Chapter 41: Borrowing a Corpse to Resurrect the Soul

With this thought in mind, a plan began to take shape. Unfortunately, Uncle Hu and I lacked the sufficient cultivation to retrieve the coffin from the well. Since I was at a dead end, I decided to head to the nearby mountain villages early the next morning to gather information. I wanted to see if anyone in the surrounding area went by the name Chen Qiyue; it might provide the lead I needed.

Having settled on this, I pulled the covers over my head and fell asleep. The day’s exhausting events had truly worn me out. Uncle Hu was equally spent, his thunderous snoring echoing from his room like a storm, yet I drifted off into a deep sleep nonetheless.

The next morning, I shared my plan with Uncle Hu. Having lived in this region for many years, he was sure to be of help.

"The village closest to the Hundred Grave Grotto is Huangquan Village. Once we’ve eaten, I’ll take you there to ask around," Uncle Hu said, bowing his head in thought. He paused, then added quietly, "As for whether we’ll find anything... well..."

He left the sentence unfinished, and I didn't press him. I understood his implication: the people in these remote mountain villages were incredibly conservative. They were loath to speak of the sinister occurrences within their borders, as they still had lives to lead and families to raise. Nevertheless, I was determined to try. I had a premonition that the coffin in the well belonged to someone from Huangquan Village, and that this "Chen Qiyue" was likely a native of that place.

After breakfast, we set out. With Uncle Hu leading the way, we soon arrived at Huangquan Village. However, the moment we asked about Chen Qiyue, everyone waved us off, claiming they didn't know the name. Their synchronized, unhesitating response only convinced me further that I was in the right place. When I had asked, I caught a flicker of terror on each of their faces; they weren't ignorant, they were simply afraid to speak.

Finally, under Uncle Hu’s introduction, I met the village head, a man over eighty. Knowing his time was short and swayed by Uncle Hu’s promise of a monthly stipend for his grandson, he poured out the story. After all, the living are what matter most.

According to the old village head, there was indeed a family named Chen who had moved here as refugees fleeing the chaos of the northeast. They had a son named Chen Qiyue and a daughter named Chen Hongyi. Their happiness was short-lived; the father died after falling from a cliff while gathering herbs, and the mother, overcome with grief, followed him to the grave not long after. The once-happy family was reduced to the two siblings.

Fate, however, was cruel. Not long after, the younger brother was beaten to death during a dispute with others. Chen Hongyi tried to report the crime to seek justice, but in those days of closed information, the authorities suppressed the matter, claiming her brother had died suddenly from a congenital illness. With no connections or support in Huangquan Village, Chen Hongyi vanished after settling her family's affairs. Some said she went to the city, others that she had perished, having nothing left to live for.

But the horror truly began in the days following her disappearance. The man who had quarreled with her brother suddenly lost his ability to speak overnight, his mouth rotting away. Soon after, the others who had beaten her brother all died within a year. These events struck terror into the hearts of the villagers; they were convinced the Chen siblings had returned to claim their lives. From then on, the names Chen Qiyue and Chen Hongyi became forbidden, avoided by everyone for fear of inviting trouble.

When I asked the village head how the matter was resolved, he sighed and said, "In the end, with no other choice, we moved the graves of those men to the Hundred Grave Grotto. Only then did things slowly quiet down in the village."

His words confirmed my suspicion: the woman in red I had seen at the Grotto was the mastermind, and her name was likely Chen Hongyi.

I signaled Uncle Hu, hoping to ask if we could visit the old house where the siblings had lived. The village head hesitated; the village had finally found peace, and he feared our visit would bring fresh trouble. To show our sincerity, Uncle Hu and I placed three thousand yuan on the table as a guarantee that we would not disturb anything.

Looking at the money, the village head finally relented. "You may look, but do not touch anything inside. Though the Chen family line has ended, the house remains. As long as it doesn't collapse on its own, our villagers will never touch their belongings. I hope you can do the same."

Seeing the strange look in his eyes, Uncle Hu and I nodded and followed him to the western edge of the village. The Chen family had been granted that piece of land when they first arrived, but no one could have foreseen the tragedy that would unfold there.

As we approached the ancestral house, I realized the gravity of the situation. Despite the passing of many years, the house looked as if it had been built yesterday. Even in the bright midday sun, I felt an icy chill radiating from it. This Chen Hongyi was no ordinary person; if she were still alive, she would surely be a master of Feng Shui.

"Qiyue, do you feel that? The Yin energy here is overwhelming. I suspect Chen Hongyi is hiding inside to cultivate," Uncle Hu whispered in my ear.

I nodded. The moment I arrived, I had sensed the dense Yin energy, as if eyes were fixed upon us from within. It was the exact same feeling I had experienced at the Grotto. Chen Hongyi—the woman in red. I had mostly pieced it together now: she was cultivating in this house, likely to grant her brother a new life. If I wasn't mistaken, she had probably enshrined my memorial tablet inside, inscribed with my birth data.

"Uncle Hu, let’s go. Since Chen Hongyi hasn't harmed the villagers, there is no need for us to confront her here. Let’s head to the Hundred Grave Grotto."

Before leaving, we warned the village head that the house was malevolent and should be avoided. He nodded, promising to pass the word along. He was old enough to see that we were not ordinary men.

"Qiyue, now that we know the truth, let’s go break the formation at the Grotto. You are the direct successor of our master; I cannot let anything happen to you," Uncle Hu said solemnly, his voice tinged with nervousness.

"Don't worry, Uncle Hu," I replied, reassuring him. "As disciples of the Qingma School, our life force isn't so easily stolen. No matter how formidable her methods, I do not fear her."

I spoke with confidence, though I still felt a lingering dread. Was the corpse in the well really her brother? I had to break the formation quickly; dragging it out would only work against me.

"Let’s go, Uncle Hu. While the sun is at its height, we will open the well and haul up that coffin. If we can awaken the soul within and tell him everything, and if he is willing to let go, I will guide him into reincarnation. If he refuses, I will have no choice but to suppress him."

My eyes burned with resolve, and the Profound Yang energy once again enveloped me.