For thirty years, he has roamed the Northeast, his divine might overwhelming all immortals under hea

When I rushed to the gate of Teacher Wang's house, the scene before me stunned me.

A dozen or so men, women, and children lay sprawled in the courtyard, some curled up and groaning, others already motionless. Two or three others stood stiffly in the center of the courtyard, their eyes staring straight ahead, their necks twitching slightly, and low moans escaping their throats.

Their movements were stiff, their knees barely bending as they walked, dragging their feet like marionettes in the twilight-shrouded courtyard.

What alarmed me most was that faint bluish-black patches had begun to appear on the exposed skin of these people.

Those are signs of corpse poison entering the body, much more serious than the case of Teacher Wang's little nephew!

"My God!"

"What happened?!"

"Teacher Wang... why are all of Teacher Wang's family members lying on the floor?"

A crowd of villagers who had rushed over after hearing the commotion gathered outside the courtyard wall, craning their necks to look inside, their faces filled with fear and bewilderment.

Someone tried to enter the yard, but I stopped them.

"Don't go in!"

I shouted sharply, my voice particularly abrupt in the silence of the twilight.

"Get away from this! This stuff is contagious!"

My shout made the crowd shrink back, but the murmurs grew louder, and panic spread rapidly like ink dropped into clear water.

"Thirteen, what... what exactly is going on?"

Old Chen, the former village secretary, squeezed out from the crowd. He was leaning on a cane, his white beard trembling, and his cloudy eyes were filled with anxiety and disbelief.

He was an elder who watched me grow up, and also the most respected person in the village.

"Uncle Chen!"

I felt like I had grasped the key to my future, and said urgently.

"Quickly, get everyone out of the way! Stay away from this yard! Nobody touches anyone inside! Also, quickly find a few big roosters, the ones that are energetic and crow loudly! The sooner the better!"

Although Grandpa Chen was full of questions, he had witnessed my skills and knew that my identity as Mr. Ma was not given lightly.

He nodded emphatically, then turned and shouted to the crowd.

"Did you all hear me? Do whatever Thirteen tells you to do! Er Lengzi, Gousheng, you two are quick, go and bring me your family's loudest crowing red roosters! Everyone else, step back! Step back at least ten paces!"

The crowd stirred and retreated. Two boys, barely out of their teens, dashed off to catch the chickens.

I took a deep breath, forced myself to calm down, and quickly connected with Liu Ruoyun in my mind.

"Sister Ruoyun, with so many people, is there enough rooster blood? And those few standing there, I'm afraid..."

"Thirteen, rooster comb blood is extremely yang, specifically effective against yin-evil corpse poison. Although the quantity is small, using the blood as a guide, combined with your yang energy to push the blood through the uterus, it's enough to force out the poison that hasn't yet penetrated their bodies. As for those few who can already walk..."

Liu Ruoyun's voice carried an unusual solemnity.

"The corpse poison has invaded their bodies, causing stiffness in their movements, but they may not have completely lost their minds. First, use rooster blood to suppress the area between their eyebrows to prevent complete corpse transformation. Then, immediately bleed them to expel the poison—between their toes and fingertips! Remember, you must be quick; once the sun sets, the yin energy rises, making things even more troublesome!"

I nodded, feeling reassured.

Just then, Er Lengzi and Gou Sheng came running back, panting, carrying three roosters with their legs tied.

The rooster has bright feathers and a tall, blood-red comb. Even when it is tied up, it flaps restlessly and makes a loud "clucking" sound.

"good!"

I took the most magnificent rooster and touched its fiery red comb.

Ignoring everything else, I used my fingernails to pry open the red rooster's comb.

Deep red blood from the rooster's comb immediately seeped out.

I held the rooster in my hand and strode into the yard.

First, head towards the few who are still standing.

They seemed to sense the presence of a living person and the rooster's yang energy emanating from me. Their low growls grew restless, and they stiffened as they turned towards me, poised to pounce.

"Certainly!"

I gave a low shout, dipped my fingertip in the warm rooster's comb blood, and swiftly pointed it at the forehead of the person in the lead!

laugh!

A barely perceptible wisp of white smoke rose, and the man shuddered violently, his movements abruptly halting as he fell straight backward.

I caught him and helped him down to the ground.

I did the same to the other two standing ones, and used rooster blood to dab their foreheads to temporarily subdue them.

Next, I quickly treated those on the ground who had milder symptoms.

Dot each person's forehead and heart area once.

Chicken comb blood is limited, so I have to be careful with my spending.

After I finished taking the prescriptions, I grabbed the middle-aged man with the most severe symptoms. Judging from his attire, he should be Teacher Wang's brother-in-law.

"Uncle Chen, quickly find me a needle for working."

"I need a needle," a woman's voice rang out from the crowd.

"I have some!"

I rushed over, not even seeing who the woman was; all I could see were needles.

Take a needle and quickly insert it into the gap between his big toe and second toe on both sides, as well as into the tips of his ten fingers, squeezing out a few drops of dark-colored blood with a faint fishy smell.

For every person I rescued, I would have the braver villagers outside, under Grandpa Chen's direction, carry the person to a well-ventilated area in the yard, away from those who hadn't been dealt with yet.

The blood from the combs of the three roosters was quickly used up, but there were still five or six people in the yard who hadn't dealt with it.

The setting sun was already brushing against the western hills, and the sky quickly darkened.

A cold wind seemed to rise from nowhere, and the temperature in the courtyard seemed to drop a few degrees.

Those who were temporarily subdued by the rooster's blood began to experience subtle tremors.

"Quick! Go find more roosters! Take as many as you can!"

I was so anxious that sweat was pouring down my forehead, and I shouted outside.

The villagers realized the urgency of the situation and, without needing any further instructions from Grandpa Chen, several of them turned around and ran home.

Soon, four or five more roosters were brought over.

I continued to race against time.

As darkness fell, and I finished drawing black blood from the fingertip of the last person—a little girl who looked only seven or eight years old—the last rays of the sun had completely disappeared.

As night fell, the stars were nowhere to be seen, and the world was shrouded in a hazy gray.

I was so exhausted that I collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.

The courtyard was filled with a strange smell, a mixture of blood, chicken droppings, and a faint stench of decay.

All those infected with the corpse poison lay on the ground, most of them having regained consciousness, groaning in pain or crying weakly.

Those few I treated carefully, although still unconscious, had their bluish-black complexion faded considerably, and their breathing had become more stable.

Only then was Teacher Wang helped out of the house.

His face was ashen, and he staggered as he walked. When he saw the scene in the courtyard, his legs went weak and he was about to kneel down, but he was supported by the people next to him.

"Ten...thirteen..."

Teacher Wang's lips trembled, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I...I didn't listen to you...I deserve to die! I felt it was a waste to throw away that pork...we all only get to eat meat a few times a year...I...I've ruined everyone's lives!"

It turned out that Teacher Wang was indeed hesitant at first, but she couldn't resist the chatter of her relatives, who all said that the pork was perfectly good, freshly slaughtered, so what could be wrong with it? It would be such a waste to waste it.

Teacher Wang herself also harbored a sliver of hope, thinking that the child might have suddenly fallen ill and that she had just happened to cure him.

So, everyone enjoyed a lively and festive lunch of pork stew.

As a result, not long after finishing the meal, they collapsed one after another.

"How exactly did that pig die?"

What I need to figure out now is how this pig died.

Teacher Wang shook his head blankly.

"I don't know... I found it the morning before yesterday. There were no external injuries, but... its eyes were wide open and it kept twitching, which was a bit scary. I thought it might have some kind of acute illness. If I was just going to let it die, I might as well kill it and bleed it out. The meat looks pretty fresh to me..."

acute disease?

My doubts grew even stronger.

It's not uncommon for livestock to die from disease in rural areas, but there are usually warning signs. It's rare for chickens and pigs to die inexplicably at the same time, both carrying such potent cadaveric toxins.

The villagers began to help carry the rescued people back into their houses to rest, and brought them hot water and clean clothes.

Many people gathered around me, their eyes filled with lingering fear and gratitude.

"Thirteen, thank you so much for today!"

"If it weren't for you, this whole family would be..."

"Mr. Thirteen, take these eggs; they'll help you recover!"

"I have two more old hens at home; I'll bring them to you tomorrow!"

Faced with eggs handed to them, or even crumpled money.

I didn't stand on ceremony.

Accept it all.

It's not that I'm greedy.

I have said more than once that shamans and their ilk carry too much karmic burden.

It's only reasonable to charge some money.

Furthermore, the villagers are so hospitable, how could I refuse them?

Widow Wang ate a dead chicken.

Teacher Wang's family ate a dead pig.

They were all dead livestock.

They all carry a corpse poison that can turn people into zombies.

This is no coincidence!

If livestock die naturally from disease, at most it might cause diarrhea and poisoning, but it is absolutely impossible for it to produce "cadaveric poison" that requires specific methods to remove and can lead to corpse transformation.

This poison seems to have been "planted" by someone!

Who did this? Why? Was it targeted at Widow Wang and Teacher Wang's family, or... indiscriminate poisoning? Are there any other livestock in the village that have died mysteriously?

"Sister Ruoyun."

I asked myself in a low voice.

"What kind of approach do you think this is?"

Liu Ruoyun remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

"They artificially concocted corpse poison and injected it into livestock, hoping to spread it by exploiting the appetites of ignorant villagers... This method is insidious and vicious, far beyond the work of ordinary martial arts practitioners. Thirteen, this is probably just the beginning. You need to find out the source of those dead chickens and pigs as soon as possible. Also, be careful tonight. Although the corpse poison has been neutralized, the resentment and evil aura may not have dissipated completely, and there may be unforeseen changes."

I nodded, stood up, and said to Grandpa Chen, who was making arrangements for the aftermath.

"Uncle Chen, please tell everyone to be extra vigilant tonight and keep their doors and windows locked. Also, if any of your livestock or poultry die for no apparent reason, do not eat them and tell me immediately."

"These livestock that died for no apparent reason must be properly disposed of."

"This is very important."

Seeing my serious expression, Grandpa Chen knew that things were not simple, and nodded emphatically.

"Don't worry, I'll go and greet each household right away."

On my way home, I could sense that I had been drawn into some kind of conspiracy.

What upsets me the most is...

I sense that I have an opponent, but I don't know who that opponent is or where they are.

I pushed open the door and there my dad was sitting by the door.

When I returned, my father only said one sentence.

"You must be tired. Go and get some rest."

He then got up and went inside.

"Um!"

I responded, but instead of going back inside, I went to the willow tree in the yard and sat on the stone bench.

It's a little cool under the shade of the tree now.

But it is precisely because of this that I feel particularly clear-headed.

I really can't figure out where this corpse poison came from.

Thinking back on all the things that have happened around me since I started practicing shamanism, especially starting with the dead chicken at Widow Wang's house, and then the incident at Teacher Wang's house.

Everything is in my mind, like a movie playing in my head.

"Oh, right."

My hand unconsciously reached into my pocket and pulled out the five-emperor coins I had taken from the roof beam of Widow Wang's house earlier that day.

Under the cover of night, these ancient coins seemed to have gained a touch of warmth.

Why would Widow Wang's family have Five Emperors Coins, and specifically Five Zhu coins?

I looked at the house with a question in my mind, and then quickly went inside.

"Father, Mother, I have a question. Could you please answer it for me?"

"What's up?"

"How did Widow Wang's husband die?"

"Huh? Thirteen, why did you suddenly ask that?"

My mother was clearly surprised that I asked this question.

"Mom, don't you think something's been wrong with what's been happening in our village lately?"

"And how come Widow Wang's house has five-zhu coins?"

"This is an old item, an antique."

"These...are these things connected?"

I plopped down next to my mother.

"Mother, some things may seem unrelated, but there is a connection between them, we just haven't discovered it yet. If you know how Widow Wang's husband died, please tell me."

"Hey, I told you, your mother doesn't know the details."

My father tapped the tobacco bowl on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and then filled the tobacco bowl.

As the pungent tobacco was lit, my father began to tell his story.

"It's been more than ten years since I said that."

"Widow Wang's husband was named Li Gen. He was a rather stubborn man. In those years, our two families had the best relationship."

"But suddenly one day, Li Gen suddenly became rich, and he had plenty to eat and drink."

He invited me to eat out a few times.

"I was thinking of asking Li Gen how he made his fortune, but he absolutely refused to tell me, insisting it was a secret."

"Later, Li Gen was probably drunk one time. He spat out something and said he had dug up a tomb and sold the contents."

"They even said that the money they got from those things was more than they could spend in several lifetimes."

"I remember advising him at the time, saying that these things are not something we farmers can handle."

"That kid is stubborn. He won't listen to any advice and even said he wants to make money with me."

"I was tempted at the time. Back then, we were really poor. Sometimes we couldn't even afford cornmeal porridge."

"But after your mother found out, she argued with me for several days."

They simply wouldn't let me go.

"So I didn't go."

"I didn't see Li Gen for a long time after that, and then his family held a funeral."

"That's when I found out Li Gen was dead."

"The exact cause of death is probably unknown to outsiders, and I reckon even Widow Wang might not know."