My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

After bidding farewell to the tea stall, Ye Qingfeng followed the direction indicated, his figure appearing and disappearing several times before approaching the boundary of Liulin Village.

However, unlike the bustling atmosphere of ordinary villages, on the road leading to the village, one would encounter many people who looked flustered and were carrying their families out of town.

They looked fearful and walked hurriedly, as if a flood or ferocious beast was chasing them.

Ye Qingfeng deliberately slowed down the execution of "Shrinking the Earth to an Inch", and approached like an ordinary pedestrian.

He found a middle-aged man with an honest-looking face and carrying a bundle, bowed to him, and asked him a question.

"May the Heavenly Venerable bestow boundless blessings upon you, sir. May I ask if this is Willow Grove Village ahead?"

Upon hearing the words "Liulin Village," the man's face turned pale instantly. He waved his hands repeatedly, his eyes darting away.

"No, no! You... you should ask someone else!"

After saying that, he bypassed Ye Qingfeng and jogged away.

Ye Qingfeng frowned slightly and tried two more people. Their reactions were similar: they were all very secretive and avoided the topic at all costs.

Ye Qingfeng approached again to inquire after an elderly man who looked like a peddler and was driving a donkey cart passed by.

The old man sized him up and saw that although he was young, he was dressed in a neat Taoist robe and had a calm demeanor, unlike the usual charlatans who cheated people out of food and drink.

He sighed and lowered his voice, asking, "Young Taoist priest, are you heading to Willow Grove Village ahead?"

Ye Qingfeng nodded: "Exactly."

The old man shook his head: "Take my advice, if you don't absolutely have to go, you should take a detour. That village... is not peaceful, it's in big trouble!"

Just now, a monk wearing a cassock rushed out of there in a panic, having lost one of his shoes, and his face was as white as paper.

He's probably terrified. You're so young, why get involved in this mess?

Ye Qingfeng had a sudden thought and said, "I have been traveling around and have heard that this place is unusual. Perhaps we can give it a try."

A look of understanding mixed with sympathy appeared in the old man's eyes.

"Oh... are you going to perform a ritual? Well, be careful then. Just keep going straight along this road, and you'll see a grove of old willow trees."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and hurriedly drove off in his donkey cart.

The monks were scared away? A hint of amusement and seriousness flashed in Ye Qingfeng's eyes.

Although it's unclear whether the monk truly possessed abilities or not, anything that could inspire such deep apprehension in ordinary people must likely involve supernatural or ghostly matters.

It seems that the "strange things" in Liulin Village are even more troublesome than what was heard at the teahouse.

Without further hesitation, he moved swiftly and soon arrived at the village entrance.

As the name Liulin Village suggests, there is indeed a lush grove of weeping willows along the riverbank at the entrance of the village.

At this moment, the entire village was shrouded in an unusual silence and oppression, with even the barking of dogs and the crowing of roosters being very rare.

Following the faint, murky aura mixed with panic and a certain gloom, Ye Qingfeng quickly arrived at a courtyard in the village.

There were quite a few people gathered here, men, women, young and old, but they all stood far away from the courtyard gate.

They all craned their necks, their faces filled with fear, curiosity, and worry, whispering amongst themselves, but no one dared to step forward.

The courtyard gate was open, and faint sounds of women and children weeping could be heard from inside.

And... a series of dull "thump! thump! thump!" impacts.

It sounded as if something incredibly powerful was constantly ramming against the wooden door, making one's heart clench.

Just then, a monk dressed in gray robes tumbled out of the courtyard gate.

He was about thirty years old, but at that moment his monk's hat was askew, his face was bloodless, and his eyes were filled with horror.

He didn't even bother to pick up the monk's shoe that fell off his left foot, and practically rushed out of the crowd using both his hands and feet.

He unconsciously murmured "Amitabha, may Buddha protect me..." and ran wildly out of the village without looking back, looking extremely disheveled.

The villagers who were watching were even more shocked, as if they had seen some extremely ominous sign.

They retreated a great distance again, and some people even started to sneak home.

Amidst the commotion, Ye Qingfeng slowly walked to the front of the crowd.

His arrival contrasted sharply with the monk's flight; he wore a simple blue robe and had a calm expression.

It immediately attracted everyone's attention, and also drew the attention of several elderly people who were pacing anxiously at the gate of the courtyard.

One of the elderly men, with gray hair and dressed in a respectable silk robe, was probably the village chief.

Upon seeing Ye Qingfeng dressed as a Taoist priest, he was taken aback at first, then put on a wry smile and stepped forward to cup his hands in greeting.

"This Taoist priest... is he also here to inquire about 'that matter'?"

Ye Qingfeng returned the greeting: "This humble Taoist priest has been traveling here and heard that your village seems to be in trouble, so I came to take a look. May I ask what the situation is like inside your courtyard?"

The village chief looked him up and down, noting that he was young but had an extraordinary air about him.

But thinking about how even the chanting monks had been scared away, he felt really uneasy, so he sighed and lowered his voice.

"Master, listen to my advice, this place is... extremely sinister!"

Chen Dazhu, that young man, has become neither human nor ghost, possessing immense strength. He pounces on any living creature he sees, and has already injured several animals.

We've consulted two other gentlemen before, but neither could help. Just now, Master Huiming... you saw him too.

This matter requires a truly highly skilled master to resolve. You are so young; you should not take any risks and needlessly endanger your life.

As he spoke, he pulled out a few copper coins from his sleeve and tried to give them to Ye Qingfeng.

"This few coins are just an invitation from this old man to have a bowl of tea with you, Taoist priest. Please leave quickly."

Ye Qingfeng smiled slightly, but did not take the copper coin. Instead, he looked into the courtyard with clear eyes.

Through the gaps in the crowd, three people could be seen standing in the courtyard.

An elderly woman with gray hair, constantly wiping away tears, and a young woman holding a little girl, crying so hard she almost fainted.

The little girl was also trembling with fear, but she bit her lip tightly.

Before them was a room whose door was firmly held shut from the outside by thick wooden planks.

The thuds came from inside, and with each impact, dust fell from the door frame.

The reinforced wooden planks groaned under the strain.

The mother and her two daughters stared at the door, their eyes devoid of pure fear of the monster.

More than anything, there was despair, heartache, and a sense of helplessness about the future—the pillar of support had collapsed, and it seemed as if their sky was about to be shattered along with that door.

"Let me try and see." Ye Qingfeng's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable composure.

"If that doesn't work, I will leave without further ado."

The village chief looked at his calm eyes, then glanced back at the three distressed women in the courtyard, and listened to the increasingly violent banging on the door. He gritted his teeth.

"Very well! Since the Taoist priest insists, then... then be careful! Be extremely careful!"

He quickly gestured for the young men and women watching to step back, fearing that something inside might rush out and hurt them.

Ye Qingfeng nodded, lifted the hem of his Taoist robe, and stepped calmly into the courtyard.

His entry immediately attracted the attention of the three people inside the courtyard.

The old woman and the woman looked at him through teary eyes and saw that he was yet another "master" who was so young.

The faint glimmer of hope that had just risen in their eyes was quickly swallowed up by a deeper despair.

She instinctively held her child even tighter, seemingly without the strength to even cry or beg.