Chapter 5: Preparing for the Aftermath

"Do you believe it now?" 

"It's really haunted!" 

"Little Wang's widow has been dead for a long time!" 

"Xiao Qing is at her gate right now, everyone hurry up and go take a look!" 

As the strange phenomenon in Zizhu Town faded, Old Lady Zhang rallied a large group of people, each of them bracing their courage, heading toward Little Wang's widow's house. Everyone held knives, clubs, hoes, and forks in their hands, their faces all painted with fear under the glow of torches. 

"I've said it before, that woman's cursed! But you all didn't believe me! Xiao Qing easily broke my arm, how could a small woman scratch me so badly?" 

The eldest son of Old Li's family spat on the ground. 

"Enough of that, hope Xiao Qing doesn't encounter any danger!" 

"Although we've only known each other for a year, Xiao Qing is always helpful. If anyone has trouble, he never turns them away. Now, with this ghostly haunting at Little Wang's widow's house, he's stepped in. We can't let him fight alone!" 

"Yeah, we must stand with Xiao Qing. If he can't handle it, we can't escape either! Everyone, stay clear, don't retreat!" 

The entire neighborhood, several alleys, were crowded with people. 

At the entrance of Little Wang's widow's house, the local bullies led the charge, followed by some middle-aged laborers with small reputations. At a single call, they could rush in immediately. 

"We'll be united! We have the numbers, a spit from each person can drown that bastard!" 

"That's right, worst case, if we all stretch our necks and let him cut, he'll get exhausted and die!" 

The eldest son of Old Li's family swung his cleaver, ready to charge. 

When they peered into the courtyard and saw the scene in the hall, they were all stunned. 

Everyone looked at each other in confusion, the atmosphere suddenly strange and complicated. 

Inside the hall, Little Wang's widow was carefully feeding her child rice soup. Xiao Qing stood by, seemingly talking to someone. 

Where's the haunting? Everything looked so normal. 

"Who's going to drown who? Who's going to exhaust who?" Xiao Qing shouted toward the entrance. 

Old Lady Zhang squeezed her way in and said, "Xiao Qing, didn't you say…" 

Old Lady Zhang nervously glanced at Little Wang's widow. 

Inside the hall, only half a candle was lit, flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment. 

The dim light made it hard to see Little Wang's widow's face. 

"No haunting?" 

Li Town Head also struggled to squeeze in, followed by a few respected elders. 

Xiao Qing hurried to greet them and blocked their way. 

Li Town Head looked at Xiao Qing with confusion. 

Xiao Qing lowered his voice, "I don't understand the proper procedures. Please, Town Head and the elders, help arrange for the funeral." 

"Funeral? Whose…? Hiss!" 

Li Town Head's legs gave out, and the elders' faces changed. 

"Don't worry, leave this to me. Let everyone go back and rest. Everything's fine." Xiao Qing said. 

Li Town Head grabbed Xiao Qing's hand tightly and shook it hard. 

The elders also came over, patted Xiao Qing on the shoulder, and helped maintain order, sending the crowd away. 

For most of the villagers, it seemed like a farce. The uneasy hearts of the people were calmed. 

Little Wang's widow's house returned to quiet. 

The white-clad young woman stood beside Xiao Qing, somewhat surprised. "I didn't expect you to have such good relationships." 

"Not bad, just that everyone is too enthusiastic." 

"But I still have to remind you, half a candle's time is way too long." 

The white-clad woman realized that Xiao Qing was completely ignorant of the common knowledge of cultivators. 

"Let's get through this first." 

The white-clad woman looked at the hall. 

Little Wang's widow was struggling to get up. Her face was stiff and expressionless, but her mouth let out a hissing sound. 

Her words were unclear, "Xiao Qing, thank you. Actually, I heard your conversation with Old Lady Zhang earlier." 

Xiao Qing sighed. 

After the warm current flowed through him, Xiao Qing found his senses much sharper. Right now, he could hear Old Lady Zhang, who hadn't left, talking with Li Town Head and the elders, discussing the child's upbringing. 

"Don't wait any longer, I can go in peace. I feel like I can't hold on much longer." 

Tears slowly fell from Little Wang's widow's eyes. 

But when Xiao Qing looked, his pupils trembled. 

It was blood tears. 

"Do it now." The white-clad woman urged. 

Xiao Qing moved to pick up the child, his voice heavy, "Don't worry, Old Lady Zhang will take care of the child. Everyone will help." 

"Thank you." Little Wang's widow looked at the child reluctantly. 

"Quickly, do it!" The white-clad woman urged again. 

Especially as the clouds above blocked the moonlight, the entire courtyard fell into pitch-black darkness. 

Xiao Qing held the cleaver, but he hesitated to strike. 

For him, it was a hard decision. 

In the past, he didn't know much about ghosts and gods, and now he was too slow to react. 

It felt as though the person in front of him wasn't a zombie, but still Little Wang's widow. 

Suddenly, Xiao Qing's heart tightened. 

Little Wang's widow's eyes turned blood-red. 

She opened her mouth, revealing silver teeth stained with blood. 

"Watch out!" The white-clad woman shouted. 

But Little Wang's widow raised her hand and struck. 

Xiao Qing squinted. In that moment, he activated the third ability of the *Zao Hua Chang Sheng Sword*: **Eternal Moment**. 

Time slowed down dramatically. 

Xiao Qing saw the trajectory of Little Wang's widow's attack, moving faster than his own strike! 

If he took the blow head-on, he could decapitate Little Wang's widow, but the child in his arms would certainly die. 

Without hesitation, Xiao Qing made the only choice. 

The white-clad woman's expression changed as she watched. 

She thought that Xiao Qing would be severely injured, and the child would die. 

This tragedy would be irreversible, and Xiao Qing would regret it, just as she had said before. 

However, in her eyes, Xiao Qing unexpectedly bent down, turning sideways, and used his shoulder to block the strike. 

Even the white-clad woman couldn't believe this was possible! 

"Boom!" 

With a dull thud, Xiao Qing was thrown back. 

The cleaver flew high into the air. 

The white-clad woman didn't have time to think. She looked at the cleaver, realizing that the only chance to kill Little Wang's widow was to catch that glowing cleaver. 

But as the cleaver fell, the white-clad woman froze. 

The cleaver followed a strange trajectory, falling toward Xiao Qing instead of her. 

"Did he plan this?" 

In the blink of an eye, Little Wang's widow, now a vengeful spirit, caught up with Xiao Qing. 

Yet Xiao Qing, enduring the pain in his shoulder, raised his hand to catch the falling cleaver. 

With a swift motion, he slashed it across Little Wang's widow's neck. 

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. 

Little Wang's widow's eyes momentarily cleared, full of gratitude. 

"Rest in peace." 

Xiao Qing's arm hung limply as Little Wang's widow's body collapsed to the ground. 

Only the child's cries remained, sorrowfully echoing in the dark night.