Chapter 68: The Crying from the Well
Chapter 68: The Crying from the Well
Hu Ma didn't insist on going up first out of bravado. It was clear that the group of workers was already terrified. They had come with Xu Ji for the first time, and while they had some courage, the unexpected incident had drained it all.
Even with the furnaces lit, the more afraid they were, the harder it was to get the fires going. Forcing them closer would only make them more vulnerable to whatever lurked in the well.
If chaos erupted, he wouldn't be able to control the situation. It was better to let them stay back, at least they could stand firm and hold their torches steady.
Once they calmed down and regained their courage, the furnaces' power would become evident.
So, he acted as if he didn't care, using the light from behind to slowly approach the well.
Shadows scattered, like claws reaching out, as he drew closer to the well. The eerie crying grew clearer, as if it was right beside his ear.
In the sparse, broken shadows on either side, countless fuzzy things rustled, like a nest of snakes and insects, slowly creeping closer, sinister and strange.
"Hmm?"
Hu Ma felt a chilling cold seep into his body, as if he were in an ice cellar, almost frozen stiff.
When his steps grew heavy, he looked down and saw that his feet and legs were entangled in a mess of hair.
This malevolent spirit was powerful and had taken advantage of the midnight hour, causing cold winds to blow and slowing human reactions. By the time they realized what was happening, it was often too late. The hair would suddenly tighten.
"Back up!"
Realizing this, Hu Ma felt a jolt of fear but tensed his nerves and shouted.
He had been suppressing the fire within his body, trying to lure the creature out. Now, it suddenly burst forth, using the "Mountain Splitting" technique taught by Second Master.
The fire surged, traveling through his arms to the redwood sword. With a swift movement, he swung the sword, drawing a beautiful arc in front of him.
"Swish..."
Hu Ma didn't dare be careless, using only a third of his power, thinking it would be enough to fend off the danger.
But he hadn't expected that the fire, channeled through the redwood sword, would be so powerful.
The air grew hot and dry, as if invisible flames were rising. In the darkness that the torches didn't reach, faint red glows appeared.
The hair from all directions, upon touching the redwood sword, burned instantly, scattering in all directions. The hair entangled around Hu Ma's legs fell away, and the rest retreated, pulling back into the well.
The sobbing from the well grew louder.
Amid the eerie and terrifying sounds, there was a hint of fear and anger.
"Good stuff..."
Hu Ma was momentarily delighted, his courage swelling. He pointed the wooden sword at the well: "Stop your mischief. I am a disciple of the Red Lantern Sect from Qingwa Village... Qing Xiang's disciple. I was sent here to deal with the situation, knowing that one of our workers was harmed by you."
"Return our people, or I will have to use force..."
"..."
He had intended to announce his affiliation, but at the last moment, he realized he shouldn't do so lightly...
I am a member of the Red Lantern Sect, and it's fitting to use the name of the Red Lantern Lady!
"Is a disciple of the Red Lantern Lady so oppressive?"
Suddenly, a sobbing voice came from the well: "I was thrown into this well by a heartless person, my spirit restless, with no one to hear my grievances. I only stay here, waiting for the heartless man to return so I can take my revenge."
"I have not troubled anyone, but your disciple of the Red Lantern Lady is so domineering, insisting on causing me trouble?"
"Hmm?"
Hu Ma's heart stirred: "She is afraid..."
With the redwood sword in hand and the workers' courage gradually returning, the surrounding yin energy was suppressed.
Outside the village, the malevolent spirits that had been drawn in were retreating, losing their momentum.
On paper, he had the advantage. Now, should he seize this opportunity to eliminate the thing in the well?
But he couldn't help thinking of the old woman. He hadn't learned exorcism from her, but Little Hongtang had always followed her, and from her, he had seen the old woman's methods.
He turned to look at Little Hongtang, who had wide, worried eyes. His mind was made up.
Holding a knife in his right hand and the sword in his left, he looked coldly at the well and shouted: "Stop your crying. I am a disciple of the Red Lantern Sect, and I have no intention of bullying you. But you cannot stay here, harming the people around you."
"If you listen, move to another place!"
"..."
As he spoke, the workers' thoughts also shifted.
Hu Ma and Young Master Xu Ji had different approaches. Xu Ji came in with force, while Hu Ma tried to reason.
Moreover, Hu Ma's first move had been more impressive than Xu Ji's.
Seeing this, the workers felt a bit more at ease.
It might have been an illusion, but once they calmed down, the surroundings didn't seem as sinister.
Even the flames in their torches stabilized.
Hu Ma finished speaking, his eyes narrowing as he gazed coldly into the well.
During this time, as he led his fellow workers, he gradually became familiar with the affairs around the estate and the rules of the Red Lantern Society. He knew that the Red Lantern Society's workers didn't necessarily have to fight or kill to deal with evil spirits; they mostly focused on persuasion and expulsion.
Even for this difficult task, the old shopkeeper had only mentioned solving the problem, not necessarily eliminating the spirit.
"You say you don't bully people..."
As Hu Ma's words faded, a mournful wailing echoed from the well, sounding pitiful and aggrieved: "I have been guarding this place, waiting for that faithless man to return to the ancestral home. My grievances are not yet avenged, and now you force me to leave."
"Besides, even if I were to leave, my remains are buried here, and I cannot stray far from my body. Where do you expect me to go?"
"Complaining, are you?"
Hu Ma's heart stirred, sensing an opportunity.
He didn't care about the story behind her words; he only understood one thing: when the other party shows weakness, you must never give in, or it will become a tangled mess.
There was no need to be too harsh, but neither was there a need to be too lenient.
So he glared fiercely, his voice sharp and commanding, "So, you refuse to leave, no matter what?"
"Ah!"
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept out of the well, as if resentment was rising.
But Hu Ma stood firm, not flinching, his eyes cold.
His resolve emboldened the surrounding workers, who focused their attention on the well.
Their courage bolstered the fire, which in turn suppressed the well's negative energy.
Sure enough, Hu Ma's refusal to indulge her complaints, though seemingly unreasonable, proved effective.
The entity in the well, though filled with resentment, began to sob after a moment: "If you truly insist I move, I dare not defy the Red Lantern Lady. But you must come down and dig up my remains, then bury me beside the road leading to Mingzhou, in a shady spot, so I can see when that faithless man returns."
"If you agree, I will leave."
"..."
"Ah?"
The workers around him were suddenly uneasy, their hearts trembling as they looked at the well, feeling a chill and a surge of resentment.
Even Xu Ji, who had dealt with her before, would first try to force her out. Now, they were being asked to go down the well and dig up her remains—no one was that foolish.
Hu Ma frowned, "This isn't difficult. We can move your remains at dawn. How does that sound?"
The voice from the well was filled with resentment, "Moving my remains at dawn, with the sun shining on my bones? You must be trying to harm me."
Not so foolish, after all...
Hu Ma furrowed his brow.
If he waited until dawn, it wouldn't be a problem.
But even if they waited until dawn, the well was a cold, dark place, and the spirit would remain hidden. Waiting would only make the task more cumbersome and wouldn't showcase his abilities effectively.
After a quick calculation, considering all factors, he finally exhaled and looked up at the well, "You have a point. I'll go down myself."
"Ah?"
The workers were shocked, looking at Hu Ma in disbelief.
Even the spirit in the well seemed to fall silent for a moment before speaking softly, "If you truly wish to move my remains, I will leave."
"Not only will I move your remains," Hu Ma said, "I will find you a good resting place where you can watch the road without suffering the cold. I will burn incense and offer you sacrifices, so you can receive some offerings."
Perhaps his words moved the spirit, as the well's negative energy suddenly dissipated, as if waiting for Hu Ma to enter.
"Hu... Hu Ma, brother..."
The workers were deeply worried, instinctively calling him "brother" as they tensed, "Be careful, she will harm you..."
"With the Red Lantern Lady's protection, what harm can a spirit do?"
Hu Ma said, though he didn't fully believe it, then paused, "Go to the nearby villagers and fetch some ropes to pull me up. Also, get some blankets and straw mats to wrap the remains—pay them a little for it."
"Once I have collected her remains, we will bury them quickly to avoid the sun's rays."
The workers hurried off to do as he asked.
Hu Ma then removed his coat to avoid getting it dirty, picked up a bamboo basket, and walked to the well.
Taking a deep breath, he tied the redwood sword to his back for easy access, then lowered himself into the well.
The night air was bone-chilling, and the well's cold made his skin prickle.
He slowly descended, his feet touching the icy well water.
Testing the depth, he landed softly, holding his breath as he slowly drew out a fire striker to light the area.
The light revealed a pale, stiff face, pressed close to his own.
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(End of Chapter)
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