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The Village

Three months later.

Fang Yuan, Tantai Guihu and their men first travelled by car, then rented donkeys and equipment before venturing deep into the mountains.

"Old Tan, I hope you know your way."

Fang Yuan was rather happy with Tantai Guihu.

Although Tantai Guihu was knowledgeable and well-versed in the arts of exorcism, he was hopeless at navigation. After being led down the wrong paths several times, even Fang Yuan had become annoyed.

As for why Fang Yuan addressed Tantai Guihu as Old Tan, it was because he did not want to acknowledge their ’generational gap’.

"It’s definitely here. It can’t be wrong!"

Tantai Guihu was assertive.

"Of all the spots I have identified, it has come down to this one last place."

As he spoke, he noticed how dishevelled everyone looked and could not help but feel a pang of guilt.

"After all...it’s been a few hundred years. Time would have changed everything. The village would most probably have a different name by now."

"The name Ghost Sealing Village sounds very inauspicious. It deserves to be renamed."

Fang Yuan had to agree.

"Amituofo..."

Jiese was in the crew as well. His head, originally bald, was covered in a grey fuzz.

"I did not expect a village in the mountains to be so hard to find, with not a person to guide us in sight."

"This can’t be helped. This place is known for being barren and has a toxic atmosphere. Experienced hunters avoid this place. Only the natives who have adapted to the environment inhabit this place. If any trading is to occur at all, it will usually be done at the town on the natives’ initiative..."

Tantai Guihu sounded helpless.

"It still isn’t too bad over here. However, we might have to ditch our donkeys and walk on foot for the road ahead..."

It was fortunate that all present were exorcists and were physically fit. They were all able to protect themselves through all sorts of spiritual means and were not worried about this small inconvenience.

Fang Yuan, especially, had an inhuman level of physical fitness. Even though he was carrying a load worth hundreds of catties, he climbed the mountains as though they weighed nothing. It was truly an eye-opening sight for the other exorcists.

"Ehh?"

They had ditched their donkeys and scaled another hill before Fang Yuan gave an exclamation.

"What is it?"

Tantai Guihu did not dare to underestimate this junior of his.

"The layout of this mountain range is kind of...strange!"

Fang Yuan’s eyes gleamed and he voiced out blandly.

"The layout of the mountain range...are you talking about geomancy[1]?"

There was a glint in Tantai’s Guihu’s gaze.

"Mmhm. The mountain range stretches out for miles and diverges into two at a fork like a dragon. There also happens to be a protected spot in the middle of the range. If it isn’t a prosperous land, then it would have to be a perilous land!"

Fang Yuan took out the map and compared it to the view. He then understood.

"I have a rough idea of the village’s exact location. It should be at the protected spot, the geomantic ’eye’..."

All roads lead to Rome indeed.

Even in a different world, basic geomantic knowledge still held true.

"Come with me!"

Fang Yuan could not help but feel a surge of excitement. He led the way ahead.

"Ah...wait for us!"

It was tough on some in the crew. Tantai Guihu was largely alright, but the Chen siblings had it worse. Jiese the monk, on the other hand, maintained his position at the front serenely.

"The cycles going on between Heaven and Earth are perpetual. In places where wind and water congregate, there would be differences in whether the location is prosperous or perilous. In this case, where the dragon diverges, it is perilous!"

Fang Yuan had his doubts about finding this geomantic ’eye’ and they trudged on for two days before they could see a village in the distance.

"Wow...there actually is a village nestled among the mountains. Unbelievable!"

Chen He climbed up to a higher point for a better view. He noticed that the village was surrounded by a circular band of peaks with an opening. That opening was the only way into the village.

It was a quaint little village with a paved road and a water intake structure. It was oddly attractive.

"How did they manage to bring building materials into this place?"

Zhan Tianhu was quite astonished.

"Won’t you find out when you explore the place?"

As Fang Yuan stared at the village, he became less doubtful.

The village was built within the geomantic ’eye’, a point where Yin and Yang clashed with each other. If utilised well, it would serve as a land more prosperous than any other prosperous lands. If not, it would be catastrophic.

"Amituofo...the builder of the village is a careful person. Look at the arrangement of the buildings. They blend well with nature and possess a hidden energy. Its perimeter is protected by an octagonal formation..."

Although Jiese was a monk, he was surprisingly well-versed in the Taoist arts as well. He then explained his understanding of the location to the crew.

Chen Xin and company were elated.

"If the village is so well-designed, it has to be the Ghost Sealing Village!"

________

The crew climbed down from the mountains and walked towards the village.

A large man carrying an axe and firewood on his back happened to pass by. He flashed a smile at them when he noticed them.

"You are...visitors from the outside world?"

Although the man had a strong accent, Fang Yuan and the rest could understand him.

"Yes...we are people that have come together from all over the country so as to embark on this expedition!"

Chen Xin stepped forward to converse with the man. She usually handed the human relations aspect of things for the group.

"Sir, do you know of any nearby inn that we could stay at? We have travelled for many days and are exhausted..."

"This village is so poor and out of the way, how could there be any inns here!"

The large man smiled on.

"But if you people want to stay on, I could bring you all to see the village chief. He will help you all to settle your accommodation."

"Ah, thank you so much!"

Chen Xin beamed and gave him a few banknotes.

"Sir, please lead the way."

"This woman is actually pretty useful."

Fang Yuan observed this scene with interest.

The big man led the five of them into the village and to an audience with the village chief.

"Wow, there are actually people who managed to find their way in?"

The village chief was a man who looked to be in his fifties or sixties. He wore a Zhongshan suit with a blue cap. He smoked a cigarette and had a sly look in his eyes.

"Looking for an accommodation? No problem, the Donghua family has an empty house. Tidy up the place and bring them some fresh food. Get a pot too..."

"No need for all that trouble. We brought our own rations!"

Chen Xin declined their offers politely.

"We’ll pay too. A thousand per night, how does it sound?"

"Great, great!"

The village chief broke out into the widest grin, which made Chen Xin wonder if she had made an excessively generous offer.

"Right, what is the name of this village?"

Tantai Guihu asked.

"The entrance sign seems to say Five Ghosts Village? Was it changed from an older name?"

"Eh? Lad, how do you know about this?"

The village chief squatted on the floor and lit up another cigarette with a matchstick. He inhaled and exhaled contentedly.

"It seems like you people did not just come here for a tour. Haha...relax, we won’t interfere in your affairs. In fact, we want to do business with you!"

"Hmm?"

Tantai Guihu was worried that the village chief might have misunderstood them, but a sudden thought rushed through his mind.

"Are there many graves in the mountains?"

"There are many. Many officials of days long past were buried here. Sometimes, when the rains are heavy, mud would slide off the mountains to reveal bones..."

The village chief was slightly baffled.

"Are you...grave robbers?"

"Of course not!"

Fang Yuan replied coldly.

They were professional exorcists, with absolutely no ties with those petty graverobbers.

"Oh!"

The village chief nodded, but he did not look convinced.

"Alright, we have climbed the mountains for the whole day and are tired. Could we retire to our lodgings?"

Tantai Guihu had listened enough.

"No problem. I’ll get Madam Donghua to come!"

The village chief grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.

"Oh, by the way, was the Five Ghosts Village previously named...Ghost Sealing Village?"

As the prepared to leave, Tantai Guihu asked his question casually.

"Lad...you ask too many questions!"

The village chief had dropped his friendly countenance and regarded them coldly for a moment. He gave a dry laugh.

"The village was renamed hundreds of years ago. How can you expect anyone to remember? Haha..."

’Something isn’t right!’

Even the most superficial Chen Xin had noticed that there was a problem.

__________

"How is it? What do you think of this village?"

Madam Donghua was a woman in her thirties with wrinkles at the corner of her eyes. She wore a flowery dress and was still a good-looking lady despite the test of time. She did not bother with the niceties and left after preparing the rooms and food.

After she had left, Tantai Guihu gathered the rest to discuss all that they had seen.

"Do you all think that there is anything wrong with this village?"

"Amituofo..."

Jiese began to speak.

"I just feel that this village conceals many secrets, with meaning to be found in every corner. The array expertise displayed over here is too profound even for me. I don’t know where to start."

"Mm, ever since we entered this place, I feel like we are in constant danger. It gives me the chills!"

Tantai Guihu creased his brows.

"It seems like this village is haunted."

"Alright, let’s eat first!"

He looked at the dishes laid out on the table and smile.

"This may be a little village, but this is good food."

Because the preparation was rushed, there were only two vegetable dishes and one meat dish. There was also a hotpot that gave off a pleasant and mouth-watering aroma.

The Chen siblings prepared to dig in at the mention of food. However, Fang Yuan continued to sit there with an amused look on his face.

"Is there something else?"

Tantai Guihu asked gingerly.

"Yes!"

Fang Yuan had no intention of picking up his chopsticks.

"There is something very wrong with this village indeed. Have you all not realised...everyone here is dead!"

...

[1] Geomancy, also known as Feng Shui, is the art of using energy forces to harmonize individuals and buildings with their surrounding environment.