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Chapter 466 There are signs of demonic activity in this place.

As dusk fell, the sky darkened and the sunlight became less intense.

The "corpse" lying in the coffin did not move at all, and did not spontaneously combust when exposed to sunlight as depicted in the movies.

Even so, it exudes an unsettling and eerie aura.

The coffin was entirely black, heavy, and ancient.

The inside and outside walls of the coffin are carved with intricate patterns.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the patterns were actually tiny incantations, with ancient and twisted characters.

Some dark red traces remained in the patterns, like an invisible net sealing the contents of the coffin.

The late patriarch of the Chen family, Chen Hongye, lies quietly in this coffin.

He was a man with a lean face and sharply defined features.

His head of white hair was interspersed with many strands of jet-black hair, which shone with a bright luster, as if they had just grown out of his scalp.

The wrinkles on his face were pitifully few, with only a few yellowish-brown spots scattered on both sides of his cheekbones, making it difficult to distinguish whether they were rigor mortis or age spots.

The skin had an unnatural reddish hue, a stark contrast to the corpse that had never seen the light of day.

It was as if Chen Hongye was merely sleeping in a coffin.

What was most chilling was that his hands, hanging at his sides, had long, sharp nails that gleamed with a cold, bluish-black light.

Its vibrant appearance made it seem as if it would curl its fingertips and grab at the Chen family servant standing guard beside it at any moment.

Judging from his appearance alone, Chen Hongye is indeed much younger than the age recorded in the documents, and does not look like a man in his seventies at all.

Fang Cheng stared at the corpse in the coffin, a faint red light flickering deep in his pupils.

From the unique perspective of the "scavenger's eye," no unusual traces worthy of further investigation were captured.

But one can clearly sense an indescribable stench emanating from this body.

It smelled like the decaying stench of an old corpse, mixed with a fresh scent that didn't belong to the dead.

The two auras intertwined, creating an indescribable eeriness.

With his extraordinary perception, which boasts a mental attribute of 70 points, Fang Cheng repeatedly probed the area several times.

They were unable to find even the slightest trace of spiritual energy within this "corpse".

There was neither the chilling aura of evil spirits nor the faint consciousness of a lingering soul.

Its interior was empty and appeared unusually "clean".

It's like an empty shell, or a black hole that can devour all spiritual energy.

however.

The body itself exhibits obvious abnormalities; the vigorous vitality revealed by the skin and muscles is visible even to the naked eye.

This unusual feeling caused Fang Cheng's brows to furrow slightly.

Could it be that the evil spirit did not completely possess this body?
Or did it realize its presence had been discovered and choose to temporarily leave and hide in advance?
Fang Cheng's brows furrowed even more.

Neither of these outcomes was what I had hoped for.

You see, his real goal was to catch the evil spirit on the spot, force it to reveal his uncle's whereabouts, or obtain some valuable clues.

A thought raced through Fang Cheng's mind. He turned his head to look at Pan Wendi, who was also staring at the coffin beside him:

"This is the corpse you mentioned before, the one that shows no signs of life?"

Pan Wendi gave an awkward smile and lowered his voice to explain:
"Brother, I really didn't feel that the old man was breathing at the time."

"The basement was pitch black back then, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I couldn't very well open the coffin to examine the body and just reach out and touch it, could I?"

"Damn, that's terrifying!"

As he spoke, a vivid image seemed to have formed in his imaginative mind, and he couldn't help but rub his arms together, getting goosebumps all over.

Bai Ling, who was listening nearby, chuckled and covered her mouth, saying:
"Brother Wendi, I think you're pretty brave, so how come you're as timid as me?"

Lin Chuqiao looked helpless and offered an explanation:
"My cousin only recently awakened his abilities, so his mental perception is a little weak. It's normal that he was misled by this appearance of life and death mixed together."

Fang Cheng smiled and shook his head, not pursuing the matter further.

Nearby, the Chen family's servants were busy arranging offerings and handing out incense and candles to the altar.

Not far away, monks held ritual implements and chanted prepared scriptures in low voices, checking the ritual procedures.

Preparations for the Dharma assembly are proceeding in an orderly manner.

The solemn atmosphere at the scene was eased somewhat by the lighthearted banter among the group.

Just as they were talking, a commotion came from the direction of the mansion.

Upon hearing the sound, Fang Cheng immediately turned his head to look.

A large group of people were seen hurrying towards the Dharma assembly site.

Leading the way was none other than the butler, Li Tiansheng, followed by more than a dozen people, both men and women, who appeared to be members of the Chen family.

Most of these tribespeople were elderly, dressed in traditional clothing, and at this moment their faces were ashen and their expressions were furious, as if they had witnessed something outrageous.

"Xu'an! What exactly do you want?!"

An elderly man with white hair and beard, and a thin build, strode forward, pointed at the open coffin in the center of the open space, and questioned it sternly.

This person was none other than Chen Dehai, the most senior elder in the Chen family.

"You actually want to take your grandfather's coffin out to expose it to the sun, and even want to burn it? This is outrageous and blasphemy against our ancestors!"

Chen Dehai was furious and bombarded Chen Xu'an with accusations like a barrage of bullets.

"Yes, Xu'an, stop immediately! If we anger the spirits of our ancestors, our Chen family will suffer retribution!"

"That's your own grandfather's remains! How could you do such an unfilial thing?"

The other clansmen followed suit, glaring angrily.

Dissatisfied complaints rose and fell, turning the Dharma assembly into a turbulent mess.

Chen Xu'an's face darkened, and seeing Li Tiansheng's cautious expression, he instantly understood what was going on.

As expected, Butler Li went to inform them.

When Li Tiansheng invited a high-ranking monk from Cuicheng Temple back to the manor to prepare for the ritual, he learned that Li Tiansheng was going to take action against his grandfather's corpse in the Black Building, and he tried to dissuade him with earnest words.

However, Chen Xu'an had already made up his mind and did not listen to advice.

The old steward had no choice but to go to the inheritance secret realm and invite the clan elders who were in seclusion there to come out.

When these clansmen heard that he intended to burn his grandfather's body, they rushed to the Chen family manor.

Chen Xu'an took a deep breath and tried his best to remain calm in the face of everyone's questions:
"Elders, it's not that I'm deliberately disrespecting our ancestors, but my grandfather's body is just too strange; I'm afraid it's been possessed by an evil spirit..."

Then, he patiently and concisely recounted the whole story.

This includes the bizarre phenomenon that Chen Hongye's body did not decompose for three years and even grew younger, as well as the series of misfortunes that befell his family members.

The entire narration incorporated the previous speculations of Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, and others.

"...The situation is getting worse and worse, and more and more people are being victimized. Even my grandmother and nephew have been poisoned by the insidious needle curse and are lying in the hospital, their lives hanging in the balance."

“We have reason to suspect that the source of all this lies in Grandfather’s coffin; it’s that corpse that’s causing all this trouble!”

Chen Xu'an's voice gradually rose, his eyes burning with determination.

"For the peace of the Chen family, and to prevent further tragedy, I am willing to bear all the consequences!"

"If my judgment is wrong, and the ancestral spirits punish me, then I will bear all the blame and retribution alone!"

These words, spoken with such force and a tragic air of risking one's life, stunned Chen Dehai and the rest of the clan.

They looked at each other, their faces showing hesitation.

Seeing this, Lin Chuqiao stepped forward and added in a clear voice:

"Elders of the Chen family, what Young Master Chen said is not unfounded."

"According to my research, this phenomenon of the body not decaying after death and even growing in reverse is very likely due to possession by some kind of evil spirit."

"If this continues, not only will there be more victims, but it will also likely deplete the fortune of the Chen family's ancestral spirits. When the family's foundation is damaged, it will be too late to make amends!"

Bai Ling nodded vigorously, her face serious.
"Yes, we saw something sinister in that building with our own eyes, and we were almost killed by the monster inside..."

She embellished her "personal experience," lowering her voice considerably when she mentioned the word "monster," which added to the sense of horror.

Upon hearing this, the anger on the faces of the Chen family members subsided considerably, replaced by bewilderment.

One by one, they couldn't help but turn their heads and look at the corpse lying in the coffin.

Looking at the much younger former family head Chen Hongye, their eyes revealed an undisguised fear.

Some people even shrank back, clearly frightened by the words "evil spirit" and "monster".

"Amitabha, esteemed benefactors." Just as the atmosphere was tense, the eminent monk Master Yuanjue of Cuicheng Temple spoke up at the right moment, solemnly proclaiming the Buddha's name.

He glanced at the coffin first, then looked at the crowd and said in a refined, scholarly tone:
"The yin energy here is heavy and the resentment is soaring to the sky, which is indeed an omen of evil spirits causing trouble."

"I have been invited by Benefactor Chen to perform a ritual to help the deceased Mr. Chen pass on to the afterlife and suppress evil spirits. This is a great act of merit."

Master Yuanjue's voice was loud and clear, carrying a calm and composed Buddhist air:

"As for whether or not to cremate the body, that is a decision within the Chen family, and it is not my place to interfere."

"But if it can be combined with the ritual of deliverance in the Water and Land Dharma Assembly, and the evil spirits can be purified with the purest yang fire, perhaps the Chen family can be freed from suffering and live without disaster."

After saying this, he put his hands together again, chanted the Buddha's name, and a glint of light flashed deep in his eyes.

Clearly, Master Yuanjue also did not want to miss this grand and lucrative religious ceremony.

If these clansmen ruin everything, then all his efforts will have been in vain.

Chen Dehai and the other clansmen all looked hesitant.

The high monk's words, Chen Xu'an's resolute decision, and the corroboration from the investigators sent by the Bridge of Helplessness.

This made it difficult for them to maintain their initial stance of opposition.

After all, Chen Hongye's body was indeed strange, and coupled with the recent series of misfortunes that had befallen the family, they were already filled with fear and unease.

Finally, Chen Dehai sighed deeply and slowly nodded, his tone as if he were convincing himself, or perhaps informing everyone:
"Never mind... In just over a month, Hongye's body will have been laid to rest for three years. If we cremate him now and then move his body to the family's secret burial ground, it will barely be in accordance with the rules."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xu'an secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fang Cheng and the others breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged glances.

The stalemate has finally come to an end.

However, Li Tiansheng suddenly became anxious at this moment.

"Second Young Master, this won't do!"

His face turned deathly pale, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, almost lunging at Chen Xu'an:
"The old lady repeatedly warned that the old master's remains must never be moved lightly!"

"This will anger the ancestral spirits, incur ancestral punishment, and may even result in being struck by lightning, bringing eternal damnation to the Chen family!"

He became increasingly alarmist, attempting to intimidate the crowd with family rules and supernatural beliefs.

Upon hearing this, some of the less resolute members of the tribe changed color, and their initial attitude of compromise began to waver again.

Seeing this, Lin Chuqiao reached out and poked Pan Wendi's arm, giving him a meaningful look.

Pan Wendi immediately understood and quietly circled around to Li Tiansheng's back.

At this moment, Li Tiansheng was still desperately trying to dissuade him when Pan Wendi took advantage of his unpreparedness and delivered a precise chop to the back of his neck.

"Boom!"

Li Tiansheng groaned, then collapsed to the ground, instantly losing consciousness.

The Chen family was immediately in an uproar, and they all looked at them with astonishment.

Pan Wendi shrugged and explained with an innocent look:
“Butler Li is possessed by evil spirits and is out of his mind. It’s obvious that he has been bewitched by evil spirits and is deliberately trying to obstruct the ritual.”

"Fortunately, I acted in time and temporarily removed the evil spirit from him."

As he spoke, Pan Wendi's gaze swept over the bewildered members of the Chen family, and he raised his voice to urge them on:
"Gentlemen, the more the enemy opposes us, the more correct we are in doing our work."

"Now is not the time to sit idly by and wait for death. Everyone must pull themselves together, overcome the difficulties, and resolve this crisis for the Chen family!"

"Come on! Shout with me! The Chen family is mighty! Evil spirits, begone!"

After saying that, he raised his arm high and waved it twice, shouting several times in succession.

The crowd just stared at him with strange looks, and no one echoed his sentiments.

But because of this banter, they didn't blame him for his earlier recklessness.

Pan Wendi chuckled awkwardly, scratched his head, and retreated dejectedly back to Fang Cheng and the others.

Bailing nudged him with her elbow and teased him in a low voice:
"Brother Wendi, it's such a waste of your talent that you're not involved in pyramid schemes."

"If I go into pyramid schemes, I'll take you with me."

Pan Wendi tossed his head and said smugly:

"With your ability to imitate and my eloquence, we'll be invincible when we join forces!"

The two whispered to each other.

Over there, Chen Xu'an had already come to his senses and immediately instructed the servants to help Li Tiansheng, who had fainted on the ground, to the side.

He looked up and observed the sky for a moment, then turned to Master Yuanjue and respectfully asked:

"Master, the sun is about to set. I wonder if the Dharma assembly can begin?"

Master Yuanjue raised his wrist, glanced at the Rolex watch that gleamed in the setting sun, and nodded.

"In ten minutes, it will be the 15th of the 5th of the 6th of the 7th lunar month. This is the time when Yin and Yang alternate and evil spirits are born. It is also the best time to summon the souls of the dead and suppress evil spirits."

His voice was loud and clear, and his words carried a profound sense of compassion.

"This old monk will now set up an altar and perform rituals, respectfully inviting all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to protect and bless the deceased souls, chanting sutras for their salvation, and using the power of Buddhism to suppress the evil spirits here and protect the peace of the Chen family."

In the open space of the manor in front of the black building, the venue for the Dharma assembly has been properly set up.

Above the altar, incense smoke swirls, and a golden Buddha statue is enshrined high.

Master Yuanjue, along with several monks who had come from Cuicheng Temple, sat cross-legged, wearing yellow robes, and chanted Buddhist scriptures in a low voice.

The wooden fish made a "du, du" sound, followed by the clear and melodious "hum" of the bronze cymbals.

The deep chanting of Buddhist hymns mingled with the sounds of sutra recitation, slowly echoing in the twilight, casting a solemn yet eerie atmosphere over the manor.

At the same time, more than a dozen servants of the Chen family busily piled bundles of dry firewood in front of the altar.

Soon, a pile of firewood, taller than a person, was formed.

Several strong servants stepped forward together and carefully lifted the black lacquered coffin, placing it steadily on top of the pile of firewood.

Chen Hongye, still alive in the coffin, appeared even more eerie in the dim light.

After reciting the Rebirth Mantra once, Master Yuanjue put his palms together and chanted the Buddha's name.

Then, Chen Xu'an, holding a lit torch, walked to the coffin and raised it high.

The flames illuminated his slightly tense face.

Master Yuanjue slowly raised his hand, his voice steady:
"Please, benefactor."

Chen Xu'an took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly, and threw the torch into the pile of firewood.

"boom!"

The pile of firewood, which had been doused with gasoline, was instantly ignited.

The dry firewood crackled and popped.

The flames, as if alive, shot up instantly, greedily licking the black lacquered coffin, and in the blink of an eye, they completely enveloped it.

Thick smoke, carrying fine ash from burning firewood, billowed into the sky.

The sun was setting in the west, and the evening glow was like fire.

The firelight and the glow of the sunset at the Dharma assembly site illuminated the prayer flags around them and also the faces of the Chen family members standing in front of the bonfire.

Their expressions were complex, showing both concern for the desecration of their ancestors and anticipation that the evil spirits would be burned away.

Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, Bai Ling, and Pan Wendi also stood on the periphery of the crowd, their eyes fixed on the raging flames.

Will evil spirits really appear?

Bai Ling was a little nervous and asked in a low voice.

“Burning the corpse it was inhabiting ruined its plans, and it will naturally be unable to resist jumping out.”

Lin Chuqiao spoke with certainty, her eyes reflecting the flickering flames.

At this moment, Chen Xu'an walked over to the four of them.

Having successfully completed the cremation task, his expression visibly softened, and his tone carried a hint of gratitude and relief.
"If it weren't for the help of you all, I wouldn't have been able to make such a big decision. Thank you for giving me this confidence."

His expression was unusually serious as he spoke, clearly indicating that he was speaking from the heart.

Fang Cheng smiled slightly and said nothing more.

Seeing this, Lin Chuqiao, who was standing next to him, immediately chimed in:

"Young Master Chen, you're too kind..."

Before he finished speaking, a cry of surprise suddenly came from the Chen family members in front of the fire.

"Huh? This corpse... why isn't it burning?!"

(End of this chapter)