The Corpse Clothes in the Green Bag [Complete] - 19

Chapter 241

As dusk fell, the carriage finally arrived in Kaiping. Exhausted, they found an inn, ate early, washed up, and rested.

Before returning to their room, Granny Wang winked at Hansheng and whispered, "At midnight, come out alone for a moment. I have something to say."

What did Granny Wang want to see him about? Hansheng wondered. Why did she have to wait until late at night?

Hansheng lay on the bed. Fengsheng beside him was already snoring softly. Only Old Ye was dozing silently, occasionally peeking at him.

Hansheng closed his eyes. Since it was still early, he quietly began to practice the first level of the Hysteria Divine Skill—the Old Ox Breath-Holding Technique—according to Old Cuihua.

According to Old Cuihua, this first level wasn't difficult. Many rural women in Northeast China could hold their breath for a while when they went crazy. Of course, these women had to be neurotic in personality and physically weak, with deficiencies in both qi and blood.

The Hysteria Divine Skill is completely different from other secret techniques in the martial arts world. It requires no breathing exercises or practicing fist and palm routines; one only needs to control the body with intention, gathering and dispersing the three souls of heaven, earth, and man in a controlled manner, ultimately reaching a state of selflessness and detachment from the physical body. Of course, entering a meditative state must be quick. A slow, deliberate meditation like that of the old monks in ancient temples deep in the mountains, sitting cross-legged with eyes slightly open, focusing on the nose, and chanting countless Buddhist mantras in their minds, is absolutely unacceptable. If one hasn't entered a meditative state before actually engaging in combat, the divine skill cannot be

unleashed, which would be disastrous. The most crucial point of the Hysteria

Divine Skill is the ability to enter a meditative state instantly and exit it in an instant, allowing the soul to leave and return in the blink of an eye. Han Sheng, familiar with the medical techniques of the Qingnang School, could easily grasp the principle, but in terms of practical application, he could only rely on trial and error. He knew that once he mastered the key, he would quickly overcome the remaining hurdles.

He tried hard to clear his mind of all distractions, attempting to relax and think of nothing. He focused solely on controlling his breathing, gradually slowing it down, inhaling less and exhaling more gently, until he could barely hold his breath… but he couldn't. The village women could hold their breath for over ten minutes, while he had barely held his breath for a minute before his face turned red and his pupils became bloodshot.

Old Ye, standing nearby, couldn't help but scratch his head in frustration. He knew from Han Sheng's breathing that he was practicing meditation, while he himself possessed a thousand years of meditation experience, his three souls summoned and dismissed at will, his experience extremely profound.

Finally, Old Master Ye, unable to contain himself any longer, pounced on Han Sheng with a "whoosh"... Han Sheng felt something on his body and was startled. He quickly opened his eyes and saw Old Master Ye pointing a finger and shushing him, shaking his head and lowering his voice, saying, "Your method is completely wrong. You can't hold your breath like that. Hmm, something's strange."

"Strange what?" Han Sheng asked in surprise.

Old Master Ye said cautiously, "Last time in the ancient tower, a lot of white light emanated from your body. Why isn't it there now?"

"Oh," Han Sheng said, "I thought you were attacking me last time, so the light was defending itself." He thought it was best not to mention the corpse shroud.

"I see." Old Master Ye was relieved.

Han Sheng looked at him and whispered, "You know the method of holding your breath like a tortoise?"

Old Ye shook his head, his face flushed with excitement. Hearing this, he nodded hurriedly and said, "Yes, holding your breath... Daoists use the method of fetal breathing, 'empty your mind, fill your abdomen, concentrate your breath to achieve gentleness, and you can return to the state of an infant.' It's imitating a tortoise holding its breath, practicing holding your breath and swallowing, called fetal breathing. Practicing gulping down the spring under the tongue and swallowing it is called fetal nourishment. It's also called 'abstaining from grains and consuming qi,' used for maintaining oneness, breathing exercises, guiding qi, circulating qi, preserving the spirit, sitting in oblivion, fasting of the mind, and returning to essence." "Fasting, heel breathing, fetal breathing, and internal alchemy—alas, they're all too complicated. Buddhist meditation requires the lotus position, called 'double lotus,' where you place your left foot on your right thigh and your right foot on your left thigh, with the soles of your feet facing upwards. Imagine if you didn't wash your feet for ten days; the stench would be unbearable, making it impossible to enter samadhi. Absolutely not. Although I am from the Vajrayana Tantric tradition and know that Anuttarayoga can allow for tortoise breathing for dozens of days, those mantras alone are enough for you to memorize. These worldly methods are ineffective."

"Do you have a better method?" Han Sheng asked doubtfully.

Master Ye nodded repeatedly, proudly saying, "Of course, I have my own self-created breath-holding technique."

"Tell me about it," Han Sheng said, looking at Master Ye, seemingly not joking.

"Listen carefully," Old Ye said smugly. "Humans have three souls: Heaven, Earth, and Human. The Heavenly Soul is also called the Ghost Soul, and the Earthly Soul is called the Corpse Guardian Soul. The Heavenly and Earthly Souls can both attach themselves to the physical body and roam outside, so they are also called external incarnations. The Human Soul is the true soul, the source of life. Your Heavenly and Earthly Souls are still immature and haven't been enlightened yet; they don't understand anything. Let my old Corpse Guardian Soul teach your little Corpse Guardian Soul how to hold your breath and feign death according to your will."

"Feign death? Is the Corpse Guardian Soul in charge of holding your breath?" Han Sheng asked, puzzled.

"Of course, otherwise why would it be called the Corpse Guardian Soul?" Old Ye said, dissatisfied.

Han Sheng found it amusing and said, "Alright, how do I do it?"

Old Ye said seriously, "Just press my ear tightly against your ear."

"That's all?" Han Sheng found it absurd.

"Of course, the ear is the passage for the Heavenly and Earthly Ghost Souls and the Corpse Guardian Soul to enter and exit your body," Old Ye said matter-of-factly.

"Okay, then let's try it," Han Sheng said with a wry smile.

A faint moonlight filtered through the window. The room was quiet. On the kang (heated brick bed), Feng Sheng turned over and fell asleep again.

The withered old man gently pressed his shriveled ear tightly against Han Sheng's fleshy earlobe… Instantly, Han Sheng felt a heavy pressure, and his eardrums throbbed.

“It's alright. The guardian spirit has weight, about five qian,” the old man explained.

A visual image gradually appeared before Han Sheng's eyes… a plump, mature-looking red-robed lama stood with his hands behind his back. In the background, three great rivers flowed parallel and meandered, and in the distance, towering, crystalline snow-capped mountains rose majestically. The lama slowly turned around, staring at Han Sheng with round, small eyes and a slight smile. Wait, isn't that the old man? Only now, he was obese and fleshy, a stark contrast to the withered old man he was now.

Han Sheng timidly stepped forward, wanting to ask the old man what had happened to him. But he couldn't utter a sound.

"That's not you, but your guardian spirit, a mute." It seemed as if the rumbling voice of Lama Ye Lao came from a distant place.

Lama Ye Lao spread his arms in a gesture, and Han Sheng involuntarily took a step forward, walking into and throwing himself into the lama's embrace, feeling an unparalleled warmth… "That's right…" Lama Ye Lao's voice was ethereal and faint.

The cold moonlight still softly spilled into the room. Han Sheng lay on the kang (heated brick bed), his heartbeat gradually slowing, his breathing almost inaudible, until finally he felt no breath at all, his body temperature gradually dropping, entering a state of suspended animation. Lama

Ye Lao smiled with satisfaction. Hmm, this kid's guardian spirit is learning quite quickly. Now he needs to learn to wake up instantly, he thought.

The visual image before Han Sheng suddenly disappeared. He slowly opened his eyes, and Lama Ye Lao's smug smile came into view.

"Was that old lama you?" Han Sheng asked.

"Of course, my guardian spirit still retains my former glory," Lama Ye Lao replied.

"Did I just hold my breath?" Han Sheng asked doubtfully.

"Like a dead man," Elder Ye said with satisfaction.

Han Sheng shook his head, thinking to himself, is this the first level of the "Hysteria Divine Skill"?

At this moment, Elder Ye lay down next to Han Sheng, his mouth close to Han Sheng's ear, and whispered, "Now you can completely control the guardian spirit with your will. This is the most superior breath-holding technique." "

Then will you become 'hysterical'?" Han Sheng suddenly asked.

"Hysteria? What's that?" Old Ye had never heard of it before.

"Well, it's a foreign term. It's actually a temporary mental disorder. In traditional Chinese medicine, it manifests as 'visceral agitation,' 'running piglet syndrome,' and 'thin fainting,' also known as 'hysteria,'" Han Sheng explained.

Old Ye shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

Sigh, how does one become hysterical? Han Sheng thought with a worried expression.

Chapter 242

It was midnight. Han Sheng quietly got out of bed and slipped out of the small inn. On the snow, Granny Wang stood alone under the cold moonlight, waiting for him.

"Come with me," Granny Wang said softly, then without another word, silently walked towards the outskirts of Kaiping City.

Han Sheng followed closely behind, thinking that Granny Wang was acting strangely today.

Outside Kaiping City were the continuous Yanshan Mountains. Granny Wang led the way, heading straight for a mountain peak shaped like a writing brush to the west. Perhaps because her inner strength had been transferred to the bright moon, she walked with an aged and frail gait.

Although Han Sheng didn't know martial arts, he was young and strong, and easily kept up with Granny Wang.

At the foot of Wenbi Peak, Granny Wang stopped, her white hair disheveled, panting heavily.

"Han Sheng, do you know why Granny Wang brought you here?" Granny Wang asked.

"No," Han Sheng answered honestly.

"Han Sheng, Granny Wang has something important to tell you. There are too many spies in the inn, so I brought you here." Granny Wang's tone became serious.

"Yes," Han Sheng's expression turned solemn.

"Granny Wang took in four disciples in her lifetime: Yin Po, Yang Gong, Jing Taiji, and Mingyue. The first three were all traitors who betrayed their master, showing how poor Granny Wang's judgment was. Fortunately, Yin Po and Jing Taiji have already died at the hands of the ghost infant Shen Caihua. Only Yang Gong has escaped. Thinking about these things makes me furious," Granny Wang said angrily.

Han Sheng comforted his grandmother, saying, "Grandma, you finally found a worthy disciple, Mingyue."

Grandma Wang looked up at the crescent moon hanging in the sky and sighed deeply, saying, "Life is unpredictable, Han Sheng. I originally wanted to pass on the Zhu You Divine Skill, the culmination of my life's work, to you, but you insisted on refusing. So I had no choice but to pass it on to Mingyue, making her swear to protect you. But how could I not know that Mingyue's greatest weakness is Huang Jianguo? He's a cold-blooded, cruel, and extremely cunning man, and Mingyue is infatuated with his good looks. In the end, she'll surely be harmed by him."

Han Sheng remained silent.

"Last night at Shanhaiguan, after Mingyue returned from meeting Director Kameda, I knew she was lying. Who would Mingyue lie to her master for? There's only one person: Huang Jianguo," Grandma Wang said.

Han Sheng was taken aback and said, "Grandma, are you saying Mingyue is still in contact with Huang Jianguo?"

"Yes, what Grandma is worried about now is that Mingyue will choose between Master and Huang Jianguo. Moreover, she has now accepted all my power. If she is used by Huang Jianguo, Han Sheng, even if Liu Jinmo and Wu Chushan were combined, they would be no match for her. Your situation is too dangerous." Grandma Wang said with extreme regret.

"Grandma, that's just a hypothetical situation. I don't think Mingyue would betray her master like Yin Po Yang Gong and Jing Taiji. She is still a kind-hearted girl." Han Sheng said. Grandma

Wang shook her head, her face showing pain. "Think about that man from Guandong in Zhao Family Shop, and you'll know how ruthless she is. I'm afraid no one will be able to control her in the future, just like Grandma back then..."

Yes, Mingyue was really too ruthless. That man had children to support and didn't know martial arts. Alas, women are really unfathomable, Han Sheng thought.

"Hansheng," Granny Wang said with a wry smile, "the Zhuyou Divine Skill has eighteen forms, also known as the 'Guo Gong Eighteen Forms.' Granny Wang devoted her entire life to learning only the first five: 'Ghost Wall,' 'Transplanting Flowers and Grafting Trees,' 'Walking Corpse,' 'The Fragrance of the Abalone Market,' and 'Shifting Positions.' It's lamentable that throughout history, despite many exceptionally talented individuals within the Zhuyou school, none have ever surpassed these five forms. Can you guess why?" Hansheng

shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

"Because no one has ever found the 'Guo Gong Burial Ruler.' Before his death, Guo Pu poured all his life's power into that ruler, the Yin-Yang Ruler you obtained by chance. With the power of the Burial Ruler, one could master the entire 'Guo Gong Eighteen Forms' in ninety days. Therefore, for thousands of years, countless heroes in the martial arts world have tried every means to find it, causing countless battles and bloody feuds throughout the dynasties. But that ruler has never appeared until you, Granny, saw it in your hands," Granny Wang said.

Han Sheng listened quietly, his thoughts seemingly flying back to those bygone eras.

"But the Burial Ruler suddenly stopped working recently, fading from bluish-black to grayish-white. All the power Guo Pu poured into it disappeared, turning it into a useless ruler. Granny has thought about this for a long time, and still can't understand it," Granny Wang said with deep sorrow.

"So, Mingyue has only learned the first five forms so far?" Han Sheng asked.

Granny Wang nodded and said, "Indeed, even though it only has five moves, it's enough to make you stand out in the martial world."

"Granny, you must have other important matters to discuss with Hansheng, right?" Hansheng asked.

"Yes," Granny Wang nodded and said, "I have a secret to tell you, which might save your life in the future. Come with me." After saying that, Granny Wang led Hansheng towards a grove of bushes at the foot of Wenbi Peak.

Just then, a dark shadow quietly followed behind them. Granny Wang and Hansheng were completely unaware of it. If Granny Wang's skills were still intact, she definitely wouldn't have been able to hide it.

"Hey, the ancestral graves are gone!" Granny Wang exclaimed.

"What's gone?" Hansheng asked quickly, seeing Granny Wang's extremely nervous appearance.

"The ancestral graves, the tombs of my Wang family's ancestors from before the early Qing Dynasty. They were still there when I came last time, but now they're all gone?" Granny Wang couldn't suppress her panic, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

"Could it be that the farmland in the countryside has been redeveloped and leveled?" Hansheng asked, trying to explain.

“No, this is at the foot of the mountain, there are no signs of leveling or planting here,” Granny Wang observed carefully.

Behind the bushes not far away, the dark figure stood silently, watching Granny Wang's every move without uttering a sound.

Granny Wang bent down, grabbed a handful of soil, and examined it closely in the cold moonlight. Then she muttered to herself, "So that's it. This isn't the soil from the original cemetery."

Han Sheng asked curiously, "Did the entire cemetery move?"

Granny Wang nodded and sighed, "Such is the way of the world, the world changes so much, Han Sheng. Before the Qing army entered the pass, my Wang family lived here. The art of incantation was passed down from the eldest son to the eldest son for generations. After fleeing to Lingnan, the art gradually declined, and by your generation, there are no male descendants left."

Han Sheng asked, somewhat puzzled, "Granny, if it's an ancestral tradition, why is there still a grave of your master in the Poyang Lake Valley?"

Granny Wang smiled bitterly, "Actually, that's my father's grave, just a cover. During the Yongzheng era, my ancestor secretly came to Jiangxi from Lingnan alone and hid in the Poyang Lake Valley. In fact, he inherited the duty of guarding the tomb, watching over the Taiji Yangyun, which is the mausoleum of Zhu Yuanzhang's mother."

"Tai Chi Yang Halo? It's in the Poyang Lake Valley?" Han Sheng asked curiously.

"Yes, Granny Wang is nearing the end of her life and has two things she wants to ask of you," Granny Wang sighed.

"Please tell me, Granny Wang, and I will do my best," Han Sheng said.

"First, Ping'er is an abandoned baby I found. When she grows up, she can stay in Poyang Lake Valley and inherit the duty of guarding the tomb. I hope you can convey my words to her. Second, after you die, bury me here, on the land before our ancestors migrated south. According to Hakka tradition, after three years, we will retrieve your remains and take them to Hong Kong to be buried with the ancient immortal. Hansheng, aren't you asking for too much?" Granny Wang choked up at the end. Hearing this

, Hansheng felt a surge of chivalrous spirit and said loudly, "Granny, don't worry, I promise you, as long as I have a breath left, I will ensure you are buried with the ancient immortal, ending your century-long unrequited love. But..."

"What?" Granny Wang looked up at Hansheng, her eyes filled with tears.

"Grandma, regarding the first matter of having Ping'er guard the tomb, I, Hansheng, think it's inappropriate. She's still a child; she should be in school, with children her own age, and eventually work and live a normal life. It would be too cruel for her to spend her whole life in that valley. As for Zhu Yuanzhang's mother, she's been dead for over six hundred years. Why force a living person to keep her company forever?" Hansheng said righteously.

"This… alas, is this fate?" Grandma Wang sighed to herself.

Hansheng looked at Grandma Wang with unwavering eyes.

"Alright, fate is hard to defy. I'm not a rigid, old-fashioned person. I'll find Ping'er a good family when we get back," Grandma Wang agreed.

The moonlight was hazy, a breeze picked up, and the bushes rustled.

Grandma Wang's expression became serious. She said, "The Zhu You Divine Skill is invincible, but there is a way to break it."

Hansheng looked at Grandma Wang in surprise.

"Anyone who possesses the divine power of Zhuyou (a form of healing magic) will have a Zhuyou relic formed in their skull a hundred years after death. It's the size of a walnut. If an ordinary person swallows it, even the most powerful Zhuyou magic won't harm them. Do you understand what I mean?" Granny Wang said.

Han Sheng suddenly understood and said, "No wonder Granny brought me to the Wang family ancestral graves, wanting to obtain the ancestral Zhuyou relic so that I could resist the Zhuyou magic."

"That's exactly what I meant," Granny Wang said.

In the night sky, a dark cloud moved over, gradually obscuring the crescent moon. The cold moonlight shone on the bushes for the last moment, and a chilling voice drifted over: "No need, Master, don't you think you're living too hard?"

Chapter 243

Before the words were finished, a person suddenly appeared in front of Granny Wang and Han Sheng, with a bald head... "Master Yang!" Han Sheng exclaimed.

"That's right, it's me, haha, Han Sheng, what a small world." Master Yang laughed loudly, but his eyes darted towards Granny Wang.

Granny Wang's tone was unusually calm as she slowly said, "Yang Gong, you wretched disciple! You escaped last time, and today you dare to come here to die?"

"Haha," Yang Gong laughed heartily again, but his laughter suddenly stopped, and his face darkened as he said, "Master, don't try to fool your disciple. Your power has long been passed on to Mingyue. The current Bai Suzhen is nothing but a withered old woman on her deathbed. Take a good look at yourself in the mirror, tsk tsk, you're just a breath of life left."

Granny Wang sneered and said calmly, "What do you want?" She knew that she had lost her power, and her frail, aged appearance couldn't hide it from Yang Gong.

"What? Hmph, I've come specifically to send you to your death. Having your disciple to see you off in your final moments is surely a blessing, haha." Yang Gong laughed again, his sinister laughter sounding particularly eerie in the night sky.

"Yang Gong, you've done so many evil deeds, you will surely be punished by heaven!" Han Sheng roared angrily.

Yang Gong glanced at Han Sheng and said in a shrill voice, "Han Sheng, don't be in such a hurry. After you tell me about Danba, I'll slowly savor your tender brain. I hope you haven't lost your virginity yet, so the flavor can be maintained."

"Han Sheng, come here." Granny Wang beckoned Han Sheng over.

Yang Gong stared at them with disdain and said, "You've already chatted enough, Master. You're too old, and your brain is too old. Your jokes won't be pleasant to listen to, but I've been watching you for most of the night, and I'm hungry. This is just a late-night snack, so I can only swallow it with difficulty."

Granny Wang ignored him and hurriedly whispered in Han Sheng's ear, "The ancestral grave has sunk. There's a small patch of land over there where you can see no snow from a distance. Granny will hold him off, and you run there quickly. There might be a cave or something to hide in. Hurry!"

"No, Granny, Han Sheng is a seven-foot man. How can I just watch Granny suffer while I escape alone?" Han Sheng slowly shook his head.

"Master, it's time to go." Yang Gong slowly sucked a large wad of phlegm from his chest, his brow furrowing slightly—it was the spot where Liu Jinmo had injured his ribs. He then moved the phlegm to his throat, aiming it at Granny Wang's chest, specifically the Tanzhong acupoint, about to shoot it out… "Daoist Master, this man murdered his master; he's worse than a beast. We should eliminate him to prevent him from harming the world," someone said from behind the bushes.

"Professor, you're absolutely right. We Manchus have always respected our teachers and valued the Way. How could such a scoundrel appear? It's truly shameful for our ancestors," an aged voice replied.

A gap tore open in the dark clouds that had obscured the moon, letting in a beam of cold moonlight that softly shone upon the two figures. The one-armed Professor Liu Yisou, supporting Daoist Jin, stood before them… "Daoist Jin!" Granny Wang, Han Sheng, and Yang Gong were all extremely surprised and exclaimed in unison.

"Indeed, it is I," Daoist Jin said in a hoarse voice.

Yang Gong chuckled ingratiatingly, cupped his hands in greeting to Master Jin, and said, "I was unaware of your arrival, Master Jin. I am honored to

greet you." Master Jin snorted coldly, saying, "Yang Gong, I only associated with you because we are both from the Aisin Gioro clan. I never imagined you would be such a disgrace to our clan, a scum of the Northeast. Fine, Professor, kill him."

"Alright." Professor Liu lowered the arm that had been supporting Master Jin and turned to walk towards Yang Gong.

Seeing the situation was dire, Yang Gong spat out a mouthful of phlegm with a "smack," which, accompanied by a whooshing sound, aimed directly at the one-armed professor's acupoint on his chest.

Professor Liu did not dodge; instead, he met the phlegm head-on, his steps unwavering.

With a "plop," the phlegm struck Professor Liu's acupoint on his chest, piercing the front of his black cotton shirt, from which a few strands of white cotton flakes drifted out.

Yang Gong was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "The Tanzhong acupoint is called the 'Middle Dantian,' the most dangerous point on the Ren meridian, where all the Yin meridians converge. A serious attack here can kill, a minor one can cause fainting. I've already eliminated a powerful enemy; only the blind Taoist Jin remains. Even if I can't win, I can certainly protect myself."

Unexpectedly, Professor Liu didn't fall. He only paused slightly and swayed before rushing towards him.

Yang Gong was shocked. Had his strength been greatly reduced after his rib injury? No, he had even pierced through the professor's cotton-padded coat; the force was definitely not weak.

Hesitating, Professor Liu unleashed a powerful attack, his single arm slamming down on Yang Gong's head. Yang Gong immediately felt his breath catch in his throat, as if the air within two or three feet above his head was being squeezed in. Yang Gong dared not be careless; in haste, he could only gather his energy and cross his arms to brace himself.

With a dull thud, Yang Gong barely managed to block the professor's single arm. Their strength clashed, and their bones cracked. The professor swung his one arm down with immense force, but Yang Gong was no ordinary man either. He used both arms to block the one-armed attack, and although his feet were deeply embedded in the hard snow, he still managed to withstand the thunderous blow.

Yang Gong secretly suctioned another mouthful of phlegm from his lungs. With their faces so close, how could he possibly escape this suction? Just as the phlegm reached his throat, Yang Gong suddenly felt his throat being gripped. Had Master Jin intervened? Looking down, in the moonlight, Master Jin still stood there, motionless… Looking down, he saw a chubby little hand tightly squeezing his throat, its skin soft and smooth, like the hand of a newborn baby… A cracking sound came from Yang Gong's throat. He couldn't believe that this tiny, infantile hand possessed such strength, like a cold steel clamp tightening, slowly crushing his most vulnerable trait. His astonished gaze fell upon the hand emerging from the one-armed professor's shirt… “You…” Yang Gong stared blankly at the professor.

“Indeed, Liu Yisou is indeed ‘Keeping a Hand.’ Everyone in the martial arts world knows the One-Armed Professor, but no one can guess the true meaning of Liu Yisou’s name. Old thief Yang Gong, you should be able to die today by this little hand of mine that has never shown itself before, even in death you should have no regrets,” Liu Yisou said.

“You were not injured by my poisonous phlegm?” Yang Gong said in confusion, his eyes gradually becoming dull and his gaze slowly unfocused.

The little hand on Yang Gong’s neck loosened its grip and turned its palm over, revealing a piece of greenish-blue phlegm jelly on its pink palm… It turned out that the little hand had caught the sticky phlegm that had been shot at him.

The little hand shook itself, throwing the tofu-like phlegm jelly onto the snow, then wiped it disgustedly on the professor’s cotton coat before shrinking back inside the collar.

With a “clunk,” a large amount of red blood and greenish-blue phlegm gushed from the large hole in Yang Gong’s Adam’s apple, then his eyes rolled back and he fell heavily backward onto the snow.

Yang Gong died, his eyes wide open in disbelief.

After a brief moment of shock, Han Sheng walked to Yang Gong's body and kicked it, confirming that he was dead. Tears silently streamed down his face, falling drop by drop onto the snow. Father, Lan'er's mother, our revenge has been achieved, you can finally rest in peace... Han Sheng turned to Professor Liu and bowed deeply.

Professor Liu laughed heartily and said, "Han Sheng, there's no need to thank me. Just don't let Lama Danba down."

Han Sheng's face was resolute as he solemnly said, "Since I have promised Lama Danba, I will never waver, even in death. Please rest assured, my two benefactors. Professor, may I take another look at that little hand?"

Professor Liu smiled slightly, parted his shirt, and a chubby little hand emerged, even the wrist was plump with delicate folds of flesh.

"Professor, you have been poisoned by phlegm. You must not use your inner energy." Han Sheng touched the palm of the little hand; it was icy cold to the bone.

Professor Liu felt a slight dizziness upon hearing this. His small hand grew directly from the Ren meridian at the Tanzhong acupoint on his chest; it was a Yin hand, incredibly cold, a rare developmental deformity. He had kept it hidden since he was old enough to understand, even Jin Daoist and Danba were unaware of it.

"Is there a cure for the phlegm poison?" Professor Liu asked calmly.

"Yes, before the phlegm poison reaches the brain, I will first use silver needles to release the poison, but you must not circulate your true qi," Han Sheng instructed, about to take out his silver needle box from his robes.

"Xiao Yanfang, since you're here, why not show yourself?" Jin Daoist suddenly raised his voice and said loudly.

Chapter 244

The gloomy sky, with cold moonlight shining through the gaps in the clouds, was silent and desolate.

Xiao Yanfang and a young man leaning on a cane suddenly appeared before everyone.

"Murakami Takeo?" Han Sheng recognized him as the Japanese reporter from the Shanhaiguan Hotel.

Murakami Takeo coldly stared at Yang Gong's corpse on the ground, remaining silent.

"The Taoist priest and the professor are both here, huh? Heh heh, so Professor Liu Yisou actually had a 'trick up his sleeve,' even keeping me, Xiao Yanfang, in the dark. Too bad we've been friends for years," Xiao Yanfang chuckled.

"Xiao Yanfang, did you collude with the Thai sorcerer to murder Danba?" Jin the Taoist priest asked coldly.

"Taoist priest, it's only because Danba Lama refused to speak. In the end, we had no choice but to force him to reveal his secret, but even in death, he preferred to believe this simple-minded country boy he'd never met, rather than tell us, his old friends of many years," Xiao Yanfang said.

"Who's behind this?" Jin the Taoist priest's voice grew colder.

"Don't worry about that. I'll give you a little hint; it's a top secret of the Party and the State," Xiao Yanfang said with a disdainful sneer.

"Yang Gong was also in cahoots with you, and there were even Japanese involved," Jin the Taoist priest said bitterly.

"Yang Gong?" Xiao Yanfang said disdainfully, "This guy is like a toad lusting after a swan, daring to covet my beauty. Humph, he deserves to die."

"Enough nonsense, Hansheng, come with me!" Murakami Takeo, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly said coldly.

"What for? Where to?" Hansheng stared at the Japanese man and said irritably.

"You'll find out when we get there," Murakami Takeo said coldly.

Professor Liu stretched out his one arm and pulled Hansheng behind him, stepping forward to block him, and said loudly, "If you want to take Hansheng away, you'll have to get past me first."

"Professor, you mustn't use your true energy!" Hansheng said anxiously.

Professor Liu laughed heartily, a surge of heroic spirit rising within him. He declared, "Daoist Master, today we brothers have encountered a formidable foe. I, Liu Yisou, will fight to the death to protect my brother Hansheng!"

Daoist Master Jin had sensed an invisible killing intent from the moment the Japanese man appeared—an aura he had never encountered in his decades in the martial world, a disturbing presence emanating from a foreign land.

"Professor," he said, "Danba and I are like brothers. Tonight, I will fight to the death for Danba." A long-absent smile appeared on Daoist Master Jin's face.

Murakami Takeo remained expressionless. He stepped forward, bowed to the professor and Daoist Master Jin, then stepped back, activated a hidden pin on his cane, and slowly drew a chilling longsword. He discarded the cane, and a sharp short sword appeared in his other hand. The

Two-Sword Style, the unparalleled martial art of Miyamoto Musashi of Japan, was about to clash with the masters of the Central Plains martial world.

Miyamoto Musashi was a swordsman during the Tokugawa Shogunate period in Japan. Among samurai, there's a saying: "Sanada's spear, Miyamoto's sword." From a young age, he studied swordsmanship, traveling extensively and sparring with swordsmen of various schools over sixty times, never suffering a defeat. Besides swordsmanship, he was also a master of shurikenjutsu and hand-to-hand combat, among other martial arts. In his twenties, he founded the Enmei-ryu school, wrote the swordsmanship book *Hyōkyō*, and completed a two-sword strategy during the Kan'ei era, known as "Two-Sword Style." In his later years, Miyamoto Musashi secluded himself in the Reigan Cave until his death, never returning to the mountains, as he had no more rivals in the Japanese archipelago.

Japan is a nation that reveres martial prowess and the sword; the sword is considered an integral part of a samurai's body, and even unintentionally stepping over an opponent's sword is considered a great disrespect and insult. After Miyamoto Musashi's death, among the three treasures acquired by successive Japanese emperors upon their ascension to the throne was the "Ten'yō Unken" (Heavenly Cloud Sword), Miyamoto Musashi's personal sword. Legend has it that this sword sank to the bottom of the sea off Osaka during a court upheaval and its whereabouts remain unknown.

The two swords, long and short, wielded by Murakami Takeo are none other than the Heavenly Cloud Sword, Miyamoto Musashi's sword lost for centuries.

Master Jin and Professor Liu were unaware of this, but when the Heavenly Cloud Sword was drawn, both were greatly astonished. The two chilling sword auras seemed to possess a spirit, one yin and one yang, both menacing and bloodthirsty.

"The jade pool sinks like a precious mirror, the sword embodies the way of emptiness," Murakami Takeo chanted, the essence of Musashi's swordsmanship.

Upon hearing this, Master Jin knew he had encountered a master unlike any he had ever seen. In ancient Central Plains swordsmanship, there was a saying, "When skill reaches its peak, it becomes empty," meaning that when swordsmanship reaches its highest level, there is no longer a need for specific sword techniques; the sword and the person become one, water and fire are in harmony, and one can control the sword's

energy to injure others with mere willpower. Could this Japanese man have reached such a high level? Master Jin dared not be careless. A surge of Quanzhen Sect's Heavenly Qi flowed slowly from his dantian into his eight extraordinary meridians, emanating from every pore of his body, forming a protective barrier around him and extending towards Professor Liu, attempting to shield him within the protective energy.

However, Professor Liu was a stubborn and violent person. He thought to himself that he was already poisoned by phlegm and could not allow the master to divert his power to protect him; otherwise, victory would be impossible. Besides, Xiao Yanfang was watching him intently. He decided to fight with all his might, attacking the opponent before he could even raise his sword.

The professor's body suddenly swelled, swooping down like a giant bird. His single arm slammed down on Murakami Takeo's skull with lightning speed, while a small hand silently reached for his throat... Murakami Takeo remained motionless, his head tilted to the side, eyes tightly closed. The long sword in his right hand was pure white, about two feet seven or eight inches long, thick-backed and thin-bladed like a calamus leaf, with a handle like a fishbone joint. The short sword in his left hand was entirely bluish-black, as thin as a cicada's wing. The Heavenly Cloud Sword was filled with sword energy, and sensing the approaching wind, the Yin-Yang sword energy violently stirred, emitting a dragon's roar.

Before the professor's single arm even arrived, he felt the sharp blade energy cutting through the air on his skin. He was immediately alarmed, but he gritted his teeth and did not dodge, instead charging head-on. Meanwhile, that small hand was already about to grab Murakami Takeo's throat.

The Yin Hand originated from the Ren Meridian, born of pure Yin energy, not from a body of hot blood. Therefore, the bloodthirsty Tianye Cloud Sword's sword energy failed to detect it, allowing the small hand to seize an opportunity, completely catching Murakami Takeo off guard.

"Watch out for the little hand!" Xiao Yanfang suddenly shouted a warning.

In the blink of an eye, a crisp "crack" was heard, and the professor's one arm was instantly severed in two, blood splattering everywhere. The Yin Hand had almost grabbed Murakami Takeo's throat… It was only because of Xiao Yanfang's sharp shout that Murakami Takeo dodged the Yin Hand's fatal pinch in a split second. Even so, two bloody scratches had already appeared on his neck from the Yin Hand's claws.

Murakami Takeo, his eyes tightly shut, was completely focused on controlling his sword with his mind. Xiao Yanfang's timely reminder not only allowed him to dodge the small hand's grab in an instant, but also gave him just enough time to counterattack. As expected of the top two-sword style master in the Japanese archipelago, he seized the opportunity, his left hand flashing with the azure-black sword energy, severing the chubby little hand cleanly at the bowl... "Ah!" The professor groaned, staggering back several steps, collapsing at Jin Daozhang's feet covered in blood. With his hands gone and his Ren meridian energy completely depleted, he endured the pain, stubbornly raising his face, and murmured apologetically to Jin Daozhang, "Daozhang, I'm sorry, Liu Yisou did his best." Then he breathed his last.

Master Jin sighed softly, saying, "Alas, the professor's temper remained unchanged until his death."

Xiao Yanfang clapped her hands beside him, saying, "Great! With the professor dead, only the old blind man is left. Murakami-kun, hurry up and kill him, and we'll be done! The old woman's power has been passed on to Mingyue; she's now a cripple. Little Hansheng, you fooled me last time, but this time you definitely won't escape!"

Murakami raised his twin swords, and the sharp sword energy directly attacked the protective barrier set up by Master Jin. With two "bangs," the sword energy crashed back. The invincible Heavenly Cloud Sword's sword energy was actually defeated by the Quanzhen Sect's protective energy.

Hansheng was anxious and his blood was boiling. Unfortunately, he had no martial arts skills and couldn't help at all. Professor Liu died protecting him; it was his incompetence that had implicated everyone.

Just as he was filled with regret, he suddenly heard Granny Wang shout urgently, "Hansheng, run!"

Hansheng looked closely and saw that Xiao Yanfang, seeing an opportunity, was silently rushing towards him... Facing a powerful enemy, Master Jin could not afford to be distracted in the slightest, but Hansheng carried the heavy responsibility entrusted to him by Lama Danba, and could not afford to be lost. Helpless, he had no choice but to leap up at the critical moment to protect Hansheng.

Xiao Yanfang knew the power of Master Jin's Quanzhen Heavenly Qi and dared not confront it head-on. She dodged and used her superb lightness skill to move around the perimeter, waiting for an opportunity to disturb the master's mind and create an opening for the village warrior.

In this way, Master Jin not only had to activate his Qi to resist the sharp sword energy of the Heavenly Karma Cloud Sword, but also had to be wary of Xiao Yanfang's harassment from time to time. He was suddenly overwhelmed and in grave danger, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"No, if this drags on, even without the slightest oversight, my true energy will eventually run out, and then it will be too late. As the saying goes, all's fair in war; I must think of a way," Master Jin pondered.

At that moment, Xiao Yanfang suddenly had a flash of inspiration and shouted to Murakami Takeo, "The more fierce the attack of the Quanzhen Heavenly Qi, the stronger the rebound. By gently and slowly inserting the knife into the Qi, it can penetrate. Besides, Master Jin is blind; if it's slow enough, even if the tip of the knife is right under his nose, he won't notice!"

"Xiao Yanfang! You disgrace to the Chinese! You actually leaked my secret to the Japanese! Do you have any conscience at all?" Master Jin roared angrily.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Xiao Yanfang fell silent, jumped outside the circle, took out a small mirror from her bosom, and touched up her makeup in the dim moonlight.

Murakami Takeo, frustrated by his prolonged attack, was overjoyed upon hearing Xiao Yanfang's words. He opened his eyes and mentally withdrew his sword energy. Thinking the long sword might be easily detected by the Taoist priest, he withdrew it behind his back, holding the thin, cicada-wing-like short sword in his left hand, tip pointing outwards, and then carefully and very slowly probed into the protective aura.

The short sword entered the protective aura barrier smoothly. Murakami Takeo suppressed his excitement and gently continued to thrust forward... "Taoist priest! Danger!" Han Sheng shouted.

But the Taoist priest was completely unaware, his hands nervously protecting his chest, his ears straining to hear, as if guessing the distance of his opponent.

Murakami Takeo held his breath and continued to advance, his smug gaze looking disdainfully at the old blind man's two grayish-white pupils. Hmph, a cripple trying to play with me?

The tip of the Heavenly Cloud Sword's short blade was almost touching the Taoist priest's nose; if he pushed it forward any further, the thin, sharp blade would pierce the Taoist priest's skull.

Han Sheng opened his mouth to shout, but his mouth was already spasming with tension, and no sound came out.

Murakami Takeo grinned, a victorious smile spreading across his face… Just then, the white membrane suddenly detached from the two dull, grayish-white pupils of the Taoist priest, revealing a pair of bright, piercing eyes… With a muffled thud, the priest's palms shot out from his chest, striking Murakami Takeo in the chest. Murakami Takeo hadn't expected this attack at all, and hadn't even been on guard. His ribs broke one by one, his internal organs ruptured, and blood gushed from his mouth.

“You, you, you're bluffing! You're not blind…” Murakami Takeo stared wide-eyed, trembling with pain as he spoke.

Master Jin laughed heartily and said loudly, "This humble Taoist, Jia Shiming, is of course 'feigning blindness'..."

Chapter 245

Murakami Takeo lay on the snow, sighed deeply, and spat out blood foam from his mouth. With great difficulty, he said, "Master, I have a request."

Master Jin looked at this dying Japanese man and sighed, "Alright, whatever your unfinished business, this humble Taoist will do his best."

Murakami Takeo said, "The Heavenly Cloud Sword is the sword of our sect's founder, Miyamoto Musashi, and one of the Emperor's three great magical weapons. I cannot bear to see it buried in the wilderness of the Central Plains. Please, Master, deliver it to the Japanese consulate in the capital and give it to Consul Kurosawa. I beg you, Murakami will die without regret." Master Jin

nodded. He understood how important swords were to a samurai, especially the Heavenly Cloud Sword, a national treasure of the East.

"Alright, this humble Taoist agrees," Master Jin agreed.

Murakami Takeo exhaled his last breath and died.

As the wind rose, Master Jin suddenly turned around. He could only see a black dot on the snowy plain; Xiao Yanfang had already gone far away.

"Hansheng, the danger has temporarily passed. You should hurry back to your hometown in Jiangxi. Listen to this: if one day you can no longer stay in the Central Plains, you can secretly hide in Shangri-La in northwestern Yunnan, where the Three Rivers Converge, and live in anonymity. Because that is the hometown of Lama Danba, you will be protected there," Master Jin said, solemnly taking out a string of purplish-red prayer beads from his robes and saying to Hansheng, "Take this. This is a relic of Lama Danba. Monks of the Karma Kagyu school will protect you if they see these prayer beads." "Yes."

Han Sheng stepped forward, took the antique Buddhist beads with both hands, and said softly, "Daoist Master, so many people have died for me. I understand the importance of Danba Lama's entrustment and will certainly follow his last words. Please rest assured, Daoist Master."

Daoist Master Jin silently picked up Professor Liu's body from the ground and picked up the two severed arms, one large and one small. Han Sheng inserted the Tianye Yun Sword into his cane and handed it to him. Daoist Master Jin didn't say another word, strode south, and disappeared into the dark night in an instant.

Han Sheng silently watched the Daoist Master's disappearing figure, then looked down at the corpses of Yang Gong and the village warrior on the ground. He felt an endless sense of emotion. Although the martial world was extremely dangerous, there were also many people of integrity and righteousness among them. Compared to the government, it was much cleaner.

Han Sheng turned around. Under the pale moonlight, amidst the snow-covered plains, Granny Wang's aged and lonely figure stood shivering in the cold wind, a sight that evoked a profound sense of desolation. Granny Wang possessed unparalleled martial arts skills and extraordinary intelligence, yet she misjudged people, taking in some wicked individuals. Even the last vestige of her spirit couldn't escape the pull of "love," and it seemed she would ultimately be burdened by it. Alas, perhaps this was retribution, atonement for the bloody killings of her youth—the cycle of karma.

Han Sheng silently walked to Granny Wang's side and softly said, "Granny."

Granny Wang sighed and slowly said, "Han Sheng, many people have died for you. You must live well. The matter entrusted to you by Lama Danba is of great importance, which is why there are these mysterious pursuers. It's a pity you are unwilling to learn martial arts to protect yourself. Now it's too late to say anything. Granny can only find the ancestral incantation relic to bless you so that you can avoid this calamity in the future. This is the Kaiping coal mining area. The underground has probably been hollowed out, so the ancestral graves have all sunk underground. I hope we can still find them. Come with me."

Granny Wang walked to a snow-free spot in the wasteland bushes and found a narrow crack there, more than a meter wide, sloping deep into the ground, with a faint warmth rising from it.

"This must be connected to some tunnel in the underground mine. Granny, go down and check first. You stay up here and keep watch. If you hear Granny calling you, then come down. If after an hour there is still no movement from Granny, go back to the inn, hire a car, and set off as soon as possible to return to Poyang Lake Valley to treat Wu Chushan and Liu Jinmo. Don't mention tonight's events again. Remember, Mingyue can no longer be relied upon. You should listen to Master Jin's advice, carry Mingyue on your back, and secretly sneak off to Yunnan to live in anonymity. Remember this." After saying this, Granny Wang slid down into the dark crevice.

Han Sheng was shocked and couldn't stop her. He thought to himself, "Granny is so old, and she has lost all her martial arts skills. How can I let her risk her life for me?" With that thought, he closed his eyes and jumped into the bottomless crevice as well.

Han Sheng felt his body rapidly sliding down a slope. The slope was sticky, the air increasingly humid, and the temperature rising considerably. He couldn't open his eyes, nor dared to reach out and grab anything; his bottom was slippery. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally landed with a "plop" in knee-deep mud, his face splattered with mud. "It

's so hot!" Han Sheng groped his way out of the mud, looking around in complete darkness.

"Grandma, are you there?" Han Sheng asked cautiously, only to be met with hollow echoes.

"Hmm, Han Sheng, why did you come down here too? Sigh, it seems Grandma's leg is broken," came Grandma Wang's voice from the darkness, not far in front of him.

Han Sheng quickly waded over to her side. "Let me see." It

was pitch black underground; he couldn't see anything, only feel around. He touched Grandma Wang's body and then felt her leg.

“Yes, Grandma, your right shinbone fibula is broken. You need to find two splints to fix it. Where are we?” Hansheng asked.

“This is an abandoned old mine shaft. Help me up, we need to get to a drier place. It’s a pity we weren’t prepared; we didn’t bring a flashlight,” Grandma Wang said regretfully.

“I have a box of matches in my pocket,” Hansheng remembered and said.

He reached into his cotton coat pocket, found the box of matches, thankfully it wasn’t wet from the mud, and took out a match, striking it with a “whoosh.”

A faint light appeared in the shaft. Although it was brief, Hansheng could still see that this was a long-abandoned coal mine shaft. The surrounding area was collapsed soil, tree roots, and rotting weeds, emitting a musty smell. Directly ahead was a dark, shadowy shaft, its destination unknown.

The flame had already burned his hand, so Hansheng quickly shook it off. He took out another matchstick, ready to strike it.

"Hansheng, we're running out of matches. We need to make a torch so it burns longer," Granny Wang said in the darkness.

"I have an idea," Hansheng said, striking a match in his hand. He spotted a shrub branch about the thickness of a wrist and pulled it out of the mud.

The match went out, so Hansheng, feeling his way in the dark, tore open his cotton coat, took out the cotton inside, and wrapped it around the branch to make a makeshift torch. He then lit it.

The torch caught fire, illuminating the alleyway. Hansheng helped Granny Wang, covered in mud, to her feet, and the two of them went to a higher, drier spot.

Granny Wang looked around and sighed, "With so much collapsed soil, it seems we can't find the grave anymore."

Han Sheng comforted her, "If we really can't find it, so be it. Let's try to find a way out."

Granny Wang nodded and said, "It's fate. Well, let's head towards the tunnel ahead. Underground mines are usually interconnected. As long as we find the main tunnel, we can get out. Maybe we'll even run into some miners."

Han Sheng thought for a moment, took off his cotton coat, and simply carried Granny Wang on his back. Holding a torch in one hand, he walked into the dark tunnel.

The tunnel was quiet, with the occasional sound of water droplets dripping from the ceiling.

"Look, what's that?" Han Sheng noticed some scattered brown bones on the ground.

"Stop for a moment," Granny Wang said, gesturing for Han Sheng to pick up a piece of bone and examine it closely in the torchlight.

"This is a human bone, it looks like a collarbone," Han Sheng carefully identified.

“Hmm, accidents often happen in coal mines. Sometimes the bodies of miners who die are never found. But judging from the appearance of these bones, they seem to be very old,” Granny Wang said thoughtfully.

Han Sheng suddenly had a thought and said, “Could they be the remains of Granny’s ancestors?”

Granny Wang pondered, “If so, how come they’re scattered in the tunnel?”

Indeed, Granny Wang’s ancestors’ graves collapsed along with a large amount of soil; the bones should be buried in the ground. How could they be scattered in the tunnel? It shouldn’t be, Han Sheng thought, continuing forward.

A fork in the road appeared ahead, with tunnels on both sides. Han Sheng stopped. Which way should he go?

“Han Sheng, look, there are still small pieces of bone scattered on the ground in the left tunnel. Let’s go into that tunnel,” Granny Wang said.

Han Sheng followed his grandmother’s advice and turned into the left fork in the road. As Han Sheng walked, he suddenly stopped again. There was something ahead... On the ground of the alley, three gray rats were squatting side by side, staring intently at him with their six small red round eyes, drool dripping from their mouths.

Han Sheng tentatively tried to scare them away with a torch, but to his surprise, they weren't afraid at all. Instead, they bared their white teeth and made threatening squeaks.

"Strange, why aren't they afraid of people? Besides, they should be avoiding the torch, shouldn't they?" Granny Wang frowned and wondered.

Han Sheng remembered the white rock rats he had seen in the Ghost Valley Cave of Tianmen Mountain in Xiangxi. Those demons weren't afraid of people either, and they ate human flesh. Could these mine rats also eat people? Han Sheng hesitated, but finally mustered his courage and stepped forward, preparing to stomp on the rats.

The three rats slowly retreated. Ha, they're still afraid of people. Han Sheng strode forward, forcing them to retreat. The alleyway turned, and the torchlight moved to the other side of the alley.

Scattered on the ground were many small bones, and hundreds of gray rats squatted quietly, their countless red eyes staring at Han Sheng and Granny Wang, the two uninvited guests… Behind the rat swarm was a platform made of pit wood, upon which leaned a naked man, his gray hair reaching his waist, his body dark brown, and a round, luminous bone object around his neck.

“Why are you taking so long?” the man said, speaking with a thick, thick local accent.

Chapter 246

“Who are you?” Han Sheng asked in surprise, while Granny Wang looked equally suspicious.

The man sat up abruptly, squinting his eyes, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the torchlight, and said in astonishment, “Aren’t you from the mine rescue team?”

“Mine rescue team?” Han Sheng was even more confused.

“Then who are you, and how did you get in?” the man countered.

Han Sheng told him that he and his mother-in-law had accidentally fallen into a fissure in the ground and were searching for a way out because the fissure was steep, long, and incredibly slippery, making it impossible to climb back the way they came.

Upon hearing this, the man burst into hysterical laughter, causing a commotion among the rats, who glared angrily at Han Sheng… The laughter subsided, and the man began to sob, recounting his ordeal in broken sentences.

This man, named Feng Zhenba, was the captain of the second mining team at the Kaiping Mining Bureau. One night, during tunneling operations, multiple collapses and sinkholes suddenly occurred simultaneously, causing groundwater to gush out. Because the workers were scattered across the working areas, it was unknown how many had died or escaped; in the end, he was the only one left in the tunnel. Initially, he tried to find a way out by the light of his headlamp, but all the passages had been buried by sinkholes, leaving him completely trapped. Desperate, he could only hope for rescue, but day after day passed, and the mine rescue team never arrived.

Thinking of his wife, children, and elderly mother back in Kaiping, Feng Zhenba was determined to survive. The alleyway had air and water, but no food. After more than ten days, his body was extremely weak.

In the darkness, a rat crawled onto him, which he caught, brought to his mouth, and bit off half its head. The rats in the alleyway were also trapped there, with nothing to eat, so they began to burrow into the sinking mud, gnawing on wild grass and tree roots. Feng Zhenba, having rat meat to eat, stubbornly survived.

"Captain Feng, how long have you been living underground?" Han Sheng asked sympathetically.

"What year is it now?" Feng Zhenba asked.

"1976, the Spring Festival is just a few days away," Han Sheng replied.

"Ah! My mother, my wife, my son, it's been ten years!" Feng Zhenba wailed bitterly.

"Ten years!" Han Sheng was shocked. So he had been trapped underground since 1966.

Back then, Feng Zhenba was in his prime, not only extremely familiar with the underground tunnels but also possessing rich experience in underground survival. Yet, ten years had passed, and he still hadn't managed to escape. Now, Granny Wang had lost her martial arts skills, and he himself knew nothing, far inferior to Captain Feng back then. Could it be that they were truly trapped in a dead end?

Looking at the menacing rats, Han Sheng shuddered at the thought.

"Is there really no way out?" Granny Wang asked dejectedly.

"No, it's all collapsed," Feng Zhenba said decisively.

Han Sheng muttered something to himself. Granny Wang asked in surprise, "Han Sheng, what are you muttering about?"

"Oh, I'm estimating the number of these rats, seeing how long they can feed the three of us," Han Sheng replied with a wry smile.

"There's another way, but..." Feng Zhenba stammered.

"But what?" Han Sheng asked anxiously, a glimmer of new hope appearing in his heart.

“It’s a tunnel that’s two or three kilometers long, right beneath our feet, but it’s completely submerged. Without oxygen equipment, no one can dive across,” Feng Zhenba sighed softly.

“Where is it?” Han Sheng asked.

Feng Zhenba stood up and pointed to the area under the wooden platform, saying, “Right here. I’ve been watching it constantly, but the water level hasn’t dropped.”

Han Sheng held up a torch to illuminate the area under the platform and found a stone cave entrance filled with dark, stagnant water.

“Diving two or three kilometers past it will connect to the tunnel on the next level. A few hundred meters further on is the main tunnel of the second excavation area, where people work 24 hours a day,” Feng Zhenba explained.

“I can dive across,” Han Sheng said with a smile.

Granny Wang looked at Han Sheng and carefully warned him, "Han Sheng, without oxygen equipment, no one can hold their breath for that long."

Han Sheng solemnly replied, "Granny, I'm not joking. I know a 'bull holding its breath' method; several hours is no problem for me."

"You're serious!" Feng Zhenba exclaimed in surprise and excitement, "If we can get through, we'll report to the mine to send divers in, along with two sets of oxygen cylinders, and then we can go home!" As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes.

Granny Wang stared at Han Sheng in confusion without speaking.

Han Sheng smiled and said, "Granny, Master Ye taught me a trick. By controlling the guardian spirit in my head with my mind, I can instantly achieve tortoise breathing. I can walk in the water while tortoise breathing without any problem."

"Oh, I see. That's good. Both monks and Taoists have methods for practicing tortoise breathing, but it's said that the highest level of Tantric yoga is more refined. Master Ye..." Granny Wang nodded.

"Master Ye was originally a lama of the Karma Kagyu school of Tantric Buddhism," Han Sheng explained.

Granny Wang gestured for Han Sheng to help her to the side, then lowered her voice and said, "Alright, Han Sheng, if you're confident, you might as well give it a try. You can't just die here. Granny Wang has a few things to tell you before you die. Listen carefully: First, after you heal Liu Jinmo, wait until Granny Wang apologizes to him. Back then, Bai Suzhen killed his master's parents, the Mei family, ruining the lives of those two children. Alas, it's too late to make amends. Second, when you send Granny Wang's remains back to Hong Kong to be buried with the ancient immortals, find Master Lu and tell him that Granny Wang has forgiven you." He... Bai Suzhen has always respected General Sun Liren; he is a true Chinese soldier with a backbone. Thirdly, Hansheng, please take good care of Ping'er for your mother. I think you'd better take Lan'er and Ping'er and hide away in Shangri-La in northwestern Yunnan. You'll be safe there. As for Mingyue, she brought this upon herself; she'll get her comeuppance sooner or later.

Hansheng nodded and said, "Mother, don't worry, I understand."

Hansheng went to the edge of the water cave, and following the method of the old man, controlled the guardian spirit with his mind, then with a "plop," jumped into the dark water.

The water in the mine wasn't cold, but warm and comfortable. Hansheng breathed heavily, his heartbeat extremely slow, his body hardly needing any oxygen. He hopped forward in the water, everything as far as the eye could see was pitch black, so he simply closed his eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, the tunnel finally came to an end. Han Sheng opened his eyes. Although it was still pitch black, he was now able to surface. Finally, he had arrived. With a thought, Han Sheng climbed onto the upper tunnel.

Following the path described by Feng Zhenba, Han Sheng, soaking wet, groped his way forward.

Inside the main tunnel of the second tunneling area of Kaiping Coal Mine, a group of night shift workers were working feverishly. The team had instructed them to work overtime before the Spring Festival, striving to win the glorious title of the mine's advanced red flag tunneling team.

The roar of the pneumatic drills stopped. The workers put down their shovels. The air seemed to freeze. People stared in disbelief as a young man, soaking wet, emerged from a tunnel that had been abandoned for many years… The workers silently gathered around him.

Han Sheng smiled and said, "Feng Zhenba wants you to rescue him."

The crowd erupted in cheers, dropping their tools and crowding around Han Sheng as they boarded the vertical lift to the surface. They rushed towards the mining bureau building, tears streaming down their faces, shouting, "Feng Zhenba is alive! Feng Zhenba is alive!"

Some even burst out of the mine gates, staggering towards the dormitory building of the second tunneling team, yelling hoarsely, "Quickly tell Feng Zhenba's family, Captain Feng is alive!"

The leaders of the Kaiping Mining Bureau were shocked. Could there really still be survivors from the roof collapse accident ten years ago?

Countless homes turned on their lights, and workers' families rushed out of their homes, gathering at the mine entrance of the second tunneling area.

Han Sheng, leading divers from the mining bureau's rescue team, along with two additional oxygen devices, entered the pitch-black water tunnel. Everyone was astonished that this young stranger named Han Sheng could enter the water barehanded without any oxygen supply.

After navigating the two-to-three-kilometer-long waterway, the rescue team surfaced from the cave entrance. Illuminated by several waterproof battery-operated lights, they finally saw Feng Zhenba, the captain of the second gold-digging team who had perished ten years prior… Instantly, people excitedly embraced Feng Zhenba, jumping and sobbing.

Han Sheng wiped away tears from his eyes and searched everywhere for Granny Wang.

On the smooth stone ground, a pool of blood was scattered, and a solitary skeleton lay quietly there… Han Sheng knelt down with a thud, tears welling in his eyes, murmuring, “Granny…”

People fell silent and gathered around him.

Feng Zhenba came to Han Sheng's side and sighed softly, “Your Granny committed suicide.”

“How could this be?” Han Sheng asked, his eyes filled with tears.

“After you went into the water, Grandma told me that she had already made arrangements for her affairs. She wanted me to drive the rats to eat her flesh after she died, leaving only her bones for you to take to Hong Kong to be buried with her lover. She also left you a gift inside her skull. While I was still in shock, your grandma suddenly smashed her head against the stone wall and committed suicide. I never expected her to do this, so I didn’t have time to stop her. Alas… Since Grandma is dead, I can only follow her last wishes and order the rats to eat all her flesh, leaving only a clean skeleton,” Feng Zhenba said sadly.

“Grandma, why did you have to do this? Alas, Hansheng now understands that in this life, no matter how much love and hate one has, in the end, it is all just a skeleton… Rest in peace, Grandma, Hansheng will never let you down.” Hansheng said softly as he began to collect Grandma Wang’s bones.

A rescue team member silently handed over an empty canvas bag containing diving equipment. Han Sheng carefully filled it with bones, one by one. When he finally lifted the skull, an oval-shaped bone, about the size of a walnut and faintly glowing, fell out. Han Sheng knew this was the relic left to him by Granny Wang.

The mine entrance was brightly lit, and people crowded around it, three or four deep, all anxiously waiting.

At the front, a group of people supported a withered old woman with white hair. Her red, swollen eyes were filled with tears as she stared at the elevator exit. She was Feng Zhenba's mother. The sudden good news had almost overwhelmed her; if it weren't for her grandson supporting her, she would have collapsed long ago.

The elevator winch slowly turned, and everyone's hearts were in their throats. Countless anxious eyes were fixed on the exit.

Feng Zhenba, with a full head of white hair, appeared, wearing someone else's work clothes. He spotted the old woman before him, knelt down with a thud, and cried, "Mother..." tears streaming down his face.

People wept, the entire crowd wailing... Han Sheng silently carried Granny Wang's remains and quietly left; no one noticed his departure.

Dawn was approaching, the east showing the first light of day. Han Sheng quietly returned to the hotel; people were still asleep.

Chapter 247:

Early Morning, Tangshan Municipal Government First Guesthouse.

In a luxurious suite, Huang Jianguo listened with a grim face to Xiao Yanfang's report.

"I told you, the mission was only to monitor Han Sheng and the others' movements. I would notify you separately when to take action to arrest them. But you acted on your own, ruining the entire plan, and even leaving behind two corpses. Especially that Japanese man, he's someone important; this will cause some diplomatic trouble," Huang Jianguo reprimanded angrily.

Xiao Yanfang said tremblingly, "It was all that Murakami Takeo who wanted to do it. I tried to dissuade him in every way, but it was no use." She thought she could just pin everything on that Japanese man and make sure no one could prove anything.

Huang Jianguo frowned, pacing back and forth, deep in thought. He had just gained his superior's trust, and now his subordinates had made such a huge blunder. How was he going to cover this up?

"Xiao Yanfang," he said, stopping in his tracks.

"Yes," Xiao Yanfang quickly replied, glancing at Huang Jianguo.

"Didn't they leave anything on Yang Gong and Murakami Takeo's bodies that could identify them?" Huang Jianguo asked.

"Absolutely not. We checked everyone thoroughly before we left; it's standard procedure," Xiao Yanfang assured him.

"Hmm, their bodies will be discovered at dawn, and the police will investigate as a murder case. We must not only distance ourselves from this case but also prevent any clues from pointing to Han Sheng and his group, understand?" Huang Jianguo said thoughtfully.

"Yes, Xiao Yanfang understands," Xiao Yanfang replied.

Huang Jianguo thought for a moment and instructed, "Go back to Kaiping immediately and keep an eye on things. This time, don't act rashly. Han Sheng and his group are heading back to Poyang Lake Valley in Jiangxi as soon as possible to treat Wu Chushan and Liu Jinmo's catatonia. Han Sheng won't change his plans during this time. I'm returning to Beijing immediately to report to the higher-ups. You can go now."

"Who is our informant? Should I contact him?" Xiao Yanfang asked cautiously.

Huang Jianguo's gaze immediately sharpened, staring at Xiao Yanfang with a gloomy expression, and he said coldly, "That's none of your business."

"Yes." Xiao Yanfang felt a chill run down her spine, quickly bowed her head, and left the room, heading straight for Kaiping.

"They're a complete bunch of useless trash," Huang Jianguo thought. Last time at the Shanhaiguan Arrow Tower, he had promised his father-in-law that he would secretly capture Han Sheng at an opportune moment and then use scientific hypnosis to empty Han Sheng's mind. But honestly, he wasn't entirely confident. This time back in Beijing, he needed to consult with experts in this field and make all the necessary preparations, just in case they came in handy.

He started packing his belongings and went downstairs to pay the bill. A subordinate pulled up in a black Shanghai-brand sedan. He got in and said, "Back to the Jingxi Hotel."

The black sedan sped onto the national highway, heading straight for Beijing.

The Jingxi Hotel, located on West Chang'an Avenue, is a Soviet-style building constructed in 1959. It belongs to the General Logistics Department and contains luxurious suites specifically for receiving national and military leaders, enjoying the same level of management and security as Zhongnanhai and the Great Hall of the People.

Huang Jianguo possessed a special pass given to him by a high-ranking official. After passing several strict checks, he entered the heavily guarded rear building. Stepping onto the soft red carpet, a sense of superiority welled up within Huang Jianguo. "Hmph," he thought, "ten years from now, let's see who dares ask me for some worthless pass."

In a luxurious suite, Huang Jianguo met the official—his future father-in-law.

"Hahaha, so Master Jin's Jia Shiming was actually 'faking blindness'... Even Professor Liu held back a trick, interesting," the middle-aged man laughed until tears streamed down his face. Suddenly, his laughter stopped abruptly, his face darkened, and he slowly said, "Murakami Takeo is dead. He's the nephew of Kurosawa, the Deputy Consul General of Japan. This is rather troublesome. Jianguo, I'm quite disappointed in how you handled this matter."

Huang Jianguo was anxious and quickly explained, "Father-in-law, Murakami Takeo went against my wishes and acted on his own initiative. I was simply powerless to intervene."

The leader pondered, "Of course, you can't entirely blame yourself. This Japanese man was arrogant and overconfident, and it was only a matter of time before he was defeated by a Chinese Taoist master. Hmph, let's see if these Japanese dare to underestimate our Chinese martial arts again. I'll handle this matter."

"Thank you for your understanding, Father-in-law. I am extremely grateful," Huang Jianguo said sincerely.

The commander nodded, then changed the subject, his gaze suddenly sharpening as he casually asked, "Jianguo, how is your informant, Miss Mingyue?"

Huang Jianguo blushed, his mind racing. How did his father-in-law know? How much did he know?

"Jianguo, they've already reported to me. It turns out you and Miss Mingyue knew each other before. No wonder you wanted her as your informant. Tell me, you two aren't in a romantic relationship, are you?" The commander looked at him meaningfully.

"Absolutely not, Father-in-law, please believe me. I only saved that little nun's life once, and she's just grateful," Huang Jianguo hurriedly protested.

"That's good. You know, Dongdong is truly devoted to you, and she absolutely cannot tolerate any infidelity," the commander said with a smile.

"Father-in-law, don't worry, Jianguo is also deeply in love with Dongdong," Huang Jianguo vowed.

"Good, I believe you. Now, let's talk about this little nun," the commander's gaze softened.

Huang Jianguo returned to his residence near Qianmen with a heavy heart. It was a courtyard house from the Ming and Qing dynasties, arranged by Dongdong's father. Two other families lived in the courtyard, while he and his father, Huang Qianhui, lived in two rooms in the east wing.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Huang Jianguo entered his father's room and saw him intently studying a series of yellowed thread-bound books at the table with a magnifying glass.

Huang Qianhui looked up and gestured for his son to close the door.

"Oh, Jianguo, you're back. Look, this is the 'History of Yuan' compiled by Song Lian in the early Ming Dynasty. It records the rise and fall of the Yuan Dynasty. Dad is comparing it with the trajectory of Zhu Yuanzhang's life after the death of his mother, Chen, at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, and discovering that Empress Ma Xiuying, Guo Zixing's adopted daughter, played a significant role." Huang Qianhui said.

"Dad, what do you mean?" Huang Jianguo said irritably.

Huang Qianhui chuckled and patiently explained, "It seems you need to marry Dongdong this year; it will greatly benefit the activation of Taiji Yin Yun."

Huang Jianguo was somewhat agitated, so he loudly said to his father, "Dad, I don't want to marry her now!"

"What? Are you still thinking about that little nun?" Huang Qianhui's face darkened.

"What about Mingyue? I must marry her in this life! Look at Dongdong's ugly and despicable appearance; she can't even compare to one of Mingyue's toes," Huang Jianguo said angrily.

"Jianguo, what's wrong with you today?" Huang Qianhui looked at his son in surprise. After a long while, he slowly said, "Son, I'm doing this for your own good. Empress Ma was extremely ugly, but Zhu Yuanzhang still married her for the sake of the greater good. After becoming emperor, didn't he have a harem and enjoy all the beauties in the world? As for Mingyue, if you really can't let go, I won't object to you divorcing her after you've achieved your goal and marrying her. But right now, we can't let a small thing ruin the big picture. Son, you're not the kind of person who's short-sighted and acts impulsively, are you?"

Huang Jianguo's facial muscles twitched nervously. After a while, he finally calmed down, and his expression returned to normal. He slowly said, "Don't mention Mingyue again. I need to discuss something extremely important with you now. It concerns state secrets, and neither of us can divulge even a whisper of it."

Huang Qianhui sat up straight. Seeing Jianguo's serious expression, he knew that what he was about to say must be of great importance.

“There was an old lama named Danba at Yonghe Temple. Before he died, he met with someone and entrusted him with a very important matter, supposedly a precise prophecy concerning who would rule the Central Plains within sixty years after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949,” Huang Jianguo recounted.

“Sixty years? That's until 2009!” Huang Qiansui exclaimed in surprise.

“Exactly.” Huang Jianguo felt uneasy.

“It must be you… That prophecy might have predicted the power of the Taiji Yin Aura, just like Liu Bowen's burial of the Chen family to foretell the rise of the Ming Dynasty. That's what the prophecy said, isn't it, child?” Huang Qiansui said excitedly.

“I don't know. Only the person entrusted with the prophecy knows its contents, and he's the only person in the world who knows it,” Huang Jianguo sighed.

“Who is that person?” Huang Qiansui asked.

“Zhu Hansheng,” Huang Jianguo replied.

Chapter 248

Han Sheng silently entered the room, his clothes stiff with cold, shivering all over. He sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) clutching his canvas bag, lost in thought.

He had left home perfectly fine in the middle of the night, but when he returned in the morning, his mother-in-law was nothing but a bag of bones. Recalling the fierce battle in the snowfield last night, Professor Liu's heroic sacrifice, and Feng Zhenba, the coal miner trapped underground for ten years, he realized that there were so many tragic and desolate things in the world, and often, the difference was just a matter of a single thought.

Sigh, Han Sheng let out a long sigh… “Han Sheng, why are you sighing?” Old Ye suddenly jumped out of bed and asked. The old man had woken up quite early.

Han Sheng remained silent, tears involuntarily falling.

“Why are you crying? Who bullied you?” Old Ye's concern was evident in his words.

As they were talking, Feng Sheng woke up. "Hey, Han Sheng, you're all wet and drenched! Did you fall into the water?"

Old Master Ye suddenly sniffed the air and exclaimed loudly, "Han Sheng, this bag is full of human bones!"

Old Master Ye's shout woke Xiao Cuihua and Mingyue, who were sleeping in the opposite room. They rushed in.

"Master is gone," Mingyue said anxiously, then looked in surprise at Han Sheng's soaking wet clothes.

"Grandma is here," Han Sheng said softly, stroking the bag filled with bones, his expression listless.

"You mean…" Feng Sheng reached out and untied the bag, revealing a white skull.

"Ah!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

Han Sheng gently retied the canvas bag and said painfully, "Grandma Wang is dead. These are her remains. She wanted me to take her to Hong Kong to be buried with the only person she ever loved."

"Han Sheng, Master was perfectly fine before going to sleep last night. How could he turn into skeletons overnight?" Mingyue's cheeks were streaked with tears as she shook her head frantically.

"Yes, Han Sheng, this is a matter of life and death. Don't talk nonsense," Feng Sheng said suspiciously, staring at Han Sheng.

"It's true..." Han Sheng felt exhausted and didn't want to explain further.

"This old monk believes what Han Sheng says!" Ye Lao, his bare, withered upper body brimming with passion, said passionately, but then, feeling it might be somewhat indecent, he quickly burrowed back into the covers. "

Yang Gong, a notorious villain, also died last night, near the bushes at the foot of that mountain. And that Japanese man we saw at Shanhaiguan... if you don't believe me, you can go and see for yourselves," Han Sheng sighed softly.

"Yang Gong? You mean the murderer you've been searching for?" Feng Sheng asked anxiously.

"He's also the demonic beast from the Wan Jin Pagoda of Huanglong Prefecture who eats children's brains," Han Sheng told him.

Feng Sheng quickly dressed and rushed out. Mingyue's expression changed slightly; after a moment's thought, she turned and followed.

Only Han Sheng, Ye Lao, Xiao Cuihua, and the unconscious Liu Jinmo remained in the room.

Han Sheng silently stood up and looked at them, saying, "Let's pack our things and set off as soon as Mingyue returns."

"I'll go lasso the horse," Xiao Cuihua said happily. The sooner they returned to Jiangxi, the sooner Han Sheng could begin treating Liu Jinmo.

"No need. Let's sell the carriage and the horse. We need to rent a car to travel faster," Han Sheng said.

Xiao Cuihua found a waiter at the inn, and Han Sheng entrusted him with the sale of the entire carriage at a very low price. The waiter got a great deal and happily went to find a buyer nearby. The deal was made immediately, and an old Soviet-made GAZ-51 truck was rented for Han Sheng and the others.

Xiao Cuihua carried Liu Jinmo into the truck bed and wrapped him in several thick quilts, afraid that he would get cold.

"Han Sheng, none of us can leave." Feng Sheng walked in from outside with a serious expression.

"Why can't we leave? I'm leaving, so what?" Ye Lao shouted, hands on his hips and head held high.

Feng Sheng went straight to Han Sheng and said solemnly, "Han Sheng, I'm sorry, but we can't leave right now. There are two lives at stake, one of whom is a foreigner, and you are the only one with knowledge of the matter and a witness. We must wait for the police to come and investigate and collect evidence."

Han Sheng understood that he was involved in this matter and that it was difficult to extricate himself now.

Suddenly, firecrackers went off from the mining area, accompanied by a cacophony of voices. Kaiping City wasn't large, surrounded by the Kailuan Coal Mine. A group of workers finishing their night shift could be heard heading this way, loudly discussing some strange news.

As they passed a small inn, they overheard them talking excitedly about a mining accident from ten years ago, and now a survivor named Feng Zhenba had been found.

Upon hearing this, Feng Sheng froze, rushing out of the room and grabbing the miner's shoulders tightly: "What did you say! Feng Zhenba is alive?"

"Yes, he was rescued this morning. I heard it was a young man from out of town named Hansheng who found him," the man said, struggling to break free.

Feng Sheng's face turned deathly pale, his body trembling as if electrocuted. "Father..." he murmured in a dreamlike voice.

A moment later, he suddenly turned around, rushed back into the hotel, and gripped Han Sheng's shoulders tightly with both hands, stammering, "Feng Zhenba... the mining accident ten years ago, Han Sheng, was you..."

Han Sheng looked at him, nodded, and said, "Yes, Feng Zhenba. He said he was a tunneling team leader ten years ago."

"Thank you... that was my father." Feng Sheng was already in tears.

Feng Sheng was Feng Zhenba's eldest son. The mining accident ten years ago completely changed his family's fate. The once lively and cheerful Feng Sheng became taciturn, devoting himself entirely to his work in the police force. Despite being middle-aged, he had no interest in marrying and starting a family. Due to solving several major cases, he was transferred to Beijing by the Ministry of Public Security, becoming one of the most famous detectives in the Criminal Investigation Bureau. He always worked alone and had considerable authority.

Although Beijing and Kaiping were very close, he rarely had time to go home. This time, he had intended to visit his mother, but due to his official duties and the constant surveillance of suspects like Han Sheng, he couldn't leave. Thus, he could only emulate Yu the Great's flood control, passing his home three times without entering.

But ten years had passed, and his father was still alive! This sudden, earth-shattering news came like a bolt from the blue. He was overjoyed, but he couldn't stay away from home.

"Come on, Han Sheng, let's go to my house. Our whole family wants to thank you for your great kindness," Feng Sheng said, grabbing Han Sheng's arm and pulling him towards the door.

"No need for thanks. Saving lives is urgent. Uncle Shanren and Mr. Liu are waiting for me to treat them, so I must set off immediately to Jiangxi," Han Sheng said resolutely. Feng

Sheng hesitated, thinking, "Han Sheng is a great benefactor to my Feng family. I should let him go, but I am also a public servant. How can I disregard the law for personal gain?" After much deliberation, he made up his mind.

"Hansheng, after my whole family thanks you in person, I'll immediately accompany you south, how about that?" Feng Sheng said sincerely.

"Great! Let's go to his house and see what's going on!" Old Ye clapped his hands.

"Where's Mingyue?" Hansheng asked, looking around.

"She's probably still at the crime scene, right? I came back first," Feng Sheng replied.

Hansheng thought for a moment, then sighed, "Alright, let's get in the truck and leave, then we can set off directly." After

everyone packed their things and settled the bill, Xiao Cuihua carried Granny Wang and Mingyue's things onto the truck, and everyone drove towards the dormitory area of the Kaiping Mining Bureau.

The area in front of the dormitory building was still bustling with activity. Next to it was a three-story white building, which was the mining hospital. Feng Zhenba had been sent there for a medical examination, and it wasn't over yet.

Everyone was extremely excited. For ten years, how had Feng Zhenba survived underground all by himself? What did he eat? And so on, everything sparked people's rich imaginations, and everyone was discussing and speculating loudly.

The truck stopped, and Feng Sheng appeared before the crowd, pulling Han Sheng along. Some people recognized this young man as the stranger who had found Feng Zhenba, so everyone excitedly gathered around, asking questions incessantly.

At this moment, a commotion arose at the hospital entrance. Feng Zhenba, wearing sunglasses, walked out of the gate accompanied by his mother and youngest son. A cheer erupted from the crowd, and the women and relatives were all moved to tears, especially the widows of the miners who had died in the accident ten years ago, who immediately burst into loud wails.

At this moment, at the foot of West Mountain, by the bushes, Mingyue stood silently on the snow, two lines of tears slowly streaming down her cheeks. A gust of north wind rose, stirring up a haze of snow, the cold wind biting and piercing to the bone.

Master, did you really leave us like this? She was all alone in this world, leaving behind the bright moon… Recalling that night at Shanhaiguan, when she nervously entered the hotel's inner suite, she was unexpectedly greeted by the person standing by the window—it was none other than Jianguo, whom she had longed for day and night! In an instant, her mind went blank, and before she knew it, Jianguo had pulled her into his arms… So tired, she felt nothing at all when he kissed her lips.

“Where are you going?” Jianguo’s voice was ethereal, as if from a distant celestial realm.

“Back to Poyang Lake Valley.” It was as if she wasn’t answering herself.

“Who did your master pass on his skills to…”

"What's the background of that old man from Tangshan..."

she answered his question mechanically, her mind preoccupied with the woman named "Dongdong" who had walked with Jianguo in the rain at the Wuyuan bus station. She was so short, with dark skin, rough flesh, and a thick waist, a face covered in purplish-red pimples, thick lips, and slanted eyes... She felt sorry for Jianguo, angry at his misfortune. There's an idiom, "A beautiful flower stuck in cow dung," and poor Jianguo was "a hero without a good wife." Was her own appearance inferior to that ugly woman?

"Are you still going to marry Dongdong?" Mingyue asked softly, her expression lost.

"No, I will marry you. Huang Jianguo cannot live without Mingyue..." The soft, sweet voice reached her ears, and Mingyue felt like she was dreaming.

"To show my unwavering loyalty to you, I want to give you a gift." Jianguo gently fastened a gold necklace around his neck, with a large red heart-shaped gemstone pendant.

On the snow-covered wasteland, Mingyue reminisced as she reached into her bra, touching the ruby on her chest. A smile finally appeared on her face… Two kilometers away, Xiao Yanfang stood on a high hill, holding a miniature Japanese wireless tracker. She silently watched the western mountains with a cold smile. Huang Jianguo had said that as long as the signal wasn't lost, there was no need to follow too closely.

Chapter 249

The truck driver of the GAZ-51 was also from the mine's transport fleet. His surname was Zhao, and he was in his twenties. He had always transported coal in the mining area. He was very excited about the opportunity to go to the south. He drove the truck steadily and fast, humming a little tune as he headed towards Jiangxi.

Mingyue was also in the truck, sitting in the driver's seat. Hansheng, Ye Lao, and Fengsheng were wrapped in cotton coats provided by the mine and squeezed into the back of the truck. Xiao Cuihua crawled under the thick quilt and lay down next to Liu Jinmo.

"Comrade Mingyue, are you from the south?" the driver, Xiao Lei, asked.

Mingyue nodded slightly, remaining silent, her gaze fixed on the village and snow-covered fields flashing past the window, lost in thought.

She recalled being an orphan, brought to a temple by an unknown old nun at a young age, spending her days with the ancient Buddha and the chanting of sutras, resigned to spending her life there. Unexpectedly, one day, a young college student entered the temple to seek shelter from the rain. When his eyes met hers, she trembled as if struck by lightning—a feeling she had never experienced before. Like a wounded fawn, she yearned for the care of this unfamiliar young man.

"What's your name?" the young man asked, his voice clear and melodious.

"Mingyue..." she murmured, lowering her long eyelashes, unable to look at him, her cheeks and neck burning.

When she looked up again, he was already gone, a fleeting glimpse... But her heart, like a still pond, was now rippled with turmoil, unable to find peace.

That night, the clouds dispersed and the moon shone brightly. Her master was out, and she sat alone quietly before the Buddhist hall of the nunnery, her thoughts in turmoil, a sweet feeling occasionally welling up within her.

The sound of a flute began, drifting intermittently into the nunnery. "The flute's sound is choked, Qin E's dream is broken by the moon over Qin Tower..." The beautiful melody sometimes softly lamented, sometimes passionately so, like a mournful lament. Mingyue was captivated, and thinking of her own past, tears streamed down her face.

Following the sound of the flute, she left the nunnery. In the hazy moonlight, the young man from earlier stood under the willow tree, holding a small flute, gazing at her with longing... "Tonight the moon is bright, everyone gazes upon it, but whose heart is filled with autumn thoughts?" the young man recited wistfully.

Mingyue stood frozen before the nunnery, at a loss, her mind in turmoil, not knowing what to do.

"The bright moon shines so brightly, illuminating my bed curtains. Sorrow keeps me awake; I rise and pace back and forth. Though travel may be pleasant, nothing compares to returning home early. I wander alone outside, lost in thought; to whom can I confide my sorrows? I lead myself back into the room, tears wetting my clothes." The young man looked up at the bright moon in the sky and let out a long sigh, mournful and desolate.

Mingyue felt a pang of sympathy, a sense of shared suffering, as if they had known each other for a long time. Her feet involuntarily moved towards this stranger.

The young man told Mingyue that his name was Huang Jianguo, that he lived in Wuyuan County, and that this small village was his hometown. He was a worker-peasant-soldier college student, currently studying at Peking University in Beijing.

The nameless nun hadn't returned to the nunnery for several days, and Huang Jianguo came to the nunnery every morning to accompany Mingyue in chanting scriptures and doing her homework, talking about the outside world she had never heard of before, until late at night before reluctantly leaving. These few days were the happiest time of Mingyue's life.

Finally, on the night before their master returned to the nunnery, under the moonlight, amidst the grass and the chirping of insects, they did *that*... In the driver's cab, Mingyue held the ruby pendant at her chest, her face as radiant as a peach blossom, a sweet smile on her lips.

Late December is the coldest time of year in the north, and despite the people in the GAZ-51 truck wrapped tightly in their cotton coats, the biting wind still penetrated their clothing.

"Hansheng, you are a kind-hearted person, and I believe you would never do anything illegal. I can tell you seem to have something you can't say openly, but please rest assured, Feng Sheng is a grateful person, and I will do my best to help you," Feng Sheng whispered to Hansheng, pulling his coat tighter around him.

Hansheng looked at him, seeing the sincerity and trust in Feng Sheng's eyes, and was deeply moved.

"Your father told you about Granny Wang's death. It was her own wish. Before this, she was determined to leave. She originally wanted me to retrieve her remains three years later for a joint burial in the south. But now, those rats have allowed her last wish to be fulfilled ahead of schedule," Han Sheng sighed.

"Why wait three years?" Feng Sheng asked, puzzled.

"This old monk knows," Ye Lao suddenly leaned forward and said, "People from the Central Plains who migrated to Lingnan to escape war are called 'Hakka people.' When they migrated south, they couldn't take their ancestors' graves with them. They had no choice but to open a coffin, put the bones in an urn, and carry it with them to their new home. However, it usually takes three years for the flesh to completely decompose, leaving only a skeleton. Therefore, the Hakka people who later migrated south from the Central Plains retained this custom. After a person dies and is buried, the bones are put in an urn three years later and placed under a tree in the backyard, no longer buried."

"Why?" Feng Sheng asked, as he wasn't very familiar with Lingnan customs.

"Probably so that it's easier to migrate again at any time," Ye Lao muttered.

“Oh, I see,” Feng Sheng nodded, then turned to Han Sheng and asked, “Han Sheng, did Granny Wang kill Yang Gong and that Japanese man?”

Han Sheng thought for a moment, deciding not to complicate matters further, so he omitted the names of Master Jin and Professor Liu, and vaguely replied, “Granny Wang came north this time to eliminate Yang Gong’s wicked disciple and clean house. Now she has finally achieved her goal.”

“Oh? If that’s the case, it’s simple. But how did a Japanese reporter get involved?” Feng Sheng asked疑惑地, then asked Han Sheng, “Were you there at the time?”

Han Sheng had no choice but to nod.

“This Japanese man is quite suspicious. I’ll have to investigate his background carefully later,” Feng Sheng muttered to himself.

The truck sped along.

A few kilometers behind them, a grass-green Beijing 212 jeep followed. Xiao Yanfang sat in the front seat, holding the tracking device, a cold smile on her face, following slowly behind.

The area from Sanlitun to Liangmahe in Beijing's Chaoyang District is a foreign embassy district. Not far from the Japanese Consulate General, in a hutong (alleyway), stands a quaint little courtyard house. Its gate is usually locked, and a nanny and bodyguard live inside. This is the residence of Deputy Consul General Kurosawa.

Kurosawa is a China expert, and his calligraphy is first-rate. That night, he was at his table, splashing ink, quite pleased with the large characters he had just completed.

The door opened, and a gust of cold wind blew in. Kurosawa looked up and was surprised to find a gaunt Chinese Taoist priest standing inside.

The Taoist priest was elderly, his expressionless face etched with deep wrinkles, as if carved by a knife, yet his eyes were sharp and piercing.

"Who are you?" Kurosawa asked calmly, a brush in hand. Anyone who could slip past guards and infiltrate his room was no ordinary person.

"This humble Taoist has been entrusted to see Consul Kurosawa," the priest said, hands clasped behind his back.

"I am Kurosawa. May I ask who entrusted me?" Kurosawa asked, puzzled.

"Murakami Takeo asked me to give you this," the priest said, pulling a purplish-red carved wooden cane from behind him and handing it to Kurosawa.

Upon seeing the cane, Kurosawa was immediately alarmed. He took it and held it in his hands, gently stroking it. After a long while, he sighed softly, "He's dead?"

"Dead," the priest murmured.

"Alas, I knew this day would come sooner or later. Miyamoto Musashi's two-sword style swordsmanship was unparalleled on the Japanese islands, but it might not be so in China. The Central Plains have thousands of years of cultural accumulation; who knows how many extraordinary talents are hidden there? Please tell me, Daoist, what school of martial arts killed Murakami?" Kurosawa asked.

"The Heavenly Gang Qi Gong of the Quanzhen School of Taoism," the Daoist replied calmly.

"Quanzhen means to preserve one's true nature, to preserve one's essence, qi, and spirit. Wang Chongyang's innate qi gong is indeed remarkable. Alas, Murakami must have died from the Quanzhen School's Three Flowers Gathering at the Top Palm," Kurosawa sighed.

The Daoist was secretly surprised that Consul Kurosawa was so familiar with the Quanzhen School.

"You killed Murakami, didn't you?" Kurosawa asked softly.

"Yes, it was I," the Daoist nodded in acknowledgment.

Kurosawa nodded and asked, "What is your name, Daoist? Where is your sacred mountain?"

"Jia Shiming of Baiyun Temple," Daoist Jin said calmly.

Kurosawa was slightly startled upon hearing this, then pondered for a moment before saying, "Understood. Daoist, please return. Kurosawa thanks you for returning the Japanese sacred weapon, the Heavenly Cloud Sword. By the way, where is Murakami's body now?"

"At the foot of Xishan Mountain in Kaiping Town, Tangshan, Hebei," Daoist Jin replied.

"Until we meet again." Kurosawa slowly turned his back.

"In that case, farewell." Daoist Jin cupped his hands in farewell, turned, and left.

After the footsteps faded into the distance, Kurosawa suddenly burst into tears.

Chapter 250

The GAZ-51 truck boarded the ferry and crossed the Yangtze River. Although it was still the dead of winter, the Jiangnan region was already lush and green with life.

Looking at the vast and ever-flowing Yangtze River, Han Sheng felt a surge of emotions. He had finally returned to Jiangnan. Lan'er, are you alright? Uncle Shanren, you must hold on! Little Caihua, Grandmother, and Ping'er... Thinking of these things, his eyes welled up with tears.

"Pah! Is this muddy mess the Yangtze River? Back then, the Yangtze was crystal clear and green, and you could even see groups of river pigs on the surface!" Old Ye remarked angrily.

"Hansheng, this Old Ye is a bit eccentric. He thinks he's from the Song-Liao era, but he probably doesn't even know his own history. That was over a thousand years ago! I've noticed that everyone around you seems to have a bit of a problem," Feng Sheng said, pointing to his head.

Hansheng smiled and shook his head without answering.

He wondered if there would be a conflict between the patriarch and Xiao Cuihua after returning to Poyang Lake Valley. And what should he do once Liu Jinmo woke up?

At dusk, the GAZ-51 truck stopped at the entrance of Poyang Lake Valley. Feng Sheng volunteered to carry Liu Jinmo on his back, but Xiao Cuihua shook her head; she still wanted to carry her fiancé herself. The

petite Xiao Cuihua lifted Liu Jinmo with both hands, and although she possessed martial arts skills, Liu Jinmo almost touched the ground. The others, including the driver Xiao Zhao, carried their belongings and headed into the valley.

The big yellow dog, Benben, spotted them from afar and excitedly rushed over, jumping on Hansheng and barking loudly, its warm tongue licking his cheeks.

Suddenly, Benben turned and saw Ye Lao, letting out a series of threatening growls. Ye Lao, seeing this, turned and ran, disappearing into the three thatched huts.

Lan'er came out of the hut and saw Hansheng. She swayed slightly, grabbed the doorframe, and tears streamed down her face.

"Lan'er..." Hansheng stepped forward and supported Lan'er's shoulders. It was clear she had lost a lot of weight. "You've suffered..." he said sadly.

Wu Chushanren lay quietly on the bamboo bed, his eyes closed, his cheeks sharp and his eyes sunken.

"Uncle Shanren, Hansheng is back. You will wake up," Hansheng said to him, tears welling in his eyes.

"Jinmo!" A heart-wrenching scream rang out from the thatched hut.

The old ancestor, disheveled and bare-chested, shoved Xiao Cuihua aside, picked up the unconscious Liu Jinmo, and grinned, tears and snot streaming down her face. "How did you become like this?" She turned and glared at Xiao Cuihua, demanding sharply, "Who are you? How dare you touch Jinmo's body?"

Xiao Cuihua stared in shock at the enormous, androgynous figure, unsure how to answer.

"Speak, who are you to him?" The old ancestor released her grip, and Liu Jinmo fell to the ground with a thud.

Seeing this, Xiao Cuihua didn't bother to answer and quickly bent down to embrace Liu Jinmo.

"Ah! You..." The old ancestor was furious, her pimples turning even more purplish-red. Without a word, she raised her hand and slapped Xiao Cuihua softly... "Stop!" Han Sheng rushed out and shouted.

The old ancestor abruptly stopped his attack, looking at Han Sheng with tearful, aggrieved eyes. Pointing at Xiao Cuihua, he said heartbrokenly, "This little dwarf wants to take advantage of me..."

Xiao Cuihua, recovering from her shock, also looked at Han Sheng and asked suspiciously, "Who is he (she)?"

Han Sheng, helpless, could only explain to Xiao Cuihua, "Her name is Old Ancestor, and she also likes Mr. Liu very much." Turning to the old ancestor, he added, "Old Ancestor, her name is Xiao Cuihua, and she is already engaged to Liu Jinmo. They got engaged during this trip north."

The old ancestor was stunned, staring at Han Sheng with his two bull-like eyes... Looking at Xiao Cuihua, he suddenly burst into wild laughter, first "hehe," then "giggle," then "waaaa," and finally a long howl of "ow," before turning and running into the jujube grove with his chest exposed... Han Sheng's heart suddenly felt a sharp pain, and his mind instantly activated "Old Ox Holding Breath." The three successive "hehe," "giggle," and "waaaa" sounds from the ancestor, containing internal energy, vibrated and were loaded into his eight extraordinary meridians, startling one of the three souls in his mind, the Heavenly Soul, also known as the "Ghost Soul." Especially the last "ow..." sound, the Ghost Soul slammed its fist on the table and stood up.

At this moment, the others seemed unfazed. Feng Sheng even smiled and said to Han Sheng, "How about that? I told you so, everyone here has a problem with their brains."

Han Sheng, having already passed the first stage of the "Hysteria Divine Skill"—the old ox holding its breath—could constantly mobilize his "corpse-guarding soul," instantly sensing the frequency of the ancestor's internal energy. His two souls, heaven and earth, simultaneously convulsed. He could no longer suppress his intense inner impulse, and thus began repeatedly shouting, "Hehe, giggle, wah wah, awoo..."

At this moment, Han Sheng's expression was as if he were possessed, extremely excited, his face alternating between five colors: blue, red, white, yellow, and black. Then, he laughed maniacally, finally becoming hysterical—the second stage of the "Hysteria Divine Skill."

The secret mantra, in Sanskrit "Mandala," meaning "true word," is the true language of inner wisdom, capable of revealing the true nature of all phenomena. In Tibetan Buddhism, every syllable of a mantra contains immeasurable teachings and doctrines, and possesses immeasurable power and wisdom. By reciting the power of mantras, one can attain certain supernatural abilities.

In fact, the so-called "secret mantra" originates from ancient Sanskrit, and its pronunciation is completely different from that of the Central Plains. Especially when certain specific Sanskrit sounds are pronounced together, the audio frequency can have a certain effect on the internal organs and meridians of the human body, just as infrasound can cause harm to the human body.

The old ancestor's unintentional, heartfelt howls unexpectedly matched the tones of ancient Sanskrit, and when put together, they formed a long-lost secret mantra, a true incantation to mobilize the spirits of the dead. Of course, the prerequisite is that the guardian spirit of the corpse must be activated by intention first.

Han Sheng accidentally entered a hysterical state, but he could not control or stop himself, so he just kept laughing maniacally. In Central Plains martial arts, this is also called "going into a demonic state."

Everyone was shocked to see that Han Sheng had been normal just now, so why did he suddenly go crazy?

Lan'er threw herself at Han Sheng, shaking his body desperately and calling his name repeatedly, but Han Sheng was oblivious and continued to laugh wildly.

Feng Sheng understood; it was over. Han Sheng had gone mad.

Old Master Ye peeked out of the room, glanced around to make sure the big yellow dog wasn't nearby, then quietly slipped out and ran to Han Sheng. He tilted his head, scrutinizing him repeatedly, even standing on tiptoe to press his withered ear against Han Sheng's.

Feng Sheng cried out anxiously, "Old Master Ye, what are you doing? Han Sheng has seriously gone mad!"

Old Master Ye chuckled, "So he's 'the eunuch's lower body'..."

"The eunuch's lower body? What?" Feng Sheng asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Gone," Old Master Ye replied.

"His ghost is gone," Old Master Ye said mysteriously.

"Ghost?" Feng Sheng asked, puzzled. Lan'er, beside him, stared at Old Master Ye in astonishment.

Old Ye muttered, "Strange, how can a perfectly normal person suddenly become a ghost and go mad?"

Feng Sheng frowned and said disdainfully, "I think you're the one who's mad."

Han Sheng's body trembled slightly, his mouth shut, and he suddenly stopped laughing, concentrating as if he were thinking about something.

He heard Old Cuihua's chuckle in his ears: "Good lad Han Sheng, you've actually reached 'hysteria,' the second level of the divine skill. That's quite an achievement."

At this moment, Han Sheng still couldn't speak, nor could he return to normal.

"You can't control the ghost yet. Let me help you," Old Cuihua said.

Han Sheng's expression was unusually blank. He turned around straight, his legs not bending, and mechanically took steps towards the jujube grove behind the house.

Old Master Ye stopped Lan'er and Feng Sheng, saying, "Everyone, don't follow. Let Han Sheng's own spirit recover."

Han Sheng walked into the woods and stopped under an old jujube tree.

"Han Sheng, completely relax your body and use your mind to return to the first level of the Hysteria Divine Skill, 'Old Ox Holding Its Breath'," Old Cuihua's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, but her words were very clear.

Han Sheng's mind controlled the guarding spirit and gradually calmed down. His breathing slowed, his heartbeat slowed, and the world seemed desolate and extremely quiet.

"Use your mind to capture a version of yourself that feels completely different from the guarding spirit..." Old Cuihua guided him gently.

Han Sheng felt an extreme sense of desolation and sorrow, as if he were wandering along the Miluo River, gazing at the distant capital of Chu, Yingdu, filled with grief, loneliness, and endless longing… Holding the envoy's banner, he braved the biting wind to herd sheep by the North Sea, drinking snow when thirsty and eating felt when hungry, enduring nineteen years of hardship… In an instant, it was as if the autumn wind was howling, the Yi River was cold, he concealed a short blade, sang a mournful song, and the hero went forth never to return… Suddenly, the June snow fell, Dou E was unjustly killed, and her fragrant soul lingered… Alas, since ancient times, beautiful women have had short lives, often causing heroes to shed tears… The forest was quiet, a gentle breeze blew by, and a few withered leaves drifted down.

"I finally understand, Old Cuihua. 'Hysteria' is just a melancholy spirit acting up. If you use your mind to contemplate the many injustices of the world throughout history, it will naturally calm down. 'Love has always brought only regret, and sweet dreams are always the easiest to wake from.' Hansheng can control the spirit now." Hansheng smiled gently, his face like a flower in bloom.

"Hmm, you're a bright kid! At this rate, you'll master the art of hysteria in no time." Old Cuihua praised him with satisfaction.

"Then what about the third level, 'Mental Breakdown'?" Hansheng asked confidently.

"Well, I don't know either," Old Cuihua replied sheepishly.

Chapter 251:

Deep within the jujube grove came a series of low, heart-wrenching sobs. Hansheng followed the sound.

The old woman sat cross-legged under a gnarled jujube tree, her hair disheveled, her large chest exposed, sobbing uncontrollably. She kept muttering, "I, your ancestor, was a chaste and virtuous woman. I finally found a man who shared my ideals, and I was prepared to give myself to him, but unexpectedly, a little dwarf snatched him away! Waaah..."

Han Sheng didn't know how to comfort her, so he silently told her, "Yang Gong is dead."

The old woman stopped crying, wiped away her tears, and looked at Han Sheng with teary eyes. She smiled through her tears and said, "That old man is dead? That's great! Now I can rightfully compete with the little dwarf!"

Han Sheng was filled with melancholy upon hearing this. After a long while, he changed the subject, saying, "What about the two little ones?"

"They went hunting," the old woman replied absentmindedly.

"Hunting? Two babies..." Han Sheng exclaimed in surprise.

“The wild game we’ve been eating lately was all brought by those two,” the old ancestor said, then suddenly remembered and asked, “How did Liu Jinmo get injured?”

“He was poisoned by Yang Gong’s phlegm and became paralyzed, just like Uncle Shanren,” Han Sheng replied.

“Then why don’t we hurry up and find a way to treat him?” the old ancestor said anxiously.

“You have to promise me that you won’t argue with Xiao Cuihua until Liu Jinmo regains consciousness, so as not to distract me,” Han Sheng said.

The old ancestor thought for a moment and said, “Alright, as long as that little dwarf doesn’t provoke me, I, the old ancestor, will let her off the hook for now.”

“Let’s go home, I need to start preparing the medicine right away,” Han Sheng said.

The old ancestor gathered his disheveled hair into a bun at the back of his head, then fastened the front of his clothes, muttering, “There are still two outsiders over there. Men and women shouldn’t touch each other. Don’t let them see my body, or they’ll have all sorts of wild thoughts.”

“Grandma Wang is dead too,” Han Sheng told the old ancestor on the path leading out of the jujube grove.

“Grandma Wang? How did she die?” the old ancestor asked in surprise.

“Grandma committed suicide. Before she died, she passed on her century-old cultivation to Mingyue,” Hansheng said heavily as he walked.

Benben, crouching behind the house, craned its neck to look this way. As Hansheng approached, it grabbed his trouser leg and pulled him aside, making a whimpering sound.

Hansheng followed it to the doghouse on the east side of the thatched hut. Peeking inside, he chuckled. Blackie lay reclining on a pile of hay, nodding reservedly at Hansheng. Beneath her belly lay seven or eight chubby, pink puppies, eagerly nursing… Night fell, and an oil lamp was lit in the hut. Hansheng began preparing the antidote for the phlegm poison. He handed a small porcelain bottle to Lan'er; it contained a greenish-yellow phlegm essence, the base for the antidote's antibodies. Next, he needed to extract the appropriate catalyst for each patient.

Liu Jinmo lay down beside Wu Chushan, and everyone around watched silently.

Han Sheng took out a small bone ear pick and walked to the bedside, with Lan'er holding a small porcelain bottle as his assistant. First, Han Sheng gently lifted the mountain man's ear, inserted the small spoon into the ear canal, and gently rotated it to scrape off some sticky, yellowish-brown earwax. He then carefully poured it into the small porcelain bottle in Lan'er's hand. Then, he bent down again and inserted the small spoon into the mountain man's nostril, forcefully pulling out a dried, greenish-yellow nasal mucus... Feng Sheng let out a "uh" and rushed out the door to vomit.

"We also need eye boogers and tooth boogers," Han Sheng said.

"What are tooth boogers?" Ye Lao asked curiously.

Han Sheng didn't answer, but deftly opened the mountain man's eyelids and finally found two yellowish, translucent secretions in the corners of his eyes, which he also put into the porcelain bottle. Next, Han Sheng pried open Wu Chushan's mouth and carefully scraped some yellowish-white plaque from deep between his teeth, saying, "This is tooth shavings."

"Ugh..." The driver, Xiao Zhao, covered his mouth with both hands and hurriedly ran out.

"As a catalyst for cultivating antibodies, it must be taken from the patient's own secretions—earwax, nasal mucus, eye discharge, and tooth shavings. These secretions from the five senses are the essence of the human body. Since the catatonic patients are Uncle Shanren and Mr. Liu, the catalyst must be taken from both of them simultaneously. The cultivated antibodies can then be targeted effectively. This is why I couldn't prepare medicine for Mr. Liu alone on the way." Han Sheng explained as he began to take medicine from Liu Jinmo's body.

Liu Jinmo's earwax was dark brown and shiny. He only found one piece of eye discharge, but that was enough. There was nothing in his right nostril, but from his left nostril, he pulled out a large piece of nasal mucus that was golden yellow with green and purplish-red streaks of blood... "This piece is of very good quality," Han Sheng said with satisfaction.

"Wow..." Mingyue and Lan'er rushed out of the room at the same time, leaving the porcelain bottle on the table.

Hansheng didn't care and continued with his work.

When he pulled out a piece of dark green chive that had been stuck in Liu Jinmo's wisdom tooth for days, dripping with mucus... Old Ancestor and Xiao Cuihua couldn't take it anymore and rushed out of the room together. Outside the thatched hut, the sounds of vomiting filled the air.

Hansheng looked at the only person left in the room, Old Ye, with surprise and admiration, and said, "Old Ye, your endurance is quite good."

Old Ye smiled slightly and deftly picked out a golden, dried, thousand-year-old piece of nasal mucus with age spots from his hairy nostril... "Golden Clove!" Hansheng was shocked and couldn't help but exclaim.

"Who is Clove?" Old Ye turned around and looked around, casually throwing the golden nasal mucus on the ground.

Hansheng hurriedly rushed over and carefully picked up the golden nasal mucus from the ground.

Old Ye tilted his head curiously and stared at Han Sheng, not understanding why.

"This is incredibly rare! I never expected to discover the world's most precious disguise medicine, Golden Clove," Han Sheng said with satisfaction, while simultaneously asking Elder Ye, "Elder Ye, let me ask you first, do you know what white clove is?"

Elder Ye tilted his head and thought for a moment, then said, "We have purple clove trees growing in our Huanglong Prefecture. As for white clove, yes, we have it, but not much."

Han Sheng shook his head and smiled, "White clove, also known as 'Qingdan' or 'Male Sparrow Droppings,' is the droppings of male sparrows. It is warm in nature, bitter in taste, and slightly fishy in smell. It enters the liver and kidney meridians. Back then, Empress Dowager Cixi used 'Eight White Powder' every day. Although she was over seventy years old, her skin was still as delicate as a young woman's. The eight ingredients were: white silkworm, white morning glory, white asarum, white lotus stamen, angelica, white aconite, white poria, and white clove. The effects of Golden Clove are hundreds or thousands of times better than Eight White Powder."

"Really?" Elder Ye looked at the boogers that Han Sheng was carefully holding in his hand and asked doubtfully.

“Of course, golden clove is also known as ‘Golden Armor,’ but its usage is rather special,” Han Sheng said, recalling the records in the *Qing Nang Jing*.

“Han Sheng,” Old Ye reached out and pinched Han Sheng’s arm, fawningly asking, “Could my old face become whiter and younger…?”

“You?” Han Sheng laughed, “Old Ye, you’re over a thousand years old, even if you were eight hundred, it wouldn’t make much difference.”

“What’s so special about its usage?” Old Ye pouted.

“Well, take a fertilized egg, crack a small hole to let the clear liquid out, put golden clove inside, then seal the hole with wax, and place it in a henhouse along with other unhatched eggs for the hen to incubate. Once the chicks hatch, remove this special egg, peel it, extract the medicine, and apply it to the face. It can make an elderly person’s skin white and rosy, remove wrinkles, and make the skin as delicate as a baby’s, so smooth and supple,” Han Sheng explained.

“So miraculous?” Old Ye gasped.

"It is said that Consort Zhang, the Empress of the Chen Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties, once used golden cloves, and since then, no one has heard of them again," Han Sheng said. This anecdote was mentioned by Liu Bowen in the *Corpse Clothing Classic*.

"Han Sheng, are you certain that this piece of boogers is golden cloves?" Old Ye asked, glancing at the boogers in Han Sheng's hand.

Han Sheng nodded affirmatively. Hua Tuo said that golden cloves could grow in the nasal cavity of a mummified corpse, and that their medicinal value increased with age.

"Then give it back to this old monk," Old Ye said, snatching the precious golden boogers from Han Sheng's distraction and running away in a flash.

Han Sheng smiled wryly, deciding to let him go. He then carefully sealed the small porcelain bottle and placed it in his robes. Seven days, another week was needed, and Uncle Shanren and Liu Jinmo's phlegm poison would be cured.

Chapter 252

Before the thatched hut, the group, having caught their breath, were astonished to see a little girl of about seven or eight years old, with two braids, walking along the mountain path opposite in the twilight. She carried a bamboo basket on her back, filled with about six or seven pheasants and rabbits, and on top of it was the carcass of a bright red weasel with a tuft of golden fur on its chest. Behind the little girl, hand in hand, followed two naked infants, their bellies bulging. This was Ping'er, Shen Caihua, and the wrinkled baby girl returning from their hunt.

Han Sheng stepped out of the house and excitedly grabbed Ping'er and the twin ghost babies.

"Did you hunt these?" Han Sheng asked suspiciously.

"Caihua and Shen Caihua caught them," Ping'er said happily, pointing to the babies.

Shen Caihua had changed. Although only five or six months old, he already looked like a two-year-old, with a ruddy complexion, well-developed, and his eyes were still dark and deep. Looking at the wrinkled baby girl, her development was extremely rapid; she could even walk on her own. Only her skin remained layered and wrinkled, like a Shar-Pei dog, and a large bruise remained on her buttocks.

"Where's Grandma?" Ping'er asked anxiously, looking around.

Han Sheng squatted down, grasped Ping'er's hands, and said sadly, "Good Ping'er, your big brother said Grandma has passed away. She told you to be good and not to be sad, that she will always be watching over you from heaven."

"You're lying! I don't believe you!" Ping'er cried and struggled free from Han Sheng's hands, throwing down the bamboo basket on her back and running into the house.

Mingyue said to Han Sheng, "I'll go comfort her." She then hurriedly followed him inside.

Feng Sheng came over, suspiciously examining the two babies, and reached out to rummage through the carcasses of pheasants and rabbits on the ground. Each prey had a bloody hole in its throat, as if it had been bitten and drained of blood by something.

"This was done by some kind of carnivore," Feng Sheng said confidently.

"Oh dear, it's a golden-haired weasel! The children have caused a great disaster!" Old Ye suddenly jumped out from behind Feng Sheng, his hands trembling as he grabbed the weasel's corpse, stroking its long golden fur. His voice became shrill with tension.

Han Sheng knew it was Old Cuihua speaking.

"What's wrong with this red-haired weasel?" Han Sheng asked worriedly.

Old Ye said, "Weasel spirits, like humans, are divided into different ranks. They are generally gray, brown, and yellow, etc. This fiery red one is the highest-ranking weasel. The tuft of golden fur on its chest indicates that it is 100 years old. It wouldn't live that long without some cultivation. This one is female, possibly the leader of the weasels around Poyang Lake. It also has some unclean things attached to it, yet it was killed by children. It's simply unbelievable."

Han Sheng pondered silently, thinking that the ghost infant Shen Caihua was good at sucking blood, and could easily kill chickens, ducks, geese, and dogs. He even killed Jing Taiji, a martial arts master. But killing a weasel spirit with cultivation was truly inconceivable.

"Did you kill it?" Han Sheng asked Shen Caihua.

Little Caihua nodded, a hint of pride on his face.

As night fell, a crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a cool, clear light over the Poyang Lake Valley. White mist rose from the jujube and bamboo groves, swirling and ethereal. Everyone had already huddled in their thatched huts to sleep.

In the open space in front of the huts, Hansheng, Old Man Ye, and Little Cuihua sat at a stone table, the carcass of the weasel lying on it. They listened intently to the sounds of the forest; the only sounds were the chirping of crickets and the babbling of a mountain spring flowing into a pool.

Old Cuihua was now on Little Cuihua's back; the two of them were the most experienced at dealing with the mountain spirits.

"Old Cuihua, will the weasels definitely come tonight?" Hansheng asked doubtfully.

Old Cuihua chuckled and said, "They'll definitely come. The animal spirits are extremely vengeful, and besides, they need to find the corpse of that golden-haired weasel."

Hansheng then asked, "Won't it be dangerous for Xiaocai to go up the mountain alone in the future?"

"Well, that depends on tonight's fortune," Old Cuihua replied.

"What exactly is the origin of the animal spirits?" Hansheng asked, puzzled.

Old Cuihua said, "I'll sing it for you." She cleared her throat and then began to hum a folk song in a low voice, "In the beginning of chaos, Taiji was created, the ancestor passed on the Great Dao, the eldest was called Li Laozi, the second was called Yuanshitian, the third was Tongtianjiao, each disciple had boundless power, those whom Laozi took became Buddhas and Daoists, those whom Yuanshitian took became immortals, when Buddha saw that things were not going well, he forbade the transmission of the Dao, Tongtianjiao leader was displeased, he grabbed a handful of golden pills and scattered them all over the mountain, the fox and weasel ate them and became Daoists, the python ate them and became immortals, that's how the immortals with fur and armor were left behind..."

Although Old Cuihua's voice was not loud, the melody was very beautiful and full of the local flavor of the Guandong region.

"The fox and the weasel were originally three brothers. The eldest cultivated on Mount Ling, the second was by the Buddha's side, and the youngest was idle and lazy. The Jade Emperor, in a fit of anger, banished him. His elder brother took him to Mount Ling, where he cultivated again for over a thousand years, eventually becoming a guardian deity... He dwells in the northwest, where the heavens are connected by mountains. Lingzhi herbs grow before the mountains, and a clear spring flows from an ancient cave behind them. He refines humans and horses in the Chaoyang Cave, diligently cultivates immortality on Aoyun Peak, sheds his bones on the Bawang Bridge, changes his armor in the Qingshui River, descends the green mountains to capture humans and horses, and possesses boundless magic to cure diseases and dispel disasters. The weasel and the python were originally brothers of the dragon." "The Dragon King brings rain and waves to the heavens, but the python's cultivation is shallow, so it can only swim in shallow waters. In a fit of anger, it went to Mount Ling and stole three thousand scrolls of Buddhist scriptures before cultivating the elixir of immortality there... It dwells in the northeast, where mountains connect to water, and water connects to mountains. Flowers bloom in pairs of red before the mountain, and behind the mountain stand five old pines. One received a title from the Southern Dipper, and the other sought a title from the Northern Dipper. The Heavenly Emperor accepted it as a disciple and ordered it to descend to the mortal world to save humanity. That's how the White Snake and Xu Xian came to be, leaving behind a beautiful name that has been passed down through the ages..." Old Cuihua sang with great enthusiasm, swallowed twice, and prepared to continue singing.

Just then, Han Sheng suddenly waved his hand, and Old Cuihua stopped singing in surprise... Under the moonlight, a large group of small animals gathered about ten feet away from them, including frogs, toads, centipedes, hedgehogs, badgers, pheasants, rabbits, green snakes, snakes, and a group of weasels of various colors, all listening intently to Old Cuihua's singing.

Behind them stood an old fox, its fur completely white, even its chin covered in white whiskers, its eyes fixed intently on them.

"A white fox!" Old Cuihua exclaimed.

"What beautiful white fur!" Hansheng thought to himself, recalling the old man's fur in Xiangxi, which was far uglier than the white fox's.

"Be careful, white foxes have cultivated for at least a thousand years, they are extremely evil. I've only ever seen fire foxes in Guandong, never a white fox," Old Cuihua whispered.

Hansheng quietly asked, "Old Cuihua, can this white fox transform into human form and speak human language? There's a story in operas about a white fox, grateful, transforming into a maid in white and marrying a top scholar, a very poignant tale." "

That's just a story made up by people. In reality, they can only possess spirits, they absolutely cannot speak human language, but animal spirits with over a thousand years of cultivation can understand the local language," Old Cuihua explained.

"Oh, that's quite impressive. Of course, we Jiangxi people don't understand Minnan dialect or Lingnan dialect, and I imagine this white fox is the same," Han Sheng pondered.

"Hey! You're the wandering immortal Hu Daleng, and the fairy Cuihua from Guandong. We're meeting for the first time tonight, so let's sit down and chat. There are rules for mounting a horse, and there are also rules for dismounting. You know how to eat and drink well, so tell me about your delicious food and drinks. Cut a pig's head in half, slice off its neck and place it on the front, chop its buttocks and buttocks, chop it into eight pieces, it's delicious and beautiful, swallow your saliva and spittle, it smells so good that you break out in a sweat, oh my..." Old Cuihua shrilly issued the invitation first.

Old Cuihua's last sentence was drawn out with a long, melodious tone, its lingering sound lingering... The little animal fairies cheered, seemingly understanding but not quite. Frogs and toads puffed out their cheeks and croaked, centipedes thrashed their countless thin legs on the ground, hedgehogs shook their brown feathers, making a "whoosh" sound, pheasants crowed "cock-a-doodle-doo," and the little weasels wriggled their hips coyly, letting out a series of messy farts, filling the air with a foul stench... "My mother's started her magic battle," Little Cuihua whispered to Hansheng.

"Squeak..." The white fox let out a sharp, long howl, and the little animal fairies immediately fell silent, making way for her.

The white fox stepped forward, its sharp gaze sweeping over Hansheng, Old Ye, and Little Cuihua, finally settling on Old Cuihua's face.

Old Cuihua looked up and met its gaze, silently, even the chirping of insects around them instantly falling silent.

"The white fox is communicating with my mother telepathically," Little Cuihua told Hansheng.

Old Cuihua turned back to Hansheng and said, "The white fox wants us to hand over the murderer of the Golden-haired Weasel."

Hansheng was startled and quickly said, "That won't do! Tell it that Xiao Caihua is just a baby less than a year old, his intelligence is still developing, and he accidentally killed the Golden-haired Weasel; it was all a misunderstanding."

Old Cuihua relayed Hansheng's message to the white fox.

The white fox squeaked twice, and immediately a large badger jumped onto the stone table, picked up the Golden-haired Weasel's corpse, and returned to the white fox, placing it at its feet. The thousand-year-old white fox lowered its head to examine the wounds on the corpse.

"The white fox says the murderer sucked all the Golden-haired Weasel's blood; this wasn't accidental, but intentional. Therefore, we must bring the murderer out so they can eat him," Old Cuihua said, turning back again.

"If all else fails, we'll have no choice but to fight these animal fairies head-on," Han Sheng whispered to Old Cuihua.

Chapter 253.

The white fox heard Han Sheng's words and immediately raised its head high, gazing at the night sky. It let out a loud, long howl, the echo reverberating through the mountains and valleys, its sound lingering for a long time.

Moments later, hissing sounds filled the air, and knee-high grass in the forest bended to both sides as hundreds of multicolored pythons surged out, surrounding Han Sheng and the others, including some as thick as water buckets.

A gust of foul wind swept through, and suddenly dozens of clouded leopards, lynxes, and giant lynxes leaped out of the forest, baring their teeth and claws as they pounced.

Han Sheng and the others were shocked. Seeing the situation was dire, Old Ye turned and ran into the thatched hut, burying himself under the covers and barely daring to breathe.

The big yellow dog, Benben, barked bravely and then stood in front of the kennel, protecting Heimei and the newborn babies.

Those sleeping inside were awakened and crowded around the door, staring in astonishment at the outside… “Everyone be careful, don’t come out!” Feng Sheng, brandishing a pistol and wearing the yellow military shorts issued by the public security system, jumped out first.

“What’s that!” Old Zu shouted shrilly, pointing at the ground.

In the hazy moonlight, countless large black spiders crawled across the ground, along with numerous yellowish-brown scorpions, each with its tail held high.

A buzzing sound filled the sky as swarms of bamboo bees, wasps, and enormous gourd-shaped bees hovered overhead. Even more terrifying, at about a meter's height, a group of stink bugs, guided by fireflies, were also aggressively approaching.

Han Sheng knew these stink bugs were scientifically known as blister beetles; their farts sprayed a mixture of venom and poison, and contact with skin and mucous membranes was extremely dangerous, causing immediate redness, swelling, blistering, and ulceration, accompanied by excruciating pain.

This would be a fierce and seemingly hopeless war, a battle where the animals, united, could easily defeat humanity.

"Capture the leader first!" Feng Sheng, displaying the fearless revolutionary heroism of a People's Public Security officer, raised his gun, aimed at the white fox's chest, and pulled the trigger… "No!" Han Sheng cried out urgently, but it was too late.

A gunshot rang out, deafeningly loud in the dead of night, echoing throughout the valley. A bullet, fired with lightning speed, hurtled towards the white fox… Han Sheng realized, it was over; a bloody massacre had begun.

The white fox's chest fur trembled. It had extended its forelegs at some point, its four toes spread, a scorching bullet lying in its paw. Several fine hairs between its toes were burnt, emitting a faint, acrid smell.

"Fly Eyes!" Han Sheng exclaimed in surprise. Could this white fox also possess "hysteria magic"?

The white fox glanced at Han Sheng, then raised its head once more, preparing to give the order to attack the animal fairies.

Feng Sheng was dumbfounded. My God, this white fox couldn't even be killed by a gun... A series of clear laughs rang out, and under the moonlight, a pair of babies walked out of the house hand in hand... Shen Caihua and the wrinkled baby girl stood naked, hand in hand, in the open space in front of the white fox, showing no fear whatsoever.

"Danger!" Han Sheng exclaimed softly, jumping out to block the children.

"Ah..." The old ancestor inside the door also cried out, rushing forward barefoot for two steps, but stopped when he saw the huge black spider on the ground, nervously watching the wrinkled baby girl and Han Sheng.

"Han Sheng, the white fox is asking if these two children are the murderer?" Old Cuihua said, lying on Little Cuihua's back.

"No, it was me, Old Cuihua, tell it that I killed the golden-haired weasel. I didn't tell the truth just now. Whatever the white fox wants, Han Sheng will fight to the end. The grievance has its source, and the debt has its debtor. It has nothing to do with anyone else." Han Sheng straightened his chest and said loudly.

"Yes, it was me... I drank its blood..." A childish voice came from Shen Caihua's little mouth.

"You... can talk?" Han Sheng looked at little Caihua in surprise and stammered.

At this moment, Old Cuihua said, "Han Sheng, the white fox admires your character, but it still believes that this baby boy is the real culprit. It said that you are the first brave human it has ever seen, and for this, it is willing to have a fair duel with humans."

Han Sheng's heart stirred upon hearing this. This was good; perhaps there was still a glimmer of hope. So he said, "Okay, tell the white fox that Han Sheng accepts the challenge."

The white fox let out a soft howl, and the animal fairies retreated to the outside of the circle, but still stared intently at these hot-blooded humans.

"The duel will be divided into three rounds. Han Sheng, if you lose, your body will be immediately devoured by them, but the white fox promises you that it will not retaliate against anyone else." Old Cuihua explained.

Footsteps came from behind Han Sheng, and Lan'er quietly stood beside him.

"Why are you here? Go back inside quickly," Han Sheng said urgently in a low voice.

"Lan'er won't leave. I'm willing to go with you and be eaten by them," Lan'er replied firmly.

Han Sheng was helpless, but suddenly an idea struck him. He took out the small porcelain bottle from his pocket and said to her, "Lan'er, Uncle Shanren and Mr. Liu are still in a state of catatonia. In seven days, you will need to pour the antidote into their ears. Listen to me, don't let me get distracted, that way we still have a chance to win." After saying that, he forcefully put the small porcelain bottle into Lan'er's hand.

Lan'er shed tears of grievance and looked at Han Sheng, saying, "If you die, Lan'er will follow you in seven days." After saying that, she staggered back to the thatched hut.

"In the first round, the animal fairy's side will be represented by the insect-type stink bug," Old Cuihua announced.

The stink bugs of Poyang Lake, also known as "southern giant blister beetles," are a type of "farting beetle." When attacking, they thrust their hind legs into the ground, raising their tails high to continuously shoot out a toxic mist of liquid, accompanied by a "pop! pop!" sound. The range of this spray can reach 30 centimeters or even further.

These stink bugs are not only enormous but also extremely ferocious, especially the yellow leader, whose body is as thick as a finger. Its elytra flap loudly, producing a loud "buzzing" sound. Despite their formidable strength, their eyesight is limited. Therefore, fireflies are often found among the stink bugs, used for foraging or defense by the fireflies, which in turn receive protection from them. At this moment, a huge firefly flies at the head of the southern giant blister beetle's formation, its green bioluminescence like a beacon, ready to guide the attack towards its target.

Old Ye cautiously peeked out from under the covers, finding the surroundings quiet. Surprised, he pressed his face against the window to look outside. Sensing no real danger, he decided to swagger out of the house.

Standing in the moonlight, he understood: the tiny insects flying in the sky were about to engage in a duel with Han Sheng. He thought to himself that since following Han Sheng south after entering the pass, he had never rendered any merit. If this continued, wouldn't others look down on him? Especially that girl Lan'er, who would one day become Han Sheng's wife; to earn her respect, he had to show off his skills. With this in mind, Old Ye decided to step forward and face these insignificant insects himself. He thought to himself, "Hmph, at worst, I'll get bitten a few times; it's only a little itchy than mosquito bites."

Under the moonlight, Elder Ye chuckled and walked forward, standing in front of Han Sheng. Waving his arms, he loudly proclaimed, "This old monk is here! What are a swarm of mosquitoes worth? Let Elder Ye deal with them!" "

Elder Ye, no! Those aren't mosquitoes, they're poisonous insects that fart!" Han Sheng hurriedly cried.

Elder Ye forcefully pushed Han Sheng back, pointing to his bald head, and shouted at the swarm of blister beetles hovering above him, "Come on! Come on..."

The leading firefly swooped down, indicating the target, and instantly the buzzing intensified. The dark swarm of blister beetles swooped down on Elder Ye. Elder Ye remained fearless, his eyes tightly closed, his arms flailing like the wind, displaying an imposing, formidable strength.

"Pop pop pop pop...bang!" A series of spraying sounds rang out, the loudest of which came from the leader of the stink bugs. Instantly, a large cloud of yellow poisonous mist enveloped Ye Lao, with droplets of liquid condensing within it, flowing down Ye Lao's bald head. Every exposed part of his skin was covered in sticky poison, and white smoke began to rise from his clothes, emitting a burnt smell.

Old Ye was a thousand-year-old mummified corpse; his dried skin was even tougher than leather, extremely resistant to corrosion, and showed no signs of burning, pain, or even itching. Old Ye was overjoyed, swinging his arms even more vigorously, nearly grabbing the leader of the stink bugs.

"Squeak..." A loud screech rang out, and the white fox signaled the end of the army.

The stink bug army buzzed and spiraled upwards, then landed on a nearby tree, panting.

The animal fairies stared intently at Elder Ye, watching to see if he had been poisoned and collapsed. Han Sheng was extremely anxious and rushed to Elder Ye's side: "Elder Ye! How are you?"

Elder Ye didn't answer, but reached out and pulled off his clothes, which were scorched by the venom, and rubbed the sticky liquid from his head and face. Then he chuckled and said, "This old monk seems to have gained a lot of weight recently..."

Chapter 254

A stench suddenly swept in, and everyone shivered. A dark green python, over three zhang long and as thick as a water bucket, slithered to the front of the formation. Its pair of fiery red eyes were like two large bowls turned upside down, dull and lifeless. Thick saliva dripped from the corners of its narrow mouth, and its bright red tongue kept contracting and trembling... "Han Sheng, this is a duel with a giant python. It seems the chances of winning are slim," Old Cuihua said worriedly.

Old Ye was truly terrified. This giant insect was no match for those small blister beetles; it could swallow him whole in one

gulp and turn him into a huge, foul-smelling pile of excrement. Thinking this to himself, fear made him retreat step by step, almost to the point of running away. If he did, his heroic act would be for naught. Han Sheng took two steps forward, standing before the python's head, wondering if his mortal shroud could withstand the python's coiling and squeezing.

Old Cuihua then said, "Hansheng, the white fox means it's not too late to surrender. As long as you hand over the baby, it won't make things difficult for you."

Hansheng smiled slightly, looked up at the sky and sighed, "Hansheng is determined to dedicate his life to healing the sick and saving lives. How can I be afraid of death when faced with trouble?" He turned his head and said loudly towards the thatched hut, "Lan'er, don't forget to treat Uncle Shanren and Mr. Liu in seven days."

A small hand was tugging at Hansheng's trouser leg. Looking down, Shen Caihua and the wrinkled baby girl were holding hands, sticking out their little bottoms and pushing Hansheng backward with all their might. Then the two smiled at each other, stuck out their little tongues and licked their lips, crouched down, and prepared to pounce on the giant python together.

Han Sheng was horrified. These two little ones were completely oblivious to the danger. The python's scales were incredibly hard and slippery. More importantly, the key to defeating a snake is to strike its vital spot. Even if Shen Caihua could bite through the python's neck scales, that wasn't a critical area. Unlike warm-blooded mammals, it didn't have a carotid artery. The little ones were in deep trouble.

Thinking this, Han Sheng lunged forward, grabbed the two infants' arms, and forcefully flung them back, leaving them several meters behind.

In that instant, a whooshing sound and a foul stench filled the air. The python, unable to contain itself any longer, straightened up, opened its blood-red maw, and with a powerful inhale, swallowed Han Sheng headfirst into its belly… Han Sheng's head buzzed, his vision went black, and his face was enveloped in a foul-smelling, sticky substance. He couldn't breathe, and all he could feel was sliding inside a warm, slippery cavity.

The initial terror subsided quickly. Han Sheng subconsciously controlled the guardian spirit, immediately stopping his breathing. His heartbeat dropped, and his body slowly entered the giant python's digestive tract.

Pythons are among the largest and most primitive snakes in the world, with enormous appetites. They can swallow animals equal to or exceeding their own weight in one go. Their digestive system is incredibly powerful; some begin digesting their prey as soon as they swallow it, even regurgitating bones. Pythons are non-venomous, relying primarily on their secreted proteases to dissolve their prey, similar to human stomach acid and bile.

The moment Han Sheng was swallowed, the giant python began secreting large amounts of digestive fluid to corrode and dissolve his prey. Han Sheng immediately felt an intense itching sensation on his exposed skin… “Crackling”—a burst of white static electricity flashed instantly. This was the exorcising corpse shroud taking effect, instantly diluting the mucus plastered on his face and around his mouth and nose. Han Sheng opened his eyes. In the white light, he saw a fleshy opening next to the pinkish cavity above his head. It seemed quite dry inside, unlike the mucus in his digestive tract. So, he used both hands and feet to force his way into the opening.

It was a pinkish cavity, over two meters deep, containing a baby python, more than a man's length and as thick as a thigh. A fleshy umbilical cord, as thick as a wrist, was wrapped around its body and connected to its mouth. The baby python stared at him with its red eyes, which remained vacant and unmoving in the flashing white light, but Han Sheng could definitely feel its terror and fear… It was a female python. Strange, as far as Han Sheng knew, snakes were oviparous, so how could this one be viviparous? In any case, he had accidentally stumbled into the python's uterus. Due to the internal pressure, the highly corrosive digestive fluids couldn't penetrate at all; at least the uterus was much safer.

The giant python seemed to sense its prey had entered its womb, so it quieted down, coiled up, and pondered its next move.

The people outside were utterly astonished. Han Sheng had been instantly swallowed by the python, and panic gripped them. With the watchful clouded leopards, the blood-sucking giant lynxes, and countless multicolored venomous snakes nearby, no one dared to make a move.

Lan'er was already weeping in despair.

"Hahaha..." Suddenly, a muffled, maniacal laugh came from inside the python's belly.

"Hysteria? Han Sheng is still alive! Everyone, don't despair!" Old Cuihua shouted in surprise.

The commotion subsided, and the animals fell silent as well. Even the white fox stared silently at the python, bewildered.

It turned out that Han Sheng had noticed a large amount of foul-smelling liquid suddenly seeping from the uterine wall, quickly filling the entire cavity.

Oh no, it was amniotic fluid! Han Sheng quickly controlled the guardian spirit to enter a "bull holding its breath" state. At that moment, an umbilical cord stealthily extended. Before Han Sheng could react, the fleshy end of the cord slipped into his mouth, followed by a stream of foul-smelling nutrient liquid being pumped into his oral cavity.

It turned out the giant python was preparing to incubate Han Sheng as a baby python.

In his panic, Han Sheng choked several mouthfuls of the nutrient liquid, hurriedly pulling out the slippery umbilical cord, tying a knot in it, and tossing it aside. At this moment, the mortuary shroud seemed to sense that the amniotic fluid itself was non-toxic and beneficial to its owner, so it stopped generating static electricity.

Lying in the dark, warm amniotic fluid, Han Sheng felt an innate, instinctive sense of security. A tingling, languid comfort spread through his bones, and he wished he could stay there forever… “Hehe, giggle, waaa, aww…” Suddenly, the patriarch’s manic cries from the evening echoed in his mind. Instantly, the ghostly spirit became excited and impulsive, bursting into a maniacal laugh within Han Sheng’s body. This hysterical laughter did not come from his mouth, but resonated from his chest, reaching the giant python’s body with an unusually muffled tone.

Han Sheng could now control his two souls, the ghostly spirit and the corpse-guarding spirit, with ease, although he did not know that those cries were a secret mantra that had long been lost in Tibetan Buddhism. He grabbed the baby python, forcefully pulled the umbilical cord from its mouth, and, with it between his hands, crawled out of the uterus and into the mucus-filled digestive tract. His shroud crackled and popped, radiating white static electricity again, as he carried the baby python towards the python's tail.

Large clumps of feces, mixed with undigested animal bones and hair, appeared in the intestines ahead. Han Sheng gritted his teeth and squeezed through the gaps in the excrement, getting his hair, eye sockets, nostrils, and ears covered in the foul-smelling fecal matter.

The python's belly suddenly began to throb rhythmically, hissing and panting heavily; it was about to give birth.

With each contraction of the python's abdomen, Han Sheng felt his sliding speed increase. Squeezed by the surrounding flesh, he lost his grip on the baby python and slipped out, moving to above his head. With a "plop," he slid out of the python's anus—the baby python was born.

The animal fairies cheered immediately. The python mother hadn't given birth for many years, a result of pollution from the chemical plants built around Poyang Lake. Now, she had finally given birth to a baby, and sharing her plight, they were all overjoyed, regardless of species.

The python stretched out its massive head, tenderly nuzzling the baby python with its mouth… Then, its abdomen suddenly convulsed again, and with a "plop," its anus released, and the sticky Han Sheng fell out with a "thud."

The little animal fairies cheered again…

Everyone's hearts tightened as they stared at Han Sheng, who was covered in slime and filthy, speechless with astonishment.

Han Sheng twisted his body, slowly got up, wiped the slime from his face, turned around and smiled at Lan'er, who was anxiously standing in front of the house… A heart that had been pounding finally relaxed. Lan'er turned and went inside, bringing out a basin of hot water and two towels to Han Sheng's side, carefully wiping his face as she secretly shed two hot tears.

"The final match will be fought by the White Fox herself," Old Cuihua announced loudly.

Everyone's hearts, which had just settled, immediately tightened again. The White Fox was personally participating; it was undoubtedly the most powerful of all the animal fairies. Wouldn't Han Sheng be in even greater danger?

The giant python stretched out its massive head and sniffed Han Sheng, a loving expression on its face. With a whistle from the White Fox, it reluctantly retreated.

Lan'er grabbed Han Sheng and gently shook her head.

Old Cuihua stopped Lan'er, saying, "Lan'er, don't worry, everyone else step back. Only Hansheng can handle the white fox."

The old ancestor tightly held back the two restless children in front of the house.

A mountain wind howled. The white fox and Hansheng stood facing each other, and all the people and animals present fell silent.

The white fox looked into Hansheng's bright, clear eyes, nodded, then gently turned around, slowly raised its tail, and faced Hansheng with its rear end. Suddenly, its white fur parted to the sides, and with a loud "poof," a plume of yellow smoke shot out from its anus, completely enveloping Hansheng… Hansheng suddenly had a thought and instantly entered a state of "bull's breath holding," cutting off his breathing, standing silently with his head held high in the yellow smoke.

Although the others were standing outside the circle, they still caught a whiff of the strange, foul odor, and felt a wave of dizziness. The driver, Xiao Zhao, had already collapsed in a daze.

A foreign thought entered Han Sheng's consciousness, and he felt a sudden clarity before him. He was standing atop a high mountain peak, with an endless expanse of forest on one side, where various animals and insects lived freely. On the other side lay the vast, misty Poyang Lake, where water and sky merged seamlessly, and several black eagles glided across the azure sky… There were no boats, no chemical plants on the shore, and no billowing smoke. Everything was so tranquil, so naturally harmonious, and so full of life.

"So beautiful," Han Sheng exclaimed sincerely.

A white fox quietly crouched beside Han Sheng, its eyes filled with tears as it gazed into the distance.

"This was a long, long time ago…" Han Sheng sensed the white fox's thoughts.

"Humans shattered this peace and tranquility," Han Sheng sighed, but he couldn't hear the words. He understood that this was his own thought.

"You're just an ordinary human, how could you hold your breath for so long?" the white fox transmitted telepathically.

"I learned a 'Hysteria Divine Skill,' the foundation of which is 'Old Ox Holding Breath,' which can last for several hours," Han Sheng told it.

"If only people were as kind as you," the white fox said.

Han Sheng thought for a moment, then sent a telepathic message: "I saw you catch the bullet with your claws, is that the 'Fly Eye' skill?"

"'Fly Eye'? I don't know that. I've cultivated for a thousand years; hunters' bullets can't hurt me, but other animals are becoming increasingly rare," the white fox murmured.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm very sad," Han Sheng said apologetically.

The white fox looked at Han Sheng and slowly said, "Can you catch bullets like me?"

Han Sheng shook his head and sighed, "I've passed the first two levels of the Hysteria Divine Skill, but I don't know where to start with the third level, 'Mental Collapse'?"

"Mental Collapse? Anyone who inhales my poisonous fart will go insane, and those who eventually collapse are what you call 'mentally ill'," the white fox explained.

"Can I try?" Han Sheng asked the white fox.

"Hmm, you can inhale a little first, just to get a feel for it, but remember, never inhale too much," the white fox advised.

Han Sheng nodded, his mind relaxing, but unexpectedly, he lost control and, after holding his breath for a while, his lungs expanded and he inhaled several deep breaths in succession. He felt an indescribable stench, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. His chest tightened, and he fell backward...

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