Chapter 2: The Soul Returns
Grandfather Yang De sighed
Boom! Another bolt of lightning struck down. I did not dodge, nor did I want to. I know it will hurt a lot, but no pain can compare to the pain of my soul. Am I no longer human? Can I no longer live like a human?
After my death, my consciousness was supposed to disperse and return to the earth, disappearing from this world. However, suddenly a mysterious and powerful external force firmly pulled my will, stabilizing my consciousness within my body. I felt very warm
I do not know how long has passed, but I have completely regained control of my body. I opened my eyes and found myself inside a bronze box. Remembering that I had already died and been buried, I suddenly felt a surge of fear. What is happening? Why have I suddenly awakened?
From the feet to the chest, the skin is all wrinkled, resembling wax paper. The entire body is so emaciated that it is beyond words; I am merely a layer of skin wrapped around bones, and even I am frightened by my own appearance
Why is this bronze coffin designed this way? Will there be a doorknob inside? Aren't ordinary coffins usually sealed from the inside?
I searched for a long time and unexpectedly found a doorknob inside the bronze coffin. Wait, is this a doorknob? After feeling around for a while, I confirmed that this is indeed a doorknob that can be used to open the bronze coffin from the inside
Dad, we will be returning this afternoon, and I will trouble you to take care of Xiaoyun more.
A suppressed roar echoed from a distance, its piercing sound resonating throughout the entire cemetery
A gust of wind, mixed with thick smoke and dust, slammed against Yang De's window
Grandfather sadly patted my mother's back and said, "Xiu'er, let the past be the past. This child has a hard life. When he was young, I took him to the provincial capital and encountered a fortune teller who said he had a thin fate and would not live past 20 years. I never expected that he would really be right and it was recorded in the book."
The mountain village is in turmoil, yet the cemetery on the outskirts of the village has inexplicably been struck by a torrential downpour. The excessive阴气 in the air has led to this sudden heavy rain. Many cemeteries are shrouded in clouds throughout the year, and this is all for the same reason
Thinking of my grandfather, I cannot help but feel regret; my previous act of suicide was too immature. How much pain my death must have caused my grandfather and parents!
I also know that this matter sounds too bizarre, but we happen to have this copper coffin at home, regardless of what kind of ancestral treasure it is. I just hope that the child, Xiaoyun, can pass on to the other side with dignity and be reborn into a good family in the next life
I did not notice that, under the strike of the lightning, my internal organs gradually emitted a silvery glow
The space inside the copper coffin is quite large, allowing for free movement. Therefore, I looked up at my own body, and the sight I beheld made it hard for me to imagine that I was still a human being
When I died, my blood had long since dried up, my skeleton and internal organs had already withered, and no matter what, it is impossible to restore them now
By nightfall, the mountain winds grew stronger, fiercely battering the houses in the village as they swept in from the open areas. The doors, windows, and roofs were struck with a resounding "bang," causing the children to cry out in fear.
"Wait, why do I have livor mortis on my chest?" I exclaimed, groping up and down, all signs indicated that I was no longer human
Dad, is this the reason you buried our family's heirloom with Yun'er? Do you really believe in such things?" Father Yang Zhi asked with a furrowed brow, showing no signs of excessive sorrow. A man is always the pillar of the family; even if the sky were to fall, he must bear the burden.
Ah ~ ~ ~ I couldn't help but cry out in pain, the bone-chilling cold seemed to melt me away, this lightning was unexpectedly cold, yet immensely powerful, with this strike, it tore open a gash in the skin on my chest, revealing the dull gray heart within
He only dared to look around the house, not daring to step out of the door at such a time. As the village chief of a mountain village, his experience is sufficiently rich, and throughout his life, he has encountered unusual events.
I did not expect my strength to be so great, and for a moment I was taken aback as the lightning suddenly flashed through the night and struck my chest
Yang De quickly closed the window tightly, "Oh no, could it be that something has happened to Yun'er?"
The lightning struck fiercely at my heart, and disregarding the excruciating pain, I shouted and screamed at the dark clouds, completely turning into a madman. The lightning struck me time and again, convinced that I was a ghost, vowing not to rest until it destroyed me
During the day, this small mountain village is shrouded in mist, the solemnity in the air is palpable enough to extract water, and the entire village is permeated with a stifling atmosphere
Upon reflection, I am already dead, so why should I care about so much? Since I have just awakened, my memory is somewhat confused. I am trying hard to recall, and I should now be inside my grandfather's heirloom bronze coffin.
Grandfather coughed violently a few times; the news of my death was the greatest blow to him. "However, the fortune teller said that as long as we seal his life force in a copper coffin after Yun'er dies, there is still a chance for a turnaround"
I can no longer endure that noise. Moreover, I have to go out sooner or later. Since I am awake, regardless of whether I am a human or a ghost, it is impossible for me to remain in this copper coffin indefinitely
"Father." As soon as Mother returned to Grandfather's house in the mountain village, she threw herself onto him and began to sob. The children have grown so much, they are about to graduate from university, and no one expected such an incident to occur.
As I was feeling distressed, a low wailing sound came from outside the copper coffin, crashing against my patience in waves
It is akin to being in my grandfather's embrace as a child, listening to him tell stories, and then, this force seems to be helping me seize control of my body
I attempted to open the bronze coffin, initially thinking that the soil outside was pressing down on it, making it difficult for me to open. However, to my surprise, it did not take much effort, and I managed to open a crack in the lid of the bronze coffin.
In a quaint stone house in the village, Yang De sat upright on the bed, and his eyes, which had been closed, suddenly opened: "Something is not right. It has only been 4 days since Yun'er passed away, including 3 days of funeral meals and half a day of burial. The timing does not add up."
Listening to that sound, it seems to be wary of something. At that moment, a cracking sound of bones moving echoed from the graveyard, making one's teeth ache; this was precisely the sound emanating from my grave.
It seems they do not want me to go out. Yang De calmly sat back down on the bed.
Sigh, go ahead, I have always been by his side since childhood, and in the future, I will continue to be by his side.
The mountain wind swirled through the village, emitting a cool, wailing sound that frightened all the children. It was already the day of my burial, and the sound of the mountain wind resembled someone quietly weeping.
Just as he was about to open the window again, a foul wind blew through the crack of the window and struck Yang De's face, causing him to cough repeatedly.
I groped in the darkness and found that my vision had improved significantly; I was able to see everything clearly within the bronze coffin even in the dark
Yang Zhi's voice trembled slightly
This copper coffin exudes an eerie atmosphere; its exterior is plain and unadorned, yet the interior is intricately carved with complex patterns that leave me feeling dizzy
"Damn, do they really think I'm a ghost?" I am furious, what is going on? Just as I was about to make my appearance, I was struck by thunder and lightning? This only happens when ghosts and spirits come into the world.
As soon as a crack appeared in the copper coffin, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, a fierce wind howled, and a bolt of lightning, as thick as a forearm, struck down from the dark clouds in the sky, heading straight for the copper coffin.
Yang De knows these matters, and apart from the next village chief, he will not disclose them to anyone else. Moreover, he is still vigorous, and it is still early for him to retire, so the successor for the village chief has not yet been determined
I am filled with numerous doubts, accompanied by a chilling sensation, as there are too many unknown mysteries. The greatest enigma is the mystery of my soul's return. I can only keep these secrets within my heart and will not disclose them to others
Hoo! My breath became rapid, and I could not believe that I was no longer human. It was only when I pressed my hand against my chest and felt that my heart was not beating that I realized I was no longer human. Even if I were to wake up, I would merely be a corpse, a corpse that could think and had its own consciousness! This was something I had never considered before; it was too absurd.
Originally, I was unable to move, but with the help of this strength, I am gradually regaining control over my body. However, with each bit of control I gain, I feel an endless pain, a pain brought on by my withered torso and bones.
This is the scene of the giant monster's emergence, how could this happen! Yang De trembled as he leaned against the bed, feeling the fury of the thunder and lightning, utterly shocked
Meanwhile, this force injected an unknown silvery-white liquid throughout my body, my consciousness was somewhat clear, but I was unable to move, only able to "watch" everything unfold.
I am so hungry! I have a strong craving for fresh blood. I instinctively touched my stomach, but instead of the expected warmth, I felt only the hard skin; all the organs had long since dried up.
The wailing sound that had originally been heard outside the bronze coffin also vanished, perhaps out of fear of the lightning, or it may have been that the sound of the thunder was too loud, drowning out the wailing.
The method to suppress that evil spirit relies solely on the vigorous blood of men. Therefore, generations of village chiefs in the mountain village have always told the villagers that regardless of how backward the area may be, a portion of the male population must be preserved
Having died once, I have matured far too much. Now, as I reflect in the copper coffin, I find my former self to be utterly ridiculous for having contemplated suicide over such a woman
He always remembered what his grandfather had told him in his childhood, that this valley was home to a malevolent spirit. His grandfather had said that as long as the number of able-bodied men in the mountain village was sufficient, they would be able to suppress that malevolent spirit and prevent it from wreaking havoc in the village.
This small mountain village has approximately over 100 households and more than 300 residents. Although the population is small, the history of the village is remarkably ancient, and Yang De is the village chief of this small mountain village
How could this happen! I was stunned. Although being resurrected puzzled me, it is ultimately a good thing; being alive is better than being dead. But why have I become like this!
Damn thing, I am not a ghost, I am a human, I am a human, why are you striking me? Why?" I shouted with my head raised, my sparse and withered hair drooping despondently on my shoulders
Yang De spoke to himself
I suppressed my thirst for blood and began to investigate this bronze coffin
It is impossible; our village has over 30 able-bodied men, and their vigor is sufficient to suppress that evil spirit
Yang De stood up and pushed open the peach wood window, taking a careful look at the situation outside: "This atmosphere does not seem to be the night of the seventh day for the souls to return. Has something happened?"
Yang De seemed to have aged significantly in an instant
I was already feeling troubled, and suddenly I found myself in this state. Then I wanted to go outside, but there was thunder and lightning striking me. I simply threw open the lid of the copper coffin, and dirt flew everywhere as I overturned all the soil that was pressing down on the coffin.
Under the oppressive atmosphere, hardly any villagers ventured outside on this day
I calculated the time, and it has been approximately 10 hours since I regained consciousness. It seems as though my body is absorbing something from the outside. I believe it must be the energy of death, as I now feel an intense cold throughout my body, chilling me to the depths of my soul