Chapter 3, The Formation of the Master

With the crowing of the rooster three times, a line of dawn light appeared in the east, and the ghostly shadows outside Ding's door suddenly retreated. Then, a heavy rain fell; although it was the height of winter, it was accompanied by lightning and thunder, creating a stunning spectacle. By the time the sky brightened, the sun was shining brightly.

The lantern above Ding's door has long since disappeared, leaving only a copper mirror that has fallen onto the ground in front of the entrance

The Taoist priest Sanpin nodded slightly: "Very well, let the others return. You three stay behind, I have something to ask."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was taken aback. However, the three elderly men from the Mu family, although their expressions turned quite grim, said nothing and each lowered their heads. Old Master Ding opened his mouth but held back his words.

Father...!" Ding Zhiming suddenly turned his head and glared at his father, shouting, "Are you really so heartless as to disregard your grandson's life or death?"

What? How can you do this? Ding Zhiming suddenly stood up, glaring at the three old men of the Mu family. Ever since his son Er Miao had an accident, he had hardly slept at all, and at this moment, his eyes were bloodshot, looking quite terrifying, as if he were about to devour someone

The formation set up by the esteemed senior is exceptionally brilliant. The spirits of the deceased from the Mu family are protecting the ancestral remains of the Ding family. Those remains have not decayed to this day, and the Ding family cannot change their feng shui and fortune, thus... they can only pass down their lineage in a single line. If there is no alternative solution, the child rescued last night will not survive beyond three months.

Old Master Ding looked at his son and said word by word: "The Mu family has not treated us poorly. Think about it, we have lived in Mu Pond for over a dozen generations, has the Mu family ever bullied our Ding family by relying on their numbers? Have they ever given us a cold shoulder? Even when you got married, the daughters of the Mu family were all available for you to choose from. When Cuizhen married over, she did not ask for a single penny as a bride price, and the Mu families in the entire village even contributed several tens of thousands in dowry. Why is that? Think about it."

Everyone fell silent, listening to Qiu Sanpin speak

The Taoist priest Sanpin picked up the copper mirror from the ground, walked to the head of the Eight Immortals table, turned his back to the central hall painting, yet did not sit down, instead scanning the assembled crowd with his gaze.

Our Ding family originally migrated to the Muban Basin from another region. Since our migration, we have had... ... sixteen generations. "Old Master Ding sighed: "Sixteen generations, a full sixteen generations! There has been neither a cessation of the family line nor an expansion of branches. Each generation has had only one boy.

The Taoist priest Sanpin looked at Ding Zhiming's expression and smiled faintly: "Perhaps because you are still young, your father did not tell you about this matter. However, I believe that apart from you and your wife, everyone else here knows what is going on"

The Taoist priest Sanpin snorted and said, "Continue speaking"

A ship without an anchor cannot remain stable. Therefore, the bow of the ship must belong to a family with the surname Ding. This Ding represents an iron nail, which can ensure the stability of the entire village

This rain has washed away all traces of the night, as if the haunting events of last night had never occurred. The villagers of Muben Di have come out of their homes in small groups, all heading to Ding Zhiming's house to inquire about information.

Mu Zhengguo stood up, his face filled with shame as he continued, "Therefore, many years ago, the ancestors of the Mu family bribed a geographer to tamper with the burial of the Ding family's ancestors, causing the Ding family to... pass down through a single line for generations"

The three old men of the Mu family were also difficult to converse with, and the entire room was enveloped in a dead silence

After a brief pause, Daoist Sanpin turned his gaze towards the old man of the Mu family and Old Master Ding, and coldly said: "So, how about it? Who among you will speak first about this matter?"

Looking at the villagers who came to comfort the Ding family, the Taoist priest Sanpin suddenly became spirited, opened his eyes wide, and asked: "Here, who is the highest-ranking and most trustworthy person from the Mu family?"

Qiu Sanpin waved his hand and said: "The cemetery on the southern hillside is the place where the dragon seeks its lair. The ancestors of the Ding family were buried on the dragon's single horn, surrounded by the graves of the Mu family, forming a circle with a hundred ghosts carrying the coffin. However, your village, the Mu Basin, is situated in a terrain where the phoenix nests, directly opposite the southern hillside, where yin and yang harmonize, life and death are interdependent, and branches share the same roots. When one flourishes, all flourish; when one suffers, all suffer."

Do not make noise

At this moment, Ding Ermiao and his brother, having tossed and turned all night without daring to close their eyes, are now sound asleep in the room

In those years, Mu Cuizhen was a renowned beauty, with suitors flocking to her door. Who would have thought that a mere joke between Old Master Ding and a few elderly men from the Mu family would lead to Mu Cuizhen getting married here

At this point, Old Master Ding glanced at the three elderly men of the Mu family, hesitating to speak.

Only Ding Zhiming was perplexed and asked Daoist Sanpin: "Daoist, what is the relationship between this ... ... and the Mu family?"

After a long while, the elder of the Ding family sighed and said: "Daoist, if you have truly disturbed the feng shui of my family's ancestral grave, then the entire Mu Basin may have to relocate. Currently, there are over 100 households and a population of 800 in the Mu Basin. Alas... where can everyone move to?"

However, there cannot be too many iron nails at the bow of the ship; otherwise, it will damage the hull, and in the end, this ship will still leak water and could still drown people

Mu Cuizhen's face flushed, and she lowered her head to say: "No wonder, at that time... my father and several elders came to persuade me. Moreover, the entire village contributed money to buy the dowry, so that's how it was."

Having said that, Ding Zhiming turned to Qiu Sanpin, his face filled with urgency, and asked, "Daoist, will my second child be in danger in the future? Can you help us undo the schemes set by the Mu family? Financial matters are negotiable. I beg you, save us completely"

This ... ...

Let me speak..." Old Master Ding responded, rising to his feet, squinting as he pondered, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

Ding Zhiming exclaimed: "This is not a matter of being calculative or not! The tricks your Mu family played nearly cost my son his life! If my second son dies, no matter how many benefits you offer my family, what difference would it make?"

Ding Zhiming turned to look at his wife, speechless.

Last night's events were witnessed by everyone to some extent. The Taoist priest Sanpin slowly began to speak: "The Mu family has done a commendable deed"

The Taoist priest Sanpin had been performing rituals all night, and at this moment, he was utterly exhausted, his face showing signs of fatigue. He yawned continuously, and the corners of his eyes were adorned with large clumps of eye discharge. It truly raised concerns that those clumps might fall and injure the top of his feet.

Although Mu Cuizhen is now in her early thirties, she still possesses a youthful beauty that rivals that of an average young woman

Mu Cuizhen poured tea for everyone, and the guests gathered around the octagonal table. Old Master Ding and Ding Zhiming were naturally also present to accompany the guests

Qiu Sanpin stroked his beard, his brows furrowed, lost in thought and silent

Do not be deceived by his ordinary appearance, old and thin as he is; the brilliance in his eyes carries an imposing power that commands respect without anger. In an instant, the crowd fell silent.

Zhiming, please sit down and listen to me

The Taoist priest Sanpin nodded slightly and finally sat down

Mu Zhenhai also stood up: "Your Ding family resides in the Mu Basin, and we have always treated you as our ancestors! Although your family has been passed down through a single line for generations, it has not completely died out, has it? Please, for the sake of our kinship and shared roots, do not dwell on these matters."

The members of the Mu family were very obedient, and they returned in groups of two or three. The three eldest Mu elders, with their eyes glinting, furrowed their brows tightly

Old Master Ding gave a bitter smile and continued, "Standing on the riverbank of the Crescent River and looking east at our village's terrain, it resembles a small boat. There are several rows of houses in front and behind, with the terrain higher in the north and south, and a depression in the middle. Moreover, the terrain is slightly higher at both the east and west ends. This is a boat beneath the great river; when a wave comes, this boat is bound to capsize, and half of the villagers are likely to perish."

In the crowd, three elderly men exchanged glances and stepped forward. One of them said: "My name is Mu Zhengguo, and these two are my cousins Mu Zhengbang and Mu Zhenghai... We have lived for sixty to seventy years without much use, but all the important matters of the Mu family have been discussed and managed by us"