Chen Jiuyang had a dream.
In the dream.
He stood before an old mansion.
Red lanterns hung everywhere, the main gate was wide open, as if there was a joyous occasion.
Music played from within the old mansion, but to Chen Jiuyang's ears, it sounded exceptionally eerie, sending shivers down his spine.
Rain began to fall, chilling him to the bone, yet he was utterly unable to move.
The rain grew heavier, and servants with grotesque faces emerged one after another from the old mansion.
Behind the main gate of the old mansion stood a woman, drenched, her hair disheveled and her face obscured. Behind her was an unseen, sinister darkness.
She raised her pale hands, writhing with maggots, and waved them gently.
The horde of ghostly servants grabbed his hands, his arms, and began to drag him into the old mansion, towards the female ghost.
Chen Jiuyang was horrified, wanting to escape, but he could only move his eyeballs; his body was immobile. He could only watch as he was brought before the female ghost.
The female ghost grabbed his neck, making it difficult for him to breathe, his blood feeling as if it were freezing.
A gust of cold wind blew, scattering the female ghost's hair, revealing her face.
A pale countenance, bone-white eyes, and maggots wriggling in the holes on her face made Chen Jiuyang's scalp crawl.
"You dare to obstruct my revenge!"
A vicious voice, like a curse from hell, roared from the female ghost's mouth:
"I will kill you!"
Chen Jiuyang felt he could not breathe, experiencing immense pain. Just as he was about to suffocate.
Boom!
A thunderclap exploded in the sky, dispersing the dark clouds and heavy rain.
"Whoosh—"
Chen Jiuyang suddenly opened his eyes, his face pale, his body covered in cold sweat. He gasped for air, having narrowly escaped.
Chen Jiuyang's expression was grim and troubled.
It truly was the work of ghosts!
Lingering spirits!
He was being haunted by an evil spirit!
"Brother, are you alright?"
Chen Jiuyang looked up and saw a man and a woman in Taoist robes standing before him.
Chen Jiuyang asked, "Who are you two?"
The young man said, "My name is Xu Qingji, and she is Lu Qingrao. We are both from Longhu Mountain Taoism. Longhu Mountain Taoism handles all matters related to ghosts and spirits."
"We received a report from Qingcheng Mountain Taoism stating that there was strange activity and killings here, so we came to investigate."
"We just saw you being invaded by Yin energy in your dream and used a talisman to wake you. What happened to you?"
Chen Jiuyang recounted the events in detail.
"To be able to enter someone's dream and kill them with ghostly energy, that is at least the strength of a vengeful spirit. You were able to withstand the nightmare's invasion; you are truly fortunate," Xu Qingji observed Chen Jiuyang.
"We will handle this matter. You need not worry. We will inform you of any progress. Brother, please return and rest well."
After saying this, Xu Qingji asked Chen Jiuyang to leave.
Seeing that it was getting late and he still had matters in the East to attend to, Chen Jiuyang thanked them, obtained their contact information, and turned back to the Chen family in Suhang.
Lu Qingrao asked, "Can you handle this matter?"
Xu Qingji shook his head, "We've just arrived in Suhang and are not familiar with this place. Moreover, how many burial grounds are there around Suhang?"
Lu Qingrao's expression changed slightly, and she frowned, "Then why did you just say you could handle it! Aren't you just letting this person wait for death?"
"Do you know how to speak? Is that what I meant!" Xu Qingji rebuked her displeasedly.
"Then tell him that he need not worry!"
Xu Qingji said, "If we can't find any clues, then at least he won't have to overthink and be constantly scared. He can die more peacefully."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Even so, you shouldn't say it! Look at you, why is it that since you were transferred from Longhu Mountain to Suhang, your downfall has been this mouth of yours."
"You need to learn to say you don't know. The more you do, the more mistakes you make; the less you say, the fewer mistakes you make. That way, you won't offend anyone, understand?"
Lu Qingrao pondered, suddenly enlightened, her eyes shining:
"I don't know!"
Xu Qingji's veins on the back of his hand bulged, and he gripped his sword hilt, wanting to strike: "I didn't mean for you to say 'I don't know' at this moment, understand?"
"I don't know!"
"Sigh..." Xu Qingji sighed, "How could I possibly want him to die? That evil spirit failed to kill him once, so it will surely come a second time. We will follow him, lurking secretly around him. As soon as that vengeful spirit arrives, we will be able to capture it."
"?" Lu Qingrao asked:
"Then why didn't you just tell me directly? Why act so profound?"
Xu Qingji's face twitched, and he looked up at the sky, sighing, "My persona... is ruined..."
...
Chen Jiuyang returned to the Chen family in Suhang and checked his body. He found no invasion of Yin Sha or resentment, and thus felt relieved.
Just as Chen Jiuyang was about to rest, an unfamiliar number called. Chen Jiuyang answered, and on the other end was the voice of an East Asian businessman: "Mr. Chen, the situation has changed. The Ueda family's cargo ship has been rescheduled from tomorrow evening to the afternoon of the day after tomorrow."
"Alright, I understand," Chen Jiuyang said, then hung up the phone. His eyes narrowed, and he played with his phone.
This East Asian businessman could call to inform him of the information, but there was no news from Madam Ning. It seemed that Madam Ning was ultimately deceitful and not entirely honest.
After he dealt with these matters, it wouldn't be too late to deal with Madam Ning.
After some thought, Chen Jiuyang lay down on the bed to sleep.
Drip! Drip!
Another dream.
Chen Jiuyang stood before the old mansion again.
Red lanterns hung, the entrance was adorned with red, a scene of lively festivity.
Someone was playing music inside the old mansion.
Was the evil spirit pulling him into a dream to harm him again?
How could he escape the dream!
Chen Jiuyang did not want to experience that suffocating, near-death feeling again.
He needed to find a way.
A few moments passed, and Chen Jiuyang, in the cold rain, had become numb.
Unlike last time, although the old mansion's gate was open, there were no eerie servants or female ghost.
What was going on?
The guzheng music sounded somewhat melancholic.
"Sigh..."
A sigh sounded near his ear, making Chen Jiuyang's scalp crawl. He instinctively turned to look back—
Night.
Most people had fallen asleep.
Xu Qingji and Lu Qingrao were keeping watch near the Chen family in Suhang.
As midnight approached, a chilling aura swept in.
"It's here," Lu Qingrao said solemnly.
Just as the two were preparing to act, the ghostly energy seemed to have discovered them and was heading towards the distance.
Xu Qingji sneered, "It came, but it wants to run? Dream on!"
"Dao Xuan Supreme, Heaven and Earth borrow the law, reveal yourself!!"
Xu Qingji's true energy surged, and he held a talisman in his hand.
The talisman before him instantly ignited and transformed into a line, pointing in a direction.
"Good!"
...
Thirty miles outside Suhang, in a mountain range with excellent feng shui.
The area was densely forested, with frequent sightings of wild beasts.
Crucially, this place was filled with graves.
Decades ago, all those who died in Suhang were buried here. Later, it became a custom for the deceased in Suhang, from high officials to common laborers, to be buried in this vicinity.
This mountain was called Lieyong Mountain.