Chapter Forty-Two: Terms

Wang Erjun kept pressing me, asking why I was so certain that Grandfather Wang Jiu was innocent.

I hesitated for a moment, then briefly told Wang Erjun about my mother.

I also explained that my certainty stemmed from the fact that Grandfather Wang Jiu had told me to dig up my mother's grave, and in the end, it was my mother who helped. If that was the case, how could he possibly deceive me?

Wang Erjun finally stopped asking further questions.

Just then, Granny Li walked over to the entrance of the ancestral hall and called out to me.

I turned around and immediately went to her.

A grave look appeared on Granny Li's face. "Child, I have to stay here with Uncle Jiu to make some preparations. Tonight we won't be able to go back. The Ghost Fetus is far too powerful, and who knows if Liu the funeral master and the vengeful spirits managed to catch it. We have to be ready for anything. You and Erjun need to help gather some things."

I nodded and glanced at Wang Erjun.

He nodded as well, though his eyes were red. Suddenly, he said, "Granny, those damned old ghosts—can we destroy them utterly?"

Granny Li furrowed her brow. "Vengeful ghosts refuse to pass on, harming the living. Killing them is possible. But too much killing breeds new resentment, and when reincarnating, the judges of the underworld will mark it against you. Ordinary people fear evil spirits and avoid them unless necessary. The old ghosts you're talking about must be the ones from the graveyard—the ones that crawled out when you left the village, spirits who've lingered for decades?"

Wang Erjun gritted his teeth and nodded.

I sighed inwardly. Granny Li knew some of what happened when we left, but not everything.

At least, on our way home, Wang Erjun hadn't mentioned that his father's soul had been scattered.

I wasn't sure if he'd told his mother everything.

As I was lost in thought, Wang Erjun suddenly knelt before Granny Li. His voice was hoarse and full of sorrow. "Granny, my father didn't just die. To let us leave the village, he sacrificed himself and his soul was scattered to stop those old ghosts. If I can't avenge him, my life is wasted."

Granny Li sighed and was silent for a long moment before speaking. "Fat boy, if you must kill some evil spirits, I won't stop you. Xiao Hei's blood is fiercely potent—just a dab on your forehead will terrify any ghost. Smear black dog blood on an ordinary knife and it can kill spirits."

"Every night at midnight, Xiao Hei falls asleep. Unless a vengeful ghost approaches, he rarely wakes. You can use that time to cut his paw for a little blood."

Granny Li looked deep into Wang Erjun's eyes, stroked his head, and said, "Child, when you were little, I held you in my arms. Even if these spirits are full of resentment, killing too many breeds heavy karma. Every wrong has its source, every debt its owner. I hope you understand."

Wang Erjun murmured his thanks.

I came back to myself, unable to describe the feeling in my chest.

Granny Li turned to me. "Child, remember these things."

"A rooster that's at least seven years old."

"The thinnest bamboo in the grove beside the old ghost woman's house—the nodes must be black."

"The butcher's knife."

"You and Erjun go together. The rooster must be old enough; Erjun knows where the butcher lives. As for the bamboo, you'll only see it at midnight."

She paused, then looked deeply at me. "Remember my warnings. You must not enter that courtyard. She can follow you, but you must not speak to her, nor trust her."

Wang Erjun's expression shifted. "Granny, can't we do it outside midnight? I need to get Xiao Hei's blood—what if Xie Yuan—"

Granny Li sighed, shaking her head. "No, only midnight, when the yin is strongest. That's when the ghost bamboo appears. The Ghost Fetus can't be dealt with by ordinary means anymore. The bamboo is crucial—you must get it."

"Tonight is our last chance. Before dawn tomorrow, we must return to Baihu Village. At midnight, the yin is thickest. Beware that evil spirits don't seize the Ghost Fetus to reincarnate."

After finishing, Granny Li advised Wang Erjun a bit more.

Wang Erjun kept his head down, lost in thought.

I wasn't sure if Granny Li's insistence on midnight was truly necessary.

I even wondered if she had chosen a conflicting time on purpose—to make Wang Erjun choose: get Xiao Hei's blood and avenge his father, or stay with me to cut the ghost bamboo and ensure my safety.

"Granny, you and Grandfather Jiu go ahead with your preparations. Don't worry, Erjun and I will handle these tasks."

Granny Li looked deeply at Wang Erjun, reminded me to be careful, then turned and went back into the ancestral hall.

Wang Erjun and I left the Wang family hall, heading toward the mountain pass.

"Fat idiot," I took a deep breath.

Wang Erjun didn't look up. "Tonight I'll go with you to the ghost woman's house. Hurry up and get the bamboo. Then I'll get Xiao Hei's blood. If we're past midnight, I'll tie him up if I have to."

I sighed inwardly. As expected, Wang Erjun was determined to get Xiao Hei's blood.

If it were me, I'd probably make the same choice.

"Xie Yuan, I'm sorry. Don't say anything else. When my father's soul was scattered, I said I'd never go against you. But my father can't just die in vain. He lost even his chance to reincarnate because of those old ghosts."

His voice was rough and broken.

"Wait for me at Granny Li's house at midnight. I'll get the bamboo. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Otherwise, Granny Li wouldn't have split these tasks for us."

"If you see me as your brother, don't fight me over this," I said calmly.

Wang Erjun opened his mouth, but took a long time to reply.

Within minutes, we reached the mountain pass.

It was midday, the sun glaring fiercely. We had to shield our eyes to even look.

"The butcher in the village kills pigs every morning, eats lunch, then naps in the courtyard. He's got a terrible temper. The knife—we'll have to steal it."

"I know where to find the rooster. Let's get the knife first."

I nodded, letting Wang Erjun lead the way.

We went down the slope, winding through the village, until we reached a small courtyard.

The houses at Wangjia Pass were different from Baihu Village.

In Baihu Village, families with means built walls around their courtyards, with a gate and houses arranged like a quadrangle.

Wangjia Pass still had fenced courtyards and brick houses.

Wang Erjun signaled for silence and pointed into the yard.

A bald fat man, at least two hundred pounds, lay on a lounge chair, snoring thunderously.

The stench of pig blood and entrails was overwhelming.

There was a large sharpening stone in the yard, and beside it, a gleaming butcher's knife. The blade glinted in the sun, while the back and handle were stained black-red from years of blood.

Wang Erjun was about to climb over the fence, but I stopped him and jumped ahead into the yard.

Much slimmer than Erjun, I scaled the fence easily.

I grabbed the butcher's knife, nearly dropping it from its weight.

Carefully, I stole it out.

The butcher didn't stir at all, and Erjun and I hurried away.

Once we were safely distant, I breathed easier.

If the butcher had woken up, with his size, one punch would flatten us both.

Panting, I gripped the knife handle tightly. "What about the rooster? We don't have to steal it, right? Buy it?"

Wang Erjun's mouth twitched. "Even buying it won't be easy."

His sudden sigh made my heart skip.

He shook his head. "Dogs aren't kept eight years, and roosters rarely reach six. They say animals raised that long understand human speech and moods. Almost no one keeps a rooster that old. In all of Wangjia Pass, only Wang Deshui has a big rooster—it's at least ten years old."

I finally understood why Erjun's face looked so grim.

Wang Deshui was always pursuing Aunt Wang.

No wonder Erjun was sour.

Just then, I felt a rush of wind behind my ear. My expression changed and I dodged quickly.

But pain shot through the back of my ear, as if something had struck me.

I forced myself to endure, touched the spot, and found my hand covered in blood.

"Who!" Wang Erjun, furious, bellowed behind me.