bookbashuk Chapter 39 Locust Tree Village and Land Temple
Chapter 39 Locust Tree Village and Land Temple
The old man nodded vigorously.
"Yes! One night three years ago, the whole village had the same dream."
"In my dream, the local earth god in the village temple appeared to me. He said that the earth energy of Huai Shu Village was corrupt and that disaster was about to strike. If we did not want the whole village to perish, we had to offer three children under the age of one every year and place them under this old tree outside the village."
"The local earth god said he would take the child away to protect the village from disasters and misfortunes."
"If we do as instructed, the village will have a year of peace."
At this point, an indescribable fear appeared on the old man's face.
"In the first year, nobody believed it."
"But the next morning, everyone in the village woke up in front of the Earth God Temple. No matter where they were sleeping, they all ended up in front of the Earth God Temple."
"And everyone has a black mark on their palm."
He held out his hand for Fu Ze to see.
The skin on his palms was rough and covered with calluses.
However, there is indeed a faint black spot on the palm of his hand.
It's as if it was branded by some evil spirit, and then gradually faded away.
Fu Zeyun used his [Spiritual Vision] to look.
There was hardly any remaining evil energy in those black spots.
But it's not entirely absent.
A wisp of extremely fine gray-black aura, like a strand of hair, coiled deep within the skin and flesh.
This is not an ordinary dream.
There is definitely something evil at work!
Zhao Rui's expression also changed.
"Were the entire village taken to the local earth god temple?"
"What the hell kind of trick is this?"
Li Junfeng snorted coldly.
"It is very powerful, but it is definitely not a proper land god."
Fu Ze nodded.
The proper Earth God is a minor local deity who governs the peace of a region and receives offerings from the people.
Even the weakest person wouldn't resort to eating babies to avoid disaster.
This so-called "dream offering" is clearly a case of evil practitioners or demons using the name of gods to oppress mortals!
Fu Ze glanced at the old tree next to him; it didn't seem special, so the problem probably wasn't there.
He then looked at the old man, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
"Did you offer sacrifices in your first year?"
The old man lowered his head, his voice trembling.
"Everyone in the village is afraid."
"At that time, there were three families who had just given birth..."
"Those three families naturally refused."
"But a few days later, people started dying in the village. First, the elderly people from those three households died inexplicably at night, bleeding from all seven orifices. Then all their livestock also died."
Everyone is scared.
"In the end... in the end, we had no choice but to send the child here."
The woman cried even harder.
"My sister-in-law's child was sent away in the first year."
"She couldn't take it, went insane within a few days, and then jumped into a well and died."
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
Only the faint cries of a baby could be heard intermittently in the night.
Fu Ze tightened his grip on the child slightly.
A murderous intent surged within him.
He is not from this world.
But along the way, he has witnessed too much suffering of ordinary people.
War, demonic calamities, zombies, evil cultivators, corrupt officials...
Now, even newborn babies are being thrown into the deep mountains and forests as sacrifices.
This world is so rotten it makes my heart ache!
Fu Ze's voice was cold.
"So, this is the third year already?"
The old man lowered his head, and his voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible.
"Yes."
"After sending three children away in the first year, the village was indeed peaceful for the whole year. The crops were good, and the livestock didn't die."
"The following year, the Earth God appeared in a dream again and pointed to three households."
"No one dared to disobey, so they sent three more."
"This year...this is the third year."
Fu Ze sneered.
"A year of peace?"
"That's not some local deity protecting you. It's just that the evil spirits have eaten their fill and are too lazy to bother with you for the time being!"
The villagers were all terrified and turned pale.
"An evil entity?"
"Isn't it the Earth God?"
"How could that be? That's the Earth God!"
"The village's land shrine is right at the village entrance, where our ancestors have worshipped for generations..."
Fu Ze said angrily.
"fart!"
This low shout startled several villagers, making them tremble.
Fu Ze pointed at them, his tone menacing.
"The true Earth God protects this land and its people, he lives on incense offerings and receives worship. When did you ever need to sacrifice a live infant?"
"If a true god needs to eat children to keep you safe, can that still be called a true god?"
"You have been deceived by evil spirits!"
"And year after year, they personally bring their own children to feed it!"
The villagers were utterly humiliated by the insults.
Some people's lips trembled, as if they wanted to explain themselves.
But looking at the three dying children under the tree, he couldn't utter a single word.
Zhao Rui stepped forward and picked up the other two children with one hand.
He is extremely steady with a gun and kills without blinking an eye.
But when she held the baby, her movements were somewhat stiff, as if she was afraid that if she used even a little force, she would hurt the child.
"Brother Fu, these three children can't be left here any longer."
"Um."
Fu Ze nodded.
He looked at several villagers.
"Take us to Huai Shu Village."
The old man's expression changed drastically.
"No, that won't work!"
"We can't go! We can't go!"
The other man also hurriedly kowtowed.
"Sir, if you take the child away, the local deity will be angry!"
"Our whole village will die!"
"Please, please, just leave it alone! Put the child back, just pretend you didn't see anything..."
Zhao Rui's eyes turned cold, and he pressed the muzzle of his gun directly against the man's forehead.
"Say it again?"
The man was so frightened that his whole body stiffened, and cold sweat immediately poured down his face.
Fu Ze, on the contrary, calmed down.
The angrier he got, the lower his voice became.
"I'm determined to handle this matter."
"I'd like to see what kind of thing dares to impersonate the Earth God and eat nine babies in three years."
Li Junfeng glanced at Fu Ze.
"Going to the village?"
Fu Ze nodded.
"We have to go."
"Since this evil entity can appear in the dreams of the entire village and cause disasters to befall the village every year, it must be very well hidden and powerful. If we don't find out the truth, more children will be sent here next year."
Zhao Rui frowned.
"But what about Mr. Liao?"
"Gui Daozi isn't dead yet, and we don't know when the pursuers will arrive. If we create this unexpected trouble and delay our journey..."
He didn't continue.
But the meaning is obvious.
Their most important mission on this trip was to escort Liao Xibai to Jinling.
Mr. Liao was concerned about the overall situation.
If something goes wrong, it won't just affect a few individuals, but the entire world situation!
Fu Ze understood, of course.
He also knew that Zhao Rui's concerns were valid.
Logically speaking, their safest option right now is to avoid getting involved in the evil affairs of Huai Shu Village.
but……
Fu Ze looked down at the child in his arms.
That little hand had somehow grabbed his collar.
He is very weak.
But it felt as if it had gripped Fu Ze's heart.
Fu Ze remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"If Mr. Liao knew about this, he would agree to let me go."
Zhao Rui was taken aback, then fell silent.
He knew that Fu Ze was right.
What kind of person is Liao Xibai?
He abandoned his leisurely life as a wealthy man and returned from Southeast Asia to wade into this murky water, braving countless assassination attempts and risks, in order to regroup and set things right.
Ultimately, isn't it all about ensuring that the people on this land can live a few days of peace and tranquility?
If he knew that an evil spirit was impersonating the local earth god and devouring babies every year, he probably wouldn't agree to leave.
Zhao Rui sighed.
"Alright."
"I can't refute what you're saying."
He glanced at the villagers and slightly raised the muzzle of his gun.
"Get up, all of you, and come with us."
The old man was so frightened that he shook his head repeatedly.
"My lord, we really can't go back! If the local earth god finds out we led you there, he'll kill us!"
Fu Ze said coldly.
"If you don't lead the way, I'll kill you all right now."
The group immediately fell silent.
Fu Ze continued.
"Don't worry, I'm not a bad person."
"But don't even think about running away."
After saying that, Fu Ze simply reached out and pressed lightly on a small tree about the size of a bowl next to him, releasing a burst of internal energy.
Click!
Tree bark and sawdust flew everywhere.
The sapling was so crushed by his palm that its trunk cracked and it fell to the ground.
The villagers were terrified.
Is this even human anymore?
"Let's go."
Fu Ze said calmly.
The old man's lips trembled, and he finally dared not resist any longer.
……
The group quickly returned to the camp.
The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan and Liao Xibai had already noticed the commotion and were standing by the fire waiting.
Liao Xibai's expression changed slightly upon seeing the three babies in Fu Ze and Zhao Rui's arms.
"What's going on?"
Fu Ze did not hide anything and briefly recounted what had just happened.
After listening, Liao Xibai remained silent for a long time.
The firelight reflected off his face, flickering uncertainly.
Those usually gentle and calm eyes now revealed a suppressed anger.
"Sacrificing infants to impersonate local deities."
"What a chaotic world of demons and monsters!"
The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan stepped forward, examined the three infants, and then looked at the black spots on the palms of the villagers.
His expression also turned serious.
"It is definitely not an ordinary evil spirit."
"The mark is very faint, but it really has the smell of incense. It's like a ritual performed using a statue of a deity or a temple."
Fu Ze's eyes flickered.
"So, that thing is very likely hidden in the local temple?"
The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan nodded.
"It's hard to say, but there's definitely something wrong with the local temple."
Zhao Rui looked at Liao Xibai.
"Sir, Brother Fu would like to visit Huai Shu Village."
"But I was worried about your safety, so I wanted to come back and ask first."
Liao Xibai did not answer immediately.
He walked up to Fu Ze and looked down at the baby who was still trembling slightly.
The child seemed to have cried himself to death; his eyes were closed, his face was pale, and his breathing was weak.
Liao Xibai reached out and gently touched the child's face.
Then, he slowly raised his head.
"go."
There is only one word.
But with absolute certainty.
Li Junfeng said in a low voice.
"Sir, if this delays your trip..."
Liao Xibai said calmly.
"If I, Liao Xibai, am so eager to get on my way that I can't even save three infants, or turn a blind eye to a village being deceived by evil spirits, then what's the point of me going to Jinling?"
"And on what basis do I claim I can end this chaotic era and restore peace to the world?"
Li Junfeng fell silent.
Fu Ze smiled.
"I knew Mr. Liao would agree."
Liao Xibai looked at Fu Ze.
"Young friend Fu, how about you take the lead in this matter?"
"Of course, I'll go too."
Fu Ze frowned.
"Sir, you are injured. Why don't you stay here and wait?"
Liao Xibai shook his head.
"This matter concerns the people and their hearts. Now that I've encountered it, I can't just sit back and wait for news."
"Besides, if I stay here, you'll have to divide your attention to protect me. It's better if we all act together."
Zhao Rui nodded.
"Sir, you're right. It's safer for us to be together."
Fu Ze thought about it and then didn't object anymore.
He took out several talismans with pre-drawn inscriptions from the stack of talismans given to him by Yu Mingzi. These talismans were meant to nourish the blood and calm the mind, and he pasted them onto the swaddling clothes of the three babies.
A faint spiritual aura spread out.
The three children's crying gradually stopped, and their breathing became more even.
The villagers stared wide-eyed at the sight.
Fu Ze picked up the child and looked at the old man.
"Lead the way to your village."
The old man trembled and lowered his head as he spoke.
"Yes...we live in the valley not far ahead."
Fu Ze sneered.
"Huai Shu Village is in the mountain valley ahead, which means the local earth god temple isn't here either. Even if the earth god really wanted a child, why not put it in the temple instead of outside the village? And you still say it's not the work of evil spirits!"
The old man and the couple dared not answer.
……
The group packed their belongings and smothered the campfire with mud. Then, following the villagers, they walked through a damp, shady grove of trees and around a low slope until they could see the outline of the village.
The village is not small, with about a hundred low earthen houses scattered in the mountain valley.
Even before entering the village, Fu Ze already sensed that something was wrong.
It's so quiet!
Even late at night, in such a mountain village, there should be the sounds of dogs barking, insects chirping, or the movements of chickens, ducks, and livestock in the pen.
But Huai Shu Village doesn't have that.
The entire village seemed shrouded in an invisible shadow. It was dull and oppressive; even the wind blowing through the old trees at the village entrance carried a damp and chilly smell.
The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a low voice.
"The yin energy is very strong."
Fu Ze nodded.
He looked with his spiritual vision and saw that the village was shrouded in a faint gray-black aura. It was not strong, but it was continuous, as if it was seeping out little by little from the ground, the eaves, the well, and the tree roots.
This doesn't seem to have happened overnight.
Rather, over time, the entire village was gradually polluted by something.
Liao Xibai frowned as he looked at the lifeless village before him.
"The people here must be suffering terribly."
The old man leading the way had his head down, his voice trembling.
"Gentlemen, our village is just ahead. The local temple... is at the east end of the village entrance."
Fu Ze glanced at him.
"Let's settle the child in first."
Among the two men and one woman, one was a married couple, and they "offered" a pair of twins.
There was also a slightly older man, the one who came alone—his wife had fainted from crying at home and couldn't come along.
Liao Xibai sighed.
"Take your own child back. Even tigers don't eat their cubs, how could you...sigh!"
"My child, my child!"
The woman held her two children and wailed loudly.
The village chief then led Fu Ze and the others to another man's house.
The house was quite large, and it looked like a well-off family in the village. There were also two helpers, a man and a woman.
His wife had already woken up and was filled with a mixture of surprise, joy, and fear upon seeing her child.
"Why...why did you bring the doll back?"
The man glanced at Fu Ze.
"Let's go inside and talk."
Soon, the woman's suppressed sobs could be heard from inside the house again.
Before long, the entire village was alarmed.
One by one, oil lamps were lit.
The villagers, wrapped in their clothes, stood timidly outside the courtyard, neither daring to approach nor leave.
They had heard about what had just happened, and their eyes held a mixture of fear, resentment, and an indescribable numbness as they looked at Fu Ze and the others.
Fu Ze was too lazy to explain much to them.
When people are terrified for too long, all they can think about is "survival".
Talking to them about righteous gods and evil gods might not be convincing.
I have to be tough for now: You must listen to me! Otherwise, either I'll be killed by the "local deity" you talk about, or I'll kill you all right now!
If you want to do good deeds, you have to play the villain first.
This world... is truly absurd!
Most importantly, we need to find out who's impersonating the local earth god.
Fu Ze looked at Liao Xibai.
"Mr. Liao, please rest here for now. I plan to go and check on the situation first."
Li Junfeng frowned.
"Are you going to the local temple now?"