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墨書 Inktalez
I had a particularly deep sleep, and when I woke up, I realized I was lying in my own bed, with Fo Zhang curled up beside me.
I stretched lazily and glanced outside; it was dark, and I couldn't tell what time it was. Feeling a bit hungry, I was about to get out of bed when I noticed several people standing by the bedside. A few of them looked to be around my age—definitely Er Gouzi and his friends. My dad was also there, holding a bowl of noodles, looking somewhat worried. He handed the bowl to me and said, "You're still a child; such a big matter should be handled by adults."
As I ate the noodles, I replied, "In the village, aside from me who knows a bit of magic, the others are no match for Chen Ye Ye's corpse."
"That doesn't mean you should take such risks. When I rushed to the Chen Family, you were lying motionless in the snow; it scared me to death," my dad's voice caught in his throat.
I lifted the bowl and drank the broth, saying, "Dad, I understand. I'll be more careful next time. If I can't fight it off, I'll just run."
Only then did my dad seem to relax a bit as he tidied up the bowl and left the room.
I understood my dad's feelings; most parents share the same worries. They care deeply for their children and fear for their safety.
But deep down, I knew that if I couldn't stop Chen Ye Ye's corpse, the entire village could be wiped out overnight—adults or children alike. So running away wasn't an option; I had to stand my ground.
Even if I couldn't win, I had to fight. That was the only thing I could do for the village.
Once my dad left the room, my companions who hadn't seen me in three years immediately surrounded me. Monkey was the first to speak up. "Ling Feng, how come you're so amazing now? My dad told me you were incredible last night; you took down Chen Ye Ye's corpse like it was a wild beast..."
I smiled and waved my hand dismissively. "That's just what I'm supposed to do."
Er Gouzi looked enviously at me. " Ling Feng, when are you going to teach us a few moves? We want to show off at school too."
Hearing this made me straighten my face and mimic my master’s serious tone. With my hands behind my back, I said, "We practice our skills not to show off or impress girls but to subdue demons and protect our home. It's about keeping our world clear and safe."
Seeing me act so seriously made them laugh uncontrollably, filling the room with joy and laughter.
Perhaps we were being too loud; Fo Zhang rubbed its eyes and suddenly jumped onto my shoulder, staring wide-eyed at Er Gouzi and the others.
Rats pointed at Fo Zhang jokingly and said, "Monkey, your brother has come to take you back to the mountain."
Er Gouzi found Fo Zhang adorable and reached out to pet it. However, before his hand got close enough, Fo Zhang swatted it away and bared its teeth at him.
I gently patted Fo Zhang and laughed, saying, "Our Fo Zhang is very discerning; it doesn't let ugly people touch it."
Laughter erupted among the crowd, reminiscent of three years ago. I felt a wave of nostalgia; even after such a long time apart, my companions had not forgotten me.
“Aunt Wang, what brings you here? Is there trouble again?” I asked nervously.
The visitor was indeed Aunt Wang from the Chen family, her face marked with dark circles that indicated she hadn’t rested well in days. Her eyes were puffy, but she managed to force a smile. “Ling Feng, I came to personally thank you. If it weren’t for you, who knows what might have happened?”
Seeing Aunt Wang wiping her eyes, I felt a bit embarrassed and scratched my head, smiling as I replied, “Aunt Wang, don’t mention it. It’s only natural for us to help each other out in the community.”
Aunt Wang looked at me, her expression somewhat troubled.
I encouraged her, “Aunt Wang, just speak your mind. If there’s anything I can help with, I will.”
Only then did Aunt Wang shyly express her request. “Ling Feng, technically you’ve been through a lot last night, and I shouldn’t disturb your rest. But in our village, you’re the only one capable enough to learn from the master. So… I would like to ask you to perform a rite for my father. It would bring him peace on the other side and serve as a gesture of respect from us younger ones.”
I chuckled and said, “I thought it was something serious! Leave this to me. When Chen Ye Ye is laid to rest tonight, I’ll go and chant for him. I’ll make sure he reaches paradise early.”
Then I instinctively pressed my palms together and murmured “Amitabha.”
Seeing me so earnest, Aunt Wang also joined her hands in respect before declining my offer with an excuse about being busy at home and leaving.
Er Gouzi nudged me with his elbow. “Why do I feel like you’re becoming more and more like that charlatan master of yours?”
I playfully punched Er Gouzi in the shoulder. “This is called devotion. Do you understand?”
Fo Zhang saw me and Er Gouzi having fun and joined in, scratching Er Gouzi playfully.
Er Gouzi squealed with excitement, “Look! Look! It touched me! It touched me!”
Fo Zhang had been living with me in the Immortal Cave and probably hadn’t experienced such liveliness before; soon he was playing happily with the others. Meanwhile, I sat on the bed lost in thought…
I hadn’t dared to tell Aunt Chen that there was no soul left in Chen Ye Ye’s body…
With a heavy heart, I quickly finished my meal and headed to the Chen family’s home.
The once chaotic room had been restored to order. I first lit incense for Grandmother Chen and then respectfully bowed three times.
As I moved around the curtain, I found Aunt Wang kneeling by the brazier, sobbing as she tossed yellow paper into the flames. The room was filled with the acrid smell of smoke, a distinct scent of death.
Grandmother Chen lay in the center of the room, neatly dressed on a bed made from door planks. She wore black cloth shoes, their soles connected by white thread.
Grandmother Chen appeared to be asleep, her face serene, though there seemed to be a hole in the middle of her brow.
“Aunt Wang, you should rest too. I’ll be reciting the Amitabha Sutra all night,” I urged gently.
Aunt Wang, likely overwhelmed by grief and fatigue, nodded and said, “Thank you, Ling Feng. I don’t know how to express my gratitude…”
“We’re from the same village; there’s no need for such formality,” I replied as I escorted Aunt Wang out.
With the spacious hall now empty except for me, I sat cross-legged and began reciting the Calm Heart Mantra. Once my mind was tranquil, I prepared to summon spirits.
What had happened to Grandmother Chen? I could find out by calling her soul.
Although my master had warned that at my current level, I might not even be able to summon one soul, for Grandmother Chen’s sake, I had to try.
I pulled a talisman from my clothing, known as Zhe Yang Fu. It wasn’t a talisman to block the sun but one that concealed the yang energy of the living.
After placing the talisman on my brow, I began to chant the incantation.
“East returns to east, west returns to west; dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth. If not entering the cycle of reincarnation, where can one find peace? Chen Tongwen, appear at once!”
A gust of wind blew through with a soft wailing sound, causing the white curtain to billow like a giant ghost.
If I had opened my eyes at that moment, I would have seen faint wisps of black mist rising from Grandmother Chen’s spirit cover. As I recited the Buddhist scriptures, they quickly dissipated into the air.
“Appear at once…”
“Appear at once…”
I clasped my hands together, beads of sweat already forming on my forehead.
After exhausting all my strength, I still couldn't summon back the soul of Chen Ye Ye.
I gasped for breath, and once my breathing steadied a bit, I began to recite the Amitabha Sutra.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, it is generally not appropriate to hold a burial. However, given Chen Ye Ye's special circumstances, it was better to lay him to rest early to prevent any unforeseen changes.
The matter of Chen Ye Ye had brought me considerable fame; during the year, families vied to invite me for meals. I turned them all down.
Master once said that complacency leads to regression.
Moreover, while the situation with Chen Ye Ye appeared to be perfectly resolved on the surface, a question lingered in my mind: where had Chen Ye Ye's soul truly gone?
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