Chapter 1

In the year 218 AD, during the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao issued his will in Xuchang, stating that his tomb should be located on barren land, buried deep in the ground, without a mound or a tree, and that there should be no gold, jade, or precious treasures inside.

In the year 200 AD, after Cao Cao's death, to prevent his tomb from being excavated, he had seventy-two decoy tombs constructed.

According to wild historical records, just before Cao Cao died, he ordered the execution of eighteen摸金校尉 (tomb raiders) under his command to be buried alive, to prevent anyone from using their ghostly skills to dig up the decoy tombs!

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, and one of the eighteen tomb raiders managed to escape, disappearing into the vast world, leaving no trace...

The memories of the past faded with time, and 1800 years passed in the blink of an eye...

...

Ziyun Mountain is located in Ziyun Town, Xiangcheng County, Xuchang City. It is part of the eastern slope of the Funiu Mountains, with nine mountains and eighteen peaks, as well as five lakes and one river.

The mountain peak is often shrouded in clouds and mist, with a purple aura surrounding it, symbolizing good fortune, hence the name: Ziyun.

On the third peak of Ziyun Mountain, Shiding Peak, there is a volcanic crater formed billions of years ago, where a clear spring flows to form a heavenly lake. At the foot of the mountain lies a small village with about a hundred households, called Liujiatun.

Early in the morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, Liujiatun was unusually lively with the sound of firecrackers. An early-rising peddler, hearing the noise, felt a surge of joy, thinking that there must be a wedding in the village, and that he could enjoy a cup of mixed wine and a bowl of stewed meat.

The peddler, carrying a load of miscellaneous goods, walked slowly towards the village, where the old village chief, standing in the cold wind, stroked his gray beard, looking pleased and asked with a smile:

"Brother, is there good news in the village today? Which girl is getting married?"

Upon hearing this, the old village chief's weathered face twitched, and he turned to give the peddler a withering look, instantly seeing through his thoughts. He said:

"Listen up, three days ago, Liu Shiliu passed away, and he is being buried today. Do you still expect his wasteful grandson to treat you to a meal? He hasn't even returned yet."

The peddler was taken aback, his eyes flickering, and he said strangely:

"I saw your happy face and thought someone was getting married. Ah! It's a good thing Liu Shiliu passed away; he was over a hundred years old this year..."

"Yes, he was 108 years old this year. It's a good thing he's gone. Liujiatun is finally rid of a scourge and can have some peace..."

The old village chief smiled bitterly, but his eyes sparkled with joy.

As the saying goes, good people don't live long, but scoundrels live for a thousand years. This describes Liu Shiliu, who was a cunning and stubborn old man.

This year, the cold weather was a good omen for a bountiful harvest next year, but the scoundrel Liu Shiliu suddenly passed away.

At the entrance of the village, the entire Liujiatun, men, women, and children, were out in full force, crowding the narrow path in the middle of the village.

The simple and honest villagers lined up to view the emaciated body of Liu Shiliu lying in a thin coffin outside a dilapidated hut, commenting with relish on how the heavens had finally opened their eyes and taken this wicked old man who had plagued the village.

The long-awaited joy came suddenly, and the villagers, seeing Liu Shiliu's stiff body, could hardly believe that this old scoundrel had really passed away.

The young and strong men in the village, emboldened, pushed forward, reaching into the thin coffin to check if the old man was still breathing.

The women, dressed in bright colors, and the old grandmothers, stood far away, their faces flushed with embarrassment, as if remembering some shameful past, like ripe, overripe peaches...

The old men, who could barely stand straight, were the most composed, basking in the warm sun, their eyes half-closed, reminiscing about the past and comparing Liu Shiliu's death to the promise of a bountiful harvest next year.

The long-awaited and familiar joy was overwhelming, and they could only smoke their pipes to ease the rising blood pressure.

Liu Shiliu, the scoundrel, lived to the ripe old age of 108, and for a hundred years, he had been a scourge to Liujiatun.

A hundred years of torment cannot be described with just one word: "terrible." At least four words are needed: "insane and wicked."

From the age of eight, when he could run around the village, there was not a single day of peace. No girl, young or old, and no married woman, had a single day of tranquility.

Imagine a girl as young as ten, a married woman as hungry as a wolf, and an old grandmother still in the spring of her youth, all having to guard themselves every day, as if against a thief.

If there was the slightest lapse in vigilance, Liu Shiliu's gray, lecherous head would surely appear at the window, silently watching and admiring the women of the household...

This puzzled all the villagers, young and old. How could this old man, over a hundred years old, have such energy?

Where did he go to vent his lust after seeing those white, supple bodies?

Or did Liu Shiliu's black dog, Laohei, take care of it?

But Laohei, the black dog, was a male dog that ran around with its testicles hanging...

...

"Father, should we buy some firecrackers to celebrate?"

Li Laifu's simple-minded son, Li Ergou, asked his father, the village chief, with excitement.

Li Ergou hated Liu Shiliu, who always appeared conveniently when his wife, Cuifhua, was bathing. He had been waiting for this day for a long time, and now the old dog was finally gone, a cause for great joy...

Although Li Ergou's voice was not loud, it was heard by the entire village!

Upon hearing this, all the villagers in Liujiatun turned to look at the old village chief, Li Laifu.

"Let's not rush. His only grandson, Liu Shiba, hasn't returned yet. We should let the little rascal see his grandfather. If there's no news by noon, we'll bury him, and then you can go to town to buy firecrackers, twenty thousand shots..."

Li Laifu, with his authoritative demeanor, stroked his beard and added:

"Buy two sets, it's a joyous occasion today!"

The villagers immediately broke into smiles, nodding in approval, praising Li Laifu for his wisdom.

"Liu Shiliu is gone, but what about the young men in the village who will go out to work next year? Who will plant the rice fields? Although he was a scoundrel, he was a skilled rice planter, and his body was strong, befitting his former role as a Nationalist Army captain."

An unobservant wife from one of the families muttered, and the joyful discussion came to an abrupt halt. The entrance to the hut became eerily quiet, and a cold breeze made the Liu family's black dog turn and run...

"That's right, although Liu Shiliu was old, he had excellent martial arts skills. He always went to the town mayor to ask for the village's subsidies, which were within a hundred miles of the village..."

Another unobservant villager added, and the silent crowd suddenly began to whisper among themselves.

...

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