Chapter 59 Deserted Village 01
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Chen Yang saw Du Shuo in the room, sitting on the sofa, examining something resembling a dossier. He approached from behind, embraced Du Shuo, and looked down. “What is this?”
Du Shuo shook the dossier in his hand, neatly closed it, and set it aside. He then grasped Chen Yang’s hand and pulled him into his arms, intimately embracing him. “These are the memorials pleading for justice in Wangsi City, just arrived today. I’m almost done reviewing them.”
Chen Yang nestled into Du Shuo’s arms, picked up the dossier next to him, and asked, “Can I take a look?” After receiving an affirmative answer, he flipped it open. “Hmm? Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law often quarreled. Angered by the daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law committed suicide by drinking pesticide. So, wanting to teach the daughter-in-law a lesson during the seventh day ritual, she accidentally scared her to death… Uh, do you have to judge such things?”
Du Shuo pressed his slender index finger to his forehead, his face turning somewhat dark. “Previously, there were the Five Ghost Emperors, Seventy-Two Yin Departments, as well as the hell’s wardens and judges. These trivial matters could be left to them for judgment. Crimes not reaching the level of heinousness don’t need to be reported to Fengdu, let alone presented before me. However, the escape of Wu Lingjiu from hell a while ago caused a shortage of manpower among the underworld’s numerous Yin Departments and ghost envoys.”
Chen Yang laughed. “Is this considered reaping what you sow?” If Du Shuo hadn’t, in his fury, sat in judgment on the neglect of duty by the Yin Division and others, he probably wouldn’t be so busy to the point of hardly returning home.
Du Shuo, somewhat helpless, bit Chen Yang’s cheek and whispered, “Do you enjoy seeing me busy? You used to worry about me being so busy without any breaks. Now, not only are you not concerned, but you’re also laughing at me.”
Chen Yang laughed, shoulders hunched. “I used to think you were just a little ghost minion, oppressed and exploited – naturally, I felt sorry for you. Now that I know you’re the biggest boss, why should I bother feeling sorry? Besides, when I used to curse the Great Emperor of Fengdu in front of you, you could listen to my insults without a change in expression, not even a hint of anger or embarrassment. Your acting skills are truly commendable, my Great Emperor of Fengdu.”
Du Shuo smiled but did not respond. He truly worried that his little wife might bring up old grievances. Right now, he was still wearing clothes embroidered with pig heads in front of his subordinates. Those little ghost officials were clueless, mistakenly believing that the pig head embroidery was related to a new technique in the spirit realm. The quality of their embroidery was so poor that it was embarrassing.
Later, those unskilled ghost officials from the Yin Division went to Wangsi City and hell to find several hundred years old seamstresses who hadn’t reincarnated yet. The styles and quality improved significantly. The Great Emperor secretly observed and compared. In the end, he concluded that his little wife had the best embroidery skills.
Back then, Chen Yang felt sorry for him, and thus voiced his grievances to him about the Great Emperor of Fengdu overworking his employees. As the Great Emperor of Fengdu himself, Du Shuo could not join him in cursing, and could not explain, so he had no choice but to face him calmly and act as a loyal little ghost official.
Chen Yang curled up, his slender frame contrasting with Du Shuo’s towering stature and broad shoulders. In Du Shuo’s arms, he resembled a big child being held up.
The position was intimate and reassuring. Chen Yang loved being nestled in Du Shuo’s arms. Leaning against Du Shuo’s chest, Chen Yang felt the comforting support, with Du Shuo’s chin resting gently on his shoulder.
Chen Yang: “Are you still very busy now?”
Du Shuo: “I’ve arranged replacements for the negligent ghost officials in the Yin Division. The Five Ghost Emperors, Six Case Clerks, and the Ten Halls of Yama each resumed their duties. The chaos caused by Wu Lingjiu has subsided, and operations in the underworld, Fengdu, and Wangsi City have returned to normal. Zhou Qi went to Mount Bozhong to assist the Western Ghost Emperor. Although it was somewhat chaotic there, it has now returned to calm.”
Everything was in perfect order, restored to normalcy. When Wu Lingjiu escaped from hell, he sowed the seeds of trouble in the underworld. After lying dormant for twenty years, it erupted, plunging the underworld and Fengdu into chaos. This provided Wu Lingjiu with an opportunity to prepare for the revival of his Ghost Kingdom in the mortal realm. It was due to this that Du Shuo, in his fury, purged those who neglected their duties, and replaced them with new recruits. After a busy period, it coincided with Wu Lingjiu executing his grand scheme in the mortal realm.
Du Shuo wasn’t concerned about Wu Lingjiu escaping from hell. He merely informed the Daoist Association to be vigilant and apprehend Wu Lingjiu. As for himself, he immediately addressed the negligence of the ghost officials, restoring order to the Yin Division. He said, “Wu Lingjiu has been out of hell for twenty years. He undoubtedly has ways to conceal his whereabouts. Actively searching for him may not yield results and could alert him to our pursuit. So, it’s better to wait until he can’t resist and take the initiative to expose himself.”
Wu Lingjiu, adept at understanding others, enjoyed manipulating minds. Even if they took the initiative to attack, their plans would be seen through quickly, and they would be led by the nose instead. So it was better to be still and wait for the enemy to make a move. Anyway, Du Shuo had time to play with Wu Lingjiu but Wu Lingjiu may not have the luxury. Having spent twenty years in the mortal realm, any action on his part would catch the attention of the wronged souls and wild ghosts scattered far and wide, the ghost officials of the underworld, and even mortals like celestial masters and police officers.
If anyone spotted him, the entire Celestial Master Community, including the underworld, would be informed. Regardless of Wu Lingjiu’s prowess, he couldn’t surpass the combined forces of the Celestial Master Community and the underworld. Moreover, causing trouble for Du Shuo and provoking his anger meant there was no chance of escaping unscathed.
Du Shuo narrowed his eyes slightly, a dangerous and terrifying emotion flickering within them. “What shouldn’t have happened is the audacity of Wu Lingjiu to harbor ill intentions towards you.” He pinched the back of Chen Yang’s neck, imprinting a gentle kiss on the pristine skin. “Bold beyond measure!”
Chen Yang grabbed Du Shuo’s hand resting on his waist and said, “Is he planning to seize my physical body? If he does, I might really be defenseless against him.”
Chen Yang almost confirmed Wu Lingjiu’s plot. Both of them shared a Yin constitution and practiced the Ghost Dao. Wu Lingjiu was over seven hundred years older than Chen Yang, boasting a cultivation exceeding his by seven centuries and having spent hundreds of years as an evil ghost in hell. If Wu Lingjiu truly intended to seize Chen Yang’s physical body and return to the mortal realm, Chen Yang would undoubtedly be powerless to resist.
Du Shuo’s motion paused. He extended his index finger to hook onto the red string around Chen Yang’s neck. He unfastened the half-piece of jade thumb ring and placed it in front of Chen Yang. He said, “This is half of the Great Emperor’s seal. Seeing the seal is like seeing me. When combined with the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s Heart Seal, it can unleash its full power. No ghosts will be able to invade, and all malevolent forces will be subdued. Even Wu Lingjiu won’t be able to harm you.”
Chen Yang was well aware of the potency of the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s seal. Daoist seals were numerous, but among the renowned ones, apart from the celestial master’s ancestral seal, the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s seal held a prominent position. The Great Emperor of Fengdu, ruler of the Northern Yin, commanded legions of spirits, deciding their fates, whether in granting pardon, passing judgment on crimes, or guiding them through the process of refinement and ascension. Under his authority, the myriad spirits dared not defy his commands. The seal that embodied the formidable power of the Great Emperor of Fengdu served as a tangible connection to his divine influence. In the presence of this seal, all spirits would bow in submission, and malevolent forces would be vanquished without mercy, ensuring protection against any encroaching evil.
Chen Yang gripped the jade thumb ring, turning his head to meet Du Shuo’s eyes. “If you give this to me, won’t it be very inconvenient to use only a partial seal?” When handling petitions, it was imperative to stamp them with the seal of the Great Emperor of Fengdu. Missing half of the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s seal equated to losing half of its power. Could the remaining half of the power still effectively deter the hundred thousand resentful souls and malevolent ghosts?
Du Shuo:”I still have the Heart Seal.”
Chen Yang: “Won’t it be inconvenient?”
“No.” Du Shuo reclaimed the jade thumb ring from Chen Yang’s hand and neatly tucked it back into Chen Yang’s clothes. “Using the Heart Seal or the Dharma Seal, there isn’t much difference for me.”
Chen Yang’s lips curved. He held Du Shuo’s hand adorned with the jade thumb ring and kissed it. “Although Grandpa Wu taught me Ghost Dao techniques, and later you urged me to study witchcraft, the real reason malicious spirits and evil ghosts no longer covet my physical body is because of this half-piece of jade thumb ring.”
In the first year of their engagement, Du Shuo had not yet given him the jade thumb ring. At that time, he relied on the Yang energy imprinted on the ancient copper coin left by Grandpa Wu to suppress the Yin energy on his body. As the years passed, the ancient copper coin could no longer restrain the Yin energy within him. One day, as Chen Yang was pondering this dilemma, Du Shuo placed the half-piece of jade thumb ring, strung with a red string, around his neck.
The half-piece of the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s seal acted like an invisible shield, enveloping his entire Yin energy but also attracting malevolent ghosts coveting the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s seal. As his witchcraft grew stronger, he gradually learned to conceal the oppressive aura of the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s seal, rendering ghosts and demons unable to sense and covet it anymore. At that time, Chen Yang was unaware that the half-piece of jade finger ring was, in fact, the Great Emperor of Fengdu’s seal, mistakenly attributing it to a manifestation of his own physical constitution.
Du Shuo: “By wearing it, even if you’re in danger, I would know immediately.”
Chen Yang turned his head, tilting his neck backward to capture Du Shuo’s lips. Upon contact, they fiercely entwined, making it almost impossible to break free. Just as he felt like he was being suffocated and considered pulling away, Du Shuo held onto the back of his neck as if grasping a lifeline, making it impossible to escape.
“Mmm…” Chen Yang involuntarily let out a moan, soon silenced as Du Shuo devoured both lips and sound. Du Shuo always took a dominant position in their intimate moments, displaying a strong possessiveness and control. If it weren’t for Chen Yang’s habitual trust and reliance on him, others might find it overwhelming.
After a while, Du Shuo withdrew, his thumb pressing down on Chen Yang’s tongue that couldn’t retract in time. The tongue was now a deep red, with droplets of moisture glistening on the corners of his lips. With flushed cheeks and eyes brimming with desire, Chen Yang looked as if he was immersed in a sensuous pool, moist and enticing.
Chen Yang furrowed his brows, retracting his tongue. Feeling uncomfortable, he complained softly, “Stop always messing with my tongue. It makes my throat uncomfortable.” Pressing down on his tongue made him gag.
Du Shuo chuckled lightly. “Why use your hands when you can use your tongue instead?”
Chen Yang shot him a glare. “The older you get, the less proper you become.”
Du Shuo, touching his own wrinkle-free face, sighed inwardly. Since Chen Yang discovered he was the Great Emperor of Fengdu, he increasingly teased him for being improper. As a laid-back ancient man of thousands of years, Du Shuo initially didn’t mind, but most men couldn’t help but be a bit sensitive about age when facing a significantly younger partner.
Du Shuo leaned back, pressing Chen Yang beneath the sofa, and said, “An eighteen-year-old bride, an eighty-year-old groom, a pear tree presses against the crabapple tree.” [it’s a line from a poem]
Chen Yang shuddered all over, kicking Du Shuo’s shin, all desire vanishing. Seeing this, Du Shuo laughed. “Did I say something wrong?” Pausing, he added, “Indeed, I misspoke. The age difference between us is more than just a dozen years.”
Chen Yang felt a bit annoyed. Previously, he enjoyed teasing Du Shuo about their age difference, finding his irritated yet embarrassed reaction amusing. Unexpectedly, once Du Shuo caught on, the one feeling annoyed became him. He grumbled, “Old ginger is indeed spicier.”
Du Shuo: “Don’t bully the elderly. I’ve crossed more bridges than you’ve walked roads.”
Chen Yang pouted. “Let’s not bring up the age thing. It feels weird. Mentioning age just kills the mood. We’re not into anything special, this conversation is like a fire extinguisher.” Suddenly, he remembered something, grabbed Du Shuo’s hand, and burst into laughter, “Hahaha, so you also… harm others and yourself, hahaha…”
Du Shuo looked at him helplessly, pulled Chen Yang up, massaging his stomach to prevent him from laughing too hard and getting a stomach ache. He said, “Do you think I want to? Chen Xiaoyang, mention age again next time and see if I won’t spank you.”
A fire extinguisher naturally put out both the other and one’s own fire. They were not specific people with special hobbies. How could they possibly get hard under such a topic?
Chen Yang held Du Shuo’s left hand, exposed his belly for Du Shuo to massage, and continued laughing. After a good laugh, his stomach did ache a bit. Fortunately, Du Shuo’s stomach massage was just right and quite comfortable. Chen Yang lazily said, “I’m invited by Chief Witch Yi to visit an uninhabited village in Nanyue in a couple of days. Will you come with me?”
“Hmm.”
Chen Yang paused, taking a moment to process his answer. “You’re coming with me?”
Du Shuo glanced at him. “What else? How long are you going for? It’s better if I go with you. Now that you know my identity, there’s no need for me to hide. Besides, I feel at ease when I’m with you.”
Chen Yang settled back into Du Shuo’s embrace, laughing foolishly. “Eh? You shouldn’t say that. I’m quite formidable too. The way you put it makes it seem like I’ll never grow up.”
Du Shuo whispered in Chen Yang’s ear, “If you don’t grow up, can I [redacted]?”
Chen Yang’s pupils dilated in complete surprise. Suddenly, he pounced on Du Shuo, using both hands and feet to entangle him, “Quick, tell me, who are you? You definitely aren’t my old-fashioned husband. You must be someone wearing fake skin, right? Let me feel, tear open this human disguise.”
The speed of his actions was remarkably fast, reaching under Du Shuo’s clothes to touch. As he touched, he became addicted. Du Shuo’s texture was fine, muscles and flesh evenly distributed, and his skin felt as smooth as silk. Once Chen Yang’s hands touched, they couldn’t leave, and his eyes couldn’t look away. As if enchanted, Chen Yang involuntarily leaned in for a kiss.
Du Shuo let out a low groan, looked at Chen Yang and admired his appearance, liking how he was entranced by him. Du Shuo’s eyes gradually darkened, as if they had been splashed with ink, becoming immeasurably deep. He also reached inside Chen Yang’s clothes, gently stroking his back as if he were comforting a small animal, whispering encouragement, “Yangyang, be good, go down.”
Chen Yang raised his head, his black eyes moist, silently locking gazes with Du Shuo. Unable to resist, Du Shuo held onto Chen Yang’s arms, lifting him up and covering him.
After the intense passion, the room still felt hot, taking a while to cool down. Du Shuo covered Chen Yang’s shoulders with a blanket. Chen Yang, half-asleep, felt uncomfortable. He kicked the blanket away, covering only the area below his abdomen.
Above the abdomen, there were vivid red marks. Chen Yang mumbled, “Hot.”
Du Shuo ignored him. Complaining about feeling hot without covering up would certainly lead to catching a cold. He lifted the blanket, wrapping it around Chen Yang’s shoulders. Chen Yang grumbled discontentedly and attempted to struggle.
Du Shuo hugged him tightly and lowered the air conditioning temperature by two degrees. Feeling comfortable, Chen Yang stopped struggling, curling his body closely against Du Shuo, falling into a blissful sleep.
Chen Yang delegated the matters of the branch office to Ma Shanfeng, giving him full authority. The process was swift, considering most tasks were already under Ma Shanfeng’s responsibility. When assigning the tasks, he emphasized the importance of motivating Mao Xiaoli and Zhang Qiudao to focus on their practices and steer clear of excessive engagement in social media and games.
As for Kou Xuanling, he let him indulge in social media and games more. After all, his deepest indulgence was in worshiping his ancestral master, which wasn’t conducive to the mental and emotional development of a mature single man.
Du Shuo took Chen Yang’s backpack and suitcase, sensing something amiss. Just as he was about to open the suitcase for inspection, Chen Yang walked over, puzzled, and asked, “Brother Du, what’s wrong?”
Du Shuo shook his head, not yet ready to say anything. Chen Yang grabbed his arm and said, “Let’s hurry to the airport. The car is here.”
The luggage was placed in the car, and Du Shuo, still puzzled, was pulled by Chen Yang. While passing through airport security, the security personnel checked their luggage and found nothing unusual, so they were allowed to proceed.
Only then did Du Shuo’s doubts eased slightly. Upon landing in the city of Nanyue, they were met by representatives from the Daoist Association, who took them to the hotel.
Along the way, Chen Yang inquired about the whereabouts of Chief Witch Yi and others. The person receiving them replied, “Chief Witch Yi and several other celestial masters entered the deserted village three days ago. We are not sure about the current situation.”
Chen Yang: “Didn’t you guys stay in touch?”
“No. Any communication becomes ineffective once they enter the deserted village. It’s a place isolated from the outside world. However, before entering, Chief Witch Yi and several other celestial masters left behind voodoo dolls. Each voodoo doll has their heart’s blood at its chest, allowing us to track their current whereabouts and ensure their safety.”
Chen Yang nodded, indicating he understood.
When they checked into the hotel, Chen Yang took advantage of Du Shuo going to the bathroom, and quickly opened the suitcase, where the big and round Chonky was hiding. Chonky, wrapped in layers of clothes, looked like a flattened pancake, its cat face unenthusiastic.
Chen Yang whispered, “Chonky, come out quickly.”
Chonky shook its entire body of fur, creating soft waves that charmed the onlookers. Chonky leaped lightly out of the suitcase, holding a card that said, “I’ll hide first.”
Chen Yang made an ‘OK’ gesture, and Chonky attempted to jump out of the room. However, mid-air, he awkwardly plummeted to the ground, landing chin-first. Surprisingly, the descent was completely silent, indicating just how soft his chubby layers of fat were.
After the fall, Chonky lay still on the floor, like a plush toy. Chen Yang looked up to see Du Shuo, expressionless, standing at the door in a bathrobe. Feeling a tremor in his heart, Chen Yang calmly said, “Chonky, why are you so mischievous? If you want to come along, just say so. Why sneak around?”
Chonky struggled to move its nearly invisible layers of neck, looking shocked at Chen Yang. Chen Yang smiled reassuringly at Du Shuo and said, “Since it’s already here, let it stay.”
Du Shuo glanced indifferently at Chen Yang, sat down, and asked, “When did you decide to bring this thing along?”
“About a week ago, Chonky said it wanted to visit an old friend,” Chen Yang said, leaning on Du Shuo’s shoulder.
Du Shuo: “Didn’t you just push the blame onto someone else?”
Chen Yang: “Nope. After all, you won’t get mad at me.” His appearance carried a hint of being spoiled.
While the couple bantered, Chonky tried to slide its hind legs and silently moved towards the door like a huge sponge. Its pair of duck-like eyes now carried a dull look. It decided to stay out of the way when the couple was engaged, determined not to appear in front of them in the future.
Du Shuo glanced at Chonky. He didn’t scold Chen Yang or stop Chonky. Instead, he gently stroked Chen Yang’s neck, his eyes thoughtful.
The deserted village near K City was 5 kilometers away, situated in the rural outskirts. It used to be a prosperous village, but gradually declined, becoming an abandoned place with no signs of life. If it weren’t for the discovery that anyone who entered the deserted village didn’t come out, the issue might have gone unnoticed.
The deserted village was nicknamed ** in K City, originally due to the illusion created by the lack of human presence. It only became truly ** after the incidents occurred.
Zhang Qiudao nearly joined the trip to the deserted village but was rejected by Ma Shanfeng. Given Zhang Qiudao’s current cultivation level, going to the deserted village would be like offering his head willingly. If Zhang Qiudao insisted on going, Ma Shanfeng would inform his family. Helpless, Zhang Qiudao had no choice but to stay behind.
Chen Yang and Du Shuo arrived about 100 meters from the entrance of the deserted village. Yellow caution tape surrounded the area, preventing tourists or adventurers from entering. The guide explained, “The deserted village had a ** reputation before, attracting many adventurers. After the incidents, this area was cordoned off to prevent ordinary people from entering. However, since people went missing in the deserted village, its notoriety grew, attracting more curious visitors. Though we stopped many, some young people still managed to sneak in. Earlier, Chief Witch Yi and other celestial masters went in ahead of time because eight youths managed to sneak in.”
Chen Yang lifted the caution tape, entering with Du Shuo. As they approached the entrance of the deserted village, an overwhelming sense of infinite dread suddenly swept over them.
The anxiety brought about by the vast emptiness and deathly silence left them uneasy and apprehensive.
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