Dao Cheng Gui Xian

Chapter 19 Moving the Corpse - Old Master Ren

It's called a courtyard, but it's more like an enclosed earthen building.

From the air, the earthen buildings are connected, forming a circle.

No wonder they said the eye was lost and couldn't be found; things were too complicated. Fortunately, the body-moving team didn't have to do the work of looking for the eye.

At the gate, a middle-aged man with a white cloth on his head had been waiting for a long time.

The six eyes on its face each had a different expression, but only the middle pair showed sadness and anxiety.

Upon seeing Li Erniu approaching with the blood lamp lit, they hurriedly came forward to greet him: "Captain Li, you've finally arrived! You've worked so hard!"

As he spoke, he stuffed the copper coin he had prepared into Li Erniu's hand.

Li Erniu did not refuse. Ten copper coins was not much, and he would share some of it. After all, moving corpses was a dangerous job, and with the meager salary from the team, they would have starved to death long ago.

"Third Master Ren, the old master passed away suddenly, so I can only move this body first, and then..."

Upon hearing Li Erniu's words, Master Ren nodded with a worried expression.

"Hey~ I'm awake. I've already sent someone to inform the Blood Buddha Temple. They said they'll come to collect it tomorrow."

Li Erniu's expression also changed; this was not good news.

"Then tonight?"

"Sigh... it's all up to fate!"

Upon hearing this, Li Erniu sighed. If this goes wrong, many people could die. Blood Buddha Temple probably couldn't be happier than that, which is why they made an excuse to come tomorrow.

"Let's go in and see the old man first!"

After speaking, Li Erniu, led by Master Ren, entered the Ren family compound. Huang Dabing and Li Wushou followed behind without saying a word.

Li Erniu's blood lamp was still burning, indicating that tonight would be dangerous as well.

However, it was Master Ren, who was leading the way, who glanced at Li Wushou, who was carrying the old beggar, a few more times.

The old beggar nodded in response with a smile, while Ren Sanye's four bloodshot eyes darted around.

After passing through the main gate, there is a deep, circular corridor. After walking several dozen meters to the right, there is a vestibule.

After passing through, you arrive at the courtyard in the center of the Tulou.

A dozen or so young members of the Ren family were busy at work.

Some are burning paper money, others are weeping.

Everyone had just had their eyes treated today and was currently experiencing pain, leaving them feeling weak and listless.

Old Master Ren's body lay straight in the mourning hall.

Upon entering the courtyard, Li Wushou put the old beggar down and followed Li Erniu to the altar of Old Master Ren.

When the younger generation of the Ren family saw the corpse-moving team arrive, they quickly made way for them.

Li Erniu held up the blood lamp and shone it on Old Master Ren from head to toe. Li Wushou could also see him clearly by the light of the blood.

It was a terrible sight! He was emaciated, with four messy, bloody holes on his face, making him unrecognizable. Those were the marks left behind by Blood Eye's departure.

Li Erniu handed the blood lamp to Li Wushou, then took out a white handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around his mouth.

Huang Dabing did the same, putting on a square scarf, while Li Wushou stepped back.

"You juniors, please step aside!"

Li Erniu gave an order, then took out several pieces of paper money cut from black cardboard from his pocket.

Li Wushou walked up to Old Master Ren's feet and handed him the blood lamp at the opportune moment.

Having collaborated many times, Li Wushou naturally knew what Li Erniu was up to.

This step is called burning "qi-reducing money".

Because the South City was sold to the Blood Buddha Temple for the transplant of facial features, the dead there harbored great resentment and were prone to haunting. That's why the monks of the Blood Buddha Temple passed down this "corpse-moving method".

Burning paper money to cleanse the deceased of their last breath of "evil spirits" is a way of warding off bad luck.
This breath would make a living person sick, so they covered their face with a white cloth.

The flame of the blood lamp was steady, and the joss paper in Li Erniu's hand quickly caught fire. Then Li Erniu began to mutter to himself, chanting incantations to soothe the souls of the living.

"Hoo~"

Old Master Ren, who was lying down, suddenly opened his mouth and let out a long, drawn-out breath, like the sound of a broken bellows.

Li Wushou and Huang Dabing were used to this and occasionally fanned themselves lightly in front of their mouths and noses.

After a while, the sound in Old Master Ren's throat gradually subsided. After waiting a few more moments, Li Erniu made arrangements for Third Master Ren behind him.

"The filial son should step forward, cleanse himself, and put on his clothes!"

The younger generation of the Ren family carried a basin of water boiled with willow branches to the side of Old Master Ren's body and carefully wiped it clean.

After wiping him clean, Third Master Ren dressed Old Master Ren in a set of burial clothes that had been prepared beforehand.

At this moment, Huang Dabing walked up to Old Master Ren, reached out and plucked a hair with its follicle still attached from Old Master Ren's head, and handed it to Li Erniu.

Li Erniu tied his hair into a knot on his finger, called the "corpse-pulling knot," and then stretched the hair over the flame of the blood lamp.

“Swish~!”

A distinctive burnt smell, characteristic of hair follicles, wafted out.

Li Erniu took out a few more yellow paper money and scattered them on Old Master Ren's feet and the road beneath his feet. This was called "toll money"!

Then, carrying the blood lamp, he took a step back and suddenly shouted at the lying Old Master Ren.

"Grandpa Ren, let's get going!"

With this loud shout, the neatly dressed old man, Mr. Ren, stood up straight from the wooden board.

They walked around the courtyard following Li Erniu's steps.

As Li Erniu walked, he took out a strip of black cloth from his pocket and threw it into Li Wushou's hand.

"Let's cover Old Master Ren's eyes."

Li Wushou nodded and walked up to Old Master Ren. The old man was extremely thin, only reaching Li Wushou's chest height. He easily covered Old Master Ren's eyes with a black cloth.

Li Erniu, holding up the blood lamp, turned to Master Ren and said.

"Third Master, it's almost midnight. I'll take the old master's body back first. As for the ashes, have the younger generation go to the Blood Buddha Temple to retrieve them tomorrow."

Third Master Ren looked grateful and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you so much, Captain Li!"

Li Erniu hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself. The body had been moved smoothly, but the Ren family compound was unlikely to be peaceful tonight.

In the end, all that could be done was a sigh, because Li Erniu had no other options.

"Take care."

After saying that, he led Old Master Ren out of the courtyard.

Huang Dabing hurriedly followed, because he heard Li Wushou whispering to the old beggar again.

"Old man, does this old man Ren have a Yin pulse?"

Li Wushou naturally hadn't forgotten his goal for tonight, and whispered in the old beggar's ear, after all, the man's son was still standing to the side.

The old beggar replied with some disdain, "Where did this old man get his Yin meridian?"

"Hmm? Then why are you coming with me to move the corpse?"

The old beggar rolled his eyes: "Who told you the Yin vein I wanted was on a corpse?"

"."

Li Wushou was a bit stuck. He had read the Divine Official's Yin Refining Technique several times. It clearly described how to use the meridians in the body to absorb Yin energy into the dantian. If these meridians weren't on the body, where would they be?
The old beggar paced back and forth, then hopped onto Li Wushou's back. As if sensing Li Wushou's confusion, he muttered softly.

"That kind of person isn't suitable for you! If you're going to be a high priest, you should be a good one."

Li Wushou carried the old beggar on his back and followed behind Li Erniu. In a short while, the group was about to leave the courtyard.

Suddenly a gust of cold wind blew in, and the normally stable blood lamp went out abruptly!
(End of this chapter)