Chapter 226
Chapter 226
“After those three wicked Daoists were executed, a physician who served that great man found the book. The physician was a good man. Although some of the arts recorded in the book were evil, he discovered that others could be used to heal the sick and save lives. He used the book to save many people.
“When the physician reached old age, he wanted to pass the book down. He had discovered that its healing arts could be used only by the book’s owner. Yet he also knew how dangerous the book was, so he sought someone of outstanding moral character to inherit it and continue using it for the good of the people.
“The problem was that the book possessed a peculiar magic. It drew out the darkest desires in a person’s heart. The physician had cultivated under that great man, so he could resist it. The successor he chose could not. That man used the book to satisfy his selfish desires and created an enormous organization…”
“The Illuminati?”
“Exactly. That was its name. The man tried to use the organization to control the entire world, but people of insight stopped him. In the end, the book was divided into several pieces. The Old Master of my family possesses one of them-the Soul-Swapping Chapter!
“It allows a person to exchange their soul with one of their blood relatives and thereby attain immortality. There were seven members of the Zhao family at the time. All seven used the art to be reborn in the bodies of their descendants. The chosen descendants became wandering ghosts and were sealed inside coffins.
“The bodies they abandoned gradually grew strange under the influence of those displaced souls. Soul-swapping between relatives is kin preying upon kin, so it produces an enormous amount of resentment. They used auspicious burial grounds to suppress that resentment. Generation after generation, the seven remained alive and accumulated vast resources. That was how the Zhao Group was established.”
“I see.”
John nodded. At last, he understood everything.
As for why all seven had ultimately become the Old Master’s sons, there had once been a period when, for certain special reasons, the situation in the Xia Kingdom had become… complicated. The Zhao family suffered devastating losses until only the Old Master’s line remained. In the end, the seven had no choice but to swap into the bodies of his sons.
“Then the soul-swapping ritual requires…”
“You must hold the incomplete Yin-Yang Secret Codex, know the target’s name and exact birth date and time, then recite the incantation. That will activate the ritual.”
John fell silent. He finally understood his father’s intentions. His father had probably learned this secret long ago, which was why he had hidden John’s real name.
It also explained why his grandfather had deliberately made relations among the Zhao family so distant.
If there were genuine affection between them, the person taking over a relative’s body would inevitably feel some guilt. If the target was effectively a stranger, there would be far less guilt.
And the reason the Old Master had not chosen John’s father was simple: an accident in childhood had left one of his legs disabled. The Old Master pursued perfection, so naturally he would never choose him.
“How can we end the ritual?”
After all, their mission depended on it.
Zhao Teng glanced at the child behind him, then said, “Someone must complete the soul swap. It does not matter who. Otherwise, the ritual will continue indefinitely.”
“The swaps you went through don’t count?” Xiaoshuai asked.
“No. Our soul-swapping ritual already ended. Yours is still in progress. There is no other way to bring it to an end,” Zhao Teng replied.
Everyone finally understood. No matter what, they would have to confront John’s grandfather.
“Xu Fei, get me a can of coffee and a few sugar cubes.”
Xiaoshuai’s body paused for a moment before he replied, “All right!”
When Xiaoshuai returned, John picked up the coffee, took a small sip, and set it on the ground.
“I have a plan. I know Fourth Uncle has an illegitimate son whose birth date and time are identical to mine. We can use him to lure my grandfather out and let him complete the soul swap. That should finish the mission.”
“Will that work?” Zhao Teng asked uncertainly. He had no idea whether such a trick could fool that man.
“Whether it works or not, this is all we have. I certainly won’t hand over my own body.”
Frowning, John drained the coffee.
No one else had a better idea, so they settled on his plan.
The most important thing now was to deliver the coffins to their destination. If the corpses that had already transformed inside escaped, it would be a true disaster.
They had only just risen to their feet when the young monk rushed out from nearby in a panic.
“Benefactors, please hurry and talk some sense into Benefactor Liu!”
Everyone fell silent.
“I’ve been hearing hammering for a while now.” Xiaoshuai swallowed, terror spreading across his face.
A terrible premonition seized them all.
They hurried to the rear and froze at the sight before them.
The once-fine sandalwood coffins had been altered beyond recognition.
One coffin lid had been removed, and the interior had been divided into four small compartments. The transformed corpse inside sat pitifully at the very back, knees hugged to its chest.
The coffin lid itself had been cut into four wheels and mounted beneath the coffin.
Everyone fell silent again.
Their hearts spasmed.
“M-Master Liu, what are you…”
“Just making a few improvements. Look at you people. You’ve been reduced to this, so there’s no way you can walk. But I can pull you there.”
As he spoke, Liu Ye tossed one of the collapsed Zhao family members into the coffin.
Everyone turned toward the Driver.
“Don’t look at me. I tried to stop him.”
The Driver spoke while handing Liu Ye a hammer. He had completely given up resisting.
“But, Master, this is… inappropriate, isn’t it?”
Their souls and corpses might have mutated, but these coffins were still supposed to house their ancestors in the future. If the coffins were mangled like this, the Zhao family’s fortunes would go straight to hell!
“Then what do you suggest?”
Zhao Teng immediately fell silent.
“See? I ask you for an idea and you don’t have one. So just listen to me. There’s always a way around a problem. Here, help me saw this wood.”
Faced with the saw Liu Ye held out, Zhao Teng had no choice but to make a decision that betrayed his ancestors.
After another entire afternoon of work, every coffin cart was finally complete.
Liu Ye stood at the very front and called to the people behind him.
“Is everyone aboard?”
“W-We’re aboard!”
Everyone tightened the ropes around their bodies. For some reason, they all had a bad feeling.
“Then we’re off!”