Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 349

Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the two large sacks of books outside the door:

"Help me move this into the room."

Chen Xiyuan: "Which room do you want to choose?"

This wooden house has two floors, with a hall and two rooms on each floor.

Li Zhuiyuan: "We'll sleep on the bottom, you sleep on the top."

Chen Xiyuan nodded and carried the sack into a room on the first floor.

The living room is simple yet elegant.

A stove made of stones, with charcoal burning inside.

There is a cobblestone path leading into the stream, accessible from the north wall and exiting through the south gate, reminiscent of a traditional Chinese waterside pavilion.

Runsheng filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove to boil.

Li Zhuiyuan walked over, pulled out a small stool, and sat down.

Seeing this, the colleagues knew that a meeting was about to begin.

Tan Wenbin stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, picked up the boiling teapot on the stove, poured four cups of water, then looked up at Brother Xiaoyuan and poured another cup.

Lin Shuyou sat upright, adjusting his breathing. He was always very active and engaged in every meeting.

Runsheng opened his eyes wider, staring at the babbling water in front of him, while simultaneously shutting out his mind completely.

No one spoke; the only sound in the living room was the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire in the stove.

I've been waiting for quite a while, but the meeting still hasn't started.

Previously, Brother Xiaoyuan only asked Chen Xiyuan to carry the sack inside, but she has been inside for so long and still hasn't come out.

Tan Wenbin stood up and walked to the door of the room.

I saw Chen Xiyuan arranging the books from the sack on the desk and sorting them into categories.

It must be said that she was very aware of being taken advantage of.

Tan Wenbin: "Miss Chen, we've all been waiting for you."

Chen Xiyuan: "Is dinner ready?"

Tan Wenbin: "Didn't you and Brother Xiaoyuan use it on the third floor before?"

When we delivered food to the third floor earlier, the second floor also received a share, so everyone ate together at the same time.

However, the three brothers had an astonishing appetite, and the prepared food was clearly not enough. When Runsheng asked, "Is there any more?", Lion was startled and hurriedly went to urge people to add more food.

The main reason is that Runsheng had previously commented on the taste of lion meat. But even the most unpalatable food is still food when you're not full.

Chen Xiyuan: "If it's not for dinner, what are you waiting for me for?"

Tan Wenbin: "Let's start the meeting."

This term was very new to Chen Xiyuan.

She nodded, came out, followed Tan Wenbin to the living room, sat down on an empty stool, and picked up a glass of hot water in front of her.

Once everyone was present, Li Zhuiyuan first gave a brief summary of the current experience of this wave, then shared the information and speculations he had obtained with his partners, and finally, he outlined and arranged the goals and directions for the next phase.

This has always been Li Zhuiyuan's habit. He doesn't like things to be unclear, and he certainly doesn't keep secrets from his partners. The newly revised "River Walking Code of Conduct" after each wave is also a must-read for his partners, and even Runsheng has to memorize it.

A truly effective team is not one that operates in a muddle, but one where everyone understands the current situation and what needs to be done.

Without avoiding mentioning Chen Xiyuan, the young man recounted the events that occurred between Yu Tiannan, his old dog, and the evil spirit in the karst cave below Dujiangyan.

After Li Zhuiyuan finished speaking, Tan Wenbin summarized the key points and difficult points again.

End of the meeting.

Tan Wenbin led Lin Shuyou and Runsheng out of the wooden house. The three of them were now going to explore the village and get to know the surroundings.

Runsheng went to the fields.

Tan Wenbin went to the ancestral hall.

Lin Shuyou went to the orchard and played with the group of squirrels.

Beside the stove, Li Zhuiyuan picked up the kettle and refilled his cup with hot water.

Chen Xiyuan put the empty cup she was holding down.

Li Zhuiyuan helped her pour it down.

Chen Xiyuan: "It's a very special feeling. If I follow you along the river, it's like I don't need to bring my brain with me. I can stay at home completely."

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Chen Xiyuan's forehead.

Chen Xiyuan tapped her temple with her knuckles: "I brought it."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You should talk about the content of the meeting, not the atmosphere of the meeting."

The boy sat down.

Chen Xiyuan: "That old dog also possessed the ability to modify the memories of that evil spirit?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "To be precise, it is modification, grafting, copying, cutting, and implantation."

Chen Xiyuan: "If that's the case, doesn't that mean it can never die?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yu Tiannan is dead, and that old dog is dead too. They are all, in fact, already dead."

Chen Xiyuan: "Don't you regard the preservation of memories as the continuation of life?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You know the Mental Shock Technique, right?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Of course, it's a very common and simple technique. Many sects and families have similar methods."

Li Zhuiyuan: "If this kind of mental shock technique is used on an ordinary person with a weak will, there is a certain probability that it will cause that person's mind to collapse, turning them into a mental patient."

Essentially, this bizarre memory magic is no different from ordinary mental shock magic, except that the former has an extra step, making the mentally ill believe they have become another person.

Chen Xiyuan: "This metaphor is very apt, but it can go from one body to another, as if it can be endless."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's impossible for it to be inexhaustible. Memories are dynamic; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to kill that evil spirit back then."

Therefore, I am more inclined to view that evil spirit's power as a contagious disease, a disease affecting the level of consciousness and mind.

Chen Xiyuan: "Something that's very mysterious suddenly feels down-to-earth after you explained it?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "The unknown is what brings mystery. When I first encountered the dead body in the river in my hometown, I also felt that it was incredibly mysterious and terrifying."

Chen Xiyuan: "Just what kind of dead creature dares to swim so presumptuously in front of the Dragon King's ancestral home?"

The boy discovered that Chen Xiyuan seemed to have a talent for always being able to shift her attention to inexplicable places.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, holding his cup, and walked towards his room.

I sat down at my desk and began to examine the covers and tables of contents of the books on it.

Yu Dibei is indeed a very honest person.

He went to get the books as soon as he said he would, and not only did he not keep any to himself, but he also deliberately took the most valuable books based on his understanding and knowledge.

Even if he was simple-minded and had never seen much of the world, he still knew the value of these books.

Chen Xiyuan stood at the doorway of the room, tiptoed, and looked through the pile of books at the boy sitting behind her.

"What are you planning to do next?"

"Read a book."

"Are you serious?"

"Ah."

"You only have two or three days of free time, how much can you actually absorb?"

"enough."

"Have you figured out how to refuse that old man?"

No need to refuse.

Next, other people will be discovered here by various coincidences, propelled by the river, and enter this place, and then, like us, be entertained by Grandpa.

If we don't give a clear response, we'll inevitably be beaten to it.

"Then why were we among the first to come in?"

"Because God has been very kind to me."

"This is a bowl of poisonous arsenic."

Yes, if it were really a good thing, how could I be the first one to benefit?

Li Zhuiyuan felt that Heaven probably wanted him to think he had gotten a great deal, so he should just swallow this bowl of poison.

The boy said, "If you're bored, you can wander around the village and ask Tan Wenbin to take some photos for you."

Chen Xiyuan: "I'm not that bored. Okay, you can read your book. I'm going upstairs to heal my injuries and try to recover as much as possible."

After the woman went upstairs, Li Zhuiyuan finished organizing and tidying up all the books on the table.

In fact, not a single book needs to be moved; Chen Xiyuan's previous summary was already quite reasonable.

Others may deliberately appear clumsy to hide their true abilities; only through meticulous observation and analysis can one see through their true colors.

Chen Xiyuan, on the other hand, fully demonstrated her strength from the very beginning. You have to rely on that to constantly correct the misunderstandings that her image might have given you.

Select the first book, take it down, and open it.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze immediately narrowed slightly.

The title on the cover doesn't reveal any details, but the text inside is clearly handwritten, not even a copy, because the handwriting is not neat and resembles a student's study notes.

Below many paragraphs of the main text, he would write down his own thoughts and feelings directly in different colors using a vermilion pen.

This means that Yu Dibei gave him not a textbook, but a book he had compiled based on the textbook called "The Secret Scroll of Tracing Ancestors" with answers.

Was it to curry favor with Chen Xiyuan?
Li Zhuiyuan immediately denied this speculation.

Yu Dibei did have feelings for Chen Xiyuan, but those feelings were only expressed out of politeness and kept to himself.

He wouldn't do something so presumptuous and abrupt. Besides, it was he who asked for the book, not Chen Xiyuan.

So, he's just a nice person?

Because that memory is sealed away, the northern part of Yudi appears exceptionally pure and simple at this moment.

Li Zhuiyuan decided to remove the "health preservation manuals" from the book list he originally planned to transcribe for Yu Dibei and replace them with practical information of equal value, in order to offset the debt of gratitude.

He would provide as much protection as he could to the Yu family members in this village, and do his best to help the Yu family continue their bloodline during the upcoming raging waves, as a way of showing respect to the Yu family's Dragon Kings and to "lend a hand" as Grandma Liu had told him.

As for this "Yu Di Bei", Li Zhuiyuan simply couldn't lift him up, let alone do so.

The Qin and Liu families have no spirits left and cannot withstand this overwhelming backlash. The Dragon King Chen family's spirit is still intact, so she can at least lift it up.

Li Zhuiyuan took out his blank book and opened to the first page.

These days, the boy didn't exploit "The Evil Book" in a preventative way, allowing it to enjoy a comfortable life for a while.

The women in the cages on the first page are all bloated.

Li Zhuiyuan placed his right hand on the "Evil Book" and quickly turned the pages with his left. The boy's gaze was serious, and the pages rustled like leaves in the wind.

After finishing one book, immediately pick up another and continue reading.

In the past, Li Zhuiyuan read books quickly, but never to this extent. Moreover, his brain could not keep up. However, these books all contained Yu Dibei's notes and insights.

The young man got to experience the treatment Tan Wenbin received from him.

The female figures in the "Evil Book" undergo the following changes: bloated, plump, well-proportioned, bony, skin and bones, rosy skulls, and finally turn to ashes.

Li Zhuiyuan finally finished reading all the books on his desk.

I memorized all the words and tried to understand them based on Yu Dibei's notes. I would then review and compare them later when I had time.

Li Zhuiyuan leaned back in his chair, somewhat wearily picking up the glass of cold water in front of him.

It was already dark outside.

The boy had just taken a sip of water when he heard the melodious sound of a flute.

The sound of this flute seems to possess a special magic, capable of soothing inner anxiety, relieving fatigue, and giving one a sense of immersion.

The one playing the flute was naturally Chen Xiyuan on the second floor.

However, she wasn't deliberately playing music for Li Zhuiyuan; she was simply healing her own injuries and relaxing on her own.

Others, having done everything they could to heal their wounds, could only rely on recuperation. But she could accelerate her recovery through her own domain. Following the sound of the flute, Li Zhuiyuan closed her eyes and rested for a while.

When she opened her eyes again, the flute music had stopped. Chen Xiyuan came downstairs. She had taken a shower and washed her clothes, which she dried quickly using a special method, but some small tears were still visible.

Chen Xiyuan: "Little brother, how much have you watched?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I'm tired of watching."

Chen Xiyuan: "I want Brother Tan to help me exchange two sets of clothes with the village. These clothes are torn and I don't know how to mend them."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Why didn't you bring more clothes?"

Chen Xiyuan: "When I used to walk along the river, my clothes were rarely torn or even dirty, let alone tattered."

Tan Wenbin and his group returned, carrying rice, flour, cooking oil, fruits, and vegetables.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, I told them not to send food over anymore, we'll cook for ourselves."

Runsheng was in charge of cooking dinner, Lin Shuyou assisted, and Tan Wenbin went to borrow clothes for Chen Xiyuan, returning empty-handed as soon as he left.

A while later, Uncle Yu Dibei appeared outside the house on his horse, bringing several sets of clean women's clothing.

After handing the clothes to Tan Wenbin, he immediately rode away, followed by a small yellow dog that panted heavily with its tongue lolling out.

The ancestral hall where the young man was temporarily staying was right nearby, but he suddenly spurred his horse and rode far away, his figure gradually blurring in the starlight until he disappeared.

But he couldn't actually run too far. The village within the formation, including the surrounding rivers and farmland, was only so big, just like his life, which was only so short.

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan transcribed his book and asked Tan Wenbin to deliver it to Yu Dibei.

In the afternoon, Li Zhuiyuan also went out for a stroll. This place is both a farmhouse and a zoo, with many places to see and enjoy.

Li Zhuiyuan saw Runsheng in the field, playing tug-of-war with a group of oxen after they had finished plowing the land. On one side were the oxen, and on the other side was Runsheng.

Runsheng "lost" and fell to the ground.

The herd of cows happily gathered around, then all lay down and basked in the sun.

Tan Wenbin was busy taking close-up photos everywhere, capturing architectural details, waterwheels, mills, and the harmony between people and animals.

In the orchard, Lin Shuyou played a military training game with the squirrels who had finished their work for the day. He clapped along as the squirrels marched forward in formation.

Everyone had a great time, but deep down they couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion:

If only this place were a paradise on earth.

However, the real Yu family has been occupied by a group of beasts and turned into a cage for raising people.

The existence of this place is also based on the meticulous arrangement of that old dog.

Today, Grandpa didn't send anyone to invite her to the banquet, nor did he try to urge or test her, for fear of disturbing the two distinguished guests.

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan, who had just woken up, opened the window and saw a vulture flying towards the entrance of the formation.

The second group of distinguished guests has arrived.

Li Zhuiyuan activated the array he had set up in the wooden house, completely isolating it from the outside world.

They are the "villains" who aid and abet evil, and should not associate with righteous people.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't want to start a fight with them here. Such a thing should at least wait until after entering the Yu family. And they probably didn't want to have any conflict here either, as it would damage their image in the eyes of their grandfather and Yu Dibei.

There were a lot of people here this time.

Yu Dibei stood on the high hillside, watching people—no, people—continuously walking in from outside the formation. He could hardly believe his eyes.

Having learned from his previous experience, he certainly wouldn't rush down and start fighting without saying a word like he did last time.

Moreover, Grandpa's vultures had already flown over, announcing their identities.

Yu Dibei murmured:

"Distinguished guest... I didn't know there could be so many?"

Among this group, many men were dignified and the women were also full of vigor. Just by standing there, they were demonstrating what it means to be the chosen ones.

Compared to them, Yu Dibei felt like a sweet potato that had just been dug out of the ground, still covered in mud.

Zhao Yi: "It seems too easy for them to get in. How exactly have these surviving members of the Yu family managed to survive here for so many years?"

A charming woman holding a folding fan beside Zhao Yi said with a smile, "Brother Yi, why worry so much? Since the river has brought us here, it must be fate."

"Miss Ming is right, things will work themselves out when we get to the bridge."

Zhao Yi looked at the bright and beautiful Miss Ming, Ming Yuwan, who came from a noble family. The folding fan in her hand was said to be something her grandmother carried when she traveled across the river.

She was the one with whom he had the closest relationship in this alliance, and at the same time, she was the one who left the deepest mark on him.

Zhao Yi tore off the skin from his thigh and washed it several times before he could finally remove the lingering fragrance she had left inside him.

He suppressed the incense left by others, without openly confronting them, maintaining a tacit understanding. But the incense she left would, over time, turn into a deadly poison, not only corroding his flesh and blood but also rotting his soul.

She found out about this and even came to find me specifically to ask why I was being treated differently.

Zhao Yi knew that she wasn't malicious; she just didn't consider herself a human being at all.

This should be related to the fundamental technique that the Ming family cultivates. It is said that with each advancement in the Ming family's fundamental technique, one must endure great pain and separate and seal a part of one's soul, otherwise one will lose control of one's emotions and become eccentric.

Zhao Yi suspected that Ming Yuwan was now asking for a beating.

A man carrying a long cloth bag spoke up: "It seems we have too many people. How many people does this village have in total? I'm afraid we can't accommodate everyone."

Ming Yuwan: "Let everyone leave. I also find it noisy."

Everyone gave orders to their subordinates, and in an instant, most of them retreated and left the formation.

Only twelve people remained on the spot.

Yu Dibei also came down from the slope at this time. After standing in front of them, Yu Dibei began to perform the Yu family salute.

All twelve people, including Ming Yuwan who had just been laughing happily, became serious and composed.

Everyone turned slightly to the side, receiving only a half-bow.

After Yu Dibei finished bowing, Zhao Yi took two steps back.

The eleven people standing in front of him returned the greeting in turn, arranged from left to right.

Because he didn't expect another important person to come, Yu Dibei didn't go back to cram for the door-to-door ceremony, even though he had been embarrassed last time.

When twelve people returned his greeting, he was a little taken aback.

However, after returning the greeting, everyone went back without introducing themselves again.

This relieved Yu Dibei. They all knew who he was, but he couldn't be sure of their surnames. The young man was afraid that he would be impolite and not entertain them well.

In fact, given the current situation of the Yu family, the fact that they can formally exchange greetings is already a great sign of respect.

After everyone in front of him had returned the greeting, Zhao Yi took three steps forward, returned the greeting, and smiled at Yu Dibei:
"Zhao Yi from Jiujiang".

For some reason, Yu Dibei felt a warmth in his heart and replied:
"North of Yudi in Luoyang".

When the name was uttered, everyone's eyes immediately fell on the young man.

Located in the north of Yu and the south of Yu, it's hard not to wonder if this young man is related to the Dragon King.

"Distinguished guests, your grandfather is waiting for you. Please follow me."

Following the same procedure and the same route, the group arrived at the three-story building next to the ancestral hall.

Once on the second floor, the leopard lying there opened its eyes wide.

Lion, who had just brewed a pot of fresh tea with poisonous insects, also stood up in surprise.

"The guards...the guards must stay...stay here."

Although he was terrified, Lion still forced himself to fulfill his duties.

No one left the group.

Yu Dibei whispered, "Master Lion, they are all important people. Their guards have all stayed outside and haven't come in."

"Then... then please come upstairs... Grandpa is waiting for you."

Lion King breathed a sigh of relief. No guards were a good thing; he didn't want to chat and drink tea with them anymore.

After they had all gone upstairs, Lion wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and deliberately spoke to Leopard in a relaxed tone:
"Isn't it strange? When did important people become so worthless?"

Grandpa didn't tell them that a group of people had come the day before yesterday.

He was as excited as the first time, with tears welling up in his eyes. From recounting the story of the Yu family's downfall to kneeling down and pleading with everyone, everything seemed very natural.

To avoid any slip-ups, she deliberately adopted the image of a kind old man today, precisely to prevent the other party from noticing any possible repetitions in her details.

"Worship us... and walk the river?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze turned fervent.

This,
This is an incredible opportunity!
The banquet ended.

Everyone stood up.

Ming Yuwan: "Everyone, we should at least pay attention to our status and dignity, and not create a scene where everyone rushes in. Let's do it this way, following the order of returning the gifts, and talk to each person one by one and set our conditions."

Finally, let that man from Yudibei choose; he can decide which of us to worship.

Everyone nodded in agreement with the proposal.

After all, you can't just set up a ring here and have everyone decide the winner with their fists, with the winner taking away the "prize".

This method would be suitable for just two people, but here there are twelve people.

Grandpa was extremely excited when he saw this scene.

This group of distinguished guests was much more decisive than the previous group, seemingly without any hesitation.

But the old man was also a little uneasy, afraid that he would offend the previous group of important people, so he went downstairs himself and sent Leopard to deliver the message.

In any case, just make sure you've informed them properly. As for who will take in Yu Dibei, let them decide for themselves.

The interview has already begun.

Some people are queuing, and some are waiting.

Zhao Yi, who was at the back of the line, waved to everyone and said he was going out for a walk to get some fresh air.

As Zhao Yi stepped out of the wooden house and onto the road, a slight smile crept onto his lips.

He felt that although he was the last one to go for the interview, his chances of success were actually the greatest.

So what if your family backgrounds are all top-notch?
This may not be your strength, but rather your weakness.

Because I'm the only one like Yu Dibei who has no home.

In addition, he noticed that the child was touched by his initiative in introducing himself when he returned the gift.

So, I wasn't the last one to be interviewed; he was the first.

Let the eleven of you talk first, using family background and future promises to lull the young man into a frenzy. Then, I, the one with discernment, will step in and offer a refreshing change.

Should we play the "gentle breeze" card, the "loyalty" card, or the "sob story" card?
When it came to his turn, he used a strategy of retreat to advance: "They come from good families, so you should choose them. I can't guarantee your future development. Many times, I'm barely able to take care of myself and have to rely on myself..."

As Zhao Yi walked, he was mentally rehearsing a script.

As he walked, he saw a leopard running wildly on the roof of the side room.

Seemingly having reached its destination, the leopard leaped down and charged towards a two-story wooden house. Then, with a "bang," the leopard flew backward and crashed to the ground.

The leopard looked aggrieved and cried out a few times in that direction, its voice soft and gentle, like a kitten's.

But the door's seal showed no sign of opening.

The leopard got up and ran back even faster. Anyway, the message had already been delivered: it was your own fault for not opening the door. So whatever the outcome, it was none of our village's business.

Zhao Yi stopped in front of the wooden house. If the leopard hadn't bumped into him, he wouldn't have noticed that there was a formation there at first.

"What an ingenious concealment technique, using a concealment array to enclose a protective array. In the past, I've only ever seen that guy surnamed Li use this..."

"Squeak!"

The window of a bedroom on the first floor was pushed open from the inside.

Li Zhuiyuan stood behind the window, meeting Zhao Yi's gaze.

Without pausing or speaking, the boy closed the window again.

Zhao Yi stood there dumbfounded, and then a huge sense of fear swept over his entire body.

"Damn it, we can't let this opportunity slip by!"

(End of this chapter)