My heart tightened when I heard this.
The Stone Ox and Stone Buddha, six or seven people had drowned.
No matter where this happened, it felt abnormal.
Because our town was small, villagers had drowned in the river before.
But it was rare, at most one a year.
Yet in these past one or two months, six or seven had drowned, which was highly unusual.
"Master, is there something unclean in the river?"
I asked.
The tricycle driver immediately replied,
"Indeed, not just in the river, but now in the surrounding villages too.
After people died in the river, now villages everywhere are inexplicably losing people.
Our town now, including the surrounding villages, is in a state of panic."
"What, surrounding villages are also losing people?"
I exclaimed, surprised.
My heart was also a little uneasy. What kind of malevolent entity had appeared?
Thinking of this, I began to inquire in detail about the events and what the tricycle driver knew.
The driver was also enthusiastic, chatting with me as he drove.
He told me that after the Stone Ox and Stone Buddha in the river were smashed, people in the town started dying.
They all died mysteriously, all by drowning.
Besides the river, people drowned in the stinking ditches on the bank, in fish ponds, and even in water vats at home.
As far as he knew, in the past few months, fifteen or sixteen people had died in the town and the surrounding villages.
Because so many people had died, the higher authorities were alerted, and people were sent to investigate.
But without exception, they were all declared accidental deaths.
The matter was then dropped.
However, the rumors in our area grew more intense.
Everyone said the trouble was caused by the Stone Buddha and Stone Ox in the river.
An old master from a neighboring village understood Feng Shui.
He took a look at the river and said that a water demon was suppressed beneath the Stone Buddha.
Now that the water demon was out, it would naturally eat people.
If it wasn't full, it wouldn't stop.
Because of this, the town even organized a sacrifice to the "water demon" in the river.
There was some effect, but it was minimal.
As a result, many people from the town had left to seek livelihoods elsewhere or to stay with relatives for safety.
Those who remained were living in fear, filled with anxiety every day.
The tricycle driver also said he was afraid now.
He didn't dare to go out at night, and said if this continued, and more people died.
He would have to take his sick old father and rent a place in the next town to drive his tricycle.
Hearing this, my brows furrowed slightly.
Qingshui Town was where I was born and raised.
Now that evil spirits had appeared, I certainly couldn't stand idly by.
But I didn't say anything. I had to go back and see my grandmother first. After meeting her, I would find a way to track down that thing and kill it.
I had already made up my mind.
After chatting with the driver for a few more words, he asked me what I did in the city.
I said I worked in the funeral industry.
Upon hearing this, the driver excitedly asked if my profession was highly profitable.
I didn't hide it from him, saying it was profitable, but sometimes, one had to survive to enjoy it...
When we reached the village entrance, I bid farewell to the tricycle driver.
But before leaving, besides paying the fare, I also casually gave him a yellow talisman.
Holding the yellow talisman, the tricycle driver looked at me with some confusion.
Although he knew I was in the funeral industry, he didn't know what I did within it.
Seeing me give him a talisman, he asked in surprise,
"Young man, what do you do in the funeral industry?"
I smiled faintly,
"I am a Taoist priest. Thank you for the information you provided. I will handle the matters in the town and surrounding villages."
With that, I turned and left without hesitation.
The tricycle driver stood frozen for a moment, holding the yellow talisman, then drove away.
Returning to the village, I found it eerily quiet.
Dimly, I could hear the sound of funeral music from within the village.
There was a funeral in the village.
The further I walked, the louder the funeral music became.
Finally, I realized it was at my second uncle's house.
That's right, my snobbish second uncle.
The one who pocketed the proceeds during the zombie incident.
As a relative, I walked straight towards it.
Upon reaching the courtyard entrance, I saw many guests had arrived.
Most were familiar faces, though I couldn't recall their names, I knew they were villagers from around here and some distant relatives.
I glanced at the eulogy.
I discovered that my second aunt was the deceased.
At this moment, someone recognized me,
"Zewa!"
"Zewa is back!"
"..."
Seeing them greet me, I responded respectfully.
"Fourth brother!"
"Third uncle!"
"..."
I called out a few times, then walked directly to the mourning hall.
In the mourning hall, my second uncle was crying.
"Guifang! How could you leave like this! How will I live alone without you! Woo woo woo woo!"
My second uncle was crying sorrowfully.
My two cousins, though also sad, were holding him back.
At this moment, I had already entered the mourning hall.
Just as I was about to take incense to offer to my second aunt, my second uncle, who was wailing, suddenly saw me.
He hastily broke free from the pull of my two cousins and shouted at me,
"Zewa, Zewa, you must seek justice for your second aunt! Your second aunt died unjustly, unjustly!"
As he spoke, he came before me.
He grabbed my arms with both hands, his bloodshot eyes wide, shaking me continuously.
His two sons quickly pulled him away.
"Brother Ze, my father is too heartbroken, please don't take it to heart."
One of my cousins said.
"You child, what do you know? Your mother was fine last night, and today she died in the well. Is that normal?
It must be the work of some malevolent entity.
Zewa, second uncle knows your abilities.
You must properly examine your second aunt!"
My second uncle's voice was loud, quickly attracting the attention of many relatives nearby.
Among them were people from our own village.
They also agreed with my second uncle's words.
The villagers knew about my encounter with the yellow weasel in the mountains before.
They also knew that I had apprenticed under a master and was now a renowned Taoist priest.
"Yes, Zewa, please take a look at your second aunt."
"Yes, yes, see how Guifang died, if she was really harmed by some malevolent entity!"
"These past few days, many people have died in our surrounding villages.
If there really is something evil, we'll need Zewa to step in!"
"Brother Shan, who is this young man? Can he see malevolent entities?"
"Don't look at Zewa's youth, he was the one who dealt with the yellow weasel disturbance in our village before.
And the reanimation of Elder Wei's grandfather in Qingshi Village was also handled by Zewa..."