Chapter 10: The Ancestral Grave Rumor
After Guo Hua left, Chen Fan eagerly opened the door and stepped inside.
Once inside, he saw the two sisters lying on the bed, completely unclothed.
Upon seeing Chen Fan, the sisters' delicate faces immediately flushed with shyness.
Chen Fan, captivated by the sensual scene before him, pounced without hesitation.
The door closed behind them, and the soft, seductive sounds began to fill the room once more.
...
The next day.
A rumor suddenly spread through the streets of Dongyang County.
“Have you heard? The ancestral tomb of the Su family was glowing with an eerie green light last night. Some even saw ghostly figures stirring beneath the glow, and heard chilling wails.”
“What? I saw it with my own eyes. The sound was so terrifying it made my hair stand on end.”
“They say the Fan family is trying to seize the Su family’s ancestral land, which has angered the Su ancestors. They’ve become vengeful spirits, ready to retaliate against the Fan family.”
...
In the era of the Great Xia Dynasty, science was primitive, and people firmly believed in ghosts and spirits.
Especially in a small county like Dongyang, tales of the supernatural were accepted without question.
For a time, the whole county was abuzz with discussions about the matter.
When Fan Wei heard the news, his brow immediately furrowed.
He, too, believed in ghosts and spirits.
If the rumor were true and the Fan family were to suffer the wrath of vengeful ghosts, Fan Zeng would surely hold him responsible.
“Where is Qingxu Daoist?” Fan Wei asked one of his servants.
Qingxu Daoist was the Taoist priest Fan Wei had brought along, chosen based on feng shui principles to assess the Su family’s ancestral tomb.
“At the Red Lotus Pavilion,” the servant replied with a sly smile.
Hearing this, anger flashed across Fan Wei’s face.
“At a time like this, he’s still off chasing women?” he said coldly.
Qingxu Daoist was notorious for his lustful nature, visiting the Red Lotus Pavilion daily and never with fewer than two women at once.
Fan Wei had no choice but to find him there.
Upon arriving, they found Qingxu Daoist asleep, entwined with two women.
Even with Fan Wei’s entrance, none of them stirred, clearly exhausted from the previous night.
“Qingxu Daoist...” Fan Wei called three times before the Taoist and the women finally awoke.
“What business do you have disturbing me so early in the morning?” he said, clearly displeased.
Fan Wei met the Taoist’s disgruntled gaze with a flash of anger.
“You two, leave,” he commanded the women.
Qingxu Daoist immediately protested.
“You can’t—”
“The Su family’s ancestral tomb has trouble,” Fan Wei interrupted coldly.
Hearing this, Qingxu Daoist fell silent, knowing the importance of the tomb.
A trace of anxiety appeared on his face; after all, he had chosen this land, and any problem would surely be blamed on him.
Once the women left, Fan Wei recounted the rumors he had heard.
“Hahaha,” Qingxu Daoist laughed heartily.
“That’s impossible. It must be a fabrication by the Su family to protect their ancestral tomb,” he said with confidence.
Fan Wei looked at him puzzled, wondering why he was so sure.
“This land is a feng shui treasure guarded by the White Tiger; no vengeful spirits could possibly appear here.”
“I’m certain this is a trick by the Su family,” Qingxu Daoist asserted.
Still uneasy, Fan Wei couldn’t shake his concerns.
If anything went wrong with this land, Fan Zeng would hold him accountable.
“I’ve read countless geomantic sites; I never make mistakes. This is a treasure of feng shui. There will be no vengeful ghosts.”
“If you don’t believe me, we can go see it tonight,” Qingxu Daoist offered, noticing Fan Wei’s apprehension.
Reluctantly, Fan Wei agreed.
When night fell, Qingxu Daoist and Fan Wei, accompanied by several of the Fan family’s servants, carried torches as they headed to the Su family’s ancestral tomb.
The tomb was located on a mountain in the outskirts.
In the deep mountain night, a cold wind blew, and recalling the morning’s rumors, everyone felt a wave of fear.
“Are you really sure there are no vengeful ghosts? I feel like something is watching us,” even Fan Wei whispered fearfully to Qingxu Daoist.
Seeing their frightened expressions, Qingxu Daoist sneered with disdain.
“Relax! I assure you, this land harbors no vengeful spirits.”
“Even if there were, I could catch it with one hand.”
His confidence seemed unshakable.
Reassured, Fan Wei and the others pressed on.
Arriving at the Su family’s ancestral tomb, they saw the mounds of earth marking each grave, with no strange signs.
Fan Wei breathed a sigh of relief.
“I told you! This is a rare feng shui treasure. No vengeful ghosts could appear here. It must be the Su family playing tricks,” Qingxu Daoist said with a smile.
A dark gleam appeared in Fan Wei’s eyes.
“Damn it. In two days, I’ll torment Su Yi to death.”
“Brother Fan, I hear Su Yi has a pair of exquisite twin daughters. We should enjoy ourselves then,” Qingxu Daoist said with a lecherous grin.
“Of course. I saw them yesterday—they’re truly exceptional,” Fan Wei replied with an evil smile.
The two erupted into laughter.
Suddenly, the mounds of earth erupted with flickering blue flames.
The eerie azure fire cast a haunting glow over the graves.
Fan Wei and the others turned pale, terrified by the sudden apparition.
“W-what is that?” Fan Wei’s voice trembled as he looked at Qingxu Daoist.
Beads of cold sweat dripped from the Taoist’s forehead; even he had never seen such a strange phenomenon.
“D-don’t worry. Even if a vengeful ghost appears, I... I can catch it,” Qingxu Daoist said, trying to maintain composure.
Yet his voice betrayed a lack of confidence.
He pulled a peachwood sword from his bag.
“This sword is made from a hundred-year-old thunder-struck wood. Any ghost that touches it will be instantly destroyed,” Qingxu Daoist said, gripping the weapon.
“Th-then... what is that?”
Before he finished, a gigantic, grotesque ghostly figure appeared before them.
“Do you think you can just seize the Fan family’s ancestral tomb? Leave at once, or stay here with us!”
At that moment, a sharp, piercing voice echoed, like the roar of a demon.