Chapter 1 Since Their Arrival

Since they arrived in Wugong Village, the sky here had always been gloomy, with mist lingering in the distant mountains and forests, and the series of events weighed heavily on everyone.

Time seemed to lose its meaning in such a place. After the villagers who came to help left, only they remained.

The last to leave was the old woman. She held Li Bai's hand, her fingers, as rough as tree bark, stroking the back of Li Bai's hand back and forth. Although Li Bai was repulsed from the depths of her heart, she did not show it on her face.

"So good, so good!" The old woman's turbid eyes were full of emotion. "My granddaughter was about your age when she left, even prettier than you, but she..."

As if worried that the old woman's mind was muddled and she would say something wrong, the remaining people hurriedly pulled her away. The middle-aged woman they had met before came up and instructed, "I'll remind you again, be sure to keep the doors tightly closed at night, and don't answer if a stranger knocks. You outsiders are new here and don't know how dangerous it is. Those evil cultivators are not playing around. Many families in the village have already suffered."

Faced with the middle-aged woman's kindness, Jiang Cheng accepted it all and gratefully said, "Please rest assured, Fuqing-ge has emphasized it many times."

"Oh, right, there's one more thing. You don't have to leave the door open for Xiuling at night. She won't be back. Alas! It's quite pitiful to say, although she's a woman, she's considered her grandfather's only relative. At night, she has to guard her grandfather's memorial tablet and talk to him." After the woman finished speaking, she sighed sadly.

"It should be, fulfilling a filial duty." Jiang Cheng appeared very understanding.

Hearing such a reply, the middle-aged woman seemed satisfied. Before leaving, she didn't forget to take a deep look at Li Bai, as if hoping to take her away as well.

Watching these people walk away, Jiang Cheng closed the courtyard door. The group returned to their room, and Jiang Cheng told them about the painting. Even though he didn't exaggerate, it still shocked everyone, especially Li Bai, who was directly involved. Now, recalling the way those people looked at her, their overly attentive care... so that's how it was. The next second, Li Bai couldn't help but shiver.

"Li Bai, don't be afraid, we're here." Seeing Li Bai's bloodless face, Fatty couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

But Fatty's comfort obviously wasn't very convincing. In the end, Jiang Cheng spoke, looking at Li Bai and instructing, "Take a rest now. Don't sleep any later. The rest of us will take turns keeping watch to make sure someone is with you all night."

Clutching the hard object in his pocket, Jiang Cheng took a breath, "Last night, Fake Grandpa came to Fatty. I think it's because of this wooden tablet. I hope... I can see him tonight too."

Fatty had a carefree personality and was too scared last night. In reality, he didn't remember much useful information. It would be much better if it were Jiang Cheng.

Now Jiang Cheng still had a few things to confirm with Fatty, "After you woke up last night, besides discovering that we were gone, did the nearby objects or scenery change?"

Fatty recalled what he had seen last night, slowly shaking his head. "The room was just dark, but I vaguely remember that the village felt different. It seemed... it seemed more dilapidated, and there was a faint sense of oppression, not because of Fake Grandpa, but something else, in the direction of the village."

"In the direction of the village..."

Jiang Cheng thought of the returning funeral procession. That procession came out of the village and brought back the resurrected real Grandpa.

They carried Fake Grandpa's body outside the village but brought back real Grandpa from the village. What was the mystery behind this?

His head aching from thinking, Jiang Cheng rubbed his temples with two fingers to refresh himself. He asked Tang Qisheng to pack him a portion of the remaining incense ash to carry with him, he had a use for it.

There were only so many clues now, and further discussion wouldn't lead to any results. That night, everyone didn't separate and gathered in one room. Fatty and Yao Shunyu kept the fire burning brightly, the flames slightly dispelling the chill in their hearts, illuminating their faces.

Because he might see Fake Grandpa tonight, Jiang Cheng checked his belongings and then fell asleep. The sound of everyone talking gradually subsided, and Jiang Cheng slowly closed his eyes.

"Jiang Cheng."

"Jiang Cheng."

...

In a daze, Jiang Cheng heard someone calling his name, followed by a pain in his chest. He woke up suddenly, clutching his chest, where the touch was hard.

It was the wooden tablet!

But how did the wooden tablet, originally in his pocket, end up on his chest?

Moreover, the candles and fire in the room had gone out at some point. The room was now gloomy, with only him as a living person.

But with Fatty's experience, he didn't panic. He looked up at the window, and sure enough, there was a slightly hunched shadow on the thin window paper.

"Cough... cough cough..."

Accompanied by coughing, the shadow on the window paper trembled violently like ripples, as if it would cough up its lungs in the next second.

Jiang Cheng's eyes narrowed. He knew Fake Grandpa had come, that Wulin (martial arts world) expert who had died unjustly in Wugong Village was coming for him. Their guess was correct, it was because of this wooden tablet!

Seemingly knowing that Jiang Cheng was awake, Fake Grandpa turned and walked towards the courtyard gate. Jiang Cheng pushed open the door. He didn't immediately chase after Fake Grandpa, but quickly went to Fake Grandpa's room. The door was ajar, just like they had seen it in the afternoon. The painting was still hanging on the wall, but the Fake Grandpa in the painting was now gone, giving the impression that Fake Grandpa had just walked down from the painting.

At the same time, other parts of the painting were covered by a layer of gray mist, and even Xiuling's figure was hidden in the mist.

Jiang Cheng keenly noticed that this mist was actually very similar to the mysterious mist they had seen in the mountains and forests outside the village.

Already knowing that there was something wrong with this painting, Jiang Cheng had something more important to do here. He carefully reached out, intending to turn the painting over. He wanted to see if real Grandpa was still in the painting, but the next second, he felt a chill down his spine. A hand covered in calluses pressed down on the painting.

Turning around, Jiang Cheng was face to face with Fake Grandpa's black, hollow mouth. Cracks appeared on Fake Grandpa's stiff face, making him look exceptionally terrifying.

"Preventing me from turning this painting over, is it because there will be danger if it's turned over?"

Jiang Cheng couldn't be sure, but soon Fake Grandpa took stiff steps and walked outside. Jiang Cheng stared at Fake Grandpa's shoes and, after a moment of thought, took out incense ash from his pocket. He quickly walked a few steps and sprinkled it in front of Fake Grandpa. Fake Grandpa completely ignored it and stepped on it, leaving a clear footprint.

"Not these wronged souls?" Jiang Cheng frowned. "Then what is the ghost hiding in the mist?"