Chapter 76: Evil Consequence (Part 2 of 2)

To keep Cui Hai from biting off his tongue, I ordered someone to shove a shoe into his mouth, and then I pulled his grandfather aside. With fishing baskets in hand, we began combing the village in search of the weasel's true form.

The logic was simple:Since this was a possession by a local earth-bound spirit (dixian), it couldn't project soul control like a phone signal with infinite range. No matter how powerful it was, it couldn't leave the village. Right now, it had to be hiding somewhere nearby, casting its spell and hurting people.

We searched all morning and well into the afternoon. Finally, near their home, in a pile of dried corn stalks, we found it—a giant weasel, golden-furred and as big as a wolfdog. The most bizarre thing was that it was wearing a Versace leather jacket, waving its forepaws dramatically, and cursing in human speech.

I listened closer—it was cussing me out with remarkable creativity. No doubt about it, this was the culprit, and it really hated me.

Now that we'd found the source, Grandpa Cui understood this was the creature that hurt his grandson. With quiet precision, he crept forward with the bamboo basket.

At the very moment the weasel noticed us—Grandpa sprang with all his might, slamming the basket down in one clean swoop. For a man nearly eighty, his moves were sharp and practiced. In a flash, he had pinned and secured the furious creature.

The weasel shrieked, writhing and slamming itself against the basket, cursing me out with all its fury:

"You heartless bastard! Meddling in other people's karma! You'll pay for this! You'll die without a grave!"

Seeing it so enraged left me uneasy. Sure, it had cultivated powers and practiced Daoist arts, but it still couldn't escape the fate of being trapped in a simple bamboo cage.

It screeched:

"You better release me, little Taoist! I've already prayed to the heavens. Interfering in karma like this offends celestial will! You'll suffer heavenly punishment—utter destruction! Let me go if you know what's good for you!"

It wasn't wrong. In fact, everything it said was true.Strictly speaking, the weasel wasn't at fault—the humans who ate her children were. But humans are ruled by desires and emotions, and I had my own principles.

For the sake of Liu Ruoyi, for the sake of a past I failed to protect, I would do what needed to be done. The memory of her telling me, "It was on the first day of school years ago," still cut me like a knife.

So I spoke solemnly:

"Granny Huang, I beg you. Please release these innocent people. I am willing to offer nine lifetimes of suffering in exchange. Let me recite the supreme Maoshan incantation—the Reincarnation Curse (Lunhui Zhou)—to free the souls of your five children, let them be reborn as heroes among men."

"You've cultivated all these years, haven't you been striving to transcend your beast form and become a true immortal? If I perform this rite, your children will be sent directly into the human cycle, and I will endure nine lifetimes of hardship to pay the debt."

This was no small promise. The Reincarnation Curse is a forbidden Maoshan scripture.One recitation would cost me my current spiritual merit, and worse—nine lifetimes barred from reincarnation.

Taoists say one life = 60 years. That's 540 years of agony, just to gain her forgiveness.Was I being foolish? Maybe.But in my heart, a voice said: it was worth it.

I thought, surely she'd accept.

But to my shock, the weasel exploded with rage:

"What do I care who they'll be born to in the next life?! It won't be me!You help those murderers, and I'll make sure you die in agony!Everyone who ate my children's flesh—I'll kill them all.I'll destroy their descendants!As long as I live, they'll know no peace!"

Her words sent a chill down my spine.This wasn't grief—it was hatred etched into her soul.

Just as I was pondering what to do—

Grandpa Cui suddenly lunged with a waist knife and, without warning, stabbed the weasel several times, killing it on the spot!

"WHAT THE HELL!"I nearly fell over, my eyes wide in disbelief.

"You… you… are you insane?! Why did you kill it?!"

The old man shouted back:

"No matter what you said, she wasn't gonna stop! Still after my grandson's life—I had to kill her!"

I sighed in despair.Yes, the danger was gone… but we'd now committed a grave spiritual sin.

I closed my eyes and bowed solemnly to the weasel's corpse:

"Wuliang Tianzun. I meant you no harm. Forgive me. Forgive me."

My plan was never to kill her—just trap her, stop the harm.But the old man acted without hesitation… and that sin would fall on us both.

At that moment, a figure appeared in the distance, slowly walking toward us.

"Amitabha. Seeing you safe, benefactor, this poor monk can rest easy."