Uncle San’s words gave Shui Miao a rough idea of the situation. Unexpectedly, all the grudges and conflicts had originated from this bulldog. Yet, after calming down and thinking carefully, Shui Miao sensed something suspicious about the whole matter. It was true that Lord Long Wu was ruthless and sinister, but why did Zhang Ling always forget things? Forgetting dozens of times seemed too strange.
Uncle San’s words gave Shui Miao a rough idea of the situation. It turned out that all these grudges and grievances were actually caused by this bulldog. However, after calming down and thinking it over carefully, Shui Miao felt there was something fishy about the whole thing. It was true that Fifth Master Long was domineering and sinister, but why did Zhang Ling keep forgetting things? And he had forgotten dozens of times—wasn’t that just too strange?
Speaking of gu poison, Shui Miao naturally thought of gu worms.
Could it be that Zhang Ling kept forgetting things because gu worms had entered his brain? Had they turned him into a fool?
Then why did Zhang Ling end up dead by the river?
Because of Uncle San’s words, Shui Miao felt that Zhang Ling’s death probably had little to do with his own arrival. His coming here was just a coincidence—he had simply stumbled upon an opportunity. Perhaps it was fate, and heaven had destined him to avenge Zhang Ling. After all, the young wife had slept with him, even if nothing had happened between them. Still, they had slept together. For that reason alone, he had to help Zhang Ling get revenge.
As his thoughts churned, Shui Miao decided to go find the old woman, the disciple of Lady White, to get some information from her. He would also take the opportunity to ask what kind of evil spirit had possessed the young wife last night.
“Got it, Uncle San. You can go back now.”
Shui Miao nodded and crawled out of the dog shed.
He patted the bulldog’s head again and said softly, “The chance for revenge will come. Don’t worry.”
The bulldog obediently wagged its tail and retreated back into the dog shed.
By then, Uncle San had already disappeared.
Shui Miao glanced back at the bulldog, then looked up at the sun in the sky. He couldn’t help but wonder: Why were ghosts in other places afraid to come out during the day, while the spirits in this Miao village were so brazen? And it wasn’t just human souls—even the dog’s spirit was unusually strong. Weren’t they afraid of being exposed to the sun in broad daylight? Then again, different lands nurture different people—could this have something to do with the feng shui of the Shuilong Ridge?
Shui Miao was secretly troubled. If his dantian hadn’t been sealed and he could still use his immortal powers, a single glance would have allowed him to see the various spiritual energies within these mountains. But now, there was nothing he could do. He would have to find an opportunity later to climb to the highest point of the ridge and observe the terrain, to figure out why this place was so nurturing to spirits.
Without further delay, Shui Miao headed straight out.
When he reached the main gate, he noticed that Zhang Juan’s family’s luggage was still there. If they returned and started a fight with the young wife, it would be trouble. As Shui Miao stepped out of the gate and looked down the road, he heard Zhang Ling’s mother standing at the doorway, waving and calling out to him. Her thick local accent was unintelligible to him, but he figured she was probably telling him to come back, worried that he might wander off.
Not wanting to upset the elderly woman, Shui Miao walked back, helped her inside, then brought a chair out from the inner room and sat by the main gate to bask in the sun.
Zhang Ling’s mother stood up again, leaning on her cane as she walked to the doorway. When she saw her foolish son’s behavior, she was momentarily stunned.
Zhang Ling’s father also came out. The old woman pulled her husband aside, pointed at Shui Miao, and whispered to him.
Shui Miao’s behavior was not something a fool would do.
This made the elderly couple very worried.
So, Zhang Ling’s mother called for the young wife and asked her to take Shui Miao to find Immortal Auntie Ma—the old woman, Granny Ma, who had given Shui Miao tea. She was the village shamaness of the East Village, and whenever someone was plagued by evil spirits, they would seek her help. Zhang Ling’s mother, noticing her son’s unusual behavior, wanted Granny Ma to check if he had been possessed by something unclean.
Hearing this, the young wife immediately dropped what she was doing and hurried off with Shui Miao to Granny Ma’s house.
The distance from Zhang Ling’s house to Granny Ma’s was very short—only about a hundred meters away. A quick jog later, they arrived.
Granny Ma had just finished offering incense and came out. Seeing the young wife and Shui Miao, she greeted them with a warm smile. After exchanging a few words with the young wife, she took Shui Miao’s pulse, then shook her head and told the young wife that he wasn’t possessed. Once the young wife had finished her questions and was about to leave, Shui Miao shook off her hand, pulled Granny Ma into the room, closed the door, leaned in close to her ear, and asked directly, “What was the deal with the ghost that possessed the young wife last night?”
“There was such a thing?”
Granny Ma was taken aback. She glanced outside, thinking to herself that it was a good thing she was old—otherwise, the young wife might have gotten jealous.
Shui Miao frowned. “Of course there was. Why else would I come to you? Also, tell me about the situation between Zhang Ling’s family and Fifth Master Long. How did Zhang Ling really die?”
“That matter—it’s best you don’t ask about it for now. When the time is right, I’ll naturally tell you. But as for your wife being possessed last night, I can ask the great immortal for you right now.” Granny Ma walked straight to the altar, bowed respectfully, closed her eyes, and began murmuring incantations.
Shui Miao looked around, curious to see what the great immortal Granny Ma spoke of actually looked like.
But before he could catch a glimpse, Granny Ma turned to him and whispered furtively, “It was just a lonely wandering ghost from the village. The great immortal says you’ve already destroyed it, so there’s nothing more to ask.”
Shui Miao looked at Granny Ma, frowning skeptically. “Really destroyed?”
“What do you mean by that? Would the great immortal lie to you?” Granny Ma slapped her thigh, somewhat displeased. Suddenly, her expression changed again. “Oh no, oh no! Zhang Juan has brought a whole crowd to the village to cause trouble for you. They’ve already reached the village entrance. The great immortal asks if you need help.”
“Yes, of course.”
Shui Miao agreed without hesitation—there was no reason not to.
The last time he had dealt with Zhang Juan and her family of three alone, he had suffered quite a bit.
Moreover, Shui Miao felt that the great immortal attached to Granny Ma’s eagerness to help indicated something—the ghost causing trouble last night was likely this great immortal itself. By doing this now, it was probably hoping he wouldn’t pursue the matter further, trying to curry favor.
Ghosts were the remnants of deceased humans—their intelligence wasn’t necessarily very high.
With this simple exchange of questions and answers, Shui Miao had already connected many dots.
After speaking, he opened the door and noticed the young wife’s expression was particularly strange!
Well, any wife would find it odd to see her husband closing the door with an old woman and whispering furtively.
Thankfully, Granny Ma was quick-witted. She hurried over and quietly told the young wife that she was treating Zhang Ling’s illness, that he was in the process of recovering, and that it wouldn’t be long before he regained much of his memory and might even speak again. He trusted only her now, which was why they were being secretive. Hearing this, the young wife was naturally overjoyed—curing Zhang Ling’s illness was her greatest wish.
“Thank you, Granny, thank you…”
“Alright, alright, now’s not the time for thanks. Let’s deal with the crowd Zhang Juan brought first.”
Granny Ma looked completely at ease. She took the young wife’s hand and headed toward Zhang Ling’s house.
Shui Miao, however, narrowed his eyes, furrowed his brow, and followed behind Granny Ma, wondering just how capable the great immortal attached to her was, whether it genuinely intended to help him, what mission Lady White had given it, and how he could coax the truth out and manipulate it to his advantage.
Having endured many hardships, his mind had matured quickly.
After experiencing so many ups and downs, Shui Miao’s mental age was now at least around forty.
Then, why had Zhang Ling died by the riverside?
Uncle San’s account made Shui Miao feel that Zhang Ling’s death probably had little to do with his own arrival. He had simply been lucky to stumble upon the situation by coincidence. Perhaps it was fate, and Heaven had sent him here to avenge Zhang Ling. Regardless, the young bride had already slept beside him—even if they hadn’t consummated their relationship, they had still shared a bed. For that reason alone, he felt he had to avenge Zhang Ling.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Shui Miao decided to seek out the old woman, the disciple of Bai Niangzi, to learn more about the situation and discreetly inquire what foul entity had possessed the young bride’s body the previous night.
“I understand, Uncle San. You can go back now,” Shui Miao nodded and crawled out from the doghouse.
He patted the bulldog’s head gently and whispered, “Opportunity for revenge will come. Don’t rush.”
The obedient bulldog wagged its tail joyfully and crawled back into the doghouse.
By then, Uncle San had already disappeared.
Shui Miao looked back at the bulldog, then gazed up at the sun in the sky, puzzled. Why were ghosts afraid to appear during the day everywhere else, yet in this Miao village, they acted so brazenly? Not only human spirits, but even the souls of dogs seemed so strong. Didn’t they fear the sunlight? Come to think of it, different lands nurture different people—could this have something to do with the feng shui of Shuilong Ridge?
Shui Miao was deep in thought. If his dantian hadn’t been sealed and he could still channel his immortal powers, he could have easily seen the spiritual energies of the ridge with just one glance. Now, he had no choice but to plan to climb to the ridge’s highest point later to observe the terrain and figure out why this place nurtured yin spirits so abundantly.
Without hesitation, Shui Miao immediately set off.
When he reached the main gate, he noticed that Zhang Juan’s family’s luggage was still there. If they returned, they might try to harm the young bride, which would be problematic. As Shui Miao stepped outside the gate, looking down the road, he suddenly heard Zhang Ling’s mother calling him from the doorway, waving her hand. Speaking in pure local dialect, Shui Miao couldn’t understand her words, but he guessed she was probably calling him back, worried he might run off somewhere.
Not wanting to worry the elderly woman, Shui Miao returned, helped her inside, then fetched a chair from the inner room and sat at the main gate, basking in the sunlight.
Zhang Ling’s mother stood up again, leaning on her cane, walking to the doorway. Seeing her foolish son’s actions, she froze in shock.
Zhang Ling’s father also stepped out. The old woman pulled the old man aside, pointing at Shui Miao and whispering softly.
Shui Miao’s behavior was simply not something a fool could pull off.
This deeply worried the elderly couple.
Therefore, Zhang Ling’s mother called the young bride, asking her to take Shui Miao to see Madam Ma, the old woman who had given Shui Miao tea—the same old woman known as the village shamaness in Dong Village. Whenever someone encountered evil spirits, they would seek her help. Seeing her son’s unusual behavior, Zhang Ling’s mother suspected he might have been possessed by something foul, so she wanted Madam Ma to examine him.
Upon hearing this, the young bride immediately dropped her chores and hurried with Shui Miao toward Madam Ma’s house.
The distance between Zhang Ling’s home and Madam Ma’s was very short—only about a hundred meters. They arrived after a short run.
Madam Ma had just finished burning incense when she saw the young bride and Shui Miao arrive. She smiled warmly to greet them. After exchanging a few words with the bride, she checked Shui Miao’s pulse and shook her head, telling the bride that he wasn’t possessed by any evil spirit. After the bride finished her inquiries and was about to leave, Shui Miao suddenly pulled away from her hand, dragged Madam Ma into the house, shut the door, leaned close to her ear, and directly asked, “Who or what was the ghost that possessed the young bride last night?”
“Such a thing happened?”
Madam Ma was taken aback. She glanced outside, thinking to herself how fortunate she was to be old already—otherwise, the young bride might have become jealous.
Shui Miao frowned. “Of course it happened! Otherwise, why would I come to you? Also, tell me about the conflict between the Zhang Ling family and Lord Wu. Exactly how did Zhang Ling die?”
“That matter, you’d better not ask for now. When the time is right, I’ll naturally tell you. However, regarding the possession of your bride last night, I can ask the Immortal Spirit for you right now.” So saying, Madam Ma walked directly to the spirit altar, respectfully bowed a few times, and then closed her eyes, chanting incantations.
Shui Miao looked around, curious to see what this “Immortal Spirit” Madam Ma spoke of looked like.
However, before he could spot the Immortal Spirit, Madam Ma turned around and whispered conspiratorially, “It was just a wandering ghost in the village. The Immortal Spirit said you already destroyed it. What else is there to ask?”
Shui Miao looked at Madam Ma, frowning in doubt. “Really destroyed?”
“How can you talk like that? Could the Immortal Spirit possibly deceive you?” Madam Ma slapped her thigh, somewhat displeased. Suddenly, her expression changed again. “Oh no, oh no! Zhang Juan is coming with a large group to cause trouble. They’ve already reached the village entrance. The Immortal Spirit is asking if you need help?”
“Of course I do!”
Shui Miao readily agreed—it seemed there was no reason to refuse.
Previously, when he had confronted Zhang Juan’s family of three alone, he had suffered greatly.
Moreover, Shui Miao felt that this Immortal Spirit channeling through Madam Ma was unusually eager to help, which suggested something. The ghost from last night was probably this very Immortal Spirit. Her actions now were likely an attempt to appease him and avoid further investigation.
Ghosts were the products of the dead, and their intelligence wasn’t necessarily high.
With such a simple exchange, Shui Miao had already deduced much.
After speaking, he opened the door and found the young bride’s gaze particularly strange.
Indeed! Any wife witnessing her husband shut the door and whisper secretly with an old woman would feel uneasy.
Quick-witted as ever, Madam Ma immediately approached and quietly told the bride that she was treating Zhang Ling, who was now recovering and regaining memories, even possibly regaining speech. He now trusted only Madam Ma, hence the secrecy. Hearing this, the bride naturally felt delighted—curing Zhang Ling’s illness was her greatest wish.
“Thank you, Madam! Thank you, Madam!”
“Alright, alright, it’s not time to thank me yet. First, let’s deal with the troublemakers Zhang Juan has brought.”
Madam Ma remained calm, holding the bride’s hand as they headed back toward the Zhang family’s home.
Shui Miao followed behind, eyes narrowed, brow furrowed, pondering how powerful this “Immortal Spirit” within Madam Ma really was, whether it truly intended to help him, what mission White Goddess had given her, and how he could extract information from her and manipulate her at will.
Through prolonged hardship, one’s mind matures quickly.
After enduring numerous trials, Shui Miao’s psychological age had matured to that of a forty-year-old man.
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