Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In ancient and remote places, many eerie and terrifying things often occur.

These events happened around Hua Jiunan.

In fact, Hua Jiunan was a part of these events himself.

For instance, he was a Corpse-Born Child!

Jiudaogou Village was nestled in the deepest reaches of the Great Northern Mountains.

It was a freezing land, shrouded in wind and snow throughout the four seasons.

Even in the early 1980s, the villagers lived a life that was almost entirely isolated from the world.

All matters in the village, large or small, were decided by Deaf Granny and Old Li.

Deaf Granny was a spirit medium disciple.

In China, there has been a saying since ancient times: “Mao in the South, Ma in the North.”

“Mao in the South” refers to the Maoshan Taoists;

“Ma in the North” refers to the northern spirit mediums.

Orthodox spirit medium disciples enshrined twelve Immortal Spirits in their homes, known as the “Four Pillars and Eight Pillars.”

The Four Pillars referred to: Hu (Fox), Huang (Weasel), Chang (Snake), and Qingfeng.

Qingfeng referred to the malevolent ghosts of those who died violent deaths.

The so-called Eight Pillars consisted of eight halls: Sweeping, Seeing, Visiting, Protecting, Reaching Heaven, Returning to Earth, Overcoming Obstacles, and Scouting.

As for the specific division of labor among the Four Pillars and Eight Pillars, that will be explained later.

Deaf Granny wasn’t actually deaf. Her maiden name was Zhang, and her full name was Wang Zhangshi.

It was only because her spirit medium was a snake-and snakes are also called “little dragons”-that everyone called her Deaf Granny, as the word for “deaf” sounds like the word for “dragon” in their dialect.

Deaf Granny’s husband had passed away early, and two of her three sons had died young in accidents.

Only her third son remained by her side to care for her.

Regardless of age, the villagers generally called him Wang San.

Today was the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival.

Therefore, as soon as night fell, Deaf Granny had Wang San close the courtyard gate, wanting to rest early.

After all, the paths of the living and the dead are different; if they were to collide, it would be bad for everyone.

But before she could lie down, a sudden, urgent knocking came from the courtyard gate.

The sound was so loud and heavy that it was less of a knock and more of a slamming impact.

Wang San was very displeased. As he threw on a padded cotton coat covered in patches to open the door, he grumbled and cursed:

“Coming, coming! Stop damn well knocking!”

“Are you dying and in a hurry to save your life or something? Pounding on the door in the middle of the night!”

The courtyard gate opened, and a gust of yin wind blew into his face.

The person outside the door was like a piece of wood leaning against it; with a heavy thud, they fell straight into the courtyard.

A human-shaped Mark was left in the thick snow.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, they aren’t actually dead, are they?!”

As Wang San pulled the person out of the snow, he shouted toward the house:

“Mother, come out and take a look!”

In fact, the moment Wang San opened the door, Deaf Granny’s heart had skipped a beat.

She ran a few steps to the side room where the Immortal Spirits were enshrined, grabbed the Immortal-Binding Rope, and rushed out.

This Immortal-Binding Rope was not some magical treasure from myths and legends.

Rather, it was woven by spirit medium disciples using willow branches, their own hair, and “old money” (ancient copper coins).

It was then soaked in a mixture of pine oil and incense ash for three years.

After three years, it was taken out, washed clean, and placed beneath the seats of the Immortal Spirits as an offering.

The Immortal-Binding Rope was six feet and six inches long, pitch black all over, and had the power to drive away ghosts and ward off evil.

As she ran, Deaf Granny lamented in her heart: “Knocking on the door during the Ghost Festival-bad luck, truly bad luck!”

At the same time, Old Li, who lived next door, heard the noise and rushed over.

He was an outsider who had only moved to the village three years ago.

Once the villagers learned that Old Li was a veteran who had fought off the invaders, they all respected him deeply.

Using the reflection of the snow, the two elders saw that the person Brother Wang San had pulled up was a woman with a deathly pale face.

She seemed frozen stiff; her entire body was rigid.

It was to the point that Wang San only had to grip her shoulders for her to remain standing without falling.

In this state, the woman’s protruding belly was even more obvious.

She was clearly a pregnant woman on the verge of giving birth.

Deaf Granny spoke to the woman in a stern and sharp voice: “This house is under the protection of the Immortal Spirit Eighth Master Chang. This old woman advises you to leave quickly!”

The woman twisted her neck mechanically, a faint creaking friction sound echoing out.

Her eyes were a dull, dead gray. When she spoke, she did so one word at a time, the sound produced entirely by the friction in her throat.

She looked exactly like a rusted machine.

“Please… I… beg… you!”

“Save… the… child… in… my… belly!”

Wang San was thick-headed and didn’t find anything strange about it. Instead, he offered warmly: “You’re looking for someone to deliver a baby, right? My mother only knows how to drive away evil; she doesn’t know how to deliver babies.”

“For a delivery, you need to find the Zhang Family’s Daughter-in-law at the east end of the village.”

“Sigh, forget it. Looking at you, even walking seems like a struggle. I’ll go fetch her for you.”

Seeing her son actually about to head out, Deaf Granny quickly stopped him: “Sanwa, stop! She’s a dead person!”

Wang San was startled by this and shielded Deaf Granny behind him in one stride. “It’s the middle of the night, Mother, don’t scare me!”

Old Li frowned deeply and stepped forward to stand beside Wang San. “Deaf Granny, are you sure?!”

Deaf Granny stared cautiously at the woman and replied softly: “This old woman is neither deaf nor blind; naturally, I wouldn’t see it wrong!”

“You two look closely. This thing isn’t breathing at all!”

Old Li looked carefully:

Wasn’t that the truth!

The three of them, living people standing on the snow, puffed out white steam with every breath.

But the woman opposite them not only had no steam coming out, but even the snow on her face had already turned to ice!

Hearing Deaf Granny’s words, the woman suddenly became agitated.

Her eyes rolled up violently until only the whites remained.

Dragging her legs, she walked straight toward the three people opposite her.

“I’m not dead, I’m really not dead!”

“I beg you, hurry and save the child in my belly!”