Chapter 4, Danger

When a person is awake, there are three fires that transform into a protective light surrounding them. Generally, ghosts do not dare to approach.

This is the smallest administrative unit in this part of the world. Beyond this is the pavilion, which governs an area of ten li. Larger than that is the township, and then comes the county.

Liu Yi felt anxious and thought to himself: If there really is no way out, I will leave that shrine and find a place to hide. The lives and deaths of the Wang family father and son are not something I wish to concern myself with, yet it is also something I cannot manage regardless.

At night, a slight breeze stirs the grass. One dog barks and a hundred dogs respond; such occurrences are commonplace. However, for some reason, perhaps due to the dream he just had, Wang Xiong felt that the barking of the dogs tonight was somewhat ominous

This is the power of the ancestral spirits protecting the village. The souls of the villagers' ancestors, having received offerings of incense, have gained a measure of spiritual power to safeguard the village from harm

Despite the fact that those spirits were unfriendly towards Liu Yi, some were eager to act. However, they seemed to have reservations, regarding him with cold indifference for quite some time. Eventually, they passed through the path that Liu Yi had opened for them

However, although this thing looks strange, it does not appear to be very bold. It is being driven by a dozen or so wild ghosts, as if being herded like sheep towards the village. Yet, it is not as Liu Yi initially imagined, being surrounded by a throng of ghosts.

Liu Yi was puzzled, as those wild ghosts seemed to be blinded by hatred. They charged towards the faint light, only to be repelled.

The Wang family father and son had just fallen asleep, having earnestly prayed to the deity that protects them before going to bed, deciding to go to the county town tomorrow to sell the crystal cup for a good price

Among the wild spirits, one emerged with the densest black aura, and shouted sternly: "What kind of ghost are you? Are you here today to compete with us for the living?"

Thus, one by one, they looked at Liu Yi with eyes filled with intense hatred. It seemed that at the slightest provocation, they would rush over and tear Liu Yi apart completely

It seems that they are attracted by the souls of the living within the village. These wild spirits are circling around the village, unwilling to leave

Wang Xiong's wife, upon hearing this, was originally in a state of confusion, but was suddenly startled awake. She grasped her husband's arm.

At that moment, a division in the forest was observed in the mountains. Dozens of wild spirits surrounded a creature over two meters tall, its entire body dark as night, making its way towards the village

Behind this mountain, there is a small area, with only a few dozen households arranged on both sides of the road. Outside the village, there is a rammed earth wall as high as a person, which protects the entire village.

A thread of faith, roughly the same thickness as a hair, began to emerge after Liu Yiping's calm meditation. One end extended directly to connect with the summoning within the sea of consciousness, while the other end stretched into the void, disappearing from sight

He nervously hid in the woods, yet was unwilling to leave. He pondered whether there was a way to help the common people

It is evident that these spirits harbor some apprehension towards Liu Yi, as the dark energy surrounding him is significantly more intense than theirs. Moreover, he carries the scent of smoke and fire, clearly indicating the presence of sacrificial souls. This sets him apart from these wandering and solitary spirits.

I cannot save these people, Liu Yi silently told himself. He understood very clearly that once these wild spirits drove the creature to attack the village, misfortune would befall it

From the words of the Wang family, Liu Yi understood that such occurrences, where the village is besieged by a horde of ghosts and all the villagers, young and old, perish, have always been frequent.

This entity is not a spirit like those wild ghosts; rather, it is a physical being. The fact that it has taken on such a form is even more peculiar

No wonder rural families enjoy raising dogs; it turns out they have such utility! Liu Yi thought to himself, cats and dogs are spiritually connected and full of vitality. They not only guard the home but also ward off evil spirits.

I understand. Liu Yi watched as the light was struck by the wild ghost, creating a ripple. He realized that the light was emanating from deep within the village, and suddenly everything became clear to him

Is that divine power? No, the light that protects the entire village is so weak and mixed, not pure. It does not resemble divine power

Perhaps the lives of the people behind the mountains are not meant to end. Liu Yi originally did not know how to touch this thread of faith. However, Liu Yi suddenly had an inspiration and recalled the dream-invoking technique recorded in the "Fengdu Ghost Emperor's True Spirit Control Method." He then used talismans to begin calling out the names of the Wang family father and son.

A figure draped in a faint golden light continuously called out: "Wang Xiong, hurry up, there is danger..."

That thing was tall and long, resembling a withered tree, yet it had hands and feet. The first thing that came to Liu Yi's mind was the dryad from Western mythology, the tree spirit.

Liu Yi happened to be right at the edge of the woods, encountering this group of ghosts unexpectedly, and neither side had anticipated it. They were momentarily taken aback.

In the village, every household raises dogs, and at this time, their barking rises and falls, creating a considerable noise. This causes the wild spirits to be wary and somewhat intimidated

Wang Xiong said with a cold expression: "Don't sleep yet, the situation is not right"

Although it is said this way, the Wang family father and son are also two of Liu Yiwei's devoted followers. Liu Yi is truly unwilling to give up unless absolutely necessary

Liu Yi gazed into the depths behind the mountain and saw many streams of black mist swirling around the outer walls. All of them were ghosts, but unlike Liu Yi, the mist surrounding these ghosts was black, appearing extremely ferocious. That was resentment

As the situation reached a critical point, Liu Yi instead became calm. He slowly stepped back and said, "Your matters have nothing to do with me"

"What happened?" He moved, startling his pregnant wife awake

It was already very close to the village, and Liu Yi did not approach any further. He attempted to contact the Wang family father and son, sensing the thread of faith that existed in the unseen.

In the village, there was a faint glow enveloping it, almost imperceptible, yet undeniably real. It was this radiance that caused the wild spirits to hesitate, daring not to enter the village

Are these the wild ghosts? Liu Yi recognized them, and his heart sank in shock. Even Liu Yi could feel the malevolent aura of these entities, making him dare not approach them at all

At this moment, Wang Xiong had just fallen asleep. He heard a familiar and affectionate voice calling his name repeatedly in the dream

These wild spirits are not particularly powerful. The strongest among them is only slightly stronger than Liu Yi, while most are significantly weaker than him. However, there are at least several hundred of them, and under the moonlight, the crowd is dense and shadowy, creating a truly frightening scene

It's fine, just don't fall asleep!

Liu Yi could not help but feel anxious, secretly thinking to himself. Not to mention that there are so many wild ghosts outside the village, which is so dangerous. Even if there weren't any, with the ancestral spirits protecting it, I still cannot enter the village

From this forest, one can walk to a few hundred meters beyond the village. However, one cannot get any closer, as there is a small cliff several dozen meters high, which serves as a natural barrier for the village

Wang Xiong suddenly awoke from a deep slumber, as the dogs in the village barked frantically