Maiyi Onmyoji

The Thirty-Sixth Generation Heir

Grandfather hastily pulled me back."Thud, thud-thud-thud, thud, thud-thud, thud-thud-thud..."At that moment, a distinct knocking sound echoed from outside.The rhythm of the knocking was peculiar.Startled, Grandfather quickly covered my mouth and hid me under the bed, whispering in my ear, "If you want Grandfather to live, don't make a sound."Having said this, he handed me the "Ghost Aspect of the Hemp Clothes."My heart raced—what on earth was happening?Grandfather picked up a kitchen knife and opened the door.Since I was hiding under the bed, I couldn't see outside, so I could only listen.In a stern voice, Grandfather addressed the visitor, "Zhang, don't push me too far! If you force my hand, I'll fight you to the death."A sinister old voice responded with a sneer, "Heh, heh, I've done you a great favor, and this is how you thank your savior?"The voice was completely unfamiliar to me."Thank you?" Grandfather's tone grew tense. "Did you kill Old Village Chief and Elder Fang?"The sinister old man chuckled, "Isn't this exactly what you wanted? I've taken care of your worries for you. As your fellow disciple, shouldn't you do me a favor in return?""Hmph!" Grandfather scoffed, "Zhang Cuihua, after all these years, you still have the gall to call yourself my fellow disciple? Our master never once acknowledged you!""Enough, I'm not here to argue. What do you mean by that letter? And what are you planning, coming to find me?"Grandfather's voice grew louder.Zhang Cuihua, the sinister old man, responded calmly, "Brother, there's no need for such hostility. If I meant you harm, you and your grandson would already be dead. At the very least, consider your precious grandson.""Zhang, if you dare threaten my grandson, I'll fight you to the death!" Grandfather was agitated.I was about to crawl out from under the bed to confront Zhang Cuihua with Grandfather, but Zhang Cuihua laughed, "Relax, I have no intention of harming you. I helped you eliminate Old Village Chief and Elder Fang, but you should still care about our master's death, right?"It seemed Zhang Cuihua had no malicious intent.Grandfather hesitated. "Have you been investigating our master's death all these years?""Indeed!" Zhang Cuihua declared, "You know my character well. I repay kindness and seek revenge for wrongs. For my family, I'd kill anyone. Master may not have thought highly of me, but he saved my life. Whether he acknowledged me or not, I considered him my master, and I've been investigating his death. I've even found crucial clues."After a pause, Zhang Cuihua continued, "I've spoken enough. I'm parched. Aren't you going to invite me in?"Grandfather sneered, "If you're a guest, I'll treat you well. But first, explain the white powder in the letter.""That's not smoke; it's a powder that causes life to wither rapidly without leaving a trace. I left it in the straw hut in a hurry, not to gift it to you."Grandfather had indeed picked up the letter."Fine, but time is running short. The villagers will return soon."Grandfather stepped aside to let Zhang Cuihua in.I saw a pair of cloth shoes walk to the table. "This powder was refined from master's teeth," Zhang Cuihua said."What? Are you saying master became a zombie?" Grandfather was shocked.Zhang Cuihua responded calmly, "After master died, you left the mountain, but I stayed at his grave. The next night, I heard noises from the grave. I thought master was alive and was thrilled. I dug up the grave, only to find master had become a zombie."Grandfather interrupted, "That's impossible! Master's burial site was a place of pure Yang energy, chosen by him. There's no way he could have become a zombie.""You're wrong!" Zhang Cuihua turned and took a deep breath. "Master died from the poison of this powder, which can turn anyone into a zombie. To find the killer and make them suffer the same fate, I've traveled across half of China and investigated over thirty sects. Finally, I've found the real culprit.""Who is it?" Grandfather asked urgently.Zhang Cuihua sat down, poured himself tea, and said, "Wang Changtian, head of the Qi Sect, Zhejiang Yi Jing Feng Shui Association."Grandfather sat by the bed, "I know him. He visited master. His face was fierce, but why would he harm master?"Zhang Cuihua sneered, "Brother, do you remember master's Ghost Qi technique?""I've heard of it; master often mentioned it," Grandfather replied.Zhang Cuihua drank tea and sneered again, "The truth is, the Ghost Aspect of the Hemp Clothes you possess contains only basic techniques. The true power lies in the Ghost Qi technique, a secret art of consuming ghosts. Wang Changtian's motive was precisely this technique."Grandfather fell silent.Zhang Cuihua drank more water, "Brother, Wang Changtian's influence is vast. I can't face him alone, so I ask for your help. We're both old now; if we don't do something for master, we'll lose our chance. Also, if I intended to harm your grandson, I would've done so at the cemetery.""So, please trust me. My only goal is to kill Wang Changtian and reclaim the Ghost Qi technique.""But if you refuse..." Zhang Cuihua paused, his tone menacing, "I'll be forced to rid us of an unworthy disciple."Grandfather stood up abruptly, "You bastard! How could I ignore master's fate? Fine, I'll pack and join you in Zhejiang.""Good!" Zhang Cuihua also stood up, "Staying here will only cause trouble. I'll wait for you at 4 PM by the Hualian Supermarket near the old station.""And, I have a gift for Dalian as a token of our first meeting." Zhang Cuihua bent down and placed a jade pendant in front of me.Grandfather was stunned, "Isn't this the jade master lost?""Indeed. I stole it back then, and now it's for Dalian, our sect's thirty-sixth-generation heir. By the way, Dalian's ghost bride is buried by your ancestral grave. Just remove the green bamboo from the grave, and she'll be free."With that, Zhang Cuihua turned and left.Grandfather followed him to the door, staring at Zhang Cuihua's departing figure.I crawled out from under the bed and saw Zhang Cuihua's small, gray figure walking away, wearing a straw hat, looking like a farmer.Grandfather looked at me, then at the jade pendant in his hand.I asked, "Grandfather, can we trust him? Are you really going to Zhejiang?"Grandfather sat down and, after a moment's thought, sighed, "Dalian, let me test you. What do you think of Zhang Cuihua?"I was stunned."Grandfather, that's a tough question. I only heard a few words and saw his back. I don't know him at all!"Grandfather shook his head, "You don't pay attention to your studies. How will that do?""I'll punish you by making you study the Ghost Aspect of the Hemp Clothes diligently during the summer at your uncle's house."My parents work away, and we're not close to my uncle's family.I knew my uncle repairs bicycles, my aunt works at a clothing factory, and their daughter is a high school freshman. They don't care much for me, so I'd rather watch ants climb trees than go to their house.Before I could speak, Grandfather continued, "Reading faces isn't just about faces. The body reveals destiny codes, from the background to the voice, even the handwriting, or a strand of hair, can tell a lot.""For instance, Zhang Cuihua's sinister voice shows he's full of Yin energy, which means he's scheming and deep. His words should only be half-believed. People like him are dangerous; they don't need weapons to kill, their plots are deadly.""Look at his back; it seems sturdy and honest, walking steadily. This shows he's trustworthy in emotions, but you must consider everything together, especially his straw hat.""In destiny, why do we look at a man's forehead and a woman's chin?""Men are Yang; the forehead is like a skylight, receiving Yang energy.""Women are Yin; the chin gathers Yin energy.""But he, a man, always wears a straw hat, blocking Yang energy and accumulating Yin energy. If Yin energy becomes too strong, it can turn into a murderous heart, making him extremely dangerous. So, beware of such people.""But don't worry, I won't be harmed in Zhejiang. He can't cause trouble here. Just focus on studying the Ghost Aspect of the Hemp Clothes.""When I return, I'll visit your school."After saying this, Grandfather instructed me to free the ghost bride by the ancestral grave while he packed his things.Rescuing the bride was urgent!I ran to the ancestral grave. Not far away, there was a mound with a green bamboo over a meter long.I pulled out the bamboo.As soon as it was removed, a chill surrounded me, bringing back that familiar eerie feeling.When I returned home, Grandfather was gone.He left a letter, urging me to take care of myself, study the Ghost Aspect of the Hemp Clothes diligently, and repeatedly asked me to spend the summer at my uncle's.He also left a bankbook with half a year's living expenses.And the jade pendant.As I pondered why Grandfather left in such a hurry, hurried footsteps sounded outside.Turning, I saw Village Chief Wang, panting and sweating, "Dalian, where's your grandfather? Something's wrong! Old Village Chief's body is missing, and his son was bitten to death by something!"