Chapter 93: Joyful Wedding, Mourning Cry 24
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Taoist Ma was in the middle of a meeting with important officials from the Binhai City, making preparations for an upcoming autumn typhoon.
It was at this moment that he received a call from Yan Shixun.
The unexpected ringtone interrupted the meeting full of dignitaries.
Initially, he thought it might be someone asking for his expertise in conducting Taoist rituals and ceremonies, as they had somehow obtained his private phone number.
However, when he checked the caller’s information, he realized it was Yan Shixun calling.
He decided to excuse himself from the meeting, informing the attendees that this was an essential call he had to take.
“It’s rare for Junior Brother Yan to call me. Is there something you need my help with?”
Taoist Ma smiled happily and asked, “No worries, Junior Brother Yan, feel free to speak. Your senior brother will handle it clearly and smoothly for you.”
Indeed, aside from Yan Shixun being the direct disciple of Hermit Li Chengyun, the most talented disciple in the past century at Haiyun Temple, he also held a special place as the highly regarded nephew of the current head of Haiyun Temple, Taoist Li, who had the highest seniority, power, and strength. With such a prestigious background and status, it was impossible for Taoist Ma to overlook Yan Shixun.
The mere fact that Yan Shixun had recently rescued a large number of trapped villagers’ souls at Wild Wolf Peak, helping them on their way to the afterlife or accepting their punishment, had resolved a twenty-year-old burden in Taoist Ma’s heart. This breakthrough not only accelerated his cultivation and enlightenment by leaps and bounds after breaking through the bottleneck created by this burden but also instilled a profound sense of gratitude towards Yan Shixun. Taoist Ma was willing to help Yan Shixun overcome any challenges he faced.
Privately, Taoist Ma often expressed his sentiments to his disciples, acknowledging that Haiyun Temple, in its own way, exemplified the principles of Taoism: harmony with nature, governing through non-interference. Its disciples living a life transcending worldly affairs. They found their natural, serene existence within these principles.
Before them, Hermit Li Chengyun, from the previous generation, had willingly relinquished the position of the abbot at Haiyun Temple. He chose to travel far and wide, exploring and studying various aspects of the world.
In the subsequent generation, Hermit Li Chengyun’s disciple, Yan Shixun, displayed no interest in the esteemed position of Haiyun Temple. He had no intention of returning to Haiyun Temple and showed unwavering determination to continue his path outside, using his own two feet to explore the world, capturing evil spirits, ensuring the safety of the people, and remaining true to his innermost convictions.
During that time, when he returned from Wild Wolf Peak to Haiyun Temple, Taoist Ma sighed to old Taoist, “It’s a pity. If Junior Brother Yan were willing to return to Haiyun Temple, no worldly hindrance would stand in his way. Even though Hermit Li Chengyun is no longer with us, the temple’s collection of scriptures and teachings, along with the help of fellow disciples, would further elevate Junior Brother Yan’s spiritual practice here.”
The old Taoist only gave a half-smile and cast a knowing glance at Taoist Ma, saying calmly, “No, what Yan Shixun steadfastly upholds is, in fact, his Dao.”
“Do you think roaming the streets, exorcising evil and capturing spirits for those in need, while only asking for a modest fee to sustain one’s livelihood, is a foolish waste of his rare talents? You’re mistaken. This is precisely embracing the world.”
Throughout its history, Haiyun Temple had a tradition of embracing the world and leaving the mountains.
A hundred years ago, all the Taoists from the temple had left, using their knowledge of medicinal principles, martial skills, and other abilities to aid the suffering people. They fearlessly confronted sin and knew the dangers that surrounded them, yet they willingly rushed into known death, without hesitation or fear.
When it was all over and the earth blossomed anew, most of the Taoists had perished, and they had left few survivors. Many of their remains might have been exposed in desolate, uninhabited places.
The old Taoist, who had experienced that era firsthand, could appreciate the meaning of the “Dao” itself more deeply than Taoist Ma.
“We contend with fate, but we also follow nature’s ways, existing in harmony with heaven, earth, and humanity. Yet, precisely because of this, we coexist with life. Heaven, earth, and humanity are all within my heart. My path is my Dao, and wherever I go, that is my practice.”
“What Yan Shixun does, is his cultivation. What do you think of the scriptures and manuals in the Taoist temples are? They are what people like Yan Shixun leave behind for the foolish disciples of later generations, something to help them awaken. But why does Yan Shixun need these things? He is one with the people and all life. He shows no mercy even if the gods act wickedly. The great Dao of heaven and earth is already inclined toward Yan Shixun.”
“He is the miracle within the collapse of the great Dao, a phenomenon within the heavens and the earth.”
The old Taoist calmly said to Taoist Ma, “You are fixating on tangible things. But the great Dao of heaven and earth is intangible.”
After that conversation on that evening, Taoist Ma felt a deep sense of guilt.
It was precisely because of those words from the old Taoist that Taoist Ma was able to set aside all the external glimmers surrounding Yan Shixun, focusing only on Yan Shixun’s true self. He observed and analyzed everything Yan Shixun did on Gui Mountain and Wild Wolf Peak.
As a result, Taoist Ma, who had been swayed by worldly matters and guilt, finally found his resolve and refocused his spiritual path.
He broke through the self-imposed constraints he had carried for twenty years since the events on the Wild Wolf Peak and finally glimpsed the vastness of the heavens and the earth.
These changes occurred within himself, unnoticed by others. As for Yan Shixun, who was hundreds of kilometers away participating in a variety show recording, he had no idea of the transformation that had taken place within Taoist Ma.
However, Taoist Ma was still very grateful and full of admiration for the help that Yan Shixun had provided. He highly valued Yan Shixun’s presence.
When Yan Shixun answered the call, he was greeted by Taoist Ma’s enthusiastic and unreserved warmth, which momentarily left him at a loss for words.
Yan Shixun: “…?”
He had a feeling that something he didn’t know about had happened.
Yan Shixun felt a sense of puzzlement, but he didn’t have much time to spare. He decided to suppress his questions for now and inquire more thoroughly with Taoist Ma later.
There were more pressing matters at hand.
“Taoist Ma, there’s something I need your help with right now. I’ve already informed the relevant authorities, and they’ll be sending their own team. When the time comes, please accompany that team and head to the Family Tomb Village in the southern region.”
Yan Shixun’s tone was serious, and he quickly explained the situation with Officer Chen to Taoist Ma, providing Officer Chen’s location.
As Taoist Ma listened, his brow furrowed deeper, and when Yan Shixun mentioned the missing female student, Taoist Ma let out a furious exclamation in the corridor: “Beasts!”
Inside the meeting room, everyone was startled by this sudden outburst and instinctively opened the meeting room door slightly to look into the corridor.
“Junior Brother Yan, rest assured. I’ll take care of Officer Chen’s situation, so you don’t need to worry anymore. I’ll handle it thoroughly.”
Taoist Ma’s brow remained furrowed as he spoke seriously, “As for the matters related to the Family Tomb Village that you mentioned, even though I’ve only heard about it from Taoist Song and haven’t been directly involved, I will keep an eye on any developments related to the village. When I arrive tomorrow, I’ll join forces with Taoist Song. As for the safety of the program crew, as you mentioned, it will be our responsibility.”
“If there are indeed malevolent entities present, they won’t harm the program crew unless I’m dead. They can forget about harming them.”
Taoist Ma’s voice was solemn, and after a brief conversation with Yan Shixun, during which they exchanged information, he hung up the phone.
As Taoist Ma turned around, he noticed that several pairs of eyes in the meeting room had silently averted their gaze.
Taoist Ma: “?”
“I apologize, but my junior brother is currently dealing with a matter involving a life-or-death situation. I will pass the information about the typhoon to the supervisory office of the Haiyun Temple and ask them to assign another Taoist in my place.”
Taoist Ma bowed respectfully to the people in the meeting room and prepared to leave.
“Taoist Ma, please wait.”
Seated at the head of the meeting table was a dignified elderly man with salt-and-pepper hair. He spoke calmly, “I overheard Taoist Ma mention a place name just now, ‘Family Tomb Village’?”
“Please forgive me, I did not intend to eavesdrop on your conversation, Taoist Ma. It’s just that the soundproofing in the meeting room seems to be inadequate.”
The old man nodded slightly to Taoist Ma, a form of apology, and then casually said, “However, if what Taoist Ma mentioned is a matter of life and death related to Family Tomb Village, perhaps I know something.”
This elderly gentleman was well into his sixties and held a respectable position, even among the gathered attendees. Normally, he would not leave Binhai City unless it was absolutely necessary.
When he uttered these words, all eyes turned toward him, some in surprise.
The southern region was several hundred kilometers away from Binhai City, and there was no direct connection between Binhai City and the southern region. Their interactions were usually limited to official documents.
Almost everyone in the conference room had never been to the southern region or, at most, had visited briefly for the well-known food and scenic attractions. However, they had never heard of Family Tomb Village, let alone knew anything about it.
In this context, for the old man to claim knowledge of Family Tomb Village and offer information related to it was met with curiosity and astonishment.
After a brief moment of surprise, Taoist Ma quickly regained his composure and apologized to the old man, saying, “Venerable Fusheng, thank you for your willingness to help, but my situation is quite urgent…”
“Then, let’s talk as we walk.”
The old man surprised everyone by decisively getting up from behind the conference table and walking steadily toward Taoist Ma.
Everyone looked at the old man in disbelief, shocked by what they were hearing.
Even Taoist Ma was at a loss, uncertain about the old man’s intentions.
Taoist Ma was no stranger to this individual.
Binhai City was a coastal city, surrounded by the sea on three sides. While it benefitted from maritime trade, a prosperous shipping industry, and a consistently strong economy, it also faced the annual threat of typhoons originating from the sea.
Once a typhoon made landfall, it posed a significant risk to the lives and property of the citizens, resulting in substantial damage and losses.
Therefore, to prevent such situations, the authorities in Binhai City collaborate with Haiyun Temple and other highly skilled masters every year before the typhoon season. Together, they establish protective barriers along the city’s coastline to prevent typhoons from making landfall.
Since he achieved a high level of cultivation, Taoist Ma has served as the Haiyun Temple’s representative for external affairs. He has been in regular contact with the authorities in Binhai City for many years.
This venerable figure, responsible for the safety of the entire city of Binhai, has been a fixture since his very first meeting.
However, the elderly man seldom spoke and preferred to silently listen to the opinions of others before making his own decisions.
Despite this, no one dared to disregard the elderly man’s status and power.
Taoist Ma, seeing the elderly man speak up and offer assistance in such a direct and unceremonious manner for the first time, and considering the possibility that he might accompany him???
Nevertheless, since it wouldn’t waste any time and would provide more information about Family Tomb Village, he accepted the offer.
After bidding farewell to the people in the meeting room, Taoist Ma soon received a call from the official in charge. They informed him that they had dispatched personnel and a vehicle to pick him up downstairs and prepare to take him to the province and address where Officer Chen was located.
Moreover, the old Taoist also took the unusual step of calling Taoist Ma personally. He cautioned him to take the matter seriously, emphasizing that he must ensure the safety of the members of the production crew with great care and not act recklessly. He warned that if anyone got hurt, Taoist Ma might as well not return to Haiyun Temple.
Taoist Ma looked at his phone, the call now ended, and the continuous stream of messages from various sources. He couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions.
It appeared that Yan Shixuan had already masterfully orchestrated everything, coordinating Haiyun Temple, the special government department, and all other aspects. During their phone conversation, he had already meticulously and thoroughly planned out all the details.
Taoist Ma couldn’t help but marvel at his thoroughness.
Sometimes you just have to admire it; certain individuals are here to help others recognize their own shortcomings.
Unexpectedly, Junior Brother Yan not only possesses exceptional talent and insight, unwavering in his dedication to the “Dao,” but he also excels in managing worldly affairs. He is truly integrated into the world, truly embodying an involvement in the mundane world.
Unlike some Taoists in the Taoist temple who are solely dedicated to their practice, although they have found the “Dao,” they become detached from the earthly realm, creating a gap with life and completely forgetting the fundamental principle that people are at the core of the world between heaven and earth.
During the meeting, as it progressed, the crowd suddenly lost track of the two main figures. In the meeting room, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, hesitant to speak up.
After a while, the top organizer cleared their throat and announced the end of the meeting.
“Didn’t Taoist Ma say that another Taoist from Haiyun Temple will come to take his place? Let’s wait for that Taoist to arrive before discussing further. For now, let’s finalize the plans and meeting minutes with the other masters and leave the formations that have been traditionally handled by Haiyun Temple intact. Once the plans and minutes are prepared, hand them over to me, and I’ll deliver them to the higher authorities.”
The people slowly got up, there was a low hum of conversation in the meeting room.
However, everyone was still puzzled and eager to get some hints from others. After all, in this situation, a keen sense of intuition was necessary.
“As for the name ‘Family Tomb Village’…” One of the middle-aged secretaries hesitated, “I think I’ve heard that name before.”
“Oh? Do you know why that person suddenly left?” Others were surprised.
“No.”
The middle-aged secretary shook his head. “It’s about my daughter. She watched a variety show recently, and I overheard it when I was at home. It was a travel variety show, it seems like they filmed it in Family Tomb Village. My daughter said that Family Tomb Village was particularly unfriendly to girls. She got really angry and decided to do volunteer work and participate in some kind of project to help impoverished girls’ schools and get the girls from the mountains out of there.”
“But for what reason that person had left, I’m also not sure.”
“Is the show that inspiring?” someone asked in surprise. “Young people are willing to do volunteer work to help those in need. Isn’t that a good thing? Aren’t idols supposed to serve as positive role models? I haven’t watched this show, but I think it’s pretty good.”
“I took a look at it before. I think it’s a travel variety show that focuses on relaxation. I even saw an interview with the director in the media a couple of days ago. The director is quite young. He mentioned that they always choose places with beautiful scenery but in need. They want to make a positive impact, boost the local tourism economy, and increase local income.”
“Is that so? Well, this show sounds really good. I might watch it when I can’t sleep at night. Haha, I’ve been too busy in recent years and haven’t gone on a vacation.”
Meanwhile, another staff member who was responsible for managing public opinion on current events finally recalled why this show sounded familiar amid her busy work.
“I think you’d better not watch it when you can’t sleep at night,” the staff member advised someone nearby earnestly. “Otherwise, you might end up losing even more sleep and staying up all night.”
“？”
“But if you need to stay alert, you can watch this show. It’s guaranteed to be more effective than coffee.”
The staff member continued, “Since everyone is here to discuss issues related to setting up barriers to prevent typhoons from making landfall, I assume you all know about that famous Ghost Mountain on the outskirts of Binhai City?”
“Do you remember that the Ghost Mountain had some trouble a while back? Viewers flooded the official hotline, claiming that a production crew was trapped on the Ghost Mountain and encountered many blood-red creatures, and they hoped that the authorities would send a rescue team.”
After the manager mentioned this matter, everyone slowly realized, “Is that the reality show related to Family Tomb Village you’re talking about?”
The manager nodded, “During that time, our team was working relentlessly to handle the public relations issues, and I nearly worked myself to death. I can’t be mistaken. And…”
Since the manager was sitting close to the meeting room’s entrance, she overheard a bit when Taoist Ma was on the phone outside.
“Taoist Ma mentioned someone called ‘Junior Brother Yan.’ And in the production team, there’s a guest surnamed Yan, Yan Shixun.”
The manager swiftly brought up a picture of Yan Shixun to show others, saying, “Taoist Ma probably left the meeting to go to Family Tomb Village because of this Yan Shixun.”
As the people around the phone looked at the picture, they were startled by what they saw on the screen.
In the image, Yan Shixun.’s slender figure stood alone in a sea of blood-red, with countless dismembered limbs extending menacingly from all directions, trying to drag him into the blood. However, Yan Shixun remained calm and confident, his sharp features filled with a wild and disdainful aura, as if he were mocking the ghosts.
The intensity of his striking beauty was so powerful that even those who weren’t initially interested in the entertainment industry were left in shock.
“I remember now. It seems like that’s the case. Nowadays, as soon as you log into social media and video platforms, there are messages related to him everywhere.”
Another older person chuckled and said, “My son at home is just the same. Not too long ago, he did something out of character by participating in the Binhai City Green Planting Initiative, volunteering to plant trees. My wife thought he had experienced a heartbreak or that gaming had gotten to him, which made him act strangely.”
“But it turns out, when I asked him about it, he said it was because someone called ‘Brother Yan’ was also planting trees. This ‘Brother Yan’ planted a whole hill of trees on the Wild Wolf Peak and saved many people. My son looks up to ‘Brother Yan’ as an idol, and he keeps saying, ‘Brother Yan is unbeatable,’ so he decided to do volunteer tree planting too. Thinking about it now, when my son said ‘Brother Yan,’ he was probably referring to Yan Shixun.”
This person was in charge of overseeing internet information and content in Binhai City, and he held significant influence over the review of programs aired on video platforms, especially those from production companies registered in Binhai City.
He was invited to attend the meeting this time to prevent the occurrence of phenomena and unusual sounds that could not be scientifically explained due to the barrier blocking the approaching typhoon. If these incidents were captured by witnesses and shared on the internet, it could lead to unnecessary speculations and discussions.
Upon learning about his son’s recent changes and the connection between this variety show program and Yan Shixun, the information manager nodded with a contented smile and said, “It seems like this program indeed promotes positive values, providing the youth with the right guidance.”
“If all the entertainment programs produced by the entertainment companies in Binhai City were this positive, my workload would be significantly reduced.”
Seeing the supervisor so pleased and expressing clear approval of the “Heart-Pounding Journey of Ninety-Nine Days” program, his secretary quietly opened her notebook and made a note of this for later discussion with the reviewing staff.
If the program receives such approval from the supervisor and is considered positive, what reasons could there possibly be for banning it?
None.
……
Officer Chen’s home was not in Binhai City, so the official in charge had arranged a plane ticket for Taoist Ma in advance.
Upon noticing that there was another person with Taoist Ma, the staff member quickly booked an additional ticket to ensure that both of them, along with other crew members, could smoothly reach Officer Chen’s home.
“Do you need to inform the others?” the staff member who was driving in the front asked without much expression. “I can let your secretary know.”
The old man simply shook his head and remained silent.
As they were about to head to Officer Chen’s location, the old man’s face lost the gentle smile it had worn before. Instead, his eyes, gazing at the pouring rain outside the car window, were filled with sadness and sighs.
Taoist Ma found this quite strange and decided to perform a divination to gain some insight.
However, as he started to calculate, his fingers suddenly paused and then spread apart, abandoning the divination.
“This…” Taoist Ma looked at the old man beside him, his eyes filled with amazement.
The old man calmly turned to Taoist Ma and asked, “It seems that Taoist Ma has already figured it out.”
“I’m not very skilled in divination, often scolded by Taoist Li. I need to revisit my lessons with the young disciples. I must have miscalculated earlier.”
Taoist Ma quickly composed himself, ready to downplay the matter with a casual tone.
But the old man shook his head and said with a smile, “I have been working with Taoist Ma and collaborating with Haiyun Temple for many years, so I have an understanding of your abilities.”
“Furthermore,” the old man continued with a calm tone, “Taoist Ma is correct. I have indeed done wrong in the past.”
Taoist Ma had a complex expression.
However, the old man had no intention of concealing anything. It was as if the mention of “Family Tomb Village” not only caused him to leave an important meeting but also directly broke down his defenses, causing memories from many years ago that had almost been forgotten to resurface.
The old man began to calmly recount some of his past experiences.
His name was Yang, and he went by Yang Binsheng.
Few people knew that he was not originally from Binhai City but from the southern region.
However, he had not returned to the southern region since he started working in Binhai City.
“People often say that fallen leaves return to their roots, but I think when the day comes for me to pass away, I’d prefer to have my ashes scattered in Binhai rather than return to the southern region.”
Yang Binsheng spoke calmly, “I changed my name and vowed to dedicate my life to Binhai City. It was Binhai City that saved me when I was mentally fragile in my youth, preventing me from ending my life due to pain.”
“Yes, I do feel guilty.”
Several decades ago, Yang Binsheng worked in a different region’s organization.
One day, he received a fax from Beijing University containing the name and information of a person who was going to intern at his workplace. He accepted the fax and prepared to host this young female student who had not yet graduated.
However, on that day, one of his relatives from the same hometown visited him, bringing various local specialties.
Since he held a prestigious position in the nation, his family took great pride in him, and his clan held him in high regard, treating him exceptionally well.
At that time, the young Yang Binsheng didn’t think much of it and was happily hosting his fellow townsman uncle in his dormitory. But after a couple of cups of hot tea, the uncle suddenly brought up a request.
Puzzled, Yang Binsheng quickly declined and explained that he had come following regulations, and even if he was family, he couldn’t break the rules. To escape the persistent uncle, Yang Binsheng tactfully mentioned that he was very busy and needed to host a young girl coming from another place for an internship, he didn’t have time to entertain his uncle. He urged his uncle to return home promptly.
However, to his surprise, the uncle showed a keen interest in this matter. He subtly and overtly asked numerous questions about it, such as when the girl was arriving, what her name was, whether there were photos, and how old she was.
Yang Binsheng was quite puzzled when his uncle asked about this, not knowing why his uncle was asking. However, because his uncle was bothering him incessantly and he just wanted to quickly get his uncle to leave and stop bringing up anything about helping, he still revealed some information about the girl.
Until his uncle left, Yang Binsheng just treated him as someone with nothing to say, wanting to chat and get closer to him, asking for help.
He didn’t take it to heart.
Later on, the female student from the Beijing University didn’t come for her internship.
Yang Binsheng was a bit perplexed, and his colleagues only told him that it was possible that Beijing University had changed their plans at the last minute, but the fax wasn’t received successfully, or the letter got lost in transit, and they didn’t know about this matter.
After all, during that era, information transmission was not only difficult but also uncertain. His colleagues had encountered such situations before. When they eventually confirmed, the other side always said it was because the reply hadn’t been successfully delivered.
As time went on, he got used to it.
Yang Binsheng quickly put this matter out of his mind and immersed himself in his heavy workload.
Until half a year later, people from another place suddenly came, saying that the girl from Beijing University who had come for an internship had gone missing.
And then, they said the girl had been kidnapped.
Yang Binsheng thus remembered the day when his uncle had asked him about that girl. He immediately took leave and returned home to confront his uncle about the matter.
His uncle seemed unconcerned and claimed not to know anything about it.
Since he had not seen the girl at his uncle’s house and his uncle’s earnest complaints and accusations of not helping were followed by the disbelief of his own family, he wondered if he had forgotten his ancestors.
Although Yang Binsheng was skeptical, the weight of consensus, including that of his parents, made him start to think that maybe he was being too sensitive.
So, after letting go of his doubts about the incident at his workplace’s location, Yang Binsheng gradually forgot about it.
Until two years later, a man with crippled legs, using crutches, weathered and worn, found Yang Binsheng. He said his niece, the same college student who should have been interning there but had gone missing, had been abducted and sold to a place called Wangzi Village.
The man pleaded with Yang Binsheng for help.
Yang Binsheng’s heart felt as though it had been submerged in icy water, with every pore exuding a chill.
Wangzi Village was a part of the Yang family clan.
He had seen it in the ancestral records in his hometown. He knew it was a branch of the Yang family.
If his uncle, who originally disregarded rules, suddenly became interested in that girl, and the girl was abducted on the day she arrived at her internship, taken to the Yang family’s village, these threads all connected, and the only possibility Yang Binsheng could think of was this:
—His uncle learned from him that a girl was going to come for an internship. After getting the approximate time of her arrival and her appearance, he pretended to be the person sent by the company at the bus station, then abducted the girl and sold her to someone from the same clan.
He certainly couldn’t see that girl’s figure at his uncle’s house anymore.
Because that girl had long been sold deep into the mountains.
“I was afraid and regretful, desperately praying, hoping that those people would successfully rescue that girl. At that time, I thought, if something really happened to that girl, I would indirectly be the one responsible for her, and I would live with guilt for the rest of my life.”
The old man’s voice was no longer as full of strength as usual, but filled with weariness, and somewhat hoarse: “But, the thing I feared the most happened.”
“That girl couldn’t be rescued.”
The old man blinked, tears glistening in his eyes: “I was the first one to handle that girl’s information. She was only a few years younger than me, in the prime of her life, outstanding and willing to endure hardships. It could be foreseen that if she hadn’t met with an accident, she would have made significant contributions.”
“But because of my negligence, because I didn’t guard against my own people, I indirectly caused that girl’s death…”
The old man said, “After that, I had a big argument with my family. But at that time, that uncle of mine quickly fell ill and passed away. There were too many people from the Yang family in my hometown who had influence, so even if I reported it, it would have ended with nothing. So, in anger and disappointment, I completely severed ties with my family, changed my place of work, making it impossible for my family to find me.”
“I couldn’t be an accomplice to anything anymore.”
The old man slowly shook his head, “Because of my recklessness and negligence, I caused the death of an outstanding girl, ruining the life she should have dedicated herself to. So, after being transferred to Binhai City, I swore to dedicate myself along with her memory to the city’s cause. I’m willing to give my all for the city, even my life. I dare not slack off even in the smallest of tasks. I constantly push myself and ensure I don’t stray off the right path.”
“This guilt has been with me until today, and I never gave up on that Wangzi Village from back then. I kept an eye on it, even after it was renamed to Family Tomb Village. So, when you mentioned the name Family Tomb Village, I knew that this time, I couldn’t turn a blind eye and do nothing.”
The old man’s intense emotional fluctuations from the memories he mentioned earlier had gradually subsided. His face, which was initially filled with sadness and self-blame, had now regained composure and appeared as it usually did.
“Your department is going to carry out a major cross-level operation at the Family Tomb Village, right?” The elderly man smiled and lightly said to the staff in front of him, “The documents have passed through my hands, and I’ve approved them.”
“I’m glad that someone has noticed Family Tomb Village Village.”
Taoist Ma and the staff were left dumbfounded, unable to recover for a while.
Especially Taoist Ma, who had heard the complete story from Yan Shixun about the causes and consequences, was even more surprised to find out about this unexpected part of the story.
“Venerable Fusheng…,” Taoist Ma muttered absentmindedly, suddenly recalling what the old Taoist had said to him.
——”Because Yan Shixun is together with life, the grand laws of heaven and earth lean in his favor.”
Yan Shixun wasn’t the only one who knew about the clan issues in the southern region, or the only one who knew about the wrongdoings committed by the Yang clan.
However, only Yan Shixun, upon seeing it, took it upon himself to resolve the matter of Family Tomb Village.
He didn’t turn a blind eye; instead, he willingly shouldered a responsibility that wasn’t originally his, joining forces with Haiyun Temple and the authorities with a determined effort to close the karmic loop that had been delayed for decades.
So, because of his determination, not only did the official in charge of the matter get moved by his exceptional and sincere eloquence, deciding to risk his own future to do the right thing.
Furthermore, another individual related to the Family Tomb Village was also touched and approved of the actions of the responsible official, providing support from a reserve force.
Taoist Ma felt like this was a complete and clear chain, where the heavens and the earth may not speak, but everything was already calculated within the grand design of the universe. As long as there was vitality, everything would proceed in an interconnected manner.
As a result, everyone believed that what seemed like an insurmountable problem had given rise to a miracle.
Decades of accumulated grievances and sins were finally brought to light.
“Junior Brother Yan…”
Taoist Ma muttered under his breath, a smile gracing his lips as he shook his head, his eyes full of amusement.
……
After the phone call with Yan Shixun, Officer Chen immediately packed a simple parcel. There were no unnecessary items inside, but it was filled with documents related to the abduction case from many years ago.
Some of the documents had become severely oxidized over the years, and the paper had grown fragile, making the handwriting blurry.
Officer Chen carefully packed all these documents. His hands were even trembling as he placed them in the bag.
It had been several decades, but he had never felt this excited before.
He had persevered through many hardships, even enduring a severe beating from members of the Yang clan in the southern region that almost killed him, all for this one thing. Finally, it was getting resolved.
With this, even if he died, he could finally rest in peace.
The door was knocked on solemnly.
Officer Chen opened the door and saw a Taoist and several other personnel in Taoist robes. It seemed they were the people Yan Shixun had told him about on the phone, who were here to escort him to the Family Tomb Village.
He couldn’t help but smile and nod at the group, “Let’s go.”
“Officer Chen,” Yang Binsheng approached from behind, addressing him with respect and seriousness.
Even though Chen Rui had resigned from the police force decades ago and was no longer a police officer, Yang Binsheng continued to address him with such respect.
“I heard about your deeds from Taoist Ma,” Yang Binsheng stood at the doorway, raised his hand solemnly, and saluted him. “Thank you for your persistence over these many years. You are truly an admirable person.”
“You deserve that title.”
Two middle-aged men locked eyes, seeing the pain and perseverance in each other’s gaze.
Suddenly, they both slowly broke into a smile.
Officer Chen, his injured arm trembling, solemnly returned the salute, saying, “It’s time for the child who has been away from home for decades to return.”
“Even in death, she should not lie buried among enemies, yearning day and night for the hometown she couldn’t reach.”
“We will go in place of her uncle to bring her back home.”
“Yes,” Yang Binsheng softly repeated, “We will go to bring her home.”
“May her soul return to its roots, like fallen leaves returning to the source.”
“Letting her reunite with her uncle.”
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