Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

Chapter 359 Digging up graves and burning corpses

Cheng Mo hung up the phone, put it in his pocket, turned to look at Lü Huan, and asked with a smile, "Huanhuan, are you ready to face your family's incomprehension and scolding?"

Lü Huan nodded vigorously, her eyes shining: "I'm ready!"

Lu Ci stood to the side, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, waving her hand and saying, "Let's see who dares to insult my Xiao Huan!"

Cheng Mo laughed out loud: "Hehe, I almost forgot about Old Lu. Let's go back."

The group returned to Lüjia Village.

The situation in the village surprised Cheng Mo.

The people from NaDuTong had completely surrounded the village. Everywhere there were staff members in work clothes, some counting people, some registering information, and some moving supplies.

When the Lü family members saw Lü Ci return, a large group of them swarmed around him.

"Chieftain! Are you alright?"

"Chieftain, where are those people? Where are the Quanxing people?"

"Chieftain, what exactly happened?"

Lu Ci, with a stern face, waved his hand and said, "Shut up, all of you!"

The entire room fell silent.

Lu Ci stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and said in a serious tone: "Call everyone and come with me to the cemetery."

The members of the Lü family looked at each other, but no one dared to question the patriarch's decision.

In less than half an hour, all the able-bodied people in Lüjia Village gathered in front of the ancestral graves on the back mountain.

The Lü family's cemetery is built halfway up the mountain, backed by green hills and facing a flowing stream, with excellent feng shui. The tombstones, one after another, large and small, new and old, are densely packed all over the entire hillside.

Lu Ci stood at the very front, facing the graves of the deceased members of the Lu family.

He turned around, faced the entire clan, young and old, and cleared his throat: "Dig up all the corpses of my lineage and burn them."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

"What?!"

"Chief! What did you say?!"

"Digging up graves? That's unacceptable!"

Lu Zhong squeezed his way out of the crowd, his face pale: "Father! What are you doing? Digging up graves is a grave offense! Our ancestors will be furious!"

Lu Ci slapped Lu Zhong across the face.

Snapped.

Lu Zhong was spun around after being hit, covering his face and not daring to say another word.

Lu Ci scanned the entire room, his voice icy: "I said dig, so we dig. Anyone have a problem with that, step forward now."

The entire room fell silent.

No one dared to step forward.

Lü Ci nodded in satisfaction: "Dig."

The Lü family members picked up hoes and shovels and began digging the grave.

One tomb after another was dug up, and one coffin after another was carried out. Some coffins were already decayed, and when opened, only bones remained inside; other coffins were well-preserved, and human figures could still be discerned when opened.

Lu Huan stood to the side, watching the coffins being carried out, tears streaming down her face.

Xia He put her arm around her shoulder and gently patted her back.

Prince Zhong watched quietly, his face expressionless.

After all the coffins were carried out, Lü Ci had people set up a pile of firewood in the open space and put the coffins on it one by one.

Flames rose, thick smoke billowed, and the firelight illuminated half the sky.

The members of the Lü family stood at a distance, watching the fire engulf the remains, their expressions varied.

The fire burned for more than half an hour, billowing thick smoke and the smell of burning permeating the entire back mountain.

Lü Huan stood beside the fire, her eyes red from the smoke, unable to tell whether it was from tears or the smoke. She turned to look at Lü Ci beside her and reached out to tug at his sleeve.

Lü Ci looked down at her.

Lü Huan pointed in the direction where Wang Zizhong was standing.

Lu Ci followed her hand and looked over. Wang Zizhong was standing outside the crowd, his hands hanging at his sides, his face blank and his eyes empty.

Lü Ci nodded and walked up to Wang Zizhong: "Come with me, Brother Zizhong."

Wang Zizhong paused for a moment, then followed.

Lü Huan followed behind them.

Xia He nudged Cheng Mo: "Little Taoist priest."

Cheng Mo shook his head.

The three people walked through the crowd and up the mountain path. The path became narrower and narrower, the weeds on both sides grew taller and taller, and the stones underfoot became more and more broken.

After walking for more than ten minutes, Lü Ci stopped in front of a barren slope.

This hillside was covered with rocks and weeds, with no tombstones or graves, and was no different from the surrounding barren mountains.

"This is it." Lü Ci pointed to the ground, his voice flat.

Wang Zizhong stood before the barren slope, frozen in place, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

Lu Huan handed Wang Zizhong a shovel: "Grandpa Zizhong, let's dig."

"9

Wang Zizhong took the shovel, his hands trembling, and he had to poke the shovel head into the ground several times before it could be inserted.

Lu Ci also picked up a shovel and started digging from the other side.

None of the three spoke; the only sounds were the shovels being driven into the ground, stones being turned over, and weeds being cut.

Wang Zizhong had to stop and catch his breath after each shovelful of soil, sweat streaming down his face and dripping into the mud.

After digging for more than ten minutes, the shovel hit a piece of wood.

The three people stopped at the same time.

Wang Zizhong threw down the shovel, knelt on the ground, and began digging at the soil with his hands. He stuck his fingers into the soil, picking at it bit by bit, until his fingernails were filled with mud and his nails were torn open and bleeding, but he continued digging as if he didn't feel anything.

The coffin was finally revealed; it was a very thin wooden coffin, mostly rotten, with the lid half collapsed.

Prince Zhong lay on the coffin, wailing loudly.

The cries echoed through the desolate mountains and wilderness, startling a few birds.

"Madam—I'm late—I'm so late—"

Prince Zhong cried so hard that he trembled all over, his forehead pressed against the coffin lid, his face covered in tears and snot.

Lu Huan knelt beside the coffin and kowtowed three times. His forehead hit the stone, breaking the skin and causing beads of blood to seep out.

"Great-grandmother."

Lu Ci looked at the white bones in the coffin, knelt on the stone ground, and kowtowed to the coffin.

"Duanmu Ying, I'm so sorry."

He straightened up and kowtowed again.

"I, Lü Ci, am not human."

When he kowtowed for the third time, his forehead touched the ground and he didn't get up for a long time.

After a while, Lü Ci straightened up, stood up from the ground, patted the dirt off his knees, and began to build the firewood tower.

Prince Zhong cried for a long time, then got up from the ground and used his hands to wipe the soil off the coffin bit by bit. As he wiped, tears fell, dripping onto the bones and running down the bone's texture.

Lu Huan knelt beside him, head bowed, tears falling one by one to the ground.

After a long while, Wang Zizhong finally stood up from the edge of the pit, his voice hoarse: "Please invite the lady out."

Lü Huan and Lü Ci carried out Duanmu Ying's remains and placed them on the firewood tower, where Prince Zhong personally lit and burned them.

The flames burned for a long time, and by the time the last sparks died down, it was almost dark.

Wang Zizhong squatted down and used his hands to collect the ashes bit by bit into a porcelain jar, not letting a single grain go to waste.

The porcelain jar was full, and Wang Zizhong held it in his arms as he returned to Lüjia Village with Lü Ci and Lü Huan.

Staff from NaDuTong were coming and going, maintaining order.

After Lü Ci returned, he faced the entire clan, young and old, and waved his hand: "Everyone cooperate with Na Dutong's people. Those who need to register, register; those who need to register, register."

"Ask the questions, and no one is allowed to cause trouble."

The Lü family members didn't dare to say anything, obediently queuing up and cooperating with the staff of NaDuTong to register their information.

Cheng Mo stood outside the crowd, holding the cloth bag full of food sacs, and patted Lü Huan on the shoulder: "Huanhuan, let's go find a quiet place."

Lü Huan nodded, took Xia He's hand, and followed behind Cheng Mo.

The three people walked through the village, entered a narrow alley, and came to an empty old house. The doors and windows were tightly closed, and the yard was overgrown with weeds.

Cheng Mo pushed open the door, and there was a musty smell inside.

He casually waved his hand, and the wind blew in from outside, dispersing the musty smell.

"This is fine."

Cheng Mo placed the cloth bag on the ground, and dozens of sacs rolled around on the ground before coming to a neat stop.

Lu Huan picked up a sac, took a deep breath, and probed it in.

A middle-aged man appeared out of nowhere, lying on the ground, still unconscious.

Swoosh, Lü Huan reached out and pressed his hand on his forehead. Blue Qi rose from his palm and probed into his mind.

A moment later, he withdrew his hand.

The middle-aged man's body trembled slightly, his brows furrowed, but he regained his composure.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Lü Huan's forehead, and her breathing became slightly rapid, but she did not stop.

The second, the third, the fourth.

One by one, members of the Lü family were released, and one by one, their soul-clearing techniques were removed.

Some were drowsy with furrowed brows, some twitched a few times, and some let out a muffled groan.

Lu Huan's hands moved faster and faster, more and more sweat appeared on his forehead, and his face turned from rosy to pale.

Xia He took out a tissue to wipe Lü Huan's sweat and said with concern, "Huanhuan, take a rest."

Lü Huan shook her head: "It's okay, sister, I can still manage."

Cheng Mo took a bottle of water out of his pocket and handed it to him: "Have some water."

Lü Huan took the water, unscrewed the cap, gulped down several large mouthfuls, handed the water bottle back to Cheng Mo, and continued working.

The thirty-second, the thirty-third, the thirty-fourth—Lü Huan's movements grew slower and slower, requiring several deep breaths before he could press on each forehead. His blue hand was almost transparent, the outline of his fingers indistinct.

When it came to the forty-first person, Lü Huan placed his hand on someone's forehead and didn't move for a long time.

Cheng Mo asked, "What's wrong?"

Lü Huan pursed her lips: "This is my great-grandfather."

Cheng Mo didn't say anything.

Lü Huan took a deep breath, and blue Qi rose from his palm, pressing it against his great-grandfather's temple. He slowly withdrew it...

After the cleansing was completed, the Qi (vital energy) around Grandpa's body became peaceful.

Lu Huan withdrew his hand, leaned against Xia He, and gasped for breath.

Xia He hugged her and gently patted her back: "There are two more, Huanhuan, keep it up."

Cheng Mo picked up one of the sacs and put it in his pocket.

Lu Huan looked puzzled, and Cheng Mo smiled at her: "This is Lu Liang, we'll need him later."

Lu Huan nodded, picked up the last phlegm, released and cleared it, and that was it.

The three of them left the old house and returned to the center of the village.

Cheng Mo instructed the people from Na Du Tong to take over the unconscious members of the Lü family, and then walked towards Lü Ci.

Lu Ci was squatting on the steps drinking water when she saw Cheng Mo coming over. She quickly stood up and asked, "Are you done?"

Cheng Mo nodded and asked Lü Ci, "Old Lü, what about you? What are your plans?"

Lü Ci looked at Wang Zizhong.

Wang Zizhong stood at a distance, holding the porcelain jar in his arms, head down, lost in thought.

Lu Ci sighed: "Huanhuan said she wants me to go to a nursing home."

Cheng Mo laughed: "Fine, then I won't bother with you anymore."

Wang Zizhong walked over, holding the porcelain jar tightly in his arms, and said to Cheng Mo, "Young Daoist Cheng, I'm going back to the capital first. Madam—I need to settle Madam in."

Cheng Mo nodded: "Uncle Wang, you go back first. I'll have someone from Na Du Tong take you there."

A young man dressed in a NaDuTong uniform came up to him: "Mr. Wang, our Chairman Zhao has made arrangements to take you back to Beijing."

Wang Zizhong nodded and got into the car.

Lu Huan waved vigorously at the car, "Grandpa Zizhong, I'll come to see you!"

The car window opened, Wang Zizhong nodded to Lü Huan, the car started, and slowly drove out of Lüjia Village.