Chapter 51 The Living Dead
Ye Shaoyang took his time to prepare. Then, the three of them went to the school gate to meet with Old Guo and Li Duo. Ye Shaoyang hopped onto Old Guo's worn-down Passat, while Li Duo and Xiao Ma boarded Xie Yuqing's police car. The two cars drove out of the school and headed south. Before long, they arrived in the hills area.
"This whole area, including the university campus, used to be a mountain area. But the land was cheap, so more and more universities moved into this area. Now, it has become a city of universities," Old Guo explained as he drove.
"If not for you, I wouldn't even know they buried the Japanese soldiers at Mount Qiuyun. But I did hear from old folks here that this place is haunted. Quite a number of villagers died here. In the end, everyone fled, so the land became abandoned till today."
Ye Shaoyang shook his head, "Luckily, it is still abandoned. More people could have died, which would form another spirit nest if anyone tried to redevelop this place."
As they drove further into the mountain, the road narrowed. It was not even paved. Finally, they reached a point where the cars could no longer travel any further. They stopped the car and walked the rest of the way. Xie Yuqing and Old Guo were locals. They knew the place better, so they led the group toward a mountaintop. Soon, Old Guo ran short of breath. He pointed at a mountain at the opposite side as he panted, "That is Mount Qiuyun. Little junior brother, shall we start from the foot of the mountain?"
"No need for that. The bodies are buried right there." Ye Shaoyang directly pointed toward the valley that connected the two mountains. It was only a spot covered with rocks and grasses. Nothing about the spot seemed to suggest anything abnormal.
"It seems like just an ordinary valley. How do you know the bodies are buried there?" Xie Yuqing asked.
Instead of explaining, Ye Shaoyang signaled to Old Guo, who took out a bottle of cow's tears and sprayed it onto everyone's eyes. The sight that appeared before their eyes startled them—thick black and red mist filled the valley.
"The red mist is the demon Qi. The black one is the corpse Qi. This means that there are corpses and demons underneath that spot, so it must be the right spot."
Old Guo looked more worried than ever, "The Japanese soldiers have died so long ago. Their corpse Qi should have dissipated long ago. How did it linger here until now? Besides, where did the demon Qi come from?"
Ye Shaoyang replied, "The corpse Qi is lingering here for a few more decades than natural. This really proves that something is not right about this place. We should go have a closer look."
Ye Shaoyang took out his Yin Yang Compass and led the group toward the spot. He wanted to use the Golden Fengshui Locating Technique to find the source of the corpse Qi. Instead, he noticed a curious little cottage nearby. It was a small cottage house built by the hillside. Vines and grass covered it. It was as though the hill had swallowed and assimilated the house. But Ye Shaoyang noticed something else. The cottage emitted a tiny sliver of demon Qi mixed with corpse Qi. There must be something sinister inside.
Old Guo quickly noticed this too. He analyzed, " This is a house of the dead. It sits at the south, but it faces the north. This building has no windows. Nobody can stay here alive."
"Indeed, this is not a place for the living. Come, let's pay the deceased a visit. Guys, be really careful. Be ready for a fight at any time."
Immediately, the others felt their hearts thump faster in anxiety. What creature awaited them inside the cottage?
It seemed like any other cottage, except for the lack of windows. The wooden door at the front was locked from the inside. When he stood before the door, Ye Shaoyang could sense a chilly air that streamed out through the crack. Just when he held up his hand to knock the door, it opened by itself.
It was completely dark inside, as sunlight could not enter without any windows. Ye Shaoyang inhaled deeply. He could smell something—a pungent smell that was a mixture of demon and corpse Qi. He sensed danger and instantly grew alert. He quietly signaled for everyone to be alert. He took out a torch from his backpack and switched it on before he entered. Then, he cleared his throat and asked, "Anybody home?".
Under the faint torchlight, he saw that the interior of the cottage was arranged like any normal village house. It was quite simple, with a dining table, a few tools, and some old furniture. A mosquito net covered the bed at the corner, and it was hard to tell if there was anyone inside.
There was a room at the left side of the living room, which a closed door separated. Some faint noises audibly creaked from the room. Ye Shaoyang could already sense the thickness of the Qi that leaked from the other side of the door. He signaled for everyone to come into the living hall. Then, they sat down on the stools in a circle. Ye Shaoyang walked to the side of the door and intentionally spoke with a loud voice, "I guess it's a kitchen behind this door. Let me go in and see if there's a stove. I'll boil some water for us."
Just when he wanted to push the door, it opened and revealed a small figure.
Ye Shaoyang could see the figure clearly under the faint light. It was an old woman. She was as thin as a matchstick, and he could see her bones that stuck out from her body. Her face was all wrinkled, but she had big eyes. Under the light, her eyes looked shiny from the reflection. It was almost like her eyes shone with light. Ye Shaoyang took a step backward. He smiled politely, "Sorry if we disturbed you. We didn't notice there was someone inside. We are on the road, so we came in to get some rest because we thought that this is an empty house."
"No worries. Since you are already here, stay and get some rest," the woman answered with a rather weak voice. It made her sound even older than she looked—a creepy voice that sent chills up all their spines.
"Thank you for your kindness," Ye Shaoyang backed further into the hall and sat down with the group. The thin old woman walked with a hunch. But everyone noticed her bulging stomach. It was as though she was pregnant. Her clothes could barely cover her big belly, which trembled with every step she took.
Ye Shaoyang frowned, as he wondered was inside her stomach.
She slowly approached the group's sitting location. When she finally stopped walking, she stood and stared at each and every one of them from head to toe with her weirdly big eyes.
"Granny, do you live here alone?" Ye Shaoyang asked.
The old lady simply nodded and turned around. She walked back into the room, as she mumbled, "I'll boil some water for you to drink."
Once she was gone, the group nervously whispered, as they discussed what had just happened. Xiao Ma asked in the lowest voice he could muster, "Is she a human or a ghost?"
Ye Shaoyang shushed Xiao Ma, signaling for him to keep quiet.
Since Xiao Ma was a bit overweight, he was having a hard time sitting on the stool obviously too small for his size. He got up and walked over to the bed and sat on it. Then, he slid open the mosquito net. However, the sight that appeared stunned him. He covered his mouth and ran toward Ye Shaoyang. He could not even speak for a few seconds, and all he could do was point at the bed with a panicked face. Ye Shaoyang went over to the bed. On the bed was a body that laid stiff and straight. A head full of white hair, a dry, thin, matchstick-like body, and a pair of wide-open, impossibly big eyes. Everyone immediately recognized the body.
"Oh my god!" Xie Yuqing gasped in horror, as she covered her mouth with her hand, "Isn't this the old lady just now?"
The old woman had just entered the kitchen. There was no way she could be on the bed. They looked closer, but it was indeed the same person. Suddenly, horror filled the air. Everyone could feel goosebumps cover their bodies, and their hearts started to race.
"What are you looking at?" the voice of the old lady came from behind them. They turned around to see her standing at the door, staring at them blankly. Her face completely lacked emotion. In fact, it felt like her eyes were ice-cold.
How was it possible for her to be on the bed and in the hall at the same time?
If the one that laid on the bed was her, then what was the creature that stood there looking at them? Everyone could feel their spines turn cold and their legs grow weak. If Ye Shaoyang was not with them, they would have immediately fled the house.
"The lady sleeping in the bed looks just like you. Are you sisters?" Ye Shaoyang asked the lady, as though nothing had happened. He was extraordinarily calm, and he could even smile when he spoke. The old lady did not answer. Instead, she offered, "I've boiled some water. Are you guys hungry? How about some food?"
"No thank you. We are not really hungry," Xiao Ma immediately replied. He did not want to eat anything she made, especially when he was not even sure what she was made of. When she heard this, the old lady suddenly smiled and revealed her teeth. Anyone who had reached her age would have no teeth left, but this lady had a mouthful of teeth. And to their horror, she had a complete set of teeth but each tooth was sharp! To be more precise, she had a mouthful of fangs!
Join our discord channel at to discuss spoilers ;)
Please give us some feedback here
And please please vote for us!!
Chapter 52 Three-tailed Centipede
"You aren't hungry, but it is," the old lady looked at her stomach. Then, she used her dry, bony hands to tear her own clothes, which exposed her round belly. Her next actions caused some of them to scream in horror; she dug her bare hands into her stomach, and black blood oozed out. Immediately, a putrid stench filled the room. A black creature squeezed out from her stomach and tore it apart. The creature's head was shiny, black, and flat. Pushing itself out of her stomach, the creature widened its jaw and hissed, as its head twitched.
"Centipede!" Xie Yuqing uncontrollably screamed. It was indeed a centipede crawling out from the old lady's stomach! There was no point in acting friendly anymore. Ye Shaoyang immediately moved forward and chopped toward her neck with his date wood sword. The old lady raised her hand and tried to grasp the sword, but the move was just a feint. Ye Shaoyang chanted an incantation and a flash of golden light visibly emanated from the wooden sword. He wielded the wooden sword and slashed at the old lady's neck, severing her head from her body. In an instant, blood spurted out. Ye Shaoyang shook the sword to rid it of the blood.
The head flew toward Xiao Ma. When he saw a black object flying toward him, he reflexively caught it. But to his horror, the head was still alive! It opened its mouth and bit Xiao Ma's finger. "Damn!" Xiao Ma flung the head away, and it flew toward Old Guo. It fell into his arms and gnawed at Old Guo's clothes. Old Guo did not hesitate. He drew out his jujube wood sword. He slashed the head a few more times and sliced it into mutilated chunks. Black blood spilled everywhere, and the head finally stopped moving. "You almost killed me; you bastard!" Old Guo scolded Xiao Ma.
Although she no longer had a head, she was still standing. With a slight struggle, the centipede soon carved a gaping hole through her stomach. Blood flowed out like water, as it wiggled itself out of the old woman's body. Intestines and all sorts of organs flew everywhere. It was not a scene for the weak-hearted. Ye Shaoyang held up the sword and aimed it at the centipede. He wanted to slash its head off, but the centipede had much faster reflexes. Suddenly, it raised its head and snatched the sword in the air with its jaws. Ye Shaoyang had not expected this. Before he could react, the centipede had already thrown away the sword. "This creature is strong!" Ye Shaoyang was not intimidated, but he raised his vigilance. He tightly gripped his right hand to form a hand seal. Then, his right hand slapped toward the centipede's head. The centipede opened its jaws again, as it attempted to bite his hand. Ye Shaoyang smirked, as he avoided the centipede's jaws. He had prepared himself this time. The centipede missed, and now it was his turn. He fiercely slapped the centipede's head.
The centipede hissed, and it sprayed a white gas from its mouth. It shook its body and coiled back. Then, it launched itself out of the lady's body in a spring-like fashion. Everyone gasped when they saw the creature in the air. It was a huge centipede with three tails!
"Three-tailed centipede!" Old Guo exclaimed, "Back off everyone! Beware!"
As he cautioned the others, the centipede charged right at him. He quickly chanted for protection and raised his sword to face the attack. Old Guo's level of cultivation was relatively low, so his chant was not that powerful. He could feel the impact of the centipede's charge bearing down on his right hand. His hand grew sore, and the sword slipped out of his grip. Despite this, the three-tailed centipede suffered a loss too. It quickly understood that this man was not its best choice for prey. While this man was hardly as powerful as the young guy it fought just now, this man was still enough to deal some damage to it. It quickly found its next target—Xiao Ma. It altered its course and launched itself toward him.
Xiao Ma was not prepared for a fight. Just a second ago, the centipede was fighting with Old Guo, so he did not expect the centipede to charge at him. He took a few steps backward in panic, but he had forgotten about the bed behind him. He fell right onto the bed and landed on top of the old lady's body. He tried to get up, but the centipede swiftly caught up with him and pressed onto him. Then, its huge body shrank to the size of a normal centipede. Before Xiao Ma could do anything, it crawled into Xiao Ma's body through his mouth. "Oh no!" Ye Shaoyang exclaimed, as he ran over to Xiao Ma and grabbed the centipede's tails. He did not dare to exert too much force on the tails, lest he accidentally broke the tails apart. Such an action would not kill the centipede. Instead, it would allow the creature to crawl further inside Xiao Ma's body and cause lethal damage.
Ye Shaoyang turned to Old Guo, as his hand continued to grasp the centipede, "Quick, senior brother, give him realgar water!"
Old Guo immediately put down his backpack. He took out a small porcelain bowl and poured some realgar powder into it. He could not find any drinking water, so the liquid in the spray bottle had to do. He opened the bottle, poured the liquid into the bowl, mixed it, and poured the solution into Xiao Ma's throat.
"Inhale, Xiao Ma! Suck it in!"
Xiao Ma inhaled deeply. The liquid flowed into his throat and directly landed on the centipede. It seemed to immediately react to the liquid, and it started to convulse. It desperately tried to back out through the throat and escape, but Ye Shaoyang still had a firm hold on it. He pulled the centipede out of Xiao Ma's throat and tightly gripped its vital point. With his other hand, he took out an ancient coin, as he prepared to chant and destroy the centipede.
"Junior brother, slow down! Don't kill it; it might be useful to us!" Old Guo stopped Ye Shaoyang. He took out a red string, dipped it into the realgar, and carefully wrapped it around the centipede's jaws. Next, he wrote on two talisman papers, added some realgar powder, and stuck the two talismans back to back, with a small space in between to hold the centipede. The talisman papers trapped the centipede, and the red string bound its jaws, so it could not move at all now.
"Hehe, look at this little junior brother. This is a rare three-tailed centipede. What a waste to just kill it!"
Ye Shaoyang knew the thoughts on Old Guo's mind. He replied, "This centipede fed on the flesh and blood of the living dead. Corpse Qi infests it. Cleansing this centipede would be a tough job."
"No worries. We can do this slowly. Imagine how useful it would be to us if we succeed. This centipede is good enough to fight any average level spirit."
Ye Shaoyang did not agree, but he felt it was not his place to comment any further. He gave some cautionary advice, and that was it. Ye Shaoyang turned around to find Xiao Ma. The fellow was holding his throat, and his face was completely red. He was struggling on the bed with tears all over his face. Ye Shaoyang immediately asked with worry, "Did the centipede bite you in your throat just now?"
Xiao Ma managed to shake his head, and he finally managed to get up after a short struggle. He unzipped his backpack and took out a bottle of drinking water. He rinsed his mouth and poured the remaining water into his nose. After quite some time, he finally got a hold of himself. He scolded Old Guo, "What the hell is wrong with you? What did you pour into my throat? I almost died!"
"But it's only realgar; how could it be that bad?" Old Guo was confused as well.
Ye Shaoyang picked up the bottle that Old Guo had used and sniffed it. It was the smell of pepper. He showed Old Guo the bottle, as he shook his head, "You are really something. Why did you mix this pepper water into realgar? No wonder he was suffering!"
Old Guo smacked his own head, as he realized his mistake. His face turned red with embarrassment, "I'm truly sorry my friend! I was panicking just now, so I picked up whatever bottle with liquid inside. Who could have guessed it was the bottle of pepper spray! Forgive me, Xiao Ma!"
Xie Yuqing laughed as she looked at this mess, "Why did you bring pepper spray? Does it scare away spirits?"
"Well, no, this is different." Old Guo answered; he still looked embarrassed, "My daughter is going to study abroad. I bought her a bottle of pepper spray so that she can guard off any perverts coming at her. I haven't been able to pass the bottle to her, so I kept it in my bag."
Xiao Ma was still in tears, as the effects of the pepper spray had not worn off yet, "I haven't even met her yet. How could I be the one to get sprayed when I've done nothing to her?"
Join our discord channel at to discuss spoilers ;)
Please give us some feedback here
And please please vote for us!!