здание

Глава 21

"What we just sprinkled was incense to guide the dead back. Of course, it wasn't just your mother and me who came. We can deal with these dead people, but we can't deal with the ghost child. That child can only be dealt with by one person. Fortunately, I've already asked her to come."

Sure enough, two figures slowly walked along the forest path, one of them carrying a person in her arms. As they drew closer, everyone could see clearly that it was a nun, who looked to be around fifty years old. Her expression was very calm, and she was chanting scriptures. It turned out that the scriptures she had just recited were those of her. Behind her was Xiaoyu's grandmother, her hands clasped together in a very sincere manner. The nun was carrying Xiaoyu in her arms, whose eyes were already closed.

Upon seeing the little fish, Shishi excitedly asked, "Master, is the little fish dead?"

"No, I just hypnotized him."

However, when Qin Jin heard such a voice in the darkness and looked at the nun more closely, his expression became increasingly incredulous.

Qin Jin seemed startled and stepped back. Hei Bao fell to the ground, but ran towards the nun affectionately. Qin Jin, however, fell to the ground in fright.

The nun looked at Qin Jin calmly and gently called out, "Jin'er, are you alright?"

"No, no, this isn't real!" Qin Jin screamed.

Ke Liang hugged Qin Jin tightly and asked, "What's wrong?"

Nalan Jing said softly, "That nun is Qin Jin's mother. We've known each other for many years."

The four younger generation members were surprised. No one knew how much their elders had been hiding, so each of them felt like they had been deceived.

“No, didn’t you go abroad? After Dad died, I saw you board the plane with my own eyes,” Qin Jin shouted at her mother.

The nun gazed into the distance, then said to Qin Jin, "Child, you have just returned home! This is your true home, your roots."

Qin Jin's home is in this village.

The nun said, "I was born a jinx, causing the deaths of my parents. The witch once said that everyone close to me would suffer misfortune because I was born under a curse. Later, the village was struck by the magic of Kabeng, but Xiaoyu and I survived. I was fortunate enough to receive help from a strange old lady, who later became your maternal grandmother, and we left the village. Outside, I met your father. Although I tried to avoid him, it was my calamity, and also your father's calamity. We couldn't escape love, and we got married against your grandmother's wishes, and eventually you were born."

The nun seemed a little agitated. She chanted a few Buddhist prayers, then calmly said, "But he's dead, and you're next. To help me, my grandmother made me leave you and become a nun in a nunnery. I had to leave you so you could live. I'm your nemesis; I can only bless you from afar. But Jia Kuan said you were in trouble, so I came out because I know how to deal with the ghost child. When he was little, I often lulled him to sleep. Back then, Xiao Yu was very young, and strange things often happened around him when he was awake. Only I could lull him to sleep. Even after all this time, Xiao Yu hasn't grown up. He can still fall asleep after listening to my lullabies."

"A ghost child?" Ke Liang asked curiously.

"Yes, Yin Tong is a child of the underworld. They do not belong to us living people. They can command the dead and have infinite power, but they cannot live without the underworld. Xiao Yu is the witch's revenge on Xiao Yu's family. Xiao Yu's grandmother did not want to be a believer."

"Tch, the witch doctor is not democratic at all," Ke Liang said with dissatisfaction.

Qin Jin seemed to have just woken up from the shock: "You didn't go abroad, you've been hiding in a nunnery to cultivate, but why haven't you come to see me all these years?"

“I don’t dare to come to see you at all, for fear that you will be implicated because of me.”

"Then why are you coming to see me again now?"

"That's because you're being chased by Kabeng."

"What? The person Kabeng was chasing was me?"

"Yes, you are a descendant of the Yu family, and Kabeng is the one who wants to kill you."

Now it was everyone's turn to be surprised.

“My mother was Yu Dafu’s sister-in-law and a member of the Yu family. They died shortly after I was born, but the massacre by Kabeng did not spare me because I am, after all, a descendant of the Yu family. Fortunately, I was rescued by my grandmother and escaped, and then you were born. Because I am a lone star, the curse cannot harm me, but it works on you because you are an ordinary woman. I think that the red ribbon was able to walk out because it was all arranged. If the curse is to kill, it will definitely find a way to do it.”

Qin Jin remained silent. To her, this night was far too bizarre. First, she had to believe that Ke Liang's parents were high-level exorcists. Second, she had to believe that her mother had become a nun. Finally, what she found most unacceptable was that she was actually a descendant of the Yu family from such a remote village, and that the female ghost's pursuit was all aimed at her.

Shishi gently held her hand, afraid that she might faint.

Qin Jin said blankly, "The female ghost wanted to kill me, so why did she kill Lan Qi and haunt Ying Qi? Why did she involve so many people? Why didn't she come after me? She could have just killed me and left it at that."

"Kabeng will not let go of anyone close to you, otherwise our entire village would not have been killed."

"I'm going to kill her! I'm going to kill that woman! She's a devil! She's the most disgusting and vicious ghost!" Qin Jin screamed, filled with hatred for the stunted female ghost.

Nalan Jing suddenly said, "Let's leave quickly! I feel that this forest is not a good place to stay, it seems to be filled with demonic energy."

Ke Jiakuan nodded and said, "Yes, let's hurry before it's twelve o'clock."

So the nun put the little fish down, put her hands together in prayer for the little fish's grandmother, and said, "Take care of yourself!"

The little fish's grandmother carried the little fish and disappeared into the woods.

Ke Jiakuan led the way, and everyone walked quickly, soon emerging from the woods. The woods didn't seem very large, but Ke Liang and the others had been running all day without finding their way out.

As soon as they emerged from the forest, they saw an off-road vehicle parked by the roadside. Seeing that beautiful off-road vehicle, Ke Liang and the other younger generation felt a great sense of relief. My God, they finally saw a modern product. After spending several days in that village, they had no idea what era they were living in. Suddenly seeing a modern car gave them an indescribable excitement.

As Ke Liang got into the car, he said to his parents, "When we get home, can you get me one of these cars too? I think this car is absolutely amazing!"

Everyone was seated, and Lu Ziming drove again. As soon as the car started, it sped away. Although everyone knew that they hadn't managed to kill that deadly Kabeng, they were still incredibly lucky to have survived. No one dared to complain, and no one felt sad. It was as if being alive was the best they could hope for.

Chapter Twenty-One: Change (1)

The car sped along, no one knew where it was going, and no one cared about anything else. Everyone was staggering and swaying, only concerned with getting as far away as possible.

"Master, what should we do about Xiaoyu?" Shishi has a very kind heart.

The nun gently stroked Hei Bao, who meowed contentedly in her arms. "Don't call me nun. My Dharma name is Yuan Kong. You can just call me Yuan Kong. Xiao Yu was originally a Yin Child. He is actually the guardian of that place. The reason why the curse hasn't hunted Jin'er down for so many years is because Xiao Yu didn't release it. It's also because its power isn't great enough to escape the Yin Land. However, it still used your power to escape and start its revenge. It seems that you all have a connection."

Ke Liang then asked, "Master Yuankong, how do you know my parents?"

"Haha, that's a long story. Back then, because I was a nemesis, your mother almost exorcised me as a monster. Luckily, Brother Ke discovered my true identity and saved my life. That's how we became acquainted, through a fight."

Nalan Jing smiled sheepishly. She was known for her fiery temper back then, and would throw an exorcism stick at the slightest provocation. When she saw an unusual aura around Qin Jin's mother, she thought she was a demon, not a human. Fortunately, her husband stopped her in time, or she would have killed the wrong person.

While Qin Jin was still in a daze, Lu Ziming lovingly held her hand as he drove.

As dawn broke, Lu Ziming drove his car towards the city. He didn't know what to do, but he instinctively felt that crowded places were safer.

Yuan Kong didn't seem to object. Several elders seemed to have some important decision to make, their brows furrowed, as if they were constantly considering it.

Ke Liang sensed something was wrong: "Mom and Dad, what's wrong with you? What are you thinking?"

No one paid him any attention, but when they passed a temple, Yuankong stopped the car. She turned around and asked Ke Jiakuan and Nalan Jing, "Are you really going to do this?"

They both nodded, and she sighed and said, "Alright then, I'll go too."

So many people suddenly emerged from the small SUV that a young monk who was sweeping the floor was so startled that he dropped his broom.

Ke Jiakuan said, "At this time, we should bring Ke Liang's grandfather along as well. When old friends meet, they will have so much to say."

The four of them couldn't help themselves and started asking all the questions about what had happened.

At this moment, Ke Jiakuan said to everyone helplessly, "Kids, we are going to see an old friend now. You come with us too. He is the abbot of this temple. But no matter what you see, you must remain calm. You must not scream, you must not be stunned, you must not run away. You must not embarrass us, understand?"

Nalan Jing seemed quite worried and said, "Can't you escape on your own?"

"At this point, there's no other way. Sigh, it seems that we, this group of people, are still together after all this time."

Master Yuankong sighed and said, "This is our destiny. As the Buddha said, things arise and fall according to conditions, flowers bloom and wither. Well then, everyone, go inside!"

A few young people walked behind, looking around as they went. It was a really dilapidated temple, with little incense offerings and dust everywhere.

Upon arriving at the backyard of the small temple, Ke Jiakuan told the young people to stop, while he, his wife, and Abbess Yuankong went inside. Qin Jin looked at her mother's back. After the initial shock, she had accepted her mother, but seeing how rational, indifferent, and disillusioned her mother was, she felt a strong urge to cry.

Although the small temple was dilapidated, it still had a sense of tranquility, and there were even several plum trees in full bloom behind the courtyard.

Ke Liang walked over, then suddenly ran back. Plum blossoms blooming in summer? He was extremely surprised. And there were a few white plum blossoms on the branches. Out of curiosity, he secretly climbed up the branches to look at those plum blossoms.

Shishi, Lu Ziming, and Qin Jin all looked at him. They all thought that there was indeed a master living in this temple, who could make plum blossoms bloom in summer. He had an ethereal aura.

Ke Liang touched the plum blossom on the branch. Good heavens, it was fake! He was exhausted from climbing the tree, so he shouted angrily, "Who's so bored as to stick plum blossoms on a hot day like this!" Before he finished speaking, he saw a note hanging on the branch that read, "Don't move. There's a hornet's nest on your head. If you move, someone will die."

Ke Liang screamed, "Qin Jin, Ziming, quickly check if there's a hornet's nest on my head!" He was so scared that he didn't dare to move.

After examining it carefully for a long time, everyone concluded: "No, you've been fooled."

Having been tricked twice, Ke Liang stood up straight in the tree in a fit of rage: "Damn it, whoever framed me, I'll never forgive them!"

Just then, he spotted a sentence written on the tree trunk and fell down.

The line was: "Don't worry, there are no knives down there, only spikes."

Ke Liang fell heavily to the ground, thinking he was going to die. Everyone was frightened and rushed to check on him, but Ke Liang opened his eyes after a while. It turned out that a thick layer of dry grass had been laid down below, so no one could be hurt.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Ke Liang was alright, and then they couldn't help but laugh at his disheveled appearance.

Ke Liang stood up, furious, and said, "Who? Who did it?"

At this moment, Ke Jiakuan, Nalan Jing and the others came out, accompanied by a middle-aged man dressed in a punk style. He was bald, wearing a black jacket, a thick bracelet, and sunglasses, looking like an old angry young man. He even had a pierced lip.

He laughed the loudest, and tears were streaming down his face.

Ke Liang said, "Is it that funny?"

"Of course it's funny! You're the twenty-seventh person to fall for it. This game is too much fun!"

Upon hearing that he had already harmed twenty-seven people, Ke Liang flew into a rage and threw a left hook at the smiling face, only to find himself flying back onto the pile of hay.

The middle-aged punk struck a pose like Bruce Lee ready to fight, then said to Ke Liang, "What dan level are you? What style of boxing are you good at? I'm practicing Muay Thai right now. Come on, let's have a go."

At this moment, Ke Jiakuan said, "Liang'er, don't be rude. Come and greet your uncle."

The four young people were all stunned. Shishi stammered as she rushed forward, pointing at the pierced-lipped old punk and said, "You mean, he's the abbot we're looking for?"

Ke Liang got up from the ground, having forgotten the pain, and only said, "Boss, you're supposed to be a monk, can't you be a little more mindful of your image?"

Old Punk said with a smile, "My name is Xiao Qian, you can just call me Brother Xiao Qian."

"Little Qian-ge?!" The four of them screamed in unison.

Everyone had already sat down, and several dishes were laid out in that dilapidated and messy little meditation room. The young monk seemed to be a typical example of how bad the upper beam is, and the dishes were cooked with extremely shoddy ingredients. You could even find maggots in the vegetables, but the abbot, Brother Xiaoqian, didn't care at all.

Shishi couldn't help but remind him, "Master, Master, you have killed a living being."

Xiao Qian swallowed the worm in a few bites, then opened his mouth wide and said, "No, no, show me the evidence. You can't just talk nonsense without evidence. I'll sue you for defamation. But since you're a beautiful woman, I can settle this with you privately."

Now the young people finally understand why Ke Jiakuan solemnly asked them not to scream, not to run away, and not to space out.

Master Yuankong smiled and said, "After all these years, you still haven't changed your nature. Don't worry about it. Brother Xiaoqian was born in the temple. He has a strong affinity with Buddhism. Even though he went abroad and studied at Harvard, he still came back to become the abbot of this small temple. We used to play together a lot. He is a star destined for Buddhism. Together with my Lonely Star, the ghost-catching Taoist priest from the Ke family, and the exorcist clan from the Nalan family, we are known as the Four Symbols. I'm not afraid you children will laugh at me, but the four of us represent the four directions of east, south, west, and north, suppressing evil spirits. If it weren't for Kabeng causing trouble, the four of us would rarely have had the opportunity to work together to break the curse. Kabeng's power is too great. But I believe that if the Four Symbols join forces, you will be safe and sound."

Although things happened too suddenly, after thinking about the strange remarks of these seniors, Ke Liang and his group only had two choices: one was to put these four people into the SUV and drive them directly to the mental hospital, and the other was to believe them and let them do as they pleased.

Of course, the latter was the wisest choice. Xiao Qian listened to Ke Jiakuan talk about the things that happened around them while he ate.

It was at this moment that Ke Jiakuan's charm was revealed. He recounted the whole story in a very organized manner, as if he had witnessed it firsthand. It would be truly a miracle if someone like him didn't become rich in business.

While Ke Jiakuan was speaking, no one made a sound except for Xiaoqian's loud swallowing of rice.

In the time it takes to eat a meal, he explained everything clearly. That's what makes him a genius. After listening, Xiaoqian, the host, remained silent for a long time before saying, "Are you planning to use astral projection to send these people back and kill Kabeng?"

Master Yuankong sighed and said, "This is the only way, because we all know that there is still no way to break the curse of Kabeng. Apart from preventing it from appearing, I really don't know what other way to destroy it."

Ke Jiakuan also fell silent: "I know this method is too risky, but if we don't take this risk, we can't control Kabeng. I always feel that the appearance of Kabeng is different from the legends of the past. In the past, Kabeng only killed the cursed people and their relatives and the next life, but I have never heard of Kabeng killing indiscriminately. Could it be that the curse has been upgraded again?"

"Yes, yes, just like computer software has upgraded from 2.0 to 3.0, it's become more advanced." Ke Liang always liked to chime in.