leonardwarren Chapter 182 It's time to keep the promise!
Chapter 182 It's time to keep the promise!
Chapter 182 It's time to keep the promise! (4400)
The sky is just before dawn, a time of transition between yin and yang, a time of hazy tranquility.
On a sunny, sheltered slope behind the village, a new pit had already been dug.
Next to it was a thin coffin that was not particularly refined but was sturdy and stable.
The coffin was made of ordinary pine wood, and it had the smell of fresh wood.
Hu Huhu, Lu Yuan, and Hu Yangyang, whose eyes were red and swollen, stood quietly beside the pit.
Tiger Sheep has clearly learned from his father the truth about his mother's "real" departure and all these years.
Her face was tense, she bit her lower lip hard, tears streaming silently down her face, but she stubbornly refused to cry out.
Hu Huhu changed into a relatively clean old set of clothes, his tear stains dried, leaving only a quiet sorrow.
He personally and carefully placed his wife's body, wrapped in clean bedding, into the coffin, his movements so gentle as if he were afraid of disturbing the sleeping person.
The coffin lid wasn't closed immediately. Hu Huhu took a step back, looked at Lu Yuan, and nodded deeply.
Lu Yuan understood that this was to let him complete the final step.
Send the soul back to the earth.
To completely end this tragic entanglement, allowing that lingering soul to rest in peace and smoothly embark on the path of reincarnation.
Lu Yuan stepped forward and stood three feet away from the head of the coffin.
The morning breeze swept across the hills, carrying the faint scent of grass and trees and the coolness of dew.
Lu Yuan looked solemn and took out three items from his pocket.
A stack of pre-cut yellow paper money.
A thin red rope soaked in cinnabar.
There was also a cyan talisman with runes for the deceased being reborn in a better realm.
Unlike the previous summoning talismans, this one has a more subdued color and the runes are more inclined to soothe and guide.
"Sheep, come here."
Lu Yuan waved to Hu Yangyang.
Tiger Sheep wiped away her tears and walked to Lu Yuan's side.
Lu Yuan handed her the stack of paper money and whispered, "When I say 'sending off' later, you should slowly scatter these paper money sheets into the coffin, one by one, and cover your mother's body with them."
""
"I wish her a peaceful journey and that she won't worry about me."
Tiger Sheep nodded vigorously, holding the paper money tightly in both hands.
Lu Yuan then turned to Hu Huhu and handed him the red rope: "Wrap it around your left wrist three times and tie a slipknot."
"No matter what you hear or feel later, you are not allowed to untie it or go near the coffin."
"This is your last connection with her, and also the 'guiding rope' that will lead her away."
Hu Hu Hu did as he was told, his rough fingers clumsily wrapping the red rope around his wrist and tying a knot.
With everything arranged, Lu Yuan took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air, faced the coffin, and officially began.
Lu Yuan first held the blue "Rebirth and Salvation Talisman" between two fingers and hung it in front of his chest.
He softly recited the opening passage of the "Supreme Mysterious Treasure Sutra of Salvation from Suffering": "At that time, the Heavenly Venerable of Salvation from Suffering filled the ten directions."
"He always uses his divine power to save all living beings."
"Those who have escaped delusion are unaware, like blind men seeing the sun and moon—"
17
The incantation was not loud, but it carried a strange calming power, gently drifting away with the mountain breeze.
As Lu Yuan chanted, he walked slowly around the coffin, performing the Yu Step.
Lu Yuan was not using the Gangbu (罡步) for attacking or trapping enemies, but rather the "An Tu Di Yu Bu" (安土禹步), a Taoist practice specifically used to deliver the souls of the dead and bring peace to the spirits of the dead.
His steps were steady and gentle, each step seemingly measuring yin and yang, smoothing out the "qi" of the place.
After completing the circle, Lu Yuan stopped and faced the sunrise in the east, which symbolizes rebirth and reincarnation.
Lu Yuan made the "Rebirth Mantra" with his left hand and gently shook the blue talisman with his right hand.
The talisman spontaneously combusted without fire, transforming into a straight column of blue smoke that rose gently upwards. Instead of dissipating in the wind, it shot straight up about a foot above the ground before slowly dispersing.
The wisps of smoke transformed into a faint, fragrant blue mist that enveloped the coffin.
"The soul has returned to its rightful place; worldly ties are severed."
"Now, by the compassionate light of the Supreme Lord, the path to the underworld is opened, and guidance is given for the future."
Lu Yuan spoke in a clear voice to the coffin, both to inform the remnant soul within and to inform the local earth god.
After saying that, Lu Yuan nodded to Hu Yangyang.
Tiger Sheep understood, and with trembling hands, picked up the first piece of paper money, gently scattered it into the coffin, and covered his mother's chest.
With a tearful, childish voice, he whispered, "Mother—may you rest in peace—don't think of me and my sister—"
One sheet after another. The yellow paper money, like autumn leaves, slowly drifted down, gradually covering the woman's body in the coffin.
With each sheet that fell, the azure mist enveloping the coffin seemed to ripple slightly, as if bidding a final farewell and offering solace to the lingering soul.
After Tiger Sheep scattered the last piece of paper money, he was already in tears. Tiger Hu Hu gently pulled him back to his side and hugged him.
Lu Yuanjian saw that the paper money covering was complete and knew it was time.
His expression hardened, and his hands rapidly formed hand seals, this time the "Opening the Path to the Underworld Seal" and the "Severing Worldly Ties Seal".
After completing the hand seal, he joined his fingers like a sword and made three virtual strokes in the air towards the coffin.
It is not an attack, but a breaking apart of the barrier between Yin and Yang.
Symbolically severing the connection between the remnant soul and this place, as well as the last unnecessary "threads" that could form a bond with loved ones in the mortal world.
"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, soul to the underworld."
"Our fate in this life has run its course; let us not look back."
"May the road to the underworld open, and may you ascend to paradise soon!"
Lu Yuan gave a final shout and pointed at the red rope on Hu Hu Hu's wrist, pointing it into the air!
laugh!
The red rope moved on its own without any wind, detaching itself from Hu Huhu's wrist. Instead of falling to the ground, it seemed to come alive and flew through the air toward the coffin.
The moment it came into contact with the cyan light mist, it made a soft "poof" sound, turned into specks of red light, merged into the light mist, and disappeared.
This symbolizes the completion of the mission guided by bloodline, and the complete severance of worldly ties.
At the same time, the blue mist above the coffin seemed to have completed its final mission and began to slowly recede inward.
As if absorbed by the coffin, it gradually faded and disappeared.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan knew that the ritual to guide the soul to the afterlife had been completed, and the remnant soul had been officially "sent away" and embarked on the path of reincarnation.
Lu Yuan stopped casting spells and simply stood quietly, nodding slightly to the coffin as a final farewell.
"Let's close the coffin."
Lu Yuan spoke to Hu Huhu, his voice returning to its normal tone, though tinged with a hint of weariness.
With red eyes, Hu Huhu nodded heavily and, together with Hu Yangyang, stepped forward to slowly close the heavy coffin lid.
The sound of nails being driven into the coffin echoed dully through the mountains, one after another, as if striking the heart.
This marks the final end to a nine-year-long painful obsession.
The coffin was placed in the ground and buried under yellow earth. Soon, a new grave appeared on the hillside.
There was no monument erected, only a simple wooden plaque with crooked characters carved by Hu Huhu with a knife.
[The Tomb of My Beloved Wife, Xiu'e]
Hu Huhu, accompanied by Hu Yangyang, kowtowed three times heavily in front of the grave.
Tiger Sheep finally couldn't hold back and threw himself down in front of the grave, weeping loudly.
The morning light finally pierced through the clouds, shining on the hillside and tinging the yellow earth of the new graves with a faint golden hue, while also dispelling the chill of the night.
Lu Yuan stood a little distance away, watching this scene with no expression on his face.
He knew that the pain had not completely disappeared for Hu Huhu's family.
But at least, one wrong cycle has ended, and life has the possibility of moving forward again.
And he, too, had something he needed to do immediately.
Hu Huhu stroked his wife's wooden plaque one last time, wiped away Hu Yangyang's tears, and turned to walk towards Lu Yuan, his eyes now different.
There was still sadness in it, but more than that, there was a resolute determination and a hint of urgency to fulfill the promise.
"Master Lu,"
Hu Huhu's voice was hoarse but clear.
"Things here are settled."
"I'll take you to the Liu family now."
"On the way, I will tell you everything I know."
Lu Yuan nodded without saying anything more.
"Walk."
When we returned from the back mountain, it was already bright daylight, but the thin mist that shrouded the village had not yet dissipated, carrying a refreshing dampness.
Hu Huhu's house, that low mud house, looked particularly dilapidated and quiet in the morning light, as if it had also undergone a silent transformation.
Hu Hu didn't delay and pushed open the creaking wooden door.
The room still smelled of last night's soot and a faint herbal aroma. The fire in the stove had long since gone out, leaving only a pile of cold ashes.
The unconscious Tiger Rabbit lay quietly on the earthen bed, wrapped in a thick quilt, with only the barely perceptible rise and fall of her chest proving that she was still "alive".
"Yangyang, go boil some water, wash your sister's face, and get her something to eat too."
Hu Hu Hu gave instructions to Hu Yang Yang, who was following behind him, in a low but much calmer voice.
Tiger Sheep nodded with red eyes and silently walked to the stove to start a fire.
The little girl seemed to have grown up a lot overnight. Although her movements were still clumsy like a child's, she exuded a calmness that was beyond her years.
Hu Huhu then turned and walked towards the west room, the room filled with miscellaneous items.
He didn't touch the cabinet that concealed the tunnel anymore. Instead, he went to the far end of the room and moved aside several dusty, broken wooden crates.
This revealed a very well-hidden compartment in the back wall, covered with mud.
He used his hands to pry off the hardened mud and took out a flat package wrapped in several layers of oilcloth.
The package wasn't large, but it seemed quite heavy.
Hu Huhu took it to the main room and placed it on the small table that Lu Yuan had kicked over and then put back up.
He peeled back the layers of tarpaulin. What was revealed inside caused Lu Yuan, who was waiting at the door, to raise a slight frown.
The first thing that catches the eye is a few uniquely shaped lamps.
It is not an oil lamp, but rather a mixture of some kind of metal and special clay, fired together. The lamp is very small, about the size of a baby's fist, and has a simple and rustic shape.
Its surface is covered with distorted, non-Taoist runes, exuding an ancient and sinister aura.
The lamp body has a dark bluish-black color, as if it is soaked with the traces of time and some indescribable power.
This is the original "Soul-Continuing Lamp" that the Xu Deng Hu family is famous for.
Judging from its quality and the complexity of the runes on it, it is far superior to the simple imitation that Tiger Rabbit had by his bedside.
Besides the lamp, there was a stack of neatly cut, dark yellow paper with a unique texture and subtle fiber patterns.
It looks like it's made from a mixture of tree bark and other materials. This is "Yin Fu Paper," a special material used to draw the Tiger Family's secret talismans.
The bristles of the talisman brushes were dark red, seemingly made from a mixture of special animal hair and minerals.
A small box of solidified, black paste-like substance with a faint fishy smell was presumably "Soul-Guiding Ink" used for drawing specific talismans.
.
In addition, there were several small copper bells strung together with red rope, their bodies covered in rust.
But even a slight shake produces an unusually muffled sound, as if it could directly shake one's soul.
There was also a small section of dark red thread, as if it had been soaked in blood.
And several irregularly shaped black stones that exuded a faint, cool aura.
Such as "Soul-Nourishing Stones" or "Soul-Suppressing Stones" collected from extremely yin places.
These are all the most treasured magical artifacts in the Xu Deng Hu family's collection, each exuding a unique aura left by years of use and nurturing.
Unlike the righteous and peaceful or majestic thunderous power of Taoist ritual implements, it is more inclined to be yin and unpredictable, directly affecting the soul.
Hu Hu Hu did not shy away from Lu Yuan. He carefully examined each magical artifact, brushing away non-existent dust with his fingers.
His gaze was focused, as if he were saying goodbye to an old friend.
He wrapped each of the "soul-extending lamps" in soft cloth and carefully placed them at the bottom of a sturdy satchel.
The talismans, talisman pens, soul-guiding ink, copper bells, blood threads, soul-nourishing stones, and other items were also categorized and wrapped in oiled paper.
He stuffed these things into different compartments of the tower.
His movements were slow and meticulous, with an almost ritualistic solemnity.
After doing all that, he went into the inner room.
After a while, he came out carrying a bulging coarse cloth bundle.
Inside were some dry food, a water bag, a fire tumbler, a few changes of old clothes, and a small packet of salt and herbs.
He also tied the bundle to the outside of the satchel.
Finally, he walked to the edge of the earthen bed, squatted down, and looked at the unconscious Tiger Rabbit.
He reached out and gently stroked his daughter's cold, pale cheek with his rough palm.
His eyes revealed deep pain and reluctance, but even more so, a resolute determination.
"Sheep, sheep."
Hu Huhu turned his head and spoke to Hu Yangyang, who was silently adding firewood by the stove. His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear.
"Father needs to go out with Master Lu to take care of some business."
"Time—it's hard to say, it could be a few days, or it could take longer."
Tiger Sheep raised her head, her little face full of tension and unease, but she bit her lip and nodded vigorously.
Hu Huhu continued to instruct, his tone more solemn than ever before: "When you're at home, take good care of Rabbit, feed her water on time, wipe her face and hands with a damp cloth, and don't let her body become stiff."
"There's medicine I've prepared in an earthenware pot by the stove. Every morning and evening, I dissolve a small spoonful and slowly drip it into her mouth through a reed tube, making sure she doesn't choke."
"Remember, not a drop more, and not a single day less!"
Tiger Sheep nodded emphatically, his eyes reddening again, but he held back his tears.
"I understand, Father."
Hu Huhu took a deep breath and continued, "We still have enough food at home to last for a while."
"If we run out of firewood, we'll go to the back of the mountain to collect some dry firewood. Don't go too far; stay near the village."
"Lock the door at night, and don't open it for anyone who knocks."
Hu Huhu recounted everything in detail, leaving no stone unturned.
"What if—what if Dad hasn't come back after a month—"
Hu Huhu paused, his Adam's apple bobbing as he looked at Hu Yangyang's youthful yet determined face.
The rest of the sentence seemed a bit difficult to say.
But he took a deep breath and said it anyway.
"Go to town and find Manager Liu of Liu's Paper Horse Shop. Show him the tiger-head wooden carving your father left you."
Tiger Sheep finally couldn't hold back his tears and they rolled down his cheeks.
But she immediately wiped it away fiercely with her sleeve, and said firmly, her voice trembling with tears, "Father—you will definitely come back!"
"Bunny and I are waiting for you!"
Hu Huhu gave a heavy "hmm," stood up, and stopped looking at his daughter, as if afraid that looking at her again would shake his resolve.
He slung the heavy satchel, which was full of ritual implements and bags, over his shoulder, and then checked his chest and waist to make sure there was nothing missing.
Then, he turned to face Lu Yuan, who had been standing quietly at the door, taking in everything.
"Master Lu, everything is ready on my end."
Hu Huhu's voice regained its previous composure, even carrying a hint of grimness as he was about to embark on an unknown and perilous journey.
"Let's go."
Lu Yuan's gaze swept from Hu Hu Hu to Hu Yang Yang, whose eyes were filled with tears but who was trying his best to straighten his back.
Finally, the light fell on the unconscious Tiger Rabbit on the earthen bed. Its eyes twitched slightly, but it said nothing.
She simply turned around decisively and walked out of the earthen house filled with sorrow, resolve, and the last vestige of warmth.
Hu Huhu took one last look at his home and his daughter, then followed them out with firm steps.
He casually closed the creaking wooden door behind him.
It's time to keep the promise!