Chapter 8, The Black Bamboo Enigma

The black objects merely revealed their heads, each connected by a thin red line, resembling an irregular circle, yet not quite. In any case, this is all I could discern.

Yang Yuanshan suddenly raised his head and asked me: "Is the malevolent energy within you still clashing with each other? Is the pain from earlier still present?"

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion erupted above the coffin, a sound far louder than the firecrackers Uncle Tuesday set off during the New Year. I never expected that just a few small stones, when they came into contact with the turtle blood nail, could produce such a tremendous explosive sound. I couldn't help but gasp, but then, my entire body instantly stiffened

Uncle Zhou! Uncle Zhou! This is the voice of Meng Heizi, who rushed to Uncle Zhou in a panic and said, "Uncle Zhou, it's not good! Your daughter Xiuqiao wants to commit suicide, and Aunt Er is asking you to hurry home and take a look!"

It is actually the forbidden technique of Maoshan, the Black Bamboo Formation! This... this... this Black Bamboo Formation, apart from a few wandering masters in the Maoshan sect, only I and Xian Zong Gu Tan know it. Could it be Gu Tan?! He, he has also come. Sigh... Yang Yuanshan staggered for a moment, slowly steadying himself, and then let out a heavy sigh

What Yang Yuanshan just said was that one must use the Five Thunder Finger to strike the Five Thunder Stone in the bag towards the Turtle Blood Nail. I do not know what will happen next, and I dare not blink, closely watching the changes in Yang Yuanshan.

At that moment, as he was with the books, Yang Yuanshan unexpectedly turned back to take a glance. Upon being met by Yang Yuanshan's gaze, the crowd instinctively took a few steps back. Only then did Yang Yuanshan turn his head again

What exactly has Old Zhou's family done to offend someone? How could they be so maliciously harmed! Mr. Wu exclaimed angrily

Ah! This... sigh... Uncle Zhou's face was creased with wrinkles as he clenched his fist tightly and hurried home with Meng Heizi.

Although I understand nothing, I can still grasp something. Yang Yuanshan is so concerned and shocked by these peculiar items, which suggests that they must be something undesirable. Moreover, they are located next to the coffin of Old Master Zhou. Could it be that they pose a threat to the Zhou family?

I carefully sensed it and immediately shook my head, saying: "It suddenly doesn't hurt anymore, Mr. Yang, has my illness been cured?"

Yang Yuanshan did not move forward; instead, he approached the altar, reached out to take three sticks of incense, lit them, and inserted them into the incense burner. At this point, Yang Yuanshan remained completely still, staring at the three sticks of incense. Time passed slowly, yet he remained motionless like an old monk in meditation, leaving all of us puzzled, as we had no idea what he was doing.

Yang Yuanshan was suddenly at a loss whether to cry or laugh, and said: "The next time you feel pain, it will be the moment of your demise. The tortoise blood nail just now was merely a trap, while the true deadly threat lies within this Black Bamboo Enchantment..."

Yang Yuanshan sighed and said: "No wonder the Turtle Blood Nail is so easily broken; its true mastermind is the Black Bamboo Formation. Black bamboo itself possesses considerable spiritual energy. When it first grows, it is green, but over time it gradually turns black. Due to its flower spikes having a slight purple hue, it is also known as Purple Bamboo. The Black Bamboo Formation gathers the energy of yin and malevolence. Not only does it absorb the energy from the Turtle Blood Nail, but it also continuously draws in the yin energy within the surrounding area. The limit of the yin energy on the Turtle Blood Nail is merely an illusion, far less than one-thousandth of that of the Black Bamboo Formation. At this moment, with the Turtle Blood Nail being broken, it will inevitably affect the yin energy within the Black Bamboo Formation. If I am not mistaken, the corpse inside the longevity coffin is currently absorbing a large amount of the yin energy from the black bamboo. If this formation cannot be broken before midnight today, then..."

At the same time, Yang Yuanshan suddenly exhaled forcefully, stamping his right foot heavily on the ground, and shouted angrily, "Strike!"

I do not know why, but at this moment I have been staring at the shattered stone tablet on the ground, feeling very strange. I couldn't help but say: "The person who arranged the tortoise blood nails is truly lacking in morality; a perfectly good tombstone has done nothing to provoke him, really..."

Recalling the care that Old Master Zhou showed me during his lifetime, and how Uncle Zhou and his wife never looked down on me for being unfortunate, even though they only provided me with some food, it stands in stark contrast to the disdain and indifference I faced from others in the village. Such a kind old man cannot find peace in death, and now Uncle Zhou's family is also on the brink of ruin. I despise the person who secretly orchestrated this harmful scheme. Why do good people never receive their due rewards? Why do the wicked always succeed?

Clang!

I bent down and knelt before Yang Yuanshan, saying without thinking: "Mr. Yang, I know you can save Uncle Zhou's family, please save Uncle Zhou!"

After speaking, Yang Yuanshan quickly returned to the coffin and began to carefully search around it. I do not know what he was looking for, but I am certain he was seeking a way to rescue me. Although I felt increasingly uncomfortable, I was still deeply moved, for no one had ever treated me with such importance throughout my life. Perhaps one day, I would starve to death on the roadside, and no one would care or ask about me. Yet now, I could see that everyone was somewhat concerned about me, and I felt an inexplicable warmth in my heart. I was still deeply moved, for no one had ever treated me with such importance throughout my life. Perhaps one day, I would starve to death on the roadside, and no one would care or ask about me. Yet now, I could see that everyone was somewhat concerned about me, and I felt an inexplicable warmth in my heart

Mr. Wu couldn't help but run forward, and after a moment of hesitation, I followed him.

I expressed the changes and pain within my body, and Yang Yuanshan's face instantly turned pale: "How could this be? Could it be that there is not only the tortoise blood nail here?"

Everyone avoided it, and I was no exception. However, I could watch from a distance like Mr. Wu and others. I saw Yang Yuanshan take a yellow cloth bundle from his back, claiming it was a single item, which resembled him holding something long and shaped, measuring over three feet.

The tortoise blood nail has been broken... What happened? The tortoise blood nail has been broken; the malevolent energy within you should have diminished somewhat. How did this happen?" Yang Yuanshan muttered to himself, suddenly turning around to see me, and quickly walked over.

Yang Yuanshan furrowed his brow and said slowly, "Corpse transformation"

Mr. Wu exclaimed again, "Mr. Yang, how could this happen?!"

Bang

Yang Yuanshan seemed to have seen something, and hurriedly tried to clear away the shattered pieces of the tombstone. To his surprise, beneath those fragments lay a circular shallow depression. Yang Yuanshan carefully and slowly peeled back the layers of soil, and soon, several black objects in a circular shape emerged on the surface.

"Tombstone?" Perhaps it was my casual remark that caused Yang Yuanshan to suddenly turn around and approach the shattered tombstone, questioning, "Indeed, even if the tortoise blood nails are arranged, they have nothing to do with the tombstone... Here! This is..."

Hello

The hard ground was casually struck by Yang Yuanshan, and the yellow cloth strip immediately lodged itself into the ground. Without even a glance, he strode over to the coffin of Old Master Zhou.

As the three small incense ashes gradually bent and then silently broke off and fell, Yang Yuanshan immediately raised both hands. The fingers of his left hand were all retracted into his palm, while the fingers of his right hand trembled slightly, causing the yellow cloth bag in his hand to emit a "crackling" sound as it was squeezed, resembling the sound of something shattering. However, this sound was so dry and crisp. Suddenly! The strange handprint, which was neither a fist nor a seal, formed by his left hand, was fiercely slapped onto the cloth bag in his right hand.

Mr. Wu Da was almost stunned, murmuring to himself: "The timing and force of the Five Thunder Pointer and the Five Thunder Stone's contract and the combination with the books are just right. If it were a moment faster, the Five Thunder Stone would not be able to unleash its maximum power; if it were half a moment slower, the Five Thunder Stone would inevitably explode prematurely. Truly, he is worthy of being the renowned master Yang Yuanshan, famous throughout the land."

Mr. Yang, what is this again? Mr. Wu's expression was also not very pleasant, and his words seemed to tremble as he spoke

Just like that, I stumbled back a few steps, feeling as if a ball of fire had suddenly exploded in my chest, it hurt greatly

Having said that, my eyes stung, and tears rolled down uncontrollably. Besides repaying the Zhou family for their care over the years, I mostly felt guilty for having overslept last night; otherwise, the other party would not have succeeded so easily. It is all my fault, ... it is all because of me, this person plagued by misfortune. I should be the one who is wronged, it is me ...

After glancing at us, Yang Yuanshan continued, "Not only that, the ancestral grave of the Zhou family has been disturbed, and with such a concentration of malevolent energy gathered in the grave, if it is not resolved quickly, the Zhou family will face even greater consequences... Even this young man may find it hard to escape... Sigh!"

I have been so frightened by Yang Yuanshan's words that I am at a loss, unable to speak for a moment

What will happen? Mr. Wu seemed to understand something, and he asked anxiously. The rest of us were also shocked, our mouths agape.

Ah! I can no longer hold back my voice, clutching my chest with one hand as I am about to fall. Fortunately, Mr. Wu reacted quickly and caught me, urgently asking: "Chuqii! What is wrong with you?"