Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Just as I was picking a target, a shadow suddenly fell over me, making me feel instantly uneasy.

I followed the shadow with my eyes. Behind a cluster of neglected graves stood a row of willow trees. They were planted so densely that two or three had been choked to death.

I immediately thought of the address Chen Mengmeng had written down.

The end of Liumian Road, Golden Crane Bridge, Yangfeng County.

Liumian Road was the mountain path we had just traveled. So, this was the end of it?

I walked toward the row of willows, weaving through the thick, tangled branches. A bizarre grave, hidden in the shadows of the trees, appeared before me.

I hurried forward and saw the word “Liu” faintly carved onto the tombstone.

To my surprise, the tombstone was surrounded by ornate carvings and painted pillars. Beneath the upturned eaves of its roof-like top, two large lanterns were actually carved into the stone.

I went back to the car to grab my other tools and told Li Xia to bring Chen Mengmeng over. Hearing that I had actually found it, Li Xia began to tremble-whether from joy or fear, I couldn’t tell. Still, she remained strong, clutching her daughter tightly as she got out of the car.

As I was gathering my tools, I saw my Soul-Striking Whip again.

For some reason, it had straightened itself out. It was supposed to be coiled on the seat, but now the eleven sections of peach wood were locked tight, the tip pointing straight toward the willows outside the window.

I took it out and tucked it into my belt.

Although the tombstone looked impressive, the grave lacked a traditional burial mound. Behind the stone was a solid slab of rock laid flat against the ground. Perhaps due to years of neglect, a piece of the slab was missing, revealing a pitch-black hole.

I cleared away the surrounding soil and wedged my crowbar under the stone slab. As the midday sun shone down, I pressed down with all my might and pried the slab up.

“Ah!”

Li Xia hurriedly covered her daughter’s eyes, but she couldn’t stop herself from letting out a sharp cry.

I pushed the slab aside and looked back. My skin crawled instantly.

There were no skeletal remains in the pit beneath the slab-only a dense mass of tree roots! They were twisted and gnarled, having burst through a mahogany coffin. In the space where a corpse should have been lying, the roots had coiled into a human shape.

It had a head, a neck, a torso, and limbs; only the facial features remained blurred.

I lifted a jerrycan of gasoline and poured it down. No matter what was inside, burning it to ashes was the right move.

But before I could light it, Chen Mengmeng, who had been huddled in Li Xia’s arms, suddenly lunged forward.

The impact knocked me back, and the lighter in my hand fell into the coffin.

“Mengmeng!”

Li Xia rushed forward to grab her, but Chen Mengmeng was like a wild animal, clawing and striking at me.

I grabbed her flailing hands and saw that her eyes had rolled back, showing only the whites.

“Hold her!” I shouted at Li Xia, pushing the mother and daughter back. Then, I decisively leaped into the deep pit containing the coffin.