, slowly floating down," Old Cuihua instructed.

Han Sheng, following her instructions, calmed himself, relaxed his limbs, and imagined himself as a chicken feather, since chicken feathers are lighter than goose feathers, he thought.

"Oh no!" Old Cuihua suddenly shouted.

Han Sheng felt a heavy blow to his back, followed by white sparks and the crackling of static electricity.

"Ouch, that hurts so much..." someone said.

Han Sheng lost his balance, stumbled, and flailed his arms, unexpectedly grabbing a withered arm. He plummeted to the ground, but even so, he held on tightly.

"Relax! Imagine a goose feather..." Old Cuihua shouted urgently.

In his panic, Han Sheng's mind went almost blank. A chicken feather? Or a goose feather? He felt that rabbit fur was much lighter.

With a "plop," Han Sheng fell heavily into the water... The water in the pool wasn't cold; it was quite warm. However, after swallowing several mouthfuls of water, Han Sheng's head was spinning. At that moment, he felt a large hand forcefully grab his neck and pull him, dripping wet, out of the water.

"Hey, isn't that Hansheng?" He heard a familiar voice with a Northeastern accent, then was slammed to the ground.

Hansheng opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a patch of yellow candlelight, followed by Yang Gong's surprised gaze.

"Let go of this old monk..." someone said. Hansheng turned his head and saw that he was still tightly gripping a thin, bony arm, which was connected to a withered old monk wearing a homespun robe.

"Who are you?" Hansheng asked in surprise, hurriedly releasing his grip.

Yang Gong was shocked and exclaimed, "Ah! Grandmaster Ye, why are you down here too?"

"This 'Grandmaster Ye' seems to be the patriarch of the shamanic black magic, so he's just a corpse." Old Cuihua whispered inside Hansheng's body.

At this moment, Hansheng noticed that Little Cuihua and Liu Jinmo were also there. Mr. Liu sat listlessly on the ground, apparently due to pressure point restrictions.

"Alas, Hansheng, how did you fall into the tiger's den too?" Liu Jinmo sighed, utterly despondent.

"This old monk was dragged down by him!" Elder Ye suddenly pointed at Hansheng indignantly.

"Grandmaster, your robe is soaked with sweat, please take a seat," said Yang Gong, carefully lifting Elder Ye onto the altar and respectfully placing him on the grand master's chair.

Hansheng recalled that someone had attacked him from behind, and it was the exorcising corpse robe that protected him. This Elder Ye was definitely an evil spirit, but Old Cuihua's possession was unharmed. It seemed that the sacred object could distinguish whether the possessor was aggressive. The Yin Corpse Shen Caihua was killed by the corpse robe because she attacked him.

"Grandmaster Yang's grand-disciple, who are they?" Elder Ye rubbed his arm, his small, beady eyes scanning the crowd.

"Reporting to our patriarch, they are all mortal enemies of our Black Witch Sect. I intend to use their brains for a midnight snack," Yang Gong said respectfully.

"Oh, there's a little girl here?" Ye Lao tilted his head, looking at Xiao Cuihua.

"She's not a child, she's a dwarf, over fifty years old," Yang Gong explained.

"Hmm, this old monk hasn't seen so many people in hundreds of years," Ye Lao said enthusiastically, then suddenly asked Yang Gong, "Let's not rush to eat their brains, let's go ask if these people know how to 'whistle'?"

Yang Gong's gaze turned to Han Sheng and the others. Liu Jinmo turned his face away resentfully, and Xiao Cuihua also shook her head.

"What is 'whistle'?" Han Sheng asked.

Yang Gong chuckled disdainfully, "'Shao' is a local dialect from Northeast China. It means that country folk sit cross-legged on the kang (heated brick bed) and compete to see who can tell the most frivolous jokes. They have to be funny, authentic, and unique. The Northeast Errenzhuan (a type of folk opera) evolved from 'shao.' Our ancestor, Ye Lao,

is the originator of Errenzhuan. Can you do it?" "Whether we can or not, we'll find out after a competition!" Han Sheng suddenly said. He felt that his mouth was completely out of his control; it must be Lao Cuihua playing tricks on him .

Ye Lao was overjoyed to hear this and said, "You and I, 'shao,' are like a errand boy sitting naked on a rock—like an egg hitting a rock."

Yang Gong looked at Han Sheng with a smug gaze.

"Hmph, Ye Lao, you're probably just a monk chanting scriptures—on your period. I admire you!" Han Sheng blurted out, even surprising himself, his face instantly turning red.

Old Master Ye's face lit up with delight, and he excitedly continued, "In front of this old monk, aren't you just sitting naked on the bed waiting for your wife—sitting and waiting to die (vagina)?"

Little Cuihua blushed, her eyes secretly glancing at Liu Jinmo.

"Old monk, you're the one with the Liangshan hero's impotence—Ruan Xiao Er (soft little Er)," Han Sheng replied.

Old Master Ye clapped his hands and cheered, then said, "Young man, you're truly a newly hatched chick—stubborn on the outside, weak on the inside."

Han Sheng quickly added, "You're the one who won't hatch for twenty-one days—a scoundrel."

"You're like a toad on the edge of a pot—pretending to be a big piece of meat," Old Master Ye said mockingly.

"You're like a bear with a pen—pretending to be a retired cadre from the mountains," Han Sheng retorted.

Old Master Ye was taken aback, wondering what this "retired cadre" was.

Immediately afterward, before he could recover, Han Sheng whistled again: "I am... the old woman's underwear—the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China."

Ye Lao was completely dumbfounded... "Old woman?" Han Sheng's words alerted Yang Gong.

On the altar, Ye Lao kept slapping his forehead, his face full of worry, racking his brains to mutter those two new terms... Finally, he suddenly turned from worry to joy, saying, "Now I'll test your knowledge. Do you know what the Four Great Disadvantages are?"

Han Sheng shook his head, about to say he didn't know, but his mouth, which wouldn't obey him, rattled off: "The Four Great Disadvantages are: cursing a mute, kicking a widow's door, kicking a lame man's thigh, and bullying an honest person."

"The Four Soft Things?" Ye Lao asked immediately.

"Cotton ball, tofu bun, a young woman's breasts, and a pig's bladder."

"The Four Dirty Things?" Ye Lao asked again.

"Slaughtering water, sores on the legs, menstrual blood, and a mouth with a mustache." "The Four

Great Pleasures?"

"A flag in the wind, a fish in the waves, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, and a braying donkey."

"The Four Great Dullnesses?"

"Frost-covered grass, a caged bird, a bear's penis, and a limp penis." Han Sheng answered in one breath, his tongue almost numb.

Old Ye looked dejected and said listlessly, "Then what about the Four Great Comforts?"

Han Sheng blushed and covered his lips with his hand, but the words still came out: "A big burp, a big fart, a newlywed wife, and rubbing athlete's foot." Old

Ye looked at Yang Gong with teary eyes... "Hehe, so it's Old Cuihua who's arrived, my apologies." Yang Gong said to Han Sheng with a sly smile.

Han Sheng suddenly felt a tremor in his body, probably because Old Cuihua had left him, he thought.

Over there, Xiao Cuihua stood up gracefully and said angrily to Yang Gong, "Yang Gong, you old bastard, taking advantage of my absence to bully my daughter." Upon hearing this

, Liu Jinmo's spirits lifted. With Xiao Cuihua's arrival, the situation immediately changed.

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