Maison des esprits

Chapitre 7

Four men and four horses emerged from the courtyard, mounted their horses, and galloped away. Only then did the woman inside the house begin to cry out. The watchman waited a while longer, making sure nothing else would happen, before relighting the lantern and striking the clapper twice: "Bang bang, it's the second watch! All is well!"

The one-eared wolf led the way, with two henchmen tightly flanking the old ghost traveler, as they raced towards the vast, dark plains. Despite all his calculations, the old ghost traveler still accepted a job that day, thus unable to escape the impending doom!

---janeadam

Reply [9]: The profession of tomb raiding is to find a resting place for the dead, that is, to find a place for the new soul to settle in the underworld. However, people in the human world should not interfere in the affairs of the underworld, and over time they will more or less suffer retribution. Therefore, there are many taboos for those who do this job, such as not taking jobs after 5 pm, so as to prevent the ghosts of the underworld from disguising themselves as people to trick them into taking the location of the best burial site; not accepting the requests of pregnant women, so as to prevent the primordial spirit of the growing baby from being absorbed; and not raiding burial sites in the direction of conflict, otherwise they will die from broken meridians. But the most taboo thing among all these is to raid burial sites between 5 pm and 6 am!

As the hour of You (5-7 PM) passes, daylight gradually fades, and night falls. At this time, Yang energy diminishes while Yin energy increases, a period of Yin-Yang transition, with chaotic and unpredictable energy. The purpose of burial site selection is to find the optimal point of convergence between Yin and Yang. Therefore, without special skills, it is impossible to capture that fleeting point amidst the rapid and chaotic energy. The most worrying thing is not failing to find the right burial site and ruining one's reputation, but the unpredictable dangers that may arise during the process. It is being possessed by demons lurking in the darkness, bringing undeserved disaster upon oneself. Ancient Han Dynasty books record that Qin Shi Huang summoned several of the most famous alchemists in the country to select a burial site for him. Fearing that the location of the tomb would be revealed, he ordered the alchemists to search at night. Later, the alchemists selected twelve burial sites based on the positions of the Heavenly Stems, making it impossible to distinguish the genuine from the fake. Ultimately, all these alchemists met with untimely deaths. Some were buried alive with the dead, some died of strange illnesses, and others were murdered without explanation. The most tragic case involved a man who was castrated, had his hands and feet cut off, his eyes gouged out, his tongue severed, and was then left to die in the sun. From then on, there were no more reports of ghostly travelers choosing burial sites at night. The Qin Dynasty, due to insufficient auspicious energy at its burial sites to bless its descendants, ended after only two generations.

Thinking of this, the old ghost traveler felt a chill of fear and abruptly pulled on the horse's reins. The galloping horse let out a long neigh, its front hooves leaving the ground, and came to a stop. The one-eared wolf and his two followers, unaware of what was happening, immediately pulled on their own horses as well. The one-eared wolf turned to the old ghost traveler and asked, "Why have you stopped?"

“Good sir, I think we should go and select a burial site for the old lady tomorrow. It’s the middle of the night, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to choose a good one for her,” the old ghost said, mustering his courage.

The one-eared wolf remained silent, merely urging his horse to circle the old ghost, his gaze coldly scrutinizing him. The old ghost felt an unease creeping over him; he dared not look at the wolf's figure, instead lowering his head to stare at the uneven, potholed road ahead. The one-eared wolf stopped behind the old ghost, raised his whip, and lashed it down with a whoosh. The old ghost closed his eyes.

The whip lashed solidly across the horse's rump, startling it into a gallop. Two henchmen flanked the old ghost, while the one-eared wolf continued to lash the horse from behind. The four quickly arrived at the boundless mass grave. The two henchmen sped ahead of the old ghost, blocking the horse. Terrified, the old ghost tumbled from his saddle and sat trembling on the ground. Several of the one-eared wolf's men were waiting there, and a dark coffin lay on the ground.

Two attendants dismounted, lifted the old ghost from the ground, took a gas lamp from the horse, lit it, and cast long shadows across the ground. The old ghost gritted his teeth, took out a compass and measuring tape from his robes, and began to survey the wilderness. The snow on the ground hadn't melted yet, covering the distant and near graves like little steamed buns. The north wind of the night howled past, and the sleet mixed in the wind stung the head and face with excruciating pain. The one-eared wolf brushed the snow off a nearby tombstone and plopped down on it.

The first step in burial site exploration is to locate the "qi eye." Earth's energy is constantly circulating, but even in such rapid movement, there are places that remain calm—the qi eye. Therefore, to ensure accurate compass direction-finding, the compass must be placed on the qi eye. The old ghost traveler took out a small bronze-footed incense burner from his robes, lit some incense, placed it inside, and covered it with a perforated lid. Smoke gradually billowed from the perforated hole, snow-white and thick, condensing into a thin line tilting to the right even in the cold wind. The old ghost traveler gently lifted the bronze burner off the ground and slowly moved it to the right. His eyes were fixed on the tilt of the white smoke, adjusting the direction of movement. When the white smoke pointed directly to the sky, the old ghost traveler visibly relaxed. He placed the bronze burner back on the ground.

---janeadam

Reply [10]: One-Eared Wolf and the others watched with amusement as Old Ghost Guest did these things, only to see that the white smoke grew longer and longer, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding wind, constantly rising upwards, until the end of the smoke was no longer visible. The smoke rising from the furnace seemed to be solid rather than gas, piercing upwards firmly. One-Eared Wolf jumped down from the tombstone and walked curiously to the bronze furnace to look at it, only to find that the hollow furnace helmet had drifted away from the furnace body and was constantly spinning in the smoke.

The old ghost traveler pulled out several "Five Emperors' Ancient Coins" from his pocket. By the light of the gas lamp, he carefully examined them and placed a "Shunzhi" coin at the bottom of the furnace. Strangely enough, as soon as the coin was placed in, the wisp of white smoke in the air vanished without a trace. Moreover, the furnace helmet fell back onto the furnace. The old ghost traveler set the furnace aside, leveled the ground around the ancient coin, placed the compass on it, and gently pushed the compass clockwise with his hand. A black vortex immediately appeared. Then the speed gradually slowed down, and finally it stopped spinning, the handle pointing due north. The old ghost traveler turned to the one-eared wolf and asked, "Does the hero know the old lady's birth date and time?"

One-Eared Wolf sneered: "I asked her, and she said it was the third quarter of the hour of Chen on the ninth day of the second month of the Gengyin year."

The old man calculated with his fingers: East is associated with Jia and Yi (wood), South with Bing and Ding (fire), West with Geng and Xin (metal), North with Ren and Gui (water), and Center with Wu and Ji (earth). It seemed the old woman's Heavenly Stem was metal, and she should be buried in the west after death. He turned to the left of the compass, carefully measured due west with a ruler, and walked two hundred steps west, exactly the number of the second month. Then he took out an ancient "Kangxi" coin from his pocket and placed it at his feet. He then reached for a silver shuttle and forcefully plunged it into the hole in the coin. In this way, he had discovered the location of "Heaven."

The ancients said, "First is fate, second is luck, third is feng shui." They also said, "Heaven, earth, and man are one." This means that fate is determined by heaven; the date of one's birth is not determined by oneself. Luck can be changed, so the time of childbirth varies depending on the circumstances. Of the three, only feng shui can be altered by oneself. "Treading the burial site" involves finding the "Heaven," "Earth," and "Man" points based on the deceased's birth chart, destiny, and luck. The "ghost apprentice" then determines the location of the burial site based on the shape formed by these three points. Once a suitable location is found, the surrounding areas are then cleansed and countered according to the descendants' wishes. Therefore, finding the burial site is relatively easy, but overcoming feng shui difficulties is challenging. A ghost apprentice with limited experience can only find the appropriate burial site but cannot discern the hidden evil influences within.

Old Ghost was busy alone on the snow-covered ground, and time passed unnoticed. He had found the Heavenly Eye, the Earthly Eye, and the Human Eye one by one. Three ancient coins—the "Kangxi," "Yongzheng," and "Qianlong"—were firmly pinned to the ground by a silver shuttle, their white reflection sending chills down one's spine. Old Ghost used a red thread to connect the three silver shuttles, forming a triangle with an area of approximately four hundred square meters. Then, he carefully measured the length of each side with a ruler, calculating the location of the triangle's center of gravity—the burial site of the One-Eared Wolf's mother. Old Ghost took out the last ancient coin, the "Jiaqing" coin, placed it at the center of gravity, and plunged the silver shuttle downwards.

With a soft "clang," the silver shuttle didn't pierce the hole as smoothly as before; it seemed something hard was blocking its path. The flexible shuttle, subjected to the reaction force, immediately bent, leaving the old ghost guest instantly stunned!

After finding the auspicious burial site, the ghost hunter needs to neutralize any potential dangers based on the surrounding terrain. However, some are unlucky and have insufficient merit accumulated in the underworld to benefit from such a site. In this case, the silver shuttle cannot penetrate smoothly and will encounter an object hidden beneath the soil, meaning that this location cannot be used as the burial site, commonly known as "earthly clash." If the ghost hunter encounters an earthly clash while exploring a burial site, he must choose another location. Otherwise, he will immediately suffer unexpected disaster. The old ghost hunter gently brushed away the topsoil and found a blue-and-white porcelain plate buried in the ground. He picked up the plate and suddenly saw another ancient coin from the Jiaqing era beneath it. The old ghost hunter looked at the one-eared wolf with a puzzled expression.

---janeadam

Reply [11]: One-Eared Wolf suddenly burst into wild laughter, pointing his horsewhip at Old Ghost Guest: "Haha, sir, you are indeed worthy of your reputation! I have already sent ghost guests from other places to come and see, but because I was not sure, I asked you to come and take a look. It is rare that you can find this place at night. It seems that this place must be right! Quick, mark out the edge of the hole, we are going to start digging!"

Several attendants shouted in unison, took shovels from their horses, and came over.

"No, we can't dig here!" Old Ghost Guest said decisively.

"Why? Since you all chose this place, it must be good. Why can't we bury him here?" A cold glint flashed in the one-eared wolf's eyes again.

Seeing the One-Eared Wolf's aggressive gaze, the old ghost guest couldn't help but shrink back. Yes, how could he explain this to this damned man? The burial site was indeed good, but because of the One-Eared Wolf's paranoia, a plate had been buried there. If he were allowed to build a grave here, he would likely face an unexpected disaster. But what good would it do to tell him all this? Today he had found the location of this burial site; if he hadn't, losing face was a minor matter compared to his life! In the wolf's eyes, he was less than the horse the wolf rode. If he truly angered this demon, he might have to choose a grave for himself. He hesitated for a long time, not daring to say anything. He turned and took out white stone powder from his pocket, scattering it around the burial site to mark an area. Several followers began digging in that area! Soon, the tomb was completed!

The old ghost traveler leaped into the burial chamber, stroking the surrounding walls. "Warm and moist," he thought, "not so moist as to be seeping water. This ensures a constant temperature within the burial chamber, guaranteeing a prosperous future for descendants." He patted the soil; it was firm, unshakeable even by flash floods. He jumped back onto the ground, looking left at the towering Mianshan Mountains, resembling flames reaching the sky, signifying future generations would rule over regions. To his right, the mountain range stretched down, seemingly drinking from the river, foreshadowing a flowing fortune for the family. In front lay vast, open fields, gathering the flow of fortune from all directions. Behind him, a sheer cliff provided shelter, ensuring a powerful and enduring energy for centuries. This burial site offered the perfect vantage point to witness sunrises and sunsets by day and the moon's glow at night. "In short," the old ghost traveler concluded to the one-eared wolf, "in this small Dongguan County, such a burial site is undoubtedly auspicious!"

The one-eared wolf listened intently as the old ghost guest finished speaking, nodded, and then waved his hand. Eight bandits gathered ropes and other supplies, lifted the coffin, and carried it to the grave. After a flurry of activity, they placed the coffin into the hole and then shoveled soil over it. Finally, a new mound rose above the original grave. Because the soil was freshly turned over, without any snow, it looked quite out of place compared to the white mounds. One bandit drove the old ghost guest away, and then all the bandits mounted their horses and suddenly spurred them forward, galloping across the graveyard. Each spur of their horseshoes sent up handfuls of dirt, destroying the mounds one by one, leveling them to the ground. When they finally stopped, all the mounds within a mile radius were gone, the ground a scene of utter devastation, and no one could distinguish whose grave was whose!

"Sir, mount your horse, we'll take you back!" One-Eared Wolf said to the stunned old ghost guest from his high position.

The old ghost traveler mounted his horse, a weight finally lifted from his heart. Looking at the dawn breaking in the east, the harrowing day and night was finally over. He thought of the pig standing upright he'd seen during the day, the one-eared wolf who'd forced him to come out and scavenge the burrow at night, and the unlucky earth spirit. He secretly resolved never to be a ghost traveler again. He also thought of the bag of silver dollars the one-eared wolf had thrown him. With that money, he truly didn't need to continue. He could just train Renbao well, find him a wife when he was older, and then enjoy the bliss of family life! He relaxed his tense nerves, feeling utterly exhausted. He longed to return home immediately and sleep on a warm kang (heated brick bed). He'd complained about the horse's speed on the way here, but now he wished it could fly. The one-eared wolf, however, seemed unhurried, leisurely strolling beside the old ghost traveler's horse, casually chatting with him.

---janeadam

Reply [12]: "How much harvest do you get in a year, sir?"

"It depends on the deceased. If there are many people, there might be three or five silver dollars. If there are few people, there might not even be enough to get through the New Year!"

"Hehe, so in that case, the thirty silver dollars I gave you are enough for ten years of your hard work?"

"Where, where? How could I dare to accept money for performing acupuncture on an old lady? When we get home, please take all that money back with you!" the old ghost said, trembling with fear.

"Haha, what kind of person do you take me for? I've already said that the thirty dollars is just a deposit. I'll give you another fifty silver dollars, but you have to agree to one condition!" One-Eared Wolf said, stopping his horse in place.

Old Ghost Guest quickly reined in his horse, and the group stopped on the hillside. They could already see the lights of early risers in the village, faint but warm; the occasional clear bark of a dog could be heard; and not far at the foot of the mountain were brick kilns of various sizes, some high, some low. Another gust of wind blew past, slipping under Old Ghost Guest's clothes, and he involuntarily shivered.

"I wonder what conditions you want me to agree to?"

“You chose the burial site. Although I’ve trampled that area flat, with your abilities, I’m sure you can still find it. So, the condition is that you can’t tell anyone where the tomb is. Otherwise, I won’t feel at ease!” One-Eared Wolf said, looking at the village below the mountain.

"No way, sir! Even if you gave me a million lives, I wouldn't dare tell anyone where the acupoint is!" Old Ghost Guest's teeth chattered.

The one-eared wolf looked at him strangely, a cruel sneer in his eyes. Old Ghost Guest's heart leaped into his throat; he could feel the sudden, ruthless aura emanating from the one-eared wolf. With a wave of his hand, one of the bandits pulled a bag from his robes and threw it at Old Ghost Guest. Old Ghost Guest hurriedly caught it; it was a bag of even heavier silver dollars. Looking at the bewildered Old Ghost Guest, the one-eared wolf slowly said, "That's eighty silver dollars in total, including the original amount. I'm afraid you'll never earn that much money in your entire life, right? Since you've already made the money, you don't need to do this anymore! I'd believe you if you said you didn't dare, but I'm not entirely at ease if you said you couldn't. It's better if you simply said you couldn't!"

A chill ran down his spine. Before the old ghost could understand what the one-eared wolf meant, a shovel whistled and slammed into the back of his head.

Old Ghost Guest's wife hadn't slept since the bandits left. Her wailing and lamenting woke many people, who gathered outside the courtyard to find out what had happened. Upon hearing it was One-Eared Wolf, they all quietly dispersed. Later, she lost the strength to cry and clutched the bag of silver dollars, sobbing and fearfully awaiting dawn. She longed for Old Ghost Guest's return, but by morning there was still no news of him, and she began to panic. She begged the villagers to search the mountains. Out of sympathy and pity, a dozen young men, armed with bamboo poles and sticks, went to the abandoned graveyard to search. However, apart from a large patch of flat ground trampled by horses, there was no one there. Later, they followed the hoofprints of horses returning to the village. Finally, they found Old Ghost Guest in an abandoned brick kiln by the roadside.

The old ghost was covered in blood; both his hands had been severed at the elbows, revealing raw bone and mangled flesh. Lying on the ground with his severed hands was his tongue, cruelly ripped from his mouth; only two rotten holes remained around his eyes. Yet this man was still alive. Hearing people outside, he struggled to utter incoherent cries, drawing them inside. As people gradually overcame their fear and looked at this "person" with respect, preparing to help him back to the village, they discovered that his hamstrings had also been severed!

---janeadam

Reply [13]: From that day on, the old ghost became a cripple. He could neither speak nor see what was happening around him, but he could not feel around like a blind man. His lower body gradually atrophied and eventually lost all vitality. Every day, he could only sit blankly on the kang like a withered stump, struggling to feel everything around him. The family had spent all thirty silver dollars to treat his injuries, and the fifty silver dollars that the old ghost had earned by exchanging his body had long been divided up by the people who carried him home. In order to save the family, Xiao Renbao inherited his father's job early on and picked up a compass to find a burial site for people. The old ghost could no longer teach him. He could only rely on his own talent and spirituality to learn those theories that were still very difficult for him. When he encountered something he did not know, he would tell his father his understanding, and the old ghost would use his only remaining sense of hearing to tell Renbao whether it was correct or not. This unique training method allowed Ren Bao to absorb the essence of his predecessors while completely breaking free from their constraints. In just a few years, Ren Bao's reputation surpassed that of the old ghost, and his name became known not only in Dongguan Town but throughout the entire Jinzhong region. People flocked to him to perform acupuncture.

The acupuncture point that Old Ghost had placed on One-Eared Wolf proved remarkably effective. Shortly after the burial, One-Eared Wolf joined the local warlord's forces, donned military uniform, and became a ruthless killer on the battlefield, emerging unscathed. He later returned home in glory, appointed magistrate of Qi County. In the center of Dongguan Town, he built a row of hundreds of large brick houses, garrisoning an entire battalion of troops. He later seized the private residence of a nearby impoverished Qiao family, merging it with their property, which still exists today. His several money exchange shops were incredibly profitable, and his wives multiplied rapidly. One-Eared Wolf transformed himself from a bandit leader into a political figure, indulging in lavish parties and revelry. On the day his new house was completed, he feigned a visit to Old Ghost, publicly repenting for his past sins. To demonstrate his genuine repentance, he even ordered the marriage of a maid he had previously abused to Ren Bao. The girl, heavily pregnant, had just entered Ren Bao's bridal chamber when those outside heard the baby crying inside. Everyone exchanged awkward glances, except for Ren Bao and One-Eared Wolf, who smiled at each other.

One-Eared Wolf's official rank rose higher and higher, and his family's wealth became immeasurable. However, his good fortune didn't last long. He was dismissed from his position as county magistrate and lost his military power. His several banks were repeatedly robbed by bandits, and his business declined rapidly. He no longer went to the battlefield to fight bandits, spending his days indulging in wine, women, and gambling, and money flowed away like water. Especially his dissolute sons, whose extravagance was no less than his. One-Eared Wolf was terrified about what would happen after his death. He secretly went to the cemetery to search for his mother's grave, only to find, to his horror, that the towering mountains had been flattened by artillery fire during a war, and the once mighty river had long since dried up. One-Eared Wolf knew that the ancestral feng shui had been broken. His worries grew heavier, and his body gradually aged. Until one day, in the mansion of a famous woman in the city, when he tried his best but could not achieve anything, he knew he was old and it was time to consider what would happen after his death. So, on a blood-red evening, he arrived at Ren Bao's house with a retinue of followers, threw a hundred "Yuan Shikai silver dollars" onto Ren Bao's kang (a heated brick bed), and ordered him to find an auspicious burial site for him.

To everyone's surprise, Ren Bao agreed without the slightest hesitation!

However, Ren Bao also told One-Eared Wolf that locating a burial site for the deceased is different from locating one for the living. Because the yang energy of the dead has been exhausted, it's only necessary to observe the earth's energy flow; there's no need to consider the timing of the heavens. But the lifespan of the living hasn't been completely used up, meaning it's necessary to predict the cycle of heaven, so it will take longer. He asked for more time to ensure he could locate an auspicious burial site for One-Eared Wolf that connects the past and present, and whose veins run through mountains and rivers! As he said this, his attitude was very humble, and he gave his father, who was paralyzed on the bed, a meaningful glance.

One-Eared Wolf agreed with some skepticism, but before leaving, he warned Ren Bao, "Don't try anything funny. I've recently done some research on geomancy and feng shui. I'll test you when you've chosen a burial site." Ren Bao simply nodded repeatedly. One-Eared Wolf stationed a group of men in Ren Bao's courtyard, blocking all those who came to ask Ren Bao to choose a burial site, while also monitoring his actions. Ren Bao didn't utter a single complaint.

---janeadam

Reply [14]: The next day, Ren Bao went out and bought a "Xuande" urn, half-buried it in the yard, dug up a section of root from the willow tree next to the pond, burned it to ashes and wrapped it in red silk. Then he had the soldiers in the yard collect dew in the village every day at dawn, and poured all the collected dew into the urn. Because they were doing things for their master, those soldiers who usually acted as accomplices to the tigers all rushed to do it. Of course, they did not do it themselves, but ordered the villagers to deliver a bowl of water within three days. Dongguan Town was small but had hundreds of households. Three days later, the urn was full of water. Ren Bao then took out the bag of willow ash and sprinkled it on the water.

Strangely enough, the ash that fell onto the water's surface didn't sink or muddy the water; instead, it floated in the water, some high and some low. Moreover, the water moved on its own without wind, slowly swirling around the walls of the jar. Those who understood astronomy observed closely and discovered that this small jar contained a miniature sky; the black particles were constellations, and the gray dust were stars, moving back and forth, shifting and turning, subtly conforming to the celestial order. Hearing this, the ghostly travelers from the vicinity all came over, and upon seeing it, they were horrified, saying that Ren Bao had truly created a "celestial bucket"! It was said that this would bring disaster, and only by sacrificing five women who had given birth could one escape divine punishment. Ren Bao simply smiled without answering, and sent a soldier to fetch the One-Eared Wolf, saying he needed him.

One-Eared Wolf, filled with doubt, rushed over and saw this strange scene. Even though he had taken countless lives, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe towards Ren Bao. He forced a smile and asked, "What can I do for you, sir?"

"I want your blood!" Ren Bao said, staring intently at the one-eared wolf.

"What?" One-Eared Wolf recoiled in fright, glancing at his armed henchmen on either side before regaining his composure. Enraged, he roared, "Damn it, I knew you were up to no good! You want my blood? Today I'll see yours! Men, tie him up and let him bleed!" Several henchmen pounced on him like wolves, quickly subduing Ren Bao. One of his lackeys pulled a dagger from his leg wrappings and stepped forward to strike.

"Wait! Master, please let me explain!" Ren Bao shouted as he struggled. "Master, your lifespan is not yet over, and you want me to step on your acupoints. I have already said that I must simultaneously predict the workings of the Heavenly Dao. That's why I risked setting up the Heavenly Bucket to observe your lifespan."

"Then you've already offered the heavenly offering, what do you need my blood for?" One-Eared Wolf waved his hand to stop the follower and glared fiercely at Ren Bao as he asked.

Ren Bao broke free from the grasp of his attendants and walked to the Heavenly Bucket, saying, "This Heavenly Bucket is only used to observe the workings of the Heavenly Dao. If you want to predict the Master's lifespan, you must put a drop of the Master's blood into it. Only then can I observe when the Master will die, and only in this way can I explore the direction of the Earth's Qi."

"Is it true?" The one-eared wolf circled the mysterious urn a few times suspiciously, then suddenly turned to the ghostly onlookers and asked, "Is what he said true? If you dare to lie to me, I'll skin you all alive tomorrow!"

---janeadam

Reply [15]: The ghost guests were all terrified and retreated repeatedly, but the muzzle of a gun was pressed against their spines. One of them, who was a little braver, said: "Mr. Ren is right. To find out whose lifespan, you have to drip whose blood. This method of measuring lifespan with a celestial bucket is recorded in ancient books. Because the method of offering is too cruel, and if the method is not used properly, the person offering may die suddenly. It is rare for ghost guests to encounter a living person stepping on a burial site. So we have only heard about it, but this is the first time we have seen it."

"Oh, how cruel is it? Tell me," the one-eared wolf asked, staring intently at the other.

"This, this—" The ghostly guest stammered for a long time, unable to speak, his eyes only glancing at Ren Bao. Seeing his obvious distress, Ren Bao stepped forward and said, "The offering bucket can predict a person's lifespan and its connection to the workings of Heaven. Moreover, through proper rituals, it can even extend the lifespan of a dying person. This is considered a great leak of Heavenly secrets, and the retribution is usually quite severe. Therefore, when offering the offering bucket, not only does the ghostly guest need to possess profound magical powers, but five women who have given birth to children from the family being tested must also be sacrificed alive to ensure absolute success."

"Ah!" The one-eared wolf stared wide-eyed at Ren Bao, his expression filled with disbelief. But seeing the ghost guests around him nodding in agreement, especially Ren Bao's calm and composed demeanor, he couldn't help but believe it. He snatched the dagger from the attendant's hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally made up his mind. He plunged the dagger into his left middle finger, and blood immediately gushed out. He threw the dagger on the ground, tightly pinched the wound with his right hand, and brought it to the mouth of the jar, dripping a drop of blood into it.

Everyone present stared in astonishment.

The moment the drop of blood touched the slowly rotating water, it hissed and crackled, like a drop of molten iron falling in. The water in the jar immediately began to boil, countless bubbles rising to the surface, growing larger and larger until they finally burst. Those nearby could see the bright red drop of blood darting swiftly through the water, clanging against the jar's walls. Slowly, the water calmed down, resuming its original rotation, but this time its speed gradually increased, pulling the restless drop of blood along. The pulling force was so immense that the jar, half-buried in the ground, swayed, and those present could feel the vibrations transmitted from the ground. Finally, the drop of blood stopped its aimless movement and settled quietly in the water, rotating with the current, which slowly returned to its original speed.

The one-eared wolf examined the drop of blood closely; it was suspended in the water nearly at the bottom of the jar. Ren Bao stepped forward and said, "Master, you see, this drop of blood represents you. When this drop of blood sinks to the bottom, it will be your time to die. I'm calculating the time based on the speed and changes in the water flow."

The one-eared wolf snorted, a fake smile gradually spreading across his face: "Very well, very well, sir, you are indeed a man of great wisdom! But I wonder how many years I have left to live?"

Ren Bao examined it carefully, nodded and said, "Master, please rest assured. According to the information displayed on this celestial bucket, you have at least fifteen years of life left. If you feel that's not enough, I can find a way to extend it by a few more years."

"Hahaha, no need. I'm almost sixty years old this year. I'd be content to live another fifteen years. How could I dare to defy fate? Sir, go and find the acupoint for me!" One-Eared Wolf turned to leave.

---janeadam

Reply [16]: Ren Bao stopped him with his hand: "Master, I have prepared the heavenly bucket, but you must think of a way to provide the sacrificial offerings!"

"Hmm, what kind of offering?" The one-eared wolf stopped and asked curiously.

"Have you forgotten what I just said? The offering bucket to the heavens only works if five women in your family who have given birth are sacrificed alive!" Ren Bao reminded him.

"Oh, this...! We live in a civilized society now, killing people randomly would be illegal, wouldn't it? Is there any other way?"

"This petty person is not skilled enough and only knows this one method! Otherwise, we would have no choice but to stop offering sacrifices!"

The one-eared wolf lowered his head and pondered for a while, then the brutal look in his eyes returned, the same look he had when he killed and robbed: "In that case, there's no need for you to worry, sir! But I wonder how to perform the human sacrifice?"

“There’s no rush. As long as I replace the ‘Five Emperors’ coins with the five women’s hearts on the day I start tracing the acupoints, that will be fine!” Ren Bao said calmly to the one-eared wolf.

"Alright, I'll come with my heart the day you step into the cave." The one-eared wolf finished speaking and turned to leave, and the crowd dispersed. The once bustling courtyard was now empty except for Ren Bao, who stood blankly by the water basin, staring at the drop of blood and the slowly flowing water. When he was sure no one was around, Ren Bao suddenly bit his right middle finger and dripped a drop of blood into the basin. The drop of blood immediately rushed towards the one-eared wolf's blood, chasing it as if it were alive, while a white mist rose from the surface of the water, and the flow gradually slowed until it stopped. When Ren Bao's blood had completely mixed with the one-eared wolf's blood, ice crystals had formed on the surface of the water.

Ren Bao smiled silently, while the one-eared wolf, who was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed) puffing out smoke, shivered. However, he quickly recovered, and the water began to swirl again, though the drop of blood was now almost touching the bottom of the jar.

Three days later, the water in the urn had almost evaporated. Ren Bao poured the remaining water into a white porcelain bottle and sent someone to inform the One-Eared Wolf that the Heavenly Calculation was complete and the site selection could begin. The One-Eared Wolf excitedly led his men over, bringing with him five bloody hearts placed in a box. Ren Bao examined the hearts and said, "Master, you didn't use someone else's, did you? If you did, it probably won't work. You can't deceive Heaven."

"Cough, I don't know what evil spirit has possessed me, but all my wives have fallen ill and died these past two days. I was worried about where to find these five hearts. My mother is already dead, and I don't have any other relatives at home, but of all people, they just happened to die! Haha! What a once-in-a-century coincidence!" One-Eared Wolf laughed wildly.

"I think it's not a coincidence, but the will of Heaven!" Ren Bao carefully removed the flesh from the tips of the five hearts and placed them in a porcelain bottle. He wrapped the hearts in white silk and put them in his bosom. "Six blood to suppress the acupoints can ward off wind, thunder, rain, lightning, water, and fire. It's a pity that the ghosts of ancient times only knew how to use people for burial!"

---janeadam

Reply [17]: Ren Bao led the four members of the One-Eared Wolf group to rush up the hill. Ren Bao held the porcelain bottle tightly and did not want to let go of it for a moment.

Ren Bao paced back and forth on the desolate graveyard, sometimes looking up at the sky, sometimes using his fingers as a ruler to measure distances, and sometimes turning the compass in his hand to choose a direction.

Everything seemed like history repeating itself. Twenty years ago, it was the old ghost who scouted the burial site for the one-eared wolf; today, it was his son. Ren Bao, like his father, probed the acupoints, using the same bronze furnace the old ghost had used. After finding the acupoint, Ren Bao took out a heart from his robes and nailed it to the ground with a silver shuttle. Then, he successively located the Heavenly Eye, Earthly Eye, and Human Eye, nailing the hearts to the ground one by one. The gleaming silver shuttle and the bright red hearts against the bare yellow earth were such a stark and shocking contrast. Finally, the burial site was also located. Ren Bao took out the last heart and placed it in the location of the burial site.

The most astonishing thing happened: the dead heart began to beat, thumping and hissing. Everyone present felt a chill; one of the attendants, his legs trembling, lost his balance and fell to the ground, instantly soaking the earth beneath him.

"Coward!" The one-eared wolf snapped out of his daze. To hide his fear, he pulled a gun from another henchman's arsenal and fired several shots at the henchman on the ground. Then he threw the gun on the ground and asked, "What's going on?"

Ren Bao seemed oblivious to everything around him. He stared blankly at the still-beating heart, then suddenly shouted, "Master, great news! This is the legendary Tengyang acupoint!"

The *Zi Bai Wai Pian* records that just as people are divided into men and women, burial sites are also classified as auspicious or inauspicious. Extremely inauspicious sites are generally called "premature death," while extremely auspicious sites are called "Teng Yang" and "Fu Yin" depending on whether the burial site is for a man or a woman. If a woman is buried in "Fu Yin," her descendants will hold high official positions and have limitless futures; if a man is buried in "Teng Yang," his descendants will be able to secure the dynasty for ten thousand years—in other words, sit on the dragon throne and rule the world. Unfortunately, records about the Teng Yang and Fu Yin sites are extremely scarce over the centuries. The only legend is that of Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin. His father was originally a woodcutter who, while chopping wood in the mountains during a severe drought, discovered only a patch of land covered in lush green grass, full of life. He decided to be buried there after his death. However, he mistakenly buried him in the Teng Yang site, and Zhao Kuangyin was thus crowned emperor at Chenqiao, founding the Song Dynasty. Unfortunately, the Teng Yang site does not appear at any time; it only forms when the world's fortunes decline and moral energy dissipates, eventually gathering in one place. Therefore, the "Purple and White Outer Chapters" only mentions it briefly, without detailed description.

Ren Bao was so excited that he talked non-stop, his thoughts swirling around his pounding heart, but the One-Eared Wolf sneered, "Stop talking nonsense! According to you, the appearance of the Tengyang acupoint will lead to a change of dynasty? Besides, I don't see anything special about that acupoint."

Ren Bao didn't answer the one-eared wolf's question. Instead, he reached for his compass, placed it next to the heart, and said, "Master, you saw it just now. Even a dead person's heart can beat again when placed on the acupoint. That's because the life force at the Tengyang acupoint is so strong. It's said that even a dead tree stuck into the ground at the acupoint will sprout again; and even the most severe injuries will heal automatically if a person lies on the ground at the acupoint for a while, as long as they're not dead. Moreover, the energy field near the acupoint is so strong that even a compass can't determine direction." As he spoke, his left hand braced against the ground, and his right hand's silver shuttle slashed across his left arm, leaving a wound.

---janeadam

Reply [18]: Sure enough, the compass spun like a whirlwind, it just wouldn't stop, and it spun faster and faster; but the wound on Ren Bao's arm didn't bleed at all, and not only that, the wound was healing itself from bottom to top, and in less than half an incense stick's time, his left arm was as smooth as before. The one-eared wolf and the remaining follower were all dumbfounded.

The one-eared wolf strode forward, kicking away the still-spinning compass and other objects. He reached out and grabbed Ren Bao's left arm to examine it closely. There was only a faint white line where the wound had been. The one-eared wolf snorted, squatted down, and stuck his horsewhip backwards into the ground. Then he stood up and said, "I'll see if it can bring dead trees back to life."

All three men stared intently at the whip handle, hoping to see it change color, crack, sprout, and grow. However, a full quarter of an hour passed, and nothing changed. One-Eared Wolf paced back and forth, constantly glancing at Ren Bao, fiddling with a gun in his hand. Finally, he sneered, "Sir, stop playing tricks on me! What nonsense about the Tengyang acupoint? Did you deliberately choose this spot to ruin my family in order to get revenge on me?" He suddenly pointed the gun at Ren Bao: "Stop wasting time! While it's still early, hurry up and create another acupoint for me!"

Ren Bao shook his head helplessly and said, "Master, if you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do. But since ancient times, ghost travelers can only step on a burial site once, and this rule cannot be broken. Whether you think this burial site is good or bad, you can only be buried here after a hundred years!" He began to pick up the things that the one-eared wolf had kicked away on the ground, preparing to go home.