Chapter Sixty-Five: Leaving the Village

The one who appeared behind me was Chan Shu.

Her words left me stunned.

I clenched my fists, repeating once more that it was impossible.

Deep down, I knew very well that after I lost consciousness, I couldn't control the instincts of my soul. Especially at that moment, when my soul was nearly drained, it was Lord Wang and my mother who willingly entered my body. There was no way they could have survived.

In the end, my life was exchanged for theirs.

Chan Shu stared blankly at my face, reaching out to wipe away the tears at the corner of my eyes. She spoke softly, “It’s not impossible. That woman back then—”

She paused, glancing in another direction, then said, “When your mother dealt with the Ghost Widow, she used a special array. It’s called the Three Corpses Soul Seal Array. Do you know what the Three Corpses are?”

I shook my head, bewildered, though my heart trembled slightly, afraid Chan Shu would give me false hope.

“Everyone has three souls and seven spirits. The Three Corpses, however, are something produced by those who have cultivated Taoist arts or other spiritual methods upon reaching a certain level. They are evil thoughts, desires, and a kind of inner demon.”

“I was powerless against the Ghost Widow that day. Your mother, burning her own life as the price, gained powerful Taoist magic, reaching a realm few could ever touch—one even she herself couldn’t have hoped for.”

“I saw with my own eyes as she severed her Three Corpses, using their divine force to seal the Ghost Widow’s soul.”

“Though your mother vanished from this village, her Three Corpses' spirits still remain.”

My heart began to pound, racing wildly. Chan Shu had never spoken with my mother, only met her briefly years ago during the struggle with the Ghost Widow.

It was then that Lord Wang had his master’s soul enter my mother’s body, intending to use me as a vessel for rebirth. Chan Shu appeared only to protect that person; otherwise, she would never have cared about the fate of Lord Wang or my mother.

Just now, I nearly confessed before Lord Wang’s corpse that I was not him.

“The Three Corpses’ spirits are equal to the three souls. They can perceive everything the original soul does, essentially serving as another soul for your mother. If she’s separated from the Ghost Widow, she may find a way to live again.”

I nodded heavily, my voice hoarse. “Then let's leave here quickly and return to Wangjia Pass.”

After I spoke, I glanced down at Lord Wang’s corpse, my heart stirring. “Grandpa Wang, does he also have remnants of his soul left?”

Chan Shu paused, her brow furrowed. She sighed, “These years, Xiao Wang has waited arduously. You shouldn't call him grandpa anymore.”

I was speechless, silent.

When Chan Shu arrived last, she must have seen many things.

I used the Thunder Talisman, swallowed souls... and she once told me that returning here would bring back memories.

She assumed I had learned the truth from my mother.

My feelings were complicated; this truth was not as Chan Shu believed.

After a moment of silence, I didn’t look up, speaking quietly, “My mother gave me a wooden box. Inside was a talisman brush. After receiving it, I saw some visions and learned how to write the Thunder Talisman.”

“Grandpa Wang suddenly called me master. I don’t know why, but like you said, I would remember things.”

“But I don’t know what you mean, what I am supposed to remember, or even who I am anymore.”

“I don’t want him to die saving me, nor do I wish to enslave anyone.”

As I spoke, I didn’t dare meet Chan Shu’s eyes.

I felt I was betraying myself.

But I couldn’t bear to let go.

My mother, gone.

My father, dead.

Aunt Hui, lost.

From the day I met Chan Shu, she gave me a very special feeling. Later, she helped and saved me. Feelings for her had taken root in my heart long ago.

Yet Chan Shu only did all this for someone else.

If I revealed the truth, what would she do?

I dared not try, lacked the courage.

After a few words, I finally looked up. Chan Shu’s face was clearly dazed.

She bit her lip lightly, murmuring, “Raise your hand.”

---

My heart skipped a beat, and I lifted my hand.

Chan Shu placed hers atop mine.

The moment our skin touched, it was faintly cold, lacking any warmth of a living person. Then, Chan Shu looked up, muttering, “Can’t you feel anything?”

I forced myself not to show weakness, shaking my head.

Chan Shu’s eyes grew red, her mood sinking visibly.

I felt a sudden panic, blurting out, “Grandpa Wang said he has many things—maybe they’ll help me remember more—”

The purpose of saying this wasn’t to gain anything from that person; I simply didn’t want Chan Shu to be so sad.

I had made up my mind.

I wouldn't choose to leave in anonymity.

This secret would stay buried in my heart. I didn’t want to leave Chan Shu, and in front of me now, she possessed only a single spirit. Her true self was still pinned to the Ghost Widow’s wall by the Death Soul Nail.

As expected, Chan Shu’s eyes lit up with a hint of joy.

But she suddenly frowned, clutching her forehead.

I grew uneasy.

Chan Shu finally looked up, shaking her head, her voice tinged with self-blame. “I can’t remember where those things are. Xiao Wang must have hidden them.”

I realized then that Chan Shu was only a single spirit now, lacking many memories. After so many years, how could she know if Lord Wang had changed their hiding place?

“Grandma Li should know. Her relationship with Xiao Wang was unusual. But Xiao Wang fixated on waiting for you, giving up many things. You can ask her.”

I nodded. Grandma Li surely knew something.

“Bring Xiao Wang’s body back. Hundred House Village isn’t where he wanted to stay. He does have some soul remnants elsewhere, in the place you used to store things. He surely left a soul fragment there to protect it—perhaps even stronger than his main soul.”

“You still have many things you haven’t remembered.”

“I thought you’d remembered, so some matters wouldn’t matter to you, but now—”

“Maybe you should go to the back mountain.”

Chan Shu spoke softly.

“Your mother’s body was also taken to the back mountain.”

“I’ll wait for you here.”

I was startled, but Chan Shu said no more.

My mother’s body had been hidden in the cellar.

Three days of unconsciousness—too long. Too much had happened that I didn’t know.

Limping, I left Wang Erjun’s house.

Wounded, I struggled to reach the back mountain.

At the foot of the hill, among the shrubs, there seemed to be many dragging marks.

I followed the mountain path upward.

Instinctively, I kept going forward.

The marks continued onward.

The road felt familiar. When I stopped, I saw my mother’s grave.

Fresh earth had been piled atop the mound.

A tiny wooden cabin, barely larger than a village shrine, stood beside it.

Inside, there was a small urn, and a memorial tablet.

“Here lies Xie Youzhi, my father.”

Beside it, in small script: “Erected by his second son, Xie Yu.”

Did the ghost fetus not die?

Gazing at the gravestone and the fresh earth atop my mother’s grave, I didn’t approach.

Whether my father’s soul was clear or not—

---

His ashes were now beside my mother’s grave.

He and Aunt Hui’s child remained here, yet I had no reason to disturb them.

Standing quietly for a while, I knelt and kowtowed several times before descending the mountain.

I had no wish to linger in Hundred House Village.

After descending, returning to my doorway, I was about to look for Grandma Li and Wang Erjun when I found they were already waiting in the yard.

Wang Erjun wore a worried expression, asking where I’d been; he’d just looked for me at his house and hadn’t seen me.

I forced a smile, saying I’d gone to the back mountain.

Wang Erjun was surprised, then told me something he hadn’t mentioned before—my father’s soul seemed to have returned to normal.

When the ghost fetus didn’t die, after White Liu and the evil ghost perished, my father’s soul returned to his body.

Then he vanished with my father.

The next day, my father’s ghost went to his house and took my mother’s body away.

I nodded, saying I’d seen all I needed, and had no attachment to this village.

Only then did I notice that the wheelbarrow I’d pushed with Grandma Li had been brought out.

A bundle of thick straw mat was placed atop it.

“Grandma Li said we should bring Grandpa Wang back. After all, he belonged to Wangjia Pass. He can’t stay in Hundred House Village. This village has become a dead place.”

I paused, sighing inwardly. Chan Shu had been right.

There was no need for me to request that Lord Wang’s body be taken away.

Grandma Li’s mood was somber. While Wang Erjun spoke to me, she remained silent.

Given the situation, I felt it was not the right time to ask Grandma Li anything.

Before I could speak, Grandma Li walked ahead in small steps.

Wang Erjun quickly pushed the cart, forcing a smile. “Xie Yuan, sit beside the cart if there’s room. This place is full of gloomy energy. Rest at my house when we get back.”

I was badly injured and did not try to act tough.

Chan Shu would certainly stay by my side; there was no need to look for her at Wang Erjun’s house.

Soon, we left Hundred House Village.

At the village entrance, the peach trees had shed their blossoms.

A few shriveled peaches lay fallen on the ground.

Looking back after leaving the village, I saw no figures.

The entire village was deathly silent.

A sense of utter desolation filled my heart, making it ache.

We hadn’t walked far before Wang Erjun suddenly cried out, “Xie Yuan, what’s this? There’s something growing behind your ear!”

He stopped the cart at once, his voice uneasy. “No, there’s something behind my ear too!”

His face turned pale, clearly jumpy and frightened.

He rushed ahead, turned his back, and pulled at his ear, asking me to look. How could something so strange be growing there? He hadn’t noticed it before—he’d watched it sprout behind my ear. His own ear felt itchy, and when he touched it, it grew too.

My heart skipped a beat.

Behind Wang Erjun’s ear, there was a tiny fleshy lump.

I asked him to come closer.

Looking carefully, goosebumps rose all over me.

That lump was a shrunken human face, wrinkled and closed-eyed.