Qi Yu and Si Qing descended to the mortal realm.
They didn't travel far before finding the village where Ding Cuilan resided.
Ding Cuilan's dwelling was situated in the most remote part of the village, surrounded by numerous sharp rocks.
As Qi Yu approached, she noticed that despite the seemingly picturesque scenery of mountains and clear waters, the village was eerily desolate. The villagers working outside appeared listless and exceptionally silent.
Upon opening her celestial eye for a closer look, Qi Yu discovered that the entire village was shrouded in a pervasive aura of death.
Si Qing furrowed his brow, also sensing something amiss. "Just as I suspected, this village is indeed not right."
"Where is the local Earth God?"
Si Qing gently tapped the ground.
Immediately, a young-looking man emerged from the earth, bowed, and inquired, "Greetings, esteemed lords."
This Earth God could not discern the true identities of Qi Yu and Si Qing, but he could sense their powerful immortal energy, recognizing their cultivation and status as superior to his own.
"What is going on in this village? I reviewed the reports submitted by the Underworld. This village should be one of the most populous among the mortal settlements, and it ought to be prosperous. Why is it so desolate?"
The village was sparsely populated, with mostly elderly individuals and hardly any young people. Something felt very wrong.
Upon hearing Si Qing's question, the Earth God's expression flickered with embarrassment before he hesitantly replied, "Esteemed lords, you may not know, but this village was once plagued by malevolent spirits. The villagers, misled by rumors, offered many young boys and girls as sacrifices, causing the village to become desolate. And... for various reasons, those evil spirits have not been completely eradicated to this day."
Qi Yu couldn't help but frown upon hearing this. "From the Nine Heavens above to the Thirteen Heavens below, and even to the Underworld and other races, orders have been issued today to assist in apprehending these malevolent spirits. Since you are unable to capture them yourselves, why did you not report it further?"
Even an Earth God could report to higher-ranking divine officials for resolution.
The Earth God's embarrassment deepened. "As a local Earth God, I cannot ascend to the heavens. However, besides myself, there are no other deities responsible for this village. This situation has persisted for a long time. I am aware of the change in the heavenly laws, but apart from occasionally contacting personnel from the Underworld to have the Black and White Impermanence escort the departed souls, I have no means to contact any other deities, nor are any willing to take over."
The Earth God spoke of this with a look of perpetual sorrow. Within a 300-meter radius of the village, he was the sole Earth God, and no other deity was willing to linger or assist. Consequently, the village had suffered the torment of evil spirits for an extended period, yet he was powerless, as his position as an Earth God prevented him from traveling to the Nine Heavens.
Qi Yu's expression grew solemn.
After hearing the Earth God's account, Si Qing began to search for information regarding Ding Cuilan's village.
"According to my records, Ding Cuilan's village is perfectly normal, with three divine officials responsible for it, including the God of Wealth, who visits punctually each month," Si Qing said, spreading his hands. "I cannot see everything from the Thirteen Heavens, but I can confirm that since the records state the God of Wealth visits monthly, the village's feng shui must be exceptionally prosperous."
However, he never expected that the reality of Ding Cuilan's village would be a world apart from what was recorded in his hands. Where did the problem lie?
The Earth God was at a loss for words and could only lower his head. "I have served here for two thousand years, and during this time, I have not seen any deity responsible for managing this village."
"But the authority of an Earth God is limited, and I cannot do much. Therefore, I can only bless the safety of the few remaining humans in this village who have had no contact with the malevolent spirits."
Qi Yu listened, a sense of bewilderment growing. "If that is the case, then it can only mean there is a problem with the communication between the lower-ranking and higher-ranking divine officials."
She looked at Si Qing and drafted a list, handing it to him. "Si Qing, return to the Nine Heavens and summon all the divine officials on this list. I will walk around the surroundings. If anything arises, contact me separately."
Si Qing nodded and vanished.
Qi Yu dismissed the Earth God.
Transforming into the guise of an ordinary village girl, she casually strolled along the forest path, a small bamboo basket in hand.
Qi Yu entered the village openly.
As she walked, she inquired about the location of Ding Cuilan's home.
"Young lady, why have you come to this village alone? It's quite dangerous. Whom are you looking for?" an old woman working in the fields asked Qi Yu with curiosity, holding a seedling in her hand.
Qi Yu instinctively turned to look at the elder who had spoken to her. Seeing that the woman was around sixty or seventy years old, she smiled and replied, "Auntie, I'm looking for Ding Cuilan. I don't know where she lives. I'm here to visit relatives."
Upon hearing the words "visit relatives," a glint flashed in the old woman's eyes, and she began to scrutinize Qi Yu. "I know the Ding Cuilan you're referring to; she's Old Zhang's daughter-in-law. However, it's unfortunate, but the person you're looking for has gone to the mountains to catch wild rabbits. The journey up the mountain is quite long, taking a full night for a round trip. I suggest you stay here for now. Come to my home; I have a spare room. You can stay there temporarily for a few days. When Ding Cuilan returns, I'll take you to her. You've been carrying that bundle all day; you must be tired. Hand your things over to me."
As she spoke, the old woman approached Qi Yu with a kind smile, appearing easy to get along with, as if she were a truly benevolent and amiable person.
Qi Yu's eyes flickered, and she pretended to believe her, immediately smiling and walking over. Her tone was filled with gratitude. "Really, Auntie? Thank you so much. Let's go now. I was hoping to find a place to rest quickly. Since she's not here, I'll impose on you temporarily."
Qi Yu appeared easily deceived, readily agreeing and even handing over the bundle she had conjured with her magic to the old woman.
The old woman took the bundle, hugged it, and pulling Qi Yu along, turned to leave.
Her steps were hurried, and she appeared gleeful, as if she had caught a big fish.
Qi Yu followed behind the old woman.