A gentle breeze blew at this moment, causing the willow branches by the lakeside to sway gracefully. The breeze against one’s face was not cold, and the scenery was quite pleasant. Madam Fan walked around the dam, finding nothing unusual, so she decided to go down to the lakeside. The natural environment of Xiu Shui village had never been particularly good, so there were no lotus flowers in the lake. However, even this lake covering dozens of acres was enough to bring a sense of peace and joy. Yet Madam Fan had always felt something was off. On the dam, she merely sensed something amiss, but when she reached the lakeside, she realized there really was a problem. This lake on the dam was not a stagnant pool, but connected to the outside river channels, so technically it wasn’t stagnant water at all. But upon closer inspection, Madam Fan noticed that although the lake surface was calm, the water had an extremely dark hue, and below a foot from the surface, nothing could be seen clearly. This clearly indicated that the lake carried an extremely heavy yin energy, just like those wild lakes found in desolate mountains and wilderness.
Leaning against a willow tree by the lakeside, Madam Fan frowned. In a typical village, theoretically, there shouldn’t be such a high concentration of yin energy. The yang energy generated by hundreds of households should have been enough to neutralize the yin energy from the lake and the nearby graveyards. Even if the lake itself was inherently yin, it shouldn’t have reached a level where the yin energy filled the entire water surface. Could it be that she had overlooked something?
Looking at the compass swinging in her hand, Madam Fan began to carefully ponder. The more she thought, the more her head ached. She asked Liu Dashao to find her a wooden stick, and she started making calculations on the ground. As she was immersed in deep thought, a sudden breeze blew, and a willow branch landed precisely on Madam Fan’s face. She brushed off the dry, dead branch absentmindedly, when suddenly something clicked in her mind.
Madam Fan’s hometown was in Pingdingshan, Henan, a historically renowned coal-producing area. During the Japanese invasion of China, hundreds of thousands of civilians were enslaved here to mine coal. These laborers were eventually collectively slaughtered by the Japanese. After liberation, several mass graves found in the mountain valleys served as ironclad evidence of this atrocity. The Japanese military often included geomancers or Shinto priests, who, after massacring Chinese people, would plant seven willow or Chinese scholar trees at the sites of mass graves in the pattern of the Big Dipper. Both types of trees are yin in nature. If planted in the formation of the Seven Stars Binding Soul Array, the souls of the victims would be firmly anchored to the land, unable to reincarnate or even exist as ghosts. Moreover, due to the evil nature of this formation, even wandering spirits passing by would be trapped here, unable to leave. Over time, the resentful spirits underground generated malevolent energy, turning the burial sites into extremely dangerous formations of evil.
Willow trees! A sudden realization flashed through Madam Fan’s mind. She immediately dropped the wooden stick in her hand and scrambled up a nearby hill in one breath. This location was high enough to overlook the entire dam. Standing at the hilltop, she gazed down and couldn’t help but gasp in horror. She saw that on the west, south, and north sides of the dam, exactly seven willow trees were planted on each side, with the east side—the direction with the strongest yang energy—completely devoid of trees. The three Seven Stars Binding Soul Arrays, composed entirely of yin willow trees, formed a Triple Malevolent Formation. This kind of layered, malevolent arrangement undoubtedly locked the entire dam tightly. Water itself is yin in nature; building a dam here could balance overly strong spiritual energy, and the village’s spiritual energy could in turn neutralize the water’s yin energy. Originally, this was a very good layout. But with the addition of dozens of willow trees, the three sides of willows formed a standard yin-binding formation, locking the lake’s yin energy firmly beneath the water. No wonder the water looked so black—it was because of this.
Madam Fan exhaled deeply. Originally, the other two malevolent formations were smaller in scale and weaker in malevolence, but they were positioned exactly in an equilateral triangle with this Triple Malevolent Formation. Thus, the three malevolent arrays together formed a larger malevolent formation, not only locking the spiritual energy of the entire mountain range but also sealing the entire dragon’s mouth. There was no doubt that someone had deliberately set up this malevolent formation here!
Thinking of this, a cold sweat trickled down Madam Fan’s spine. Recalling the recent strange occurrences in the village, she understood much of it now. However, judging by the appearance of these willow trees, each so large that several people could barely encircle them, they must have existed for hundreds of years. So why did they not act up earlier or later, but precisely now? The dam! Yes, the dam!
Madam Fan’s eyes lit up. She grabbed her compass and quickly walked to the lakeside. She squatted down and floated the compass on the water. Suddenly, the compass needle made a clinking sound and stood straight up, then sank rapidly into the water.
No wonder—the dam was the key mechanism of the formation. Once this Triple Malevolent Formation trapping the dragon was activated, not only would the dragon vein be lost, but the yin energy within dozens of miles would continuously enter a vicious cycle, multiplying and increasing, then being injected into the lake water. If this continued for a long time, who knew what other sinister things might emerge. No wonder there had been so many ghosts and monsters appearing recently—it all stemmed from here. Then what exactly was hidden at the bottom of this lake, requiring the absorption of so much yin energy?
“As a final piece of advice before I leave: just as you said, one must know when to advance and retreat. This thing—no single Madam Fan, not even ten or a hundred Madam Fans, could possibly handle!”
“Just like that,” the snake spirit’s final words echoed in Madam Fan’s ears like a hallucination, lingering endlessly.
“Child, back then when the snake spirit gave me that warning, I was somewhat doubtful. But in just these past few dozens of days, so many strange things have happened in our village. Now I truly believe it. Alas! When things go against the norm, there must be malevolence involved. But what could possibly cause such a huge disturbance…”
As he walked, Wang Banxian saw Madam Fan and Liu Dashao standing by the lakeside. Approaching them, he just happened to hear Madam Fan’s words.
“My senior sister is indeed here!”
“What are you doing here?” Madam Fan’s voice immediately turned cold upon seeing Wang Banxian.
“I know I was a bit harsh last time. I came to apologize.” Wang Banxian said. Although Madam Fan and Wang Banxian were like fire and water, they were actually disciples of the same master, Lao Daogong, more than twenty years ago. Lao Daogong was a venerable and decisive figure, the pillar and leader of the village. While he was alive, Wang Banxian naturally remained obedient and diligently learned some skills, doing several commendable deeds. The relationship between the junior and senior disciples was quite harmonious. However, after Lao Daogong’s death, Wang Banxian completely changed. Without any supervision, many previously hidden vices surfaced. Worse still, he ignored his senior sister, with whom he had once harbored feelings, eventually leading to a rift. Wang Banxian was a man of great ambition and pride, yet now he was humbly apologizing to her. Madam Fan thought he must have reformed after years of hardship, and her anger eased somewhat.
“Fine, I’m not that petty.” Madam Fan gave him a disapproving glance.
Wang Banxian dared not utter a word now. After this recent incident with the zombie, he had no choice but to acknowledge his senior sister’s abilities. Otherwise, burning Li Yang’s corpse would have added another sin to his list. Then, King Yama would surely punish him after death.
Seeing Wang Banxian’s meek demeanor, Madam Fan truly believed he had reformed. Her tone softened as she said, “Alright, don’t flatter me anymore. Today, fortunately, I arrived in time. Otherwise, wouldn’t you have burned Li Yang’s body in vain?”
Upon hearing this, Wang Banxian immediately agreed, “Yes, yes! It was indeed thanks to my senior sister. Otherwise, I would have faced difficulties before King Yama after death.” Saying this, Wang Banxian even bowed respectfully to Madam Fan, showing utmost deference.
Liu Dashao watched the two from the side, finding the scene resembled an older sister scolding her younger brother, even though both were quite old. He couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.
“You little brat, what are you laughing at?” Madam Fan noticed Liu Dashao’s quiet amusement and curiously asked.
“Eh? Nothing much. I was just wondering, was that zombie Li Yang turned into really that powerful? Although Master Wang’s abilities aren’t as strong as yours, he should still be able to handle a single zombie, right?” Liu Dashao quickly changed the subject, though it wasn’t entirely a diversion—he genuinely wanted to know the answer.
Upon hearing Liu Dashao’s remark about his magical prowess being inferior to Madam Fan’s, Wang Banxian felt a bit displeased, but he couldn’t deny it. He muttered softly, “Who knows what happened? I even lost two apprentices over it.”
“Hmm,” Madam Fan nodded in agreement with Liu Dashao’s question. “It was mainly because the burial site was chosen incorrectly.”
At this moment, a gentle breeze blew, causing the willow branches by the lakeside to sway naturally. The wind carried the coolness of the willows, yet it wasn’t chilling, making it a rather pleasant scene. Grandma Fan walked along the dam but found nothing unusual, so she decided to descend to the lakeside. The natural environment of Xiushui Village had always been poor, so there were no lotus flowers in the lake. However, the mere sight of the vast lake was enough to soothe the soul. Yet, Grandma Fan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. While on the dam, she only felt a vague unease, but upon reaching the lakeside, she realized there was indeed a problem. The lake connected to the dam wasn’t stagnant; it was linked to external waterways, so it couldn’t be considered a dead lake. However, upon closer inspection, Grandma Fan noticed that although the lake’s surface was calm, the water was unnaturally dark. Beyond a foot below the surface, nothing was visible, indicating that the lake was heavily saturated with yin energy, resembling a wild lake in a desolate mountain area.
Sitting by the lakeside under a willow tree, Grandma Fan couldn’t help but frown. In a typical village, the yin energy shouldn’t be so concentrated. The yang energy generated by hundreds of households should neutralize the yin energy of the lake and nearby graves. Even if the lake was inherently yin, it shouldn’t reach such an extreme level. Could there be something she had overlooked?
Seeing the compass in her hand wavering, Grandma Fan began to ponder deeply. The more she thought, the more her head ached. She asked Liu Dashao to fetch her a wooden stick and started calculating on the ground. As she was deep in thought, a sudden breeze blew, and a willow branch struck her face. She casually brushed off the dry, dead branch, and something clicked in her mind.
Grandma Fan’s hometown was in Pingdingshan, Henan, a historically famous coal-mining region. During the Japanese invasion, hundreds of thousands of civilians were enslaved to mine coal there, only to be massacred by the Japanese. After liberation, several mass graves were discovered in the mountains, serving as grim evidence. The Japanese army often had Feng Shui masters or priests who, after massacring Chinese people, would plant seven willow or locust trees in the positions of the Big Dipper over the mass graves. Both types of trees are yin in nature, and when planted in the Seven Stars Soul-Locking Formation, the vengeful spirits of the mass graves would be firmly anchored to the land, unable to reincarnate or even become wandering ghosts. Moreover, due to the formation’s extreme malevolence, even passing spirits would be trapped, unable to escape. Over time, the accumulated resentment would generate a dangerous, malevolent energy, turning the burial site into a perilous Feng Shui hazard.
Willow trees! A flash of insight struck Grandma Fan. She tossed the wooden stick aside and climbed up a nearby hill, which offered a commanding view of the entire dam. From the hilltop, she gasped in shock. The dam was surrounded by seven willow trees on the west, south, and north sides, but the east side, which should have the strongest yang energy, was conspicuously absent. The three Seven Stars Soul-Locking Formations, composed of extremely yin willow trees, formed a Three Evils Formation. This layered malevolence, with evil reinforcing evil, undoubtedly locked the entire dam in place. Water is inherently yin, and building a dam here could neutralize excessive spiritual energy while using the village’s yang energy to balance the water’s yin. It should have been an excellent arrangement. However, with the addition of these dozens of willow trees, the three sides formed a standard Yin-Locking Formation, firmly trapping the lake’s yin energy at the bottom. No wonder the water looked so dark.
Grandma Fan sighed in realization. The other two evil formations, though smaller and less potent, were positioned in a perfect equilateral triangle with the Three Evils Formation. Together, they formed a larger evil formation, not only locking the mountain’s spiritual energy but also sealing the dragon’s mouth. This was undoubtedly a deliberately arranged malevolent Feng Shui setup!
At this thought, a cold sweat ran down Grandma Fan’s spine. Connecting this to the recent strange occurrences in the village, she began to understand. However, looking at the willow trees, each several arm spans thick, they must have been there for centuries. Why had they only started causing trouble now? The dam—that was the key!
Grandma Fan’s eyes lit up. She grabbed her compass and hurried to the lakeside, crouching down to float the compass on the water. Suddenly, the compass needle snapped upright and then sank into the water.
No wonder! The dam was the mechanism of the formation’s eye. Once this Three Evils Dragon-Trapping Formation was activated, not only would the dragon vein be lost, but the yin energy from the surrounding area would continuously enter a vicious cycle, multiplying and pouring into the lake. Over time, who knows what other sinister entities might emerge? No wonder there had been so many supernatural disturbances lately. The root cause was here. But what exactly was hidden at the bottom of the lake, absorbing so much yin energy?
“Before I leave, let me give you a piece of advice. As you said, one must know when to advance and retreat. This thing—not even ten or a hundred Grandma Fans could handle it!”
“Not even ten or a hundred!” For some reason, the snake spirit’s parting words echoed in Grandma Fan’s ears like an auditory hallucination, lingering for a long time.
“Child, I initially doubted the snake spirit’s words, but in just a few dozen days, so many strange things have happened in our village. Now I fully believe it. Sigh! Unusual events must have an evil cause. What could possibly stir up such a storm?” After walking for a while, Wang Banxian saw Grandma Fan and Liu Dashao standing by the lakeside. As he approached, he overheard Grandma Fan’s words.
“Senior Sister, you’re here!”
“What are you doing here?” Grandma Fan’s voice turned cold the moment she saw Wang Banxian.
“I know I was a bit harsh last time. I came to apologize,” Wang Banxian said. Although Grandma Fan and Wang Banxian were like fire and water, they had actually been fellow disciples under the same master over twenty years ago. Their master, Old Daoist, was a highly respected and decisive figure, the pillar of the village. While he was alive, Wang Banxian was obedient and diligently learned some skills, accomplishing several commendable deeds. The relationship between the two senior and junior disciples was quite harmonious. However, after Old Daoist’s death, Wang Banxian changed completely. Without restraint, his previously hidden vices surfaced one by one, and he even ignored his senior sister, leading to a complete breakdown in their relationship. Wang Banxian was a highly ambitious and arrogant person, but now he was humbly apologizing to Grandma Fan. She thought he had truly reformed after all these years, and her anger subsided somewhat.
“Forget it, I’m not that petty,” Grandma Fan said, giving him a sidelong glance.
Wang Banxian didn’t dare to say another word. After the recent zombie incident, he had to acknowledge his senior sister’s capabilities. Otherwise, if Li Yang’s body had been burned, it would have added another sin to his name, and the King of Hell would surely punish him after death.
Seeing Wang Banxian’s submissive demeanor, Grandma Fan truly believed he had repented, and her tone softened. “Don’t flatter me. If I hadn’t arrived in time today, burning Li Yang’s body would have been in vain.”
“Yes, yes, thanks to Senior Sister. Otherwise, I would have been in trouble with the King of Hell after death,” Wang Banxian said, bowing to Grandma Fan with utmost deference.
Liu Dashao watched the interaction between the two, which resembled an elder sister scolding her younger brother, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Brat, what are you laughing at?” Grandma Fan noticed Liu Dashao’s amusement and asked curiously.
“Ah? Nothing. I just wanted to know, was the zombie Li Yang really that powerful? Although Wang Banxian isn’t as skilled as you, dealing with a zombie shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Liu Dashao quickly changed the subject, though it was also something he genuinely wanted to know.
Hearing Liu Dashao say that his abilities were inferior to Grandma Fan’s, Wang Banxian felt a bit displeased but had to admit it. He muttered softly, “Who knows what happened? I lost two disciples.”
“Hmm,” Grandma Fan agreed with Liu Dashao’s question. “The main issue was the wrong burial site.”
“Li Yang’s birth chart lacked water. Whether it was the tombstone or the burial site, it needed to be connected to water. But the tombstone’s coiling dragon design absorbed all the water. Also, the burial site isolated the underground moisture from all directions. That’s one reason Li Yang turned into a black zombie,” Grandma Fan said, glancing at Wang Banxian, who felt uneasy under her gaze.
“So, choosing the wrong Feng Shui site can turn a dead person into a black zombie? If that’s the case, wouldn’t the world be in chaos?” Liu Dashao exclaimed, shocked that such a small mistake could lead to such a disaster.
“I said it’s just one of the reasons. Wang Weizhen, how did Li Yang die? When I left, I saw him harassing a young woman in the village. How did he die so suddenly?” Grandma Fan turned to Wang Banxian.
“He…” Wang Banxian hesitated but eventually told Grandma Fan the whole story of how Li Yang had been bitten by A’Lan. As someone who enjoyed gossip, Wang Banxian had some knowledge of their affair and shared it honestly with Grandma Fan.
Hearing Wang Banxian’s account, Liu Dashao also remembered. When Village Chief Tian burned A’Lan’s body, he had been present and even taken the lead.
“Yes, yes, Wang Banxian is right. When Village Chief Tian had the militia put A’Lan’s body in the coffin, Li Yang asked to see her one last time. As he stood by the coffin, A’Lan suddenly sat up and bit his arm. It scared us all. But the clinic doctor said it was just a bite, not from a cat or dog, so there was no risk of infection. They just bandaged it up,” Liu Dashao chimed in, recalling the incident vividly and feeling a chill down his spine.
“A’Lan? The girl the old mason found? How did she die?” Grandma Fan frowned at the mention of A’Lan’s name. The tangled relationships were becoming increasingly complex.
“Well, Village Secretary Li Yang was the first to discover A’Lan’s death,” Wang Banxian exclaimed. It seemed that everything happening here was connected to the widow A’Lan.
“No wonder. Perhaps Li Yang did something unspeakable to A’Lan. What a retribution!” Grandma Fan sighed.
“Maybe so. The village gossips say A’Lan had some involvement with a man from the county construction team, but her relationship with Li Yang was also unclear,” Liu Dashao added, recalling the village rumors about the zombie’s connection to A’Lan.
“What about that man? I’d like to meet him,” Grandma Fan asked Liu Dashao.
“Don’t bother. He’s probably buried near the dam,” Liu Dashao replied, scratching his head.
“What? Dead?” Grandma Fan was stunned. How could everyone be dead?
“Apparently, he died of fright. The construction team was working on the dam. Many machines and tools were inconvenient to transport, so someone had to stay behind. The dam is close to the mass graves. Maybe he encountered something unclean there? I’ve heard about it. The way he died was quite terrifying,” Wang Banxian added, recalling the incident.
“Something unclean? Why didn’t it appear when I was here?” Grandma Fan was skeptical. Although she lived in town, she was very familiar with Xiushui Village and had never heard of anything unclean.
“Well, Senior Sister, you’re so powerful that wandering spirits wouldn’t dare to cause trouble!” Wang Banxian seized the opportunity to flatter Grandma Fan.
“Enough of that. Don’t try to butter me up. I’m not buying it!”
“Senior Sister, what are you saying…” Wang Banxian chuckled, hands tucked in his sleeves, and nudged Grandma Fan with his shoulder. “Thirty years ago, I was wrong. I always spoke my mind, but in crucial moments, I couldn’t bring myself to say the right things, which upset you. I thought you were just temporarily angry and didn’t pursue it. But then, alas! You left and married a man from the neighboring village, and I never got the chance to say what I wanted.”
“What did you want to say?” Grandma Fan knew what Wang Banxian meant. During their time as fellow disciples, they had spent a lot of time together, and there had been some mutual affection. Back then, Wang Banxian seemed like a decent man, and Grandma Fan had been quite fond of him. But for some reason, he never made a move. Grandma Fan’s family pressured her to accept a marriage proposal, and in the end, she couldn’t wait any longer. She arranged to meet Wang Banxian by the village pond, giving him one last chance to express his feelings. If he did, she would go with him; if not, they would part ways. But Wang Banxian inexplicably avoided the topic, and Grandma Fan returned home heartbroken, hastily marrying and having children. Thirty years passed, Grandma Fan’s husband died, and Wang Banxian remained single, perhaps waiting for her. Now, seeing Grandma Fan again, his suppressed feelings erupted like a wildfire rekindled by the spring breeze.
At this moment, a gentle breeze blew in, causing the willow branches by the lakeside to sway gracefully. The wind carried the coolness of willow trees, yet it was not chilling, making it a rather pleasant scene. Grandma Fan walked around the dam but found nothing unusual, so she decided to descend to the lakeside. The natural environment of Xiushui Village had always been poor, so there were no lotus flowers in the lake. However, the mere sight of the vast lake was enough to soothe the soul. Yet, Grandma Fan had always felt that something was amiss here. While on the dam, she only sensed something was off, but upon reaching the lakeside, she discovered the real issue. The lake on the dam was not stagnant; it was connected to external waterways, meaning it couldn’t be considered a dead lake. However, upon closer inspection, Grandma Fan noticed that although the lake surface appeared calm, the water had an unusually dark hue. Below a foot of the surface, nothing was visible, indicating that the lake was heavily saturated with yin energy, resembling a wild lake in a desolate mountain area.
Sitting by the lakeside under a willow tree, Grandma Fan couldn’t help but frown. In a typical village, the yin energy shouldn’t be so concentrated. The yang energy generated by hundreds of households should have neutralized the yin energy of the lake and nearby graves. Even if the lake itself was inherently yin, it shouldn’t have reached such an extreme level. Could there be something she had overlooked?
Seeing the compass in her hand swaying erratically, Grandma Fan began to ponder deeply. The more she thought, the more her head ached. She asked Liu Dashao to fetch her a wooden stick and started calculating on the ground. As she was deep in thought, a sudden breeze blew in, and a willow branch struck her face. Grandma Fan casually brushed off the dry, dead branch, and something clicked in her mind.
Grandma Fan’s hometown was in Pingdingshan, Henan, a historically famous coal-producing region. During the Japanese invasion, hundreds of thousands of civilians were enslaved to mine coal, only to be massacred by the Japanese. After liberation, several mass graves were discovered in the mountains, serving as undeniable evidence. The Japanese military often had feng shui masters or priests who, after mass killings, would plant seven willow or locust trees in the shape of the Big Dipper over the mass graves. Both types of trees are yin in nature, and when planted in the Seven Star Soul Locking Formation, the spirits of the dead would be trapped in the land, unable to reincarnate or even become ghosts. Moreover, due to the formation’s extreme malevolence, even wandering spirits would be locked in, unable to escape. Over time, the trapped spirits would generate a malevolent aura, turning the burial site into a highly dangerous cursed area.
Willow trees! A sudden realization struck Grandma Fan. She tossed the wooden stick aside and quickly climbed a nearby hill, which offered a vantage point to overlook the entire dam. From the hilltop, Grandma Fan gasped in shock. She saw that the west, south, and north sides of the dam each had exactly seven willow trees planted, with only the east side, which had the strongest yang energy, left bare. The three sets of yin willow trees formed three Seven Star Soul Locking Formations, which in turn created a Three Curses Formation. This layered curse, with curses within curses, had undoubtedly locked the entire dam in place. Water itself is yin, and building a dam here could neutralize excessive spiritual energy while using the village’s yang energy to balance the water’s yin energy. This would have been an excellent arrangement, but with the addition of these dozens of willow trees, the three sides formed a standard Yin Locking Formation, trapping the lake’s yin energy at the bottom. This explained why the water appeared so dark.
Grandma Fan let out a long sigh. So that was it. The other two cursed formations, though smaller and with weaker curses, were positioned in a perfect equilateral triangle with the Three Curses Formation. Together, they formed a larger cursed formation, not only locking the mountain’s spiritual energy but also sealing the dragon’s mouth. This was undoubtedly a deliberately placed cursed formation!
At this thought, a cold sweat ran down Grandma Fan’s spine. Connecting this to the recent strange occurrences in the village, she began to understand. However, judging by the size of these willow trees, each requiring several people to encircle, they must have been here for centuries. Why had they only started causing trouble now? The dam—yes, the dam!
Grandma Fan’s eyes lit up. She grabbed her compass and hurried to the lakeside, crouching down to float the compass on the water. Suddenly, the compass needle snapped upright and then sank into the water.
No wonder! The dam was the mechanism of the formation’s eye. Once this Three Curses Dragon Trapping Formation was activated, not only would the dragon vein be lost, but the yin energy from miles around would continuously enter a vicious cycle, multiplying and pouring into the lake. Over time, who knows what other sinister things might emerge? No wonder there had been so many supernatural occurrences lately, with ghosts and monsters popping up everywhere. The root of it all was here. But what exactly was hidden at the bottom of the lake, absorbing so much yin energy?
“Before I leave, let me give you a piece of advice. As you said, one must know when to advance and when to retreat. This thing—not even ten or a hundred Grandma Fans could handle it!”
“Not even ten or a hundred Grandma Fans could handle it!” For some reason, the snake spirit’s parting words echoed in Grandma Fan’s ears like an auditory hallucination, lingering for a long time.
“Child, I initially doubted the snake spirit’s words, but in just a few short days, so many strange things have happened in our village. Now, I fully believe it. Sigh! When things go against the norm, there must be a demon behind it. What could possibly cause such a huge stir?” After walking for a while, Wang Banxian saw Grandma Fan and Liu Dashao standing by the lakeside. As he approached, he overheard Grandma Fan’s words.
“So, you’re here, Senior Sister!”
“What are you doing here?” Grandma Fan’s voice turned cold the moment she saw Wang Banxian.
“I know I was a bit harsh last time. I’m here to apologize,” Wang Banxian said. Although Grandma Fan and Wang Banxian were like fire and water, they had actually been fellow disciples under the same master over twenty years ago—Old Daoist Gong, a highly respected and decisive figure who was the village’s pillar and leader. While Old Daoist Gong was alive, Wang Banxian had been obedient and had diligently learned some skills, accomplishing several commendable deeds. The relationship between the two senior and junior disciples had been quite harmonious. However, after Old Daoist Gong’s death, Wang Banxian had completely changed. Without anyone to restrain him, his previously hidden bad habits had all surfaced, and he had even ignored his senior sister, who had harbored feelings for him, ultimately leading to a complete breakdown in their relationship. Wang Banxian was a rather ambitious and arrogant person, but now he was humbly apologizing to Grandma Fan, making her think that he had truly reformed over the years, and her anger subsided somewhat.
“Forget it, I’m not that petty,” Grandma Fan said, giving him a sidelong glance.
Now, Wang Banxian didn’t dare to make any more mistakes. After the recent zombie incident, he had to admit his senior sister’s capabilities. Otherwise, if they had burned Li Yang’s corpse, it would have added another sin to his name! When the time came, the King of Hell would surely hold him accountable.
Seeing Wang Banxian’s submissive demeanor, Grandma Fan truly believed he had repented, and her tone softened considerably. “Don’t flatter me anymore. If I hadn’t arrived in time today, burning Li Yang’s corpse would have been a waste.”
Wang Banxian immediately agreed, “Yes, yes, thanks to you, Senior Sister. Otherwise, I’d be in trouble when I face the King of Hell.” As he spoke, Wang Banxian even cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, showing complete submission.
Liu Dashao, watching the two of them, couldn’t help but chuckle. It was like watching an older sister scolding her younger brother, and they were both quite old!
“What are you laughing at, kid?” Grandma Fan, noticing Liu Dashao’s suppressed laughter, asked curiously.
“Ah? Nothing! I just wanted to know, was the zombie Li Yang became really that powerful? Although Wang Banxian’s abilities aren’t as strong as yours, dealing with a zombie shouldn’t be a big problem, right?” Liu Dashao quickly changed the subject, though it wasn’t entirely a diversion—this was something he genuinely wanted to know.
Hearing Liu Dashao say that his abilities were inferior to Grandma Fan’s, Wang Banxian felt a bit displeased but had to admit it. He muttered under his breath, “Who knows what happened? I lost two disciples in the process.”
“Hmm,” Grandma Fan agreed with Liu Dashao’s question. “The main issue was the wrong choice of burial site.”
“Li Yang’s birth chart lacked water, so both his tombstone and burial site should have been connected to water. But the dragon on the tombstone was depicted as sucking up all the water. Additionally, the burial site isolated the underground water vapor from all directions. That’s one of the reasons Li Yang turned into a black zombie, right?” As she spoke, Grandma Fan glanced at Wang Banxian, making him feel quite uncomfortable.
“So, just choosing the wrong feng shui site can turn a dead person into a black zombie? If that’s the case, wouldn’t the world be in chaos?” Liu Dashao was shocked, his mouth agape. He hadn’t expected such a small mistake to lead to such a significant event.
“I said it’s just one of the reasons. Wang Weizhen, how did Li Yang die? When I left, I saw him harassing a young woman at the village entrance. How did he die so suddenly?” Grandma Fan turned to Wang Banxian beside her.
“He…” Wang Banxian hesitated but eventually told Grandma Fan the whole story of how Li Yang had been bitten by A’Lan. As someone who loved gossip, Wang Banxian had some knowledge of their affair and shared it honestly with Grandma Fan.
Hearing Wang Banxian’s account, Liu Dashao also remembered. When Village Chief Tian burned A’Lan’s body, he had been present and even taken the lead.
“Yes, yes, Wang Banxian is right. When Village Chief Tian had the militia put A’Lan’s body in the coffin, Li Yang asked to see her one last time. As Li Yang stood by the coffin, A’Lan suddenly sat up and bit his arm. It scared us all. But the clinic doctor said it was just a bite, nothing serious. It wasn’t like a dog or cat bite that could cause an infection. They just bandaged it up, and that was it,” Liu Dashao chimed in, recalling the incident vividly. Even now, he felt a chill down his spine.
“A’Lan? The girl the old mason picked up? How did she die?” Grandma Fan frowned upon hearing A’Lan’s name. The tangled relationships were becoming increasingly complex.
“Well, the first person to discover A’Lan’s death was Village Secretary Li Yang,” Wang Banxian couldn’t help but exclaim. It seemed that everything happening here was connected to A’Lan, the widow.
“No wonder. Perhaps Li Yang did something unspeakable to A’Lan? What a retribution!” Grandma Fan couldn’t help but sigh.
“Maybe that’s the case. According to the village gossips, A’Lan had some involvement with a man from the county construction team, but her relationship with Li Yang was also unclear,” Liu Dashao, hearing that the zombie was connected to A’Lan, immediately recalled the village rumors.
“What about that man? I’d like to meet him,” Grandma Fan asked Liu Dashao.
“Oh, you won’t be able to see him. He’s probably buried near the dam,” Liu Dashao scratched his head and replied.
“What? He’s dead?” Grandma Fan was stunned. This was getting messy—how could everyone be dead?
“He was reportedly scared to death. At the time, the construction team was building the dam. Many machines and tools couldn’t be easily transported back and forth, so someone had to stay behind to guard them. The dam is close to the mass graves. Maybe he encountered something unclean there? I’ve heard about this too. The way he died was quite terrifying,” Wang Banxian, hearing Liu Dashao’s words, also recalled some details.
“Something unclean? Why didn’t it appear when I was here?” Grandma Fan was skeptical. Although she lived in town, she knew Xiushui Village like the back of her hand. She had never heard of anything unclean.
“Heh, that’s because you’re so powerful, Senior Sister. Those wandering spirits and lonely ghosts wouldn’t dare cause trouble around you!” Wang Banxian seized the opportunity to flatter Grandma Fan.
“Enough of that. Don’t try to butter me up with such talk. I’m not buying it!”
“Heh, Senior Sister, what you’re saying…” Wang Banxian, with his hands tucked in his sleeves, grinned and leaned closer, nudging Grandma Fan with his shoulder. “Thirty years ago, I was wrong. I always spoke my mind, but when it came to crucial moments, I couldn’t get the words out, which upset you. I thought you were just temporarily angry and didn’t pursue it. But then, sigh! You left and married a man from the neighboring village. I never got the chance to say what I wanted.”
“What did you want to say?” Grandma Fan actually knew what Wang Banxian meant. During their time as fellow disciples, they had spent a lot of time together, and there had been some mutual feelings. Back then, Wang Banxian had been quite presentable, and Grandma Fan had been fond of him. But for some reason, Wang Banxian never made a move. Grandma Fan’s family had been pressuring her to accept a marriage proposal from a matchmaker. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Grandma Fan had arranged to meet Wang Banxian by the village pond, giving him one last chance. If he expressed his feelings, she would go with him; if not, they would part ways. But Wang Banxian had inexplicably avoided the topic, leaving Grandma Fan heartbroken. She had hastily married and had children. Thirty years had passed, and Grandma Fan’s husband had died, while Wang Banxian had remained single, perhaps waiting for her. Now, seeing Grandma Fan again, the suppressed feelings of decades erupted like a wildfire that could never be extinguished, rekindled by the spring breeze.
“I already said it was only one of the reasons. Wang Weizhen, how did Li Yang die? When I left, I still saw him harassing a young girl at the village entrance. How come he died so suddenly after just a few days?” Madam Fan turned to Wang Banxian beside her and asked.
“He…” Wang Banxian hesitated, finally telling Madam Fan in detail how Li Yang had been bitten by Alan. For their secret affair, Wang Banxian, who loved gossip, had picked up some whispers and now honestly recounted everything to Madam Fan.
Upon hearing Wang Banxian’s account, Liu Dashao immediately recalled something. He had been present when the village chief burned Alan’s body, even serving as the vanguard.
“That’s right, what Master Wang said is correct. At that time, when the village chief ordered the militiamen to put Alan’s body into the coffin, Li Yang asked to take one last look at her. As Li Yang stood beside the coffin, Alan suddenly sat up and bit his arm, scaring all of us. However, the doctor at the clinic said a bite like that wasn’t a big deal, not like being bitten by a cat or dog that could transmit disease. A few bandages and it was all over,” Liu Dashao interjected, recalling the incident vividly. Being present at the scene, Liu Dashao now felt a chill down his spine just thinking about it.
“Alan? The girl old mud craftsman picked up? How did she die again?” Madam Fan frowned upon hearing Alan’s name, finding the tangled relationships quite confusing.
“This, the first to discover Alan’s death was Village Secretary Li Yang,” Wang Banxian couldn’t help exclaiming. If so, then all the events here were related to Alan, the widow.
“No wonder. Perhaps Li Yang did something despicable to Alan? It’s truly karma!” Madam Fan sighed involuntarily.
“Perhaps it really was like that. According to the gossip from the village women, Alan had an affair with a man from the county construction team, but she also seemed to have an ambiguous relationship with Li Yang,” Liu Dashao immediately recalled the rumors upon hearing that the zombie was connected to Alan.
“Then where is that man now? I’d like to meet him,” Madam Fan asked Liu Dashao.
“Don’t, you won’t be able to see him. He’s probably buried somewhere near this dam,” Liu Dashao scratched his head as he replied.
“What? Dead?” Madam Fan couldn’t help but be startled. This was getting chaotic—how could everyone be dead?
At this moment, a gentle breeze blew in, causing the willow branches by the lakeside to sway gracefully. The wind carried the scent of willows, cool but not chilling, creating a rather pleasant scene. Grandma Fan walked along the dam but found nothing unusual, so she decided to descend to the lakeside. The natural environment of Xiushui Village had always been poor, so there were no lotus flowers in the lake. However, the mere sight of the vast lake was enough to lift one’s spirits. Yet, Grandma Fan had always felt that something was amiss here. While on the dam, she only sensed something was off, but upon reaching the lakeside, she discovered the real issue. The lake connected to the dam wasn’t stagnant; it was linked to external waterways, so it couldn’t be considered a dead lake. However, upon closer inspection, Grandma Fan noticed that although the lake’s surface was calm, the water was an unusually dark shade, making it impossible to see anything below a foot deep. This clearly indicated that the lake was filled with heavy yin energy, resembling a wild lake in the middle of nowhere.
Sitting by a willow tree at the lakeside, Grandma Fan couldn’t help but frown. In most villages, the yang energy generated by hundreds of households would neutralize the yin energy of the lake and nearby graves. Even if the lake itself was yin in nature, it shouldn’t be so overwhelmingly yin. Could there be something she had overlooked?
Seeing the compass in her hand swaying erratically, Grandma Fan began to ponder deeply. The more she thought, the more her head ached. She asked Liu Dashao to fetch her a stick and started calculating on the ground. As she was lost in thought, a sudden breeze blew in, and a willow branch struck her face. She casually brushed off the dry, dead branch, and a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Grandma Fan’s hometown was in Pingdingshan, Henan, a historically famous coal-mining region. During the Japanese invasion, hundreds of thousands of civilians were enslaved to mine coal, only to be massacred by the Japanese. After liberation, several mass graves were discovered in the mountains, serving as irrefutable evidence. The Japanese army often had Feng Shui masters or priests who, after massacring the Chinese, would plant seven willow or locust trees in the shape of the Big Dipper over the mass graves. Both types of trees were yin in nature, and when planted in the Seven Stars Soul-Locking Formation, the vengeful spirits of the dead would be trapped in the land, unable to reincarnate or even become ghosts. Moreover, due to the formation’s extreme malevolence, even wandering spirits passing by would be trapped, unable to escape. Over time, the trapped spirits would generate malevolent energy, turning the burial site into a highly dangerous cursed area.
Willow trees! A flash of insight struck Grandma Fan. She tossed the stick aside and climbed up a nearby hill, which offered a clear view of the entire dam. From the hilltop, she gasped in shock. She saw that seven willow trees were planted on the west, south, and north sides of the dam, but the east side, which should have the strongest yang energy, was missing. The three Seven Stars Soul-Locking Formations, composed of yin willow trees, formed a Three Evils Formation. This layered curse, with evil within evil, undoubtedly locked the entire dam in place. Water itself is yin, and building a dam here could neutralize excessive spiritual energy while using the village’s spiritual energy to balance the water’s yin energy. This would have been an excellent arrangement, but with the addition of these dozens of willow trees, the three sides formed a standard Yin-Locking Formation, trapping the lake’s yin energy at the bottom. No wonder the water looked so dark.
Grandma Fan let out a long breath. So that was it. The other two cursed formations, though smaller and less potent, were positioned in a perfect equilateral triangle with the Three Evils Formation. Together, they formed a larger cursed formation, not only locking the mountain’s spiritual energy but also sealing the dragon’s mouth. This was undoubtedly a deliberately placed cursed formation!
At this thought, a cold sweat ran down Grandma Fan’s spine. Connecting this to the recent strange occurrences in the village, she began to understand. However, judging by the size of these willow trees, they must have been here for centuries. Why had they only started causing trouble now? The dam! Yes, the dam!
Grandma Fan’s eyes lit up. She grabbed her compass and hurried to the lakeside. Squatting down, she floated the compass on the water’s surface. Suddenly, the compass needle snapped upright and then sank into the water.
No wonder! The dam was the mechanism of the formation’s eye. Once this Three Evils Dragon-Trapping Formation was activated, not only would the dragon vein be lost, but the yin energy from miles around would continuously enter a vicious cycle, multiplying and pouring into the lake. If this continued, who knows what other sinister things might emerge? No wonder there had been so many supernatural occurrences lately. The root of it all was here. But what was hidden at the bottom of the lake, absorbing so much yin energy?
“Before I leave, let me give you a piece of advice. As you said, one must know when to advance and retreat. This thing—not even ten or a hundred Grandma Fans could handle it!”
“Not even ten or a hundred!” For some reason, the snake spirit’s parting words echoed in Grandma Fan’s ears like a hallucination, lingering for a long time.
“Child, I initially doubted the snake spirit’s words, but in just a few short days, so many strange things have happened in our village. Now I fully believe it. Ah! When things go against the norm, there must be a demon behind it. What could it be, causing such a stir?” After walking for a while, Wang Banxian saw Grandma Fan and Liu Dashao standing by the lakeside. As he approached, he overheard Grandma Fan’s words.
“So, Sister is here!”
“What are you doing here?” Grandma Fan’s voice turned cold the moment she saw Wang Banxian.
“I know I was a bit harsh last time. I’m here to apologize,” Wang Banxian said. Although Grandma Fan and Wang Banxian were like fire and water, they had actually been fellow disciples under the same master over twenty years ago. Their master, Old Daoist, was a highly respected and decisive figure, the village’s pillar and leader. While he was alive, Wang Banxian was obedient and diligently learned some skills, doing a few commendable things. The relationship between the two senior and junior disciples was quite harmonious. But after Old Daoist’s death, Wang Banxian completely changed. Without anyone to restrain him, his previously hidden bad habits surfaced one by one, and he even ignored his senior sister, leading to a complete breakdown in their relationship. Wang Banxian was a rather ambitious and arrogant person, but now he was humbly apologizing to Grandma Fan. She thought that after all these years, he had truly reformed, and her anger subsided somewhat.
“Forget it, I’m not that petty,” Grandma Fan said, giving him a sidelong glance.
Wang Banxian didn’t dare to say another word. After the recent zombie incident, he had to admit his senior sister’s capabilities. Otherwise, if they had burned Li Yang’s body, it would have added another sin to his name, and he would have been in trouble with the King of Hell after death.
Seeing Wang Banxian’s submissive demeanor, Grandma Fan truly believed he had repented, and her tone softened. “Don’t flatter me anymore. If I hadn’t arrived in time today, burning Li Yang’s body would have been in vain.”
Wang Banxian immediately agreed, “Yes, yes, thanks to you, Sister. Otherwise, I’d be in trouble with the King of Hell after death.” As he spoke, he even cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, appearing utterly submissive.
Liu Dashao, watching the two of them, couldn’t help but chuckle. It looked like an older sister scolding her younger brother, and they were both quite old.
“What are you laughing at, kid?” Grandma Fan, noticing Liu Dashao’s amusement, asked curiously.
“Ah, nothing. I just wanted to know, was the zombie Li Yang became really that powerful? Although Wang Banxian’s abilities aren’t as great as yours, dealing with a zombie shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Liu Dashao quickly changed the subject, though it was also something he wanted to know.
Hearing Liu Dashao say that his abilities were inferior to Grandma Fan’s, Wang Banxian felt a bit displeased but had to admit it. He muttered, “Who knows what happened? I lost two disciples.”
“Hmm,” Grandma Fan agreed with Liu Dashao’s question. “The main issue was the wrong burial site.”
“Li Yang’s birth chart lacked water, so both his tombstone and burial site should have been connected to water. But the dragon on his tombstone absorbed all the water. And the burial site cut off the underground water vapor from all directions. That’s one reason he became a black zombie,” Grandma Fan said, glancing at Wang Banxian, who felt quite uncomfortable.
“So, choosing the wrong Feng Shui site can turn a dead person into a black zombie? If that’s the case, wouldn’t the world be in chaos?” Liu Dashao was shocked. He hadn’t expected such a small mistake to lead to such a big problem.
“I said it’s just one of the reasons. Wang Weizhen, how did Li Yang die? When I left, I saw him harassing a young woman in the village. How did he die so suddenly?” Grandma Fan turned to Wang Banxian.
“He…” Wang Banxian hesitated but eventually told Grandma Fan the whole story of how Li Yang had been bitten by A Lan. As someone who loved gossip, Wang Banxian had some knowledge of their affair and shared it honestly with Grandma Fan.
Hearing Wang Banxian’s words, Liu Dashao also remembered. When Village Chief Tian burned A Lan’s body, he had been there too, even leading the charge.
“Yes, yes, Wang Banxian is right. When Village Chief Tian had the militia put A Lan’s body in the coffin, Li Yang asked to see her one last time. As Li Yang stood by the coffin, A Lan suddenly sat up and bit his arm. It scared us all. But the doctor said it was just a bite, not from a cat or dog, so there was no risk of infection. They just bandaged it up,” Liu Dashao chimed in, recalling the incident vividly. Even now, he felt a chill down his spine.
“A Lan? The girl the old mason picked up? How did she die?” Hearing A Lan’s name, Grandma Fan frowned. The tangled relationships were becoming increasingly complex.
“Well, Village Chief Li Yang was the first to discover A Lan’s death,” Wang Banxian exclaimed. It seemed that everything happening here was connected to A Lan, the widow.
“No wonder. Perhaps Li Yang did something unspeakable to A Lan. What a retribution!” Grandma Fan couldn’t help but sigh.
“Maybe so. According to the village gossips, A Lan had some connection with a man from the county construction team, but her relationship with Li Yang was also unclear,” Liu Dashao said, recalling the village rumors.
“What about that man? I’d like to meet him,” Grandma Fan asked Liu Dashao.
“Oh, you won’t be able to. He’s probably buried near the dam,” Liu Dashao replied, scratching his head.
“What? Dead?” Grandma Fan was stunned. How could everyone be dead?
“He was scared to death. The construction team was working on the dam, and many machines and tools couldn’t be transported easily, so someone had to stay behind. The dam is close to the mass graves. Maybe he encountered something unclean? I’ve heard about it. The way he died was quite horrifying,” Wang Banxian said, recalling the incident.
“Something unclean? Why didn’t it appear when I was here?” Grandma Fan was skeptical. Although she lived in town, she knew Xiushui Village like the back of her hand. She had never heard of anything unclean.
“Hehe, that’s because you’re so powerful, Sister. Those wandering spirits wouldn’t dare cause trouble around you!” Wang Banxian seized the opportunity to flatter Grandma Fan.
“Enough with the flattery. I’m not buying it!”
“Hehe, Sister, you’re too kind…” Wang Banxian, with his hands tucked in his sleeves, approached with a grin and nudged Grandma Fan with his shoulder. “Thirty years ago, I was wrong. I always spoke my mind, but when it came to crucial moments, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I thought you were just angry for a while and didn’t chase after you. But then you married a man from the neighboring village, and I never got the chance to say what I wanted.”
“What did you want to say?” Grandma Fan knew what Wang Banxian meant. During their time as master and disciple, they had spent a lot of time together, and there had been a spark. Back then, Wang Banxian had been quite the gentleman, and Grandma Fan had been fond of him. But for some reason, he never made a move. Grandma Fan’s family had been pressuring her to marry, and suitors had come. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and arranged to meet Wang Banxian by the village pond, giving him one last chance. If he expressed his feelings, she would go with him; if not, they would part ways. But Wang Banxian avoided the topic, and Grandma Fan, heartbroken, returned home and hastily married someone else, having children. Thirty years passed, and Grandma Fan’s husband had died, while Wang Banxian had remained single, perhaps waiting for her. Now, seeing Grandma Fan again, the suppressed feelings of decades erupted like a wildfire that couldn’t be extinguished, rekindled by the spring breeze.
“Unclean things? Why didn’t they appear when I was here?” Madam Fan was somewhat skeptical. Although she lived in the town, she was intimately familiar with Xiu Shui Village. She had never heard of any unclean things there.
“Hehe, that’s because my senior sister is so powerful. Those wandering spirits wouldn’t dare to show their faces!” Wang Banxian took the opportunity to flatter Madam Fan.
“Enough, don’t try to get close to me with that kind of flattery. I don’t buy it!”
“Hehe, Senior Sister, what I mean is…” Wang Banxian put his hands in his sleeves, grinning as he approached and nudged Madam Fan with his shoulder. “Thirty years ago, I was wrong. I used to speak my mind about everything, but when it came to crucial moments, I couldn’t get the words out. As a result, I upset you. I thought you were just momentarily angry and didn’t pursue it. But then, you left and married a man from a neighboring village. I never had the chance to say those words again.”
“What words?” Madam Fan actually knew what Wang Banxian meant. Back when they were master and apprentice, after spending time together, there had indeed been some feelings between them. At that time, Wang Banxian was quite presentable, and Madam Fan had also been fond of him. But for some unknown reason, Wang Banxian never took the initiative. Madam Fan’s family kept pressuring her, with matchmakers coming to propose. Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, Madam Fan invited Wang Banxian to a small pond in the village, giving him one last chance. If he confessed, she would go with him; if not, they would part ways forever. But Wang Banxian, for some strange reason, deliberately avoided the topic. Thus, Madam Fan lost heart and returned, hastily marrying someone, having a child. Thirty years passed, Madam Fan’s husband died, and Wang Banxian remained single, not knowing whether it was out of waiting for Madam Fan. Today, upon seeing Madam Fan again, the emotions suppressed for decades burst forth all at once, truly like wild fire that cannot be extinguished, only to grow again with the spring breeze.
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