Chapter 172: The Yin Womb

　　The old campus lay deathly silent, devoid of insect chirps or bird calls. 

　　A cold wind rustled through the empty windows and dark green foliage, adding to the eerie atmosphere. 

　　Everyone stared at the massive cocoon-like structure buried in the soil, woven from strands resembling black hair. 

　　A thick aura of yin energy surrounded the cocoon, which rose and fell slightly as though breathing. 

　　Thin black filaments sprouted from it, intertwining with the roots of the climbing ivy, snaking out of the soil and into the walls, wrapping the entire abandoned dormitory. 

　　The scene resembled a decayed, oversized head draped in dense, flowing hair. 

　　"What… what is this thing?" 

　　After a few moments of tense silence, Principal Qin broke the spell, his pale face betraying his fear. 

　　Kudeng and Tianyuan exchanged looks but had no answers. 

　　Though both had encountered many ghosts and supernatural entities in their time, this bizarre phenomenon was unlike anything they had seen. 

　　"It seems to be a malign entity born of yin energy and resentment," Duan Tiankui ventured, his seasoned eyes narrowing as he studied the ominous cocoon and the oppressive environment around it. 

　　"This is the strongest point of the 'Sickle Sha' formation. All the yin energy and negative forces in this area have converged here over time, giving rise to this unholy thing." 

　　"Then it's an evil artifact!" Kudeng exclaimed, turning to Lu Fei. "Shopkeeper Lu, your Evil Pawnshop specializes in collecting such items. Can you identify what this is?" 

　　"An evil artifact, huh…" Lu Fei muttered, deep in thought. He glanced at the dormitory roof and suddenly asked, "Principal Qin, are the spots where the victims jumped off near this thing?" 

　　Principal Qin looked around, recalling the details. "It does seem to be the case… Why do you ask, Lu?" 

　　"I think I know what this thing is," Lu Fei said, his eyes narrowing. 

　　"What is it?" 

　　Everyone turned to him, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and tension. 

　　"This is likely a *yin womb*," Lu Fei said, crouching closer to the pit and tilting his head as if to listen. "Do you hear that? There's a faint heartbeat inside the cocoon." 

　　"A heartbeat?" 

　　Everyone froze, leaning closer to listen. 

　　Sure enough, there was a barely audible heartbeat, in sync with the slow rise and fall of the cocoon. 

　　"To fully form, a *yin womb* needs human blood," Lu Fei continued gravely. 

　　"A ghost could kill in countless ways. Why push people to jump from the roof? Because when someone dies from a fall, there's a significant amount of blood spilled. The blood seeps into the soil, nourishing the *yin womb*." 

　　"Typically, a *yin womb* matures after consuming the blood of nine people." 

　　"Nine?" Principal Qin's face darkened. "Since the hauntings began, five people have died in that dormitory." 

　　"Not five—six," Lu Fei corrected. "The first victim was the girl killed by her boyfriend. She was the initial sacrifice and the first puppet." 

　　"Puppet?" The term puzzled the group, especially Kudeng and Tianyuan. 

　　"We misunderstood the situation," Lu Fei explained. "At first, we thought the hair was growing from the malevolent ghost. But in reality, it's the other way around." 

　　"The hair controls the ghost. The ghost is merely a puppet of the *yin womb*, used to lure new victims." 

　　That explained the ghost's look of relief when it was pulled away by the hair. 

　　And why it helped them escape the dormitory after seeing Guo Haitao's ring. 

　　Perhaps it didn't want to harm anyone—it was simply a tool under the *yin womb's* control. 

　　As Lu Fei unraveled the mystery, the pieces finally clicked into place. 

　　There were five ghosts in the dormitory, plus Guo Haitao, making six victims in total. But for some reason, Guo Haitao had managed to leave the dormitory without becoming a puppet. 

　　"I see now!" 

　　Kudeng and Tianyuan nodded in sudden understanding. 

　　"There are many stories of malevolent entities using ghosts to do their bidding. The tale of *Lanruo Temple* is the most famous," Kudeng said with a sigh. 

　　"Amitabha. Each person suffers in their own way. If I had known, I would have sought to release their souls sooner," Kudeng murmured, folding his hands in a prayer of compassion. 

　　Even Duan Tiankui, Jiang City's foremost geomancer, felt a chill run down his spine at the sight of the *yin womb*. 

　　For such a dreadful entity to form, there must be deeper flaws in the school's feng shui. 

　　He instinctively looked around, reassessing the area. 

　　"Lu, is there a way to deal with this *yin womb*?" Principal Qin asked, his face heavy with worry. 

　　The *yin womb* was like a terrifying time bomb, and he wanted it gone as soon as possible to prevent more harm. 

　　"I know how to deal with a *yin womb*, but this one is different. It's encased in these hair-like filaments," Lu Fei said, his gaze fixed on the pulsating cocoon. 

　　"Shopkeeper Lu, you have a fine thunderstruck wood weapon—why hesitate? It's broad daylight; surely you can destroy this thing directly," Tianyuan suddenly spoke up. 

　　"And you have a fine Seven-Star Peachwood Sword, Daozhang. Why don't you give it a try first?" Lu Fei retorted, glancing at him. 

　　"I…" Tianyuan faltered. "I'm still recovering from my injuries. If I can't destroy it in one blow and enrage the entity, it could end disastrously." 

　　"So you understand the consequences," Lu Fei said with a cold smile. "Every malevolent entity has its unique method of destruction. Brute force is always the last resort." 

　　"Then what should we do, Lu?" Principal Qin pressed. 

　　Ignoring Tianyuan, Lu Fei thought for a moment and said, "The most dangerous part of this *yin womb* is the hair-like filaments. Let's see if we can weaken it with black dog blood or boy's urine." 

　　"We've got black dog blood right here!" Tiger said with a sly grin, looking at the puppy in Lu Fei's arms. "Hey, little guy, mind donating a bit of blood?" 

　　The puppy barked sharply in protest, burying itself deeper into Lu Fei's embrace with a whimper as though tattling on Tiger. 

　　"How could you even think of that? It's adorable!" Duan Lingyue exclaimed, coming to the dog's defense. 

　　Tiger scratched his head awkwardly. "I was joking! This pup is a spirit dog—I'd never harm it… Guess we're left with boy's urine. Anyone here qualify?" 

　　Principal Qin and Duan Tiankui, both married and far from youthful, shook their heads. 

　　Duan Lingyue blushed at the implication, though she understood the term as a budding feng shui practitioner. 

　　"What about the monks? Aren't they both supposed to be celibate?" Tiger asked, eyeing Kudeng and Tianyuan. 

　　Lu Fei added with a faint smirk, "True celibacy means not just abstaining from intimacy but also from… self-rewarding practices."