Chapter 2, The Soul Returns

Suddenly, a ray of light appeared before him, and Ding Zhiming was overjoyed, hurriedly carrying the child while walking behind two lanterns. The Taoist priest Sanpin was both covering their retreat and muttering incantations that Ding Zhiming could not understand.

After walking for another ten minutes or so, the glow of the lantern gradually dimmed, floating in the air like fireflies. Beyond the light of the lantern, in the black mist, ghostly shadows loomed, clawing and dancing menacingly

Ding Zhiming was perplexed, yet he did not dare to disregard the words of this person. He immediately carried the child on his back and set off. The Taoist priest Sanpin held a treasured sword, closely following behind Ding Zhiming, his eyes gleaming with intensity as he looked around.

"Daoist, can you really save my son?" Ding Zhiming wiped his tears and asked

The Taoist priest Sanpin drew a small, exquisite sword from the backpack on his shoulder. With a swift motion, he severed a pine tree as thick as a wrist, sharpened both ends, and handed it to Ding Zhiming, saying: "Hurry and dig open the grave, and bring the child out!"

Strangely, these ghosts only linger around the Ding family and have not disturbed any other households

The sound of ghostly wails pursued from behind

After three consecutive shouts, Ding Ermiao on the ground remained motionless

At that time, some affluent villagers had installed telephones in their homes and wanted to call the police, but the calls could not go through at all

As soon as Er Miao landed, he rushed into Mu Cuizhen's embrace

After walking only a dozen steps, a sudden wave of black mist enveloped Ding Zhiming and the other two, obscuring their vision. Within the black mist, faint sounds of ghostly wails and howls could be heard, sending chills down their spines

The wailing of ghosts around grew increasingly mournful, the noise chaotic, resembling the sound of thousands of troops and horses. Meanwhile, the incantations of the Taoist priest Sanpin became more urgent, delivered with such speed that it was akin to a shrew cursing in the streets

In the midst of darkness, only the voice of the Taoist priest can be heard reciting: "Left Green Dragon, Right White Tiger, Immortal points the way, Open—!"

The Taoist priest Sanpin, however, ignored Ding Zhiming, unbuttoned Ding Ermiao's shirt, revealing his chest. Then, he took out a brush from his backpack, dipped it in cinnabar water, and drew a strange pattern on Ding Ermiao's chest

However, Daoist Sanpin set up an incense altar at the Ding family home, holding a precious sword and standing on the Seven Stars, protecting the five members of the Ding family behind him, reciting incantations for an entire night

Ding Zhiming was so frightened that his teeth chattered, one hand gripping the Daoist robe of Sanpin Daoist, his body trembling uncontrollably

Ding Zhiming raised his head and pointed with his finger, saying: "The row to the west is my family's ancestral grave. The large area to the east is the burial ground of the Mu family in the village"

Ding Ermiao, lying flat on the ground, suddenly sat up and exclaimed, "Dad...!"

"Daoist, what is going on here?" Ding Zhiming was taken aback, standing still and unsure of what to do. The hillside here is only about 3 miles away from the village, yet Ding Zhiming suddenly lost his sense of direction and did not know which way to go.

The Taoist priest Sanpin snorted, "How could a mere mortal like you see? Not only do I see the azure energy, but I also see the three souls of the person in the grave solidified and the seven spirits drifting. They are definitely not someone who is short-lived"

"Daoist, I can no longer see the road!" Ding Zhiming exclaimed in despair

Ding Zhiming had just witnessed the methods of the Daoist and had also seen the scene of the evil spirit blocking the road, thus he firmly believed in his words and regarded them as a sacred decree. At that moment, Ding Zhiming took the talisman and affixed it to every door and window upstairs and downstairs.

A gust of cold wind howled, the lights in the room went out completely, and outside, the ghostly wails were chilling. The sound of banging occasionally came from the windows and the front door.

Ding Zhiming did not dare to be negligent; he took the pine stick and dug with all his might. As a farmer, he was already strong, and being in the prime of his life, combined with the loose soil covering the new grave, he managed to unearth it in less than five minutes. A small coffin was exposed to the moonlight.

The mother and child embraced, weeping bitterly. Mu Cuizhen touched the child's face, feeling as if she were in a dream

Without further ado, quickly close the doors and windows. Take my talismans and stick them on the doors, windows, and the kitchen door. The Taoist priest Sanpin took out a dozen yellow talismans from his backpack and handed them to Ding Zhiming

Ah ... ... Yi Yi - !

"Dao, Daoist..." Ding Zhiming was both surprised and delighted, yet filled with suspicion, as he stammered and asked: "Are you saying my son is still... still alive?"

Follow the lanterns, quickly

It seems that a ghostly entity has been struck, its cries of anguish unceasing, resembling the howls of wolves, the wails of infants, and the calls of wildcats in heat

The Taoist priest Sanpin completed his ritual, stood up, and surveyed his surroundings. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he asked, "Each item has its own graveyard; whose ancestral burial ground is this?"

However, the intimidation from Daoist Sanpin had no effect whatsoever. The black mist did not diminish; instead, it grew thicker. The chilling cries of ghosts also drew nearer, seemingly right beside the ear

This place is extremely dangerous, and one should not linger here. Hurry and send the child back home. Move quickly!" The Taoist priest Sanpin once again drew his sword and shouted at Ding Zhiming.

"Why can't I see ... ... what is the green energy?" Ding Zhiming asked

"Do not be afraid, I am here!" The Taoist priest Sanpin shouted sternly: "The heavens and the earth are boundless, but there are laws among men!"

Ding Zhiming once again saw his son's remains, and he could not help but be overwhelmed with grief, bursting into loud tears

Ding Ermiao lay motionless in the coffin

Old Master Ding and Mu Cuizhen were both awake. Upon seeing Ding Zhiming carrying Er Miao as he pushed the door open, followed by an old Taoist priest, they were both taken aback and hurriedly approached to greet them

As soon as the incantation ceased, two small lanterns, one blue and one white, suddenly rose into the air, reaching shoulder height, and slowly floated forward. The path beneath the lanterns, within a three-foot square, was illuminated in a bizarre and fantastical manner, resembling an illusion.

After the pattern was drawn, Daoist Sanpin sat cross-legged in front of Ding Ermiao, with his hands clasped together, the tips of his index fingers pointing towards the crown of Ding Ermiao's head, and he shouted: "There is no path to the Yellow Springs, return, soul!"

Old Master Ding looked shocked and asked, "Zhiming, what is going on?"

However, the child's body has remained cold and stiff, with no breath and no heartbeat. It has already been buried for several hours; could it be that the child has returned to life in the grave?

"Step aside," said the Taoist priest Sanpin as he took out a handled chisel and pried it a few times at the seam of the coffin lid. Then, with a lift of his hand, he opened the coffin lid

With a thud, Ding Zhiming had already knelt on the ground, knocking his head as if counting: "I beg you, save my child!"

That night, more than one hundred households in the Mu Basin were sleepless. Some brave villagers peeked to check on the situation at the Ding family, and could vaguely see a tall, menacing ghost wandering in front of the Ding family's door. Additionally, countless ghostly figures floated in the air.

The humble priest has never spoken falsehoods. The third priest pointed at the grave and said: "From this grave, a green aura is rising slowly, indicating that the person inside has not completely passed away."

Guided by the red light in front of him, Ding Zhiming stumbled back to his doorstep. This familiar path, which he would normally traverse with ease, felt like child's play. However, on this night, it was undoubtedly the most difficult journey of Ding Zhiming's life

Ding Zhiming was utterly disappointed, his expression filled with dejection. Just as he was about to advise the person not to act recklessly and to let the child rest in peace, he felt a cold wind sweep by, and the surrounding grass and trees rustled softly

Amidst the sound of a stern reprimand, a copper mirror rose once more above the head, its surface emitting a beam of red light that shone directly upon Ding Zhiming's feet. At the same time, the Taoist priest Sanpin waved his hands rapidly, and the surrounding flames flickered and roared.

The Taoist priest Sanpin bent down and carefully examined Ding Ermiao's facial features. After a moment, he straightened up and had already lifted Ding Ermiao out, placing him on a flat piece of ground beside him

"Er Miao!" Ding Zhiming also shouted loudly, rushing over to hold his son tightly in his arms, weeping uncontrollably

You get up first. Since I have encountered this matter, I will not ignore it.

The Taoist priest Sanpin let out a heavy snort and shouted, "Which ghostly being dares to cast a miasma upon me! If you do not retreat at once, do not blame me for being merciless!"

When the child was taken to the hospital, the doctor determined that he was already dead, and no emergency measures were taken; they directly instructed Ding Zhiming to take the child away. Moreover, Ding Zhiming kept vigil by Ding Ermiao's body for nearly a day and a night, during which he often touched the child's chest or checked for his breath, hoping for a miracle that the child would suddenly come back to life

With a wave of his hand, Daoist Sanpin had already hung the two lanterns, one blue and one white, steadily on either side of the Ding family's entrance. The copper mirror was hung in the center of the entrance, its shimmering red light pointing towards the path ahead