All Heavens: Dual Cultivation of Magic and Martial Arts Starting from the Republic of China

The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan also looked solemn.

He keenly noticed an important piece of information in what Jiahan, the villager from the river bend, said.

"In Huai Shu Village, the local earth god started demanding babies three years ago. In He Wan Village, it started four years ago, and even a year earlier!"

That's a bit strange.

If it's the same evil spirit that simply wants to eat the baby, why not attack at the same time?

Why do some villages start a year earlier and others a year later?

Liao Xibai's face also darkened completely.

"It's the same land temple, the same dream of entrusting the land god, and the same three babies every year. But the starting time is different. There's probably a thread behind this that we haven't seen yet."

"Thinking about it this way, it seems there are problems not only in Huai Shu Village and He Wan Village nearby!"

Fu Ze looked at the farmer.

"What other villages are there within a ten-mile radius of this area?"

The farmer thought about it.

"To the south is Liugou Village, to the north is Shiqiao Village, and if you continue north and cross the hillside, the furthest village is Baitian Village. There's also Shuangjing Village on the other side of the river."

Fu Ze immediately looked at Liao Xibai.

"Mr. Liao, I..."

Liao Xibai nodded.

"Young friend Fu, would you like to visit those villages?"

"Does Mr. Liao agree?"

"Of course. I won't leave until this matter is resolved."

His tone was resolute.

"During the day, the yang energy is strong, making it difficult for many ghostly tricks to be used. Now is the perfect time to investigate. What does young friend Fu plan to do?"

Fu Ze looked at everyone.

"Zhao Rui, Daoist Feng Xuan, protect Mr. Liao."

"Brother Li and I are the fastest; we'll be right back."

Li Junfeng looked at Liao Xibai, and Liao Xibai nodded.

"Let's follow Young Friend Fu's arrangements."

He did not hesitate for a moment.

"good!"

He was already a master of internal energy transformation, so traveling on mountain roads was nothing to him.

Fu Ze now has internal energy flowing through his shoulders, back, and thighs, and his movements are much faster than before.

If the two of them travel at full speed, they can move more nimbly through the mountains and forests than riding a horse.

"Brother Zhao, Taoist priest, protect Mr. Liao. We'll be right back."

Fu Ze finished speaking and didn't delay.

After confirming the specific directions of several villages, he and Li Junfeng moved swiftly and disappeared into the mountains.

Between the shadows of the trees.

Fu Ze moved with light steps, his ten toes gripping the ground, his waist and hips generating power, his whole body like a shadow, darting through the forest.

Li Junfeng is even more impressive.

He had reached the level of "transformation" in Xingyi Quan, with his muscles and bones perfectly integrated and his qi and blood abundant. Rocks, tree roots, and slopes seemed to become flat ground beneath his feet.

The two, one in front and one behind, crossed ditches and rocks, using branches for support.

They looked just like two clever monkeys, darting swiftly through the mountains and forests.

If the hunters in the mountains saw this, they might think they had encountered a mountain spirit.

The first place we visited was Liugou Village.

There is also a local temple in the village.

Upon inquiry, the situation was almost identical.

Disasters occur frequently.

The whole village shares the same dream.

According to the local deity, three babies must be offered up every year to ensure the safety of the village.

However, the first time Liugou Village began offering sacrifices was three and a half years ago.

Villagers said that year the village was first plagued by insects, and then several families died suddenly in the middle of the night.

Later, the Earth God appeared in a dream and selected the children of three families.

Since then, every year at the same time, the village would dream again of offering three more babies.

The second is Shiqiao Village.

Next to the bridge at the village entrance, there is also a statue of the Earth God.

It was also a dream.

There were also three babies.

The village elders said that at that time, everyone thought that only their own village was haunted by evil spirits, and they dared not tell anyone.

The third is Baitian Village.

The land temple is located beside the field ridge behind the village.

Shirata Village, on the other hand, only started two years ago.

The day for their sacrifice hasn't arrived yet, so the whole village is filled with anxiety. No one knows which three households will be chosen by the local earth god this year.

Fu Ze and Li Junfeng ended up going to Shuangjing Village because it was closest to Hewan Village, and they ended up returning after going around in circles.

The situation in Shuangjing Village is very similar to that in Hewan Village.

It started four years ago.

Moreover, the date of the first sacrifice was only seven days different from that of Hewan Village!

Fu Ze and Li Junfeng both fell silent upon hearing this.

This is no simple coincidence.

Huai Shu Village, three years ago.

River Bend Village, four years ago.

Shuangjing Village, four years ago, was established around the same time as Hewan Village.

Liugou Village, three and a half years ago.

Shiqiao Village, two and a half years ago.

Baitian Village, two years ago.

The location of the local earth god temple varies from village to village, and the appearance of the clay statue of the earth god enshrined there also differs slightly.

Some were fat, some were thin, some had red faces and white beards, and some had kind smiles.

But inside, they're all the same!

Land God's Dream.

The village suffered a disaster.

Three babies are donated at a fixed time each year.

However, the time when each village first begins the sacrifice is different.

Some are early, some are late.

Like some strange thing, it spread little by little across this mountain wilderness.

The more Fu Ze investigated, the uglier his expression became.

Li Junfeng, who had initially remained silent, became menacing.

"brute."

He only said two words.

But those two words were filled with murderous intent.

Those villagers were not unaware that donating babies was wrong.

They also felt it wasn't a good thing.

Therefore, I never dare to publicize it.

Furthermore, the villages are separated by mountains, forests, and valleys, and there is little interaction between them on a daily basis. Each village thought that only its own village had been haunted by the "Earth God" in a dream, little did they know that all the surrounding villages were experiencing the same thing!

When Fu Ze and Li Junfeng returned to Hewan Village, it was just past noon.

Liao Xibai and the others had been waiting at the village entrance.

Seeing Fu Ze's expression, everyone understood what was going on.

Liao Xibai asked in a deep voice.

"how?"

Fu Ze let out a breath.

"Several villages nearby are in the same situation. They all have local earth god temples. They all have people asking the earth god for help in their dreams. They all offer three babies as sacrifices every year."

He paused, his voice growing deeper.

"But the timing of the first sacrifice was different."

"The earliest time was four years ago in Hewan Village."

"Shuangjing Village on the other side of the river, around the same time, also four years ago. But it was seven days later than here."

"Liugou Village, Huaishu Village, and Shiqiao Village were built around the same time."

"The latest arrival in Shirata Village was two years ago."

Zhao Rui's face was grim.

"Does this mean... this thing didn't harm all the villages at once, but rather it came one by one?"

The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan closed his eyes.

"At least it's clear that it didn't spread to all the villages overnight. It seems to have started from somewhere and slowly spread outwards. It's also possible that someone targeted one village at a time, following a certain order."

Fu Ze nodded.

"That's what I think too. It's some kind of evil thing, slowly spreading, eroding, and polluting the surrounding area."

Liao Xibai slowly clenched his fist.

"So, how many children have died over the years?"

Li Junfeng's voice was low and deep.

"Just considering the six villages we know of so far, there are probably already dozens of babies."

The courtyard suddenly became eerily quiet.

Liao Xibai stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant, rolling mountains and forests, his voice soft and low.

What secrets does this place hold?

No one answered.

The mountain breeze blows through the river bend village.

The river in the distance flows slowly, its waters calm.

But Fu Ze seemed to hear the faint cries of countless babies beneath the calm sound of the water.

He frowned.

"Or... you three can escort Mr. Liao to Jinling first, and I'll stay behind to investigate this matter."

He both hoped to escort Liao Xibai to Nanjing as soon as possible, back to the central government of the Republic of China, to begin contacting his former subordinates to set things right. But he also couldn't simply stand idly by and watch what was happening before his eyes.

Li Junfeng shrugged.

"I'd like to, but do you think Mr. Liao would agree?"

Liao Xibai said in a deep voice.

"Of course I won't agree! Stay here together and find out what kind of evil thing has polluted this area! I've been retired for ten years already. The deep-seated problems of the Republic of China can be solved in a little while longer."

He had already made his decision, and the three of them naturally couldn't object.

Liao Xibai's analysis.

"Based on the information currently available, it is very likely that Hewan Village is the source of this incident. Shuangjing Village, which is the closest to it, started the sacrifice only seven days later. Baitian Village, which is the furthest from Hewan Village, was two years later."

"This means that the spread of the evil is not fast. In fact, it's quite slow. If it was done by evil cultivators or sorcerers, why would it be so slow? It can't be like an army marching, proceeding steadily and surely, can it?"

Fu Ze seemed to be deep in thought.

"So, Mr. Liao believes it might be something like evil spirits or demons?"

Liao Xibai shook his head.

"I've only analyzed the information you've obtained; I don't know much about this. What does Daoist Feng Xuan think?"

The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan pondered for a moment.

"It's not easy for this humble Taoist to say."

"If this was orchestrated by evil cultivators, their methods are indeed too slow. It took them four or five years to corrupt these few nearby villages. It doesn't seem like they were in a hurry to practice some evil magic."

"If it were said that evil spirits and demons spread naturally, that would make sense. But it can also appear in dreams, borrow incense from local temples, and demand infants every year. Clearly, it's not some kind of muddled evil creature."

Zhao Rui crossed his arms and clicked his tongue.

"It sounds like there's no clue at all."

The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan glared at him.

"That's called being cautious! For those who cultivate the Tao, the worst thing is to pretend to know what they don't."

Zhao Rui smiled.

"Alright, alright, Taoist priest, please be careful."

Fu Ze did not laugh.

He looked into the depths of Hewan Village, and the sense of oppression in his heart grew heavier and heavier.

Judging from the current situation, Hewan Village is likely the first place where strange occurrences have been observed.

At least, it's the earliest they know of so far.

If there is indeed a source, the local temple in Hewan Village is the most likely suspect.

Fu Ze spoke slowly.

"If you can't figure it out, then use the dumbest method."

Liao Xibai looked at him.

"Does Young Friend Fu mean we should go directly to the local earth god temple in Hewan Village?"

"That's right!" Fu Ze nodded. "There are strange fleshy creatures hidden in the earth god temple in Huai Shu Village. Since the incident in He Wan Village happened even earlier, there are probably even more problems in the earth god temple there."

"Even if it's not noticeable during the day, it will always leave some clues at night."

The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan nodded.

"That's right. Evil spirits and yin entities mostly prefer the night. Especially those that use dreams, incense, or yin energy to cause trouble."

Liao Xibai did not hesitate.

"Since we've decided to stay and investigate, let's settle down in Hewan Village for now."

He looked at the farmer who was leading the way.

"Where is your village chief? I'd like to talk to him."

The farmer had been standing to the side, listening to the crowd's discussion, and had already turned pale with fright.

Upon hearing Fu Ze's question, he quickly bowed and nodded.

"Yes, at home. I'll take you there right away."

……

The farmer led the group toward the village.

The village roads in Hewan Village are very narrow, with low earthen houses on both sides.

Some villagers hid behind doors and windows, secretly observing Fu Ze and his group.

Their eyes held both fear and numbness.

There was also a hint of unspoken anticipation.

It's like a person who has fallen into the water seeing a bamboo pole extending from the shore, but being afraid that the bamboo pole is fake.

When Fu Ze reached a crooked old tree in the village, he suddenly stopped.

A person was squatting under the tree.

A middle-aged man in tattered clothes.

His hair was a mess, his face was covered in mud and ash, and his tattered cotton-padded jacket was so worn that its original color was no longer visible. The cuffs and hem were torn into strips of rags.

At that moment, he was squatting under the tree roots, using his two dirty hands to pick up a piece of dark red wet mud from the ground and stuff it into his mouth.

They chewed very carefully.

It was as if it weren't mud, but some kind of delicious dish.

Zhao Rui frowned.

"Why is this person eating mud?"

The farmer sighed.

"Sigh, he's the madman of our village."

His surname is He, and everyone calls him Crazy He.

"I wasn't actually crazy before; I was just an honest, simple bachelor. My family was poor, and I had no parents, so I never got married. I made a living by doing odd jobs, chopping wood, and carrying water."

"Later, I don't know what happened, but he gradually became abnormal."

"He would wander around the village all day, muttering to himself. Sometimes when he was really hungry, he would dig up mud to eat."

At this point, a hint of reluctance appeared on the farmer's face.

"Actually, the villagers also felt sorry for him. Whenever they had leftover food, they would give him a bite."

"But after this person went mad, his temperament became strange. Sometimes he wouldn't eat food, but instead preferred to eat dirt."

He Fengzi seemed to have heard them talking.

He raised his head and glanced at everyone with his cloudy eyes.

His gaze swept across Fu Ze's face and then slowly landed on Liao Xibai.

Then, he grinned.

There was mud on the corner of his mouth.

That smile was somewhat silly, and also somewhat strange in a way.

Fu Ze activated his [Spiritual Vision] and glanced at him.

There was no evil spirit, nor any yin energy.

He was just an ordinary person whose blood and energy were depleted and whose mind was confused.

But for some reason, Fu Ze felt a little awkward looking at him with his mouth full of mud.

The old Taoist priest Feng Xuan sighed softly.

"In chaotic times, those who go mad are not necessarily more miserable than those who are clear-headed."

Zhao Rui looked at that crazy guy He, and surprisingly didn't crack a joke.

Liao Xibai looked even more dejected.

They didn't stay long.

The farmer continued to lead the way, and the group soon arrived at the village chief's house.

……

The village chief of Hewan Village is an elderly man in his sixties.

His hair was gray, his back was slightly hunched, and his face was deeply lined with wrinkles.

He was initially wary when he saw the farmer leading a group of strangers in.

But after hearing Fu Ze and the others explain their purpose and learn that they had already rescued three babies in Huai Shu Village and destroyed the evil spirits in the local temple, he was completely stunned.

He sat on the wooden chair, his lips trembling for a long time.

Finally, tears suddenly streamed down my face.

"So... so it really wasn't the Earth God after all."

"I knew it! I knew something was wrong!"

"How could the Earth God eat a baby? The Earth God is the protector of this area, the god of the land and its crops..."