Chapter 71 – Strange Dream

A beam of light fell on Wei Yang. He looked up in confusion and found himself standing in a large room. The room was terrifyingly vast, with high wooden beams that seemed to reach the ceiling. He could vaguely see fierce beasts carved into the beams. Near the wall stood a tall desk piled with jars, wooden boards, and burning incense. The curling smoke enveloped the desk, emitting a dizzying sandalwood scent.

Wei Yang reached out and gently touched the beam of light on his body. Looking up, he noticed that the carved wooden door in front of him had opened a crack, and faint cries and shouts could be heard from outside. Almost involuntarily, Wei Yang stepped forward and walked out. The threshold was alarmingly high, and the long corridor seemed endless. In corners unseen by ordinary eyes, there were patterns and statues that inspired fear. He stumbled along, and after what felt like an eternity, a courtyard appeared before him.

The courtyard was filled with a group of men. Many of them had red bands tied around their heads or arms, and some held ropes and wooden sticks. However, their faces were filled with fear. Several of them surrounded a woman with disheveled hair in the center of the courtyard, pressing her to the ground. The woman’s body was pale, and she seemed to be shirtless. Her hair was jet black and thick, cascading over her bare back like a dense net. She hung her head, her body trembling as if she were crying.

Wei Yang couldn’t help but take a few steps forward. Why were they bullying this woman? She looked so pitiful… But before he could get closer, the woman suddenly struggled, her head snapping up as she glared at him. Her eyes were long and round, her pupils dilated, resembling vertical slits. Her blood-red mouth opened wide, the corners stretching to her ears. The woman seemed to be laughing maniacally, her long, crimson tongue licking the corners of her mouth like a snake’s tongue.

His heart clenched in terror. Wei Yang stumbled backward and turned to run back into the house. What had happened to that woman? Why had she turned into that? What were those men doing? Someone… someone… help her!

His foot slipped, and he fell to the ground with a thud. His hands, body, and legs ached from the fall. Biting back tears, Wei Yang struggled to get up. His small hand pressed against the door panel, trying to steady himself, but the door silently slid open. Only then did Wei Yang realize he had run into the inner quarters. This room was his grandmother’s, and his grandfather had never allowed him to enter…

A strange fragrance wafted out from the room, like the smell of roasted chicken, or the sulfurous scent of lit firecrackers, mixed with a nauseating stench of blood. Unable to help himself, he peered inside. A thin figure sat with its back to the door, its gray hair cascading over its shoulders. A bony hand held a wooden comb, slowly running it through the hair. The movement was eerily graceful, as if a serene lady were grooming herself. But in front of her was not a mirror but a large sea bowl steaming with heat. The strange fragrance was wafting from the bowl.

Wei Yang was transfixed, as if the bizarre scene had captured his soul. He felt like he should recognize that figure. Was it… Grandma?

He called out. At the sound of his voice, the combing hand suddenly stopped. After a moment of stillness, the figure moved, turning its head very, very slowly. A surge of intense fear rose within Wei Yang, and he almost screamed. He felt like he shouldn’t be seeing this. He should… leave!

A pair of large hands suddenly covered his eyes, and he was lifted into someone’s arms. The embrace was warm and comforting, carrying a familiar, reassuring scent. A voice, old but gentle, echoed in his ear, as if comforting him: “Yangyang, come with Grandpa. Don’t look at this. Don’t look…”

Don’t look…

With a start, Wei Yang’s eyes snapped open. Darkness enveloped him. He was lying on an unfamiliar wooden bed, his back cold and sticky with sweat that had soaked the sheets. Fear gripped his heart like a claw. Gasping for breath, he struggled to sit up, but his arm brushed against another body. The person’s warmth was comforting, and their soft breathing was steady and calm, as if they were in the most peaceful sleep. The faint scent of shower gel lingered in the air, bringing a familiar sense of security.

Wei Yang’s movements stilled, and his wildly beating heart gradually calmed. He remembered where he was and who lay beside him. The fear that had driven him to the brink of madness vanished, and everything returned to calm. Taking a deep breath, he lay back down. Although his back was still uncomfortable, the suffocating fear was gone.

Yet the scenes from the dream became even clearer. He didn’t remember witnessing anything like that, but the details of the mansion were so vivid, as if they had truly happened. Had he really seen such a scene during a spirit exorcism when he was young? What had his grandfather not wanted him to see?

His thoughts were in turmoil. Wei Yang turned slightly, moving closer to the person beside him, and quietly closed his eyes.

Early the next morning, as his aunt opened the door, she saw Wei Yang standing in the courtyard and exclaimed in surprise, “Xiao Yang, you’re up so early? Why not sleep a little longer?”

“I slept too much yesterday, so I woke up early today. We’re going up the mountain later, so it’s good to save some time,” Wei Yang replied with a smile.

His family’s ancestral grave was in a small mountain hollow near the village, about ten miles away. Just going up and down the mountain would take a lot of time, and they also needed to visit the ancestral home, so it was best to start early.

His aunt nodded in understanding, “Ah, I see. Wait here, breakfast will be ready soon.”

With two guests to feed, his aunt worked quickly, and soon a steaming hot meal was on the table. There was fragrant yellow corn porridge, white steamed buns, pickled small fish, bright yellow salted duck eggs, and a few green vegetables. The spread was mouthwatering.

Wei Yang didn’t stand on ceremony and ate heartily with the Little Celestial Master. After breakfast, they packed some drinking water and offerings for the ancestral grave before leaving his uncle’s courtyard and heading into the mountains.

It was just past seven in the morning, and the mountain path was still quiet. The road to the hollow wasn’t paved; it was an original dirt path, uneven and pitted, with wild grass and low shrubs growing along the sides. Occasionally, they could see orchards fenced off on the distant slopes, adding a bit of life to the otherwise desolate mountain.

Under normal circumstances, Wei Yang would have tried to lighten the mood with some conversation, but today, he was unusually quiet. It wasn’t just because of the nightmare from the previous night but also because he was going to pay respects to his grandfather, who had raised him from childhood. After his grandmother’s death, he had never returned to his hometown. The words “Don’t come back, don’t enter the ancestral grave” had hurt him deeply, and he had developed a rebellious streak because of it. But now, back in the place where he had grown up, walking on the land he had tread countless times, his emotions became complicated, like the apprehension of returning home after a long absence.

With these mixed feelings, it took them over an hour to reach the mountain hollow where the Wei Family’s ancestral graves were located. It was quite far from Wei Family Village. If one stood at the mountain’s peak, they could vaguely see a corner of the village, but from within the cemetery, all that could be seen were the low surrounding hills and a shallow river winding around the mountain’s base.

Although it was far from the village, the cemetery was well-maintained. The grass on the graves had been cleared, and the tombstones, though dusty, had clear inscriptions. His grandfather’s grave was on the side of the cemetery, marked by a large black tombstone. The epitaph had been carved by a renowned calligrapher, and the bold, vigorous strokes resembled the old man’s figure, exuding a sense of elegance.

Wei Yang still remembered the scene during the funeral. Almost the entire village had turned out, marching in a long procession along the narrow path to this small mountain hollow to pay their respects to the old man. There were also many people from the jianghu whom he didn’t recognize, all with solemn and respectful expressions. If the respect one received in life could be attributed to status and position, then the respect one received after death was undoubtedly a reflection of their character. And his grandfather was precisely the kind of person who deserved such respect.

Taking a plate from his backpack, Wei Yang placed some fruits and a few of his grandfather’s favorite snacks on it. He then lit incense and set up a wine cup before bowing three times respectfully in front of the grave. There were many things he wanted to say to his grandfather, but what came out was, “Grandpa, this is my new friend, Zhang Xiuqi. He’s the Little Celestial Master from Longhu Mountain, a big deal. I brought him to see you. Brother Qi, this is my grandfather, Wei Changfeng. He raised me from childhood, and we lived together for over a decade. It’s a pity…”

Before he could finish, Zhang Xiuqi, who had been standing beside him, knelt down. Without concern for the dirt beneath his knees, he bowed respectfully to the tombstone. As a friend, such a gesture was excessive, especially for someone like the Little Celestial Master, who seemed to have no understanding of etiquette. But his actions were solemn, as if he were paying respects to his own family.

Wei Yang’s throat tightened, and he was momentarily speechless. The two of them knelt in silence for a while. When the incense stick had burned halfway, Wei Yang stood up and helped the Little Celestial Master to his feet, brushing the dirt off his knees. “Brother Qi, thank you for coming with me. If Grandpa had lived a few more years, he would have been thrilled to see me latch onto someone as impressive as you.”

There was a teasing tone in his voice, and Zhang Xiuqi didn’t seem to understand, but he seemed to sense something and patted Wei Yang’s forehead. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying,” Wei Yang really wasn’t crying. Instead, he forced a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “After all, it’s been so long. Time is the best healer. By the way, Brother Qi, our ancestral grave has excellent feng shui, doesn’t it? When I came here with Grandpa back then, I was too young to notice anything.”

Back then, Wei Yang had just been a little kid and naturally didn’t have such concepts. Now, however, he was a seasoned swindler with a fair bit of professional knowledge. Even if he couldn’t locate dragon veins or pinpoint feng shui spots, he could at least assess an existing grave.

Unlike the village cemetery where most of the Wei Family Village was buried, Wei Yang’s ancestors had clearly chosen this specific location for their graves. Although the surrounding area was dotted with low hills, the terrain was gentle, and the vegetation was lush. A shallow stream wound around the base of the mountain, somewhat aligning with the feng shui principle of “dragon and tiger sand” and “reversed water flow.” However, the mountain’s low elevation made the qi of the site somewhat prolonged. While it wasn’t fit for kings or generals, it should have been sufficient to ensure prosperity and well-being.

Zhang Xiuqi clearly understood these principles as well. He nodded but then frowned. “Only Grandpa?”

The Little Celestial Master had observed carefully. The tombstone only bore Wei Changfeng’s name, and the descendants’ burial area behind the tomb was empty. However, Wei Yang’s parents and grandmother had already passed away. Why weren’t they buried in this ancestral grave?

This question hit the mark. Wei Yang forced a smile. “Grandma was a shamaness. After her death, she couldn’t be buried directly. She had to undergo a bone-washing burial before she could be properly interred and buried with Grandpa. As for my parents, they died in a car accident and couldn’t be moved to the ancestral grave. They were cremated and buried in the county cemetery.”

Zhang Xiuqi’s furrowed brows didn’t relax. He shook his head slightly. “Car accident, no need. Cremation is enough.”

No matter how tragic the death, as long as the proper rituals were performed to dispel any lingering resentment, they could still be buried. Cremation also served to eliminate malevolent energy. In theory, there was no reason why they “couldn’t be buried in the ancestral grave.” Zhang Xiuqi understood these principles, and his words immediately made Wei Yang pause. These reasons had been told to him directly by his grandfather. Having been raised by the old man, Wei Yang had naturally taken his word for it.

But now, he was hearing a completely different answer. Hesitantly glancing at the small cemetery, Wei Yang asked softly, “Then what kind of situation would prevent someone from being buried in the ancestral grave, not even in the village’s main cemetery?”

“Possessed by a malevolent spirit, corpse rising after death.” The eight words were spoken succinctly, but they carried an eerie chill even in the daylight. A breeze swept through the hollow, whistling as if echoing his words.

Wei Yang didn’t respond. In truth, he had already begun to form some suspicions. Why had his grandfather never spoken to him about his parents? Why had he claimed that the Longhu Mountain Jade Talisman was a relic left by his parents? Under what circumstances had they encountered Zhang Xiuqi’s father and obtained this talisman from him?

Those possessed by malevolent spirits and those who turned into ghosts after death couldn’t be buried in the ancestral grave. His parents hadn’t been buried there, and even he himself had been barred from the ancestral grave by his grandmother. Was all of this connected to that “car accident” from years ago? Delving deeper, his uncle was a genuinely honest man. Even if he was superstitious, he shouldn’t have clung so firmly to his beliefs. What had convinced him that his grandmother’s words were absolutely correct and that Wei Yang was a calamity waiting to happen?

Clenching his fists, Wei Yang chuckled softly. “It seems we’ve found our starting point. Let’s try to get some information from Uncle when we get back.”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t respond, but he gently patted Wei Yang’s forehead again. Comforted by the clumsy gesture, Wei Yang’s expression softened. After the candle burned out, he bent down to collect the offerings from the ground and slung his backpack over his shoulder. “Brother Qi, let’s head down the mountain. We still need to visit the ancestral home.”

The journey down the mountain took longer than the ascent. Instead of heading toward his uncle’s house at the village entrance, they took a detour, following a small path along the mountain’s side. Along the way, they snacked on some of the offerings to stave off hunger. It took them an extra half hour to reach the edge of the village. By then, both of them were starving, so they stopped at a small roadside restaurant and ordered a hearty meal.

Before the food arrived, a group of people carrying a coffin and white funeral banners passed by. Wei Yang glanced at them and asked the restaurant owner, “Auntie, is someone holding a funeral? Why are there so few people? Are frugal funerals in fashion now?”

“Not at all! Young man, you’re not from Wei Village, are you? Funerals here always involve a lot of noise and wailing.” The middle-aged woman immediately perked up, setting the plate in her hand on the table and speaking in a mysterious tone. “They’re not holding a funeral. They’re conducting a bone-washing ceremony!”

“Bone-washing?” Wei Yang frowned. “Are they washing the bones of the dead? I heard that’s a southern custom. In the north, the tradition is to bury the dead and let them rest in peace.”

“Oh, you know quite a bit!” The woman wiped her hands on her apron, looking proud of her knowledge. “But ordinary people around here don’t practice bone-washing. It’s the Jiang Family from the neighboring county that likes to do this. There’s a reason for it. It’s said that shamans and spirit mediums often invite spirits into their bodies, so their bones carry some evil energy. They’re afraid that if they’re buried, something might go wrong, so they dig up the bones, wash them, and inspect the coffin to make sure everything’s fine before reburying them. But in recent years, their family’s tradition has faded, so I guess there won’t be many more bone-washings.”

Wei Yang pretended to be curious. “So this bone-washing is for a shaman or spirit medium? Did this village have such a person?”

“Ah, child, even if you don’t believe it, don’t speak carelessly. The person being bone-washed was the famous Jiang Nu. Her reputation extended far beyond the village; people from all over would come to seek her help. But in recent years, something went wrong a few times, and her influence waned. The younger generation doesn’t believe in this anymore; they all run to psychiatric hospitals. Can doctors really cure these things? It’s just a waste of money. So, sometimes, the old ways aren’t bad; they just aren’t passed down.”

Perhaps because running a shop had sharpened her mind, the woman had her own philosophical insights. But after showing off her knowledge, she quickly added, “But you young folks shouldn’t go poking around out of curiosity! Bone-washing ceremonies aren’t for outsiders to watch. If you sneak a peek, you might get chased away! By the way, what are you two doing here?”

“We’re here for hiking and sightseeing, a free trip. Have you heard of ‘backpackers,’ Auntie?” Wei Yang smiled innocently. The woman clearly wasn’t from the village, and he had been away for so long that she wouldn’t recognize him as a “local.”

Sure enough, the woman snorted, “Backpackers? Just people who don’t pay for tickets and wander around! I know your type. You’re young; you shouldn’t take such risks. Enjoy yourselves, but remember, life is more important.”

Faced with such earnest advice, Wei Yang chuckled and changed the subject, but his gaze lingered on the group of people dressed in white mourning clothes. In that brief glance, he had spotted a thin, elderly man in the group—his grandmother’s older brother, his maternal uncle. He was a direct descendant of the Jiang Family, and it was likely that he was presiding over this bone-washing ceremony. Although his grandmother had treated him poorly, this uncle had been surprisingly kind to him. However, Wei Yang had never liked the cold aura the man exuded. Whatever they were planning for this three-year ceremony, it was best to avoid it.

After finishing their meal, Wei Yang didn’t linger and continued toward the other side of the village. Wei Family Village was an old settlement with a long history. Although it had expanded in recent years, the boundary between the old and new parts of the village was still clear, with various markers firmly in place. At the westernmost edge of the village was one such marker—a corner that had never been expanded.

After navigating a winding, uneven path, a large mansion came into view at the end of the road.