Chapter 7: Silver Corpse and Vengeful Spirit
A Liang, open the coffin and take a look
"Every grievance has its source, and every debt has its owner. Although you have suffered some injustices, you should not harbor resentment towards others or vent your frustrations on them"
As dusk approached, a severely decayed coffin was finally unearthed. From the remaining traces, it appeared to have never been painted. According to local customs, coffins of those who died an unnatural or premature death are not to be painted, thus confirming that it was indeed the remains of Xie Yongfang. Lu Chengshan instructed everyone to carry the coffin to the school playground, where a pile of dry firewood was prepared, placing the coffin atop it, seemingly intending to burn it.
The silver corpse can still be eliminated, but if it hides away to cultivate, after a thousand years it will evolve into a silver-haired wolf, which cannot be exterminated by mere mortals
In 1995, many places had already implemented cremation, but here traditional burial was still practiced. Additionally, there is a custom where a few years after the deceased is buried, the coffin is exhumed, and the bones, which have lost their flesh, are placed in a jar and reburied. Some people, either to avoid trouble or because the anniversary of death is not suitable for immediate burial, simply place the coffin on the ground and cover it with bamboo mats, which looks particularly frightening
The voice of the vengeful spirit suddenly became sharp: "That monk committed many wrongdoings in his youth; I killed him because he deserved it!"
The driver, Ah Liang, who was originally at the back, made a desperate leap to the front, wielding a military dagger in his hand, his entire body tensed like a leopard about to pounce. However, what fell to the ground was not alive; it was merely a clump of grayish-white hair, with one section still braided.
At this time, the monks had already left, and there was no one else in the school. Principal Chen hurriedly boiled water to brew tea, and then ran home to fetch some peanuts, melon seeds, fruits, and pastries to entertain the guests
I want to take revenge, but I cannot find him on m.hetushu.com, and I cannot leave here. Can you help me? His name is Jian Shan, and he has a black mole next to his nose. He used to be the captain of the militia, but later he was promoted. I don't know where he went
Ali responded with a sound, stepped forward, grasped the upper coffin lid with one hand, pressed down on the lower coffin board with the other, bent his waist, and sat firmly. With both arms exerting force, the coffin, already decayed beyond repair, had loose nails that gave way, and the lid was pushed aside.
Lu Qingwen asked again: "How terrifying is a silver corpse?"
Lu Chengshan recited incantations while drawing several talismans. He took one talisman, burned it in water, and sprinkled the water over the coffin. Then, he cut down four willow branches, affixed talismans to them, and placed them at the four cardinal directions—southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast—around the coffin.
Wow ... ...
"Zombie?" Lu Qingwen asked tremulously
The facial features of the female corpse closely resemble those of the hanged ghost I dreamt of, yet there are no ligature marks on her neck, her eyes are not bulging, and her tongue is not protruding. Principal Chen once mentioned that Xie Yongfang was pregnant at the time of her death, but her abdomen is not distended now, suggesting that there may have been significant changes after her burial
As we reached halfway up the mountain, Lu Chengshan glanced back and forth a few times, then pointed into the distance and spoke to me about the Qinglong and Baihu, the origins and developments, the left and right formations, and so on, which made me roll my eyes in exasperation. It wasn't that I didn't want to give him face; I was genuinely on the verge of fainting from confusion. I didn't want to flatter him unnecessarily, did I really need to pretend to understand?
The sky had completely darkened. A Liang took a large cloth bag from the trunk of the car and set up an incense altar in the center of the playground. Lu Chengshan changed into a Tai Chi Bagua robe, donned a hibiscus crown, and inserted a peach wood sword adorned with the Big Dipper and runes on both sides into his back. He held a jade-handled white silk whisk, exuding an ethereal and transcendent aura.
I did not see the vengeful spirit speak, but in my mind, her mournful and sorrowful voice echoed: "I am so miserable, I am unwilling to accept this, sob... I was originally a girl from the city, but I came to the countryside and suffered greatly. I finally met someone who understood me, only for him to leave again. That scoundrel deceived me into believing he would help me obtain a quota to return to the city, and he defiled me. In reality, he was just lying to me and had no intention of helping at all. I became pregnant with his illegitimate child and wanted to expose him, but he strangled me and made it look like a suicide. I am unwilling to accept this!" That scoundrel deceived me into believing he would help me obtain a quota to return to the city, and he defiled me. In reality, he was just lying to me and had no intention of helping at all. I became pregnant with his illegitimate child and wanted to expose him, but he strangled me and made it look like a suicide. I am unwilling to accept this!
Five individuals walked up the narrow path, and Lu Qingwen stepped on a soft, squishy object. Feeling somewhat puzzled, she picked it up with the branch in her hand
I have some doubts; if the intention is merely to burn it, why go through the trouble of bringing it back? Moreover, the creature that has been harassing me repeatedly may be more terrifying than the vengeful spirit. Why does Lu Chengshan not mention a word about it? Although I find it puzzling, I kept my mouth shut to avoid being ridiculed or committing some taboo
Lu Chengshan realized that he had wasted his breath and could only say simply: "On the surface, this place appears to be a feng shui treasure land, but in reality, it is a natural simple gathering of yin energy. Ignorant feng shui masters have misled the villagers into building graves here, which has exacerbated the yin energy. The yin energy here has only one outlet, which is in the direction of the village. Originally, it could have been managed with a little guidance and clearing, but some fool had the idea to build a school to suppress the yin energy, which ended up blocking its dispersion. It has become like a reservoir, accumulating more and more over the past twenty to thirty years. How could it not give rise to malevolent spirits and strange creatures? If I had not come here today, who knows how many lives would have been lost!"
I have been somewhat apprehensive about the chaotic graveyard on the back mountain, so I have not gone up there for the past two or three days. Even when I glanced at it casually, I did not take a closer look. As I walked up this time, I discovered that the graves were closely packed together, and in some places, I could still see half-decayed coffins.
Lu Chengshan angrily said: "Even if he has done wrong, he has repented. There are divine principles above and national laws below; it is not for you to determine the life and death of others"
Lu Chengshan glanced inside and snorted, "Hmph! You almost managed to develop a situation!"
Lu Chengshan Senran said: "If you are to die, then die; may you be reborn soon. Why linger in the mortal realm?"
A Liang took out a small flashlight and shone it inside. Both Lu Qingwen and I were very curious, so we walked over to take a look. Upon seeing it, we couldn't help but exclaim and took several steps back. Inside the coffin was not a skeleton, but a corpse, resembling someone who had just died. However, the skin exhibited an unusual pallor, emanating an oppressive chill.
Lu Chengshan frowned: "I will help you investigate, but you have frightened the villagers and even strangled the monk. Taking a life requires paying with a life; debts must be repaid. I cannot overlook your actions."
It turned out to be the hair left behind after the corpse of an old woman had decayed. This object might not be frightening if placed elsewhere, but its appearance in this chaotic graveyard is quite disgusting and terrifying. Although Lu Qingwen looks like an adult, she is actually still a child, and moreover, a girl. It is inevitable that she would be frightened at first sight.
The vengeful spirit was inherently filled with malice, fierce and irritable, lacking the rationality of a normal person. Upon hearing these words, it became enraged and shouted, "So you are also a villain, die, die, all of you die!" As it spoke, it charged towards the coffin, while the white female corpse inside the coffin also began to tremble.
Lu Chengshan's fingers emitted a strange power, and I felt a tremor in my mind. The scenery before me became somewhat blurred, yet some objects that normally would not emit light began to glow, as if I were wearing some kind of night vision goggles. I scanned my surroundings and suddenly noticed a woman, appearing both real and illusory, at the entrance of a classroom. Her long hair was flowing, her eyes were bleeding, and her tongue was extended long. She was the hanging ghost I had seen in my dreams, the vengeful spirit of Xie Yongfang.
I felt a bit nervous, my eyes wide open as I searched ahead, yet I saw nothing. Lu Chengshan glanced at me, made a gesture, and pressed it to my forehead: "Your constitution is special; I can temporarily open your third eye for you. No matter what you see, do not be afraid, and do not shout or run around."
It is indeed a significant hidden danger, and this can be considered a rare gem that is hard to come by in a millennium, so I took another look. The female corpse had well-defined and delicate features, but her expression appeared somewhat fierce. Her clothing had mostly decayed into a kind of mud, revealing a beautiful figure, indicating that she was undoubtedly a great beauty in her lifetime
Everyone suddenly realized, and Principal Chen asked nervously: "So, does that mean the school will be demolished?"
Lu Chengshan shook his head, not scolding her. Reading thousands of books is not as beneficial as traveling thousands of miles. This is precisely the reason he took his granddaughter along, believing that the next time she encounters such things, she will no longer be afraid
"There is no need; what significance does a mere vengeful spirit hold? This gathering of yin can be easily dispelled." After saying this, Lu Chengshan turned to leave
The vengeful spirit was somewhat apprehensive of Lu Chengshan and did not dare to approach. Instead, it emitted waves of cold air from its body, which clashed with the nearby warm air, creating a whirlwind.
Soon, all the villagers were driven away, including Principal Chen and Secretary Chen, who also took refuge in a distant house. Only Lu Chengshan, Lu Qingwen, A Liang, and I remained present. Lu Chengshan repeatedly instructed that all villagers must stay indoors and close their doors and windows; otherwise, they would bear the consequences themselves
She is not yet a zombie. When she died years ago, her soul did not remain in her body, and she did not become a zombie. However, she happened to be buried within a gathering of yin energy, in the place with the most intense yin atmosphere. Her corpse did not decay, and over the years, it absorbed a significant amount of yin energy, accumulating a large amount of corpse poison, which has reached the point where transformation into a corpse is possible. Moreover, her vengeful spirit has not dissipated; after more than twenty years of nurturing, it has become a malevolent ghost. If given a little more time, the yin spirit and the corpse will merge, not only turning her into a zombie but also into a very terrifying silver corpse. Lu Chengshan explained this in detail to broaden his granddaughter's knowledge and to pique my interest.
Lu Chengshan casually chatted with everyone. According to him, the monks were not without merit; all the ordinary spirits in the vicinity had been transcended, leaving only the vengeful spirit of Xie Yongfang. Once that was dealt with, everything would be fine. After waiting for a long time, Secretary Chen still could not locate Xie Yongfang's grave, so he called in a dozen strong men to assist, expanding the excavation area, while Lu Chengshan personally oversaw the site.
A voice suddenly echoed in my mind: "Daoist, why do you want to dig out my body? Are you unwilling to spare even a poor soul?"
Lu Chengshan ignored the grave digger and walked towards the school, wandering around near the teaching building. I noticed that he discreetly placed some colored pebbles, talismans, and coins on the ground, covering them with loose soil, though I could not discern their purpose
Ah! She let out a loud scream, as if bitten by a venomous snake, hurriedly discarding the branch.
Suddenly, a whirlwind swept in, causing the willow trees to sway dramatically, stirring up dust and dirt, and the temperature dropped several degrees. Lu Chengshan let out a snort: "It's here, stand behind me and don't move. Its remains are here, it has no choice but to come!"
When descending the mountain, Secretary Chen had already brought five or six strong men to dig at the foot of the mountain. According to local customs, young people who die under abnormal circumstances cannot be buried horizontally in a slope; instead, they must be buried directly in a "vertical pit". Additionally, no tombstone can be erected, making it difficult to locate the grave many years later