Chapter 3

### Chapter 3: The Corpse Escort in Xiangxi

Xu Changqing's actions and the strange phenomena in the room were all observed by the people in the courtyard, especially by Shawn. Since Xu Changqing made the incense burn without a flame, Shawn's eyes had not left him, and his face showed excitement. When he saw the incense smoke form strange patterns, he almost shouted out in excitement. Fortunately, Zhang Yuan, sitting next to him, quickly covered his mouth, preventing any trouble.

Among the five people, Xie Ling appeared the calmest. She frowned, her eyes filled with doubt. She had always believed in Confucius' words, respecting ghosts and gods but keeping a distance from them. While she did not deny their existence, she did not believe in them.

Xu Changqing, even without turning around, could guess the expressions of the five people behind him. He smiled slightly, returned to his normal expression, turned, and left the room. He closed the door and pulled down a bamboo curtain hanging at the door, blocking it completely. He then took out a set of tea ware from the main house, came to the stone table where Chen Tao and the others were sitting, and arranged the tea ware. He scooped a ladle of water from the water tank, filled the teapot, and took out a yellow talisman from his sleeve, gently flicking it into the air. The yellow talisman floated strangely in front of Xu Changqing, who made a sword gesture. The talisman, which had been floating in the air, began to burn as he recited, "Three Yangs gather, heavenly fire ignites, as commanded!"

As soon as Xu Changqing finished speaking, the floating yellow talisman spontaneously ignited. The others were amazed, but their reactions varied. Chen Tao and his sister, along with Zhang Yuan, were extremely excited, while Xie Ling and Shawn showed a hint of doubt, lightly laughing and saying that Xu Changqing had shown them a very good magic trick. However, their expressions soon changed to match those of Chen Tao and the others. After the yellow talisman burned out, three small fire snakes intertwined and rolled in the air, forming a fireball.

"What is this?" Shawn asked in amazement, seemingly forgetting Xu Changqing's previous instructions, and reached out to touch it.

"Stop! Mr. Shawn, have you forgotten what I just said?" Xu Changqing frowned, raising his hand to block the fireball and giving Shawn a stern look. Only when Shawn awkwardly retracted his hand did Xu Changqing use his sword finger to pinch the fireball and place it in the teapot, explaining, "This is called Tengshe, formed by the convergence of the Three Yangs. It is inherently malevolent and likes to devour human essence. If Mr. Shawn had touched it, although it wouldn't have been fatal, it would have shortened your lifespan."

As the others listened to Xu Changqing, they watched him place the Tengshe fireball into the teapot. In just a few seconds, the cold water in the teapot began to boil, steaming. Seeing their stunned expressions, Xu Changqing couldn't help but smile. He slowly took the copper bell from the tea table, and the sound of the bell seemed to have a magical effect, making Chen Tao and the others feel light-headed and drowsy, their eyes becoming unfocused. However, this did not happen to Shawn. Although he also felt a bit drowsy after hearing the bell, a sudden warm current rose from his abdomen to his head, making him instantly clear-headed. He looked at the dazed and confused Chen Tao and the others, feeling at a loss. He pushed Chen Tao and Zhang Yuan, who were sitting next to him, and called out to them, but to no avail. When he looked up to seek help from Xu Changqing, he found that Xu Changqing had already opened his eyes and was looking seriously at the entrance of the mortuary.

"Mr. Xu, what's wrong with them?" Shawn asked urgently.

"Don't worry, they are just affected by the residual effects of the soul-capturing bell. With my Six Yang Tea protecting them, they will be fine as long as they are not directly exposed to the bell's sound," Xu Changqing raised his hand, signaling Shawn not to worry. He then quickly drew a spirit-stabilizing talisman in the air with his sword finger and shouted, "Command!"

The invisible talisman in the air emitted a red light, then shattered into four light points that entered the foreheads of Chen Tao and the others. The four of them shivered, their eyes returning to normal, and they became fully awake. After waking up, they did not feel any discomfort, but they seemed unaware of what had just happened. When they heard Shawn describe the events, they all looked surprised.

"Ah!" Suddenly, Xie Ling let out a terrified scream, pointing at the door, her expression as if she had seen something horrifying.

The others immediately turned to look at the entrance of the mortuary. Outside, on the large courtyard, three rows of people in black funeral clothes stood neatly, about sixty in total. Their faces were covered by yellow scrolls with talismans, and they stood in a very strange manner, like flagpoles, their bodies extremely stiff. Around them stood seven Taoist priests in Taoist robes, led by a short, thin old Taoist with a hooked nose and triangular eyes, looking very sinister. The entire group made the temperature in the mortuary drop several degrees, causing everyone to shiver.

Xie Ling's scream not only startled Chen Tao and the others but also the people outside. The old Taoist's face changed slightly, looking a bit embarrassed. Seeing Xu Changqing stand up, he quickly stepped forward, stood at the door, and bowed, saying, "Sorry, Changqing! The old Taoist did not know you had guests, so I came over without permission, truly..."

"Never mind them," Xu Changqing interrupted the old Taoist's apology, stepped forward, and returned the bow. He then said solemnly, "Old Master Zhong, what's going on here? There are sixty corpses, right? You are bringing twenty more than before and three days earlier. Moreover, you arrived before midnight, which means you used the earth-diving secret technique during the day. Don't you know that it is a great taboo to escort corpses during the day? This not only increases the corpse qi but also damages the escort's vital energy. Are the Zhong family descendants not concerned about their lives?"

As Xu Changqing questioned the old Taoist, Chen Yu, puzzled, asked the pale Xie Ling, "They are just a group of people. Why are you so scared?"

"No... not that!" Xie Ling took several deep breaths, patted her chest to calm her racing heart, and pointed at the group outside, saying, "They all just emerged from the ground!"

"You can't be serious?" Everyone looked at Xie Ling in doubt, except for Shawn, who looked regretful. However, Zhang Yuan, who had lived in Hunan for a while, recalled something, his face turning serious. He leaned in and whispered, "They seem to be corpse escorts. Those might be the bodies of people who died far from home?"

"Corpse escorts?" Everyone was startled and turned their attention back to Xu Changqing and the others.

At this moment, the old Taoist chuckled, scratched his messy hair, and explained, "You know, a great calamity is coming in a few years. The family head has decided that the entire family will retreat and hide after the Mid-Yuan Festival. This might be the last time we escort corpses before the calamity, so we are in a hurry and bringing more. I hope you can understand and not turn us away."

"Even your Zhong family is afraid of this calamity?" Xu Changqing's brows furrowed, his expression worried. "Including your family, twenty-seven direct and collateral branches of the Quanzhen and Zhengyi Daoist sects are preparing to close their doors and retreat from the world. It seems this great calamity is much larger than I imagined."

"All the elders of the thirteenth generation of our Zhong family used the Zhou Tian Star Method to drive the Purple Micro Astrology, and the result was nine deaths and one survival!" The old Taoist sighed, "We are not as fortunate as the orthodox Daoist sects, lacking the longevity to survive the calamity. After this worldly trial, the great virtue of the reversal of heaven and earth's qi is beyond our reach. We can only retreat and hide. Your lineage, though skilled in Daoist arts, practices the turbid world Dao and is already entangled in the cause and effect of heaven and earth. It might be impossible for you to retreat and hide. Be careful in the future!"

"I know that. I have already calculated my destiny and know how to resolve the calamity, so there's no need to worry," Xu Changqing looked at the old Taoist with gratitude, then immediately composed himself and said, "We are familiar, but business is business. This time, I want five times the usual price!"

"Five times! Are you trying to rob me?" The old Taoist jumped up, pointing at Xu Changqing's nose and shouting loudly.

"Hehe!" Xu Changqing turned his back to the five people in the courtyard, putting away his serious expression and showing a bit of a merchant's shrewdness. He smiled slyly and said, "Rob? Of course, I would rob, but robbing others is more profitable than robbing you! After all, you are my mortuary's biggest client."

"Kid, can't we negotiate the price?" The old Taoist stepped forward, speaking softly to Xu Changqing, "You saw that I brought my nephews. Don't be so obvious, give me some face!"

Xu Changqing smiled faintly, bowed his head slightly, and said, "The price can be the same as before, but I have a condition!"

Seeing an opportunity to negotiate, the old Taoist quickly asked, "What condition? Speak quickly."

"Simple!" Xu Changqing whispered, "Teach me your Zhong family's unique earth-diving technique!"

"You..." The old Taoist pointed at Xu Changqing, at a loss for words. Seeing Xu Changqing point to the anxious disciples behind him, he sighed, glared at Xu Changqing, and gritted his teeth, "You are as good as your master! Deal!"

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