Chapter 1: Ghost Festival, Ghosts Knocking on the Door

In remote and ancient places, many eerie and terrifying events tend to occur.

And these events happen around Hua Jiunan.

In fact, Hua Jiunan is part of these events.

For example, he is a child born from a corpse!

Jiudao Gou Village is situated in the deepest part of the hundred-thousand-mountain in the northern region.

Here, the weather is bitterly cold, and the village is covered in snow and wind throughout the year.

Even by the early 1980s, the villagers lived a life almost isolated from the rest of the world.

Major decisions in the village are made by a deaf old lady and Mr. Li.

The deaf old lady is a disciple of Ma (a kind of Taoist priest).

In our country, there has always been the saying 'Southern Maoshan, Northern Ma.'

'Southern Ma' refers to Maoshan Taoist priests;

'Northern Ma' refers to Northern immortal Taoists.

Legitimate disciples of Maoshan have 'Four Beams and Eight Pillars' of twelve immortals enshrined in their homes.

The 'Four Beams' refer to Hu (fox), Huang (yellow weasel), Chang (snake), and Qing Feng (a malevolent ghost).

The so-called 'Eight Pillars' are Sao, Kan, Chuan, Hu, Tongtian, Guidi, Guan'ai, and Tanbing.

Regarding the division of labor among the 'Four Beams and Eight Pillars,' it will be explained in the subsequent text.

The deaf old lady was actually not deaf; her maiden name was Zhang, and her full name was Wang Zhangshi.

It's just because her patron deity was a serpent, and serpents are also known as small dragons, so everyone called her Deaf (Dragon) Granny.

The Deaf Granny's husband passed away early, and three of her sons also tragically died, with two of them dying in accidents.

Only the youngest son remained by Deaf Granny's side.

Regardless of age, villagers usually referred to him as Wang San (Third Wang).

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

Therefore, just after nightfall, Deaf Granny asked Wang San to close the courtyard gate, wishing to rest early.

After all, humans and ghosts have different paths, and it's not good for either side to collide with each other.

But before she could lie down, there suddenly came an urgent knocking at the courtyard door.

The sound was so loud and heavy that it felt more like pounding than knocking.

Wang San was very displeased. While putting on a patched cotton coat, he went to open the door, grumbling all the way:

"Here it comes, stop banging, damn it!"

"Are you dying and urgently need help, or what? Knocking on the door at this late hour!"

The courtyard gate opened, and a cold wind rushed in.

The person outside seemed like a leaning piece of wood, thumping, and fell straight into the courtyard.

On the thick snow, there was only an imprint of a human figure left.

"Oh my goodness, is this person really dead?!"

Wang San pulled the newcomer out from the snow, and shouted into the house:

"Ma, come out and take a look!"

Actually, at the moment Wang San opened the door, Deaf Granny was already shocked.

She rushed a few steps to the side room where the deities were enshrined, grabbed the bundle of sacred rope, and ran outside.

The sacred rope here isn't the kind of treasure in mythical legends.

Instead, it's woven by the Taoist disciple using willow branches, their hair, old coins (ancient copper coins), etc.

Then it's soaked in a mixture of pine oil and incense ash for three years.

After three years, it's taken out, washed clean, and placed under the seat of the deities for worship.

The sacred rope is six feet and six inches long, entirely jet black, and has the power to ward off evil spirits.

As Deaf Granny ran, she lamented in her heart:

Ghost Festival, ghost knocking on the door, what bad luck!

At the same time, the neighbor, Old Man Li, heard the noise and hurried over.

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

The villagers greatly respected him after learning that Old Man Li was a veteran who had driven away invaders.

The two elderly people, using the reflection from the snow, saw what Wang San was pulling up—a woman with a pale and miserable face.

She seemed to have frozen, her entire body stiff.

So much so that when Wang San held her shoulders, she wouldn't fall.

In this state, the pregnant woman's prominent belly was even more noticeable.

It was clearly a pregnant woman about to give birth.

Deaf Granny sternly said to the woman:

"There is the 'Eighth Master' from the Taoist family sitting in our house. I advise you to leave immediately!"

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

Her eyes were lifeless, and when she spoke, every word was syllabic and sounded like friction coming from her throat.

Her appearance was much like a rusty machine.

"Pl-please, h-help, me!"

"Sa-save, th-the, b-baby, in-in, my, b-belly!"

Wang San was oblivious and didn't find anything strange. Instead, he warmly welcomed her:

"Are you here to find someone to assist with childbirth? My Ma only knows how to expel evil, not deliver babies."

"For childbirth, you should seek Zhang's wife at the east end of the village."

"Ah, forget it, seeing you in this state, it's hard for you to walk. I'll go and get her for you."

Seeing his son actually leaving, Deaf Granny hurriedly stopped him:

"San, stop! She's dead!"

Wang San was shocked upon hearing this, taking a step to shield Deaf Granny behind him:

"Ma, don't scare me at this late hour!"

Old Man Li frowned, stepping forward to stand beside Wang San:

"Granny, are you sure?!"

Deaf Granny cautiously stared at the woman and replied softly:

"The old lady isn't deaf or blind; naturally, she wouldn't make a mistake!"

"You two look carefully; this thing doesn't breathe at all!"

Old Man Li carefully observed:

Indeed!

The three living people stood on the snowy ground, each breath producing white steam.

But the woman across from them not only didn't exhale steam, but even the snowflakes on her face had frozen!

The woman, upon hearing Deaf Granny's words, suddenly became frantic.

Her eyes rolled frantically until only the whites were visible.

Dragging her legs, she walked straight towards the three people across from her.

"I'm not dead, I'm really not dead!"

"Please, quickly save the baby in my belly!"