008: Summoning the Spirit
As soon as those words left her mouth, there was a deafening bang! The two heavy doors flew off their hinges, crashing into the courtyard and shattering into pieces. A chilling, sinister voice echoed from outside the yard:
"You killed me! I want your entire family to pay with their lives!"
Grandpa and Granny Liu turned toward the doorway and froze in their tracks. Despite being mentally prepared, the sight before them sent shivers down their spines.
Standing at the entrance was Ma Laosan's wife, but she was no longer the woman they remembered. Her body was swollen, showing signs of decay, and her eyes were pale white. From her mouth protruded four jagged fangs, and her face twisted into a grotesque mask of hatred.
Her hands were now adorned with long, blackened claws, each over ten centimeters long, sharp as daggers. This was no longer a person but a horrifying abomination.
Granny Liu took a deep breath and bellowed:
"Ma Laosan's wife! I am Granny Liu, a spirit medium of the Thirty-Mile Village. I am here to put an end to you. Death is a part of life. I know you died unjustly, but there is a path for the living and another for the dead. If you persist in this madness, I will be forced to eliminate you. However, if you comply, I will help you pass on peacefully and reincarnate in due course."
Ma Laosan's wife snarled viciously:
"If you want me gone, bring out Wu Jie! Today, I will take his life!"
With that, she leaped forward—a single bound spanning four or five meters. Her movements were stiff, like a zombie's, but her speed was terrifying.
Unlike mindless zombies, however, this corpse ghost retained a sharp intellect, blending the worst aspects of both human malice and undead strength.
Grandpa, though terrified, tightened his grip on the large blade in his hands and stepped forward, roaring:
"If you want my grandson, you'll have to get past me first! This old man has already sent plenty of enemies to their graves. I'll put you down again today!"
Before Ma Laosan's wife could strike, an eerie noise echoed through the yard. A rustling sound came from all directions, and soon, countless weasels and foxes appeared, perching on the walls and roofs. Their glowing green eyes illuminated the dark courtyard.
Among them was a massive weasel with a streak of white fur down its back. It leaped into the courtyard and charged straight at Ma Laosan's wife.
This was the same creature that had appeared during her burial.
As if following its lead, the other animals swarmed toward her, fearless and ferocious.
"The spirit of the yellow weasel has come!" Granny Liu exclaimed, elated.
But her joy was short-lived.
Though the creatures fought valiantly, Ma Laosan's wife, now imbued with supernatural strength, flung them aside with ease. Her claws tore through their ranks, and she even grabbed one, ripping it apart and devouring it raw. Blood dripped from her mouth as she consumed her prey.
Even the giant weasel was sent rolling across the ground after a single strike.
Grandpa watched in horror, barely able to suppress the urge to vomit.
The scene was nightmarish.
Covered in claw marks but unfazed, Ma Laosan's wife leapt another five meters forward, closing in on the house.
Grandpa, steeling himself, swung his blade with all his might at her head.
The blow landed, but instead of splitting her skull, the blade bounced off as if striking stone, leaving Grandpa's hands trembling from the impact.
While the blade didn't kill her, it managed to knock her back a few steps. For a brief moment, fear flickered in her eyes as she sniffed at the blade.
Then, with a furious roar, she lunged again. This time, she exhaled a stream of black, putrid mist directly at Grandpa.
Granny Liu, seeing this, acted swiftly. She raised her smoking pipe, its bowl glowing red-hot, and took a deep puff. With a forceful exhale, she released a cloud of smoke that collided with the black mist, neutralizing it instantly.
With another flick of her pipe, she struck Ma Laosan's wife square in the chest, forcing her to stumble back a few more steps.
"Wu Laoge, get inside and release the roosters!" Granny Liu shouted while fending off the corpse ghost.
Though hesitant to leave her, Grandpa obeyed, rushing inside to fetch the roosters.
Before stepping away, he caught a glimpse of Granny Liu undergoing a startling transformation.
Her eyes now glowed a ghostly green, exuding an otherworldly chill. At that moment, Grandpa realized that Granny Liu was no longer entirely herself.
"The Three Mountains have their masters, and this household is under divine protection! Brazen spirit, dare you defy the will of the divine? Liu Xian is here—repent and begone!"
Granny Liu's voice, suddenly younger and sharper, echoed with authority.
Her hunched figure straightened, and with renewed vigor, she wielded her smoking pipe like a weapon, striking Ma Laosan's wife repeatedly. Each hit sent sparks of light rippling across the corpse ghost's body.
Meanwhile, Grandpa returned with the roosters.
As soon as the roosters were released, they crowed loudly.
The sound made Ma Laosan's wife freeze, her body trembling with fear. Panicked, she turned and leaped toward the door, desperate to escape.
At that moment, my father appeared in the doorway.