Chapter 34: The Passing of Master Qin

Soul Return Altar—perhaps it truly is a treasure.

After returning to the main hall, I felt much more alert, no longer plagued by the haziness, sleepiness, and bone-deep exhaustion of earlier.

“Why don’t you go talk to your Uncle Qin?” Suddenly, Xu Buhuo, deep in thought, looked up at me. I was taken aback, wondering what he was getting at this time. “Why?” I asked.

Xu Buhuo scratched his chin, a little embarrassed. “Tell him about your father’s prophecy. Isn’t he also someone who walks this path? Maybe he’ll spot a breakthrough. Since you trust him so much, I’ll trust you this once. Sometimes an outsider can see what the insider cannot. Relying on myself alone, I’m at a dead end for now.”

With the prophecy coming true and people dying in succession, Xu Buhuo clearly realized that if another death occurred, the situation would spiral out of control. Otherwise, with his usual attitude, he would never have suggested I consult Old Qin.

Three heads together are wiser than one.

My own understanding is limited, and Xu Buhuo, left to ponder alone, wasn’t making any headway. Both he and Old Qin traveled the same path, but each had their own experiences and skills. A fresh perspective might yield a discovery.

I set out at once for Uncle Qin’s house, only on the way remembering what had happened last night, cursing myself for being so oblivious. Last night, Uncle Qin had lured the corpse fiend away to give me a chance. After my grandmother’s burial and today, I’d had ample opportunity to check on him, but it had never occurred to me.

Recalling how even Uncle Qin had been nervous facing the corpse fiend, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of worry.

When I arrived, the courtyard gate was open, which brought a brief sense of relief, but inside the house was pitch black. I called out twice but got no answer. My heart, which had just relaxed, tensed up again as I entered and turned on the light.

The main room was a mess—tables overturned, teacups shattered on the floor—just as it had been when I came downstairs last night.

Uncle Qin was in trouble.

My heart felt suddenly blocked, an indescribable sorrow weighing me down. If Uncle Qin had returned, he would have tidied up; with everything just as it was, it meant that after luring away the corpse fiend last night, he never came back.

If he was unharmed, I couldn’t imagine where he might have gone instead of returning. The only possibility was that he had fallen victim to the corpse fiend.

Anxious and on the verge of tears, I deeply regretted not coming by during the day. Had I done so, at least the villagers could have helped look for him. Now, with night fully fallen and strange incidents occurring one after another, the villagers were all too eager to lock themselves indoors. Who would dare go out searching?

Regret was useless now; time was tight. Though I had little hope, I hurried to the village head’s house and informed him that Uncle Qin hadn’t returned since going out last night.

I didn’t mention that he’d left to lure away a corpse fiend; I knew that if the villagers heard there was such a monster, no one would step outside to search.

“What on earth is happening in our village? One disaster after another,” the village head grumbled, but still rushed to the office and used the loudspeaker to notify everyone that Uncle Qin hadn’t returned since last night, asking those still awake to help search the village outskirts.

On my way home, I noticed that several houses still had their lights on before the announcement, but as soon as the loudspeaker sounded, the lights went out. I felt a stifling frustration—what had the world come to?

But the world isn’t entirely cold. Only a handful chose to hide; soon, most of the villagers were out with flashlights, searching the surrounding area for Uncle Qin.

“He’s missing?” Xu Buhuo’s expression was strange as I walked in the door. I nodded and recounted the events of last night. He immediately widened his eyes. “Are you sure it was a corpse fiend?”

“Uncle Qin said it was—a creature that makes a clicking sound with its mouth.”

Xu Buhuo nodded. “A corpse fiend does make that sound. If he went to confront it and hasn’t returned, then the outcome is likely grim.”

Hearing this, my heart sank.

Xu Buhuo’s face grew complicated. “Looks like I really misjudged him. To lure the corpse fiend away for your sake—he truly wanted to help.”

The misunderstanding between us was finally cleared up, but joy was impossible to muster.

“First the Grinning Demon, now a corpse fiend—whoever is lurking in the shadows is no ordinary person,” Xu Buhuo muttered, falling silent again.

With the villagers out searching, I couldn’t just stay home. I grabbed a flashlight and was about to leave when Xu Buhuo stopped me. “You can’t go. Whoever is hiding in the dark clearly wants to harm you too—it’s too dangerous.”

“Do you really think I can stay home while someone is missing? Alive or dead, I have to find him. He disappeared because of me—I can’t just hide indoors. I couldn’t live with myself.”

With that, I turned and headed out.

Danger or not, so what?

If fear keeps you cowering inside, what’s the point of living? This could have been avoided in daylight—it was my negligence that delayed things. I wanted to make amends, hoping it wasn’t too late.

Outside, I realized no one dared search the graveyard behind the hill, so I made my way there. Not far along, Xu Buhuo caught up, exasperated. “If you’re determined to risk your life, I can’t just stand by and watch.”

Having someone with me eased my nerves.

On the way up, we discussed last night’s events and my father’s prophecy, searching for any breakthrough.

Circling the graveyard yielded nothing, so Xu Buhuo suggested we at least check my grandmother’s grave.

“What’s that?”

Before we reached the grave, I shone my light and saw something black sprawled atop it. Grass partially blocked the view, but it looked vaguely human, and I immediately thought of Uncle Qin. I rushed up the slope.

Up close, I realized it was just a tattered piece of clothing. Disappointment washed over me.

Xu Buhuo picked up the rag, intending to toss it away, but I noticed it looked familiar. I hurried over for a closer look.

“It’s Uncle Qin’s coat—the same one he wore last night.”

Examining it carefully, I was certain. Xu Buhuo spread it out, revealing several tears made by brute force. He held the corner under the flashlight.

A patch of dried blood stained the fabric, nearly invisible against the black.

The coat, torn and bloodstained.

In that instant, a crushing weight settled over me, and tears slid down my cheeks. I recalled that, after burying my grandmother and descending the hill, I’d felt movement near the grave but hadn’t looked closely. Now, I realized—it must have been Uncle Qin.

Until I saw blood, I’d hoped Uncle Qin, resourceful as he was, had simply gone into hiding. But now, staring at the ripped, bloodied coat, I knew his fate was almost certainly sealed.

He’d been endangered because of me. Without a body, I couldn’t believe he was truly dead.

His coat being here meant he had come this way. Xu Buhuo and I searched the area, soon finding one of Uncle Qin’s shoes and some dried bloodstains.

With every clue, hope faded further.

Descending the hill and entering the village, we ran into the village head and others with shovels and sacks heading for the entrance. “We’ve found Uncle Qin,” the village head said, and nothing more.

From the expressions of the village head and his companions, the truth I most dreaded was confirmed. We followed them to a clump of reeds by the riverside outside the village, where blood stained the ground. Amid a pile of black, fetid remains, we could see a foot, a hand, and Uncle Qin’s other shoe.

He was dead.

Truly dead.

I couldn’t fathom that kind-hearted Uncle Qin had met such a fate—torn limb from limb by a corpse fiend.

The village head and the others buried what was left of him on the spot, as he had no family.

As for the cause of death, with the mountains nearby and many wild animals about, everyone agreed Uncle Qin had fallen victim to a beast.

I returned home for incense and paper money, offering them in tribute.

On the way, Xu Buhuo seemed troubled. I asked what was wrong. He frowned, perplexed. “It’s hard to say, but something about this death feels off.”

There were too many strange things to count. My spirits were low, so I didn’t press him, instead reflecting on my father’s prophecy and the identity of the one lurking in the shadows.

The corpse fiend was under his control. If I found him, I’d find Uncle Qin’s murderer.

After all this, I couldn’t sleep. Remembering that Brother Li had died from carrying my grandmother’s coffin, I went to keep vigil at his house, relieving those who had been standing guard.

After one in the morning, seeing my mother and Aunt Liu exhausted, I urged them to rest. They had just gone to bed when Xu Buhuo slipped in, saying that Brother Li’s death was unnatural and he was worried something might happen with the corpse, so he came to keep me company.

In the later hours, I was dozing off when a sudden clicking sound woke me. Opening my eyes, I saw Xu Buhuo already at the door, peering outside. That familiar clicking continued, echoing in the courtyard.

The corpse fiend was here. I hurried to the door, but it didn’t enter—only circled Brother Li’s house.

After a while, the clicking abruptly ceased. Xu Buhuo, hesitating only briefly, lit three sticks of incense and went outside. I stuck close behind, feeling safer that way.

Outside the small courtyard, incense in hand, Xu Buhuo began pacing a ritual step on the open ground, performing some unknown rite.

Absentmindedly, I glanced back into the house.

And in that instant, my scalp tingled with terror.

Brother Li, who had been lying flat, was suddenly sitting upright.

“He—he’s risen!” I stammered.

Xu Buhuo, mid-step, dashed to the door at my words. Seeing Brother Li sitting up, he cursed and charged inside.

He was just about to perform a sealing gesture when Brother Li’s stiff arm swung, knocking Xu Buhuo to the floor.

Then Brother Li leapt down and bolted outside. I tried to stop him, but with a powerful jump, he vaulted the low wall and disappeared.

Xu Buhuo and I chased after, but Brother Li was already gone into the night, direction unknown.

At that moment, the clicking sound came again.

The corpse fiend was in the house. Xu Buhuo and I spun around, racing for the courtyard entrance, but before we had taken two steps, my mother’s terrified scream rang out from inside.

My mind went blank, and darkness closed in—I nearly collapsed to the ground.