Chapter 31: The Folk Forbidden Art of the Three Corpses Blocking Wealth (Part Two)

Li Chengfeng found a plastic bag in a trash can, placed the corpse of the sick cat inside, and then took the bus back to Suiyuan Hall.

He hid the cat's carcass in the green belt by the roadside, not daring to bring it into the shop. The body of a sick cat is an object of great misfortune; even coming near the door of Suiyuan Hall would invite bad luck and cause three years of misfortune.

Now that he had the sick cat, the next items he needed were a featherless dead crow and a thin, dead bat. Living crows and bats were rarely seen, so finding these specific remains would be extremely difficult. However, as the saying goes, success depends on human effort, and many things are predestined. Since he had happened upon the sick cat by chance, it must be fate. Finding the crow and the bat shouldn't be too hard.

Finding a crow in the city was impossible; most lived near graveyards or crematoriums. With business being slow, Li Chengfeng decided to go for a walk and look for the remains. He remembered a close classmate named Wang Bin, who lived in the countryside on the outskirts of Qingzhou. He had visited him before, and together they used to raid bird nests, catch wild chickens, and hunt rabbits in the mountains. Wang Bin would surely know where to find crows and bats.

They hadn't been in touch much since graduation, both busy with work. It would be a good chance to catch up and ask for a favor. Li Chengfeng called Wang Bin first, and after confirming he was home, he set off. Wang Bin was delighted to hear he was coming.

Li Chengfeng boarded a bus to the countryside and soon arrived at Xinzhuang Town, where Wang Bin lived. He bought some gifts in town and hired a tricycle to reach Shiniu Village. As he stepped out of the vehicle and prepared to walk into the village, a gust of black, malevolent energy blew toward him. He suddenly felt that something was wrong.

He looked up toward the village and saw threads of dark, ominous energy permeating the roads, with the entire village shrouded in a black haze. Li Chengfeng was puzzled. What had happened to this place? Why had it turned into this? He hesitated, wondering if he should even enter.

The village was shrouded in this dark energy; entering might invite unnecessary trouble. Wang Bin, who had been waiting at the entrance, saw his classmate and ran over with a smile. "Haha, you didn't have to buy anything!"

"These aren't for you," Li Chengfeng replied, "they're for your parents."

After the initial greetings, they talked about their job searches and both sighed. In this day and age, it was far too difficult for a college graduate to find a satisfying job. After graduation, Wang Bin had tried a few positions, but the pay was low and he was often bullied by senior staff, so he had returned home in frustration.

When Wang Bin learned that Li Chengfeng had opened Suiyuan Hall to offer services like naming, fortune-telling, and feng shui, he laughed and said, "Not bad, kid! I hear that line of work pays well. You must have made a fortune!"

"I made a little, but then I got swindled," Li Chengfeng said, recounting the incident with the fake gold. Wang Bin was furious, cursing the unscrupulous merchants.

As they chatted, they walked deeper into the village. Li Chengfeng noticed the malevolent energy growing thicker. He frowned, feeling a jolt of concern—he had walked right into it. In broad daylight, the sounds of chickens, dogs, and cattle crying out echoed through the air. Li Chengfeng slowed his pace and said solemnly, "Bin, has your village been having a lot of trouble lately?"

"Uh, how... how did you know?"

"As soon as I entered, I saw the village shrouded in black energy. I heard the animals crying out in distress. This is a classic sign of great misfortune. What has been happening here?"

Wang Bin was stunned. He had previously thought his classmate was just scraping by with superstition, but now he felt that Li Chengfeng might actually have some real skill. He began to recount the events.

It had started half a month ago. The village had been fine, but suddenly, chickens, ducks, and livestock began to die for no reason. Within a few days, most of them were dead. After the animals, it was the people's turn. Every day for the past few days, elderly people in poor health had passed away, and many young people were falling ill, too.

Wang Bin coughed as he spoke, showing that his own health had been affected. He sighed, "Our village used to be prosperous and peaceful. No one got sick, and there were many wealthy people and government officials living here. I don't know what happened, but in just half a month, people have gone bankrupt or been arrested, and everyone's health is failing."

As he finished speaking, the sound of wailing emerged from ahead. A funeral procession approached. The two men stepped to the side to let them pass. Watching the people in mourning clothes walk by, Wang Bin said, "That's already the ninth elder to pass away in our village."

Li Chengfeng frowned deeply. Disturbed animals, restless homes, loss of life and wealth, the downfall of officials, and daily funerals—this was a sign of extreme disaster. If the villagers didn't move, they might all perish.

What on earth had happened to this village? As he pondered, he suddenly heard the cries of two cows—one old, one young—coming from the east side of the village. The sounds were agonizing, like the animals were in their death throes. Puzzled, he asked, "Is someone slaughtering cows in your village? That sound is terrifying."

"What cow sounds? I don't hear anything."