Free Web NovelChapter 404: Chapter 345: Yin Chai_2
What made Yang Xiao feel even more strange was that the moment he stepped out of the ancestral hall’s main gate, the feeling of being watched disappeared, along with the inexplicable chill that enveloped him, gradually dissipating.
"Bang!"
Before Yang Xiao could gather his thoughts, he saw Patriarch Du fiercely shutting the main gate of the ancestral hall behind him, a motion so sudden that it inevitably aroused suspicion.
On the way back, the atmosphere among the group was relatively harmonious. Tong Han took this opportunity to ask a critical question, directly addressing the already deceased Du Feng, also known as Uncle Du Er, "Patriarch, I remember Uncle Du Er once fainted in the temple after being entangled by the demon monk."
Patriarch Du did not hide anything, slowly nodding his head with a sorrowful tone, "Miss, you are right. Du Feng... he was selected by the demon monk at that time."
"Why?" Sui Chengguo pressed on.
"It’s the vicious plight of the Five Precepts, a curse that the demon monk placed on our Du Family Village to punish us for not helping the dying!" Patriarch Du’s expression became agitated, "Every so often, the demon monk attacks our village, lasting five days, randomly choosing 5 villagers to torment and kill, and stealing their physical bodies. What you all witnessed in the temple was the demon monk’s ritual of choosing victims; every chosen person will die, without exception."
At this point, Patriarch Du suddenly turned around, his muddy eyes suddenly brightening, "Previously, a wise man had calculated that if even one person could survive the demon monk’s onslaught, just one, it would break the demon monk’s curse and restore peace to our Du Family Village."
"Five days to kill 5 villagers, one each day, but counting our people, the demon monk has already killed four." Yang Xiao caught a loophole in Patriarch Du’s words and continued to probe.
As soon as this was said, Cheng Cha, Tong Han, and Sui Chengguo’s eyes immediately became alert, and Cheng Cha even made a gesture to Yang Xiao, signaling that he was being too impulsive.
But Yang Xiao remained unmoved; he knew that Patriarch Du still needed them and was unlikely to turn against them so quickly, otherwise, he would have killed them to silence them when he noticed they were spying the previous night. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
As expected, Patriarch Du just sighed lightly, but his answer did surprise Yang Xiao and the others, "You are right, the demon monk will only kill 5 people, your people... were not killed by the demon monk."
Upon hearing this, everyone broke out in cold sweat, and nobody dared to continue the conversation, fearing that Patriarch Du, having run out of options, might suddenly declare that he was the killer of their people, and now it was their turn.
A moment later, Yang Xiao forced a casual smile and bravely asked, "Patriarch Du, I don’t quite understand what you mean. If not the demon monk who is killing people, who is it?"
"It was the villagers." Patriarch Du nodded naturally.
Sui Chengguo slowly clenched his fists, while Tong Han also withdrew her hands into her sleeves, eyes constantly searching around, wary of Du Family Village people lying in ambush.
Despite Yang Xiao’s mental fortitude, his smile couldn’t help but freeze on his face until Patriarch Du sighed, "I’m talking about the villagers from the Mang Family Village."
"Them?" Cheng Cha was stunned.
"Yes, I don’t know how, but those villagers who died have also been awakened by the demon monk. Whenever the demon monk attacks to kill villagers, the wronged souls of the Mang Family Village also roam the village," said Patriarch Du, lowering his voice, evidently quite fearful.
Yang Xiao seemed to suddenly realize something, "This is why you rushed us back last night, what you referred to as ’those things’ are actually the souls of these Mang Family Village villagers?"
"Indeed, it’s them. These wronged souls will appear after the third watch of the night, wandering through the village, and the consequences of encountering them are unpredictable," Patriarch Du explained solemnly, "That’s why we asked you not to go out at night. We’re worried about you running into these beings. They will follow behind the living, call out your names, and if you respond, you will be killed. The way they kill is identical to the demon monk’s method. The expert from before said that the demon monk has become powerful enough to enslave these fierce ghosts to do his bidding."
"Right, he also mentioned that the demon monk’s methods are profound, beyond what ordinary Taoists can match, and he’s worthy of being called a Yin Chai."
The mention of the term Yin Chai made Yang Xiao shiver vehemently; Mo Daidai referred to these beings as Ghost Envoys, which was exactly the same.
"So, what do we need to do tonight?" Compared to that, Cheng Cha’s question was more down to earth and pragmatic.
By this time, the group had returned to the Du Family Ancestral Home. Patriarch Du shook his head, "I don’t know either. We still need to choose another villager before evening. What needs to be done will only be known after this villager wakes up and recounts what he saw in his dream."
A rather unfamiliar maid hurriedly came, whispered a few words into Patriarch Du’s ear, and then his brow suddenly furrowed. He turned to look at Yang Xiao and the others, "Everyone, please go back and rest. I have some urgent matters to deal with. Later, I will send someone to inform you all."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Patriarch Du quickly left with the maid, and Yang Xiao and his companions leisurely returned to their rooms.
Opening the door, the table inside was filled with food, still that pig feed-like gruel mixed with unknown wild vegetables. Stirring it with a spoon, it was very thick. Mi Shu furrowed her brow, prompting Quan Doufeng to stop stirring, and this scene reminded her of a dirty cattle pen.
"Brothers, speak up if you have any concerns," Sui Chengguo boldly sat on the chair; now was not the time for modesty, thinking of a plan sooner rather than later was the real issue.
Tong Han was the first to speak, "Without a doubt, what Patriarch Du said was false. His explanation doesn’t make sense. According to him, the Mangjia Village’s several hundred villagers were killed by pursuers. It’s illogical that the monk wouldn’t curse those pursuers but instead curse Du Family Village, which failed to help."
"I agree, and another thing, think about it, if what Patriarch Du said was true, about kindly burying those headless corpses, there’s no way they would bury them near their ancestral hall. These corpses are, after all, casualties of war, heavily resented; how could they possibly bury them near their own ancestral hall and disrupt their ancestral foundation and feng shui?" Knowing how much ancient people valued feng shui, especially in such a long-established large village, Yang Xiao was certain they wouldn’t be so foolish.
"I think we should take their words with a grain of salt. I suspect that those who acted in the killings were the people from Mangjia Village, who used the kindness of the people from Du Family Village to trick their way through the city gates, and then went door to door slaughtering the village, killed the entire village, took over their homes, and settled here, continuing to live using the identities of the Du Family Village’s people."
"What about the Ghost Monk?" Mi Shu asked, "How did the Ghost Monk die?"
After a moment of silence, Yang Xiao slowly began, "It’s still not clear, but it must have been done by the people from Mangjia Village, who are now the people of Du Family Village." Yang Xiao always felt that the Ghost Monk’s death wasn’t so straightforward; probably it wasn’t just a slaughter. There must be another reason, surely related to the mass killing of the villagers.
"Patriarch Du definitely lied, remember how he said the Ghost Monk cursed them in a pool of blood under the city walls?"
"What about the Ghost Monk?" Mi Shu asked, "How did the Ghost Monk die?"
After a moment of silence, Yang Xiao slowly began, "It’s still not clear, but it must have been done by the people from Mangjia Village, who are now the people of Du Family Village." Yang Xiao always felt that the Ghost Monk’s death wasn’t so straightforward; probably it wasn’t just a slaughter. There must be another reason, surely related to the mass killing of the villagers.
"Patriarch Du definitely lied, remember how he said the Ghost Monk cursed them in a pool of blood under the city walls?"
