Chapter 7, The Human Stone
"This does sound like a horror story from Southeast Asia about a 'conjoined monster baby', but the only thing that doesn't make sense is that the monster baby's body is soft and does not petrify," the Taoist priest muttered, his brow furrowed.
Isn't this quite bad? I feel somewhat disheartened
Master Yue smiled and explained: "Stones are generally found in the gallbladder and kidneys, while the three items I mentioned are located in the stomachs of animals, where essence gathers, transforms into form, and are exceptionally precious, extremely rare, and can only be encountered but not sought after"
The old man smiled mysteriously and said, "Xunzi said, 'The six fingers in the universe are called extremes.' This refers to the extreme of fate, which should be a glimpse into the fate of the ghostly path; it is rare in the world.
This ... ... '' Lao Dao furrowed his brows in surprise, and then fell into deep thought
"That is what the doctor said," I replied
Oh, could it be that this petrified fetus is the human stone?
"Daoist, what exactly is this petrified fetus?" I calmed my mind and asked the Daoist.
Indeed, when a woman is over ten solar terms into her first pregnancy, the fetus has already taken shape. Unexpectedly, the yin energy that gathers in the eight extraordinary meridians of the woman becomes chaotic and flows backward, surging into the uterus, layer upon layer enveloping the fetus, strangling it within the mother's womb, and causing its ossification. This is the origin of the petrified fetus, explained Daoist Master Yue.
The old man carefully examined the statue repeatedly, muttering to himself: "Hmm, this does not seem to be an artifact from the Middle Kingdom; it is very likely a mysterious and terrifying conjoined twin from Southeast Asia. But where is the other half? They are never separated."
"Not just that," Master Yue said with a serious expression. However, he then furrowed his brows, muttering to himself in suspicion, "Strange, if it is a human stone, it must be an inanimate object. How could it be tested to have brain waves as you mentioned?"
I heard that it seems to be a type of stone found in the body of an animal, and it is quite expensive
Do you know about the spirit-controlling practices in Southeast Asia? The most terrifying among them is the conjoined monster baby, which embodies both good and evil, and is extremely rare. They perish in the womb before birth, harboring intense resentment... The conjoined monster baby is preserved by the sorcerer in a porcelain jar, its flesh remains uncorrupted, possessing a mysterious power. However, this monster baby has inexplicably turned to stone and has ended up in Xiangxi?" Master Yue said with a puzzled expression
"You may call me Master Yue." The Feng Shui master laughed heartily, revealing very white teeth
I respectfully took out the naked baby statue from my pocket and handed it to him
"It should have died a long time ago," the Taoist priest replied
"You are right, sir. Indeed, some inexplicable strange events have occurred around me these past few days." I believe that the beggar before me at this moment is a rare and extraordinary master that one can encounter but not seek. Thus, I eagerly began to recount how to obtain the naked infant statue, the tragic deaths of Old Xiao and Wu Zitan, and so on, in detail to Daoist Yue.
To speak candidly, this is indeed the first time I have heard of such a peculiar matter in the world
I was momentarily taken aback and stammered, "Do you mean to say, Daoist Priest..."
"Then how could the doctor still detect its brain waves? Right at the county hospital where we are." I asked with some skepticism.
As I spoke, a sense of unease began to stir within me. Indeed, this strange infant's body had already turned to stone, yet its brain was still active, or rather, it still possessed thought. So, is it truly dead or alive? This is simply like a tale from the Arabian Nights, utterly beyond comprehension.
According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica," this substance has a sweet taste and a mild medicinal property, making it a supreme tonic for nourishing yin, far surpassing the thousand-year-old mountain ginseng and the human-shaped He Shou Wu. It indeed possesses the effect of reviving the dead. In his time, Li Shizhen traveled the world and could only find one of these.
The old Taoist remained silent for a long time after listening, and after a considerable while, he finally spoke thoughtfully: "If that is the case, this petrified fetus of the naked infant may be somewhat peculiar. May I have the honor of viewing it?"
***
It is said that in the art of physiognomy, those born with six fingers are destined to hinder their fathers and will not achieve glory throughout their lives. However, from the perspective of a poor Daoist, this may not necessarily be the case. Do you know why people are born with only five fingers, rather than two, four, or eight fingers?" The old Daoist asked with a smile.
What? I did not hear clearly, so I turned around to ask.
However, there is one thing I am certain of: just after I was startled awake last night, I indeed caught a glimpse of a fleeting light in the eyes of the strange infant.
May I ask, how should I address you, sir? I ultimately decided to speak up, hoping to receive guidance from an expert
I shook my head, who knows this
Master Yue gazed at the petrified fetus in his hands, shook his head, and said: "The eyes have already turned to stone, showing no signs of life."
"You need to find the female sorceress in that photograph, or else more people will die," he said
I have come to some understanding that in the natural world, all things are interconnected through the cycle of the five elements, and those born with six fingers may possess abilities beyond the reach of others. Perhaps I can not only perceive the gaze of the strange infant but also be influenced by the brainwaves of the strange infant, albeit this occurs in dreams, within the depths of my unguarded subconscious.
"Human stone, this item is even rarer, therefore in folklore, cow bile, pig fat, dog treasure, and human stone, each one is more peculiar than the last, making them increasingly difficult to encounter," the Taoist priest explained.
Strange, could it be that only I, a person born with six fingers, can see or feel those unusual things? Thinking of this, my mood unexpectedly became somewhat inexplicably excited
As I reached out to retrieve the naked infant statue, at the very moment I grasped it, I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye that the strange baby seemed to be staring at me.
I bent down and emerged from the earth temple, stretched my muscles and bones, and took several deep breaths of the cool air, feeling refreshed and invigorated
"Oh, it is Daoist Yue. My name is Huangfu Xiaoming. The person in the middle of the photo with six fingers is my father. The six fingers are a hereditary trait of the Huangfu family." I waved my right hand in front of him.
"In that case, isn't this petrified fetus worth a million?" My heart raced with excitement, filled with a sense of secret joy
"Then what is the use of this stone?" I curiously continued to ask.
The rain outside has finally ceased, and a blanket of white mist rises among the mountains and fields
A few cool raindrops drifted in with the wind, falling onto my neck, causing my heart to tighten involuntarily
"There is always a lack of cleanliness around you," said Elder Yue with a serious expression.
"Sir, do you see anything unusual about this strange infant? Especially the eyes." I hoped that the Taoist priest could discern some insights.
"Conjoined monster baby?" Just hearing that name is quite unsettling. I recall that my father also mentioned that this naked baby statue is a pair.
Is it still alive then? I asked with a racing heart
The rain falls heavily, with white mist floating outside. Numerous bubbles emerge from the puddles, only to be extinguished by the raindrops in an instant.
The Five Elements, namely Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, correspond to the five fingers, giving rise to the six fingers, thus disrupting the harmony of the Five Elements in the hand.
I listened with great interest
"Do you know about ox gall, pig fat, and dog treasures?" asked Daoist Yue
"The sorcerer." Daoist Yue said from behind me