Chapter Twenty-Four: Second Uncle's Request

  The majestic Wangmang Ridge with its lush green mountains and crystal clear waters, has been a place of mystery for countless dynasties. Not only is it the birthplace of Laozi's "Tao Te Ching", but also a battlefield that hides numerous secrets. But who would have known that deep within this vast mountain lies a secluded village called Yinyang Village? This was once a peaceful haven, but was ravaged by Liu's lust for power, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.

  Unable to distinguish right from wrong, Nan San did not delve deeper into the matter. He knew that things were probably not so simple, so he led the crowd out of Wang Mang Ridge and temporarily settled in a nearby farmhouse inn. The exhaustion and terror of the past two days made everyone exceptionally satisfied after eating a full meal, except for Gu Fangyi, who wolfed down his food with an alarming expression that left Xi Zi stunned.

  "Hey, slow down, don't gobble like a starving wolf!" Xi Zi said with a smack of her tongue. Gu Fangyi raised her head to glance at everyone, made an "mm-hmm" sound in agreement, and then continued to lower her head and sweep the dinner table clean.

  After having enough wine and food, Nan San took a sip of tea and said to everyone: "This matter is also temporarily settled here, we will go back early tomorrow morning."

  Liu Suo Chang and Xi Zhi nodded, only Yu Fang Wei alone hung her head low, sitting gloomily to one side. Nan San glanced at her, his heart slightly thoughtful, after a moment of silence, he turned to Liu Suo Chang and said: "This matter also originated from you, for now Yu Fang Wei has nowhere to go, so temporarily have her stay with you, it can be considered as compensation."

  As soon as the words came out, Director Liu's face changed greatly. He was a big man, how could he take care of a girl? Besides, Gu Fangyi had previously beaten him up with fists and feet. At this time, he was extremely unwilling and hastily pushed back: "San Nan, I'm a big man, busy with work every day, where do I have the time to take care of her? Can't you think of another way?"

  Nan San's expression was calm as he sipped his tea, saying: "Director Liu, it would be best for you to take responsibility for this matter. As the saying goes, 'cause and effect, retribution', your body has already been entangled with karmic obstacles. When the time comes, you may face life-threatening danger or lose several decades of your lifespan. Right now, taking care of this matter can also help eliminate some of your karmic obstacles."

  These words are not alarmist, the so-called cause and effect in the world, good begets good, evil begets evil, everything is between a thought, human life is fleeting, should prioritize kindness. So Nan Sancai handed Gu Fangyi over to Liu Suozhang, just to help him out, after all, they were acquaintances.

  Liu Zongchang was shocked by Nan Sansuo's words, his heart racing with mixed emotions, and he fell into deep thought. Xi Zi patted him on the shoulder and said, "It's okay, having a woman to chat with is not bad, just agree!"

  Liu Suo Chang, lost in thought, let out a sigh of resignation and reluctantly agreed, but just then, Gu Fang Yi, who had been silent until now, suddenly shouted: "No, I don't want to go with him, I want to find my grandfather!"

  "Grandfather?" Nan San asked with confusion, unclear that Gu Fang had a grandfather, and hurriedly asked what was going on.

  Gu Fangyu wiped the dirt off her face, revealing her delicate features. She then told Nan San and the others that her grandfather was a fisherman who had been forced to leave his hometown due to circumstances and make a living elsewhere. Coincidentally, Gu Fangyu's grandfather happened to be in a coastal area just a few kilometers away from Lingjiao Village. Nevertheless, Nan San still handed her over to Liu Suozhang for care.

  Four people rested for a night at the farmhouse inn and then took the train back to Lingshou Village overnight. Along the way, in order not to cause unnecessary trouble, Nan San and others specially bought a set of clothes for Gu Fangyi. However, three big men didn't know how to buy clothes, so they had to ask someone to help them buy one that was just barely acceptable.

  When he returned, Nan San specially instructed Director Liu to send Gu Fangyi back to her grandfather's place and drove Xi Zai away. After that, he returned to his own residence. As for this place, it has already become a bustling market, with many old ladies coming every day to ask about gossip, calculate marriage and wealth, and even look at Nan San's youth, thinking of introducing someone specially. In the few days he left, his wooden door was pried open several times.

  The villagers saw Nan San return, and they all rushed over to ask him where he had been. But at this time, Nan San's body was a bit tired, after all, too many things had happened in the past few days, his body couldn't take it anymore. On the one hand, the corpse poison of the green ghost and the consumption of energy from drawing symbols on the swamp mud required him to rest well for several days.

  At that time, the second uncle also heard that Nan San was back, and he hurried over in a flurry, because during these few days of his departure, something strange had happened in this village. When it comes to this strange thing, the second uncle still thinks about it today, and feels the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

  When Second Uncle saw Nan San, he pulled him and let out a sigh of relief: "Nan San, I've finally waited for you to come back!" Nan San saw that Second Uncle's expression was filled with horror, as if he had encountered something terrifying, and hurriedly asked what was wrong. Second Uncle opened his mouth, but found himself at a loss for words.

  Just then, a middle-aged woman rushed to Nan San's front, knelt down on both knees, her eyes red with tears, and cried out: "Master Dao, please save my child quickly, he is dying!"

  Nan San hastily helped the woman up, not understanding why both people in front of him were afraid, and hurriedly asked: "What happened?"

  The middle-aged woman cried uncontrollably and couldn't even speak. My second uncle shook his head helplessly: "You'd better go to her home and take a look!"

  Nan San sensed that something must have happened here from the couple's words, and since they were seeking his help, it was likely related to ghosts. He put away his things, didn't bother resting, and asked the two to lead the way. The woman just kept crying, which made Nan San feel helpless - he had always been afraid of such situations. Fortunately, Second Uncle hurriedly led the way.

  When he arrived, Nan San found that the woman's house was surrounded by a circle of people. The curious old women were tiptoeing to peek inside. When they saw Nan San coming, they all made way for him, after all, in their eyes, he was a genuine Taoist priest, who dared to block his way?

  After entering the inner room, a thin and weak man with dark skin came out from inside. As soon as he saw Nan San, it was as if he had seen his savior. He grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go, causing him to sigh: "Uncle, please let go first, let me take a look."

  The thin man nicknamed Lao Guotou was a bricklayer, and he felt a bit embarrassed to open up. He led Nan San and Er Shu towards one of the rooms, pushed open the large door, and Nan San faintly smelled a pungent odor, like the smell of blood and fish guts. His eyebrows furrowed, and as soon as he entered, he was shocked beyond recognition.

  All that can be seen is a narrow room, and on the bed lies a figure that sends shivers down one's spine. It's a teenager, no, it should be said that it's an old man. His body is covered in wrinkles, his hair is flecked with white, and his skin is emitting large amounts of yellowish pus, staining the sheets. The stench comes from this.

  Nan San discovered that the person in front of him, upon closer inspection, was actually a child of around ten years old, but his appearance seemed to have aged by several decades, as if he had gone from youth to old age. He hastily asked for the child's birth date and calculated it with his fingers, then said seriously: "This child has lost his vital energy, his five organs are without vitality, and he is only alive because of the lingering spirit that was sucked away, at most he can only live for one or two more years."

  Old Guo's expression stiffened upon hearing this, and the middle-aged woman beside him almost fainted to the ground, wailing in grief. A youth of only ten or so years old could live for just a few more years - this terrible news was unbearable pain for anyone. She knelt before San, trembling and shaking, crying: "Master Dao, please save my child's life! Even if it means taking mine!"

  This made Nan San feel extremely helpless. He was not a person who would sit idly by and do nothing. The villagers outside, who had gathered to watch the commotion, were sighing and crying softly, saying that this child was born with bad luck. However, there were also some people who expressed suspicion towards the Taoist priest in front of them.

  Nan San didn't bother to listen to the gossip around his ears, and hurriedly helped up the middle-aged woman, saying: "I'll do my best for this matter. To prevent the little ghost from hurting the child again, you should hang an eight-foot divine mirror on the door. Remember, the child must not move violently, otherwise there will be big trouble."

  At that time, Second Uncle didn't know what Er San's arrangement meant, but he was sure there was a reason for it. After Old Guo saw Er San off with gratitude, he hung a mirror on the door. Along the way, Er San remained silent, and Second Uncle also didn't dare to speak up.

  After arriving at his residence, Nan San turned to Er Shu and asked: "Li brothers, tell me how that child got this illness?"

  Second Uncle scratched his head, thought for a moment, and then said: "I remember Old Guo telling me that this kid went out to sea with him once, and after coming back, he became like this!"

  "Going out to sea?" Nan San fell into deep thought. If going out to sea could absorb one's vital energy, why was Old Guo unaffected? There must be something strange about this place. If it were said that the soul had scattered, such a thing would inevitably be the work of evil spirits. To think clearly about what was happening, it seemed that asking for Old Guo's help was necessary.

  For this, Nan San specially called Lao Guotou and asked him about the details and strange things when he went out to sea. Lao Guotou's face was bewildered, and after thinking for a moment, he said: "At that time, I planned to take my child on a boat ride, but later found an abandoned house in a remote coastal area. I didn't do anything, just went inside to take a look and then came out."

  Nan San thought carefully about this, and suddenly remembered the fishy smell he had detected earlier. This kind of smell was generally found near the sea. If it really was a problem with that house, then there must be some kind of ghostly presence inside. After discussing it with Second Uncle, Nan San decided to go alone to investigate the house and see what kind of evil spirit was harming people.

  However, to prevent the doll from dying of shock due to blood loss, Nan San told Old Guo to put down the mirror, but this was only effective against small ghosts and wouldn't have much effect. So they used a large wooden bucket, filled with many Chinese medicinal herbs, and placed her inside. On one hand, it was to preserve the last bit of her vitality, on the other hand, it was to use the medicinal effects to delay things.

  After finishing all this, Nan San planned to take a rest for a day first, to dispel the fatigue of the past few days.