Volume Three – The Fox Spirit’s Tomb Chapter Twenty-Five – Encircled by Deathly Aura

Xu Tian stared blankly at Li Kun and asked in a low voice, "Huh? Open the Heavenly Eye?"

Li Kun nodded. "Don't speak for now; let's see what Old Liu can see."

I took the Soul-Suppressing Bell from my chest, held it before my eyes, and closed them tightly. Under my breath, I recited: "The mysteries of Yin and Yang are hard to fathom; the two solstices return to the nine palaces. If one can grasp the logic of Yin and Yang, the heavens and earth rest in one’s palm. Heavenly Eye, open."

As the last word left my lips, I gently shook the bell and slowly opened my eyes.

The moment my eyes opened, a different scene unfolded before me. I looked around and saw the surroundings blanketed in a layer of black mist. Despite it being broad daylight, the dark vapor was remarkably distinct, swirling throughout the entire village.

I clicked my tongue, thinking to myself that this Headless Ghost was truly formidable. To have its malevolent aura shroud an entire village—it certainly lived up to the reputation of a vicious spirit.

I turned my gaze toward the large courtyard in front of us. Above it, the black mist was particularly thick. It seemed something had transpired there the previous night; otherwise, the concentration of the miasma wouldn't be so dense.

I nodded to Xu Tian and Li Kun, then slowly walked to the wooden gate of the courtyard and knocked three times.

The moment I finished knocking, the sound of a woman weeping inside abruptly ceased. A moment later, a hoarse, ragged voice called out: "You killed my husband last night; is it my turn now? You evil spirit, I am not afraid of you!"

The woman’s voice grew sharp toward the end, and though her raspiness made the final words unclear, the sheer heartbreak in her tone was unmistakable.

As she finished, we heard a clattering sound from inside the yard—it seemed she was searching for a weapon to fight for her life.

"Ma'am," I spoke up quickly, "we are from the county seat. Could you please open the door?"

The yard fell silent. Shortly after, the sound of a bolt sliding echoed, and the wooden door was slowly pulled open from the inside.

As the gate swung wide, we saw the woman—she appeared to be in her forties, accompanied by a boy of about seven or eight. The child had delicate, handsome features, but his eyes were devoid of color; they were dull and vacant, as if he were lost in a void.

The woman wore a white mourning headband, and the boy wore a white mourning cap. Seeing their attire, we immediately understood who in the family had suffered the tragedy.

"Ma'am," I said, "we’ve come from the county. We heard about what happened here and have come specifically to take a look."

Her expression remained unchanged. She looked us over and said, "You young men should go back as soon as you can. Many Taoist priests have come here recently; in the end, some died, and others fled. Sigh..." She let out a heavy, weary breath.

I looked at the two of them. Both mother and son had hollow, lifeless eyes, and their bodies were enveloped in that same thick, black mist.

I realized with a jolt that this wasn't just the residual aura of the Headless Ghost; it was the aura of death. If I wasn't mistaken, the ghost would return tonight to claim their lives. Without intervention, they were surely doomed.

"Ma'am, don't worry," I said. "We knew what we were facing when we decided to come here."

The woman looked up at us again. This time, her eyes weren't as vacant as before; a glimmer of light flashed within them. Seeing this, I knew a shred of hope had ignited in her.

She nodded and asked, "You three don't look like Taoist priests, so you..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but I understood. "It isn't only Taoist priests who can catch ghosts," I replied.

I scanned the courtyard. It was exceptionally large, by far the biggest one we had seen. Piles of corn were stacked inside, and strings of chili peppers and garlic hung from the eaves. However, as we looked toward the right side of the yard, we spotted a figure lying flat on the ground.

Xu Tian and Li Kun exchanged a look with me. "Ma'am, may we go over and take a look?" I asked.

She hesitated, about to refuse, but remembering who we were, she stepped aside.

I signaled to the others, and we walked straight toward the white-clad figure on the ground.

Reaching the body, I saw it was laid out on a white cloth, covered entirely by another. While Xu Tian and Li Kun saw only the physical remains, I saw something else entirely.

The corpse was exuding a thick, viscous black mist. Even the cloth couldn't contain it; it seeped out continuously. I waved my hand through the air above the body, and I could actually feel a strange resistance, as if the mist were physically dense.

I drew a sharp breath. The black fog blanketing the village was clearly emanating from the victims of the Headless Ghost. Only with my Heavenly Eye could I perceive this suffocating death-aura.

I turned to the woman and her son. They, too, were shrouded in it. They must have touched the body, likely when moving it, which is how the death-aura had transferred to them.

I knelt and touched the skin of the corpse. It still retained a faint warmth; it hadn't been long since the death occurred.

"Ma'am," I said, looking at her, "this is your husband, isn't it?"

She nodded softly.

"Was he killed by the Headless Ghost last night?" I continued.

The woman covered her mouth with her hand and began to sob.

"Ma'am, please don't cry," I urged. "Crying won't solve anything. Even if you don't care about your own life, you must care about your son's."

Her sobbing stopped. She looked at me, startled, and hurried to my side. "Master, what do you mean? Is something going to happen to my son?"

"After your husband died, you touched his body," I explained. "He was murdered by the Headless Ghost, and the aura of death lingers on him. When you moved him, that aura transferred to you. Now, your son is also covered in it. If I am not mistaken, the Headless Ghost will return tonight to claim both your lives. You must answer my questions honestly, or I cannot help you."

Xu Tian and Li Kun were taken aback. Xu Tian leaned toward Li Kun and whispered, "Old Li, is Old Liu making this up? It sounds so bizarre; it’s giving me goosebumps."

"Don't doubt it, Old Xu," Li Kun replied in a low voice. "Old Liu has opened his Heavenly Eye. He sees things we can't. To be honest, a while back, we encountered a case where Old Liu forced the soul of a Japanese ghost to dissipate into nothingness. Let me tell you..."

As they whispered, the woman, having heard my warning, looked at me with wide eyes. She grabbed her son's hand and knelt before me.

I quickly helped her up. "Ma'am, you mustn't do that."

"Master," she pleaded, "please save my son. He is the only seed left of the Liu family. If he dies, how could I ever face my ancestors?"

"Don't be anxious," I said. "Your son is already entangled in this death-aura. We must treat him immediately, or it will be too late."

The woman’s eyes finally filled with a desperate spark. She looked at her son, whose gaze remained hollow and soul-less, staring blankly ahead.

"Master, do you have a way to save him? I beg you!"

I nodded. "I have an eighty-percent chance, but it depends on whether you have the courage to try. It is a method I have never attempted before."