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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 1: Corpse (Twelve)
A seemingly plump child with wrinkled skin and curly hair appeared before us.
This child was not an ordinary one; its skin, sharp nails, and the two pointed teeth protruding from its lips made it easy to understand how it could have bitten and killed livestock. This was a remnant left behind by the burial of Zeng Shufen, who we initially thought had simply suffered from a swollen belly due to water retention, unaware that she was pregnant.
If Zeng Shufen had died a natural death, it would have been one thing, but unfortunately, she had died unjustly, filled with resentment. Even in death, her anger lingered in her obsessions and nurtured the fetus within her. The fetus survived by feeding on the corpse's energy.
I could assert that Zeng Shufen's organs had been devoured by this fetus, leaving behind a lifelike shell, thanks in no small part to the Demon Fetus. As it grew slightly larger, it emerged from the grave in search of living beings to drain of their blood, using its own Evil Energy to preserve its mother's appearance.
Just as the Demon Fetus stirred and was about to awaken, I acted swiftly. With a flick of my hand, I unleashed Purgatory Flame aimed at the curled-up form of the Demon Fetus in her belly, intending to incinerate both it and its mother. At that moment, the Demon Fetus opened its ghostly eyes, revealing a pair of eerie green pupils reminiscent of cat's eyes.
A beam of light shot from its pupils, colliding with my Purgatory Flame in a thunderous clash that sent sparks flying. The Demon Fetus quickly crawled out with astonishing speed, akin to a leatherback turtle gliding through water at speeds up to five kilometers per hour. If it managed to escape this time, it would undoubtedly lead to unimaginable consequences.
However, humans had never encountered such a creature crawling from the belly of the dead. Upon seeing it emerge, they screamed in terror and scattered in all directions. The mother’s body was temporarily subdued by my Exorcism Talisman, but this Demon Fetus had been feeding on living beings for too long; its power had increased significantly, making it no easy task to deal with.
It couldn't be allowed to escape; if it did, the villagers of Zeng Family Bay would suffer.
Fortunately, I had previously set up an Ink Thread formation with Bagua Luodi. As the Demon Fetus dashed around wildly, crashing into everything in its path with explosive sounds, smoke billowed from its body as it revealed its ferocious nature and lunged toward me. I let out a cold laugh and lightly traced my finger along my dagger: "Just what I needed."
Before my words could fade away, the Demon Fetus let out a strange cry as it leaped into the air with its limbs outstretched like claws, baring its sharp teeth as it lunged at me. I nimbly dodged and aimed my dagger at its abdomen for a powerful slash. This dagger was no ordinary weapon; it contained countless malevolent energies and was one of my master’s cherished weapons during his life—used for slaying countless enemies and later for vanquishing spirits. The accumulated malice on its blade would unleash all its might against formidable foes.
Thus, this strike had to be precise and ruthless. When I struck true, the Demon Fetus let out a shriek and rolled back toward its mother’s side, appearing weak and gasping for breath. Its eerie green Demon Eyes dimmed considerably as it gazed longingly at its mother; its grotesque mouth moved as if trying to say something.
At that moment, my Purgatory Flame surged into action as I snapped my fingers.
Zeng Shufen’s corpse suddenly sprang up as if alive; her arms stretched out straight as she bounced up.
What a fright! A hollow shell without organs suddenly jumping up like that would scare anyone; even I felt a chill run down my spine. However, unlike them, I had seen enough bizarre occurrences to remain unfazed. Those who couldn’t handle the shock cried out in terror; if not for Qin Jian being present, they would have fled in panic.
Zeng Shufen jumped up, but she had no intention of confronting anyone. Instead, she winked at me, her lips moving slightly, and then she fell down in a graceful manner.
I understood her meaning; she wanted to be buried together with this Deadbeat fetus. I quickly gathered people around and drew a circle on the ground, asking them to step inside and see who had a ready-made coffin at home.
"I have one, it's prepared for my grandmother," said a sturdy, tall man who was bolder than the others.
"Great, hurry back and discuss it with your family. We'll buy your grandmother's coffin at any price you set."
The tall man left.
Tian Baigan informed me, "His name is Luo Xin. He has a ninety-two-year-old grandmother, and they've prepared the coffin for many years. It was set up after his grandmother fell seriously ill many years ago. Interestingly, after she had been sick for a week, someone went to see her. After that visit, she recovered, but the visitor died."
"Who was the visitor?"
"Grandma Zeng."
"Oh."
Tian Baigan continued, "When Luo Xin's grandmother woke up, the first thing she said was that she would go to the Underworld. She told Yama that she still had a long life ahead of her—at least another twenty years—before returning to the living."
"What year is it now since she woke up?"
Tian Baigan scratched his head, unable to remember.
Others joined in trying to recall until one person finally said, "This is the eighteenth year; Luo Xin's grandmother fell ill when she was in her seventies."
I realized that both Grandma Zeng's matter and Luo Xin's grandmother's situation were predestined, along with Zeng Shufen's hint about the fetus being born from a caesarean section. There are distinctions between evil people and good ones among humans, just as there are between evil spirits and benevolent ghosts.
I said, "Neither Grandma Zeng nor Zeng Shufen wants to harm the villagers. However, this evil fetus is different. If there is a next life, Zeng Shufen wouldn't be so foolish; the child in her womb must be related to someone from Ten Li Slope. Therefore, if possible, please recite scriptures for Zeng Shufen and her mother to help them find peace. We will also identify the person responsible for this wrongdoing and make them pay a price to quell Shufen and her mother's grievances. Only then can we naturally resolve the evil surrounding this fetus."
Hearing this, everyone present lowered their heads as if they dared not delve deeper.
Luo Xin's return this time was unavoidable due to the matter of the coffin, which stirred many people. His parents came, along with many villagers. Those whose livestock had been killed also showed up, including the village chief.
With Qin Jian present, these people could only watch from a distance.
Our arrival was timely, allowing Tian Baigan to convey my intentions. In Zeng Family Bay, there were several elderly practitioners who believed strongly in spirits and had done many good deeds throughout their lives. I proposed that they lead the chanting to guide Zeng Shufen's soul and expressed my wish to bury Zeng Shufen alongside her child, then relocate the grave to the Zeng Family ancestral tomb.
The villagers stated that as long as this matter could be settled and no more deaths or livestock attacks occurred, they would support whatever I decided.
Only the village chief and his wife remained noncommittal, insisting that this matter was entirely separate. They demanded that Zeng Shufen's body be buried on-site. Luo Xin discussed with his parents and, considering Grandma Zeng had previously visited their deceased mother, they were willing to provide a coffin for Zeng Shufen without asking for any payment.
The villagers understood the situation well, but the village chief remained stubborn in his views.
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