Chapter 51: Greed Unleashed (2/2)

My heart pounded. As my second hoe struck the ground, the earth seemed to bleed, releasing a violent fiendish wind that dizzied me and staggered the others. Faint golden light shimmered on our clothes.

From above, the scene would've been spectacular: dozens of men forming a talisman pattern around the well, torches turning the yard into a furnace, the black wellmouth at its center. This "Breaking Earth Talisman" was a human - powered reactor, amplifying yang energy. Still, my chest ached, and I spat blood.

"Master, are you okay?!" Panic rippled through the crowd. I waved them off: "Fine—just five more strikes."

After calming everyone, I gritted my teeth. When five blood columns surged, I knew the well's malevolence was drained. Suddenly, whirlwinds sprang up, spinning wheat ears meters into the air—a phenomenon I'd never seen.

A thunderclap boomed in our ears, relentless and splitting my head. Everyone collapsed, hearing the same sound.

"What's happening? An explosion?!" the chief yelled.

As villagers gaped and whispered, I exhaled: "The yin - gathering land is broken. Dig where I marked—stop when you find the coffin. Don't open it until I'm here."

I rested at the chief's house as dawn broke. For the first time in a month, chickens crowed, dogs barked—normalcy returned. I slept till afternoon, roused by the chief's son: "Master! Wake up! Trouble—we found the coffin!"

"Found it? What's the problem?" I rubbed my eyes.

He cursed as he explained: After digging overnight, they'd found a beautifully carved coffin by the well. Er Gou and two friends, greedy for treasures, opened it during 午休 (siesta). Inside lay a preserved Qing - dynasty corpse, as if asleep. Enchanted by a jade in its mouth, Er Gou removed it—and transformed. He raved about being a Jiaqing - era scholar, murdered by traitors, vowing revenge. 疯了似的 (Manic), he attacked everyone, overpowering six men with sudden strength, until twenty tied him up.

I slapped my thigh—fools! The flying corpse, unable to escape my stakes, had used its newly formed intelligence to possess Er Gou through the jade, its seven spirits.

At the Ma yard, Er Gou lay bound in ropes by the new cattle shed, Yintang gray—classic spirit possession. He glared at me with a 沙哑 voice (husky voice): "I know you—you did this! You'll 陪葬 for this!"

Circling the coffin, I saw the rotting corpse and snapped: "What's your name?!"

"What did you say?" His eyes darkened, nothing like his usual 猥琐样 (sneaky self).

"I asked for your name!" I slapped him twice. He snarled: "I am Liu Zixuan, a scholar - official of the Jiaqing era, Vice Minister of Personnel. How dare you strike me!"