Chapter 18 Skeleton Under The Clothes 11
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Wei Changping and Feng Yuan pushed and shoved each other, both unwilling to be the one to open the door. To their surprise, the door opened from the inside. They looked up and saw Fang Wenwen standing in front of them, her back facing the light.
Fang Wenwen: “Come in.”
Whether it was the lighting or their own imagination, they felt that Fang Wenwen’s smile was very creepy.
She stood at the doorway, staring at both of them. Feeling uneasy, they walked inside together, carefully avoiding Fang Wenwen as they passed by her.
Kou Xuanling, observing from the opposite villa’s rooftop, shook his head in disappointment. Even the least observant ghost would notice something amiss, let alone Fang Wenwen.
After the two entered, Fang Wenwen slowly closed the doors with her hands. Just as she was about to shut them completely, she suddenly looked up, her lips curling into a strange smile as she locked eyes with Kou Xuanling.
Kou Xuanling frowned. When the villa door closed, his expression changed, realizing something was wrong. “Not good.”
He leaped from the roof and landed in the villa courtyard. The scene before him instantly transformed into a grove of locust trees. The atmosphere was unnerving, with crows crying out mournfully. Some of the locust trees had large lumps growing on their trunks.
Facial features gradually became visible, and they were in a deep slumber with their eyes closed. Their mouths moved, and Kou Xuanling could hear the sound of bones being crushed. Suddenly, the lumps opened their eyes, staring at Kou Xuanling with coldness.
They opened their mouths wide and exclaimed, “Fresh meat!”
The sound was unpleasant, resembling the wind blowing through the cracks of a cliff, evoking a sense of disgust. Several tree roots emerged from the ground, eagerly tearing and biting to claim their share of fresh meat.
“Legs! I want legs!”
“The head is mine.”
“I want the organs.”
“Having nothing but an insatiable appetite, devoid of any trace of intellect. Engaging in the merciless slaughter of countless lives, sins that can never be forgiven. Allow me to graciously step in as the arbiter of punishment in the City of Fengdu, and witness the utter dispersal of your pitiful souls.” Kou Xuanling drew his peach wood sword, utilizing the Five Thunders talisman to attract lightning and strike the ancient locust trees.
The trees attracted the lightning, and the lightning struck the wood. The Five Thunders talisman exerted its maximum effect within the grove of ancient locust trees. Before long, the evil ghosts on the ghost locust trees were scattered by the lightning, and the locust tree trunks were struck and set ablaze, with sparks flickering.
“Devious and wicked methods.”
The ghostly locust trees before him were all nurtured through devious and wicked methods, and their inherent strength was not particularly formidable. Combined with their sinful nature, a lightning strike would immediately scatter their souls.
Kou Xuanling walked forward until he reached the edge of the courtyard. Suddenly, several decaying arms burst through the soil, seizing his ankle in an attempt to wrench it apart. Kou Xuanling furrowed his brow and swiftly swung his peach wood sword, effortlessly severing the decaying arms.
However, as soon as he took a step forward, pale and decaying ghostly hands once again clutched his ankle, causing considerable annoyance.
Kou Xuanling executed a backward somersault, landing in an open space and swiftly thrusting his peach wood sword into the ground with a reversed grip. “Heaven crumbles, earth collapses!”
Instantly, clumps of earth crumbled and the ground cracked open, as if the entire courtyard had been flipped upside down. It revealed an overwhelming number of white bones, partially decomposed corpses, and corpses that remained untouched.
The sight was shocking and disturbing.
Kou Xuanling was both stunned and filled with anger. “For their own selfish desires, they have ruthlessly taken so many lives?!”
Meanwhile, both inside and outside Miyun Haunted House, numerous corpses emerged.
Chen Yang took a step back, his brows furrowing in confusion.
Earlier, when he summoned the Ghost Emperor, the Fang family had panicked and tried to flee, but he intercepted them. After a brief struggle, they realized that the ghost envoys, who should have responded to his summons, were inexplicably absent. The Fang family assumed Chen Yang was an incompetent Celestial Master.
Filled with anger, they called forth all the buried shadow corpses and commanded them to attack Chen Yang.
These shadow corpses were corpses that had turned into zombies.
Chen Yang managed to fend off the shadow corpses that came too close to him, although their numbers were overwhelming. He turned to Brother Du and asked, “Don’t any of your colleagues work nearby?”
“No.” Du Shuo stood amidst the shadow corpses. Due to his status as a ghost envoy, lacking yang energy, he was completely ignored by the shadow corpses. As a result, he found himself in the center of the corpse horde, strolling through it as if it were an ordinary garden.
Chen Yang: “With so many ghostly shadow corpses appearing, didn’t any ghost envoy notice?”
“I’m here.”
Straightforward reply.
Chen Yang instantly realized the situation and kicked away the shadow corpse blocking his path. He jumped behind Du Shuo and pushed him forward, saying, “Brother Du, it’s up to you now. Quickly use the Soul Binding Rope to take them all away.”
Du Shuo gripped Chen Yang’s neck, pulling him out and saying, “Deal with it yourself, don’t rely on ghost envoys for everything.”
“I’m not relying on ghost envoys.” Chen Yang attempted to break free from Du Shuo’s grip. “I’m relying on you.”
Du Shuo couldn’t help but change his grip to a pat. “Nice words won’t work.”
“I’m stating a fact.”
“No whining allowed.”
“…” Chen Yang tried to turn his head to look at Du Shuo, but he was held by the neck and unable to turn. “Brother Du?”
Du Shuo blinked and cleared his throat. “Shadow corpses are corpses that don’t decay after death, with accumulated resentment in their throats, thus becoming zombies. Zombies represent extreme darkness and impure entities. The process of their formation takes at least a hundred years.”
“I see them wearing clothes that resemble recent styles, not like it’s been over a hundred years.”
“So,” Du Shuo maneuvered behind Chen Yang. “There’s another possibility.”
“What is it?”
“A corpse cultivation ground.”
Corpse cultivation grounds were inherently sinister. If deliberately created with specific corpse cultivation methods, it was possible to generate shadow corpses within a short time. However, while both the Corpse Dao and Ghost Dao were related, they were not the same. Could Fang Wenwen have partners?
Chen Yang lightly scraped the ground with his toe, revealing the black soil beneath. It was cold and eerie, confirming it as a corpse cultivation ground.
To eliminate extreme darkness, one needed utmost light. The best approach would be to cut down the ancient locust tree in the courtyard and let it bask in the sun for three days. Then, burn the shadow corpses in the corpse cultivation ground and recite incantations to guide the departed souls.
However, with no sun at present, it couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
Du Shuo: “What do you suggest we do?”
Chen Yang put away the red string and replied, “Set the house on fire.”
Fire embodied utmost light and could thoroughly eliminate the darkness.
“While I set the house on fire, I’ll also perform the deliverance. Those three demonic spirits would surely desire to devour me, and I must focus on guiding the departed souls. That’s why I’m entrusting you with this, Brother Du.”
After Du Shuo agreed, Chen Yang loosened the red string around his wrist and searched for a spot among the trees. He looked up at the cold moonlight and shook his head. “This place is already a corpse cultivation ground, and someone deliberately planted ancient locust trees for shade. In less than twenty years, ferocious corpses would emerge. Thankfully, we discovered it early.”
Given a few more years, an entire army of ferocious corpses might have been cultivated.
Chen Yang tied each end of the red string to his middle fingers, made a few loops, and then hung one end on a tree branch. With his left hand holding the other end and his right hand pressing on the rope in different directions, he formed a protective formation.
Disturbing the deliverance was highly discouraged, as a single mistake could trigger unrest among the departed souls. Therefore, a formation was necessary to prevent external disruptions.
Chen Yang sat cross-legged and began performing hand seals. Suddenly, a buzzing sound emerged, spreading like ripples in all directions. The shadow corpses were unable to sense Chen Yang’s positive energy. Above his head, a copper coin hung from the red string and vibrated, creating an illusion. The buzzing sound came from the coin.
The ancient locust forest was the perfect place for the potent Thunderfire Spell. With wood fueling the fire, the Thunderfire Spell’s effect would be enhanced. The fire rapidly spread through the forest, consuming the ancient locust trees in the courtyard and extending into the mansion’s interior. It was worth noting that the mansion had stood for several decades, and most of the materials were highly flammable.
In the blink of an eye, the haunted house was engulfed in a blazing inferno. Countless tormented spirits wailed and struggled amidst the flames, while Chen Yang began reciting the Reincarnation Mantra.
Du Shuo observed from a distance. As Chen Yang began reciting the Reincarnation Mantra, Du Shuo opened the gates of the underworld and guided all the wronged souls inside. Upon arrival, the spirits would undergo registration and judgment based on their past sins. Depending on the severity, they would either be reincarnated or sent to Fengdu for further judgment before being cast into the eighteen layers of hell.
The three demonic spirits from the Fang family, seething with anger after their territory was destroyed, suddenly grew almost ten meters tall and charged forward. Du Shuo swiftly blocked their path.
“No Yang energy? What are you?”
Du Shuo paid no attention to their inquiry. He swung his sleeves, and for a moment, they appeared as wide, mysterious black sleeves with shimmering crimson patterns. However, upon closer inspection, they were just ordinary sleeves. The Soul Binding Rope emerged from the sleeve, swiftly chasing after the demonic spirits as if it had gained sight.
The three skeletal demons exclaimed, “The Ghost Executioner of Fengdu!!”
In a state of panic, they scattered in all directions. Unfortunately, they couldn’t escape the Soul Binding Rope, which tightly coiled around them from head to toe, gradually constricting and shattering their bones until their souls were firmly restrained.
Based on the grievous crimes they had committed, they would likely be condemned to several hundred years of punishment in the eighteen levels of hell before entering the realm of animals.
“Come out.”
Emerging from the darkness, the Ghost Emperor of the Northern Yin respectfully approached Du Shuo and bowed. Du Shuo tossed the souls he held in his hand to the Ghost Emperor and said, “Take them back. No need for judgment, just send them straight to hell.”
The Ghost Emperor of the North acknowledged with a response but remained standing in place.
Du Shuo asked, “What’s the matter?”
The Ghost Emperor put on a brave face and asked, “Great Emperor, when will you return the Soul Binding Rope to my little subordinate ghost?”
That little ghost mourned every day outside the walls of Luofeng’s Six Palaces, lamenting its lack of a Soul Binding Rope. Since it couldn’t catch evil spirits, it couldn’t accumulate merits or hope for promotion. Since the little ghost didn’t dare to request the Soul Binding Rope from the Great Emperor of Fengdu directly, it cried outside the palace gates every day, disturbing the peace of the ghosts.
Du Shuo remained silent.
The Ghost Emperor grew increasingly anxious in the silence.
After a long while, Du Shuo asked, “Are you still here?”
Implicitly asking, “Why are you still here?”
“…” The Ghost Emperor bowed and immediately turned to leave. At worst, he would give the little ghost a mourning staff.
Meanwhile, inside Fang Wenwen’s villa, cries for help from Feng Yuan and Wei Changping could be heard. Kou Xuanling saw numerous corpses underground and decided to use the Thunderfire Spell to burn everything to ashes. However, as soon as he made a move, he noticed that the shadowy corpses seemed to be restrained by something.
He remembered the presence of the Flame Demon Array in the Haoyuan Villa and realized that there were likely corpses buried here, connected to the shadowy corpses in this place. Chen Yang and Du Shuo must be conducting the spiritual purification of the shadow corpses.
Kou Xuanling ran forward without any obstacles. He kicked open the door and saw Feng Yuan and Wei Changping tied to chairs. ɪɴ ꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴛᴏʀꜱᴏ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ʙᴏɴᴇꜱ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ ᴏʀɢᴀɴꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴍʙꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜰʟᴇꜱʜ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴋɪɴ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛᴏʀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴄᴀʏᴇᴅ, ᴅʀᴏᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴄʜᴜɴᴋꜱ ᴏꜰ malevolence.
On the other side stood Fang Wenwen, who suddenly appeared incredibly aged. Kou Xuanling picked up the wooden sword and threw it, blocking the demonic spirit’s mouth, causing it to scream in pain. Kou Xuanling took the opportunity to grab the wooden sword and thrust it into the demonic spirit’s throat.
The demonic spirit screamed in agony, collapsing into a pile of bones.
Fang Wenwen hoarsely shouted, “Brother!”
She looked up, her gaze filled with hatred. “I won’t spare you all!”
Kou Xuanling sneered, “Your life has been taken away by the laws of nature. You won’t live for long. How do you intend to not spare us all?”
Fang Wenwen made a strange hand gesture and unexpectedly inserted her hand into her own heart, allowing her blood to flow until she died.
“Blood debts must be repaid. I won’t spare you all!”
Clang!
Kou Xuanling looked up as the clock struck twelve.
Fang Wenwen took her last breath at that very moment.
“She held deep grudges before her death, died at midnight, and met her end in the eerie place where corpses are nurtured. Choosing such a painful method of suicide, she is bound to become a malevolent ghost.”
Feng Yuan was untying Wei Changping when he heard this, causing both of them to look up in fear. “Will she harm us?”
Kou Xuanling: “Her hatred is directed at the celestial master who caused her misfortune, not at you.”
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
“…”
On the other side, Ma Qiqi and Ge Qing huddled together, trembling on the couch. From outside the door, there were occasional chilling laughter and the sound of something tapping on the door and knocking on the windows.
Ge Qing caught glimpses of pale and contorted ghostly faces pressed against the window, staring directly at them. The lights flickered sporadically, intensifying the atmosphere of terror.
Mao Xiaoli watched the cartoon attentively.
Suppressing her fear, Ge Qing asked, “M-Mao Xiaoli, aren’t we going to do something about the things outside?”
“What things outside?” Mao Xiaoli looked confused for a moment and then suddenly realized, “Oh, it’s fine. They can’t come in.”
With door gods and talismans in place, as long as they waited for daylight, the wandering ghosts and little spirits would naturally depart.
“Shouldn’t we drive them away?”
“…Are you scared?”
Ge Qing and Ma Qiqi nodded vigorously, and Mao Xiaoli said, “Alright then.”
Mao Xiaoli took out a microphone and connected it to a speaker. She tapped the microphone and began chanting a spell to banish the ghosts. Unbeknownst to them, the little ghosts outside the villa gradually vanished.
Ge Qing and Ma Qiqi initially thought it was a childish act, but strangely, they felt a sense of calm from Mao Xiaoli’s ghost-expelling chant.
As the first light of dawn emerged, the lightning in the forest subsided. The ancient locust tree stood with only dry branches, but with the arrival of spring, it still showed signs of life. The tormented souls in the haunted house regained their sanity and peacefully entered the cycle of reincarnation.
Before embarking on their journey of reincarnation, they bowed to Chen Yang, who sat within the formation of red strings in the forest, expressing their gratitude and appreciation.
The first ray of sunlight illuminated Chen Yang, casting a layer of golden light upon him. Chen Yang opened his eyes and saw Du Shuo standing right in front of him. He collected the red string and stood up, but his legs gave way, causing him to stumble towards the ground.
Du Shuo caught him, holding him in a gentle embrace like a child. He asked in a low voice, “Feeling tired?”
“Hmm.” Chen Yang replied with a weary tone. After spending the entire night guiding numerous lost souls, the fact that he didn’t feel drained showed his profound inner strength.
“Get some sleep.”
Upon hearing those words, Chen Yang leaned against Du Shuo’s neck and drifted into a deep slumber.
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