Everything was ready, and knowing where the vampire was now, it was time to begin the rescue mission.
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang each carried a bucket of black dog blood, and before leaving, they even killed the remaining two black dogs. Ma Xiaoyan carried a bundle for Zhang Enpu, who said it contained tools for subduing zombies. Zhang Enpu himself walked at the front, empty-handed.
The neighboring village of Xiushui was called Xiushan Village. Its name sounded beautiful, evoking images of clear waters and lush mountains, but in reality, it was a remote and impoverished place. Except for its simple and honest local customs, it had nothing else to offer. Alan’s grave was located near a desolate meadow close to the dam, a place overgrown with weeds, littered with dead branches and fallen leaves, and completely deserted. The four of them knew where it was, so they headed straight there.
Ma Xiaoyan was beautiful, Liu Dashao was handsome and refined, and Tian Guoqiang was a tall, impressive figure. Each carried a large bundle, following behind the ragged old man Zhang Enpu, naturally drawing attention wherever they went. People stopped to stare and point at them.
“Cough cough cough cough.”
At this moment, Zhang Enpu, walking at the front, lightly coughed a few times, signaling everyone to hurry along the road. Tian Guoqiang saw that the old man must be at least eighty years old, perhaps suffering from senile dementia, and probably couldn’t provide any useful information, so he turned and left.
The four arrived at the foot of the mountain where Alan was buried. Zhang Enpu signaled everyone to stop, then took the bundle from Ma Xiaoyan, opening it to take out some items. There were Taoist robes, hats, swords, talismans… all the specialized tools of a Taoist priest.
After dressing in the Taoist robe, wearing the square hat, and holding the sword, Zhang Enpu exuded a noble and dignified aura. The yellow Taoist robe had a Bagua pattern printed on both the front and back. The front of the square hat bore a picture of an old man holding a peachwood sword, dancing gracefully. The peachwood sword, with its faint yellow hue, exuded a chilling and deadly aura.
After finishing his preparations, Zhang Enpu waved his sword and headed directly into the mountains.
Under normal circumstances, Liu Dashao would definitely tease the old man a bit, but now he was deeply concerned about his cousin’s safety and had no mood for jokes. So Liu Dashao and Ma Xiaoyan obediently followed behind Zhang Enpu.
The small hill wasn’t completely without a path, but it had been long abandoned and was now overgrown with weeds. Zhang Enpu led the three through the underbrush with practiced ease, cutting through the brambles, and soon arrived near Alan’s grave. Alan’s grave was merely a mound of earth, without even a stone tablet. Because of this, Liu Dashao and the others following behind Zhang Enpu felt a chill of fear.
Surrounding them were towering trees, and the path was almost entirely obscured by weeds. The only thing that stood out was a pile of freshly dug soil not far away.
Through the Yuan Guang Shu (a technique to see distant scenes), the group saw the small mound where the vampire was located. However, the current dam area, full of weeds, had no trace of a graveyard. Moreover, they were surprised to find that the environment they saw through Yuan Guang Shu showed small trees all around, not the towering trees present now. They were puzzled. Could it be that Zhang Enpu’s Yuan Guang Shu wasn’t fully mastered, causing him to see things incorrectly?
As the group was astonished, Zhang Enpu coldly snorted, “Just a minor trick.” After saying this, he waved his sword still in its sheath with his right hand, formed a hand seal with his left, stepped in a mystic pattern with his feet, and began chanting incantations.
Zhang Enpu’s movements looked like a dance, but Liu Dashao and the others had no mood to mock him, watching the surroundings tensely.
“Taishang Laojun, jiji rulüling (By the urgent command of the Supreme Venerable Sovereign)!” After dancing for a while, Zhang Enpu took out a packet of white powder from his robe, scattered it into the air, and shouted, “Break!”
“Ahh…”
As Zhang Enpu shouted, a mournful scream came from the grave. At the same time, the surrounding scenery changed. The previously towering, densely packed trees became uneven, small trees spaced far apart, and the weeds were no longer as lush as before. In the area of the freshly turned soil, a small earth mound clearly stood there, undoubtedly the location of the vampire.
“It’s here, I see it!” Liu Dashao’s eyes lit up, and he immediately ran forward.
“Stop!” He had only taken a couple of steps when Zhang Enpu blocked him, “Do you want to die?”
“I…”
“Not good!” Suddenly, Zhang Enpu shouted loudly. Indeed, just as he warned everyone, the previously clear sky immediately became overcast with dark clouds, about to rain. The weather changed too quickly. Liu Dashao tightly protected Ma Xiaoyan behind him, while Tian Guoqiang, frightened, moved closer to Zhang Enpu.
“This is the demon’s illusion technique. Everyone, focus and don’t be deceived by appearances,” Zhang Enpu shouted. Saying this, he took out a talisman from his robe, flicked it with his left hand, and the talisman immediately caught fire. Seeing the talisman ignite, Zhang Enpu threw the burning talisman into the air. Instantly, the burning talisman emitted a brilliant golden light, illuminating the entire sky. When the talisman finished burning, the sky cleared again, bright and sunny with not a cloud in sight.
After everything was ready, Zhang Enpu set up the altar. He took out a stick of incense from under the table, lit it, and inserted it into the rice grains on the table. He instructed Liu Dashao to keep a close watch on it, emphasizing that it must never be allowed to go out, or else they would all die that night. Liu Dashao, naturally, dared not refuse, nodding repeatedly in agreement. Zhang Enpu then glanced over the items on the table: rice grains, yellow paper, the statue of the Celestial Master, the coin to subdue the zombie, and two red candles—nothing was missing.
Zhang Enpu narrowed his eyes, performed a few hand seals, and softly said, “Remember what I told you: the incense must not go out, the statue must not fall, the candles must not be extinguished, the talismans must not rise, the bell must not ring, and the rice must not be scattered. These are matters of life and death; you must not be careless!”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao wiped the sweat off his forehead and nodded in agreement.
“Starting the ritual now. If I haven’t regained consciousness within a quarter of an hour, you must quickly pack up and leave immediately. Otherwise, all our lives will be in danger. But during this quarter of an hour, the three of you must not leave your current positions under any circumstances. If the Five Elements change, we won’t even be able to run away.”
Liu Dashao hurriedly replied, “Okay… okay… okay, I’ll listen to you, absolutely listen to you.”
After hearing Liu Dashao’s promise, Zhang Enpu truly began the ritual to subdue the zombie. Liu Dashao, with his yin-yang eyes, noticed that there were streams of black energy gathering around them, slowly forming into massive ghostly hands, rushing toward their location. However, upon contact with the ritual formation, they would crack like spiderwebs from the inside out and shatter. This process repeated itself continuously, and in no time, the light shield at the edge of the formation was being battered back and forth.
Minutes passed, but to Liu Dashao and the others, it felt like an eternity. Zhang Enpu still had his eyes tightly shut, showing no sign of movement, and Liu Dashao dared not move recklessly, staring intently at the incense and candles, fearing that a single careless moment might endanger Zhang Enpu.
About ten minutes later!
Zhang Enpu’s expression finally changed. His brows were tightly furrowed, his facial muscles twitching, and he looked pained, causing concern.
As for Liu Dashao and the others, due to the oppressive aura, their breathing became rapid, and their faces began to turn red!
Possibly due to the pain, his half-closed eyes suddenly flew open, and he gritted his teeth and stood up: “I have traveled across the land for many years, and I thought I had already understood ninety percent of the ghostly matters in this world, but I never expected that a small village would give rise to such an overwhelmingly oppressive aura!”
As he spoke, Zhang Enpu bent his thumb, caught a flame, and flicked it repeatedly, igniting seven small lamps in succession—these were the Seven Star Lamps. Then with a quick movement of his hands, he picked up a piece of yellow paper and skillfully cut it into the shape of a small person. After that, Zhang Enpu used a brush dipped in cinnabar to draw a talisman on the small paper figure and stamped it with the official seal of the Celestial Master’s Mansion on Mount Longhu.
After completing these steps, Zhang Enpu took out another piece of yellow paper. This yellow paper was about half a meter wide and half a meter long, square in shape.
After retrieving the yellow paper, Zhang Enpu picked up a brush dipped in cinnabar and began drawing again. This time, he drew a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) pattern, but each of the eight positions on the Bagua was replaced with talismans. Around the Bagua, he wrote many seemingly incomprehensible characters. It took Zhang Enpu a full three minutes to complete this drawing, showing its complexity.
As for what Zhang Enpu was drawing, it was no small matter—it was a talisman, a talisman capable of connecting the realms of yin and yang.
Everything was ready, and they knew where the drought demon was, so it was time to begin the rescue operation.
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang each carried a bucket of black dog blood, and before leaving, they killed the remaining two black dogs. Ma Xiaoyan carried a bundle for Zhang Enpu, who said it contained tools for subduing the zombie. Zhang Enpu walked ahead empty-handed.
The neighboring village of Xiushui Village was called Xiushan Village. The name sounded pleasant, suggesting beautiful mountains and clear waters, but in reality, it was a poor and remote area, with nothing to offer except for the simple and honest folk customs. The location of A Lan’s grave was near a dam on a deserted meadow, overgrown with weeds, covered with dead branches and leaves, and completely devoid of human presence. The four of them knew the location and headed straight there.
Ma Xiaoyan was beautiful, Liu Dashao was handsome, and Tian Guoqiang was a fine-looking man. Each of them carried a large bag, following behind the scruffy old man Zhang Enpu, attracting quite a bit of attention. People who saw them stopped and pointed.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
Zhang Enpu, walking at the front, coughed lightly, signaling everyone to hurry. Tian Guoqiang, seeing that the old man was at least eighty years old and possibly suffering from dementia, decided not to ask anything and turned to leave.
The four arrived at the foot of the mountain where A Lan was buried. Zhang Enpu signaled everyone to stop, then took the bundle from Ma Xiaoyan and pulled out some items: a Taoist robe, a hat, a sword, talismans—all the specialized tools of a Taoist priest.
Dressed in the yellow Taoist robe with a Bagua symbol on both sides, wearing the square hat with an image of an old man dancing with a peach wood sword, and holding the peach wood sword with a faint yellow hue, Zhang Enpu exuded an air of dignity and grace.
After dressing, Zhang Enpu waved his sword and headed straight into the mountain.
Normally, Liu Dashao would have teased the old man, but now he was concerned about his cousin’s safety and had no mood for jokes. So, he and Ma Xiaoyan followed Zhang Enpu obediently.
The small hill wasn’t entirely pathless, but the paths had been overgrown with weeds due to years of disuse. Zhang Enpu led the three of them, cutting through the grass and thorns with ease, quickly reaching a spot near A Lan’s grave. A Lan’s grave was just a mound of earth, without even a tombstone, which made Liu Dashao and the others shiver with fear.
Surrounded by towering trees, the path was almost completely obscured by weeds, with the only noticeable feature being a pile of freshly turned soil not far away.
Through the “round light” technique, they saw the small mound where the drought demon was located. But now, near the dam, there was no trace of a graveyard, only weeds. They were also surprised to find that the environment they saw through the round light technique was filled with small trees, not the towering trees they saw now. They were puzzled—had Zhang Enpu’s round light technique failed?
Just as they were marveling, Zhang Enpu snorted, “Just a petty trick.” He then waved his sheathed sword with his right hand, formed a hand seal with his left, stepped in a specific pattern, and muttered incantations.
Zhang Enpu’s movements were like a dance, but Liu Dashao and the others were in no mood to laugh, nervously watching their surroundings.
“By the decree of the Supreme Lord Lao, act swiftly!” After a while, Zhang Enpu pulled out a packet of white powder from his robe, threw it into the air, and shouted, “Break!”
“Ah…”
As Zhang Enpu shouted, a mournful cry came from the grave. At the same time, the surroundings changed. The dense, towering trees turned into sparse, uneven small trees, and the weeds were no longer as thick. In the freshly turned soil, a small mound was clearly visible—the location of the drought demon.
“It’s here, I see it!” Liu Dashao’s eyes lit up, and he immediately ran over.
“Stop!” He had only taken two steps when Zhang Enpu stopped him. “Do you want to die?”
“I…”
“Not good!” Suddenly, Zhang Enpu shouted. As soon as he warned them, the previously clear sky turned dark with clouds, as if it was about to rain. The weather changed too quickly. Liu Dashao shielded Ma Xiaoyan behind him, while Tian Guoqiang nervously clung to Zhang Enpu.
“It’s the demon’s illusion. Stay focused, don’t be fooled by appearances,” Zhang Enpu loudly reminded them. He then pulled out a talisman from his robe, flicked it with his left hand, and it immediately caught fire. He threw the burning talisman into the air, and it burst into golden light, illuminating the sky. When the talisman burned out, the sky cleared again, sunny and cloudless.
With everything ready, Zhang Enpu set up the altar. He took a stick of incense from under the table, lit it, and placed it in the offering rice on the table. He instructed Liu Dashao to keep an eye on it, ensuring it didn’t go out, or they would die that night. Liu Dashao nodded repeatedly in agreement. Zhang Enpu glanced over the items on the table: offering rice, yellow paper, a portrait of the Heavenly Master, copper coins for suppressing corpses, and two red candles—nothing was missing.
Zhang Enpu squinted and pinched his fingers, whispering, “Remember what I told you: the incense must not go out, the portrait must not fall, the candles must not extinguish, the talismans must not rise, the bell must not ring, and the rice must not spill. This is a matter of life and death; don’t be careless!”
Liu Dashao wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded in agreement.
“Now, we begin the ritual. If I don’t come back to my senses within a quarter of an hour, you must pack up and leave immediately. Otherwise, our lives will be in danger. But during this quarter of an hour, you three must not leave your positions. If the five elements change, we won’t even be able to escape.”
Liu Dashao quickly responded, “Yes, yes, yes, I’ll listen to you, absolutely listen to you.”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s assurance, Zhang Enpu truly began the ritual to suppress the corpse. Liu Dashao, with his yin-yang eyes, noticed black streams of energy slowly gathering into beams, forming countless giant ghostly hands that rushed toward them. But as soon as they touched the ritual array, they burst with a cracking sound, shattering like spiderwebs. This cycle repeated, and within moments, the light shield at the edge of the array was shaking violently.
Minutes passed, but to Liu Dashao and the others, it felt like years. Zhang Enpu still had his eyes tightly closed, showing no signs of movement. Liu Dashao didn’t dare to move, staring intently at the incense and candles, afraid that a single mistake would harm Zhang Enpu.
After about ten minutes!
Zhang Enpu’s expression finally changed. His brows furrowed, and his facial muscles twitched as if in pain, causing concern.
Looking at Liu Dashao and the others, they too were affected by the malevolent energy, their breathing becoming rapid, and their faces gradually turning red!
Perhaps due to the pain, Zhang Enpu’s slightly closed eyes suddenly opened, and he gritted his teeth as he stood up: “I have traveled far and wide for many years, confident that I understand ninety percent of the ghostly matters in this world. Yet, I never expected that a small mountain village would give rise to such overwhelmingly powerful malevolent energy!”
As he spoke, Zhang Enpu hooked his thumb, carrying a flame, and quickly lit seven small lamps—these were the Seven Star Lamps. Then, with a swift motion, he picked up a piece of yellow paper and deftly cut out the shape of a small figure. Next, Zhang Enpu used a brush dipped in cinnabar to draw a talisman on the small paper figure and stamped it with the seal of the Celestial Master of Mount Longhu.
After completing these tasks, Zhang Enpu took out another piece of yellow paper, about half a meter wide and half a meter long, square in shape.
With the yellow paper in hand, Zhang Enpu dipped his brush in cinnabar and began to draw again. This time, he drew a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) pattern, but the eight directions of the Bagua were replaced with talismans. Around the Bagua, he wrote characters that seemed incomprehensible. This drawing took Zhang Enpu a full three minutes, indicating its complexity.
What Zhang Enpu was drawing was no ordinary item—it was a talisman, one that could link the realms of yin and yang.
On the left side of the Bagua, the character for “yang” (阳) was prominently written, surrounded by phrases like “By the decree of the founder of the Orthodox Unity Sect, proceed to the yin realm.”
On the right side of the Bagua, the character for “yin” (阴) was prominently written, surrounded by phrases like “By the decree of the Ten Yama Kings, proceed to the yang realm.”
After completing these, Zhang Enpu drew the names of deities who govern the realms of yin and yang around the Bagua.
Finally, Zhang Enpu stamped the paper multiple times with seals such as “Dragon-Tiger Celestial Master Seal,” “Yin Magistrate Seal,” “Primordial Talisman Seal,” and “Earth Emperor Seal.” Of course, Zhang Enpu didn’t possess all these seals, but for those he didn’t have, he could write the names to represent them, a common practice.
After finishing these preparations, Zhang Enpu placed two small bowls filled with incense ashes on either side of the Bagua diagram, about ten centimeters apart.
“Build the bridge!” A bridge connecting the realms of yin and yang!
Now, looking at Zhang Enpu, after placing the two small bowls, he took two chopsticks and inserted them into the bowls, facing each other. If the two chopsticks stood upright and connected without falling, it meant the bridge was successfully built. If they fell, it meant the bridge failed, and the suppression of the corpse was rejected. There was only one chance; a second attempt would not work.
Whether Zhang Enpu could successfully build the bridge was obvious.
As the two chopsticks stood upright and connected, Zhang Enpu’s face showed clear excitement. Despite his joy, his hands didn’t stop moving.
Seeing the bridge successfully built, Zhang Enpu casually placed the small paper figure he had cut out earlier between the two chopsticks. Then, he placed the Seven Star Lamps next to the Bagua.
After completing these tasks, Zhang Enpu formed a Taoist hand seal with both hands and chanted: “Heaven is clear, earth is spirit, soldiers follow orders, soldiers follow the seal, generals follow the command. By the decree of the Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, urgently summon yin soldiers to suppress the demons and ghosts, act swiftly by the law!” Zhang Enpu repeated this incantation several times, still chanting continuously. His goal was to summon yin soldiers and generals to act as his enforcers, specifically to suppress the drought demon before it could rise and deal it a heavy blow.
Even walking takes time, let alone summoning yin soldiers and generals from the underworld—they couldn’t just appear instantly. But by continuously chanting the incantation, given enough time, the yin soldiers and generals would arrive, and everything could be resolved. No matter how powerful the drought demon was, it would be utterly defeated.
However, could Zhang Enpu really wait for the yin soldiers and generals to arrive?
We shall see!
At this moment, Zhang Enpu continued to chant the suppressive incantation, but the increasingly thick malevolent energy made his face turn red, and his breathing became faster, like a severe asthma patient.
“Ugh…”
Perhaps due to the malevolent energy attacking his heart, Zhang Enpu’s body began to tremble, but his hands still formed the seal, and he continued to chant. Seeing this, Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang grew truly anxious. After all, they were all in this together—if Zhang Enpu died, they would all be doomed.
“Uncle Zhang!”
Thinking this, Liu Dashao shouted and quickly ran over.
But in his haste, Liu Dashao ended up making a mistake worse than an own goal.
Because he ran too quickly, the wind he stirred up, though not strong, extinguished one of the Seven Star Lamps.
As soon as one of the Seven Star Lamps went out, Zhang Enpu trembled violently, then suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the Seven Star Lamps, his face turning pale. The extinguishing of the Seven Star Lamps meant the entire suppression altar had been broken, and immediately, the two chopsticks fell over.
“Young brothers, quickly get the black dog blood and pour it over the grave, pour it directly on the grave!” Seeing the situation change, Zhang Enpu urgently instructed, then tried to calm himself, striving to suppress the drought demon lying in the coffin.
“Uncle, should we pour all of it or save some as a precaution?” Liu Dashao asked cautiously.
“Ah, at this point, don’t worry about how much! If the drought demon rises, disaster will strike!” Zhang Enpu gripped the hilt of his sword, the veins on his neck bulging: “Quick! The more the better, soak every inch of this soil! Delay will bring change, delay will bring change!”
At the desolate gravesite on the mountainside, white funeral banners fluttered. Throughout the burial ground, blue-green ghost fires could be seen, floating up and down like fireflies. Meanwhile, the frogs and crickets stopped their amorous duets, leaving only the sound of the mountain wind rustling through the grass. The scene was eerie and terrifying, sending chills down one’s spine.
“Crunch…” At that moment, the freshly turned soil made a sound of earth breaking open, standing out sharply in the otherwise quiet environment. The newly filled soil suddenly heaved upward, as if something was trying to break through.
Gradually, this strange “crunching” sound became more frequent, and the fresh soil began to pulsate violently, like a human heart.
Zhang Enpu was horrified, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in his life. He quickly shook his sleeve and drew the Celestial Master sword that had been sheathed all along. He twirled the sword and began to mutter: “By the decree of the Supreme Lord, inform all spirits. The heavenly generals command the world, beat the heavenly drum, raise the heavenly banner, wield the golden star, throw the fire bell, capture the invisible, search for the silent!”
“Swish!” The steel sword swept past the candles with a slight gust of wind, and the candle flames burned brightly. With a “whoosh,” a talisman hanging from the tip of the sword caught fire. The talisman, drawn on yellow paper, was highly flammable, especially after being soaked in strong alcohol. But a thin piece of paper could only burn for a short time. The flames shot out several feet before extinguishing, leaving the talisman drawn on the sword with cinnabar characters glowing as if raised.
The sword was withdrawn, and Zhang Enpu, standing before the altar, formed a sword gesture with his left hand and pressed it to his forehead, then to the tip of the sword. Immediately, the ashes on the tip of the sword turned into countless tiny particles. In a breath, these particles coalesced into a small black ball at the tip of the sword. Since there were still some embers, thin lines of fire crawled within the small black ball. He pointed the sword at the raised soil, and the ashes formed a line, shooting straight into the meadow.
As soon as it entered the meadow, the black soil began to boil like a pot of water. The soil, along with some half-dried foxtails, was pushed aside as a large splash of water erupted from the center, as if a spring had opened in the middle of the graveyard, continuously gushing water. Zhang Enpu took a sip of the alcohol-soaked talisman water and sprayed it onto the sword, causing the blade to ignite like a giant candle. He ran his left hand along the blade from the hilt to the tip, and the flames extinguished, leaving the cinnabar characters on the sword glowing. He shouted: “Act swiftly by the law!”
Before his words faded, a muffled sound drowned out the rustling of the grass. In their vision, a pitch-black coffin emerged from the ground. Upon closer inspection, the coffin was about two meters long and one meter wide, covered with bumps the size of ping-pong balls, semi-transparent, reflecting a myriad of colors under the sunlight—vivid and bright, like human pox. The coffin lid was half-open, with large coffin nails as thick as a thumb already pried up, clinking and clanking, swaying in the wind like a group of withered old men, ready to be blown over at any moment. It was strange—the drought demon, naturally the culprit behind the droughts and floods in Xiushui Village, had turned the land within a radius of dozens of miles into a turtle shell, with trees and plants all dried up and dead. But the grave of the drought demon was bizarre—why? Because the pit containing the coffin had formed a small pool of water, and the entire coffin was wet, as if it had been fished out of water.
Everything was ready, and they knew where the drought demon was, so it was time to begin the rescue operation.
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang each carried a bucket of black dog blood. Before leaving, they killed the remaining two black dogs. Ma Xiaoyan carried a bundle for Zhang Enpu, who said it contained tools for subduing the zombie. Zhang Enpu walked ahead empty-handed.
The neighboring village of Xiushui Village was called Xiushan Village. The name sounded pleasant, suggesting a picturesque landscape, but in reality, it was a poor and remote area with nothing to offer except for its simple and honest folk customs. The location of A Lan’s grave was near a dam on a deserted meadow, overgrown with weeds, littered with dead branches and leaves, and completely devoid of human presence. The four of them knew the location and headed straight there.
Ma Xiaoyan was beautiful, Liu Dashao was handsome, and Tian Guoqiang was a fine-looking man. Each of them carried a large bag, following the disheveled old man Zhang Enpu, attracting quite a bit of attention. People who saw them stopped and pointed.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
Zhang Enpu, walking at the front, coughed lightly, signaling everyone to hurry. Tian Guoqiang, seeing that the old man was at least eighty years old and possibly suffering from dementia, decided not to ask anything and turned to leave.
The four arrived at the foot of the mountain where A Lan was buried. Zhang Enpu signaled everyone to stop, then took the bundle from Ma Xiaoyan and pulled out some items: a Taoist robe, a hat, a sword, talismans—all the specialized tools of a Taoist priest.
Dressed in the Taoist robe, wearing the square hat, and holding the sword, Zhang Enpu exuded an air of dignity. The yellow robe had a Bagua symbol on both sides; the front of the square hat featured an image of an old man dancing with a peach wood sword; the peach wood sword had a faint yellow hue, exuding a solemn aura.
After dressing, Zhang Enpu waved his sword and headed into the mountain.
Under normal circumstances, Liu Dashao would have teased the old man, but now he was concerned about his cousin’s safety and had no mood for jokes. So, he and Ma Xiaoyan followed Zhang Enpu obediently.
The small hill wasn’t pathless, but the paths had been buried by weeds due to years of disuse. Zhang Enpu led the three, easily cutting through the grass and thorns, quickly reaching near A Lan’s grave. A Lan’s grave was just a mound of earth, without even a tombstone, which made Liu Dashao and the others shiver with fear.
Surrounded by huge trees, the path was almost completely obscured by weeds. The only noticeable thing was a pile of freshly turned soil not far away.
Through the “round light” technique, they saw the small mound where the drought demon was. But now, apart from weeds, there was no trace of a graveyard. They were also surprised to find that the environment seen through the “round light” technique was filled with small trees, not the towering trees they saw now. They were puzzled—had Zhang Enpu’s “round light” technique failed?
Just as they were wondering, Zhang Enpu snorted, “Just a petty trick.” He then waved his sheathed sword with his right hand, made a gesture with his left, stepped in a specific pattern, and muttered incantations.
Zhang Enpu’s movements were like a dance, but Liu Dashao and the others had no mood to laugh, nervously watching their surroundings.
“By the decree of the Supreme Lord Laozi, act swiftly!” After a while, Zhang Enpu pulled out a bag of white powder from his robe, threw it into the air, and shouted, “Break!”
“Ah…”
As Zhang Enpu shouted, a mournful cry came from the grave. At the same time, the surroundings changed. The previously dense, towering trees turned into sparse, uneven small trees, and the weeds were no longer as lush. In the freshly turned soil, a small mound appeared—the exact location of the drought demon.
“It’s here, I see it!” Liu Dashao’s eyes lit up, and he immediately ran over.
“Stop!” He had only taken two steps when Zhang Enpu stopped him. “Do you want to die?”
“I…”
“Not good!” Suddenly, Zhang Enpu shouted. Just as he warned everyone, the previously clear sky turned overcast, and it looked like it was about to rain. The weather changed too quickly. Liu Dashao shielded Ma Xiaoyan behind him, and Tian Guoqiang nervously clung to Zhang Enpu.
“It’s the demon’s illusion. Stay focused, don’t be fooled by appearances,” Zhang Enpu loudly reminded them. He then pulled out a talisman from his robe, flicked it with his left hand, and it immediately caught fire. He threw the burning talisman into the air. The talisman emitted a golden light, illuminating the entire sky. When the talisman burned out, the sky cleared again, sunny and cloudless.
With everything ready, Zhang Enpu set up the altar. He took a stick of incense from under the table, lit it, and placed it in the offering rice on the table. He instructed Liu Dashao to keep an eye on it, warning that if it went out, they would all die that night. Liu Dashao nodded repeatedly in agreement. Zhang Enpu glanced over the items on the table: offering rice, yellow paper, a portrait of the Heavenly Master, copper coins for suppressing corpses, and two red candles—nothing was missing.
Zhang Enpu squinted and made some gestures, then softly said, “Remember what I told you: the incense must not go out, the portrait must not fall, the candles must not be extinguished, the talismans must not rise, the bell must not ring, and the rice must not spill. This is a matter of life and death, so don’t be careless!”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded, saying, “Okay.”
“Now, we begin the ritual. If I don’t come back to my senses within a quarter of an hour, you must pack up and leave immediately. Otherwise, our lives will be in danger. But within this quarter of an hour, the three of you must not leave your current positions. If the five elements change, we won’t even be able to escape.”
Liu Dashao quickly responded, “Okay, okay, okay. I’ll listen to you, absolutely listen to you.”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s assurance, Zhang Enpu truly began the corpse-suppressing ritual. Liu Dashao’s yin-yang eyes noticed that black streams of energy were slowly gathering into beams, forming countless giant ghost hands that were rushing toward them. But as soon as they touched the ritual array, they burst with a crackling sound, shattering like spider webs. This cycle repeated, and within moments, the light shield at the edge of the ritual array was shaking violently.
Minutes passed, but to Liu Dashao and the others, it felt like years. Zhang Enpu still had his eyes tightly shut, showing no signs of movement. Liu Dashao didn’t dare to move, staring intently at the incense and candles, afraid that a single mistake would harm Zhang Enpu.
About ten minutes later!
Zhang Enpu’s expression finally changed. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his facial muscles twitched as if in pain, causing concern.
Looking at Liu Dashao and the others, they too were affected by the evil aura, their breathing becoming rapid, and their faces gradually turning red!
Perhaps due to the pain, Zhang Enpu’s slightly closed eyes suddenly opened wide, and he gritted his teeth as he stood up: “I have traveled across the land for many years, confident that I understood ninety percent of the ghostly affairs in this world. Yet, I never expected that such an overwhelmingly powerful evil aura could emerge from a small mountain village!”
As he spoke, Zhang Enpu bent his thumb, holding a flame, and flicked it repeatedly, lighting seven small lamps—these were the Seven Star Lamps. Then, with a swift motion, he picked up a piece of yellow paper and deftly cut out the shape of a small figure. Next, Zhang Enpu used a brush dipped in cinnabar to draw a talisman on the small paper figure and stamped it with the seal of the Celestial Master of Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
After completing these tasks, Zhang Enpu took out another piece of yellow paper, this one half a meter wide and half a meter long, square in shape.
With the yellow paper in hand, Zhang Enpu dipped his brush in cinnabar and began to draw again. This time, he drew a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) pattern, but the eight positions of the Bagua were replaced with talismans, and the surrounding area was filled with seemingly incomprehensible characters. This drawing took Zhang Enpu a full three minutes, indicating its complexity.
As for what Zhang Enpu was drawing, it was no ordinary item—it was a talisman, one that could connect the realms of yin and yang.
On the left side of the Bagua, the character for “Yang” was prominently written, accompanied by phrases like “By the decree of the founding patriarch of the Orthodox Unity Sect, proceed to the yin realm.”
On the right side of the Bagua, the character for “Yin” was clearly written, surrounded by phrases such as “By the decree of the Ten Yama Kings, proceed to the yang realm.”
After completing these, Zhang Enpu drew the names of deities who presided over the realms of yin and yang around the Bagua.
Finally, Zhang Enpu stamped multiple seals around the drawing, including the “Dragon and Tiger Celestial Master Seal,” the “Yin Magistrate Seal,” the “Primordial Talisman Seal,” and the “Earth Emperor Seal.” Of course, Zhang Enpu did not possess all these seals, but for those he lacked, he could inscribe their names to represent them, a common practice.
After finishing these preparations, Zhang Enpu placed two small bowls filled with incense ashes on either side of the Bagua drawing, about ten centimeters apart.
“Build the bridge!” A bridge connecting the realms of yin and yang!
At this moment, Zhang Enpu, after setting up the two small bowls, took two chopsticks and inserted one into each bowl, aligning them to face each other. If the two chopsticks stood upright and connected without falling, it would signify the successful construction of the bridge. If they fell, it would mean the bridge failed, indicating that the corpse suppression was not accepted. There was only one chance; a second attempt would not work.
As for whether Zhang Enpu could successfully build the bridge, the answer was quite obvious.
Seeing the two chopsticks stand upright and connect without falling, Zhang Enpu’s face lit up with excitement. Despite his joy, his hands did not stop moving.
After confirming the successful construction of the bridge, Zhang Enpu casually placed the small paper figure he had cut earlier between the two chopsticks. Then, he placed the Seven Star Lamps beside the Bagua.
With these preparations complete, Zhang Enpu formed a Taoist hand seal with his hands and chanted: “Heaven is clear, earth is spirit, soldiers follow orders, soldiers follow the seal, generals follow commands. By the decree of the Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, urgently summon yin soldiers to suppress the demons and ghosts, act swiftly as decreed.” Zhang Enpu repeated this incantation several times, continuing to chant it. His goal was to summon yin soldiers and yin generals to act as his enforcers, specifically to suppress the drought demon before it could rise and give it a thorough beating.
Traveling takes time, and summoning yin soldiers and yin generals from the underworld was no exception—they couldn’t just appear instantly. But by continuously chanting the incantation, given enough time, the yin soldiers and yin generals would arrive, and everything would be resolved. No matter how formidable the drought demon was, it would be utterly defeated.
However, could Zhang Enpu really wait for the yin soldiers and yin generals to arrive?
We shall see!
At this moment, Zhang Enpu continued to chant the suppressive incantation, but the increasingly intense evil aura caused his face to turn red, and his breathing became faster and faster, like a severe asthma patient.
“Ugh…”
Perhaps due to the evil aura attacking his heart, Zhang Enpu’s body began to tremble, but his hands remained in the hand seal, and he continued to chant. Seeing this, Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang grew truly anxious, as they were all in the same boat—if Zhang Enpu died, they would all be doomed.
“Uncle Zhang!”
Thinking this, Liu Dashao shouted and quickly ran over.
However, in his haste, Liu Dashao ended up making a mistake worse than an own goal.
Because he ran too quickly, the gust of wind he created, though not strong, extinguished one of the Seven Star Lamps.
As soon as one of the Seven Star Lamps went out, Zhang Enpu shuddered, then suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the Seven Star Lamps, his face turning pale. The extinguishing of the Seven Star Lamp meant that the entire corpse-suppressing altar had been broken, and immediately, the two chopsticks fell over.
“Quick, brothers, get the black dog blood and pour it over the grave, directly onto the grave!” Seeing the situation change, Zhang Enpu anxiously instructed, then tried to calm himself, likely attempting to suppress the drought demon lying in the coffin.
“Uncle, should we pour all of it or save some as a precaution?” Liu Dashao asked cautiously.
“Ah, at this point, don’t worry about the amount! If the drought demon rises, it will be a disaster!” Zhang Enpu gripped the hilt of his sword, the veins on his neck bulging. “Quick! The more, the better, soak every inch of this soil! Delay will bring change, delay will bring change!”
At the edge of the desolate grave on the mountainside, white banners fluttered. In the burial ground, blue-green ghost fires could be seen everywhere, floating up and down like fireflies. At this moment, the frogs and crickets stopped their amorous duets, and the only sound left was the rustling of the mountain wind through the grass. The scene was eerie and terrifying, sending chills down one’s spine.
“Crunch…” At that very moment, the freshly turned soil made a sound of dirt being disturbed, standing out in the otherwise quiet environment of wind and rustling grass. The newly filled soil suddenly heaved upward, as if something was trying to break through.
Gradually, this strange “crunching” sound became more frequent. The fresh soil began to pulsate violently, like a human heart.
Zhang Enpu was horrified, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in his life. He quickly shook his sleeve and swiftly drew the Celestial Master sword that had been sheathed all along. He twirled the sword and began to mutter: “The Supreme Being has decreed, informing all spirits. The heavenly generals will command the world, beat the heavenly drum, raise the heavenly banner, wield the golden star, throw the fire bell, capture the invisible, search for the soundless!”
“Swish!” The steel sword swept past the candle with a slight gust of wind. The candle flame burned brightly, and with a “whoosh,” a talisman hanging from the tip of the sword caught fire. The talisman was drawn on yellow paper, which was highly flammable, and since it was soaked in strong liquor, it ignited instantly. However, a thin piece of paper could only burn for a short time. The flame shot out several feet before extinguishing, leaving the talisman drawn in cinnabar on the sword looking as if it were raised.
The sword was withdrawn, and Zhang Enpu, standing before the altar, curled his left hand into a sword gesture and pressed it to his forehead, then touched the tip of the sword. Immediately, the ashes on the tip of the sword turned into countless tiny particles. In a breath’s time, these particles coalesced into a small black ball at the tip of the sword. Since there were still some sparks, thin lines of fire crawled within the small black ball. He pointed the sword at the raised soil, and the ashes formed a line, shooting straight into the meadow.
As soon as it entered the meadow, the clump of black soil began to boil like a pot of water. The soil, along with some half-dried foxtails, was pushed to the sides as a large splash of water rose from the center, as if a spring had opened in the middle of the graveyard, continuously gushing water. Zhang Enpu took a sip of the liquor-soaked talisman and sprayed it onto the sword, causing the sword to ignite like a giant candle. He held the sword with his left hand, fingers gripping the blade, and wiped from the hilt to the tip. The flame extinguished immediately, and the cinnabar characters on the sword lit up one by one. He shouted: “Act swiftly as decreed!”
Before the words had fully left his mouth, a muffled sound, neither loud nor soft, drowned out the rustling of the grass. In their vision, a pitch-black coffin emerged from the ground. Upon closer inspection, the coffin was about two meters long and one meter wide, covered with bumps the size of ping-pong balls, semi-transparent, reflecting a myriad of colors under the sunlight, as vivid as water blisters on human skin. The coffin lid was half-open, and the large coffin nails, as thick as a thumb, had all been pried up by some external force, jingling like a group of frail old men swaying in the wind, ready to fall at any moment. It was strange—the drought demon, naturally the culprit behind the droughts and floods in Xiushui Village, had turned the land within a radius of dozens of miles into a turtle shell, with trees and plants all withered and dead, all its doing. But the graveyard of the drought demon was bizarre—why? Because the pit containing the coffin had formed a small puddle, and the entire coffin was wet, as if it had been fished out of water.
After drawing these, Zhang Enpu added the names of various deities who governed the yin and yang realms around the Bagua.
Everything was prepared, and they knew where the drought demon was. Naturally, it was time to begin the rescue operation.
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang each carried a bucket of black dog blood. Before leaving, they killed the remaining two black dogs. Ma Xiaoyan carried a bundle for Zhang Enpu, who said it contained tools for subduing zombies. Zhang Enpu walked ahead empty-handed.
The neighboring village of Xiushui Village was called Xiushan Village. The name sounded pleasant, evoking images of clear waters and lush mountains, but in reality, it was a poor and remote area with nothing to offer except for the simple and honest folk customs. The location of A Lan’s grave was near a dam, on a desolate meadow overgrown with weeds, littered with dead branches and leaves, and devoid of any human presence. The four of them knew the location and headed straight there.
Ma Xiaoyan was beautiful, Liu Dashao was handsome, and Tian Guoqiang was a fine-looking man. Each of them carried a large bag, following the disheveled old man Zhang Enpu, which naturally drew attention. People who saw them stopped and pointed.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
Zhang Enpu, walking at the front, coughed lightly, signaling everyone to hurry. Tian Guoqiang noticed that the old man was at least eighty years old and might have dementia, so he turned and left without asking anything.
The four arrived at the foot of the mountain where A Lan was buried. Zhang Enpu signaled everyone to stop, then took the bundle from Ma Xiaoyan and pulled out some items: a Taoist robe, a hat, a sword, and talismans—all the tools of a Taoist priest.
Dressed in the Taoist robe, wearing the square hat, and holding the sword, Zhang Enpu exuded an air of dignity. The yellow robe had a Bagua symbol on both sides, and the front of the square hat featured an image of an old man dancing with a peach wood sword. The peach wood sword had a faint yellow hue, giving off a solemn aura.
After dressing, Zhang Enpu waved his sword and headed straight into the mountains.
Normally, Liu Dashao would have teased the old man, but now he was concerned about his cousin’s safety and had no mood for jokes. So, he and Ma Xiaoyan obediently followed Zhang Enpu.
The small hill wasn’t entirely pathless, but the long absence of travelers had allowed weeds to overgrow the trail. Zhang Enpu led the three of them, skillfully cutting through the grass and thorns, and soon they were near A Lan’s grave. The grave was just a mound of earth without even a tombstone, which made Liu Dashao and the others shiver with fear.
Surrounded by towering trees, the path was almost completely hidden by weeds. The only noticeable feature was a pile of freshly turned soil not far away.
Through the “round light” technique, they saw the small mound where the drought demon was located. But now, apart from weeds, there was no trace of a grave. They were also surprised to find that the environment they saw through the technique was filled with small trees, not the towering ones around them. They were puzzled—had Zhang Enpu’s technique failed?
Just as they were wondering, Zhang Enpu snorted, “Just a petty trick.” He then waved his sheathed sword with his right hand, made a gesture with his left, stepped in a specific pattern, and muttered incantations.
Zhang Enpu’s movements resembled a dance, but Liu Dashao and the others had no mood to laugh. They nervously watched their surroundings.
“By the decree of the Supreme Lord Laozi!” After a while, Zhang Enpu pulled out a packet of white powder from his robe, scattered it into the air, and shouted, “Break!”
“Ah…”
As Zhang Enpu shouted, a mournful cry came from the grave. At the same time, the surroundings changed. The once dense, towering trees turned into sparse, uneven saplings, and the weeds were no longer as lush. In the freshly turned soil, a small mound appeared—undoubtedly the location of the drought demon.
“It’s here, I see it!” Liu Dashao’s eyes lit up, and he immediately ran forward.
“Stop!” He had only taken two steps when Zhang Enpu stopped him. “Do you want to die?”
“I…”
“Not good!” Suddenly, Zhang Enpu shouted. Just as he warned everyone, the once clear sky turned dark with clouds, and it seemed like rain was imminent. The weather changed too quickly. Liu Dashao shielded Ma Xiaoyan behind him, while Tian Guoqiang nervously clung to Zhang Enpu.
“It’s the demon’s illusion. Stay focused, don’t be fooled by appearances,” Zhang Enpu loudly reminded them. He then pulled out a talisman from his robe, flicked it with his left hand, and it immediately caught fire. He threw the burning talisman into the air, and it burst into golden light, illuminating the entire sky. When the talisman burned out, the sky cleared again, and the sun shone brightly.
With everything ready, Zhang Enpu set up the altar. He took a stick of incense from under the table, lit it, and placed it in the offering rice on the table. He instructed Liu Dashao to keep an eye on it, ensuring it didn’t go out, or they would die that night. Liu Dashao nodded repeatedly in agreement. Zhang Enpu glanced at the items on the table: offering rice, yellow paper, a portrait of the Heavenly Master, copper coins for suppressing corpses, and two red candles—nothing was missing.
Zhang Enpu squinted and made some gestures, then softly said, “Remember what I told you. The incense must not go out, the portrait must not fall, the candles must not extinguish, the talismans must not rise, the bell must not ring, and the rice must not spill. This is a matter of life and death—no carelessness!”
Liu Dashao wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded, saying, “Okay.”
“Now, we begin the ritual. If I don’t come back to my senses within a quarter of an hour, you must pack up and leave immediately. Otherwise, our lives will be in danger. But during this quarter of an hour, none of you three can leave your positions. If the Five Elements change, we won’t even be able to escape.”
Liu Dashao quickly responded, “Okay, okay, okay. I’ll listen to you, absolutely listen to you.”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s assurance, Zhang Enpu truly began the corpse-suppressing ritual. Liu Dashao, with his Yin-Yang eyes, noticed black streams of energy slowly gathering into beams, forming countless giant ghostly hands that lunged toward them. But as soon as they touched the protective barrier, they burst with a crackling sound, shattering like spiderwebs. This cycle repeated, and within moments, the barrier’s light shield was swaying violently.
Minutes passed, but to Liu Dashao and the others, it felt like an eternity. Zhang Enpu remained with his eyes tightly shut, showing no signs of movement. Liu Dashao didn’t dare to move, his eyes fixed on the incense and candles, fearing that a single mistake could harm Zhang Enpu.
After about ten minutes, Zhang Enpu’s expression finally changed. His brows furrowed, and his facial muscles twitched as if he were in great pain, causing concern.
Looking at Liu Dashao and the others, they too were affected by the evil aura. Their breathing became rapid, and their faces gradually turned red.
Perhaps due to the pain, Zhang Enpu suddenly opened his eyes, clenched his teeth, and stood up. “I’ve traveled far and wide for many years, and I thought I understood ninety percent of the ghostly affairs in this world. But I never expected that such a small mountain village could produce such an overwhelmingly fierce evil aura!”
As he spoke, Zhang Enpu bent his thumb, held a flame, and flicked it repeatedly, lighting seven small lamps—the Seven Star Lamps. Then, with a swift motion, he picked up a piece of yellow paper and deftly cut out the shape of a small figure. Next, Zhang Enpu used a brush dipped in cinnabar to draw a talismanic command on the small paper figure and stamped it with the seal of the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master’s residence.
After completing these tasks, Zhang Enpu took out another piece of yellow paper, half a meter wide and half a meter long, square in shape.
With the yellow paper in hand, Zhang Enpu dipped his brush in cinnabar and began to draw again. This time, he drew a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) pattern, but the eight directions of the Bagua were replaced with talismanic characters. Around the edges, he wrote what appeared to be incomprehensible symbols. This drawing took Zhang Enpu a full three minutes, indicating its complexity.
To explain what Zhang Enpu was drawing—it was a talisman, a talisman that could link the realms of Yin and Yang.
On the left side of the Bagua, the character “Yang” (阳) was prominently written, surrounded by phrases like “By the decree of the Orthodox Unity Sect’s ancestors, proceed to the Yin realm.”
On the right side of the Bagua, the character “Yin” (阴) was prominently written, surrounded by phrases like “By the decree of the Ten Kings of Hell, proceed to the Yang realm.”
After completing these, Zhang Enpu drew the names of deities who govern the realms of Yin and Yang around the Bagua.
Finally, Zhang Enpu stamped multiple seals around the edges: “Dragon and Tiger Heavenly Master Seal,” “Yin Magistrate’s Seal,” “Primordial Talismanic Command Seal,” and “Earth Emperor Seal.” Of course, Zhang Enpu didn’t possess all these seals, but for those he lacked, he could write the characters to represent the seals—a common practice.
After finishing these preparations, Zhang Enpu placed two small bowls filled with incense ash on either side of the Bagua diagram, about ten centimeters apart.
“Build the bridge!” A bridge connecting the realms of Yin and Yang!
At this point, Zhang Enpu placed the two small bowls and took two chopsticks, inserting one into each bowl, facing each other. If the two chopsticks stood upright and connected without falling, it meant the bridge was successfully built. If they fell, it meant the bridge failed, and the corpse suppression would not work. There was only one chance—a second attempt would be ineffective.
As for whether Zhang Enpu could successfully build the bridge, the answer was obvious.
When the two chopsticks stood upright and connected, Zhang Enpu’s face lit up with excitement. Despite his joy, his hands didn’t stop moving.
Seeing the bridge successfully built, Zhang Enpu casually placed the small paper figure he had cut out earlier between the two chopsticks. Then, he placed the Seven Star Lamps next to the Bagua diagram.
After completing these steps, Zhang Enpu formed a Taoist hand seal with his fingers and chanted, “Heaven is clear, Earth is spiritual, soldiers follow orders, generals follow commands. By the decree of Patriarch Zhang Daoling, I urgently summon Yin soldiers to suppress the demons and evil spirits. By the decree, quickly, quickly, as it is commanded!” Zhang Enpu repeated this incantation several times, continuing to chant. His goal was to summon Yin soldiers and generals to act as his enforcers—specifically, to suppress the drought demon before it could rise and deliver a fierce beating.
Even walking takes time, let alone summoning Yin soldiers and generals from the underworld. They couldn’t just appear instantly. But by continuously chanting the incantation, given enough time, the Yin soldiers and generals would arrive, and everything would be resolved. No matter how powerful the drought demon was, it would be utterly defeated.
But could Zhang Enpu really wait for the Yin soldiers and generals to arrive?
We shall see!
At this moment, Zhang Enpu continued to chant the suppression incantation, but the increasingly intense evil aura made his face turn red, and his breathing became faster, like a severe asthma patient.
“Ugh…”
Perhaps due to the evil aura attacking his heart, Zhang Enpu’s body began to tremble, but his hands remained in the seal position, and he continued to chant. Seeing this, Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang grew truly anxious. After all, they were all in this together—if Zhang Enpu died, they would all be doomed.
“Uncle Zhang!”
Thinking this, Liu Dashao shouted and quickly ran over.
But in his haste, Liu Dashao ended up making a huge mistake, worse than an own goal in soccer.
Because he ran too quickly, the gust of wind he created, though not strong, extinguished one of the Seven Star Lamps.
When one of the Seven Star Lamps went out, Zhang Enpu shuddered, then suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the lamps with a pale face. The extinguishing of one lamp meant the entire corpse-suppression altar had been broken. Immediately, the two chopsticks fell over.
“Young brothers, quickly get the black dog blood and pour it out—pour it directly onto the grave!” Seeing the situation change, Zhang Enpu urgently instructed, then focused his mind, trying to suppress the drought demon in the coffin.
“Old man, should we pour all of it, or save some as a precaution?” Liu Dashao asked cautiously.
“Ah, at this point, who cares about how much? If the drought demon rises, it’ll be a disaster!” Zhang Enpu gripped the hilt of his sword, the veins on his neck bulging. “Quick! The more the better—cover every inch of this soil! Delay will bring disaster, delay will bring disaster!”
At the desolate grave on the mountainside, white funeral banners fluttered. In the mass burial ground, blue-green ghost fires could be seen everywhere, floating up and down like fireflies. Meanwhile, the frogs and crickets stopped their love songs, and only the sound of the mountain wind rustling through the grass remained. The scene was eerie and terrifying, sending chills down one’s spine.
“Crunch…” At that moment, the freshly turned soil made a sound of dirt breaking apart, standing out in the otherwise quiet environment. The newly filled soil suddenly heaved upward, as if something was trying to break through.
Gradually, the eerie “crunching” sound became more frequent, and the soil began to pulsate violently, like a human heart.
Zhang Enpu was horrified, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in his life. He quickly shook his sleeve, swiftly drew the Heavenly Master sword that had been sheathed, twirled it, and began to chant, “The Supreme Lord commands, informing all spirits. The Heavenly General commands the world, beats the Heavenly drum, raises the Heavenly banner, wields the golden star, throws the fire bell, captures the invisible, searches for the silent!”
“Swish!” The steel sword swept past the candles with a slight gust of wind, and the candle flames burned brightly. With a “whoosh,” a talisman hanging from the tip of the sword caught fire. The talisman, drawn on yellow paper, was highly flammable, especially after being soaked in strong liquor. But a thin piece of paper could only burn for a short time. The flames shot out several feet before extinguishing, and the light faded instantly, making the cinnabar-drawn talisman on the sword appear to bulge out.
The sword was withdrawn, and Zhang Enpu, standing before the altar, pressed his left index finger to his forehead, then touched the tip of the sword. Immediately, the ashes on the sword tip turned into countless tiny particles. In a breath, these particles coalesced into a small black ball at the tip of the sword. Since there were still some embers, thin lines of fire crawled within the black ball. He pointed the sword at the raised soil, and the ashes formed a straight line, shooting into the meadow.
As soon as it entered the meadow, the clump of black soil began to boil like a pot of water. The soil, along with some half-dried foxtails, was pushed aside, and a large splash of water rose from the center, as if a spring had opened in the middle of the grave, continuously gushing water. Zhang Enpu took a sip of the liquor-soaked talisman water and sprayed it onto the sword. The sword immediately burst into flames like a giant candle. He held the sword with his left hand, running his fingers from the hilt to the tip, and the flames extinguished instantly. The cinnabar characters on the sword lit up, and he shouted, “By the decree, quickly, quickly, as it is commanded!”
Before the words faded, a muffled sound louder than the rustling of the grass echoed. In their vision, a pitch-black coffin emerged from the ground. Upon closer inspection, the coffin was about two meters long and one meter wide, covered with bumps the size of ping-pong balls, semi-transparent, and reflecting a myriad of colors under the sunlight—bright and vivid, like water blisters on a person’s skin. The coffin lid was half-open, and the large coffin nails, as thick as a thumb, had all been pried up by some external force, jingling like a group of frail old men swaying in the wind, ready to fall at any moment. It was strange—the drought demon, naturally the culprit behind the drought in Xiushui Village, had turned the land within a radius of dozens of miles into a turtle shell, with trees and plants all withered and dead. But the grave of the drought demon was bizarre—why? Because the pit holding the coffin had formed a small puddle, and the entire coffin was wet, as if it had been pulled out of water.
After completing these steps, Zhang Enpu took two small bowls filled with incense ash and placed them on either side of the Bagua diagram, about ten centimeters apart.
“Build a bridge!” A bridge connecting the yin and yang realms!
Looking at Zhang Enpu now, after placing the two small bowls, he took two chopsticks and inserted them into the bowls, aligning them to touch each other. If the two chopsticks stood upright without falling, it meant the bridge was successfully built. If the chopsticks fell when they touched, it meant the bridge failed, indicating the zombie rejected the ritual. There was only one chance; a second attempt would not work.
As for whether Zhang Enpu could successfully build the bridge, the answer was obviously clear.
As the two chopsticks stood upright without falling, Zhang Enpu’s face clearly showed excitement. Although he was visibly happy, Zhang Enpu’s hands did not stop moving.
After seeing that the bridge was successfully built, Zhang Enpu casually picked up the small paper figure he had previously cut and placed it between the two chopsticks. Then, he took the Seven Star Lamps and placed them beside the Bagua diagram.
After completing these steps, Zhang Enpu joined his hands in a Taoist mudra and chanted: “Heaven is clear and the earth is spiritual; soldiers and generals follow the command. Soldiers revolve around the seal, and generals follow the order. I, in the name of Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, urgently summon the yin soldiers to come here and suppress the evil spirits. By the urgent command of the Supreme Venerable Sovereign!”
Zhang Enpu had already repeated this incantation several times, and he continued chanting it without pause. The purpose was to summon yin soldiers and generals to assist him, to be precise, to use these powerful yin beings as enforcers to subdue the vampire before it could rise, delivering a fierce beating.
It takes time just to walk, let alone summoning yin soldiers and generals from the underworld—they wouldn’t come immediately. But as long as the incantation was continuously recited, and given enough time for the yin soldiers and generals to arrive, everything could be resolved effortlessly. At that point, no matter how formidable the vampire might be, it would be defeated without a doubt.
However, would Zhang Enpu really be able to wait for the yin soldiers and generals to arrive?
Let us wait and see!
At this moment, Zhang Enpu continued chanting the suppressive incantation without stopping, but the increasingly thick and malevolent aura caused his face to turn red, and his breathing became faster and faster, like a severe asthmatic patient.
“Ah…”
Possibly due to the malevolent aura attacking his heart, Zhang Enpu’s body began to tremble, but his hands still formed the mudra and continued chanting the incantation. However, Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang, seeing his condition, became truly anxious. After all, they were all tied together like grasshoppers on a single string. If Zhang Enpu died, they would all perish.
“Uncle Zhang!”
Thinking of this, Liu Dashao shouted loudly and rushed over.
How could Liu Dashao, who was so anxious, not cause trouble again—this time even more of a blunder than before.
Because he ran too hastily, the gust of wind created by his movement blew out the wick in the center of the Seven Star Lamps.
As soon as one wick in the Seven Star Lamps went out, Zhang Enpu’s whole body trembled, and he suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the Seven Star Lamps in front of him, his face turning pale. The extinguishing of one lamp in the Seven Star Lamps meant that the entire ritual altar to subdue the vampire had been broken. Immediately after, the two chopsticks fell down with a loud crash.
“Two young friends, quickly get the black dog blood and pour it down, directly onto this grave!” Seeing the sudden change in the situation, Zhang Enpu urgently ordered, trying hard to calm his mind and suppress the vampire lying in the coffin.
“Old man, should we pour all of it or leave a little for defense?” Liu Dashao kept a cautious thought.
“Ah, at a time like this, who cares how much? Otherwise, once this vampire rises, we will all be in great danger!” Zhang Enpu gripped the hilt of his sword, the veins on his neck bulging: “Quickly! The more the better! Soak every piece of soil on this land! Delay will bring disaster, delay will bring disaster!”
Everything was ready, and they knew where the drought demon was. Naturally, it was time to begin the rescue operation.
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang each carried a bucket of black dog blood. Before leaving, they killed the remaining two black dogs. Ma Xiaoyan carried a bundle for Zhang Enpu, who said it contained tools for subduing zombies. Zhang Enpu walked ahead empty-handed.
The neighboring village of Xiushui Village was called Xiushan Village. The name sounded pleasant, evoking images of clear waters and lush mountains, but in reality, it was a poor and remote area with nothing to offer except for the simple and honest folk. The location of A Lan’s grave was near a dam on a desolate meadow overgrown with weeds, littered with dead branches and leaves, and devoid of human presence. The four of them knew the location and headed straight there.
Ma Xiaoyan was beautiful, Liu Dashao was handsome, and Tian Guoqiang was a fine-looking man. Each of them carried a large bag, following the disheveled old man Zhang Enpu, drawing quite a bit of attention. People who saw them stopped and pointed.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
Zhang Enpu, walking at the front, coughed lightly, signaling everyone to hurry. Tian Guoqiang, seeing that the old man was at least eighty years old and possibly suffering from dementia, decided not to ask anything and turned to leave.
The four arrived at the foot of the mountain where A Lan was buried. Zhang Enpu signaled them to stop, then took the bundle from Ma Xiaoyan and pulled out some items: a Taoist robe, a hat, a sword, talismans—all the specialized tools of a Taoist priest.
After donning the robe, putting on the square hat, and holding the sword, Zhang Enpu exuded an air of grandeur. The yellow Taoist robe had a Bagua diagram on both sides; the front of the square hat featured an image of an old man dancing with a peach wood sword; the peach wood sword had a faint yellow hue, radiating a sense of solemnity.
Once dressed, Zhang Enpu waved his sword and headed straight into the mountain.
Normally, Liu Dashao would have teased the old man, but now he was concerned about his cousin’s safety and had no mood for jokes. So, he and Ma Xiaoyan obediently followed Zhang Enpu.
The small hill wasn’t entirely pathless, but the paths had been overgrown with weeds due to years of disuse. Zhang Enpu led the three of them, skillfully cutting through the grass and thorns, quickly reaching a spot near A Lan’s grave. A Lan’s grave was just a mound of earth, without even a tombstone, which made Liu Dashao and the others shiver with fear.
Surrounded by towering trees, the path was almost completely obscured by weeds. The only noticeable feature was a pile of freshly turned soil not far away.
Through the “round light” technique, they saw the small mound where the drought demon was located. But now, the area near the dam was covered in weeds, with no sign of a grave. They were also surprised to find that the environment they saw through the round light technique was filled with small trees, not the towering ones they saw now. They were puzzled—had Zhang Enpu’s round light technique failed?
Just as they were marveling, Zhang Enpu snorted, “Just a petty trick.” He then waved his sheathed sword with his right hand, made a gesture with his left, stepped in a specific pattern, and muttered incantations.
Zhang Enpu’s movements were like a dance, but Liu Dashao and the others had no mood to laugh, nervously watching their surroundings.
“By the decree of the Supreme Lord Laozi, act swiftly!” After a while, Zhang Enpu pulled out a packet of white powder from his robe, scattered it into the air, and shouted, “Break!”
“Ah…”
As Zhang Enpu shouted, a mournful cry came from the grave. At the same time, the surroundings changed. The once dense, towering trees turned into sparse, uneven saplings, and the weeds were no longer as lush. In the freshly turned soil, a small mound was clearly visible—the location of the drought demon.
“It’s here, I see it!” Liu Dashao’s eyes lit up, and he immediately ran forward.
“Stop!” He had only taken two steps when Zhang Enpu stopped him. “Do you want to die?”
“I…”
“Not good!” Suddenly, Zhang Enpu shouted. Just as he warned everyone, the clear sky turned dark with clouds, as if it was about to rain. The weather changed too quickly. Liu Dashao shielded Ma Xiaoyan behind him, while Tian Guoqiang nervously clung to Zhang Enpu.
“It’s the demon’s illusion. Stay focused, don’t be fooled by appearances,” Zhang Enpu loudly reminded them. He then pulled out a talisman from his robe, flicked it with his left hand, and it immediately caught fire. He threw the burning talisman into the air. The talisman emitted a golden light, illuminating the entire sky. When the talisman burned out, the sky cleared again, bright and cloudless.
With everything ready, Zhang Enpu set up the altar. He took a stick of incense from under the table, lit it, and placed it in the offering rice on the table. He instructed Liu Dashao to keep an eye on it, ensuring it didn’t go out, or they would die tonight. Liu Dashao nodded repeatedly in agreement. Zhang Enpu glanced over the items on the table: offering rice, yellow paper, a portrait of the Heavenly Master, copper coins for suppressing corpses, and two red candles—nothing was missing.
Zhang Enpu squinted and made some gestures, softly saying, “Remember what I told you: the incense must not go out, the portrait must not fall, the candles must not be extinguished, the talismans must not rise, the bell must not ring, and the rice must not spill. This is a matter of life and death; don’t be careless!”
Liu Dashao wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded, saying, “Alright.”
“Now, we begin the ritual. If I don’t come back to my senses within a quarter of an hour, you must pack up and leave immediately. Otherwise, our lives will be in danger. But during this quarter of an hour, the three of you must not leave your current positions. If the Five Elements change, we won’t even be able to escape.”
Liu Dashao quickly responded, “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you, absolutely listen to you.”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s assurance, Zhang Enpu truly began the corpse-suppressing ritual. Liu Dashao’s yin-yang eyes noticed black streams of energy slowly gathering into beams, forming countless giant ghostly hands that rushed toward their position. But as soon as they touched the protective barrier, they burst with a cracking sound, shattering like spiderwebs. This cycle repeated, and in moments, the barrier’s light shield was swaying violently.
Minutes passed, but to Liu Dashao and the others, it felt like years. Zhang Enpu remained motionless, his eyes tightly shut. Liu Dashao didn’t dare move, his eyes fixed on the incense and candles, fearing that a single mistake could harm Zhang Enpu.
About ten minutes later!
Zhang Enpu’s expression finally changed. His brows furrowed, and his facial muscles twitched as if in pain, causing concern.
Looking at Liu Dashao and the others, their breathing became rapid due to the malevolent energy, and their faces gradually turned red!
Perhaps due to the pain, Zhang Enpu’s slightly closed eyes suddenly opened, and he gritted his teeth as he stood up: “I’ve traveled across the land for many years, confident that I understood ninety percent of the ghostly matters in this world. Yet, I never expected that a small mountain village could produce such overwhelmingly powerful malevolent energy!”
As he spoke, Zhang Enpu hooked his thumb and carried a flame, quickly lighting seven small lamps—the Seven Star Lamps. Then, with a swift motion, he picked up a piece of yellow paper and deftly cut out the shape of a small figure. Next, Zhang Enpu used a brush dipped in cinnabar to draw a talismanic command on the small paper figure, and stamped it with the seal of the Celestial Master of Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
After completing these tasks, Zhang Enpu took out another piece of yellow paper, half a meter wide and half a meter long, square in shape.
With the yellow paper in hand, Zhang Enpu dipped his brush in cinnabar and began to draw again. This time, he drew a Bagua diagram, but the eight directions of the Bagua were replaced with talismanic characters, and the surrounding area was filled with seemingly incomprehensible symbols. This drawing took Zhang Enpu a full three minutes, indicating its complexity.
As for what Zhang Enpu was drawing, it was of great significance—a talisman that could link the realms of yin and yang.
On the left side of the Bagua, the character for “Yang” was prominently written, surrounded by phrases like “By the decree of the Patriarch of the Orthodox Unity Sect, proceed to the Yin realm,” and other similar incantations.
On the right side of the Bagua, the character for “Yin” was prominently written, surrounded by phrases like “By the decree of the Ten Kings of Hell, proceed to the Yang realm,” and other similar incantations.
After completing these, Zhang Enpu drew the names of deities who governed the realms of yin and yang around the Bagua.
Finally, Zhang Enpu stamped multiple seals around the diagram: “Seal of the Celestial Master of Dragon and Tiger,” “Seal of the Yin Office,” “Seal of the Primordial Command,” and “Seal of the Earth Emperor.” Of course, Zhang Enpu didn’t possess all these seals, but for those he lacked, he could inscribe their names as a substitute, a common practice.
After completing these tasks, Zhang Enpu brought two small bowls filled with incense ash and placed them on either side of the Bagua diagram, about ten centimeters apart.
“Build the bridge!” A bridge connecting the realms of yin and yang!
At this moment, Zhang Enpu, after placing the two small bowls, took two chopsticks and inserted them into the bowls, facing each other. If the two chopsticks stood upright and connected without falling, it would signify the successful construction of the bridge. If they fell, it would mean the bridge failed, and the corpse-suppressing ritual would not proceed. There was only one chance; a second attempt would not work.
As for whether Zhang Enpu could successfully build the bridge, the answer was quite obvious.
Seeing the two chopsticks stand upright and connect, Zhang Enpu’s face showed clear excitement. Despite his joy, his hands didn’t stop moving.
After confirming the successful bridge construction, Zhang Enpu casually placed the small paper figure he had cut out between the two chopsticks. Then, he took the Seven Star Lamps and placed them beside the Bagua diagram.
After completing these tasks, Zhang Enpu formed a Taoist hand seal with both hands and chanted: “Heaven is clear, Earth is spiritual, soldiers follow orders, soldiers move with the seal, generals follow commands. By the decree of the Patriarch Zhang Daoling, urgently summon the Yin soldiers to suppress the demons and ghosts, act swiftly by the law!” Zhang Enpu repeated this incantation several times, continuing to chant. His goal was to summon Yin soldiers and generals to act as his enforcers, specifically to suppress the drought demon before it could rise and deliver a fierce beating.
Traveling takes time, and summoning Yin soldiers and generals from the Yin Office wasn’t something that could be done instantly. But as long as he kept chanting the incantation, given enough time, the Yin soldiers and generals would arrive, and everything would be resolved. No matter how formidable the drought demon was, it would only face defeat.
However, could Zhang Enpu really wait for the Yin soldiers and generals to arrive?
We shall see!
At this moment, Zhang Enpu continued to chant the suppressive incantation, but the increasingly intense malevolent energy made his face turn red, and his breathing became faster, like a severe asthma patient.
“Ugh…”
Perhaps due to the malevolent energy attacking his heart, Zhang Enpu’s body began to tremble, but his hands remained in the seal, and he continued to chant. Seeing this, Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang grew truly anxious. After all, they were all in this together; if Zhang Enpu died, they would all be doomed.
“Uncle Zhang!”
Thinking this, Liu Dashao shouted and quickly ran over.
But in his haste, Liu Dashao ended up making a mistake worse than an own goal.
Because he ran too quickly, the gust of wind he created, though not strong, extinguished one of the wicks in the Seven Star Lamps.
As soon as one wick in the Seven Star Lamps went out, Zhang Enpu shuddered, then suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the Seven Star Lamps, his face turning pale. The extinguishing of one wick meant the entire corpse-suppressing altar had been breached, and immediately, the two chopsticks fell over.
“Quick, get the black dog blood and pour it over the grave, drench the entire area!” Zhang Enpu, seeing the situation change, urgently instructed, then focused his mind, trying to suppress the drought demon in the coffin.
“Uncle, should we pour all of it or save some as a precaution?” Liu Dashao asked cautiously.
“At this point, don’t worry about the amount! If the drought demon rises, disaster will strike!” Zhang Enpu gripped the hilt of his sword, the veins on his neck bulging. “Quick! The more, the better! Drench every inch of this soil! Delay will bring change, delay will bring change!”
Near the desolate graves on the mountainside, white banners fluttered. In the burial ground, blue-green ghost fires could be seen everywhere, floating up and down like fireflies. At this moment, the frogs and crickets stopped their courtship songs, and the only sound left was the rustling of the mountain wind through the grass. The scene was eerie and terrifying, sending chills down one’s spine.
“Crunch…” At this very moment, the freshly turned soil made a sound of earth breaking open, standing out in the otherwise quiet environment. The newly filled soil suddenly heaved upward, as if something was trying to break through.
Gradually, this eerie “crunching” sound became more frequent. The fresh soil began to pulsate violently, like a human heart.
Zhang Enpu was horrified, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in his life. He quickly shook his sleeve, swiftly drew the Celestial Master sword that had been sheathed, twirled it, and began to chant: “By the decree of the Supreme Lord, announce to all spirits. The Heavenly General commands the world, beats the Heavenly Drum, raises the Heavenly Banner, wields the Golden Star, throws the Fire Bell, captures the invisible, searches for the silent!”
“Swish!” The steel sword swept past the candles with a slight gust of wind, the candle flames burning brightly. With a “whoosh,” a talisman hanging on the tip of the sword caught fire. The talisman, drawn on yellow paper, was highly flammable, especially after being soaked in strong liquor. But a thin piece of paper could only burn for a short while. The flames shot out several feet before extinguishing, the light fading quickly, making the cinnabar-drawn talisman on the sword appear as if it was raised.
The sword was withdrawn, and Zhang Enpu, standing before the altar, pressed his left hand’s fingers to his forehead, then touched the tip of the sword. Instantly, the ashes on the tip of the sword turned into countless fine particles. In a breath, these particles coalesced, forming a small black ball at the tip of the sword. With some remaining sparks, thin lines of fire crawled within the small black ball. He pointed the sword at the raised soil, and the ashes formed a line, shooting straight into the meadow.
As soon as it entered the meadow, the clump of black soil began to boil like a pot of water. The soil, along with some half-dried foxtails, was pushed aside as a large splash of water erupted from the center, as if a spring had opened in the middle of the burial ground, continuously gushing water. Zhang Enpu took a sip of the liquor-soaked talisman water and sprayed it onto the sword. The sword immediately burst into flames like a giant candle. He ran his left hand’s fingers along the blade from the hilt to the tip, and the flames extinguished instantly. The cinnabar characters on the sword lit up, and he shouted: “Act swiftly by the law!”
Before his words faded, a muffled sound louder than the rustling of the grass filled the air. In their vision, a pitch-black coffin emerged from the ground. Upon closer inspection, the coffin was about two meters long and one meter wide, covered in translucent bumps the size of ping-pong balls. Under the sunlight, these bumps appeared in various bright colors, like water blisters on a person’s skin. The coffin lid was half-open, and the large coffin nails, as thick as a thumb, had all been pried up by some external force, jingling like a group of frail old men swaying in the wind, ready to topple at any moment. It was strange—the drought demon, naturally the culprit behind the droughts and floods in Xiushui Village, had turned the land within a radius of dozens of miles into a turtle shell, with trees and plants all dried up and dead. Yet, the burial ground of the drought demon was bizarrely different. Why? Because the deep pit containing the coffin had formed a small pool of water, and the entire coffin was wet, as if it had been pulled out of water.
“Rip…” At that moment, the newly unearthed soil emitted a sound of earth splitting open. In the environment where only the wind and the rustling of grass could be heard, this sound was particularly startling. The newly filled earth suddenly vibrated and surged upward, as if something was trying to break through the soil.
Slowly, this eerie ‘rip’ sound became more and more frequent. The new soil began to pulsate violently, like a human heart.
Zhang Enpu was greatly alarmed, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in his life. He immediately flicked his sleeve and quickly drew out the Celestial Sword, which had been sealed in its sheath all along. He twirled the sword in a flourish and began chanting: “The Supreme Sovereign has given the command, announcing to all spirits. The heavenly general commands the heavens, marches the heavenly drums, waves the heavenly banners, wields the golden stars, and hurls the fire bells to capture the unseen and search for the silent!”
“Swish!” The steel sword, with a faint gust of wind, swept past the candle, the flame burning brightly. “Puff,” a talisman hanging on the sword tip ignited instantly. The talisman was drawn on yellow paper, inherently flammable, and even more so because it had been soaked in strong wine, igniting at the slightest touch of flame. However, a thin piece of paper could only burn briefly. The flame shot out several feet long, then quickly extinguished, the firelight fleeting, making the cinnabar-written talisman on the sword blade seem to pop out.
As the sword was withdrawn, Zhang Enpu in front of the altar bent his left fingers into a sword shape, pressed it against his forehead, and then pointed it at the sword tip. Instantly, the ashes gathered at the sword tip turned into sparkling specks, countless tiny particles. In the span of a breath, these particles coalesced again, forming a small black ball at the sword tip. Because there were still some sparks, fine lines of fire crawled within this small black ball. He pointed the sword at the rising earth in front of him, and the ashes flew in a straight line, shooting toward the meadow.
Upon entering the meadow, the handful of black soil immediately began to boil like a pot. The soil had some half-dry dogtail grass, and as the soil moved, the dry branches and fallen leaves were pushed outward, creating a large splash from the center of the soil, as if a spring had opened in the middle of the grave, continuously gushing water. Zhang Enpu took a mouthful from the bowl of wine that had been infused with talisman, and suddenly sprayed it onto the sword. The sword immediately flared up like a giant candle. With his left hand gripping the blade, he wiped from the hilt to the tip, and the flames immediately extinguished. The cinnabar characters on the sword blade lit up one by one, and he shouted, “By the urgent command of the Supreme Venerable Sovereign!”
Before his voice had even finished, a dull thud, neither big nor small, drowned out the sound of the rustling grass. In their field of vision, a dark coffin broke through the earth. Looking closely, the coffin was about two meters long and one meter wide, covered with bulges the size of ping-pong balls, semi-transparent. Under the sunlight, it was red and green, colorful and extremely vivid, like water blisters on a person’s skin. The coffin lid was half open, and the large coffin nails, as thick as a thumb, had all been pried up by external force, making a tinkling sound. At this moment, they resembled a line of emaciated old men swaying in the wind, ready to be blown over at any moment. Strangely enough, this vampire, the cause of droughts and floods in Xiushui Village, had turned the land for dozens of miles around into cracked earth, with trees and plants all withered and dead, undoubtedly its doing. But looking at the vampire’s grave was extremely strange. Why? Because in the deep pit where the coffin was placed, a small puddle had formed, and the entire coffin was wet, as if it had just been pulled out of water.
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